Oh the places you'll go...

I'm pretty sure that's a Dr. Seuss book title. Now it's a blog title.

I want to go places. I want to do things. But above these, I want to serve the Lord who created me. Three days ago, I prayed that God would use me. That he would send me where he wanted me, and that I could serve him. I'm going.

One Year Ago Today...

Let me preface this by saying that I feel like I look back on things too often. Like my last post saying I want to go back to Ireland. And thinking today that I wish I were a transfer again.

One year ago today, I was running around my house trying to get things together to leave for Covenant. I had gotten a phone call the night before from a man who worked for Covenant. He offered me a scholarship, and asked me to move up on Monday and start class Tuesday. What. the. heck.

I had just been at the memorial service of a wonderful woman who was a close friend of our family. I had just been talking with people at church about wanting to be at Covenant. I walked in the house to both of my parents standing in the kitchen smiling. Mom looked at me and said, "We have some exciting news. You may want to sit down." Uhh, ok? What is it? Are we going to Disney World or something? Daddy's response, "No. She's pregnant." and points at Mom. HAH. Funny. Really, what's up? Then Mom told me.

"Covenant called. They want you to come, and start class Tuesday. They're calling back in fifteen minutes."

I talked with the man from Covenant, and then I called everyone I knew. Grandparents. Emily. Blythe. Katie. Baxter was in Chile, so I had to get a hold of him on Skype. Jon. Mike. Lisa. I had to quit my job at Chick-fil-A (I worked there long enough to make $10. Hah.) and let Melissa know that I wouldn't be able to work with the middle school girls at youth group any more. Then packing. Oh man, what to take. Or what not to take? Insane, either way.

Katie drive from Athens and spent the night. We spent most of it trying to figure out what to take, and I had one of the most restless nights I can remember.

Church Sunday morning was bitter sweet. I cried through the hymns that were sung, and a little during the sermon. We told everyone at church, and it was amazing to have such awesome support from so many people. Everyone shared in the joy that I was experiencing.

Sam's for lunch. Pizza, of course. Then buying the essentials. Shampoo, toothpaste, gum, Diet Coke. All that good stuff. That afternoon, Lauren came over to say bye. Emily and Blythe brought me a college basket. Lisa came over and hung out for a bit. Michael stopped by to say bye. I talked with Baxter and told him how nervous I was. I slept in my room for the last time in what felt like forever.

Monday was just as crazy as the day before. I had to get my high school transcript, my Gainesville transcript, shots, doctor's records, and pack the car. I called Covenant so often that the admissions guy who was helping me answered by saying, "Hey Emily, what's up?" because he recognized my number. Mom and Daddy drove with me up to Covenant. We met with tons of people, unloaded and set up all of my stuff, and then they left. I was a student at Covenant College.

Yesterday, I cried on the way up here. Listening to Sufjan, I remembered driving up the mountain for the first time ever. SCARY. I was welcomed back with hugs from Sarah, and help unpacking my car. I went to get Virginia from the airport, made a Wal Mart run, and stopped by Krispy Kreme. I am one of those girls that squeals when she sees her friends she hasn't seen in a month. I remember seeing people do that last year and thinking, "A year from now, I'll be doing that." Yep, right on.

That phone call changed my life. Right now, I'm sitting in a newly-rearraanged 323 alone. Priscilla's getting married, dang it, so I'm all by myself. (kidding. it's great. but I really am by myself.) I can't wait to see what God does in my life. He has, is and will continue to be working in my life. He never ceases to amaze me.

We're trying.

Rachael Jones is awesome. Meeting to talk about an Invisible Children screening was the beginning of a fantastic friendship. I know, it sounds so corny. But really. She has become one of my best friends, and I don't know what I would do with out her.

What I do know, is that Covenant's Invisible Children Chapter would not be what it is. Her passion for this cause is mind blowing. She not only cares, she legitimately wants to fix it. If she ruled the world, Joseph Kony would be the first person to be terminated. Followed by people in charge of child slavery and Wal-Mart. Then sex traffickers. Basically what I'm trying to say is that God has blessed her with a heart for these things, and I pray that it will only continue to grow. She will do fantastic things for the Kingdom, and I'm so happy to be her friend and have the pleasure of sharing it with her.

Rachael Jones, with her typical thumbs up awesomeness. Next to me, who looks ridiculous.

We want to change the world. We want to stop this war. We're trying.

Rachael, I love and appreciate you so much.

Please?

I am content here.

My heart is there.

Can I please go back?

FOCUS.

This word has become the word I use most often in convincing myself to do my work. Exam week is fast approaching, and I have 4 exams, 4 papers, 500 pages to read, and 10 journals to do, and $500 to help raise for Invisible Children. Yes, I am behind. Yes, it's my fault. Yes, I am TERRIBLE at managing my time. I am stressed beyond words. I already live off of Diet Coke and coffee. I should probably just get an IV.

On the other hand, I have wonderful friends. I have a roommate, whom I dearly love, that is getting married. Which really just means we're hanging out a lot before she peace's out. I have dinner dates, and lunch dates, and coffee dates, and I love each of them. I want to dedicate my time to them, but I have too much stuff to do.

2 more years. 4 more semesters. (or 5, if I study abroad and graduate when everyone else does.) That's it. I need to enjoy it. But I need to make good grades more than I need to enjoy it.

In other words, I need to FOCUS.

Oh, and I love frosted animal cookies. And waking up to snow outside of my window. And Panera with Pvirg. And fair trade coffee with Rachael. Just sayin.

I'm learning.

Zephaniah 3:17

"The LORD your God is with you,

he is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

he will quiet you with his love,

he will rejoice over you with singing."

He loves me.

Thank you, Dr. Ward, for assigning an exegetical paper.

Typical.

I am insanely indecisive. This comes from me not truly knowing what I want, because I live for people. To love them, to care about them, to make them happy. My reasoning behind doing most of what I do is to keep everyone around me happy. I do this constantly. I do this despite knowing that ultimately, my purpose is to please God.

It's gotta stop.