I'd call it epic.

This weekend is one for the books. But hold on. Lets also use this time to reflect and document the happenings of last weekend.

Last weekend
Last weekend we had the blessing of going on Staff Retreat. This only happens twice a year but I'd lie if it was not a huge reason I am an RA. I love time with the staff and getting away together is just beautiful. This year we went to Steph Yoder's lake house 2 hours away. We left IWU on Friday and stopped for dinner at 800 degree Woodfired Pizza. That was...incredible. We followed up that meal with a little Starbucks.

We finally got up to the lake house and unloaded the van only to get back in it to go get groceries for the weekend and rent a movie. Oh and all during this we are jamming in the IWU van listening to top hits and singing our hearts out...like all girls should. I will always remember singing Johnny & June with Noelle. Anyways, we got back, put in the movie and went to bed after that.

Saturday morning we woke up around 10. We all kinda did our own thing. I passed the volleyball with Steph, and threw the frisbee with Emily. We had an amazing lunch and then sweet Bill the neighbor took us out on his boat...for like 4 hours. It was crazy relaxing and just a beautiful day. We came back to eat dinner and get dressed for our big square dancing event at Pokagon that night. We danced till we couldn't dance anymore.

We went back to Steph's and talked around the fire and fell asleep. 

Sunday morning came and Emily and Noelle made breakfast and we had a time of worship together and then spent time in solitude. In the early afternoon we packed up and headed back to campus. If I could only use two words to describe the weekend: joy and peace.

This weekend
That brings us to this weekend. Well it's homecoming so that added excitement and Emily was on court and won Queen! Ok, so friday Katie and I watched a movie and made homeboys (secret recipe). The parade was cancelled due to rain so everything was moved inside. Thats where we watched Emily be crowned. Then after all of that I went to a Jon Mclaughlin concert. That was great. Saturday morning Ben and I and Katie and Tim went out to breakfast and played the American Girl game, it was an all-american morning.

Katie and I took naps on Saturday afternoon and I did a bit of homework (not nearly enough). Saturday night was a little thing we like to call The After Party. This is the first IWU dance that I have been able to attend and lets just say it set the bar very high for me. So awesome. That wrapped up around 12...and we did what we have dreamed of doing for so long. We took the trek to Kokomo in the middle of the night to go to Dirty Dan's Donuts. They open up at 1am and serve fresh donuts. The line was out to the middle of the parking lot. It was in a super sketch neighborhood. We were all freezing. But the donuts were awesome. We got back to IWU at 3. Finally got to bed and we all woke up for Church this morning. If that isn't an epic weekend. I don't think that I want to know what is. 

Waves.

There has been a reoccurring theme in this semester and it took me till this weekend to see it. This weekend we had our staff retreat. I would use two words to describe that: joy and peace. On Sunday we had time in solitude which I have grown to love more and more. In that time I thought back to the beginning of this school year. During training our staff went to Splash House.

One of the highlights was playing in the wave pool. I will remember laughing till I thought I was going to drown, jumping over, into and under the waves with those girls for many years to come. I love metaphors and illustrations and  I took time in the wave pool to relate the wave pool to ResLife. I said "ResLife is like wave pool...we get hit with one event, one situation, and there is no recovery time before the next event (wave) hits. " If you miss a beat you are confused, choking on water and trying to keep your head above water. However, if you keep your head up, stick to the rhythm.. touch-touch-jump, you will make it over every wave. And when things start to fall apart (or swim suites come untied) we have each other (our staff) to help pick up the pieces and put things back together and get back into the rhythm of the waves. It is so encouraging to be bouncing around in the waves and look to the faces of the girls on my staff and know that we are literally in this together. They are right there smiling back at me rocking the touch-touch-jump rhythm.

Another big theme from this season of life has been constantly reminding myself to turn my eyes upon Jesus. And when I do that the things of earth will grow strangling dim in the light of His glory and grace. If my eyes are on Jesus I will be able to jump over the waves. It's the times that I get distracted and start to focus on the waves or something in the water or think about tomorrow that I get out of rhythm and start to choke.

This semester has been filled with waves. The waves have been fun, good things, but still waves. I am continually reminding myself to fix my gaze on Jesus face and not on the waves. I am so incredibly blessed by those in the water with me. His faithfulness never ceases to amaze me.

Recent adventures

Just a quick update. Like really quick.

Here is my flag football team. 

I had guests this weekend and they left me some treats.

 Last weekend Josh and I decided to drive to Bluffton in the middle of the night to get Katie. It's just one of those things you need to do in college. This is our awkward prom pose at a gas station picture.

Today Mary and I did homework outside in my favorite spot. It was beautiful. 

I am blessed. 

Running in Circles

This song cut me to the core tonight. Click the title to listen to it on youtube.

Running In Circles - United Pursuit Band


im so forgetful, but you always remind me

you're the only one who brings me peace

you're the only one who brings me peace

so i come, lord i come, i come, lord i come

to tell you i love you to tell you i need you

to tell you theres no better place for me than in your arms

to tell you im sorry for running in circles for placing my focus on the ways and not your face

you're the only one who brings me peace

you're the only one who brings me peace

im so forgetful but you always remind me

you're the only one who brings me peace

so i come lord i come i come lord i come to tell you i love you

to tell you i need you

to tell you theres no better place for me than in your arms

to tell you im sorry for running in circles

for placing my focus on the ways and not your face

you're the only one who brings me peace

you're the only one who brings me peace

in the storm

in the storm

im so forgetful but you always remind me 

you're the only one who brings me peace

you're the only one who brings me peace