Here are a couple of pages from this week's People Magazine. The first is an ad for this week's huge Grey's event. Notice the new characters to the right of Addison. Are you going to watch her spin off?



The second page is dedicated to my mother. Since she turned 60, she keeps on saying, "60 is the new 40!" Which is very funny. This page is devoted to beauty over 60.

Happy Sixties Mom!

Grey's made an awesome connection last week. During the beginning of the episode, they played a remake of the 80's song "Dancin' With Myself." True Patrick Dempsey fans will remember this song. It was playing during a very important part of Patrick's hit teen movie "Can't Buy Me Love." Coincidence?? I doubt it.

Anyways, yesterday was a big day. I turned in my last 20 page paper. I feel so much better. I just have a few more little papers and finals. I'm going to sleep in tomorrow and not feel guilty about it. :)

It has been freezing around here today. Really, what is the deal with this weather?

Well, my cookies were a hit and I passed my comp. The stress and pressure have not subsided though. I have a paper due just about every other day for the next two weeks or so, including tomorrow!?! What kind of a Bible professor schedules a due date on a Sunday? An ungodly one, that's who! Just kidding... sort of.

At the end of my comp, my professors got around me to pray a prayer of blessing over me, and I totally fell apart. I started crying, actual tears (something very uncommon for me). Luckily we were praying so their eyes were closed and they couldn't see my teary display. I don't really know where this emotion came from. Maybe it's the stress or sleep loss. Maybe it's that I'm leaving in a month and refuse to even think about leaving this community. Perhaps, it's my deep gratitude towards these men who have been so instrumental in transforming my life. Whatever it was, that moment was one of those precious times in your life that you just don't forget.

Right now my future looks sunny. I'm going back to Kansas City for the summer (I don't think I've mentioned that here). I think the summer is going to be great. And, I have several prospects for the fall. Yesterday I had a phone interview with the Salvation Army in Portland, OR. The interview went well, and I think the job sounds really neat. I'm not sure if it is exactly what I want to be doing though. My other major prospect right now is a youth ministry job in Campbell, CA (outside of San Francisco). I have heard great things about the church and about the youth minister I'd be working for. Anyways, I just can't believe that this west Texas girl may become a west coaster. I know I'll be made fun of for my accent pretty often, but I can handle that. Every time I see a new job prospect, I look to see if the city has an IKEA. I do plan to spend a lot of my time shopping at IKEA once I start receiving a regular income. That makes me so excited!!

Well, I better work on papers for a little while longer tonight. I hope everyone has a great Sunday tomorrow, I'll be typing.

*****By the way, when I published this post I was visitor number 11,111. Neat-O!*****

"When you're alone and life is making you lonely, you can always go...

Downtown."

I've had this song in my head for a couple of weeks now. I'm not sure where I'm hearing it, but I catch myself singing it all the time.

"Downtown, things'll be great when you're
Downtown, no finer place for sure,
Downtown, everything's waiting for you!"

Well, my make up comp is in the morning at 9:45. I saw one of my professors today and he asked me if I needed a wake up call. Funny. I've got the cookies in the oven right now to give them as an "I'm sorry I missed my first comp, please accept this bribe" gift.

It's job time. I've been sending out resumes for ministry jobs and I've gotten a couple of bites. I've heard from two churches letting me know that they'll be calling me, and I have a phone interview with a branch of the Salvation Army in Oregon on Friday. They are hiring a youth pastor. I don't really know what that job would look like, but I'm definitely intrigued.

You'll be happy to know that the blog you are reading right now has reached new levels of fame. My post from April 7 was quoted from the pulpit of an Abilene church on Sunday morning during the communion thoughts. The word crap was replaced with the words "expletive deleted," which I'm told led many people to think of the f word. I'm glad my words could lead people to such a holy place. I just want to be a blessing.

I'm Scared.

Is it okay to say that? It seems like there is a moment early in life when it is not okay to say I'm scared. We're supposed to grow up and be tough and we aren't allowed to be scared anymore. When I was a little girl I was scared of men with facial hair. Isn't that weird. My fears are less tangible these days. I'm scared of the future. I'm scared I'll get a C in one of my classes this semester. I'm scared that I will finish a master's degree in ministry and not find a ministry job. I'm scared that the idea of a 'calling' might not be real. I'm scared of COBRA insurance rates. I'm scared that I'll always be dependent on my parents. I'm scared of settling for a job I hate because I need the money. I'm scared I'll get a job far away and I'll be lonely. I'm scared to grow up, but also I'm scared I'll never grow up. I'm scared of depression. I'm scared I'll never be married. I'm scared I'll never be loved.

It's snowing, Abilene Texas, Easter weekend.
What the crap??