Fellowship of the Unashamed

"I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made- I'm a disciple of his. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean in his presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and I labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions are few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And, when he comes for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me. . . my banner will be clear" -Prayer known as the Martyred Zimbabwe Pastor's Prayer


A friend told me, earlier, "I love the fact that you get so easily amazed, and aren't ashamed to share with me." I don't know if he's just entertained by my enthusiasm about whatever it is I get started talking about (because this was after I described some amazing things I just saw on those Planet Earth documentaries, which are enough to take my breath away) or if he really does appreciate it ;) He's not intimidated by my big dreams and passion for whatever my future holds-- although some people are. Today my dreaming takes me somewhere around the world with a CRWRC 24-month Internship. It sounds exactly like something that I would love to/should do. It fits my heart and vocational goals like a glove. We'll see... :)

I think that I can echo the virgin mary by saying that i'm pondering all of these dreams in my heart; I have to let them sit.
But these dreams act as a kind of undercurrent to my life, shifted by the Holy Spirit, drawing me towards whatever future the dreams press towards. I need there to be movement, though. For a while, things were stagnant. I need to mix the pot every now and then and look back on all the dreams I've had and brainstorm some of the things I'd like to do. I like storing things in an "opportunities" folder, because even though I don't do many of them, they often act as stepping stones towards the things I actually DO act on!


Today's worship at MCC was wonderful. After singing a few great songs, a bunch of us headed over to Hope Lodge to prepare meals for the residents there. Many of the people staying there were home for the holidays, but it gave us plenty of opportunity to prepare SEVEN different things in the kitchen to put in the freezer for when they come back! It was good "family time" for MCC, and I got to know some of the ladies better that way :) I hope we do it again, it was fun!

The songs were appropriate, because most of them were about offering even in uncertainty. It's bugging me that I can't remember the song we sang right before "Enough"... it was so appropriate and I can't remember which one it was! The lyrics are on the tip of my tongue. Oh well :) It was the realization that what I want to do is besides the point, rather, it's about God wants to do with my life, and I need to follow His lead-- but also to take the initiative to do so.


On a somewhat different note:

The last few days, I have been more in tune with the way that everything is spiritual. It's like having a different set of eyes with which to see. Obviously everything is spiritual whether or not we're aware of it, but being aware--even for a while--is a fascinating thing.




I think this has been influenced significantly by the book that I'm reading right now, called The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris. It's a unique piece of literature-- as the Boston Globe puts it, it is "A strange and beautiful book. Part memoir, part meditation, it is a remarkable piece of writing. If read with humility and attention...[it] becomes lectio divina, or holy reading." My experience exactly. If you enjoy writing poetry, it is especially a treat.

Here is just one quote that I read today that illuminates the mystery of faith:

"[We should consider]...the notion that one might grow into faith much as one writes a poem. It takes time, patience, discipline, a listening heart. There is precious little certainty, and often great struggling, but also joy in our discoveries. This joy we experience, however, is not visible or quantifiable; we have only the words and form of the poem, the results of our exploration" (61).



Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts,
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
AMEN!


Betsy Joy

I'm a dreamer who does.

Two truths, two quotes, both on my facebook profile:

The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do. -Sarah Ban Breathnach

Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. ~Gilda Radner


At first glance, these truths/quotes seem incompatible. I'd say life needs to be a balance between these two. And on a long, rainy ride in the dark home from Kalamazoo in the backseat of my Saturn, I thought about my future.

I've been thinking about California almost every day. It's not hard to wish I were there with the weather we've been having. I also miss it when I talk to my close friends I have there. I miss the megacity, the diversity and the southern California culture, too.

But tonight I was thinking about how to get myself out there in a year from now; even as exact as twelve months from today. When I mention California (again) I see a look come over my mom's face that I can't quite read. I think that she's thinking Gilda Radner is probably right-- that there is so much uncertainty surrounding my future past graduation that who knows where I'll end up. I agree, somewhat, with that interpretation.

There's more to it, though. Here is what I'e been dreaming about-- My plans involve loading up my little Saturn car, or a Uhaul truck, and driving cross-country in a weekend. My imagination includes finding a room to rent (maybe with a family from the church I'd been a part of last summer) and at least a part-time job (I'm good with housekeeping) to get me going, with time for substitute teaching and getting involved with ministries. Sounds great, right? I have plenty of connections in that part of the country, so I'm really not worried.

So I think I can dream about moving to California, and I've found that when I follow my heart, God tends to already be there making a way for it to happen. Everything else is the "delicious ambiguity" and taking God-given opportunities as I go along. It has happened time after time after time again for me, starting when I was just a sophomore in high school and started dreaming about taking a school trip to the East Coast and never thought it would happen. But it did.

And then I started dreaming bigger, about taking a mission trip to Europe, but never thought it could happen. But it did.

On these dreams, I've gone to Yellowstone National Park for a summer, Scotland for a semester, and California for a church internship.

As I've dreamed bigger, so God has also taught me that no dream is too big for Him to put into action-- and each time I've found Him already there, working in my heart and life, teaching me all that I need to know.

When I discovered Thomas Merton, he confirmed my own epiphany; he's all about knowing who you are when it comes to which vocation you choose. Merton articulated everything I had been feeling about pursuing one's dreams. Here's just one quote from my favorite book, No Man Is An Island, that gets at this truth:

In planning the course of our lives, we must remember the importance and the dignity of our own freedom. A man who fears to settle his future by a good act of his own free choice does not understand the love of God. For our freedom is a gift that God has given us in order that He may be able to love us more perfectly, and be loved by us more perfectly in return. (132)


I consider it a tragedy when people fail to pursue the dreams that God Himself has planted into their hearts. It's never too late to become more fully yourself by going after something that seems impossible. In my own twenty-one years, I have lived well. I plan to continue living as a dreamer, as a doer, and as a dreamer who does.

To God be the glory,

Betsy Joy

These are a few of my favorite things...

Merry Christmas!

I am the luckiest aunt ever, because I have the cutest nieces and nephew ever! :) I finally got a decent picture with the three of them (this is the first -and only- try!) today on Christmas eve. We all celebrated with the triplets coming over and opening all kinds of presents and had a blast!! We all made out like bandits ;)

You know, (this is an afterthought to my original post) I couldn't love these three kids more if they were my own blood relatives. They're not-- their dad michael is my stepbrother from Jessey's first marriage-- but they are such a blessing. They are so full of life and of joyfulness and energy and fun that I don't know what any of us would do without them. All three of them. I miss my dad, but God has given me an abundance of Family, no doubt. I have a wonderful, caring stepdad, and michael and Jen are pretty great people, too. And they're willing to share their kids with my mom and I, which is far better than any Christmas present. The Lord gives and He takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord. He knows what He's doing.

Hope that you all have a wonderful and restful couple of days and make the most of spending time with your family and friends. After all, this is the season of remembering-- and celebrating when Love came to earth :)


Betsy

Three Cups of Tea

Yep, I finished another book. :)

This last book, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, is really a most remarkable story. One guy commits to a promise to a poor village in Pakistan, Korphe, and actually follows through against all odds. He meets many interesting people along the way who help him achieve that goal-- and eventually, to reach the goal of opening dozens of school across both Pakistan and Afghanistan. And all of this is happening pre-9/11 and afterwards, which only complicates matters!

Mortenson ultimately challenges us to remember the refugee, the widows, and the orphans, and to give our hearts to those who need our help. His claim is that we can help promote peace with education, and as an aspiring teacher, I could hardly agree more :)

Go read this one! Really!

You can also visit: http://www.threecupsoftea.com/ for more information about the Central Asia Institute.

Betsy

Reading Endeavors Cont.

Ahhhh... what a treat to have time to read. :)

I just finished Simply Christian by N.T. Wright. Pretty good read, especially as a reflection about what it means to be a Christian as we approach Christmas. It offers a pretty reformed perspective, I might add, but not overtly (as in it's not John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, although those are good too ;) haha)

Here's a good quote from the book:
(I know it's long, but it's an excellent summary! It also gives you a taste of Wright's style and tone.)

"When you see the dawn breaking, you think back to the darkness in a new way. 'Sin' is not simply the breaking of a law. It is the missing of an opportunity. Having heard the echoes of a voice, we are called to come and meet the Speaker. We are invited to be transformed by the voice itself, the word of the gospel--the word which declares that evil has been judged, that the world has been put to rights, that earth and heaven are joined forever, and that new creation has begun. We are called to become people who can speak and live and paint and sing that word so that those who have heard its echos can come and lend a hand in the larger project. That is the opportunity that stands before us, as gift and possibility. Christian holiness is not (as people often imagine) a matter of denying something good. It is about growing up and grasping something even better.

Made for spirituality, we wallow in introspection. Made for joy, we settle for pleasure. Made for justice, we clamor for vengence. Made for relationship, we insist on our own way. Made for beauty, we are satisfied with sentiment. But new creation has already begun. The sun has begun to rise. Christians are called to leave behind, in the tomb of Jesus Christ, all that belongs to the brokenness and incompleteness of the present world. It is time, in the power of the Spirit, to take up our proper role, our fully human role, as agents, heralds, stewards of the new day that is dawning. That, quite simply, is what it means to be Christian: to follow Jesus Christ into the new world, God's new world, which he has thrown open before us."

Two down! Next on my to-read list:
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

If you haven't noticed, I like to read a variety of books. This next one is a New York Times Bestseller, and is a true story about a guy who started schools in Pakistan. :)

46 Days of Reading

Hello all.

Now that I have an unusually open schedule from now until February 1 for Christmas and Interim break, I'm going to attempt to read every day. I have dozens of books on my shelves that have never been read, or are demanding to be re-read. Being the avid speed-reader that I am, I'm going to make it my goal to read 12 books. If I can make it to that goal, then I'll add 5 more books to it. Altogether, I have 46 days, counting yesterday, and I already finished my first one. I'll keep you updated on what I'm reading and what I thought of the book.


Walk Two Moons (Sharon Creech)
Finished Dec. 18
I read this book as a middle school student years ago, and I remembered really enjoying it. So, when I saw it at Schulers in the used book section for 2.50, I couldn't resist. It was as good as I remember! The ending even made me cry. So if you're looking for an easy read or a recommendation to your younger readers, this is a great story of a young girl who discovers a lot about herself through the telling of the story of her friend. It's a story of dealing with pain, hope and of coming into one's own. :)

Currently reading: Simply Christian (NT Wright)
This book was given to me by a friend LAST Christmas... it's about time I read it. (And maybe my next read will be a book given to me by another friend TWO Christmases ago! Yikes!)


Merry Christmas! Stay warm!

Betsy

I want to take a journey.

There's an ice-breaker question that I've been asked, and have since asked others:

If you could be a superhero, what powers would you have? What would be your fatal flaw?

For a long time now, my answer has been this: My power would be that I could go anywhere in the world that I wanted to at any moment that I wished-- but my fatal flaw would be that I could only go once.


Sometimes I feel like that happens already. Lately I've been reconnecting with some friends from around the world-- friends who live in Slovakia, Florida, California, Scotland, Taiwan--just to name a few. I long to be together with them again; to go out for coffee, to talk, to hug them and let them know that they are still so close to my heart.

I wish I had the time and money to take a trip around the world to do this. Not only would it be a grand adventure, but I would make sure to visit every person who I've come to know, wherever they are. But reality bites: I would have to leave them again. Not to mention that I would inevitably meet more people along the way, and my list of folks to visit would never end.

This must be what Paul felt like. No wonder so many of his letters take time to express how much he misses that particular church, and to send his greetings to certain people. I can only imagine how badly he wanted to travel just to revisit old friends, setting aside all ministerial motivations aside. It aches. It hurts.

The real estate in my heart reserved for the friends around the world stretches as far as the eye can see.

And yet, I'm blessed. I'm fortunate for things like email and Facebook to keep tabs on certain folks and keep their memory fresh. It's nice to know that they're thinking of me and to share prayer requests.

When we all get to Heaven, I can hardly wait to embrace those folks again and spend part of eternity hearing about their lives and what God has done. I remember first realizing the implications of Heaven and the reunion I can anticipate there. I was on the shore of Lake Yellowstone, near the end of the summer of 2006, watching the afternoon fade into evening. As I looked around at the faces I'd come to know and love, faces of people that shined radiantly in the Love of Christ, I ached knowing I might not see them again on this side of Heaven. But Heaven! Heaven! What a beautiful hope. In Christ, there is no goodbye.

Hallelujah!


betsy joy




Just a few of those I love who are now around the world...

Thanks, but no thanks!

That's how I feel about exams. I was joking with a friend right before my phonetics exam about if only we could just tell the prof "Thanks for caring about our education, but I really don't think this exam is necessary. Thanks, but no thanks." I'm quite pleased to be done with Phonetics class. It was interesting, but I had a hard time with the listening/analysis-- especially since it was off an audio clip, so no facial expression/lip reading to help me out. I have a feeling that the pronunciations that I marked as "correct" are probably wrong, but I just didn't HEAR that they were. Oh well. That class is done. Forever! Yay! And I got a 90/100 on a project I could not have cared less about! ;)

On the upside, I only have two more days of this. Tomorrow will be the spent writing my biannual reflection on teaching (with an education/ish class every semester, we do a lot of papers about our futures as teachers) and about what makes a good (or bad) adolescent lit book a good (or bad) adolescent lit book. Pretty straightforward, both of them. And, considering my attitude towards the exams I have for today, I'm going to go so far as to admit that I'm looking forward to my sociolinguistics exam. (It helps that I got As on the last two tests.) VandeKopple is pretty amazing, and he makes the exams interesting. That reminds me-- he is hoping we can write limericks for the extra credit part... Haha.

I should mention that part of my aversion to my phonetics exam was that I got to Calvin at 8:20am for an exam that I thought was at 9am. Turned out that it was actually scheduled for 1:30pm. Oops. Well, it turned out to be a godsend, because not only was I fairly productive for those four extra hours, but the weather took a drastic turn for the worse. I would NOT have made it to Calvin in only 45 minutes if I had driven out at noon. I probably would have been going about 40mph, crawling along with nearly zero visibility. Right now I'm facing away from the window behind me so that I don't have to look at the blizzard outside. I hope I can make it back to Holland tonight, but I might be crashing at my cousin's or at a friend's. Blech.

Okay, I've procrastinated enough. For now. ;)



Betsy

All I want for Christmas...

is you.


Basically, anyway. Advent Conspiracy (AC) has challenged me quite a bit this Christmas season. While I haven't really bought any gifts in the first place, I've bought the ones I have with more careful consideration than I would have. I'm looking forward to the get-togethers with family and friends; to really enjoy the relational aspect of what AC is about.

But I think what AC made me most aware of is the mentality of Christmas for everyone else. Meijer ads on the radio surprise me, because I'm expecting to hear an AC message. Have you heard them? There are a bunch of different voices, and they go something like "I don't want ______" or this or that. I'm in the radio thinking YES! That's exactly it! We need to stop giving pointless gifts! when it switches into the punch line about buying a Meijer gift card, so that your friends and family can get what they REALLY want, like a gerbil. Really. I was disappointed. I heard another one today that was similar--it starts off with a message that sounds like AC, but ends up being materialistic. I guess it just makes me sad. And a little frustrated. Makes me not want anything for Christmas at all. I want Christmas to be about joy and life and about the Incarnation of Glory. It's pretty powerful stuff.

More later, now I have to study for phonetics. (I can't wait to be officially done with the semester on Wednesday!)

Merry Christmas.

Bets

Farthest Shore

We were there in the woods by the water
We left our packs up against that willow tree
We dove right in, keeping just what we were born with
Our Memories, Knowledge and Dreams

As I swam away from our possessions
I imagined that they were gone forever more
And for once I was glad that all I treasured
Would still be with me as I reached other shore.

So...Let me dive into the water,
Leave behind all that I've worked for
Except what I remember and believe
and when I stand on the farthest shore
I will have all I need

After the blaze burned our cabin down to ashes
Where we'd slept warm, now the sky lets in the rain
I found the strings, frets and rusted latches
But I will never hear that old guitar again
These four walls are only in my memory
Where these stone steps rise to nothing in the air
So one last look and I'm headed for the river
To wash my hands and try to say this prayer

So...Let me dive into the water,
Leave behind all that I've worked for
Except what I remember and believe
and when I stand on the farthest shore
I will have all I need

When my time to live this life is over
I'll tip my hat when I think about that swim
And of all the things that make a life worth living
That only come to those who dive right in

So...Let me dive into the water,
Leave behind all that I've worked for
Except what I remember and believe
and when I stand on the farthest shore
I will have all I need

All I need.....
Let me dive into the water...
It's all I need




I'm naturally a transient person. I've not lived in the same place for two semesters since freshman year, but that hardly counts since I had to move out of my childhood home to college (and to my stepdad's house). Now, having moved (again) back to Holland from Grand Rapids at the end of this semester, I've come face to face with all of my "stuff" once more. While most of it gets used on a regular basis, I'm always wondering why I have this or that. It just doesn't go away. Here I sit in my room, feeling a little disjointed--just like the way all of the furniture is awkwardly placed. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to rearrange, but the proportions of the room aren't quite right. I'll get it, eventually, as I also mentally settle in.

I also helped some friends from church move out of their old house into a new one. I packed a lot of boxes. Again, I was reminded of how easy it is to acquire things over the years.

If you haven't read them through, I highly recommend that you check out David Wilcox's song "Farthest Shore" (it's easy to find on iTunes, too.) These lyrics are so applicable to where I am in life at this moment. It's what got me through my last day of class yesterday, anyway!

All I need is what I remember and believe. :)


Betsy

Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Time to Arise - Nelson Mandela

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It's our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.


Nelson Mandela was a smart man. What he says in these few sentences is quite profound as Wednesday merges into Thursday and I discover I'm still up working on a project due later today. It's pretty easy to get discouraged around this time of the year; all the "what-ifs" come back to haunt me as compromises between projects and commitments are made left and right in order to finagle the way through to the end.

But who am I not to be brilliant? Gorgeous? Talented? Fabulous? It's not that I deserve to be any of those things-but God has made me to be more than what I often expect of myself. It's enough to make me smile. And cringe, knowing that Mandela and Thomas Merton both have a thing or two to speak into my life.

I feel as though I am treading carefully across an enormous web of friendships. I'm making my way along, finding out who means what to me, who to let go of and accept closure with, which acquaintances I need to pursue, and who to continue to hold on dearly. The tension between each individual is high (although most don't know each other) as many are vying for my time and attention. It's complicated.

I think I'm especially paying attention to these connections as I prepare to move off-campus, likely this very afternoon (Thursday). I'm trying to consciously give myself some continuity (or I would go crazy) by staying at MCC in the coming weeks/months. But there are so many friends that I've made here during my years at Calvin who will be graduating in May and moving on to their future careers-- and I may not run into them again. For the most part, I'm okay with that. I've come to terms with loss on many levels from all of the experiences I've had moving around and through death. I'm grateful for a reunion in Heaven, let's just put it that way.

In the book Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt, Mrs. Baker points out to Holling Hoodhood (through an example from Shakespeare) that growing up means learning to establish yourself in ways other than what people around you try to define you. In Saturated Self (a book I had to read for History of North American Media), Gergen illustrates that technology has played a significant role in the ways we define ourselves by adding to the sheer number of voices bombarding us daily. But here I am, trying to strip that all away. I want to come to grips with who I am, with whoever Betsy Joy actually is.

Can I actually believe that my presence, that my being me, can liberate others? Do I believe that I can "manifest God" to others?


First Corinthians chapter 13:11-13 says this:
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a [wo]man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The idea of a seeing myself mirror has always been fascinating to me. On occasion I catch myself by surprise, thinking "Is that really me?" I have a hard time putting the abstract mental self into a physical body. It's easy to concentrate on one or the other, but looking at myself in a mirror is like trying to pull together two selves that may or may not mesh. On any given day, I may feel gorgeous, but not talented. I may feel brilliant, but not gorgeous. Rarely do I feel absolutely fabulous, when all of those adjectives are rolled up into one.

Myself in a Mirror (Summer 08)

I don't pretend that I'm right in this, but maybe what Nelson and Paul's comments have in common is this: I am fragmented. Because I am a fallen human being, I can't see myself the way God sees me. Without divine grace, I cannot live my life the way Mandela describes it, in fearlessness. As I'm coming to terms with my identity as an adult, or as a teacher rather than student, I'm making transitions from talking and thinking and reasoning like a child to talking/thinking/reasoning like an adult. And all of that allows me to come face to face with a different sort of reality. Instead of this mirror image sensation, with the dichotomy I feel when I try to reconcile my inner life with my outer life, I will come to see myself the way God sees me. Because "now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known [by my Heavenly Father]."

Nelson Mandela ends with a noble truth: "We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Paul reminds us again: "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

The way to accomplish Mandela's words is with Paul's. With Faith. And with Hope. And of course, with Love. Without these, we won't be getting very far in exuding God's glory in our lives.



May you see yourself today not in part, but in whole, as God sees you.

Betsy


PS. Here's one more "mirror image" that definitely encapsulates a moment of brilliance, beauty, talent and fabulousness... if not also a little embarrassing (sorry Kim & Jessie, haha!) Enjoy! ;)

Reduce me to Love, Lord.

It is a beautiful Sunday--on so many levels.

As I drove to church this morning, the sunshine made the snow glitter.
Worship was wonderful at MCC this morning; especially as we sang "In Christ Alone" and "Be Thou My Vision" during Communion.
I felt my heart bursting with joy and delighted in seeing so many people I have come to know and love in such a short time.
The potluck afterwards was delicious. So was the peppermint ice cream I had for dessert!
Then, for our Rehoboth meeting, I felt filled with excitement and anticipation for the trip, eager to see what the Lord would do. In our prayer time, I had this song in my head-- especially the last part.


Hosanna

I see the king of glory
Coming down the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing

Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

I see a generation
Rising up to take the place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a new revival
Staring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees, we're on our knees

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what is yours
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity.



Also, last night I went ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle for the first time! It was incredible. The snow and skating and Christmas music was almost too wonderful for words. It was a holy moment for me.

I think in my last post I mentioned that I wanted to embrace this time of advent with joy and to really enjoy the next few weeks. That has been happening. Call me too optimistic, but it IS possible to love the Church and everything She is, despite all of our human shortcomings regarding Her. It IS possible to be filled with peace even as our world tumbles down. It IS possible to fully understand the Reason for the Season. It IS possible to have Hope.


Blessings,

Betsy


One more song-- where the title of the post comes from. It's called "Bring the Breaking":

Bring the breaking in me
Reduce me to love
Let Your life now be lived through me
And the walls come down

Bring the breaking
Please bring the breaking

Jesus, be my one desire
Purify me with holy fire
Let my life bring glory to Your name
Please change my heart
And make me more like You

Tis the Season

It's December.


Well, I know you know it's December, but I can't believe it's already here. This semester flew by! I'm counting down the days left of class (7) and the number of papers (2) and projects (2) take-home finals (2) and exams (3). Not a bad collection of numbers, if you ask me. My roommates are in for a much busier last couple of weeks, so I'm feeling fortunate.

My Thanksgiving break was lovely. It was kind of strange to be with ALL of my siblings at once-- changes the dynamics a bit! But we enjoyed each other's company and played a lot of games of "Ticket to Ride" :) My niece, Julia, is also growing quickly. She's a pretty funny, sweet girl with a lot of energy! She has a hilarious laugh, too. She's quite the handful for Zach and Jane, and with another one the way, it's only going to be more interesting! Haha.

One of the coolest parts of the weekend was Sunday morning-- my brother, Zach, was ordained as a pastor of the Christian Reformed Church (at Immanuel CRC in Fort Collins). This is an exciting thing for all of us. I'm very proud of him, and he did a wonderful job preaching, too. It seems that the congregation is warm and welcoming towards him, so everything is a good fit! :) I was about 11 when my dad was ordained, so it's amazing to be able to see my brother be ordained, too!

I'm looking forward to being done with this semester and preparing for student teaching-- just 9 weeks from today! But I'm also excited about Christmas and Advent. It was wonderful to take time to enjoy Thanksgiving this year, and I hope to do the same about Advent.

Well, I need to review scansion and prosody for my lit terms test this week-- but have a blessed week!