Thoughts :c)

"What day is it?

And it what month?

This clock never seemed so alive.

I can't keep up.

I can't back down.

I've been losing so much time...

Cuz it's you and me

and all of the people

with nothing to do, and nothing to lose.

It's you and me

and all of the people...

and I don't know why I can't keep my eyes of you."

~You and Me, Life House

Wow, I feel like the past few days have gone so quickly. A few days ago it was snowing, but this week it's been in the 60s and beautiful. Classes are picking up in intensity, so I'm swamped with projects and papers. But at the same time, I feel like things are coming to an end in some way. Next semester isn't so far away, and it's going to bring so many changes. Next semester I'll be taking more credits, working more with my Terra Firma group, and I'll be planning a wedding. My wedding.

And then, after that, everything will change. Now, I'm perfectly excited for everything that will come with our marriage. I couldn't be marrying a better person. He's wise, intelligent, funny, musically gifted, comforting, calm, and persistent. But at the same time, I am leaving behind a lot of time with my friends and family. I guess we all have to grow up sometime.

All I can do is try to follow God's will.

--Ash

Fall and Winter Come :c)

The days have slowly been getting colder and colder. As I bike across campus, my eyes burn from the nip of Jack Frost.

Today, the first flakes fell from the heavens.

The leaves have all died, and it's time for the earth to renew itself in the blessed winter season.

This is my favorite time of year.

Whenever I see snow or think about it, I get so lost in the glory of God. This is exactly what He does to us when we turn our sins over to Him. He snows on our hearts. Sometimes what we have to go through to overcome our sin hurts, and sometimes we never feel like we'll get out of it. But then one day, we look around and see the beauty in the white. We see the cleansing power of His blood.

Then spring dawns, and we grow more in Him than we ever imagined we could.

I know it's sad that we have to go through this cycle over and over for our entire lives, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm closer to Him when I'm buried in the snow than I am when the sun is shining on me. I become too complacent in the sunshine. The snow gives me no choice but to run to His arms.

--Ash

New Year, New Craziness

Hey everyone!

Wow, so it's been an insanely long time since I've updated. Things are crazy over here! I'll give you a little news about my summer and then move from there.

I babysat three days a week all summer and then cleaned the house for my parents most weeks, it was fun and I got to hang out with the best kids in the world. Unfortunately, it was my last summer with them. Now they're all grown up and Ashley-less.

Also, this summer, I got engaged to my best friend in the whole entire world. It was July 15, and I'm so thrilled to say that we'll be married on June 11, 2011. Crazy!!!

So, I'm marrying this guy

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Anyway, I came back to school early to take on a leadership position. I'm "in charge" of a group of 13 freshmen, basically just leading them through the school year. We spent about a week together at the beginning of the year, and now we meet once a week to do a service project together. It's awesome, and they're completely incredible. They will for sure be some of my best friends.

So, now that school is underway, I'm doing the leadership thing [it's called being a sherpa], and taking 15 credits (New Testament History and Literature, Advanced Grammar, Developmental Psychology, Computers and Technology in Education, Creativity and Innovations, and School Observation Practicum). I also babysit an average of 12 hours every weekend. So, basically I'm really busy.

And on top of everything, I'm attempting to write a novel. It's not going so well. Ahhh well, it'll come together. Anyway, I'll put up some pictures of our apartment and then go back to my homework. Hopefully I'll update soon!

Dining Room!

This is our living room, we have a lot more furniture now, though :c)

From the living room into the dining room!

There's the kitchen!

We also have 2 bedrooms [four girls], and a bathroom. It's really nice!! :c)

Love,

Ash

Break!!

Hey everyone!!
Wow, it's been a really long time. I've been on break since December 16th, and we don't officially start back until the 25th!! I'm really pumped for what this semester is looking like. Here's my schedule:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday:
8:45-9:45 Old Testament Literature
11-12 Math 110
1:30-2:30 Contemporary Literature
2:45-3:45 Intro to Literature

Then on Tuesdays I have a 3 hour Philosophy in Education class. That's my entire week! I have absolutely nothing on Thursdays...I'm either going to pick up a job or find some other way to keep myself busy. :c)

Last semester went really well...I met my goal, which was to make the Dean's List! :c) I ended up getting about a 3.8...so, I'm pretty content. Although I want to push myself harder this semester. :c)

Anyway! Break was awesome. I had an awesome break...lots of visiting friends and I've gotten a lot of reading done. I also knitted a 6'10" by 4' blanket...so yep!

Love you all!
Until Next Time!

Vacation is here!

I suppose it's time for a pretty detailed update, as I've been lagging on a lot of college information. I'm officially on break. My dad and I are spending the night in a hotel, and we'll leave tomorrow morning to head back to Wisconsin. I must admit, I'm excited to be going home. This last week has been very VERY long. I had three exams--one Monday, one Tuesday, and one this morning. Monday's was easy enough, and this morning's was an essay exam (which I love to have), but yesterday's was a pain. Biology, as much as I love science, was painful! The exam was multiple choice (which wasn't too bad) but the short-answer questions required a lot of detail. It never seems to matter how much I've studied for biology, it's always really tough. This morning's exam was Philosophy...it was actually pretty fun. Just a lot of questions about worldviews and whatnot.

Aside from the constant studying that has entirely overwhelmed my life for the last week, I've had an amazing time at school. This semester, although it has gone quickly, was a truly wonderful experience. It's been great to try out my independence, and it's been wonderful to meet so many new people. I understand more and more why they say that college is the best time of your life.

But, for now, it's farewell to Cornerstone for the next 38 days. :c)

Until Next Time!!

Why yes, I am avoiding homework!!

Hey everyone!!

So, this weekend was really great! I went over to Calvin and saw a soccer game and the movie Up...then on Sunday John, his grandmother, and I went to church, and as soon as the service was over, we took off to go to Warsaw. John's 12-year-old brother, Ben, was Amahl in Amahl and the night visitors, which is, essentially, a 45-minute opera. He sang all these insanely high notes, and did an AMAZING job. Before we went to the opera, though, we had dinner with his family and helped decorate for Christmas (in other words, Mrs. Meulink and I--who are both under 5'5"--put the lights on the 10 foot tree and decorated other little things around the house), it was REALLY fun. After the opera we sat around and visited and then watched the Vikings play the Cardinals. Who is pumped for a Viking loss??? I AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:cD

Anyway, I figure I won't be updating for the next week and a half or so...this week is going to be project filled, and next week is final exam week (EWWWWWWWW!). However, next Wednesday at 9:45 AM I will officially be done with my finals, and by noon on Thursday, I will be headed home--Dad is coming to get John and I for an entire week...it should be an amazing time!!!

Until Next Time!!

Sorry it's been so long!!

Happy HAPPY Friday!!!!!!! Just one more friday after today, and then Final exams. I'm not going to lie, it will be a relief to be done with this semester. It's been long and tedious, so far. And ha! I'm only 1/8 of the way through my college career. How encouraging. *sigh*

Anyway, today is a good day. Why, you may ask? Because there's snow on the ground!!! Not just a little bit of snow. There was a good two inches when I first got up, four inches after my first class, and now it's probably close to 6 inches. They're saying that by tonight we'll have 6-15 inches. I just love snow. I can't tell you how much. Well...actually I can. and I'm going to.

This is my reasoning behind snow, and this is why I've loved it ever since I was a little kid, but my understanding of it all has deepened.

So, you've all heard the saying "white as snow". Jesus has washed us all white as snow. So, naturally, I see snow and think "Jesus washed me as white as snow"! But, like I said, my understanding of this has deepened. Let me give you a little background Christian preaching for a second. My pastor has preached in the past that God's love is so overwhelming that it pours into us, and then overflows into other people. So, let me give you a little analogy.

Imagine yourself to be a cloud--good old water vapor, dust, and cold air. You're a dirty, nasty little cloud. All of the sudden, the water below you starts evaporating up. It's so cold where you are that it gets inside of you and freezes. Then, it begins to fall to the earth. All of the sudden, you notice that your normal gray color is beginning to diminish. In fact, you're starting to almost turn a brilliant shade of white. You're shocked at what the evaporating water has done to you. All of the sudden, you look below you and see the ugly ugly earth that is normally there. It's often polluted, dirty, and messed up. But when you look down this time, you notice something strange. It, too, is turning white. You're shocked. The evaporated water used you to create purity below. How incredible!!

And that's just how it is when Jesus comes into our lives. He soaks up all of our grime and gunk, and turns it into something pure. He takes our flaws and lets us use them to minister to other people. The ex-convict who has become a pastor can go into the jails and directly relate. The father who had an illegitimate child can teach his children with his experiences to back it up.

It's incredible what Jesus does when He comes in.

Until Next Time!!!

p.s. enjoy the snow while it's here...I'll post some pictures of campus later. :c)