it's only going to get busier...and that makes me happy

so...my weekend was super busy and super fun

friday afternoon i went to an unexplored (for me) part of the city and browsed in a used bookstore...could've bought a lot...didn't buy anything...

later, i went out to wheaton with some people to visit my friend bethanie in her new amazing apartment
artists had lived in it previously so the walls are vibrant yellow-blue swirly ceiling-swirly flowers in the hallway-tree scene in the hallway-relaxing

on saturday i attended my first gospel choir practice(i just joined this semester) and it was so much fun and i am so excited to be a part of that ministry.

saturday afternoon i worked on homework, went for a walk in the rain with a friend, and then went to a script reading for the bahamas film trip-and my schedule became even more packed...but that's ok-i am enjoying it

saturday i went to church at holy trinity in the a.m. and then to city church in the afternoon. lecrae and another christian rap artist were there doing special music-some of those lyrics almost moved me to tears they are so powerful

after that, i went up to devon street with some more friends to hang out at another friends apartment (you following the connections?...) and ate chicken byrani, fried sugar stuff that i don't remember what it is called, and naan...we tried to play cranium but like usual everyone got distracted and no one won...

my schedule is packed with babysitting, teaching drawing/art on occasion, working on a video for class, starting to get more involved with the bahamas video...there are a few days that we shoot in chicago, pcm, homework, homework, reading, and some more reading...
i quit my job at the baby furniture store so that frees up some time...but mostly just saturdays...kind of.

well...i have an 8:00 in the morning...which means a 6:30 rise time...which means i need to go to bed right now.

stories from Africa

my friend bethany just returned from Africa last week. yesterday she made me some tea that she had brought back and i heard some of her stories.
stories of airports and delayed flights
of eating the most common dish-dough made of flour and water
of beautiful people
amazing stories of God's grace
holding orphans
praying together in spite of culture, ethnicity, language
serving
crafts and VBS
showing children what stickers are for the first time
meeting her sponsored child

hearing more about the vision called mavuno village.
check it out here.

may we never be calloused.

it has been a while since i updated, so i will just give a few snapshots...

back in chicago
classes...rescheduling classes
waking up at 6 am
not going to bed after 11pm!!!!! yeah!!!!
random 50 degree day
walk in the park and then along lake michigan
followed by normal cold, snowy, windy day
reading tons of stuff that makes me think a lot
krystle doing my hair two days in a row (yesterday's was emmy worthy...so she said...today's is more casual 'dance' worthy...sophisticated she might say)
going to work
angry customer
police being called in to escort angry customer out
angry customer leaving without police assistance because issue was resolved...barely
eating cookies from christmas...yeah, the frosting was a little hard

being broken and challenged already...learning that i have so much to learn...
trust
freedom
boldness
faith
courage
strength
honesty
...relying on Him.