Beating the heat

 So it's been a while since I've blogged. What have I been doing instead you ask? Dying in 95 degree weather that's humid and weird...even at night, like right now. I'm sweating while I sit here typing! I feel very reassured about my decision to get my windows tinted at the beginning of summer though...that has been so helpful!

Instead of blogging, I spent the last two weeks:

1. Practicing the guitar. I maintained my promise to Miss Hannah and can almost fluidly play through three whole songs. I won't say it isn't awkward, because it can be! But I am loving lessons and my practice times spent in worship. I seriously need it. Also, this last week I finally figured out how to use the capo, one would think I woulda jumped on that already, but better late than never, I suppose! It's opened a world of songs I'd never dreaming of playing.
2. Prayer journaling. It's been a definite grace to spend uninterrupted time pouring my heart out in prayer and waiting on The Lord. The One who knows me and gave Himself up for me. How I can't wait to be with Him! I am learning some important distinctions. Taking a break from being a Martha isn't the same as being a Mary.Being a Mary is actually just really quite a lot of work too.. Which leads me to...
3. Discovering shereadstruth.com and it's companion app. It's the most aesthetically pleasing, biblical devotional for women that I have yet to encounter! A new study "Open your Bible" starts tomorrow on it! They are simple and not aggressively long or ramble-y. The day's reading does disappear after the day ends, which somehow helps me get to it sooner and then leaves me wanting more of Jesus, so than I actually long to pick my Bible up later that day too. And I am NOT complaining about that!
4. Gardening. I love my little garden. I sing to it. Water it and fight off horribly evil caterpillars. I never realized how easily little plants can be destroyed from things other than lack of water. I've totally killed plants before by forgetting about them. But I realize that they are more like children. You have to do more than your fair "share" to get them to be healthy and produce jalapeños. I'm not gonna lie, I am not very good at it, as the caterpillars seem to have more time on their hands than I do. Nonetheless, I've been really trying and so far have two wax peppers and 4 jalapeños. While all my mint has been devastated, the oregano seems to be doing just fine. I'm so glad I don't actually live in little house on the prairie times...I'd be such a hopeless farmer!
5. Homework. Sooooo much homework! I feel silly because 12 units is totally do-able and happening, but, I forgot that even online classes take so much of your time. Thankfully, I have time and I have a sweet friend at work who is taking many classes as well so we hang out together and have "homework parties" where we don't talk or make eye contact. But we do stop intermittently to eat or tell a joke. I just passed midterms in my three fast track classes so one more month of studying for those and then all that will remain is my psych class.
6. Investigating nursing programs. There are so many options and so many requirements and so many fees. Whenever you happen to read this if you could just stop and pray that I have wisdom and diligence, I'd appreciate that greatly! I have to pass an entrance test that most programs require so now that I have the hang of this semester I am hoping to study and pass that very soon. Only time will tell!
7. Friendly. I've, believe it or not, been forcing myself to be friendly, to attempt to care and share with human beings that aren't toddlers. I hadn't originally foreseen this being a real problem for me at any point in life. And this doesn't  seem like an especially difficult task except that it is. Nothing is ever what I expect, which leads me to believe that I didn't read enough as a kid/youth. I'll just add reading to the list!

As for truth, the battle is real and hardly ever dull...
Resting in this tonight:
Ephesians 1:5-8
"In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight"

A little Thanksgiving

I know it isn't the last Thursday of November, but today was kind of overwhelmed with thanksgiving for the things God is doing in my life and those around me.

I'm thankful for:

Fridays
Solid preachers who put an emphasis on the authority of scripture
curves on midterms
old friends
answered prayers all over the place
joy in the mediocre
the opportunity to serve
apple sauce
deep conversations
the ability to genuinely relate to/connect with/exhort( and be exhorted by) others.
wise counsel
music
kids
sports
Your patience
allowing me to love others
Your sufficient grace
hard working people
cheese
coffee
smiles
the body of Christ and their ability to corporately meet needs
Your providence through others
the desires You're developing in me
sweet sleep

May the LORD be truly honored and exalted in my life. May we always be thankful for His workings and sensitive to His leading.
GOODnight

I'll fly away

I've noticed a trend in my post. The week days hold truths that I face, usually biblical or academic. and the weekends hold opportunities to create and understand. Neither really exhibit signs of sleep/rest/ease but each of them grow me, represent me and somehow balance me out. and I take joy in this harmony. so let me continue to share.

8 things you can learn about me from my weekend:

1. I am an old person at heart.
2. I love to people watch.
3. I love love love kids.
4. I love love love love love love Jesus.
5. Baking is awesome.
6. I find trees to be photogenic, inspiring and really trendy in a good way.
7. I appreciate change.
8. Lemon heads are almost my best friends. seriously though, a tub of lemon heads (the large real ones that come individually packaged) with a bow slapped on it is a legit present in my book.

camera phone documentation to go along:








check out this tree! who knew el cajon was this pretty?




my first quilt made it through it's first washer/dryer experience...























so I wanted to add something new ish to my room.. so i gathered some old fabric, cut out some paper birds...and

VIOLA! fly...
in normal lighting...the word love is hiding as it is only clear paint that the water color slide right off.. this is now above my desk..
note: i need to be more cautious in my application of acrylic binder as it tends to glisten in comparison to the rest of the canvas.













and try and tell me these aren't adorable! Mini pumpkin pies.. so simple and yummy..just use cupcake holders instead of pie pans and you get individual fall flavored goodies..thanks to Alicia for ripping this idea out of a magazine while in the dr.'s waiting room, you're a doll!








And that's a wrap.
homework time.

"Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny."

it's incredibly difficult to know to whom the credit goes for that quote..google was no help, but the point is:
BE MINDFUL OF YOUR THOUGHTS!

it's raining men..

NOT.( i've just always wanted to use that as a title)

It's nearly two am. It's so hot I can hardly handle being on top of a sheet right now. Ok, it's not that hot, but it's been so cold recently and then BAM 80 degrees at 2am. What in the heck are you doing Anne Shirely?!

I thought it appropriate to reflect at this point in the summer. Half way done!
I forgot to blog because for the last 5 weeks I was in summer school and for one of my classes I had to write a reflective journal every week which basically just took your spot, sorry!

So six units in 5 weeks- done. 5 weeks of internship including one week roughing it at camp- completed.
It has been altogether exhausting and very very growing. for realz!
This summer is showing me a ton about the areas I need to grow in and seek counsel.
Here's the hard part. i LOOOOOOVEEEE to serve.
I love to bless other people. I like to please other people. Entirely fine as long as my love for Christ far out weighs any of the people.
I am shaky on the balance of having ministry be your job. You know how there are some days you just show up to work and just expect everyone to just be satisfied that you made it even though you aren't necessarily your usual 10.
Ministry doesn't have those days. It's far beyond a job. It requires the continual filling of the Holy Spirit and the daily submission of your life unto Christ.
I feel so redundant. How many times do I need to say" Malia, die to yourself, pick up your cross and FOLLOW Christ" before I take it to an impactful behavior-changing level?

Well I can't really make up for the month without expression so I'm gonna make you a list.
My captive thoughts over the last month:
- I am extremely selfish, vain and materialistic.
- letter writing is a lost art that needs to be re introduced to society.
- I am pathetically late to everything
- I have a 7 year plan. it's a good one too. but secretly, it doesn't contain the three things that I look forward to most in adulthood so i dont even know.
- Get Smart is my new favorite movie of all time. "Personal Best!"
- I really need to clean my room
- i'm going to learn how to sew! but I am gigantically afraid that I'm going to be an epic failure that never results in p31 skillz.
- college is overrated but learning is way underestimated.
- it's absolutely not raining men. in fact, i must be the oil cuz ain't had a drop of that come my way.
- i am starting to read Elisabeth Elliot's God's Guidance and I'm super duper excited.
- john hwang is my favorite preacher alive
- never watch the movie the graduate.


- God's holy forgiveness is action-altering and literally life- changing. Don't be deceived, sin-free is the bar, the Holy Spirit is convicting us and we need to PAY ATTENSION, Consider Jesus and plead the merit of His Holy Blood and bask in the richness of His holy forgiveness.


in conclusion,
Cherish Christ...

When the dog bites

Today, at one point, I found myself sitting in a coffee shop in Oceanside with three amazing people. A shorter man walks in with a great dane. This great dane was GREAT. I feel that if he were to have stood up on his hind legs he would certainly have surpassed my 5ft 5 inches..
Which lead to this conversation about someone being bit by a great dane while at working and it leading to a lousy week.
My mind was wondering so I didn't think of it sooner but as I made the drive home I thought of the "favorite things" song.
I decided that today included many favorite things.
1.sleeping.
2. Time in the Word
3. finishing a project i started ( specifically the remodeling of my room!)
4. Jason Bonner
5.Thai food
6. ice cream
7. Spanish and talking about Peru
8. worship and talking about God working
9. the beach
10. manapua
11. someone's birthday
12. coffee ( x's two... i had one of THE best mochas i've ever had too)
13. thinking about this: Christ is what Christ offers!


What a day! What a thought!
Christ IS what Christ offers!