Food For Thought...

A year ago I was in Salzburg, Austria saying good-bye to my new friends I'd made.

While they were preparing to head back home to the States, I was getting ready to take a trip south to the continent of Africa. With three other girls, I embarked on a journey I never thought I would do at the age of Nineteen.

Now, a year later, I have nearly all but forgotten about that fantastic experience in Egypt. How could such an amazing journey be left on the back burner?

I was able to walk the streets of Cairo, ride camels around the Giza Pyramids, snorkel in the Red Sea, and watch the sun rise over the Saudi Arabian mountains. While I was in a far-off foreign land, my parents, relatives, and friends were home most likely worrying about my health, well-being and safety as I travelled through an underdeveloped land.

Don't ever overlook or forget all the blessings in your life. Live each day to its fullest while trusting the future and loving the past.

Catching Up

I talk about it way too much, but it's a major fact of life...TIME FLIES!!

I just received a notice that I haven't blogged in over a month! That is a long time to let all the simple activities and events of life to go unnoticed. Therefore, lets step back about a month ago and begin from there.

One fine Saturday night it was the house, the kitchen, and me. We are best buds and I took advantage of our time alone together. This particular night Betty Crocker, as Kristy would call me, came out from the darkness and cooked up a storm. Two beautiful Apfelstrudeln (Apple Strudels) were created and a fantastic batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies were produced.

The next morning brought on a superb sunny day with Church and an Austrian themed Student meal which included the amazing Apfelstrudeln! It was a great day of food, friends, and fellowship!

The following week was jam packed full of class, papers to write, my Roomies' Manhattan Christian College basketball games to attend, and work. The weekend finally came again and I was able to go to an International Food Festival that included food from over ten countries.

After filling my belly, my friend, Joanne, and I headed to a Praises of the People service at a local church. This was a worship service with prayers and songs in all languages and a message about a young Chinese girl who changed Chinese Christian worshiping. This young peasant girl has written over 900 hymns with an 8th grade level education and no music training, Amazing!

The weekend ended with movies and friends and lead into a week of exams and more papers to write and revise. An organization I am a member of, NAMA (National Agri-Marketing Associaon), decided on the product we will be presenting this year at competitions. I am looking forward to learning from this experience and meeting many new people.

And then there was Thanksgiving! Finally the weeks were winding down and I headed out with the MCC basketball team to Ankeny, IA. At the girls' game I took stats and GOT TO SEE BROOKE!! My amazing Salzburg roommate was able to come watch Kristy's game and all three of us got to hang out together! It was so great! I met Kristy's wonderful parents, saw her farm, and played with adorable kittens. Then it was off to my home!

During my extended Thanksgiving break (Saturday-Sunday), I baked pies, milked cows, fed calves, watched movies, hung out with my fam, went to HSM3, and went to Iowa. In Iowa I ate Turkey, visited relatives, and WENT SHOPPING. Whoever has not experienced Black Friday shopping is missing out...don't panic, there it will come again. However, I bought FIVE new dresses and am so excited about them! Oh, yes!

Thanksgiving drew to a close and it was back in the car to Kansas where I was greeted with more class, more papers, more work, and more Movies :)

And now the semester is coming to an end and while all this time I just want to party it up that English is over and there is only a week left to go, I need to sit down and study. And that's what I will be doing.

Slow down and take time to look around and remember all the simple things in life. Realize just how blessed we all are and Thank God for all of those creations!