Needed: Peace

I don't know about you, but I cannot wait for Thanksgiving break. A little relaxing and de-stressing would be amazing right now. My plans for break? Day 1: Sleep. Day 2: Sleep. Day 3: See day 1 and 2.  (repeat until Monday after Thanksgiving)

This week is absolutely nuts. Everything is crammed into the final few days before break, with very little room for sleep. There is so much on my mind, my planner is full for this week, I have "sticky notes" with to-do lists all over my computer, and I'm trying to cram everything into the last three days here. And as I sit here typing I realize I have to pack for the week that I won't be on campus. 

I hate packing.

Although, as of two minutes ago, half of my stress just disappeared  That's right, my humanities paper is done and turned in. Now that's out of the way I can fous on my English paper. Oh joy. It is only Tuesday and all ready I am longing for the homework free weekend. After studying for BTS exam, writing the HUM paper, trying to write the English paper, multiple senior photo shoots, library work, visitor weekend, choir, piano, thinking about next semester, and all the other crazy stuff going on my brain is ready to explode.

And then it hit me. Standing in chapel making a mental list of what I would be doing every hour of the day tomorrow, it hit me.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

It had nothing to do with the actually chapel, but I could feel the stress become less and less. I realize that there is no way on earth I could possibly get through this week without prayer. All these burduns, all this stress, I want to replace it with peace that passes all understanding. Peace from God. 

Shalom

Beach Camping

And I'm back! I took a break for awhile because I decided that doing the writing and reading for these hard college classes was more important than blogging.

Okay. So, that's only partially the truth. But it makes me seem less lazy. 

Anyways. I went camping over reading break. It wasn't like camping in Paulina or Okoboji or Yankton. This was CAMPING. Spot-a-pots and all. This was camping on the beach. Ocean in front and mountains in back. 

After a 2 1/2 hour student senate meeting I was ready to get outside and enjoy God's creation. We drove along the beautiful coast on the PCH to Mugu point beach (or something like that) just outside of Malibu California. After setting up the 16 person tent and exploring the rocky beach, a couple of us decided to hike. As we trudged up a narrow, sandy path that basically went straight up the mountain, I was struck by just how beautiful the view was. You could see out over the ocean for miles. The sky and ocean blended together, there was no distinction between the two. 

After forging our own path and trying not to fall down the mountain side we made it safely back to camp. Hot, dusty, and a little scratched up. 

Later that night we sang songs around the campfire. It was an amazing experience. There is something awe-inspiring about singing about God's wonder and his amazing creation while staring at the Milky way and listening to the ocean waves crash against the rocks. Afterwards, we laid on the beach watching stars shoot across the milky way, listening to funny, some times embarrassing stories. 

View from the mountain 

Another view from atop the mountain

The Majestic Ocean

I spent the whole morning watching the waves and dolphins. It was amazing. Breathtaking. I can't wait to do it again! But for now, I need to finish the 5 loads of laundry and a Humanities paper. After the beach . . .that's just blah.

From Elizabeth, the Providence Rock!