Gods got your back...

   Gods got your back...like a bra strap!

This quote fell upon my ears last night by way of one of the senior girls. She has been coming to Maxwell all her life, as I found out it is a family tradition, and this year is the editor of the Maxwell Mirror (school newspaper).  We were folding the last of the newspapers after she had had a very hectic and crazy day not only because of the copy machine not wanting to corropurate, but because of other things that have been going on in the dorm as well. When she first said this, I looked at her with the most questionable expression probably known to man. "huh?" "yeah, ya know...like a bra strap." We continued to talk till after lights out, which is when it actually sunk in that God and the word bra were both used in the same sentence. It made me laugh out loud then, and it makes me chuckle now. Definetely a quote that I will not forget here from Maxwell.

And even though it sounds silly, it makes sence! (if any guys are reading this, I'm sorry you have to read these next few sentences) Straps are there to keep things in place, to help hold things up. And God does the same thing! He's there to help us stay up when we feel like falling, He's there to help us stay in place once we have figured out where He wants us.

I find this comforting this morning as I'm thinking about things from home, relationships, and feelings. Sometimes I feel so frazzled about not knowing what's going to happen, and not even being able to understand my own feelings...that I forget that there is a man who not understands but knows EVERYTHING that is going to happen in my life.

So this is my little devotion to you this morning: when you feel like your falling down; slowly and gradually, remember that there is someone who is there to hold you us no matter what the cost, color, or size.

Meet Maxie!

It was lunch time last Tuesday when I noticed Derek standing at the door of the cafe. It was quite strange, for the fact that Derek is quite an eater (as well as that hid wife Yani works in the cafe). I walked over to him and after saying hello and taking a second glance noticed that he was holding something quite small and white in his arms. Enter: Maxie. Derek told me of how there was a mother and her three kittens that were hanging around the chicken coop by the workshop. The kittens were climbing up the fencing, and one kitten in paticular stuck her head threw the fence! Derek thought that he was going to have to get his wire cutters to rescue her, alas her head was small enough and she got herself out. He was asking if anyone wanted to keep her and if not then he would just take her back over there and let her go.

Now of course me being well...me, I decided that she should be apart of the family here at Maxwell. Hence the name Maxie.

Maxie has now been with Jessica and I for one week and one day (as of yesturday). She has come a long way from hissing at us and sulking away, and being confined to a smelly box. Today, she sits on my lap as I type, giving Jess and I many many moments of laughter which are most definelty welcomed. I like to think of her as a little tomb boy for she's always getting into things and exploring. Granted we have some concerns for the fact that she likes to attack her own image, as well as when she jumps away from things she usually hits her head against something in the process.

I think God new that I needed a little fur ball around. There's just something about an animal that I can't explain.

Now just to everyone knows, and incase my Mom shows the picture of Maxie to my cat at home (yes, she would do this) Maxie is not taking over Tigers spot at cat in my life. She will remain here at Maxwell when it is time for me to leave. She will be in the capable hands of the Crutcher family. Hopefully Tiger wont disown me when I get home :p

Positive Thinking

So today in the States is National Positive Thinking Day. I thought that I would try it out here at Maxwell and see how it goes. It was working great for me...until about 15 minutes ago. I knew that I would come across some girls that would challenge me and it would seem that she's just as stubborn and bull headed as me.
Grrr it just makes me so aggravated!Is it so hard to go change your shirt? Or is it just more enjoyable to make a scene in the cafeteria in front of the majority of the school? I have to talk to this girl at least once a week about her clothes, an really? Do you want me to have to do that every week?
I don't know, I just feel more agitated about it more than anything. I wasn't raised where you back talk your elders so it's hard hearing it from a student.
I guess some good does come from this. I had another girl come in and talk to me about it, just trying to help me see where she was coming from and ways to help me out. Grr, grr, and grr, again!

Good times on Friday nights

Well tonight for Vespers I was asked to give a testimony. I told of how I felt I was lead to come to Maxwell. It's funny thinking back on how it all happened and part of me wonders and am in awe at how God has things planned out. I mean I don't think that they way I got here was His first plan, but He got me here none the less. I hated and still don't like what I went through with everything at Southern, and then leaving there to going to a place that absolutely despise. Yea...not what I had in plan. But minus a few things here and there I'm glad it happened.
Vespers went well, and I can truly say that I do not have stage fright anymore. I never thought that I would get over it but thanks to Dr. Crumbly I am good to go :)
After vespers it was faculty family, which was a lot of fun. We made popcorn and juice and gave Moises a cookie with a candle in it for his birthday. I am on duty this weekend and so fare it has been good. Some of the girls didn't have faculty family tonight so I brought some juice and popcorn. All in all it has been a blessed day and a good start to the Sabbath.
I thought giving this particular testimony would be difficult but it wasn't that bad. I still wonder how things are going to be and if what I believe is  true. "Faith is being sure for what we hope for, and certain of what we can not see." I have faith that things will get figured out and that you will find what He has to show you.

Update

There hasn't been to much action going on here at Maxwell this last week. Things have been pretty good and steady. Another one of our girls came and moved in today. Her name is Frida and she is from Norway. As of now she is the only white skinned girl in the school, and I hear from other staff that it could get interesting. Back when Maxwell was more known as a missionary school they had quite a diverse range of students. But within the last few years that has changed with mainly kids from around Africa and Kenya even more.
We have another girl who is here and will be testing it out and seeing if she wants to stay here.It's a hard circumstance because she has spinal bifida. Maxwell doesn't have the proper facilities to really accommodate her, as well as many medical aspects that Susan would have to take on. It's definitely a big prayer on out prayer lists. I worry most about her getting depressed, which I know can be really dangerous, especially with the fact that her family is going to be in Tanzania. *sigh* I pray God works it out. Then again I'm praying that He works everything else out too.
I have so much on my mind lately that it's starting to grate on my nerves. It's funny how God ends up answering our requests though. I was trying to have devotions this morning, and my mind and heart just wasn't in it. I asked God to open my ears so I could hear what He wanted me too. After a little bit I put my Bible away and hopped on FB. I started talking with a friend of mine and man, I felt like I got smacked in the face by a fish. It was just like, huh...ok God I got it. So to you kind sir, thank you for your words of wisdom :)
But yeah...even though we get our answers sometimes it's still hard to follow them. I still wonder a lot why I am here and what God is going to have come out of it. Cause as of right now I feel like my hands are tied behind my back. I feel restless and uneasy a lot, my relationships within my family are changing, and I've been feeling this slow loneliness that creeps up out of the blue. And yet I write all these things out that are on my mind and heart and I feel...peace. I know that God has everything under control and that whatever passes my way is apart of His plan.

"Stop feeling, and start believing." - I do believe I got my answer for this next year.

Late Night Thoughts

Well it's the second study hall of the night which means it's serious study hall and it's very quite here now. I actually really like working here in the office before and after worship. It's nice actually having the girls here in the dorm. This week has been good thus fare, but I suppose I should knock on wood right about now. Last night Jessica, Tyson, and I watched Ghosts and the Darkness. All I have to say...Intense! It was more of the feeling of, wow I can't believe that really happened. It was good. But hopefully I wont be freaking out whenever we go on a camping trip now haha. Reminds me of the time I went camping with Genie and Char and we thought there was a cougar outside our tent. Haha oh how we ran.
I made cookies for the first time tonight. Now when anyone from home asks me what I miss my answer will be: state side chocolate chip cookies. Everything is so different here. The brown sugar looks more like black sugar and plus being higher up in elevation doesn't help much either. But hey, if the boys approve (Thomas and Tyson) then it's all right by me.
Susan has finally figured out a schedule for us. She will be working in the mornings mostly, and I'll come in at 10:00 and from time to time work the rest of the day. Which I don't mind at all. I hope that she's able to spend more time with her family this way. She's a great lady.
The Prayer Room is slowly starting to come together. I want to open it up for the girls hopefully by Friday after Vespers. I have a few more ideas but prayers for that to work and to be a positive thing would be much appreciated.
So I entitled this Late Night Thoughts and I guess I should get on with those thoughts haha. I just feel so at peace being here. I love being in this office and looking out and seeing the campus with the kids on it. I love that I am getting to know the kids a little more each day, and not just as the mean new dean but someone that they can come and talk to about things. Because of this my mind is already reeling with possibilities. I can already feel myself changing here, and part of me doesn't know if I'm ok with that or not. I mean I am, I've been wanting this for a long time. It's taken me a long time to actually be happy again with how things are (for the most part) and I'm ready to move on with my life. Maybe that's the thing that scares me the most. Is that now I'm ready and yet I'm scared to see what God is going to bring my way. I know that God has a reason for me being here. If it's to say that my heart is now here in Africa and not there then so be it. But I still can't help about wonder what's next. I mean I know I just started this huge chapter of my life, but like I've done since I was little I'd always try to read a couple of paragraphs in the next chapter just to have some sort of idea of what was coming up next.
I wonder where I'll be next year, if I'll be back at Andrews or not, if I'll still be an animal science major or if by doing this i will finally find what God wants me to do. Which honestly no matter how much of a hasel I feel it is to change majors, again...if that's what I'm suppose to do then I'll give it a go. And after being here only a couple of weeks I already know that God is going to bring about some changes. Maybe the reason I'm here is to help me get use to the idea of those changes so that when they come I wont run from them. Then again there's also the other big reason why I feel that I'm here. And I don't really know what to think of that. I really don't. Honestly...I think I'm done with it. And yet a part of me still has it there. But you can't really do anything but sit and wait once all your cards have been put out on the table.
Oh well. Well the lights just went out in the dorm which means I need to talk with the RA. Good night and sleep tight, don't let the lions bite :)