"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body
to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails."

I Corinthians 13: 1-8


I know that these verses have been quoted a lot lately, but I don't think they can ever be read enough, because they are so hard to put into practice. They've been on my mind a lot lately, and they're constantly reminding me of how I need to treat my fellow man.

When I read verses 4-8, and think about how Christ loved the world so perfectly, it is quite a sobering thought. It makes me appreciate Him more and realize how small and weak my own efforts in this area are. Christ's love is definitely unfathomable.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Well, our family had a lovely Christmas (it was our first white christmas for me and my sisters!). We opened presents, watched movies, and had our traditional Christmas dinner. Since then we have been hanging out with Kathryn and Jared, as well as chilling out in general. We are pretty laid back around here, and I'm starting to feel a little lazy, actually!

So as of late, Facebook has quite distracted me from Pleonast. I've never been good about blogging, but this past semester I've hardly been on Pleonast at all. But just recently, I've been reading other's blogs, and I've forgotten all of the spiritual content and encouragement that can be found. It's really helped me to think about things, and given me good reminders, so thanks to those of you whose blogs I've read. I shall have to get on pleonast more often from here on out.

Tomorrow is the last day of the year! How sad and exciting all at the same time. Life goes by so fast, and yet so slow. It's hard to be patient and wait for time to unfold your story, and yet at other times you wish it would slow down and let you savor the moment. There are so many questions about the future that I wish I could just find the answers to instead of having to live through all the time and decisions and frustrations that it will take to get there. But life is all about those things, so I guess I'll just have to hold my horses. And besides, along with all of the frustrations come good things too, and it would be sad to miss out on them.

I hope that you all have a lovely last day of the year and that 2010 is a good year for you. God bless!
~Stefanie


"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Heb. 13:8

"For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night." Psa. 90:4

Wonderful things about being home:

-Dad
-Mom
-Caroline
-Rebekah
-Sara
-Joanna
-Chloe (that's our dog, not a sister)
-Giggle fits
-Christmas tree
-Christmas shopping
-Senseo coffee machine
-Kelly, Sue, Jennifer, Jacob, and Mandi
-Muppets
-FOOD
-Cookie baking (while pretending to be iron chefs :) )
-Getting to see Mom's updates in the house decor
-Cooking pasta (yummy!)
-Joanna's birthday

And this only covers everything that's happened since last Friday! This list is going to be humongous by the time January 9th rolls around. Hope you all are having a good Christmas and winter break so far. To my FC peeps, I miss you and am excited about seeing you in January. But until then, I'm going to take my time soaking up the happiness that is being home for the holidays. :)

It's Fall Break!!! Yay!

I have sucessfully had a lazy fall break so far. :) I slept in Whitney's room because my roomie's gone and I had just watched the end of the Prestige (weird movie, I think I would understand it better though if I saw it from beginning to end). This morning we went and had breakfast at Einstein's (they have good coffee) and then went to the Dollar Tree andf CVS. Since then, I have been on the computer. :) I have grand ideas of catching up on homework this weekend, but I've realized this is going to take a great deal of self discipline and motivation.

Tonight I get to eat dinner with the Chandlers and then babysit Laura Grace and Caleb. I hope I don't carry the latest ailment to touch our campus over to their house and get them sick... I have never babysat all on my own, so I hope this goes well.

Last weekend was absolutely amazing. We kicked it off with Midnight Madness. I dressed up, and screamed my silly head off, and played dizzy bat (I'm not playing it next year, just so you know). Saturday I went to the park with a group of people and we played on the playground after we ate supper. Sunday, we had TWO potlucks with the college students from North Terrace. It was so amazing, that I think subconciously my brain already thought it was fall break and my school life suffered because of it...

This weekend, I am working on homework, and Saturday I'm going shopping. And not just any shopping, this is serious girl shopping. Like, take our time, spend fifteen minutes deciding if I want to buy a certain pair of earrings shopping. It'll be amazing.

Well, I have decided NOT to spend the whole fall break closed up in my dorm room, so I think I need to think of something to do that'll get me out and about campus. The weather is still pretty nice, so maybe I should just call home and go on a walk. I would LOVE to go swinging soon. Swinging is so much fun, and it's completely free. :)

Have a lovely, lovely day!

Love ya,
Stef

- Summary on a Willliam Manchester article due Monday (I've almost got 500/1500 words written-still not as many as I hope I had written)
-I have a cold-but so do a gazillion other people on campus-including professors
-Sutton slumber party (official title: "Raid on the Rats")
-Mattress sliding at said slumber party (it was my first time, and it was AWESOME)
-Amazing and delicious pizza from Papa John's
-Lectures at North Terrace on Pornography
-Fall Talent Show tonight (it was oodles of fun-and it made me want to break out of my shell and jump up on the stage and SING SOMETHING!)
-Watching a teeny-tiny bit of Pirates 1 with some cool people in Sutton Lobby
-Listening to Napster (walking on sunshine...suds in the bucket...bring me to life....)
-Tomorrow's church! I wish all my friends could come to church with me all the time, but I guess that's a little too much to ask, and I don't think they would all fit in the building anyway...
-Still homesick alot...I miss homecooked food too
-Excited about Christmas break!


And I have a special request: I've made a new friend down here, and her name's Maegan. She's very,very sick and she really needs your prayers. Thanks.


I will write to you later!
Love,
Stefanie