Hi.

Hey. How is everyone doing? Hopefully pretty good. :) I decided that this blog has been neglected long enough so I am going to remedy that!

As of late, I have been quite busy, between school and taking care of the house and my gram. I am still hanging in there but am definitely happy that tomorrow is my last day of class. Then I only have to worry about three finals and then I will be free for the summer! I'm not too worried about my Spanish final or my Psych final...those will be easy. The chem final however....different story. Oh well. I will survive.

I think the thing that has been the hardest for me this past year is taking care of my gram. Don't get me wrong, I love taking care of her. That is how it should be. It just gives me a fuller plate to handle.

I would really appreciate if you all would pray for me and my gram. She was really sick in Jan and Feb and that really took alot out of her. She isn't bouncing back as well as everyone would like. She keeps getting dehydrated and on top of that, the only kidney she has, which is a transplant, is failing. Her doctor is trying to hold it off as long as possible but it looks like she will be back on dialysis by the end of the summer. It will make her feel better but it will add to my load alot. Please pray for me that I will remember to let God be my strength.

On a different note, I got a summer job! I am now working as a dishwasher in the restaurant part of a local golf course. Very ritzy. I should be able to get quite a few hours this summer so that will be good. I just hope I can keep up with all the dishes.


Something has been on my mind alot since my summer in Mexico. When I was there, I felt really disappointed and discouraged by some of the "Christians" that were working on base. There were so many people that were in a position where they could do sooo much good, they were in the midst of so many hurting people that they could have helped in major ways by the simplest of gestures on their part. The part that really hurt me was that none of them cared. They all had become so apathetic. I thought I was so much better that all of them because I cared about the hurting people and played with all the kids. A few weeks ago, I was reading my blog from the summer. I almost started crying because looking back, I could see that I was just as bad as everyone else if not worse. I have decided that it does no good to live with regrets, therefore, I am just gonna have to do better in the future.

Three days later.....

Yeah...so...I am really bad at actually finishing a blog on the same day that I start it.....

Today was my spanish final. Definitely finished that sucker in 35 minutes. HA!
Tonight I am going to work. Oh! I got a new job. I was working at a little cafe near my house but now I am working in the kitchen at The Turtle Back Golf Course. It pays more than my last job and I will get more hours for the summer. It is a lot more work but I think I should be just fine.

I have to go do some laundry so I am gonna end this thing with a bible verse.
Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceptive and Beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Dios Te Bendiga!! Abi

P.S. I am planning on staying in Wisconsin for most of the summer but I will be coming home for a bit in the end of June!
P.P.S Here is a picture of me with my gram to make you smile. :) Love you guys!

Fresh Year...

Hey ladies!

I’m sorry that I’ve taken so long to post!  I shall hopefully reform myself.  Right now I’m taking an interim Humanities class, so basically I have one 3-hour class each morning and the rest of the day free.  We’re performing Shakespeare’s Henry V, and I play a character that speaks only French.  The whole time.  I’m kind of dreading that, but I’m sure it will be interesting, too.  Hopefully I won’t completely butcher the language!  We’ve also been discussing the predestination vs. free will debate (the whole, does God choose us or do we choose God), and I would *LOVE* to hear any of your thoughts on it!!! J

I have been getting to know my roommates better during jterm, and I’ve been spending more time with Elena.  I’m really enjoying the fact that my relationships with a lot of the people on my floor and in my classes are beginning to deepen and turn into more than just surface friendships.  At least I hope so.

It’s been a very fun interim—movies, pranks, late-night essay writing parties, naps, ideas—and I can’t say that I’m excited for next semester, when I’ll have a full course load.  It’ll be stressful.  But God’s brought me this far, and given me a bit of a break; I bet he can take me the rest of the way through the year.

I hope all of your New Years are going splendidly!  (Did anyone make any new years’ resolutions?)

--Roberta;)

Bells Will Be Ringing

Hey ladies!

I just wanted to leave a short little bloggy for you guys this week, and wish those of you at school GOOD LUCK on your finals!

Also, I would just like to extend an invitation to everyone to have coffee/tea/assorted chilled beverages and treats some afternoon/evening to those of you who will be home over break ( Im assuming you all will be) I think it would be a great time to catch up and have fun outside of cyber land =]

Everyone would be very welcome at me "Flat", or if anyone else would like to host that would be convenient also. I have plenty of room, but not many seats : p

Thats a bit in the future, so we will decide on a time later on.

Also, I thought Id share a few photos of some recent happenings :]

Anna & I the day she went home (Oct 31st)

Reese & I, one of the four kids I babysit.

Ashley, Ben & Anna after her Baptism (Nov 20th, Also their 1st Wedding Anniversary)

Ericka had Winter Formal this past Saturday. It made me feel SO OLD to be getting my baby sister ready.

We spent Thanksgiving at Ashley and Bens this year :)

Thats me. eating some pie.....

My Christmas Tree!

Have a great few weeks all! Hope to see you soon! Merry Christmas!

-Trudi

A Sunrise

Hey all!  Hope you are keeping warm on these frigid December days and enjoying the beauty of the Christmas season.  I know I already put up a post, but I wanted to share a couple thoughts with all of you before I pass the baton on to the next writer :-).

On the day before Thanksgiving, we closed the doors to our lumberyard, KAL's.  My dad had worked there for about 24 years and my sister for 2-and-a-half, so that place was like a part of our family.  The economic recession had just made it too difficult for our small business to keep up, so we had to say goodbye. 

We really have no idea what the future will hold.  Some days, I'm tempted to think of this season of our lives as a season of sadness and confusion.  Sometimes it feels like we just watched a bittersweet sunset, and now we're lost--wandering through the darkness with no idea where we're going or what will happen when we get there. 

But the grace of Jesus Christ keeps me from feeling that way for long.  God has been so faithful in providing for our every need.  He's provided odd jobs here and there for my dad to work on in this season of waiting.  He's provided wonderful family and friends to support us and pray for us.  And best of all, He's provided the peace of knowing that He is in control.  The same God that sees when sparrows fall and clothes the flowers of the field is the One who planned our days long before we were born.

I still go through moments of worry and forget to trust in the Lord.  But most of the time, I just feel excited. And thankful.  Because my God is able to do immeasurably more than all I could ask or imagine. 

So I'm choosing to view this season in a different light.  I think it's like watching the horizon just before the sun comes up.  You never know exactly when it's coming, or how it will transform the sky.  But you know it will rise. And it will be worth the wait. 

Above is a picture of a sunrise that Julie captured out our kitchen window a couple of months ago.  They say a picture's worth a thousand words, and this one really sums up my thoughts tonight.  

I know a lot of you are going through some major changes and making big decisions these days.  Take courage, my friends!  We serve a mighty God.  Commit your days to Him.  Let Him lead you with His infinite love.  Choose to see this season as the prelude to a sunrise, and then sit back to watch as God paints a beautiful picture in your life.

Much love,

Amy

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey ladies!  I am so excited to be back on the blog.  To be totally honest, I have forgotten to check it for a long, looong time.  Kayla, I'm so glad you emailed to remind me to post, and I've loved reading everybody's updates.  Trudi, your niece is ADORABLE!!!!  I am so happy for you!  Belle, I loved the pictures.  Thanks for sharing those.  And Kayla, I am so glad you're enjoying your music.

Now I guess I should tell you some of what's going on in my life.  Haha.  It might take less time to tell you what isn't going on in my life, but that could get confusing, so you'll have to forgive me if this post gets excessively long ;-).

There have been a lot of changes taking place around here--some good, some not so great.  I'll have to wait a while to share some of them with you, but I'll start with what I can.  We are no longer taking care of the twins at our house.  I miss them sooo much, but I think it was a good decision.  My mom decided that she needed to be done, since watching toddlers is very draining both mentally and physically, and she doesn't have much energy to spare these days.  (In case any of you didn't know, my mom has been dealing with severe back and abdominal pain for about five years now, and has been through numerous tests, surgeries, and treatments in an attempt to get rid of it.  Nothing has made any difference, so the tests, surgeries and treatments continue to be a part of our lives.  She gets sick pretty easily from medications and procedures, so she has spent many days in bed over the past couple of years.  We are praying for wisdom in deciding what to try next, and we'd appreciate your prayers, too!)

My classes are going okay.  I'm having a tough time in science and my health & drugs class.  Definitely being challenged!  I haven't done real great at focusing on schoolwork this semester with everything that's been going on, so I am thanking God for new classes and a fresh start next semester.

I am loving being on a worship team at church and working with 1st grade girls at AWANA.  I just finished a great Eric and Leslie Ludy study at Hannah Kangas' house, and am learning to give each and every day of my life to Christ.

I guess that's probably enough for everyone to read today ;-), but I'll post again soon.  I miss all of you, and there's so much I want to share with you.  If there's one thing I've been learning lately, it's that this world is messed up, but God is sooo good.  He takes my breath away every single day.  I am blessed.

Love to you all,
Amy

Hey girls!

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write this post! My life has been incredibly busy as of late, but it's now Saturday, so I have found time to keep in touch with all of you wonderful people!

I woke up this morning to snow for the first time this year. It's even more fun than usual, because alot of people here are from warmmer climates and this is their first encounter with snow. They love it, so it makes me love it more.

Today is Festival of the Bands. A bunch of high school bands from around the state are comming to St. Olaf to play new music and work with clinicians all day, and then in the evening they are going to play in a concert along with Norseman band (the lower audition-level group here) and the St. Olaf Band (my band). I love the music we've been working on, and I'm really excited for the concert tonight! Music is such a blessing. I've been a bit more stressed this year than in high school because of difficult classes and things, and it's been wonderful to be able to go lock myself in a practice room for a couple of hours and just loose myself in the music for a while, and forget about what is stressing me out. I am so thankful to our Lord for such a great gift!

I will be back in Bemidji for the first time since comming here on Wednesday, November 24th sometime in the evening. I'll have to go back on Sunday, so it wont be a long break, but I am really excited to see my family again. I miss them, especially my little sister.

Overall, life is going very well. I just registered for second semester classes, and it looks like I'm going to get everything I wanted, so my schedule should be quite a bit easier and less stress-inducing than it is now, which is great! I hope life is well with all of you!

In Christ,

~Kayla

Anna Grace Anderson

I am an Aunt!

Anna Grace Anderson was born Saturday Oct. 30th at 12:01 PM . 

 

I am so excited ! She is absolutely beautiful!

This is MY NIECE!

Im going to bed now, so I can get up early and visit her!

Happy Halloween all!

-Trudi

                              

Ahh, the wonders of living on our planet!

     So i have hardly any homework so you are all being treated to a picture blog this week :)  It sums up my life lately in a very good fashion.  All of these are on Facebook, but not everyone has Facebook, and I love any excuse to use a picture for anything!
     Trudi, that is so exciting about Josh and Laura!  I will definitely keep them in my prayers!
     Well, where do I begin to talk about life.  I have been so busy lately!  So many tests and papers due these past two weeks, another due on Thursday, but I am really loving College.  The opportunities to learn and to expand my horizons have been amazing!
     I have been to 2 art museums, 2 plays, and an organ concert it's been exciting!  I think one of my favorite classes is my Intro to Creative Arts class.  It's at 8:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, early but way worth it!  We went to the school play Blithe Spirit, it was a hilarious play!  The man is haunted by the ghost of his dead wife.  In the end his dead wife kills his current wife and then he is haunted by them both.  It was very well done!  They really impressed me.  It was very long though and a few people had trouble staying awake.

     My most exciting news is that I just got a new job.  I am now one of the 3 math lab managers, one of the managers is a senior, and her math research has really taken off, so she is not here all that often, and they needed someone to take her job.  Basically I handle the logistics of the math lab and help it to run smoothly.  It's an awesome opportunity and i will have the job for the next 4 years.  It pays pretty decent as well.  I will also work as a tutor next semester in the Math Lab helping with Calculus.  I am super excited about this awesome experience!  The girl I will be working with is really sweet, I think we could become good friends.

    My cousin Emelie came to visit me last weekend and we had an amazing time!  It was really great to just be able to talk to her about things.  We haven't had a chance to talk in almost a year.  So being able to be open and candid with her has made me feel such joy and relief.  She is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world!  I love her dearly!  If any of you ever come visit we need to go to the Walker Sculpture Garden, it is such a blast!

 This was at Homecoming about two weeks ago.  The church Bethel gals. I wanted to find Micah and get a picture of the 3 of us (Joey didn't go) but that would have been too much work.  It has been such a blessing having Roberta across from me.  I go and hang out in her room quite often, she has some of the most amazing roommates, they always give me candy or baked goods, I LOVE it!  I better stop eating so much junk food soon...

   So, this is my floor, or the majority of them.  This was towards the beginning of the year.  We went to an apple orchard and took a bazillion pictures! It was a great time of bonding and getting to know them all!  Last week we went to a pumpkin patch with our brother floor, that was such a blast!  We had a crazy time!
     This weekend I am going to a girl on my floors home.  Her family is having this big pumpkin carving party with friends from church so I am SUPER excited! It is going to be such a blast to be at a real home and that sort of an environment!  She is the oldest in her family with several younger siblings, the youngest is 7 or 8 I think, so it will be so much fun to play with them all!
    I love you all!  Let me know if you have any prayer requests at all!

Love for one and all!
Belle

Rejoice!

Hi All!
Im super excited about all this, so I just thought I would tell you that
Josh & Laura Helweg had a baby girl  Sunday morning at 6:45 am. Laura is Isaacs sister, and I have gotten so close to the family. I am sooo excited for this sweet blessing! Abigail Susanne was born about 5 1/2 weeks early. Luckily, Lauras doctors knew a few weeks back that the baby was likely to come early, and administered shots to help develop her lungs. The baby is healthy and well, weighing 6 pounds 3 Oz. She is on a small amount of oxygen and some Ivs for antibiotics, but will be able to remain in Bemidji unless any other complications arise. The doctors said if her breathing is under control, she may be able to go home as early as Wednesday or Thursday! I was able to visit Laura Sunday afternoon, and she looked great! She is doing really well. Unfortunately, no one besides Josh and Laura are allowed to be in the nursery to see the baby. Also, you cant look through the windows anymore ( they have been blacked out ) due to HIPPA, which is the patient confidentiality thing. But we all got to see pictures and she is sooooo Beautiful! Pray for the family and for the baby that she continues to be healthy.

My sister Ashley is ready to pop any day now ( Due Nov 5th ), and I am getting So excited! This will be my first Niece or Nephew ( they dont know, which is making me especially  anxious! ) and my family is soo ridiculously ready for the baby to be here. I was hoping the full moon would help the other night, but no baby.....

 My sister has had some pretty high blood pressure, so hopefully it will maintain so they do not have to induce her. Pray for all these new lives and the familys!

Well, thats all that  is new with me. Really. Nothing cool happens.
ACTUALLY!
Something awesome happened.

My electric bill went down like, $4 from last month!

OH, And Isaac and I carved some cool pumpkins. except he broke off the tooth from mine. we fixed it with a nail. HAHAHA!
Also, I am having my two remaining Wisdom teeth out on Wed., the top two. Its pretty amazing because Ericka doesnt have school Thurs/Fri, due to conferences(?) and is able to cover for me at work! So I wont have to go back to work until the following Monday! Its going to be the greatest vacation. I am so excited.
Now that is all. I will give you guys an update if that baby comes!

Love you all! Have an AMAZING week!

-Trudi

Anna again =D

Hey girls, everybody keeps talking to me about how quickly this semester is going by. It's kind of interesting because I really feel like it should be December. It feels like I've been at UND for way longer than two months. The days just kind of slowly trudge on by. Luckily I get to go home basically every weekend, so at least I get a bit of a break.

A couple of weeks ago I got to go down to the Cities for my cousin's wedding! I got to see Micah and Belle and Roberta and Joey and Ann Swartz! Yippee!! Many of you already know that the Bethel thing fell through, once again, and I will not be going there next semester. Instead, I'm headed home and going to BSU. That way I can save money, have a support system and encouragement all around me, and I already have an internship opportunity! I'll have another attempt at Bethel for Junior year.

And once again, I've fallen into a pit. I can tell God is here, I just can't seem to find that peace and comfort He promises to all of us. Sorry, I really don't mean to complain, I'm just trying to figure out all of these emotions and what God wants for my life. It's really confusing. I just need to be patient (like Trudi said :] ) and I need to trust God with my future. I hope this post was sufficient.

Love you girls! I miss all of you!

abi says ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

hi. i am going to make this somewhat short and poorly punctuated/capitalized because i am exhausted...(i went on a hike yesterday with a friend and the young adult group she is part of at her church...fun but strenuous...)

so...

so far, I am enjoying college...well...everything but the homework... :) i am currently taking 18 credits...which isnt really that hard...my most challenging classes are probably my two music theory classes...then comes calculus, public speaking and econ...and choir...yeah...

at first, i had a bit of a time finding some new friends because i am living with my gramma so i am not in close proximity to alot of other people that are my age... but now i am making more friends...alot of it is due to joining campus crusade...

i like campus crusade!! we have a bible study every weds afternoon and on thursdays there is a youth group type thing but i havent been able to go to it because i always have choir.. :-P oh well...

at the beginning of the year, i got a job at a restaurant...i was a hostess. i really liked it alot but after i had worked for two weeks, they told me that they didnt need me any more...so...yeah. that really bummed me out but amazingly enough...two days later i got a new job at a cafe near my grams house...i am the friday night/sunday morning dishwasher...i am not really sure why it happened like this but all i know is that this must be where god wants me to be right now...and actually, it is kindof cool becuase my gram has been going to this cafe for something like 35 years and all that time she has been praying for the people who own it and work there but she hasnt been able to do more than that so now i am hopeful that i can be a witness to them there and maybe see god work some miracles.

right now i am still really missing mexico...it is hard because i love mexico and i want to talk about it and share my passion with people but the problem is that i am running out of people to tell...i only have so many new stories....oh well...on the bright side i only have 7 more months until i can go back.... :-D

yeah. i dont feel like writing anything more cuz then it might take me another few days to post this so...yeah. here is my contribution to the blog. and now i am going to go do homework. and then go to AWANAS!! i am going to be helping with the k-1st grade class!!!

adios mi amigas!! hablar contigo mas tarde!! te queiro mucho!!!

(translation: bye my girlfriends...ttyl...i love you alot!!) :-)

Hey, Roberta here!

Hey!  Roberta here!  I also have never blogged before, so I don’t know how this will turn out.  I have failed Belle’s challenge to us.

I am at Bethel University.  I have met some amazing people here!  I’ve made friends who make me laugh uncontrollably and who let me think out loud, who are friendly and brilliant and crazy and incredibly different from each other!  I have very interesting classes, and they are all kind of accidentally integrated—we talk about Humanities writers in Meaning and Persons, history intersects with Beowulf, and French verbs show up everywhere.   I’m in Women’s Chorale, and it’s killing me—WAY bigger time commitment than they claimed it was—but I’m beginning to love the music again.  (We’re singing selections from Handel’s Messiah!)  And I’ve taken up running for all of 3 days—yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts. ;)  I’m learning so much, having so much fun, and losing so much sleep.  And—this may surprise some of you—I have a calendar on which I write all of my classes, events, and upcoming assignments.  I have organizational skills—who knew?

When I wrote the above, I was sitting in my room with one of my lovely roommates.  I’d just pinned my latest fortune (from the fortune cookie I had for lunch) onto my bulletin board.  “Good health will be yours for a long time,” it said, which is ironic, because on Wednesday I developed a heinous cold.

And right now, I’m sitting in my house for the first time since I went to college—I’m home for fall break!  It has been so refreshing to see my family, and I hope to see some of you tomorrow!

Friends, Flooding, and my Fast-paced life

Hey girls! This is Kayla, and I should probably tell you all I'm a first-time blogger, so this is exciting stuff!



For those of you who don't know, I am going to school at St. Olaf down in Northfield, MN. I absolutely adore it here. God has blessed me with more friends than I can count, and a school that feels like home just as much as-- if not more so than -- Bemidji.



Toward the end of last week we got 9 inches of rain in Northfield and other places south of us got even more. Rivers have been flooding, and there has been a lot of damage done in the nearby area. Luckily for us, the college is on a hill(the highest point in Rice County, actually), so we are just a bit wet, but no real damage. On Friday hundreds of Oles went to downtown Northfield to help sandbag. In Owatonna, MN (a few min. drive south of here) over 80 homes are underwater. Please pray for the people living here as we attempt to control the water damage!



My schedule has me running like mad across campus, from class to homework to rehearsal to sleep (repeat). I know a lot of you girls are going through the same thing, and I am praying for all of us, that we are able to find time to just take a breath and relax when we need it!


I love that I'm going to a Lutheran private school. I feel the presence of God here so much, and it is very encouraging for me. Before every rehearsal (I made the top band, btw!) we pray together, and there is daily chapel between classes. I dont feel the taboo here that there was in high school about God and religion...it's encouraged here that everyone digs deeper! So wonderful.


Well, I do believe that's it for now. Keep posting often because I love hearing what's going on with all of my Bemidji friends! Love to you all, and my God's grace and peace be with you too.

<3

So....

There is a possibility that I will be home next weekend, Roberta as well... So if you happen to be in Bemidji that weekend, or if you live in Bemidji as in Trudi and Amy's case what would you think about going out for coffee, or just hanging out and hanging out with another? I love you guys! I hope you are all having a WONDERFUL God filled week of life!

Sister in Christ

Belle

Electric Bills, Totaled Cars and Babies!

Hey Girls, Trudi Here :]
I hope everything is great for everyone, whether your away at school, here at home, or off doing something else fantastic. I have been thinking about all of you and am so happy that we now have this great new communication device. And Amy, Facebook is not all its cracked up to be. Keep on being stubborn.

So, on to my life. Honestly, The last month or so was not the filled with too many changes for me. May-August though, that was intense. I moved into an apartment with a friend in May. It was such an adjustment to have so many new responsibilities. It took alot of getting use to. I am not someone who really likes to cook, and I never did at home, so one of the worst things to adjust to was Avoiding Starvation. In July , my friend and I decided that we were not able to be roommates. It just didn't work. We are great friends, but cant live together. So I moved out into an apartment entirely mine. I didnt happen to move very far, Just across the hall. This took even more getting use to. The bills just seemed to stack up. Rent, Electric, Phone, Insurance, Gas, Food. Luckily I am so very blessed with a wonderful full time job that takes care of all of my needs. It also happens to be just outside my door ( My apartment is above Raphaels).

The decision for me to not do any schooling was so hard for me this year. I have always wanted to go off and go to school, but when the time finally came, I could not make up my mind. I have absolutely no idea what I want to do for school. I have not an inkling of what I want to do for the rest of my life. Some may argue that I should be at a school in a new place to find that out. But I feel that being at home in Bemidji is the best thing for me. Its not as if I am just lounging around doing nothing. I work, and I take care of myself, and I spend my free time exploring my options. It is so exciting, yet scary at the same time, to have so much freedom and to not have a clue. I am just waiting for God to show me something that is right for me. Im waiting patiently.
Patience Patience Patience. Im having a great time doing it. Whatever it is.

So thats what Im doing this year. Working, becoming a responsible adult, learning and Exploring.

There are a few other thing that have come up that have really taught me some patience. on August 27, I woke up at 5 am. I could feel this terrible cold sore coming on. I searched high and low for some Abreeva. Nothing. And if I get a cold sore, they get bad. So I got some shoes and a coat, and I headed to Walmart.I picked up my coldsore medicine and a hot pink George Foreman Grill, and was headed home. As soon as I pulled out of the intersection a car flew at me and hit my passenger side ( I was going straight onto Middle School Drive and they were going east passed the Ground Round)
 That was the most incredible thing I think I have ever experienced. I saw that car coming at me out of the corner of my eye. There was nothing I could do. I was going maybe 10 mph. They were at about 40. Im not sure if I screamed. But I remember being so scared. I thought I was going to die right there. When my car finally came to a stop, I was in total shock. I sat in my car a minute or so taking in what had just happened. If any of you have been in accidents, you know they happen very fast. I was completely freaked out, to say the least. My airbag had deployed, my glasses had flown across the car, My coldsore medicine was lost, but I was Okay. I opened my door and stepped out, smelled the fresh scent of radiator coolant in the morning, and looked around. I was so lucky. God rescued me there. It was such an incredible feeling to know that.Then I dealt with the officers and my parents, and sent my beloved escort away with the tow company (After digging out my Pink Lean Mean Fat Grilling Machine and my cold sore meds). But I was okay. I went home and I cried. ALOT. At this point I was more worried about getting a car than anything. And I really loved my Escort. It was my baby. I still have possesion of it, Its parked in the back yard, Fixable, But for a very high cost. So I have purchsed my sisters really undesirable Buick LeSebre. I will have the car license and everything next week, and am so lucky to of had that available to me. I didnt have much set aside for that sort of thing, and She sold me the car for $400. Shes a great sister. I was taught alot of patience in that, having to just calm down for a few days was so hard for me. I wanted a car figured out right away. God was so wonderful to me through the whole ordeal. Im still here, and thats what matters.

I should really stop now, you are all probably going blind from staring at the screen so long.
But I just want to mention one more thing. As a few of you may know, I am going to be a first time Aunt this year. My sister Ashley is due on November 5th. Plus My Sister Brenda is due January 25. I am so very excited! My sister Ashley is not finding out what she is having, So it will be one great surprise for everyone! But Brenda gave me a call yesterday to tell me she is having a girl! Im so excited! Little girls are so fun to shop for =] I just thought I would share all that great news with you guys!

I cant wait to hear more from you!
God Bless!



<3 Trudi


 

Life These Days...

Hey girls!  Amy G. here.  I've been praying for you!  I'm so excited that Belle started this blog, since I'm too stubborn to get Facebook and haven't found a more effective way of communicating yet ;-).  I love hearing from y'all, and can't wait to read future posts!

Anyway, I guess I should tell you a bit of what my life's been like these past couple months.  Transitioning from being a full-time camp counselor living and loving in God's Great Outdoors to a semi-stay-at-home daughter with a full-time college load has been tough.  Tougher than I could've imagined.  But good, too.  For those of you who don't know, I LOVE CAMP!  I love the relationships that are built there, the time spent outside enjoying the wonders of creation, and the time to focus on knowing God.  I saw Him do some AWESOME stuff this summer, and I made some incredible friends.  I fell in love (with camp life, I mean ;-), and didn't know how I would make it back at home.

The first couple of weeks back with my family were tough, mostly because everything in me still wanted to be at camp.  But I knew that I was where God wanted me to be, and I strove not to let my inner heartache show in my words or actions. I prayed every day that He would help me to be content, joyful, and productive here.  Our God is so faithful.  Each day that I seek after Him, He gives me more and more peace about being where I am.  I am learning to love staying at home with my family, taking care of the almost-three-year-old twins we watch during the week, serving at church, and enjoying the fellowship of the amazing people God has put in my life for this season. 

These days, I'm learning that I have a lot to learn.  I have a lot to learn about loving God and about loving others.  I have a lot to learn about being a friend, a sister, and a daughter. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed by my total inadequacy to fulfill God's plan for me, but I take comfort in knowing that His power is made perfect in weakness, and that He will carry out to completion the good work that He has begun in me. 

I pray that God will bless each of you richly as you seek to serve Him in all you do.  Love in Christ, Amy

From me, Anna Kay

Hey girls! Wow, I've learned a lot so far here at college. Not so much academically (haha, sad), but spiritually. The first few weeks here were, no joke, the absolute hardest weeks I've ever dealt with. That probably sounds kind of pathetic, but I seriously thought I would be able to handle UND at least a little bit better. It takes a lot for me to admit to this because I always feel like I have to be tough, but I basically cried nonstop for two weeks. My eyes were so raw they actually hurt! Crazy. It felt like I was extremely alone and had absolutely no one to help me get through. It didn't even feel like God was with me.

Finally, about two weeks ago, I allowed God to touch my heart. I still hadn't healed completely from not being able to go to Bethel, and the parts that did heal were so messed up that God had to re-break them. My heart was a shamble of broken pieces. Fortunately, God comes through with things, and those parts of me are starting to be rebuilt, how He intended them to be. I've learned that there is absolutely no situation that I can get through without relying 100% on God, and through that, I've learned to love Him more than I ever have before. If I had gone to Bethel this semester, I don't think I would have ever learned those things, or been in the right healing process.

I'm also learning to love people that are different from me and the value of patience and discernment. And as for next semester, I am transferring to Bethel! I am so excited! I just need to get through the rest of this semester, definitely with God's help. Right now, I just have to be patient and keep learning and trusting that God knows what He's doing, because He does. And by the way, I have an amazing roommate! Sarah Crampton is an awesome girl!

Hello!!!!!!

  Wow, what a change these past four weeks have been.  Going from living at my parents home, attending my home church, having my own room to living dorm style with 2 complete strangers, finding a new church, and not seeing my family for 4 weeks.  It has been difficult, but God is ever so faithful and strong! I have loved every moment of it even in the dark moments of sadness.  There is always a light at the end of the tunnel (literally the hallway light is always on).
    God has definitely brought some amazing Godly women into my life who I have already started to become close friends with. It's funny when one of them does something and all I can think of are my friends back home and how they do that exact same thing.
   I feel blessed beyond belief to have this opportunity to go Bethel.  My professors pray and lead small bible studies before class.  They don't only care about how we are doing in the class, but how we are doing spiritually as well.  If any of you ever come down to visit you must come to Vespers.  Vespers is Sunday night worship service that is only supposed to last an hour, but has gone over every time this school year.  We spend one hour singing songs of praise to our wonderful God.  Then there is Chapel, I will admit I have skipped several, and I have taken naps in a few others, but just the environment of the room is phenomenal!
I think one of my favorite things is randomly running into my Bemidji peeps.  It's nice to have someone who truly know you as a person here during this transition, even if I only seem them every other day.
   Well I have to head off to work, I just want to challenge you all to love God with every fiber of your being, that is what he is challenging me to do.
Love forever
Belle