101 of My Favorite Things About Maryland

I don't have enough time to explain this entire semester (you can ask me in person later), but I did want to come up with a list of my favorite things here that I'll miss when I'm gone.

1. Roundabouts
2. When Candy tells me "Be safe" every afternoon when I leave the office
3. Movie nights
4. Fighting with Wes every day
5. My very own theater
6. Having my own bathroom/bedroom
7. Traci's morning hug
8. Marge handing me a wad of cash every Thursday
9. Constant encouragement
10. Honest, gentle criticism
11. Tuesday Family Ministry meetings
12. The big purple chair in the preschool room
13. The success that is wearing jeans to work without getting reprimanded
14. The stars
15. Ben's preaching (unless I'm working and he goes way over)
16. Panera on a weekly basis
17. Staff meetings
18. Ethan when he REALLY gets laughing
19. Preaching biblical passages for the first time in class because of procrastination
20. Erin's hugs
21. 5¢ off every gallon of gas on Thursdays at the Shell station
22. Katie when she gets really excited about something
23. Conversations with Randy
24. That moment when Elsa decides that you're her friend for the rest of the day
25. Having access to a pool/hot tub
26. My confetti cupcake candle
27. Free laundry
28. Writing weekend lessons
29. Teaching weekend lessons
30. Fortunatos
31. Going through SPIES with Karla
32. Learning and growing with Michelle
33. Sunday nights at Chilis
34. Playing with Gracie's neck flap
35. The announcements in service
36. Asking Rob MacAnespie to show me his socks every time I see him
37. Brendan mishearing everything
38. Josh Dew's ridiculous questions
39. Rob Kasten's puns
40. Distracting Brittany Csar
41. All-staff emails
42. Everybody "Replying All" to all-staff emails
43. Tim Kick's servants heart and versatility of gifts
44. Going to bed by midnight
45. Hank Oliver
46. My 6th grade small group
47. Jenny welcoming me as I come into church
48. Being able (and encouraged) to pass people on the shoulder if they're turning left
49. The fact they announce every upcoming street with a street sign so you always know when you'll need to turn
50. Wes calling Nathan "Shootfire"
51. Wes announcing he needs to go to the "urination station"
52. Wes saying "What in TARnation?!"
53. 1/2 price burrito at Qdoba on Wednesdays and Thursdays
54. Isaac Fox's super cute face
55. Txting pictures of the politically incorrect MCS wall back and forth with Koco
56. Group lunches
57. Andrea Sung's smile
58. My heart feeling happy whenever Erin hosts the service
59. Serving being a natural part of staff culture
60. Blaine calling me an elf from Middle Earth
61. Kristina hacking my phone and office
62. ChickfilA dates with Bri
63. Running the hills of New Cut Rd (but not really)
64. Road trips with Emilee in the back seat
65. All Ravens games being televised
66. Being assigned really great ministry books to read
67. Proximity to NYC
68. Attempting to impersonate Traci's unnaturally high-pitched "Yippy Skippy!"
69. Bryant Magness's IQ
70. The fast-paced hysterical conversations between Renee and me
71. Girly conversations in the Children's Ministry office
72. Sarah Shuck claiming that she's taller than me
73. Lisa and Jill's homemade deliciousness
74. Any interactions with Rick Sisolak
75. Martina not letting me in the Children's wing without my badge
76. Hannah quoting Mean Girls
77. Having an adult pay for your meal almost every time you eat out with them
78. Having Monday AND Friday off
79. Brendan's humor
80. Emilee laughing hysterically at her own stories
81. Figuring out how to stay away from the flame and get everyone where they need to be
82. Having access to a kitchen
83. Parties at the Seiferts
84. Mary Jackson commenting on mine and Elizabeth's Facebook posts telling us how much she wants us back on Milligan's campus
85. Emilee not participating in anything on Wednesday nights because of XFactor
86. Being asked the same questions every Thursday at team lunches
87. Candy buying me Flavors cupcakes
88. Being able to write papers in bullet point format
89. Watching Nathan Hall lead both worship and our group
90. Seeing Elizabeth's face shine when she talks about her students
91. Being a Harford Fighting Owl
92. People that drive by and wave back at me while I run
93. Burger cookies
94. "Sneaking" a Lean Pocket into every Preaching and Teaching class
95. The initial awkwardness of intern meals at Mountain members' houses
96. Trying to check my host family's mailbox for my mail without them thinking I am creeping
97. Never figuring out if I should call it "Route 1" or "Belair Rd"
98. Always being on the lookout for deer
99. Being constantly referred to as the intern who likes "expensive food"
100. Laughing with the other interns
101. My Mountain Christian Church family

Comment your favorites!

He is Above All

There have been many instances, whether a sermon, a book, or a story someone is telling, when people speak of how their personal circumstances with others have shaped their view of God. Hopefully, these stories come from places of positive impact from others such as a stepdad who has adopted a daughter as his own, a mentor who has shown mercy and grace on who he/she is pouring into, or unconditional love from a spouse. Yes, hopefully those are the settings from which this feeling of relating God to human performance comes from.

Unfortunately, whenever it's been brought to my attention, it has almost always been because someone has negatively influenced another, thus altering their view of who God is. Maybe it's a dad who has never been present, therefore relating that feeling of fatherly abandonment to the feeling that God might abandon one day. Perhaps it's the rejection of someone you care about, creating the thought that you might not be good enough for Him. Or possibly it's the heartbreak from a significant other that causes you to think that His love just might not conquer all things.

The repetition of these types of testimonies has forced me to ponder my view of God. I have certainly been through some of these different scenarios (only to some extent), but for some reason I don't have any doubt whatsoever concerning the love, faithfulness, or grace of God. And I can most certainly assure you that it's not because I have a stronger faith or less sin in my life than anyone who has had their view of God altered in one or more of these ways. That theory can be 100% ruled out.

I think I've come to 2 conclusions to this thought:

1. I have had countless of those first examples in my life. They say it takes 10 positive statements to counteract 1 negative statement, right? Well, I've had 10 positive examples of people in my life that have counteracted those few examples of those who have hurt me. Women in ministry, families I babysit for, my own relationship with different family members, teachers, small group leaders, children. So many people have stepped up to love me and care for me. So maybe that's why my view of God doesn't change when the few hurtful ones do their job. Or maybe...

2. God is merciful. While reason number 1 maybe relevant, this is most certainly the answer. There are many times I can point to and ask, "God, why did you let this happen to me?" or say, "God, you failed me and my expectations AGAIN!" But God is his never-ending consistency has shown mercy on me over and over and over and over and over again. Ten-fold. And that attribute, His mercy, far outweighs the petty mistakes and evils people have committed against me. Thanks be to God that He is above all and in all, and may my view of Him continue to never be marred by the actions of mere humans.

We are His.

Although it should probably be a more regular feeling, these past two weeks I have come to deeply love my Jesus in a whole new way. In mentoring Maya, especially recently, I have caught a glimpse of how much Jesus must love us. In our friendship/mentorship, it has gotten to the point where when she is full of joy, it fills me with joy. On the other hand, when she is hurting, it hurts me right along with her. All I desire to do is to put her hardships and pains of life on me and just have me walk through middle school for her so she doesn't have to go through those years that nobody likes. 

And when I realized that this is how I genuinely feel towards her, it made me understand just a fraction of how God feels towards us as his children. When we are going through awesome times in life, He celebrates with us! And when we are going through periods when life hurts and we don't understand, His heart breaks for us. What we feel and experience, God feels and experiences, because WE ARE HIS. His image. His children. His sheep. His. 

So today I thank Him. Realizing the extent of His love has never floored me so completely. What Maya does doesn't affect my love for her. I simply desire the absolute best for her. What we do doesn't affect God's love for us. He simply desires the absolute best for us.

He's so good. He's so holy. He's so just. He's so loving. He's everything. And I am so thankful.

These are a Few of My Favorite Things...

These things can't be grouped together in any other way other than the fact that they're currently some of my favorite things:

Raindrops on roses.
Whiskers on kittens.
Bright copper kettles.

But really...

Lace headbands. So chic. So cheap.
The fact that I'm going to Europe for a month next year!
Harry Potter
Shutter speeds.
Twitter.
"Kisses from Katie".
The "cool" songs on the radio right now... 98.9 and 99.7 have been playing much more than normal recently... probably because the popular songs aren't all about sex this week.
Settlers of Catan.
Orange Leaf froyo.
Not wearing pants.
Spontaneity.
That feeling when my eyes meet his.
Passion 2012 CD.
Time with Maya.
Getting out of my summer class early every day.
Shorts that fit.
Instagram.

Him Alone.

He's worth it. Christ is everything.

And I need to act like I believe that.

Lessons I've Been Learning

I tweeted these (dmerante), but I thought I should update my blog as well! So here are some lessons God's been trying to teach me this past week. Difficult lessons, but necessary. Some I've been taught before; some are new. All are ones I need to listen to.

O. And 41 days until Disney World.

- I need to serve God not out of obligation, but because of his relentless love for me.

- Even when people fail, God's enough.

- I'm worth it.

- Sometimes resting is the most spiritual thing you can do.

- It's not even OK to have one person you make fun of people with. If you need to complain about someone, talk about them with God. It's actually a great heart-check. And freeing.

- When God takes things or people off the throne of your heart, He's all you have. And that's enough.