julie

My smallest, small sister got baptized today. Dad and Doug, the pastor of their church, baptized her in a very cold little river. So did her friend Molly. Julie is 9 and Molly is 10. That's kinda cool for them to be baptized together.

I wonder what God has for Julie. What will she do when she grows up, what will she study in college, or what does He have for her this coming school year? How will he continue to get her attention and teach her about Him like He has been doing?

I'm always amazed at how God can relate to anyone of any age. It's like He speaks your language. Not just your language English, Spanish, or French. But He can speak to you in a way that you understand. Like I guess, I'm just awed at how someone as big and important as God just gets us, each one of us, and if we let Him will communicate His love in a way our hearts can understand. Who is like Him?

joanie visits

So every year Teen Mania's interns have to come to Colorado and climb this mountain not too far from my parents' house. We all went to see Joanie before she climbs it tomorrow. It was strange. Here she is all grown up and has come to visit us with all her intern friends. I don't think it's completely sunk in that she's gone yet. So odd. Yep, definitely like wearing shoes made of jello.

blood drive

I gave blood today ..... not good.

I've done it before and been fine. Today I wasn't in a good mood or, well, not being very brave and trusting of God with a certain area of my life that He's been asking for. So I wasn't feeling very brave about having a needle stuck in my arm and losing a pint of blood.

Ok, what's wrong with my little human mind? I know that God created the universe and can do anything, why is it so hard to trust Him with my struggles? Things were easier when I was fifteen. God said jump and I did. Now I gotta analyze everything.....

nomads

Jacque, her friend Becky from the Honor Academy, Pistachio, and I went on a little road trip. We went from Texas to Nebraska, the scenery was amazing. Just kidding, it was less than amazing, but there was this pretty storm which gave way to a nice sunset. You can see pictures of this exciting adventure here. We showed up at Kayla’s house late (I think we did it in 13 hours) and she now calls us her nomads. I like it.

We went to Nebraska to visit another friend from the Honor Academy, Kayla. It just so happens that Kayla is my long-lost twin. We have the exact same birthday but somehow don’t manage to look much like sisters. I liked my long-lost twin, she’s really fun and hyper. We went car camping with Kayla’s church. (And wow, Nebraskan car-camping makes Coloradan car-camping look like a wilderness excursion. They had showers, microwaves, and flush toilets.) While being introduced to Kayla’s church I yet again had to fall back on, “Hi, my name is Jennifer and I did not go to the Honor Academy.” Over and over. Yeesh, I’m starting to feel like I’ve enrolled myself in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Then our Grandparents came to pick us up and took us to their house, also in Nebraska. We spent a lot of time sewing, watching musicals, and I am attempting to teach myself how to juggle. So far no luck. :p

teen mania

My sister Jacque graduated from the Honor Academy and my parents flew us all down there for the occasion. (This is why the blog has been silent, between finals and leaving for Texas the next morning I’ve had no time.) The night before her graduation there was a formal dinner where all the interns were presented with their honor rings. They have a commitment to each other to live their lives with honor. The second day was her actual graduation.

A lot of Teen Mania types did a lot of talking about living your whole life for God and living to honor His name no matter what He calls you to. It was great; I used to go on mission trips every summer with them. Hearing all those familiar people talk about living for God brings back great memories and was also rather convicting. I don’t think holiness is as high a priority to me as it was then. God’s been pointing this out to me lately as I read through the Old Testament.

Then we spent a nice week at my Aunt’s house in Dallas before we took Joanie to the Honor Academy. Between the two of them graduating from and just starting out in the Honor Academy and meeting so many new people – all going to the Honor Academy - I began introducing myself as, “Hi my name is Jennifer and I’m not going to the Honor Academy.” This introduction won me some odd looks from the people I met. :p

((it’s a very strange feeling leaving your almost-babiest-baby-sister at a campus for a year; kinda like having your feet incased in jello shoes))