My name’s Krista and I am a Camping/Youth Ministries major here at PBU. I was home-schooled my entire life so
I’m really close with my family. And I love learning new things!
November 12, 2009
Are You Thankful?
As I said before...the Holiday Season excites me more than many things will. However, as we start to see sparkling lights, cheery tunes, and comfort foods surrounding us, there is something special about THIS holiday coming up. We should be "praying without ceasing" and thanking God EVERY DAY for the blessings that He has given each and every one of us. He should be foremost in our mind as we see the leaves changing colors, huge stuffed turkeys in the center of our table, or even as we brush our teeth with running water in the morning.
Why do we need a special season where thanking God is focused on when there are so many times throughout the hour, day, week, that we could be on our knees worshiping and praising Him for all that He has done? It's because we are forgetful. I complain about having to walk from my dorm to the parking lot when there's not a parking space right outside the door. I sigh when I see on my syllabus that there's ANOTHER paper due next week. I complain about having so many hours of rehearsal in a week for the play...WHY?? Because I am forgetful. I forget that we have cars for easy, personal, quick transportation. I forget that I am so blessed to have an education centered on the Bible where I learn everything in relation to Christ. I forget that God has blessed with a love for theatre and acting. I forget.
Today, I want you to take a minute to remember. Watch the video below if you get a chance and take a moment of your day to sit and think about the little things, starting with waking up in a bed, that you can thank God for. Write it out! Any time you are tempted to complain or gossip about those you have a problem with or sigh about some trivial little thing, pull out that list...and remember.
Oh what a beautiful season this is! The change of seasons is one of the most exciting things to me. Although I do not like that it is now dark at 5:30 (although I appreciated that extra hour of sleep!) the beauty of the area around us and the fun things to do make it all worth while! Wawa is putting their Turkey Gobbler sandwiches back on the menu, the mall has started to play 'It's the Most Wonderful Time' and all of their wreaths and lights are up - it's so exciting!
In order to celebrate the beautiful things about fall, such as the leaves falling, pumpkin carving, and picking fresh apples, our hall had a HARVEST DAY which started at around 12:30. We headed out to Styer Orchards (about 6 min from PBU) and took some pictures with the whole group and then got a family christmas card picture! My whole family of 8 came out for the festivities :)
Then it was time, of course, for a hayride out to the pumpkin fields! After all, what is fall without a hayride?
My sister and I conquering the pumpkin fields!!
And of course, what better to do with handpicked apples than to dip them in caramel? Yeah, we couldn't think of anything either so..
So then this whole Harvest Day led up to the culmination of the day which was the Campus Wide HOEDOWN!! Under a tent in one of the parking lots everyone came out in plaid shirts, jeans, and their polished boots! We had a caller and squares of people learning and practicing their dancing skills. Of course, during our "break" we all had to show of our "Hoedown Throwdown" (yes the dance from the Hannah Montana Movie) skills and we got a group picture of most of the people that knew it well :)
What is one thing every PBU student should do before they graduate? Go to a Chick-Fil-A opening of course! So here's the deal:
Step 1: Show up early (we were there at 5:57am!). I was actually originally number 99, but a bunch of people left and the registration process kinda confused things as well.
Step 2: Register as one of the first 100 people there. You have to show your ID, sign in, and show up to roll calls with your wrist band various times throughout the night so that they can see you are earning your meals by camping out for 24 hours!
Step 3: Set up your campsite and get settled in for a possibly wet, rainy, or otherwise uncomfortable night. We actually had some wonderful weather for this one, it rained for a few hours but then the sun came out and dried everything up! Yay!
Step 4: Entertain yourself. (Card games, Frisbee, Reading, etc.) Jordan played "no-peek poker" for a while and ended up having to eat baby food because she lost so many times :P A bunch of people also watched the World Series game since Chick-Fil-A had it on a big TV for us!
Step 5: Get some dinner, hang out with the cow!
Step 6: Try to sleep a little. I got 5 hours, it really wasn't so bad once I got all snuggled in!
Step 7: Roll call at 5am in the morning!
Step 8: Walk through and get your coupons for 52 free meals at Chick-Fil-A! Woohooo!! We did it! :)
Last night I had the pleasure of attending Chelten Baptist Church's 'Night of the Arts' which featured songs grouped into categories such as solitude, love, and relationships. Our very own PBU Jazz Ensemble performed a few songs! The Jazz Ensemble is directed by their fearless leader, Joe Hesh. Lynn Warwick (a former PBU blogger!!) covers the lead vocals, while Sarah Towne plays a mean saxophone! Mark Bastek, Zach McAlack, and Adam Strand-Polyac finish out the band.
Not only did I get to watch some great performances, but I enjoyed the concert along with my good friend Sarah Cummings, Lynn's boyfriend Dan, my blogging boss Becky Vasso, and her husband Rick.
Lynn did an amazing rendition of "So Far Away" as well as a very upbeat version of Taylor Swift's hit "Love Story." My personal favorite of the night was "What a Wonderful World...make sure to watch the video below!
College life gets kinda crazy sometimes, and that's an understatement.
So I recovered from the flu! That's a blessing for sure. That led right into a Fall Break extended weekend which was amazing :) I watched a Top Chef marathon, ate a bunch of wonderful homecooked meals, had a cookout with some of my friends, spent a bunch of time with my family, and enjoyed the beauty of the change of seasons. I took no homework with me and that was truly the break that I needed. It is a challenge at school to get away, to step back and prioritize, when responsibilities and assignments are piling up. Here is what I learned over Fall Break...and in the past few weeks following:
*God sometimes uses the unexpected to teach us lessons that we need to learn. One instance of that was the Colbie Caillat concert that I went to with my sister about a week ago. Here are the lyrics to one of the first songs she sang...
And I'm juggling all the thoughts in my head
I'm juggling and my fear is on fire
but I'm listening as it evolves in my head
I'm balancing on one fine wire
I remember the time my balance was fine
and I was just walking on one fine wire
but It's frayed at both the ends
and I'm slow unraveling
Coming back from break to school felt like this. I was juggling being an RA, participating in the play, exams and regular assignments, spending time with my friends, working driving the shuttle at school, and spending time with God. That's just the obvious. There's always personal struggles, insecurities, and issues that we deal with on a day-to-day basis. Sometimes we can try to balance everything on our own, when our "balance was fine" and we try to juggle things and cope in our own strength. Our fears pile up and we start to drop things, our juggling skills will eventually always fail. But this is what God has to say about this: Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
*We are not to be anxious about ANYTHING! If we come to God in a spirit of humility, placing all of our trust in Him, He will give us a peace that is beyond anything else. I once saw a short skit where a man walked up to a table covered in glass bowls and vases and he was holding three of his own. He nervously placed his three vessels on the table and began to turn and walk away. But then he hesitated. He walked back and he heard a voice say "My son, leave them to Me." And he got on his knees and prayed saying, "Lord, I want to surrender my life, everything that it is to You, but I'm afraid that then I won't have control." The Lord was finally able to reassure the man that things were wonderful when left in the capable hands of our Savior. But as the man turned to walk away again, he just grabbed one vase, and then went back for another, until his arms were full. As he walked away, he tripped, and the vases and bowls went flying and shattered on the hard floor. I think this is an amazing picture of what I have been doing in my life, trying to hold on to parts of my life that I want control over, fearful that if I give that up then things will fall apart. But the truth, and the truth that God used a popular pop song to teach me, is that my balance is not enough. The "fine wire" that I walk along will fray and I will fall, but God will always be there to pick up the pieces, lift me up off the ground, and show me the beautiful path that He has laid out before me.
It was an amazing, and long lesson to learn. These two weeks have been beyond insane, but because I love everything I am doing and because God has shown me His strength and peace, I know that I am in the right place, doing the right things. And that is an amazing feeling!
Here's some pictures from the past few weeks...
My sister (second one from the left) and other friends going Pumpkin Picking (one of my favorite things about Fall!!) before our cookout later that night...
Me and some friends in Philly waiting outside for a concert to start...
Colbie Caillat - we were like 3ft (if even!) from the stage! What an amazing concert :)
Enjoy the sunshine and beautiful colors outside! When you find that perfect red leaf or see the sun glistening and making a spectacular show of creation, remember to look up and thank the all-powerful God who has given us this gift!
This week was going to be a week of crazy midterms, planning for my Fall Break trip to Michigan, and putting my room through a crazy amount of cleaning, but no more!
Unfortunately yesterday I was tested positive for the regular flu, so I am quarantined at home for week. :( Luckily it falls over Fall Break so that I don't have to skip TOO many classes, but I can't go to Michigan. Ah well, I get to spend some time with my family this week!
PBU's first ever Pageant - for MEN! Haha, a night full of stand up comedy, sarcastic speeches, and true talent made for quite a night of entertainment for a full chapel of PBU students! We have everything from flip charts to impressions to piano improvisations, but one of the favorite acts was definitely Jordan Buchmann's rendition of When A Man Loves a Woman (PBU Style) below...
Congratulations is due, however, to Ryan Eshleman who is the winner of our first Mr. PBU Pageant due to his hilarious stand up comedy routine and amazing...bagpipe skills?
Sometimes we just need those little reminders, after we have heard the rain pounding on the roof of the chapel, and after we have run between the SMC and the MAC in a thunderstorm, that God is able to produce something so beautiful from something that seems so dreary. I am not a fan of rainy days, just like sometimes I'm not a fan of the ways God uses to challenge me in my walk with Him, but every time I seem to be struggling with that He shows me something like this...
I am so blessed by my Lord.
Bring The Rain - Mercy Me:
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory And I know there'll
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain
I am yours regardless of the clouds that may
loom above because you are much greater than
my pain you who made a way for me suffering
your destiny so tell me whats a little rain
So this weekend was the retreat to Ocean City for the Youth Min. majors here at PBU...just a time to relax, focus on God, and get to know the other students at school that are pursuing the same things as we are. We packed up friday evening with ipods and DVD players started up and headed out...
After stopping for some dinner and finishing the 2-ish hour ride there, we unpacked at the Ocean City Hull Youth Center (which was an AWESOME place for youth-type retreats) and walked to the boardwalk which was only like ten minutes away! Now, I love everything about the beach. I love seagulls, watching the waves, seeing sand blow across the shore, and building sandcastles. The natural beauty of the beach is so calming and refreshing, but Beach Boardwalks are also pretty fun...and this weekend was no exception. We played a rousing round of mini-golf (it gets pretty intense!) and Austin won a free game by getting a hole in one at the end!
I got a hole in one!!!
And what is a night on the Boardwalk without some Kohr's Bros. ice cream??
After a night of fun, we all got together to have a time of sharing and some great singing too. As youth ministry majors it sometimes happens that we can get so wrapped up in the importance of ministry and learning the Bible that we neglect our personal spiritual lives. It's always a great thing to keep in mind, the idea that in order to give to ministry we need to be filled with God's love so that it will overflow to those that we are ministering to. God has called us to do great things for Him, but if we are not spending time with Him and allowing Him to be a part of our lives, we will not be in His will and able to serve effectively.
The next morning we, being Youth Min. majors (we have certain stereotypes..) had to play some "Crazy Wake-up Games" after breakfast that involved fly swatters and pingpong balls. Any guesses? Yeah I didn't think so...it was some version of hockey, which turned out pretty interestingly!
After that we had some time to ourselves and God on the beach. There is no feeling quite as relaxing as sitting on a sand dune, with your Bible, watching the waves crash into the shore. We had a list of verses that gave us a chance to talk to God about our relationship with Him and the bearing it had on our different ministries. This weekend was such a great reminder of the necessity of time with God and how little our work for Him means if we are not in communion with Him and His will...
This morning at 6:15am, (yes, its early) about 60 PBU students gathered at our flagpole to head out to three local highschools and support the students who were circling up around their own flagpoles in order to life their schools up in prayer. I, along with about 15-20 other students, loaded up into one of our vans, laden with munchkins and juice, to head out to Pennsbury High about 15 minutes away. This nationwide event, SYATP (See You at The Pole) brought highschool students together all across the country:
This was an opportunity to focus our morning on living for God and representing Him in everything we do. As we stood there with these students and teachers I could not help but think, what do I pray for MY school? As I prayed for those kids to have a boldness as they were surrounded by their peers and the pressure of highschool, I prayed for the students at PBU as well. I pray that we will be a light, as a student body, and not lose sight of our purpose here. It becomes easy to be complacent and comfortable in the fact that we are surrounded by Christians and walking-the-walk and talking-the-talk becomes "easy," but it is my prayer that we will stand and we will connect with our purpose which is to GO! We are commissioned in Matthew 28, And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. This is our purpose. And this is my prayer...
