Winter Youth Retreat

Aaah what a wonderfully blessed Christmas I had! I hope you all had a very blessed holiday as well!

Today I am all packed and ready to head off to Winter Youth Retreat!

I started my glorious three week break from school off with a trip to my home town of Brooklyn, MI to see my best school friend Sarah. I love visiting with my oldest and dearest friend of about 15 or more years because no matter how long it has been since the last visit, we just pick up and carry on as we always do...chatting, cooking, eating, and listening to mainly Disney music. 

Our favorite creation from this visit...breakfast cups.

 Complete with toast, eggs, bacon, and cheese...mmmmmmm

These are so simple to make...heres the link:

http://www.marthastewart.com/330179/bacon-egg-and-toast-cups

When I got home Saturday to spend Christmas Eve with my family, we carried on our tradition of making homemade pasta noodles...

If I gave you the recipe I'de have to kill you....hehe..no but really.

Following the noodles I attempted to make ciabatta bread rolls...*sigh* those didn't quite turn out as well...

eheh...to my defense...the website that I got this recipe from had a major typo...you do not bake these rolls at 450 degrees...you bake them at 350!!! So technically this was not my fault! 

Aaanyways. Our wonderful Christmas dinner consisted of immaculate steaks that my father grilled and the homemade pasta that we all made, complete with homemade sauce.

All in all it was a wonderful Christmas weekend. The whole family was home and we celebrated with great friends as well :)

As I travel to retreat this weekend, I ask that you would please keep the campers in your prayers and that God would do a great work in each heart there and also the ones that could not make it this year. 

Thank you friends. God bless and have a wonderful week and a blessed New Years!

Remember to keep your eyes toward the Son and you won't see the shadows. Trust in Him...He has control of all things. 

Glenn Miller

Studying for my final final tomorrow...heh...see what I did there? Good I know.

Anyways. Whilst studying I am letting the great Glenn Miller serenade me...care to join?

Enjoy :)

Finals Already?

Wow. On one side I feel like this has been the longest quarter of my life...oooon the other side I feel like.."FINALS ALREADY!" 

This is usually about the time I hit "freakout mode." But for some reason, I feel really at peace.

I mean of course I know the "reason," if it weren't for my God backing me up and making impossible things happen it seems like almost everyday, I would not have ever made it this far.

So all glory be to God for that!

Also, God has blessed me with a friend that has been willing to spend countless hours with me studying and coming up with awesome mnemonics to remember all of the parasites I've had to learn. 

Example: Otobius megnini: the greek God of the mega-ninnies. He is a spine-nosed nerdy tick that infests the ears of mainly cattle but also other outdoor animals that live in sheds, barns, or corrals. 

Along with many hours spent studying, we have had a lot of laughs that has helped me tremendously. 

During these long quarters, I try to really spend as much time with family and friends as I can. I've learned through my short time in school that sometimes it is way more important to drop studying for an hour or two and laugh and relax with those closest to you. It's nice to actually be a real human being instead of a studying machine that has little green aliens sucking her brain out with a straw. Yes people it got that bad. 

Anyways, here are a couple pictures I took of my niece while we were baking the other day instead of studying.

Aubriella chillin' on the counter while waiting for the butter to melt for our Cinnamon Roll cake! (I'll include the recipe)

And this is our "Oh my gosh we love baking!" face :)

I love it when I go into the kitchen to bake something "really quick" during study breaks, and my niece runs in and asks as cute as she possibly can, "Aunt Bo, can I healp you?" Yes she says it exactly like that lol 

This takes me back to the whole skip studying to spend time with family thing. I'm sure this is one thing that she and I will cherish someday. I cherish it now. 

So tomorrow will be the first day of my two weeks worth of finals. I have two finals in each class (one written final and one lab final). So as you go about your normal school free lives these next two weeks, if you could kindly whisper a little prayer for me, I would greatly appreciate it. 

And now as I promised, the Cinnamon Roll Cake recipe! Enjoy!

Ingredients for the cake: 

3c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1c. sugar

4tsp baking powder

1 1/2c. milk

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2c melted butter

Ingredients for the topping:

1c. butter softened

1c. brown sugar

2Tbs. flour

1Tbs. cinnamon

Ingredients for the drizzle:

2c powdered sugar

5Tbsp. milk

1tsp. vanilla

Maple syrup to your preferred tasting! (I did about 2 tables spoons I think)

For the cake, mix everything together except for the butter. slowly stir in melted butter, then pour batter into 9x13 greased pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. (I usually end up softening this a little bit more in the microwave. If the butter isn't soft enough it takes a little bit to get it to mix well enough.) Drop topping evenly over the batter then swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes. (I always end up cooking it longer because the middle is stil soupy. Just go in 5 to 10 minute increments until its baked through.) While cake is still warm, pour drizzle overtop and enjoy!

I promise you this is a very quick recipe when you don't have a niece wanting to do everything :)

Good night friends. And God bless.

Thanksgiving

I just wanted to take the time to wish you all such a Happy Thanksgiving, and to also give the glory, honor, and thanks to my Lord Jesus for all that He has done and given me. I would never be here today if it weren't for Him. 

Thank you so much precious Jesus. 

I trust you all had a splendid holiday day. I certainly have enjoyed this break today from school and everything. As much as I dread starting up studying and everything again tomorrow, I commit it to the Lord and dedicate it to Him. He will give me the strength I need, and very soon we will all be on the other side enjoying the peace, rest, and fellowship awaiting us. 

God bless all and have a wonderful rest of your weekend :)

Blaaaah!

Hi. Remember me? I'm the person that owns this blog page. Yea its been a while! 

I don't really have any excited updates other than I gave a horse the weirdest shot in my life...and I saw the biggest chinchilla ever that bit my poor professors stub and made him bleed. (lost his hand in a farming accident but is the best veterinarian I have ever met. He even does surgery with this special thing he wheres on his arm, and when he bends the wrist part, the hook opens, and when he releases it closes! So cool!)

So anyways, I really just wanted to update to let you all know that it might be long bouts before I get back in here. I am slammed with work from school and I feel like my face is melting right as we speak lol 

If you could all keep me in your prayers, I have a ton to get done and have less time than would be preferred. 

But as a friend keeps telling me..."The footsteps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." Psalms 37:23

God bless friends!

:) (p.s. how I would love to escape to where ever that is!)

Hebrews 4:16

This week was one of those weeks where everything seemed to fly at you and smack you in the forehead at once. And so many times throughout the week you want to sit down and cry but oh wait! You don't have time because you need to do this or someone knocks on your door right when the first tear reaches the corner of your eye. 

Then just as you feel like you have a hold on everything, BAM! something really big hits and makes you crack. You don't care where you are or who is around...you just sit down and cry feeling so defeated...crying out to God for help. You know you have to completely let go, and goodness do you ever want to, but for some reason your stubborn flesh keeps holding on for dear life. 

 So you push through your day, trying to keep your mind off of things...looking for something to help you get through, praying all the while, crying to God waiting for something to happen, but it never does. You wonder why God isn't hearing you and why He isn't sending in some back up. So finally you give up...

 Then all of a sudden, a friend sends a kind text, or you happen to be on Twitter and someone posts a scripture. Like Hebrews 4:16 for example.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Sometimes I could just kick myself for being so stubborn. Why is it so hard for us to just let go and let God take over. Even as much as we want to, but it never happens. Oh Lord, teach me to be still and let you take over all the things that seem to be pulling me under, leaving me gasping for air. 

2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him."

2 weeks down, 9 to go.

Alright! Jumped right back into a new quarter of school! I am now officially a second year student and in clinicals. Thats right friends. I'm one year away from becoming a certified veterinarian technician.

First week of school Started out kind of rocky. I was bombarded with 17 packets of information in all three of my classes, two huge projects in one class, and 10 chapters to read over the weekend in another. 

Who ever told me that the second year has half the book work of the first year will be receiving dog poop in their mail box. 

Anyways, once I got my self calmed down and did a little praying, I felt fine and started getting excited for all of the hands-on stuff we get to do! 

I performed my first physical exam on a cat, almost picked up a rat for the first time, did a physical exam on a rat for the first time, and got peed on by a puppy that just had surgery! 

So far my first two weeks of school have been adventurous!!!

By no means is this career choice going to be glamorous, but you know what?...I have always enjoyed getting my hands dirty and helping people. In this job I will do much of both. Only getting my hands dirty in fecal material isn't all that fun. (thank the Lord for gloves!) 

This is the pup that peed on me. She was sweet as pie though and loved me to death! She also had problems sitting still...that's why she isn't looking at the camera hehe

The Piano

Tonight, as I am writing this post, I'm listening to my mother play the piano for the first time in a long time. She used to play so much more, and the last time I heard her was last Christmas I believe. 

My brother, Brandyn, and I used to lay under the piano together when we were really little and listen to her play. It's amazing how all of the old songs that are so familiar to me come flooding back to her beautiful hands in just a few minutes. 

Tonight was a really good night. I'm on a two week break from school, and Brandyn is coming to the end of his schooling all together. I noticed he has been more relaxed the past few days, and so have I.

Everyone was laughing and talking together at dinner like we used to. Then all of us kids went and crawled into mom and dad's bed with them like we use to, and talked and laughed some more. 

After everyone went their separate ways to go to bed, I heard the piano playing off in the other living room.  Hannah walked in and looked at me with shiny eyes, gave me a faint smile, and we both went in to the living room to hear mom play.

Isn't funny how when life slows down, those wonderful family moments come back? I feel as if I were little again. 

I pray that as life goes on and we all get much older, we will still have those precious family moments that makes us feel young at heart again. 

Just thought I would share this special moment that I cherish when it comes around. 

Have a blessed night dear friends!

God Bless :)

Miss Mary Engelbreit

Alright friends...it is time I introduce to you my all time favorite artist...Mary Engelbreit.

The art work Mary Engelbreit produces...is to me the warmest there is. She displays such comfort, and brightness in her pictures. There is a feeling I can't really describe when I see her work...so why don't I let you see and feel it for yourself. :)

Without further adieu...I present

Mary Engelbreit.

Now tell me you don't want to curl up with a hot cup of tea? ;)

His Righteousness...not ours.

Another brilliant service from Brother Paul today!

I can't help but to feel a little spoiled that God is blessing me with such wonderful services. 

Bro. Paul said something that I had never really thought of before. He said that "yesterdays manna can do us no good. We need fresh mana everyday."

It just kind of clicked with me, that we can't use the same manna every day and expect to survive off of it. That is why God brings us something new in every service, in every Bible study, at every camp. 

The other thing that was pretty wonderful to my heart was God's righteousness. So often we try as hard as we can...to just be better in general. 

The thing is...it's not about us. It's about God and the sacrifice He gave us to be free. It's not about gaining our own righteousness, because we are sinners, we have no righteousness. 

It's about God putting His righteousness in us. Only He can change us and make better. There is nothing we can do to be righteous but surrender to His. 

God created you...with you He created a love in your heart for Him and a desire to serve him. Without it none of us would be able to make it through our Christian journeys. 

So dear friends. Give in to Him. Ask for His righteousness to come alive in you. 

I pray for a more unselfish walk with Him.

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."
C. S. Lewis 

Finals Week!!!

Oh boy, here it is!

I don't think I have ever been more excited about finals in my life time in college. 

After my delicious two week break, I will jet back into another quarter...BUT...this time I will be breaking out my stethoscope, taking care of animals in the lab, and coming home smelling like..who knows what. 

Anyways, keep me in your prayers as I trudge through this week! Then pray that I don't break anything when I get into clinicals :) 

God bless you friends and may you all have a wonderful week!

Thought this was kind of cool :)

Almost...there!

Only three more weeks (counting this week) until break!!! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

In my excitement for the gorgeous Fall weather I have been dreaming of...I forgot one little detail....when you have to wake up early to get ready for school...its dark. 

This morning when my alarm went off...I thought someone was playing a dirty trick on me. Alas...they were not. 

I tried so hard to stay home from class and just sleep...but I remembered what Bro. Paul said in the youth meeting Friday night. 

God has made us stewards over everything He has given us, including school. 

So I smacked myself on the hand, got up and got ready as grumbly as possible...and now I'm killing time before I have to venture out on this rainy day to listen to Dr. Tim lecture on antiparasitics! 

mm. Delicious.

(I would like to apologize now for any vet stuff I may post that brings nausea or discomfort to my readers)

Anyways...let us all keep the school goers in our prayers! Going straight through the summer was hard...but going through the winter is harder! I long for curling up on the couch to crochet and drink tea instead of studying...but it is something God has blessed me with and has given me the ability to do, and I would like to honor Him and do my best at it! 

So for all of the millions of readers I have out there...this antiparasitic lecture is dedicated to you! 

Thank you Lord for this day and for giving me the ability to go to a nice school. 

Forgive me of my grumblings. 

Bless my readers.

Amen

:)

The Sufficiency of Christ

I have come to find that Wednesday night services are great times of spiritual refreshment for me. When I came home tonight and sat down to do devotions before I got too tired, I was trying to think of where I wanted to read in my Bible. 

This is something I have been having a hard time with lately. I want to read but I don't know where, and most of the time it is something I don't understand, which gets frustrating. 

Tonight was different though. I was looking through the books of the Bible trying to find somewhere I haven't read before, when I came to Colossians chapter 2. 

Have you ever had the thought that you wished you could just see God for a moment to know that He is really there? Just something to hold onto so you can say in times of doubt, I know God is real. 

Well this part of Colossians chapter 2 that I'm going to share with you gave me great comfort.

Colossians 2:1-7

1For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in flesh;

2That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father, and of Christ;

3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words,

5For though I be absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

6As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so ye walk in him:

7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Always keep your face towards the Son, and you won't see the shadows.

Updating!!!

Hello friends :)

I'm sorry it has been so long since I last posted. I have been one busy bee! 

Today will be my last day of volunteering at the spay and neuter clinic! (yay!) This will be kind of sad because I made so many great friends there, but also very exciting because I get to start on my large animal volunteer hours, which means...Horses!!! 

I am also four weeks away from this quarter ending, which means...Clinicals!!! 

I would like you all to know that this time around for pharmacology, I have an A! 93% baby! I am very happy about this. I now have a better knowledge of medicine and how it works! 

At the end of this four weeks my family and I will be taking a small camping trip...I have been camping before out in a tent, thanks to some great outdoorsy friends of mine! My family on the other hand...not so much lol This will be quite the adventure!

Piano lessons have been on hold for a couple of weeks due to some things with school and my piano teacher taking a vacation to Arizona...BUT when he returns we will start up again.

I am now making a little bit of money one day a week, which is so lovely! And I am now saving up to do a few projects for my room, inspired by miss Hand Made and Heart Felt :) I will be sure to take pictures and post when I am done!!! 

I wish I had much more exciting things to talk about for you...if there is anyone reading this at all lol But who knows, maybe after I graduate I can do a cool challenge like the Julie and Julia project! As for now...you are stuck with my boring college life and the exciting things I do in between...which doesn't happen very often :)

I would like to encourage you all to head to my church's website and listen to the sermon from this past Sunday, 8/28/11, by Bro. Paul LaFontaine. It was very inspiring and encouraging! 

Go to literallife.org and click on the 'Archives' tab, and then 'Video'. 

You will not regret it! 

So friends, until next time, I bid you all good day :) 

I will try to come up with something a little more amusing next time ;) 

Gad bless and have a wonderful day!

Girasole

Tea Time

Hello again dear friends :)

Today I would like to discuss the art of tea time. Yes...tea time is an art. I believe every girl should take some time out of her day and sit and enjoy a nice hot cup of tea. This is much easier to accomplish in the Fall to Spring months, summer usually being too warm to enjoy this delightful drink. 

I must admit, there is a simple relaxation in enjoying a hot cup o' tea in a quiet place by yourself, preferably in the early mornings when everyone is still asleep but nature is just starting to stir...but there is something as equally as relaxing as tea by yourself...and that is tea with friends! 

Women have been doing this for many, many years! My dear friend, Olivia, and I meet as often as we can for tea, cookies, and encouraging chit-chats. We have spent many conversations over tea with each other, and they always end in hugs and a full heart of friendship. 

Next time you have a quiet moment alone, a friend calls you in need of cheering up, or you are having some girlfriends over...brew up a nice cup of hot tea, add a splash of cream and sugar...and enjoy the simple, elegant pleasure of 

tea time :)

My friend Olivia and I at her Wedding shower/ tea party 

<3

1st taste of a 2nd Spring!

Today is simply beautiful out! There is a gorgeous breeze, sunshine, big fluffy clouds, and the temperature is a whopping 78 degrees! 

It would be a perfect day for a nice picnic or some relaxing craft project...but alas...I am stuck in my cave studying for a test. So I will settle for a walk!

And hopefully if I finish my studying with enough time before church, I will attempt to do something crafty! 

I know this is short and sweet, but I just thought I would say, enjoy this lovely day!

Psalm 23:2-3 "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

God bless!

Forgiven

The past two Sundays, our assistant pastor, Rich Hyatt, has taken the subject of sin. It's interesting because I think everyone has a different interpretation of sin. Brother Rich brought to our attention that sin is unbelief, and all of the things people may think sin is, (lies, cheating, drinking, smoking) are attributes of that main sin, disbelief in God. 

We as christians, if saved under the blood of Jesus Christ...cannot sin. We died with Christ on the cross, therefore we are not our own anymore. We are covered by the sacrifice Christ made for us.

Brother Rich said that when we can't forgive ourselves, we are basically saying that we have a better plan than God. If God has forgiven us, then that settles it. I have to admit, that statement stung a bit. I had never thought of it that way before.

I just wanted to encourage you today. If you have a past mistake that is tearing at your heart and you can't seem to forgive yourself...just know that if you ask Him, God will forgive you, wipe you clean, and will never remember your mistakes again. 

I love the first verse of Matthew West's song "Only Grace."

There is no guilt here, there is no shame
No pointing fingers, there is no blame
What happened yesterday, has disappeared
The dirt has washed away, and now its clear

Chorus: There's only grace, there's only love
There's only mercy and believe me its  enough
Your sins are gone without a trace
And there's nothing left now, there's only grace

Simple. True.

Have a blessed day friends.