The Greatest Christmas Present Ever

Wow! As you have probably already guessed from my ever-so-creative title, this year I was blessed with the world's most incredibly awesome, sweet, touching, loving, amazing Christmas present EVER (topped only by the Most Amazing Birthday Present Ever, which was the guardian angel bracelet Very Best Friend in the Whole Entire Galaxy gave me back on the birthday of 2007).

Like all great, presents, it was a total and complete surprise. Months ago, I was having a conversation with one of the teachers at my preschool about my personal collection of library books. Now, let me just insert that every teacher I've ever met has their own personal stash of kids' books; books that are their own favorites, books to supplement the typical classroom library with or books that are special to them in some other way. And, at the time, my personal picture book library included a whopping 2 books.

Well, time went by and I totally forgot about this conversation. Unbeknownst to me, however, this teacher sent out a letter to the 50+ families at the preschool, asking that, this Christmas, they give me a copy of their child's favorite picture book.

I had positively no clue this was going on, but for over a month the teachers, parents and kids sneaked around, whispering to each other and picking out books and hiding them all throughout the school. Possibly the most amazing part of this whole event was that every single child kept it a secret!!

Then, on the day of our Christmas parties, when the fellowship hall was packed, the teachers presented me with a GIANT SACK full of picture books, as well as a bundle of gift cards to Barnes & Noble to buy even MORE books! I was totally, totally blown away (there were tears and shrieks!) and, quite honestly, still am when I think about it!

Theses amazing families and teachers were so very generous, and I received a total of 42 incredible books. Many of them have sweet, beautiful messages written on the insides and even the handprints and signatures of the children who picked them out.

God never ceases to amaze me. It's funny, because just when I start to question if teaching is really my purpose in life; if this is really what He's calling me to do, He goes and answers my unasked questions in a BIG way. I mean, if I was looking for affirmation that teaching is my call, I certainly got it!!

Happy-making events of the day:

-- Finished Christmas shopping, woo hoo! Now all I have left is wrapping & baking, and I've still got an entire DAY! That's PLENTY of time! YEAH!

-- Wawa gift cards + mocha cappucinos. Mmm. Caffiene levels = high.

-- Talked to Very Best Friend in the Galaxy on the phone, even if for a few moments

-- Free coffee samples at the bookstore. Mmmm. Caffiene levels = very high.

-- STRAIGHT A's FOR THE WHOLE FIRST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE!!! OH YEAH, BABY!

-- Spontaneous stop at Sheetz for a Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Mocha. Mmmmm...Caffeine levels = super freakishly high.

-- The high speed internet!! It works! After years of waiting! Huzzah! Farewell, blasted dial-up, you old fiend!!

-- SOY LECITHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *celebration*

-- Tomorrow is Christmas Eve!! WOO HOO!


Next up: Remind me to tell you about my very awesome early Christmas present I was blessed with last week.

The Caf

Alright, so I'm currently sitting here in the community college cafeteria. Now, for a gal like me who's been homeschooled all her life, meals consisted of opening the fridge, finding something edible, cooking it, and eating in the dining room, kitchen, living room, patio...you get the idea. The whole cafeteria concept was a totally new and exciting experience for me this year!! I'm only on campus twice a week, so the excitement really hasn't even completely worn off yet. I mean, yeah, the food's not always that great...but the whole experience in general? Pretty darn exciting!

It's just so interesting. Two booths in front of me are two girls who have discussed everything from transfer applications that are due in March to books that focus on the downfall of society to why girls are smarter than guys to how one of them celebrates Hanukkah. Next to me, two adults are griping about the amount of people who don't bother to recycle. Above me, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" flows out of the hidden speakers, and on the other side of the half-wall on my right, a group of guys is attempting to sing along.

I love the hustle and bustle and the many eavesdropping opportunities that abound! Who knew meals could be a social activity, too?!

What did I eat? Well, in celebration of the fact that this is my last week of Fall semester classes, I skipped the salad and the snacks I packed and went all out. I got all my favorites:

Pizza (I LOVE the pizza here. It's homemade and it's like no other!)
Chocolate milk
Potato cheese soup + crackers
Doritos (saved these for later, though; I'll pack them in my lunch tomorrow to eat at preschool)
Chocolate pudding (with whipped cream!)

Mmmmmmmmm!

Expectations are strange, strange things...

So...the persuasive speech I posted about a few weeks ago? I just finished giving it. I ended up deciding on the topic, "Save the Spiders!", and talked about how spiders are very beneficial to society and shouldn't be killed, but rather respected.

It's funny -- last speech I gave for this class was an informative one about the history & future of the toothbrush. I LOVED that speech and had a great time doing it. I got a 99 on it -- the prof deducted a point because she said I didn't look at my notes enough (I knew the material too well) and I was "too energetic -- you sounded like a used car commerical". (Hello? I'm freakishly energetic. All the time. She should know that by now; I even get excited when she hands out homework, for pity's sake!)

Anyway, I took her advice about streamlining info, not being so darn energetic and not sounding so memorized for this speech. Personally, I think it stunk; I lost my place a few times looking at my notes and I was defintitely WAY less excited than last time. However, when I talked to her after class, she said it was actually much better than last time, because I relied on my notes instead of my knowledge and wasn't too enthusiastic. WHAT?!?!

Expectations are strange things, eh? I had high expecations of myself for this speech, and in my mind, I didn't come close to meeting them. And yet, apparently, by NOT meeting mine, I managed to meet HERS. So now that I've sacrificed my own goals in an attempt to live up to hers, I'll get a good grade.

AND, I had to wear matching socks today (knee-high socks with a skirt. I ROCK that look, by the way) because she said mismatched made it seem like I wasn't taking the assignment seriously. You would not believe how much I wrestled with this when getting dressed this morning. Sure, matching socks never killed anyone, but it was a matter of changing who I am to meet someone else's expectations. Conformity. Ick. And in the end? I wore matching socks for the first time in about 3 years, and I'd bet you my grade improved because of it. So there you have it -- College is teaching me to conform and sacrifice my personal beliefs.

So you know, college is strange, too, come to think of it....

If only I could write like this...

*happy sigh*
I really, really, really like this poem. Really.



Grace
Ralph Waldo Emerson

How much, preventing God! how much I owe
To the defenses thou hast round me set:
Example, custom, fear, occasional slow,
These scorned bondmen were my parapet.
I dare not peep over this parapet
To gauge with glance the roaring gulf beelow,
The depths of sin to which I had descended,
Had not these me against myself defended.

One Life to Love

So...one lesson I've been learning a lot lately is that life is short. As you know, I am workaholic and a perfectionist to boot -- it's SO easy for me to get consumed by making sure every little detail is not only perfect but above and beyond expectations. This translates into doing intense amounts of extra credit homework, doing double assignments, studying and restudying obsessively...you get the idea. And while that's all well and fine, I'm finally starting to learn that there's more to life than striving for perfection.

When I get to Heaven, and Jesus asks me what I've done to further His kingdom, do I really want to be saying, "Well...um...well I DID get all 100's while I was in school! Perfect A's, every single year! And check out all the extra credit points I racked up!" Somehow...I don't He'll be that impressed.

My goal this year has been to shift my focus to the things that really matter in life. Don't worry -- I'm not saying school isn't important. I know that God wants me to work hard and get an education, because He's going to use that to His glory in whatever situations He places me in later on. I'm going to need that. (So even when Algebra seems pointless, I remind myself that somehow, this WILL glorify God, in the end...!). What I AM saying, though, is that priorities are important. I'm learning that sometimes, you have to skip a class to go vist your amazing youth leader Amy, who needs a lift. You might need to skip the extra credit homework assignment because your friend has just called you, sobbing. You might need to give up studying that chapter for the 13th time because your brother's club needs extra volunteers at a bake sale. Life is about loving; above all, we are to glorify God and spread His Word and His Love to all whose lives we can touch.

I'm learning that being so wrapped up in my own goals is selfish. I'm learning that I don't need to worry about the "what ifs" because if I'm following God's will, I know it's all gonna be OK. I'm learning that this is our one chance to spread the joy and life is too short to squander it on things that won't matter.

Will my SAT scores matter 10 years from now? Heck no. Will the fact that I was there to help my best friend out when she needed me matter? Oh, yeah. You bet it will!

When I get to Heaven, will God give a hoot about all the study hours I put in? Maybe. Maybe not. Will He be more concerned with the time I spent serving others, loving others and leading others to Him? Oh yeah, baby.

This song has been influencing my thoughts a lot lately, too.