And Lent Begins.....

Let me describe for you my morning routine....

Hit the snooze button at least a dozen times

Groggily get up and use the bathroom and brush my teeth

Shower

Dress

COFFEE!!!

And round out the morning by CHECKING MY FACEBOOK!

But this year for Lent I have given up facebook. Sadly, this is actually going to be rather difficult for me. Even this morning as I reached for my Mac and fired it up...there it was, staring me in the face...right at the top of my toolbar - telling me...sign on...sign on and look at everyone status updates, and photos and who wrote on whoes wall etc. 

A good friend of mine gave up facebook awhile back...for a good 6-8 months. I thought she was crazy at the time..but after awhile she told me how much it made her worry less about what was going on in other people's lives and staying up to date with the latest relationship/breakup news and focus more on the important things.

Sigh...wow, I really have made it an idol in my life and giving it up for 40 days is going to be hard. But I am looking forward to the challenge. I am looking forward to how I can better use my time - whether its time spend in person with family and friends or actually calling those whom I haven't talked to in forever or best of all - the increased time I will have to spend with my Father in Heaven.

Be Strong and Couragous and Do Not be Afraid...

A wise and beloved friend recently told me: "Don't forget how strong you are in Jesus."

I find that God likes to send me lessons in a repetitive fashion so needless to say today was one of those days.

The lesson at church this morning was about facing your fears and then tonight I when to prepare for the lesson I had to give for my small group and it is all about finding your identity and purpose in God.

2008 has the potential to be a rather big year for me with LOTS of new beginnings that are sure to bring trials and struggles that would normally freak me out but for some reason the fear that would normally stop me isn't paralyzing me this time.

Don't get me wrong, I am still nervous but I have confidence that God is going to take care of me. God has blessed me with a family that is so supportive of me and a hand full of friends that I don't know what I would do without.

Even if I stumble, and I know I will, I will use the strength I have in Christ to find my way back to the purpose He has for me.

I am actually really excited to see what this year has in store for me. For the first time since I graduated back in May do I finally feel like I have a solid direction. Now I guess it's just up to God to direct the rest.

Proverbs 3: 5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Hm and He will make your paths straight.

Kate

So considering I don't actually have a real job right now (because working for Banana Republic does not count!!) I have a lot of extra time on my hands, so I decided to start running again. I started out this morning - I had forgotten how much I love it....the day was nice and cool just as a September fall day should be.

(Sidenote...I absolutly LOVE fall and I can not wait for the trees to start changing colors. The nights are already starting to be nice and cool which makes for amazing sleeping weather! I started pulling out my winter stuff today too. I can't wait for cider mills with cider and doughnuts and camping and on and on......I get to have a REAL fall this year!)

Ok, so anyway - as I was running today I was just taking everything in. The sky was so blue today and I just found myself smiling...and I started praying, thanking God for even the smallest of things. And suddenly it hit me. I'm happy.

Now, don't get me wrong - not everything is perfect. I still don't have a job (but I am working on it. BIG INTERVIEW THRUSDAY!!!) and I still have lots of bills to pay and I would like to have a place of my own...but beyond all of that.....I am happy.

These last three months at home have been one of the biggest learning and growing expierences that I feel like I have ever gone through and I never thought I would say it but I am glad that I went through it. I am glad there were the tears, and the stress and the worries...becuase it has all lead me to where I am now - learning to the the person that God wants me to be.

God has taught me A LOT of lessons this summer and has drawn me even closer to Him. My faith is something that I can't wait to live out each day! God has also placed some really amazing people in my life that have helped me so much in making this transition from college to now. God has given me a really amazing church to go to and now I can't wait for my Thursday nights! God has also given me an opportunity to serve and I am so excited to start working with the girl in the youth group at my church. I want more then anything to share with them how amazing God's love is for them and what a fulfillment it can be to serve Him!! God has also shown me that even though some of my closest and best friends are hundreds of miles away from me- our relationships will continue to grow because of the common bond that we share through HIM.

Weird thing is...even with all of this....I'm scared....I'm almost scared to be happy. I feel like it's all just too easy. I know, it's odd but I just get this feeling like things are supposed to be a lot harder - like I am supposed to struggle more. And maybe it will be. I know that I am going to face struggles in my life - so why can't I just be happy and be content with that?

I don't know what the future holds....nor what this Thursday holds when I go for my interview. All I know is that I will take each day trying my best to do God's will for my life cause as God has so obviously tried to get through to me in the last week...He does have a plan for me....and I know that it's going to be amazing....whatever it is.

In each of these "growing" times as I might call them in my life...I usually pick out a song that I am constantly putting on repeat....well this one by Natlie Grant just seemed to fit perfectly....

Sittin' in my room staring at the wall
Wonderin' about the meaning of it all
Why is it this thing called life
Has got me goin' crazy
So I open up your word and let it speak to me
The purpose and the plan that you've designed
Is clear to see, and I believe

Chorus:
I'm gonna live for today
I'm gonna follow in your way
I'm gonna let my little light shine
Like there's no tomorrow
I won't worry about the past
I know my future is intact
So I'll choose to live my life one way
I'm gonna live it for today

You told me not to worry
About what lies ahead
So I am gonna focus on today instead
Making every moment count and counting
Every single blessing
I'm gonna set my mind on the
Here and the Now
This is what I want my life to be about

I can't wait to see what God has in store for me next - Until then, I will just keep livin for today!

Prayin always!

Kate

So, I haven't written in a really long time - but this week a friend suggested that I start writing again considering I will be doing lots of it in about 3 months.

Well....where to begin.

If someone had told me at the beginning of this year that my final semester in college would be as big of a growing experience as it has been - I never would have believed them. To me, walking into this spring semester, I had everything figured out - I had everything I wanted. I was content.

And there in lyes the problem.

I think that this semester I have learned more about myself then I could have ever imagined. I think that God had quite a few things that he wanted to get through to me.

I had become the lukewarm Christian that I had always despised.

Well through certain events, God defiantly changed that. I had to quickly learn to rely on Him and Only Him. I guess I shouldn't complain considering that has been my prayer for over a year now - that God would teach me to give EVERYTHING to Him; and although it hurt....A LOT....I truly think that this has helped me grow closer to God and grow as a Christian.

I think it was finally time to grow up and start dealing with life's issues like (not necessarily a mature adult) but like a mature Christian.

Do you want to know the one lesson that I learned the most out of all of this......

LOVE.

That is what God has called us to do. Even when we don't want to.

I hope that my words and my actions have only shown love to all those that I come in contact with.

To those of you that I have not loved like I should. Forgive me.

I pray that as I continue to seek God's will for my life that you will only see Christ in me and through me. 

OK, enough life lessons for one night.

But I do have one question that I would like some thoughts on.....

Out of these cities - where should I go after I graduate??

 Boston, Chicago, Washington D.C, North Carolina, Nashville, Knoxville (only for you JB), or back home to good ole' Rochester, Michigan. 

Praying for you all always,

Kt

Well...it is a new year and I kinda feel obligated to write. Just kinda sum up the last year and looking to 2007.

Not to start out on a terribly bad note here...but 2006 was not the greatest year for me. The beginning of the year started out with me being very unhappy and not really knowing why or what to do about it. I just felt very out of the loop with everyone and everything. But in all honesty I think it was God's way of bringing me back to relying on Him - and throughout the year I did learn a lot about myself...some good things...and other things not so good. But I think that that is something that everyone has to go through numerous times in life and this was just one of those times for me. Tryin to figure out who you really are and the image that you want to portray to others around you is not the easiest thing to do if you know what I mean.

Ok, ok....enough blabbering on and on about the past. There were some really great times and some really terrible times but you can't go back...you can only go forward right? And I have to say I am really really looking forward to this year....2007. In my family, (we are Polish) and we have a tradition that is typically done on Christmas Eve and it's called Aplotki (sp?) - anyway, what you do is take a piece of this wafer (if you have every been to a Catholic church service...it's kinda like their communion) and you go to each member of your family, break a piece of their wafer and they take a piece of your's and then you wish each other well and give them your blessing for the New Year. My family is quite large so this generally takes awhile but it is one of my favorite times of the holiday season. Well...this year was  especially special to me. My dad looked right at me...and said "This is the year Kate, this is the year." This just sent chills down my spine. This is going to be a BIG year and I don't know exactly what it holds for me...but I tell ya what, I am defiantly ready for the ride!!

Lets see. In less than five months I will be graduating from college. That's a scary thought!! Where the heck did the last four years go. But on the other hand I am sooooo excited. I had an interview last week with the biggest PR firm in Michigan. I would feel soooo blessed if I got an internship at this firm, but I am not holding my breath. I am also applying to numerous places in Chicago. The more and more I talk about Chicago the more people seem to want to make the move with me which really excites me too. My best friends from home and I spent New Years in Chicago and it really just reaffirmed to me that the city is definitely in my future!!

So, I know that you are supposed to make New Years resolutions at the beginning of each New Year...but I think I am just going to set a few goals and leave the rest in God's hands and settle in for a great new adventure.

1. First and foremost...graduate from college!! ( this should be rather easy)

2.Either get an internship or a job.

3. Within a year after graduating be in some city (or just at least not living at home!)

4. Travel!! (At least once outside the country and Canada does not count - I live like 30mins from the border!)

And for the more serious one's....

5. Make a conscience effort to stay in touch with my family and my friends (especially after graduation) I have really learned in the last year what it means to be a family and what it means to be a true friend and I don't know what I would have done without them.)

6.No gossiping!! (I don't want to hurt anyone in my life because I can't learn to keep my mouth shut!)

7. Learn to really PRACTICE what I preach. (if you have read "Blue Like Jazz" then you will know what I mean by that statement)

8. Trust God in All things. (This is really hard for me...and I know I am gonna fail at this one...but I really want to make a good effort in this.)

So the song that keeps running through my head is that song by Natasha Betingfield: "Unwritten" I think this is going to be 2007's song for me. So....here's to a great year!

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten


I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten!!

Oh yeah....and remember - Phil 4:13 - I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength!