When I am weak, I am strong

** First week of school**
The outlook of this semester keeps changing. Its forecasts were partly cloudy on Mondays with a slight chance of free time but now, not so much. Tuesday seemed to promise a bit more sunshine for the weeks to come but by 2pm that afternoon, the radar showed a group of storm clouds blowing in from the east.


As Wednesday morning come upon the hour or midnight, i laid down to rest for a bit. Note the lack of the word sleep here. On this day, I was to baby sit, go to three classes, and then to work at the Help desk with church following that. As it was also to be 80's day, I thought it might be alright all dressed up and having fun. But when Lillie arrived in the morning, so did the rain, literally. So I pulled on a hat, grabbed my bags and Lillie's hand and headed out the door with my umbrella over my head.


I'm enrolled in 17 hours of class, and working 26 plus hours a week between two jobs. Besides my two intro classes (Psychology and Sociology, I'm in Elementary to Japanese, Acts: The Early Church, and Statistics for Social Sciences 2053. I'm also leading life group on Monday nights at 8pm. Not to mention becomes a Team Lead at the Student Union computer lab last week. With in the last four days of class, I have already had two Sugar Daddy's. This being a highly sweet, frozen coffee drink that one can get in the Student Union a t Java Dave's. I love the taste and it's made me a bit happier as I walk around this wet campus in the mornings.

**Week Two**
Continuing from where I left off, I had a good weekend. Was productive enough to get my bed set up and my room organized more that it was (meaning that clothes aren't all over the floor anymore). Worked a few hours and swam out at the lake for a bit with Ryan, Erin, Josh, and Liz from the UC. Watched movies with the movie gang. But besides all that, I had a really good conversation with my dad about God and where God is.

We had rented the movie fireproof one weekend before school started and spent a few weeks contemplating it. This weekend when I went home to visit with my dad, he and I talked for quite so time about things that were sort of bothering me and how I was dealing with them. It was the most peaceful time I had had all wee long. One thing I talked to him about was that I had been struggling spiritually to keep for the focus of my life instead of work and school. At this point, he brought up the movie fire proof. The scene of the wife finding the book.

Wife: I've read it. It goes for forty days. What day are you on?
Husband: Forty-three...

My dad "When I was watching that part and her husband said that, I couldn't help but think 'What day is God on with me?' Kalin, what day is God on with you?"

I don't recall saying anything at that moment. Just soaking in the wisdom of my father that was reclining in his old chair before me.

What day is God on with me? How long has he been doing these wonderful things for me to get my attention so I turn fully to him. I do claim him as the love of my life after all. He's like a husband trying to ensure that my marriage to him doesn't fall apart but rather grow stronger and us closer together. But he's not my husband, he's my father. A father who will not let go nor leave my side till the end of this earth.

I left my home with an old familiar warmth in my heart.

The rest of the week was stressful and frustrating with a few good memories with friends in the mix. Ryan had his birthday on Wednesday and Liz and I fixed him a cake. There are also a number of new freshman that I think I will soon count as close friends. It was not all bad but it sure was full of trials. I'm alive and kickin though so that somethin.

**Start of week Three**

So, now to the present. The UC hosted the annual freshman/sophomore advance this weekend in which Liz and I attended. And let me tell you, after the time I've had lately, it was time to take a break and just remember exactly who God is. The lessons that were taught over the course of about 20 hours were many. How to look to our heavenly Father as our north star. Being strong christian sisters that stand shoulder to shoulder. Life is going to be an obstacle to work though and will drag you down if you let it but if you have the strength and focus of God, you will make it though just fine. God should not be first in your life but rather the Only in your life. And others that were more personal.

Along with the whole "love God thing" :), there was a great amount of bounding time for the freshman and sophomores. As I did last year, I stayed up later than the majority of the campers to play Egyptian War with my new friends. This was of course, our second game only after a round of clue. Least to say, we were some of the last ones to get up in the morning.

Enough explanations for now. There's almost to much to read. I'll finish with this, I had a great weekend and I am ready to balance my life now with the aid of my faith in my God, and those that I love and whom also love me. I have been weak but its only then that I can truly be strong for He becomes my strength. Glory be to Him alone.

Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement.

-Aeriel <3

Juno: Dog Gone It

He woke me up this morning to go for a walk. It was nice. Just walking down the side walk in morning Stillwater. We stopped to talk to a neighbor and then continued on our way. While walking with him, I could help but think the amount of loyalty he's shown me. He left me the other day and I ran desperatly after him praying that I could bring him back home. He did after I circled the block after him. We didn't have much trouble after that untill a few days later when he decided to just leave one morning on my way to work. I didn't have time to argue and stop him this time. It was a stressful day but I found him waiting at my truck for me when work was over. He was so happy to see me and it looked like he had a rough day. We put this behind us pretty easily.



Now he greets me when I come home everyday. He comes to sit at your side when there are tears though you have a roommate for comofrt as well. He's always by my side when I need him and he keeps the boogey man away. I love how he always answers the door before I do too. He's a little stand-offish at times with new people but if I like the person he soon will too.

The other night watching movies, I had to keep him in my room because he kept trying to distract everyone from the movie we were watching but he calmed down a bit. I think this relationship is going to work out just fine.

I love my dog, Juno.

Aeriel <3

This weekend:

-Learned to clean windows with a swiffer mop
-Moved Corwin into his new house
-Lost a couch in an intersection on the way to Corwin's house
-Cleaned my apartment for move in the next day
-Ate birthday cake for a friends birthday I almost missed
-Long talk with my brother-in-law about life and all that it entails
-Church Sunday morning
-Moved myself into my place with the help of some amazing friends
-Moved Liz in as well
-Changed something about myself
-Lost a bit of sleep
-Prayed to God with Liz before bed

Now I'm at work and its 9 am. I'm thinking about the health of my dad, my brother-in-law, my child hood friend Jesse, and of myself as well. There is a lot on my mind. More so than normal and I'm almost a little scared to see how things will play out. If you read this, please keep the three people I mentioned before myself in your prayers.

In Him,

Aeriel <3