Life has really been moving pretty quick these days since Friday seems to be here once again and it feels like the last blog I wrote was just yesterday. I really should not be writing this though, because I currently am suffering from a headache, stuffy nose, sore throat, but there’s an elementary school right next to my dorm and they keep testing their bell system, so as I lie in bed I’m constantly hearing a rrriiinnnngggggg!!!!! from outside my window and have decided to give (literally JUST RANG AGAIN) up on sleeping for now.
Last week from Wednesday to FRiday was had a special Chapel guest named Fernando Ortega. This guy is like 50 years old and one of the coolest guys ever. He plays piano and we all sang a bunch of hymns together followed by him sharing the stories behind some of the songs that he has written. One story was about his precious 9 month old daughter. Him and his wife had been trying to have children and now they have this adorable little girl. He talked about her life such a proud father is made me actually start crying. Since he talked about her on Wednesday, Thurday, and Friday chapel, I pretty much was crying all week. They were seriously good tears though. I think parts of me was just moved at the type of love he exhibited for her. Part of me also broke a little because I could not remember the last time my dad and spoken of me in the same way. I was reminded so much of my perfect heavenly father though and how He provides that perfect example, no matter what sort of earthly father we’ve been given. I have to honestly say that I struggle with my dad in some areas, but this week is where I think God revealed where I had really been at fault. On friday before the last Chapel with Fernando Ortega, I was talking with my friend and she was telling me about a really hard phone call she’d had to take the night before. Her mom had called her to tell her that her cousin was going to be going to a mental hospital. This cousin of hers had been underweight when born, but miraculously survived. She was adopted after being abandoned my her mother. Unfortunately when she was 5, her stepfather molested her causing trauma that she still must recover from.
When I heard about this, my emotions were going crazy. I did not even know how to process it. I made my way upstairs to my Chapel seat and tried to keep myself composed. When Chapel began, though, and Fernando began to sing, I could not control my tears any longer. I think this time though I wept out of repentance. It was by God’s grace that I had a wonderful father who had always tried to do his best and I was often times a very ungrateful daughter. My dad drove me across town 2 or more times each week, he took me to all my soccer games, we went skiing, to concerts, had dinner dates. We have our rough patches, but too often, I was consumed by the negative. God was just shouting at me to see the blessings that He had given me. I exited Chapel that week with new eyes for the world around me. I felt like I wanted to just go through life in slow motion because I didn’t want to miss another blessing that God placed in my path. The sky was a brilliant blue, the trees, the grass, the beautiful college campus I am able to live on. I felt as I was seeing this campus for the first time.
I am so blessed to be here. I am so blessed to have a wonderful, all-knowing, compassionate, disciplining, patient, kind, and good GOd. I am so blessed for the family I have, the wonderful friends both at Wheaton and back in California. I am blessed to have life and be able to experience something new each and every day. Look around your world and you’re sure to see a gift of God’s somewhere.
Psalm 136 =)
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea [a] asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the desert,
His love endures forever.
17 who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel;
His love endures forever.
23 to the One who remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
24 and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever.
25 and who gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
