Being Content in a World That Is Not

Every year, our church puts on a youth retreat for President's Day weekend. Last weekend we were blessed to once again have a successful and refreshing retreat. The classes were on the subject "Being Content in a World that is Not" and they were just what I needed to hear! 

To kick the subject off, we talked about materialism and the way it makes us feel like we need stuff to measure up or even to be happy. Just take a quick look at Psalm 78:18-31 and you will see how upset God was when the Israelites complained that they didn't have enough. But think how all of us would probably be the exact same way as the Israelites! God might not give us everything we want but He will always give us enough.

Our speaker pointed out that materialism makes us less happy, less friendly, less empathetic, less grateful, less happy in relationships and causes us to feel less sense of purpose.  As a believer, our goals should be totally opposite all those things! So really, materialism is hindering your spiritual goals! 

On the other hand, contentment is a state of being that is related to happiness.  It comes when we listen and obey to God. It comes when we accept a situation for what it is.  It comes when we are satisfied with what we have and learn to have inner peace.  Those things sound a whole lot better than what materialism brings.

Lastly, I will share with you this wonderful idea that our speaker quoted:

Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.  

Picture Diary

I love people! I've been so blessed in my own life to have so many people that I love and that love me. I constantly am reminded of how blessed I am.  While this is by no means comprehensive, here are a few pictures that I have taken recently that remind me of how blessed I am...

For a silly and wonderful family who loves to wear wigs and doesn't mind me posting it all over the internet...

For going to Starbucks with Bekka, where we steal drinks made for "Becha" and "Daniel"...

For Starbucks dates...

For surprise selfies by Justin...

For this crazy Lexie who embraces my weirdness and adds to it...

For the sweetest friends and sisters, Jessica and Julie...

For beautiful flowers for Valentine's Day!

Oh, how He loves us!

Maybe you are having the most romantic day ever and someone is making you feel so  very loved. That's great and I'm happy that you feel that way because those moments are wonderful. Maybe you are feeling so lonely you feel like that you can't keep going. I'm so sorry if you feel that way. But however you feel, today and every other day, I know only one assurance that makes it all okay: He loves you. He loves you more than anyone else can ever love you. When people let you down, He still loves you. When you do something terribly wrong and no one will forgive you, He will. God has made us to seek love, but guess what? Only He can fill it for us. No one else can.

Life is messy, love is hard, and people are imperfect. How thankful I am that when everyone else let's me down, my wonderful, majestic, all-powerful God still loves me. When the world causes my heart to feel unsure, God steadies it...  

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 

Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9 

See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 1 John 3:1 

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:9-12

I'm Freaking Out!

Ugliest picture ever! You're welcome.

Next week is my first Physical Therapy school interview and I'm freaking out!!!!!! Ahhh! I honestly have never really been to a real interview for a job, so I have no experience.  I've been looking up interview tips specific for PT school but so far found nothing to be immensely helpful.  I guess one important thing they say is to relax.  Of course you are going to be nervous, but so is everyone else.  You want your personality to come out so that the interviewers will know if you are a match for their program. But just HOW exactly do you relax?

I also saw many people said to ask questions of your interviewers.  This is one I would never have thought of and it makes me nervous. I guess this would be questions about the school and program that will make it seem like I am interested in what they have to offer and whether I feel like I would be a match.  

There are a boatload of tips on how to master the interview process. I guess my biggest concern is that I haven't really spent any time preparing, which I should have done!! I know that it's terrible but I am sometimes just horrible about procrastination! I tend to avoid projects that I find stressful, which leads to them becoming more stressful. Any tips?

Favorite Meatloaf.

Let me be honest-- I could not get a picture of my meatloaf that didn't look downright disgusting.  So today you are receiving a recipe without a picture.  Sorry! This recipe is just so good and SO easy. 

Favorite Meatloaf
1 cup finely chopped onion (~1 large)
1/4 cup Italian dressing
2 lb extra lean ground beef
3/4 cup ketchup, divided
1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Cook onions with Italian dressing in a large skillet for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Combine meet, 1/4 cup ketchup, stuffing, water, eggs, and onions; mix well.  Place meat mixture in a 14x9 baking dish and shape into a 10x5 oval loaf.  Spread with remaining ketchup.

Bake for 1 hour at 375 or until cooked through.  Sprinkle with cheese and cook 2 minutes. 

Bean Salad

2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing:
3 TBSP cider vinegar
3 TBSP canola oil
1 TBSP chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Man, this side was delicious! I had to leave out a few ingredients because of some *picky* brothers, but it would be even better I'm sure if you can put in everything!  Simply mix the dressing and pour it over the rest of the ingredients.

Writing Lessons

If you have been reading my blog for long, you will know that I recently graduated college and don't have a full time job. So you might be wondering: What the heck do I do all the time? Well among other things, I have been teaching writing lessons to my siblings.  

Justin, Colton, and Melissa are all homeschooled. I figure my mom has a lot on her plate teaching the three of them, especially since they are all different grades. Since I love to write (hence the blog), I thought to make myself a little helpful by teaching them.  Now I am by no means a teacher, so I am making this up as I go. The good thing is, homeschoolers have a lot of resources to help them, since many homeschool moms aren't trained teachers (not that they aren't wonderful teachers, because many of them are!!).  Let me tell you, teaching writing/English is a whole lot harder than I expected! I end up spending lots of time on the internet looking for norms for 5th, 9th, and 11th grade.  I have also been using a book called The Elegant Essay by Lesha Myers to teach Justin and Colton. 

Here is a bit of what we have been doing:

Melissa: Melissa has been doing a book report on The Giver.  We spent the first two weeks reading and having literature discussions, as well as giving her some tips for writing.  Her book report is going to be a book "cover" where she has a piece of paper folded like a book jacket. On it will be an illustration, a review of the book, a character sketch of the main character, and a summary of the book.

Justin and Colton: Once a week I meet with both of them and I use The Elegant Essay to teach components of writing. So far we have gone over theses, body paragraphs and transitions. I don't follow the book very closely but she has great worksheets included that I use!

Colton: Separately, Colton has been doing a research paper on the French Revolution.  My goal is to help him learn to write a good thesis, find information, and learn how to quickly do citations. 

Justin: He is working on a persuasive paper. He hasn't turned in his thesis yet, so I'm not sure which topic he decided on.  In addition to doing a thesis and citations, Justin is going to be learning how to make an outline so that you have a structure when you begin writing your paper.

Like I said, I am no expert. For all I know, I'm doing this teaching thing completely wrong. However, I do hope that I can teach these three a love of writing! 

What about you? Do you have any experience teaching?