Air Travel...

Well, friends! After a very long day of travel, I have arrived here in Philly safe and sound. For those of you were wondering, I did not get the tiki hut room again this year! I'm honestly pretty bummed out about it and wondering if the conference is going to be nearly as fun in just a plain ol' hotel room.

Today, I spent far longer than I would ever like to in airports and on airplanes. Traveling for extended hours gives you a lot of thinking time. Don't worry, I will not post all today's thoughts on this blog. Too exposing...I will however post the top ten questions that came to my mind regarding air travel. And without further adieu, here they are, in no particular order...

10. Why would an airport advertise for a TCBY that they do not have, thus making hungry travelers walk down an extra 10 gates only to be disappointed?

9. Why do they tell you to wipe out the sink basin in the airplane bathroom with a towel when you can just as easily lift up the stopper and let all the water out?

8. Why is it so important to turn off all your electronics before take off and landing? Seriously, if I had accidentally left my i-pod on, what would happen to my plane?

7, Why in the world would an airline make you fly through Dallas on your way from St. Louis to Philadelphia? I mean, have they ever looked at a map?

6. Why was American Airlines not willing to work with my social schedule and give me a little longer lay-over in DFW so I could get out and see some peeps?

5. Why is it that restaurants like McDonalds, Chilis, and Auntie Anne's pretzels always taste so much better in airports? (Ok, I shouldn't throw Auntie Anne's under the bus, I love that place!)

4. Is the only way to get free stuff on the airplane these days to flirt incessantly with the flight attendant? The guys in front of me got free vodka AND peanuts after shamelessly flirting with our stewardess. So not fair... the male flight attendant was at the front of the plane.

3. Is it funny to anyone else that people will have deep conversations for an entire 3 hour plane ride and then finally tell each other their names when the plane is about to land?

2. Is taking a carry on bag in order to save $60 (yes...that is $30 for each bag, each way!) really going to save me money later on when I have to have back surgery from lugging my ridiculously heavy bags through the airport all day?

1. Who are all these people? Where are they going? What are their stories?

The last question really did get me as I walked to the back of the plane... I was just one of maybe 2oo people on my flight, which was just one of the many flights that left today, out of a single airport. Really made me wonder...what is everyone's story?

Finally, I would like to give a shout out to my brother John (who undoubtedly will NEVER read this...so if you see him, tell him). Out of his graciousness and in exchange for my couches, he bought me this ticket! Thanks, John!

More from Philly coming soon...

God's Gracious Timing...

Today, I have officially been here for 3 months. Time is such a funny thing. Sometimes it feels like I just arrived, and at other times it feels as if I have always been here, that this has always been my life. But regardless of how time feels, I know how my heart feels today- so thankful for this season, so thankful to be here, so thankful that the Lord has graciously given me this opportunity, this privilege.

I am also so thankful for the great privilege I have tomorrow- going up to Philly for the CCEF Conference! In these two things, I see God's gracious timing so clearly. As many of you know, Philly and CCEF had been my plan for so very long, a plan I had held so tightly to- even after coming to Covenant. And as excited as I was about the Conference, I also dreaded and at the same time hoped, that this weekend would confirm that I wasn't supposed to be here in STL at all, that my plan had been right- God's wrong, and that I could come back here knowing I was supposed to go up there.

But God's timing is so good! Today, I sat in class thinking- "I love this so much." And as I think about life, I honestly would not want to be anywhere else right now. And tomorrow I go to Philly, for what I hope will be an incredibly shaping, challenging, and refreshing weekend. But at the end of it, I know I will come home to a place, and people, and a life I love! Praise the Lord!

Seriously, I couldn't be more excited about the Conference. Over the past several years, it has been one of the most encouraging and influential parts of my life and ministry. I can only guess that this years is going to be the same. The entire weekend is on sex- looking at it from a biblical-creation, fall, redemption, and glorification framework. I am really excited because this is a topic I don't think the church talks about well or enough. I'm sure I will have much to say upon returning from the Conference, and as I think and ponder these things in the days and weeks to come.

For those of you who are not familiar with CCEF, check them out! There are not many people I would rather sit under and learn from than these godly, humble people who so profoundly apply the truths of the gospel to the realities and struggles of life.

Also, I am anxiously anticipating my hotel room. Last year without even requesting it, I got to stay in this...

I can only hope I'll be so lucky this year!

Library Fun

Now I know many of you think that the title to this post is an utter oxymoron. I likewise shared your opinion until this Saturday. I had been effectively avoiding spending an entire day in the library this semester, but on Saturday I had no other choice- I had to give in. And so, on what was probably the most beautiful day we have had in a looong time, I packed up my stuff and headed up to the library for a focused day of study and research! You should be proud.

Or maybe not. On this particular afternoon, I managed to find plenty of people to talk to in the library and found the one person studying in the student center who clearly needed me to talk to her long enough for her to become my new favorite person here in STL.

During this "study break" of which the duration shall remain undefined, I left my computer unattended. Clearly someone else in the library was looking for a little fun, someone, I might add whose identity is still completely unknown to me. Because when I returned to my computer a little (ok a lot) later that afternoon, I found this on my desktop...

Nothing like that to give you good laugh. Nothing like that to tell you you just may have been away from your computer for a little too long. And nothing like that to creep you out enough to get you packing your books and getting the heck out of there as fast as you possibly can. I mean, for real, what if that cat was roaming the stacks? Needless to say, I was out the door in less than 10...

How Firm A Foundation

I have been reminded much over the past several months that life in our broken world is full of suffering-suffering that truly takes all shapes and sizes- some is temporary, some will last for a lifetime. Suffering is something we would rarely choose and it typically comes in forms we would never expect. My old boss and pastor, Mark, always used to say that in this life you are always either going into a trial, going through a trial, or coming out of a trial. The longer I live and the more I am in relationships, the more I realize this is true.

In the midst of this the Lord keeps reminding me that the gospel must and does speak to this, that it provides light in our darkness, strength in our weakness, and hope in our despair- a hope that is not a vain wishing, but is rather sure and secure, that does not disappoint because it is wrapped up in the person and promises of Jesus Christ. Our hope is that while none of our trials and suffering seem "slight and momentary" what lies ahead of us as believers is "a weight of glory beyond all comparison." Our hope is for that glorious day where we will be ushered out of our trials and suffering, and the kingdom of God will be fully and finally ushered in! And our comfort as we wait for this day, lies in the glorious reality of the presence and purpose of God in our sufferings.

We sang this hymn today in church that was such a great reminder to me of these truths. It reminded me of the promises, person, and purpose that are present with us in our sufferings. And it hope to cling to and truths to pray for those I know and love who right now truly find themselves in the "rivers of sorrow" and "fiery trials" and who feel without a doubt that theirs is "the soul that all hell doth endeavor to break." May these words encourage your heart as well...

How Firm a Foundation...

How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord

Is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!

What more can he say than you to you he hath said

To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

"Fear not I am with you, O be not dismayed,

For I am your God and will still give you aid;

I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand."

"When through the deep waters I call you to go,

the rivers of sorrow shall not you overflow

For I will be with you, your troubles to bless

And sanctify to you your deepest distress."

"When through fiery trials your pathway shall life,

My grace, all sufficient, shall be your supply;

The flame shall not hurt you, I only design

Your dross to consume and your gold to refine."

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,

I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell, should endeavor to break,

I'll never, no never, no never forsake."