Icey Cliffs

I was driving back to school from WI the other day I spent a lot of time praising God for the beauty he has created. Driving thru WI snow covered the entire ground...even the road in front of me- but it was so beautiful. Crossing over into Iowa the snow continued but eventually faded and there were not any traces of snow by the time i crossed the MO boarder. The farms blanketed in snow just look so peaceful and calm, reminding me to slow down and take in the wonderful sights before me. But the most amazing thing i saw were ice covered cliffs, like on either side of the highway in which the snow and ice had frozen vertically. Since it was snowing at the time i couldnt take a picture but i found some that look similar.
There was more ice than the first picture but less than the second.
WOW- How Glorious!

So I have been reading Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot for a while now and was having a really difficult time getting through it but yesterday as i was reading i understood why. Before last night my heart wasn't really open to what it had to say but in light of recent events it pierced me. I was convicted of my own self deception and hopes for the future. Giving it over to God fully was a relief, yet its not easy already. in the hours since coming to this realization i have had to make deliberate choices that were different yesterday. Im excited about reading more and prepared to listen closely to God's voice.

Pure by Kari Jobe

So I dont know how to get the video into this post so, click the link and hopefully it will take you to the right place. and my computer is dying so thats all i have for now.

Let me just say that six days is not enough time to spend at home.
I feel like these past six days have been one long continuous day;
from the very moment I was surrounded in the STL airport until the time I walked into it Monday morning.
Although my time was so packed I got to spend time with a bunch of people.

I had a lot of time with my girls. we orchestrated a phenomenal New Years party;
complete with great food! Ha.
that is truly one of the days i look most forward to each year-
i get to get up ans spend all day cooking with my best friends.
not to mention that this isn't just any ordinary food- its great food and
unusual to lots of our friends.
than we spend too much time getting ready.
and finally all of our friends come over to celebrate what God has done in the past year
and look forward to what he has in store for us in the coming year.
it is a very exhausting day but one filled with great memories, lots of laughs, and constant fun! this year also involved a Martha Stewart wedding magazine,
which is now written all over and being kept safe until wedding time comes.
but i think we know each other pretty well after flipping through the magazine
and seeing what was marked for who. haha. were special.

i spent time with old friends from high school and
caught up on what is happening with them.
school, relationships, life in general,
and for course spent that time eating at some of our favorite places.

my neighbor and i got a chance to catch up as well. fun stuff! and
i played Rock Band for the first time

i also got to spend the afternoon with a woman i admire and look up to very much.
we ate(of course) and then did some shopping at little boutiques and the antique store.
we talked lots and i had a blast!

a new sort of tradition has started when i am in stl. i usually stay at the brunks house
and get to share a room with Caleb(he's 6) and kindly lets me use his bottom bunk.
he makes me laugh a lot but this time he found a few sweets in my suitcase
when i wasn't around and ruined his dinner. funny.
but the boys have gotten to like my breakfast burritos and
have to have one or more while I'm in town.
sometimes that means getting up early so they can eat before school
but i love them and enjoy spending time with them.

all in all it was a great trip and these are just the highlights!
i miss being there tons but am trying to be content where i am.
love you all!