i love, love, LOVE my mama.

Today has been one of those long tiring days... that actually felt more like two days (The Jerk reference for my daddy). I've been up and at it since 7:00 am; went to the dentist to get teeth whitening trays, went to my classes, worked on projects (three different projects today!) and had an all-area RA staff meeting, and I'm on call tonight. It just feels like a lot. It reminds me of being eight, and my mom and dad shuttling all three of us to baseball, softball, basketball, football, swimming, volleyball, theatre, choir... you name it, they did it. Another good reason to wait a while for babies!

Tomorrow, I'm going home to see my mom. She's having surgery Friday at 7:30 am, and I can't begin to understand what she is thinking, feeling, or going through. My prayer for my mom has been a quick miraculous recovery, and that God would be her shelter and her strength. Now, I'm praying that the chemo is done forever, and that she is no longer in danger of something so threatening. I'm excited to see my parents this weekend because I know I only have a good couple of months left here in Houston with them, and I value my time with them so much! I rarely went home as a freshman in college, but I go home almost every weekend now... Partially because my life changed and so did my attitude, and partially because my mom is sick, and I like to see my parents! They're also a haven from the storm-of-a-dorm I live in... but that isn't one of the main driving factors here.

My mom is amazing. She is on chemotherapy, she is teaching a new curriculum, she and my dad are putting me through school, they are paying for our wedding, and they are supporting Austin and I 100% in our relationship. I don't think that a person can be more blessed than I am to have a woman like her as my mom. Although she is going through some really emotionally, monetarily, and physically challenging times, my mother is still my godly role model, pushing me to get over myself and remember that God has a purpose for me, no matter how hard things are. I love you mom, through thick and thin. You are amazing, and I know that God is doing something great in all of this, even if we never fully understand it.

On a slightly happier note, here is my countdown breakdown (yes, I just sat and counted the days on my calendar. It's exciting though.. and that's just my personality!):

2 days until Mom's surgery

3-4 days until she is released

8 days until I see Austin again

16 days until I go to Las Vegas!

14 school days left (not including tomorrow, taking a personal day)

-- somewhere in here, Mom starts radiation--

32 days until my last assignment is due and all tests are done!

36 days until Dad's birthday

37 days until I graduate & Austin comes home again!

39 days until I move home

41 days until I turn 22

51 days until Austin is home for Memorial Day weekend

59 days until the bachelorette party!

64 days until Sam is 24 and the rehearsal dinner

65 days until I AM MARRIED! Whoo!

66 days until we leave for Paris (even better!!)

Just thinking of where I was 66 days ago is really exciting. I can't believe things have gone by this quickly, but at the same time, it seems as if every second is slower than the one before it.

I trust that my God is in control, and that He is taking care of it all. I'm not going to sweat the small stuff, because it's all small stuff... for Him.

Love,

Elizabeth

what is love?

I don't think I'll ever stop learning about love.. especially since God IS Love, and I'll never stop learning about Him! Anyway, I've had a very trying week at the dorms. My mom had to remind me that I'm there for a reason, and that Jesus promises us persecution. And, there were all these clear signs of spiritual warfare - something else my mom pointed out. (I have a wonderful mom, btw).

So, I have different verses from all over the Bible all over my dorm room, cut out like cartoony speech bubbles (think comic strips). To be honest, most of the time, I hardly notice them. But, there are times that one catches my eye and I read Acts 2:42 right when I need to, when God is speaking to my heart about community. Or, I'll read Luke 6:32-34 right when I need to remember to love those who seem to hate me; when I'm covered in self-pity (selfish self-pity!); when I'm sulking and thinking only of myself.

What else is going on? Well, the love of my life leaves in two days to go to Ohio for two weeks, then to po-dunk something-or-other in Arizona for four weeks, and then back to Ohio until the wedding. Luckily, he'll be back between all those destination changes, and for Memorial Day. I am NOT excited for him to be gone for ten weeks! That's twice as long as I was in Uganda, but with better communication and visits. I seriously can't comprehend how much my life is going to change without him here all the time. It's going to stink! ... but then we get married!

Anyway, here's some Good News for all of you this morning. I've loved this passage since God showed it to me in Uganda to show me how much of a stupid sheep I can be, and what Love is all about.


Luke 6
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.





Love,

Elizabeth