Peaceful Chaos

 Life lately has been sooo busy.  I feel like every minute is flying by without my noticing it, and all of a sudden, it's midnight and time to go to sleep again.  Life has been just routine lately.  I wake up, do school, and then go where I need to be.  I've been reminding myself of this quote:

 I've been studying for the Biology CLEP test for the past several weeks.  There are days when I feel discouraged, and there are days when I feel like I could take it now and ace it (which would not happen.  ever.).  Science is...not my strong suit, so it gets stressful.  I've been absorbing so much more than I did when I was doing science for high school.  The scariest thing with taking these tests is that you don't know what's going to be on it.  You can get tips and suggestions from other students who have taken the test, but CLEP has several different variations of each test, and you never know which one you're going to get.  Anyway, I'm taking the test on the 29th, and I am confident that I will pass.

 Last weekend, I had some college friends over.  They are all from Minnesota, but drove quite a ways to come hangout for a while.  But it was so much fun!  We played Spoons, the Family Game, and a new game I had learned over my birthday.  It was just a fun time of fellowship with awesome people.  :D

 I'm counting down the days before I leave for Virginia.  Only 16!!!  I'm so excited!  I get to meet, in person, a couple of really good friends, some new friends, and I believe there may be a couple of people I had the privilege of meeting at the gathering here in MN.  We're going to tour Washington D.C., Mount Vernon, laugh a lot, go hiking, play games, watch movies, laugh a lot, sleep a little, and have tons and tons of fun!!!!!!  Eeeeeeeeep! :D

 Today I had my second degree consultation.  Yes, I have joined the ranks with countless other indecisive, college students: I've changed my major.  Today I went from being an Economics major (which really doesn't interest me) to being an Organizational Leadership major (which, if you know me, totally describes me).  My degree template looks so different now, but I have a feeling these courses I'll be taking and even the tests I'll be taking will be a lot more fun for me than the Economics courses and tests.  Now I can't wait to talk to my coach and decide what order I'll do them all in!! :D

 LIVE has been going well, praise the Lord!  It's been growing - from 16 to 18 girls (and to think we started with 5)!  We have quite the full house when LIVE days come around.  Yesterday, after singing three energetic songs, I was asked to open the windows because it got so hot downstairs with everyone dancing around!  The Lord's been good to our group; I just can't believe it'll be April before we know it and then we'll be going on summer break!  But I'm praying about several things right now to grow and develop the ministry next fall since I'll be graduated from high school (yay!).

 Besides those bigger things, I've been busy finishing high school Latin and Economics (almost.done!), attending a Bible study every Tuesday night, cleaning at my two cleaning jobs, planning my graduation party (which just got bumped up 2 weeks) and trying super super hard not to be distracted by my excitement for my upcoming trip.

 What's new with you?

Love,
  Sierra

Comparisons

 How often do we compare ourselves with other Christians.  We may look at them, think they are stronger Christians than we are, and compare our lives to theirs.  Our church to theirs.  Our convictions to theirs.  Our Bible version to theirs.  We worry what they will think when they find out what movies we watch.

 God has given each one of us different convictions.  Different convictions than our friends, than our pastor, even different than our parents sometimes!  But it's not up to them (or us!) to decide what is right and what is wrong.  That is God's job.

 When we compare ourselves with others, we often put ourselves down.  We tell ourselves we aren't as strong of Christians as them.  We don't go to the right church.  We need to go buy a new Bible.

 Sometimes, comparison stems from judgements made against us.  It hurts when people are judgmental against us.  But Who is the ultimate Judge?  Who is the One Judge who really truly matters?  God!  God sent His Son, Jesus, to be the example we are to follow.  We need to to follow His example.  Whatever our pastors, teachers, spiritual leaders say, it is our job to compare that to the Scriptures and then live accordingly.

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to to the Father except through me."       

~John 14:6

Other times, when we compare ourselves to others, we are the ones judging them.  We may look at the books they read or the shows they watch or even the clothes they wear and come to the conclusion that they aren't Christians.  But, really, is that the way we are to live?  Even if they aren't Christians, they don't have to hope that we have and it's our job to show them the love of Christ.  It's our job to be positive examples to them.

"...[He] said to them, 'Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'"
~John 8:7

God bless,

  Sierra