The Perfect Mall?

So, my sister decided it would be a good idea to "tag" me...meaning I have to continue the chain of blog activity in designing my own idea of a perfect mall. Much to my dismay and many attempts to create excuses to get out of this, my sister reminded me of the rules of the game "tag". She went straight back to the third grade and pulled out all the reasons why I had to complete this task. The guidlines for this mall are 6 stores and 2 retaurants (one fast food, one sit down). So, without further ado, and almost an hour and a half of hard, hard work...here is my "perfect" mall....oh geez.

1. Gap - we all know most of my wardrobe consists of items from this store....I do love it!



2. REI - I do love outdoor sports and sporting goods....I also have a bit of an addiction to wearing fleece jackets....you can't hate....I live in freezing weather! Plus, REI is great for all of my cycling needs and hiking needs!






3. Nordstrom's - I know this will come as a great surprise to most of you...and me....but I do need a place to buy all my dress shoes, and, well, this has been a winner for such endeavors. Although I must say that my sister is a much more frequent customer! ;)

4. Road Runner Sports - This store is great! It outfits me in all kinds of great exercise and sporting attire while also fitting me to the perfect running/working out shoe. They custom fit each customer to a shoe that will work the best for them! Awesome!


5. The Apple Store - I love my MacBookPro and iPod...among other fun gadgets found at this great store. It's worth the addition to my perfect mall!!




6. Ikea - this place has everything! Ikea comes in handy when furnishing and filling up a cute apartment on a budget! (but it all adds up anyway and you end up spending at least 100 bucks everytime you go!)


Panera - I realize panera isn't really a fast food restaurant. But, I don't make a habit out of eating fast food so Panera is my pick! They have great salads and free wi-fi, making it a great study spot as well!


Not Your Average Joe's - This restaurant has great food! They'll make anything you want and have great bread to eat while you wait. Joe's is a chain restaurant but I think they only exist in Massachusetts. So, if you come to visit or live their now....you should definitely hit this place up!

Okay, I think that's it! That was the weirdest thing I've ever done....and it took me forever! I hope you enjoyed!!

He Sees

Well, in writing this blog, I'm not sure whether to be funny or to simply share what I am learning about. Hopefully I can accomplish both, although I am not promising at the same time. However, I felt like sharing something I learned last night while reading through Genesis. The professor that will be guiding us around Israel and the ancient Biblical sites while I am in Jerusalem sent an e-mail suggesting what Biblical books to read to prepare for our time in Israel. As I dove into the book of Genesis I was reminded of the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. When I picked up the story Sarah had not yet had Isaac and both Abraham and Sarah were probably anxious to find out how God would indeed fulfill His covenant with Abraham. This anxiety would seem to escalate as the heir of Abraham’s rich estate would then be someone outside of his own family. Sarah became so anxious, it seems, that she gave Abraham her servant Hagar, to provide a descendent. Abraham did not seem to argue with such a proposition and took Hagar to be his wife.

So many of us focus on the richness of God’s provision for Abraham and Sarah in this story that we sometimes miss the heart of Hagar. After having conceived a child, Hagar began to feel contempt for her mistress, Sarah. Sarah was aware of this contempt and dealt harshly with her being given authority over Hagar. This led Hagar to flee, maybe feeling used and angry over conditions of her circumstance. God met her on the road as she fled. He called her out, named her son, and promised hardship for her son. God also told Hagar to go back, submit to a mistress that was harsh, and to ultimately submit to Him. Hagar’s circumstances were less than desireable, yet her response is intriguing. She calls on God in the name of Him who spoke to her and she said, “You are the God who sees me….I have now seen the One who sees me.” All it took was one interaction with a God who sees us in all of our circumstances for her eyes to be open to His faithfulness and His gracious provision. I am overwhelmed by the faith of Hagar as she returned to Abraham’s household and continued to serve amidst her circumstances. Hagar met the Lord the day she was planning to run far away from her painful life. That is also the day she proclaimed the truth of an attentive God who “sees” us in all things and walks directly with us, both before and behind every single circumstance we face. I find great comfort in knowing God is not far away and distantly cold, but is a God who “sees” me, knows me, and is aware of my past, present, and future. He commits to walking with me all along the way. I am blessed to be able to walk in His shadow, Hagar’s life is a great reminder.

Finishing Spring Semester!

Well, my first year of seminary is officially over! I can't believe it went by so quickly, although there were many long days and nights in the process. I have learned so much this past year and really am looking forward to what is left to learn in the next two years. A semester abroad is knocking on my door as I will be heading out at the end of August. For those that do not know, I am headed to Jerusalem University College and am looking forward to living right outside the old city gates. I cannot even begin to imagine how great this experience is going to be. In finishing the semester at Gordon-Conwell I also made a move down to the city....in South Boston. I am so looking forward to living in the city, one and half blocks from the beach, and a few miles from Boston Common. My good friend Angie and I have moved into a great place with another great roommate Zak and such gracious house owners! I am feeling blessed and excited about what is to come! I'm home this summer in Seattle prepping for Sarah's wedding and enjoying other weddings and special events out on the West coast this summer! Please keep me updated on your lives and I look forward to sharing pictures and stories on this blog in the coming months!

Here's a few pictures of the new place in South Boston:
Our house is the one on the left...we live on the second floor!

My great new room!

Beginnings - Summer in Seattle

Well....I've done it....I have officially caved in....I have started a blog. I'm not one to be consistent about journaling or writing of the day's happenings. However, being away from my new start in Boston for eight months, plus the addition of trip to the Holy Land for a semester abroad, I thought this would be a good way to keep everyone updated. I also thought this would be a good oppurtunity for accountablility in documenting my trip to Israel and posting pictures. So, I hope that you all enjoy and that this little blog proves to be fruitful! I'll start with my summer in Seattle!!!