I’m not that great with this whole blogging thing…

So It’s been almost two months since I’ve written anything, and I wish I was better at updating this.  I’m not even sure anyone checks this anymore.  Last time I wrote something, we were still in school.  I was trying to get through the crazy semester. Well, we got through it, and with pretty decent grades.  Cory did very well and I did much better than I thought.  I was so nervous about checking grades, but they ended up alright.  I’m glad that semester is over, although we both enjoyed it and learned so much.  It was exhausting and I had never been so ready for a break. 

We came to my house after the semester ended.  And then the next week my family and Cory and I went on a family vacation to California.  The trip was amazing.  It was wonderful to get to experience some of the west coast with Cory.  We saw some absolutely breathtaking sights.  We rented an r.v. and so we were able to drive around to different places and just stay in campsites each night.  We flew into San Jose and stayed in a hotel the first night.  Then we drove the next morning, stopped at the Santa Cruz boardwalk, everyone except mom and I rode one of the oldest wooden roller coasters.  It was a quick stop, but it was neat.  It was like an all year round carnival on the coast.  After that we drove a little more to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  It was a really cool aquarium that was right on the water.  Then we drove to Big Sur.  We were in a great campground surrounded by amazing redwood trees.  We stayed two nights there.  We had campfires, hiked, ended up horseback riding to the coast.  It was a really neat place and the trees were amazing.  After Big Sur we went to Sequoia.  We stayed at a campground one night that was at Three Rivers, and the site was right on the river.  It was a neat campground, even though we weren’t there very long.  We got up early the next morning and drove to Seqouia where we saw some awesome Sequoia trees.  It was incredible how large they were.  We saw General Grant tree and walked around for a bit.  Then we drove to Yosemite.  The drive on Highway 1 was unbelievable.  You are right on the edge of cliffs, driving parallel to the ocean.  We stopped a couple times, looked at the elephant seals, walked down to the coast, stopped to see the amazing views.  It was a drive that can definitely make you sick with all the twists and turns and driving along cliffs, but it was awesome.  The views were spectacular.  We drove through Yosemite, just to see the area a bit.  Words cannot describe the breathtaking views and scenery.  Driving out of the tunnel to see the amazing “tunnel view” was incredible.  Pictures don’t do justice.  We went down to the Yosemite village to meet up with some friends.  One of my dad’s best friends from high school and his wife and son met us there to go along with our hike up Half Dome.  So after talking and catching up for a bit we drove back out of the park to the campground.  We stayed there for two nights. 

The following day was the big hike up Half Dome.  This was one of the hardest and most challenging things all of us had ever done.  I’m so glad Cory and I were able to do it together.  It was mentally and physically hard and exhausting.  It was about a 18 mile hike round trip, and it took us 12 hours.  I didn’t go up to the peak.  Once you get to one part you have to walk up the side up narrow steps with nothing around you but the open sky, and then you get to the next part which is cables.  And you climb up using the cables to the top.  I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it.  I was exhausted and I don’t like heights.  I would have gotten dizzy walking up those stairs seeing an 8,000 foot drop on either side of me.  I was so proud of Cory for trying.  He got farther up than I did.  But then it started storming.  It was so scary.  Lightning and thunder was going off around us and then it started raining and hailing.  It was crazy weather.  We started heading back down.  The rain stopped and the sky cleared up.  It was amazing how much easier is was going down than it was going up.  The hardest part about going down was the pressure it put on your knees.  My knees were hurting so bad.  And then your toes start hurting too, from them jamming into your shoes.  Anyway, when we all made it down, we were drenched in sweat and dirt and extremely sore.  We all slept so good that night, but the next day we were all completely sore. We drove back into the park though and went to the gift shop and looked at some more waterfalls and such.  Then we drove to San Francisco. 

We originally planned on spending three nights in Yosemite and two in San Francisco, but we decided to change it and have two in Yosemite and three in San Fran.  That first night, since we didn’t have a campsite, we stayed at my dad’s friend’s place (the one who hiked Half Dome with us).  They were so gracious to let us have the r.v. out front and some of us to sleep inside and to use their bathrooms and cooking us meals.  They were extremely hospitable and we were so thankful.  The next day we took his car, instead of the giant r.v., to the city.  We did the tour of Alcatraz, which was so cool!  And we walked around the city for a little bit.  We walked around Pier 39, drove down Lombard street, drove down the steepest street in the city, and just drove around and then we went back to his house, cleaned up, and drove out to the campsite.  This site was right on the coast.  We walked down to the water, which was freezing and then we watched the Magic game.  The following day we took a taxi back to the city.  We walked around Union Square and went into some stores.  Then we walked down to China Town.  We took the taxi back to the site.  We cleaned up and the next morning drove back to San Jose, dropped the r.v. off with the owner and went to the airport.  It was an amazing trip.  It was a lot of work though, and a whole lot of driving for my dad.  So it was a different kind of a vacation, but it was great to be able to see lots of different places. 

We got back to the house after midnight, and the next day Cory had to drive down to Montgomery to start work.  I’m going to put pictures from the trip up on facebook soon, but pictures really don’t do justice for some of the incredible landscapes and sceneries.  I’m just at home, trying to enjoy summer, trying to help around the house.  I have to get my wisdom teeth out at some point, and go to doctor and dentist appointments and all that.  In July I will head down to Orlando.  I’m sure the rest of the summer will fly by and before I know it, it will be fall semester.  But things are good.  Cory and I are reading a book together this summer, since we aren’t in the same area, and I’m excited about that.  Anyway, I know I say this a lot, but I’m going to try to get better at this blogging thing

~Sarah

Just some random thoughts…

Friday we had our second Greek test for the semester.  I have really struggled in Greek this semester and I wished I was a better student.  It takes a lot of time to devote to studying, and for me it takes a lot longer than other people to grasp something.  For someone else it may take only an hour to memorize the vocab and know the forms and endings and such, but for me it takes several hours.  I really studied hard for the test.  We have a quiz every week, but only a few tests throughout the semester.  I studied hard, but I still was so nervous going into it.  Going into that room makes me nervous or something.  I’m not sure what it is.  But I tend to confuse myself and question myself and get nervous.  I really psych myself out in that class.  Anyway, I tried my hardest on the test.  I did so much better than the last test.  But we’ll see how it went.  I don’t like disappointing myself, especially when it comes to school and academics, and I really don’t like disappointing my professors. 

Anyway, these last few weeks of school are going to be CRAZY!  There is so much to do for every class.  I really am going to try hard to end well.  It’s going to be hard, and it will take so much time to get it all done.  But Cory and I keep encouraging each other that we can do it!  Tomorrow we have a disputatio (debate) for Christian Doctrine over the atonement.  It will be interesting.  I’m nervous about it, but as long as all the teams clearly establish their appointed viewpoints, it will be good.  The disputatios are a really neat way to learn about different ways of thinkings and different ideas the church has had to deal with. 

My heart was truly blessed at church this morning.  Pastor Ben talked about Nehemiah and his heart as a great leader.  We went over Nehemiah 1, and dove into his prayer.  It was a convicting and encouraging and humbling message.  It was a really wonderful message. 

Oh, and since the house in Florida closed last week, my parents were able to close on the house in Tennessee on Friday!  Yay!  It’s so wonderful how the Lord provides!  It’s been quite a journey, having to move again in February after moving to Tennessee in August, but it all works out in the end, doesn’t it?  And it’s all good!

Well, I’ll be off to the library soon, just working on stuff in my dorm now.  It’s going to be a great week, because, as Cory likes to say and remind us,  :)  He is risen! 

~Sarah

Easter!!!

It’s been a great weekend at home.  I have truly enjoyed being around my family these past couple of years more than ever.  Through all the trials we have been through, we have become so much closer.  I appreciate my parents and my family so much.  They mean the world to me.  I love being able to spend time at home.  This weekend has been great.  We watched a couple movies, Slumdog Millionaire (so good!) and Yes Man (some funny parts).  We went to Amy’s track meet, did some schoolwork, relaxed, and tried to plan out a family vacation for the summer.  We had a wonderful supper with some friends and the family today.  But we definitely missed Chip!  There was a powerful message of Jesus’ saving, redemptive grace and the hope we have in Him…some extraordinary testimonies were shared in a neat and powerful way.  God has been teaching me a lot this weekend, through many different things.  Overall it’s been a wonderful weekend.  We will head back to school soon.  And now it’s the home stretch….about 6 more weeks.  It’s going to be tough.  I’m ready for this semester to be over, even though we’ve been learning so much.  It’s been great…just really hard.

~Sarah

another break

Tomorrow we have off of school because of Good Friday.  I think it is very appropriate to have tomorrow off as we celebrate the Easter weekend.  And I am looking forward to another break.  Even though we just had spring break a couple weeks ago, it is good to have another break.  I guess that shows how crazy this semester has been if I’m ready for another break already.  This has been a very hard semester.  And even though it is technically a break this weekend, Cory and I have so much schoolwork and studying to be doing, we will definitely be busy.  But about six more weeks of school.  We sign up for fall classes next week.  And that is another thing we have to work on this weekend, is our class schedules.  So anyway, we both want to finish well and push through the end of this semester.  It’s been hard and challenging.

~Sarah

It’s Been Awhile

Well the last time I signed on and wrote an update on here was during Jan. term.  So that alone should tell you how busy life has been recently.  It would take a long time to write about everything that has gone on since January, so I’ll just say, things have been really crazy, but overall good.  This spring semester has been very overwhelming at times and very hard, but I have enjoyed the classes and all that we are learning.  I am taking 19 credit hours this semester so taking so much has taken a toll on me.  Spring break provided a much needed break from school.  Cory and I went down to Florida and spent some great time with his family and we got to see some friends as well.  We had a wonderful time out at Bay Hill one day.  It was just a wonderful break.  Now we are back in the swing of things at school.  We get out May 22nd, which is later than most schools, but that is because we have a term in January, like a summer term, that we can come to, so spring semester doesn’t start till February.  This has been a really hard and challenging semester.  It has taken a lot out of me.  Classes are really demanding.  But I applied to be an R.A. next year, my senior year, and I found out on Friday that I got one of the open spots!  I’m so excited!  I know it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m really so thrilled to have this opportunity.  There were so many amazing girls that applied, and so few spots, I’m not sure why I was chosen over others, but I know God has a purpose and plan.  It will be quite a wonderful year next year!  Also, in these next few days I am going to make a final decision about summer plans.  I have two options, both things I would love to do, so it’s hard having to decide between them.  My heart is torn, but a decision will be made in the next couple of days.  Wherever the Lord wants me, I know I will be.  I want to be faithful to His calling.  And I’m excited about this summer, no matter what path I choose.  So about six more weeks of this semester.  And this week is a short week, it will be nice to celebrate Easter with my family, we all wish Chip could be out here though.  Cory and I both want to finish out this semester strong.  Oh yeah…the closing on our house in Florida is a week from today, the 13th.  Please pray for that to all go through!  Once that house closes, my parents will close on the house they are in up here.  So these next couples days and weeks are full of decisions and such.  It should interesting.  The past weekend Cory and I helped out with a disciple now at a local church.  It was such a blessing.  It was really different than what we have been a part of in the past, but that was definitely a refreshing and good thing.  Both of our hearts were refreshed and blessed from this weekend.  A few more weeks of this spring semester and then Cory and I will be seniors!  Crazy! 

I’m going to try to update more often…

~Sarah

oh, the weather outside is frightful…

It is extremely cold here today, and is supposed to be for the rest of the week.  And the thing that makes the weather extra bad, is the wind.  It is so windy over here in West Tennessee.  If the wind wasn’t so bad, the cold wouldn’t be so bad.  But your ears and nose and cheeks freeze walking to class.  And I think that if it is this cold, in the low twenties, teens, and below, then it should be snowing.  Snow would add some excitement to the cold, help me stand it a little more, make it worth it.  But it always seem to precipitate on the warmer days, and it’s clear skies on the cold ones.  Oh well, maybe one of these days we’ll have snow.  We did have snow flurries one day during the fall semester, but nothing that would stick.  It is fun to get all bundled up in big jackets and gloves and scarfs and such, definitely didn’t have to do that in Florida.  So it’s nice to have a change, and experience the seasons a little more.

~Sarah

“Anselm: Faith Seeking Understanding”

Alright, so after I finished writing a few blogs earlier, I went back to reading for my History of Christianity class, and read a very interesting document in my textbook.  It’s so interesting in fact that I felt the need to sign back on and write another blog, giving anyone who reads this the chance to read it.  Anselm lived from 1033-1109 and this writing was pleasingly humorous and amusing at the same time it was confusing and interesting.  Yes, I definitely got confused while reading this, but all in all it was amusing and interesting.  Wish I could argue like him.

This is from “A Summary of Christian History” by Robert A. Baker and John M. Landers, 3rd edition, published by B&H Publishing Group in Nashville, Tennessee in 2005, on pages 130-131.

(the first paragraph is commentary about the writing from the book’s author’s and then the next paragraph starts Anselm’s actual writing)

“Anselm of Canterbury was one of the earliest scholastics and one of the most original thinkers of the Middle Ages.  He tried to interrelate faith and reason, but he argued that we must believe in God if we are to understand him.  In the following passage Anselm argues that God is the Being of which we cannot imagine a greater.  This has sometimes been called the ontological argument for the existence of God.

O Lord, who grantest to faith understanding, grant unto me that, so far as Thou knowest it to be expedient for me, I may understand that Thou art, as we believe; and also that Thou art what we believe Thee to be.  And of a truth we believe that Thou art somewhat than which no greater can be conceived.  Is there than nothing real that can be thus described?  For the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.  Yet surely even that fool himself when he hears me speak of somewhat than which nothing greater can be conceived understands what he hears, and what he understands is in his understanding, even if he does not understand that it really exists.  It is one thing for a thing to be in the understanding, and another to understand that the thing really exists.  For when a painter considers the work which he is to make, he has it indeed in his understanding; but he doth not yet understand that really to exist which as yet he has not made.  But when he has painted his picture, then he both has the picture in his understanding, and also understands it really to exist.  Thus even the fool is certain that something exists, at least in his understanding, than which nothing greater can be conceived; because, when he hears this mentioned, he understands it, and whatsoever is understood, exists in the understanding.  And surely that than which no greater can be conceived cannot exist only in the understanding.  For if it exists indeed in the understanding only, it can be thought to exist also in reality; and real existence is more than existence in the understanding only.  If then that than which no greater can be conceived exists in the understanding only, then that than which no greater can be conceived is something a greater than which can be conceived; this is is impossible.  Therefore it is certain that something than which no greater can be conceived exists both in the understanding and also in reality.

Not only does this something than which nothing greater conceived exist, but it exists in such a true sense that it cannot even be conceived not to exist.  For it is possible to form the conception of an object whose nonexistance shall be inconceivable; and such an object is of necessity greater than any object whose existance is conceivable.  So if that than which no greater can be conceived can be conceived not to exist, it follows that that than which no greater can be conceived is thing but that which no greater can be conceived [for there can be thought a greater than it, namely, an object whose nonexistance shall be inconceivable]; and this brings us to a contradiction.  And thus it is proved that that thing than which no greater can be conceived exists in so true a sense that it cannot even be conceived not to exist:  and this thing art Thou, O Lord my God, existest in so true a sense that Thou canst not even be conceived not to exist.  And this thing is fitting.  For if any mind could conceive something better than Thee, then the creature would be ascending above the Creator, and judging the Creator; which is a supposition very absurd.  Thou therefore does exist in a truer sense than all else beside Thee, and art more real than all else beside Thee; because whatever else existeth, existeth in a less true sense than Thou, and therfore is less real than Thou.  Why then said the fool in his heart, There is no God, when it is so plain to rational mind that Thou art more real than anything else?  Why, except that he is a fool indeed?”

I found this to be pretty interesting.  He kind of lost me at points with all the then that than which’s and all the other highly used phrases, but I thought it was really neat and a strong argument.  Just wanted to pass it along, and I thought me typing it out might have helped me understand it a little more….

~Sarah

Just some thoughts…

I realize that when I find time to get away from schoolwork and stuff and update this blog, I usually write a couple entries.  I should probably try to span it out a little more, but for now I’ll do what I can.  I have come to a clear realization that I am unhappy with how unhealthy I have allowed myself to be.  I’m not happy with myself for how I have allowed myself to put exercising and eating right at a very low priority.  And I have made a distinct decision in my mind to move my health higher on my priority list.  Although all of 2008 my health was very much at the forefront of my mind, as I was daily dealing with health related issues, I think it caused me to see that some health problems you can’t prevent, some just come for no reason at all.  And so I slacked off, and frankly didn’t care very much about exercising or eating right.  For one thing, I couldn’t exercise, part of the time I could barely even walk.  But putting all the excuses and negatives aside, it’s time for me to start caring.  I know that there are things you can’t prevents, and sometimes God allows us to suffer for reasons we won’t know till we see Him face to face.  But as Cory and I say “I do what I can in the time that I’m given,” and thats what I plan to do.  I want to start being healthier now, for the glory of my Savior, for my family and my future family, for my current health and my future health, for my happiness.  No I can’t prevent every disease or every physical hardship, but I can affect the quality of my life and put a priority on my health.  I’ve overcome the whole not caring anymore attitude…I’m past that part and ready to care, I’m ready to show God that the body that He has given me is worth taking care of and preserving, He is worth it.  I don’t know if all that made sense, but I’m just typing out some of my emotions and things I’ve been internally dealing with recently…not trying to complain, just typing out some thoughts as I switch around some priorities.

~Sarah

Liberty Bowl

My dad received a couple of tickets to the Liberty Bowl in Memphis from work, so he took Chip and Cory and I to the game, and although we didn’t really have a team to cheer for, it was loads of fun.  We had great seats, even though it would have been nice to be a little higher to be able to see a little better.  But I can’t complain, it was wonderful and a great game.  It was Kentucky versus East Carolina, and it turned out to be a really great game.  It was definitely fun and I was glad we all got to go.  The weather was really nice too.  It wasn’t too cold or windy, so every aspect of the game was enjoyable.  It was good to do something with my dad and brother.   Afterwards, mom and grandma drove out to meet us downtown and we all went to Jillian’s for dinner and then walked around Beale Street for a bit.  It was a nice ending to a great break.

~Sarah

Christmas Break

I am so glad we have had this break from school.  It was been reenergizing and has given me a chance to breathe again.  Finals were pretty intense and it was encouraging to look ahead to the break, and it has been a wonderful break.  Cory finished finals that Tuesday of finals week and he came out to my house, since my brother and his friend were here already.  And then I finished up on Wednesday and a friend brought me home.  It was nice to have that day at home and just relax and do laundry.  That next morning, early on Thursday Cory and I headed to the airport to fly down to Florida.  We got to Orlando after spending a long day traveling, and it was nice to be back there.  I hadn’t been back since we moved in the beginning of August, but Cory went back for Thanksgiving.  And I must say I had such a great time down in Orlando.  I was only there from that Thursday to the Tuesday the 23rd.  It was a quick trip but it was packed.  Cory and I spent a lot of time with his family, we had his big family Christmas celebration, and his immediate family Christmas the next day, and went to his brother and sister in law’s house another day where we had a bonfire and cooked hotdogs and made smores and then watched The Dark Knight, on blu-ray I might add.  Another day I went to the Browns, the family I used to nanny for.  And it was so refreshing to be around them and see the kids and spend time with them again.  I have missed them so much and was so glad and thankful to be able to spend some time with one of my favorite families.  I also got to spend some time with my sweet friend Lindsey one night and then another night I got to see Megan and Lia.  There are some other people I would have loved to see, but I’ll have to save them for next time down.  I also went over to the house to vacuum it and make sure everything looked alright.  And while we were in the neighborhood we stopped by the O’Brien’s.  It was so great to see them, even if it was just for a few minutes.  We also saw the Bryant’s after stopping by the Browns again.  And then another day Cory and I went to the flew market with his family.  It was lots of fun and huge.  It was the Webster flea market, one I had never been to before, but it was so big and fun to walk around in.  But all in all it was such a wonderful trip.  I loved every bit of it and was so glad to have been down there.  It was a really really great trip.  I wouldn’t have changed any of it.

I came back from Orlando and spent a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas with my family.  It was great to have Dad and Chip here and the family together.  It was just us, but it was perfect.  We had a great and quiet Christmas.  It’s been so great to relax and just spend time at home.  Our old next door neighbor’s (the McClafferty’s) came over one night, and I got to see one of my best friends, Meredith, which was really great.   Alli and Amy went down to Orlando after Christmas, and Cory came back up on the 31st.  New Years Eve we went to our old next door neighbors house, the McClafferty’s, in Collierville.  It was great to see old neighbors and friends.  We even were able to go next door and walk through our old house.  It was neat to see it and see the changes the owners (it’s the same family who bought the house from us, back in 98) made and also the things that were the same.  I loved that house and was glad we were able to see it.  It was neat that Cory was able to see it to.

It’s been a great break.  I can’t believe it’s almost time to go back to school.  But this break was definitely a much needed one, and it has been really wonderful.

~Sarah