Let me be completely honest right now..

First of All, I want to welcome new readers to this site. Mother dearest, grandfather, and whomever else now feels the urge to read. Feel free to stick around, comment anytime, and I think its hilarious that you are reading this.
Second of all. I am sitting at my kitchen table drinking luke warm spiced chai tea with a little too much sugar and a bite to kill you. Sitting next to me are the notes from Botany class about the movies that I am supposed to be writing a three page paper on. I dont quite know how far I am, but can guarantee you that the second page has not been infiltrated yet. Its due tomorrow morning, before the professor gets to his office. Except he never really told me what time that is. So Im guessing... noon? haha. Blaa.
This weekend has been surprisingly delightful. Friday was just hang out time with some friends and a nice day with laid back work and no pressure. Saturday was quite lovely. I had lunch with some friends from freshman year that I havent seen much of this year. I finally saw the Renny dorm, and it was better than I imagined! But apartment living is for me. We went and supported out friends in a school performance, entitled "The Vagina Monologues," which is a monologue about.. well... womens violence and abuse around the world, with some candid humor thrown in. Boh Eleanor and Tracy performed and did spectacular. Then I went over to the Village for a girls night full of fun and we watched Gladiator. It was intense. Me and Kim ended up jamming out to some old school Avalon/Bill Gaither music, and oh man, what fun times ensued. Today was Russia meeting, and church. Then I bought some more comfy warm socks at the Army/Navy Surplus, along with a really awesome arsty crafty book from Urban Outfitters up on Thayer. Then Kevin and Melissa's Bible study, which I love.
I really wanted to upload some funny pictures I took today, but my browser is being ridiculously slow tonight.
I am excited about going to Russia, but am well aware of the risks involved. Mostly attack from the enemy if ya know what I mean. A few relationships have been slightly bruised since we announced who was going, but I am really striving to hold fast and be loving/forgiving/ and faithful.
At the Bible study tonight, Kevin read a great verse from Revelations (21:6-8)

"He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. "

Mostly, I want to focus on verse 7. This verse excites me. The whole chapter is about the second coming of Christ, which is pretty intense stuff. Its talking about how when Christ returns, He will make all things new and there will be no death or dying or pain or suffering. And people will wipe every tear from their eyes. Except it is "He who overcomes" who will get all these things. Christians are overcomers. No joke about it. First of all, when we accepted that we were crappy sinners, and that Jesus came on this earth to sacrifice his body for us to make us able to have a relationship with God, we overcame our prideful self in order to give God control.
Thats whats awesome though. This promise! I see it as a way of saying "Dont give up!" Things might get hard or tricky! "Persevere!".. "God is on your side!" (which we often forget). And we do not labor in vain. There is a reward. And those who are unbelievers, or cowards, or vile, or perverted, will be left in the dust. Dang I cling to my salvation with thankfulness. Thank you God.
-Alissa-