LOVE LETTER

At Sara and Brian's engagement party, Sharon brought her video camera and had a sweet idea- to record the couple (separately) saying "secret" messages to each other... which would be revealled at a later time. On my way home, I kept thinking about how precious that was... for them to express such tender thoughts of devotion-- that would be heard and appreciated by others, but only truly and completely meaningful to the two of them.

It inspired me to write a letter (more like prayer) to my Lord God- the One whose love I cherish more than anything else in this world... the One who would change my life forever from the day I first decided to follow Him.

Some things that I write may not make sense to any of my readers, but I know it makes sense to God. After all, He knows my thoughts even before I do. :)


To my Precious Lord;

From the DEEPEST part of my heart, I thank You sooooo much for saving me from my sin, saving me from hopelessness, saving me from my misery. Your grace is so beautiful, and I don't think I'll ever fully comprehend it. Before I met you, Lord, there was a longing in my heart- that couldn't be satisfied by ANYTHING in this world. I made so many other things in this world my god... and of course, my longing was still there... only it was made deeper and deeper... and it was because I wasn't worshipping who I was made to worship! But oh, I am so glad that You found me! And that you revealled Your truth to me! And that I began to worship the TRUE and LIVING God!!!!

Thank you for meeting with me everyday... for pouring Your peace into me... and when necessary, sending your spirit to convict me. Thank You for Your Word, thank You for Jesus, thank You for the cross.

Thank You for showing me how to serve others.

Thank You for teaching me what it means to be a woman by Your standards and not by the world's.

Thank You for forgiving me over and over and over and over again.....

God, I love You so much that I am brought to tears sometimes... because I am so overwhelmed by your compelling presence.

I can't wait to spend time with you tomorrow, the next day, the day after that... and for all eternity.

Love,
Your daughter and princess,
Sarah

This always makes me smile...

I'm pretty sure every Romanian has already read the "you know you're romanian if..." list, but when I came across it again recently I decided to post some of it on my blog. I can't count the number of times that I have been teased by my American friends (ahem Tabea) for saying/doing strange things... but let me tell you- it's not because I'm WEIRD, it's because I'm ROMANIAN!!!!

You know you're Romanian when....

-you grew up on liver sandwiches... and thought that was normal.

-you had to share a room until you were 21.

-everything you eat is savored in garlic and onions.

-your parents never throw anything away and if you by some chance manage to get something to make it to the garbage can... it mysteriously appears back where it was again.

-your mom tells you you're skinny even though you're 30 pounds overweight.

-your parents tell you not to care what your friends think but they won't let you do certain things because of what other 'frati' and 'surori' will think.

-you know someone that married his girlfriend of 2 months.

-going to the movies is a sin

-your dad ever butchered a lamb or a pig

-you don't know how to use a dishwasher

-you arrive one or two hours late to a party- and think its normal.

-you know someone with 20 kids.

-you ever heard of 'stomach stew'

-girls can't have boyfriends when they are 17 but they have to be married at 18.

I'm rediscovering old favorites-

like the Newsboys!

"Holy HOLY is our God almighty...

Holy holy is HIS name alone!!"

The DaVinci Deception...

It's a book by Erwin Lutzer. I haven't read it myself (nor have I read the DaVinci Code) but considering the author, I'm pretty sure it's AWESOME.

Ok so the DaVinci Code movie is coming out in theaters. Alot of Christians are making a big deal about it... but I don't feel threatened by it at all. I mean, have you ever read the gnostic gospels? Their accounts are so ridiculously far from the true Jesus that it doesn't take a genius to figure out that it doesn't belong in the Bible... and it had nothing to do with Constantine's personal motivations.

And... hahha.... Jesus getting married and having descendants in the French royal line... hahaha... that is so humorous!

I'm not opposed to reading the DaVinci Code... I think it's good to be educated about matters like this... I just haven't had the time (or desire, really) to pick it up.

And it's interesting that they decided to produce a movie like this... to me it just seems like a reaction to the Passion of the Christ, because the Passion stirred this huge movement among evangelical Christians, and the secular world hated it. It's the two extremes. Just like in the early 1980's, when the "New Religious Right" had so much influence in government and politics (ALRIGHT ANITA BRYANT!) and was supported by so many citizens... eventually our country morphed into what it is today - the complete opposite of the religious right- with rampant homosexuality and polygamy and abortion.


I John 5:5
"Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

Semester In Review

300 = the amount of money I spent on coffee to help with my all-nighters

18 = the number of times I sat in Pharmacology and wished I was somewhere else...

12 = the number of times the girls so graciously let me spend the night at their apt so that we could have our Monday-Night-Study-Session

85 = the percentage of my personal income that went toward buying food

6 = the average number of hours I slept at night

3,450,780 = the number of times my parents reminded me that by the time they were my age, they were already married with children...

45, 000 = the calories I burned from laughing so hard

120 = the number of times I reprimanded Becky for being a slob and not pitching in around the house

120 = the number of times my parents reprimanded me for giving her a hard time

1 = number of Masterlife workbooks that my small group completed!!!

My Lauren is all grown up...

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending the graduation ceremony of my best friend, Lauren Alvear. Congratulations!!! I am so proud of you girl! You're going to make an amazing nurse. This day marks the end of your college life, but the beginning of something new...

... a new adventure as a graduate and as a single woman :)

I know God is going to do so much in your life this upcoming year!

So much to do, so little time...