"Oy With the Poodles Already!"

 Well, it's that time again. Back to school again. :)

aren't these cute? :) Wish I was this talented...

Back to school days are always a little exciting. As much as I hate homework and late night studying, I love the excitement that fills campus when everyone returns from the summer. Also, as much as I might complain about it, I love learning. I don't necessarily love assignments and tests, but I love learning new things - especially, being at seminary, learning new things about my Savior! 

This year, though, I'm starting school with a little extra anxiety, because for the first time ever I will attempt to be a full-time graduate student and a full-time employee. Working out a class schedule to fit this was no easy feat, but my professors and some members of administration were incredibly helpful to me and we were able to get it worked out. I'm really excited about what the year holds, but also quite stressed - already! 

Registration for classes ended Friday and I was still scrambling to figure out how this was all going to work then. I started looking at my work schedule with one of our three biggest projects of the year coming up in October, the events I'll be responsible for helping plan on campus for our women's ministry program, my full-time class schedule, 40 hour work week, Baptist Collegiate Ministry events with Josh (husband, for any new friends reading this), and involvement with a local ministry in the city, not to mention being a wife and caring for my home and husband and one phrase popped out of my mouth.........

Oy with the poodles already!!

Yes. That is literally what I said when overcome with anxious stress. :) I didn't make this phrase up. It came from the recesses of my memory banks from a habit of watching Gilmore Girls:

(and I was quite thankful for it at the time, because in the midst of my stress, realizing this was my reaction made me giggle)

It's a good phrase if you ask me.

Anyway, that phrase seems to sum up basically how I feel about the upcoming season of life. I'm excited to see how this semester unfolds and looking forward to the opportunities ahead even if I do just want hide under my covers some days.  I believe God will do some stretching and growing in me over the next few weeks. I'm sure it will be uncomfortable at times, but I'm also sure it will be worth it in the end.

So, in keeping with the "Learning to Dance" theme of this blog (you can find more about that here), it appears for this semester, I will be learning to dance something like this:

Nothing like a good library jam session :) Now who's coming with me?

Beignet...Done That.

Whew! It's been awhile since I've posted on here, but let's just say life hasn't been handing out a lot of free time these days and what little free time it does lend, I spend sleeping. Having a wedding to plan, a senior capstone project to coordinate, on campus activities, and senior year of college all at the same time can be a bit overwhelming. This past week was one of those weeks where I didn't dance, I barely even walked straight. My shoulders were slumping as much as the cornners of my mouth with feelings of defeat, inadequacy, and my all-time unfavorite - imperfection.

It's such an obvious concept - we're imperfect - all of us - and we'll never be perfect. But, I think I can speak for millions of people by saying that even though I know that, I still subconsciously beat myself up for falling short. So, when life gets bigger than I can handle and I don't respond to everything with grace and love and smiles, don't look at every situation as an opportunity to show Christ's love, don't seek to serve others in all that I do, then I feel like I've messed up. I feel like a failure. This past week was one of those weeks, but thankfully, I have a great big wonderful Jesus friend that loves to take a weary heart and give it not only rest, but joy. :)

I LOVE it when Jesus seemingly comes out of nowhere and takes my messed up views, hurt feeilngs, and burdens and reminds me that He was there all along, He knew about it, and He cared about it - even though I didn't always remember to go to Him with it. This weekend was one of those times.

On Friday, Jdubb and I went with 4 of our friends and Jdubb's pastor to go check out New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

 We had to leave at 3:30 AM ( A.M.!!!!!) , so most of us didn't even go to sleep except for the entire way there and back. Despite our lack of sleep, we were all in good spirits and excited to be going. It was an absolutely WONDERFUL trip.

 We were able to tour the campus, meet several people - including one of the counseling professors (which is what I'm going to study), some prospective employers, and visit the residence halls and... married housing!! :) We also got to tour downtown New Orleans a little - which is a very ummm... odd...but very interesting scene, and I got to try my very first New Orleans beignet.

Which is where my title came from "beinget...done that." Get it? like, "Been there, done that." :) punny.

It was so exciting to see a preview of what our life could look like next year and get some answers to our questions.
Our trip was full of laughter, confirmation of the calling and direction God seems to be leading Jdubb and I in, and rest from the toil of the week. I felt very peaceful and watched over by my Daddy in heaven while we were there, which was good, because at the same time I was very aware of the stretching and growing God had in store for me there. This Delta girl was being taken out of her Delta bubble and it was an uncomfortable, yet wonderful experience.
We got home Friday night around 9:00 and played dominoes until about midnight. We all slept until lunch time the next day, giving us about 12 hours of beautiful, holy sleep. Lol seriously, I believe there are times when Jesus annoints sleep in order to revive a weary soul. I think this was one of those times - I woke up feeling SO refreshed. Then I got to spend my Saturday cleaning a little, wedding planning a little, spending sweet, un-pressured time with Jdubb, and most importantly, getting some good quality time with Jesus.
My Jesus time started with reading one of the two books I purchased while on our New Orleans trip called Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman.

 and I am SOOOOOO loving it. I read the first chapter yesterday and journaled 3 pages about it. God used it to reach in deep and pull out some ugly, painful wounds that I'd been repressing. He showed me these and then showed them to me for what they truy were - not scary, overwhelming, horrible disease that would rule and take over my life as I'd been fearing - but simply wounds that He was capable of healing; and He started to, right then and there.
I feel like I could write for days about what God did in my life this weekend and the restoration He gave, but I'll save some of it for later :) and I'll end by giving public thanks and praise to Him for His merciful hands of grace that reach in and rescue His weary children.
Stay tuned over the next week for more information on that and the wonderful freedom I've already found and pray to continue finding through Christ's counsel to me through this book and this weekend and His never-ending love and grace. In the meantime, check out Emily's blog at www.ChattingAtTheSky.com to find what she calls a community of "grace dwellers." Now who doesn't want to be a part of that? :)

Who knew Jesus could use a trip to such an infamous city as New Orleans to bring my dancing feet back? Learning that His ways are not my own, learning I really can trust Him, learning that He really does care-even more than I do, learning that He IS good - all the time, and in the process, learning to dance... :)

And So We Begin...

Wow, so here it is: the official first blog post....3...months...later....
I've had this blog just sitting and waiting for a post since November. So, first things first, I must give a very large thank you and acknowledgement to  Brea from Utterly Chaotic Designs!

Brea designed this entire blog with absolutely no helpful directions from me - and look what a wonderful job she did! Seriously, do not underestimate this girl. I was probably one of the most difficult customers EVER, because I am a baby blogger and had zero idea of how to describe what I wanted. I didn't even know what half of the buttons or titles or sidebars that she created for me were. She was extremely patient in explaining the uses of them and in working with me to create a look I would (and do!) love. Also, she had to do all of that while I was unable to access a computer and give her frequent feedback. So, THANK YOU, BREA!!! I LOVE IT!!

*cue applause*
I wish I had gotten around to posting on here sooner, but school and the lack of a computer and procrastination have made that difficult. But now it is that blessed season of life known as CHRISTMAS   BREAK.
AKA the time to catch up on sleep, family, books you actually want to read, and breathing...(I hear that last one is quite important)  :)
Like I said, I'm extremely new at this, so bear with me as I learn how to make posts prettier with pictures and liveliness I googled the "grab me" buttons and strike-through text. But for this initial post, I want to just share with you all what I want this blog to be about.
The title "Learning to Dance" is about this fabulous journey that God has started leading me through in learning to actually live in the grace and joy He offers - really, learning to live as if there really is a God. So many of us proclaim Him and even build our lives around the idea of Him, but we're walking around with the burdens and weights of this world as heavy on our shoulders as those who don't acknowledge Him at all.
I started wondering where the peace and hope and faith and JOY was that was supposed to be a trademark of the Spirit we receive when we follow Christ. I mean, I know some non-believers who seem to be much happier than a lot of believers I know.
So, I finally brought this question to Jesus one day, and He started a wonderful process of showing me what it means to really know Him and how that brings the freedom and joy to dance through life, rather than trudge through it with our shoulders slumped and a hopeless outlook.
Is anyone else tired of being tired??
If so, then please join me in this journey of learning to dance. He has already shown me so much, but I am completely certain that I have a LOT to learn. I would love to have fellow followers learning with me and offering your own insights or wisdom that you have learned along the way.
So, meet me back here tomorrow?
Until then, check out my friend Amber, who was my inspiration to begin blogging:


and who is a  MUCH better writer than me and one of my best friends on the planet,
and then hop on over to http://jessica-calvery.blogspot.com/ to find my other best friend's lovely blog that always has worthwhile reading material :)

Merry Christmas!!!