Of pain and pride

Hey everyone who reads this. So there's this nifty gadget that lets me see where people are coming from and who reads my blog. I mean, I don't know WHO reads my blog (unless you tag - which you should because I like knowing who reads my blog), but it tells me where people are connecting from. And it's pretty cool, I have people accessing my blog from around the US, from Malaysia, from Australia, from THAILAND?? (who do I know in Thaliand?), etc.

Anyway, the reason for this update, is not primarily to update you on the million and one things that have been going on in Josh's life (so I guess "update" is a bit of a misnomer, although I will try to do just that in a bit). But it's to ask for your prayers.

I've not been having a fantastic past week or so. It's been just an inordinate amount of work - I am currently in a 5-week Junior Colloquium class that is a sort of preparatory class for comps (our senior comprehensive exercise a.k.a. senior thesis a.k.a. dissertation, depending on which continent you are from), and it's been really kicking my butt. Not in the sense that it's difficult, because it's not. But because of the amount of things due every week. I feel like I am constantly battling deadlines and barely surviving one before I have to face another. On the upside, it's almost over, but I really hope that this is not a foreshadowing of next year. It's not. I won't let it be.

Other classes haven't been all too bad. I mean, put together, yes, it's been quite stressful. But taken separately, they aren't too bad. There's medieval Europe, which is a crapload of reading. Then there is also my Counseling Psychology class, which has been immensely engaging. I am actually really excited for my child psychology internship this summer. We had a guest lecturer sometime back who was a child psychologist. And it was SOOO educational to hear about play therapy and all that. I have a story about that. But I will save that for another update.

Anyway the straw that broke this camel's back, in addition to the work stress, the stress of being at Carleton in the 8th week in general, and all the other little things that add up, was that yesterday I was at the Carleton Christian Community retreat, and somehow managed to, while playing volleyball, land precariously on my left foot and twist my left knee. So I am now in a lot of pain, and hobbling around campus is not a pleasant experience. I am realizing very quickly the incredulous number of stairs that we have on campus. Boo.

Also, this week at Mustard Seed, we are having a (re)dedication theme. And we are going to give people the opportunity to make decisions for Christ. Please pray that God will move in a sovereign way. I am also going to be "debut"-ing my song Bring Me Home as a ministry, and yesterday I practiced the song with a freshman, Esther, who plays the cello. I wrote cello parts... and all I can say is, I thank God for the gift of music. Music is powerful to move, to inspire, to say what words in themselves cannot say. I pray that God would use the music we play on Monday night to move many to a realization of their need for Him.

My own devotional life has been far from exemplary this term in general. It's been an incredible chore, especially with the copious amounts of work I have every day, to dig into the Word. It's troubling, because the more time you spend away from it, the less you desire to be in it. So if you could be praying for a breakthrough in this area that would be great to. It's interesting when I'm not in the Word, how quickly I become critical and skeptical of things, how it's hard to see good in other people, and how my sense of what should receive priority in my life gets skewed. It's increasingly difficult to love others unconditionally, too. Basically, it sucks.

Anyway, I am guessing this is not the super-peppy and picture-heavy update that you guys have come to expect of me. I guess this goes to show you that everyone struggles in life. That although I normally choose to encourage you guys with the ups in my life, sometimes it's good (for me at least) to be able to share my downs. There are a bunch of other things burdening me right now, some of which I don't feel would be appropriate to publish online, some of which I am choosing to only let God know, but... thank you so much for reading. And for praying for me.

And I'll be home soon. :)