You can tell how tired I am by the amount of sense this makes :)

I will probably be writing a lot about "this time last year" because although I haven't changed very much as a person, I don't think last year's Dewey would recognize the perspective of this year's Dewey. Get it?

Last year, while my focus on God was slowly being sharpened, I was mainly focused on my boyfriend and my education.
Wonderful Things!
I was stressed at school(I HATED IT SO MUCH!), but persevering. My endurance, I would accredit to God, Caitlin & Manda--my Bible Study Babes, and Jonathan, the Wonderful Thing of a boyfriend. [He is the one who pointed out to me that I was sleeping an average of 4 hours/night. He challenged me to get 8. He literally bet me that I would feel better. He won the bet. I owed him a kiss.]

I was happy in my life but not fully satisfied. Life last November was a meal with good company, (happy) but it was never more than bread and butter (not satisfied.)

The bread and butter life is so safe! Think about when you're out to eat. The bread and butter is usually free, so you haven't invested anything yet, you can still bail on dinner or just sit and hope it doesn't suck, but you know it will, so you just mow down on bread.

To continue with my super fun metaphor, I was filling up on bread, and didn't even bother to order anything real. Food costs money, man!

I was living a safe life, even a promising life. If I hadn't changed anything, I would have one more semester left of school, great grades, job prospects, and quite probably a ring on my finger. Wonderful Things!


Sometimes I wondered what I would be like if I had truer faith in God. Or more faith in God than I had in myself.

What would it be like to stand in his full light, instead of hide from him in my own shadow.

Have you ever prayed for a bigger shadow so that you could hide more easily? (or was that just me?)

Romans 8: 7-9, 31

For the mind that is set on the flesh

is hostile to God,

for it does not submit to God’s law;

indeed, it cannot.

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You, however,

are not in the flesh but in the Spirit,

if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.

31What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Is anyone out there getting a little restless...?

Random Thoughts

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Colossians 3:23

Over the past 2 and a half months I have been challenged in ways I never even knew I could be challenged. Going from an environment of being loved and appreciated by my employers and having such a huge group of people around me that I loved and who loved me back, and coming here to a completely new way of working and living has stretched me just about to my limits. Although it has been so easy to complain and whine about it I feel like God is really trying to teach me some things through all of this.

Here are a few things that I have learned and need to continue to work on.

1. God has placed certain people in my life so that I can learn from them, even if they annoy the crap out of me. And I think that it can go both ways. While there are things that I can learn from them, I feel like God is showing me ways in which I can teach them. It has all been quite a humbling experience.

2. No matter what, people will ALWAYS fail us, and God is the one and only true person/friend/God that we can always depend on and who will never ever fail us! That has brought me so much comfort over the past few months.

3. I am learning how to love people just the way they are. This is probably the area in which I have the biggest struggle. Each person felt called by God to come here, and I have no right to think that I am in any way better than others around me. God truly does love each and every one of us, and sometimes I really need to remind myself that I am not "special" in the sense that I gave up my whole life to come here and serve. Everyone else has done that too. God has humbled me many times when I start making everything too much about me, and not having a compassionate and loving attitude towards those around me.

I am sure that there are many more things that I am still realizing that I am learning :) May God continue to show us all how to love and live like He wants us to!

Time Management.

"Lord, remind me how brief
my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered,
and my life is fleeing away."
Psalm 39: 4

This morning I was working on a monthly budget for December and it got me thinking about how I budget my time. I'm trying to use the money God gave in wise ways, but what about the time he has given me?

If I made a budget of where my time is spent, would it reflect that of a godly woman?
Sadly, I doubt it.

How do we change our schedules to ensure we are living out God's plan for us?
Do we wake up and dedicate each day to God's will? We should.
Here's a good way to start changing how we spend our time:

"I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless."

Psalm 101:3a

Anything that is worthless.
Why is it so easy to fall into a pattern of doing meaningless tasks?

How often do you spend too much time on worthless things? I know that I have spent too much time lately on the computer, watching worthless t.v. shows, worrying about worthless things...

When we allow these worthless activities to take over our time, we are clouding opportunities God has given us to love others, to give generously, to grow with him; ultimately, to live the life he planned for us.

Maybe it's time to create a budget for our time.
I suggest looking at pages 3 &4 of this article on biblical time management.


Ephesians 5:15-16 "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days."

Colossians 3:23 "Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people."

1 Corinthians 10:31 "Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God."

Colossians 4:5-6 "Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone."