Snow...

...on the mountain. Yep, it's true: It's June 3rd, and Mount Washington still has a little snow. If I recall my facts correctly, it can snow at the peak during any month of the year. Here's the link to a site for Mount Washington: http://www.mountwashington.org/
I always enjoy reading about our mountain - home of the world's worst weather!

Anyway, I've been keeping busy since coming home from school - wrestling with to-do lists, practicing piano, annoying my older sister (but having plenty of good times with her too!)...I love being home! I've played piano in church 3 times, made home-made ice cream twice, and I even made my very first cheesecake: Caramel Pumpkin Pecan Gingersnap cheesecake. Yummy! (That recipe can be found here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/11/caramel-pumpkin-gingersnap-cheesecake-so-there/ Definitely worth it!)

I haven't actually started work yet, but that's because it doesn't get busy around here till schools are out. Never mind that my school gets out the second week of May...oh well. I'm sure I'll be wishing for these quiet days later in the summer.

Yesterday my siblings and I went over to church to do some work on Solid Rock, our little publishing ministry, and we found the coolest thing on the study window:

It's called a Cecropia moth, and its wingspan is between 5-6 inches! Apparently they're nocturnal, which might explain why this one seemed a little confused. He was very friendly and spent quite a while perched on my finger. I took 127 photos. =)

This picture shows his wingspan a little better. My favorite part was his incredibly fine little antennae. The incredible beauty of this humble little moth makes me think of Psalm 8.

1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of Your adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained;

4 What is man that You take thought for him, And the son of man that You care for him?

5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty!

6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,

7 All sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,

8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Freedom!!!

Hooray! Finals are done, "pack check" and White Glove are behind me, and I get to go home tomorrow! I don't have anything else to do today except organize a remnant of my belongings and attend Northland's Spring Concert tonight. Free time...what a novel idea!

The remainder of my semester went very well. I was able to pull my grade up significantly in Hebrew. I feel pretty good about the final; we'll see, though. It's so hard to tell sometimes! I did switch my major from English to Biblical Languages, so I'll be taking Greek next year in addition to second-year Hebrew. That should be an adventure!

I've been able to fit in lots of fun things lately too. Last Sunday after the morning service I got to go with some friends on a picnic lunch to Dave's Falls, which is not too far from campus. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful area - it actually reminded me a lot of home! The trees are different, and the rock isn't quite like New Hampshire granite, but the general look was very similar. Here's part of the falls.

I got lots of nice pictures of my friends - including some cute ones of a newly engaged couple - but probably my favorite picture of the day from an artistic standpoint is this one. The color against the tree caught my eye as I was walking past. I turned for a quick snapshot, and when I saw this on the computer I really liked it. I've always wondered what fish think of lures like this - when bugs are this color, doesn't it usually mean they're poisonous? Anyway, it makes for a nice picture. =)

Well, I need to pack my last few things...and then enjoy a quiet afternoon. Maybe I can do a bit of writing so I can actually talk about the theme of my blog!

I'll be home sometime tomorrow (Saturday) evening. I'm very excited to be home, back with my family and church family. I'm looking forward to a great summer - hopefully accomplishing many of the goals I've set for myself! =)

Here I am again...

Well, here's the long-ago-promised post...

School is back in swing after a fabulous Spring Break last week. I stayed on campus, did a little homework and probably wasted a fair bit of time - but it was so nice to relax! I did get a few things checked off my to-do list, anyway.

Spring is slowly battling its way forward here in Wisconsin. Much of the snow has gone; besides the drifts, there are only patches here and there. It's entirely possible that we could get another snowstorm, though - I've heard of it snowing on Graduation day before! That would be a bummer.

Classes are going pretty well. I got my midterm grades after Spring Break, and I'm pleased with everything...except Hebrew. I've been praying a lot lately that God will help me to work harder on Hebrew and pull my grades up. Today I'm thanking Him that I got an A on a vocabulary test. If you think of it, you could pray that I would have diligence in this area.

The school recently asked for photos/artwork that could be used as a background for all the school computers; we were supposed to use the school colors (forest green and white) and either their theme "Life touching life" or their acronym "HOWS." Well, I thought about it...what could be more forest green than some nice pine needles from the forest? And when we got an inch of snow last Saturday...here's what I entered (no results have been announced yet). It's kind of hard to tell in this picture that it's pine needles. Oh well. Believe it or not, this took me the better part of an hour to assemble. I still can't decide if I like it or think it looks silly. =)

In closing, I thought I'd share with you a verse that really stuck out to me from my devotions a few days ago. This is Ezekiel 18:31. "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?"

Here God is addressing Israel in the Old Testament, but this concept of casting away the old and putting on the new is found in the New Testament as well. When I repent and return to God, my sins will be wiped away and times of refreshing will come from the Lord! (Acts 3:19)

God's forgiveness is just so amazing!