pre-finals week checklist (2 weeks)

Swazi People Group (80+ slide) Presentation
Evangelism Outside the Box book review
Church comparison paper
Community Health Center visit paper
Anatomy Lecture Exam
Anatomy Lab Exam
Multicultural America Paper
Nyack Heritage Paper
Nyack Heritage Final
Missionary Nurse Bio

Epic

The moment we are presented in the arms of Christ, we are accepted in Him. Dr. Currie,
a brilliant writer connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, has left a beautiful
incident in his own life. He was the editor of one of the best journals of his
church, and in many ways he was closely connected with its work. He dreamed
one night, a little before his recent death, that he died and went up to the gate of
heaven. There he met an angel and asked to be allowed to enter. The angel asked
him who he was. He answered: "I am Dr. Currie, the editor of the Quarterly
Review of the Methodist Episcopal Church." The angel answered: "I don't know
you, I never heard of you before." Soon he met another angel and told 'him the
same story, and received the same answer: "I don't know you." At last one of the
angels said: "Let us go to the Judge and see if He will know you." He went before
the throne and told the Judge about his life and the 'work he had done for the
church, but received the answer from the Judge: "I don't know you at all." His
heart was beginning to gather the blackness of despair, when suddenly there was
One at his side with a crown of thorns upon His head, who said: "Father, I know
him. I will answer for him." And instantly all the harps of heaven began to sing:
"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain," and he was ushered into all the glory of the
celestial world. Not all the preaching we have done, or all the service we have
rendered will amount to anything there. We must be identified with the Man who
wore the thorns; we must be accepted in the Beloved, and then the Father will
love us even as He loves His Son. We shall stand with Him even as Christ does.
-The Fourfold Gospel (A.B. Simpson)

I love nicknames!

My mom hates nicknames, but growing up I always wanted one.  Here at school I am given all sorts of nicknames.  The list is below (in order from most used to least used):

-Livy
-Olive
-Liv
-Loo
-O-lovely
-Blaze

One week

One week until I go back to Colorado for Thanksgiving break.  This is my favorite time of year.  The feeling of getting off the plane and walking through the terminal, knowing that in less than five minutes you will be hugging the people you love most in the world...it's the best feeling I've ever had.  And because Thanksgiving break is the first break of the semester, it's the best time!  Then I come back to school for about two and a half weeks until I go back home.

Highlights of the week:
-Getting to use one lamp (thank you Lord for generators...our power has not been restored yet in my dorm)
-Finishing all three of my tests (although next week may not be so highlighted when I get the grades)
-Getting to skype with my mom, who is in India right now!!
-Seeing friends as we all came back from our week away during the hurricane!

we survived Sandy!

This picture has been circulating around these last few days...it's the subway system in Manhattan.  The city got hit pretty bad by Hurricane Sandy, which thankfully has blasted over and left us...

I spent the night of the hurricane with these two girls, we ended up duct taping their windows because we were scared the wind would shatter them!  We got up the next day to several huge trees blown over and some power lines down.  Honestly, though, the damage could have been worse around our campus, seeing as only one building had trees fall on top of it. 

The real problems for Nyack College started after the hurricane when we all woke up in darkness with no electricity (obviously).  The entire area (like within miles and miles) was without power, and will be for days to weeks.  It was a surreal experience to be living with hundreds of other people, though, all without water, lights, and then seeing the school try their best to provide food for us.  Thankfully our cafeteria has a generator so at night time students could sign up for slots to charge their phones or computers.  Some people gave up on all attempts to keep up with homework, while others (like yours truly) woke up each day trying to make the best of our limited sunlight hours.  

Yesterday a few friends and I got in a car and attempted to find a Panera Bread or Starbucks with power that we could do some homework at.  The next town over had a shopping mall but we and everyone else had the same idea.  It took us an hour to find a parking spot and a table before we could finally get some work done.  I've never been shopping on Black Friday but my friends said that this adventure was almost the equivalent.  

I hate saying that it was a stressful week for me because I know it was a stressful week for everyone, and some people weren't so lucky to have hot water or food or even warm clothing and blankets.  But the week definitely took a toll on my spiritual and emotional state.  Not the hurricane itself, which was kind of exciting, but the days afterwards of a lot of confusion about classes and homework and tests.  Thankfully last night my  good friend Steph asked me to go home with her to Connecticut and on the ride back she allowed me to vent and cry.  Now I am enjoying power and peace in her lovely home...so thankful for a few days of peace and a chance to get a hold on my work load...my goal is to get as much done so I can enjoy Thanksgiving with my family!