Grad, Games, and more...

As soon as the last exam had been taken, you would have been able to hear shouts of joy on the campus last week. When I finished my last exam, wow! I felt so light! No more tests to study for! This semester literally just flew by, and I'm glad for the break.

After graduation, the campus almost became a ghost town--had it not been for the few students left behind.  We have been able to do some fun things this week, though, with those who are still here. One night we had a Christmas party, another night we played a game of monopoly (it was a long game!), and this last Tuesday, we had a ping pong game. Most of the people we invited had other plans, so just Elias and Tim ended up coming. But we still had a blast! Then yesterday, a group of us went ice skating! It was a lot of fun, despite the falls. :)

For the rest of Christmas break, we are off and away visiting family, friends, and going to GYC. More to come later! :)

Christmas party--the entrance to the room where the party was

The wonderful food that Stacey and a friend made!

Vegetable Christmas tree!

Game of ping pong

Ice skating! ;)

Semester of Blessings

Happy thanksgiving! :)

It's amazing how fast this school year has gone by--it seems like yesterday when I was only registering for this semester!

There are many things I have to be thankful for.  Even though it has been busy, this semester has been full of many blessings, and wonderful times with friends. 

I am thankful for my classes this semester. SDA church history has been quite enjoyable. I have learned a lot about the history of our church. It is amazing to see how God has led our church through the years. 

Optimize Your Brain class by Dr. Nedley has been fun, even though it has been intense! Each week, we have to track our exercise, sleep, water, etc. I am thankful for the information I have learned in this class. It's something I can use for the rest of my life. :) 

Business finance--wow! God totally led when I decided to take this class. I am thankful that God has used it to solidify the direction I believe He is calling me to go. Business here I come!

Anatomy and Physiology. Whew! What should I say about this class?! Challenging, yet thoroughly  interesting!  Yes, lab hasn't been my favorite, and still isn't, but at least it has gotten a little easier for me to handle!  Dr. Grilo is an awesome teacher--I have thoroughly enjoyed his lectures. And even if I'm not doing anything in the medical field, per se, I can still use the information wherever I go!

There are so many more things I can be thankful for, between backpacking with friends, dorm parties, hiking in the snow, playing soccer in a lake of mud, Bible studies....it has been a semester full of fun and blessings! Just two more weeks, and then school is out. :)

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

 Serve the Lord with gladness:

come before his presence with singing.

 Know ye that the Lord he is God:

it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,

and into his courts with praise:

be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endureth to all generations

(Psalms 100:1-5 KJV)

Emerald Bay Half Marathon

Last Sunday, 6 of us from Weimar College drove up to Lake Tahoe to run a half marathon (13.1 miles)!  It was awesome--beautiful weather, beautiful views, and most of all, a lot of fun. :)

In the bus that took us to the start line

The beautiful view up top--Emerald Bay

Stretching and warming up!

Kelly, me, and Michelle ;)

Me, Kelly, Michelle, Daniel, Adolfo, & Elias

Walking to the start line...

....and off we go!

Adolfo

Elias

Kelly, Michelle, & Daniel

Cute!

Michelle & Kelly coming through the finish line!!

Finished!! I was aiming for under two hours, but the 6000 ft elevation slowed me down. I am still very happy with what I did do though, I came in at 2:08:03. I think that's pretty good for my first half marathon. Next time though.....:) 

Running races always remind me of the spiritual race we have to run. While I was running, it definitely required patience, perseverance, and purpose. Patience to wait until the finish line comes into view; perseverance even though I was tired; and purpose, to be able to say I had run a half marathon.

In the spiritual race, it is the same thing. Patience: it is not an easy or a fast race. Perseverance: Even though beset by trials, we can endure through Christ. Purpose: Look for the prize at the end--eternal life and to see Jesus. What a good object lesson!

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith."
(Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV)

Health Expo

Here are my promised pictures from the health expo we recently did in Auburn....a little later than I expected, but here none-the-less!  We were able to be a blessing to many people, through teaching health tips and uplifting music. Health is definitely the right arm of the gospel, and I am so blessed to be able to be apart of it!! ;)

Eunice and me in the bus headed for town

Joelle & Paige

Setting up the banners

Jessa & Kelly

Josh & Joelle ready to go!

Our musicians 

The health gauge booth 

The kids even had their own health program!

Peak mental performance booth

Josh couldn't resist crashing this photo...:)

Blood glucose--Stacey got to poke people :)

Blood pressure station

I just have to say, if you ever have a chance to help out with a health expo, do so! :)

Up next: Emerald Bay Half Marathon :)

PAC...and Lab

Nothing terribly exciting has happened here....except a couple of things I would say that are worthy of mention. :)

I have been enjoying Anatomy and Physiology....Dr. Grilo is an awesome teacher, and his lectures are very interesting. However, there has been one thing about it that I was not looking forward to....lab.

My dislike of anything blood and guts has led me to find a career other than nursing and the medical field. But for some reason, I signed up for this class.

So, lab. This year, Weimar was able to get a cadaver for A&P labs. Should I say anything more?  Well, our first lab with the cadaver was a couple of Thursdays ago. I was definitely not looking forward to this, but Thursday still came strong and clear.

Kelly and I, as well as the other students, headed down to the lab room. There, we changed into scrubs and lab coats (I have to say, I never expected to find myself in scrubs at any time!). Then came the time to go inside....I won't say much more except that one of the girls fainted, and my stomach was in knots for the rest of the day.  When I was recuperating outside the room part of the time, I asked myself, "Why in the world did I sign up for this class?"

But hey, since I'm signed up, I might as well get through it! Perhaps I still have the chance to get used to it....somewhat anyways. So far, it hasn't worked.  On a brighter side, I will have to post a picture of my class in scrubs.

This last weekend was PAC (Practical Application Component)!!--a welcome break from studying!!  All of us students had to pick a project to help out with on campus. Some signed up for the wood shop, others for landscaping or construction. For me, I decided to do electronics. :)  It was awesome!!  The first day, we helped fix outlets in the wall, and the second day, we made microphone cords.

Building an outlet

Part of the group! Wiljon, Timothy, Tino, and me

Building microphone/speaker cords

The cord I was working on

My finished product!!

This is what the landscapers worked on---it looks amazing!!!

PAC is awesome, especially when you get a project finished. It makes you feel like you accomplished something, and that's what I like about it! :)

Today, we are doing a health expo, so photos will come later for that. 

R&R!

It has been a busy start of a new school semester, but not all has been study! Last weekend we launched off to Leoni Meadows for our R&R weekend.

We left Friday morning after breakfast. There were two buses to give rides to all of us students. Mine was the smaller bus! :)

We ended up getting a little lost on the way, but thanks to our driver, we finally made it!

My bus

Jessa and me on the bus!

When we arrived, all of us girls got settled into one of the bunk houses, and then we headed off to lunch and go carts. Go carts were awesome!!!  (Next 7 photos by Adolfo Potts, used with permission.)

Daddy and me! We went fast! ;)

After go carts, there were field games.

Church on Sabbath was very good as well. For Sabbath school, RD led out and had each of us find a secluded spot where we could study and pray, and really come into focus on how our relationship with Christ was. It was definitely a blessing to be able to do that!

Sabbath afternoon, a group of us took a hike to a lookout--we kind of got lost on the way, but we ended up at a tipi--not sure if this was our destination or not, but we had fun anyways!

Sabbath night, we played Waldenses--an awesome game! At Leoni, the lodge where we started was home base, and we had to get to "Switzerland" all the way across the valley to a big cross. I got caught once, and the second time I was about 200 feet from the cross when....game was called over (and I got caught too)! :)  Then we all went inside and played the Name Game--a typical Weimar game. :)

I am so thankful for the time we had to just take a break from our studies, and get to know each of my fellow students better!  R&R always reminds me of the chapter in DA entitled "Come Rest Awhile." 

The whole chapter is very good, and reminds us of the importance of laying aside our work and duties to be able to spend time with Christ, to make sure our focus in completely in Him.  Even our studies can become so consuming that we don't really spend the amount of time we really need with Christ.  That is why I am thankful for R&R! The packing list says "no school books!" We can spend more time studying the Bible, praying, and spending time with and encouraging others. 

"Like the disciples, we are in danger of losing sight of our dependence on God, and seeking to make a savior of our activity. We need to look constantly to Jesus...." DA 362