a quarter

For those of you who don't know, I turned 25 this week.

I am excited about this for one main reason: 25 is the age when you can rent a car without additional fees.

It's a big milestone because people will give you any size and type of car, thinking you're a mature adult. Really, though, you feel like this: I just graduated from college...wait, was that really 3 years ago? But I don't really know anything, in fact, I know less than I did in college. Why didn't anyone ever tell me that I'll feel stupider as I get older?? Wait, this person thinks that I can pay multiple hundreds of dollars in rent every month? When did I reach the age when hundreds of dollars wasn't a big deal? It was just a few years ago when I thought $100 was like a million!! And why do these people think I can handle all these responsibilities because I definitely haven't reached adulthood!! Don't they say you're as old as you feel? I feel 14, not 25!


I'm also thrilled about age 25 because of the exciting things I'll be doing during this year of my life, such as becoming a hobo on April 30, working at an adventure camp all summer, seeing one of my best friends get married, moving to Uganda, spending a week at the beach with my adopted family, watching my brother graduate from college, learning a new culture simultaneously with a new job, and renting a car without paying underage fees.

Also, some tidbits for you on how the world has changed during the past quarter century:
-"Salad-in-a-bag" was invented in 1989 (age 2)
-Electronic tolls (think EZ Pass) began in 1989 (age 2)
-Dopplar radar started its TV run in 1990 and is still going strong (age 3)
-Powerpoint was unveiled in 1990! (age 3)
-Debit card transactions became popular in 1995 (age 8)
-Disposable contacts arrived in 1995 (age 8)
-DVDs were introduced in 1995 (age 8)
-Blackberries started accepting email in 1999 (when I was age 12)
-iPods were developed in 2001 (age 14)
-speaking of 2001...9/11 was a life changing event for my generation (age 14)

To avoid ending on a downer, here's a shout-out to my friend JenniMarie: on my birthday in 1888, Eastman Kodak was formed.

Unclaimed and Unconventional

This has to be the awesomest store ever.

They claim to have a stock of "lost treasures from around the world."

If that had been around when Indiana Jones lived, he never would have had to run from a giant rolling stone!

hand of God

Today, I get to be a hand of God.


As Proverbs states, "Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him."


As Corinthians proclaims, "But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body....Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

Today, I get to deliver math textbooks to one of my church's missionary families.

While that may not seem like a particularly noteworthy task, let me recount the divinely orchestrated details.

1) Our church's missionaries in Mexico expressed a need for math textbooks to a church member, who also "happens" to be my coworker.
2) The family mentioned that some of them would "happen" to be in Missouri for an event hosted by my organization.
3) The church member/coworker knew that I also "happened" to be attending this event and asked if I could transport materials if we found them. Of course I said yes.
4) Our church "happened" to have the textbooks and donated 4 years worth of math textbooks--a $500+ worth value.
5) The books were delivered to me. I packed them in my suitcase (and another coworker graciously donated part of his suitcase space also!).
6) Today, I'm delivering the books to our missionary family!

Do you see God's astounding attention to detail??

Now excuse me as I fulfill my duty as a hand...