New.

Everything lately seems new.

A new step in my relationship with Sam.
A new understanding and appreciation for how hard he works as he is in medical school.
A new school year, with more courses than I have ever taken in a year.
A new vocal teacher at school, who I really feel like a can learn a lot from.
A new job, as a nanny for a wonderful family with four adorable little boys under 4.5 years old.
A new understanding of how much Jesus loves me.

New, new, new.

Sam and I being engaged is so wonderful, I love the deepened commitment to one another, the ability to talk and actually plan our lives together knowing that it begins in 9.5 months! It also brings its own challenges of trying to plan a wedding and organize how we will start our lives together in 9.5 months with both of us in school.
This year as he goes into med school I am learning even more so than other years how to respect his space and his need to study, it also motivates me to study and finish my fourth year well.

I am both excited, anxious and frazzled by my fourth year at university. There was instantly more pressure when I realized all that I needed to do in order to succeed, do well and graduate, not to mention I am taking almost two full credits more than I have any other year. I am taking a couple of courses that I am really excited about, like "Intro to Performance Techniques for Palliative Care" - learning about how to use music and therapy in hospice and hospital situations, facing the idea of death and our own mortality head on. Or "History of Jazz" / "Big Band". I have really grown an appreciation for jazz. There is so much passion in jazz music, it gets every part of you involved in the music.
I also am studying with a new teacher, Elizabeth McDonald, who I think will be an excellent fit.

I have a new job this year, something I needed desperately, prayed about and WHAM it was basically placed in my lap without my even asking for it. I will be a mother's helper/nanny for this wonderful family (OPC Alumni) who literally live two blocks away from me. They have four boys under 4.5... A 4.5, 2.5 and two 10 month old twins. I am really excited to experience on a small scale what it's like to have a big family. I have always wanted to have a bigger family, four or five kids, hopefully adopt a couple of those and I think this job will be great experience and a good perspective as to whether I will be able to have that many children of my own one day.

I have a new understanding of Jesus and just how much He loves me.
I am in debt to love. Love is other's centered.
I owe people my love.
I owe them because Jesus loved me so much.
In order to fulfill the law and be obedient to Jesus it means I love other's like Jesus loves me.
Selflessly, even when they don't want it, even when they hate me, not begrudgingly but joyfully knowing that I have the ultimate prize in Jesus.
My power is Jesus. He is my Answer, Strength, Hope, Power. He makes love known in my life.

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality....Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." Romans 12:9-12, 13:8

19 days till I see Sam.
285 days till I commit to love, serve and honor him.

Mrs. MJT to be.


1 comment:

  1. nice to see you blogging again!
    so much change eh??
    nice that god's love stays the same amidst the changes life brings.
    cant not wait for 9.5 months from now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete