Fargo

Do I look professional?!  I actually felt professional.  I presented to a board of the grant I am working for. I presented the results of my research along with recommendations and next-steps they can take to keep the work going.  I was -really- nervous, but once I started, it went well!  My boss's boss said I had good eye contact and was engaging, so that was encouraging! Then yesterday, I presented again to a small work-group in Fargo.

I can't believe I'm almost done.  I have enjoyed being here in Fergy so much!

healing

My post from the other day, the sermon at church on Sunday, and the Joyce Meyer message I listened to last night all confirmed how vitally important it is for us to remember the past and thank God for all He has done (and the emphasis is on HE...) Building "alters" out of the stones of past victories give us a place to come and meet God again. I feel impressed to keep sharing stories. To keep bringing to mind the many things God has done in my life. In the story I want to tell today, I am sure this happened in spite of me. When I was in High School we had a church camp with a few other churches call "Cross Training." This particular year we were having it in a Wycliff center in Texas somewhere. Well, while we were there I got a spider bite on the side of my toe. It wasn't terribly painful, but it was very swollen and just kind of aggriavating. Well, my friend Grace said, "Welll.... why don't we pray for it?" And everyone laid hands on my foot and prayed. And prayed with such conviction I was sure when they took their hands off, there would be no more spider bite. When the prayers finished, they took their hands off, and we looked... the bite was still there, although I thought it looked a little better. But Grace said it wasn't good enough, and she said, "We're going to pray again!" And she did... with even more vigor. And when she took her hand off that time... there was no more spider bite. I was completely healed. I think God uses miracles, not always to get us out of terrible situations, but to remind us of His love and power and involvement in our lives. God was THERE with us at camp. And He showed all of us that day that He was there and that prayer works. What a lesson to learn at church camp. (And thanks for your faith, Grace! :))

Resurrection Parade

We went to see the Hunger Games at the dollar theater.  It just made me miss the books.  I suppose that makes the movie a success...?

On our way home we bought:
1) duck eggs
2) Gluten Free Cinnamon rolls
3) carrots

Can you guess which one I was most excited about?!
I've been looking EVERYWHERE for a GF donut.  I love donuts.  LOVE.  I saw them in Russellville and have been unsuccessful in finding them since.  UNTIL TODAY!

(It was yummy.  Don't judge me for having a pre-supper snack.)



Today I got a rejection letter in the mail.  Have I mentioned to you my fear of failure?  Well. Not this time!  I've told a few of you this story... but I think I need it down in writing.  So last semester I applied for a Fellowship for the upcoming year.  Two of my professors encouraged me to apply, and it sounded really interesting, so I did!  It was working with neuro-developmental disorders like autism spectrum and ADHD.  They accept one nutrition student per year, and I was that designated nutrition student! So I applied and was just kind of waiting to hear back.  I even read a few books on ASD, which I really enjoyed.  It really made me think hard about how I treat people.  (Feel free to read "Look Me in the Eye"... great read.)

So anyhow... When Charlie and I were in Louisiana a few weeks ago, I felt like God -very clearly- said to me, "Stephanie. You're not going to get that fellowship.  You learned what I wanted you to learn.  Applying served it's purpose.  But something better is coming along."

Fast forward exactly one week.

I get an email from one of the professors who helped me apply.  She said, "Stephanie.  I have no idea what happened, but they aren't offering you the fellowship.  Don't feel bad, I have no idea what happened.  I'm even on the board!  But I would like to offer you an assistantship with me!"

Wow.  Seriously?!  If God hadn't spoken to me... believeyoume I would have broken down and sobbed.  And when I got my rejection letter in the mail today, I would have broken down and sobbed again.  But I didn't.  I LAUGHED and was filled with appreciation and joy today when I got that letter.  I opened it on our way to the movie, and Charlie laughed and said if God hadn't spoken to me, we would have had to turn around, go home, and spend the rest of the evening tending to my broken little heart.  And he wasn't exaggerating.

This was such a faith-building thing for me.  It reminded me of all the other ways God has worked things out for me.  Like NOT getting into nursing school.  Getting in at Minnesota.  NOT getting sent to Oklahoma, but having the opportunity to learn the nutrition-side to what Charlie does... which is pretty incredible.  I had no idea how much I loved it... but Food Systems is honestly (even though I didn't know it) WHY I went into nutrition.  Or how about how God kept me and Charlie in contact with each other for EIGHT years before we ever met?  What kind of kids do that?

These are the things that build faith and keep up going when we can't see the big picture.  Or the light at the end of the tunnel.  or when we're stuck between a rock and a hard place (whatever idiom you'd like to use.)  It reminds me of "Hind's Feet on High Places" and how Much Afraid picks up a rock at each place she struggles through and later builds an alter with them... remembering EACH thing God has done for her which reminds her to keep trusting... to keep believing... to keep having faith that God is taking everything that is broken and fitting them together in vibrant harmonies, all because of His death, His blood that poured down the cross (Col 1).

Goofy

Over the weekend I emailed a few people for a side-job I have.  I'm trying to collect high-resolution logos for a few different organizations.

This morning I got an email back from one who said she read an article I "co-authored" with a professor at school!  I have no idea who this person is, but I couldn't believe anyone would recognize something like that! She said she enjoyed the article.  (Honestly... calling me a co-author is MORE than generous since all I did was create one of the tables in the article.)  But still.

Tomorrow's Friday!  Hooray!

I wish Pernkie had spent the week with me.  She's such a good companion.

A (nosy) neighbor told Charlie that some of our neighbors have been complaining about how much Rufus barks during the day.  I have a few thoughts on this:
#1) Rufus is a dog.  Dogs bark.
#2) I'm so glad he can stay outside during the day.  11 hours is WAY too many to spend inside unable to go to the bathroom.
#3) This nosy neighbor is sliiiightly passive-aggressive as are a lot of Minnesotans.  When he said neighbors were complaining... what he -meant- is that it's driving him crazy.  But then again, when you never -ever- leave your house, I imagine a lot of things would really get on your nerves.
#4) We're only there for 3 more weeks.

Poor Goofy.  Only his parents love him.  He's such a sweet boy.

firecracker

Wow. Well someone dropped off the face of the earth.

I miss these three.  

I feel bad.  I have been feeling so good lately.  But I must have gotten some contaminated food over the weekend because I feel... well. Like I used to.  I think it was our food processor... or maybe my wooden spoons?  Who knows.  I've got to get this figured out though.  Can't wait till the weekend. 

Happy 4th?

Sorry.  I feel like how Pernky looks in that picture.  I've really had such a fun summer... my internship is awesome.  I really like the work I've been doing.  We had an awesome vacay to see lots of family.  I got a scholarship AND assistantship for next year.  And we think we found a cheap, convenient place to rent.  From a real southerner who says "ya'll", no less.  

I am blessed beyond measure.

Can we tell that to my gluten-hangover, please?  It ALSO needs to be informed of how amazingly, wonderfully blessed I am.