The Busiest of the Busys

Yes I am aware that the title of this blog is probably not proper English (it's definitely not)...but those of you who know me should be used to these funny phrases by now:)

It's been far too long since I have blogged! Instead I have been keeping up with a journal and i'm SO proud of myself for that! I know...it's a miraculous feat. 

A short update on my life is this...I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING.

This is a good thing and a bad thing.  Well not bad, but just uncomfortable.

As human beings, we have been born with this idea that we MUST be in control of every facet of our life at all times.  We are taught that surrendering control to someone else is weak and should be avoided.  This is a lie.  I am learning (oftentimes the hard way) that I am not in control of my life. 

 My goal for this summer is to not just sit back and hope that God sends good things my way, but to actively and avidly search out Christ and pray for him to reveal purpose to me.  

Don't get me wrong, I have lots of dreams and hopes and goals and ambitions.  Anyone who knows me well knows that I LOVE to be busy with lots of things and interacting with lots of people! ( hence the title of this post) but sometimes I can use that as a distraction from other things in my life that I need to be dealing with.  I also let my dreams and my ambitions for this life get in the way of what God wants me to do.  And I know that what God wants for me is always way better than what I want for myself.  Isn't that the best feeling?!  Then why is it so hard for us to surrender to his plan?  Yeah I'm still trying to figure that out...I'll let you know if i ever do ;)

I am currently working in the Student Life office as an intern up at OC and I am SO happy to be on campus this summer!  I get to work on fun things like church camp and Earn Your Wings (I'm an Assistant Director this year!) and campus-y things like that!  

I just returned from chorale tour where we went to Washington DC and New York City! It was a really great trip! 

Here are a few of my favorite memories...

 The World War II Memorial

 President Lincoln. Love the guy.

 The National Art Gallery had SO MUCH DEGAS. I was in heaven. 

 My favorite sculpture!

 Madison Dr! Guys I'm famous.

 Our Nation's Capitol 

Thomas and Jared came with me to the indoor flower gardens! 

Overall, it was a really fantastic trip! Then I got to go home for about 10-ish days and spend time with the fam:) It was great! 

I'm looking forward to seeing where God takes me this summer! 

I'll update again soon...maybe...

:)

Lord give me strength to make it through somehow...

These past few weeks have been some of the most physically and emotionally exhausting that I can remember.

It's in times like these that the Lord whispers strength to me and sends the most beautiful people into my life at just the right time.

Today, my dear friend Elise and her family had to say goodbye to their mother.  It was such a beautiful ceremony for a truly beautiful woman.  I am so glad that God brought Elise into my life.  She is beautiful, strong, Godly, lovely and absolutely in love with Jesus.  She is such an inspiration for me and I am so glad that she included me in this day.

This funeral that I attended today was the first funeral that I have been too since we buried my Dad.  I did not realize how hard it was going to be until I got there.  The most wonderful thing is that God did know how hard it was going to be, so he gave me the blessing of having my sisters there.  I cannot express how much having them there with me gave me strength.  I am so thankful that God lead me to Gamma Rho and the wonderful women that make it what it is.

The Lord is showing me over and over that he cares for me and that he holds me in his arms.  

I am so, so, so blessed. 

:)

On a more upbeat, excited note...SPRING SING IS TONIGHT!!! 

more pictures to come!!

A Million Times Blessed

God has blessed me with the MOST amazing women in my life. Seriously. I don't know what I would do without them.  

First of all, let me tell you about my mom.  She is amazing. She is the most strong, beautiful, Godly and loving woman I have ever met. I adore her. I want to be like her. She is the best.

There she is. Isn't she cute?:)

Then as if having the best mom in the WORLD was not enough, God blessed me with the best roommates in the world.  They put up with my weird little quirks, my lack of initiative to do dishes (sorry i'm working on it), and my incessant singing.

They are wonderful.

And I swear that this girl and I were separated at birth because we are seriously sisters and soul mates.

Laura Leigh almost Vanderzee:) 

I don't know what I'd do without her.

And I can't forget this next girl.  She is an absolute joy and rock in my life.

I love working with her!

I really just have the best friends anyone could ask for. 

God has blessed me way too much:)

Flowers, Candy Hearts and Jesus

So tomorrow is Valentines Day.  I feel like this is one holiday that every single person has an opinion on.  I mean people either go disgustingly ga-ga over it or they loathe it entirely. 

I however am in the small percentage of people who just doesn't have a really strong opinion about good ole' V-day.

I think that God calls us to love each other every day and I learned from my parents beautiful relationship that love is unconditional and that it grows daily.  They showed me that you don't need a designated day to show the one you love that you love them, but when it comes along...you should take advantage of it. :)

Tomorrow I am looking forward to loving on my friends, eating Big Truck Tacos with the girls, making a yummy dessert, thanking God for the relationships he has given me along with my capacity to love, and focusing on the relationships I do have, while praying for my future ones. 

Valentines Day doesn't have to be SAD (Singles Awareness Day), it should be filled with love for family, friends, and life:)

Love you all!

Mads

My 3rd to Last First Day of School.

Hello Everyone!  Happy 2011!

I don't know if I'll ever get used to the 2000's.  I'm such an 1990's girl. Not that I advocate bringing those hairstyles back.  Anyway, I don't really believe in New Year's Resolutions but I do believe in setting goals.  I feel like there is so much pressure riding on a resolution.  Also, I feel like most people make them just for the sake of telling people that they are making them.  Which totally defeats the purpose.  Here are a few of my goals for 2011.

1. Love More Often- Jesus gives such a strong example of love and I don't often follow it.  With a little prayer I think I can manage this:)

2. Become a Better Student- for those of you who know me, you'll know that the only way to go is up on this one;)

3. Commit to Reading My Bible-  If I can read my bible at least three nights a week (not counting for bible class) I will be a very happy camper.

4. Keep Up With Encouragement Notes- these dang things kill me every week!  It's not hard, I just have to do it.  And I can....please encourage me.  That pun was absolutely intended.

5. Take on a Healthier Lifestyle-  I am in my best friends wedding this summer and she deserves to have smokin hot bridesmaids!  haha that's so vain...but seriously.  Healthy habits and regular work out routines inspire better attitudes and daily functioning.  I could use a bit of both.

These are 5 things that I know that I can improve on.  The list my grow longer but for now this will do!

Feel free to hold my accountable adoring public;)

Wishing you all a wonderful first week of school!

MVC

My heart cannot be kindled without you

I'm going to admit something to you all tonight.

I have no idea who I am.

There I said it.

Maybe I should rephrase.  I know exactly who I am...who I can and should be...but I don't know where that girl has gone.  As cheesy as it sounds, I found myself in Switzerland this summer.  Never before had i felt so close to God.  He was so real to me there.  So tangible.  He was in everything I saw, everything I touched and in everyone that I met.  The development in our relationship had endless possibilities.  Sometimes it feels like I said goodbye to him in the airport in Geneva.

Let me admit something else to you.

It's very hard for me to refer to God as my Father.

Someday I hope to sincerely call him Father and mean it.  I miss my earthly father so much that it almost seems like a betrayal to give his name to anyone else.  It would make my Dad sad to hear me say that.  But as of right now it's an unfortunate truth.  I feel like I should have all the answers by now! By the worlds standards I'm doing just about everything right.  I'm an intern at a church that I love, I'm majoring in something that I'm passionate about, I'm living on my own, I have a great group of friends and I'm involved at my school.  I've got everything together right? That is far from the truth.  God has blessed me with all of these things and daily I take them for granted.  Sometimes I even take credit for them!  Who am I to take credit for the gifts and opportunities given to me?

Every day has become a routine. Get up, get ready, go to class, go to chapel, go to lunch, take a nap, go to rehearsal, go to church, do homework (sometimes), go to bed, and then start all over.

I feel like i've lost my passion.  I'm starting to worry about the future.  Where will I live after graduation?  Who will I marry?  What exactly will I be doing?  What are my plans for this summer?  How am I handling my relationships now?  What if, what if, what if?!

I can't keep living like this.

I need to find myself again.

I need to find that giddy, little girl who is so in love with Jesus that I left wandering around on the other side of the world.  I want that Madison back, and I know my friends and family do to.

I believe in the power of prayer, so would you pray for me?  Pray that God scoops me up in his arms and rekindles my passion.

I'm so thankful for the people I have in my life.  I am richly blessed.  God will see me through.

Happy Thanksgiving:)

-mvc

Hyperbole Crew Bs

Oh my heavens.

I have been the busiest little bee lately!  I might have spread myself too thin this semester but that's the way I like it.  It's not that I can't say no, it's just that there's nothing I want to say no to:)

This week will HONESTLY be the busiest week of my life!  It's homecoming here at OC and I'm on one of the homecoming committees and in the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE GO UP THIS WEEK!

I'm just so excited.  It's going to be great and everyone should come!

Let me tell you all something else.
God has blessed me with the most wonderful and precious friends.  Hence the title of this blog.  Let me explain.

You might refer to us as dramatic...but I like to think we are living life to the fullest and perfecting the art of putting hyperbole to everyday use.

For example:  "I am literally going to explode into a million pieces."  or my most recent favorite...

"I WILL BARF UP A PLANET."  -Melanie Sullivan

Just makin life more interesting:)

On a more serious note, I ask that you please pray for my precious friend Elise's mom.  She has been in and out of the hospital this year and is in a pretty serious condition.

Here is the link to the blog Elise is keeping.

http://missgoosie.tumblr.com/

I ask that you pray for healing and that God's will be done.  Also that they can feel his arms around them during this time.

Well, I'm off to run a secret errand!

More blogging soon!

Madison