Sum Via, et Veritas, et Vita

The Crown Room

penguinsarekool — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:28:17 +0000

I’ve been on too many flights to count in my short life. It’s mostly because my extended family lives in Connecticut (my momma is from there originally). Sometimes I wonder how many planes I’ve been on, how many miles I’ve flown. One day I’ll try to do the math (it would definitely be a rough estimate).

The Crown Room

My father is what some would call a “frequent-flier.” Because of his status as a traveler, as a family we would always be able to use the Delta Crown Room during long layovers. The place is full of entitled businessmen (and women) who think that the world owes them everything, including a nice place to rest on their exhausting business trips across country…okay maybe I’m being a bit harsh, that’s just the major vibe I get when I sit in there. All of the politics of shared space are tested here..there are comfy chairs and not-so-comfy chairs. So when someone walks in, they try to stake out a spot with big cushy chairs. Sometimes people get greedy and put their crap over chairs surrounding them so that they won’t have to endure a stranger sitting next to them. When you do share an area of armchairs with fellow travelers, there is a general rule that you don’t talk about where they’re going, etc. IGNORE ME is the expresson on most people’s faces. On the bright side, they have an open bar, little snackies, fancy bathrooms and comfy mood lighting.

Sidenote cool story about delta crown rooms: my dad met Hulk Hogan in a Crown Room in Atlanta (I think). They chatted it up for a few hours over some Jack and Cokes, pretty cool.

Maybe someday I’ll meet a celebrity in an airport.

I happened to luck out on this trip to AK for spring break. As part of a Christmas gift my dad gave me a one-time Crown Room pass so I could go in while traveling by myself (THANKS DAD!!). I’ve been saving it up for a layover that’s longer than an hour…and here I am…in SLC…for two hours..sippin’ on baileys….people watchin’…and bloggin’…
I spent the past weekend in Denver with my family, and now I’m headed to Alaska to visit a dear friend, Christie Stassel–SO MUCH EXCITEMENT!!

<3 Shay

As fire burns away all the lies

penguinsarekool — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:45:55 +0000

So FOCUS retreat 2011 was of superb quality.

A song (“The Invitation” by The Followers) I heard at Winter Conference illustrates well what I learned alongside friends at the good ol’ BLTC (Bear Lake Training Center).

dangerous, destructive, beautiful

Oh that you’d come, tear open the sky
That you’d come down, that’d you’d come down
Oh that the mountains would tremble inside
That you’d come down, that’d you’d come down

as fire burns away all the lies
Won’t you come down won’t you come down
your fire brings our souls alive
Jesus come down Jesus come down

We have come to meet with you
To follow and love, to take hold of you
we have come here to worship you
to honor and know to bow before you

Jesus come down
Jesus come down
Jesus come down

You are the father and we are the clay
That you’d come down that you’d come down
you are the potter so mold us today
That you’d come down that you’d come down

Jesus come down
Jesus come down
Jesus come down

This weekend I was challenged to ~~cross out the lies~~, burn the lies, put the lies to death. BURN the lies, set fire to them, incinerate them. When one burns something, it is obliterated, gone forever. I want to burn the lies that I hear about myself: you’re fat, you’re ugly, you’re unlovable, you’re not worth loving, you’re too obnoxious, people can’t handle you, you’re too loud, you’re a failure, you can’t do anything right, etc.

So every day I must: Burn the lies. Replace with them with God’s truth. Abide with Jesus. Rinse. Repeat. Live.

<3 Shay

it’s 2:00am and I’m..

penguinsarekool — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:51:04 +0000

..unable to sleep. This doesn’t generally happen. Actually, if I tried, I might be able to sleep. I’m in a strange place. A place of limbo. A place of uncertainty in so many aspects of my life.

Am I making the right decisions about my future?
At what point does one really need a break from college?
Am I who I want to be?
Do I love people the way I want to be loved?
What on earth is the movie Fight Club really about?
If God does exist, can I believe in Him and be an intellectual human being?
Can my faith be an intellectual and informed faith?

I also wonder if I will ever really be free from these types of questions. Yeah, the content might be different down the road, but the themes of uncertainty will surely remain. Huh. Thanks for reading, for endeavoring upon this journey with me…at least digitally.

Anthem of the day: “Poison and Wine” by The Civil Wars. Check it out.
<3 Peace

Oh the weather outside is….

penguinsarekool — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 04:19:36 +0000

..unpredictable. Especially in Logan.

This past week here at USU we’ve been enjoying beautiful 45-55 degree weather during the day. It has been glorious! There have been students in flip-flops, t-shirts, shorts, and the like enjoying the splendid respite from the cold. As one of my dear friends, Rose, said in her facebook status:

“You know it’s been a long winter when 45 degrees feels tropical.”
So true.

Today started out just like yesterday and the day before…shorts, flip-flops, students were again rocking spring clothing. …but around 6:00PM tonight, the wind began to blow…and then the snow began to fall. And now it’s been snowing for 3 straight hours!! Approximately SIX inches have fallen during that time.

Oh the joys of living in Logan!
We all complain about it, but we all secretly love it, too.

-Shay

La Luna Llena

penguinsarekool — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:41:49 +0000

The Full Moon. I wonder if anyone else shares the pure awe I feel when I see it. I simply have to walk outside on a night with a full moon, see my shadow, and I swoon. There seems to be no apparent reason for this behavior, but cliché enough, something comes over me. Tonight, I could see the mountains in the distance–both ranges; the clouds were pure white, lit up by the moonlight. In that one instant, I wished I could have shared it with someone, anyone. I wanted more than anything to be with another person who appreciates it just as much as I do.

The wind picked up, rustled the leaves–
I became so relaxed and I felt like the world was right, at least for this one moment.
I live for it.

I wrote this in high school. I didn’t know Jesus. The full moon is still my favorite natural phenomenon, but I look at it differently now, through a new lense. I know now that I’m loved by the Creator of the universe, the Creator of the moon, and that He is wooing me. He uses the beauty of nature to draw mankind to Himself. He used the full moon to get my attention and think “there must be something out there bigger than me, more beautiful than me, more powerful than me.” I wrote this prose with passion at 17 years old, and I still mean every word that I said.

And now I see the intent behind it all.

-Shay

Big Change

penguinsarekool — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 03:58:03 +0000

Finally–an update on my academic career:

I am changing my major to Liberal Arts with minors in Math, Latin and Ancient Greek. That’s right folks, I will not longer be a Mathematics Education major. I have always been uneasy with the idea of being a math teacher, but I never knew to what I could change my major. Well…the time has come. Finally, in my fifth year of school, I feel like I’m heading in the right direction.

So, I know you’re all thinking–”Liberal Arts major? Don’t they just flip burgers when the graduate?” Yeah, I guess that’s an option, but that’s not what I’m going for. I am planning on going to graduate school either at a seminary or a university with a divinity school. I am interested in Biblical Studies with some sort of language emphasis. The reality is I don’t know exactly what I will be doing when I finish that sort of graduate work…but it’s a start at least.

Thanks for reading. I’m glad I am finally able to catch everyone up on my major change (in both senses of the phrase).

<3 Shayla

Ancient Greek

penguinsarekool — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:18:42 +0000

….I’m taking it. I love it. More details to come soon.

Housing Training…

penguinsarekool — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 05:38:16 +0000

…is exhausting. It’s only been two days, but it feels like I’ve been doing it for a week. I’m haven’t quite decided yet, but I think it’s a good exhausting. I’m learning a lot about how to be a good peer mentor, how to build community, how to run successful programs, yadda yadda. I still have training the rest of this week and most of next week. It’s definitely worth it. I hope to be posting a bit more about the whole process as the weeks go by, but I thought I’d put up a little blurb about it while I have some time.

My sweet RA Ashley made some great name tags for the doors…check mine out:

Yup. That's me.

Time for bed. Peace.

Ummm…Hi

penguinsarekool — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 22:50:04 +0000

It’s been a crazy eight months…

I suck at updating….as you can all tell. But, you know what? I’m okay with that. I think I’m afraid to update because I’m afraid that my posts won’t be interesting enough, or whatever. But maybe I shouldn’t care. I actually really want to emulate my dear friend from summer project, Kayla. Her blog is awesome. It’s inspiring, interesting, and makes you want to get to know her more.

http://kaylachapman.com/blog/

So, without her permission, I’m posting a link to her blog…be inspired.

My life right now:
I’ve moved into my room on campus. I’m working as Peer Mentor this year in Valley View Tower. I’m so excited to meet the new residents…they start moving in on Saturday. This is my fifth year and my last year taking classes. So weird. I will have one more semester, but it will be student teaching, so I don’t really count that.

How do I feel?
Freaked.
I can’t believe that this is my last fall semester taking classes as an undergrad. I knew this would eventually come, but it always felt so far away. But here I am. My goal this year is to be the best student I can be. I kind of let my school life slip last year for a variety of reasons, I passed all my classes, but I definitely did not put my best effort forward. So, for my last year of undergrad, I’m going to kick butt and be a great student! (whatever that means…)

Well friends, thanks for reading. Enjoy a couple pictures of Bonnie, my male betta

I once had another betta named Clyde. I figured he needed a Bonnie.

Isn't he pretty?

This Semester…

penguinsarekool — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:25:23 +0000

..I read Caesar, the real stuff.
..I learned that it’s okay to cry. A lot.
..I learned how to be more patient…still working on being flexible.
..I made chicken soup (almost) from scratch.
..I had a boyfriend with swine flu and didn’t catch it.
..I took a math class that kicked me in the pants.
..I did calculus problems that I had hoped to never see again.
..I learned classroom management strategies.
..I wrote my first lesson plan.
..I taught a class.
..I totaled up and entered the scores of 300 exams (with some helpers).
..I was blessed beyond description by my math professor.
..I was reminded that Jesus is real, over and over and over again.
..I was encouraged by friends and was shown the love of Christ.
..I learned how to better forgive my friends and family.
..I learned that I can forgive even the gravest of sins because of Him.
..I started a new journal.
..I started a new chapter in my life.
..I earned the title “Girlfriend.”
..I learned that men think much differently than women.
..I learned that men need to be respected, and through respect, they feel loved.
..I learned how to better communicate what upsets me (still working).
..I learned that I cannot rely on others to remove my anxiety.
..I learned that worrying doesn’t really do me any good.
..I sang my heart out for Jesus and got to share my story.
..I learned that even though I continue to mess up, He still blesses me tremendously.
..I learned that even in the dark times, He is there.

And I am so excited for 2010. Bring it.

-Shayla Baby