Lion King Theme

Oh, man... I feel guilty for not writing for such a long time! It's been exactly a week! But what can I say, I've been out there living life and enjoying the summer.

So I guess I'll just give you the low-down on what I've been up to.

Well first of all, every day last week from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. I was at church helping out with our VBS program. We have kids from the age of four to the age of twelve come. It's basically like free day care for parents, but for the kids it's an opportunity to hear the gospel and be loved on. It is a wonderful ministry. I love doing it!

This year I was helping with the red group. We had about 15 to18 kids in each group and 3 or 4 adults/teens. I'm not supposed to have favorites, but the 4-year-olds stole my heart. Xander and Brody were the cutest little boys I have ever met, and if I have a daughter I want her to be just like Emma, who is happy and energetic all the time! Oh, you should have seen these kids, they could brighten up just about anybody's day.

I want children! Not anytime soon.. but eventually I want a family with lots of little smiling faces. I already have names picked out and everything. I'm not in a rush though, I want to have fun and be young while I can because I believe that once you have kids, your life is no longer about you, It's all about your children. My mom is a great example! she always puts us first, and I never hear her complain about it either! You have to be mature before you can have a child, and I know that I'm not yet mature. And I won't be for many more years!

Now, maybe you're thinking, "So what'd you do with all your extra time after VBS, Grace?" To answer that question, I was at work. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and today. Needless to say, I was exhausted. Taking care or kids all day and then catering to every little need the customers had at night took a lot out of me. But throughout the week the Lord took care of me. It was definitely his strength that got me through it.

Thursday evening was fun! I didn't have work, so I went swimming at the lake with my friends. The lake is amazing, I'm so blessed to live in a place where the lake is only 20 minutes away and the water is cool and refreshing. We had a mud fight! which was fun at the time... but I'm still washing stuff out of my hair.

I'm going to miss it here so much...I have great friends that love to go on crazy adventures with me. (i.e. going to the pet store to buy a fish and then getting doughnuts with said fish in hand.) I have natures playground in my backyard basically. Within a half hour from my house I can go swimming in a lake, kayaking on the river, hiking to a waterfall, kite-flying on a mountain, and in the winter, sledding in the snow! It's crazy how diverse California is!

That brings me to my next topic. I'm going to miss my home so much, but I'm so excited for my new one! Yesterday I went to a Biola mixer for Alumni and new students. It was fantastic! There were five or six alumni that were still so passionate about Biola even decades after they graduated. It was a chance for me to meet some of the kids I'll be seeing around campus for the next few years. And let me tell you, they are all wonderful people. I met the girl that will be staying in the room right across the hall from me, and I another girl that I instantly clicked with! It was so much fun getting to talk to these people who are going through the same emotions that I am. Nervous about moving, not sure what it will be like, excited to start my future, sad that I'm leaving my family, and anxious to meet my new Biola family. We are all feeling it. I really can't put it into words how excited I am. I am thrilled, amazed, astounded, and awed that this is happening to me.

It reminds me of the Lion King. That probably doesn't make sense to you, so let me explain.

The song, "I Just Can't Wait to be King" reminds me of how much I cant wait to be on my own for the first time, it's scary but exciting at the same time.

"Nobody saying do this
Nobody saying be there
Nobody saying stop that
Nobody saying see here
Free to run around all day
Free to do it all my way!"

Admit it, you sang that.

 I know there are a few flaws in my logic. First of all, I'm not going to be a king. I'm going to be a poor college freshman living on faith and ramen noodles. Secondly, there will still be people telling me what to do and how to do it. My mom isn't controlling, so there won't be a huge difference in my home life, but my professors will still be my authorities. I won't be free to run around all day, I'll have homework and (cross your fingers) a job. And by now your thinking, "How on earth did you make this connection in you mind, Grace? This doesn't make any sense??" But it does, because you see, I'll be on my own and I'll be figuring out, with the Lord's help, how to do things my way (or really, His way). I've never had to be responsible for myself like this, I will be an adult for the first time in my life. It's new and exciting! And like Simba, I won't be alone. I'll always have my mom and Zach to help me, and my friends from home as well as the friends I will make there. And hopefully a few musical numbers along the way!

"May we think of freedom, not as the right to do what we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right." Peter Marshall

-Grace