The countdown is on: 6 hours until we leave for free travel. We are leaving for the airport at 2:30 a.m., where we will then fly to Amsterdam. After arriving there, we will board a train to Berlin, Germany. If we can start out on the right foot, hopefully the rest of our trip will go fairly smoothly. I am not expecting a comfortable ride with everything going as planned, but I'm praying for enough stability to make it worth our while.
When I am feeling overwhelmed with stress, I stop and count my blessings. Ben accidentally sent his Eurail pass home with his luggage. The clock is ticking and he is desperately trying to play out his options. Right now it seems like a lose-lose situation, but I am praying that things will work out for good. He has been looking forward to this for so long and he deserves such a great trip. No matter how this trip goes, I will always stop and count my blessings. I am doing more at 21 than most people get the chance to do in their whole lives-- what a gift!
We didn't really do anything profound on our last day, but that's exactly what I wanted to happen. I simply soaked in "the last day to sit outside," "the last day to eat dinner at our usual table," and all the other "last" things. I have been fairly composed, surprisingly, but I'm sure it won't all hit me until I get home.
My backpack is expanded to capacity and I have a feeling that I will start throwing away things as the trip goes on. Haha. Ten dollar shirts from Wal-Mart start looking more and more like garbage the longer the week goes on. I need to finish cleaning the room and doing some other last minute things to calm my nerves. Lacey sweeps when she is stressed and maybe I should incorporate this into my routine. You calm tension AND get things done.
I will try to write if I ever get the chance, but I don't know how available internet access will be. Adding to the list, I guess this is my "last" blog entry from the computer lab in the Artemis Hotel. I have enjoyed documenting my adventures, my growth and the sights I have been able to see. Though I was writing it for myself, it was your encouragement and comments that inspired me to log in each day.
A special shout out to Alana's mom-- thank you so much for your sweet comment on my last entry! I have loved every minute of being with your daughter-- I knew from the minute she sat by me on the bus that first time, that she would become a good friend. She has a sweet heart and I know that she probably gets that from you! Thank you to all the other moms who read my blog-- most of my tales and stories wouldn't be possible without the help of the wonderful daughters you have raised! (Even if they are quite the pranksters, Mrs. Casey.. Haha!)
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we embark (I love that word!) on this journey. I'm sure we will come back with stories that make you laugh, make you cry and make you shake your head and say, "That's my daughter for ya!"
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous
I have decided that chillin' by the pool is my calling in life. Forget the ambition and dreaming of previous entries of yesteryear. Though day by day our numbers get few, it leaves time for the rest of us to live luxuriously. Several of us girls sat out by the pool for hours, getting a tan and reading a book. I braved the icy cold water a few times, but decided that soakin' up the sun was more my style. I came in after a few hours and noticed that I got quite a tan. I hardly ever can notice right away, but today was special I guess. I love the feeling of sun on my face and the wavy mess of hair that results after swimming. Fofi bought us bowls of strawberries and I got a plate full, with a side of sugar-- the perfect treat.
We said goodbye to Mandy and Sarabeth today. I will miss the sound of Mandy's laugh echoing throughout the halls, which usually ended with a Sarabeth snort. You know those people whose laugh warms your heart and makes you want to tell jokes and stories for the rest of your life? That would be Mandy.
Nathan, Noah, Jarrett and Marshall also took off today-- everyone called first hug, last hug, largest hug and all that from Nathan so he told me that I had dibs on first kiss. He grinned because I left a hot pink kiss mark on his cheek. I will miss 'ol Nathan. He always made me laugh with his journal entries that he would turn in, each place had a poem about it. He has this cute embarrassed face and I will miss seeing him do it, along with the way he laughs hysterically when people tickle him.
I'm glad we have had these few days to recover before an exhausting 2-week stretch. I plan to hit the pool tomorrow one last time. :-)
Keep our whole group in your prayers. Thank you for your continued support! Keep commenting and stuff-- it is very encouraging!!
We said goodbye to Mandy and Sarabeth today. I will miss the sound of Mandy's laugh echoing throughout the halls, which usually ended with a Sarabeth snort. You know those people whose laugh warms your heart and makes you want to tell jokes and stories for the rest of your life? That would be Mandy.
Nathan, Noah, Jarrett and Marshall also took off today-- everyone called first hug, last hug, largest hug and all that from Nathan so he told me that I had dibs on first kiss. He grinned because I left a hot pink kiss mark on his cheek. I will miss 'ol Nathan. He always made me laugh with his journal entries that he would turn in, each place had a poem about it. He has this cute embarrassed face and I will miss seeing him do it, along with the way he laughs hysterically when people tickle him.
I'm glad we have had these few days to recover before an exhausting 2-week stretch. I plan to hit the pool tomorrow one last time. :-)
Keep our whole group in your prayers. Thank you for your continued support! Keep commenting and stuff-- it is very encouraging!!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
If you want to know...
Lacey made an itinerary that is hard to copy and paste onto this and is easier to download. She sent it to all of our parents-- if you would like a copy of it, e-mail my mom (rjreely@hotmail.com) and give her your e-mail address so she can send it to you! It isn't really specific yet because we are still filling it in with places and museums and such. We're college students, ya know. Little bit of planning, lots of flying by the seat of our pants! :-)
The First of the Goodbyes, Good Grades and an Engagement (No, it's not me..)
Today we bid our first farewells. We got up early and saw Kyle off. Because of his health issues, he decided to go ahead and fly home-- so that he could get everything worked out and not risk problems on free travel. A few moments ago we bid farewell to most of our crazy Knights boys, which will leave quite a void to life around here. It will be pretty quiet without them hee-hawing around the Artemis.
I have never really done well with goodbyes. Last night, Lacey showed Alana and I a slideshow she had put together. She took scenic shots from this semester and put bible verses on top of them. She is such a good photographer and is very talented in putting things like that together. Alana and I burst into tears after it was over and I started doing my I-can't-breathe cry. The one where you keep gasping for air and you sound like you need an oxygen tank. Embarrassing. Haha. I have a feeling it's the first of many to come.
It kind of stinks that we're the last group to leave because we have to notice the Artemis getting quieter and quieter. We have to see the empty tables with no one playing Spades on it-- and the livingroom couches open for once.
Though it is really hard to say goodbye, I know that all good things must come to an end. I am looking forward to being home with my family-- and feeling the effects of this trip for years to come. It's hard to move on, but it is also exciting. I feel like I have broadened my horizons and now I don't want to settle for less. I don't want to write for a podunk newspaper-- I want to work for a magazine, where I love what I'm writing and feel like I'm putting a piece of me into each article. Though coming into my own is a scary thought, it has now become more of an exciting challenge than the biggest fear of my life. Bliss and I were just talking about the exciting possibility of living in Nashville together while she goes to school and I get a job. I'm not a fan of growing up-- but this trip has made me a little more comfortable with that.
Pray for our patience as this week rolls around and as we free travel. Pray that I will keep the tears to a reasonable limit. Haha!
On a positive note, I just found out that I made an A in Humanities 270 and Humanities 201, the two hardest classes! :-) I think I probably made an A in Greek, but that hasn't been finalized yet. I won't find out about World Christian until the the semester back home is finished. I'm crossing my fingers for all A's! I got off to a rocky start, but once I got the hang of things it was more manageable. That makes this semester that much better! :-)
I just keep adding and adding to this message. I just heard a hysterical scream from Ashley and ran downstairs to see what was the matter. Nic and Carrol, one of our couples, just got engaged! I love them both and I'm so excited for them! They have been dating for a few years. She just got done showing us her ring (which is BEAUTIFUL!) and telling the story. He walked her down to the beach and asked her to make him the happiest man in the world! All the girls, of course, awed in unison. Happy times! :-) I'm glad we got to share it with them.
Unless something else happens, this entry has now come to an end. Love ya!
I have never really done well with goodbyes. Last night, Lacey showed Alana and I a slideshow she had put together. She took scenic shots from this semester and put bible verses on top of them. She is such a good photographer and is very talented in putting things like that together. Alana and I burst into tears after it was over and I started doing my I-can't-breathe cry. The one where you keep gasping for air and you sound like you need an oxygen tank. Embarrassing. Haha. I have a feeling it's the first of many to come.
It kind of stinks that we're the last group to leave because we have to notice the Artemis getting quieter and quieter. We have to see the empty tables with no one playing Spades on it-- and the livingroom couches open for once.
Though it is really hard to say goodbye, I know that all good things must come to an end. I am looking forward to being home with my family-- and feeling the effects of this trip for years to come. It's hard to move on, but it is also exciting. I feel like I have broadened my horizons and now I don't want to settle for less. I don't want to write for a podunk newspaper-- I want to work for a magazine, where I love what I'm writing and feel like I'm putting a piece of me into each article. Though coming into my own is a scary thought, it has now become more of an exciting challenge than the biggest fear of my life. Bliss and I were just talking about the exciting possibility of living in Nashville together while she goes to school and I get a job. I'm not a fan of growing up-- but this trip has made me a little more comfortable with that.
Pray for our patience as this week rolls around and as we free travel. Pray that I will keep the tears to a reasonable limit. Haha!
On a positive note, I just found out that I made an A in Humanities 270 and Humanities 201, the two hardest classes! :-) I think I probably made an A in Greek, but that hasn't been finalized yet. I won't find out about World Christian until the the semester back home is finished. I'm crossing my fingers for all A's! I got off to a rocky start, but once I got the hang of things it was more manageable. That makes this semester that much better! :-)
I just keep adding and adding to this message. I just heard a hysterical scream from Ashley and ran downstairs to see what was the matter. Nic and Carrol, one of our couples, just got engaged! I love them both and I'm so excited for them! They have been dating for a few years. She just got done showing us her ring (which is BEAUTIFUL!) and telling the story. He walked her down to the beach and asked her to make him the happiest man in the world! All the girls, of course, awed in unison. Happy times! :-) I'm glad we got to share it with them.
Unless something else happens, this entry has now come to an end. Love ya!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Cruisin' the Greek Islands
We concluded our semester with a 3-day cruise aboard the Aquamarine. We left early in the morning and drove to where the ship was docked. We all got on board and took short naps before the loud, British lady with a deep, sultry voice (for the first time out of thousands of times to come) came over the intercom to inform us we had a muster drill. We all sleepily gathered our orange life vests and followed the others up the stairs. It was a vast sea of orange and gray. (Most of the other passengers were a lot older..) Our peppy Latin senorita staff member cheerfully explained how to put on the lifevest and showed us where our whistles and lights were. We were joking around and having fun with the drill (not to the point of being a distraction, of course) and this man behind us nonchalantly throws in, "You do know a boat from this company sank near Santarini 2 years ago.." We thought he was kidding, but he told us the whole story and our travel agent from Aristotle backed him up on it. I listened a little more closely. :-)
We landed in Mykonos early that evening. We walked around the town, which is full of white houses, decorated with accents of blue, green and red. I loved the blue window shutters and the bright flowers that decorated the staircases. We saw the famous church, a white igloo-type structure that adorns almost every t-shirt and souvenir from this island. The main attraction on this island is the giant windmills. They are remnant of the old days, with their rooftop hay coverings. Though very practical, I was thankful that they chose beauty over a modern contraption. One of my friends from back home proposed to his girlfriend (the Myhan's daughter) here about a year ago. I remember him telling me about it, but I am so glad that I got to see the spot for myself. It was here that I sat outside of a shop that was playing the traditional Greek music. I was sitting there, looking out at the sea and soaking up my final days in Greece. It was then that I decided I didn't want to lose that moment so I walked in to the music shop and said, "I need this CD. What is this CD?" The lady handed me a Greek instrumental CD and I bought it. My family will be glad to know that when I need to have a "Greek moment" they will hear "Zorba's Dance" blaring from my room-- or maybe even the livingroom. Haha. :-) Mykonos is also home to the hugest pelican I have ever seen. He basically owns the island. He, being a big part of their souvenir profits, knows that he is and waddles with an heir of arrogance. People were lined up to have their picture with him and he would open his mouth (which has a span of about 10 feet it seems) and chomp on their arm. It wouldn't hurt-- it would just make this hilarious noise. Everyone would laugh and he would walk down the street, in and out of stores, if he wanted to. I have never seen such a prima donna bird.
When we boarded the ship at night, we always had entertainment. After a family cruise in high school, I sat back and awaited a band that imitated the Beatles or a Broadway-type performance from a classy woman in a sequin gown. WRONG. I guess the best way to describe their nightly entertainment would be Las Vegas try-outs. Women, with caked-on makeup, diamond-studded bras and sequin underwear that doesn't deserve its place in the undergarment category, emerged from behind the curtain. What I cherished more than this, was looking around at all the shocked faces. I mean, we're used to Harding's editors cutting this stuff out for us. We go to PG movies where they bleep out the word "butt" and here we are with women wearing far more feathers than a bird shaking their bootays while a woman and a man, in Jasmine-Aladdin, type outfits belly dance to an Egyptian number. I was absolutely mortified, yet couldn't quite peel my eyes away from this entertainment trainwreck.
We were lucky the second night to have a Greek-inspired performance, where real Greek men came out and danced to several traditional dances. At the end, some of us went on stage and attempted to dance with them. It was quite a breather from the night before, but the last night was back to the city of sin. Haha.
The rest of the time spent on the cruise ship, we watched movies and played games in the gameroom. They also had a disco every night, which was really fun. It wasn't quite as fun as Egypt because there were other people, highly intoxicated, who decided to get on the dancefloor too. I sat there and watched how they crazily flailed their arms and slurred their words and I saw how much more fun we were having.
Our second stop was Rhodes. This place was mainly for shopping-- I bought a purse here. I spent the first part of the day with Mandy, Bethany, Ashley and Sara and met Lauren, Lacey and Alana for lunch at this rooftop restaurant-- we had some really good pizza! It was Lauren's birthday and I think she had a really good one. Lacey made her a sweet slideshow, with pictures her mom had sent her and pictures gathered from this trip. She also got sang to at dinner and the DJ at disco night recognized her and played, "Happy Birthday." Rhodes, like Mykonos, was a cute little town that integrated charm from ancient days with the style of the present. It had castles and fortress walls, but also stone streets with shops lining every square-inch. Restaurant owners tried to bid you to come in and some even called you beautiful. Very charming little place. It is also home to another one of the ancient wonders of the world: the colossus of Rhodes. Though it can't be seen anymore, it was a huge statue of a man that stood over the dock, letting ships pass under his massive legs.
We woke up super early on Sunday morning to quickly hit the island of Patmos. A small island that has about 3,000 people, it is where John was exiled along with his scribe. We visited an old monastery upon arrival, along with a museum that houses ancient manuscripts and scripture, but later hit the main attraction: the cave where they say John wrote the book of Revelation. He stayed here for 18 months before returning to Ephesus at age 104. Using this cave for his prayers and meditation, he was shocked to hear a loud trumpet one day, the blast of the horn cracking the cave walls. He was told to write down what he saw and heard and send it to the 7 churches of Asia. Not so surprisingly, this site has become a church. There was a service going on, but our tour guide still led us through. The familiar smell of incense overtook my senses once again. "Young lads," as our British tour guide called them, sang worship chants and it added to the solemn atmosphere. Visiting here made me realize that maybe I should take another stab at reading this book of the Bible. I have been to Bible studies on it, I have tried to talk to others about it-- but I get easily frustrated with its complicated themes. Maybe it deserves another chance. :-) Adding to my impression of Patmos is the fact that Richard Gere and other celebrities own homes here for when they need to "get away." I love me some Richard Gere. I wish I would have run into him, but unfortunately I don't think the Cave of the Apocalypse is the best place to find the man.
That afternoon we arrived in Ephesus, Turkey. We first visited the remains of the temple to Artemis, which consists of marshy swampland, a huge pillar and some huge stones spread throughout the swamp. This was another one of the ancient wonders of the world. With 126 columns, this building would fit about 3 Parthenons inside of it! That blew me away!
We then made our way to the ancient city of Ephesus, where we saw remnants of their way of life. Government buildings, public bathrooms, you name it-- we also saw what was left of Turkish baths, which brought on unwanted flashbacks of the Turkish Bath experience I endured in Jordan weeks ago. (Ask me about it personally and I will be glad to tell you about..once again, not so sure it is worth publishing..)
We saw the world's 3rd largest library, behind the ones in Alexandria and Pergamum. It kind of reminded me of the treasury in Petra-Jordan. Not quite as impressive, but it stood tall and it was easy to imagine how impressive it would have been back in its day. We also visited the theater where the silversmiths met to riot against Paul. Demetrius started riling everyone up when he told them that if Paul convinced people to believe in Jesus, it would hurt their profits. As made obvious by their ridiculously elegant temple to Artemis, she was a big part of life in Ephesus. If people stopped believing in her, then the silversmiths would have lost money from idols and statues that they made of her. I sat in the theater, where years ago, mobs of people shouted for 2 1/2 hours straight, "Great is Artemis, god of the Ephesians!" Paul could have easily been killed by the mob, but luckily he was allowed to spread the gospel further.
This ends my journey of walking in Paul's footsteps-- I love the book of Ephesians and it was neat to see how the people who read it lived. We saw their version of "Rodeo Drive," where all the rich ladies shopped. We saw their fountains and their statues. We saw it all.
We ended the cruise with Captain's night, where we all dressed up some. The boys looked sharp in their shirts and ties. :-) We took lots of pictures and sadly realized that this was the last time our whole group would be together. A little bit of melancholy set over me for various reasons. I tried to dance it off, but every time the techno stopped, so did the distraction. My roommate for the trip, Bethany, noticed that I was kind of down one night and we had a really good girl talk. Covering the usual bases of boys, frustrations with change and the feeling of being often overlooked, we talked for a really long time. A little bit of homesickness swept over me as I took a shower-- the hot water hit my face and tears started to slowly stream down. After putting on my pajamas, I came back into the room and she was already asleep. I saw a small piece of paper on my pillow. In her cute, bubbly handwriting, she had written:
"Ashton, if ever you are doubting just how beautiful you are, then remember these words: 'The King is enthroned by your beauty; honor him, for he is your Lord. Psalm 45:11.' Your beauty shines brighter than you'll probably ever realize. Don't believe the lies that Satan tells you, you are not overlooked and you are not unseen. Keep being patient, and keep being yourself. Love you, don't forget that either." Sometimes Satan works hard on my heart-- but in times like that, God fights back for it.
We have a few more days before we leave for free travel on the 18th. I have to pack because I am shipping all my luggage tomorrow. :-) Better get to it! Love ya'll, Ash
We landed in Mykonos early that evening. We walked around the town, which is full of white houses, decorated with accents of blue, green and red. I loved the blue window shutters and the bright flowers that decorated the staircases. We saw the famous church, a white igloo-type structure that adorns almost every t-shirt and souvenir from this island. The main attraction on this island is the giant windmills. They are remnant of the old days, with their rooftop hay coverings. Though very practical, I was thankful that they chose beauty over a modern contraption. One of my friends from back home proposed to his girlfriend (the Myhan's daughter) here about a year ago. I remember him telling me about it, but I am so glad that I got to see the spot for myself. It was here that I sat outside of a shop that was playing the traditional Greek music. I was sitting there, looking out at the sea and soaking up my final days in Greece. It was then that I decided I didn't want to lose that moment so I walked in to the music shop and said, "I need this CD. What is this CD?" The lady handed me a Greek instrumental CD and I bought it. My family will be glad to know that when I need to have a "Greek moment" they will hear "Zorba's Dance" blaring from my room-- or maybe even the livingroom. Haha. :-) Mykonos is also home to the hugest pelican I have ever seen. He basically owns the island. He, being a big part of their souvenir profits, knows that he is and waddles with an heir of arrogance. People were lined up to have their picture with him and he would open his mouth (which has a span of about 10 feet it seems) and chomp on their arm. It wouldn't hurt-- it would just make this hilarious noise. Everyone would laugh and he would walk down the street, in and out of stores, if he wanted to. I have never seen such a prima donna bird.
When we boarded the ship at night, we always had entertainment. After a family cruise in high school, I sat back and awaited a band that imitated the Beatles or a Broadway-type performance from a classy woman in a sequin gown. WRONG. I guess the best way to describe their nightly entertainment would be Las Vegas try-outs. Women, with caked-on makeup, diamond-studded bras and sequin underwear that doesn't deserve its place in the undergarment category, emerged from behind the curtain. What I cherished more than this, was looking around at all the shocked faces. I mean, we're used to Harding's editors cutting this stuff out for us. We go to PG movies where they bleep out the word "butt" and here we are with women wearing far more feathers than a bird shaking their bootays while a woman and a man, in Jasmine-Aladdin, type outfits belly dance to an Egyptian number. I was absolutely mortified, yet couldn't quite peel my eyes away from this entertainment trainwreck.
We were lucky the second night to have a Greek-inspired performance, where real Greek men came out and danced to several traditional dances. At the end, some of us went on stage and attempted to dance with them. It was quite a breather from the night before, but the last night was back to the city of sin. Haha.
The rest of the time spent on the cruise ship, we watched movies and played games in the gameroom. They also had a disco every night, which was really fun. It wasn't quite as fun as Egypt because there were other people, highly intoxicated, who decided to get on the dancefloor too. I sat there and watched how they crazily flailed their arms and slurred their words and I saw how much more fun we were having.
Our second stop was Rhodes. This place was mainly for shopping-- I bought a purse here. I spent the first part of the day with Mandy, Bethany, Ashley and Sara and met Lauren, Lacey and Alana for lunch at this rooftop restaurant-- we had some really good pizza! It was Lauren's birthday and I think she had a really good one. Lacey made her a sweet slideshow, with pictures her mom had sent her and pictures gathered from this trip. She also got sang to at dinner and the DJ at disco night recognized her and played, "Happy Birthday." Rhodes, like Mykonos, was a cute little town that integrated charm from ancient days with the style of the present. It had castles and fortress walls, but also stone streets with shops lining every square-inch. Restaurant owners tried to bid you to come in and some even called you beautiful. Very charming little place. It is also home to another one of the ancient wonders of the world: the colossus of Rhodes. Though it can't be seen anymore, it was a huge statue of a man that stood over the dock, letting ships pass under his massive legs.
We woke up super early on Sunday morning to quickly hit the island of Patmos. A small island that has about 3,000 people, it is where John was exiled along with his scribe. We visited an old monastery upon arrival, along with a museum that houses ancient manuscripts and scripture, but later hit the main attraction: the cave where they say John wrote the book of Revelation. He stayed here for 18 months before returning to Ephesus at age 104. Using this cave for his prayers and meditation, he was shocked to hear a loud trumpet one day, the blast of the horn cracking the cave walls. He was told to write down what he saw and heard and send it to the 7 churches of Asia. Not so surprisingly, this site has become a church. There was a service going on, but our tour guide still led us through. The familiar smell of incense overtook my senses once again. "Young lads," as our British tour guide called them, sang worship chants and it added to the solemn atmosphere. Visiting here made me realize that maybe I should take another stab at reading this book of the Bible. I have been to Bible studies on it, I have tried to talk to others about it-- but I get easily frustrated with its complicated themes. Maybe it deserves another chance. :-) Adding to my impression of Patmos is the fact that Richard Gere and other celebrities own homes here for when they need to "get away." I love me some Richard Gere. I wish I would have run into him, but unfortunately I don't think the Cave of the Apocalypse is the best place to find the man.
That afternoon we arrived in Ephesus, Turkey. We first visited the remains of the temple to Artemis, which consists of marshy swampland, a huge pillar and some huge stones spread throughout the swamp. This was another one of the ancient wonders of the world. With 126 columns, this building would fit about 3 Parthenons inside of it! That blew me away!
We then made our way to the ancient city of Ephesus, where we saw remnants of their way of life. Government buildings, public bathrooms, you name it-- we also saw what was left of Turkish baths, which brought on unwanted flashbacks of the Turkish Bath experience I endured in Jordan weeks ago. (Ask me about it personally and I will be glad to tell you about..once again, not so sure it is worth publishing..)
We saw the world's 3rd largest library, behind the ones in Alexandria and Pergamum. It kind of reminded me of the treasury in Petra-Jordan. Not quite as impressive, but it stood tall and it was easy to imagine how impressive it would have been back in its day. We also visited the theater where the silversmiths met to riot against Paul. Demetrius started riling everyone up when he told them that if Paul convinced people to believe in Jesus, it would hurt their profits. As made obvious by their ridiculously elegant temple to Artemis, she was a big part of life in Ephesus. If people stopped believing in her, then the silversmiths would have lost money from idols and statues that they made of her. I sat in the theater, where years ago, mobs of people shouted for 2 1/2 hours straight, "Great is Artemis, god of the Ephesians!" Paul could have easily been killed by the mob, but luckily he was allowed to spread the gospel further.
This ends my journey of walking in Paul's footsteps-- I love the book of Ephesians and it was neat to see how the people who read it lived. We saw their version of "Rodeo Drive," where all the rich ladies shopped. We saw their fountains and their statues. We saw it all.
We ended the cruise with Captain's night, where we all dressed up some. The boys looked sharp in their shirts and ties. :-) We took lots of pictures and sadly realized that this was the last time our whole group would be together. A little bit of melancholy set over me for various reasons. I tried to dance it off, but every time the techno stopped, so did the distraction. My roommate for the trip, Bethany, noticed that I was kind of down one night and we had a really good girl talk. Covering the usual bases of boys, frustrations with change and the feeling of being often overlooked, we talked for a really long time. A little bit of homesickness swept over me as I took a shower-- the hot water hit my face and tears started to slowly stream down. After putting on my pajamas, I came back into the room and she was already asleep. I saw a small piece of paper on my pillow. In her cute, bubbly handwriting, she had written:
"Ashton, if ever you are doubting just how beautiful you are, then remember these words: 'The King is enthroned by your beauty; honor him, for he is your Lord. Psalm 45:11.' Your beauty shines brighter than you'll probably ever realize. Don't believe the lies that Satan tells you, you are not overlooked and you are not unseen. Keep being patient, and keep being yourself. Love you, don't forget that either." Sometimes Satan works hard on my heart-- but in times like that, God fights back for it.
We have a few more days before we leave for free travel on the 18th. I have to pack because I am shipping all my luggage tomorrow. :-) Better get to it! Love ya'll, Ash
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Togas, Laughs and Cheesecake!
Tonight was our final banquet. We finished finals, we're headed on the cruise tomorrow and this was our last big shebang. It was a blast! Most of us wore togas (AKA clean bedsheets from the laundry room). I have to say that togas are really flattering to the female form. They're pretty comfortable, too. I think on days I don't feel like dressing up, I will simply roll out of bed and wrap my sheet around me. At home, it will be a cream and red-striped toga and at school it will be decorated with orange flowers. :-) I'm sure I will get some odd looks, but the heir of confidence I have gained from my times as a world traveler will enable me to walk with my head held high. Haha!
We had a marvelous dinner that consisted of steak, baked potatoes, broccoli, salad and rolls. The best part: Death by chocolate dessert and cheesecake!! Apparently, Mr. Griff is quite the dessert king. It was heavenly! I had an embarrassing incident in the dessert line with Austin that made my face very, very red and caused tears of embarrassment/laughter to run down my face. I don't think that it is publishing-worthy, but I just wanted to put it in here for me to remember in the future.
After dinner, we all met in the livingroom for HUG awards. You will be surprised to learn that I was awarded, "Most Likely to Make a Tearful Oscar Speech." They hit that nail on the head. Ironically, I almost teared up when I went in front of everyone. There were a lot of other funny awards. Alana got "Most Likely to be Dive-Bombed by a Bird." (Remember that blog entry?) and Ashley got "The Giggle Pots Award." (She is constantly giggling..I love it!) Most of the others fit their recipients quite well.
Tommy didn't quite finish his video by press-time so we will watch that another time. Bethany put together a short slideshow of pictures for us-- many of them will appear on the poster that she designed. Every year, another poster is added to the wall with group pictures on it. If Ryan comes this summer, I am going to make him take a picture of it for me. :-)
I am looking forward to our relaxing cruise. Captain showed us some pictures tonight to prepare us and I am really excited! No schoolwork will be on the brain-- it will be just us, the big blue sky and the water-- and hopefully some sunshine!
This night was a perfect ending to our time here together. I can't think of a better way to end it than laughing with some of the best people I've ever met. As much as I have sometimes been frustrated with Harding, this semester has opened my eyes to the blessings it gives. I have friends from all over the U.S. I know that, years from now, if I need a house to stay in for the night or a lunch date in a random state, I have several people that I will be able to call on. It has provided me with other college students who share a love for God and know how to have a blast without throwing their morality out the window. I see some of my public university friends who have changed completely and it makes me thank God for girls who want to make stupid videos at 2 a.m. instead of get drunk, for guys that hold each other accountable instead of partying it up every weekend, for teachers who genuinely care about your soul and well-being. I will accept the early morning chapels, the curfew and the both feet on the floor rule (ha!) for gifts such as these.
I won't be able to write for a few days, but I will update you when I get back. In the meantime, find some time for yourself this week. Do something that brings you joy, no matter how small it is. If you really want to be bold, put on a toga. Even if you have to be completely alone, put one on, look in the mirror and smile. It's pure freedom. Embrace the breeze!
Love ya, Ash
We had a marvelous dinner that consisted of steak, baked potatoes, broccoli, salad and rolls. The best part: Death by chocolate dessert and cheesecake!! Apparently, Mr. Griff is quite the dessert king. It was heavenly! I had an embarrassing incident in the dessert line with Austin that made my face very, very red and caused tears of embarrassment/laughter to run down my face. I don't think that it is publishing-worthy, but I just wanted to put it in here for me to remember in the future.
After dinner, we all met in the livingroom for HUG awards. You will be surprised to learn that I was awarded, "Most Likely to Make a Tearful Oscar Speech." They hit that nail on the head. Ironically, I almost teared up when I went in front of everyone. There were a lot of other funny awards. Alana got "Most Likely to be Dive-Bombed by a Bird." (Remember that blog entry?) and Ashley got "The Giggle Pots Award." (She is constantly giggling..I love it!) Most of the others fit their recipients quite well.
Tommy didn't quite finish his video by press-time so we will watch that another time. Bethany put together a short slideshow of pictures for us-- many of them will appear on the poster that she designed. Every year, another poster is added to the wall with group pictures on it. If Ryan comes this summer, I am going to make him take a picture of it for me. :-)
I am looking forward to our relaxing cruise. Captain showed us some pictures tonight to prepare us and I am really excited! No schoolwork will be on the brain-- it will be just us, the big blue sky and the water-- and hopefully some sunshine!
This night was a perfect ending to our time here together. I can't think of a better way to end it than laughing with some of the best people I've ever met. As much as I have sometimes been frustrated with Harding, this semester has opened my eyes to the blessings it gives. I have friends from all over the U.S. I know that, years from now, if I need a house to stay in for the night or a lunch date in a random state, I have several people that I will be able to call on. It has provided me with other college students who share a love for God and know how to have a blast without throwing their morality out the window. I see some of my public university friends who have changed completely and it makes me thank God for girls who want to make stupid videos at 2 a.m. instead of get drunk, for guys that hold each other accountable instead of partying it up every weekend, for teachers who genuinely care about your soul and well-being. I will accept the early morning chapels, the curfew and the both feet on the floor rule (ha!) for gifts such as these.
I won't be able to write for a few days, but I will update you when I get back. In the meantime, find some time for yourself this week. Do something that brings you joy, no matter how small it is. If you really want to be bold, put on a toga. Even if you have to be completely alone, put one on, look in the mirror and smile. It's pure freedom. Embrace the breeze!
Love ya, Ash
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Hard Tests and Crazy Videos
So, I took one of the longest tests of my life today. My Humanities 207 test took me roughly 2 hours to complete. I feel like I did OK on it, but I guess I won't know until she grades them. I also had World Christian-- I made a B on it, but hopefully I can keep an A in the class.
Deliriousness has swept over the campus. Bobby and I, after studying the 30-page World Christian study guide, began to quiz each other using different voices and accents. He would start out in a British voice and I would answer as a southern gal. I began to read paragraphs like a valley girl and he would answer back in some other voice that would send me into hysterics. I can't say that it helped me on the test, but it sure livened things up!
Tonight, Tommy made a video as part of our banquet entertainment for tomorrow night. He interviewed us all, asking us various questions about the trip. John and Ben asked me if I would be a part of their interview. Ben can do a FANTASTIC impression of an old British lady (who would have thunk it) and John was going to be a gangsta. They needed a southern gal with an accent, so of course they picked Miss Arkansas 2008. I wore Bryan's cowboy shirt and cowboy hat and headed downstairs to meet up with the guys. Ben had put on one of my dresses and tied a scarf around his head like an old lady. I busted out laughing, but soon realized that he looks better in my dress than I do! Why do guys always get the long legs, the muscular arms and the long eyelashes!? Ugh. We had a good time. I always seem to not be as funny when a camera is stuck in my face (unless it's just me and the girls) so I wasn't quite as humorous as I would have liked-- and I think my accent strayed from pure country. We'll see tomorrow night. I hope it isn't a flop. Considering everyone else was just being their normal selves, ours is bound to cause a stir of somekind. I will go down in Harding history as Betty Sue Mary Lou. That was my name.
Well, not much to tell really. We have some more exams tomorrow. Blah. But then it will all be over and we will be cruisin'!! No moleskins and no headsets on this trip! Hooooorayyyyyyyyy!!
Deliriousness has swept over the campus. Bobby and I, after studying the 30-page World Christian study guide, began to quiz each other using different voices and accents. He would start out in a British voice and I would answer as a southern gal. I began to read paragraphs like a valley girl and he would answer back in some other voice that would send me into hysterics. I can't say that it helped me on the test, but it sure livened things up!
Tonight, Tommy made a video as part of our banquet entertainment for tomorrow night. He interviewed us all, asking us various questions about the trip. John and Ben asked me if I would be a part of their interview. Ben can do a FANTASTIC impression of an old British lady (who would have thunk it) and John was going to be a gangsta. They needed a southern gal with an accent, so of course they picked Miss Arkansas 2008. I wore Bryan's cowboy shirt and cowboy hat and headed downstairs to meet up with the guys. Ben had put on one of my dresses and tied a scarf around his head like an old lady. I busted out laughing, but soon realized that he looks better in my dress than I do! Why do guys always get the long legs, the muscular arms and the long eyelashes!? Ugh. We had a good time. I always seem to not be as funny when a camera is stuck in my face (unless it's just me and the girls) so I wasn't quite as humorous as I would have liked-- and I think my accent strayed from pure country. We'll see tomorrow night. I hope it isn't a flop. Considering everyone else was just being their normal selves, ours is bound to cause a stir of somekind. I will go down in Harding history as Betty Sue Mary Lou. That was my name.
Well, not much to tell really. We have some more exams tomorrow. Blah. But then it will all be over and we will be cruisin'!! No moleskins and no headsets on this trip! Hooooorayyyyyyyyy!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
