Another year...another blog post.

Another year has passed. Time for another post...and this time the plan is to be consistent. We'll see how that goes!

As of last Monday, I am a senior in college. Whereas some people have the hardest semesters academically at the end of their college career, I do not. It's not necessarily "easy", but after 6 semesters of taking 18 and 19 hours each semester, I have a huge 15 hours. I have Wednesdays completely OPEN. I didn't know what to do with myself last week when I looked at a weekly schedule and saw a lot of open space...then I remembered I have a senior piano recital (Oct . 29th), 2 big exams to study for before student teaching, and 17 days of observation. I might also be working 10 hours a week in an office at school. Needless to say, my "open" schedule became "closed" quickly, but I know I'll survive.

This summer I worked at a student conference for 7 weeks where Compassion International was a sponsor. There was a promo video played every week, and every week I had tears in my eyes after the video. It was so moving, and so burdening at the same time. The 3 minute video really opened my eyes, and the packets and packets of children that need sponsors made my heart ache. Then I asked myself, "But what can I do?" The first couple weeks, I just dismissed it as me being overly emotional. But around week 3, it really hit me that it wasn't just emotion. It was a burden from the Holy Spirit.

A sponsorship is $38 a month. It doesn't sound like much, but when you don't have an income, it is alot. But the video they showed weekly was made for students. Students that don't have jobs, or a steady income. The video showed 3 adults who shared their childhood troubles, but gave testimonies of the teenagers who sponsored them and gave them hope of Christ when they had no hope and no one to show them love. I was overwhelmed by the fact that I wanted to help, but didn't know how. Then it hit me.

Right before I left for the summer, my mom and I went to a jewelry making class. We learned some of the basics and got some good ideas for designs. When I got home that day, I started looking through my grandmother's old jewelry to see what I could take apart and make into something new (mostly because I didn't want to spend money on beads). I took apart some things and began to experiment, and soon I realized I had a new hobby.

Repurposed necklace

So when I was thinking about what I could do to get some money, I thought of the jewelry I had made. Not only did I enjoy making it, but I could use that "talent" or hobby to make a difference for the kingdom. So when I came home after SLU, I began brainstorming, creating, investing, etc. I'm still praying about and figuring out the details, but it's coming together. I may not be able to do anything with it for a few months since I have to graduate and finish all the things that comes before that, but it is exciting to think about.

It's not just that I like making "pretty stuff". I think there's something beautiful about taking apart something that's not so pretty and making it new. It's like what the Lord does to us when we become a new creation.