Jill’s Life Updates and Random Thoughts

Dear friends and neighbors,

It’s been quite a while since I’ve updated this blog, and today seems like a perfect day to do just that, because I am so incredibly excited today, and I want to share it with you.

But first things first. I live in Nashville now, and I like it a lot. It’s kind of hot (ridiculously hot), but it’s really a cute little city. I also like Belmont quite a lot. There are a lot of people like me here: everyone wears flip-flops and owns Macbooks and listens to indie music, so I’m comfortable here. Sometimes I don’t know if comfort is necessarily a good thing, but eh, that’s beside the point. My roomie is super-nice, and my suitemates and my next-door neighbors and my classmates are also all incredibly kind people. Which is good. I like my classes, I like my teachers, I like my campus, I like my dorm room. I don’t like the cafeteria’s food. I don’t like doing homework. I do like going to shows every other day (that’s really not much of an exaggeration). And that’s life, more or less. It’s pretty darn awesome, if you ask me.

But I haven’t told you the best part yet. My major upon coming to Belmont was French, with a minor in Education and a plan to get my Master’s in Early Childhood Ed. in the year after getting my B.A. But for the last week or so, I’ve been feeling really discontent about my choice of major. As in, discontent enough to think, “I don’t know if I want to stay at Belmont after this semester.” (Well, that’s probably also because I’m insane and like to transfer schools every two days.) Because honestly, I’m never going to use a degree in French. I don’t want to go to France. And I don’t want my Master’s in Education, because I don’t want to teach in a classroom. I want to go serve God in China, like He told me to (and like He continues to tell me every second of every day). But Belmont doesn’t have a major in Asian Studies. Or so I thought. But, my friends, God works in the strangest ways. I’m taking an Asian Humanities class this semester, and my professor asked me about my choice of majors during class yesterday. I told him the truth: that, frankly, I wasn’t excited about my major because I want to go to China. And you know what he said? “Oh, well we are just starting a major in Asian Studies THIS SEMESTER.” Yeah. Yeah, I know. And he loves China and is really enthusiastic about me going there. Not only does Belmont now have the perfect major for me, but this means that I am probably going to be able to graduate on time (class of ‘09, baby!) AND I’m going to have the opportunity to study abroad in China/Hong Kong in the very near future. My goodness, I am so excited. I’m excited because God is awesome and always works out things perfectly. I’m excited because my life has this unbelievable purpose and calling. I’m excited because now I KNOW that I’m at Belmont for a reason. So, my friends, be encouraged, because God is flipping awesome, and the way He works in my life is just one little way that He constantly proves that. Yay.

And now I get to go to a sweet (FREE!) rock show, which is just icing on the cake. My cake. My cake of life. What I’m trying to say is that my life strongly resembles a piece of cake. Yum.

Love always,
Your best friend ever

I need Jesus. I need him so much.

And I’m sorry that I’ve been so down and so selfish lately. And I’m sorry for being a jerk. I’m going to be better now. I promise.

I love you.

Jill

I like how Belmont isn’t giving me on-campus housing next semester. I mean, I have come to terms with the fact that they gave me barely any money and that I have to take out a hundred gazillion dollars in loans, because I’m feeling pretty confident that this is where I’m supposed to be. And then they sent this letter… “oops, we ran out of room. Guess you’ll have to find your own place to live.” Thanks a lot. This should be fun, trying to find an apartment and people to live with in a city where I don’t know anyone from 900 miles away. But I guess it’s that or stay in CT (and we all know how I feel about that).

My blogs are always so sad lately. Well, this one isn’t really sad, maybe more annoyed than anything. Let’s see, what has been happy in my life lately…

-I’ve been hiking a lot more. Hiking isn’t actually more fun than other forms of exercise, I just tell myself it is, because I get to be out in the woods. Hiking is also invariably a great time to talk to God, which I rather enjoy.
-I have the cutest nephews in the universe. But you probably already knew that.
-I love my job (still).
-I’ve been volunteering at The Space, which is a cool little venue here in CT. I really like the other staff there, and I get to see free concerts/get free food every week! (even if the bands aren’t usually very good)
-Speaking of concerts, Kim and I are going to see Farewell Flight in concert tonight, and it’s going to be aaaawesome!
-Speaking of concerts again, isHesafe is coming to play in CT on July 15, and that is also going to be awesome. If you live in CT and you read this blog (I know who you are), mark it on your calendars now, because I fully expect you to be there, and I will pester you about it until you agree to come.
-My 20th birthday is in 9 days!
-And lastly, but not leastly, I love it when there are leaves on the trees.

My blogs are so random. Oh well… have a lovely days, mes amis.

fondly,
Jill

Hola, amigos. Firstly, let me just say that, due to popular demand, the WOTW will be returning next week. I know, I know, try to contain your excitement. Today, I would like to share with you some things I have done in the last 7 days:

• I bought new sneakers. Yay.
• I got my hair cut. (eight-ish inches chopchopchopped. I feel so light!)
• I went to church. (yeah, my church isn’t perfect, but it was honest and fun and it reminded me how important it is for me to have fellowship.)
• I wore sunscreen. (I bet you didn’t even know that SPF 50 existed. You won’t be finding any skin cancer here!! Or a tan… oh well.)
• I formed a band. (What’s that you say? You haven’t heard of Magical Truplet?! What rock have you been hiding under? You should go befriend us on MySpace. We’re awesome. No lie.)
• I ate lunch in the park instead of sitting (read: sleeping) and shivering in my car on my break. Sunshine is a wonderful thing.

I thought that was blogworthy because those are all things that I haven’t done in a really long time.

I also feel that I should apologize for my last blog, which was rather vague and depressing. Mostly, I was just in a bad mood. But I want to thank those of you who have offered to pray for me. It is greatly appreciated. My future is looking a bit uncertain at the moment, not to mention that my heart is just not right. In fact, I am off to talk to God about those very two issues at this particular moment. I really hope that you all have a fantastic night/day. oooh, and be sure to come back in a few days, because I have some unimaginably amazing music to tell you about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Goodnight, friends.

ever yours,
Jill (M.D.)

Hey friends. I’m writing today to ask you for something. Money, to be exact. Here’s the deal:

My stepsister, Sabrina (she’s pretty cool), is heading a team that is doing a walkathon of sorts for an organization called NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Here are a few totally generic paragraphs to give you an idea of who and what NAMI is:

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the largest education, support and advocacy organization that serves the needs of all those whose lives are touched by these illnesses. This includes persons with mental illness, their families, friends, employers, the law enforcement community and policy makers. The NAMI organization is composed of approximately 1100 local affiliates, 50 state offices and a national office.

The goals of the NAMIWalks program are: to fight the stigma that surrounds mental illness, to build awareness of the fact that the mental health system in this country needs to be improved, and to raise funds for NAMI so that they can continue their mission.

NAMI is a 501(c)3 charity and any donation you make to support my participation in this event is tax deductible. NAMI has been rated by Worth magazine as among the top 100 charities “most likely to save the world” and has been given an “A” rating by The American Institute of Philanthropy for efficient and effective use of charitable dollars.

I think this is a great cause, and I know that it’s one that is really important to Sabrina. I have signed up to walk with her, but what I’m asking for from you is some support money. Any amount, large or small, would be helpful (c’mon, surely you’ve got a few bucks lying around, right?). If you would like to help, it’s really easy. All you need to do is go to my NAMIWALKS page, click “Sponsor me now!”, and fill in the form there. It’s fast, it’s secure, it helps people. It really doesn’t get much better than that. So please consider supporting this walk. I would greatly appreciate it, and I’m sure I’m not the only one!

Or, if you live in/near CT and you’d like to walk with us, you can sign up to do so here. Frankly, I think your presence would be even cooler than your money.

Alrighty, folks, that’s all I’ve got for you today. I love you all dearly (probably… unless I don’t know you, and then I might love you dearly if I was ever to meet you, who knows?), and I hope you have a wonderful day!!

Jill