atilson travels

this is my 4th summer in the city.

every time I become so excited when I see the signs of summer.

warm weather.
the smell of charcoal.
fireflies.
baseball season.
flowers.
bugs.
late night bike rides.
roadside fruit stands.
front porch conversations.

babysitting tonight reminded me of how much I enjoy city summers.

we sat on the front steps and had dessert and it reminded me of the summers I spent sitting on our front steps when we lived in the Midwest.

so much is yet to take place this summer…

I intend to run my first 5K.
I will be camping A LOT.
I will partake in many many MANY bike rides.
I will watch many sunrises.
I will enjoy as much time with my friends as possible…especially before my roommate leaves the city.

I will find joy in all of this.

everything that I will partake in this summer will have been given to me by my wonderful Father and Savior.

how overjoyed I am with the grace, peace, love and joy He extends towards me.

I am constantly amazed at all of what God had provided to us all.

especially everything we didn’t want to have or didn’t think we were suppose to have happen.

God knows what is suppose to happen and how everything is suppose to be.

my plans changed quickly in the last month and half.

I was anticipating to move to Thailand for the next to years to teach. I was preparing to move everything, find plane tickets and start teaching.

God has bigger and better plans. I didn’t see it like that at all.

I was upset that God didn’t let me get this job, move to Thailand and try and learn a new language.

I clearly am not ready to go there yet because I was only looking at what I wanted and thought was best for me.

even though I was upset with not receiving this position, I do think God wanted to see how committed I was to moving away and not being able to attend a number of events in my family’s lives.

God is working and doing something even if I have no idea what it is and don’t see where it all is leading me.

all I can do right now is enjoy the city summer, my job, camping trips, seeing my family, church softball, babysitting and listening to the nudges of the Holy Spirit.

let the wild rumpus begin…

today is Good Friday. 

we so quickly jump to the good, the end result of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. 

Jesus’ silent sacrifice to atone the sins of all the world.

Eugene Cho, founder of One Day’s Wages, wrote a wonderfully honest article/blog on Good Friday.  I have attached it below. 

I myself and needing to remember not to quickly go through this day.  I am needing to slow down, to think of what God did to have Jesus die for all of our sins. 

today is a good day, a powerful and memorable day. 

I will rejoice for what Jesus did, yet be humbled by His willingness to lay down His life. 

I am the daughter of a great and wonderful King. 

Eugene Cho’s article:

http://eugenecho.com/2012/04/06/how-could-it-possibly-a-good-friday/

no more left to go…i made it through posting an entry starting with every letter of the alphabet.

took a while, but it was pretty cool to do.

today i have been doing nothing.

well alright, filing taxes is something and listening to music is something as well. 

i am realizing over and over again how grateful i am for having a music education degree. i have learned so much and have such an appreciation for music! 

peter gabriel’s ‘In Your Eyes’ with the New Blood Orchestra is SO great. it utilizes different timbres and methods of orchestration and notation without using typical rock and roll instruments. musically i am energized with listening to this song. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPFDVeDXGR0

such a great sunny saturday song.

i’m also missing my main squeeze…traveling to Boston without me…

ah, well off to enjoying the weather and the need to do nothing except enjoy the day today. thank you for the warm midwest weather!

YESTERDAY (FEB. 13TH) WAS THE BUSIEST DAY I HAD HAD SINCE STUDENT TEACHING.  I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT, BUT I TRULY MISSED HAVING A PACKED DAY.

NEVER THOUGHT I’D SAY THAT…WELL OKAY I KNEW I WOULD.

I JOKE, I KID.

MINUS THE MANY WAVES OF CUSTOMERS I HAD TO DEAL WITH, FORGETTING SOMEONE’S FOOD ORDER (CAUSING THEM TO LEAVE THE SHOP PISSED OFF), AND THEN BABYSITTING AFTER VERY LITTLE SLEEP. 

IT WAS REFRESHING AND HUMBLING AS WELL. 

REFRESHING TO MEET NEW PEOPLE (ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT WORKING IN THE COFFEE SHOP AND LEARNING WHO PEOPLE ARE AND WHAT MAKES THEM WHO THEY ARE).

HUMBLING TO REALIZE I CANNOT DO EVERYTHING PERFECTLY THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE I HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO IT FIRST, WHILE MESSING UP THE FIRST FEW TIMES. 

THESE WERE TWO THINGS I LEARNED WHILE STUDENT TEACHING THAT I AM SO GREATFUL FOR.

OH HOW I MISS THOSE STUDENTS.

I THINK ABOUT THEM FREQUENTLY AND STILL HAVE THE SIGN ALL THE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS SIGNED FOR ME.

SPEAKING OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS I WENT TO SEE THE BARREL OF MONKEY’S SHOW “THAT’S WEIRD, GRANDMA”.  THE COMPANY GOES INTO CPS SCHOOLS, PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH A NOTEBOOK TO WRITE DOWN STORIES AND EVENTS. THE COMPANY THEN TAKES A FEW OF THE STUDENTS’ STORIES, FINDS A WAY TO ACT THEM OUT, PERFORMs THEM FOR THE STUDENTS AND THEN THEY ARE PERFORMED IN FRONT OF AUDIENCES OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY.

KIDS COME UP WITH SOME PRETTY CRAZY STUFF.

MAKES ME LAUGH EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT ALL.

EVEN AFTER THIS CRAZY, HUMBLING, REFRESHING, LAUGHTER FILLED DAY, I MANAGED TO FIND AN ALBUM I HADN’T LISTENED TO IN A VERY LONG TIME.

SHAWN GROVES’ CD ENTITLED “TWILIGHT”.

AH, SO REFRESHING.

THE SONG ‘NEED YOU MORE’ SUMS IT ALL UP.

WE NEED GOD MORE THAN ANY WANT, DESIRE, WISH AND EVEN THE THINGS WE THINK WE MIGHT NEED BUT REALLY DON’T.

WE ALWAYS NEED GOD FAR MORE.

I’M SEEING THIS AND LEARNING HOW TRUE THIS IS.

I KNOW I’LL ONLY KEEP LEARNING MORE.

YESTERDAY WAS A GREAT DAY.

HOPEFULLY TODAY WILL PAN OUT QUITE NICELY SEEING AS HOW I WILL BE WITH PEOPLE I REALLY CARE ABOUT, DOING LAUNDRY, READING THE HARRY POTTER SERIES AND SPENDING TIME WITH MY MAIN SQUEEZE.

WHO REALLY GOES OUT ON VALENTINE’S DAY ANY HOW?

It’s been nearly two months since I graduated.  

Time flies by so very fast.  

During the weekend of graduation I was able to spend some time with a few of my dear friends.  This time was so very precious to us all because of our friends was soon to be embarking on a 2 year journey walking across Africa.  It was hard to say ‘See ya later’,  but I know this is exactly where she needed to be going.  

It has been nearly 3 weeks since Amy Russell, Marty Yoder and Aaron Thorp began their journey.  They have been walking for just the past few days, but this is only the beginning.   There has been so much behind the start of Amy’s desire to spread the news create awareness for the necessary need of clean water.  This is simply a xenium* which needs to be given out of love and need to those without.  

{*xenium - zee’ni-um (n.) - a gift made to a guest or ambassador; any compulsory gift.}

Before this team of 3 left to begin their journey, many articles were written about them. Here are a few:

Online PR News:

http://www.onlineprnews.com/news/201429-1327590221-three-americans-embark-on-a-7000-mile-2-year-journey-across-africa-in-pursuit-of-clean-water.html

North Park University Current News:

http://www.northpark.edu/News/Current-News/North-Park-University-Graduate-to-Begin-Two-Year-Journey-Across-Africa

Since this journey is just beginning and so much is yet to come, Amy, Marty and Aaron have a website in which they and multiple others in the United States are keeping updated.  Feel free to check it out and see what is going on.  

Walk4Water: http://www.walking4water.org/index.html

Amy and troop, you are not alone and keep moving forward!  I look forward to seeing what will be taking place and seeing how others here can help as well. 

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is not longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

- Matthew 5:13-16 (Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount)

many think of wizards as those who go to Hogwarts, learn spells, take classes with other witches and wizards and embark (possibly) on battles such as the one in Harry Potter 7, part II or as I knew there was Gandalf who assisted the hobbit, Bilbo, and dwarfs on their journey to the Lonely Mountain to recover their riches and establishment.  this is exactly what I knew to be true before today.

today, I have been informed of a new version of wizard-ing.  this involves a few various beverages and ‘leveling up’. 

many funny events have taken place and many various conversations of hilarity have taken place.  I can in fact say I am glad I have been here to be part of this glorious event, it has been rather fun and a great thing to do during my first day back in Chicago.  for this I am thankful.  also, my boyfriend and his roommates are hilarious!

I look forward to more events that will take places here in Chicago and also as events begin to evolve now that I am back in the city. 

maybe Gandalf will venture my way to assist me with an upcoming adventure…

even though I graduated from college, it really has not hit me.

not having a job yet might affect that, which really is agitating to not have found one.  I know there will be a position/job somewhere.

the last 18 years have been spent in school, now it’s into the job world. 

I cannot wait to start teaching and working with students.  student teaching really showed me a lot and I am so thankful for all of the students I was working with.  I cannot stop thinking about all of the students and I look forward to when I can go and see them again, and every time I do a smile appears upon my face. 

even though I graduated, I have to wait quite awhile until I am able to purchase my teaching license.

an event to look forward to…

until I can move forward with this, I must look for something for the time being.  maybe I’ll be able to spend time with people I would like to catch up with…maybe? 

even with all of these desires, I just have to keep truckin’ along and keep a smile on my face because I have been given so very much.  far more than I ever expected to receive. 

truly I do not know what is coming my way, but I look forward to every part of it…the hard times, the tears, the joys, the waiting, changes and new events. 

my time as an undergraduate is coming to a close and it is becoming overwhelmingly unbelievable. 

the end of last week, I had a pretty important day regarding the completion of my program at school. This is what happened and the results:

• portfolio review = completed, given a passing grade.
• APT test (IL test for certification) = passed 
• student teaching = passed for both come wednesday
• senior seminar = passed

come graduation day I will be completely ready and on my way to receiving my teaching license! this will only make graduation that much sweeter and exciting for me and my family (whom I cannot wait to see soon!).

4 1/2 years of time spent working diligently to complete tests, music juries, presentations, finals, and analysis papers. all coming to a close. 

nothing is set in stone right now, not even a job after graduation, but I do have a place to live so that is comforting. God has really, truly and absolutely been at the center of this, just waiting for me to realize, “Trust me, my daughter, and I will show you what will be done. Great and glorious things will be done in My name, just watch”. 

I am the daughter of a great and glorious King. it is unbelievable that I have actually come to the last week of my undergraduate career and am preparing for what lies ahead in the years to come.  my imagination is running wild only dreaming and thinking of what God has in store for me.  

until then, I must complete this week, prepare for graduation and prepare for a VERY relaxing holiday break. then, I can continue to use the tools God has given me to help further His kingdom and live for Him. 

I cannot wait to be a teacher!

respectisbeautiful:

A letter 17 year old Zooey Deschanel wrote to the editors of Vogue. Vogue ended up publishing the letter.

awesome letter…but why does it still continue and negatively affect the student and people I am around? 

(via shittyoldman)

teaching has been going quite well.  there have been some bumps and detours, but this is part of teaching and I am learning so much. 

I have to remind myself to breath sometimes and take some time for myself. it’s tough when all I want to do I just improve upon what I just did, but taking a breath makes it easier to come back and work on it again.  

graduation is coming really soon.  it’s kind of crazy and weird to think about.  no longer will I be an undergraduate student or attending this school, but it’s kind of cool at the same time.  I can start looking for jobs, starting my life outside of school and actually sitting down to read a book that I want to read.  now if I could just figure out where and what I will be doing that would be swell…

until this happens, I will continue to push forward and learning more as I am in this school.  I am so thankful for being at this school and working with these students because they are teaching me so much.  

now to go dive back into some books and work…