This year of 2008 was quite the year.  Since I've had a Xanga for almost three years now and I'm always coming back and laughing or crying or wondering through my past posts, I thought I should record the highlights and lowlights and times of no light of this past year. 

January:

Abandoned faith in Christ.

Stopped speaking to my dad.

Started rock climbing.

Dyed my hair dark brown.

Denied my identity in Christ.

Continued to pray for one person.

Quit counseling.

Discontent at Wheaton College.

February:

Long night walks alone through Chicago.

Began studying existentialism.

Gave up perfectionism.

Very depressed.

Stopped studying for classes.

Started sleeping through chapel.

Philosophy night walks with Eli.

Stopped sleeping at night.

Started playing bass guitar.

March: Isaiah 62

Admitted eating disorder.

Read “When the Darkness Doesn’t Lift” by John Piper.

Read “Nausea” by Sartre.

Deeply disturbed by separation from God.

Public confession of no knowledge of love.

Dinner with my dad over spring break.

Stopped cursing.

Cut off my hair.

April: Colossians

Began designing and filming philosophy project.

Gave up existentialism.

Repentance on sidewalk in Wheaton.

Used by God to speak truth of His mercy to friend.

Began photographing emotions in portraits of friends.

Studied for finals.

May: 2 Corinthians

Left Wheaton College.

Moved back to Las Vegas.

Lived with my dad.

Started work for environmental consultant.

June:

Met JJ Zovi.

Three conversations with Eli.

Offered internship in Reno, Nevada.

Applied to University of Nevada- Reno.

July: Job 42

Dated JJ.

Withdrew from Wheaton College.

Two conversations with Eli.

Continued working.

Time alone in Red Rock Canyon with camera and Bible.

August:

Moved back in with my mom.

Visited JJ in Idaho.

Broke up with JJ.

One weekend in Wheaton.

Began school in Reno.

First Sunday at Sierra Bible Church.

Theological conversations with Eli.

September: Lamentations, Galatians

Began shooting photo sets.

Began journaling.

Three weeks without talking with Eli.

Started training for climbing- running obsessively.

Stopped sleeping at night.

Cut off my hair.

Working with environmental consultant.

Stopped eating.

Watched “Requiem for a Dream.”

Began playing guitar.

Solo trips to Lake Tahoe.

Nightmares start.

Involved with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

October: Isaiah 40, Psalm 37, Revelation 1, Romans 5

Surprise weekend visit to Wheaton College.

Close relationship with Eli.

Lung collapsed

Three weeks in hospital.

Hallucinations.

Clung to the Word of God.

Reconciliation with my dad.

Withdrew from University of Nevada- Reno.

November: Psalm 32, Psalm 51, Romans 8

Moved back to Las Vegas.

Read “Passion and Purity” by Elizabeth Elliot.

Five days with Eli.

Readmitted to Wheaton College.

Started work at Starbucks.

Read “Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper.

Eli goes to Shanghai, China.

December: Philippians 4

Registered for Spring 2009 classes as undecided major.

Worked.

...

And the year isn't over yet...

I might as well write a quick update.  Yes, I offer my deep and sincere apology for the near death of this blog... I shall attempt to write at least once every two weeks.  Remember when I promised myself not to post every day?  Hahaha!

Anyways, Christmas break has been great.  Since "great" isn't such a great (hehe) description, I shall elaborate.  I've been working part-time over the last three weeks for BEC Environmental, Inc., an environmental consulting firm.  It's a lot of hard mental work, but it's been worth it. 

I got to see Kelly three whole times over the break!!!  We even got our walk/talk/dessert drink time in!  Yay!  We went to Zion like last year, which was a blast.  Aaron dressed for an expedition (we walked on paved trails most of the time), Kelly took silly photos (one of which I so deceptively deleted), James cracked jokes and held onto Kelly for dear life.  It was so nice to be all relaxed with friends from home again.

Classes start on Monday.  I'm taking Philosophy 101, Spanish 103, Wellness, Music 101 and Geology 221.  Yeah!  I'm excited for this course schedule because it's all normal freshman classes for once.  :)  Hurrah for mediocrity!  *sigh*

I'm sad for two reasons... I didn't get to see the Lutschkins and I didn't get up to Mount Charleston this year.  I leave for Wheaton on Saturday, January 12.  I've got lots to look forward to other than snow, so I'm ready to go back.

Ta ta for now!

- Miss MacGyver

I've been dreadfully neglecting this blog.  Tempus volat.  (Right, Mr. C?)  I'm losing my Latin faster than I would like.  However, my mind has not been idle, believe me.  My classes this fall have been challenging and interesting, and I think I don't even realize how much I'm absorbing.  To give you a quick view into my academic life here:

Bible and Theology "Gospel, Church and Culture":  The quarter-long class required for all freshmen to take.  Honestly, the only boring class I have experienced so far.  We learned that evangelicals are anti-intellectual and losing our moral ground.

Biology "Introduction to Biology":  The semester-long class that involves three hours of lecture per week plus three hours in lab.  We've learned about prokaryotes, protists, plant physiology and other fun stuff.  It's the "weeder" course for biology majors.... meaning it's rather difficult.  Dr. Rorem is inspirational and so much fun though! 

"Intro to Environmental Studies":  The class that has become my life.  We might as well call it "Scientific Writing with an Emphasis in Environmental Concerns and Stewardship."  I am amazed by Dr. Van Dyke.  He's managing an elk survey in Colorado, finishing a book on conservation biology and teaching classes at Wheaton.  He also requires a lot from his students- a fact which I cry over when I'm working on an environmental paper at 3AM but will love when I finish the course. 

Applied Health Science "Equestrian Skills":  I took this class at HoneyRock over Fall Break (last weekend).  For those of you who don't know, Honey Rock is the northwoods campus of Wheaton College in Wisconsin.  It's sweet.  So for this class, I rode horses for four days, took an exam, passed a riding exam, wrote a paper and passed.  Yay.

Christian Education "Intro to Christian Formation": Also at HoneyRock.  Part of the wilderness experience.

I think this is the first time I am really missing Las Vegas, as awful as that sounds.  My cell phone is out of commission right now so I can't even call.   I have great friends here at Wheaton- don't get me wrong- but I'm really missing y'all who I grew up with and shared with and trusted.  Here we (at least the girls) are constantly hearing about who is dating who and who is newly in a relationship and it's really quite tiring.  Don't say it- I know it: Welcome to drama, Miss Homeschooled.  Haha.  But seriously, I've challenged myself to remain Miss Independent for a while yet.   I'm coming home for Christmas!  Only... two more months now.  Ouch.  It will have been nearly 5 months since I've been home.

Next weekend Kevin and Dad are coming for a visit. 

The following weekend I am going to Cincinatti with my friend Amy to visit her family.  I'm very excited to get off campus and meet her family and stay in a *real* home environment for once.  Y'know, like two parents and a kid or too, maybe some friends come over and hang out kind of place.  Wow.  I'm really looking forward to this.  :)

Over and out and forever and always,

MISS MACGYVER