Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

No, that is not just babble. It's the longest named city in the world :)

What a weekend! We knew we were going to Wales, but didn't know all that was in store.

To start out, we climbed into our 15 passenger bus and enjoyed our 4 hours ride there with our 5 foot driver named Amir, who loved old 90's music... yep, you got it. N'sync, Mya, Hanson, and Mariah Carey the whooolllleee way there (and back). Haha. :) It was classic. Upon arrival, we climbed a mountain (Snowdonia). Now, we weren't informed we were climbing a mountain, so all of us were pretty underprepared. But, not only did we survive, but had a blast! It was about a four hour hike total and was incredible! I honestly think it was the most incredible thing I've ever seen. If there is a definition of natural beauty, I viewed it.

Then, we went to the little town where our hostel was. It was a fellow American's birthday so, we went out to eat at the oldest pub in Wales (like 400 years old or something), then enjoyed our evening relaxing at the hostel. The castle was literally feet away from out hostel!

The next morning we woke up and went to see the ocean side in Bangor. It was an incredible view of the beautiful city and the oldest church in Wales on the cliffside by the ocean. (I waved to all of you across it!) Then, we were off to a natural waterfall and it started snowing. It was my friend Sam's first time to see snow! (He's from Australia.)

I had a very relaxing and reflective four hour bus trip home and woke up to see a beautiful snowy blizzard (the first one in Oadby in 18 years!)

No Destination but Plenty of Vision

Speaking of reflecting-- I have had alot of time for that here and it's been so good. I'm at such an instable time in life-- traveling Europe, not knowing what "big-girl" job is awaiting me back home", which means where I'll live, what I'll be doing etc... plus changing relationships seeing that normal college life is basically over. Now, this instability is not such a bad thing. In fact, there are many moments that I totally love it. But there are also those that are hard. Letting go of things, seeing what parts of you are going to "stick" and what parts need to leave... some literal, some spiritual.

Ya know when you have those spells where you just feel like you can't hear him? Well, I have been in one of those for a while. I like how Sara Groves says it...

"Hello Lord, it's me your child

I have a few things on my mind

Right now I'm faced with big decisions

And I'm wondering if you have a minute,

cuz Right now I don't hear so well

And I was wondering if you could speak up "

(For those who know me well, you are not surprised that I find solace and expression in yet another one of her songs :) And so I asked Him to speak up, and He did... in my English book :)

I'm taking a class called History of the English Language and in one of the texts I had to read, it was talking about how some words came about... and one word was "obedience".

Now, this word leaves a bitter taste in my mouth because I immediately associate it with strict life-taking legalism... however, God, knowing I'm a word's person, redefined it for me in this book.

Obedience, in the English language comes from the word "bushum/bocsum"... the first part "buh" or "boc" meant to bend or be pliable". We get our word "Bow" from this...from the idea of bowing... being flexible to bow. They even gave the example (in my VERY secular text book) "Be "bocsum" towards God."

The bells and whistles sounded in my brain and "that feeling"-the one that you know it's from the Lord swelled over me. It suddenly all clicked. To be obedient is to be flexible towards... wow. That is not legalistic at all- but soley relational. To be flexible towards something means to always be in tune w/... this was clearly supported in my Greek word study where "to obey" means to "listen attentively".

I don't know about you, but I can be a very narrow minded girl. I know God has given me dreams and desires-- but I also think I know how He will fulfill them.

Oh- how He has recently corrected me with tenderness and patience, but still correction. He knows my desires. And he will fulfill them... however I must be flexible in how He does so... I must be pliable and attentively listening in order to see how He will fulfill what He promised... most likely looking nothing like anything I can imagine right now. I am called to be a Romans 4 woman.

Abraham has intrigued me as of late, for many reasons. But mostly because his story is one of mistakes yet molding. He had a life where overall his desire was to totally seek the Lord. God gave Abraham a passion to be a father to the nations... and Abraham, like me, thought he knew how God would fulfill it-- so he took it in his own hands and slept with his maid. Ouch. But, I've had many of those moments, taking the reigns b/c I think I know how God will fulfill the passions and desires He's placed on me. Yet, after many times of completely biting it, God's plans still prevailed. And Abraham's character was made-- and it's recorded in Romans 4. He was a man who had vision, but no set destination. He knew God had given him a vision, but had no idea how it was to be accomplished. Wowww. That describes so many areas of my life right now. "In hope against hope he believed"- Romans 4... and he obeyed as it says there too... he was flexible towards the Lord... pliable and attentively listening. Mmm... this life He calls us to is beautiful. And I don't see that all the time... especially lately, but we are such works in progress... I am such a work in progress... but it's beautiful.

SUPER long post-- sorry. Love you all. Very much. Think about you often-- really, if you take the time to read this, I really do probably think about you.

Learning to be flexible towards Him--

Case