The Little Prince

I've been looking forward to writing my first blog post about a book. I'm warning you this isn't from the list I previously posted. If you know me well or you continue to follow this, you will learn I'm not very good at following lists of books. I am generally reading around 5 at once and many I never intended to read yet. So here I am presenting a lovely book that I have previously not mentioned. It's a children's book called The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. If you have never read it- PLEASE DO. I feel like too often we feel like we get to an age that children's literature is no longer for us. I will shamelessly admit that it is my favorite genre. Sometimes I want to pretend I like other genres more (after all I AM in college where everyone has big dreams and aspirations, what kind of person prefers to read children's books and just wants to open a bookstore? ME) but I can't lie, children's books are without a doubt my favorite. One of my best friends gave me this book for Christmas last year with a great inscription in it. (Aren't inscriptions the best??) But anyhow, he asked me recently if I'd read it yet and I realized I hadn't! So for the past week it has been my bubble bath/bedtime read. Here are three things you should know about the book...

(1.) It is a children's book all about childhood. It has the same feeling as Where the Wild Things Are except it is more eloquent, was written a number of decades earlier, and it is much longer.

(2.) The illustrations are BEAUTIFUL


"In order to make his escape, I believe he took advantage of a migration of wild birds."

(3) It was originally written in French by a pilot for the French air force who was shot down over the Mediterranean ocean a year later by a German plane.

Lastly, allow me to leave you with the dedication in the book. It just makes me smile and shows the heart of Saint-Exupéry's work...

"TO LEON WERTH
I ask children to forgive me for dedicating this book to a grown-up. I have a serious excuse: this grown-up is the best friend I have in the world. I have another excuse: this grown-up can understand everything, even books for children. I have a third excuse: he lives in France where he is hungry and cold. He needs to be comforted. If all these excuses are not enough, then I want to dedicate this book to the child whom this grown-up once was. All grown-ups were children first. (but few of them remember it.) So I correct my dedication:
TO LEON WERTH
when he was a little boy..."

Absolutely beautiful. If you never have... PLEASE go pick this up. Find a quiet place where you can allow yourself to think like a child and soak up this wonderful story...

What Possibilities!

Yesterday at church, my pastor, Chris Bennett, gave us all a little history lesson concerning OU. In 1892, when the first president of OU arrived at the site where the school would be, he looked at the open land (which then contained no trees) and said, "What possibilities!" A devout Christian man, he set up a daily voluntary chapel for the students. Each service was very short. Generally it just contained a couple of songs and a three minute devotion. However, after one devotion about the parable of the sower, an artist created this statue for the school...



It eventually it became part of the school seal, and is an icon on campus. However, so few people know why it's there! The statue represents the seeds of the gospel being sown all around campus. This is the time. This is the year. We see a generation rising up to take there place. We see a near revival stirring as we pray and seek! Join us by praying for our campus. Pray that every believer may rise up, full of fire and spread the good Word. Pray for open hearts! God is so good and I can't wait to see what He's going to do this year and in the years to come! He looks at this city and says "What possibilities!!" We join Him in that declaration.

Yesterday, a large group from my church made up of all ages, met on campus corner. We worshipped there for a while (I'm sure people were so confused) then we walked all the way around campus Jericho style praying over the campus. When we were done we shared our visions for what God was going to do. We prayed over them. Then they had all of the students get in the middle and they just bathed us in prayer. What a blessing!! I am so thankful for the body God has placed all around me. I am blessed, blessed, blessed. Well, off to my first day of sophomore year! Fuego de Dios!

What He's Been Showing Me Lately...

This is a very interesting stage in my life but God is showing me some great things through it. Here are some of them...

1. There is a time for EVERYTHING.

I know I come back to this concept time and time again, but it just never ceases to speak to me. Right now it is encouraging to me because in the past God called me to remove some things- good things even- from my life so that I may go to the wilderness that He may speak tenderly to me as in the days of my youth (Hosea 2). Ecclesiastes 3 is a promise that God is going to renew those areas of my life in His perfect timing. For now, there is nothing better than to "be joyful and to do good" and remember that "He has made everything beautiful in its time." (Ecc. 3:12, 11)

2. He brings us to the wilderness to prepare us for His plan

Throughout the Bible there are examples of this. Moses is a prime example. He fled to the desert. There he was a shepherd. While the Bible doesn't give a lot of specifications of those years in the desert, I know God was preparing him for the day "I AM" would approach him and speak his destiny over him. I feel like I'm in the desert right now. Not in the sense that my life is dry but that I'm in a time of preparation. I refuse to rush through this season, but also look forward to what my future holds... All His ways and plans are perfect. He is the Author and Perfecter of all things.

3. He gives us talents so that we may prove our faithfulness

I keep looking at that sentence because I'm not sure I said that right. However, hopefully you will know what I mean. We must be stewards of small things before we can be stewards over more. The Lord asked me to step back from some of the things I was stewarding. Now we're starting over again on a much smaller scale. Sometimes I want to jump ahead, but I know this will help me to be much more faithful in the small things and over bigger things when they come. I'm thankful for everything He gives me to steward right now. May I always be grateful for such...

4. He reminds me of His faithfulness when I most need it.

Little example. Today I started a new job. I was moderately excited for this job... Well, mostly for the pay which I expected to be good. However, today turned out to be a very long day during which I made a total of around $15. Slightly discouraging to say the least. So I'm standing in Andy's Alligators in my neon yellow Party Pics polo typing out a text to my mom saying that I wish there was someone in the sorority I was taking pictures of that I knew so it wouldn't be so awkward when a girl walks up, reminds me of her name, and says she goes to Antioch. I just had to smile. Thanks God. Little things like that remind me that you are with me in the mediocre. You never leave my side.

5. Sometimes God doesn't work the way we think He would.

God has a perfect character. Of that, I have no doubt. However, I am convinced that He works in ways we don't/can't understand. I've been thinking a lot about that fact and sin. I have very much been thinking lately about whether His plan for us sometimes involves sin. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make myself clear, but I wonder if... Well it's a tricky tightrope between God allowing us to sin and causing us to sin/tempting us to sin. I believe He never causes us to sin or tempts us to sin. I'm just not sure I'll ever understand, but I am confident that His plan for us often involves the dark places. What that means, I can't say. But through the darkest places, I know He holds our hands and sees the light at the end of the tunnel even when we can't. He sees the good that will come from it- the wisdom we'll be able to pass along, the hurts we'll be able to help others through, and the habits we'll be able to help others avoid. A great verse to illustrate that is Psalm 37:23-24... "The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in His way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand."

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in Him.' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him." Lamentations 3:22-25

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act." Psalms 37:3-5

Coming Soon...

I try to read regularly... No, correction, I'm really always reading something. However, it seems that I never get as much as I want read. I try not to get overwhelmed with the enormous list of books I want to read and just enjoy what's in my hands at the time. Nevertheless, here is a list of some up and coming books. I'll write little "reviews" as I cross them off the list....


Currently reading:



It's a classic. Somehow I've never read this series, so here we go. I'm halfway through this one and then will continue on to the "Lord of the Rings"...


Up and Coming:


I've heard it's fantastic. REALLY looking forward to this one...



If there's a man from the Bible who understood forgiveness, I say it was without a doubt Joseph. I want to study this man and learn to forgive as he did...



I know close to nothing about this book. However, it seems to be an up and coming series. I'd like to figure out what it's all about.


Every now and then I try to read a solid graphic novel. I watched this movie and really enjoyed it. Therefore, this is the next graphic novel on my list...


I want more of you Jesus...



I've heard that this is a fantastic answer to a growing problem. I live in a confused society. I desire as much wisdom in this area as I can get.


Well... That's what's coming soon. I'm excited!

Life...

...Is good. I'm so lacking in words for it right now. I feel suspended. I'm content and yet have a deep longing. I just want to sit in His presence and let Him explain what I'm feeling. I'm reminded of my heartsong from senior year. The words once again resonate deep within me...

I need words
As wide as sky
I need language large as
This longing inside
And I need a voice
Bigger than mine
And I need a song to sing You
That I've yet to find
I need You,
Oh, I need You
I need You,
Oh, I need You
To be here now
To be here now
To hear me now
To hear me now

"I Need Words"
David Crowder

That's all for now. I'm gonna go soak up some life from the Lover of my soul... He's so good to me. It amazes me yet never enough...

To Chew On...

"A sure sign of the Holy Spirit's working is that Christ is magnified- not other people."
-Francis Chan

Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame Banquet

Every year my dad sponsors the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame banquet. For the first time in a while, it worked out for my whole family to go this year! Keypoints included Troy Aikman being inducted and giving a speech, Don Demeter's friend giving a hilarious speech, and my dad's brand new speech (He's stuck with the same one for the past 6 years). My dad was on a roll. Those moments are always nerve-wracking for my mom, sister and I. Even if we think it's funny, we never know how everyone else is going to react! But it seemed to go pretty well. Great job Daddy = ) Here are some pics from the night!!



Mikayla, Me, Chan


My hair. Not gonna lie, I was pretty proud of myself for creating this!!




Chan's hair (Creation of Mom)


My sweet cousin, Mikayla!




Dad flashin' a smile out at the audience hahah


Troy Aikman giving his speech


Me and the fam fam