We found Peanut Brittle a home. It's very sad, but very good. She needed a home where the people really wanted a dog and would have a place for her to run and go. So now she's in Bellevue, Ohio. I can actually start doing some of the things that I want to again that I couldn't with the dog (i.e. practice my instruments AT ALL, haha, and some other less significant things).

I also went on a trip to Wisconsin recently which was so much fun! Stacy and I visited Paul. It was weird on the way up though. I had realized that it was five years to the day that Stacy and I had met at drumline camp. It was so crazy. I can't believe I've known people for so long. I'm getting so old. Stacy even kept mentioning it. Paul and I are both in graduate school and she just started as a nurse at OSU Medical Center today. We're growing up, hahaha. I'm ready for it, I just don't feel like I'm grown up yet. I don't know, it probably has to do with me still living at home and all. I mean, I'm still able to do my own thing, but i just don't quite feel like an adult yet. This is probably a good thing though since I have plenty of time (i.e. the rest of my life) to feel like an adult, haha. Anyway! The trip was a ton of fun though! We toured Madison, he showed us his office at UW, toured a Capitol Brewery, went to Noah's Ark, a conservatory, and just had a ton of fun! I have some pics on my phone from the trip, but don't know how to get those on here. Maybe Stacy will send me some that she took and I can post some.

In other news, who else loves the Olympics? I absolutely think they are the greatest things ever, haha. I'm kind've a big fan of Michael Phelps too. I tried to watch every race (and only missed one or two). The track and field stuff has just started too and that's so cool. And how about the US women gymnast too? They were fantastic at the individual competition. Heck yes Nastia and Shawn! I just really love them. The summer Olympics are my favorite too. I like the winter Olympics, they just don't quite do it for me the same way. Maybe I just get way too excited about these things, haha, but I love them anyway.

I'm also really excited about seminary starting back up. I have over a month still, but I'm stoked. I'm really excited to see what God has in store for both this year, and my future ministry! 

...we believe that His children will not be foresaken.

Remember that old Twila Paris song? Maybe I just remember it because my mom used to listen to all those oldies who paved the way for what Christian music is today, haha. It's got an excellent message and definitely one that I need to remember right now.

Last week I helped my dad out on a bike ride for missions. I was a support driver and my mom navigated. I drove a fifteen passenger van pulling a twelve foot trailer (one of those extra wide ones that can fit a car inside). You can check out their blog at don.northcantongrace.org.  Wonderful experience except...

On Tuesday I got a call from my friend Karen at seminary that they had found that my friend Glen had unexpectedly passed away in his apartment. I was in shock. He was the same age as me. Went straight from undergrad to seminary. He was a great guy too. It didn't seem fair. Why do bad people seem to live until they're 95 yet Glen had to die at 23? It was really confusing to me at first and I was pretty upset, but I ended up talking to Amy and she helped me sort things out. Plus I was surrounded by my parents, pastors, and some very Godly men and women who lifted the situation up in their prayers. I also pray that God's comfort would be on Glen's fiance, Carly. I talked to Karen earlier today and she said that her family and friends have been very supportive. I'm pretty upset that I had to miss the funeral too. That has kind of bothered me, but I plan to visit his grave as soon as I get a chance. He was a wonderful man of God and I know that I'll see him again, it just kinda stinks that I have to wait so long. Doesn't quite seem fair, you know what I mean?

That's when I have to remember that God is in control. Even if He may not have necessarily ordained this to happen, He still has control of us and how we can respond to this situation. It has actually got me to thinking if I would have acted any differently the last time I had hung out with him. We were at B-dubs the week before celebrating Karen's birthday. He and I had actually split some wings and shared on the buy one burger get one half-off deal. Would I have told him how much I appreciated his friendship? How often do I tell my friends and the ones I love how much I appreciate them? Probably not enough. Granted, when we all know Christ, we can rest in the assurance that we'll all live together again some day, but I think it's important especially to those of us still on earth to make sure we communicate those things. I heard "We Live" by Superchick in the car on my way to church and it helped me clarify some of those thoughts too. We do need to remember that we don't know how long any of us have. The Parousia could come any time or we just don't know what freak thing might happen. Do the ones we love really know how much we love them?