Marble Runs and Nerf Guns

Wow! Five weeks left if this internship!  I can't believe it.  Five weeks left means that I have been here for NINE weeks.  I don't believe that either.  It has gone by really quickly, and I have not been able to get as much done for the summer as I thought I would.  Successful internship--check!  Study for and take the GRE--not happening.  Finish county project for agecon--I am praying that this will be done, but its slow going.  I can't seem to get in a groove on Fridays when I need to work.  Plus, it was delayed for 4 weeks by my computer crashing.  While I feel such peace here, I have to say that having this project hanging over my head is a source of anxiety, one that I hope will be eliminated quite soon.  Please pray that I will find some time and motivation to finish it up.

You may be wondering about the title of this blog.  Well, I have to say that one of the reasons I have not had a ton of extra time is because of the fun of marble runs and nerf guns.  Josiah is 4, and he really enjoys playing, like most little boys his age, and these are the things he enjoys.  He was really excited to find a kindred spirit in his love of nerf guns when he found out that I had one in the back of my car.  We have since played with it several times.  Marble Runs are a whole different story.  They are just downright cool.  Below is a video of a marble run.  This is the same type of track the Josiah has.  The marble run stays in the basement, and sometimes I cannot help putting on a few marbles and watching them go.

so cool!

Let me get to an update of the past few weeks.  I have been very busy at Homes for Hope lately working on some marketing initiatives.  SO MUCH FUN!  I never have enjoyed my marketing classes as much as my economics classes, but I have to say, I really enjoy putting them into practice.  I enjoy thinking of things to do, and I really enjoy writing.  I enjoyed writing in high school, but I have found a new love for it.  I like watching my thoughts come to life and shape a picture as I put them into words.  I hope that this means that I am on the right track!  For some of my writing please see www.homes4hope.org later this week.

My parents came to visit for the weekend of the Fourth.  We spent two days in DC and several more in Lancaster.  Though I wish I could say that their trip was invigorating, I did miss my weekend rest, and was physically and mentally exhausted by the time they left.  I did more in those few days than I have done the entire time I was here.  However, I did finally get to go to Hershey Chocolate World!

While we were in DC, I made some progress on future plans.  I met with admissions at American University and Wesley Theological Seminary.  I love both campuses, and would really feel at home there.  If only I can get in...  The dual degree program that I desire to complete typically requires 2 years of full time work experience.  I really hope that when I contact the graduate professor in the fall, that he says that I should go ahead and apply.  I am keeping my options open, and am willing to go where God wants me to go, but that doesn't make me love this place any less.  I would be so lucky to be able to go here.  Especially knowing that I have loved DC since I was a sophomore in high school!

Well I hope that this update on what is going on in my life finds all of you having wonderful summers! I love you and miss you all.

I will leave you with Psalm 41.  I have always loved Psalm 40, and have sadly overlooked Psalm 41 in the past.  Hopefully you will find this Psalm as much of a blessing as it has been for me.




O Lord, Be Gracious to Me

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

41:1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! [1]
In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you restore him to full health. [2]

4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
heal me, [3] for I have sinned against you!”
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,
while his heart gathers iniquity;
when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
7 All who hate me whisper together about me;
they imagine the worst for me. [4]

8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out [5] on him;
he will not rise again from where he lies.”
9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10 But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them!

11 By this I know that you delight in me:
my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.

Isn't it such a blessing to know that in the midst of our troubles, God delights in us and will uphold us as long as we are faithful.  It should be simple in the fact that God returns his faithfulness for our faithfulness, but I am constantly overwhelmed at the fact that quite simply, I am so small, and God is so big, yet he still delights in me, and will uphold me in the face of my enemies.

Blessings from PA,

Aislinn