Freshmen Status

I only have about twenty minutes before I have to head to work...that's right, I said it. Work.

It's only Tuesday and I feel that this week has been full of running around. I woke up first thing and went to campus to buy books and get my parking pass for the year. (I wanted to miss the rush and had no idea what that would even look like at a university of this size).
I was so SO sheltered at Spring Arbor University. Nice, quiet, small campus, very friendly, and easy to navigate. So far, Western is expensive; $300.00 for a parking pass. (I paid $0.00 for my parking pass at SAU!) People are helpful, but the campus is small, nor is quiet. I'm such a sheltered girl...The sad part is, I'm supposed to be a graduate student...but I feel like a trifling freshman; awkward, scared, and not a clue what's going on. Great - just the feelings I was hoping to feel when I started my master's.
Books? Well let's just say that my "dream library" is increasing rapidly at a very expensive rate! While I'm excited about the books (I know, I'm weird like that), it's also a little overwhelming to see the content of my first semester...I keep telling myself, "Good thing I'm smart!" (Just for a surge of encouragement so as not to get stressed and overwhelmed before it all even starts) Sounds like a freshman huh? Yup - back to freshman status again...
I know that I will get back into the swing of things once classes start - it's just intimidating in the beginning. And I thought I would feel confident and sure of myself because I made it into grad school...pshh, right! lol
On a good note, I like my new job. It's gonna give me the inside scoop and heads up to my program - YES! My boss is also great to work with! I'm hoping that with a few weeks, I will no longer be the one who doesn't know what's going on...I hate that feeling. lol Leave it to my type A personality huh?
Anyway, life is good. It’s flying by like a jet plane – but it’s good. I feel so blessed to be able to study and work at a university like this. While slightly nerve racking at first, I know that I’ll get a handle on it soon and be a pro before I know it!

Idle Time, Idle Minds

It's amazing how God can change your heart in such a short period of time!

I have been struggling with not having any ambition to really dive into things lately.  At church Sunday Pastor Beth said something that really struck me, "Idle time, idle minds."  While she was using this in reference to raising up teenagers; God spoke to me through the very statement.

I have been idle all summer.  I also have had goals to achieve things this summer, yet I remained idle.  My ambition to achieve things, whether it was exercise, spend time in God's word, praying, etc.  I lazily chose to stay idle.  What a waste!  The last couple weeks I have been so discouraged, I couldn't figure out why nothing seemed to be happening, why I didn't have a thoughtful thought process.  I wanted to feel "awake" and "alive" again.  I prayed to God, "Show me what I need to do, why do I feel this way?  What's wrong?"
He provided His answer to me Sunday.  While it may have not been the answer I wanted, it was very blunt and it was truth.

"Idle time, idle minds."

I have not been feeling anything because my mind has been idle.  My mind has been idle because I haven't been cultivating my time, nor my mind.

When you ask God for answers, He gets right to the point doesn't He?

After the service on Sunday, I joined a small group.  I decided it was time to truly cultivate my mind and my mind is where resistance begins.  I joined the group, Battlefield of the Mind.  We will be reading and discussing Joyce Meyer's book, "Battlefield of the Mind."

I have also made a personal commitment to start each and everyday with a daily devotion.  I have made this statement before and it has always fell to the wayside - but I'm getting rid of resistance in my life, so I have no excuse now. :)

Thirdly, I have decided that worrying and fretting about my fall schedule is just another tactic that Satan is trying to use to slow me down.  I know that God has amazing plans for my future and I'm not about to let fear and doubt get in the way of that. 

Last but not least, I will schedule gym time into my daily schedule; just like work and class.  I am tired of making excuses for not being able to live an active and healthy lifestyle.  Resistance again, but not anymore!  I'm feeling very confident and renewed by this realization. 

I have realized that if change is to take place, it has to begin in the mind.  If our minds are idle, we are not going to move forward.  Satan wants that - he wants us to be idle and resist what we know we should be spending our time on.  Idle time, idle minds is what Satan strives for in our lives.  God has bigger and better plans for our lives.  So I'm going to cultivate my mind and spend my time wisely.

Twenty Something...Take 1

So I know I posted earlier today, but I'm in a much better place now. :)

So I was going through some old books today and I found a book that was given to me as I graduated from college, it's called "Everything Twentys - Designing  your best decade."  I hadn't read it yet, just skimmed the pages and thought - I should read this...the twenties don't last forever, I wanna get this right!  It takes a biblical perspective to designing a healthy image, relationships, work, faith, money and diving into culture as a Christian.  So the next few weeks my blogs may tell a little about this book as I find things interesting. Maybe ya'll can gain something from it too - even if you aren't in your twenties. :)

So the first three pages into this book, and I already thought, "Wow, I'm proud to be apart of this generation!" Second thought, "Whew, it's good to know that I'm not the only one who feels that way."

Why are we told that if we struggle with an issue, feel overwhelmed with life or move back in with our parents after college, wait to get married or have children are we told we're wrong and "not normal" if those are the very things that define our generation?  (Not the only things obviously, but a few for an example.)

As being a generation in our twentys we share: Experiences, Values, Trends and a Future.

"The twentys generation is poised to make a massive collective difference in the world.  This generation's strong bond of shared experiences, values, and trends gives you everything you need to take on your shared future.  You are on the edge of something big, ready for whatever challenges lie ahead.  You've been raised up for such a time as this!"

Another surprising factor of the first chapter of this book discusses the importance of twentys developing not only a sense of who they want to become as an individual and in Christ, but the importance of health.  All this time, I was being told by older generations, "Ah, you're young.  You don't have to worry about that now."  When the reality is this book is telling you to consider health risks NOW (because it all begins in your twentys).

So far, this book has just reiterated what I wrote about this morning, "Stop wasting time, and get going - it's not gonna last long and I can't get this time back."  When you think about twentys only being ten years, and never being able to get this time back I'm only that much more pushed to make it my best.  If I can get this decade under control, spiritually, relationally, emotionally, etc, then it will only make my thirties that much better!

Living in the Now

This morning has started off slow...I slept in very late (later than I normally would by far)  Last night was a long night, so I justified sleeping in til' almost 10am because of that.  Here it is 10:30 and I'm still contemplating on what I'm going to accomplish this morning.  So I decided to start with blogging this morning.

Lately, I have been in and out of these 'funks' that won't seem to leave me alone.  Luke and I have been under a lot of stress lately; new job, one income, paying for classes, new classes, new lifestyle, etc.  I feel that the true craziness hasn't even begun, and I'm already stressed out about it - not a good way to start things off.  But I got this right? 

Yesterday, is when I realized it.  I realized that I'm not spending time doing the things I need to be doing right now.  You may be asking yourself, "What are you talking about?   You have all the time in the world this summer, how could you be spending in wrong?" Well...you know all those things back in the winter I said I wished I had time for but didn't?  You know, like getting back into my devotions, praying with God more than the average Christian, diving into His Word, and exercising so that I can feel better.  With all this time I've been given this summer I have done....none of those things.  It's then I realized that I'm missing the boat.

It sucks that I realized this the last week of my care-free summer.  Yet, so life goes right?  We always miss the boat and then realize it at the last possible moment.  Shoot, even my blog entries have been kinda "lifeless" lately.  I haven't had or done anything profound all summer.  This could have been my sabbatical summer - wait, this WAS my sabbatical summer and I blew it.  I will probably never get this time back - EVER.  Crap, so what now?

Well, I figure I got two ways to look at this loss of time.  One: I can keep moping around, I've wasted too much time as it is to try to make up for anything.  or Two: I pick my sorry self up and I DO something about all those things I mentioned earlier.  In the end, it doesn't really matter how much time you really have getting right, just that you get it right - right? 

So I guess today starts the beginning of actually getting it right.  I'm going to stop focusing on the future and being stressed about things that I can't even control at this point and start focusing on the present.  I've already missed too much time, I don't to miss anymore.  I'm going to make the most of the next week and not stress about classes and time and things that I can't even control.  I'm going to try to live in the NOW, not the LATER.

 The 'later' is always subject to change anyway...based on how we live our 'now'.

Anxiously Waiting...

Yesterday I was in a funk.  It happens once in awhile.  Then I went and had dinner with a really good friend and was excited to hear that she's getting married next summer; and asked me to be a bridesmaid.  I am so happy for her!  Then I went to my mom and dad's and got to ride horses and see family.  By the time I got home, I was outta my funk.

 Not to say that I didn't have to go through getting lost in Battle Creek at 10pm on my way home because traffic was backed up for miles and arguing with Luke on the phone over directions before it got better...

But that's life...right?  Up, down, and back again.  Why is it that I feel Luke and I waste precious time spent together arguing over little things or I get upset or overwhelmed?  I feel like I miss all the exciting stuff going on around me.  I have friends all around me planning weddings and there are days I wanna say to them, "Enjoy dating...marriage doesn't make life easier."  But at the same time I wish someone would remind me to, "Enjoy being married, it's a blessing!"  Ahh, life...so complicated some days. 

I am getting more and more anxious as the month progresses.  I am anxious to start classes.  I can't wait to officially start training for my career, but at the same time I'm very nervous about it.  I know I've said it before; but I'll say it again.  So then I asked myself, "Why am I nervous?"  This is what I came up with:

> I'm afraid that I'll be in over my head with classwork, work, and being a wife. 

> I'm afraid that with Luke being in school and working in Jonesville again, things between us will get a little bit more stressful as we won't get to spend quality time with each other.

> I'm afraid that I'll get overwhelmed with classes and forget why I'm doing it in the first place.  I don't want to lose my passion.

> I'm afraid of being sick and trying to manage pain with class and work.

> I'm nervous about getting lost (how silly is that, but still true).

I know some of you may be thinking, don't worry, it'll work out.  Yet, they're still legit fears.  Some of which, I'm aware, will probably never come about (statistically speaking).  The sooner I start the program and can see that, the better off I'll be. 

Okay, so there, I admitted to myself and you why I'm so anxious about starting classes in less then a month.  I know things will work out in the end, but some days it's hard to see that when I'm overwhelmed by scary stuff. 

In the mean time, I going to do what I can to prepare myself for class.  Get organized and stay organized so it's not an issue when the crazy schedule starts.  And most importantly, enjoy this time I have with Luke now (without the bickering) before life gets crazy. 

As the Summer Continues...

Life has changed a lot since the 29th of July. For starters, I learned how to make a really great batch of rice krispies! This is a big feat for myself, since the last batch was about 8 years ago and were so hard that the dogs would not even touch them! But on a serious note, there have a been a few changes in the Butters' household in the last couple of weeks.

Let's begin with the biggest news; Luke has changed jobs, again. He is now back working for PcA of Jonesville for Andi and Joyce as the Office Manager. This job, has come about after much prayer and careful consideration. However, we believe that this is going to give Luke the opportunity to learn a whole new aspect of the medical career he is pursuing. I am very happy for him as I know that he is very happy to be back working for PcA.


As far as myself goes, I am preparing for classes to start in the next couple weeks and starting my new job on the 23rd. I am very excited about classes but nervous at the same time. One of the major purchases that we have made in preparation for school are new computers. It was a must for both of us. Luke will be taking classes at KVCC as well. Computers that function properly are a necessity for college. It was the biggest expense that we knew we had to make, but it is now out of the way!


Aside from preparing for classes and the new jobs; life has been pretty standard. However, it has been enough to keep us busy. For fun, I have been expanding my cooking abilities (now that I have more time for meals) and have found that I thoroughly enjoyed cooking meals and baking. I think Luke is enjoying the hobby as well. :)


I can't believe how fast this summer has gone by. I thought last summer was busy and went by fast, but summer 2010 has proven to fly by as well. I also am shocked at how much things have changed just since we've moved to Kalamazoo. All this to say, that God is good and I am more and more convinced that Luke and I are right where God wants us to be right now. It's wonderful confirmation to have when it has been such a faith based decision/move on our part.

Thank you for all of you who continue to pray and support us.

God Bless,
~The Butters'