Marshmallow Chase

My roommate and I were driving down the highway this afternoon, on our way to diligently spend our afternoon in increasing our GPAs by the intense acquisition of knowledge otherwise known as "cramming."

Dena: "Marshmallow."
Self (intelligently): "huh?"
Dena (condescendingly, patiently): "That car looks like a marshmallow."
Self (in a moment of understanding): "Oh! Ha it does. It looks like a small squishy marshmallow. And that squarish one behind it looks like a square marshmallow. The small squishy one must be the girl, and the squarish one must be the guy."
Dena: "Yeah. And the squishy one is trying to get away from the guy. He's chasing her. He's an abusive boyfriend and she's trying to run away from him."
Self: "Go, Squishy, go! He's after you!"
Dena: "She tried to get away on that off ramp, but at the last minute he swerved into it and followed her."
Self: "And now she's trapped off the highway."
Dena: "And she's coming up to a stop sign and she doesn't know what to do. She fakes right, then goes left."
Self: "And he believed it and is turning right. Way to go Squishy!"
Dena: "Good luck, little squishy marshmallow car!"
(mutual cheer for Squishy)

Ah the joys of life made interesting.... =D

More cool pictures...

Hibiscus

Messing around with some of my photos today... thought this one turned out rather cool.

A Thought

I haven't posted on my blog in forever... I don't particularly know why. I think my life just got so crazy... I was struggling just to keep my head above water for so long that I didn't have time to think about blogging. BUT my life is a bit more under control now... Maybe because I figured out that I don't have to be the one controlling it =]

I've learned so many lessons about peace and joy and trust... about love, about living in Abba's hand.

And I hope to continue learning the lessons I've started to learn.

I've learned about being still, and knowing He is God... That's tough for me, because I like to be in control and to Fix things.

I've learned about trust, and knowing He is Good... another hard one because I like to figure things out myself and make things turn out ok.

I've learned about following Him, not others... that sounds easy, but is difficult to see at times. I am not living for others. I am living to respond to Abba and to show His love to others. Whether they choose to respond to Abba is between them and Him... I can't live to make sure they respond. If I do, I will lose myself in the process of trying to make them be something they aren't and don't want to be.

I've learned that I am not invincible... sounds obvious, but for some reason I had this vague notion that I, Danielle Schmelzenbach, was impervious to all the problems of the Little People. =]

I've learned that I am not perfect... another seemingly obvious, I think I just needed it strongly proven to me. =]

I've learned that I am perfect... uh, wait a minute, Danielle, you just said... yeah I know what I just said. Roll with me here. I've learned that I am most certainly not perfect. I've also learned that I am being perfected by my Abba and although I am most certainly human, the journey I am on is a perfect one, one that ends in and leads through holiness and Abba.

I've learned about breathing... stopping, letting go for a while, and just breathing. Not needing to constantly figure everything out. Not needing to constantly fix everything and everyone. Not needing to fight for my life. But just breathing.

I've learned a lot more, but that's enough for now. Hopefully I can start posting a bit more often. =]

Firsts...

Well, hello, blog, I haven't been to you in a while.
So I'm heading home for Christmas, with a whole pile of "firsts" out of the way now. What firsts, you say? well...

My first time in a classroom (yes, I was homeschool K-12)
My first lab class
My first time living away from home
My first new country without my family
My first dorm room
My first roommate (yeah she's pretty awesome)
My first boyfriend
My first breakup
My first time ice skating (yes I looked like an idiot and enjoyed every minute of it)
My first time playing Halo =]
My first time playing guitar hero (ok, so it helps if you know the songs before you start singing)
My first awesome prof
My first terribly annoying prof
My first voice juries... bleh
My first time eating... whatever that stuff was at the cafeteria. Pretty sure I've never seen it's equal before anywhere on earth.
...well, and many more.

I'd say this has been a rather amazing first semester at college, I've learned a lot... most of it not in the classroom. I'm very ready to go home, but I'm aware that I'll be very ready to come back and hit the ground running next semester as well. I didn't fail my first semester of classes... I don't think... but then again, I don't have my final chemistry grade yet, do I.
We'll call this semester a good first try. ... now for my first visit home for Christmas!