So my 4th semester of college has started and so I hope this semester I can do a better job at keeping up with this blog. Quite a bit of stuff has happened since I last blogged, but I don't think any of it is super important to write about it. Well, except for the lovely weekend I had in Searcy, Arkansas! So, I guess that is what I will start with.
So during the first weekend of the new year, two of my wonderful friends got married! The ceremony was on Saturday, but I decided to go to Searcy on Friday in order to hang out with the 2 grad student RFC's that had graduated last year and also some of the other RFC's that I had not seen all break. The day was absolutely wonderful. First, me and the two graduates went to eat at IHOP(where I am or may not have sneakily paid for them while they were talking) and then we went over to the house they were going to stay in that had belonged to one of their grandparents. We proceeded to just sit around and talk and also got a bonfire started. Some more of the current RFC's came out later and we sat around the fire for a couple hours. After that, some of the group left while me and the others decided to all go and sleep at one of the RFC's house that was in town. Now, since I was the only guy I of course slept in a different room from them, but we still got the chance to just sit around a talk til about one or two in the morning. The next morning I decided to wake up a bit earlier than the others to go outside an read for a bit. I caught one of them leaving (I'm going to call her S since she will be mentioned later and is super silly :p) and then she gave me a late Christmas gift which was a super nice notebook that I love! Me and the two graduates proceeded to then go back to the other house and get ready for the wedding. The ceremony was beautiful and I could not be happier for both of them. They also plan to go to China for a year after this semester to teach English and also God's word, which is amazing and I look up to them so much for choosing to try to do that. All in all, that weekend was definitely a great way to start the year.
After the wedding I had a week of relaxation before heading back to school. I went back with my family on the Saturday before school started and watched a basketball game with them. After the game I was able to hang out with S at the RFC house and have one of our many wonderful conversations we have already had this semester! The next day I went to church and dinner with my family and then they left. After lunch, I was able to hang out with S again as we went to the book store and also helped clean up around the RFC house. That night I also got to go out to eat with a lot of other RFC's and catch up with them on how their break had been.
The next day was when school started of course. I have 17 hours this semester so a good load, but shouldn't be too hard as long as I keep up with things. Since it was the first week and no one really had a lot of homework yet, we spent many a nights staying up late and playing polish or watching movies or just talking. The week seemed to go by pretty fast and by the time I knew it Saturday had arrived. Saturday was a very busy, but very fun day. I started by getting up a little early and going to Academy with S's boyfriend who is also one of my best friend's ever! He also got her some flowers, so I figured I would post it since he probably won't read this and he doesn't like people to know he can be sweet haha. I then proceeded to go over to another RFC's apartment and watch the Hog basketball game. We decided there that the weather was to nice to not go outside so we got a group of RFCs to play ultimate! After that we went and ate dinner together and played Catan. That brings us to today, Sunday, which was just a very nice lazy day.
So, I guess that about all it for now. Oh, and also I figure I should explain the title of my post. The quote come from Romans 15: 13 which says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." I've always loved the verses in the bible that talk about being filled with joy, but this verse was one that really interested me. The whole idea that as you are filled with this joy and peace you are also filled with hope in God so much until it overflows is something has really been on my heart this semester already as I try to grow my faith and also work on being able to find peace, so I just thought this verse was very fitting. Also, being filled with joy is something I always strive to find, because it is something that keeps me smiling.
