Let's read through the whole Bible this year :)

So I decided that this year I am going to take a journey through the entire Bible. It's been a long time since I was successful in this endeavor, but I really want to do it this year. Often when I read my Bible, there are books/passages that go neglected and since we know that, "all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness," I think it will be very beneficial for me personally to go on this journey. If anyone would like to join me that would be great! I picked up a reading plan from church on Sunday. This particular one just schedules you to read four chapters a day beginning in Genesis. I started today reading chapters 1 through 4. I plan on blogging occasionally about what I am reading, and it would be really neat if we could have some discussion on this blog. Well those are my thoughts for the day!

~Rachel

Our 1st Anniversary!!

Well it's been a whole year already! Today Kyle and I are celebrating our first anniversary. In a way the time seems to have flown by, but on the other hand it feels like we have been married forever :) We both have grown immensely over this past year, and the Lord is continuing to teach us more and more everyday. Marriage has definitely been a sanctifying experience for us as we learn to daily die to ourselves and serve Christ through each other. We are so thankful to the Lord for the gift of marriage. Looking back we are amazed at God's great faithfulness in our lives and the grace that He has shown to us. Lord willing, we look forward to many more years of marriage together. I'm so thankful that I can truly say that I love Kyle more than I did a year ago. Thank you to our friends and family for all of the prayers, love and support you have given us over this last year. We love you!

A Chapter Closed

So now I am OFFICIALLY a college graduate. Yesterday our families came over to celebrate and it was a lot of fun! I had two finals today so up until a few hours ago I didn't feel like I was done with college yet. When I was returning my books it hit me that I was actually finished, then I started feeling old. As I was walking to the car to drive home I started getting a little sentimental about UWL, a feeling I did NOT expect. Whereas, I often was very frustrated with my classes, other students, and the faculty, I do have a lot of good memories from my time at UWL. That's where I met Kyle! Anyway, it feels good to close that chapter of my life.
Rejoicing in the faithfulness of our sustaining God,

~Rachel

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Kyle and I have been listening to a lot of Christmas music lately, and in doing this we have "rediscovered" a GREAT song. When it comes to Christmas music, it can be easy to ignore the words because you are so familiar with them. In fact, it'd hard not to do this sometimes, especially when you have been listening to them and singing them in church year after year. This was the case for me with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." As Kyle and I were reading through the lyrics, we decided that it would be hard to find a Christmas song with a better text than this one.

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

The moment I've been waiting for...

Well I am officially done with my senior project!! Last night Jake helped me finish my paper (I was up until 3:00 am), and this morning I presented my research in front of CST faculty and students. It went much better than I expected it would. People asked a lot of good questions and they seemed to find my study very interesting. It was hard at times because I struggled with feeling like I didn't "find" anything really significant. Today, my professor helped me to realize that this way because I was too "close" to the research having been home schooled myself and also because I had invested so much time in it. I got really good feedback from the CST faculty today which I am soooo thankful for.
Anyway, I'm happy to not have to think about this anymore. Conducting research was a really good experience for me, but I NEVER plan on doing it again. Right now, I'm sitting in the lab waiting for my Commputer Mediated Communication final to start. After this I only have two exams on Monday and then I will officially be a college graduate. I can't wait!
Thanks to everyone for all of you love, support, prayers and encouragement this semester.

~ Rachel

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,and give thanks to his holy name!
~ Psalm 97:12

Senior Project Presentation

This is it, this is the last week of my college career. I'm learning a lot of about perseverance lately because at this point I REALLY just want to be done. Kyle can attest to that fact. Sometimes I just have to take a nap so I don't have to think about it any more. Anyway, I was thankful that Chris was able to work for me tonight so I could get some stuff done. I bet all of our readers are almost as excited as I am for me to be done with my research. Finally my posts will have new topics :)
Okay, I'm now going to give you some valuable information, the time and place of my presentation. I honestly don't expect any of you to come, but if you would like to, my session is a 10:00 am this Friday in room 2066 of the Health Science Center. I am third, and each presentation is about 20 minutes. Therefore, mine should be starting around 10:40. There will be six presentations total, however; you may come and go in between presentations just not during.
Well that's all I have for now.

Rachel

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
~ Hebrews 12:1 and 2

Kyle in the La Crosse Tribune

Here is a link to an article in the La Crosse Tribune today. Kyle and John Dregne have been meeting with Ardith, an older woman in the community as part of a project for their family communication class this semester. Kyle has really enjoyed hearing stories from her life and getting to know her through this project. John and Kyle made a scrapbook for her and presented it to her yesterday at their end of the semester Christmas party. Follow the link to read the story and see Kyle's picture :)

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2007/12/05/news/z02class1205.txt

~ Rachel