You have found me! I hope you find some sort of delight in my ramblings. A few quick warnings about what you may encounter here in the blog:
1. I will talk about my faith. Jesus Christ is the reason for my existence and I strive daily to live my life for Him.
2. I will talk about...BUGS! I'm this crazy thing called an entomologist...
3. I'll talk about cooking/baking: I love food!
4. I will overuse ellipses...can't help it, I love them!
So now that you know a little about the blog, what about me?
Well, I currently wear a number of different hats:
Daughter to the most amazing parents in the world (you can be jealous, I’ll allow it).
With a pastor for a father (Faja), and a nurse (Now an RN!) for a mother (Momma) I have had the privilege of being encouraged by my parents in the growth of my faith and my pursuit of knowledge and other interests throughout my life. Watching the love between my parents grow as I have grown up has given me a beautiful example of what Christian relationships and marriages are to look like. Their love for the Lord and His people has helped to foster my relationship with the most amazing Father imaginable (Yes, even better then my Faja). Our time in the mission field (we spent 2 years in Panama ministering to the precious people of Chiriqui) showed me that God’s love knows no boundaries. He doesn’t merely love the middle class people of America – He loves every last person on this globe, rich or poor, American or Panamanian, the list goes on. God is all-reaching, all-encompassing, all-loving. I can’t wait to continue to learn from my parents and watch them grow further with one another as husband and wife and children of the Lord.
Sister to 3 of the most ridiculously awesome brothers in the world (yeah...I’ll allow some jealousy again). My big brother has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. He has always taken excellent care of me, and though we live a few time-zones apart and our schedules often conflict in every way imaginable…and more, he has always been there. I’ll never forget all of the adventures we had as kids running around the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas and the neighborhoods and forests of Panama and so much more. Big Brother has also blessed me with the most amazing Big Sister I could ever ask for.
Now if I could just get them to move a little closer to me…all would be perfect. My two little brothers Panda Bear/J-Man and Fariz/C-Fizzle are two of the most absurdly different people I have ever met, but they certainly keep me on my toes! With Panda’s love of acting and the stage and Fariz’s love of the trumpet, marching band, jazz, anything music, they are quite the dynamic duo. I’m excited to see what new adventures J-Man has once he makes it to the Frozen Tundra, and I can’t wait to see how C-Fizzle excels in his last year of high school and where the Lord leads him for the next chapter of his life.
Mom to 3 goofy critters (you might not be too jealous of this hat…just wait ‘til you find out what one of my lovely critters is…). BigBoy!
The love of my life. He is the fluffiest, cuddliest, most annoyingly wonderful cat on the planet. I’ve had this fluff-ball since I was in 7th grade…let’s just say that once something has been a part of your life for this long, it’s difficult to imagine life without them. While he’s beginning to grey and his joints are starting to snap, crackle, and pop (just like his mamma…) from time to time, he is quite the spry kitty when he wants/needs to be – I mean, he can beat up the dog…that’s impressive. Which brings us to Jake (aka: Jakers).
My precious little barrel-chested cow dog. He’s a spunky Blue Heeler/Australian Cattle Dog, and I love him. Yes, he drives me out of my mind from time to time, but he also keeps me sane, and forces me to go outside when the week has wrung me dry of energy and drive. He’s the perfect combination of companion and protector. Even though I’ve barely had him for a year now, it’s hard to imagine life without his quirky self. And, finally, there’s Tevye – the squeaky Madagascar Hissing Cockroach. Yes, you read that correctly.
OK, before you freak out, remember that I’m an entomologist…I have this weird thing for bugs. Tevye used to have a roommate named Little Bubba, but he went legs-up last fall – it was a sad, sad day and we are currently searching for another buddy for Tevye.
Grad Student, working on my Master’s in Entomology. I have one year down and two more to go before I complete my program. I’m not sure where I’ll be going from there. If I were to get things my way I would head back to the Greatest Nation that is Texas and teach in some capacity, but as I have told a number of people who ask me “So what are you doing after you finish?” every time I plan in advance and try to do what I want instead of listening for what the Lord wants, my plans go up in smoke… So, I am trying to apply the lesson the Lord has tried to teach me time and time again: not my will, but His. I feel led to teach, this much I do know. It brings me great joy and I believe that I can glorify the Lord and point others towards Him as I teach. But, what type of education I would best serve the Lord in doing, I cannot say. I’m keeping my eyes, ears, and heart open for direction and opportunities and we’ll see what the Lord points me to during the next couple years.
Daughter of the King. This is the most important part of my life…though, I often lose sight of my priorities and don’t treat my position in the Lord’s family with the dedication that I should. I'm learning and growing in my faith daily as I undertake this new adventure in the Frozen Tundra. It was a big leap of faith to move here all on my own, knowing no one, but the Lord has done nothing but show me His providence over and over again. I am so blessed to be His. This doesn't mean that every day is rainbows and butterflies...far from it. What this does mean, is that even on those days, weeks, months, years where it seems like there are nothing but storm clouds, sorrow, and pain, I can rest and find comfort and peace in the arms of my dear Savior. When you come to understand that, nothing seems impossible to undertake or push through. My God is an Awesome God and I would be so lost without Him.
So there you a have a few disclaimers about me and the things I will blog about...but who knows what else is going to pop-up?!
The world is my oyster and it's yours too!! Refine away!
Shalom!
~MW
The world is my oyster and it's yours too!! Refine away!
Shalom!
~MW
