Oooops! I think I missed something!

For those of you sitting on the edge of your seat to see what happens next in my exciting life, I want to assure you that I certainly did get married back in July. It is hard to believe it has been nearly 2 months since then. I will try to get some pictures up soon as proof that I really am now a wife to an absolutely amazing husband!

So, thought of the day: when you give advice to others, you should be expecting to hear it come back to you when you are not living by it either. Basically, try not to give others advice then reject it when it returns to you.

Will try to be back a little more often. I will try to keep you informed of the big things in my life, but I don't see anything ahead right now.

Adios, my faithful followers,
-Beth

Just a thought...

I was thinking this morning while I was getting read for work about the words to a song. The song refers to when things go wrong and says that God will make them right. Well, I think that is actually the wrong view. Nothing ever happens beyond God's control. Therefore, things can't really go wrong. God uses EVERYTHING for the good of those who love Him and for the accomplishment of His purposes. So, I guess that just helps me to sit back and remember His sovereignty when things got the way I didn't want or expect them to.

Anyway, those were just a few random thoughts.

As the day gets closer, I am increasingly excited about being the helper and wife of an amazing man whom God has chosen for me to marry and be a lifelong help.

Until my brain rattles again and a (blog) post pops out,
Beth

Good morning

When I woke up this morning, I started out feeling in a bit of a bad mood. Why? Could be many reasons; could be no reason. Well, it kind of followed me through the morning. The drive to work was nice and quite and very enjoyable. Then, when I entered the office, I could see something sitting on my desk.

I was curious and checked it out right away. It was a little bird and a magnet with a card from one of my coworkers. She told me that she appreciated all of the little and [few] big things I do around the office. It was nice to hear that my work makes a difference. = )

Anyway, that was a nice little "pick me up" that made me smile. God used that to brighten my day.

Not much to say today, just wanted to share this.

Until next time,
Beth

Only 39 days!!!!

There are only 39 days until my wedding to Tim! 39 days, that is one less than the oft occuring 40 day periods in the Bible, it is 3 bakers dozens days, and it is just not that far away! I am looking forward to this day so much.

All of the details have been extremely overwhelming at times, but they are pulling together, and it will be a beautiful, wonderful day. I'm sure there will be mishaps and things won't go quite as planned or expected, but that is okay. What is important about the day is that Tim and I are making the commitment to enter the sacred commitment of marriage.

Many of our family and friends will join us, while there will also been many missing. They may miss our wedding, but we look forward to sharing with them our marriage.

As the day creeps closer, I want so much to keep God and His plan and purpose at the front of all and before all of the wedding plans. Love for God, then love for Tim, then love for all of those that God has so kindly placed in my life...these things come first. Flowers and lights and dresses and tulle will all be little embelishments on the day that will help make it pretty and make it feel special as it should. (Although sometimes I think of them as necessary evils.) Regardless or including all of the details, I am getting very excited. Although I have deliberated over some of the details way too much, the day will reflect Tim and me and our desires and who we are.

Thank you for your patience as we continue to plan this day and have our crazy moments.

Counting down....
Beth

My list

I suppose you must be getting really tired of me posting so much! Argh! How annoying. Well, I plan on keeping it up unless something drastically changes my plans.

Here is my list of great things for today:

1. push up and sit ups (but not too many)
2. on-line books (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)
3. kind customers
4. adorable little kids...who might just be accelerated readers
5. a mom who is willing to spend quite a bit of time helping me with wedding invitations

and I can't stop there today

6. a delicious dinner ready when I return home from work

and extremely amazingly
7. a family to welcome me when I come in

and one more.
8. the promise of a new family who will be welcoming me and for me to welcome in a month and a half = )

Thanks for keeping up with me...
-Beth

5 especially good things

So, I remebered a neat idea that I got from my amazing roommate. I am trying to make a list every day of 5 things that I am especially thankful for. Sometimes it is hard to come up with them, but more often than that, I say "No, I really really like this thing, but can I put it on my list. There are so many things to be thankful for that I don't know if that one should be one of the top five." It is a fun exercise.

Speaking of exercise, here is my list right now (in no specific order):

Tae bo
graduated friends who still take a moment to say "hi"
A sister I can say "hi" to! (And who says "hi" back!!)
pumpernickel bread that makes pickle less tuna salad still taste really good
getting up kind of early and not having to go to work until later in the morning.

I really want to make this list longer. This is fun!

Hope you can find as many things as I can for your list.

Later,
Beth

Oh my goodness!! Oops!

Wow! I have been extremely delinquent! It is hard to believe that it is nearly June, and I have not posted since January!! My way bad! I will endeavor to keep up much better.

Hmmm. Let's see...what has happened since I last posted? I think I remember something...

It seems to me that something very special happened on February 10th...something I was expecting but was a surprise to most people I know. Tim asked me to marry him! I emphatically said "yes!" We enjoyed sharing the news with family and friends and have since (and before then) received much support from our friends, families, and church families. So, now in much less time than that which has passed since my last post, Tim and I will be married! (I'm very excited if you can't tell.)

The rest of the semester finished up well too. God has been teaching me many lessons and blessed me deeply by close friends in Him. Many things didn't turn out the way I wanted them to, but I see that God is working things out according to His plan...and it is much better for me than the way I would have chosen.

What I am currently thinking on is words. The words we say and the words we don't say can cause much harm or good. I am trying to be careful about what I say now, apologize when I say something bad, and make amends for the things that have gone unsaid in the past. We don't have yesterday anymore to fix, but we have today, and God is eagerly waiting for us to ask Him for help.

Something else has occurred to me. Thinking of God's amazing redemption and freedom and singing about it in songs doesn't usually connect with my life...at least not as it should. God's act of rescuing us from sin frees us not only from the punishment and from the sins we struggle with but also from our natural tendencies. Some struggles seem to be handed down from generation to generation, and some even seem to stem from our personalities. God is much more powerful than those. He has freed us from sin ultimately and from Satan. Ourselves are not more powerful nor harder to conquer than sin and death!! He reigns, and He reigns over me. That is not to say that He will give us victory as we would like. He holds the victory in His hand. He has that power and will work together all things for His purposes.

So, now I am busy working this summer and making wedding decisions and arrangements. Keeps me busy...sometimes too busy. Now is the time I have...to seek God, to love those around me, and to prepare for my marriage to Tim. May God reign in every moment.

So, thank you for seeing if I am still here...feel free to remind me when I haven't posted.

Until next time
-Beth

Wishing you a truly good day

While writing an e-mail today I realized what I really want to say when I tell someone I hope they have a good day. Here it is...

I hope you are having a good day even if not so good things are coming your way! (I find wishing someone a good day difficult because I don't really mean that I hope their day goes exactly has they would choose, for I find that the best of days have in them the elements which could make the worst of days, but they become the best days when I run to God and praise Him instead.) I don't usually make such random statements, but this is what occurred to me when I wanted to wish you one of the best days.

Check, Check, Check....

Here they come, off my list...

Wow, it is Saturday afternoon, and I have been doing homework for a really long time. On the bright side, I have done my laundry, my dynamics homework, my materials engineering homework, and reviewed my notes from those classes. (Last night I did my differential equations homework and wrote a computer science program as well.) I have also had a few conversations with people who are important to me...and whom I often neglect.

You reading this, yes you, I'm sorry I have neglected you as well. Sometimes school is so frustrating. It is where I am supposed to be right now, but I just want to invest you people, in my relationship with you. (Yes, I am an engineering major.)

One of my profs said the other day that due to the nature of school, a student's life is out of balance. It should be that way. We are so focused on learning and working hard to learn during these years. How out of balance should life be? I don't want my life at my balance point (well, yes I do). Really, I want my priorities and the actions which reveal them to be the same as God's priorities for my life.

I think I will take a couple of minutes break or start in on my speech reading. Then, when that is done, I just have materials, CS1, and dynamics reading left. What do I need to do? All of this is what I want to do. What should I do? Where do I draw the line and say "good job, you are done."

When it comes to the end of my life, I just hope and want to work towards being able to hear from my wonderful Father and Savior, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Let me please You, Lord. Not myself or other people. Just You.

Friday afternoon...

Well, it is Friday afternoon again. This week has been good. I am absolutely starving! (And about to go get some supper!)

My Calculus is nearly done!

I am thankful for...

Early Saturday mornings!

Backwards sunrises!

Beautiful music - guitar today!

Hugs from K!

My Good Shepherd!

Content...

School is done for the week, (officially that is,) the southern sun is warm (okay, some may say hot), and today is a beautiful day. Why?

Well, first of all, it is beautiful because God created this day - specifically chose to make it and to accomplish His purposes in it. But, were it a rainy Monday filled with failed test scores and a bad case of bronchitis, would it still be a good day? Yes!

God whispered something to me yesterday I think. Regardless of whether my homework is done, I am passing or failing, it is raining or cloudy, I am bereaved, or maybe horribly ill, God has created this day, and I am to rejoice in Him and it. I have found myself extremely frustrated a lot recently. I have been frustrated that I haven't been getting the sleep and excersize I want/need, haven't been feeling well, don't have my homework done the day it is assigned (and at a decent hour). With all of this in the background, I think God "woke me up" and asked "Why are you looking at your life from your little hole?" I have been viewing everything from my little selfish perspective. God has blessed me abundantly, but I have refused to see it. Now I am looking...

First, maybe I am not well, things are hard, and I'm not getting the sleep and exercise my body needs. Okay. And maybe my homework isn't where I want it to be. And maybe I don't understand every little thing about the internal circuitry of VOM's. Okay. But, maybe I am where God wants me to be. Not just at the college He chose for me, but maybe exactly where I am. Maybe He has but me here in the midst of these things for a reason - for His glory and His purpose.

Maybe is not the right word. I do believe that God has placed me where He wants me to be. (I do have the responsibility to take care of myself and work hard.) God is so much bigger and sees things in such a different light. My (what a funny thought) life is not and should not be what I want it to be or think it should be. God works all things together for His glory and purposes. It's bigger than me.

So right now, as I take a minute's break from Calc III homework (which I love, by the way!) I praise God for this day and this semester and this life He has chosen and blessed me with - and all of the wonderful people He has sorrounded me with. I pray that He will arrange it (and help me to obey Him and do my part in arranging) as He sees fit - all to His glory!

May I see every day and every person and every hardship and frustration in light of my Sovereign and Loving God. To Him be glory both now and forever more!

Extremely Delinquent...

Unfortunately, and to your grave disappointment ; ), I have been extremely delinquent in updating my blog. Well fast forward through finals. I made it through, didn't quite make the grade I wanted, but am content. God uses disappointments and things we really wouldn't have chosen for ourselves to bless us, change us, and glorify His name.

This summer I had the amazing opportunity to intern for a company that improves piston designs and manufactures pistons. I learned SO much and was greatly affirmed that mechanical engineering is the right major/field for me. Actually doing some real engineering work was very enjoyable and educational! I had not really been wanting to change majors, but I wondered if I would actually like engineering once I finished school since working in the real world is so different from classes. Now I know!

I also had the opportunity to take 8 hours of Chemistry at a community college this summer. I learned a lot, thoroughly enjoy chemistry, and am grateful for the chance I had to meet and get to know some new people back home.

Now, I have been back at school for 11 days. I prepared for and then worked new student orientation. Working with others and preparing for all of the new students was great fun, exhausting!, and worthwhile. I was definitely pushed physically but am so grateful for the honor of serving the new students with a group of amazing people.

I have not only been delinquent in updating my blog but also in contacting one of the most important people in my life. (When she reads this she will know who she is.) Let's just say, expect a call from me this evening!

Well, classes start tomorrow. I am a little eager, a little scared, and a bit sad. I don't like change, and I miss those who are now gone from school. But, I also have the privilege of meeting many new students and continuing to build friendships with those who have returned. God said there is a time for every event under heaven. I trust Him and praise Him for that.

Please feel free to send me an e-mail, reply post, or whatever. I would love to hear from you so I can better pray for you.

Take care and until next time,
-Beth

Sleepy

After studying really hard and taking a Calculus II final, I am exhausted! I have three more finals this week, but my most difficult one is now over! Yeah! As I was walking to the class for the final, I saw one of my favorite people. She stopped me and asked how I was doing. (When she asks, you answer, because she REALLY cares!) Well, I was feeling a little negative about the exam, and she told me that I had been faithful and worked hard. All I needed to do was to do my best, wrap it up, put a bow on it, and give it to God! That is all God wants. He isn't concerned about grades; He just wants my best. So, I took the test, did my best, and gave it to God. I can't guarantee grades, but He doesn't want that!

As Luke 12 says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (NIV) I want my treasure to be in heaven, not in some transcript or grade book! I am abundantly grateful that God sent this dear friend to cross paths with me when I needed her. It was truly a God appointment.

I hope you are having a good day, and maybe you are going through finals too. I pray for you, that God will give you peace and help you to do your best from where you are. God will meet you there.

Take care,
Beth

Finished!

For those of you who have been watching my blog, I would like to inform you that I turned in my final research project 30 minutes ago and it is due in 1 minute! Yeah!

After staying up until 4 this morning working on it, I am tired, but I am happy. I have one test tomorrow and a project demonstration tomorrow, then finals next week. I praise God for getting me through all of this stuff! He is good, gracious, and supremely sustaining!

Anyway, Beth's niche in cyberspace may soon undergo a makeover. It may just become a place where I let you peak into my life a little bit.

However, I would like to thank you for not becoming disgusted with my slowness and lack of communication. Sometimes my life belongs almost solely to God and my classes.

Take care,
B-mer

My Strategic Position

I have come to the conclusion that women should not be drafted into the military, at least not as in the traditional meaning of the word draft. Women as a whole gender are not physically or psychologically prepared for such positions. Nonetheless, women should serve their country like the men do. They should perform civil service. This is not to say that I agree with socialist plans, but I believe in serving one's country in some way. I need to see how this could be carried out practically. Should it involve serving in government agencies, hospitals, and schools? Much more thought is needed on this topic, and those thoughts should take place on a brain with a little more sleep.

Thoughts and Research...

Okay, honestly, I am exhausted and not really interested in thinking too much about the draft and women at this time. I don't know what to say about desiring for women to keep their legal rights to vote and hold office and not requiring them to register for the draft as long as men are. I believe that there are fundamental differences between men and women, but how do I justify letting women have the rights but not the responsibilities that have traditionally belonged to men.

There are many reasons for not drafting women. Physiological differences, traditional family and societal roles, unit cohesion, and the potential for sexual abuse all are worth consideration. What is the right answer?

I am too tired to think about it more tonight. I hope something will click in my brain by tomorrow.

Discussion

I have stumbled over another person contemplating the issue of drafting women (http://matthewdicks.blogspot.com/). Theoretically, I agree. If women seek equality under the law, they should be willing to bear the responsibilities equally as well. We must be consistent with our ideologies.

Personally, I differ in my beliefs. I believe that women are equal, but different than men. Men are to protect women, and women are to support men. I belive that fighting for women is a part of men's design. Culture has changed over the centuries, but truth has not. Therefore, we cannot say that because times have changed womens roles have changed too. This should not be!

Paper

I have been working on the next stage of my research paper. I will be very happy when "Beth's niche in cyberspace" becomes my space after the paper is done. I am learning some things while I research and a write. First of all, my outline is on my closet door - in the form of sticky notes. It is really neat how that works. Well, I need to get back to my funky closet door. The rough draft of the paper is due tomorrow, but I think it will be ready. God is being gracious to me!

More personal posts are on their way! I promise to write one some day that doesn't even mention drafting women or school at all!

Take care-

Sources on women and the draft

Here are some resourceful sources on women and the draft. I have viewed some and will peruse them more later.

http://atheism.about.com/b/a/042263.htm
http://atheism.wpadmin.about.com/?comments_popup=42263

http://www.korean-war.com/Archives/2003/01/msg00042.html

Here is a whole bibliography of sources

http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/biblio/wic.asp

And a group discussing this topic.

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.men/browse_thread/thread/d1cfa80c729984c2/8afc01e5e1474cfa%238afc01e5e1474cfa

I hope these help and you are interested in the topic.

(A personal post will soon follow. Research is good, but if you know me, I know that is not why you are most likely checking my blog.)

Have a good evening!

Good morning...

As I continue to research the draft and work with my wonderful research partner Diarra, I am finding even more complexities inherent in the issue of drafting women. To be brief, whether or not women should be drafted to fill the role of combatants or whether they should be drafted to other roles of serving their country can be two different questions. (In the second case, the draft would be a completey different kind of draft that is currently being discussed.)

http://www.imdiversity.com/villages/woman/dialogue_opinion_letters/pns_draft_is_coming_0804.asp

This source discusses relatively current bills that would (or would have) reinstate the draft.