I was wishing, and hoping, and thinking, and praying!

Well here is another installment of the life of Mel.  I have had a lot on my plate lately, and a few days I ago I felt extremely overwhelmed.  I did not have a job, I had lots of homework, and a play to direct.  I just felt like everything was crumbling around me.  I just keep wishing and hoping that something would change or get better.

I found myself sitting in my friends house just crying about everything.  That day I had had two interviews for jobs and they had both gone terrible!  I just did not see how anything would be getting better anytime soon.  I was thinking that I might as well just give up and run back to Oklahoma with my tail between my legs.

I started praying and had others praying as well.  That is one thing that I love about this school, people will just stop and pray with you no matter what is happening.  Sometimes they will even pray in other languages(because they are international students), which just makes me so excited for some weird reason.  We were all praying that something would happen that good would come!

I came home from church on Sunday, and felt a little better.  Classes were officially done til January 7th, and all I had left to do was write 3 papers.  I had already started one, and was making good progress on another.  I walked in my front door, set all my stuff down, and then decided to check my phone.  I had apparently missed a call, which I get excited when I have a call, because I do not get them often!  I listened to the voice mail that was left...and it was from Office Max(aka one of the terrible interview), they wanted me to come in to do the background check and the drug test!  Now I am still wishing, and hoping, and thinking, and praying that I get this job!  If I did it would be one of the best options for me right now.

Once I hear anything I will try to post it! For now I just have one more paper to write, and it is not due til tomorrow!  I am just glad that things are starting to possible look positive, and that there is a way to make it through life here another day!

Interesting Title Here

Hey all,
   Sorry for the lack of a good title.  My brain does not seem to want to function.  It is now week 9 of the quarter we only have one week left!  Then there is finals week.  I am amazed how fast this quarter went.  I though it would be like Undergrad that quarters took forever to get over.  Here things are just so fast paced that the quarter ends so soon.  Also since we are on the quarter system, I will come back from Christmas break and be taking all new classes.

These last few week have been great but busy.  I am getting to direct a play here on campus, and I am so excited! I am directing The Actors Nightmare by Christopher Durang.  It is a funny script that I have actually been in while I was at UCO.  So I have been trying to get ready for that and start having rehearsals.  I have also been getting projects for classes turned in, and now all I really have left is one more normal paper and 3 final papers.  I am actually ahead on one of my finals(which is totally not normal for me).

Then I have decided to try to get sick.  I have a wonderful stopped up nose and sore throat.  I am trying to sleep it off as much as I can but it is not always working.  Hopefully it will not get much worse.  I am not wanting to be sick during the Holidays.

On the job front I have had 2 interviews this week with 2 very different jobs.  I am just waiting on the Lord to provide.  I just don't always have the patience.   I just get worried about not having enough money for something, and I try to scheme something new.  I have to remember that the Father is in control and he knows where the money and things are going to come from.

One thing that I am super excited about is the fact that the Webster Family is coming to visit from Oklahoma!  I have been trying to get everything ready for them.  I am very excited to see some people from home!

Well I am going to go! I think I need to try to work on at least one of my papers soon.  Thank you so much for reading my blog, and for all of your support!  I really wish I could tell you all enough how much I appreciate all of you!

Fun and Stress all at once

So lately life has been a total mix of fun and stress.  I felt like I was going crazy, but was told by other that I am completely normal!  I was feeling really good, and thought that I was completely on top of things.  Then one day it hit how I was really behind.  So I was rushing around trying to catch up.  After that of course everything that came up just made me more stressed.  I had 2 paper due, a group project, tons of reading, and auditions this week alone.  I have felt that I was sooo disconnected with people and life in general.  I just want everything to be normal.  I thankfully was given an extension on one of the papers so I am feeling a little less stressed.  I am also still trying to find work, but that is just not happening.

So that it does not sound like I am a Debbie Downer I also want to share what awesome things have happened these past few weeks.  With money I have been stressing that I have not had a job.  I had not shared it will tons of people here in California.  I had just realized the other day that I scheduled auditions on the same day that I was suppose to be babysitting for a school event.  I was mad that I was not going to get that money.  As I walked back to my house I saw some thing sitting on my front porch.  When I got up to my door there was a box full of groceries.  I just got so excited that someone had been so wonderful to give me some food.  Then I open my door and I find a card.  I thought that it was just going to be a card saying who left it.  Instead it was a card with money inside.  I have no idea who gave it or where it came from but that person blessed me soooo much.  Then I had been hired forever ago to work as a substitute teacher for a support group here on campus.  I had never been called in, but I have now been called in twice now.  Also there is a family that I have been babysitting for that wants me to keep doing it for another 3 weeks.  I know that I have been so worried about money, but I should have remembered that the Lord has me.

On the fun front, I have gotten to spend lots of time with some wonderful people here.  The other day we went to the beach, and just enjoyed each others conversations.  We had a chance to encourage, and to be encouraged.

Well that is life right now, and I am just waiting to see what happens in the next few weeks.  I know that things may not happen just how I wanted them to ie get a job, but I am going to keep reminding myself that my plans never work.

Time sure flies when you are having fun or working hard

Well it does not seem like I should be saying this, but I am now 1/2 way through my first quarter of Grad school.  I did not think I would see this day this quickly.  I know that for some people time has not moved that fast.  You might be saying to yourself, well she has not been gone that long.  To me it feel like forever that I have been gone.  I think I have finally gotten past the honeymoon phase of moving to California and started realizing this is where I live.  I have loved getting to explore things around the area and hope to discover even more.

Classes: My classes have been great! I find myself walking out of every class having to wrestle with new ideas.  None of them in a bad way, just having to think hard about them.  I have been loving the challenge of work here.  I am not feeling overwhelmed, but just challenged.  I am constantly having to stay on my toes with my homework load, and balancing that with some social time. Let face it if I did not have some social time I might internally combust.  This week alone I had to write 3 papers, organize a group project, read a ton of pages, and work on final topics for 2 classes.  I keep seeing the Father provide time for all of this.

Work:  I have been looking for a job since before I even came to Pasadena.  I have yet to find one!  This has been one of my main frustrations and moment of crying out to my Father.  I have applied everywhere and anywhere(with in reason).  I have had interviews , but nothing yet.  I had one interview on Thursday, and they said that they were really interested in hiring me.  They just have to wait for HR to process all my documents...including a credit check....now I don't know if you have this problem, but my credit is not the greatest to say the lest.  So now I am asking that my credit will be OK enough to make it for this job.  It is an on campus job, the hours are great, the pay is good, and I don't have to work during finals week.  So now I am just waiting to hear back from them hopefully in a week or two.

Church: The church I have been going to has been great.  They have made sure that someone picks me up for all the services that I would like to attend.  They have really been a big encouragement.  I have not been able to get involved with their small groups but I hope to this week.  I am just excited to try and get some more faith family here in California.  I am also thinking about volunteering in their children's ministry.  I have felt a little weird going and not feeling like there was something that I can do.  I know that they are in need of people so hopefully I can help fill that need.

Social Life:  The Almighty has been kind to me in this aspect.  He has been bringing people around me that are truly amazing and I am loving getting to know them.  I hope that these friendships made will be carried over to the field.  I love just getting to sit and listen to the passions and desires that these people have for our Father.  They all strive hard after their desires.  I have loved getting encouraged and getting to encourage these lovely people.  I think that if I had not found them(if God had not brought them) then I would have already been running home with my tail between my legs.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.  I know that I have not been great at keeping in contact, but you saw my work load :D I hope that this post finds you well. I ask blessing on all of you.  

Catching Up!

This last week I felt like I was playing catch up.  I got behind one day of studying, and now I feel a bit behind.  I know that it sounds dumb but with the amount of work we have to do one day can kill you.  I did not just waste that day. I was applying for jobs.  The job scene here is not great. Everything on campus takes forever to get, and all the off campus stuff is just as hard.  They know they can get the perfect fit if they wait long enough, and they don't have to settle.  This makes things frustrating, but I know my Father will provide. It is just waiting on him(which as some of you know I am not good at).  I have a great community here, because so many have said that if I need things then they will help out.  In fact there is a family that is letting me borrow some furniture so that I do not have to buy it.  It is even nice Ikea leather furniture. Once I get it then I will take some pictures.  I have loved that I have found a supportive community here at school!  It has made a world of difference for me.  I have also loved the church I am going to.  It reminds me a bit of Highland.  I actually found out that they have a church from their same organization in Norman...It is Antioch Church.  I was kinda excited to hear that.  I keep finding these great connection back to home.  This church is soo big on community, and love to support and encourage each other in word/deed.  I have had someone pick me up for any church event I would like to go to so that I don't have to walk.  Which is nice, because walking to the church takes 1hr.  I have also found the Fuller Co., which is the theatre club on campus.  We are working on producing at least 1-2 plays this year.  I have loved the idea of getting to do theatre again, but from a Christian perspective.

For now I am just playing catch up and waiting on God.  Hopefully I will get to see him move in mighty was in getting me a job.  I know that He has the perfect plan for me.  I just pray that I have the strength to wait it out.  Please feel free to message me at mel.s.chambers@gmail.com or if you would like to mail me letters my address is 130 N Los Robles #6, Pasadena, CA 91101.  Thank you all for your support and care!

One down...so many more to go!!!!!!!

So the first week of school has ended.  I am so excited about my classes, and the professors that are teaching them.  I can not wait to see how much I am going to learn in these classes.  But before I get to much into classes let me tell you about orientation the week before.

Orientation:
This week was soo much fun.  We had so many times to hang out and get to know other new students.  We even got to have breakfast with President of the seminary.  I do have to say the best times were just getting to hang out with the other people in my program.  We all have very interesting stories, and histories of ministry.  I actually got to meet someone that has lived in the same city in China that I lived in a few years back.  It was nice to be able to talk about the city again.  Our department actually even did a scavenger hunt in Downtown LA.  Then I have also found a great church.  They have been awesome, and love to support their community.  I am hoping to get involved with them in some way sooner or later.

1st week of classes:
I am taking 3 classes which in Grad school that is full time.  So I will be super busy.  I am taking an Introduction to New Testament, Theology and Arts, and a Globalization, Poor, and Christian Mission class.  The New Testament class is a basic overview of how to study scripture and break it down.  The theology and arts class is a class looking at how to mash theology and the arts together.  We are looking at the history and methods of making that work.  The Globalization, Poor, and Christian Mission class is looking at what Globalization is and how it is affecting the poor.  Then with that how we as Christian should be supporting the poor.  All of my classes have been great. They have tons of writing and TONS of reading.  This week alone I had to read about 300 pgs.  That seems to be the norm here so this should be fun.  I have no papers due this next week but I have 2, 4-5 pg papers due next week.  I am going to really work on scheduling my time well.

Some things to be praying for are:
A job!!! I have not been able to find a job yet and just keep waiting on God to provide something.  I know that he will provide, but I just have to be willing to wait for the right thing to come.

Developing good friendships.  In this adventure of seminary everyone keeps saying that the friendships you make here are some of the strongest things that help you grow.  Since you can shoot ideas off each other and  for iron to sharpen iron.

Also for my studies. That what I am learning in class will sink in. That as I am working on papers that God will just help me write the proper information.

Let the madness begin!

So today is officially the first day of orientation for school.  I don't have much to do today since most of the session have to do with international students.  I do have a cool dessert Jazz concert tonight to go to, and then tomorrow starts meeting all day for the rest of the week.  I am kinda excited. I did not end up going to my undergrad orientation(was suppose to but got bored) but people have told me that this is not something to miss.  I am very excited to see and meet a ton of people. Since school is not in session right now the campus has been a bit dead.

I have gotten to meet some people this last week! I got invited to the beach with about 50-60 other Fullerites.  We got out there at like 4pm and then some stayed til the beach closed at like 10pm.  It was a bit awkward at first since I did not know anyone, but everyone was super sweet and talked to me like crazy.  They all wanted to hear about India, and even Oklahoma.  They all thought it was funny that this was one of the few times I had ever been to the beach in my life.  We all brought some food out and had a giant BBQ.  At one point some other girls and myself walked down to the water, and after about 20 mins headed back up to our tent...to find that most everyone was gone...we were very confused.  Then we look to our left where there is some music coming from...and lo and behold there was most of our group having an impromptu worship session with a group from another Christian University...then a group from a church came over till we had like 100-150 people standing on the beach together singing worship to God in different languages.  It was really cool to see it all happen.  Before we all left the beach we made sure to pray for this new school year, and that God would bless us.

Then yesterday I went to church....now I know what you are thinking of course you did...a bunch of us did...but I walked to church...it took me 1hr to walk to church.  I had heard of this great church online that I have been dying to try even before I came.  I was not feeling good last week so I decided to not go, but this week I had to get there.  After my walk I finally find the church and it was great! Everyone was super friendly and really excited about serving.  I loved getting to hang with them, and they even made sure I had a ride home so that I did not have to walk(the ride home took 5 mins).

Last night we had a community event to get to the people that live around us.  People got up and performed any talents they might have and lots of people brought some baked goods for food.  It was lots of fun. Most of the people that came out I had already met but it was nice just to hang with them.

Then today like I said I have the dessert thing, but then tomorrow I think I actually have stuff from like 8:30 am-7 pm.  I am ready for things to get going but also super nervous.

Below I am going to post some pictures from the beach.  I got some great ones of the sun setting.  Thanks for reading this, and thanks for all your support!!!!!!

Start of the Worship Session