And I shall think of film history no more!

Hallelujah! The dreaded, most despised History of Film in Australia is OVER, el Fin, done-zo, no more, finished. I think I did pretty well too, thanks to the studying. Had I not studied, I'd have been in for a big fat failure. They do exams here like the movies. All of us are packed into the gym with creepy "over-seers" lurking through the aisles. This is the way to study :

Showing you this was not the way to get sympathy :)

 It's official. Goodbyes can...well....to use nice words...they stink. But it's such a blessing to have met so many awesome people! Had another prayer and worship night at the last Connect of the semester. Oh how I will miss these people! But oh how I look forward to being reunited with y'all back home! Eleven dayss yo! I think I said that yesterday, but it's really 11 this time. One more final to go---meaning another study day tomorrow/sun-bake day. I think I can probably handle it.

Then sweet freedom! There will be a happy dance! Happy happy joy joy..

Oh, and don't forget! God is good...real good people!

"But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it...All of you together are Christ's body, and EACH of you is part of it." --1 Corinth 12:18; 27

Goodbyes suck so I ate a TimTam...and then another

Goodbyes are weird. You want to think it won't be the last time you see these people, but life is crazy? I may not be back here again. Or maybe I will. I guess the unknown is exciting, and it leaves room for hope? wondering? Who knows...Thank goodness for facebook hey!?

Went to both Calvary services tonight...sad sad sad. But it was so awesome while it lasted!

Played volleyball this afternoon. Wouldn't have been a typical Sunday if we hadn't. Other than that---I think it's time for me to begin the History of Film cram sesh. Wish. me. luck. I am SO gonna need it. Or maybe that's just my freakish mind psyching myself out. I'll find out tomorrow at 4:30. At the moment I'm deciding if I should study in Mooloolaba tomorrow, or stay here? Coffee shop studying sounds perty schweet.

11 days homies...prepare yourselves for my return! Warn the dairy queen for me... :)

OH! and HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD! Love ya heaps yo!

the volleyball crew---well the four who are die-hards..minus me in the pic

action! I'm too slow

:( Calvary :)

Calvary Ladies :)

Wooly's yay?

"If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with humility that comes from wisdom." -James 3:13

"So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls." --James 1:21

"But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says..." --James 1:22

First Goodbyes :(

I woke up with the wind today--it was sooo so loud! However, something had to motivate me out of bed this morning :) Studied a bit today, but mostly I spent the day at Suncoast One Conference!

I've heard some really awesome speakers the last couple days. So good. I guess I could quote some highlights:

Dan Lian was the main speaker for the night...here's some paraphrasing of his messages

--God shifts something in a person before He shifts something in a culture.
--In response to those who say Christians are just brainwashed: Everyone in the world gets brainwashed by something...the only decision we have to make is to be sure God is doing the washing
--You ARE (present tense), the LIGHT of the world---God has destined us to be noticed, helpful and useful for His glory
--Lights need  both intensity and positioning to be effective
--To have confidence in God you have to keep a clear conscience..God sets the standard.Our conscience is cleared by the blood of Jesus.
--When we do things wrong our "hands" may be dirty, but were still saved. God has given us responsibility for our actions, or hands, but He takes responsibility for the cleansing of our heart.

"Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts"
--Jesus comes to you--He pursues you
--God sees us as we can be, not as we are.
--He calls us out on our sin because He loves us that much!
--He calls you out, and then calls you to Him.

Quick overview---it was a great night...God was really moving everyone. It's exciting!

Me mate Nate let me drive his car today! haha..I just went around the parking lot, but It wasn't as weird as I thought shifting with my left hand....super weird! He was a brave man for letting me drive haha :) I HAD to drive in Aussie land at least once...had to.

Said goodbye to some of the Suncoast people tonight...a bit depressing, but it was a lot of fun meeting everyone :) Last Sunday at Calvary tomorrow---now that I won't like. Good thing is, I can't wait to be back to the homestead. Just think, next Sunday I'll be in Sydney at Hillsong, and then the week after that I'll be at Grace Ministry Center in good 'ol Wadhams! Hard to believe!

Alright! up bright and early tomorrow! Peace!

Buderim Falls

Headed to Buderim Forest today! There are picturesque waterfalls there that I've been really wanting to see before I leave here. To my surprise, it was actually a very short walking distance from the bus! That's twice in a row that a "Mel and Ashley" adventure didn't turn into a 2 hour journey just to arrive at our destination. Wowza were getting so good just as were about to leave! how sad! Had a mini sale for UniCentral today..I made 7 dollars--hey that's a coffee! And unfortunately I'm still the proud owner of textbooks and a pink bike....hmmmm.

Tell me how 5 months can go by so fast? What was I doing all this time? Now that the end is near I can't help but think of all the things I should have done, or should have done differently. However, I know that is not a good way to think. I was able to do SO many awesome things :) AND I'm still going on a Sydney trip. No regret here.

Went to Suncoast tonight for ONEconference. It was great. There was dinner/hang time, then some worship and a speaker. The worship leader was originally from Colorado, but now he lives in Brizzy. I really liked him. And the speaker was from the Hillsong church in Sydney. It has been a really cool experience to be at churches across the world. There's a serious Aussie energy that needs to spread to the US :) I've learned heaps.

Well...back to studying tomorrow! Just until 2 though, then it's back to Suncoast for the final day of the conference.

Only 12 days left...what? So ready to be home, so don't want to leave.



my very favorite purple flower bushes...dey everywhere!



mel by Serenity Falls

Serenity Falls---ver' nice

mini falls

"Come near to God, and He will come near to you." --James 4: 8

3 for $5 TimTams! What?

Had a glorious day at la playa today :) I was sitting in my room this morning preparing to go study all day when it hit me that I should take my studies to la playa. duh. It was the most beautiful day I've had in a while. I love the beach in the morning best. There's a burger joint tucked in between all the stores and hotels in Mooloolaba that I've been dying to try every time I walk by. The Onshore Cafe. It always has it's "BIG BREKKY" and the "best burgers on the coast" as it's advertisements. I concur. My cheeseburger hit the spot. Smothered in bbq sauce, onion, and fresh tomato..mm .mm. good.

Sometimes I don't think this place is real. Haha. It was just so pretty and perfect this morning! Blue blue sparkly ocean, surfers everywhere, coffee shops all open for brekky, big palm trees, wild turkeys (haha), runners, warm sun. And as a bonus to all that bonus I got a new CD for FREE today :) Josh Garrels. Look it up, he is the definition of relaxing.

I did my best to pound all that dry history of aussie film crap into my mind...we shall see if it sticks.

Other events of the day included a walk to Wooly's for cheap TimTams and a night of throwing away junk I don't need. There's a sale tomorrow at our apartment complex--hopefully I can get rid of some stuff!

Off to ONEconference this weekend at Suncoast church. I'm pretty excited to learn some more good stuff before I head back to a really busy life! Must soak up these last few days of relaxation, although they're getting busier and busier it seems!

Well I'm off! Look Jon Foreman posted another article! YES. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-foreman/meaning-of-life_b_874934.html

delicious burger..and random leg

"By His wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away, but now you have turned to your Sheperd, the Guardian of your souls." -1 Peter 2: 24-25

"Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your Godly lives will speak to them without any words." 1 Peter 3: 1

Volleyball Marathon!

Yes. I played volleyball for five hours straight today. I was in heaven, and completely exhausted. Ritendo is from Africa and always plays with us...he's super good and helps me and Mel with our spiking....I love that I've gotten to play heaps of volleyball while I've been here! At one point there was a real college life moment in my opinion lol. Let me explain. A bunch of 20 somethings playing some beach volleyball avoiding studying, other 20 somethings coming back from taking exams "Dude I think I passed?", and another 20 something serenading those of us on the court from his front porch on his guitar. I took that one in...it was fun :)

Also went to lifegroup tonight, we had some talk time and then turned on the second State of Origin Rugby game. It was a bit more exciting this time maybe? Either way it was fun to hang out with people tonight and drink some tea and eat some yummies :) I'm headed to a conference at church this weekend with all of them, should be good!

Only 2 more weeks left! Holy cats! Where on earth did the time go? I'll be back in the states in the blink of an eye. I still have so much I want to do---and I still have two exams. I plan to study hard all day tomorrow so I don't have to worry about studying over my busy and fun weekend :)

Weeelll...I'm off to catch some zzz's and wake up early to be productive! I think I'll tag team the studying with tanning. That's always a good combination :)

Nitey nite yall!

Dream Big

First I have to express the excitement of being done with my Indigenous Australia class! Hallelujah! Done-zo.
I hope to never have to study that again...Now only two more exams next week to prepare for. (Ya you read right--next week lol). The dreaded History of film exam and Politics...I'll git-r-done...always do.

That was basically my day..studied before my final, came home to take a thinking break, went to Wooly's for my weekly food run (and 5 dollar pizza Tuesday!), and studied some more tonight! Although, it was one of those study sessions where the mind will not cooperate and concentrate. Ah well. I have till Monday.

I think God wanted to remind me today to dream big. Sometimes I forget that it's God who gives me my true dreams in the first place, and that I have to dream big in order to accomplish great things for God's kingdom! Also that I should share my dreams with Him, so we can chat about em ya know? A friend gave me a little teeny pocket cross before I left that has "dream" written across it. She wrote on my card to dream big because God can make my wildest dreams come true. (Insert laugh here---how true is that? I'm in stinkin Australia as we speak). It was a brilliant reminder that God didn't die for me to hold back, but He died to free me from sin so I can live a bold and joyful life for His glory and plan---(and of course so that we can spend eternity with Him).

I'm glad my study session of Aussie film was interrupted with this not-so-random revelation.

Wish I had the perfect Bible verse to end this with. Ope! Thanks to Elisabeth Elliot's blog, I do..

"Lord, all that I long for is known to You, my sighing is no secret from You. I put my trust in You, Yahweh, and leave You to answer for me, Lord my God." --Psalm 38

Beach volleyball, studying, and lifegroup tomorrow :) And hopefully some tanning (pleassssseee some sun!)

P.S.
Somehow every single time, without fail, as soon as I'm cozied up and warm in my covers ready to doze off into the sweet honeydews of slumber (name that movie mom!)...I hear my shower drip. drip. drip....drip. Stinkin drives me bonkers. However, it's easily fixed---just have to get out of bed! Bugga. ☼