Summer: Work, Aikido, OBX, etc

My summer is continuing to be a great one. I am enjoying not having the responsibilities that homework brings with it. My new job is going very well. I enjoy the people I work with, and the work, while not necessarily the most fun, still keeps me busy which I am glad for.

I am also really enjoying the Aikido class I signed up for at ODU. It is nice to keep up practice, fine tune some techniques, as well as learning some new ones. While I am excited for next semester, and the Aikido club hopefully staring up again, I am not looking forward to this class ending (I can't take it during the semester due to money and time constraints). There was a huge rainstorm tonight (or rather yesterday as it is past midnight now), and Norfolk flood. Thus the usual 20-30 minute drive home from ODU after class turned in to about two hours! Everywhere I tried to go was flooded; I drove through some water, but other spots were just to risky looking. Seemed like I was on an island! lol. I made it though, thankfully. :)

Alexandra and I had the opportunity to go with Kaitlin and her family to the OBX (Outer Banks)! We stayed in a beach house located in Duck, NC. Alexandra and I were there from Sunday afternoon until Monday night. It was a lot of fun. We swam in the pool, walked on the beach, stayed up late, saw the sunrise from the beach, went on a walk/run, took a nap (waking up at 5:45 to see the sunrise makes you sleepy lol), explored the town, and spent some more time at the beach (the water was FREEZING) and the pool. Monday evening we drove to Timbuck2 (lol) and explored the shopping area there. Thanks so much for inviting us! I still don't have a camera, but here are some pictures Kaitlin and Alexandra took.

I have also been doing various other summer activities such as Busch Gardens and the beach.

Read this book!

I am in the church book club that is reading "A Praying Life" by Paul Miller. It is a GREAT book; so very encouraging and applicable to daily life. I have even started to put into practice some of the things I am learning. I HIGHLY reccomend this book! Here are just some of my favorite quotes from the book:

"The criteria for coming to Jesus is weariness. Come overwhelmed with life. Come with your wandering mind. Come messy"

"How do we learn to talk with our Father? By asking like a child, believing like a child, and even playing like a child"

"Don't be embarrassed by how needy your heart is and how much it needs to cry out for grace. Just start praying"

"We become anxious when we take a godlike stance, occupying ourselves with things too great for us. We return to sanity by becoming like little children, resting on our mothers"

"When you stop trying to control your life and instead allow your anxieties and problems to bring you to God in prayer, you shift from worry to watching"

"Instead of fighting anxiety we can use it as a springboard to bending our hearts toward God"

"When you pray, your are touching the hopeful heart of God. When you know that, prayer becomes an adventure"

I will say it again; READ THIS BOOK! :D