Happy Easter

I know my posts have been few and far between on this blog! I am sorry. I have been spending what little time I have over at my running blog.  I never imagined I would enjoy that blog so much.  Well, I never imagined I would enjoy running that much. But instead this summer I am challenging myself the quite possibly the hardest thing I have ever done.  Unless you've been living under a rock you know what this is...just kidding.  I will be running a marathon this all.  I was going to train by myself but instead I am now training with a group.  I am planning on running with a CARA group (Chicago Area runners Association).  I wasn't going to but I am also running with the American Cancer Society's Determination team which allowed me to train with CARA for free.  I just have to raise money for the American Cancer Society which you can check out here

Tomorrow marks THE BEST holiday there is! EASTER! The day when Christ conquers death.  Not going to lie, I am excited for church tomorrow.  Here are the lyrics to a couple of my favorite songs on Christian radio right now that are fitting for Easter.

Glorious Day by Casting Crowns
One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He’s ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Savior, Jesus, is mine



And also Matt Maher "Christ is Risen"
Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to Him who showed great love

And bled for us
Freely You've bled for us

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bowed to none but Heaven's will
No scheme of Hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold You down

In strength You reign
Forever let Your church proclaim

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night

Sing it, o death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
Our God is not dead, He's alive, He's alive




I hope everyone hopes their Easter! What an amazing thing Christ has done for us!!

SURPRISE!

Remember the last time I updated this blog?! Yeah, me either.  Sorry guys.  But here I am.  I had a FABULOUS trip to Florida.  I enjoyed the warmth.  I had fun at the half marathon and loved being back at Disney.  There are even talks of a return trip next year :)  Spring break was WAY too short.  This past weekend was also fun with a trip down to watch the river turn green and do some bar hopping, but I didn't drink much because I ran a 5k on Sunday before church.  So I have been a busy bee.  Plus, my bro and his family are coming next weekend! YAY! So I need to start getting busy with school work, applications for internships etc.  But here are some pics from the trip!

Just a few of the few hundred pics (between me, alyssa and alyssa's moms pics)

Hopefully I won't leave ya hanging so long next time!!!

Second Chances

This morning I attended a different type of worship service.  The church I've been going to in Illinois has done a lot of work with the prison in Angola, the Louisiana State Penitentiary.  It is the largest maximum security prison in the US and is known as the "Alcatraz of the South." 90% of the men who go into the prison will die there. 1/2 have committed murder.  Today part of our worship team was down there and the other half was in Elmhurst. We had a joint worship service with them through webcam.  Its amazing what technology can do.  First off, when they showed the chapel at the prison, I was amazed there were hundreds there.  In our bulletin it said, " The spiritual community at Angola has become a model for prisons throughout our nation.  Inmates are transferred from Angola prison to other institutions to serve as missionaries throughout the prison system."  Apparently a lot of this also started because of the warden there.  Its amazing what God can do through one person.  According to what was said this morning, he has really been a light in this dark place.
During the service, We would lead a couple songs than they would..overall it went very good.  Just 1 lapse in technology and only for a minute.  This opportunity made you think about second chances.  Most of these people will never be given a second chance.  They  are locked up forever.  Now I admit, sometimes I am just as hard on the prisoners. I forget about them, I often feel that they deserve to be there and many of them do.  Sometimes its easy to forget that people do change and I felt like this was evident during the worship service this morning.  To see all of these men, worshiping with all of their hearts and realizing that many of them will never leave the Angola premises is heartbreaking.  Maybe they do deserve to be there, but to me its just a reminder that these people need to be shown love and be given a chance.  It was a great service and I just thought it was a really cool thing to do for Missions Emphasis Week.  It was a really neat service and I'm kind of finding it difficult to put into words.  It just seemed like the atmosphere in church was so much different today and it was a wonderful thing to be a part of.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday and wonderful week.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  I know I know, I have been absent from this blog and for that I apologize! I will work on it I promise! So whats been happening.  At the beginning of Christmas break I  enjoyed a few days with the parents.  They came to Chi-town and we went to some of the most popular sites: Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, the Field Museum, and the Brookfield zoo.  It was a good time and it definitely wore me out!! We got home and the next day Kent and Dea and kids arrived and it was busy busy busy.  We had a good Christmas and the kids LOVED all the snow! After that I had a week to work on homework, relax, fill out intership applications.  There wasn't a ton of relaxing but I did enjoy what I got.  Soon enough it was time to fly back to IL and get back to classes.  Its already busy here...we are in the busy part of the quarter so its interesting.  The nice part is that we get Martin Luther King Day off on Monday! YAY! and we don't have a test til Friday.  The roomies will be gone so I'm hoping to relax a bit and maybe play some wii, watch movies and hopefully get SOME studying done! I will leave you with some pictures from Christmas break!

home alone pose

she was TIRED

Hope you enjoyed just a glimpse into the craziness of break!

December is here

Well I am still alive and well.  Sorry that it has been so long since I have updated.  Another quarter has started.  Break is unfortunately done and went too fast.  I went home on Friday, stopped in the twin cities, and hung around with lundon and sarah a bit, which is always fun! Then I stayed at a hotel overnight. It was a free stay and it was nice.  The next morning I hurried home so we could try to take family pictures quick before the extended family got there.  10 minutes for pictures when it includes 4 kids is not enough, but hopefully something turned out.  

For example,.Ava looks stoned because her eyes are closed but hopefully there is something that will work.

Then the family started arriving and soon I was surrounded by 20 some people.  It was fun.  The Breems side only gets together once a year.  It was good to see every one again.

our traditional BINGO game for grab bag gifts

helping Ava with her presents

Kristin and Parker.  Parker is a wild child even though she doesn't look it here

I can't forget the newest Breems of the bunch: Harper sitting by his grandpa

This was one of the rare moments he wasn't smiling

So that was all on Saturday...followed by a trip to our schools harvest festival and more people.  The next day we had Thanksgiving with the other side of the family.  It was fun, but short.  The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful.  I spent a lot of money on Black Friday (whats new) but it was less fun because my partner-in-crime wasn't around to shop with me.  But I did get most of my shopping done.  Saturday me and the parents went to the Twin Cities we went shopping (to pick out my christmas presents) and then to the holidazzle parade

some floats in the parade from their website

It was cold, but fun.  It was something different.  I hadn't been to the Holidazzle since I was in like 5th grade.  The next day I drove back and now I am back to work studying (when not procrastinating).  Its hard getting focused again and I have a busy weekend of leadership stuff for the frat, but better now than later.  We have a 3 test week before we leave for Christmas break (I suppose I was supposed to call it Holiday break? too bad).  So in other words, its time to get back to work.  Hopefully it won't be too long before I post again! I will try really hard :)

Have a great week!

My weekend in pictures

Here are some pics from my fun filled/crazy busy weekend.  I would write a full post but I really need to get SOMETHING done this weekend!  I'll try to write again soon but it probably won't happen until after finals.  Its crazy busy which is why although this weekend was awesome it was REALLY bad school wise!

Halloween fest: setting up the GASP booth

me and Alyssa

Hillary, me and Amanda

Cleaning up the yard

Being attacked and lots of laughter

Carving Pumpkins

Hard at work

Lunch at Bucca with the roomies

My pumpkin

The pumpkins that were lit up

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Chill in the Air

Its October already?! When did that happen? There is definitely a chill in the air.  We are in a frost advisory tonight.  Craziness!!! I am not ready for frost, snow, and whatever else.  It is NOT allowed! But unfortunately I can not control it.  Whats going on in my world?! I bet you can guess.  School, work, running and thats all.  There is NO social life.  and it seems like no breaks (well very few breaks).  We just got done with our first 2 test week, which was interesting.  But I think I survived haha.  This weekend included going straight from class to work friday night, catching up on sleep, attempting to get stuff done (and somewhat succeeding) and then working again, church, running and more studying.   I feel like I'm way behind right now.  Which I'm a little behind, but not a TON.  Anyways, not a lot of excitement here.  Things are going to be CRAZY the rest of October AND November! We'll figure it all out though.  Hopefully I'll only be working EVERY friday and saturday night for a little while longer.  I got rid of one shift this coming weekend and the next weekend I took off to go to Iowa! :) I'm finally going to see Kent and Dea and the kids! I haven't seen them since I think May! Way too long!!!

Last night at work I was told by one of the team leads that I didn't seem happy.  It took me by total surprise.  I started wondering what I was doing different than normal that I didn't "seem happy." I just told him that I didn't realize I was giving off that vibe.  I didn't want to be at work...but I usually don't. I try not to show that I dont want to be there though.  I try to at least put on a happy face.  So I guess now I'll have to work on that and just try to be happier. I'll try not to just put on a face...I will try to be genuinely happy (even though I thought I was before...at least for the most part).  Those were my thoughts last night and then I found out he told the other person working on our side of the store the same thing so I'm not sure what he was thinking.  But I'm off to try to be happy ( at least until I have another test to study for in a couple days!)