Hello Friends

Hey all - I've been reading everyone's posts (I check the blog like everyday) and I thought I should update people on my life, which won't take long. I've been pretty busy with school, working, and TAing. I've been doing some really good bonding with my friends, which makes me very happy inside, although there isn't enough bonding and there is too much schoolwork. I've been learning more about God by his grace, only because he is faithful to me when I struggle tremendously with being faithful to him. Egypt seems like such a long time ago. I do get to see Anna every Wednesday, and next week we're going to an Egyptian restaurant, which I am super excited about - I want to taste shwarma again! Anyway, I just wanted you all to know that I am thinking about you and I miss you all a lot. I have loved getting various peoples' e-mails and calls - it seriously makes my day. Anyway, any American Idol fans out there? Yeah, I know I'm a huge dork, but I must admit that I'm beginning to get a bit addicted again. ;-)

Abbie

PS~With people talking about God and suffering, I thought I'd relate a story my pastor once told us about his life. It might not help at all, but here it is, and it has kind of stuck with me. Shortly after his wife of 40 years had died, he was struggling with believing that God was good, that Jesus loved him. For moments such as those, he keeps a wooden cross in his pocket. When he struggles with questions about God's goodness, he reaches into his pocket and takes out the cross. He doesn't have all the answers to all the "why" questions, but he knows that God is good and Jesus loves him because of what took place on that cross.