2.2.09

Well, I would just like to start this post out by saying, "HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!"

(that's a special shout out for my sister... haha)

Anyway, after a great MLK weekend skiing in Ruidoso, I decided I just didn't get enough! I left Friday afternoon with my friend Greg Wright and went back to Ruidoso with my parents! A big storm hit and Ski Apache got a total of 32 new inches of snow from Thursday to Saturday! We got up Saturday morning and were all ready to go check out the awesome snow on the mountain... but we had a little problem... we didn't have chains and even with 4 wheel drive, we were going to have a tough time getting up the mountain road. By the time we got chains put on, taken off, put on again the right way, messed with them some more to get them to fit right, and finally got up the road to the mountain, it was about noon so we just bought our half-day lift tickets and hit the slopes!

Wow, talk about thick, fresh powder! Skiing was HARD WORK! We (Mom, Dad, David, Debra, Greg and I) skied a few hours and called it a day... we were exhausted! So we just spent the rest of the evening and next day relaxing at the cabin, enjoying the snow and enjoying feeding the deer out of our hands!

So then we came back to Lubbock, had a nice Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and then Thursday we got hit by a big storm and ended up having Thursday afternoon and Friday classes cancelled because of the snow and icy roads!! So once again, we got a long weekend!

This weekend was also the annual BYX Rave! BYX is the Christian fraternity who also put on the barn dance last semester.

Now another week of classes has begun and it is still dreadful getting up each morning to walk across campus to class in the cold!

This morning as I was walking through Memorial Circle I was focussed on staying warm, people were passing each other hurrying to get to class, and as I heard the rumbling of a delivery truck as it was parked in front of a building, the sound of the diesel engine running, the smell of the exhaust, my breath visible in front of me as I inhaled and exhaled in the cold, moist air...for a fleeting second I imagined I was walking down Madison Avenue in the Big City and then I glanced up and saw the Texas flag flying, the Spanish-structured buildings, the cowboy hat on the guy across the street, and the countless girls wearing leggings, Uggs, and their recently purchased Patagonia fleece tops. It was then that I remembered I was still in the same West Texas I have been in my entire life. I was a little bit disappointed, but then I couldn't help but smile because this "same West Texas" is home. And I love it.

Well, that's about it for now...

-SG

1.20.09

And so the second semester is under way....

3 days of classes and then we get a 3 day weekend? What?! Well, I guess I'm not complaining...

A group of friends went up to Ruidoso for MLK weekend and spent 2 days on the slopes and the rest of the time just enjoying each other's company surrounded by God's beautiful creation. I absolutely LOVE being in the mountains. There is nothing like the view from the top of Sierra Blanca looking out and seeing the trees, snow and even the white sands of New Mexico! It's unbelievable! It really just reminds you of how big our God is!

We spent Saturday and Sunday skiing and then Sunday night we had everyone over to our cabin and we cooked out and just hung out together! Monday morning we got up, ate breakfast, packed, cleaned up the cabin and headed back to Lubbock! It was a great trip; lots of fun!

Tuesday night I went to my new small group at the Wesley Foundation called "Salt Shaker". We meet every Tuesday evening from 5-6:30 and it is basically a discipleship small group building up Jesus-followers who are committed, obedient, loving, and equipped to share the Gospel with anyone and everyone! I am looking forward to growing in my relationship with God and with others over the next 12 weeks of Salt Shaker!

Well, that's really all I have so I'll wrap this up.

Once again, I find myself at Barnes & Noble needing to read and do homework, but somehow I ended up updating this! haha

I hope you all have a great week!

-SG

Just a thought...

New Years Resolution: KEEP THIS BLOG UPDATED!

Haha I definitely haven’t done the best job at doing that…

First semester of college – CHECK!

Wow, I’m finished with my first semester…it’s so crazy how time flies! Well I’ll get into college stuff and get you all caught up with what’s been going on in my life in just a little bit, but right now I just want to share something that is on my heart.

You know when you get up in the night and have to walk into another room in the house to get a drink or something? All of the lights are off. It is dark. You can’t see anything. Yet somehow, you know where to go. You know which path to take. It’s routine. 10 steps forward, turn to your right, 4 steps forward, turn left, one step forward, and you’re at the refrigerator. (or where ever it was you were going) However it may be in your house, you KNOW the path to take. You don’t think about it, you just do it. It’s comfortable. It’s the same every time.

But wait…what about when your mom rearranges the furniture and you didn’t know it? What about when you run into a closed door you thought you had left open? It throws you off. You weren’t expecting it. It slows you down. It makes you mad because something got in the way of your easy, comfortable, routine path that is always the same that you never have to think twice about.

Isn’t life the same way? Don’t we get on this “path” that becomes routine to us and we don’t even think twice about the steps we take? We just know that everything will be the same, that it is comfortable, that nothing can get in our way and then BAM! You run into something…closed door… road block… flat tire… whatever it is, you weren’t expecting it. It wasn’t supposed to be on your path. But it was. How do you react? I know I don’t always react with a smile and a “That’s okay, it’ll all be fine!” No sir. It’s usually a “What in the world was that?! Why did something get in MY way?! Why ME?! WHY, WHY, WHY???”

You want to know why? Because that’s life. That’s just how it is. God did not promise us an easy, care-free life. In fact, He says quite the opposite.

He told us we WILL face hard times…and He told us to persevere.

James 1:2 (NIV) - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Matthew 5:10 (NIV) - Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

He never said hard times wouldn’t come, but He DID say that He will provide help. He WANTS to help.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) - No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

1 Peter 5:7 (New Living Translation) - Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

This has definitely been something I’ve dealt with firsthand throughout this entire semester, but I held tight to the fact that I have a God who loves me, who cares for me, and who helped me through everything I faced. That doesn’t mean it was easy to do. It just goes back to Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see

JUST TRUST HIM AND HAVE FAITH THAT HE IS WHO HE IS!

We are each going to have times where the furniture gets rearranged or a door gets shut that we needed to be open, but no matter what, God will provide a way out. This is something I have learned and will continue to learn.

Well I said I was going to update you about my college life and what not, but I actually think I’ll save that for later… I just got back from San Antonio tonight (Tech was in the Alamo Bowl and WON! WRECK ‘EM!) and I am EXHAUSTED so I am going to try to get some sleep now! I’ll try to update soon!

Goodnight!

What I've learned thus far...

well, it's been a while since I've been on here...

This semester is almost over! CRAZY! I have 2 school days left and then finals! I only have 2 finals I have to take, which is fabulous. Only one of the 2 finals I have is cumulative so I don't really think this week will be stressful studying at all.

Well a lot has happened over the past couple of months. I've been through a lot, grown a lot, and learned a lot. I've lost some close to me because of death and others just because of broken relationships that have ended. But with the ending of some relationships, I have found the beginning of others. Others that I know will last.

I've learned to appreciate the little things in life... like not having to wear flip flops in the showers at home like I have to in the dorms. Or like walking a short distance to the refrigerator when I want something to eat/drink at home verses walking downstairs into the market to wait in line and PAY for a drink or snack. Or having to save up quarters to do laundry instead of just putting my clothes in the laundry basket for my mom to so kindly wash for me. There are SO many things I have come to realize that I have SO easy at home, that I have just taken advantage of for so long.

I've learned that a Daddy is the only man a girl can really trust (in this point in my life anyway) and that when there seems like there is no hope anywhere in reach, God is just around the corner. I've learned that sometimes what I WANT isn't necessarily what I NEED. I've learned to be completely content with where God has me right now. I've learned that there are people who care and will always be there, no matter what, and those are the friends to hold on to.

I've learned that there will be days when I just want to lay in bed all day and cry, but if I just get up and move forward, God will make it worth while. And I know there will be days where I don't feel like anything was worth my while, but that doesn't change the fact that I have a God looking out for me, who loves me, who wants me to run to Him so He can hold my hand and lead me through whatever troubles face me...and sometimes doing that is the hardest thing, but it just comes down to trust. And faith. That's what it's all about.

Hebrews 11 has really gotten me through a lot. It's all about faith and that's what I've relied on. I don't understand everything that happens, but I still have faith that God loves me, He has a plan, and He will never leave me.

I am writing this as I sit in Barnes & Noble with some friends...we came here to study, yet I always somehow seem to get distracted, so instead I updated my blog

:)

That's all for now.

College Part 4

I have now experienced my first homecoming as a Midland Christian ALUMNI...

MCS homecoming was September 25, and I made the short drive back home for it and 4 friends from Tech came back with me: Sergio, Ryan, Lauren, and Emma. These 4 have become some of my very closest friends! They got to experience a Friday Night Light Football game at Mustang Field with MCS beating Breckenridge. Getting to see some of my old high school friends was a lot of fun.

While we were in Midland I took my friends to 2 of my favorite local restaurants:

Murray's and Carambas! We ate at Murray's before the football game on Friday night and on Saturday we ate at Carambas before we went back to my house to watch the Texas Tech-Houston football game.

Texas Tech lost to Houston by one point and it was quite an upsetting loss...

Let's just say it wasn't the most fun evening in the Guthrie household after the game.

We went to church at GCR on Sunday, ate at La Bodega, and headed back to the LBK!

Sunday night I worked at the South Plains Fair in the Wesley Foundation booth!

The Wesley Foundation is who puts on "Underground" which is the service I attend on Thursday nights. I worked the booth with 2 of my friends that I met at Foundation and who also go to Underground. We had a lot of fun working together.

The next week I experienced my first round of tests in a few of my classes! They went pretty well and I have a few more tests coming up this week! Classes are all still going well, and I'm still enjoying the college life!

This weekend was family weekend at Texas Tech. Friday evening my parents and my aunt and uncle (David and Debra) drove up to Lubbock in David and Debra's motor home. We cooked out steaks and sat around the fire pit Friday night. We even got in a cigar-smoking session for the boys! Sergio and another one of my new friends, Taylor, stepped in to fill the "son" positions to smoke with Dad since Cody Hammond and Jay Cunningham (who usually enjoy an evening of smoking cigars with my dad) are in College Station. Saturday before the game we cooked out hamburgers for lunch before heading over to watch the game.

Tech played the University of New Mexico and won...thanks in part to our back-up quarterback, Steven Sheffield. We did not play well the entire first half and our primary QB, Taylor Potts, was really struggling. With less than a minute to go before half-time, Potts took a hard hit and got a concussion. He went off the field and Sheffield took over. With about 40 seconds left Sheffield marched our offense down the field and managed to get a touchdown in before time expired for half-time! He continued to play very well, making several great completions throughout the second half leading us to a 48-28 victory over the New Mexico Lobos.

That's pretty much it for now...

Tech plays Kansas State next week and hopefully we can get another W in the book!

WRECK EM!

College Part 3

Today is my roommate Patrice's birthday and one of her sorority sisters just brought a slice of cake to the room so we split it and it was delicious, so I'm in a great mood right now

:)

This weekend was the big weekend for Tech football...the Tech-UT game!

Most of my friends went down to Austin either for the game or to just go be in the crazy environment for College Gameday! I, however, did not go to Austin. I went to Ruidoso with my sister, her boyfriend Joel, my aunt and uncle (David & Debra) and my dad! My mom was not with us because she was in San Diego with her family for her and my Grandma's birthdays!

When we got to Ruidoso it was about 55 degrees...it was GREAT!

We ate at Alto Country Club Friday night for dinner and got free peppermint martinis!

(peppermint ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream served in a martini glass)

Then Saturday night we watched the game. The spread was in Texas' favor (17.5 pts) and most people said that Texas would KILL Tech! Not so much...

Tech played pretty awesome and really proved themselves! Even though Tech had several opportunities to make it an even closer game, we lost. The final score was 24-34 UT. It was a great game!

The weekend in Ruidoso was fabulous. It's always great to just get away for the weekend and spend time with family!

School is still going well. I had my first test today and it was in my Mass Communications class. I think I did fairly well, but I guess we'll see when I get the grade back! haha

Well that's really all I have to say this time... I hope everyone is doing great back home!

College Part 2

Well, here I am, 3 weeks into this whole college thing and it feels like I've been here a lot longer than that...I also thought that I would have time to keep this thing updated - HA! I barely have time to sleep! I have been unbelievably busy with my social life, church, my social life, church, my social life, a little bit of school, church, and my social life...and I have loved every minute of it!

I have visited 3 different churches since I've been here: Trinity, Experience Life, and Redeemer! They are all great churches, but I think I see myself going to Experience Life. I love it there. It is a new church (they just had their 2 year anniversary this past Sunday!) and I just really feel like God brought me there for a reason! I am also going to visit First Baptist. They have a college service that I have been to before, but I haven't been since I've moved up here as a college student! I really feel like Experience Life is where I will go, but I definitely still want to keep my options open! My best friend, Sarah, found a church she loves called Church on the Rock that she wants me to visit with her, so I will probably go try it out there too. There are SO many awesome churches to choose from!

I have also been going to a college service called Underground on Thursday nights. It is put on by the Wesley Foundation at Tech. It has great fellowship, worship, and an awesome message. It has really been a HUGE blessing since I've been here.

Now, onto other things... like TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL!

We have now had 2 games, both at home. The season opener was against North Dakota and we won 38-13! Every game there are different groups of people who get together and paint up for the game... they paint their bodies and put a letter on each person, spelling out some phrase. I was a part of one of those groups at this game! We painted up black and one of the groups spelled out "A Boy Named Sioux" (we were playing the fighting sioux) and the other group spelled out "Trail of Tears"

It was so much fun! The game started at 6, the gates opened at 4, but we were there at 1:30 waiting to get in! We hung out at the student entrance for 2 and 1/2 hours and painted up about 45 minutes before the gates opened. The gates opened, we rushed in, claimed our seats, and saved the ones around us for the people who weren't dedicated enough to come 4 and 1/2 hours early, but still wanted to sit with us! haha

The game wasn't the best played game by Texas Tech, but a win is a win!

This past weekend was a pretty packed weekend for me!

Friday night was the annual BYX Barn Dance! BYX is a Christian fraternity at Texas Tech and each year they put on a country dance for anyone who wants to come! So Friday night rolled around and we put on our dresses and boots and headed out to the barn dance! Sarah and Morgan are 2 high school friends that came to Tech, but our other friend, Kaleigh, stayed at Midland College. Kaleigh got to come up this weekend for Barn Dance and the game though! It was so great getting to hang out with the 4 of us just like in high school!

Saturday was Allison's 21st birthday so at midnight after Barn Dance we went to a restaurant and bar called Cricket's! The next day we went to eat with my mom and dad and then went back to their hotel room for birthday cake! Then, like the week before, I went over to the stadium entirely too early for the game, but it's always a blast! I didn't paint up this weekend; I just sat and enjoyed the game in my comfy, warm clothes! (it was cold and overcast the whole weekend) We beat Rice 55-10! We looked a lot better compared to last weeks game against ND, but I'm still nervous about this coming weekend as the guys head down to Austin for ESPN's College Gameday against UT!

My time up here has been great, but I miss everyone back home. I hear the volleyball girls beat DSL for the first time in 6 years?! I'm really sad I missed that! Maybe they can carry that over to basketball! :)

I'll be back in Midland in 2 weeks for homecoming so I can't wait to see everyone then!