Little BIG Planet

I have to admit that I have a new addiction. I've never had very good hand-eye coordination so video games have never been high on my list of fun things to do. HOWEVER, Andy loves them (he has 2 systems) and I wanted to understand why he would continue to play a game that consistently frustrated and upset him. And then he sealed his fate by introducing me to Little BIG Planet. I'm hooked!
It's a fun, progressive game that reminds me vaguely of the original Mario Bros. on Nintendo. You're player is a little burlap sack doll that you can dress up and change out as you go through lands and gaining new wardrobe items. You also acquire stickers to decorate your environment whenever you feel like it. There are mostly no time constraints and there are portals that save your progress as you go along so if you die, you don't have to repeat the entire level all over again. I have to be careful to not lose too much of my time to this game! I cannot even express how addicting it is! And thus, I understand Andy's persistence!
The unexpected joys evolving out of learning this game with Andy's guidance are that he innately understands how I learn and teaches/guides me accordingly, it forces us to communicate differently (i.e. honey, I need you to follow me, b/c if you don't, I'll die...), and it has taught me to persist even in the face of certain death! (Ok, well the death of my rag doll, but still!)
Why am I rambling about this game? Because tonight as I was playing a particularly difficult level, Andy quietly delivers a piece of Truth that blew me away. My doll had to move from rotating wheel to rotating wheel, progressively moving higher, collecting the point bubbles, and get to the end without dying too many times. Yeah, sounds simple right? NOT! I was frustrated and yelling at my doll b/c I was so paranoid of falling that I couldn't get one finger to release the button that causes the doll to let go so my other finger could hit the button to jump to the next wheel! I SIMPLY COULDN'T LET GO!!!
This is when my husband says to me (paraphrasing), "You know, this would be something good to share with your kids (students). Sometimes trusting God is simply letting go of something to which you're holding on too tightly." Since he had taken over this part for me b/c I was ready to throw the controller at the TV, I pondered the weight of those words for a moment.
How many times have I held on to something that was so seemingly significant to me? Completely unwilling to trust God with whatever that person, object, situation, or whatever. Then I thought, How would I communicate that to teenagers? How do I help them understand that there are times that we have to let go, so God can take us to the next level? Then I thought, I could make a whole lesson out of this! Whatever it takes, even if I have to take the game system into Bible study with me, this is a HUGE concept. It has the potential to affect our very theology (our understanding of God)!
God has truly blessed me by giving me a husband who is so intuitive and passionate about Truth and justice. Honestly, I think Andy has missed his calling in life. My belief is that someday soon, God will call Andy to be a preacher in some shape, form, or fashion. My prayer is that Andy will answer that call, b/c he is a gifted speaker who loves the Lord and wants the Truth to be heard!

Seminary Assignment that Hopefully Turns Into an Awesome Journey

It's my 5th week at NOBTS and in my Spiritual Formations class I'm required to keep a journal, in any form, of my journey over the next semester. I've been wanting to get into the habit of regular blogging but just never took the time to do anything about it. Hopefully, with the incentive of getting a good grade, I will be able to stick with this and it turns into a source of hope for myself as I see God’s hand working throughout my life!

To catch up on the life of Missie this year would take more room than I care to commit to at this time, but here are some highlights:

1. I met Allen Jackson, professor of student ministry at NOBTS, last year at camp. After an astonishingly short conversation, a quick website search, and a night of prayer I decided that NOBTS was the place God was leading me to.

2. I got fired from my job at the chiropractor.

3. I took on more hours at Skycroft, then got laid off in December due to budget cuts.

4. I was unemployed for almost 2 months and then took a job at Let’s Dish.

5. March 20^th, 2011 at about 10:30 a.m. I met the man of my dreams, Andy Wiedman in the hallway at church. (Incidentally, it was the Sunday before I was supposed to leave for a preview weekend at NOBTS!)

Ø We had lunch with the singles, went for a hike at Savage Mill, exchanged phone numbers, and Andy had asked me out to dinner before I left for New Orleans by day’s end.

NOTE: My good friend, Rich, had to spell it out for me that Andy was asking me out on a date.

6. By the end of the week, we decided to officially date.

7. Two weeks later, we were talking about the future of our relationship and quickly realized that we were going to get married.

8. Mother’s Day weekend we drove to Texas (at my parents’ invite) and Andy asked Daddy if he could marry me.

9. July 29^th, 2011 at 7 p.m. I married the man God made for me. We honeymooned in Maui and made it back 2 weeks later in time for my niece’s wedding in Lubbock.

10. Another week later, we moved onto the NOBTS campus! Orientation was the next day and we haven’t stopped since!

That’s a lot to happen in one person’s life in just over a year but such is life! These last 5 weeks have proven to push me beyond a lot of boundaries I had built around my life. Boundaries that were meant to protect me from pain, trying new things, being willing to bend to God’s will, and so much more. These boundaries have kept me from enjoying the life God intended for me. And it seems that, since Allen and I met last year, he has had me on a journey of breaking through boundary after boundary. It’s been difficult and confusing at times. This I do know, my faithful God has a plan for my life and no matter what goes on around me, and He is guiding me to that end. I simply have to remember that, keep my eyes on Him, and be faithful to where He has me in that moment.

I’m hoping to record what I learn every day in class and what Andy I discover together to see the evolution of my growth from spiritual/intellectual stagnation to consistent flourishing. Please pray for me as I continue on this journey! Because I am going to need it, as will Andy (maybe more so for him)!