The Little Brown Notebook

Today I would like to share you one of the things Andrew and I do together.

In July of last year I bought a brown notebook after I had seen a similar idea on Pinterest. (I know, I mention Pinterest a lot. It's just super awesome for finding ideas) I call it, The Little Brown Notebook!

 The idea I found was to write a note in the book (something you like about the person, something you are especially thankful for that the person does for you, little love notes) and hide the notebook somewhere for the other person to find it. 

This could be anywhere. I've hidden it in the sheets of his bed, under his pillow. I've found it in my folded clothes, in my backpack. The point is to be sneaky. I really like this because it’s a fun and really inexpensive way to surprise the other person. I love giving Andrew little gifts. (I'm super excited to post about some of the cute things I've made him, It's really difficult to find gifts to make for one another when you are dating, and it's also difficult to come up with date ideas, so I'm planning on posting more about these later)

Happy Saturday!!

My Bible Reading Plan

I recently read through the whole bible using one of those Bible in a year books but I don't feel like I got very much out of it. I only read the three chapters a day so I could just get through it. I wasn't reading to learn anything. So I'm hoping to read through the bible again, (but not so rushed) and I needed a way to really get something out of it. My goal is to read through the bible, one chapter at a time (not necessarily in order). I'm not picky about how long it will take me. I just really want to get something out of it. I'd like to show you guys the reading plan I found. A couple months ago I found this blog on pinterest.

It's the SOAP bible reading plan, which stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. All you need is a bible, a notebook and something to write with.

Here's how it works:

You read through a chapter of the bible and then you pick a verse that stands out (I like to underline the verses I like as I go and then pick one of those).

 To start, I write down the chapter I am reading at the top of the page, and under that I write the date.

Then, I write and "S" and I write down the verse that stood out to me the most.

Under that I write an "O" and I write down what I observed from the verse.

Next, I write an "A" and next to it I write how I think this verse applies to my life right now.

Finally, I write a "P" and I write out a prayer asking God to help me apply and thanking Him for what He has shown me.

I really like this way of reading the bible, but I've had a really hard time recently of actually doing it. One of my goals in April (which I will post more about later) is to read my bible at least 5 times a week.

Do you have a favourite method to read your bible? How do you keep yourself motivated?

Happy Thursday!

Couples Devotions

Hey Everyone!

So you have heard me mention my boyfriend Andrew before a couple times. I thought today I would introduce you to him officially and tell you a little bit about the devotions that we are doing as a couple.

Here is a recent picture of us. 

We bought mugs that match our camp names. 

My camp name is Rubik's and his is Stripes. 

I will tell you the whole story of how we started dating in a different post. For now I will just tell you the basics. We met at camp, and we have been dating for almost 2 and a half years! (2 years, 4 months and 27 days to be exact). Andrew recently accepted the CILT director position at the camp we both go to. CILT is a program that future staff members go through in order to become great leaders. I will tell you more about CILT later. Anyways, when Andrew accepted the CILT director position I thought I would get him a devotion book. I had been thinking of doing this for years, but I never mustered up the courage to do it.

I decided that we should do a devotional together. I had bought a book called Devotions for the God Girl by HayleyDiMarco a while ago but I had never gotten around to actually using it. I decided to get Andrew the guy's version of the book Devotions for the God Guy by Michael DiMarco. They are both one year devotionals so I thought it would be great to read them together and keep each other on track. We are on day 13 and so far it's going great. I really like my book; the devotions are short, but really powerful. I know that short isn't always better, but in this case it really works with my schedule. I'm hoping to get back into my bible reading in April. And I promise I will post more about that soon!

       

I guess what I'm getting at is that I thought doing a devotional book together would be awkward, but so far, it's great and I would highly recommend that couples do something like this. It really is rewarding.

What devotions are you doing right now? If you are in a relationship, do you do devotions with each other or separately?

Happy Wednesday!

Current Favourites

Here are a few of my current favourite things:

 1) Kiss Goodnight by Tyler Shaw

I've liked this song for a while now, but I just bought it off of iTunes today (I know, what took me so long!) I really like this song. It's really easy to sing to in the car and the artist's voice is absolutely beautiful.

2) My TOMS

I got TOMS a week or two ago, I have wanted them for probably around a year (I know, I know, why didn't I just buy them a year ago?!) Well, last year I had really bad back troubles from an old soccer injury, and because of it I have orthopedics that I have to wear. My back has been feeling so much better though, so finally I can get TOMS and not have to worry about wearing orthopedics with them. I love them!

3) S'mores Tea from Teopia

I absolutely love this tea. I've had it for a while and I really hope they still make it when I run out. I will definitely be buying more.

4) This weather!

Spring has finally arrived, even though it is only a couple degrees above zero, it is so nice outside. And the snow is FINALLY melting!! I can't wait until I can ditch my winter coat.

5) My Semester Almost Being Over!

I only have 7 more days of class left. I am so excited to finish the semester and get started with my summer! And I'm also excited to be able to spend more time updating this blog and making it super awesome! April 15th can't get here fast enough

What are your current favourite things?

Happy Tuesday!

Messy Mondays

So I've been watching this youtube channel for quite a while now.  And I thought I would share it with you. They have really funny, clean humor that is really quite clever.  One of the members Kelli has a blog which I follow. You should check her out, she's pretty awesome. Here's Kelli's Blog!

Here is today's video

I hope you guys like it!

Happy Monday!

Senor Panda

Hey Everyone! First I would like to apologize for the inconsistency and somewhat randomness of my blogs as I start this journey. My second semester in university will be concluding in 2 weeks (AHHH!!!) and then I have exams, So I'm fairly busy. But believe me, starting after April 15th (my last exam), I have big plans for this blog. I am so looking forward to it.

In the meantime, today I thought I would write about the hamster my boyfriend got. It's a complicated story…

Last week (March 17th) my boyfriend Andrew got a hamster named Oreo. I helped him pick it out and choose a name and everything. It was all very exciting. Unfortunately, Oreo passed away yesterday. So Andrew and I made a trip to the pet store to get a new hamster. Here is a picture of Oreo.

 The pet store we went to graciously gave us a new hamster. Which brings me to the title of today's post.

I'd like to introduce you to Panda. He looks a lot like Oreo. His full name is Senor Panda. He is extremely cute, even though he bites a bit. Here is a picture of him!

Update: Unfortunately, Panda passed away last night. Rest In Peace Senor Panda!

                                

As a side note Andrew got a blog! Here is Andrew's blog

Happy Sunday!

Learning to "Blog"

Today I'm not feeling very productive. So instead of writing my annotated bibliography about deforestation I decided to explore things about making my blog prettier. I added buttons along the side, so you can follow me on various social media things! It's sad how proud I am of this. Anyways, I thought I would share with you how I figured it out.

I found this blog which helped me figure out how to put the buttons on to the blog. Super clear and helpful.

I also found this blog, which has a bunch of buttons in a variety of colours to download.

Hopefully these help if you are looking to create your own blog. I'm still learning, but I'm finding this so much fun. I'm still working out in my head exactly how I am going to organize this blog. For a software engineering student, it's kindof sad how much I don't know.

Happy Thursday!

Commuting to Campus

I'm the type of person that researches things and organizes when they get stressed. When I was getting ready for first year university, I searched for advice about living off campus. I found tons of things about living in residence, but almost nothing about commuting to campus. Here is what I've learned this year.

When I accepted my offer to the University of Guelph I knew that I did not want to live in residence unless I absolutely had to. I don't drink and I did not want to deal with all the party stories that I had heard about. That left me with two options:

1) Get an apartment in Guelph and take the bus in to the university

2) Live at home, get a car and commute to campus

I went with option 2.

I chose to get a car because it allowed me a little more freedom. I can go wherever I wish without having to worry about bus schedules. Living at home is great; I get food, love and support from my family. However, it does come with its challenges.  As my first year of university comes to an end I would like to share with you some of my tips about commuting to university.

1) Develop a routine.

I've found that I really have to get into a weekly routine. I do laundry on Tuesdays and Saturdays. I do my weekly readings on the same day every week, for example. I try my best to leave for university at around the same time most days. Develop a routine, it helps you stay organized.

2) Find a place to go during breaks between classes

I go to the computer science lab. There is almost always a spot to sit, unlike in the library. Having a place to go between classes prevents me from wandering around the library and allows me to use my time wisely during the break.

3) Find something you like to listen to while you drive

I listen to talk radio. I find it really interesting. It takes my mind off the 45 minute commute. I also listen to the radio. Sometimes my commutes turn into a karaoke party for 1. Having something, a favourite CD, talk radio, music radio, audio book or whatever you feel is fitting.

4) Keep your vehicle (relatively) clean

It drives me crazy when my car has a lot of garbage in it. I have a small garbage bag which I made, that holds small things and I try to empty out my car when I get home.

This is my garbage bin I made, pretty small but it keeps my car from getting cluttered. Plus it's cute.

5) Find a group and try to get involved

I know it's really difficult to live off campus. It can be extremely lonely. I went to Intervarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) during my first few weeks of university and that made all the difference. I made two amazing friends who I can eat lunch with now. With my schedule I haven't been able to go to bible study, but it is so helpful to have a support group and to know that you're not alone. I know it's difficult, but try to find some friends. It makes all the difference.

6) Leave enough time!

Try your best to leave plenty of time to get to campus. My commute is 45 minutes, and since I'm from out in the country, I get stuck behind tractors a lot. I leave double the time just in case. You may think that’s too early, but I find I can get a reading done in the morning if I get to class early. The stress of worrying if you are going to be late to class is NOT worth sleeping in for.

Living off campus is not easy. It takes a lot of organization, but it definitely has its upsides. I love being able to see my family and the ability to go wherever I please. I love having my own room and getting to see my boyfriend on weekends. All of this would not be possible if I lived in residence.

I hope this helps you out!

Welcome!

Hey Everyone, My name is Sarah!

I have wanted to create a blog for a couple months now and after many failed attempts at trying to come up with a name, I finally found one that I think I like. I am so looking forward to this adventure.

First of all I am going to tell you a little bit about me. I am currently a first year Software Engineering student at the University of Guelph. (nerd alert, I know. I promise, I'm not that bad) I am 18 years old, almost 19.I still live at home with my parents and brother as well as our dog Freddie. These first few semesters have been such a learning experience but I know that I have definitely chosen the right program and major. The writing in this blog will not be perfect (I apologize for that!) but hopefully it won't be so horrendous that it distracts from what I'm saying.

When I'm not studying I enjoy baking, sewing, reading, photography, hanging out with my friends and boyfriend and trying out new things on pinterest. Also,  I love God and the outdoors.

My hope is to share with you the things I learn, cool creations I make and interesting things that I find along my journey.

I am so excited for this adventure!