I Have The Best Boyfriend!

NOTE: The following blog was written by Zachary Nathaniel Schmidt...NOT Amanda Roark...as is implied. However...Amanda may happen to agree with said words. :) Thank you for understanding.


I have the best boyfriend...his name is Zach, he lives in Indiana. He is the coolest guy ever. I do not want to go on and on about how wonderful he is because I could just write for hours and hours. If you would like to know more about him let me know!

Jibberish

Learning a new language has really been fascinating to me.  And surprisingly I've learned a lot more about the English language since I've been studying Spanish.  Or rather...I've learned how much I DON'T know about English.  There are 14 tenses in Spanish.  I could explain all the rules to each, giving you examples of each.  Can I do that in English?  No way, man!  I have know idea how many tenses there are in English.  Most of us still can't even get things like "your/you're" and "their/they're" right.  

It's so amazing to me how we learn our language when we're kids.  We don't question the grammar rules or the exceptions.  Little Spanish kids go around rolling their "R's" and using the Subjunctive tenses like there ain't nothin' to it.  I'll spend the rest of my life perfecting these things!  

But really, people aren't that different.  Sometimes it just blows my mind that people can sound SO different from each other...but be saying and thinking the exact same things.   And even though life would 100billion times easier if the whole all spoke the same language....I'm really glad we don't.  

That's one of the things that has amazed me most about God, lately.  He understands every language.  He can be glorified in any language.  I love being able to switch back and forth between Spanish and English in my prayers.  That has widened my understanding of God SO much.  He knows what I'm saying!  Anyway, I really get a kick out of that.  

It makes me really excited for Heaven.  When every knee will bow and every tongue will declare that Jesus is Lord.  I can almost guarantee that it won't be in English.  :)

Anywho....Here's a video of us (Mandy and I) at our Colombian friends' house.....with a bunch of Koreans.   

Good times.

Bustin' Out

I have always been afraid to try new things.   For as long as I can remember.  It's safe to say I'm generally happy with who I am...but if I could change that about myself, I would.  I remember always wanting to play sports when I was little.....but I was too chicken.  Even when I was a kid I was worried about looking dumb.  What if everybody else could do it and I couldn't?

One thing I've noticed about myself (and other people, too) is that we never want to do things that we aren't already good at.  Do you know what I mean?  

For example, Manda has been trying to get me to go dancing for weeks now.  Do I think it would be fun?  Duh.  Of course!  But I have this hesitation about it because I'm not good at it.  It would be damaging to my self-esteem.   I may be able to feel the beat....but that doesn't mean I can move to it.  And I may live in Costa Rica.....but I've got a long way to go before I can shake my hips like a Latina!

Anyway, I've decided that this is a sorry way to live life.  It carries over into other things, too.  Am I missing out on some of the best things in life because I'm afraid?  I'm starting to think so.  That's just sad.  And you know?  God doesn't always work within the realm of things that we are comfortable with.  That's for SURE.  

Besides.....everything that we know was new to us at some point, right?

So here's to bustin' out of the comfort zone!  Even if I have to look really silly.....

Why Wait?

I heard somebody say the other day that New Year's Resolutions are going out of style.  Really?  Well- I beg to differ,  because this is the first year that I've actually made a few Resolutions....and by george, I'm going to stick to them.  

But you know?  Several of my resolutions are things that I've needed to start doing (or stop doing) for a long time now.  It's sort of sad to me that we wait until the start of something new to make some changes in our lives.  Do you do that?  I can think of so many times when I've needed to change something....but instead of doing it right then, I think, "Oh, school starts in 2 weeks.  I'll start then."  There are a million versions of this same excuse.  And that's exactly what we do, isn't it? Make excuses?  

Really......there are no good reasons to put off a change-for-the-better. 

So here's the plan, Stan:  

-Are you wanting to lose weight?  Well, go run.  Right now.  Get off the computer.

-Do you wish you knew God better?  Or that you spent more time in His word?  DO IT.  You know you have free time sometime in your week.  Don't lie to me.

What in your life do you wish were different?  

 

I think it's about time that we quit sitting around just wishing that our lives were different, don't you?  Let's make some changes right now, people.  Don't wait till summer starts, or until you're older, or until Monday.  

I'm tired of being a slave to my own laziness/complacency.  So I say NO MAS!

Let's be the people God created us to be.  

No regrets.

Somali Pirates

You know those times when you really aren't doing anything in your life?  When you're just kind of coasting through each day living without a sense of purpose?  Well....that's been me, lately.  Que triste, verdad?  And I don't know about you....but I never realize I'm in such a slump until it's too late.  And I go, "Where am I?  How did I let myself get here?"  

Is anybody with me?

Life is just LAME when you're living it for yourself.  I get cranky, tired, lazy, and just plain selfish.  You find yourself not hearing the voice of the Lord anymore...that still, small guide. Everything is an inconvenience.....everything is someone else's fault.  What a miserable way to live, don't you think?  I definitely hate it.

And then you realize you're in a spiritual "valley", if you will,...which is really the first step. But then you have some decisions to make.  Will you knowingly keep living each day for yourself?  Out of sheer laziness, or maybe lack of motivation?  Or will you get it together and turn back to God?

I am very grateful to say, that God has been trying to get my attention lately.  I notice it in the little things:  the Holy Spirit gently prodding and convicting.   Funny how we go through these cycles with God on a regular basis.  I do, at least.  Mountains, valleys, Mountains, valleys.

And I learn time and time again that God never stopped talking.......I stopped listening.  

He didn't stop wanting to use me.....I stopped being obedient.

So thank you, Lord, for loving me enough to hold on to me when I stray.  For reminding me once again that you aren't planning on letting go.  Thank you for forgiving me for being selfish and just lazy.  Thank you for allowing me the privilege of returning back to you.  And thank you for reminding me of the reasons where I came to Costa Rica.