Driving, Applesauce, & A Book!

A lot has happened in the last week.  I am not sure where to begin.   

This morning I went to Eastview Church in Bloomington Normal, Illinois. However this morning I didn't feel like going to church.   To be honest I didn't feel like doing anything.   However I forced myself to go to church and I am glad I did.   I've felt little energy today, though I don't feel like "Blah".   I also took an online test in Biology tonight and I failed, which I'm not too thrilled about. 

Yesterday my two brothers, David and Jonathan, and one of my grandma's (Carol) and myself went out for brunch at Woody's in Groveland, since Jonathan is back in the area for a wedding.    I was thrilled to be able to get together as all four of us!    I then ran a few errands and then stopped at Mission Mart (a thrift shop) and dropped off just about all the remaining "stuff" of mine that didn't sell on the garage sale - yes including my clothes as I mentioned in an earlier post.   I felt the permission to keep two full pairs of clothes, and I'm excited to see how God will use that to teach me and grow me.    I know that it will likely be used as a testimony of some amazing things God has done in my life.   

This past week has been a bit busy, but all my homework has gotten done.  I am thankful for that.   I do have a lot more on my plate now though.    I have fifteen days to write a persuasive speech (continuing my informative speech on the same topic) on why the United States of America should get rid of the penny.  This is a standpoint that the Canadian's convinced me of just by experience.  My ICC Composition Term paper was entirely on why the United States of America should keep the penny.   Yes I am still a penny lover, and yes I still love to collect coins, but I do believe it would be better to get rid of the penny. 

In other news in my life, I have started to . . .  well before I get to that, let me first tell this story.    Last Sunday, I was planning to go to church with my grandma Baurer, as I was at her house at the time.   However I had no clear direction where God wanted me to go.   In asking Him prior to Sunday, I had felt that He said that I could go with her to church, however I felt that there was something else He had in mind.  He didn't tell me until about five minutes before I left for church - I had told my grandma ahead of time that if I feel God leading me else where I will follow and she was supportive of that.    Now you may say, "wow, only five minutes before?" Yes that is a short time but it is more in advance than the prior week where He told me while I was on the road to church that He wanted me somewhere else. 

*as a note, I have not found a church to settle in yet.  I am still praying about it and taking it to God.  He has been directing me to a number of different churches and thus far that is still the case.  It's possible that He may want me to take the current season I am in and attend His Church in numerous buildings.   I look forward to whatever He may lead me to and wherever I am led I will follow. 

Anyways I felt Him directing me last Sunday to go to Heartland.  I had asked Him if that was the school or a church (my college's name is Heartland Community College) and He just replied with "go to Heartland."   So I headed to the school.   On the way I started playing some of Koinonia's podcast sermons.   And I was really Glad I did.  After I arrived at heartland I listened to the rest of the sermon I was on, God took me out for a fun, long, and beautiful drive all around in the country.  All the while I was listening to Koinonia's podcasts.    They blessed me a lot and I am very thankful that I had this experience.   

Later, after supper, I felt that I needed to take a drive with God, I felt that He wanted to talk to me while I was truly alone with Him.  (This has happened a lot before, so this wasn't a new thing to me).  So I told Steve and Renee (my aunt and uncle who I am staying with) that I was going out for a drive and I didn't know when I would be back.   Then I left.     God took me out and about.  He looped me all the way around Bloomington Normal and then back onto the freeway.   The freeway was headed towards Chicago.  I didn't think I was going to go that far north, so I told God, I will keep going straight until you tell me to get off.   God accepted that.   I didn't get off until the freeway was in downtown Chicago.   I had a wonderful time with God and I even re-listened to some of the podcasts I head listened to earlier.   I had some good talks with God and just some good quality time driving with Him.   He took me to the beach of Lake Michigan with huge beautiful bright moon shining on the smooth water.  It was beautiful.  Also, earlier in the night the sky was lit up with a huge harvest moon, it was so beautiful.   Then He took me on a drive in and out through country and towns.   Finally around 2:00am I pulled into the parking lot of a Holiday Inn somewhere between Chicago and Rockford.   I believe I fell asleep around 2:10am in my car.   I asked God to bless me with sleep as I had an early morning.  He did just that.  I woke up at about 5:20am - just over three hours later, and headed back to the Schlipf's.   Why did I head back so early?  Because Monday was 'The Big Day' at the Schlipf's, it was Applesauce Day! 

So I was able to make it back to the Schlipf's in good time (about a 2.5 hour drive), and do some more cleaning out of the garage left over from the garage sale.    Then I headed inside around 8:30am to help with the applesauce.   Grandma Baurer came over to help as she also wanted some of the apple sauce.   With well over 4 bushels of large apples, we worked all morning cutting, soaking, heating, softening, mashing, mixing, pouring, and finally bagging nearly 60 quarts (almost 55 liters) of homemade applesauce.    It was a lot of work, but I found it fun.   

Now, back to the story that I had started but then didn't say because I wanted to tell you this story.    While I was on the drive one thing God shared with me is something that I've felt on my heart of a long while.   In fact it is something that has been on the back of my mind for years, but I felt as though God brought it forward and asked me to start writing a book.   So, I have started writing a book.   I don't expect this to be a long book nor do I expect it to be amazing.  However I know that I have felt the urging to to it for a long time and now that the door has opened I will jump into it.   I know that it will take lots of time and thought and prayer, but I am going to go for that.  The book will be about God: about who He is, and what He has shown me, told me, revealed to me, and when He___________ (fill in the blank).    I've written a short intro, and I am still in a thinking stage of planning.   I have pages of topics and experiences to write about - that list will continue to grow.  Plus pages of chapter title ideas and content of each chapter, along with lists of purposes of the book and goals of the book.    I am kind of excited to be doing this.