Is It Summer Yet?

Oh boy, I can't tell you how many times I've heard the phrase Is it summer yet?! in the past week or two. Today is an absolutely gorgeous day, which brings hope to the fact that summer is indeed on its way. When it gets so beautiful out, it gets so much harder to stay inside to finish papers and projects. I can't imagine how hard it is going to be once the grass gets greener. I love green grass...and sunglasses...and sandals...
But until summer comes, spring deserves to be enjoyed and school must be...endured. Right now I know every college student is feeling the agony of knowing that the light at the end of the tunnel (summer) is just barely visible behind the piles and piles of things we need to get done in the next month. However, I know that we will all survive this, and hopefully spring will be more of an encouragement of joy and peace, rather than a distraction.

My mom is an amazing person. Seriously, living without her is not possible, and she inspires me all the time with her life. Right now she's going through the same things I am, except she's got it way harder than I do: she's preparing to graduate from Grad school at St. Cloud State in early May, she has a pre-teen and a teenager to keep up with at home, she's been in touch with my health and the issues there more than it seems I have been, and she's got an amazing yet difficult job to do at the St. Cloud Children's Home. I'd tell you to go ask her about her busy life, but I think you'd better wait to chat with her until after graduation. :) Although, I'm gonna go ahead and encourage you, whoever you are reading this, to send my mom a little bit of encouragement (hint, she LOVES Starbucks...), whether that's an anonymous cup of coffee or an email or a voicemail.
Anyway, my mom inspires me every day. When I think that school or life is just getting to be too much to handle, I have to think of my mom, and then I sit back and think, "I've got it easy!" I know she can understand a lot of what I'm going through this spring. And I'm proud of her. She's handling everything and more than I am. I know that every time I say to myself or my friends, "Is it summer yet?" she's probably thinking the same thing.

So, for all of you who feel like they're "up to their neck" in stress, this is David relating to you a little bit:

Save me, O God,
   for the waters have come up to my neck.

But I pray to you, LORD,
   in the time of your favor;
in your great love, O God,
   answer me with your sure salvation. 

Rescue me from the mire,
   do not let me sink;
deliver me [...]
   from the deep waters. 

Answer me, LORD, out of the goodness of your love;
   in your great mercy turn to me. 

I will praise God’s name in song
   and glorify him with thanksgiving.  

                   -Psalm 69:1, 13, 14, 16, 30