Mug and Muffin.

       Two more weeks until Christmas Break! There are SO many things going on at LCC right now, it's almost hard to keep up! We had a Thanksgiving dinner, decorated the campus for Christmas, had an Albanian, and Moldovan Independence day celebration, a Faculty Christmas Event, many ResLife events, and now we are looking into finals week, and closing down the dorms! I am trying my best to find good Sabbath rest everyday. 

This past weekend I had the privilege of organizing and facilitating a women's events called Mug and Muffin. This was a morning where all of the LCC women could come together to learn about Gratitude. We had over 400 muffins donated and about 200 women in attendance! Events like this are so close to my heart. Creating space for women to learn, and journey together is so valuable in this Christian life. I am looking forward to planning more events like this one in the future. 

This was the Mug and Muffin invite we sent out to all the women of LCC!

 These were our speakers at Mug and Muffin, Betsy, Sanna and their daughters :)

 Gratitude has been on my mind all semester long and getting to hear from women I respect about how they find gratitude in their own lives was so powerful. I was reminded that gratitude is impossible to find when I am living in the future. In order to truly show gratitude, and have a grateful heart I need to focus on the present moments. My circumstances do not matter as much as my desire to serve the Lord does. I am in a place of constant growth, and learning. It is full of growing pains, and every once in a while beautiful blooms.

Here I am introducing the event, and our speakers!

 The pond outside my window froze this week!

Local school kids, and a few of our students playing on the pond.

 I am in the gift giving spirit! I am grateful that my financial situation has allowed me to be extra creative this year. I gave all homemade gifts and cards! I had so much more fun creating these than I would have if I had just bought them from the store :)

My RA team and I after decorating the dorm for Christmas!

The work that I am getting to take part in here at LCC is a complete gift. My passion for working with college students, for ministering to their needs in these pivotal college years, to creating safe places for them to learn and grow, and for listening and mentoring others is shining through. I feel great purpose here. I am working hard to incorporate myself into this city, and this culture. My Lithuanian language is coming along slowly, but surly. Please continue to keep me, my students, and this University in your prayers. 

I am looking forward to Christmas break, to rest, and for time with good friends in new beautiful places. I will be traveling to Germany for Christmas, and Amsterdam for New Years with friends from college that are coming so far to spend the holidays with me, what a blessing!