Doing the stanky leg alone in my room.

At 5:00 on this blessed and glorious day of Cinco de Mayo, I will officially be a senior in college.

First, WHAT THE TAFT?

Second, this reality has caused me to burst into sporadic and uncontrollable dance spasms- whether others are watching or not.

Because you see, I have many reasons to be ecstatic about summer 2011:

• I've been dreaming of summer since October when I first started praying to be a summer intern in my church's youth group. And PTL, an intern in the youth group I shall be!
• I get to taft with my family. Every. Stinking. Day. 
• I will be in Austin. 
• My favorite people will all be in Austin and I have no doubts that the fun we shall have will be utterly insane. (Shout out to my girlzies Shmeeg and Rodham!!)
• I have been doing school non-stop since August of 2009. Yes, summer 2010 was mainly a blissful few months spending quality time at good old ACC Northridge campus. And 15 credit hours later, I'm happy I did it. But there's also no way to describe how excited I am for a school-free summer.

Summer is just magical. It is my favorite time of year. And I am not holding back my joy that in 8 hours and 43 minutes it shall be here!

So, back to packing, studying, cleaning, and doing the stanky leg alone in my room.

What an adventure.

I read all day yesterday. Literally. I didn't even change out of my pajamas. Seriously. Now I give you a moment to laugh... Done?... Ok, I shall continue.

I was reading the second book of The Hunger Games series, Catching Fire. Seeing as how I started and finished the book within a 26 hour period, obviously I hated it.

Go get this book. Now.. Wait, finish reading this blog then go get this book.  

There is something to be said about getting lost in adventure. Whether it be something totally fiction, like The Hunger Games, or something that could possibly happen to you and me, like Twilight, I believe we all have a little thirst for adventure in our own lives, which is probably why I woke up this morning feeling nostalgic about finishing Catching Fire (but PTL, there's a third one). I wished the adventure wouldn't end. I wanted to keep soaking up the purpose and earnest that the characters live off of in the book. Maybe I even want to replicate that in my own life: fast-paced, purposeful action towards something vastly important. (Side note: I hope the Twilight joke made you laugh, because I typed it and giggled for about 10 minutes.)

Well, as I said, I woke up this morning with a Catching Fire hangover and went back to normal routine: wash face, get coffee, light candle, and plop down at desk with Bible and journal.

Then I read this:

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Colossians 1:13&14

My brain froze for a moment as God spoke to me: "Emily, you are LIVING the adventure of salvation. I RESCUED you from evil and have brought you into my Kingdom. I conquered darkness, the greatest villain of all time, and now you have earnest purpose to LIVE."

We are living an adventure! We are the weak who have been redeemed by a true Savior. He overcame the world, and now our earnest purpose for living is to tell everyone about grace, to live for Him, to and to seek out the weak and give them a hope for living.

How much more of an adventure could we ask for? 

Be invigorated today- catch fire!