Texan-European-Southern, {but currently} Mid-Western Girl!

Right Now...

2011-12-08T05:10:00.000-08:00

Following many other writers in the blogosphere...right now I am:

watching: well, I would like to be watching "Covert Affairs," but it gives me the creeps when I am alone and I could not sleep two nights ago, so...

eating: waffle and yogurt for breakfast. used the oven to toast the waffle, since I do not have a toaster! Stir-fry for dinner last night- yum!

drinking: yummy mochadoodle coffee

wearing: pink westie pj pants, and Damon's Ole Miss shirt

avoiding: writing another paper about my feelings. oh, counseling school.

feeling: hopeful and optimistic. I am getting married in 30 days! whoa!

missing: Damon. Homeboy is defending his thesis tomorrow! woohoo!!

thankful: for getting through the semester. with one week and two papers to go, I am in the home stretch. Sometime in October I think I seriously thought the world would end before this day would ever come.

weather: COLD! Chance looked like a fire-breathing dragon while I rode him yesterday. Seriously, the high today is 45, and snow is predicted for tomorrow!

needing: motivation to get all of my school work this weekend so that I can enjoy St. Louis for a week before I leave!

loving: flannel sheets, all of the thoughtful people who have thrown or come to my showers this semester- seriously, what a blessing, letterpress artwork, my almost finished Christmas quilt, my iPhone, the fact that I am almost about to marry Damon Stone Webster, hot chocolate, stir-fry and the ever-fuzzy and always energetic Chancers!

The BIG City!

2011-11-27T16:33:00.000-08:00

St. Louis is the first big city I have ever lived in. I have lived on the outskirts of a couple of big cities (Oklahoma City, Jacksonville, Brussels, Houston), but never IN a big city. But the mail that comes to my door every certifies that I, Natalie Kate Haynes, live in St. Louis.

It can be kind of easy to forget this though, so thank goodness for that daily postal reminder. I go to a small school that has a cozy campus and I know a lot of people there. I go to the barn a lot, which is not city-esque at all. Everyone drives trucks out there- how much more non-city can you get?! I know where three feed stores are, and where to buy things that horse wormer and alfalfa hay. I don't think many city dwellers know those kind of things. My house looks surprisingly neighborhood-esque, despite being three minutes from the interstate.

But then, about a month ago, St. Louis did something that will be forever etched in my big-city memory. I listened to the radio daily with baited breath, folks. I started caring about something called the "rally squirrel." The St. Louis Cardinals WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!

It was awesome. My favorite big city radio commentators really made the experience for me. I loved seeing the city rally around the team. The kids at the school where I worked would rattle off baseball trivia their parents told them...that I would subsequently rattle off to other people, to pretend that I was a real St. Louis-ian.

Three cheers for big city living!! And GO CARDS!

The local Macy's supports the Cards. How sweet.

Thoughts on Transition

2011-09-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

Three weeks have passed since I moved to Missouri. I am less than four months from getting married {!!!!!!!!}. I am hoping to hear about a job this week.

My house is completely out of boxes, and thanks to my mom and Aunt Joyce, everything is set-up too. I have gotten to see Damon once and my future in-laws twice. Chance is doing well and everyone likes him at the barn.

So what about grad school?!? Well, books such as "What Am I Feeling?" "Far As the Curse is Found," and "Anatomy of the Soul," are on my current reading list, with 15 others coming quickly behind them. I have loved the topics that we have covered so far.

I hear the question you are begging to ask. "Natalie, you aren't really in grad school. You are at seminary. What is that like? Isn't it so weird?"

It is true. I am pursuing a Masters of Arts in Counseling at a seminary. Before college the word "seminary" would have freaked me out. I thought that was a place for monks and nuns. For the most part, however, "seminary" and grad school really are not different. We have reading assignments and due dates. Our professors are educated in top schools around the world, and I often leave class day-dreaming about being as smart as them.

If I am completely honest, however, there was one "Wow, I am at seminary!" moment. It was two weeks ago at the convocation ceremony. I wish I had had a camera. I was in class right before the ceremony and our professor said he had to "dress up." I thought he meant a suit and tie. Oh boy was I wrong. "Dressing up" happens to give a historical nod to the men who were instrumental in forming the foundations of the church. Our twenty-first century professors may or may not have dressed like this guy:

Next year, I am bringing a camera. It was wonderful. We sang great hymns, and I got goose-bumps as we were given our "charge" for the year.

WHY the heck did I ever move??

2011-08-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

I’ve just moved to St. Louis. It hasn’t exactly been a joy ride. Moving is stressful. There are so many factors to consider- are my favorite dishes going to break? Will I ever make friends? Am I going to pass my classes? How am I going to arrange the furniture? Thoughts flitting around at ninety miles a minute, all the while convincing myself that nothing is going to work out the way I planned. So WHY do it? WHY move? WHY the heck did I move to Oklahoma in the first place? Sure seems like a whole heck of a bother.

It IS a bother. When I left Florida I cried with Mom and Kristin. When I left Oklahoma I cried with Sally, Damon, Doug and Julie. These were not great moments. All of those people were really hard to leave. They are all a huge part of my life, and it was gut-wrenching to say goodbye.

But it some senses, having it be gut-wrenching is better than it not making me feel anything. The reason it was so hard is because I will be sad to not be around them everyday, not going on walks with them, not playing Agricola with them, not seeing each other at Plaid. We have been involved in one another’s lives and truly known one another. I don’t want that to stop. It hasn’t stopped yet with Mom or Kristin. Leaving people you truly care about should be gut-wrenching.

I still haven’t answered the question “why.” Doug told me it is because if nothing ever changed, we would all be stuck in the same place all the time. Nothing would ever progress. At the time I thought, “well that is fine for him to say, he gets to go back to Norman where the people I love live.”

But what he said is true. If I never left Orange Park or Norman, I would never get my counseling degree, and there would never be more counselors. And we need more counselors. Bad.

I have needed counseling before. Lots have people have needed and do need it. We need people to counsel, and counsel with Jesus. Any old quack could say “it is going to get better.” I think it is going to get better, but I can’t really promise that. But Jesus made all things new, and there is a lot of hope and joy in that reality- especially among the messes of our lives.

So, I am here for some bigger purpose {not that that makes me a bigger person.} A bigger purpose that seems really small in importance right now. I hope to find joy in it. I hope to find joy lurking around here somewhere, right in between my two broken dishes and all the empty boxes.

Day 6: Books

2011-07-10T12:26:00.000-07:00

Without really meaning to, I have established a little collection of Children's Bibles. The Big Picture Bible on the left I read to my campers every night at Camp Desoto, Summer 2008. The Child's Story Bible is used at a classical academy in the area, is a little more grown up than the others, and is my most recent addition. The Jesus Storybook Bible is one that I did a Bible study on in the Spring of 2010 with OURUF.

What is important about all of these Bibles is that they do not reduce the Bible down to pointless stories. I put special importance on this since it was a big hindrance to me becoming a Christian. As a teenager, I did not understand why people kept asking me if I was saved, or even why they cared to know about my relationship with Jesus. Wasn't this whole Christianity thing just about a bunch of nice stories anyhow?!?

Each of these Bibles have their own way of making children's text accessible as well as filled with the hope and the truth of the Gospel.

The Big Picture Bible

The Jesus Storybook Bible

{the artwork is my favorite}

The Child' s Story Bible

Day 5: Today's Breakfast

2011-07-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

I often visit the barn the first thing in the morning. It is a peaceful way to start the day. In this hot Oklahoma heat, however, it is hardly desirable to leave the house with a steaming cup o' joe. Since my sweet mom gave me a Starbucks giftcard when I was home last week, I swung by the coffee monopoly and got a grande iced caffee americano! Yum!

Day 4: Clouds

2011-07-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken last summer out at the barn where I keep my horse. Beautiful tree line with a cloudy Oklahoma sky!

Happy 4th of July!

Day 3: Hands

2011-07-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

Day 3 of the photo project is "hands." These are pictures I took last summer with my Grandma Schultz (my mom's mom) in Texas. Grandma is a great seamstress, and I have many things in my house made by her. She would be really embarrassed to know that there are pictures of her hands on the internet, but I really see them as a symbol of her hard work on the farm and in the home. She still wears a wedding ring from my Papa, who died 16 years ago.

Helping make curtains for my kitchen in Norman:

Sitting at her sewing machine.

Day 2: Favorite Shoes

2011-07-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

Day 2 is "favorite shoes." Kinda silly, and I don't think I could just pick one, so here are my top three:

The MOST Comfy:

The MOST impractical, but a girl has to live sometimes y'all:

The MOST at-home feeling, these are my paddock boots for the barn:

Photo Project

2011-07-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

The last two years this blog has served as a place to talk about my work with RUF at the University of Oklahoma. That has been great. However, change is coming. In seven weeks I am moving to St. Louis. My paycheck no longer comes from RUF. I am not "the intern."

So, as this change approaches, I thought I would share something a little more light hearted...a 30 day photo series! The outline of the series:

{Check out a full sized image here}

Picture Day 1- Self-Portrait: Holy Moly it is really hot in Oklahoma and my cheeks are always red from heat these days!!!

{I guess I should mention this was also taken after a trip to the barn!}

What is NEXT for YOU??

2011-04-20T06:45:00.000-07:00

*The following is an excerpt from an interview one of our reporters, we'll call him Mr. Darcy, did with Miss Haynes a couple of weeks ago.*

Mr. Darcy: Natalie Kate Haynes, I heard your life is about to change. What on earth is all the fuss about?

NKH: Yes, yes, the rumors are true! I am moving farther into the midwest in August. I am moving to St. Louis, Missouri.

Mr. Darcy: Well what on earth are you moving all the way up there for? Haven't you heard that it gets dreadfully cold there?

NKH: Well, actually, yes I have. And I have also heard that it is a very big city for such a young girl, like myself, but I have decided to move anyways. I will be studying counseling at Covenant Seminary.

Mr. Darcy: Counseling {draws out a long hmmmmm}. Well, why will you be studying counseling?

NKH: Well first might I add that these are very poignant questions, Mr. Darcy. Bravo! But back to the topic at hand...I want to study counseling because I think there is a need for trained counselors in our churches. I want to talk with people about their marriages, their families, themselves, and how all of those things relate to Jesus.

Mr. Darcy: Well that is just fantastic. I am so excited for you! So you said you are moving in August, is that right? What will you do until then?

NKH: I will continue to live in Oklahoma. I would like to continue to work with RUF, helping the new campus minister as he moves here and gets to know the area. This can only happen, however, if I raise $4000 more for my support account. {We would like to mention, on behalf of Miss Haynes, that tax-deductible donations can be made here: www.ruf.org}

Mr. Darcy: I hope that you are able to continue your work with RUF in Oklahoma. There is an old adage about Oklahoma that is currently escaping me. Something about plains, wind, a broom maybe...I am not sure.

NKH: I hope that I can continue my work too. My time in Oklahoma has been wonderful. I have found family here. I will be sad to leave in August.

Mr. Darcy: What a pleasure it has been to sit and talk this morning, Miss Haynes. What an absolute pleasure.

NKH: The pleasure has been all mine, Mr.Darcy.

*This concludes our interview with Miss Haynes. Next month we will be interviewing a Miss H. Granger.*

Rebecca Black Themed RUF Activities

2011-04-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Black's "It's Friday" has been voted the worst song ever. So, naturally, OURUF has caught the viral-video-virus and has done numerous parodies.

First of all, have you seen this video? At the time of this post, it has 84 million views on You Tube and has been a top selling song on iTunes. When you watch it you will wonder why that is...because people like us keep talking about it!

Go here to watch the original video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0

Now, go here to watch OURUF Summer Conference Promotion Video {Rebecca Black style}: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjXM1V4naI0

I don't know about you, but I feel like our version was much better! Did it make you want to join us in Laguna Beach in May for Summer Conference?!?

Right about now I figure you have had enough Rebecca Black. BUT WE AREN'T DONE YET!

We had a Not-A-Date at the Norman Medieval Fair this weekend. We broke up into groups and did a scavenger hunt. The most points was given for asking strangers to sing, you guessed it, Rebecca Black's "It's Friday." Watch as this group asked two strangers to sing with them!

Well, that is what is going on in my neck of the woods! But I must go now because, "It's Tuesday, Tuesday..."

Boomer Sooner!

Day 5: FRIDAY!!!

2011-03-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

We made it, folks! Today concludes my "Week in the Life" series. Thanks for sticking with me!

{not my original artwork, but I cannot find who did it to give them credit}

As you can tell from the previous four posts, a week in the life of an RUF intern looks like a lot of different things. It is my hope that through my internship I have been able to share some of who I am with the students I get to know. That is one reason I love taking them to the barn with me to meet Chance!

Just as I did in grade school and college, I look forward to Friday all week long. Friday is cathartic, and I always look forward to the feeling of completion that it brings. I meet with my good friend Julie Serven on Friday mornings. Sometimes we walk or run and sometimes we sit on her couch to chat. This week or good conversation took over our run, so we walked instead. Julie is a wonderful wife and mother, and I cherish the past two years in which we have become good friends!

{Julie and Me at Doug's Birthday Party in November}

This last Friday I also met with Katie Tracy (pictured earlier in the week at freshman Bible study). Katie has applied to work with RUF next year, and will soon find out at which school she will be working! Congrats, Katie!

Fridays also mean "Girls Lunch." Girls Lunch is every Friday at 12:30 at the Cafeteria on campus. The Cafeteria at OU is amazing. It is head above heels better than the cafeteria at Florida (sorry Gators!).

My quarterly newsletter will be coming out in a few short weeks! Be looking for it in your mailbox! Meanwhile, it is Spring Break here in Norman! Boomer Sooner!

Day 4: Thursday

2011-03-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

I feel like I need to explain "Wolf Shirt Wednesday." Yes, wolf shirts are ridiculous. But here in Norman I know some people who would say that they are "ridiculously awesome!" Wal-Mart seems to agree, because they are currently selling them for $9. OMG. No worries, I did not buy one. It was provided for me. Like a uniform for work, it was provided for me. I have to admit, it was kind of exhilarating wearing my yellow happy wolf shirt! Ok, now on to Day 4...

RUF meets on Wednesday nights at 9PM. If you know me at all, you know that 9PM isn't exactly my most high-functioning hour. That being said, I am generally exhausted when I get home from large group at 11:30...so Thursday mornings begin slow. Despite the sluggish Thursday morning feeling, however, my first meetings were great. We had great conversation amidst the hustle and bustle of Cafe Plaid. I truly enjoy the "one-on-one" aspect of my job. Conversation topics range from school to boys, from Jesus to Spring Break plans, and from family to career aspirations.

After lunch I took freshman Anna Tracy to the barn! Anna is also a horse lover, so she is always eager to help out with barn chores! Look, I put her to work cleaning Chance's feet!

Chance just loves all of his visitors!

Later Thursday there was a cupcake philanthropy at the sorority house that my Bible study meets at. A local bakery provided the cupcakes. Here I am at the house with Tristen, Laura, and Sam.

That pretty much wraps up Thursday! Only one more day to go in this series!

Day 3: Wolf Shirt Wednesday

2011-03-10T06:45:00.000-08:00

Hello, loyal readers! We have made it to Wednesday. It is the week before Spring Break here at OU, which means that we all feel that time is moving a glacially slow rates. Never the less, my day was filled with wonderful conversations and a great large group meeting!

My first stop of the day was at the Honors College to see freshman Kelsey Kolbe. Kelsey is from the Washington D.C. area. Kelsey is a joy to talk to each week and I am so glad we have been able to share our lives with one another.

{This is actually of us at the barn dance. I am vain and did not like the picture I took yesterday- my hair was wonky}

{above: Well hello there awesome Mr. Horse- I think I would like to call you Patches! I did not know you lived in the honors college. May I take a picture please? Thanks!}

I then met senior Caroline Macleod at Cafe Plaid. Caroline lives in the international dorms, and has a heart for ministering to those students. We had a great conversation about how small and large groups work, and how you draw people together. My RUF training at work!

Margo! Margo is one of the girls who comes to my Gamma Phi study. She is awesome and is wonderfully artistic.

Katherine Borgerding for Vice President! Katherine is a junior Journalism major who is running for Vice President for the student body. K.B. for V.P.!!!

Lindsey Brewer and Chance! Lindsey came with me to the barn yesterday to see the ol' guy! She was brave and brushed him, despite the fact that spring is here and he is shedding his winter coat!

And now for the more entertaining part of the post...Wolf Shirt Wednesday. I kid you not. We have wolf shirts, and we wear them on Wednesdays. Oh my goodness. Where will the madness stop?

Oh hey, here I am with 3 freshmen! Well, if they are doing it then it must be cool, right? Why does my wolf look so happy? I think he is mocking me.

Staff Picture! Doug, Ben and I in our wolf shirt glory.

Don't mess with us...we have on wolf shirts and we will...well, I am not sure what we would do but I don't think it would be good.

And with that...Boomer Sooner!

A Week in the Life: Day 2!

2011-03-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

Two blog posts in one day?!? Whoa. This is too much. Well, continuing on with my series of a weeks worth of activities as an RUF intern at the University of Oklahoma...

First one on one in the morning was the wonderful Miss Laura Bartlett. Laura is a junior from Tulsa studying Music Education!

My first two meetings of the day were at Cafe Plaid, favorite RUF watering hole. Cafe Plaid is wonderful. My favorite spot to sit is on a long bench looking at the coffee bar. It is a great spot to people watch. Isn't it just adorable?? I forgot to get a picture with my second meeting- sorry Kassandra!

A plus to Plaid (which is what us locals call it) is that it is not on campus, but it is right across from campus! I took this picture from inside Plaid, looking out towards the Visitors Center and the Union.

Sam Carper was my next meeting. Sam is a sophomore, so we have had two years to become great friends! Sam is from Tulsa. Don't you just love her cute hat?!?

Sophomore Laura Atherton and I had a meeting after lunch. Laura is from- you guess it- Tulsa! She is studying Psychology. We did not take a picture, but here is us together at the Pink and Black Ball in February!

A consistent part of my Tuesday schedule is Freshman Bible Study. We meet on the top floor of one of the dorms each week. We are privileged to have an upperclassmen and a grad student join us weekly for this study. Katie Tracy and I were feeling pretty goofy today!

There was some disagreement as to whether or not we should smile for this picture. Silly freshmen!

Aren't you excited to hear about Wednesday??? Boomer Sooner!

A Week in the Life!

2011-03-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

During the past two years of blogging I have hinted at what some of my days look like: Bible studies, one on one meetings, football in the snow etc. But most of those things are the exception, not the rule. So what does a "normal" week of an RUF intern look like? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my"A Week in the Life!" series.

My intention was to chronicle from Monday to Friday, but Sunday night my roommates and I joined these lovely ladies for a joint roommate dinner. They live in the "Leslie House" and there are six girls living there (Maggie- we missed you!). Thanks for dinner ladies, it was delicious!

Monday morning starts off with some planning. I set up my appointments for the week, and I finish my Bible study for the coming evening. I lead a Bible study each week at the Gamma Phi Beta house on campus. We are doing a study called "Conversations with Jesus."

Most Monday mornings I also make treats for Bible study. I try to make them a little different every week. Last week I made Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Chip Cookies and they were FANTASTIC! They included instant coffee and two types of chocolate chips.

This week, however, I made a school-kid favorite: rice crispy treats!!

By the time all of my planning and baking is done, it is time to head to staff meeting! Doug and I meet for two hours to have lunch, plan, and talk. We were too engrossed in conversation yesterday for me to remember to snap a picture, but here is a silly one of us at Winter Retreat.

Immediately after I go to staff meeting I take Doug's youngest daughter, Anna, to the barn for a riding lesson. I have such a fun time with her because she often sees things in a much different way than I do. Yesterday she helped me shorten Chance's mane. It is not as simple as cutting his mane, and can hurt him a little if you don't do it right. When Anna would pull too much hair at one time I found her petting Chance each time and saying, "I'm sorry Chance- I didn't mean to!"

After Anna's riding lesson I head to Gamma Phi! These wonderful girls are great to talk to each and every week!

And that about wraps up my Monday! Aren't you excited to hear about Tuesday?!? Speaking of Tuesday, it is about time to head to that meeting...Boomer Sooner!

Not One but TWO!!

2011-02-21T10:52:00.000-08:00

In my last post I wrote about the impending snowstorm. Well, since then we have had not one, but two storms blow through Oklahoma. With the storms came wonderful, white, powdery snow and 5 days off of school! Keeping OURUF's tradition, we played snow football the night of the first storm. My team won! It was a run-away victory. The other team never even made a touchdown!

Since the snow storms we have gotten back to life as usual. Two weeks ago OURUF attended a ball in the Union on Campus. Pink and Black Ball! We had 35 students join us for dinner, and then we headed to the ball together. I was out of town last year, so this was my first time to Pink and Black!

The snow has melted and, Lord willing, this week will be the 3rd full week of school since the semester started. Last week felt a lot like spring. The daffodils in my front yard are sprouting. This weekend my roommates and I threw a baby shower for a friend at church. Meghan is super sweet and was one of the first people to invite me to her house when I moved to Norman. They are about to have their second baby girl! Congratulations Barnes family!

Boomer Sooner!

Snowpocalypse 2011

2011-01-31T07:58:00.000-08:00

Well, the weather forecast in Norman for the next 48 hours is pretty grim. Heavy snow and wind are predicted. I am not sure if it will turn out as bad as they are saying, only time will tell. This time last year we had some bad weather too.

During that time I hung out with the Trusty Steed:

AND I discovered Pioneer Woman! Most of you know about her, but if you don't, check her out: www.thepioneerwoman.com. She will change your life, or at least the way you cook.

And since I discovered the Pioneer Woman, or Ree as I like to call her, I have actually also MET Pioneer Woman! She lives here in Oklahoma, and came and spoke at OU in the fall. My heart grew three sizes from the joy of that day! Personal Hero!!! {other than Jesus}

So, what does the {potential} Snowpocalyspe 2011 hold? Who knows!! One thing is for sure, RUF Snow Football is going to be awesome! 10PM the night of the first snow (Tuesday maybe) we meet on the lawn in front of the Visitor's Center.

Do You Remember Your Freshman Year of College?

2011-01-25T18:42:00.000-08:00

I definitely do. It was filled with ridiculous moments, lots of laughter, and many, many good friends. We experienced the joy of feeling like we had the world at our fingertips. I look back on that year with fond memories, knowing that there will never be anything like it. The picture below is of me and my good friend Brittany French. 99% of my freshman year memories are with this girl. We once roadtripped over 1,000 miles in a day to get to a New Years Eve Party. We had to stop a sketchy gas station in rural Florida to put on these costumes.

A distinct pleasure of my job the last year and a half has been to be around freshmen, who are at this point in their lives. They enjoy spending leftover meal points at the convenience store in the dorms. They take ballroom dancing classes. They play pool and piano into all hours of the night. They play lots of volleyball in the Huffman Athletic Center. They watch lots of television on DVD. The first year of college is unlike any other of your life, and I have to say that the freshmen at OU take full advantage of it.

As Doug and I left Bible study today many of the freshmen stayed behind to hang out. It makes my heart glad to see that they have become friends.

***Disclaimer: These pictures in no way resemble my favorite freshmen. They are just some of the best pictures.***

This year the dinosaur at the Sinclair gas station in Norman lost its head in a tragic saw accident. Some of the freshmen particularly enjoyed welcoming Dino back home!

Freshmen girls at the barn dance! Yay!!!

And with that...Boomer Sooner!!!

Winter Retreat 2011

2011-01-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

RUF Winter Retreat this year was in Branson, Missouri. It was warmer and less snowy than Colorado, but still a great location to nap, play games, watch movies, and enjoy each other's company. 23 people came. Here are some highlights:

Poker Tournament

White Shirts, Wings and WaPoker night in our cabin.

Laura and I in our white shirts!

Playing a favorite RUF game, Power Grid!

The 2010 List

2010-12-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

Being at home for Christmas has had me thinking about what I have done in 2010.

My one official New Year's Resolution was to watch all of the movies that John Williams composed music for. That went really well, until May. Here are my thoughts on the movies I did make it through:

- Sugarland Express: Quirky movie about Texas outlaws.

- Jaws: Scary.

- Indiana Jones Trilogy: Fantastic.

- E.T.: I'll be honest, I was asleep after 10 minutes.

- Schindler's List: Horrific and amazing all at the same time. I have been to Anne Frank's house in the Netherlands, as well as the Holocaust Museum in D.C. I think that this movie was more moving than either of those things, which I had been very struck by as well.

- Harry Potter Movies: How can you not love the John Williams music from these movies?

- Minority Report: Eh.

- Star Wars (the first one): Darth Vader still scares me.

Other Notable Things about 2010:

- Travelled to Peru. This means that I have now been to 4 continents!!!

- First full year of working a job out of college.

- Burned the first pot roast I ever made.

- Watched the entire series of the West Wing.

- Taught Anna Serven to ride my horse.

- Made a lot of Pioneer Woman recipes. YUM!

- The first flowers I ever planted (tulips) bloomed in the spring!

- Met Pioneer Woman.

- Saw world class horse back riders at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. Considered change in life calling briefly after this.

- Drank a lot of coffee (now considering teeth whitening) and had amazing conversations about Jesus.

- Drove thousands and thousands of miles to visit family and friends (JAX, Atlanta, Huntsville, Lakeland, Houston, Houston, Houston).

- Listened to Harry Potter 3,4,5, and 6 on audiobook.

- Improved my very, very primitive sewing skills, thanks to my mom and Kirsten Spears. I am half-way through a slipcover for a big armchair!!!

New Years Resolutions for 2011? So far all I have thought of is to master a recipe for Pad Thai. Suggestions?

Greetings from Chi-Town!

2010-10-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

Greetings, Readers!

Well, at 7:00 AM this morning I boarded a plane in Atlanta, GA. I have been in Atlanta this week for RUF Staff Training. I expected to have a short layover in Chicago, and then be in Oklahoma City by lunch time. Hardly! I am writing to you from the Barnes and Noble of DePaul University in downtown Chicago. I will hopefully be on my way back to the Sooner State tonight (in time for RUF Large Group) but while I am stuck here, I am making the most of it! Here are some things that have happened so far:

- Got asked for directions 2 seconds after getting off the L Train in downtown. I am not sure what made me look like an all-knowing native. I think it was the large embroidered Vera Bradley duffle bag that I am lugging around.

- Heard a jogger talk about the lack of highly enriched uranium. I would have liked to hear the rest of that conversation!

- Saw a man yell obscenities in the middle of a busy street, and then raise his cane and shake it at the offender.

- And, finally...I am off to complete the one thing I have always wanted to come to Chicago for: the Original American Girl Store. Laugh if you want, but it is my childhood dream and I will accomplish it!!!!

Adios from the Windy City!

Goosebumps!!!

2010-10-14T17:35:00.001-07:00

Does anyone remember the Goosebumps book series from the 90's? That is not what this blogpost is about. It is about the physical reaction one (one being me) gets when one (again, me) watches another 1990's icon: The West Wing. You can read about this experience from another perspective here: Sally's take on four months of our life.

The president knocking on his desk and asking "What's next?" Charlie, the personal aid to the President, fearlessly pursuing the woman he loves. Josh Lyman, deputy Chief of Staff, standing up for what he believes in. Senior staff advocating for tax deductible college tuition for wages under $150,00, because everyone should have a chance to go to the school they want. Toby Zeigler, White House Communications Director, trying to solve Social Security in one night. The President invoking the 25th Amendment while his daughter is missing. Sesame Street's Big Bird making an appearance next to the tall CJ Craig...for these reasons and oh-so-many more, is why I get goosebumps when I watch the West Wing. The dry humor gets me every time.

I want to post some of my favorite dialogue, but as I read through it I giggle at everything. It is too hard to choose something that resembles the show perfectly. I think you should watch it. If you can't watch it all, watch my favorite 5 episodes:

5. "Shutdown": Season 5. The President refuses to be manipulated by the Republican Congress. Sally says I was "one big goosebump" during this episode.

4. "Game On": Season 4. The President debates his opponent during his reelection campaign. Brilliant.

3. "Institutional Memory": Season 7. Second to last episode. I bawled. Best friends make plans for their new lives.

2. "Twenty Five": Season 4. The President's youngest daughter is kidnapped.

1. "Noel": Season 2. Josh Lyman is suffering from PTSD. My favorite dialogue of the entire show is delivered :

"This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out.A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, 'Hey you. Can you help me out?' The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, 'Father, I'm down in this hole can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by, 'Hey, Joe, it's me can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here.' The friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.'"

Ultimate Banana, Pineapple, Gourd, Tomato etc.

2010-10-11T14:48:00.001-07:00

Ultimate Frisbee, anyone? Well, ok...the rules of ultimate with a twist. Instead of throwing a aerodynamic disc around, why don't we lob fruit into the air that may or may not be conducive to flying? That is exactly what RUF did this weekend! We tossed everything from bananas to cabbage. The gourd was much more sturdy than you would think, and the cabbage began to unravel almost immediately! I feared the pineapple, but it wasn't too bad. The stalk came off mid-throw and sprayed pineapple juice over everyone!

We played on the north end of campus, right across from campus corner. What would you think if you saw people playing frisbee, but with a tomato?!?
The girls- going after a banana!
Anna Serven and me. Ultimate Banana was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Indelible Grace

2010-09-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Indelible Grace? I had not before I started going to RUF my freshman year. It is a music ministry that has primarily grown out of RUF at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. They have taken old hymns and put them to new tunes. They are wonderful. The reason for this blog post is to say that Matthew Smith, a founding member, and Indelible Grace are coming to Norman next Tuesday! Woohoo!! I could keep telling you how wonderful they are, or I could point you to their music here: http://www.igracemusic.com/ig5/

Here are the lyrics to my most favorite hymn, Isaiah 43:

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you,

And the waves will not

Overcome you.

Do not fear,

For I have redeemed you,

I have called you by name,

You are Mine.

For I am the Lord your God
(I am the Lord your God),
I am the Lord your God (I am)
The Holy One of Israel
Your Savior
For I am the Lord your God
(I am the Lord your God),
I am the Lord your God (I am)
The Holy One of Israel
Your Savior
I am the Lord (do not fear)
I am the Lord (do not fear)
I am the Lord (do not fear)
I am the Lord (do not fear)

When you walk through the fire
You’ll not be burned,
And the flames will not
Consume you.
Do not fear,
For I have redeemed you,
I have called you by name,
You are Mine.

Football Season is HERE!!!

2010-09-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

It is killing me to write this blog with no pictures, but blogger has been slow about uploading for days now and I wanted to post!

Football season is here! The Sooners, along with most other schools in the country, played their first game on Saturday. The beginning of the football season at UF would have meant that my eyes would be pealed for anything orange and blue to wear to games. An orange and blue paisley belt currently hanging in my closet is one such find. Family members and friends admit to not being able to shop anymore without hearing my voice saying, "It's orange and blue- my alma mater's colors- perfect for football!" Alas, if I were to wear orange and blue in Norman on game day...I am not sure what would happen, but it would not be pretty.

Crimson and creme are great colors (yes, I said that!) and there is not a lack of them here these days! We have three football games in a row this month. This weekend the Sooners will take on Florida State- the arch nemesis of Florida football!!! I for one cannot wait to don crimson and creme on Saturday and (hopefully) watch FSU get the snot beat out of them by OU. Boomer Sooner!

Our third large group meeting is tonight at 9. We were going to attempt for a third meeting outside, but the rain in Norman today looks like we will be in Dale 103, per usual.

Bible studies started this week! Our freshman Bible study met yesterday, and this group is going to be great! Tons of personality and spunk!

Ok, I need to beat it to the Union now for lunch with a student. Hopefully this non-photo post did not bore you! Boomer Sooner!!!

Welcome Back from Summer Break!!!

2010-08-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

My blog is back from summer break!!! As is, among other things, RUF large group! We had our first large group this week. Doug is preaching on Philippians this semester. The first two weeks of school we meet in the "Passion Pit" on campus. OU has asked everyone to call this area the "Unity Garden" instead, but it's popular use as a make-out spot has ensured that it will never go through a name change! It is a nice change to worship outside, where people walking by look in on what we are doing, and we can see the OU campus all lit up at night. Here are some pictures my friend John Stuart took for us:

Well, I thought I would start this semester's blog entries by writing a good old-fashioned top 10 list. So here you go...the top 10 things I am looking forward to this semester:

10. Our awesome "Not-A-Date" that we have planned for September.

9. Meeting new students and helping them realize that RUF really is the best thing around since flavored shaved ice.

8. The Harry Potter premier in November.

7. Meeting with students in various locations in Norman: the Gray Owl, Cafe Plaid, and the Union.

6. A Bible study on body image, boys etc that I am doing with 2 RUF girls.

5. The AMAZING fall weather in Norman...I fell in love with Norman last fall!

4. Going to Cane's (an Oklahoma restaurant kind of like Zaxby's) after football games with students.

3. Jogging Club...some girls are going to get together once a week to jog a leisurely 1.5 miles!

2. A road trip to Doug's Alma Mater with our RUF students to see OU beat Missouri.

1. Generally just living in Norman and working with awesome college students!!!

I will have to do a re-cap at the end of the semester entitled "The 10 Best Things of the Semester," and see how they compare!

Boomer Sooner!

Well, I Missed the One Year Anniversary...

2010-07-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

I missed my blog's one year anniversary!!! To commemorate, let's see the (blog) year in review. We're going to work backwards:

Enjoyed time with friends, worked on projects, gave an RUF report at church, hung out with people in Norman, and couldn't get enough of this Oklahoma sky in June!

Summer conference in May!

Relish Retreat in April!

Missions trip to Peru with 11 students in March!

Celebrating the Olympic Games in February!

Ski Trip in January!

Barn Dance in December!

Football games with freshmen in November!

Dressed up in October!

Discovered some Sooner tradition at football games in September!

Moved to Norman in August!

Support raised in July!

Celebrated graduation with Mom and Dad in NYC and Washington DC in June!

Notes on my study program...

2010-06-29T11:35:00.001-07:00

One aspect of the RUF Internship is the study program that I do every month. While this has not always been the part of my job that I am the most diligent about (honesty hurts), I have enjoyed a lot of the books and thought I might share some of them with you.

The books assigned to us cover spiritual growth, roles of the church, and various counseling topics. The term "spiritual growth" can be kind of off-putting. We are not reading books that teach us how to become a "super" Christian, and you don't have to have a PhD to understand them. These books talk about how to read the Bible even when you don't know much about it, and how to pray even when it makes you uncomfortable. Below are some of my thoughts on four of my favorite books from the program.

Getting the Message, by Dan Doriani

The point of scripture is Jesus. Doriani expresses this theme of scripture in two very poignant points: (1) Every passage in the Bible presents Christ both as the remedy for human fallenness and as the end point of God’s plan of salvation (2) Every passage of the Bible touches on some aspect of the fallen human condition and presents some part of God’s remedy in Christ. If I were to read every passage of scripture with these things in mind, I would see the Bible as much more vital to my life. If I believed all of scripture had this point, I would read it more often.

Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers, by Chap Clark

Abandonment is the big theme of Chap Clark’s book Hurt. Clark states that abandonment is the biggest overarching issue facing teenager’s today, and that their biggest need is a safe and welcoming relationship with adults. Abandonment in the context of Clark’s writing does not mean physical abandonment, but rather emotional and spiritual. Parents and other influential adults are physically present in the lives of mid-adolescence but cease to provide any emotional support as they are bussing their teens to soccer practice and seeking to achieve their own goals. Merely being physically present in teen’s lives seems to be the world’s standard for adults, and it has created a generation of mid-adolescent’s looking for support and comfort elsewhere.

The Reason for God, by Tim Keller

Who better to write on the argument against skepticism than Tim Keller, a pastor in New York City which is perhaps the most skeptical city in the United States? He speaks from a breadth of knowledge on the topic, having not only studied it, but confronted it head on in his urban ministry. It is with this knowledge that we can confront this book confidently, knowing that the author is not simply trying to throw Biblical phrases at non-believers, but is rather attempting to answer the questions which plague the skeptical critics of the twenty-first century. "The Church has been responsible for so much injustice" and "You can't take the Bible literally" are among the applicable topics.

The Enemy Within, by Kris Lundgaard

Lundgaard's purpose with The Enemy Within is to describe the seriousness of sin, it's effects, and how we should guard against it. Mission accomplished. He is not afraid to bluntly state that the wages of sin is death. Lundgaard reinforces the point that sin draws you away from the Father. Perhaps the clearest point that the author makes is that the battle against sin is a battle between flesh and spirit. Lundgaard writes, "When the mind wants to know God, the flesh imposes ignorance, darkness, error, and trivial thoughts. The will can't move toward God without feeling the weight of stubbornness holding it back." He clearly expresses how I feel every day when I want to get an extra 30 minutes of sleep instead of reading my Bible, or how I do not want to talk with God because it feels awkward.

FAQs

2010-06-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hello All! As I have been traveling I have been getting a lot of the same questions, so I thought I might answer some of them here, in case you were wondering too!

If I have been giving monthly, do I have to renew my pledge?

If you have automatic withdrawal, RUF will continue to automatically take the pledge each month until you ask them to stop or I no longer work with RUF. If you have made a pledge but just send it in each month, RUF assumes that you will continue to do so through my second year.

The internship is two years?

Yes, the internship is a two-year program. It is designed that way so that interns have a prolonged period on campus to make connections and form deeper relationships. RUF does not want to break the relationship with the students and campus that we worked so hard to form after one academic year. Having just finished my first year, I am excited to have another year to go. I would hate to break the relationships I have made, and am thrilled to get to make new ones this year.

How much money do you need for the second year?

My budget for the second year is the same as it was last year, $31,804. Total monthly pledges made in the 2009-10 school year were $18,960. That means that last year I received $12,844 in one-time gifts. If all of my monthly donors stay with me this coming year then I will need to raise $12,844 to meet my 2010-11 budget. This money can be in either one-time gifts or monthly pledges. You can give online at www.ruf.org. Thank you to those who have been part of my team this last year.

Do you have to have this money by a specific date?

August 1st would be most helpful. Classes start August 23rd and things get very hectic after that. In order to best minister to students, it would be helpful if I had a "healthy" support account by then. There is no definite date though.

How can I give monthly? What if I cannot continue giving?

You can send in a pledge and/or set up automatic withdrawal at www.ruf.org. If you cannot continue giving, I understand. Thank you for the part you have played in ministering to the OU campus. Please let me know if this is the case, since it will help me determine how much I need to raise. Again, thank you so much for your prayers and support.

What is all of that money used for?

The money I raise is used for: my paycheck, insurance, books for my study program, costs of conferences (2 per year) and training (3 per year), and occasional traveling expenses. This is not quite everything it covers, but these are the main categories.

Are you the only intern on campus?

Last year I served with Benjamin Nichols, our male intern. Unfortunately, last week we learned that Ben cannot return to campus because of a budget deficit in his support account. Thus, I will be the only intern in the coming year. This is very sad for us. Ben served the OU campus with a lot of enthusiasm. He has a great heart for campus ministry. The loss of him on our staff will be greatly felt.

These are the most common questions I have gotten so far this summer. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. My email is natalie.haynes@ruf.org. My phone number is (904) 651-2166. I will be in Jacksonville July 21-25. Sarah Wilkening and I will be co-hosting a lunch for RUF at Pinewood Presbyterian on July 25 immediately following the 11 o'clock service.

Hey Y'all!

2010-06-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday, Everyone! I am currently sitting in my parents den, and have been working on prayer request cards this morning. I will have them with me this summer as I visit churches and travel. They have magnets on the back so you can put them on your fridge! If you would like one, but know that you will not be seeing me, let me know- I would love to get one to you!

This picture, which is on the prayer card, was taken by my friend John Stuart. The landscaping is one of my favorite things on the OU campus!

My visit home so far has been delightful. Last week I visited with Mark and Kristin in Lakeland. I got to sit in on their junior high/ high school Bible study, watch Mark play softball, and get a tour of the school where Kristin is substitute teaching. Since I have been home I have been helping Dad finish a bookcase/ entertainment center for our house, worked on a backboard for my update lunches this summer, seen a couple of friends, and gone to a Jacksonville Suns baseball game. The Suns are our minor league team here. It is one of my most favorite things to do when I am home!

Last night we lost power for five hours! As luck would have it, Dad and I were just starting a movie too! We had to resort to other forms of entertainment. I love this picture of dad reading the Wall Street Journal by head lamp. In true Boy Scout fashion, he knew exactly where all of our flashlights were when the lights went out!

The Serven family left Acapulco, MX today. They will be there for seven weeks on a missions trip working with the orphanage Casa Hogar. Doug will be helping lead the interns there this summer. Please pray that God would keep them safe this summer as well as grow them through this incredible opportunity!

I am in Florida for another week, and then I will be making a trip to Texas to see my family for a couple of days. Floridians: I would love to see you while I am home! Texans: Mason and Wyatt, I am excited to see you! Let's jump on the trampoline when I get there! Oklahomans: Boomer Sooner! See you soon!

Thoughts from the Sunshine State

2010-05-25T05:32:00.001-07:00

We have returned from Summer Conference 2010! The above picture is of me and freshman, well sophomore now I suppose, Sam Carper. Sam was one of our students that came to Freshman Bible study regularly. Sam caught the winning catch in the Ultimate Frisbee tournament at SC!!! She is from Tulsa and is a wonderful part of our community :)

John Stone, former RUF Campus Minister, was the speaker our week. Amidst many funny stories, anecdotes, and tangents, he clearly presented the gospel every night. One of his more memorable talks was on forgiveness. While he did borrow this from Tim Keller, John Stone said, "To the extent that you see how much you have been forgiven, to that extent you will forgive and love others." Wow. This statement makes me want to study, learn, and appreciate my forgiveness. I want to be a good forgiver.

The above picture is of two of our cherished students. The guy sans-cowboy hat is Wes Martin. He is normal the one donning the hat. I think I saw him for the first time ever this week not wearing his cowboy boots. He is from the rural Oklahoma town of Tallequah and is getting married next week. The guy sporting the cowboy hat so proudly is Ben, and has just finished his freshman year at OU. He is another one of our freshman Bible study attenders, and is from Wisconsin. To say that this guy loves sports in an understatement. We bantered about the Gators and Tim Tebow quite a bit!

Summer Conference was chocked full of activities for our OU crew. We layed on the beach and swam in the ocean everyday. The waves were pretty strong, and schools of manta ray kept swimming by. Some students formed an ultimate frisbee team and won the SC bracket!!! Every night we had ice cream outside Doug and Julie's apartment and debriefed from the day. One night both Doug and Bentern got thrown into the pool. It was pretty priceless. Speaking of Bentern...

Ben and I are proud recipients of airbrushed t-shirts, courtesy of OURUF. I really like mine, which has a dolphin on it, but seeing Ben open his t-shirt was priceless. His t-shirt has emblazoned on it his nickname, "Bentern," and the turtle from Nemo. Both of those things made Ben giddy with excitement over his gift. I think there is an official facebook petition to change his facebooke name to "Bentern Nichols." Students claim they go to search for him, but can't find him because they don't think to search for "Benjamin Nichols."

SC '10 was a great success!!! I am in Florida now for a couple of weeks, and am currently visiting some college friends. Yay for summer!

The Semester's End

2010-05-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Norman, OK! Students are in the middle of finals, and will be done this weekend. Then, about 40 of us will head to summer conference in Florida. Before any of that happens, however, I would like to catch you up on some stuff that has happened here:

- North Texas Presbytery: Last week Ben, Doug, and I took a trip to Dallas for Presbytery. We saw two ordination exams. Brent Corbin, a former OU RUF student, passed his ordination exam. It was great to see our denomination at work. Ben, Doug, and I got to eat at this cool place called "Eatsies." I think you could eat there everyday for a year and never have the same thing twice. It was super cool.

- Relish Projects: This semester in our leadership team, Relish, our topic has been personal growth. We have been reading The Disciplines of Grace by Jerry Bridges. Each week there has been a project due. The projects have included a poetry project, a service project, an art project etc. The semester finished with a "personal project" that students choose at the beginning of the semester, and have been working on throughout. These included but are not limited to: learning how to cook, writing songs for an album to be recorded, running a half marathon, and a photography project (me!). Below is a picture that I really love but did not find a place for in the final book. That gross lookin' stuff is called Hooflex and I put it on Chance's hooves to keep them strong. I feel like this picture captured how messy this stuff is!

- I stuffed 150 envelopes with my news letter last night to send out to my supporters. If you do not currently get one of these, please let me know- I would love to send one to you!

- The John Williams Project is going splendidly. Every week when students come over to watch the Office, we play a movie afterwards. The last two weeks we have watched Star Wars, which I had not previously seen. The Empire Strikes Back has been my favorite. This weekend I watched Schindler's List with some people. Three words come to mind: horrific, intense, awesome. The next two movies are Amistad and Saving Private Ryan. Apparently we are going with an intense theme.

- I leave tomorrow to drive to Florida. Summer conference will go from Monday May 17- Saturday May 22. Please pray for safety for our students as they drive a long way from Oklahoma to Florida and back. After summer conference (and Anna McDowell's wedding!!!), I will be in Florida for two and a half weeks. I am having an after service lunch at Christ Community Church on June 6th. I would love to see you!

- Boomer Sooner!!!

Humans vs. Zombies

2010-04-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

This week I have been reminded that working in campus ministry means that you are able to do totally over-the-top completely ridiculous and yet excessively stimulating things every once in a while. What am I talking about exactly?!? Humans vs. Zombies, of course! humansvszombies.org

In an effort to do an outreach event similar to Assassins, OU RUF sponsored our very own HVZ game. We thought 75 people might register. 764 people did.

It has been crazy. I have been wearing a bandana (almost) everywhere I go. I always have socks with me in case I need to stun a zombie and make a getaway. I am always looking over my shoulder to see if I am being snuck up on. I see complete strangers on campus and smile, because they are wearing a bandana on the arm or leg (denoting them as a human) and I know that we are both survivors of the human race (for right now). The number of humans is getting smaller, and the zombies are getting more frantic as they need to tag (feed) on humans in order to stay a live.

We are having a dance party on Friday night. Humans vs. Zombies 1980s theme. Yes!

OU RUF has been featured in the campus rag twice this week. Once for HVZ and the other because Dr. Os Guinness came to speak to our campus. 10 campus ministries, including RUF, brought in the "Veritas Forum" to talk about suffering and injustice in the wake of the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing. Check out the veritas forum: veritas.org

Dr. Guinness was very engaging and did a wonderful job speaking to about 300 people. I will admit my own skepticism in that I did not feel like people would come to this forum, even though the topic is interesting and relevant. The turnout was great though. He addressed topics that I often speak to students about. When faced with the question "Why was evil allowed to exist?" He responded the same way I do, "I don't know. No one does." I know have a copy of his book "The Call," and am excited to read it.

We leave for summer conference in a mere 3 weeks! Boomer Sooner!

Live from Cafe Plaid, it's the Tuesday Blog Post!!!

2010-04-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

Hope you are doing well. I am enjoying a sunny here in Oklahoma. I am sitting at Cafe Plaid, looking out on the Visitors Center and the North Oval- very pretty!

This last weekend we travelled to Springfield, Missouri for our Relish Retreat. Relish is the leadership team here at OURUF. 12 students came and it was a great time of 4-wheeling, hot-tubing, camp fires, and discussion. God has blessed us greatly with students that have a heart for ministry and who think intentionally about how to love people.

Here is a picture of (from left to right): me, Brittany, Doug, Ben, and Anna. Brittany and Anna have previously served as interns at OU. It was wonderful to have them with us and hear about their experiences and their wisdom.

There are only two weeks of classes left here at OU, then "dead" week and then a week of finals. Even though time is running short, we have much left to do. This weekend we are doing "Not-A-Date." Norman has a music festival going on, so randomly matched couples will be enjoying dinner and then hearing some of Norman's finest artists.

We are also about to embark on an adventure called "Humans vs. Zombies." Haven't heard of it??? Check it out: http://humansvszombies.org/. Our game will last a week as the zombies try to take out the humans. This game is similar to "Gotcha" or "Assassins." We currently have 320 people registered. The week of play will end with a Humans vs. Zombies 80's Dance Party!!! This is sure to be a unique experience- I look forward to sharing it with y'all!

Summer Conference Promo Video!!!

2010-04-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

The assignment was to parody a favorite youtube movie and make it into a summer conference promo video, and boy did we ever!!! Teen Girl Squad! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdfqyklmBng

Good Friday, Bunco, "Little Event" and More...

2010-04-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

We're going to work our way backwards....starting with Bible Study. This morning we entered into the New Testament in the Jesus Storybook Bible. The last line of our story this morning read, "Meeting Jesus would change all of their lives forever." We talked about how the gospel does/should change our lives. It was my favorite lesson yet. God is so good! We also enjoyed these wonderful treats: Pioneer Woman's French Puff Pastries. Baked treats continues to get girls out of bed at 7AM for Bible Study!

This weekend OU sponsored the "Big Event." Thousands of undergrads went all over Oklahoma City to do a service project. Students worked at schools, highways, and even homes of the elderly. I have heard nothing but good things about this project from students. While they were working around OKC Bentern, myself, and two graduate students helped out the Servens at the "Little Event." We worked in their yard and did some other small projects. It is always wonderful to spend time with the Serven family!
The 8th Annual RUF Bunco Tournament was this Friday. It is the longest standing OURUF Tradition, and boy is it a good one! Have you ever played?!? You should. I won for most "buncos." Here is a score card:
Jena, Kevin, and Katie having fun outside playing bunco. Over 30 people came, so there were bunco games going on anywhere you could find room to sit!
A little late, yes, but better late than never! Here is the chapel where we had the RUF Good Friday service. It was wonderful. I had never been to a Good Friday service before. The hymns and scripture readings were all great reminders of Christ's love for us.

This weekend the OURUF leadership team, "Relish," will be going to Missouri for our Relish Retreat. It will be a great time to fellowship with the people who serve OURUF together.

The most exciting news however?!??!?!?!? THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL POST TOMORROW AT MIDNIGHT! I don't want to give anything away, so stay tuned!

Has it only been a week since my last post?!?

2010-03-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I feel like it has been forever since last Tuesday. Here are some reasons:

- I got really sick last week. I was miserable. I laid in bed for 3 days, but it might as well have been 30. Yuck!!!

- My mom came to nurse me back to health. Seriously, she is awesome. We talked on Thursday morning at 4:30 my time since I had been up all night, and by evening she was here! It was such a blessing to have her here.

- We did a service project in downtown OKC on Saturday morning. We had 19 students show up to paint, sort, and organize clothing. The project was with a group called TEEM, which seeks to get people who are unemployed back on their feet. This includes GED classes, interview strategies (even interview clothes), computer classes etc.

This weekend is Easter, and RUF is doing a special Good Friday service. It will be held at a building on campus, with hymns and readings. I am really looking forward to celebrating Easter this weekend. Doug made a good point in stating today that Easter is one of the most important and yet under-celebrated holidays. Now that I think about it, I totally agree!

The second annual Norman Board Game Geek conference is this weekend. It will be at a local coffee shop. There is a group of students (and Doug) here that love strategy games. Saturday will be a full 12 hours of Agricola, Puerto Rice, Le Havre, Ticket to Ride, Dominion and many many more! I am definitely going to participate, but probably not for the entire time!

On an entirely non-ministry note, Chance is loosing his fur at a very rapid rate! Oh the pleasures of living in a state with such a cold winter. I think I am going to miss Furry Chance :)

Happy Easter Everyone! Christ has risen indeed!

Some Thoughts on Peru

2010-03-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!! Perhaps a more appropriate greeting would be "Hola, Amigos!" The OU RUF team of 13 has safely returned from Peru, leaving us all reflecting on the week we experienced, and what God is teaching us.

The images which I am struggling the most with, and I might even say are "haunting" me, are the following two. They are from the squatter village called "Clementina." If the squatters maintain this land for a year, then they are allowed to keep it under Peruvian law. Through these pictures hopefully you will realize that squatters are all in different stages of development. Some homes only have walls made of reed, tarp, and paper. Some have a tin roof. Some have cement walls. Some have dirt floors while others have stone floors. The missionaries told us that it may take as many as 15 years to go from a home made of reed to a home made of cement. This picture shows some of the more developed homes.

This picture, however, shows how primitive some of the homes are. I still have not come to terms with how these people are able to live in these houses. Regardless of the condition of the house, they take care of it. Even if they only have dirt floors, they still sweep them. I would be lying if I told you that these pictures make me want to move to Peru and help these people. These pictures made me uncomfortable, and made me long for the comfort of American life. I don't know what God would have me learn from this yet.
Peruvian food. Yum! Most meals were served with a large helping of rice, as pictured here. This particular dish was cooked by women at the mission. It is a Peruvian specialty, which includes beef and a version of the french fry.
A highlight of mission trips is always the team bonding. Here I am with Mary Rachel. She has just graduated from OU, and both her and her husband came on the trip. I loved getting to know them more!
Here are Josh, Megan, and me with some Peruvian children with Clementina. Interacting with these kids was wonderful. Even with my meager Spanish I was able to communicate what colors I thought would look good on their pictures, or talk about animals with them. I showed some of them pictures of Chance. I am not sure if they had ever seen a domesticated horse before, because they all seemed pretty confused by the pictures.
The picture below is one of the rooms of the church in Clementina. The building has walls and a roof, but no real floor. We helped prepare to dirt to eventually have stones laid. The residents of Clementina asked Peru Mission to plant a church in their area. This is a testament to the work of Peru Mission, and how the Peruvians recognize that the missionaries are seeking to serve the people in both practical and gospel-centered ways.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to go and serve in Peru. I loved seeing how God is restoring his broken world through this particular mission. I would love to talk more about this with you, especially since these were only highlights of the trip. Thank you for your prayers.

Cross-Cultural Experiences

2010-03-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

My family moved to Sweden in March 1994. We moved to Soderhamn, where we were the only native English speakers. We knew no Swedish. This led to several interesting and very humorous experiences in the three and a half years we lived there.

Our first trip to the grocery store was memorable. Being fresh off the farm, my dad was still wearing his cowboy boots, cowboy hat and Dickies overalls. This caught the attention of many Swedish children who could not believe that the iconic American cowboy was there in their small town grocery store. Also, did I mention that my family is from Texas?!? This means one thing, that we are loud. So there we were, loud Texans in a very quiet, docile Swedish super market. No, those are not crickets you hear, it is my loud Texas family.

Since our first 24 hours in Sweden had already been filled with strange food, my parents attempted to buy things that were familiar to us. Tony the Tiger was one of them. I had never eaten Frosted Flakes in my life, and did not intend to start then, regardless of that Tiger's smiling face. I think that box of cereal was still in our cabinet when we moved. But I digress.

Not being able to read the language meant that my parents had to use other clues to figure out what things were. So, naturally, when my mom saw a carton with a purple woman on it, she assumed it was grape juice. When the contents were poured into a juice glass, it came out white. Since it was clearly not grape juice, she concluded it was milk and promptly poured it on my brother's cereal. It came out chunky though, so it clearly was not milk. Plain yogurt? Wrong again. It turns out that we had stumbled across a Swedish product called Fil Mjolk. Slightly soured thickened milk that tastes great with granola or jam. I eventually developed a taste for it, but at the time I could not help but long for normal American milk on my cereal.

Where exactly am I going with this? Well, in a mere four days 13 of us from OU RUF will board a plan for Trujillo, Peru and have our very own South American cross cultural experiences. Only two of us (present company excluded) speak any notable Spanish, so the language will be a barrier. I am excited to see what God has to teach us about the Peruvian people, and to see how His kingdom is growing in other parts of the world.

But I am also very excited to see what is in the purple cartons in Peruvian grocery stores.

"Julia Child Wasn't Always Julia Child..."

2010-03-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

...and I wasn't always an RUF intern. In fact, just 10 short months ago I was turning in final papers and taking my last college exams. And yet now I often answer most questions of "How are you?" with things about my job. This is probably directly correlated with the fact that I LOVE my job, so I always have plenty of things to talk about...but I also want to be seen as a real person who has real thoughts and feelings. Why all of this rambling, you ask?!? Well, last week I spent a lot of time with people who were part of my life before I was an intern. I wanted to share some of the them (read: not all) with my blog readers :) God is good, I love that he created us for community.

Kaitie and I have been friends since the 7th Grade.

Abby (the red head on the left) is an intern at University of Washington in Seattle. We were history majors together.

I did not get to see Mark and Kristin on this trip, but they are too wonderful to leave out. Kristin and I lived together junior year and then she and Mark got married and they did a great job including me in their first year of marriage!

Are you really surprised by a picture of Wallace? I took him on a walk on the St.Johns River while I was home.

Brittany and I lived together for three years in college. Did we mention we lived on the same hall as Tim Tebow???

Katie and Josh welcomed and new member of their family...baby Jake!!! Katie and I lived together my last year in college.

The new baby...precious!!!

Here is Grace holding baby Jake. Grace and I lived together my last two years in college.

Well, there you are ladies and gentlemen...a snapshot of just some of the people whom God has graciously allowed me to share my life with over the past several years.

13 of us here at OU are preparing to leave for Peru in a week and a half. We will be doing some construction work and teaching some English lessons. I am very excited and simultaneously very nervous. Please be praying for us!!!

Ice Ice Baby

2010-02-15T14:49:00.000-08:00

- So I named this post after what I thought was a Queen song named "Ice Ice Baby." It turns out some guy named Vanilla Ice actually sang that song, and the Queen song I was thinking of is called "Under Pressure." Weird.

- The reason for the ice theme??? Well, the initial reason is the Olympics, but more importantly because we had an Olympics opening ceremonies party with ice themed games!!! Here are some pictures from our par-tay:

- Ice Bath: Who can keep their hand in the water for the longest amount of time? Well, the answer is Josh Voth for 14:18. As of yesterday (Sunday) Josh said he hadn't regained all feeling in that hand yet!

- The first round of contestants- they are looking pretty happy at this point! Our other games were corn hole toss and frozen chubby bunny. The chubby bunny record was 12 marshmallows. This was by far the most fun I have ever had watching the opening ceremonies!

- Another highlight of the weekend was making cookies for my horse, Chance. Anna Serven and Lydia Grawe helped me out with this. They were pretty excited to help with this overall, except for when it can to mix in the molasses, which they felt did not smell so good.

- My New Year's Resolution to watch movies I have not seen before is going splendidly. To continue with the John Williams theme, we watched Jaws last week and the first Indiana Jones movie should be arriving here shortly. Jaws is certainly epic, but the suspense was killer (ha!).

- I am traveling to Florida on Friday, staff training Sunday through Wednesday, and then to Gainesville. I am pretty excited to see other interns, family, friends, and Wallace. Wallace is my parent's Westie. He is pretty ridic. As in ridiculously cute.

- Boomer Sooner!!!

Another Exciting Blog Post

2010-02-09T06:43:00.000-08:00

Well, after last week's blog chock full of excitement, how can I possibly live up to that standard?? Much to my dismay, there has been no more snow in Norman, so I have nothing to report on that front (get it, as in a cold front...har har har).

We had a girls movie night this weekend, which was fabulous if I may say so myself (which I may). We watched the BBC miniseries "North and South." Haven't seen it? Don't know what it is?? Check it out: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417349/. If you have Netflix, you can watch it instantly on your computer!!!

I made a trip to Oklahoma City with some freshmen as they are in need of dresses and shoes for the upcoming "Pink and Black Ball." It is a ball put on by the University of Oklahoma for Breast Cancer Awareness.

I also made a trip with my roommates to my favorite coffee shop in Norman, (no offense Cafe Plaid or Michaelangelos you just aren't as trendy and your cafe americanos just don't measure up) Gray Owl! It was wonderful to spend time with them. They are wonderful girls and God has really blessed me by having me live with them. Here we are at Gray Owl:

My spring newsletter will be sent out shortly, so please let me know if you are not receiving them and would like to.

Boomer Sooner!!!

Snowy, Snowy Oklahoma

2010-02-02T06:58:00.000-08:00

- I just got back from my first Tuesday morning Bible study. It was great! We talked about some of our hesitations in reading the Bible, and misconceptions we have about its content. Everyone agreed that reading from the Children's Bible was fun.

- I watched the first movie of my project to see movies that John Williams composed music for with my roommate Sally this weekend. It was the 1974 movie "The Sugarland Express" with Goldie Hawn. This was Steven Spielberg's first film! It is the film that marked the beginning of the Spielberg-Williams relationship. "Sugarland" refers to Sugarland, TX, and not some magical land made of sugar. I was under the impression that this name might refer to the latter, until the movie ended and the story had never moved outside of the dry Texas landscape.

- In order to complete The John Williams Project this year, I have subscribed to Netflix. This weekend I will take a break from John Williams movies and have girls over to watch "North and South." If you have not seen this, you are missing out on an epic tale. We will watch the first two hours, break for dinner and then watch the rest. I cannot wait to introduce my Norman friends to this story of unrequited love!

- Here are some pictures of Chance from the weekend: What do you feel like this face is expressing??

- He was still hopeful that I had more carrots at this point:
- A street close to my house Friday morning. It continued to snow most of Friday!

- As you can tell from the pictures above (and the title of the post), it snowed about a foot last Thursday and Friday. OU had 1.5 days cancelled of class. This was fun, especially because it means that we got to hold the time-honored OURUF tradition of SNOW FOOTBALL!!! This was one of the things I was most excited about when I found out that I was coming to OU. Here are the wonderful girls that came and toughed it out between 10 and midnight!!!
- The whole crazy group of snow football players!
- Boomer Sooner!!!

The Jesus Storybook Bible

2010-01-26T09:37:00.001-08:00

This semester Megan Tevebaugh, a junior here at OU, and I will be leading a small group through the Jesus Storybook Bible. It is a wonderful children's Bible that, besides having awesome artwork, talks about Jesus and his love in a refreshingly honest way. Megan and I thought it would be a nice way to come back to the basics, and reexamine some essential stories of the Bible. In college it can be tempting to be too intellectual about everything, so it will be nice to go through this Bible.

We are, however, meeting at 7am on Tuesday mornings. I am sure that this will be a challenge for us all at some point. My hope is that we can keep each other accountable to get up and come every week.

In other news, we are expecting a winter storm here on Thursday. I am hoping for snow since I missed the first big storm while at home over Christmas break. I can't wait to see Chance run around in the snow. Pray for snow!

The Beginning of a New Semester

2010-01-19T11:57:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010, Blog Readers! I had a great break in Florida with my family over Christmas. Here is the "low down" on what is happening:

- It snowed 14 inches in Norman while I was away. Don't worry, Chance actually loved the snow!

- Today is the first day of classes of the semester. This semester in RUF we are studying the minor prophets. Along with the freshmen Bible study, I am co-leading a study on the Jesus Storybook Bible. It is at 7am on Tuesday mornings. Wahoo!

- What will be going on on the weekends in Norman without football to keep us busy??? Only time will tell.

- I have lost my passport, and currently applying for a new one. Pray it will get here in time for my mission trip to Peru, March 12-19.

- As a part of my new years resolution to watch movies that I have not seen before, I am focusing on watching movies that John Williams has composed music for. While Star Wars is on the slate for later in 2010, this weeks movie is The Sugarland Express with Goldie Hawn.

- Despite my brother Joe tearing his ACL during our first day of skiing, our ski trip to Colorado was great. Here are some pictures:

Above: Laura and Justin with their coloring page. Coloring was a favorite nightly activity.

Megan, me, Mary Katherine, and Tristen at a local coffee shop, "The Crown."

Everyone suffering from the heat of chicken curry, which my brother made us. It was really good though!

Tristen, me, and Amy and our coloring pages.

Tristen and Justing excited for the first day of skiing.

Happy New Year Everyone!

The End of Fall 2009

2009-12-15T08:39:00.001-08:00

Well, exam week is underway here in Norman, and we have had our final RUF of the semester. It was a night of worship songs and a reminder of the gospel. It was also a night in which to pull out our tacky Christmas sweaters!!!

Love the big buttons on this one!

Friends let Friends wear tacky clothing.

Co-interns all dressed up for the final large group.

Goofy freshmen all excited about their cheesy Christmas-garb.

It has been a wonderful semester of learning, loving, and friendship. While the former certainly characterizes most of my first four months here, there have certainly been moments of hardship, frustration, and disappointment. I would be lying if I did not say that. I would also be leaving something out if I did not mention that in those hard moments my community here has blessed me and Jesus has provided. I have felt very loved here!

I am heading home in 3 days and am looking forward to reconnecting with friends and family. January 6th, however, I will arrive back in Norman as excited as ever to be serving with RUF at the University of Oklahoma. We will begin the year with a ski trip to Breckenridge. Woohoo! See you in 2010, blog readers!!!

Barn Dance!!!

2009-12-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

Anna Serven and I after the tragic boar accident:

Some of the RUF enjoying the soul train:

Barn Dance!!!

The Fenricks enjoying some good chili!!!

Staff Picture!

- The RUF Barn Dance was certainly a highlight of the entire fall semester! Friends, dancing and chili- it was all so wonderful. The pictures can't do it justice, but I wanted to share them with you.

- I sent out my Christmas updates today. If you know you are on my mailing list, be watching for it in the mail! It might just be more excitement than you've ever had in one envelope.

- We are having a Tacky Christmas Sweater Contest at RUF on Wednesday. It is true!!! Glitter, sequins, trees, Santas, reindeer, bows and tassels are all fair game!

- It has been right at freezing everyday here for the past 3-4 days. It should get into the low 40s tomorrow. I am enjoying the temperature, even though I am having to remember how to dress for this weather. Chance seems to be doing in this climate too, although I continue to pray for his health.

- Only one more Monday update before I take a break for the Holidays. Whoa!

Thanksgiving and Holiday Beginnings

2009-11-30T19:55:00.000-08:00

I spent Thanksgiving with my family in Houston. It was wonderful to be with family and old friends. My hometown on Tomball really is wonderful, and I always love going back. I have three precious cousins who I captured a couple of pictures of this weekend. Here is Mason playing at one of my favorite parks in the area:

Playing at the park with Mason, Wyatt, Hudson, Shane, Dana, Aunt Shirley, my brother and parents was a highlight of the trip. Other memorable moments were game nights, movies, and making Thanksgiving dinner. I will be heading to Florida for Christmas is three short weeks!!!

Back here is Norman there is no shortage of holiday preparation. Sally, my roommate, and I put up our real 7 foot Christmas tree tonight. Wednesday some RUF students are coming over to decorate the tree and enjoy some holiday treats. Here is a picture of the painting in our living room (who we call Keith) all decorated for Christmas:

RUF is having a barn dance this Friday, which means I got my first pair of real bona fide cowboy boots!!! Stay tuned for pictures next week!

A Picture Blog

2009-11-23T21:04:00.001-08:00

I am driving to Houston tomorrow for Thanksgiving with my family. I can't believe I have been in Norman for four solid months and am approaching the end of my first semester. God has been very good. He has provided generously. I am looking forward to a time of rest, as are the students. I can't wait to see this little guy: (Wallace)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Chi-Chis

2009-11-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

Last week was a whirlwind here in Norman with OURUF. The awesome freshmen in our Bible Study went on a scavenger hunt. The hunt included things from all over Norman, but some of the most memorable moments were: freshmen finding rose bushes and thorns to make themselves bleed, OU students dressing up as "authentic" Texas fans, and standing in water that was waaaay deeper than expected. Here are some of our favorite pictures:

The freshmen scavenger hunt was followed later in the week by "Double Not-A-Date." To my Florida friends, this is the equivalent to D4 or RUF Harmony. Each team did a dance video, and it was quite fantastic. My team danced to "Taylor, the Latte Boy." Here is the link to youtube. So far it has been viewed 20 times. Help us make it an internet sensation (just kidding!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbWKBvtAC0s

All in all, it was a wonderfully exhausting week. One more week until Thanksgiving. I can't wait to see my dog Wallace!!!

Two weeks into November...

2009-11-09T20:42:00.000-08:00

Two weeks into November, and the semester keeps on moving by. Here are some thoughts:

- My computer crashed last week. It became obvious that it was time to invest in a new laptop. I do so much work on my laptop that it was stressful to think about not having one. After doing ample research at the Mac Store and applying the RUF discount, I have a brand new MacBook Pro!!!

- We had a wonderful sleepover for some RUF girls. 13 girls came and we had a blast!!! Crafts, snacks, games, chatting, and movies were all involved! I am having such a good time getting to know the wonderful girls in OU RUF. The picture below is Becky painting a Christmas tree ornament.

- This Friday we are having a Double "Not-A-Date." Girls and guys are matched randomly in groups of four and are given an assignment to complete. I cannot wait to share some of the results during next weeks post!

- The Freshmen Scavenger Hunt is tomorrow. Woohoo!!!

- Last night we did a Prayer Walk on campus. This is probably one of my favorite things that we have done so far. We split into groups and covered different areas of campus. It was great to pray for different things: the College of Business, the Union, the Admissions Office and the students they are admitting for next year, Campus Corner where so much social interaction occurs. While these are the places that I work, they are also the places where these students live. They are forming their world views here, and we pray that they are Christ-centered.

- Texas A&M is coming to town this weekend to take on the mighty Sooners. As many of you know, both of my parents went to A&M. This will be my first time to get to see them play. I am particularly excited to see the Corps of Cadets (of which my dad was a member of) and the Marching Band.

- We have had 10 students sign-up to go on a ski trip to Colorado in January. This is going to be a great time of fellowship! Yeehaw!

Halloween, Tailgates, etc.

2009-11-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

I am sorry to my many faithful blog readers who were disappointed when I did not post last week. I was at RUF Intern training in Atlanta, and became a little preoccupied. Needless to say, training was wonderful. It was great to reconnect with interns who are serving around the country!

RUF here in Norman is super busy! This weekend we enjoyed a Halloween Cornhole Party Extravaganza, a Homecoming Tailgate, and a cookout. It was all wonderful! The picture above is myself with Mary Katherine. We were partners for the cornhole tournament and dressed as two peas in a pod!

This week we are doing a scavenger hunt for the freshmen. This promises many fun moments!! The picture below is of three students (Tristen, Jena, and Josh) at the tailgate. I am not sure what they are so excited about- but they look like they are having a great time!!!

Deposits for the ski trip are due this week. We are taking a group of students to Breckenridge at the beginning of January. Skiing, cozy fires, the cute town of Breckenridge- yeehaw!! If you are an undecided student reading this- you need to come!!!

Well, this draws an end to my earliest posted blog ever. Life is busy here in Norman, and very enjoyable. Thanksgiving is a mere three and a half weeks away, and I will be making my way down to Houston to see my family!!!

You Too Should Come to Norman...

2009-10-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

The title of this post works on so many clever levels. 1.) My mom came to visit me in Norman this weekend, and you should come visit me too. 2 out of 2 visitors have really had a good time! The picture to the left is my mom with Chance. 2.) U2 DID come and performed in Norman and it was awesome!!! The picture to the right is a group of RUF students that sat together at the concert.

The semester is half-way over. This is great for numerous reasons. One of which is that I am personally feeling more settled in, feeling like more organic things are happening with students, and that things are just happening more natural in general. This time in the semester can be hard too. Students can be overwhelmed with school work, anxiety, loneliness etc. I myself certainly experienced all of these things in college. Please be praying for the students of RUF at OU. Pray they will seek to glorify God in their studies. Pray they will see God as applicable to their lives and as a God who loves and cares for them.

On Saturday I leave for Intern training in Atlanta, GA. All of the 1st and 2nd year interns will spend 3 days talking about what we have learned so far on campus and what we have yet to learn. Please pray that this will be a time where we can be honest about our struggles and successes and learn about God. I am really looking forward to this time to be able to reconnect with the interns!!!

I recently sent out my mid-semester updates. If you did not get one and would like to, please send me your address by facebook or at natalie.haynes@ruf.org. I would love to add you to my mailing list!

PresWIC, Dates and Dating, U2 etc...

2009-10-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

- "Community life will validate or negate the claims of the gospel." from The Legacy of Biblical Womanhood.

- I attended PresWIC this weekend in Dallas, which is the woman's conference for the North Texas Presbytery. It was great to see women thinking intentionally about their role in the church, and gave me a lot to think about. More importantly though, I got to spend some more time with women from Christ the King Pres. This was wonderful. The above quote is one from the weekend. It showcases how much emphasis was put on community, and how it plays an integral part of our lives.

- It has been raining and in the 50's for the past 5 days or so. I know that people have mixed opinions about this. I love it though! It reminds me of Sweden and makes me feel warm inside (even though my hands might be freezing!). Chance also likes the weather. He galloped around the field yesterday like he was a kid again :)

- I had some people over last Thursday to watch the Office. This is a regular thing every week. Jim and Pam got married. We ate cake afterwords to celebrate. It was wonderful.

- Doug's topic for RUF this week is "Dates and Dating..." This should be interesting. I am looking forward to the discussion that ensues after this.

- I am going to the U2 Concert (which we have affectionately been calling the "RUF Concert Series") a week from yesterday. You guessed it, that will totally be written about in next week's blog post....stay tuned!!!

Facts of Life in Norman

2009-10-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

- I found out last night that I missed a great opportunity for an outing. The Cordell, OK annual Pumpkin Pancake festival and Pumpkin carving was on Saturday. This is a must for next year! Put it on your calenders OU RUFers!!!

- I just finished The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges. That makes the third book of his that I have read, including Transforming Grace and Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts. I would recommend any of them.

- I had dinner with and played games with a group of students last night. These types of things make my heart warm. Love it!

- The picture to the right is of me and a statue on campus that I think is called "The Gossips," and I am wondering what they are talking about. One of my favorite thing about the OU campus is how they have captured history. They have interesting statues like these as well as framed photos everywhere of things that have happened on campus. These photos have captions on the bottom with the date and an explanation. I have spent several hours wandering the halls at OU looking at these pictures and loving the stories they tell!

- I have my membership interview at Christ the King Presbyterian today. I am loving this church and am glad to become a part of it. We take communion every Sunday and prayer requests are taken from the pulpit. Those individuals are then prayed for by a pastor or elder. These are things that are different from previous churches, but I love about CTK.

- Fall is definitely here in Norman, OK! I had a conversation with my mom this morning about making sure I have enough winter clothing. We decided that I probably have the right coat, but need more long sleeve shirts since I have 2 (two).

- I watched my campus minister's kids this weekend. Although there are many memorable moments, my favorite was probably Drew and Anna sticking their head out the window of the car and saying "Dog Mode." They then stuck their tongues out and let the wind blow their hair.

- Every week before RUF we do "pRUF" or pre-RUF. This is a pretty informal gathering of students to hang out and chat before our large group meeting at 9. Two weeks ago we went to a classic-50s dinner and last week we went to the OU Volleyball game. pRUF is becoming a favorite activity of mine!

Faith Sustains Us

2009-09-28T21:33:00.001-07:00

Doug (OU Campus Minister), Ben (the male intern), and I visited the Oklahoma City Bombing memorial today during our staff meeting time. It was a very well done memorial. There was a chair for each person who died. The chairs for the children who died were smaller. That was especially touching. In one part of the memorial there is a tree that probably should not have survived the blast, but it has continued to grow. Around this tree is a lookout with this engraving. In reality it says a lot more than "faith sustains us," but this is the part that kept me thinking today.

Faith does sustain us. Faith sustained me through my senior year of college which sometimes seemed like it had too many trials to handle. It sustains me when I sin and I feel hopeless. It sustains me when terrible things happen, like the Oklahoma City Bombing, because I know that these things are not from God and were not meant to exist in this life. Praise God for sustaining faith!

If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, I am loving Oklahoma! God has graciously provided for me!!!

Would you like some Oklahoma trivia??? I was excited to learn these facts today about the state that I live in:
1.) Toby Keith lives in Norman.
2.) Sonic is from Oklahoma.
3.) Mickey Mantle is from Oklahoma.
So, basically what I am telling you is that I don't really live in Oklahoma, I live in Hollywood :)

Community

2009-09-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

I love community. I love that we were created for community. I love that God Himself, in the trinity, is community.

This is something I talk a lot about during my one-on-one meetings with students. God gives us each our own lives and stories. We are each our own person. This is one of the reasons that one of the presuppositions of RUF is "the individual: God has created every person and no two people are alike." And yet, despite our own unique personality and circumstances, we are able to relate to one another in community.

Despite this community, however, I often feel as if no one really understand me. While this may be somewhat attributed to the fact that I have grown up in an age of postmodernism (Kafka's Metamorphosis anyone?) it is also a lie that I am tempted to believe. Sometimes I would love to believe that God has put me in a unique place in which no one can understand me, because then I can give up and stop trying to fix my problems.

Community is just the ticket, however, to understanding one another and encouraging each other with the Gospel. It is what makes it possible for the individual, in their own circumstance, to love and feel loved. Jesus himself loved people as an individual. He was able to understand people on a personal level, as we also are able to do. John 4 and the story of the Woman at the Well is an example of Jesus' ministry to specific people. We (the interns) were pointed to this story at staff training when we were talking about focusing on "the individual."

In the four weeks that I have been an intern, I can already tell that this is a big topic of conversation for girls. In moments of loneliness, frustration, and despair we are tempted to believe that no one gets us and it is hopeless (seriously- God has created me, the one person who CANNOT be understood by ANYONE). Community is here, however, to share our own experiences and to share the Gospel.

I love that I can encourage girls with this truth. I love that I am different than each of these girls, and yet we can encourage one another. I love that I can hear their own individual stories and yet point them to the story which gives hope and love.

A Word on Non-Ministry Things...

2009-09-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, Everyone!

As many of you know, I was blessed to be able to bring my horse with me to Oklahoma. This has been a great source of comfort and familiarity in a place where many things continue to be foreign to me. It is great to be able to spend some of my free time out in the country with my faithful steed, Chance. I thought I would share these pictures of my pretty boy...

Being able to have my horse here is just another way in which God has been faithful to me in this time in transition. I have been riding since I was seven and have owned Chance for nine years. Thinking about not bringing him to Oklahoma was very hard. In His ever mysterious ways, however, God provided a way for me to bring him and a place for me to keep him here in Norman.

Ok, so now a word on things related to my job. I thought I might mention some of the books I have been reading. Two books I completed for my study program are Putting Amazing Back into Grace by Michael Horton and The Enduring Community by Brian Hebig and Les Newsome. Putting Amazing Back into Grace is a book which goes through the beliefs of Calvinism. It is thorough and thick. Not for the faint of heart, this book will answer all of those pesky questions you might have lingering about Reformed theology. The Enduring Community, which was written by two RUF campus ministers, explains the role of the church in the modern community. It talks about people who "church-shop" and what the Bible has to say about it. I really enjoyed this book! As someone in their early twenties, I enjoyed the Biblical perspective they took on church membership, which will undoubtedly shape a lot of the rest of my life.

I enjoyed getting to go to my first Sooner football game this weekend. The Sooners trounced Idaho State 64-0. It was a cold and wet game, but was enjoyable as I sat with a group of RUF students and cheered on the Sooners. We enjoyed dinner at Raising Cane's (equivalent to Zaxby's in Florida) afterward and watched a movie together. It was a great weekend here in Norman! I am speechless at God's daily provisions.

This coming weekend the Sooners will face the University of Tulsa. OU RUF looks forward to hosting the RUF from Tulsa at our tailgate.

Freshmen Bible Study went well last week. We had 8 people attend. Please continue to pray for these freshmen as they are one month into their first semesters, and undoubtedly beginning to feel the pressures of school. Pray they would turn to Jesus in this time and that RUF would lovingly welcome into the group. Thank you, once again, for your prayers and support!

Just in the Nick of Time...Another Monday Blog Post!

2009-09-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

Ahoy!

Well, tomorrow marks the beginning of freshman Bible study. Freshman Bible study is done the complete opposite here than at UF: it is led by Doug Serven (OU RUF Campus Minister), it is co-ed, and it is two semesters long. It is going to be great to see this done differently and get to meet (and bring) girls through it. We will be studying the Sermon on the mOUnt (hehe).

Also coming up this week is the "OU RUF Freedom Float Trip." What does this mean exactly??? Well, to mark the 8th anniversary of September 11th, OU RUF is floating down a river...hence, floating for freedom (hey, I don't write this stuff...I just publicize it). The river is in Tallequah. We will drive up Friday night and then float Saturday morning. It should be a great opportunity to get to further relationships and enjoy each other's company. They say this river is cold. I am anxious to compare it to the Itchetuknee in Florida :)

Well, I am sad to say friends but that is all from me this evening...it has been a long Labor day and I am ready for bed. Thank you for your prayers and support. Please let me know if you would like to know more or would like an updated prayer card.

1 Week Under My Belt!

2009-08-31T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hello faithful blog readers!

Well, I have one week of school under my belt here at OURUF. It was quite a week with lots of activities. Our first large group was great (we are doing a relationship series this semester). It was supposed to be outside, but a huge storm blew into Norman, so we moved inside at the last minute.

I am learning more and more about campus. My favorite place to meet students thus far is outside of the union at some nice wood tables. One thing I really like about OU is the landscaping and attention to nice seating areas. I really think that everywhere you look there are nice tables, cozy chairs, and lovely benches to sit on. This comes in handy for a job where sitting and talking is pivotal! There are pictures to come (in a future post- so stay tuned!) of me next to the "Sooner Schooner" wagon in the union :)

This Thursday I am hosting an event called "Woman's World" for all of the girls in RUF. We will have dinner and hopefully it will be a good time to meet new people and fellowship.

Please continue to be in prayer for the freshmen on campus and my interactions with them. Pray that they recognize God's sovereignty in their lives and that they would desire to seek out community here at OU.

Well, this will be my last post for August. Tomorrow September will be here, which means that college football is about to be underway!!! Go Gators!! I did, by the way, get trash talked twice in the cafeteria this week for wearing a Gator shirt. If that is not persecution, then I don't know what is :)

First Day of School

2009-08-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of classes here at the University of Oklahoma, as well as for my Florida friends. In preparation for the beginning of classes, there have been two "New Sooner Kickoffs" in the last week. These are just big activities fairs where students come to seek out organizations they might be interested in. For my UF readers, this is in replacement of tabling in Turlington. They have gone fairly well, but I have to say I am always very hot and tired after the end of these things.

I have made several freshmen connections and am excited about getting to know these girls more. We have our first RUF on Wednesday at nine. We are doing a series on Relationships this semester. You can learn more about it at ouruf.org. I will also be putting together a girls event called "Woman's World" for everyone to come and eat and fellowship. Yes, I did take this idea from UF RUF, but it was such a hit there, that I felt I could not pass it up! Please be in prayer for the freshmen girls that I am talking with. Even if I am unclear, presumptuous, or boring, please pray that they would seek RUF to hear about Jesus.

Adjusting here is continuing to go well. My second roommate arrived back from here summer mission trip on Saturday, so our house is now complete. God is continuing to provide friends and fellowship, which is making this adjustment easier than I anticipated. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Live from Norman, it's Blog Post Monday!!!

2009-08-17T08:58:00.001-07:00

God is Faithful!!!

In the last week I have experienced God's faithfulness in putting me exactly where He wants me. The community here has been overwhelmingly welcoming. There are women who have already reached out to me and invited me into their homes. My roommate situation is wonderful, I really could not have asked for a better place to live. My campus minister and his family have also been extremely welcoming. I literally broke down into tears the first day as I was welcomed into this community, especially being so far from my family and friends.

This week I will begin meeting with and interacting with students. I cannot express how excited I am about this. Yesterday I attended a chapel service for the girls going through rush. As I worshiped with them and got to speak with them afterword I became overwhelmed with excitement to minister to the students of OU. It has been a long period of preparation to get to this point, and I am excited to begin applying all of the ideas and theories that I have about what ministry is.

Please be in prayer for the students that will be coming to RUF. We have 3 events on campus in which we will be handing out information and speaking with students. Please pray that these events will be fruitful and that God will draw who He has planned to us. OUr (hehe) first large group is one week from Wednesday, please be in prayer for all of the preparation that will go into this first meeting. I am so appreciative of everyone's support of me here at OU. Thank you!

I Have Arrived!!!

2009-08-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

After an exhausting 32-hour drive, I have arrived in Norman, Oklahoma. My dad and I were welcomed by a group of OU RUF students that helped us unload our UHAUL. We were done in 15 minutes! The students stayed for pizza after and I got to meet them. It was wonderful to feel so welcomed on my first night.

My view for the 1500 mile trip: Disclaimer: It turns out it is not very safe to take pictures and drive at the same time. Do not try this at home!!!

These were some of my first views of Oklahoma and Norman!

These were some of the students, the campus minister (Doug Serven) and his family, and me standing in my kitchen. I am living in a house with 2 other girls. It was such a warm welcome! Stay tuned for more adventures from the Sooner state!

RUF Week Ahead!!!

2009-08-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

I have exciting news everyone!!! Due to God's unfailing provisions, I only need $220 to get to campus! I am aware of several donations on the way, so I know that I am able to move to campus. It is very encouraging to know that God has provided and that I will be able to begin work at OU.

In the last week He has also provided answers to two other big prayers. I have decided to bring my horse (Chance) to Oklahoma, and there is a barn just ten minutes away from my house and campus. This will be a great opportunity for me to both have something from home as well as minister to students.

I also have a new and working car to drive to Oklahoma. Since my Accord had 166,000 miles on it, Mom and Dad felt it might not be the best choice to drive 1400 miles away. I am now the owner of a '09 CR-V! God has been faithful in bringing all of these little details together, and for that I am very thankful.

I am heading out to Oklahoma very early Saturday morning (August 8th). In order for this to happen I have a bunch of little chores to do and people to say good-bye to. I am so excited to arrive in Norman, but am nostalgic about leaving my Floridian friends and family.

Please be in prayer for me as I leave for the Sooner-state, that the move will go smoothly and that I will be prepared as school starts on August 24th.

Stay tuned for updates on the move and OU RUF activities!!!

A Fantastic Trip!!!

2009-07-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I have spent the last 10 days on a graduation trip to New York and Washington D.C. with my parents. It was wonderful!!!

Highlights of New York City:
- See Jersey Boys or Billy Elliot
- Go to a Mets- Yankees Game
- Take a walk in Central Park
- Visit the New York Public Library (this is high on my list!!!)

Highlights of Washington D.C.:
- Go to a Washington Nationals Baseball game
- Visit Mount Vernon
- See a jazz show at Blues Alley in Georgetown
- Eat a cupcake at Red Velvet (The vanilla is great)
- Visit the FDR Memorial

It was wonderful to spend July 4th in our nation's capital!
I was particularly touched to see the documents that founded the United States of America- the historian in me wanted to study them all day!

It was wonderful to spend this time with my parents. Now, back to raising support and preparing to move to Oklahoma!! I hope to be Sooner-State bound in 4 weeks!!!

2009-06-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

Book Blurb: "Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest" by Ed Welch

If there is one feeling or emotion that has characterized my life in the last year, it would be fear. Fear of failing the dreaded finance class I took, fear of being lonely, fear of not making it to Oklahoma...you name it, I probably worried about it. Ed Welch does such a good job of explaining the feelings that I felt were unexplainable. And while his words are comforting for a little bit, he points you to the words that are eternally comforting- scripture.

Ed Welch writes that our fears expresses our allegiances, which are normally to our own desires and need for control and not to God's kingdom. We are afraid that God is going to take away or give us something that we don't want, so we do everything in our power to prevent it. And yet the truth is that the Bible tells us to "fear not." That regardless of what lies ahead in our future, God is in control. The command that is given the most in the Bible is "fear not." A verse that has been pivotal in my life over the last twelve months has been 1 Peter 5:6-7, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may life you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

In "Running Scared" Ed Welch points out how often God says "I will be with you" and yet we don't listen. If He can say that to Moses while wandering the desert, how much more should He be able to say that to us, and we be able to believe Him??? In fact, Moses believed God's promise so deeply that his last words to his people were "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deut. 31:6)

Needless to say, I cannot possibly communicate all of the wonderful wisdom that Mr. Welch has in his book in a couple of paragraphs, but only give you a glimpse of how he attempts to communicate the peace that is available in the Gospel. This book made me completely rethink the insecurities/worries/anxieties I have about the plan God has for me. If you have them too, read this book- it will rock your socks!

RUFin It!

2009-06-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

Why RUF? Growth in Grace, Fellowship and Service, Evangelism and Missions, and Biblical Worldview. These are the purposes of RUF. While RUF is not the church, and does not seek to pull
students away from the church (in fact RUF encourages students to join a local church) it does seek to minister to students on the campus where they are learning and interacting with other students.

The mission statement of RUF is "reaching students for Christ, and equipping students to serve." RUF desires to reach students on campus in order to extend God's love to them and then equip them for a life of service to the church. "Service" to the church does not only include becoming a pastor. As students enter the workplace and move away from college, they will hopefully find a church and desire to serve the church body with their gifts. This might include music, designing bulletins, setting ups chairs, greeting etc. We are to serve the church as Christ served us.

The University of Florida
I spent four years at UF studying history and business administration. It was a wonderful time of learning and growth while attending school and being a part of RUF. I learned of God's sustaining love for us. How wonderful His love is!!! Steve Lammers is the campus minister at UF, and I will greatly miss him and his family. The demographic of UF is different from the campus I will be going to, but I am looking forward to the challenge.

The University of Oklahoma
I had a chance to meet about 35 of the OU students at the week-long national RUF Conference in Panama City during the last week of May. It was wonderful to get a chance to meet these students and hear how God is working in their lives. In the fall the campus minister, Doug Serven, will be teaching a relationships series, which is sure to bring up good conversation. God works through and restores relationships and it will be wonderful to get to talk about these things with students.

God knew what He was doing when He sent me to OU, and I am excited to see what He has for me there. Please pray Psalm 23 for me as I enter a period of change and challenge in my life.

Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

And So the Adventure Begins...

2009-06-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

I spent the last week in Atlanta in training for my job as a campus intern at the University of Oklahoma with Reformed University Fellowship. We discussed support raising, philosophy of ministry, and the challenges we will face. During time in prayer one day, the new interns prayed for both holiness and growth in grace as we take on this new position. Growth in grace is one of RUF's purposes. We prayed that we would come to love grace the way the Bible loves grace, a grace that produces beauty and Godly righteousness. We also prayed that we would pursue holiness for the kingdom of God, and not for ourselves or "for the internship," something we will all be tempted to do at some point.

As I am approaching August in which I will hopefully move to Norman, Oklahoma, I have 5 trillion things on my mind. My planner is a place of many on-going lists. It is currently very easy for me to get caught up in all the things I have to do, many of which are very important. And yet last week I was reminded that this life is bigger than my lists, my internship, and even myself. This life is about Jesus Christ, and I pray that His kingdom will go forward in the ways in which He has ordained.

I have now spent a week in Panama City with the OU students and a week in training in Atlanta. Both of these weeks have been wonderful and encouraging in this hectic time. Praise the Lord for His everlasting mercy!!!