Physics and Philosophy. . . Our Own Special Flavor

     Here we are. March is upon us. How did this happen already? Who knows. Not us. We're just living our lives, trying to make the best of the time that goes by way (way, way, way, way) too fast. 
     Today's post is an insight into the minds of the Twisted Sisters. (For those of you who haven't heard this term before, it's a little something Abbz and I came up with sophomore year - a loving nickname we created for ourselves.) Before I dive into my little anecdote, it's important to note that we've been best friends for almost 4 years now. And it feels like even longer than that. At this point, we are able to almost read each other's minds. We find ourselves thinking the same thing at the same time, and even finishing each other's sentences. For example, the other day, we had a whole conversation at lunch without saying a word. All it took was a few seconds and a look. . . Yes. We are much like an old married couple. 
     Well today, our physics teacher made the mistake of letting us sit next to each other during the second half of class. As soon as we sat down, the comments began to roll. The best (or worst, however you want to look at it) part is that we totally feed off of each other. When the teacher informed us that we'd be receiving a time period to research for our project, Abbz quickly stated that she hoped we got the Inca period. . . "The only important thing during that time was corn. Piece of cake." 
     Meanwhile, I'm sitting next to here pickpocketing her jacket pocket without her realizing it. By the time she looked over, I had her ipod camera on ready to creep on people. . . 
     Later, our teacher announced that we would loose points on our project during class next week if we talked too much during work time. I looked over at Abbz and said, in quite an excellent professor-like voice, "You must work in SILENCE." This statement was followed immediately by both of us resuming rigid poses and stoic facial expressions. Looking back, I realize that it's a good thing that our classmates are like our family. Anyone else would probably attempt to get us committed to the local loony bin. 
     The real zinger came when our teacher was explaining the part of our project that involved Rube Goldberg. Our first response was to have a whole conversation on the name.
Abbz: "Ruby??"
Me: "Rube. Like tube."
Abbz: "What if it was RubE. Then you'd have to put an apostrophe above the 'e' so you know to pronounce it that way."
Me: "RubE. . . Rubeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee."
Abbz: ". . . . Wait. . . is this a person??" 
     Much to the frustration of our poor teacher, we both busted out laughing at this moment, unable to stay silent in the midst of the moment of genius that had just taken place. 
     The only means of communication we haven't mastered over the years is lip reading. But  I'll take the blame for that one. No matter how many times Abbz mouths something to me from across the room during class, I am simply left dumbfounded. I get nothing. Well, that's not true. I get "ooogdrfamabe fraggistibrurg." Go team. 
     What can we say? When you put together two quirky girls who are too prone to giggling, things can get interesting. It's just the natural order of things. 

God gave me you for the ups and downs <3 

~Kenz

#twopeasinapod #RubeGoldberg #Twistedsisters #giveuscookiesorgiveusdeath #ThugLife

Bright Lights and the Bronco City

Greetings!!! 
So as Abbz has already informed you, both of us have chosen where we are going to college next fall. She filled you in on her journey to decision, but left mine up to me. Well, it's time. 
As of a week ago (when I applied for campus housing) I am officially set to attend Boise State University in the fall of 2013. I'm gonna be a Bronco and I'm super excited about it! Although I only recently sent in my housing request, the decision has been made since December, when I received my acceptance letter. But the story really goes back to September, when I decided to road-trip over to Boise to check it out for myself. 
Naturally, since I had gone with Abbz to tour Pullman almost a year earlier, I announced to her that this time, she was coming with me. So we left school early on a sunny Friday afternoon (smirking at all the "suckers" that still had to be in class for another 2 hours) and hit the road. My dad was the designated driver for the trip, so all Abbz and I had to do was occupy the back seat and relax. 
The six hour road trip was a breeze. It consisted of long talks about school, life and growing up; "who do you think would survive the Hunger Games" trivia questions; and, obviously, road trip snacks - because we all know those are a key ingredient to a successful drive. All in all, we made it to Boise in one piece, (although I think my dad's ears were burning from the incessant sound of our voices) and hit the city to check things out before we toured the campus the next day. 
It was pretty late when we arrived so we got to see the night lights and life of Idaho's capitol. I instantly loved it. We drove around the city for a while, then parked in the garage and tackled some blocks by foot. My favorite aspect of the city was that it had all the feel of a big city - the energy, the lights, the sights - without the sketchy feeling of a city like Portland. (Sorry to those of you who love P-land, but let's face it, it can get a little shady.) Also, everything felt clean and new and vibrant. Altogether, it felt like a place I would love to be. 
After we were done exploring the city, we dragged our tired selves back to the hotel and after a few shenanigans, we hit the sack.
The next day was the tour. I won't go into all the details because it was your standard college tour; lot's of talking, walking, and buildings. But for me it was an awesome experience. The day was beautiful and sunny (the dry climate is DEFINITELY a contributing factor in my decision to go there) and the campus had a great feeling to it. I had never been there before and usually when I'm in new, large places, I feel like I'm perpetually lost. But on the Boise campus I never felt overwhelmed. I loved seeing college students walk past us in their orange and blue and getting a feel for life as a Bronco. 
After the official tour was over, we went to the cafe and ate lunch at Chick-fil-A. (I know, right? That's enough to sell anyone.) Then we went to the swag store and I purchased some memorabilia. We finished the day by catching part of a rugby game. What better way to get a feel for college life than to pop a squat on the lawn with the other students and cheer for the boys? :) 
During that day, my dad and Abbz would ask me, "What do you think?" and "How do you like it?" and "Is this the one?" Honestly, at the time, I could already tell I loved it. But with so many options out there, I felt the pressure of, "How do I know if this is right? Is it wise to make the decision so soon?" Questions about finance and the presige of the school were kinda swirling in my head. I wanted to be excited, but I didn't know if I should be. In the end, though, I realized that if I loved the school, why stress out about other options? It works for me in so many ways and somehow, in considering all of the schools that were on my list, Boise was the only one that already felt like home. I was drawn to it way more than anywhere else and I think that might have been God leading me in the direction he wants me to go. And guess what? I am absolutely happy with that. 
So there you have it! My dad is talking about taking another trip down there to check it out again and maybe show the whole family. I really hope we do, because I want to visit again, this time knowing for sure that it's where I belong. 
It's a strange next step, and a big one, but I'm very excited for the future and can't wait to see what college life holds for me :) 

~Kenz
#BroncoNation #Collegelife #Bestbuddyroadtrip #ThugLife

A Joy That Surpasses That of Cookies

Hey everybody. This post is actually going to be a sister post to "From a lover of footy pajamas, grace, and all things confusing." One thing that Abbz and I have always shared is our faith. Over the years we have been on our faith journey together, encouraging each other as we have drawn closer to Christ. This in turn has drawn us closer to each other, and it is something that I am extremely thankful for. All that being said, I'd just like to add my own post to the encouragement that Abbz wrote previously.
With the recent events in gun violence and other social tragedies, there seems to almost be a dark cloud hanging over us right now. In the last week I've gotten some bad news of my own concerning family and friends. A couple of nights ago, after receiving what seemed like the 100th piece of bad news in a week, I went to my dad, feeling broken and at a loss for hope. I have always believed that our God is a sovereign, perfect God who has everything in His control. I also believe that all things work according to His perfect purposes. In fact, in Romans 8:28 it says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." But at that moment that night, I just couldn't understand why there had to be pain and suffering; Why God's plan, though perfect, has to hurt so much sometimes.
Unfortunately, I don't have a perfect answer. My dad didn't have a perfect answer either. When it comes to the mind of God, and the balance between his perfect goodness and the sin in the world, things get a little mysterious. But we do know that because we live in a fallen world, there are going to be trials and tragedies. When we face tough situations and when bad things happen to us, it's not because God does not love us. It's because we are sinful creatures in a broken world. If you drive a broken car, chances are, it's going to be a tough ride. You're going to break down and have countless problems along the way, but if you have a correct map, you're going to reach your destination eventually, despite the difficulties. As Christians, we do have the right map. As long as we keep our eyes on God, and trust Him completely with our lives, we will be going in the right direction.
This brings me to another point. In the last year, I've taken big steps in my faith. God has used things in my life to teach me important lessons. One of these is the true meaning of putting my focus on God. Granted, I don't have it all figured out. And I sure as heck don't do a perfect job of keeping my focus on God. But I did learn an important lesson. As I have encountered personal struggles in the past year, I have done my best to take them to God. I learned a long time ago (and am still learning) that despite my tendency to be a control freak, I am not strong enough to conquer my struggles on my own. So in the hardest times, when my mind was overwhelmed with the things that I was dealing with, I would pray. Usually my prayers looked something like this, "Lord, please rescue me from darkness. Take away my struggles and help me to overcome them for Your glory. Help me to put my focus on You instead of my problems." Over and over again, I would pray prayers like this - asking God to relieve me from my worries and hardships. Then one day, triggered by a sermon I had heard from my pastor and some MercyMe songs I'd been listening too, God revealed something to me. In all of my prayers, I prayed that God would turn my focus to Him and away from my difficulties. This is a good prayer to have, the only problem was my mindset. Although I was praying for a God centered focus, I wasn't working to achieve it. All of my prayers focused on what I wanted God to give me, instead of simply trusting in Him. In praying that God would take away my struggles, I was actually focusing on them too much. I realized that putting my focus on God does not mean praising Him for what he could give me, it means praising Him for who He is and what He has already given me. His son shed His blood for me, and as a result I am washed clean of my brokenness and sin in God's eyes. What more could I ever ask for?
So from then on, although I still ask God for strength, I've striven to focus on the grace that I have already been shown instead of the things that I'm struggling with. I try to ignore the desire for self-pity and put my trust where it belongs.
In telling this personal anecdote, my hope is that this can be an encouragement. Sometimes, we know these things, but it is very beneficial to be reminded. His love is enough, and those of us who live in grace can experience eternal joy and peace despite the darkness of our fallen world. Sometimes, that world is a hard place to live in. But there is always hope if we can remember this truth.
Ephesians 2:8 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
Isaiah 12:2 "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

~Kenz

#Hisloveneverfails #BestillandknowthatHeisGod #ThugLife

From a lover of footy pajamas, grace, and all things confusing.

It's treat week everybody, two posts in one week! This post is inspired by a conversation Mckenzie and I had at school this week. We were both grappling with the grief and yuckiness that sometimes comes with life and what God's plan is in all of this. While neither of us have the answers, we have a God that, while he may keep some of the answers hidden from us, He will never hide himself. He is a constant comforter, healer, and carer of the broken hearted. I thought that since there has been a lot of things in the news these last few months that have been devastating I would take some time and share some things Kenz and I believe and that help us get us through it. 

   Footy pajamas are magical. Saturday mornings are magical. A lot of things about life are magical. But a lot of things about life are hard too. Like growing out of your footy pajamas- thats hard. And failing a test- thats hard. And parents divorcing, siblings dying, children starving, thats hard. It’s really easy to put your thoughts on the dark things of life, to have your mind consumed by the darkness. But by doing that, you are giving Evil glory. Because all that the Lord does is good and though it really does not seem that way sometimes, it's true. We cannot see it because we are broken and we aren’t God. Therefore we cant understand what God does because He is perfect and only does perfect things. He has a plan for everything and everyone and does everything for a reason. There is nothing that He does not understand. We have bruised, discolored, and broken hearts but we have a God that will take those hearts for us in a minute and make them brand-spanking new( 2 Corinthians 5:17) He will take your insecurities, doubts, and grief and hold them in His hand. He will walk you through the pain and give your life new breath. As humans, we want to control everything, even the bad stuff. But the bible reminds us to cast our anxiety's on him, because he cares for us! (1 Peter 5:7) So when darkness is covering your thoughts, let go. Take all your fears and throw them into the deepest of sea, bury it there, it has no power over you. Pray for understanding and I promise the Lord will bring it. He has a reckless love for you that will never fail, never run out, and never give up. 

- Abbz

#hislovehisreckless #glorytotheking