Hey guys! It's really been a while hasn't it? Funny thing is, I have tried twice to write posts and have not been able to for whatever reason. Well, first off, summer really presented no reasonable content and can be summed up in pretty much three words: Work, sleep, eat, repeat... Okay so four, whatever.
Either way, once summer ended (which for me was early August for recruitment and such) I was hurdled into a world of business and responsibilities and to-do lists, so then I had quite a few things to blog about, especially once school started and I met some of my professors. There were a few days where I distinctly thought I was on a reality TV show, just because of the characters I had this semester. One was my anthropology professor and, to use a phrase, bless his heart, but he just was not the best educator I have had in my career as a student. I say that like it is a career, but I mean, let's be real here, it's a survival skill. The first day of class, he spoke so quietly that every move that any person made in the class would muffle his voice and for those of us in the back of the class daydreaming, on our smart phones, or laptops would be straining in our seats to hear what he had to say. Basically it was hopeless. Another educator of mine, this time a doctor is a very distinguished man, and while i started out the semester passive-aggressively hating him for the workload he was giving us in order to Ace his class, I can safely say that as this last week was finals, I have never had so much respect for one of my teachers at the University of Idaho. I may not have killed the material on his tests, but I can safely say i now know the necessary steps to take to effectively study, not only in his class, but others as well. My Physics in Every day Life teacher probably had the best character out of them all (well, it's a small tie between this one and my JAMM 100 class). He was probably the most american man I know, but would use the phrase 'bloody' like it was going out of style, haha. He was just a really crazy, passionate man who had the MOST difficult time with names. I honestly can't really write more than that because I didn't attend class this whole last month. Before you judge me and my academic excellence, there was not attendence as most of the points were based on participation in an online forum and about 12 different in-class assignments. I got an "A" actually.
My final an absolute favorite professor this semester was hands-down my JAMM 100 professor. Literally straight out of the 40s and 50s, without fail he would bring a coffee to class with a fedora and THE classiest dress coat i have seen. He was always hilarious and made material that was always otherwise boring, strangely interesting. A former Newspaper editor, he reminded me of a former time where things were simpler and there was not a new interface for computers every year. I know you must be thinking: Wow Alyse, you're a Graphic Design major, shouldn't you love technology? The answer to that question is a whole-hearted and resounding - NO. I think technology would have been fine if it stopped at the typewriter and lipstick. Just kidding, I do appreciate efforts made my smart people with a knack for gadgets, I just wish they were a little more user-friendly. I mostly say that for technology I don't understand, which can be a lot.
On a more serious note, this semester has been perhaps THE mostly challenging in every area of my life. my classes were not particularly difficult, but at the beginning of the year I had a couple, if not several instances where God worked on my heart to break down strongholds that had been in place in my heart since practically grammar school days on the playground. Confrontation was the name of the game, and boy did God do a number on me. Mostly what I learned was that prayer before any serious conversation for God to occupy my thoughts and my mouth so that the words I said would be accurate, honest, to the point, and that God would help me formulate my thoughts. God also taught me how to defend myself, which is huge. I've never really been able to do that. And even still, after all of this training, sometimes I have trouble forming basic sentences at normal parts of the day where there is not a bit of stress. That's just how I am, I guess.
As this semester closes, I am awestruck that even though I felt I went through this last semester looking at life with one eye closed through a clear glass filled with vegetable oil, God has proven to wake me up in a time where my prayer, and hopefully yours is needed. A few of some of the most amazing people I know are journeying to East Asia for some really great opportunities. If you could keep them and their teams in your prayers, that would be extremely appreciative. For whatever reason, this is the wake up I needed, and I have a burning desire and passion to be a prayer warrior for them as they are on the other side of the world doing work. Every day I am lifting them up in prayer and petition, and if you would join me, at no particular time, just really whenever you find yourself thinking about them.
I am sitting in my living room, practically falling asleep in my sweats. My eyelids feel as though there are lead weights attached to them. Last night there was a fire in the fireplace next to me, and I was incredibly content. One of the primary lessons I have learned this semester is just how many people God has strategically placed in my life who genuinely care about me. That my parents love me unconditionally, and I have friends who are also very caring. I just am particularly aware of the amount of love I have in my life, and especially the fact that I have a Creator who every day makes deliberate efforts to give me my smallest, and greatest joys.
Just today I was wiping the snow off of my dad's windshield and I was struck by the silence. It's amazing when you live with so many girls how valuable silence can be. I was the only one mobile and active in the general vicinity. No cars were passing and I was just sitting there in utter silence. If I strained my ears I could faintly hear the small amount of cars that were driving on the freeway. But I just love how snow muffles all of the busy sounds of the world, and when you are a kid, laying in the snow bank behind your house with the snow flakes melting on your face, you get that singularity feeling. Sometimes I would just sit there for what felt like hours and just think. Now I can't really remember what, but boy did I think.
It was immediately after this nice appreciation for the weather that I journeyed around the back of the truck to get to the drivers side that I promptly fell on my rear. My foot just slipped right out from under me, and there I was just laughing like a maniac in the silent snow with the faint sound of cars passing miles away.
God definitely has a sense of humor.
After this humorous, silent fall on my rear, I went to start the truck and found that it would not go forward because the road was so slick and I was parked on a hill. Try as I might, the darn thing would not move forward. It was then that I had the brilliant idea of putting it in reverse. This was probably the best idea i have ever had, because once I used my brain like a normal person, I was able to turn around and get out of there like it was no small thing. Any of you distinguished young men friends of mine are probably just having a great time laughing at me. You're all a bunch of misogynists. Just Kidding, but kind of not really. It's not because i'm a woman, it's because I haven't had a lot of experience. Also, it was really funny and i'm genuinely proud that I was able to get myself out of that predicament without the assistance of any other person.
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Over the summer, and since I have been home I have been touched by those of you who have reached out to me, and told me that you look forward to my blog postings, it's really touching and I hope this one was up to par with what the last one was. I may or may not be posting another one soon as I have instances that come up that are particularly amusing. They usually come to me in fleeting moments randomly in the day. Like just yesterday I had a day dream that I became the Lucille Ball of my generation. A desire of mine that is not so secret anymore. I had my very own TV show with a studio audience who really thought I was funny and didn't have to be told by a teleprompter. It was fleeting, and i'm pretty sure it was during one of my finals, but it was a nice day dream, right? Haha
Well, here's some music I am loving, as per usual:
Christmas music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7gzJFwB0JzE
Indie music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL37o_nylH8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHBsO3jHLfo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4bTi8mpWpI
Also I have created a photography page out of an expression of my hobby, check it out if you want to see some cool stuff!
https://www.facebook.com/two.photog?fref=ts
In conclusion i'll leave you with some scripture, but I encourage you to also check out the context and the surrounding verses as well as he one I suggest to you, because there is so much more than what people put on Facebook, and if you have questions, write them down to ask someone in your life you trust, because God is not scared of questions. Ask him any you want. Also, my blogs are not law. They are in no means to be taken as spiritual direction, I encourage you to talk to someone in your life who has a full understanding of scripture if you're wanting to receive direction of any kind.
Psalm 39:6
Matthew 5:1-11, in lew of the recent tragedy in Newton.
Matthew 19:14
Psalm 7:17
God Bless, and thanks for reading!
-Alyse :)
About Me
- Alyse.neal
- A simple way to keep everyone up to date on my life as a young adult and college student.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Respiration
The other day i went to the gym (yeah, you can laugh if you want). Needless to say I got my butt kicked, but as i was running on my fourth lap (which is a personal victory) and I was getting the strand of death from my sternum through my neck from trying to breathe, and the blood was coursing through my veins, I got a feeling that is what it means to be a alive. To be avidly pursuing a purpose so much so you're running with everything you have towards it, against any obstacle, and with all the fervor you can muster. The wind is whistling past your ears and your eyes are watering from the speed at which you are running. The tears are moving towards your ears and you blink to clear your vision. Over the rocks and through the brooks you go avidly pursuing your life's purpose. You know that the greatest culmination of who you are as a human being will be accomplished if you can get to your destination. You wish for others to experience this love you feel, this drive that is pushing you forward, so you call to the people who are stagnant in the towns. You beckon them to join you, that what you are pursuing will fill them with the life you have. They might see you as insane, but you realize they are the ones who are ludicrous for not obviously chasing after this thing, this idea. Love ultimately drives you on. Your muscles are full of it, and nothing can stop you, because even if your shoes wear out and your feet bleed, you will get there. Life swells in your heart and expels itself throughout your body in your arteries and throughout tributaries into the deep valleys of what you keep quiet, but now the whole community of your body rises up to this occasion to accomplish what it was designed to do. All of your processes are devoted to keep you going as you journey through mountainscapes and on beaches next to vast oceans. The air swells in your lungs, brilliantly, as it was designed to do and you exhale Life back out into the vast nature of the earth and humanity.
To impart a thought, I don't think people give enough credit to the simple gift of breathing. Maybe it's just because most of my childhood, and okay most of my life was spent fighting asthma, but the simple blessing of breathing might be one of the greatest gifts. After all, breath is life, isn't it? Psalm 150:6 says: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Breath contributes to so many daily activities.. talking, singing in the shower... walking.. oh wait, like everything! In the bible it is clearly stated that breath is almost directly correlated with Life.
Since my last post i've just been enjoying the few weeks of school that we have left. Well, I guess I should start with how the rest of my Spring Break was...
Probably what I loved most about being in Spring Hill, Tennessee was being able to see what normal life was like for a family i love dearly, every day. It was probably the best place I could've gone for Spring Break, and I would not have traded it for anything. On the flight home, I finished Blue Like Jazz, and I found it both interesting, puzzling at times, but overall a poetically beautiful story. That occupied our entire trip home across the united states and we got to see the sunrise in our terminal at the airport. Our departure from the Volunteer state was a lot more quiet than our arrival as we knew we were coming back to work, but our angst over work changed to excitement as we landed. We actually got to stay an extra day because our departing flight was delayed so we would miss our connection. I would not have had it any other way.
Since Spring Break, the weeks have been flying by, and I have since registered for classes for next semester. God continuously supplied by giving me enough financial aid to attend my second year at the University of Idaho. I can only say how blessed I feel to be able to extend my education beyond high school and live in a wonderful environment such as Kappa Kappa Gamma. I know that sound scripted, but going out on my own and letting God mold me into the woman He wants me to be has been one of the continuously beautiful experiences of my life. I am in love with the Creator who knows every fiber of who I am as a human being, and He still loves me. Every insecurity is laid bare before Him, and He takes them and makes me new again. I am confident in who God is molding me to be, because I know to Him, I am enough. And the day I realized that I heard chains falling behind me, and I have not looked back to see where they lay.
To have some Soul Food, check out:
Psalm 71:14
Romans 6:6
Colossians 4:2,5
Thank you so much for reading, and if you have any questions or anything, feel free to leave a comment!
~Alyse
To impart a thought, I don't think people give enough credit to the simple gift of breathing. Maybe it's just because most of my childhood, and okay most of my life was spent fighting asthma, but the simple blessing of breathing might be one of the greatest gifts. After all, breath is life, isn't it? Psalm 150:6 says: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Breath contributes to so many daily activities.. talking, singing in the shower... walking.. oh wait, like everything! In the bible it is clearly stated that breath is almost directly correlated with Life.
Since my last post i've just been enjoying the few weeks of school that we have left. Well, I guess I should start with how the rest of my Spring Break was...
Probably what I loved most about being in Spring Hill, Tennessee was being able to see what normal life was like for a family i love dearly, every day. It was probably the best place I could've gone for Spring Break, and I would not have traded it for anything. On the flight home, I finished Blue Like Jazz, and I found it both interesting, puzzling at times, but overall a poetically beautiful story. That occupied our entire trip home across the united states and we got to see the sunrise in our terminal at the airport. Our departure from the Volunteer state was a lot more quiet than our arrival as we knew we were coming back to work, but our angst over work changed to excitement as we landed. We actually got to stay an extra day because our departing flight was delayed so we would miss our connection. I would not have had it any other way.
Since Spring Break, the weeks have been flying by, and I have since registered for classes for next semester. God continuously supplied by giving me enough financial aid to attend my second year at the University of Idaho. I can only say how blessed I feel to be able to extend my education beyond high school and live in a wonderful environment such as Kappa Kappa Gamma. I know that sound scripted, but going out on my own and letting God mold me into the woman He wants me to be has been one of the continuously beautiful experiences of my life. I am in love with the Creator who knows every fiber of who I am as a human being, and He still loves me. Every insecurity is laid bare before Him, and He takes them and makes me new again. I am confident in who God is molding me to be, because I know to Him, I am enough. And the day I realized that I heard chains falling behind me, and I have not looked back to see where they lay.
To have some Soul Food, check out:
Psalm 71:14
Romans 6:6
Colossians 4:2,5
Thank you so much for reading, and if you have any questions or anything, feel free to leave a comment!
~Alyse
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Spring Break (in Tennessee) Part 1
Here I am in the glorious state of Tennessee, soaking up the sweet sun's rays as a gentle breeze tickles my neck from the west. Traveling across the country with my best friend has probably been one of the most spontaneous, and best ideas we have ever had.
Leaving from the Spokane Airport on Monday, the weather was looking pretty sour, as there was a slight hail/rain storm the day before. The following hour after we were dropped off (by a lovely and WONDERFUL friend of ours) was spent naming various strangers also waiting for their flights. Those names ranged from Jim to Tammy and progressively got more creative/generic as more people started to fill the terminal. There was only a select few whose name we actually found out. We named a man Jim, because well, he looked like a Jim. But his parents had the audacity to ruin that little charade with the fact that his name was Marty... clearly we needed to step up our game. There was one woman who we named Sarah who had a baby affectionately named Katie... we never found out those real names. And a few other men we named Smith, Larry, and Quintin had names that were extremely ethnic so we were really wrong on those. A few staffers were dubbed William and Richard, but their names were too small on their tags so sadly we will never know theirs either. Although the best person, and most entertaining we met was one of the flight attendants on the flight down to good 'ol Salt Lake City.
On our first flight, we flew Delta (a first for me with the mega air company) and we had some nice, albeit extremely friendly flight attendants. One in particular. For the sake of privacy I will call him... John. Cause there seems to be a lot of Johns in the world. Anyways, when we got on, we were in zone 3, so we had the pleasure of smiling at everyone we walked past (Alex had the right side, i had the left) and it just so happened that i broke my job and looked to the right and John the flight attendant was standing right there. Like a normal person I made eye contact and smiled. Little did I know that normal people do not do this... and it proved to be my downfall in the end. Alex and I made our way to our seats and sat next to a nice young fellow who was from WSU and made wonderful small talk about the pleasures of Greek life and such (he was going to see his girlfriend, and Alex and I are suckers for love stories, so we were greatly pleased). About halfway through the flight, the attendants were doing their normal duties of handing out the 'complimentary' drinks and snacks, and John was of course one of the three whose job it was. On both flights, Alex and I sat practically in the middle of the plane so the cart would always stop by us. This forced John to hang around and chat with us. I can't remember the first thing he said, because I was in the middle and honestly not worried or paying specific attention to the head-shaven man passing out ginger-ale and Coca-Cola to the mother in front of us, but he was making some kind of small talk with us about a music festival somewhere and southern food and being with his bachelor buddies, and like a normal person I was nodding and smiling even though I couldn't really hear him over the crying baby in the seat in front of us. I must have either looked genuinely interested or concerned because after he moved the cart farther down the aisle, he specifically came back to tell me, and i quote: "I've got a crush on you," points to me, "you're really cute". And proceeded to go back down the aisle to finish his flight-attendant duties. This left me looking with my eyebrows raised at Alex and saying "Did that really just happen? Is this real life?" and we both chuckled a little bit and shook our heads in disbelief.
Maybe its because i'm in college and fraternity guys are never anywhere near as bold as that, because most of them like to think they're players, but I was genuinely knocked off my rocker that a man would ever do that. I know i'm only 19 and very new to the ways of the world, but I really doubt guys act like this all the time..
Tragically, our courtship only lasted a few more drive-bys before the flight was over. He asked me if I was seeing someone, and quickly informed me that he would fly 'wherever' for our date (this is all over Alex, as I am sitting in the middle seat) and after that he remembered to ask me my name, and I told him.... Smooth Flight Attendant, smooth. He also asked if I was seeing anyone, and I wanted to ask him how old he thought I was, because I swear he had to have been in his thirties. I told him 'sort of?' And that was all he needed and he quickly ran away, but not before saying "just take it as a compliment". Alex and I did not see him for the rest of the flight, or when we got off the plane. I think it would have been substantially awkward, and that is an understatement.
That was probably the most exciting thing that happened during the day. The next flight was spent asleep until the snack cart came by us again, this time with two female stewardesses. They were both very sweet, and we became friends instantly. Well, at least with one, the other one didn't really buy into our 'sweet' routines. If only we had more time... oh well, can't win them all.
The wait for the plane to descend was excruciating. We were both SO very ready to be done and off the plane that the last half hour (or whatever amount of time it was) dragged on for an eternity. When we landed and could grab our carry-ons, we were the first ones up and ready, only to be told to wait, and when we got off the plane we were out of there faster than you could say 'fried ocra' and off to the baggage claim to see our probably favorite family other than our own.
And our reunion was glorious! Super surreal, and again like something out of a movie. I feel like that has been a theme in my life recently, and I kind of hope it doesn't go away. Anyway, Alex and I came down the escalator towards them and I pushed her aside and greeted them both with a big hug and joy was seriously overflowing inside of me. Then she pushed me aside and did the same thing, and then we all had a beautiful group hug signifying our reunion. I think people were definitely jealous. No big deal ;) joke!
We then drove to their humble abode and talked a while with their daughter and son until it was time for us to go to sleep. Boy is it hard to get used to the time difference, let me tell you. I started this in the afternoon, came back to it, and now it's practically three in the morning. I think the cup of coffee at 10:00 didn't really help either.
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Some cool passages to check out are Proverbs 5-8. They talk about Lady Folly and Lady Wisdom. Lady Wisdom is the bomb, FYI and I wanna be just like her when I grow up. She's kind of a no-nonsense lady if you know what I mean. I think more people should pay attention to her.
Cool music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otXGqU4LBEI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeujRRzbHqo&ob=av3n
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C8e7nNLZNs&ob=av2e
...those are a few of the songs on our playlist for this extravagant adventure. I hope you like them, and as always if you have any questions about life or Jesus there's a perfectly good comment box and I would love to tell to you about a man who has completed me body and soul in the most beautiful and wonderful way. I hope this post was encouraging to you, and if it was, tell other people about it! I think in a future post i'll be sharing my testimony, so that'll be looking for that!
God Bless, and thanks so much for reading,
~Alyse :)
Leaving from the Spokane Airport on Monday, the weather was looking pretty sour, as there was a slight hail/rain storm the day before. The following hour after we were dropped off (by a lovely and WONDERFUL friend of ours) was spent naming various strangers also waiting for their flights. Those names ranged from Jim to Tammy and progressively got more creative/generic as more people started to fill the terminal. There was only a select few whose name we actually found out. We named a man Jim, because well, he looked like a Jim. But his parents had the audacity to ruin that little charade with the fact that his name was Marty... clearly we needed to step up our game. There was one woman who we named Sarah who had a baby affectionately named Katie... we never found out those real names. And a few other men we named Smith, Larry, and Quintin had names that were extremely ethnic so we were really wrong on those. A few staffers were dubbed William and Richard, but their names were too small on their tags so sadly we will never know theirs either. Although the best person, and most entertaining we met was one of the flight attendants on the flight down to good 'ol Salt Lake City.
On our first flight, we flew Delta (a first for me with the mega air company) and we had some nice, albeit extremely friendly flight attendants. One in particular. For the sake of privacy I will call him... John. Cause there seems to be a lot of Johns in the world. Anyways, when we got on, we were in zone 3, so we had the pleasure of smiling at everyone we walked past (Alex had the right side, i had the left) and it just so happened that i broke my job and looked to the right and John the flight attendant was standing right there. Like a normal person I made eye contact and smiled. Little did I know that normal people do not do this... and it proved to be my downfall in the end. Alex and I made our way to our seats and sat next to a nice young fellow who was from WSU and made wonderful small talk about the pleasures of Greek life and such (he was going to see his girlfriend, and Alex and I are suckers for love stories, so we were greatly pleased). About halfway through the flight, the attendants were doing their normal duties of handing out the 'complimentary' drinks and snacks, and John was of course one of the three whose job it was. On both flights, Alex and I sat practically in the middle of the plane so the cart would always stop by us. This forced John to hang around and chat with us. I can't remember the first thing he said, because I was in the middle and honestly not worried or paying specific attention to the head-shaven man passing out ginger-ale and Coca-Cola to the mother in front of us, but he was making some kind of small talk with us about a music festival somewhere and southern food and being with his bachelor buddies, and like a normal person I was nodding and smiling even though I couldn't really hear him over the crying baby in the seat in front of us. I must have either looked genuinely interested or concerned because after he moved the cart farther down the aisle, he specifically came back to tell me, and i quote: "I've got a crush on you," points to me, "you're really cute". And proceeded to go back down the aisle to finish his flight-attendant duties. This left me looking with my eyebrows raised at Alex and saying "Did that really just happen? Is this real life?" and we both chuckled a little bit and shook our heads in disbelief.
Maybe its because i'm in college and fraternity guys are never anywhere near as bold as that, because most of them like to think they're players, but I was genuinely knocked off my rocker that a man would ever do that. I know i'm only 19 and very new to the ways of the world, but I really doubt guys act like this all the time..
Tragically, our courtship only lasted a few more drive-bys before the flight was over. He asked me if I was seeing someone, and quickly informed me that he would fly 'wherever' for our date (this is all over Alex, as I am sitting in the middle seat) and after that he remembered to ask me my name, and I told him.... Smooth Flight Attendant, smooth. He also asked if I was seeing anyone, and I wanted to ask him how old he thought I was, because I swear he had to have been in his thirties. I told him 'sort of?' And that was all he needed and he quickly ran away, but not before saying "just take it as a compliment". Alex and I did not see him for the rest of the flight, or when we got off the plane. I think it would have been substantially awkward, and that is an understatement.
That was probably the most exciting thing that happened during the day. The next flight was spent asleep until the snack cart came by us again, this time with two female stewardesses. They were both very sweet, and we became friends instantly. Well, at least with one, the other one didn't really buy into our 'sweet' routines. If only we had more time... oh well, can't win them all.
The wait for the plane to descend was excruciating. We were both SO very ready to be done and off the plane that the last half hour (or whatever amount of time it was) dragged on for an eternity. When we landed and could grab our carry-ons, we were the first ones up and ready, only to be told to wait, and when we got off the plane we were out of there faster than you could say 'fried ocra' and off to the baggage claim to see our probably favorite family other than our own.
And our reunion was glorious! Super surreal, and again like something out of a movie. I feel like that has been a theme in my life recently, and I kind of hope it doesn't go away. Anyway, Alex and I came down the escalator towards them and I pushed her aside and greeted them both with a big hug and joy was seriously overflowing inside of me. Then she pushed me aside and did the same thing, and then we all had a beautiful group hug signifying our reunion. I think people were definitely jealous. No big deal ;) joke!
We then drove to their humble abode and talked a while with their daughter and son until it was time for us to go to sleep. Boy is it hard to get used to the time difference, let me tell you. I started this in the afternoon, came back to it, and now it's practically three in the morning. I think the cup of coffee at 10:00 didn't really help either.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some cool passages to check out are Proverbs 5-8. They talk about Lady Folly and Lady Wisdom. Lady Wisdom is the bomb, FYI and I wanna be just like her when I grow up. She's kind of a no-nonsense lady if you know what I mean. I think more people should pay attention to her.
Cool music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otXGqU4LBEI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeujRRzbHqo&ob=av3n
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C8e7nNLZNs&ob=av2e
...those are a few of the songs on our playlist for this extravagant adventure. I hope you like them, and as always if you have any questions about life or Jesus there's a perfectly good comment box and I would love to tell to you about a man who has completed me body and soul in the most beautiful and wonderful way. I hope this post was encouraging to you, and if it was, tell other people about it! I think in a future post i'll be sharing my testimony, so that'll be looking for that!
God Bless, and thanks so much for reading,
~Alyse :)
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Me Without Facebook - Week 1
For those of you who know that I am giving up Facebook for Lent, i'm sure you're just beside yourselves with laughter, because I have always been a devoted, and avid user of the social networking site.
Well, for a month I have decided to fast from the website in order to grow closer in my relationship with God, because honestly it occupies entirely too much of my time and is a horrid distraction for my homework, spiritual life, and ironically social life.. at least in the real world.
The first day was mostly resisting the habit of checking my facebook, and it wasn't necessarily a temptation. I caught myself a few times with my mouse hovering over the bookmark I had set on my browser bar, and I quickly decided that it needed to be deleted asap, or the temptation would be too great. The following days were mostly spent catching up to all of the information in the House, because most of our communication is through Facebook, as well as other areas of my life where that communication is key. So, therin, fasting from it has really just been more of an inconvenience than anything else... also when our house has a function and i can't view the pictures it gets really obnoxious, but a few of them were kind enough to let me view them, so that's okay :)
And for those of you who are seeing this without me posting it on Facebook... I LOVE YOU! And for those of you who see this series after I break my fast, you're okay... but I have fans then! Ah! That's so cool :)
A few areas of the bible have really stood out to me, as when you fast from something you're usually supposed to fill that time you would have spent doing that activity, in the Word.
With my best friend, I read a few chapters in Joshua. Well, the first three, ha. The biggest thing I noticed is how God said over and over and continuously reiterated "Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave or forsake you. Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS for you shall cause these people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you." (Joshua 1:5-7, emphasis mine). It is so beautiful that even through the beginning, one of the biggest things that God emphasized was that he was always with us, and will never forsake us. I encourage you to check it out for yourself, as always. If you have questions, there is a perfectly good comment box underneath this post that I also encourage you to exercise. Ask anything you want, and i'll answer it to the best of my ability!
Another book I've been getting into is one of my favorites in the Old Testament, 1st and 2nd Samuel. A particular verse is 2 Samuel 22:31 "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him." It is so beautiful to me how confident we can be in the strength, power, and Love of God. One particular verse that seems to always put me in my place in regards to the might of God is Job 25:4 "How can a mere mortal stand before God and claim to the righteous? Who in all the earth is pure? God is so glorious that even the moon and stars scarcely shine compared to Him." How amazing is that? That this mighty God who caused walls to tumble, loves us and pursues us with a fierce, and i'll repeat it FIERCE passion. How truly amazing and awesome is it that we, sinful human kind have the all-powerful God who looks on us with compassion and made a way, a bridge to Him over the pit of sin to eternal life, through Christ Jesus the Lord. Yes, we mess up His message in a variety and diversity of ways by being what we are, but He made a way. "For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). I'm sure that if you've ever been to Sunday School at all, you've heard that verse.
Well, that concludes this Post. If you're looking for a great read, check out 2 Samuel 9. Good stuff, it just goes to show you what a gem David was, and how he was constantly chasing after God's heart. And maybe, keep on reading! There's a wealth of info in there, and DO NOT be afraid to ask someone who could give you answers, questions :) ...if that makes any sense.
Also, this week (Feb. 27-Mar. 2) I have the opportunity to perform this monologue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2YBWuQ2gnw
It's pretty bare bones here, but i'm performing it live at Super-Village at Resonate during worship and I feel so blessed, because it was on my Bucket List, and now I can say that I've done it! Hope you like it :)
Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it!
~Alyse :)
Well, for a month I have decided to fast from the website in order to grow closer in my relationship with God, because honestly it occupies entirely too much of my time and is a horrid distraction for my homework, spiritual life, and ironically social life.. at least in the real world.
The first day was mostly resisting the habit of checking my facebook, and it wasn't necessarily a temptation. I caught myself a few times with my mouse hovering over the bookmark I had set on my browser bar, and I quickly decided that it needed to be deleted asap, or the temptation would be too great. The following days were mostly spent catching up to all of the information in the House, because most of our communication is through Facebook, as well as other areas of my life where that communication is key. So, therin, fasting from it has really just been more of an inconvenience than anything else... also when our house has a function and i can't view the pictures it gets really obnoxious, but a few of them were kind enough to let me view them, so that's okay :)
And for those of you who are seeing this without me posting it on Facebook... I LOVE YOU! And for those of you who see this series after I break my fast, you're okay... but I have fans then! Ah! That's so cool :)
A few areas of the bible have really stood out to me, as when you fast from something you're usually supposed to fill that time you would have spent doing that activity, in the Word.
With my best friend, I read a few chapters in Joshua. Well, the first three, ha. The biggest thing I noticed is how God said over and over and continuously reiterated "Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave or forsake you. Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS for you shall cause these people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you." (Joshua 1:5-7, emphasis mine). It is so beautiful that even through the beginning, one of the biggest things that God emphasized was that he was always with us, and will never forsake us. I encourage you to check it out for yourself, as always. If you have questions, there is a perfectly good comment box underneath this post that I also encourage you to exercise. Ask anything you want, and i'll answer it to the best of my ability!
Another book I've been getting into is one of my favorites in the Old Testament, 1st and 2nd Samuel. A particular verse is 2 Samuel 22:31 "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him." It is so beautiful to me how confident we can be in the strength, power, and Love of God. One particular verse that seems to always put me in my place in regards to the might of God is Job 25:4 "How can a mere mortal stand before God and claim to the righteous? Who in all the earth is pure? God is so glorious that even the moon and stars scarcely shine compared to Him." How amazing is that? That this mighty God who caused walls to tumble, loves us and pursues us with a fierce, and i'll repeat it FIERCE passion. How truly amazing and awesome is it that we, sinful human kind have the all-powerful God who looks on us with compassion and made a way, a bridge to Him over the pit of sin to eternal life, through Christ Jesus the Lord. Yes, we mess up His message in a variety and diversity of ways by being what we are, but He made a way. "For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). I'm sure that if you've ever been to Sunday School at all, you've heard that verse.
Well, that concludes this Post. If you're looking for a great read, check out 2 Samuel 9. Good stuff, it just goes to show you what a gem David was, and how he was constantly chasing after God's heart. And maybe, keep on reading! There's a wealth of info in there, and DO NOT be afraid to ask someone who could give you answers, questions :) ...if that makes any sense.
Also, this week (Feb. 27-Mar. 2) I have the opportunity to perform this monologue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2YBWuQ2gnw
It's pretty bare bones here, but i'm performing it live at Super-Village at Resonate during worship and I feel so blessed, because it was on my Bucket List, and now I can say that I've done it! Hope you like it :)
Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it!
~Alyse :)
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Keep the Beat up
My obsession with upbeat, happy songs is not restricted to seasons, because i just stumbled across this little gold mine and i've been listening to it on repeat daily through YouTube. So please, check it out and see why my life was drastically changed by it's smooth rhythm and hypnotic beat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7gzJFwB0JzE
That was by a band called "Walk off the Earth" that I am currently obsessed with, and if you know me at all, you know that songs like this and ones similar to it by artists such as: Eric Hutchinson, Sara Bareilles, Band of Horses, Needtobreathe and so many others are the artists that know my heart without ever meeting me. I even have a playlist riddled with music like this that just makes me want to dance the day away and go frolic in a field or something. And in all actuality if it's a sunny day, and i'm listening to any of these artists and i'm walking to class you might see me with the biggest smile and a little skip in my step, because they have that effect on me. It's practically involuntary as they invade my muscles and force me to move along with their rhythms and beats.
Going into college I thought I would have to pick and choose my passions, as I did not have the opportunity to exercise all of them. This was true to an extent, because I cannot major in all of the arts that I greatly esteem, but I can find other avenues to exercise them on my own time. I have so many opportunities at Resonate, the church that I attend here in Moscow, and at Cru (formally know as Campus Crusade for Christ).
Every week I am thankful for the support system that I have been surrounded with, both at home, and through the friends I have made at school. I know that my mission and purpose for going to U of I would not even be remotely successful if I did not have them in my life.
Ecclesiastes1:2-5 says, "'Everything is meaningless.' says the Teacher, 'completely meaningless!' What do people do for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again." It has become apparent to me, that this is more true than ever. Sometimes the motivation to engage in every day responsibilities takes every ounce of will-power I can muster and then some. It is also very hard to get used to putting every ounce of effort into studying only to fall short of my goal on a test... I guess it's one of the many lessons i'm learning about college (and, as so many people have so kindly pointed out, life lessons) and I should get used to it. Unless of course I get myself a nice sugar daddy and all of my money problems will be solved. THAT was definitely a joke... yuck.
Since we are on the subject of marriage, and in the spirit of Valentine's Day, and to quote a favorite movie Court Jester (check it out) "When I marry, I marry for love". AND that dude better have his head on his shoulders and stuff together, because there's NO chance. In fact, to all the boys out there: stop being so scared of everything you hide in your room constantly fussing over life's problems, and whether or not a girl likes you, and fricken PURSUE HER. I guarantee you that if you dig up the dead idea of chivalry, and treat her like the daughter of God she is, give her genuine compliments instead of fake empty ones, you will have a date. Sheesh. Be confident in the Man of God you were meant to be, trust in His ultimate plan, don't plan so far in advance that you're married in your mind, live day by day, and enjoy life while you have it, you WILL have a good date! I think every one needs to stop obsessing about finding their "one and only" because the truth is that no man or women will ever satisfy that hole you have in your heart that you're constantly stuffing with the crap that King Solomon was talking about in Ecclesiastes... that turned into a rant about something that's a little larger than a simple date I guess, but hey the information got out there somehow.
I apologize if this post is choppy at all, because i'm multi-tasking by watching the musical "Hello Dolly" with Barbara Streisand. Fun fact: did you know that Gene Kelly directed Hello Dolly? That's the same guy who also directed and starred in "Singin' in the Rain" which is my all-time favorite musical, and a large reason why I love them so much.
Well, that pretty much concludes this entry. It was kind of all over the place for many reasons, and I think I let a little bit of my opinion slip... but whatever, all the more entertaining, right? Thanks so much for reading! And if it inspired you, tell a friend!
Sincerely,
~Alyse :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7gzJFwB0JzE
That was by a band called "Walk off the Earth" that I am currently obsessed with, and if you know me at all, you know that songs like this and ones similar to it by artists such as: Eric Hutchinson, Sara Bareilles, Band of Horses, Needtobreathe and so many others are the artists that know my heart without ever meeting me. I even have a playlist riddled with music like this that just makes me want to dance the day away and go frolic in a field or something. And in all actuality if it's a sunny day, and i'm listening to any of these artists and i'm walking to class you might see me with the biggest smile and a little skip in my step, because they have that effect on me. It's practically involuntary as they invade my muscles and force me to move along with their rhythms and beats.
Going into college I thought I would have to pick and choose my passions, as I did not have the opportunity to exercise all of them. This was true to an extent, because I cannot major in all of the arts that I greatly esteem, but I can find other avenues to exercise them on my own time. I have so many opportunities at Resonate, the church that I attend here in Moscow, and at Cru (formally know as Campus Crusade for Christ).
Every week I am thankful for the support system that I have been surrounded with, both at home, and through the friends I have made at school. I know that my mission and purpose for going to U of I would not even be remotely successful if I did not have them in my life.
Ecclesiastes1:2-5 says, "'Everything is meaningless.' says the Teacher, 'completely meaningless!' What do people do for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again." It has become apparent to me, that this is more true than ever. Sometimes the motivation to engage in every day responsibilities takes every ounce of will-power I can muster and then some. It is also very hard to get used to putting every ounce of effort into studying only to fall short of my goal on a test... I guess it's one of the many lessons i'm learning about college (and, as so many people have so kindly pointed out, life lessons) and I should get used to it. Unless of course I get myself a nice sugar daddy and all of my money problems will be solved. THAT was definitely a joke... yuck.
Since we are on the subject of marriage, and in the spirit of Valentine's Day, and to quote a favorite movie Court Jester (check it out) "When I marry, I marry for love". AND that dude better have his head on his shoulders and stuff together, because there's NO chance. In fact, to all the boys out there: stop being so scared of everything you hide in your room constantly fussing over life's problems, and whether or not a girl likes you, and fricken PURSUE HER. I guarantee you that if you dig up the dead idea of chivalry, and treat her like the daughter of God she is, give her genuine compliments instead of fake empty ones, you will have a date. Sheesh. Be confident in the Man of God you were meant to be, trust in His ultimate plan, don't plan so far in advance that you're married in your mind, live day by day, and enjoy life while you have it, you WILL have a good date! I think every one needs to stop obsessing about finding their "one and only" because the truth is that no man or women will ever satisfy that hole you have in your heart that you're constantly stuffing with the crap that King Solomon was talking about in Ecclesiastes... that turned into a rant about something that's a little larger than a simple date I guess, but hey the information got out there somehow.
I apologize if this post is choppy at all, because i'm multi-tasking by watching the musical "Hello Dolly" with Barbara Streisand. Fun fact: did you know that Gene Kelly directed Hello Dolly? That's the same guy who also directed and starred in "Singin' in the Rain" which is my all-time favorite musical, and a large reason why I love them so much.
Well, that pretty much concludes this entry. It was kind of all over the place for many reasons, and I think I let a little bit of my opinion slip... but whatever, all the more entertaining, right? Thanks so much for reading! And if it inspired you, tell a friend!
Sincerely,
~Alyse :)
Monday, February 6, 2012
Late Nights
For a short while it was a New Year's resolution of mine to go to bed early, but as the semester has progressed, my old habits have come back and i'm seeing sleep around midnight to 1:00 a.m. I have decided that if I could just absorb energy from the sun, that would be optimal. Then, I could stand in the sunshine for say, an hour, and then quickly get back to various tasks throughout the day, and stay up into the night. Oh well, i'm sure God knew exactly what he was doing when he made us to sleep.
As i said before, the past few weeks have been largely spent hanging out with girls who are in my PC, as we are all living on the same side of the house. It is funny to me how much closer we are getting by just living on the same side of the house. A few weeks ago, we had a spur-of-the-moment movie day/night and laughed as we watched the late Heath Ledger woo Julia Stiles in all of its 90s glory.
The other day as i was walking across campus I got the distinct feeling that I was a lot farther from being a child at the beginning of the year. It's weird, because I can't even really describe it. It was like, all of the sudden i'm more of an adult, making my own decisions, and caring a whole lot less about the opinion of the world as opposed to last year, or two, even three years, when practically every decision I made was based on what I thought other people would think.
God has been continually restoring my faith by his usual methods. Love notes. These have been mostly been taking form in compliments from my sisters, lines in love songs, or just moments when I take a deep breath of fresh air, and I am suddenly very thankful that I had the blessing of being able to do simply that; breathe.
Speaking of love notes. A few weeks ago, we had an assignment in my English class to write an essay entitled "This I believe". The guidelines were obvious, write about something you believe in, but not necessarily the stereotypical, or general things one would immediately revert to. I decided I would write about the love notes that i receive from God everyday.
This is what I wrote:
As i said before, the past few weeks have been largely spent hanging out with girls who are in my PC, as we are all living on the same side of the house. It is funny to me how much closer we are getting by just living on the same side of the house. A few weeks ago, we had a spur-of-the-moment movie day/night and laughed as we watched the late Heath Ledger woo Julia Stiles in all of its 90s glory.
The other day as i was walking across campus I got the distinct feeling that I was a lot farther from being a child at the beginning of the year. It's weird, because I can't even really describe it. It was like, all of the sudden i'm more of an adult, making my own decisions, and caring a whole lot less about the opinion of the world as opposed to last year, or two, even three years, when practically every decision I made was based on what I thought other people would think.
God has been continually restoring my faith by his usual methods. Love notes. These have been mostly been taking form in compliments from my sisters, lines in love songs, or just moments when I take a deep breath of fresh air, and I am suddenly very thankful that I had the blessing of being able to do simply that; breathe.
Speaking of love notes. A few weeks ago, we had an assignment in my English class to write an essay entitled "This I believe". The guidelines were obvious, write about something you believe in, but not necessarily the stereotypical, or general things one would immediately revert to. I decided I would write about the love notes that i receive from God everyday.
This is what I wrote:
I believe in
looking at the mundane to find joys in every day living. Finding joys
throughout the day are a great way to add value to a struggling college
student, because often times college can be strenuous, boring, stressful, etc.
This belief largely stems from my faith, which is that God would send his only
son to die on a cross for all of humanity so we could be in relationship with
him. These little joys serve as a reminder that His promise to do this was
fulfilled. I guess it could be the romantic in me, or the artist, because
searching for beauty is not what every person who believes what I believe, does.
I’ll never forget, though, the several instances where I have felt overwhelmed
because of the natural beauty around me. Once, just last semester when I was
walking through the Admin Lawn at the University of Idaho
Another time was
when I was a child, playing in our backyard. It had just snowed and I had to
have been six or seven. My older brothers were at school, and I was hanging out
by myself like I usually did. Snow was falling and it was the most silent I had
ever heard the world to that point. Being an imaginative child, I had been
playing all day fighting against snowmen and women to maintain authority over
the backyard using the snow leftover by the day before’s dump. Until the
present snowfall, I guess I had not fully experienced it. The effect of
watching those giant flakes was magical, and I was almost certain the world
around me had ceased to exist for a short moment, and that I was all alone in
my backyard just me and the world. I felt a distinctive ping of individuality.
That I was the only one like myself, and that I could accomplish whatever I set
my mind to.
As I grew older,
so did my appreciation for different joys. Small joys could be anything from a
genuine compliment, to a friend asking you how you’re doing, to that
just-after-the-rain smell. In my case it was the rippling natural cathedral of
the University of
Idaho
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to our essay, we had to present it in class. I was extremely nervous for this, but God totally provided with other students who also had a little Jesus in their lives, which greatly encouraged me. When i was finished with my presentation, I wasn't greeted with an angry mob like i had prepared myself for. Class went on as usual, and we were excused without incident. When we received our papers back, i saw i had received one of the highest grades in the class.
Lesson: God provides. Obvi.
As i conclude this post, it is indeed, true to form, 12:22 a.m. and I am heading to bed... eventually. I have a response to an article due, and I guess I should just get used to late nights, because that is one of the many lessons of college. Like learning to laugh at yourself, being productive even when you don't feel motivated, and so many others, time management is definitely a lesson of college.
I hope this blog has been encouraging to you, and if it is, tell your friends! A huge thank you to my support system back home! I couldn't do life without you, literally.
~Alyse :)
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Falling
Well, in reference to the weather, this week could be accurately described using a simple phrase... if i wanted to do figure skating, skiing, or any kind of Winter Olympic sport, I would have used my time in my childhood and adolescence to do so. Seriously, the combination of the hills in Moscow, with the snow, ice and freezing rain makes for an interesting usually 10 minute commute to class a twenty or forty minute commute depending on the state of your shoes, where you go, etc. Luckily, the view from the windows in the top floors of my house make for perfect people watching (yes, it happens) which is incredibly entertaining.
We recently switched rooms this is wonderful because now i get to experience life with girls who are in my PC (pledge class) and oh the many memories we've been making this week. Every day it seems as though God gives me something else to be thankful for midst the trifles of being a young adult.. which is a weird concept to me still.
Just today I was thinking about how much I have grown up. It's weird how scents, over all the other senses bring back memories the strongest. Today there was a breeze blowing in my room, and as i was alone i was going to shut it, but as i bent to pull the window down, my nose stopped me before I could and as I closed my eyes i was instantly six years old again laying in the snow in my backyard looking up at the clouds wondering what i was going to be like when i grew up, and knowing that i had my whole life in front of me (ever since i was a child i thought about EVERYTHING). Honestly, those times i had to my own devices as a child in little Challis Idaho were probably some of my favorites. I never had imaginary friends when i was little, but I almost always conversed with Jesus like i was talking to my mom or a best friend. It's interesting now, because throughout my various (and incredibly minimal) life experiences, i have leaned heavily on the fact that Jesus is always there for me, and will always know what to do. A reality I still rely heavily on now as a young adult, with responsibilities mounting upon me. I'll have it known that I never had a desire to grow up. If I could have maintained a five-year old persona in Neverland, it would've happened. However, I do want everything God has for me and a five-year old Alyse could probably not accomplish what an eighteen or whatever age Alyse could accomplish for his purposes.
Another thought that has been recurring in my mind has been that in two years I will be twenty years old... I have had yet to feel old, but it is definitely been becoming familiar as i let my mind mull over this. I know it's not OLD but just the thought that i've been around for two whole decades is big. I also feel like 20 is the official mark for being an adult. Legally i'm an adult, but 20 doesn't have teen in it. Yuck. I'll officially have to grow up then... or not.
Thursday was a pretty big day, because we got the news we had a snow day, the fire alarm went off, and then the power went out all in a span of three hours. Some of my favorite memories were made that night, however. As with most power-outages, an adventure is born when your home is suddenly turned into a magnificent land when something as simple as the lighting is affected. I know that growing up, many a hide-and-go-seek was the best when all of the lights in the house were turned out (man i'm getting a little teary-eyed here).
The past few weeks have been spent making new relationships midst trifling with work from classes each day. Thank goodness the snow's gone, because with the hills around here it was getting to be quite the work to get off of campus.
--this post will soon be followed by another as this was obviously written a few weeks ago, haha. I was positive i posted it, but i guess not!--
~Alyse :)
We recently switched rooms this is wonderful because now i get to experience life with girls who are in my PC (pledge class) and oh the many memories we've been making this week. Every day it seems as though God gives me something else to be thankful for midst the trifles of being a young adult.. which is a weird concept to me still.
Just today I was thinking about how much I have grown up. It's weird how scents, over all the other senses bring back memories the strongest. Today there was a breeze blowing in my room, and as i was alone i was going to shut it, but as i bent to pull the window down, my nose stopped me before I could and as I closed my eyes i was instantly six years old again laying in the snow in my backyard looking up at the clouds wondering what i was going to be like when i grew up, and knowing that i had my whole life in front of me (ever since i was a child i thought about EVERYTHING). Honestly, those times i had to my own devices as a child in little Challis Idaho were probably some of my favorites. I never had imaginary friends when i was little, but I almost always conversed with Jesus like i was talking to my mom or a best friend. It's interesting now, because throughout my various (and incredibly minimal) life experiences, i have leaned heavily on the fact that Jesus is always there for me, and will always know what to do. A reality I still rely heavily on now as a young adult, with responsibilities mounting upon me. I'll have it known that I never had a desire to grow up. If I could have maintained a five-year old persona in Neverland, it would've happened. However, I do want everything God has for me and a five-year old Alyse could probably not accomplish what an eighteen or whatever age Alyse could accomplish for his purposes.
Another thought that has been recurring in my mind has been that in two years I will be twenty years old... I have had yet to feel old, but it is definitely been becoming familiar as i let my mind mull over this. I know it's not OLD but just the thought that i've been around for two whole decades is big. I also feel like 20 is the official mark for being an adult. Legally i'm an adult, but 20 doesn't have teen in it. Yuck. I'll officially have to grow up then... or not.
Thursday was a pretty big day, because we got the news we had a snow day, the fire alarm went off, and then the power went out all in a span of three hours. Some of my favorite memories were made that night, however. As with most power-outages, an adventure is born when your home is suddenly turned into a magnificent land when something as simple as the lighting is affected. I know that growing up, many a hide-and-go-seek was the best when all of the lights in the house were turned out (man i'm getting a little teary-eyed here).
The past few weeks have been spent making new relationships midst trifling with work from classes each day. Thank goodness the snow's gone, because with the hills around here it was getting to be quite the work to get off of campus.
--this post will soon be followed by another as this was obviously written a few weeks ago, haha. I was positive i posted it, but i guess not!--
~Alyse :)
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