Friday's Letters

Dear Chicago, 
I miss you! It's quiet here.

Dear New Hampshire, 
It's so good to be back. You hold so so many of my favorite people and memories. Not to mention the fact that I can finally look outside and see everything covered in snow (for the first time this winter!)

Dear family, 
I almost forgot how strange you are... I am quite enjoying it- our weird quirks and habits, spontaneous culinary experiments, and Christmas traditions.

Dear Ema, 
Just kidding. You don't even read my blog...

Dear Kellyn, 
You're the best. I love how it doesn't feel awkward to sit down and chat with you even after such a long time not seeing each other. I owe you an Apotheca date soon, don't I?


Dear Zach, 
It is so much better not being 1,000 miles away from you.


Dear Spotify, 
We're in quite a love-hate relationship at the moment... for one, I am annoyed at some of the ads you've been playing, but right now you're providing the entire Les Mis soundtrack for me... I just can't stay mad at you forever!

Dear God, 
Thank you for reminding me over and over of your plan and how it plays out exactly how you knew it would, down to the very last detail.

Dear blog readers, 
Thank you for reading! It is hard to know how many of you there really are, but I appreciate you so much. Please continue to give me feedback! I need to know what you like to read, and even what you don't.


Much much love,

Emily

Lovely Things {Christmas Edition}

early but lazy Christmas morning with the fam

orange glazed cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate

lunch with my grandparents soon

Les Miserables tonight

remembering that He is Lord 

"long lay the world in sin and error pining, 'til He appeared and the soul felt its worth"

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

(Luke 2:14)

Merry Christmas, friends!

Emily

November Favorites Playlist!

A Play Button

Sorry this is late, the widget gave me a hard time but I think I've got it worked out by now. These are the songs I listened to most all of last month, enjoy! Christmas playlist coming up later this week!

SO close!

Hello from a game of Scrabble :) We are almost done classes! Just one more tomorrow for me, then two papers due and two finals Mon & Tues. I will fly home just one week from today! 

xoxo--

Emily & Ema

Happy Sunday & Free Christmas Music!

Good morning! As I sit and wait until it's time to go to church, I thought I'd share a Christmas album I've been listening to recently. It is available for free on Noisetrade (free, but legal, I promise). Just put your email and zip code in below and they will send you a link to your free download. Yes, this means they have your email, but I've never received more than a monthly newsletter from a band, which is easy to unsubscribe to. And it won't be free for long, so download soon! You can also listen to it right in this very page by clicking the play button. Hope you enjoy, let me know what you think in the comments.

       

Happy Sunday! 

--Emily

Thursday Randoms

-I am finally registered for all the classes I want for next semester! I had been registered for all but one for weeks, but I finally added the last one today. Whew, it's quite a relief. This is what it looked like, trying to plan everything(this is actually my schedule but its showing one extra class because I was choosing between two options):

-I cleaned my desk ALL the way the other day... it literally has not been this clean all semester and it's great.

-on Monday, it got up to at least 72 degrees in Chicago! What?! I know! Crazy. I am SO ready for it to snow, I haven't experienced more than a flurry this season, and only from the window.

-I will be done with classes & finals in 12 days and flying back to NH in 13 days.. less than two weeks! I am ready for a rest and the million fun things happening over break. Get ready for a ton of blog posts during those weeks, and many some vlogs, too- stay tuned.

-I really need a haircut, because it's just being so unruly and gets tangled so easily, so I know it's telling me I need a trim. Also, I mastered a sock bun and am now obsessed. The bigger, the better. See here:

-Last weekend I ushered for Moody's huge, wonderful, Christmas play on steroids called Candlelight Carols. The show was so great! I got to see about 3/4 of it the first night when I had a break. I worked at Will Call. It was really fun, especially since a lot of my friends were there too! Here's a few of us: 

-we got wicked cute floor sweatshirts this week! it's so fun because every time I wear it, I end up matching somebody! see photo below.

love, 

Emily

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Photo Avalanche: Thanksgiving Break in NH!

*New Feature Alert!* Post about features coming soon. I have decided to call this feature "Photo Avalanche". I almost called it "photo dump", but this is more of an attractive title, don't you think? Gotta be a lady.

---

That was my break in photos!

An Insta-Lately Thanksgiving Edition is scheduled for tomorrow :)

Wishing you all the glitter and "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" cheer your heart can handle, 

Emily

{Three}

Three names I go by: 
1. Emily
2. Em/Emmy/Emster, depends who you are

3. Dawson

Three jobs I have had in my life: 
1. Mother's Helper
2. Babysitter
3. Nanny 

(and yes they are three different things)

Three places I have lived: 
1. Bedford, NH

2. Manchester, NH
3. Chicago, IL

Three Favorite Drinks 
1. Orange Juice
2. Iced Caramel Macchiato
3. water with lime, lemon

Three TV shows I watch: 
1. Parenthood
2. New Girl
3. Friends

Three places I have visited: 
1. Disneyworld
2. Costa Rica
3. Tennessee

People that text me regularly: 
1. Zach
2. Ema
3. Kylie

Three of my favorite foods: 
1. Pizza
2. Macaroni and Cheese
3. Cereal

Three pets that I've had: 
1. Dogs
2. Cats 
3. Fishies

Three places I want to visit before I die: 
1. Greece! 

2. Ireland

3. the West Coast 

Three things I'd like to do before winter is done! 
1. Ice Skating
2. Ski
3. Catch snowflakes on my tongue

Three things I hate: 
1. Stress 
2. Disrespect 
3. Watching people I love go through a hard time

Three things that scare me: 
1. Not being able to breathe
2. Clowns
3. Swimming in dark water

Three things I can't live without: 
1. JESUS
2. people who love me 
3. sleep

Three things I will never do: 
1. Become a clown
2. Smoke
3. Get a guinea pig

Love love love, 

Em

Thankful November

I am thankful for...

[1] Gospel Choir

[2] Mancala with my little sis

[3] Ema's idea to lay in the plaza at midnight and chat

[4] the kiddos I teach in Sunday school

[5] FaceTime

[6] a sovereign Lord

[7] Christmas cheer starting extra early with the first *play* of Christmas music

[8] finding a wicked comfy chair in one of my favorite homework & reading spots

[9] Ghirardelli sundaes and good conversation

[10] Saturdays

[11] those who sang along with so much enthusiasm at our gospel choir concert

[12] finishing my entire Old Testament paper from 9-2 and 7-8, with lots of breaks and sleep

[13] solo shopping adventures

[14] testimony nights on the floor and the 3x longer conversations after

[15] no classes for two days in a row

[16] very short coffee date with Ema during our busy Friday

[17] everyday things and adventures with friends

[18] my Bro-Sis!! For real, everyone is so great.

[19] the fact that I am flying home today (Monday) instead of Wednesday, and only my parents know

[20] writing this from home!!

[21] baking all day with my sister 

[22] the fact that at every good and perfect gift is from God, and as our Father he knows just how to spoil us

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day. Write what you've been thankful for this month in the comments or on my Facebook page!

Love,
Emily (& my parents:))

Festival of Lights- Our Fantastic View

Rudolph

Ornaments 

Donald and Daisy

Goofy

Spectators

SANTA (being slightly hidden by a pole, oops)

A tradition in Chicago: every year, they light up Michigan Avenue for Christmas then have a big Disney parade. It's called the Festival of Lights. Ema, Ethan, and I walked over and got a rather terrible spot, but slowly inched our way closer to a slightly less terrible spot. By the end, I wound up between a  camp chair nobody was sitting in and a stroller being pushed into the backs of my legs. Though this was a better situation of having a random woman pretty much hugging me from behind- hand on my shoulder, shouting in French. People are great. These pictures are not great quality, but definitely give you the same perspective I had while watching! It was a wicked fun night :) 

awkward & awesome

awesome:

-when you sit down to read 12 pages of your theology book, start reading, then realize you finished it days ago but forgot to check it off!

-having tons of candy after Halloween even though you didn't participate in any sort of Halloween events

-having Abi here! for those who do not know, Abi is Ema's sister, and it was pretty much to second best to my sister being here :) she was a joy.

-getting an A on an Old Testament quiz

awkward:

-failing the "please prove you're not a robot" test to comment on someone's blog... anyone else thing those are too hard sometimes?!

-hearing a knock on your door during a lockdown drill, thinking it's your roommate, opening the door only to have a public safety officer tell you that it's probably not the best idea to open the door during a lockdown... like, to anybody at all

-forgetting to do homework that is due online at a certain time

-grabbing someone else's coffee by mistake at Joe's


What were some awesome and awkward things you experienced this week? (comment below!)


sympathizing with your awkward moments,
Em

ouch. 

{Things to Do Instead of Homework}

The key, dear friends, is to do things that are actually worthwhile for your friendships, soul, and general wellbeing. That way, you are at least doing something semi-productive, even if it's not #1 on your to-do list at the moment to...

1. watch your dear kitchen-challenged friend make cookies and make sure she doesn't set anything on fire
2. check your mailbox 
3. write letters to your pen pals 
4. go grocery shopping
5. have a nice walk on this strangely warm (50s) day (on the way to Aldi, of course)
6. clean your room
7. listen to Christmas music (I know you're thinking, "hey! that's not productive!"...good for the soul, remember? moving on.) 
8. paint your nails 
9. catch up on emails 
10. do some jumping jacks to keep that blood flowin' 
11. make up things to write on your calendar
12. organize your underwear drawer
13. write your Christmas list
14. wash your dishes 
15. have a nice stretch 
16. yoga 
17. pluck your eyebrows
18. make tea
19. make a plan and lists for the Christmas Market 
20. and finally... BLOG. 

I have done nearly all of these things today. Now, I am about to listen to Jeremiah (dramatized ESV audio version... ooh!), and work on numbers 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17, and 18. 

Love love, 

Emily

Thursday Randoms

Christmas music has begun. I just couldn't help it, and Ema was game, so we've been playing it all day today. If you would like me to post my Christmas playlist, let me know and I can make a blog post about it.

I might be studying abroad in the fall.... stay tuned, folks!

2 weeks until I come home Thanksgiving! I would say I'm happy to have a break, but I have already planned two all-nighters for the 4ish days I'm there... and I don't even do that here. But I am very excited to see people I love every minute I'm home! That's the plan.

My friends are great. My God is great.

Daylight Savings bums me out every year, I miss the sun!

Yesterday, I played a whole entire song that was not Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on my ukulele. Progress, people.

chocolatey love,
Emily (&Ema)

Insta-lately {Part 1}

John Piper devotional app// baked oatmeal// naptime // 3 North ladies huddled outside w/no coats// coffee cate with Ema at Joe's// Missions Conference// free donut// how I found Ema one day
//Bekah and I during a movie night

{Untitled}

As I sit here studying for my CDOC (The Church and Its Doctrines, remember?) quiz, I can't help but appreciate what I'm studying. So many people I know are studying for a Chemistry or Calculus exam, and I'm here studying justification. Here are my notes from one lecture, which are not only helping me prepare for the quiz I'm about to take, but encouraging me at the same time. I hope they encourage you too.

Note: read this carefully, as some of these are certain theories, and not doctrine we are being taught as correct!



The Importance of Justification

"the article on which the church stands or falls" Luther

"main hinge on which religion turns" Calvin

"if we are to safeguard the truth of the gospel for generations, we must understand the truth of justification" Grudem

Justification Questioned: The "New Perspective on Paul"

Paul was-- 

• Jewish, not Medieval
• Paul must be put in context
• Luther got it all wrong
• Pro-Law, not Anti-Law
• works do not equal earned merit
• works are badges of obedience
• Communal, not Individual 
• Salvation is not the choice of a guilty soul, but entrance into community

     Implications of the new perspective--

     Justification is not the whole gospel

     Imputation is not the mechanism of salvation

     "Faith in Christ" doesn't save, but rather, "the faithfulness of Christ"

     Righteousness is not a gas

What is Justification? The Traditional View

NOT having a clean slate from never having committed sin

NOT being given the strength to wipe our own slates clean of sin

YES, it is a legal declaration; God has wiped our slates clean for us = imputed righteousness

New Testament Teaching: 

*[Romans 3:21-28]* 

> the roots of justification are in the OT (v.21) [Gen 15:6, Deut. 25:1]

          -Abraham's faith was justifying faith, God declared him right

          -to be declared right based on the lawgiver, not because they are guilty or innocent

> the appropriation of justification is by faith alone (v.22)

> the necessity of justification is based on the universality of sin (v.23)

> the basis of justification is Christ's atoning work on the cross (v.24-25)

> the legitimacy of justification is based on God's character (v.26) 

> the summary of justification: it is by faith, not works! (v.27-28) 

The Roman Catholic Concept of Justification 

• Justification is an infusion of grace which results in a change of nature such that a person can merit God's favor
• God created us ---> original sin ---> God gives grace through the work of Christ ----> now we are able to love God through the sacrament of the mass ------> cooperation ----> process of justification
• (given a measure at baptism, usually infant baptism, removes original sin)

Imputation

• Greek logizomai = "to reckon, calculate" 
• A legal term, which signifies holding guilty or innocence against someone
• an economic term, which signifies crediting a sum to an account
• 3 places we see this: 
• Adam's sin Imputed to us [Romans 5:12] 
• orignal sin
• Our sin imputed to Christ [1 Peter 2:24 and 2 Corinthians 5:21?] 
• original sin + sins (acts of sinful behavior)
• Christ's righteousness imputed to us [Romans 4:24] 
• when He looks at us, He sees His Son and righteousness

Throwback Thursday!

It's Throwback Thursday here at Moody! Basically, everyone who wanted to dressed up in 70s fashion for the day. It's a lot of fun so far, and not surprisingly, I had no trouble finding an outfit, not far at all from something I would wear any day ;)

Shirt: Old Navy

Crochet Vest: Old Navy

Jeans: Old Navy 

Belt: Old Navy

Elephant Necklace: Forever 21?

Shoes: Toms

Sunglasses: somebody left them 

in Ema's purse during orientation...oops!

☮ + ♥,

Emily 

Chicago Adventures

I have loved every minute of exploring this city. Everyone said I would love it here, and of course they were right. There is so much to do and see and experience. We often head out with semi-clear directions, U-Pass in hand, for an adventure. We go a lot with our bro-sis, which is the girls on my floor and a guy's floor we are paired with for the whole year! I will talk about that more in an upcoming post. Here are some things I've gotten to do so far!

{A walk to Navy Pier for the fireworks}

___

{A trip to the (free!) Lincoln Park Zoo}

Note: You may have to play a little game of "find that animal" for some of these photos... oops! I am investing in a real camera soon, promise! 

{& Kilwin's Ice Cream after the zoo} 

___

{Dinner in Chinatown}

___

{A trip to see the "best view of the city at night"}

___

{Going out for Cuban food} 

___

{Wrigley Field}

Love,
Emily