I LOVE FALL!

Today was such an amazingly beautiful day that made me grateful that I live in Birmingham, surrounded by warm (comparatively) fall weather and the bright colors of autumn.

It was by far one of the best Saturdays of the semester. Know what I did--NOTHING! I made a point to not plan anything for the day so that I was free to do whatever I felt at the moment--whether that was to laze in my PJ's, sleep in, read a book, watch the game, whatever, and I did just that.

My favorite part of the day was spent on Vulcan Trail. I went up there to run, expecting to get a little exercise and enjoy the cooler weather, but God treated me to so much more. The trees were clad in their reds and golds and leaves were falling from the trees with every gush of wind. There were many people walking around with their fancy cameras. It made me stop and say thank you--I get to exercise not on a treadmill or stuck in a gym but at a place that people come to take pictures--isn't that cool?

I finished up a round of tests this week, and I think they all went well, but now there are none until the last round of tests which all fall on the SAME day!! So, with little studying to do, I got to start a new book entitled MY HANDS CAME AWAY RED. It is a book about a summer missionary who went to an island in Indonesia and got a little more adventure than she bargained for. I am not sure that I want to finish reading it because frankly it scares me a little and it makes me ask the question that I am not quite ready to answer--Am I willing to give it ALL??

One other thing that I wanted to share--
I adopted a child this week!--well, kind of. I did adopt a child, but not in the classical way. I adopted eight-year-old Olivia through Compassion International. I have always, always wanted to adopt a child and thought that this was a good place to start. She is SO cute, and much cheaper than a real child--only $32 a month. "What a bargain" as Dad would say.

It is such a simple way to help "the least of these." I am excited to be able to communicate with her, pray for her, and provide for some of her needs through my measly $32. Interested? You too can adopt a child, or maybe your Sunday School class could and then it would only cost you like $10 a month or maybe even less than that! Check it out at http://www.compassion.com/default.htm.

Well, I'm off to read some more of my book and enjoy what remains of my lazy Saturday!