I can't believe it is already April 2! I am officially leaving Ireland in less than 2 months. I am super excited to get home, but also very sad to leave all of my new friends and the ease of living in a European country! This past week has been all about getting back into the swing of things, planning the rest of the semester out, and sharing the gospel! :o
School: If you’ve been keeping up with my recent blog posts, you’ll know that I was hanging with my parents and the Bowsers these last few weeks; however, I am now back at school, living life at UCD. Classes have been going really well so far, though I’m a little bummed that we are half way through the semester. I feel like I have so much more to learn and discover about my studies and Ireland itself. Though classes are great, I have had one major fail during class so far this semester. Last Thursday, I was sitting in class learning about crop husbandry when I got a terrible bloody nose. It was no fun, but thankfully no one made a big deal out of it and I was able to make an inconspicuous exit! Though that was a slight bummer, the night before my friends and I were able to participate in an attempt at a Guinness World Record for the most amount of rolled ice creams rolls made in 24 hours! Because of this attempt, they were giving out free ice cream, so I obviously made an appearance! A definite win compared to the ordeals of my bloody nose!
Tourist Fun:This past weekend was pretty relaxing for me. The weather was super nice this past week, and Ellen and I celebrated by walking around St. Stephens Green on Thursday with gelato in hand! Friday was spent catching up on school work, looking at classes for next semester, and watching some Netflix. On Saturday, my friends and I went on the Bray to Greystones walk which was so beautiful and very peaceful. It was such a great way to get outside and explore, but still have the ease of making stronger connections and friendships. On Sunday, I finally went out and explored Phoenix Park! It is massive. I was completely and utterly overwhelmed at the size!!! My friend Ciara and I got some tea at this cute little tea shop within the park and just strolled and chatted. It was so so great. Days like these are the days that I’m going to miss most when I’m back home in Iowa.
Something New:This weekend, I hosted dinner at my place, and I had around 6 friends over. It was super fun, but so crazy because I have never had to cook for so many people before. As Mexican food isn’t a huge thing over here, I decided to use some of the ingredients my mom brought me from home to make Mexican food. We had tacos, fajitas, cilantro rice, homemade guacamole, corn salsa from the Apple Orchard in Fort Dodge and many fun toppings! I was quite surprised with the success of the meal. They all said it was very good, though I have my mom to thank for that. She was with me all the way during the meal prep that morning! So thankful for all the tips, lessons and advice that she has given me on cooking and hosting.
What I’ve Learned This Week: This week I’ve learned the importance of looking for the opportunities that God gives us to share the gospel. It is so important as Christians to recognize the opportunities that God puts before us to share the gospel with those around us. Though we may not see the affects that hearing the gospel may have on that person, it is SO important just to tell. As it says in Romans 10:14-15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (NIV). This semester I have been a part of a small group through Christian Union, and it was during small group last week that we discussed this passage and prayed for opportunities to share the gospel with our friends and those around us. I was actually given that opportunity a few times this past week with one of my friends which was really cool. I’ve never had the experience to tell someone about Jesus who had no concept of Christianity which was really neat, but a little challenging. She asked some really tough questions that I didn’t always have the answers to, but it was so neat getting to tell her all that I know and believe. To me, it is extremely important as Christians to be asked those questions to solidify and strengthen our faith while seeking the answers. It was such a cool experience that helped both of us understand the gospel even more. Also, so cool that I was able to share the gospel 3,000 miles away from the comforts of home. God is good and he is constantly working in our lives. Look for those everyday opportunities to praise him and share the good news!!
* Weekly Tea Trivia: Turkey has the highest per capita tea consumption in the world.
Cheers, Anna