Thoughts on Late Night Laundry

We all have our dirty laundry. It's the pieces of the past we wish we could forget; it's the parts of our lives we wish we could wash clean.

As I sit and wait on my actual, tangible laundry, my mind has been wandering and reflecting on the figurative laundry of my past. To some, it might not seem all that wild, crazy or bad. But in God's eyes, any actions we have taken that remove us from Him are equally as ugly, dirty, and disappointing. 

Thankfully, we don't have to live with the burden of that load.

Through His grace, we are saved.

Through His patience, we are guided to new paths.

Through His forgiveness, we can move onto better days of wiser decisions.

The past six months of my life have been a tumultuous time of reflection, growth, and perseverance in learning to take these steps of faith into a brighter future. Although I've been a Christian my whole life, I do not believe there has been any portion of that time that was more challenging of my faith. 

The reality check I went through last spring was rough, dirty, and sometimes made me want to cry. But through Christ's love, I got through it. 

Being back at college is showing me exactly how much I've developed as a young woman in these past six months. The pains of the past are lesser and the excitements of the future are greater. My moods are stable and my confidence in who I am in Christ has flourished. 

God gave me exactly the detergent I needed to rinse my past hurts clean. He can do it for you, too. I hope and pray that my late night laundry thoughts are the encouragement you need to allow Christ to clean up your past. There is no need to live folded under the guilt and burdens of the past. 

Through His love, we are cleaned and set free. He pulls us out of darkness and into light.

We see this with Job:

"God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life." Job 33:28

"As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:11

We see this in 1 Peter:

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9

We see this in Isaiah:

"'Come now, let us settle the matter," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'" Isaiah 1:18

These are just a few of many examples of God's remarkable love and forgiveness. Take some time to soak in His goodness, because He truly cares for you!

Saying goodbye to the not-so-sandy days at Seaside

After a beach vacation, the usual reminder of good times comes in the form of specks of sand wedged into the crevices of bags and shoes. 

After working at a place called Seaside, I can't say that I've found any sand. But I certainly have memories! I left my employment in a waterpark gift shop to head back to school for fall. In honor of a request by a co-worker to have an "article written", I decided to write a blog post about my times at Seaside this summer!

So here are my top five summer memories from working at this place:

1) Parking lot tie-dye: Yep, we made tie-dye shirts in the work parking lot. Not something you get to do with most jobs! It was a fun time!

2) IHOP outings: I tried IHOP for the first time, and then for a second time. They were tasty and entertaining nights out with co-workers. I definitely had a side of laughs to go with those pancakes.

3) Laps around the store: We had a lot of rain and cool weather this summer, so my fellow associates and I got quite a bit of exercise. That exercise was walking around the store fixing racks of clothing, sweeping any little piece of debris, and finding all sorts of ways to productively pass the time. And maybe chatting every now and then... :)

4) Bucket hat swag: One awesome perk of working in the waterpark was getting to wear a super-cool bucket hat. Maybe super-cool is an exaggeration, but nevertheless, it was a fun addition to a simple uniform!

5) Finding a boyfriend: Just kidding! Had to throw that in the list because a silly co-worker was bound and determined to set me up with a random park guest. It would have been dreadfully awkward, but the thought of it sure was funny!

Thanks to my co-workers for a great summer job experience. Best wishes for all of your futures!

A Harness Racing Fan is Born

I actually understood a sport.

For those of you who know me well, this is nearly as significant a life event as the fact I was published for the first time this week. I attended the Clyde Hirt Journalism Workshop, which encompasses all aspects of reporting on harness racing. Not only did I have to learn to properly watch a race, but also comprehend the ins and outs of the event to share with others through writing.

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunities offered the past four days. I am not a journalism major, yet feel prepared to freelance write for publications in my future, thanks to this workshop. Thanks be to God for the talents he has given me. There is no way I could have done this weekend alone through my own sheer willpower. Glory to Him for the guidance and resources provided to make my first publishing experiences a success! 

Here are my articles for the Philly Inquirer:

Philadelphia Owner Skips Billy Joel Concert to Run Longshot in Hambletonian

Takter Drives Trixton to Hambletonian Victory

In addition to the writing opportunities, I had what seem to be once in a lifetime experiences. Check out the photos below (photo credits to Lia Eustachewich) to see some highlights!

We toured the NY Daily News and were copy-edited by a staff member.

Tour of the paddock at Yonkers Raceway. We spoke with a veterinarian and met driver Jason Bartlett.

I drove CD's Miss M, then gave her a bath and cleaned the stall at Gaitway Farm. She was such a sweet Trottingbred horse!

I fed Captaintreacherous a carrot. He had a silly personality and would stomp his feet when he wanted more to eat.

I sat in the press box at Citi Field. Great view!

Another awesome view-- sitting in the dugout for the Mets! I even chewed their bubble gum. If I was more athletic, I'd say I felt ready to walk out onto the field and play.

On the day of the Hambletonian (harness racing's most prestigious event), we had a roundtable with professionals in the field.


I had such a memorable experience at this workshop and hope to stay involved in (or at least watch) the field of harness racing. A fan has been born!

Now for a safe flight home with my cousin, Kathy Parker :)