Snow.  That's the best word to describe today.  I was talking to Titus (my housemate who's not been mentioned on here before) about how it seems like February - and Valentine's Day week in particular - seems to be the worst month of the year for the cold white stuff... unless you like it and that would make this a great time for you!  I managed to make my way into State College this morning for my Tuesday morning breakfast date but by the time I got back home I lost my desire to be outside for anything.  And as the snow continued to fall my schedule was cancelled one thing at a time until I was left to work at home and watch the snow fall.  That's the way I like it.  If only I had some firewood in the house...

I'm continuing to plug away in the world of freelance, not how I expected things to be this month but having a great time of it all the same!  I've gotten enough work to pay the rent and I'm trusting God to continue to provide what I need.  I'm also afforded the opportunity to learn how to do new things artistically that I've not done before.  I've got a checklist next to my computer that I add to when I see something new that I want to learn...  This is an image I spent some time on this afternoon.  Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to be able to use it for what I created it for - but it was a great exercise in learning my craft!

I don't suppose there's too much else to report at the moment.  That should be a good thing and in a lot of ways it is, but I think it's also an area that I need prayer in.

Before I typed this entry I thought I'd review what I typed on this date last year (see, I don't repost ALL of the the old blog entries) and I was reminded of my ministry and the work that I'd hoped to see by now.  At this point last year I was having conversations with the church I'm attending and I had hope that some kind of progress would be made in the area of the church's response to the GLBT community of State College.  By that time I'd been talking with the leadership for almost nine months and I was grateful for just having the opportunity to be heard.  Now, a year later, I'm not so sure I was.

Truthfully, I still believe I was brought to State College and this church for a reason.  I know that I make that statement out of frustration and disappointment, but I'm in a discouraging place where this is concerned... and it's not all on the church.  Over the last year, I've learned a lot and (I'd like to think) I've grown a lot, too.  God's clearly trying to teach me things and He's being very patient while I slowly absorb the lessons He throws my way.  Still, I feel like I've missed a lot of opportunities and I think there are still a lot of places where I need to do better... I guess it's true that the more you learn the more you realize you don't know.

All this to say that I could use prayer - for patience, for endurance, for the church and the community, for joy and for the wisdom to see where God's leading me... and to trust when I can't see.  Most of all I would like prayer for the people that aren't being reached right now and for the opportunities that I get... that I would recognize them and do the best that I can in them.

Thanks... and let me know how I can be praying for you, too...