On nights like this, I really need someone to remind me to sit back and laugh. My mind is going a mile a minute and I can't keep up. Would you like a peak into the whirlwind for a second..?
Let's see if I can help you understand what's going through my head:
Tired. Cold. Need to get warm. Hot chocolate. It need a spoon. Is that dress to short for the banquet? I must touch the knee... Kaity's dress. What am I going to wear? I need to figure out what I'm going to wear.... Why did I come into my room again? Spoon. I can't find one. Whey did Kirsten have to die? Seriously, Lord, I want to know... I really should write a blog about my feelings now. Ok, what did I need to do in---uh oh. What's that smell---DON'T LET THE FIRE ALARM GO OFF!!!! POPCORN. Dangit. I shouldn't have put it in the microv--only 2:30. Thank goodness it wasn't like when I burned the chocolate--Macey what I do I do? Fan---wait, open the windows. Where is the room spray? There are no windows right here. Side door. Now it's freezing. Caroling--was fun. Cold--yes someone burned popcorn. Turn off the lights--Vicky had better remember that lights out is at 10---because it's Friday night, that's why, go to bed! I want to go to bed. Breakfast. In room tomorrow. What's that? Right, I'm here. Room spray. Got it. Wait, you want to see a picture? Let me look it up! Isn't Tao so cute? I know! Lock the front door. If someone tried to get in right now--no snow, sorry. Upstairs. Inhale. Where is my scarf. Music is a bit loud. Bells. Oh I have to play tomorrow. Still need to look over the musi---TURTLE. What am I going to talk about for child--turtle, prayer, answer. Not creative. My contacts really hurt. How many gone tomorrow? I have a list--she better find a replacement phone worker. You are taking forever to type. My eyes hurt. What if it's creeping in my eyes? What if I loose my sight? Why c
an't
I type anymore. Need one more walk-around. WHERE IN THE WORLD DID I PUT MY KEYS? I better not have locked them in my roo--what would I d---call someone. I need to download pictures. Jingle Bells. So irked--don't talk like that. Door alarmed. Did I lock that one back up? Why can't I just cut all the power, that would be easier....
Ok, so I'm not crazy. I promise.
But I am tired.
And I really am sorry about burning the popcorn...
Friday, December 4
Thursday, November 19
Only God Knows
Why?
Why, God? She was a student missionary--isn't that supposed to mean something?
I knew immediately when I heard that a student missionary in Yap had been murdered. My heart and stomach sank as I read the online article about Kirsten Wolcott.
I first met Kirsten while running with the Southern Striders. Now I will be the first to admit that I suck at running but Kirsten sure didn't. She said that she started running back in high school and worked her way up to running for 50 minutes everyday before class. We both ran in the Race for the Cure in Chattanooga.
After that, I enjoyed seeing another familiar face around campus, especially when I walked into the Student Missions Orientation class one day.
We both decided to be student missionaries.
Later in the year, Kirsten, Danika and I shared a room on the Student Missions retreat. Sabbath afternoon of the retreat, a group decided to go for a hike. I really couldn't decide if I wanted to go or not but Kirsten kept encouraging me to go. So I did. And it was fun--going up! But... well, if you know me, going downhill (especially when up high) is a bit hard for me to do without having a heart attack. As the rest of the group bounded down the hillside, I slowly inched my way down. Kirsten stayed right in front of me the whole time. We chatted all the way down, and in between my constant apologizing-for-going-so-slow and her don't-worry-about-it-response, I learned that we really had a lot of things in common.
After that experience, I took time to journal a prayer to God--and in it, thanking Him for Kirsten's friendship.
And I want to do it again: Thank you Lord for Kirsten's friendship.
I don't think she ever knew how much that afternoon hike that we took meant to me, or the time that we spent praying for each other's upcoming missionary year.
Thank you Lord. But it was to short.
So here I sit. In a dean's office at a small school Adventist boarding school in Tennessee. I'm not 8,000 miles from home and my mission field doesn't consist of a bunch of 2nd grade students on a small island. Instead, I'm only 3,000 miles from my family and I have 23 beautiful teenage girls in a high school dorm. You know, for some reason I keep trying to sell myself short because I choose to do task force and only 3 hours from the school I was attending. I didn't choose to rough it on an island somewhere. I didn't have to learn a new language. I still have running water, electricity and Internet. I still talk to my parents almost everyday... How is that considered serving on the same level as my friends who are overseas?
But tonight, as I sat in front of 23 girls trying to give them a 'worship talk'--well, I just sat there: choking back tears, not having the answers, and asking for prayer.
Four prayers were offered. 24 hearts broken. I was amazed and blessed by the words spoken by the girls--through the girls. I am here for a reason. This is my mission field. These girls have experienced similar losses.
We ended with a challenge: tell those who you love--tell them that you love them--don't twitter it, don't Facebook it, don't text it. Call them. Don't wait. Tell them that you love them.
The phone was busy tonight.
As for me, I can't wait to see my family again in just a few days. I also can't wait for the day that I get to tell Kirsten how much her friendship meant to me.
I can't wait to tell her face-to-face.
Me, Jessie and Kirsten on the way to the Race. ^^
The whole group! (And I was taking the picture...) ^^
For more info:
Monday, October 5
Beautiful Days and Bubble Gum
Beautiful Days. (Sept. 27)
I have been here for, well, about eight weeks now, and I haven't posted any pictures of the school. So, for all who want to see Highland Academy, here you go! We had an amazingly beautiful day a few weeks ago--the temperature was absolutely perfect. The colors were perfect. There was no way I was going to let this day pass without being documented!
(above from left to right) The gym, the boy's dorm, the ad building with the gazebo and flag pole in front, and the girl's dorm.
(above) A closer look at the gym and the girl's dorm. The cafe is on the first floor of the girl's dorm.
(above) The music building/chapel and the field.
Bubble Gum. (Sept. 29)
Alright, so now you know where I am spending my days on duty. What about my days off duty? Well, most of the time, I stick around campus. Other times, Shelly, Nathan and I work on our list. We have a list, kinda like a bucket list, of random things that we want to accomplish before the end of the year. So this particular Tuesday, the three of us headed out to see if we could work on our list at all...
Now, taking an hour to chew the biggest gumballs I've ever seen in my life while standing in a parking lot was not a part of our list but we still had a lot of fun!!
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