In 9 days I graduate college...
- 3 exams to write
- 1 speech to get 'formally' approved
- lots of thank you cards to write
- games to play
- hang outs to happen
- last conversations to take place
- good bye hugs
- prayer times
- making memories
In 31 days I will begin World Race training camp in Georgia...
- meeting my team
- visting my lovely Macon friends
- enjoying the deep south
- eatin' some chick fil'a
In 2 months my friends Amy and DJ are getting married.
In less than 3 months I will be in Haiti starting the WORLD RACE.
WOW!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
forgotten in the forest
I find myself at a strange crossroads...
despising the place I once loved most...
loving the people who have hurt me most...
though perhaps to despise is too harsh a term.
Detachment and release are at the forefront of my mind...
from this institution I once identified with.
Grateful for the years of instruction, friendship, and the like...
mourning the callousness of goodbyes and the ties I must admit, broke long ago.
Forgotten in the forest
I feel as I say goodbye...
Forgotten in the field
blinded by man's eyes...
Forgotten in the building
though hundreds stand near by.
Forgotten, forgotten, forgotten.
To finish with such little anticipation,
such small celebration,
such little regard, no reward, no acknowledgement.
To be a face unseen in a land where you've planted seed,
Tis' more tragic than loneliness itself.
Some things matter little in life and require much -
yet others matter much and require little or everything.
Such strange expectations,
Such peculiar boundaries,
Such unnecessary words,
Such puzzling contradictions,
Such unwanted practice...
Done.
Final.
Finished.
Successful.
Completed.
Expired.
Overdue.
Winner.
Victory.
the End.
Still Standing.
As I prepare to go...my heart races:
with questions
with answers
with dreams
with visions
with passions
with desires
with fears
with wonders
with hopes
with disappointments
with anxiousness and anticipation
with zeal and gusto
with preparedness
with adventure
with drive, motivation, encouragement
with Truth
with joy
with love
with hurt
with...
I love people - and they hurt me a lot.
I love laughter - and I cry a lot.
I love learning - and I fail a lot.
I love trying again - and I succeed a lot.
I love new seasons - and I hate saying goodbye.
The power of the tongue holdeth the ability to birth life or bring death.
May my words in the forgotten forest...
in this season of goodbye bring much light, life, joy, peace, and passion.
I find myself at a strange crossroads...
despising the place I once loved most...
loving the people who have hurt me most...
Grateful for the years of instruction, friendship, and the like...
mourning the callousness of goodbyes and the ties I must admit, broke long ago.
despising the place I once loved most...
loving the people who have hurt me most...
though perhaps to despise is too harsh a term.
Detachment and release are at the forefront of my mind...
from this institution I once identified with.
Grateful for the years of instruction, friendship, and the like...
mourning the callousness of goodbyes and the ties I must admit, broke long ago.
Forgotten in the forest
I feel as I say goodbye...
Forgotten in the field
blinded by man's eyes...
Forgotten in the building
though hundreds stand near by.
Forgotten, forgotten, forgotten.
To finish with such little anticipation,
such small celebration,
such little regard, no reward, no acknowledgement.
To be a face unseen in a land where you've planted seed,
Tis' more tragic than loneliness itself.
Some things matter little in life and require much -
yet others matter much and require little or everything.
Such strange expectations,
Such peculiar boundaries,
Such unnecessary words,
Such puzzling contradictions,
Such unwanted practice...
Done.
Final.
Finished.
Successful.
Completed.
Expired.
Overdue.
Winner.
Victory.
the End.
Still Standing.
As I prepare to go...my heart races:
with questions
with answers
with dreams
with visions
with passions
with desires
with fears
with wonders
with hopes
with disappointments
with anxiousness and anticipation
with zeal and gusto
with preparedness
with adventure
with drive, motivation, encouragement
with Truth
with joy
with love
with hurt
with...
I love people - and they hurt me a lot.
I love laughter - and I cry a lot.
I love learning - and I fail a lot.
I love trying again - and I succeed a lot.
I love new seasons - and I hate saying goodbye.
The power of the tongue holdeth the ability to birth life or bring death.
May my words in the forgotten forest...
in this season of goodbye bring much light, life, joy, peace, and passion.
I find myself at a strange crossroads...
despising the place I once loved most...
loving the people who have hurt me most...
Grateful for the years of instruction, friendship, and the like...
mourning the callousness of goodbyes and the ties I must admit, broke long ago.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
reunions and ceremonies
All the past PLC got to meet up with Prez @ Smitty's for milkshakes and story time.
The BBC Athletic Reception - honoring all those who participate in athletics on campus!
Ministry to Adults class family - Dr. Taylor facilitated a class we all grew to love and admire this semester.
Psalm class family. As a small class we grew close, especially during our presentation times.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
1 Peter 1:13-16
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled;
set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
As obedient children,
do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in ALL you do;
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
(1 Peter 1:13-16 NIV).
set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
As obedient children,
do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in ALL you do;
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
(1 Peter 1:13-16 NIV).
Thursday, April 01, 2010
maple syrup and 'womens work'
Last Saturday I piled into a vehicle with three brothers and headed an hour and a half away to a little town called Tracy. Our purpose on this bright and early morning was to serve however we were needed.
Obviously from the get go, I was quite outnumbered, and oftentimes I feel frustrated when people even suggest my capabilities, skills, or work-abilities as less than that of any man, but slowly and surely over the last two years I've been learning to both trust and mostly to RESPECT. Men need respect, and while respecting them does not necessarily mean I am not just as or more capable than them of accomplishing some hard task - it does mean that I am allowing my heart to practice submission - and to build my brothers in Christ up by setting a good example of being supportive, and believing in them to accomplish it just fine without me.
Our destination was a little place known as the "Village of Hope" which is currently under construction and will eventually be a rehabilitation center for men struggling with drug & alcohol addiction. They will reside at the facility for 10 months and work some of the industries being established on the land: wood or the maple syrup sugary.
After brief introductions with all the men I was informed not to worry, that the women would arrive shortly with pancake stuff, and perhaps I could join them in making labels. I prayed I could get outside and do some hard, tough work - which for the majority of my life has been my measure of success vs. failure. Have I worked hard and given my all, or have I just sort of done something? Momentarily bypassing the suggestion that I peel and stick labels, we all loaded in the truck and headed off to stack wood. It felt good to chop mud, ice, and wood piles to get all the good stuff vs. the stuff that needed to be thrown away and burned. The day had just begun and I already felt closer to success and good accomplishment that I had expected. We loaded and stacked some more wood, and eventually it was lunch time.
We all gladly dined on pancakes -- and fresh, homemade maple syrup with the promise in the air of heading off to the sugary after lunch. We gathered our gloves, and gear, headed to the truck and suddenly I found myself in a bit of a situation. Standing among the company of 7-8 men, I was asked to join the women inside for clean-up duty. My heart sank. "So close yet so far" I thought to myself. I responded quickly so as not to show my true feelings on my face, and in the name of "serving" I wandered back down around the house and inside to do "womens work". Now the one thing I know to be true about womens work is that it's usually easy - and I have to admit I find it a little dull, meticulous, boring, but necessary because it comes so naturally. I've been doing these tasks since I was a toddler with my mom (and dad - they shared equal responsibilities and worked as a team). This is important because as I've grown up I've always felt a great need to be challenged in order to enjoy work.
Drying dishes, I struck up a conversation that was encouraging and interesting. We picked up dishes, pots, pans, and leftover supplies. Voila we were finished and there wasn't much else to do - but you know women...we always look for something else to do...and eventually we remember its all done. We finally finished and waited a little longer til' we could head over to the sugary! I danced my way to the truck. Finally! Finally! I get to go and see maple syrup made!!!
It was in this moment that God began to work on my heart - I remembered my humiliating walk down from the wood-stacking and group of guys to 'help clean up' and I remembered how icky and hard it was to swallow my pride and agenda to serve where people wanted me to serve this particular day. It was tough - and as we drove to the sugary I started to understand the purpose of "respecting" men - supporting them - and sometimes doing the seemingly unimportant little things even when we want to do the crazy, tough things. If for one purpose, and one purpose alone I spent that time helping clean up, it was to have a conversation with a new sister in Christ - and to allow the truth to sink into my heart that [tough work does not always = good work] as well as, "whatever we do, we are to do not as though we are working for men, but for God - He deserves to be honored in all things, great and small."
Later in the afternoon - happily at the sugary watching maple syrup be made, and helping stack more wood, we dined on maple taffy, freshly made with boiled syrup poured and rolled on snow. It was dining over this taffy that spurred a conversation between both myself and one of my brothers. I shared what I'd learned about "womens work" - and laughed deep inside as he said, "oooh are you joking? I would have totally love to do that! I would have traded with you in an instant." This silly conversation brought a full perspective to my understanding and lesson - sometimes guys don't enjoy doing the "tough work" and would much rather prefer doing some "women's work".
While today was a great opportunity to learn and serve - I think sometimes we need to remember not to miss the potential before us. We need to be intentional in placing people we work with and minister to, in places where they love what they are doing, and will be willing to pour all of themselves, and their passion into accomplishing what is before them. Sometimes in doing this, we find the unthinkable, and the impossible. Sometimes it can be beautiful. Sometimes learning things is as simple as "womens work" or as complicated as making maple syrup...what we take away from it, and how we choose to respond it totally up to us.
Obviously from the get go, I was quite outnumbered, and oftentimes I feel frustrated when people even suggest my capabilities, skills, or work-abilities as less than that of any man, but slowly and surely over the last two years I've been learning to both trust and mostly to RESPECT. Men need respect, and while respecting them does not necessarily mean I am not just as or more capable than them of accomplishing some hard task - it does mean that I am allowing my heart to practice submission - and to build my brothers in Christ up by setting a good example of being supportive, and believing in them to accomplish it just fine without me.
Our destination was a little place known as the "Village of Hope" which is currently under construction and will eventually be a rehabilitation center for men struggling with drug & alcohol addiction. They will reside at the facility for 10 months and work some of the industries being established on the land: wood or the maple syrup sugary.
After brief introductions with all the men I was informed not to worry, that the women would arrive shortly with pancake stuff, and perhaps I could join them in making labels. I prayed I could get outside and do some hard, tough work - which for the majority of my life has been my measure of success vs. failure. Have I worked hard and given my all, or have I just sort of done something? Momentarily bypassing the suggestion that I peel and stick labels, we all loaded in the truck and headed off to stack wood. It felt good to chop mud, ice, and wood piles to get all the good stuff vs. the stuff that needed to be thrown away and burned. The day had just begun and I already felt closer to success and good accomplishment that I had expected. We loaded and stacked some more wood, and eventually it was lunch time.
We all gladly dined on pancakes -- and fresh, homemade maple syrup with the promise in the air of heading off to the sugary after lunch. We gathered our gloves, and gear, headed to the truck and suddenly I found myself in a bit of a situation. Standing among the company of 7-8 men, I was asked to join the women inside for clean-up duty. My heart sank. "So close yet so far" I thought to myself. I responded quickly so as not to show my true feelings on my face, and in the name of "serving" I wandered back down around the house and inside to do "womens work". Now the one thing I know to be true about womens work is that it's usually easy - and I have to admit I find it a little dull, meticulous, boring, but necessary because it comes so naturally. I've been doing these tasks since I was a toddler with my mom (and dad - they shared equal responsibilities and worked as a team). This is important because as I've grown up I've always felt a great need to be challenged in order to enjoy work.
Drying dishes, I struck up a conversation that was encouraging and interesting. We picked up dishes, pots, pans, and leftover supplies. Voila we were finished and there wasn't much else to do - but you know women...we always look for something else to do...and eventually we remember its all done. We finally finished and waited a little longer til' we could head over to the sugary! I danced my way to the truck. Finally! Finally! I get to go and see maple syrup made!!!
It was in this moment that God began to work on my heart - I remembered my humiliating walk down from the wood-stacking and group of guys to 'help clean up' and I remembered how icky and hard it was to swallow my pride and agenda to serve where people wanted me to serve this particular day. It was tough - and as we drove to the sugary I started to understand the purpose of "respecting" men - supporting them - and sometimes doing the seemingly unimportant little things even when we want to do the crazy, tough things. If for one purpose, and one purpose alone I spent that time helping clean up, it was to have a conversation with a new sister in Christ - and to allow the truth to sink into my heart that [tough work does not always = good work] as well as, "whatever we do, we are to do not as though we are working for men, but for God - He deserves to be honored in all things, great and small."
Later in the afternoon - happily at the sugary watching maple syrup be made, and helping stack more wood, we dined on maple taffy, freshly made with boiled syrup poured and rolled on snow. It was dining over this taffy that spurred a conversation between both myself and one of my brothers. I shared what I'd learned about "womens work" - and laughed deep inside as he said, "oooh are you joking? I would have totally love to do that! I would have traded with you in an instant." This silly conversation brought a full perspective to my understanding and lesson - sometimes guys don't enjoy doing the "tough work" and would much rather prefer doing some "women's work".
While today was a great opportunity to learn and serve - I think sometimes we need to remember not to miss the potential before us. We need to be intentional in placing people we work with and minister to, in places where they love what they are doing, and will be willing to pour all of themselves, and their passion into accomplishing what is before them. Sometimes in doing this, we find the unthinkable, and the impossible. Sometimes it can be beautiful. Sometimes learning things is as simple as "womens work" or as complicated as making maple syrup...what we take away from it, and how we choose to respond it totally up to us.
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