pleasantly surprised

Have you ever had one of those experiences where you just kind of made up your own stories with a few assumptions and then was pleasantly surprised to find that you were totally and completely wrong....yeah, it's a pretty good feeling. (Even if the situation still isn't awesome)...

Right now I'm in between my back-to-back family reunions. I only have one day left of work this summer. I am very excited to see "that chapter" of my life come to a close. I'm in shock that I'm actually leaving in less than two weeks. Like really moving...not just packing for a trip where all I need is a suitcase. Am I really ready for this? It came extremely fast, too fast, if you ask me. But I will survive, like soooo many people have already.

I have had quite a few reassurances lately. It's soo cool to see God at work. Like you probably know I feel a call to serve in Children's Ministry and it is soo cool to see this call Children's Ministries in the church around me, at the same time. Coincidence?....I think NOT! Sometimes I wonder if (again) I am only doing this on my own, or that these ideas in my head or simply imaginary, but I'm pretty sure I feel God tugging at my heart in this direction. And I figure that if God doesn't want me doing this, than all these green lights I'm getting will start turning yellow or red. I pray that all of this would be for His glory alone, every child/family/parent/volunteer work with would see that in me....

Honestly I really don't remember too much about Sunday School, Vacation Bible Schools, even learning at school. There are some snapshots in my mind, a few things I remember. But it seems funny to me...it's not like I grew up knewing this is what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I just know that even if I don't remember all my teachers, the crafts we did, the bible lessons...I know that I was changed. I don't remember learning how to read or count or add, but somehow I can do it now. I am grateful to all those people who felt called to teach me. So I hope that even if I am not remembered...God can be found. Lives can be changed. Someone can feel loved. .......THAT would be soo cool!

Panera

The past couple of weeks we haven't been able to get the internet up at our house. I've felt pretty disconnected from the world. I've really come to appreciate the easy access I've had the past year. It's one of those things where once you lose something you realize how "important" it is to you. (Yes I know I'm talking about the internet.)

But anyway, I'm very thankful for my laptop! I visited Panera quite a few times in these past weeks to get things done online and stay up with everything. These trips have become adventures really. You never know who will be at Panera, who you'll talk to, what will be going on around you, the people you'll get to watch. I don't mean this in some sort of creepy way, but it's kind of neat. One time I came here (this is where I'm at now) and this woman was sharing her poetry with friends to get their feedback. She was awesome! It kind of scared me when the group went from hushed discussion to her confidently reading her poetry, almost as if she was one stage. I kind of felt like I was interrupting, but I realized I didn't really exist to them anyway. lol (That's an okay thing) People are pretty helpful when it comes to showing you where plugs are and helping you with other small matters. During the week in the afternoon Panera's walls are lined with people at their own personal tables, on their own personal computers, their own little personal space. It's kind of soothing being part of the group benefitting from a free wi-fi connection. It's a nice atmosphere. I've also overheard a couple of strangers, at the table next to m, meet and talk about their lives, their work out routines, being old...and the books they've written!??!?! I've seen people meet over wedding photos, family gatherings, etc, etc. I can't help but wonder who these people are, if they'll be famous or have been well-known. What these families are all about, where they've been, who they are....

What am I doing at home online learning about what's going on outside, when I could just go see for myself?

one

I start my college career in a month and one day!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH

I'm very excited...don't get me wrong! But wow!!!!
It came down to it and fast!
Time is going to fly by!

Well, here it goes......

an exhale

I feel like I should blog. I'm enjoying reading others blogs; they're insightful, funny, and some good reads. But I don't feel like I have anything to throw at the blogging world that's worth more than 2 cents of anybody's time. Our house sort of was struck by lightning, or something like that, last week, so I'm online at Panera like I've been every couple of days this past week. We have to get a new garage door opener, garbage disposal, some program for our computer so our internet will work, and we currently don't have access to our DVD player after a long time of trying to at least get something to work after our surround sound system was shocked too. I guess that's sort of "exciting," but it's really more of a pain.

Honestly, I feel guilty when these kinds of things happen. All this extra money my parents have to dish out on top of all this worrying over my college expenses. Does it ever really go away?

I am grateful for books to read, and laptops with wireless internet, and places like Panera to lounge at. I'm thankful for money gifts from graduation, and sales all over the place that I can take advantage of for school stuff. I'm thankful for jobs and so many reasons to get up in the morning. I'm thankful for being able to know the VBS theme for next year hours after finishing up this years. And finally I'm thankful that even though my life feels really dry right now, that there is this awesome, amazing, wonderful, loving God that I know about and feel at moments like this who's not giving up on me and knows every breath I breathe, and is SO much bigger than all this money stuff.

Amen!