Sweek on the Sweek

I’ve been going through a lot of old stuff this summer trying to get rid of as much as possible. I want to get it down to where I only have 5 or 6 boxes at my parents' place so I will be ready to go back overseas within this next year. This past week I ran across a diary I kept in second grade. My horrible spelling makes it read like a book in another language, but I decoded two of my favorite entries for guys. If you have had to edit any of my recent papers, you know my spelling is still not great but thankfully it has improved a lot!

I wrote: to day I witi to daycare and sweek on The sweek and seed socse form The Sada a Mosice and Woch Nech Trees!

Translation: Today I went to daycare and swung on the swings and sang songs from the sound of music and watched (I don’t know what to make of “Nech”) trees!

I wrote: to day I went on a trip to San Antonio and Vist wite pepol That I never mit and spin a nite at The hotetile and went on a boate

Translation: Today I went on a trip to San Antonio and visited with people that I never met and spent a night at the hotel and went on a boat. (I think my mom helped me with some of the bigger words)

Keeping an Eye on the Coast

There is still some love for creativity that was not yanked out after a cruel year of being an art student. That part has made me uncomfortable every time I’ve sat down to post something. I feel freedom to post again now that I have recreated this page and it looks so much more like me. Yay!

I’m enjoying the luxuries of being in my hometown this summer with my family. In addition to being able to hang out with my family, there is a newspaper on the table every morning and doing my laundry doesn’t require quarters. I don’t have to plan every meal and I can watch a movie on a screen bigger than my computer. I think I’m becoming spoiled… Hopefully not because in a month I’m moving out again to go to a school in Atlanta. More about that later…
I promise I’m going to start posting again! Plus I’m saving up to replace my camera that I've managed to break so maybe I’ll start posting pictures too! Well maybe… One step at a time.

Culture Shock

Spending sometime overseas has taught me to expect an exhausting phenomenon we know as culture shock. It is normally a symptom of travels achieved by long plane rides and extended stays in new places. What I learned this week was culture shock can be just as felt without the plane ride and new country. I had no clue that walking into my first Chin apartment would bring back waves of this familiar feeling.

Now I guess I should catch some of you guys up who have been keeping up with me mainly through this blog. My major is all about getting into the community and working with families. Yes there are specialties within my major that lead to people doing family research or administrative work for family related services. Really though, I think we can all agree that those areas would not work well with my personality. For my internship, then, I was looking for a chance to apply what I’ve been learning in a hands on, cross-culture setting. Here’s where the Chin Refugee Ministry comes in. The Chin people are a group from Myanmar who are pouring into this area as refugees. The first Chin who became a Christian was baptized in 1904 and now most of the Chin people will tell you they are a Christian. The needs of the Chin refugees are nothing short than overwhelming, but they are a constant testament to Philippians 4:19 that says “God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Right now I’m still meeting them and learning about their lives and how they think. I’m working on the culture shock thing too.

Walking into this internship the verse that God pressed on my heart was Galatians 6:9-10. It says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” I’m excited that my major has shaped another opportunity to do good and especially to brothers and sisters from Myanmar. I’m sure throughout this semester I’ll be writing more about God’s handy work in their lives. For now I should get back to the homework. This is the part where I moan and look around for an excuse to do something else.

Between sneezes

Today was the day of the half marathon that I was going to run with friends here, but instead I’m inside going through a box of tissue and counting down the hours before I can take more Dayquil. Wow, I reminded again of how weak I am. My throat got a little scratchy yesterday afternoon, but I thought some sleep and Vitamin C would take care of that. I went to bed early with my running clothes laid out, my bib number and shoes next to that. Around one o’clock I gave up any attempt to sleep. What was the point? Because at one I realized that the now flaming throat and new symptoms of discomfort were nothing more or less than a cold that would keep me from resting enough to travel 13 miles with my now aching body. I was wide awake mainly because of the sneezing so I dragged my poor little body to the couch to pout.

I really wanted to do this thing, but no matter how much or little I trained and for how long it didn’t matter. All that it took to take me down was a couple of germs maybe picked up on a door knob or greeting a new acquaintance.

That’s when I realized the perfect teacher was taking advantage of a moment that we in the world of education call a “teachable moment.” Yes I laughed when I wrote that last sentence. Anyways…I was reminded again of how strong and mighty my God is, because before I was even born he knew that the race of life I would run would be marked by greater weaknesses than just colds. He knew my sin would cripple me and so he ran the race for me. He didn’t just complete it. He had complete victory. Because of his victory, I have victory too. Thank you, God, for being mighty to save. He freed me to run the greater of these two races with my eyes fixed on him as the author and perfecter of faith. That’s a cool thing to remember. It is good for me to be reminded that the outcome of this life race has not been determined by my own performance, but instead it has been secured by the victory already obtained by my Savior.

That’s the reason I can have joy today and celebrate between the sneezes…

By the way, I am so proud of my friends who did this race today! It is a big accomplishment and I can’t wait to see the pictures! Congrats! You guys are great!

Staying dry at a local coffee shop...

I couldn't stay in my apartment to study today. The rain makes me completely stir crazy. Don't be to concerned, though, a good cup of tea in this crowded coffee shop has made it easy to get things done. Across the table is my friend Nami who happened to be here when I came. I've enjoyed seeing several friends pass through getting coffee and several others joining a group upstairs to do church. I need to remember to do this more often.

I'm back into a healthy rhythm after midterms. I'm going to start apply to internships the next few weeks and in preparation I've bought a dress to interview in. It is really the first big girl dress I've had. Of course, I've dressed for many weddings and showers at this point, but up to this point I could get away with simple dresses that don't need to much ironing. I feel a little older which amusing me.

Things at the B have been different this semester. Many of the changes have been very good like the emphasis on prayer. Almost every day at the B starts out with prayer at 9:30 followed by countless times over the week where we pray. Some of the freshmen wanted us to start praying before Worldlife and so we are doing that. The prayer team has been encouraging freshman to open up their dorm rooms to pray and so some groups meet there. I love it! I love seeing the Church here become more burdened for prayer.

College towns are so fluid. I consider it a blessing to do life here and be part of this body of Christians. It is neat also as I'm finishing up here to see new faces stepping in and being invested in while also investing in others. After two years of leading groups at Worldlife, it is to cool to be part of mobilizing new freshman to teach and build relationships for the purpose of sharing how good this God is who we serve.

Senioritis is in full swing and the rain has become a familiar friend. All of which makes it hard sometimes to be motivated. I'm praying that I would finish this last year at school strong. If it sounds like I'm leaving tomorrow, don't worry I'm not, but time sure is moving fast.

Voice

So why such a long break between posts? Have I already become bored with blogging? Is this yet another goodbye after a fling with a creative medium? Actually, I haven’t written in a while, because I’ve just confused myself about what to share. Rewinding to my first post I said I wanted to write to stay connected to people and also to get myself writing in the first place. The problem with that is it very vague. Bopping around from place to place, I’d like a way to share like the update letters I got to send back to the home state when I was in Mexico and Thailand. Where as right now there is not an incredible need for me to have a way update, I need to get in the habit. So here is me refocusing, and trying to fight the urge to simply blog all the feelings and fluff that bores even me when I reread it a month down the road. Of course I like to read other blogs with feelings and fluff. I just tend not to be as poetic as I could be. I’m sure if this was an assignment turned into a writing class my teacher would simplify all of this by saying I’m trying to find my “voice.”

Peace

I write this sitting on the couch with peace that saturates and seems to almost press in on me. Today hasn’t been extraordinary. I could even find things to complain about like the cloudy sky or my contacts that don’t seem to want to stay in today. I still physical hurt from the aerobics class and my heart has been broken again today by another family member who has decided they don’t want to be part of my life. Still nothing can separate me from the love of Jesus, and so circumstances is not fuels this peace.

Everybody is back in town from the summer, and we have been able to welcome and make friends with so many new people. I am so encouraged by the renewed passion for prayer and also seeing so many guys leading and stepping out. God has been just pouring out his spirit on this place and so I am one of the many who is waiting in expectation to see the hand of my God work. I like following this God who goodness is constant and who is always at work even when I don’t see it.

It’s been said before and I’ll take the liberty to say it again. Following this God who is constantly good and who is always at work does not equal an easy life. This past two weeks has been hard in some ways. Following Jesus, like a lot of you guys know, means not yielding to your own desires but instead yielding to the desires of God. Something that I’m learning is that me letting God’s desires shape my life does not just affect me. Also, it does not just affect others in ways that are always warm and fuzzy. Like yes it’s cool when following Christ means I get walk into class and tell someone that there is this God who loves them. It’s not warm and fuzzy, though, when family decides you following Christ means you’re not respecting their desires for your life. Their response is not always pretty. I know it’s because they love me so much and they have values that they view as good and right. It’s scary for them for me not to pursue what is in their mind good things. So I’m in this hard place again and I know that this story has played out in tons of Christians’ life. So again I sit here with this overwhelming since of peace. My God is always good and he is always working to complete what he started. Love you guys!