It has been a crazy month (like usual) and I thought I would take a few moments to share some of what happened ...
FALL RETREAT
The very first weekend of October was spent at a somewhat local camp with a bunch of Cru kids for our fall retreat. It was an awesome opportunity to get to know some of the fabulous freshmen who have been getting involved.
The speaker, Dave Patchin, taught on Colossians and it was just really straightforward but awesome stuff about the practicalities of living for Christ. I think the most personally impactful thing he spoke on was when he was talking about 3:13-14 and he talked about the importance of waiting for God to start the work and then jumping on the bandwagon - i.e. we don't have to be the ones fixing people even if we are an influential tool in how God goes about addressing things in their life.
ART CRIT
One of the two classes I have to take this semester is my intensive writing class, art critisim. Although sometimes I feel that it perpetuates the snobbishness that it is really easy for artists to fall into, I definately feel that it has been an area leading to a lot of growth for me. I am realizing that I am a very global thinker and the structure of the class is one that lets me make the broad connections between things like how art can change a place for the better, how rehumanization can happen, and how God's love for the world can be expressed in powerful ways through art ... this happens in snippets all over the place, but one thing that really brought this to the forefront for me was watching a film about an artist in Detriot who has literally transformed his nieghborhood through these crazy pieces of art he has made. Already I feel the Heidelberg Project meanadering around in my head, looking for a point to break out an apply.
SAVANNAH
Was a really great week, hard sometimes but great. Of course seeing Courtney was wonderful beyond all reason, but it was also good to get yet another taste of what my life may look like if I am able to go on staff with CCC like Chris and I are planning (even if it is not at SCAD).
STARBUCKS
I still absolutely love my job. Some days it is harder than others and I am definately still trying to figure a lot of things out. I love my co-workers, all of them really even though I may have some pretty substaintailly different worldviews. I am just incredibly thankful to have the job and work environment I have (even when I don't always feel like being there)
METRO
The once monthly metros are almost always a highlight - in part because it is a chance to see Kelly Lee (who has been one of my deepest friends since coming from from East Asia over a year ago). This month one of the staff kids talked about the importance of discipleship and what that looks like. Although it was stuff I have been exposed to before, refreshers are always nice.
HALLOWEEN
This is the first holiday since starting at starbucks. Since halloween has not really been a big deal to me in a long time (I haven't celebrated it in years) I didn't think I would mind working ... well less than half-way through my shift I was really bummed about being at work versus being with my friends (which doesn't really boad well for Thanksgiving and Christmas which I also have to work). I was totally blown away with happiness when a huge group of my friends moved their party literally to me (even though I still had to be working so I couldn't do much more than exchange a few quick words periodically). It made me feel super valued.
All in all it was a good month ....
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Life of Late
The time in Savannah wasn't precisely what I was expecting (but really who knows where my silly expectations come from anyway) but it was good - and Bonnie informs me that we accomplished the goals of the trip.
On the last day I had some time alone in one of the multitude of squares which downtown Savannah boasts and I got a really cool idea about a possible tweaking to Soularium.
Carlee and I shared at Manchester on Sunday. I was a little sad that not many of the college kids were there but it was good and the Pastor who was visiting knew some of the research and development people who had helped take soularium out of tribecca. That was cool and unexpected.
I have been in a weird, not circumstance related, place sporadically since NY and I would totally appreciate prayers about it. Really that I not be so bound to my emotions in general i.e. that I not let my feelings entirely dictate my actions.
On the last day I had some time alone in one of the multitude of squares which downtown Savannah boasts and I got a really cool idea about a possible tweaking to Soularium.
Carlee and I shared at Manchester on Sunday. I was a little sad that not many of the college kids were there but it was good and the Pastor who was visiting knew some of the research and development people who had helped take soularium out of tribecca. That was cool and unexpected.
I have been in a weird, not circumstance related, place sporadically since NY and I would totally appreciate prayers about it. Really that I not be so bound to my emotions in general i.e. that I not let my feelings entirely dictate my actions.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Still relevant
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
My plans this week ...
Carlee and I are at SCAD trying to help this precious woman get a Friday Arts Project type thing. Please pray for our time here!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Oh 9th Month - how full you were!
Since September is finished (and what a month it was) I figure an update here is more than overdue.
To be frank I cannot really think much of September beyond the fact that Chris, who has been my friend for almost as long as I have been at Winthrop and my boyfriend since February 07, asked me to marry him on my birthday right before a surprise birthday party he had waiting for me (surprises abounded that night to be sure). Although our story does not include anything that looks like love at first sight I am super excited at the prospect of spending the rest of my life with him. It will be hard sometimes to be sure, but sanctification never is easy.
I watched my 'baby sister' graduate from boot camp for the army national guard and then had to ship her off for even more training. I am so proud of her for making it through and still loving it.
Things at starbucks have been going well. I love to work there and last week I became a certified barista - I even have a pen in my hat, which may not be precisely as festive as a feather in my cap but perhaps an altogether more appropriate coffee shop accoutrement.
The man who has been pastoring my church up here for the entire time I have lived here stepped down and preached his last sermon (for now) on Sunday. This is a somewhat sad transition, but change is a part of life (often good and necessary).
Things continue to go well at the outlet, but as one might expect bumps do come when five people share one house. It is good, but not easy.
I enjoy my Spanish classes for the first time but I have had zero creative productivity (for the first half of the month I had basically zero productivity, thankful God seems to be pulling me forward from that) and that is more or less it.
Also, (although technically part of October) this past weekend was our fall retreat for Cru and it was good. We had four freshmen, six seniors, and one wonderful and enthusiastic sophomore come and we learned about colossians while growing together. Always lovely.
To be frank I cannot really think much of September beyond the fact that Chris, who has been my friend for almost as long as I have been at Winthrop and my boyfriend since February 07, asked me to marry him on my birthday right before a surprise birthday party he had waiting for me (surprises abounded that night to be sure). Although our story does not include anything that looks like love at first sight I am super excited at the prospect of spending the rest of my life with him. It will be hard sometimes to be sure, but sanctification never is easy.
I watched my 'baby sister' graduate from boot camp for the army national guard and then had to ship her off for even more training. I am so proud of her for making it through and still loving it.
Things at starbucks have been going well. I love to work there and last week I became a certified barista - I even have a pen in my hat, which may not be precisely as festive as a feather in my cap but perhaps an altogether more appropriate coffee shop accoutrement.
The man who has been pastoring my church up here for the entire time I have lived here stepped down and preached his last sermon (for now) on Sunday. This is a somewhat sad transition, but change is a part of life (often good and necessary).
Things continue to go well at the outlet, but as one might expect bumps do come when five people share one house. It is good, but not easy.
I enjoy my Spanish classes for the first time but I have had zero creative productivity (for the first half of the month I had basically zero productivity, thankful God seems to be pulling me forward from that) and that is more or less it.
Also, (although technically part of October) this past weekend was our fall retreat for Cru and it was good. We had four freshmen, six seniors, and one wonderful and enthusiastic sophomore come and we learned about colossians while growing together. Always lovely.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Whatever became of August?
You may have noticed that the whole updating once a week thing has not been working out in such a stellar fashion. I think I will amend that to once a month so that I have a goal that actually might be accomplished (which may or may not be a philosophy - but really I do not need to make my blog s source of stress).
Things are going well in the Outlet. All of my human roomates have moved in and we are trying to get settled - my canine roommate decided this weekend that he will no longer be living with us so he moved back.
I did get the job I had been pursuing at Starbucks and I am thrilled about it. I started last Wednesday and it has been just as good of a fit as I was thinking it would be. Currently I am exhausted beyond all reason because I have been working opening (which is what I wanted) and my body has not yet learned how to fall asleep at a time that is reasonable for someone whose shift begins at 4:30a.
This is a big week with CCCi on campus. We have out first weekly meeting (woot cell groups which will hopefully be followed by pancakes and hanging out) then on Friday the first metro (hopefully followed by a women's slumber party and some sort of man thing - apparently guys don't do sleepovers - who knew?). It is very exciting! Hopefully Caitlyn and I will be able to follow up with the seventy something freshmen ladies we met at convocation before these things. It will be tough but life is like that sometimes.
Things I would love prayer about:
Unity in love among my roommates & discernment as we deal with our landlady.
That I will build strong and loving relationships with my co-workers (both at Starbucks and in Res Life).
That our first Cru meetings will propel us toward the direction God is leading our movement this year.
Things are going well in the Outlet. All of my human roomates have moved in and we are trying to get settled - my canine roommate decided this weekend that he will no longer be living with us so he moved back.
I did get the job I had been pursuing at Starbucks and I am thrilled about it. I started last Wednesday and it has been just as good of a fit as I was thinking it would be. Currently I am exhausted beyond all reason because I have been working opening (which is what I wanted) and my body has not yet learned how to fall asleep at a time that is reasonable for someone whose shift begins at 4:30a.
This is a big week with CCCi on campus. We have out first weekly meeting (woot cell groups which will hopefully be followed by pancakes and hanging out) then on Friday the first metro (hopefully followed by a women's slumber party and some sort of man thing - apparently guys don't do sleepovers - who knew?). It is very exciting! Hopefully Caitlyn and I will be able to follow up with the seventy something freshmen ladies we met at convocation before these things. It will be tough but life is like that sometimes.
Things I would love prayer about:
Unity in love among my roommates & discernment as we deal with our landlady.
That I will build strong and loving relationships with my co-workers (both at Starbucks and in Res Life).
That our first Cru meetings will propel us toward the direction God is leading our movement this year.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Outlet.
Since I firmly believe that as we are going through our 'normal' lives we should be doing ministry just as much as when we are at something specially focused on missions. Therefore it is my intention to continue keeping up with this blog on a semi-weekly basis to share what sort of things I feel like God is leading me to and how those who may be interested can be praying. However thus far I have been doing a rather shoddy job.
As you know I am back in Rock Hill and I have been trying to settle into the house I am renting with 4 other women (who are also all students). That has been a bit of a saga in itself because of some construction that is underway but it is overall exciting.
We have been blessed with a house so close to campus that you can see it from our student center and it is my hope that our house will become a blessing to our community. I am praying our year in the outlet (the name we have given our house) will be one of transformational community and that we will be an active part of what God does with WU - specifically what he does through Cru.
Two of my roommates are moving up today (and one jack russel terrier) and hopefully we will be getting off to a lovely start.
Ways you can pray:
Pray that we be united in love and seeking God's will, that we treat each other with a balance of love and truth
Pray that we practice hospitality even when it is inconvenient
Pray for the weekly 'family dinners' and devotionals we want to do, and that they further the above purposes.
As you know I am back in Rock Hill and I have been trying to settle into the house I am renting with 4 other women (who are also all students). That has been a bit of a saga in itself because of some construction that is underway but it is overall exciting.
We have been blessed with a house so close to campus that you can see it from our student center and it is my hope that our house will become a blessing to our community. I am praying our year in the outlet (the name we have given our house) will be one of transformational community and that we will be an active part of what God does with WU - specifically what he does through Cru.
Two of my roommates are moving up today (and one jack russel terrier) and hopefully we will be getting off to a lovely start.
Ways you can pray:
Pray that we be united in love and seeking God's will, that we treat each other with a balance of love and truth
Pray that we practice hospitality even when it is inconvenient
Pray for the weekly 'family dinners' and devotionals we want to do, and that they further the above purposes.
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