Biggest Faith Trial?

I was asked today what my biggest faith trial was that I've been through...

My answer was "right now..."

And I didn't mean that literally about this month, but about the process I am undergoing. God has called me back to school, and that means leaving relationships I have established, my first home, my job, my vacations, and what has become, as one person called it, my comfort zone. So much more than coming here, it is testing me and my faith to go back. It is a new adventure, and one I am excited to begin, but that excitement is nothing compared to what I feel leading up to my departure. I know that five months from now, my house will be basically empty, and I will be getting ready to head out. It will be very different than coming over here. Coming here was a gradual sort of thing, and naturally expected (as a big change, not necessarily this in particular) after college. But now it's different.

This is where God stretches me. This is where I will see Him work. I have to rest on Him as I head back and work out both my 'vacation' and the next stage of my life.

He is good and I trust Him. That's all there is to it.

Wow.

I don't really write enough about what goes on over here, lol. Right now it is 12:15 in the afternoon and power is still on. In the course of writing this, I expect it will turn off because, well, our power outages are from 12-2 everyday and sometimes they forget to turn it off until a little later. That's one of the joys of living here.

Another is what I'm about to embark upon. I have some things to do before I head out of town for a few weeks, so I have to get some things done. I have three things to do in town. That's it.

However, you should know that the main school gate is at a place where 7 roads meet (including the school's entrance road). We'll count clockwise from the gate, with the school's road being number 1. I live on road 2. I have to recharge my cell phone on road 3, go to the ATM on road 4, and go the store on road 5. Thankfully I don't have to go to roads 6 and 7 today. There's not really a lot down those two. Then I will come back up road 2 for lunch and then head back to school for some work. So, basically, I'm about to go on a scavenger hunt and hope everything is where I need it to be today.

All to head out tomorrow. I can't wait to get off the mountain. We had two nice days of sun, and then yesterday, the sun ran away again. It has gotten really cold again. At least I'm all packed and just need to finalize a few things and I'm ready to go.

I'll see you all again in the new year!

Summer 2011

So, next summer is going to be significantly long. I will have about 2.5 months to "transition" back to the states, and already my calendar is filling up. My schedule is largely dictated by a few monumental events happening in the lives of some of my family.

First, my youngest brother is graduating from high school. :-)

Two weeks after that, my oldest two nieces are graduating from high school. Followed immediately by a family reunion that I am greatly looking forward to.

Around the second round of graduations, I will be spending time playing with my new niece or nephew, as well as a new cousin!

(In between those graduations, I'm pretty sure I'm road tripping it up from NC, up to Chicago, seeing some friends, going to a wedding, and then cutting across Canada to get me to NY.)

My family will take what is an annual vacation that I unfortunately missed last year. That should be a good time up in the mountains and is always enjoyable. There's a chance some of my other family will be joining us up there, so that will make it even better.

Then, I'm considering working a summer camp just to make some money and reunite with friends of mine and enjoy some time around there.

Then I have a little while to relax (with lots of visiting happening) and then a family reunion for the maternal side. Another thing I am looking forward to as I have missed the last three.

After that I will head back down south and hopefully work some and get ready for school to start.

And that is my whirlwind of a summer.

However, I am also trying to add something else into it.

I will be spending most of those 2.5 months reconnecting with people I haven't seen in at least two years, traveling around and visiting other people, and somehow trying to get used to being stateside again.

Basically, I know I will be overwhelmed after a bit of this. So, what I'm trying to do is add in a very quiet get away at some point towards the end of July or at the beginning of August. A place where I will be able to go and retreat. Relax and process. I know that even after my last visit to the states (that was only 6 weeks in length), that I was beyond overwhelmed. A lot of people to see, and a lot of things to do. I know it will only be worse with the fact that I will then be LIVING back there. I will need a retreat. A place to withdraw to.

Currently, that means I'm looking at cruises (aka: get on a boat and not have to worry about cooking or cleaning or ANYTHING for a week). I've really narrowed it down to two options that really appeal to me and sometimes have really good deals. One to Bermuda, or one to Alaska. Both are interesting places I've not been before, but also offer a chance to just relax and enjoy the surroundings.

I'm still exploring my options, but a cruise really appeals to me as a chance to sit in the middle of the vastness of creation and marvel at all that surrounds us. I remember from the last cruise I went on (and the only one I've been on) how much fun it was to meet people and learn their stories and get to know them over the course of a few days. I am yearning to go on a cruise and I have no idea why. I think I'm just craving seeing somewhere new. Doing something different.

Alas. All conjecture at this point. If you're interested in helping me have a vacation next summer, let me know, and I'll let you know how you can help me reach it. :-) I'm thinking Christmas presents and birthday presents... just let me know, and I'll get you some information.

I miss you all. I'll try to write once more before I head out for this vacation. But if not, enjoy Christmas and New Year's and the new beginnings that come with both of those holidays.