Mini Memoirs

September 29, 2009

Goodbye, Brother Andrew!

Here are some pictures from our last week of spending time with Andrew before he flew to Tanzania on Monday, September 28, 2009. Fun times and memories.

Saying goodbye at the Atlanta airport.

Smiles. No tears. No tears. No tears.

Always hungry. Some things never change.

Andrew and John having a grand time on Sabbath.

Enjoying Elisa's birthday party at Chow Time. Yeah!

Cousin and Karin and Brother Andrew. They are both so much fun.

We will miss you Andrew!

September 27, 2009

Car Wreck

Sabbath Afternoon Drive Turned Sour

This is what happens when you have the following equation:

sudden braking+rain+slidding=wreck

I feel like a very accomplished woman: my first wreck and ticket all in the same day. Now that is impressive.

September 15, 2009

This morning started out just about like every other Tuesday, except that I was able to sleep in until 6:00 am and my run got postponed until the rain stopped.
While on my run, I was soaking everything in: the smell of fresh rain on the pavement and grass and trees, the fast-pace clouds, the geese.... but to be honest, I was focused on me. Yep. Me. Inhale. Inhale. Exhale. Exhale. I was keeping the rhythym and developing a pace. By the time I got to the trail head of the Greenway however, I was ready to walk. I was tired. Thankfully, I slowed down just in time. If I hadn't have slowed down, I never would have noticed.

There was a confused little crawdad in a puddle left by the downpour. Having been swept onto the sidewalk, the poor little creature was struggling to know which way to go. I got a leaf and scooped him up and plopped him back in the water. "Now I can say I have accomplished something today!" My task oriented side said as she patter herself on her back.

I took a few more steps and found another, then I found a little fish! This was fun. I generally don't like looking at fish, getting close to fish, much less handling them. But saving it's life was worth it. Completely.

This got me thinking. What if I had never slowed down to notice? What if I was so set on my goal that I never even noticed a dying creature. Do I do that in my Christian life?

What good does it do when we are so busy with ministies that we forget to live ministry? What good does it do when we put ourselves above others? When we think only of ourselves? It destroys the "holier than thou" and those around.

One of my goals this year is travel outside of my own little universe where all that matters is me, and to help put little fishes back into water, and to nudge crawdads back where they are supposed to be. Help the freshman. Break down barriers. Smile more. Judge less. To slow down.

September 10, 2009

Wal-Mart Romancing

As much as I'd like to not admit it, being more than 20 years old puts one at higher risk of being accused of being in the "marrying age". Unfortunately for me, this unfriendly reality hit me on the juice aisle at Wal-Mart. On my 21 birthday.

"Excuse me, Ma'm", a upper-twenties man with a Georgian accent drawled as he tried to get my attention. "I turned around to see him trying to decide between twenty-five flavors of Gatorade. He continued on, "Are you single?"

I wanted to hide, but was in too much shock.

"Am I what?" I responded outloud in utter disbelief. I kept my cool and hoped I looked less than charming.

"Single", he responded matter of factly.

"Ohhh.... Why do you ask?" I am sure this was not the best response on my part. But I decided to cut the chase and just get to the point.

"Well..." he stumbled for a second, "I...I.. I have a friend that I think would be interested."

Right. Wish I could have believed that one. He seemed as if he wanted me to respond. And I wanted to move quickly away from the juice aisle and from the wedding aisle.

"I am friends with guys..." I started to say, but didn't know where I was going with that thought and he interrupted me anyhow. "Oh- so you mean you have a man?"

Oh dear.

I didn't want to lie. I am totally single. I don't have a man. But I didn't want him!

"Well, I am not looking for anyone right now." That seemed to appease him enough and he went towards the boxed juice area and I headed south five aisles and hoped I wouldn't pass his shopping cart again.

September 7, 2009

Old Enough...

It is funny living in the SDA world. Instead of saying,

"Wow! You're 21! You're old enough to do all of the things that you've always wanted to do!"

They say things like:

"Wow! Your'e 21! You're old enough to do all of the things that you've never wanted to do!"

Yep. That's right. Ripe old age of 21. I have always wanted to be 21. When I was thirteen, most people dreamed of being 16. I dreamed of being in my 20s. Now that it is here, I still feel very young and so immature and so unready for life.

But part of growing up is living in the present and growing.

Here are a few pictures from my special weekend. I am very blessed to have my sister nearby and so many friends that have found a special place in my heart.

My weekend started out by going on an exclusively sister camping trip to Chillhowie where we feasted on all of the best camp foods- including bread on a stick.

After coming back from camping, my friends and Elisa had the best birthday party ever.