A Grand Adventure

It's never been far from my mind as I've gone about my life during these past couple of weeks.  School took up a lot of time, but I always managed to keep track of how many days I had left until it happened.  I've been utterly filled with excitement as my new volunteer work looms ever nearer.  I fully expect to give it my all, throwing myself into these next couple of weeks with a passion like no other!  Yes, very soon, I will head to the airport and take off for staff training for Worldview Academy.

As the time for departure draws steadily nearer, I am finding very little time to reflect.  I am growing ever closer to God (especially with my marathon Bible reading plan [you should try it sometime ;) ]), and I cannot wait to see the iron sharpen iron next week with my fellow staffers!

This past week, I have been so blessed to get to take part in last-minute coffee dates, movie nights, and surprise drop-ins.  It's so funny how when friends call me up to see if we can hang out, my first response is always: With what time???  Which immediately turns into: I'll make it work!  I'm going to fit you in somehow!!!  The past two weeks have been hectic, to say the least, but also have been great fun!

When I got the call back in April asking me to staff at an extra camp, I thought the day would never come fast enough!  I really can't believe it's almost here!  I've been trying to spend more time with my family during this past week, seeing that I won't get the chance to hug them, play with them, or really talk with them until mid-June.  No, I haven't had as much time with them as I would have liked, but I don't regret a moment of these past couple of weeks!  They're all so very precious to me!

And now I get to my goals for these next couple of weeks.  I simply cannot wait to see how much God grows my faith as I step out of my comfort zone to try my hand at something new.  I can't wait to get to know my small groups and really pour into their lives.  I'm thrilled to get the chance to staff with the one team I have not heard, thus meaning I'll be learning right alongside my girls.  Yes, God is so good!  I pray that I will come back refreshed in the faith and ready for whatever is next on my plate.

So, until I get back, God bless, and soli deo gloria!

Everybody Loves Bill

Luke and I huddled around the computer screen to watch this comedy routine by Bill Cosby last night. We pretty much LOVED it. And, because everybody loves Bill, I thought I'd post it here. =D

Well Hi!!!

Haha!  Wow!  It has been a long time since I've thought of anything blog posty-ish.  No, nothing thought-provoking has been on my radar of late, mainly because since finishing school last week (woot!), I've been caught up in a whirlwind of high school graduations, work, and trying to get back to a normal life.  Ah well, life is good.

Ok, so, you know how I've changed my college major three times and still have not entirely settled as to what I want to do?  Yeah.  In the midst of the greatest ambiance in the world (a.k.a. Barnes and Noble), Mom and I discussed my life over a glorious cup of coffee.  It wasn't until last night that I realized why I flit back and forth between the things I supposedly want to do and then change my mind so quickly.  It was so obvious that I missed it until last night!  I have no vision for my life's story.  That's it!  I have no idea where my life is going to go in the next couple of years (hopefully it'll go somewhere).

Let me just pause here and say that my mom is the only person I know who can get me to cry in public.

Okay, back to my story.  So I was sitting there, in the middle of Barnes and Noble with a mocha latte on the table in front of me, trying not to make a sopping wet mess of the world and all its inhabitants as my mom and I FINALLY realized what's been wrong with me!  I won't deny it:  this thought had me depressed for a short while.

But with my depressing realization also came hope.  I know that God has a plan for my life!  And you know what?  I'm super excited about what He has in store for me!  His plans for my life are far beyond anything I can comprehend, and it gives me something specific to pray for.  I just know He will reveal Himself to me, and that He has a specific kind of work set aside for me to do.  I don't know what it is yet, but I can't wait to discover it!

Unique Friendships

Yes, sibling friendships suddenly became very important to me.  I have a completely different relationship with each one of my siblings.  With Zach, I share serious conversations, a few inside jokes, and ultimately, I share my heart.  He's like my sounding board, seeing things that I don't.  I have great respect for him because he always roots his decisions and principles in Scripture.  Everything is black-and-white to him, and he will not act outside of what his conscience dictates.

Then there's my friendship with Luke.  Perhaps I should have mentioned in the below post that wherever Zach and I were, Luke was never far behind.  The three of us were thick as thieves, and when Zach went away, Luke and I got even closer!

Luke is the brother with whom I stay up late into the night.  We watch Foyle's War together, share MANY, many, many inside jokes,  and just all around enjoy hanging out together.  Luke is my best bud!  There was one evening a few weeks back when he spent the night at a friend's house.  After all the little people went to bed, it was just me and my parents.  Around 11 O'clock, both Mom and Dad decided they were going to go to bed.  I couldn't believe it!  Luke and I often stay up way past 2 a.m.!  What was I going to do for 3 hours by myself???  Yes, without Luke, I often feel bored and lost.  =)

There's a uniqueness found in sibling friendships.  They've seen you at your absolute best, and they've certainly seen you at your rock-bottom worst.  They offer a unique perspective on your life, knowing everything about you, yet loving you anyway.

My family has been fortunate enough to be closely knit.  We can joke and tease each other, but heaven help the outsider who tries to do the same!  We're each other's most powerful protectors.  We offer the best advice (though often without being asked, *heh heh*).

We. Are. Best. Friends.

Praise God!  I have been so blessed to have been placed in the Adams Family.  I love every single member with all my heart, and I wouldn't trade a single one for anything in the world.  They're my family, and by them I will stand.

My Heart Will Go On

His arms reaching out to be held, Josiah simply couldn't stop smiling and laughing as Zach scooped him up!  For a few precious moments, Zach held Josiah close in a sweet embrace.

This tender scene played out in my home when Zach finally made it home for the summer months.  He'd been away for roughly 9 months studying at LeTourneau University, and everybody was ready for an extended visit.

Watching Zachary leave for college was a hard thing for me to walk through.  To me, it felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest with no hope of  restoration.  I was saying goodbye to life as I knew it, and it was the most painful experience I'd ever endured.  

Zach was my playmate, the one with which I had spent many long years building up memories.  We did everything together!  We chased ducklings around our backyard, "traveled" thousands of miles in the campers we built on our bunk beds, stayed up late listening to music, had movie marathons, ran cross country, discussed history and philosophy, took care of younger siblings, etc., etc., etc.  If one of us was in the middle of something, chances were very good the other was right there in the thick of it too!

I remember the week Mom, Dad, and I moved him into his dorm.  We went up for two days, and I thought it would give me some transition time so that saying goodbye wouldn't be nearly so difficult.  

I was wrong.  

I was fine the entire first day and  a half, but the last half of the second day was brutal.

As I watched Mom and Dad each gave Zach a hug goodbye in their turn, my emotions began to rise.  

Then it was my turn.  

I embraced him, and he, me.  As I clung to him on that hot August evening, I realized that it was to be the last I was to see of him until Thanksgiving.  All our lives, we had never spent more than a week apart from each other's company.  I could hold back the tears no longer!  Out they came, streaming down my face as I choked out a feeble "I love you" and turned away.  I walked as quickly to the car as possible without looking back.  

I couldn't bear to look back and watch him shrink away in the distance. It was like if I let myself watch him grow smaller and smaller behind me, I would see with my own eyes my life slip away!  I just couldn't do it.  Instead, I spent the entire 5 hour car ride home in silence, grateful for the dark of night that covered any outward signs of grief.  I felt like I had been shot through the heart.  Honestly, though it's absurd to think of now, I thought I had lost him for forever.

But you know what?  Throughout that first semester, we became closer than ever.  God strengthened our relationship in a way that never would have happened if he had stayed at home with me and my family.  It wasn't until this past year, in fact, that I realized how important sibling friendships truly are.