Reflections

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."

 A. A. Milne

Life.  It flows along much like a stream, gliding seamlessly over its bed, waiting for no man.

In the blink of an eye, my summer has flown by.  It feels like I just fell into the welcoming arms of my family as I returned home from school.  It feels like I just began to cherish and store up all the hugs and kisses that Helen and Josiah gave me.  It feels like I just now have time to process all that I learned while I was away.

But life - ah, dear sweet life - has floated along at its usual rapid pace, and even though it seems that I have just dipped my toes in to test the waters, I've been swept so much further along the way than my brain has had time to think about.

I've spent many hours, 330 to be exact, working.  I've made guacamole, sold guacamole, stocked produce shelves, pushed carts in from the lot, bagged thousands of groceries, helped hundreds of customers to their cars, scanned thousands of groceries, returned who knows how many items, handed out who knows how many receipts, and asked the same questions every two minutes during my 6-8.5 hour shifts.

On the home-front, I've spent many hours with my sister soaking in the joys that the show "Monk" brings.  I've played multiple rounds of our family favorite, "Take 2."  I've spent a good deal of time laughing with Mom and Dad as we live up to our usual snarkiness.  I've enjoyed evenings spent with friends, catching up, seeing movies, having dinner.  I've appreciated Chik-Fil-A on their special day with a co-worker and her husband.

Even though it doesn't really feel like I've had much of a summer, I really have in all actuality.

God has allowed me some much-loved time with my family.  He has allowed me the feeling of exhaustion after working in the hot sun.  He has allowed me joy.  He has allowed me happiness and grace.  He has allowed me sanctification.  He has allowed me to share Himself with one of the families He has given me.

My friends, God has been good to me.

My heart is full - oh so full!

School starts up in a week.  If this semester is anything like the last, then I know it will be full of adventures, joys, and challenges.  But most of all, it will be a time of spiritual growth.

Somehow, it won't be any easier to say goodbye, but it will be wonderful to return to my school roots.  My heart will fill with pain again as I give my family one last hug and one last kiss.  It will be bittersweet when I insert my key into the lock at my apartment for the first time this semester.

My heart will ache with the pain of farewell, but will swell with joy as I say hello.

And so, I will continue to float down this river called life, and I will continue to be kept inside His will.

It has been a good summer, and I know that it will be a great fall as well.