Today was my last day at the funeral home. Yay! It was a bit sad to say goodbye to the people I’ve been working with for the last five months, but I’m excited about the prospect of a new beginning, a new season.
I have to admit that I felt really loved and blessed as I left. I got a bouquet of flowers, a really good cake, some Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, a candle (“for my new apartment”), and some headbands from various people. And, of course, many well wishes for a bright and prosperous future.
It all highlights to me that this life really is about the relationships you build along the way and the people you’re blessed to know – for however long or short a period.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
:o)
I found out earlier this week that my season of employment with the funeral home is officially over on Monday. I thought for several weeks that I would continue working with Mark until I go off to school, but that fell through. So, I’m soon to be jobless!
I have to admit that I feel a strange sense of peace surrounding the whole thing. I know that I’ve given it my best, in spite of being in one of the craziest atmospheres EVER. I also know that the people I’ve been able to work with and spend time with were impacted by my being there (LIGHT in teh midst of darkness!!! Yay!!!). And, I know that I’ve been stretched a bit in the midst of it all.
And now I’m looking forward to finding work where I get to focus on the living rather than the dead. No wonder there’s a smile on my face when others seem to be frowning.
I have to admit that I feel a strange sense of peace surrounding the whole thing. I know that I’ve given it my best, in spite of being in one of the craziest atmospheres EVER. I also know that the people I’ve been able to work with and spend time with were impacted by my being there (LIGHT in teh midst of darkness!!! Yay!!!). And, I know that I’ve been stretched a bit in the midst of it all.
And now I’m looking forward to finding work where I get to focus on the living rather than the dead. No wonder there’s a smile on my face when others seem to be frowning.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Contentment
I sometimes wonder if I will ever be completely content with where I am in life. I’m not talking about what car I drive, or what house I live in, or even the salary that I make … I’m thinking more along the lines of where I live (geographically) and the quality of my relationships.
I’ve been missing Africa lately. I don’t miss the kids, the work I did there, or the crazy situations I was able to get myself into in regards to the men there, but I do miss the relationships that I was able to build outside of ministry and the sense of belonging that was there (in spite of the fact that I technically didn’t belong).
I miss the church, with its African flair, engaging worship, and the sense of community that I felt every time we met. I can remember many a Sunday or Tuesday (staff meeting) when it took me 30-45 minutes just to get to the parking lot because there were people I had to speak with along the way.
I miss my connect group, where I got to be challenged in my walk with the Lord AND laugh like crazy at the antics of the people I was privileged to walk alongside. I miss the fact that we loved spending time with each other so much that we would even meet when home group was cancelled, just because it felt like something was missing. I absolutely loved bringing new people to that group because I knew that they would be welcome and loved from the minute they walked into the room.
I miss the group of friends that would come together most weekends to do something fun, just because we could. I miss the fact that although I had amazing girl friends (which is usually the majority of my circle of friends), I also had an equal amount of guy friends who would give up their Friday or Saturday evening to play around town. I really miss godly single men who were unafraid of building relationship with us single chics, even if it meant we weren't necessarily going to marry any of them. There’s a sense of balance that came with those relationships that I haven’t felt in a while.
Did I mention the hugs?
Ok, back on track ... finally, I really do miss the thrill of living in surroundings that challenge my sense of what is “normal”. Even though I may complain about how uncomfortable adjusting to another culture may be, I know that living in South Africa brought about tremendous change in my heart and development of my character. It makes me smile a little brighter when I think about the fact that adaptability is one of my God-given strengths and that, looking back on this season, I get to see tangible fruit of that in my life.
I realized a long time ago that I was created for community. I’m not one who is able to walk through life “going it solo” … I need healthy, engaging people and a stable, positive environment for it to be well with my soul. I don’t look at this as a flaw or weakness anymore … it’s just the way God made me – 100% original – and I actually am really happy that He did.
I do, however, need to reconcile in my heart and mind how the changes in how I “do” relationship as a result of my time there can be reconciled with where I am during this season of my life. Maybe contentment will come when I do.
I’ve been missing Africa lately. I don’t miss the kids, the work I did there, or the crazy situations I was able to get myself into in regards to the men there, but I do miss the relationships that I was able to build outside of ministry and the sense of belonging that was there (in spite of the fact that I technically didn’t belong).
I miss the church, with its African flair, engaging worship, and the sense of community that I felt every time we met. I can remember many a Sunday or Tuesday (staff meeting) when it took me 30-45 minutes just to get to the parking lot because there were people I had to speak with along the way.
I miss my connect group, where I got to be challenged in my walk with the Lord AND laugh like crazy at the antics of the people I was privileged to walk alongside. I miss the fact that we loved spending time with each other so much that we would even meet when home group was cancelled, just because it felt like something was missing. I absolutely loved bringing new people to that group because I knew that they would be welcome and loved from the minute they walked into the room.
I miss the group of friends that would come together most weekends to do something fun, just because we could. I miss the fact that although I had amazing girl friends (which is usually the majority of my circle of friends), I also had an equal amount of guy friends who would give up their Friday or Saturday evening to play around town. I really miss godly single men who were unafraid of building relationship with us single chics, even if it meant we weren't necessarily going to marry any of them. There’s a sense of balance that came with those relationships that I haven’t felt in a while.
Did I mention the hugs?
Ok, back on track ... finally, I really do miss the thrill of living in surroundings that challenge my sense of what is “normal”. Even though I may complain about how uncomfortable adjusting to another culture may be, I know that living in South Africa brought about tremendous change in my heart and development of my character. It makes me smile a little brighter when I think about the fact that adaptability is one of my God-given strengths and that, looking back on this season, I get to see tangible fruit of that in my life.
I realized a long time ago that I was created for community. I’m not one who is able to walk through life “going it solo” … I need healthy, engaging people and a stable, positive environment for it to be well with my soul. I don’t look at this as a flaw or weakness anymore … it’s just the way God made me – 100% original – and I actually am really happy that He did.
I do, however, need to reconcile in my heart and mind how the changes in how I “do” relationship as a result of my time there can be reconciled with where I am during this season of my life. Maybe contentment will come when I do.
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