This week has involved last minute preparation for spring retreat, and tailgate night! For those of you who don’t know, we had a tailgate party to get everyone excited for the retreat this weekend. It involved decorating a car with your small group colors, having a cooking contest, and a small group chant contest. The winner of any category would win a $75 scholarship to the retreat, and so the stakes were high. My group Audax won the car decorating contest, which was such a blessing to our kids. We all were dressed up in workout gear (the retreat theme was The Biggest Loser) and I wish we took more pictures because it was a great night.
Tuesday involved us driving to Macon as a missions team to work at a food distribution centre. We made 350 boxes of food to hand out to needy families, and the work experience will come in handy when we go to California. Speaking of which, it’s coming up so soon! I fly out April 8th.
Last Wednesday I had a wonderful surprise- my brother came to visit! In January he had to leave in order to go be with his family, and so it was so good to see him again. We all went out to Sonic as a family, and had a great time. He is doing well, and I am so proud of him for living for God on his own. We all hope he can come for graduation and see us all again!
The retreat was a huge success. On Friday I found out I was selected to be on the retreat worship team, which I was so excited about! We played three times, and I am so glad for the opportunity. I loved to have the chance to pour into my small group girls lives over the weekend, as well as just hang out with them and get to know them better. They have their struggles, but I love to be able to help them out any way I can. They are such a blessing to my life! God totally did things in their lives, and I am so happy that they want to know him more.
Arriving home on Sunday, I was faced with reality again. This week we find out if we are accepted back for a second year, we have our trimester exam on Friday, and on Saturday I will be heading out to Florida with Crissy, Faith, Mel, and Lyn! Today I have been trying to find a job for the summer, and get a student visa figured out for next year. It’s getting stressful as I reach dead ends, but I know God will make a way for me to come back next year. I just need to trust him and pray about it! Please pray for me that I find a full time job, and I get a student visa. Those are both definite musts if I want to come back! Below are the few pictures I took at retreat: the set design, our small group Audax, and myself at worship practice. Also are a few from the tailgate party: our car, us doing our workout routine, and just having fun. I love all the memories I make here :)
Last Friday we headed into the church for prayer and to work on Tokens, yet again! Leading that team has taught me so much about being a leader. It's not as easy as it looks! It's just a little idea of what I have to look forward to if I return for a second year. Later that night my family headed over to my mom Gabby's house to watch movies and just hang out. It was a great way to end the day, because we all needed to relaxation!
Saturday was the big day... second year interview day!!! It went so well. They told me how great I was, and what they admired in me, as well as what I should change in order to return for a second year. I'm glad I recorded it, because it was hard to take notes. I just wanted to listen and hear what they had to say! I'm glad for the experience, and even now I'm taking into account what they've said to me. Later that day, we had human video practice. Human videos, or dramas as they call it in Canada, are written to a specific song and we act out a story along to it. This time we all had two shirts to wear: a black one on top and a white on bottom. They each had a label on them, and the idea was that God changed us from the black label to white label. My two shirts read "Security in Guys" to "Security in God". In the human video, we acted out a scene depicting our black label, and Jesus would come and take off our black shirt to reveal our white shirt, and our new identity. I wish I had someone record it, because I am told it was very moving. We stayed at the church until the early hours of the morning practicing, but I didn't mind. I love playing a part in human videos, and I love how God uses us to get across a message. It really is a privilege to be used by him!
Today was my day off, and I slept in I am proud to say! Amanda and I went out to the mall, and since then I've been doing homework. We are in a pretty busy season with exams next week, retreat this weekend, and the regular day to day activities. My missions trip to California is coming sooner than I can imagine, and next Saturday I will be on spring break, headed to Florida! The year is flying by... but I love every day here, no matter how challenging it can be. I'm learning and loving Jesus more and more each day.
This past week involved a lot of prepping for our spring retreat next weekend. I am helping to lead the retreat tokens team, and we are responsible for making 290 tokens for our kids. It is a lot of work, but it's coming along slowly but surely!
Last Friday I passed in my application for a second year. It'c crazy to think how the year has gone by, and I only have a few short months left... I'm starting to apply for summer jobs, if you know of anything let me know! My only requirement is that it's full time- if I am going to come back, I'm going to need a lot of tuition money!
We had cadre again on Monday and Tuesday, and I had the awesome opportunity of babysitting a 14 month old named Zoe. I didn't really get to experience cadre as I was at the hotel taking care of her, but I enjoyed it just the same. I always love to work with children when I get the chance!
Alright everyone, so I finally found out where we are going for our missions trip... Orange County, California!!!!! I am beyond excited at this point. We will be working with various food distribution centers and warehouses, one even being located in a families home, Jeanne's son Justin Mayo with his non profit organization called Red Eye, and we will be doing kids ministry as well. This is a huge opportunity for us, and although our missions trip details have changed significantly in the past week, I totally believe that God has something awesome for us to do there. I can't wait to share with you all that God will do!
This last week was full of rest and relaxing, but not by choice. As of last Monday I became sick! It started with a swollen throat, and then the cough came... and then the runny nose... By Friday I had to take a day off and stay in bed for the day. As much as I'd like to say I feel much better, I'm still battling symptoms. If you get a chance, please pray for me! I would love to feel better.
I still had a lot of great memories this week, despite being sick. On Monday I went to the mall with Beth, Paige, and Amanda. It was great to just get out of the apartment and hang out! The next day while many were at Jeannes for cadre, we went to the church to make tokens. Tokens are little crafts we make that Jeanne hands out as a remembrance of what she speaks on. We had one day to make 285 chalkboards, and we worked twelve hours on them. We were so proud of ourselves when we thought we had them all done, but then to our shock we found a box full of unpainted chalkboards! So the next night after Oxygen we stayed at the church until 2:30 am to finish them off. They were needed for the next day, so we had no choice. It's when you are up into the early hours of the morning, and you are sick and tired, that your true character is tested. I will admit that I did not have the most positive attitude, but God used that opportunity to stretch me even more.
We had all heard rumours, but on Thursday it finally came a reality. Thursday was the day that they handed out second year applications. Now, this may not seem like such a big deal, but I think everyone's heart jumped a beat as Pastor Jordan told us about the papers in his hands. I do believe that God has called me back for a second year, but filling out the application just made me realize how much I have failed at this year. I don't deserve to come back, but by the grace of God I know that doesn't matter to him. He sees my flaws, but loves me just the same. Our application of twenty five thought provoking questions is due this Friday, and we will soon after have an interview with the entire staff, and Jeanne Mayo herself. I will know by spring break if I am accepted for another year- less than 4 weeks away!
After being in bed all day Friday, trying to feel better, I got up and had to leave my apartment. I was going stir crazy! Amanda and Beth invited me over and we went to Amanda's apartment to eat pizza and watch movies. It was so much fun! I realized that I haven't really just hung out like that in a long time. I am always working or planning something here at Masters, and it's a great thing. I've learned though that I need time to just enjoy my friends and do nothing. So I'm going to make it a priority once a week!
Saturday night I hung out with my family and we talked about our "four questions". Two days before at family time, we went to the airport because it represented going home for all of us. We then talked about how we have been doing since coming back from home, and if we've been growing in all the areas we desire to. Our discussion went so long that we had to meet again and finish what we all had to say. After that, we went to see Princess and the Frog at the dollar theatre. I fell asleep halfway through, but I didn't mind if I was only paying $2 for it.
Right now it's 12:16 here, which means it's officially my mom's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I love you, I miss you, and I will be calling you in the morning. I hope you have a great day!!!
