First of all, I'd like to apologize for my blogging absence. I started several posts but I just can't seem to actually finish them. Life has been busy and I've been having trouble putting words to what is going on in my life right now. I guess the last time that you guys in blog world heard from me was right around spring break. I spent some time that week one of my best friends in Nashville. We didn't do anything special, just hung out, but we had an incredible time. While in Nash, I had the opportunity to visit my trip leader Katie in the Show Hope offices. Getting to hang out in the office was a huge encouragement to me. I always feel spiritually refreshed when I spend quality time with people who love orphans like I do.
School continued on full force and I wrestled with God about my summer plans. I kicked and screamed and told God what I wanted to do. It was exhausting. Weight lifted as I began to let go. More on this later. Easter weekend came and I spent some much needed time at home with the family. Dad, Merry Emily, and I went to a 6 hour long Bible study called Secret Church led by David Platt. It was a truly humbling way to spend my Good Friday as I began to for the first time really feel the weight of what sin is doing in this world and in my life. It was also a truly freeing time as I was reminded of the beauty of the sacrifice my savior made for me.
On April 27th, deadly tornados ripped through the state that I have been calling home for the last 4 years. There is so much devastation. Homes and lives were lost but I am confident that God will rise beauty from the ashes. I am in awe in how the community has come together. The storms are a sobering reminder that this world is temporary. Everything in this world will pass away but life with Christ is eternal. Please join me in continuing to pray that God's light shines out in this darkness and that lives will be rebuilt.
Although I'm not graduating in a week, the process of the "lasts" has begun. Graduating late really drags the process out. Last Sunday was my last Phi Mu chapter meeting. As a freshman, I really didn't think that day would ever come. I've been going to those meetings every Sunday for the last four years and now I don't know what to do with myself. Each senior got the chance to talk about what Phi Mu has meant to them. It was quite an emotional night. I cried way more than I thought I would. Last night was my last Phi Mu party. I could not have picked a better way to spend the last precious moment that I have with my sisters. It was a no pressure evening, just trying to soak in the last moments. Today, I began packing up my room to move back home for the summer. Normally, I loathe this process and want to get it over with but today was hard. It just hit me that this is the last week that I will call this house home. Let's just say, my already heightened emotions have gotten the best of be this week.
Summer plans. This is my last free summer. I can't believe how fast the time is flying by. I had many plans that I mad myself for this summer, leave it to God to shake that up. After a long and stubborn fight, I finally let God show me what to do for the next 3 months. My baby sister is graduating at the end of May. I have the honor of standing next to one of my dearest college friends as she gets married in early June. Then, for 3 weeks I'll be a counselor at camp. I can't wait to be around my kiddos again. I'll be at Children's Camp with JF for a week helping the camp nurse out. Then, I'll spend another 3 weeks at HMC helping out in their clinic. After all of the crazy time at camp, I'm hopping on a plane with my Dad and spending a week in Ukraine spreading the love of Jesus to some kids through sports camps. It's going to be a crazy time but I'm looking forward to what the Lord has in store.
To close, I'd like to leave you with this:
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Precious Carole Ann! This post made me SO teary! Especially the Phi Mu part because 1) It made me think back to my last days in Phi Mu, and 2) you were one of my sweet little Phis (just yesterday, right???). I'm praying for you during all your summer adventures, and I am so thankful that you let your pretty heart shine for God all the time. Miss you, sweet girl!
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