Wednesday, August 29, 2007

http://www.sunherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/130418.html



Miss the moss-covered vines, tall sugar pines

Where mockingbirds used to sing

I'd love to see that old lazy Mississippi

Hurrying into Spring





The moonlight on the bayou

A Creole tune that fills the air

I dream about magnolias in bloom

And I'm wishin I was there


Please pray for my friends on the Gulf Coast.






Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Post #6

I haven't blogged in a while, mostly because nothing very new has happened. I have only 7 days of summer Greek left which is exciting and I'm looking forward to my first real semester. I'm feeling a bit more at home here, feeling more comfortable to be myself. In loud and chaotic places, I appreciate the solace of my quiet room.

I've spent a lot of time with my family which feels strangely wonderful. I keep feeling like I need to get all this time with them in before I go away again, and then I realize I'm not going away. It's nice.

On Monday I went to a meeting in the city put together by some Zetas. Zetas, if you don't know, are those belonging to Zeta Phi Eta, my college co-ed fraternity. They are some of the most awesome people I know and I was pumped to see them, and hopefully I'll keep seeing them! You see, we're trying to put together a New York professional chapter of Zeta. Professional chapters are for those who have graduated from college but still want to do Zeta-y things like community service and professional development stuff. I think it's great and will be a good escape from the Seminary bubble when I need it.

Ideally, something exciting will happen to me this week that I can write about.

Blessings!

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

In My Mailbox

Today in my little mailbox at school, there were two very exciting letters. The first was from the woman, Elma, I sponsor through http://www.womenforwomen.org. This program matches women who are living in war torn countries with sponsors who pay a small amount each month to help their sisters get vocational training. Elma is 20 from Bosnia. I was excited to see a letter in her own handwriting. I hope that in some small way our relationship helps to close the gap between "first-world" and "third-world" women and that it can be an example of peace.

Secondly, there was a letter from my friend, Aubrey. Aubrey was one of 3 women that became very important to me while I was in Europe for a semester. We have not been as close since then, but there is a bond that remains because of the amazing adventures we had there so I'm always very excited to hear from her (especially in a handwritten letter). Part of Aubrey's letter talked about her upcoming marriage which is so exciting. It served though in part to propel a debate/conversation in my own head about what I'm doing and what I'm doing in my life.

This summer has been sort of hard. Dorm life in a small town is not what I'm used to. After visiting some fabulous friends in Boston this weekend who live independently and roam around that awesome city, I realized my tiny room is going to take some getting used to. This is never what I imagined for myself for this point in my life. I do not regret for a second where I am, but I think I am beginning to understand the full weight of what I'm being called to and being called to give up. I am depending in a lot of ways on the charity and grace of others, trusting that God will provide what I need but probably not a ton of luxuries. This is alternatively frustrating, humbling and comforting.

I am also struggling with the fact that while moving so much has given me so many friends and experiences, it has not allowed me to grow roots, or perhaps rather to grow too many. For the first time last week I was really homesick for Mississippi. I cried on the way home from Starbucks where I was studying. Then I cried leaving Boston because I'm homesick for there too. I was looking at churches to intern in in Europe because I feel connected there.

I feel at home everywhere and no where all at once.

I realize that this is in many ways a wonderful problem to have, but it can still be hard.

I'll keep working on it.