Different

I'm pretty sure this has been one of the more exciting/boring summer with many highs and just as many lows. Still trying to decide what exactly to make of it really. I had grand thoughts and wonderful ideas and brilliant plans, but only a few of those have actually come to pass. HE is bigger than my dreams, even if mine do seem rather wonderful from this viewpoint...

Well, for one thing, I never thought I would be leading a high school girls bible study this summer. It = the biggest highlight of my summer thus far! We're going through David Crowder's book Praise Habit and it is remarkable. I've read it 5 times before, but actually taking it and breaking it down even further and connecting it back to other stories in the bible and discussing it with these wonderful girls has made it so much more enjoyable this sixth time around. Tomorrow night for bible study we're doing Psalm 40 & 50 and incorporating Giligan's Isle and leis. I am so excited. Preparing for a bible study is more work than I ever imagined but the reward of seeing a light bulb go off in their eyes each week and then seeing them walk before HIM is awesome. I want to do this for the rest of my life.

One of the more interesting happenings of this summer began with an email. I got a FWD message from my mom from the Petrie's who are missionaries in Belgium. Mrs. Petrie, due to a tragic fall, is paralyzed from the neck down and is in need of constant care. I was excited to go serve her, made the preparations, budgeted my trip, even had what I felt was a confirmation through a dream. However, it wasn't for me. Another girl got the slot before I did and I was beyond devastated. I would say that this was THE major downfall of my summer, but really it was probably the greatest lesson ever. "MY will before yours." If I had gone to Belgium I would have missed where HE has called me; which is with these high school girls. I still want to go to Belgium, but will leave that up to HIS timing. However, I didn't miss it.

Sometimes I wish I knew all of the answers and all of the right turns and things to say, but the truth is I would never learn anything if that were the case. We don't come into life knowing everything, it's a continual journey of being taught, whether you refuse the lesson or not. The lesson of being the follower rather than the leader is one I should have learned long ago, my stubborn nature must have gotten in the way though...

Listening to the cicadas roar outside my window. Summer is upon us. Had a lemon-lime fruit slush today. It made my cheeks do that weird sour face. Moving houses next week...hard to believe it's been a whole year.

~Me