Stayin' Alive

"...Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

Oh, don't worry about that noise. That's just life throwing lemons at me again. It's not really a big deal, you know. What life doesn't know is that I'm going to take those lemons and make an exceptionally delicious lemon meringue pie. Doesn't that sound fantastic?! Really, who doesn't like pie?

This semester, life decided to throw curve-ball lemons my way, BUT life has also thrown some yummy stuff to make pie with as well: sugar, butter, salt. Sugar and butter are great, sure, but you just can't have lemon meringue without lemons. So I will take my sugar, butter, salt AND lemons, and I will make an awesome pie that I can share with others and sustain life. I will take those bad life experiences and I will turn them into something that Christ can use to touch the lives of others. I will use those experiences (both good and not-so-good) and share them, learn from them, and grow from them.

A lot has happened in the past few months, and in fact, only one word could describe it accurately: chaos. Before you can understand why I'm making a lemon meringue pie, it's essential for me to summarize where I've been and what has happened in my life over the last few months.

While in Atlanta for the end of the summer Student.GO retreat, I received a telephone call from my mother telling me that my grandmother Margaret was dying. Some very caring friends on the Atlanta side made sure that I made my flight in order to go home and tell her goodbye. After being out of the country for most of the calendar year and in Virginia for the summer, it was a relief to see my family at the airport. They took me to the hospital to see my grandmother, which was one of the most heart-wrenching, gut-twisting visits and goodbyes that I have ever spoken. After seeing her, I finally went home and slept for a long while.

I stuck around Cape for a few days, and each day that I was there, Grandma kept improving. She was finally sent home on hospice, and I returned to Virginia to say goodbye to all of the LUCHA folk that I had worked with over the summer. I had a great time seeing my girls again, and Sue and Greg Smith had a cookout for Kyle and myself. I left F'burg two days later and drove home through West Virginia and Ohio.

Sadly, I had no time to recover before SEMO started the fall semester, and my other grandmother was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Thankfully, I have an amazing family and a couple of epic friends who helped me to cope with what was happening to my family and how disheartened I truly was.

However, this fall hasn't been a complete lemon. As the semester progre

ssed, I spent most of my free time at my grandmother's apartment watching Cardinals baseball (how unfortunate that they couldn't have gone all the way this year). Things continued to look up, and my relationships with my family and my amazing friends (one in particular) began to deepen. I also started working at Cross Point and SAQ again. Lindsey, Eric, Aaron and I started working with the kids on Wednesday nights, and Lindsey and I are still currently teaching basic Spanish at the Nazarene Church.

On October 28th, I had to have my horse, Little Bit, put down. I miss her terribly, and her departure has left a gaping hole in my heart.

Two days later, my SEMO advisor informed me that I should be gr

aduating in December....THIS December! That's only a semester ahead of time. Goodness, I'm glad they let me know about it. I'm also grateful that the Registrar's Office managed to figure out my life situation and accept my application to graduate. I'm only a few weeks away now, and I'll be extremely happy to have SEMO behind me.

So there you have it. Now you know why I've decided on baking a pie.... My grandmothers are still with me, I'm graduating in December, and the relationships that I have right now are deeper and stronger than they've ever been. I'm alive and eating a delicious life, I mean, lemon pie.

Almost done!

Our trip to Passport Camp in Wenham, Massachusetts, flew by at warp speed. The youth had a great time, and no one died (that's the most important thing). They worked at several different mission sites, held daily Bible study and worship, went to the 60's dance and participated in the HeeHaw talent show. On the way home, we accidently ended up in Manhattan, so we decided to visit the John Lennon Memorial in Central Park and Times Square. Overall, an amazing time.

This is my final full week in Fredericksburg, and it's going to be a busy one. On Monday we're taking everyone to the pool. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday we are distributing children's books and taking people to their doctor appointments. On Wednesday, Kyle and I are taking three of the older youth to the University of Maryland. And on Sunday three of us are driving to Alabama for the end of summer retreat. Should be a great time!

Pictures soon!

Time to get EXCITED!

Sadly, this will probably be one of the last posts during my summer internship. While house-sitting this week, my laptop passed away peacefully in its sleep.

On a happier note, the LUCHA youth are preparing for their week at Passport Camp in Wenham, Massachusetts. The camp, a place for Christian fellowship and community service, will be celebrating the theme of "Barefoot: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" I'm looking forward to an amazing week full of great things and wonderful people! Please make sure to keep us in your prayers as we travel on the 26th and 31st of this month.

"We're going to the mall?!"

"Let's go to the mall, guys!" This has been a confusing statement in the past, please let me clarify.

Last week the LUCHA youth and leaders spent an afternoon in Washington DC's National Holocaust Museum. The museum, which details the events leading up to the Holocaust and its devastating effects, contains both permanent exhibits and several rotating exhibits. The youth had a chance to visit the main exhibit and spend time in the Hall of Rememberance (the museum's memorial to the six million people affected by the Holocaust).

Following the museum visit, the youth spent some time at the National Mall during which stops were made at the Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. After walking the length of the Mall and back to the van, the group did get a chance to have dinner in Pentagon City and window shop at an actual mall.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
- Colossians 3:12

How does your garden grow?

The answer: only after months of planning and hard work. The community garden near Sylvania Heights Baptist Church is having a great summer season. Cucumbers, watermelon, jalapeños, green peppers, squash, onions, and tomatoes all have a home in the family-shared garden. From planting and trench-digging to weeding and watering, the Latino families in the area have kept a close watch over the garden during the last months, and they're finally reaping the benefits (quite literally) of their labors.

Proverbs 12:14 - From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

Proverbs 21:5 - Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Luke 10:2 - He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Achieving excellence one cupcake at a time...

What a wonderful day! After a doctor's appointment for pre-op registration and swimming pool shenanigans, Sue and Aida held a cupcake decorating class for the youth. Everyone had a wonderful time, and some interesting creations emerged from the chaos. From sea monsters to the flag of Italy, everyone turned their cupcakes into canvas and somehow managed to get them home unscathed.


Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. -Philippians 4:8

Proverbs 28:10 He who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into his own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.