Time is moving at a pace...

Complacency…
My time since graduation has been a bit tumultuous to say the least. For those who don’t know, I am no longer going to Africa at this time. Due to events in my past it was discerned that it would not be good for me to be by myself for such a project with no support system. While I agree with the decision, I have spent some time grieving this loss as well. Yet I feel that this is the beauty of the discernment process. If God has nothing but my best interests at heart, then I am more than willing to defer to the goodness and protection of “my rock and my refuge”.

Having said that, there have been some exciting movements as well. I am in the middle of a “big job hunt” now. With this current discernment I am looking for jobs that will support and uphold my decision to “be in mission” in some aspect. I continue to marvel at how I view mission and the notion of global solidarity in a very different way at this point in my life. I have a deep desire to continue to make global solidarity and mission a life forming focus.

I have struggled with complacency in the last month and a half. I have developed some poor habits in the short time away from a regimented schedule of academia. I am hopeful that I can invest in a more deliberate life away from TV (I apparently felt the need to catch up on three missed years of TV watching in one month), and place myself back in the form of prayer, reading, light movie watching, and good conversations with friends and tea-time with myself.

Some of the big moments so far this summer have been:
• The wedding- my older sister was married in June. I was able to see my entire family-including my brother who will be sent overseas in August. My parents and sister went to the Holocaust Museum the day of the shooting. It was an event-filled week.
• I celebrated the 4th of July in Duluth, MN with great friends (essentially my other family). Josh and Star are some of my best friends- it is always wonderful to connect with them and to see Josh’s family!
• I also reconnected with an instructor from my first summer at the SOT. It was wonderful to visit with her again and “catch up”. She is so insightful and energizing. She reminded me of the need to write. As this also just came up in a spiritual direction session I think God is “beating me upside the head with a bouquet of flowers”.
• I also got to visit with some dear friends in the last couple of months- John Mark and I spent last weekend together at a family wedding for his family—LOVELY!!
• I went to the rodeo a couple weekends ago with a group of other friends- and since I had the most “rodeo experience” I somehow ended up as the “resident expert” explaining events and the goals of each event-(this is proof of God’s incredible sense of humor) It was a great time nonetheless!!!
• I went to Chicago for a regional conference and was able to meet up with “old” friends and make new connections! What a full summer so far!!

So my thoughts for the summer are to continue to find a full regiment for my life, integrating prayer, personal writing, blogging, and friends into a life of deep personal contentment. Blessings on your day!