Breaky Break

The week before Spring Break we had dinner for our Bible Study. 

Followed by a game of UNO, complete with house rules, which resulted in a game that lasted almost two hours. 

During Spring Break I was blessed to be able to do a variety of activities. Our parish secretary had my roommate Helen, our friend Katie, and me out for dinner one night. 

I went home with Helen and got to spend some time visiting with her family and friends. It was a great opportunity to spend some time out in the country and read books to little kids. 

I had a haircut and ran to Savannah.

And then I went to North Carolina to visit Granny. This is what NC looks like.

North Carolina looks like the mountains and seeing the town below. North Carolina looks like woodpeckers and bluebirds. North Carolina looks like reading and watching Jeopardy. 

North Carolina means time with family.

North Carolina means I get to hear stories of when I was born. And even though I've heard them so much, I still like hearing them again. 

Even though I only lived in North Carolina for three weeks after I was born, I think I still have a piece of my heart there. And visiting the house that I was brought to when leaving the hospital as a newborn still feels like coming home. 

Granny and me, right before I left. 

Uncle John and me, right before I hit the road back to Georgia. 

Thank you for your yes.

Yesterday was the Feast of the Annunciation.

Here were some of my thoughts:

For the last 33 days, I have been preparing to give myself more fully to Jesus.

Today we remember and celebrate that scene so beautifully shown in Luke's Gospel. An angel appears to a young woman, she is presented with a choice. She says yes, and the Infinite One steps into time, as the Holy Spirit overshadows Mary and she conceives.

Yes.

Mary didn't have to say yes, but she did. And everything, eternity, changed.

Mary's yes didn't just affect her. It didn't just affect Jesus. It affected (and still does) me. And you.

Mary knew when the angel appeared to her that he was asking something difficult of her. She knew it would be challenging, but she was courageous and gave God everything.

I am amazed by what the Lord has done in my life though my yes.

And I am amazed by what the Lord has done in my life through others' yes.

My life would be different if my friend Pam didn't say yes to Jesus and become a missionary.
My life would be different if the inspiring people who support me through prayer and financial support in the mission didn't say yes.
My life would be different if my teammates didn't say yes to Jesus to serve Him in the mission at Georgia Southern.
My life would be different if my roommates didn't say yes to Jesus in following Him to Statesboro.
My life would be different if my students didn't say yes to serving Jesus.
My life would be different in the women in my Bible Study didn't say yes to learning more.

I am in awe. My life is so different because people said yes. If they didn't, I wouldn't know that the Christian life is possible, or even though it is difficult, it is relevant and fulfilling. I wouldn't know of God's great love for me and willingness to provide for me in incredible ways. I wouldn't know how to talk to new people on campus, I wouldn't know how to be joyful, I wouldn't value my characteristics that make me a "gem". I wouldn't know the joy of living in community, I wouldn't be inspired to grow in virtue in the small things, I wouldn't be so encouraged to follow Jesus anywhere. I wouldn't be humbled by these women's love to follow Jesus and share Him with those who desperately need Him. I wouldn't be so excited to see how the Holy Spirit is working in lives.

This year my team has many goofy phrases we use all the time.

One of them is "thank you for coming" (usually used for mandatory fundatory meetings and fun lunch dates). Another is "thank you for your yes". Which is used in a #jokingnotjoking fashion. My life would be so different if these people didn't say yes. But not only my life, everyone's lives would be different. Our yes to Jesus has huge repercussions, and we will probably never know them all in this life.

But meditating on my yes, on others' yes, has shown me that I am so incredibly blessed. I am so thankful.

I hope that, like Mary, I can continue saying yes to Jesus.

Crafternoons and Such.

This weekend the weather finally got back to normal. It's in the sixties/seventies.

Last week we saw the thirties again. It was awful, but I know I'm wimpy compared to everyone in the North and in the Midwest.

On Friday we had a priest come visit our campus! He can breakdance and beatbox, so naturally students think he is awesome. Friday night we had a get-together at the guys' house and Fr. Jewel performed some songs for us and then preached on God's mercy and the power of Confession.

It was a great night of fellowship.

Justin and Fr. Jewel are pretty much besties (my words, not theirs)

Saturday we got lunch with Fr. Jewel before he left.

Edgar's great Panera experience:

I spent my Sunday doing crafts.
Like making magnets.

I don't know why, but all of a sudden our fridge drove me crazy because all of the magnets were from people who don't live in our house. I think I just wanted it to feel more like home.

I also finished this goofy string art.

 (which I learned from this blog: http://delightfuldeets.com/2013/07/diy-string-art-deer-head/)

And I worked on my t-shirt rug... It's slow-going.

Hoping to enjoy the weather with students this week. Spending time on campus and in my eno!