Thoughts For Day 19!

My thoughts for the day (but, take rest in the knowledge of the fact that these are all random and disoriented and that this is not how I think normally…)

Thought #1. I am addicted, obsessed, fanatical about Carmex. No other lip balm works the way it does. I always have one in my purse, my pocket, my hand. I cannot, will not go to sleep unless I am 100% certain of the fact that it is on my nightstand, should I wake up in the middle of the night with dry lips. If I reach the conclusion that it is not where it should be before I sleep, I will get up out of bed and search every coat pocket and every cushion in every couch to find it. I am addicted.

I haven’t totally lost my mind-Stay with me here. Tonight during small group, I had a revelation about God and the relationship I have with Him. Why isn’t God my “Carmex”? Why am I not totally infatuated with Christ? Is He in my head and heart at all times? Can I sleep at night if I know He isn’t where He should be? Will I get up and look for Him everywhere if I reach the conclusion He isn’t beside me? Will I search the corners of the earth for Him if I know I don’t have Him near? Am I addicted to Christ?

I am ashamed to say, I am not addicted. I would like to be. That is my prayer for this year, but especially this semester. I want to be “obsessed” with God. There is a book called “Crazy Love” that I am hoping to get my hands on. We’re going to try to go through it as a small group this semester and I am excited beyond words to see where God leads.

(My small group is also going to take Salsa lessons on Tuesday nights…how cool is that?! 7 girls salsa-ing together…)

Thought #2. God has every person in this group here for a reason. We came to the conclusion that, had we not come to Ireland, none of us would’ve met-or at least become good friends. We all come from different backgrounds. We all have different aspirations (except for the uncanny fact that all 5 of the pre-med majors want to do something with the brain…). We all offer different perspectives. It’s wonderful.

And the lifestyle here? Incredible. For the few who are up at midnight finishing an art paper, there is Nutella and Digestives to snack on=) We’ll have 11:00 p.m. “praise and worship” sessions in our classroom where we simply sing and pray and whoever wants to come, can. Chapel is amazing and doesn’t happen near enough (the eleven o’clock hour on Tuesday and Thursday doesn’t come as quickly as it should). The locals that have lived around the “Y” will come in every Saturday night at 10:30 to play poker and make rock shandys (lime and lemon carbonated juice…it’s good.). Hopping the DART to Dublin to go to museums, parks, and cafes is so easy. The “Cliff Walk” to Bray and back is something everyone needs to do-It’s a 3 mile hike to the neighboring city. I’ve also put my lack of light-footedness to work when I ran it=) And running? Take your pick of where to run…right next to the ocean, on the cement blocks next to the railroad tracks, through town, the trail run to Bray, or along the harbor. And those places are just the “running” highlights. Try choosing one place to have your devotions…impossible. I am left in adoration and praise of God after every walk, run, or hike.

Thought #3. We heard an incredible speaker today, Jim Parson. He spoke on the Irish youth culture, the problem of drinking, the shaping of this generation from past generations, the accepted concept of “causal sex”, and the problems that have risen from that mindset. I’m still processing everything he said, so there will be more on that later, but for now, know it was an awesome class.

Thought #4. I am having the time of my life developing the gifts God has blessed me with. Photography has become a real hobby, but editing pictures has become a “stress reliever”. I don’t know why, but there’s something relaxing to me about changing the hues a bit to emphasize the mountains or clouds, or using highlights to color in oceans and fields. Another random pastime- Singing. I have had five different people on five different occasions tell me I can sing. I’ve had two people ask me if I was ever in choir. That has been such a great blessing to me. I love how encouraging these people are.

And the best is yet to come. I get to spend the next 4 years of my life becoming even better friends with these people, and that is an awesome thought. It’s not like we’re going our separate ways after 3 months. Instead, it’ll be 30 best friends storming the Taylor campus, singing Disney princess songs, eating Nutella, and stressing out about art papers.

Life is good. So very good indeed. Praise God!