wow...there have been so many of them lately. Cramming in every last minute with my friends has caused me to resemble a chicken with no head lately...but that's not a problem. We had a great family night with the Costerisans on Friday...the WHOLE family, including Annie, which was odd but so much fun. She's about the only girl in the world who could sweeten that barrel any more. Aaron, you did good. :)
Saturday we practiced for our quartet...which was fun cause only 3 of us could make it. No problem though, Andrew can play the drum, pluck out a bass part, and sing all at the same time! Saturday night I headed to Texas Roadhouse with Matt, Zach, and Tina...we had fun eating way to many rolls with cinnamon honey butter and steaks. Yeah fun! Then we went to vernons were a whole slew of people were waiting for Matt...to wish him well and give him some goofy presents. We had a blast, a good time of prayer for the departing college students, some great food, and a long game of mafia. Once the gang had fizzled slightly the foursome sat back down because Zach and Matt decided that this once they could beat tina and I (the lengendary, telepathic team) in spades. They put up a good fight but they both suffer from ADD I think and we ended up beating them in the latest game of spades I've ever played. In fact, once we prayed once more I just beat 2 am home. Yikes! It was tough to say goodbye to my good buddy Matt and realize that he is just the first of several tough farewells this week. But then again, he's jazzed, and I know that he won't completely change before I see him again.
Sunday morning the quartet worked hard to pull the song together and we had fun singing it on Jackie and Andrew's last sunday before they depart. Good times...we've spent so much of this year singing together, it was a fitting way to end...and an awesome song too! I also got to chat with Jessica from RBC who is going to be a sophmore at Millikin about how we can draw some students to the church. Her attitude got me excited about the possibilities...and about the potential friend I have in her. After evening service we went to DQ with Jacks, the Bosticks, the Costerisans, and their missionary cousins (very cool people) ...that was fun. Then we had a movie night and helped Jackie keep her head on straight during her packing. This morning my mom woke me at noon to remind me that I had an 11 am lunch date with Heather. Sorry sweetie!! We had a good time with what we had left though. Then tonight TJ, my (amazingly!) 11 year old brother, had a birthday party at the bowling alley. Right now he and his best friend are camped in a tent on the deck and probably having more fun that I can imagine. I love that kid...he is so cute. ...and I hope he'll keep his air soft gun away from me! :)
The rest of this week is already almost booked with recording, church stuff, get togethers, sorting out finances, buying books, and more cleaning. ...that last one is probably my favorite.
I watched a toon on homestarruner called "bug in mouth disease" on saturday night. Homestar swallows a bug and runs around, frantically dramatic, yelling "THE GOOD TIMES ARE OVER STRONGBAD!!" for the whole show. When he finally rids himself of the problem he goes back to normal life like nothing ever happens. I realized between Matt's laughter that I may have had some of the same behavior lately...frantically grasping at each "last time" and dreading the day when I have to say goodbye to the awesome highschool years I had. I'm sorry for being so annoying, for anyone who happens to read this. ...I'm going to try harder. God's really been working on me to see the potential he has for me to fill in the FUTURE, not the past. Tough lesson to learn for me, but there are people who need me, people who I need, and work to be done around that corner that I can't see. Faith...I need some. the good news is that despite the hard times that will come, the good times are far from over.
To those of you who have or will be moving on this week...I love you all and will miss you dearly. Let me know about your times, good or otherwise, so that we can make more when you come back. Blessings on you as you embark on new journeys.
"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; fondly remembering your work prompted by faith, your labor produced by love, and your perseverance inspired by hope in our lord Jesus Christ, and in the sight of God the Father"
1 Thes. 1:2-3
2 comments:
Yo morgs
It sure has been wonderful spending so much time with y'all like these before all the departures take place. Hopefully we won't all be a sad bunch in a sad state because of "friend withdrawal."
Quartet went unbelievably well, I thought, especially considering the hairiness of the previous practices. Phew! Ya know, time and again we find ourselves flying on the seat of our pants (whatever that really means) and each time we freak out like it's gonna be terrible, and each time it seems God has given us wisdom and peace during the moment to pull through amazingly well. I often wonder why we still freak out after experiencing similar success over and over, and I've come to think that God wants us to do that, to lose grip on the wheel every time, so we won't ever believe it was solely our accomplishment. I'm guessing the first time I don't get worried at all, it could go painfully wrong and will bring me to my knees anyway. ... Just a thought. ;-)
I was quite saddened not to stay longer at Matt's party, but like I said to Mike as I went out the door, I think I came at just the right time. Good thing, too, 'cause I hate mafia with a passion, mainly 'cause I have to wake up every round, literally! Haha!
Remember something, dear (yes, you and Jacks have rubbed way too much off on me, it seems): Like you said: the good times are far from over. Gosh, this is where the fun really starts starting! (<---like that?) I mean, here we go, into the REAL WORLD (enter scary ghost noises), where, yes, we will have to make our own decisions, and be independent, and go down one-way paths knowing we won't get to make many of those choices ever again, like career, marriage, kids, etc., and living on a lot of faith and grace. But look at the bright side: We will get to make our own decisions, be indepedent, go down many new paths, make many exciting choices, and live on a lot of faith and grace!! By golly, the glass isn't half-full, over completely full... it's OVERFLOWING!! I don't exactly remember the reference or anything, but there's a verse that goes along the lines of "we have before us an eternal weight of glory..." and I think the rest of that passage speaks aptly to our current circumstance. Check it out. I'll do the same in a bit.
Wish TJ (how would you spell his nickname? Teege, Teje, teaj? Oh what am I asking YOU for? haha!)
a very merry birthday. They are getting aged! Tell me about it. When did Heather trade in her thumb for a bottle of lipstick, anyway? Yikes!
I'll conlude now, realizing I should have just emailed you, but perhaps someone reading this will gain something from this comment.
God's very rich blessings to you, sister, as you journey on like the rest of us, though perhaps not physicially much further, every other way shows miles of untouched frontier waiting for you to blaze a trail through. Meet every challenge with the same confidence and yet also humility that has brought you thus far. Oh, and don't forget to write occasionally.
Grace and peace to you and your kin (and good tidings too, I guess!).
Your Friend,
Andrew
Thanks
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