Friday, August 19

Lovin' it.


The thing about living on a college campus as an adult is the fear that you're going to hate the whole experience. After all,  around this time during the year that these college students were born, I was flirting it up with that new guy in Jr. High. (If you really want to make me feel old, ask me what I was doing when the freshman were born. That's right. Singing my heart out in High School.)

But It's 7:54 and my fuzzy brain is screaming for more coffee. Adam is downstairs working already - has been for a while. It's Freshman move in day. I can already feel the energy, anxiety, excitement.

And I just heard the guys outside. "The door?" you ask. No, outside our kitchen. The walls are thin. (Another reason that I feared hating this experience). And I could hear some of the RAs of our guys halls talking and laughing a bit.

And I thought, "I love those guys. They are so great, they're so like my brother."  And if you know my brother (and most of you do) you'll agree. He's one of the best guys in the world.

That's what these RAs are like. They're like brothers and sisters. And, yeah, there's the "duuuhh-they're-your-brothers-and-sisters-cause-Jesus-made-us-a-whole-big-family" way of thinking about that. But its more like having new family that feels like old family.


Monday, August 15

Different than from where I've been.

I'm not one to regret that I've been somewhere or doing something/working someplace. Even the two years of working as a temporary administrative assistant for a temp agency right out of college has become an invaluable experience for me (mastering Excel spreadsheets, flexibility, learning computer programs in, oh, a day.)

And so I'm not regretting where I'm from, but this last weekend reminded me what it feels like to live with people who have joy and hope for the future. As I was talking with one of Adam's RA staff members, I likened it to have been living in the light, but having worked in darkness for two years. I'm so glad to have had that experience in counseling, but ministering to those who are exclusively dealing with depression, anxiety and any number of traumatic experiences is weighty. I can feel the weight coming off of my shoulders.

Here's why (a sampling of my favorite photos from the Resident Assistant's Retreat)




you gotta click on this photo to truly appreciate the wild abandon on James' face




 Tanks: The person in front has their eyes closed and has the "artillery," aka, stuffed animal. The person behind is in charge of directing and defending the tank by blocking other blind tanks' attacks



I realize as well as anyone that there will be a lot of growth, pain, sadness, and difficulty this year for everyone - RAs, students on their halls, RD staff. But this weekend reminded me that though the brokenness of the world exists everywhere,

it does not dominate.

God does that.

With octaves of a mystic depth and height