Wednesday actually was my day off- I was so relieved to have a day to myself and to refresh my physical and emotional states. I spent it by waking up an hour late and enjoying a shower of singing really loudly. I then had an interesting discipleship adventure with my s.p. discipler Karly. We explored God's truths together on the second floor of my (empty) Charleston church. It was so majestic and the moment felt so holy up there on the second floor. Karly is a person that is gentle and giving, and I feel very blessed to have her as my discipler here.
On Wednesday we had dinner with our ministry teams (mine is outreach). We discussed our goals and what was going on with our Saturday outreach. After we did this we went out onto town for our scheduled reflection time. I made my way down with many students to the beautiful Waterfront Park and found a seat next to a sweet girl on project here. We talked and bonded for a time until we got into what people could call reflection. This is just some of the stuff I reflected on:
God I seek out so many things before you. I take your truth and make it funny money before the lies the world tells me. But your word is pure and gold- it never demoralizes, and is everlasting.
"Tossed his copper and I watched as it fell / but there wasn't any water in the wishing well…"
God, I think of myself as ruined. There are and have been too many times that I have believed that your purity was not enough to cover my sins. That I was beyond repair- that I was not worthy of the life you called for me, the life you MADE for me.
"Longing for purity…"
God, I have felt so free in your Spirit these past few days. THANK YOU for your grace and the indescribable joy that comes from knowing your truths and being in a relationship with You.
These are just some of the things I got to reflect on before my comfortable, scheduled time was interrupted by an opportunity. The girl I was sitting with overheard two European women talking in another language- peaked by curiosity, our desire for exchange sparked a twenty or so minute conversation about cultures and places and dreams. These two Slovak women were far from home and attempting to see the East Coast (from Florida to Niagara Falls) in two weeks before they had to return to Slovakia. It was amazing the transaction we had together as human beings, and the birth of a spiritual conversation began just as they had to leave to catch their bus (one was an Atheist, one was Roman-Catholic). But they noticed our interest and that Americans are normally very friendly and wanting to hear of their culture. I have spent a lot of time praising that Christians in general are called to act differently than most people, and so I think people can sometimes see this. Afterwards, an interesting possible spiritual conversation was brewing afterwards with two gentlemen, but it did not flesh out because the situation was intimidating and the time was short also. But I was just so surprised and refreshed to have outreach kinds of opportunities during my scheduled reflection time- it just goes to show you how God works on His timing and not ours. :)
NOW, onto Thursday. Work was extremely dull. I believe I was working front register and then lobby, but honestly almost all of my days blend together haha. After work on Thursday I came back to the hotel where we had delicious amazing hamburgers bought by Mr. Jim. We had a big cookout celebration in the hotel's lobby of burgers and drinks. Mr. Jim has been honestly one of my favorite things about this hotel, seeing his smiling face peek around corners and his smoking cigars outside. That night we also had worship night. It was beautiful outside so we went to the Battery to sing and celebrate God's glory together down there. We got there a bit late, but it was amazing all the same. We even were crashed by a God-loving honeymooning couple from Missouri, whom we took the chance of praying for them and their new marriage. It was a pleasure to meet and hear Robin & Trent's stories for a little while. We then went along to Cookout and I had a delicious strawberry and Oreo milkshake with a large part of my Cru family.
Let me tell you about Friday now! On Friday, I worked 8-4 on lobby the entire day (which is by the way the most physically exhausting and boring job there), and I also received the news that either me or one of my Cru co-workers would be transferred to another McDonald's in the area. That totally sent a shockwave through amy plans and hopes for possibly growing closer to Shandy and Miss Betty and Lisa and James and Lacy and Miss Mary, all of whom I was beginning to form actually really solid relationships with, emphasizing the probably abnormal respect I give them for having such a difficult and trying job. It is not sure which one of us it is, but I am planning that it will be me, because Jordan is a superstar at drive-thru and Katie is awesome too but cannot be relocated anyway. I am very nervous but also excited I guess, so please pray for my heart that it would be open and willing to go wherever God wants for me for the rest of my summer.
After work on Friday, we cooled down with a group picture, a dinner outing, and some broom ball (similar to hockey but without skates). I will just say that I fell down a lot and am sporting one big nasty bruise on my left knee, but it was also hilarious and so much fun with our group. I would love to go again (just with kneepads)!
Overall, I have very much enjoyed my week and can't wait to see what the next 6 weeks have in store. :)
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| my Cru HCSP family, student and staff and kids and all. :) |
Love,
MacKenzie
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