Feelin’ good

Helllooooooo,

After my extended vacation from blogging, I’m now back and ready to talk about some things! Well, let me do a little recap…

Mike and I had our friends, Kelsey, Kevin and JLee,  in town a couple weekends ago and had so much fun! They got in late Friday night, and on that night I got my much awaited birthday present from Lee Lee! She painted for me “Love is all around” which will begin my Jessica Erin Lee art collection! Then on Saturay we ventured to IHOP (pancakes), walked on the Silver Comet Trail, NAPPED (this is something we all needed), ate Brinner (breakfast for dinner), and went to this local  bar to play board games. On Sunday, we got to go with Resolution Church and 7 Bridges Ministries (if I remember correctly) to serve the homeless in the greater Atlanta area. It was really neat for myself to personally have this experience. I realized over the years how much my heart had become hardened towards those who don’t have a roof over their heads. I think it was just not knowing 1) God’s heart for the poor and 2) allowing past experiences to really shape my own belief system about the homeless. It’s very difficult, still, when you see the grave situations people are in AND that they CHOOSE to not get out of. That’s what is so difficult for me. There was one woman inparticular that really reminded me of “the woman on the mat” in the Bible. Kelsey and I got the priviledge to pray for her and give her some food and drink, but that was it. She didn’t want to leave her mat. And it’s the same frustration I have with ministry in general – the desire to not budge. To not move. To stay right where you are. Obviously, in homelessness, this is a much clearer picture. It may be a lot more difficult to see “the woman on the mat” in us and in those around us. That attitude is in areas of our lives God hasn’t even begun to put his finger on, or maybe he has? Who knows. If anyone, God, and if you, then maybe it’s time to change that. It may be time for God to also soften your heart like He is beginning to do mine. You have to remember you didn’t do it for whoever that person is to begin with, you did it for God and He sees the desires and intentions of your heart regardless of what other people decide. Regardless if you’ve had plenty of classmates or friends say “no” when you invite them to ENCM, or your family thinks you’re crazy (for not being Catholic – how could you!?), or whatever the situation may be – know that God knows and God sees your heart before Him. Even in the discouragement, that’s what we have to cling on to and God’s promises for us. He may be doing things inside of your heart, or their heart, that we can’t see. It’s ok. God will do His part, we must continue to do ours, and hopefully, people will begin to change.

Then on Sunday night, we ventured to go camping at Stone Mountain! I loved it! I was first of all, SO PROUD of Kevin for not only going, but really having a great time and attitude in the process! I think this weekend blessed Kelsey and I just from how much him and Michael bonded! It was awesome! Poor JLee though was sick! She couldn’t go with us on the service project, but I don’t think she was too sad to miss out on hiking up Stone Mountain! I know she really loved the Stone Mountain Laser Show on Saturday night though ;)! Our new friend, Dave came along too! It was such a blessing to Mike and I to have him there and to have our Tallahassee and Atlanta friends get to know one another! I am so thankful he came! He even saved the day by bringing some very helpful flashlights because by the time we start cooking dinner on the grill, it was already getting dark outside!

The next morning, we climbed up Stone Mountain and when I tell you it was a “hike”, I was dying half way up the thing! I can’t believe how out of shape I am! I am thinking about maybe starting to walk on the Silver Comet Trail when I get off of work 3 times/week. I figured Mondays it will not be possible because I’m trying to just get to GSU on time, and Tuesdays is currently mine and Michael’s “date night”. So maybe on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and then Saturdays with Michael in the morning.

Well work is busy, I am going to skip ahead to the next weekend. The week inbetween I was just absolutely, miserably sick. It was this terrible cold (that I got from my SOS in Tally) and it just completely exhausted Michael and I. I mean, on Tuesday I could cook us both dinner and then the rest of the week we had soup leftovers and would eat and then go to bed. It was pitiful, but maybe just what I needed. This week I have been paying for it though, and have done a decent job catching up and getting back to the flow of things.

TBC…