Another early morning

Dearest blog followers,

I would just like to inform all of you that I do not anticipate the day when I am out of school and have to work full time for a living. It will not be pleasant. I am currently at work and have been here for approximately 1 hour..and let me tell you, 7am is eeeeaaarrrllyyy!! No one should have to see that side of the morning! It is ironic that when I return home from Daytona I will be able to start my summer vacation! I look forward to sleeping in, laying by the pool, and relaxing before going back to school a few weeks later. Ahh, the bliss!

Anyway, onto more practical matters. I apologize for the lull in my blogging. I feel like I'm just going, going, going and I never have time to really sit down and write (which I don't have now because I'm actually standing). I can't believe we only have 3 weeks left here! Riiiidiculous!

Last week was a fun one. Last Monday we had our mid-project banquet before the staff left on Wednesday and that was really fun. Each D-group did a little something for their D-group leader; from skits, and poems, and songs, to bad skits, and poems, and songs. It was great. A real time of laughter and family. I loved it. We all got dressed up and took pictures and just had fun. Then on Wednesday the staff packed their bags and headed home, and we were left on our own for the rest of the summer. Wooohooo!! We had Family Night where our new Project Director spoke and Men's and Women's time. It is really awesome to watch the students step up and take leadership roles. I just want to sit back and soak it all in. There's so much that goes on here everyday and sometimes I feel like I'm too busy to really reflect and process. It can make things slightly difficult. I really want to be more disciplined. That's something I've learned about myself in my time here. I have all these ideas of things I want to do, but I'm not disciplined enough to follow through. I've even realized that when it comes to every day things such as waking up early to have a consistent quiet time or keeping things neat that I just am not very disciplined. I want to be better about that so keep me accountable!! Yes, you! I have learned a lot of little things like that about myself in my time here. I really want to change but I'm unable to do that alone. Pray that God does the transforming and not Rachel. I think by being thrown into a new environment where I literally knew no one and had to get a job and everything I have just grown and matured in ways I didn't think I would ever. But stuff here is difficult sometimes..actually a lot of times. I don't always have time or energy to do the things I want. A lot of times I have to do things I don't want. I'm used to being in an environment where I am all that matters and I just have to take care of myself. It's not like that here. I'm learning about unity of a body of Christ and how one person really can break that. I'm learning the true meaning of not only looking out for yourself but also for the interests of others and how that actually does make a difference (shocker: someone in scripture actually knew what they were talking about!) It's crazy that when you actually care to dive into people's lives how much it changes you.

Yesterday one of the new students leaders gave a talk on the theme of the week about walking in faith and love. He said something that seems pretty obvious but it struck me. He said that love is never ending. It doesn't cost anything. You can give out as much or as little as you want. Let me ask myself a question..Rachel, how often do you give out the minimum amount of love possible? If I answer the question honestly, it's like I view it as if it'll run out tomorrow so I have to ration it. I'm thinking that I should give out the minimum level of love possible so not to exhaust myself. Well that's dumb. I know, you're thinking that I'm a horrible person and that I need to love more. Or maybe you're thinking, for the first time, that you do the same thing. Why? Why do we live our lives thinking that we're number #1 and our comfort is all that matters. Let me tell you. It's been hard for me here when I come home from work and all I want to do is relax and I'll have someone asking me to do something or to meet up with them and talk or someone needs a favor. All that is in me screams "no." Why? How hard is it to just spend a little extra time with people and just love on them? What do I lose from my life? In all honesty, I probably gain more than I lose. But we are so focused on ourselves and looking out for OUR best interest. I challenge you to love actively and intentionally. Spend a little extra time with the people that talk your ear off. Bake some brownies for the people who always mooch off your food. Sacrifice a nap (oh heavens) and just hang out with people after a long day of work. It's easy to give out of surplus...it's not as easy to give out of sacrifice. So as I continue to learn, this week, about the importance of loving the way that Christ loves, pray for me as I will most definitely face difficulties along the way.

I am loving it here in Daytona but I am getting ready to come home. I think I have said that before but I just miss home. A few days ago, our adoptive family from church took us out to dinner and as I was walking to be seated, I saw a man sitting and eating by himself. I thought of my dad and how much I miss him. It's crazy, like everything makes me think of him here. A man walked in yesterday to Perry's and had the same mannerisms that my dad has, and I just got all sappy and started missing him. I'm ready for a daddy hug :] I'll be happy to get home and see him!

Pray for the last few weeks here to be good ones. Pray for us all to still be focused, it's really easy to see the end nearby and just want to hang out all the time and have fun. On Saturday we were supposed to have an outreach during the days but it ended up getting pushed to Sunday. We had the entire day to just hang out and fellowship with each other and it was very unifying. We all hung out by the pool, did the slip and slide with dish soap as the maintenance crew looked on and laughed at us. We ate ice pops, and swam in the ocean. Later that night we went to a disc golf park and had "tie dye" wars. We all had squirt guns filled with different colored tie dye and wore white t-shirts with trash bags underneath (so to not stain our skin, although it happened anyway), and we ran around shooting each other with tie dye. It was just a great, relaxing day with friends. Probably one of the best days I have had here with everyone. That is all for now. I know my posts always seem random but I just write as things come to my mind. Also, something really big you could pray for, I'm just struggling with some personal issues and I'm having a really hard time trusting the Lord. That being said, I am officially finished! I will try and update again this week since I've been slacking! Enjoy your Tuesday! :]