Eastering

Last week was a blur--a blur I don't really want to relive and am happy to leave behind. Having a pretty intense course load as a final semester graduate student, combined with a fairly intense job and looking for another job once I graduate makes for a challenging season of life. Last week everything seemed compounded and even busier.

I had to consciously stop myself, breathe deeply, and ask God to help me get through the next moment and hour so I wouldn't literally break down and disintegrate in the middle of class or on the side of the street. One vivid example was in my capstone class, which is the largest, longest project I've ever worked on. I had just been singled out to lead a specific component of the project that really seemed impossible. After a few minutes, I quietly walked out of class and slipped into the bathroom just so I could pray.

I've had difficult papers and projects every moment of the past 2 years, but everything seemed piled on at once. All I could ask for was Jesus' help to get through the next hour, the next day, the next weeks. The task/s before me still seem rather formidable, but I know that they are not impossible, and I will get through this with His help.

By the time I got to the end of the week, I felt like I had run a marathon! Thankfully there wasn't any work Friday because of Good Friday, so a friend and I got to hike around one of the many state forests/parks around here. It was quite pleasant and no animals ate us.

Good Friday turned into a Good Weekend. My good friend Jennifer picked me up for an event at her church called "A Night of Remembrance." I'm not sure why I said yes to going, but Jenn is always supportive of me, so I wanted to support her. I didn't know anyone, but all 80 of us had a wonderful time eating dinner and reflecting on God's faithfulness. I even met a born and raised Topekan! It is indeed a rare find, and we were thrilled to meet each other and compare notes about our unique hometown.

On Saturday I played tennis with my friend, and managed to get a sunburn on a perfectly sunny, 60 degree day. Then Easter Sunday I went to church with my friends to celebrate Christ's resurrection. The weather that day was also perfectly beautiful, and I just about melted from sheer happiness singing amazing hymns to God in the light-filled sanctuary with hundreds of other believers. After the service, I took my rather lopsided deviled eggs (they really should be called something else on Easter), and went to my friend's little house from GFM. She invited about 10 of us orphans over to her house for an awesome lunch. We ended up just sitting around the table for a good 5 or 6 hours, laughing heartily and enjoying each other's company. That same day my 30 minute radio interview aired twice in Bloomington.

Today started a new week, and although it seems a little crazy already, there have definitely been some highlights. I was in the city newspaper today, identified as the "spokeswoman" for the big event I'm working on for my job. Another highlight was walking over to a radio station for yet another interview. The guy who interviewed me was way too cute for his own good. It wasn't very fair. Our interaction was so funny and entertaining now that I look back. We chatted a while before the interview, as he told me about what he would ask me, etc. He seemed nervous, and I also started feeling nervous. When he switched the mics on and started talking, I just started getting tongue-tied and then he got really tongue-tied. I really hope nobody in Bloomington listens to the radio this week, because they might just hear a really nonsensical, awkward conversation.

Another highlight was going to ballet class, and then finding out that I will be able to stay in Bloomington next year! It looks like I'll be doing AmeriCorps with a really high-quality organization once summer rolls around. Although I wanted to end up in D.C., the doors were definitely not opening, and this seems like a way better fit than I could have imagined or planned on my own. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers over the past several months! Enjoy your week!