GOING BACK

Well here I am, the very last day of my internship.

I can hardly believe it's over. I mean...didn't I just get here? I now understand how a year internship somewhere could just fly by. 2 months is more like 2 weeks!

To follow up on the last blog real quick-- the wednesday message I gave went well. I got a lot of positive feedback, especially on my 10 lies & truth list <--click.

The past two weeks have consisted of a lot of the things I love to do. Namely:

PAINTING

DANCING

HANGING OUT

WRITING CARDS

SWIMMING

PAINTING-- I not only painted 7 posters for our dance, Worthy is the Lamb (thus the posters said: wealth, wisdom, honor, strength, power, praise, & glory)...I also got to paint Goliath on a poster for Tracy's Children's Church message and I painted an antique oil can w/Brother Joe's name on it (antiquey style...just like this photo). Oh yeah and I got to paint a September 10th sign for Family Fun Day (which I'm hoping to be able to come & visit for)

DANCING-- well we had extra rehearsals this past week getting ready for the dance on Sunday. The girls were so committed (there ended up being the beautiful #7 of us in total) & by the morning of I was really moved to see how much we were able to do together. Needless to say, God used us to touch many people--many even to tears. & I was so happy to hear the assistant pastor Tom say that it didn't seem at all like a performance, but that God was the focus. Amen!!

HANGING OUT- I got to hang out with my friend Bethany & see a movie (Monte Carlo) and go to a cool park by a creek where we took a trail to see a waterfall (and crazy people jumping off it...see this) and we actually walked along the creek leading up to the waterfall & swam a bit. We ended our night with icecream. [8

Then this morning I had breakfast with Tracy at Denny's before work & we just loved each others company. She's so cool.

WRITING CARDS-- If you know me, you know I love to encourage people with nice cards. ^^ Well, I've been doing that with the people I love around here and makes me just as happy as it does them xD

SWIMMING-- So you know that place by the creek where I like to do devos sometimes? One day I had a couple extra hours and I just went out there by myself and swam in the creek. There's nothing quite like being alone out in nature, laughing your head off, while water is rushing over your shoulders and there's nothing but sky and trees above you.

O yeah-- and the pastor & Cheri honored me this past Sunday in front of the church & took up an offering for me. They also gave me a huge glass paperweight thing in the shape of a sailboat...with the sail being green on one side and blue on the other...so that I would "sail my way back" to New Life church next summer & beyond. ^^ so sweet.

Pastor also asked me to LEAD WORSHIP for my last Wednesday night service here. Singing & playing guitar in worship & leading people into God's presence is definitely on my top list of things I love to do!

FUN FACT: I'm really getting into Justin Bieber's music (not all, but he's got quite a few good songs) I even purchased some songs with $$! :O

hehe. My current favorite of his: Born to Be Somebody

Alrighty. I give thanks to God for the time I've spent here & I thank you, too, for coming along for the ride via words, pictures, prayers and phone calls. LOVEu.

almost FULL CIRCLE

That's right....it's actually kinda crazy. I've already been here 6 weeks!! That's 3/4 of my time here!!....hence the almost Full Circle.

Now that I'm past the halfway point and on my way out, there's a lot of talk about how much people are gonna miss me. And truly, I'm gonna miss them too.

This place is full of people who are kind and friendly; people who are shining the love of Christ and making a difference.

I think I'm gonna especially miss some of the leadership I've gotten close to...and the youth. And of course my host family. Tracy, the secretary, has become my very good friend and I do wish we didn't have to part. The youth pastors too, Jeff & Kiera, have shown me nothing but kindness. I'll miss the awesome Samoan pastor man and his amazing wife, Cheri, and I'll miss Bethany, a fellow youth leader volunteer and such an encouragment.

I'm so blessed to have a family here in Herkimer. The pastor already invited me back next summer & even beyond, and it's something to definitely take to the Lord in prayer. The best is yet to come!

To catch you up on what I've been up to the past 2 weeks:

I got to lead Wednesday night worship again last week and I'm going to be giving my second sermon this upcoming Wednesday (tmrw). I'm definitely wrestling with what to say tomorrow...a lot is on my mind but not a lot is organized. I want to talk about how God is REAL and how realizing that in our day to day life, moment by moment, could shake the world for the good.

I've been through a bout with sunburn (the aloe vera plant here was amazingly helpful) and also some sort of intestinal problem which kept me from going to work for a day, but thanks to people's prayer, good sleep, and some good electrolytes (vitacoco)...I'm doing much better now.

In the office, I've basically been spending time with the Lord, reading the Word, working on my dance choreography and weekly devotionals, preparing for my sermon, preparing a bit for VBS, talking with Tracy, practicing for worship, praying and even some weeding. Beyond the office, I've spent a lot of time at youth events...we had a sleepover where we made signs for the pastor's 25 mile run to fundraise for the kids to go to camp & for a community fun day, and on the day of his run we all cheered him on every 5 miles or so all the way to the end (and some youth & the youth pastor even ran 13 of the miles with him!!) To our great surprise and gratitude, over $5000 was raised!!
There was also a great girls sleepover night (with like 18 of us, no joke!) where we talked about skincare, hair care, and other girl stuff. Plus we had a great pool basketball game... UBER fun.

There has been much tuna eating, as well as organic brown rice and delicious organic applesauce from vermont (yummm). Organic carrots, pears, apples, grapes and raisins are also delicious.

Just this weekend I got to have an awesome mini-vacation!! I visited Bean and Jim and little Lucy in Troy & had a wonderful time at an outdoor flea market and watching Persepolis. Plus, the food I ate (chicken stir fry & fantastical Pakora...and a smoothie) was SO SO delicioussss!

After that visit, I got to spend Sunday and the 4th with my wonderful Aunt Stacy, Uncle Tom and cousin Brianna (miss you, Brandon!). I also had 2 delicious home-cooked meals there (tuna steak, beef steak, corn on the cob, grilled zucchini & asparagus, chicken w/tomato & mozz cheese, watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, quinoa & brown rice...and practically all organic thanks to my sweet Auntie).
On the 4th of July, Brianna and I spent most of the day at the beach (SO awesome) and then we saw these rockin fireworks both Sunday and on the 4th...and there were fireworks in the shapes of smileys, stars, peace signs, planets, U.S.A, and I think even a scroll thing for the declaration! It was craaazy. x)

Now I'm back and tired, but excited to cherish and enjoy these last two weeks. God has been good to me here.

now it's time to lay me down to rest. love ya & thanks for tracking w/me (: