As the Race winds up, I’m starting the process of processing. What exactly happened the last year of my life? What happened with the Lord? How has it changed how I know Him and how I know I am known? What has it taught me of the world? What has it taught me about Love? How am I different? What did I learn about relationships? All of these questions are going to take time… you may even be present for some of the questioning, figuring out, processing. They aren’t going to be things I have answers to my first day at home. However, I have started creating a few makeshift lists to help me remember and keep me sane in the process. Here is one fun list I wanted to share. I call it World Race Firsts (things I have never done before this year):
– survived multiple earthquakes
– lived next to an active volcano
– went to LA
– golfed at a driving range
– went to the US embassy (two different ones)
– got kicked out of a bus station for being patriotic
– survived a Russian kid’s camp (fondly called ‘deathcamp’)
– worshipped with a former soviet officer
– sang a love song to a current soviet officer
– played guitar at open mic night
– painted in the park
– worked at a restaurant
– rafted the Nile
– cut my hair short
– bought 2 prostitutes (and then got a third for free)
– learned how to drive a scooter
– learned how to drive a manual scooter
– played with tigers
– ordered at a McDonalds with pointing as NO ONE spoke my language
– watched America score a goal in the world cup at a Ukrainian mcD
– had a friend visit me in Cambodia
– performed a dance to Justin Bieber and the crowd. Went. Wild.
– camped on the west coast of Ireland
– hitchhiked
– experienced the new year, Tet, and Semana Santa
– sledded down a volcano
– created an iMovie
– had a sleepover in Nicaragua
– performed the heart skit at the most passionate youth group ever
– drove a school bus
– watched a volcano erupt
Please pray for me these next couple weeks as I finish things up here with ministry and my team, then as I travel next week, and then as I start to settle in and figure out the next part of life. If I see you at a party or something, please start with the easy questions (and a hug). More answers will come later.
