Unfortunately, this happens to me entirely too often because my mouth tends to move faster than I can process the consequences. Here is the most recent example of this in my life-
Back in February, Team Monarch was in Haiti when 3 of us realized we hadn’t been sick yet on the Race. Michelle, Jesse, Candice, and Justin had all already thrown up (some of them, multiple times). BUT Meagan, Sam, and myself were holding out strong.
So we decided to make a bet: the last person on our team to get sick and throw up wins. What do they win? A blog written and dedicated to the winner by the two remaining losers.
What follows is my bold and over confident statement I was talking about that has led me to writing this blog:
Sam was first of the 3 of us to lose this bet. The endless amount of spicy food in India proved too much for him to handle when he found himself hugging the toilet in the middle of the night…alone. But with Sam out of the running, I was even MORE confident in my upcoming victory, because Meagan informed us from the beginning that she throws up quite often in real life and isn’t afraid of choking to her death like I am.
Well in case you haven’t heard, India kicked my butt last month and I got sick. The kind of sick that makes you cry for home and sadly…lose the throw up bet. Lets just say my doom day started with some mango juice on the way to the beach and ended with me in the ocean holding my shorts in my hands and uncontrollably polluting the water from every hole in my body. Sorry…I know that’s really gross but I left all my dignity in the Indian Ocean…
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First things first, Meagan struggles to maintain proper hygiene. This truth tends to get overlooked at quick glance because she’s mastered the art of using baby powder to literally “clean” everything but closer observation of her morning and nightly routines will reveal that she rarely ever musters up the energy to bathe and she only washes the few clothes she has after I’ve worn them all for her.
She proudly boasts of losing her toothbrush in the chaos of travel day. You can count on her to find it about halfway through the month…just in time for her bi-monthly brushing.
Her feet…oh those feet! They’re calloused and cut and permanently black because she never, ever wears her shoes.
And its been rumored that she’s looking for scissors because its been THAT long since she last shaved.
But if you decide to look past all her hygienic woes, there’s something more I think you should know.
Meagan LaFoy is LOUD. There’s no such thing as a whisper or a secret when you decide to be with this girl. If you’re like me and you get embarrassed easily in social situations…this will be killer! I recommend sitting apart from each other during important meetings or any other situation where you might be tempted to try and communicate with her discretely. She will blow your cover instantly and you wont be able to hide. She means well…and she truly THINKS she’s whispering. But she’s not…not at all.
Random things you should know about Meagan: she has a thick alabama accent so words such as “on” and “own” can get tricky to decipher…if she says she wants to watch a movie, only expect her to stay awake through the opening credits…she serves to a fault sometimes…she snores when she’s sick…she has no concept of body language or tone of voice but she rarely ever actually says a harsh word…she’s stubborn as a mule…she’s only cried one time this year…she doesn’t say cuss words…and she will literally try anything once.
But can I tell you a secret?
…if I HAD to lose this bet, there’s no person I’d rather write a blog for than Meagan. Because yes, her hygiene gets iffy and she gets both of us in trouble for being loud and disruptive during meetings…but she’s actually my best friend this year on the Race and a gift straight to my heart that I didn’t necessarily need or deserve. But I thank God every day for the blessing of doing this journey with her.
She’s loved me in the hard places. There have been times this year when I just wanted to quit and go home. One time in Haiti I ran out of a meeting, threw on my tennis shoes and took off down the beach away from everything. She let me run, but she was there waiting at the gate for me when I got back.
She’s asked me tough questions. I thrive off being challenged. She’s asked me questions that don’t always have answers, but we’ve gotten to talk through so much together. My understanding of the Bible and who God is so much deeper because of this.
She gets on her knees and prays for me. Meagan asks me all the time what I need prayer for and I haven’t felt alone even one moment in the past 8 months because of this. In India especially…she fought for me and I’m so incredibly thankful.
She loves me more than she loves herself. I have literally never met someone with more of a servant’s heart than Meagan. Serving the people around me doesn’t come naturally for me like it does for her. So often it looks like I’m incapable of doing things for myself when really…I never get the chance with her around! She’s given me the shirt off her back when mine stopped fitting, there’s gum in my hand before I can even ask for it, and in Swaziland she traded me sleeping bags just because I liked the color of hers better. She’s been so good to me.
She listens and never interrupts. She asks about my family and genuinely cares about my life back home. She’s disciplined in spending time with Jesus and challenges me to do the same. She openly chased things of the Spirit with me. She knows what makes me feel most loved and does that all the time. She gives with no expectation of receiving. She patiently waited forever for me to open up and trust her. She speaks truth into me all the freaking time.
She’s selfless. Passionate. Crazy. Loving. Full of grace and compassion. Wise. Fun. Discerning. Disciplined. Spirit led. Confident. Bold. Hilarious. Strong.
She’s what I like to call a LIFER…a friendship that I know extends way beyond this year. I love you so much Meagan LaFoy.
oh, and congratulations…YOU WIN 🙂
