July 4th is my favorite holiday. It typically
involves the beach, a BBQ, homemade ice cream, and a bike ride to watch
fireworks shoot off over the Oldest Continuously Occupied European Settlement
in America (genius point if you know that’s St. Augustine). It’s simply lovely.
But this year it was different. I wasn’t with my family, no
bikes were in sight, and I definitely didn’t get homemade ice cream.
This year, I ate dinner at an Irish Pub (which is very
ironic considering we were celebrating America’s independence in an Irish pub,
as we’re preparing to launch to Ireland…), walked around a very cute little
town, had Dairy Queen, and watched an amazing fireworks show with a new family.
But it wasn’t bad different, just different. I feel as though there’s always a negative
connotation associated with all things different, and that’s just not the case.
As I prepare to launch into the nations (I leave for Ireland tomorrow!), I’m trying to
embrace the idea that I will be different. I will come home changed. How can I
not? I will be going to 11 different countries where I will experience
ministry, life, and God in so many different ways.
But, I won’t be bad different, just different. I will be a
new and improved version of me. In the words of fellow H squader Lauren Weidley,
I’ll be Lindsay 2.0.
