My favorite season of my old job is starting at home. I love summer. I love field trips, experiments, movies, beach trips, water fights, and getting to see the kids everyday. I missed 2 weddings and 2 graduations this past month. I am so excited for my friends and proud of my teenagers. The kids that graduated were part of my initial teen class at the rec. I almost cried looking at their cap and gown photos. The wedding pics make me smile too but there is something so powerful about graduation.
Three out of the original seven have graduated and the others are getting close. I have spent time telling you all about the amazing adventure and people I’m meeting which is good, but I’m just taking a min to reflec on home. I know a lot of incredible people and I’m blessed to have them in my life. As the school year ends milestones are happening without me. Also summer is starting without me.
The summer program is happening without me. I miss it. I was vulnerable with my team this morning and told them about how much I miss Portsmouth and my people there. It is the anniversary of meeting these amazing friends. Four years ago I went on my first field trip. Loaded on the bus and took off for Maine. I met all of these amazing kids and the awesome Ms. Tammy, I had no idea that my life was going to change forever. How could i have known that their parents, grandparents and relatives would impact my life so much. I became a part of something way bigger and gained a ton of extended family members. Summer is a season of beginings. Change and excitement can’t help but happen as New England comes out of hibernation.
This week coming marks a big change for me, I am halfway done the Race. I will have been gone for five and a half months. I also have five and a half months left as well as five and a half countries to go. I was starting to loose my sense of wonder. Packing and I are old friends, but shoving my life in and out of a bag every few weeks is getting old. (I am cleaning my life out when I get home, I own too much junk!) Also traveling is a little less exciting. It is a mental preparation as much as a physical one and I feel like I embrace it but it doesn’t get me as excited as I was for Haiti or India. Malaysia is really cool though and people here are very sweet. I just had fallen into a slump as I kind of hit on in my last blog.
Then this morning when Kendra prayed for me something clicked. God humbled me through the sweet words of my teammate as she prayed over the kids and families and just over me. I cried as she called out the beautiful side of missing them. She prayed over all of the lives I got to be a part of at home. Reflecting on how sweet all of them are and being grateful and exited for their next seasons instead of sad for missing them was a heart shift I needed. Reminding me that they know how much I love and apprecate them as well as how much God loves them to. I can be a light in their lives even from so far away. It does look different but it does not mean I love them any less.
This final point was driven home when my team asked about my plan for after the race because there are going to be plenty more milestones and graduations to come. (If I had it my way they would all stay little forever.) I am not sure what next year will look like or even what Dec will look like when I am home. It was a good reminder that I can not hold people and plans with a closed fist. Life is in motion, I need to make the most of everyday. I may not be present physically but I am praying for the seasons change and over all of the amazing people in my life. I am so blessed. I want to live everyday ready for what God has for me. I want to love everyone with a Jesus like love. If they leave me just thinking how awesome I am then I haven’t loved them well. If I leave them and they see how amazing a love my Jesus has for them then I am living a life worthy of the call.
Change is almost never easy but it is always an opportunity. Choose in and make the most of every season.
**** I am so proud of all the graduates both friends from college and seniors in high school, and also all of the amazing kids who finished another year of school! Enjoy Summer!!****
