It’s a day of change. It’s been a season of change, to be honest. And while I think I was once scared of the change, I’m now embracing it and learning to love it.
I want to start with a praise – I have reached my launch goal of $6000. Whoo-hoo! I’m set to leave on time, with my squad. We officially leave September 6, and I am flying from Minneapolis to Atlanta to meet my squad family there for launch. It’s a little more than a month away, and I’m becoming a ball of excitement.
The week before Training Camp (so, the last week of June) I actually changed routes, and switched squads. I apologize that this is so late in the coming. The story goes like this: I was originally on Squad 1 (September) who have the route I’ve been talking about since December/January. [Philippines, China, S. Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Bulgaria, E. Europe, Serbia, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala]. But then I switched to Squad 2 (Still September), and our route was [Ukraine, Romania, Nepal, India, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Thailand, Cambodia, Challenge: Asia, Malaysia].
Whew. Take a breath. That’s a lot of lists, and countries.
So, yes, I’m on Squad 2. Both squads are actually leaving on the same day, and we will be briefly reunited in Atlanta for launch before going our respective ways.
BUT! The story does not end there. Our first two countries will actually be Romania, and Moldova. And from there the rest are the same.
Okay, done with the updatesy business type stuff.
Here’s my favorite change because of what it has taught me and what I’ve thought about because of it.
I have glasses.
Weird. Weird. Weird. I had gone 21 years with 20/20 vision. Perfect vision. I used to boast in my ability to not need glasses, because the rest of my family does. I haven’t had my eyes checked in probably five years, because I didn’t notice that there was any change, and I just assumed that my eyes were still good. Yet, I decided that it was probably a good idea to get my eyes checked out before I leave the country for 11 months. I just wanted to cover my bases.
And he told me that I needed glasses. That I was one line away on my test from needing glasses to even legally drive. I was aghast. Me? Glasses? No no no no no. Uh-uh. No way. I refuse. But then he made me a sample pair with the prescription he was going to give me. Standing in a Costco, some weird contraption on my face, I’m looking across the floor, and realize I can read the sign suuuper far away. I take them off? All I knew was that the same thing I had read had words on it, because I knew they do, not because I could see them.
And then I realized. Not only do I need glasses, but I didn’t even know it. I couldn’t see, but I had no idea that I couldn’t see. My eyes had slipped into poorer and poorer condition without my noticing, gradually, little by little. I didn’t have any idea. but to see clearly? It’s so much better!
Lession #1:
I feel like the Lord was nudging me in this. It’s paralleled my inability to see my own sin. I have no idea it’s even an issue, and then BAM! I’m hit in the face with a metaphorical 2 by 4 plank and it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
Lesson #2:
I don't notice that I have glasses even after a few weeks. I mean, yes, I know they are on my face, but it stops there. I realize that I would much rather see clearly than worry about what they look like and be self-conscious about them. Seeing clearly is way more important, and totally worth having them.
Hopefully, you don't need glasses. But, if you do, I hope you realize it and adjust accordingly. It's completely worth it.
