So I am sitting in my beautiful friend Katye's home near Hotlanta, anxiously awaiting going to church with her and fellowshipping with dear, old friends, and I cannot seem to sit still. This morning we feasted on a breakfast of pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin coffee (thank you, Trader Joe), and while I should probably feel sleepy after such a meal, my mind is racing and I feel as if I have consumed at least three cups of that delicious pumpkin coffee. I cannot believe that training camp is almost here! I make my way up to North GA later this afternoon to participate in a week long training camp for The World Race. After this week, everything is going to be different. I'm going to find out who my team is, where we launch from and when, and what we are to expect to do on the race. I've been told by alumni racers that everything becomes clear at camp, but at the moment I have no idea what to expect. I'm going in with no expectations and my Bible and counting on amazing things!
So yeah, I'm trying to quiet my mind, not think about everything I probably forgot (I already found out I forgot my glasses) to pack in my backpack. Katye and I made a last minute REI run last night. She's kind of amazing like that. I am also trying not to fear the unknown or create scenarios of what might happen in my mind. I'm going to let tomorrow worry about itself and live in the moment. You all will definitely be getting an update after training camp though.
So… fundraising… there were a few problems with the website, so I couldn't check to see if the Lord had made my first fundraising goal. The kinks have been ironed out though, and *drum roll* the goal was surpassed by $1000!!! God is sooo amazing to me. I told one of the awesome artisans who is making something for my silent auction, "I am so undeserving of all of this, but the children and women I'm going to help aren't!" That is the only thing that allows me to be bold in fundraising. It's for them… not me. But you all are so incredible in getting me to that point; in allowing yourselves to be instruments of the Lord to send me along my way and into the field.
Onto my second cup of coffee and another subject…
Before I left Williamsburg, life was crazy to say the least. I have the type of personality that feels like I have to get EVERYTHING done before I move on, but that didn't happen this time around. The plan is that after camp, my mother and niblings are going to follow me back to Williamsburg. I was going to have the house cleaned, Darby bathed and groomed to go stay with the generous Razzano family while I'm at camp, my backpack packed and double checked, the house completely cleaned and decorated for autumn, at least 50 more tickets sold for my BBQ benefit, and other various and sundry things taken care of. Oh, I was also going to leave at 6 on Saturday morning. NONE of this happened, and I think it's a good thing it didn't, a very good thing indeed. I feel like while I am on the race, I am sooo going to need to go with the flow and allow things to happen as they happen without being a perfectionist about it. Just… let it go. It was quite freeing to be ok with things not going as planned.
Something came up just before I left. I would really appreciate you all joining me in prayer for this. My uncle has been battling cancer for several months now; undergoing radiation and chemo treatments. He found out that they think the cancer had reached his soft tissue and lymph nodes. The doctors have given him 6 months to live. Only God knows the number of his days, I my prayer is that those days are still long.
Ok, so church is soon approaching, and I have been typing this in stead of spending precious time with Katye. I'm off for now. I know it's an abrupt ending, but I shall update soon, I hope.
Please remember me in your prayers this week!
Grace and peace,
Kate
