[Pretty sure Home on the Range is Kansas' state song, so not quite right, but close enough nonetheless!]
Well I’ve been on American soil approximately 32 days, so in my world racer mind I should be ready to move on to the next place right about now. Wrong.
DFW to OKC, Sunday Aug. 29th. Looking down at downtown OKC…
Transition back into the country I was born in has been more challenging then expected. At first it was exciting and new and really dreamlike, now it’s lonely and weird and people spend $600 in Target check out lines (one of my more traumatic re-entry stories).
One of the most common questions I’ve heard since I’ve been back ,“How was your trip?” usually shortly followed by “well what are you doing now?!”
You know what question I don't hear often enough?!
Q. What was the first thing you ate when you got back!?
A. Well, at my "America" themed welcome home party we ate
charcoaled hamburgers/hotdogs, fried okra, baked beans and of course sweet tea.
Followed by angel food cake and strawberry cake.
Thank you for asking!
To answer the pursing question “What am I doing?” I’m currently working part time at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society working with the School & Youth program. I worked with LLS in college and loved it. I’ve also gone through the steps to be a substitute teacher, but I haven’t had the chance to dive into that occupation yet. Do I want to pursue a career in Architecture? Well funny you should ask. (see next paragraph for details)
After the honeymoon phase wore off and loneliness set it, I was antsy to see my fellow racers again. Just so happens that AIM knew this is the case for many racers and set up a program called Project Searchlight. PSL happened last week in Gainesville, GA and lasted approx 1 week.
Reunited and never so happy to see familiar faces <3
My original plan was just to go to see a few of my squad mates who I was missing horribly; turns out God had a few other plans. PSL focuses on our Kingdom Dreams and how to make Kingdom Dreams a reality. Not only did we go over topics such as bringing world race culture back to real life, we had multiple sessions talking about goals, and skills, and networking. Absolutely perfect for where I am right now.
Creativity runs in my veins, I’m programmed to see a problem and create a solution, so I have no doubt in my mind that I will someday put my hard earned college degree into practice and become an Architect…but to what extent? I have no desire to build multimillion-dollar stadiums or even worse million dollar homes. I do have a desire however to become an architect and work with organizations and churches and use my gifting to further the kingdom.
Not what you had in mind? Well it’s not what I had in mind 6 years ago either when I first started school. One thing the race has taught me, sometimes my dreams and God’s dreams aren’t the 'world’s' dreams. Sometimes working to further the Kingdom means giving up earthly desires.
I also found a sweet honey pie at PSL, you can call him Barely.
I don’t know my future and being a true world racer I don’t have any plans. But I do know tomorrow I’m going to get up and go to my wonderful part time job to receive my kosher paycheck next week, and I know I’m having a date with 2 lovely ladies tomorrow night, and I know I’m right where God has me at this place and time in my life.
Walked 4 blocks in the wrong direction but we came across this gem.
Funny how things work out.
