Friday, January 2, 2009

best of 08

It is 2009, and that in itself seems to me a crazy thought.

Yesterday I had an interview for a possible summer job/practicum with a ministry called YouthWorks. As I went through the process of sharing my story and all of the ups and downs, my interviewer, in response and understanding, kept uttering the phrase, “oh life.” Looking back on 2008, I find myself muttering that same phrase, oh life. But I want to take a chance to reflect on some of the highlights. There have been some remarkable, unforgettable moments filled with adventure, laughter, joy, and growth.
So here it goes (in no order whatsoever):

  • entering Taylor’s boat regatta, because we thought it sounded funny, and being shocked when we actually won
  • going to Jordan for spring break with a group of Taylor students to distribute food boxes, but more importantly, listen to the stories of refugees
  • two words—Shady Shake. This was my summer apartment in Upland which included four different colors of shag carpet, a 2’x 2’ shower, a cat named Milfred, wood paneling, spider friends, bee buddies, and a porch on which many nights were spent with coffee, conversation or a good book. Bottom line: it was cheap and my first time living by myself
  • a fall semester that brought much healing and insight
  • spending the summer in Upland to hang out with high school students…sleepovers, making cheesecake and cookies from scratch, McDonald’s sweet tea runs, bible study, soccer games, worship nights, dance parties with the Spice Girls, a couple of us college kids leading youth group, Fun in the Son, watching movies, the best kind of conversations, open gyms, long walks, and a ton more
  • j-term baking extravaganza 2008: baking in every dorm’s kitchen during –term with KP
  • some of the best conversations with Goeke, Swils, Kathy, Kari, and Katie W
  • attempting to make rice with Meagan. warning, don’t ever follow Google instructions on how to cook rice…
  • spending Easter on Mt. Nebo and floating in the Dead Sea watching the sun set over Jerusalem
  • spending five days camping out for Cornerstone music festival with a group of our high school students
  • who would have ever thought that the technology illiterate girl would work a 40hr job with computers? yep, I worked for Taylor’s IT Client Services this summer
  • many miles were put on Clint (my car)—taking students for a poverty exposure trip to Akron, driving seven hours with three high school boys to Cornerstone, chipotle opening in Fort Wayne, the 20 hour drive home…the list goes on…
  • my third year leading Bible study with a group of high school girls with an amazing new co-leader, Carie
  • playing in our Upland softball tournament with Skip Trudeau and Ed Meadors
  • taking off our heals and dancing in the rain with Kristen pretending that we couldn't find the car
  • breadstick Tuesdays after Teaching and Learning with Liz
  • classes that I loved—Psychological & Educational Foundations for CE, Hebrew Prophets, Teaching and Learning Strategies, World Religions, International Social Work
  • becoming a Saturday morning regular at Payne’s, our local coffee shop, to a point where I walk in they instantly start making the Irish Coffee
  • putting on a great National Student Leadership Conference with the Leadership Development cabinet
  • thinking a lot about the combination of social work and the church
  • writing and finishing papers I never thought I could write
  • learning and studying about things that make me tick—culture, ministry, social work, religions, people, God
  • exploring the concept and importance of story
  • staring a discipleship group with a few of my high school girls and having the opportunity to see how so many of the students have changed over the past three years

There you have it; some of my favorite and unforgettable moments of 2008.
2009 is getting ready to have a big start…Costa Rica!

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