What in the world have I been up to?

So I know the original intention of this blog was to keep you all updated on what I'm doing over here in the UK and I feel like recently it has become more a place for me to share some random thoughts with you.  Granted these thoughts have come from experiences over here, but I haven't told you about what has been going on over here lately.  This post is just going to give a little more insight into how life has been lately.

First, let's start with my wonderful weekend I had.  Two other YAGMs (Bekah and Elizabeth) came to visit me up in good ol' Salford.  I don't know how it happened, but we ended up having a rather American weekend despite the obvious location of not being America.  It was such a great weekend and I'm so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life and the fact that I get to share this year with them is even more wonderful.

While the past few months around Just Youth have been more on the quiet side, we still have had a surprising amount of things to do.  After the first week of June it will be nonstop work in schools until I leave.  I feel as though it's going to be kind of stressful, but very rewarding and plenty of opportunities for me to be in primary (elementary) schools.  The time is going to go by very fast I feel like.

Another super exciting thing coming up is my impending trip to Ireland!  I think this is the one place I've been looking forward to visiting since I arrived here in August!  I'm glad I'm finally going to get to cross "visit Ireland" off my bucket list.

I don't know how much I've talked about the youth group that I also work at, but it's been something I have really loved this year.  We had a few volunteers leave that were originally there to be the youth group volunteers, but when they left the rest of us were asked if we would be willing to help.  While it created more work for us it has definitely been worth it.  Not every night in the youth club is the most wonderful, but there are some days that make my heart smile.  The kids in the area are a little rough around the edges, but once you are able to break down some of their barriers you get to see how truly amazing they are.  I've met and gotten to know some pretty great kids there that will forever be in my heart.  As I'm typing this I'm starting to get a little misty eyed.  They have made an impact on my life and I don't think it's going to be easy to leave them in just two short months.  I think those kids are the reason I am seriously contemplating teaching middle school.

Speaking of middle school, I have some exciting news.  Okay well, I think it's exciting.  I have a final interview tomorrow (Thursday May 24th) for a 7th grade special education position.  I've had a really good feeling about this job since the first interview a few weeks ago.  It's amazing to see how God has been moving and working in my life over these past few weeks.  Hopefully I will have more news about it soon.

I think it's funny how this will be my 4th post in one month and yet I think the most I've had in a month since I've been here is two!  I guess I'm finally getting into the blog mood.  Hopefully you can all keep up with it all!

P.S.  60 days from now I will be on a plane back to the U.S.A.  It's kind of surreal to think about so I'm going to try and avoid thinking about it a little longer!

A Lesson from Winnie the Pooh

                                                                                                   

I don't know about you, but I did not know that Christopher Robin, from Winnie the Pooh, had such nuggets of wisdom.  I mean I knew that Christopher Robin was there to encourage that "silly old bear" we know and love, but I guess I never realized that those same words he said to that bear could be so encouraging to this "silly girl".  

I think there have been a few points during this year where I honestly believed that I was not strong enough to make it through the whole year.  There were moments where I wasn't sure I could fight anymore.  Sometimes I did things that made me feel incredibly stupid and that I'm sure people looked at me and thought "what in the world is this crazy American talking about.  She has no idea what she is doing."  I mean they probably didn't actually say that, but that's what I was saying to myself.  Needless to say, sometimes I felt like this year chewed me up and spit me out.  I'm not trying to make it seem as though this year was terrible, but there have been moments this year where things have been tough.  

Then, I found this quote from Christopher Robin.  "Promise me you'll always remember: you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."  Many times we forget how brave we can be, how strong we have become and how smart we have become.  Sometimes things just don't seem to go right and we can beat ourselves up about it and forget all the positive qualities we have. I know I am guilty of focusing solely on the stuff I do wrong or that I'm not good at instead of focusing on my strengths.  

Eventhough many of the things I have done this year have been out of my comfort zone and some I even failed at, I can not let that stop me from continuing to go new places and have more adventures. I've made it this far through the journey and I'm not going to stop now.  This year has taught me that I am braver than I believe, and stronger that I seem, and smarter than I think.  Christopher Robin, this is one promise I might be able to keep.   

                               

It's becoming a double edge sword...

With each passing day I get a little closer to crossing the Atlantic Ocean once more and seeing all of my friends and family I left back in August.  At the same time as each day passes, I get closer to leaving my new friends and family I met back in August.

It really is becoming a double edge sword...

I don't know why I'm already thinking about this so much.  In all honesty, I still have PLENTY of time left here in England.  I'm still here for another 2 1/2 months, but when I look back and realize how fast the first 9 1/2 months have gone I discover that time really isn't on my side.  I feel like there is so much I still want to do and places I want to see.  Sometimes I wonder if I took full advantage of the situation.

But now I'm getting off topic.

I am really excited to go back to the good ol' USA, but I know that the second I get home is the very second I'm also going to want to jump back on that plane and return to the city of Salford.  The people I've met here will hold a special place in my heart.

Like I said, a double edge sword...

I'm not really sure where this blog post is going. I guess this is something that has been on my mind lately.  I know it's going to be difficult to leave and I know that when I get home things will be different from when I left.  I guess I'm just trying to prepare myself for the next part of this journey.

Jeremiah 29:11 and Vocation

Just this last Sunday was vocation Sunday and I was asked to give a little testimony about my journey so far to find my vocation.  When I first thought about my "journey to vocation" my mind immediately went to Jeremiah 29:11.  For some reason that seems to be the verse I think of any time I'm talking about my future plans.  Which seems logical considering that's what the verse is all about.  Anyways, I just wanted to share with you my little testimony I gave at mass on Sunday.  I hope you all enjoy.

To me a person finds their true vocation when their talents and the things they are passionate about combine.  Each one of us has our own unique vocation or calling in life.  It’s not always easy to find our vocation.  Many times we might question it or doubt that this this is what we are meant to do.  I will be the first to admit that I have questioned and doubted many times throughout my journey.  Along with all the questions, I’ve gotten some answers that have helped me begin to piece together what my vocation is.  God has led me on a very interesting path in recent years that has helped me to discern my calling and it has also challenged me and made me want to explore what exactly my vocation is. 

            I feel as though God has called me to a vocation of service.  Ever since I was in high school I have been blessed with many opportunities to be of service to others.  During that time I was fortunate enough to go with my church youth group on three mission trips down to Mexico where we helped a community build a new church.  I remember coming back home after that first mission trip feeling absolutely overwhelmed.  I still have trouble expressing how unbelievable the experience was.  To work along side these people was truly a gift.  While it was only one week a year, the bonds and relationships I made will never be forgotten.  These experiences were the starting point of my journey that led me to this place I am today. 

            In college I continued to seek opportunities to volunteer and serve others.  At college, there was an emphasis on service and helping others, which gave me plenty of chances to live out my vocation.  I participated in two service trips and led one as well where I met some truly wonderful people and helped to fill a need in their community.  Every time I came back from one of these trips, I felt an even greater sense of calling to serve.

           

            During my third year at college I was able to spend a month in Tanzania.  The main point of the trip was to just immerse ourselves in the culture and learn as much as we could.  While we were there we also did some volunteer work.  We spent time at a local orphanage, helped build the roof on a church and put a fresh coat of paint on others.  It was in a lifetime experience and one I will never forget.  When I came back from this trip I began to think about going abroad and volunteering.  I’m not quite sure why I wanted to do this, but I knew this feeling had to do with God’s plan for me.  I started to look into teaching abroad as well, but nothing seemed to feel quite right.  Then one day at the beginning of my last year at college I was talking to my campus pastor about what was going to come next after college.  I told her that I had been looking into teaching abroad, but nothing was really coming of it.  Then she told me about this program called Young Adults in Global Mission.  The program takes about fifty young people and sends them out around the world to serve in local communities.  I was so excited about this idea that I immediately began to look into it.  After a rather long application process, I was accepted into the program.  In April of last year, I spent a weekend getting to know all the other YAGMs and learning more about what it means to serve.  It was a chance for all of us to discern whether or not this was what we were supposed to be doing.  By the end of the weekend I left with more questions than answers, but at the same time trust in God that he knew where I was headed. 

            About a month before I was supposed to come over here, that’s when reality set in.  The thing that God called me to do meant that I would be leaving behind everything and everyone I had known to start a new journey.  I didn’t think I was ready for this.  I wasn’t sure I actually wanted to do this.  I had major doubts if I could not see my family and friends for a year.  Could I actually leave life behind?  In the end though I just had to trust that God knew my life plan better than I did. 

           

It’s not always easy to follow your vocation.  To follow mine I had to leave behind my friends and family behind.  But through this experience I have gained new friends that will stay with me in my heart forever.  I feel I have grown both personally and I gained new skills that will help me to be a better teacher.   Right now, I’m not sure what comes after this year.  I don’t know if I’m meant to go back home and be a teacher or go somewhere completely different.  All I know is that I will continue to live out my vocation of service wherever I am.  I am full with questions about what comes next and to be honest I’m a little scared.  I just have to remind myself to trust that God knows where I’m headed and that I need to just listen and he will tell me where I need to go.  He might not give me a huge flashing sign that says go here, but if I listen closely enough I will be able to hear it.

            I encourage you all to just go out and find the things you are most passionate about and do them because that’s what vocation to me is all about.  Doing what you love and loving what you do.

After I wrote this I felt a sense of peace in my heart; a peace that I have not know for quite some time.  It was in that moment when I realized everything is going to be okay.  Even if all of the wrinkles for next year have not been ironed out, I know that things will happen for me.  I don't know what, I don't know where and I don't know when but the important thing is that God does and that's all I need to care about.