Get Serious 2010?!

Starting off 2010 sick was not on my list of choice activities but it is a perfect example of how I would describe 2009: Unplanned. Last night when I thought back to January 2009, I was amazed to think that it was only one year ago. In this past year I have experienced so much more than I could have ever thought up on my own.

I specifically remember in January one night after Summit at school, I had to go back to my room and apply for Youthworks! I had NO idea what I was doing, but I was simply trying to follow through with what I felt I needed to do. Well I half expected for things to not work out. I didn't think my parents would be too excited about me leaving for the WHOLE summer, and it all seemed more like a dream rather than a reality.

The application process continued all while softball season was underway indoors. I became really close with girls on the team, and we even made up a "comedy club" called CHART: Featuring Special K. Indoors was filled with so many memories and lots of laughs. In late February we started games and softball started getting tough. Throughout the season, I did not get much playing time, and it caused me to get frustrated. God and I had man conversations and at the time I was as discouraged as ever. It was not until Youthworks that the pieces began to fall together and I started to be okay with softball.

The entire summer was a stretch. It began with me super sick traveling to a hospital in Philly, and I had only been home for about 6 days before I left A-town. I was nervous. I did not know a thing about Youthworks but I was going for it. When we found out where we were going to be "living" I was still a little shell-shocked, but little by little the old Jr. High in Hamlin, WV became home. My job was to be the extroverted excited face that gave announcements and communicated ALL THE TIME. At night I was supposed to dig into my life and find experiences to relate to the high schoolers and share how God worked. I am known to be a story-teller, but at first I questioned how to come up with 5 talks. Well in time I realized this was the place for me to be because four of the talks centered around experiences I had in 2009.

Softball was discouraging for me, but it helped me see that God is more interested in our Character than our Comfort. I learned the true meaning of what it means to put aside temporary treasures like playing time and experience what it is like to play to please one: God. During the frustration of the sport, God gave me friendships that still mean so much more than statistics. We still laugh until we cry, and yet I know that beyond the laughs, we truly care about each other.

Most of all, in 2009 God worked in me. After an exciting summer of growth, and adventure like I had in WV, I was apprehensive to go back to school. For some reason I thought God would take a break a little and I would be able to reflect on what happened over the summer. But no, God was ready to get right back to work. It was time to apply my learning from the summer, and continually give God control. The last part of the year and growth can attributed to my roommate. Going out on a limb to be roomies, and not talking until 3 days before we moved in seems crazy considering how planned I usually like to be, but it could not have been more perfect. After a sophomore year of fun but still a great deal of frustration, Kayla and I were able to start our Junior year with a TON of laughs. This semester has been the most fun by far. God taught me some lessons and I have been stretched in difficult ways, but I have learned to trust that it all works out, it always does.

I do not know what kind of adventures 2010 will bring but I am excited because I know that some how it will all work together. I am sure laughs will be a part of it, and the memories are something I just cannot wait to see.

Now usually my posts have a little humor, so here it is: This holiday season was incredible. I found myself crying from laughing at almost EVERY family gathering. Jodie had her classic dramatic moments like when she got a piano bench and immediately stopped everything to place it by the piano and play some of her beautiful chords. But the best moment came when Christi and I played Catch Phrase with our cousins Hannah and Breanna. It was sisters vs. sisters, and Christi and I started off strong.

For example: "Grandmas favorite fruit!" "CRANBERRIES" "Perfect"

H & B however seemed to struggle a little. The category was: Entertainment. Hannah was describing:

H- "Ok, its the number after 19"

B- "20"

H-"YEAH! Ok, so say it again now"

B- "20"

H- "Ok, 20 now say it again."

B- "20"

H- "Ok, its 20 REPEATED!"

B-"40?"

H- "NO!!!"

B- "I don't get it."

H- "Ok, its 20 AGAIN! Say 20 AGAIN!"

At this point Christi and I were doubled over laughing. It did not matter if we won or lost the entire game. It was the cutest/funniest thing ever. The description of the 11 year old was so guiding and yet her brilliant older sophomore sister could not catch up :)

Finally B did make a tentative guess: "20/20?"