Summer is upon us

I’m back from two weeks of traveling… it’s good to be home. I spent a week in Panama City, FL for the RUF Summer Conference and then went to visit my family in Jacksonville. Summer Conference was refreshing and encouraging. I enjoyed time on the beach with a good book – it’s so nice to just get away from the normal schedule of life to just “be” a bit. I was the only girl from UCF there, so I got to hang out with “the guys” and make friends. I roomed with a group of girls from Baylor University. We talked and hung out a lot. One afternoon, we even pulled out guitars and violins and sang songs together. I also sort of became an honorary member of the UF group. I did small groups with them, went to dinner and mini golf one night, and spent time walking on the beach. I also enjoyed the teaching. The main speaker preached through Revelation and explored the topic of Glorification. I have been thinking a lot about heaven since then and how rarely I often dream of it. How would my life be different if I lived each day gripped by the certainty of the resolution to The Story? On a slightly different note, I also got to meet several current RUF interns and sign insurance paperwork (I’m officially on staff with RUF starting June 1st!) and go to a staff meeting. So, this new adventure feels just a bit more real.

My time with family was a mixed blessing. It was hard to pack up my books and figure out which pieces of furniture from my childhood room will be heading to Birmingham with me and what will be put in the attic. Though I haven’t lived at home in four years, there’s an air of finality in this transition. Even while at college, I’ve always had a room at my parents’ house and little by little that room is becoming less mine and more a guest room. Also, it was hard to say goodbye to my brother who will be out of the country all summer. Basically, he’ll get back in time to help me move. It is hard to imagine living so far away from him… we are such good friends. Not everything was overwhelming sad, though. I enjoyed late-night laughter with my sisters, coffee with mom, lots of pampering from everyone because I had some dental work done and was pretty sore and swollen for a few days. It was good to just soak up family life.

So, now I’m back to Orlando, trying to juggle part-time work (cleaning and babysitting), full-time support raising, and spending time with all the people I will miss when I move. It’s a little overwhelming. I feel pulled in a lot of different directions. It's hard to rest, hard to trust.