Weekends!

So, as a dorm staffer I generally do not look forward to weekends because it means more work with the girls home for the entire day. But, this weekend should be good. The weather is nice and there are soccer games tomorrow so I should be set for my fill of sunshine, at least I'm hoping that's the case.
I've had a lot on my mind over the past week and I've finally come to some solid conclusions. The biggest one being that I am going to pursue going to Poland full time. I just feel like that is where the Lord is directing me and until he closes a door I am going to actively pursue it. Of course, the idea of fundraising again isn't something I look forward to, but what will be will be.
I'm off to the physical therapist. Tschuss!

To Infinity and Beyond...or maybe just Poland!

So, yeah, I went to Poland again. Really the main point of this post is to rub it in Jesse's face as much as possible that I went to Poland, that's right I said Poland. Actually, I wish Jesse could have gone with me. She would have liked to but, well, she has priorities...like homework and passing the tenth grade.
Poland was wonderful. I have decided to describe it as quality time, in a quality place with quality people. The best part of all: I feel like I was ministered to, and was able to minister to others all at the same time. By far this was my most peaceful weekend off ever.
One more thing: I started thinking about what it means to yield our lives to Christ. I think I often limit yielding to the traffic sign definition, I give Christ the right of way in my life. But, I'm learning that there is more to it than that. Not only does Christ have the right of way, but he also receives the "produce of my crop" or what the field yields. Meaning that it isn't just that I give Christ my life, yielding to him, but I also give Christ all that I do with my life, everything that it involves. Hmm. Not too deep, I realize, but something I need to ponder anyway.
So, off to more adventures. This time:Kandern Soccer Field. My mission: Get the JV team to do a good corner kick. We'll see how it goes!

Lazy Afternoons and Other Nonsense

So, yesterday, no girls. They had to stay at school until 8:30 for Staff/Student dinners. I wisely used my time by watching a pirated copy of Phantom of the Opera with Russian subtitles. Isn't it amazing what you can buy in former communist, non-European Union countries. Anyway, it was my first time seeing the movie, but not the musical itself. My thoughts: the live version is better but the girl who played Christine Daae was phenomenal for being only 18. Yeah, so that was my lazy afternoon.
The other nonsense...I get to go on two trips this next week, one to the Bodensee (or Lake Constance, take your pick) the other to...well, I'll tell you later. But, I'm more excited about the other one than I am about the Bodensee one.
More nonsense...today I threw a plastic bunny, with a parachute attached, out our third floor window. Excitement insued, followed by said bunny flying out the window about five more times. Poor bunny.
Oh, and on Wednesday I rolled in the grass for the first time this spring, got my shirt rather dirty but it was fun. Before I could get up a few of my soccer girls sat on me, by the way, you all are heavy...and you know who you are!
Even more nonsense...we're having hamburgers for dinner tonight, which is good because I haven't had a good hamburger since, well, since I was last in the states. You have no idea what you'll take for granted until you can no longer take it for granted.
Gotta go, I'm suppose to be working!

Walking

I went on a long walk yesterday, I needed to clear my head and so I decided to take a path that I last took about a year ago, with two friends from the west coast.
The walk was exactly what I needed. I was feeling overwhelmed and a little drained and the time to think and pray was wonderful. I found myself comparing my spiritual walk with my physical one. I was barely a kilometer into my walk when my legs started burning and I wanted to turn back. And, with every bend in the road I kept hoping that my destination would come into view. Plus, there were obstacles to face as I walked, like hills and German Shepherds, and different things to encounter along the way.
I can't help but think about my spiritual walk in the same way. Usually, it is right at the outset of some major "thing" in my life that I want to turn back and pretend it never happened. And, like on my walk yesterday, the only thing that keeps me going sometimes is hope. Hope that around the next bend my destination will be in sight, hope that along the way I will see something familiar, some sort of mile marker. And yes, my spiritual walk faces obstacles, like pride (which is a huge hill) and doubt. But, like my walk there are good encounters too. Fresh springs and open fields greeted me as I journeyed yesterday, and often I am filled by springs of truth when I feel down in my spiritual walk.
I forgot. Yesterday I walked alone, but a year ago I had two friends with me, friends who not only walked with me physically but also accompany me and challenge me spiritually as well. (Thanks Lyd and Christine.)
Oh, and my final destination: well, yesterday it was a castle...for the rest of my life it will be mansions in glory! What an awesome parallel.

Excuse Me, You're Standing on my Last Nerve.

You know how there are certain people in your life who, no matter what they do, are constantly getting on your nerves. No matter how much you try to be nice, or to let them know (subtley, of course) that they are bothering you, they just don't get the hint. And, just when you think that your brain will implode from the effort of being civil, it does.
One such person exists in the community I live in. She thinks we are great friends, and I am trying to be civil, but my head hurts every time I try.
All I have to say is...ARG!

Tired? Me too!

I don't mind so much the being busy aspect of dorm life. In fact, I usually enjoy having plenty of stuff to do. It's the being tired all the time part that I don't care for so much. I can't remember the last time I felt rested. I mean all out, no pressure, absolutely well rested. I am sure it was sometime before my high school career started. Even on my breaks here I feel tired.
And with all that's going on right now, I feel more than tired. I'm ridiculously, unequivocally exhausted. Yes, I realize that I brought said exhaustion upon myself, but I don't have to like it.
And yet, despite all the tiredness and exhaustion, I am really quite content, even happy.
Hmm, wonder why that could be?

What happened to Joy?

No, I don't mean Joy, like the cute little blonde that lived on my hall in college. I mean the second Fruit of the Spirit,you know: love, JOY, peace...! (Gal. 5:22-23 if you were wondering.)I've had a lot of free time lately and I've been using most of it to read up on what is happening to some of my family, and a few old acquaintances from high school and college. One of the things that has struck me most is a general lack of joy. I don't mean happiness, I mean all out J-O-Y. (Whoever just called me Pollyanna can leave!)
Here's what I see. I see some of my friends and family who don't realize that the privileges and conveniences that life has afforded them are just that, privileges. So, when things aren't going the way they expect them to they get sucked into a hole of melancholy and cynicism. These are people who claim to be Christians and yet can't remember that God never promises for our lives to be perfect, or even easy. He only promises to make us perfect. And joy, it doesn't come from circumstances. It is our hearts response to what Christ has done for us.
I realize that I sound like I'm on a soapbox, but maybe it's because I just spent a week with people who's faith was more real than mine will ever be. And, they are filled with the joy of the Lord, it's running over in them. Instead of focusing on what they haven't got, or what is wrong with the world they are focused on Jesus Christ and they are making the world more right by living as He would have them live. It was rather shaming in a way. I realized that I come from a society of wealth and privilege, as do most of us, and I'm not satisfied, while others have everything they need because they are content in Christ, not their circumstances.
Okay, I guess I'm finished. I know that there are still going to be cynical people, and melancholy people. And just by talking (or typing) at someone I can't change much, it has to be Christ. But, well, it felt good to get that out. At least I learned something over the past week, even if no one else will.

Here you go Lyd, my personal favorite pic of Prague 

Cuz she told me to!

So I posted a picture of Prague! Why? Because Lyd told me to. YES, I always do what I'm told. (Hey, I heard that snort, who let my mom on this site?) It's quite boring around here. Quiet, which is nice, but boring. The kiddos don't arrive back until Monday and I miss them, but don't tell them I said that. The best thing about this weekend is the sunshine. And the fact that I have a huge back deck on which to sunbathe. Oh, and I plan on taking advantage of it, just as soon as the sun peeks over the house and starts warming it up back there. So, even though I'm bored, here's to my last weekend of freedom!

Oh, and here's a pic of Scotland, taken by my good friend Heather! Who should be a photographer, but feels called to bake for highschool girls...just like me! 

Krakow, Poland...beautiful city! 

My middle name is wierd!

So, for my entire life my middle name has been...well, the bane of my existance. But, it has made me unique. So, as I'm setting up my blog site I decide that using my middle name will make my sight all the more unique and I'll be able to remember what it is. But NO, apparently there is someone else out there who's named Megan Clark...how weird is that. So, if the other Megan Clark ever ends up on my site, my condolensces to you for having the same middle name...unless of course, it's your last name, in which case you're the lucky one.