Timing

Now that the tv's off, I find that I have been anticipating having a "tv crash," so I have taken my free time and filled it with things, so as not to be distracted by the fact that I have a tv I'm not watching (or perhaps a Bible I wanted to be reading during that time). This could be a more challenging lent than I thought.

Still, these past few weeks have been busy (though I have to stop acting suprised that I am busy. So goes the life of a youthworker) and continue to be busy (tv or no tv). It has been three, nearyly four years of busy.

Yesterday, after I'd slept in, had coffee and lunch with Suz and gone shopping with another friend, I realized that God, in His timing, had answered my prayers from a year ago. He has provided for me a place that feels like home, with people that feel like family. Not one thing that I brought before the Lord (in a bit of a petulant state, I might add), did he neglect to answer. Silly, particular things and in more than one way. He answered more fully and richly than I could have imagined.

I guess, though, that it has always been about God's timing and working in my life. Had I not had last year would I have come to the place where I am now?

I see that God is good and active in my life. I see through others that He is faithful to me, that He loves me, that He has answered the groanings in my heart and soul.

So, I continue to trust God, in His perfect timing, for other things as well.

The Big 26

26 sounds old. At 26, no one can really say, "oh so you're a college student?" anymore. 26 denotes some form of adulthood.

My 26th birthday was one of the best in recent memories. From all the facebook greetings and the spontaneous singing from the third and fourth graders and the homemade cards on Tuesday to Friday night's dinner, I have felt truly blessed. I hope this good beginning is a sign of a very good year.

Pursued...

A few weeks ago I got a call from my Aunt asking if she could pass my number on to a boy that she met at a party, I said that she could pass on my email address and we could go from there.

Apparently, it's going. Contact from said boy has been made via email and while I have responded, I remain a little weary about this whole, "let's set Hannah up with whoever is available" fever that seems to be gripping, well, everyone I know in these past few weeks.

It occurred to me earlier today that as my Aunt has now taken up for me the position of matchmaker that I am now either going to have to a) marry the boy that she wants me to or b) find a spectacular match on my own.

Neither of these choices seem like they are going to be particularly fruitful.

Crap.

A Semi-Adventure in Oklahoma City

Earlier this week, I finally got up the nerve to ask one of the girls from small group if she wanted to grab some lunch with me. This whole grownup version of making friends seems to me to be much much harder than elementary school when all you needed was a cool Barbie (and trust me, my Barbies rocked).

Even though I've been going to this particular small group for nearly 4 months, my social contact remained largely in the small group setting. Call it fear, call laziness, or blame it on busyness, I hadn't really reached out in that way.

So, before lunch on Monday, I thought about all the possible topics of conversation that I could bring up in case of a dreaded lull, but found out that within about two seconds that I didn't really need to be worried. I think I have found a soul sister, a kindred spirit, a good friend. Yay!

Christmas Vacation

Highlights from Illinois:

*My grandpa's appreciation over all his new pajamas (that's all he asked for.) He promptly told us, "Now I won't have to sleep naked anymore" (Thanks Grampy for THAT.)
*My Aunt's suggestion to go out and then another Aunt's comment,"that new place in town just put in a pole!" (ummm, what kind of dancing do you think that we're going to do?)
*Lunch at the Freeze with Jenny P. Just like old times (only we weren't the ones doing the cooking.)
*Prom dress shopping with the little sister.
*Hanging out with the brother.
*Apples to Apples with my Dad's side of the family.
*Baking cookies with my mom
*Realizing that even near 26 year-olds enjoy owning American Girl Dolls.
*Wicked. Amazing.

*Mahesh, the shopping cart and the lawnmower.
*Good sushi and the inquisitive girl.




And now, some pictures....

1. Sydney with her amstel light beer bottle. Before you think we're serving minors, it's filled with $80.00 worth of pennies.
2. Kristy and I before WICKED!
3. Miller's Pub: Chicago... no relation
4. At American Girl Place. :)

The Simple Life

One of the things about growing up in a small town is that you know EVERYONE. When you leave that small town and then come back for an extended stay, you're almost certain to run into someone that you know and haven't seen in forever, at the grocery store, getting gas, whatever. I'm usually pleasantly surprised by these run-ins and enjoy the chance of catching up with people.

One day during vacation, I met my friend Jenny and we had lunch at the freeze (where we worked in high school--formally a "tastee freeze" of "a little ditty 'bout Jack and Diane" fame). I ran into the equivalent of my high school sweetheart. It had been about 18 months since I had last seen him, about 3 years since the drama of the high school reunion.

The times that I've run into this boy I am always reminded of the life that I could have possibly had, bittersweet in its' simplicity. We would have hung out the summer before our freshmen years of college. We would have dated throughout our college carreers (his a two, mine four). And like every country song ever written, we would have gotten married, bought some land and settled down.

Obviously, my life hasn't turned out to be quite that simple. However, the beauty of the complications makes my life more full than I could have imagined at 18. Had I followed that path, I never would have met my college friends, or the high schoolers and middle schoolers that I work with, or my friends here. I never would have learned what it meant to live on my own, to have a chance to get to know myself.

This life is infinitely more complicated and infinitely more beautiful and I am thankful for that.

Year-End

Ah, 2007. I'm happy to see you gone.
I was very, very ready to begin the final countdown into 2008. Good Riddance 2007.

And just so you don't think that I am completely cynical, here's my list of things that affected my year. In 2007 I:

1) Fought for my job.
2) Survived and enjoyed an 8 day trip to Florida with the high school students and got to see my middle schoolers--the "David and Goliath" group, shine at a service project in New Mexico.
3) Took vacation for me that wasn't attached to any family time (Hello, Colorado!)
4) Learned to ski (though not very well) and hiked in some mountains.
5) Said goodbye to an uncle who will be very much missed.
6) Joined a small group Bible study, made some new friends here and found (quite surprisingly) family.
7) Reconnected with old friends (Girls' Night!)
8) Started getting paid to write and to speak.
9) Learned the effects and consequences of vacation, altitude and alcohol.
10) Got a roommate and a step-dog.
11) Learned why I kept expectations low.
12) Celebrated with Bethany and Mike at their wedding (and tried roasting marshmallows over a candle).
13) Fell in love with my middle school confirmation class (also was hit on by a sixth grader).
14) Paid off bills and took some responsibility.
15) Had an interview with a church close to the parents and realized that I wanted to be here.
16) Spent lots of time with college friends in non-work type settings.
17) Got closer to my brother and watched my sister become a full-fledged teenager.
18) Felt like I am seeing fruits in the ministry here.

Bring on 2008!