Back on the mainland!
Wow. I knew that the remainder of my summer was going to be a bit chaotic, but I do believe it's edging on ridiculous! I just got back from the cruise with mi madre...which was preceded by a family camping trip departing (literally) the day after I got back from NJ. So apologies first off that I've been somewhat out of the loop, but I just spent the last 40 minutes or so catching up on all of your lives with this blog (Krystyna...your idea ROCKS!) -- and I must say it's made me miss you all a lot more than I already was, which is saying something as I missed you already.
Thank you all for your reflections and inspirational stories. Coming off of the past two weeks it's a great reminder that we are all still in this together. Like most people have been saying, it's been a challenge for me coming back to "reality" on a lot of levels. Along the way though, little reminders have popped into my life to keep me on the right path (the advent of texting on my phone has helped! haha) A few key moments of the past two weeks that have drawn me to thinking about this summer, and all of you:
*When we were camping, the guy in the cabin next to us would play his violin every night. Usually it was Amazing Grace...then one night it was "Here I Am Lord." That song in the morning service always got me when the kids would join Nick in the chorus together -- one of my favorite morning prayers. I got very caught up in listening, thinking of you guys and watching the campfire (not as big as your Tumnus, but nice nonetheless).
*As Dayna mentioned, the constant turning out of lights, off of water, etc. -- drives the family crazy, but hey, it's the small things.
*As you may guess, the cruise was an interesting "challenge." Please don't get me wrong, it was hands-down the best vacation I've ever been on, but seeing the amount of people able to just up and vacation (and drink like fish...oooohhh man) brought thoughts of TASK every now and again. Like many of the kids would say on Thursday, I don't know that we need to absolutely deny ourselves of things all the time (or do we?) -- moderation moderation moderation. It was just some definite food for thought.
*That being said, I took Aiden's advice about getting to know the staff, and heard the most INCREDIBLE stories from everyone from our waiters to the cruise director staff to our stateroom attendant to our tour guide in Mexico. It's amazing the amount of time they all spend away from their families just to bring money home (most of them are from countries such as India, Jamaica, and obviously Mexico). They were beautiful people, and getting to know them, along with fellow cruisers, was one of the highlights of the trip for me. It's all about the human connection my friends. That's all there is in life.
*SPEAKING of the human connection: at our port in Key West I suddenly saw bumper stickers everywhere declaring "One Human Family" -- apparently this is the town's motto "because all humans deserve equal respect and love." So uh...let's all move to Key West? They seem to be on the right track! haha. Regardless, I definitely thought of all of you...pictures of a beautiful one human family mosaic will grace facebook soon!
*The sunrises/sunsets on the ship and general grandeur of nature left no doubt in my mind that God is present everywhere and driving through Mexico (I will have to show you the pictures) I was reminded (as if I needed to be, really) that, as a sign in the Franklin Food Pantry proclaims, "The Poor don't get a vacation." Yet the pure joy on the faces of the children we passed...and the amusement on the faces of the few people I made feeble attempts at Spanish with also reiterated that, again, it's the human connection that counts.
*Finally, after having missed mass the Sunday we were camping with the family and realizing that there was no actual mass on the ship, I got my mom up at 8am to go to the interdenominational service. One other person, and the girl leading it, showed up. The experience was much like a long version of our community prayers -- a song, a reading, a reflection, sharing, a story, another song, the end. During the service we learn that the three of us that were not the staff are all Roman Catholic. I'm not going to lie, this was a very pleasant surprise for me! I'm used to going to those services as the only Catholic...and it was reassuring that of a ship of 3000 people, three Catholics took time from the morning to pray. The girl leading the service was awesome too ... 23 year old from Oklahoma (woot woot Shel!) who's done a lot of youth group work. She sort of gave a real brief witness talk and mentioned how she sees the most important evangelization as simply doing your job with all of the joy and love you can knowing that God has given you those talents to share for a reason and that your joy will shine to others, perhaps leading them to ask why you're so joyful -- enter perfect opportunity to share the faith (tent-building, right Mike?). I was so glad to hear that perspective bounced back to me, because it's definitely my take on things. I shared that thought, and a bit of our summer experience, when she asked us all to share. My mom also shared a bit about her journey. Nothing intense...but it was nice to discuss it with her and pray with her. The two of us actually had a few discussions over the course of the trip about the state of the world, poverty, faith, etc. -- it was great! So, while I am really looking forward to mass (in Kentucky next Sunday....ahhh!) I feel like I've managed to stay very connected to my faith which, as you all know, was a fear that I had leaving. So here's to keeping that up! (and I feel it will only get easier)
Well, this has gone on long enough for now. Best of luck to all of you starting back to school this week!! Enjoy and kick some butt on those campuses! To the rest of you, keep doing what you're doing and know that you're never far from my thoughts and prayers. I may be swinging in and out of touch as I'm packing off to join you southerners this coming Friday, but that doesn't mean I forgot ya! Does anyone else find it incredibly reassuring that we pretty much have a prayer line up and down the eastern seaboard--JUST from our community? Pretty sweet.
Hugs to all!
Thank you all for your reflections and inspirational stories. Coming off of the past two weeks it's a great reminder that we are all still in this together. Like most people have been saying, it's been a challenge for me coming back to "reality" on a lot of levels. Along the way though, little reminders have popped into my life to keep me on the right path (the advent of texting on my phone has helped! haha) A few key moments of the past two weeks that have drawn me to thinking about this summer, and all of you:
*When we were camping, the guy in the cabin next to us would play his violin every night. Usually it was Amazing Grace...then one night it was "Here I Am Lord." That song in the morning service always got me when the kids would join Nick in the chorus together -- one of my favorite morning prayers. I got very caught up in listening, thinking of you guys and watching the campfire (not as big as your Tumnus, but nice nonetheless).
*As Dayna mentioned, the constant turning out of lights, off of water, etc. -- drives the family crazy, but hey, it's the small things.
*As you may guess, the cruise was an interesting "challenge." Please don't get me wrong, it was hands-down the best vacation I've ever been on, but seeing the amount of people able to just up and vacation (and drink like fish...oooohhh man) brought thoughts of TASK every now and again. Like many of the kids would say on Thursday, I don't know that we need to absolutely deny ourselves of things all the time (or do we?) -- moderation moderation moderation. It was just some definite food for thought.
*That being said, I took Aiden's advice about getting to know the staff, and heard the most INCREDIBLE stories from everyone from our waiters to the cruise director staff to our stateroom attendant to our tour guide in Mexico. It's amazing the amount of time they all spend away from their families just to bring money home (most of them are from countries such as India, Jamaica, and obviously Mexico). They were beautiful people, and getting to know them, along with fellow cruisers, was one of the highlights of the trip for me. It's all about the human connection my friends. That's all there is in life.
*SPEAKING of the human connection: at our port in Key West I suddenly saw bumper stickers everywhere declaring "One Human Family" -- apparently this is the town's motto "because all humans deserve equal respect and love." So uh...let's all move to Key West? They seem to be on the right track! haha. Regardless, I definitely thought of all of you...pictures of a beautiful one human family mosaic will grace facebook soon!
*The sunrises/sunsets on the ship and general grandeur of nature left no doubt in my mind that God is present everywhere and driving through Mexico (I will have to show you the pictures) I was reminded (as if I needed to be, really) that, as a sign in the Franklin Food Pantry proclaims, "The Poor don't get a vacation." Yet the pure joy on the faces of the children we passed...and the amusement on the faces of the few people I made feeble attempts at Spanish with also reiterated that, again, it's the human connection that counts.
*Finally, after having missed mass the Sunday we were camping with the family and realizing that there was no actual mass on the ship, I got my mom up at 8am to go to the interdenominational service. One other person, and the girl leading it, showed up. The experience was much like a long version of our community prayers -- a song, a reading, a reflection, sharing, a story, another song, the end. During the service we learn that the three of us that were not the staff are all Roman Catholic. I'm not going to lie, this was a very pleasant surprise for me! I'm used to going to those services as the only Catholic...and it was reassuring that of a ship of 3000 people, three Catholics took time from the morning to pray. The girl leading the service was awesome too ... 23 year old from Oklahoma (woot woot Shel!) who's done a lot of youth group work. She sort of gave a real brief witness talk and mentioned how she sees the most important evangelization as simply doing your job with all of the joy and love you can knowing that God has given you those talents to share for a reason and that your joy will shine to others, perhaps leading them to ask why you're so joyful -- enter perfect opportunity to share the faith (tent-building, right Mike?). I was so glad to hear that perspective bounced back to me, because it's definitely my take on things. I shared that thought, and a bit of our summer experience, when she asked us all to share. My mom also shared a bit about her journey. Nothing intense...but it was nice to discuss it with her and pray with her. The two of us actually had a few discussions over the course of the trip about the state of the world, poverty, faith, etc. -- it was great! So, while I am really looking forward to mass (in Kentucky next Sunday....ahhh!) I feel like I've managed to stay very connected to my faith which, as you all know, was a fear that I had leaving. So here's to keeping that up! (and I feel it will only get easier)
Well, this has gone on long enough for now. Best of luck to all of you starting back to school this week!! Enjoy and kick some butt on those campuses! To the rest of you, keep doing what you're doing and know that you're never far from my thoughts and prayers. I may be swinging in and out of touch as I'm packing off to join you southerners this coming Friday, but that doesn't mean I forgot ya! Does anyone else find it incredibly reassuring that we pretty much have a prayer line up and down the eastern seaboard--JUST from our community? Pretty sweet.
Hugs to all!
posted by Kristen @ 9:33 PM
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