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Saturday, 28 March 2009

  • Calling

    I am back -- again.  I do not know why I felt compelled to come back tonight, but I did.  I am going to come back more often and write because I feel compelled to write.  I feel like I have pertinent issues and topics to discuss now, especially with all the issues I have encountered the past few weeks. 

    An update -- I have switched churches and am attending a bible church in the suburbs of Austin.  I love it!  In addition, I am attending Celebrate Recovery at this church, which I recommend for anyone who has unresolved issues in his or her life.  Earlier this semester, I tried going back to the Catholic Church.  I attended for a few weeks ... but then my desire to attend deteriorated.  I entered a temporary spiritual rut.  I realized, though, that I was attending out of guilt and tradition.  I felt blessed for my upbringing.  God, though, wanted me to go in a different direction.

    The best part about the church is the candor of its worshippers.  These people know they are infallible and are not afraid to admit their habits, hurts and hang-ups.  They throw their hands up in the air and ask for God's mercy.  They tell you their problems and issues and welcome you to reciprocate that action.  They want to know you.  Now, for someone who has grown up in the Catholic Church, this seems, well, downright terrifying for obvious reasons:

    1. Reconciliation was between you and a Priest.  Yet, I realized I deprived myself for so many years of the accountability I needed and craved.  (It is not that Catholic Churches cannot have accountability.) 

    2. Fellowship was nonexistent.  You attended Church, tithed weekly and participated in religious classes weekly. 

    3. The sense of community was nonexistent.  Outside of my peers from school who I attended my church, I knew no one.

    *This is based on my experiences with the Catholic Church.

    Now, I feel inspired and blessed and just filled with joy.  I want to become more involved, but I am hesitant because I may leave Austin at the end of July (depending on where and if I am hired).  I want to stay in Austin, though, and continue to attend this church because for the first time, I feel like I belong.  Wow, sometimes, those words just hit me.  I belong to a church now.  Wow.  

    If I am hired to work in Austin, my goal is to lead a group of seventh, eighth or ninth graders at this church.  I want to become a small group leader -- which can be done at any church, of course -- for younger girls in such an impressionable time in their lives.  Not only do I want to praise and worship God with these wonderful girls and explore the different books of the Bible, but I also want to instill important messages in them regarding their bodies and their health and their mind.  I want them to learn how to combat negative media images and this dangerously promiscuous nature of this world.  I want them to learn why they are important to God and why they are beautiful -- and which boys to avoid.  Most importantly, though, I want to share my difficulties with them and the ways I overcame these difficulties.  I just feel called to do this.

    I guess the point of this message was to inform you of my life and for what I am praying -- the opportunity to grow with this wonderful church and work with these young girls.

    God bless, Lisa

Monday, 12 January 2009

  • Back!

    Hello readers,

    I have returned!  I took a long hiatus from Revelife, which I think was for the best.  Life has been hectic/confusing/wonderful these past few months, but I have a better sense of purpose and direction.  Isn't God wonderful?  

    Within the next week (I promise!), I am going to briefly describe this past semester, including the new people I met -- one of whom has been a wonderful Brother in Christ to me.

    Until then, though, God bless!

    - Your Sister in Christ

Friday, 15 August 2008

  • Quick post ...

    He returns this week.  I am not going to contact him though.  It's not my place.  If he returns to me, then he was always mine.  If he does not, then I guess he was never mine.  Only God knows ... 

    He has my cross, though, which I gave to him to keep during his assessment.  It would be nice to have it back (lol) ...

    In addition, I would like to know that he received my care package.  Sure, UPS said it arrived in Fort Lewis, but who knows if he actually received it. 

    Edit: Well, I have given up now.  Something tells me to stop pursuing him - whether it's a gut-instinct or God, I am not sure.  Either way, though, I am focusing on Him.  It's all about God.

Friday, 01 August 2008

  • Currently Listening
    Don't Get Comfortable
    By Brandon Heath
    see related

    My new 86-year-old friend Edith ...

    It was the last day of my Best Buddies conference, and I was heading back to Austin. 

    Two hours of waiting in the airport + two hours on the plane = a lot of thinking time

    For the overly analytical thinker, four hours seem like eternity.  I had a lot on my mind then, too, which did not help the situation.  I was still letting all the information I had learned over the past weekend sink in ... and I had a boy on my mind.  While waiting to board, I (tried to) read the latest issue of Marie Claire.  It did not help whatsoever.  When I finally boarded the plane, I thought to myself, "Only two more dreadful hours."  I silently prayed to God to help me relax and to stop thinking SO MUCH.

    He brought me Edith.

    At first, I was apprehensive about sitting next to an elderly woman.  A girl that had been traveling with me had a not-so-pleasant experience with another elderly woman after she accidentally ran into her - twice.  Fortunately, there was an international Best Buddies member sitting in the other seat in my aisle.  (I had the middle seat.)  I started speaking with the member when Edith asked me where she was from.  "Hong Kong," I responded.  This simple question ended up being the impetus to a marvelous two-hour discussion.  

    I explained to Edith what Best Buddies is - a marvelous organization that promotes one-to-one friendships with people with intellectual disabilities.  (Of course, the word "marvelous" is not in the mission statement.)  She explained why she was on the plane - to visit her daughter in Dallas.  (Her son, who lives near her in Indianapolis, was traveling and did not want to leave her by herself.)  She then began to talk about her lovely family, including her granddaughter who is currently at a missionary in Thailand (if I recall the location correctly).  Edith shared stories about her past, her love life, her career, et cetera.  I talked about my family (of course!) and even the occupational predicament in my life. 

    The best part of the conversation, though, was the inclusion of God.  A woman of faith, Edith understood completely when I talked about what I feel like I am truly called to do - to work with children and women as a social worker.  I explained how God had led me to my research fellowship at The University of Texas at Austin, only to show me that it was not His plan for me, and she understood completely!   

    I have never had such an intimate and detailed conversation with an individual I had just met - much less, an individual I had just met on a plane!  Yet, this conversation helped me in many ways:

    First, it helped me relax.  I did not think too hard during those two hours.  In fact, I longed for more time with her. 

    Second, speaking with another grandmother reminded me of my own grandmothers, whom I love dearly.  I realized the need to spend more time with them because they may be gone in the blink of an eye. 

    Third, I realized the need to be more patient.  Here was a woman who had lived for eighty-six years.  She had eighty-six years of wonderful memories, of heartbreaking memories, of foreseen and unforeseen challenges, of regrets and failures, of joy and happiness.  She did not get married until thirty but spent fifty-plus years with the man of her life.  (Furthermore, she was not expecting it.)  Here I was as a twenty-one-year-old, fretting about my future - whether I would marry, have children, be a happy as a social worker, et cetera.  After all, life is capricious.  I just need to live each day to the fullest.

    Fourth, the conversation reminded me to trust God, which can be difficult, at times.

    "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence" (Jeremiah 17:7).

    Before we parted ways, I asked for Edith's address.  I love making and sending cards to people.  Nothing would bring me more joy than to send her a card.

    Have you ever engaged in a fulfilling conversation with an individual you had just met?  If so, did the conversation have a impact (regardless of size) on you?

Friday, 25 July 2008

mslisachristine

  • Visit mslisachristine's Revelife Site
    • Name: Lisa
    • Member Since: 6/20/2008

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