You know that feeling when yesterday was last week or even last year. I have been doing some reflecting and moving through out the days. A lot has happened since I last blogged.
Some answers to those nagging question people always ask.
Are you getting along with your roommate?
but my roommate graduated and is getting married while I am incredibly excited for her. I also get to be in her wedding in less than two weeks. I miss having that friendly loving presence around. Positive outlook they are not moving out of country, state, or city any time soon.
So I am getting used to a whole new roommate. I have been lucky up to this point in having friends that put up with my wild behavior when I have been in all day and they come in and I scare them.
Have you been going to church?
Yes I have. I have been attending Capitol Hill Church of Christ in the south side of Oklahoma City. I love it there. I have also been volunteering by teaching 11 & 12 year old girls that worked with this summer. I love them but they are girls who are on the brink of adolescence and because that can be a test of patience.
Another reason I love Capitol Hill is all the kids. The church has a ton of kids that you watch grow up and who thirst for more knowledge.
There are also a large group of adults who all come and help that all love the kids. We all get along because we share a passion for the kids and the church.
How is it on the boy front?
Well there is no one in the picture and I haven't been in the dating scene.
However, I have been focus on me and God, waiting for his time....
You could say Jesus is my boyfriend in the strangest of terms like a nun says.
My favorite thing about Oklahoma City?
I love how God is moving in the city. To me at least the Devon Tower is a candle in the light sky saying "God we are here. Your children are in need of your presence."
From where the city has been to where it is moving to makes me so happy but I know his work is not done and I want to be part of God's mission not my mission but God's
School is good.
I really enjoy most of my class and I really enjoy spending times in the bible building and being surrounded by other Mission and bible majors. There is a really cool group.
Here is my catch up Blog post I will try to get back on soon to write some more but here are some thoughts.
Scrapes on my face are a BLESSING.....INDEED and a new lesson about myself.
It all started on Friday morning. Before 11:00 am I was just a regular girl in less an hour I would become a girl with scrapes on her face. I went to babysit as usual, went to chapel with Jessica and after this MJ asked us to go to lunch with her but disappeared. We went down the stairs of Scot's Chapel and stopped in the forum to wait and watch the chapel rush disappear. Giving up we walked up the stairs closed to the caf and walked past the doors and that's when I tripped. I don't remember what happened for sure but I remembered that right before it happened I was watching my Children Ministry Majors walk in to the student center.
Jessica got me and help walk a dazed me into the student center straight into the bathroom where I put some cleaned up the freshly skinned forehead and nose. We stopped at the grill for a water bottle and Jessica's food. I had decided I wanted sonic. On the way to my car we found MJ and she came with us. To speed up I got my Sonic and sat while I ate in my spot in the bible building.
I posted this picture on Facebook.
There were a lot of comments and a lot of questions. I went to class that day. My mind was all there but the pain was sharing the its presence. Some people were shocked that I went to class that day. My only explanation is that I really is that I need to be around people.
The story was that I got in a fight with MJ at least that what was going around the corner.
Later that day, I checked my Facebook and I saw these comments by family members. Ryan's comments is very much like what my Dad told me any time I got hurt on something. My Dad would pull me on his lap and tell the spot I fell over or "hit shame on it" for let me getting hurt. It was a blessing and a nice blast from the past
When I got back to my apartment. I end up passing out on my couch because I am tired emotionally
and physically.
Fast forward to the next couple days, scrapes on my face are hard to miss people have been asking me what happened.
On Saturday was a family reunion that I did not know about till that morning... "The Watson Family Reunion" MY dad's mom's side. I went and I am glad I went. I spent have the time laughing the time at Bob Bob.
I went to church on Sunday and answered the questions. My favorite response in CHill to my face was, "Whose this boyfriend that I need to talk to?" which I responded to "I don't have one and the concert"
Sunday was also the start of the lectureship. My face end up being a conversation starter with people. I was sitting and walking back forth from the Wishing Well OC booth. In one of my journeys back to my car and my apartment I stopped by the EEM Table because I really love the work that they are doing there. I spoke with him about Ukraine and he asked me about my face. Another thing that stood out to me is, "I saw you before and wondered."
I told him what had happened about how I face planted. I shared a story with him that I once face planted after crossing the road in Gorlovka, Ukraine. However that curb was much larger than the one I tripped over in this case. He told me, "No more face plants." Which I replied to, "I'll try not."
These marks on my face have been giving me a chance to talk to people. It has been a conversation starter in itself. When I was sitting at the Wishing Well booth and people are walking around the booths they may stop look at the merchandise on the table then up at me. The marks on my face were sudden and surprising to the people then they would stop and ask what happened then I would try to turn back to something on the table.
One of the nights I do not remember which night I had unbelievable pain
in my knee from the bruise that is on my knee from the fall.
This is the blessing side of it. The reflections will be below after I finish the narrative.
Monday, I woke up with the sniffles and went to babysat for Body and Soul and the Lectureship. I was getting to babysit from 8/9 to 12 pm longer than I done on a Monday morning. I really enjoyed it. I got to see a baby/toddler that I really enjoy however he was slightly fussy.
I went to the caf got my box of food and ate in the bible building. I enjoyed my time with my friends The bible building is my favorite place to be cuddling with my peeps. I am safe. When class time came I went and then enjoyed time outside in the bible corner and got a doughnut. After that I went back to my room curled up on my bed and watched Reign (the CW show). I stopped to watch Breakfast at Tiffany's for the quiz in History of Motion Pictures. Great movie.
I went to the lectureship that night at 7 pm to listen to Doug Peter speak and the Panel. After that I chatted and took down the Wishing Well booth. I also helped carry things for a friend and traveled back to my apartment. I slept on my couch that night but stayed up watching Reign (addictive).
The next day, Tuesday, I woke up with sniffles again and started my homework but I was exhausted. Trying to move my body off the couch was a long process. I ended up falling back to sleep skipped my first class and I was going to go to my second class.
When the time came around for my second class. I could not get up and moving around my body had it. My body told me, "you have worked us to the core you like to go go go. We can not take anymore" I finally started moving about but slowly when I gave myself time to rest and I went in small little burst. I had to take down the booth because of the end of the conference, pick up a package, and do laundry.
I was walking back from getting my package and I saw the EEM guy again but he was packed up in his car. He drove up to me and rolled down his window and said, "No more face plants." I smiled and replied, "I'll try not to,"then wished him goodbye.
At Wishing Well later that night I got a chair from one of the graduate classrooms. The comfy grey ones that roll so I could move it around in the front of the room. There are parts of the meeting that I were on my feet and I was running into things and almost falling over again. Jessica would say "please don't fall" or "oh your poor knees." I think we accomplished something at the meeting though. I am thankful for them.
Just before Wishing Well, I wrote notes to people in my life telling them things that had been pressed on heart. Even early in that day I was surprised in some of things I wrote as the Holy Spirit took control and worked in my life as she has all week in all these instances of this week and my life as a whole.
The chair that I had taken from one of the graduate classrooms was not taken back by me. I was taken back in it. Philip pushed me in the chair at a running pace back to the classroom to the chair, rightful spot. I got up from the chair and moved to the comfy couch cushion outside the door and waited till the rest came out. I stole Philip's phone and ended up disabling it trying to unlocking it. It was funny watching him freaking out over trying to figure out where he placed it.
And today on Wednesday, a child said my scrape on my face looked like a, "fish."
Reflection Time.... Please listen to this song as you read this section of the blog on repeat if you may.
A few weeks before I face planted into the concrent. I been feeling very alone and dragged down by the devil and his demons. I also felt a little bit forgotten about but that was mostly my fault because I was in my apartment and I never texted any body to do anything. Invitation unfilled or never gotten back to me. In the same time I have had the Noah Soundtrack in my car playing. This is my favorite song on the album. It is a reminder that my pillow is not just soft as cloud but his arms and his chest as my Father who created me.
Ever since my little trip I have been embraced everywhere I have been with people asking me how I am doing or commenting that my face is doing better. The scrapes on my face gave me an a point to stand out when I feeling very unnoticed. What I am saying is God pushed me over for my face to get scraped and my knees to be bruised. For me to learn a few important lessons.
God tends to do this to me when I have been rushing around do to many things at a time and I am thank for that. He makes that I have to physically slow down with some physical injury. Tuesday was my personal day of slowing down and praying for strength to get through the healing process. I am learning that I cannot expect myself to everything all day after a tramua of tripping over something. Body needs to heal. So I am becoming more stationary and using my mind less than my leg. You could say I am lazy person but I have been hurting this last week with physical pain. God can heel my Physical and Emotional pain for he is my rock. I love my community.
Please pray for me to heal and regain strength and I don't wear myself thin.
To end my long blog here is a passage from Psalm 62:7-9 (NRSV): "7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.Selah
9 Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath."
This is the last few minutes of my birthday I write this birthday blog post about family and my hope for this year. I have learned very quickly in this year that I need to around my family. Not just my earthly family but also my spiritual one.
I have been blessed with a multitude of loved ones and friends people that I can call mine. God is my resting place. This year I want to be immersed in his Holy Spirit and surrounded by the people who love Him as much as I do my brothers and my sisters.
On the last two Monday's View 63 has been incredibly full that it almost feels like a safety hazard. A
comment I have jokingly made both times is that why wouldn't the best
place to die be surrounded by your brothers and sisters praising God. It
is always is an encouragement to me when I see my friends or people I
know at devotionals praising God with me. There is a sense of unity in
singing praise to our Lord. There are moments when I can get very
claustrophobic but moments like View 63 I am okay with being surround in
God's presence.
I was praying during one of the songs during View 63 and as the next song began it was Magnificat. It is Mary's Song, mother of Jesus. Now this song is very special to me and always brings tears to my eyes. On my first trip to Ukraine we sang this song to the women in the churches that we did the ladies day at. It is also Katie Price's favorite song. So as the rest of the chapel sang the song I prayed a hard for sweet Ukraine. I prayed for all of my loved ones and everything that is going on over there. Almost time I thought the song was going to end I thought I am not done. The chapel kept on singing. "My soul magnifies the Lord" I miss and love my brothers and sisters in that beautiful country. When I was finished with the prayer I finished the last line of the alto part with chapel and the song concluded.
During Women in Mission class on Tuesday, we learned about Resilience from Cherry Hart. She was a beautiful woman who accent was surprising and pleasant to the ears. She was a missionary in South Africa (cool). After her story about a girl and the lesson of the four ways the girl was strong and she pulled them to work in her life. Nancy gave the rest of the class and I a survey of the seven different categorizes that we did in class. I was surprised to see how some of them turned out. One of the highest one for me was my extended family, skill, and I forgot the other one at the moment. My extended family one, took me by surprised. The next thing to happentook me even more by surprise. This had to be a God thing because as I was going to walk out of the doors of the bible building I notice a relative that I knew. My cousin Ryan had come to OC for a meeting.
I got to see him and talk to him before my birthday but also about Wishing Well since our planning meeting was the same night. He also did not know that Wednesday was my birthday (Hahaha :D).
Skip to Wednesday
I slept in enjoyed my last Wednesday without having to work in the mornings before classes but I am excited to start working and see the kids that I babysat last year. However when I finally did feel my phone vibrate I knew there was no turning back on starting the day. When I went to lunch I enjoyed the fact that some of my friends did not know it was my birthday until I told them. It was almost like I had the upper hand at this moment (not a normal reaction). Before I left the lunch table most of my other friends left because of the fact they needed to do homework but I was enjoying being in their presence.
This is my groups descriptions of God
At church on Wednesday while we were singing I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving for the life he has given me and the family that I have to share it with. I have learned while I have been in college that my easiest times to pray is when I have people singing around me. This does not work with a CD of people sing but with real people.
For an experiment in our discussion at the Gathering. There were four different tables of people. We had circles at the table and on these circles we had to write descriptions, metaphors, and qualities of God. Each table had some creatives ones my favorite from our table was God is childlike. We got to sing a little bit more after the discussion and then we got ice cream and cupcakes because people had birthdays in that week.
In the last portion of the evening I got to go to Waffle House with my room mate, Jessica, Mat, and Chloe. I am so blessed in all these families and relationships I have in God. For even Jesus did not even have just one family. "Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:33-35 The best thing about being spiritual brothers and sisters we will always know each other in heaven. We will be connected together as one big family.
Thank you brothers and sisters for your birthday wishes they have been a blessing on my life. I hope you have a blessed year and we get to enjoy it praising God together in our time that we share together.
Part of this post was written on August 3rd but this was inspired to be posted by the week that I have been having. Last night, I went to the Gathering. This is a new version of Quail Springs Church of Christ's college small group and their Revel. This was the first devo, last night.
On August 3rd this is what I wrote.
"So I did it. I picked up a recesses off the middle of my cup holder. Rolling down my window and handed the candy to the man by 1-40 & Western. I took a different route today because I was early to church. I am done with the internship at Capitol Hill. And this is my last time before I go home. During the Summer, Averi and I would see the homeless people on the side of the road and talk about giving them something. For a couple weeks the youth group went out in two groups to give out sandwiches to the hungry men and women who stand next to the highway."
That was all of it that I got written. Last night at Gathering Dr. Rix spokes about the Mark 14:3-9.
I had a dream of taking the Capitol Hill kids to Ukraine.
It was a weird dream. My fellow Interns were with us too and Melia plus one of the guys who drive the van on Sunday and Thursday. It was the strangest things. I also was in one of the worst moods ever. I do not know exactly where we were it was like a mix between Donetsk and Kiev. We did scavenger hunts through the town.
Two things I love. Ukraine and Capitol Hill my heart feels a little torn right now with everything happening in Ukraine but I know in my heart that the outcome will be in God's Glory. For people can make their own decisions but God is in control of the battle. For it is his battle. The only news I will read is things that come directly from one of my close friends from Ukraine or someone who has spoken to one of them. The news just breaks my heart but is in my prayers.
This is the Party Week/Final Week of my internship at Capitol Hill
This is a painting that I created.
The borders is quotes from the other interns.
With Happiness is quotes...
(only missing two in that picture)
I am so glad that I got to experience this and I have found my church home finally in the 3 plus years of going to school at OC. This entire school I have been trying to find a church that has a great kids program and I was totally lost. But I have found it. I am also very happy. This week I have been giving out prints of pictures to some of the kids. Mostly I have been giving out my favorite photos of some of the kids. One of the youth guys told me that on his Facebook photos are one I have tagged him in. That made me smile the moment he said might have not been the best place to say it but it did make me smile.
My fellow interns have been great people to learn off and become friends with. I am sad to split up for the school year but its the path that God lays before us. Each of my fellow interns have been a blessing in my life in different ways. Some of the times I learned the most was from my fellow interns from talking in general to the way they talk to the kids when we are trying to discourage them from doing something. That group is the funniest when we are all hanging out.
It is not just the other interns my bosses have also been a huge blessing in my life and I have learned a lot from them as well. The love that they have for the kids and teens in that church is amazing. I hope to learn more as I continue to attend Capitol Hill. They have made wanted me to a better teacher, be healthier, be a better driver, and grow deeper in my walk with God.
I have a challenge for myself.
I love giving things to people that I love. However the major flaw in my life is that I suck giving to God on Sunday's in the Contribution. So I have challenged myself and I need your help because I have tried to challenge myself before and failed.
The Challenge is that I am going to carry change with me on every Sunday to give it to whoever I am sitting around and have a little for me to Give back to God.
I also want to do this to teach other kids to give like my parents taught me how to give but I haven't been doing the best job of it. For its one of things we are supposed to do.
Okay the last thing is completely random
I was looking up information on Tree Nut Allergy and ran into the allergen and College life. The reason I looked up is I have said Tree Nut Allergy. That part of my life kind of suck especially if I wanted to become a health nut. Tree Nuts is in almost everything.
However I came across this video and I dont know why but it struck me funny. I guess it is because of my lack of dating experience but this was informative, a little awkward, and funny. Have a watch.
I really cannot believe this summer is coming to a close. I have so much work to do but then its so hard to pack my things and I leave on Monday for Tulsa.
I need to go to sleep. Good night, wonderful readers.
At around 4:30 am I woke up and washed my scalp by myself. This is only because I woke up with my dandruff was being annoying and I could not sleep.
The song above haunted me before the summer began because it was almost exactly what I was going to be away from a ton of people I knew. However the reality is not as bad as it seems but I am not completely on my own yet. My mom still financially supports me.
I have gotten very tired of driving by myself but I embrace it with listening to Air 1 on the radio in my car to keep my spirit up and I am always singing along.
When I am work and the kids are there I never feel alone. I am surrounded by those kids who are my favorite kind of medicine. I still dislike the song Ain't it Fun but I can enjoy it a little more.
Sometimes I really hate my brain... or is it my heart?!?!?!?!
That part of the body that gives you so much grief when you feel anxiety. There has handful times on this job where i have felt anxious about doing beforehand but when I do it. I am just fine. A lot of times what drives me is the fear of missing something, an inside joke, a memory, or anything at all.Just for an instance, I never wanted to miss the youth events at church. So this made it difficult to see my grandparents.
However some things will knock out that drive.
I sometimes consider myself an awkward person. That is not something that I pride myself on and when I get into these awkward moods I try to avoid awkward situations. Example if someone is mad at me I would try avoiding that person. Do not make eye contact with the beast (or the person that dislikes you). I have personal rules for a reason.
This is especially disconcerting when I am in need of human contact and I am knocked out of that drive. Today, I could have done something with some of my friends but I was thrown off by someone in the same general area. This avoidance was not only for my own well being but the well being of others. However I am regretting the decision because of missing out on that great love ones who were there.
During this Internship, I have learned how to step out of my shell more and more when it comes to teaching and disciplining. I have also learned a little bit more about how not to make promises.
I still dislike the limelight in front of a ton of people i.e. when singing chicky chicky getting called up to the stage or if I am called up for the front to pray for something. I may try to shrink back or stand beside the stage.
In some cases with people that dislike me tend to glare and gives me more limelight than I want. There has been times when I have been Passive Aggressive and just go and where the dislikers are.
I pray for guidance on these things and pray that I won't let fear or anxiety rule my life for people will not like me in the future. I might have to even work with some.
In other news I have finished reading my copy of When Helping Hurts.
So it is up for borrowing if you want to read it. I highly recommended it. It is one that I am going to be reading now and again. Just let me know in the comments below.
