Questions

Sometimes this life just isn't fair.

I just received word that upon doing the scope, they found the cancer has spread throughout my grandpa's body.

I don't know much more than that at this point. They're going to try and make him as comfortable as possible.

This just sucks, I really didn't expect this would be the outcome.

Grandpa's Surgery

Thank you to those of you who have asked and been praying for my family. I just spoke with my grandparents and my grandpa's surgery is scheduled for this Tuesday, August 24th at 8am (pst).

The surgery will go as follows:

They'll open him up and use a camera to survey the cancerous tumor.

If they find other places where the cancer has spread, they'll close him up and make him comfortable until he leaves this earth.

If they only find the one cancerous tumor (which is what they're expecting to find) then they'll remove it, do some other work, and then patch him up.

My grandparents are in good spirits and trust that God will use whatever outcome for his glory. My grandpa finds every opportunity to share his story of God's love; this is just another opportunity to do that.

I'm obviously praying it's just a cancerous tumor, that it can be removed with ease, for a quick recovery, and to restore my grandpa to full health.

I (and my family) would appreciate your prayers. Thank you.

Mysterious Ways

God works in mysterious ways sometimes.

There are many times I sit in awe of what God is doing. There are other times where I throw my hands up in the air and think, 'what are you doing?'

When I was interviewing for assistantships, I spoke with this woman, Jan. She had an assistantship in her office of assessment. Although I wasn't too thrilled about the position itself (not that the job was bad, just very removed from students, and lots of assessment (which I already knew I'd be doing in the program)) BUT I was extremely excited about the opportunity to work with Jan. For whatever reason, I knew she valued people, would help create the experiences I desired, and would be a wonderful supervisor.

Well, I didn't get that assistantship.

Instead, I have an assistantship working in the student center. Having never worked with any sort of student union, it'll be a good opportunity to learn. Additionally, my office is just down from the dean, I have interaction with some students, and there's the ability to create my own job description (all wonderful things).

So I started on a Tuesday. My supervisor left (I mean left left) on Friday. The next Tuesday, my new supervisor was announced. On Friday, she moved in.

If you haven't guessed it yet...Jan is the interim...and my temporary supervisory. I couldn't have been more thrilled when they announced it!

...

So...God story number 2.

When I was looking for places to live, you may remember I decided to live on campus and the whole hoopla of securing my spot. Well, I had been in contact with this woman Mallory. A friend of mine in the program (Larry-2nd year) had someone in his cohort (Danny) that knew someone (Mallory) who was looking for a roommate too. Random, I know. So Larry put me in contact with Mallory. After a few emails back and forth, it seemed as though we may get along, although how much can you truly know through email. Well, after I had decided to go with on campus housing (and secured a place), I get an email from Mallory saying she's decided to go solo this year (phew). But we agree to meet up for coffee after we're both moved in.

A few weeks ago, Mallory shoots me an email saying she's moving in and that she'd like to schedule coffee. She informs me that she is living in on campus housing. (Insert random laugh here ps she didn't know I was also living on campus) Then she tells me that she's in the building next to mine (Insert confused look and thoughts of where her apartment is)

Literally, I can see her apartment door from mine (when the tree in the courtyard is trimmed).

Mallory and I soon meet up for dinner. Here are some of the things we talk about.

• We both like the outdoors
• She has her master's degree in higher education from UGA so she knows all my program faculty
• She's been working in a leadership development program
• We both finished our masters in 2005
• She's not married and about the same age
• She's a Christian

And the list goes on and on. We joked that we lived parallel lives. But really, it's just another reminder of God's provision for me along this journey.

I was reflecting the other day about this transition as opposed to the last, and surprisingly this one has been smoother. This may be in part because I'm not deathly ill three weeks into moving, but for whatever reason, I'm grateful. I know this journey to PhD will be a tough and long (roughly over 1000 days) road, but I'm so thankful for reminders that God is with me and watching out for all the details.

Firsts

Last week was filled with firsts and these next couple weeks promise the same. Here are some that top the list.

Started my assistantship on Tuesday.

Had a boss for three days.

Have no boss now (Wednesday they should announce an interim)

Received a study guide for prelims (yeah, those are still 2 years away)

Was completely overwhelmed with the thought of starting school

Was completely underwhelmed because I was 'working' with no work to be done...yet.

I've seen three confederate flags in three days (I can't get used to that, nor do I want to)

And I visited my third official city in Georgia....Commerce, GA (it's where the outlets are)

And this week should be filled with more firsts...

Graduate Assistant orientation (tomorrow)

Grad school orientation (Wednesday)

Program orientation (Friday)

That's a lot of orientating. Anyway, just wanted to let the world...or my little world know that I'm enjoying my time in Georgia thus far!

Oh...yeah...and school starts with 16th. :)

With all these firsts, and of this new beginning, it reminds me of a poem that my friend Kristin shared awhile back. Enjoy.

Help Me to Believe in Beginnings
God of history and of my heart,
so much has happened to me during these whirlwind days:
I've known death and birth;
I've been brave and scared;
I've hurt, I've helped;
I've been honest, I've lied;
I've destroyed, I've created;
I've been with people, I've been lonely;
I've been loyal, I've betrayed;
I've decided, I've waffled;
I've laughed and I've cried.
You know my frail heart and my frayed history -
and now another day begins.

O God, help me to believe in beginnings
and in my beginning again,
no matter how often I've failed before.

Help me to make beginnings:
to begin going out of my weary mind
into fresh dreams,
daring to make my own bold tracks
in the land of now;
to begin forgiving
that I may experience mercy;
to begin questioning the unquestionable
that I may know truth
to begin disciplining
that I may create beauty;
to begin sacrificing
that I may make peace;
to begin loving
that I may realize joy.

Help me to be a beginning to others,
to be a singer to the songless,
a storyteller to the aimless,
a befriender of the friendless;
to become a beginning of hope for the despairing,
of assurance for the doubting,
of reconciliation for the divided;
to become a beginning of freedom for the oppressed,
of comfort for the sorrowing,
of friendship for the forgotten;
to become a beginning of beauty for the forlorn,
of sweetness for the soured,
of gentleness for the angry,
of wholeness for the broken,
of peace for the frightened and violent of the earth.

Help me to believe in beginnings,
to make a beginning,
to be a beginning,
so that I may not just grow old,
but grow new
each day of this wild, amazing life
you call me to live
with the passion of Jesus Christ.

Jackson, MS

Last weekend, I headed to Jackson, MS to exchange cars with Shelton. Although I could write in extreme detail about the weekend, I'll refrain and limit it to the highlights (or lowlights).

While in Jackson, we tried to do something 'fun'. Well, we failed. Again. And again. And again.

Tried to eat lunch 'downtown' 4 out of 4 places were closed.

The state park closed at 5pm, on a Saturday?!

The Arboretum was closed for a wedding.

The Art Museum closed at 6, early... for a wedding.

Walked around two college campuses, only after driving back to where we had come from.

Got lost trying to find the reservoir.

Tried to get an icee. Key word, tried.

When we were about to give up, we found a 'park' (which was more of a grassy null) and the reservoir (which was actually huge and worth seeing) :)

I was ecstatic to finally find the reservoir. Shelton was just happy to not be driving around Jackson anymore.

Before heading out of town, my overhead light got stuck in the 'on' position. Can't make the trip across the country without something happening to all vehicles involved.

On Sunday, we ate lunch (at a place we knew was open), said our goodbyes, and drove 7.5 hours in our prospective directions.

Jackson, MS left much to be desired, and honestly, not much to write home about (another than the big FLOP of a weekend). But the trip reminded me how blessed I am! I had multiple people offer to help me move, people who helped me move into my temporary place in Texas, out of my temporary place into a Uhaul, people helped me move across the country, people helped me unload in Georgia...I am blessed. Thank you, to each of you who helped in both big and small ways!

My little honda and I are back in Georgia; it too seems to be adjusting well.

Until next time!