tis christmas eve and as per usual I just got back from purchasing the last of my gifts...except for those that I will buy after boxing day! Its surprising not too busy out there yet, but I figure most people are still in work.
Anyways 10 days to go, and all of them are packed full with things I am doing.
Yesterday was my last day at work. It went well of course. I was sad to go, but I know I will be back with so many exciting stories to tell my regulars. I already went back for breakfast this morning...one of my customers ran up and gave me a huge hug and proceeded to take my email address so that we could be sure to stay in touch...ha, did i mention shes like my moms age? Meh, shes fun.
Things with me are going really well. Yesterday Debrah came up and had a sleepover. It was nice, havent spent much time together since school ended...so we did dinner, and the whole thing. I had the sweetest drink called ice cream sandwich at crabby joes..so bravo to our waiter Shawn who picked it out for me. We also rented the movie "The Perfect Man" with Hilary Duff...i was quite impressed...of course it had a lot of the gag me moments, but all together I enjoyed the movie.
I also had to say good bye to Heather earlier this week...also doing the dinner thing, and a lot of talking.
I know I will miss everyone so much, but I am so excited. I cant really grasp the idea that in 10 days I will be in Guatemala..instead of here.
I have been faced with the thinking challenge. In this I mean, right now I have the certain things that I think over, or that are a part of my life...as in daily routines, and what not..but its all going to change..this stuff will not be my priority or main concern..in such a short time. I will be doing so many new and challenging things...and that which matters, wont. While I will still be there for all my friends, and concerned about what affairs they are going through...not being around will automatically change my priorities. I will be doing school work, and mission work, and helping people, and learning to live in a new culture with a new language...its almost an unfathomable concept..one which I think wont kick in until I am sitting on the plane with my new friend Sarah..and we both leave our current life situations to take on an adventure that will ultimately add to our life's journey. I am so blessed for such an opportunity.
Christmas so far this year has been going pretty good. I made it known to myself that I was going to try my best to enjoy the holilday. So far so good...For the last 2 weeks Nicole and I have been wearing festive hair pieces in our hair at work, as to bring spirit to all our customers..lol I bought them, and made her join in!! She loves Christmas, so my gesture was originally to her. I am really going to miss her a lot. We have grown close working together everyday. At the staff christmas party one of my gifts from my boss was this awesome Christmas hat!! Its a pink santas hat, that has a bunch of pink hearts on the white fur, and the hearts flash and sparkle with red lights...its amazing! I will have to take a picture and post it for y'all to pick up on. I have been wearing that at work too...most customers get a kick out of it. Apparently it screams out my name...as I like to "sparkle and shine" lol...
Although Christmas has only just begun and I am sure at some point I will freak out...im trying really hard to be at peace with it. I really am not a fan of the holiday..so heres to making the best of it.
Well I have barely had any sleep, so a nap is required for me to regain energy...
I was invited to a family Christmas thing with my mom and her boyfriend, but declined...my night will consist of napping, showering, maybe cleaning up a bit, wrapping two gifts, and reading our families tradition "the polar express"...lol except this year reading it alone. I think it will be.. nice.
I have been watching some christmas movies lately..and ive seen things I do like about christmas...i love the child. Not the greedy ones who are so into the commercialized Christmas...but rather the children who just feel filled with the spirit of Christmas...they sit in anticipation, and they imagine santas little elves working hard on making all these wonderful toys...the way their eyes light up and their voices are filled with excitement as soon as you mention jolly old st nick...I witnessed this with my little brother last weekend. He called me to tell me that he got a letter from Santa...of course I remember when I was a child and I received a letter from santa, and how excited I was...instantly I was filled with such happiness for him, and asked him to tell me about it. Well he quickly ran and got it..and read me the whole letter over the phone..telling me the picture that was on the letter, telling me all about how busy santa has been..and it was amazing.. i always get so much joy from my little brother when I see the innocence that remains in his soul...he brings me back to reality more than anyone, and its in those times i realize the importance of being like a child....i like where they learn about giving, and the birth of Jesus; the entire reason for the holiday!....there are so many good things about Christmas, that its sad, like everything touched by man...we can make it so evil.

Keys to Life

I read a book a while back, and following are the notes I concluded from it...worthy of sharing with everyone
Five amazing lessons life teaches us; via "The Five People You'll meet in Heaven".
(Eddie meets The Blue Man)-
Lesson 1:
*In this life, there are no random acts. We are all connected
* You can no longer separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind
* Fairness does not govern life and death. If it did, no good person would ever die young
* The human spirit knows, deep down, that all lives intersect. Death doesn't just take someone, it misses someone else; in the small distance between being taken and being missed, lives are changed.
* One life withers, another grows...Birth and death are part of a whole.
** Strangers are just family you have yet to come to know**
(Eddies meets Captain)-
Lesson 2:
* Sacrifice is a part of life. It is supposed to be. It's not something to regret, It is something to aspire to.
* Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you're not really losing it; you're just passing it on to someone else.

(Eddie meets Ruby)-
Lesson 3:
* People die because of loyalty (a reason) (to be loyal to one another)
* Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. The harm we do, we do to ourselves!
(Eddie meets Marguerite)-
Lesson 4:
* "Love, like rain, can nourish from above, drenching couples with a soaking joy. But sometimes under the angry heat of life, love dries on the surface and must nourish from below, tending to its roots, keeping itself alive".
* Lost love is still love. It takes a different form, that's all. You can't see their smile or bring them food or tousle their hair or move them around a dance floor. But when those senses weaken, another heightens. Memory. Memory becomes your partner. You nuture it. You hold it. You dance with it. Life has to end, love doesn't.
(Eddie meets Tala)-
Lesson 5:
* We are supposed to be where our existence takes us* Back to the first lesson of how we are all connected comes this conclusion:

****Each affects the other and the other affects the next, and the world is full of stories, but the stories are all one****

My thoughts: How amazing of thoughts are those..inspiring. To come to our own realization of unity... We read in the Word all about the unifying bonds of all our lives, and how we all are God's children. Well I think this book sums that idea up very well. All of us are connected; to think all around the world are our brothers and sisters in Christ...all who "are our family, we have yet to come to know". Good book, definitely recommend the read..if not, at least I've already got the main points out to you.

22 days until i leave = 3 weeks
next week = last week at work
next weekend= christmas, but alas, already did all that stuff with exception of a few exchanges with mom
December 31st= NeW yEaRs..second fav holiday.. no plans as of yet
January 4th= Pick up and leave; leaving winter behind.
Mindset= still bittersweet...more sweet than bitter...

Well, time is becoming short. There are 28 days until I leave for Guatemala. Hard to believe that time has flown by so fast..six months since graduation at GL...crazy.
My next few weeks are destined to be busy. I basically know what I am doing between now and the time I leave, so..the countdown is on.
This weekend is looking to be promising. We are having Christmas with the family...so everyone is coming home. Shane and Jess/kids arrive tomorrow night, yay. I cant wait to see them all. I havent seen them since Independence Day..so wahoo for that. I have wrapped up some gifts for the children, and tomorrow I need to do some quick shopping for my sister in laws gift..I dont know what to get her, but lets hope in the mall, I can find something...even though I have attempted this twice already...
Friday I work a closing shift which sucks because now I cant make it down to GL to see the play, and I was really looking forward to it..especially since it would be my only time before I leave..boo
Hopefully on Saturday night I can make it out to Jays place..it would be fun.
Blah blah blah...
I find myself in a weird spot as time dwindles...I am finding myself so excited. I can not wait to get on the plane, and leave winter behind, in order to go help others. I can't wait to be embersed into a whole new culture, learning, and ultimately growing....but I also have found myself almost breaking down a lot too. Six months isnt really a long time..but still change is going to be hard. Nicole and I are getting weepy to some songs we hear at work, lol..and its going to be hard not to see friends/family for that amount of time..but I know it will go so fast. Yay..dream come true.
God has really been working in me through this whole process. Hes really been showing me how to lean on Him, and is helping me understand Matt 6 about not worrying.
Praise is due to Him, for His help in my funds..as well a good hardy thank you to my friends who've also helped. Its inspiring to see...
Anyways, I have run outta things that I really feel like typing about.. this is as good as it gets folks...bittersweet

Quotemeal!

“Only at the cross of Christ does man see fully what it is that separates him from God; yet it is here alone that he perceives that he is no longer separated from God. Nowehere else does the inviolable holiness of God, the impossibility of overlooking the guilt of man stand out more plainly; but nowhere else does the limitless mercy of God, which utterly transcends all human standards, stand out more clearly and plainly.”

— Emil Brunner