What does it mean to come alongside others?

Today has been a hard day. The part of me that remembers life at the Drop-In Centre wants to attribute it to the full moon... or maybe it's just the time of year! I have had a lot of good conversations today, but a lot of hard ones too. Some of them debating issues, others walking people through conflict and struggles. All of these conversations left me with the question of what does it mean to really come alongside other people? How do you really show people the love of Christ. It is such a monumental task, and yet simple at the same time. Monumental in the impact that it has, and in the issues that people are dealing with (that all of us are dealing with in one way or another). Simple in our role of loving, of being present, of just "doing life" together. If it IS simple, why is it so difficult? Why do we have such a hard time being present? Why is it so easy to come to conclusions, to try and "fix" whatever problems there are instead of guiding people, of walking with them?

The other part of this question for me is how do I come alongside someone when I myself am so stained? I am shoulder deep in the mire, barely able to keep my head above it! I am so thankful that the Lord uses uses us in the midst of it, that His grace covers it all.

Tonight I decided to go swimming. I have forgotten how much I love swimming. There is something so theraputic and relaxing about it, even though it is great exerise. I had heard that there was a diving board at the pool here, but it had slipped my mind until I was actually IN the pool. For those of you who don't know, I used to dive... a lot. It was a big part of my life and the thing I was most passionate about for a long time. The whole time I was doing laps I was thinking about that diving board. I was totally drawn to it, but was trying to convince myself that I didn't really want to go near it. I finished my laps and moved into a deeper part of the pool. I was in there treading water for several minutes, my heart started to beat faster as I thought about diving. I wasn't nervous or anything like that, I don't really know how to explain what I was feeling. It was this excitement that I couldn't contain mixed with my stubbornness and not wanting to go anywhere near the diving board. It had been a long time, years even, since I did it last - talk about being out of practice. Finally I gave in and moved towards the deep end of the pool. I got up on the board and realized that I had to do it quickly, kind of like ripping off a band-aid. I stood for only a moment and then started. By the second step into it I felt like I had slipped into something so familiar, so comfortable.

As strange as it may sound, my little trip to the pool today was exactly what I needed. This past week I've really felt the feeling of being in a new place with new people. I've been praying a lot about feeling a sense of home, of familiarity here at Wheaton. As small as it is, diving was exactly what I needed to do tonight.

60km's, Camp, Fire Alarms and Tornado Warnings

It has been a long time since I have written anything... so this is a brief update of what I've been up to.

I moved down to Wheaton, IL on July 16th. A few days later I was in Minnesota for my friend's wedding. After that I went BACK home and spent a few days there and in that walked 60KM's with two friends as part of the Weekend to End Breast Cancer (that was GREAT by the way). The next day I hopped back on a plane to home back to Wheaton to stay! On July 31st I began my new job and I have definitely not stopped since that day!

First I had GRA training with the other new GRA's and time to prepare for the arrival of the RA's. Then the RA's moved in (they're AWESOME) and we began RA training (including a week-long trip to HoneyRock camp). We came home fromt he Camp last Saturday and all the new students moved in yesterday! The volume has definitely increased in the Fischer lobby (where I live) and I love it!

My favourite story from the chaos of the last few weeks is from yesterday. The campus was crazy all day because new students were moving into their new dorm rooms and getting all their information for the coming school year. Freshman orientation had begun. Sometime aroun 3:00, right when things started to get crazy, the sky turned black, rain began pouring down, the power went out and the tornado sirens went off. We moved fast to get everyone into the basement (protocol for Tornado warnings). Thankfully the warning didn't last too long!! BUT, in the midst of the tornado warning the fire alarm in the entire building went off. Once the tornado warning lifted we had to then evacuate the building and put everyone on the lawn in the middle of the thunder storm! It was totally crazy, but a fun initiation into Residence Life here!

New Colour for a New Life!

I just got an e-mail from one of my Chinese students and the subject was "Oh, you gonna start your new life?!" I thought it was fitting to bring that into the subject on here. I guess I am starting a "new life" or at least a new phase or chapter in the one I've been given. I looked at my blog today and realized that it was time for a change. Unfortunately, none of the "templates" stood out to me today so I went to the default black. I can imagine some of you saying "surprise, surprise, she chose black!" It'll change again soon enough... but when I have more energy to do so!

The past week and a half has been nuts! My mom and I drove across the country in my wee little Jetta (which thankfully has a big trunk) and moved me into my new apartment in Wheaton. I met a few more of the people I'm working with this fall and they are A-Mazing. I feel like I've known them forever... and I keep forgetting that there is so much that they don't know about me yet and that I don't know about them. I guess it's kind of fitting because I'm sure I'll know them well in no time at all. Dan, Sarah, Michael & Terese are pretty great people. My new favourite thing about them are all the nicknames! Even Terese's computer has a name... I think it was Bertha!

I'm at home for this weekend to do the big walk and spend a few last meals & afternoons with friends and family and Monday morning I head back to Wheaton!

In need of a new alternator...

Today I had an appointment to take my car to the VW Dealership to get an oil changed and a funky "surging" checked out. I thought it would be nothing... I should know that it is NEVER nothing! :-)

First, I go to get my Jetta (it's been parked in my apartment's parkade all week because it has a big box attached to the top for my move this week), and it doesn't start. So I go to Canadian Tire to get some jumper cables (thankfully I still have the Saturn!) and got it started. I got to the dealer just in time for the appointment thinking that it just needs a new battery. Again... it's never JUST a new battery, is it?? I got the call I was dreading... I need a new alternator. The good news is the battery is just fine! The bad news is more money and the car won't be ready until noon on Monday.

It puts a little glitch into my plans, but that is yet another reminder that my plans are not His plans and that I need to let go! So, instead of leaving at 6am on Monday, we'll pick my car up, take it to my apartment and pack it up and then head out on the road. Really, this just means that we'll be driving later at night on Monday and have less time in the twin cities on Tuesday. If all goes well, I'll still be moving into my Wheaton apartment on Wednesday! I'm crossing my fingers because my mom and I have tickets to go see WICKED in Chicago on Thursday night!

Transition? Homesick for China?

I have a number of thoughts at the moment - so I will try and get the good ones out! :-)

I think I underestimated this whole moving and transitional period ahead of me! I think I have become so caught up in the excitement of moving to Wheaton and preparing for what is ahead that I have forgotten that this really is a time of transition. Maybe transition has become such a frequent part of my life that I just dive in head first. Only moments ago did I really realize that I am venturing into the unknown! I don't really know anyone in the Chicago area - except for Angie (from my team in China) who probably doesn't realize that I may just stop by her house! I have only spent a day at Wheaton for my interview and it is a total blur. At the same time as realizing that there is a chance that I will be lonely at Wheaton - I am so confident that this is my path! I absolutely ADORED my one day there. I had a ton of fun with the students I met and I am looking forward to working with some pretty amazing people - and learning a lot from them as well! I think I leave in 9 days or something crazy like that! Oh dear do I ever have a lot of packing to do!

I miss China. This week has been FULL of memories of China and longing to be there again. I spent two days this week teaching English to students from Taiwan. They were age 7-12 and are in Calgary for a summer camp this month.

They were pretty fun kids but it was yet another reminder that I LOVE teaching adults - especially College/University students! I miss my students and friends in Changchun. I am thrilled to know that the work I was blessed to be a part of has continued and I am so excited to meet friends in a week or so that share my love of China and experienced it with me. My homesickness for China really comes in waves. Some weeks I miss it more than others - I think this week it has been a tsunami.

This is more for me - but below are a few of my favourites from China!! If you want to check out more go to: My China Photos

This is my all-time favourite photo from the year. This is most of my students and I LOVE that they are all laughing!

I stole this from Stacey's blog. Some of the songs that came up were pretty funny (even just the titles)... and some I didn't know I even had them on my computer! Try it too!


Opening Credits: A Litle Bluer Than That, Alan Jackson
Waking Up: A Bitter Song, Butterfly Boucher
First Day of School: This Woman's Work, Kate Bush (From the Felicity Soundtrack)
Falling in Love: After the Dance, from Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Fight Song: Wake Me Up, Norah Jones
Breaking Up: Where You Are, Rascal Flatts
Prom: How Can I Tell, Sara Groves
Life: Snow White Queen, Evanescence
Mental Breakdown: Majesty (Here I Am), Delirious?
Driving: Desert Roses, Sting (I didn't know I had Sting on my computer!)
Flashback: Johnny Can't Decide, tick tick BOOM soundtrack
Getting Back Together: Teenage Dirtbag, Wheatus (didn't know I had this either)
Wedding: Always Beautiful, Worship Circle
Birth of a Child: Over the Moon, RENT soundtrack
Final Battle: More Love, Dixie Chicks
Death Scene: Crashing Down, Mat Kearney
Funeral Song: I'm Not Waiting, Julia Murney
End Credits: Everything, Ten Shekel Shirt


So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool...