Unending Crown of Glory

   I finished reading Donald Miller's book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years the other day.  So.Crazy.  Just one on the stack I've been waiting to read, and I happen to read it this week.  Miller starts describing this friend of his named Bob and this awesome parade Bob started.  I was like, "wait a minute... it's not..."  No it was.  Turns out one of the main characters in his memoir, the last person he thanks in this book is Bob Goff.  The same guy that invited us to the witch doctor conference in Uganda.  The world got very small.  BUT THEN, TODAY I checked out Jon Acuff's blog and who is he talking about?  The Goff!  Not only THAT, he has a link to a video of the very same parade mentioned in the book.  THEN  who happens to be the Grand Marshall of this year's parade?  Rodrick.  The boy I saw with Bob in Uganda.  (Click HERE to read my post on that day.)  The boy who had been found half dead on the side of the road, castrated, is in this video laughing and smiling. :)  It's so beautiful.  Check it out:

   I really recommend this book.  It talks about looking at your life as a written story, or script.  Would anyone want to read your story?  Are you a good character?  No?  Then do some editing!  A movie isn't a good movie without the character overcoming major obstacles.  It would be a TERRIBLE movie if everything was given to them.  The view on top of a mountain is so much better when you hiked there.  This book really helped my attitude this week.  Whatever people have told me about waitressing... it's that tough and more.  My gosh!  HOWEVER after reading this, I'm truly grateful that I can say I waitressed for awhile, that I WORKED.  I would have thought it was awesome if a guy got down on one knee last week and said, "hey Baby will you marry me and here's $30,000 for your student loans".  (Heck he could have just said he had dental.)  How much better a character I'll be when that guy meets me and I can say, "Yeah I worked my butt off for awhile waitressing and now I'm debt free".  "During this time I also learned to play the harmonica and started a bluegrass band with Kayla and Carrie :b ".  (But seriously. We're doing this.)  
   If Rodrick was some movie star's son who'd had the perfect life this video would mean nothing to us.  It would be nice, but we wouldn't tear up watching it.  We wouldn't feel anything.  Knowing what you know he went through... that crown on his head MEANS something.  I want to live a life that MEANS SOMETHING!  Francis Chan's got it exactly.  Watch this short clip:

I want to live so that when I'm done on this earth I can stand before The Judge with my hands held high!!!

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

-1 Peter 1:6-7     

And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unending crown of glory. 
-1 Peter 5:4  

I'm Starting a New Chapter

   I had to make a hard decision last week.  After weeks of advice, thinking, praying I decided it was time for me to leave SafeWorld.  I asked that all leftover support funds I raised go towards buying mosquito nets.  Once I receive a list of my donors I will contact y'all directly.  I'll still be living with Carrie and Sarah.  (Rachel decided to move back to Arkansas.)  
   I still want to work for a humanitarian organization.  Ideally I'd like to be in the southeast, but I've applied for some positions all over the country.  I've even looked at some things overseas.  It's pretty cool actually.  I never would have imagined going to Haiti and Uganda within six months, especially when I had never even flown before.  God got creative sending me to SafeWorld for 2011.  I'm just putting it in His hands and asking Him to get creative again.  I know He has a plan.  Some of it I know was just to get me to Bristol and meet my 'long lost cousin' Carrie.  We've had eerily similar life experiences.  It's been so great sharing struggles and learning about God/loving others from her.  One of my aunts was telling me I needed to come home where I'd have more of a support system.  I didn't want to hurt any feelings, but living with two girls who chase after Jesus is the best support system I could have!  
   Today I drove home from a great wedding/reunion with friends.  I was really sad the weekend was over. (college was over.)  I missed all my great friends, their fun, their support.  I walked up the stairs to my house to put my stuff away, a.k.a some free space on the floor.  Long story, (maybe not but...) I haven't really had a room yet at our house.  My stuff has been a mess all over the place.  I've slept on the couch and other people's beds.  I honestly couldn't work on the situation though because of my back being so bad.  I gave up caring.  But when I walked upstairs I started bawling.  Sarah had moved in furniture, taken all my clothes off the floor and FOLDED it into a dresser, hung my coats in the closet, set my books on the mantle, pinned up my USC pennant, and even given me a framed picture of me and a friend.  I told her it was probably the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.  I was so overwhelmed by God's love for me.  He knows I need the relationships like I had in college, and He's provided them.
   He's provided me a temporary job waitressing also.  I start tomorrow.  I AM thankful for this, though not in love with the idea.  I want to be joyful at work.  I want to "shine a light".  I think it's going to be a big struggle the next couple of weeks (months?) to not get discouraged because I'm no longer doing work I love.  Please pray for me on this.  You can also pray I don't covet my sister's life right now.  If you haven't heard, Emily's traveling throughout the Middle East for the next four months!  I guess you can keep her in your prayers too :b .  That's all for now.  Contacts are back to hodgeske2010@gmail.com and 804-516-6677.

For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
-2 Chronicles 16:9a