Rough Days

It's been some rough few days here at LP. I'm just trying to survive through work tomorrow and then there will be freedom. 

Yesterday I was VERY busy! I had ADP bible study at 8am and then immediately after I went to Leader's/Servant's training. From there I rushed back to project, ate lunch, studied, and then went to evangelism training. Instead of going on the beaches yesterday to share the gospel we stayed at the church and got into groups with the people we work with from LP and prayed for our coworkers and prayed for our service to them. We got done a bit early so I had the opportunity to study a bit more for my test which was set to be proctored at HGT at 5pm. I got there about 25 minutes early and I had a bad feeling before I left. Well I got there and they didn't have any of my testing information. I bawled my eyes out in the proctor center which was rather embarrassing. Haha! But the lady there was very helpful and nice and is allowing me to just drop in whenever my test becomes available. She also allowed me to use their computers to contact my professor to get the info sent as soon as possible. So I cried my eyes out the whole way back to project. 

I got back and started helping the girls prepare for our group date. We cooked them a wonderful dinner served in the garage on project and gave them white tshirts with their names on the back. Then, we went to Market Common and played Never Have I Ever with paint and squirted each other. In the end it turned into a paint war. And for the finale we went to Coldstone and got ice cream! We met a lot of other Campus Outreach groups while we were there from Charlotte and Minnesota which was awesome. It was the best group date I've been on including all of them from last year. And let's just say I may still have paint remnants on my body from last night. 

This morning I woke up early to spend some time with God and studying a few verses. After my time with him I studied a bit for my class just in case I was going to get the confirmation that morning. I was planning to leave ADP early to do so. As I looked into my book bag a thought hit me: I didn't have my calculator when I went to take my test the first time! And a calculator is very crucial for my test. By the grace of God I didn't take that test. I was suddenly excited but still anxious because I hadn't heard from my professor. The day went by and still hasn't heard. I even called and left a message for her but no response.

Just a bit ago after curfew I was sitting with one of my girls at the table in our room just talking and I was about to draw some tears again, because it was so late and tomorrow is my last chance, and then I got an email from my professor! She apologized and said I had slipped through the cracks. Erin had already offered to work my shift tomorrow afternoon if that's what it took. However, I soon came to realize that the testing center is only open 8am-noon on Fridays. But it still works out well even though I will have to miss part of my Leaders D Group and bible study training. Our team leader, Sara, is being such a servant to help out and be there for me to help my girls during training tomorrow. God has his hand on me even when I'm having trouble finding good in things. I'm extremely thankful for what he has given me.

Tomorrow my mom is coming for parents weekend so I'm extremely excited to get away for a bit and relax. It's perfect timing. God's timing. Prayers for me and my room for this weekend would be greatly appreciated. 

Dinner prepared for the gentlemen

Before picture

And after...

Sunset at Market Common

Anna and I splattered with paint!

Sabbath

Today was a beautiful day spent in the sun. The group of room leader girls headed out and we rested in the Lord on the Atlantic intercostal waterway. After about 1 hour of driving we stopped and spent time resting or reading our Bibles. I got really sunburned but still enjoyed the day.

This morning my team went to Faith Presbyterian. It was a very confusing and historical sermon. The pastor lost everyone in the crowd after the first 15 minutes. He realized later that he ran way over on time and just stopped mid-sermon. It was really interesting and there's not much else to say about that.

Tonight I finished the last section of my math homework for this unit. I hopefully am taking the test on Wednesday. I'm very nervous but I'm sure everything will work out just fine. After I finished the last section, some friends and I went for our first official Roo Run of the summer! I'm hoping that I don't gain too many calories. Off to bed because tomorrow starts a new week in Proj!

 

Boating for the day! 

Roo Run #1

Can you believe LP is already 1/4 over?

Today is a blessing from God. A day off of work. I'm enjoying catching up on some homework, some time with the Lord, and some time just to rest in Him. I'm hanging out in a hammock between two palm trees swaying in the breeze as we speak. This morning I had the opportunity to play some pickup soccer with another CO region, Minnesota. Some of our guys, 2 staff girls who formerly played and I joined then for a little fun. It was cool to meet some others with the same passion for the God. 

Work has been going well! I've gotten 2 weeks out of the way and my first paycheck. I put the check into my bank account and went straight into Bi-Lo to take advantage of our monthly Employee Appreciation Day of a 10% discount on anything at the store. I stocked up on microwave rice and pasta. 

Honestly it's been really hard to find some time to spend with God, which is why I'm so thankful for today. I feel weak and tired all of the time with late nights, early mornings, and hard workouts. It's a struggle to get up and spend some time with God. This is one thing that I need prayer in. I know that if I rest in Him then he will provide time for me to get my other things done.

This week is our Sadie Hawkins. The guys perform skits to win over a room of girls and then we take them on a group "date" to grow in community and to serve our brothers in Christ. This is much different that our usual group dates led by a room of guys. 

Tomorrow a staff girl from Clemson, my friend Mo, is taking all of the group leader girls on a boating trip after church. I'm excited for some time off of project to spend with them.

Here are some photos from the past week or so:

First day of work excitement

First theme night with my room. Can you guess the theme?

My friend Patrice helped me find my long lost package at the post office

Some weird things happen while you're at the laundromat

Spaghetti dinner for Jennifer's birthday

Worship by the pool

Some late night time on the beach

Hammocking in the palm trees today

Good ole Aquarius V Motel

Week One

Well the participants have been here almost one week now. It's been so great to get to know the girls in my room. I love them so much already and I'm really excited to help them grow closer to God this summer. 

Friday we found out official job placements. We are actually at Bi-Lo! Some of the girls in the room had never heard of Bi-Lo until working there but it's been great so far. We work about 20-25 minutes away in North Myrtle so it's a long drive to and from. Jennifer and I both work in the deli cutting meats and making subs, wraps, and sandwiches. It's much more relaxing than my experience at McDonald's. Erin and Anna (the two others in my room) work in the bakery right beside us! It's been so good so far and our coworkers are really nice and helpful all of the time. 

ADP has been literally about 12x harder than last year. Our plans to work out and use local high school facilities has failed us so far so we instead all got memberships paid by CO to work out at an indoor facility called XGym. They have some mini indoor soccer fields and weights and stuff too. The warmup was so hard and once we get into the workout I'm already dead. Working hard but it's going to pay off when we get back to school for preseason! 

We had our first evangelism training day and tomorrow is our first Bible study group with our room. I have most of it planned out so I'm excited for tomorrow! 

Oh! And the bathroom is fixed! Woohoo! Early morning tomorrow for ADP so I'm headed to bed.