Not yet twenty-four hours in Waco and I've already done more social things than I did in Tulsa for a whole year.
I arrived Waco around 3:30PM and finished unpacking my car by 5PM. My apartment is 540 square feet...I didn't know exactly what that meant but after opening my front door, it became quickly aparent...it means small apartment. At first, I was really shocked but after a while, I realized that as one person, that is all the space I need.
It has been interesting so far...right outside my bedroom window facing the street is a hotel...my other window facing the site next to my apartment complex is a fire training station...in other words, rookie firefighters being trained...have I mentioned that I like firefighters? I am looking forward to sitting by my window and watching them do their thing...maybe even get shirtless?
Down the hallway from my apartment, downstairs, is the laundry room, mailboxes and the pool. I've decided to take up early morning swimming.
After I finished unpacking, I packed an overnight bag and headed to the Hoover library to meet with Kevin. I followed him to his place to drop off my stuff...and since I had only had teriyaki jerky and water for food all day, we went to Cheddar's for dinner, which is where I met his parents. His parents, Paula and Tracey, were already there having dinner, so we joined him. It was good food...I got the Dijon Chicken with Mushrooms.
Afterwards, we headed to the McLennan Community College for a free concert. They have this beautiful outside atrium, with the Brazos River running behind it. We got to listen to "After Midnight" (rock-n-roll) and "The Morticians" (oldies) for about four hours. Kevin and I shared a Dr. Pepper snow cone...it was fun.
This morning, Kevin and I headed to the Human Resources. I took my Customer Service and Typing tests (scored an 86% on the first one and a 65wpm on the second one) and now all I have to do is wait. My problem is that I don't like the idea of waiting a whole week before I find out if anyone of them is interested in hiring me. I am really hankering for the Customer Service Rep with the Police Support Services, so please keep that in your prayers. Also, I got a copy of my dispatcher application to head to the Police Department for further extensive application and testing but for some reason, just thinking about working there gave me this sick feeling. So I decided to not do the dispatcher job. Hope that doesn't come back to bite me in the butt.
We then drove to St. Mark Lutheran Church, Kevin's home church, and I got to meet Pastor Price and Pastor Garcia. I am hoping to get involved but since Hispanic Ministry is the only working ministry St. Mark has, it looks like that may be where I need to be. Get the experience...perhaps discover that I do have a passion for something that people keep pigeon-holeing me into.
I am hoping to help with VBS, even if it's just doing crafts with the kids. I'll meet the VBS coordinator on Sunday. This should be an interesting experience, doing church ministry in a volunteer basis after a year of working professional ministry. Also, I found out that there's a group of guitarist that play for the Spanish service...I think I may get involved in that, learn to play a whole different style of guitar...that should be fun to do.
Kevin treated me to lunch at Chic-fill-a and then drove me around, showing me where things are. So I now know that if I want to find anything, I just go down Valley Mills Drive...kind of like 71st Street in Tulsa, except it is not as far from where I live. I got an application for Hobby Lobby, which is around the corner from where Kevin works. Keep that in your prayers too.
The Hoover Library has free Wi-Fi so I am more than likely going to be spending a good amount of time here whenever I am not at work. Well, that is what's happened since arriving Waco. As you can see, I have been busy and not yet here for more than a day. I will keep you updated about my escapades...which I plan to have plenty of to make up for the lack thereof in the past year.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Saying Good-Bye
It's been a strange year, filled with learning, revelations, sadness and joy. I can't believe how long the year was and yet, how fast it went by.
I will be a DCE Intern for the last time next Wednesday. Next Sunday will be my last Sunday. The last Children's Message I give, the last fellowship reception I attend, the last I see of many of these people that have become so dear to me.
Saying good-bye has never been easy...but then again, I have the joy of knowing I am saying hello to something new.
I have an apartment in Waco and a couple of job interviews and such awaiting. I have a new chapter to start.
These next few days, I will be saying good-bye...so I can get to say hello.
I will be a DCE Intern for the last time next Wednesday. Next Sunday will be my last Sunday. The last Children's Message I give, the last fellowship reception I attend, the last I see of many of these people that have become so dear to me.
Saying good-bye has never been easy...but then again, I have the joy of knowing I am saying hello to something new.
I have an apartment in Waco and a couple of job interviews and such awaiting. I have a new chapter to start.
These next few days, I will be saying good-bye...so I can get to say hello.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Tribute to My Mother
I just ordered a bouquet of pink tulips to be delivered to my mother as soon as she arrives from visiting her mother.
I feel sad for my mother today because she doesn't have any of her children with her on this special day. My sister is in Alburquerque with her family. I'm stuck in Tulsa. My brother is in Iraq, doing his duty as a soldier.
Not only that, but my mother is well aware that this will be her mother's last mother's day.
What does one do without a mother?
I hope not to need an answer to that question until I am fifty -sixty -or dead. I mean, I know it is unnatural for a mother to have to bury a child, but in all reality, I think it is crippling for a child to have to bury a mother. I don't want to have to experience what my mother is experiencing at this moment.
This is the first time I haven't been with my mother for Mother's Day. The first Mother's Day I celebrated with her, I was close to two months old. The last Mother's Day I celebrated with her was two days before my college graduation. How I wish I could do what I did throughout college...tell my mother that I wouldn't make it for Mother's Day, then have Stephen pick me up from the airport so we could surprise her with Las Mananitas. She fell for it every year.
It is a blessing to have a mother. Not everyone is lucky in this, which is sad. Even though my mother is not perfect, I wouldn't trade her for anyone else's mother. My mother is my hero, my inspiration, my role model. She is the woman I aspire to be someday when it becomes my turn to be a mother to children.
She is a blessing that has been given to me, a wonderful gift from God that I know I will have to return someday...not too soon, though. My mother is strong, faithful, optimistic, caring, giving, loving, sacrificing, loyal, full of life, enterprising, intelligent, hard working. She has had a hard life and yet she continues to move head on because of her children.
My mother is my strong pillar of faith. She is the wind beneath my wings, the muse to my creativity.
My mother is, well, a window into God's own heart.
I understand and bask in God's love because I understand and bask in my mother's love. I understand and embrace God's sacrifice because I understand and embrace the sacrifices my mother has made for me. I understand and cling to God's grace because of my mother's unconditional love. I understand, know and believe God because of my mother.
My mother has done what she was created to do -she is an image-bearer of God, she is a warrior for God, her children, her family and her friends. She has brought forth worshipers...my sister, my brother and myself.
I once read a quote on how C.S. Lewis saw his wife after her death...as a sword in the hand of God. I now understand what he meant...my mother is a lamp, a light, a window and a sword.
She shows me the true living, beating heart of God.
I feel sad for my mother today because she doesn't have any of her children with her on this special day. My sister is in Alburquerque with her family. I'm stuck in Tulsa. My brother is in Iraq, doing his duty as a soldier.
Not only that, but my mother is well aware that this will be her mother's last mother's day.
What does one do without a mother?
I hope not to need an answer to that question until I am fifty -sixty -or dead. I mean, I know it is unnatural for a mother to have to bury a child, but in all reality, I think it is crippling for a child to have to bury a mother. I don't want to have to experience what my mother is experiencing at this moment.
This is the first time I haven't been with my mother for Mother's Day. The first Mother's Day I celebrated with her, I was close to two months old. The last Mother's Day I celebrated with her was two days before my college graduation. How I wish I could do what I did throughout college...tell my mother that I wouldn't make it for Mother's Day, then have Stephen pick me up from the airport so we could surprise her with Las Mananitas. She fell for it every year.
It is a blessing to have a mother. Not everyone is lucky in this, which is sad. Even though my mother is not perfect, I wouldn't trade her for anyone else's mother. My mother is my hero, my inspiration, my role model. She is the woman I aspire to be someday when it becomes my turn to be a mother to children.
She is a blessing that has been given to me, a wonderful gift from God that I know I will have to return someday...not too soon, though. My mother is strong, faithful, optimistic, caring, giving, loving, sacrificing, loyal, full of life, enterprising, intelligent, hard working. She has had a hard life and yet she continues to move head on because of her children.
My mother is my strong pillar of faith. She is the wind beneath my wings, the muse to my creativity.
My mother is, well, a window into God's own heart.
I understand and bask in God's love because I understand and bask in my mother's love. I understand and embrace God's sacrifice because I understand and embrace the sacrifices my mother has made for me. I understand and cling to God's grace because of my mother's unconditional love. I understand, know and believe God because of my mother.
My mother has done what she was created to do -she is an image-bearer of God, she is a warrior for God, her children, her family and her friends. She has brought forth worshipers...my sister, my brother and myself.
I once read a quote on how C.S. Lewis saw his wife after her death...as a sword in the hand of God. I now understand what he meant...my mother is a lamp, a light, a window and a sword.
She shows me the true living, beating heart of God.
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