I’m back from my trip to the Dominican Republic. While there, we worked at a Young Life camp in the mountains to get the camp ready for campers. I spent most of the week painting the laundry room and staining bleacher seats.

Here is a little something that sums up my feelings about Pico Escondido, the Young Life camp.

Ode to Pico Escondido

We donated our blood throughout the place

From cuts due to rocks and scrapes on our face

To numerous hellbugs that abound in that space

We gave of our sweat to water the land

But the shining sun did send us home tanned

No matter the weather, we finished the work planned

We cried a few tears throughout our stay

Lamenting aches that wouldn’t go away

From muscles unused to an 8 hour workday

Blood, sweat and tears

Yes, Pico Escondido got them all

But in the meantime, we had a ball

Yet somewhere along the way while doing our part

We left behind something else, for we gave them our heart

I know I’ve been really quiet lately. Honestly, I don’t think I have gone this long without blogging since I started the blog over a year ago. Sometimes you can find someones joy in the silence. Other times you can find the pain.

For me, it has been a tough week. A doctor’s appointment where I found out about my not so great blood work results. Well, the doctor said the results were ok…if I were a 70 year old woman. But since I am about half that, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Lots and lots of pills and shots to take as a result of the blood work. Then a horrible night dealing with a bad reaction to one of the new medicines. And a migraine the next night to top it all off.

While that might seem like enough, I am leaving for the Dominican Republic in one hour. Literally, an hour. It’s for a mission trip. Manual labor kind of thing. To tell you the truth, I’m nervous. I don’t know how my body is going to handle it physically. And I don’t know how I am going to handle it emotionally.

I’m going with a great group of women. Including three of my cousins. They are wonderful. I’m not worried about them.

No, I’m worried about me. I’m a quite capable person. And I am used to relying on my abilities. That isn’t always a good thing. Up until recently, I have been able to do that. But things have changed. My body seems to be telling me that it is tired of being self-reliant.

I keep thinking about the verse that says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

I have a feeling that is the lesson God wants to teach me this week. That it isn’t about me. That it isn’t about my strength, abilities or capabilities. It is about Him.

And if I will just lean on Him, He will hold me up.

*** I will not have computer access while I’m gone, so things are going to be quiet around here for the next week. If you think about me, please pray for the 8 of us on the trip. Thanks. I’m going to miss you.

Some days just feel off kilter. Yesterday was one of those days. Actually, today is too.

 It’s not that things are horrible. I’m fine. Just not great.

Last night I stayed in bed with a migraine. When a bad headache hits, bed is the only place I want to be. But bed isn’t really conducive to getting over that off kilter feeling.

So tonight, I choose to go somewhere where people will make me laugh. Where they will make me feel needed. Where they think I am fabulous.

It isn’t escapism. It is me making a conscious effort to straighten things out again.

Last night as I drove home from Wilmington, I was in awe. The sky was unbelievable. Deep purple clouds overlaying a brilliant red background. Every so often, the tall trees would be silhouetted against that breathtaking backdrop. I didn’t want anything to detract from the sky. So I turned off the radio, ignored my ringing phone and drank in the sky.

I wanted to pull over and take a picture to capture the moment forever. Now, I’ve been known to do so before. But I didn’t think a busy highway at dusk was the appropriate place to do that. So I’m left with the memory instead.

The lake house called out to me as I passed Lake Waccamaw, so I spent the night there. This morning as I was leaving the lake, the sun shone through the trees with sunbeams highlighting the Spanish moss. I took a few extra minutes to take a photo.

Since I drove in from the lake this morning, I had a bit more time to ponder the beauty of the the sunset and sunrise. Something is added to beautiful moments because the not-so-beautiful times exists as well. The contrast between the two allows us to visibly see the difference. And allows us to appreciate it more, if we choose to. I could be grateful for the breeze last night so much more because I had already experienced the heat and humidity of the day.

There is beauty all around us. But are we looking for it?

What beauty was in your world today?

So Jim called last night. I wanted to ignore him…but who am I kidding? I can’t afford to do that.

I mean, he’s not my favorite. Actually, at times I sort of dislike him. But in the long run, he is really good for me.

At least, that is what I keep telling myself.

Especially since he wanted to see me again last night. I really wasn’t in the mood but decided to go anyway.

It wasn’t bad. I hung out and listened to Pandora radio with him. Let me tell you, music goes a long way to help me get through an evening with Jim.

Not sure why I was dreading it so much. Once I get there, I’m usually fine.

He does have his good side. I never have to dress up for him. For all he cares, I can wear an old t-shirt, hair in a ponytail and no makeup. Doesn’t bother him. But most importantly, he makes me feel better about myself. That is why I put up with everything else about him that I hate.

So maybe Jim isn’t such a bad guy after all.

Oh, I’m sorry…I made a mistake with his name. I really hate that spell checker doesn’t catch misspellings in proper names. He is Jim with a “G”. And a “y”. So Gym is my guy these days.

I told you earlier this week that I feel like summer has arrived. All because we started going to the lake house. As in the house sitting beside a lake. I know, we are quite witty with names. Well, the aforementioned lake isn’t just for looks…it is also quite useful for swimming. A refreshing and fun pastime, but it also has its issues. Particularly, the bathing suit. Listen to the sound of screeching records as you come to an abrupt halt. Yes, it is swim suit time, people!

Last Saturday, I stopped by the mall to quickly look at the Lands End bathing suits at Sears. That was my first mistake. I should have just kept on driving. Once I got inside, signs everywhere proclaimed “30 to 50% off”. Oh boy, not only was I going to find a pretty suit that fit…I was going to get one on sale. And right there were my second, third and fourth mistakes. Over an hour later, I left. I came away without any bags but in possession of a new philosophy…my body was not meant be go in a bathing suit. Yep, works for me.

Thinking about swim suits took me back to a run in with my stalker about a year ago. Thankfully, I haven’t seen him much lately:

As I walked in the movie shop, someone opened the door for me. Aaagggh. It was my neighbor’s yard man, or my stalker as I prefer to call him.  I guess you could also call him my potential husband since he proposes to me whenever he sees me, but stalker has a much nicer ring to it. He started talking as he held the door. He had decided to buy me a bathing suit and take me to the beach so I can get a little more color. All to make him happier with my appearance. Guess I’m a little too white for his taste.

 

I wasn’t really thrilled with this line of conversation because…well, because thinking about me in a bathing suit makes me cringe on a good day, much less when a crazy man is buying the bathing suit.  As I tried to come up with an appropriate response, he said that he had been watching me (stalker, I told you!) and noticed that I never had any men at my house, so he offered again to be my man. 

 

When I got home, I came up with the perfect solution. So I am currently looking around for a good escort service.  I figured if I had a guy sit at my house, it might make my crazy stalker back off.  I prefer a big guy who looks like he could protect me, but other than that I am pretty flexible. Flexible with which type of guy I pick, that is, not physically flexible. Not that I am going to be showing my escort anything about how physically flexible I am! 

 

I just don’t have much experience picking out an escort service. Ok, so I don’t have any experience.  But how hard can it be? People do it on TV all the time.  Once I figure it all out, I might write a tutorial, “How to Escape Those Pesky Stalkers and Meet a Nice Escort in the Meantime”. Yeah, I think my plan will work. Don’t you?

Summer and the lake are so intertwined in my mind that I can’t separate the two. But then again, I don’t know why I would want to try.

If I ever turn into a mermaid, I will attribute it to my many childhood hours at the lake with my redheaded grandmother.

Yesterday was the first Sunday afternoon that we hung out at the lake. Now, different ones in the family have already been down there this year. But this was the first day when a big group of us were there. It will be the first of many Sundays at the lake. It makes me happy because it truly is one of my favorite places on earth.

We spent the day:

Pier sittin’
Baby tossin’

Shell collectin’

Snack consumin’

After a day like that, I am positive that summer is here!

I know. I know. Summer doesn’t officially start until June 21. But for me, it started as soon as I pulled up at the lake yesterday afternoon.

What makes you feel like summer has “officially” arrived in your world?

As I told you before, I have something to say. Honestly, when do I not have something to say? Yet I still am lacking the words.

They have been doing lots of road construction around here lately. Maybe they put up a road block in my brain. Yeah, that must be the problem.

But there is hope! At least I hope so.

Tonight is Girls Night. Once a month, some of the ladies at church get together for supper. We eat. Hang out. And talk. And talk. And talk some more.

I’m hoping that all that talking will get my brain in gear so I can tell you what’s on my mind.

I have something to say. But not today.

Today, I really don’t have words. I’m tired. Worn out. Empty.

This happens from time to time.

It is difficult to have a jumble of ideas in my brain and a blank screen but not the energy to connect the two. Eventually my words return. Sometimes all in a burst. Others in a slow stream.

I will rejoice when they arrive. Because I really do have something to say.

UPDATE: Yard Sale/Bake Sale was a huge success. We raised over $800 for our mission trip. Thanks to everyone who supported us. I really appreciate it! Our trip is scheduled for the end of June. I will keep you posted.

Words can have very different meanings. In anticipation of my mission trip to the Dominican Republic in June, I looked to Merriam-Webster.

Mission :

• a specific task with which a person or a group is charged
• a definite military, naval, or aerospace task
• a local church or parish dependent on a larger religious organization for direction or financial support

Trip: 

• to dance, skip, or caper with light quick steps
• to make a journey
• to get high on a psychedelic drug

As far as I know, there won’t be any military needed. I hope there won’t be any dancing! And the only drugs involved will be my migraine medicine. But our journey does have several specific tasks in mind - encouraging the local Christian & Missionary Alliance missionaries, preparing Young Life’s Pico Escondido for camp life, and loving and assisting local families with community based projects.

Just a side note, there are 8 of us going on the trip. All females. So I have named us after my favorite meal at the local mexican restaurant. Pollo Loco. The Crazy Chicks. Ok, I realize that it is technically translated “crazy chicken” but crazy chicks sounds much better.

So in order to support the trip, the whole team is having a Yard sale/Bake sale tomorrow. Come join us. Shop. Hang out. Buy a brownie or two. And know that you are supporting a great cause. At least, I think it is because I am part of it!

You can find us anytime after 7am on Saturday, May 22 in the front yard of Missionary Alliance Church in Whiteville. It’s two blocks from the courthouse at the corner of Madison and Wyche Street. And if that doesn’t sound familiar, then you probably aren’t anywhere near us and won’t be able to find us anyway. So in your case, I recommend finding something else to occupy your Saturday morning.