switching gears?

So, summer is approaching. There are only 2 days left of classes and then only about a week and a half that I will be here at school! My feelings about this are nothing but ambivalent. One moment I am so excited to have classes over and be done for the semester, the next second I am upset that I will be away from it all. Part of me is looking forward to my summer at home, the other half is longing to remain in the place I am now.

I wrestle with my thoughts and feelings about it many times during the day and this is what I have come up with..

This semester has been absolutely monumental for me. I have grown so much and really found myself and my niche in this world. I have been embracing every moment at St. Paul's and with my friends here at Eastern and all of my time spent serving with PHP members. I haven't been home much this semester at all which has caused me to grow even closer to this community. BUT, I am ready for the summer. I realize that I will keep in touch with my friends over the summer, they aren't going anywhere. I will be coming up to go to St. Paul's every Sunday so I won't need to miss that! And when I come back in the fall, I will be co-leading PHP with two of the greatest guys I know.

No matter where I go, whether it is across campus, to the other side of Willimantic, back to Torrington or around the world, God is always with me and if I open my eyes I will see him working all around me. No matter where I go I will go with a heart full of love and compassion. I will serve God's people. I will help myself by helping others.

Sometimes I regret not applying to be a summer RA or a SOC, but then I find myself realizing that I will find a way to make serving apart of my summer. I already have plans for helping out Nathan with a fundraiser for the Haitian Health Foundation that I am very excited about.

I will miss Eastern. I will miss RAing. I will miss Andrew. I will miss Joanna and Emilyn. I will miss Kim. I will miss Bob. I will miss Lyon Manor. I will miss the coffee mission. There are lots of things I will miss.. but they will all be here when I get back.

And I have a lot to look forward to at home.

Summer, here I come. New and improved.