Tables

(Table 86)
A young family
Me: To the guy wearing a shirt that says "college", "So, are you in college?"
Guy: "Yeah, I graduate in a year, you?"
Me: "Nope, I'm a post-grad waitress. What are you studying?"
Guy: "I'm studying to be a pastor, what did you study?"
Me: "Psychology and Sociology. I want to do marital counseling on the mission field...."

yada yada yada........

Guy: "I'm involved with the international missions group at Austin Stone*. Come talk to me Sunday, and I'll introduce you to the guys in charge, they would eat you up. I'm so happy we met, this is awesome"

5 seconds later....

(Table 76)
A group of old men talking about church business
Old man: "Say girl, you're so young, are you school?"
Me: "Nope, I graduated"
Old man: "What do you want to do for a living?"
Me: "Eventually I want to counsel missionary couples on the mission field. Right now, I'm on mission in Austin."
Old man: "Little girl, you have blessed me. Can I shake your hand?"
Me: "Of course!"
So he grabbed my hand and said, "Praise Him!" and all the other old men agreed.

It was a great day.

*Austin Stone is what I call "The Austin Village". It's the church that I recently started to attend, and love. My first Sunday Matt (the pastor and bff of matt chandler) said, "If this is your first night here, sorry...." and used the entire hour to inform his congregation on how much emphasis the church puts on missions. How much money they spend, and how many people they support overseas. Who cried? This girl.

Not I, But Christ

I am so grateful for the promises of God.

Packing all my belongings (clothes, pictures, a t.v. and a lamp) and moving to a new city was a really awesome idea, until I was sitting alone in my apartment after a horrible first day of work. I thought to myself, "I'm not going to make it" and I started to worry about what would happen if I failed. I thought about how my mother was right, I should have played it safe and lived in San Antonio. I was sure I was going to be fired from my job, evicted, and leave Austin thousands of dollars in debt. Then I remembered: "I will never leave you nor forsake you", "Do not be afraid, I am with you, wherever you go".

I belong to God.

He holds my entire life in His hands, and nothing will happen to me that doesn't slip past his fingers. Then all the fear washed away. So what if I get fired? So what if I fail? The Lord is on my side and he has promised to work all things for good for those who love Him. I love Him. Done.

Whatever happends here happens to bring Him glory.

I went to work and on my last day of training I made a killing in tips, which I had to give all to my trainer. My first day on the job, I made peanuts and my car broke down. This is the day that the Lord has made.

A conversation with my sister:

I'm decorating my living room when my 13 year old sister walks in and says...

Yani, "Do you want to know what I think of your ex boyfriends?"

Me, "Uh...Yeah."

Yani, "Well if I had to rate them from greatest to least I would say, ' Will, Shawn, then Michael'.

Me, "You didn't like Michael?"

Yani, "No. I remember when we were playing wii and I lost and said, 'ah, crap' and he told me to calm down and I thought, "I don't like you". 

This wii incident was over two years ago. Don't cross my sister, man. She can hold a grudge. 

Your new life starts...now

I'm a week into my fresh start in Austin, Texas. 

Lessons learned thus far:

1. Furniture is expensive. 

2. A dvd player can ward off loneliness for about 4 hours a day max.

3. Do your own alterations. It might be quaint to take your pants to a russian seamstress to hem, but it's overpriced. 

4. Despite your best efforts, your luggage isn't the only baggage you bring with you. 

5. The Lord sustains me.