**Emo post**
A weekend of card games, hot tubs, family & plenty of laughter. I had SO much fun! I was reminded of what family means by a cousin of mine and I loved it so much. Words shared with everyone. Everyone is worth everyone's time. We have the Hope (in the Biblical definition) that we'll be there for each other no matter what.
Phone conversations from friends who remind me that caring and compassion are never wrong. I was on the receiving end of so much "think about Justin time"... and did my fair share of listening and contemplating right back at them. Depth of friendship? I got that. Hugs to each of you who have invested so much into me through the years! To imagine watching me broken in the past and cheering me on even now.
And an amazing family. I hugged family members who threw me around and chased me when I was little. And now, I'm chasing their grandkids around and tossing them around with my cousins! No wonder I grew up never doubting the power of love.
I was exhausted. I needed to get back to Madison so I could gather myself together for the coming week of hard work.
There are no giggling kids in my apartment. No family members or friends who have known me through ups and downs and all sorts of confusion. Somehow I feel less refreshed. In fact, I think I feel instantly more drained.
I've known for awhile that God is teaching me to rely more fully on Him and the fact that He speaks through avenues unexpected. I just sometimes wish I didn't have to wait patiently learning to open up myself to the mystery while trying to finish graduate school.
Welp, this was good. I haven't updated this little journal thing in a while. A few more minutes of perusing LJ, fb, lala, and e-mail sending off notes to friends and I'll be back on track. After all, this world? It is Not the Way its Supposed to Be and John 9 & 10 assures us that that should not be surprising.
All I can do is say: Wow. I did not deserve this past weekend nor do I deserve these amazing friends and family members. It was all just so much goodness that I am still stuck smiling at their compassion and love. Meandering, feeling lost in Madison without that support physically here? That should be more than doable. Hard? Perhaps. But it's with Joy.
Phone conversations from friends who remind me that caring and compassion are never wrong. I was on the receiving end of so much "think about Justin time"... and did my fair share of listening and contemplating right back at them. Depth of friendship? I got that. Hugs to each of you who have invested so much into me through the years! To imagine watching me broken in the past and cheering me on even now.
And an amazing family. I hugged family members who threw me around and chased me when I was little. And now, I'm chasing their grandkids around and tossing them around with my cousins! No wonder I grew up never doubting the power of love.
I was exhausted. I needed to get back to Madison so I could gather myself together for the coming week of hard work.
There are no giggling kids in my apartment. No family members or friends who have known me through ups and downs and all sorts of confusion. Somehow I feel less refreshed. In fact, I think I feel instantly more drained.
I've known for awhile that God is teaching me to rely more fully on Him and the fact that He speaks through avenues unexpected. I just sometimes wish I didn't have to wait patiently learning to open up myself to the mystery while trying to finish graduate school.
Welp, this was good. I haven't updated this little journal thing in a while. A few more minutes of perusing LJ, fb, lala, and e-mail sending off notes to friends and I'll be back on track. After all, this world? It is Not the Way its Supposed to Be and John 9 & 10 assures us that that should not be surprising.
All I can do is say: Wow. I did not deserve this past weekend nor do I deserve these amazing friends and family members. It was all just so much goodness that I am still stuck smiling at their compassion and love. Meandering, feeling lost in Madison without that support physically here? That should be more than doable. Hard? Perhaps. But it's with Joy.