I want to live like there's no tomorrow..

   WOW.. A week of Project has come and gone - well, not really, as Project hasn't technically started yet because the Students don't arrive until Wednesday (June 1st) - but Pre-Project Prep (nice alliteration, eh?) has been intense :)

   So far it's mostly been training for the Staff, meaning preparation for them as they look toward what they'll be leading the students in as the summer progresses. Out of the last 7 days, there have only been 2 killer days of terping for longer than an hour and 1/2 at a time..  So that is a Praise. Also, I've been pleasantly surprised at the amount of breaks given during our time, on my behalf.. feeling much appreciative of them - for sure!

    The training times have been good too, as I know I'm here to facilitate the information (since that's the terp's role) and in general - when I'm in that role, I personally don't take away much info for myself that is beneficial.. It's that whole processing at 90 mph thing that doesn't really lend itself to anything "sticking" as the information is working it's way through a language translating plant in my mind, and (in a perfect world) it all comes in, and it all goes out. If something does get left behind in this mental factory of mine, it's because it fell off the processing assembly belt, and is being trampled on the floor - not because it was some great piece of information that I wanted to make a copy of while it was en-route of the translating process, and hang on the factory warehouse wall.. :)

*ALLLLLL this to say* - it's been really sweet of Abba (our Father) to take me aside at times, and slow down all these mental processes that are going on, and speak to me directly. I've been reading a few books that I'll leave you with some quotes that I've been mulling over as of late..

  Chris Tomlin's The Way I was Made:Words and Music for an Unusual Life - 

(regarding the irony..) "Well, I guess we always have our own plan in case God's plan doesn't work out."

"I want to give like I have plenty, I want to love like I'm not afraid, I want to be the man I was meant to be, I want to be the way I was made."

  Max Lucado's Safe in the Shepherd's Arms: Hope and Encouragement from Psalm 23 -

(regarding I shall not want) "David has found the Pasture where discontent goes to die. It's as if he is saying, "What I have in God is greater than what I don't have in life."..When God thinks of you, he may see your compassion, your devotion, your tenderness or quick mind, but he doesn't think of your things.."

  God in the Bible -

Habbakkuk 3:2 "Lord, I have heard of your fame: I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day."

Isaiah 26:8 - "Yes, Lord, waling in the ways of your laws, we wait for you: Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts."

   As the Theme for this summer is "Treasuring Jesus. Making Him Known" I will continue to elaborate with things like these as I blog throughout the summer.. But that above is a little snippet of what I've been learning personally about treasuring my Jesus. :)

   It's funny to me - for as much as I don't like sand and the beach - I felt like I was "home" as I was driving to church on Sunday (The Lighthouse Church [TLC], where Auzy and I went last year since they have interpreters already provided).. not home as in ready to move here after the summer, and plant roots - but I was blessed by the Lord's gift of "presence".. of feeling comfort and familiarity in a land far removed from my own stomping grounds :) I went to TLC early, so as to be able to catch up with my host family from last year, and some of the other contacts I had made over last summer. It was fun to see how many familiar faces were still there :)

   Sunday was our Day "off" for the week, so after going to  church, I did some grocery shopping, and had my car filled up with gas - as it's illegal to pump your own gas in Jersey.. (sumthin' in the lines here is more potent then our regular grade gasoline at home, so they have special trainings they go through here - no, not really.. I just always feel funny chillaxin' in my car while they do the "oh, so very hard job" of filling up my tank) ;)

   Later in the day (as it twas quite warm out mid-day), myself and 5 other guys decided to go play soccer on the beach.. I haven't played a pick up game - like a competitive, playing with people who have played and don't just stab at the ball but juke you out as they nutmeg [kicking the ball between your legs as you approach them defensively] you when they score pick up game - in like 4 years! (yes, realizing this was a sad day) BUT it was great fun! An Egyptian guy and another girl joined us, so we played 4 on 4.. I'd like to say that my team won (as I was keeping score, but no one else seemed to pay particular attention to the score, and I think I got off somewhere) but it twas a GLORIOUS DAY. Good times, good company, and I'm DEF still sore today (2 days later).. so good work out! :) As the students arrive on Wednesday, and I'm terping more and more, I don't know if I'll get to "let my hair down" as often, so to speak, but I was glad for the opportunity to play!

   My relief comes Wednesday (my team interpreter).. if I can figure out how to get him from the airport in Philly to Wildwood.. I kind'a double booked myself - thinking we had the Wednesday morning off before the students arrived that afternoon, but we actually have a meeting from 10-12. I tried to cover my terp needs, but the other interpreter in the area isn't available. I've tried to get him a ride, but so far, it's not working out..  If you could join me in praying that these details will be worked out, I would appreciate it. I wrote that last night.. since then, after the Lord graciously whispered the name of a friend in the area that I had forgotten about, He worked out the pick up arraignments peeeerfectly! YAY Adoni!

   I am eagerly anticipating what our Lord, my Adoni has in store for us this Summer. As of now, I am 80 % COVERED for team interpreters! *HUGE GRIN* (80% would mean I have all but 2 weeks of the summer covered, and the project is 10 weeks.. right? - cuz that's what I mean by saying that.. I hope it's mathematically legit) ;)

   However, that means that in order to cover all of these terp needs, I need pretty close to that $9,000 amount for support raised. Right now, I don't know where I am sitting (as all the checks have not been processes/online donations updated to my account, but my last count had me sitting at around $3,000. So, I still have a ways to go. I have been super blessed by those of you who have contributed. If you know anyone who you think would like to join me in this endeavor by becoming a financial supporter, please direct them here (to my blog) or shoot me an e-mail with their name and contact info and I'd love to bring them up to date with what is happening here in these Wild Woods (a.k.a there are no woods, just sand)! :)

   I am planning to update the blog on Mondays.. as it looks like that will be one of my "more free" days (Yes, I realize today is Tuesday.. yesterday was an anomaly) so if you are not on the "follow this blog" list where you get an automatic notification, then stop by on Mondays, and hopefully you'll find an update :)

THANKS so much for your TIME.. till we meet again-

Soli Deo Gloria

:D

"I wanna dance like no one's around.. I wanna love like I'm not afraid.. I wanna be the way I was made.."