Inspired

I'm grateful for the inspiration and encouragement that I've encountered recently. 

• Morgan's going to India.  She's taking a class to prepare.  And nothing anybody says is making her re-think her decision.
• Anyone is welcome at the Coop/Elder house, and everyone who enters is loved.
• Some kids at my church had a lemonade stand.  They bought mosquito nets with their profits, so five kids in Africa could have a lemonade stand, too.  Now ten kids get to grow up on both sides of the world.
• Sarah's learning about the Middle East; her heart really breaks for those people.
• My family's going to have Thanksgiving together... at Christmas.
• Elizabeth's students are staying in school.
• Dad's reading the book I borrowed him last summer.
• Finn's beginning to crawl.
• I told friends about the kids in Uganda, and they want to help.
• Jess made the Law Review!
• Even when no one else shows up, Beth and Nick hang out with the JS kids every Saturday.
• My neighbor and I had a front-porch chat.
• I met a new friend at church who lived in Kenya and started an HIV-AIDS project.  She left, and a Kenyan took over.  
• Alissa and Mark applied for Peace Corps!

I know the most beautiful people. 

30 Years

Last night good friends and I talked about accumulating PTO, taking sick days for unnecessary things (like snowboarding in fresh powder), and eating Italian food in Italy.  We talked about this, because none of us are content and would rather be doing above said activities. 

One friend's co-worker has a paid, month-long vacation to Vietnam this coming Christmas.  He works for the government.  We're jealous of him.  Okay, I'm not jealous of the government job, but seriously, 30 days of PTO!!!  I may eat free food and watch a lot of TV, but nannying doesn't offer 30 paid days off.  Everything good has a catch, and so does this man's month-long, paid vacation.  He's worked the same job for 30 years to accumulate a benefit like that.  When he told us this, we all laughed not joyously but nervously.  

None of us are 30.  We haven't worked one job longer than five years.  Some of us haven't even lived on our own for more than six months.  30 years is a long time, and the amount makes me realize I have a lot of growing up to do, lessons to learn, and ideas to turn into action.  I'm kinda excited to see what happens in 30 years, who I am in 30 years, what's happened in and through me in 30 years.

Someone said this last night right before we left:  "Waiting doesn't prove a lack of faith but wisdom." I hope it's true.