In Transition

Can I just tell you my life is kind of a mess right now?

Sure, it's nothing compared to the intricate difficulties of being a siamese twin or the dangers of being an Alaskan king crab fisherman.  Let's just say, for my already slightly out of the ordinary life, things are nuts.  If I were a nice person who used delicate language, I would say my life is "in transition" right now.  I'm transitioning from suitcase to drawer, backpack to hanger, sock to sock drawer, student to teacher, back to student, and organizational hurricane to ship shape. 

My room is an indicator of this chaos.  We moved on Friday.  I had two bags full of laundry, and the supply of clean undies was getting dangerously low.  Today the laundry made it out of the bags and into sorted piles on the floor.  You know, they transitioned. 

Saturday morning, I said goodbye to my best friend.  Not permanently, mind you, she just popped over the Pacific for a week.  We were chatting on Skype and she mentioned she had Spring Break free… next thing you know we're colliding in the airport, I'm introducing her to Aussie old people, and she's learning about fish n chips and Aussie pies!  It was a fabulous week of catching up and encouragement.  No wonder Paul and Timothy and Titus traveled around visiting people! 

After a "don't you dare hit the snooze" at 5:30, a wistful goodbye to Zanna at 6:30, and getting ready for the day, SG and I set off for a training day in the city.  The training was simple: become camp ninjas.  {Perhaps I should back track for a moment.  SG and I are working a camp going to Uluru, aka Ayer's Rock in central Australia.  We're going with high school kids and will serve as camp staff leading small groups, fighting off dingoes, and maintaining a reasonable amount of order.}

We trained.  We all stood on a sheet and flipped it over without anyone stepping off.  We built balloon towers.  We acted out scenarios.  We ate lasagna.  We reflected on what we learned about teamwork and expectations from standing on a sheet.  We watched a promo video.  We watched people draw diagrams on a white board.  We did the things you expect from a camp staff training session.  Just so you don't think it was boring, there was also piano playing, dish washing and a slightly heated debate about evolution between two people who thought Darwin lived in the 1600s. 

The van dropped us off and I did a bit of unpacking before putting on my work shoes and transitioning mentally to serve tacos with style.  Being a busy night, I was kept on my toes remembering that table 12 needed salt, table 6 didn't want cheese on their tacos, and I still needed to make that Midori margarita for table 32.  Those nights are fun because they're like a test.  It's as though the managers fill the restaurant with people, sprinkle a few special dietary needs and a few impatient people and dare you to do well.  Aside from the lost La Combinacion and the man who didn't want sour cream on his fajita salad, it was a good night. 

I came home at 10:00, talked with SG for a while, then crashed into bed, trying not to trip over the luggage still strewn about from the unpacking mess.  This morning we churched, I went to a meeting for a youth camp in September, and finished the day with Messy Church, our now monthly family/community service.  We have a whole room of crafts and activities, a short service and then a meal.  This month's theme was "The Colors of Easter".  If nothing else, this internship has taught me the importance of volunteers.  There is no way we could do this without the "church ladies" kitchen crew, or the men who set up tables and chairs and the people who step forward to lead craft stations.  It's amazing what a team of volunteers can do! 

Now, here I sit, wondering what I'm going to teach my 1st/2nd grade Bible class tomorrow and what we're supposed to be studying for high school Bible study…  transition from ambiguity to clarity?  Please?  Soon?

Love,

LMS