There are about 100 other things I should be doing right now...I have a list a mile long...and I can't concentrate long enough to actually DO them. I 
HAVE to blog.
HAVE to blog. The final days of Dove and Bijou fun wrapped up with Worship on the Green, a church picnic (complete with hot dogs, beans, and watermelon) a tour of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, the Griffith Observatory, and some last minute snuggling! :) My LA parents (The Long's) took us on an amazing road trip around the South Bay area. We got the chance to bookmark all the spots we hope to stop and explore the next time Kevin is in town.
I dropped Kevin off at the airport Monday morning. There weren't enough good songs on the radio or fun topics to talk about that could distract me enough from my urge to sob uncontrollably. A quick goodbye made for less mess. Thank goodness my new found friend Kelly Luhmann rode along to save me from my puddle of sadness. We came to the decision that there should NOT be a drop off lane at the airport. Too many sad faces. Instead, take a taxi. That way, smiles should be all you see as people are only allowed to pick up travelers!
Luckily, the last three days have been a complete God send for me. Not only to distract 
me from the fact that I am officially ALONE in California, but also to help me establish an amazing bond with the GS staff that would never happened by just showing up at the office on Tuesday morning. Long ago, I was invited to participate in a staff retreat that would run Sept. 1-3. I had no idea it would be as powerful as it was. As soon as I got back from the airport, the entire staff loaded into two vans and headed up to the Serra Retreat Center in Malibu, CA.
me from the fact that I am officially ALONE in California, but also to help me establish an amazing bond with the GS staff that would never happened by just showing up at the office on Tuesday morning. Long ago, I was invited to participate in a staff retreat that would run Sept. 1-3. I had no idea it would be as powerful as it was. As soon as I got back from the airport, the entire staff loaded into two vans and headed up to the Serra Retreat Center in Malibu, CA. Steve Cockram and Jo Saxton (Life Shapes experts from Phoenix) engaged our group in an in depth study of the Myers-Briggs (take the test and let me know what you are!), and the Five
Fold Ministry survey. No surprise: ESFJ. However, I WAS quite surprised to find out that my Myers-Briggs type meant that I was really an EVANGELIST in the Five-fold side of things. GROSS! I don't want to be an evangelist!! Thank goodness Steve was there to speak some sense to me in describing that the label isn't as bad as it sounds. He said that I show the incarnational love of Christ to people through energy and enthusiasm, and that most likely, I have a way of getting people excited about something I'm excited about. Whew! Finally, something I could agree with!
Fold Ministry survey. No surprise: ESFJ. However, I WAS quite surprised to find out that my Myers-Briggs type meant that I was really an EVANGELIST in the Five-fold side of things. GROSS! I don't want to be an evangelist!! Thank goodness Steve was there to speak some sense to me in describing that the label isn't as bad as it sounds. He said that I show the incarnational love of Christ to people through energy and enthusiasm, and that most likely, I have a way of getting people excited about something I'm excited about. Whew! Finally, something I could agree with! 
The best parts of the week:1. Huddle time with the ladies! GIRL POWER!
2. Worship/prayer time with the staff.
3. MALIBU, and surfing on Zuma Beach, eventhough I thought I was going to die when I got pulled under the water by the line on my surfboard!
4. Trash talking birds over supper and then getting POOPED on by one 5 minutes later! NO JOKE!
3. MALIBU, and surfing on Zuma Beach, eventhough I thought I was going to die when I got pulled under the water by the line on my surfboard!
4. Trash talking birds over supper and then getting POOPED on by one 5 minutes later! NO JOKE!
5. Realizing that God has a prophetic word or images to bring to people through me. My belief in the 'power of prayer' had really been challenged during my first two years of seminary. 
Tuesday evening, Pastor Bob opened the prayer up to all of us and asked us to share anything we sensed God might be saying to and through us. My first thought was "Oh right, as if God is going to say anything to me! " Little did I know, a few minutes later, I would close my eyes and see the ocean. The sight you see when the sun hits the water and it looks like diamonds everywhere! In a time of confession, I saw myself standing in the shallow water on the beach, feeling the waves come in, and then almost tipping me over as they went back out. God was telling me that there was no need to stand there and fight God anymore. I didn't need to be on my own. I didn't need to stand on my own. God was beckoning me to just let go, and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to tug me out to where the water is nothing but diamonds.
Tuesday evening, Pastor Bob opened the prayer up to all of us and asked us to share anything we sensed God might be saying to and through us. My first thought was "Oh right, as if God is going to say anything to me! " Little did I know, a few minutes later, I would close my eyes and see the ocean. The sight you see when the sun hits the water and it looks like diamonds everywhere! In a time of confession, I saw myself standing in the shallow water on the beach, feeling the waves come in, and then almost tipping me over as they went back out. God was telling me that there was no need to stand there and fight God anymore. I didn't need to be on my own. I didn't need to stand on my own. God was beckoning me to just let go, and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to tug me out to where the water is nothing but diamonds.I am so thankful that I had a chance to LOVE and BE LOVED these last three days. God rubbed healing lotion on my dry, chapped, cracked spirit by sending Jo, Gloria, Ellen, Cindi, Lea, Carla, and Lisa to be bearers of strength. Thanks be to God for all the GS staff. Back to reality, my first day in the office it tomorrow!
1 comment:
Wow, what a great couple of days. It's been so amazing to see you come more alive...must be all that California sun! I wonder how this new insight into yourself and prayer will help be a prophetic voice during your time at GS! Love you!
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