Well, my third week of finals is past, which means my lower division work at FC is 3/4 over. Crazy. I feel like my whole life before FC was centered around FC, and now I live there, and I'm a little freaked out in realizing eventually this phase of my life will be past and I'll have to have a life that doesn't involve being around FC all the time. Scary.
Finals week was good, stressful and exhausting but my teachers allowed me to spread my finals out from all being on one day to being over the course of 3 days. And I am grateful for the grades I was able to get on the finals. Despite Greek's efforts to kill me. I moved home last Thursday and came back to work Friday morning, so I whine to myself that I haven't gotten to get a break yet, but it's nice to go home to good meals at night and see my family in the evenings and have my own room to hibernate in without (as many) interruptions. I'm grateful for the change of pace. (I'll keep telling myself that.)
Grateful for the examples and friendships of Katie and Emma and William, especially, over the past few stressful weeks, and grateful for the studies and devos that are available at FC to help us focus during busy times. Grateful for Dunkin Donuts and Jose. Grateful for chapel and the alma mater. Grateful for being a Camp Friends alternate if someone isn't able to participate. Grateful for Plant City people making me feel welcome even when I've been gone for a while. Grateful for an awesome family and the excitement that Christmas-time brings, and that gifts aren't what makes it special. Grateful for the chance to be in two weddings in the next 3 weeks, and for the family and friends I'll get to be with. Grateful that I get to do S.I. again next semester. Grateful for this job and that I'll have it over the summer also.
We are all so blessed.
William and I are studying Kings, and the theme is reaccuring that in everything Solomon was given and everything he did (before he got old) he found ways to express gratitude to God or glorify God. That's definitely something I need to work on, but I hope that this next year will bring me opportunities to show other people what God's done in my life and in my soul.
Classes next semester: OTP with Mr. Peeler, Civil War with Dr. Crispell, Women of the Bible with Mr. Ward, Epistles with Mr. Hamilton, Intro to Business with (my boss) Dr. Knight, Greek with Mr. Longstreth...It'll be fun and hectic and busy and interesting.
Already wishing I could slow down time after saying goodbye for Christmas break, I know summer and next year will be tinged with a lot of sadness for the friends who won't be back at FC (that means you, roomie), but it's pretty amazing that we'll all meet again in a place where we'll never be seperated and there'll be no petty drama to contend with (see what I did there?).
"O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart." -1Kings8:12
Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light :)
Love.
ELB
