Well, what do you know...I'm back for the first time in months! Sorry to everyone for neglecting my blog for so, so long. Actually, I discovered Facebook (you already know that) and I didn't feel quite so obligated to update here. But I've finally decided to, and so now here I am!!
WOW. That is definitely the first word that comes to mind when I think of all that has happened these past few months. It has truly been amazing, and I can't wait to tell about it. So much has happened! My time in France was wonderful...I think I really learned a lot there--about life, God...a whole bunch of life's aspects, and somehow that has provided material for maturing in me. Of course, we are all always doing that, and "material for maturing" comes at us all the time. But I really think I'm learning and have learned some great things, things that aren't nescessarily expressed very easily in words...things that will still take time to develop as they sink in and mingle with experinces.
Life at Champfleuri was a blessing, and that is for certain. I met a group of such diverse, interesting people there, all people that loved God. Just being together every day made us into a sort of family, and I remember our time together with fondness. Even though we will probably never have that same atmosphere again this side of heaven, I think it was so worth experiencing, a wonderful example of family in Christ. I've made some wonderful friends. There is something beautiful about having friends that have the same God, love him and want to follow him as you do. It's incredibly unifying and beautiful. I think there are many things that I notice about that, now that we're all apart, that I noticed less during the time we were together. I know we weren't always particularly "spiritual" together, (for the frenchies or fake frenchies; je constate, c'est tout...), so I'm not trying to give the impression that we were this group of super-spiritual people who were always praying together and having deep discussions--though those types of things certainly did happen! It's not at all that those things are bad; quite on the contrary, and if we had been that kind of group I would have been wonderfully grateful, I'm sure. But what I mean is that even with everyday, not-so-deep conversations and activities; even with the taquinage and taches manuelles (teasing and chores), there was something to be had, something underlying...a bond that came from being together and sharing the same faith...something wonderful and beautiful. We became like a family; and these are memories and realities I treasure. And now comes *sighing with a fondly-remembering-look on my face*...:-)
Anyhow, now it's a blessing to be back home, to see my family again and meet up with friends, to pick up my writing once more, to be college-searching, to be keeping up with friends from my Champfleuri family. I've had some pretty tough moments, it's true, because it's rough trying to get used to abrupt changes, and I'm guessing I'll have some more, but all in all things are coming out all right--even beautifully. Sometimes those hard moments allow you to more fully appreciate the good ones. And I have a lot to look forward to; I'm going back to work, which is a wonderful blessing and I thank those friends who prayed for praying (danke schön!!). I've started that novel I had attempted to begin many months ago, and seem to be having more success with it now, though the act of writing it may be tedious in itself. I hope to soon know where I'm headed for college and what I'll be studying, and perhaps I'll take a continued education class at CSU if I have the time (and money...). And I'm still hoping that just maybe I might have a short time back in Europe early this summer...just a few weeks, but it would be wonderful! I'll have to keep waiting and praying about that, though...
And, just a short though..."Beauty remains true even through pain, in spite of it; because in the end it will outlast hurt and ugliness. Pain will pass away, yet goodness will remain; it is the ultimate reality, for it was the reality of perfect creation. We only await God's renewal of once-perfect Creation, restoring it above and beyond what we ever know here."
Well, that's all for the moment, and I hope to post again soon...at least before three months go by! I always welcome any comments, because I enjoy feedback of any kind--I like to know you've read my post! :-)