There and Back Again

"I don't know how to say it, but after last night I feel different.  I seem to see ahead, in a kind of way.  I know we are going to take a very long road, into darkness; but I know I can't turn back.  It isn't to see Elves now, nor mountains, nor dragons that I want--I don't rightly know what I want: but I have something to do before the end, and it lies ahead, not in the Shire.  I must see it through, sir, if you understand me."

Samwise Gamgee, The Fellowship of the Ring

I'm currently reading The Lord of The Rings, which got me thinking... imagine if Frodo began to question his task in destroying the ring, and instead decided, You know, I'm getting a little homesick, maybe I'll just go back to the Shire and forget this whole ring business... Uhh, Frodo?  Hate to break it to you, but even if you went home it's not going to be the same.  All that warm fuzzy comfort you felt in the Shire won't exist the way it used to.  You've been called out to something greater than yourself.  Don't fight it!

Siblings!!!!  Happy graduation, Brotha!

I recently visited my Shire (also known as Holland, MI) for a short stay.  I can't tell you how much of a blessing it was to reunite with so many people that I care deeply for, but I also learned a few challenging lessons in the process.  It was as if the community that I used to call my home became more like a relative I hadn't seen since the last big holiday.  Oh, hey, Holland, my my you've gotten taller--you've been eating your veggies haven't you!?  Visiting a past season is funny, I still found my place and felt a sense of belonging, but I was also humbled to know that I am not needed there.  Yes, God allowed me to form wonderful, lasting relationships in Michigan... for a season.  And that doesn't mean he won't ever call me to return.  But life, I'm realizing, is so much bigger than ourselves, or even a particular place, and what good does it do to fight where God is calling us?  As I appropriately read from Ecclesiastes 7:10 during my stay, "Don't always be asking, 'Where are the good old days?'  Wise folks don't ask questions like that."  Touche, God.  And if that wasn't enough of a brick to the head, my mentor Steve Smallegan also reminded me, "God always moves forward."

After kicking and screaming a little over the thought of returning, God blessed me with a deep peace about my new (temporary... I'm just reconciling with this fact of life now, it's not that I'm anxious to leave or anything) home here in Texas.  Though I mourned the end of the Michigan season, I am so excited about the direction this new season is heading!  Just yesterday at work, we had a wonderful speaker from Sanford University give us an inspiring message about the role of the believer artist in shaping the world.  My passion for theater was rekindled... as it has been so many times since being here.  By being faithful to where I truly believe God has guided me, I trust he is up to something extraordinary.  And not only in what I am doing but all over!  That's what's so cool about visiting a past season--God let me in on a glimpse of what he was doing in Holland, and I trust that his Holy Spirit is working in and through people to continue that good work.  And now I get to be let in on a bit of what he's doing in Houston!  And let me tell you, what God is doing is good--something He continues to remind my ye-of-little-faith-self.  Just so I wouldn't miss him, I'm sure, just as I started to go through the exit door of the Houston airport after my Holland adventure, what piece of children's artwork did I notice hanging off to the side?  That's right: a butterfly.

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Just for my own sake in keeping a chronicle of sorts (and for anyone who's curious, I suppose ha), I'll also list off a few things that I've been up to these past few months...

Lots of time spent with a beautiful Miss Christen Hood before she started her incredible adventure at Wilderness Ranch this summer!  Bunny "hunting," ultimate frisbee, deep (and not so deep...) conversations ha, praaaayer, runs around the neighborhood, etc.  Love it.

Roommate switcheroo--Makayle we miss you!!!!!!!!  We can't wait to hear all about your summer adventures!... And Trisha, welcome to a few months of Goofy/Oopsie.  Skipping through flood puddles?  Hope that made a great move-in day greeting!

I was able to help out with the Theater Arts Academy winter production of "Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit" for a couple months.  It was a class/show with about 15 kids from 5th-12th grade.  I loooooved every second with those guys!  Reunion soon?  Maybe some Ninja and a little Kunja?  Yes, please!

Still dreaming up some ways to bring theater to the streets... Lots of cool ideas... Starting to see headway... Praise the Lord!

Me as Kaa the Snake with some kids from the audience

The Jungle Book closed recently... Puppeting a giant snake was not the easiest role for me by any means, but I got to learn the lovely lesson of humility (again), have fun with good friends (MEGAN!  WE WERE FINALLY IN A SHOW TOGETHER!!!), pretend to be animals--at work!, enchant kids with the beauty of the theater, and walk out with a pretty darn strong right arm.

Young Life is over for the summer =/... But sophomore ladies, we best still be hanging out yo!  Menchies?  Torchy's?   YES.  Would you rather be a floating mouth or live in a swarm of people the rest of your life?  Haha.  Y'all seriously bring me so much joy!  I love you girls!!!

And... you know... all the little things are my favorite things, but that doesn't make a great blog entry ;).  I will say, though, in case you hadn't heard the ending of my crazy curler saga.  After an entire day (sleepover and all) of attempting to get out the curlers I got stuck in my hair on Easter (yup, went to church and out to a country club with my boss that day... curlers and all...), through a weird series of events I wound up at a random salon, with a random employee who should have had the day off, who was the only one there/basically anywhere who would have been able to help, who happened to have time on his hands because the customer who called him in for a special favor, was able to retrieve the curlers from my hair!  Not only that but we were able to have a really meaningful conversation... his two sons (my age) died of cancer--one being just a few months ago... Sad, but beautifully powerful.  And then, at the end of the entire escapade, he gave me his business card.  And what was on it?  That's right.  A giant butterfly.  Guess God really does care about the hairs on our head.

Psst!  There are 2 hidden videos in this blog.... dun dun dun! ;)