My Latest Chapter

Hi-lo my dear friends!  I doubt anyone still reads this thing, but just in case....  Life has been amazingly wonderful in the past month that I've been at school.  I love my church, most of my classes, and all the friends that I've made.  It's incredible to look at the way God has brought people into my life to challenge and encourage me. 

God is teaching me so much about falling more deeply in love with Him, where that love fills me up so I can spill it out on everyone who surrounds me.  True, there have been more trials at college, but they're growing me in the Lord, and that excites me. 

I'd really better get off now, seeing as tomorrow's a Monday.  Let me know what's up with y'all!

~ Callie (in college!!!)

Wow...  Yes, I know it's been a long time since I've written.  Let's see, what's happened since I talked last?  I've gone on a mission trip (which was awesome) and been a counselor at children's camp (which was also awesome, but in a different way).  Ok, so recap for those who care....

Our youth group went on a mission trip to Kentucky, where we did repair work on houses for people who might not be able to afford that kind of thing.  I got to meet some really nice people and also got to know some people from our church better.  Besides letting me minister to others, God taught me so much during the week, like how to put my complete faith in His plan and how to have courage to jump out of my comfort zone.

Children's camp was sooo much fun!  True, I did have a near death experience in the pool when four girls who were trying to steal my sunglasses mobbed me in the deep end.  Kids + pools + me always equals bad things, at least for my personal health and safety.  I think some of you heard of my encounter with the shoving demon child while I was helping teach swimming lessons.  Yeah.  Pretty scary.  Anyways....  Outside the pool, the kids and I hit it off great; the whole week was very high-energy and noisy - except for the night Molly had a migraine.  That night all the girls in our cabin were completely silent.  I was so proud of them.    It was really weird to be considered an adult all week, but at the same time, it was kinda cool.  (Side note:  Molly and Jess, I love you girls so much!  And yay for the ratpackers too!)

So, yeah, that roughly catches you up on my life.  This week I'll be home getting ready for a wedding I'm gonna be in (no, not my own, thank the Lord!), VBS, and... 

     Moving Out! 

                    And those smileys are definitely all things I'm feeling

                            Right

                                  Now.

Missing y'all lots (some more than others),

    ~ Callie L.

Currently Listening Rise By Building 429 see related

Hello, everybody!  No, I didn't die, as may have been indicated by my xanga silence.  I've just been extremely busy; but hey, that's most everybody's story, huh?  The summer's going by so superquick, and moving out is becoming an ever-ominous reality. Dah-dah-dum...   

However, I am incredibly excited to see what God is going to do this school year.  For the first time in my life, I have no idea what to expect - and I actually like it that way!  Usually, I want to have a clear picture in my mind of what's going on... mainly so I can feel somewhat in control of the situation.  But I think I'm finally learning to turn my life plans over to the Lord and to just trust in Him.  It's a really cool feeling when you let go of all that tension and stress.  I hope you all try it. 

Well, my friends, that's all for tonight.  Everybody take care; especially when playing with those leftover fireworks from the 4th.  Remember, it's all fun and games 'til someone gets a Roman candle through the esophagus.

*Callie*                                                       

The Fair Week Effect

All right.  Disclaimer before I start this rant.  Those of my friends heavily involved in Fair Week, you know I love and support you.  This post is not a personal vendetta against you.  There. 

Over the years, I've come to notice a remarkable phenomenon in our rural community.  That phenomenon is... Fair Week.  (Trumpets, please.)

Oh, yes -- bigger than Christmas, Fair Week is the one time of the year that the majority of our good citizens look forward to with eagerness and anticipation.  For six magical days, life as we know it ceases to exist as we all become engulfed in a world of animal shows, rodeos, and beauty pageants.  Little children dream of all the fun they will have at the carnival, and we all look forward to seeing the people we've been isolated from during the summer.  Fair Week is truly a time to catch up on all the local goss-- ahem, "news."  Here within our county, we are oblivious to the outside world; all that matters, we have here with us.  It's as if we become a country unto ourselves!

Rabbit trail:  Why do the heck we go on rides set up - overnight - by people who were probably high and/or wasted at the time?!  Just a thought....

Staying on the topic of the carnival, most of us have experienced the filth and terror of the rides we find there.  This terror isn't so much derived from the thrill of the ride itself as it is from the idea of the contraption's crumbling beneath us.  And need I mention the atmosphere?  Loud music blares from speakers large enough to house two refrigerators, while blinding lights flash around in every direction.  Sound fun?  You bet!  For the low price of one ticket, you can get an experience similar to that of drug use!  I imagine.

Here I must pause: Friends that participate in the fair,  I applaud you.  I don't think I would have the patience to pour so much time and effort into raising an animal.  And I know that it would have been very character-building for me to have done so.  However, those of you who know me well know that I would not have gone far in the animal-raising business.  So I will end on this positive note of yay, bravo, and kudos to you.    And next year -- reconsider the rides.

*This message has been brought to you by the Board of Safety-Consciousness, wishing you all a pleasant week void of carnies, car-wrecks and carb-free diets.

Busy week ahead.  I'm starting to think the rest of the summer's going to go by really fast.  Which is kinda scary, seeing as that means I'll be moving out very soon.    It'll be fun, though.  I think.

You know, I've been thinking maybe I should post something other than just an update of my life....  But what?  That's a question I shall consider over the next few days, so hopefully I'll have something a little more entertaining in the future.  I'm not so sure I wanna post some of my writings; maybe I will once I come up with something that's fairly good.

Ok, I'm super-tired, so I'm gonna stop talking now.  I think I stopped saying anything meaningful like two paragraphs ago.  Till I hear from any of y'all again, stay safe and always remember - when in doubt, don't eat it.  Not really sure where that came from, but oh well.  Later.

~ me