11-29-09
Productive. That's the word I would use to describe my Thanksgiving Break. That, and relaxing. I finished about 1/3 of my education portfolio and have made progress on the other 2/3rds. I'm almost completely caught up with education reflection moments on LiveText, and I wrote what is hopefully a first draft of my book review for American Literature (that's due Wednesday). I also spent most of Thursday at a friend's house (she insisted when she heard that I was staying in the dorm over break), didn't need to eat in the cafeteria until Sabbath lunch (since I had bought enough food to eat in my room until that point), watched Ironman, some Stargate SG-1, The Incredibles, and Pride and Prejudice. I jammed to the Matthew West CD I bought on Wednesday, and I slept in until 10 AM on Friday and went to bed that night at 7:00. I always sleep well on Friday nights. I have enjoyed my break, and it's sort of bittersweet to see it go by so quickly. Then again, it means that Christmas break is right around the corner--but also that our Christmas concert and finals are right around the corner.
It's hard to believe that it has been almost six months since I arrived back in the States. I have been busy, busy, busy. In some ways, that's a good thing. In other ways, not so good. Not counting the days of Christmas Break that I haven't lived yet, I have spent only thirteen days out of this year in the same dwelling as my family (the first five months I was on Ebeye, then I was at camp, and now I've been at school). It's strange that I'm about to be finished with my semester back at Southern. It feels odd that Ebeye seems longer ago than it really was, and it feels oddly right that I miss it as much as I do. I miss camp, too, but I know I'll go back to camp. Ebeye--well, I don't know about going back to Ebeye. I would, certainly, but I don't know if I ever will. And that makes me sort of sad, because I miss my life there. And the friends I made. And the students I taught. Etc., etc., etc.,
I miss the fact that people wanted to hear about where I had been and what I had done there. Are my pictures and stories just for myself? I thought we were supposed to share the stories, the pictures, etc.,, not lock them away on hard drives and minds, not limit the stories and the passion to one week and one expo. Going is worth it, it really is. I believe that, I really do. But I don't know why people don't ask. I don't want to be all rude and in their face, but I want someone to listen about Ebeye. Not to pay attention to me, though I suppose that might play into it (if I'm trying to be honest, which I am), but to pay attention to Ebeye. Yes, it's a little island. Yes, it's crowded. Yes, there's not always a whole ton of things to do. But it has people in need of Jesus there. It has students in need of teachers there (and not just one or two teachers, but enough teachers for the whole school). It has need of student missionaries there, because everyone seems to pick the big islands with mountains and even more awesome diving and tourist attractions and a more spread out population. Ebeye's like the forgotten child of the islands, and people don't understand why I went there. Even though that should be plain. I went there because God called me there and because I tried to answer that call to the best of my ability and to God's enabling.
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