Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The sunrise joined us this morning for breakfast and the rest of the day followed in nearly as rosy of a manner.

I hitched a ride to work with Papa and spent the morning shopping. Shortly after eleven, I hit campus to get a Tech library card and meet up with some of the girls for lunch. As a strolled across the lawn toward the library, I called one girl after another, and left one message after another. With a shrug, I set my phone to vibrate and made my way to the front desk. I spent the time filling out papers with a phone vibrating my ribs through the pocket of my jacket. Taylor came flying down the stairs four at a time and stopped short when he saw me, before a look of recognition crossed his face. "I was like, 'Hmm, she looks familiar.'" he commented, as he passed me.

I managed to get some antivirus software downloaded, and critique some poetry before Lauryn called me to go to lunch with her. She was waiting for me with Zach and Ole. I started talking with Zach and Lauryn, when suddenly. “WHAT…is your name?” Ole has the weirdest sense of humor. That question was followed by a few others: “WHAT is your destiny?” and “WHAT is your quest?” After I explained that I serve Jesus Christ, his face wrinkled into a grin and he said, “Well, have a very nice day. Good-bye.” I’m still laughing as I think back on it.

Amber joined us for lunch. I’d been planning to visit her in her own terrain, but her mom started feeling poorly and asked her to meet me somewhere else. After a few moves, I rejoined the table to discover only a few seating options. Zach very exaggeratedly pulled out my chair and motioned for me to sit down, the whole time wearing a ridiculously indescribable grin. It pretty much weirded me out, and I told him so. He’s paying me back for teasing him about the stocking cap.

After lunch, Amber and I escaped to the lawn in front of Witherspoon to talk and read the Word. We made it through the book of James (per her request) and shared our testimonies and just talked, bonding. She expressed a very definite desire for an accountability partner. Truly an answer to prayer—and in such an odd way. I’d almost given up on it, then I felt like the Lord was asking me to reach out again with inviting her to Thanksgiving. After that, opportunities just seemed to come up, and now it’s reopening—I think. The Lord’s ways are unsearchable. But good.

When April and Lauryn passed us on their way back to the dorms, we were hardly ready to quit, but we followed them up before long. Even with the new card swipes installed, it’s not hard to cheat the system. “We’ll have to call them to come let us in,” I commented as we stopped before the door. “Unless this very kind person will let us in.” As a guy walked up. He grinned, swiped his card and held the door for us as we trooped into the forbidden dorm and took the elevator up to the Sweetest Suite on campus. There April proceeded to tell us her exciting news, to the irritation of Lauryn, who's "scheduled" to hear it tomorrow.

Zach is here again for the night, his hopes high for bagging a deer tomorrow. We educated him on politics and swapped info on Israel’s history. Later, Josiah and he and I were in Josiah’s room. “How do I go about telling a sister that something she’s wearing is not…is maybe a problem?” Josiah and I looked at each other. “Just through the grapevine, and tell her dad?” We said a few things and then I blurted out, “What is it that I was wearing today that made you ask?” Halfway thinking he was talking about me, halfway joking. “That!” he exclaimed, pointing at my skirt. The upshot was that it didn’t bother him, but he’d noticed it could be seen up in the Caf at lunch. He was trying to protect me from other guys especially. It sparked a discussion on the topic of modesty—a hard one, as always. It’s interesting that Papa has never told me a skirt was too short, and sometimes even liked ones I thought were too short, so that’s never been much of an issue in our home. But apparently that’s a really big deal for a lot of guys. I frequently wear skirts or dresses that are knee-length or below the knee and never think anything of it. Do I need to rethink this? In the middle of the discussion, Josiah abruptly rose and exited the room. Zach and I looked at each other. “That wasn’t very considerate of him,” I said. Laughing, we both moved back out to the living room, where Papa was on the phone with Don.


I have such weird friends, but I love them all. I wonder what I do that makes other people go, “What in the world?”

It’s hard to explain how I’m actually feeling. Perhaps my system is on overload. It was a wonderful day. Why was it wonderful? I felt like I got a lot done. I enjoyed some good time with some wonderful girls. I did this. I did that. Did you notice my use of “I”? Did I do it all in my own strength? I think the Lord was with me. I didn’t share the gospel with a single person. I had plenty of chances, if I’d chosen to make them.

Tonight I can’t change that fact. Tonight I can only thank the Lord for the day that was, the encouragement I received, the work He is doing. And I can pray for greater boldness, greater love and greater diligence.

Lord, there is so much to do

And I have told so very few

About Thy wrath and saving grace.

I’m tempted now to hide my face.

But shame is not what Thou would seek

But that I’d know that I am weak

And face Thee with a forward stance

Accept of Thee, Thy second chance.