The End...Sort Of

I've had a lot of time to think about this post. And judging by the "nudging" I've received from some of you faithful followers, I've probably taken a little too much time to consider this post. =D

I use the word "consider" pretty liberally. My "considering" has included a lot more than just thinking about what I should write. Since I've been home, I've been spending quite a bit of time being, well...just plain lazy. I've been catching up on my reading, playing Monopoly with my family, baking delicious goodies, hiding away from the oppressive heat, tickling my baby sister, and enjoying girls' nights made up of Chinese food, chick flicks, and friends. I've been such a bum!

But I have worked on a little something since I've been home. As part of the internship class I am enrolled in this summer, I am required to write a paper about my internship experience. So, last weekend, I holed up in my room and reflected on the past six weeks of my life.

From June 1 to July 13, I worked as an intern at Shepherds Ministries. I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences of my life. I always knew it would be, but this internship never ceased to exceed my expectations.

Have I told you that I had worked on landing this internship for nearly two years? In 2010, I visited Shepherds Ministries with my church youth group. I was a sophomore in college, and I acted as a sponsor on what was my second visit to Shepherds. While there, I learned of a communications internship, and my interest was immediately piqued. Just a couple months after that week of volunteering, I contacted a friend at Shepherds about this opportunity, and thus began a 21-month-long chain of e-mails and phone calls between my wonderful supervisor, Susan, and me.

There were ups and downs, glimmers of possibility followed by gray clouds of bleakness. There were times when I wondered if this thing I was pushing so hard for was something that God really had in mind for me or just something I selfishly wanted for myself. But I kept trying, praying all the way that God would shut the door for good if He really didn't want me at Shepherds.

I was persistent, to be sure. Probably to the brink of annoyance, at times. But I didn't give up, and Susan didn't give up, and God never said no. And at some miraculous point, He made it all come together and work out perfectly.

My time at Shepherds was so beneficial because of the workplace experience I gleaned. I've been studying this thing called corporate communications for the past year, but I didn't know for sure what a career in this field was exactly like until I went to Shepherds.

I love the variety of this type of job. You definitely do not do the same thing day in and day out. And there was lots and lots of writing to do, which made me very happy! I also enjoyed gaining the experience of working for a non-profit organization. Tacking that factor onto a career adds in a whole new element of variety. There's always something to be done, and you may be asked to help out, even if that certain task is not specifically listed on your job description.

The camaraderie among coworkers at Shepherds is fantastic! It's easy to tell that you are working in a Christian environment. At Shepherds, there are things much more important than working as many hours as possible or trying to climb up the corporate ladder. Things like your coworkers' well-being or your desire to do your best or your love for the clients.

That's the best part of all: the clients and students at Shepherds. They are the reasons why every employee goes to work each morning. They are the reasons why churches and schools come from across the nation to experience Shepherds. And they are the reasons why I traveled seven hours to live in a little village of 5,000 people for six weeks during my summer.

Sometimes it sounds a little crazy. I live less than an hour away from a giant metropolitan area. Why didn't I try to get an internship at one of the hundreds of businesses in that city? People have asked me that. People have looked at me in shock or surprise when I told them I had considered interning at an opera theatre or a history museum or a hospital, yet I forsook or turned down those opportunities. "Why?" they ask.

I always indulge in a tiny, secret smile when people stare at me with that concerned, sympathetic, "you poor fool" look. You see, I know something they don't know. I know that choosing to intern at Shepherds Ministries was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I know that most likely, I would not have been near as happy interning at those places as I was interning at Shepherds. I know that this was all in God's plan for me, and I feel so blessed to have had this experience.

My internship has ended. I am finished with that chapter of my life, but that doesn't mean it's completely closed. This chapter, this moment will influence many other future chapters of my life.

I am deeply connected to Shepherds. I have been for awhile, but these past six weeks have only strengthened and nurtured that relationship. I consider myself a self-assigned advocate for this organization, and I wish everyone could experience the unbelievable things that are happening here.

So, yes, this is the end. But in a way, it's also the beginning. I don't know what's in store for me next or when Shepherds Ministries and I will cross paths in the future, but I do know that this internship was more than I've ever dreamed of and something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Summer Fun

I've just been having a lot of fun lately.

Don't worry. I'm still working every day, but these past few evenings, I've just been able to enjoy time with friends. It's been really nice.

My roommate, Leah, and I discovered that we both LOVE stuffed crust pizza, yet we never get it because most of our friends and family hate the stuff. So, what are two girls to do? By all means, get the stuffed crust pizza!!! We found a Pizza Hut in nearby Racine and ate to our hearts' content. We couldn't decide whether to get supreme or pepperoni, so we thought ourselves pretty clever when we decided to get half and half and each take two pieces of each kind. Smart, huh? =D Here's Leah with our leftovers which we saved for dinner the next day.

Leah is preparing for a missions trip to China, so we decided to go to Walmart to pick up some supplies. We wandered for awhile looking for random things, such as baby wipes and flash drives. Good times.

Please be praying for Leah. She leaves for China on Saturday. She will be teaching ESL to Chinese students and living with a Chinese family. Hopefully, she will be able to share the gospel and be an amazing testimony for Christ. I know she would appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

To round out our night, we spent some much needed time at Starbucks and then browsed Barnes & Noble, noting all the books we want to read but never have time for. Sigh.

Tuesday night, I went to a patriotic service with Gayle and the ladies that live in her house. We sang patriotic songs, read verses, and listened to a devotional. There was a fellowship afterwards, and then we sat in the church parking lot, waiting for the fireworks to start. I'm a little spoiled. After seeing Disney's fireworks, I'm a bit dissatisfied with any other fireworks. But I had so much fun watching the residents enjoy them. They "oohed and aahed" loudly over each and every one. So precious.

Wednesday was of course, July 4. Union Grove has a parade on the 4th, and Shepherds always participates with their own float. Their float won second place this year. Their theme had to do with marching bands and classic musicals, so a few residents were picked to ride in the truck as a marching band. We have a volunteer group here this week, and they dressed up as characters from different classic American musicals and walked alongside the truck. They highlighted Grease, Oklahoma, and the Newsies. I was kind of jealous. It would have been fun to dress up like a musical. But then, I realized it was 105 degrees, and I laughed. Have fun with that, kids!

Instead, I got some sun and hung out with my friends Gayle and Corrie. Win!

I got a bit of flack for wearing my 2011 World Series Champs t-shirt in Brewer Country. I can't imagine why! =D

After reviving ourselves from the heat, I spent the afternoon with the Cayton house ladies. They've been so sweet to me during my time here. They've let me hang out at their house, eat dinner with them, tag along to their patriotic service, etc. I wanted to do something special for them, so I bought some craft supplies, and we decorated canvas bags. They really loved it! And they did such a beautiful job. Faith also got to join us, which made me happy. I love that sweet girl!

Here's my creation for my baby girl. Miss her so much!

Also, I watched real T.V. for the first time in over a month last night. We have a T.V. with cable here, but for some reason, I forget about it. I think it's because the furniture out in the living area is not the most comfortable in the world, but nevertheless, I caught Sleepless in Seattle and NCIS yesterday!

And tonight......it rained!!!!!!! Not very much, but I'll take what I can get. I feel like I haven't seen rain in forever. I was about to go out and play in it, but it stopped before I could get out there. Figures. Oh, well. Maybe I'll catch it next time.