Baby it's Cold Outside

Baby, it's cold outside. Really cold. And they're calling for snow. Part of me thinks that's lovely and the other part that wants to go see some of her YWAMily on Monday because they'll only be half hour away is not thrilled about it. If it's going to happen I suppose I should stick with the lovely part and try to get someone brave in the snow to take me so I don't have to drive the behemoth.

Speaking of, my first drive on my own took place a few weeks ago in the ministry's behemoth. Behemoth is a red 15 passenger van. Driving a 15-P has been destined for me I think. I didn't drive our 15-P in Americorps, nor at New Stage, but now, now I do.

So the driving of the behemoth is one of many new things happening in my life of late. I've been off of all sugars but whole fruit for three weeks now (inspired by my Momma Henry and Mary) and I feel fantastic. My thinking is much clearer and often I'm just so happy. This past week I was able to focus so much more at work and I felt like I got a lot done.

Work focus isn't just from the way I'm eating. Intern training has been really inspiring too and is helping me become more focused not just at the office (I work in an office?!?) but in my work as an actress as well. I feel like I'm growing in all areas of my life and it is so good. I've found a church I like and am part of a good small group there. It's so good to be encouraged to spend more time with God and delve into His word. My week feels different when I skip and I look forward to the next time.

Last night we had live Jazz and a reading of three O. Henry stories in the coffee shop where I write this entry. It went well and we had more people then chairs and had to bring some in from outside. It's a small shop for some perspective. And about half of our audience were CPAF staff. Still it was a good turn out and it was exciting to have it go well. This was my first effort as Community Relations Manager to begin some smaller performances. I think we'll do something like it again in a couple of months.

Time is flying and we can barely believe it's the weekend again. No complaints there though. Thanksgiving will be here before we know what happened and then it'll be almost time to come home for Christmas. Until then, it looks like we're going to have some snow here tonight. Enjoy your weekend all.

Rejoice in the Lord Always

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"
- Phillipians 4:4

God is so good. Twice in one day this week the need to rejoice in Him always, in good and bad, when we feel like it and don't, was brought to my attention. At that time it was easy, but I recognize that the problems will come, and in fact, some have since then. I pray that I will always and ever have on my lips and in my heart that God is good.

He is good.
He is merciful Father, mighty to save, wonderful Maker, magnificent God, Holy, holy, holy, almighty Saviour, King of Kings, worthy to be praised. He hears His children. We may not feel like it because we often think that 'answered prayer' means prayer answered how we would want. His ways are not our ways. God is so good.

Love my Job

Every other Thursday morning we have intern training here at the CPAF offices. Today I was inspired as Patrick talked to us about goals and biblical goal setting. Annaka and I talked about what we learned over lunch and discussed what our long term goals look like, and what we feel God has put on our hearts.
It's been exciting the past few years to see God focus my goal more and more. Discovering through the book "Addicted to Mediocrity" that He designed me to be an actor and that it was not only okay to follow that passion, but that it was a calling, was a very exciting moment. That was when I was in AmeriCorps four years ago. Since then pursuing acting in ways that will bring God glory has been the focus. God has provided for me again and again and taken me from New York to home to Mississippi to Indiana.
I'm starting to settle in more to my year here at CPAF. We were in church on Sunday and the Sunday School leader asked what our passions were. Realizing that my own personal calls were almost exactly the mission statement of the organization where I work was an awesome realization. I'm gaining valuable on the job skills in arts administration (arts admin. not my goal, but lets face it, it's useful wherever you are in the arts), working with a truly wonderful group of people, connecting with a ministry that will support me in prayer and study resources when I'm in the field, and growing spiritually.
I'm excited to see what happens through this year and I'll try to keep better updated on this blog.

A Very Rich Woman

Binker-what I call him-is a secret of my own,
And Binker is the reason why I never feel alone.
Playing in the nursery, sitting on the stair,
Whatever I am busy at, Binker will be there.

Oh, Daddy is clever, he's a clever sort of man,
And Mummy is the best since the world began,
And Nanny is Nanny, and I call her Nan-

But they can't See Binker. ...

-A.A. Milne

This morning I was out the door earlier than usual because I had a meeting at Grace College. I rode my bike through the campus, my ears cold in the fall air despite the kerchief tied about my head. A lone orange lays on the pavement and I wonder if this campus haunted by Invisible Cows of Doom like Belhaven is. That would explain the orange, though I don't see any left shoes.

Today is Binker and my third anniversary. It's an Easterish sort of anniversary in that it changes every year depending on when the Arts Discover day is scheduled, because that is when we met. I was visiting the campus for the first time and during one of the social whatnots he came and talked to me.
At the time I didn't realize that the conversation was unusual for him. My very introverted friend did not appear so to me then. Since that day however I've learned that he doesn't generally talk to people he doesn't know. Now granted we'd had a Batman connection the day before thanks to Amy who was hosting me then and is now a dear friend too. Still, his out of character action continues to puzzle both of us, though we are happy for it.
If I were at Belhaven today the two of us would find some time in our busy schedules to walk over to the spiral staircase inside the Bitsy Irby Arts building. I would sit on one of the large steps and he would stand behind the railing. We would laugh about the conversation that took place this way three years ago and wonder at the friendship that has come after it.

I got to see him this week, which I'm glad for and can still hardly believe. He, Scott, Nod, Rin and Meg came to see me for fall break. The first four drove 13 hours and Meg came down from Chicago. Have I told you that I'm a very rich woman? It was wonderful to be with such dear friends and I miss them greatly.
~ ~ ~ ~

I get to the building where my meeting is and hop off of my bike. As I sit in the office I see the desk calender and can hardly believe how far we are through October. Where does the time go? This time last week I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of my friends and now they've gone. The first two paper square weekends represent two anticipated reunions, both over, both lovely, both which I'm grateful for.

Last night we had fellowship night and went to the Kavanaugh's for a play reading. Before delving into "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" we watched a CPAF promo video from 1988. As we chuckled over the dated content, the four founding members of CPAF talked about their old friends as they came on the screen.

"Where's Bill now?"
"Oh he's in Florida."
"Is he still in music?"
"I'm not sure. Oh there's Dan! He remarried five years ago."
"John's gone now isn't he?"
"Yes, he died last year."
"Janet's got three little ones."
"Whatever happened to..."

I listen to their reminisces and wonder about the younger generation present in the room. I wonder at our own conversations such as this in years to come. Where will life have taken us? How will we talk about one another? When I listen (my kids listen? Nephews and nieces?) to the recording of "Through the Looking Glass" will I know where each of those people are? Some of them? What will they be doing?
Reading the play last night (I got to play Guildenstern, oh what fun!) I read a description of Autumn sky which is exactly what I've been trying to say for the past three days. I've been calling the color change in the sky a "Thanksgiving sky". But this is so much better;

: Autumnal−nothing to do with leaves. It is to do with a certain brownness at the edges of the day...Brown is creeping up on us, take my word for it... Russets and tangerine shades of old gold flushing the very outside edge of the senses... deep shining ochres, burnt umber and parchments of baked earth−reflecting on itself and through itself, filtering the light. At such times, perhaps, coincidentally, the leaves might fall,somewhere, by repute. Yesterday was blue, like smoke.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I have a lot of wonderful yesterdays and the todays are good too. I look forward to seeing what each of my friends do. They are talented, beautiful, loving people and I am excited to see what art they create, whether it be plays, paintings, or families (Some already are). I smile to think of how my little brothers will grow too. My not so little brothers. I pray that whatever these loved in my life do, they will do it to the glory of God, that their focus will be their relationship with Him. Because that's the most important really. And I'm thankful for the mystery and for the knowledge that whatever comes He has it in His hands.

Counting down to Knapples and Chuckles

It is a busy weekend. Our fourth intern arrived from Romania on Wednesday night. She and I are settling into the other side of the house now. She is a lovely girl and we're so glad to have her finally here. It will be good to have another actress here. This morning she made me breakfast and is disappointed that our American bread is so sweet.

Last weekend I went to Ohio for the 4th AmeriCorps reunion of my team. My former team leader and one of my team mates picked me up and we drove over for a wonderful weekend with our Amerifam. It was so good to see them and I'll write more about that when Mel sends out some of her beautiful pictures from our time.

Keeping with the reunion theme I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my friends from Belhaven. They come in tomorrow and I have that Christmas Eve anticipation where I can't sleep or focus very well. I can hardly believe that I get to see them.

We have our first Second Sunday Concert this weekend so I'm a little anxious about that as I'm in charge of it. I'm sure it will be fine, there's just a lot going on at once so I'm feeling a bit stressed. It's going to be a good weekend though and I'm just praying the stress and anxiety will ease and I'll enjoy every second that my friends are here. It's pretty neat that they'll get to see the concert.

Counting down to knapples and chuckles. Thankfully there's a fun concert tonight that I'm not in charge of and can enjoy with Krisztina. And then I'll drink a double dose of bedtime tea in the hopes of knocking out without "Christmaseveanitcipatinsomnia"

Sunday Storms

I look forward to Sundays. They're quiet days. When I'm living the way I want to I go to church and nothing is required of me that day but rest. I read, spend time with friends, write letters or journal. This Sunday was rainy which makes it all the better. It was really really rainy. And windy. Hurricane effect I suppose. The lake was busy with droplets and wind.
In the middle of a journal entry one of my housemates, Annaka, starts calling my name. More than that. "Faith! Faith! We need your help!"

?

So I go out into the living room and outside I see Julie wrestling a boat. Yes, a boat. She was in the water with a boat. A large one. I ran outside in my cute pink sweater that was not meant for lake weed.

The boat was a rogue, a runaway and was threatening to run into our neighbors much smaller boat and crush his much smaller dock. Thus Julie being in the water.

Annaka and I helped hold the boat. We got on board to look for identification and Annaka called our friend Joy to ask what on earth we should do. Meanwhile the rain is pouring and the wind is getting stronger. And we're laughing our heads off with no idea of what to do except keep Fred (we named it) away from the rocks and the dock and the other boat. We are up to our knees in water. Julie's brand new galoshes weren't quite doing the trick since she was over them in water.
Joy calls the police and apparently there really is someone who handles this kind of thing. Only they like Sundays too. They aren't there. And the dispatch lady has no idea what to tell us.
So Joy comes with a camera. Our neighbor Pete pulls up in his truck and when yelling his name brings no results I run over and find him still in his truck.

"Pete! Pete! There's a runaway boat!" says the drenched girl in the pink sweater.
Pete looks at me.
"There's a boat and it's here and we're trying to keep it away from the rocks and the dock and the boat and we don't know what to do!"
Pete looks over my shoulder. Pete says he is headed to the police chief's anyway and will ask them about it.
I run back and hop in the water again because obviously I'm not wet enough.

"I hope we make some friends!" says Annaka
" I hope we make some money." Says Julie
"Ha!" say I

Pete comes back and the police again haven't much info for us. Apparently we're just supposed to let the boat do its thing. Not wanting Pete's property to suffer though we tie it up to the swing (and by we I mean Pete).

We thanked him and Joy and went inside, tired and cold, for warm clothes and hot tea. We laughed at the absurdity of the whole situation and looked forward to relaying the story later. The theme of holding things continued later when one of our common room windows came crashing open and cracked along its wood frame threatening to fall off and spill the glass pane. So we took turns holding it while trying to figure out what to do. And naturally we called Joy. Again.

The window has yet to be fixed (it's being held up by chairs and a funnoodle) and the boat was recovered rather anticlimactically (and with no interest in the story or much thanks either. Sorry Annaka, no friends. Sorry Julie, no money.) but the story has brightened the week and makes us laugh when it gets told. Ah bonding.

And now, I'm looking forward to Sunday. Which I hope is quiet...

Nutshell Beginning

“ I’m here, I’m here!” (see A Lad and His Lamp, Bugs Bunny cartoon). After a fourteen hour train ride on Sunday/Monday I arrived minus just one bag that I chased the Fed Ex man down for on Tuesday. Great fun.

My house is gorgeous and when I walk into my living room I can see the lake right there. Incredible. I say ‘my house’ but actually I’m staying on the side of the lodge with two of the other interns until our fourth intern gets here from Romania. Then she and I will move to the other side of the lodge where, thank heavens, the view remains.

I’ve learned a lot more about CPAF ministry since I’ve been here and I feel blessed to be working with such an amazing organization. God has really worked through them the past twenty years and I’m excited to be a part of it. I don’t always feel completely settled yet though and I miss people like crazy. The people here are very kind though and I look forward to getting to know them better. It’s lovely having housemates again. Through the year you’ll get to know them better to as I blog.

My job is managing community relations and most of what I’ll be doing is facilitating what is called the Second Sunday Concert Series. The second Sunday of every month we have a concert with various classical pieces played by our body of musicians. We’ll also sing hymns, have guest artists and I can perform pieces as well which I will most likely be doing with Kristina who is also and actor. My job is to put the word out, make and send posters, postcards, letters, co-ordinate the volunteers, create the program, etc. When I’m not doing that I’ll be looking for new ways to get us connected and known to the community. Maria (A*Corps) and Shannon (New Stage) have already given me some good advice on how to do that. Thank you ladies!

So in a very small nutshell that’s the beginning. More to come!