improvements

Yesterday at lunch my Korean friends taught me how to use chopsticks, and I used them to eat a huge bowl of "hot and spicy" ramen noodles. It only took me an hour... and my hand was cramped and deformed... but they said I would be a pro in no time! Then I went to work and found that we were serving stir-fry tofu, so I took a pair of chopsticks to practice with at home. I bought some sticky rice at Wal-Mart. I can't wait to try it!

I wore lipstick to work tonight, and a student actually talked to me. I think lipstick will join the blue chef jacket as a permanent part of my uniform.

Being here has been pretty difficult at times -- probably the biggest spiritual challenge thus far in my life. Tennessee is beautiful, but empty to me right now because I haven't done much to invest myself here, and for that I have suffered. After a few days of serious inventory, I'm convinced now more than ever of what I'm supposed to do with my life, even though I don't exactly know how it's going to happen. But let it suffice to say that I will never be content in any place that I haven't tried to serve; I will find joy in any place that I serve God, and that's what I haven't done much of here.

Someone once told me, "You should never pursue a career in ministry until you absolutely have to; when you find that you can't do anything else, then you know that's what you're supposed to do." After a half semester of education classes, some trips to the elementary school, a few weeks in the cafeteria... I'm not sure I couldn't do anything else, but I AM sure that no matter what I do it WILL be ministry. Does that make sense? There are parts of my future that are a complete mystery, and a few that I'm pretty convinced of, yet can't bring about, and that helps me know even more that they are part of God's plan. I'm working on doing my part, and now I have to trust Him to make the rest happen. The important thing now is to be a good steward of the opportunities He's already given, because life doesn't start next December, it started nine years ago when it stopped being mine. So that's where I am now... trying to keep my chin up and my heart open while I enjoy my first autumn in this Tennessee valley.