is this my life?

If I could get a video of the past week and a half, it'd look something like a kaleidescope - so many colors, constantly changing, and just when I thought the picture was beautiful it would morph into something else - wonderfully complex and unexpected.

I'm moved in to my new apartment and loving every bit of it. I am literally 3 blocks from the beach, where I rushed to this morning for a jog to breathe in the sweet, Lake Michigan air. My apartment is on the 16th floor and we can see the lake from our window. There really is something about being near water that makes me want to sail around the world in a ship like the Dawn Treader from Chronicles of Narnia.

This past weekend, with all the moving in, beach time, and exploring, I started to feel a little sad. I realize I get this way a lot and it's a signal for alone time - or actually time with my Lord. So, I spent some time journaling and reading in 1 Kings, where I most recently read Solomon's prayer in response to the Lord's blessing after the building of the temple. Both he and David prayed grateful prayers where they asked the Lord to remember His promises. How important it is for us to know the promises of the Lord, so we can go to Him with His promises in our hearts. He does want to bless His children! I feel like David in so many ways - who am I that You would bless me!?

There must be something in the air here in Chicago - something that adds more weight to the normal gravitational pull. As I walk from place to place, I watch this unseen force, with each step, pull at the eyebrows and smiles of the people I pass. It's not that they are all sad or mad, but their faces are just unfortunately defenseless against this force. The weird thing is - I started to feel it too, the more I walk the more stern I become - how does this happen?
So, I'm making an effort to defy this pull and lift my eyebrows and curve my smile, because I have so much to be joyful about!

Speaking of joyful - I have received news from Poland and my heart leaps with joy. I am so thankful for new friends, but at the same time I long for the miles to shorten and my time back in Poland to be only just beginning. I want to cry at the difficulty in communicating across technology and languages. God is my only help there:)

One last anecdote on my new home: blisters. Whoever decided that pointy shoes were the new "thing" should try walking 20 blocks and then interviewing for an internship. I lost track on just how far I walked all together, but I'm pretty sure my feet haven't forgotten - I have the blisters to prove it (actually now they are more like open wounds that look like I have a foot disease). Well, at least I'm not the only one fooled by the demands of the uncomfortable pointies, all my friends have similar stories. We quickly realized that although it looks funny to wear sandals or tennies to work, it is a much better choice and worth the morning stares to save the feet.

I'll write more later on my internship placement, but for now suffice it to say that I am extremely excited about the semester ahead. My job is in Oak Brook, which is about an hour commute, but it's going to be worth it. The organization is Opportunity International (www.opportunity.org) and I'm looking forward to learning more about how they are responding to Jesus Christ's call to serve the poor through the emerging area of microfinance. I've never really been a business-minded person, so I'm hoping this will give me the opportunity to develop some know-how in this area.

Please pray for a job - I'm checking in on Starbucks today.
My love to my family that I haven't gotten hold of lately - I do think of you!