Looking Forward to Summer

Right now I should be working on one of my three papers that are due this week or editing a scholarship essay for my brother, but, today I cannot find any desire to read over my sociology research on the 1% or global inequality, nor do I have any desire to recount all my experiences volunteering this past semester at the moment either. 
 I don't feel particularly inclined to read my history book on Deaf in America or edit the scholarship essay (Sorry, Kit! I promise I'll have it done before supper.) I suppose I could be filling out my Americorp application online... again.. (It keeps erasing itself as I go along)..but I don't feel particularly motivated in that direction either. 


But! I'm not being completely lazy today! I cleaned my kitchen! And By that I mean I scrubbed the counters down til my nail polish flaked off and the dishes were well scrubbed as well as the sink cleaned out and shined. The trash was taken out and the recycling organized in the kitchen closet. I also organized the nightmarish tupperware cupboard and scrubbed down the stovetop. The floor is swept, the rugs shooken (shaken?) out and the cabinets and walls received a good washing as well. 


Today I just felt like accomplishing tasks. Not school tasks though : ) During my kitchen cleaning frenzy I managed to make myself lunch for today and tomorrow as well as contact my future landlord and set up a time to pay a deposit and sign a lease. Oh! And I made coffee! (I didn't drink it though.. :/ )


Really, I'm just quite restless today. I want it to be summer! I'm so excited for summer! I have so many goals I want to complete and tasks I want to take on and adventures I want to start! For example, I'm quite excited to attempt to walk/run/bike 1,000 miles in 90 days. I believe this could easily be accomplished. I already know it only takes me 1 hr 45 minutes of pleasant walking to go 6 miles. And to go 1,000 miles in 90 days I would only need to fit in 12 miles a day. I could easily go 6 miles by myself in the morning and then on a pleasant walk of 6 more miles with my siblings in the evening. It would be effortless, really. 


Besides that fun goal, I'ma be working with The Bridge of Storm Lake. :D :D! I'm so excited!!! I hope to someday in the future be a licensed social worker and everything The Bridge does (God bless them) is exactly what I want to do. They love God and they serve people and work with kids. How awesome is that??? SUPER awesome!! So I have two dream jobs of my life, one is my American Dream dream job: Work in/own a coffee shop. (Probs not very realistic) And the other is my actual heart desire dream job: Serve God by serving people.... so.. basically this summer's summer job.. heaven. Hopefully I will be exhausted every day... that would be wonderful. I feel so in love with Jesus when I'm exhausted for His glory. I'm so content when that happens.


"What about when you worked at camp?" you make ask. For those of you who are aware of how last summer's exhausting summer job had me crawling on all fours bloodied and beaten across the finish line, that's a different kind of exhaustion. Exhaustion with satisfaction and joy is much different from Spiritual exhaustion and emptiness. Last summer, I was hardly aware of the presence of God as well as quite confused on what my tasks were exactly as most of my co-workers were quite concerned with finding true-love from staff of opposite gender as well as bending the rules til they broke. It was a difficult time, and that type of exhaustion is not recommended by me. 
No, I'm talking about happy exhaustion. Coming to the end of the day covered in sweat and dirt and grass stains and perhaps even bruises and scrapes knowing that what you did was a blessing to someone. Knowing that what you accomplished furthered God's Kingdom by a centimeter. You feel so satisfied and joyful in that kind of exhaustion. I look forward to it this summer! 


Also!!! This summer, I might have someone to disciple me! I've never been officially discipled before, while I have had many people intentionally invest in my life. But I'm really excited about this. My little brother was convicted on being discipled last year and he says that it's the best part of his week. I was jealous, so I decided to get someone to disciple me too. In college, I've missed so much having an older adult (Older than 30 please!) walking with the Lord and setting an example. I'm not much a fan of attending Bible studies where people my age or younger are leading. But, it's what I have for now. Im even a Bible study leader for people older than me. I'm not a fan, but God uses it and I can't complain. :)  BUT! I'm gonna get some legit walking with the Lord training this summer and I'm stoked!!


An other thing I'm looking forward to this summer are my Dad's gardens! In case you are not yet aware, I'm quite sick. While Steven Ford has been making everyone to believe he's dying, I've been battling a similar bummer thing (Not as severe or life threatening, obviously) with my own bummer intestines and I'm noticing some losses in my battle. 
So let me explain, over Winter break I realized by talking to one of my sisters who is into intestinal health that I am, in fact, gluten intolerant. Whilst doing some thinking and brainstorming and all that with some siblings, we've come to the conclusion that I/we picked a bug/bacteria when we went to China a couple years ago. Bummer right? I've had stomach issues and such over the years but I figured they were normal. (Everyone says that, I know) But, since being gluten free, I've felt quite a bit healthier than I did before. But not all the way healthier of course. I still get ulcers (one of the things I thought was normal) and I get upset stomachs and all that bummer stuff. But the thing that has me worried lately is, I think I'm losing my hair. 
I hate to admit that, of course, because, in general,  I'm a self-conscious person who would rather not people know to look for something wrong with me. But I really don't think I could avoid noticing it any more. Whilst my hair is continuing to grow in length, it is quite disturbingly less abundant than it once was. A regular hair tie is much to big for all of my hair to be gathered in one pony tail on the top of my head, which saddens me greatly as I don't think I would look very good bald. 


Bald is being a bit dramatic, but I feel like if this intestinal business of not being able to absorb proper nutrients continues, give me 5 years and I would indeed cease to have hair on the top of my head. 
So! Dad's gardens! There is a very intense diet to fix one's poor intestines and hopefully restore them to the proper health and glory. It involves no sugar, no starch, no gluten and no lactose for probably a minimum of 3 months (Probs longer for me, though). While I've been pretty careful with the things I've eaten over the last few months, it's difficult to follow it completely whilst being in college and not having time to cook every single meal. Besides, rice is cheap and easy to prepare and 1 cup will last you 2 or 3 meals at least. (Rice is a starch in case you didn't know).


So living at my parents house for the summer with full access to the North and South gardens as well as the green house to eat all the freshest vegetables I could want will make the intestinal repair diet go much easier and with much less hassle and expense. It is truly a blessing to have a father who enjoys gardening. 


Other things I look forward to this summer are, of course, friend and family weddings, time with siblings, sailing on the lake, family vacations, and all the summer partying there could ever be had. (With out alcohol of course)


 : )