Heading Home for Christmas

So as I am about to embark on my road trip home with Danika in tow. We had packed our bags earlier this week, so as we finished up this semester (with a bang) and as soon as our last class was finished, we jumped in our car and headed to the gas station to fill up and grab road trip snacks….!

I have been on road trips with Mom and Dad, and this is, not that! The last time I had to drive this road I drove alone and I was worried when Dad called me to be there for Mom’s tests. But this road trip is going to be fun!! I am excited to go home, especially after my last visit. Danika was going to stay at the apartment for the holidays, and I couldn't have any of that! I just couldn’t leave her behind!

“You must come and meet my family!”, I told her.

It is a four-hour drive home from the school to Lynchburg, N.C. I can’t wait to see Mom, Dad, and Grandpa! Mom tells me some of my friends from when I was younger (and growing up) are in town for Christmas, so I get to see them too!! I only had a couple of friends, but I would love to see them again, it has been years since we saw each other.

Danika and I don’t listen to the same music, so we have agreed to share the radio and take turns, lol! We laugh like little girls, much younger in a time and place as if it seems like a memory, at least that is how I see it in my mind…

Two girls traveling in a car, going through all the small towns and a few bigger cities, singing "Christmas Carols" and eating chips. I swear I could get used to this, enjoying life, making memories, sharing stories about my hometown with such a great friend, whom I barely knew last year, at this time. I'm so thankful for my family, so thankful for my friend! I can’t wait to get home! And we are almost there!!

Life is really, really good right now! I am back up on my blog! Another semester down!

What more could a girl possibly want? Ice Cream! I want ice cream….I think it is Danika’s turn to drive, don’t you?

See you in a few weeks!!

Always,

.Lily

Believe Me

So as I sit with my morning cup of coffee, I have been able to put my mindset focus back to my writing.

My long list of things to do are done. I stayed here for Thanksgiving, since I had just been home with my parents.

Danika had invited a bunch of friends over for the big turkey day.  Thanksgiving dinner meant something special to me this year.  I was thankful for family but especially, my Mom.

I went last week to Danikas’ Bible Study group and I was surprised to find myself liking the people I was surrounded by.  Ever since meeting Danika I have kind of learned that being an extrovert is a new way of life, I could get use to it.  Although introverted is how I have lived most of my life, extroverts are not as I had envisioned it isn’t arrogance as I had once believed.  It is a different perspective of your personality and how you release your thoughts externally or internal.

I always am thinking about writing, I have been for a long time.  So I have stories in my head not yet penned to paper.  Is that even a word, penned?  Yes, it is I checked.  Lol.

So as we go to Bible Study, of course I can’t stop thinking about the small amount of work still needing to be accomplished and my blog, well, much need for me to sit and write for days, if not weeks.

It’s a small group of people gathered with some tables set out and coffee and water out for others to help themselves. He is a young guy who leads us into prayer and we sit at the tables and have some introductions on who has come for their first time and how do the new people hear of the group.  This was easy for me, my name is Lily and Danika told me about this group.  Next.  We all gather around together and bow our heads to pray.  At this point in time, I feel childlike.  I am instantly reverted back in time as a young girl with my hand in Grandpa's at Church and when I we had to bow and pray I would sneak a look to see if Grandpa’s eyes were closed and then close my eyes, quickly. A refraction in time perhaps?  To a place where I felt safe by just being there.  So as I try to open one eye and look around, another girl has her head up and she sees me.  I start to shut my eyes quickly but I am caught.

She smiles at me, slowly bows her head and shuts her eyes.  Huh, thats how its done.


It’s almost like therapy group that you would see in a movie.  They ask for any prayer requests or if anyone wants to say anything?  Danika looks at me.  There are a few new people, including me.  They just asked me my name and how I heard about the Bible study.  That was easy enough.  Do I really need to say anything more?  So I say well my Mom is the reason I wanted to come.  I explained how I went home after some bad test results after her already battling cancer when I was very young.  I explained her test results came out well.  They began to say Praise God! Thank you, Lord!  I thought, yes, God, thank you!  It was strange.

I would have never said something aloud let alone with an entire group of individuals I had never met before.

As each person shared a good week or a bad moment in their week, we then shared scripture.  It happened to be about submission.  Submission to God.

I think I will be getting help from Danika on this subject as I think to myself.  It rang true, in it all I did submit, everything that happened those last few weeks, I had no control over.

The people I met were kind and funny.  Some struggled with school, some had a great week.  But I felt they genuinely cared about me, complete strangers!

Believe me?

Always,
.Lily