When I graduated from high school we were given shirts at After Prom that said Done. Like the one above. That was about 4 years ago. Those are still my 3 closest friends from high school. I remember being so upset when I left for college.
We had this breakfast at my house cause I was the first friend to leave for college, and I just remember crying the whole way out of town. Then everytime I left home I would cry. I missed my friends, but i mostly missed my family.
When my mom was diagnosed with cancer a year later. Leaving got worst. My mom is the most important person in my life. She would give up just about anything to spend time with me. I hated sophomore year. I thought that I had it so bad. I was so upset with God for making my mom be in pain. Luckily he wanted her to stay around. It was hard to be away at college when I felt like things were rocky at home. Eventually I learned that I had to be where I was. It was not something I enjoyed learning. But I learned.
My junior year of college was pretty rocky. I became some one that wasn't someone I liked anymore. I remember that I ran home from college most weekends. I felt like I needed to be home.
But this year their been something different. I don't cry when I leave home anymore. I know that if I don't talk to my mom everyday that she's hopefully still going to be around the next time we talk. I found all the small things I liked about Manhattan and fell in love with them again. Its funny. I feel like this happened in high school. Things started okay, got pretty bad during junior year and then i figured out my relationship with God again my senior year and its been pretty great.
I feel so blessed. Blessed to have spent time with kids. Blessed to have some really great friends. Blessed to have gotten to know a town so well. Blessed to have fallen in love with a community and a mission. I am never going to be perfect. I keep waiting for that to sink in. I still don't have everything figured out. I know that every day I have to let God know that I am going to trust him and that I can not control things in my life.
In 10 days I will leave Manhattan. I will have every thing packed that I need. I will be done spending time in a city that has been home for 4 years. I will say good-bye to my favorite things. New Hope Church. Bishop Stadium. Anthony Middle School. Friends. Families. Beautiful 8th Grade Girls. My Young Life Family. And I will cry. Because I found my place for this year. I loved this place. I know that God put me here for a reason. I am thankful for this place.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
