four-minute friday: do me a favor
Go.
I’ve been contemplating my four-minute post for a few hours now and, with no clear topic in mind, I finally decided to just start typing.
Last night was my last intern class of the year. It was overwhelmingly incredible, to say the least. But I already blogged about that over on the Field Blog.
This afternoon I’m taking the interns for their last visit to Hope House. I know it’s going to be emotional; they’ve poured themselves into these kids for an entire year…
We leave Monday morning at the ungodly hour of 4:00 to drive to Cape Town for a week of debriefing. I’m looking forward to one last hurrah with them. And I can’t wait to see me some jackass penguins. (I’m serious! They exist! And they live in Africa!)
I talk often about the revolving door of my life in ministry — how I tire of the constant turnaround of people. I must confess: I’ve grown to dread this time of year. All the goodbyes and the need to reopen my heart to start over? Man oh man, it’s hard for me.
So will you do me a favor? Every time you drink a hot frothy beverage in one of those gloriously divine red to-go cups, remember me and say a quick prayer for my heart.
Done.
i asked on your facebook why you hate this time of the year, and after reading your blog i got my answer. CT should be great, just hope you have better weather then.
and those red to-go cups… last week when i had one of those i actually thought of you!! :)
thinking of you! xxx
sipping on a cup right now… so a prayer goes your way… :D
will do…might have to just go get one…since you reminded me of it… :)
@cassgirl says:
I am trying to get the recipe right for pumpkin spice latte for this weekend.. grr..
Just think… I’ll be serving a few.. that means
ALOT of prayer going out for you.
love you
@danielleH says:
iloveyou.
iloveyou.
iloveyou.
friend.
@danielleH says:
and you know i might even pray for you when i’m not drinking starbucks! ;)
I don’t have a divine red to-go cup…I stay home…
But I do love to pray for you!
(You can get a glimpse of me if you visit my blog today…shameless plug!)
oh sweet Alece!! how I remember those awful goodbyes. Let me tell you a quick story that goes along with this topic and I don’t think I have ever told you.
So it was the start of my second year in Maun, I had already gone through one year of people coming and going. Kendra and I were preparing ourselves for the summer and trying to figure out a way to make new friends but not get heartbroken when they left (I suppose I could have done a better job had I not DATED one of them!! ha!). It wasn’t even summer when a small team of 6 came up from South Africa for a short week or two of ministry. The first night we had a little shindig for everyone to get to know each other, as Kendra and I walked over to the house where they were staying we discussed our game plan for “no heart break ’03″. Our goal was clear, DON’T GET ATTACHED!!! After a night filled with laughs, fun and some meaningful conversation we knew we were screwed. After just a few hours spent with these wonderful people (mainly one person in particular) Kendra looked at me and said “you let yourself get attached, didn’t you?” To which I said a sad “yes” I just couldn’t help myself! she laughed and said “me too”. That was over 5 years ago and I have never regretted allowing myself to get attached to you Alece, though it was a sad goodbye when you left after having so much fun with you. I am so blessed to have you in my life!
Love you and am praying for a week of great fun with those little jackasses!
@atangie says:
I think someone said this already on another post but it was so perfect that it bears repeating…
I love the way you love.
Well, I’ll promise you this much: I’ll pray for you, often. I however do not like Starbucks, so no red-cup yumminess for me.
One would think goodbyes get easier over time, but the truth is, it would seem they don’t. It’s because you invest your heart, and that is a bittersweet result, my friend.
Oh Alece…You just gave me the excuse I needed to go and get me one of those little red to go cups. Thank you so much!! A 2 point skinny latte my waist line thanks you also.
I will pray for you even without the cup. :) I can only imagine how hard it is to open your heart so often. I have a tendancy to love quickly and miss people to tears. You heart is in my prayers too. Not that it hardens but that it gets some cushioning.
@moweezle says:
I know you love to just use any excuse to say jackass penguins as much as you can!!! hehehe
You are loved just as much as you love….soooo much!!!!
I can imagine that this time of year is incredibly difficult for you! I will be praying for you!
i took your advice. i haven’t read the other comments yet. :)
I’m really excited for the jackass penguins. Last time i was there I saw them making baby penguins…
Oh man.
I’ve been praying for all of you A LOT lately. The funny part is…it is all feeling bittersweet for even me here in the states. I’m excited to have my best friend come home after a year without her…but at the same time I know what the goodbyes are like. Even being thousands of miles away from it all, it still hurts some.
Living in Seattle, Starbucks is my second home. So I’ll be praying for you a lot.
i so appreciate all the prayers, everybody. thanks!
faith — i had no idea! i’ve been smiling non-stop since i read your comment. :) and i’m looking forward to every minute with “those little jackasses”! ha!
katie — i’m so proud of you. and you should know that i laughed at loud at the last part of comment!
mandie — wait a minute… who’s your best friend!?
((hugs))
CONSIDER IT DONE!
[and these stegalls use a whole-heck-of-a-lot of those wonderous red cups]
@ventigrace says:
I love it that I saw you on this four minute Friday… even if only to give you a quick hug.
Looking forward to our girl time this weekend… whatever it might entail ;)
@mandythompson says:
Going today.
Praying today.
xxoo
Yeah, so literally on my way out… they switched over into the red cups and ohhh, ahhh I got to get some yum at our favorite coffee stand. I am totally praying for you my Friend…but alas, not over coffee, usually in the mornings and usually it is sweet. Thank you for giving details of how.