Me & HP

OK, so don't worry there will be no Harry Potter spoilers in this post! I'm not quite done with the book myself, and don't want it ruined for me nor would I want to ruin it for anyone else. :0)

However, I do have some observations I must make about the character in general. Last night as I read another large chunk of the final installation of HP, I found myself letting a couple tears slip out here and there. Everything the poor guy has gone through to save the wizarding race, actually all races, from evil. He has lost many near and dear to him, and his journey has not always been easy.

There was a part in the book where he is asking alot of the big questions: why is the path turning out like this? Why wasn't I trusted? Why wasn't I told? These are questions we can all resonate with as well, and as weird as it sounds, i was proud of him for asking these questions.

The biggest thing that struck me though was how he realized that maybe his journey had to be this way. Maybe he couldn't be told - perhaps he had to figure things out on his own. And I put the book down and smiled to myself, knowing that God knew exactly why. Because it's the same for me: it might have taken me longer to 'get' to certain places, but I wouldn't trade that journey for anything. It's worth all the questions and doubts and fears - because my walk with God is so much richer than if everything came easily and I was told everything.

I'm so glad God lets us work it out for ourselves, with his help, at our own pace.

Figuring Things Out

Lately I've been really amazed at how much I think I know myself, but then discover these little things I don't know about myself. For instance, my new roommate had the book "5 Love Languages for Singles." OK, before you mock me for reading it, I want to say i am quite secure in the fact that I read this.

Scary thing - I didn't know my love language. I know what I like to do to show people I care about them, but am not sure what I need in order to feel cared about.

I also don't know what activities do or do not give me rest, or sabbath.

I'm not sure what scares me most in this life: living comfortably or living with risk?

Would I rather be married or single? Have a few close, true friends or a lot of acquaintances? Am I part of the new evangelical movement, or am I a conservative living in emergent-esque clothing?

I'm on a quest to rediscover what makes Melinda, Melinda. Join me if you want, and if you are doing the same thing for yourself, share the journey - I'd love to know your thoughts and discoveries.

Finally, out of work for the day! I'm heading off to a wonderful weekend of relaxation!
-M

Well folks, I'm here! That's right, I'm in Hotlanta! It's wonderful here - just went for a run but feel like I went for a bath. :) So humid and sticky here this time of year.

It's my 2nd time at ICRS, and I am stoked. I've already seen a ton of familiar faces, met some new friends, set up our awesome new booth, and settled into my room.

But this trip does have a sadness to it. you see, last time I was at ICRS it was also in Atlanta, but Rob Lacey was here last time. He has now been home with God for a little over a year, but that summer trip to Atlanta was amazing. Rob, Bill and Rachel were the ones God used to finally get me to write my birthmom. And Rob was in slightly better health then, and I got to see more of who he really was. More of who Rob without cancer was. So the memories here are bittersweet, because Rob was one of my favorite people on this planet, and I miss him alot.

But who knows what this year has in store! I can't wait to see what happens over the next couple of days...