Today, I made a blog. Just cuz I felt like it. I'm not really sure what I'll use it for, but I'll probably be really noisy because I have lots to say.
Very early yesterday morning I got back from the NCFCA Region Ten Regional Invitational. My brother, sister, and I have been competing in speech, and my brother qualified to Regionals in Apologetics. I didn't do Apologetics this year, but I hope to next year. It's a great learning experience and an excellent way to practice defending one's faith.
So, after sleeping in to about 9:30, my family helped our new pastor's family move into their house. They have four sweet little girls: Annie (age 6), Violet (4), Noelle (2), and Sophia (3 months). I am wiped out, but I still have to work more today. :(
I guess one thing I like to write about is encouragement. At the Regionals tournament the leadership had a running theme of encouraging others. At the awards ceremony on the last day, they had everyone in the odd-numbered rows turn around and say certain words of encouragement to those behind them. A boy I do not know at all said to me, "You'll make it." I didn't know what that could mean, and I told my friend sitting next to me that the fact that the words were scripted stripped them of sincerity.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe this stranger was a messenger sent by God. The tournament leadership knew that every single person needs encouragement in something, and they carefully chose words that could help any situation. No one could have known what I was struggling with, but this person I've never spoken to was able to tell me, "You'll make it. It will be OK in the end. You don't have to give up because it WILL be resolved."
The next day, I found a picture that said, "I think that every person you meet you fall in love with. Just a little bit. And a piece of them always stays with you. So over time you collect people, and maybe you don't remember every single one, but that doesn't mean they haven't affected you. For better or for the worse. They changed you." Don't I know that's true! (Besides the "falling in love" part.) People I never would have noticed, people I don't really know, so many of them have done tiny things that affect me in profound ways.
People who have hurt me actually protect me and help me help others. Acquaintances have said things, not even really directed at me, that build up my relationships with others. I met someone, and then I had a dream that I told that person something close to my heart. I don't know that person very well, but the desire to tell him led me to tell someone else. It was such a relief to not have to hide it anymore.
If you're reading this, we have probably met at some point. I guess I can say that you have had an impact on my life. Even if neither of us ever fully realizes what you've done for me, you've done something, and I thank you for it.
(This turned out better than I expected. But now the beginning sounds really lame. Oh well.)
