Team Night!!!

One night a week we have what is called Team Night and we decided Wednesdays were a fantastic night to all hang out together and bond! Last week we went to a coffee shop called Smelly Cat (yes like in Friends) and played games-it was fun! Sadly, I spilled my caramel apple cider all over the table and the floor-it was a sticky mess! This week we had planned on going to an old fashioned soda shop but after driving around and around it was nowhere to be found. So I called them and they said they moved locations-not cool at all. So we just went into uptown to the yummy Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robins and hung out there and then drove around a bit before coming home. Sam and I weren't ready to call it at night so we went to the park and swung for a lil while and talked. Life just continues to get crazier and busier and it's nice to have team nights where we can just relax and hang out with each other. Here are some pictures from the past two team nights...enjoy!

swinging

Today was long and I am exhausted. I was at the church all day and didn't get home until about 9:30pm. The Outreach Team had a meeting tonight with a taco bar from Qdoba and it was yuuuuummmy! The meeting went really well and I'm looking forward to working with the team and becoming more involved at Elevation. When we got home Samantha said that she wanted to go swing and so I told her I would go with her. So we all walked up to the park and started swinging and playing on the playground. I realized that swinging is kinda therapeutic for me and that I should do it more often. It was a good way to just relax and not think about the day or the 8 gazillion things that need to be done. I just enjoyed the cool crisp air and soaked in God's beauty in the darkness all while being serenaded by Barak playing his guitar and the sounds of voices and cars driving by. It was a beautiful way to end the day.

roadtrippin.....

We went to the Atl this weekend to meet up with the Mission Year teams there for commissioning service. I was so excited to be back in in Atlanta and to show my team around my old hood! As we entered the city I became super giddy and couldn't stop smiling-being back gave me such a great feeling! We had a great time hanging out with the other teams and hearing some of their experiences from the past couple months.

I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to because most of my folks were at CCDA but I did get to see Mike, Carrie, Bo, old neighbors and many other wonderfully amazing friends! The Starrs were in Indiana for a wedding but graciously allowed me to stay at their house Friday night and my whole crew to stay there Saturday night-thanks! We all went to Park Ave (my old church) this morning and I can't even tell you how great it was to be there-I just love them all so much!!

There was a new sermon series at Elevation called Joy Genome and we didn't want to miss it so we left in time to go to the evening service. I was really tired from staying up too late with friends and driving all day and I really would have rather gone home and rested but I am really glad that I went to the service. Normally we watch Pastor Furtick (Pastor Foo is my nickname for him) on a screen that was recorded from Saturday night but tonight we got a lil treat-he preached live- it was so fun! I had met him before because of working at the church throughout the week but my team never has seen him in person and they were uber excited!

One of my favorite things he said tonight was, "My joy is not determined by what happens to me, but by what God is doing in me and through me!" Remember that-it's good stuff.

This roadtrip was full of junk food, pop, dancing, singing....and Miley-lots of Miley!! We had lots of energy from all the caffeine we consumed and just sitting in the car all day so we've been a bit silly since returning to Charlotte. We've had several mini dance parties and even baked a cake! I think this lil adventure to Atlanta was good for us...I feel closer to each of them than I did before we left. I am very blessed to have the team that I do.

Here are some pictures from the weekend. I kinda was lame and didn't take very many which is so unlike me!

ICE CREAM!!!!!

It's 12:35am and I should be sleeping but instead I'm chatting on facebook with my cousin and my boss...and listening to the Elevation worship band-they are my new favorite! Life is just so random. Today was random. I had to get my car fixed and it took about 4 hours! Since I had tons of time I walked across the street to Bojangles and got lunch and HUGE sweet tea...yum! There were a couple of homeless guys hanging out there selling random things. The staff at Bojangles were really kind and respectful to them and even gave them biscuits and some chicken. One came over to me and asked if I would like to buy a picture and I told him that I had no cash and all my money was being spent across the street getting my car fixed. He just laughed and asked if he could sit down with me and I said yes and we talked for a few minutes. He saw the book I had been reading (Re-Storing at Risk Communities) and asked me about it. I told him a little about it and he began to ask question why I cared about the poor and wanted to help others. I talked to him about Jesus and how He came and loved everyone and I am striving to do the same. He patted me on the back and said, 'good luck darlin'. He left a few minutes later when someone was interested in a photo of his.

I walked back over to the car place and the guy said it was still going to be a couple more hours so I whipped out my book again and began to read when a single mom with three adorable girls came in. The mom looked worn out and her kids were not thrilled about being there and they were running around like kids do so I asked them if they would like to draw a picture for their mom and of course they said yes! I always keep paper and fun colored pens in my purse-who doesn't love to color? The mom thanked me and began telling me all about her life and how she's just tired and doesn't know how she is going to continue. I wanted to say so much but I'm working on my listening skills so I just sat there and listened to her talk and then randomly she asked about my pen. It was an Elevation pen. I told her about the church and how they have a fantastic kids program and small groups that she could plug into. She seemed very interested and I gave her the pen-it has the church info on it- and she said that she would try it out. Her girls colored me pictures and I have them hanging in my room. :)

I was very upset and stressed out about my car and how much it was going to cost to fix it and it kind of put me in a bad mood. That mood quickly changed after meeting the people that I did today. Sometimes I can get in these self pity moods and it can cause me to miss the beauty all around me. I almost missed talking with all those great people because of my attitude and feeling sorry for myself. Gotta work on that ( a lil note to self)

Tonight I decided that our house needed ice cream so Jaimee and I headed off to Harris Teeter (grocery store) to get some and we saw Spider and Darius just chillin outside their grandma's house and we stopped to talk to them. They wanted to come with us so they hopped in and went to the store. We picked out cookie dough and cake batter ice cream-sooo good! They came back and hung out with us while we ate ice cream-they don't eat sweets because it can ruin your teeth...silly kids! It was a great time of hanging out and getting to know each other better.

I am enjoying life. I enjoy not knowing what is going to happen. Everyday is a new adventure full of new people and opportunities to grow and love. It is not always easy and I may fail but knowing that God doesn't fail comforts me in the craziness of life. sweet dreams all!

Today...

Today was such a great day! It's been a while since I've had an all around good day! I started out the morning with a bowl of marshmallow mateys and some good devo time with the team. Then I went to a small group Bible study with some wonderful ladies from Elevation. It was so nice to hang out with other girls my age and talk about God and what we are going through in our lives.

When I got home my team was just finishing up baking some cookies and were going to take them to neighbors. They were yummy too....much better than the first batch we made! Later a few kids, well teens I guess, came over to hang out. We taught them how to play spoons and we baked a cake! The three girls had to go home around dinner time but Darius stayed and hung out with us a lil longer....until about 10:00- it was so great! We made pasta for dinner and then colored and had craft time. Darius is such a sweet boy. He was very polite always saying please and thank you and didn't mind just sitting around hanging out with us.

Today was the first day since living here that I didn't wish I were still in Atlanta-that's a huge deal. I still miss Atlanta and all my friends sooooo much but I am slowly realizing that this is my home now and I need to be focused and connected here. Today was the first day that I felt like I could do this...that I could live here, lead my team, help out at Elevation, be in charge of Mission Year and all the craziness that can come with that.

Things have been just plain crazy lately and there are days that I just don't think I'm equipped for this and I just want to be back in Atlanta, working at FCS, being with my friends and everything that I love and am comfortable with. I am beginning to see that I was too comfortable in Atlanta...I wasn't challenging myself or stepping out of my comfort zone. I relied too much on my friends to get me through life and not enough on God. Here I didn't have my wonderful friends and I've had to learn to fully rely on God and learn what it means to trust Him in a whole new way. Oh growing up....not always a fan. Such a process to become the person God made me to be.

The night is ending on a good note too.....we listened and danced to Party in the USA by our friend Miley-if that song doesn't make you happy, well I just don't know what will. Sweet dreams everyone!!

Exhausted.....

Yesterday was a long day. A day full of meetings, phone calls, emails, more meetings, explaining Mission Year(for the 500th time), brainstorming, and more meetings. I work at Elevation (church we are partnering with) on Thursdays and I was given the task of helping head up this huge new project we are doing that involves a ton of people, planning and time. I had so much fun doing it!

I spent my day talking to people about Elevation and setting up times to meet with them and was able to give Mission Year a shout out each time! I love talking about Mission Year and even had a few people email me back telling me that they looked at the website and were going to tell their friends about it! The staff and volunteers at Elevation are so great and friendly! I think I am really going to enjoy working there a couple days a week.

I was beyond tired when I got home last night and tried to blog but just couldn't do it. It was a good kind of tired. Life has just been so crazy the past couple of weeks that I think it's gonna take a min to get adjusted to everything and learn how to balance the team, neighborhood, Elevation stuff and my responsibilities for Mission Year.

My team wasn't home when I got home so I was able to catch up with a few of my friends on the phone which is always wonderful! After they got home we all just sat around eating pizza (that they brought home for me!!) and talking. We had some good conversations on some injustices that they are seeing and things they are beginning to question. I am going to enjoy watching them grow and change throughout the year.

Friends....

This past weekend some of my Atl friends came to visit and bring us the rest of the furniture we needed. I was sooooo excited to see them! Traffic was kinda crazy(it took them 6 hours!) so they didn't get here until almost 9 Sunday and poor Mike had to turn back around right away and go back to Atlanta-so sad! My team now has beds to sleep in and dressers for their clothes-yay! Caleb, Ashlee, Ava, Anniiyah, Makayla and Carrie all spent the night-it was sooo fun waking up with them here!

I have been having a really hard time being here without my friends. They are more than friends, they are family. They know me, the real me and I don't have to explain anything to them or feel like I have to be a certain way around them....I'm always myself. I've been feeling kinda lonely since being here and feeling like I will never make any friends or click with anyone as well as them. I know that I have only been here 3 weeks but I am not a patient person.I would like friends now. People who want to grab lunch, invite me over or just hang out. I've met some really great people in my time here and who knows, maybe my new bff is right in front of me I just have to be patient and let it happen.

Here are some fun pictures from when my friends were here.....I miss them already!

Tex-Mex....yum!

Today was the first Saturday spent out in the neighborhood and to be honest I was a little worried how it would go. It's been a long time since I was the newbie in a place and had to introduce myself to complete strangers who may or may not like me. I kinda forgot what an intimidating situation it can be- it helped to remember what it was like during my mission year so I could better understand my team and what they must have been thinking and going through. We had a good time playing football, hanging out with kids and talking to spider and his crew.

Oh Spider..such a funny boy. He is either always sitting on a picnic table at the park or leaning on a car in front of his house. He has introduced us to so many people and he gives in all the 411 on each of them. I mentioned that my car is making this weird noise and he called this guy over who works on cars and he told me what was probably wrong with it. He has lived in our neighborhood all his life and knows everything that goes on. I feel like him and his brothers kinda rule the neighborhood, at least the few streets that surround us, and that we are definitely cool by association because they talk to us. I had an interesting conversation with him and his brothers about race and if I was offended by them calling someone black or saying that I was white. I explained to them that I was in fact white and it wasn't really a secret so they could call me that and I wouldn't be offended. The conversation continued and then one of them said, ' oh yeah, you from the Atl....you straight then.' Wasn't quite sure what that meant but I didn't ask because we started talking about something else.

I made Tex-Mex for dinner-it's a favorite of mine and the team loved it! This evening we looked at a ton of my pictures and they ran across some gross and rather embarrassing ones from when I was younger(my ugly years) and that gave them a good laugh! I am really thankful for my team. I am thankful for their eagerness to dig in and build relationships with neighbors as well as growing deeper in their walk with Christ.

Before I go to bed I wanna give a shout out to the coolest mamaw in the whole world-Happy Birthday Mamaw.....I love you!!!

furniture, grilled cheese, cookies, new friends and zebra gum...

This evening we got furniture!!! Well just a couch, a coffee table, kitchen table and chairs.

No beds...my poor team. We made a new friend Jeremy(from the church) and he was kind

enough to pick up the furniture and bring it to us. We decided to make him cookies but realized

that we didn't have sugar so we walked next door and asked to borrow a cup of sugar. The

lady was super nice and we brought her a plateful of warm cookies to thank her.

Then the moment came when Jeremy and Barak arrived with our furniture-it was so wonderful!

We made the boys grilled cheese and tomato soup and we just all sat around and talked.

It was so much fun having a guest in our house AND having a couch for him to sit on!

p.s. Earlier we were at Family Dollar (our new fav place!) and I found Zebra Stripe Gum!!!!

I used to LOVE it when I was younger-yumm-o!

'Note to Self'

I've had many 'note to self' moments the past few days. In case you don't know what a 'note to self' moment is let me explain...it's when something happens, good or bad, and you make a mental note to yourself for next time(at least that's my definition). At times it's kinda like an 'aha!' moment. Here are a few exaamples that I have experienced in one way or another the past week.

Note to self: when a tire looks low it probably is so you should check it so you aren't stuck in the rain with a flat tire. When writing directions to a new place make sure you put East or West because it can get confusing especially when you are directionally challenged. Just because google says its a grocery store doesn't mean it's an actual grocery store. Bojangles has the best sweet tea! Never paint a living pink or a kitchen orange. When walking 2 miles to downtown wear appropriate shoes that won't hurt your feet. Always tell people the correct area code in which you live and if unsure look it up. Always follow through with what you said you would do- if not people will begin to think you are untrustworthy. Listen to music-it will lift your spirits. Make sure to do one random song and dance outburst a day otherwise life is just boring. Tell your family and friends how much you love them. Learn to listen more and speak less. It's ok to mess up-you are human. Learn to love yourself. Jesus called you to love that person...yes that person. Just because something is different than what you are used to doesn't mean it's wrong and you can't learn from it. Realize you don't have all the answers and that's ok because God does.

And finally...staying up til 3 and waking up at 7 is not the best idea, so on that note I'm off to bed. Goodnight!!

Team Charlotte....

ok our name isn't the coolest but we are working on it. We want something catchy to call ourselves...got any ideas? Meet Team Charlotte- Samantha, Jaimee , Barak and me (Becky). We may be few but we are mighty! We had an interesting start on Friday with getting lost, change of flights and no furniture which means no beds to sleep on but things are on the up and up now. We still have no furniture at the moment but they have been real troopers about it.

We started in on orientation and all is going well so far. They have great questions and many wonderful ideas on building relationships in the community. They are all very eager to get started on getting to know neighbors, going to church and volunteering at service sites.

We went on a neighborhood walk today and met a few people who were also out enjoying the beautiful weather. We have a park in the middle of our neighborhood( just right down the street) and we hung out there for a while. We went to the Family Dollar just down the road-always a good time! We go the the Uptown campus tomorrow for church- very exciting! Leroy comes tomorrow afternoon and I am very much looking forward to seeing him.

I know that this isn't the best picture but I will take/post more soon-I promise!

downtown in the QC

I had a couple meetings with potential service sites for my team members downtown today. They were held in the Family and Children Services building and afterwards I decided to walk around the block and take a few pictures of the city. I will be posting more in the next few days....enjoy!

You know Bob Lupton?

A few days ago I was meeting with some of the people from the church about how Elevation could plug in with the team and the neighborhood and just urban ministry in general. One guy said, " I just got done reading this book by this amazing guy who started a great ministry in Atlanta. Maybe you know of him Becky, I believe his name was Robert Lupton?" I started laughing and said, "Bob? I know Bob, he was my boss! I worked for that great ministry!" Then he said the famous line that everyone says when they found out where I work, " You know Bob Lupton? That's awesome! What's he like?"

This conversation just made me laugh. Bob is really great and I respect him a lot. But it's weird to me to think of him as a famous person...he's just Bob. I just thought this was a fun little story to share, especially for all my FCS peeps who more than likely have had a conversation similar to this with someone they meet.

Have a great day!