First thing: I finished my first book of the month. Usually, I am sweating it for the first half of the month as I work on the first book, the whole while of enjoying the book, there's a background thought of, "I've got to make sure I at least get this one finished to meet my goal!" And then after the first book in the month is finished, all the others are child's play. Usually the first book is finished around the 15th. This month, it's the 3rd. Take that, March! The book is Unshaken: Rising from the ruins of Haiti's Hotel Montana by Dan Woolley (with Jennifer Schuchmann). Dan Woolley had just walked into the lobby of the 5 story hotel when the earthquake hit. It took 3 seconds for the entire hotel to collapse. He made his way to an open elevator, which quickly became his refuge and his prison. He spent 65 hours under the Hotel Montana. The book covers his survival, but it also covers his spiritual battle. It addresses 2 kinds of darknesses: the darkness of being locked under 5 stories of hotel with no promise of rescue, and the darkness of clinical depression... and it is amazing how similar they are. Summing up, this was a great read! It flows well, and it draws you in. There was never any point where I bawled, or had to stop reading because of tears. Few books/movies ever manage to do that to me(cough cough Bridge to Terabithia cough cough), but there were definitely some moments where my eyelashes got wet. Mom has first dibs on reading my copy, but I'll gladly take requests after her...first come first serve!
Second thing: I'm still just so happy about finally getting a letter from Abigail this week! She is my monthly writer, and last month, I didn't get a letter! I was getting a little nervous. In reality, though, the gap in writing probably represents the period of time I got behind in my own writing to her some time in December. I didn't miss a month, but I definitely might have written at the beginning of November, and then again at the end of December. So my anxiety is fair payback for the anxiety I probably caused her. I asked Abigail a while ago how she managed to draw a computer so well. I was hoping to learn they had computer classes already at her project, or maybe at her school. She says there are no computers at school, and the only computer she knows is at the Compassion Office, which she sees occasionally. Apparently, it has her enchanted, because I have seen several drawings of computers show up on her letters to me(There was another one on this letter).
She was very excited to hear about Josh's (then)upcoming wedding, and asked for more information about it. She'll be happy to learn soon that I have already sent her not only information about the day, but photos! Abigail's prayer went out to Joshua this time. "Congratulations to Joshua. She pray that he will have a happy marriage." It is so good to hear from her again. Abigail is such a cheerful, thoughtful little spirit!
Third thing: As many of you know, I am working on the direction in my life. I had grand plans after college, and those plans shattered. The recovery portion that followed afterward has finally come to a point that allows for more than just sweeping up pieces and repairing that which is reparable, it is finally at a point of upward building. My back is finally heading towards working properly again, and all of the legal issues are rapidly dissipating. These are very liberating things! I have been doing a lot of praying lately, trying to determine where to go from here. I do not want to go into too many details, but I am finally starting to get a feeling of a possible forward motion. I went to an informational meeting on some possibilities last night, and it just feels so very right. I am excited at the prospect of not just trudging past failures, but leaping into new possibilities! How's that for being frustratingly vague? The point of the "third thing" being mentioned is that I am really excited just at the possibility, and I would really appreciate your prayers as I make my decisions that I would make my decisions based on wisdom and God's leading, and not succumb to making a decision simply out of eagerness to start a new adventure.
Those are my three things for today. As it is also Thursday, you get a joke or riddle of some sort. This one comes from my Mom. I had forgotten it until she posted it the other day, but I do remember that it was one of my favorites as a teenager!
The 13 year old, the pilot, and the smartest man in the world:
There were three people in an airplane. The pilot, a 13 year old boy, and the smartest man in the world. The smartest man in the world often reminded them of his status throughout the trip.
The plane started having engine problems, and they discovered that there were only two parachutes. They began to discuss who should use the parachutes, when the smartest man in the world grabbed a parachute and jumped.
The pilot, being the better man, then told the boy that he should take the second chute. But the boy was doubled over laughing. The boy responded, "That's okay! We will both take parachutes! The smartest man in the world just took my backpack!"
Have a nice Thursday!
-Caitlin
Nice post! I worry a bit about March 28th though.
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