7/13/17

This was an awesome day. We went to the Tree Nursery after sometime at the Governance Center. Wynex had to skip sharing the creation story with us which was disappointing but I got the jist of it. She told us about their initiatives to suppport the water, the wildlife, and the plants. At the nursery we got an hour introduction which I really liked and then she told us to trim and move trees so they would be more manageable. I was the weeder but I mostly pulled dead leaves off the soil which seems a little counterintuitive. We ate lunch shortly after that... and the introversion kicked in. I really think there's a connection between the amount of sleep I get and my social interest. I am not socially interesting or interested when I am tired. So I ate my lunch and snuck away to pull weeds some more. Then an anxiety kicked in and I was afraid someone would find me out there and find a way to think less of me. We then started to cut "cuttlings" so we took branches from trees and made them into their own trees. We planted them too. It was a long process but we got ice cream afterward which was very appreciated. 

What happened next? I believe it was shower time. Jessica took myself, Jose and Christy to take showers. Me and Christy swam and raced while the other girls from White Swan showered. It was either a close tie or she won. I think I played with the line of calling her old. It was cool. She seems to open up really easy when it's just her and myself. I think she's like that with most people that she trusts. I like her a lot. We showered and Jose was waiting for us. I wanted to sit and read until Jessica was ready but Christy was impatient so she said "Let's walk!" I thought she was crazy 'cause I had no idea how to get back. But we walked and we saw deer running in the distance and then we reversed roles and we were running trying to beat Jessica back and the deer stood near the road watching us. 

We didn't beat them but we were close. We ate dinner just in time, there were a few parcels left for us. Not that we aren't being fed well, we totally are. #pbjeveryday :) After that I probably helped with dishes and it was 9:30 and dark. I pulled out my bible to read my three chapters. My grandma asked if I was okay because I've been trying to stay on top of calling her every day. I didn't even have time to text her today. I was just about done when Taylor came and laid on the other side of my bible and started talking to me. I am working on showing him light and love. So I slammed my bible closed without a second thought and I talked with him for a while. It was about 10:#0 when we called my pastor Joe and asked him a few questions. After that Taylor left me and I finished the end of my chapter. I saw Joel lying in the grass not too far away from me, I thought maybe Judy was on the other side of him but couldn't tell. She's small and he's tall. He was alone so I asked if I could join him and we watched the stars quietly for a while. A shooting star broke the silence. It lasted so long. It was magical. Then I think I asked him a question or two and things got deep. It was a really neat experience for both of us. We went to our tents at midnight and I stayed up praying for him for quite a while afterward. God is really working on helping me relinquish my fears. I felt real communion with God that night, it was really lovely. Seek His face and ye shall find it. (I want to write more about my conversation with Joel-- he is really cool.)