So do you remember when they told me that flexibility was the most important quality in a disaster worker? Apparently God wants to test me on that one. All year. This week especially. It's been a roller coaster of Erin emotions.
I had the ups- receiving a warm, fuzzy care package full of my favorite things (magazines, popcorn and love) from my home church, getting the software installed that I need to run the casework program, making new contacts at the housing summit, spending quality time with my housemates, etc....
But I also had some downs- rain, rain and more rain, the frustrating housing conference with no answers, a three hour long meeting with our program leadership to discuss house concerns, losing my work cell phone in a hayfield, etc....
Patience. I am working on patience. I have a housemate who keeps reminding me that it is more important to be faithful than to be successful. That seems to be the motto of our year, maybe of all work on the Gulf Coast right now. Success is difficult to measure down here. A mentor once told me that there are some days when success is simply not making things worse than when you arrived. I am not sure where I fall in all of that, but I do think that there is a certain amount of success just in being present. Just showing up says a lot. I am here. I will try to do what I can. But I will also just try to listen and be present. And I will eat candy. Lots and lots of candy.
Thanks to the fantastic family I have back in Dickeyville (DMPC), my housemates and I are stocked in magazines, candy, popcorn and Halloween fun (see photo above). Thank you, thank you, thank you! You all are so wonderful for thinking of me. And really, every day recently, I have been getting cards in the mail from DMPC folks, which truly brighten each and every day.
Except for casserole day! I don't have the photos yet, but yesterday we received a shipment of more than 100 casseroles from the ladies in Meridian, MS. It is so sweet of these women to bake food for the volunteers down here- but just wait until I show you what hundreds of casseroles look like in your freezer- not to mention in your jeans.
To work some of the casserole off, we had an active adventure today. I am posting a few of our corn maze photos. Who knew they grew corn in Mississippi? But if there is a corn maze to be found- I will find it! And it was fun.
The lesson is, whenever you get frustrated, grab some candy, some casserole, or some corn maze and restore your faith in friends, family, and community.
Love you all,
E
1 comment:
Erin,
Your blog reminded me of something. Before I decided to be a part of GCM I wanted to make sure I had the know-how. I wanted to ensure that it would be successful. But God told me that all I needed to do was be available. Be present. I often forget that was why I came here in the first place.
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