Hi, current friends, new friends, and blog friends!
My name is Linda May 😊!! I am soo excited to be here and to be able to share with you all a peek into what life has been like in Raleigh so far! In the Fellows Program, we all can work a part-time job. I am pumped to work at the Church of the Apostles and join the children’s ministry team (eek!). I get to help organize, create, be a piece of the church body, and much more. Whatever the children’s ministry needs help with, I am your girl.
Recently, I have been introduced to the label-making machine. …. Yeah. …Guys. I really love this thing (I have already used an entire roll of labeling tape). And if I am being honest, I may have gotten in a little too deep into labeling. I will give you some insight into what got me to question myself and how I may be obsessed with labeling things.
Two words: Crayon. Carousel.
*Alt. Two words/AKA: Temptation Island*
In my most recent project, I was in a swift stride, labeling every crayon in the Sprouts (the name of one of the Nursery rooms) classroom. I would go into each section of the crayon carousel by color and label the corresponding room that it belonged to. 100+ crayons later, I was a dangerous woman. Now, was this the most helpful activity? Debatable. Did I further the good of the group by labeling crayons? Maybe not. But was I killing it?! ABSOLUTELY. Did I feel my power growing with every crayon I marked?! Um-HECK YES!
So yeah, I was on top of the world
…Until I wasn’t.
Spoiler alert: I had to stop labeling crayons. I was gently reminded that I was not brought into this role in children’s ministry to solely mark crayons in the corresponding room they belonged in. There was more to my dream job than crayon labeling.
Sometimes, I get stuck labeling crayons that go beyond the more profound meaning than just a crayon. In life, I can get comfortable somewhere, know what I am good at, and keep doing it. The crayon labeling was nice. It was not scary, and it was not new, and it felt safe.
Going into this year, I felt very resistant to change. I love my Virginia home, community, job, friends, and life. I felt safe and comfortable in the familiar, and I wasn't ready to relinquish the control I thought I had over my college life. Yet, I am discovering that amidst this churning and resistant feeling, I can trust that the Lord is doing good things in Raleigh. I do not need to be my own savior, and I do not have to understand every aspect of my new life immediately. I can still take moments to miss and cry and say goodbye to my college life while laughing, being silly, trying new things, and making such sweet and new friendships. The great thing is that both of these things can co-exist with God. I am grateful for how the Lord sees me so clearly. How he sees what my heart is made for. He knows there is more to my life than I feel comfortable with, and He has such good plans for me. Here I am!
Father, thank you that I do not need to label any more crayons.
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Written With Love,
Linda May (LM)