I have written and re-written this post several times over, and I never know how to start it. Things are different now. They just are. I always knew they would be, I knew that change was coming. But it's real and it's here and I'm still processing it all.
Where do I even begin? Let's start with where I was the first time I tried to type up this post. I was in the middle of Mission Team Training. I was sitting outside of a Caribou Coffee (aka my newest obsession), soaking up the sunshine and reflecting on the Lord's goodness. It was so good to be back in the mission leader community. It was so good to begin each day praising the Lord in worship. It was so good to start planning for the year, to begin filling up my schedule, to start really getting ready for the year. It was overwhelming at times, but it was just so good. After Mission Team Training, we had a restful day and a half off before jumping right into the School of the New Evangelization, or SNE. What an anointed week. It was so good to have rest in the days leading up to the conference, and it was at the same time so good to be in the full swing of things. It was so good to see all of my beloved Texans that drove up from San Marcos. It was so good to learn from all of the incredible speakers and get re-convicted of why I am serving with SPO. It was so good to meet most of the women I will be living with and it was so good to be welcomed by so many students from the U of M that know me as "the new missionary." I was exhausted beyond belief and I didn't think that my heart could be stretched any more, but the Lord showed up and His grace got me through and it was good. Now, everything is over; but at the same time, it's all just beginning. I'm finishing this post at a different Caribou Coffee. My heart is heavy from all of the goodbyes I've had to say this weekend, goodbyes that I've never had to say before. The sun isn't shining today and it seems fitting. But the Lord is still good. I am moving into my new house today and staying there. My missionary brothers and sisters have all gone off to their respective chapters. And that is a good thing. That's the point of it all, isn't it? We come together as missionaries with the purpose of leaving. During the last talk of SNE, our founder, Gordy, reminded us that to "come then go" is good news - because now we get to go and share the gospel of our Lord on campus. And that is not just a good thing - it is the best thing. So, in the end, I can't be too sad, because the Lord is a Father who only wants good things for His children. He posed a question to me at training: "Do you believe that I want good things for you?" I know He does. And I choose to wholeheartedly believe that. The next couple of weeks are when the real work begins. May the Lord cover my team and I in His grace, and may the Holy Spirit be near us to enlighten and strengthen us. And so the wonderful adventure continues. To Jesus through Mary, Rebecca
0 Comments
I leave for Minnesota in exactly six days. Then, it's time for Mission Team Training, the School of the New Evangelization, and the beginning of my first year of service at the U. Where did this summer go? I have absolutely no idea. While I am super pumped to be back in the SPO mission leader community for a couple of weeks and I can't wait to get this year started...y'all know how I feel about the Lone Star State. I would say that I love Texas a little more than the average Texan, but not enough for it to be a problem (wait...isn't that the cliché of the addict? "I don't have a problem"?). There are definitely Texans that love this state more than I do. However, amongst my friends, I am probably the most Texas-obsessed. I mean, I did get a Texas-shaped cutting board for my birthday last year... Okay, fine, I really love Texas. A lot. I can't really say that people have asked me what I am going to miss the most about Texas, because I think it's just widely assumed that I am going to miss everything. Minus the traffic on all major highways and the way that most Texans drive (which is not 'friendly', like the signs that welcome you in and out of the state say), that's an accurate generalization. But I finally narrowed it down to ten. One important note: no specific people are included in this list. I am going to miss everyone. I can't pick favorite humans. Before I start the list, please press 'play' on the video below. It is a wonderful tune that I think will really set the mood for the rest of this post. And now, without further ado, in no particular order, the top 10 things that I will miss the most about living in the great(est) state of Texas... Disclaimer: I own none of these photos! Except for the one I am in. That one is mine. 1. Breakfast TacosThis is an absolute no-brainer. For those of you that are wondering, they are different from breakfast burritos. They just are. There is nothing like a chorizo, egg, and cheese taco first thing in the morning (or in the afternoon. Or at night. I'm not picky.) My love for tacos is something I can't fully articulate into words...my heart and my stomach are sad just thinking about leaving behind breakfast tacos. Moving on... 2. QuesoWhether it be from Trudy's, Chuy's, Fuego, Torchy's, Kerbey Lane, or literally any other authentic Mexican or Tex-Mex (they're different) restaurant in the state, there is no better way to start your meal by dipping tortilla chips into a bowl of warm, molten cheese mixed with peppers and spices and, if you're lucky, topped with a scoop of guacamole and some seasoned beef...ugh, I'm so hungry. Someone please figure out a way to ship queso to Minneapolis. 3. Buc-ee'sYou could literally live inside of a Buc-ee's for a long period of time and probably be fine. I'm sure there are beds hidden in the back for employees. In what other place can you find fresh produce, all of your hunting and camping needs, fudge, home furnishings, barbecue, and anything with the Texas flag or a beaver on it? Answer: NOWHERE ELSE. LITERALLY NOWHERE ELSE. They are famous for their immaculately clean bathrooms, and let me tell you, a clean bathroom is a simple luxury but it makes all the difference. Also, Buc-ee's gas is super cheap and for the sake of my car and wallet I am severely going to miss that. I have stopped at Buc-ee's during many a road trip, but I have also gone to Buc-ee's just for the heck of it. Because it is that great. 4. The Texas SkyMiranda Lambert says in one of her songs, "The Texas sky's the biggest one I've seen." And I agree. The sky is so vast and beautiful and the perfect canvas for the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Thanks, Lord. You did good with this state. The Lord has woo-ed me many times with the sunrises and sunsets He paints across the Texas sky. And, if you're far enough away from the city, the stars at night are, ahem, big and bright...*clap clap clap clap* DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS! Okay, time for number 5. 5. Highway Speed LimitsBecause apparently in other states the highest speed limit is 65 miles an hour. WHAT EVEN IS THAT. I will miss you, TX-130. Thanks for helping me skip over Austin traffic and getting me to and from San Marcos at a reasonable amount of time. 6. Shiner BeerYes, I know there is Shiner Bock in other states, and praise the Lord for that! However, I know absolutely nothing about beers besides Texas beers, and I will miss being able to mark the passing of time based on which seasonal brews are out (here's lookin' at you, Oktoberfest and Holiday Cheer). If the law magically changes and allows the mailing of alcohol...I would like to request a case of Ruby Redbird and a case of White Wing to savor over the year, please and thank you. 7. Wildflowers in the SpringOnce again, GOD DID SUCH A BEAUTIFUL JOB WHEN HE CREATED TEXAS, Y'ALL. Even though the weather is all over the place, you can always tell that spring is here when those bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes pop up along the side of the highway. Summers are marked by little wild sunflowers that make me so so happy. Are you really Texan if you haven't had a photo shoot in a patch of bluebonnets? I don't think so. Do people even take Easter pictures without them??? 8. This outfit being socially acceptable:Oh, is this outfit not acceptable outside of the camp setting......? I am going to miss my Texas flag shorts being acceptable attire (at least to class), as well as wearing my cowboy boots casually without getting judged. Maybe I'll just wear my boots anyway because the Lord gave me free will and I do what I want. Yeah, that sounds good. P.S.: Shoutout to my best friend and favorite Arkansan, Lizzie. I'm definitely gonna miss her! 9. WhataburgerWHAT. A. BURGER. This one goes out to the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit, my favorite late-night companion; the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich; the Chop House Cheddar Burger (discontinued); the Patty Melt; and LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE MENU. I am going to miss this beloved fast food chain, where ketchup comes in regular or spicy, and a medium drink is the normal person's large. Talk about value. Thankfully, because Jesus loves us and only wants good things for His children, Whataburger condiments are available for purchase at HEB. This is my third shameless request for a care package. I'll take one honey butter, one regular ketchup, and one creamy pepper. But anyways, speaking of HEB... 10. H-E-BAh, yes, Here, Everything is really Better (see what they did there?). H-E-B is a grocery store chain exclusive to central and south Texas, so I didn't even know about it until I got to college. #DallasLife But as soon as I discovered the beauty that is this amazing grocery store, it was like the fog was lifted (yes, that was a Tangled reference.) H-E-B is so much more than just a grocery store...even though it's really just a grocery store. I will miss Hill Country Fare products that are way cheaper and just as good as any name-brand product. I will miss the woman yelling about pizza that sounds like a fire alarm. I will miss the kitchen supply aisle. I will miss all the reasonably-priced beauty of H-E-B. And, that concludes my list! Except it doesn't. Because I'm indecisive and everything is bigger in Texas (including top 10 lists!), I had to include one more... 11. Two-Steppin'I am ashamed that this was almost left off the list. I am also surprised at myself, considering how much I love dancing. But anyways, I have gone two-steppin' at some of the most historic dance halls in Texas (though I still have quite a few to go) - Gruene Hall, Cheatham Street Warehouse, Billy Bob's Texas, the Big Sandy Dance Hall (shoutout to my Pines friends, they know how iconic this place actually is) - and there is nothing better than spinning around with your best friends to some live music. Not being at a dance hall has never stopped my friends and I before, though: spontaneous nights of two-steppin' in driveways are some of my fondest college memories. OKAY WOW, I AM GOING TO MISS TEXAS SO MUCH.
However, I rejoice in the fact that the Lord has so much more prepared for me in Minnesota than I even realize right now. I can't wait to explore a new city, experience a different culture, and, most importantly: continue to cheer for the Cowboys, the Mavericks, the Stars and the Rangers. You can take me out of Texas, but you definitely can't take the Texas out of me! Texas will always be here, but I'm ready for the next adventure! Stay tuned for all the good things to come. To Jesus through Mary, Rebecca I'M MOVING TO MINNESOTA!!!!!!!!!!! I'M STILL WRAPPING MY MIND AROUND THIS FACT!!!!!!! My name is Rebecca. I am a missionary. I'm moving away from Texas in all of its sunshiney, Mexican food-y glory to serve the Lord with Saint Paul's Outreach. I have been placed at the University of Minnesota. I haven't seen real snow since I was probably 8 years old. I am terrified, overjoyed, and completely at peace all at the same time. This weekend was a whirlwind. On Friday, June 5th, SPO Mission Leader Training 2015 officially came to a close. I flew from Minneapolis to Dallas to Austin. After a quick trip to get tacos, I got back to my apartment in San Marcos and slept for 10 hours. As of Sunday, I have officially started meeting with people about personal support raising and building my support team. It's as real as it gets. This is my vocation, my full-time job, my life. And I honestly couldn't be more thankful. The Lord placed the call to be a missionary on my heart back in August of 2012. I, being the stubborn and terrified girl that I was back then, said no. (Shoutout to Jesus for His never-ending patience and unconditional love, because boy was I difficult.) I started actually considering being a missionary in February of 2014. I realized that the Lord was most likely calling me to serve with Saint Paul's Outreach in October of 2014. Finally, I accepted the job with SPO in January of 2015. Needless to say, it has been quite the journey. The Lord has gone through leaps and bounds to get me where I am. I realized this in a very profound way at Mission Leader Training. Because I've been signed on to join SPO for the past six months, to say that there was a lot of anticipation is an understatement. I've never been big on the whole "diving headfirst into the unknown" thing. Now I'm by no means a stranger to SPO and how they work, but my knowledge was only based on what SPO did for me in college. I had no clue what training would really be like, even though my missionary friends had told me bits and pieces. It's something I knew I would have to experience on my own to understand. Even now I'm not sure if I can fully articulate what MLT was like for me. But there was one over-arching theme that seems to stand out the most when I reflect on those first 10 days in the NET center: gratitude. Like I said earlier, the Lord really went through leaps and bounds to get me where I am today. I was scared and stubborn and holding the Lord at an arm's length out of a deep-set fear that He actually didn't want good things for me. I was baffled that the Lord would even consider me to do something like this. I looked at my friends who had gone before me to do His work in this way and could see how "perfectly" they "fit the mold" (I realize what a load of garbage that is now) of a missionary, but I knew I wasn't as brave/holy/good with people/insert-adjective-here as them. All of these fears and lies swam around in my head for a long time, and I can't say there was a big moment where I at once rejected all of those thoughts. However, the Lord began to gradually shine light on each of these things as I got closer to hearing and responding to the call. During MLT, I had a lot of time to think about my journey. One of the most common first questions when you get to know someone at training is, "How did you decide you wanted to be a missionary?" I knew in the depths of my heart that it wasn't my own decision-making that got me here. If it were up to me, my life would be way less awesome than it is now. But, thankfully, the Lord gave me the graces I needed to cooperate with His will. While reflecting on this in prayer, the Lord took me back to John 15:16: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." You did not choose me, but I chose you. I know this for certain. Becoming a missionary has always been a part of the Lord's plan for my life; it just took me awhile to catch up. And, like I mentioned earlier, I am filled with so much gratitude. Saint Paul's Outreach is an incredible organization. My fellow brother and sister missionaries are some of the most joyful people I have ever encountered. The community I am now a part of is so welcoming, authentic, and loving. My full-time job is to meet people and tell them about the Lord. I get to live life with these college students; I get to share in their joys and in their struggles, and I get to walk with them as they figure out why they're here and what the Lord has in store for them. I'm in the full-time business of helping people get to Heaven. There's no more important work that I would rather be doing. And I get to do it all with these 8 awesome people by my side: Quick shoutout to my team: I can't wait to begin serving with this awesome group of people. They all rock. I'm sure you'll learn more about them this year as I get to know them better, too!
So here I stand, an entire journey behind me, at one finish line only to find myself at another starting line. I have been employed with SPO for a mere 14 days and I am already so thankful for what I have experienced. This year is going to be an adventure. I want to remember as much as I can. Praise the Lord that He is not a God that gives up on us. He is a God on our side. He is a God who will not relent until He has our whole heart. His plan is infinitely better than what our minds can come up with. Trust Him. To Jesus through Mary, Rebecca Here it is, folks: my final senior shoot of the season. And what a great finale this one is! Allison and I have known each other for about four years, but have only been friends for almost two. We met on Tumblr. Yep, we were Internet friends first. Oh, technology! We added each other on Facebook after discovering that we both went to Texas State in a group for Catholics on Tumblr. I reached out to her and invited her to praise and worship at Our Lady of Wisdom (then just the Catholic Student Center), met her in person, excitedly and loudly told her about all of the ways to get involved - specifically, my sorority, Mu Epsilon Theta - andddddddd I never heard from her again. I remember thinking to myself, "Well, at least I tried to reach out to her," convinced we would never cross paths again. Lo and behold, two years later, she signs up for the Bobcat Awakening retreat I am giving a talk at and rushes Mu Ep the year that I was president. The rest, as they say, is history.
Now, I literally don't know what I ever did without Allison's friendship. Sometimes we are complete opposites, but when we get each other, we get each other. She's one of the reasons leaving for missionary life is going to be so hard...but we made a pact not to talk about that for like three more weeks, so forget I said anything! Allison is technically graduating in December, but is walking this May. She is receiving an English degree (hence the books) with a teaching certification and a minor in Art, and will start her student teaching in the fall. Enjoy these pictures of this beautiful, creative, joyful soul that I am so blessed to be friends with! -Rebecca I am so excited to share these pictures with y'all. Lauren was one of my first friends at Texas State, and we lived together for a year while in school. We met and became fast friends because of mutual friends (small Catholic world for the win!). Her friendship, wisdom, and beauty have been such a gift and an inspiration to me over the last four years and I honestly don't know where I would be without her. We've been through so much since we pledged Mu Epsilon Theta together in the fall of 2011! Lauren is graduating with a degree in Dance Education and in the fall she begins two years of service with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS). A lot of my good friends are going to be missionaries in the fall, and it makes me so joyful. The Lord has some amazing people serving Him and His church.
Enjoy the pictures! -Rebecca |
WELCOME!My name is Rebecca. This blog is a documentation of my life as a missionary with Saint Paul's Outreach - in Minnesota, Florida, and everywhere in-between. Thanks for stopping by! Categories
All
|