Life in Western Australia

My updates have been nonexistent thus far, and for this I am very sorry. We just got internet running yesterday here at the base, and the girls in my Music DTS (Discipleship Training School) all live about a block off campus. So here goes nothing: the flights over were grueling and tiring, but I have adjusted to the time change, and jet lag has finally worn off. Coming in to Youth With A Mission, I really had no idea what to expect, but it has been so much better than anything I would have expected. Although we are in the city, and there are no kangaroos bouncing around, the people here are incredible. I have met people from all over: Northern Ireland, Canada, Holland, Madagascar, England, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Nepal, etc. It has been really great, and I have learned so much about all of the different cultures already. So far, I learned not to call flip flops by the name that we usually do, but instead, thongs. Also, that pants are underwear. Oops. :) In addition to all of the people, the worship has been incredible. Being able to play music every night, and travel around the city of Perth. Everything here is insanely expensive; I was forced to buy a sleeping bag for 70 AUD which is 74.83 American Dollars. Despite this, it has been such a ride, meeting together to just hang out and drink tea, or to be willing to pray for each other at a moment's notice. I am so looking forward to how everybody will grow and be stretched in this experience, whether from sharing a room with over 20 girls, starting the morning with morning exercises at 6 AM, followed by "family chores", or by the amazing lectures that we will be receiving these next few months. The people here are the nicest I have met in the world, and it is such a relief to be with like-minded people who care about their faith. Many thanks to the prayers that you have all been sending my way; I would not have been able to make it this far without them. Although I love and miss you all, I have never felt more in-step with the people around me. Yesterday we had a scavenger hunt around the city, and the night before we went to the most gorgeous spot where the city overlooking the water. This place is unreal, and we have only stayed in the city. There's so much I am leaving out, but that's all for now. Love to you all!

Rachel

Some Beauty for your Weekend

Enjoy your weekend! I started it off with watching movies with one of my best friends, Corrie. We watched the Fighter, 127 Hours (with James Franco and it was intense!), and Never Let Me Go. I absolutely loved The Fighter and Never Let Me Go! I intend on reading the book soon. This morning, had an awesome workout: P90X plyometrics. This thing kicks my butt every time, but it is worth it afterwards! :) Enjoy your weekend! It's a bit cold here in NC but tomorrow is going to be 82 so I am looking forward to that, getting all of my homework done today so as to enjoy my Sunday tomorrow!

I'm tired of living from Holiday to Holiday

I find myself apathetic until that moment when I think, or rather, have already conditioned myself to feel happy, relaxed, and content. That moment never comes and I am left wanting yet again. Even when I am with the people who make me the happiest, the entire time I am telling myself that this is fleeting, that this will go away. I know that most of you will respond by saying, "Why yes, but enjoy the moments you have with these people. You won't have many, but you can appreciate them more!" But the truth is, the people I see most are the people that I should be able to turn to no matter the issue. Although I would like to turn to the people that I have known the longest, best, etc, it can't happen if they are 600 miles away. Although I know that I want to maintain the friendship of those who I have known for years, and value their friendships tremendously, I realize that if I am going to put all of my effort into these friendships, I will be living holiday to holiday. I am not willing to do this. I feel fixated in the past and need to be happy with where I am at. I am discontent. I am always discontent. If I am in one place, I long to be in another.

I want to be happy now, where I am. I am blessed and I know this by the facts and statistics of the suffering people in the world either due to Tsunamis, family issues, or the millions of other categories that I, myself do not fall into. I don't even think that this is a matter of me being selfish (but there have been plenty of those, believe me.) I think it is a matter of not feeling myself. I look forward to the next this or the next that, but happiness is always fleeting. C.S. Lewis talks of discontent in a different way,

“If I discover within myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

I don't know if this sums up my feelings of discontent, but I would like to think that it does. I don't know that I want, but I know that I must let go of the past in order to reach that place.

I am certainly in the land between. I am not where I was, but I am not where I am meant to be. Praying for the strength to make it to that place. I am lacking all desires. Each day takes so much out of me, it makes me question what I am really getting out of each one. I want a reason, but I find myself just being disappointed after I fail at all of my great aspirations. Although I am at a complete loss, I know that God is working in my life, despite my feelings of being out of touch.

Lost in thought,

Rachel

Fat Tuesday and other news

Life is best enjoyed by a piano, with a DSLR camera, all the while procrastination from AP biology test corrections. (I feel like this picture could be in a comic book. Alas, my life is far from anything out of the ordinary.)

Happy Mardi Gras! Despite Le Marseillaise STILL stuck in my head after tonight's performance, and a horrible rendition of We Are the World, it was a good day.

Read this You will not regret it; I promise. I am eternally grateful for such passionate people striving to live a life of purpose. Some days I find it difficult to lift my chin up, nevertheless encourage others to do so.

Things are falling into place for after graduation and I could not be more excited, nervous, ready, horrified, or confused. Life never ceases to surprise me, and God's plan is never dull. Thanks for that.

Australia, you are always on my mind. More news to come on this.

I have very little to say, except all I feel like doing lately is playing music, writing, reading, taking pictures, and drinking copious amounts of caffeine, with a few films thrown in here and there. Praying to long for the things I should, and surrendering the plans that are not from Him, but simply my own. Taking a gap year will give me the best opportunity I can imagine to do the things I love, while sharing my faith.

That's all NC,

Thankful to live to see another beautiful day,

Rachel

What's Your Take?

What's your take on this holiday?

The End of a Very Long Week

I am eternally grateful that this week has finally ended. At the end, I look back and wonder how I completed this week with any sanity at all. After a weekend of zero sleep, my body responded by hanging on to this bad cold which is only, now finally leaving me. My immune system hates me and I am repaying my body with giving up on caffeine and eating vegan (The Daniel's Fast).

Needless to say, I MISS caffeine with all of my heart. The first thing I am getting when I am off this is a Soy-Chai Latte from Starbucks. :)

Either way, my sleeping patterns will be better this week, namely because I can't stay up past 11 without caffeine. My body gives out.

Thus, after writing 25 pages worth of essays, I am burnt out. Today I had school. Yes, on a Saturday. Terrible institution, really. However, I am taking today off for my mental health.

Last night I spent studying some photography theory. I am really loving the time I spend with my Canon. We're becoming good friends, and I can finally make it do what I want every now and then. :)

My heart alights with the joy, just to sing Your praise. Worship has been my saving grace this week. Blasting Jesus Culture and Hillsong United seriously gets me through the day. So excited to worship at New Hope tomorrow. Love, love, love those people.

Praying for direction on what to do next year, my options have opened up and I will let you know for sure where I will be next year!

Collecting my thoughts and continuing to muse on this past week,

Rachel

5 Favorite Things

My rebel (and summer because I actually look tan...for me.) Soy Chai lattes from Guglhupf bakery in Durham. Seriously best chai lattes that I have ever had.

Snow days and enjoying some time off after a crazy, stressful weekend!
My ipod on shuffle and catching up on AP reading.

Hanging out with my doggy dog, watching bones and fully enjoying my surprise 4 day weekend.

p.s. my acrylic nails are a lot of fun but make a bad combo when trying to play classical piano...

The New year and it just feels the same...

Such Cuties. Liz and my practically brother, Patrick.
We were twins for the day!

Some pictures of the end of 2010 :)

Usually with the new year, I have this intense burning to start fresh, make resolutions, and give the new year a fighting chance. Yet, this year it just doesn't feel the same. It might be because my resolutions NEVER stick whether they involve running copious amounts of miles, or waking up to see sun rises, or my personal favorite, and most ridiculous, keeping my room clean (if you know me in the slightest, you know I am organized in nearly everything except my room. It's really too bad, but I blame my creative spirit.) Yet, at the same time, it might just be because I have no idea what this year will bring, and for me to resolve to do only a few things would stunt the possible growth that will take place for me. Instead of plotting to exact and intricate goals to attempt and fail, I would rather look back on 2010 and be grateful for all that it brought, the painful and the painless, the good and the better, and the just plain suck.

>>2010 brought with it many things:
+Rejection and uncertainty when I did not make it into my top college.
+Amazing new people and a confidence in my own abilities I really never expected to gain.
+The ability to stand up for myself and state my point clearly without worrying what others would think/say/do.
+Accomplishing nearly none of my last resolutions.
+Gaining an appreciation for worship in a whole new light and leading worship for the very first time.

+Taking hundreds of pictures and getting more comfortable with my rebel. (Next year I will take thousands, but this year has been HECTIC.)

+So much music and laughing.

+Finding the strength to quit the sport I love the most and miss every day. It hurts to know that I won't be competing, but I am ecstatic to cheer on the GC girls in less than 3 weeks at their home meet!

+Falling so in love with my Savior, standing up for my faith, and learning to find comfort in this storm of uncertainty.

+Persevering through difficult academic struggles, and knowing that this too shall pass.

So much more has happened, but it would be impossible to recount it all. Right now I am living a life of crazy, stressful, hectic, uncertain, days and am learning to depend on my savior for the in-betweens and when I feel like the book will shut on me without me reaching the end.

Happy 2011, I want to love with all myheart, learn as much as possible, explore everyday, and remember the importance of friendship as I embark into the new year.

With that, I close with a beautiful challenge brought to you by the boys of The Classic Crime:

..+Love is a beautiful thing
Will you leave this broken mess behind?

love,love,love Rachel