Ch. 103 - The Perfect Timing

As I've said before, I wasn't planning on coming home. I truly thought I was going to stay at the University of Utah and thus would remain in Salt Lake for the summer to fully establish residency and take a couple of extra classes. But that pull on my heart was so strong and as I continued to think about a life of serving God [in missions], I realized that it truly is the right thing for me. I know I had gone back and forth so many times about transferring and taking the first formal step into that life - and that I settled on staying in Utah - but this is it. It's really going to happen. And I couldn't be more excited!

Returning to the fact that I'm in Iowa now, I have no problem believing that God brought me back, and for a reason. The flooding in Cedar Rapids occurred the week after I arrived (June 7). At the time I kept thinking, "Man. What a welcome back... stupid rain," or "Oh great. No showers for a week? Ugh!" and "If only I had called my parents a week later... then I wouldn't have to put up with this."

What a great attitude, eh?

First of all, I finally shaped up and tried my best to think positively. Secondly, I found myself realizing yet again that things really do happen for a reason. I'm in Iowa. Many areas of Iowa have been declared disastrous after being ravaged by floods and tornadoes. There are a lot of people who need help. Business, homes and places of worship have been utterly destroyed. There's going to be an awful lot of cleanup in the near future here in Cedar Rapids, that's for sure.

And I'm ecstatic.

I can't wait to get started. My entire summer will be like one giant mission trip, honestly. There's just so much to do. If possible, I'd love to help out somewhere at least once a week. My church isn't even sending out the mid-hi and senior-hi to their prospective mission trip destinations. Phil, the youth pastor, said that the senior-hi trip will be a local one. They'll have an off-site location where they will stay for a week and a half and work at different areas of Cedar Rapids.

You know, during service on Sunday, one of our pastors told us that she had received an e-mail from a pastor in Gulfport, Mississippi, where the senior-hi has gone for the past two summers on their trip... from what I understand, the e-mail said that people in Gulfport are going to try and come up to Iowa to help us. How neat is that?

I really think it's a good thing that I decided to transfer and come home in the process. I have two months [from today!] until I move to Moberly - and I plan on making them count.


'And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life." '
[Genesis 9:12-15]

While I was helping at a water distribution site on Saturday, it was storming off and on. At one point during the day we spotted an incredibly bright rainbow that seemed so close it was if we could seriously go and find the end of it. It was beautiful and even brought tears to a few people's eyes.