God's High-Tech Nowadays
He sends e-mails. For those of you who haven't already heard, I am officially staying at the mission through December of 2011. There were a variety of factors involved in my decision (look back a couple entries for the full list), but when you add them all up it's a pretty clear indication that my calling to YLM isn't over yet.
One of the weightiest factors, or perhaps just the final straw that cemented what I had been leaning towards for awhile, was an e-mail I received from my LCMS placement counselor, Erin. I referred to it in the same aforementioned entry that also contains my full list of pros and cons, but wanted to explain the whole story of my "e-mail from God:"
So I was in the middle of writing the entry that I keep mentioning (the one called "To Translate or Not To Translate"...go read it if you haven't) 2 weeks ago Wednesday (9/16), when the Yahoo tab that I ALWAYS have open when I'm doing anything else on the internet all of a sudden said "2 unread." Of course I clicked over to it, and, I don't remember what the other one was, but the important one is what Chris has started calling my "e-mail from God." He felt like God hit him upside the head with a sledge hammer when he quit his job as a chef a little over a year ago to volunteer at the mission, so he was a little jealous that God apparently has a computer now. Here is some of the text:
It was sent to all GEO (Globally Engaged Outreach) Missionaries, but I'm pretty sure Erin has no idea that for me it wasn't just some boring information that didn't apply; it just might have been the sign that I was looking for, my decision made right before my eyes in flashing neon. Basically it means that all extra funding in my account now stays there until my term of service is up, at which point it goes into a general mission pool for the region I'm serving in. Previously I never would have had access to it--it was supposed to go toward missions in my region or maybe even YLM in particular, but I was never exactly sure where or when or how. Having chosen to extend my term of service, I'm going to be undertaking another massive fundraising endeavor here pretty soon, but thanks to the policy change I'll already have a bonus however many thousand dollars I went over from the first time. Pretty cool huh? Anyways, I was pretty much in shock--my hand flew up to my mouth and I made Chris come over and read it. He knew right away, if he hadn't all along, that I was going to stay as long as I planned to follow God's lead, but I admit it took me a little longer. It freaks me out that I haven't even been here 1 year and I just committed to 2 more, but I have been nothing but happy since I informed Erin of my decision (which was officially approved by Krysia yesterday!) on Wednesday (a week after The E-mail), so I'm fairly certain I made the right one!
Until next time, blessings!
P.S. The Cardinals clinched the NL Central title yesterday vs. the Rockies and I was THERE--thanks Ken and Carol for the early birthday present! And if you're wondering I guess my plan as of right now is to start with LBT in January of 2012, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it ;)
One of the weightiest factors, or perhaps just the final straw that cemented what I had been leaning towards for awhile, was an e-mail I received from my LCMS placement counselor, Erin. I referred to it in the same aforementioned entry that also contains my full list of pros and cons, but wanted to explain the whole story of my "e-mail from God:"
So I was in the middle of writing the entry that I keep mentioning (the one called "To Translate or Not To Translate"...go read it if you haven't) 2 weeks ago Wednesday (9/16), when the Yahoo tab that I ALWAYS have open when I'm doing anything else on the internet all of a sudden said "2 unread." Of course I clicked over to it, and, I don't remember what the other one was, but the important one is what Chris has started calling my "e-mail from God." He felt like God hit him upside the head with a sledge hammer when he quit his job as a chef a little over a year ago to volunteer at the mission, so he was a little jealous that God apparently has a computer now. Here is some of the text:
After talking with your Regional Directors, as well as co-workers in Recruitment Services and Development Services, there has been some great progress made. I am incredibly pleased to be able to report that your funding from now on will stay with you as long as you are serving as GEOs, not just this current term.
It was sent to all GEO (Globally Engaged Outreach) Missionaries, but I'm pretty sure Erin has no idea that for me it wasn't just some boring information that didn't apply; it just might have been the sign that I was looking for, my decision made right before my eyes in flashing neon. Basically it means that all extra funding in my account now stays there until my term of service is up, at which point it goes into a general mission pool for the region I'm serving in. Previously I never would have had access to it--it was supposed to go toward missions in my region or maybe even YLM in particular, but I was never exactly sure where or when or how. Having chosen to extend my term of service, I'm going to be undertaking another massive fundraising endeavor here pretty soon, but thanks to the policy change I'll already have a bonus however many thousand dollars I went over from the first time. Pretty cool huh? Anyways, I was pretty much in shock--my hand flew up to my mouth and I made Chris come over and read it. He knew right away, if he hadn't all along, that I was going to stay as long as I planned to follow God's lead, but I admit it took me a little longer. It freaks me out that I haven't even been here 1 year and I just committed to 2 more, but I have been nothing but happy since I informed Erin of my decision (which was officially approved by Krysia yesterday!) on Wednesday (a week after The E-mail), so I'm fairly certain I made the right one!
Until next time, blessings!
P.S. The Cardinals clinched the NL Central title yesterday vs. the Rockies and I was THERE--thanks Ken and Carol for the early birthday present! And if you're wondering I guess my plan as of right now is to start with LBT in January of 2012, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it ;)
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