In 5 days I will be moving out of this apartment. In 17 days I will be moving out of this town. In 23 days I will be moving out of this country. Oh how time flies! Last week was one of the most stressful yet. Kristen and I were not only faced with last minute VISA paperwork and expenses that took an entire day to get straightened out, but our friendship was really put to the test. I think we were both attacked with lies about each other from satan, as well as the trust relationship between us had some tension in it which we hadn't had a chance to work through. All is good now, and we are emotionally connecting and learning to lean on each other to make it through the moving process.
Friendships do take on quite a different perspective when you move out of the country with someone. It's interesting because God has put us together divinely with the purpose of being able to support, value, and love each other as we go together. Our relationship is one of the most important ones I have ever experienced, and I value her so much because of who she is and what amazing wisdom she brings.
I don't quite know what to do about all of the transition, other than just lean on God to walk me through it. It's as if I'm just now graduating from college and about to begin Real Life. I mean, that's kind of true, because this is my adventure which I chose. I'm in the mix of knowing that I need to prepare, but not knowing how to prepare. I know that I'll be fine, and anything that I need can be shipped--I suppose I'm putting too much pressure on myself to get it all right the first time. There is so much Grace for this process, and I know that God is more than willing and able to walk with me through it. He is so good, and He wants nothing but the best for me, I know this. He is so Faithful, and will inform me and let me in on anything that I need at any point in time. I Trust Him, because He is my Friend.
I am just feeling so many things, that it's kind of hard to communicate about it. I am ready, and waiting to move forward. Bring it on Lord.
By the way, If you have any prayers or encouragements for me--I would GREATLY appreciate them. Sometimes it's hard to hear when your own world is whirring around you. Thanks!
Love,
Madison
Monday, January 23, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Now it begins...
Okay, now I am really going to start blogging. It is crazy to think that in just under a month I will be getting on a plane and flying to my new job as a teacher in South Korea. Whoa! I cannot even explain how I feel other than excited, anxious, nervous, sad, overwhelmed...you get the gist. A little peek into my life looks like this:
I wake up in the morning and if I haven't gotten a substitute job, wonder what I'm going to do for the day; overwhelmed with all the things that need to be done but not ready to finish them for fear that I will be bored, therefore putting them off. I do have 28 days after all to enjoy my life here, my friends, and my boyfriend. Kristen and I keep e-mailing a very patient young woman that moved to Korea about 4 months ago from the states with all sorts of questions from "How do we shop for groceries?" to "What about a gym?" and of course the unanimous female questions like "Where do you buy tampons?" and "What about razors and shaving cream?" It's quite informative to recieve her responses and dreaming of what it will be like when we arrive. (By the way, they do use/sell tampons, and laser hair removal is under $200 for all of your sessions!)
I'm down to the last few things on my list of items to purchase, such as everyday medicines (no over the counter drug stores!) extra American toiletries until I find Korean ones I want to use, a few more clothes, and another piece of luggage (yes, I know, very important). I'm starting research on South Korea via travel and culture books that have been both purchased and gifted (Thank you Pam :-D), as well as learning about cooking and familiarizing myself with different kinds of Korean foods and food products. Thanks to my brand new Kindle, I will be able to travel with all of these! It has been such a blessing living with a roommate, Tiffany, for 3 years because she is the Korean Cosmetic Expert. She has been sharing so much information with me on all types of makeups, face, and body products, as well as Korean Food, K-Pop, and a few words and phrases in the Korean Language. I didn't realize just how many different things make up a culture until I decided to move into a different one than mine! I feel this will give me a much larger outlook on life and the world and a fantastic opportunity to share my wisdom in future classrooms or ministry. God is teaching me many things about Him and His Kingdom through this experience and countless others. My life is so full!!!
As far as life outside of the immediate preparation for moving, in just a couple of short weeks we will be moving out of our apartment, (with help from my Wonderful Boyfriend Josh and his house of Manly Men) unpacking and organizing my things into mom and dad's storage, transitioning to living with another family in town until Josh's birthday, and then spending the last few days with my family before I leave the country. It's so strange to think that my life for the past 4.5 years has been in this town. It's where I earned my degree, fought for my first real job, my relationship with God took off here, I met my closest friends in school, and met the man I will marry someday :-D. God has always been gracious to me in times of massive transition, and I have always felt him cutting all the ties that were necessary for me to successfully and fully move forward without regret and grief. It has always been effortless on my part, God just simply does it. He somehow prepares me for and at the right time and it is such a blessing a) because it tells me that I'm walking with Him and listening, b) because I know He is with me and holding my heart through it, and c) because I know I'm not stepping somewhere that He hasn't prepared for me. My first transition of moving from one town to another before middle school was like this, so was the transition from high school to college. Thank you Lord that you are consistant!
Anyway, that's all for now, thanks for reading, keep following, and more to come soon!
Love,
Madison
I wake up in the morning and if I haven't gotten a substitute job, wonder what I'm going to do for the day; overwhelmed with all the things that need to be done but not ready to finish them for fear that I will be bored, therefore putting them off. I do have 28 days after all to enjoy my life here, my friends, and my boyfriend. Kristen and I keep e-mailing a very patient young woman that moved to Korea about 4 months ago from the states with all sorts of questions from "How do we shop for groceries?" to "What about a gym?" and of course the unanimous female questions like "Where do you buy tampons?" and "What about razors and shaving cream?" It's quite informative to recieve her responses and dreaming of what it will be like when we arrive. (By the way, they do use/sell tampons, and laser hair removal is under $200 for all of your sessions!)
I'm down to the last few things on my list of items to purchase, such as everyday medicines (no over the counter drug stores!) extra American toiletries until I find Korean ones I want to use, a few more clothes, and another piece of luggage (yes, I know, very important). I'm starting research on South Korea via travel and culture books that have been both purchased and gifted (Thank you Pam :-D), as well as learning about cooking and familiarizing myself with different kinds of Korean foods and food products. Thanks to my brand new Kindle, I will be able to travel with all of these! It has been such a blessing living with a roommate, Tiffany, for 3 years because she is the Korean Cosmetic Expert. She has been sharing so much information with me on all types of makeups, face, and body products, as well as Korean Food, K-Pop, and a few words and phrases in the Korean Language. I didn't realize just how many different things make up a culture until I decided to move into a different one than mine! I feel this will give me a much larger outlook on life and the world and a fantastic opportunity to share my wisdom in future classrooms or ministry. God is teaching me many things about Him and His Kingdom through this experience and countless others. My life is so full!!!
As far as life outside of the immediate preparation for moving, in just a couple of short weeks we will be moving out of our apartment, (with help from my Wonderful Boyfriend Josh and his house of Manly Men) unpacking and organizing my things into mom and dad's storage, transitioning to living with another family in town until Josh's birthday, and then spending the last few days with my family before I leave the country. It's so strange to think that my life for the past 4.5 years has been in this town. It's where I earned my degree, fought for my first real job, my relationship with God took off here, I met my closest friends in school, and met the man I will marry someday :-D. God has always been gracious to me in times of massive transition, and I have always felt him cutting all the ties that were necessary for me to successfully and fully move forward without regret and grief. It has always been effortless on my part, God just simply does it. He somehow prepares me for and at the right time and it is such a blessing a) because it tells me that I'm walking with Him and listening, b) because I know He is with me and holding my heart through it, and c) because I know I'm not stepping somewhere that He hasn't prepared for me. My first transition of moving from one town to another before middle school was like this, so was the transition from high school to college. Thank you Lord that you are consistant!
Anyway, that's all for now, thanks for reading, keep following, and more to come soon!
Love,
Madison
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