transition

Well. I left L'abri about 10 days ago. I think it is likely that I should have stayed. But, my last two days there answered some important questions that I didn't know I had but that I needed to figure out.

Going from L'abri to the UGA madness in Italy is the hardest transition I've had. It was rough. Thank God for Britney.

On one of my last days in England I sat down with Jim, who was a doctor for people with terminal diseases before he left the medical field to work at L'abri, and was able to ask him what he says to people with serious diseases. The conversation was quiet, if that makes sense. Jim asked me questions, and he sat, and he thought. He was wearing a straw sunhat. I told him that sometimes I feel like I'm running out of time. And sometimes I feel like God is expecting me to do something huge with my life. But I don't know what He is expecting and I wish He would give me specific instructions so that I don't mess up - because I want His will. When I said all this Jim paused, looked at me, and said, "Anna, what do you want me to say that would make this conversation bring you peace?" And I thought for a second and told him I wanted to know it was okay to be ordinary. That I didn't have to do something huge with my life. That being ordinary is pleasing to God. Jim just smiled and said, "Anna, in all honesty I can tell you that being ordinary is pleasing to God." He encouraged me to live in the present moment. To hold on to the hope of eternity but not to yearn for it in a way that takes me away from my life here and now.

Jim told me I seem like I am always carrying around a burden. I think that simple conversation may have lifted it.

So I am in Italy now. Naples, Rome, now Cortona. I would add some pictures put my mac crashed so I'll get to that later. Everyone says that this study abroad changes your life. Heather and I laughed about that a couple days ago, but after seeing four Bernini sculptures and a room of Caravaggio's I think Rick may be right - I came as an art student, but I might just leave this country as an artist.