what even is south carolina?

Well, I'm nine weeks into my summer here in North Myrtle Beach, SC, and I still get a ton of questions about "what it's like" here. This is a list that I compiled that basically shows "what it's like" here.

1. Humidity. I'm constantly swimming in the air here. It's SO THICK. Also, it's salty, because, ya know, I live 330 feet from the ocean. I have never experienced humidity like this before. And I thought Minnesota humidity was bad! As soon as I step outside of my air conditioned house, literally THE MOMENT I step outside, I am sweating. All the time. Every moment of every day.

2. Cigarettes. A large percentage of the population here smokes cigarettes. I think it's a general "southern" thing. They come through my drive through at McDonald's and blow smoke in my face, because I guess that is normal here. It threw me off at first, but now I've sort of accepted it. However, it's still really sad when I see young people here smoking. Also, many people here are missing teeth. Like, that's not just a southern stereotype... that's a real thing. And I think it's because everybody smokes.

3. Confederate flags. I'm sure you heard the news about the Charleston SC shooting, and the subsequent decision to take the confederate flag off of courthouse grounds, but that was so aggressively protested here. These southerners love their confederate flag! I don't think I ever saw a confederate flag flying in someone's yard or car or window or FB profile in SD or MN, but now it's normal to see them everywhere. Lots of times, I'll see pickup trucks driving around with giant confederate flags sticking out the back of their truck bed. The people here just see no problem with waving giant confederate flags around everywhere. So strange. I really, honestly, didn't think that the confederate flag was anywhere anymore.

4. Sweet tea. Everyone drinks a large sweet tea with everything. The normal southerner drink: a large sweet tea, extra ice, add lemon. I think I make 1000000000 of those per day at McDonald's. I don't get the hype. It just tastes like water with a leafy aftertaste + loads of sugar tossed in.

5. Nails. Like those long, fake nails that people tap on everything. When I hand food out the drive thru window, some people will accidentally brush my hand when they're grabbing their food, or accidentally grab my hand with their food, then I feel their long nails scraping against my skin, and I shudder inside and cry a little. But, their nails usually have fun designs, so that's a plus! Or, they're just gross, long, and yellowing. Blech. Long nails are not something I'll miss when I go back to MN.

6. "Miss". I call most of my managers at McDonald's "Miss _____". It sounds strange to call them by their first name without a "Miss" in front of it. In return, I am usually called "love", "boo", "baby", "babygirl", "darlin'", or "babe", both by my managers at work and random middle-aged men in the drive thru, because apparently that's normal here. At first I thought it was super creepy and weird, but now when a 50 year old man calls me "baby" in front of his wife, I can take it in stride.

7. Sea creatures. I see sharks semi-often. Lots of people catch sharks while fishing. They're gross to touch (they feel kind of rubbery), but maybe that's just me, because I hate fish. I also see a lot of jellyfish while walking on the beach. I've learned which ones are dangerous and which ones aren't. Sometimes, the beach lifeguards play catch or dodgeball with the non-dangerous jellyfish. We also see lots of stingrays, especially in the inlet. Ew. Also, just yesterday, a crab pinched my foot while I was swimming in front of Sam's lifeguard chair. I totally played it cool (okay, so I ran out of the water screaming at the top of my lungs and jumped onto Sam and hyperventilated for a little bit, but like, that's cool, right?) (<-- yes, that really happened).

So, that's about it. South Carolina is a very, very strange foreign country (it seems like). I'm excited to be back in Minneapolis, but not excited to leave here. Even though many things here are difficult to relate with, I've learned to love the south :)

NMB Life!

Sooooooo, I've been living in North Myrtle Beach (NMB), South Carolina, for about two weeks now. I live in a space with 5 other girls. There are around 80 students and 30 staff living here as well. Here are some FAQs about my time in SC!

1. What are you even doing in South Carolina?
I'm on a mission trip with Cru, which is a Christian campus ministry on my campus. I'm here with the U of Minnesota, along with other schools such as NDSU, SDSU, Iowa, and Wisconsin. We're here to tell these vacationers about Jesus and serve the community in any way that we can!

2. "Tell people about Jesus"? You mean shove religion down their throats?
Lol no. We want to be positive examples in this community, and to show others the love of Jesus through both our words and actions. This could mean taking our coworkers out to lunch, taking the 5AM shift at work to make it easier for our managers, praying for the city of NMB, or being a listening ear to strangers.

3. What the heck, you work at McDonald's?!?!
Yes, I work full time at McDonald's. I have the visor, the permanent smell of french fries, the whole nine yards. Like I said, we're here to serve the community, so we took jobs that people aren't exactly lining up for. It's been great fun! 14 other people from Cru work at McDonald's with me, and our local coworkers are awesome. 10/10 would recommend.

4. Why won't you text me back?!?!
Oh ya know, full time job, full time ministry, full time service... it's a little busy here wink emoticon. Please don't be offended if I don't text/call/facetime you as much as I thought I'd be able to, the schedule here is super nuts-o all the time!

5. What's it like in South Carolina?
Hot. Usually around 85. And so dang humid. Everything is damp ALL THE TIME- pillow and sheets, clothes, book pages- always semi-soggy. Yuck. I'm LOVING the warm weather, but not so much the humidity smile emoticon
The ocean is less than a minute's walk away from where I live, so I go every single day! It's so beautiful. Love love love.
Also, sweet tea. With probably about 80% of the orders at McDonald's, a large sweet tea is added. It's crazy!

I love you guys and am so thankful for all the support you give me, through prayers, finances, and lovin'! Call or text anytime and I'll get back to ya as soon as you can smile emoticon

Thanks a million for reading through that novel! Much, much love

(Athiest) Boyz II (Christian) Men- An Observation from BUMP 2013

A few hours ago, I got back from BUMP in the Twin Cities. As always, it was an incredible experience! I'll explain BUMP quickly. Basically, it stands for Bridging Urban Missions Project. A bunch of churches from other cities partner with inner-city churches in Minneapolis and do things like block parties, VBS, and soccer camps. Lots of cool stuff happened (including conversions!), but probably the coolest part for me was getting to know my group better. However selfish that may sound, just give me a chance to explain myself. Yes, the purpose of this mission trip was to share Christ, and we did! God was the center of this week, and that was the sweetest part.
Here's where the title of the post comes into play.
On this trip, there were 15 people, 7 girls and 8 boys, plus our youth pastor. I was friends with all of the girls, but the boys were kind of more like acquaintances. I knew Ayom, Reese, and Hudson pretty well, but the other boys (Carey, Nathan, Daniel, Andrew, and Ethan)... not so much! But this week, God really shows me how Christianity changes boys into men.

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” -John 13:35

This week, the guys from my church had servants' hearts. That sounds cheesy, I know, but it's true. For example, this morning, we had to have our extra mattresses and luggage down in the lobby by 8AM. Carey, Grant, Hudson, and Ayom showed up at our door at 7:45 to take it all down for us. It may not seem like that big of a deal, but it really is! This simple action shows that they really do want to help us girls out, even if there's nothing in it for them. God showed me how they can be an example for me in my life- by taking our stuff down to the lobby for us, they're showing their love for us, which mirrors Christ's love for us. This small gesture will definitely impact how I treat people at school when it starts in a month. Their actions remind me that people who know I'm a Christian will be watching my every move. Will I be loving everyone I come in contact with? God really used these men to impact my life. (Sorry, off topic tangent!)

Anyways, back to the real topic! I remember some of these guys (Hudson and Ayom) before they were Christians. I love these guys now, but before, they were just jerks. I remember that Hudson used to leave youth group during the sermon and go chuck rocks at the side of the church. He was obnoxious and rude and mean, and no one really wanted to be around him. Ayom was always making mean jokes and making fun of people. Sometimes, when I think of these two guys, these are the versions of them I think of. I mean, it was only a year or two ago when they were like this. That's what made getting to know them more this week even better- knowing where they came from. This week, they were the perfect Christian gentlemen. Us girls never had to open our own doors, carry our own shopping bags, or put our own dirty dishes away. They always eagerly volunteered to do it. The coolest part was that it wasn't only Hudson and Ayom, but all 8 guys acted this way! The boys really showed their love for us by the little things they did, and I know for a fact that non-Christians took notice and wondered why they were doing this. Like Lecrae says in one of his songs- "if you catch me giving up money so someone can eat, it's really God working in me, I'm not that sweet". I know that these guys weren't this sweet before they came in contact with God. I love love love seeing the change in them!

Another example. About a month ago, when I was in Colorado for a conference with church, we were given a little list of characteristics that a true man of God would have. We laughed at it and called it dumb and cheesy, but now that I'm looking back on it, I realize that most of the things on that list are true. The top characteristic on the list was "He talks about God more than himself." I laughed at that bullet point and said something along the lines of "HA, I'll spend forever trying to find a guy who fits that description!" (I could go on about pride & humility, but I'll save that for a different post!) But God definitely had a plan to prove me wrong.
My friend Abby had a friend in Minneapolis who we met at a Christian conference named Ben, so we invited him to come hang out with us one night. He came, and we were all playing a game, when this sweet guy named Ethan pulled me aside and asked "Who is Abby's friend?" I told him he was Abby's friend Ben, and we met him at a Christian conference. The very next question he asked was, "Does he have a firm standing with the Lord?", and that just blew me away. I figured he would ask something like "Oh, are they dating?" or "How old is he?", ya know? But nope, the first thing he asked about was Ben's relationship with the Lord. Obviously, if Ethan wasn't a Christian himself, this question wouldn't have even crossed his mind. This one single question that Ethan asked was an obvious indication of where his heart is, and I love that. I told the other girls what Ethan and I's conversation was, and they all went "awww"! God really changes guys. When they go from non-Christian to Christian, the change is so obvious.

Last night, we were at a place where there were lots of young ladies in short dresses. I was nervous for the guys; I was nervous that they'd feel super uncomfortable or tempted. To my surprise, (I guess I shouldn't have been surprised), any time they'd see a girl coming, they'd just close their eyes, and they even asked us girls to warn them if one was going to come up behind them. And once again, this wasn't only a couple guys, but most (if not all) of them! I felt so respected and loved. Our guys were trying so hard to stay pure, and I really admire them. To me, I think this is one of the ultimate measures of a man- purity. How they will do whatever it takes to keep those thoughts out of their heads. I love that. In my opinion, trying to be pure is the most attractive thing in a man. :)

I loved getting to spend last week with this group of kind, chivalrous, and Godly men. Lots of testimonies were shared, even had a few "cry sesh"s (not really, but we did in theory :)), and we were all able to help each other through a lot this week. I sincerely love every guy from FEFC who was at BUMP. God showed me that most men of the world act rude or mean, because they haven't realized God's love for them, but true men of faith love people the way God loves them. These were only a few examples from this week (I have dozens more), but I think I've demonstrated my point. I love the change that happens in a guy's heart when they encounter God. Boys to men.

One Foot In, One Foot Out

Last week, while I was in Colorado at a youth conference with my church, I heard a speaker say something that really made me think. He was talking about worldliness. He used the expression "one foot in, one foot out." Like, part of you is stuck in the world and the material things you love, but the other part of you is following God. It's like following God, but with a ton of extra baggage to drag around. He referenced the verse, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Now, many people like to quote that verse and say, "Wahoo! To live is Christ! Yeah! I agree! That's how I'm living my life!", but they tend to shrink back a little when they read "to die is gain" (myself included). Dying is scary. And there are a lot of things we just don't want to give up (family, friends, hobbies, etc.). Sooooo, to kind of "save our stuff", we are about our worldly things, but we "also" care about God and following Him.
I got a wake up call today. I woke up feeling a little sore, headache, fatigue, etc. Throughout the day though, it got worse, as I ended up taking four naps and now have a 101.4 fever. My dad took me to the doctor, and all they could say is "well, it's not strep!" LIKE REALLY?! WITH ALL THE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY THESE DAYS, THAT'S ALL YOU CAN TELL ME?! They did say it could be any virus, including mono. Mono, as in it takes six weeks to recover. It's most likely mono, but I have to come back in a week so they can get an official blood test done. When the doctor said mono, my ears just turned off. Ohhh nooo. Anything but mono! I leave for a mission trip in 19 days to run a soccer camp, and I can't go if I have mono!! This is my last year at this mission trip, and I had it all planned out in my head. I already have a roommate. I talked to the people we met last year on this trip; they're all so excited for us to come! And drumline. Ohhhh don't even get me started on drumline. I'd have to miss our twice-a-week practices, and possibly even spat camp in August! Which means either A. I'd have to memorize all of the drill and music in a very little amount of time, after everyone else had learned it, or B. I'd get kicked off the line. After last year, when the results were posted and I saw that I'd gotten cymbals for the second year in a row, I was devastated! How could God take away drumline for the second year in a row! I've worked so hard! Today has just been God showing me that I can't have one foot in and one foot out. Why am I so reluctant to give up drumline? I know it's just a group of guys who have a bad influence on me. I know God's been wanting me to give it up for a while now, but I didn't think he'd take it away like this. I know, I know, the doctor still doesn't know for sure if I have mono, but if I do... I'm gonna try not to lose it. I'm going to try my best and take this stupid sickness as a blessing. I'm really going to try. Maybe it's just God's way of yanking my foot out of the things of this world. Although I guess I'm not dying, it feels pretty close to it. God's showing me that to live is not drumline, and to die to this world is not the worst thing that could happen.

sad sappy love post

Last night at about 1:30am, one of my friends told me that she recently got a DUI. I consider her one of my very dear friends and a role model, as she is a few years older than me. When she told me she got a DUI, I thought I'd be angry, or disappointed, or something along those lines. But honestly, I wasn't. All I felt towards her was love. I mean, I probably should feel somewhat angry at her for her decision, but I don't. I'm sad for her. I'm sad that she has to deal with this on her record, right as she's starting her career. I'm sad that she has to pay for lawyers and tickets and whatever else you have to pay for when you get a DUI. I love her, and I just want what's best for her. Last night, as I was thining these thoughts, I finally understood how God feels about me. He doesn't look at me with disgust when I mess up. He is loving and kind and caring. Pastor Randy was talking about this in the sermon a few weeks ago. We can't fully love each other until we know God, because His love makes us want to love others. God used last night to show me how he feels about me when I make a bad decision. I hope my friend can see that I'm not angry and I'm not disappointed. I hope she can see how much I love her, because I love her to pieces and I'm sad that this one decision could impact her the rest of her life.
Well, that's enough sad sappy love posts for today. Until next time...

Catholic Stuff

DISCLAIMER: I don't mean to dis Catholics. So please, please, PLEASE, don't comment on this saying things like "WE CAN ALL BELIEVE WHAT WE WANT KEEP YOUR OPINIONS TO YOURSELF YOU ARE SO RUDE CATHOLICS ARE CHRISTIANS TOO YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CATHOLICS" etc. I'm not starting a fight.
Now that we got that out of the way...
I was just watching the 10:00 news on KELO, and they had a story on the election of the new pope. Aren't the things the pope says considered 'absolute truth'? I just don't understand how you can elect someone to speak the absolute truth. This sounds creepy and cult-ish, but sometimes, I worry about things like, What if the new elected pope is the anti-Christ? That'd be nuts. That's one of the reasons why I personally enjoy being protestant- I can put my trust in God and God alone, and not in Mary, or Pope Benedict, or some elected new pope, because I know that absolute truth only comes from God. Also, the reporter says that there are two possible candidates for the new pope who are from America. The catholic woman she was interviewing said something like, "I'm really glad there are two Americans who have a chance of being the pope. If one of them becomes the pope, it will be nice to be able to relate to them." Like, if your preference of who becomes pope is based on which country they come from......... sigh. I don't know. I don't know tons about Catholicism, so maybe I'm completely wrong about everything I just said. That news story just irritated me. Rubbed me the wrong way, I guess.

"spring"

Spring should be a time of new life. But this year, all I can see is death. This morning in physics, Mr. Wells told us his dad was expected to die of cancer in the next week or so. Right after that, we watched a terribly sad video about Jorgen Yde in adroom. Yes, it was a video meant to encourage us to donate to JY6000, but it really just reminded most students the sadness we felt as a student body the day when he passed away. Later in adroom, Mrs. Waagmeester asked us to go outside during 5th period on Friday to watch the funeral procession of the Vollmer family. We're allowed to stand on the curb of Cliff Ave in silence to show our respect. This has been an incredibly sad day so far. I wonder how many more deaths we'll have to go through as a student body before spring truly comes. Yes, I know in Christ, I have new life and I should feel excited about this time of year when other things come back to life too, but right now, honestly, I just feel dreary.