Where are your eyes?

Yesterday I went to Ludington State Park to have orientation for being a lighthouse keeper in August.
I had to wake up and be on the road by 6 and drive over there, arriving before 8:30. The morning was full of learning about the organization, procedures, a little CPR/First Aid training, and then question and answer time.

They provided lunch, and then we car pooled back to the Big Sable Lighthouse. We were able to tour the keepers quarters, shop in the giftshop and climb to the top of the lighthouse. As I was let in to climb the tower there was a girl who works for the organization. The guy who let me in said she was afraid of heights and I should help her. So, just meeting for the first time I encouraged her that she could do it. As we began the climb it became obvious that she had a severe fear of heights and kept wanting to look down. I looked and right above the handrail was a painted black line the whole way up where it was separating 2 colors of paint. I told her to keep her eye on the black line and she wouldn't be as tempted to look down. We made it to the half way point and she was excited. I reminded her to keep her eyes on teh black line. We climbed another flight and she declared it was the farthest she had ever made it at that lighthouse. She was a little scared, but I reminded her to keep her eyes on the black line. Another flight or two later and we were on a level that had a solid bottom and not the grate that you can see through. She was able to look down and see solid ground below her and with a little more encouragement from me and the others around us she climbed the last flight of steps and made it to the top of Big Sable for the first time ever. I went out and walked around the top of the light while she moved opposite the door to outside and literally clung to the wall. Another woman found stickers that said I climbed to the top of Big Sable and started handing them out. A man who also had a fear of heights and knew the work it took for the girl to make it to the top and what an accomplishment it was told the lady to give the girl one with the back still on it for a scrapbook or just to keep. On the way back down, she turned around and went down backwards with her eyes to the top. Slowly but surely she made it to the bottom. As we came out into the giftshop the guy who told me to help her asked if she made it to the top. With a proud smile on her face she said she had and that she couldn't have done it without me and the reminders to keep her eyes on the black line.

After climbing the tower they split up into groups based on which of the 4 lights the people would be working at. I stayed at Big Sable because that is where I'm assigned to volunteer. We got a more in depth tour and watched a video we will show and were told some more of what we would be expected to do. They drove us back out to our cars and I headed home.

I had taken my sticker off and put it on the steering wheel of my car. As I was driving it caught my eye and I thought about the girl I had helped climb to the top of the lighthouse. The only way she was able to make it to the top was by keeping her eyes up and watching the line. Had she looked down she would have gotten scared and quit like she had all the other times she had tried to climb it. I think that is similar to my life as a Christian. As long as I keep my eyes on Jesus and have people in my life to remind me and encourage me in my walk with him, I'm fine. However, when I forget He is there to help me and has brought me this far, I look down it gets scary. Like most children growing up I had a plan, even into high school and college I thought I knew where my life was going. You know, go to college, meet a boy, graduate, get a job, get married, teach a few years, have kids stay home and raise them, then go back to work when the baby goes to school. That is a good plan, and it is one that many people will live out(or something similar to that). However, it wasn't the plan that God has for my life. Instead, he has me on this incredible journey. I went to college and graduated debt free because he provided. I joined the Peace Corps and had a successful 2 years of service in Thailand. I loved it so much that I'm planning to go back in September. I have been given 6 months to be home. I didn't think I would get a job while I'm home, and yet he provided one out of the blue that for right now I'm working 40 hours a week. Since I've been home I've had constant reminders of people who have been praying for me and I'm so blessed to have them in my life encouraging me on this path I never thought I would be on.

If I take my eyes off Jesus and look down life could get scary. I'm 25, single, working a part-time job until I go to work in Thailand where I will earn a Thai volunteer size income. However, if I keep my eyes on Him I realize all that I have, an amazing support system, the opportunity of a lifetime to love on children who may never have never experienced love before. I'm debt free and have money in the bank "just in case." I can afford to be generous with my time and money and invest in people's lives. I know God has a plan for my life even though I'm not sure what it is right now. If I look down I'll realize that I'm a long ways from where I was expecting to be at this time in my life. However, I'm a lot closer to Him and if I keep my eyes on Him maybe, just maybe someday I'll reach the place He has planned for me and it will be thousands of times better than where I was headed on my own.

Today I ask you, Where are your eyes? Are they looking up or down? Are you going to make it to where he has planned for you or are you going to settle for your own plans? I hope that you aim for His plans, that you will feel the joy and accomplishment of following Him like the girl who made it to the top of the lighthouse yesterday.

It's Time

I've been home for three and a half weeks now. I kept telling myself I need to start a blog. However, I was busy spending time with family and friends. Then, I sat down today and tried to start one and apparently I had this one from before already. I haven't been able to find and read the previous posts, maybe if I play with it I can find them and delete them.
I feel like that has been one of the themes of my life since I've been home.

TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY

Technology has caused my biggest challenges and has given me the most cases of culture shock since I've been back in the states.

When I left I did have a cell phone, but we didn't have texting. Sure, other people texted but I didn't send my first text until I was in Thailand. Even there I might send a few text messages a week.
When I got home EVERYONE in texting ALL THE TIME. I've had nights sitting in my living room with my family and EVERYONE is on a different electronic device texting or messaging.
To my heart that just got back from Thailand that says: We would rather spend time messaging others who aren't here than talk to people who are in the same room with us.

When I left there may have been the first or second Ipad, and kindles were just coming out. Other tablets weren't heard of in my life.
When I got home they are everywhere. Some people have a computer, tablet and ereader. It's crazy. I met with a friend who pulled an ipad out of her purse to show me videos. I babysat and the kids EACH had an ipad. I opened my bedroom door the first night I got home and I had a tablet(I admit I was going to buy one for myself as a reward for finishing the Peace Corps and then my parents got it for me for Christmas instead).
That tablet has been one of my biggest frustrations. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT. Things that should be simple like downloading or transferring books are hard for me and take hours (literally). Sure, it's nice to be able to check facebook or e-mail on it quickly and to read books once they are on it, but getting them there is difficult for me.

When I left I don't know that I had ever used a touch screen really. There were a few out there that I encountered from time to time, self check out, etc... However, none that caused me much difficulty.
Now that I'm home, touch screens baffle me. I can't tell you the number of times I pressed the wrong thing on the tablet, sometimes going to the wrong screen, sometimes having to try to press a button multiple times before it finally goes, sometimes adding people I didn't mean to add (and sometimes don't know or don't know well).  Then, there are the things that need to be slid to unlock, held to answer the phone, typing things on a tablet,etc...You are probably laughing by this point, but it is super difficult for me.
I keep having to remind myself that touch screens are the new technology and I have to get used to them. It may sound funny, but I put a sudoku game on my tablet(yes, it took over an hour to get it on there). I have been practicing using touch screens with it. You have to choose the space and the number that goes there, so it is all about accuracy of where you touch. So, my tablet touch screen ability is improving. However, the phone my dad just gave me to use I'm still hopeless at. So, when you get my number and try to call me, if I struggle answering the phone and miss your call I'll call you right back. Unfortunately it's already happened several times in the few days I've had the phone and will probably continue to be a problem for me until I get used to it.


There are several more things I could include about technology, the changes I notice, and the ways it has given me culture shock. However, for now I think I'll stop and try to see if I can figure out how to post this blog. I'm bracing myself for another struggle. I'm hoping it will go smoothly. but we'll have to wait and see how it goes. If you are able to read this, it means I have figured out how to post it so you should congratulate me :)
I will try to work on my blogging abilities and post more often now. I have lots of things I've been thinking about and want to share. But it all depends on how easy(or difficult) I find blogging to be.

Have an amazing day
Lindsey