12

when you hear the number "12", what do you think of? perhaps you think of the number..."12". okay, so we all probably do. but get past that. think deeper. you may think "12" months of the year; "12" days of Christmas"; "12" tribes of Israel (?? it sounds right...). but i bet you would never think of what i am about to associate with the number "12". today marks the 12th consecutive day of total cloud-cover in Michigan. for those of you who live in more sun-drenched places (ie, anywhere but michigan), that means we have not seen even a hint of the sun in 12 consecutive days. you go outside at 11am and feel like it's 5pm. it's dark. it's drizzling. it's foggy. it's total evidence of the Fall of Man, if you ask me.

sometimes i like to lay on my couch, floor, bed, anything flat, and close my eyes and pretend to be in a warm, tropical environment. i repeat to myself over and over the fact that i will be in the Florida Keys for my spring break in march. not only do i have that to look forward to, but i quite possibly might be spending my 3 months of summer living in the Keys working with a youth ministry down there called STS (student to student).

okay, totally did a segway (spelling?) there - man, that was smooth.

for those who didn't catch it, yes, i am in fact looking at heading down to the tropical Keys this summer and interning with the ministry down there where my sister & bro-in-law are working. andy called me about a week before i came home for Christmas break and asked if i'd be interested in interning down there to help out with the ministry, specifically with videography. i have wanted to work with STS for a few years now and i came close to going down there for a couple months about 2 years ago but totally didn't have the money to do it. there's such a darkness in people's lives down there, including the kids'. i'm so stoked to even have the opportunity to go down there finally and help.

so if God randomly brings it to anyone's mind, i'm asking that you pray for me as i finalize plans to go down there. i'm not totally set on going down yet, so i'm praying about it and praying that God will give me a peace about which route to go with my summer.

here's to the sunshine.

keep it real.
~jen~