Gladly beyond any experience.

Well hello :) I've been home since Monday night, but I started school Tuesday morning and have been busy with that, and with the play, ever since. I wanted to wait until I have sufficient time to describe my trip but I realized this morning that that is impossible. After five days I still can't sort through the memories and stories enough to tell people - let alone write them down. Sometime soon I want to write an outline, just so I can remember basic things about what we did each day. But until then, you'll have to either talk to me about it (specific questions are good, if you really want specific answers - I can't stand the question I get in passing, "So how was your trip?" There's no short answer for that. Anyway.). Orrrr, this brief message and whatever follows will have to suffice. OOH, maybe I should set up a flickr account for the pictures? That might be smart... hm. I'll have to think about this.

Anyway. Family's coming in a few hours and we have a lot of cleaning to do. Last night was my first performance in 1776, and after a disastrous (at least, it was disastrous for me) dress rehearsal on Wednesday, I was really feeling pessimistic about the show. But last night actually went really well. It made me happy. My whole family's coming tonight, so hopefully things go just as well or - dare I say it? - even better.

School is alright. It's already a crazy semester, but I'm taking it easy and trying to give myself time to adjust to the new schedule. It was pretty hard going from Europe to VC in 24 hours, so I just need to chill and allow myself time. The classes seem to be pretty good though, with only a few mildly annoying teachers.

So the trip - whew. Those were pretty much the most amazing 3 1/2 weeks of my life. And not just because it was fun - in fact, it was exhausting - but I feel so different now. I think I had never quite understood what it really means to be a Christian before. I mean I've always believed in and loved God, but until this trip, I didn't realize what it means to trust Him completely. At first I realized that I was praying a lot more there - then I realized that I was praying because I was constantly asking God to help me through "this one thing". And then, I realized that I was going to need Him to help me through EVERYTHING. No two ways about it. It wasn't just that I would have a hard time with it - it was that I simply couldn't do it alone. It was that realization, fifty times a day, that really changed my thinking. In any case, I feel like I understand things a lot more - the important things, that is.

There's so much more about this that I could say, but I have to get off the computer now... blah. I can't just leave off here - so alright, I'll be writing more about it later. ;) Until then, then...