As The Van Broke Down, I Figured I Should Walk.

Currently, I am stuck in Wilmington, NC. The brakes on my van are getting fixed. I thought they were going to be fixed by this afternoon (Sept 8), but then received a call saying that, due to an issue that i will leave out, the van won't be able to be fixed completely until tomorrow (Sept 9). Kind of a bummer you might think, but I've been left to consider the following:

I have reason to believe, there are certainly worse places to be stuck in than Wilmington, NC. Toyota has a shuttle that will take me (and come get me) pretty much anywhere in Wilmington, free of charge. There is a beach, a college campus (UNC-Wilmington), and a downtown with various shops, open mics, and venues. The beach is the same distance from the toyota place as downtown is (if not closer). And so, I have been to the beach 3 days in a row!!! (When I thought i might get, maybe, only 1.) :) The shuttle drove me to where my gig was last night (the Juggling Gypsy). I then stayed with some people (UNC students) who had been at the show. I slept in an actual bed, and for a long time for once, then woke up, called the shuttle, went to toyota to check in, and then, headed back to the beach, again.

So basically, as my van has been getting fixed, I have been catching sunrays and playing in ocean waves. (As well as getting some work done.)

Being in this situation has also allowed me to think about some things in/for the future, such as: "What would I have done/would I do if I had a youth group with me, and this happened? What would I do with them while we wait for the van to get fixed? What kind of service projects could we do while here? What kind of bible studies/devotionals could we have while here? And so on."

This summer, God has taught me so much about patience, flexibility, and just being able to deal with situations as they arise. These are all good preparations (that I am thankful for) for the future. Understanding that sometimes things just aren't going to go as you planned them, and to not freak out, and to know how to adjust when they don't. Would my panicking have helped at all? Most likely not. Would getting mad at everybody help? Again, most likely not. It's not that you shouldn't make plans in the future, it just means that you should understand that sometimes…things happen. Sometimes, the sea is calm, and sometimes, the sea is rough. That doesn't mean you've necessarily done anything wrong though. Sometimes, it's just the way it is.