Fun,exciting, and challenging stuff.

Lots of things have been going on lately. They have been fun, exciting, and challenging.
First the fun part :-)I met someone at conference last week. He's a youth pastor (I know, what am I thinking. . .another youth pastor?) and he's very sweet and funny. And he's actually older than me. And he plays guitar. This is the cute part: during one of the sessions we were sitting at a table and my phone was out; he picked it up and put his phone number in my phone! Then sent himself a text message. He mentioned something about going out sometime but it wasn't going to be for a week because he was in a wedding and had camp all this week. Then he changed his mind and asked if I'd want to do something after he was finished with the wedding rehearsal on Friday. We went to see Indiana Jones. Then later after he was home, we ended up talking on the phone for a little while. And he called me after the wedding on Saturday and we talked for almost 4 hours! I was a little amazed. He's been at camp all this week and I didn't think we would get to talk really; it doesn't really work to call but we've been texting back and forth a little everyday. Oh and this includes flirting. I forgot how much I enjoy flirting. It's fun!!! (I point that out because J and I NEVER flirted!) I am hoping we'll get to hang out again sometime this weekend.

My CNA class is going well. It's a little boring at times and I have to watch videos on how to wash hands and put on gloves...but then there are important things like how to move a resident. The textbook is VERY simplistic and easy to read which is nice. It'll get me back in the swing of schoolwork...in the fall I'm taking microbiology, pathphysiology, and statistics. Woohoo!
There have been hiccups in the whole house buying process. It looks like the sellers may have walked which sucks. So who knows where I'll live. I guess I could just stay at my apartment and hope somehow money works out.

Ok the challenging thing. . .I have been leading the Monday night Bible study that I'd be attending for over a year. The guy who had been doing it had to step down and so I volunteered. Also in this time we moved locations to the home of one of group members. One of his roommates started attending as a result. This week he e-mailed me and told me that although he has enjoyed it and thinks I'm doing a good job, he doesn't think it's right for me to be leading because I am a woman. Needless to say I was just slightly annoyed by this. No one else thinks this way and it will probably come down to him not participating (probably not a bad thing; his fundamentalism will just make too many people uncomfortable) and possibly having to change locations again. I e-mailed several people, my pastor included. He was very helpful and encouraging. I admit reading the few passages in I Timothy and I Corinthians are discouraging and I haven't found any seemingly sustainable support that these passages were really just addressing what was going on at the time. However, I also read the parts that talk about women being an important part of Jesus' and Paul's ministry. I read how Mary Magdelene was the first one to proclaim and "preach" about Jesus' resurrection even if the disciples didn't believe her. I look at the fact that Jesus accepted and loved women and didn't think they were just a piece of property for men to have. I read in Acts 2 of when the Holy Spirit came and Peter quoted the Hebrew scriptures saying "your sons and daughters will prophesy (which means to preach)." I read about spiritual gifts and notice there is no distinguishing between "male" and "female" gifts. They are given to ALL. We are ALL a part of the body of Christ and God has given each of us gifts and talents to use for his glory. I have found such freedom and power in the fact that Jesus was so inclusive. If anything, once the church really started getting going, the men just couldn't handle the thought of women actually having a place and unfortunately it has just taken a really long time to counteract that.

So that is what is going on...I don't think I've mentioned it...but I feel like I'm soaring right now...I just feel content and joyful. It's a nice albeit strange feeling.