Its Raining... Lets Eat ICE CREAM!

Too bad we have no ice cream for an actual sundae.  Sweets do not tend to last very long in a household of four women.  And I am completely OK with that... most of the time :)  That is why I save an extra $3 every so often to buy some ice cream for special occasions, like a movie night! or a rainy day! or just because I miss everyone!  Those are good reason in indulge myself in a delicious tub of Bert and Rockys Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream.  If you have not tried that exact ice cream... it is my hope you will try it very soon.  Because trust me when I say, it is a life-changing experience.  It is so delicious and is happiness in a tub.  Its too good to pass up!

I am currently sitting in my house, it is raining outside, and my roommate just screamed because a lovely MOUSE came through the stove and popped out of no where.  As soon as we get rid of majority of the roaches in house, the mice move in.  I feel somewhat heartless knowing that the mouse traps that I will be buying tomorrow will eliminate the very adorable faces of the mice.  But really, they are just nasty to have in a house.  Any suggestions on how to prevent them coming back?! Let me know! :)

Things are going seriously AMAZING.  These past two weeks have been awesome, really amazingly awesome.  There are just no words of how happy I am with work, with my home/housemates, with friends, with church, with family, with relationships, with friendships, with life in general.

This past week, my supervisor encouraged my co-worker Debbie and I to volunteer at a food pantry.  We went on Wednesday and Thursday.  We had absolutely noooooo ideaaaaa what we were getting ourselves into.  We first met these two women, Ms. Diane and Ms. Debbie.  They had no shame putting us straight to work!  We helped to sort and bag all the food.  Lima beans, Corn Flakes, spinach, parsley, lettuce, tomatoes, apples, bananas, potatoes, meat, etc... everything had to be broken down into individual bags for the clients that would be arriving on Thursday morning.
Come Thursday morning, we are so excited to meet more people! Debbie worked outside handing out invites for people to gather their Thanksgiving meals, while I worked inside helping distribute food.  I had forgotten how amazing it is to work in a food pantry.  I would make small conversation with everyone that walked in the door.  They all had something to say, had a story to tell... but we were on a time crunch... because the line moved pretty quickly.  Over the span on 3 hours, 190+ people walked through the doors of this pantry.  Each customer received one brown grocery bag full of bread, mac and cheese, meat, and various baked goods.  Then received a cup of mixed fruit (which is very sticky and messy breaking down!! - not a good job for clumsy people like myself), pack of tortillas, a grocery bag of produce - including lettuce potatoes and various vegetables, and a huge "GOD BLESS YOU AND HAVE A BLESSED DAY" from Ms. Diane.
There a few great things about this experience at this particular food pantry.  1) The volunteers at the pantry were way too awesome for words.  2) The amount of food that was donated was a HUGE amount, so much that volunteers were able to take some home.  3) The amount of prep work that went into preparing the bags and produce for the customers is totally underestimated.  It was a very humbling experience, and I cannot WAIT to go back :)

I have been attending the FUMC of Coral Gables for the past three weeks.  I attend the contemporary service at 9:30.  It has great music and the folks that attend are laid back and very welcoming.  Today after the 9:30 service, I was inspired to check out the 11am traditional church service.  As much as I LOVE the contemporary service, I felt a warm and fuzzy feeling throughout my soul when I said the Lord's Prayer out loud, when I sung out of Hymnal, and listening to the absolutely stunning pipe organ being played beautifully.  I had unknowingly missed those aspects of church that I experienced at FUMC of Upland each week.  Funny how I didn't even realize I was truly missing those aspects about church.
Then at 6pm I return to Coral Gables for yet another service.  This service allows myself to find great fellowship with young adults my age.  Many of the DOOR folk attend this service, and it means so much to see them throughout the week.  I think it is so groovy to find three services, at the same church, all of which have something to offer me to secure and strengthen my faith even more.  I am hoping that this church continues to bring such happiness and wholeness into my week.
I am 99% sure that my past few weeks have been so wonderful because my faith has been stabilized.  Church hunting was much more draining on me than I had realized, and to finally have found someplace (at least for now!! hopefully for a while!!) is making life seem so........ GREAT.

This feeling may only be temporary.  But I am going to let it sink in deep deep deep down into my soul and hold onto it for as long as I can!
I can just feel God working through people.  Something about this past week really allowed me to see that God is constantly spreading belief, faith, laughter, hugs, kisses, smiles, sunshine, new friends, and ESPECIALLY hope and love.  Sometimes it is hard to see the good feelings that God brings to our lives.  I know I definitely get caught up in the hardships, concerns, difficulties, and struggles that I am going through and also that those who I work with are going through.  That is totally normal, and I love that we are given grace to not only be a shoulder to lean on for each other in times of struggle, but also the ability to be a friend to laugh with in times a good.  And this past week has been a week of not only good, but a week of GREAT.  That is something to definitely be thankful for.

I love everyone! Thanks for all your prayers, support, phone calls, love notes, care packages, fb messages, and skype calls.  You are all making this experience a million times cooler.

GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME!

Til next time <3
Love, Rachel :)