Day Sixteen: Living, Learning, and Moving On

As I'm working my way back into the routine here in rainy Minneapolis, I'm realizing how valuable time is. Time can be short or can seem like an eternity. My trip to the southwest and back seemed so quick, like it barely even happened, but at the same time it seems like Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, and Colorado (and everywhere in between) seems like it was an eternity ago. Many of the places we had concerts were followed by home stays for 2-10 members of the choir at each house. I ended up staying with several elderly ladies who had either been divorced or widowed. It was amazing to hear their stories and realize the fragility of life and the importance of the decisions you make. Not necessarily where you go to college or where you live or even your friends. But the big decisions. Who you marry, what you choose to do with where you went to school, where you live, and how you serve the Lord where He has placed you. With God, you can do great things. You can live an amazing life. Without Him, you easily get lost, confused, weak, and lose all the truly wonderful things in life.

So many of the testimonies of my peers were so amazing. It was unreal to hear some of these young adults' stories and realize how their life could have been unbelievably different if the Lord hadn't saved them. It also made me appreciate and realize what a blessing it has been for me to be raised by the parents God gave me. I was never abused in any way, put into foster care, put up for adoption, or told I wasn't good enough. I was given everything I needed and pretty much everything I ever wanted. I was encouraged, loved, cared for, and strengthened by my parents. I have taken this blessing for granted.

It was so amazing to see so many works of God's Hand. The Grand Canyon, the California coast, mountains in Utah, cactuses (cacti?), palm trees... just to name a few! Touring was fun, but it was a lot of long hours in the bus and in the choir robes. But after lots of fast food, countless pot lucks, not enough coffee, never enough sleep, lots of sore muscles, and being taught by so many people in so many ways, all I can really do is cherish those moments, don't give up, trust in God, and just keep Simply Living.