Howdy! This week I learned that even if your companions don't like Cafe Rio cilantro dressing that doesn't mean you can't make it! Yep, that's right. You have that recipe memorized for a reason, you know. You might even be the only one who eats it, but hey that's okay! It's 100% ok to do things just for you. And not feel bad about it. Anywho, that was news to me this week. “Treat yo self!“ As my dearest Sister Christensen would say! It's also ok to never figure out what happened to the ham that disappeared from your windowsill, or never know who slipped the handwritten ransom note asking you to stop feeding the birds through the door of the old VACANT flat (that you never fed the birds from), or ever figure out why your feet are always so linty. Sometimes, that's just the way it be, aye so it be. So let it be. Sometimes, not one but three friends will drop you in one week and that's just the way it be. But do you ever stop loving them? No siree you don't ever stop praying for them either. Clearly they need more love than ever. Sometimes lots of lessons drop through, your friends don't respond to messages, and you run out of cookie dough. What do you do that point? The lessons can be rescheduled, the ghosting can be given time, and you can go buy more 67 cent bags of chocolate chips at Tesco's. But before you even think of any of those things, first things first you gotta make yourself a peanut butter Nutella banana sandwich and grab your ukulele and your two best friends and walk to the park. Then you're gonna sit under the Irish sun and go freckle collecting for a bit. You might even play a song on your ukulele, and you might even take a video so you can share it with your friends. It's even possible that a couple people might stop and listen to you sing about God and ask about your name tag and want to learn more. It might be really embarrassing for reasons that can wait to be divulged until after the mission, but hey! You feel better now. Your head is clear, your face is freckled, and you're ready to face the week. “How many new friends should we set a goal to make this week?” “I dunno, what's the population of Tralee?” Be kind to yourself. You can't befriend the world in one week, so there's no reason to pretend you can. Thursday marked 99 days left for Sister Francis (and exactly 9 months for me) and it got me thinking about Matthew 18. We're here for the 1, not the 99. We cant live all 99 days left at the same time, and 99 people won't fit in the baptismal font at the same time! Who am I kidding, we don't have a font in Tralee. Who am I kidding Part ll, it is illegal to do baptisms until July 20th anyways! And alas, who am I kidding part lll, numbers are no indication of the work that is being worked here in Tralee before my very eyes! I'll just leave this poem here. If you wouldn't mind praying for the person in it, I would love you forever! There once was a young chap named Ollie We have much in common, by golly! He codes and he films And loves Christian Realms And above all, he's really quite jolly!! If applicable, I'll tell you all about him next week!! And maybe explain the caption. Maybe. Probably not though. If we're being real, I'll probably forget. If you DON'T forget though, I'd love to hear all about your quarantales and adventures! God loves you!! Just across the pond, Sister Allen
