A digital scrapbook

This Sunday I volunteered to represent MIH at a Methodist church service.  Apparently they requested that a few students attend the service to talk about their church experiences in their home countries.  What the church will be getting is an American and an Australian... not exactly the most exciting combo at least in my mind.  I guess its still hard to think of myself as an international student.  International students should come from exotic locales and Georgia just doesn't feel "different" enough.  So the last day and a half I've been thinking about the experiences I've had in the United Methodist Church, basically since infancy though I've decided to focus on the last few years (missionary experience and such).  They also asked that we bring any "artifacts"- actually their word not mine- that we may have to share.  Since I do really have a whole lot of material artifacts I could share, I decided to put together a quick slideshow to loop throughout the morning.  I've actually had lots of fun going through photos again.  Finding ones I remember taking in Fargo and then Baldwin, remembering the different events in Georgia before I moved here.  Its cathartic to reassess my life over the last few years in this way.  Reminds me of the blessings, things I should remain thankful for.  Not sure if the photos will make much since to people who haven't lived through the events with me... maybe they'll think their exotic. [smile] 

Speaking of blessings, today is my beautiful grandmother's birthday.  I don't think she would mind me telling you that she is 80.  The women in our family don't tend to freak out about telling their age.  I think my Grammy would say that there is no reason not to share her age because each year has added so much to the joy of her life experience.  That's one of the things I love about her and hope that I can inherit.  She loves people so fully and with such amazing joy and compassion.  I love that I share her name.  The photo above is the most perfect of the two of us together, but I love it because I think we've sat on a porch together talking or not talking, sometimes both intently reading more than any other place.  Love you Grammy and Happy Birthday!

Just, Margaret