...or you can let it come to you.

[This is the second of two posts that center around my recent vocational discernment. If you haven't read part one, jump over here first!]

Then, in January, I started this work in Admissions. This work that involves entering data into a difficult-to-navigate database, learning an endless stream of acronyms, and plenty of paper cuts.

This work that involves walking with others as they discern God's call in their lives, matching prospective students with current students who are eager to share their experiences, and being surrounded by an incredibly gifted team every day.

And then, less than three weeks after this dream-job interview, I became sure that God can call us to more than one thing.

So, until May 2013, I will live into this new knowledge by serving as the Associate Director of Admissions right here, at the seminary that has helped me understand the breadth and depth of serving God. It's funny: I have been so eagerly anticipating the end of my life as a full-time student, all the while dreading the thought of leaving this community. God so fully, fully provides.

At my endorsement interview last April, the pastor who was then serving as an Assistant to the Bishop (who is, in a delightful twist of fate, my new boss) recommended that I consider the possibility of serving in campus ministry at some point in my career. I was overjoyed at this suggestion, because at its heart, campus ministry entails walking alongside young adults as they figure out what it means to follow God's leading, to fully live into the vocations to which they have been called, and that aspect of ministry has always excited me. During the next chapter of my life, I will get to do exactly that, but with young adults, "regular" adults (whatever that means!), and even much older adults, all of whom are God's beloved children. In a roundabout way, this is precisely what I have always felt God calling me to do, it just looks a little different than I imagined. And it, too, feels like home.

I feel incredibly privileged to be able to serve in this capacity for the next two years. This call will afford me the opportunity to travel around the country to engage in conversation about discernment and hear the different and beautiful ways in which God calls God's people to public ministry. And when I return from these excursions, I will settle back into life on the Ridge and remember why I came here in the first place: because I so clearly see God at work here, and that, my friends, gives me great hope.

NB: The titles for this post and the one before it come from Sometimes a Beggar by Caedmon's Call, off of their latest album, Raising Up The Dead. Good stuff.

My relationship with coffee

One of the things you'll probably read here is me whining complaining talking about is my lack of a steady income. I know, I'm in school right now, that is my job (thanks mom). But nobody is paying me to sit in a classroom and write papers and the like. I consider this to be a tragedy, but the federal government does not seem to agree.

I've been looking for ways to support my shopping habits (there is a Gap Outlet four miles from here. FOUR MILES, people!) and oh yeah, those loans I'm going to have to be accountable for come November 2011. I got a once-a-week babysitting gig with possibly the most pleasant baby I have ever encountered, so really, I would do it for free, but once again: GAP OUTLET. Luckily, a few weeks ago, the Admissions office asked me to essentially be the Seminary Weekend work study for the next few weeks. Between now and said weekend, I am working about 15 hours total putting together folders, stuffing welcome bags (um, they are awesome...each participant gets a sweet backpack with Utz chips, Snyder's of Hanover pretzels, a Hershey bar, York peppermint patties and Mott's apple juice...jealous), printing nametags, loading up Admissions USB drives, and pretty much anything else Admissions wants. Then, during that weekend, I belong to Admissions. But they're paying me pretty well, so I'm not complaining. Plus, I get to set my own hours, it's really low stress, and I love the people I work with. Excellent deal.

Anyway, while I am putting applications and brochures into folders and salivating over the contents of the bookbags, I have a lot of time to think. Hopefully, this will result in engaging and well-developed blogs. Or maybe just a lot of random subjects that I don't have time to think about otherwise. You are getting one of those delightfully random posts today.

Today, I dedicate my post to coffee. Here at the seminary, we semi-jokingly refer to it as the Third Sacrament (the other two being bread and wine...come to think of it, if you combine all three, that might be a nice hangover remedy). We drink coffee all. the. time. The seminary is a pretty small place, so there aren't any food shops on campus or anything like that, but you had better believe we have our own honor-system coffee shop. Every morning, the coffee shop coordinator makes a few pots of coffee (and we've gone totally fair trade!) and students come down, get a cup of coffee and hang out a little before class. The running price of such good coffee and fellowship? A mere $.50! And for a travel mug? Only $.75! A total bargain, especially when you consider that it's all fairly traded. Take that, Starbucks (just kidding, I still love you).

So here comes the confession: I kind of hate coffee. But I kind of love flavored creamer and sweetener. And my God, when you add those to that black death, it is the greatest thing ever. People make fun of me because my coffee usually ends up looking like this:

credit

Or maybe a little lighter. Sometimes, it kind of looks like I'm just drinking creamer. But I'm not, I promise. Also, can you show me someone who regularly drinks their coffee on a white tablecloth with a full sugar bowl framed by freshly cut flowers? How unrealistic.

Anyway, so yes, I love to drink some coffee with my cream and sugar. Because as repulsive as coffee is by itself, as soon as you add some CoffeeMate Hazelnut creamer and two packets of Equal (or Sweet-n-Low, if I'm in a pink mood), oh my God. It is the greatest drink ever created.

I think part (read: most) of my coffee obsession lies in the fact that it is heavily caffeinated. Hi, my name is Julie, and I am addicted to caffeine. The little caffeine monkey on my back commands me to consume this so-good-it-should-be-illegal drug prior to 9:00 a.m., or else it takes control of my ability to function, and I am in a zombie-like trance until lunch. A few times I've drank soda in the morning, trying to mix it up and eliminate the calories that come with creamer. But it just doesn't feel right to be drinking a cold, carbonated drink before lunch. Because coffee is hot, it is the perfect remedy for chilly mornings. And in the summer, you can pour it over ice (side note: right now, please make some coffee, let it cool off, pour it into ice cube trays, freeze, and then use it to make iced coffee. AMAZING.) and have your own little trendy drink. Perf.

All this to say: I freaking love coffee. I drink it every day. Sometimes, I drink a cup while I'm getting ready and then fill my travel mug before class. And on a really long day, I'll refill that mug after class. With plenty of creamer. Fat-free Hazelnut is my default, because it is so delicious (one day, I will make a list of all the delicious hazelnut-flavored items in my life), but I do like to mix it up. Irish Creme is a close second, with Amaretto coming in next. Which reminds me, I also love coffee after dinner, especially when it comes with some Frangelico, Bailey's or Disarrono. Maybe that explains my favorite creamers.

Wow, this was a really long post just to exhort my passion for hot caffeine. I'll try to make my life more interesting for my (now two!) readers. Speaking of which: hi M! Welcome to my blog. I hope you like coffee :]