A Day in Asheville.

I’m sitting in Asheville, NC looking out the window at the grey, wet street while the sounds of jazz ring in my ears. This run down, sort of disturbing area has this sweet tone to it. It is very much bohemian sheik.

While eating a Lemon Bavarian dessert with fresh raspberries and sipping an extremely strong café latte’ I am brought back to my evening in Paris two summers ago. As gloomy as it might be here, there is a hint of summer in the breeze.

This is a much needed break from my life. To be here where nobody knows who I am. To them, I am just a girl in the brown sweater typing away on her computer about “only God knows what.” … although I do not know what opinion of me they have created in their mind, to me I feel that I look like a food critic (something I’ve always wanted to be), typing up my opinions of their dessert and coffee…. This is most definitely needed at this time in my life.

I have struggled lately with the impending close of this life chapter. I imagine that graduation day will be very difficult for me to get through. There are so many unknowns and yet life doesn’t pause and let you work through the details. The same responsibilities are still there no matter how long you try to avoid them; they won’t disappear.
I’ve been relishing lately on how big this chapter of my life has been, this being the chapter of college. It has been far greater than the previous eighteen years of my life and I just don’t know how to close it. The best way I can describe it is this way:

There is no way to avoid closing this chapter in my life. I am so afraid of turning the page, and yet I am dying to know what is on the other side.

This is where I have needed to call upon Christ; my strength and hope. I do not know the details; I only know what I learn each passing day. I know my desires and have been discouraged by trying to figure out the way to attain them… yet, God brings me back to Himself and I fall at His feet in need or surrender. Sometimes, it is day to day. Other times, it is hour by hour. Truly, it is a constant battle… but the comforting thought is this:

I belong to the Victor!

And so, I am about to head back to this house in Asheville where I am spending one more night, and then back to the school where I am teaching one more day. I’ll pack my bags and head back to Columbia to the life that will shortly end; a life of deadlines, books, friends and cafeteria food. As dull as that may sound, I pray it doesn’t go too fast and I pray to savor the moment- receiving all of it’s benefits and cherishing the moment I’m in.

In a short period of time real life will set in and the life of a grown up I’ll be living.
The strength of the Lord will be needed in more ways than one.