Funny story

So, Sunday night I helped orient a team from Westminster Presbyterian and didn't think anything of it until this afternoon. We have so many churches named westminster that come to Lagniappe. Anyways, you'll understand when I tell the story.
Yesterday, Us tool shed girls were washing and cleaning out the Lagniappe church vehicles when a frazzled Katie Rhea drives up, jumps out of her car, and shouts, "why doesn't anyone around here answer their phones?! I have a kid in the emergency room with a screw through his arm". Of course, I drop everything I'm doing and follow her into the office while she looks for his insurance card information. The first question I then ask is "what's his name?" which she then responds... "Joel May". What?! Then it all clicks. The church that checked in last night is indeed the Westminster Pres. where Tom May is pastor. For those of you who don't know the May family...Tom May was assisstant Pastor at my home church, Community Presbyterian, a little over 7 years ago. Funny thing is I talked to Joel in the lunch line right before the incident happened and for a split second thought he looked familiar but didn't think anything else of it after I walked away. By the way he is 14 years old and taller than me by far. Little Joel is so grown up. Scary!For those of you interested in how the screw went through his arm, here's the story. He was working on hanging drywall with his team and had a screw on the tip of his screwgun prepared to work, when he saw a wasp. Joel tried to dodge the wasp and in doing so bent the arm with the srewgun and forcing the screw into his other arm. Luckily, even though the screw went all the way into his arm, it just pierced through the skin so he only had to get a tetnis shot and bandage it up a bit. This was the first accident this summer but I'm sure I'll have more stories like this to come.

Heat!

This week I got to use a blow torch! I love working in the tool shed! We have been learning all about the tools. The first couple of times we were getting tools for the teams we had to ask them to come into the shed with us so they could show us which tools were which. And then on Saturday we were shown how to use a blow torch! We cut a bunch of rebar for a team that is working on laying a foundation and now all we have left to do is bend the rebar. It was so fun using the blowtorch! I felt so powerful!
Sunday we went to the beach after church and I got burned even though I put on SPF 30. The fun thing about Lagniappe is that we are a little over a mile from the beach and from downtown Bay St Louis. There aren’t many shops open downtown, but there are several cute ones that I hope to visit. Most importantly, there is a cute little coffee shop that we got gift certificates to on our first day here. There are some bikes in the back of the tool shed and one day when we aren’t so busy, I want to ride bikes downtown.
I'm trying to make myself go to bed by 10:30 so I won't be tired all day, but it is hard. I am much more of a night person than a morning person. All this to say, it is past my bedtime and I'm making myself go to sleep. Night Night!

"rah-rah"

Today was our first full day of working and I am so tired. Lights out time for the teams at Lagniappe is at 10pm and that rule doesn't really apply to interns. However, I am going to have to make myself go to bed early because I am not much of a morning person.
As interns, we are supposed to have "rah-rah" to energize the teams who come in on a weekly basis. In the mornings my "rah-rah" level on a scale from 1 to 10 is about a 1.3. I can force a smile but I prefer not to talk to anyone until I've had a couple of cups of coffee.
Some of the ideas we've had to boost the "rah-rah" in the tool crib is to have Karaoke days where you have to sing your favorite song in order to check out your tools. Another fun idea is bagpipe day, where one of the "crib girls", Danielle, will play her bagpipe and perform a little concert before they can get their tools. I'm pretty excited about all this but please let me know if you have any other ideas!

I'm here!!

Well, after several trials yesterday morning, Ruth Ann and I finally arrived at Lagniappe! We got here last night around 9pm unpacked some, met some of the other interns, and then crashed into bed. We got up this morning at 6:30 and have had orientation all morning. The next 3 days we will be having orientation, learning everything there is to know about Lagniappe's facilities, our jobs, and Bay St Louis. Well, my break is up and its time for lunch! I'll give more details later.

I just thought y'all might want to check out the intern blogspot now that it is open to the public. :)
http://lagniappeinterns2007.blogspot.com/.

I'm officially a junior!! I had my last final SATURDAY morning, yes on the weekend!, but it is over now. I'm so excited that I can focus most of my attention on getting ready for Lagniappe. I leave on May 22nd and I think we have a few days of intern training before the teams start coming. I've been talking with the other interns over a blog that was set up for us to get to know each other and they sound awesome! I can't wait to meet them in person!
Lately, the thing that God has been trying to teach me is that I don't know what is best for me. The verse that I have found comforting is Isaiah 55:8-9.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
What a relief to know that God has his own plan for my life and doesn't follow my faulty plans!