Week 40 (written basically on week 41 hah)

Well I left Redding for good on March 8! My last week at work was challenging because we had a lice outbreak-->ALL of the "troubled teen" program got lice from a girl we had gotten two months ago. My girls and I and a few other staff went to the laundromat on Sunday and washed all of the bedding and clothing of the lice-girls :) heh. We didn't find out till Wednesday that all of my girls got lice too :( disgusting. I am assuming they got it when they were doing the laundry... I don't know when else they would have.... I DO NOT HAVE LICE!!! Thank. Jesus. (Seriously) I am thinking I did not get the nastynasts because I only wash my hair every 3rd day and lice like clean hair not dirty hair. I have also heard they don't like coconut...not sure how reliable that is but if they don't, the fact that I put coconut oil on my hair probably also prevented me from obtaining the parasitic-nasties.--Not sure you wanted to know that much about my hair hygiene but eh, whatever.

Telling the girls I was leaving was really hard. They were very upset. It makes me sad to think about it still.

One of my girls--the girl that has been in the program the longest--graduated from high school on Wednesday. She worked SO freaking hard, so it was really good to see her finish.

I am really relieved to be home and not there anymore. At first, I felt really guilty about that but, honestly, I KNOW God had me there and I KNOW He took me out of there so I have no need for the guilt.

The freaky thing about the timing of my leaving is that I left on the day that made my time there total 40 weeks... 40 weeks in the wilderness... hmm... sound familiar?! Like the Israelites 40 YEARS in the wilderness?!?? Like what I have felt like God was doing the ENTIRE time I was in the wilderness-->teaching me that He is the one who gives me life, not church, family, friends (I had those in the "wilderness"...), church, a man, church... did I mention CHURCH!!! AHH!

On my drive home I listened to a sermon from last sunday by my church at home (Grace EV Free) and it just happened to be about God leading the people out of the wilderness into the Promised Land. Hmm.... Hmmmmm.... Interesting.

I know ultimately that the promised land God is leading me (us) towards is Heaven, but I also believe that God has been working hard core on my dependance on Him the last 9 months for a reason (for many reasons). I am excited to see what those are.

On Sunday, a friend was praying with me and she said that she felt that God was saying that I will see the restoration and healing of people for the rest of my life (the word "restore" or "restorer" has been brought up by God a lot in regards to His "call" on my life) but this season is essential for that process. I need to let God unfold His plan as He will, when He will and I will be overwhelmed by His goodness.

I found out today that I got the job at Biola!!!! WOOOO!!!!!!! I am really excited :) I start Monday!