Right now. Right this very second….I am very thankful for my life. The stress of these past few weeks of this semester, with preparing grad school applications, raising support, and continuing the work of being an intern, not to mention my own sinful nature, have prevented me from sitting for a bit to think about just how dadgum thankful I am to be where I am and do what I love to do. But at 5:19 in my little apartment dimly lit by lamps and twinkle lights on the wall and tree, apple cider, and music by Good Old War on my computer have given me a nice atmosphere to do just that.

But I really didn’t sit down and decide to think much about it. As I was semi-consciously listening to “my own sinking ship” by said band and attempting to beat my co-intern in words with friends, all of the sudden, I felt really, acutely thankful.

I think it’s because the singer said something about somebody’s story. Then I thought about my story. And how I’ve gotten to spend a year and a half in freaking Charlottesville, Virginia. As MUCH as this place feels like home, I do not feel terribly far removed from August of 2009, when I made the big move. Or even late March of 09 when I found out I was coming to UVA without even having the slightest clue what town that might be in.

And what struck me is this: I essentially contributed nothing. Seriously. There is VERY little about my life here that I added to myself. Here are the facts: I was put at UVA, given money to live and work by VERY generous people, given girls to love, given a staff team for whom I am so thankful, and even given a place to live with roommates without whom I could not have survived. And all of this has been very, very good.

At our last staff lunch of the semester today, we were talking about the placement process for 2 of our future interns. This, of course, made me reminisce about my placement process. In thinking about my story, it’s true that it’s really beautiful in what it is….but it’s also beautiful in what it is not. There are LOTS of other campuses where I could have been placed. There are people in those towns with whom I could have been friends. And Jesus would have been just as much as work there as he is here. But none of those are true. None of those are what really happened.

This is what actually happened. I am only, and can ever only be, right. here. Where I am supposed to be.

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