All things work together for good...

Wow. Looking back on this weekend, God’s timing was just perfect. It might sound strange to you and it didn’t feel great at all yesterday either, but everything was perfect!

I’m about to rewrite this blog entry though because I realized that I was (again) more writing about how awfully terrible yesterday was than about how everything worked out for the (…my!) good. Yep, I was sick. It started Friday night with a sore throat and after church on Sabbath my head felt like exploding and I think I had a bit of a fever, too, since my eyes were burning. I had already skipped supper on Friday and decided I was better off also skipping lunch on Sabbath. God (had) provided a perfect meal for me though. On Friday, I had bought some food (granola, herbal tea, apple juice, crackers…) for the first time I’m here, but they didn’t have fruit in the little shop across the street. So going home from church on Sabbath, I decided I would just stick to tea and apple juice. When I entered our room, the grandmother of my roommate Daniela was there and gave me a whole bag of apples and peaches. I was so thankful!

Being sick, I was also able to skip Sabbath afternoon and evening activities without terribly complicated explanations. The dean was so nice to just ask me if I needed anything and then accepted my assurance that I had everything I needed and that I didn’t need any pills or a doctor. Actually, I would have loved to join the others. They were going on a hike in the mountains and the weather was beautiful, but I had my reasons why I preferred not to go this hike… When the girls had finally left around 3pm, I just enjoyed the silence. I cooked some more tea, used it for giving my face a steam bath since my nose started to act up, slept, drank tea and water and around 5pm, I had the idea to take my (Therm-a-rest air) mattress and my sleeping bag and to sleep outside in the patio (see pic).

When the girls came back, they looked at me like I was crazy, but I didn’t care. They could scream and slam doors inside the dorm; outside it was just half as bad. When they went to supper, I ate an apple and crackers, drank some apple juice and still felt a bit sick and weak but completely content. Before they returned, I crawled back into my sleeping back outside and stayed there… the whole night. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds, but God knew how much I needed that night outside so I guess he blinded the deans’ eyes when they locked all three doors. My roommate Daniela had tried to convince me to come in before (without success), but I’m so thankful she (nor anybody else) didn’t tell on me. I actually didn’t know that they would lock all three doors, but I found out one by one. God had made me taking everything I would need outside before though. Toilet paper, mp3-player, tea, a flash light, mosquito repellent… and most amazingly: that thing you get in the plane to cover your eyes with so you can sleep in spite of light.

It was a clear night and I enjoyed listening to a sermon and watching the stars at the same time. When I wanted to go back in to the bathroom, I realized that the door to the part of the high school students was locked. The middle door was locked as well, so I tried the door of the part for the university students and was happy to find it open. I tiptoed into the bathroom and crawled back into my sleeping bag. I watched the stars, talked to God and suddenly felt that my nose was completely ok. I was so happy and thankful that I didn’t mind the terrible beginning of the day anymore. It had been worth it! I felt free!! Around 4am, it started to rain. That was when I found out that they had locked the third door, too. There was one spot with kind of a roof though; just wide and long enough for my mattress. It was the spot where we do our laundry. The only problem: the terribly bright light there that you can only switch off from the inside. That was when it dawned on me why God had made me take that “cover-your-eyes” thing outside (for actually no apparent reason).

Today, it rained the whole day, too. It might sound like bad weather, but I discovered that it isn’t that bad after all since it means that nobody is outside on the soccer fields and sport facilities. I got to go on a walk there for over an hour, taking an apple, peaches, oatmeal biscuits and crackers with ketchup for lunch and listening to part 2 and 3 of the sermon series I had started last night. I almost feel completely healthy again, but even more important: blessed and strengthened to start into a new week and into the adventure of being a real student at UAB.

I wish all of you a happy and blessed new week, too. And don’t forget: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:38) Sometimes it only takes a day and we can see it. Other times, it takes (a lot) longer. But God is faithful! I’m trying to trust him. I’m getting better =)

Have a great week,
maria