My Life as a Wannabe Campus Pastor Part II

Last night a student asked me what it was like being on Chi Alpha Staff. I thought about it for a minute and replied, “Well, most of it is doing things you really don’t want to do, but as soon as you do, you’re happier than ever that you did.”

Today, as I was doing some random chores at our building, I ran across the perfect example:

Hope this one works.

 Still haven’t quite gotten the smell out of the bathroom…Joe thinks that maybe the ductape they used to block the leak may be soaked with tee. *Shrug* But that’s not the point.

…Gosh…this is my second post in a row about pee. I don’t mean to seem preoccupied with bathroom talk– I appologize.

My Life as a Wannabe Campus Minister Part I

Well, this time I won’t make a Duty list like I did with Applebees, cause this job really isn’t like that, but I do really wanna update the ones that wonder what in the world I’m doing up here.

…besides trying to gain back the ten pounds I lost during the summer! >.<

Really I’ve been putting all this off cause there’s just so much to write, and I don’t like making long entries. Let’s start with the people I work with for tonight.

Every morning at 9:00 a.m. I meet Joe (the boss), Stephanie (the “task-oriented” one), Brandon, and occasionally the lovely Janelle at our Chi Alpha building.

Working for Joe has been everything I expected and even better. Not too many surprises. I’m finding that technically I’ve already been working for Joe for the past 2 years as a student– it’s just that now I don’t have all that pesky school work distracting me. lol Joe is always really honest with me. I never have to wonder if I’m doing a good job cause if I’m not, I’ll immediately receive some constructive criticism. That sort of relationship makes me feel really secure so I’m happy.

Stephanie

 Well, Stephanie is also a missionary aid like me that graduated from Wintrop in May and now works for Joe. It’s actually kinda cool cause she started a chi alpha at her school and it’s still going. But I gotta be honest. When I first met her last Christmas and found out I’d be sharing Joe and Janelle with her during my internship, I didn’t feel like I’d enjoy that situation very much. Stephanie came across to me as really serious, and I was really afraid that she’d only perceive my sense of humor as immaturity– which my ego definitely cannot handle from most people. 

BUT

This semester I have learned that this girl…well…she completes me. ^_^

…No it’s true! It’s like…everything I’m bad at– she just happens to be good at! And where she tends to struggle is where I come in! We make the BEST team. I really trust her now…and am really blessed to have a new best friend. (I’ve really needed some female Clemson bffs for some time now) And she actually accepts me even when I’m being myself so I don’t even have to fake it with her which is SUCH a relief. (AAAAW!)

…okay to be honest with you, I’m at the Chi Alpha building using the internet by myself and it’s 11:30 p.m. Not that Clemson is not a super-safe community…it’s just that it’s a little quiet and weird in here. I should be getting back to the apartment. I will continue updating you on my job later. If this entry was kind of serious for you and you don’t care to hear the rest, avoid all entries called “My Life as a Wannabe Campus Minister.” Otherwise, you asked for it!

G’night. <3

What if I don’t like it?

Support Raising. It means that people who want to be pastors and missionaries and other ministry persons cannot earn their money on their own. They must seek financial support from the community so that others can have a part of the mission. And so we get so stressed out that it builds more character and coping alternatives. *Sigh* You know what? I was raised in the south to a family with a work ethic that would put John Smith to shame. Asking people for money instead of making it myself is torture. It is! It’s torture. Don’t get me wrong. Every time I’ve met with someone one-on-one to share testimonies and the nature of my mission field God’s made me so passionate about, I get really encouraged and excited to share. It’s just…the letters and the phone calls. I think I have phonophobia. What really trips me out is that this thing that I’m doing this summer…this daily trying to get a hold of people on the phone and thinking too much about what they might be thinking…we’re lookin at the rest of my life here. And loans! I have loans!!! Debt is…what is that??? I will soon know very well. >.<

I’m scared the stress of support raising will outweigh the joys of reaching out to students. Hm. That sounds pretty irrational, right? I’m always, always scared God’s gonna give me a life I hate. That’s been, like, my #1 struggle in life, actually. That’s just silly now that I see it on the monitor screen. Or is it?

PS: I start Apple bees on Tuesday!! I bought my black nonskid shoes today. Last size 5 1/2 in all the world I believe.