The Fabulous Girls of SC at Fall Retreat

We definitely made an awesome showing this year at retreat, and from experiencing Dena's first smore (granted, it was sort of fake--we had to use the microwave to make them) to getting a play by play of the Notre Dame game from Inge's sister on her cell, it was for sure a success and a great time of bonding with each other and with all the Quest-ers. I wish we could have all gone.

This weekend was especially good for me, as it came right between my two weeks of midterms. (I'm currently procrastinating on studying for my next one and finishing the take-home essays for today's...are we surprised?) It was such an excellent time of rest and fellowship. As the passage for the weekend came from John 15, I really got to experience abiding in Christ in a real way...few distractions and the solitude of nature. Here are my personal highlights...

*I met this guy named Grant who definitely went to Texas A&M, so we had this great College Station moment talking about places we liked to go. It was sort of dorky--yet way cool.

*There really is nothing like gloating about our AMAZING last-second victory in front of a bunch of Bruins...

*It snowed on Sunday, which was unbelievably cold, especially for little retard-me who didn't really pack for winter-esque weather. But I sucked it up and danced around in the falling flakes anyway.

*On a more God-level, I really enjoyed our small group time, especially the last time we met. We each shared a way in which we could testify personally to God working in our lives--this could probably warrant a new entry, but I'll just sum mine up in this one anyway...
For those that have heard my testimony, I've been through all sorts of crazy and gross drama--most everything you can think of, short of major drug addiction and jail time. But when I look at my life, those things don't really stand out as prominently as the fact that God has been so good to me. No matter what kinds of things I go through, God has constantly and consistently blessed me. He's there when it gets hard, and He is always surprising me with things I don't deserve: opportunities, material things, friends, and so on. So in all the yuck, I can still firmly stand on the truth that God is good. I hate my body and all the issues that come with it...but God is good. I hate how guys have treated me in the past...but God is so good. It's a peace and joy that I really wish I could pass on to other people.

*Saturday night's talk was really cool as well. At the end Lyndsey started setting up chairs and bowls of water, and, after being at Bel Air for a year now, I knew what was coming. I've done feet-washings a couple of times in my life...it's always a really bizarre experience. When Rhett got done talking, they invited the Bible study leaders and servant team up first, then we were given the opportunity to turn around and wash the others' feet. Something you have to understand about me in order to really get this--I HATE feet. That's only mostly true, I hate most feet. I think my feet are kind of cute. (I don't know if this makes me vain or just plain weird) But most feet I think are just gross or weird looking or some other negatively connotated term. However, when it comes to washing other people's feet, my personal biases go completely out the window. The idea of serving someone in such an intimate way is soo cool to me. I hate the idea of someone washing my feet (cute or not), but I don't mind serving someone else. But I knew that I had to humble myself to get my feet washed before I could wash someone else. It was awkward and uncomfortable, but it really gave me some insight into how the disciples must have felt when Jesus washed their feet. I felt really weird having Lyndsey (my Bible study leader and the women's intern at Quest) wash my feet just because I still kind of see her as my superior--but seriously, what would it have been like to have God Himself humbled at your feet, washing them--especially if you have uber-nasty feet like the disciples who walked everywhere in sandals. Whoa. I might have had a hernia. Who am I that the Creator of the universe would humble Himself to serve me...to die for me?

*Finally, the best God-moment was Saturday morning when we were all given the "assignment" to go off alone for 45 minutes with God. I found a big rock that sat high above part of a trail and looked out to the trees and mountain skyline. Wrapped up in my Mexican blanket, I let the strong winds blow the hair around my face--it was all a bit transcendent and so beautiful. The wind kept ripping through the trees in gusts and it reminded me of this passage:
1 Kings 19:11-12--"Then He said, 'Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice..."
So I sat there for a while, pondering the command, "Be still, and know that I am God," and listening for a still small voice. After living for a year in the middle of South Central Los Angeles, I have learned to appreciate nature in a very real sense. As I sat admiring the beauty of God's creation--I heard it. That still small voice. It wasn't audible, but it was very real. You know that voice inside your head that most people call their conscience? I think that's exactly how the Holy Spirit speaks to Christians. Well that voice, which I firmly believe is God's Spirit within me, said very clearly, "Meredith, if you think My creation is beautiful, imagine how beautiful I am." I totally got chills. I can't even imagine what it will be like to look on the face of God. Crazy.

Overall, lots of laughter and tears (it's not a good retreat unless somebody cries...), pictures, and memories that will last forever.

And with that ridiculously cheesy last line, I'm done for the night.