Blue Baby Needs a Makeover

Today I detailed my car.

Which for me, just means I washed her really well, inside and out. I actually had some thoughts for a post about the sexual implications of washing your car...how you know all the blemishes intimately and must take great attention to detail in order for the washing to be truly effective. Etc... But I won't go there completely. I plan to keep this blog all-ages appropriate, so there's a bit of a teaser for you. I'll go more in detail if you care to ask me sometime. (Thank goodness I'm about to leave for Germany Tuesday. Maybe people will have forgotten to ask by the time I return in August.)

Anyways...what I did notice about my sad precious was that she is in desperate need of a makeover.

First, a bit of history. I got my Volkswagen Jetta (that's right...she's German) at the end of my Junior year of highschool. After more than a year of rocking the soccer-mom-minivan, my parents upgraded me to my pretty. Really, giving me a new car was a huge deal because we've never really had the money to do that sort of thing, and I really wasn't pushing for it. Long-story short, I now own my full-on dream car. She's exactly what I wanted, and I completely didn't deserve her (there's a salvation analogy for you..) I gave her a name, Blue Baby, which holds less meaning than Stanislavski to a twenty-two year old trailer-park mother of three for anyone reading this. Another one of those ask-me-later things.

Well Blue Baby is now nearing the ripe old age of 39 (considering the turn-over rate of American automobiles, I feel that they should be aged in months...at least till further notice when someone comes up with a formula for "car years"). Despite her newfound home in LA...or perhaps because of it, she's starting to show some flaws: a key scratch here, a ding there, and so forth. Clearly, these are all purely cosmetic. But this is LA. And I'm starting to feel that with the proliferation of high definition television and Botox, she could use a bit of work. I'm not talking major plastic surgery or anything...just a few minor procedures here and there.

It's funny how these things don't seem so visible until you pull out the magnifying mirror or someone captures a candid shot from an awkward angle. Yet another post topic.

Alas, being a poor college student, I will have to save and wait patiently until I have the opportunity to clean her up some. It's too bad that I can't throw her a birthday party and collect gift money...or write to Oprah to have these things taken care of. For now, I guess the best case scenario is to stick to dark corners, Blanche-style...or see if anyone has come up with a good concealer. I'll try Google.

Prayer Support Letter for Germany

Here's the letter I sent out to people this morning. Just in case I forgot some people (because I know I probably did), I figured I'd post it on here for all of my blog readers. I know I've been lame lately about posting my new and bizarro theories and epiphanies, but life has been so crazy recently. Expect many exciting stories on the 8th when I return.

To Those I Love…

Countdown to Germany is only a couple more days, and I’m starting to really get excited!! For those of yall who weren’t aware, I am returning to Germany again this summer to participate in Sprachcamp, an English-speaking camp for teenagers where German students come to practice their English in a Christian environment with American counselors. Last year’s camp was such an incredible experience for me, and I am continually amazed at how the Lord has further blessed me in this ministry. This year, Bel Air Presbyterian, the church here in LA that is sending us, asked me to lead the team. Of course I feel ridiculously inadequate, but I’m stoked about how God can work through me. We will be working with several other churches around the US under our camp director Mitch Bernay, and many of the students I met last year will be returning. I get to see a bunch of my old friends!

The planning stages have gone really well, and my team is a wonderful collection of men and women from all walks of life. Thanks so much to those who have encouraged and prayed for me in this part of the process. Now that the logistics are in place—we have tickets, I found my passport, my laundry is washing as we speak—I get to the fun part. Here’s where I’d like to ask for your help. Because I’m leading the trip, Bel Air has paid for all my expenses, which was a complete answer to prayer. That means that I can write letters just to tell yall how fabulous God is without having to add that part about money. What I would like, though, is much more important to me anyway—your prayers. As with any trip, safety for me and the team is clearly important, but in addition to that, here are some things that I would specifically appreciate prayer for:

• Wisdom to lead the team well, since I may be in charge of making some decisions that concern the California team (luckily, Mitch will be calling most of the shots).
• Openness from the counselors and German students—that we will build relationships and provide them a safe place to share their struggles.
• Spiritual growth within our team.
• My emotional health—as the trip comes closer, I’m starting to really feel Satan attacking me at this weak point. I’m on some medications that will help. I know that I will be fine, but I just don’t want that to be a hindrance to my time with the Germans. Please pray that Satan won’t be able to take me out of the game.

Thank yall so much! I cannot express how much it means to me to have so many incredible men and women of God behind me as I head over there. I’ll be leaving LAX this Tuesday, the 18^th at 7:30 AM and won’t return until the evening of August 8^th. Mostly likely, I will not be anywhere near a computer, so don’t be offended if you don’t hear from me. I’ll send out a full report when I get back.

In His Blessed Name,

Meredith Cooper