I have a hard time choosing what my favorite aspect of my job is — I mean, I love the administrative side of what I do but I also love the ministry side as well.  I love the times when I’m watching a lot of girls run into a sleepover and I also love the times I run into one of them on aisle 12 at Wal-Mart.  I really love the fact that I’ve never had two days just alike in the five years I’ve been doing Starlite. 

I’m still feeling kind of out of it, so I gave up on working in an actual office around lunchtime and decided to set up shop in my bed.  There’s a reason we have laptops, you know.  Late in the afternoon, I got a call from one of our long-term leaders, Laura.  Her boyfriend, whom you may remember from recent posts, had gone to our University’s health center because he hadn’t been feeling well.  After passing out twice in the exam room, the on-campus doctor gave Laura strict instructions to take him directly to the emergency room.

As soon as Laura told me the news, I headed out the door — despite the fact that I was wearing leg warmers.  And that reminds me — why do these leg warmers look really cute when my roommate wears them but they look fairly ridiculous on me?  Can anyone help me with that? 

Anyway.  So straight to the hospital and back to exam room 10.  I go to the emergency room at our local hospital fairly often to be with our girls — both college and not.  I know the nurses’ names, especially those who have a kid in one of our programs.  I can always get them to hook me up with extra ice chips.  Perks of being in ministry, ya’ll. 

Chris had been hooked up to an IV and was doing much better but was pretty sleepy from some medicine they had given him.  After several minutes of cajoling, he and I finally convinced Laura to go with me to the hospital cafeteria to get some dinner.  She wasn’t happy about it but I knew she needed to eat — and have a few minutes to talk.

After a quick survey of the hospital cafeteria food choices, we decided on pre-packaged cereal with a side of ice cream.  We found a quiet booth in the back and began talking right away.  Over the next half hour, we talked about everything: her worries about Chris being so sick, stress she was feeling about having to miss an important night class to be at the hospital, etc.  We also talked about the normal stuff — well, boys.  Hers and mine.  And, what to do with them.  ‘Cause if there is one universal truth, it is that boys are c-o-n-to-the-fusing. 

Mom, that’s confusing.  Just making sure you understand.

At some point in the conversation, Laura suddenly said “This is like our very own one-on-one time together!  We haven’t had a chance to just talk in so long.”  She’s right.  All of our schedules are so busy and conflicting that we don’t always get to sit down with each other and just talk.  Even though I hated that Chris was so sick, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that chance to just sit and have girl talk with Laura. 

We weren’t doing anything major.  No massive sleepovers in the ICU ward of the hospital.  No evangelism in the pre-natal hallway.  Just having some Frosted Flakes and listening to the heart of a junior in college who is bound to change her world and the world around her.  Just listening to her talk about her boyfriend and her family and her paper that’s due next week.

And there, in that booth?  That’s exactly what God wants from me, I think.  He doesn’t need me to slip off my leg warmers and head out to do some big exploit for Him tonight.  I suspect He’d like for me to just pour some milk on my Cheerios and tell Him about my day, about what’s upsetting me and even about That Boy. 

I make it so complicated sometimes.  Good thing there’s some extra milk in the fridge tonight and a spoon calling my name.  I wonder if He prefers Fruit Loops or Corn Pops?