Happy Birthday USA!

LAST WEEK  As you might've noticed, I haven't posted anything regarding last week. It's been a while so I won't recall details but there were things to celebrate.

• I was invited to the house of one of the ladies at church and had an awesome time. We had a bonfire and roasted hot dogs and s'mores. The highlight of the evening was watching her Evening Primrose bush blossom at around 8 pm. It was quite the view!
• We were invited as interns to the house of someone from the executive team and had a blast! We were able to hear of the couple's experiences as they traveled the world and the ways God has been working in them.
• With a few interns we went to Celebrate Lancaster. A whole street was blocked with food trucks and music, celebrating Lancaster's 275th Anniversary.
• I was able to have my first days at the part-time job! I'm going to be completely honest, it's tiring. I enjoy it though, there is always something to do and since I am a morning person, I am able to finish work early and have time for a nap and the other activities of the day.
• We began celebrating Independence Day on Sunday at Long's Park with an orchestra playing in the background. It was the busiest event I had ever seen here in Lancaster.

THIS WEEK  God was amazing and gave me a great gift for this Independence Day. My friend Megan, a fellow accounting intern at HOPE, was kind to invite me to join her in this adventure. On Monday, I received great news, which I will share shortly. Lastly, I was able to receive different recommendations for body shops in the area and thankfully was able to get a quote at a bargain price.

4TH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS  I was so surprised to see so many celebrations happening before and during the 4th of July! I had never seen a more patriotic state than Pennsylvania (then again, I haven't lived in another state other than Florida). Either way, many students from different parts of the country noted that they had never been to so many firework shows as they have been while in Pennsylvania.

We began our adventure on Monday right after work. We drove to Megan's grandmother's house and then went to the lake where the fireworks were being held. The whole town came for the event and the street was lined with all kinds of food trucks. I was able to try the famous "Farm Show" milkshakes as well as hamburgers and fries.

I don't know if this is just a Pennsylvania Dutch thing but Megan showed me that here they like to put vinegar on fries and then put ketchup. It sounds a little strange but it tastes really good!

The fireworks were beautiful. It was great to see their reflection on the lake and to see the variety in the show. As soon as it was over, we ran to the car and drove to State College.

Megan studies in Penn State and is part of a group called Disciple Makers who were hosting a picnic on the 4th of July. One of her friends, who recently became a staff, invited us to stay over at her apartment. We were able to enjoy her cooking skills and in return helped her pack and move furniture as she prepared to move out.

It was so nice to have the opportunity to meet Megan's friends and to be on her campus. Penn State is beautiful!

At the picnic, I was able to meet the staff and make friendships with the freshman that were staying for the summer. It reminded me of the many outreach events we have hosted at FIU and the openness to conversation and relationships.

Being there brought nostalgia and it weighed on me that I won't be on campus this upcoming year. It was cool to see the many things we have in common (Intervarsity and Disciple Makers) as well as learn from our differences.

Once it was time for the fireworks, we walked to a hill nearby the stadium and enjoyed the show. I don't think I have ever seen such an intense fireworks display! It lasted 45 minutes and it was amazing. One of the cool things was that the local radio stations play music that is in sync with the fireworks.

Because the drive would've been long and tiring after the fireworks show, we had asked our managers previously to have Wednesday off. We are glad we did. By the time we came back to the apartment, we knocked out and rested.

Wednesday was great as I was able to tour the headquarters of Disciple Makers and meet the different staff. We later went to eat at Original Waffle Shop as well as ice cream from the Berkey Creamery. I didn't know this but Ben & Jerry's ice cream makers were students at Penn State. Either way, the creamery is full of dairy foods, including the very delicious Arboretum Breeze Ice Cream, a heavenly mix of mint vanilla, chocolate chips, and raspberry swirl.

To top it all off, we walked at the Arboretum and enjoyed the wonderful flowers and plants. We then returned back to the apartment and helped pack and move furniture. We took a little break and then drove to Hummelstown and made it just in time for Megan's worship team rehearsal.

I was able to read and journal on all the experiences lived. We ended the day at Megan's house where I met her parents and enjoyed of the hospitality and coziness a family has to offer.

GREAT NEWS Last week Thursday I was contacted by one of the many companies I was applying for when I get back to Miami. I was able to interview with them through Google Hangouts on Friday and received news on Monday that I got the job!

I would be helping the accounting department with their accounts payable as well as getting trained for different areas as they see fit. In the interview I was able to meet my supervisor and enjoyed seeing an environment open to teaching and trying new things.

This is amazing news! I was surprised to see that I was being interviewed and considered within a few days of sending my application and weeks before coming back to Miami. I see it as a confirmation that these are the steps God is leading me to.

CONCLUSION  After work on Friday, my neck and shoulder muscles tensed up and having been hurting since. I wake up in the mornings with my shoulder and neck in pain but as the day goes on, the pain dwindles and seems to be nonexistent. Please pray that it get better with the upcoming days.

I am currently waiting for the parts needed for the replacement of my car's headlights and fender to arrive. Please pray that the service is done in a timely manner as well as that it restores my car.

I leave with this passage from Psalm. I read it last week in my devotional and then lead a study with the interns on it. It has served as a reminder of the way Scripture is and it's immense value and worth in my life:

Psalm 19: 7-11

The law of the Lord is perfect,

    reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure,

    making wise the simple;

8 the precepts of the Lord are right,

    rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure,

    enlightening the eyes;

9 the fear of the Lord is clean,

    enduring forever;

the rules of the Lord are true,

    and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold,

    even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey

    and drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;

    in keeping them there is great reward.

At the flower watching party

Sunday Fireworks

Fireworks by the lake

Fireworks by the lake

Fireworks by the lake

Penn State

Picnic

Getting ready for fireworks

Disciple Makers HQ

Original Waffle Shop

Berkey Creamery

Arboretum walk