Celtic Tidings

Murlough beach

Murlough beach

Murlough beach

Today was splendid, we got to sleep in and Grace and I discovered Truffles really isn't a coffee shop. Truffles is right across the street from our flat and we thought it was just a coffee shop however, its more of a restaurant, I ended up getting French Toast to go.. which meant not having syrup when I got home but still very good.  

It is very much a different culture here, and I notice it a lot counting money and today when we didn't know what the protocol was on how to order at Truffles and so on. I also asked if they did To Go orders.. its called Take Away here. Last night the girls and I (my 4 roommates) went and got some groceries and I bought a magazine. In America, I do not think twice about handing over the correct amount of change. Here it is a whole other story. 

I feel like I can now really can relate to people who have moved to the U.S. from other countries who have problems with American currency. It is a humbling experience to have to figure out  how much money to give a person during a transaction. When paying for my magazine, I literally began to panic and fret about the change. The cashier even offered to count it for me. So, for people who have said that I wouldn't have to worry about much culture shock. They're wrong. I do. Perhaps on a smaller scale had I been a YAV in Kenya, but it is there and it has kept me on my toes. 

Language has been interesting here too for me. I am very bad at picking up accents and it has been very trying at times to understand people. It reminded me of Orientation where a YAVA (YAV Alum) said she was exhausted everyday from just listening and trying to understand the language in Guatemala. I feel the same way too at, it's really an different feeling to not quite understand everything being said all the time. However, I have faith I will get better. 

After sleeping in and making a trip to the City Centre, Doug picked us up and took us to Loughinisland Cemetery, which was incredibly beautiful and was just so impressive to see how old the graves were and just be surrounded by so much history. It made me feel quite small in the world, but in a positive way. 

From Loughinisland Cemetery, Doug took us to Murlough Beach which was spectactular and breathtaking. Immediately reaching the beach we all took our socks off and ran into the Irish Sea. Yes, it was quite cold but also very refreshing. We had a service during Orientation where it was said that every time we come in contact with water we can remember that we are baptized in the name of the Lord and a child of God. 

Being in the water today brought me back to that service and brought me back to reality of being a child of God. And also God gave us this beautiful creation of Earth to enjoy and respect. 

In one of my photos you can see a dog (it's very small) and that dog became a metaphor for me today. His owner had brought him to the beach with him and his owner swam very far out in the ocean. At first the dog followed but soon it got too deep and perhaps cold for him to really follow. So he returned to the beach and stayed there, eyes locked on his owner, and whining. 

Eventually he wandered over to me ( as I hoped ) and sat next to me shaking from the cold and pining for his owner, who at this point was no longer visible (which also gave me great concern.) But I realized I am like the dog and the owner is like God.

As a child of God I yearn and pine for his presence in my life and sometimes ... or a lot of the time have to wait for him to "return." Much like the dog patiently sat there and waited for his owner and despite not always being able to see him, knew he was there and would be coming back to get him.  He was blindly trusting in his owner to still be out there, despite the rough sea and it's entirety.

I am the dog, patiently waiting and having a blind faith in God but all the while still knowing that he is there all the time no matter if I can see him or not.  For me it was a small moment and experience that had a much larger meaning for me and I found comfort in it. I hope this makes sense. 

I also really liked the dog and thought he was rather adorable. 

Tomorrow I go to Garnerville for the first time and I am really looking forward to meeting everyone and seeing the church I will be working at on Sunday.