Unexpected Life

You know that feeling you get when you've been awake way too long, when your defenses go down and things just seem a little...sillier?

That's how I've felt all week.

Yesterday was ridiculous. I thought I was going to fall asleep on my keyboard. My eyes felt like grapes being squeezed by some sadistic giant. I couldn't focus. I couldn't work. I couldn't concentrate on anything of any significance.

What's the point of even being here? I wondered.

My plan today was to come in and watch episodes of New Girl in a back cubicle of the office.
That's how done I felt.

Then I checked my email.

In December of last year, I wrote a grant application for the creation of a farmer's market in my food-desert neighborhood. It was the first grant I ever wrote, and I did not think anything would come of it because it was my first one. I think I even botched some of the numbers on the budget.

Today when I opened my email I was greeted with a letter saying I had received the grant!

If there was any day I needed that encouragement, today was it. Being able to see that hours of my work are bearing fruit for the community projects I am invested in is such a beautiful feeling. Things are happening. Projects are moving forward.

In addition to that awesome news, my coworker, Krystal, has decided to adopt one of the stray dogs in the neighborhood!

There are dozens of stray dogs that roam the Fifth Ward, just waiting for someone to love on them. My roommate Taylor has a special heart for these dogs and is always trying to convince people she meets to adopt them. Well, today she convinced Krystal. Max will be heading to his new home today.

And, as a little added bonus to this blog, check out a video Taylor made to give our church a little bit of a glimpse into our intentional community's every day lives.