Even on the Darkest of Nights..

Incerdible Story:

Okay so the background of my day yesterday... I had joined Steph once again with her Irish friends here as they took us around the country. We first went to see Dunluce Castle - beautiful! Pictures to come soon. Then off to Giants Causeway which was again, amazing. It was a day of bitter cold and breathtaking scenery. Our final stop before dinner was a place called the Mussenden Temple which was kind of weird to be honest. You walk through this strange garden and the 'Bishop's Gate'.. through a giant pasture... to this old house/mansion/castle called the 'Downhill House'. Just this giant old remains of a building in the middle of well-maintained grass seemingly on the top of the world. Then just past the castle house there is this circular bulding perched on the very edge of the cliffs. The top of Northern Ireland it felt like. This was the temple... the weird part is that there really are no signs explaining it, and no one around that seems to be maintaining or supervising the place. it is just open. So we walked around.. Took pictures and tried to pet the sheep wandering about. When we made it back to the car it was just about dark when Ester went to unlock the car only to discover that her keys were missing! Somewhere among the fields, the castle, the temple, and the garden were her keys! And all we had was a cellphone for light. We looked for roughly an hour, trying to retrace our steps, adn praying ferverishly. Finally we had all gathered again and decided we would have to walk into the nearest town and wait for someone to drive the hour and a half from Belfast to come get us. At this point of giving up, Steph kicked the ground and walked on. Stevie was the one to ask what that noise was.. Steph;s response was 'nothing.. I just kicked something'. Stevie shone the light and Lo and Behold THE KEYS! An hour of searching all the grounds (in the FREEZING weather I might add) only to have the keys lying in the very spot we had stopped and given up. This seemingly little story was a HUGE reminder to all of us that God is at work, and looking after his children. Even in the Darkness He shows up, and will use anything He wants to reveal Himself to us. Just like the star that led the wisemen to the baby Jesus those many years ago.

Yesterday was a very good day to end this year with. Today however I am feeling quite sick and am spending the day curled up on the couch with another book - my third for the break. I love to read! Also as hesitantly as I would admit it... I would say that today I am feeling homesick finally. The difference in my head is that on regular days I will miss people and miss family and miss home, but when Im homesick I dont miss anything I just want to BE home and BE with certain people. So today I dont miss you, I want to be with you. To be sliding down the same hill in the same toboggans as we have done for years beyond my birth even. To be sitting on my bed carrassed in your warmth while we giggle about contants of our box. To be lying on your floor talking occasionally but mostly just enjoying. To be eating your cooking. To be watching you paint. To be playing old video games. To be talking without explaining, using more motions and eye signals than words. AH to be young again. I dont know where that one came from. It reminded me of an old song or something. Last night the heating was accidentally left on all night and with my bed right beside the only radiator in our room well I think it has made me delirious today. I thought I was feverish all night because we are NEVER hot here. I had a restless night and woke up many times confused and aggitated as I couldnt figure out why I was so warm! I think I need to stop reading my books and go socialize or something...

ANYWAY.. so Tonight the plan for New Years is to go out to eat at a nice restaurant and then go to Steph's friend's house for games and merriment afterwards. It sounds divine, but I dont think I will be going anywhere for tonight at least. I need to be feeling top notch for this weekend as I am being whisked away by an old friend from Kentucky who is coming to visit some of his friends here in Northern Ireland (what a small world!). They are kidnapping me for the weekend and I am excited to see what they have planned! So a very Happy Christmas to you all and Have a great night tonight as we all celebrate the New Year!