The One with a Blessing.

This fell out of my Bible tonight. It's a blessing someone gave me a year ago. So encouraging! 

'May God give Michelle plans that fill her heart with joy and then fulfill them. May she comprehend God's grace, love, and beauty in greater ways through incredible experiences. May she feel accepted and loved by many close friends and family.'

The One with Hello Goodbye

My time in New York is coming to a close.

The past week, all I wanted to do was leave.

The City that once seemed so huge was shrinking in around me.

The buildings were moving closer together.

The streets were getting tighter.

The people were multiplying.

What once seemed like a long walk 

became a quick stride down the street.

         My world was getting smaller here.

             I was getting claustrophobic. 

   

But last night, I started to get sad. 

I was on the streets in a nasty storm with my good friend.

I love rain and thunder. 

I love New York at night. 

I love Kjirsten.

       I didn’t want to leave.

Tonight, as I walked through Central Park and through the streets of the city, I got sad again. 

             I can’t seem to make up my mind.

I’ve always been a person who gets unsettled when I’ve been somewhere too long.

          Maybe that’s what my problem is.

          Maybe I’ve explored NY so much that it’s no longer a mystery to me.

          Maybe I’m just restless.

Being here isn’t so much an adventure anymore; it’s just everyday life now.

As I contemplate my feelings about this now, I just get confused. 

       All week I was dreaming of sweet summer in Iowa aka leaving NYC.

              But now, I am sad to leave.

      Perhaps I am allowing myself to be sad because I know I’m leaving

But now I am also thinking of leaving everyone (KJ, Laura, Martha, Etc.)

I’ve never been very good at making decisions, 

this could have something to do with that. 

      Or maybe I’m thinking too much.

I don’t know anymore.

But as I sit here I do know something for sure:

              I need my fields.

              I need my fresh air.

              I need my space.

              I need my breath.

              I need quiet.

              I need to not be able to touch the person next to me.

I never knew until this week how much I love the country and open-space.

Once I’ve been away from home for a while, it’s such a wonderful place to go back to.

Although to be honest, I know I could never live in Iowa again.

It’s just a great place to visit; it’s my childhood.

I can’t wait for summer in Iowa.

There is something sweet about it…

            Whitey’s Ice Cream

            Bike Rides along the Mississippi

            Late Night Runs with Bentley (my dog)

            Going to the Drive-in

            Home-made Ice Cream

            Late nights at Old Chicago for Happy Hour

            The Storms

            Happy Joe’s Taco Pizza

            My Mother’s German meal

            Spending the day in Scott County Park

            Walking to the dog park

            Unplanned trips to Chicago

            Driving across Iowa to Grandma’s farm in Nebraska

            Random Outings with my mother

            Visiting with old friends

After all the places I go, there is no place like home.

And that’s Bettendorf, Iowa :)

Although I do have some time before I get there…But at least I will be in places that are like home & I know just as well.

My Schedule for the rest of summer::

            --Thursday 2am, Train from NYC to Boston (Meeting my friend Joel)

            --Friday, Flight from Boston to Chicago 

            --In Chicago with loved ones for cousin’s wedding until Sunday

            --To Bettendorf Sunday night

            --Monday, Road trip with my best friend Jenny to Nebraska

            --Thursday, Drive to Wisconsin to Jenny’s new house

            --Saturday/Sunday, Drive home to Iowa :)

            --10 days HOME cramming my days full of those ^ & appointments

            --Aug 18, back to LA.

It’s gonna be a bit crazy, but I wouldn’t have anything less.

The One with Love.

I love sitting in Central Park.
    I love taking my Ukulele with me as I try to learn how to play it.
  I love reading my Bible hidden among the trees in the midst of the big city.
                  I love walking through Central Park with my dear friend Kjirsten.
     I love relaxing in the middle of a city that never sleeps.
I love love walking through the streets of the hustle and bustle.
       I love people watching.
     I love the fact that Jesus knows every person better then they know themselves.
I love the fact that we all share so much in common yet they are a stranger on the streets.
   I love watching the sun set in between the buildings.
I love the sun.
   I love thunderstorms.

I love my days with nothing to do but wander.
   I love chatting away with God, no matter the subject.
                I love my God, the God of Jacob.
       I love the fact that He is always with me.
            I love that He is my constant companion.
        I love that He brought me to NYC to grow close with Him.
   I love what He is doing in my heart.
I love that I am more confused then ever about my life.
      I love putting all faith in Him.
                  I love how God takes care of me.
              I love the bizarre things that God bestows upon me.
        I love how funny He is.
    I love how much He loves me.

The One when the Welke Parents Visit NYC

My parents came to visit this past weekend.

            I thoroughly enjoyed their visit.

       I took them to see some of the sights of the city.

               We played tourist a lot. 

                  They weren’t here very long so we didn’t get to do everything, 

but I showed them a lot considering the amount of time they were here.

                       We went to see Mary Poppins on Broadway. 

                              It was quite awesome!

          Showed them time square ( I still don’t understand the point of that place)

             Took them to some yummy Thai food and the UN.

             We also went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

We went around the World Trade Center and visited a couple memorials.

                       Ventured off to Central Park and showed them around a little of it.

And finally took them to the church and clinic I came to New York to serve.  

 

                                                   

It was a busy weekend, but quite fun!

The One with God of this City.

The other day as I walked through Central Park, a butterfly landed on my arm.
                  It didn't stay too long, but it was enough to excite me.
 I walked to the other side of the park and sat down on a bench to read a book.
            As soon as I opened it, the same looking butterfly landed on the book.
   I didn't even know what to think or do.
              I was far from where it had landed on my arm before.
     I just stared at it in awe until someone walked by and it flew away.
                                  I sat there over an hour.
Throughout the hour, the butterfly would come and land on the book,
     when someone walked by it would fly away until the coast was clear.

It just kept coming back! 

I texted my mutti asking her what it means. 

She thought I should just ask it.
                        Feeling a little silly, I did.
All it did was flap its wing and then it spread them all the way out onto the book staring at me.

It was beautiful. 

        Sadly, I don't speak butterfly so I have no idea what it means.
I've been praying God will reveal this to me.
He hasn't yet, but as I told my dear friend Candice about this, she told me God will reveal it to me in due time.
                 And I think HE will. I just need to practice patience.

                As I mentioned before, I get on the subway with no place to be.
                       So I ride until I get off and wander around. Pretending to be a local.
                 The other day, I landed near the World Trade Center.
                        As I walked around the site, my stomach felt sad.
                                                    Which is to be expected.
              Sometime while I was there, the song "God of this City" came on my iPod
 At first, I didn't realize the significance of this or the fact that Jesus played it for me.

And honestly, I wasn't paying much attention to the music playing in my ears. 

I was texting, walking, thinking about the evil in the hearts of many people, and looking at a location where thousands of people lost their lives.

My iPod was just background noise. 

                           All the sudden the lyrics,
"Greater things have yet to come and Greater things are still to be done in this city"
sang loudly into my ears, catching my attention, my heart.

I stopped my thoughts, my text, my feet. 

                 I just stood there in awe.
God is in control and He is working among the people.
         Lives are transforming for His glory.
And He's not done working here.
I could ramble on and on about this moment & all the things He shared with me,
but I think it's better I keep that as a tender moment between me and God.


Peace.