Blessings and News!!

Good news!! I got the server position I wanted! It's at a restaurant on Staten Island and should pay very well. It's a high end and very busy restaurant. And as an added bonus, I have received a little bit of a break in my rent. Lucky me! I can't really divulge details but suffice it to say, I am paying only about 2/3s of what I was paying before! God is so good.

Even better news! I found an amazing church today. You know how I kept mentioning hearing church bells and how they just made me feel warm and cozy and happy? Well, today I went to that church. The service itself was extremely different than what I grew up with. More conservative in some ways, more liberal in others. It even had some completely new practices the lady next to me was kind enough to help me understand. The pastor was great. The sermon he gave was inspiring in that it had a great lesson, but it also inspired me to ask my own questions, spurring on my own Bible study this week. They asked if there were any new visitors, but I was shy and didn't say anything. At this point, an elderly lady in a bright green top turned around and pointed at me. She knew somehow I was brand new. I told her no (I didn't want to stand up in front of the whole congregation) but she found me after and asked my name. I told her Erin and she goes, "Oh a good Irish name! Are you Irish then?" And I said parts of my family were, yes. Her name was Eileen. She had a bit of an accent herself and informed me that her parents were Irish so she is American by Irish descent. She then practically ordered me to go downstairs to the fellowship hall so they could feed me and said she would meet me down there. So I exited and shook the pastor's hand. He thanked me for coming and all but shoved me down the stairs toward the fellowship hall. Not being one for turning down free food, I went.

I stood a bit awkwardly by myself until a lady named Pam came over and introduced herself. She found out I was new and I was a goner. She introduced to everyone and told them I was new and everyone was just as warm as could be!! She dragged me over and pushed coffee in my hand, then took me back and seated me right next to her at her table, all the while asking where I'm from and how I like it here, how long I'd been here, etc. and introducing me to more people inbetween. On my other side sat a lady named Soraya. The conversation flowed like we were the oldest of friends and we had a very talktive Egyptian man sitting with us who provided a very interesting element to the conversation. They told me where all the best markets were and the best parks. Sorayah has a dog and said she'd be more than willing to have doggy playdates with Daisy. Pam invited me to her bootcamp classes on T/Th evenings since I haven't found a workout routine yet and to the Women of Christ music ministry, who just happened to be meeting just after lunch.

Now Women of Christ a women's choir that performs for the church every fourth Sunday and gets invited to other churches as well. They meet every Sunday after the fellowship for rehearsal and ministry. They go and sing and pray for one another and each lady brings a scripture to share with the others for the week. It is very cool. They started to sing and I noticed their soprano section was having some trouble with the high notes. When they stopped, one lady was saying she just couldn't get up there for the day (in all fairness, they were missing about half their members). I, high notes being my specialty, offered to do it. The song was very simple and so I joined them. It felt so good to sing as a part of a group again.

If you knew me at University, you'd know I dreaded choir. I wanted to be a solo singer. But there is something about being in an ensemble working toward a common goal that is very satisfying to a musician. I finally felt at peace. The ladies were so sweet and said how much they liked my voice; they even invite me to sing with them next Sunday!!

I have never felt so welcome in my life. They accepted me into their circle, no questions asked. They were so spiritual, so genuine, and it was so uplifting to meet women I could really relate to. I felt at peace in a way I didn't know I had missed so much. God definitely has something planned for me here, I just wish I knew what it was. For now, my apartment is amazing, this church is exactly what I needed (and only two minutes walk from my front door), and I finally have a second job that will pay the missing half of my living expenses. I am so blessed.