Backwards Day

"And he was amazed at their lack of faith." Mark 6:6

Isn't it crazy to think that Jesus is sometimes amazed at our lack of faith?

I just made the best nostalgic music mix which compliments this blog greatly.

I had a hard time sleeping last night (Sunday night) 1. Because there was a lot on my mind, 2. Because I'm allergic to something in my room and I don't know what it is. I ended up getting only a few hours of sleep and this led to the next day.

I suppose that I forgot to turn on my alarm because I ended up waking up to a roommate using a hairdryer at 9:30 Monday morning. I flipped out of bed because I had class at 10. I rushed to and fro the apartment sneezing and blowing my nose from allergies and five minutes till class I stopped in front of the bathroom mirror to realize that my shirt was on inside out. This is how I knew that today was going to be a backwards day.

Surviving my 10 o'clock Italian class leaking nose and all, I ran to writing class to find that the teacher had moved our class to 2. My fellow classmates and I were not too happy about this, so Sarah and I decided to go to our favorite lunch time stop, Parma. When we finally got there, I remembered that I forgot my wallet at home. No lunchtime Parma for me. Sarah went back to school, but I stopped at my apartment to take a nap and make a nutella and jam sandwich.

Just as I laid down for a nap, Sarah called to tell me that class was canceled. Terrific, I thought. Maybe it wouldn't be such a backwards day. I remembered that I brought Benadryl with me in case I ever wanted to fall asleep on a plane ride, so I took it in hopes of curing my allergies and laid on my bed as the warm sun hit me perfectly in the afternoon. I slept for a good 2 hours and then I groggily woke up to remember that I should be taking advantage of this time by studying for midterms.

I went to my final class for the day and spent a half an hour on the internet before coming home. I still had allergies and all I wanted was to relax and make a good dinner before hitting the books one more time. So I walked up to my apartment on Via della Cupa and dug around in my backpack for my keys.

What else would you expect on backwards day, other than forgetting both your wallet AND keys at home? Yes, my cell phone too.

So there I was, standing outside my apartment building at dinner time with an itchy nose and sneezes that came ever so randomly. I sat down on the steps and looked up at the darkening sky. I remembered telling my roommate the day before that I wanted to make weekly goals to try to accomplish for the rest of my study abroad trip. Part of this week's goal was for me to take 10 minutes out of each day to simply sit, and be still. I don't want to get caught up in the busyness of life as a SA student that I forget to enjoy where I am.

The stone steps under me were cold as they pressed against my jeans and my warm laptop battery was against my back. I'm in Italy. I don't think this has really hit me like it did today. Being here, on this adventure, has always been my dream, ever since I was a child. And now I'm in this beautiful place, living in this beautiful building, looking at apartments with patios on the top floor that over looks the city. I always wanted to live in an apartment like that. I wonder what their life is like.

As was sitting out there with no way to get into my apartment, but it was actually good to be forced to be still. Lately I've been thinking too much about things of which I have no control, worries of my future work, boy girl relations, family, all things of the future. But I have no control over these things. What will happen, will happen. Just like being locked out of my apartment. I have no control, but things will be okay. I can only take life one step at a time, trusting that God will help me through it. Why worry about things that you can't control? Instead, enjoy the moment that you are in. Like sitting on the steps, looking at the city.

Eventually, our neighbor came and opened the door. I followed her in and luckily my roommates were home when I knocked on the door.

Ironically, this was part of my set Bible reading for today:

"The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.' So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place."

Mark 6:30-32