“Becca, Ashleigh, and Ashley – we’re gonna collaborate on a blog!” I run in the room yelling.
Off-handedly Rebecca mutters, “Stop, collaborate, and listen...”
THIS is the type of friendship we have - completely unexplainable, but totally in sync. [“N*SYNC? You may hate me but it ain’t no lie, baby bye bye bye BYE BYE,” Ashleigh had to add.]
Rebecca’s mom teaches an 11th and 12th grade girls Sunday school class, and since Becca was home Sunday, they interrogated her. The umbrella topic of the discussion was, “What advice would you give yourself as a senior?” So that’s what we’re gonna do for YOU.
Disclaimer: This is not a “Come to Judson because it’s awesome, and if you apply right now you get a free jumbo blue slushy because those make everyone happy” blog. This is a “I wish I’d known this” blog.
Advice #1 from Rebecca: “Don’t eat old yogurt.” Explanation from Ashleigh: “It makes you poop funny.”
Advice #2 from Rebecca: “Don’t get so caught up in belonging somewhere, because at home, I felt like I belonged somewhere. I had my place, my people, respect, popularity kind of thing... but when I came here, I didn’t think I ‘belonged’ here. But now I understand that as God’s child, I don’t ‘belong’ anywhere in the world. I belong to Him.”
Advice #3 from Ashleigh: “Apply to EVERY SINGLE scholarship you possibly can.”
Advice #4 from Ashley: “Don’t try to please everybody else because you’ll end up getting hurt and doing something you regret. You’ll never be able to please everybody.”
Advice #5 from Ashleigh to Ashley, who was chugging a bottle of water: “Don’t drink so much water that you make yourself sick!”
Advice #6 from Rebecca: “Don’t get a roommate who has bad gas.” [“Gee, thanks Becca,” is Ashleigh’s reply.]
Advice #7 from Rivers: “Realize that you have the most free time and resources at this point in your life. As busy as you think you are, you can actually do so much more for your community and for the kingdom of God than you will be able to in college.”
Advice #8 from Ashleigh: “Always shave your arm pits before you go to church in a sleeveless dress.” Further explanation from Rivers: “Yeah, you don’t want to freak someone out when you feel the Spirit and lift your hands in worship. You don’t want to have to hinder the Spirit.”
Advice #9 from Rebecca: “Appreciate each stage in your life and don’t try to rush them. Like, when you’re single, praise God for that time you have for just you and Him, that you can glorify Him. When you’re in high school, appreciate the opportunity you have to minister to the people around you. Everything – jobs, marriage, boys, life – will come in God’s timing.”
Advice #10 from Ashley: “Stop doing what you want to do and listen to God.”
