Keep My Eyes To Serve... My Hands To Learn...

I must admit, tonight was an interesting night. Three of our roommates were not at the house, leaving just four of us at the dinner table feasting over tamale pie. After a casual reference to White Blank Page by Mumford & Sons, we began to delve into the world of Mumford music. The Cave. After the Storm. Thistle and Weeds. After singing together (quite nicely, if I do say so myself), we bravely explored into new songs of unknown lyrics. Beautiful lyrics echoed from the speakers as we would just look at each other in adoration of a beautiful songwriter. As I listened to more and more new lyrics, a few lyrics on Below My Feet stuck with me...

Let me learn from where I have been
Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn...

A beautiful cry to God.

I've spent 23 years in Kentucky, 3 of which spent at Morehead. Although I may not have known it then, in my first month here in Philadelphia (yes, it's been a month...crazy huh?!) I have used tools I learned back home and at school. Simple things. Speaking in public. Sharing my testimony. Knowing the Book of Romans and its contents (thanks Gene). Journalling. Studying the Bible (Joshua? Check. Judges? Check. Bring it on Ruth...). Talking to people. God has done a wonderful job (no kidding, Mitch) of preparing me for this trip with my experiences from home. For this, I'd like to say thank you to those back home reading this for teaching me, growing with me, encouraging me, and allowing me to leave to fulfill God's plan. Philadelphia would not be the experience it has been if not for your participation in my life.

With that being said, I cannot look back to where I have been. I am in Philly, and that is where my eyes must be focused. To the kids at the park. To my teammates. To John. To the students (and faculty) at International Christian High School (I'll be bragging on this eventually...). To the SEPTA riders. To Philadelphia. My eyes may get distracted and try to focus elsewhere, but I pray that God will always keep me focused on His desires and not my own.

Philadelphia has been great. In just one month, I feel an interesting attachment to the city that I didn't fully anticipate when I arrived in August. Philadelphia changed that, though. Every SEPTA ride. Each time a student says "What's up Mr. H?". A rebound for a made shot by a young kid at the park. Choir singing How Great is Our God at church (it was rockin'). Mary's kindness. Dave's sense of humor. Megan's laugh. Aaron's ZING. Emily's one-liners. Rigsbee's service. Four friends singing Mumford & Sons around the dinner table.

With love,

Mitch