The Two AM Party

While I was looking through the MANY photos I have involving the lady chairs, trying to decide what to post about I came across this little gem.

Whenever I look at this photograph I will always smile. Always. Then closely following by a wave of sadness that these faces I no longer see at the lady chairs on a regular (hardly ever) basis. But, the smile will always triumph over the sad. You see, when one lives in Gardner Dorm one lives with about 350 of their “closest friends”—always a party and if your “bored” you aren’t looking hard enough for some fun ;). Well this photo was taken in the wee hours of Saturday (techinically Friday sense we hadn’t slept). I had been sitting at the chairs and no one had really stopped by, but I didn’t worry because I knew they were all out having fun- I sit there on watch to make sure they all come back, but I got tired so I went to my room to lay down. If you know my sleeping patterns, when I sleep I SLEEP. I was genuinely tired so I in all plans and purposes was going to bed. Not 30 minutes later I heard loud noises.

I thought to myself: “Good grief. I cant get ANY sleep here even if I wanted too. What the heck is going on out there!!”

When I stepped outside I was greeted by these beautiful regular faces—they began to clap and cheer saying “we knew you would come out if you heard us mama!!!”
And we had a lady chair party- right then and there. At 2 AM in the morning.

I. Love. Those. Girls.

I may not remember the exact conversation, I may not remember all the laughs that we had (but we definitely did), but I do remember when I finally laid my head on that pillow, I counted my blessings- each of those precious young women of the faith and how much they mean to me.

Blessed

To say that I am blessed would be an understatement. It is easy to go through the day and think “I need this” or “I need that” and be unsatisfied with what we are given. In this society we want want want and are never truly satisfied. I fall into that category many a time (most of the time). And given the current events that have happened it’s easy to maybe feel a little entitled to feeling that way. Yes sometimes I do feel lonely and that I don’t have many ‘friends’ and yadda yadda. But God is still good and im going to lean on that. I am a blessed girl. I have a hall full of vibrant girls who strive to find the truth each day, I have had campers show me the true meaning of Gods love and I cant ask for more. I was looking through my pictures the other day of all the fun times at the chairs, and I cannot wait to post about them sharing their stories. Each a memory, each different, and each a blessing.

Vulnerability

I could try to summorize the Lady Chairs to you, but they simply cannot be explained or described adequately. Nope. They cant.

They have had many names. But my favorite is when people call them a ministry. Now, that may seem very silly. But oh, they are just that. My philosophy from the beginning has been “sit and they will come”, and they do! But many things happen here. They range from serious and deep in the spiritual sense to light hearted and well, girl talk.

It is here where people feel safe (where I feel safe) to explore and question. “5 minute only!” conversations quickly turn into hours and you get so caught up in the moment that bedtimes don’t even exist anymore. I’ll sleep when I’m dead right??

I have so many conversations and memories and stories that I wish I could slpash right onto this blog. I wish you could all experience them. I wish you could all be here, sitting at the chairs. But you can’t.

But, lets get real. Not all of my life is lived on ugly chairs. No, not even close. Life is messy and life happens. Life is meant to be shared. Although this is a tribute to the special moments that do happen here. Not all of them come from the beloved chairs, but they make it to them in the end ☺.

The girls that have crawled into my heart are very real people- they are very much “my girls” and I am very much their “mama”.

I love being their “mama”.

I am a caretaker. I love taking care of people and doting on them and making them feel very loved. I thank God everyday for the roles he has placed me in, even though sometimes it wears me out and makes me weary. I love people. I love being with people. I love being in community with people. There is something so real, so intimate about genuinely living life with people. It is humbling. Like they say—to be known is to be loved. But I have come to know the reality of to be known is to be loved, but to love and be loved is to be vulnerable. And vulnerability hurts. A deep aching hurt. I have come to know that feeling especially with the loss of Anabel. The whole hall felt it. Feel it- we FEEL it. It is still fresh to me.

My hall pulled together so very much two weeks ago. We sat together at the 9 o’clock service, stepped out to pray together; to cry together. 28 of the 36 sat together in chapel, holding hands and offering support. We are still a family. The bonds we have cannot be broken. And I trace this deep support back to three, very ugly, very dirty, lady chairs.

And although there are many laughs here, it is a disservice to forget about the tears. I am still very sad and tears come and they leave in the trail of laughter. But truth be told as much as it hurts to be vulnerable, I am very thankful for the genuineness it brings.

Anabel

I am not really sure how to write this post, or even if it is necessary.But I think it is. Something that happens like this doesn't just erase from your memory, rather it stays and lingers like an unwanted guest. It has been a week sense the accident and it is still hard to wrap my brain around it. Sometimes I simply still cant believe it.

A week ago I was working the desk in Nelson and many young ladies gathered to pray and wait for the news to come back. I knew one of my "babies" or "girls" from last year was on that bus, as well as one of my beloved camper babies from the summer. They were on their way to the Medina Children s home to do their annual service project. I waited to hear back to make sure that my baby was safe, and upon hearing that she was I'm sorry to say that i genuinely felt a sense of relief because the grief wouldn't have to be mine to deal with, but rather I would slip into the more comfortable role of a support system. Because after all it never happens to YOU or someone that YOU know.

The news came crashing like a freight train that I didn't see coming. No. She has to be fine they said she was... the rest of that moment is of a blur or tears, sobs, phone calls and text messages.

My babies from last year were texting asking where i was, if i was coming to the candlelight service and that they wanted to gather when it was over. We gathered at the Lady Chairs to remember a girl they grew to know as sister. We cried. But we also laughed and rejoiced at the life that she lived and all of the goofy things she did and the joy that she brought us. It amazed me how we came together through this time, 2CE is very much still a family.

We came to the unanimous conclusion that she was simply one word-- Joy. Wherever she went she brought immense joy. She was ALWAYS laughing. You would think she was one of the 'quiet ones' but after awhile her laughter and the laughter of her beautiful friends could be heard all of the way down the hall. Joy.

I remember her coming up the hallway and giving me the most beautiful smile and a 'How ya doin?!' and she would always respond cheerfully. There was simply no unpleasant thought or feeling. Joy.

I remember in one of the first weeks of school i heard a song blaring from down the hallway and i decided to check it out. Anabel and Abigail were trying to learn the Shakira dance to 'wakka wakka' arfica song. It was so funny and it is still one of my absolute favorite memories of these girls. Joy.



She loved to thrift shop and her pride and joy was her green 5 dollar sweatshirt from walmart. I remember when she got that-- you would have thought she hit the jackpot. Joy.

At our Christmas Party she wrote to santa about her biology test, telling him that she really had been a good girl (and i can testify to the amount of studying she did). And she made a flag out of her christmas cookie. Joy.



She was always ready to help a person, share the gospel, or share a smile. Her desire was to change the world. Some would say that her life was cut short, but I honestly beleive that she accomplished her goal-- she ignited a passion that cannot be put out. The love she gave to people and the heart she had-- it changed people. The world is a far better place because it knew Anabel.

I am a better person because I knew Anabel.

There is no place that she would rather be than sitting at our Lords feet, resting in his perfect joy, his perfect peace and his kingdom. She was looking forward to it and thinking about her being where she ultimately wanted to be gives me a joy despite some of the pain and hurt.

Our sweet sister and friend-Anabel. You have been such a blessing.

Lady Chairs then and Now

*** The first part of the post was written in a facebook* note on september 30, 2009. I was a freshman in Gardner hall at the time***

Now youre probably wondering what the heck a Lady Chair is. Well let me tell you. I am a resdient of Garnder Hall-- 2nd Center East, convientiently located right near the stairwell which has these three chairs sitting there. They have pictures of Ladies on them. Not even lying- when i get a picture ill post it for your viewing pleasure. Well or numerous reasons i end up sitting there in the hallway whether its to give said roomate quite time or to have 'Moments with Megan' (she calls it bonding with Becca :) ) or whatever. you cand pretty much ensure from the hours of 10 PM until its time to go to bed that iwill be on MY lady chair. Yes it is Mine. My chair faces the staircase and as people climb their mountain to story numbero three i say hello and to all the passerbys. One night a girl was going up the stairs, she climbed about three steps came back down and said "Youre ALWAYS sitting there!!" then walked back up. Now, i love my lady chair because total randoms will stop by and just chat it up with me, tell me their life stories, struggle, boy problems. good moments and bad moments-- you name it i have heard it!! I feel like that man on the kleenex commercials sometimes.

Well the other two nights i havent really been sitting there for whatever reason. But i returned and when these girls were going up to their room they said "Hey good to see you where the heck have you been?! we've missed seein you on your chair your hilarious!" and another girl about an hour later "i was about to send out a search warrent good to see you Bow-Headed Becca!!".

Sit there and they will come. You can find me on the Lady Chairs.

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Well, not much has changed. Who knew that two YEARS later these chairs would still be such an important thing in my life. I became the RA right next to these chairs my sophomore year. So. many. memories. Many of which I hope to recap and have written down. I spent countless hours there that year. So many memories- the girls came to love these chairs as well. Dance parties, hangouts, homework sessions, tears, talks, and so much more. They created an unbeleiveable community in our hall (more like our whole side of the dorm- even floor).

My sophomore year drew to an end and I re-applied for the position of RA. I was re-hired but this time i was to be in McDonald Hall- still freshman girls, but not in Gardner. The chairs??

They are in McDonald, right outside my room in the common space.

This is where the story of the Lady Chairs continue. They still live in their legacy. I have had many memories here with my new hall already. And it never ceases to amaze me how these hideous (truly hideous) chairs bring so much joy. I dont know a single person who has truly experienced the chairs that hasnt been touched by them or has a story about them.

So come on in, take a seat, the Lady Chairs await.

Yes

After reading my posts of my notes on facebook, I decided that I missed it, and that my notes weren't half bad. An outlet. So once you have left the lady chairs, you can always come back. (Story of the chairs to come)