oh the holidays.

ciao tutti!

it's beginning to look like Christmas here in florence... the windows are full of colorful displays, the streets are lined with mini Christmas trees [well, the nicer ones anyway], and twinkle lights are hung from building to building. and in our own little apartment, i find myself listening to sufjan's Christmas album more often than not.

it's strange to be away from America in this season. it's definitely hard to believe that you will all be carving up turkey on thursday and then hitting the malls on friday. oh how i wish i was around to take part in this beloved time of year!

this saturday, i will blessed with the presence of two giant turkeys! our team is hosting a thanksgiving dinner for our italian friends... about 60 of them! of course the idea of thanksgiving is completely foreign to them- their eyes usually light up, arms spread wide, and whisper urgently: grande tacchino! yes. so we shall provide two.

so as you munch on your leftovers this weekend, be thinking of the tiny apartment we are cramming students into, feeding turkey, and sharing about the religious freedom that sparked this day we call thanksgiving.

america votes.

it's strange to be in a foreign country during such an exciting time in the good ole usa. what makes it even crazier is when the internet in your florentine apartment goes out- so you are completely cut off from all news... or palin snl videos.

italy is quite excited to see obama as the new face of america. i admit it's a relief to now introduce myself without being asked, "who are you voting for?", and then of course being judged accordingly. it was getting more and more difficult to evade such a question.

what shall i miss most? tina fey of course. but don't you worry- there are three girls in florence that will continue to "get mavericky". we will miss you sarah palin, but your maverick legacy shall live on in our hearts... and our youtube videos.

saturday with sarah.

okay. so potentially the grandest moment of 'florence in the fall' just happened. and i mean JUST. this little post... well, it's coming at you live... if you will.

if you have ever lived anywhere near stillwater then i know you are familiar with aspen coffee. and if you are familiar with aspen coffee then i know you heart chai. and if you heart aspen chai, we are probably bff.

well, even here in italy, people are bonding over this delicious beverage. on more than one occasion i have found myself in an 'aspen' conversation.

but today my friends, today, all this talk became reality... thanks to a dear friend... sarah. i may or may not have been leaping round her kitchen. no big deal.

apparently, you can partake via big train brand. and i kid you not, it IS aspen chai. aka, the love of my life.

so here's to you aspen- from europe- i salute you.

and so it begins.

ciao mi amici.

i've been in italy for exactly 3 weeks now. it truly feels like so much longer- not in a bad way- in a 'this really is my life' way.

this week, we've spent some time on campus meeting students, and we also started our Bible study, called La Porta... aka The Door. this Bible study is hosted at our apartment. it was quite an experience to have my living room full with 25 people! we visited, ate dinner, and then listened to three women [one american, two italiani] speak of their summer project in malawi. along with a team, these women raised money to go and serve the people of malawi by building a school and a well. the pictures and stories were extremely moving. it was absolutely beautiful to hear two italians speak of serving God to their fellow italians [even though i only caught about every 5th word] :). next time, we will begin our study of the Sermon on the Mount.

today, our team went to careggi [the engineering campus here in florence]. i visited this campus back in march, so it was surreal to enter onto it again knowing i was long-term. my teammate michelle and i spoke with two girls who were very interested in american pop culture. they questioned me mostly about film stars and tv shows. i am rediscovering the life of the lost. it was so easy for these girls to transition into joking about porn, sex, etc. this is something i've just never been confronted with [especially living in oklahoma] but is so understandable.

these precious italians just don't know any better. oh how i pray that their eyes would be opened to the knowledge of their great Savior. please join me.

below is a picture of my team. it is a joy and privilege to serve italians alongside them. clockwise from left: le presento: kelly, abigail, marti, drew, cecilia [italian], sarah, michelle, and me. please continue to pray for each of us- that we would be bonded together as one and love the Lord as we ought.

Day with the Lord.

Greetings.

Our team just came back from a New Beginnings conference near Grossetto- Fattoria Il Santo. It was such a joy to connect with teams headed to different areas of Italy, and discuss what it looks like to really dive into the lives of Italians. We talked about what it will look like to practically launch movements among students.

One of my favorite points of the weekend was hearing what has worked in the past- Italians that had surrendered their lives to Christ shared what made them want to cross over from death to life. These things included: being exposed to Christ centered community, exposure to large sections of Scripture, hearing someone's life changed story, and having a few of their burning questions answered. I cannot wait to join with my team in making sure that every student we invest in sees these 4 aspects.

Currently, I am learning to have a more accurate perspective on the glory of God. At the Fattoria [which is a working farm] we were surrounded by beauty- from the Tuscan hills to the vast skies blanketed in stars- and I found myself feeling small and insignificant. But that is not the right perspective at all. The Lord is great, vast, worthy, and infinite. When I see His beauty and soak it in, my thoughts should be about His glory- these things exist to glorify Him. I want my life to be the same.

ci siamo.

i [along with my two teammates] have officially arrived in firenze!

we were greeted at the airport by the rest of our team- praise the Lord all of our suitcases made it safe and sound. ems, my luggage tag even beat out the airline- he's still as cute as ever.

today was a big day in italia- abigail and i now have cellphones! it's almost like starting life all over. there are so many things that you don't think about have to "re-aquire", and to do them while living in a jet-lagged fog is quite an experience.

and speaking of jet-lag, i had a grand notion of writing a very excited and quite witty post, but let's be honest, the creative juices aren't currently flowing. all this to say, life hasn't changed too much. i'm still avoiding reality [aka unpacked suitcases] by checking email and facebook- same same but different.

ciao!

Meet My Team.

Team Florence: Going Where the Soil is Hard.

Abigail, Melody, and Kelly. I can't wait to walk through a life of ministry with these women!

DIA

I'm currently writing from the Denver International Airport. I think it's pretty fabulous that they have free wireless. The marketing degree [I get to say that now!] in me is very impressed with this airport. The best thus far have been the free wireless [with 30 second verizon commercial] and visually appealing security trays [thanks to zappos.com]. Again, very impressive.

I've spent the last 6 days in Copper Mountain preparing for a year abroad. There is so much to learn about being a missionary overseas... loving the Lord, loving my team, launching movements, and learning a new world. These 4 L's will basically define the next 12 months of my life. There are many things to appreciate about Campus Crusade, one of which is their passion for setting us up well. I love how invested they are in our ministry.

3 1/2 weeks from now, my team will be flying to Florence. If you had 3 1/2 weeks left in America what would you make sure to do? I'm planning on figuring out how to get the airlines to allow me at least 23 bags.

Colorado Bound.

So I feel like I've been a complete maniac lately. I don't know if it's the thought of moving to an entirely new country, finishing up raising support, Olympic fever, or a bevy of other viable reasons. Whatever it is, I am a maniac.

First off, I want to tell you that I am currently $4700 away from attaining my support goal and being fully funded for an entire year of ministry in Florence, Italy. Praise the Lord. There have been many points along the way in which it seemed entirely impossible. So to be in the home stretch is mind-blowing to me. I love the faithfulness of the Lord. Why does it continue to surprise me?

Secondly, I fly out of here tomorrow- I'm Colorado bound. For the next 6 days, I will be at the Worldwide Student Network Global Briefing. I am going to be learning and sharing alongside people heading to spots all across the Globe. That is exciting. In the meantime, I'm unpacking boxes of winter clothes, looking for my fleece, and washing socks... hello 60 degree days. I hope to come back with an even greater vision of what the Lord is doing across the world.

Lastly, if you haven't heard, I completed one of my life goals about two weeks ago. Yes, I, Melody Marie was a flowergirl... at the age of 22. Fabulous.

Life Takes Visa.

This past Sunday, my new STINT buddy, Abigail, and I went in search of a visa to last us through our year in Italy. This adventure included flying to Orlando, acquiring a Florida driver's license, visiting Campus Crusade for Christ International Headquarters, driving to Miami, applying at the Italian Consulate, and flying out of Ft. Lauderdale.

That is the trip in bullet form- or at least what it was supposed to look like. We added in a few crazy details all along the way, and are praying that Fabio [yes, seriously] at the Consulate approves our visa and actually mails us back all those precious legal documents we left in his care.

It was exciting to even be in the Consulate... exciting to hear others speaking Italian... exciting to meet students going to other areas of Italy to spread the Gospel... exciting.

But nothing can peg an excitement meter quite like a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth. Yes, college graduates can still get VERY excited about-the MAGIC KINGDOM.

what's your favorite flavor?

if i had to pick the very best thing about summer, it would be snow cones.

so in order to determine the best of the best, kristin and i have decided to try every snow cone stand in the edmond/okc area... a very great task indeed, but i believe we're up for it.

the stands will be judged based on differing categories: ice, variety of flavors, service, and syrup to ice ratio. bonus points are also awarded for various reasons.

clearly, our first random inspection was awarded a bonus point for their delicious gummy bears.

the importance of music to girls.

i recently finished a book by this title. i was browsing in the library when i was struck by the title: the importance of music to girls.

music has always been vastly important to me. as a girl, i dreamed to one day be in the music industry- not as a performer, but as the face behind the label. that later turned into a litigator behind the label. but here i am, just a few years later- a missionary. perhaps one day the Lord will bring me back to nashville or los angeles.

but i digress. back to the book. i checked it out and dove straight in, only to discover that this book was actually a memoir. lavinia greenlaw's coming of age. i am definitely not a memoir reading kind of girl- i'm always looking for a story to feel a part of- biographies have never been my thing. but as soon as started into this one, i felt like i had written it. the writing style, the emphasis on lyrics and eras of music, it felt like talking to a best friend- the kind that speaks your language.

i just got off the phone with two of my friends who are spending five weeks in florence this summer with campus crusade.

i am reminded of how thankful i am for passions... and for friends that understand them.

transitions.

at the beginning of my senior year, i began a new journal. i have a passion for journaling- for me, there's no better outlet. but one of my favorite things about journals is naming them. this last one, i named 'transitions'.

it seemed so fitting- going into my senior year. i expected to be transitioning out of college, out of life as i'd always known it, and into a career that i had yet to discover. i really had no idea what would actually happen. that's my other favorite thing about journals- they always surprise you.

i'm currently raising support to go to italy with campus crusade for christ. when meeting with people i often tell them how i never, ever saw myself going into full-time ministry. and that is so true. i never saw that one coming. but that's one of my favorite things about the Lord. unlike my journals, He is never surprised.

whole new world.

get ready. here i come.

benvenuto.

it's the new word around here. benvenuto. it's rarely used correctly, but i like spouting it out anyway. however calm or chaotic the situation, it never fails to please.

i wish i could take this post to tell you all about how the Lord has shown me His faithfulness and trustworthiness. but let's be honest, that post would be way too long. instead, i would like to keep my word and tell you about the door that has opened for me...

... i'm going to italia!

the past few weeks have been full of very high highs and low lows... definitely an emotional roller coaster. i was beginning to feel like instead of two doors- it was actually one revolving door. you know the kind. you spun round and round in it when you were little- pushing, pulling, but only going in circles. that's where i've been.

eventually, the spinning stopped and the celebrating began. the Lord provided a fabulous girl... abigail to join me in italy. we will be going to florence together to serve on a team with agape italia. i am over-the-top thankful for her. i cannot wait for that new season of life to start.

other than preparing for a year in italy, i've been focused on graduation. it's hard to believe four years at oklahoma state university have passed me by. i am truly in a season of thankfulness. thankful for my friends. my major. my great job at the photography studio. my summer project teams both in branson and thailand. my family. my roommate. the people that have invested in my life. so many things.

so i know this post isn't exactly witty or wildly entertaining. but this is where i'm at. a phase of life is ending. a bend in the road is upon me. i am nostalgic about all that is behind and expectant of what lies ahead.

beautiful.

somewhere between today and forever.

welcome. benvenuto.

my name is melody and i currently reside in this world of transition. transition world looks very similar to real life- it just comes with a lot more questions. what do you want to do for the rest of your life? will you use your major? do you have a job? are you dating anyone? are you interviewing? what does your family think?

the questions never end. transition world also comes with a bit more uncertainty. because deep down, you know that you are asking yourself all the same questions but unlike with everyone else- you are not able to pull off the breezy 'it will all be okay' charade.

so insert blog. as i transition out of college life and into whatever lies ahead, i would love to jot a few thoughts and maybe even receive some feedback. within the next two weeks i will know whether i will spend the next year in italy working with Agape Italia or raising support to join staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. there are two doors before me and one of them will literally open or shut very soon. i'm praying and believing that my door to italy will open, but i am also resting in my God's sovereignty. whether He says yes or no, i shall be satisfied.

so here's to whatever lies ahead. the road between today and forever has already been paved. my God knows exactly what it looks like. i'm sure He's waiting for me to embrace that truth.

thanks for stopping by. i'll let you know which door i end up walking through.