February has been full and not just in the sense of a lot happening. I’ve also felt quite fulfilled from all that it has held. To begin the month, we had arguably my most anticipated part of Fellows; our Career, Calling, & Vocation Retreat. It was great to be back at the Lake (even if parts of it were frozen over) and mix productivity with rest once again. We witnessed a boring Superbowl, an iconic moment from UNC’s Seth Trimble, and each of us growing in our understanding of ourselves. I’m grateful for the experience to be able to better understand my strengths, giftings, and weaknesses as well as how to articulate them.
At the start of next month, we have our Genogram papers due. This has also been a healthy (even if hard) exercise to grow in my understanding of myself. Specifically, as I learn more fully about my family, it’s been a very unique experience to reflect on what’s impacted me, how I can be grateful, and where I hope to embrace differentiation.
As I begin to contemplate post-Fellows, I am hitting a bit of a crossroads. I have options about what I want to pursue and frankly it’s hard. There are some things I’m resolved to do (or not do), and others where I simply must pull a Kevin DeYoung and just do something. I’m grateful to have been reminded lately that even closed doors can teach me where to go. And as someone who experienced closed door after closed door in the past couple of years, I’m grateful to know I’ll likely find another slammed shut. And for the ones that will be opened, I look forward to stepping on through.
Writing this blog has been sponsored by Mumford & Sons new album Prizefighter. It is immaculate music and I’ll make a cup of coffee for whoever (other than my friend Josh because I already told him) which two songs off the album hit the hardest right now. Or I’ll just make you a cup of coffee if you ask honestly. Speaking of coffee, I’ve had a lot of interesting one’s lately. Jubala’s free espresso Friday from the 20th tasted like an orange lollipop, my morning pour-over the other day boasted juicy & floral bergamot with honey-esque sweetness, Simas made me an excellent flat white, I loved my cutie capp from Sola for Valentine’s Day, and I’m still not over that fruit looper from Promethium or strawberries & cream flat white from Iris. Oh, can’t forget the beans I got from Fount an hour before we left for retreat that I needed google translate to be able to understand. They’ve been quite delightful as of late.
There’s a lot more that has made me feel full, but I’ll leave you with this: London is red.
Jacob W. Currin