The past two weeks have been full of many “lasts”. We had our last session of The Gathering, read our very last book of the year, took our last quiz for class, and started our last official module. By the end of today, we will have spent our last afternoon at our weekly service opportunities and will have turned in our final papers, all while preparing for our final trip to Chick-fil-A Corporate to give our final presentations. As commissioning approaches quickly and the “lasts” keep flying by, we have been seeking to savor community in unique ways as we find ourselves so thankful for the nine months we have had at Impact this year.
One way we’ve recently been enjoying one another is through Fika Friday. The more recent tradition is one where students are invited to join together in Taylor’s apartment for food and fellowship. Fika Friday is based on a Swedish tradition in which people set aside their work to simply enjoy a break from everything and participate in good conversation. Setting aside time to intentionally relax and enjoy each other is not only fun, it is a wonderful reminder of how rich and beautiful community truly is.
Following Fika Friday, several students gathered together just to simply celebrate friendship in the evening. Scones were baked, ice cream was served, card games were played, and much fun was had by all! One student began by reminding us that, often, we don’t realize what wonderful friendships we have until we are separated from our friends, and encouraged us to recognize and celebrate the wonderful community we have developed before we have to say goodbye. The evening was filled with laughter and joy, as we enjoyed each other’s company and celebrated the joy of simply being in one another’s presence.
On Monday evening, the guys and ladies split for our final split Gathering time. The ladies ventured out to a pretty location for a photoshoot to make some memories of all the girls spending time together and capture the personalities of our roommates and suite-mates. Our time together was a joy and involved an abundance of smiles! The guys spread out through FDR State Park for a scavenger hunt to in order to discover and utilize their warrior face. Enjoying these activities together was yet another reminder of the great blessing we’re experiencing in community!
As the end of our time at Impact is drawing near, we are learning to cherish every moment together even more. Spending time together in our last weeks, investing in one another and enjoying each other’s company, has been full of sweetness and joy. As Paul asks in 1 Thessalonians 3:19, we are left asking, “How can we thank God enough for all of you in return for the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”