opportunities and africa.

so where do i begin. my little secret is out. all the prayers and petition to God the tears the begging to the God who made me and my story and every little detail of my life has a beautiful destiny for me, its far from "normal" or mainstream but i desire and thirst to serve and honor god and the souls he is jealous for, not for man. with that said God is sending me to Malwai for a misssion trip and then when the rest of my team leaves i'm staying and interning at a childrens home in South Africa(!!!!!!). I'll basically be a babysitter and tutor for God's favorites/ orphans and possibly get the opportunity to see them get forever families!! I feel like the least qualified person sometimes but thankfully I serve a God that simply qualifies the called. I really don't know what God has up his sleeve after these 3 months but its BIG, with a capital B. Talk about confirmation I've had everyone from my besties to my residents at my job with dementia talk about how this is God's plan and they don't see me coming back. Like what? I started this post weeks ago and never finished it but I leave tomorrow. If/When I get wifi I'll post pics and details of the boss party my besties threw me my first surprise party. it was kinda my worst fear but once the dance-y tunes got flowing all was well. ta-ta for now!! 

before i graduate high school bucket list recap.

i graduated high school recently. back in december when I was still counting down those days I made a "Before I Graduate High School Bucket List." i got a semi decent amount crossed off and most things just happened organically not on purpose for the list. 

Before I graduate high school
1. Rely on Him like never before!
2. Desire him life never before
3. Need him like never before!
4. Acknowledge He is speaking loudly, so LISTEN!
5. Daily do devotions, Jackie you need this time. --BOOM! This was the best one. Even if I didn't get any of the other things accomplished this is the only one that matters in the grand scheme. 

6. Volunteer in activities at work and city mission. --Let's just say I needed lots and lots of grace for this season. I served alot but I never got a chance to try new places to serve at. 

7. Become a prayer warrior -- made lots of progress!!

8. Practice photography, not just your iPhone

9. Run/ exercise more... possibly a 5k? --el oh el to the 5k. 

Perhaps this list didn't go exactly as planned but whateverz. 

10. Purge and organize craft room
11. Make a scrapbook. -- Made one painstakingly at midnight the night before graduation for my aunt.  
12. Sell and make more jewelry. Never sold any but any spurts of free time of creativity I had I made some!
13. Write thank you notes just because.--oops. 
14. Become more patient and gentle.--getting there. getting there.
15. Educate myself on as many social justice issues at possible
16. Leave the country!!!!!!!
17. Get my license.
18. Read more!!
19. Keep up on journal projects.
20. Pray for the next season. And the people in this season.
21. Keep up on this blog -- C-
22. Start a creative blog. Yes please!--Nope. Ill be rebranding this place soon though :)
23. Practice writing pretty.--Oh gosh. No.
24. Look at the stars, realize the God that loves me, made them
25. Stop in the moment. -- I'm Italian but im always rushing. 
26. Cook a few meals --Salads for dayzzzzzz.
27. Pay for someone's drink... At Starbucks.--I forgot. Better late than never?
28. Go to Boston and visit Kor
29. Go to hartwick and visit erinn
30. Visit Kristen at New Paltz
31. Go to the city
32. Go to the today show-- Got so close but then my phone broke and robbed me from going.
33. Fast (food and anything else that kills contentment)--I quit sugar everyfew weeks because of this lady!!
34. Start a compost
35. Go sledding
36. Make crepes with friends
37. Pray for my nation, community, and church daily
38. Start writing bits of my memoir.
39. Make homemade bread
40. Do something for someone else everyday. 

i graduated.

such a belated post but whateves. so, yes one of the greatest days occurred in my life or the bridge the the greatest days of my life, I GRADUATED!!!!!!

it was the most beautiful day in every way. i started the day off my going to see my niece who is technically my second cousin but i force her to call me Zia JJ. Let the children come. she was kinda scared of me all radiant in my all white and glossy cap and gown. 

I floored it to the prettiest church we were going to be graduating from. i went (love the past tense) to a small christian school for high school with a graduating class of 32 kids (the largest class in the school) which i would never never never never ever recommend to anyone unless I really hated someone but despite all the difficult times this hellhole of a school made me go though it made me soooo much closer to God and made me DO THE HARD THINGS. and i love the joy and the products of DOING THE HARD THINGS!! Sidenote: besides this whole main stream education saga I've loved being a teen ;) ANYWHO got the the church and to see my classmates most of them for probably the last time and get my vuvezela (an african air horn used a soccer games that sounds like and elephant) confiscated from me multiple times. C'mon man just roll with it. One of the mean room moms made us take 43848 posed, chaotic pictures before the ceremony began. 

                                                     {right before marching down the aisle to pomp & circumstance}

The ceremony was long but not boring at all. All the speeches were really well written as well as presented. RIght before the keynote speaker was about to begin they were giving away 4 scholarships. At all these high school award ceremonies i've gone to its always the same 4 kids that get the award and pretty much have the same "bio." The same 3 kids got their scholarships and they started reading the bio of the last person to get one. I really wasn't paying much attention to to anything the principal was saying but when he said my longer, unique bio, I started thinking "who was this, kid?" and the last think he said was "and has gone on two mission trips to africa" a bunch of my classmates turned and looked at me. The speaker said my name and the kid nest to me had to tap me to get up, never in a million years would I think I would have gotten this scholarship. I went up the wrong way and nearly hugged the principal (and I am not a hugger) but I, Jackie Servideo, received the Christian Service Scholarship. I seriously didn't even need my diploma at this point! Anyway when they called my name for my diploma that was pretty much the greatest thing. Hard work pays off, yo!!! ughhh is just felt soooooo good, I'll admit it, I was proud of my self! And I have the greatest friends everrrr they all came despite busy schedules, the boring ceremony, etc. 

{making cool faces}

                                                                            {dad and mom-aunt kate and mom)
                                                                                           {thankful for them}

{my sis & i}

{all my friends are gorge!}

{we went out for pizza afterward and had lovely, deep, meaningful convos (my love language)}

My sister and I stopped at the bookstore too and I picked a new Bible (a super cute ESV that is a one for one company) for this new chapter and I made her pay for it. 

I had to work later too and I showed a few pictures I had on my phone to my residents at the retirement home I work at. Including a blind 97 year old. Good job, Jackie! And told my parents my little surprise once I got home ;) but thats for the next post!! 

"i have fought the good fight, i have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

2 timothy 4:7 

totes could put 53489 more verses that have been my crutch though this season. I love God's word.