Weekly Lineup

Hello folks!

We hope you read last week, because we are back at blogging - full force. This week, we won't disappoint, so anticipate some great posts.

Mystery Revealed
Find out what Christina is all excited about!!!

The Man Who Was Thursday
Take a closer look at this strange nightmare, written by theological great G.K. Chesterton. Maybe you can help me figure it out!

Design Lemons and Limes
Okay, so you've probably already figured out that Christina is the design whiz around here (when I say around I mean theoretically, because we're obviously countries apart). But, that doesn't mean I don't try to spin a little creativity every once in awhile. Read about the great and not-so-great results!

Phase II
Read about Christina's journey into this new territory (see previous post) - I guarantee it will be worth it!

Interview
Oh, yes, remember when we wanted to interview YOU. Well, apparently you don't want to be interviewed. Well, we can respect that, but that doesn't mean we have to stop asking. So, anyone? anyone?

Alright, expect some fun things to fill in the gaps. We are so excited and blessed to share the way God is moving and working in our lives. May all the glory be unto Him!

Controversy on a Sunday. Read and Discuss.

Read. Discuss.

Christina

Books and Rainy Days

Not to steal any thunder from Christina... I am waiting with anticipation to see what this mysterious graphic might represent... (just kidding I already know - you don't think she'd make me wait with the rest of you, do you?)

In the meantime, I'll give you something good to chew on: literature. I know you might prefer chocolate or tres leches cake or (insert scrumptious saturday afternoon treat). But today the treat are the two books I'm reading: The Man Who Was Thursday and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. In the past, I've referred to my love for books like some people's love for chocolate, except I'm completely convinced it's much healthier (I've tried the chocolate thing many times).

Anyway, back to the present. These two books I'm eating (I mean reading. I literally just wrote that without thinking!!!) are so very different. The former is written by G.K. Chesterton and it follows a man in his nightmare of fighting anarchy while an undercover anarchist. The latter is about a clever African woman who set up the first (and probably only) ladies' detective agency in Botswana after her father passed away and left over 200 head of cattle as her inheritance.

I picked up the detective book because my counterpart at the school brought two books along to read while we waited for parents at Open House this past Friday. I gratefully jumped into the fiction and will probably finish tonight or tomorrow. The book is part of a series I've heard recommended often, so maybe I'll get into that.

Chesterton's book, well, it's severely deep. I somehow picked up the annotated version, which makes it both interesting and annoying (do I really need to find out - when Ludgate Hill is mentioned - that someone edited his periodical at an office there?). In any case, I think I'm getting a much more distinct landscape than I would otherwise. I'm trying to piece together underlying theological meanings along the way and I'm glad to discover in the annotations that others are equally confused.

I am half-way through each book, grateful for days like this one where the rain drowns out the music and leaves me with the words.

Mmm. Delicious!

Saturday Linkage- what could it mean?

What could this mean?

I'll let you know on Monday :)

Adventures of the Life I Wish I Led, Part III

Read part I and part II before you read on.
This little series is entirely fictional and based on my heart's desire at the time I'm writing. We all know if we truly had our way, things wouldn't be so great, but I think there are desires God has given us that are okay (even good) to dream about.
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As I hiked up the steep incline, with my cumbersome camping pack snug at my hips, I remembered why retreats are important. Some of the best advice I ever received came from a seasoned missionary, who said, "Take prayer retreats. Oh, once a month at least! at least!"

I'll admit, I thought once a month would be a bit extraneous (wasn't I supposed to be reaching out to people instead of hiking up and away from them?) ... But, as the air grew thinner, my head started to clear. The stress of the village and the weight of decisions fell like the sprinkles starting around me. Grasping a sturdy limb, I tilted my head back to drink in the delight of the early morning.

The winding trail I followed had been blazed by the steady footsteps of women and children with water the destination at the base of the mountain. It was no more than 10 inches wide, but the path furrowed deep into the mountain rock. I prayed as I hiked... and the Lord pressed further on my heart a passion for this place. The people, whitewashed by tradition and necessity, appeared as snapshots across my mind: Natalia, Jesus, Mario, Gabriela, Maria, Carolina, and Juan Pablo.

I thought back to the previous evening I had spent with a family at the base of the mountain. They had attended our church for almost a year and each member seemed like my own relation. I remembered sitting down at Carlos and Andrea's table for arroz con pollo y vegetales, and I praised God for His presence and faithfulness in our village.

My breathing was a little more strained when I realized I was reaching my destination, signified by a painted rock on the path. I stopped to breathe deep before I turned around to take in the glorious sight from my bird's perch. No matter how many times I looked out onto the mountain valley, I always always am amazed. Prayer retreats at this post are more like songs ... and come with little effort.

But, this morning, I knew I would be doing little talking. This morning God wanted me to listen.

Here's the next tidbit.

Mission Trip RE: Cap Installment 2. Faith is not about "God Time"

Need my coffee!

Had a great day with Ruth Ann and Roman on Monday, and spent Tuesday and Wednesday with my PT nanny family, so I'm just now getting back to the blogging board from the romper room to try and put more of my mission trip into words.

The mission trip was a like a fast track out of my comfort zone. Not just because it was in an area of the US that feels like a foreign land, but because for being such a spontaneous gal, I'm extremely structured in some parts of my life. Like my morning ritual. Wake up early, read bible, make healthy breakfast and coffee, get ready for the day. It takes about 2 hours, and it gets my day going RIGHT! I am being truthful when I say that the world is better for it, as my morning crankiness has 2 hours to be turned into Christ's love by the time the world meets my smiling face. :) Anyway, of course this was not the case in New Mexico. Facing a day of cooking, cleaning, child-teaching, insulating and building without my full mornings with the Lord was way out of anything I'd be comfortable with in "real life."
But on a mission trip, you adapt.

I stumbled out of bed at 5:30 or 6, to rush to the kitchen to help our wonderful cook, Minerva, along with my team. With toothpaste crust flanking my mouth on either side, I tried follow simple directions without making a mess of everything or bursting out in tears from exhaustion and lack of "me" time. In my normal life, this would have made for a do-over day. You know, one of those days where you just want to go back to bed as soon as possible and wake up tommorow? Anyway, not an option on the mission field. So, you stumble through tasks, hoping for understanding for those around you, and use the bathroom as your pull-it-together spot. No one likes to wake up this early and work in the kitchen, not the head cook, not even the morning people. But you do what has to be done. You work because people need to eat- they need to eat so that they can serve the Lord by working hard all day long. So you do what needs to be done.

Along with the bathroom God-chats, I pulled into the reserve of hymns, memorized verses, and the Holy Spirit within me, and He was faithful. Faithful to fill me with His Spirit, faithful to work in this unworthy vessel.

Now that I'm writing about this, it really makes me a little embarrassed of how incredibly spoiled I am. Not just in material possessions, but in my walk with God. I have gotten used to a certain amount of time with Him, writing my prayers in my journal, no interruptions. So much so that if one little thing is off, it can throw off my whole day. How silly to think that if my journal is missing or an emergency happens, that I can't spend quality time with the Lord! I have Him with me- we can speak anytime! I have hidden (not much, but some!) his Word in my heart, and that is always with me! Faith is not about a "God-time." That's one lesson that the mission trip taught me. It's listening when he is speaking, instead of doing all the talking. It's about a wild adventure that he's taking me on, and not a 1 hour box that I put him in. Faith is about me, giving up me, over and over, and asking Him to take charge.

Lord, take charge today. Take this day and make it yours. I give this whole day to you, and everything in it. Not one hour, or one journal entry, or one chunk of scripture. This whole day. Fill me with your spirit and teach me in your word. Help me to give over more and more. Help me to become more like you. You are good.

Tankers, Helicopters, and Cruise Ships sent to save me

Today I woke up waiting for a call from an employer. Seems I've been in this place for 2 months now- waiting. Waiting and praying and believing that God will provide, but also wondering how long do I wait before I have to move towards another option? I'm in that place again. Somewhat frustrating to be here still, since August is coming to a close soon.

It's hard to figure out the place where believing in His ability to provide for you, and moving forward. Because you don't want to try and take over for Him who is obviously in control, but also, as our Mom says, "God doesn't drive parked cars."
Sidenote- of course, this isn't exactly theologically correct, because of course if God wanted to, he could drive a parked car. But I digress.
Meaning that we as Christians can't just sit around thinking, "Well, if it's God's will, it will happen." So, what do you do? I'm mainly doing a mixture of praying a lot, believing that God will provide, looking at my bank account a lot and budgeting like crazy so that the money I've saved will last me, and looking into different temporary PT job options.

My good friend Annie told me a story while we were on the mission trip. It's about a guy who was stranded out in the sea. He was a faithful man, so he prayed, believing that God would save him. He prayed and prayed, and soon a tanker came near. The driver yelled to see if the man would like a ride. The man said "No, I'm waiting on God to save me." Then a helicopter came by the next day, and shouted down to get the man on board to safety. The man had the same reply- "No thanks, I'm waiting on God to save me." Then the next day, a cruise ship filled with vacationers came by and asked the same question- Sir, we've come to save you, get on board! He had the same reply, "No thank you! I'm a faithful man, and, I'm waiting on God to save me." The next day the man died, and when he met God, he asked him frustratingly, "God, why didn't you save me?" And God says back, " I TRIED TO! I sent a tanker, a helicopter, and a cruise ship!"

Anyway, So I guess what I've decided to do is pray, believe, and look for the little ways God's sending me help in the meantime. Which he is! Praise God, he's been so good to provide for my needs by sending me jobs out of the woodwork! And I'm trying to trust him with the BIG things too, like the 3rd interview I have tomorrow, with an establishment that just might be the absolute perfect job for me. Actually, more than trying, I'm praying that he'll take every worry out of my hands and my anxious heart, and not let me have it back! And he is good, he is good to take care of me. What a great God we serve!