My Thanksgiving ABC's of the year...reflecting on this past year...
African adventures with Ronda! Who would have thought we would be in Kenya hanging out together last winter!
Being asked to lead the ATW for 2014.
Circuit Riders!
Daily new mercy from the throne room.
Early mornings-when I do get up and see the sunrise, my day is always a little brighter.
Faithful supporters who have continued to believe in what God is doing here. I am always blown away each month how the Lord provides.
Gardening for the first time.
Home- I love my family.
Indoor plumbing...seriously, using an outhouse in the middle of the night where you are at risk of getting eaten by a lion makes you appreciate it all the more.
Journals, they help me to process things. Though they stack up and take space in the end they are so worth having.
Kingdom Nights..of course.
Lots of camping this past summer. :-)
Mary-I've been super blessed by my friend Mary, we got to know each other better this summer. And she's been a true heart friend.
New Colorado church-Bridgeway has been a blessing. It only took 6 years....
Ouray camping trip- so much fun and much needed after a busy busy 8 months of nonstop.
Piano- I was recently given a piano. It is terribly out of tune, but its a piano to practice on.
Quiet moment for...
Rest and reflection, this fall has been the perfect opportunity.
Stacy-she's been an incredible and fun roommate for the past 2 1/2 years.
Tuesday mornings. Because I do reception over lunch on Mondays I get an extra hour at another time..so I take Tuesday morning and it's nice to just have an extra hour to get a few things done and a leisure start to my day.
Unique opportunities to learn new things all the time.
Vision...without vision people perish. God thank you for fresh vision.
WISE school! I never knew this would be my favorite school (curriculum and everything else) EVER.
X-rays at the chiropractor so I am actually getting good help for my back.
Younger brothers and sisters who have become friends.
Zero debt. Thank you Jesus.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Loneliness
I've been thinking about loneliness. I guess that is what happens when you are living slightly alone for a few months. I have come to the conclusion that loneliness is actually quite possibly part of our God given design. Hear me out.
Somewhere along the line in my life I came to this idea (and I don't think it's right) that if I was truly content then I would never feel lonely. Because if I was lonely after all, it must mean I don't believe God is with me. Nothing could be actually further from the truth.
When we are healthy people- we should at times be lonely!
I love to drink my morning coffee ALONE with the Lord, or go for a run alone or on occasion enjoy a leisure book on my couch alone. This is aloneness..We all need it to some degree or another- granted some need it a bit more than others because they are introverted (and I am slightly.)
But being introverted has nothing to do with loneliness. The beauty of loneliness is that it drives us to community. To family. To relationship. It's why thousands of people night after night and week after week all year long go to the bar after work..because they can not stand the thought of being alone. What if they knew that their loneliness wasn't really just about them?
So, in loneliness I have two options. I can pity myself or look out- and find out who else out there may be lonely. What if I just became their friend, listened to their story, and invited them into my life? Miracle of miracles- no longer am I lonely, but also- no longer is it about me.
Now, you might ask me- how is it that you could ever be lonely? You "live" in community!
Well, let me ask you the same question...how could you ever be lonely? You are surrounded by possibly a family, a job full of people, maybe neighbors and people you see every day. And yet, in the midst of it a person can be lonely..unless they risk truly getting beyond themselves.
And truly it is in the knowing that "He will never leave you or forsake you." that allows me to get beyond myself and reach out. It is what gives me the freedom to say "Hey, what to come over for dinner?" So next time you are feeling lonely, ask yourself the question "who needs a friend today?" And instead of focusing on yourself, you will find your loneliness dissipating as you focus on the needs of others.
Somewhere along the line in my life I came to this idea (and I don't think it's right) that if I was truly content then I would never feel lonely. Because if I was lonely after all, it must mean I don't believe God is with me. Nothing could be actually further from the truth.
When we are healthy people- we should at times be lonely!
I love to drink my morning coffee ALONE with the Lord, or go for a run alone or on occasion enjoy a leisure book on my couch alone. This is aloneness..We all need it to some degree or another- granted some need it a bit more than others because they are introverted (and I am slightly.)
But being introverted has nothing to do with loneliness. The beauty of loneliness is that it drives us to community. To family. To relationship. It's why thousands of people night after night and week after week all year long go to the bar after work..because they can not stand the thought of being alone. What if they knew that their loneliness wasn't really just about them?
So, in loneliness I have two options. I can pity myself or look out- and find out who else out there may be lonely. What if I just became their friend, listened to their story, and invited them into my life? Miracle of miracles- no longer am I lonely, but also- no longer is it about me.
Now, you might ask me- how is it that you could ever be lonely? You "live" in community!
Well, let me ask you the same question...how could you ever be lonely? You are surrounded by possibly a family, a job full of people, maybe neighbors and people you see every day. And yet, in the midst of it a person can be lonely..unless they risk truly getting beyond themselves.
And truly it is in the knowing that "He will never leave you or forsake you." that allows me to get beyond myself and reach out. It is what gives me the freedom to say "Hey, what to come over for dinner?" So next time you are feeling lonely, ask yourself the question "who needs a friend today?" And instead of focusing on yourself, you will find your loneliness dissipating as you focus on the needs of others.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Fall Quarter
This season has been different for me, as every season is..but this is my first fall quarter since my very first, that I am not working directly with a school.
So what do my days look like?
I am currently overseeing our accounting department, which consists of 2 other girls. (A change from when I first began to work in there and was the only girl!) Several years ago when our friend Cary passed away we were left without an accounting overseer. Our Administrator sort of took it on, but with all of the other things he had on his plate he really couldn't give as much attention to the department as was needed. Last spring he mentioned this and immediately I knew I needed to step in. I was full trained in the department but because of my constant assisting of schools it had left me unavailable. So, this quarter and next I am focused on this office.
I actually really enjoy the work. Our accountant who comes in once a month or so told me that our books are NOTHING like those of a regular business because of the amount of information we need to track- student finances, staff fund raising, automatic donations, and one time gifts (both online and via check or card), overseas workers information, bills for electricity, garbage, propane, dishwasher maintenance, new bunk beds..you name it. :-) Probably why I love it.
I love to learn, to have projects and also to teach others. One of the girls working with me was partially trained and the other brand new, so it's been fairly easy to resurrect some of the practices we had in the office before.
Currently I have been spending a lot of time going through old documents and bringing them up to date, while taking phone calls and doing all the day to day tasks. I also meet each week with my girls to talk about how things are going, what needs to be changed, how they are doing personally, and sometimes just to drink a good cup of tea and laugh about things not work related!
This last week I have also begun to focus in on ATW prep again- I hadn't given it too much thought for a few weeks as I was reacquainting myself in the office. But with 5 students already accepted to the school I know I need to start giving it some attention.
We just welcomed 3 teams back and graduated them last friday. They were off our summer DTS- An ATW, Haiti & the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines. All teams had an incredible time and saw God do a lot of amazing things.
Our current schools (we have 4- with about 135 students) just ended week 6. The outreach teams are decided. We are sending a large team to Uganda & Kenya, Another large team to Thailand, a team to Mexico & Belize, another big team to Colombia and a team to Costa Rica. Pray for the leaders as they prepare and for the students as many will be going overseas for the first time, and it will be most of their first time away from home for the Christmas season.
So what do my days look like?
I am currently overseeing our accounting department, which consists of 2 other girls. (A change from when I first began to work in there and was the only girl!) Several years ago when our friend Cary passed away we were left without an accounting overseer. Our Administrator sort of took it on, but with all of the other things he had on his plate he really couldn't give as much attention to the department as was needed. Last spring he mentioned this and immediately I knew I needed to step in. I was full trained in the department but because of my constant assisting of schools it had left me unavailable. So, this quarter and next I am focused on this office.
I actually really enjoy the work. Our accountant who comes in once a month or so told me that our books are NOTHING like those of a regular business because of the amount of information we need to track- student finances, staff fund raising, automatic donations, and one time gifts (both online and via check or card), overseas workers information, bills for electricity, garbage, propane, dishwasher maintenance, new bunk beds..you name it. :-) Probably why I love it.
I love to learn, to have projects and also to teach others. One of the girls working with me was partially trained and the other brand new, so it's been fairly easy to resurrect some of the practices we had in the office before.
Currently I have been spending a lot of time going through old documents and bringing them up to date, while taking phone calls and doing all the day to day tasks. I also meet each week with my girls to talk about how things are going, what needs to be changed, how they are doing personally, and sometimes just to drink a good cup of tea and laugh about things not work related!
This last week I have also begun to focus in on ATW prep again- I hadn't given it too much thought for a few weeks as I was reacquainting myself in the office. But with 5 students already accepted to the school I know I need to start giving it some attention.
We just welcomed 3 teams back and graduated them last friday. They were off our summer DTS- An ATW, Haiti & the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines. All teams had an incredible time and saw God do a lot of amazing things.
Our current schools (we have 4- with about 135 students) just ended week 6. The outreach teams are decided. We are sending a large team to Uganda & Kenya, Another large team to Thailand, a team to Mexico & Belize, another big team to Colombia and a team to Costa Rica. Pray for the leaders as they prepare and for the students as many will be going overseas for the first time, and it will be most of their first time away from home for the Christmas season.
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