"Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving"

Over the weekend, I celebrated my birthday, and therefore, the beginning of one decade and the beginning of another. Yes, the big 3-0. I wasn't sure what to think of it - not that I thought it was a bad thing. But how am I thirty already? Especially when just last week someone asked me if I am a student teacher here. However, it ended up being a wonderful weekend of celebrating, reflecting on all that God has done in my life the past three decades, and looking forward to the next decade.

Now, you're probably wondering what the title of this post is all about. You see, my sister sent me the movie "27 Dresses" for my 27th birthday, and I thought the number connection was really cool. I didn't end up finding movies for birthdays 28 and 29, but when I spotted "13 going on 30" in a friend's collection last week, I knew I had to watch it on my birthday. So I did. :) (Mike watched some of it with me - when he wasn't making an amazing mocha layered cheesecake:) At one point in the movie, the main character says that she wants to be "thirty, flirty, and thriving." Later, I repeated this line to Mike: "I want to be thirty, flirty, and thriving." He gave me a funny look, so I explained that it was a line from the movie. I clarified that I'm only flirty with him, but I am now thirty and thriving sounds like a good thing to be. :)

So here's to another decade of life...a decade of thriving, with God's help, through ups and downs, and whatever it may hold.

The Beauty of a Sunrise

Let's be honest, folks - I haven't seen too many sunrises recently. (And by recently, I mean quite a while.) I've always said that I'm a morning person (nature vs. nurture? perhaps some of both, especially since morning comes early when you grow up on a farm). However, I spent a good part of a decade burning the candle at both ends. That takes its toll, plus makes mornings difficult. So I've spent the last year or so "recovering" - it's been a long, slow road, but God is so good. I hope to be a morning person again someday, and I've gotten a bit of a taste of that this week.

This morning I drove to Zurich (about an hour and 15 min. drive each way) to pick up a dear friend. As I left the house, the sun was beginning to come up and the sky was tinged pink - oh. how. beautiful. Then, as I crossed the border into Switzerland, I soaked in the beauty of the fall colors - beautifully painted hillsides. I love the quiet of a morning. The peacefulness. The joy of a new day. The beginning of the day seems a bit less rushed when you watch every step of the sunrise - step by beautiful step, savoring the moments.

**Sorry for the lack of a picture of said beautiful sunrise, but I was a bit busy driving safely. :)

An Unplanned Hiatus...

I haven't been posting on here for the past few months. That wasn't planned - it just kind of happened. I haven't been writing as many emails, making as many phone calls, signing on to Skype as much, etc etc. Trust me - there's LOTS of stuff rolling around inside my head and heart, but it doesn't always come out verbally or in written form, and when it does, it doesn't seem to make sense.

So, thanks for your patience with me. In the midst of all of the question marks and details of life and just the "daily grind," God is at work. He is speaking to me and strengthening my heart. He has give us such amazing family, friends, coworkers, etc. We are truly blessed.

International Life & Children

Working where we do, we hear lots of stories of families - including children - moving to a new country/culture, and their educational experiences. I recently read this article ("My Family's Experiment in Extreme Schooling"), which I found very interesting, especially since it was not written from a Christian or missionary perspective.

Food for thought

I came across this article ("Projecting Poverty Where it Doesn't Exist") recently, and it is definitely food for thought... (It is written by Steve Saint - veteran missionary and son of Nate Saint.)

See the blessing, not the burden.

Yesterday morning, I opened the fridge and pulled out the milk to put some on my cereal. The milk jug said "Best before July 11." "July 11th?!" I thought to myself, "How do they get milk to stay good for that long? I mean, it's only June 1st." Pause....."Oh yeah, it's July 3rd."

That's what happens when you spend the summer living out of a suitcase and crossing various state lines regularly: you lose your sense of time. No, it's not the easiest way to spend a summer, but as my Mom says, I'm trying to "see the blessing and not the burden." The blessing is getting to see and reconnect with many people - family, friends, churches, supporters.

Pray for us - that we will be able to see many more friends and family, but also that we will get the rest and refreshment we need to return to Germany in August.

Our pace of life...

Mike and I have been thinking and talking a lot recently about our pace of life. We are trying to figure out what our pace of life needs to look like for long-term life here to be sustainable - or even possible. "Involved" and "committed" are two words that have been part of this conversation. A friend recently shared this quote, which was helpful:

"There is a difference between being 'involved' and being 'committed'; like with the ham and the egg: the chicken is involved, but the pig is committed!"

Pictures: China and Track

The end of the school year is a busy and full time at any school, but even more so in an international school community where there is a large turnover of staff and students every year. Our days are full, as are our hearts and minds. Sometimes when my mind and heart is so full with so many different things, I don't know what to post here. There is so much that has happened in the past two months, and there is much more to happen in the next two.

For now, allow me to share some photos with you of some highlights of our April and May. The big event in April was our trip to China. Click here to see the photos that Mike posted on Facebook.

In addition to his main role of teaching science, Mike also was one of the assistant coaches for track this spring. Click here to see some photos from European Finals. (We compete in the DODDS system - aka the military schools.) Our boys won the Division 2 team championship, including breaking the DODDS Europe and BFA record in the 4x800 relay. Earlier in the season, they broke the school record (that had stood since 1991) in the sprint medley relay. My contribution to the track team was to make "jam bars" for each meet. Jam Bars are a long held BFA tradition for track and cross country.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. If that's true, then these pictures ought to make up for my lack of recent posts. :)

Why Should Churches Care About Europe?

Why Should Churches Care about Europe?

Europe is the leading educator of the rest of the world. Twice as many international students are being educated in Europe as in the U.S.. Post 9/11 restrictions are shifting this number higher. Europe has a high influence on tomorrow's intellects and leaders.

(A friend recently shared this in an email. I don't know where its from, so I don't know who/where to give credit to.)

Signs of Spring

Signs of spring:
- when I step outside the house I immediately can smell all of the spring blooms - lilacs, apple & cherry blossoms, magnolias, etc etc
- fresh air
- open windows
- (yellow) pollen all over everything - the windows, windowsills, and anything near the open windows :)
- sunshine
- warm days and cool nights
- longer days
- everything in bloom, lush green trees and grass, etc. - I LOVE the new life that spring brings!

Easter in China

This article touched my heart deeply in reminding me of the persecution our Chinese brothers and sisters face. I am reminded of what I have to be thankful for, and I'm reminded to pray for the Church in China.

Pure Love of God

"Love of God is pure when joy and suffering inspire an equal degree of gratitude." ~Simone Weil

Gratitude Journal #35

What I'm thankful for:
*God's faithfulness and provision
*Homemade lemonade with lunch on Sunday
*BEAUTIFUL spring (almost-summer like) weather the past few days
*Time with my husband
*that the children's EFL curriculum project that I've been a part of has wrapped up
*A good walk this morning in the crisp air and sunshine
*An awesome group of staff and students to travel to Asia with
*the movie Temple Grandin (I highly recommend it!)
*the book Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman (I highly recommend it, too!)
*what German I do know
*lessons I'm learning

What I want:
*to learn more German
*to depend on God and not myself, especially in our upcoming trip to Asia (we leave Sat.)
*to keep my perspective where it needs to be
*to take life one step at a time
*to be more organized
*to get some errands done today
*to enjoy and be thankful for each moment

I'm Being Saved from Myself...

I just read an article that hit a bulls-eye for me, especially this quote:

"But that’s the thing I’m learning about dreams–even God’s dreams for us. Oftentimes, living them out is a lot more desert than you expected. You forge ahead with high ideals, only to find grit and heat and a request to bloom in the dark. You dive in with hopeful optimism, only to discover that maybe it’s not so much about saving the world, as it is about being saved from yourself.

Sometimes living out the dream takes the guts just to survive parts of it – flat tires and angry stomp and all."

Read the entire article here.

Resourcefulness: Eradicating Mold

I wrote the story below on Tuesday. I emailed it to a handful of close friends because, at first, I was hesitant to post it here. I guess I was afraid that you would think less of my hygiene/cleaning habits or something. But I've decided to not worry about that. So, without further ado, here's Tuesday's story...

So...I've got a story for you all. My planned day of laundry, cleaning, etc hasn't exactly gone as I had expected. I changed the sheets on our bed today....well, actually I should say I STARTED changing the sheets on the bed. I took the sheets off, and the mattress pads/covers too - I figured I'd be thorough today. And since I was being thorough, I decided to flip/rotate the mattresses (our bed is king-sized, but what they do in Europe is put two twin mattresses together). So I flipped my mattress over and was greeted by little black spots....hmmm....mildew/mold. Hmmmm....I don't think I've had this problem before (at least not on the mattresses...German houses aren't ventilated like American ones, so mold on the walls can be a problem if you don't open the windows for a bit each day to let fresh air in). Weird. But I can't just leave it. I then flipped Mike's mattress over, and there were a few black spots, although not as many as on mine. My mattress is actually a foam mattress with this cloth cover thing on it. So, I eventually figured out how to unzip it (there was a label sticker covering part of it) and threw the cover in the washing machine with bleach.

Meanwhile, I googled "how to get mildew out of a mattress" - sunshine is key - they recommend taking the mattress outside for a few days - to dry it out, and because the UV rays in the sunshine kill the mold. Hmmmm....I understand the concept, but I'm sure you can understand that dragging my mattress outside is not exactly feasible (being in an upstairs apartment without access to a yard, etc) , plus I'd kind of like to sleep tonight (yeah - how I'm going to get everything clean and dry - we don't have a dryer - and put back together by bedtime, I'm not sure. Maybe I'll have to come up with a Plan B....) White vinegar is my new favorite thing to clean with - especially on soap scum. And especially because the white vinegar here is actually four times stronger (or something like that) than the stuff in the US. Some of the websites mentioned bleach and vinegar. I decided to start with vinegar, because I'd rather deal with the smell of vinegar than bleach. The vinegar started the job (there was a bit of black spots on the foam part of my mattress - oh and Mike's mattress is a "real" mattress), but I wasn't satisfied that the mold was eradicated.

Meanwhile, I went downstairs (well, an hour and a half later...German washing machines take longer than American ones. It's because the machine heats the water up, they use less water, etc.) to retrieve the mattress cover thing from the washing machine. I was disheartened when I examined it and realized that it appeared no different than when I first put it in the washing machine. I quickly decided that putting it through another cycle would not do any good. So I brought it upstairs and decided to bring out the SUPERPOWER - bleach! I decided (thanks to my earlier Google searching) that a spray bottle was the best way to "apply" the bleach. For some unknown reason (well, actually, I know the reason - "they were here when I moved in," but that's a different story for another time:), there are two bottles of glass cleaner in my cleaning supplies cupboard. So I combined the two into one, and then proceeded to fill the now-empty spray bottle with bleach and water (about half and half). Feeling mighty powerful and laughing with an evil laugh at the mildew, I proceeded to thoroughly spray the mattress cover with my new secret power. Then, I hung the mattress cover out the bedroom window (we don't have screens here, and the windows are on hinges, unlike most/some in the US) where it is currently being bathed in direct afternoon sunlight. (Note: Hanging bedding out one's window is perfectly culturally acceptable here. Granted, I think I usually see it done in the morning, but oh well.)

I then got the rest of the mold off the mattresses with my bottle o'bleach. I'll take a hair dryer to them in a bit (Mr. Google's suggested sunshine alternative). I'm thinking that I should now wash the pillows, but they definitely won't dry in a day... so I'll save that project for another day. (Might have to see if I can take them to one of the dorms and dry them in a dryer there...) Oh, and then I took a faithful Sharpie and wrote "BLEACH" all over my bottle o'secret power, lest the hubs mistakenly thinks it is glass cleaner. :)

I really hope that this story is as amusing to you as it has been to me today.

Resourcefully yours,
K.

PS - The end of the story: The mold is gone, and my Amazing Hubs helped me put everything back together that evening. Making sure things were dry involved an iron and a hair dryer (until I overheated it, but no worries - it eventually recovered:)

Sounds of a Monday Morning

It's a gray, sleepy Monday morning. I am struggling to get myself fully awake and alert. Why is it that changing the clocks one hour can feel so significant to us? Especially to those of us who are used to flying over multiple time zones? (Granted, do we ever get "used" to it?)

As I lie in bed, slowly waking up, I'm comforted by the familiar sounds of a Monday morning:
*The garbage truck making its rounds
*The birds chirping and singing their morning songs
*The heat is on, warming the apartment. (Yes, we have had some gorgeous spring-like weather recently, but the nights are still cold.)

Gratitude Journal #34

What I'm thankful for:
*our comfortable home
*warm sweaters
*hot beverages
*Friday mornings spent with 2nd graders - they're good for the soul :)
*I found black beans in chili sauce at the grocery store today (black beans are a bit harder to find here, and I LOVE them) to go with our taco salad for supper
*We're going to the Middle School play - "The Mouse That Roared" - tonight
*Tomorrow we're going to celebrate J & P's wedding...J is a former English Camper turned staff...she was my intern in the summer of 2009. (Well, technically, "our" intern, but she was a huge help and encouragement to me personally)
*Flexibility in my schedule
*All of the opportunities I have been blessed with
*All of the friends I have been blessed with

What I want:
*A snack and coffee...I'm a bit hungry and a bit cold
*To relax for a bit on this gray afternoon, before a busy weekend
*to learn what God wants to teach me
*to wrap up this Children's EFL curriculum project quickly and without too much blood, sweat, and tears (ok...maybe there hasn't been any blood, but there has been sweat and tears)
*for molehills to not feel like mountains to me
*to talk to my sister...our schedules have not "jived" recently
*to follow God and seek Him above all else...it is so easy to let the things of life cloud my vision of Him

Gratitude Journal #33

What I'm thankful for:
*The Swiss Alps - their beauty, that they are evidence of God's majesty and handiwork, and for a sunny weekend spent in the midst of them
*for a wonderful high school retreat this weekend - for Truth that spoke to and encouraged my heart. For the way the students were challenged and opened up. For the work that God did.
*for some good honest conversations with some fellow adults on retreat
*for God's grace, and the FREEDOM it gives ("There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus)
*for my amazing husband, the way that he takes care of me, and is so patient with me

What I want:
*to finish this children's EFL lesson that I've been working on
*to live in the freedom that God's grace gives ("and the Truth shall set you free")
*to keep a proper/healthy perspective on things

Gratitude Journal #32

What I'm thankful for:
*the promise that spring is coming, and for beautiful sunshine and a cloudless blue sky (for the second day in a row!)...I'm wondering this: is the old adage, "In like a lamb, out like a lion" true for the month of March in Germany? :)
*the lovely Christmas cards we received this year ...Because spring is coming, the hubs has said that it is time to take them down...so I did.. But they have been a lovely reminder of the people we love (and who love us - thank you!)
*that family and friends are patient with my lapses in communication
*for what God is teaching me
*for 14 months (as of yesterday:) of marriage (some friends of ours here - a dear couple who recently clung to God during their second battle with cancer...the first was nearly 30 years ago - encouraged us to celebrate the "monthiversaries" - not for sappiness's sake, per se, but as a way to remember to thank God for each other every day)
*for progress I have made on my part of a Children's EFL curriculum project
*for the opportunity to go on BFA's high school retreat this weekend (March 4-6)

What I want:
*for mental energy and clarity to be able to finish/"polish" my part of a Children's EFL curriculum project that I'm working on. It is "rough" and needs to be smoothed out, streamlined, etc.
*for good connections to be built/strengthened with students at high school retreat this weekend, and to have the energy I need for that
*to go for a walk
*to honor God in all that I do

Gratitude Journal #31

What I'm thankful for:
*homemade pasta (My amazing hubs made dinner last night. If I had made it, it would have included store bought pasta. But Mike made lovely homemade pasta....and this amazing chicken parmesan)
*my sister
*sleep
*coffee
*less-scheduled days
*chocolate, baked goods, etc (yes, I love my carbs!)

What I want:
*to finish this Children's EFL lesson that I'm working on quickly and easily.
*to get some things mailed out today or tomorrow
*To be more on top of things...or rather, to be content knowing that I accomplished what I could, today, and every day
*to remember that I live for an audience of One
*to know God more and deeper

Out of my control

I'm an oldest child. A recovering perfectionist. An independent person. Due to these, and other, factors, I like control. This is hard to admit, because after all, who wants to admit that they are a control freak?

A good Christian is supposed to trust God and leave it all in His hands, right? Isn't that so much easier said than done? As my friend Julie once said, "I put it in God's hands, but I like to keep my pinky on it."

Being married is a huge blessing, but it definitely sands off your rough edges. MY rough edges. Getting married has helped me to see how much I can be a "control freak" - sometimes with little things that don't really matter.

As much as I would sometimes like to control all of the details of my life, I know that I can't. And I'm thankful that I can't, because God's plans truly are better than mine - bumps, mountains, valleys, and all.

Really, it is all a matter of perspective and attitude. What's that adage? - "You can tell a lot about a person by how they handle a rainy day, lost luggage, and...some other situation." Well, God gave me a good reminder a few weeks ago. He reminded me that I am NOT in control. The adage for that week was, "You can tell a lot about Kari by how she handles a cold, a gray hair, and a dead computer power cord."

These three things were out of my control. I haven't had a cold in a very long time, which was something I was rather enjoying. Then, a few weeks ago, a cold struck from out of nowhere. I was frustrated. The congestion. The nagging cough. No one likes it. The truth is, as much as you take care of yourself, sometimes you're still going to get sick. I am not ultimately in control of my immune system.

The second thing I am not in control of is when my hair turns gray. I found my first gray hair in the summer of 2009. (It is taped in my journal for posterity's sake.:) I was a bit frustrated by it. Twenty-seven at the time, I didn't think it was fair that my hair was turning gray when I barely looked eighteen. I hadn't seen another one since. I was hoping it was a fluke. My reaction was much the same when I spotted another unmistakably gray hair a few weeks ago. For the rest of that day, I was paranoid every time I glanced in the mirror, thinking I had spotted another gray hair. I guess I was hoping to not have gray hair until at least my forties, but maybe that wasn't a realistic expectation. And again, I realized it's a matter of perspective. After all, I have friends and family members who have gone prematurely gray. I found one gray hair, which is buried in a mass of curly dark brown hairs. Another gray hair here and there over the next few years is not something to lose sleep over.

The third thing that I could not control that week was that my laptop's power cord gave up the ghost. Again, no warning. All of a sudden, it just no longer worked. Thankfully, it was still covered under warranty, but of course it wasn't that simple to replace. I'll spare you the gory details, but after multiple phone calls to (a certain company)'s representatives in two countries and visiting a third, followed by more phone calls, a new power cord was mailed to me. And thanks to amazingly speedy German delivery, a new power cord was in my hands the next day (at no monetary cost to me - just my time and phone bill).

All this to say, I was reminded that week that there are many things in life that I cannot control. It's better to roll with the punches and remember what I have to be thankful for, instead of grumbling and being frustrated. As my Mom says, "Look for the blessing, not the burden."

Like a glow-worm in the dark...

"Perhaps, weary soul, the Lord is doing this to develop your graces. There are some of your graces that would never be discovered if it were not for your trials. Do you not know that your faith never looks as good in summer as it does in winter? Love is too often like a glow-worm, showing but little light unless it is surrounded by darkness. Hope itself is like a star--not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.........Well, Christian, may this not account for the troubles through which you are passing? Is the Lord bringing out your graces and making them grow? Is it for this reason He contends with you?"
~Charles Spurgeon

Celebrating Mike

Yesterday was Mike's birthday. Words cannot adequately express how grateful I am for him. He is so good to me and for me. I want to love him well and show him how much I appreciate him every day, but especially yesterday, I wanted to make sure he felt celebrated. Sometimes it is the little things, right? Here's some of the ways he was celebrated:

*Oodles of birthday wishes on Facebook. Mike was in awe of how many people wished him a happy birthday.

*We had a meeting during lunch time at school, and I showed up with some of Mike's favorite cookies (Cherry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip) - fresh out of the oven. (Note to self: fresh out of the oven cookies don't travel very well, but they still taste good! :)

*Mike's Mom sent his birthday box early, and had instructed me to open it up and hide/keep the gifts until his actual birthday (she knows him all too well - he would have peaked/tried to figure them out:) When he came home from school, all of the gifts & cards that I had stashed away were sitting on the table waiting for him. After he opened them, he said, "So where was your hiding place?" I said, "I'm not going to tell you - I might need to use it again sometime!:)"

*We went out for a good German meal at a nearby restaurant. I had only been there before on busy summer nights. Last night it was us, a table of what I assume to be local men, and the owners. It was great! We are thankful to at least know enough German to get by, understand them, and use no English. Language learning is a slow process, but we're thankful that we're beginning to feel more and more confident and comfortable with the language.

*Phone calls from family and friends wishing Mike a Happy Birthday

*And we finished off the day with a special dessert I had made for Mike....Not sure what to call it - a torte maybe? A layer of cake/biscuit, a layer of almond cream, and a layer of cherries. (The man loves cherries - can you tell?)

Happy 29th Birthday, Mike! :) (I think I need to start planning next year's shin-dig now...:)

Aim at Heaven

"Aim at heaven and you get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither."
~C.S. Lewis

Lyrical lessons

Sometimes, song lyrics speak the strongest lessons to me. They remind me of powerful truths. They encourage and strengthen my heart. Sometimes, they even give me that "umph" I need to keep going.

While teaching in Ohio, I would often listen to the same song on repeat on my drive to school. My second year of teaching was especially difficult, so I repeated songs A LOT that year. My drive was fifteen to twenty minutes long, so that meant I listened to the song three or four times. Which song I repeated changed from time to time. But what this did was solidified the Truth that the song spoke in my heart and mind, so that it stayed there all day. It was the reminder that I needed to get through the day.

I'm currently in a season of life where, simply put, I'm fighting a battle of truth and lies. We all have struggles, and I'm at a point where I feel like my struggles have me stuck in a rut. The reality is that God is bringing healing in my life, but it is a veeeeeeeeeery slooooooooooow process. Much slower than I would choose, if I were in control.

Which brings me to lyrical lesson #1, taken from "Break Open the Sky" by Tobymac (side note: my husband finds it amusing that I love Tobymac, but the guy has great lyrics and a style that I feel exudes the freedom that comes from true grace.) One line in that song says "Won't you turn off gravity so we can fly?" When I first heard this line, my thought was, " Turning off gravity? How realistic is that?!" ** But then....Aren't our requests to God sometimes that absurd?

So, too, is my cry of desperation for God to end this struggle now. It's an absurd request. Yes, it's an honest request, coming from the depths of my heart when I feel like this struggle will never get better or never end. As I said to Mike last night, I don't want to be the person I am right now for the rest of my life.

But if God just picked me up out of this struggle right now, it would be like half-baking a cake, or only halfway firing a piece of pottery. Who wants a half-baked cake or unfinished pottery? (I seem to have developed a habit of unintentionally half-baking brownies recently, but that's another story for another time.)

A friend sent me a video of the song "Stronger" by Mandisa. As I sat here this morning listening to it, the lyrics were EXACTLY what my heart needed to hear. (I love how God does that!)

When the waves are taking you under
Hold on just a little bit longer
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger
The pain ain't gonna last forever
And things can only get better

...

Try and do the best you can
Hold on and let Him hold your hand
And go on and fall into the arms of Jesus
Oh, lift your head it's gonna end
God's right there
Even when you just can't feel Him
I promise you that He still cares

'Cause if He started this work in your life
He will be faithful to complete it
If only you believe it
He knows how much it hurts
And I'm sure that He's gonna help you get through this

God is the Master Potter, who is refining me. Refining isn't an easy process - it's through the fire. I won't be that finished piece of pottery this side of heaven, but as Mandisa says, "the pain ain't gonna last forever."

**Please note: This Tobymac song speaks of Christ's second coming to rapture his church. I know that my reaction was, therefore, "out of context," but it was my reaction when I heard that one line, without listening to the meaning of the whole song.

Gratitude Journal #30

What I'm thankful for:
*Beautiful sunshine and spring-like weather (is it really only February?!) that we've had the past few days
*Lessons that God is teaching me, even though they aren't always easy
*Reminders of Truth
*my amazing husband
*Music, especially music that speaks to my heart
*my Bible and journal...and colored Stabilo pens :)
*the truth that grace isn't dependent on who I am or what I do
*the freedom that true grace brings
*the truth that God wants me to pour out my heart to Him in complete honesty...even when there are tears of frustration or sadness
*friends
*the miracle and gift of newborn babies...they remind me of the amazing Creator God
*all of the people who stand with us in prayers and giving...without you, we wouldn't be here

What I want:
*Creativity and ideas as I work on this Children's EFL project I am currently a part of
*To regain control of my email inbox...it's a bit of a mess
*To have more realistic expectations of myself
*To patiently allow God to do His work in me
*To sit quietly and rest in the Hand of God
*To talk to my Mom today (it's been a while)

Gratitude Journal #29

What I'm thankful for:
*new friends
*Drain-o (or as the bottle I have says, "Super Rohr Frei") - I don't know what M. did to the kitchen sink, but it was clogged. Thanks to those lovely chemicals I poured down it, it is no longer clogged.
*Friends with whom I can "safely" share my whole heart
*grace and what I'm learning about it
*Glimpses of sunshine and blue skies this morning

What I want:
*To be more patient as I learn what God wants to teach me
*To not strive in my own power
*To have more energy (yup, it's been one of those days)

Gratitude Journal #28

What I'm thankful for:
*Alertness and safety during an early morning airport run this morning
*Listening to some good Truth-speaking songs while driving in the car the past two days (driving here is not a daily part of my life as it was in the US)
*Friends
*Truth
*Encouragement
*Emails
*Good days
*That I can't nullify grace (Gal 2:20)

What I want:
*To live in God's strength, not my own
*To truly grasp God's grace and His love for me
*To selflessly love the people around me, especially my husband

Adventure...in His Hands

I'm at a point in life where I'm starting to feel more "settled." Like I'm "putting down roots." But I've been reminded recently to hold my plans and roots loosely - I'm supposed to keep my eyes focused on my King and follow where He leads me.

A friend just shared this quote: "Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventure" - L. Drachman

Mike and I have been talking recently about this "adventure" we're on. Sure we're curious and love to live life. But I think really, it boils down to the fact that we've surrendered our lives to whatever plans God has for us. Rather than begrudgingly trudging down the path God has for us, it's better to keep our eyes focused on Him, excited about whatever "adventures" - big or small - He has for us.

Which leads me back to the title of this blog - "Step by Step In His Hands"...It could also be called "Adventures...In His Hands." :)

Note: No, we're not planning to move. We've just been reminded recently that while we can make plans, we need to "hold them loosely," because God's plans might look different than ours.

Gratitude Journal #27

What I am thankful for:
*God is sovereign
*this adventure we're living
*this "front row seat" that God has given us to watch what He is doing in the world
*my sister
*sunshine
*coffee
*chocolate chip cookie bars
*that I was able to fix a zipper on a piece of clothing so it doesn't need to be replaced
*games, especially games with friends

What I want:
*For God to direct our steps, and for our desires to not get in the way
*to get a bunch of mail together to send to the US with a friend
*to write in my journal
*to cross some things off my "to do" list today...
*...but yet not be burdened/weighed down by the "to do list"

Gratitude Journal #26

What I am thankful for:
*The GORGEOUS weather we have had the past few days - is it really January? Because it feels, smells, and looks more like spring. :) (Look at the picture that I just took - I know that it isn't the best picture, but look at the cloudless blue sky - amazing! :)
*The church bells that ring regularly, marking the time.
*That our car repairs were MUCH less extensive and MUCH less expensive than we had anticipated - praise the Lord for His provision in this way!
*Walks with Mike (especially in this beautiful weather!)
*time with friends
*phone calls with family

What I want:
*To use my time wisely this week
*To be dependent on God, instead of myself or anything else
*To talk to my sister on the phone this week (we've had trouble connecting this week:)
*To add a bit more "structure" to my days this semester, but to not take too much on - wisdom in making these decisions
*To read and journal more this week

The art of living

The art of living is to enjoy what we can see and not complain about what remains in the dark. When we are able to take the next step with the trust that we will have enough light for the step that follows, we can walk through life with joy and be surprised at how far we go.

-Henry Nouwen

Near to the heart of God...

There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God. A place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God.

There is a place of comfort sweet, near to the heart of God. A place where we our Savior meet, near to the heart of God.

From the hymn, "Near to the Heart of God"

Gratitude Journal #25

What I'm thankful for:
*sunshine
*good sleep
*an unexpected visit yesterday from 2 of Mike's former HBR (dorm) guys
*my caring husband...and that he just called me just to see how my day was going
*black beans...and the fact that I remembered to soak them overnight...(now, to decide which Mexican dish to make with them...)
*"Staff Breakfast" yesterday morning - the opportunity to interact with the wonderful people in this community, and for the reminders of why we are here
*God's work in our lives
*family
*colors
*photos and the beauty they capture
*email

What I want:
*To do some cooking/baking
*wisdom for some decisions we need to make about some car repairs
*to know how to spend my time wisely...how to prioritize things
*to finally make a decision about which wedding photos to order
*to pray more
*to read more

I love words

I love words. Their intricate meanings. How using the right words to describe something paints a picture in someone's mind. I can't paint or draw to save my life, but I love how black text on a white page can paint a picture in my mind just the same.

I recently came across this poem about slang terms of 2010. I am not sharing this with you because of any viewpoints it may or may not support, but only for the language. I thought the author summed up events of 2010 in a rhythmic, rhyming poem that is quite catchy.

Enjoy!

Gratitude Journal #24

A nearby village in the evening - decorated for Christmas and covered in snow!

Our Christmas tree (which is especially exciting since it is the first tree we have had as a couple - so thankful for our first "married" Christmas!)...and please note the giant stocking behind the two normal sized ones...my husband was quick to (jokingly) claim that one, which I gave him much grief about!

What I'm thankful for:
*rest
*a bit more energy
*the relaxed pace of break, and time with Mike
*the time with friends, playing games, eating, etc. over break
*the freedom to go to church and both sing and hear Truth
*my family, for who each one is as an individual
*that our friend Amy was able to come visit over break - yay for catching up in person!
*that we've had more snow than normal so far this winter - I love the white stuff! We've enjoyed a bit of cross country skiing over break. (In the photo below I was imitating the picture on the tiny green sign behind me. I'm not sure whether the image was doing gymnastics on skis or what, since it wasn't a very realistic-looking skier:)
*Our friends, the S. family, are back after being away last semester while P. (the wife) was battling cancer. PTL for healing!


What I want:
*for my energy level to continue increasing
*to love God more
*to be a blessing and encouragement to the people around me
*to better live out the characteristics of love described in 1 Cor. 13 - especially in my relationship with Mike

happy twenty eleven!

So, it literally took me all of 2010 (read: two thousand ten) to realize that the socially accepted way to say the year was twenty ten. I guess that makes sense, since it's a syllable less to say, and therefore less of a mouthful. You know, I probably should have caught on to that months ago - with the Olympics, for example. (Not that I watched much of those.) So that's my goal - to begin saying the year properly: twenty eleven. So, I wish you all a Happy New Year - may twenty eleven be filled with many blessings for you!

I'm not usually big into "resolutions," so to speak, but I do like to use the new year as a chance to reflect back on the past year and all that I learned and the blessings I have to be thankful for. I also like to look at the year ahead - to set some goals, seek God's direction, etc. Life is more of a step by step journey, but I do like to take this opportunity to take a step back and look at the big picture of my life. I'll admit that I haven't take time to do that. We've been enjoying the routine-less-ness of break (school starts again next Tuesday - the 11th), spending time with friends, and celebrating our first anniversary! (Getting married was probably the biggest change of 2010.:) I hope to write a post soon reflecting back over 2010 (twenty ten:), but for now, I'll close by wishing you a happy new year - from our house to yours!