Hamthrax?

Have Hamthrax (aka Swine Flu)?

Make cookies!

Our household (& barnhold) has been sick. So we've been living in the house and enjoying time together. Even if my poor roomie sounds like a seal (cough cough cough). Since some of our friends were sick too we had a sick party and watched the Princess Bride. Good stuff. Eventually we made some sugar cookies, and since we had a pig cookie cutter, naturally we should make some cookies in honor of our disease. The first one went to Nellie's boyfriend (here visiting from AK) who brought the sickness with him. oops. So, it's been a crazy week. But we've had some good laughs.

Speaking of laughs and swine flu, the elementary schools have been particularly hard hit in Lynden. So sad for all those sick kiddos. But most of those who have had it are recovered and back in school and church. I was teaching sunday school for the 4th-6th graders two weeks ago and we were learning about Lazarus. The kids were acting out the story and asked what had made Lazarus so sick. "Did Lazarus have swine flu?" haha. I told them that he didn't, but since we were acting it out, in our rendition Lazarus died of swine flu. But not to worry, Jesus still raised him from the dead just the same!

*Disclaimer: I know that swine flu is a serious disease and has been deadly. And we've experienced the nastiness of it for sure. This post is just about our trying to make the best of the not fun thing of being sick. It is not intended to make light of the deep sorrow that many people have suffered due to Swine Flu.*

PS. All credit goes to John Borries for the name Hamthrax. Brilliant.

Curveballs..

wow. It's been a long time, and much has changed. God threw a few curveballs my way, and it's been a great adventure.

Curveball #1- My school (the CRS) got cancelled.

I had finally gotten my entire application sent in and was anxiously awaiting acceptance when I got an email that the school director had to leave the country for family reasons and there was no one to take their place, so the school had been cancelled. I was definitely disappointed, but am excited to see where Jesus leads next.

Curveball #2- I moved.

Ok, not so much of a curveball, we had been planning it since March, but the timing was certainly surprising. Just a couple weeks after we moved my little sister off to college down south, I was moving out too. So now I live in a barn. It's GORGEOUS. Out in the country. Remodeled. I have two roommates, and they are AMAZING! And one of my roommate's parents live right next door. And they are the most fantastic people!! Living here has been the biggest blessing!!

Curveball #3- I lost my job.

Now this was definitely a shock. Just a week or so earlier, I had told God I really wanted to live by faith. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised! It all happened just a few weeks after I had moved out. Crazy! But, if you were going to get laid off, this was definitely the best possible way. I was given two weeks notice, lots of hours during those last two weeks, extra financial blessing, a goodbye party, and a nice heater from the wonderful ladies in my office (who didn't want me to be cold in my new house). And I come highly recommended by everyone in the office. Great people. I miss them. I know it's crazy, but I am so excited to see what God has for me in this time!

so that's the long and the short of it. God is gracious and faithful. And I know He has big plans for me. I am excited to discover what the next step is, and see how He will move me to get there.

"When God throws a curveball, don't duck. You just might miss something amazing." - extreme days

You love a people undeserving...

we now interrupt your regularly scheduled programing...

Ladies and Gentleman, may I have your attention please?

I have announcement to make.

Are you ready to hear my secret?

drum roll please.

I know where Jesus is calling me to go next!

:D

and it's the best equation ever:

Jesus+ me+ YWAM+ children+ East Africa= tons of amazing awesomeness + one happy me!

I've applied to do another school with YWAM.

This one is called a CRS (Children at Risk School).

Here's the summary provided on the base's website:

"The Children at Risk school (CRS) is for those who want to work with or on behalf of at-risk children around the world. CRS is a nine month study track (3 month lecture phase, 6 month field assignment) teaching specific skills needed for working with orphans, the disabled, refugees and street children amongst others. The goal of the school is to multiply leaders who will champion the cause of children through social, political, judicial and spiritual intervention. Students experience God’s heart for justice, defending the cause of the fatherless, rescuing the poor, the weak and the oppressed."

So the lecture phase of the school that I will be doing takes place in Switzerland. And the outreach takes place in Rwanda. Woot Woot.

The school starts in April 2010.

:D can you feel my excitement?!

Oh, Jesus is so amazing!

the Eagle inside belongs to us....

Happy July 4th!

I don't have anything particularly eloquent to say.

But I thought I'd give a little love to the land where I was born and raised.

So USA, this is what I love so much about your founding fathers:

Watch as TJ, Ben Franklin, and John Adams decide what our national bird will be.

And yes, for the boy meets world fans out there, John Adams is in fact played by Mr. Feeney.

Redemption

I hate July 1st.

If I could I would have it wiped off the calendar completely.

And it's not because I hate Canadians. Actually it's because I love 3 certain Canadians so very much, that I'd elect to make some other day their national holiday.

but you see, 365 days ago was the worst day of my life.

And so, I want to wipe it off the map.

Never again see another calendar that bears this date.

So much so that I am taking the day off from work because I didn't want to endure the trauma of typing it over and over. But I figured that today lots of people would place orders for tomorrow. But I didn't take a single one. Isn't God good?!

And it was this point that I was pondering on my drive home that Jesus used to show me just how good He really is.

In my quest to obliterate Canada Day from the calendar, I was sentencing that day to death.

That's it. Ruined for the rest of my life. Yes, but......

it's not beyond redemption.

Stop. Think. Read that line again. let it sink in.

Hallelujah!

See in the dwelling on the ruins of this date, i was limiting God by believing that there is nothing even possibly good that could ever happen on this day again. EVER.

I was saying that the One who created the universe, can raise the dead, has healed countless thousands and performed amazing miracles, is not god enough to redeem a day on a calendar.

And even more, I tell this Healing God that He is not healer enough to fix me.

How preposterous!
and how amazing is this gracious God who allows me to think like this. And gently guides me to the Truth.

He is the God who promises justice.

Who is without limits,

Who NEVER EVER FAILS.

[edit]

It is now the dreaded day. And you know what...? So far it's actually been pretty good!

I slept until 9:30 and awoke to a beautiful, sunny day.

I got have a glorious phone call with a friend who lives on the other side of the planet. :D

I watched Ashlie & Tyler goof around and talk about Edge camp. Which is definitely one of my favorite things in the whole world.

And I spent the afternoon on an adventure with my lovely amazing Lisa.

I'd say that sounds like the beginning of Redemption, don't you?!

rescue

This verse has been haunting me ever since I read it. So I had to share it:

"Rescue those unjustly sentenced to die;

save them as they stagger to their death.

Don't excuse yourself by saying, 'Look , we didn't know.'

For God understands all hearts, and He sees you.

He who guards your soul knows you knew.

He will repay all people as their actions deserve."

-Proverbs 24:11-12

She likes purple..

Ok. but not really. The title of this blog comes from this song which really isn't about me. It's really about Cassie. But, it's been stuck in my head all week. Because part of it is true for me.

I've got a secret.

But I'm not telling.

yet...

just know it's a good one. a happy one. finally!

so keep watch.

cause I can't keep it in much longer ;)

there is no one like You

I love the goodness of God. Ok.. that's not true. I am learning to love the goodness of God. To be honest there are days where I hate the goodness of God- days where the million pieces my heart is smashed into just can't make any sense of a God whose goodness is like this. And then there are days, like today, where the reality of the goodness of God just hits me in the face and all I can do is get down on my face in worship or dance around with hands lifted high proclaiming His goodness. Those are the moments where all the pain is acknowledged, justified, and swept away in the tide of His love. Where I pause and look at the cross and all is right with the world. It's just insane to me how the cross is just so amazing. He loves me that much! He pursues my heart to the point where He is willing to suffer all sorts of agony to win my heart. He paid for the pain. And He payed for all the pain I caused others, and even Him. In the cross I see great love, mercy, justice, grace and forgiveness. And that's just scratching the surface.

Oh, the goodness of God in my life is displayed right now in this: that He cares more about the transformation of my character than He does about my personal happiness!

quarters...

So, I did this for facebook and never ended up posting it. So I thought I'd post it here...

25 random things about me:

1. from January 2008 to January 2009 I hung out in 8 airports, most of them multiple times: Sea-Tac, Heathrow, Entebbe, Mombassa, Nairobi, Abbotsford, Calgary, Saskatoon.

2. I've never broken a bone, had a cavity, or been stung by a bee... but I've had jaw surgery, malaria, two varieties of parasites, infected mosquito bites, and been a patient in an African hospital.

3. I collect Moose. Meese. Meesen. whatever you want to say.

4. my closest friends live in: the US(WA,OR, OH), Canada (SK), Argentina, Jordan, India, Uganda & South Africa.

5. I LOVE books. and reading them. Bookstores are my "happy" place.

6. I saw Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers 5 times in theaters.

7. my 3 favorite musicals are: Les Miserables, Holiday Inn, and The King & I.

8. in high school I was in Show Choir which involved wearing a ridiculous outfit (tuxedo shorts (yes, SHORTS), black nylons, tuxedo shirts, a SEQUINED vest and a sequined bow tie!) and dancing around to oldies music. Sometimes fun. other times pure torture.

9. I am the WORST decision maker. EVER.

10. I've worked in Children's Ministry for 6 years now.. and have done a million crazy things to teach kids about Jesus. And LOVED it all.

11. I'm mildly lactose intolerant. No milk for me! But pretty much everything else is ok in moderation.

12. i HATE whipped cream.

13. one of my biggest pet peeves are misplaced apostrophes.

14. I think Bush Boy is right, the best job ever would be Professional World Traveller.

15. I've seen at least 50 bands in concert, some multiple times.

16. i know two different songs that say all the books of the Bible.

17. I've had 3 cars so far and none of them were made in my lifetime.

18. When I was little I had a pretend older brother who lived under my bed. Too bad he was a real person: Kurt Browning. He's a Canadian figure skater.

19. Fredrick is my 3 foot tall paper mache horse. He lives in my living room. I found him on the side of the road. He also lived at Stephanie's house for a time while I was in Uganda.

20. I am terrified of going fast by myself. Por Ejemplo: skiing, freeway driving, tobogganing down large hills, tubing, etc.

21. Whilst playing games i have a really hard time being mean i.e. "competitive" as some would call it. Combine that with #9 and you'll see why RISK is the worst game ever for me to play. Just ask someone who has been unfortunate enough to have played with me!!

22. I am afraid of the giant lobsters that they decorate Cost Cutter/ Food Pavilion with during Lobster Mania.

23. When I was 6 or 7 I won a bike from a contest at McDonald's. But it was a boy bike. So I traded it in for a pretty princess girl bike. Oh yeah!

24. JRR Tolkien was the best fiction writer who ever lived. Full Stop.

25. I've eaten goat. and LOVED it.

Taking the Initiative Against Drudgery

"When it comes to taking the initiative against drudgery, we have to take the first step as if there were no God. There is no point in waiting for God to help us- He will not. But once we arise, immediately we find Him there. Whenever God gives us His inspiration, suddenly taking the initiative becomes a moral issue- a matter of obedience. Then we must act to be obedient and not continue to lie down doing nothing. If we will arise and shine, drudgery will be divinely transformed.

Drudgery is one of the finest tests to determine the genuineness of our character. Drudgery is work that is far removed from anything we think of as ideal work. It is the utterly hard, menial, tiresome, and dirty work. And when we experience it, our spirituality is instantly tested and we will know weather or not we are spiritually genuine. Read John 13. In this chapter, we see the Incarnate God performing the greatest example of drudgery- washing fishermen's feet. He then says to them, 'If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.' (John 13:14). The inspiration of God is required if drudgery is to shine with the light of God upon it. In some cases the way a person does a task makes that work sanctified and holy forever. It may be a very common everyday task, but after we have seen it done, it becomes different. When the Lord does something through us, He always transforms it. Our Lord takes our human flesh and transforms it, and now every believer's body has become 'the temple of the Holy Spirit.' (1 Corinthians 6:19)." -Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest

Beloved

"Love of my life

Look deep in my eyes

There you will find what you need

Give me your life

The lust and the lies

The past you're afraid I might see

You've been running away from me

You're my beloved

Lover, I'm yours

Death shall not part us

It's you I died for

For better or worse

Forever we'll be

Our love it unites us

It binds you to me

it's a mystery

Love of my life

Look deep in my eyes

There you will find what you need

I'm the giver of life

I'll clothe you in white

My immaculate bride you will be

Oh come running home to me

You've been a mistress, my wife

Chasing lovers - it won't satisfy

Won't you let me make you my bride

You will drink of my lips

And you'll taste new life"

-Beloved by Tenth Avenue North

You'll Come...

"Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." - Hosea 6:3

Chains be broken
Lives be healed
Eyes be opened
Christ is revealed

I have decided I have resolved
To wait upon you Lord
My rock and redeemer
Shield and reward
I'll wait upon You Lord

As surely as the sun will rise
You'll come to us
As certain as the dawn appears

You'll come let your glory fall
As you respond to us
Spirit rain
flood into our thirsty hearts again
You'll come, You'll come.

We are not shaken, we are not moved
We wait upon You Lord
Our Mighty deliverer
Our triumph and truth
We wait upon You Lord

surely as the sun will rise
You'll come to us
As certain as Your word endures

You'll come let your glory fall
As you respond to us
Spirit rain
flood into our thirsty hearts again
You'll come, You'll come.

Chains be broken
Lives be healed
Eyes be opened
Christ is revealed

- Hillsong United (Brooke Fraser) "You'll Come"

Omnivores for Mediocrity...

so I have recently realized that after February 1st, I have no plans for this year.... except for the holidays on the calendar and a few weddings i've been invited to...

the funny thing is that every adult I have mentioned that to has responded in the following way "Are you quitting your job?!"

NO.

but to me, my job is not really a plan... it just is. And i am so thankful for it. I love it. And call me crazy, but I really don't believe that I am alive today just so that a company in Bellingham could have another receptionist. I don't believe that this is "what I was created for!" It is in a small part, but I dream of bigger things!

I believe that six months ago. I lived, because God still has work for me to accomplish.

Just because I don't have a specific word on what it is yet, doesn't make it void.

I believe that Christians in general dream too small.

I believe that North Americans dream too small.

A thought came to my mind this week: If FEAR was completely gone from my life, how would I live? what would I do? what would my dreams look like then?"

I believe that God has a plan.
a bigger one than I could imagine.
And if I just trust my Heavenly Father, instead of esoterically trying to pinpoint just how I can claim His promises, but rather TRUST based on how I KNOW Him, then GOOD things will come. Healing. LIfe. Growth. Explosion. Blooming. It will happen.

I don't want apathy to win.

I don't want to live a life of mediocrity.

It will take courage.

which I am still trying to find.

but slowly by slowly, it comes.

DREAM BIG!