Exposed

it all began late last Wednesday night.
I had stayed up too late watching too many episodes of Parks & Recreation.
I was heading to sleep, but decided to just give FB a once over. I was scrolling through the newsfeed seeing the usual, exciting things happening in lives of friends near and far, a picture of someone's lunch, a political post (or seven), a few pics of adorable children, and some inspiring Bible verses, when something caught my eye. And as I read it, my stomach dropped to my toes and has been there ever since. This terrible feeling began to rise and caught in my throat. A friend had posted that now all of the sudden, FB had taken once private messages between people and had made them public by publishing them to people's "walls".

Panic flooded me.

Ever since I had joined YWAM and began my crazy travels around the world, FB had become my primary form of communication. It was the easiest way to stay in touch with my friends all over the globe. This is the problem with having friends close to your heart but not close to your geography means that messages that spill your heart pour out though the keys and fly off to their destination digitally. Which meant....

I realized that some of my deepest secrets, my greatest fears, and the affections of my heart toward several boys over the past few years may, in fact, be visible to "the whole world" or 617 of my closest "friends".  I felt like I was totally exposed. Everything. My past. my present. All right there in plain view.

Immediately, I clicked on to my profile and began scanning. 2012? nope. 11? nope. 2010? oh... yeah..  yikes. 2009? Even more yikes. 2008? YIKES.  I followed the steps recommended by the poster to hide these messages. And then I began the journey over to close friends' pages. The same thing. More than an hour later, the panic still hadn't left me. That yucky adrenaline feeling was still in the pit of my stomach. I have to get rid of these posts!  I was exhausted, so I resolved that in the morning I'd write to all these friends, some of whom I'm on kind of shaky ground with now, and ask them to please do the same and hide these posts. Defeated, I closed my laptop and finally switched off the light.

But I couldn't sleep.
I still felt totally exposed.
my head wouldn't stop reeling.

so I picked up my phone. and after a quick check of timezones, I sent off a text. I knew this friend had a lot of personal FB messages as well. The reply I received mirrored my own terror. Friend was in class and asked me to check their own page to survey the damage. It was similar to mine. Some of the panic was relieved. We conversed about how terrible it was of FB to do such a thing. And then we decided to delete all of the messages we had exchanged. It was just too risky. Finally, I drifted off into a fitful sleep.
I was hoping I'd feel relief in the morning. I didn't.
Eventually, I found the words, and posted a status warning other friends about what had happened. They all found private messages posted to their walls. Ugh.
Exposed.
for the whole world to see.
And then.. in the course of the morning, a friend found this article where FB says they were all just old wall posts, and suggests that people may have been more forthcoming in "public" posts as the whole FB community felt (and actually was) much smaller. I'm not sure I believe all of it, (There are several posts I swear used to be in private messages, and other things I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have posted to a friend's wall.. but.. )

the whole debacle made me think. a lot.
How would I respond if every single "private" message I had ever written were suddenly made public?
what would the fallout look like?
how would I deal with everyone knowing and reading the details of the depths of my struggles of some of the most difficult seasons of my life? Would the ugliness of my brokenness be too great?
What have I said about people, friends even, when I thought they weren't listening?
Have I always spoken in love?
Aside from the personal aspect, I want to make sure I'm speaking, writing, texting, and in all ways, conversing in love and respect, that if suddenly all my conversations were there for all the world to see, I'd have nothing to be ashamed of.
how about you?

Greetings from Zambia!!!

Hello from Zambia!!
Things have been fantastic thus far.
I arrived here late Wednesday night. And the rest of my team arrived Thursday & Friday. (There are 4 of us)
It has been an absolute blast. My heart is so happy to be back on African soil. It's so amazing how this all feels so familiar and comforting to me. The sights, sounds and smells. I was wondering how similar Zambia would be to Uganda. And thus far it seems like the difference between the US and Canada. On the surface, many things look the same, and yet as you sink deeper, the cultural differences come out.
Zambia is economically and politically very stable and growing. There are a lot of well to do people here, and the middle class definitely appears. Many people have smart phones (which are really expensive)  and the prices of some goods are quite comprable to US prices. There are many nice cars around and fancy shops (the mall is HUGE and is fancier than many malls I've been to in the US).  Crime rates are lower here than in Uganda, and you can just feel the difference as you are out and about as a foreigner.
Many things though are very similar. We still have regular power cuts here (3 nights weekly), we still eat Posho (though here it is called Sheema) :(  church is still loud and crazy and full of dancing and singing and sound systems entirely too large for such small buildings. But, oh how I love it.  Today we visited the youth group of a church in a village called Roma. We were supposed to just come and meet the people, but of course the pastor wanted us to preach. We were unprepared, but God gave us all a short word, and it turned out well. We then had a fellowship time with the youth. They were so much fun. I met with some girls, most of whom were about 15-16, and we talked. They played with my hair (because it was so different than theirs) and it of course turned into a giant frizz ball. haha.  They taught me some phrases in the local language (there are several common ones here, and at the moment I can't remember the name of the one that is most common) and then they decided it was time I learned some African dances. OH MY GOODNESS. It was hilarious. We laughed and laughed and I did my best to dance. These girls were amazing dancers. And I had fun trying. haha.  Corey and Rachel played with the kids who showed up, and Brandon spent time talking with the guys. We all had a blast.  We're going back tomorrow and I am so excited to see these precious girls again. We all hugged and laughed and didn't want to be parted.

Next week (as far as the plan now stands.. hahaha)  we'll be working in a nearby village called Gripps, doing lots of teaching. Monday & Tuesday are national holidays here, so those days we'll have lots of teaching opportunities in the village. We are hoping to set up a discipleship program in the village. One of the organizations we are working with here (Grassroots International) does tons of community development programs in the village. They run a school for ages K-8, have adult basic education courses,  run a program of animal husbandry, sponsor students in secondary school, have installed boreholes (wells for clean water), have a tailoring program, and are about to start a carpentry program. Life in Gripps is definitely improving. And yet... something is still missing. The community & NGO leaders recognize that changing external circumstances does make a difference, but until a person changes the way they think, they will always be trapped in a poverty mentality. So, this is no small task we are undertaking. Please pray for us!

Also, we've been joined by a girl named Lydia. She is from PA and was part of a team that was just here for two weeks. She'll be joining us in ministry and she's a lot of fun to have around.

Prayer Requests:
-Teaching!! We need to hear from God what to teach, and how to teach it.
- Health & physical protection (right now we're all fine, but these things always tend to crop up)
-Cultural adaptation. We want to be able to navigate the culture well, and build awesome relationships. With teaching this can be a very tricky area, so please pray for wisdom.
-Finances. We're a little short on what we need still.

*Hopefully we'll get some pictures up soon.

Thanks!!

I Can't Wait

The journey of planning this trip has been ridiculous. So many ups and downs, so many twists and turns. Our current focus has by necessity been fundraising, which can be really difficult. And with a to-do list that is a mile long, as I am still in school that's going full swing, things have been pretty crazy.

Tonight, in an effort to focus my heart,  I was browsing some Zambia pictures and this one jumped out at me:

I caught sight of the sign. Shop Rite. oh joy of all joys. I was overcome with an ecstatic joy that soon I'd be in Shop Rite again. (There is one in Kampala I got to visit several times and it was like a magical wonderland. It's just a normal grocery store.. but when you've been living in a smaller town with only supermarkets, it's overwhelming.)

And then I was flooded with reminders. And I just can't wait.

I'm excited to hear Mzungu! Mzungu! everywhere I go (Or perhaps a different word for white person. I'll find out quickly I'm sure. haha)  I can't wait for crowded taxi rides, eating chapatis, and MTN signs everywhere. I want to buy some Omo washing powder to wash my clothes with (it smells the best for sure!) I'm excited for the ever-changing plans and the steady rhythm of the Zambian day, run more by relationships and less by the clock. Bring on the mozzy nets, the squatty potties, and the Ugali (Posho). Oh my heart is leaping at all of these things. I cannot wait. Fresh pineapples, mangos, and passion fruit. YUM. People whose hearts are huge and smiles are as big and warm as the sun. Jajas wrapped in their colorful clothes. Goats. Chickens on the taxi. Having a million reasons to shrug it off with "T.I.A!" Life in the bush bush. I cannot wait.

And yet, these memories are all from far away lands. Zambia will be similar to Uganda in many respects. And yet, I cannot wait to see the differences. Zambia, I cannot wait to meet you. To learn your phrases, names, places, sights and sounds. I'm excited to meet your people, hear your stories, and sing your songs.

Then there's South Africa. Ahhh. Words fail me. I seriously can't even wait. Dear ZA, I've been dreaming of you for more than four full years now. I've heard so much about you, I've basically already fallen in love with you, I can't wait to meet you for real. The anticipation? Be still my heart. I just might jump out of my skin. :D

My first trip to the beloved continent found me an 18 year old, bright eyed optimist ready to change the world for Jesus. I had great intentions but was so clueless as to where I was really going. Not only that, passion & good intentions will only get you so far. This time, I'm 23 and I definitely don't even remotely have it figured out. I've realized that while Jesus lives in me, He also lives in you. And we can help each other see Him even more clearly. This time I don't just come with passion, I come trained and equipped to serve you. I have gifts to give you, beloved ones, and I can't wait to give them!

Oh, beloved continent, I've been waiting a long time to see you again. :)
and I'm overjoyed with anticipation!
See you soon!
Love,
Kati Rose

Winning.

Today was a day of winning.

FINALLY.

As a first year teacher, teaching a subject I didn't even know before I started (8th Grade Latin?!)
it's been a rough year. I've been chained to my book. Students would ask me if they had done a translation right and I would have no idea. I'd have to look up the answers. It was hard.  I made mistakes all the time. We were learning together and I was only one step ahead of them, if that, most of the time. And yet, slowly by slowly, I have been getting better. My understanding of the subject has grown. (And amazingly, so has theirs!)  So today was full of winning. I  was book free. I only has to check one answer, and it turns out I was right all along. Today I could look at the sentences my students were translating, and I could translate them in my head! I could tell them they were right, or wrong. And the amazing thing is that they are getting it too! Some students have done great all year long, while others have REALLY struggled. And today, in another big "win" of a moment, one of my students who had struggled all year, asked me to check a sentence he had translated, and it was PERFECT! He did it right, on his own, on his first try. And it was a little bit tricky. I was SO proud! They are getting it! It makes my teacher heart so happy! Granted, this is super basic Latin, but this is an incredible victory for all of us. Joy, oh joy! Not to mention, today was Friday, and a beautiful "spring" day. Oh, goodness, I've been in Texas too long, this is summer weather in WA for sure. So, today I am celebrating the goodness of God and His grace to us.

So, this is me, and this is what I do. 

My name is Miss Johnston, and I am an 8th Grade Latin Teacher, who, by the grace of God, wins.

Constant.

This was one of my homework questions today. And I was overwhelmed by it. So I thought I'd share my answer.

48. Discuss the interaction you've had with the providence and sovereignty of God in your life. How has God directed you, how have you responded? If you feel you screwed it up do you believe God is creative enough to use it in the best way?

My lanta. Uhh.. I wasn’t aware you wanted us to write an autobiography for a homework question. ☺
Welcome to my life. God’s providence and sovereignty? Constant. Everywhere. In Everything. In the face of the darkest darkness I could ever imagine? Absolutely.

Honestly, I could write for hours, hundreds of pages. God is faithful; He never abandons me. I could talk for hours about everything I have seen God do in my life. Just thinking about it is moving me to tears. He is so good.

I have seen God’s providence in the little things, like cars.
I have seen His providence in the big things like family and guiding me all over the world.
I have seen it in terrible tragedy.
I have seen it in glorious joy.
I have seen the providence of God in more incredible friendships than I can number.
I have seen it in financial provision, in His comfort on a rainy night.
I have seen it in the moon and the stars and felt in the joy of a smile that just can’t stop, a heart that is overflowing with joy that moves me to do happy dances all over the place, and the kind of laughter that you just can’t stop, and leaves you with sore abs afterwards.
I’ve seen it in a taxi that came along in the middle of a monsoon on a random dirt back road in the middle of a Ugandan village.
I’ve seen it in a kindergarten class in a small Christian school in East Texas that once terrified me, who ended up stealing my heart.
I’ve seen it everywhere: in my life, in the lives of friends & family, in the lives of random strangers.
All in all, I can say this: God’s providence is constant.

A Tail of Two Goats

We were given an assignment to tell the events of Leviticus 16 (The Day of Atonement) in story form.

Behold, I give you:
A Tail of Two Goats By John Martindale, Rachel Kelley, & KatiRose Johnston
*Note: this story may be a bit irreverent at times, but we believe in a God who laughs :)

Once upon a time, in a land sort of far away, there lived two goats: Mahli and Mushi. These were no ordinary goats, pecked at by chickens or chased by the dogs, they were pampered goats, who oft lunched on their master Aaron’s linen underwear.



Mahli & Mushi were not the only animals of the house; they had a good friend, Bartholomew the bull. He loved to eat grass, swat flies with his tail, and in his eyes there dwelt a certain type of rage and fire, more blazing than Bob the other Bull. One day Mahli & Mushi observed something most disconcerting: their master came out, quite in a tizzy, and took Bartholomew the bull away. They heard him murmur under his breath, “Lest I become BBQ, like my sons became BBQ, I will take the bull instead of me.”



Many minutes passed restlessly, until Aaron, their master, returned. Bartholomew was nowhere to be seen, and Aaron’s previously spotless white garments were stained a shocking shade of crimson. Suddenly, Mahli had an epiphany. He turned to Mushi and eloquently waxed: “Roses are red, violets are blue, our master came home without Bartholomew.” Mushi responded, “What could this mean? What did he do? Could this be the end of me and you?” Then Aaron walked to the corner of house, and away scampered a scared little mouse. With one fell swoop he grabbed the dice. The goats mused, “this could be nice. Perhaps, this could mean games and fun.” But his face turned solemn and he said, “My dear little goats, come.“ 


He lead them to the Tent of Meeting where scared little sheep could be heard bleating. And he took up the dice in his hand, and let them fall into the sand. As they fell, and he saw them lay, his gaze turned Malhi’s way.


As they trudged along, something frightening came into view: a bull roasting, it looked like a giant BBQ. Petrified, he wondered within, could this be Bartholomew, who paid the price for my master and his kin? And onward his master walked, until at the Ark of the Covenant they stopped.



And his master slowly pulled from his side a knife. It glimmered in the candlelight. And upon the ground, he took a knee. And said, with tears in his eyes, “Malhi, I am so sorry. The Israelite people have made lots of mistakes. They’ve rebelled against the Lord and profaned His name. They have prostituted their hearts with idolatry to the golden calf, which “accidentally” came out of the fire I kindled; thus, the BBQ. So God has chosen you, to make these people holy, to wipe their slate clean, and be foreshadowing of the greatest thing mankind has ever seen. This is a picture of One’s who coming as a sacrifice once and for all. So that goats like you won’t have to take the fall. Then, grievously, Aaron put the knife to his throat. And that was the end of Malhi the goat. His blood was poured upon the alter, he paid the momentary price. But unfortunately there was more to this sacrifice.

Mushi, saw his master returned, and once again wondered what could be the meaning. Where was his friend? Would this bloodbath ever end? Bewildered, he looked into Aaron’s eyes, sure that his fate would soon include his demise. What happened next was much to his surprise. As his master laid his hands upon his head, the confessions he heard filled him with dread. Aaron spoke of every imaginable heinous, abhorrent, detestable, nefarious, odious, atrocious, flagrant, villainous and pernicious act that could be done. From the least to the greatest, sin was partaken in by everyone. What was to be done? Aaron lifted his hands and ushered him away into a room where the chosen man bathed. “Get out of the tub, there’ s no longer any need to scrub. You’re clean! Now take this goat far away to the wastelands, nevermore to be seen”. So they journeyed over the hills and far away, around the bushes, and past stacks of hay, until no house or vineyard could be seen, they even crossed a great ravine. With the chosen one no longer in sight, Mushi realized the magnitude of his plight. Forlorn, he wandered aimlessly, and turned and tossed, he knew that he was desperately lost. Thus he carried their sins far, far away, into the setting sun and the end of the day.

So, children, when you’re tempted to sin, remember the predicament Mushi the goat is in.

Ready... Set... SOTB!

SOTB.

That stands for School Of The Bible.

it's 11 months long.

It's in Tyler, Texas (where I was last year for TFN)

and it's what I am doing next.

and it's going to rock my world.

Oh, so excited.

I'll be posting more about it soon.. so stay tuned.

But for now...

You can read more about the details and specifics here.

and here are a couple of videos:

TFN Grad Speech

I spoke at my graduation from Teachers For The Nations (TFN). Here's what I said:

I came to TFN expecting to be trained to be a teacher. I figured I'd learn things like classroom management and curriculum development from a Christian perspective and we'd talk about the importance of education in transforming communities and that would be it. Ha ha ha. Little did I know I was coming to a school that would challenge me in every possible way and teach me how to think Biblically. I did learn about classroom management and curriculum development, but I learned so much more than that. I learned that education and all transformation all has to start with the individual. And consequently I became a much stronger individual. I learned to embrace so many of the things that make me distinctly KatiRose. For example: I love puns, banjo music, and recycling. But I was also challenged to examine the ideas and values I've held for so long and see if they were Biblical. And many things changed. Speaking of things that changed, at the beginning of TFN I didn't know how to cook and was terrified of Kindergartners. But as I was providentially assigned to assist in cooking dinner for 30 people every night, and "student-teaching" the 11 cutest, smartest, most amazing Reading Class students ever… all of that changed. Also, I have a much stronger appreciation and love for my country; my state; my city; and most importantly, my family. I have learned the importance of the covenant relationship of the church, and been challenged by a greater understanding of the intensity of the covenant of marriage, and the challenge and privilege of having children.


I learned that education is so much more than memorizing answers and spitting them back out on a page, it is more than moving information from the mind of the teacher to the mind of the student. Education involves the whole person. As we've heard said a million times this year, "the end of all learning is to know God and to love Him more." And the greatest thing is that we've seen this lived out. Our teachers haven't just been transferring their knowledge to our minds, they've captured our hearts. And now, as TFN graduates, we have this challenge. How will we use this treasure we've been entrusted with? Will we be found good and faithful servants? Or will we just burry it in the dirt? Will those Red Books be falling apart from use, or just look impressive, collecting dust on your bookshelf? No, we must invest this treasure and use it for the expansion of God's Kingdom. How you do that will be up to You and God (we're all individuals). However, in case you hadn't already heard, there is the additional requirement of getting married, having 10 children so we can take over the Legislative branch, and save America. So remember, it's all Bambi's fault, and "¡Matale si puedes!"

Law is Coeval. Or God is not arbitrary and harsh

so I've been terrible at updating this thing. and I am sorry. And I really haven't been writing much, ok anything at all, about what we've been learning in school. That is not because we aren't learning anything, it's because we are learning so much that I don't even know where to start. So.. I'll start here and we'll see what happens.

1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourselves any idols
3. You shall not use the name of the Lord, your God in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day by keeping it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

My Reading Class (Kindergarten) children are learning the 10 commandments and are going to recite them this Thursday night at our spring program. Words cannot describe how proud of them I am.

The Ten Commandments are a huge part of a key foundational truth that I have learned this year. I've always known that these were God's laws and that they were designed for right living. But as to why God picked these 10, I didn't have a very good idea. It seemed that He was God and He picked them, so that ought to be good enough. In my mind, these laws came into being on Mt.Sinai in Exodus when God gave Moses the tablets. But... that is not where they begin.

We have learned that God's law is coeval. Coeval (co-evil for pronunciation) means "brought into existence at the same time as" something. God's law is coeval with the creation of man. It is not a cause/effect thing, and these laws aren't just the arbitrary will of God. They are the description of how we are designed to live. For example, a car engine is designed to use oil. It's not some clever marketing trick by the oil companies, that they threw into the owner's manual of each car, it is the design of the car. A car can run without oil, but not for long. Just as we can live contrary to our design, seemingly with no side affects. For a while. And then... things deteriorate. I love how much more I see God's heart in these commands; how I can see that He isn't harsh and arbitrary, but He truly loves us and wants the best for us. This is the super condensed version, so hopefully that makes sense.

November: Maybe We Should "Just Be Friends"?

Welcome to week 3 of November. Which isn't looking quite as delightful as I had anticipated. There are definite bright spots, though!



#1- The Flame Goes Forward
We've had two days of celebrating the year of Jubilee for YWAM. Loren & Darlene Cunningham were actually here and spoke for much of our "conference". It was very much fun and SUPER encouraging. We got to hear all about AMAZING things YWAM has planned for the future around the world. So so so so cool to hear about amazing things God is doing everywhere.

#2- SOTB is on outreach.
This is happy and sad. We miss them already. One of my friends left on Friday and then the rest of the SOTBers headed off today after lunch. We got to pray and send them off, which was great. They are heading to work with a church in Ohio and I know it's going to be an amazing time for them. However, this place is very quickly turning into a ghost town.

#3 - There is a plague going around.
YIKES. Please pray for us.. so far we've had 3 or 4 people get really sick with very high fevers. No bueno. Please pray that it stops spreading and that everyone gets all the way better. Having a million things going on this week does not help our immune systems as we're all getting sleep deprived trying to get our mountains of homework and projects all done this week. (I'm chugging Airborne like crazy... and praying that I don't get sick!)

#4- Elementary Thanksgiving Program
While we've got lots of homework to do this week, our class time will be a little lighter. We'll get to spend some classes making banners and decorating for and setting up the the Thanksgiving program that the elementary students will put on. It's an evening program so we'll need to be there to staff it, but the kids are so cute, I'm sure it will be lots of fun. It just means another turn of cleaning, setting up and tearing down the gym. Not my favorite. Oh well. It's worth it.

#5- Elementary Thanksgiving Feast!
This sounds like it will be lots of fun. The kids dress in costume and we're making an "authentic" Thanksgiving Feast where we celebrate God's faithfulness and provision by thanking Him for all He has done.

and then... my favorite November week of ALL... :D

November: Te Quiero

well, week 1 of November was great. Welcome to week 2:

#1- Daylight Spendings Time!
Today we got to "fall back" which looks like this in mathematical terms:
me+1 extra hour of sleep = happiness.
:D

#2- Tuesday.
usually Tuesday and I aren't really friends. I have to get up earlier and there are more of my less favorite classes. However, this Tuesday something very special is happening: One fantastic family from Whatcom County happens to be here visiting relatives and they are coming to visit me! WOHOO!

#3- Veterans Day!
it's a pretty sweet holiday and around here it's a big deal. We're having a big assembly that one of my teachers is organizing it, We'll be helping which... usually means more work than a regular school day, but variety is fun. And I think this will be pretty sweet.

#4- A Wedding!
How often do you have a wedding right outside your door? (well actually....)
This weekend two fantastic people from SOTB are tying the knot, on my front porch! It will be lots of fun and I'm excited to see how these two are going to rock for the Kingdom.

#5- Banquet!
It isn't frequent that I get invited to banquets. Especially ones where you have to RSVP and they give you a ticket. In fact, this might be the first time. Over at the Ranch we're having some sort of big Thanksgiving Banquet with all sorts of important people. I think it will be fun. Plus I get to wear my favorite fancy dress :)

and there you have it. November- week 2. Which will very quickly melt into Week 3 which contains a lot more craziness!

November: Nacupenda!

As I began to ponder, November has all of the sudden delighted me.

So, each week, I'll show you what I am looking forward to.

This week, here's a list of 5 reasons why i love November.

1. Today, November first is my half birthday. :) It's always fun to mark off half way through the year and think back over what's happened. It's been quite a momentous six months. And I am definitely excited to see what the next six hold.

2. Today is also the beginning of No Shave November. Which means boys will be sprouting beards left and right all month long. Hooray! I am in the opinion that the world could always use a little more facial hair.

3. Tomorrow is election day. I am so thankful, especially this year, for my precious right to vote and choose my representatives in government.

4. This week my precious niece, Elizabeth turns 1!

5. We are having class with School of the Bible this week. It's lots of fun to be together and we sure fill up the room! (a total of 36 students. + staff!). It also means I get to spend more time with my lovely friend Jessica! We're learning all about Self- Government! (Which is what we do every week in TFN.. but.. is always so good!)



and there you have it, 5 reasons I love the first week of November!

Slice of life:

so I realize that's been over a month, and I've written once. Fail.

a post is coming.

but just so you can get a little slice of my life, here's what it usually looks like:

That's my, WOW MY BRAIN HURTS face.

And this is the WOW, I FINALLY GET IT face.

:D love and miss you all!

Season-ing

SEASON:

noun-

1) a period of time usually characterized by the changing of the environment as time passes, as in Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter

verb-

1) to add flavor to or enhance the natural flavor of food, as with salt, herbs or other spices

2) to prepare or make ready for use, as in preparing a grill for cooking, or adjusting the moisture content of firewood for burning

welcome to the new season of my life. Which previously I had only ever thought of as the first definition of changing times. And then, one morning this week I was awoken by a picture of raw chicken (which I have spent quite a bit of quality time with this week, cooking supper) being seasoned. And the gentle reminder that season was also a verb. Eagerly, I got out my Bible, and my dictionary and my laptop and started searching all the possible meanings of "season". I found more than what I listed, but these are the ones that best apply.

I even looked up just how one would go about seasoning a grill. What I discovered is that it involves turning up the heat and scraping off all of the junk that has gotten baked on and then reapplying a new, protective coating of oil. Well, for a grill that sounds dandy. For my heart, it's not always a walk in the park. But it is a fantastic picture of what this new season is in my life. And just as we are learning in class, it is much easier to get excited and really delve into what you are learning when you have a picture of the destination, the seasoning metaphor gives me hope as to where we are going in this time. The scraping off isn't the be all end all of this time, it is only the beginning and totally necessary to lay a good foundation.

Seasoning is also about adding flavor. If for example, I was a raw piece of meat, I've been marinated and seasoned by all sorts of things. I love that God is a master chef and He knows exactly what combination of seasoning leads to the perfect flavor He's trying to create. And so, while some of them by themselves are awful, vinegar for example, when layered all together, it creates the perfect effect. Thank goodness, I am not in fact, a piece of meat, but I am person, made in the image of God! So how much more is God concerned with my character. He there is a goal He has for the kind of person I am to be, and He knows there are certain character traits He wants to develop in me. grill seasoning instructions can be found here.

All in all to say, that it this time here so far hasn't always been easy or fun, but I have been given the gift of a new season. And I want to embrace it. Don't get me wrong, there have been lots of FANTASTIC times here as well, not all the seasonings God uses are bitter, some are sweet! It's a beautiful blend of joys and trials, challenges, and growth. And oh, how I can't wait to taste what God has in store for this season of time. It's going to be incredible.

"All of my life, in every season, You are still God. I have a reason to sing, I have a reason to worship." - Hillsong United "Desert Song" (which you can listen to here. and you should because it is amazing!

*Disclaimer: I heart metaphors a LOT. So I get a bit carried away with them. So I'm sorry If I went a bit overboard here. *

What I Did on my Summer Vacation...

I sat in the car for a reeeeeeaaaaaaaallllllllyyyyyy looooooooooooooooooooooooooong time.



And saw some of the most amazing places on earth. And met some amazing people. Oh, and hung out with some of the most fantastic people ever. I decided that these three weeks beat five hours on an airplane, hands down.

(I'm not awesome at chronicling everything we did in specific detail like Mama D. But I had fun summarizing things on FB. So, I'm putting in all of my descriptions and linking to Mama D, Ben and Hosanna for more pics and details, that way you can see all the fun we had!)

"And we're off, like a herd of turtles! I'm armed to the teeth with audiobooks, new music, and some great kiddos. (Thanks, friends!) Next stop, one of my favorite places in the world: CRC! Farewell, fb world, no internet until at least Monday. Let the adventure begin! :D"

Day 1: Drive farther than ever before? check. Days 1-5 take lots of naps, play games, swim in waterfalls, absorb amazing teaching and spend time with friends at one of my favorite places ever? check. California tomorrow? YES. YES. YES. Hooray for adventures!

The whole crew at Silver Falls (Ben is hiding....)

I got some much needed Vicky Time! (and we were tourists. Notice the sign behind us!)

Monday: drove 500 miles and drove 1st mtn pass ever. Tuesday: Yosemite National Park. GORGEOUS BEYOND COMPARE. GO! Also met ranger Dave Crockett. No joke. Wednesday: drove 300+ miles and 2 mtn passes, Kings Canyon NP, and saw Giant Sequoias. Tomorrow: Big Fat Greek Family time with Jeremiah Diacogiannis and Ashleigh Newton. Woot Woot. This road trip stuff is pretty great... :D

General Grant Tree - 2nd Largest in the WORLD.

3 lovely days in Santa Barbara with fantastic people. bad sunburn. OUCH! 1 stinking hot night in some town in Arizona. Route 66. GRAND CANYON. Oh, so AMAZING! Now a couple days with the lovely Barbara Ellis in Phoenix. First car issues, but all is easily fixed. Thanks Jesus! :D lots of fun in the sun!

Flat Cat and I at the Grand Canyon!




My Grand Canyon shot of the day:




Hosanna! The coolest almost 14 year old I know. (we used to be roomies. It was fantastic!)



Swimming in Pastor Barb's lovely pool!

Rain storms in the desert are crazy amazing. So is the CONSTANT lightning. Things that are not so amazing: cranky children, tent trailers in New Mexico in August: muggy, hot and sticky. And water leaks in said tent trailer. oh my. thankful that each day we are given sufficient grace. (and swimming pools!)

drove by the place they tested the Atomic bomb. {sad} went through a police checkpoint {weird} got kicked out of a national monument because they were testing a missile {eerie}. got stuck behind a "snow plow" & went sledding in New Mexico {unexpected & FUN}. Ate at Chili's for the first time {yum!} I ♥ crazy, random, awesome days!

White Sands. The sand is a really different consistency (made of Gypsum crystals).

It really looks, like snow, hey?!

my shot of the day:

Today: 2 more police check points (one looking for illegals, one for DUIs), nearly making roadkill out of a tarantula, time zone change twice, downpour rainstorm, a couple hours in Texas, and a trip to Carlsbad Caverns (AMAZING ^2). :D good day.

Sunset in Carlsbad. {Photo by Hosanna}

A cool bug Elijah found at Carlsbad:

Saturday: woke up in New Mexico. drove over 600 miles (filled up with gas 3 times in 3 different states), got 32 oz slushies for $.69 in Texas, almost got hit by a 2 foot high tumbleweed blowing across the highway. Discovered how obnoxiously loud cicadas could be, and went to bed in Oklahoma. Sunday: BBQ with friends and basically the entire day spent in pools. Huzzah!

in Texas. Melting. Tomorrow is my last day with my Greek family {sad}. We'll be spending most of it in the pool {hooray!!!}. Then Wednesday morning, I finally arrive at YWAM. {Wohoo!!}

KatiRose now officially lives in Texas. weird. It's been a wonderful couple days settling in at the base and meeting awesome people. Orientation starts tomorrow! :)

me in my new homeland!

Today is the Day!

It's here! It's here!

Let the adventure begin!

In case you are fuzzy on the details, here's what I will be doing again.

What?: Another YWAM school. The school is called Teachers For the Nations (henceforth referred to here as TFN)

It's a teacher training school that prepares teachers to go out and disciple nations through education of children. :D

Where?: Texas. Tyler, Texas to be exact.

That's about an hour and 1/2 east of Dallas.

and I'll be at the Dayspring Campus of the Tyler base.

When?: TODAY! Actually my school starts August 26th, but my Greek Family and I are road -trippin it up, so we're taking our time to get there!

How Long?: 9 months +2 month outreach phase = 11 months

(August- May lecture, outreach June & July)

Why?: My heart passion is for Uganda and the children there. I believe that this training will be greatly beneficial to better equipping me to serve there. I want to do the best I can to be prepared and come with the most that I can offer, and this seems to be a great stepping stone. My hope is that after this school, I will be able to go back to Uganda long term and help in discipling the next generation and equip them to be world changing followers of Jesus Christ.

any more questions?????

I'm happy to answer them!

Please, please, please keep me in your prayers!

It's beginning to look a lot like August...

my plans for August include:

dance parties, tearful see you laters, ghetto paintball, waterfalls, lots of naps, excellent teaching, 3000 miles of driving, SoCal beaches, loads of camping, the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, three new states, one crazy Big Fat Greek Family, little girls with a million questions, lots of use for the bluetooth headset, visiting old friends, packing my life into my car, good books to be finished, ending up two time zones away from where I started, and another amazing adventure with Jesus. Yes please.

{5 days!}

Hip, Hip, Hooray!!!

So.. in case you hadn't heard.. since Mama D spilled the beans... :D

YWAM here I come, once again!!!!

I am so BEYOND EXCITED, in case you were wondering.

Now, to fill you in on a few more details:

Where?: Texas. Tyler, Texas to be exact.

That's about an hour and 1/2 east of Dallas.

and I'll be at the Dayspring Campus of the Tyler base.

When?: mid August!

(yes, that's VERY soon!!)

How Long?: 9 months +2 month outreach phase = 11 months

(August- May lecture, outreach June & July)

What?: the school is called Teachers For the Nations (henceforth referred to here as TFN)

It's a teacher training school that prepares teachers to go out and disciple nations through education. :D

Why?: My heart passion is for Uganda and the children there. I believe that this training will be greatly beneficial to better equipping me to serve there. I want to do the best I can to be prepared and come with the most that I can offer, and this seems to be a great stepping stone. My hope is that after this school, I will be able to go back to Uganda long term and help in discipling the next generation and equip them to be world changing followers of Jesus Christ.

any more questions?????

I'm happy to answer them!

:D

Sometimes Happiness Looks Like This:

so, in case you were wondering how my trip went... here are some pictures!

Here are the lovely prairies. Now, meet some of the amazing folks I spent four glorious days hanging out with.....

This is Kelsey. She's fantastic. and she's my friend. she also helped save my life. She's got GIFTS. and the Holy Spirit is going to use them in a MIGHTY way!


with true friends, you can be yourself. completely.


where it all began...

YWAM friends are fantastic! See, we approve this message.



This is my incredible friend Julia. She oozes Jesus out of every pore. We got to pray hardcore for each other before we ever met. Now we go on coffee dates. Or have tea parties via Skype. This girl is FANTASTIC. So watch out. Amazing things are going to be happening all around her, as God does His work through this precious jewel!

Hooray! the moment we've all been waiting for. Oh wait, someone's arm isn't long enough....

yay for friends who are very very ok! You have to understand, that pretty much every time for 6 months (or actually as long as I've know him) there was a camera anywhere around, Tim makes a silly face. Except this time. I, however, was prepared for the silly face picture. ooops.


Finally! Together again with two of my favorite boys on the whole planet. Haha, do you see how the joy is practically eating my face?!
Now, I am just going to take a minute to brag on these two. I have lived with them day in and day out for 6 months straight. And it began when we were strangers. And I am still impressed with who they are. Now that's saying something ;) These guys LOVE Jesus. I've watched them wrestle (literally. hahaha) and grow (more than facial hair, though that is definitely impressive!). They've had deep wounds to overcome. They've been part of many of the happiest times of my life. And they've been there for the absolute worst.

Tim, on the left, is FULL of compassion. Overflowing. He's a servant. He's crazy good at soccer. And he's taught me so much about culture and what it means to be from the US. (even though he's not). He's taught me to relax and enjoy things I can't change. He's also an animal aficionado.

And then there's Ryan, on the right. He is FULL of faith. He's got it the whole "child-like faith" thing figured out. He loves wholeheartedly. Regardless of how much others disagree or give him grief. Ryan draws good doodles. He's got a hunger for the Word. He loves basketball. He can do handstands like nobody's business. He and his family have given me another great example of what it looks like to love Jesus and love each other. well. Also, he can juggle.

so. don't say I didn't warn you.

because these boys are going to change the world.

Anticipation..

Anticipation.

It's a happy word.

and my heart is filled with it now.

For lots of reasons.

but one in particular.

that will be brought to life in 28 days.

Are you ready?

I am!

Do you know what is about to happen?

I get to see some of my favorite people in the whole entire planet.

Now, please be assured that I have lots of favorite people.

But.. these ones will always have a special place in my heart.

Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time... I moved to Uganda.

And there I met a few Canadians.

We had many adventures together....
like going on million hour drives

or playing "volleyball"

we took lots of silly pictures

and enjoyed life together.

we built things..

and ate ice cream!

and did things that were thoroughly amazing!

Like rafting the Nile!

which ended like this in case you were wondering...

but the most exciting thing is that... in 28 days.... this will happen:

which makes my heart do the happy dance... :D

here's to anticipation!