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!

outrageous love

nothing can change how God feels about me.

He will always love me.

far more than I can fathom or deserve.

He loves me because He loves me because He loves me because He loves me because He loves me because He loves me because He loves me because that is what He is like.

it does not matter how I feel about myself.

nor what other people think/say/conclude.

He is so much bigger than that.

His love is relentless.

He will pursue me all the days of my life.

even when I fail at loving Him back.

and even that doesn't change His love for me.

He says that simply because I exist, because He made me, I have value to Him.

no one else can change that value or mark me down.

even if everyone else decides that I am not worth defending.

He died for me.

and now He wants to make me pure and holy and more like Him.

and He's committed to that.

no matter how many times my flesh raises a rebellion

He will see it through.

because He loves me.

because He loves me,

He has prepared work for me to do.

something He created me for.

because He loves me.

because He loves me,

there is one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

but because He loves me, He won't let him win.

He will stand and defend me.

because He loves me.

He will never fail.

ever.

not once.

not partially.

HE WILL NEVER FAIL.

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.