Giving

Haiti. Before last week, I’m sure many people hadn’t heard of that small country in the Caribbean. But last week changed it all.

The devastation that has happened to this small poor country, is unbelievable. Today hearing about Haiti is almost unavoidable. It is all over the news, on my main page when I pull up my email, I heard about it at work, and I see updates on my twitter page.

I know that many organizations in the United States have contributed to bring relief in Haiti. I hear about one of those organizations at work, The Red Cross. If you didn’t know, you can give to the Red Cross at Starbucks. You can give cash or credit donations. Starbucks is also collecting coffee, toiletries, and other packets to send to the relief workers in Haiti.

Today while I was working, one of my regular customers came up to me and said that she wanted to give whatever was in this envelope that she had to the Red Cross. She said that she didn’t know how much was in the envelope. She said that last night at work, they had taken up a love offering specifically to give to the Red Cross because they wanted to help the people in Haiti. You might think, oh that is very nice but what is so significant about that….

She works at a homeless shelter.

These homeless men and women gave whatever they had to help those out who are also in need. They feel like they’ve been blessed with this shelter and feel as if they have a lot more than the people in Haiti have now.

WOW.

I ask that if you haven’t given to an organization to help bring relief to Haiti, please do. Like I mentioned before, you can give to the Red Cross at Starbucks, you can give money to World Vision, Compassion International and there are a lot more organizations that are bringing relief efforts to Haiti.

Just think about what you would want people to do if this earthquake were to happen to you.

Ouch.

Here lately, God has been kicking me in the pants and well… it hurts.

On Sunday morning I sat in my “assigned” pew and listened to my pastor talk about Different Values. How we as Christians are set apart from God and how we should be different from the world. You know, all of that stuff that I have heard before.

He got me when he said, “People get confused about Jesus Christ. All other religions are about DO. Our religion is about DONE.”

It got me thinking, this is so true. Everyone who is not “practicing” Christianity are trying to be the best that they can be so that they will please their god or have enough of whatever. But Christianity is about Christ. Christ was the sacrifice that we needed. He did that for us, for all of eternity. DONE.

When I accepted Christ to be my Lord and Savior, I traded in my old life for this new one in Christ. So this means that Jesus is living in and through me. But is He really? Do I act like Christ would? Do I say things that glorify Christ? Do I proclaim Jesus’ name to other people?

My pastor said that in order to be dead to sin and alive in Christ he thinks of it as being dead like a corpse but having a new life.

So when I am tempted to gossip, I need to remember that I should be dead to that because that is of my old life without Christ and then think about what Christ would do. Would He stand there and not say anything and continue listening to the gossip? Or would He say that that is not bringing glory and honor to His name?

I know this is cliche but WWJD?

This week I challenge you to: Speak a word of blessing instead of a curse.

Really?

I move to Japan in 26 days.

HOLY SMOKES that is so soon!

Today I got my plane ticket and I got my address of my apartment in Japan. This is really starting to become a reality. I even started packing. I started packing all of the little things. Things that I don’t want to stress about in 3 weeks.

This is the biggest move that has happened in my life. Yes, I have packed my stuff up and moved to college 4 times and moved home. Yes, I lived in Africa for 2 months. Yes, I lived in Thailand for 1 month. But packing everything that I want to take to move to another country for 14 months, it is starting to get a little overwhelming. Especially when you have 4 bags to put them in.

Thankfully I don’t have to pack food. :]

My bff Hannah sent me this verse this week. It was like a hug from a far.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

prayers for peace would be welcomed.

Achievement

This time last year, I made a list of things that I wanted to achieve in the upcoming year. Let’s see how I did….

* Go to a foreign country (nope… but I am moving to Japan in 29 days.)
* Get a “real” job (yep, 1st Grade Teacher at Meysen Academy)
* Keep in contact with college friends (holla… still in contact)
* Lose 15 pounds (5 lbs lost… that is it. :[ )
* Keep in contact with South Africa friends (holla did this too anddddd managed to make a few too)
* Pay off at least $3000 of my college loans (Well I have paid off $2000)
* Go ice skating (FAIL!)
* Go to a state that I have never been to before (New Mexico with Saigey and Wisconsin with Hannah and Kristin)
* Learn how to drive a manual car (fail)
* Go on a road trip with friends (with Saigey to New Mexico… best road trip ever)
* Join an Bible Study (Hannah and I started one)
* Redo my bedroom (WOOOOOT I am so excited that I did this!)
* Learn how to make a complete meal (still working on this one)
* Graduate college (Holla!)
* Volunteer with an organization (:[ nope)

8 out of 15 isn’t bad. That is like a 53%… eesh.

Ok the new list….

* Go to at least 2 new countries
* read through the New Testament again
* pay off $5000 of my student loans
* lose 15 lbs
* go ice skating
* see all of my Japanese family
* write to postsecret
* go skiing
* learn how to make sushi
* learn to drive in JAPAN

Well here is to 2010 and a new list of things to achieve!

What is something that you want to achieve this year?

Sincerely?

That is a word that I always have trouble with.

Today at work, my friend Neil and I were talking about words that we have trouble spelling. Words that I ALWAYS spell wrong and the great invention of spell check helps me out.

Sincerely, definately, concious, contagious and a few other words were among the mentioned words that we spell wrong. Oh and look at that… I spelled two of them wrong. leaving it.

I always get the i before e except after c thing mixed up. I always second guess myself. I thought that over the years, I would become a better at spelling, but this is false. One thing that is embarrassing is when you are writing something on the board and your 7 year old 2nd grade students tell you that you spelled it wrong. oops.

Being a teacher does not help my lack of correct spelling.

What is a word that you always have trouble spelling?

2009

Wow… what a year it has been!

A year of heart aches, belly laughs, tears, joy and sorrow.

Some of the things that stick out in my mind from this year, bear with me… there might be quite a list:

Seattle (twice), a broken heart, engagements GA-LORE, falling in love with teaching, college graduation, my best friends wedding, my friends being scattered all over the USA, getting a job in Japan, Saige coming to visit, Hannah coming to visit, going to visit Saige, going to three new states (Washington, Wisconsin, and New Mexico), working at the bux, rebuilding friendships, and of course… MJ’s death and the never ending news coverage.

These things were some of the best memories of 2009 and some of the worst. I know that 2010 will be an excellent year and a year that I will never forget. I am excited for 2010 to arrive but I am also nervous at the same time. I know that God is going to be with me in this next year and I cannot wait to continue trusting Him in everything I do. I will be needing His trust and your prayers as I start preparing to move to Japan in just 37 short days.

What is your favorite memory of 2009?

Heart Aches

Here lately, my heart has been aching for a country that I visited about a year and a half ago. A country that changed my life. A country that I cannot wait to visit again.

South Africa.

Today I went and saw Invictus. It is an excellent movie about the restoration of South Africa. I was very surprised.

I think what made this trip to the movies even more meaningful was that I went with four other people who have been to this beloved country. Even though I had just met three of them right before the movie, it was meaningful nonetheless. One of them was even wearing a Springbok shirt. :]

My heart aches to be back in South Africa. I want to know how Rosalina is doing. I want to sit and laugh with Tandega and Lerato and Mpho. I want to drink scorching hot tea with Gogo Judith. I want to see all of the beautiful smiling kids faces.

These people have changed my life. I miss them terribly.

I think about the impact that these people have left on my life. I know that they don’t know how much they have changed my life. I wonder if anyone has ever said this about me? I wonder if I am impacting peoples lives and changing them for the good?

Something to ponder….

What is your heart aching for?

Winter is here!

Well it is that time of year again when winter decides that it is time to grace us with her presence.

Butttt no fear of being cold. I have my most favorite cold weather item to keep me warm. Mr Electric Blanket.

This thing was the best Christmas present that I have ever received.

It is almost always on and either keeping me warm in bed or I am cuddled up in it while sitting at my desk.

What is your favorite winter item?

O Come, All Ye Faithful

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time.

My pastor is going through some of the favorite Christmas songs that we sing every year. He is going through them and having us see the deeper meaning of things.

He was talking about how if you adore something, you are full of joy and you love that thing. But those who we adore, they will bring pain into our lives. For example, children. People adore their children but their child will break their heart at some point in their life.

Did you know that adoration is the first step towards worship? Did you know that the shepherds adored Christ when he was a small child?

They wanted to see the Christ child and see him for everything that he was worth. They wanted to see for themselves, everything that they had heard about.

What is something that you adore? Do you adore an actress? Actor? A sports player? Money? Weight loss?

This got me thinking, what is something that I adore so much, that could possibly turn into an idol?

Are there any idols in your life?

For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
Christ the Lord.

Come let us adore Him.
Come let us adore Him.
Come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord.

Aborting the USA

I leave in 67 days.

I am moving to Japan in 67 days. This means that I actually have less than that to hang out with my friends and family. I have to take into account that I will be working, sleeping, hanging out with the family, or hanging out with the friends.

So, if you would like to hang out, let me know. We should schedule something fun to do. I love to eat good food, drink coffee, sit and chit chat, play (some) games, and shop. If you like to do any of those things, awesome, we shall have a great time.