A List

Um... the busy-ness. The busy-ness is to blame for my neglecting my blog. Here's a (lame) attempt at catching up...

1. We had a few days of beautiful weather and now its back to very cold, wet, freezy-rainy (technical term) junk. UGH!!! (I love to complain about the weather)

2. The kids may possibly kill each other, or more likely I may kill them if we do not see the sun sometime soon so they can go outside and play in the street (literally). It has been a long, cold, dark winter in the city, folks!

3. I failed my last language exam at my university. Looks like that chapter of my life is over. I am relieved and disappointed at the same time.

4. Chores are rocking my world. I have always given my kids basic chores, and occasionally tried to throw in something that would be a real help. When they wouldn't do it well, I would stop making them do it. Finally, the Lord showed me that I need to help them keep at it and they will get better. After several months of steady work I can finally say, "hallelujah, these kids are starting to pull their own weight a bit." I haven't emptied the dishwasher, vacuumed, set the table, taken out the trash, put away clean clothes, swept, or cleaned up after a meal in awhile! Horray for child labor!

5. I love it here. I am really glad that God called us to come here and serve the poor. It is really hard, but it feels amazing to get to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

6. Our Libyan friend just returned from his home country where he married a woman that his mother picked out for him. He did get to meet her twice before they got married. She had never been out of her country until the week after their wedding when he moved her here. (I bet my Momma couldn't have found a man on this planet better than my Justin!!)

7. Our teammate is pregnant with twins and in shock!!

8. I am afraid that all I will do in America this summer is watch reality TV, swim in the pool, and eat the foods that I have longed after! I better start running again, soon!

9. We had a huge earthquake in the Eastern part of the country. Our city is on a major fault-line. I am afraid of earthquakes.

10. When I am on the minibus and it was full before the last 20 people got on Johnny Cash on my ipod makes it all better! Thanks, Dad, for my true love of Johnny! There is nothing better than swaying gently with the vehicle to Folsom Prison Blues while sharing intimate space with a large number on new friends!! And when the driver hits the brakes, woo-hoo!!! The fun continues!!! Human air-bags!

Life is good here. It's not easy, and it's not always fun. But the Lord is with us and He has placed us here with His gentle loving hands. Nothing is better than His best for us.

After this, the word of the LORD came to [Elizabeth] in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, [Elizabeth].
I am your shield,
your very great reward.

Genesis 15:1


After the death of Moses the servant of God, God spoke to Joshua, Moses' assistant:
"Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I'm giving to the People of Israel. I'm giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on—just as I promised Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon east to the Great River, the Euphrates River—all the Hittite country—and then west to the Great Sea. It's all yours. All your life, no one will be able to hold out against you. In the same way I was with Moses, I'll be with you. I won't give up on you; I won't leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take."

Joshua 1:1-9