quotes

I collect quotes. Until I have the time and patience to figure out how to get a link or something like that to keep them all, I will publish them here. This is my first -of hopefully many:

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." - Mark Twain

Psalm 143

Psalm 143 has become a beacon of hope and light in dark times. I do not consider myself a stranger to dark times these days. I do however look on those times as glorious and God purposed.

Psalm 143 is a passage in the Bible that I can personally relate to. I cannot count how many times I have wept over those words begging for life to spring up and God to show up. I came back to those words over and over again as if they were oxygen. It seemed that someone could finally understand what I was giong through. Or maybe it was the other way around. Maybe I could finally I could understand what David, the author, was going through.

I do not consider this time of my life to be shrowded in darkness, but those times are not far from my memory. I know that I am stepping out into a new phase that is much, much different than anything I've known before and it is because of the darkness that I am prepared for this new phase.

But I keep coming back to the familiarity of Psalm 143 that spoke so much Truth into my life for many months.

I read Psalm 143 to a freind the other week and wept with her as I read it. It's amazing how the Word is so powerful that it continues to speak volumes no matter how familiar it becomes. It's like white hot fire that cuts into the depths of us and speaks Truth from eternity.

All of the Word of God is like that. It really is living and active. It really is sharper than a double edged sword. It really does cut to divide bone and marrow, soul and spirit. (Paul, one of the writers of the New Testament in the Bible, said that).

An Interesting Question...

I read something somewhere recently. It posed this question: What Is It That You Can't Not Do? - I confess, it took me about two weeks to come up with a good answer that satisfied what it was that I simply couldn't not do. I pose this question to you now, I am curious, let me know. For me it is share. I am a sharer. I can't not do it, I've tried. Now, it is your turn.

back "home"

I learned a number of years ago that I do not belong here. by here, I mean planet earth. I know, this sounds very weird, stay with me. The Bible is full of things like "we are aliens," and "our citizenship is in heaven," Jesus even says that He has gone "to prepare a place for us" ...therefore, I have begun to scratch the surface of what it means to be a foreigner here. it's easy to get caught up in the every day life of this world and be distracted from our purpose at hand, to love God with all of our hearts, minds, souls, and strenght. My home is in heaven, I think I understand that more and more as time goes by. This world is not my home, I am just here for a little while...a mist of time, if you will.
When I travel I am reminded that wherever I go there is a new sense that I do not belong there. I can have a great time, I can fit in, I can enjoy just about everything about where I am... yet, there is this thing, this sense, that I do not belong there.
Still on the learning path. Still considering myself a foreigner wherever I go. And well, enjoying the brief stint I am allowed here in this world - trying to make the most of every opportunity.

28 new friends

oh man! it's been forever since I started this thing and blogged. much has happened... there is this evaluation that we had to fill out at the end of camp. one of the questions was "what would be one word to describe your summer" well, my one word was "random". camp was the farthest thing from my thoughts of how my summer would look and, well, I'm glad that God knows so much more that I do. It is amazing because, as random as it was for me to come to camp, it was precisely where I was supposed to be. amazing.
In the midst of this most random thing I could do in a summer, I was overwhelmingly blessed by the wonderful people on my staff. I really could not have dreamed of a better group of people to work with in the summer of 2005. This is a shout out to my 28 new, over-the-top, more-of-a-blessing-than-I ever-imagined, friends. You guys are an obvious gift from the Father who gives good gifts. Thank you for pouring yourselves out this summer...and all your lives. Christ was magnified in and through you this summer. I pray for you, my friends, that He blows you away this fall. I love you all and I miss you bad.

children's track

so, I would just like to say..."so, I'm at camp" that's it. I'm here. it really is happening. I am leading children's ministry this week in the hot and humid south. it's great. I have the greatest group I could ever ask for. I am learning alot. It has been amazing to watch God do the work. I have been waiting in anticipation for Him to do some mighty things. It's amazing what we see when we are expecting Him to work. I have been praying with expectation. I know that I am here because He has me here. there is no other explanation for it. I am thankful. And I know that I cannot do this on my own. I missed all of training and the first week of kids being here. now I am just trying to play catch up. and I just stand in wonder that the God of the universe is so intensely personal that He takes care of all the crazy details of my ministry group. so, latest lesson: expect great things and then watch for them!

super powers

nemis- is there a plural for that word...does anyone really know...nemisi, nemises...I have tried, but alas to no avail, I come up short and just trail off into...well, nothing. a few months ago my friend and I decided that life would be much more interesting if we had an arch nemisis. from there we decided that we would be in an epic battle as super heros trying to save the world...I think we've decided that she's the evil one... anyway, from this have sprug our desire to uncover our super powers. my first super power to be discovered was tasting things in my head. I guess this makes me a decent cook. I can think of different flavors and in my head make sense of it all and whether it would taste okay or not...from there we found out that she has the power of getting people married. seriously, she's had SO many roommates because they keep getting married on her.
so, really, I wonder what it would be like if we acted like the gifts God has given us were super powers? If I woke up tomorrow with the understanding that the gift of the Holy Spirit and His manifestation in my life were a super power, how would I act different, would I act different? I hope so. In light of this new thought...I hope that I would wake up understanding that I was responsible for way more than I think I am now. I would act with confidence because I know that the "powers" that I have are real...and eternal.
I pray that I wake up tomorrow embracing the gifts of God and using them with power, with might, and with self-control.

Things I have learned

-it is easier to slouch than it is to sit-up-straight...although much healthier to sit-up-straight.
-don't eat a burrito at 10:00pm.
-it stinks to be an introverted external processor.
-the bandana is a great invention.
-I am a sharer.
-Fresh air is healing.
-laughter sometimes really is the best medicine.
-packing isn't very much fun.
-groversthoughts.blogspot.com is the funniest thing I've seen this week.
-blogging is a great idea.

my family

I love my family. They really are a gift. A precious gift from the Giver of all good things. My immediate family came out to visit me. It was a crazy - insane adventure! We played the tourist game and we ate out alot. I think that I will lay off all heavy foods for the next...oh, I don't know...forever. Really, though, I don't think there are words to describe how thankful I am that my family came to visit me. I am so honored that all of them would take the time and all else that it takes to make such a trip. Ahhh, what a blessing. Thank you everyone for coming! I enjoyed you SO!

what's next

being that I am a recent graduate from a second master's program the hottest question for people to ask, "what' s next?"
Well, that's a fantastic question. I'll tell ya what I do know. I know that in one week I'll be headed off to some beach in the South. Fun in the sun? you ask, well, valid guess being that I have just spend time, money, and lots of brain power into academics - but alas, no. I am going to work. I have a summer job. wa-hoo! I'll be working with teenagers teaching them to paint, construct, and do lots of other types of manual labor, all with the purpose of meeting physical needs so that their spiritual needs might be met. I am very excited about this summer and look forward to all that God will do. His power is made perfect in my weakness.

After the summer? you ask, that's still up in the air. I am looking, but I know from experience that the right thing will come at the right time. I have been rejected from what I considered my dream job, but as it turns out I was being held back because something bigger and better was on the horizon. man, there is so much to tell from that experience, but I will spare the details till later.

so I wait. As I wait I will be yelling and screaming at youth as they run the crazy messy mega relay. I will be covered in paint and sharing the Truth with everyone around. I couldn't ask for anything better. what an honor! It will be hot and I will be tired, but I am so ready for this challenge - and of course, the blessing of being poured out.

what a way to "wait"!

always learning

this is my first post ever. I really do not know what I'm doing except learning by doing. I feel like that's all I do these days...learn. There is so much that needs to happen. Life-long learner, do I have a choice. As a recent graduate from my second Master's program - I thought I might be finished with education...shoot, at this rate, who needs formal academics? I am learning now what it means to choose life and to choose to be a blessing. these things are choices. In so many situations just sitting still won't cut it. Inaction is an action itself.
I make a declaration: I choose life and I choose blessing.
May the Lord of all guide me as I walk in His path of life and blessing.