Well, the end of another year is upon us. Really upon us in like an hour and 45 minutes from right now as I type this. I have been thinking over the past couple days how exactly to sum up this last year. I really have no words that truly summarize my year. I find it totally and completely impossible to put words to the remarkable year I had. Yes, the good, the bad and the ugly are all included in my year. But I think that without the good, the bad and the ugly, my year would have meant so much less to me. You see, with out the bad stuff, the good stuff might not look so great....
To be totally honest, I am really having a hard time remembering just how bad some things might have been. To other people in my life, those bad things might have been harder or meaner. We had some challenges. Some events that were hard and sad and. at times, heart wrenching. We did survive. Nobody died and we are all able to smile and laugh and love. You see, God held our hands the entire year. He never left us and he never forgot us. Yep, he held our hands and our heads up and hearts together. Thank you God for this amazing year of challenges. Thank you for holding it all together and for keeping smiles on faces and love in our hearts.
There were some amazing things this year. Elizabeth and her kids moved back to KM. Just up the hill. I can look out my sun room and see her house. How wonderful that has been. Oh, it may not be forever but for now, it is great. Now, I don't see them everyday but knowing they are close is comforting.
There have been some other great things in my life this year. But one of the greatest and most wonderful things to ever happen in my life was my mission trip to Africa. If you had told me last New Year's Eve that in 2015 I would be going to Africa to serve as a missionary, I would have laughed in your face and called you crazy. God had this amazing plan for me and it all quickly and perfectly fell into place in 2015. WOW.....
So, what does 2016 look like? What amazing plans does God have for me? I can't begin to imagine and will not try to plan. God will let me know when the time comes. This is something I have totally learned this past year.
To all my family and friends, my wish is that you will have the love and laughter that makes life so wonderful. That you will have the patience to listen and follow the plans of the Father. That you will be healthy and happy and wise in your daily life. That you will look to what is important and focus on that. That you will expect the unexpected to come into your life and guide you to something you never ever thought possible. That your relationship with God will grow and strengthen you in the year ahead. Happy New Year.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Out of Africa
I think I am finally getting my head wrapped around the fact that I am back on US time. WOW. I guess that's what you call jet lag. don't like..... sleep has not been easy these last few days. Bed by 9:00 or 8:00 or 7:00, up at 3:00 or 4:00. Napping at weird hours in the afternoon and early evening. Stomach issues that are a little understandable considering the eating habits of the last couple weeks. Still having trouble with just about everything I put in my mouth. May never eat chicken again.
But what an amazing trip. I could just stop typing this now because no matter how many words I put down, how many pictures I show or how many stories I tell, nothing will ever be enough. There are simply no words or pictures that can explain my time in Zambia. No words or pictures can explain how those people made me feel, how they looked at us when we came into their village, how they welcomed us into their world, how they loved us with true, undeserving love, how they showed me how a true Christian should live. There are things I experienced that will forever be etched in my mind. People and views and words and songs that I will never forget.
Since coming home, I have had a wide assortment of thoughts and feelings (lack of sleep or strange sleep patterns do this to a person). I have learned so much about myself and the world around me. . Things I hope I never forget.
Here are 20 of the things on my long list: (in no specific order)
1). Hug your toilet on a daily basis. I mean seriously....go hug it.
2). Eat your veggies....these are precious resources
3). Conserve energy. It may not always be available
4). Take your kids to get a Happy Meal. (I know it's not healthy but once won't kill them.)
5). Take your job (whatever it is) seriously and be dedicated to it. Not everybody has one.
6). Hug your toilet.
7). Enjoy a long, hot shower. I mean really enjoy it.
8). Touch a tree
9). Listen to the music....really listen
10). Kiss a snotty nosed kid on the head....you won't die.
11). Hug your toilet.
12). Pray for any missionaries you know(or don't know) their sacrifice is huge
13). Look people in the eye...really look
14). Smile at somebody...It might be the only one they get for a while
15). Be thankful for every single solitary thing you have and remember where it came from
16). Take absolutely nothing for granted
17). Play in the rain and mud
18). Eat strange berries from a tree (under the guidance of a professional)
19). turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. Water is precious
20). Hug your toilet
But I think the most important thing I learned was that people are the same no matter where they are. We are all doing the same thing. Surviving from day to day. Now, it may be in a completely different way and in a completely different country, but isn't that really what we are trying to do? Just survive? Somebody in Sunday school today said that life is life and living is living. We may do it differently but it's still living. And no matter how different they live or how different the country is, we have one God that loves us; one God that we can live for. The same God that loves me here in little Kings Mountain loves those beautiful people I met in the remote villages of Zambia, Africa.
I think that's pretty cool.
But what an amazing trip. I could just stop typing this now because no matter how many words I put down, how many pictures I show or how many stories I tell, nothing will ever be enough. There are simply no words or pictures that can explain my time in Zambia. No words or pictures can explain how those people made me feel, how they looked at us when we came into their village, how they welcomed us into their world, how they loved us with true, undeserving love, how they showed me how a true Christian should live. There are things I experienced that will forever be etched in my mind. People and views and words and songs that I will never forget.
Since coming home, I have had a wide assortment of thoughts and feelings (lack of sleep or strange sleep patterns do this to a person). I have learned so much about myself and the world around me. . Things I hope I never forget.
Here are 20 of the things on my long list: (in no specific order)
1). Hug your toilet on a daily basis. I mean seriously....go hug it.
2). Eat your veggies....these are precious resources
3). Conserve energy. It may not always be available
4). Take your kids to get a Happy Meal. (I know it's not healthy but once won't kill them.)
5). Take your job (whatever it is) seriously and be dedicated to it. Not everybody has one.
6). Hug your toilet.
7). Enjoy a long, hot shower. I mean really enjoy it.
8). Touch a tree
9). Listen to the music....really listen
10). Kiss a snotty nosed kid on the head....you won't die.
11). Hug your toilet.
12). Pray for any missionaries you know(or don't know) their sacrifice is huge
13). Look people in the eye...really look
14). Smile at somebody...It might be the only one they get for a while
15). Be thankful for every single solitary thing you have and remember where it came from
16). Take absolutely nothing for granted
17). Play in the rain and mud
18). Eat strange berries from a tree (under the guidance of a professional)
19). turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. Water is precious
20). Hug your toilet
But I think the most important thing I learned was that people are the same no matter where they are. We are all doing the same thing. Surviving from day to day. Now, it may be in a completely different way and in a completely different country, but isn't that really what we are trying to do? Just survive? Somebody in Sunday school today said that life is life and living is living. We may do it differently but it's still living. And no matter how different they live or how different the country is, we have one God that loves us; one God that we can live for. The same God that loves me here in little Kings Mountain loves those beautiful people I met in the remote villages of Zambia, Africa.
I think that's pretty cool.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
8000 Miles
8000 miles. That is roughly how far it is to Zambia. 8000 miles on an airplane. Me, who hates to fly. Me, who can't sit still for 15 minutes and is expected to sit 15 hours on a plane. Me, who hates to be away from home for more than one or two nights. Me, who checks in with my parents on a daily basis (sometimes 7 or 8 times). Me, who has precious grandbabies that I see or at least talk to everyday. Me, whose precious husband is totally helpless when I am away. OK maybe not totally but somewhat. Ok, maybe he can manage but I do like to think he is totally helpless without me. But the point is that I will be 8000 miles away from the comforts of my home and family and all that I am blessed with.
If you had told me a year ago that little ole me, a lowly imperfect human with flaws that outnumber the stars, would be traveling to Africa to share God and His love, I would have laughed in your face. (Sometimes I still laugh.) Ain't God funny????? So many factors have played into my upcoming trip. Even strangers have played a part in my going. I really kept thinking someone would tell me not to go. Someone would say something negative to keep me from going. Someone would explain all the reasons I shouldn't go..................this never happened. As a matter of fact, God put so many people and things in my path to make sure I got the message. "GO". Well, I got it. Loud and clear, I got it.
We have been working for the past couple months on raising the funds for this trip. There are 3 of us going and the cost is roughly 4000.00...................EACH. In a little over 2 months, we have manage to reach and exceed our goal of $12,000.00. (And funds keep coming in.) God is so good. We have had several fundraisers and all have been successful. One guy in my Sunday school class said recently, "You know, we could have a fundraiser for this trip everyday, and if God were not in the center, we wouldn't raise a penny." Amen.
I have been reading a lot and asking a lot of questions about the area I will be in. Though I know that nothing I read and none of the answers will ever prepare me for this trip, I sometimes get so overwhelmed that I can hardly contain my excitement. I was asked recently what I see myself doing there. We were told that we would probably be involved in a children's ministry that would possibly include up to 500 children. Sorry, but I just cant see 500 children. WOW. I was also informed that I will need to prepare a women's bible study for the women in the village and surrounding areas. I should be prepared to do this study more than once. WOW. And I was informed that I should prepare a testimony-like presentation. I asked how long this should be, "what, like 5 to 10 minutes???" HAHA, she said, more like an hour OR SO. WHAT????? We were told that 5 to 10 minutes would be an insult. They want to hear us. They want to hear us a lot and we would offend them if we only shared for 5 or 10 minutes. Time is of absolutely no importance to these people. We were told just to leave our watches at home. (This will be challenging for us westerners.) It's a good thing I like to talk...:)....
We leave on our trip in exactly 4 weeks from today. Tomorrow begins our 40 days of prayer which covers from now until we return on the 11th of August. Please pray for our team daily. This is such an exciting time but there are issues that need attention. Our health and safety, our precious families that will be here and even though they all know we are doing God's will, they worry. Those who will be placed in our path, the missionaries who serve there on a daily basis and many other things. So please just keep our team and our trip in your prayers.
"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.'" Mark 16:15
If He says go, you go.
If you had told me a year ago that little ole me, a lowly imperfect human with flaws that outnumber the stars, would be traveling to Africa to share God and His love, I would have laughed in your face. (Sometimes I still laugh.) Ain't God funny????? So many factors have played into my upcoming trip. Even strangers have played a part in my going. I really kept thinking someone would tell me not to go. Someone would say something negative to keep me from going. Someone would explain all the reasons I shouldn't go..................this never happened. As a matter of fact, God put so many people and things in my path to make sure I got the message. "GO". Well, I got it. Loud and clear, I got it.
We have been working for the past couple months on raising the funds for this trip. There are 3 of us going and the cost is roughly 4000.00...................EACH. In a little over 2 months, we have manage to reach and exceed our goal of $12,000.00. (And funds keep coming in.) God is so good. We have had several fundraisers and all have been successful. One guy in my Sunday school class said recently, "You know, we could have a fundraiser for this trip everyday, and if God were not in the center, we wouldn't raise a penny." Amen.
I have been reading a lot and asking a lot of questions about the area I will be in. Though I know that nothing I read and none of the answers will ever prepare me for this trip, I sometimes get so overwhelmed that I can hardly contain my excitement. I was asked recently what I see myself doing there. We were told that we would probably be involved in a children's ministry that would possibly include up to 500 children. Sorry, but I just cant see 500 children. WOW. I was also informed that I will need to prepare a women's bible study for the women in the village and surrounding areas. I should be prepared to do this study more than once. WOW. And I was informed that I should prepare a testimony-like presentation. I asked how long this should be, "what, like 5 to 10 minutes???" HAHA, she said, more like an hour OR SO. WHAT????? We were told that 5 to 10 minutes would be an insult. They want to hear us. They want to hear us a lot and we would offend them if we only shared for 5 or 10 minutes. Time is of absolutely no importance to these people. We were told just to leave our watches at home. (This will be challenging for us westerners.) It's a good thing I like to talk...:)....
We leave on our trip in exactly 4 weeks from today. Tomorrow begins our 40 days of prayer which covers from now until we return on the 11th of August. Please pray for our team daily. This is such an exciting time but there are issues that need attention. Our health and safety, our precious families that will be here and even though they all know we are doing God's will, they worry. Those who will be placed in our path, the missionaries who serve there on a daily basis and many other things. So please just keep our team and our trip in your prayers.
"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.'" Mark 16:15
If He says go, you go.
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