A Few Favorites - January Edition

So a new blog feature that I hope to do (maybe monthly, maybe not) is a post on a few of my favorite things...currently.  See, I have lots of favorites, but they also change frequently.  Here's a sampling of what I've been loving lately:

Radiators...aka pj warmers.  I cannot tell you how wonderful it feels to put on warm pjs before you get into bed at night and the temps are looking like this!


















This song, Country Road remixed by Pretty Lights...I'm not sure why I love it so much, but it has a great beat.  I know, the combo of John Denver and dubstep sounds sketchy, but I promise it's good!  It reminds me a little of some Mutemath stuff I really like, so maybe that's part of it.  A friend and I were talking about what a perfect song it would be to ski to, just imagine ripping down the slopes with a giant powder cloud behind you as you make your perfectly executed turns...yeah, that probably needs to become a reality soon!



Which brings me to my next favorite, night skiing!  There just isn't much better than ending your day on the snow, racing down the mountain with the wind in your face.  And stopping at the top to get a great view of the city lights is pretty incredible too!

Whoever came up with a flipping iPhone Case (thank you Speck) was genius.  The ability to dock your phone without taking the case off, yet still having a durable case for irresponsible phone owners who drop their phones multiple times a week (yeah, that would be me), is seriously the best tech accessory I've purchased in awhile.

And since we're talking about technology, the Kindle app on my iPad is another thing I've been loving!  Free ebooks? Yes please! The last book I finished was a short (free) one by John MacArthur called Found: God's Will.  This was an easy, and super quick read (maybe 30 minutes, tops).  I think it would be really good to go through and discuss with high school age kids, and maybe young college students too.  Here's a quote I feel best sums up the book, "You see, the will of God is not primarily a place.  The will of God is not, first of all, for you to go there or work here.  The will of God concerns you as a person.  If you are the right you you can follow your desires and you will fulfill His will."

Along with reading, during this cold weather I've been spending more time watching Netflix.  I recently finished The Art of Flight (both the movie and the series, check out the trailer here). It's a cool look at some intense snowboarding, and there is some great Jackson powder footage too!  However, their worldview comes out loud and clear in the the film and the series, and it reminds me of what a unique mission field I'm living in the midst of right now.  In the film they talk about how snowboarding is their "church" and in another part they start to go down a line but end up calling it quits.  In an interview at the end of the film one of the boarders (and these are some of the best boarders in the world) says that at the end of the day it's unsatisfying, but that's what keeps you wanting more.  I pray that I will have more opportunities to build relationships with those in my community so that I can love them, serve them, and show them that ultimate fulfillment can only be found in Christ and although boarding and skiing are lots of fun, it will never satisfy.

And on a lighter note, I'll leave you with pictures of a store and sticker that both made me laugh this month!

No-Post November

I've decided it's time to put an end to No-Post November, so let me give you a little update on what's been going on since I last posted.

On the Sunday before halloween Laurel and I hosted a fall/halloween party.  It was pretty low key, we had about 8 friends over, some people dressed up, we played games, and of course ate snacks!  Here's a picture of those of us who dressed up.  My mom made me a sweet candy corn costume, it pays to have a mom who can sew!  But really, Duke stole the show with his s'more costume, it was perfect for him!

I was going to post about our party and links to some of the recipes on Monday Munchies the next day, but I went to a Monday night gathering at church, so I had decided to wait until I got home to post.  After church was over I was talking to my friend Mike and he said he was leaving the next morning to do a west coast trip.  A couple months earlier I purchased a plane ticket to visit my good friend Sarah in Reno and my flight was that Thursday, so I jokingly asked if he wanted to drive through Reno on his way.  We sort of laughed about it but he asked how many hours it was, and said he would look up the route and call me later.  I went over to Lauren's house to hang out for awhile and at 9:00 that night I get a text from Mike saying "you serious about tomorrow?"  So I called Sarah to see if it would work out, and checked into some of the travel details, and at 9:45 that night we agreed that he would pick me up at 7:30 the next morning and we would head to Reno...10 hours notice is plenty of time to pack and leave right?  So needless to say, the blog post took the back burner and I threw some clothes into a suitcase and we were off the next morning!  I absolutely love spontaneous adventures, and I was so glad to have those extra couple of days with Sarah and Ben and I also got to spend some time with Alison and Armand and meet their sweet kiddo's too!

During our time together, we mostly just hung out in Reno.  Sunday we drove about 20 miles Southeast to Virginia City.  It was a big silver mining town in the past, but now there are little shops, museums, and historical buildings lining the main street.  I guess it's where Levi's jeans started, because they needed something tough and durable for the miners.  It's also where Samuel Clemens decided he wasn't cut out for mine work, and started working for the Virginia City newspaper where he first used his pen name, Mark Twain.  Each year they hold camel races, so Sarah and I thought we needed pictures with some camels, and it ended up being our favorite picture from the week!

After I got back from Reno I only had a week and a half before my parents came for Thanksgiving, so I was busy cleaning the house and getting ready for them and my 2 year old cousin to come stay for a week.  They got in the Saturday before Thanksgiving and although we couldn't do as much as we originally planned because of the baby, we still had a great time together!  Colin and I went rock climbing one day, and the whole family went to Grand Teton National Park and walked around the Taggart Lake area, and then drove up to Jackson Lake.  We showed Marshall his first glimpse of the Teton's!

We hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house and along with my family we had about 10 others over.  It was a great time of food and fellowship, and reminded me of just how much I have to be thankful for!  Friday night we went to the lighting of the town square and then my mom and I did some black Friday shopping at 7:30 that night.  I've decided that's the time to do it!  You get to sleep in (well, if I didn't have a baby in my room who woke up at 5:40 I could have slept in), there was almost no one else shopping, and we still got all of the deals we were interested in!  Colin and I went dancing that night at the Cowboy, and then the fam left Saturday morning.  It was so fun having them here, seeing where I live, meeting a lot of my friends, and just being able to give them a glimpse into my Jackson life!

This week things have quieted down, and it's a nice change of pace for awhile,  but I'm sure there's a new adventure just around the corner!

Trip to MO - Photo Update

I'm an irresponsible blogger.  Life gets busy and the blog comes last...always.  I'm two recipes behind (and the two I have lined up are delicious...something to look forward to in the coming weeks), but I decided spending my time with friends and family was more important than spending it writing blog posts.  I also have several more thoughtful posts in mind.  There are lots of things running around in my little brain but I haven't taken the time to sit down and write them all out.  I also should post about what's going on in my life.  I've done all sorts of awesome Wyoming-y things and haven't kept y'all updated...at all.  Plus I have a memory card FULL of pictures, but I haven't uploaded any of those either.  And now here it is JULY...how did that happen?!?  I really am going to try to keep up better throughout this month...but don't hold your breath, just in case!

That said, even though I missed Monday Munchies and thought about posting it late, I've decided to skip the recipe and instead show you a few photos of what I've been doing in MO this past week!

First, my dad retired...

He had a party...at that party was a magician.  

It was like living an episode of Arrested Development...

The lady retiring with him wanted to set me up with her cousin's son, you know how it is...

everyone has some relative I need to meet who's "a great catch"

His dad was the magician...all my family gatherings could have been magical.

I'm sorry to report that due to him being catholic and my little brother's age,

 it isn't going to work out...this probably surprises no one haha!

Then we went to the Liberty Memorial and WWI Museum in Kansas City, it was really nice!

In honor of the 75th anniversary of Amelia Earhart's disappearance

I love the KC skyline

Then we went to the Money Museum at the KC Federal Reserve, it's really hard to look
serious on money.  Props to Ben Franklin...never took a bad picture!

40 million dollars, no big deal.

Wyoming and MO are in the same Federal Reserve district (which is district 12 in case you were wondering...yeah, I did my plaque reading).  I had to represent.

Then I used my mad camera skills to shoot a group picture
(The Burton family is with us.  I thought we were related till I was 12.
I would like to confirm that they are not related, but they did 
come all the way from California to be there for my dad's party.)

And then we had a Community Group picnic

It was hot.

Then we celebrated the 4th of July with our neighbors, and I took a bunch of firework pictures for the purpose of ending this blog post.  And I realized the firework setting on my camera is TERRIBLE.

The End.

Engagement Rings and Chocolate Bunnies

I love spring and Easter is full of memories for me.  I love that we spend more time remembering and reflecting on Jesus' work on the cross, but I also spend some time each year thinking about Easter 2005.  Most people get chocolate bunnies and candy in an Easter basket, but I was given something most women dream about that year.

We stopped by the pond and he took my hand, got on one knee, showed me a ring glistening in the sunlight and said "Heidi, will you marry me?" and to this day I think that was one of the most difficult days of my life.

I started courting/dating/spending time with this boy in August of 2003.  He was one of my best friends, and we had known his family for a long time.  His dad had loved me ever since he asked me what I wanted to do with my life and I told him I wanted to be a wife and mom (years before we started dating), and I think then and there he decided I should marry one of his sons.  The first time the bf and I met to spend time alone was at the Emerson Drive concert at Trails West.  Our first real date (he asked my dad, picked me up, opened my doors, and no siblings or parents were in the vicinity) was to the rodeo...yes, you read that right, a country music concert and a rodeo, doesn't get much more hick than that!  He was a good guy, ambitious and driven, worked really hard, managed his money well, and was a gentleman.  At the time, I would have told you our relationship was going well, and when I graduated from high school in 2004 he said he wanted to marry me, but when he and my dad had the initial "talk" my dad told him flat out we couldn't get married until I finished college, and bf agreed, saying he would wait.  But 4 years is a long time to wait and although I really do think he loved me, he was getting impatient.  We had visited the marriage option over and over, bringing different scenarios to my dad and every time my dad saying we needed to wait.  We were young and had much to learn, probably more spiritual lessons than anything else.  In one letter he wrote me he said, "But if your dad won't let you get married next fall, I need to change some things, and I need to let God start taking control of my life more."  Um, hello, red flag - so if we are getting married God doesn't need to "take control", what?!  But I was blind to it then.  I think we were both kind of spiritually stagnant, but we didn't fully realize it until later.  We spent so much time working on our relationship with each other that we neglected our personal relationships with the Lord, and as a result there was a lack of growth, and we weren't keeping Christ at the center of our relationship.  A few months later, after some distance, the Lord began to open my eyes to the mistakes we had made.  I wrote that "No matter how much a part of my future "bf" might be, I need to focus on my relationship with Christ first."

On Easter, our plan was that after our family lunch at my house, the bf and I would go to his sister's new farm to spend some time 4-wheeling and then eat dinner with them.  Now, 4-wheeling is one of my favorite activities in the world.  You get to go fast, feel the wind blowing through your hair, catch some air if you go terrace jumping, and feel that "lose your stomach" feeling you get on the drop of roller coasters.  I LOVE it.  Bf knew I loved it and really planned the perfect proposal.  When we got to the house we rode around for awhile, and then we stopped by the pond.  It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny, the water was sparkling, and I was doing my favorite activity with the boy that I loved.  Then he hopped off the 4-wheeler, proposed, and by God's gracious mercy the first words out of my shocked mouth were "did you ask my dad?"  Bf said yes, he asked my dad, and I proceeded to ask what my dad said, why would I do that...wouldn't I assume if he was asking, my dad said yes?  God is truly sovereign and merciful!  The next words out of bf's mouth changed everything, "Your dad said no."  

Now, at this point in our relationship, I loved my parents but I didn't think they understood our situation.  I thought I was mature enough to get married, I understood that I was trading life experiences for marriage and I didn't care.  I knew marriage was hard, but I couldn't convince my parents that I knew it.  My relationship with my parents was very strained as a result.  This made the fact that I even asked what my dad said, or cared enough to decline bf's proposal because of it, nothing short of amazing.  To this day, I don't understand it, God had to have put those questions on my heart and lips.  I wasn't being obedient to my parents in other ways.  I thought I knew better than they did; I hated college and just wanted to marry bf so I could begin my dream of being a wife and mom.  But again, God showed me mercy and gave me the courage to tell bf that if my dad said no, then I couldn't marry him.

We skipped dinner with his family and he drove me straight home.  I cried a lot that night, and I think my parents might have been more shocked that I said no, than they were that bf proposed.  We sort of kept dating (yeah, not my brightest idea), but with a lot of distance, and two short months later I randomly found The Master's College online (there's another long, but awesome story of God's faithfulness) and decided I wanted to go.  I left in August and bf said he would wait for me.  But waiting only lasted until September when he called to tell me we either needed to get married that summer or break up.  Again, the Lord had been working on my heart and gave me the courage to tell him that I knew I was where God wanted me, so I guess we needed to break up, and that was the end of it.  Since I was thousands of miles away we didn't talk again...for like three years.  It was hard at the time, but I grew so much through the situation.  I have several friends my age who worry that they are never going to find "the one" that they will be single for the rest of their lives, and that they will die lonely old men and women.  But let me tell you, it's better to live for the Lord, to follow Him and be single, than it is to be married without the Lord in the center of your relationship.  Every Easter I am SO thankful that the Lord is merciful, compassionate, forgiving, and sovereign over all, and that He caused me to decline that marriage proposal, and ultimately draw my heart to Him to show me that only in Him can I find joy, contentment, and satisfaction.

Mountain Beauty

Last week Laurel and I were looking at our week, and planned that our ski day would be Tuesday, God graciously saw fit to make it the most clear, beautiful day!  The sun was shining brightly, the sky was a deep blue, and it was finally clear enough that, for the first time, I could see all of the mountains around Jackson (even the other clear days there were clouds covering the highest mountains).  I took several pictures with my phone, but nothing can compare to the splendor of the mountains in person.  Being in the mountains always reminds me of God's power, majesty, strength and sovereignty, but at the same time they show His creativity and remind me that He is the author of beauty.  I pray that as I move here to live in Jackson, the beauty of creation will continue to point me to the Creator.  

About a year ago, I decided to memorize a portion of Colossians 1, and as I was standing looking out over the tops of the mountains the Lord brought part of that passage to mind...

Colossians 1:16-17 - For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Psalm 95:3-6 - For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

Nehemiah 9:6 - You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. 

Hello Jackson!

After several long hours in the car, Laurel, Duke, and I made it to a beautiful and snowy Jackson, Wyoming!  I don't know how much the official total snowfall is, but we made a snow gauge by taping marks every 12 inches on the poles that show where the driveway is, and today it's slightly above the 24" mark with chances of snow all throughout next week too.  I LOVE snow so I'm having a blast with it all!  

From my short time here, I've compiled a list of 10 things which makes Jackson a pretty awesome little town:

1. Snow - lots of snow!

2. The beautiful scenery - I absolutely love the mountains.

3. Friendliness - people (except the people at the Post Office, must be a national epidemic) are super friendly.

4. Ski slopes - so many choices within just a few miles!

5. Winter activities - along with skiing you can spend time snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, taking sleigh rides, tubing, ice skating, hockey and more, the snow doesn't stop these guys!

6. Summer activities - hiking, camping, fishing, biking, kayaking, white water rafting, 4-wheeling, the options are limitless.

7. Seattle's Best - much to my surprise and excitement, there is a full Seattle's Best cafe in Smith's grocery store!

8. Stocking caps are acceptable to wear at all times - love my hats!

9. Music scene - several options each week, lots of country and bluegrass which is fine with me!

10. Local dining - there aren't many chains here but there are so many interesting local restaurants it will be fun getting to explore them when we aren't snowed in!

Goals – Kicking Off 2012

Confession: I’m kind of a goal freak.  This probably stems from my (sometimes unhealthy) love of competition.  I love the sense of accomplishment that comes from achieving goals. I love beating whatever time frame I set, I love the challenge, the endurance and determination it takes.  Over the years though, I've learned that although I can easily set and achieve goals that it doesn't necessarily have any long term outcome (building new habits, lifestyle changes, etc.), it was just more of a game for me.  Goals were great, but once they were achieved it was on to the next thing for me.  There was a class at Master’s where we learned a lot of valuable things about goals, and I would like to share some of the things I learned with you in hopes of spurring you on toward achieving the goals or resolutions you have set for 2012!

One thing to be mindful of before setting goals, is that they should reflect our priorities (those things, activities, and responsibilities only you can take care of), which helps you limit what you feel like you have to take on.  Priorities change based on your season of life.  Do you know what your priorities are right now?  Here are a few that might make your list: relationship with God, husband and children, managing your home, caring for aging parents, work obligations, school, health and fitness.  Make a list of your priorities and set your goals from there.  This gives you a broad picture of what you want your life to look like and then you can create specific goals to support your priorities.  Another helpful thing is to create from your priorities a life mission statement.  A few years back I made this mission statement from some of my favorite verses: Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Colossians 3:23.

 “Whatever happens in my life, I want to conduct myself in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27).  No matter where God calls me, or what He asks me to do, I want to do everything with all my heart, as unto the Lord.  I will do all my work with excellence, regardless of what that work may be, that I might honor God and bring glory to His name in everything I say and do however great or small.”   

Sometimes we feel like our goals smack us in the behind, but this rarely happens when we SMAC them first!  When setting goals make sure they are:

S: Specific – Many goals fail because they lack detail.   

M: Measurable – How will you measure your progress? Come up with short range, intermediate and long range plans of how you will measure your progress. 

A: Achievable – Sometimes goals fail because they are simply not realistic.  We must remember that our time, energy and resources are limited.  

C: Compatible – They must be compatible with all your current obligations and responsibilities in life.  

One of the most important things I have learned (the hard way) is to be realistic when making goals.  I tend to get excited and think that I can do way more than I actually can, then I get discouraged when I fail or I achieve the goal at the expense of other things I shouldn’t have let go.  Take the time now to adjust your goals and make your expectations realistic!

Be prayerful in what goals you set, and consider the following scriptural principles related to setting goals: 

• The most important thing for the Christian goal setter to keep in mind is that his/her relationship with Christ must come first (Exodus 20:3).  Although goals are good, when we put them above our relationship with the Lord we are making them idols and breaking the first commandment (Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller is an excellent read on this topic).  
• Pray for wisdom and discernment (James 1:5) regarding what your goals should be and how you will accomplish them.  
• Spend time in God’s word looking for principles that apply to a goal that you are considering setting (Psalm 119:24). 
• Get counsel from godly people who know you and whom you trust (Proverbs 15:22). 
• Once you have goals set, grow in the character qualities of perseverance and determination to accomplish that goal and remember that only through relying on Him can we achieve our goals (1 Chronicles 16:11; Matthew 19:26; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 15:58; Galatians 6:9, Colossians 1:10, 3:23).  

Sacrificial Giving

The last couple of months I’ve been thinking a lot about giving, and more specifically what sacrificial giving looks like. As an American, I have a lot of “stuff.” Some of it is more valuable than others, but none of it has eternal value. In the end, what I have on this earth is going to make absolutely no difference to anyone, so why don’t I always live like it?

My junior year of college, I stayed on skid row at the Union Rescue Mission for a week. Each afternoon I spent time helping with their program for homeless children who were staying at the mission. At the time, I had a red rubber bracelet that had some cheesy Christian saying on it that I wore most of the time. I distinctly remember that while we were playing a soccer game with the kids, a little boy, Junior, came up to me and asked me if he could have my bracelet, and I actually had to think about it before I said yes. Granted, it was only a couple seconds before I gladly gave it to him, but it really made me sad that I would even have to think before giving this kid, who had close to nothing, a stupid rubber bracelet. At this point, I determined that I never wanted to be stingy in my giving, but instead to be generous but also wise with both my money and my possessions.

Fast forward to the present…I was really excited when I found out that our Sunday school class had adopted a needy family in town. For about five days, I spent a lot of time in prayer trying to determine the amount that I should give. Since Friday was payday, I decided that I would give half of whatever my paycheck was to this family. It seemed to be a practical way I could live out a biblical command (Matt. 22:39), that if I was loving this family as I loved myself, I would give as much money to them as I kept for myself. So Sunday rolls around, I give my money and go on with life. The next week I realize that my student loan payment, my credit card bill, and my car payment were all due within two days of each other. One of my first thoughts was “if I could have deposited my whole paycheck into my checking account, I wouldn’t have to shuffle my money around.” As I thought about it more I was really convicted, and I realized that although I might have the concept down of actually giving money, that I gave without expecting to live any differently because of it. And it wasn’t even that I didn’t have the money, just that I had to move it around from different banks.

Since the Go Conference, I’ve also been thinking and praying about how much to give to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering this year. I pray that the Lord has changed my attitude, and that He will allow me to give with the right attitude. I think that I’m a little more prepared this time. I want to give more than I have in the past and I pray that it does stretch me.

I want to have to live differently and to give up some material things because of how I give to the church, to missions and to others, and I want to do it so that God gets the glory and to further His kingdom here on earth. I pray that I would not get caught up spending my money on trivial things, but that I would spend my money thinking about the fact that my treasure is not on earth, but in heaven.

What now?

As many of you know, after graduation I was planning on working full-time at camp through the summer, and then going to Zambia, Africa to a place called Koinonia Village in January. It seemed like God had opened all the doors necessary, and it was so perfect because I would not only get to go to Africa, but also help with one of the things I love most, camp! Once I was done with summer staff, I talked to my boss Dave, and he said that the trip was on hold because the missionaries we were going to work with decided to come home. Needless to say, I was disappointed, but it was clear that it was not God’s will, since everything that had worked out so perfectly was no longer an option.

Since then I moved home, back to Missouri. I’ve spent a lot of time praying and seeking the Lord’s will about the whole situation. I looked into going to Africa with other organizations a little bit, but at this point I haven’t felt led to further pursue those options.

My pastor at FBBC, Micah Fries, said something today that really resonated with me in thinking through the situation. He said,

“God is not interested in us trying to figure out the details, He is interested in our obedience.”

Maybe the Lord just used this process to get me to a point of full obedience, to the point that I am completely willing to go to a foreign country to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to those who have not heard. I hope and pray that I will be obedient to whatever He asks, whether it is to stay here in MO and to be content with the ministry He has given me here, or whether I’m called to go to Africa, or anywhere else on earth.

Another neat thing that comes from staying here, is that often when I explain to people that I was planning on going to Africa, they ask me why I wanted to go. This gives me the perfect opportunity to talk with people about Jesus Christ and to share the gospel with them.

It is fun to think about all the ways that God can use me if I am content with where I am now and if I am creative in coming up with ways that I can help with missions wherever I am. Maybe the younger girls that I spend time with will be impacted by my passion for Africa and one of them will go someday. Instead of buying all my Christmas gifts from the mall, I’ve found ministry websites that sell things that African women make to support themselves, and so through giving gifts I can help support those women. I can bathe the African people in prayer from anywhere in the world. I can save a portion of the money I make now, so that if my dream of adopting an African child someday becomes a reality, those funds will be available. I pray that the Lord will continue to help me be bold with my passion for Africa, and that He will help me not waste my time wishing I was there, but instead, figure out what I can do to be involved right now.

Homesick for Africa

This is part of something that I wrote last year, when in the midst of loads of homework, all I could think about was going to Africa so I just stopped working on my homework, and typed out my thoughts. A lot has changed since then, but my passion for the African people remains.

Homesick…

Can you be homesick for a place you’ve never been? If so, I think I’m homesick for Africa. I want to go there, and learn from them.

Sometimes it’s all I can think about. At work, at church, at chapel, in class, in my room, in the cafeteria, there’s almost nowhere I go that I don’t think about it. At times I think I’m crazy for longing so strongly for a place that I’ve never been, but I know that the Lord has put that desire in my heart for a reason, I’m not sure why yet, but I know that nothing He does is without a purpose. Whether He allows me to go or not, I know that His sovereign plan is perfect.

A year and a half ago when I was home for Christmas break, I remember my mom asking me if I thought I would ever be interested in going to do mission work overseas. I told her flat out no. I had no intentions of going to another country, and that I felt my ministry would be here in the United States. Now if you asked me that same question, I would give you the exact opposite answer just as quickly as I said no before.

Some people tell me how it may seem glamorous now, but that when I get there I will realize how horrible it is and will hate it. They remind me of things such as snakes, huge bugs, mosquitoes, malaria, rats, sleeping on a dirt floor, no bathrooms, nasty food, etc. But I don’t think those things really matter to me – and I pray that the Lord continues to give me the grace to have that attitude. The American culture, the church included, is so caught up in living the American dream. They want to have a lucrative job that will impress their friends, drive a Lexus SUV, own a multi-million dollar home, have 1.5 kids and of course the newest high-definition TV, blackberry, computer, iPod, gaming system or whatever. Scripture says that life is a vapor and I don’t want to spend my “vapor” focusing on these things instead of on making an eternal impact in the lives of others, even if it does cost me my comfort. In the big picture, my temporary comfort is a small sacrifice in exchange for doing God’s will. I hope that I never value the things of this earth more than I value heavenly things.

I’m afraid of what will happen if the Lord does give me an opportunity to go. I know that if I go, I will not be the same person when I come back. At a village or orphanage I would find some child that I would fall in love with, and then I would have to leave…and they would stay. A chunk of my heart will be left there, but maybe that’s not all bad. In fact, maybe it is good.

Many times this semester I have laid on my bed and cried. The tears just pour down my cheeks. I have a picture hanging up on my wall of a little African child my friend Beckie calls Nemo. When I look at his sweet face, I’m reminded of the thousands of other children there who are growing up without the Lord, without families, without food, and missing out on a childhood because they are raising their little brothers and sister…and my heart breaks.

Maybe someday…

Cinco

Well, a couple weeks back Candace tagged me to do this top five list. It is actually very appropriate, because not only is it a list of top fives, but it is also my fifth blog post on this blog! Here you go Candace :)

Things under $5 I couldn't live without...
- Moisture therapy chapstick
- Hand lotion
- Spray and Wash stain stick
- Toothbrush
- Ponytail holders

Most recently watched...
- Quantum of Solace
- Dan in Real Life
- The Office
- Leatherheads
- Ratatouille

Songs I could listen to over and over again...
- Jesus I My Cross Have Taken
- Let Us Adore Him
- Grace Unmeasured
- Wonderful Merciful Savior
- Inside Out...and probably at least 100 more haha

People who have influenced my life in a positive way...
- My parents
- Doc (Dr. Halstead)
- Mrs. Hotton
- The Hardwicke Family
- TC and Rosie Riley

Things that are always in my purse...
- Wallet
- Chapstick and lotion (refer to question one!)
- Sunglasses
- Keys (when I'm not locking them in my car)
- Pen

Moments that changed my life...
- Accepting Christ at 6 years old
- Glen Eyrie Family Conference when I was 13
- Summit 2004
- Starting TMC in 2005
- The Tatlock's adoption process

Obsessions I currently have...
- Africa
- Peppermint Mocha
- Making lists (ok, so I think instead of current, this is actually more a life obsession)
- Cleaning
- Peanut butter

Appliances and kitchen tools I can't live without...
- Cutco cheese knife
- Bosch electric mixer
- Dishwasher
- Crock pot
- Tea maker

Places I would like to go...
- Africa
- Washington DC
- Ireland
- Colorado
- North Carolina

People I who I would like to see their top fives:
- Beckie Woodfield
- Tracy Fries
- Katie Abbott
- Rachel Wilson
- Corine Thomas

Summer in a Nutshell

Well, summer is officially over and I’m about to go home for three months. The summer was full of ups and downs, but overall I think that things went pretty smoothly, and I was definitely stretched in a good way. Maybe I'll expand on these some in the future but if not, here is my summer in a nutshell...

Here are a few highlights of the summer –

• Making new friends and building relationships with both the new and returning summer staff.
• Surfing with Dave and actually being able to stand up!
• Rescuing Micah’s goldfish from the milk that he poured into the fish bowl.
• Kayaking for the first time – we started out from Santa Cruz harbor and then paddled out past the boardwalk and the wharf.
• Hanging out in San Francisco with Jeffrey and Keegan.
• Using a nail gun (check that one off the bucket list!)
• Helping and watching the cave and pyramid evolve into the awesome set that we used for our programs.
• Getting to go shopping for program stuff including a trip to my favorite store, Toys R Us.
• Getting to be in Rachel and Seth’s wedding in WV in July and the roadtrip out with my mom.
• Watching Simon (who is from England) learn how to drive an automatic on the opposite side of the road in the middle of San Francisco.
• Snipe hunting - sorry guys :)
• Realizing I know the road well enough I can easily drive up the canyon without my brights on.
• Reading through Spiritual Leadership again.
• Working on the ropes course which allowed me to have more interaction with the campers.
• Beckie, Erica and the Burton’s coming up to visit.
• Going to the lake and hanging out with church friends on the boat, and attempting to wakeboard for the first time.
• Getting permission to drive the golf cart - finally!
• Getting rescue certified for the ropes courses.
• Hanging out in the library parking lot mooching off the wireless internet.
• Finding out that the coffee shop at the bottom of the hill has free wireless internet (hence this post)!

These are some things I’ve been thinking about lately

• At the college and career Bible study, we’ve been going through Proverbs. A couple of weeks ago it was about money and they asked “if money was not an issue what would you buy?” All I could think of was a time last semester where I had realized and written that I want to live simply and never be slave to my possessions. I think part of this stems from Midwest culture as opposed to the California culture I’ve been living in for the last three years, but maybe it’s more my personality. I also wonder if this gets harder as you get older and acquire more stuff? I guess I’ll find out!

• This weekend a couple was asking me about the fire and every time I talk about it I am reminded of God’s grace, protection, and His faithfulness, but I don’t remember and think about it nearly as much as I should.

• This is the first time I’ve been here long enough that I forget how beautiful it is here and I don’t like it.

• Finding a biblically solid and healthy church is difficult, and I realize that there will never be a perfect church, but how much imperfection is ok and at what point do you decide that moving on to a different church may be best?

• We went to Vintage Faith Sunday night and Dan Kimball preached on spiritual gifts. There were a couple of points he made that really impressed me. First, I liked that he pointed out that just because you think your strongest "gift" is not evangelism, it doesn’t mean that it removes your responsibility to share the gospel. And not just the gift of evangelism, but in other areas too where there is a need and you can meet it even though it might not be your main spiritual gift. The second point that I liked a lot was that he explained how a pastor or shepherd is not just the person who gets up and preaches on Sunday mornings, but that a pastor is someone who intimately knows and teaches a smaller group of people. In a large church there is no way that the head pastor can know each person in his congregation deeply, so this is where others step up and lead a smaller group, get to know them and become their shepherd. I think this is a biblical concept that many churches are missing today.  So often we put it on the head pastor to shepherd the whole church, but that's why we need to be involved in a smaller community of believers, and why going it alone just produces bitterness toward the church.

Fire Update

Things are looking a lot better today. The fire continues to have a growing percentage of containment, and right now it appears that the Koinonia will be fine. Dave went up last night to check it, and said that the main problems will be smoke and all the debris that fell onto the grounds. Dave seems really optimistic and was talking this morning about the possibility that we would still be able to have the outdoor school come next week.

A friend and I were talking about a week ago about how being a witness to others, does not just mean preaching the gospel to them. Our biggest witness often comes through relationships and our love for others. When we sacrificially love others and take opportunities to meet their physical needs, this lays a foundation that is needed to further share the gospel. John 13:35 says “by this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” It is my prayer that we will do this at Koinonia in the months to come. The Lord has been gracious in sparing the area right around camp, but other areas in our community were not so fortunate. Please pray that we will be examples of Christ’s love through our love for others in our community, and that we would have opportunities to help those who have lost their homes or had other damage in any way that they need it. This could be an awesome opportunity for us to come alongside our unsaved neighbors and be a light for Christ through our love for them.

A Different Type of Camp Fire

This morning a fire broke out in the mountains near the camp I am working at this summer. We evacuated 180 kids around 9:00 this morning and then waited until we were told by the firemen that we needed to evacuate around 11:00. Right now, there are over 500 firefighters working on putting out the fire but because of the high winds, it is still 0% contained. Over 3,000 acres are burned and they are now saying on the news that it is very possible that the number could rise to 10,000 acres. The last update we got, the fire was about 1.5-2 miles from Koinonia, but at that point the camp and Dave’s house were safe. One of the board members said that because of the direction of the wind, unfortunately camp is in the direction that the fire is heading. We were supposed to have Memorial Day Family Camp this weekend, but unfortunately it isn’t going to happen. Some people at Twin Lakes Church arranged for all of the camp staff to stay at a local resort, so we are all safe and God was gracious in allowing us to have a smooth evacuation process, and that all of the campers and staff are safe. Please pray that God would protect all of the people working to fight the fires, and that as many homes as possible would be saved. Also, pray that Koinonia would not suffer much damage from the fires and that the summer programs will be able to go on as planned.  Most of all, pray that through this trial God would be glorified.

Back to Blogging

It's official, I'm starting a new blog! I don't promise any great words of wisdom, and I'm definitely not going to write each detail of every day in my life, but I do hope that through my words on this blog, that I will give testimony to God, and that above any other purpose this blog may serve, that it would bring glory and honor to Christ.

The title of my blog comes from one of my favorite books, When God Writes Your Life Story. It is a simple book to read, but has some deep insights and is very challenging. The book explains the Christian life as an endless frontier. Eric Ludy says,

"We get one step ahead of the culture and then, for some strange reason, stop all forward movement. The majority of us may be one step ahead of the world when it comes to purity, spiritual disciplines, knowledge of Scripture, and understanding the problems of society. But what if being one step ahead of the world is ten thousand steps behind where God desires to take us?

Unfortunately, today's Christianity breeds settlers rather than pioneers. It has bred men and women who no longer comb the wilds of God's grace. And it's time we realize that knowing Christ is an endless frontier - a frontier into which we have taken but one measly step."

It is my desire that this blog will be an encouragement to others to continue traveling the journey into the endless frontier.