Pricey Perspective

A few weeks ago I and a friend from Africa had occasion to get a ride with a friend from Europe. The car was fairly quiet- I was in the back seat, my two friends were in the front. We drove by a gas station, and I groaned inwardly to see the price had been hiked up again, trying to remember if I had filled my car yet.

Before I even had time to remember, my European friend glanced at the price and commented "Wow, gas is so cheap here in America! That must be why American's drive such big cars like this one." (please note: we were in a Civic- not exactly the most gi-normous car ever). To which my African friend agreed "Oh yes, I think they can afford such big cars because the gas prices are so low."

Well,this conversation went on for a minute or two before I ventured "So... how much is gas where you guys come from?" My European friend said that it converted to roughly... are you ready for this? $8 a gallon!!! My other friend said he hadn't been home in a while, but the last time he was there it converted to about $5 or $6 a gallon!

All of the sudden the latest 10 cent hike at the pump didn't seem so bad. And although, as my oh so practical neighbor pointed out when I told her this story, a 30% jump in gas prices is depressing no matter where the starting price was, somehow I still feel better when I drive past a pump and the number right after the dollar sign isn't 8.

Five Bibles and a Blank Page

What if you didn't have a Bible?

Today in Animism class (helps us understand the thinking of people who believe in manipulating spirits/forces in their surrounding nature for survival), Mr. Risse asked us what we would do if, right after we finished taking them through the Bible (laying out the Foundation about who God is and what He's like and why we need a Savior etc) the new believers come to you and ask about a terrible dream they've had (dreams are really significant in a lot of Animistic cultures). What do you do?
A couple of passages popped into my mind about who God is and how He is stronger, good and sovereign- from 1 Timothy, something from Ephesians, and I think the other one was from Hebrews.

And then I realized. Oh wait. They don't have a Bible. 

It does still come back to who God is, and they've heard His message so they know what He's like, and the Holy Spirit can be teaching these new believers anyway. But wow. No Bible. What would you do? The Bible is so full of .... wisdom, encouragement, reminders, teaching about what God is like.... no Bible at all? I just counted- I have FIVE Bibles in my room- just in my room. That's not counting New Testaments, the programs on my computer or the bazillion more I can access online.
I'm not sure why it hit me so hard today but it really did. No Bible?

What would I do without a Bible?

What would you do without a Bible?

Valentine's Day

This is, admittedly, not my favorite holiday. However, it has never troubled me so little as it has this year. Weird. Probably had something to do with being snowed in so much the last few weeks that I didn't make it to the store much. Or maybe my scatter-brainedness has now reached new levels.  Whatever the reason, Valentine's Day came kind of quietly this year, and I was intending to pass it right on by without notice it much at all. But I got some great valentines this year, so I thought I would share:
From God: on Sunday- I found a new pair of jeans for a fabulous price! I have been praying for one forever- it was such a special blessing!
In class: a couple of people wished me Happy Valentine's Day (I'd kind of forgotten it was until I got to chapel, honestly). And then- a secret somebody got all the single girls on campus a rose and little box of chocolates. Aw....
From my roomate: I got a very fun Valentine's Card
From Mom and Dad: a hillarious e-card about the attack of warm fuzzies
From some friends: I got the chance to babysit- I haven't gotten to hang out with kids in forever, so I thought it was really fun! and I got chocolates from them too. LOTS of sugar....
From God: and then, on my walk home... there was a beautiful moon rainbow! Have  you ever seen a moon rainbow? I've only seen one that big once before! It was gorgeous- what a beautiful end to a very nice day!

What I've been up to....

Work!! Lots of work! Classes, lots to do with Missionary Kids (MKs) right now- classes like Biblical Parenting,  MK care and education, and, at the moment, Child Protection. Right now we're also taking Field Health which is about how to assess and treat basic stuff when you're a zillion miles away from the nearest doctor. Super practical stuff. 

One of the big classes we're taking this semester is called "Missionary Technology". It's about how to set up water filters that will help you not die from disease in a remote location... and about how to get water into your house so you can wash your hands and shower and stuff. And how to set up a solar panel system so that you can use a laptop to help you translate the Bible and have lights in your house and stuff like that. 

For your amazement or amusement- here is some of the stuff I made in missionary technology class. I'm sad to say, I did not inherit my dad's awesome "fix everything" skills. nope. Not a mechanical genius. However, my teachers are amazing, and amazingly patient. Some of the stuff we're learning to use and build they've actually invented specifically for missionaries in the tribe. They build all this cool gadgets- in order to build God's Kingdom. Tim See (lead teacher) reminds us often to use this stuff to free up your time so you can learn the language and culture and share the gospel. 

In what we chose to bring, or not bring, or have or not have... it is still all about Jesus, and being God's mirror to reflect Jesus to a lost and horrible and hopeless world. Because Jesus is ... wow. yeah. Jesus is ....amazing. 

Ode to a Rice Cooker

Things are wrapping up for the semester. Classes. Projects. Outreach. Presents. I can't believe how much has happened and how much I have learned. Has it really only been four months? Wow is that even possible?
Here are a couple of things I've learned in the classroom:
1. Practiced teaching through the story of the Bible from Genesis to Jesus Christ.
2. Learned to evaluate the premise the lens through which someone is looking at life, and recognize that they all come down to God or Self. But if its not coming out in your life, than you don't believe it.
3.  How to say a k and a p together at the same time.
4. The importance of working on a team, and being able to be a good follower.


Here are some of the truly major things I've been learning in God's classroom of life here:
1. I am called to Jesus Himself. Nothing more or less.
2. Jesus is going to have to do this work. The longer I'm here, the more convinced I am that I don't know anything about anything, and have nothing to bring to the table but simple obedience.
3. Hard things are still the best way for God to get some lesson through my thick head... I'm so glad He cares enough to do it that way.
4. God's goodness is everywhere- in everything from air to grass to silly, frivolous things like  giving us a little Christmas tree. And in much much bigger things, like great new friends and hillarious memories. Like this picture- Michelle (green coat) cooked breakfast for the whole longhouse over an open fire... when it was, what 25 degrees out? Good times! And cold times. But very good times :).

God's goodness is even in things like... a rice cooker. Ah yes- you were wondering when that would come in, weren't you? God blessed my socks off with a random little gift in the mail that I used to buy this baby rice cooker. I'm guessing I use it 6 or 7 times  a week. And there's almost always rice in the food pantry when I run out. Who knew I loved rice so much? I didn't. But God did. And He blessed me with this squatty little friend that I shall miss exceedingly over Christmas break. Not because I will miss eating rice basically every day (well- not just because of that)- but because it is such a crystal clear reminder to me that no matter how hard this semester has been (and it has been very hard), God is crazy, awesome, beautiful, ridiculous, amazing, over the top, all the time never stopping    ...... good to me.

Once (well actually several times) upon a Tuesday night

Once (well actually several times) upon a Tuesday,  there was an outreach called "Celebrate Recovery" which helps people come out of many different kinds of addictions through a relationship with God. These people had kids....

Okay- enough of the story mode. I just wanted to give you guys a little peak into what Tuesday Night's look like working with the kids. We've had as many as 30 kids before- and usually have more than twenty. there are three basic types of activities so far. First is general play. There are three areas the kids can play with varying degrees of loudness. This one (in case you didn't guess) is the quiet room- usually set up with either coloring books or playdough. Being in here provides a lot of opportunities for conversations with kids. 

 I'm not usually in there though. I'm usually with the boys- most of them around 5 years old. Need I say that quiet is something they're usually not? So I spend a lot of the night trying to come up with ways to minimize the trauma and destruction they bring upon each other and their surroundings.




Some weeks we have an organized project. In this picture we were making Thanksgiving cards, and next week we're hoping to make Christmas ornaments.

Pardon the dorky look on my face, this was the best picture of the kids...

Every week we try to have a Bible Story with the kids. These kids come from all kinds of backgrounds: totally unsaved homes, new believers, solid Christian homes...its a huge variety and a huge age span to try to communicate these truths.

 Please pray that God's love and Word would be planted deep and grow well in these little hearts.

Thanksgiving

Hurray for Thanksgiving with the family!

I always kind of look forward to long drives alone (I know-I'm weird):  a whole day to sing as loud and dramatically as I want and listen to stories. So for instance this time I started out with Christmas music (of course) then Steven Curtis Chapman. Then I enjoyed a very long time listening to "The Princess and the Goblin" by George MacDonald. Did you know there are places online that will let you download some audiobooks for free?!?! What a great thing to do when traveling! Anyway that was super fun, and made trying to outrun the ice storm much more fun (and I did beat it). Yay!

Time with Mom, Dad, Jess, Bud, Grandpa, Grandma (Mom's parents) and Ryan (cousin) was super good. We played games, watched movies (including an outing to go see Tangled which was was hillarious). Mom and I talked till at least twice- yay! Turkey and Black Friday shopping and sometime to just relax... it was nice.

Driving back today was fun too- I actually listened to the Princess and the Goblin again because I like it so much. Indiana tried to eat my car- but we (me and the car) made it out with minimal damage - go God! Got back and had a very productive-ish evening, and now I am headed to re unite with my pillow- which got left behind and greatly missed!