Chad: In the News

In June of 2004, I had the opportunity to take a road trip to Moundou and N'djamena, Chad.


Rural housing in Chad.


This was the first time I saw camels wandering around on their own. I was so excited they had the driver pull over so I could get a good picture.



The political situation has been shaky for a while, but is in the process of deteriorating even more. Tensions mounting as rebels move across country. I met so many wonderful people during my time there and was treated like family. Please keep this in your prayers.

Enough

Recently, for the first time in months, I've felt like myself. I've been happy, energetic, and sincerely enjoying life.

The lessons that have been handed to me on this path have been heavier than I was prepared to carry. And just as my strength had become sufficient for this load, more was added. Tonight, I was brought face to face with the frailty of "being ok" and "getting better". I received news that so greatly disappointed me, about a situation that is once again out of my control. I feel like long ago I reached a point where it should have been "enough." Enough stress. Enough pain. Enough sadness. And enough hurt.

It's so devastating to feel the crushing weight of all these emotions again. Especially as I felt this was behind me. Once again I'm at a complete loss.

California!!

These are pictures that I took this past weekend! While it was negative degrees in Wisconsin, I was soaking up the sun along the beach in beautiful California. But, this was more than a vacation, I was in Pasadena visiting Fuller Theological Seminary. I recently applied to their School of Intercultural Studies and am hoping to start classes for my master's degree in March. Within this program there is a concentration for Children at Risk which studies areas such as child and family development, ministering to street children, advocating for social justice, and more. It seems to be a great fit for my interests and calling. I should hear whether I have been accepted in about a month. I would appreciate prayers for the finances that will be needed to complete this 2 year degree. Thanks!




Cara: Thanks so much for taking this trip with me. You are a wonderful friend and a great blessing!

You can see more pictures here .

New Year New Results

“If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.”
Anthony Robbins quotes (American advisor to leaders)

Another great resource I got from Tom Davis is a tool to help you reflect on the past year and chart a direction for the new one. It's a very practical guide that I highly recommend.


This link will take you to his post. Scroll down a little and click on Download new year new result.doc


Here's to making positive changes in 2008.

Red Letters

*** The video link is working again. 1/9/08***

My favorite book of the past year is Fields of the Fatherless by Tom Davis.

In this world you are an orphan -
eagerly anticipating your adoption as God's Child.

In this world you are a widow -
longing for reunion with your Bridegroom.

In this world you are a stranger -
a pilgrim waiting to become a citizen of heaven.

And in this world, God has called you to care for the orphan,
the stranger, and the widow.

Fields of the Fatherless is a journey that bring you back
to what Christianity is really about:
Giving yourself to others
Begin Christ to a hurting world
And living for the one that comes next.

~C. Thomas Davis

If you haven't read it, get yourself a copy!


He has a new book out that I need to get my hands on called Red Letters. Click on his name at the top to download the first chapter for free. The video below is a shares a little about it.

Winter Beauty

I've been trying to enjoy the cold by taking pictures... hoping to appreciate the beauty instead of dreading the temperature. I've posted a few on my flickr account.

I'm Dreaming of.....

much warmer weather. =) My mom and I went to Olbrich Botanical Gardens today. It was a nice change from the cold. Here are some pics in case you need a boost to get through the dreariness.

My Dog Sam

Visiting Friends

I had a beautiful sunset drive through much of Iowa this week.





I was able to visit with wonderful friends who took great care of me when I lived in Bangui, Central African Republic. It was fun to celebrate Christmas, a little early, with them. I learned that I really like Scrabble, I've never played before.

Comfort

Around the holiday season, we hear a lot about comfort foods. There are many other things that bring us comfort... a hug, good conversation with a friend, being curled up in warm blankets, or sometimes, even just a knowing look. I've been thinking about comfort for a little while now. It's priceless when well-given and devastating when the need goes unnoticed.

Below are a few parts of scripture that have offered me comfort the past few months.

Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor (trouble) a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came out of Egypt. ~ Hosea 2:14-15 NIV

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca (sorrow), they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, til each appears before God in Zion. ~ Psalm 84:5-7 NIV

They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks, discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain! God-travelled, these roads curve up the mountain and at the last turn Zion! God in full view. ~ Psalm 84: 6-7 Message

When a need for comfort goes unnoticed, may we seek comfort from, "...the Father of compassion, the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Renter Wanted

My 1 bedroom condo has 800 sq. feet. All appliances were purchase in Jan of 2005 - washer, dryer, and flat top stove/oven. It also has a dishwasher. The bedroom has a large walk-in closet. There is underground assigned parking with the option of adding storage. The kitchen has ceramic tile and the patio has access to the backyard. The entire building is handicap accessible and snow removal and landscaping are taken care of by the condo association. I enjoyed the quiet of my floor and my neighbors are great! If you'd like to stop, shoot me an email or leave a comment. It will be available in February 2008.

Nutcracker Fun!

My Mom, sister, and I took a mini-road trip to Michigan last night to watch our cousins in the Nutcracker. It was an impressive and fun performance.

Elfed....

Check out the guys in my family here.



My cousins took the same lessons.

Happy Thanksgiving!

From my family to yours, blessings on this day!

Photos from Potter's Inn

I thought I should mention this here because I'm transitioning blogs and posted on the other one.

As always, it's easy to post pictures. You can find some from my time at Potter's Inn by clicking the flickr link in the sidebar. I'll be posting a reflection about my time there in the next couple of days.

Recent Pictures

The Courage of Integrity

The highest courage is to dare
to be yourself in the face of adversity.
Choosing right over wrong,
ethics over convenience,
and truth over popularity...
these are the choices that measure your life.
Travel the path of integrity without looking back,
for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing.

~ Successories quote

Change of Pace

Thanks to a generous gift from friends and pre-purchased American Airlines gift cards, I was able to take a trip to England and Spain recently. The change of scenery was good for me.

In England, I was able to reconnect with friends from Bangui, Central African Republic. It was wonderful to see how their kids have grown and I appreciated the chance to talk about the past year.

In Spain, I visited Itzi and had a chance to see Chinchon, Madrid, and Toledo. There were so many beautiful sights, rich in history. The fall sunlight made for some beautiful views.

I have pictures on my flickr account.

Welcome

I've started a new blog for this new stage of my life. Thanks for stopping by.