skypealicious ::

My cousin Jill is studying in Spain this semester [apparently her Spanish skills are just a tad bit better than mine...].

We had our first skype webcam convo today and discussed important things like: if there were cute guys, how smoking is so much more culturally acceptable in other countries and why she compared her host family to people in East Des Moines. 

Here’s a screenshot from our convo. Her in a coffee shop in Spain [clearly mid-sentence...]. Me in my parent’s living room watching it snow outside.

i heart skype. mucho. 

el fin.//

unexpected moments ::

I’ve spent the last couple of days in Chicago with my friend Kristi. We met in Orlando through Status and a mutual love for dancing. We’ve now managed to embarrass ourselves in the land of Obama and Oprah nearly as much as we did while in Orlando.

While traveling the last couple of weeks I’ve had unexpected God moments that have both made me laugh and left me speechless.

Here’s one of the ones that made me smile:

I was having a moment earlier and knew I needed a little cheering up. Instead of hoping on the freeway (or motor-way as the beloved TomTom calls it), I drove through Chicago neighborhoods talking to God and hoping to spot someone or something make me laugh and get me out of my funk. Then I noticed Harpo Studios to my left. I know Oprah’s a little nuts, and I haven’t seen much of her show in the past few years…but, I’m still a closet fan. It totally cracked me up. [confession:: then I called and emailed the show to try to get last minute tickets...no cigar, but I'm crossing my fingers for sometime in February, phone lines open tomorrow...].

done .//

community ::

Two of my close friends, Carolina & Melyssa, have a group of amazing women meet at their house each Wednesday night. The Babbling Brookes graciously invited me to join them last Wednesday evening.

I felt honored to be in the presense of such cool people. I loved having the opportunity to share life with them, even if it was just for a couple of hours. As we sat outside and talked, warmed by the fire, it was neat to be able to get a snapshot into each of their lives.

One of the things I love about Orlando is the sense of community. I’m continually impressed and encouraged by how much friends are intentionally creating it in their city.

conversations ::

My friend, Jenn, asked me an amazing question over breakfast at Panera yesterday:

What  have your conversations with God been like lately?

I love it because I feel like it’s so challenging. It implies dialogue. Conversation. Communion. Exchange.

It emphasizes the importance of listening AND hearing Him.

timing ::

This weekend I was at the park with a friend. We were wrestling through some life stuff…doubts and fears, things that don’t always have an easy answer. 

A few minutes into the conversation, a man came by and started talking to us. He began with a random comment and we could tell he just needed to talk. We invited him to sit with us. He went on to tell us about people in his life and how he feels so lonely, but that he was trying to live in a way that pleases God.

Thoughout the course of the 45 minute conversation, we had the opportunity to pray with him. And then, without our prompting, our new friend began talk about the specific topic we had been discussing moments before he arrived. As he talked, he spoke about nearly everything we had been talking about in a decent amount of detail.

We were immediately encouraged by his words and, even now, as I replay the conversation in my head, I am amazed by God’s timing. We could have easily blown the man off–not  given him the time of day. After all,  he was a little rough around the edges. But, by opening our hearts and encouraging him to sit and talk with us, I was blessed in an amazing way by his words, one I’m sure he will never know.

Sometimes timing is everything.

prayer ::

Somehow, even when I read Scripture with the intention of application, I still tend to be surprised when situations come up that test how well I’ve absorb what I’ve learned.

Case in point.

I was reading through the first few chapters of Nehemiah the other day. God calls Nehemiah to work to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. As opposition came to him, Nehemiah’s first response is prayer. Then his naysayers come to him numerous times and he stuck to what he knew he needed to do. So much of this is because of how he covered his life and work in prayer.

So often prayer is not my first response.

So today I ponder this: What does it look like for me to live a more prayerful life? One where my first response, not my last, is prayer? Where I pray before situations where I know I am weak, rather than relay on desperate prayers in the moment?

done .//

hope for 2009 ::

A year ago today I was driving to Iowa for my last couple of weeks in the States before I headed off to South Africa. The weather was a lot like today, cold. And my driving skills in winter weather were a lot like they are today, not great.

But, today I’m already in the Hawkeye State. I spent the new year in Ankeny with family. We had dinner at Yanni’s and then a little James Bond action. 

I’m excited for 2009. 2009 will mark my 25th year (then, I suppose I’ll officially be in my mid-twenties…). 2009 means seven years since I graduated high school. This year my little brother will turn 20.

But more than all of that, this year I am hopeful. Hopeful that I will do a better job of standing on the God’s promises. Hopeful I will cling more to Him. Hopeful I will learn more of what it means to find joy and contentment in my Creator, rather than in people and things. Hopeful I will be able surrender and give up control, and allow God to write the story, rather than feeling like I can do better.

Let your unfailing love surround us,Lord, for our hope is in you alone. — Psalms 33:22

I finally stepped foot into my parents house last night, it felt good to be home. I had 15 minutes to shower and get out of the house for Christmas Eve–that part wasn’t so great (especially when the ‘ole baby powder in the hair to hide the grease didn’t work out so well–but that’s another story…).

My dad grew up in a country church that my grandparents still attend when the can (they’re in a nursing home now) and it’s been family tradition for us to go their Christmas program on Christmas Eve for years. It was fun to be back–and as usual, I got the giggles. It’s probably good we walked in late and the rest of the family was on the other side of the church, our laughter was a little less contagious that way.

Today was fun too. I throughly enjoyed the after presents game of Cranium and my mom acting out “low rider”. My brother humming “somewhere over the rainbow” and Grandma Fluff impersonating Bill Clinton were also highlights. There’s more, but I don’t think anyone will find it quite as funny as I do. I will say Grandma Fluff is a force to be reckoned with in wii bowling (pictures to follow…).

I feel really blessed to be home for Christmas this year. It’s been amazing to spend the last week with friends and family. It’s nice knowing that this isn’t the usual quick trip and that today, when we left my grandma’s, it wasn’t goodbye, but see you later.

I’m anxious to get back to Africa, but for now, I’m really excited to be home.

good friends ::

only the best friends show up at the airport with signs…

 

I love it!

It’s been a week since I left South Africa. It’s gone by really fast. Primarily because I still haven’t spent more than a couple of nights in the same place. 

I’ve been in Orlando since Thursday. I’ve eaten at Tijuana Flats three times. Shopped at Ross. Worked a lot. Gone to Status. Worn a tacky Christmas sweater. Sang Christmas carols. Stayed on the correct side of the road driving. Hugged old friends. Gone line dancing. Played ultimate Cranium. 

It’s been good.