back to school

Once again, I really don't have any energy or drive to blog. I did arrive back to school safely though, and thank you all for your prayers. We saw your prayers answered on several occasions--thank you! I trust you all had a lovely Thanksgiving! 18 days until Christmas Break!

what are you thankful for?

I challenge you to literally take out a piece of paper and pen/pencil and make a list of the things you are thankful for...including the not-so-obvious.

home

I am safely home- Praise the Lord. It was an eventful day on Friday trying to figure everything out. VERY long story short, my ride's vehicle 'broke', and so I found a new ride within fifteen minutes which got me to PA. Dad picked me up at 1am and we started our trip home. We safely arrived home at 8:30 am! It was so good to be home, and I was able to stay awake all day until we watched a movie Saturday night. In 60 hours, I had gotten roughly 7.5 hours of sleep total. I hope to not do that again. I wasn't able to bring home much luggage (like at all), but I am safely home with my family, and that is what matters.

Last week finished up fairly well academically, and I got everything complete. Chapel on Friday was on being thankful (obviously), but it focused more on being thankful for the difficult things. It challenged me in having to be thankful even for the ride situation that was erupting. We were given some time to write down a list of those difficult things in life we need help from the Lord to be thankful for. I am still playing that chapel through my mind and working on being thankful for EVERYTHING and at ALL TIMES.

Going to church this morning was so good. I enjoyed seeing my church family here, and got several hugs :) It was also good to be able to thank many of those who had prayed me home safely. My church here was just finishing up a three month evaluation. Today was the day when they received the "results" on their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, along with several suggestions. I admire their willingness to make changes they need to, and trying their best not to get stuck in the all too common traditions.

I would blog more but quite frankly, I have no desire to be blogging while I am home. I am tired, and am enjoying this woodstove and my puppy far too much. I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving and are able to be thankful for EVERYTHING and at ALL TIMES, including the difficult things.

prayer request

So the story is, the vehicle I am supposed to be riding in today has become ill. Your prayers would be very much appreciated that the vehicle would have a miraculous healing this morning (it has an appointment at 8am) so we could be on the road as scheduled. If it isn't healed, please pray that I have a good attitude about this unfortunate situation. Thank you.

The latest on Haiti

Read two posts down for specific prayer requests

encouraged by friends, church family, and the Word of God

The weather this week has been absolutely gorgeous! It has helped add to making this past week a wonderful week. Last weekend I plowed away at my homework, which freed this week up a ton! I was able to enjoy the week, and be working on this upcoming week's homework instead of cramming to finish quickly.

This weekend, I got to see the Petersons (friends from home)! What an encouragement that was to me. I dilly dallied around my room all yesterday morning (since I didn't get to sleep in due to the the truck right outside my window working on the rood), and was excited when the call came at around 12:45 that they were on campus! I quickly ran to go see them. I was able to give them a tour of campus here, and then we went out for a very yummy lunch at Chili's! After lunch, we drove over to the bridge, one of the things West Virginia is known for. We walked around and went into the visitor's center for a while. After that, Mr. Peterson insisted on driving down the windy one lane road to the bottom of the gorge. It is especially neat when you do that, because you get a while new perspective from driving under the bridge. On our way back to campus, we stopped for ice cream. All the time sharing good laughs and conversation. They were not able to stay the night, so once we got back to campus, they pretty much turned around, in order to get a few hours under their belt. I so appreciate their being willing to drive the few hours out of their way to come see me!

Later on Saturday evening I went to a birthday party of one of my friends. It was a surprise party and we had lots of fun waiting to jump out at him. One guy hid on top of the soda machine, and another guy attempted to hide in a trash can, only to find he was much too big. I am not sure how surprised Sam was, but it was still fun. Hannah, Miriam, Meg, and Emilie had made some pies early on, and we all went outside so Sam could blow out the candles (didn't want to set the fire alarms off). They started to dish a piece of pie out only to find it was much too hard, so instead everyone (minus me because I will still so full from the ice cream) grabbed a spoon and dug into the pie! The guys acted as if they hadn't eaten in weeks. I must confess it was comical, mainly because this isn't a common occurring, it was something out of the ordinary to have fun and be crazy. We hung out in the lounge for a while, with the occasional interruptions of the guys jumping onto the floor in a hog pile screaming "Men on the floor" (what is called when a man must enter the dorm, they were making fun of it). A fun time was had by all.

Yesterday was wonderful as I got to be a helper for Sunday School! I love to teach, but I must admit, it is nice to get a break once in a while, and be able to be crowd control (which isn't always any easier, haha). I love my church family down here, and love being in the Sunday morning time of corporate worship. Yesterday was no exception. We have been studying the book of Daniel, and that has challenged me in so many different ways. I so appreciate my pastor and his preaching directly from the Word of God. I do look forward to being with my church family at home though this coming weekend. Yesterday afternoon, I worked on some homework, and then took a wonderful nap. It was dreary outside (adding to the sleeping atmosphere), and I was as snug as a bug in a rug. As always, Sunday night we went to the Dingus home, where we enjoyed some delicious food, fellowship, laughs, and time in the Word of God. We got into some deep conversations concerning 'the grey areas'. What an encouragement the Dingus family has been to myself, as well as the other college students.

Today has started out well, and I am looking forward to a presentation I have this afternoon. It is for elementary education, and I am feeling very prepared (a great feeling). This week doesn't look too bad, and Friday looks especially wonderful. Friday after my last class, I will be heading home with some other students who live about two hours north of me. Praising the Lord, and rejoicing in this day the Lord has made!

Cholera in Haiti

Please remember the people of Haiti. There is a large outbreak of cholera over there, and is specifically in Limbé (the area I was in). I have been corresponding with the woman who heads up the trips over there, and here are a few details/prayer requests. I apologize if these make little sense, I am not medical, and am trying to read from emails with broken english.

• One of the young boys has AIDS. Bonnie has spent several days in the hospital with him. He has his good days and his bad days. He is on TB medications, as well as the AIDS medications. We are now specifically praying his body will respond to the medications.
• The cholera is in the Limbé River bad, and several people have died already from it.
• There is a man with the people I worked with who does have cholera. He went to the cholera camp, went through 11 IV bags one night. He is still suffering from diarrhea, but the vomiting has stopped. As of this morning, he is supposed to be coming home today--Praise the Lord!
• The cholera camp is FULL, and the doctors are absolutely exhausted. There are people lined up waiting for a bed.
• A team from the states plans to leave for Tuesday. Pray for their safety, health, and ministry. They have been asked to pull a few night shifts at the cholera camp to offer the doctor's some sleep.

As the missionary from Haiti says, "The need is great right here. You will not believe what is going on. Hope this will be ok for all." Please be praying for the Haitians. These people are dear to me, and I too pray that it be okay for all, and that the Lord be glorified.

The story of Jonah...

The story of Jonah from Corinth Baptist Church on Vimeo.

a very long update of the past several days...

The rather large leaf I found on the hike I took a week or two ago!

I can't even believe how crazy this past week was--go! go! go! I am so incredibly ready for this weekend, and then for Thanksgiving Break! The excitement about this weekend is that the Petersons from home are coming for a visit! Kylie is checking out another college down in this neck of the woods, and so they are stopping in for a visit Friday night and Saturday morning. The Lord knew I would need their visit. Just to see familiar faces from home, and to have Kylie stay with me in my room for the night is going to be such an encouragement. And after their visit, I have less than a week before I hit the road for home. 11 days from today!

Mission’s Conference was last week and was such a blessing, amongst its insane stress. Being on the steering committee was a lot of fun, but towards the last few weeks, the stress involved was unreal. I had people coming to me left and right with questions and complaints, and I felt like my head was spinning in circles. After many many hours of hard work though, it was wonderful to have the missionaries start arriving Sunday evening. Last year, I never really got to know any missionaries, and instead was a hermit, but this year I didn’t miss out. I believe I talked to all of the missionaries at least one time, and several of them, I was able to have an in depth conversation with them. What an encouragement they were to me with my future ministry hopefully, Lord willing, on the mission field. One of the highlights of this time was devotions on Tuesday night. We were short on missionary wives, so we had to take from our campus family. My wing had the privilege of having the mission’s director’s wife. I would have loved to have had a on-the-field missionary, but it is nice because I can continue to be building a relationship with her, and didn’t have to wave goodbye on Wednesday. I appreciated her transparency in both the blessings and hardships in her ministry (she, her husband, and family have been on the mission field as in full time before they came here). I had mixed feelings about it being the end of conference, but am already looking forward to next year’s…including all the hard work and stress I will be putting in before then for it!

Thursday was kind of a rough day as I was absolutely exhausted from conference. Friday was a blessing as I was able to know the weekend had arrived. I was quite nerdy Friday night and worked hard core on some homework. I finished a large project, started and finished a large project, and made good head-way on another large project. What a feeling of accomplishment though!

Saturday, I allowed myself to sleep in, which was wonderful! In the afternoon, the mission’s director and his wife opened their home up for those of us on the mission’s steering committee. That was the first time this semester I had allowed myself to completely drop my books and relax. They have a wonderful family with three children (at home, five total). She made some delicious homemade pumpkin pie (which I might add I had been craving earlier that day) with homemade whipped topping, along with Scottish Shortbread. We played games, visited, and laughed a bunch. After visiting for a while, she popped some popcorn (on the stove, a favorite of mine from home), and I got to enjoy some apple cider. Once again, something fun and festive I had not yet been able to enjoy this season. We hung around long enough they ended up feeding us dinner. We ended up being there for four and a half hours, and it was wonderful!

We are now on to a new week, and I am already ready for Friday (mainly because the Petersons are coming). Thank you for those of you who answered my plea- the presentation is done! I hope you are enjoying the beautiful autumn season, and remembering the several blessings the Lord has given us to be thankful for. Have a splendid week!

a plea for prayers

I don't have time to give any real update--I hope to tomorrow. Prayers are very much appreciated though specifically for tomorrow in my 12:30 class, I have to do my first teaching/presentation for an education class and I am nervous beyond belief because we haven't had class in over a week (unexpected) so I feel very unprepared. My goal is to get an update on here tomorrow. Thank you!

after a long day...

I must say that after a long day of stress, being dressed up, and on my feet, it is so nice to come back to my room with dim lights, throw on comfy lounge pants, a T-shirt, put my hair in a pony tail and take out my contacts. Now bed will also feel very nice tonight!

Praising the Lord though for what He has already been doing in Mission's Conference 2010!