Yo, see might?

You might be wondering at the strange title of my newest post..or maybe, just maybe you're not. But on that slight chance that you are I will give you a hint on the meaning. It answers the ineluctable question; 'What did you do this Summer?' It also is the response I give after a week of back packing through snow topped mountains and mosquito invested land. 'Yo, see might?' I shout roughly, swaying back and forth in a crude caveman-ish way, pointing excitedly to my biceps.
Yosemite. The salient, majestic, awesome etc etc etc
My dad loves Yosemite and took us all on a six day backpacking trip from the valley floor to Tuolumne meadows. It is about a 35 mile hike, the days weren't strenuous, but I had my doubts coming in. This would be the first back packing adventure I've ever been on. And it being just me, my brothers and dad, it wasn't hard to figure out who the 'weakest member' would be. But, gung ho! We must do what we must do! So, come with me to Yosemite; hike the trails, feel the pain, experience the beauty, join in the victory..stay tuned. All this, and more, coming up!

   First day, Saturday.
We just came into yosemite. Tonight we sleep in the tents at the camp. So excited!! =D We're waiting in line for Pizza at Camp Curry. Oh, it smells good! Early start tomorrow...distention: Half Dome. I have decided, no matter how hard it is, I will not be the cause for the others to have to slow down, or, oh horrors, go back. I just pray for strength. Oh Lord, You know I will need it!!

   Second day, Sunday.
Ahh! It's the beginning!! The hardest day, in terms of heaviest packs and steepest climb, but spirits are high! I can't tell you how many times I've prayed for protection along this path. So far, not lagging behind. Actually, *smug smile* I came in right behind dad today. We wake up around 6 get everything ready and set and hit the John Muir trail up nevada falls by 9. It is just a beautiful hike! We reach the top by noon, set up camp and now for the dreaded, the awesome, Half Dome! I have heard so many horror stories about this place. Looking back, I think to myself, 'Oh, it wasn't so bad!' but I have a little theory that your brain blocks out the most miserable times of your life, leaving with a warm, triumphant feeling when I look back on that afternoon. but I am sure i remember myself panting 'Oh please, kill me now!' as we ascended the sub dome. Dad says 'the cables are easy.' Let me tell you now; they're not. But we make it to the top, and I am so glad I did. Got to stand and the renowned surf board and join the rest of the people that can now proudly say 'I made it to the top!' by the time we get back down to camp, it's hitting 6 o'clock and we start on dinner before it get's dark. Hotdogs. Nothing like good ol' hotdogs grilled over a fire! Afterwards we jump in the ice- er- river and then shiver our way back. Wherein I try to make pudding and spill the pot so that 3/4 of it lands on Benaiah's clean set of clothes for the week. We give up. Hot chocolate anyone??

    Third day, Monday

After getting a late start, hiking forty minutes up a certain trail, realizing we were on the wrong one, walking thirty minuets back, we finally were on the right trail. 'We have our heading!' I think what made this day hard, was the fact that we were expecting it to be easy. remember what i said earlier about forgetting about all the hard parts? Yeah, I think that's what happened to my dad. About halfway through the hike we found a glorious cascade and charged into the water. Oh boy, was it refreshing! We had lunch along the way, crossed a few bridges (the campsite is right after a bridge...is it this one?!) and then reached my dad's hidden camp ground. It was the perfect place! It was right by a cascade pool and hidden by rocks so we were quite tucked away. We had a group discussion and decided that we would stay here and enjoy the peaceful surroundings for the next day, which was so nice! The sunset was goregous that night. We sat around our fire, singing praises to the awesome Creator!


     Fourth day, Tuesday
Relax day! Pretty much this day was awesome. Just hanging out at the river, my dad taught us some knots, singing and reading the Bible together, learning how to make fires. And, we totally roasted Bagels on sticks. After dinner, sitting around the campfire, feeling the slight chill, knowing that we're miles and miles away from any civilization we told, can you guess it? Yes, scare stories. I started off with one I made up along the trail. It was a really great way to keep my mind occupied on other things instead of my slowly and tortuously dying body. Anyways, the story was about a little boy named E.E Kampton. You wanna hear the rest of it? Ask me. Then my dad told a creepy haunting story with a shocking ending that left me screaming bloody murder and the boys cracking up. You wanna know the rest of it? Ask me. It was a really great day...Even if the sloppy joe manwhiches we got for dinner didn't really have meat in it after all!

    


           Fifth day, Wednesday

 Wednesday was a pretty easy day. It wasn't a long hike, but we did climb about 1200 feet or so. And we got to see Merced lake. So stunning! We set up camp, some little area for off in the woods, and washed our clothes in the river. Brrrr, this water is freezing! For dinner we had the best mac n cheese ever! Meanwhile, we developed this game. We each had whistles so we would take turns trying to blow a beat and have the others guess. It was fun coming up with songs to beep out to the others but a sense of dread filled you when you heard the words, 'My turn!' Whereupon loud, monotonic, beats would scream out in the air, as the 'musician' gestured widly with his arms, baffled by the fact that we could not clearly perceive this masterpiece he was performing before us. Needless to say, it kept us entertained. As the sun was setting we took jump-in-the-air-while-trying-to-look-cool' pictures. One word: Epic.

    Sixth day, Thursday

We made it to camp Curry! From here it's all downhill. but to get there we had to hike through this gorgeous snowy pass. I think this was the most beautiful hike we had taken. The view was spectacular! And when we set up camp, we all washed up in the river again, and today I got the nerve to do more then just dunk twice, but actually swam around. It was so fun! That night we sang and finished up a lot of the food in our bear canisters. The packs were pretty light by then. A along the trail I kept singing You Bring Time of Refreshing. How great is our God, to bring us those times of refreshing. No matter how hard the fight, the reward is so much better!

   Seventh day, Friday

 We made it!! We're here!! We get to Tuolumne meadows and have to wait two hours for the bus to come and carry us back to the valley floor. Man, it feels good to back. 'Yo, see might?' I'm feeling victorious. I'm feeling strong. I'm feeling exhausted. I'm feeling thankful. Most of all thankful to God for giving us these opportunities to catch a glimpse of His beauty. This is what life is all about. My dad, bless his heart, get's a burger and fries at the Grill. When we get on the bus, we all try to get comfy, but it doesn;t matter because we're pretty much a sleep before the engine even starts. not that I don't like sleeping bags...they're just not very conducive to, uh, sleep. Dad buys us ice-cream on the way. When we get to the valley floor we drop off the canisters, pick up the rest of our stuff, load it in the car and hit the road!

 Looking back that week is full of memories and fun. I'm so glad I got to go! Maybe there is a little outdoorsy woman inside me after all! I keep thinking of the famous quote; One small step for mankind..one giant leap for Gracie Woodrow.


Well, I hope you all enjoyed the trip with me! And I hope it brings you to glorify God, the Master Artist and Protector. Because, in the end, all glory goes to Him. But, that's for my next post..Keep checking, it should be there soon.

'...Lest You Forget'

                                                                     Deuteronomy 6:10-12

'And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you- with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant- and when you eat and are full..
Then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.'

In church the past few weeks the pastor has been preaching messages on Judges; comparing the people of God (Israelites) to today's church. And these verses go right along with that theme.

When your life is going well, when you're passing in your school, when you're surrounded by friends, when you have a family that loves you, when the paycheck comes in time, when all you can see is the beautiful rainbow....
Take care! Take care, my friends! Lest. You. Forget. Lest you forget the reason you are here. Lest you forget from Whom is was given. Lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of your captivity and into His redeeming blood. Take care lest you forget!

Rest..

Dear Friends,
It's one in the morning and I can't go to sleep. I keep..remembering. And the thing is, I WANT to. I want to remember, I want to feel sad, I want to make up dreams, I want to change what was.
But the other half of me is fighting so strongly against it. I guess I always feel like, you can't give into those feelings, because it's showing regret over the situations God put you through. It's showing selfishness, in wanting to feel sorry for what you've got, when, in reality, I got it all. It's wanting to plan for your future, and not rest, being assured that it is all in Gods hands.
Rest. I pray for rest. And yet part of me wants this restlessness. Part of me wants to continue in wishing and dreaming. If you're reading this, then please pray that rest would win..because I don't think I can fight this on my own.
Tomorrow is Sunday...I want to have peace and rest. Both physically and spiritually.
So, I pray for rest.
Good night, you all. Or should I say; Bom dia.

All Her Little Toys

Hey Everyone!
In Literature I'm learning about irony in writing, and they asked my to write a couple of paragraphs of a situation of irony. It got me thinking, and this is where it lead to! It's a very different (and somewhat awkward) writing style for me, but I hope the message comes through.
P.S. Any thoughts on a good title? Let me know! 

*******

  She twirled in circles, watching the little sheep fly. Then stopped suddenly to examine the hole in the sheep’s stomach. She frowned. How could she find a sheep nurse like the one on TV? She twirled again, this time closing her eyes to imagine the four sheep swinging in the air, perfect and whole. Mommy said she could watch the Animal Nurse today with Betsy. She liked the animal nurse because she helped sick animals. She froze, the side of her skirt bunched up in a tiny fist, looking very hard at the wall, thinking of the boy. She told everyone she didn’t like boys, but the truth was she really did like the one in Animal Nurse. She always remembered when he and the animal nurse kissed...on the lips! Sometimes, she pretended she was kissing him instead.

  

  “Mommy, let’s watch! Let’s watch! But I don’t want to see no yucky boy, nu-uh!”

Mommy looked at Betsy’s mom and laughed,

  “See? I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with hormones yet; I dread the day!” And both mommy’s nodded and began talking again in hushed tones. She watched tea dribble down the side of Mommy’s teacup. Like when the rain falls on the window, merging into a murky puddle at the bottom.

  

  “Let’s watch, let’s watch, let’s watch!” She screeched, grabbing Betsy’s hand and jumping up and down. She grabbed Mommy’s arm and screamed again. Betsy jumped a little bit, too. ‘She wants to be funny like I am.’ She thought. ‘But I am funnier!’ She yanked and she pulled, and she screeched and she jumped, happily knowing that the little sheep were silently joining in on her dance.

   

  “Sweety, not now. Let go of my arm please. Please, darling, won’t you let Mommy go?” Mommy was lightly tugging at her arm. ‘Mommy loves playing with me.’ She thought. “No, no! Let’s watch Animal Nurse!” She screeched again.  She dug her nails in just a little. It felt kind of good feeling Mommy’s skin under her fingernails, knowing she could scratch her if she wanted to. But she didn’t want to, because she was happy. She was happy because she was going to watch Animal Nurse, and because she was wearing her sheep skirt.

  

  “Let go of my arm, sweety!” Mommy said ‘sweety’ but she didn’t mean it. She could see it in mommy’s eyes that she was getting mad.  She let go; very happy because now Betsy’s mom would think she was being a nice girl. Betsy’s mom sometimes gave her ice cream and chocolate. She screamed louder this time, to make up for letting go of Mommy’s arm.

  

  “Darling, not right now. Betsy’s mommy and I are having tea. I’ll put it on later, for you, okay, sweety?” She was not happy. Mommy said she could watch Animal Nurse! She stuck her lip out and hoped her face was turning red. ‘Mommy needs to feel bad for saying no to me!’ she thought.

   “NO! I hate you! I hate tea! I hate Betsy’s mommy! I hate you! I hate you-“ She didn’t what else to say, but she wanted mommy to feel bad, like the way she felt bad. “I hate you more then all my pink medicine! Ah!” She screamed and cried and shrieked. One time, she screamed so high that Mommy let her have a skirt. It was the sheep skirt she was wearing now. That’s why she loved it so much, because she was very proud the way she got it. Mommy tried hugging her, but she wasn’t going to let Mommy do that.

   

  “Oh, baby girl, please don’t cry like that. Please, don’t cry in front of Betsy.  Can’t you see you’re making Mommy very sad? If you stop now, Mommy will give you a piece of candy, okay?  And, Mommy will let you make a puzzle!”

  ‘I like candy, but I like Animal Doctor better,’ she thought. She threw herself on the floor and kicked and punched. She was so mad she wanted to push the ground out. That way, Mommy could fall and fall and fall. 

  

  Finally mommy said, “If you don’t stop now you won’t watch any movie!”           

She stopped screaming, but she crossed her arms in front of her and stuck her lip out further, giving a loud ‘hur-rumph’. ‘Like the girl on TV,’ she thought. ‘She always looks so cute when she does this.’ 

   “There now," Her Mommy smiled. "Now go make a puzzle with Betsy, like a good girl.”
But she didn’t want to be a good girl. She wanted to be a bad girl. She wanted to be mad forever and ever so that mommy would always be sad. Bitsy looked kind of like a bug watching her tantrum. Her arms were sticking out at the side and a glob of saliva was slowly oozing out of the corner of her mouth. In fact, Betsy looked so funny, she would’ve almost laughed if she was not so mad at her mommy. She grabbed Betsy’s hand roughly and pulled her toward the door.

   “Come on, Betsy. Let’s leave them bullies!”

She and Betsy sat under the playroom table. She was still very, very mad.

   “I want to watch the Animal Nurse,” she whispered to the sheep with the hole. ‘I want to watch it so I can help you get better!’ She pressed the cloth together, hoping to fix the hole. When she pulled her hand away, the hole was only bigger now.

  

   “I hate you, too!” She sobbed and ripped the sheep completely apart. “I hate everyone.” She said sullenly. “I only love the animal nurse…and the boy!” She felt funny saying that about the boy out loud. Would Mommy come and scold her? She looked around the room, and when nothing happened, she giggled.

  “I love the boy!” she tested the words out again, this time a little louder.
“I want to kiss him. Right on his lips!” She instantly blushed, but when again no one responded, she laughed harder. She was so funny! She rolled under the table and laughed and laughed.

Betsy had pulled out a princess puzzle and brought it to her. She smiled happily. Even if Mommy wouldn’t let her watch the movie, Mommy couldn’t stop that she loved the boy and that she was thinking about him. She had won again! 

She dumped the puzzle pieces on the floor and spread them all out.  She picked up a flower part and looked for another like it. “Aha!” She stated, very pleased to be the first to find two matching pieces. Just when she was about to put them together, the door opened. Her mommy was smiling really big.

   “Sweety, Mommy put on Animal Nurse for you. Come watch now, my Darling!”

She stuck out her lip and hoped her face was turning red.

   “But I want to build a puzzle!” 

Paper Ribbons

The other day I was searching around the house for ribbon. Which is pretty much like looking for a needle in a haystack. So, I had to get creative. Here's what I got. And remember, the next time you're about to search high and low for some ribbon...just go to Gracie-notes instead. =)

What you need:
 Paper towel
 Scissors
 Crayons (markers, pastels)
 Hole puncher

Take the paper towel and cut a narrow strip longways across one side, leaving the last centimeter intact. Then cut another strip right along side it, snipping the edge off this time.

Then color the paper towel strips. (I did each side a different color for fun. Orange and yellow, blue and silver etc..)

                                                   

Wrap the two strips tightly around each other and twist the ends together

Punch a hole in your name tag (in this case), thread the ribbon through it, and tie the ends together.

Ta-da!! Cute and easy. =)

(Sorry about the messy arrangement...picture blogging is a lot harder that I thought it would be!)

Nazarite Vow (Why holiness? Part 2)

'But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ,'    Phil 3:6 
The big question is: What is it about holiness that makes people up and suffer and throw everything else away? First off, what IS holiness? The definition is Set Apart. To be set apart. Okay..from what? Well, set apart from sin in this case. 
So, the big thing is to be set apart from sin. But is it really worth giving up everything for this holiness?
  -Hebrews 12:14 '..Without holiness no one will see the Lord.' 
Humm, so maybe it's not so much about holiness as it is about seeing the Lord.    -Matthew 12:14 'The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.'

Jim Elliot  is a perfect example of someone who willingly gave up everything for the sake of Christ. And you want to know what he said? 

  -'He is no fool who gives what he can not keep, to gain what he can not lose.' 

Let me just say it like this: It's not about what you give up..it's all about what you gain. And if the gain of knowing God is worth giving up everything else in my life...I want in.

'That I MAY KNOW HIM,  and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.'    Phil 3:10                      
                               

Nazarite Vow (part 1)

Numbers 6 tells us about the Nazarite vow.
When you take this vow you have to 'separate yourself from wine or strong drink..no vinegar..or grapes, not even the seeds or the skin' (vr 3).  You may not have 'a razor touch your head' (vr 5). 'He shall not go near a dead body. Not even for his father, or his mother. For his brother or sister' (vr 6) 'And if a man dies very suddenly beside him' there is a long tedious process to get re-cleansed. And then, after all that, 'He shall bring his gift to the Lord' of all sorts of different animals and foods and where you make a burnt offering, a sin-offering and a peace offering. (vrs 13-20).
Now here comes the funny part: this vow was voluntary! Okay, so we all know that in old testament, the Israelites were always making sacrifices and 'going without' for the things they had done wrong, or because it was just  mandatory for them to do. But this? Voluntarily put yourself in this position where you have to watch what you eat and drink, where you are, who you're with, what you cut and don't cut. And then three different offerings to top it all. My question is..why? Why would anyone WANT to do this?
                     'And all the days of his separation, he is holy to the Lord.' (vr 8)
So, you're telling me that being considered holy in Gods eyes, is worth everything that they went through to get there? Oh yeah, that's what I'm saying.

My Face in that Window

While we were driving home late one Tuesday night I was mentally preparing a schedule for the next day. The funny thing is, I didn’t even realize I was doing it. Well, that is, till I glanced out the window and something caught my eye. It was just for a fraction of a second, but I can still see that little face in the car beside us. A small boy, sitting in the back seat of the car, with his nose and hands pressed flat against his window. And I remembered not too long ago, when that face in the window, those bright eyes, that content little smile, was I.

Feelings came back to me so strong. I remembered this one time, in San Antonio, it was a late night and we were driving home from a friend’s house. I remember sitting in the back of the car staring out the window feeling so… content. The whole family piled into the car. Dad was sitting in the front leading us safely home. The lights passing by the window blurred into one big colorful line. All you hear is the soft sound of the car engine and murmurs from Mom and Dad’s conversation. You had a night full of fun and now it was time for rest. Maybe if you fall asleep in the car Kent will carry you up to bed. You’d wake up to a day of mystery- full of wonder and adventures. But for now, the world is peaceful. You’re protected and nothing can touch you. You don’t even realize when you stop humming ‘Jesus Loves Me’ because you’ve already fallen fast asleep.

That face in the window… I could see it all there. Why couldn’t life have stayed like that? No worries, no awareness of Hurt and Loneliness and Expectations. Life was so simple and peaceful. Oh, to be that face in the window again.

TTFN

Furlough is coming up…which means a lot of goodbyes. It’s always an emotionally stressful time. And what makes it worse is not just the fact that we are leaving for a year (which is hard enough) but also never knowing how much will change, how many people will leave and who you might never see again.

It’s one of those times when you ask yourself: is it really worth it? I mean, as an M.K (I don’t say that in a proud-better than you way…I just mean it as my point of view) goodbyes are a natural part of life. Whether it’s people on your mission field, people you meet on furlough, people you get to know just passing through, the inevitable always comes…and way to soon. And the whole time while you’re saying goodbyes in your mind you’re wondering if you’ll ever see that person again. Or how long it will take you to forget they ever once meant so much to you.

Is it really worth it? For every friend you make, for every person you share your heart with, for every memory that is created…it makes it just that much harder to let go. Can’t love, can’t hurt, right?

But then, if you can’t hurt you can’t love. I know that sounds like I’m just saying the same thing twice but it’s different! Love is what makes a life meaningful. It doesn’t just keep you going, but it keeps you going with a big goofy smile on your face. And friendship is one of the greatest kinds of love. If you can’t endure the fact that hard times will come, if you’re not willing to shed a few tears for the sake of finding beauty in the souls around you, then, well…I guess you don’t deserve to know what it’s like to go to bed every night, brim full of beautiful memories and pictures of those people who, no matter what, will always have a place in your heart.

I like to use the illustration of me, my sister and showers. I remember the first time we actually had a constant flow of heated water. It was great! And I couldn’t believe why my sister chose to take a cold shower when a hot one was just one faucet turn away! When I asked her she said it was ‘incase we lose the hot water, I want to be prepared for it.’ I thought that was one of the silliest things. For me, I think, if you run out of hot water, then you’re going to HAVE to deal with cold showers whether you like it or not. Why not delight in the hot showers now, before they’re gone forever? At least you’ll have the blissful rememberace of what it once was like!

Same with friends! Why live in a bubble and seclude yourself ‘just in case’ something happens, when NOW you can be making memories and creating friendships that might last for a lifetime?

I’m leaving this Tuesday. I’ve said my goodbyes. I’ve given the this-may-be-the-last-time hugs, I’ve shed my tears. And I’ve asked the question; is it worth it?

Yeah. Yeah, it is. I wouldn’t trade the chance of getting to know people that I have now come to love, for the world. They each are so special to me. I don’t know if I’ll see them all again. And, honestly, I don’t even know if I’ll remember all of them as the years roll by. But I know one thing; tonight, as I’m lying in bed, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that the time has come to leave, I’ll think of all my friends. I’ll remember all the memories. I’ll marvel out how much we’ve grown together these past years. And I’ll smile. For tonight, I’ll remember. And for tonight, I’ll be thankful...for each and everyone of you that have found a place so securely in my heart.

My Woodbull Family

The 18th of January is a very special day for me. It was the day I got five other siblings. ‘Officially,’ we’v been family for four years now, but for me the story starts two years before that. I want to share with you the day that God brought the TB family into my life and how I knew, from day one, that they would take up such a big part of my heart.

We were on furlough the year of 2006. The whole time had been jam-pact with activities and churches and historical sights and faces that it is all, sadly, a bit of a blur. As an 11 year old girl a lot was changing for me emotionally and there were times I thought I just couldn't handle all the moving, the unknown. And the feelings of not BELONGING anywhere or really KNOWING anyone were strong.

There's one night I remember in particular. Me and my sister were in bed, and I was sobbing. I wanted so badly for life to be normal. And I knew that just going back home (Mozi) wouldn't cut it. By now I didn't know many m.ks there and there weren't many m.ks there to know in the first place. I felt beyond words the ache of being so alone in this big world. All I wanted was someone who I could say of, 'THIS is my friend'. As much as an 11 year old girl can feel, I felt. I remember Sarah comforting me, telling my that God would provide. That night I fell asleep begging God to bring someone, begging Him to take away my loneliness. 

The very next morning, I kid you not, I was awakened by an answered prayer! I could hear the voices of my siblings in the living room talking over something. When I joined them, I found that Sarah had just gotten an email from a girl named Damarise, who had four younger siblings (around our ages) and  who was writing because (can you guess it?) they're family was moving up to Namp as missionaries! I was ecstatic, as you can imagine...I just KNEW God had something beautiful in store!

We met the TB family about a month after the email. And like we always say, 'We just clicked!'. When we got back to Mozi they were waiting for us. We grew closer and closer and one day, while the TB kids were staying with us, we (never do we agree on who thought it first:)) had this great idea to adopt each other! We thought it was going to be just a little thing for fun, but after four years, our family is still strong! We have so many wonderful, hard, exciting memories together. Each and everyone of them has a big place in my heart, and will always be a part of me. After all, when God brings people into your life in such an amazing way, you don't just let them go. Thank you, God, for my siblings...every single one of them!

I Have Discovered My Super-Power!

I have discovered my superpower. Shame it’s taken me so many years!

Setting: Mom and Dads room, Grace and Benaiah on couch, Mom sitting in rocking-chair

Me- nudge Benaiah in the ribs

Benaiah- ‘Hey!’ shoves my shoulder

Me- ‘Mom, Benaiah…he HIT me!’

Mom- turning around in time to see Benaiah gasp as he shoves me again ‘Benaiah!’

Me- Looking hurt ‘Mom, he-he did it again!’

Mom- ‘Benaiah!’

Benaiah- sputtering ‘She hit me first!’

Me- bringing on the tears. ‘Benaiah, that was a LOVE pat.’

Benaiah- snorts ‘Liar.’

Mom- ‘Benaiah!’

Me- ‘You just called me a liar? Benaiah, I was just trying to tell you I love you.’

Benaiah- Thoroughly speechless. I have made him into the bad guy and Mom’s eating it up.

Me- laugh. ‘Mom, no It was me.’ And proceed to explain how I was just joking.

­Benaiah- ‘You’re so mean.’

Me- about to cry. ‘Mo-o-om’

:)

Journey Home-Through the Valley

You’re walking home: You get to the place you absolutely dread passing. It freaks you out. You’re sure someone or something is going to come out of the shadow/ forsaken house/ woods, whatever, you fill it in. Cause I’m pretty sure you know what I’m talking about. And I’m pretty sure you know what you’re going to have to do. Keep walking. And walk fast!

Ok, so maybe you don’t do that. Maybe you wait, and wait, and wait. But, honey, we’ve been here 50 times before and we all know to get home, you have to get through. Maybe you run, maybe you sneak, maybe you grab a couple of friends and you all scream your way through. But you gotta pass it, like it or not.

And now you’re wondering, where is she going with this? And what a weird way to get to a point. It is, right?

I guess what’s been on my mind lately is that even though there are things you’re scared to death to do, things you never ever wanted to have to face, things you would prefer to just not have happened at all....News flash: it does, and you have to. My advise? Keep walking.

I’m not gonna lie to you, the future is scaring me. Like bad. But (unless I die NOW!) the future will always be there. Somehow, no matter how hard it is to get through, how hard it is to keep face, how hard it is to trust God, I have to keep walking. Because in the end, I know where it leads...I’m going Home. How about you?

And We Welcomed the New Year with Amazing Grace

My New Years was pretty sweet! There was a party at the Cunninghams house. The Cunninghams live at this HUGE farm and, let me tell you, that family knows how to have fun! I don’t think I’ve ever been totheir house without coming back sore, tired but full of wonderful memories! And yesterday was no exception.

First we got there and there was volleyball. I watched. It’s tough cause when you’re so good at something, it’s sometimes better to sit out just so you don’t make others look bad, you know? Ok, no, the truth is. . . I stink at sports. Hehe. The game ended and we younger folk decided to play again. THEN I played volleyball! Haha! It was fun! Even if it was a bit unsuccessful. But, hey, my team won!See? ;)

Afterwards we hung out. Old friends, I-haven’t-seen-you-in-a-long-time friends and new friends.  The second thing I gotta say is that Kiwi’s are crazy-fun. And if you’re reading this, Kiwi’s, just let me say- You guys are awesome! J During this whole time if was just randomness while we waited for our food to cook. Well, Andrew, Benaiah and I cheated, we brought meat already cooked.  Which now I’m so thankful for seeing how long it took some people to get their food. Haha

The other thing I love about going to the Cunninghams is SCOTTISH DANCING!! New Years just wouldn’t be the same without it. And the best thing is, most everyone is learning so you don’t feel like you’re the only one messing up. JWe did three or four different dance. I love them all! And me and my dancing partner were pretty good! I think we rocked the most! =D

Next came Armies: otherwise known as Spotlight. Around 20 of us all piled on top of the car (no, seriously, on top, I think there were two person sitting inside. Everyone else was hanging on the bumper, in the back, holding onto the sides and sitting out the window). I wasn’t kidding when I said their place is HUGE. And it’s dark. With snakes. So when Mr. C drives us out into the bush, it really does kinda mean the bush with a narrow dirt road in between. But the thing is, your adrenaline is so high you hardly even realize your shoving through thorn thistles and scraping your hands on broken twigs and pressing your face against a place that could easily have been the location of a snake just a few moments before. But I guess that is what makes it so fun. But, I’m not going to lie, there were a few prayers of protection going up . . . at least from me! Another thing I love about the Cunningham’s place are the stars! You look up into the sky and you can see trillions and trillions of stars! It’s so beautiful and majestic. (Oh, did you know that the reason we can see the Southern Cross all year long is because it’s below us? I learned many useful things!) And I always get to see a shooting star there(btw, did you know it’s the leprechauns that shoot them across the sky?)! Stars are gorgeous . . .you should definitely come to Africa to see the stars. J

We walked back home, accompanied by ‘heavenly’ music. It took about 15 minutes or so and by this time it was getting pretty close to 11. We gathered around the bonfire, roasted marshmallows and sang songs. It was beautiful! There’s something so special about worshiping God amongst other believers around a fire, late at night (while roasting marshmallows and sitting by the guitar and singing Power of Your Love and…). Then we had a time of saying what we were grateful for in 2010 and prayers for 2011. It makes you stop and realize just how good God has been to us these past few years. As the clock hit 12:00 we were all standing around the fire, holding hands and singing Amazing Grace.

After that most everyone left except for a few of us young people. There were 11 of us who stayed the whole night. We went inside to play mafia. Yeah, it got pretty hectic! JThen we sat outside just talking, telling jokes, being weird, saying pick-up lines, tearing leaves and dodging falling mangos. Seriously, there’s hardly anything more terrifying then sitting under 10 tall trees that are ALL raining mangos. Around 4:30 we headed off to sleep (after me and the girls tried prank-calling, of course J).

All in all it was a pretty awesome New Year. I came home this morning sore, tired, but full of wonderful memories! I mean there’s nothing much better than welcoming the New Year with Amazing Grace.