It seems like Christmas time always rolls in some change for us. I did a winds of change in 2006, and here’s the winds of change for 2008. I love change! Can you imagine if you were never stretched or challenged by change? How sorry and brittle we would be!
The Lord has called us to something very exciting, pioneering. And yet He’s being so gentle with us, we get to do it almost next door to the amazing people we have been working with! Score!
We are opening a home to work alongside Activated. We are going to be a field home, but joining efforts to reach this city. Isn’t that cool. I think with the Offensive we have to think of the Family as more of a global entity, as one force toward the same goal of reaching the world, all networked and growing together.
For me, the hardest part of moving is leaving behind people I love. I face this year after year, and it’s very hard. When you work so closely with people, they really are a part of your heart and family. But the Lord has shown me that each of these ones who I love and miss are like cords in my network, people who keep me connected to the Family, and the more of these I have, the stronger my connection will be. So in that sense, I am very, very blessed. I have friends everywhere!!
We’ll keep you posted on our move, team, etc. So far, it’s us and Paul and Carmen, a very brave, cutting edge FGA couple. Yeeha!
Smoked a cigarette: Not a cigarette, but Sam got me to smoke a cigar once. It was awful!
Crashed a friend’s car: No
Stolen a car: No
Been in love: Yes
Been dumped: I don’t know how to answer that. I think the only real mutual relationship I’ve ever been is is with Sam, so no!
Shoplifted: No
Been fired: No, but I have been asked to quit, hehBeen in a fist fight: No
Snuck out of your parent’s house: No, I am really boring
Had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back: Oh boy, yes!
Been arrested: Nope. But I did have an ugly scene with a border guard that got me mug shot and finger printed. It was the worst thing ever!
Gone on a blind date: No.
Lied to a friend: Yes.
Skipped school: No.
Seen someone die: No.
Had a crush on one of your internet friends: No.
Been to Canada: I’m Canadian
Been to Mexico: I live in Mexico
Been on a plane: Plenty.
Purposely set a part of yourself on fire: Hello! Who does that!
Eaten sushi: Oh, everyone who lived at Alps knows my feelings on sushi. I just can’t seem to love it like y’all do.
Been jet-skiing: No, I’m really not sporty at all.
Met someone in person from the internet: No. I agree, it’s not wise.
Been moshing at a concert: No. I really dislike loud music. I know, I’m like the worlds most boring human.
Taken pain killers: Yes, but not habitually.
Loved and missed someone: Yes, so many people!
Made a snow angel: I think I tried it once, but it wasn’t as charming as I thought it would be.
Had a tea party: with my girls, it involves drinking tea out of sip sized cups that spill all the time.
Flown a kite: Yes. Taiwanese love kites.
Built a sand castle: Yes.
Gone puddle jumping: Yes.
Played dress up: yes.
Jumped in a pile of leaves: yes
Gone sledding: yes
Cheated while playing a game: I always get caught.
Been lonely: heh, yeah!
Fallen asleep at work or school: yes
Used a fake ID: No.
Watched a sun set: yes, we face the ocean on a front row view, it’s beautiful.
Felt an earthquake: Yes. Some major ones
Slept beneath the stars: Yes.
Been misunderstood: Yes, perception is a tricky thing.
Petted a reindeer/goat: I took my kids to a petting zoo and there was a goat there.
Run a red light/stop sign: yes
Been suspended from school: no
Been in a car accident: yes
Eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night: not on my own, but with very little help
Had deja vu: yes, though I wouldn’t consider myself very ESPish
Danced in the moonlight: I’ve been in open air parties, does that count?
Liked the way you looked at least at one point in time: yeah
Witnessed a crime: quite a few petty ones
Been obsessed with post-it notes: Uh, no
Been lost: Very, very lost, several times.
Been on the opposite side of the country: More times than I would like to have been
Cried yourself to sleep: I usually cry myself awake, if I cry. Once the tears start I am wide awake!
Recently colored with crayons: a seven year career with crayons
Sung karaoke: Who hasn’t??
Paid for a meal with only coins: yup!
Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t: I wish I could say no!.
Made prank phone calls- No
Been kissed under the mistletoe by your boy/girlfriend: No, but I got a card once from someone saying that they would like to kiss me under the mistletoe.
Watched the sun rise with someone you care about: Yes.
Blown bubbles:yes
Made a bonfire on the beach: Yup
Laughed so hard you peed your pants: Nope
Cheated on a test: Probably.
Been kissed by someone you didn’t like: heh, smile and wave
Gone skinny dipping in a pool: Yes.
Brooke turned 5 this year. I will make a special post for her, as soon as I get the pictures from her party.
I turned 31 this year, 16 days ago, to be exact.
2008 is speeding past me. Happy days, crazy days, confusing days, productive days, total flop days, and a few days that are just sort of lost in space, I’m not sure what they were. However, there is one thing that is anchored fast in my mind as the best part of this year (aside from the things that I always hold utmost sacred and dear, Jesus and my family), I have been part of an amazing team!
If I had to pick one thing to remember this year for it would be the team. It’s very special to see the results of choosing unity, doing the humble thing, letting go of your own way, getting up and getting over it, rising above, and all the other things we try and do that sometimes feel like spiritual calestenics –painful and just postions your body is not supposed to be in. But seeing all that work amount to strong unity and a bond that endures the idiosycracies of the anyoning person that I am, or that a lot of us are, is a huge reward.
I am behind on a lot of things, but guess what? There are just going to be some blank spaces that you aren’t going to get to know about. I am not going to be catching you up, because, well, a lot of things aren’t that interesting, and, the rest is just way too much to post!
I’m changing a lot things about my life, little things and big things. One of the changes is going to be my blog. Recently I have been thinking and asking the Lord what to do with my blog. I want it to be something that actually does some good, either for me, or for you, or better yet, both of us.
With the launch of the Offensive we really don’t have time to spend on things that aren’t furthering the purpose, somehow, in some small way. So, I want to use my blog to help me strech, share more, give more, humble myself more. I don’t really know how, but hey, if you get any ideas of how I could, comment.
If there is any part of my life that I could share with you that will make a differnce, I want to share it.
Zara is a pretty emotional child. She will disolve into a puddle of tears whenever something does not please her. They are very fickle tears and she recovers quickly. Whew!
Still, I am really trying to teach her how to control her outbursts, and in the few weeks I’ve been working on it she is doing much, much better. PTL! I just tell her right away to claim a key promise. For now we are using the promise “the keys will give you positive and praiseful thoughts.” Then we start thinking of happy things, and she changes track and is fine.
The other day she was about to lose it and I said “Zara, control your spirit.” (Feeling like the dad in Firestarter)
She says ” I don’t know how to!”
I said “Yes you do, remember, what do you need to do?”
A week ago the kids did a show for a children’s institution. Some of the children were deaf, and others were not. The kids learned the whole show in Spanish. It was so rewarding for them to see how their efforts to learn a new language meant so much to others. All the kids did really well and we look forward to a lot more witnessing.
Here are a few pics of Cade and Brooke in their Mexican outfits. I know Sam Peck took pictures of the event. I’ll have to get them from him.
I have 17 minutes left before my 4 happy chappys come bounding in the door. I had the oddest day off, but I feel rested.
Mexico is sort of funny that way. There isn’t that whole feeling that you have to rush anywhere or schedule a lot of important stuff on your WnR. I like that. It gives you time to focus on resting and spending time with people. We have a lovely view from the glass doors in our bedroom. We are just across the street from the ocean. There is this events hall across the street, it’s right on the beach, and sometimes they have some pretty good music playing, making a very festive atmosphere. Actually, today they haven’t really scored on the music.
Sam got me one of my favorite ice creams, Ben and Jerry’s Coffee Heath Crunch. It is one of the best flavors ever! I watched Sex and the City, the Movie last night. I thought it was interesting. Aside from the bazar outfits, and some shallowness, it was kind of sweet.
Oh, I started using this new work out, it’s called Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred. It’s a really good work out! Best of all, it’s only 20min, which means you can almost always do it.
I seriously want to blog more. I just need to get in the groove. Blogs used to get a lot more time from me.
Sam is reading a hunter’s magazine. It seems to be gripping him. I’m a little nervous about it.
Today I forgot to make the girl’s beds. When I came upstairs the girls were having quiet time in the room with Claire, who is watching them for the day.
Zara sees me and says “Mom, I told you to make my bed today, but you didn’t.” Dear Lord! I gave her a little talk about how mom always makes her bed, and she really can’t talk to mom like that, so, what should you say to mom? “Mom, please make my bed now! Thank you, Mommy!”
