Welcome to the Family - Part 2: The Promise

As promised, this is the second part of 'Welcome to the Family'. In the first part we learned that No-one could enter the Righteous King's castle besides the son and a select few who were were chosen as Spokesmen and given the ability to show the King's Might to the people. The people wanted to forget about their True King, and even built a wall to make him disappear. However, the son and the King want that wall torn down. The King has a plan, and he is about to tell his Son what he must do to destroy the Wall once and for all. 

The King glanced at his son. "We need to make them part of the Family."

The son cocked his head to the side, chewing his sunburst apple. Had he heard right? "How are we going to do that, Papa?"

"Go back out to the people," he said. "Keep telling them about me. Anyone who believes you and is willing to make the journey can come and stay here with me, as part of the family." 

The son did as the father asked, saying all the words the father had told him. But the men who were supposed to be the king's attendants did not recognize the son. They hated him; their hearts were filled with greed, and the way the crowds loved him made them jealous. The attendants plotted and planned, but could do nothing until the day one of them roped in one of the son's friends. They talked him into it, though they didn't have to push too hard. He was like a bruised reed- easily bent.

The friend betrayed the son. On a dark night he lead the attendants to the garden where the son was weeping. It was a night like no other. The King's plan was at it's most critical stage. Would the son carry out his Father's will until the end? When the betrayer came, the son had already made his choice. That night the son was arrested. He did not fight.

The next day the son was brought before the people. The Attendants worked to confuse the crowds. With pretty words and slick whispers, they convinced them that the son should be killed. All of the people who had loved the son, ran or turned on him that day. There was nothing good left for him. They strung him up. The son called out to the King, but the King did not answer. He was in the garden, sitting beneath the apple tree, tears streaming from his multi-colored eyes.

At three in the afternoon, great shadows passed over the land. "It is finished." The son said as the world was bathed in shadow. And then the son died. At that same moment, there was a great earthquake and the wall around the castle broke apart.

The King, who had been watching the wall, smiled a little wettly. In the great distance he saw them take down the boy, wrap him in funeral cloths, and put him into the tomb of another. Still the King wept. His son had spoken the truth. It was finished. All around the castle, the wall turned to dust.

The people who had followed the son mourned. The friend that had betrayed him, could not live with the consequences. He was found, dead and alone, in a field. The King mourned for him.

Three days passed. The longest days in all of creation.

The third day the battle was won. Death could not hold him; the son walked from the borrowed tomb. He spoke to the women first, then to the men. His friends didn't know what to do. So the son did as he had always did; he taught them. He stayed with them for a little while, and when he left he gave them simple instructions. "My father, the Righteous King has given me authority over everything here and elsewhere. You have the ability to act out in my name. So go, teach others what I taught you. Go to every nation and bring them into my family." He smiled at his followers. This would be good. Everything the King and the Son had worked for was about to begin.

The son returned to the father, and the King called for a great feast. The wall was down, and the first of the Family were arriving. The celebrations went on and on; no one living in the True King's palace grew weary or tired.

Meanwhile, the son's friends did as he asked, bringing more and more people into the Family. They Told the world about a Man, who was more than just a Man. They spoke of how he had come as a babe and grew up in a neighborhood not far away. They told about how everything in the kingdom listened to him. And, just as he promised, they were also able to do the same kind's of miracles. News spread throughout the Kingdom. And where the news did not reach, people began going to them. Even to death, for those in the Family belong to it body and soul. Their very spirit will rest in the King's gardens long after their bodies pass away. For that was the promise that the Father gave to the Son. It was that promise- Eternity with the Righteous King- that would carry on through all generations.

The End


I love writing and looking at the same thing in a different way, which was my goal with this. I hope you enjoyed my story, it is based on the Bible. If you want to read about the Son and his relationship with the Father, then look at the gospels. My suggestion is to start with John or Luke; they are my favorites out of the four (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) but that is just me. Don't be afraid to ask questions. To think and to ponder - we were made to do such things. 

I hope you had a Merry Christmas,
-A-

Concerning The Weather:
1) I wore flipflops on Christmas day
2) It snowed here the day after Christmas
3) I still open my mouth to catch snowflakes on my tongue (don't you?)

Hope, Happiness, and a Butter Life

The house is silent. But its more than that. The air is thick with a slow-burning quietness. I woke up Monday able to taste it in the air. It is because almost everyone has gone somewhere for Christmas break. David and Brad to Scotland, Emmett and Drew back to the states. Rachel and Robyn, two of the staff, off to Rachel's parents. I am not the only one left- Paul and Lu stayed, and Dave is here for the moment. Yet, there is not enough to fill the house with life. 

Today I did what I always do when I am alone (and sometimes when I'm not). I made things- edible things. This afternoon it involved Baking. Lots and lots of Baking. Which is unusual for me. I made two types of Apple Pastries- plain and Peanut Butter. I think they will be delectable. According to Paul the the peanut-butteriness was lacking and the apples needed more sugar. Thinking back, I didn't do the apples the way I normally would, having never mixed apples and peanut butter together I wasn't sure how well the cinnamon and brown sugar would go with it. And the amount of peanut butter was a complete guesstimation. So, he was probably right. All in all, they turned out better than I could have hoped for. The picture below is the first one I made. The others were considerably smaller. 

Peanut Butter Apple Pastry topped with Chocolate

This week I plan to make Apple Crumble (or something similar that is wholly my own creation ) Shortbread- this time I won't burn half the batch...... and maybe some more pastries. Or other things I can dip in chocolate. Like cake balls. I don't know if that would work. Oh, and for breakfast I am going to make stuffed french toast. I am going to do it. Really. I might try to make apple pies in the muffin tins. That could be fun. I would have tried it tonight had I thought about it. 

After so many weeks of lectures and doing practical things to help the churches in Wrexham, it is nice to have a break. I blasted one of my spotify playlists all day- until my computer died, at least- to fill the house with some semblance of being full. And I danced. Never before has the world seen me twirl and slide and twist and turn so much as I baked. Probably because I have never had a kitchen with so much space. It is so big I can pace properly before the oven as things bake! But yeah, the danceing. It helps things bake, of that I am most positive. However, the greater world (as in anyone other than my reflection) is not yet ready to see my moves. No, there was no twirly-skirt action to-night! In truth, if you accidentally caught a glimpse you might go blind. Perhaps that's because it's just too awesome to watch. Or it's that scary. You can decide. Personally, I'm partial to awesomeness. 

What else should I talk about? I played the piano this morning. Though you weren't missing much. My level of skill at tickling those ivory keys.... well it's much more similar to clubbing the poor piano than it is to tickling. I've known for years that I have trouble with rhythm and beat and keeping time. As in I can't time a constant beat and my rhythm is weary at best. Which made playing the violin (yes, I am one of those people) tricky, and the drums impossible. The piano sits somewhere in the middle. As I played I asked God what I should play. In the end, I think what I had sounded interesting at the very least. If absurdly repetitive. It was good practice, though, and fun. Perhaps tomorrow I will try again. Or I will attempt the guitar, which I have played with a few times this week. 

Thoughts about....Things.

1) A Definition: Hope--  a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. This is the feeling every child in a Christmas celebrating house will be feeling as they fall asleep Christmas Eve. Except for those families that open presents on Christmas Eve (an idea that is as foreign to me as I am to it). It is also the feeling I have as I bake. Or paint. Or create something strange, new, or random. 

2) A Pause at: Happiness. Pause right now or sometime today and think about all the Reasons you gave to be happy this Christmas. Did you know that when Jesus was born he was born an outcast? His parents were seen as the screw-ups, the type that good people shouldn't get involved with. Yes, I  imagine if you have been around the block with western Christianity you know what I mean. Really, though, be happy. Forget the stress of in-laws and needy children. Breath, Relax, and find something that brings you happiness.

3) That leaves the Butter. I baked today. Need I say more? Go bake something and then give it away. Its a wonderful way to meet people.  And to spread happiness. Humans LUV free things. Even if they don't like what they are getting, their eyes light up at the word 'free'. I have experiance with this, so trust me.  

Prayer Request:
1) Snow. As in a SNOWY CHRISTMAS.
2) Safe Travels for everyone, especially the pair in Scotland. They will be needing a miracle on Thursday morning.


P.S. This is my breakfast this Christmas eve.

cinnamon-brown sugar-granola pancakes topped with apples

Welcome to the Family - Part One: The Wall

This is short story that I wrote a couple of weeks ago. The plot is very familiar to me, and it might be familiar to you as well. The style I used is what someone once called storying; which means taking something real- in this case from the Bible- and looking at it in a different way. I hope you like this story, and please wait around for the conclusion, which I will try to post next week!

There was a righteous King who loved his kingdom. But the kingdom rebelled against him. For many years he called out some to be mediators between himself and the people. These spokesmen told the people everything that he said, but the people hated the spokesmen. Many generations rose up, but never did they look to their king for guidance. They looked to the other nations, desiring to be like them. They moved from under the King's protection, nominating a new king of their own. For a while the new king looked to the Righteous King who lived far from the people, behind a great wall they had constructed so that they might forget about him. Eventually it did happened. The people forgot. The king stopped counting the years, but he continued to send spokesmen. He was laying a foundation for his plan. It was a really good plan. And when the groundwork was laid, the King withdrew to wait until the proper time.

The King had a son. His only child. They had always been together. The King loved his son. And the son adored his father. They both loved the people, longing for them to return to their rightful place. When the proper time came, the King told the boy, "It is time, go out into the world and remind the people who I am." And the boy did just that. After he was old enough, the son showed them the power of the King by healing the sick, and giving sight to the blind. He cast out the shadows; the kingdom was filled with light. The people rejoiced. They loved him. But it was a shallow love. 

One day the King said to the son, "This is not enough."

"What do you want me to do, father?" the son replied. 

The king shook his head. He didn't want to say it. "It is almost time for you to leave them."

"I will do what you tell me, Papa." the son said. "But there are others- my friends- the ones I spoke about before. They love you. That is why I chose them. They will carry on what has started."

The King stopped at the apple tree. There was only one in this garden. He plucked the greenest fruit and watched it ripen in his hand before he sank his teeth into it. Juices ran into his beard. He chuckled, wiping his mouth. "Yes, those men are something else."  

"Did I tell you what Peter did the other day? It was so funny." 

The King glanced at the wall that surrounded the palace. "No, what was it?"

The son poured out his story. They both knew it was only a matter of time before things would turn sour, but for the moment they shared this togetherness. The king laughed. A deep rolling sound that was like the crashing of waves against the shore. "Perhaps next time he will remember not to do that."

The son was grinning. "Maybe." There was never a dull moment around his friends. His gaze landed on the wall and the smile slipped away. "We need to get rid of the wall."

"That's just what I was thinking." The King handed his son another apple. "And I know just the way." The son bit into the juicy fruit. The yellow ones were his favorite. They tasted like a burst of sunlight. The Wall that surrounded them made the apple feel cloudy in his mouth.

And then the King said something that would change everything they had ever known. "We need to make them part of the Family."

TO BE CONTINUED....

This week list is:

Christmas Trees

1. The best ones fill up the house with a piney scent

2. I am really glad people don't (usually) use candles in the trees anymore

3. I really want to see candles in a real tree

4. (bonus round) fairy lights are a much better name then 'christmas lights' don't you think?

Infested with Flavor (to Ireland and back again..)

The last two weeks have been amazing. First we celebrated Thanksgiving a week early, between packing shoe boxes for Christmas, and sorting food for the local foodbank.  It was a lot of fun, though now I hardly remember that week. One thing stuck in my mind- a quote from one of the guys. While talking about the Thanksgiving meal, Brad's take on it was that 'The turkey was Infested with Flavor.' Which describes everything from the past couple of weeks perfectly. I don't have any pictures from the week of packing shoe boxes, but I do have lots (over 300....) from this last week in Ireland. So I thought I would share the top 10 to tell you about the week. :)

This is from a walk I took during the week. We had gone to get ice cream but they were closed. (boohoo) And so Luciene and I took pictures instead. 

This bench is on the way back up the street. I was talking a lot about point perspectives (thank you Mrs. H of the 4D art class!!) and messing around. I like how this one turned out, though I wish I was closer to the bench.... (we just won't talk about that.)

It was very dark by the time I took this, so I got to play with the flash some. I hardly ever use it. The crick was so pretty, and Filled. I don't remember if it was this one, but the first time I got the trees I was trying to get the water in the background. We turned around soon after I took this picture. Neither of our cameras could take a decent night shot.

During the week we had a night to get to know each other. Cards are a big part of socializing, it seems. We play Hearts, Uno, Rummy, Slap-the-pile or kings corner- there is almost always a card game to play. That night we were playing the slap-the-pile game (it has many aliases, none of which I remember) and I actually managed to get a slap or two in! This picture might be of kings corner, I don't really remember. And then, to top it all off, I figured out how to take Black and White pictures with my camera!!!! YAY!!

Also, it is impossible to have any type of socializing without warm drinks. As the weather gets colder, this is especially important! Don't you want a hot chocolate just looking at this?  

Creamy, Dreamy, Hot Coco 

Sea Loch- Lake that empties and fills with the tide.

This view was right outside the house. These three pictures count as one, because it's a collage!!! And they were all taken the same day...... Isn't Ireland pretty?

Three Men in a Fog

On Thursday morning my team (alllllll of us) went out for breakfast and team time. This is a picture of three of the guys.

Waiting

This was Friday afternoon right before we left. I had to take one last picture of the lake. The Sea Loch is full of water! Yay! I do love this place, and was sad to leave it.

Leaving

Goodbye Ireland. Goodbye new friends. Farewell, hope to meet again.










Can't leave without a list:

1. Hot Drinks are a must in the cold, wet weather of the UK.
2. Fog can make or break pictures
3. New friends are really exciting, and I am exuberantly glad to have met them!

Prayer Requests:

1. White Christmas
2. Safe travels as we near that time of year.

New This Week:
Happy Birthday Shelby!!!!

Building a Relationship: Step One

As I write my team is playing Risk! on a board that they created on excel, with pieces borrowed from Yahtzee!, Scrabble, Settlers of Catan and a deck of cards.  It is quite impressive. This happened after David asked Paul what he would like to play. After a short conversation that I won't try to duplicate, it was decided that they should make the table into a world map. Wouldn't it be fun to have your cereal on Australia?  As this wasn't a practical option, they settled for creating a map. It is awesome. Though I would like it better if they had used the map I drew. (Long story, but it is not of this world, lets just say.) After my request was denied I went and finished watching Titan E.A.- a movie I will always enjoy. Even if I spotted a few plot holes. I never realized how similar that movie is to Treasure Planet. Another movie I love to watch. I think that Treasure Planet is the better of the two, though.

Anyway, I want to talk about this past week. It has been phenomenal. Our speaker was awesome;  he challenged us constantly. With everything- from the way we speak, to the way we use our time as Trainees, and how we live out our lives AS Christians. One of his most important challenges was HOW do we read the Bible? I don't mean that he gave a bible study- he simply pointed out things that people usually don't notice. Like the story of  Abraham and the 3 visitors, who were God.  God tells them that they will have a child, and Sara laughs. When confronted about it, she lies. To his FACE.  Later, in the same passage, it appears that God is talking with himself. (I find that so interesting!) The list goes on. I challenge you to pick up your Bible, if you have one (or go HERE), and read a passage. What jumps out at you? Read it again and see if anything new starts to sparkle. I love doing that (it is something I do for fun.) I try to look at the same thing from different angles to get a better perspective.

At some point in the week we went outside and had a bonfire. I remember it was cold, and the bonfire didn't want to stay lit. Robyn prayed it to life, I do believe. I don't remember clearly what we talked about that night. We had jiffy marshmallows (The most ginormous marshmallows that you can find. I had two  and felt sick afterwards...) It was fun. And then, suddenly, everyone went inside. I followed but felt the need to go back out. So I did. Sue and Steve were out there talking. I crouched over the firepit, warming my hands over the glowing coals. The fire was gone. And then Sue and Steve went inside and I stayed out. I brought out my phone- which I cracked on the pavement that night- and played a Hillsong song.

Then I began to dance. My own version of the waltz- it is mixed with what I learned in California, and whatever I think is right.  So, basically, I am not sure how close my dancing is to an actual waltz, and it is likely amusing to look at, but I love doing it anyway. It involves lots of spinning at times. It is a way to worship God that can be entirely unique- in my opinion, no two people dance alike when given free range. Yes, we can learn the same dances, but when we express ourselves through movement it is not any different from other forms of expression and art. That is why, for years, dancing has been something intimate between me and my Lord. It is a way to worship him that is, and forever will be, all of my uncoordinated self.

As I was dancing I happened to look at the fire pit. There were fresh flames. And they were not tiny flames. I was so distracted by them that I could not continue to dance as I had. So I stopped and watched the fire dance. Within a minute of me standing still the flames died out completely- at about the same moment as the song ended.

I will leave you with just a simple thought: When you spend time with God, do you enjoy it? I enjoyed dancing with Him, am known to suddenly start dancing. (a.k.k spinning most of the time) I also love asking God what he wants- something I learned from the Bristol Gathering a couple of weeks ago. Today that lead me on a great adventure of getting lost and un-lost in town.  I came out of that adventure knowing more about Who God IS, and who He made me to be.

Three Questions That I Stole (from this last week of lectures...)

1. How do you know What to live for?

2. If the Old Testament was happening today, would you be in it?

3. What is a Christian's Spiritual food?

Do you have an answer? Add a comment if you do, I would like to hear what people think!

Random thoughts:

The fire pit after dying the third time..... (at least) That blurry part in the corner is a face..I think...?

 This is the doors from an earlier post. Edited by the amazing LilG. (my sister...)

A doodle I did at Bristol. Its not very correct on the sizes. Sometimes when I can't dance, I draw. Just thought I'd add that....

Living in Community: The Way It Goes

Days are passing
and I am just guessing
you would be amused
to read about day to day
life- I am just getting used
to the swing, sparkle and sway
of this time we have to learn,
listen, and play.

I know things. About the people I live with. Very. Interesting. Things. That is to be expected. We are occupying the same house. It would be harder to know nothing about them at this point in time. The guys own more shoes than me. I'm not sure if its all of them, or just certain ones. To that I say- Hooray! Seriously, let us get rid of all stereotypes and cliches. I know who likes their rooms Clean Clean, and who of us can look at a space and say 'It's fine, I see some floor!' (I am generally included in this category, as my family back home knows. Actually, I have a name for it. Creative Chaos. I am at my most creative when I am surrounded by  an explosion of life. My love of chaos has its limits though, and there comes a point when I have to fix it.) Alas, I am getting off topic.

What else have I learned about the way it goes?

This past week we had an extra 7 people staying with us. I loved it. Most of them were girls. Its a near foreign notion in this place. For a week I shared my room with a lovely girl. We had good conversations. (Many of them about the novel I am writing). Actually, when asked what my favorite part about the week, I said it was talking about the book. With NaNoWriMo starting this month, I have been thinking about my book more and more, so it was good to get those thoughts to taste air. And I am so thankful that she didn't mind listening!

What else have we done? On the fifth, (which is firework and bonfire night) all of us went out to find people that wanted lollies, or a hot drink. I was with David (Dah-veed) and one of the girls from the other team. We had a couple of good conversations with random people, found a shared sense of humor, and heard a horror story about nose-piercings and bathroom-passing-outs. For those who have never passed out in a bathroom, I am here to say it is the worst place possible to pass out. There are so many things to fall into as you go down. (Its the one time saying you fell into a door makes sense.) And if the iron just happens to be on...not that it was....but....you get the picture.

 On another note, did you know that this year has been unseasonably warm here? The biggest difference between home and here (weather wise) is that home has less moisture in the winter. And more snow.  Basically, think of the wettest, coldest, slightly windy day you have ever had and then go a little colder for good measure, and multiply it. That is what winter is like. It is wet, but no snow. I have it from a good source that they are lucky if they get snow. Do you think that if I asked God for a white Christmas he'd give us one? Wouldn't that be such a fun story to tell!

One of the things that we have been doing is learning to hear God. One night after worship- I think it was Tuesday- I knew I needed to go outside. It had been rainy and cloudy for days, and I had been aching to see the sky. I heard God tell me that I should go look at his Creation- the stars in particular. So I did. It was freezing, but wonderful. The stars were so pretty, but there was something else that caught my eye. This rose.  Isn't it a beauty? Thank you so much for being willing to get cold to help me capture it on camera C!

Sparkles are so much fun! Here are some pictures from the 5th.  I tried to capture a full on circle......

 ....But only managed a triangle

 Then here are some decent pictures. This one is
'Lighting a sparkler from many directions with other sparklers!!' Very fun!

 One of these two are my favorite. The way the sparkler dances makes the one of the right really pretty in my opinion, but I think the hands by the top one is also pretty sweet...

This was one of the notes left by the other team. So sweet! They also left us chocolates (which are gone) and a card. <3. It was lovely having you guys, be blessed!













The Weekly List:

1. This just in; "The Pumpkin peed all over me!"
2. Happy Birthday to the following:
                         Drew (Trainee, not my brother)
                         Sarah (Because something should be in parentheses)
                         David (Dah-veed)
                         Uncle Jake (who really is my uncle)
3. When putting on Peppermint Essential Oil be careful not to put on too much- if you do everyone will be opening the cabinets to look for the source of the peppermint.
4. Pumpkin Pie can be birthday cake. Who Knew?

The Smallest Ant

 There was once an ant that was smaller than the other ants. They made fun of him, saying that he was always the last one home. They even made a song about it. 'The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah/ the ants go marching one by one/ the littlest one stops to suck his thumb.' This didn't make the little ant happy, but he went along with it. He didn't know what else to do. One day the colony was buzzing with news. There was going to be a Gathering soon! The smallest Ant wanted to crawl far into the earth and never come out. He hated Gatherings. This year would be no different.

As each colony made their way to the Place of Gathering, the littlest ant was joined by the other stragglers. Some were old enough that they shouldn't be making the journey, but didn't care. However, one day he realized that there was another like him- an ant too small to be any good. He called out to this other ant, and was ignored (for the second ant was too shy to face anyone properly) This did not deter him. Everyday he would come alongside this other ant, until eventually he could not be ignored. "What do you want!" the second ant said, his six knees were shaking as he spoke.

"My name is Andy," he smiled. "Whats your name?"

"Moby." He gave Andy a suspicious glance.

They traveled to the Gathering in silence after that. Each absurdly happy to have some form of companionship. Once they arrived they looked at the millions of ants gathered to hear all the stories from the past year. There was a wall memorial specially for those who were drowned by the screaming two-leg monsters. The smaller giants. The carpenter ants worked security, and the red ants did the drinks. No one could mix a water-drop with as much precision as a red ant. Just the perfect mix of minerals and honey. The 'general population' (which was what both of their colonies were thought of) held various positions- from ones of power all the way down to being cleaners. The ants had once tried to higher flies to clean, but that had gone as well as the time slugs had been allowed to attend the Gathering. Needless to say, Gatherings were now strictly monitored. The List got you in, and the Badges kept you in.

Andy and Moby took their badges and found a deserted corridor to wait out the gathering. They didn't dare go for drinks, for fear that the guards would kick them out (this had happened on one occasion to Andy. He had been forced to wait out the rest of the Gathering on the surface where the small giants tried to trample him.) Andy and Moby could still hear and see what was going on, and were entertained by the antics of the others. But they stayed out of the main hubub. They were content to just exist. At the end of the Gathering they promised to meet again the next year, and the year after. "I've never been around another person who doesn't want to socialize!" Andy said. "It was a lot of fun!"

"Me too." Moby squeaked. He still wasn't used to speaking.

The two small ants went home, a little bit happier than before. Though they would still dread parties and socializing, it was nice to know that they didn't have to do it alone.   

THE END

This is a bit of an exaggerated view of the life of an introvert. This past week I was 1 of a 100+ people at a YWAM Gathering, and it was very much an interesting experience. Once I would have been like the ants, Andy and Moby- unable to speak, unwilling to get invested with people that I might never see again. What about you? How well do you love people? I ask because that was one of the main topics this past week. How can we, as representatives of Christ, show His love to the world?

The Challenges of an Introvert (and semi-(un)-helpful ways to overcome them)

1. Meeting new people. 

If you are a person who doesn't like change, and new people are one of the hardest changes- don't fear! If I can meet NEW PEOPLE, you can too!

2. Crowds.

Don't let the crowds swallow you whole. Find someone who looks as lost as you. Chances are they are introverts too.

3. Extroverts. 

Sometimes the Introvert will grow jealous of of an Extrovert. Especially when they are doing something an Introvert wants to do, but could never, ever, ever pull off- for any reason, imagined or otherwise. My advice: stop comparing yourself with the Extrovert. At the same time, don't be an ant. Don't just watch other people- what is the fun of that? Join the party, because each person has something to bring.

Things I have learned and or noticed:

1. Its easier to pray for a city than to talk to the inhabitants...

2. Bumbilayla (okay, no idea how to spell that....but its a song. With a dance.) And it is AWESOME. So much fun!

3. When packing for a week: pack wisely. Ask God for advice if you need to. And bring more than one pair of jeans.

Prayer Requests:

1. Another Team came back with us from the gathering for a week of outreach here. Please Pray that they would have a fantastic time, that they would experience God in new ways. And anything else that comes to mind. 
If you have specific prayers, leave them in the comments and I will show them!


2. Pray for our second outreach week to be memorable. That we would put to use the things we learned this past week at the gathering.




PHOTO CORNER *unedited...*

A duck. On a Bridge. I think he needs a name....

A pirate ship. Isn't it awesome?

This was actually not at the gathering, but in Liverpool. I love doors. And Arches. And old churches. Maybe I will share more about that sometime.

How to take over the world in Five easy steps.....

Friday night. Cool air, but tolerable. A perfect Indian summer night.Yup, they call it that here too. Emmett, Paul, David and I were headed off to do one of our ministries. At the end of our walk there would be kids. Lots of noise, laughter and angst awaited us. We did not talk about them. We didn't discuss what we would be doing. No, the conversation in our midst was squirrels. 176 million squirrels. And the sheep that rode them. Four Squirrels a foot. They are our soldiers. Some of the sheep will carry cows. Can you picture it? A cow, with two sheep strapped to each foot. And each sheep carries 16 squirrels. It makes me think of the woman who swallowed the fly. She then swallowed the spider to catch the fly, and the bird to catch the spider. It was a never ending cycle.

Our animal army is the same. We need the air-force seagulls to carry the flying squirrels that are the parachutes for ninja cats that always come with their claws out. This is our first wave. Our second are the sheep. With millions of sheep, some will come rolling on squirrels to invade England. After England falls- because who can stand against sheep that ride squirrels. I mean, who in their right minds would expect that?- the hoard will then head towards the tunnel that I have heard connects  Britain to France. They will invade Paris, all of them climbing the Eiffel tower like...well, like squirrels up a tree. From there the world will be in such chaos that no one would know what to do. The world will be easy pickings for man in sheep's wool that comes riding in on a chariot pulled by 40, hard working, squirrels. (You know who you are.....)

So you see, we could take over the world. It just wouldn't end well. I mean, without llama's, there is no way we could win.

Why am I talking about armies and world-taking-overs? Is that the sort of thing one talks about with guys? Maybe. Most of the time people go into new situations with expectations. When I go down for breakfast I expect to see Emmett at the table, and sometimes Brad will be there, bouncing with his cup o'tea. what was new is becoming familiar. Still, there are many things that I didn't think about before hand. Like what would we talk about- other than the obvious God-centered-conversations- I had no clue. In the past few weeks I have carried on more conversations about guns, guts, and the occasional bag of chocolate crickets than I ever expected to have.

It all comes down to one thing: nothing is as expected. In any part of life, not just here. Certainly, no one thought they would be reading a blog about how to take over the world via an animal army. (One could also view it as a way to not take over the world, but what is the fun in that) I came here with assumptions and hopes and dreams, but what am I actually going to get?

Well, lets take a look at what I have already gotten.

Starting out I had a good view of missions from Perspective's on the World Christian Movement (click here to learn more). I have been exposed to many ways of thinking over the years and am open to being challenged. I thought I had a good grasp on God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. It certainly was much better than it used to be. However, in just two weeks, several of the thoughts I held were challenged, some of them destroyed completely. I had to pull out my beliefs, examine them, and find out where the holes were. Generally the holes are easy to find- in my experience I am staring them in the face for a good long while as the speaker, speaks. Sometimes hole-filled logic is camouflaged as something else. Yet, even then, the speaker has a good chance of uncovering those holes too.

The Holes we dig Ourselves into:
1. Sheep can take over the world, one squirrlestuded foot at a time. (I am not suggesting that anyone should try this at home)
2. I have the power of the Holy Spirit, but cannot do what Jesus did in his three years of ministry. (Even though he said that his followers would do greater things)
3. We tell God, "I will give up anything you like, but I will still do this."
4. Or we say "I will do this if you, God, do this" (An example of that in the Bible)
5. If God would just tell me what to do I would do it.....I need it to be in BIG letters, in RED, and I need to be able to see it from miles, and miles away.

When we put God into a box, we are limiting the Relationship we can have with him. If you don't think God wants a Relationship, then I ask you- what reason would God have for coming down to earth- to a place that is so sad and ugly and pitiable- if it wasn't out of love? Boxes do no good. They get soggy and leak all over the place. If you walk around with a box on your head you will fall into a hole. That hole will likely deepen to a pit with no light. If I truly believed that I could take over the world with an army of sheep and squirrels and did everything in my power to make that happen, I would fall into a bottomless pit. Because no matter what I did, it would never happen. It is the same with God. If what I believe about him is wrong, and ask of him something that is not in his nature, God will never respond the way I want him to. God is not a genie. He does not grant wishes.

Five Promised Steps
1. Stop - There is no harm in being still for a while. It is a good (though hard) practice.
2. Listen - this isn't a drive through (or Takeaway) relationship. You have to be prepared to hear what God has to say.
3. Pray - Talk with God. What do you want? What do you need? What was your day like? God wants to hear it all.
4. Read, Read the Bible - read whole books, not just snippets. Treat it like a letter. A precious love letter from God, your father.
5. Do - take what you read and heard and learned about God and use it to give honor to him. Tell others about Him and his Son. Deepen your understanding. Don't stop talking about Him- the One who died for you. He died to rescue you.

And through it all, worship Him. Give thanks to Him. Praise Him. Speak Truth about Who He is. Above all, be real. The One who created everything knows when you aren't being real. The thing I have learned over the years is that God can handle emotions. So I challenge you now; be expressive. Pray in new ways. Write something with your Creator in mind. Sing a new song. Play with your kids. Dance with your sister. Bake a cake. Wash the dishes. Vacuum. As Colossians 3:23 says; Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

David (Dah-veed) drew this cross. I don't fully remember what he said it means, but when I look at it I think about how Jesus did not count equality with God something to be chased after. Even though he was God. Also I think of the equation:

          JESUS + NO-THING =      EVERYTHING

What do you think of when you see it?

A hole.

 I thought you might like to see one.

 Really. 

Do you want one of these mixed

 up with what you believe about God?

I don't.

If everything I believe is pouring 

through the hole, what am I left with?

Living in a Whale....er Living in Wales, I mean

In the US, there are many differences between one state and the next. From how they say 'stop and go light' in Wisconsin, to how apparently no one wears shoes in Arkansas. In Texas everyone is a cowboy (tell me you believe otherwise) and  Iowa is thought by many- natives and outsiders alike- to be flat. And don't get me started one the differences of pop/soda/coke. The list goes on. My point is, you don't have to go very far to find cultural differences, and to meet people who assume things about your culture that just aren't true. As far as I know, shoes are quite popular in every state. And there are places in Iowa where you can climb down into ravines where the trees are so thick that you can't see more than a stones throw away. Some trees are covered in long black thorns that scream 'POISON!' and an unobservant traveler could run into them  just by looking the wrong way for a moment. (I know from firsthand experience to never grab onto a tree without looking at it first, no matter how steep the incline is.) I love places like that. The ravines are often old river beds that have dried up and been overtaken by a forest. The forests there are young, the oldest trees only a couple hundred at most. And those 'mother' trees are few in a land that was first prairie.

Now think, if one can find thousands of differences in just the continental US, how much more is there to find in the world beyond?

The first thing I noticed that was really strange was the sink. In my room. And its not just my room, but almost every bedroom in this house has one. Is that a Welsh thing or is this house just special? I don't know. The other thing that is weird about them is that all, apart from the kitchen, has two faucets. Why? A faucet that just has hot water will burn your hands, and one with just cold- well its Cold! The sinks themselves are quite deep, and all have plugs (not the push-pull kind I am used to, but a plug connected to a chain that you shove into the bottom of the sink) Anyway, if you wanted to take the time, you could plug the sink and fill it with the right temperature of water. I think that is a difficult thing for fast paced Americans to grasp.

The second thing, and you all must know this is coming, is the food. What surprised me most was:  they don't eat eggs for breakfast, beans are considered an every-meal item, and dessert is almost always called pudding. Even when it is far, far, far from the pudding that I know. It's most often bread. How is a mini-loaf that is covered in something sticky considered pudding? Then there is also biscuits, but thanks to the wonderful worlds of Harry Potter and The Secret Garden I knew full well to expect that. The funny thing is that they still use the word cookie (at least according to some Uni students I met) for nothing less than the must-have chocolate chip cookie.  

Thirdly, the most noticeable difference is speech. Just staying within Wrexham I have heard many different accents. Someone told me that to hear the 'real' Welsh accents one has to travel down to the south. And others were agreeing that the accent isn't as strong here as it is in other places. Which is okay with me. I like being able to understand the people I meet. I have noticed, in a flip of things, that some people don't seem to understand me. I am actually quite used to this, as at home I am soft-spoken and people often ask me to repeat myself. However, this was different. I don't know if it was the pronunciation of my words or if I was using words outside of their standard vocabulary, but several times it has occurred where people have no idea what I am talking about. Though it is usually easy to sort things out, it is interesting (and amusing) to see the difference in how our cultures operate.

Other things that I have noticed include the cars. Thought I should mention that I did notice they drive on the opposite side of the road. It just doesn't really bother me. The buildings are made out of bricks. Then there is the shopping centre. How do I describe it? From the place we enter it looks like an enormous mall. But after one steps through the entryway they find themselves....Outside. There are streets and cars and sidewalks. And alleys filled with shops. Yesterday I passed a bookstore in one such alleyway, and though I didn't have a chance to go in, the single glance I did put a grin on my face. Food vendors all have tables outside, with an awning or umbrellas to protect them. Even the local Subway does this. Yes, there is a Subway. And a KFC, and a Dominoes (though I think this is out of town) And I have heard rumors of a McDonald's. Can't recall if I have seen it. There are also plenty places to buy kebabs, fish and chips, donuts, tea, coffee, ice cream, pudding and other things that I haven't yet had time to notice.

I am very aware that I am no longer in the US. Whenever I hear a stranger speak, or look at the signs dotted through town and along the roads- many of them in Welsh and English- I am reminded of this fact. However, I feel at ease here. As others have put it, this is home. And though it won't be a permanent stop, it is where we are right now. I am so thankful to be here. Every day I am learning something about those I live with, and they are learning more about me. All of us come from different backgrounds, different cultures and worldviews. Yet, somehow, we will become family. It is my firm belief that God has blessed this time. I can't wait to see what this next week brings!

Things to think about:
Welsh is best when sung
Welsh changes the spelling and pronunciation to be the prettiest sound possible
Welsh sounds celtic and Germanic (to me) Does that mean German is a celtic language?

Welsh word for the day:
Ysgol   (any guesses?)

One Last Thought:
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving
Hope yours was a happy one. Mine was.

The sink....

And the cows (the first inhabitants of Wrexham I met, excluding those from the DTS)  

We just don't have churches with windows like these back home.... (more pictures of the church to come, I'm sure its the tallest building in Wrexham)

Ariel and the four 'little' Blotes.....

We are one

Learning as one
we are a collection;
together, always.
Different Minds,
smiles and eyes.
We are separate,
yet the same.
We are one
We learn and
live together.
We are missionaries
We are carried 
in the right hand 
Of The Mighty One 
that we serve,
Together as One.


I wrote the above poem on Monday as we were told that we are now missionaries. We would spend our time together in what they call Community living. I assumed I was somewhat prepared for it. All it meant was sharing my room with a girl, eating meals together, and living under the same roof with others who wanted to learn like I do. Right?

Wrong.

 First, I am the only girl trainee. (To be clear I am NOT the only girl in house. There are three female staffers, and other women who are not staff that are often floating around.) What does it look like to live in community here? From what I have gleaned from different conversations, I think Community living can best be described as living as a 'family'. A family knows each other. They know who likes tomatoes and who dislikes country music. I know that Little G loves music, that it is an integral part of who she is. Unlike her friends, I- as her sister- know the music she has written, but would never share with anyone. I know this because I was there when the songs were composed. I was part of her life. The way she speaks and thinks are familiar to me. And it is this type of relationship that gives birth to or defines family. When people are around each other almost 24/7 for nine months, it is inevitable that we will be knitted together into a unit, a family.  One of the definitions of family from merriam-webster is, 'a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation'. And that is exactly what we are. We are united by the common goal to learn more about God's kingdom and our place in it. We each bring something unique, and pivotal to this group, but we do not all know what this is. By the end of this time, I will know this group. I hope to know them well, each in a different way. They are made in the image of God and each of them is unique. And together we will work to know God more.

It is interesting to hear the way they speak, and learn how they reason. They each have something they are passionate about, though I have yet to see it deeply. I know it is there. My passions flood out, as they tend to do at times (anyone who has got me talking about missions knows this well). It is slowly coming together, this is a Family that God has created. It is no accident that I am sharing this experience with them. It makes me laugh. Just two years ago a situation like this would have me running for the hills. Now it is a sign of my growth that I am thoroughly enjoying myself. I am at ease with them in a way that I did not even dare hope for. Someone said to us that this is the honeymoon phase, where we want to like and be liked and we begin to discover things about each other. And perhaps that is part of it. But I think that God is at work here too. At every other point in my life when I have been in a similar situation (community living of any sort) I have remained closed and unable to give it my all. Going into this, I wanted to be unlike myself in the sense that I took chances. Still, I never expected to be at ease with them so quickly. However, from the beginning, God had his own ideas that were far from where I was. 'This is what you need' He said. 'I hand picked each of them, because together all of you will grow and grow.' I read Proverbs 27:17 today; "As iron sharpens Iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."   We will be friends and family for the rest of our lives, and it all begins here. With this training.

I don't know what will happen when we leave this place. I can't even imagine what the next months will bring. But for this girl, I know that I am in the right place. Even if it is hard, and I struggle to feel like I belong (culture shock will happen eventually) God had a plan from the beginning. I will trust in the One who Knows best.


The names of the trainees are:

• Drew
• David
• Brad
• Emmett

Things to remember

• David is pronounced Dah-veed
• Black cats are the same everywhere
• God is good, forever and always
• Gluten-free bread is better in Wales. It just is.

Here are a couple of pics from our climb the other day.

The Final Destination: Are you Prepared? (REALLY?)

My flight was long and tedious. With aching eyes and a skull filled with the worst pressure headache I have ever experienced (I thought that I might explode) I watched the landscape as we started to move. The plane was zooming along the tarmac, then suddenly it was airborne. I was pushed into my seat and feeling nauseous as the plane bumped along, gaining altitude at an extraordinarily slow rate. I wish some of the flight had been in the daylight, I would have liked to see the ocean. But the stars. Oh the stars. They were brighter than I had ever seen them before. I wanted to climb out the window and stand on the wing to greet the stars. They were that beautiful.....who cares if I would have frozen at that altitude?

The turbulence in this flight didn't bother me as much. Was it because I sat by the window, or because I was less stressed? Honestly, probably both. Finally I was on my way, I mean truly on my way, to Wales. I watched two movies (If you guess right you will get e-cookies! And if you don't know what those are...well that's because I just made them up.) ;) It was a six hour flight, leaving at 6:45 pm, and arriving at 7:40am.... except there is a five hour time difference. So even though it is 4:20 pm right now, it is  like 11:20 back home. I think. Either way, I haven't slept since yesterday. Or something like that. And it is starting to affect my thinking. Really, I can feel my brain turning to mush.

I am getting off topic. Sorry....

Where was I. Oh, yes. We landed without difficulty. I didn't leave anything behind. The one problem....I didn't know the address of where I was staying. And customs wanted to know. Like really really know. One guy told me to put down phone numbers, so I did. But when I got up to the lady- after about an hour of waiting in line with a bunch of squirmy, crying, cranky children- I was told I needed an address. She wasn't very nice- it wasn't personal or anything, it was just the need to get the line moving. She sent me away, to find an address I had no way of finding. When she called me back she was more gentle, expressing concern. I was so tired I was having trouble forming sentences, so she took that as me not knowing answers to things and began to wonder if YWAM was legit. (A young woman traveling alone in a foreign land....it is suspect I guess.) Still, I was offended. Though I could see why she wouldn't trust my judgment as I came not knowing where I was going.

In the end:
I was not prepared for immigration
I have not slept since I woke at 8:30 am (Eastern Time) on Saturday morning


Praises:
I easily found my ride
I MADE IT TO YWAM WALES
AND SO DID MY LUGGAGE!!!

On a side note:
there are four other Trainees here. They are all guys. Ha. Ha. Ha. Another girl might be coming. Keep her in your prayers! I want her to come! There are female staff, but that just won't be the same.

Takeoff's, Landings, And All The Things In Between

On September 25, hours after we were already supposed to leave, my mother, and older brother and I piled into the car to drive to Chicago so that I could catch the next day's flight to England. First, we had to make a little detour and pick up my little sister. I couldn't start my big adventures without her being there to see me off. The ride was filled with lots of crazy laughter. Everything from mom overfilling a cup to a remark about blocked plumbing set us off.

Did I mention it was about 2 in the morning?

It was nearly 5am when we finally arrived at the hotel. I slept such a happy sleep, until my little sister came and woke me to tell me about the fire and canceled flights. Now, I don't know what is to be said about the man who started it all. I can say that the ripple effects were felt across the country. Since the fire was in Chicago, I believe that the Windy City felt it the most. My flight was fine, we were told. And I checked in normally. 

The good-byes were rushed, because they were about to begin boarding and I had to get through security. Mom and Little G (who really isn't that little) both teared up, and received more than one hug. Good Luck, they said. Be safe. Even my brother gave me a hug (I saw no evidence of tears in his eyes. Similarly, mine were dry too.) 

When I Finally made it to my plane, I was told that there was no more room and they had to check my carry on. They didn't just put it in the belly of the plan like I had experienced before; they tagged it for my final destination.  I am going to blame the lack of food and sleep for not thinking about grabbing anything but my computer from my bag. I didn't even get the charger. 

Then came the waiting. You know what song came into my head- something from Shrek the Musical. "I know it's today" has a line that goes 'The waiting, the WAIIIITIIING." The plane was supposed to take off at 3, but we did into get into the air until 5:10. I won't say how much my motion sickness kicked it. It was bad. But I could deal with it, knowing that the flight wouldn't last too terribly long. I was determined to get a window seat in the next plane. Only, by the time we landed my second plane was about to take off. I could not get aboard.

I was stranded in New Jersey (why New Jersey?) at night, alone. Without my carry-on.

Customer service had two people working. It took about an hour to get through the six or seven people ahead of me.  I was given a flight for today, about 24 hours from when I was supposed to leave. They did not offer me a room. It was my family that told me to go back up and ask for one. After eating my first meal that day (I had no time to eat before boarding, and hotels are not known for being gluten-free friendly at breakfast) I did just that.

God is good. Because even though the man who helped me wasn't really suppose to, he gave me a room for the night. It is one of the nicest hotels I have ever been in. 

If all works out I will leave the US today and enter England.

Things to consider:

Always have extra underwear in EVERY BAG

Keep your computer close to you and your Charger even closer

When traveling alone, eat regularly. Or else you will have a breakdown. Especially if you have a restricted diet.

Praises:

My next flight is a window seat

I got to sleep in a big, soft bed

I am going to YWAM; God will get me there.