Summit, Enchiladas, and Roast

Many good things happened last week...so there is some catching up to do. Last week ACU held their annual "Summit". It's like a week of classes and lectures that people can come to. It's a great opportunity to catch up on new books, new ideas, meet people, be refreshed, etc. I went on Tuesday morning and helped man the Halbert Institute booth. That was fairly uneventful, but then I got to go to a lecture afterward. A gentleman who studies and writes about spiritual practices of the early church led it, and it was wonderful! I'm a brain person, I think much more than I feel. However, my spirit has felt a little dry lately, and I have seen time and time again recently how God is calling me to just physically be with him. That might sound strange, but I can't think of a better way to put it! Maybe you can comment and give me some ideas of what you think I might mean.
The team got together on Tuesday night and worked on our "strategy". We don't like that word much, because it sounds like we're planning exactly what we're going to do in Australia while we are still here, and hell or high water are going to see it through. That's not the case at all. We're working on a plan that says, "Here are some things I think I hear God telling me to do when I'm in Australia. If after so many years there is no fruit from that, I will stop and pray about what else it is that God might want me to do". Tuesday was actually a really wonderful night, because we allowed ourselves the freedom to stop thinking so big picture for a little while and say, "Okay, what really specific things do you want to do in Australia?" We got to dream big!
Enchiladas...On Friday night Deborah N. had the women of Halbert who have done church planting in the past and us women who will be moving in the future to her house for dinner. We had a blast! She made this wonderful dinner and we all ate, talked, told stories, and laughed. Those women have so many amazing stories to share, and we just got to sit and take them all in. They went to different countries at much different times than we will be, so it was good to hear about the things they faced and think about how those will be different or the same than what we will face. She is an amazing woman for investing the time and energy into allowing us all a place to come together and share life.
Roast...This Sunday the team got together again for dinner and to work on the strategy some more. You might recall a post I wrote a few months ago where I talked about how our team is growing in friendship. Sometimes that means we are awkward around each other, running out of things to say and things like that. I have to say, Sunday night was a total different group than that one in the past! It was wonderful, we were honest about things on our hearts and didn't get our feelings hurt or get uptight. We talked, laughed, and worked together to clean up the kitchen. I know we still have a long way to go, but we have moved forward in leaps and bounds! I was really encouraged by our time together.
Matt and I got turned down by another church on Sunday night, which was disappointing. Like I've said many times before though, at least they let us know their response! If you know of any churches interested in helping our family with fundraising, or are interested in helping us yourself, please comment to this post and I will be more than happy to talk with you and share more about our needs.

Fundraising...not so fun. Skype...so fun!

I've adopted a bit of a motto these days: fundraising is not fun and it does not raise your spirits. I thought the play on words was really catchy! Fundraising is very tedious, it can get you excited at the slightest smidgen of a possibility that someone will help you out, then leaves you in a whimpering mess on the floor when the smidgen is thrown to the floor and stepped on. Okay, so that's terribly dramatic, but it's kind of accurate! However, we know that God has a very cool plan behind how hard this is. I can't wait for the day when I get to write that story in my blog! That's pretty unrelated to the next set of events, but I just wanted to throw that out there.
Last weekend (over a week ago, not a few days ago) Matt and I finalized our September newsletter and got an address list together of people that we know and love from the church we attend in Abilene. Since our church will not be able to help support us on an ongoing basis, we are going to seek the ongoing support of our individual brothers and sisters there. Our list consists of about sixty-five families. Friday night I got off work and went to Wal-Mart. I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart, the produce is generally bad, the selection of different things I like is limited, and it's just a general place of chaos and commotion. I much prefer going to HEB, but I had to get a printer cartridge. Let's keep in mind that the ONLY reason I went to Wal-Mart is because I needed a printer cartridge. I made this my "big shop" of the month as we like to call it, and got a lot of food and toiletries. I got two cartons of ice cream like normal, because I can't ever decide. I also got a twelve pack of 8 oz. coca-cola, because I was going to cook a frozen pizza that night and you can't have pizza without coke. When I left Wal-Mart, it was raining pretty good. I ran out to my car and started loading it as fast as I could. The carton of cokes opened up and they fell into the trunk and onto the ground. I ran after the little can that was rolling away down the asphalt, and managed to save it before getting hit by a truck going down the aisle. One of the cans fell rather smashingly on my loaf of bread, which was sad. I conquered the mess though and got it all in the trunk. I hopped in the car and started to drive home in the rain. About three minutes from Wal-Mart I realized that I forgot the one thing that took me there...printer cartridges. Needless to say I was pretty sad, but I had the ice cream in the trunk and I hate frothy, melted ice cream! I was also a bit on the annoyed side, so I decided that I would go home, eat pizza, watch a movie, and then go to Wal-Mart after that. I must also make it clear that I pretty much refuse to go to Wal-Mart from about 8am-9pm, so that's why I couldn't just go the next morning. The chaos is even greater during normal hours. I did just that, ate the pizza and watched "Phoebe in Wonderland", it was amazingly strange. I loved it! After that, I went back up to Wal-Mart and got the ink cartridges, labels, and envelopes. Saturday morning I woke up, ready to print and stuff envelopes. I got the laptop hooked up to the printer. I guess I should mention that it was an empty printer...and there was no paper in sight. I looked in all the usual places, and found no paper. Really?!? After all the drama I did not have any paper? I decided I would just do the labels in the meantime, and print the letters later that afternoon. Apparently I live in the twilight zone, because our Avery labels would not match up with the Avery template in our computer, and I printed about three different sheets of labels before giving up on them being really messed up. Plan B or C(I've lost count by this point), just print the addresses on the envelopes. This worked like a charm, and I printed the return address on at the same time I printed the receivers' addresses on. Later that afternoon I went and got some paper, and the letters turned out really well. I got them all stuffed on Sunday and Monday, and had them in the mail on Tuesday. Talk about drama, I hope the invitations are not so crazy!
On yet another unrelated note, Matt and I used Skype for the first time last night. There is a family that has moved to Wollongong, Australia to do the same thing as us in Ipswich. They have been there about nine months. It's very interesting, their situation is just like mine and Matt's, but switched between the spouses. She was an Australian who married a U.S. citizen, and Matt is the Aussie who married me. We had the most AMAZING conversation with them for an hour! We got to ask them about visas and citizenship, culture shock, grocery shopping, friendships they're building, what they're doing with their time, how their team is working together, the list goes on and on. They asked us what books we're reading, how our team is doing, what our timeline is, etc. They got to affirm that pretty much everything Gary is teaching us about culture shock is accurate, which is both exciting and humbling. I think we'd all like to think deep down inside that we're above it, that we will be able to adjust better than people have in the past for some reason (maybe that's just my pride talking). They made it clear that no, we will not get around it! The woman also affirmed our assumptions that the person who will probably have the hardest time adjusting will be Matt, since he lived there when he was young. For the rest of us things will be new and exciting, but for him things will just be different than he knew as a child. The changes will be harder for him to take. We also got to listen to them share their frustrations, worries, and joys in a safe atmosphere. Since we're training on what they're going through, they can say things honestly without leading us to worry that they want to come back or regret what they're doing. They're just trying to get by in a world that has been turned upside down! I felt so refreshed and encouraged when we were done talking with them, I can't emphasize how amazing it was. I hope they were blessed by our conversation as well.

let's get all sudsy

I wish I was wise, really wise, "Solomon" wise. I wish I always knew the right thing to say, and just when to say it. I wish that pearls of wisdom rolled off my tongue like I was the biggest oyster in the world. There are a few things I want to be remembered for when I'm no longer on this earth, and the top two are probably being faithful to God and people, and being wise.
I guess part of that whole wanting to be wise thing stems from the fact that I'm a fixer. I'm a detail oriented, assertive, organized woman, and I want to fix things. People who fix things should generally be wise, so there you go.
Why do I bring this up? Thanks for asking, it's because I'm surrounded by people whose lives are twisted, torn, and spit out on the floor. Whether it was their decision or not, they're trapped in a world of self hurt and hurting others, and I hate it. I want to be able to say, "this is how God can heal this situation", have them listen and do the things I suggest, and be healed. That of course means that I assume I always know what God wants for people...and I don't...so that part needs a little tweaking. Anyway, I wish I was wiser so that I could help people more. I guess part of that will come with age, and a lot of it will come from asking for it from God with a humble heart. Speaking of humble heart, let's talk about bullies.
I do not like it when people assume that they are better than others. I don't like it when people make fun of the marginalized, or don't include outsiders because they "don't belong". I have never really been bullied myself, I guess I was raised to be way too confident and intimidating for that. I also think that God has given me a spirit of confidence that I could not attain on my own. However, not everyone is like that. Therefore, quit being a bully! In the Kajukembo classes I teach, respect and a humble attitude are at the top of the list of things I want to instill in my students. If you can't learn those things in a place where you're also learning to kick and punch, you're asking for trouble! I hate seeing kids who are bullies...but what I think I might hate even more is seeing adults who are bullies. If you have not grown out of making fun of people, then you have some serious issues! If the only thing that makes you feel like a decent human being is being indecent to those around you, then I really feel sorry for you. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with a little playful banter among friends. However, being mean for the sake of making another person feel like less of a human being than you is sick and evil. It's time for some grown ups I know to start acting like it. It's time for me to not be the most mature person in a room when I'm surrounded by people older than me. It's time for people who say they follow Christ to start living out love toward others. It's time for me to listen to my own words, don't worry about that. It's also time for some other people to as well though. Here's my thought on it, God is the creator of all so He can love and judge perfectly. However, we as humans are not capable of the same. We are much better and judging and a lot worse at loving. Therefore God says, "Okay, you need to practice love, and you can't focus on two things at the same time. Therefore, I want you to love and not judge". Are we going to listen?

The Three Stooges

there were birds everywhere!
This weekend, my sister, mom, and I met up in Horseshoe Bay (funny title, huh?). We didn't really realize until we got there that it was right at a four hour trip for each of us, which worked out really well. We wanted to take a chance to just hang out with each other without spouses and children around. We needed some girl time!
The resort we went to was the Horseshoe Bay Marriott Resort, and it was beautiful. The different pools and restaurants of the resort were spread out among a few miles, so golf carts and passenger vans took us everywhere we needed to go. On Friday night we ate dinner at a great restaurant overlooking Lake LBJ, then we sat in the Caprock Pool for about an hour chatting. When we got back to the hotel we walked around the grounds for a while...and they were amazing! The art and landscaping that surrounds the hotel were amazing in the dark, we could not wait to see it all during the day!
On Saturday my mom got a massage for her birthday, a treat from her daughters. Anita and I ate breakfast and got ready to go while she was gone. Then we went and sat on the man made beach for...well, most of the day! I love the beach, but I hate the salt water. Switch out said saltwater with lake water and I'm a happy girl! I got to spend a little time reading more of one of the many books that have been assigned to our team (thanks Gary!), it's called The Case for Christ. It's about a journalist who set out to debunk the existence/purpose/history of Christ. I was reading in the chapter where he interviewed a Jewish Christian, and it was by far the most interesting chapter so far. The book is getting better the more I read!
Saturday night we got dressed up and ate at one of the fancier restaurants at the resort, I had great slow cooked short ribs with polenta and seasonal vegetables...and orange truffle cheesecake with ganache for dessert. Have I ever mentioned that ganache is one of my favorite things in the world? You could put it on top of just about anything and make it taste like a million bucks!

Saturday night I walked around the hotel and took some pictures of all the cool stuff I saw on Friday night, but the camera (probably actually the photographer!) was not at the top of its game. I didn't get the best shots, but I still got some good ones.Saturday night we watched some movies and then hit the hay.
Sunday we ate breakfast at a golf course that had been skunked the night before. I don't know exactly how it happened, but they said a skunk got under the floor and did its magic (wording my own, who really talks like that besides me?) Anyway, we ate our breakfast outside to avoid the smell, and the food was great. After that we went back to the hotel and played golf...well, miniature golf. It was like putt putt, but with actual putting greens and no clowns opening and closing their mouths. It was really neat, I felt like Tiger Woods (but poorer and much less talented). After that? You guessed it, we went down to the beach again and sat around! It was wonderful, I really loved it down there. That night we ate dinner together and then my sister Anita had to leave. Her little boy started kindergarten today, and she needed to be there with him. How exciting, and a little scary, for all of them. Mom and I watched a few more movies (well, I watched them and she fell asleep!) and then hit the hay again. This morning she and I ate breakfast and then said our goodbyes as well. I came home to a husband who has been doing many much needed and much appreciated odd jobs like getting our closet light to work (thanks also to Aaron, sorry I was so bossy about you coming as soon as possible. I was tired of taking a flashlight into the closet to see my clothes!) I also came home to a dog who has had projectile diarrhea for the past three days. We think the combo of having other dogs in our home for the past two weeks and me being gone for three days might have had some stressful effects on him! Usually when I'm gone Matt is too, so he's kind of used to how all of that works. When I just up and left though, we think he got a little confused and worried! Who knows, I just hope he doesn't get sick again (like I can complain, Matt's been cleaning up after him!)
My sister, mom, and I had a great time. We talked about growing up, marriage, divorce, the future, our friends, our family, money, etc. It was great to share our hearts with one another in a slow paced, relaxed environment. I'm grateful to my mom for treating my sister and I to such a wonderful weekend.

the fountain near one of the pools

the view from our room

How many boxes of kleenex are we going to go through?!?

Last weekend we had an amazing time in College Station. No, we weren't running around in our A&M t-shirts...we were participating in our second to last module through Halbert. Last weekend was a family/supporter weekend. Our team, a team moving to Thailand in about a month, our financial supporters, and our parents all gathered in College Station for a weekend of catching up. We got to College Station on Friday evening, and then the Thailand team and our team gave our presentations to the crowd. It was a good opportunity for our parents to see what we show to churches when we visit them, and to just get a better idea of what we're planning to do in Australia. We talk about it here and there with them, but they don't get to hear our day in and day out conversations about it.
The tears started Friday night. I didn't cry, but my eyes watered. Me, the girl who doesn't cry! I got emotional telling my story...partly because it's been a stinking seven year process and partly because I'm so excited! The possibilities are endless in Ipswich, and my brain can't wrap itself around them all. I'm super excited. The tears started again on Saturday morning. We have Gary to thank for those! He was going through a powerpoint that showed the adjustment process that we will experience, and telling the families and supporters the best way to help us deal with those adjustments. It was an emotional time because he was in essence saying, "your kids are about to leave, and when they come back they're going to be a lot different than when they left", and that was hard for parents to take! There was a lot more to what Gary said...I don't want him to think that's all anyone got out of it! That was just kind of the snapping point for a few people. I also don't want it to sound like I don't think it was valid for parents to get upset at that, because it totally was. Before I dig myself into a bigger hole, I'll continue! The toughness of that conversation led to a time when all of us team members had to leave the room, and the parents just got to debrief a little. Apparently it was an amazing time when they all got to be honest, I hope they all got a lot out of it.
Crying station number three was our time alone with our parents to share how they've blessed our lives. You can imagine how that went! I've always felt encouraged by my family, but we've never been a, "hey, way to go" kind of group. All I can say is that those thirty or so minutes with Matt, Leonie, and my dad was one of the most amazing times of sharing I've ever experienced...in my life. I will never forget it. The evening ended in some amazing chicken fajitas and Snickers ice cream bars, mmmmmm.
Thanks so much to my dad for coming to College Station. Thanks to A&M COC for feeding us and hosting us. Thanks to Mr. Hogan for letting us stay at his house and spending time in conversation with us. Thanks to Jenica's family, Gregory's family, and Leonie for coming to support each of us. Thanks to Halbert for investing so much time and love into our teams. Thanks to the Thailand team for being so fun! Thanks to God for continuing to make it clear that we are on the right path, because sometimes satan makes us wonder.

Going to Colorado

Matt, Jenica, and I went to Colorado this weekend. We left Friday at 6am for Brighton, Colorado and returned back in Abilene at 2am Monday morning. What can I say, we're young and crazy! We went to visit Gregory, who has been doing an internship there for the past two months. He has been interning with a guy named Hobby who is launching, organic, home based churches in Brighton. Organic is such a fancy shmancy word these days...all I mean is that they're trying to keep it simple. There were other people that Gregory was working with and being mentored by, but Hobby was kind of the go to guy. The funny thing is that Matt and I knew Hobby before Gregory did. We met him and his wife in 2004 in Searcy, Arkansas. They were in the beginning stages of forming a team to move to New Zealand, and Matt and I visited with them to see if the team was a good fit for us. They were amazing people, but Matt and I were not quite ready for that kind of commitment. Long story short, Hobby and his wife Jerry ended up feeling like God had different plans for them and went to Colorado instead. They are amazing people that God has really bestowed wisdom and encouragement on. Hobby is the kind of guy that makes you feel really important to God and to others, it's quite a gift.
On Friday we got to meet a few people in the leadership group that Gregory really hung out with this summer, and got to tell them God's story in leading us to Ipswich. They in turn gave us many words of encouragement. It was an awesome start to the weekend! On Saturday morning we drove around and Gregory showed us different spots where he spent most of his time this summer: Funshine Daycare, the city pool, the park where the church met, etc. It was great getting to share in the things that he invested his time and energy into. After that we went to Boulder and hiked a mountain. We were all huffing and puffing...I'd like to blame it on the altitude! It was a really beautiful hike, and the view from the little summit we ended on was amazing. The four of us also got to talk honestly about our team, since we have not been together since Gregory left for Colorado. We talked about the things that we think are lacking in our team, like encouragement and the ability to dream creatively. It was a good time together, we were able to be a lot more honest than we have been in the past! We still have a really long way to go, but it was refreshing to be together and talk about what was on our hearts. That night we walked down Pearl street, ate dinner, and enjoyed the outdoor mall scene. It reminded us all of the mall near Southbank in Brisbane that we went to last summer, Queen Street Mall. It was nice to reminisce!
Sunday morning we got to participate with the church in the launching of their house church. It was amazing to meet all the people who were doing church in a house for the first time, people were kind of nervous but really excited! What was really amazing was to get to participate in a house church other than the one we are part of in Abilene, to see what they did and how they did it. Everyone on our team felt like God showed us a lot that morning. After that we drove home...and boy was it a long drive! I'm really sick of fast food now and am pretty exhausted from getting so little sleep last night (or this morning rather), but man was it worth it!

The second interview

Last Wednesday the team had our second interview, this time for two of the local television stations in Abilene. Jenica and Gary did the interview, and they did a great job. The finished product on television showed Jenica only. The stories were really good, and we appreciate that the local stations decided to talk about us.
Yesterday I met with Jenica for our weekly Tuesday night meeting. We had a great time, our get-togethers have been a little sporadic lately. We talked about all sorts of things; sacrifice, relationships, working out, jobs, etc. It was really nice talking about big things and little things, we have moments when we break through and really get honest with each other. We have a long way to go, but we've made a lot of headway!
I also came to a realization last night. I haven't stared at the stars in a long time. I used to know all about the constellations; where they are, the stories behind them, what they look like, all sorts of stuff. However, I've lost the desire to keep up with all of that. When you work out until 9pm, have to empty the dishwasher, fold laundry, take a shower, and still get to bed at a decent time, you lose interest in the little things that used to bring you great joy. I am crazy about getting things done around the house...but where does that get me? The clothes will still be waiting to be folded tomorrow night, and it's not going to hurt anyone to see them. I've said in the past that I want to be better at not getting worked up about things that are not done, but I've really been doing a better job of it lately. Matt might not say so, but he can't read my mind to see how it's stopped going a million miles an hour! Anyway, I'm going to lay a blanket out in the backyard and watch the stars more, even if it means that I leave the dishes until tomorrow. What have you been leaving undone that you used to enjoy? Can anything else wait until tomorrow so you can enjoy that one thing now?