For Joy Renee

Shake ya tailfeatha

It’s the little things…..

For all the Klingons roaming the web, we salute you.

weekly download

I am stealing yet another idea from Alece…..

• I left for South Africa a week ago, today. I sat next to a wonderful woman of God and her family who were headed to an orphanage in Mozambique.
• I started polls on my blog! The first one had three participants. Thank you, whoever you are. Check out the new poll to the right and weigh in!
• I added a new blog to the roster. I’m so glad you started one, Sarah!
• The wind was so bad yesterday that thatch roofs were getting blown off and my shower was full of dirt.
• I participated in a “girl’s night” with the women of Thrive. We shared stories, did charcoal face masks and cuddled under blankets sipping hot chocolate and chai, trying to beat the cold.
• Last night I watched a wildfire burn somewhere in the distance. The night sky glowed orange and the fire fiercely outlined the hill it was racing across.
• I stayed up way too late talking to wonderful people on the various instant message venues. It was worth it.
• I started the “job” I’ve been blessed with while I’m here. Now I just have to discipline myself on the aforementioned instant messaging so I can get up at a decent time….
• I am chewing on this little tidbit on values from Craig Groeschel: “The difference between the truth that you know and the truth that you live equals the pain that you experience.”
• I’ve enjoyed a rare treat with Alece….sitting around and doing nothing.
• I’ve also been blessed with some hangout time with Charlene.

Thanks to all of you who have been so encouraging. Thanks for your prayers, thanks for reading, and thanks for your comments and emails. What a week eh? Wonder what the next one will look like…

Just Passin By…

Not too long ago I was standing in Alece’s kitchen with her and Becca. We were making tea when Alece said “The ostrich are walking past the window.”

Sure enough there were two ostrich right outside the window.

Thrive has church on Thursday nights now. Sarah, it reminded me of our high school Bible studies we were just talking about. There was a time of worship followed by a message from one of the staff. Kelly talked about the peace of God and how to get it. We spent time after just hanging out and small talking.

I didn’t go to bed until late (again) and slept in. At 2:30 we headed out to the Hope House, which is an orphanage in Harrismith. I didn’t feel comfortable just charging into this room full of kiddos. I stood off to the side and watched the Thrive interns play with the children that they see each week. I was in a very sad, introspective mood and a little guy walked up to me and put his arms up. He sat in my lap for a long time, tucked his bare feet under my leg, pulled his hood up over his head, tucked his hands in his fleece, and absorbed my heat.

How cool is God? I wanted to reach out, but was hurting inside. So James, who wanted to be still and warm, found me. We just sat together.

So my evening has been dinner with Alece (thank you, it was delish), sharing new music and bands with eachother, sitting side by side on her couch chatting between internet activities, listening to Starbucks the amazing talking bird, and I don’t feel like I am halfway round the world from where I usually am. I feel like I’m home, and I know that right now I am right where I should be.

So….. South Africa.

I really should have posted my “first day” experiences yesterday, but I was soooo tired. I know. Excuses, excuses.

The airport in Joburg seemed similar to some US airports, especially Detroit. After getting through customs and passport control, I piled my luggage on a cart and involuntarily squealed when I saw Alece munching on an apple.

I didn’t see much of Joburg, but it seemed smoggy and sad. It got dark as we drove towards Harrismith (pronounced Harry Smith) so I missed the countryside. Because it was dark, I also missed seeing the Thrive Africa property right away. Except I was excited to find out that they have this cool security checkpoint/gate/entry thing.

I love Niel and Alece’s house. It is an old home, but they have made it so comfortable. I love being here. My favorite room is the living room. My heart did something when I first walked in and I love everything about it. The space, the floor, the furniture, the colors….. it’s grand.

Today I went with Alece and sat in a class she led for the interns. It’s been so nice to meet them, and I really enjoyed seeing Alece “in action”. (I don’t think I told you that, Alece!) She had an errand to run in the afternoon, so I joined Charlene for “Town Time”. It’s so good to see Charlene too….. I’m so blown away that I’m even here.

So “Town Time” is a fancy name for their weekly trip to Harrismith for shopping. We went to a little coffee shop where I ordered the strangest sandwich I’ve ever eaten. It was called a chicken bacon parmesan sandwich and it was apparently supposed to be grilled. What it ended up being was a chicken salad type concoction that was warmed and spread between two pancakes.

This is the conversation that I imagine might have happened in the kitchen.

“We’re all out of bread. “

“Use pancakes.”

“Pancakes?”

“Pancakes.”

So I tried to eat it….but… just…. no.

So I’m meeting staff and interns, I saw a little more of the property today, but I still have no pictures. Battery issues. I will resolve them tomorrow when I’m less sleepy and I don’t have pancakes and chicken salad swirling around in my tummy.

24 hours from right now, a plane will be taking off. I will be on that plane.

It’s odd, I think, how I see the take off of that plane as a turning point in my life. Not the flight, not even the arrival. The second I am seated, I will be headed down a path that will change me.

Why is it so hard to change? Why would you want to stay the same?

I will never be satisfied with who I am.

Some people might read that and feel sorry for me, or feel disdainful toward me. For me, however, that statement is exciting! It means I will be pushing myself constantly, expanding the possibilities of who I could be, increasing the breadth of my influence, deepening my understanding, tasting all the flavors life offers, and living.

It is raining.

I am cold.

Saying I want change is not enough. I need courage for the action.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

Michigan to South Africa

I will be South Africa bound in less than a week. I’ll be visiting a dear friend, seeing what her daily life is like, and I’m sure there will be other important things happening as well.

I hope to be able to give you frequent updates about my adventures. (I was told I could bring my ninja stars, which is lucky since I’m quite aware of the Ninja Monkey threat there.)

Meanwhile, I am spending some time with my parents before I head over the ocean. I made Key Lime pie from scrizatch, squeezed the key limes myself. Yup yup. Just so you know, genuine key lime pie is a cream color like the one below and NOT green. Not ever green. See how much we enjoyed the yummy pie! There is some left, I’m going to grab a piece……

Questions

What defines us?

Is it the decisions that we make? Our interests? Our pursuits? Our favorite cheeses? Political views? Favorite movies? Our beliefs?

Is it a sum of these and other things?

I ask these questions specifically in the context of who we pursue friendships or relationships with. I can’t be friends with everyone, and I try to. I can be friendly to everyone, but what are the things that signal to a person that a friendship is possible?

If you genuinely care about people, how do you juggle the knowledge of their needs with your own? I’ve always thought that to have good relationships you had to be completely selfless. I don’t think so anymore. If you are not a little bit selfish, you can’t know what you want from other people…. what you NEED from other people. Then you are cheating the other person from a complete circle of friendship, or you are wasting their time with a well-intentioned but false relationship.

Since I am uncomfortable at really analyzing what I need, I am unsure how to determine it.

The “What do I need?” question leads to “Who am I?”.

Who are you?

How do you answer that?

The Art of Napping

I had been alone all morning. The rain had been stopping then starting, gentle then heavy. The rain had left the earth damp. The rain had changed the air.

A gentle and steady breeze wandered through the house and lured me into the sunroom. I watched the sun throw itself over the clearing clouds. Then I closed my eyes and let myself concentrate on the air brushing over my face and arms.

The sunroom couch was empty, and I laid myself down on it. I listened. I could hear birds and not much else. The trees were enjoying the breeze as much as I was. The absence of the sound of engines, people, tv, air traffic let the natural sounds around me swell and sustain.

Before long I was flying through space and walking down the streets on an island in the Mediterranean Sea.