Wierd!

"We're all a little weird & when we find those people whose weirdness is compatible we join up with them & fall into a mutually satisfying weirdness & call them our best friends."

- Corey Matthews, Boy Meets World

FREE PUPPY

Meet Maggie!

She is sweet, playful, loves kids, has all her shots, is fixed and looking for a fun home! Maggie is about 8 months old. Let me know if you are interested!

Sand Castles

I'm giving up on my own plans
castles just made of sand
They've crumbled, fallen at my feet.

I keep trying to rebuild them,
but your waves crash and knock them down
Your mercy comes and takes them from me.

Because I cannot live here,
In this house that I have constructed.
I cannot live here,
All my building was in vain.

You bid me come and follow you,
leave behind all that I once knew
for a land I have yet to know

You've made me for a better place
one that cannot perish or fade
help me to hide my treasure there

Because I cannot live here
In this house that I have constructed
I cannot live here
All my building was in vain

The Train

Tonight I went with a friend to a concert downtown. We decided to take the light rail rather than dealing with the hassle of trying to find a parking space close to the arena.

After the concert we found ourselves waiting on the train platform with about 300 other Charlotteans who were in a hurry to get to their various destinations. A lady beside us caught my attention. She was obviously upset that the train had not yet arrived. She was beginning to sweat in the heat of the evening. Every few seconds she would look down the track and mumble something about "why in the world isn't the train here yet."

Perhaps she is unaware that grumbling and continually looking down the tracks and being anxious about the arrival of the train will not bring its coming any sooner. The train will get there when the train gets there.

Perhaps I am unaware that being anxious and grumbling and continually straining to see into the future will also fail bring the things I hope for any sooner.

Sometimes I wonder if the train will ever come.

Sometimes I panic and think I have missed the train altogether.

Sometimes my friends get on the train and I have to wait for another.

Sometimes I get on the train and leave my friends behind.

Oh how I wish I could control the train. But I know that being anxious and fearful does nothing to bring or stop its coming. If only I could learn to trust the conductor. He seems to know exactly when the train should come.

Psalm 31:1-3, 14-15, 19, 24
¹ In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.

² Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.

³ Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."

¹⁵ My times are in your hands;

¹⁹ How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.

²⁴ Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.

Central Coffee

I just visited Central Coffee for the first time. Loved the atmosphere and the staff. They use Dilworth Coffee, so it was pretty delicious! They also offer the option of using a mug if you decide to drink your coffee there. Yum!

Book # 26: Choosing Rest

" Today may be your opportunity to choose to pursue rest in the midst of the battle you face. Can you take a break from all your trying? Can you give thanks and celebrate the goodness of what is? Can you allow the present to be imperfect? Will you let God- rather than fulfilling circumstances or a put-together heart- be the place you call home? If you do, the gate of rest will open to you."
- Sally Breedlove, Choosing Rest

Jesus I am resting, resting

In the Joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power
Thou hast made me whole.

O how great Thy loving kindness.
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings;
Thine is love indeed!

Ever lift Thy face upon me,
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting 'neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth's dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father's glory,
Sunshine of my Father's face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting;
Fill me with Thy grace.
- Jean S. Pigot, 1876

14.1 Chicken Salad

I added cooking to my list of 30 things to do because it is something that I rarely do, but definitely a skill worth having, especially since eating Peanut Butter sandwiches, oatmeal, and cereal for the rest of my life is not a prospect worth looking forward to.

The first recipe did not actually come from a cookbook, but from the Pioneer Woman's website. If you have not heard of the Pioneer Woman, consider checking out her site for fun recipes (with super helpful pictures for each step), homeschooling ideas, photography, and a really sweet love story of how she, a city girl, fell in love with a cowboy and moved to the country. *sigh*

Recipe # 1: Chicken Salad

I cannot actually comment on if the recipe was good or not because I have a tendency to look at the recipe and get overwhelmed with all the details and then do my own thing. So, the result of doing my own thing.....ummm.....a little dry. More dressing next time.

5. Take Guitar Lessons

Goal number 5 on my list of 30 things to do this year is to take guitar lessons. I started trying to teach myself in college. My friends Alli and Chuck Norton can tell you that it was a rough start. Alli, who was my roommate at the time, had to kindly tell me that I was playing in one key and singing in another when I couldn't figure out why the words didn't seem to fit with the chord I was playing. Chuck later stepped in and gave me some beginners advice.

That was a long time ago (we won't say how long), and it is time to get some real lessons, if for no other reason than to be able to lead worship in small groups with a little more confidence and to try to write some songs (not necessarily for public consumption, but as a means of processing and thinking through life....I uploaded these one day while I was bored over Christmas break)

Second guitar lesson starts at 3pm tomorrow! Time to go practice!

Great Peru Blogs

If you want to know more about Scripture Union's work in Peru. Check out these blogs :)

Catherine Wolter, Former SLCA student, SU Summer Intern
http://catherinewolter.blogspot.com/

Billy Greenman, on Staff with SU for three years
http://billyinperu.blogspot.com/

Kate Bruder, currently volunteering with SU and fundraising to return for 3 years
http://www.cuentosdeunaviajera.com/

Kimo in Pictures

Well, I tried to do some blogging from my phone, but it didn't happen! Here is a little about our trip to Kimo, near La Merced Peru. We went with a team of 12 from SouthLake Church to do construction, VBS, and school presentations. It was a great week, and we are all grateful for the Lord's provision and presence throughout the whole time!


This is a Huaro! It is how we got back and forth between Kimo (Scripture Union's Camp in the Jungle) and the main Road.

This is the view of Kimo from the cabin (think camp- bunk beds, 1 bathroom per 5 people). It was a nice sight to wake up to in the mornings.

This is a house in the town of La Merced, the closest town to Kimo. We went into the town 2 days to do gospel presentations and work with Nancy, who is a Scripture Union school's worker. She goes weekly to several schools in the area to teach the Bible. Then in the summer, the kids are invited to Kimo for camp where they are invited learn more fully about Christ.

This is La Merced, capital of the Chanchamayo Province. This area is famous for their coffee!


We spent three days doing VBS, using the Kimo campground as our home base. The first two days we had almost 100 kids, and on the last day we had around 60 (it was a Saturday, and harder for the kids to get there). It was such a sweet time of playing with the kids, teaching them from God's word, making crafts. The great thing is that the work we did is not in isolation. Nancy has been working with these kids already and will continue to do so once we are gone. Our hope is that God planted seeds and that they will continue to grow through the work of Scripture Union and his Spirit!

This is a picture from the second day of VBS. The kids that came were all from one school. Pochi and Loco, the two men in charge of the huaro (cable car), had to bring all of them over to Kimo.

We visited Green Gold Coffee and learned about the process of growing, harvesting, selecting and roasting coffee. Peruvians have a saying about coffee: El café ideal es negro como la noche, caliente como el infierno, puro como un ángel y dulce como el amor (Ideal coffee should be black as the night, hot as "hades", pure as an angel, and as sweet as love)

After our last day of VBS we visited las Cataratas de Bayoz.

Once back in Lima, and suffering from lack of good coffee , we had to make an emergency pit stop. Peru exports all their good coffee and makes all the bad coffee into instant Nescafe, which the Peruvians drink-yuck! Nescafe sounds like no es cafe- it is not coffee!


I found a Vuvezela in Lima. I chased the man down to buy it :) This picture was taken from the main Plaza de Armas in Lima. The mayor wants all Limeños to be able to enjoy the world cup. So they set up a big screen on the Plaza so that everyone can watch every game!

Shh, don't tell!

Someone let the cat out if the bag... Literally! The lady next to me on the bus had a bag that was making an unusual amount of noise. When I asked her about the bag, she revealed that it was not a cuy (guinea pig, commonly eaten for lunch), but a small, gray kitten!



-- Post From My iPhone