i love my job

The past two days have been a reminder of why I enjoy teaching! The assignment: you and your partner are forming a travel agency. Research a Central American country, prepare an itinerary, do a commercial (memorized and in Spanish), make some authentic food, and convince us why we should use your agency. The results: Some AMAZING projects and great food! Good job everyone! I am so proud :)Catherine and Samantha conviced us to come to Panama!
Kate, Elizabeth, and Becky made some awesome dip....and even though Mexico isn't technically part of Central America, our happy bellies didn't mind :)
Sarah and Kierra went all out! Definitely gets my vote for most enthusiastic.
Yum, Audrey.....what is that delectable dish?

just wait...

by Russell Kelfer
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate...
and the Master so gently said,"Wait."

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!"
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate
hangs in the balance and you tell me to Wait?"
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign.
Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.

You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply.

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
as my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine...
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
you'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
when darkness and silence are all you can see.

You'd never experience the fullness of love
when the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,
the faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,
what it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
but oh, the loss if I lost what I'm doing in you.

So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
that the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still "WAIT"

Finish Strong

Saturday, September 29
5K time 27:29
Improvement from last race: 1: 35
Excitement Level: 10 out of 10!


I am really enjoying running lately....I am not sure why! Perhaps it is the challenge of pushing yourself beyond where you thought you could go.

I am enjoying seeing our cross country kids run and get faster and do more than they thought they could do. There have been times I almost cried to see them push themselves and finish strong.

Maybe it is because running gives such a great picture of our walk with Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Psalm 119:32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

Lord, give us hearts that run after you! Help us to finish strong and make it to our goal: home, with you, forever.

out of the silent planet

"Yes," said Oyarsa, "but one thing we left behind us...:fear. And with fear, murder, and rebellion. The weakest of my people do not fear death. It is the Bent One, the lord of your world, who wastes your lives and befouls them with flying from what you know will overtake you in the end. If you were subjects of Maleldil (God) you would have peace."
Out of the Silent Planet, 139
C.S. Lewis

"neeeeeeigh"bors

So, I am moving towards the end of July. I am excited about being in a new place, but sad about losing some great roomies. You have to meet my new neighbors, though...I think they might be great company!

Meet Mr. Horse, whose name I do not know, and Patches and Puddles the goats, whom it seems I have interrupted from their morning breakfast of hay and coffee.

peruvian pics

Katie the brave! The first to prove
herself on the sand boards.

New books for the school at Kusi.
The kids were very excited!
They couldn't wait to open them.

Facade of the old church at Yungay. The original town
was destroyed by a mudslide in May 1970.

The reason we go to Peru.

Seniors 2007 at 16,000 Feet

hermanas: sisters

Bryant found a new friend

How many men does it take to
replace a dead smoke alarm battery?

Nick found some cowboys
who just needed a horse

final peru blog

Well, everyone is packing their bags here in Caraz and the bus should be here in an hour to take us back to Lima. It will be a long next two days. After arriving in Lima at 4am, we will sleep on matresses in the Scripture Union Center. Then, after breakfast with the boys there, a tour of Lima, and then the Indian Market for some shopping. Italian food for dinner, a long flight overnight to Houston and then finally our arrival in Charlotte.

It has been an amazing trip, but I think everyone is ready for their beds and hot showers :)

Today was our final day with the children in Kusi. As we drove up we saw some little faces peeking out the door and then disappear once they realized we could see them. They were excited to see us....someone said they had prepared a surprise. As we went into the school, the children greeted us by putting multicolored ribbons around our necks. After the children marched in and sang their national anthem, we were invited to sing ours. Luckily, we didn't start too high :)

What followed was a series of dances by each grade. The first grade danced to a song about the vowels. Each student had one of the vowels on their shirt and did a little solo dance when their letter was mentioned. Later, another grade did a traditional dance. The song talked about giving and receiving baby chicks to show affection. The 6th graders' dance included traditional clothing in bright pinks and yellows and and ropes that they wove together to make a star shape as they danced in a circle. The final dance was to a christian song.

After the student's presentation and a very official thank you from the director of the school (Peruvian style: with big words and serious tone), we did our last day of VBS. Brian, Ani, Kelsey, and Katie led our last singing of "Eres mi todo" (you are my all), which had become sort of our theme song for the trip. Then Kelsey and Lauren reviewed Psalm 23 - with all the motions! After a skit about a lost sheep (with Sam's sound effects) and the Shepherd, all the children got in circles to make sheep sock puppets.....what a mess we made!!! Cotton balls and glue everywhere....missing sheep noses....felt pieces that didn't seem to stick just right....but finally....at the end....a lot of happy children with very cute puppets.

During the bible lesson, most of the boys were hard at work making adobe bricks. Robby, Evan, Mr. Horton, and Mr. Schenkel worked hard at transporting the mud while Farai and some Peruvians shoveled. Andy, Nick, Seth, and Bryant were the official brickmakers. They were much more efficient than the girls...although I think the girls had more fun!

After all of our hard work, another treat! PACHAMANCA Corn, meat, beans, and potatoes cooked in leaves under a hot bed of coals underground! For more info and pictures go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachamanca

The food was amazing!!

After lunch the boys who live at Kusi did some choreographies for us (WOW), and then we had to say our goodbyes. The dance was done to christian music, and the boys do such a good job that they have been invited to present it at a townwide celebration. They are excited about the chance to be a testimony in the community.

So, that brings us to now....we are all packed and showered and ready to go! See everyone soon!
Miss J

Yes, I am writing two times in a row: by Sam Cernuto and Farai Matangira

I felt the need to write again because so many different things happened today... some which can't be put into words but I will try my best. First, a few people were sick this morning but are all feeling better tonight. However, the rest of us are trying to figure out who's going to get it next... please pray that we'll all stay healthy for the long trip back!

Farai is here and is helping me write this. He was one of the few that were sick today. He blames it on the eggs that we had yesterday for breakfast (I didn't have any and that is probably why I didn't get sick!) Anyways, now he and some of the other guys are going to play pool with Jose, one of the guys that runs the hostal we're staying at....

Back to today... this morning, we arrived at the school and had to run through our drama before we could start VBS... since Farai was sick in bed, Brian had to take over his role as Satan in our drama. Brian did a great job subbing in! He played his part so well that he made a little girl cry! Brian had to wear a black cape for his part and some of the kids thought he was Harry Potter! Our drama is very cool... powerful, as Brian says.

There is a little boy named Elnor that has stolen my heart. He is seven and somewhat shy compared to the other kids. After our drama, Miss Jackson led the kids in the sinner's prayer. Elnor was sitting on my lap and I heard him quietly repeat the words... it was the coolest thing I've ever experienced. Another little boy that all of us love is Josef. He is five and adorable! His story is so sad though. His mom, who is now 15, dropped him off at the center 6 weeks ago... so his mom was 10 when she had him! Billy has told us stories every night of the horrors of the street boys' lives.... some of them are so horrible that they are hard to fully comprehend. But when we see the boys, they are so excited! They seem to be so happy that it's easy for us to forget what they've been through.

This week has been amazing.... a trip I won't easily forget! we're all packing up now and getting ready to depart for lima at 6. Andy is very proud that he made 36 adobe bricks today! Seth says that the trip's been a lot of fun, but most importantly, the food's been really good, however, due to this trip, he vows that he's never getting married. Nick agrees. :) Katie had fun learning the Peruvian dances but she is upset that her nose is sunburned :(

Farai says, "despite the smells, the tiring work, and my sprained ankle, it's been really fun and I'm really glad I had the chance to come on this trip." Andrea misses her toilet and shower, however, she still had fun and loves all of the Peruvians. We can't wait to come home! See you all Sunday night!

Guinea Pigs, Bugs and Cold Showers: My life in Peru by Sam Cernuto

Guinea pigs, bugs, and cold showers... need I say more? Despite the sparse commodities, Peru is amazing! It is definitely a trip I'll never forget! To start with, I will never forget Henry, the cute little guinea pig that Andy and I bought today at the market. We bartered for it with the help of our spanish friend, Billy. Henry only cost 9 soles which is about $3. I got to carry him back to the restaurant. He squealed and I loved him... and then I watched the lady at the restaurant break his neck Ok, so I didn't really watch it, I was in the room but I covered my eyes. Thirty minutes later, Henry came out fully intact (minus the fur) and cooked on a plate. His head was still on and his teeth were still in his mouth! He tasted like tough, greasy chicken... I miss the little guy but Seth enjoyed devouring him!

After watching Henry's murder, we took an hour bus ride up to the glacier lake. It was truly breath taking. Huascaran, the famous mountain around here, was gorgeous. A song that we sing at my church often kept running through my head: "The heavens declare Your greatness, the oceans cry out to You, the mountains they bow down before You, so I'll join with the earth and I'll sing my praise to You!" Yesterday, I read the last few chapters of Job. God is humbling Job and showing Job how small he truly is to the Almighty God... seeing this amazing beauty reminded me of that as well. I can't help but feel small as I look around me.

Robby, Karissa, and Seth are next to me as I type this. Robby sums up his experience in one word: "Bueno!" Seth says "Howdy!" and that all of the 20 flavors of icecream in this city are amazing. He also loves everyone and is very tired. Karissa is proud of herself for hiking down the mountain today without falling! She was one of the few who didn't... I was one of the many that did-figures.

That's all for now... we miss everyone at home.... actually, we all miss our own beds and bathrooms, except for the guys because they seem to enjoy "being manly" and roughing it! :) Goodnight!

Lauren Danzi in Peru

I just wanted to write a quick note letting you know what we did today. First we got up and walked thru a market. Oh my goodness, some people in my class bought a cute, helpless guinea pig and had the restaurant kill and cook it! ahh...i thought i was going to be sick. apparently it is a widespread peruvian custom, but i dont care. gross and sad.

anyway, then we ate breakfast and got on the bus for and hour. we went up a mountain to a glacier lake. wow. it was breathtaking (because of the altitude and the beauty :D) Then we hiked for an hour down the mountain and saw some awesome waterfalls. everything here is beautiful. then we came back to where our hotel is and a bunch of us went to the market...i got some good stuff...cant wait to show everyone.

Kari Bussell in Peru

it has been such a cool experience to get to hang out with street boys in kawai, lima, & cusi. ive only got to spend a few hours really so far with each group & still so many have captured my heart with their smiles, joy, affection. im learning how much you can communicate without words. if you have a camera & you like playing games, then you can make many best friends with these amazing kids.

ive fallen in love with one little boy in particular. he´s ten years old & his name´s david. he was one of the street boys at the lima center. even though i absolutely loved all the kids there & played games with a lot of them, david would never leave my side. at one point during the night i looked down to see david tying a beautiful red, blue, & pink bracelet he´d made around my wrist. ¨para ti¨ he said (for you in english) & then drew a heart on my wrist. id call him ¨mi hermanito¨ or my little brother.

later the next night, billy, one of the leaders of scripture union, talked to us after dinner about some of the things these boys had been through. it was unfathomable really, that that precious little boy who held my hand & smiled up at me had most likely been abandoned by his teenage mother, starved, sexually abused, tortured, & left for dead. it broke my heart to hear billy talk. i kept picturing david´s face in my mind as he spoke. i cried as i wrote about it in my journal that night. in many ways peru is a very dark place but God has graciously placed lights in the darkness, scripture union & the boys centers among them.yesterday was our first day of hard manual labor at cusi.

i spent about an hour making adobe bricks (which after the 4th time i started to get the hang of) & then spent the rest of the time shoveling mud into wheelbarrows. it was incredibly exhausting work & i was completely covered in mud by the end of it, but it was actually a lot of fun & i felt really good after it was over. & let me tell you food has never tasted so delicious & sleep never felt so good as it did last night.

today was our day off, touristy, sightseeing day. we walked
through a busy market this morning & sam picked out an adorable guinea pig & named him henry. sadly, henry´s life ended at the restaurant we went to for breakfast when the cook broke his neck in front of us & then cooked him. even though there wasnt too much meat on him, henry tasted pretty good, kinda like greasy chicken. i got some amazing before & after pictures :).

then, we took a bus up to glacier lake. the guys had really wanted to jump in but mr horton wouldnt let them. something about dying from hypothermia...it was aboslutely gorgeous up there. i have never seen anything like it in my life. it was incredibe to be surrounded by towering mountains all around & to see mysef as i really should view myself all the time: very small.

one final thought before i go. i read revelation 5 two nights ago about the blood of Christ ransoming people from every tribe & every tongue. that verse took on new meaning for me in the past week because for the first time im being exposed to a culture & people completely different from myself. though so so many things are different between me & one of the street boys here, one thing remains the same. the blood of Christ saves us both. oh how wondrous & powerful is the blood of God which penetrates into all peoples, cultures, & languages to save man from sin & give them life everlasting.

Alix Bowman in Peru

there are two interns here who are 19. one of them is from nottingham england and the other is from scotland. they are so cute and are helping me a lot with my spanish. the boys are so cute and i adapted really well to the culture by sunday. i would stay here a lot longer!

we went dune buggying on saturday, and it was very roller coastery. we also sandboarded, and i cut up my arm, but it was well worth it.

the boys in kawai were not as outgoing as the boys in lima, and i think we are going to see the lima boys again on saturday before we leave for houston. we traveled all day monday to get to caraz, which is where i am right now and we will be here until friday night.

we had our first vbs and work day yesterday, and there were little girls there and the school as well. two little girls, leidy and julia, clung by my side nonstop. they were so cute and i got lots of pictures with them. today we went to a glacial lake and went hiking, which was absolutely gorgeous. i didnt get to enjoy the hiking part as much though there were no bathrooms :) but i got lots of pictures. tomorrow and friday we will go to the same school and hang out with the kids.

i started making bricks with katie out of mud, because they use those to build the school. it was really fun and i got really dirty. we are going to travel on the bus all night on friday night to get back to lima, and i hope we are going to see the boys there again. one little boy who was about thirteen thought i was his novia, which is spanish for girlfriend. ha ha ...he was cute too.

well that about covers it!
love alix

Sydney Sweet in Peru

Peru is amazing! Yesterday (Tuesday) was our first work day at Kusi and also our first Vacation Bible school, it was amazing. The children were delighted that we were there to help. We were honestly all sore last night. Once we returned to the hostal, due to the amount showers being taken the power went out. Yet again another freezing cold shower, haha, I must admit though, I am getting used to them. The power finally did come back on during worship. Today we went to Huascaran, where we went on small boat rides, the lake was FREEZING, but the scenery was breath taking. We then went on a hike down a mountain trail. We hiked for a hour and half. It was beautiful, but not easy. We all made it through the trail and back onto the bus we then headed back to Caraz to spend the rest of the day going to the market. This trip has been amazing and I am loving every second of it. Like brian said, it is a painful site sometimes, but God truely has great things planned for this area. I love and miss you all!!!! We are all safe and we appreciate all your prayers!!!

peru misc. from miss jackson

"You don't understand, Miss Jackson...You have no idea what the air pressure is doing to my stomach." - Alix Bowman

"All your brickmaking was nothing"- Farai, giving the girls a hard time because the boys had to carry lots of big rocks.

"You think YOU had a mudparty!" - Clare, who had been mixing mud and straw with her feet to the girls who were making the bricks.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" - Sam falling backwards into a mudpile (multiple times)

"Ow!" - Sam hitting her head on a tree.

"I like it." - Kari referring to her first taste of guinea pig.

"You guys are sick and need help." - Lauren talking to everyone eating guinea pig.

"We should put our soles together and buy that rooster. Then we can kill it!" -Several students who were a little irritated with a rooster that woke them up at 5 am.

"Did she say water would come out of the door?" - Katie Roberts when shown her shower....with no curtain....and only a shower head in a small room.

Lotion - what Karissa accidently put in her hair while taking a shower in the dark because the power went out.
Coca Tea - everyone's favorite tea.....guess why....

Polar Bear Club - an unofficial group of really manly students who decided that swimming in a glacial lake would be fun.....they later decided it wouldn't be such a great idea. Group members included: Nick, Andy, Evan, Robby, and others.

Henry - the name of the guinea pig that Sam picked out for breakfast.

65 million - number of guinea pigs eaten every year.

"Squeak!" - Henry's last words.

1 hour, 6 mins - time it took to hike from the glacial lake, past water falls and huge boulders, back to the bus.

Picarones - Evan's favorite Peruvian desert; sort of like a homemade donut with honey

Peanut Butter - Andy's favorite alternative to Peruvian food.

Inca Kola - everyone's soda of choice.

Hola from Brian Powell

hey friends and family,

i am sitting in a hostel in caraz. i miss home a lot, i miss all of you. but it is good here. hm...what in the world to say? i have not seen the face of god. my faith is not flawless. i havent even experienced a spiritual high. but it is good. sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious, always eye opening. so much beauty. secret cities in the clouds, i love flying. stark deserts with insane dune buggy action. biggest mountains ive ever seen in my life. and kids you want to hold onto and never let go of.

yesterday we hung out with boys in the center at lima, and i met my peruvian twin, gerardo. he is 20 years old and tall and skinny. he wears glasses, plays guitar, and likes to scream. we sat trading the guitar back and forth for probably hours, playing everything from worship to system of a down and green day. we sang together. he would get along well with the guys back home.

tomorrow we start construction, so well see how that goes. but so far its been great. i am glad to be here, and i will be glad to see you all again.our god reigns supreme in the darkest of places, and he does great works we will never know. i am privileged to see him working here this week..i love you all so much, and hope all is well in los estados unidos.
praying for a heart awake,
brian

Estamos en Peru! (from Kelsey)

One of the first things I noticed about this trip is how long each moment seems to last. It has only been three days and already seems like a life time.

When we first stepped out of the airport, we were surrounded by at least a hundred people holding signs for cab companies or waiting for friends and family. It was pretty overwhelming until some people from Scripture Union stepped forward to show us where to go. This year, Scripture Union brought along a welcome present for us: two translators, Gillian and Kate. Gillian is from Scotland and Kate is from England, but both have been here for the past few months to help teach classes for Scripture Union.

On the first day here, the group took a trip to Las Islas Paracas. The islands were breathtaking. Birds flew overhead by thousands (poor Ani Arntz was splattered twice), and the seals basked in the sunlight. The caverns everywhere reminded me of stories about pirates and hoards of buried treasure, though it is likely that the caves are only home to bats and marine life.

Later that day, we visited a part of Peru that seemed to be a scene from Arabian Nights. There was sand everywhere (including our shoes, hair, and mouths :-) ). We took the dune buggies up and down the dunes to a fairly high spot where we were each given sand boards and sledded all the way down Mr. Cernuto went the farthest, showing up all the students!
By the end of the day we were pretty exhausted and ready for the nice dinner that was prepared for us when we returned to Kawai.

The next day, our group led church with the street boys at Kawai. We sang some songs and studied Psalm 23, the verse for our trip. Some of the boys came up and sang songs or recited poems to us.
We spent that afternoon playing soccer and hanging out on the playground with the boys. When it was time to leave, they all came out and said goodbye as a group, giving out as many hugs and kisses as they could.
After a two hour bus ride, we arrived in Lima and set up our mattresses on the floor at a hostel owned by Scripture Union. That evening was amazing: everybody played with the street boys in an indoor court. We spent hours playing soccer and basketball and dancing with the littlest boys. Brian was surrounded with little kids as he played songs on his guitar- the boys knew the Spanish version of the songs Every Move I Make and Open the Eyes of my Heart.

Early this morning we had an adventure with a rat that found its way into our room and decided to scratch at the door. It only ran off when Ms. Jackson came at it armed with a camera and flashlight!
After breakfast we had a ten hour bus ride to Caraz. The views were spectacular! At the beginning of the ride we could look out the windows and see straight down a cliff into the ocean. Later we were surrounded by snow-capped mountains and wild valleys. As we drove further into the mountains, the villages became more ramshackle. There were houses made of dirt whose roofs had collapsed, and stray dogs fighting in the streets. It was hard to believe that people actually lived in places like this, and helped us to better understand the lives of the street boys we have been working with.
Tonight we spent some time worshiping the Lord though prayer, song and devotions. So far this trip has been amazing and we have a lot to thank God for. We have had so many opportunities to show God´s love and we are all well and content. Thank you so much for your prayers! I know God is protecting us and helping us to do his work!

First Peruvian Moments from Miss Jackson

Hola!

I just wanted to give you all a brief update! Kelsey Huber will be adding some more later!

The first few days were great! It included a long flight, lots of driving, stinky birds, fat sea lions, dune buggies and sand in our ears, and lots of amazing kids in Kawai and Lima! Sunday morning we were able to help lead the church service for the boys at Kawai and the students did an amazing job!

Brian, Kelsey, Ani, and Katie lead the boys in worship.....in Spanish! YAY!

Lauren, Kari, Sydney and Sam, after working very hard, were able to present two skits communicating the truth about God´s protection and provision for us.

Farai, Nick, Clare, Ani, Sam, Katie, and McKenzie shared a choreography that very clearly showed the gospel.

It was such a great time to celebrate what God has done with the boys at Kawai! I have been so proud of our students!!

There is more to come, but I will leave that to Kelsey!

Blessings and ADIOS!
Trish Jackson aka Miss J

We're goin' to Peru!

Hola to all the Parents and Southlake Folks (and all others who may be reading),

We are all looking forward to getting on airplane this morning! God has already shown us His favor and mercy. As of Wednesday, Evan Scott had not gotten his passport...and after the prayers of many and lots of phone calls, it arrived yesterday! YAY!

Check back for updates about our trip. I will have the students do some of the the blogging this year. It will be Monday evening before we have access to a computer, so check back then!

Please pray for us! It is going to be an amazing trip and I know that God is going to work in the hearts of our students as they step out in faith to serve Him in a different context!

Blessings,
Trish Jackson

Queens Cup Steeplechase

I got to play dress up today!! I felt like I was in a movie....maybe My Fair Lady, where she dresses up and goes to the horse race and pretends like she is someone that she maybe is not and then gives herself away by what she says. I didn't give myself away....maybe everyone else around me was playing dress up too. It was fun!

Lisa and I

Amazing jump...too bad it wasn't the horse I picked to win!

Playing dress up :)

thank you, Father!

Today: I ran a 10k in 62 minutes. I ate some really good salad. I enjoyed some great worship music. I felt the breeze and saw the colors of Spring. I had a choice as to which sweatshirt I wanted to wear.

It was a good day! My body did what it is supposed to do, I had food to eat, and I had clothes to wear. Thank you Father God!

I hope that if these things were not true, that I would still be able to praise God!

Philipians 4

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

happy 4th birthday cheyenne!

My niece is so beautiful!
We had quite a fun afternoon at Papa Smurf and Gigi's...
along Momma, Nina, and Aunt Trish-wa


Kota, who bought you that super-styling shirt for Christmas?
Must have been Aunt Trish-wa!

the true sun

" This is how I distinguish dreaming and waking. When I am awake I can, in some degree, account for and study my dream. The dragon that pursued me last night can be fitted into my waking world. I know there are such things as dreams...I know that a man of my reading might be expected to dream of dragons. But while in the nightmare I could not have fitted in my waking experience. The waking world is judged more real because it can thus contain the dreaming world; the dreaming world judged less real because it cannot contain the waking one. For the same reason I am certain that in passing from the scientific points of view to the theological, I have passed from dream to waking. Christian theology can fit in science, art, morality and sub-Christian religions. The scientific point of view cannot fit in any of these things, not even science itself. I believe Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. "

CS Lewis, The Weight of Glory, 139-140

library nostalgia

I went to the library today. I walked by the books. I saw the books. I smelled the books. And I remembered: I love books. I love to read. That is all.

Forever

I am taking a class at UNCC called Murder, Marriage, and Mayhem: The Golden Age of Spanish Theatre. Interesting title, right? Actually, it has been a really interesting and very challenging class. We read whole plays in Spanish. YIKES :)

So, tonight, we were talking about an the last play that we read called El Burlador de Sevilla (the play that is the basis for the famous opera Don Juan). In it there is an allusion to the myth of Cupid and Psyche. When I was in elementary school, I used to check out Greek mythology books to read just for fun (nerd = needs extra reading daily). Anyways....so I was familiar with the myth. The brief version is this:

There was a young girl named Psyche who was very beautiful. The goddess Aphrodite was jealous of Psyche and sent her son Cupid to pierce her with one of his arrows so that she might fall in love with an ugly man. Instead, Cupid himself fell in love with her. He married her and came to her every night, but told her she must not see him, because he was a god. Out of jealousy, her own sisters warned to that he might be a dangerous serpent and that she should light a lamp while he slept to find out his true form. Disobeying, she lit a lamp and at once was saddened by what she had done because she realized that it was the god of love himself, and she had betrayed him. A drop of wax fell on him, and he awoke and fled.

The idea that we discussed in class was that of in one instance seeing paradise and then losing it. My mind flashed back to CS Lewis' book Till We Have Faces, which is a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche with a lot of variations. Although certainly a work of fiction, Lewis is a master of capturing and conveying true truth through story.

And if it was a dream, Sister, how do you think I came here? It's more likely that everything that had happened to me before this was a dream. Why, Glome and the King...seem to me very like dreams now...You could see it was a god's house a once. I don't mean a temple where a god is worshiped. A god's house, where he lives. I would not for any wealth have gone into it. But I had to...for there came a voice so sweet-sweet? oh, sweeter than any music, yet my hair rose at it too- and you know what it said? It said, "Enter your House" (yes it called it my house), "Psyche, the bride of the god." Till We Have Faces, CS Lewis, 112-113.

Cupid and Psyche are a myth.

This is the truth: those who belong to Christ are His bride, and one day, they will be invited to spend all of eternity with Him....in paradise! In a place more beautiful than we can imagine!

No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him Isaiah 64:4

All of this flashed through my mind in an instant when she mentioned Psyche glimpsing paradise and then losing it.

My heart cried out: I want paradise! I want an eternity with God! I want to spend eternity with Christ, the lover and savior of my soul! I want to hear Him say well done and invite me into His house to live and enjoy and glorify Him forever. I don't want to miss that...

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—
kept in heaven for you! 1 Peter 1: 3-4

I will praise you, O Lord my God,
with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 84: 12

i love kittens :)

Night at the Opera

I love the Opera!

Time to go to the Opera! Spanish 4 went to see
Miguel de Falla's La Vida Breve!

Andrea and Katie are excited about the opera!

Enjoying Spanish food at MIRO in South Charlotte

not betty crocker

I am a little grumpy.

The other night I went to a fellowship dinner with some ladies from my church. Everyone brought these yummy recipes to swap. So, tonight I decided to try my hand at making a yummy desert that we will just call "little oreo balls of delight"...there are only three ingredients and seven easy steps: grind oreos, mix with cream cheese, roll into balls, chill 1 hour, melt white chocolate, dip balls in the chocolate, cool.

Simple right? Not for Trish....I can't even melt chocolate!!!! I think I might have over melted it (aka burned it)....it never got to the point where I could actually dip something in it.....or maybe it was past that point....I DONT KNOW....i dipped the oreo balls in, and they fell apart as I was trying to cover them in chocolate....all I was left with was "little balls of disaster" and no fun christmas treats for my friends.

I am bummed. I don't like white chocolate anymore. I don't like oreos. And I don't like cooking!

little miss distracted

So, I just opened up my freezer and what did I find? A frozen roma tomato....no I'm serious...a tomato!!! The other day I was making a salad and I thought to myself, "hmmm...I like my tomatoes cold...I should put it in the freezer a few minutes." Somewhere between getting out the lettuce, putting on the cheese, and adding some yummy balsamic vinagrette dressing I forgot about my tomato.

And that brings us to today when I was looking for some chocolate. No chocolate in our freezer, just a bright, red, frozen tomato. In fact, I dropped it on the floor....ya know...just to see what would happen....nothing! Just a ice thunk on the floor. So we played a little frozen tomato soccer and then tried to tempt the cats into playing with us.

The sad thing is that I don't just forget about tomatoes. The same night I left the tomato in the freezer I left chicken in the oven. I was baking some chicken to use for sandwiches later that week. Luckily, my roommate, who came home at 9:30-3 hours later-decided to make some food for a work party. She found the chicken and saved us all from a potentially fire-y death.

And then this morning, I woke up and I realized that I forgot I was supposed to play in a softball game the night before. GRRRRR....How does this happen?!

The sad thing is that I don't just forget about silly things. I forget about important things....like trusting God...and loving my friends and family well.....about knowing who I belong to.

I am grateful that God does not forget.

Lord, help me to remember....who you are....what you have done, that I might learn to trust you and love you more.

Psalm 105

1 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.

2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.

3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

4 Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.

5 Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

6 O descendants of Abraham his servant,
O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.

7 He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He remembers his covenant forever,
the word he commanded, for a thousand generations,

thoughts from cs lewis and the bible

It seems to me that we often, almost sulkily,
reject the good that God offers us because,
at the moment, we expected some other good.
- CS Lewis, Letters to Malcolm

LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
- Psalm 15:5-6

softball memories

YAY! I got to play softball tonight. I know it doesn't really sound that exciting, but it has been so long since I last played.... It was a little cold at first, but once you started throwing the ball and moving around, the weather was perfect. It feels so good just to be doing something sporty and active.

It definitely brought back a lot of college memories! We used to organize an intramural team for the Lee Symphonic Band....go LSB Ladies. I can't say that we were amazing, but we had a lot of fun. Eric Eledge, the official intramural organizer and writer of the "Intramural Insider" even gave us an honorable mention....One line of fame was all we had. Ahhh....memories...some of my favorites:

1. Randy Cantrell's chant: "Who plays the best positions? Musicians?
2. Katie Bredamus yelling "3 up, 3 down"
3. Hunting for players at the last minute so we would have enough
4. Choosing softball over studying for very important Dr. Bowdle tests
5. Getting made fun of in during band accidentalism (initiation) for being a little overexcited about softball.
5. Jamie Nichols, Jen Miles, Jen Small, Katie Bredamus, Nikki Gorman, Jessica Porter, and others.

So, here's to softball and college memories!

airplane

Bethany Dillon
Airplane

in an airplane i take the window seat
a thousand feet and all i know shrinks in minutes and when the sky is gray i want to believe that when the sun is hiding it still exists

in an airplane are kings and common men
at the window side my side their view is now the same
some relax and rest their eyes
some sit on the edge
as we all break through the clouds into the light of day

mountain tops peak through
this is where i see you
i've never seen a clearer blue
this is where i see you

leave behind your busy life all you have is who you are s
pace like this is hard to find so breathe it in
someone will say, "where are you headed?"
and it might be the first time you ever thought about it

mountain tops peak through this is where i see you
i've never seen a clearer blue this is where i see you

a baby's talking two rows behind me
the sun just set for the second time today
you seem to use the smallest things around me t
o get me to this place

mountain tops peak through
this is where i see you
i've never seen a clearer blue
this is where i see you

perfect time

I love it! Finally, the fall is officially here! I mean, it was calendarially (if that is a word) official on September 23, but now it is weather-ly official. YAY! A cold front came in yesterday. It was blustery and cool. I had to break out the fleece to keep warm. And this morning, it is cool and grey and appears to be wanting to rain a little.

I don't know what it is. Something about the seasons coming in their time. It is so refreshing and perfect and it reminds me that God is really in control. He is truly good and everything that he does comes at just the right time.....whether it feels late to me or not.

Why I love Peru

This is Paulo leading worship at Centro Iquitos. The first song is about how every knee will bow before Christ. The second is about having faith like a mustard seed.

Pre Race Chicks

Here's Jess and I before the big race. It was all her idea to begin with :) In fact, the first time we ran together was at Oak Island in the beginning of the summer. She kept me running by saying: "Ok, you can make it to the next green house. Just a little more. Now keep running until the pink house." Thanks Jess!

I did it!

I am so excited!!!! I just got home from running the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done!

STATS

Distance: 13.1 miles (I ran the whole thing...yay!)
Finish time: 2:32:28
Place: 10,203 out of 16,170 finishers, 1248 out ot 2045 women aged 25-29, 4949 out of 9128 women finishers
Bib number: 3205
Amazing Race Buddies: Jess Hawk, Dierdre Mumpower, Sharon McGowan, Donna Simons, Gatewood and Penny
Amount of Food eaten at Olive Garden the night before: WAY TOO MUCH! But the Chicken Alfredo was AMAZING!
Cups of water gulped down: 5
Cool people seen:
1. newlyweds - the bride was wearing her veil and the groom's shirt said "just married"
2. a guy running with no shoes because his gave him a blister
3. several men in hula skirts and leis
4. a lady with sequined gold shirts
5. lots of people dressed as pirates cheering on the sidelines....ARRRR!
6. 20,000 people from 50 states and 11 countries
7. the super-fast africans who passed us while they were on mile 8 and we were on mile 2
8. a loving father pushing his son 13.1 miles in a wheelchair (watch inspiring video here-wow- and official website here)
Fastest Man: James Kwambai 1:03:30
Fastest Woman: Edna Kiplagat 1:11:08
Favorite Part: The first 5 miles, across a bridge, under the trees, feeling like I could run forever.
Least Favorite Part: The last 4 miles in the sun, knees hurting, looking for a water stand.
Related Bible Verse: Hebrews 12:1-3> Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Regrets: none!

Photo Gallery

racer number 3205

The Rock n Roll Half Marathon is only 2 days away. Tomorrow morning I will be getting in my friend Jess' car and we will be driving to Virginia Beach. I am just looking at my registration packet.

I am runner number 3205....hmmm...sounds like a good, strong number.

I am in corral number 3 with a predicted time of 1 hour 40 minutes....wait a sec! Did I predict that? I think I will ask them to move me back about 5 corrals, because it will be more like 2 hours and 15 minutes (or longer) before I finish. What was I thinking? (a country song just started playing in my head).

Today I was talking to my friend Rusty about the Country Music Half Marathon that he ran in TN. It made me even more excited about the race. He said it was one of the most rewarding, encouraging things he has ever done. We shall see about that!

That is all for now!

a happy little sound

My microwave has the friendliest little bell. I say bell and not beep because it is a really cheap microwave with a turn timer. I just heated up a cup of coffee to drink with a really yummy cookie. When it was finished, the microwave just sang out: "DING! Come and get it! Warm, Yummy, Goodness for you to Drink." What a happy little sound!

marathon update: delusions of grandeur

It is finally here. The weekend I have been anticipating for 17 weeks! The Virginia Beach Rock n Roll Half Marathon. I confess, I am a little bummed, because the farthest I have run so far is 6 miles. However, it is farther than I was running when I started, and definitely farther than I have ever run in my entire life. Perhaps I had delusions of grandeur. I think I fully understand that phrase now.

Actually, this seems to happen a lot. I say, "I can do it." Sort of like Trish thinking she could snowboard when she have never even skied or done any other winter sport. After falling off the ski lift, not being able to even stand up, and then walking back to the lodge almost in tears, I discovered that I could not, in fact, "just figure it out."

Hmmmmmmmm......oh well. Maybe it was good to set my goal so high. At least I will be able to run half way. Final results to follow on Monday morning! Tally Ho!

longing...

Psalm 38:9
All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.

Proverbs 13:12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:19
A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul

2 Corinthians 5:2
Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling.

Psalm 37:4-7
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;


C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probably explanation is that I was made for another world.

sad corn

I think corn is one of the most beautiful plants. There is an intersection near my mom's house, way out in the country, where I love to watch the sun go down behind the corn. It seems so tall and unassuming; Humble and yet majestic at the same time. Today I went by and they had mowed it down. I was sad to see it go.....it was so beautiful....but the truth is, sometimes things have to die to serve their purpose.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24

a morning jog

I went jogging this morning. My path took me to a Greenway that runs near my house. It is a windy trail that took me through a green, foresty area. Nothing special happened, until I came across a family of deer on their early morning stroll. I stopped and stood there in awe. They were beautiful!

Everything else on the trail seemed to take on a new look and sound and personality: I met a granddaddy long legs who, I can only presume, was on his way to buy some new walking shoes, a squirrel eating her morning breakfast, a turtle who I am certain when he gets to his destination will discover that he has, indeed, beaten the hare, and a chorus of crickets practicing for one of their last evening summer concerts. Maybe the butterfly I met will finally find that perfect flower.

the end of a chapter

I started this in August, but for some reason didn't post it.

I have had the feeling these past few days that a chapter has just ended. On Sunday afternoon, I went to a cookout to say goodbye to Scott and Patti Jenkins. As I was on the swing under the big oak at EH and Cindy Cooks house, I looked around at everyone who was there. I thought to myself, we may never be together like this again. Tonight, I had the same feeling as I sat around three tables with some of my old uturn buddies at OCharleys. The group was slightly varied from Sunday, but I had the same thought. We may never be all together like this again.

It was all of us who grew up in youth group together, beginning back when youth was called Power House and later Uturn. We were all there when a single Scott Jenkins came at 23 years old to be our youth pastor. We were a small group. Our favorite Wednesday after youth group hang out was either Carolina Cones or Wendy's and Chilis in the summer. We all went to Camp Courtney together. sigh....memories...

Everyone is headed in different directions. A season has ended. A new one has started.

the answer to the impossible question

You know those questions that are so hard to answer? Those ones that you think you should know the answer to, but you just can't seem to come up with one.

"What is your favorite food? "

Ahhhhh! There it is! The unanswerable question. What do you mean? Am I supposed to pick out of all the millions of different kinds of foods just ONE that I love best? Favorite is a pretty strong word. Sort of like calling someone your BEST friend or saying I LOVE cats. The word favorite connotes some kind of faithfulness to the word it is applied to.

I would like to announce that today I have found that food that merits all of the above words. BEST. LOVE. FAVORITE. My favorite food is the SANDWICH!

mmmm! The one I am eating right now: Toasted rosemary bread, provalone cheese, real chicken, lettuce, and mayo! yum! That's what I'm talkin' about!

Other notable sandwiches
1. BLT from Quiznos
2. Chicken Salad Sandwich on 9 grain bread at Atlanta Bread company
3. Chicken Salad Wrap from Arby's
4. Tuna, provalone, and lettuce on toasted wheat bread from Subways (don't wrinkle your nose...you know tuna is super-yum!)

Check out this article at wikipedia on sandwiches wiki

bang, crash, kazam

I went to Lowe's Motor Speedway last night! Not only did I meet "Lugnut", but I got to see lots of little, teeny, but really loud, cars go round and round and round and round and....There were a few crashes, one tire flying through the air, a girl driver with a sweet car with PINK numbers, some little 12 year olds with more driving guts than I have, and lots of old guys with beer bellies.
It was fun though =) It brought back of memories of "back in the day" when my mom was into racing. She would successfully commandeer the television almost every Sunday, to the protests of my sister and I, and later we would all find ourselves taking an involuntary Sunday nap to the sound of something like buzzing bees flying in circles. Then we would wake up in time to see the checkered flag - hopefully with Awesome Bill from Dawsonville in the front of the pack.

Some other fun NASCAR memories:
** Funnel cakes
** My super cool NASCAR t-shirt that I wore forever or atleast until I was old enough to realize its uncoolness
** Getting sunscreen in my eyes
** Falling asleep actually AT the Coca-Cola 600
** My mommy =)

zoom zoom zoom...

Wierd Cat Lady!

No! I am not talking about myself. Ok, so I have this neighbor. I drive down the road and she is watching her cat taking a potty break.....I get closer and the cat is on a LEASH....ummmm....who does that?