cheers.

Here’s to the crazy ones. The rebels. The troublemakers. The ones who see things differently. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

quote from the old "think different" apple campaign.
i like it.

morning.

i had it all planned out.

i woke up early, made fresh coffee and choc. chip/oatmeal pancakes for my roommates, and was excited to read and enjoy the morning.

because i seriously love mornings. love them, love them!

and then i was going to sit on my little computer and blog about loving mornings. and even post this quote...

The moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours.  No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen.  And the fact that it practically always doesn't, matters not a jot.  The possibility is always there.
-Monica Baldwin

but this morning...
i was grumpy. and not happy. and not at all enjoying my morning.
ugh, and i hate bad mornings because they can set the whole tone for your day.

so here i sit, trying to reverse my no-reason-at-all-grumpy mood.
funny how that works, huh?
maybe i should just let my mornings be, and not put so much pressure on making it the perfect morning?

i still think that quote is great. and i still love mornings.
and there ya have it folks.
i have the day off tomorrow. so ill post something interesting.

wikendi poa

"if you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk with others." - Swahili Proverb

I had a great weekend.

Friday night I had 3 girls stay over. We made pesto pasta and salad and for dessert made some awesome "coffee chocolate chunk" cookies. so yummy! it was just good to spend time together, talking about some of our ups and downs in kenya.

Saturday was the big film premier. We had a screening at a local theater and invited different people that work at AIM and others in the community. It was a really special time, and super encouraging too. It was a pretty cool experience to work so hard for so many months and then see the final product on the big screen!

Saturday night I stayed over with my friend Ali. She is staying in a house that is way outside of Nairobi and it is just absolutely beautiful! amazing!! it is this wonderful, cute cottage looking house nestled away in the middle of all these acres of tea fields! i felt like i was staying in a rain forest!
This morning we woke up early and went running overlooking these rolling hills and tea fields. It was breathtaking!
I looked out and just thought to myself, "Now this...this is Africa." (TIA) Sometimes I have to remind myself where I am. And sometimes...it simply just blows me away. :)

Tonight I played some dutch blitz at youth group. loooooove that game.
Then made some chocolate muffins for staff meeting tomorrow.
Ironically, Monday may just be my favorite day of the week.

All in all it was just a really perfect weekend. :)

post for monica.

so my cousin monica sent me a package (in june but it just got here!)
she sent me lots of goodies, including some organic semi-sweet chocolate chips!
you can't get chocolate chips in kenya. anywhere.
i normally cut up chocolate bars and throw them in the cookies. :/

anyways, monica i thought you'd like to know...
we used your chocolate chips to make cookies for a young, kenyan girl who lives in a rural village outside of nairobi.
she is an orphan and has most likely never had a chocolate chip in her life.
my friend, tamara, who has been staying at my house, sponsors her through Compassion International, and is bringing them to her tomorrow. :)

so all that to say, thanks for the chocolate chips!! lots of people in kenya are enjoying them!!

bzz.

reminiscing with mal peterson tonight.
i miss the bees.
a lot.
we've done a bunch of dumb/weird/awesome/special stuff together.
really thankful for that.

"If we were left to ourselves with the task of taking the gospel to the world, we would immediately begin planning innovative strategies and plotting elaborate schemes. We would organize conventions, develop programs, and create foundations… But Jesus is so different from us. With the task of taking the gospel to the world, he wandered through the streets and byways…All He wanted was a few men who would think as He did, love as He did, see as He did, teach as He did and serve as He did. All He needed was to revolutionize the hearts of a few, and they would impact the world."


[photo credit: ofm]

"....But then I realize there is never going to be a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says, 'I wish you would have kept more for yourself.' I'm confident that God will take care of me."
-D. Platt

indigenous.

tibet.

kenya.

ethiopia.

i stumbled upon this guys site as i was researching a little, in prep for the upcoming madagascar trip.
we are focusing completely on unreached people/tribal groups.
i found this guys work very interesting.
phil borges

opposite?

Funny how some days you just have more hope than others.

This morning I woke up, with a lot of hope. expectant hope.
Maybe it was because my temporary roommates had made fresh bran muffins and coffee... :)
No, im kidding, but that was very nice.

Either way, I woke up and was greeted by my dear friend, hope.
So as most of you who are reading this, were still sleeping cozy in your beds, I began praying.
Praying that when you wake up this morning, you too would feel the hope and joy that is promised to us.
Because regardless of whether today is any special day for you, or just the end to another "normal" week, there is still a lot of good in store for us in these 24 hours.

I was challenged a few weeks ago by one of the bees, staci, who just sent me a text that simply said:
"today i have so much hope."
It's not like anything crazy, special happened that day, but her act of recognizing the hope promised to us, was encouraging and challenging to me.

The promises of God are to be taken at their face value.

I hope I'm not becoming a romanticist being over here, impractical in my ways of thinking.
I'd like to think its just a little "relentless optimism." right jon tony?

"Whatever desire the Father permits to live in the heart of one of His saints, He will grant the fulfillment thereof."

KIPMIF.


[africa is good btw. :) the days have been overcast and chilly, but the nights are cool and clear. work has been busy. thankful for good, simple times with friends here]

Disillusionment.

I guess you can only blame yourself for feeling that way, huh?
Feeling disillusioned - does it come from unrealistic expectations? or naivete? or trying to see only the good in people?
Not really sure, but because I am trying to keep the trend of being real and honest with this blog, I must say...I am feeling a little disillusioned today.

disillusionment: a feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be

hakuna shida. (no problem)
God is still God.
And God is good.
I will go to the bank on that one.

"This is a faithful saying, and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."
I Tim. 1:15.

realizing the weight and truth of the above statement...hard to swallow.
swallowing.
thankful for grace today.

"best day ever"

they stole my catch phrase...
"raise your hand if this is the best day evverrrrr?!" :)

i saw this on my friend bess' blog and had to repost it.

vision.

Today I was having a conversation with some of my co-workers and the idea of having a vision for your life came up.
I realized, I don't think I could sit and write down consisely a long-term vision for my life. Which may not be a bad thing, but I'd like to be able to. Proverbs 29:18, ever heard of it?? :) "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

What is vision?
For me, I don't think of one day having a big, fancy house or a nice 401k plan or the perfect career (because that exists).
I think vision has to do with becoming something more - living up to the call placed on our lives, which is different for everyone. About doing what we were made to do, not for our own glory, but for God's.



In today's world it's so easy to just focus on immediate gratification versus working towards something greater, for a purpose that is beyond ourselves.
I think we need to dare to "get a bigger vision". And I don't mean doing big, great things for just the sake of doing big, great things. But God has made us a promise...
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
Psalm 2:8
...so why would we settle for anything less?

I think I'll get to working on that vision. Yes, making disciples, having a family, becoming a mother - all those things are part of my vision, but I'd like to get a bigger vision...and I'm not sure exactly what that looks like yet.

But I know I can't sit idly in my small corner of the world, while the promise awaits...it's within reach, we just have to go, to move, to dream, to expect of God all that He says to be true.

for now

"she has the golden summer
of her life as far as freedom
and frolic went. she walked,
rowed, berried, and dreamed
to her heart's content..."
-anne of green gables


today was a good day. a simple yet refreshing day.

a lot of things are changing. and life for me is very different over here.

but im realizing i am experiencing many moments of joy - the inexpressible, and filled with glory kind of joy. (1 peter 1:8)

in Job it talks about even the widow's heart singing for joy. i know life will bring many more trials, and im okay with that. but im thankful for the ability to see and rest in the moments of overflowing joy. and for some reason, there are many of them here in africa.
in the book of Job, it paints the perfect picture - a man who faced terrible loss and insurmountable obstacles, but then choosing to serve the Lord and in turn experiencing those moments of true joy. but i do think it's all about the choice.
the fullness of joy awaits us, but we must make a decision, despite circumstances.
easier said in the good times, rather than the bad, i suppose.

anyways, this really wasn't supposed to be a long post.
just a normal day, doing normal things...no crazy adventures or awesome stories.
but feeling really thankful i guess, that even the "normal" days can still be special.


"the pastures of the wilderness overflow,
the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
the valleys deck themselves with grain,
they shout and sing together for joy."
psalm 65:12-13

i really mean it.

I've been in Kenya for just over 4 months now.
My time here is half way up.
So I wanted to say thank you.
Thank you, for real.

nimefurahi sana!

best week ever.
overstatment??? perhaps, but right now, it's hard to remember a better one. :)
being with these kids all week, I felt very alive and incredibly thankful.

safely back from camp.
going rock climbing tomorrow.
real update to follow.