Snow Day - Texas Style

Yesterday afternoon we started getting freezing rain, so we closed the office early.  The policy for bad weather is to follow the local school district, if they cancel school than the office is officially closed.  Some people still go in if they are able, but the office is still closed.  So, even though I am not teaching this year, I was still waiting on a school closure in order to have a snow day.

Last night before bed we did figure out that the schools were closed and we would not be going in to work.  So, as part of my relaxing morning I went outside to take pictures.  Cassandra and I walked around the apartment complex and admired the beauty of the ice on different things, and also the danger of it through collapsed carports.  I felt sorry for the kids who were trying to make snowmen to enjoy their snow day, but were unable to do so because it was more ice than snow.

I am thankful that I do not have to drive anywhere right now.  Although I did remember to take my recently purchased scraper out of my car last night, I would rather not chip away at the ice if I don't have to.

Susy commented yesterday about the 'snow,' comparing to the snow she saw during Thanksgiving.  My comment was that it was more of a mess than actual snow.  It started as freezing rain yesterday and then turned into sleet later on.  We even had short periods of hail.  Although it is not good snow, I did take time to go outside and enjoy it because it may be the only 'snow' I see this winter other than the remnants of the small skiff of snow I saw while in Iowa.

Time Confusion

My body does not know what time it is right now.  I do not even have the excuse of changing time zones during my travels.

Saturday night I went to be at 8:30pm.
Sunday morning I got up at 3:30am (I am not crazy, but I had an early flight to catch).
Sunday morning I napped on my flight.
Sunday afternoon I napped again.
Sunday night I went to bed by 10pm.
Monday morning I got up at 5:45am.
Monday afternoon I napped for 2 hours (After being sent home from work because I have a cold).
Monday evening I went back to work at 5:30 for dinner and my evening class.

Now my body is tired and I know it is evening, but my internal clock is definitely confused.  Hopefully with a good night's sleep it will be a little better adjusted tomorrow. :)

Quotable Moment

Sometimes when one is really tired, one makes really stupid comments that end up being extremely funny.

For example, a comment on the benefit of being a plumber after discussing a broken garbage disposal and then a previous instance of where the gray water backing up into the kitchen sink and dishwasher may come from.  After said discussion Judy commented, "I would never want to be a plumber!"  To which I responded, "Why not, then you could ..."

The discussion was ended by lots of laughter, even to the point of tears in our eyes.  I then stated that my comment was evidence that I really needed to go to bed.

Good Night!

Conference Weekend

This past weekend, Gospel for Asia hosted a conference entitled Renewing Your Passion.  It was a wonderful and busy weekend.  Through times of worship, teaching, fellowship, learning, and prayer attendees were able to catch a glimpse of what God is doing throughout South Asia and to give Him glory.

Although I wish I could share with you in greater detail, it would take more time than I have right now. Instead I will let this link provide the insight far better than I could:
www.gfa.org/place

During the weekend I was also able to spend some time with my good friends, Susan and Abby, who attended the conference.  It was a blessing to see them and to have them gain a greater understanding of what I am a part of here at Gospel for Asia.

Praise the Lord!

As of Wednesday, September 18th, I have complete funding for my year at Gospel for Asia's School of Discipleship.  The process of raising support has been a journey of seeing God provide time and again in amazing ways.  His faithfulness in raising my support and providing my prayer team has continually affirmed His call on my life to be here for a year.

Ephesians 3:20-21 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Time with Friends

When surrounded by people that I have only known for a month, and still don't truly know well, there is amazing comfort in spending an evening with friends I have known for four years.  Thanks Kevin and Marisol for the fun evening of fellowship.

As much as I am enjoying my new community and making new friends, it is impossible in a short time to develop the depth of friendship that comes from experiencing life together.  Having deep friendships is something that I have missed since moving to Texas.  Another thing I miss is spending time with families and people outside of my age range.  This will change over time as I continue to grow in my relationships with the people I have met, but right now I realize how much I took my friendships for granted.

Throughout my life God has blessed me with wonderful friends.  Each time I have moved it has been challenging, but God has always provided new friends.  God never changes, and He is the friend who is with me no matter where I go.

Why we do what we do

Here is a video that gives some insight into why we do what we do.  This is not the whole story, and this video is actually put out by a different organization, but the heart of the message is still the same.  Enjoy!

Meet my classmates

Here is a picture of our School of Discipleship class for August 2013.

Cameron, Susy, Damelia, me, Cassandra, Jake, Billy, Caleb, Rebekah

Moving In . . . Starting Out

Saturday, August 17th was moving day for me.  I already had all of my stuff in boxes and suitcases, and much of it in storage.  The task that remained was to put the boxes back in my car to take them to my new apartment, and once there the real work of unpacking took place.

My friend Rachel had volunteered to help me move in - we both used it as an excuse to get together - and though I thought at first I might not need help, I was very grateful for her help throughout the afternoon.  Arriving at my new apartment around noon we carried, unpacked, organized, and decorated until around 4pm.  In typical Karlynn and Rachel style, we had a little project that needed work and tried to fix it, which turned into a rather funny situation.  The closet rod was trying to fall down - this was after we had hung stuff in the closet.  We were able to fix it, after a few laughs and reminiscing back to other somewhat similar situations when we were roommates in college.

After that we made a trip to Target.  The trip was less for the few things that we needed to buy, and more for the opportunity to get out of the apartment after spending so much focused time on unpacking.  I was very thankful to get it all finished in the one afternoon.  Rachel was helpful, but also understood when I needed to think things through to figure out where things should go.

That evening we had a welcome dinner at Gospel for Asia.  Right before dinner we were all welcomed by the School of Discipleship coordinator, and then we ate.  The students from the January class - who will be here until December - were also a part of the evening which was fun.  I had met a number of them before when I came to visit, so it was fun to meet them again.  After dinner people hung around visiting and getting to know one another as well as playing four square.  I was fairly exhausted after unpacking so I spent time visiting rather than playing.  Rachel was able to join us for dinner, other people had family members there, and unintentionally we matched each other after changing out of our moving clothes, it was kind of funny.

On Sunday the students all went to church together.  The church is actually in between our apartment complex and the office.  We walked in groups and met there before the service.  I really enjoyed the church and the pastor is preaching through Matthew.  The sermon was very good and grounded in scripture, which is very important to me.

After church we had a meeting with all of the girls and our house mentor which covered some basic details about our apartment life, the upcoming schedule, and other things we needed to know.  Then we had a potluck in the Cafe at GFA with all of the staff.  This was a great opportunity to get to meet more people.  In the afternoon some of the leaders came to pray with the different apartments as we start out our year.  Later we played volleyball.  I use that term loosely because we basically put as many people on each side of the court as we could and then hit the ball back and forth at each other - growing up we called that kind of play chicken ball.  It was fun and lasted a couple of hours.  I came in and my roommate was making quesadillas and offered me on, which I of course accepted (my roommate is from Mexico).  Then I went and had tea with another student who also enjoys tea - I introduced her to Bengal Spice and she is now a fan.

Monday through Wednesday was orientation for the School of Discipleship.  We had different staff members sharing about some of the aspects of the ministry.  We took care of schedule details, policies, and all that kind of important stuff.  We also took some tours: one was to the various locations of the previous GFA offices before our current one, another tour was around the main areas of the building, and the third one showed us important other locations such as libraries, janitor closets, emergency shelters, and the like.

Thursday we began our office placements.  I am serving in the Call Center, so in the future if you ever call GFA for something, I may be the one answering the phone and helping you with your questions.  There is a lot to learn in the call center, so I am not nearly fully trained yet, but since I started last Thursday, there has been definite progress.  We couldn't even really start training right away because of one person being gone on vacation so our supervisor was busy filling in.

Last weekend I was gone for Renee's wedding up in Edmonton, and life was very busy this past week with training.  There are many things that I need to learn to be able to answer all the questions that come in on the phones and through emails.  During our building tour - before I knew I would be in the Call Center - our tour guide told us that the people in the Call Center are some of the most knowledgeable people about the ministry because they get so many different questions, and if they do not know the answers they figure them out.  It sounded a little intimidating, but I know that God has placed me there and I want to serve there for his glory.  It is also an exciting placement because we get to interact regularly with supporters and share so much about the heart of the ministry with people who call.

The first couple of weeks have been challenging but also a blessing.  I have been challenged to daily die to myself in a variety of ways, I have learned many things, and I have been blessed to be surrounded by such a loving and encouraging Christian community.  God has a plan for this year, and though it will be hard in many ways at different times, I am excited to be here living out His plan for my life.

Amputated

Early on this summer, while I was traveling home, I went to church with Lynola, Uncle Henry & Aunt Ardie in Maple Ridge.  The sermon was about the Body of Christ, and unity in the body.  I don't remember all of it, but we were encouraged to meet new people and to get more involved in the body.  The pastor also said at one point that when someone who is actively involved leaves the local body it feels like a part of the body has been amputated.  This wasn't necessarily said as a bad thing, but the pain of amputation is a reflection of the blessing unity of the body.
After going home from church Lynola and I sat on the porch swing in the back yard.  I commented on what the pastor had said about amputation.  It stood out to me because I had just left my home church of four years to go on vacation and then move to Texas.  Sort of as a joke I commented that I had been amputated from my church.  I did not really have a problem with this because I knew that God had called me away and I was confident he would provide another church family and community for me in Texas.
Fast forward to the end of the summer.  I loved spending time in Smithers, and even getting to be there for the first weeks of their new pastor being there.  At the same time though I missed my church and the fellowship there.  I was getting tired of being in transition, and after having been 'amputated' from my church body, I was greatly looking forward to being connected to a new church body.
Transitions definitely have their challenges, but even as I adjust to living in Texas and serving with Gospel for Asia, I am very thankful for the fellowship of other believers.  I am glad that God blessed us with the local body of Christ as well as the larger body throughout the world.

The End of Summer Vacation

Wow, it has been a long time since I wrote on my blog.  So, I am going to attempt to catch up a little and go back to the last week of summer vacation in Smithers back at the beginning of August.

The day before Uncle Stan and Aunt Jeany left, Lynnea came home.  As a result, our days were filled with a variety of fun activities.  We played lawn darts, walked up town to look at the burned down building, went golfing at the Par 3 golf course, visited with friends, and even hiked to the peak of Hudson Bay Mountain.

Golfing was fun, and I actually did much better than I expected to, as long as I ignore the hole that I did in 9 shots and the one I did in 8 shots.  I think the last time I golfed is over 8 years ago.  One thing hasn't changed though, I still try to get the most for my money and make sure I hit the ball lots of times.

The day we hiked the mountain was cooler than the previous days, at least it started that way.  I actually got quite cold before we got to the top.  Some of the time we got a little damp from the clouds, and the farther we got, the windier it was.  The view was gorgeous, and of course we signed the book at the top.

We made it to the top!

Looking over the glacier towards town.

In honor of Lynnea's birthday on August 12, we drove to southern BC.  I am not sure how many of her birthdays have been spent driving, but it is a lot of them.  We stopped for sundaes as 'birthday cake' en route.  The next day we hung out at Uncle Henry and Aunt Ardie's house for the day.  Dad, Lynnea, and Janine picked 3 gallons of blackberries, which were delicious.  Cousin James and Vanessa came up for dinner, which was fun.  I enjoyed getting to meet Vanessa.

The next morning mom, dad, Lynnea, and Janine left early to go to Vancouver Island to help Janine move to her new home in Duncan.  I got picked up a little later by Aunt Marian and she brought me to catch a shuttle to Seattle so that I could fly to Texas.

I spent a couple of days in Plano at Cousin David and Jackie's house once I got to Texas.  It was relaxing, but it also gave me the time to finish up a bunch of last minute details
before I moved in to my new home at Gospel for Asia.

The end of summer was quite busy, but it was filled with fun activities and good times with relatives.  It was a blessing to be able to visit Smithers this summer, enjoy the beauty of the Bulkley Valley, and spend time with friends and family.

Water Activities

Today involved a variety of water activities.  When I woke up the sprinkler was on in the front yard and hitting my window - okay, that isn't one of the activities but it just came to mind when I was thinking about water.

First off was hiking to the base of Twin Falls.  The weather has been nice and hot, so it was a great day to go get completely soaked.  I go there basically every summer, but I cannot remember seeing the creek so muddy and high (I wouldn't have wanted to drink any of it today).  The left waterfall was really raging and the right waterfall was very small.  We were already feeling mist from the falls right after we crossed the rock face.  Getting down to the pool at the bottom of the waterfall was more work than usual.  I had a harder than usual time seeing to even get down to the pool, and I think I stepped into the water a little and then a wave came and soaked my foot (not that I noticed much because my shoes were already soaked).  The force of the wind from the waterfall even blew Aunt Jeany's sunglasses downstream.

me, Janine, Uncle Stan
- soaking wet from the waterfall

After Twin Falls we headed to Lake Kathlyn.  Mom and I kayaked from Lester's house over to where Janine is house sitting.  We spent time using kayaks, floating on the water, sitting on the dock, and getting in the water.  It was a beautiful afternoon.

While returning the kayaks to Lester's house, someone from our school community was coming back in with his Hobie Cat (a dual hull sailboat).  I had been watching him throughout the afternoon.  He was going to put his boat up and head home for dinner, but asked if any of us wanted a ride.  I definitely did.  It was a lot of fun to go sailing again, and it was only the second time I had been on a Hobie Cat.  One really neat part was that he had a harness, so I was in the harness, attached by a wire to the top of the mast, and then standing out above the water with my feet on the edge of the boat.  Not only was it fun, but it also helped to balance the boat.  We did ride on only one hull for a little while when we were going quite fast.  After going down the lake and coming back, I let him know that it would be fine if he needed to go.  I thought it was great, and it made me smile because his name was Doug and I have sailed many times with a different Doug in Louisiana.

Bringing in the Hobie Cat

It was a great day to spend on/in/around the water.

Canadian Experience

Yesterday evening Janine and I went to Tim Horton's.  It seems like a good thing to do while I am in Canada, seeing as it is a Canadian restaurant.  Neither of us actually ordered coffee.  Following my tradition, I ordered an apple fritter - yummy!  Yesterday I was pleased to learn that Tim Horton's has white hot chocolate and for the same price as regular hot chocolate.

Notice the French - I am in Canada

Even though it was the end of July, Janine and I were both a little chilly and able to enjoy the fact that we had hot drinks.

Evening at the Lake

This evening I biked to the far side of Lake Kathlyn to go kayaking.  The lighting on the clouds made for a few neat pictures.

Before heading out

Biking home: the sun going down

Hike to Blue Lakes

Thursday I got up early for summer vacation.  Anytime I am not working, I try to avoid getting up before 7am, but sometimes I make exceptions.

Mom, dad, and I drove to Janine's friend's house to meet up with Janine and some of her friend's family to go hiking to Blue Lakes.  While we were waiting for them, I took a picture of the view from the front of their house.  This was the first of three (or maybe four if you count the smaller separate piece on its own) glaciers I saw that day.

Twin Falls Glacier on Hudson Bay Mountain

We had about a 45 min drive to get to the bottom of the trail, during which we passed another glacier.  We parked the van and all piled into the other family's new vehicle because it has 4 wheel drive.  After a few more kilometers of unmaintained road, we reached the final parking lot.  From there we had a nice hike to the lakes.  The hike itself was not too steep, there were a few steep sections, but the trail had a few downhill sections as well.  There was a combination of hiking in the trees and open areas.  The views were beautiful.

The lower Blue Lake

There were two Blue Lakes.  The first one was well below our trail and had a waterfall pouring into it.  The second lake was higher up, and we got to go right up to this lake.  We ate lunch beside this higher lake.  The lakes come from glacier melt, so the water is very cold and also very blue.  The glacier is well above the higher lake, which then drains - by way of the waterfall - into the lower lake.

The higher Blue Lake - our lunch spot

After some time walking around barefoot in the marshy area near the lake we ventured into the water.  Although I was not as enthusiastic as my sister, I did get far enough out into the water to touch the 'blue'.  The blue water also marks the drop-off under water.  I approached it cautiously because I did not want to get completely wet by going over the edge.  Janine did far better and actually ended up getting mostly wet and getting fully into the 'blue'.  We were trying to guess the water temperature, and decided it was maybe a degree above freezing.

Going out to touch the 'blue'

Some time later we headed back down the trail.  One aspect of hiking in the north is that when I ran out of water, I just had to fill my water bottle up at the next stream we crossed.  Or, if my water was getting warm and I wanted fresher cold water, I could refill my water bottle.  The stream water tastes better than tap water and is cold enough to make my hands go numb after a few minutes.

Filling my water bottle

The beauty and diversity of the hike continually pointed to the creativity and greatness of God.  From the huge mountains to the tiny flowers, God made them all and continues to take care of them.
"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

This is where I ate lunch today!

Breakfast at the Lake

Yesterday we had a late breakfast at Lake Kathlyn.  Earlier this spring my sister Janine suggested to my dad that they run to the lake during the summer.  They have been running regularly since then and decided that yesterday would be a good day because of the beautiful weather.  Janine and dad ran to Lake Kathlyn, which is about 3 miles away.  I biked there, and mom drove the van with all of our food and swimming gear.

The weather was sunny and warm, the view was beautiful, and the beach was basically empty at that point.  There was a group of kids participating in sailing lessons as part of a summer camp, but sadly for them there was no wind.

After we ate and sat visiting in the sun for a while, we went for a swim.  By the time we left shortly after noon, the beach was much busier.

It was a great way to spend the morning!

Kayaking

On Tuesday Janine and I biked to Lester's house on Lake Kathlyn and borrowed two kayaks.

The weather was beautiful.  While kayaking Janine and I agreed that there is not really anywhere on the lake that does not have a beautiful view.

After kayaking, I got in the water which was cool and refreshing.

Fresh Snow

There was fresh snow on the mountain today.  I saw some of it a couple of times later in the day when the clouds lifted a little, but I did not get a good view for a picture.

Another missed picture opportunity, this evening while mom and I were walking we saw a mother and baby moose.  The baby moose seemed curious and came out of the bushes more than the mother.  I don't expect to see moose in the summer, so that was nice surprise.

I Biked to the Lake

Today, I finally biked to the lake.  I thought about making the trip the first day I was home, but I was tired and lazy.  For the two days since then it has been rainy off and on and I didn't make the trip.   Today, despite the cloud and cool weather, I biked to the lake.

I felt a few raindrops, but thankfully it didn't actually rain.  I started out with a sweatshirt on - it was 14C (57F) - but tied it around my waist for the return.  And, as always, a trip to the lake is not complete without actually putting the bike tires in the water.

From Opelousas, LA to Smithers, BC

Thursday, July 4th
Stage one: I drove from Opelousas, LA to Plano, TX and stayed overnight at my cousin's place.
Friday, July 5th
Stage two: I got a ride from a friend from Plano, TX to the Dallas, TX airport.
Stage three: Flight from Dallas, TX to Santa Ana, CA.
Stage four: Flight from Santa Ana, CA to Seattle, WA.
Stage five: I took a shuttle bus from Seattle, WA to Lynden, WA.
Stage six: My cousin James picked me up from the shuttle stop in Lynden, WA and brought me to my         aunt and uncle's house in Maple Ridge, BC.
Monday, July 8th
Stage seven: My cousin Lynola gave me a ride in her parents' new car to the Greyhound bus depot in Langley, BC.
Stage eight: I rode the greyhound from Langley, BC to Prince George, BC.  (It was a refurbished bus with nice leather seats)
Stage nine: I rode a different greyhound bus (not refurbished) from Prince George, BC to Smithers, BC.
Tuesday, July 9th
Stage ten: Dad picked me up from the greyhound depot in Smithers in the van and brought me home.

Although there were many different stages of my travel from Opelousas to Smithers, it went very well.  My flights both landed early, allowing me to catch an earlier shuttle to meet my cousin.  I had a great weekend in Maple Ridge with Uncle Henry, Aunt Ardie, Lynola, and James.  Uncle Dave, Aunt Margaret, and Martin came over to join us on Saturday night for pizza.  The weather for my bus ride was nice and I was able to enjoy the beauty and variety of BC scenery.  I am thankful for all the hospitality and help of relatives and friends who made my trip possible.

I Have Amazing Friends!

I am so thankful for the friends God has given me.  It has been so much fun to squeeze in last minute visits throughout the past week: dinner at various people's houses, 'coffee', games, meeting for ice cream, visiting the country and swimming in the pool, sharing pictures of Smithers to a captivated (and some not so captivated) audience  This evening I am especially thankful for Debbie who volunteered and then came and helped me finish cleaning my apartment for two hours.
I will miss my friends while I am away in Texas, but I look forward to visiting.  I also know that although we may be separated now, as Christians we will get to spend eternity together with Jesus and with each other.

Overabundance of Stuff

I have a very first-world problem.  I have an overabundance of stuff.  Not only do I have excess of the 'necessities' of life like clothes and food, I also have an abundance of non-essiantial items like games, books, and decorations.  I am in the process of condensing my possessions and passing on many different things.  With that in mind, if you would like something of mine, just ask and I may be happy to give it to you.

As I sort through, organize, and work to eliminate some of my possessions in preparation to move, I am continually reminded of how blessed I truly am.  I am thankful to God for the many ways he has blessed my life here in Louisiana, and I know he holds my life in his hands as I venture on from here.

Birthday Blessings

Even though I have been living in Louisiana four years, this year was the first time I spent my birthday in Louisiana and only the second time I spent it in the USA.  Before I ever spent my birthday in the USA, I previously had a birthday in Ukraine and another one in the Philippines.

Although I would have loved to be with my parents in Smithers for my birthday - especially because I got to share my birthday with Father's Day - I had a blessed birthday.

After waiting until my birthday, I was able to open my cards and gifts from my parents and sister.  They had arrived in the mail early, but I saved them to make my birthday morning special.  I am not sure when the tradition of birthday gifts at breakfast time started, but it is something I remember from childhood, so I continued the tradition.

Yesterday morning a few of my friends at church remembered my birthday, and they went on to remind others.  My good friends Catherine and Alyshia brought a card to church and then passed it around during Sunday School and many people from church signed it.  That was very special, especially knowing that I will be moving from Louisiana in a few weeks.  Catherine also made me lemon bars, knowing that I often have lemon meringue pie for my birthday.  Alyhsia made sure I had a birthday candle for the lemon bars.

For my birthday lunch, I was treated to a delicious meal downstairs with the Sonbuchners.  The meal was a combination Father's Day/Birthday meal.  It was great to be included in the family, and I ate very well.  Thanks for cooking Jon!  In addition to lunch, the Sonbuchners also gave me a beautiful card and gift.

I also got phone calls during the afternoon from different members of my family.  I spent the afternoon relaxing and reading a book in addition to visiting with different family and friends.

I even got to spread my birthday out into today.  Abby made me a special birthday gift yesterday afternoon and it cooled through the night, so we ate it today.  Here we are with my birthday gift - white chocolate raspberry cheesecake.  Abby happens to know that I love cheesecake - so does she - and she spoiled me with cheesecake for my birthday.  It was delicious!

I have received additional birthday greetings today.  One friend at school asked me how my birthday was and told me she had been praying that I would have a special day.  She was so sweet, and her prayers such a blessing.  Other people remembered as well, people I wouldn't necessarily think would remember, so that has been neat.

At the beginning and end of my birthday, I simply thanked God for the gift of another year of life.  I am so blessed by him, which was displayed in many ways simply on my birthday in addition to throughout the year.  I am thankful to all of you who blessed me on my birthday, and I am thankful to God that I get to have you in my life.

Worn - Tenth Avenue North

I have been listening to this song recently.  There are aspects that ring true for me as I work to pack up and wrap up everything in Louisiana before moving to Texas and going home for a visit this summer.  One of our staff members sand it at our End of Year Worship and I really appreciated it.

Worn
Tenth Avenue North
I'm tired 
I'm worn 
My heart is heavy
From the work it takes to keep on breathing

I've made mistakes 
I've let my hope fail
My soul feels crushed
By the weight of this world
And I know that you can give me rest
So I cry out with all that I have left

Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart that's frail and torn

I want to know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that's dead inside can be reborn
Cause I'm worn

I know I need 
To lift my eyes up
But I'm too weak
Life just won't let up
And I know that You can give me rest
So I cry out with all that I have left

Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart that's frail and torn

I want to know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that's dead inside can be reborn
Cause I'm worn

And my prayers are wearing thin
I'm worn even before the day begins
I'm worn I've lost my will to fight
I'm worn so heaven so come and flood my eyes

Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart that's frail and torn

I want to know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that's dead inside can be reborn
Yes all that's dead inside will be reborn
Though I'm worn 
Yeah I'm worn

VBS

VBS is so much fun!  I have the songs stuck in my head, and it is great.  Many of the songs are Bible verses put to music.

This year instead of leading a specific class I am working with the music and promoting our mission project for the week.  It has been great to see the kids' enthusiasm.  I have also really enjoyed the merging of my home church here and the ministry that I will be a part of at Gospel for Asia next year through the Push the Pedal mission project.  It even matches with our theme for VBS this year: The Race is On.

The kids are excited about raising money to buy a bike for a missionary in Asia.  This morning before coming to VBS one little girl was asking her mom about chores so that she could earn money to bring for the bicycle.  Another student today said that he had been saving up money for their vacation to Disney World, but they might not go, so he has lots of money that he can bring.  It is wonderful to see the generosity of children and share in their excitement.

Another great aspect has been the number of teachers we have involved.  Although our church is fairly small, we have lots of school teachers.  Most of them are involved in teaching or helping out with VBS.  It is great to see those talents used here as well.  As a teacher myself, it is also fun to use my teaching skills in a setting that is less formal than the classroom and incorporates a greater variety of ages.

New Destination

In August I will be moving to Carrollton, Texas for a year.  I will be participating in the School of Discipleship at Gospel for Asia.  This is a one year internship program that combines classes, mentorship, and serving in the ministry in GFA's home office.

I was not able to figure out how to attach or upload a copy of my letter to this blog.  So, for now I will give you a couple of links to their website, and I will post my letter later if I can figure it out.  I am planning on mailing or emailing my letter as well.  So, even if I cannot put it here, hopefully you will be getting one soon.

www.gfa.org
www.gfa.org/schoolofdiscipleship/

A Series of Lasts

This past week brought with it a series of last times for certain events.  At least last for now.  Approaching the end of the school year knowing that I will not be teaching next year has its bittersweet moments.
There was the:
last class party
last list of classroom check-out assignments
last carpool duty
last day with my students
potentially the last time I will ever see some of these students
last class trip to the nursing home
last chapel
last staff devotion
Some of these things were great to have for the last time, while others made me a little sad.  Although I am not finished yet, I am getting to the end.  It is still strange to think about it being my last year teaching at Westminster Christian Academy - at least as far as I know.

Important Detail

There is a significant difference between water-resistant sunscreen and water-proof sunscreen.  Sadly mine was only water-resistant when I thought it was water-proof.  Thus I am now enjoying ice water, air conditioning, and cold food for supper.  Going tubing, riding in the boat, and water skiing today were excellent.  Next time I will have to bring a t-shirt to wear in the water as well as afterwards.

Sailing Regatta

On Saturday April 6th, I left home around 8am to go to False River.  Normally I like to sleep in on Saturday, but I was willing to get up early so that I could participate in a sailing regatta.  For those of you who don't know, a sailing regatta is a series of three sailing races.  I arrived at False River shortly after 9am to meet up with the skipper and other crew member.  We would be sailing the Flying Scott.

The two of them actually had their heads buried in the engine of the motor boar.  The skipper also has a motor boat, and uses it to help set out the marks for the race.  It also stands ready as the rescue boat in the unlikely event of a needed rescue.  The motor boat had not been used all winter, so it was taking some extra work to get started.  They left it running and we went to rig up the sailboat.

The weather was beautiful, it was supposed to get up to around 70 degrees, and there was a good wind for sailing.  We were excited.  A while later a couple other people arrived.  One of them walked over to greet us.  He was dressed like a serious sailer and appeared to know what he was talking about.  He even had a shirt with a different sailing club's logo.  He chatted with our skipper for a little while and then headed off to ready his boat.  Our skipper commented that this other sailer was a campaigner - someone who goes from race to race to sail.  We on the other hand sail for fun and as a hobby.  I have sailed a number of times, but the other crew member had only sailed 4 or 5 times before.  I commented to the other crew member that I was out to have fun sailing, expecting to lose, and then to enjoy some good food.

After getting everything ready, including some more work on the motor boat, we had a skippers meeting and were ready to begin.  We were a little behind the other boats in getting ready because we had been working to get the motor boat running as well.  Once we were in the water, the main sail was a little cantankerous in going up, but after a few attempts, we had it raised entirely and were ready to go.

Sailing back and forth behind the starting line.

The regatta happens in three sections, and we race against the same kind of boats.  We were in the first group.  Before we began, there was a five minute flag, and from that point we sailed back and forth behind the starting line, attempting to be as close to crossing it as possible right at the starting time.  For each race we had to make two loops around the marks.  This is interesting because we had to deal with the direction of the wind.  On the way back to the starting line from the mark, we raised the spinnaker, which is an extra sail out in front of the bow that catches the wind from behind the boat.  This was only the second time I had sailed and flown a spinnaker.  We were not in the lead, but during this time we were able to pull ahead of another one of the boats.  Sadly, on the second time around, we caught some bad wind and fell behind, coming in third out of the three Flying Scotts.

Flying the spinnaker.  We are the middle boat.

We stopped over at the dock momentarily to try tighten our main sail and to see if we could figure out what was causing us to pull a little unusually.  The skipper commented as we were sailing that the balance seemed to be off.  I took advantage of this time to shed my sweatshirt and apply some more sunscreen.  The sun was nice and warm, but with the wind, I was glad that I was in pants.  Then it was time for round two.

We started off well, but then ended up getting knocked a little off course by the wind.  This simply caused us to lose some time.  We were still able to move with good speed - which by the way makes for a great ab workout as we 'hiked' (leaned) way out over the edge of the sailboat to counterbalance.  I love going quickly, but it does get tiring.  As we were tacking (making a 90 degree turn) to get closer to the mark, I was shocked to see that we were tipping a little farther than normal.  I thought through everything, and I had done what I was supposed to do this time.  There had been a few times earlier where I had not done as well, which is dangerous because it could cause us to flip.

Hiking way out to counterbalance the wind.

Well, everything had been done correctly, but I remember thinking, "we are actually going to flip."  I have never even gotten close to flipping in this boat before.  I was vaguely aware that the skipper was already gone, and then I decided I should jump in the water. I also had the dreaded realization that, not only were we tipping, we were actually going to turtle the sailboat.  The skipper had gone over backwards - like we are supposed to if we flip - and tried to grab the centerboard right away for leverage to try prevent us from turtling.  Turtling a sailboat is much worse because that means the boat is completely upside-down and the sail is completely in the water.   There was not much I could do about it at that point.  As I jumped into the water my comment was, "ah, cold."

After that we attempted to right the sailboat, but because it was turtled, we were unsuccessful.  So we climbed onto the bottom of the sailboat and waited.  I remember consciously thinking to keep my toes together while in the water to save my flip flops from falling off, even though I had worn my old ones just in case something happened to make me lose them.

Well, we were thankful that the other crew member's dad was there taking pictures of the race for the skipper and his wife.  He has a motor boat ver similar to the skipper's and was in it very quickly and headed our direction for the rescue.  He arrived and right away checked to make sure everyone was okay.  With the help of the motor boat, we tried to flip the sailboat upright - at this point I think we were disqualified from the race.  We were unable to flip it.  He commented that our time was limited.  I asked why, and he responded that the water was cold.  He was worried about hypothermia, which was amusing to me because although the water was cold upon first contact, I was not even cold from it.  The water temperature was similar to lakes in late summer where I grew up.  The skipper and I were fine, but the other crew member was cold so we sent him into the motor boat.

The next step was to tow the sailboat back closer to the dock, with it still upside-down.  The skipper and I rode on the keel of the sailboat for this trip.  We had made a couple of loops with some of the rigging on the boat so that we would have something to pull on as we tried to flip the boat over.  Once we got closer to the dock, we attached another rope between the motorboat and the sailboat.  This rope was spaced out from the first one.  By this time, some of the other sailers were providing advice.  They had finished the second and third sections of the regatta.

The motor boat, pulling full speed ahead was not able to entirely flip the sail boat over.  The skipper and I were still on the bottom of the boat, pulling our ropes and pushing down with our feet, hoping to get the sail at least level with the water.  The problem was that both the main sail and the jib (the smaller sail in front of the mast) were tight.  They are both right triangles, and I am estimating that the main sail is probably about 10 ft on the short side and 20 ft on the longer side.  If you want to calculate to figure out the length of the hypotenuse and the total area of that sail, go ahead.  Anyway, with that sail and the smaller jib were both pulling up a lot of water.

As we continued to pull, I remember hearing a popping sound.  I had no idea what it was.  Then the skipper and the rescue driver were asking if everyone was okay.  At that point I recognized a significant pain in my arm.  I quietly said no, then they asked again and I said, a little louder this time, that I couldn't feel my arm.  I looked at it quickly and didn't see any blood, which was good.  I could move it, but it hurt.  So, they sent me to the motor boat.  As I was swimming in that direction, I realized what had happened.  One of the two ropes between the motor boat and the sailboat had snapped, it had then hit me on the upper part of my right arm.

Shortly after this, with slow progress, the mast came about level with the surface of the water.  The motor boat did not have enough power to continue to flip it, but thankfully another sailer in a Sunfish (a smaller one person sailboat) was able to stand in his boat and lift the end of the mast.  He then moved towards the boat continually lifting the mast as he went, until the boat was flipped upright again.  Then, with the skipper in the sailboat and the motor boat pulling, we were able to get it back to the dock.

We were greeted by some of our fans, who once they had realized we had flipped, had scrounged up dry clothing and towels for us.  I commented that all I needed were my keys out of the skippers vehicle because I had a bag in my car with everything I needed.  I always go to the lake prepared, just in case.  I stayed to help with the boat for a little while, but there were many helpers at that point and they sent me to go take care of my arm.

After I changed, I went to go get my flip flops.  They had been in the motor boat for most of this time.  I couldn't reach them, so I borrowed some in the for a while.  I was quite hungry at this point.  I tried to help out some more, but then realized that I really needed to eat some lunch.  By this time, it was getting close to 2:30.  We had started the races around 11:30, and the first one took about 45 mins.  We were probably in the water for about an hour and a half trying to get the boat upright.

Getting the boat out of the water was still a significant challenge.  It could not simply be put on the trailer because there was too much weight and the trailer could not be backed far enough into the water without endangering the vehicle.  It was done in stages, with bailing in between.  Back the vehicle in, winch up the sailboat, bail some water, repeat.  Just as the sail boat was winched all the way up, the person there tied some extra ropes around it because the winch strap was fraying.  It actually broke shortly after the ropes were tied.  Thankfully the boat was still secure.

The bailing process took time, especially because they could not find buckets anywhere at the club so they had to make do with a pitcher and a jug.  Later I found the buckets outside around the side of the club.  Someone had used them for cleaning and left them out to dry.  Eventually enough water was removed that the trailer would not banana from the weight of the boat, and the boat could be pulled out of the water.  The plug was out, so the remaining water could drain slowly that way.  Then those who had been working on the boat could have lunch, and all the other sailers could bring their boats in because the launch was clear.

I sat in the sunshine with my lunch, and a bag of ice on my arm.  The breeze actually made me a little cold, even with the sunshine.  The ice on my arm didn't help me warm up any either.  After we all ate, and everyone was in dry clothes we were able to properly stow the boat.  Thankfully the only things lost were the spinnaker pole, the boom crutch, and the cranks for the sail.  These are quite replaceable.  The iphones, keys, and wallet in the water bag survived.  The bag did its job, keeping everything dry and floating under the boat, even though it was only hooked on something and not fully secure.

At the end of the day, I looked back and was thankful.  Although things did not go as planned I was still able to enjoy my day.  The weather was great.  No one was seriously injured.  The only things that were lost are fairly easily replaceable, especially compared to some of the other things on the boat.  I was also thankful that the rope only hit my arm, not my face or my eyes, my sunglasses could easily have shattered into my eyes.  I was thankful that the other crew member's dad was there and could easily drive the rescue boat to help us out.  God knew what we would need for the day, and he definitely provided for us.

**Some notes to finish:
The names have been omitted to protect those involved.
The pictures are property of our photographer Tony Johnson.
If you are curious, my arm did swell quite a bit, but with icing and advil it was much better after 5 days.  It is still bruised in some places, but doing much better.

The Journey, not simply the Destination

I have heard many times that life is more about the journey than the destination.  I am a task oriented person, and so often I simply want to skip to the destination - whether that was finishing college, no longer being a first year teacher, simply getting a project finished, or making a decision.

Recently I have been learning this truth in a new way.  God is not only interested in the result, but also how I get there.  What is my attitude in this situation?  How do I respond to a challenge I am facing?  What is God teaching me through this time?  God's timing is perfect, and as much as I might want to skip to the destination, looking back through different situations in my life I can see how important the journey truly is.

When considering a fairly major decision a few weeks ago, I wanted to know the answer, but I also knew that I wasn't ready for the decision to be made.  I thought I might freak out with either option settled as the final decision, especially because it eliminated the other option.  I kept going back to some advice given to me by Dave and Bev Berg in the front of the book they gave me for high school graduation.  "Seek God's face more than his hand."  I need to seek God to know him, not simply to know his will in a particular situation.

In the past couple of weeks I have experienced the truth of this in a way I never had before.  It is not something I can easily explain, but when you are seeking to know God more you can find him far more easily in so many places.  I still struggle with wanting to see results from him, but I am continually working to seek him and know him in each situation I face.

Springtime in BC

Spring weather in BC allows for a variety of activities.  On Wednesday evening I stood in snow beside the road as we drove to our hotel on Vancouver Island.  Our elevation was only about 700ft above sea level, and we were south of the 49th parallel.

Standing in snow beside the road

On Thursday afternoon, I watched people surfing on the beach and I stood in the ocean water.  The water was cold enough that my feet were quickly getting numb, and the people surfing were wearing wet suits that covered their entire body except for their faces.

Standing in the cold Pacific Ocean

As we were waiting for the ferry on Thursday evening we met people who were returning to Vancouver Island from the mainland with their skis.  Dad commented that only in BC would we watch people surfing while others were spending the day snow skiing just across the Georgia Strait.

Table Runner

Last Saturday I attended the WCA Mission Banquet.  It served as a combination of celebration and fund-raising.  The mission team shared their experience, growth, and work from their recent trip to Chiapas, Mexico.  The funds raised went towards the mission trip for next year.

In addition to a delicious meal, there were presentations by mission team members, and a silent auction. The silent auction had a number of items that the mission team brought back with them from Mexico.  The table runners on the tables were also part of the auction.  I bought one of the table runner that came from Mexico.  I love the bright colors.  Although it not quite wide enough to cover my entire table (which happens to be fairly small), it easily covers my whole coffee table.  Right now I have it folded and set out on my coffee table.

Song

As I sat this evening thinking about the future and reflecting on God's blessings, this song came to mind.  I especially like the line 'taking simple steps of obedience'.  So often I want an answer to big questions or situations and forget to simply obey and follow God in the moment he has given me right now.  As I obey and follow God now, he will lead me for the next moment.  This is another aspect of asking God for our daily bread.  If I knew the answers to all my life questions or situations, I think I would be overwhelmed.  So, this song is my prayer: not only that God would lead me, but that I would take the simple steps of obedience in the moment God has entrusted to me right now.

Lead Us Lord

1. Chorus 1

   Lead us Lord
   Into a life of fruitfulness
   Prepare our hearts to risk again
   And as we trust
   Taking simple steps of obedience we know
   That You will lead us Lord

2. Verse 1

   Here we stand
   At a crossroads again
   Like You said
   In time the seasons change
   Looking back
   We recall the blessing and the pain
   But now we turn our hearts toward
   What is still to come
   We want to dream again

3. Misc 1

   (ENDING)
   Come and lead us Lord
   Come and lead us Lord
   Come and lead us Lord
   You will lead us Lord
   
   
   Brian Doerksen© 2004 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Everyday Beauty

There is beauty all around in God's creation, I simply need to stop and take the time to enjoy it.  This brings to mind Psalm 8 and the beginning verses of Psalm 19.

My porch view of the sun going down on Tuesday evening when I came home.

Silence

From the time I left Opelousas to the time I arrived in Dallas on my trip during Winter Break, I turned off my radio.  For the first few minutes of my trip I had felt overwhelmed by the noise, so I simply shut it off.  I ended up driving my entire trip that way.  It revealed to me that I had not taken time to stop and be quiet in far to long.

More recently I have decided to turn off my background music for a time.  It is interesting how deafening silence can be.  Yesterday, I actually found it distracting to have it so quiet while I tried to work.  Sometimes the background music can be helpful - maybe it requires more concentrated effort to focus and work effectively so I am not as easily distracted.  Other times it can be distracting.  I know that our society tends to be inundated with noise, it is interesting to shut some of it off.

As a result of not listening to music, I have noticed that I more frequently have songs in my head.  They are not necessarily songs I would have been listening to, but may be related to the specific situation.  Turning off the background music has been somewhat of a challenge and an adjustment, but I am enjoying it.

Sermon Reflections

After walking out of church last week I commented to a friend that I could hear our sermon from church every week for the entire year and still need to listen again to apply what I learned.  It was an excellent sermon on Philippians 2:1-5.  It was convicting to the point of being overwhelming, and overwhelming to the point of almost making me want to give up before I tried to apply it because I know that I will fail at it.

Despite that fact, I did read my notes twice during the week and thought about the sermon more times.  I was especially struck by the part about vain conceit.  Some of how it was presented made me realize how prevalent this issue is in my own life.  It was definitely an issue I was more aware of in myself throughout the week.

Every now and again I get overwhelmed by the amount of teaching I receive - from the Bible, sermons, books, and from people with far more wisdom than I have.  Sometimes I simply want to think about and apply one thing that I learned, but I get distracted from applying it consistently by hearing something else that I need to change.  I think that Satan likes to use this feeling of being overwhelmed to stop me from actually focusing on one area and growing within it.  Although the teaching is very good, the volume I receive at times makes me want to give up before I start because the list is never-ending.  I guess that is what sanctification is about - continually changing and growing to become more like Jesus.  I will need to remember that next time I feel like it is a lost cause.

Valentine's Day

"Did you have a good Valentine's Day?"

I was asked this question a couple of times yesterday.  It was interesting because it was from people that I consider acquaintances more than friends.  I answered yes, and at least once explained that I had spent some time with friends.  Most of the day I forgot it was even Valentine's Day - basically all the celebrating I do for Valentine's Day is with my students at school, and we had done that last Friday before the break.  I honestly walked into a stores on Wednesday and Thursday and wondered why they still had all the Valentine's stuff out front because I thought Valentine's Day was already over.  I have never been one to do much for Valentine's Day, so is struck me as somewhat strange to be asked about it multiple times.

Winter Break

This past week was our Winter Break from school.  I took advantage of the break by going to Texas.  I spent a few days in the Dallas area and then headed down to Waco on the way back to Louisiana.  I also spent a few days at home catching up (at least partially) on tasks at home, and relaxing with friends.  It has been a very enjoyable break.

Saturday I went up to Plano, TX.  I spent time with cousin David and Jackie, along with their children Ethan and Jessica.  Ethan has definitely changed a lot since the last time I saw him.  He is very chatty, but not yet fully understandable.  He loves being a clown and wants people to notice him.  He is very cheerful about it as well.  Jessica is a precious two month old.  It was fun to hold her and compare her to my nephew and cousin who are also young babies.  While there, Jackie treated me to some delicious food, and we also enjoyed some time watching a movie (The Incredibles), looking at pictures, and playing a game (Carcassonne with some expansions).

On Tuesday, before I left the Dallas area, I met up with my friend, Marisol, for lunch.  Marisol has been working on a contract in Dallas for most of the school year, so I have only been able to see her occasionally.  It was nice to relax and catch up over some yummy sandwiches at a little cafe near her work.  From lunch I continued on to Waco.

Beside the trail in Cameron Park.

I arrived in Waco shortly before my former roommate, Rachel, had to head to class.  It actually worked out nicely because she was able to let me in to the apartment before she left for three hours.  I spent that time relaxing, napping, and reading.  I also put a casserole Rachel had made in the oven for supper when she returned.  Our evening was spent participating in a variety of fun and somewhat traditional activities.  We shared pictures, talked, drank tea, and watched Hogan's Heroes.  We had a wonderful time.  The next morning we started with a leisurely pace and made our way to Cameron Park to walk along some trails.  The weather was cool but sunny and the walk was excellent.  From there we went to a coffee shop to meet up with her boyfriend Nate.  It was fun to get to know him.  After coffee we returned home for lunch and then I left for Louisiana so that I could do the majority of my driving in the light.

Rachel and I at the coffee shop.

My drive was rather uneventful.  I took state highways most of the way rather than the interstate.  Driving state highways in Texas is nice, the speed limit is actually 75 mph most of the time.  When I crossed the border into Louisiana, my progress slowed considerable as the speed limits dropped to 55 mph.  Upon my return to town I stopped for gas and groceries before I made it home.  It was a very enjoyable trip and I am glad that I had the opportunity to do it.