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This Friday is a big day.
... especially for Danielle
... but also, for me.
My 21 year old daughter, Danielle, leaves for a month long mission trip to Nepal this Friday. She is very excited, and a little nervous, to be finally leaving after months of preparing for this trip. She and eight others have bonded as a team and feel like they are ready - emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Me? Well, my level of readiness for having her leave isn't quite as high. I can't help but have a certain level of anxiety over her traveling half way around the world, to a country with political unrest and where there has been violence perpetrated towards Christians.
Danielle has said from day one that she felt God wanted her on this trip, and as I've watched her over the months, I believe this, too. And if God has called her and the rest of the team, then His plans for them and the trip will be carried out. He will be watching over them.
But that doesn't mean that I won't be on my knees each and every day. I know the power of prayer and this team and trip have been bathed in prayer. Our pastor had Danielle come forward this morning so he could say a special prayer for her and asked the congregation to be praying for her during the month. Tonight, there was a send-off for the team where family and friends were invited. The meeting ended in a powerful time of prayer. It has given me some peace to know how many people have been and will be praying for this small group who's only desire is to be the hands and heart of Christ.
If you are so inclined, can I ask you to say a prayer for Danielle, for her team, and for this trip. And you could add me to that prayer, too - just for the relief of anxiety that creeps up when I let my guard down and forget that God is in control.
Thank you so much. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
on my knees
Thursday, July 16, 2009
school dance
If I Could Blog Back Time
is hosted each Thursday by Lola of Lola's Diner.
Today's topic: School Dance
What was your first school dance? Or memorable Homecoming Dance or Prom? Tell us about it. And if you've got photos of the event, post them.
In thinking on this subject, I realized that I have several occasions I could write about. I also have pictures from the last two year's worth of high school dances, but I think I'll save those for another time.
There was one dance that will forever be etched in my memory. It was my sophomore year and it was a Sadie Hawkins dance. [For those who might not know what that is, it is where the girls ask the guys to go to the dance with them.] The theme at my high school for Sadie Hawkins was country or cow boy/girl, which made this situation a little better since I didn't put a lot of money into a dress and all that goes along with that.
There were a couple of guys that I had my eyes on to invite to the dance. I was excited (and nervous) to ask one of them but really looking forward to the dance. I remember sitting around with a group of my friends in youth group discussing the upcoming dance and who was going with who. As the group thinned out, an old boyfriend came up to me and convinced me that I should ask him to the dance - as friends.
I was a little surprised. We had our time together but it had passed. We had remained friends and he was one of the cutest boys at church and in school. There was a little part of me that was flattered that he wanted to go with me. I even entertained thoughts that he had deeper feelings for me than I thought. But there was a bigger part of me that didn't want to ask him because there was another boy I really wanted to ask. This was my chance to act on my feelings without it becoming "weird" to let him know that I liked him.
To make a long story short, I agreed to inviting this boy. my old boyfriend. We met at the dance and went in together. I think we even danced a dance or two. I don't remember all the details because what I do remember is that he ended up ditching me for another girl. He deserted me and when I finally found him, he was having his picture taken with this other girl. I then watched him dance with her and sip punch together before I called my mom to come pick me up.
What I didn't know at the time was that this boy and girl had liked each other for some time but had only shared their affection for each other after the girl had already asked another boy to the dance. My date needed a way to get into the dance so he could spend some time with her. I was his way in. It didn't really help my hurt feelings to find out that the guy she took to the dance was dumped in much the same way as I was. Nope, my feelings were pretty well stomped on.
The boy and I didn't talk much after that. He knew he had been a jerk and even though I didn't hold a grudge, I had no need for someone like that in my life. Some lessons are harder on us than others.
Okay, to end this post on a positive note, I'm including pictures, even though I cringe at them, from the next two Sadie Hawkins dances (1976 and 1977). By my Junior year, Don and I were seriously dating and I attended all the dances with him. They were all happy occasions.
Monday, July 13, 2009
what will this week look like?
It's been a long and winding road, full of pot holes... and we're still not at the end.
Let me explain.
Don and I decided at the end of last summer that we wanted to to buy a pop-up camper trailer. We have had them before and could kick ourselves for selling our last one. It was perfect but we had stopped using it (youth ministry took our weekends away from us), and felt the best thing was to sell it.
When Spring finally came around this year, we started looking for a camper - mostly on Craig's List. We had been saving and had the cash. All we needed was that one camper.
It's been an uphill battle. Most of our experiences were calling the seller within a few hours of when it was listed only to find out the trailer had already been sold.
But there was also the time when the seller crashed and damaged the camper an hour or so before we were to see it. Of course, he didn't bother to let us know before we drove the hour to get there and didn't expect it to make a difference in our decision to buy his trailer.
Then there was the Sunday afternoon we were supposed to go see what seemed like the perfect camper only to get a call that morning letting us know that the something on the trailer broke and couldn't be cranked up and opened up.
And this one was the most frustrating. We were the first to call and granted the first view and opportunity to buy what looked like a beautiful pop-up. It was the Saturday before Father's Day and the buyer didn't want to meet that day or the next due to the holiday. We had to wait until Monday. Don gets off work early, we bought sandwiches for the hour and a half ride north, and were ready to go when we got the call to tell us that the wife had sold the camper earlier that day.
She had received a call from someone who wanted to come and see the trailer. She told him he could see it second after us. He then offered to buy it sight unseen. How could she refuse?
But it was that trailer that broke and wasn't able to be shown that we couldn't let go of. The sellers lived near by and we kept in contact with them, letting them know that we were still interested. They had to order a part which took a couple of weeks, but when they finally did the repairs, they gave us a call.
That was yesterday morning, and this was us yesterday evening...
The other part to this story is that this week was supposed to be our family vacation. Don took the week off and the kids chose to go camping over almost anything else. When we made these plans, we figured we'd have a camper by this date. So purchasing the pop-up yesterday was cutting it pretty close... but, hey! we did it. We have a camper.
But here now is the problem; we didn't realize until we got home last night with the trailer that the outside driving lights were not working. Don took it in this morning to be fixed, but we don't know how long that's going to take. So here we sit, on the Monday night of our vacation, not knowing what the rest of this week looks like. This may end up being the worst vacation ever. But, hey! we have a camper, and we are happy about that.
