moments in pictures

Got to Skype my in on my nephew's 8th grade graduation! Can't believe he is a high schooler now!

I love my new house. I live on the bottom floor with two roommates!

My neighbor/landlord gave me some fresh eggs!

My garden is GROWING!!

Alley ways to the beach!

 Relaxing views 

 Mountain air!

some awesome volleyball girls on the first outreach!

Outreach participants at Genesis

Dinner in the community at a student's house

Another dinner in the community at a teacher/mom and student's house.

 Henny, this girl loves to laugh, screen for joy and clap.

 Fabióla, this girl has no boundaries and loves without hinderance. 

 Nina, one of the most sweetest and caring girls.

waking up

Here in the DR, alarm clocks aren't what you might think they are. Just like your ringtone, you can pick and choose what sound you desire to wake up to. These sounds are apart of life, apart of nature, apart of what starting your day is all about. Its 4:06am, the rooster crows, and it's not a pretty crow, more like the guy is about to die kind of crow. And don't worry, if you pressed snooze here... he comes back, more then once. Or at 5:23am you can awake to the song of birds, but more like a broken record kind of song. None the less they are singing. How about at 6:21 when the neighbor dog is talking.. and all the other neighbor dogs respond. Or if you are the punctual type, at 6:45am, on the dot, "veroom" one, "veroom" two, "veroom" three, "veroom veroom" four five..... "veroom" twenty three, "veroom veroom" twenty four twenty five "verrrrrrooommmmm" twenty six. the neighbor guy likes his moto to be very, very, warm before he leaves. Here is where the rooster comes back. He'll return a few more times. At 7:12am you can open your eyes, because your ears are now awake to the sound of your host brothers pushing and shoving their way into the bathroom. And if you've managed to sleep through those alarms, or have just refused to get out of bed yet. The sun will make you. by now, 7:34am your room is so bright your eyelids are red. And by now, 7:55am your sheets are far too warm to allow them to touch your body. So you awake ready to seize the edge of His garments, semi thankful for creation, asking that He bless the day, and offer you grace for your tired body. don't worry though, it won't always be like this. like I said you can choose which alarm. once you have set your mind on one, your body will recognize.

getting used to this again! 

time

In my 27 years of life, time is still a strange and wild concept. In the anticipatory longing to be in a place; hours, days, and months seem to move by as slow as the crab inching it's way from the shore back into the ocean. Once arrival has settled in, the same hours, days, and months take on a whole new effect. They pass as if the tide is rolling in. Wave after wave. Each day becoming tomorrow before you count how many you have seen. Time can move slowly for one, as his neighbor's watch spins in circles. Time can seem like it has lasted, while for others time is no longer. Time can heal and time can hinder. But this concept of time allows me to look forward to heaven, when there will be no concept at all. Its been two weeks here and it feels like I never left. 

seize & listen

It's been one week since moving to the Dominican Republic. This time, for more then 3 months. My body is still adjusting to the heat wave and bugs that eat you alive. Sitting here on my bed, thankful for a fan that's running as high as the thing will go before the blade spins off. Yet, that still doesn't help stop the sweat dripping down my back. It's 8:45pm. That means no covers or sheets tonight and that means more itching and scratching in the morning. BUT honestly being back is great!

This week alone God is teaching me many things. As soon as my plane landed I had a check list of things to accomplish. I blame it on the "American way". After several days my checklist was not diminishing, but growing. I was tempted to get overwhelm and somewhat frustrated then tried to remind myself "this is only your first week, you are OK!" But of course that didn't penetrate my heart. As I was reading "A Praying Life" (something I'm working on!) I read this; "If you try to seize the day, the day will break you. Seize the corner of His garments and don't let go until He blesses you. He will reshape the day." BOOM. Jesus changed the my thoughts and my attitude in an instant.

On that checklist I mentioned... FIND A SPANISH TUTOR.. was numero uno. Despite what I learned at Missionary Training.... 'wait a month until you start language classes'.... I'm realizing I don't have the patience to wait. In the past week I've struggled to speak Spanish and God is patiently reminding me over and over to become like a child. To listen. To not only cultivate a listening ear, but a listening heart. Before I can speak, I must listen. Of course this goes beyond language. There is nothing secret about communion with God. If my life before God is broken of pride and self-will, crying out for grace, then communion with Him happens. Listening is just one of the things that happens in the course of my soul connecting with God. Learning to listening so that I can learn to speak is just one of those things that has to happen as well.

So I'm taking ahold of the corner of His garments, because I cannot do this without His grace.

TAKE OFF

Ticket is bought and bags will eventually be packed! Moving to the Dominican April 19th 2015.

God is so gracious. April 21st, 2014 He weighed my heart to make a decision to become a missionary... almost exactly one year ago. Despite the effort to leave earlier, His plan far out weighs mine, and He has grown me and shown me so much love and mercy.

I don't deserve His kindness, nor even this gift of a dream coming true. He is good.