twice in one week

Oh its that time of the year again. The time where the work in my life becomes so intangible that I find myself blogging more than once in a week. CRAZINESS!!! So this week has begun the fundraising process for me.

Today is my parents anniversary so I think that I may go out with them tonight. Only a few phone calls for me. I really need to get my letters out. It is also the time of the year to get nervous everytime I check the mailbox. You can certainly pray that I will have faith in God in this time. I have a weird mix of feelings- too many probably to explain here.

A couple days ago, I had something funny happen to me. Someone stopped me in the library (I know it is the homebase for the nerds in any city) and asked me if a 5 year old kid was mine. Wow, since when did I start to look 30? I think I may post some East Asia pictures for you all but not now. Maybe later. :)

She's ba-ack...

Oh to be the kind of friend who remembers birthdays, thinks of others needs before they do, draw people's hearts out without fear and loves when there is nothing in it for herself. These are the things I have been thinking about today. How do I love people that way? Why don't I come even close to this description most of the time? Things to ponder.

Welp I am back from Colorado. It was a really neat time. I throughly enjoyed my time out there. I am still super tired though.

Wow... I have next to nothing to say-maybe cause I am tired. I have some fun news but I think I am not going to post it here. I guess I could tell you a little about my reverse culture shock. I am still having difficulty adjusting to life in America. I am such a creature of habit. Random things are overwhelming and tiring to me. Life in general has been getting easier but there are still moments.

Today I spent the day organizing my room and hanging out with my grandma. We had some good conversation and I think she was blessed by it. So that was fun.

In other news, I feel so behind on life. It is an odd thing to catch up on realtionships, bills, etc after being out of the country for 5 weeks. This week will hold more organizing, doing lots of paperwork for my employers and beginning fundraising. I am actually starting to get excited for fundraising (remind me of this later in the summer). I can't wait to meet up with some of my supporters and rejoice over what God did at KSU this year and invite others to support the work at UNL. Well thanks for reading that is all for today.

Training and commissioning

I leave for EDGE training tommorrow. I am getting excited to see everyone there and to meet the new EDGErs. I am also a little nervous because there are 63 new edgers. Talk about a lot of people to meet and talk to. I probably need to chill. Don't need to be everything to everyone. But I definitely have a lot to be excited about at this summit.

In other news, my church is talking about commissioning me. Woo hoo! This will give me a fat tax break!:) Yay for funding that doesn't make me want to throw up.

back in america

Hey friends-

I wanted to write and let ya'll know that I am back in America. East Asia was an amazing, life-changing experience. I saw so many new things and experienced so many new aspects of God. It was just amazing.

I would love to fill all of you in on all of the details but for brevity (and interest) sake I will only tell a couple of stories here.

The first is just about me. I was really convicted about my own sinfulness in not being burdened for the whole world previous to this experience. I can sense in me a very American centered view of God and the gospel. It totally changed my perspective and heart to see that God loves the whole world and that there are lots of people in the rest of the world for him to love and draw to himself.

I also wanted to tell you guys about a friend I met. Her name is Tao and I got to spend a fair amount of time with her. She is an incredibly smart teacher at a big university in Asia. She has a ton of questions and she has been reading the bible with some people for about 5 years now. She struggles so much with belief- the simple aspect of trusting something she cannot see. She struggles with family and the divorce rate in america and with the bible's teaching on loving God more than success. She wants to believe but is having such a difficult time. I got to have a couple conversations with her about the issues of family, faith and dating relationships. She is so precious and it broke my heart to meet so many like her who have such a hard time with faith and to see how their environment has affected that.

It seems very small to sum up such an adventure like that but I will for readers sake. In other news I fear that I will never forget Asia because I will never sleep on a normal time schedule again! :) I also leave for EDGE training on Friday.

Please think about me

Hey friends- I wanted to post some more specific things that you could be thinking about me on while I am gone:

1) My grandpa will probably die while I am gone. Please think about my family and me and keep that in mind.

2) I am sick.

3) Against fear and just for all the culture adjustments

4) My tummy. I have a weak stomach and can be a picky eater.

5) Funding for next year.

I will miss you guys a ton!

nerd test

I am getting more nerdier each time I take the test. The first time, I got a 16. I am not sure if I am just facing facts or if I wanted to be nerdier.

the quick run-down

Hey friends-

I am officially overwhelmed. Yep- it's true. I am leaving the country May 7 and have 1 and a half weeks left at KSU then I am done with EDGE here. For anyone who hasn't heard, I am going to be on staff at UNL next year. Woo hoo! There are a lot of details that need to get worked out before I leave. Moving is a lot as well as leaving the country for a little over a month.
Mer just reminded me today that I need to pay my cell phone bill while I am out of the country. Crazy things to think about. I kind of like it though because I have a freakish enjoyment of structure and administration!

As for how I am doing, i think I am doing well otherwise. The end of the year has been fun but it is going to be sad to leave Manhattan. I have made some neat friends and had an amazing year of ministry. This place definitely goes on my map as a place that I have seen God's faithfulness.

My family is not so good. My grandpa is still very sick. He has had 3 TIAs since the last. Pray for me that I may have an opportunity to share with him and that he won't die before Clay gets to come home on leave this summer. Clay seems to be doing alright in Iraq but his wife is having a hard time. My parents are also having a hard time with my grandpa being sick. So sad news there. Sorry.

Well that is about all I've got. The highlight of the last month has probably been the group date my FC study got asked on by Ben D's study. We went to a Royals game in KC and they cooked breakfast for us in the morning (Ben's study that is NOT the Royals). We also played ultimate frisbee at midnight in the Plaza. It was rocking awesome!

That is all I have for now. I may not post again until after my trip this summer.

Congratulations to those graduating: Jake, Cora, Phil and Sonya!