the little things

Blind Spots

2012-01-31T12:11:00.005-07:00

The air was hot and sticky. My clothes were soaked through with sweat from the combination of humidity and the long hike before me. The beauty of the dense jungle around me was a welcomed distraction from the temporary discomfort of the heat. I followed the small group of North Americans and Guatemalans along the trail that would lead us to a remote Guatemalan village where the kids carried water in jars balanced on their heads. (But not so remote that you couldn't find a fútbol field nearby.)

As we hiked further into the jungle, something caught my eye...something that stood out against the backdrop of the lush green that surrounded us. Concrete stairs. I remember thinking, "What in the world are concrete stairs doing here?!" They looked similar to the steep stairs you might see when you visit old Mayan ruins, only these concrete stairs were new. One of the Guatemalan pastors stopped to explain that there were people still practicing Mayan spiritism and the stairs led to the place where they would offer weekly pig sacrifices. He mentioned that some Christians have also been caught up in the resurgence of Mayan spiritism. Questions jumped to my mind: "How could this happen? How could the Christians be doing this? Did they see what they were doing?" Just as quickly as those questions began to clutter my mind another voice broke through: "And what about you, Marcie? What are the things in your American culture that are not of Me? Do you see what you are doing?" As we continued on the hike to the village, I wrestled with these questions.

That was in 2003. I am still asking myself those questions today...trying to see my culture with different eyes. Sometimes it is hard to see the answers when you are looking from the inside out. My cultural identity has influenced me - has played a part in shaping who I am and how I view things, but I don't want it to define me. The identity I hold most dear is being a child of God, adopted in to His Kingdom.

In the newest edition of Operation World, prayer challenges are listed for each country. Under the United States, one of the prayer challenges states:

Syncretism is as common in America as anywhere. In the US’s version, biblical Christianity is mixed with hyper-individualism, consumeristic materialism, moral relativism and national pride, creating a dangerous strain of faith that justifies selfishness, immorality and hubris. Pray for the ability to distinguish between what is scriptural and what is cultural.

On Sunday, as I was driving to church, I was thinking again about blind spots. Where are my blind spots? Where do I struggle with syncretism in my day to day life? Was it any coincidence that one of the challenges given by Pastor Chad in the message was “Know Scripture – not the cultural image of Jesus.” The timing of the message confirmed to me that I need to be persistent in seeking God’s Light in these areas – seen and unseen. The more difficult question for me remains: What am I going to do about the things God reveals? Stick with the comfort of my culture or move closer to His Kingdom culture?

A New Year

2012-01-02T14:39:00.002-07:00

And we are off to the start of another new year. Are you the kind of person who enjoys making New Year's Resolutions or goals for the year ahead? Do you prefer to make goals throughout the year? Or do you avoid making resolutions at all costs? :) I usually like to reflect on the year newly passed and think about what I would like to see for the year to come, but usually I don't set too many goals. I like to set goals throughout the year as things come up and I am inspired to do so. :) Maybe this year I should resolve to use fewer smiley faces, "..." and exclamation points in my written communication...but really! Those 3 things are so much fun! And I feel like if I were talking to a friend face-to-face I would be saying things with a smile and exclamation points and I wouldn't want the conversation to end... So maybe I need to find other goals to set and leave the punctuation for another year. I'm just not ready to let those go yet.

Yesterday in church we sang a hymn that for me set the tone to this new year. I wrote the verses in the first page of my journal and thought I would share these verses with you. Here's to a New Year, led by our Great Shepherd and Savior: "For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end." Ps 48:24

All The Way My Savior Leads Me

by Fanny Crosby

All the way my Savior leads me,

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my Guide?

Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,

Here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well;

All the way my Savior leads me,

Cheers each winding path I tread,

Gives me grace for every trial,

Feeds me with the living Bread.

Though my weary steps may falter

And my soul athirst may be,

Gushing from the Rock before me,

Lo! A spring of joy I see;

All the way my Savior leads me,

Oh, the fullness of His love!

Perfect rest to me is promised

In my Father’s house above.

When my spirit, clothed immortal,

Wings its flight to realms of day

This my song through endless ages:

Jesus led me all the way;

Whatever this year holds for us - good and bad - may we know and rely on the love God has for us.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-19T14:01:00.004-07:00

Aside from keeping busy at being one of the worst bloggers in the world, I have been eagerly anticipating this Christmas season. Family, friends, snow, cold, White Christmas, that Christmas "smell", reflecting, pondering, baking, music, hope, advent, peace, Immanuel.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas...may you be aware of God's peace and hope in your midst.

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Okay, so this is not a Christmas song, but I was reminded of it again recently and had to post. Great memories are tied to this song...perhaps that's why I am posting it under Christmas. :) To all my fellow Jason Harrod music appreciators...this one is for you :)...

Becoming Fools

2011-10-14T17:03:00.003-06:00

The summer of 2006 I was in Guatemala. For 1 of those 8 weeks my team and I were able to spend time with a group of street kids. We took them to a park. We played fútbol with them. We brought a piñata to share with them. We listened to their stories...of the dire situations that forced them into the streets. We smelled the strong stench of the glue they huffed throughout the day to numb them from their realities. We saw broken kids who craved love. And we met Italo. Italo was a Guatemalan believer who spent his free time hanging out with these hurting kids. He brought them laughter. How? Well, Italo was a clown. An actual clown. He would dress up and do routines and tricks. He would tell them about God. He would be present with them. You could see in the eyes of these kids how much they loved Italo...how much they looked up to him. And you could see in his eyes how much he loved them. We were all inspired by Italo. In February of this year, Italo died in a swimming accident.

I recently learned of a documentary being done about Italo and the work he started. It is called Becoming Fools. Take a moment and watch the trailer. I recognize the kids in this clip. These are the kids I sat next to on the bus and laughed with as they whacked that piñata. I remember well my conversations with Italo and I know God will raise up kids that he worked with to continue the ministry he started.

It is easy to be overwhelmed with all the needs that are in this world. But please don't let that keep you from making a decision to do something. Supporting this documentary project is just one small way to get involved. If God puts it on your heart to give and/or pray for this project, please do so!

We aren't guaranteed a tomorrow. "Find the hard thing in life [that God wants you to do] and do it!" Make the most of the time you are given.

Becoming Fools Teaser from Athentikos on Vimeo.

The Sound of Silence

2011-09-30T14:00:00.003-06:00

The little circle of you who follow my blog may be wondering what I have been up to the last couple of months since my last update. Yes, I have been silent. I have actually started writing at least 5-10 different posts, but have either deleted them or left them unfinished. This has left me feeling as though I have been writing a lot, but with nothing to show for it :).

These past few months I have been enjoying farmer's markets and biking. I have been enjoying sunsets of orange and pink. I have taken a 2 mile walk in bad shoes, leaving my feet torn, and leaving me wondering about and praying for the people in the Horn of Africa who walk for days to find food for their starving children.

These past few months I have wondered about fighting slavery. I have wondered how my purchases indirectly support slavery. I have wrestled with materialism...trying to land on the side of simplicity. I have been taken by the "tomato stories." I have worked to be informed and fought against being overwhelmed.

These past few months I have enjoyed the sound of silence. It was in the silence of the 2 mile walk that God prompted me to pray for the people in the Horn of Africa. It was in the silence that God nudged my heart to hope. It was in the silence that I had space to process the overwhelming stories that fight to make each of us feel helpless.

There you go...the past few months summed up. I leave you now with another favorite song by Sandra McCracken...

A Taste of India

2011-07-22T13:09:00.002-06:00

I've had many questions about the food that we ate in India, so I thought I would put together a slide show dedicated just to food. I don't have pictures of all the different foods we ate, but this will give you an idea of the variety. Most of what we ate was not too spicy, as they had mercy on us :). I liked the food a lot though I still need to work on mastering the art of eating with my right hand. I'm a bit messy and clumsy on that front, but it was fun to try :).

India Snapshot #455

2011-07-19T17:10:00.001-06:00

A Typical Morning

2011-07-16T16:39:00.002-06:00

My hand lifted to wipe away loose stands of hair that were sticking to my forehead and the heel of my hand followed, attempting to dry the sweat that had formed and was falling in drops down my face. My eyes blurred as the bright sun forced them to close for a moment. My gaze fell to the ground, where white chalk outlined the volleyball court. Beyond the court was a massive open field where the school of over 10,000 students would gather to play various sports like handball, football (soccer) and the national sport of field hockey. Students in uniforms crossed the field on their way to class, their gazes holding intently to our white faces. I waved at one line of students. The solemn stares that had been studying my face instantly changed to large grins, shy giggles and waves of hello in return. As the team warmed up before the volleyball match, students began to gather near the court, curiosity drawing them closer, closer, closer to the white chalk boundary. I turned to one group of boys, smiled, drew my hands up together near my chin and said, “Vanakkam”…my attempt at saying hello in the beautiful language of Tamil. Their eyes grew wide and their smiles, already big, grew even bigger. Did I use the word “shy” earlier? That description never entered my thoughts again for the rest of our time at the school. As soon as the greeting left my lips the boys began saying things to me all at the same time: “Where are you from?” “How are you?” “You from America?” “What is your name?” All the English they had been taught came tumbling out of their mouths in an instant as if they felt they only had seconds left to speak to me. Each one looked at me, hoping for a response to their question. Sometimes my answer wasn’t good enough for the entire group…they each wanted to ask the same question and hear my same response back to them. They wanted my eyes to focus on them, as a unique person, and to hear my words directed back at them, as a unique person. They each had names - oh how I wanted to remember each of their names! - but there were so many and some of the names were so difficult, I had to quickly let go of that hope. Instead, I prayed that my attempt to see EACH of them, to recognize them, to hear them, would be enough for this time. My answers of “Marcie” “Colorado” “America” “Volleyball” soon were interrupted by the sound of a game whistle. The boys hustled back in a line to watch the game that was soon to begin. Throughout the match, the crowd of students increased as they slowly inched closer to the white boundary line, giggling hysterically when a ball would fly out of bounds and hit one of them. I felt their hands around my chair and their faces crowding over my shoulder as I kept the score for the match on a piece of paper. My tally marks were such a curious thing for them to see and I heard them whispering and talking and explaining to each other as another point would be scored and I would mark another line on the sheet. “7, 9” one would say and the ripple of voices would go out from there “7,9”, “7,9” “7,9” until another point would be scored and the wave of voices would change to “7,10”. My hand lifted to wipe the hair and sweat away once again. It didn’t seem to do any good, but it was a habit that formed the first day I arrived. The game ended and as the girls came off the court, drenched with sweat and tired from the heat, they were surrounded by students, all wanting to ask the questions they had asked me. They just wanted to touch, be seen and get close to these girls who traveled from America to play a sport they love and offer words of love from a God who sees each of these children…a God who knows their names…a God who longs to speak to them and let them know that He loves them.

All too soon we piled into the van to take us to the next location, where we would be watched by new faces, asked the same questions, and where we would see the same hope and longing to be seen and noticed. The game would begin, the shyness would wear off and new friends would be made.

Some Quick India Notes

2011-06-28T02:00:00.003-06:00

My first few days here it has been hard not thinking I am in Central America...perhaps that is my brain's way of processing the sights and experiences I've had thus far. I love India....and I wish I could speak Tamil :). Some of the interesting things we've experienced...

Mega traffic jam in which a policeman went over to the driver of a truck who caused a big part of the problem and started hitting him through the open window.

Lots of rice, curry, fish, sauces...I wish I knew all the names of the dishes.

English is everywhere.

Riding in small vehicles sandwiched between large buses and other vehicles...some tight squeezes in there, but boy can the people here drive! They are masters at maneuvering.

Times with Family have been AMAZING - from rooftops with 20 youth to sitting on floors with women in upper rooms, the Spirit is evident and moving.

Volleyball all the time - and it is actually a popular sport here. Some good competition for the girls - I think they lost the first few matches, but then again, they only have 5 players.

The team of girls are all really positive and enjoying their time here. When awkward things happen, they have the wonderful ability to laugh about it. Great sense of humor.

We all love the people here and are amazed and encouraged by their hearts. They are beautiful.

All of our volleyball games have been outside on clay courts. One game was on gravel. I heard later today we will have one indoors.

Women are definitely treated differently here.

Today's volleyball match was at a HUGE school - 12,000 or so students. An amazing open field which had volleyball, tennis, basketball, field hockey, and handball courts. We played a boys team and the girls won :). It was the Fanta they served us at "halftime". :)

Tomorrow we will spend the day at an orphanage.

On Sunday after church, we went to the beach and ate at a seafood place that overlooked the ocean...or the bay...one of those two. :) It looked like the ocean to me.

The 2 percent are a great witness in constant battles. I can explain that more later to anyone interested.

That's about it for now. Of course, there is way more I could write, but I don't have my notes with me and it would take too long to think through it all. :) I hope to write more later, but no guarantees as out schedule changes all the time :). Until the next time, much love from beautiful India...

Upcoming Trip - FAQs

2011-06-13T16:05:00.003-06:00

Here is my chance to answer some of the questions I've been getting regarding my upcoming trip to India.

FAQs:

1. When are you going?

The team flies out on June 22 and returns to the States on July 12.

2. What will you do in India?

Aside from trying to learn some Tamil :), I will be traveling with a volleyball team. The team is made up of gals from different colleges across the U.S. They will be competing in matches and doing volleyball clinics in local schools. We will also be meeting with local Family - hopefully to learn from and encourage. My role is more of team manager/encourager. The director keeps talking about me playing some v-ball too and I keep trying to tell him that would be like putting a 4th grader on an Olympic v-ball team. No offense to all the 4th grade v-ball players out there...the gals are just head and shoulders above me skill-wise...and physically, too...as I am short.

3. Hey, did your visa ever arrive?

Yes! Just last week it arrived so I am good to go!

4. I thought you didn't like to fly...whuddup with that?

Yeah, flying is probably one of my least favorite modes of transportation. But alas, the destination on the other side is far more appealing than any fear I have. I am planning on bonding with flying on this trip, as it takes many hours to get to there...and back. Bring on the movies, books, writing time and snacks!

5. Why are you doing this?

In all honesty, I did try "ducking out" of this trip initially. But when I looked at all my reasons why I shouldn't go, they all could be traced back to fear. No way do I want to let fear make my decisions. So I prayed about it, talked to some trusted friends, and realized that this was an answer to prayer. I had been praying for a chance to spend time in another country and here was an opportunity. I love experiencing other cultures and seeing what God is doing outside of my 'lil world.

Did I miss any questions? Let me know if you have any questions I didn't address above and I will be happy to answer them!

Did You Know? Episode 1

2011-06-06T17:08:00.006-06:00

Some little things about me from recent days...

I have now lived in Colorado Springs for 6 years.
I have yet to grow tired of the Colorado sunshine.
I still miss the friends, culture and green of Oregon.
I was asked to go to India with a volleyball team...set to fly out in 2 weeks...my visa and passport are stuck in San Francisco. Dios sabe.
I am really into the music of Brooke Fraser and Sandra McCracken these days.
I have been missing my friend Tera...I could use one of our conversations about now. Has it really been 5 years since you entered His Presence?
I am realizing I need to write more, but the words keep getting stuck.
I am excited about summer possibilities and seeing friends who will be in town from around the world.

And now, as is my tradition, I will leave you with a song that I have loved listening to this season...

Driving Lessons

2011-05-10T16:44:00.002-06:00

Some things I learned while driving through Montana and Wyoming:

Long straight stretches of roadway are better with a little U2.
Pine trees and mountains make me smile.
Rolling, brown land filled with cows make me smile.
I really really really want to see Yellowstone one day…
Country music isn't really all that bad when it’s all you have.

More to come...

Quotes of the Week

2011-04-20T15:42:00.004-06:00

“It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desires which He creates” — Amy Carmichael

“Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace. If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you will know what His will is.” — Amy Carmichael

"Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord." - Luke 1:45

The Parallel Between My Current Book Reading Habits and My Life

2011-04-16T14:41:00.005-06:00

It seems that I have begun to read a number of books, but cannot seem to finish any of them. It is not that I do not enjoy these books, but rather, it seems I do not want them to end. So I read a little and then sit with them for a while. The book that I believe I will actually finish first in this stack, is one co-edited by a friend of mine. I just received a copy in the mail this last week and I am almost finished with it. It is called JUST MOMS Conveying Justice in an Unjust World (edited by Melanie Springer Mock and Rebekah D. Schneiter). I have completely enjoyed this collection of stories, and knowing some of the contributing authors has made me feel more connected to it. I am so proud of Rebekah, Marilee and the other amazing gals who worked on this project.

How does this relate to my life? It seems I am in a season of being somewhat overwhelmed with options, tasks at work, life questions etc...and rather than work on finishing these things as they bombard me, I seemed to have fallen into "slow-mo" where I can't seem to finish anything. I know this is a season and it will pass. I have too much "love of closure" to let this continue for very long. So for the time being, I will wade through the clutter and slowly make my way to the other side. Maybe finishing Just Moms will be the spark I need to finish other things that have piled up around me.

Things That Made Me Laugh/Cry Volume IV

2011-02-28T16:46:00.002-07:00

It's been a long while since I've added to my Laugh/Cry entries, so here is Volume IV for this last part of February:

Things that made me laugh: Receiving a birthday card signed by my nephews. My 4 yr old nephew drew me a picture of mountains and my 10 yr old nephew drew me a very detailed picture of a Patriots vs Eagles football game in which the score was 1 million to 7 (Patriots won).

Things that made me cry: The birthday cards, notes and gifts from friends and family near and far…the surprise dinner hosted by the Boesels…the fun day in Denver hosted by my JQ family…remembering my dear February 9th birthday friend...I am blessed and humbled beyond words at the kindness and thoughtfulness of the people God has placed in my life. I am so thankful and I wish each of you could know how deeply I treasure you in my heart.

The Opera

2011-02-26T17:39:00.002-07:00

Last evening I had the chance to experience my first opera. My response? I LOVED it! I was apprehensive at first because I did not think I would understand what was going on, but fortunately, they offered a screen above the stage which included some helpful subtitles - phew. The opera was The Barber of Seville and I must admit that my recognition of the music came not from my vast knowledge of classical music, but rather, Bugs Bunny. I know, I know...

I was so impressed with the abilities of the performers. I don't know how their voices can hold up for 3 hours of almost constant singing. Even the "dialogue" was sung. It was beautiful, hilarious and well done. If you have a chance to see this performance, I highly recommend it. Here is a clip from one of the more well-known arias. Ahhh Figaro - what a character!

Lists

2011-02-24T16:53:00.003-07:00

Since I have had a horrible case of writer’s block, I decided to switch to list mode for the time being. Here is a glimpse at my life – reduced to bullet points…

Books I Am Reading:

Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne
New Monasticism by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
War Dances by Sherman Alexie

Movies I Have Enjoyed:

The King's Speech

Places I Have Been Thinking About:

The Northwest
North Carolina (shout out to Ash)
India

People I Have Been Thinking About: (Impossible to list them all, so I kept it short)

The Nephews - here is a picture of the newest addition...

Birthday Snapshot

2011-02-24T16:23:00.002-07:00

Four Boys Sitting Against a Wall

2011-01-10T17:54:00.003-07:00

These last few months I have found myself thinking about Sarai – specifically the story in Genesis 16. Some months ago, a friend mentioned this story and made the comment that Sarai’s actions were culturally acceptable at the time. I have heard this before, but for some reason that concept cemented itself as a query in my mind and has not quickly left.

In what ways do I choose the culturally acceptable thing (I am including the Christian culture here, too) over really waiting and listening to what God is asking me to do? How does my American culture affect how my faith is lived out? In what ways am I syncretistic?

It is easy for me to act on impatience…to try to make something happen in my timeline. It is especially easy when I can justify my actions because they are culturally appropriate. But I want to have courage to be patient. I want to have courage to live God’s love and peace in a world that tells me it is okay to do otherwise. I am thankful that the Lord is my Shepherd even though I don’t get things right much of the time.

A couple of songs have been playing on the radio that have caused me to pause, listen and reflect on how much I am in need of the One, True Living God. I know I put a lot of songs on this blog, but I love love love music. It puts to words what I often am not able to. I thought it really funny when I looked up the groups behind these songs. Both album covers have four boys sitting against a wall. It made me smile and want to sit against the wall with them.

So as I wonder and wrestle, I invite you to join me. And I invite you to sit back, listen to these songs and remember that it is our Father who holds our hearts in the midst of questions and unknowns.

Top Fives

2010-12-04T16:44:00.003-07:00

Have you ever seen those signs, usually in front of stores, loudly stating "Top 5 Gift Ideas for...". I often find them humorous as well as out of my price range. They tend to show up more during the holiday season and thus, I have been inspired to offer a few of my own "Top Five" lists. Keep in mind that these lists are ever-changing and in no particular order. :)

Top 5 Christmas Songs

1. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole

2. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Ella Fitzgerald

3. Oh Holy Night - Josh Groban

4. Breath of Heaven - Amy Grant

5. All I Want For Christmas - Mariah Carey (I know, I know, but that song makes me dance in my car every time it comes on the radio)

Top 5 Movies I Love to Watch Around Christmas Time

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

2. Meet Me in St. Louis

3. While You Were Sleeping

4. It’s a Wonderful Life (Atta boy Clarence!)

5. White Christmas

Top 5 Sights and Smells of Christmas

1. Snowmen (those made with real snow, by real kids of all ages)

2. Nativity scenes (I love those from other countries)

3. The smell of pine

4. Christmas lights

5. The smell of a fireplace

What about you?? What are some of your Top Fives of the season?

Praying for Peace

2010-09-15T12:14:00.007-06:00

My heart has been hurting for El Salvador these past weeks. El Salvador first became more than a place on a map to me back in college when one of my professors showed a movie called “Romero”. It was 1994, I was a junior, 19 years old, and I was shocked that the events from the movie were so recent. Why had I not heard about the Civil War before? How could so many people in one small country (around the size of the state of Massachusetts) be suffering, disappearing, fighting, dying…and we didn’t know anything about it?(This was just the beginning of my realization that our evening news doesn’t really cover international events very well at all…)

9 years later I found myself sitting at a dining room table in El Salvador, eating caramel-flavored atol out of a large white bowl (at least I remember a caramel flavor to it). I was exhausted from a long day of children’s ministry and the light hanging over the table seemed to burn my eyes. My teammate Ashley and I were in the wonderful home of Gloria, a dear woman who opened her doors for us to stay for the week. I remember she had a little white dog who randomly decided to bite my toe one day. I also remember how thankful I was to Ash for her Spanish ability…most of the time I felt like I was watching a high speed train fly by me. Every once in a while my brain was able to jump on the Spanish language train and ride for a while, but when I would fall off, Ash was there to help fill in the blanks. We sat at the table eating our atol with a spoon while Gloria kept us company. My eyes wandered beyond Gloria to the bathroom where large tubs sat, ready to collect water when it was turned on for them. Still, 2 years after a 7.9 earthquake hit the region, the town did not have consistent water. It would come on at some point in the middle of the night and Gloria would be ready to collect what she would need for the next day’s laundry, dishes, bathing…and here were 2 more people she was selflessly receiving into her home.

I came back to the conversation at the table which had turned to the topic of the civil war (which lasted from approx 1979-1992). I instantly thought of Romero and images from the movie flooded my mind. The part of the conversation that became etched in my mind was when she talked about how they daily lived in fear. They would listen for the sound of the soldiers coming, turn off their lights and live in complete silence.No children playing, no sound of neighbors talking with each other…just silence... followed by the sound of soldiers’ footsteps in the street. I was sitting in the same home where just 11 years earlier, fear kept people crippled and hidden. The internal scars from those sad days were evident in Gloria’s face and voice. This was her beloved country. And it was wounded.

My teammate Ashley ended up returning to El Salvador a couple years later and married a wonderful guy named Elvis. I was blessed to have been able to be there for their wedding, on the beach in El Salvador (I know, it was a huge sacrifice for me to spend time with friends on a beach :) ). They have an adorable little girl named Suzy. And in these recent months, fear has once again fought to rear its ugly head. I was talking to Ash via facebook and she mentioned that things have been a bit unnerving for them these days. Gang violence has escalated: Back in June gangs set fire to a bus, killing 17 people. In the last week, public transportation was at a standstill due to the threat of more gang violence. My heart broke upon hearing this. Even though I was there for such a short time in 2003 and again in 2006, part of my heart is still there. The people are vibrant, warm and full of life. The land is beautiful. The food is amazing (I still have cravings for pupusas). And God is still at work. The believers, like my friends Elvis & Ashley, are committed to following Christ and being messengers of His peace and hope. How do you respond to circumstances like these? Elvis just gave a message at their church around Proverbs 25:21: “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” A challenge to us all.

I am praying for peace. For the last number of days as I’ve been talking to Ash, I’ve been praying and hoping for peace and safety for her family. An interesting thing has happened in the midst of this. My heart has become burdened to pray for the gang members. While we have hope, they do not. While we have eternal security, they do not. While we know that God is our refuge and strength, they do not. Christ died for all – while we were still sinners – how His heart must long for each of these gang members to open their hearts to receive His grace, forgiveness and truth.

If God brings Elvis, Ash and little Suzy to your minds, please pray for them. Pray for wisdom as they long to walk in obedience to God. And pray that peace would return to this amazing country where God has not finished working.

Note to Ash: If I have misstated or misrepresented anyone or anything in my blog, please let me know and I will correct it. Maybe I should have had you read it first J.

**Another movie on the civil war in El Salvador is called Innocent Voices. It is worth watching, though difficult.

Painful Hope

2010-09-10T15:38:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite verses is Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” I love hope. I love to hope for things to come. But I’ve realized something recently…I am selective in what I allow myself to hope for. Perhaps this is a common defense mechanism. We don’t want to hope for certain things too much just in case they don’t turn out the way we want.

I have been in the midst of a painful season. Painful because hopes have been awakened in which there is no guarantee of the outcome. I have wrestled with trying to get rid of them…to shove them back down where I had buried them - to that place where I can shrug my shoulders and say, “Oh that doesn’t really matter to me.“ I have been mad at myself for allowing these hopes to wiggle their way back to the surface. This has left me tired and yes, befuddled (I had to get that word in there - it’s too good not to use).

When things like this happen…when I feel rattled and not fully myself, I take time to step back, think and pray about the big picture. I escape to the mountain to pray. Through this recent time of reflection, I have realized that I have been avoiding hope in a few areas of my life. The things I hold most dear are the things I don’t want to allow myself to hope for…so afraid of the pain it would bring if things don’t turn out the way I am hoping they will. As any good teacher does - seizing the teachable moment - God has used this time to challenge me. In the midst of my wrestling, He has once again been my Faithful Shepherd. He has challenged me to be open to hope completely…to look at the people and areas of my life I hope so deeply for and to let those hopes rise up. He has walked beside me and whispered “Trust me with your hopes…all of them.” He has reminded me that He is the God of Hope and if I say I trust Him, that means trusting and hoping…no matter the outcome.

***Note to my mom: No, I am not depressed. Yes, I am fine. Painful seasons hopefully lead to growth...the glass is always half-full to me... :)

A Little Like Sophie

2010-09-06T12:24:00.005-06:00

Disclaimer...this entry is very random and wanders all over the place...kind of like my hike yesterday...

My friends, the Spauldings, have a dog named Sophie. Sophie is a very loving dog and she can't seem to express her love of people any other way than by licking them as much as possible until she is told "no". She is the kind of dog who always seems to barely be able to contain herself...her whole body seems to shake in anticipation of someone petting her. She loves people...and things. For a while, she had a pet rock. She found this rock in their backyard and they became fast friends. Sophie would bring the rock inside with her and it would sleep next to her on her little dog mat. I thought this was both sweet and a bit odd until yesterday.

I decided I would get away to pray, ponder, wonder, walk...The weather was great and it had been a while since I had spent time out at Garden of the Gods. I've been thinking over Hebrews 12:2 lately - it has frequently been entering my days with me - so I thought I would spend more time pondering this verse: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

It all seems to point back to perspective and focus for me. In a recent chapel at work, the devotional given referred to a passage in 1 Peter 4:8+ (bear with me as a ramble a bit here). As is usual for me, my eye went to a verse near the one being talked about and I got a little side-tracked on my own little rabbit trail. The verse before says, "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray" . As the devotion-giver continued to talk about verses 8, 9 and on, my mind began to wonder about Simon Peter who wrote these words. Wasn't this the same Simon Peter who fell asleep after Jesus asked him to watch and pray? Did his heart still hurt when he reflected on how he had fallen asleep? Was he trying to warn people so they wouldn't do what he had done? (This is how my mind works...Insight To Marcie's Brain 101). As I've thought about Simon Peter and what he was trying to pass along to others, these questions infiltrated my weeks and Hebrews 12:2 started rising to the surface. Whichever way I look at it, it seems pretty evident to me that my God is wanting me to keep my eyes fixed on Him. No matter the circumstances in the world around me, I have one Person to keep looking to.

While all these thoughts were swimming around in my mind, I decided to stop and rest on a large boulder. I spent the next 20-30 minutes on that boulder, enjoying the outer quiet. As I sat there, I looked over to my right and almost burst out laughing. There, next to me, was a large rock who looked exactly as I felt. It looked like he, too, was sitting, contemplating, praying, wondering. I thought of Sophie and her pet rock. And I understood.

Song of the Month: Be Thou My Vision by Ginny Owens

Clouds and God

2010-08-07T13:09:00.002-06:00

Quote of the Month: "...It seems that His servants who are used in special ways often experience commensurate trials. These trials are simultaneously burdens God gives to keep them utterly dependent; and thorns which pin back the veil that hides His face. In a fallen world, they are gifts." - Sono Harris (http://www.epm.org/blog/2010/Jul/30/gifts-fallen-world-email-sono-harris)

I have mentioned this before - I love clouds. They always turn my mind to God - His creation, creativity, vastness, love, presence...They lead me into prayer and conversation. The sky in Colorado often draws my attention, as the weather is big and ever-changing. In times of deep sadness, clouds have helped lift my eyes and turn my heart towards the eternal.

Continuing in praying for:

Ben & Lisa - http://www.802heaven.com/
Aid worker being held in Sudan - http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/mb/urgent_prayer_for_abducted_worker
Loved ones of workers killed in Afghanistan - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10900338

July Ponderings

2010-07-19T17:16:00.005-06:00

It is easy for me to think I am right.

It is easy for me to be impatient.

It is easy for me to criticize what I don’t understand.

It is easy for me to believe I am the worst of sinners.

It is easy for me to judge.

Till We Have Faces…

It is difficult for me to accept grace.

It is difficult for me to believe I am worth dying for.

It is difficult for me to grasp Holiness.

It is difficult for me to love beyond my control.

It is difficult for me to move beyond my humanity and rest in His Completeness.

I am thankful Christ is my Intercessor, my Author, the Perfecter of My Faith. I am thankful that it is He who is able to keep me from falling and present me before his glorious Presence without fault and with great joy…to Him be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our LORD, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Just a few thoughts I've had while re-reading Till We Have Faces and listening to my song of the month "What Do I Know of Holy?"

Waldo Canyon Hike

2010-07-03T16:51:00.006-06:00

This was a good morning for a hike (yes, I used the words "good" and "morning" together and meant it.) I joined friends to explore this trail and had a fabulous time! Here is my top 5 list from today.

Top 5 Things I Enjoyed About the Waldo Canyon Trail:

1. Views

2. Big Boulders

3. Red, White & Green

4. Wildlife

5. Butterflies (yeah, I know, this could go under wildlife, but there were so many butterflies I had to put them in their own category...)

Walking

2010-07-01T11:04:00.004-06:00

There is something I love about snapshots of people walking. Here are some from my May visit with family.

A Shout Out To Pete and Other Sundries

2010-06-18T14:07:00.003-06:00

Wow - I did it! I changed my blog's template (Whatcha think?). It's a big deal for me because I am the type of person that sticks with what I like. I love my iced single shot vanilla lattes - yes Pete and Linsey Macy, I still get the same drink as when you (Pete) used to make them for me at the Coffee Cottage. Seriously, you spoiled me, Pete. You always made them perfectly and I haven't had one since that meets the level of deliciousness as those you would make. But I still order that same drink - wherever I go. And I am quite happy with that. I will admit that this year has seen me branch out to order a hot single shot vanilla latte...a huge step for me...but the cold winter here pushed me to the brink, what can I say.

Despite my comments above, I do like trying new things and I do like being spontaneous. Maybe I don't choose the new and spontaneous as much as other people, but that piece does exist in me. At the end of April, I made a last minute decision to take a road trip vacation and visit my family in the Northwest. I hope to get some pictures up soon. While it went by quickly and was filled with much driving, it was a much-needed break for me. I love love love my family :o).

March

2010-05-24T21:01:00.005-06:00

As I sit here in a coffee shop reflecting on March, the sounds of Debbie Gibson, Journey and Chicago are keeping me company. I've only been to this shop a couple of times, but both times they have had the radio tuned to the 80's station. Kind of fun. :) Okay, on to March...

Top Highlight: Winter continued as did the snowball of work. I celebrated my mom's birthday from afar, began to grow more concerned with the reality of my workload and became increasingly stir crazy from the cold temperatures. Finally at the end of March, the sun came out and we hit the 60's. I took advantage of the warm day and went for a bike ride. I didn't get too far before realizing I may have been too ambitious...some of the trails were still a bit too slushy to ride through. It was still SO nice to get outside!

My song of the month: Far Away by Ingrid Michaelson

February

2010-05-24T20:48:00.004-06:00

Top Highlight: Okay, February was a bit of a blur. Work was picking up speed and I began to go stir crazy from the winter weather. I do remember being treated to some great meals for my birthday - Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern. That was fun!

My song of the month: Hosanna by Hillsong

Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours

Everything I am for your kingdoms cause

As I go from nothing to

Eternity

Books I was reading (and still am :)): The Singer Trilogy by Calvin Miller, Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

January

2010-05-22T16:27:00.008-06:00

Yes, that is how far behind I am in keeping my blog up to date. I am glad I did not make "blog upkeep" a New Year's resolution. I will try to catch up by breaking it down by months...Here's to January!

Song of the month: Hallelujah - Bethany Dillon

Top Highlight: Visiting Oregon friends while out there for a missions conference. I had such a great time with the Boyd Family...picking up where we left off. They graciously hosted me and even let me stay out in The Sanctuary :). Each morning I would walk by their chickens, who would greet me like the happy-early-morning animals they are. Each afternoon I would be greeted by the Boyd children who had exciting tales from school, life, books and their creative imaginations. Kim and I were even able to sneak in a card game or two. Bryan, Kim and kiddos...ya'll are a joy to me.

Are the days getting longer yet?

2010-03-04T16:50:00.002-07:00

Colorado has had a long winter this year. Last year it was considered a long winter because it snowed in May. But I was okay with that because we had 60 degree days spread throughout the season. I went for a bike ride with friends in January last year. It was lovely. This year it has been consistently cold so we all feel like we've been shut in for months. This week we've hit the 50's and it has given me spring fever. Suddenly I am craving farmer's markets, short sleeves, barbecues, the color that the flowers bring to the landscape, running outside at 7pm because it is both warm and light out...I can't wait! I am choosing to ignore the fact we have a couple more snow storms in the 10-day forecast. I want to enjoy these next couple days of this "taste of spring".

Maybe this is why my writer's block seems to have lifted today. Ahh - I love the spring and summer months! :)

Time has flown...

2009-12-16T16:17:00.006-07:00

These last few months have gone by way too quickly. In the words of Dr. Suess:

"How did it get so late so soon?

It's night before it's afternoon.

December is here before it's June.

My goodness how the time has flewn.

How did it get so late so soon?"

Here are some quick highlights of the last few months:

Moving...again (still in Colorado Springs)
Finishing my 50th 5k with the Jack Quinn's running club...and enjoying the fall in Colorado
Spending 11 days over Thanksgiving in the Northwest with my family and 2 wonderful nephews
Speaking of nephews - When I had to say goodbye, my oldest nephew gave me one of his Star Wars droids to take with me on the airplane. Mr. Droid rode with me on the plane in my carry-on. Far too valuable for checked baggage.

(Venetucci 5K with the Spauldings)

And some quick lowlights:

Getting buried at work (what's new in the non-profit world?)
The roller coaster of highs and lows of a friend struggling through cancer. Clarification - Ben and Lisa are a highlight :o)....Ben's cancer - a lowlight... tumors have stopped growing -a recent highlight woo hoo!!)
Saying good-bye to my family at Thanksgiving- that one is never fun.

(Some deer...and a fox...around the Colorado Springs area)

What I am looking forward to in the next few months:

A trip to NEWBERG!! Look out Newberg, here I come! I will be there the week of January 12th...just for a few days, but I will be there nonetheless! :)
A very Merry VideoSkype Christmas with the fam. The next best thing to being there in person. I can still watch all their lovely faces as they open gifts.

Here is a slideshow from Thanksgiving - which also includes a video of my youngest nephew making a pie...love it!

Oh, just some thoughts

2009-10-09T12:01:00.004-06:00

In a recent chapel at my office, our President’s wife led the devotional time. Denyse spoke about Psalm 57. Some of the phrases that stood out to me during her talk: “A steadfast heart”, “A defiant faith”, “Refuge in the Lord”. It is pretty incredible when you read Psalm 57 along with 1 Samuel 21, 22… and you get a feel for what David was really facing.

I have been in somewhat dangerous situations in my life (that I know of). I have been in the back of a pickup truck, riding through remote roads where the local police had issued a warning to all about kidnappers in the area. I’ve walked at midnight along streets riddled with drugs, prostitution, confused and angry people. Have I ever been running for my life from a political giant? No. In fact, I have never been in a situation where someone actually threatened my life. But many people in this world have. Many of my brothers and sisters face this threat daily. And some are now in the presence of our Father because of their steadfast faith.

The fears I hear around me in my community tend to revolve around fear of losing personal rights, power, favor, money etc…which is kind of funny to me because those things are not really spoken well of in the Bible. So why are we afraid of losing them? Anyway, I digress. David was facing the possibility of losing his life. Yet look at Psalm 57 and the prayer of his heart. Throughout that passage he is giving praise to God. It was as if David was saying, “Your glory is more important than the resolution of my problems” (Denyse’s paraphrase). There was a focus on God being glorified in the midst of crazy and fearful circumstances.

A friend/co-worker of mine is currently going through his second fight with cancer - all at the ripe old age of 27. In one of Ben’s recent blog entries I was reminded of the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3. This is a story that I learned from the time I was very young, but I don’t think my teachers ever included verse 18. “But if not…” Those three concluded that no matter the outcome, they would still only worship God. In the midst of all the circumstances I face daily, is my heart ready to respond in praise and true desire to see Him glorified in all? And if God does not answer in the way I think is best or according to my logic, is His praise still coming from my heart and mouth? Is my heart steadfast? Do I have a defiant faith? Am I taking refuge in the Lord? Is His glory more important than the resolution of my problems?

Swimming in My Mind These Days...

2009-09-14T17:31:00.002-06:00

"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

From The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Only At the State Fair

2009-09-11T10:48:00.007-06:00

Last Saturday I went to the Colorado State Fair with my friends, Ben and Lisa. Images from the Grant County Fair in Moses Lake were floating in my mind as we drove to Pueblo. Flashbacks of showing sheep and rabbits for 4-H, trying my hand at cooking- only to have the judges give it poor marks (some things never change) and the thought of all the fun-but-horrible-for-you "fair food" were instantly coming to mind. I have to say, I think I will always have a soft spot in my heart for my "home fair".

I had a great time with Ben and Lisa as we explored everything from the rides, to the animal exhibits (what's up with the "exotic bird" exhibit only consisting of pheasants?), to the 4-H baked goods, arts and crafts buildings. We watched the lumberjack show, some of the pole vaulting competition (yes, there was a pole vaulting competition) and Lisa was brave enough to try her hand at one of the games. Alas, no bright pink monkey was won. We finished our time trying out the funnel cakes, which were covered in powdered sugar (see proof below). It quickly covered our clothing, but it didn't help when I accidentally dumped my plate of powdered sugar on Lisa's leg. Oops.

It was a great day!

Bike Ride Video

2009-08-16T16:33:00.005-06:00

I still have not perfected the art of "videoing while riding". This probably means I shouldn't do it because one of these times it will catch me crashing as a result. But then again, that would make for an interesting video...

We had a great day - 16 of us from OC taking a 38 mile ride from Palmer Lake, CO to Fountain, CO. In the video I mentioned mileage, but it's hard to hear me because of wind or how I am holding the camera - it's kind of shaky. The day was beautiful - lots of blue sky - and not too hot. Towards the end there were a couple of spills resulting in bloody elbows, but overall, everyone finished pretty much unscathed. We all decided this needed to be an annual event as we celebrated over burgers and milkshakes at a local 50's diner. One of the riders was so inspired he is now trying to get us to sign up for a half marathon in December. Hmm...not sure about this one, Harold. We'll see how I feel in November :o).

Mourning with AIM

2009-08-10T09:48:00.002-06:00

This morning in chapel, we received news that AIM has lost two of their missionaries in a plane crash: Frank Toews and Ryan Williams. News like this is so heartbreaking and yet I am so grateful that these men were committed to Christ and therefore are now with Him. Each was a husband. Each was a father of 4 children. The global missions family is small and I know this sad news is affecting many in Kenya and the rest of the world. One of our missionary families in Kenya was very close to the Williams family and they are grieving the loss of a dear friend. Please hold these families in your prayers.

Snapshots

2009-08-07T14:59:00.004-06:00

Here are a couple of shots from last Saturday's run. For those of you on Facebook, these will be repeats :o). I ran with 3 friends: Aaron and Sarah Livingston and Grace Spaulding. Aaron and Sarah had to take off after the run, so they aren't in the pictures, but Grace is! (Yay Grace - thanks for running!) It was a great day with over $12,000 raised to help with the health clinic in Kibali.

Okay, so I really need a better "tough" face. I finished 8th in my age group. Yes, there were more than 8 people in my age group :o). There were 39. Woo hoo!

Negatives but Mostly Positives

2009-08-05T16:16:00.003-06:00

Pet Peeves of the Week:

***Use of the word “fodder”
***My work computer deciding to automatically restart without my permission

***People commenting on my appearance

Things I’ve Enjoyed This Week:

***Reminder to “live in the unseen” II Corinth 4:16+ (Thanks for sharing in chapel Rich!)

***Running

***Lightning

***Seeing pictures of my older sister in a sombrero for her birthday celebration

***Eating falafel and hummus

Sharing a Mountain with Kevin Bacon...Running for Rwanda

2009-07-31T10:01:00.003-06:00

My blog entries have been few and far between this summer. This isn't because things are bad or slow, it's been quite the opposite. I have had a great summer, kicked off with my sister and brother-in-law's visit in June. Shortly after came OC's annual Pikes Peak climb. OC plans this event in the spring and usually there are between 10 - 30 people who join for the all day climb. I had been able to conquer the mountain in 2005 and 2007, so why not try again in 2009? The unusual factor this year was the weather. Colorado Springs has decided to change climates with the Northwest for this season and we have seen more rain in June than any other June in the last 100 years. This led to snow hanging around the summit much later into the summer than normal. Our leader decided the week of the hike that we would just go to Barr Camp, rather than summit. His friend had hiked the mountain that week and said that for the last mile, the snow came up to his knees and hips in some places and the trail wasn't clearly seen. Our group was still excited to go - even if just to Barr Camp.

Another fun thing was that Kevin Bacon was going to be hiking the mountain that day. He was doing a fundraiser for cancer, along with his brother and band. I kept my eyes peeled for a chance to sneak a peek at the star of one of my favorite 80's movies, Footloose, but alas, there was no sign of Kevin at all that day. Later, I found out that he and his brother took a shorter, but steeper route on the other side of the mountain. So technically I did share the mountain with him that day. One of my teammates who hiked up beyond Barr Camp that day, said that on his way down a man with a video camera came up to him on the trail and asked him to say into the camera, "Bacon is at the top!". My teammate was completely confused and wondered if they were serving free breakfast at the summit, but he complied and said to the camera enthusiastically, "Bacon is at the top!". Later, when he told his wife she said, "That meant Kevin Bacon reached the top." We had a good laugh about that one. I can see why he may have been thinking about food - he and his son went about 11 miles in (22 miles round trip), whereas most of us just went 7 (14 miles round trip). It was a good, long day and we all were pretty tired when we finished. We ended up hiking more in miles than we would have if we had just gone right to the top. :o)

July has been full of work activities, but I have also been getting ready for my next 5K event, which will be tomorrow. Since these events cost money, I have been selective in choosing which ones I want to be a part of. The run tomorrow is called "Run for Rwanda". We will start running at 8:00am and at the exact same time (4:00pm their time), a group in Kibali, Rwanda will be running as well. All proceeds go towards funding a health clinic as well as other development programs for the Kibali community. I am excited about this run and am hoping there is a good turnout in support.

The next "big" event in August will be a 35-40 mile bike ride put together by some of my co-workers. I haven't been training too much for this one - the weather has been a bit rainy for biking. But I did get in a 25 mile bike ride last weekend, so I am not too nervous (yet I am laughing nervously to myself as I type this, so maybe I am nervous about it). It will be fun no matter if I am huffing and puffing my way through it.

I mentioned work...things have been a bit tight for our organization - as with all non-profits - and they've had to make cutbacks. So far I've just had some hours reduced, but we will see. There is a lot of shuffling going on trying to get our operations under budget, so when the dust settles, who knows what it will look like. I am not worried. I know that if they have to let me go that God has something else for me. But as of now I still have a job in a ministry I enjoy, so I am thankful.

I think that's it for this "catch-up" entry. I hope you all are having a good summer! Peace be with you.

Rely on the love God has for you... I John 4:16

Garden of the Gods - Vacation Part 2

2009-07-04T13:21:00.002-06:00

I have no idea why I am calling this "Part 2". This was the actually first day of events when Chris and Lisa were here. We never were able to get to the Garden when there was blue sky. We had plenty of overcast and stormy weather that week. Oh well - it is still beautiful - and look ma! No sunburns!

I had so much fun having Chris and Lisa here - I think I've only said that 20 times already. It really was a great week. We had lots of time to just relax, play games, take walks, watch Wipeout (and why do I still have American Chopper episodes taping, Chris?? :o) ), visit some local sites and listen to some good 'ole Colorado thunderstorms.

Chris and Lis - let's make this a tradition! :o)

Moments That Made Me Laugh

2009-06-28T16:30:00.002-06:00

Royal Gorge Day

2009-06-27T18:14:00.003-06:00

My updates have been long overdue! I have had a busy June and a very fun time with family and friends who have visited. I will get some pics up of all the fun events, but thought I would start with part one of my time with my younger sis and her husband. We took a trip to visit the Royal Gorge which has the highest suspension bridge in the world. It is 1,270 feet in length and I was counting each step to get to the other side. I was fine if I was walking, but when I stood still and felt the bridge moving, um...not so much fun. How did Indiana Jones do it? Sorry about the typo on the first slide...just in a little bit of a hurry :o).

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Vacation Part 1

2009-06-13T15:43:00.004-06:00

I am still here! It has been a very busy few weeks - not much time to write. The last few days were fantastic as I took a couple vacation days while my younger sister and her husband were in town. I will put a slide show together soon, but for now, here is a little teaser...

Reminder

2009-05-22T13:07:00.003-06:00

The perfect reminder that this world is not our home and there are many I am looking forward to seeing once more. Tera, I can't wait to have a good talk with you again. I can still hear you laughing, my friend. Just yesterday I was thinking how I wanted to talk something over with you, so I did. It just would have been nice to have you here to hear your wise thoughts. One gift you have given me through your physical death - you have caused my eyes to be raised to heaven and eternity more now than ever before. I love you and miss you!

Jude 24-25

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--
to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

My "Quinn" Family

2009-05-20T12:57:00.003-06:00

Okay, I really don't think I am this short...am I? I never feel this short when I am with them. Hmm...perspective, I guess. This is my running club family. Since we run down at Jack Quinns, Josh aptly named our little group the Quinn Family. Here's a bit about my "family": On the far right is the instigator of this group - Josh. He is an OC MK from Germany who has been helping out here in our office in the Personnel/Training Dept. He's always been a runner (yeah one of those "I'm just going to run 13 miles today...") and he shares my love of Miyazaki films. In the middle are the Spauldings (minus 2 of their kids). Steve and Marna are missionaries with OC - formerly with DAWN ministries in the Philippines. Steve grew up in Japan, Brazil and Canada (his grandparents started Prairie Bible) so he is quite the world traveler and has some awesome life stories. Marna shares my love of NPR, Hummus, Farmer's Markets and biking (ooh - how Portland do we sound??). Peter, their middle son, shares my love of Coldplay. :o) And we also share the "middle child" syndrome - I get you Peter - you make complete sense to me!

Our routine has been to head down to Jack Quinn's each Tuesday after work where we meet up with sometimes 800 other runners/walkers/crawlers. We run our 5K loop and then depart from the crowds back to the Spaulding's home. Marna always seems to have found time at some point in the day to get a dinner ready for all of us. We sit down and are joined by Katie -their youngest - and the next couple hours are filled with conversation about movies, books, writing, church, Church, the Kingdom, God, politics, music and many other, sometimes odd, topics.

This last Tuesday was the last time that we will all be able to run together for a little while,hence the picture with matching shirts (except Josh and I missed the memo). The Spauldings are heading to the Philippines for a few weeks for their oldest daughter's graduation from Faith Academy. Right after that Josh heads up to the mountains where OC runs their summer training events. Perhaps there will be times this summer we will get the Quinn family back together (for a Pike's Peak climb, perhaps??). But the summer gets pretty crazy for everyone so we will see.

It is good to have family and Church away from family and church. I am thankful for these friends that God has allowed to cross my path for this season.

If At First You Don't Succeed...

2009-05-18T12:32:00.001-06:00

Random Books

2009-05-02T18:24:00.002-06:00

I seem to have collected a variety of books that are in my "to read" pile. I don't know how it happened so quickly, but I realized I'd better get to reading or my stack would soon tip over. Here is the list of books that are piling up on my end table:

I think I get this habit from my dad - although my mom is known for having a stack of books not far from her reach. I guess they both gave me a love of reading. I just finished a children's book called "Hate That Cat" by Sharon Creech. It follows another she wrote called "Love That Dog". I absolutely loved both books. So random, but they were clever, quick and they made me laugh. If you like poetry or children's books, you might have to try these two!

The weather has been cold, rainy, overcast - pretty unusual for Colorado Springs. It seems to keep me in a constant state of "hot cocoa and books"...hence the blog entry devoted entirely to what I am reading now.

What about you? Anything interesting piling up on your table?

April Showers...

2009-04-18T13:45:00.004-06:00

What do April snow showers bring? We had a mild winter, as far as snow goes. I guess winter decided to choose April as the month it wanted to arrive in Colorado Springs. It snowed on Easter and again for the past couple of days. I don't mind the snow at all - I just tend to get confused at what time of the year it really is. Oh well. It should get up to the high 60's this coming week - someone even said 70's. Hmm...we shall see.

On a completely different topic, one of the songs I can't get enough of these days is Jeremy Camp's There Will Be A Day...

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that trys to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth,
That we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face But until that day, we’ll hold on to you always

I know the journey seems so long
You feel your walking on your own
But there has never been a step
Where you’ve walked out all alone
Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting

I can’t wait until that day where the very one I’ve lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery this is why this is why I sing….

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face There will be a day, He’ll wipe away the stains, He’ll wipe away the tears, He’ll wipe away the tears…..there will be a day.

Perspective

2009-04-02T13:50:00.002-06:00

It doesn’t take much for my perspective to be challenged when I hear stories like that of Karis Kornfield. I first learned about Karis when I started working at OC International. She is one of our MKs (Missionary Kids) from Brazil and has an amazing story. Shortly after I started working here, the prayer request came through that Karis was on the waiting list for a 5 organ transplant (due to a condition she was born with). She did receive the transplant (small bowel, duodenum, stomach, pancreas, liver) in January of 2006, but her roller coaster story has continued. These last few years she has bounced around between home, school (she attended Notre Dame where she graduated in May of 2008) and the hospital. She has been in and out of ICU, surgeries, endless tests, times where she can eat, times where she cannot. Through it all, she and her family have been ministers of peace, hope and love to those around them. The most recent report – Karis is being put back on the list for another “multivisceral transplant”.

Whenever we get updates here in the office, they always make me stop and think about all the small things I take for granted each day. I am able to get up and walk through each day. It is a good day for Karis when she can walk at all. I am able to eat. On the March 25th update, Karis was not even allowed ice chips in fear that it could cause stress on her stomach. I go through my days with little thought to pain, but Karis lives with pain, fevers, discomfort, weakness…

And yet the family continues to encourage others around them. It can be so easy to float through a day, but I don’t want to float. I want to be thankful. I want to be an encouragement. I want to live. The more I get caught up in MY circumstances or MY day, the less living I seem to do. In the midst of everything the Kornfields are going through – they are LIVING. When they could be tempted to focus only on their hurt, their pain, their struggles, they are continuing to pour into others around them – whomever God puts in their path.

If you think about Karis today, I know she would appreciate your prayers. Check out their blog for the latest update on Karis' story.

Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Extended Weekend

2009-03-30T10:28:00.002-06:00

Well I had a fun, extended weekend! Colorado had a nice snow storm this last week and I happened to be dog-sitting up in Woodland Park when it hit. I was snowed in for Thursday and Friday with Peyton (see picture below - Peyton is a very playful dog, so there was not a dull moment). I had a great time enjoying the beautiful snow and building fires in the woodstove. By Friday afternoon the sun had come out and snow-covered Pikes Peak looked brilliant.

On Sunday, I spent the day with dear friends, Tammy & Trevor and their little girl, Abhi. It was another gorgeous day so Tammy, Abhi and I took a walk in a nearby park. It was a great finish to a great extended weekend!

2009-03-13T20:44:00.002-06:00

Today is an important day in my existence. Today is my mom's birthday. My momma is an amazing woman who had three daughters. I am sure we annoyed her to no end some days. The three of us could be the best of friends and the worst of enemies - all in the same day. We also had a knack for suddenly wanting to talk to her whenever she was on the phone. We would get the frown and fingers snapping at us, all while she tried to listen to the person on the other end of the phone line.

My mom loves music. She grew up singing in choirs, playing the piano and loving Beatles music (I hope it's okay that I confessed that for you, mom). One of the games we would play growing up was "let's see how long it will take mom to start singing this song." One of us would start humming a song near my mom and then we would wait to see how long it took for her to start harmonizing or humming along. It never took long. Seconds maybe. We still play this game.

My mom is a gift-giver. She is notorious for breaking the Christmas giving rule. While the rest of us give a gift to the person whose name we drew, my mom gives a gift to her assigned person PLUS everyone else. She always follows it up with "oh it's just something small" or " I just can't ignore my kids". But really I think the reason is because she loves giving gifts to people. She doesn't want anyone to be left out. She is a hugely generous person and has a heart of mercy.

Mom, I love you tons and I hope you have a fabulous birthday. Thank you for always pointing to Christ in all you do. Thank you for your love and care for not just your family but for the world. I love you and hope you are blessed today!

In the Last Few Weeks...

2009-03-07T15:51:00.002-07:00

...the biking has continued...warm weather has arrived followed by a hiccup of snow today...work marches on and the God Stories continue to come...I am reading out of the book of Job...and also a book by Tolkien...I had a dream that my friend Tera came and sang a song to me for my birthday...I have a new favorite restaurant downtown called Heart of Jerusalem - it's a little place with some colorful murals on the wall and they serve amazing falafel, hummus, dolmas and babaganooj...

In the next few weeks I hope to...finish my taxes before April...enjoy the longer days so more time can be spent outside...go on more bike adventures with the Spauldings followed by falafel yummyness...catch more glimpses of what God is doing around me and maybe in me too.

25 Things About Me

2009-02-19T16:37:00.012-07:00

So over in the Facebook world, there is a lot of "tagging" going on with a document called "25 things about me". The point is to share 25 things about yourself with your friends that they may or may not know. I thought I would blog my 25 things here instead of over yonder. Do any of these things surprise you?

1. My favorite color is yellow. I chose this around the time I was 7 years old. All my friends said their favorite colors were purple, blue or red. I felt bad for yellow because no one ever picked it. So I decided that I would pick yellow as my favorite color and we have been best friends ever since.

2. One of my favorite songs is “Yellow” by Coldplay.

3. I have a bone missing in my back. One of my favorite things to do to freak my friends out when I was a kid, was to have them run their fingers down my spine. They would hit the empty spot and give all sorts of fun reactions “Ewww!” “Weird!” But they liked me nonetheless.

4. I do not own any pets currently, but grew up with them. We had (at different times) sheep, rabbits, chickens, homing pigeons, doves, a cow, horses, dogs, cats and hamsters.

5. Yes, I will admit to the world, I was a cheerleader in high school.

6. My favorite high school sport was volleyball. I was a setter and wore #3 for all 5 years. No I didn’t repeat a grade, but because my school was so small, I started playing varsity in the 8th grade. Yay small schools!

7. I didn’t go to kindergarten, but entered the 1st grade at 5 years old. My older sister helped to teach me to read when I was 4, so they advanced me to 1st grade. In later years, when people would find out how old I was for the grade I was in, they would say, “wow you must be smart to skip a grade.” When I would tell them it was just kindergarten, they would say “oh, never mind.” Yeah, not so impressive. Neither is #8…

8. I graduated valedictorian of my class. Again, people say, “wow, you must be smart”. And then they would find out I graduated from a class of 5 and they say, “oh, never mind.”

9. In reference to #4, I showed rabbits and sheep at the county fair throughout middle school. In the 6th grade, I was named a Grand Champion in rabbit showmanship (yes, you all can laugh, it does sound really funny). But in winning this, I was put in a final competition with all the grand champions of the small animals. This final competition to win it all was called the “Round Robin”. Each champion had to show the animals of the other competitors, so I had to show a guinea pig, my rabbit again, a chicken, a duck and a turkey. I was terrified of the turkey and wouldn’t go near it, so I got last place in the finale.

10. After my freshman year in college I worked as a waitress at a Thai restaurant and thus began my great love of Thai food. I love PAD SEE IEW and PAD THAI! My favorite dish to yell back to the kitchen was “Moo Goo Gai Pan”.

11. Later in college, I worked at Tilikum Day Camp for 3 summers and my camp name was Tinkerbell (Tink for short). I was also a story teller there one summer.

12. I have a thing for 80’s music. I love it. Not all, but a high percentage of it. A couple of my favorite songs I like running to are: “Take On Me” by a-ha and “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel.

13. Stevie Wonder songs make me happy and I can’t help but dance a little in my car when they come on.

14. My newest hobby is running 5Ks.

15. I almost always (95% of the time) get the same coffee drink no matter the season or the coffee shop: Iced Grande Single Shot Vanilla Latte.

16. I like Sci-Fi…and Superheroes. I loved The Incredible Hulk when I was a kid. Yeah, the old version with Lou Ferrigno and lots of green paint. Oh, I also like NASA and the space program.

17. My favorite season right now is spring and I like living in a place where there are 4 distinct seasons.

18. I love spontaneous dance parties. The kind where you make up choreography to literally match the words of a song (Flashback to Schneiter, Thouvenel, Ankeny, Byrd days).

19. I am a news junkie. I am constantly checking google news or bbc news.

20. I love being outside: Taking walks, running, biking, playing games like Bocce ball…

21. I am an introvert in an extroverted world, a night person in a morning person’s world and a slow processor in a fast processing world.

22. I like to read. One of my favorite books in the last couple years is The Shack. It helped me process the death of a dear friend.

23. I don’t like to fly, but I will fly if it means seeing family, friends or spending time in another country.

24. I’ve spent time in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. I love the various cultures and people in each of those places. And I LOVE the different transportation in each of those countries. I think my favorite way to travel is anything open air – like the back of a pick up truck. This was another fun day - squished in a van with some awesome music:

25. My heart longs to follow God and live Christ to people around me. I love being involved in missions and have wanted to be involved in missions since I was 4. My current challenge is to “be ALL here”.

To My Little Sister

2009-02-07T17:25:00.004-07:00

Ah February 10th! What a day! I remember waaaaaaaaay back in 1979 when my parents brought my little sister home. Lisa, you had to endure many of the "youngest" sibling blahs - Michelle and I teasing you...and telling you that you were adopted...something I will always feel guilty for and you will always be able to hold over my head if you so choose to. But this entry today will not be about all the pesky, annoying things I did to you as an older sister, this entry is to highlight the awesome younger sister you are! I think you turned out pretty well and WELCOME TO THE 30's!!!

Lis, I think you are amazing. You have always had a free spirit which I admire. I loved how you would color you hair to match whatever belt in karate you reached. I loved how you would try different things like studying Japanese, basic training, and more recently, your adventures in cooking :). I love how you persevere. I love how you love to laugh and enjoy life and yet still have the ability to keep things around you in order - something I haven't learned very well yet. I love hanging out with you and spending time together when those moments happen. I am so thankful for 2 amazing sisters and the brothers-in-law I now have (how in the world do you pluralize "brother-in-law"??) You know what I mean. :)

Thanks for not writing me off in my 7 year old annoying days. I love you lots and I hope you have a super birthday! Make sure you don't ask Chris to play Yahtzee - save that game for me the next time we see each other!!

Love you!! - your middle-older sister, Marcita.

The Many Faces of Sara

2009-02-07T17:16:00.003-07:00

I just returned from a quick trip to Oregon for George Fox's Missions Fair. Although it was a fast trip, I had a great time connecting with friends in the area. I was able to stay with Kim and Bryan and their family and found myself wanting to take 100 pictures of their daughter Sara. Thank you Kim and Bryan for opening your home to me! And for the fun Tuesday. And for the fun card playing. And for the talking. And for the listening.

I wish I could write more about my dear friends in Oregon, but I think it would take too much space. I had a blast spending time with Joseph & Stephanie, Pete & Linsey, Thom & Jonelle, Erica -my booth buddy :), and the quick moments of "hello" with many others. There just is never enough time. But the nice thing about these dear ones is that it feels like we pick up right where we left off. Hopefully next time I will be able to have more time to visit!

Thank you my friends!

Through the Eyes of Friends

2009-01-23T12:17:00.002-07:00

Some of the blogs I follow have been a great source of insight into what is happening around the world. It seems to be increasingly difficult to either A) Find information on the news or B) Trust information on the news. I thought I would highlight a couple blogs I follow which give personal accounts of ministries, events, tragedies, hopes in a few different areas of the world.

1. Joel Bock – Friend from Newberg/GFU days. He and his wife, Cherice, have both been a part of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Israel & Palestine. Joel was there most recently this last fall.

2. Phil Ewert – Friend from Newberg/GFU days. Phil has spent time in numerous countries – most recently in Kenya and Sudan. He works with Samaritan’s Purse.

If God brings these 3 friends to your mind, I know they would welcome your prayers as they process what they see, live, hear, breathe. Pray for these countries. May God create beauty from the ashes.

January

2009-01-17T21:15:00.005-07:00

January has been busy. I feel like I have blinked and it's almost over. Some of us from the office decided to go biking today and enjoying some of the weather we have been having. We chose a route that ran north to south. It was somewhere around 15 miles and the trail took us through Air Force Academy land and ended in downtown Colorado Springs. We finished a few hours later with a nice lunch - a great way to finish a bike ride, I might add. The ride was mostly smooth, but I was surprised by the first section. A number of places were still covered with snow or mud and at times it felt like we were sinking into the ground more than moving over it. The mud had a fun time splattering us, but the sun was warm. I have so appreciated friends and the outdoors this last year.

The crew, from left to right.... 1. Marna - Fellow adventurer, biking, running friend, 2. Doug - I personally think Doug should write a book about his life - from living in Asia to living grace, the stories are endless, 3. Marshall - Mobilization teammate and his daughter was born on my birthday :o), 4. & 5. Kyle and Nell - Met first in Guatemala...and they love me even though I like reality tv, 6. Me, 7. Andrew - One of OC's newest missionaries - was just accepted this week!, 8. Not pictured because he was kind enough to take the picture - Steve (Marshall's dad).

The people around me in this picture are those you can be completely honest with and they will minister God's grace, peace and truth. I am thankful.

A Beautiful Day to Fly

2008-12-31T14:26:00.003-07:00

Though I am known to not enjoy flying all that much, I did enjoy the first leg of my trip back to Colorado Springs. I took a few pictures, which never come out quite the same since the glass tends to dull the view a bit. But I thought the view from Lewiston to Salt Lake City was quite pretty.

My flight to Lewiston was a different story. Because of weather and other unknown reasons, I jumped from one flight to another trying to get to Idaho on Friday night. I made it to Salt Lake City with moments to make my connection. Once on the flight, things continued as "normal" until the descent into Lewiston, ID. It is pretty obvious to me when the plane starts to descend. My ears start to pop - no matter how gradual. But this flight I started laughing to myself because I pictured the pilot saying to his co-pilot "Dive! Dive! Dive!" The poor gentlemen across from me kept his hands on the seat in front of him for most of the descent. The thing that I was surprised about was that usually planes level off a bit here and there to give your ears a chance to adjust (well, I don't know if this is the exact reason they do it, but that's what I tell myself). Not this one - it was down, down, down. I was chewing my gum in overdrive trying to help my ears along. Finally the "bang" of the landing gear occurred and the lady next to me jumped a good foot in the air with that noise. Not too much later we landed...but it was it wasn't the graceful landing on the runway...it was more like we just dropped straight down and bounced a couple of times.

Fast forward to Tuesday afternoon when I was back at the Lewiston airport to fly home. Let me describe the Lewiston airport to you. It is really small. When I first landed after my submarine flight on Friday, I walked off the plane and saw my family waving at me through the glass window. I just had to walk through the door and there they were. I said, "I need to get my bag" and they pointed next to them where the one baggage claim was. Everything was right there. So on Tuesday when I decided to get a pack of gum from the concessions area, I wasn't too surprised to learn the man behind the counter also works the air traffic control tower. I happened to ask him a couple of questions about the elevation (Lewiston sits in a valley surrounded by hills). He was telling me the difference in elevation and I said, "I think that's why my flight had to come in so steep last week." He looked at me and asked "When did you fly in?" I told him Friday night. He said "Delta - Skywest?" I told him that was right. He said, "I was working the tower that night. The pilot didn't see the airport. I was like 'what is he doing?' And by the time he started descending, he was at 6,000ft when he should have been at 4,000ft etc..." I just smiled but on the inside I was still distracted by the fact this nice man working concessions also works the tower and also that he had wondered what the pilot was doing. I am glad I found this out after the fact.

I purchased my pack of gum and then heard the TSA crew announce they had opened the security screening for the Lewiston to Salt Lake City flight (this I also found humorous as they only open security for specific flights). I continued my journey with minimal events (aside from the really steep ascent out of Salt Lake and bumpy Denver landing). I had some interesting travel companions - my favorite being the ex-rugby player who kept punching me in the arm to get my attention and would hold out his fist for me to punch it (instead of a high five). But he is another story for another day.

I hope your travels were as entertaining as mine. Happy New Year!!

Christmas Weekend

2008-12-28T17:37:00.003-07:00

After a couple of interesting flights, delayed bags, snowy roads and freezing temperatures, I arrived in Pullman, WA to spend the weekend with my family. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to each of you!

Competitive?

2008-12-19T16:09:00.001-07:00

How many of you think that I am a competitive person? I was surprised recently when some Colorado Springs friends “guffawed” when I said I was competitive. They said they would not have used that word to describe me. I think what I have become is a closet competitive person – and that is what is confusing them. A glimpse into my childhood and you would see a 6 year old who would throw board games across the room if she wasn’t winning. You would see a girl who wanted to get the highest scores and win as many things as possible. It doesn’t take a person long in this world for them to realize that they can’t win at everything. And it didn’t take me long to realize I would rather enjoy the game or the competition, than to be consumed by winning it.

I recently have found a fun hobby (?) that has allowed this competitive spirit to come back out…running. “Running??” you ask. “Why yes, running.” I reply. Some friends got me signed up with Jack Quinn’s Running Club. Each Tuesday night, rain or shine, we head down to Jack Quinn’s and run a 5K. There are so many different people with different levels of ability that I feel no competition towards anyone around me – the only competition I have is me. I want to get to that next benchmark that I have set for myself…a faster 5K or being able to run a 10K in the next couple of months. Nothing else is motivation for me. It’s not the 65 year old grandma who keeps passing me. It’s not the mom who passes me pushing the jogging stroller with 2 kids in it. It’s not even my friends who run faster than me. It’s the goal of beating my own time. I know I will never beat the guy in the tiny 70’s running shorts with the fuzzy matching headband and wristbands. I won’t beat the cross country runners who never stopped after they were NCAA champions. And you know what? That’s okay. I’ve learned that it is more fun for me to compete against myself than it is others. I win more that way – which is just further evidence that my competitive nature and desire to win are alive and well.

Interesting Quote

2008-12-12T11:32:00.003-07:00

“Suffering is the icy cold splash that wakes us up from the complacency of living this life. We truly don’t see God and his purpose and strength without suffering, because we just become too comfortable.” - Jim Harrell, dying of ALS

I subscribe to Randy Alcorn's blog (thanks Janell!!) and he has been doing a series on suffering, using Jim Harrell as an example. Jim's thoughts and words have been challenging to me and I thought I would pass this quote on.

Pray for Bartlett Family

2008-12-04T15:43:00.002-07:00

Africa/Malawi
The Free Methodist family grieves at the tragic death of Ryan Bartlett, missionary to Malawi. Ryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident, Tues., Dec. 2, in Malawi. Ryan and a friend were returning from delivering maize to pastors when the accident occurred. Please be in prayer for Ryan’s wife, Katie, and their three daughters, Anna (age 8), Lydia (age 6), and Ella (age 3). The Bartletts have been in Malawi since May 2007 working to train pastors and leaders at the Great Commission Bible School. Pray for the Malawi FMC and the Malawi ministry family (including Ryan and Jen Willson, along with their children, Curtis and Kara, and short-term missionary Kelsey Lynn) as they deal with this loss and as they are an integral part of the decision-making process.

Ryan and Katie both attended George Fox - Ryan was 2 years ahead of me and Katie was in my class. My heart goes out to this family as they are in the midst of grieving the loss of father and husband. May peace and hope be near to you Katie, Anna, Lydia and Ella.

I Love Sunsets

2008-11-17T12:22:00.002-07:00

I am sure I have mentioned this too many times before but I can't seem to say it enough - I love sunsets. I took these pictures last evening while biking with friends. We were on the last stretch of the route, which happened to be a really long hill. At one point, the sidewalk ended abruptly and since I am not a mountain bike expert, I got off my bike to walk it off the curb. When I looked back over my shoulder, I saw the sunset and had to take a picture. Pikes Peak is the mountain you see.

In Other News...

2008-11-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

A couple of the stories I have been following this last month:

1. The Bali Bombing Plot Oct 24, 2008 As Indonesia prepares to execute three men - Imam Samudra, Amrozi and Mukhlas - for their part in the 2002 Bali bombings, the BBC News website looks at their role and that of others in the devastating attack that killed 202 people.

I went to college with one of the 202. Megan was kind-hearted and drove a very cool VW Rabbit, if I remember correctly (Do any of you remember this car?). Even though she and I were just friendly acquaintances, I have been reminded of her this week as I've read these headlines.

2. DR Congo My heart goes out to the people who are living in daily fear and are experiencing the atrocities that are being reported.

I read the about DR Congo where people can't return to their homes. Or they don't know where their families are. Or they don't know how they will be able to feed their children. In contrast to these stories, I will be heading to the Northwest to be with family and friends for Thanksgiving. It is a normal expectation that I will travel and be with family for the holidays. It is normal for me to return to my home each day after work...that there will be food in my refrigerator for my dinner. I don't want to take these things for granted. I often come back to the same questions: Why was I born here, why do I live here and what do I do with that? How does God want me to respond? And while it is easy for me to get overwhelmed with things happening in other countries, may I not turn a blind eye to the brokenhearted next door to me. May I truly live out His command to "love one another" throughout each day that God gives me breath, regardless of where I am.

Father, I pray for the scared mom who does not know where her next meal is going to come from...for the mom who is watching her children suffer. I pray that as you did for Hagar in the wilderness, that you would see and provide for them.

More Little Things I Like

2008-11-01T18:58:00.002-06:00

Red, orange and yellow sunsets
Purple asters growing through cracks in the sidewalk
The last bits of green trying to hang on before winter overtakes them.

What about you? Any little things make you smile this week?

One last little thing that made me smile...my latest poll results: 33% of you identified best with a car and book, 22% with a chair, 11% with a pencil and 0% with a clock. But now I am really curious about WHY you chose the items you did! Especially the chair - maybe you are a parent and you feel like your kids are always sitting on you...I don't know...but this poll made me laugh so thank you to all who voted!

Continuing to Process

2008-10-29T16:28:00.004-06:00

Today, during a time of prayer with friends and co-workers, one of my friends began to pray for another in the group. He used the term “kindred spirits” in describing how he felt towards this other friend. When he said the words “kindred spirits” I had an instant pain squeeze my heart. In my mind I suddenly was standing at my friend’s funeral, holding hands with her father, Buz. He squeezed my hand and said, “You and Tera were kindred spirits”. I couldn't stop the tears then and I couldn't stop them today. I didn’t want to be there in that prayer circle anymore. I wanted to be in another state hugging Buz and Linda. It is amazing to me how quickly I can be transported back to the middle of the grief and pain of losing my friend. Sometimes it’s a word or phrase like “kindred spirits”...sometimes it's a song, a random memory, a laugh or a picture. It has been two years and yet the pain can hit in such a fresh way that it makes me feel like it was yesterday. I lost a kindred spirit. I lost one of the people in this world that “got me”. I lost my friend.

Two of the verses Tera would encourage me with, I now leave with those of you reading this post:

"Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." Jude 24-25

Thankful for Saturdays

2008-10-25T16:02:00.009-06:00

Since work has kept me pretty busy and the days are growing shorter, I have found that I have been trying to make the most of Saturdays - and I've been really looking forward to them when they come around. Today was a fabulous day! I shot some video of my mid-morning fun. If you are interested in coming along for a ride, click "Play" :o). And I have no idea why I thought it was July 10th - this video took place on Oct 25th - ha ha.

Hiking

2008-10-18T22:11:00.002-06:00

I took a little hike today and put some of the pictures in a slideshow. Since I was smitten today with creeks and trails, that's what you will see. Buried in there is a random picture of me...kind of funny. Such a peaceful slideshow of nature and then *shazam* there I am. It was a beautiful day! Enjoy!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2008-10-15T19:19:00.004-06:00

Recently I was challenged by a situation that made me examine how I express "Respect". (How many of you are singing Aretha right now?) Every so often, the Board of my organization will have their meetings at our office here in Colorado Springs. I am not sure why I capitalized "Board" but somehow they seem like they should be at the level of receiving a capital letter. Anyway, we received notice that the Board would be meeting over a Thursday and Friday of our work week. The notice also mentioned that even though we normally recognize Casual Friday (where jeans are allowed), please dress nicely for the Board. Here is where I realized that my understanding or expression of "respect" has changed.

I grew up in a culture where you dress to impress...you wear your Sunday best for special occasions...if you have company coming to the house, you change out of the dirty jeans and torn t-shirt and put on something more presentable. As I received this memo at the office, an entirely different response/feeling hit me. I felt....deceitful. I felt like we were trying to hide something. And I was surprised by this feeling. I realized that in my desire to live in a way that was honest, straight-forward, authentic and real, my expression of respect had changed. To some people in the office, dressing nicely was their expression of respect. To me, I felt dishonest because I knew that we would normally be wearing jeans on Friday. I wanted to wear jeans SOOOO badly...to meet the Board members and say, "BECAUSE I respect you, I am showing you who I really am and I refuse to hide anything from you because that is what you deserve." I didn't wear jeans that day...out of respect (?) for my co-workers who requested the nicer attire. But that small incident has hung with me ever since. What do you think? How do you express RESPECT? Is it an issue of respect or am I asking the wrong question? Is it something else I am wrestling with that I just haven't identified yet? These aren't rhetorical questions ya'll - I want to hear what you think. Let me know!

More Pictures

2008-10-13T11:36:00.008-06:00

The day of our bike ride was foggy and freezing...the day after was much nicer. Oh well :o).

Our Start and Finish Line...Katie are you SURE you want to do this???

Heading out. Let's just say Starbucks was a major motivation...and a great place to warm up.

The day after was beautiful and I love how bright the leaves are right now.

Making a Memory

2008-10-12T18:47:00.008-06:00

So about a week ago, my friend Marna and I decided that we wanted to bike part of the Santa Fe Trail. There is a 6 mile section that runs from south of Monument up to Palmer Lake - 12 miles round trip. It's a really nice trail with no massive hills, so we thought it would be fun. On the way back is a nicely placed Starbucks that makes a perfect stop. Around Wednesday, all the news stations were talking about a cold front coming through over the weekend, but I kept my hopes up that the weather would hold. I woke up Saturday morning to a cold, cold wind, but I still wanted to go. I decided that if Marna and her daughter, Katie, wanted to postpone the trip, I would too. Around 12:30pm I got a text from Marna saying they were on their way to meet me...woohoo! We were still going to go! We met up and started the mini-caravan to the trailhead. Once we got north of Colorado Springs, the rain started to fall. I called them in the car ahead and asked how they were feeling about still going. As we pulled over to talk about it, I looked at a bank sign that flashed the time and temperature and the temp was reading 41 degrees. Katie was bouncing out of the seat saying "We still should go! It's fun to bike in the rain! Come on!!" We decided that we would start out and head up to Monument - which was only 3 miles in - and if we were pretty miserable, we would turn around at that point and just do half of the original planned loop. As soon as we got out of our cars at the trailhead, we were shivering...and laughing...and still up for giving it a try. We convinced ourselves that we would warm up as soon as we started biking. That is when we ran into the second problem (the first being the brrr cold temps). One of their bikes had front brakes that kept locking up...so pedaling was like a mega workout. Okay, for those of you who know me, you know that this was all I needed to be in a constant state of giggling at our situation. I think I worked as hard as Katie on the "braking bike" just because I kept laughing. We were probably 1/2 mile along the trail when we decided we would just do the 6 miles - and we would definitely stop at the Starbucks in Monument for some shelter and good coffee. It really wasn't too terribly bad until we left Starbucks to head back. That's when the rain was really hitting us AND we realized we had to bike into the wind the whole way back. I began to shoot some mini-video clips of our journey back and as you can tell, I found it all so hilarious. Katie was excited that we were "Making a Memory". Marna, well, I'm not sure what Marna felt deep down inside, but she always was smiling, so I think she found the situation just as funny as I did. The last clip you can't really hear what I am saying because the wind was so strong. Basically at that point we were numb and couldn't wait to get into our cars and turn on the heat. All in all, it was a great day. I think next time we will have more criteria for our biking adventures - like "it must be at least 60 degrees out" or "we can bike in wind, and we can bike in rain, but not the two together".

The following clips are short - maybe 20 seconds each - and they go in order starting from our leave from Starbucks at the 3 mile mark....only 3 more miles to go...I couldn't stop laughing...but maybe it's one of those things where you just had to be there.

2 Cents

2008-10-07T13:40:00.004-06:00

I have had a hard time putting thoughts to words these days. It happens every so often - especially when fall rolls around.

There is a lot I could write about. Everywhere I turn someone is talking about the elections. I just listen as friends voice their opinions about “the other side”. I have friends on both sides of the fence and both seem to question the faith of the other. There is so much fear and anger behind their words. I sit here and shake my head in frustration and sadness as the mudslinging goes on. Look up, my friends, look to Him. Regardless the outcome of these elections, “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (1 Chronicles 16) Please don't lose sight of Who is in control.

And one more request...please stop throwing mud at each other.

Horses and 5Ks

2008-09-27T15:37:00.002-06:00

Today I jogged in my first 5K. It was a really fun time! The run was held at a farm just south of Colorado Springs, so the route took us by the chickens and pigs, out by a creek, through some fields and then finally ended by the main farm yard. I haven't been training that long for this distance, so I made my goals pretty straight forward: Jog the whole time and try not to get last, but if I do get last, it's no big deal because you have to start somewhere, right? A great motivation to make me jog faster was horses. "Horses?" you ask. Yes horses. As we were nearing the 1/2 mile mark I looked to my left and there were 4 horses jogging towards us. They were on a collision coarse with me and a number of others nearby. They looked confused and scared of all these people, but they also looked determined to keep going. The thought crossed my mind "Marcie, if you don't speed up, you will be trampled." So I started running...I had my fastest mile time that first mile - ha ha. One of the ranchers came running over shouting at the horses and apologizing to the runners saying, "sorry, they weren't supposed to be here". I had to laugh (once I was clear of their path). Try running with the horses sometime - you might be amazed at how fast you can go. (Actually, do not try this at home...make sure professionals are present to shout at the horses in case they get too close...) Oh, and I accomplished my two goals.

Where do I work?

2008-09-17T10:56:00.007-06:00

I thought I would post this video (which is a work in progress) about the organization I am working with. OC International is involved in so many different things, it's hard to put into words at times...so my team and I have been playing with different ways to get our story out there...in a way that doesn't take 30 minutes - ha ha. I don't know much about making videos, so this was fun to try. Hope you enjoy!

Bonus points to those of you who know what movie the music is from...

Words...again

2008-09-11T10:42:00.005-06:00

As I've written about previously, words have a way of standing out to me - both positively and negatively. I feel like I've been more sensitive to negative words recently. Now, don't think that I am walking around with a dark cloud over my head. Part of my personality wants everyone to be happy (how in the world can Harmony be a "strength", Mr. Buckingham???) and when they are not happy, I pick up on that.

These words have been leaping out at me, seeming to hang on me throughout the day. I don't want to walk with these words hanging on me. And I don't want others to hold on to them either.

There has been a song that has brought light - given me pause and breath - in the midst of the conversations that have tried to darken my days.

You are God Alone (Phillips, Craig and Dean)

You are not a god
Created by human hands

You are not a god

Dependant on any mortal man

You are not a god

In need of anything we can give

By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

You are God alone

From before time began

You were on Your throne

You are God alone

And right now

In the good times and bad

You are on Your throne

You are God alone

You’re the only God

Whose power none can contend

You’re the only God

Whose name and praise will never end

You’re the only God

Who’s worthy of everything we can give

You are God

And that’s just the way it is

Unchangeable

Unshakable

Unstoppable

That’s what You are

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Random Items of Note...or not of note

2008-09-05T12:43:00.004-06:00

Thank you to the 12 who voted on my poll! Oh wait...11...I was one of those votes. I was surprised to see "Fall" won 50% of the votes for favorite season. I felt a little bad for winter and spring - they only received 1 vote each...which makes me want to vote for them the next time around...hmmm...does this reflect my voting style for bigger things, like the upcoming elections? Don't worry, mom, I will not base my vote on which candidate I feel more sorry for.

Switching topics...something else that has given me a good laugh is this new feature on blogger called "followers". When I read about it, I went to my google reader list and just signed up to "follow" all of those folks...but then what made me laugh is thinking that it's kind of like stalking. Will they send a notice saying "Marcie is now following you."? Ha ha! That would be hilarious. I guess one could also look at it like I am in their fan club...which I hope you all know I am. :o)

Switching again...I have discovered that I like beets, okra and parsnips...I feel like I have come through a major rite of passage that now classifies me as "middle-aged" and to some young kids as "old". I accept this with pride. I still cannot get myself to like eggplant...I'll give it another try in 10 years.

More random things to come...

Pray for India

2008-08-28T12:10:00.002-06:00

There has been much persecution of the Christians in Orissa recently. It is hard for me to wrap my mind around it and hard to know how to pray. But however God leads you to pray for these believers, please do so! One of our workers in India just wrote to us yesterday:

Greetings.
This is the new update for Orissa. Lot more is happening. We are all extremely sad for what is happening. Just today I was sitting and discussing with ....We are suggesting that funds should be raised for the building of the churches and also the houses for our brothers and sisters who have lost everything. They are hiding in forests. The situation is terrible for Nuns, Young girls, Men and women. They are
cutting people in pieces. Burning alive. All are helpless. We can only pray. Please
keep joining us. With much sorrow yet with Lots of hope on the Lord Jesus Christ.

For more on this, BBC News has some articles.

A Superficial Look at Words

2008-08-21T13:36:00.006-06:00

One of the things that people find quirky about me is that there are some words I just don’t like. I never thought this was strange until people started saying how strange it was. I was rescued from this solitary island of word snobbery when I met my friend Ashley in Guatemala. She shared my distaste for certain words and because of her, I have added to this ever-growing list. I also have a friend who always seems to re-introduce me to words I love. Thank you, Kim, for this treat. I will now confess some of the words that have made my “strongly dislike” list as well as those which have surfaced at the top of the "like" list:

Words I dislike:
· Chunk (thanks Ash)
· Moist (thanks Ash)
· Lump (thanks Ash)
· Blurb
· Wafer
· Paradigm (overused)
· Bag (I can never say it right)

Words I like:
· Serendipity (thanks Kim)
· Sanctuary (thanks Kim)
· Peace (thanks Kim)
· Hope (thanks Kim)
· Dance
· Fantastic
· Brilliant

Thank you Kim and Ash for being word friends :o). If you have ideas of more words to add to either list, let me know!

Confessions from an Olympics Addict

2008-08-20T17:17:00.003-06:00

Since my previous post was a bit of a rant – a picture into the imperfect heart of who I am – I thought I would do something more light-hearted this time around. Here goes.

I love the Olympics. I mean, I really love them. I will stay up as late as possible, just to soak in one more event or one more story. My red eyes tell the tale, as I arrive to work with coffee in hand. I admit that while I do not jump up and down or yell at the tv, I do get emotionally attached to some of the athletes. So I thought I would jot down some of the stories that have caused me to become the hopeless addict I am…

1. Oksana Chusovitina (Gymnast) – Originally from Uzbekistan, but now competes for Germany. She is 4 months younger than me – 33 years old and a mom to a dear little boy who has overcome leukemia. She won the silver in the vault a couple of days ago.

2. “Firsts” – Any first gets me – I love those stories! The first track and field medal for Bahrain (Rashid Ramzi), the first Olympic medal for Togo (Benjamin Boukpeti - Kayak), the first Olympic medal for Afghanistan (Rohullah Nikpai – taekwondo)…and what about Natalie de Toit of South Africa, who as an amputee competed in the first Olympic women’s swimming marathon?? Wow!

3. Any underdog story…whether it’s the come from behind US men’s 4x100 swimming relay or the Latvians who upset the US beach volleyball team in the early rounds…there is something about the underdog that I can’t keep from celebrating with. Sure I have my favorites – I would have loved to see Dara Torres win a gold, but when you see the gold medal winner celebrating, how can you not be happy for them?

There have been some amazing moments – which only serve to further my addiction – I don’t want to miss anything because I might miss moments like the above mentioned. Is anyone else hooked on Handball? So cool!

What about you? What have been some of your highlights? (And don’t think Phelps’s 8 golds isn't at the top of my list. I just keep seeing that story everywhere so I thought I would choose some others to highlight :o) ).

Church and Flat Screen TVs

2008-08-18T11:15:00.004-06:00

Today I am cranky. Seriously cranky. Just call me Miss Crabby Patty (anyone get the reference here?). Yes, it could be that it is Monday. Yes, it could really be that I am not a morning person. But this morning is just over the top. It is silly. I am getting frustrated about the smallest things – a pen, a person whispering near me, a work email I have to send and I don’t know what to say, my teammates all being gone and having no one to talk about work problems with, what I think about church…Whoa Marcie, where did that one come from? Moving from a pen to church…hmm…Maybe that’s the real reason I am so cranky this morning….I went to church yesterday.

Many of you know my struggles with church these days and for those of you who don’t, please know that I love the Church. I am trying to be a follower of Christ in a world that tries to mess with what that means. The church I visited yesterday brought up many questions that I don’t know what to do with and maybe that’s part of the reason I have been so cranky.

It is really hard for me to sit through a church service and stare at the new flat screen tvs that are hung against the wall so people can see the verses or words to the songs. It’s hard for me to hear a pastor say that they want all their short term missions teams to stay here in the Springs for the next year (he made a good point, but it brought up more unwanted questions in my mind). It’s hard for me to sit in a massive sanctuary and walk through the many halls where cute and nicely painted classrooms sit. When it comes down to it, it is very hard for me to sit in any church in Suburban America. I always find myself the skeptic and yes, sadly, a self-appointed judge. But when I sit in these sanctuaries, all I see are flashbacks to other churches I’ve been in where the believers have little to nothing. I see faces of children who are wondering what they will eat that day. I see feet that have no shoes. I see stories of children being sold into horrific situations because their families need the money. They are living this every day…and we have nice buildings people come to once a week. In all fairness, I really have no idea how much this church or any other church may actually be giving and doing for the suffering. But the unknown answers haunt me as I sit and stare at the pretty flat screen tvs. I leave the service with a broken heart and questions swirling in my mind and I try and get up the next day and go to work and do what I love to do…but the nagging questions frustrate me and leave me taking it out on a pen.

A Church in Guatemala

Father, what are you trying to teach me? What do you want me to see? How do you want me to respond?

Things That Made Me Laugh/Cry, Volume III

2008-08-15T19:35:00.002-06:00

Things that made me laugh:
This week I got the giggles at work. The kind that keep coming back at the most random times of the day when you suddenly flash back to what was making you laugh in the first place. The kind where people around you ask what you are suddenly laughing about and you know that no matter how hard you try, it won't be funny when you tell them. All this over some "Christian emoticons" that I saw on a blog. They hit my funny bone and I just couldn't stop laughing. Maybe they aren't funny to everyone, but for me and my friend Lindsay, well, we had tears...here is the link in case you are curious: http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/2008/08/374-christian-emoticons.html

Things that made me cry:
And yes, moving from tears of laughter to tears of sadness - such a contrast - it's strange to write. This week I have been following the story of 3 humanitarian aid workers who, along with their driver, were killed in Afghanistan. This story led me to another in Afghanistan about 2 girls being shot and killed on their way home from school...that a number of schools have been burnt...in the past year alone 110 teachers and students have been killed. You don't have to look far in our world to see that more and more, children are being treated in unimaginable ways. I want it to stop. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7558076.stm

The Hammered Dulcimer and Guatemala

2008-08-10T12:14:00.006-06:00

I am amazed at times how the oddest settings can make me feel so...what's the word...at home? happy? peaceful? I was at a coffee shop on Friday listening to music. I was a bit wary at first because the sign said, "My 3 sons & I" on the "Who's Playing?" board. Sometimes people use the open venue as a way to get their kids to practice and while they sure are cute, the sound doesn't always match. But Friday night I was pleasantly surprised. The kids played a mandolin, guitar and yes, a hammered dulcimer. In the middle of one of the songs, the electricity went out and the song continued. For those next couple of minutes, I was in an earthy heaven, if that makes sense. There is something surreal about moments like that for me. I grabbed my camera and started recording just as the song was winding down, but I thought I would share a little of the moment. It doesn't really translate over a blog, and there is the distracting noise of the kids trying to continue their checkers game in the dark, but oh well, maybe it will give you a glimpse.

It actually reminded me of a time I was in Campur, Guatemala. I was walking back to my home after church and it was completely dark outside. The air was hot and there were clouds covering the sky. While there was no rain, there was thunder and lightening. I stopped in the middle of the road as the sound of people singing met me. It was another church way up the road, singing a hymn that I recognized by tune only. While the people sang in their language of Kekchi, the thunder and lightening continued, and I stood in the middle of the dirt road soaking in the reality of God's Kingdom being all around. I wanted to stand there forever, watching the light show and listening to the people sing in their heart language.

Friday night, listening to the hammered dulcimer in the dark...I had a foot in Guatemala and a foot in Colorado and I felt content.

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. Isaiah 61:11

Happy Birthday!

2008-08-02T12:20:00.002-06:00

Today is my older sister's birthday and I wanted to thank her for some things:

1. For being the older sister and finding out what it's like to be 36 before I get there - hee hee.
2. For laughing at my jokes...you've always laughed at them - from the time I was making them up at 5 or sometime around there.

Knock knock...

Who's there?

Sharky

Sharky who?

Sharky coming to eat you!

(such talent at such a young age - at least you made me feel that way :o) )

3. For the 2 cutest nephews in the world.

4. For putting up with me...sometimes I've felt like the cartoon where there is the little yippy dog jumping all over and around the big bulldog, Spike. I've been the yippy dog around you at times, and you just keep moving along with me, nodding, listening etc...

5. For being the kind of sister that I always want to spend time with - you and Lisa both. I could just hang out with you two forever.

So there are some of the reasons why I am thankful for you Michelle! I hope you have a fantastic birthday! I love you and may God give you joy and peace today!

Feliz Cumpleaños...espero que tengas un día fantástico! (sorry if that's a little off - my spanish doth fail me- ja ja ja)

Tu hermanita, Marcela

A few more pictures

2008-07-27T21:14:00.004-06:00

Spokane River

Griff and Gabe...again :o)

I snuck a picture of my younger sis and brother-in-law...I have no idea what they are looking at but I like the picture. :)

My last stop was in Portland/Newberg. I was finally able to meet the newest addition to the Boyd family, Sara. Such a beautiful little one - it was fun to hold her. It was also fun to just be with some good friends and sneak in a card game before heading back out.

Wondering

2008-07-20T17:39:00.002-06:00

Today I was thinking about the verse “Jesus wept”. I’m no scholar, philosopher, theologian, so the following thoughts are just that, my thoughts.

I’ve often wondered - since I was a young kiddo - why Jesus wept at that point - the point of Lazerus‘ death. I remember wondering when I was younger if nothing else had made Jesus cry before that point. I wondered why that was the event they chose to write that “Jesus wept“.

Today I started wondering if that moment was more than just grieving the death of his friend. I’ve heard many a pastor talk about when Jesus died on the cross, he died for all sin - for the sins of all people at that time, but also of all people in the time to come. I heard one pastor say once that when Jesus was dying on the cross, “he looked through time and saw you and me”. What if this happened throughout Jesus’ life? Okay, I don’t think I am making sense…let me try to explain.

Today I received news that a friend of mine’s younger brother was killed in a car accident on Friday. My heart hurt deeply. I cried. I have known the pain of losing someone I love and I felt that pain for my friend. The verse “Jesus wept” came to my mind and I wondered if in that moment of Jesus’ grief, if he was not just grieving his friend, but if he was experiencing the grief of all people - those who were with him and those who were to come, namely us. Maybe you are reading this and thinking “uh, weird” or maybe this is something many of you have already thought through, but it was new to me today. If Jesus’ sacrifice covered all people throughout time, why couldn’t he grieve with all people throughout time? What if his tears carried the grief I felt as I said goodbye to Tera, or the grief my friend feels as she says goodbye to her brother? What if he looked through time and saw us weeping and he began to weep with us? Maybe that is what made this moment so different from the other times that I am sure he felt sad. Somehow, this thought comforted me today.

Vacation Snapshots

2008-07-19T16:15:00.009-06:00

I loved loved loved spending time with friends and family this last week and a half. Here is a quick snapshot of my time...

Gabe was so proud of his ice cream lips and I like his ice cream eating technique - it's kind of a long video, but it makes me laugh.

Curious??? Maybe I'll just let you come up with your own ideas of how this happened...

Me and the boys...I love my nephews.

Definitely brothers...

Ever heard of ninja foursquare? It exists...

Maybe I will post more pictures next time...this is getting kind of long. But as you can see - I had plenty to keep me laughing. I'm thankful.

Things That Made Me Laugh/Cry Volume II

2008-07-04T14:37:00.005-06:00

In my head, I was thinking I would just have the "Laugh/Cry" Volumes every few weeks or so...but I just had more things lead me to one or the other in the last couple days and thought I would issue Volume II.

Things that made me laugh this week:

Some dear friends of mine in Newberg just sent me this story...I feel somewhat famous. I was sitting in a coffee shop when I read it and laughed out loud - only causing a few people to look my way in curiosity. My friends, Kim and Bryan, have 3 kiddos - Emma, Mykel and Sara. Here is what Kim wrote to me...

"This morning I found a moth in the window that I knew Mykel would like. He tried to catch it, but was a little spooked. Emma finally saved the day, trapped and caught the moth and Mykel has been hanging out with his new friend all morning. He calls it, "Mothy".

Naturally, Bryan, in his just wakinging-up-late-goofy-mode started making jokes. The moth is now named "Mothy Eathwood" and I cannot stop laughing every time he says it (so he says it a lot...such a little brother! Not Mykel, Bryan.) "

Things that made me cry this week:

A friend of mine is serving in Zimbabwe and posted a couple of pictures on his blog of what the grocery stores look like these days:

Please be praying for this country right now. I can't escape images of parents struggling to find food for their kids. May God bring His peace to that nation.

Things That Made Me Laugh/Cry, Volume 1

2008-06-30T13:48:00.002-06:00

Things that made me laugh this weekend:

waking up Saturday morning to a cat gently tapping my arm over and over…since when do cats do that? Tap tap tap...
spending time with a family and watching the parents and 3 kids interact…there is some good writing material there…don’t worry Spauldings, it’s all good. Next time I might have paper and pen with me – you guys are funny.

Things that made me cry this weekend:

standing in a grocery store facing a wall of yogurt choices right after reading a news report about the lack of food in Zimbabwe. i left without buying anything.

Ahhh, Nephews

2008-06-27T10:22:00.011-06:00

I am pretty excited about my upcoming trip in July. I get to spend part of it with the two cutest nephews in the world - yes I am biased.

They both have so much energy for life and are usually ready to tackle it all. Griffen will be turning 8 and I get to be there this year! Should be fun!

From Idaho, I will be heading to Portland and Newberg to visit friends. I will be there for a couple of days and hope to see as many people as possible - including the newest addition to the Boyd family: Sara (hope it's okay I used one of your pics Kim & Bryan!).

Time with Bailey and Other Rabbit Trail Topics

2008-06-17T22:21:00.003-06:00

So Bailey loves to walk...and he loves to sleep. If you listen closely enough, you can hear him start to snore...which gets pretty loud. It's been me and Bailey again this week, hanging out in Woodland Park. No sight of bears or other wildlife...only the moth that snuck into the house when I opened the door. How can a moth scare me about as much as the thought of a bear? Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of bugs flying into my head...which reminds me...something that makes me laugh sooo hard is when I see people swatting madly at some bug that has chosen them to be their target. It is so funny! I also laugh at myself when I do it because I know I must look rediculous. The best is when I know people are around and I try to hide that I am terrified of a little bug (a technique I learned while working at a day camp with kids...if I freaked out at the sight of a bug, my entire group would freak out and that would just be craziness - 15 first graders running everywhere - so I learned to mask my fear). The other day I was doing some yard work and this massive bee or wasp (it was something that could sting me) started flying at me. There were neighbors outside across the street, so my camp days kicked in. I grabbed the rake and walked as fast as I could to the other side of the yard where I began raking, pretending to be calm, and pretending that I had planned to work on that part of the yard. Inside I was screaming and jumping and sprinting far, far away from the massive bee. But on the outside, I was calm, cool and collected - although I kept looking up and around in a paranoid manner. Maybe I didn't look as calm as I had hoped afterall. Maybe I gave the neighbors a good laugh. And now half of the yard is raked nicely, along with a random patch in the far corner. Oh well. From Bailey to bugs...all in a nice summer's day.

Welcome to a Night Person’s World

2008-05-31T16:22:00.003-06:00

When a new day comes I awake in a state of numb awareness. My brain is a fuzzy mess of clouds, sleep, and grey colors. It is in this frame of mind that I can convince myself of almost anything: that it is really still 4am and I have a few more hours of sleep ahead of me, that it is really a weekend and I don’t need to get up yet, and even that I’ve already showered and gotten ready for work, only to find that it is almost 8am and I am still in bed. I believe in the power of the snooze button...sometimes not even realizing that I have hit the snooze button over and over and over again. One of the mind games my "morning brain" plays on me is to convince me that I should only get up on the 5's. That probably doesn't make any sense to many of you -let me explain how the game works. If I wake up and I see that the time is 6:33, I will think "I can't get up right now...I need to wait until it's a number that is a divisible of 5....so that would be 6:35"...and back to sleep I go...easily passing the 6:35 time and thus entering the math game all over again. My morning brain likes to play this as many times as it can before I leap from my bed in a panic.

Friends have suggested a number of ways to try and help me with this problem: 1. Set your alarm across the room so that you are forced to get up and walk across to turn it off. (My response: I tried this and only succeeded in turning off the alarm and sleepwalking back to bed.) 2. Force yourself to get up the first time your alarm goes off. (My response: This advice was given to me from a morning person...umm...it doesn't really work for me. I think morning people should try walking in my shoes - in the evening when they are dozing off at 8pm, set an alarm for 9pm...I'll bet there is some snooze action that would happen when that alarm goes off at 9pm. They might actually hit snooze over and over - or even turn the alarm off and go to bed. Hmm..welcome to my world in the morning.) 3. Set multiple alarms. This is actually the technique I use the most. I have three alarms set at different times, each playing a different song.

I have come to the conclusion that since I am a night person forced to live in a morning person's world, I will always be a be a bit of a mess in the mornings as I stumble through the first few hours of my day. And as most people live for the weekends, I will continue to live for the evenings, when I feel the most energized and ready to take on the world.

God Grew Tired of Us Trailer

2008-05-26T14:17:00.001-06:00

I watched this documentary this weekend and thought it was great. It's always interesting to see America through the eyes of those who have not grown up here.

To My Friend

2008-05-23T21:48:00.003-06:00

Dear friend,

I picture you laughing. I picture you dancing, twirling and singing. I picture the twinkle in your eye. I can almost feel your joy. And yet in that same moment, I can picture your tears as you see us still missing you, hurting from losing you here beside us. I know that you don’t want us to hurt…but friend, is that possible?

Do you know that whenever I see the sun shining against the clouds in the early evening hours, I am reminded of you? Two days before you left us, I took a walk, saw some amazing clouds in the sky and thought of you. I took a picture. I tried calling you, but the line was busy. When I got the phone call two days later, time stopped and reversed and I was walking once again, looking at those clouds and trying to call you. It has taken a while to start traveling the pace of time since that day when everything stopped.

I know you are where you want to be. If you think of it, say hi to my friends Jim and John. They are new there, too. And another favor, please give our Father a hug from me.

Blessings friend, I will see you again one day…Marcie

What are they seeing?

2008-05-17T13:52:00.006-06:00

I enjoy taking close-ups of faces - particularly baby faces. But through my photos, I've begun to see an interesting pattern. I keep getting strange looks back from the babies. It makes me wonder what they are seeing or thinking...are they thinking "Am I going to look like that when I get older?" or maybe "Who is this person and what have you done with my mom?" or even "Does she think I am going to smile when she is making faces at me like that?" I'd like to think that it is the beginning stages of baby curiosity - when EVERYTHING needs to be studied carefully. Here are some of my favorite shots of these inquisitive looks...courtesy of my nephew Gabe and my friends Trevor and Tammy's baby, Abhi:

If you can think of any good captions..or if you have any insight on what is going on in their minds...feel free to send me your ideas :o).

2008-05-12T19:12:00.002-06:00

Today I have been thinking about

Myanmar

China

Haiti

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

Woodland Park

2008-05-11T14:14:00.003-06:00

This weekend, I’ve been staying at a friend’s house up in Woodland Park - just up the road a ways from Colorado Springs. They are on a trip and didn’t want to put their dog in “puppy prison” aka, a kennel. :) I love it up here in Woodland Park. I am pretty sure that if my parents ever moved to Colorado, they would choose an area like Woodland Park. It is a small town. And it is perfect for the introvert in me who loves to get away to a quiet place.

The view from the house

Who wouldn't want to live in a town with a store called The Cowhand?

My buddy for the weekend, Bailey

Driving to Work

2008-05-09T12:05:00.004-06:00

I made my way to work this morning, driving down a winding road through a canyon *swish, thud*. Normally I don’t take this route, but I am dog-sitting, so I am about 30 minutes *swish, thud* in the mountains outside of the Springs. (This drive actually reminds me of the Northwest with the pine trees and snow-capped mountains.) *swish, thud* One of the slightly bothersome things about driving in and around Colorado Springs *swish, thud* coincides with my lack of height. Let me explain. Since I am shorter in stature, my seat has to be closer to the steering wheel than most people *swish, thud* (although not as close as my mom…when I drive her car I actually feel taller). Mix this fact with the bright, sunny days in Colorado Springs and the always twisty roads (are there ANY straight roads here?) and you get a constant movement of me turning the steering wheel, grabbing my visor to swing it over to block the sun and then the accompanying *thud* of the visor hitting my head as it crosses me. I should have counted how many times I hit my head on my visor this morning. Since I’m not a morning person, maybe this is actually a good thing. Some of you may be asking “why not duck?” or “why not just hold up your hand to block the sun?” To answer the first question, please refer to my earlier note about being short in stature. I don’t really have too far to duck before I can’t see the road at all. The second option, I actually use quite a lot, but when there is a 30+ minute commute, I start becoming a bit concerned that my left bicep muscle will start to develop more than my right. I save this option for shorter commutes. For the rest of this weekend, I will hope for overcast weather. *swish, thud* (Remember how I said this blog would be random?)

starting somewhere

2008-05-07T17:20:00.004-06:00

So I am entering this world of blogging. I should send a link to my mom right away. I think she wonders much of the time what is going on in this mind of mine. Let me tell you - very random things. And such will this blog reflect. Enjoy your stay.