Four4Him

In case you haven't noticed...

2010-02-08T17:42:00.002-06:00

As I was leaving the YMCA the other day, I passed a grandmother holding the hand of a small child. The duo paused in front of a sign and the grandmother read it aloud in heavily accented English: “Oh, there’s a fahzr-dawtah dance tomorrow. Do you sink you vill go wis your fahzr?”

The child tugged at her hand and matter-of-factly responded, “I can’t go. I’m a booooy.”

It's a Sweet Fight

2010-01-27T16:20:00.002-06:00

I come from a family of history buffs. The historical facts we discuss are the kind only a select few are privy to. I bet you didn't know that about the scandal in the 1400s regarding the alternator chips in computer carburetors that kept breaking. Apple, Inc. nearly went under as a result! There's a lot more that's not in your history textbooks--how Napoleon's men tobogganed over the French Alps, all the way across the Mediterranean and conquered Morrocco; how Emperor Hirohito disguised himself as a soldier in the Union Army during the Civil War and used poisoned cottonballs from Southern plantations to help the North win; how Alexander the Great and Jimmy Carter actually worked together to bring peace to the war-torn island of Alcatraz...

Most recently, we discussed the famous war between the two Indian tribes that took up residence in Massachusetts--the Skittlians (from whom we now enjoy small, fruit-flavored candies) and the Emanemanites (from whom we now enjoy small, chocolate candies).

This afternoon, one of my ambitious brothers wrote a brief summary of our discussion in essay form. I've included it below, in case you had any interest in delving deeper into this fascinating portion of U.S. history:

The Clash of the Candies

If you have found yourself in the 1780s looking at a field strewn with smashed candy, then you would have witnessed the aftermath of a giant battle between two rival tribes, the Skittlians and the Emanemanites (abbreviated M&M-anites). These two nomadic tribes fought constantly for reasons that historians have not figured out yet. We do know, however, that their great war started right after Sacagawea killed John Smith again. The M&M-anites attacked first, and the Skittlians broke all treaties with them. They did not smoke the peace pipe until many years after that fateful day.

One person that had lived at that time said that the tribes even tortured each other: for example, if the Skittlians captured an M&M-anite, they would stuff him with Skittles until his belly grew too big for him to see his toes, and eventually he would grow accustomes to Skittles and join the Skittlians. For some unfortunate people, that happened several times on both sides of the war, so they might end up switching sides ten, or even eleven times.

Columbus saved the day when he showed up on the scene with his alternator chip. Somehow they used it to make peace; no one knows how or why yet, but they did make a peace treaty with one another. The Skittlians got the worse end of the treaty, but they still thrive in today's society, which is why most candy machines include Skittles and M&Ms. Today these once-savage tribes live peacefully together. Once in awhile an old skirmish will flare its head, but people these days know so little history that they don't ever know what causes these skirmishes. In conclusion, the Skittlians once fought large-scale battles with the M&M-anites, but now, thanks to Barney and Columbus, we all live as one big, happy family.

Out of the Mouths of Babes...

2010-01-01T11:43:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, I had the privilege of "Beatysitting" some of my favoritest little punkins. And we fell to talking about Jesus.

Me: Who is Jesus?
A (age 4): He's that guy in the Bible who died.
Me: What makes Jesus so special?
A: Well, He almost saved us and He can walk on water.

...yep, that's about it.

Memories of Mexico

2009-12-15T00:40:00.006-06:00

Yeah, it was 75 degrees on Thanksgiving Day. And these lovely ladies decided it was an occasion for some bright colors. (L to R: Natalie, Alicia, Kelley)

Mexico. Churros (long stick donuts) and hot chocolate. Mariachi bands in the evenings. Cops on horseback wearing period costumes. A beggar playing a three-stringed out of tune guitar. Scorpions in my laundry bag. Soaking in the hot springs. Sipping a chai tea latte. Oh, Mexico!

Cristina, a native of San Miguel. This sweet girl has a lovely, lovely heart for the Lord and she's an incredibly talented vocalist, actress, and servant. Not to mention the fact that she's just a good dose of plain old fun. We spent some good times together--praying, talking, and keeping several small children entertained/in line for an entire afternoon. How do you keep Mexican children out of trouble for hours? Soccer. Enter Cristina and her mad soccer skills. Let's just say she's handy to have around...

The trip itself was fabulous. I believe our whole team learned a lot about what it looks like to serve as a team, and what it means to give of yourself even when you're feeling crabby/sad/angry/sick/insert adjective here. Most of the team got food poisoning one night...the sad thing was, it was our own food. We never did exactly pin down the culprit, but for now the leftover Thanksgiving turkey is highly suspect.

The Catholic church (cathedral?), a main fixture in town. It sits at the top of the city square and serves as a gathering place/point of reference for pretty much everything.

Several thoughtful people have asked me what the Lord taught me on the trip, and I'd have to say that one of the primary lessons was that He's sufficient. I don't have to sweat it, cause He really is in control. Even little stuff like starting conversations--when I was too scared to just talk to people, the Lord would do it for me and they'd talk to me. Surprise, surprise, Michelle, He can handle that too.

Rockaway Beach, OR

2009-10-10T19:20:00.003-05:00

kelley and i have sort of matching shirts. yup, i stole hers.

jeff and val enjoy the sunset and the low tide...

sunset on the pacific at rockaway beach. spectacular.

driftwood cross.

caitlin caught the sun just before it went down and held it there awhile.

first time i touched a jellyfish. ever.

"L" is for the way you look at me . . .

2009-09-30T16:25:00.005-05:00

Meet The Ridge. The one behind the dorm that I can see from my window.

And The Wagon. The one that every ACTS session takes pictures of.

Love. A couple of weeks ago now (maybe several, if I'm honest), we had the privilege of being taught by one Michael Turay of Sierra Leone. We talked about foundational principles of Christianity--who is God, who is man, and therefore, what is our response?

apple orchard against the ridge on a clear day. photo by kelley.

In the discussion of who God is, we discussed 10 attributes of God, and one in particular--love--stood out to me in a profound way. In 1 Corinthians 13, the famed "Love Chapter," 16 aspects of God's love are mentioned just in verses 4-8.

sunset jumping pictures against the ridge. photo by kelley.

(L to R: Hannah, Kara, Hanna, Caitlin, Shana, Michelle)

Love has no pride. True love, godly love, does not act out of a desire to please itself or to further itself--ever. It's primary goal in every situation, every relationship is the furthering, the bettering, of love's object. A bit abstract on paper, perhaps, but so profound in real life. When I'm in conversation, am I really listening because I care about you and I want to know? Or am I just waiting for a point that I can connect with so I can take over and talk about myself some more? Am I really serving because I want to please the Lord? Or am I just helping out so someone will notice what a servant's heart I have?

Hanna goes to the fair in town. Boys stack everything she owns on her bed. Bingo.

Love never fails. God's love succeeds in its intended purpose every single time. Is that not blow-your-mind awesome?! Think about it this way: Love is stronger than death. None of us can really resist death. But love is stronger than that. God, who is Love, conquered death itself.

And through Him, we, too, can conquer.

ACTS X, Cont.

2009-09-18T21:55:00.003-05:00

ACTS X ladies: (back) Shana, Kelley, yours truly, (front L to R) Caitlin, Hanna (RA), Kara, and Hannah

Erin drove down and spent a very brief night with us. SOO good to see her!

Trevor and Christina!! Greg (Erin's brother) adds a little excitement in the background.

Week One: Team Building

2009-08-29T18:47:00.002-05:00

Can't believe it's almost September! The first week of my time here in Tieton (Tye-uh-tun), Washington has been fantabulous. ACTS team ten is made up of 11 young people coming from Washington state to Virginia and everywhere in-between.

For the first week of our time here, we focused on building relationships among the team members with some fun stuff like an overnight camping trip, a low ROPES course, and tubing down the Yakima River...

During our river trip, Val (director's wife), Hanna (girls' RA), and Kara jumped out of the rafts to swim at some point along the way. They were enjoying themselves in the water until we got to a rock that jutted out into the river, creating some strong current. Val and Hanna were hanging onto the boat and made it through okay, but Kara got caught in the current and pulled under the water. The current was too strong for her, but she managed to put up her head and calmly say, "Guys, I need help."

Keith (guys' RA) jumped in and pulled Kara out of the current and managed to get her to the side...somehow in the excitement, we lost a paddle and Val swam after it, but got caught in the same current that had captured Kara. Jeff (Val's husband) jumped in after Val, and Keith grabbed the boats as they floated down the current and held them until everyone could get back inside. Hanna jumped out to help Keith hold the boats and one of her toes got crushed between two rocks. All in all, it was a great bonding time for the team, and we're really thankful that Kara is still with us. :P

Highlights:

--> being reunited with Trevor and Christina, my dear friends from Romania

--> awesome scavenger hunt on a mountain = lots of great new ideas for future treasure hunts

--> being surrounded by 10 likeminded young people who are seeking the Lord with their whole hearts

changes...

2009-08-27T01:02:00.005-05:00

can sometimes be good. But hard, too. It was wonderful to be reunited with Michelle for a few weeks, but all good times eventually come to an end...at least here on earth. :)

in case anyone's interested, I've started a new blog: www.keepyourpearls.blogspot.com. I know how frustrating it is to find help dressing oneself when all the world's gone mad...so I've been researching tips, tricks and other various secrets...in fashion, beauty and most importantly, inner beauty; that "hidden man of the heart, which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." (1 Peter 3:4)

Michelle Beaty...

2009-07-25T13:50:00.002-05:00

...is home again! And I've eaten so much junk food in my first 24 hours here it's really not funny. But I'm glad to be back and look forward to catching up with you guys!!

2009-07-09T15:17:00.002-05:00

Text received at approximately 10:30 a.m.: "What are you doing today? -Liz"

"Nothing. What did you have in mind? -Michelle"

"Oh just maybe sitting somewhere reading or movie and dinner? -Liz"

"Sounds good. See you at 3. -Michelle"

Yep, that's how we socialize. Our Romanian friend was slightly surprised to walk into Liz's apartment and find her in the armchair engrossed in Dracula (you might as well read the story if you live 4 hours from his castle, right?) while I ~~browsed~~ ravenously devoured The Pilgrim's Regress.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're hanging out. We're reading together."

I love low-pressure get-togethers.

Budapest

2009-07-02T09:57:00.004-05:00

Buda and Pest, divided by the Danube, united by a bridge. heh.

The steeper streets--like this one--are quite an ordeal for vehicular traffic.

The opera house, about two blocks from the apartment where Liz and I stayed

The apartment. Vaulted ceilings. Unfortunately, I hadn't thought to bring a volleyball.... Here's the story: this apartment is actually the headquarters for a music ministry called Crescendo. On Tuesday night, I had gone to a Crescendo concert in Iasi, and on Friday night, I stayed in their mission headquarters in Budapest, and I had no idea until I got there that they were remotely connected.

The Parliament building shortly before the storm cloud broke.

Liz and I at Heroes' Square...at this particular moment in history, Liz had a pounding headache, there was a street-dance troupe practicing behind us, a sound check for a huge concert on my left (hence the headache?), and my fingers were stickier than they had been since I was two. Fun times.

This would be why my fingers were sticky. Hungarian yumminess, that right there. Bring your own napkins.

The airline that Liz and I flew had excellent service.

Life: The Six-Month Plan

2009-06-23T09:09:00.002-05:00

Tonight: Christian classical music concert at the Eminescu Library. If I can find the entrance, we're in business!

This week: 3-day trip to Budapest with Liz. Bring it on!

This month: wrap things up here in Iasi and arrive back in the good ol' US of A on July 22nd.

Exactly two months from today: (Lord willing) Begin ACTS discipleship training in Yakima, WA.

And four months later, it's home again, home again!

2009-06-14T20:41:00.006-05:00

I came across an inspiring article in No Greater Joy this morning. It has to do with a rather difficultish topic: what to do with your life as a single person. It's something I've wrestled with (a lot) and I know I'm not the only one. *grins*
I still have so much to learn!

What I want in a guy!

By: A Young Woman, June 2009 www.nogreaterjoy.org

"I am a 22-year-old girl who has met and seen my fair share of couples. I’ve traveled a good bit and lived with/helped out different families doing mission work.

These experiences have helped me figure out who I am today, and have been instrumental in showing me what I need in a husband.When I was 17, my cousins and friends, who are a few years older than I, all started getting married. So I naturally thought, “Well, I guess I should get married, too, because it seems to be the next step in life.” But the guy I would have married then and the guy I would marry now are two completely different types of men. I didn’t even know myself yet, much less what I should look for in a man.

I think, as homeschoolers, we are raised with the idea that marriage is the next important step in the school of life. I believe that attitude limits a person. I want to do something significant with my life, including learning all I have a capacity to comprehend, all for the purpose of making an eternal difference. I encourage girls to think: What are your dreams, what do you want to do, what do you want to know? Get out and do something, whether it’s starting a business, (which could include homemaking skills) or buying a piece of land. Go help out a missionary for six months. It will give you a whole new outlook on life and an appreciation for missionaries! It will grow you, give you more confidence, and help you figure out what you need in a husband. Every man is attracted to a woman who’s busy with abundant life, someone who is on the front side of making things happen.

Years ago I was chatting with a married couple who are good friends of mine, and who know me well. They helped me to figure out what I personally needed in a man. I wrote a list that day of five things I most need in a man!

1. I know that I need a Strong Leader who’s not going to let me shove him around. I want someone who is going to stand up and be the man!

2. Yet I need someone who is Open-minded, who will listen to all my crazy theories about life!

3. He needs to be Passionate, so that whatever he does, he does it with a fire under his boots!

4. I want him to be Spontaneous, full of zeal about life, and not afraid to jump into an adventure. I am a very enthusiastic person, and I love to do things on the spur of the moment. I want to marry someone I can jump on board with!

5. And I must have a man who Loves and Honors God and is already actively serving the Lord and has a deep-seated vision for life. "

We girls all have our lists, of course. I do! We should know what we want, for heaven's sake, otherwise how are we going to know it's Prince Charming or just another froggie when someone tall, dark and handsome pops in?

But I really wanted to share this article because I think she's right on. Come on, girls! Let's do something with this precious time! There's a big world out there; let's walk in the grace given to us by God. Let's be daughters of Sarah, the woman who wasn't afraid. Who can harm us, if we are followers of that which is good?

~Kirsten

2009-06-12T17:44:00.003-05:00

Thank You....for annoying-but-good internet filters that no longer block Blogger! (thanks, Dad.)

Warning: She Waxeth Wordy

2009-06-08T16:22:00.004-05:00

I kind of prefer pictures to words. Maybe you've noticed. But my camera is currently on loan to a dear friend, so words will have to suffice for now.

May.

My sister arrived in Iasi (Thea, in case you were wondering which sister) on May 5th and we spent some 2 to 2.5 weeks together. I actually have no idea how long it was. She left way too soon, yet it seemed like she was here forever because there is no way that all of the things we did could possibly have fit into 17 days. Highlights of her visit included laughing so hard we cried at Little Texas with Lilian, singing all of our old songs together in Spanish and Swahili and English, roaming the streets of Iasi every day, all day.

In her earnest endeavor to get Romanians to smile at her, we encountered one rather creepy gentleman who tried to get us to go for a ride to a museum (???) with him at something like 11:00 p.m. Nah...let's play the old "I don't speak Romanian" trick and whip out the old cell phone. Magic.

The first couple of days of her visit we spent largely with an extremely friendly feller called Iulian. They're a dime a dozen in these parts, but this one is special. He's a real estate dude and I was scouting out some apartments for no good reason. He speaks Romanian ridiculously fast, and the first day I couldn't catch where he said we were to meet him. So Thea and I showed up at the office at the appointed time and asked the guy there where the dude we were supposed to meet was.

"You have an appointment with an agent? What's his name?"

Thea and I just stared at each other. We had no idea. But then Mr. Remax himself called my phone...so I put his boss on the line and Mr. Boss explained where Mr. Remax was and we lived happily ever after. I think at every apartment we looked at he introduced us to the owner as "the tall, beautiful, athletic American girls." Nothing like letting people form their own first opinions. :P Once, when the four of us (realtor, owner, Thea, and I) were crammed into a tiny elevator that was most definitely meant for maximum of 3 people, the owner, a man of some 65 years of age somehow decided that Thea definitely spoke Romanian quite fluently and began excitedly narrating his sportive background (volleyball coach, I think) some four inches from her face (personal space means something different in an over-crowded "lift") in his slightly accented Romanian. Poor Thea just smiled and nodded and he never knew that she wasn't just as excited about his monologue as he was.

May was a month of firsts, as well. First time my parents visited me away from home. First time my Dad and my sister celebrated their respective birthdays on this side of the ocean. First time I've ridden a metro in a foreign country. First time on a train by myself. I daresay it was the first time most of my friends had met a girl taller than *gasp* 180 cm!

I am being sorely tempted right now to eat my last chocolate bar. But...then what will I do tomorrow when I'm tempted again?

The last couple of days (yes, I do know that it's June now. Well into June.) we've opened the house to studiers who have no place to study. It's been fun watching the green gate creak open and waiting to see which hardworking medical students will pop by today. I love making food for them--they're rather an exceptionally agreeable crowd, and it's a lovely opportunity to practice my basically nonexistent cooking skills. Tonight after dinner, Femi sat down at the piano and began playing worship songs. Within minutes, he was surrounded/joined by Issa on the shakers, Uche on the drum, Trevor on the guitar, Anita on the tambourine, and Christina on some other random instrument, and yours truly just filling in.
African worship songs + hyperactive, overstudied med students + random assortment of instruments = a truly memorable worship experience.

It's been a sweet time for ministry as well. The students are right in the thick of exam season, and we don't see them around as much, so Christina and I went to see some of them yesterday and we had a lovely time praying with them and delivering some goodies we found somewhere.

My tickets are booked! I'll be back in the good ol' US of A on July 22nd.

Prayer Requests:

*Wisdom in discerning God's will for the future/life post-July 22nd.
*That I would finish strongly here and be all here until I'm physically no longer here
*That the believers would set a good example during this high-stress exam season

Picnic at the Kosobuckis with Rovina and Kim

Brasov and Bucharest

2009-06-01T10:17:00.004-05:00

..Actually, Brasov. My camera died the first day of the trip, and I'd inconveniently forgotten to bring my charger. Nevertheless, I managed to snap a few photos of Brasov, a large city (300,000) in the Carpathian mountains, built by the Germans and near the home of the legendary Vlad Tepes, known colloquially as Dracula. Quite a safe place most of the time, apparently, but as our tour guide repeatedly warned us, vampires come down from the mountains at night to prey on American tourists.

Dedicated tourist seeks to understand secret treasure map

Those of you who have seen Iasi will appreciate this a bit more--in Brasov the old men play chess in the park in the rain because they have a fancy-schmansy roof.

This one is for you, Trevor. It's not a castle. Not really sure what it is, actually, but it's a cool building. There are a lot of these. Reason #2 why you should come to Romania. Reason #1 being of course that I'm here.

Orthodox church--somehow cleaner/whiter/brighter looking than Iasi orthodox churches.

Brasov is a city with a wannabe ego--they think they're the best city in the world, but they're really not sure, so they're gonna say "probably." I thought these two umbrellas were a contradiction until our tourguide enlightened us as to the fact that Kronstadt (Crown City) is the German name for Brasov.

Street in the German section of town

The sidewalks, oh, the sidewalks! Look at how wide! How smooth! And particularly note that there are no cars parked on the sidewalks! Oh novelty.

2009-05-28T01:47:00.004-05:00

Getting to know Liz, one of the American team members here, at Ginger Ale, a British/Romanian restaurant that incidentally does not sell ginger ale.

Entrance to The Metropolitan, the biggest and most important Romanian Orthodox church in the region. No tours today. Under construction. As was every other major tourist attraction in the city.

When looking into a cannon, always make sure you're wearing eye protection.

Guess who! Bonus points if you get them all right.

The remains of a picnic with Kim from Malaysia

Thea was instantly surrounded by adoring fans, including Nirvana, our token New Zealander.

Erin and the kids skipped the country before we could get a decent photo, but we managed to catch Dave. Dave is the pastor/elder of the international church here.

With Trevor and Christina (and baby!)

Baptism. Delighted to see these three identify with Christ in this way.
L to R: Idy, Uche, Lilian

Medical students release their pre-exam frustration on an asphalt soccer field.

Oh, the Fun...

2009-05-20T12:12:00.003-05:00

Picnicking on the hillside overlooking the city...okay, so it was a pretty relaxed picnic.

Ellie with a sampling of wild mountain (okay, big hill) flowers...

Deep discussions over KitKats and Hershey bars...

Dad checks out the Romanian grass to see how the flavor compares to American grass. I think Romanian grass is more nutritious.

Lilian, long-time friend and sister in Christ. She sweetly joined us at Little Texas (Iasi's only tex mex restaurant) for an evening. Oh, the laughter...

Indian boys just have soccer in their veins. These guys found a miniature ball, rolled up their jeans, and had at 'er. The rosebushes in the border garden suffered a tad--we're hoping they're more resilient than they look.

Yeah, EJ. Just stomp on it!

We ladies have our hobbies, too. Coffee-drinking and back-scratching after Bible study.

Together Again...

2009-05-07T09:51:00.003-05:00

1000s of Words of April

2009-05-02T03:13:00.004-05:00

Marit says goodbye to Luci at the airport. We miss you, Luci!!

Luci's last Sunday at church: Rovina, Luci, Becky, yours truly
Special thanks to crazy photographer, Alix.

Some of the guys came over to tear up the basketball court with Justin: Sam, Uche, Femi

Our boys competed in the NAVOBI soccer tournament. Dave (acting coach) explains to Liz why we lost the first day and won the second day--there was a major shift in coaching strategy. The second day we tried passing to our own team, and it was much more effective.

Small cross-section of our incredible cheering section. We were right in the middle of the OTHER team's cheering section, which means we had to be REALLY loud. You should have seen the looks the girls got when they jumped out of the stands and screamed when our guys scored...

Ola, Alix, and EJ, our awesome goalie and the two scoring strikers.

No comment.

It was a lovely afternoon...

2009-04-24T01:35:00.002-05:00

...so Anita and I decided to pack a picnic lunch and climb a mountain somewhere and enjoy the sunshine. First things first. It's Easter week here in Romania (yes, we just have to be different, so we celebrate it at a different time than y'all), and lots of businesses are closed. Still, all things considered, I had relatively little difficulty finding sandwich fixings and other picnicky necessities. Score one.

When Anita and I actually met, I realized I'd forgotten to pass along the mountain climbing memo, and the cute little heels were definitely not gonna make it.

Plan B: city park. About a 25 minute walk. Not too bad, not too bad.

Eventually, we arrived at the park. It's a European park, which means there are paved paths, big trees, and benches. And that's all. Apparently, there is a large gap in my Romanian education that includes appropriate city park etiquette. You don't play sports in these places, and you don't sit on the grass. Grass is for dogs only.

But I didn't know that. Yet. So Anita and I set up our nice little picnic on the grass. Just as we were getting comfy, I heard a man's voice say something in Romanian.

Aw, I thought, somebody wants to join our picnic.

But when I looked up, it was a cop, who graciously and firmly informed me that we were definitely not allowed to sit on the grass. It wasn't even particularly nice grass, so I'm not sure what they were intending to protect it from or for, but we decided to be amiable in order to avoid risking deportation, and we moved our picnic to a bench. I'm quite convinced that we ruined many a runner's day as he or she gazed wistfully at our princely spread (can you say peanut butter and apricot jam sandwiches?), but hey, that's what happens when picnickers have to picnic on benches.

Moral of the story: what are cops doing walking around in the park, anyway??

I'm thankful for...

2009-04-12T15:32:00.004-05:00

20. Spontaneous worship. When the praise of God's people transcends cultures and language and all other barriers and unites people in a spirit of worship before an Awesome God.

The baptismal service had ended, and we were all scattered throughout the building in various groups. Somebody started playing the piano, somebody else grabbed a drum, and we worshiped together for over an hour.

I love worship.

2009-04-08T03:13:00.003-05:00

This is happening not very far from where I live...

Basically, Moldova's Communist party won more than a 50% majority in their recent elections, giving them the right to alter the Constitution, and the young people of Moldova took to the streets in response.

Seems a little oxymoronic to vote in Communism to me...but I guess that's my American mindset.

New York Times Article

(Photos by Denis Graur)

Words of the Week

2009-04-07T16:10:00.002-05:00

Romanian terms of endearment struck me as definitely not very endearing-sounding at first. I barely notice it anymore, but here are a few of my favorites:

"Scumpo"--sugar, honey
"Draga"--dear (I distinctly remember thinking this one had a rather unpleasant resemblance to 'dragon' the first time I saw it written)
"Dragalasha"--diminutive form of 'draga'
"Iubirea mea"--my love, pronounced like YOU-BEER-YAH MYAH

Kudos...

2009-04-02T13:44:00.002-05:00

...to the rather ingenious twirps who pranked my entire bedroom yesterday--perhaps with a little bit of encouragement from some ~~amateur criminals~~ dear friends on the other side of the ocean. (A sufficient bribe might induce me to keep your identities unknown.)

There were hangers under my sheets.

Aluminum foil in my pillowcase.

Saran wrap across my door.

Light switches were well-taped into the OFF position.

My optical mouse was unplugged and the sensor had tape over it.

My mouse speed had been greatly decreased and my left and right mouse buttons were toggled.

Everything sitting on my desk had been taped to my desk.

A rope had been cleverly wound through almost every single shirt I own in the hopes that when I grabbed one, they would all come with it.

My personal favorite: Someone had disabled the icons on my desktop, taken a screen shot, and set it as my background, so it looked exactly the same, but none of the icons would function, because they were actually just part of the background.

Sneaky, sneaky. And I only have 364 days to come up with something even better. :)

I'm thankful for...

2009-04-01T14:12:00.004-05:00

17. Super talented friends/family. There's more talent in this photo than words can express. (That goes for the photographer, too.)

18. Genuineness. Because it's hard to find people who are real.

19. The freedom in Christ to be real because I know Whom I have believed. I don't have to know the future, cause I know the One Who holds the future.

Salt and Light

2009-03-30T10:43:00.000-05:00

The great tragedy of prosperity-preaching is that a person does not have to be spiritually awakened in order to embrace it; one needs only to be greedy. Getting rich in the name of Jesus is not the salt of the earth or the light of the world. In this, the world simply sees a reflection of itself. And if it works, they will buy it.

The context of Jesus' saying shows us what the salt and light are. They are the joyful willingness to suffering for Christ. Here is what Jesus said, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:11-14).

What will make the world taste (the salt) and see (the light) of Christ in us is not that we love wealth the same way they do. Rather, it will be the willingness and the ability of Christians to love others through suffering, all the while rejoicing because their reward is in heaven with Jesus. This is inexplicable on human terms. This is supernatural. But to attract people with promises of prosperity is simply natural. It is not the message of Jesus. It is not what he died to achieve.

--John Piper

I've Been Dubbed...

2009-03-23T14:31:00.002-05:00

..."My Shell"--yet another variation on my name. This particular one has something to do with a spunky New Zealander affectionately known as Sparkplug and a dream about a turtle--a turtle named "Michelle" or "My Shell" or something like that.

Other names from my past/things I've been called:

"Chelle"--obvious enough, I suppose
"Chel"--which I recently found out is also the Romanian word for "bald"...
"Cheeeaaarrr"--kinda hard to write out. The little kid version of "Chelle"
"Mikey"--let's not go there
"Michael"--I was less than inclined to respond to that one
"Mich"--it'll do in a pinch
"Mich the _ _ _ _ _" -- :) If you can fill in the blanks, you are very likely one of those who committed this heinous crime. I've forgiven you, by the way.
"Melissa"--my violin teacher knew my name wasn't Melissa, but she couldn't remember what it was....
"Little Miss Piggy"--those were the days! This was the battlecry of my older siblings (not to implicate anyone) as we raced to see who could answer the phone first. Now we have quite the opposite problem. :)
"Michellita"--no matter what country I seem to be in, the diminutive form of my name always becomes Michellita

Last, but not least, I've become one of a group of three to four girls (depending on the day) who are apparently quite interchangeable. I'm learning to respond to "Li-Marce-Lumi-Michelle!" or any other combination thereof. :)

Today I saw...

2009-03-21T15:26:00.003-05:00

...an H3 with Delaware license plates. That may not seem like that big of a deal to you, but I live in Romania. It made me happy.

2009-03-14T03:43:00.003-05:00

I was walking home from a friend's house. I chose the slightly more round-about route. Maybe because the direct way was slick with mud, maybe because I just wanted a little bit more time to think. I started up the steep street contemplatively, hands in my pockets.

I'd just passed the dirt pile that serves as a traffic barrier when I saw her. She was standing on the sidewalk, seemingly undecided as to whether to continue up the steepest part of the street or to turn back. She held a small bag and a cane in one hand, and with the other, she clutched at the little branches that poked through the fence on the side of the road. Once, she grabbed the fence, but quickly retracted her hand. It was barbed wire. She tottered a bit and took a few more shuffling steps forward. I wanted to help her, but would I even be able to communicate? What if--?
I was next to her now. I smiled at her and stopped. She smiled back. "Ai fost la colt, da? Ai cumparat doua paini?" (You were at the corner [store], weren't you? And you bought two loaves of bread?) I wasn't sure which store she was referring to, but I had gone out the night before and purchased some bread. "Poate ca da." (Maybe.) She smiled and repeated to herself, "Poate ca da." It was easier to communicate than I'd expected.

"Pot sa va ajut?" (Can I help you?) I asked her, but she said no and took a few more steps, as she chattered about the corner store, her husband, and whether or not she should just go back. She asked me where my husband was. I told her.

She reached for the fence again, so I repeated my question--"Pot sa va ajut?" This time, she agreed, and I took her arm. She was hungry and wanted to go to the cofetarie (cafe) at the top of the street. The cofetarie in question is a matter of meters from my house, so we walked together along the street until we reached it, her arm in mine. She pointed out the tulip leaves shooting up in the neighbors yard and talked of Sibiu, where she'd grown up. I tried to understand what she was saying. She asked why I was so quiet.

"De fapt, nu vorbesc asa de bine romaneste," I told her. (Actually, I don't speak Romanian very well.)

"Ah, nu-i nimic!" (It doesn't matter at all.) She kept on chattering, now something about the beautiful house, now about my family--where were they, anyway?

We reached the cofetarie, and I left her at the door. "Multumesc, domnisoara, din suflet." (Thank you from the bottom of my heart.)

Va multumesc si eu, bunica.

What To Expect...

2009-03-08T14:54:00.004-05:00

...when you come to visit me. :)

It's for sale. Anybody looking for a new set of wheels?

You'll see these friendly creatures all over. For as many as there are, I can't believe they don't get hit more often. On account of the canine population, you'll want to watch the ground when walking outside.

It's an apartment building and a billboard for our mall. The caption is "Shopping for everyone"--even aliens.

Okay, I just like the fact that the guy is on his cell phone and the little store is called "Hello!"

You'll definitely see kids playing soccer/football everywhere. And asphalt soccer fields. Hope your balance is good!

Salubris keeps our streets clean. ish. With twig brooms, wheelbarrows, and scoop shovels. The guy on the far left is a wheelbarrow operator. Sorry about the fuzziness. I couldn't exactly go up and ask them to pose, so this is taken from a vehicle window.

Yeah, there's more trash on the ground than in the trash cans. You'll often see gypsies here, dumpster diving for food or anything useful.

One of my most frequent routes...

Painkiller? Chips? Window cleaner? A can of olives, maybe? Check your local magazin. Everything in the store is represented in the window. You poke your head into the little hole in the middle and tell them what you want, and they'll get it for you. Very handy, these places.

I'm thankful for...

2009-03-05T07:11:00.004-06:00

15. The little ways the members of the body of Christ support and encourage each other. Luci and I were at the mall (yep, that's our mall!), in the food court, munching some good ol' McNuggets or something on that order, and preparing for discipleship later in the day. We had our Bibles and notebooks spread out on the table, and we were deep in discussion about communion when Luci looked up and said, "Hi! How are you?" I turned around and saw Stefan, one of the guys from Luci's church, with a bag of cookies. He set it on the table and said, "This is for you. From one of God's children to another."

16. Friendly McDonald's employees (not this guy, necessarily :P) who just keep speaking in Romanian until you figure out what they're asking without looking at you like you're from outer space when you just smile and nod.

February in Pictures

2009-03-02T06:49:00.006-06:00

Lilian and I take the plunge off the side of the mountain on our discipleship retreat.

Luminitza opened an Ethiopian restaurant in her apartment (by invitation only) in her last months here before leaving for Ethiopia with Wycliffe.

A street girl who lives near the mall--one of many such children in Iasi.

After school girls' club! We made tissue paper flowers and scented them with body spray. :P Reminded me of the days of Spirit VBS...

February is a month to rejoice! Reason # 1:

Karl with Issa, who recently asked to be baptized. When Issa first came to church, he said he had "Christian" on his ID card, but he felt that he was not a Christian in his heart. No longer the discrepancy, by God's grace!

Reason #2:

Shamini, who also asked to be baptized after surrendering her life to Christ just two weeks ago.

Of Love and Valentines

2009-02-19T12:01:00.003-06:00

According to ancient legend, once upon a time, there was family. And this family, well, they had two rather noisy children, but they kind of wanted some more. So they had a baby. She started out as a rather squally, red-faced baby, but over time, she grew more and more beautiful, and more and more sweet and virtuous, and they came to love her with greater ardor each passing year.
Anyway, as history would have it, she grew up, she met some amazing people, and she moved over to Romania (or Urania, to some) to live with the Europeans for a year. But her family and her incredible friends from back in the States still miss her.

So, as a token of love and affection, several of these sweet little friends made a couple of super cute Valentine's cookies for her. Only problem being that the fair made was stuck in Europe, and the cookies were stuck in the United States. So...rather than sending a package, her family took a picture of these aforementioned lovely cookies, and one known as the older sister is now posting them for the benefit of a certain fair maiden, in hopes that she might view this photograph and know how deeply she is missed and how much she is loved:

Happy Valentine's Day (slightly belated), Michelle! We love you!

~Thea, on behalf of Kaitlyn, LaReina, Queena, and Jade

On Living In Obscure Places...

2009-02-18T14:33:00.002-06:00

"I'm from Wisconsin."

I used to be able to say that, and people at least knew that it was one of those little-known states in the Midwest. And though I'm not much of a spectator sports fan, it is rather handy to be able to say the three magic words "Green Bay Packers" and make an instant friend. And then I moved across the pond.

People noted my strange accent and asked where I was from.

"Wisconsin."

"Wi-what?"

...

"Um, the United States."

"Oh really! Where in the United States?"

"Wisconsin."

*blank stare*

"It's, uh, in the middle. Near the top. Ever heard of Canada? Yeah, it's not too far away. Relatively speaking, you know."

That was at the beginning. Now I've got it figured out. I just say I'm from the US. If they ask further questions, I use the whole "Imagine my hand is the United States" trick…and I've figured out some other helpful triggers--"5 hours from Chicago. 4 hours from Minneapolis. Ever heard of Lake Michigan?"

It goes both ways. Now when I went back to the States and people wondered where I'd been for the last 7 months, I told them "Romania."

My O'Hare friend summed it up the best. "Urania? What's in Urania?"

I think next time I'll just say, "Europe." Maybe "Eastern Europe."

Rejoice with us...

2009-02-15T15:48:00.002-06:00

...that this beautiful girl has joined the family of God! Sham is from a Hindu background. and I don't know what her conversion will mean for her family. Please join me in lifting up Sham before the Throne of Grace as she begins her new life in the Lord.

2009-02-11T14:03:00.002-06:00

14. That growly and potentially bitey dogs are not one of my worst fears. Really. Just ignore them, and they'll (usually) ignore you.

To my brother and sister-in-law...

2009-02-02T07:22:00.003-06:00

Happy 1st Anniversary!

February 2, 2008

I love you both! (and Brock!)

2008-12-26T06:55:00.006-06:00

Sharmilee is a first year medical student who'd never made cookies before.

Lilian with Ellie and Lydia at our international Christmas celebration

It's called "blow pong." The goal of the game is to blow the ball off the sides of the table and keep the other teams from blowing it off your side. We were divided by nationality and somehow the Americans had enough hot air to keep the ball well away from their edge. :P

Ropa, aspiring model, strikes a dramatic pose...

Lilian (Zimbabwe) and I at the Christmas party for people who miss their families...

Merry Christmas! I miss you all!

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

2008-12-09T03:13:00.002-06:00

Flattery is saying something to someone's face that you
would never say behind his back. --Alistair Begg

I'm Thankful...

2008-12-07T05:34:00.004-06:00

9. For godly friends.

10. For good literature.
11. That the gospel message transcends language and cultural barriers.

12. For airplanes. Very handy.

13. For health. (and Sari!)

2008-11-18T01:46:00.003-06:00

The girls and I made paper hearts as party favors for a certain surprise birthday party

The partying ladies! The whole "surprise party" was a new idea, but they loved it!

Part of our team warming up at the Navobi Charity Cup last week

Idy (Nigeria) and Heidi (Finland)

Lovely ladies + Dragos
(counterclockwise from right: Lilian, Tse-tse, Oge, Dragos, Luci, Charmaine)

2008-11-07T05:53:00.008-06:00

If you have self-control, you'll find there are a lot of situations you'll never end up in because you made wise, restrained choices on the front end. --Nancy Leigh DeMoss

The Photographic Evidence

2008-11-03T11:00:00.005-06:00

Second attempt. Much better. :P

Rag curls!

My lovely scarf from Phyllis!

Quail eggs for anyone who so desires...

I think some Romanians feed their chickens red food coloring...

2008-10-30T02:36:00.003-05:00

Last week, Luci and I scheduled a cooking night with a couple of the non-Christian young ladies. In the past, we've had them teach us how to make some of their traditional foods, but this time we decided to do an American meal--oven-fried chicken and mashed potatoes with apple pie for dessert. Only one of the girls came, but we had a lovely time making faces into Luci's webcam and discussing the difference between Orthodox adherents and Protestants while breading the chicken and smashing up the potatoes.

And then there was the pie. I lay no claims to culinary expertise, but generally I can follow a recipe. Therein lay the problem. I've learned from past experience that pie crusts + me = rubber. There's just no such thing as a flaky Michelle-made pie crust. So, since Luci didn't have much experience with pie crusts, either, we decided a press-in-the-pan was definitely the way to go. I was in a hurry, so I pulled a recipe for the filling from a cookbook, grabbed a streusel topping from somewhere (I know, I know...how tough is it to make a streusel topping?), and copied down a press-in-the-pan oil pastry recipe without so much as a second glance at it.

Historically, I believe, press-in-the-pan pie crusts are considered beginner level baking. Good grief, there are four ingredients. I gallantly volunteered to peel the apples while Janae measured out the ingredients for the pie crust and Luci sliced the peeled apples. It wasn't long before Luci noticed something odd about the pie crust--"Is it supposed to look like that?" Uh oh.

Janae wanted to add more flour--it was just too sticky. Actually, it was soupy. Sort of like pancake batter. A cup and half later, it was like really sticky bread dough. And it filled nearly half the pie pan. Luci was losing confidence. "Let's just start over."

Janae wanted to add more flour. "Just a little more flour."

I floured my hands and tried to sort of press it up the sides of the pan, but it slithered back down to join the giant blob in the middle. Game over. Somebody found a Ziploc bag (can't just throw it away!) and we slipped the lovely glop into it for scientific examination. Then we started over, and this time without a recipe. Pretty soon I had something that was the consistency of a rollout pie crust.

"Luci, do you have a rolling pin?" Ha ha. Why did I even ask? What could one substitute for a rolling pin?

Enter empty Coke bottle. We filled it with water for weight and ignored the ridges that created thin stripes in the pie crust. And then we transferred the pie crust to the pan. Sort of in pieces.

And that's sort of how it came out, too. It's okay, though--the filling was good, and the streusel topping was delicious. And now Janae knows how not to make pie crust.

Perseverance: When the Smoke Clears

2008-10-28T08:07:00.004-05:00

John Bisagno is a retired pastor from the Houston, Texas area. When Bisagno was twenty-one, he was very excited. He was getting ready to graduate from college and marry the love of his life. He had also decided to go into full-time ministry. He was very optimistic about his future. One night, he was having dinner at his fiancée’s home. After dinner, he went outside on the porch with his future father-in-law, Dr. Paul Beck. Dr. Beck had been in ministry since he was John’s age. You could say he’d seen a lot of water go under the bridge. As they were talking about John’s future plans and dreams, Dr. Beck gave him some advice, “As you go into ministry, John, make sure you stay close to Christ every day.”

Young John replied, “Yes, sir. I know that’s important.”

But Dr. Beck continued, “You’re just getting started in this race. And it’s a very long race. You won’t hit the finish line until you’re in your seventies or eighties. The finish line is a long way off, John. But the goal of this race is to finish strong. And that’s the last thing that Satan wants you to do. That’s why you have to keep your heart close to Christ every day. It’s been my experience that for every ten men who start strong with Christ in their twenties, only one out of those ten will finish strong.”

That shocked John Bisagno. The staggering statistic left him in disbelief.

“That can’t be. Just one out of ten?”

“Unfortunately, that has been my experience. Some men are taken out by the love of money, others are taken out by theological liberalism, and many more are taken out by sexual immorality. Satan knows how to lay a trap and set an ambush. He knows every man’s weaknesses. That’s why it’s been my experience that only one out of ten will finish strong.”

John Bisagno was blown away by the remarks of the older man. He was so stunned that he went home and started thinking about his friends. They were all in their early twenties and all had bright futures. They were fully committed followers of Christ.

He was graduating from a Bible college, and many of his buddies. like him, were going to be pastors, missionaries, youth leaders, and worship ministers. He couldn’t believe that only one of ten would finish strong. The very idea shook him to the core. And it was then that he got the idea.

He took his Bible and turned to a blank page in the back. On that page, he wrote down the names of twenty-four for his friends. He knew these guys. Like him, they were all in their early twenties. The idea that all of them wouldn’t finish strong was unthinkable. Maybe Satan would pick off a few, but surely most of them would stick. These were guys who would be willing to die for Christ if necessary.

I heard Bisagno tell this story several years ago. It got very quiet in the room as he began to tell the end of the story.

“As the years have gone by, from time to time I have gotten a letter or a telephone call. And sadly, I have turned to the page in the back of my Bible and had to put a line through a name. I would always do that with such great sadness. The years have gone by and I am now fifty-three years old. Of the original twenty-four names in the back of my Bible, there are just three of us left.”

Twenty-four young men who were all in their early twenties. And thirty-two years later, there are just three of them still standing. The majority of those men had ruined their lives before they turned forty. (Steve Farrar, How To Ruin Your Life By 40)

Are we committed to the long haul? Are we staying close to Jesus every day? Statistics are descriptive, not prescriptive. Let's live to make this scary statistic false!

-Chelle

2008-10-21T03:16:00.003-05:00

Seize the day, because you never know when you've made your last deposit into the legacy you will leave behind.
--Alistair Begg

Lemming syndrome

2008-10-17T06:16:00.005-05:00

Lemmings are really stupid. These little artic rodents follow each other off cliffs into the
frigid Atlantic water, often to their deaths. Thousands at a time die of cardiac arrest (because of the cold water) or drowning; Ms. Lemming, the pop queen, who just won a Lemmy Award with her new album, just randomly decided that it was fashionable to jump off the Lemmingwood community cliff...and poor Ms. Lemming drowned because her loyal fans crushed her to death.

I see a parallel between the habits of the Lemming and those of humans—especially
21^st century ones-- that is, we have a fatal habit of wanting to do what everyone else is doing.

But Christians are called to be different. We should expect people to think we’re
weird. Jesus was despised and rejected of men...why should we ask anything different? He told his disciples in John 15:20, “Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” What greater glory than to follow in the footsteps of Christ?

‘Fitting in’ is a shallow, but attractive thing, and the temporary rewards of popular culture are not worth it. Look at the lives of Hollywood stars. Next time you go to the grocery store, just take a peek at the magazine rack at the checkout and you’ll see that a pretty face, popularity, and money, is not equal to a happy life! Current culture would like us to emulate those same stars, whose average marriage length, if at all, is 1 year. Look at the standards that much of the current music, movies and fashions impose upon us: immorality, impurity, unfaithfulness, instant gratification, ect, ect.

How can the world see “the hope that is within us” if we act and dress and have the same habits and standards as everyone else? Paul wrote about the importance of this witness to the Philippians:

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by
your opponents. (Philippians 1:27-30)

So, how do we combat the Lemming Syndrome?

By filling our minds with truth from scripture: “above all taking the shield of
faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and taking the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance for all saints.” Ephesians 6:16-18

So, are you suffering
from Lemming Syndrome?

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if
there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think
about these things.” Philippians 4:8

Italy, part 2

2008-10-15T06:55:00.015-05:00

Next Stop: Ravenna, a pretty town north of Rimini about 50 miles. Because Rimini is really nothing to look at--literally--it was voted by the constituencies of our party to take a day trip by train to this beautiful spot.

A main street in Ravenna

I have completely forgotten the name of this church, resulting from an overpopulation of churhces in Italy...but in my mind the most beautiful one in Europe. The pictures I took don't do justice to the beauty and intricacy of the mosaics on the ceiling and walls.

mosaics are made of quarter-inch tiles cut from precious stone.

This church was built in the 1400's...I forget exactly when.

Note the painted stripes on this street--they are bike lanes. Everyone bikes everywhere; old ladies, moms with small children, girls wearing spike heels, men in business suits....

heels+cobblestone streets=disaster. For me, anyway. Obviously not for the local ladies, I guess, because 99.9% of Italian women wear heels.

Tommy's European division.

Italy, part 1

2008-10-12T21:31:00.008-05:00

Buonjorno!
Here are some belated pictures of our trip to Italy. First stop: Rimini, a trashy beach town on the Adriatic Sea. Believe it or not, during the summer the population jumps from 100,000 to 1,000,000; apparently, it is the beach spot for Italians cool off during the brutally hot weather.

This bridge--amazingly enough, was built by the Emperor Augusutus in 21 A.D. It is still in use.

These are fishing boats which catch some kind of mussels...unfortunately, fishermen don't speak much English, so we don't know exactly what kind of mussels. At least we got to see them.

Our location on a teeny-tiny map of Italy.

This sign, obviously warning drivers to not drive into the water, amused me. I do not read Italian, which turned out to be slightly problematic. But--I got the point.

TPS Student Murdered

2008-10-07T13:46:00.003-05:00

I'm sure those of you in The Potter's School have already received the news, but please pray for Emily Stauffer's family as they grieve the death of their daughter and sister.

Emily's dad's blog post

Local newspaper

The Other Day When I Was Walking . . .

2008-10-07T03:11:00.004-05:00

. . . granted, it was at the medical school. But still . . . where'd they get it?

Sobering Thoughts.

2008-10-06T06:55:00.004-05:00

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end..."

Hebrews 3:12-14

This verse scared the snot --and the self righteousness-- out of me; and reminded me again that I live on time borrowed from the God who died in my place, and covered me with His Righteousness. What right do I have to seek my own agenda? What right do I have to do anything outside glorifying Him with every breath?

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 4:16

~Kirsten

Give me Your eyes for just one second...

2008-10-04T21:49:00.002-05:00

People. They are everywhere, in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Each one of them is so precious, so unique, so amazing. And yet so often I pass by without even seeing them.

Funny how it’s the little things that make you realize this. Thursday was a typical day of classes. We had just finished our first exam in Statistics, and I was walking back to my car when I saw a young woman out walking her 3.5 lb Chihuahua. She sits behind me in Abnormal Psychology, and she is beautiful in a wild, unkempt sort of way. Her hair is dyed an unnatural mixture of deep browns and black, although the darkness of it matches her clothes, her makeup, her nail polish, and the tattoos that cover her body. There are dark circles under her brown eyes—those deep, living eyes which hold a sadness that cannot be put into words. She greets me with a smile that is somehow sadder than tears, for it comes from the depths of a heart that has been hurt more deeply than I can begin to fathom. As we laugh and chat together for a brief moment, it hits me for the first time how very, very tired she looks, and how much sadness is pooled in the limpid wells of her eyes.

I have not spent much time getting to know this woman, but I know that she has small children, a live-in boyfriend with whom her relationship is on the rocks, a dead-end job which she keeps only to make ends meet, and frustrated, broken dreams that mock the harsh reality of who she is today. All of this pent up in the heart of a girl who cannot be much older than me.

The image of her face, with those haunting eyes, burns into my mind as we part ways.
“O God! How desperately she needs Your hope! Give me words to speak…”

Then there was the roly-poly little fellow that I babysat that evening. Joe is a gorgeous little guy, with huge, curiosity-filled brown eyes that scrunch up into little sparkling half-moons when his ready smile puckers up his round little face. He is just beginning to discover his temper, with the help of his three older brothers, and angry howling filled the house on more than one occasion throughout the night before he was safely tucked away in his crib. (His three older brothers, incidentally, have long since discovered their own tempers, which contributes immensely to the whole howling effect. There were moments when I felt a bit like howling myself).

As I held three-year-old Nic on my lap and watched Joey experimenting with his legs, trying to master the art of toddling, I thought suddenly of all that is ahead of both of them…all the beauty, all the harsh realities, all the maturing experiences that will shape their little lives and mold them into men. And what sort of men?
“God, their parents do not know You now…what is Your future for this family? May I be found faithful in whatever my role is to be...”

There are others…Joe’s happy parents, with all their dreams for the future, their baggage from the past, their uncertainty about what lies ahead for each of their four boys.

There is the painfully-young, single Hispanic mom who walks into the law office with the desperate look of a hunted tigress and says she must find a lawyer.

There is my office assistant, a young woman just out of school, who avows herself to be an atheist in the same bubbly, matter-of-fact voice that she uses to tell me about why she chose to become vegetarian.

Everywhere you look, there are people, and each one has a story to tell. Day by day, each story is growing a little longer. Minute by minute, they are drawing closer to the end, and what kind of eternity will they face when they pass through the portal that leads from this life into the next?

I am ashamed that I am so often willing to be silent, that I am so frequently frightened by what others might think. Do I really understand what is at stake here?

Too often, my actions are saying, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”

And God in His great faithfulness, replies, as He replied to Jeremiah: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you.”

Perfect love casts out fear. It’s a promise.

May God give me the grace to love more perfectly, more completely, more unreservedly. Would that He would place a burden on my heart for the people who walk into and out of my life each and every day and give me the boldness to speak when I ought to, the wisdom to know when to be silent...

~Thea

Once Upon A Time . . .

2008-09-30T13:32:00.000-05:00

. . . a bedtime story for those who are desirous of a little background on what's going on in the American economy.

-Chelle

Word for the Wise(crackers)

2008-09-29T07:32:00.002-05:00

Paraprosdokian: n. a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe the first part. Frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect.

Where there's a will, I want to be in it.
I'm trying--very trying.
I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it.
The car stopped on a dime, which unfortunately was in a pedestrian's pocket.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
I've never seen him so down--or ever before.
If I am reading this graph correctly, I would be very surprised.

Of Giggles and Grins

2008-09-16T03:12:00.002-05:00

What triggers your funny bone? (besides a good bump from the kitchen counter)

I was challenged by this bit from A.W. Tozer:

Humor is one thing, but frivolity is quite another. . . .We have all met those people who will not be serious. They meet everything with a laugh and a funny remark. This is bad enough in the world, but positively intolerable among Christians.
Let us not allow a perverted sense of humor to ruin us. Some things are funny, and we may well laugh sometimes. But sin isn't funny; death isn't funny. There is nothing funny about a world tottering upon the brink of destruction; nothing funny about war and the sight of boys dying in blood upon the field of battle; nothing funny about the millions who perish each year without ever having heard the gospel of love.

"However jolly we Christians may become, the devil is not fooling. He is cold-faced and serious, and we shall find at last that he was playing for keeps."

You can tell a lot about a man by what he laughs at. Let's check our funny bones and make sure that we're laughing at things that are really funny.

And then, by all means, laugh loud, long, and hard. Laugh best.

-Chelle

Random Thoughts...

2008-09-13T07:32:00.007-05:00

Today I am thankful for:

5). My wonderful mother who gave me life 21 years ago

6). The fact that I am alive and breathing

7). The unfailing love, mercy and faithfulness of God

8).The blood of Jesus Christ..."Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost..." (Titus 3:5)

Wow. This has been an amazing year. As I look back, I recognize circumstances that have shaped my life; things that I did not necessarily want, but God is good and knows just what I need!
I would have never guessed, three, or five, or even one year ago, that I would still be at home at 21. And even though I would not have chosen it for myself, it has turned out incredibly for my good. I've learned so much about "contentment with godliness", housekeeping (yes!), running a business, maintaining good relationships, ect., ect,. the list goes on. And on.
I have no regrets. Not really, anyway...

*smiles sheepishly*

And I can't wait to see what God does this year!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
--Kirsten :)

2008-09-12T13:57:00.004-05:00

UK’s Strongest Boy Lifts Cars for Fun!

London, Aug 01:

Kye Thomas has been crowned UK’s Strongest Schoolboy – after he lifted his mates’ cars. Kye, who admits he lifts cars 'just for fun', has put on six stone in two years to reach his current weight - 15 and a half stone of mighty muscle. The 17-year-old trains by partially lifting a 1.2 ton Peugeot 106 and 1.4 ton Nissan Micra – which is 15 times his bodyweight. "One day a friend said to try it and I thought, why not,” the Mirror quoted him, as saying.“Everyone seems to like it when I lift their cars,” he added. (www.zeenews.com)

Our peers are in the news! What are you known for?

2008-09-04T14:27:00.003-05:00

2. I'm thankful for webcams and amazing programs that allow me to see and talk to my friends and family!

3. For companies with great customer service who ship dryer elements to Eastern Europe, even though they normally don't ship out of country.

4. For kids who make me laugh. Meet Zach.

-Chelle

2008-09-04T13:54:00.006-05:00

Before Thea left for school two years ago, the three of us went out on a 'girl date' together. And of course, our respective siblings from our respective families begged to go along with us. What do you suppose we said? Yeah, we were mean. We said no.

Not to name any names, a certain brother of mine labeled us the Selfish Set. This, unfortunately, was largely true. (though of course, we heartily denied it.) Even more unfortunate, the name was, uh, remembered for some time.

Those offences are largely forgotten today; my siblings are very forgiving. However, just recently Michelle and I were discussing the importance of serving others...and we realized perhaps it is time to move beyond the Selfish Set.

"For when I became a man, I put away childish things." 1 Cor 13:11

Enter the Selfless Set, stage right.

Rather than a statement of some great accomplishment, this name change (ha! think it'll stick?) is a statement of God working in our lives. We are far from selfless, but it is our earnest desire to be like Him in this regard also, and we know that God's grace is big enough and wide enough to accomplish this work in our lives.

"For, brothers, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty as occasion to the flesh, but by love, serve one another." Galations 5:13

"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my father honor." Matthew 18:26

"Now the end of the command is charity out of a pure heart, and faith unfeigned." 1 Timothy 1:5

For the son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

Serve the Lord with gladness! Psalm 100:2

-Kirsten

Cleopatra Stratan: Romanian Heartthrob

2008-08-29T09:58:00.003-05:00

Maybe you've seen her bopping down the sidewalk with her giant red suitcase casually singing the lyrics to her no. 1 hit, "Ghita." Maybe you haven't, but this young singer is all the rage back home--home being Moldavia, the northeastern region of Romania and Moldova.

And now, now ladies and gentlemen, you can go to your local Carrefour and get a singing Cleopatra Stratan doll for a mere 100 lei. Or you can just send me your orders, and I'll pick them up for you. No promises, though.

Must. Keep. Reading.

2008-08-28T13:13:00.005-05:00

I just finished

and

Questioner to student: "Which is worse: ignorance or apathy?"
Student: "I don't know and I don't care." (DUFE)

God created us for this: to live our lives in a way that makes Him look more like the greatness and the beauty and the infinite worth that He really is. (DWYL)

Every loss we risk in order to make much of Christ, God promises to restore a thousandfold with His all-satisfying fellowship. (DWYL)

What more, after all, could I ask?

-Chelle

I love this picture.

2008-08-27T01:24:00.004-05:00

Is that a happy groom or what?? And check out the flower girl just peeking out the door...
I miss you, Ben and Raquel!

-Chelle

A Mighty Deacon

2008-08-21T09:20:00.002-05:00

Stolen from the desiringgod blog, and penned by Sam Crabtree.

A Mighty Deacon

(to the tune of “A Mighty Fortress”)

A mighty deacon is our man;
He does what others think he can.
Qualifications he doth meet.
Electing him they thinketh sweet.
And so they cast their vote;
They do not rock the boat.
Their craft and pow’r are great:
Quorum! Electorate!
That deacon look is in his eye.

Did he is his own strength confide,
That deacon would be freakin’.
But what’s a deacon spozed to do?
His job is what we’re tweakin’.
Dost ask what tasks they be?
Might they be two? Or three?
How shall he play the game?
From age to age the same:
With deacon look there in his eye.

And though this world with deacons filled
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for votes have willed:
Electing deacons to us.
If you’re a deacon, deek!
If you’re a beacon, beak!
Let goods and kindred go,
And rationale also.
The deacon is forever.

Go Civil Air Patrol!

2008-08-17T14:47:00.001-05:00

Texas Civil Air Patrol Searches for Missing Family

¡A Las Montañas!

2008-08-14T09:14:00.020-05:00

Lacul Rosu (Red Lake) near sunset

One of the benefits of being involved with a Bible school ministry is that you get to travel to recruit students! And since were were a mere 3 hours away, why not stay an extra day and climb a mountain while we're at it?

Ceahlau, rising to a grand 1,907 meters is the tallest peak in northeastern Romania. So of course that's the one we climbed.

Having very little experience with mountains, save only the lofty peak of Rib Mountain, I didn't know quite what to expect. (by the way, I googled "Rib Mountain" and found out from the DNR that "this billion-year-old hill is one of the oldest geological formations on earth." Enjoy the oldness, you Wausau-dwellers! Dinosaurs probably walked its hiking trails during the Ice Age!)

Early Sunday morning, we piled into the van, packed our suitcases and various "necessities" around us and took off for a little Baptist church in Bacau, the technical reason for our trip. The padding on the pews didn't do much, but on the bright side, it was the second time I'd heard the sermon, so I understood it pretty well. :P

After church, one of the members escorted us to his place of work for lunch: Betania, a foundation that works with handicapped children. It was delightful to step inside and be instantly greeted by some familiar faces in the form of none other than Tom and Jerry!

We also met Emi, who is an aspiring guitarist, I believe...he has a hilarious little act he does with that pink guitar, ending with a pretty impressive finger-picking sequence, complete with appropriate sound effects, something on the order of "Tsak, tsak, tsak!"

Sunday afternoon, we left Bacau and drove through the Romanian Keys--not cute little islands like the Florida Keys. The Romanian Keys are deep and spectacular gorges carved deep into the sides of the Carpathian Mountains.

The switchbacks were tight...and there were no trucks allowed. But somehow a Turkish semi slipped through, and his presence was the source of some excitement. Some of the turns were so tight that traffic coming from both directions had to stop and wait for Mr. Semi to get around the turn. It was an excellent exercise in breath control. I thought of you in the Rockies, Mom, and for your sake, I'm glad you weren't there.

Finally, we arrived at our cute little hotel/bed & breakfast. They call them "pensions" here...

We had three rooms all to ourselves--a double bedroom, the orange and red swirly room, and a bathroom.

We also had three skeleton keys for our three rooms. The second day, when we got back from climbing the mountain, the hotel owner came running up to us and kindly told us that one of our doors had been unlocked all day and we should check to see if any of our things had been stolen. She had been unable to lock the door, because we had taken the keys with us, and she didn't have any duplicates. Later that night, we accidentally discovered that the keys were interchangeable...as were most likely all of the keys for the entire pension, considering that our room key was marked "bathroom" and the bathroom key was marked "upstairs kitchen"! Oh well. As far as we know, all of our stuff was still there. :P

The actual climb was quite an experience. At first, everything was fascinating, and the breaks were shorter and farther apart. By the time we were forty minutes into the climb, we were feeling like veterans as we hiked up the grassy slope to the cabana.

We refilled our water bottles at a "natural spring" and resumed climbing.

One of the little dogs from the cabana decided to follow us up the mountain. We named her Snickers, because Justin had some in his backpack and they were all we could think about. I remember quoting Gimli many a time, "Just keep breathing, that's the key!"

Every now and then we came across a small cross planted in the ground, something like those alongside an American highway with a small inscription in memory of some tragic accident that had occurred there. Lest you get the wrong idea, there were three--not like one every 50 yards. An elderly man had a heart attack, a young man had a tragic fall, and the third one we only saw from a distance.

We stopped near the top for lunch, and it was cold! Never, ever in my life have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches tasted so good. The poppyseed pretzels weren't bad, either, and the Snickers were well worth the wait.

At the top there was another cabana where you could sit down and take a break if you needed to. Coke at the top was the same price as at the bottom. :)

We didn't hang around long, because we wanted to get back to our hotel before dark, so we set out again, choosing an alternate trail for the hike back down. Climbing down a mountain is not as easy as it sounds. This particular trail was more "advanced" than the trail we took up the mountain and included two or three "danger spots"...usually a mountain stream that had washed away the trail and had to be carefully crossed. Guardrails? You've gotta be kidding.

We finally made it to the waterfall, where we spent a pleasant five minutes trying to sit on the big log that had fallen across the stream without falling in the stream (trickier than it looks!).

Some half an hour or forty minutes after the waterfall, we ran out of water. No big deal...technically, we were close to the end. But we'd been "close" for an hour or so, and the signs that indicated how much time was left to the end of the trail seemed to be an hour apart but only go down in 15 minute increments. In the end, we spent the last hour talking about all the wonderful foods and vegetables and nuts and flowers we'd plant in our ideal gardens. It helped pass the time, and kept our minds off the endless trail! At last we heard the rushing of the stream that ran near our pension, and suddenly those last 50 meters weren't so hard after all.

1000 Things to Be Thankful For…

2008-08-07T15:04:00.002-05:00

Langhaven has been blogging praise for some time now, so I thought we'd follow suit.

Thank you, Lord, for unconditional love.

I’m having some trouble putting this into words, but last week I was thinking about some problem areas in certain relationships, and it suddenly hit me that all of those problem areas stemmed from an expectation that I had for that person. I would love him/her when he fixed X and X problems in his life or stopped doing X and X, which annoyed me.

And then I remembered that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. I remembered that even the Pharisees loved those who met their criteria first. It’s because we love unconditionally that we’re different from the world. The world will only recognize us as Christians by our love if our love is different from their love.

. . . and now abide faith, hope, love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor 13:13

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the Gentiles the same? Matthew 5:47

“Love is an act of the will, accompanied by emotion, which leads to action on behalf of its object.” –Voddie Baucham on biblical love

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

And finally, this from Ravi Zacharias:

“Without the undergirding of love, the possessor of any conviction becomes obnoxious, and the dogma believed becomes repulsive to the one who disagrees with it. . . . Our Lord Himself proclaimed truth in exclusive terms, but He demonstrated that truth by the embodiment of a perfect love. Love and patience are the necessary handmaidens [of truth.]” Deliver Us From Evil

-'Chelle

Magna cum laude . . .

2008-08-02T09:58:00.005-05:00

Congratulations, you smart graduates you!
You guys are among the best and brightest in the world. Lucky me, huh?

With the very best of wishes and the very heartiest of congratulations,
Your Fan(s) on the Other Side of the World

In Romania . . .

2008-07-30T08:21:00.009-05:00

∞ dogs say “Hum! Hum!” not “Arf! Arf!”

∞ The automated voice on any given answering machine is named Robot

∞ eating popsicles will give you a cold

∞ a pimple may be caused by lack of calcium

∞ a young child will get sick if he or she is out in the sun without a hat on

∞ a draft from a window or a breeze from a fan will cause an ear infection

∞ “going running” as we know it may merit a standing ovation

∞ sidewalks can be anywhere from 8” to 5’ wide, but regardless of the width, telephone poles will inevitably be right in the middle of them

∞ grazing your horse in the median is perfectly acceptable

∞ fishing in the median (if you can find water) is also a normal activity

∞ regardless of the temperature, gypsy women always wear several skirts

∞ “I accept your attitude and I wish nothing for you.” (a closing line on a letter we received from someone who’s still learning English)

For Trevor and Mark...

2008-07-20T15:46:00.002-05:00

...who played this piece. Possibly better, but it reminded me of you anyway.
You did play this one, didn't you, Mark? :P

Of boots and skirts, of sweaters and shirts...

2008-07-18T22:47:00.005-05:00

Fall clothes is starting to come out and I'm getting excited! To share my excitement I decided to post about it.

Ok. So I like fashion. I'll admit it here and now. It's always been a sticking point for me. But modest fashion--I LOVE! Well, not really...
I do think that dressing as a daughter of the King requires a bit of extra effort, time, thought and most of all, patience.

My mom and I have discovered, in our quest for good looking, modest clothes, that there are shortcuts. And in this, you need to have the mindset that you are investing.

First of all, you need to invest in a good, sharp-looking denim skirt, and a good, sharp looking khaki skirt. Please note: don't buy floor skimming, sloppy looking denim skirts.that look like they were cut out of a leftover pair of jeans. cuz they were! All those type of skirts are useful for is bathroom cleaning.

Secondly, look for a figure-skimming blazer in camel brown or dark brown. They last forever and can be worn from September through May, if you live in Wisconsin. I have a dark brown corduroy blazer that I bought 4 years ago and still plan on wearing it this fall--if it fits. If you have dark brown, navy or denim, that can be worn with a khaki skirt, too. Just don't EVER mix denims. That looks funny.

See how you can take the same basic skirt and make two completely different outfits, from very casual to businesslike--with the use of a sharp blazer?
I like my skirts a bit longer than this, but the idea is the same.

Then, go to Old Navy, Khol's, Target or Gap (on sale, of course) and look for 3 long-sleeve tees. That will be your casual, more disposable wardrobe; for around the house, errands, ect.
For more dressy occasions, and depending on your needs, find a white dress shirt, one printed shirt and one or two sweaters, and you can wear the white shirt alone or under a sweater or a blazer. With a long black skirt, this can be very dressy for church, Christmas parties, ect.

So the idea is that you have 2 basic skirts, 3 casual tees and 3 dressier tops...a complete wardrobe!

Take a print skirt, which can be bought very cheaply at the end of the summer, pair them with boots or flats and tights, and a sweater, and you have yourself a very pretty and fall appropriate outfit.By the way, tall-ish boots with skirts are wonderful. Target has great looking shoes for good prices that are fairly comfortable. Cuz if you wear a pair of 3" tall shoes, you'll need to have some flats to change into. I speak from experience here. My family always makes fun of my apparent need to sacrifice comfort for fashion...maybe I need to listen.

~Kirsten :)

Submissive Competence

2008-07-18T21:07:00.003-05:00

Since the word 'submission' is often percieved as another word for 'doormat', it deserves a close examination. For those who may not have background, it is often thought that to submit is to blindly go along with whatever your authority wishes. But Submissive Competence is quite a different story. This phrase is designed to describe a daughter's place in the home...as contrasted to a specific measure of dependence or independence.
a dictionary definition would be in order here:

competence: having requisite or adequate abilities, or proper and rightly pertinent.

submit: : to defer to or consent to abide by the opinion or authority of another.

So there we have it. Submissive competence, simply put, is skill willfully placed under direction. What is meant by the phrase is that the daughter is to an extent "dependent" on the will of her parents, (by choosing to defer to their authority) but her dependence does not correspond to lack of ability. Well, not necessarily, anyway. Here is a more formal and broad definition:
"While having the necessary skills to live and act independently, that same independence is harnessed into a kind of interdependence with those placed in authority; earnestly seeking to utilize our skills within the scope of the will of God for His glorification."

This also goes along with the concept of Permissions, most graciously given to us by Mrs. Lang, and beautifully described by Thea right here:

"Permission" is literally "authorization," or "formal consent" to proceed with a given plan of action. It is inextricably linked to the concept of submission--we are willingly placing ourselves under the authority of another by seeking their authorization to pursue a given activity. However, it also includes the notion of respectful, regulated independence--that we are first seeking permission, or authorization, to act, but then we also take the initiative to pursue that course of action without being pushed/pulled by anyone. It includes the notion of competence--that we don't need someone to spoon feed us opportunities, but are capable of mustering some initiative and seeking some out on our own in order to explore the abilities with which God has gifted us...

Here's another thought, this one from Mrs. Kosobucki. She said this was a freshman lecture when she was in Bible college and it changed her life. Her professor put it this way: "Your to-do list, what you must accomplish, is your holiness obligation. Bills that must be paid, a job, responsibilities in the home, things that you have committed to, these are your holiness obligation. These are the things that you have agreed to accomplish before the Lord. Whatever is left when you have fulfilled your holiness obligation, whatever time, energy, resources, availability you have left is grace. This is what you use to go above and beyond, to reach out to those in need. You've met your obligation and found you have a free evening. That's grace that you can use to bless someone.

And another idea from Mrs. Flage: the concept of 'submission' is one of mutual trust.
It reminded me of the ever-impressive Proverbs 31 woman...“The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.” Another thought was that feminine strength also comes into play here. “She girds her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. “ Feminine strength dosen't just mean that you can hop over a fence wearing a skirt. There's more to it-- and I think this could also be taken as emotional/mental as well as physical strength...Mrs. Proverbs 31 ain’t no weakling, let me tell you! She has enough to give emotionally and spiritually to others in need, without being a drain on others.

to sum it up: "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is...but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."
Ephesians 5:16-21

~Kirsten, Thea, and Michelle

2008-07-14T08:23:00.003-05:00

We thought the baritone sang a little too slowly, so...we fixed it. Behold the beautifulness!

-Michelle

2008-07-13T09:34:00.002-05:00

I stumbled across Psalm 45 by accident earlier this week. What a beautiful paralell of the relationship between Christ and the Church!

My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.

The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.

She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace.

Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.

I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.

~Kirsten

Our Fabulous week....

2008-07-13T09:00:00.011-05:00

Mom, Dad, and all the big boys are gone, some to Atlanta and some to Alabama. So, the little ones and I are having a partay!

Shoe shopping at Younkers. Notice the nylon skullcaps :)

On Thursday we drove to Waukon, Iowa to visit Grandma Flage. Sari and Grandma are going to play at the park!

Andrew and his "Gwamma"

My little friends and me on Grandma's porch swing.

"So you're the one who ate that apple!"

The little boys are great at laundry!

Sari and Danny were arguing, so I made them hug all the way home from Figaro's Pizza. Such brotherly/sisterly love!

Treasure Hunt!

2008-07-12T03:55:00.007-05:00

Going on a treasure hunt, X marks the spot . . .

I don’t know exactly what brought it to mind, but I suddenly remembered yesterday that one of my favorite things to do on an otherwise boring afternoon is to hunt for hidden treasure. Since that obviously wasn’t an option, I did the next best thing. I made a bunch of other people hunt for hidden treasure!

The first clue was quickly solved (once “Caesar” was spelled correctly) and the chase is on!

Behind the picture of Great-Grandma, an enigmatic bit of morse code was discovered: P-H-R-E-A-M.

After they had puzzled for quite some time and begged for a hint, I obliged.
Me: “It’s an anagram.”
Them: “What’s an anagram?”
Someone: “Do an internet search! A-N-O-G-R-A-M.”

Oh, this is rich!

Someone else: “No, anogram is just some word game.”
Someone else: “Try two Ns!”

Ooh. Annogram. Very creative.

Eventually they stumbled across one of those sites that unscrambles it for you, and the clever computer figured it out in a matter of seconds.

This one proved to be quite a poser.

“El Dorado by-by Egdar Allan Poe. I bet it’s in our poem book! Let’s go check!” And off they ran.

Meanwhile, (I found this particularly amusing) Ellie took the clue over to the couch and sat down with it and her doll and promptly taped it shut. After they’d finished chasing the wind, I suggested that they take another look at the clue.

Someone: “But he grew old, this knight so bold—maybe it’s dad!”

Someone else: “And o’er his heart a shadow. Do we have any hearts?” (The paper skeleton hanging on the wall in the schoolroom was promptly searched. No heart.)

Under the carrots (Bugs Bunny snack!) in the refrigerator, Annie and Lydia at last located the prize. No chests of gold coins, today. A giant chocolate bar will have to do.

In Which We Make Sugar Cookies

2008-07-08T09:22:00.006-05:00

It was a slow, hot, summer afternoon. Soo...we decided to make sugar cookies!

This is Ellie's....beaver?

Justin's portrayal of Mr. Kosobucki, the Basketball Player

And...the leftover cookie dough by yours truly. :P

2008-07-06T07:22:00.001-05:00

Lord, prepare me

To be a sanctuary

Pure and holy

Tried and true

And with thanksgiving,

I'll be a living sanctuary

For You.

--"Sanctuary," Third Day

Fotografias

2008-07-04T07:02:00.005-05:00

Rather a clever way to reserve a parking spot, I thought...

A typical--or rather nice--apartment building. They're (usually) prettier on the inside.

Ellie turns 8!

no comment.

they're good kids. really.

2008-07-03T02:57:00.006-05:00

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

4th of July isn't much of a holiday here in Iasi, so we're going light Justin's two sparklers and bang on a couple of caps with a hammer. Gonna be fun!

Enjoy the big show!

(there is a restaurant in town called "Little Texas," [in Romanian, "Leetle Teksas"] which has a fourth of July celebration, or so I've heard . . .)

2008-06-30T07:06:00.003-05:00

I've been reading What's the Difference by John Piper. It's small, but a good one. He talks about complementarity and the concept of biblical manhood and womanhood.

"At the heart of mature femininity is a freeing dispoisiton to affirm, recieve and nurture strength and leadership from worthy men in ways appropriate ot a woman's differing relaitonships."

That's it, ladies! This is what we were made to do: to respond to worthy men. I repeat, worthy men. This includes fathers, brothers, friends, uncles and grandpas as well as potential husband material. *ahem* Not that you should be looking for husband material...

This was his vision for mature, biblical feminity, which I found to be quite inspiring:

1. that all your life--in whatever calling--be devoted to the glory of God.

2. That the promises of Christ be trusted so fully that peace and joy and strength fill your soul to overflowing

3.That the fullness of God overflow in daily acts of love so that people might see your good deeds and give glory to your Father in heaven.

4. That you be women of the Book, who love and study and obey the Bible in every area of its teaching. That meditation on biblical truth be the source of hope nad faith. That you continue ot grow in understanding through all the cahpters of your life, never thinking that study and growth are only for others.

5. That you be women of prayer, so that the Word of God will be opened to you, and so the power of fiath and holiness will decend upon you, that your spiritual influence may increase at home and at church and in the world.

6. That you be women who have a deep grasp of the sovriegn grace of God which undergirds all these spiritual processes, and that you be deep thinkers about the doctrines of grace, and even deeper lovers of these things.

7. That you be totally committed to ministry, whatever your specific calling; that you not fritter your time away on soaps or women's magazines or unimportant hobbies or shopping; that you redeem the time for Christ and His Kingdom.

8.That, if you are single, you exploit your singleness to the full in devotion to God ( the way Jesus and Paul and Mary Slessor and Amy Carmicheal did) and not be paralyzed by the desire to be married.

9. That, if you are married, you creatively and intelligently and sincerely support the leadership of your husband as deeply as obedience to Christ will allow; that you encourage him in his God-appointed role as head; that you influence him spiritually primarily through your fearless tranquility and holiness and prayer.

10. That, if you have children, you accept responsibility with your husband (or alone if necessary) to raise up hcildren in the discipline and instruction of the Lord--children who hope in the triumph of God--sharing with your husband the teaching and discipline they need, and giving them the special attatchment they crave from you as wel as that special nurturing touch and care that you alone are fitted to give.

11. That you not assume that secular employment or greater challenge or a better use of your life that the countless opporttunities of service and witness in the home, the neighborhood, the community, the church and the world, that you not only pose the question: career or full time homemaker?, but also just ask just as seriously: full time career or freedom for ministry?That you ask which would be greater for the Kingdom: to work for someone who tells you what to do to make his or her business prosper, or to be God's free agent dreaming your own dream about how your time and your home and your creativity to make God's business prosper? And in all this that you make your choices not based on secular trends or upward lifestyle expectations, but on the basis of what will strengthen the faith of the family and advance the cause of Christ.

12. That you step back and plan the various forms of your lifes' ministry in chapters. Chapters are divided by various things: age, strength, singleness, marriage employment, children at home, children in college, grandchildren, retirement, ect. No chapter has all the joys. Finite life is a series of trade-offs. Finding God's will and living for the glory of Christ is what makes every chapter a success not whether reads like somebody else's chapter or whether it has in it what only another chapter will bring.

13. That you develop and wartime mentality and lifestyle; that you never forget that life is short, that billions of people hang in the balance of heaven and hell every day, that the love of money is spiritual suicide, that the goals of upward mobility is a poor and dangerous substitute for the goals of living for Christ with all your might and maximizing your joy in ministry to peoples' needs.

Poweful stuff, that.

~Kirsten

Shopping with Toddlers :-o

2008-06-29T08:40:00.004-05:00

On Friday Mom was shopping at Oshkosh B'gosh with Kirsten, Me, Grace, Aaron, and Andrew.
We were in a hurry to go and as we were at the checkout Mom and I (Kirsten and Grace were loading up Andrew) heard Aaron talking to himself in the back of the store, so we finished checking out and Mom said: "Sari run back and get Aaron, I will load up and you can meet us out there." So I went to the back of the store and found (much to my surprise) a little trail of Aaron's clothes: First there was a shoe then his shirt then another shoe then his shorts and then his glasses, And i thought to myself: "oh no, Aaron's running somewhere around here stark naked!" so i looked in both of the changing rooms and couldn't find him and said to myself: "Man, that's wierd, I sure thought i heard him back here." but then I heard a flushing noise coming from the public bathroom! so I ran over there and tried to open the door and (you guessed it) It was locked! so I yelled through the door: "Aaron, open the door!" "I'm coming Sari!" he said. Then i waited 20 seconds "Aaron, open the door!" I said again "OK Sari" he said. then i waited 15 seconds. Now I was begining to lose my paitence "AARON, COME ON WE HAVE TO GO!" "OK Sari" so he unlocked the door and there he stood..... He had put both of his legs into a little girls size 2 1pc swimsuit and had pulled it up to his waist. "Sari it's too smaal" he said quite mournfully. So by the time I was able to peel it off of him and get his clothes back on it had been 10 minutes, And as I was leading him out the door Mom came running in: "Sari!" she said "What took you so long?!" "It's a long and funny story." I replied.........

For Your Enjoyment

2008-06-28T08:16:00.002-05:00

Hint: read it out loud.

Ladle Rat Rotten Hut

Wants pawn term dare worsted ladle gull hoe lift wetter murder inner ladle cordage honor itch offer lodge dock florist. Disc ladle gull orphan worry ladle rat cluck wetter putty ladle rat hut, end fur disc raisin pimple cauldron ladle rat rotten hut. Wan moaning, rat rotten hut’s murder colder inset: “Ladle rat rotten hut, heresy ladle basking winsome burden barter end shirker cockles. Tick disc ladle basking Tudor cordage offer groin murder, hoe lifts honor udder site other florist. Shaker lake, done stopper laundry wrote, end yonder nor sorghum stenches don stopper torque wet strainers.”

“Hoe cake, murder,” resplendent ladle rat rotten hut. Den sea ticker ladle basking an stuttered oft. Honor wrote Tudor cordage offer groin murder, ladle rat rotten hut mitten anomalous woof.

“Wail, wail, wail,” set disc wicket woof. “Effervescent ladle rat rotten hut! Wares or putty ladle gull goring wizard ladle basking?”

“Aroma goring tumor groin murder’s,” reprisal ladle gull. “Grammar’s seeking bet. Armor ticking arson burden barter end shirker cockles.”

“Oh, hoe! Heifer peasant woke,” setter wicket woof. Butter taught tomb shelf, “Oil tickle shirt court Tudor cordage offer groin murder. Oil ketchup wetter letter, end den oh bore!”

Soda wicket woof tucker shirt court, end whinney retched a cordage offer groin murder, picket inner winnow end sore debtor pore oil worming worse lion inner bet. Inner flesh disc abdominal woof lipped honor betting adder rope. Zany pool dawn a groin murder’s nut cup end gnat gun, any curdle dope inner bet.

Inner ladle wile, ladle rat rotten hut a raft adder cordage an ranker dough ball.

“Comb ink, sweat hard,” setter wicket woof disgracing is verse. Ladle rat rotten hut entity bet rum, end stud buyer groin murder’s bet.

“Oh, grammar!” crater ladle gull. “Wart bag icer gut! A nervous sausage bag ice!”

“Butter two lucky chew whiff, doll ink,” whiskered disc ratchet woof wither wicket small.

“Oh, grammar! Water bag noise! A nervous sore suture anomalous prognosis.”

“Butter day small your whiff,” inserter woof, ants mouse worse waddling.

“Oh, grammar! Water bag mousey guy! A nervous sore suture bag mouse!”

Daze worry on forger nut gull’s lest warts. Oil offer sodden trollin offer carvers an sprinkling otter bet, disc curl end bloat Thursday woof ceased pore ladle rat rotten hut an garbled erupt.

Mural: Yonder nor sorghum stenches shut ladle gulls stopper torque wet strainers!

(Anomalous)
“Anguish Languish,” by Howard Chace

The Market

2008-06-26T08:09:00.010-05:00

Number 9 on my list of “What I Think Romania Will Be Like” reads “The supermarkets will be open-air, old, and you’ll dicker for things from numerous vendors.”

After two weeks, I figured I must be mistaken. No such phenomenon had been sighted. That was before last Saturday. We went shopping. Such sights and smells as I could only have imagined. We’d been shopping before, but that was at the stores. For the really fresh stuff, you go to the market. There is a small indoor market close to our house that we often walk to, but this one was a big one. Rows and rows of vendors selling mostly the same things—tomatoes, beans, peppers, peas, potatoes, cucumbers, onions, lettuce, maybe garlic, raspberries, strawberries, apricots, apples, pears, peaches, cherries (oh! the cherries!), nectarines, cabbage, and eggplant. You walk up and down and up and down, comparing prices and quality, maybe dicker a bit, walk some more, try to stay out of people’s way (good luck!), and say “no” to the vendors accosting you on right and left. “Domnisoara, poftiti!” (Here you are, miss!)

You bring your own bags—and try to keep one hand free to guard your purse! Regardless of your skill in packing, it’s impossible to keep fruit from getting semi-squished. Raspberries and strawberries in particular don’t do so well in the plastic shopping bags the vendors give you. Math—including exchange from one currency to another—is all headwork, so you had better be on top of things and count your change.

Each booth has its own little umbrella erected to shade its occupants and its produce, but the umbrellas stick out into the walkway, and they’re erected at a grand height of about 5’9”. Not a problem for the rather diminutive Romanian people. Squished raspberries, strawberries, and other things *ahem* are on the ground—closed shoes are advisable, and watch your step.

Don’t buy watermelons, because you’ll have to carry them all the way back to your car, and even on a slow market day, it’s probably not what one might call “handy.”

Dacia, Romanian-made cars, are extremely reliable--as long as the horse is alive.

Some of the booths didn’t have any shelter from the brutal sun. Mr. Cabbage Vendor was one such unlucky man: shirtless, very tan, and wearing a cabbage leaf on his head. (Not the one in the picture, though such a sight--complete with cigarette--would not be out of place!) An old woman carrying several potatoes in her shirt yells angrily at a potato vendor—maybe he’d cheated her, or maybe she was just having a bad day. Two dudes relax in the back of a truck full of produce, waiting for an interested-looking person to approach their produce. A businessman with a cane walks rapidly down the row of produce, muttering the prices aloud to himself. A little wiener dog wriggles out from under a booth and trots across the road. People stare at us—we’re the only kids there. Kids don’t shop here, but it’s really handy to have them along. You can carry a lot more stuff. It’s really kind of fun, but stay away from the cherries. They have sweet cherries, sour cherries, and bitter cherries. All wormy.

And not little cute ones like this, neither! Well...some of them were little.

Last week, we got three or four kilos at a good price and spent an entire afternoon cutting each cherry in half, removing the pit and the worm—there were rarely two. The next day, we called on friends from the church and they brought out fresh cherries to serve us. I didn’t used to think that sort of thing would bother me, and it didn’t at first. I ate the first one, refusing to think about the fat white grub that was probably inside. But then Annie slit hers open with her fingernail. Three out of three were “inhabited.” It was tougher after that. :)

But now I’m much more thankful for protein-less cherries.

2008-06-24T07:34:00.005-05:00

I (finally) got out the Annals of the World and borrowed The Histories by Herodotus from the library....and have been doing some research about historical events surrounding the story of Esther. And I've found some pretty interesting things:

The Magi, a group of Zoroastrian priests and Persian aristocrats, ruled Persia after the death of Cambysis, son of Cyrus the Great...you know, the king who allowed the Jews to return to thier homeland.
The Magi installed Smerdis (Artaxerxes in the Bible) as king, the supposed brother of Cambysis, but who actually turned out to be an imposter who was set up by the Magi. This was concealed with great care, but it eventually leaked out by a concubine of Artaxerxes whose father was a high-ranking Persian named Ostanes. Ostanes got together 7 other ruler dudes and decided to dethrone Smerdis and his cohorts, which they did. Among those high ranking ruler dudes was.... our favorite Ahasuarus! Or Darius, as Herodotus calls him in The Histories.

His father, Hystaspes, happened to be the governor of Susa at the time. I found it interesting that Ahasuarus became king during his father's lifetime....I don't dare speculate, but I wonder how old his father was? Life expectancy at the time was about 55 once you got out of the dangerous infant and childhood years. And if his father was in his fifties, then Ahasuarus must have been somewhere between 25 and 35 when he became king. And how exactly did he become king? Well, he was a pretty bad dude:

Our ruler dudes decided that they better choose one of themselves to be king, and to do that, they all rode out on thier horses before dawn, and the rider of the horse who neighed first when the sun came up was to become king. Well, guess whose horse neighed first?? Ahasuarus, of course! So he became king....and killed off the rest of his co-rulers fairly soon after. Herodotus says that he invited the rest of his buddies into an upper room, then had his servants cut down the supports. However, the footnotes in the Histories says that story is not historically dependable. But we know that they were killed somehow. So Ahasuarus reigned alone for 3 years, and gave his 6-month banquet....and we all know the rest of the story.

I also found out something interesting about Vashti: Ahasuarus was her 3rd husband. Scary.

~Kirsten

Honey...

2008-06-21T23:48:00.001-05:00

I miss you. A lot.

~Thea

Esther

2008-06-19T21:34:00.002-05:00

For the past two weeks, the four of us have been studying the life and ministry of Esther, and so now, it's time for a brief summary of what I personally have found intriguing about this fascinating young queen of Persia...

Before I begin, let me state that there are many, many exemplary character qualities and personality traits manifested in the life and person of Esther, such as the fact that she was respectful of authority, loyal, sweet, mature, visionary, calm, emotionally controlled...and the list goes on. I don't pretend to be giving a complete synopsis of the life and character of Esther, because if I did, you would quite possibly still be sitting here reading it at this time next year. (Michelle did a nice summary below, though!)

That being said, there were a few facets of her story that jumped out at me in a new way during these past 14 days, and it is these aspects that I'd like to focus on.

One of the first things that stood out about Esther was that, in spite of everything that happened to her, this young woman chose to see herself as a victor in the midst of her circumstances rather than as a victim of her surroundings. While she could easily have come into the situation griping ("What a horrible, miserable life! Everything was going so great with Mordecai, and I had all these phenomenal friends, and now I'm stuck in this abysmal palace with all these snooty girls undergoing tedious beauty treatments...facing the option of either being stuck in the house of the concubines for the rest of my life or, what's probably worse, being married to a grouchy, miserable, insecure king old enough to be my dad!"), she entered the situation with a quiet joy and peace, radiating the true beauty of godly character, so that she soon "obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her." (Esther 2:15)

There are those in life who sit back and watch the world change, and there are those who quietly come in and change the world. Esther was definitely a member of the latter category, choosing to live excellently and make a positive impact despite a difficult set of circumstances.

The second thing I noticed about Esther was that she was keenly aware of her place in the great timeline of history and humbly viewed herself as only a small piece of a gigantic puzzle, rather than arrogantly setting herself up as "the big cheese," as Haman did, with rather fatal results. Why do I make this claim about Esther?

Consider this: when faced with the terrifying prospect of a massive ethnic cleansing which would have obliterated the Jewish population in Persia, Esther is reminded by Mordecai that her responsibility is to act on behalf of her people, regardless of the consequences to herself. Instead of responding self-centeredly ("Off with your head, Couz! How dare you speak so to the queen?!"), she graciously acknowledges his statement, and her subsequent actions show that she sees herself only as an instrument in the hands of an Almighty God, to be used however He pleased.

It's all too easy to become caught up in the idea that the world begins and ends with one person: me. But Esther realized that the show had begun long before she came on the scene, and that it would continue long after God chose to remove her from the stage of human existence. It was this knowledge that enabled her to say (albeit with some fear and trepidation!), "I will go to the king...and if I perish, I perish!" (Talk about a scary hubby, huh? Yowza!)

Her desire was to be faithful in her duty towards God and towards her people, regardless of personal consequences. She recognized that she could most effectively serve God not by striving to preserve her own life at all costs ("Sorry, not sticking my neck out for a bunch of people just because they happen to share the same bloodlines!"), but by seeking to pour herself out in whole-hearted service to her Almighty Lord, resting confidently in the assurance that this would be best for the whole of the human race, even if it meant an early (and perhaps seemingly pointless/needless) end to her own life.

I end with this: may God grant each of us the wisdom to live as victors even when our circumstances take an unexpected turn and we feel completely out-of-control...may He give us the grace to accept our place in the timeline of history, to become fully cognizant of our own insignificance and dispensability, to be joyfully willing to give our lives if this is the sacrifice He asks.

~Thea

The Humble Queen

2008-06-18T03:39:00.005-05:00

I like Esther. She’s probly my favorite queen of all time. (whoa!)

She has it all—she’s beautiful, charming, intelligent, wise, graceful, thoughtful, decisive, and humble.

I’ve read through the Book of Esther before, but I have never before noticed the humble queen. Esther has every reason to be proud. She’s the queen, for pity’s sake! She overcame her tough upbringing—she was an orphan, remember?—and rose to the top! She’s a model of working hard and overcoming your circumstances. But do you see Esther on Oprah talking about her successes? Nope. In fact, where is Esther?

Remember Zeresh the problem solver? Well, Esther was a problem solver of a different type. When she heard that she and her people had been scheduled to be “destroyed, killed, and annihilated,” she didn’t erect a gallows. (Haman had already done that for her.) No, Esther and her maidservants and all the Jews in Shushan (at Esther’s request) humbled themselves before God with prayer and fasting. For three days.

Esther was afraid to go to the king, and rightfully so. I mean, if he didn’t feel like seeing her (could the last 30 days be a clue?), her life was forfeit. But Esther wisely remembered who she was—before God and before the king. As queen, she had access to the king when others did not, yet she was still subject to his wishes. As a servant of the Most High God, she knew that the outcome of her chat with the king was up to Him.

But here’s what impressed me most about the humble queen. Allow me to set the scene. Haman has just been hung on his own gallows. The king has settled down a bit. He’s just given Mordecai his signet ring. Things are going well. The day is saved. The bad guy’s dead. Esther’s life is safe. But what did she do?

“Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite.” (8:3)

I’ll bet those weren’t fake tears. Esther was burdened for her people, and she willingly humbled herself before the king on their behalf. From what I can tell, Mr. King wasn’t much on follow-up. Perhaps had Esther not pled with him, he would have just left things as they were.

Esther wasn’t willing to take that chance. Lives were on the line, and Esther was committed not to “doing her best” to save them, but to doing what it took to save them. I want to be an Esther. I don’t want to just do my best. I want to do what it takes to get the job done excellently—even if takes more than my best.

I’m sure you know the rest of the story, but here’s a little something for you. It was on the third day of the three days of fasting that Esther hosted the first picnic: did she eat? :P

-Michelle

Things I've learned during my last two weeks of school...

2008-06-11T10:55:00.005-05:00

1. Sleep is overrated.
2. Leisure time. Who needs that?
3. Extra Strength Tylenol and dark chocolate is essential to survival.
4. The library is a sweet haven of silence and sanity, a refuge for the poor overstimulated soul.
5. Food? What's that? A steady diet of popcorn, peanut butter, and apples have kept me from utter starvation.
6. Whoever said anything about college being fun obviously never tried it. Or, at least, never tried to balance the demands of family, household duties (which got shamefully neglected) and the ever-looming, darkly threatening deadlines, horribly boring textbooks and 3-hour essay tests.

Dumb things...

2008-06-10T08:50:00.000-05:00

Tonight I exhausted my last blonde highlight. Yep, I did somethin’ stupid. My feet were really dirty, because I was playing volleyball barefoot. So I went to wash them. I sat on the edge of the tub and turned on the water. Then I screamed and banged the faucet. Yeah, the button was pulled up and I got a shower. Oh well. I was hot anyway.

2008-06-08T08:26:00.004-05:00

The four of us are studying the life of Esther this week. There is so much to be learned from her gentle and kind, yet courageous spirit. We will each be posting our thoughts this week!

A Thousand Words...

2008-06-07T12:23:00.008-05:00

...or better yet, a couple of pictures!

Mr. Alderfer of Pennsylvania, a retired engineer, built this in his front yard. It was awesome!

At a pool party (yeah, yeah, it's not all work!) with some random pooch, Max

Paris was fascinating...

Not a one missing. Thank you so much!!!

my room, laptop central.

But there is this one annoying thing...

2008-06-06T14:35:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time, there was this dude. He was filthy rich, and he and the Prime Minister were best friends. Mr. Prime Minister had given him the best job (almost) in the country—second to one. He had seventy-eight children, which were the apples of his eyes. In a word, he had it made. But there was this one thing…

You see, there was this other dude. He wasn’t super rich, and he had none of Mr. Big Stuff’s influence and prestige. But good grief was this guy ever annoying! All of the other little peons asked for his autograph and smiled and grinned and stood up when he entered the room and generally knew when they were in the presence of Big Stuff. But not John Doe. He treated Big Stuff like any other dude—didn’t even ask for an autograph! Well, Big Stuff got mad. Really mad. So he did what anyone in his dire situation would do.

First, he invited all his friends and his favorite wife for a midnight snack. The after dinner speech would be presented by Big Stuff himself.

“Lady and gentlemen,” he began dramatically. That was his favorite beginning. “Lend me your ears!” Ah, his favorite line from Marcus Aurelius, his favorite actor. An hour and a half later, his audience sat motionless, still completely spellbound as Big Stuff showed them his last pay stub—three hundred thousand rupees! His seventy-eight children paraded by, and the audience oohed and aahed at all the appropriate moments. Then Big Stuff showed them his Certificate of Power from the Prime Minister and all the medals and ribbons and Nobel Prizes he’d won. Everything was going well until Big Stuff remembered why he’d called this meeting in the first place.

“Lady and gentlemen,” he continued intensely, an angry scowl forming, “all my greatness is nothing to me, because—because there is this dude who annoys me!”

The audience gasped. Fortunately, Big Stuff had married a problem solver. There are two types of people in the world: problem creators and problem solvers. Well, Mrs. Big Stuff was an ace problem solver. She was so not into quick fixes. She got to the root of the problem and fixed it forever. Mr. Big Stuff obviously had a problem, and he needed it fixed. Mrs. Big Stuff scratched her head and began frantically scribbling on pieces of papyrus. What an awful dilemma! What could possibly make her darling husband happy again? Why, oh why did this have to happen to her?

Then she had it! Simple, oh so simple! Genius!

“Daahling,” wrapping her arms around Big Stuff’s heaving shoulders, “I’ve got just the thing. Vy don’t you chust keel zis annoyink peon? Surely ze Prime Minster vouldn’t care…I mean, if he iss causing you so much trouble, ze Prime Minster vouldn’t like him either.”
Bingo! He always knew he’d married her for her brains. In two hours, the gallows were erected—big impressive ones that would rival the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Unfortunately for Mr. Big Stuff, he underestimated this particular peon. To make a long story short, Mr. Big Stuff got to test his own gallows (they worked!), and the annoying peon got his job. Perhaps it’s not the happy ending you were looking for. Sorry, but that’s the way that it happened.

You see, I’ve been reading the book of Esther, listening to Crystal Paine, and doing a little thinking of my own. The moral of the story is this: contentment has no prerequisites. Haman had it all—quite literally everything except the throne. Yet he was discontent because he chose to focus on what he didn’t have—one guy’s respect—instead of giving thanks for what he did have. (Esther 5:11-13)

Joy stems from contentment, and contentment is a willful act. I choose to be content with such things as I have. I choose to be thankful for the blessings God has given to me. I choose joy.

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

Side note: A couple of years ago, when Ruth and I were debating together, we used an H.L. Mencken quote, “For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, straightforward, and wrong.” (slight paraphrase) I couldn’t help but think of that quote when I read the part of the story where Zeresh, Haman’s wife, suggests that Haman hang Mordecai.God had a better idea…

The Hardest Thing...

2008-06-06T14:24:00.001-05:00

...I have ever done was to say goodbye to all of you. I miss you!

2008-06-02T19:48:00.003-05:00

A conversation between myself and a certain young gentlemen of our household this evening:

"'See 'Chelle, Tee?"

"Not now, Aaron."

"Where 'Chelle?"

"Chelle went on a long trip."

"Where she go?"

"To Romania."

"Wo-na-nia? Where that, Tee?"

2008-06-01T07:17:00.006-05:00

Since our parents left for the weekend, we have had to amuse ourselves. Of course, that wasn't too hard; it's never difficult to find fun when mom and dad are gone. *wink*

When the cat's away, the mice will play, you know! So, Sari and I packed a picnic and joined the boys at the park...after finishing the monstrous list that dad gave us to keep us busy and out of trouble; and being responsible babysitters, we accomplished the projects first and then went to play!

Andrew decided he wanted to be a man and pull the (heavy) giant cooler all the way back to the van when it was time to go home.

How glad I am that I'm not missing this! I love being involved in the lives of my younger siblings.
Our culture dictates that when a girl graduates from college or high school, she either has to a). get a job and move out, or b). get married. Or both. And of course, if you choose the latter and not the former, then the rest of the world nods and says, "good move! you're expressing your individuality and independence by moving out and having your own life..."

I'm not doing either.

And so I have struggled with the irritating question that graduates get asked all the time: "So, what are you going to do with your life?"

Well, after much prayer, tears and talks between friends, I have decided to love life, and live to its fullest. And be as productive as possible. I can think of so many things I would love to do between now and the time that Prince Charming comes by! That is, if he comes....

But I have decided not to mope about it. I'm going to be a Proactive Princess and DO things to prepare myself for singleness or marriage, whatever God may have for me.
Mrs. Lang wisely asked us an important question at the tea party:
"What you are passionate about? What do you find most fulfilling? So pursue it; do it well with the possibility of singleness in mind."
Well, I'm not exactly all-consumingly passionate about any one thing, but I do know that there are important things I should be doing and I am determined to accomplish them this summer. I talked to my mom about this and she suggested I learn to run the kitchen smoothly with a cleaning schedule, a follow-able menu plan and grocery list. So that's one of my summer projects.

One of my life goals is to be well-read. So I will be reading a lot. Not just for the sake of being educated, but because God has made a world to learn about! And I want to be able to hold my head up in educated circles. I will be continuing in my piano and voice practice; also, decorating and design is one of my interests, so I will finish the decorating of our house, which has never really been finished, although are going on our 7th year in Wausau. ha ha. And I want to learn Spanish, and graphic design, and, and....

What I'm trying to say, ladies, is that there is actually hope. You don't have to be languishing at home, or college, or wherever you are,waiting for something to happen. Just get up and do it! I am reminded of the quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:

"If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry.
Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well."

Happy Street Sweeping!!

~Kirsten

I'm here...wherever that is.

2008-05-30T07:35:00.005-05:00

I made it as far as Pennsylvania, by the grace of God. It began well...except for two minor details. A miscalculation on my part had left Thea stranded at work with no car.

No big deal.

Mom, dad, and I planned to drop her a car when we drove through on our way to the airport at four-thirty o'clock in the morning. It was a quarter till five when we finally left, Mom and I in Thea's car and dad following with the luggage.

My glasses were packed and my contacts malfunctioning, so I was riding blind, guessing at what we might be passing. We bumped along past the Stettin elementary school, but my eyes were fixed on two strange lights in the ditch. Decorations? Or signals?

When he pulled out and turned on the blue and red flashy lights, I realized what they were. Oops. It was a school zone, and Mr. Cop was hungry and bored.

Yeah, well, he was a very nice cop. When Mom told him that she was just trying to get her daughter to the airport on time, he waived the warning and let us continue on our way.

That was the first incident.

The second one I didn't actually see, but apparently my dad somehow got stuck in a revolving door at the Dallas-FortWorth airport.

Two random thoughts....

2008-05-28T09:58:00.002-05:00

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
~Anne Dillard

The only way you cannot witness to anyone this week
is if everyone you come in contact with is a christain,
and even then, you can't know that unless you talk to them.
~Pastor John Someone IBC