Adios

I said "adios" to winter today. I think officially it was probably over at the time change but today it became official for me. This is because today I got my first sunburn of the season. I know getting a sunburn is not a good thing and it is never something I hope for but I think it represents what is to come. Warm days, bright sun, and enjoying the beautiful outdoors. The sun is now warming the earth enough to also warm my skin a little too much and I am excited about that. I love spring and summer time and that time is now beginning and I am ready!

Fortunately/Unfortunately I must step back into the cold for a few days. I am going to the great state of OOOOOOKLAHOMA for the weekend and the coat will be going back on for those few days. I am not happy about this because I am sick of wearing a jacket but it is the sacrifice I must make to spend a fun weekend with my family. I think it is worth it. :)

So here's to everyone else who got their first sunburn of the season this weekend and to those who are wishing they had been able to. Spring is here!

Thankful Thursday

This morning our team met for our weekly morning spiritual discipline time and we discussed being thankful in the good times and in the bad. We talked about how it was important to practice be thankful people so that when things are bad that is still a part of who we are as individuals and as a team. In light of that discussion here is my Thankful Thursday list.

1. Beautiful spring weather
2. Lion King and friends who are not too old to still watch that with me and let me sing along
3. For Jonathan and his This Day In History drawings
4. People who take the time to think about and pray for Chile and our team
5. Honey
6. Longer daylight hours
7. Running
8. Friends who enjoy discussing LOST
9. My church family
10. Playing games
11. Soon my GST career will be over

The list could go on but those are what I am feeling in the moment!

Chile Update

I know I just wrote that I would not write much about what is going on in Chile on here but I cannot help but share this amazing news! We received an email yesterday that told the following from some of our missionary friends in Santiago:

"After several days of trying to communicate with the brethren there we were able to make contact and learned that not one single member of the churches was killed or has disappeared!"

They suffered damages to their homes and are in need of food and clothing and other necessities but they are alive and for that I praise God. If anyone is interested in helping monetarily or through donations let me know and I can direct you to the right places. If anything please keep praying for the Chilean people and the Christians who are looking to serve.

Our team mentor shared this verse with us today and I think it is a peaceful reminder in a world of chaos and unrest.

Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,

for he shields them all day long,

and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders

Deuteronomy 33:12

Church Art Project

My wonderful church here in Abilene, Hope, had a mini-retreat this past Saturday night. We met at the church for the evening and had some very uplifting time of praise and silence together. I enjoyed every aspect of it and am so thankful for all the hard work that was put into it. I could go into detail but what I really want to tell you about is the art project that we worked on as part of our worship and time focused on Christ.

The whole wall- I love that our church is decorated with homemade art

I love the bright, beautiful sun and all the colors

Our church leaders are so talented

We had excellent direction from a fellow Hoper and artist. She had a vision for our projects but gave us so much freedom to express ourselves and express how we were thinking and feeling about Christ that evening. I typically do not think of myself as an artsy person but I really got into this, enjoyed it and felt like I did a pretty good job.

If you know this girl, this one just looks like her, including the orange and green

Are you a real artist? I think so!

Keep scrolling to see the amazing job everyone did! I was so proud and just loved seeing how diverse everyone's work was. There is so much color and joy and life in this art and I just had to share some of it. If any of you who get posted read my blog, I hope this is ok.

Such a good sport you are

Great job!

Our materials for this art is cardboard as our canvas and newspaper for texture and watercolor paint and sharpie markers.

Beautiful girl and beautiful art

My amazing roommate and her unique piece

Look at those awesome colors and reaching branches

Tada! I love the rose!

And here is mine!

Big Unknown

I am not really sure who reads my blog but I would guess that my regular readers have at least some clue that I am on a mission team planning on moving to Chile next year to do church planting. I also would guess that you have heard about the earthquake (and huge aftershocks) that have rocked Chile lately and caused a lot of destruction and left a large portion of the population homeless.

I have chosen not to write much about this on here because my main answer to questions I receive is "I don't know." I don't know if everyone I know there is ok or what their situations are. I don't know what this changes for our team and our plans. I don't know how this is going to affect our housing hunt when we arrive. I don't know what condition Concepcion or surrounding areas will be in. I don't know what our role will be in the effort to help those in need. I just don't know. When I do know, I'll let you know. Until then, please pray for recovery for Chile and wisdom for our team.

What I can say is that I am more concerned for the people of Chile, their loss and their suffering than I am for the unknown of my own plans. It hurts me to think how fearful they must be and how much pain they must be in. It hurts me to think of those I know and those I do not know yet, living in tents and running for open space every time the earth continues to shake. It hurts me to think of the destruction of the beautiful country, the people and city of Conce.

Despite this I know that God is working. I believe the country will rebuild and be stronger for it. I believe God is using the Christians of that country to serve their neighbors instead of loot them. I believe there is goodness and love in the hearts of the people and that will help them rebuild. I believe God has a plan for our team in this tragedy even though I do not know it yet.

I have a tendency with natural disasters to let them consume me and I could easily see that happening with this situation because it is so personal to me. I plan on keeping up with the news and with my friends down there but it will not rule my life here and now. Until I know more I plan on not discussing the earthquake much on my blog. If you want to hear more or talk to me about it I would love that but my blog is moving on.

Despite my sadness my life here is still going on and I am going on with it. Please do not think that because I am not blogging about the earthquake it means that I do not care and am not making preparations for what this means for my future. It just means that I need to think and talk about other things and allow God to reveal his plan in time. Spending all my time worrying about everything will not help. Conce is different now than it was when I last visited but it will also be different when I arrive than what it is now so part of preparing for the future is waiting. Please pray for this time of waiting.

On that note, our team had a super fun pizza/game night last night. Here are a few pictures from our evening.

The chicas enjoying some pizza

The guys probably talking about soccer or something

Sara, our star performer

The whole gang

Chile

Party In The U.S.A

Although life can get intense sometimes, Hurley can always make things better. Despite the awful song this is such a great video. All LOST fans, please enjoy!