Happy New Year (Merry CHRISTmas)

Well its official, I have nine days left until I leave for Poland. I am not packed and I am slightly stressed out about that. But I am not going to worry about it because it will get all done; I have nine days to do it in. Christmas was wonderful; I spent the day with my family opening gifts and enjoying their time. We had a nice relaxing day and had more food than I thought one could have. {We are still eating leftovers :) } We did something new this year, and it was great, we each gave Jesus a birthday present. It is after all His birthday we are celebrating. This gift could be anything we wanted it to be but it had to be something we were giving to Jesus. I loved this gift-giving time.
After Christmas life has been a little crazy, but enjoyable. I have spent several days with friends and those I “babysit”, I had a “farewell” party, and both sets of grandparents are at the house. We are going to have a wonderful time here for the next few days. There are seven adults and three dogs in a four bedroom house. We plan to use all the sleeping space and then some and have a blast doing it.
I greatly look forward to the next nine days spending it with friends and family. The trick will be getting packed, finishing my to-do-list, and spending the needed time with all those who love me.

Almost Done....

So we only have four more days of training left. There is one weekend left and my family will be here on Tuesday. It has all gone by so very fast and I am not ready to leave. I am so ready to get to the field and begin working but I am not ready to leave the relationships I have built here. They tell us we will see everyone again and we will stay in contact, but that is not the same and living with them. Its like summers in college, you don't talk for two months and then when you see each other again, it's like you never left each other. I have learned so much, but I feel as though there is so much more I need to know.
These last two weeks have been long and hard. We had a week of 8-5 classes with little breaks, and this week has been hard because it is the last full week. Last week we spent three days with our region talking about matters which just pertain to us. This was nice. I liked spending time with those I will be working with and finding out what will happen in Europe. One of the best times was the day the ladies went to the Cheesecake Factory. I have never eaten there before, and oh, it was WONDERFUL. I would recommend it to anyone. (But go at lunch because it is a lot cheaper then.) The rest of the week was spent being trained in how to handle the "Bad Guy". We had security training. It was a great three days and I learned a lot. We had a few laughs and several AHHH moments. But all in all it was a great training. I don't think they should send anyone to the field without this training.
As far as the rest of the week, we have one more day and then the weekend. On Saturday we are cooking in the dorm for dinner instead of eating in the Caff. I am so excited. We are having baked spaghetti, bread, salad, and Oreo Balls for desert. YUM.
Like I said my family will be here on Tuesday and then we are commissioned on Wednesday, and then we leave Thursday. Then it's Christmas, New Years, and then off to Poland. YEAH! I am so excited.

Metro

So I survived riding the Metro in Washington DC. I actually enjoyed riding the train, I think I might like that better than an car because of my stomach. But it was a blast. I went to the Catholic Basilica, which was very sad. Here there were beautiful colorful mosaic of Jesus death and of Mary. Most were of Mary holding Jesus, or just Mary. Mary is a very important person because without her Jesus would not of been born, but she is just His mother, nothing else. The Catholics believe that you get to Jesus through Mary. There was an alter that portrayed this "To Jesus through Mary". There were a few good things pictures. There was Jesus off the cross at the back of the church, He looked mean, but He was off the cross. The only problem was that Mary was right in front of Him. My favorite mosaic was of Jesus coming out of the tomb. What a BRIDGE to the Catholic people.

The rest of the day was spent eating Polish food and talking to people in Union Station. I was able to tell several people about Jesus and give them directions to a Church in the area. A few people I spoke to were Christians but did not know where to go to church so they were very thankful for the directions to the Church. On man I spoke to was a Muslim and he wanted to talk to me and listen to what I had to say until some of his friends came into his store. I gave him a track and the number to the church so hopefully he would read the track and contact the church for more information. Pray that "Bob" will read the track and seek answers to his questions and find the truth.

The rest of the week was a blast. Thanksgiving was spent with around 50 people (I think) and was a blast. There were some parts of the day that were hard because of the memories of my grandmother, but I had a wonderful day all in all. We spent the day at a Church eating and fellowshipin'. I don't think I could of asked for a better day.

I was also able to go to Williamsburg this weekend with some friends. We had a blast. I think the pictures will do a better job of describing what we saw than my words. Its a small sample of what I saw, but it was a blast. I love history and this day trip was wonderful.

Another Week

So I have made it through another week. There have been some exciting things happen this week. We have sat in sessions and have learned a great deal. We spent the first part of the week learning how to teach and train people. This was great because it was a new was to teach and as a teacher I love learning new ways. The second half of the week has been some of my favorite sessions. We spent two days learning how to Story to all ages. I have always been able to story with children and I quite enjoy it. But Storying with adults had always scared me because they tend to be more critical of the story and how you tell it. Through the Storying sessions I learned that Storying with adults is just as easy as with children. I enjoy telling stories and through have a better understanding of how to story to adults now. The last part of the week has been a blast. As we are learning we are making practical applications through group activities. We are learning how to learn another language better. Because I will be learning another language this has been a very helpful class.

Now are you ready for the really exciting part...It SNOWED this week. As a Fl. girl it was a little cold, but I must get used to it because it is cold in Poland. But we saw snow, they were just flurries but snow fell from the sky. The other great and exciting thing is the fact I am learning how to defend myself. I have been taking self defence classes and I have learned how to kick, punch, and deflect kicks and punches. I still have a long way to go but again I am learning something new, and having a blast doing it.

Well, this marks the end of week five which means only three more to go, then Christmas, then POLAND! YEAH!

A new week....

This week is only half over and I feel as though it has been several weeks thus far. I have been going for several days now and it almost seems non-stop. I am having a wonderful time learning about God, where I am headed, and how I can better use the talents He has given me. Today we did Worldview sessions. I went to the Catholicism in the morning and Postmodern this afternoon. I loved how the different speakers each gave me a piece of information to take with me overseas. I love how they mesh together to truly form the worldview the country I am going to. I greatly enjoyed learning about the two different worldviews.

So the other big thing happening this week would be the SHOT clinic on Friday for me. I am not worried about the shots or the pain, I just don't like it when they make me feel yucky after I have had the shots. I give blood so this is nothing for me. Besides shots on Friday I have the afternoon off and then on Saturday, I have my first day where I don't have to do anything. I am so excited. The last two Saturdays I have been getting and ESL certification.

Last night I did one of the most exciting things since I have been here, besides hang out with everyone. I went to a self-defence class. The class is taught by a black belt in Ti Kwano Do. He is hilarious and a great teacher. All we learned was how to move our feet so we are able to defend our selves. The other thing we learned we the best defence was to run away as fast as we can and scream. This is so practical but with the little demo it was very funny.

I hope everything is going great where ever you are. If you would please pray that rest will come while I sleep as the days get "longer" and the nights seem "shorter". I thank you for all your prayers and for your support.

Wet Weather

For all who were wondering I am still here. I have been in VA for two weeks and one day. I have had some hard days and some wonderful days. There have been some very easy decisions made and some that I have agonized over making. I have found that in the end, even the hard decisions have brought an overwhelming peace once I made the decision. God ha been wonderful through it all. Though I cannot tell you what we are doing or exactly where we are, know that I am learning more about God's love for me and the peoples of this world. Training is hard and intense but I do believe that in the end I will be so very glad I was able to have this experience. I have meet more people here than I could begin to tell you about but it truly is wonderful. It amazes me how many young and old people have the same desire and call: To take the Gospel and love of God to the reached and the unreached peoples of the world. In a session a speaker gave the quote "Will you love your people group as much as God loves them". To me this is critical in reaching the peoples. If you cannot love them as Christ does then how are we able to show them what true love is.

Wet weather...It has been wet today. I believe this would make the third or forth day the weather has been like this. Today it was yukky though. Not only was it misty all day but the sun never came out. It was cool and just nasty. The other days it would rain the sun would come out by mid afternoon. The rest of the time the weather has been nice. There have been some cold days where I needed a coat and gloves, but for the most part the weather has been wonderful: in the 60's during the day and 30's-40's at night. My favorite days have been the last two Saturdays when the sun was out and the temperature was around 67-70. It was great. The only down side to being in VA at this time of the year is that winter is coming and it can get very cold. The many upsides are: the fall weather, the sunrises, sunsets, the leaves changing, the wonderful smell of the outdoors...should I go on. The other good thing about me being in VA now is it is beginning to prepare me for how the weather will be in Poland. It gets a lot colder there than here and I have to be ready for the cold. I guess that comes with where God sends you.

I will leave you with this: Know God is always there! (This is one of my favorite poems)

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,
"The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you."
Mary Stevenson

Genesis

I have been re-reading Genesis, actually I want to read Genesis through Deuteronomy by December 18th. But I was reading the first few chapters the two nights ago and they just struck me. I don't know why, but they did. It was like God said "See, if I can do all this in just seven day, think of what I will be able to do through you in your lifetime." So I thought I would post the whole chapter for all to read. There will be the beginning of chapter two to finish the story. I took out the verses so you can just read and the Scripture is taken from the New American Standard Bible. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Genesis 1-2:4
The Creation
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night And there was evening and there was morning, one day. Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters."
God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them"; and it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning, a third day. Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so. God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens." God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind"; and it was so. God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.

Here I go...

It is finally time to go serve on the Mission Field. This has been such a long time coming I cannot believe it is finally time. I have known I would do mission work since I was in Elementary school. I have always been in love with the fact that I can go somewhere and share the love of my Savor, Jesus Christ, with those around me who don't know the truth. I went to Haiti when I was in the tenth grade, and I wouldn't have come home if I hadn't had high school to finish. I went to Honduras in my Freshman year of College, and knew I needed to finish college before I continued. My teaching degree has always been important to me and it took me five years to get me BS in Education. I am certified to teach babies through sixth grade. I love teaching children and watching them learn.

I am now almost a year out of college and God decided it is now time for me to go tell others of His love. I am going through the International Mission Board (IMB) and will be in the Journeyman program. I will spend eight weeks in VA going through training. I will be getting to know others who are going around the world and also another family going to Poland with me. After the eight weeks, I will come home and spend Christmas with my family and then I head out.

Head out to where you ask. Well, God is sending me to Poland. This wasn't my first choice but it has always been God's choice for me. Over the last few months I have grown to love Poland and I cannot wait until I am on the field. I will be the teacher of the Missionary Children on the field and I am very excited. I want to pass along my love of learning to these children.

So here I am now, I leave for VA in eight hours and I am trying not to go crazy. There was so much to do before I could leave tonight I cannot believe I got it all done. I felt as though everything would never get done and then it all did and now I am just sitting, waiting until it is time to leave for the airport. I am eating dinner with my parents before I go at a wonderful restaurant called Mimi's and then I will have an hour to wait in the airport and then off to VA. I get to training facility tonight around 11p and then I have tomorrow to get settled and then everything begins on Wed. I cannot wait to get on the Field and tell others about the Love of Jesus Christ.