Winter Wonderland?

Well, since our friendly groundhog announced that we would have 6 more weeks of winter, I thought I would take this chance to share with you what "winter" means in Alabama.
Here's something you may not know about me--I have never, ever, ever had a White Christmas (although it is one of my favorite movies!).

However, the land of Dixie does turn into what we would call a Winter Wonderland every once in a while.

A couple of weeks ago, everything and I mean everything iced over and it was actually pretty cool.

Friends, New and Old

Me, Will, Kate, Chris, and Katie
Will and I are still standing strong to win the "last to get married" bet.

I'm a Wanderer, Yeah a Wanderer

I roam around, around, around, around. . . So, how do you figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life? It seems like everyone I know has it all figured out, except me. Am I bound to roam forever looking for something, anything that I would be happy doing forever? Everyday something different sounds exciting, something different seems like I could be happy doing that forever. But could I? After spending 2 years being a part of what He is doing to bring the nations to Himself can I serve Him in America and still feel like I am making a difference? I just don't know! Is there anything other than serving HIM that can make me happy? The reality is no, but it is a hard lesson learned. Can I be still and wait patiently for my Father to work? I hope so. I know He has big plans for me, but knowing something awesome is going to happen makes me even more anxious and ready for whatever it is.
"Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and His will for us." Billy Graham

Life Lesson-Trust!

Boy, when the Father sets out to teach you a lesson He doesn't play around. Several weeks ago He started teaching me about trust. About all the things in my life that show I don't trust Him to have the best in mind for me. I've learned that I have a tendency to push people away out of fear of being hurt instead of trusting Him to work in and through that relationship. I try to plan my life, thinking that if I plan, I can figure out what is best for me. I allow the enemy a foothold in my life by binding me in the chains of fear--all because I don't trust Him. Him who created the universe, who knew me before I was formed in the womb, and knew from the very beginning that He would die to save me, He who has already told me through His word that He will do things in my life that are better than anything I could ask or imagine. But I don't trust Him. Each day I wake up and before I can even put my feet on the ground I start trying to figure out what will be best for me that day. I don't allow His spirit to lead me because I am afraid of where it will take me, afraid of what it will require of me.
Ps 138.8

Christmas

This was definitely not the first Christmas back that I had imagined. Christmas Eve we went out to visit with my Grandparents and I got to meet my little 2nd cousin, born on Thanksgiving Day, for the first time--

so precious. We opened presents and it was nice to be home with my family for Christmas. . . then everything changed.


No details, but I had to move out of my house, leaving behind my car, on Christmas night. I didn't know where I would go or how I would make it, but the Lord is soo faithful, which is a great thing to be reminded of during Christmas when we are celebrating His coming to earth.
The past few days haven't been easy, but I have a peace that only the Father can give to His children and I am trusting Him to work the best for my life.

Giving Thanks

Well, my first big holiday back in the states was awesome--Thanksgiving!

There was soo much good food. How could a girl resist? Pumkin pie, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, turkey and dressing. . .

I had a ton of fun having all day to spend with family and not worrying about where else I needed to be. We took lots of pictures and made alot of memories.

Decisions, Decisions

Well, the summer has been full of making decison after decision it seems. Now that fall is finally here I hope that things are starting to slow down and that life will start to become a little more routine. I started working at Starbucks back in June, knowing that I needed to start back to work, but not reallly being sure what I wanted to do with the rest of my life or really how long I was planning on being in Birmingham. Although I am still not sure where the Lord will take me or what He is going to do with my life in whatever time I have here in America, I have taken a more permanent job. I start September 27th as a Customer Service Representative/ Administrative Assistant at a local marketing firm. I am still looking for a church and feeling kind of frustrated about that, but I know if I am faithful He will be too. I just want to know that I am where He wants me and then I know He will teach me and use me there. So many people are wondering, will you go back overseas. The answer is "I have absolutely no idea." I just don't know. I know that He has called me to certain things in my life, but I just don't know how those things fit with His big plan for my life. I am anxiously waiting myself to see what He will do next and where He will take me next.

a la plage

The family and I headed down to the beach at the end of May for some rest and relaxation. It was an awesome time of goofing off with my sister. . .
taking cool pictures. . .

and getting to know Crystal's boyfriend a little better.
We ate lots of seafood, played games, and I generally froze while everyone else was enjoying the sun. But I guess even the hottest day on the beaches of Alabama is nothing compared to the coolest day in West Africa.

Reunions and Robberies

Last night I went out to meet a friend, Claire, who I havn't seen in two years. We decided to meet for coffee at Barnes and Noble. It was a wonderful reunion and we had an amazing time of sharing what we have been learning, how we are feeling, and what is up next in our lives. When Barnes and Noble closed, we sat outside for a while, having no idea how fast time was passing. A man approached us asking for directions to a restaurant that neither of us had ever heard of. He was acting kind of strange, but after not being in America for two years I couldn't really pinpoint what was wrong. We both turned around to point down the road and before we know it he was running to hop in to a "getaway car" with both of our purses. Cell phones, credit cards, and ID-all gone. Someone had witnessed the robbery and tried to follow the car, but had lost them in traffic. We spent about two hours in the Riverchase Bruno's giving our accounts of what happened and making lists of everything we had lost. But basically what it comes down to is that it is all gone. I know that everything can be replaced, but I'm angry that he was daring enough to come up and talk to us for 5 minutes and we were so nice and trying to help him, and then he took "everything" from us and was gone. And when I got home and called, they had already used my debit card at three gas stations for about $120. We are trusting the Father that there is a reason that He allowed this to happen to us, although right now we are not exactly sure how He will reveal His glory through all of this. I think culture shock has kicked in and I need a rest now.

Whirlwind

Well, the past week and a half are a blur. I was supposed to leave Abidjan on May 1st and arrive home on the 2nd. But Wednesday the 28th I found out that my grandmother had passed away the night before, so I was on a flight out of Abidjan that night. I stepped off the plane and things have not slowed down for one minute since then. There were several days of visiting with family and friends that were in town with the funeral. And then once all of the company left, I had to start trying to get my life in America set back up.

Crystal and I at AXIS
People are continually saying "Oh, you must have the worst jet lag! How bad is culture shock?" And to tell you the truth, neither has been too bad so far. There have been a few times that the speed of life here has been a little frustrating, but because I had to hit the ground running I haven't had a chance to have jet lag.But I know once things get settled down all of that will change. It still seems unreal that I am here and I'm not really sure what I am thinking yet.