Showing Up on a Friday

Since I sometimes jump on the bandwagon of “Things I’m Loving” on Fridays, I thought it’d be fun to make it fit with this month’s theme.

5 Places I Love Showing Up

1. Home–I love love love coming home.  I love when my little man greets me with a big smile and all sorts of his crazy jumping up and down.  Boaz goes crazy (though, let’s be honest, he loves when anyone comes to the house).  The husband’s there ready with a hug.  My bed is ready for me to crawl into and get cozy.  Home is pretty much one of the best places ever. 

2. Dirt roads–running and walking on dirt roads have been my favorite.  I love showing up there with my shoes on and my phone ready to play music or a podcast.  Showing up to pray and talk to God.  Showing up to take care of my body and push myself to keep running or to listen and slow down to walk

3. A good book–I love setting aside time to read a good book.  Clearly, I’ve been trying to pass on my love for reading to Asher…

4. My journal–I have almost a full shelf of old journals now.  I was given one by someone because they said that good writers often have a journal.  So I started and now I’ve got a lot of them!  They have a mixture of sermon notes, prayers, scripture verses, pictures, and all sorts of random parts about life.  I show up in my rawest form with some intense emotions and write it all out.  I couldn’t find a picture of my journal offhand, but here’s one of my grandma’s journal. 

5. At the airport–I LOVE to travel and showing up at the airport is one of my favorite things.  Take me somewhere new or somewhere old and I’m just happy to board the plane.  I am super excited about our upcoming trip to Africa and to get on that plane (well…a little nervous about the actual flying with a toddler, but the being in Africa as a family–yes, please!).  Here’s a fun picture from my time in Rome!

Pour Out Your Hearts

Trust in Him at all times, o people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. – Psalm 62:8

I love that throughout scripture I see examples of God hearing and answering His people.  He longs for them to cry out to Him and to come to Him.  He asks them to cast their cares on Him.  He binds up their broken hearts.  He knows their sitting and their rising.  He does not act like an indifferent bystander.  He’s working for us and for our good.  So, today, in light of writing that, I’m going to share some of the things that are tucked into my heart and just plain make me happy (besides, Fridays are for happy things!).

1. That husband of mine who does life with me.  He is such a gift.  Such a rock and such an encouragement. The road has been rocky and full of adversity, but I’m grateful that I chose him and am still choosing him…and grateful that he chooses me still.
2. Baby oh baby.  Mr. Asher is pretty much the happiest baby and my goodness I am so blessed and privileged to be able to be his mom.
3. My Lindo. He’s the one I miss and the one who taught me to love little boys so much.  I’m so glad I got to know him and for all the ways he cracked open my heart.  He taught me much and he is part of one of my absolute favorite God stories.
4. My Africa. My heart still beats for this place and for this country.  This is such a both and of happy and the heart wrenching grief of not being there.  This is where I pour out my heart waiting for God to weave this piece back into my life in a bigger way.
5. That crazy Boaz.  He pushed me out of my comfort zone and led me on a path toward more joy, laughter, and lots more snuggling than I could have guessed when I brought him home.
6. Church.  I couldn’t have guessed all the ways being on staff at my church would challenge, encourage, change, and ground me.  There’s so much goodness in being planted in a local church.
7. Community/Friends/People.  The world is so full of so many good, good people and I am so glad I’ve gotten to know and do life with a lot of them!

I think (maybe?) sometimes part of knowing you are the beloved of God is remembering, taking note, and being grateful for the things He has put in your life.  He is good to us.

What has He put in your life that makes you happy?

10 Day You Challenge

The title of this post totally makes me think of a fitness challenge…but it’s not.  I saw this on my favorite Vizsla loving blog and thought it was so fun!  Since it’s a perfect sunny day and I’ve got the morning free, I’m taking a little time to start this.  Here’s the lowdown…

ten secrets, nine loves, eight fears, seven wants, six places, five foods, four books, three films, two songs, and one picture.

So, today, I’m going to start off with six places!  Mostly in random order 🙂

1. Africa. First place that comes to mind that has my heart and that I can’t wait to go back to someday.  I loved falling in love with Africa even when there were the incredibly tough times and the things that stretched me to my limits.  Living there for a year definitely was one of the best things I have ever done.

2. Greece…this trip for school was so good for my heart and filled with so much fun with fun people.

3. Italy.  I loved all things pistachio and all things food!  I would love to go back to Italy and explore more and see more of the coast.

4. Mountains.  I love mountains.  Hiking in them, looking at them, skiing, whatever.  They’re my favorite.  I would totally be down for living in the mountains someday.  I loved living on the side of one in Africa.  Add in a lake by the mountains and I’m set.

5. Dirt Roads. When they’re dusty, but not too dusty and stuck in the middle of nowhere.  I love a good run or a walk or even a drive on a dirt road.  6. Bed.  My bed has one of my favorite places to be.  So in bed with a good book or a movie with these two makes my day.  I love being able to retreat there and just be comfortable and relaxed. 

Oh and for the record…this was actually really hard to keep it to just 6 places! I could have added in a ton…the beach, the water, sitting outside, running, and that doesn’t even include all of the places that I want to go to but I haven’t been!

 

 

 

 

home.

Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking. er…write for as long and however your heart needs =)

home

i hide from this word sometimes because oh how it haunts me in a heartbreakingly raw way.  before i know it, i’m playing around with google looking up for ways to get myself home. checking flights and seeing prices. looking at pictures and wondering if when i get there if it’ll still be home.  will she still be the home i have in my heart?  i’ve changed so much since my feet last hit her ground.  my heart has traveled all over since then. i’ve found myself at the feet of fountains in rome and on the beaches of greece. i’ve walked the streets of london and sat in her theaters.  i’ve sat in staff meetings with staff i love.  i’ve careened around the streets of sri lanka.  i’ve zip lined through mexico.  i’ve laughed and loved my way through VBS and kids camps.  i’ve held the babes in rwanda.  i’ve found a man who holds my heart and is my other kind of home…the strong, steady, safe.  god’s brought me all the places i never thought i’d go. but then again i never thought i’d find myself in south africa in the first place. and i don’t know where He’ll bring me us next. maybe germany. maybe guatemala. maybe china. maybe back home to south africa (pretty please?).  maybe some country i’ve never even thought about.

put off my rags and clothed me with gladness

1446. walking and talking

1454. softball hits!

1458. changing the station to christian music

1470. hearing the birds in the morning while watching the sunrise

1480. worship at a wedding

1484. watching the storm roll in and even seeing some hail

1488. the smell of rosemary on biscuits

1489. lovely sunday with my church family

1491. a surprise present(the africa picture frame!) at church that made my heart soar

1492. little girls running up to give me hugs

1495. getting lost in worship

1500. hitting send

I’m still counting it all joy and thanking God….where have you seen or found joy?

friday fun five

1. i baked my very first two layer cake that turned out beautiful!

chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. now just to give it to someone so that they can enjoy it!

i’m weird and like white chocolate…all that chocolate on that cake just sounds…ugh…

2. I’ve been running a lot more lately and oh how my heart missed it!

last year around this time I was wearing this to go running…notice the mittens on my dresser and the scarf hanging…as much as I am glad for the warmer weather and sunshine…I miss it…especially the people, the mountains, the style of life, the singing, the languages, and so much more.

so am i saying i’d trade summer for winter? yeah, yeah, i would but it’s more of a trade minnesota for africa 🙂

3. ohh, and in case you didn’t know, it’s world cup! and it’s in south africa! woot!

and i hope these guys are still kicking the ball around 🙂

4. have i mentioned that i love kids?

I love that I get to work with them, play pretend car, chase them, take them bowling, find random places like Menard’s to play catch, bake cookies, and even take sleeping bags to slide down the stairs!

5. oh, it’s summer, which means work has slowed down and so that means more time to dig deep!

so, that’s what I’m doing…digging deep, soaking up all the time I have with God, seeing what He has for me in His timing, getting back up, and turning up the passion.  Yeah, I’m a *bit* excited to see all the ways that God is….faithful, BIG, trustworthy, loving, shepherd, delighted in me, and the one who pursues me! Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.

What’s on your heart this friday? fun or serious? prayer requests? thoughts? encouragement? anything?

A Few of My Happy Places

My bed…so many pillows and blankets and things (usually not this neat, but rather covered with books, bags, mittens, random things). it’s one of those places you just sink into, curl up and feel right.

walking on the beach (florida, cape town, anywhere really)

my porch in africa or on one of the mountains and well africa in general

Lindo on my shouldersDriving in a car with big sunglasses on, windows down, music up loud

So, there are a few of my happy places. There are many more…but that’s a start. 🙂

What about you? Where’s your happy place/s? Do you have a favorite place? (I don’t do favorites!).

*Check out other happy places at The Gypsy Mama’s

I Have You in My Heart

Last year…

I carried orphans (Lindo, Thabo, Jamesy)  on my back. I watched my baby (Lindo) be adopted into a family that welcomed me.

I held Lerato (love) in my arms before mixing mud to make bricks to build her a house.

I equipped learners with biblical truths and encouraged them to step out to become contagious Christians.

I worshipped God on a mountain with my people.

This year…

I pray. I call. I encourage. I am mindful.

I bought TOMS shoes that give a pair of shoes to a South African kiddo.

I bought Lerato shirts to support someone who spoke truth into my life and still does..

And now. I can shop at the Thrive Store.

~

Even though, things look quite a bit different from last year

what I wrote before and finally got around to painting rings true.

“I have you in my heart.” Philippians 1:7

I can still make an impact

even from 9000 miles away

and so can you.

A shirt, a coffee mug, becoming a monthly supporter…

Together we can hold them in our hearts and make it possible for them to be held by loving arms, to learn God’s truth, to be empowered with love to change their nation.

So, what are you going to do?

i miss this…but fridays make my heart happy

and this…

and this too…

and well my pictures could go on and on…but they make my heart happy and it’s friday!

how’s your heart?

Wordless Wednesday