christmas

What a Christmas.

Dinner and games with some amazing folks on Christmas Eve, homemade eggnog while introducing White Christmas to two lovely ladies, Christmas day with my family-away-from-family, clear Skype reception (for the most part) to be able to talk with family and watch them open presents...

And the grand finale - my little sister is engaged!! Congratulations, Regan and Isaac!! So excited for you two! And so grateful Skype held up long enough to be able to see this beauty!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."  

walking on water

The house seems so empty. It's crazy how loud silence can be.

Tuesday my two housemates (and partners and just really awesome friends) went back to the US, concluding a series of goodbyes this holiday season. The city is now short two single ladies, one wonderful couple, and four energetic, beautiful blonde-headed girls.

This time has been much anticipated with anxiety, to be honest. More goodbyes. Another transition. Joy.

It's easy to look at the situation and fall into worry and insecurity. And I did there for a little while (another honest moment). Who am I to be heading up the English center? What am I going to do without all those late-night motivating and strengthening conversations? What happens if (when) everything falls apart and we lose all momentum and I have no idea what to do next? Can I really do this?

But you know what? All of those questions up there, they're all focused on the wrong thing. They're all about me. Who am I? What am I to do?

While some of those questions up there may hold some value, most are just unbelief covered in worry. I'm reminded of a story about a certain someone who tried to walk on water but started sinking when he shifted his eyes to the storm around him instead of on the One who was walking towards him. Pretty humbling.

Isn't that more or less exactly what I'm doing? I am so quick to look at what's around me and flip out because I can't possibly do it, when all I'm supposed to do is fix my eyes on the One who CAN. (Haven't I learned this already? I think I'm like Peter in more ways than one.)

So here's what I've learned so far in my version of trying to walk on water:

He's our Father, our good and perfect Father. And if our dads here know how to give their children good gifts, how much more so our good and perfect Father! We are not abandoned. We are His beloved.

He knows what He's doing. It's no coincidence that we're in the situations we're in. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He knows how to draw us to Himself. That's what He's doing, you know. Drawing us to Himself. Making His name known. And, in the process, making us more like Him. We can't walk on water, but He can. When the wind and waves are raging all around us, all we gotta do is trust and keep walking with our eyes fixed on Him.

Let's try this whole walking on water thing again.

Recipe 2: Nina's Oatmeal Bread

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Several of you have requested the recipe for that delicious bread I posted a little while ago. I have gotten permission to post it, so in honor of the amazing woman who has taught me so much about cooking, mothering, and being a woman after His heart, ladies and gentlemen, Nina's Oatmeal Bread:

Oatmeal Bread

COMBINE INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• Flaxseed/wheat germ (optional)
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 2 Tbsp butter/margarine

POUR OVER and LET SET:

• 2 cups boiling water 

DISSOLVE:

• 1 pkg (little over 3 tsp) dry yeast
• in 1/2 cup warm water

When batter is cooled to lukewarm, add yeast.

STIR IN:

• 5 cups flour (may substitute 1 cup flour for 1 cup whole wheat flour if desired) 

DIRECTIONS:
When dough is stiff enough to handle, turn onto floured board and knead 5-10 minutes (or use mixer with dough hooks to knead).

Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled (about an hour).

Punch down and let rise  again.

Shape into 2 loaves, place in greased 9x5x3 loaf pans.

Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes.

Cool on rack and brush loaves with butter for soft crust.

it is well...

This weekend, two very dear friends of mine got married. They are one out of a dozen couples to have gotten engaged since I've been overseas and are the sixth out of my close friends to have tied the knot.

I tried to skype in during the service to see even a tiny bit of the wedding. My moms iPhone signal was really weak in the cute little country ch- where Stephen and Elizabeth were getting married, and that's not even considering how sketchy my internet is. But, a stroke of luck! The call made the connection, and singing filled my ears with surprisingly good quality. The connection lasted maybe 30 seconds, enough time for me to catch a glimpse of people sitting in pews and a guitarist up front, and then it cut off.

I consider it no coincidence that the first and only part of the wedding that I was able to witness was the song "It is Well." Seeing all of my friends together, hearing my mom's beautiful voice, knowing that friends are moving into a new phase of life while I'm on the other side of the world... it all made me a little homesick, to be honest. But as Mom and I tried to reconnect, my heart sang the words that I heard moments ago:

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say:
It is well, it is well with my soul.

In that moment, I was reminded as to why I'm here. I'm not here because of the adventure and excitement, although there certainly is a lot of that here. I'm here simply because the Son said "Follow me," and this is where He led, and He's worth abandoning everything for.

The following morning, we had an all-day event for students who wanted to take things deeper. Some of the students we knew were born again, but others... not so sure. The event went really well, and we met the next afternoon to go out and scatter seeds, if you will.

Two hours later, we got back together, and... we have a new sister! One of our own scattering the seeds realized that being a believer isn't about who her family is or if she was sprinkled as a baby but rather about trusting and following the Son! We went back to a friend's house, and she was dunked right there in the bak in the bathroom!

As we sang praises to the One who has rescued us out of darkness, my heart was overwhelmed with joy - joy in being an undeserving daughter, joy in witnessing the Father make a life brand new, joy in knowing He is power and truth and love.

I know if I had been back in the States this weekend, there would have been great joy in being with my loved ones and witnessing two lives commit to being one. But instead, I got to see something eternal happen - a dead girl made alive to see and adore His glory - and hey, that's worth it all.

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more!

Praise the L0rd! Praise the L0rd, O my soul!

It is well with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul!