Monday, May 30, 2011

Goodbye... For Now

About to head to bed for my last night in Canada for a while.

It's been a tough day and I know the morning will be difficult as well.
Just finishing up those goodbyes takes a toll.

I know that as soon as I'm able to sit on the plane and get to take off my eyes will shift forward and I'll be able to focus on arriving instead of departing.
But I do miss this home already, and all the people in it.

I already miss lunch with friends and dinner with family. Video games and renting movies. Pool parties, small group and 24/7 internet access. Spontaneous meals at restaurants and ordering in. Church on Sunday morning and that other church on Sunday night. Playing with kids and crafting with big kids. Building things, fixing things, playing games and laughing.

I know that I will be able to do all of this in my new home...
the difference is that I can't bring the people that I love doing these things with.
I miss you all already. Don't forget that.
Just cause I'm gone, I will still think and pray for you all the time.

And now, as I make my way to bed with 17 hours left on my flight countdown clock... I thank God that I am able to say goodbye. That I've made it this far. That I have a reason to leave and a reason to stay in touch.
The only reason leaving is this hard is because I love and I am loved.
And that is something to be really thankful for.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

All The Single Ladies...

and gentlemen.

I have been following this series of talks lately by a the Pastor of North Point Community Church in Georgia. His name is Andy Stanley and I've heard him speak a few times before but this series is fantastic.
There are 4 parts to his message about
"The new rules of Love, Sex & Dating." 
The reason I love it so much? Single people in the church don't hear the truth enough about what God desires us to experience through a committed relationship. All we ever see is what relationships look like in our families, in our neighborhoods, on our TVs, even in the church.... and most of the time... these are not good pictures. These are not relationships that are enticing and certainly not long lasting.

In this series, Andy focuses on a better perspective of solid relationship finding and building: "Are you the person you're looking for, is looking for?" (In other words, are you the kind of person that would be attractive to the kind of person you would want to spend the rest of your life with?) He talks about the myth about the "right person", the way you deserve to be treated, the truth about sex and the importance of preparation before diving headlong into promises and vows that most people can't keep.

If you are single... or don't know how to have "the talk" with your kids... or even if you just need to be reminded that as much as television has sucked the life out of love, we have NOT met the tragic end of what you always thought your marriage would look like, then I suggest giving this series a listen.

Parts 1 - 4 can be found here

Part 1 - The Right Person Myth
Part 2 - Gentlemen's Club
Part 3 - Designer Sex
Part 4 - If I Were You

It was a breath of fresh air that I will most likely re-visit.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Like a Ton of Bricks

This title seems to blanket my last week in Canada so far.

-Saying goodbye to my grandparents was like a ton of bricks to the gut.
-I sprained my ankle when I slipped down the stairs and hit the floor like a ton of bricks.
-5 days didn't seem so dismal till I looked at the calendar and the nearness of my departure hit me like a ton of bricks.

Seriously... 5 days? Yikes!
I still have a lot more goodbyes to say but I have to take them one day at a time. If I think about them all at once it gets really overwhelming. 
Leaving is hard. 
I've never liked that part. 
I'm a bit of a crier too, and I'm not great at the pretty cry. And don't even try to get me to talk while I'm crying... it's messy and sounds ridiculous. So, the only way I can avoid being a mess every day is to take one day at a time. And think of the arriving more than the leaving.

It's not that I'm trying to brush aside the people I care about. But it's that I'm trying to remember, and keep in the foreground the reason for why I'm leaving. The work that God is preparing for me to do is so much bigger than my relationships. More important than my accessibility to family and friends.
He will always provide that support group I need too! In my North American home and in my African home.

So I try to see big picture, and soak in every remaining moment and remain very very thankful for technology's ability to shrink this world.

And now, with this sprained ankle I don't have much time to sit and let it heal before I have to travel for 2 days. So please pray for quick healing and that this wouldn't hinder any of the tasks I need to accomplish in order to find and get settled into my new diggs in Nairobi.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Page Updates

Just wanted you to know that because there have been so many things happening in the last week, I have updated some pages to be more current. And others I will be updating very soon. So stay tuned (as they say in vintage TV land)

'Watch' I apologize. I have two vlogs ready to edit... I just don't have the time. They will come in a couple of weeks though.

'Prayer Team' will now be updated much more regularly as things get a little more eventful.

'Join Me' now includes option #4

'Toys' will be updated with Nairobi settings once I land.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Plane Ticket? Check!


I always get scared when booking my own flights online.
Not like I haven't done it a bunch of times before but it's one of those things where if you mess up the data, you could end up paying BIG TIME.

But my confirmation was emailed, I am on the passenger list and my departure date is.... drum roll please....

May 30, 2011 at 5:30pm

I am flying from Toronto with KLM through Amsterdam cause they are cheapest and I have a points card and who doesn't love collecting points?
I have a 4 hour stopover and then I will arrive in Nairobi on May 31 at 8:15pm (EAT)

I put a countdown timer on the left... cause I can.
And that's about it.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to add 4 more pages to my to do list.
Something tells me this is going to be a short 2 weeks!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

We Did It!

Just a short update to tell you that FINALLY, my monthly support goal has been met.

I've written before about part of the reason that it took so long 
but it's an amazing feeling to know that,
1. God really does have a job for me in Kenya because He's arranged my way
2. I don't have to look like a wandering fool anymore, just a regular fool
3. My patience, the little that I had, is being rewarded with so many answers to long prayed prayers.

My departure date is SOON... very soon.
The date is in my head and I think I will purchase my plane ticket tomorrow.
When I have that ticket, then I will tell you the date.

Thank you a billion times, those that have been praying, giving, encouraging and all that good stuff.
And for those that weren't so sure I was right in the head... it's alright, I forgive you cause,
I'M GOING TO NAIROBI

Thursday, May 5, 2011

3 Weeks To Move Out

The house I've been staying in is being rented out the end of May. Which gives me 3 weeks to the day to move out.

The good thing: I'm pretty much already packed. I have been for months.

The bad thing: I'm in no position to pay for rent in this country and imposing on friends or family is really low on my list of hobbies.

Obviously the best option - that I can see - is to move to Nairobi and begin my work there. But the only thing that is stopping me from that is $80 a month.

I am praying for and waiting for the last couple of people who are able to join my team through monthly support so that I can say peace out to homelessness and head over to help the homeless in Kenya. (and orphans and widows and anyone else I can assist.)

I know I've said this before but if you have been thinking about it, or are even thinking about it now and are able to join me in this work... no gift is too small. If you can afford $10 or $15 a month, that could be what gets me to the end of this road. Check out how you can sign up for monthly support here. (see #2)

I have three weeks, and though I know that God often works in the "11th hour," I'm really hoping that I will be able to get on a plane before the new renters show up to the door with all their furniture.

Monday, May 2, 2011

You May Not Like Me After This...

But that's ok.

I don't normally make my opinions known on matters of this kind of controversy but I'm tired of the messages of hate being louder than those of love.

Twitter was what alerted me of the the President of the US's statement last night. And twitter was where I saw the opinion flood rise. It is possible that this is a moment in history that you will remember (more certainly so if you are American) much like the death of Lady Diana and the planes that crashed into the world trade centre.

It was that event, the attack on New York City, that hurled this man hunt for Osama Bin Laden into full gear almost 10 years ago.