A Personal Post

Most of my blog entries have been about general things going on in my life and all the goings-on associated with preparing to leave for Africa.
After I wrote my last entry I noticed that there were a couple of comments on a blog entry that I hadn't read yet. I checked them out and began to cry.
I've wanted to write some personal thoughts about a few people in my life but when the time came to writing it down I just didn't. But right now I want to start:

A lot of time people don't say how they feel about each other. They might tell others nice things about someone but rarely do people tell each other face to face. My friend Freya isn't like that. I love that about her. I have learned so much about friendship because of her. All of my friendships since I have known her are better because of the way she has been a friend to me. I'm a better person overall because of our friendship. We have spent countless hours together praying, talking, laughing, goofing and sharing. I know the Lord put her in my life as a gift to me. What I have received from our friendship has helped me to be where I am today...Willing to take a HUGE leap of faith into a new chapter of my life. It feels like a new chapter for both of us and our friendship.
In the past year Freya has gotten married and is now expecting a baby. Our friendship has had to transition. I determined in my heart that I would embrace these new changes. I did not want to lose one bit of this precious friendship...I think I transitioned pretty good...I'm not perfect...The road was a bit bumpy at times. :)
But a friendship like Freya's doesn't come around very often. I wanted to be willing to accept the changes were taking place. Now even more changes are occurring. I am leaving for Africa. I won't be here to see her baby grow up...That has been hard for me to think about.
I try not to think about what we won't have in our friendship. That chapter is closing. I've decided to see our friendship from the point of where it will grow and how it will change.
I will always thank the Lord for Freya. What a blessing your friendship has been.

Where Does the Time Go?

I spent the Memorial Day weekend moving. I was staying in Mission Viejo with one of my closest friends, Freya, who is having a baby on June 24th. I love it that I was able to be with her for the past couple of months. The time went by so fast. When I was moving out I kept thinking, "I just moved in." Time flew by. Now I'm staying with some other wonderful friends. This is my last move before moving to Africa. It is beginning to feel real close.
When people ask me if I am ready to move I usually answer by saying, "I still have a lot left to do." But a couple days ago when someone asked me I said, "I am just about ready." I paused and thought about what I had just said and felt this feeling inside of me...I think it was a mixture of excitement and anticipation.
"What else would I be doing?" I say that to myself a lot. God is giving me the desire of my heart.
Sometimes it feels like it has taken so long to get here and other times it feels like time is flying by so fast...Where does the time go? God is faithful to His promises and His timing is perfect. :)

Encouragement and Strength

I was thinking about all of my personal belongings I have given away in the last couple of months. The majority of the things that I have kept are going with me to Africa. I will keep some clothing items here in a container stored at a friend's house so when I visit I can have some nice "Sunday's best" clothes.
I have packed a lot of what I am taking to Africa and put it in plastic bins to be placed in the container we are shipping to Africa. The more I give away and the more I pack for the container brings me that much closer to the realization of moving.
I am not scared. I'm not feeling anxious. When I think about it I usually just say to myself "what else would you be doing?" How long has the Lord asked of me to do something beyond myself...beyond my borders...beyond my comfort zone of living. It's as if He has been whispering it to me all my life. I've heard Him in my heart. I've asked Him to strengthen me for the journey that I knew I'd travel someday. Now is that time and I feel the strength I need to take this road of living beyond my comfort zone. I continue to pray for strength and everyday I see the blessing of the Lord and His strength in my life.

I love the way God uses people. Today someone at work put a box filled with mustard packets on my desk because I had mentioned that mustard is my favorite condiment. She wanted me to be able to enjoy mustard in Africa...so so sweet. When I thanked her she said she was going to buy a box of ketchup too...since I mentioned that I like ketchup. This may sound silly but to me it was HUGE. It blessed me and encouraged me. I felt the Lord in this sweet act of thoughtfulness...it made me laugh and smile the whole day. I told a friend and she cried...she got it and shared in the moment with me. :)

Many Blessings

This past month has been an extremely busy time. I haven't had a lot of free time to sit at my computer and journal. Showers of blessings have come my way and I haven't had the time to sit down and journal my thoughts.
I am going to try to journal at least twice a week. Even in the midst of all that is going on and all I need to take care of I don't want to forget to sit and acknowledge the goodness of the Lord in my life and the blessings of others.

I have known since October that I would be moving to Africa in July. I told my mom about moving to Africa the day I committed to go. The rest of my family and a few friends were told about a month later. I sent out most of my support letters in January.
It is now May and I think just about everyone that I come into contact with now knows. It's nice to be able to talk about it so freely. I love the encouragement and support people have shown. One of the coolest surprises was when my fifth grade parents and students bought me a bike and surprised me with it. I had prayed and asked the Lord for a bike. The bike would have to be in a box since it would go in the container we were sending with all the big items that wouldn't be able to go on a plane. I didn't have the money or idea how to get a bike in a box, but the parents and students blessed me with one. I started to cry. It was so amazing to me, the blessing of the gift and the thoughtfulness of everyone involved.
That is what the past month has been like for me...blessings and thoughtfulness. I am so thankful for it all...for everyone...so many blessings.