living upside down

This could be what we look like when life turns us upside down. However, I don’t think I usually have my brother’s expression. I’m usually looking like the woman in the back, cringing for dear life.

Well, my friends I hope your last weeks of July were enjoyable. I took off and disconnected myself for almost 2.5 weeks and spent time with my family. We have a lot of birthdays to celebrate between July and August, so it was fun to be together. I’m usually on a plane on my birthday as many of you know, but this year I got to celebrate on the ground. It’s quite a different experience eating a real birthday cake instead of an airplane dessert. 🙂

I enjoyed my time of relaxation and hanging out with my nephew Kaleb. That boy sure has a lot to say on a daily basis.

The big news that throws my world upside-down is that I’m moving back to the Kentuckiana area in mid-October. While I was there it seemed God placed that on my heart and has begun the process of preparing me to get ready for change. I’m not great with change which is funny that all I’ve done since mid-2006 is be in transition. I hope that a new and fresh environment will lend itself to more opportunities for support-raising and having individuals and families join me in this journey. I also look forward to time with my family and friends there before heading overseas.

Pray for me in this transition because it’s bittersweet. I’ll miss my Colorado-life. It’s what I’ve known for 6 years which includes many friends who are quite dear to my heart.

The plan and hope from there is to attend February training and be in Austria by summer 2009. Yet, all of my planning is only planning. It’s God who opens the doors and makes this course possible. I have so much gratitude for you who are journeying with me. Thank you for your prayers and those who have already joined in a financial way. This has been one of the hardest journeys I’ve experienced. I’ve come to points along the way where I look up and say “What in the world is going on and why have you called me to this?” And yet as Dori (
from Finding Nemo) would say, “Just keep swimming.”

Currently I’m reading a book by Erwin R. McManus called Uprising. He talks about living upside-down in the fact that wholeness is experienced through generosity, gratitude and giving of ourselves rather than trying to fill ourselves up before giving out. I’m pondering what that looks like right now for me. I confess that this season has led me to choose more self-focus than outward focus. I’ve chosen to dwell on dollars and deadlines rather than the purpose of the calling to serve and love whether right now or teens in Vienna in the name of Jesus. As it is said to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2, You’ve lost your first love. I want to choose my first love again and give out of that unlimited love.

A friend gave me a card that had a little sticker on the back that says “You’re unlimited.” That is so true. Those of us who call Christ our Savior are unlimited. We are given unlimited resources, not to self-serve, but to give ourselves away. What does that look like for you today?

my half-life

On Saturday I completed a half-marathon in Georgetown, CO. This is where Tra’Cee has been living for the summer while completing an internship. This made it possible for a free place to stay the night before. Suzanne and I are the ones who ran the race. We’ve been training since June, however I have to admit that my training hasn’t been as disciplined as Suzanne’s.

We finished the race in less than 2.5 hours, and that included a bathroom break on my part. The course wasn’t shaded, so it made the running hot and at some times miserable. I’m glad we made it and am proud to have another race completed, but we were both glad to be in the shade once it was over.

This is a dramatic version of how I felt after the race.

fun pics from family timeHere are some highlights from my time with family in July. We grilled out a lot and even spent some time at Huber’s Farm in southern Indiana. Kaleb enjoyed the digital camera I gave him for his birthday. He’s still taking pics of knees and feet. I’ll have to teach him to aim higher toward faces for better photos.