Ramblings of Grace

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Almost a Year Later...And Some Good News!

I gave in and got a facebook account so I haven't been on here much. It was almost a year ago I made my last posting! But...there is awesome news for this year: I'm pregnant! Roger and I are expecting in November. I can't wait to be a mother. We tried for a long time and I am so blessed by this gift God has given us. If you think of us, pray for our baby, that he or she will be healthy and strong and pray for us that we will be the mommy and daddy God intends us to be!

Posted at 10:29 am by Charis77
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Thursday, June 05, 2008

Brokenness

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15

This week, I have found myself in the later part of this verse. I have had so many friends write to me about struggles in their lives and my heart has been broken for them and with them. My desire is to fix their problems, but I know they are not problems I can fix. The power I have is in prayer. I know God is sufficient for them. So I've been crying out to Him, standing in the gap. My heart is broken, the Spirit cries out with me. It is all I can do, and it is what I must do. We must stand in the gap for each other.

Posted at 08:04 am by Charis77
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Monday, June 02, 2008

Loneliness

When the school year ends, I always get so lonely. I'm so used to having interactions everyday with staff and students and I really love to hang out with people and talk and get to know them. When summer comes, it all suddenly stops and I find myself feeling pretty lonely and down. It's just me in a house by myself most of the time, since Roger is at work. I know this is an opportunity to spend more time with God, but it's hard to shake that lonely feeling. If you think of me, pray for God's peace to reign in my life and that I would use summer as a time to focus on Him and that my lonely feelings would subside.

Posted at 07:06 am by Charis77
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Thursday, May 29, 2008

Fasting

Last week on the mission trip, some of us fasted one day and took time to pray during meal times. When I was in China, I used to fast once a week and I was amazed at how God led me during those times and concreted my ministry and even expanded it. I've deicded I need to start fasting again, so I'm starting today. I'm going to fast and read my Bible and pray once a week. Keep me accountable! I think God can do so much when we fast!

Posted at 10:54 am by Charis77
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Uh-oh!

I gave in... I now have a MySpace, too... http://www.myspace.com/ramblinggrace... Thanks, Di, for pushing me into MySpace... just kidding. Now I can finally keep up with so many of my friends that have MySpace. I still plan to keep this blog up. In fact, my more serious posting will be here. So don't runaway! Keep coming back, my dear friends!

Posted at 05:26 pm by Charis77
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Live Simply

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matt. 6:24

If there is one thing I have learned while moving into our new home it is this: live simply. I have a punchneedle I did that says that and it is framed and reminds me everyday that I need to let go of things and hold tight to God. I'm often frustrated when I see Christians living in decadence while the world suffers. Sometimes there seems to be an excuse, "Well, I'm going to use this big house or big possession of somesort for God's glory." Really? I have certainly seen some people do just that, but at other times it seems like the love of the possesssion is what really matters. But I'm personally challenged as well, because when it comes right down to it, do I really love God or things more? At times, God. But there are those possessions that seem to hold me sometimes. I'm working on being willing just to let things go. If someone else can get a better use out of it, let it go. Corrie Ten Boom said to hold everything you own lightly in your hands, so that when God takes it out it doesn't hurt so much. I want to have that kind of attitude. I want to really give everything to God and not be obssessed by worldy things.

On another note, I'm getting back into my mentoring ministry. I had a bit of a break, but I'm meeting again. I've been mentoring a youth girl from my church and it has been so encouraging to see God working in both our lives. I just got another call to mentor another girl. Pray for me, that I will be wise and lead these two youth correctly in God's ways.

Posted at 09:39 am by Charis77
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Anniversary

So today we celebrated our anniversary with Roger's favorite spaghetti dinner and lovely sparkling white grape juice. Then we opened our gifts. Roger got me the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I'm reliving my junior high/high school experience with that series. I'm afraid I was definitely a geek and a Trekkie to boot when I was in high school. No joking... I own three Bajoran earrings... I have a communicator pin... I still have some magazines I got when I was part of the Star Trek fan club... I have autographs of several of the actors, because, yes, I went to conventions... The point being, at least in high school, Star Trek formed some of my identity (though I am glad it is no longer an identity former for me now...I matured and Christ is my only identity now!). So when I watch the shows, it is like going back in time for me. They're fun, but also kind of silly. Now I see all the inconsistencies. The show is written from a humanistic point-of-view and I missed that way back when. Now it's obvious and they are so hypocritical at times. But I still enjoy the characters and they're interactions. Picard will always rock!

I got Roger a gas grill for our anniversary, along with a grill tool kit. Now we can have grilled steaks, burgers, etc. I figured it was a pretty manly gift and I even got manly striped gift wrap (which is so hard to find, by the way... most of the gift wrap is bright pink or something).

So we ended the day by watching a Star Trek episode and now I am sitting here writing and feeling pretty tired. Today I was out all day, getting Roger's gift, but also going to the library and meeting with friends for a going away party for one of our dear friends. I wish I could say I am just going to rest the rest of the week, but I am already in the mood for next school year! I love teaching and I can't wait to get back into the swing of things. LOL. I need to take a chill pill and take a rest.

Posted at 09:53 pm by Charis77
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Monday, May 26, 2008

Second Anniversary

Our second anniversary is tomorrow, so we took off this Memorial Day weekend to San Antonio. Roger suggested it and I was so excited! I love Texas history and I love the Alamo. Roger had never been to San Antonio or the Alamo. So, we purchased hotel accomodations and off we went... little did we know the adventure we were in for...

On our way down to San Antonio we hear this rumble on the right side of our car. We pull over, get out, and yep, we have a flat :-( We were able to get into a Texaco gas station, and Roger proceeded to put on the spare. It took a good thirty or so minutes. We had planned on getting to San Antonio around seven o'clock in the evening and walking the Riverwalk at night, which is so romantic. It's this river in San Antonio with restaurants and shops along it. It's gorgeous at night with all the lights glinting off the river. However, because of the flat, we knew we wouldn't make it there until ten o'clock. So off we went again and when we got to our hotel in San Antonio we were pooped. It would have been annoying if we hadn't been together and in good spirits. That's the cool thing about having a genuine companionship. You can weather anything when you at least have each other...

Next day, we get up and eat breakfast. And guess what they had at the hotel? A Texas waffle maker!!! This thing is the coolest and now I want one. It makes waffles in the shape of Texas (see below). Too cool and a boon to my healthy Texas pride :-D

After breakfast, we found a Wal-Mart Tire and Lube and spent the next hour and a half waiting for our tire to be replaced on our car. Not exactly where you want to spend an anniversary trip, but what can you do? At that point, we didn't have a lot of time until we had to head back home. But we got to the Alamo. A lot has changed in the ten years since I was last there. The inside of the chapel is set up differently and the museum pieces have all been moved to a side building. Still, I always feel that soar of pride and honor when I read about the 200 men that fought against Santa Ana's thousands, providing Sam Houston the needed time to escape and rally the Texas troops elsewhere.

Finally, we took a stroll down the Riverwalk and found a place to eat right next to the water: a restuarant called The Republic of Texas. I enjoyed that part the most. Sitting there with my love and enjoying his company. I love the times it is just the two of us. It makes it all so much more special.

Then it was back home. Praise God it was an uneventful trip. We made it back and now we're tired, but happy and giving God the glory for our two years of marriage!

Posted at 07:33 pm by Charis77
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Mission Trip 2008

Last year I went to Juarez, Mexcio with the LCA students to work at an orphanage. This year we were unable to go to Mexico, so we ended up going to New Orleans instead. It was a great trip, and I got a strong message from the Lord. If I could pick one thing God said to me it was this, "My ways are not your ways and my plans are not your plans." A whole lot of our trip was spent learning to go with what God wanted to do and accepting it when He changed everything you thought you would do.

First off, we started out on May 19 in five vans, headed towards New Orleans. It was a good trip, no accidents and we arrived safely at our home for the week, Berean Bible Church.

Our plan for the week was to spend the mornings on work crews that were doing work for various people and organizations and to hold a VBS in the afternoons. For the sake of clarity, I'll just tell what happened with the work crews and VBS during the week seperately.

The work crews went very well. The group split into at least three vans and took off to work on different things. One group was working on the youth pastor's father's home. This man's home was flooded during Hurricane Katrina and our crew helped him to fix part of it. We also prayed for this man, since he is not a Christian, but is now getting to see how Christians put their deeds where their mouths are. Another group worked to fix the floor of a deaf church that was flooded from the hurricane as well. One day, another group went and helped teachers at a school put up from the end of the year. I spent most of my time at the New Orleans Mission. This is a mission where homeless people can find shelter and even get on work programs. They needed various things done including gardening, cleaning and laundry help.

Near the mission was an old building that is being renovated into a church. They asked us to help them unload a truck and then demolish a room they are preparing for children's ministry. We got a tour of the building and it was fascinating! The building was built in the early 1900s and was primarily owned by the Shriners during its lifetime. It is three stories high and on the second story there is a large auditorium that was used, among other things, for a circus. Yep! A circus on the second floor! They showed us where doors used to be where elephants would be hoisted onto the second floor. We also got to go to the roof of the building (via a nice ladder with a long drop; I didn't look down) and got to view a good share of New Orleans. It was some neat history. We spent most of the time there taking apart the aforementioned room. I don't have any pics of that, but it was hard work and fun at the same time. I really admired how the students approached the work with gusto and had it done in no time.

Now for VBS. This was where we learned the truth that God is the one in control, not us. We thought we were going to put on a VBS for inner city kids. We had planned to have an intro with worship music and puppets and then split the group in half and do games and crafts. I was involved with the teaching team that worked in the beginning. The intro went fairly well, despite trying to work to get the kids quiet so they could hear the teaching. But when we broke for games and crafts, all chaos broke out. I don't want to go into nitty gritty detail, but suffice it to say we had an uncontrollable mob on our hands with messes everywhere and no respect for our authority. It took us twenty minutes just to get the kids to leave at the end of the VBS. I admit it was overwhelming, frustrating and maybe a little scary. We were all kind of shellshocked at the end. We realized right away that there was no way we could do what we planned. So we regrouped and replanned.

We came up with the idea of having several centers with smaller groups and our students corraling similar age groups. We also had to all get the strict gene right away. We needed to demand respect from the kids and have consequences for their actions. Basically, we decided that a kid would get three warnings and then they would have to leave the VBS. We also doubled our forces; more of the guys came to help us. The intro went well the next day, but we still had to learn that God has His own plans. Right after the intro, a woman came into the center we were using and said they had a meeting and we needed to leave. So out we went and our plan was never put into action. So we get to the next day and guess what? It rains, the building we're using is locked, and we can't get in. So we spend an hour just hanging out with the kids. Acutally, I think it was a good time and our students and the kids got to get used to one another and get to know each other. Well, at this point, we realized God was saying, "You aren't going to be doing what you thought you were going to do. This isn't the time to formally preach the word. This is the time to show the word through your love to these kids." So for the last day we planned a kind of block-party carnival. We had booths with face painting, puppets, worship, crafts and games. We handed out food as well. I thought that went better than anything else we had done. And I think we realized why were there: 1) We were there to prepare the way for the next group. We were there to make the presence of Christ known and 2) We were there to learn to love those that are difficult to love. And we did. We came away with hearts for those that need the Lord and desperately need His love. Below are two pics, Lindsey and Rachel sharing the love of God with the kids...

There were some other things that we did in New Orleans as well that impacted us as well. We had great worship and devotional time. The students led the worship and devotions and they helped guide us in our worship of and love for our Lord. The devotions were challenging and the worship phenomenal.

I was also leading the intercession group during the trip. Our group got together every morning at 6:30am :-o to pray and even took one day out of the week to fast and pray together. This group had a huge impact on me. I felt my prayer life revitalized. It made me hungry for more deep prayer not only with my God but with others praying along with me. I'm reminded of the fact that every big revival in history began with brothers and sisters gathered together in prayer. God was certainly present and I am energized now in my prayer life more than ever.

One of the most awing things on our trip was getting to drive through the places that were affected during Hurricane Katrina and the floods afterwards. There are still hundreds of homes that have never been rebuilt or are in need of repair. It was so hard to get my mind around the fact that these areas were flooded from 8-12 feet high. It breaks your heart and makes you humble to know what happened to these people. I felt honored and privileged to be there and helping the people of New Oreleans regroup and rebuild.

Finally, the most awesome thing for me wasn't actually things we did in New Orelans, per se. Whenever I go on a Mission Trip with students my goal is always to get to know them better and to serve them. As a teacher, I feel so much of the time I am focused on teaching that I don't get to know my students personally. This trip I got to know so many of them so well and I am so glad. God confirmed to me my calling to work with youth. For years now I have felt my heart's desire to get real with youth and to encourage their walk with the Lord. I feel that God did that through me this trip and that is the most rewarding thing of all.

What a trip! And how awesome to know that God is in control no matter where you are in the world and who you are ministering to. Lean on God; He's the only stable thing in this universe:

"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" Is. 55:8-9

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Prov. 16:9

Posted at 09:37 am by Charis77
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Sunday, March 23, 2008

He is Risen!

He is risen, indeed! I hope you enjoy this beautiful cross from our church. On Good Friday, they put out a cross and on Easter we decorate it with flowers to celebrate Christ's resurrection and our new lives!

"Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born...But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. " -1 Corinthians 1:1-8, 12-23

Posted at 12:40 pm by Charis77
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