Today’s repost about my 2009 trip to Zambia deals with the power of touch… – – – Just one touch… I went into the missions trip to Zambia with no expectations. I’d heard the stories and seen the pictures of previous team members and how they’d bonded with the children. I’ve always had a soft spot for the littlest lambs, so I was excited about the opportunity to spend time with the children of the Hope Community School and Hope House Orphanage. But I’ve been a part of enough service projects to know that going in with expectations will usually Read More
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Zambia: How it all started
This weekend, I’ve decided to share some old Facebook notes that I wrote about my first trip to Zambia in 2009. Today’s repost is a collection of excerpts from my journal: – – – Africa, Zambia, My Home: Journal excerpts… Tuesday, May 12, 2009; 8:27 a.m. (Zambia) So we’re here…and it is quite amazing…to see so many people who look like me…to wonder if THIS is where I’m from…wanting to just run up to people and hug them because I am HOME. Thursday, May 14, 2009; 11:36 p.m. (Zambia) I feel like somehow…when my feet touched African soil, my ancestors Read More
Do you know where you’re going to?
I was leading a devotional this morning and started talking about following the leading of the Holy Spirit. I’m all about analogies, and the one that came to mind was simply this: These days, many people use some sort of navigational system (GPS, paper map, MapQuest, etc.) when trying to get from point A to point B. If you want to make it to your intended destination, you turn right when the GPS tells you to turn right. As Christians, God speaks to us via our internal navigational system, the Holy Spirit. And we often ignore the instructions and do Read More
What’s your sign?
Warning: This post could possibly be categorized under “frivilous.” I just discovered via the Facebook grapevine that there’s been an apparent shift in the heavenlies…so much so that there’s a new 13th zodiac sign. The only people who may really be negatively affected by this are those who have tattoos of their sign. (*rim shot!*) While I am not deeply engrossed in a belief of astrology, I do believe that people who are born around the same time of year have similar traits – for whatever reason. I’ve observed it too many times to doubt that. Having said that, I Read More
The pain of the past
I have a scar on my right knee. I got the scar when I was about 10 years old (give or take a few years). I was visiting family in Michigan, and we were staying with my grandparents. Their house was at the bottom of a slight incline – an incline just steep enough to ride down on a skateboard. But I was no Terry Kennedy…far from it…and that scar on my right knee reminds me of it every day. I learned that, if you’re a novice skateboarder, riding downhill with no protective gear is probably not a good idea. Read More
Dealing with disappointment…
Warning: This post is purposely not “polished.” It’s a peek into my brain as I process through this situation…I chose this way because I hope that my transparency and willingness to be “raw” will help someone else who may be dealing with disappointment. So, here’s another peek into the way my mind operates. Fasten your seat belts, and please keep your arms inside the ride at all times… One evening, in the mid-nineties, while at my college’s gospel choir rehearsal, I had a thought…a little inkling of a thought that maybe one day I might be some sort of missionary. Read More
When I am laid in earth…
This post’s title is a line from an aria (Dido’s lament) from Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. The aria states, “When I am laid in earth, may my wrongs create no trouble in thy breast. Remember me, but ah, forget my fate.” This is one of my favorite arias to sing, but that’s a post for a different day. The thought for today centers around my interpretation/understanding of this aria. As she is dying, the character (Dido) is lamenting about what people will say about her when she’s gone. And that’s the topic of this post. What is it that you Read More
Get ready, get set, GOAL!
As we all know, January is the time of year when people try to make positive changes in their lives. However, people are quick to give up on their goals if they miss the mark. But, as the tortoise and the hare taught us, slow and steady wins the race. They say that it takes 21 days to form a habit. One thing that I know about goal setting is that it’s less intimidating when you break things down into smaller chunks. So I’d like to suggest to you my 7-Day Challenge, it’s very simple: Step 1: Pick a goal Read More
Lessons learned from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
As a child, I read a book a day during the school year. This wasn’t the result of any school initiated program, my love affair with reading started at a young age. One day, after a visit from my cousins, I discovered that one of them had left their copy of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at my house. I got comfortable with the book and devoured it. Dare I say it was life-changing? Okay, that’s probably a bit “over the top,” but it does remain on my list of favorite books. I was obviously excited to discover the movie adaptation of the Read More
Hair today, gone tomorrow
Here’s a picture of me from June 2008: My sister and I shaved our heads in support of our mom, who was about to begin chemo treatments for Breast Cancer. Mom was diagnosed in January of 2008, and I couldn’t help but to think about that time just the other day. Thankfully, the cancer was discovered during a routine mammogram. She had surgery later that spring and did chemo and radiation treatments. Three years later, she is fine – and her hair has grown back! Don’t take your health for granted. If there are routine screenings that you’re supposed to Read More