25 June 2005

YA-HOOOO!!! CAMP!

Well! We're leaving in the morning!!! Yipeee!!! All year I've been looking forward to summer camp with these crazy slovene kids.

Please pray, Christina and I are kind of sick and David's really sick. That's lame because he's our director. More than anything we want these kids to know how much they are loved. Also, pray for lots of kids to come with prepared and soft hearts. We're totally going into this WAR.

THANKS!!! I'll post pictures when we return!

22 June 2005

at home

It is so so good to be here, be home, in Slovenia. As I was leaving the States, my dear friend Amanda gave me a note to read on the plane. In it she said, "...as you travel and plant parts of your heart in different people and different places, you are always with your home because Jesus is home."



Tomorrow the team from Good Shepherd will arrive to help with English camp. We've been preparing lesson plans, preparing activiites, preparing other stuff, etc, etc, etc! This year we have a bunch of new kids that we've never met and there are many people that we do know that are coming! I can hardly wait for the richness that we'll share!

Part of the way that I've been preparing is thinking through the gospel and how Jesus has completely changed me. This morning the verse that is standing out to me:

"I am not ashamed of the gospel,
because it is the power of God
for the salvation of everyone who believes." (Romans 1)

Being comfortable, believing the steadiness and security of this gospel, the nearness and power of God. This is a free, strong, at home-ish feeling that's for all of us.

15 June 2005

I can't remember who it was, but one of my friends was talking about how much they LOVE airports. Every person here is in transition...leaving, reuniting, coming, meeting, sending off, returning, moving. Change, change, change.

When I was younger I didn't have any strong feelings about airports, but sitting here in the Portland airport I am overwhelmed with memories and dreams. I'll board Lufthansa flight 469 in a few minutes. I'm remembering trips to and from Multnomah. Trips to and from George Fox. Trips between those trips. And now trips to Europe. Further and further away, less and less frequent. And next time: where to? why? who? ....when?

So as I head back to Ljubljana, I'm full and trembly and tired. Glad that I was here, ready to go back. Already missing people terribly. Bye.

10 June 2005

John and Sarah got married on June 3rd!!! I think it was one of the most wonderful times of my life--the week that they got married. Just right and good, you know. We laughed and cried and prayed and hugged and ate and danced together. Beautiful, good, and rich.


Before John traveled to Sarah's home, the four of us spent the evening together. We had a backgammon tournament, ate ice cream in San Luis, asked each other big questions, and prayed.


The wedding party all arrived at the Boutry's house a few days early. I'm pretty stoked about these new friends-in-laws that I have. Jeanine, Cristin, Nneka, Beth, Ashley and Tammy are keepers.


Yep.


It seemed more emotional to watch John Paul & Sarah Beth practice than to be there during the real thing. It was suddenly all so real. At least for me.


An all-time favorite.


My sister's pretty, huh?


Well, looks like he got the right girl.


And, just so you know, these are two amazing parents. John and I agree. The way that they have loved the Lord...the way that they have loved each other...and the way that they have loved us has taught me much about loving and being loved. You can tell by looking at them, huh? I'm challenged by the ways that they continue to learn and grow in godliness. (I love you!!)