Ruined for the Ordinary

So, this is the main group of girls that spent last week together during the conference. We’re missing Bekah in this picture…I’m not sure where she was when we took it. I tried to post more pictures, but none of them will load, so I guess this is the only picture I can send out for now. We had a great time….listening to Dave Patty (the president of Josiah Venture) speak about life rooted in Christ…cooking meals together…playing games… We brought another table into my house so that my kitchen table would be extended and able to fit 10-13 people around it. We sat around that table and folded brochures for the conference, ate meals, drank coffee, played cards, talked about funny and serious things…and I would have to say that last week represented what I MOST believe about how to share my faith.  I am not so excited about preaching or teaching (although I know there are times for that). I’m VERY excited about living life with people and through that, sharing the stories that come from walking closely with God. In the midst of games and meals, we talked about God in our lives. There were many times that I looked around the table and was just overwhelmed with how much I love all these girls and how much I want them to be totally filled with God’s love and with the hope that comes from being satisfied in Him. I pray every day that my own sinfulness won’t get in the way of what God wants to communicate through me while I am here. And I pray that I’ll have ears to hear what He wants to communicate to me through them. I know it is the greatest privilege to be invited into another person’s life…and I know I am on holy ground…not because of my geographic location, but because I’m with these girls, living life with them.

Many of you know that it snows a lot here in Slovakia. And one of the consequences of that beautiful white stuff is icy sidewalks! For the past four winters, I have been keeping track of my progress in NOT FALLING DOWN. The first winter, I bit the (ice) a whopping FOUR TIMES. The second winter, it was three. The third winter only once! And last year, only once! I thought this was my year…we didn’t have much snow, and I was in the states for a longer period of time, so I was BOASTING that I was going to make it through my first winter without falling down in some embarrasing way. And then… (Read on …)

So, this is the new addition to the family!!! Her name is India and she is adorable! She’s a labradoodle and should grow to be anywhere between 25 and 50 pounds. I’m thinking she might be on the bigger side, though, because she’s only 11 weeks old, and she’s already 11 pounds and taller than Windsor! I wanted to put a picture of her and Windsor playing together, but for some reason that picture won’t upload.  For now, I’ll just tell you that they are getting along really well. Windsor is playing more than ever, which I hope will keep him younger for a longer time…and India is learning some boundaries from her older brother who growls at her when she gets too out of control! She’s already sitting and staying on command (unlike Windsor), but she’s in the biting phase of puppy-hood, so that’s a challenge.

Welcome to the family, India!

(Note to self: never go visit puppies unless I plan on bringing one home).

I went to Rome this week with the other women of Josiah Venture for our annual spring women’s conference. It was really amazing. I saw the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, The Sistine Chapel, the ancient ruins of the Roman senate, the gardens and ruins of past palaces, and my favorite: the Coliseum. I walked among the reminders of what used to be, and I was overwhelmed with it all! I have studied ancient Rome and read about how great it was in its day, but to stand amidst the remnants and to almost be able to visualize it….was absolutely incredible. (Read on …)