Waves

I enjoyed a wonderful mini-vacation to Southern California last week. I travelled with my sister and her family and did everything from the San Diego Zoo to baseball games and typical touristy things. 

One of the highlights of my trip was sitting on a beautiful beach in Oceanside. When we arrived the day was gloomy - gray skies, murky water, and chilly. We were bundling in beach towels and Livi's teeth were chattering after exploring the water with her Daddy. As I've been known to do, I was a little sulky because it wasn't the absolute perfect situation or the way I had planned it to be - beautiful, sunny, balmy, breezy, etc...

There is something about the ocean that really intrigues me. Maybe it's the sound of the waves so loud that it drowns out distractions and allows you to think a little more clearly, but I found myself enjoying the fact that I had added another state to my list and had gotten to spend time exploring a new place. 

After about an hour, the temperature began rising. The sun was coming out! The waves were bluer, the sand was warmer, we got to get out from underneath our blankets. My baby nephew and I explored a jetty and just sat there standing with that mixture of sunshine, sea air, and breeze. 

A week later (today) I am back at home on my front porch overlooking the lake. It's Labor Day so I am getting to enjoy a slow paced morning. I look down and start hearing waves hitting the shore. They are definitely not blue or big and are only there because of the holiday weekend boaters, but immediately the first thing that came to mind is that God uses little instances like these to get our attention and turn our eyes to Him. 

When I am just focusing on myself and my issues or fears or failures, I fail to see that He is working in the details and is with me. He is in the new places we explore, in the places we've never been, and in the familiar sights at home - I just need to stop and realize that.

15 years later...

So I dug out one of my scrapbooks from my senior graduation trip with my Mimi and cousin to Turkey and Greece. Apparently I had documented every morsel of food that entered my mouth. These journal entries really did my heart good - I was in need of some laughter!

Coming from a shy, never-traveled-or-flown-before young girl, it was humorous to read the descriptions of the plane dimensions or the amenities on the cruise ship.

My favorite entry: "Well we just made it to Istanbul and were looking for something good to eat. We found a McDonalds and got to eat Chicken McNuggets. We promise to eat more authentic Turkish food tomorrow."

A Sweet, Little Momma

I am a firstborn. Thankfully, my parents decided to have other children so that I could boss them around, micro-manage their lives, and tattle on them when needed.

I have always taken my big sister role to the extreme I guess. I remember the pink and white doll I was holding as my Grandma Eva came to my big living room in Groves and said the babies were on their way! For 8 months or so, Momma asked me if I wanted a brother or a sister, and apparently my answer changed on a daily basis. You're welcome, Momma - God blessed you with one of each! As a three year old I excitedly helped with Pampers, feeding, and most likely dressing the "dolls" Momma brought home from the hospital. Throughout life I would tell them what to wear, when to sing, and how to do things that a professional like myself knew how to do.

I love my brother, Tony, and sister, Katy. They have made me so proud in more ways than a little blog post like this could ever contain. I am thankful for their care, love, and concern for me when I need their guidance. I remember when Tony started playing the guitar. It might have been rough at first - but you would never know that now! Katy and I shared so many sister moments all throughout our growing up years. Both went on to graduate high school and college and make new friendships - but we always kept close and for that I am thankful. They traveled around the world ministering alongside me and they have lived across the U.S. in cities that God called them to. I thought I couldn't have been more excited for Katy on the day of her marriage to Stephen - but then came the day where I found out that I would be an aunt and would later meet my niece, Olivia.

In 2006, I had been out of college for 2 years and had no idea what on earth I would do with my life. Everyone has been in that stage, right? Then, next thing you know - my parents are moving to another continent to begin serving and living life in a village in Central Ghana. They would work with churches and schools and medical needs in their rural community.

A medical team from the U.S. had arrived to work a few weeks that summer. Things were busy and fulfilling and exhausting with the day-to-day duties that come with a village medical clinic.

Then they met her.

A bubbly, sassy, 10 year old tiny Ghanaian girl who needed medical care for a wound that wasn't healing properly. After trying hospitals, medicines, and prayer camps - things were looking a little dark. [Here's the part in the story where I have to ask God - What if she had not ended up in the prayer camp in Kotokata? What if my parents had chosen another village to live - I mean, You made all of them, but God do you know how many villages are in Ghana!? What if the medical team had never come to draw her to the clinic?] Who knew that this single encounter would begin a lifelong relationship with a precious girl who would become my sister?

Even though there is a 14 year age difference - God knew that I would need a "littlest" sister to encourage, talk about boys with, minister to, watch Law & Order with, and especially - to learn from.

Eight years after meeting Aggie for the first time, I find myself on the trip to Ghana that I just returned from. By this time, we've both been through a lot of ups and downs through life - but always take time to boss each other around or hug when we need to.

She has many other siblings - younger and older - that she has cared for and loves. I have met a few of them. However, I saw something in her this trip that really made me smile.

Momma and Daddy are caring for 2 boys who are 7 years and 10 years whose parents have both recently died in the past year or so. Their home life was difficult and are doing well under their new roof. Yaw is the older boy who has seen more than any child has ever needed to see. He is more emotional and sensitive. Kofi is the younger and he can dodge taking a shower like you've never seen. In Ghanaian culture - children have their specific jobs upon waking up each morning. Agnes made sure that these boys were doing theirs!

Kofi, Agnes, and Yaw enjoying our Beach Day at Cape Coast!

After making sure their chores of emptying the trash, burning the trash, and sweeping were finished, she would prepare hot chocolate and bread for each boy before sending them to take their bucket shower. When I arrived in the village, she had acquired the nickname Dadavi (Little Momma). Because the boys are not fully fluent in English, she gets to listen to their fighting and laughter and tattling if one of them has made an error! She then will relay the message to Momma or just handle the situation herself. Sometimes that is a stern talking to. Sometimes it is a punishment - but she's going to tell them what's what. They look up to her, respect her, and love her. She cooked special soups for them to dip their banku in. She directed the order of chores. She loved them well. She helped when Momma's plate was full of the daily tasks that seem to pile up at times.

Sometimes I need to stop and think about the people that look up to me and make sure that my attitudes are reflective of the God I love. I am thankful that I was able to see Agnes' love shown through the way that she cares for those little ones.

And I am happy to be able to call her my sister. 

Being Free from Fear

There are so many types of fear. I'm an anxious, scaredy-cat type of person. I didn't ride a roller coaster until I was 18. When I was 15 or so, I freaked out about taking a family business trip to Hawaii because that would include taking an airplane ride. (And guess what - we didn't go)

At times, fear paralyzes me. 

While preparing for my recent vacation/visit/trip to Ghana, the looming fear of the dreaded Ebola virus consumed much of my thoughts and produced worry. I wrote an "announcement" on Facebook assuring friends and family that I

was aware of the situation and that I could feel God's push to go. I knew it was important for me to go and that it was God's will, but that didn't mean that the fear just vanished. Every news article, comment, or question sparked more fear inside my soul. One evening near the time I would leave, I remember going home to an empty house and pulling out my sheet music and having a praise session on my way too out of tune piano. We had recently sang a chorus at church that kept popping into my mind. "Father we love You, we worship and adore You, glorify Thy name in all the earth...". The more I sang, the more I came to the realization that fear was choking out the real reason I felt led to go in the first place. Did I love God? Yes. Did I want to listen to His command to go? Yes. Was His name important enough to be glorified in a region that was super susceptible to Ebola, cholera, dysentery, malaria, or other dreaded diseases? YES! That was the turning point for me. Tears flowed and I remember sitting down to write a letter to loved ones in case something happened to me - then closed my computer and sat in a warmth of peace and reassurance. 

Several evenings I would just sit and listen to one of my favorite artists, Matt Papa, sing about missions and healing and what God does when we obey. There's a specific song called Heal Me that you have to download - but in case you don't - here are the lyrics: 

 Heal me Jesus, Heal me

My heart is dire, I'm so tired
Touch me, make me new again
Heal me Jesus, Heal me

Hold me Father, Hold me
My hands are shaking, I am breaking 
Hold me close now to Your chest 
Hold me Father, Hold me

Save me Savior, Save me
This sin's so heavy that I carry
Change me, wrap me with Your grace
Save me Savior, Save me

Fill me Spirit, fill me
I need Your power, fall like a shower 
Teach me, help me to do Your will 
Fill me Spirit, fill me

Use me, Lord please use me
I know I'm frail O but I am here Lord 
Use me, Lord please use me
For Your Kingdom and Your Glory 
I am weak but You are holy
So use me, Lord please use me 

This song ministers to my soul in so many ways. 

I don't know how else to explain it, but this trip was a different type of trip. Maybe God was personally dealing with me on releasing fear. Through boarding, flight, and landing there was just a looming sense of worry - even though I had peace. Moses and my Daddy met me at the airport and boy was I ready to be on the ground and to be able to stretch out horizontally in a vehicle and sleep! 

Apparently I had not worried enough. It was time for more. It took about 30 minutes into our 4 hour trip for me to realize that the van we were riding in was having major problems. So, for the next 3 hours we would stop and tighten something under the hood, rev the engine, and drive for 10 miles before doing it again - at least 20 times more. During the day this wouldn't have been a big deal. We would have just sat at the "fitter's" (repair shop) and waited forever for them to repair it and get back on the road. But it was evening. Around midnight. And the looming story of one of our ministry workers getting into trouble with robbers on the roadside a few weeks ago was VERY fresh on my mind. How would we handle the van breaking down in this area? Selfishly I was concerned at what someone could steal from our vehicle if approached. A month's worth of ministry expense cash, iThings, and a computer to name a few. So I sang and cried and prayed and sang Ghana songs, prayed more, begged God a little, and could not figure out why this van was not working properly. Didn't God know we were about to come upon the exact place where the robbery had occurred? Couldn't we just spend the night somewhere and pass through that place in the daylight? So after 20 breakdowns there wasn't much else I could do. We still had to get to Fosu (15 minutes away) and then head to Kotokata (45 more minutes). Then something happened. Pretty miraculous even. The van started going. And it DID NOT STOP until we pulled up into the village of Kotokata that I called my other home. 

The next morning we hardly made it back to the repair shop and sat and worked on a severe problem for at least 150 hours it felt like. How did that van make it back in the middle of the night - through the "scary  place"? 

Well, that was just God trying to prove to me that He really does have all areas of my life under control.

Stop to Celebrate

So I do a lot of thinking, but sometimes I don't stop to put it down in words. That's evident by my "Most Likely to Never Be Updated" blog! I get too busy - and that's a pitiful excuse - but the truth nonetheless.

There's this really big soccer/futbol/world cup thing going on right now. My brother in law is a soccer person. He has lots of soccer-y stuff - except maybe the plastic horn thing that they blow throughout the entire game. Tonight several of us were sitting around watching the USA vs Ghana qualifying game. I put on a Ghana jersey and had to get Steve to explain the rules of the game. I stalk blogs, not ESPN. I know my way around Hobby Lobby but couldn't tell you what sports have a half or a quarter or a period, etc.... So I was an impromptu soccer fan for the night (and actually enjoyed it!)

If you're unaware, I lived in Ghana for a year and a half and saw a lot of soccer there. I didn't know what was going on - I just know it is really something Ghanaians take seriously! One evening I was pouting about something (can't remember now) and was in my bedroom in Accra resting moping on my cot. It was hot or I was irritated or someone hurt my feelings - something along those lines. Everyone else was in the living room cheering for one of the Black Stars' games. All of a sudden you could hear a roar - up and down the streets, around the neighborhood, all of the surrounding area! GOALLLLLLLLL! It almost scared me to death, but thankfully it was a happy sound. My room windows were open and the sound resonated for several minutes. 

It took me a minute to stop having a pity party to realize the joy surrounding me. I had chosen not to be a part of it. I was doing what we all tend to do sometime and just assumed other people can enjoy life - but I'm gonna be mad. It really put some things into perspective for me that night. With all the cheering, you couldn't help but get excited. Many around me were so much happier.. 

How often do we refuse to stop and celebrate because we don't see what we are going through as a reason to celebrate? We get so used to trying to post something to impress someone or write something that will mean more or worry about not getting what we want - that we forget that the daily ins and outs of our life are where God has us for a reason. We can be taught. We can choose to celebrate little victories or chances to do things differently. 

This scenario has been on my mind this afternoon, even though this happened in 2009. I sometimes don't remember the things I did 3 days ago. I'm thankful for this memory. I want to stop and celebrate during days of adventure and days that are a bit more mundane. 

Shoebox Shipping Info

One reason I like to register to pay for OCC Shoebox shipping online is that you find out where your box is headed. I was excited to see this via email :)

Why I Pack Shoeboxes

Each year since I can remember, I've spent October planning to pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes through Samaritan's Purse. Over 100 million boxes have been sent to children in over 130 countries. This number excites me and encourages me to participate year after year.

I wanted to share what I put in 2 of my boxes this year to give you an idea of how you can pack so much into a little package! I use the clear shoeboxes from Wal-Mart (but make sure the lid fits securely).

Here are the items I included in a 5-9 year old BOY box:

Hygiene:
Comb, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Soap (in sandwich bag), Washcloth, Bandaids

School:
Crayons, Flashcards, Eraser, Sharpener, Pencil Case, Pencils, Pens, Glue Stick, Scissors, Notepad

Toys:
Activity Book, Reading Book, Ball, Car, Harmonica

Other:
Handkerchief, Drawstring Bag, Socks, Flashlight, Batteries, Hard Candy          



Here are the items I included in a 10-14 year old GIRL box:

Hygiene:
Comb, Brush/Mirror, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Soap, Loofah, Bandaids, Deodorant, Manicure set, Headbands

School:
Colored Pencils, Flashcards, Eraser, Sharpener, Pencil Case, Pencils, Pens, Glue Stick, Scissors, Notepad, Ruler, Bookmarks

Toys:
Activity Book, Reading Book, Purse

Other:
Handkerchief, Socks, Flashlight, Batteries, Hard Candy, Wallet, Sewing Kit

I use a handkerchief for 2 reasons: 1) To wrap the inside of the box and hide the contents until opening the lid and 2) To use in daily life (After living overseas in Ghana I know many uses for them!)


That's HOW I pack shoeboxes.




But this is WHY I pack shoeboxes...

For these boys.

For this sweet child. 

For these girls who are so precious to God.

It's not too late to grab some items and get a box ready. Use this website to find a drop off location close to your area. Boxes need to be dropped off during the week of November 18th-25th. It only costs $7 to ship and you can print labels online. Make it a project with your spouse, friends, children, or grandchildren. Even my 7 month old niece helped "pick" what books and baby dolls she wanted in her box.

Use this time of year to bless children who God loves. You'll in return receive a huge blessing as well. I know I have.