I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining
toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the
prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

I recently got this in my 'daily verse' email & coincidentially read it last week during some sweet Jesus time.   This verse is a poingnant reflection of what my thoughts are at the moment.   I'm so thankful for God's grace and glad I can rest in the fact that I don't have to have already 'taken hold if it'.   "It" being perfection.  But what I do strive for, is to press on.   In a near verse, Paul says he takes hold of that for which Christ took hold of him.   (angiephrased)

Christ loves us.  Not a future version of us, but us in the now.   He doesn't stop at that, but loves us through our transformation & gives us the ability (courage/confidence/strength) to continue in this growth process called the Christian Faith.  

**full of joy**

Today marked a special day for me (as well as the rest of the world - yes Beijing Olympics!) as it was the first day I was officially able to be free from my chicken pox confinement.  I have been at home, filling time with sleeping/reading/watching tv/desperately cleaning my room or the house - for the last 6 days!  And today - even though I'm not 100% yet, I decided to lift my personal ban on society.   I went downtown to visit a friend. Very monumental for me today.

I usually take the lightrail, but was running late..so I caught it at a later station on the line. (no big deal right?)   As i was driving down there, i noticed it started raining - and eventually pouring down harder...  By the time i park my car to get onto the train, it is hailing and violently torrenting rain sideways.  From the dash to the train, i am soaked thoroughly from head to toe.  I look at myself and have to laugh.  Ok.  I'm on the light rail.  Good stuff....

Then the next station down, the lights go out on the train and the air quits working. "Hmm," I thought to myself, "This doesn't sound like a good thing."  The drivers voice breaks over the intercom, that the power substation was struck by lightening & we will be waiting a while. But, only 20 minutes later the power comes back on and the train toodles it's way to each destination.  Before I get off, i notice the puddle of water that has colleceted around me & laugh as i step off to my destination.

The evening was great (despite my drenched self).  A cup of coffee later & good conversation - We proceed to catch our connections to our seperate destinations.   Ah me....The lightrail is not working permanently. They say it might be HOURS before it comes back on.  So, thinking myself to be relatively street saavy, I found a connecting bus (middle of a friday night, alone, downtown, foreign bus route) to my car's location.  Fortunately, i DID park at the 'later station', because otherwise there would be no connecting busses to my original lightrail stop. (well, not until 5am monday)   See, even in me being late - God was watching out for me....

All in all.  An adventurous evening of public transportation.  And I open tomorrow...erm today for work. 

Hey Everyone.  (those of you who are still xanga/facebook RSS saavy) I'm back from Guatemala & decided to update.  I have a mood to write, so I'm taking advantage of it for the moment.

Guatemala. 
It was a great great missions trip.  My team was absolutley wonderful and such a blessing to work with.  Our translators were amazing and a lot of fun.  I think this is one of the trips that our translators (Mariana, Luisa, Daniel & the Pablos) really connected and became a part of the team.  Our Global Partners (Hermano Santos & Rosita & Deborah) were so much fun & they have a heart for the villages we were working to reach.

The ministry itself was quite varied.  We did a myriad of things throughout the week, which caused us to divide the team in a stay-home group and a travel-far group each day.  I think it worked out very well.  We built a home for a family, did much door-to-door ministry (which was very exciting thanks to Rosita), Street meeting-drama style ministry sites, and School VBS ministry....not to mention going to a Children's Hospice and getting a 20 minute spot on Guatemalan national television!   Wow!   (over 8 million people reached that day!)

Home
I finish my first summer course in 3 weeks, and begin my second summer course next week.  I'm looking forward to it, but it will definitly be a lot of work:  4 hours / day of German conversation!   Wow!  I'm going to have to read up on my german! ( i have Spanish on my brain at the moment).  I begin my student teaching august 11th, or somewhat sooner.   I like Guatemalan Coffee. 

Up & Coming
Hmm.  I'm planning, at the moment to go on a Holiday missions trip this Christmas break.  If you want to go, and can't get summers off - call me!  There's a spot for you, I'm sure of it.  I'm not exact on the location I will be going for the holidays; but as soon as I know, you'll be the next to find out.  

I have decided to go to school one more semester & get my international business minor along with German & Secondary Education.  I could officially graduate in December, but will wait until I get the aforementioned minor.  The major decision for this move is that the spring semester is completely complements of the government!  I was looking at it, and thinking - what a blessing!   It's amazing that God is giving me this opportunity to get my int'l minor in business. 

Ok, that's enough for now.  I don't want to burn your retinas. 

Blessings!  And thank you for praying for me on the Guatemala trip!   I felt your prayers.