A Fiasco?!

At least it was a FUN fiasco! I had to drive about two hours north on Saturday to get the biometeric fingerprints done for my visa application. I reserved a van for the WHOLE day thinking it would take quite a while to get it all done. I walked into the office and 10 minutes later it was done! It was easy, breezy and beautiful!

Sooooo ... I had the van the whole rest of the day. I knew I was close to a few historical locations and it was decided that the rest of the day would be spent driving around looking at these sites and eating a meal of fried food (translate that to chips and ketchup .... YES!). I mostly drove around the Manassas, VA area and went to the battlefield where the Battle of Bull Run took place.

After driving around and having lunch, my friend J and I decided that if we headed back we would have plenty of time left in the afternoon to get a few things done. Unfortunantally, the flat tire and flat spare tire had other plans! One tow-truck driver later we got back.

All in all, it was a good day. I was sad that Mum and Pop were not roaming the battlefield with me, but I was thankful that the visa process went so well and I even managed to laugh at the fact that there was no operating manual in the rented van!

My .. ummm ... Room.

Here in RVA I am living in a dorm type building. I never anticipated I would be living in a dorm again after graduating from college, but here I am. At least I have my own bedroom and bathroom that I don't have to share with anyone!

So Many Thoughts.

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary,

When troubles come and my heart burdened be.

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,

Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up.. to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up.. to more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly

But when you come and I am filled with wonder

Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas

And I am strong, when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up .. to more than I can be

You raise me up .. to more than I can be.

-Selah

The only way I am strong enough for this journey in on the shoulders of my Lord. As I pack up what little is left in my life, my mind wants to wander to the saddness and struggle of all I am leaving - I cannot get to far from the truth that only in Him will I have the strength and that He is faithful to raise me up.. to more than I can be.

This song is a comfort to me. I love the words and the music. It is simply powerful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2sZuJbxi8Y.

Running the Reservation.

Me, our race buddy J, Pop

Pop has been a runner for as long as I can remember. A year and a half ago when I was cleared for physical activity with out limits, I joined him. Nearly every Saturday since then we have gone out to the detention basin near our house and run various routes and distances. It is just what we do. Together. During the week, according to our own schedules we run our miles – pounding the pavement alone. But Saturday’s are our time.

Over the past months I have challenged him to 5K and 10K races and he has helped me train for half marathons. We compare times, keep up with each other’s performance, we note mental days and the things causing them and we generally push and prod the other to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Today we ran our last race together for a long while (unless I can convince him to come and run an international half marathon with me … hint hint). We ran our favourite race – favourite for its challenging course and incredible desert beauty. It was a tough run. We fought the wind, the hills, the cold, the physical hurt and the mental walls. It was FUN!

Even as we return to our lonely weekday runs and I move far away – in my heart we will always run Saturday's together.

Surprise!

My friend, R and her husband S were wrapping up a two week trek through Alaska and it worked out that they were in Anchorage on the same Sunday I was there speaking - so they decided to come and see me! Let me just tell you, I was shocked and surprised when I looked up from my presentation to see them sitting there. It took a moment for me to recover my brain and keep going! Haha. I nearly ran off the stage to give R a hug. Of course, being the professional I am, I managed to keep it together until the end of the service, but I am sure the HUGE smile on my face was evident to the entire room.
This was the first time I got to meet S and after a brief discussion –we have decided that we can be friends. Beyond our common like of R, we both bought our coats at Burlington Coat Factory, we have the same crushproof, waterproof, smash proof and freeze proof camera and we both love Costco. Hey, friendships have been built on less!

4313 Wright Street.

When I was asked to attend the Alaska Baptist Convention’s Commissioning Service and to speak in a local church, I never dreamed of what God had in store for me! What I did know is that it got exciting quick!

Mum made a few phone calls and got in communication with Pastor J and his wife BJ. Pastor J lived down the street from us when we lived in Wyoming (back in the day) and he was our pastor there. He baptized me on a cold day in February and was a part of the beginning of my story with Christ. Pastor J and BJ live and work in Anchorage … so of course I wanted to try to see them. Mum told them I was going to be in Palmer for the convention and to speak in a local church on Sunday. Well, Pastor J took the initiative and arraigned for me to speak at the church where he attends. I have been looking for partners to support me in the endeavors of my new job since I was offered the position. God had laid on my heart several options. As I pursued each option, a few worked out and some did not. It was frustrating to seek the prayer support of others and not get it as I had anticipated. After the complete exhaustion and monumental failure of my plans, I knew I was missing something. I took some time to re-focus the task of gathering prayer support, letting God lead the way. Turns out, He had a body of believers ready and willing to join me. I just had to ask. Three weeks ago I did and University Baptist became church no. 5 for me. They are more than just church no. 5 - they are a provision from God.

Sunday, before the morning service, I had the privilege to talk to some wonderful young people. They were kind and generous for their willingness to listen to me go on and on about Scotland and my new job there and I truly had a wonderful time with them. I will have to say that my favorite part of the morning was getting to eat lunch with the youth group, several parents, Pastor J and BJ and Pastor Don and his wife. It was SO much fun to be with the kids in the youth group - to hang out and visit with them beyond what was preplanned. I learned a lot about living in Alaska and was cracked up more than once as they were talking about life! It was cool to hear of a group of young people looking for Christ’s work around them and in their lives and joining Him when they saw it. I look forward to the coming years and hearing their names as they are called out to the different fields of service God is planning for them.

I love how among a body of believers there are no strangers – that is how it was worshipping and fellowshipping with the family at UBC. They were my friends before I could even say hi and introduce myself. I look forward to the opportunity to visit with them again. Thanks guys for sharing your love of Christ with me!

Wasilla/Palmer, Alaska

I have just put another X in the box on my “been there done that” list. I just spent three short days in the last frontier state of Alaska. Frankly, I LOVED it.

I cannot decide if it felt different to be in the USA without being in the lower 48 (a popular phrase up there). It was not really like being in a foreign country and just about everyone that I met was from somewhere else before Alaska – still some part of my mind comprehended the distance between the great Alaska wilderness and the lower 48.

The trip was kicked off with a security snafu in Las Vegas, meeting up with some of my favourite co-workers in Seattle and a majestic arrival in Anchorage. They could not have had more beautiful weather if I had planned it. The skies were clear and cloud free during my tour of the Wasilla/Palmer area – so I got to take in the splendor of an unshrouded Mt. McKinley. Even the sun seemed to come out to offer a bit of a buffer between my Las Vegas blood and the 48 degree weather!I had the chance to meet up with some of my parents (before children) friends, Mr. and Mrs. E. They were gracious enough to give up there Sunday afternoon/evening to run me around the area chasing the prospect of seeing wildlife and other brilliant sights, although I got the impression that I was a great excuse for them to get out. I did manage to fail at Mr. E’s visitor challenge though, haha. He challenges everyone he takes out to stick their hand in the river and see how long they can leave it there. Well, I managed to last long enough for him to get a picture – all of about three seconds! It was super cold! Mr. and Mrs. E were even able to arrange for me to see a momma moose and her calf. Haha. Mr. E will sign an affidavit as a witness to the truth of that statement, though my only picture could arguably be to rocks in the river! A bit of advice … one day of looking is not enough time to digest the beauty of Alaska (no matter how great your tour guide is).

I went to Alaska on an invitation to participate in the Commissioning Service that would kick-off the Alaska Baptist Convention meetings. I would never dream of saying no to such an offer and the trip was a great time of meeting God through the beautiful scenery He breathed into existence and through the people who live up there. Working with other’s from my company is always a blessing and it was extra fun to get to be in Alaska with several friends from Boise. I think I spent more time laughing (laughing so hard tears were falling) than I did doing anything else. The commissioning service was a tribute to the spectacular creation of God; the worship team was awesome, the charge to the congregation deeply touching to my heart and the sharing of testimonies between each participant – it was beyond evident that only our creative and awesome God could have the foresight to bring us together at that time, at that moment.

So in reality the “been there done that box” only gets half of the X … I’ll be adding the other half after another (longer) trek north to Alaska.