+I am thankful for 5 wonderful months of concluding my ministry in another country
+I am especially thankful for my relationships with Anya and Dasha, and sharing my heart and knowledge of God and the Bible with them
+I am thankful for nearly 16 months of a wonderful adventure with Trevor
+I am thankful I had the opportunity to travel to Hungary
+I am thankful I had the opportunity to return to Belarus in November and also spend time in Lithuania and Germany
+I am thankful that I have been able to donate blood again State-side
+I am thankful that I was able to celebrate Christmas this year with my family and many new wonderful people who will soon be called my family as well
+I am thankful for my Labor Day vacation in Washington, DC and Annapolis, MD with 3 wonderful people
+I am thankful I got to take Anya and Trevor to my favorite beach
+I am thankful for having had the chance to reconnect with many family members and friends far away, after long stretches of time apart - the Johnnies in Cincinnati, DC and Durham; Rachel; Jennifer; Joseph; Molly & Nate; Vita; Lauren & Eian; Robert; Andrei; the Belarusians; family in Alabama...
+I am thankful for friends who were married this year - 4 weddings which I was able to attend, and 6 weddings (2 Belarusian weddings) which I could not attend
+I am thankful for friends who welcomed little children into their lives this year, or who will soon! And of course, that their little ones are healthy and bringing joy to their parents.
+I am thankful for the excitement over engagements - my own and those of at least 2 of my dear friends
+I am especially thankful that the Lord has been faithful to sustain my family through much change, and fills us with joy and hope over the future
+I am very thankful for being healthy, and for my family and friends also being healthy
+I am thankful for a whole summer that I was given to serve Anya while she sojourned here in America
+I am thankful for my grandmother who is about to turn 98!
+I am thankful for my few, new friends in Kentucky
+I am thankful for old friends who are intentional to keep in touch with me
+I am thankful for friends who celebrated Advent with us, and for the Lord making our time sweet and meaningful
+I am thankful for work to pay my bills
+I am thankful for opportunities I have for photography, and sharing this hobby with others
+I am thankful for people who read and comment on my blog, people who care about me, who call me up and ask me how I'm doing. I especially am thankful for those who sent me mail and called me while I was still in Belarus. I am thankful for having felt loved.
+I am thankful for joy-filled surprises this past year
+I am thankful for my dog, Alyosha!
+I am thankful for the Lord's help and protection for my friends in other countries
+I am thankful for the generosity of others showered upon me this past year
+I am thankful for the roof over my head, the warm bed I have to sleep in (yay IKEA!), and food for the table
+I am thankful for all the travel I experienced, and that I was kept safe and secure through it all
+I am thankful for the wonderful music I've been able to enjoy live this year, mainly, Over the Rhine
+I am thankful for those who share my joy and excitement for my upcoming marriage, those who support me in this venture, for those who love Trevor just as they love me, and those who see God's goodness and plan in bringing us together
+I am thankful for every prayer that was prayed on my behalf and the people who prayed
+I am thankful for new experiences
+I am thankful for the churches I have enjoyed being a part of in Belarus and Kentucky. I am also thankful for the individuals who I can gather with every week for fellowship and Bible study.
+I am thankful for God giving me the blessing of being a part of the Kingdom come in Belarus and at home in the States
+I am thankful for Jesus and His love and mercy showered over me and granted to me day by day!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
2008 thanksgivings
new year 09 already!?
I am sitting in an office working a fairly new job (this is still my first month), wondering how it is that December 31st is already here and 2009 upon us?!
Many years ago, I would make huge lists of resolutions. Later the list narrowed, then list categories were made, and eventually, the resolutions disappeared altogether, the practice abandoned.
I like to set goals, I think it's a good thing.
I like to reflect, too.
But resolutions just sort of became the be-all, end-all list of everything practical and impractical. And the result is usually just discouragement, or it just gets forgotten and never tackled.
When I was in Belarus in 2006, we rang in 2007 with prayer. I'd like to continue in that vein of thought and heart as well as practice.
I will end 2008 with a list of thanksgivings for this year. Will you join me?
I will then embark into 2009 with a list of things I anticipate, with perhaps a few more realistic goals that I invite accountability on to tackle!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
amazing show, amazing venue.
Trevor + I caught Over the Rhine at a special performance after getting free tickets just for buying and waiting patiently for the delayed release of their Live from Nowhere album Volume Three. It was a small holiday gathering at the former St. Elizabeth's church in Norwood, Ohio. The inside of this church had the exposed brick, peeling walls, and breathtaking stained glass windows. It was funky and fun. They had belgian waffles and coffee brewing for the taking, were raising money for World Vision, and gave an awesome fun show. The place was so packed that Trevor and I ended up sitting in the center aisle of the church, about 15 feet from Karin Bergquist. This was the 5th time we've seen Over the Rhine which has become the semi official band of our relationship. We jump at the chance to take in their music. You feel a part of this wonderful music family... and it's lovely.
They are playing at Ram's Head in Annapolis on February 5th... if you're there, you must go. You won't be disappointed...
snow prints.
Alyosha and his momma walked side by side one early snowy morn at 6am... all was calm, all was quiet... and we were the first to disturb the blanket of snow. Peaceful winter...
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
help, someone? (and no, i'm not bothering to ask obama or mccain)
the presidential election is one week away. pretty hard to believe. and i am becoming convinced that none of the political candidates for any party deserve my vote. i am unconvinced that any of them have the "kingdom values" that i have. so it becomes a decision of either aligning myself with a candidate with whom i dislike but dislike slightly less than the other candidates, or aligning myself with the only person to share my values, Jesus. if anyone has a convincing argument on why i should align myself and give my vote to another messed up human being who will, like every president before and to come, mess up our country and world more, feel free to share. i just feel like rebelling and not voting for unworthy candidates.
if it's about choosing the lesser of two evils, tell me, why even bother choosing an evil, albeit lesser? seriously now. i am on the fence about even voting in this election.
i'm also reading an interesting book, Jesus for President, which I am sure is not helping my undecided-voterness.
Monday, October 20, 2008
what iraqis are saying.
Leading up to the presidential election in 2004, I read a lot of various blogs about the war in Iraq. There was an American journalist who kept a blog as he followed around a squadron in Baghdad, there were the angry and angst-ridden Iraqis who produced diatribes day in and out on the political situation, and there were reasoned arguments (pro-America and con-America) and observations made by other Iraqi citizens. It was a big melting pot of those both informing and opining.
One blog I always came back to time and time again, Iraq the Model.
Recently, I've been revisiting their stuff. It's interesting to say the least, to read the opinions of Iraqis. Here's their latest installment.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Ordinary Radicals
Last night, I had the opportunity to view an interesting independent documentary film at the Kentucky Theater called The Ordinary Radicals.
It is unfortunate that they are giving so few viewings of this film, but if you have the chance to see it, I would highly recommend it. I felt that most of the people watching the film who heard about it were not necessarily the ones who should and needed to see this film. The ones who should see this film would be the professing Christians who would get a little disturbed or uncomfortable about the challenges inherent in the documentary's content, or the non-believers who have been put off by the church/Christianity in general or more specifically the hypocrisy therein (or even hypocrisy in me), or thirdly those who perhaps have just become disillusioned/disconnected with their own faith. (If you suspect I have you in mind as you read this, you're right - I do.) Yet for people who want to aspire to be such ordinary radicals and are trying to put their "hands to work and hearts to God," this film was also an encouragement and inspiration in its own right. (I speak personally.) This film, as the director said, would perhaps be a good film to watch alongside of the movie Religulous. I have not yet seen that film, but it appears that two non-Christians find two different angles of showing people of faith. The director posited, however, that his documentary was much more removed in a "google earth" kind of way, not pushing a certain idea, premise, or conclusion.
Some of the most compelling aspects of this project were that, 1, the people behind the film consist of a professing Roman Catholic, a professing Evangelical, and a non-believer. To see how they all dove into a vision for their community (the simple way in Philly/Kensington), together, and for becoming ordinary radicals is encouraging to me. 2, it is fascinating that the director, Jamie, is not a believer, yet feels completely at home with evangelicals and wanted to bring his experiences with them to the screen. This brought up many interesting questions for us both in the Q&A session with him as well as afterwards, at one of our favorite establishments, Common Grounds -- namely, if you take Christ out of this movement, would there be any difference? In the end we had a sort of "yes and no" kind of answer...
If you have thoughts on the role of social justice and caring for people body and soul and the role of the body of Christ, I'd love to hear them. If you have thoughts about this documentary if you've been able to see it, I'd also love to hear them. If you want to see the documentary but are unable to, let me know because I know some people who might be getting a copy you could watch.
Check out the website, linked above, and the trailer, HERE.
You can also check out the site for the book that forms a center to the whole film, Jesus For President, HERE.
forgetfulness?
I've been asked a few times by different folks if it is hard to drive now that I'm back from Belarus. My reply is usually, no, not really. But I have discovered I am a bit more forgetful and scatter-brained, which could make for poorer driving... I have been known to decide mentally to go one route while driving, then totally miss the street or ramp I was supposed to get on, only realizing it moments or even minutes later, thereby heading in the wrong direction and having to figure out a way to change my route. Or I have just been in one of those "head in the clouds" kind of fogs at other times. Perfect example was a few nights ago. I drive home, pick up Trevor from visitor parking, and we both come to my apartment building, park the car, we get out and go inside. Trevor later leaves in his car back at visitor parking, and I stay in for the night. The next morning I get in the car, while taking a call on my cell. I mentally think, wow, the sun is really bright this morning. My car is so light! So I think, I must have left the sun roof shade open to let the sunlight in through the window in my roof.... but after I hang up, I look up, and no... I had not left the shade open, I had left the sunroof window itself open! All freaking night. And when I got in my car, it was raining. Yes, my console and seats were starting to get wet. What is bizarre, to me, about this situation was that not only did *I* not notice in my head in the clouds kind of state the night before, but neither did Trevor... two of us, completely oblivious to the fact that I was leaving my sunroof open all night long. I just wonder if this forgetfulness, unobservant nature of late has anything to do with my culture adjustments? Or am I just growing forgetful with age? (I am, after all, way past the quarter of a century mark) Hmm.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
doctrine / relationship
"I think God gives us our doctrine [our ideas about God] to see if theology will take the place of relationships with people."
"'Anything you can believe, I can believe better' is the mentality we get into."
-Trevor Durbin
Trevor + I talked about community on one of our recent long drives together. I jotted down these comments he spoke because they resonated with me as profound truth. The reason divisions exist in the church is the belief that one church has doctrine and practice "right" and another "wrong." Or perhaps, one place has it "good" but another church has it "better." We may all admit that we have brothers and sisters in Christ outside of our denomination, but there's a reason we've chosen the church home we have. Do we subconsciously pass judgment on anyone else - another brother or sister - in a different church? I know it doesn't always happen, but I think it can definitely be there. Do we leave room for the preferences of others or do we claim that a difference of opinion (on such "non essential" matters) actually becomes essential, needing to be identical to our own? This can apply to doctrinal beliefs or practice of faith, worship services or music or...
Then the bigger question: what happens to our relationships with other people? Will we show them love and acceptance, and as Justin McRoberts has sung "meet [them] at the cross"? Or will we isolate them from ourselves and "our" community (whether physically or just mentally separating them from ourselves), forgetting that we are also flawed?
Thoughts?
Godfather.
In our string of movie watches, we've recently watched Rebel Without a Cause, The Maltese Falcon, The Godfather, and The Godfather, Part II.
Now, I hear Part III of The Godfather is not worth watching, so I'm not necessarily going to rent it unless someone would recommend it. As for the first two Godfather movies, both were very good and yet excessively long. It appeared to me that the first was more of a traditional, gunning down kind of Mafia flick, whereas the second was much more vindictive, insidious, two-faced kind of conflict. We always spotted when oranges would pop up in the movie, knowing that shortly after someone was going to die. (I was unaware of this connection before Trevor mentioned it... they appear A LOT in the second movie.)
We had an interesting discussion after Rebel, wondering, why is he without a cause? To me, he seemed to be the only character without an agenda, he was just having to react to his surroundings.
We have The Grapes of Wrath on hand... I'm hoping the movie is better than the book... I had to read that book twice and the first time, as an 8th grader, was painful enough to sort of scar me for a while from reading any more Steinbeck. I have subsequently read Of Mice and Men, and I hear that East of Eden is good, but it hasn't exactly topped my must-read list...
Friday, October 10, 2008
lessons in seeing.
i've been enjoying playing with blurring shots intentionally.
i've also been enjoying a new photographic subject -- other photographers. I like to watch others at work for a shot, to see how they see things, what grabs their eye... and inevitably my eye is grabbed by the one behind the lens... ((it also helps when the one behind the lens is your fiance...))
this shot is perhaps my favorite from my labor day trip to DC - the intentional blur, the silhouette of the photographer, shot at night before a brightly lit edifice of brick and mortar towering over corrupt politicians and innocent children at play alike...
