Home sweet Home

Life has been a bit hectic lately, but once again I find myself settled into a new home.  This time it is a large gray bus, that has been transformed into a camper of sorts.  I don't have a way to cook, wash dishes, or keep food cool, but I have a bed, and a table and electricity, as well as a place to store my many books, though how I will read them all before leaving I don’t know.

A few afternoon's ago Melody and I were invited to hang out with David at the hanger where his plane is being rebuilt.  It is fun seeing this young mans dreams coming to fulfillment.   He has wanted to be a pilot since he was a little kid, and now he is taking lessons and helping to fix up his own plane.  Melody took some pictures of me scrapping stuff off the windows.  I think it is kind of cool how only the red appears.  

“Leaving On a Jet Plane” (August 18th)

Every few days I would turn on my computer and go to one of the many sites a plane ticket can be purchased at. I put in my destination and the dates I wanted to leave and waited while a price was figured out. Time and time again I was disappointed to see prices like 1600, or even 3,000 for this one way ticket. ( I cant buy round trip as my return date is too far into the future so I figured that need into my month to month budget)

So the other day I checked in for a second time that day (mornings price was 15,800 and guess what came up $787. Praise the Lord!!! I was so thrilled. It will get me to one of the main cities in the nation….I will still need to get a second ticket to get to my town but that should only be a 17 hour bus ride or an hour long flight for 60-150 bucks.

Just so you know I will be taking the plane for I don’t want to mess with juggling my luggage (two suitcases, packed full of books, a carry on with my laptop, and my guitar as I take two city buses and a ferry ride just to reach the right bus station. All in a language, I don’t speak.

Keep praying all the needs come in!

$60-150 dollars for second leg of journey

1170 committed monthly support. I have 355 committed by word!!!!! though so far I am only seeing 145 coming in each month. So pray that God blesses those who are remembering to give, reminds those who may have forgotten, and speaks to those He has chosen to be a part of this ministry.

Once committed support comes in all the rest of the needs will fall into place $430 worth of books, computer programs and games, a few movies I want to take and give to the girls (and their family) for a detailed list see my last newsletter or email me)

$410-549 for the Complete Rosetta Stone Language course. I did level one a few years back when I first visited the land. It was great, I learned an incredible amount of vocabulary. Which means I actually understood the subject of a lot of conversations happening around me, but I didn’t know enough to converse back. Levels 2 and 3 should really build on that.

One more need, I need to find a temporary home for the next 6 weeks. Ideally a camper, or motor home, parked right here at Nicholson’s until I leave (the camper I’m staying in needs to be used July 1-5 and again in late July and again in Early August. If necessary I can camp out in the back of my truck, but that is not the most ideal option.

Can we command God?

My initial response is “of course not- No Way!!!  He is God, we are not; end of story”.

I heard an interesting sermon yesterday, it was all about faith being like a hinge on a door in our lives.  We can have Faith in God and see the blessings and favor of the Lord upon our lives and circumstances.  The majority of the passages used were the ones usually used in messages on faith, we read the account of Jesus cursing the fig tree, of our faith needing to only be as big as a mustard seed, of saying to the mountain move to the sea,  and of havening confidence that when we ask according to God’s will we can know that we will receive whatever we asked for, of faith being the evidence and substance of what we are hoping for. It was a good message but nothing I haven’t heard before.   He then referred to a verse in in Isaiah 45 that absolutely shocked me.

Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: "Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me. - Isaiah 45:11

My mouth dropped open, it seems so arrogant for the creation to command the Creator.  Yet at the same time we are instructed to Come Boldly before the Throne.  I spent most of yesterday and some of this morning pondering those words.  I dug out a lexicon just to see if Command might of meant ask….it doesn't, it literally means to command, to order, to commission, to charge.  God is telling us that we can ask Him of things to come and we can command the works of His hands.    Think about that, will you.

God responds to our prayers, our pleas and even our declarations.  It is because we are His children that we can come to His throne with Awe and with Confidence that He will hear us and He will answer.

There are times in our lives when we don't really know the will of God and so we ask, Father should we?…..will you please….?  Is it Your will….? .  And there are other times where we know the will of God, we never need to ask God “is it His will to bring a lost person to Him.  We know that  is His desire.  We don’t ask in those times we speak forth, we declare, we command.  God open their eyes, touch their lives, set them free.  Lord heal, Lord Save, Father provide.

Is it the Desire of your Heavenly Father, your heavenly King to care for and provide for you, to open doors of opportunity for you, to heal, to protect you and those He has made in His image?. 

What circumstances, and mountains seem to be looming over you.  Speak to the Mountains, boldly charge God to move mightily on your behalf.   Walk in the authority He has bestowed upon you.

For me, it increases my faith, not just in trusting Him to provide for me as I serve overseas, but in trusting Him to bring restoration and reconciliation in the relationships of my life.  In moving the mountains of impossibility that stand between me and some of the desires God has placed upon my heart.

Going Away for the the week

It is rodeo camp week and it still hurts like he** not to be involved.  So I decided to skip town for the week.  It makes it easier and besides this way I don’t seem rude to the parents and instructors who know I’m near enough to swing by.

This next phase of my life will be wonderful, and really I don’t regret anything…it’s just I have invested 8 years of my life into this camp and the families who attend.  I love those kids…and  it hurts to be so near yet so far away……

So I’m off to spend a few days with my friend Anna who is a paramedic in Yellowstone.  What more can a gal ask for then good friends, chocolate, flowers an inspiring movie, plenty of time to be with God and beautiful scenery!

Lessons from MacGyver

“I think if you try hard enough and make the best of a situation, the situation won't get the best of you."

- MacGyver (Birth Day) Season 2

It was snowing yesterday, so I wrapped myself up in a  warm blanket, fixed me some hot chocolate and turned to YouTube to watch MacGyver.  It occurred to me that we all could a learn a lot from this man. 

Like instead of getting overwhelmed by the obstacles he looks for the possibilities.  He has a great can do attitude, and he will fight with everything he has,for those in need and for a cause he believes in.  Last of all anyone who can seal leaks with chocolate bars or make explosives out of pine cones is pretty cool in my book.

here are some other MacGyver quotes I found on line

"Everybody makes mistakes once in a while. The trick is learning to live with it." - MacGyver (Ugly Duckling)

"Another day, a whole 'nother set of fresh possibilities . . . I'm a sucker for mornings." - MacGyver (Slow Death)

“A good relationship is alot like a car. If you want it to work smoothly, you gotta put alot of work into it, and have the right tools." - MacGyver (Three for the Road)

“A man once said, "When you make a friend, you take on a responsibility." - MacGyver (Fire and Ice)

“It's occurred to me that some friendships are like a good game of hockey. The right balance of teamwork and smooth skating generally adds up to a winning combination."               MacGyver (Easy Target)

Pete: Are you okay?
MacGyver: No. But I'll live

MacGyver: Egg whites are good for a lot of things - lemon meringue pie, angel food cake, and clogging up radiators

Expect the Unexpected!

Yesterday afternoon, I sat with the Nicholson kids playing some computer game.  Melody the eldest girl came downstairs modeling two jackets, “Which should be my summer camping jacket?  I don't want to be cold.”  she added as explanation.  She was wearing a lighter-weight, yet still warm Patagonia and in her hands held a bulky camouflage printed winter coat. 

A few moments later she packed the heavier of the two jackets in a large tub with her other winter attire.  She was ready for summer.

This morning I woke up and looked out the window only to see everything covered in a wintery white.  It had snowed.  I was surprised but really nothing should surprise me about Wyoming weather.  I have seen it snow it June many times before.  In fact I can recall snow on two separate 4th of July celebrations.  And of course it can snow in August and September.  The saying goes if you don't like the weather in Wyoming wait five minutes and it will change.

The weather patterns here remind me of  life.  One never knows what to expect.  As a kid I wanted to go overseas and help people.  I had seen some special on feeding hungry children and wanted to join the Peace Corp.   As I grew older and read stories on teaching and teachers who really made a difference in children's lives I decided I wanted to be a teacher or a social worker.  Of course there had always been the love for horses and animals in general.  I longed to find a way to put it all together.  So I enrolled in College taking classes in both equestrian studies and Early education. 

Funny thing is I never finished school, I accepted the Lord and was so hungry for the Word that I had little interest in reading a textbook, besides I hated college.  It was not my thing. 

So I took a year off to do a DTS (Discipleship Training School)  And felt God calling me into Missions.  It was a big decision, for I was sure it would mean giving up all my dreams to pursue Gods.  And as a full missionary is how I have spent the last 8 years of my life.

  Most of time was spent running Rodeo Camps for kids (hmm horses and children)  producing rodeos and reaching out to families across rural Wyoming.  I have been overseas, working on ranches in Argentina, doing dramas in Brazil, playing with village children in Lesotho, helping expecting mothers in Turkey, volunteering in Kyrgyz orphanages, Homeschooling in Tajikistan, teaching English in Pakistan and in about 8 short weeks I will be moving back overseas to teach 6th and 8th grade for two American girls, daughters of missionaries who serve in a Muslim land that will remain unnamed since this blog is online :)

When I left my old life to pursue missions, I thought for sure I was  giving up everything I had dreamed of to follow God.  Yet He has enabled me to fulfill almost all my life goals.  He took me in un-anticipated direction, yet surprised me with the adventurous and blessing placed long that path.

“God Always Gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him”

-Hudson Taylor Missionary to China

Isa 55:9 - Show Context

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope

The New King James Version

New King James Version.
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.
Used by permission.

Sight under construction

Sorry folks, I still haven’t figured this thing out so I deleted everything and am starting over….any tips?