Thoughts

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good. Many times we hear this or repeat this to get excited, but how true it is. I am sick right now, so deceided that I should write a little of all the random things that go on in my head. One for instance is how we (christians) try so hard to act like Jesus. We try to take out sins from our lives and replace them with attributes of Jesus. Is this wrong? It sounds good, I know, but we can't add Jesus to our lives. We have Jesus, we only need to show what is already inside of us. When we accepted Jesus and the Holy Spirit take over our hearts, we are covered in Jesus, in grace, in love. So becoming a "better" Christian has nothing to do with removing a sin -- it has to do with revealing the Christ living in us and that leads to the sin disappearing. Right now I know that my biggest sin is lack of trust in God -- and that can not just be carved out and replaced. It will only leave by looking within and trusting. Because the more I focus on the problem, the more the problem controls me. It is an exciting thought for me that I am using something I have learned in my social work studies to better my relationship with God. Build on strengths...don't just focus on what needs to be fixed (although that does have its moments), but look at what are you already doing, what doors God has open for you, and do that. I love you all and if you are reading this say a quick prayer for me to feel better. I don't mind writing here, but I won't lie that I would rather be outside of my house doing something....LOL Merry Christmas

My New Home, Yet Missing Home

Vienna, Austria. I remember coming here only for summer mission trips and sitting back thinking -- "whoa! i am in Europe!" Now I live here. :-) And with that comes just joy and heartache. The heartache is due to the holidays I know and because I have such a great family (with great sized problems -- but that runs in all families i am told). Thanksgiving was great! I took that Thursday and Friday off school and cooked a lot of treats to share. It isn't my favorite they haven't discovered the joy of having a holiday only for family and eating -- two of the things I am most thankful for. But on the other hand, they have a holiday for almost everything else! I soak up those holidays along with the American ones. hee hee Speaking of every one's favorite holiday -- I am all ready for Christmas. And by ready I mean I worried that I won't have any presents to open under my tree (which I love my little tree!) because my family mailed them to early. So the darn little boxes just sit there and wave at me -- seriously I feel bad for them, so I open them well at least one a day. After one present, my self control kicks back on. LOL And I have been having fun making cookies with children and finding them all little presents. We had a Christmas concert recently which is better described as a Christmas Talent Show, but it was so great. A lot of the families we work with at the shelter all come and watched it at the church building. Also this week we are having a Christmas party with the youth group and the shelter kids. Then on Christmas Eve, my gallant teens are waking up early and serving brunch at church. Maybe you can help me pray that they do not forget to come...I do not mind cooking...but all alone for the whole church? The other latest event in my life was my weekend trip to Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia). It is only a 45 minute trip by train, but I needed a stamp on my passport. (I can only stay in Vienna for 90 days and then I have to take a short trip..like one day until my visa comes). I got to visit the church there and even got to attend their Christmas party. It was a lot of fun and I got to practice my German a lot. You see, Slovakia used to be Czechoslovakia and so it was in the USSR, so in school besides learning Slovak and Russia, they all had to learn German. Now they must English in the schools, but all of the adults were excited to use their German. Bratislava is a very old city that has many traces of Communism still. They are beginning to build new buildings now and have a beautiful old palace. Not to mention an amazing cook..aka the mom of my friend..who made such good food. Now it is time for me to go and rummage up some food...until next time. I love you and Merry Christmas!

Christmas Donations

Merry Christmas! Frohe Weihnachten! I am so excited for Christmas this year and the chance to share it with my new friends (a little more than a little homesick too, but that comes with the territory). But if you like to help with Christmas here for the homeless kids I work with -- please feel free to send gifts to my Vienna address or money to my sponsering church (SouthWest Central Church of Christ in Houston, Texas) Thanks and Happy Holidays!

Pictures

Alicia -- the precious girl I babysit

Me -- I am so happy the first day we had snow

Reggy -- the other missionary attempting to belly dance (it was a game)

Teenage Camp Photo


 

Time Flies -- 4 Months in Vienna

Me:
The joy of the Lord will be my strength! This is what I continually remind myself when I get discouraged. Right now I feel very weak - not physically, but spiritually. I know this is because I want to see results, I want know which lives (if any) are being changed, but that knowledge is not for me to know now or maybe ever. But praise God that all of the unknowns today are being taken care of by the all-knowing God today and tomorrow. I will also admit that being a missionary is nothing like I thought it would. With my great imagination I dreamed up this ideal image and knew exactly what I was going to be doing everyday of my two years-- then the truth hit -- it isn't so easy, it requires my faith to grow everyday, i have no set schedule or responsibilities (which some may say sounds great, but it s ot for my personality), and i keep awful hours. :-) But again I say praise God for he says, " My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. "

Vienna:
My work at the shelter continues and I will say that it is one of my favorite parts of my week -- which s lucky for me because I get to go three times a week. The kids can be so precious and when they are not, I am reminded that these are times I am here for -- for the lessons to be learned and taught. Last week three little girls (8-9 yr. old) reminded of how much more we need to be praying for the kids growing up right now as they discussed which boy they should have sex with...not if, or when, but which. After my heart attack we had a little conversation about how precious they are to God and how they don't want to waste any of they time or energy on a stupid boy. Then I began praying! I am also praying for more women to do Bible studies with. I am currently only doing one 1-1 study with a woman, although still having 2 group lessons and the youth group. But my days are full with people and my nights (not my favorite) with German homework. Aber meine Duestch sind noch besser und besser jeden Tag. (But my German is better and better everyday.)

Prayers:
kids at the shelter
my relationship with the other missionary here, Reggy
the people of Vienna
the teenagers in the youth group
the church here in Vienna -- that they grow and that they want to grow
for the hearts of the women God has planned for me to study with
my knowledge of German
and always more strength, joy, and patience from the Spirit

Father, thank you for how much you love the greatest and the least and everyone in-between. Thank you for how much you show yourself in our lives in all of our blessings and especially in our trials. I love you so much and I ask that also bless each person reading this. Amen