If there's anything that gets me riled, it's politics... and of course, only if someone is obviously bias, or if I don't agree with them. The someone not agreeing with me is mostly due to my sin-nature... I like being "right" I like to be on the "winning" side of the argument... who doesn't? But it's when people are spouting off things without bothering to think of the other side or other options... that is what bugs me. I've caught myself doing it before... I will admit, but only when I get on a roll.  But I was talking to a friend the other night, and we both came to the same conclusion. We both cannot stand it when people have flawed logic. It bugs the ba-gee-bers outta us! As he put it "sometimes I just want to stop them and say 'do you know how moronic you sound right now?'"  I thought it was pretty funny, and a really good conversation.
Number one, I like it when people agree with me, at makes for a more fun conversation.
Number two, I like it when people open up to me... being real and talking about real things is my delight. It's like dessert.
Number three, I like it when people can be honest with me, and I can be honest with them. This may seem to contradict number one, and it may, but number three is better... but only if we can both be comfortable being honest with each other and we can agree or disagree in love.
Number four, I like talking about things that really matter. Deep things, serious things, usually eternal things, things that make me want to change the way I view the world, the way I treat/see people, the way I live my life, the way I interact with God.
Number five, I like it when I can share what the Lord is doing in my life and the things He's teaching me or the things I'm chewing on and vise versa. There's just something about talking about what the Lord is teaching you, or listening to what the Lord it teaching a friend that is just so encouraging. It's almost magical... in a very not-witchcraft-or-anything-demonic-or-superstitious type way.

Anyways, I'm rambling and tired because I haven't been getting enough sleep at night. But all due to pretty good things.

Other than that. I need to stop lying.
why is it so easy to lie? Especially to people you love? If things bother me, why can't I say just that things bother me?

Maybe that's not it. Maybe I don't need to stop lying as much as I need to start loving.

I need to accept people as they are and love them anyway.

If I loved them so much, than what they do/say wouldn't bother me because it would be swallowed up by the  love of God and I wouldn't have to lie to them.
Possible? Too idealistic? An excuse not to confront? Something that truly can be done but only with the Lord?

chewing on this... you chew too.

just don't tell me if you disagree, just kidding

I can't believe I'm 25.
I can't believe my sister is 18.
I can't believe my brother will be 20.

Lately conversations have been centered around reluctancy to grow up due to having to act "mature" and taking on more responsibilities. My brother and sister are against "growing old." Not that I embrace it, it's just that I think you can grow more responsible and still have fun. My brother once told me that whenever he's scared of getting old, he thinks of me and how much of a kid I still am, and it makes him feel better.
The truth is, when I stop and think about it, I do feel old. Especially now that it's the new year.

This morning me and my two good friends of 10 years or so, went to the beach to usher in the new year. As we watched the sun rise on the horizon, I thought about 2009 and all the things that this year will bring.

As I think about packing up my life, it feels familiar in a way, and yet I know it be completely different. All the other times I've packed up my life in boxes, going to college, moving home, going to my internship, Chicago Semester, it's all been temporary. This is the first time I'm going to be experiencing any type of permanence.

A couple years ago, any type of permanence would have scared me stiff. Now, I am excited to see where this life leads. I always find myself running from permanent things because I would always fear that there was something better out there for me, and if I settled for something permanent, I'd miss whatever else that was that I could be experiencing. (Great, no one is going to want to date me now ) But now that I know that working at GFA is exactly where God has placed me, and I find so much joy in it, the permanency no longer scares me. In fact, it draws me.

2009. The horizon. A whole new year. A move in the direction of permanency.

If God has turned my life this upsidedown already, I can't want to grow so much more in Him.

Please pray for my grandmother.

She was admitted into the hospital yesterday due to stroke-like symptoms. She will be there until Saturday for testing. So far all the tests have come back negative and the doctors, neurologists, etc. are puzzled. If there is nothing found by Saturday, she will be moved to an intensive care rehab facility where she will be undergoing intense physical therapy to see if she can walk again.

 My family and I will be spending Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the couple days after at the hospital with my grandmother.

 Please pray that the doctors/nurses will find out what is wrong so the next steps to help her can be taken.

Pray that God would heal my grandmother.

Pray that God would be glorified.

 She is 89 years old. And pray for peace and love to abound in our family during all of this.

so, no one reminded me to write my Bridge of Hope child!
*gah!*

I was going to blog, but little Eli comes first...
He'll be 12 next month!

He's probably not so little anymore...
in fact, he's probably taller than I am!

Okay Eli, a special birthday card just for you!
...if only I had stickers other than flowers...

Today I realized that my child would be having a birthday soon, in December.
My Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope child, that is...

I remember last year sending him a card I made in October, hoping it would get there by his birthday in December.

He wrote me two letters after that... the last one being somewhere around March.

I have yet to write him back, or pray for him very often.

I prayed for little Eli today (I call him "Eli" because I can't pronounce his real name, it's pretty complicated) and I thought "I sure hope I'm not the only one praying for little Eli, because if so, he's probably a heathen!"

I thank God that His plans and His grace go beyond my prayers and my birthday cards...

So a reminder to all you Western "parents" out there who have "children" around the world... write to them, pray for them... yours may be the only prayers they get every day...