Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something heavenly

Chaos and Peace

     I am finally leaving. I will be flying out on September 26th. It is so hard to believe after 3 years of waiting. It is bittersweet and a little overwhelming, but I know that the One that is leading me is going to take care of me every step of the way.
    Life has been crazy as I work to finish up paperwork and last minute details and as I begin condensing my life into three to four suitcases (and they can only weigh 50 pounds each).
 
 Here is a glimpse of what my life looks like right now: CHAOS!



Within the chaos, God has graciously provided me with moments and days of rest and peace!

                                     Playing in the stream behind our house with my niece and nephew.

Going camping with my family at the ocean. 

Rest - what a beautiful thing! Now I am ready to attack the chaos that is taking over my room.



Fun Times at PILAT

I had a great two weeks at PILAT in Colorado. It was so encouraging to meet others who are at the same place in life as I am. I spent the evening playing games as chatting with them and during the day we were stretching our brains together. We spent lots of time doing phonetics drills. We learned how to sharpen our ears to hear foreign sounds and how to get our mouth and tongue to make the right shape to produce the sound. Here is a video of one of our instructors and some learners. It was take a few years ago, but you can get a feel for what I spent the week doing.

We also spent a lot of time learning some practical ways to learn a new language. To do this we actually began learning a language. My group learned Mandarin. At first I couldn't even hear a difference between the word for airport and church. But after a while my ears got pretty good at it. If our teacher said "Last night we took the bus to the park" I could put all of my picture flash cards in the right spot. It was pretty exciting to see myself begin to understand Mandarin. I am very encouraged and excited about using the skills I learned to learn my new language very soon! 

Here is a rap that a student made last year. He put all the different things we learned into his song.

Spider Webs and support

Yup, I love being able to see my support. Thought you might enjoy seeing it too. The orange represents a group of people - like college friends, a small group, church, etc. The green is for what is being given by individuals/couples/ families and in a few cases a small group. The blue is the total for that group. My favorite part is where one green circle leads to another green circle. Thanks to those of you who have shared my story with your friends or hosted a tea party!

81%

The green numbers all have a supporter, but the black ones are still looking for someone!

80%

I've hit the 80% mark and I am hoping to leave by the end of August! Look at all of the GREEN!

69.8%

The "concert"

This evening Friend and I went to the park for a pb & fluff picnic. As we unpacked our supper a guy showed up with a guitar - he had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, scraggly hair and a scruffy appearance. We were curious to know what kind of a "concert" we were about to hear. He started strumming, but we didn't pay too much attention to him, until we happened to catch the words that he was singing. "I'll follow you to the homes of the broken, I'll follow you into the world. Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God..." Wow - certainly not what I was expecting, but why not? I guess I didn't expect it because he didn't fit my picture of what a Christ follower looks like. I wonder what the fishermen looked like when they dropped their nets to follow? Probably more like the singer than like me. I've got to lose some of my preconcieved ideas before I can really follow Him wherever he leads me.

What a ride

     For the last 3 years I've felt like I was on the lift hill of a roller coaster - slowly click, click, clicking my way up. Suddenly things seem to have switched - and I feel like i am going down the drop - and it is exciting and terrifying, all at the same time. I now have 68% of what I need and I am hoping to be able to move by the end of the summer. Thank you to all of you who are a part - the chart is getting greener.

Vacation in MAINE!

"I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking."

334. Moxie T-shirts

336. Digging for little specks of sea glass

337. Building rock towers 

 339. Icecream from a new little spot on Bailey Island

 340. Swinging from the "polly ball"

 342. Scaring the sea gulls with an acorn wistle

347. Silly pictures in the dark

 351. Clouds and fog but no rain

"I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying."

 352. Sunshine breaking through the fog

 354. Dustin

 356. Getting to go out in Provider

357. Getting to band the lobster

 358. Learning from the lobsterman

 360. Two keepers - Clarence (with the orange) and Merph

362. Getting to drive Provider 

364. Getting to pick up the traps (they are so heavy) 

377. A grey mist on the sea's face

390. Getting to go on vacation with Friend

66%

64%

Grandparents

I was blessed to spend the weekend with my "grandparents". Well, they are not really my grandparents and I just met them for the 1st time this weekend, but after being with them I realized how much I miss grandparents. So, I think that I will adopt them, and I think that they have adopted me too. They treated me like a grandchild - fed me lots of good food, introduced me to their friends and showed me that they believed in me. Yes, I am blessed!



What are you listening to?

In my house there is always music. Usually it is Brother's, but sometime it is Mom's classical music - that helps her paint or it is music coming from Dad's computer while he pays bills. In the car it's 89.3 and at work the radio is always on. We live in a world of noise and sometimes we miss the song because of all of the noise. "...He will rejoice over you with singing." (Zeph. 3:17) What a beautiful song - how could I have missed it.

Do you hear it? Just stop for a second and listen.

235. Suddenly aware of the peepers singing praise to you... and a part of the song you are singing over me
241. The wind's quite wisper in the trees
250. The soft snap of the flag in the evening breeze
263. A hum of wings as it flies by
264. Countless different bird songs - joining in the song
265. I heard the song from the bumble bee
273. Seagulls laughing

Only 39% to go!

Two new friends have joined the team. I am now at 61%!

Gifts

223. Grass - so unbelievably green - like I am seeing green for the first time
224. Buds on trees - unfurling
225. Fuzzy, spring green maple tree
226. A pot of chives next to the front door - just like Meme's
227. Bouquets of dandy lions and violets picked by little hands for their mommy
228. A wind chime clanging out praise

More Green - one "leaf" at a time

buds and flowers

For those of you that don't live near me - here is the green that has been showing up around my house. These were all taken today - especially for my friend in Arizona, who can't believe that trees are just beginning to bud.



More green =) and some orange =(

Have you noticed that practically overnight the grass seems to be getting greener? And there are buds on the trees! My chart has been getting greener too. What an encouragement after finding out that some of my support is getting cut (look at the orange #s). I am confident that if He could provide once then He can do it again!

a little bit closer...

2 new partners cover 2/3 of #61.

Would you like to cover the other 1/3?

2 New Partners!

More Green

Rejoice with me - I've hit the 60% mark!

Coming to a mailbox near you!

Here is the April editon of my newsletter. Thanks Steve for helping me stuff envelopes. =)

Would you like your own copy? Just let me know.

Looking for Green

It is springtime, which around here means mud, but each of us is looking for the sign that warmer weather is on the way. We are looking for buds on the trees, green grass, and  crocus leaves poking out of the ground. We want to see GREEN. I guess maybe that is why I made my chart green. Just like the seeker of spring, I am looking to see more and more green.

Each green number on the chart below represents a supporter and the number is the amount they are giving monthly. The black numbers are still in need of monthly supporters. Once the chart turns green I can move to my new home overseas. Would you like to be a monthly supporter and turn a number green? The yellow number is half way to being green - it means it has a supporter that is covering some of the whole amount. (For those of you that have been following my "envelopes", the green represents the envelopes that have been taken.)

I'll keep this chart updated so that you can follow along with the progress. My hope is that by the time the time the lush green of summer has arrived - my chart will be completely green as well so that I can pack up and move.