Hey friends!
I haven't written in a while but alas, here I am again.
One more week until outreach! Just 6 more sleeps!
My team and I spent the beginning of this week hanging out and sitting through lecture with the Denver base. It was a bit of a struggle because the students there didn't warm up to us very well. We got a lot of blank stares and the conversations we did get to start we're usually cut short by text messages flooding to their phones. That sucks. However, by the end of our time, a couple friendly faces had reached out (at least to me) to their best ability.
Lecture was interesting though! Troy Sherman gave us a LOT of information to process and a LOT of idea to wrestle with on the topic of missions.
Fun fact: Troy Sherman and his father have been with YWAM for a very long time. Troys father, Dean Sherman, is THEE man that the early Simpsons character "Ned Flanders" was inspired by. Believe it or not.
We returned to the base just in time for Thanksgiving. I offered to make cranberry sauce for everyone. I totally rocked it.
Gracie's Orange Cranberry Sauce:
1 package of cranberries
1 orange
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Yields kind of a lot.
- boil the water and sugar together in a medium sauce pan.
- while you wait, grate the orange rind into a fine zest, set aside.
- cut the rest of the rind off until the flesh is exposed and separate from the stem and icky parts and stuff. Set that aside.
- when the water boils, pour the washed cranberries into the water and bring back to a boil. It's cool cause the cranberries pop and the color gets pretty.
- let simmer over a medium flame, stirring occasionally.
- k, when that's finally done, I placed the pan in a sink of ice to cool it down some before joining it with the orange.
- pour all the ingredients into a food processor; cranberries, orange and zest, and blend. Less if you like lumpy sauce, more if you prefer smooth sauce.
- serve it in a pretty bowl.
Yay! You're done. And guess what, you can put that on turkey or ice cream or in smoothies too!
Okay well now that you know all my secrets and first-annual, life-long, family traditions that I just started two days ago, read on.
After thanksgiving marks the end of our lecture phase here on the mountain.
Wait, I don't think you read that right... The END of our lecture phase!! That means we are half way through this adventure.
Hmmmm. This past week has been pretty difficult however. And this weekend has been the peak of frustration.
God is leading my team and me into yet another stage of transition that, of course, every YWAMer has to go through.
In this place, I find myself needing to reflect on all the progress made. As well as see all the progress, all the sharpening, all the refining that NEEDS to happen still. Which, here, as a team, is a lot.
We're getting tired. The walls are closing in on us a bit. And distractions (from home, movies, etc.) are keeping us from communicating well.
But never fear, friends. What do we do when things suck? When things just really really suck? And you start to loose things like your new earbuds you just dropped $20 on the day before and when you get sick and have red blotchy things spreading up your wrists and throbbing headaches and when your heat goes out in your dorm and stuff...
That's when it's time to really press in, hmm? Yeah.
I find myself just sitting quietly sometimes, stretching my feelers toward Jesus, know what I mean? He's peaceful. And He keeps this little family together. He makes us healthy again and gives us warmth and He even lets me get my stuff back when I ask because He is the Agape kind of love, ladies and gentlemen and He cares about those little things.
Someone asked me last week: "Why are you still following Jesus?... What's that one thing that assures you...?"
That's why. Because that is the nature and character of the Creator if the Universe.
Also, this next week is purely a team building week. We'll be preparing for outreach, for which we leave on FRIDAY. In this next week, we'll have a lot of time to communicate. Hard core communicate. Which we've gotten really good at as a team. We just need more of it.
Anyways. Thanks for reading this far. This got longer than I planned.
Another few highlights from the week:
- We spent the day in Telluride today. Telluride is a cute little ski town a few hours away from the base.
- I bought my second pair of Vibram Five-Finger shoes last week because I didn't have time to have mine mailed to me. I still think they're cool. I also bought a sleeping bag worthy of the equator...
- A few weeks ago, I painted a picture onto a rather large piece of wood. Someone saw it and offered to buy it from me today. I've yet to price it... I have never sold a painting before.
- I have a little surprise... But I'm waiting to see how long I can last before revealing it.
Please be praying for my team and me this week. We need it.
- Pray that WE will be sensitive to how WE can pray for EACH OTHER.
- Against offenses, isolation, and stupid distractions.
- That each of us will be able to get malaria medication on time and for wisdom as to whether or not we need (really expensive!) Japanese Encephalitis vaccinations.
- That nothing important would be left behind.
- That we would become and stay sensitive to God's voice and direction as a team and as individuals.
- For divine appointments and obedience.
Okay, for real, I'm done now.
Perhaps I'll post to you guys again from San Fran?
Thanks for your love and support.
Gracefully,
-G
