i haven't written in a few days. i got home after a 20 something hour flight and almost cried seeing my dad and sister at the airport. i love my family. too much has happened to tell all the fun details and crazy stories... but i can say thank you to james kwon for coming to texas to visit. he was a champ through all the christmases and the family time and the drunk uncles and late night wild wings and the rocking out and broken drum sticks and cake balls and football games. what a great friend.
sometimes i forget how refreshing it is to talk with someone who knows you. its been nice. thanks james.
i got a few new books for christmas i think i'm really going to like. one is "what is the what." i've been wanting to buy it for months so i can't wait to enjoy it.
i don't have much else at the moment other than to say, i love texas accents. love.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
me being me.
well friends. i did a completely "austin evers" sort of thing last night. we had a roster of all the students that came to our christmas party this week. now, we aren't going to hound them or email them once a week, but its nice to be able to invite them to something like this again. so yeah, those sheets of paper... i washed them. yep. i washed them.
they are salvageable, but why does someone put that in their pocket anyway? and what kind of adult washes clothes without checking the pockets? good grief.
they are salvageable, but why does someone put that in their pocket anyway? and what kind of adult washes clothes without checking the pockets? good grief.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
celebrate
the christmas party went as well as i could've asked. we fed about 70 students total and got to have some good conversations with many of them. when i got home i couldn't sleep because i was thinking of all the things that might have gone a little better or that next time we'll do differently when I realized rather than do that i needed to celebrate. so here are a few things i celebrated...
1. students from all three colleges were at the dinner. around 10 from PIBC, 5 or so from GCC, and about 50 from UOG came to the dinner in the midst of their finals.
2. the cost was fairly resonable. the final figures aren't important for the blog, but we were able to spend less than i expected.
3. some of our churches were more than willing to help. a few churches sent people to help cook and serve, while others offered to do whatever we needed. it was very encouraging. i'm not used to working with a group of churches like this and am still learning how the college ministry is to bless them.
4. countless students said thank you to all of us. of course we didn't throw the party to hear thank yous, but it helped us see that they valued what we were doing enough to say it.
5. i learned more names.
this is just the quick starter list, but i figured i give the update. it reallly was a good night. thanks so much to all of you who gave encouragement throughout the past two weeks and those of you who were praying. ya'll mean so much to me. thanks. i celebrate you too.
1. students from all three colleges were at the dinner. around 10 from PIBC, 5 or so from GCC, and about 50 from UOG came to the dinner in the midst of their finals.
2. the cost was fairly resonable. the final figures aren't important for the blog, but we were able to spend less than i expected.
3. some of our churches were more than willing to help. a few churches sent people to help cook and serve, while others offered to do whatever we needed. it was very encouraging. i'm not used to working with a group of churches like this and am still learning how the college ministry is to bless them.
4. countless students said thank you to all of us. of course we didn't throw the party to hear thank yous, but it helped us see that they valued what we were doing enough to say it.
5. i learned more names.
this is just the quick starter list, but i figured i give the update. it reallly was a good night. thanks so much to all of you who gave encouragement throughout the past two weeks and those of you who were praying. ya'll mean so much to me. thanks. i celebrate you too.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
on the eve of the party
this is what happens to me the day before a ministry outreach event. or at least one that took more than a few days of planning...
i start to doubt the planning. today i've made probably 23 lists. one for shopping, one for shopping after the first shopping, one for the food needed, one for the help needed, one about the other day's activities, a check on these things list, a what can go wrong list, a how to fix the things that could go wrong list... it goes on and on. my mom says i have obsessive compulsive tendancies. i agree. now most of these lists are in my brain, but some find their way to paper.
then i begin to worry i'm not supposed to be in ministry. i don't pity myself, but i rethink my calling 18 times to make sure i'm not doing damage to the kingdom of god. most of the time i do this and then laugh... so i'm not trying to sound depressing.
after that i worry no one will show up. this is common with my friends too. we worry we'll be the only ones there with the volunteers. its a very real fear.
a few minutes later i pray like mad and am filled with a bit of hope. i usually yell out loud in my car, "please cure my unbelief!" and then again i laugh because i remember praying the same thing an hour ago and a week ago and a year ago.
then i relax for four minutes untill something new for list number 9 pops into my head and the hamster runs in the wheel again. but more frantically this time.
next i shop and worry i'm spending too much money on this or that. then i worry there won't be enough good to come out of something to spend such and such dollars. and again i get frantic and make a new list that starts with, "spend money wisely." then i inevitably forget to buy something and remember when i get into the truck. and a new list begins. then i curse myself for forgetting. then i wish i had a secretary. then my mind wonders and because i'm single and 25 i wish i had a very attractive secretary who liked me and wanted me to take her on dates.
then i think of fun dates.
after a few too many minutes of this i get back to making lists and praying wildly and wishing i was gfted with details and fearing no one will show up.
but in all this madness that is my brain, i love these days. they make me feel alive and crazy and funny and unique and nervous and stressed and afraid and and and... but the dinner and chrstmas party for college students is tomorrow. we're still praying that we make a contact with 150 students and make a real connection with dozens.
now, back to making lists.
i start to doubt the planning. today i've made probably 23 lists. one for shopping, one for shopping after the first shopping, one for the food needed, one for the help needed, one about the other day's activities, a check on these things list, a what can go wrong list, a how to fix the things that could go wrong list... it goes on and on. my mom says i have obsessive compulsive tendancies. i agree. now most of these lists are in my brain, but some find their way to paper.
then i begin to worry i'm not supposed to be in ministry. i don't pity myself, but i rethink my calling 18 times to make sure i'm not doing damage to the kingdom of god. most of the time i do this and then laugh... so i'm not trying to sound depressing.
after that i worry no one will show up. this is common with my friends too. we worry we'll be the only ones there with the volunteers. its a very real fear.
a few minutes later i pray like mad and am filled with a bit of hope. i usually yell out loud in my car, "please cure my unbelief!" and then again i laugh because i remember praying the same thing an hour ago and a week ago and a year ago.
then i relax for four minutes untill something new for list number 9 pops into my head and the hamster runs in the wheel again. but more frantically this time.
next i shop and worry i'm spending too much money on this or that. then i worry there won't be enough good to come out of something to spend such and such dollars. and again i get frantic and make a new list that starts with, "spend money wisely." then i inevitably forget to buy something and remember when i get into the truck. and a new list begins. then i curse myself for forgetting. then i wish i had a secretary. then my mind wonders and because i'm single and 25 i wish i had a very attractive secretary who liked me and wanted me to take her on dates.
then i think of fun dates.
after a few too many minutes of this i get back to making lists and praying wildly and wishing i was gfted with details and fearing no one will show up.
but in all this madness that is my brain, i love these days. they make me feel alive and crazy and funny and unique and nervous and stressed and afraid and and and... but the dinner and chrstmas party for college students is tomorrow. we're still praying that we make a contact with 150 students and make a real connection with dozens.
now, back to making lists.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
the grinch and wisdom from a 6 year old
i got up a little earlier than usual today so i could go hang out with some 1st graders for their class christmas party. the teacher is one of the "2nd mothers" i have out here in guam. 1st graders are fun. they are loud and they move a lot and they just kinda say what comes to mind. i read the grinch stole christmas and enjoyed the commentary from the kids more than the actual book i think. when the grinch's heart "grew three sizes that day" one little girl said in the sweetest voice, "aw see, he's really good." i loved it. and i cant stop thinking about her comment.
who would have thought a slave trader could write amazing grace? who would have given the gospel to the lead persecuter of the church? augustine wasn't exactly wholesome. my friend kirk and i weren't exactly humble (i don't think i am at this point either). and yet i don't really pray for my enemies. now, i mean enemies on both the large and small scale, internationally and those who just don't like our college ministry. why have we forgotten that little command from Jesus? i've heard prayers and wishes for judgement on our enemies, but not much prayer for their good.
maybe we don't pray for our enemies because we can't see some of them. maybe we don't because we call them, "people we can't stand" or "the muslim" or "the liberal" or "the fundamentalist." maybe we don't want God to grow their hearts three sizes today.
who would have thought a slave trader could write amazing grace? who would have given the gospel to the lead persecuter of the church? augustine wasn't exactly wholesome. my friend kirk and i weren't exactly humble (i don't think i am at this point either). and yet i don't really pray for my enemies. now, i mean enemies on both the large and small scale, internationally and those who just don't like our college ministry. why have we forgotten that little command from Jesus? i've heard prayers and wishes for judgement on our enemies, but not much prayer for their good.
maybe we don't pray for our enemies because we can't see some of them. maybe we don't because we call them, "people we can't stand" or "the muslim" or "the liberal" or "the fundamentalist." maybe we don't want God to grow their hearts three sizes today.
Monday, December 8, 2008
christmas party
we are getting closer to our christmas dinner at the dorms. we found out yesterday that we won't be able to have a live band due to dorm quiet hours during finals, i don't know why i didn't think of that. i guess its been a few years since i took a final. but anyway, we are gearing up to meet hopefully 150 students. the dorm directors and RAs seem glad to have us there and keep asking why we want to throw a party for them. its been a great opertunity to serve...
so, please be praying for us and our relationships with the students and university this week. i really want to end the year on a good note. and i know its not a magic number, but we would like to feed around 150 students.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
pizza and contentment
today i had a wonderful reminder of why i enjoy college ministry so much. we are planning a christmas party for the dorms in 10 days or so, and tonight a few of our leading students came to the house to eat some pizza and brainstorm for the party.
we ate some really good pizza (pepperonis with jalapinos (sp?)) and had some great laughs, but what i loved the most was the excitement in the room as we threw around both good and bad ideas. some say there are no bad ideas. i disagree. i had some bad ones tonight but am lucky enough to work with students who don't mind disagreement in a healthy way. we sat around my small living room for over 2 hours dreaming and laughing and planning and growing more and more excited about ministry with college students. i really think we are learning how God wants college ministry to look here in guam.
as we prayed after good discussion i felt very content. its honestly one of the first times i've felt content on guam, but thats what rushed into my brain and heart and self sitting there in my floor. i like what i'm doing. i like college students. i like Jesus for letting my job be him and them. and hopefully we'll get to throw a good party for over 100 college students in a few days.
we ate some really good pizza (pepperonis with jalapinos (sp?)) and had some great laughs, but what i loved the most was the excitement in the room as we threw around both good and bad ideas. some say there are no bad ideas. i disagree. i had some bad ones tonight but am lucky enough to work with students who don't mind disagreement in a healthy way. we sat around my small living room for over 2 hours dreaming and laughing and planning and growing more and more excited about ministry with college students. i really think we are learning how God wants college ministry to look here in guam.
as we prayed after good discussion i felt very content. its honestly one of the first times i've felt content on guam, but thats what rushed into my brain and heart and self sitting there in my floor. i like what i'm doing. i like college students. i like Jesus for letting my job be him and them. and hopefully we'll get to throw a good party for over 100 college students in a few days.
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