Saturday, May 31, 2008

I'm ready for take off!

Tomorrow is the big day! After six months of planning, fundraising, and anticipation, I finally arrive in New York City. I'm sure most of you already know, but incase you don't, I am going to live and work as a missionary intern in the Bronx for ten weeks this summer. I'll be working with Jared Looney and some other cool cats, and the Bronx Fellowship. The Bronx Fellowship is a simple church network, otherwise known as house churches. It's a totally awesome ministry. You can check them out at www.bronxfellowship.org.

I'm so excited about this opportunity. I've been blessed to be part of a house church here in Abilene this past semester, and have developed some meaningful relationships with people through it. Our church often met at the house I live in with three other girls, who were also part of the church, and our time together consistently entailed dinner and communion. We would sit around the table together and share with each other what God had been doing in our lives as of late, pray for each other, or share our creativity with each other. And we almost always ended up watching a movie. That was a typical Sunday at church.

The great thing about doing church the simple way was that we didn't just show up once a week and sit next to each other while we sang. We shared life together as we helped each other to walk in the way of the Lord. I know that sounds kind of heavy, and those of you who are reading this who were a part of church with me this past semester may be wondering why I say that, but that is how I view what we did. Because not only did we meet on Sundays, but we saw each other almost every day of the week. A few of us literally lived together, and a few others were over so often that they practically lived with us, which we loved. We were in each others lives in such a natural and pleasant way that we were able to be there for each other through good times and bad, to hold each other accountable in a way that wasn't forced by the familiar title of "accountability partner," and to share what we had with one another.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying it was a utopia. There were facets of church that we were lacking in. However, it gave me a glimpse into another way to be the church, a way that is as ancient as the very faith we participate in. This is the kind of church I will be a part of this summer, the kind of church that I will have the chance to learn about living and working in. The network of house churches in the Bronx has been around for some years now, and I am so psyched to see it in action.

I know that God has so much for me to learn this summer, and I plan on "taking notes with my eyes" (name that movie!). There is a great possibility that I may be doing what I learn this summer with some dear friends, Mark and Katrina Willis, in Chicago after I graduate. Check them out at http://godgrown.net. They're awesome.

So if you have a chance, please pray for my team and I. I will be there with four other college students: Heath, Katie, Jordan, and Clarissa. We will be living and working together all summer, so pray for our team, that we would work well together. Pray for our safety. But most of all, pray that God stretches and grows us in our faith, and that we learn what He has to teach us. Thanks for all your love and support!

PS: The movie was "Almost Famous." Go figure, right?!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Voy a casarme con Principe Caspian (I am going to marry Prince Caspian)

So I realize that the title of my blog makes no sense to anyone except Emily Jorgenson, and even she is probably wondering why I would choose this phrase as the title. Allow me to explain.

Last weekend, Emily and I tried and failed to go see Prince Caspian twice. It was sold out, even in the middle of the afternoon on the day after it opened! So after we were denied entrance the second time, we bought tickets for the next show, which would begin 3 and 1/2 hours later. Keep in mind that this was on a Saturday afternoon in Abilene, after most of our friends had left town for summer vacation. That means... we had nothing to do.

In Abilene, there are usually about five options:
1.) go to the movies
2.) get coffee
3.) go bowling/roller-skating/or putt-putting (I realize those are three separate things, but let's be honest... they're all pretty much the same thing)
4.) go out to eat
5.) go to church.
Okay, the last one is kind of a joke, but if you've ever spent an extended period of time in Abilene, you know just what I mean. Wow! I know - so many choices. But can you believe it? We weren't in the mood for any of them. And mostly, we were annoyed that our movie had been sold out again.

While we were driving home dejectedly, we passed by Primetime, this "family entertainment center" which is a lot like a Celebration Station, and thus began a ten minute rant about the lack of quality entertainment in Abilene. All Primetime could offer were high-priced activities similar to those listed in #3. Good times were had by all. Then Emily suggested going by Sonic for Happy Hour drinks. We're crazy, I know.

"Great!" I replied. "We could go to the batting cages!" The particular Sonic that we frequent has a sand volleyball court and a few batting cages for the entertainment of customers. I've never used a batting cage. And despite where you think this story may be leading, I still haven't. But Emily and I had a terrific time making jokes about the inevitable humor that would ensue if we did give it a whirl.

"A ball? Flying towards my face at 80 MPH?! Some man must have invented this. Leave it to men!" That is what Emily said her mom would say if she found herself trembling before the machine with bat in hand. I love it.

That day was just so telling of my life right now. Everyday, I wake up with a general plan, and some days it goes as planned, but most of the time, something unexpected happens. Occasionally, these unplanned events come on hard and strong, and the results of many of these experiences have been hugely life-shaping, for which I am thankful. But most of the time, these unexpected adventures are just a short and sweet experience. Like riding around with Emily, with no plan and lots of laughs. I can't wait to see her years from now and laugh about that day.

God is in all things. He is in the big and the small, the exciting and the mundane. Experiencing Him in the exciting is great, but experiencing Him in the mundane is a gift. So I've been training myself to view each day as a day with potential for grand adventures, and like I said, I can't wait to find out what tomorrow has to offer.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

So it begins.

This is my first official blog post, and be that as it may, I feel a lot of pressure for it to be good. Because what if it isn't? Will you, dear reader, ever return? I do hope so. I'll give it my most earnest effort with the most sincere of wishes that this would touch you, and thus, bring you back.
You see, I have been resistant to the thought of starting a blog for a few reasons. Let me begin by being completely transparent with you, something which I intend to do in all posts: I've been hesitant to start doing this because I'm afraid no one will read it. Yikes!
I've always felt it was a bit presumptuous to assume that if my musings were posted on the world wide web for all to read, they would surely do so. What makes my thoughts so special? Also, the temptation to allow this to become all about me is strong. In all things, I should seek to glorify God, to seek first his kingdom. I've struggled with how this accomplishes those things.
But I've decided it's time. It is time to start doing this because my friendships and relationships are becoming more and more scattered across the globe, and this is the most efficient way to keep people informed on the course my life is taking (at least my life for the next... however many days/months/years I keep up with this). It is also time for me to do my small part in claiming the resources of this world for the glory of God. The more I thought about it, the more blogging seemed like such an obvious way to do it, because it is true, what I wrote in the first paragraph. It is my most sincere wish that this would touch you, and that you would feel compelled to read more, but not because of anything I've done, but because of what the Lord has done.
I hope you read something here that makes you laugh, or makes you cry, and gives you a glimpse into the kingdom, because He is in all these things.