Preparing for the Journey: Cambodia!

I'm thrilled to have a guest writer today - my oldest daughter, Melynda.  Yours truly, Proud Moma

The preparation for the journey is a journey in itself. In preparing for my trip to Cambodia with my college's Juniors Global Program I have experienced many pre-journey joys and jitters. Now, I don’t know where to begin articulating the whirlwind of emotions that I feel before leaving in LESS THAN A WEEK!!!!!! So we will start with some pre-journey jitters.  

There have been a few times during the last few months that I have asked God what He was up to. I would get frustrated and scared and anxious. I had initially applied for a trip to Kenya and was shocked and a bit unsettled when the Juniors Global committee selected me for the Cambodia team. I had wanted to go to Africa since I was a child, how could that not be the trip that God wanted me on? Apparently, God had given the committee a different message and after many hours of prayer and seeking my mother’s counsel, I was able to see and accept God’s calling. I later had trouble finding and then later ordering a copy of my birth certificate to apply for my passport. Then, my passport was taking an extremely long time to come which was putting off the purchase of our tickets. Another pre-journey “jitter” was my faith. I have been feeling a bit numb to the presence of God lately. Now, I know that I love the Lord and that he loves me but I noticed that I have not done a good job investing in that relationship with Him. Knowing this about myself made me question if I should go on this trip. Am I going for the right reasons? Are my intentions honorable and in the right place? Will I do any good? Am I going for the Cambodians or am I going for myself? I do not have the answers to these questions right now, and I think that is okay, because God has continued to give me a peace about going on this trip and subtly confirms this immediate calling on my life. This leads me into my pre-journey joys. 

Now, one of my pre-journey joys thus far is that I have been more intentional in seeking out the Lord and His will for this trip. I have spent time with Him in conversation about my expectations for this trip and how He will use it in my life. God has made it clear to me that I will be changed when I return from this trip. The scary thing is that I do not know how that change will look or manifest itself in my life. The thought of this change is equally exciting, scary, and intimidating, all at once. Other pre-journey joys are the resolution of my previously stated pre-journey jitters. All of those little obstacles that arose and made me question this calling, have not only been resolved but they have turned into a confirmation of the calling. In my prayer time over this trip I have had a growing excitement- knowing that this trip will be an amazing adventure. 

My prayer for this trip is that this will be a turning point in my life. I pray that I will be able to re-ignite the fire inside of me that burns for the Lord. I want to come back refined and changed. I want a renewed passion- I crave to be so close to God that others can’t help but to be drawn to Him when they are around me. I know that I am going to be exposed to things that I have never experienced before and I know that there will be hard days. I also know that no matter what happens on this trip- God will be my support through it all and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me in Cambodia.  

With Love, 

Melynda

#enditmovement

As an advocate at heart, I have to continually be aware that I need to be careful to not make "my issues" my family's issues by force.  That can be hard when I am passionate about something and am "fired up" on behalf of others. 

Last year, I did not say much to my family about the #enditmovement. This year, I read the blog post I wrote yesterday to them during our #LentChallenge and reflection time last night.  We talked about the different types of slavery and what are some things we can do to make a difference.  One way is supporting organizations who are working in high trafficking areas.  Compassion International has a "marker" so you can specify a child who lives in a high risk area and adopt one of them. This does make a difference and as advocates for Compassion, it is an area we think and pray about often. 

Another way we can make a difference is simply by raising awareness.  That is what we are doing today with #enditmovement.  We are raising awareness.

Slavery exists in  staggering numbers.  This is a BOOMING enterprise.  Slavery was abolished in 1652 and approximately 620,000 people died in the civil war; people fighting over states not being able to compromise their views on free and slave states.  Brother against brother; cousin against cousin, people died fighting for the right to be free and the right to keep slaves.  Freedom won and there are many who feel the battle is over and done with.

That is just not true.  Slavery exists in every single state of the United States of America.   60,100 people in America alone are enslaved. 

Speak up!  Speak out!  Slavery is wrong.  Tell others.

Me: "What is the red X for?"
Him: Slavery.  "27,000 people are slaves and it's wrong."
Me: "27 million, not thousands."
Him: "Same thing and it's wrong."

This one knows many facts about slavery today
and is smiling because he is making a difference.

 

 

 

 

 

Keenly aware, she wears her red X with confidence
knowing she is bringing awareness to the issue of
slavery today. 

 

 

My man is an advocate, too.  He has experienced
forced labor and works hard to make sure the people
he comes in contact with are paid fairly and treated well.

Doing what what I can this small corner of my world. 
My family is aware and that is more that I could say
a few years ago. 

All the way from Kansas, our 20 year old daughter
is shining the light on slavery.  She is preparing for
a trip to Cambodia to help people who work "in the trenches"
with victims of human trafficking.  Join us in praying for her
and her team? Thanks.

Guest Post! "Another Quaker Girls' Lent Journey"

I pray that as you read my guest blogger today, my wonderful daughter, Mel, that you, too, will be challenged on what you are or are not doing to deepen your relationship with our Lord.  All of the pictures posted are a gift from me to her.  I probably spent as long searching for "just the right picture" as she did writing... she may or may not thank me for that.  Hey, it's my blog, right?!

 

Lent 2014

It is the season of Lent and I am feeling bent and out of sorts. I have to ask myself why. I have a lot on my plate. I am busy all the time. I get stressed and anxious easily. Not to mention my depression. Some days I feel so worn. Thinking about Lent is not an exciting thought. I give so much of myself every day, giving up something else was not appealing. I even thought about skipping Lent this year. What good does it really do? What is the point? I felt like it was just like any other Spiritual discipline. I had made up my mind, no Lent this year. I am not giving anything up. It felt like that was all I was doing lately... giving, giving, and more giving. It was one more thing to think about, to consume my thoughts and my energy, and I felt like I could not spread myself out anymore. I was just going to lose it! So I went to bed that night knowing that I could not bring myself to give anything up for Lent.

 

 

The next morning I was reading my Bible and I stumbled upon John 3:29-30 “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bride groom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.” These verses hit me like a brick. When I had been thinking about Lent I only thought about the negative effects that it might have on me. I did not think about the effects it would have on Christ and my relationship with Him. I never thought about how Lent would give glory to my Lord and draw me closer to Him. I realized there was nothing in my schedule more important than that. I had to find something to give up. This part was a long process. At first I was justifying why I could not give things up.  

 

I could not give up my homework because I needed good grades in school.

I could not give up my computer because I needed it for homework.

I could not give up Facebook because that is how I communicate with people.

(Moma will be nice and NOT post a facebook picture.)

I could not give up coffee because I needed it to function.

 

One thing after another I justified why I could not give it up for 40 days. I kept going down the list and I thought that I could give up soda and candy. I quickly found a reason why I could not do that. They are my little pick-me-ups during the day. I had to cut myself short at that moment. My justification was the perfect reason why I should give up soda and candy. Instead of letting these little things pick up my spirits when they are low, I should turn to the Lord for that. When I usually go to get a soda or reach for a piece of candy I am going to reach for my Bible instead.

I pray that the Lord will be glorified during this season of Lent. I also pray that even after this season that I continue to reach for my Bible for my pick-me-ups instead of things that won’t last or satisfy.

 

 

#Lent #LentProblems 

Home is Where the Heart Is

I have a guest writer today, my dear daughter, Melynda.  Reach for your tissues, I know I did.  (Choice of photos are from yours truly.)

The packing is mundane and tedious work. It takes an unusual amount of time. I keep getting distracted with the goodbyes. Not all of them are “good-bye”, most of them get to be “see you later! “ The goodbyes are painful and sad; the others are hopeful and happy.

It is Christmas break. We are going home! To each of us that looks like something different. To some it looks like snow and mountains. To others, it looks like a farmhouse on the plains. What does it look like to me? I wonder.

 Is it my beloved mountains?

 

 

 Is it my cozy small town?

 Is it my crazy and excited black lab? 

 

 Is it my giant white cement house?

 Is it the Christmas tree in the window?

All of these things mean a great deal to me, but I don’t think that they encompass the feeling of home. What is it?

My thoughts are distracted by another friend coming to say, “See you in January” I look at my suitcase and notice that I still have a lot of packing to do before tomorrow. I notice that I also need to clean my room. I am just ready to go home. There it is again, that word, home. What does it mean to me?

Is it my family?

 

Is it my church?

 

Is it the school I grew up in?

 

Or is it my old stuffed animals?

Yet again, I cannot pinpoint what that word means to me. I shrug off the thought. I simply want to finish my work so that I can go to sleep. It is starting to get late. After an hour, my work is done. I am all packed; all except for my necessities for the morning. My room is clean, cleaner than it has been all semester. My bed is calling my name. I turn out the lights and fall into a deep and blissful sleep.

Its morning, I am anxious to get home. I have one test to get through. In the middle of the test I am thinking about my family. How am I supposed to be able to focus so close to leaving? It is impossible. I am at the point that I don’t care anymore; I just want to be home. I am still trying to figure out what home means to me.

Is it my mom’s house?

Is it my dad’s house?

Is it my grandparent’s house?

Is it my favorite coffee shop?

Or is it the 19 25 chickens that strut around in my yard?

I am almost done with my test. I think I have done well, but yet again, I don’t care. The test is over and I am on the long drive to the airport. I sleep most of the way there, dreaming about what home is.

I am at the airport. I am embarrassed when I have to stop and ask for directions. I was a little late to get to the airport so now I am rushing to get through security. I am sweating and I am afraid that I am going to miss my flight. What will I do if that happens? How will I get home? Home… what does that mean for me?

I finally made it to my gate, ten minutes before we board. I am relieved. I am so close to going home and yet, it feels so far away. I sit in my seat. I put in my head phones and watch a movie during my two and a half hour flight.

I come back to reality by the sound of the flight attendant’s voice. “Can I take your trash?” “Yeah, thanks.” “We will be landing shortly.”  That statement made me eager to get off the plane. We finally land. I have all my stuff together; I am just ready to get off of this plane. I feels like we taxied forever. It took so long. My knowledge that my family was waiting for me down the corridor, on the other side of the doors made me excited.

We finally arrived at our gate, the seat belt sign is taken off. I jump up so quickly that I hit my head on the overhead compartment. I step into the middle isle as soon as possible. Finally I am off the plane, my heart starts racing. I am practically running through the terminal. I round the corner and I can see my family through the glass door, my heart starts skipping beats because it is racing so quickly.  I walk through those glass doors and my heart warms.

 

I drop all my bags as my two youngest brothers leap into my arms yelling, “You’re finally home!”  I am crying now. My little sister gives me a huge hug, “I’m glad your home,” She says. My grandparents are there too, they both hug me and say that they are glad to see me.

 My dad gives me a huge hug and a kiss, “I am happy you are home mija.”

I finally get to my mom. She has tears streaming down her face. She gives me a hug, a hugs she has been wanting to give me since I left, lots of hugs all put into one. “I have missed you” she whispers into my ear. I feel my body relax in her arms; I feel all the stress from school fall away. “Welcome home,” she says to me.

Yes.

I am home.

I now realize what home is: It is the love of the people that I love, the love that has supported me through everything. It is the love of my family.

 

 

 

 

P.S. I get to wrap my arms around my baby girl tomorrow night, God willing.  Love, Moma