Just a thought

I guess I need to keep my computer connected to me at all times. (My mom thinks it is connected to me!) I keep having good ideas for a blog post and then I forget by the time I get a chance to write!

Well, here is one I remember.

On Tuesday I went with my parents to Sioux Falls to listen to my dad speak-he did a great job. I had not signed up for the seminars so while they had lunch and seminars, I went to Bagel Boy for lunch.

As I sat eating my sandwich, which was delicious, and reading my book, I also noticed a group of women having lunch together. It started out with two ladies sitting at a small round table really only big enough for about 3 people. In about 10 minutes' time there were six ladies sitting together talking and laughing and sharing time as they lunched. I didn't really pay attention to what they were saying even though they were loud enough to be heard throughout the restaurant.

Then I noticed another table of women. Three ladies sitting at a table large enough to hold at least 6 people. They were just eating their sandwiches and looking at that spot on the middle of the table where you look when you aren't quite sure what to talk about.

Two tables of women lunching together. Yet what a difference in how they spent their time together! Just something I noticed and found interesting...

A fun week

Last Thursday my Japanese friend came to visit. We have been having a fun week discovering South Dakota. We also made a little trip into North Dakota for a church visit. Noriko has taken about 1000 pictures! I don't have quite that many, of course, since I was driving.

The first day we took a walk around Madison. We stopped in the church where Dad was working on the computer.


We also went to Shonda's for delicious grilled salmon and veggies from the garden.


The next day we were off on a trip to Ashley, ND. On the way we stopped to take in the sights along the way, like DeSmet to see Laura Ingalls' homestead.



When we arrived in Ashley we went to the Schauer's for dinner and had fun playing with the children.


From North Dakota we headed to the most famous South Dakota site. It was much colder than we thought it would be so we had to buy sweatshirts! We both liked the pink one.


We also stopped by Crazy Horse and drove through the Badlands.



On Monday we had lunch in Hill City at Alpine Inn which was recommended by several people. While there we saw Monte and Marian, friends from Madison. In the evening we arrived back in Rapid City for dinner and ate a a Happy Days style diner where we saw more friends from Madison!

It has been so fun to have Noriko here! I will miss her when she goes home tomorrow! It has been good to speak Japanese together, too:)

How weekends are spent

While on home assignment the word schedule is used for Sunday church visits. After that, there is no schedule! Every week, every day is different. This is good. This is challenging. This is.

So, here is a little of what has happened the past three weekends:

A visit to Brandon Baptist Church where the morning music was put on by these guys...


The following weekend was Labor Day weekend, a Monday holiday in the U.S. It is also the weekend of Life Light, a huge Christian concert outdoors with bands from all around the U.S. and Canada playing music from almost every genre. Here is what it looks like from about halfway back from the main stage:


That weekend my college roommate, Cindy, came to visit-it was very bright!


It was also my birthday weekend. We started with breakfast at the Sims' house.


A little ladder ball in the afternoon.


And family dinner in the evening.



Last weekend was spent in Herreid, SD being encouraged by the church there. We also had an afternoon/evening of food and fellowship with area churches. One of the games was to put on extra large work gloves and open Hershey's kisses. This is what it looked like...


That was followed by pastors vs. youth volleyball...


So, although my Sunday schedule is full, it is a lot of fun, too!

Time to think

The last full week of August I spent in Palmer Lake, Colorado at Mission Training International. Before leaving from Japan I got on the internet looking for retreats for missionaries, knowing that I needed some down time after three years of ministry and if it got to include hanging out with missionaries then that would be an added bonus. The retreat I found that fit with my schedule was 'debriefing and renewal' at mti. How absolutely like God to lead me to exactly what I needed! Oh, how I appreciated that week. It was worth every penny, even more!

I met missionaries who have been serving all over the world. Families with babies and young children, families with teenagers, empty nesters, second careers, singles, missionaries in all stages of ministry. What a blessing to hear stories, be challenged by stories, laugh, cry and pray together.

Each morning we met with our small group. We talked about stress, ministry, leaving the field, returning to the field, hanging out with God, hanging out with friends, and everything in between.


Afternoons were spent individually with our group leaders for a 45-minute session. Then we were free to nap, spend time with God, hang out with our new friends, walk, hike, go to coffee shops, etc.

I was so encouraged by the missionaries I met. We had great times of fellowship. Our favorite spot to go was Serrano's Coffee Shop in Monument. While there we talked about every topic under the sun and shared our hearts for our adopted countries, struggled together about what the future holds, and got to know the gals working-one of my new friends even taught them how to make an iced coffee drink she likes, now they can add that to their menu! We also spent time playing speed scrabble and apples to apples as well as went bowling.

God graciously met me there. We had wonderful times of fellowship together. He reminded me of His love, grace, and delight. I am thankful for the time I had to think there in Colorado. I am thankful for the ministry of mti and our leaders who love to share God through there service to missionaries. What a blessing the week was!

One More Post

I just realized it is the last day of August and I haven't posted much this month, so I am trying to get one more in!

This month has been full of travels, fun with relatives, lots of car time, meeting missionaries from around the world, and even a little airport time. My last post contained lots of pictures from travels and got me to Colorado. So, here is an update of what has been going on since I arrived in Colorado.

I hung out with my aunt, uncle and cousins for about a week, learning a bit about how to live in chaos:) With 5 kids from 20 to 6, how can life not be just a bit chaotic?! We had some good conversations, relaxing times in the backyard and took in a minor league game. Abby, 6, used my camera for a while. Here is the perspective of a baseball game from a 6 year old!

Random people we don't know...


We do know these people...


Trying to get a self-picture of her missing tooth...


We had a lot of fun!

Next time will be about my missionary-filled week.

(Ah, I just realized that because my computer is still set for Japan time, this is going to be a September post!:)

Traveling

Life has been wonderful and relaxing and crazy the past few weeks. It has been a nice change of pace visiting family and friends with some unexpected and fun times with long-time friends. Here are a few pictures to chronicle my path since July 29th when I last posted from my sister's in Aurora, SD.

Driving through Illinois to visit Donna and family. This was at a rest area. It was a very restful stop!

Dinner out with Donna and family.

Sunset in Kansas

The Texas panhandle... the only things taller than the grass were the wind turbines, which were plentiful.

New Mexico scenery

Arizona scenery


Then the family reunion/wedding fun started...
Some of the relatives at the rehearsal dinner.

Uncle Daniel telling a very important story to the men.

Reed/Mobley Crew at the wedding

Inadvertently matching necklace cousins

Most of the Benton girls

Most of the Benton men

All the Benton cousins


And then I arrived in Colorado. Here is a nice storm building up as we drove along on Monday.

Dirty Hands

Today I did some weeding in my sister's garden. Last week my mom and sister spent over 5 hours weeding. Sunday afternoon my sister and I spent over an hour weeding. Today I spent about an hour weeding. It is a HUGE garden! My sister got the green thumb. I like living in a condo on the 9th floor with no grass to mow or garden space!

As I was weeding today, God taught me a couple of things. I was working on the carrot row today. The carrots are not very big yet and are very fragile, kind of like our lives. But, there were a variety of weeds growing alongside and right in the middle of the weeds. As I looked at the weeds and tried to decide where to start, I decided to start with the biggest ones first.

It made me think that God does a similar thing in our lives. When He looks at us as we first come to Him, He sees a lot of weeds that need to be pulled, sins that need to be worked out and new character to be developed. It can't all be eliminated at once, worked through at once. So, God gets down on His knees and begins to gently pull out the weeds.

Even as I gently pulled the weeds, I was not always successful at not disturbing the carrots. God is gentle in weeding the garden of our lives, but sometimes it feels like He is being pretty rough. When it feels like He is being rough I need to remember that God is lovingly helping me get some space to grow. He is preparing the soil for me to flourish.

As I got ready to go inside for breakfast I noticed my hands. They were completely covered in mud. Pulling weeds is messy. It is not a job to do just after a manicure and in your nice clothes. When God works on my life, He is right here in the midst of the mess with me, getting His hands dirty as He pulls the weeds and helps me sort through the mess.

God has dirty hands and I love Him all the more for it!

Here are a few pics of my sister's gardens to enjoy...