Countdown: 11 Days

Much of my time has recently been taken up by this website:

It gives me great joy to have all the changes complete - changes which I've been thinking of and planning on for some time now, but just never got around to doing. What a relief to have everything streamlined in such a way that this will (hopefully) not take too much time in the coming months.

I'm really excited about our new columns and authors. We had a little writer's luncheon a couple weeks back, and it was such an encouragement to talk about writing articles - how we all struggle in doing it, but how we all enjoy the process as well as the finished product and what a blessing it is to others, even beyond the ladies in our own church.

Could you take a moment a link to us? You can find different sized banners at the bottom of the Contact Page, but just taking the time to share our link with one or two of your friends would help us out so much! (You can also 'like' us on Facebook, subscribe to our RSS feed, or sign up for our email list to receive notices of updates.) If you do read an article on Grace & Honor that makes you think or encourages you, please take a moment to leave a comment for the author. That is one of our 'new' features, and I think it will be a blessing to our authors to know that there are people out there reading! On the technical side of things, I get the advantage of seeing those signed up for our email list and seeing the stats come in through our counter, but many of the ladies who write have had no idea how impacting their articles are, all due to lack of a comment box.

Now, it's almost 2 AM... it's been an extremely long day, so I should probably go to bed. Tomorrow, er... today, has some pretty exciting stuff planned!

Countdown: 12 Days

Such a rainy, blustery day. Such a long to-do list! But it seemed as if everything I touched today had issues. I was more than happy to watch my nieces and nephew for awhile. I won't get to do that anymore in 12 days! We got to do several fun things in our time together, like visit Chick-fil-a, assemble Cootie Bugs, and run through the rain. 

Here's to hoping there are less issues involved in the evening - I really need to knock some items off that list!

(Also, a short post about a Goodbye Dinner the Halls gave for Sam and I. We had so much fun!)

Countdown: 13 Days

Now we get down to the interesting meal combinations while trying to clean out the stockpile in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. Today was Spicy Chicken Vegetable Soup with Beans and Matzo Balls. I still haven't decided on tomorrow's menu feature, but maybe a Cream of Everything Soup would be in order?

The Last Special

I sang my last special with my groupies :) this Sunday evening. It could have been better - I felt like I was flat the whole time and throwing their parts off, only because I was on the verge of crying. So yeah, it could have been better... but for posterity's sake, I wanted to post it here.

Picture someone with no reason for living,

With no hope of smiling again.

Imagine a world with no golden daybreak,

Enclosed by the blackness of sin.

Then the scene is bathed in beauty and glory,

Transformed by love's sweet embrace,

The hands of the Savior, erased all my sorrow

And painted this picture of grace.

How skillful the hands of the Artist, 

Who painted this picture of me,

He saw with the eyes of a Master, 

How beautiful my life could be, 

Where once was a portrait of gloom and despair,

This masterpiece hangs in its place,

It's signed with His blood and it's framed with His glory, 

This beautiful picture of grace. 

Ashes and ruin, that once filled the picture, 

Have vanished and faded from view, 

And beautiful touches of mercy adorn 

This picture He painted anew.

Such peace fills the eyes of the one He created, 

A smile gently rests on his face, 

Since Jesus erased all the guilt of my past 

And painted this picture of grace.

How I Tie My Ssekos

I bought Sseko sandals at the beginning of the summer. I <3 them! It's a bit of an investment up front (as far as shoes go) but having interchangeable straps really appeals to me. I love having a sole that has shaped exactly to my foot...and between different straps and different tying methods, I can wear them a thousand different ways. Plus, they are very African-looking and very travel-friendly, which is appropriate given my upcoming lifestyle change. :)

However, I found that the tying and untying of them meant that if I was running out the door, I would grab a pair of flip-flops which were easier to slide on. My Ssekos were more comfortable and better for my feet, but the time factor was preventing me from wearing them as often as other things.

I tried a flip-flop tying style for my Ssekos, but it just didn't work for me. I had a hard time getting them tight enough, and then when I finally did, they loosened up after a couple hours of wearing. One day, as I slipped on a cheap pair of flip-flops with a little metal ring holding the straps, I got the idea to tie my Ssekos with a washer, although once it's all tied, you can hardly see it. :)

Here is a little instruction video I did for others who also wear Ssekos:

Do any of you have Ssekos? What are your favorite ways to tie them? Let me know if you try this style, or any variations that you do!

Security - September 20th Update

I have to be honest and say that this has been a bit harder on me than I originally thought it would be. I've gone off before to foreign countries, but it has always been with a return date in mind, ticket in hand, end in sight. The duties I handed off were a temporary displacement, ready for me to pick up again when I came back. There was always home base, and the security that came with it.

This time, it's all different, and I didn't expect it to be quite so hard. This time I'm handing off duties, ministries that I've been involved in for years, and I don't know that I'll ever be back to do them again. I had my last Sunday school class with the four and five year olds, had my last turn in the nursery, played my last song for the choir. Soon I will sing my last special, take my last turn on the piano, and do many more 'lasts' that I don't care to think about at this moment. There isn't a return date or much of an end in sight. Not that I think I will be in Botswana for the rest of my life, but just now, I have no direction for the next step in my life.

There is a sense of security that you get when you are in *your* home church. They are your family... and in my case, I've known most of them my whole life! After being involved in so many ministries for so long, it feels strange to be distancing myself from all these things, and it makes me sad when I think I might never be back to participate in them again. Okay...that sounds morbid. God willing, I will be back!!! I will serve at LVBC again!! But, in all seriousness, none of us knows what the future holds. The fact is that this trip, for me, is completely different than any other. I am walking away from all these things with no idea when I will be back again or for how long.

Change is so exciting... but change is also painful as we grow and adapt to the newness. For me, the whole issue revolves around security. On what am I basing my security? Emotions can run the gamut from great happiness to deep sadness all based on what is happening around me. I can be terrified because of the economy, pleased because of someone's kind words, fearful because of impending changes, or ecstatic because of a coming pleasure - and all those things in just a matter of minutes! I can place my security in my physical location, the people around me, a financial cushion, a job or position, or just in the fact that I'm having a good day! Is that really security?

Here it is... this lesson that I've been learning by experience: Security is not just a feeling; it is a truth. Security, by definition, is a freedom - freedom from danger, worry, fear, risk - and it is a well-founded confidence. Security is much more than just an emotion. In fact, if my security is in something that is not a truth (ie: a person who is fallible, a financial situation which could change, or just the fact that the sun is shining) then it is just emotion. If I am trusting in something that can change, it is not well-founded and rather than freedom, I find myself in bondage to the change which is inevitable. In contrast, I can still be secure when my emotions are wreaking havoc on my life and when everything that is familiar is ripped apart. I just have to find the truth and well-founded confidence in which to put my security. Aren't you glad we have God's Word for that?

I can be secure because of:

God's Unconditional Love for me - "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US." 1 John 4:10

God's Strength and Courage, just when I need it - "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." Psalm 27:14

God's Peace, passing all understanding - "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

God's Direction - "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6

And above all else, the thing that gives the most security, God's Unchanging Ways - "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Number 23:19

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The things for the container have all been packed, inventoried, labeled and are ready to make a short trip tomorrow in preparation for the long trip they will be taking over sea. We won't receive the container until after the New Year, so we've tried to plan ahead and pack only the heavy things needed long term - so that basically came down to books, some literature we had printed here, more books, and bookshelves. And a few boxes of other household items...but mostly books. :)

This past Sunday was the official transition of the pastorate from my dad to my oldest brother, our new Pastor. Such a tearful, joyful, emotional service - for all the good reasons. We look forward to the days to come with great expectation for what the Lord is planning to do. We serve such a great God!

21 days until take-off!

So Thankful

Today is a beautiful gray September day. I slept with all my windows flung wide open to the night air, and woke to see my breath in the air. I put on my favorite wool hoodie, which I haven't worn since the Spring, and got to work with a cup of coffee in hand.

Things have been a bit crazy around here, and our house is a mass upheaval of boxes and piles. But as I settled down to work at the folding table temporarily in our dining room, my dad came and sat across the table with his computer, and we worked in silence for a time, occasionally exchanging a question or comment.

It just struck me as I sat there with him how thankful I am to get to do what I do. Today I worked on paperwork for our container... a lot of lists and values of items and cross-referencing papers. Yesterday was a bit more physical as my mom and I labeled, inventoried, and stacked the first 50 boxes (mostly books) for that container. Working for my dad means that I never know what I'm going to be doing - running errands, making phone calls, doing research, filling out paperwork or filing notes, video editing, technical blog/website issues, producing books, and the list could go on.

I am so happy with where I am in my life right now and I praise the Lord for it! <3

In other somewhat related news... 26 days until departure!

He's My King

That's My King - by S.M. Lockridge

Crazy week.

Started off with a good reminder in the form of my Sunday school kids' memory verse, "What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him?" What is there to fear when He is in control of all - even the winds, the sea, the animals, and the rocks obey Him. Shouldn't we be just as quick with our obedience?

Monday was the funeral for Bro. Purks. Many tears and much laughter. He was a servant of God who was funny, challenging, and will be sorely missed. I spent a couple days in MD with a friend, and we had a good time catching up, talking, and shopping. As an aside, the public library in Frederick, MD is the coolest library I have ever been to. I want to move to Frederick just so I can visit their library.

Back to work on Thursday and then an impromptu sleepover with my niece and nephew. We had hot dogs for supper, went out for ice cream, painted our toenails (not my nephew, obviously), played games, watched Winnie-the-Pooh, read stacks of books, and eventually they crashed in their sleeping bags on my floor. Grandma made waffles for breakfast, and then we worked on some 'crafts.'

Starbucks started making their Pumpkin Spice this week, which made me so very happy. In the winter, I feel like a kid in the candy store with all the incredible holiday flavors. Unfortunately, I missed all the Christmas flavors last year and will again this year, so I'm taking advantage of the beautiful Pumpkin Spice, even if I have to have it iced because it's still so hot out. :)

Today is another major push to get things cleaned out. I can't even believe how much we have already gone through and how much there is left to be done. We are now at the 5 week countdown, but there are some significant (time-consuming) events between now and then - another trip for my parents to take, Gospel meetings at LVBC, and a bunch of appointments to make and people to meet. I am caught between wanting the days to slow down so I can savor each moment, and wanting the days to hurry by so we can get to Africa already.

After getting rid of all my craft supplies a couple weeks ago, I felt the urge to do "something." So I pulled out what I had, and made a couple small things.

Not much... sewing a small zippered bag with three interior pockets, lining a cool box that I found (still don't know what to put in it), and getting a new journal ready.

From inside the journal:

"Triumph, O my faith!
All things are Christ's, and Christ is God's, and God, Christ, and all things are thine.
Time is His, and in it I have my numbered years;
The air is His, and in it I breathe;
The world, and on it I dwell;
Its fullness, and I am fed;
Grace is His, and in it I stand;
Faith, and by it I overcome the world;
Tribulations are from Him, and in them I glory;
Perfection is His, and towards it I press;
Death is His, and by it I arrive home;
Heaven is His, and there is my mansion;
Eternity is His, and there is my treasure and glory."
-James Meikle, Solitude Sweetened


From the front cover:

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust

That is one of my all-time favorite quotes. Even though it seems like I am always skipping off to new landscapes, it really is true that changing your perspective on the current situation can be just as revealing as changing your location in life.

‎"Once we have set ourselves to be pilgrims and strangers on the earth, which is what Christians are meant to be, it is incongruous for us to continue to insist upon the sort of security the world tries to guarantee. Our security lies not in protecting ourselves from suffering, but in putting ourselves fully into the hands of God. The desire for physical and material security makes us sly and hard. No. We must be like little children. The child in its father's arms is not worried. It lies quietly at rest because it trusts its father.

“We disobey sometimes because we say it is impossible to do what God asks. Impossible? Perhaps what we mean is impossible to do that and keep our security, impossible to obey without tremendous cost, or at least tremendous risk. Where, then, will we find safety? Is it likely that we will find it elsewhere than in the arms of the Father?"

-Elisabeth Elliot