Taxes in October...

Our little Grants Pass Deaf Church made history, of sorts, on Saturday night. :) As a two-year-old Church, they held their first ever commissioning service. My Deaf pastor shared his excitement before we began... in 30 years of ministry (as a pastor and a missionary himself), he'd never seen a Deaf church perform a commissioning service. It's just very rare. :) Such a special evening and a privilege to be sent out as one of their own! Beautiful people. Family. I will miss them greatly.

The hours flee and my departure date nears... Oct. 8, 2010. Two years ago "Fall of 2010" felt forever away--an arbitrary time frame pulled out of the sky. I had plenty of time, and much to learn/do. Now... it's here. With a ticket in my hand. And suitcases to pack. The phone rings from time to time - another familiar voice, another goodbye. Goodbye comfortable, familiar normalcy. Hello Africa and the unfamiliar, new, and different.

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.   Psalm 139:1-10, NASB

It's moments like these I hear His reminders... in any unknown and all uncertainty... it is the known I can cling to and be absolutely certain of--HIS PERFECT LOVE. HIS provision. HIS grace. HIS strength and peace. HIS unchanging faithfulness and sovereignty. This story isn't mine... it's that of a King, a Kingdom, and a Love I have yet to fully grasp.

So, I sit here, preparing my tax deductions and paperwork for next spring... because that's what's in front of me this afternoon. What's in front of you?

SeedLinks Article & Pictures

Check out the May 2010 SeedLinks online magazine articles about Kenyan & Indian Sign Language Translation work here: http://www.theseedcompany.org/files/media/seedlinks/may-10/default.html
Also, pictures here: http://www.theseedcompany.org/cocosphotos
Enjoy!

delinquent

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the planet... though it might seem as such. I've just been spread far too thin to be able to post regular updates. Even this isn't going to be a "real update." But, fortunately, all of you whom are partners in ministry have received my monthly newsletters still. If you have not, leave a comment and I'll pass it on. These give a brief glimpse into life at SIL-UND... and just a few of the multitudious things that take up my every waking moment. :) Enjoy!

P.S. - I have been receiving several comments a week (in Chinese) from people I do not know. I've been deleting them whenever I sign on. Please don't follow the links, as some lead to perverse sites. I apologize for this, but have not yet found how to block them.

P.P.S. - And here's an interesting article on how Language influences Culture - if you're nerdy and interested. :) Lost in Translation

Ready our hearts to carry Your Love!

We are called out; we are ransomed
We are not of the world we're in
We are chosen; we are blessed
To bring light to the lives of men

So Father sow your seed
Give us life in community
Wake us from our sleep
This is Your time; this is Your place
And we are vessels for breaking

Under Your grace, we are led by Your Spirit
You have redeemed us by the blood of Your Son
Send down Your Word; we are eager to hear it
Ready our hearts to carry Your love
 
You are sunlight; You are morning
You're the hope of a brand new day
You are comfort; You are blessing
And You wipe all our tears away

So change us from within
Render miracles from our sin
Remind us once again
This is Your time; this is Your place
We are vessels for breaking

Under Your grace, we are led by Your Spirit
You have redeemed us by the blood of Your Son
Send down Your Word; we are eager to hear it
Ready our hearts to carry Your love

~Caedmon's Call, "Carry Your Love" 

oh, the drama...

We've had some excitement the last week, I'd say.

First, I've almost completely finished the lecture for one of my classes... THAT, my friends, is what we call "front-loading" a course. The first two weeks of a nine week summer intensive... lecture = finished. Now all that awaits are my labs, due July 2nd, and one credit will be behind me. =)

Wednesday, I celebrated a quarter of a century of life. Thank you to those of you who sent cards, called, texted, or emailed. =)

Thursday, during my very last class of the day: Ethnographic Methods, the tornado sirens went off and we all stepped outside our "basement level" classroom and congregated in the hallway where we finished up the lecture. An hour and a half later, we were given the all-clear and walked to supper under a beautiful, clear blue, cloudless sky. North Dakota weather = odd & spastic.

Friday evening we put on the returning students' "Skit Night" which was themed after High School Musical and re-written with ridiculously nerdy linguistic-y words. If I hadn't been in the final scene, I'd have video-ed it for ya'll to enjoy... alas. But fun.

Thank you all for your prayers, little notes here and there, and encouragement! The stress level is surprisingly low despite a busy schedule. I'm thankful.

Enjoying Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost for His Highest" devotional lately... longing for a steadfast heart and a calm, confident spirit. Feeling His arms around, even in my weakness and insufficiencies. His constant love is a beautiful thing.

Hello, Summer

I'm here! Pulling onto the University of North Dakota campus last night and seeing a bunch of familiar faces from last year felt like Deja Vu! Fun. I'm getting settled in and awaiting my roomie's arrival! Thrilled to see some friends from last year and others who I knew from other places.

Tomorrow, the adventure begins at 8:30am with Orientation & Registration. =) Please pray for strength & complete trust/dependence in my walk with the Lord. I'm excited to be here, but bracing myself for the intensity of last year. Pray I will let go, relax, and let Him do it all in and through me, as I rest in Him. I want this to be a defining time in my relationship with Christ, of growing, trusting, and leaning into Him in the pressures of life. I want to come away with my heart further entwined with His... and my love for Him, deeper.

My prayer for the summer... Lord, bring this verse to LIFE is us and make us each to walk in it's reality DAILY, by Your undeserved grace upon grace!
"I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader of anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with Himself." (Ephesians 1:19-23, NLT)