three words

We Go China!

So I'm single and young (relatively) and have a flexible work schedule. What better things are there to do with my time and freedom than travel? (ok, barring self-less things like help the poor and sick). That's right, a big travel trip is coming up. For a few days I will go to the land of straight black hair, 1/6 of the world's population, cigarettes, round faces and squatty potties. I know Beijing doesn't sound exactly like the most popular vacation spot for a Lancaster county Mennonite but as odd as it is, I'm rather excited. It doesn't feel real yet but the first 6 hour leg to Cali of our travel route will begin the sinking in process. If that doesn't do it, the 13 hour leg will! My travel buddy Stacy & I will visit some contacts in Shenyang, tour Beijing & hopefully the Olympic sights and just be away from life as we know it. To be sure, I'll be on the lookout for good deals (after all... 'made in china'...), funny idiosyncrasies, misused & misspelled English ('engrish') and cute chinese babies. Stay tuned...

Every Blessing You Pour Out...

...I'll turn back to Praise.

Sometimes you have to sing a song many times before you're truly saying the words and grasp its meaning. This season in my life feels like one awesome blessing after another with really cool opportunities. I'm actually struggling with feeling like I don't deserve it all. And I don't think I do, but I can certainly be thankful and enjoy things as they come up with all my energy. When we start thinking we deserve things, our self-righteousness kicks in and shifts the focus from THE GIVER to the receiver. What do we really deserve? I mean, really deserve? Well, the truth is, we deserve death. I'm not saying that to be Debbie Downer or morbid, but instead to keep my attitude as one of thanksgiving. So every day we don't get what we deserve is a cause for excitement and thanksgiving. It just so happens I have a lot of tangible things to be thankful for lately.

A friend of mine who works for CCO (Coaltion for Christian Outreach, college campus ministries) leads wilderness adventure trips during college breaks. He'd mentioned the possibility of needing a female leader a few months back but then found someone within the organization to go. Until 5 days before the trip. She'd gotten the dates wrong. The call came. Could I still go? Woo! Usually in making such decisions I go by my gut feeling and the rationalizing measure stick (i.e. can i afford it, is it being responsible, what do I have to miss to go?) The feeling in my gut said oh man, I really want to go. Canoeing.. in Florida.. with students.. costs covered.. I'm so there. I happened to be on staff retreat. Perfect timing because everyone I would need to ask to cover my duties were all in one place and the retreat is an encouraging, supportive setting. I kept the news to myself for the evening, savoring the possibility, hardly containing my pending decision. Long story short, everyone at camp was extremely supportive (and jealous) and 4 days later as a group of 18 strong, were cruising to Florida.

Highlights were jumping fish, dolphin sightings, islands, camping, beaches, ocean view pooping, eating, conversations, laughing, getting to know the students, catching up with Jeremy, sun, 80 degree weather, canoeing, selah & solo time, seashells, Triad Seafood restaurant, Havannah Cafe (aka. gastronomical delight). Well, pretty much everything. Except the no-see-ums, sand in every nook & cranny, the breeze-less nights on sandy sleeping bags, bug bites and swollen sunburnt lips. But even all those things are (now) laugable.

And NO, WE DID NOT GET EATEN BY GATORS. I have spoken. sheesh, say 'florida' and immediately people think you're going to die or at least be a few digits or limbs less from a gator encounter. We didn't even see any where we were canoeing because they aren't in big salt water. yes, we did see a ridiculous amount along the road in the brackish water but we were safe in our van.











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but what makes her tick?

Facebook, which I'm addicted to, had this note going around where you name off 25 random things about yourself. This is what I came up with and it was fun.

long awaited 25 random things...

1. I despise being misunderstood
2. Life is about relationships (according to how I fall on the Myers-Briggs personality test). I agree it fits me but that doesn't translate to mean I have to be around people all the time. I like some 'me' time. It does mean if there is a rift in a relationship it eats at me until there is some reconciliation.
3. God is AWESOME and I owe my life to loving him, continually growing deeper in a love relationship with my savior.
4. The only magazine I'm currently subscribed to is Backpacker (my fav Christmas present the last 4 years). I drool over the trip reports and gorgeous pictures. I've backpacked in New Hampshire's white mountains, Franconia Notch, Presidential Range; Vermont's green mountains; Adirondacks (NY), Washington's Olympic Nat'l Park; Montana's Glacier Nat'l Park, on the Appalachian Trail in VA & PA and a few other random places. My "must do" life list grows faster than I actually get out.
5. I love canoeing on rivers (thanks to my position at Hebron sometimes I even get paid to do so!) and enjoy getting underground in caves - such hidden beauty!
6. I take pride in being good at driving & backing a canoe trailer, making use of a cordless drill, using a swagger on the ropes course and driving the tractor.
7. I'm vain about 2 of my physical features... my hair (no I don't ever try to straighten it) and calf muscles
8. I've traveled to China, Thailand, Costa Rica and lived in Hong Kong for 1 year but have never been to Canada.
9. I journal a lot but don't read often. I'd rather be doing things than reading about them.
10. My favorite sport to play & watch is soccer and I play a couple times a week still. This has put a lot of miles on my car.
11. I have over 80 cousins on my dad's side of the family. The oldest one is in his 30's and the youngest one was just born this fall. Yes, all FIRST cousins. No, I can't name them all. The majority of them drive horse & buggy. My mom's side, the 'small'er side, when we all get together, there are over 40 of us with aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
12. I can mimic accents pretty well. Specialties are Pennsylvania duetsch and chinese accented english (chinglish or engrish). Wish that translated in to learning languages like nobody's business...
13. I'm not nearly as competitive as I used to be but I still play to win. I don't like to lose but get over it pretty quickly. Its just more fun to win.
14. I need to laugh more and learn to let go of things. I also really admire people who are humble.
15. I may have a bit of a violent streak... I aim for animals on the road. well, used to. Once I hit a possum and then I never wanted to do it again. Especially because I ran past the carcass for the next 2 weeks. GROSS! I've ninja kicked a few moles, don't appreciate bugs or lil vermin occupying my home and want to put an end to whatever is digging holes in my plants in my office. The trap is set...
16. I'm not a visionary person per say. I'm more of a nuts & bolts/details person. I'm huge on efficiency.
17. I once batted a monkey off my friend and it screamed at me. But it got down. But it got the Oreo's it wanted. We'll call it a draw. Ok... the monkey won.
18. I've only recently started to let myself dream but share these life goals with very few people.
19. I dream at night a lot and remember some vividly. So much so that I keep a dream journal.
20. I enjoy being an American and am thankful for my citizenship but I'm not very patriotic.
21. My eyes are very healthy but my vision is worse than 20/400. That big letter E at the top of the chart? yeah... I can't read it. Without corrective lenses I'd be legally blind. When in Hong Kong I went to a chinese eye doctor and he said, "Waah!... you have eyes like Chinese!" (... aka. BAD!) I had bifocals a few years in elementary school.
22. I was mistaken for a famous person once but couldn't let myself sign autographs. Can you guess who?
23. I have lots of questions & uncertainties about God but my faith is sure in hoping for something greater than what's before us today. I don't know what the future holds but I have confidence that God holds the future (...and everything, including you and me).
24. When I witness something awkward or accidentally painful my initial reaction is to laugh, not comfort. :/ Shock I guess. I also find flatulence quite humorous. Usually. Mark it up to having 2 older brothers and a gaseous father.
25. I'm convinced we as humans are supposed to help, love, support and encourage one another with all we've got. If its not your day to receive today, it will be some time. I love my friends & family!!

and just for good measure 26.) No one has ever thrown me a surprise party.

Hope you're not too weirded out now but I'll understand if I have a few less friends tomorrow. :) haha!