Columbia, my home

Its an amazing feeling to be back in Columbia. And I'm staying at the granola hut. does life get much better than this? I feel as though I've been spiritually sick for a while but staying in this apartment with these amazing women of God is the kind of hospital care I've needed.

i went to class today and it felt weird. when the professor spoke of extra credit i got a tiny bit excited and then i realized it doesn't matter because i'm not really in the class and i won't be receiving a grade from him. Nonetheless, i learned things today and it was nice to stretch my brain muscle a little.

i want to incorporate dually noted into my vocabulary. i like that phrase but i have to work up the courage to use it.

stop trying to make God in your image. i do that too much sometimes. i had to take God out of the friend and Daddy box for a bit so that i could remember who he really is. when i view him as a friend for too long i start to lose my fear of him. that proves very dangerous.

What a day

It started out with me waking up and taking my mom to the ER not even 10 minutes into my day (no face washing or brushing of the teeth was to be found. I threw a jacket on over my pjs, pulled up my beloved knitted boots and headed out). My mom is going to be fine (thank you Jesus!). She is, however, going to have 2-4 pints of blood infused into her system. So thank you blood donors, ecspecially Jennifer from Chicago (a little game my mom and I played guess who the donor of a specific batch of blood was. Mommy said she couldn't tell by the taste of Jennifer's blood what her major is). Seriously, my mom really is going to be a okay.

a boy from France liked the way people feel about George Bush to the way they feel about bull fighting in Spain. "Half the people like it and the other half does not.""

my dad came to town today. Thats always...err...awkward. We hung out with Tristan and his friends downtown and played Risk until 1:30 in the morning. Talk about random!

after feeding Connor I smelt like baby formula (after its been partially digested) EWWWW. Even though that kid grosses me out sometimes, I really do love and adore my nephew.

i'm still planning on coming to Cola Wed, depending on how my mom is feeling.

tonight i am staying alone in a house for the first time in months, maybe even a year or two if you don't count my dorm. i locked the door. i never lock the door; i can't remember the last time we locked the door to this house. oh yeah i do...never.

and now, i will go eat my hot pocket and drink some southern sweet tea. i have to go to sleep so i can wake up early and go see my mommy.

Two Week Countdown

Natalie, soon to be travel partner in Argentina, called me today to tell me that my 2 week countdown until I leave has begun today. That gave me butterflies...

Good news for me: I no longer have to go to Atlanta to get a student visa!! Instead, I will get a tourist visa upon arriving in the country and right before the 90 expiration date occurs, I'll cross the border to Uruguay and when I reenter Argentina, I will be issued a new visa. Surprisingly, this makes life much simpler.

Yesterday was a day full of horrible drivers. At one point a man cut me off, causing me to slam on the brakes and all I could do was throw my right hand into the air (not making an certain gestures) saying "If I had a horn I'd honk at you!" Take that bad driver. Maybe next time I'll give him the angry fist.

I get to go to Columbia this week! I will be arriving Wednesdayish and staying for about 6 days or so. I can't wait to see everyone because I miss ya'll terribly. However, I have been blessed with a few visits, phone calls, text messages and emails from the people that I love so much who live in Columbia. Its nice to know that I've been missed as much as I miss others. Its going to be greatrejuvenatingg in the place I consider home before I return to Charleston and head out for 3.5 months ofHispanicc craziness.

Hot tubs are very relaxing. Ecspecially when you are bonding with your bestfriend in a bubbling pool of warmness on a cold evening.

Just another day

Each day is filled with a lot of little tasks I need to accomplish to get ready for Argentina. I finally got my plane ticket. Whoot whoot. Next big thing on my list: the visa. When, oh when, will I get it?

I got hit on my a freshman (in high school) today. He extended his hand to shake mine as he asked me my name and gave me his. He then asked me what I was reading, said "cool" then walked off to rejoin his group of friends. It was mildly humorous. I think there was some sort of bet going on there.

Washing dishes wasn't nearly as dreadful as normal. I washed, my mommed rinsed. Bonding time....

Last night I heard a missionary from Kenya tell his story and what is going on in his country. It seems like the people I've met from Africa have more of a heart for their own country men to know Jesus than we do for the US. Still, seeing video clips of the bush made me want to trade in my plane ticket for one to Kenya.

Today I didn't make it a point to have a "quite time." I didn't sit and pray for hours, or even 30 minutes straight. I simply went about my day. At the end of the day I felt like I had spent the entire day with the Lord. Granted I didn't have alone time with him, but I felt like he kept me company and ran my errands with me. Its like when you hang out with a friend, or study with them, and don't really talk much. You just make a few comments here or there, but being in there presence keeps you from feeling alone. Thats how it was with me and my savior today. It was good but I'm glad that not everyday is like this. I like spending quality time with him.

Ready Set Go

Its been a good week. Some of my favorite people from Columbia came down and hung out with me for a day. That brought me more joy than I think they know. I went Salsa dancing and had a blast. Worship on Thursday was amazing and much needed. My only regret for the past week is that I haven't spent as much time focusing on God as I should have.

I need to clean the windows in my car. Someone told me to use vinegar. Lets just say that my car isn't too fresh smelling now. I think I'll invest in Windex next time.

Learning who I am at this moment and who I am created to be in Christ is very challenging at times. I'm not so sure they are the same person right now. Forever striving, forever changing, forever gaining freedom.

I can't be the person others want me to be. I can't fit into their constraining boxes. I'm tired of trying. This is the year of accepting the true me and I'm excited for the ride that I'm in for. The refining processes is extensive, painful and long but fighting it just makes it harder. I'm ready to once again be put into the flames. Am I excited about it? Ummm...a little nervous but I know that I won't be there alone.

The war has been won. Fellow warriors, take up your arms because we have many battles ahead of us. Jesus came to bring us a sword and he is stirring up the army. Let your battle cry ring loud and clear! We are in this together and we have been given what we need to be readily equipped. Its your job to make sure that armor is on each day. The Lord is moving and He has called us to set the captives free. This is a spiritual war we are fighting here and there are forces that would rather remain unknown so that we won't be able to kick their butt. We have to love like never before, pray without ceasing and crucify our flesh daily. We must fight for our families, our friends, co-workers, classmates, and yes, even strangers. Take hold of the authority that has been given to you through Jesus Christ and do what you have been called to do. Remember, you are not in this alone, fellow saints. Its time to become one, dear family.

Offensive prayers, not defensive ones, remember?

Operation GM

Operation Grow My Eyebrows Out is underway. I decided that I want to get my brows professionally shapened and in order to do that I must become very bushy over the next couple of weeks. I'm thinking of investing in some hair bleach so that I can lighten the crazy hairs as they start to come in.

Today while I was hanging out with some friends one of them opened the Bible and start reading out loud some things that God has been showing him. It was pretty out of the blue and its the first time since I've been in Charleston that someone has read the Bible in a group setting. It was very refreshing.

This may be the first year that I didn't feel the need to have a New Years resolution. There are things I want to change in my life, new habits to form and old ones to break, but I didn't feel like I needed a new year to get started on them. It was kind of freeing not feeling the need to create a resolution.

Machuchu- the African name I created for myself (at times I like to spell it Machoochoo, like a train). I just found out that in Swahili it means dwarves. So ha, it is real african. However, in the language of Kimochi Unn, it means mushroom. Neither meaning are all that cool but its nice to know that my self-proclaimed name has a meaning. At the same time, its a little discouraging that I can't make up new words even when I try. Where's the creativity??

Its crazy how life works. The people that I use to hang out when I lived here I haven't caught up with even once, save one. However, the people I have been spending time with were only acquaintances before but are now becoming actual friends.

I have not lost my dream of becoming a mover and shaker. Its still there, I'm just learning to listen to God and move when he moves, shake when he calls me to shake. Where is the line between confidence and pride? Pride was creeping up on me and it took the bravery of a good friend to call it to my attention. I was greatful for that, though I didn't show it at the time because it stung.

Thank you, Lord for being so good to me!