100 things about me :)

1. My favorite book of all time is the B.F.G. by Ronald Dahl
2. I cry in almost every movie I watch even little kid ones. . yes I still cry in the Lion King!
3. I love to be barefoot as much as possible!
4. I love to write as much as I can. It is my stress reliever and my way to vent.
5.  I love to quilt and to be creative/crafty!
6. I am one of the most clumsy ever…just call me Grace :)
7. I have had Malaria, an ambea, and a parasite along with many other minor illnesses.
8. My favorite T.V. shows are NCIS, Grey’s anatomy and COPS
9. I can speak Maasai almost fluently and I love speaking it!
10. I have the most amazing family in the whole world and I love them greatly!
11. I have never been sledding but I would love to one day be able to.
12. I love a cup of hot tea on a cold night. It calms me down and warms me up.
13. I carry on a conversation with God in the car while I'm driving to and from work.
14. I drive a Toyota and his name is Maude.
15. My nickname is Tree- its been than way since 6th grade P.E. class
16. I love love love love love love superheros- my all-time favorite is Spiderman.
17. I listen to classical music while I study and clean.
18. I love to lay under the stars and listen to music or have a deep conversation with someone.
19. I am double jointed in my fingers, elbows, wrists, knees, and shoulders
20. Sleeping in Thunderstorms is possibly the best weather to sleep in.
21. Playing in the rain and jumping in puddles is thoroughly enjoyable.
22. ‘I am seriously afraid of Cows.
23. I still like to color-My Curious George coloring book is my favorite.
24. I love long road trips with good friends. It gives us a good chance to talk.
25. I don’t like most breakfast foods. . .I rarely eat breakfast because it all tastes so nasty to me
26. I was baptized in the river at Olkoroi, Kenya when I was 8
27. I eat chocolate chips when I watch movies at home.
28. When I was little every weekend I would watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers with my Maasai sisters
29. Im always cold-even if it’s 1000 degrees outside I'm still wrapped in a blanket
30. When I'm sick the only thing I will eat is noodles
31. My favorite pop is Dr. Pepper
32. I still don’t fully understand the game of football (american style) . . .Hey I grew up in Africa we played the real football!
33. My favorite sea animal is a Sea Turtle and my favorite land animal is a Elephant.
34. I have always wanted a pet pot belly pig to keep as an indoor pet
35. I'm not afraid to burp in front of others. I usually only do in front of my closest friends.
36. I like eating a bowl of ice cream with a couple of spoonful’s of peanut butter in it
37. I think old married couples are the cutest, especially when they finish each other’s sentences and love each other so much
38. I wear fre-breeze as body spray sometimes and it works really well
39. I say "black and yellow" and "all the days" all the time
40. My favorite song in the whole entire world is What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
41. I curling up with a good book and a warm blanket.
42. I love sleeping with my fan on!
43. My favorite place in the whole wide world to eat is Kim's Dishes in Narok, Kenya!
44. When I sleep on my stomach my feet stick up in the air . . .I look crazy but hey it’s how I roll
45. It only takes me 30 minute to get ready in the morning.
46. I’m always 10 minutes early to everything-I hate being late!
47. Skype is an amazing invention and I’m very thankful for it!
48. My favorite books of the bible are Proverbs and James
49. I am allergic to cats, dogs, Benadryl, milk, Advil and Jalapenos
50. My favorite numbers are 13 and 7
51. I miss my grandpa that I never met.
52. I love blueberry waffles with nutella in the middle
53. I have a bucket of nail polish and no two colors are alike.
54. I had a dream once that Owen Wilson was my birth father.
55. I am adopted and am proud of it.
56. I love the Taco Bus (restaurant in Tampa, FL)
57. I am close to being legally blind without my glasses or contacts
58. I dislike cooked broccoli but uncooked is oh so good
60. I have a Blackberry Curve and am very blessed to have it.
61. I have two Maasai sisters whom I miss terribly
62. My favorite game is murder . ..mwahhhhh ahahahahahah . . .cough. . .cough
63. My favorite candy is reeces and it is my weakness.
64. When I get embarrassed my ears turn red . . .not my cheeks. . .just my ears! lol
65. I got stuck in the dryer when I was little and mom wouldn’t help me get out!
66. I have a tattoo of Africa on my right shoulder blade.
67. My favorite smell is my daddy’s cologne.
68. When I was little I used to name grasshoppers with my dad.
69. I love to cook. . give me a kitchen and you have a dinner
70. I own a bow and arrows from Kenya- that is special to me
71. I love to fly. Put me one a plane and I’m set
72. My left foot is longer than my right- I know weird right?
73. I played basketball and my number 13.
74. I do not like orange juice- its nasty all around
75. I love motorcycles and four-wheelers and hope to own one, one day
76. I think doing dishes is peaceful and gives me time to think.
77. I try and be as open and honest as I can be.
78. I don’t add people on Facebook that I don’t know  . . . I don’t want creepers creeping on me.
79. I want to travel the world with my husband . . . when I get married that is.
80. The only kind of pickles I will eat is bread and butter, dill is just nasty
81. I rarely watch TV but when I do it’s for hours and my brain turns to mush lol
82. I love sleep but I never seem to get enough sleep
83. I lick the inside of the popcorn bag- all the extra butter yumm!!!!
84. I love to plant gardens and trees- watching them grow is amazing and picking the fresh produce is even better!
85. My high school is bigger than my college- GO MILLIGAN!!!!
86. I have a love hate relationship with horses- falling head first is never fun.
87. I don’t like winter fresh gum . . it’s just too sweet
88. I have always wanted to fly in a two seater bi-plane
89. My favorite memories of being an missionary kid have to do with other missionary kids
90. I want 8 kids- I want to adopt as well as having my own
91. I want to be a missionary one day
92. My dream car is a range rover. . .anyone wanna buy me one?
93. I love to explore out in nature- give me some undisturbed nature over a city any day
94. I teach fourth graders with my best friend Branden Jones at Grace Fellowship.
95. I love catching chameleons and other reptiles- that’s what I get for growing up in Kenya! haha
96. I don’t like Branson at all what so ever- it’s to materialistic and creepy
97. I have never and will never call America "home"- Kenya is home
98. I call Valentine’s day single awareness day! I have 365 days to tell someone I love them not just one.
99. I eat pizza with honey mustard and it’s sooooo amazing!!!
100. My favorite movie is The Ultimate Gift!

The value of a blessing

Have you ever considered the value of a blessing? What does a blessing mean to others? I have recently discovered what the value of a blessing means to me. This past weekend, I had an allergic reaction which sent me to the ER. From the moment I was admitted I was surrounded by people who blessed me. The most wonderful friend in the world to me to the ER and watched over me like a mother hen. I received two phones calls while I was in the ER from two of the greatest brothers I could have ever asked for. They called to tell me that they loved me and how worried they were about me. People sent me text messages apon text messages telling me they were praying for me and letting me know that they would be there to help me if I needed anything. Since being out of the ER, I have been very weak and in pain. My brothers have brought me food, people stopped by to visit and I have been so blessed. The value of a blessing to me was knowing that I have people who surrounded me in my time of need and that I have been taken care of. God knows when you need a blessing. Lets go be a blessing to others!

A sprinkle of Joy

Life gets hard right? I mean we all find ourselves dragging our feet waiting for the moment when we can curl up in bed and sleep away all our problems. Today, my mother reminded me to look for the sprinkles of Joy that our amazing God blows our way throughout our day. Recently, my days have gotten increasingly longer and harder, and the sprinkles have become hidden by the cloud of stress that seemingly is ever present. Sitting here reflecting on the past week I see so many sprinkles that I overlooked in the moment. I got to see the excited face as I surprised a very special friend, My best friend took me to lunch and we got to have a much needed catch-up time, I have had so many hugs from so many wonderful people this week, I get to teach the most amazing group of 4th graders on this planet, my roommate made me dinner, I got to go contra dancing, my aunt sent me a letter, I got to sleep in on Saturday, I pray multiple times a week with several of the greatest people I know and lastly, I have a God who watches over me. So, you see how sprinkles of joy can come in all shapes and sizes? It is a work of the most high God and his mighty love for us!
Find your sprinkles this week,
Ang

The simple things

The simple things are those that the heart aches for the most. My heart aches for those simple things that are 2000 miles out of grasp. My heart sobs for the smiles of children who have nothing and have taught me how to be content. My heart longs for the rain that comes tumbling over the mountains without remorse and quenches the earth with force echoed by thunder. My heart cries for the radio call beckoning us to gather to hear of the world still spinning. My heart throbs for the beauty of the clouds lazy floating along the river of the sky with out care. My heart screams for the contrast of red wood against the landscape of the Acacia trees and the screen door slamming as a blond headed girl ran free. My heart trembles for the sounds of wild animals that many only dream about hearing but are the lullabies of my childhood. My heart reaches for the touches on my head that my elders gave thousands of times and the blessings they blessed me with. My heart searches for the smell and the warmth of the sun lingering on the linens. My heart wanders for the wary travelers that graced our doorstep in search of a cup of cool crisp water. My heart quiets for the times when goodbyes were said and tears fell onto the dusty red earth as the roar of an engine signified the end had finally come. My heart aches for the simple things.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

God knows when you need a good dose of blessings. This past week has been full of blessings and its not even half way over.
Monday: The day started out hard because I had to leave my parents and all those I love in Springfield. God blessed me with being able to stay awake on the road. I made it all the way to Johnson City in one day! I had a wonderful time just thinking and praying all 778 miles here.
Tuesday: Tuesday morning I got to have a wonderful breakfast with the Ross family and Jesse and Trevor Borden and their band The Way Much. It was such a blessing to see the Borden boys after 11 years. After breakfast I went to fill out an application at Wallabies ( a jumpy castle place for kids) and I was hired on the spot! GOD IS SO GOOD! I got to spend the rest of my day with the one and only Katy Fox. She is such a blessing to me!!!
Wednesday (today): I have spent the whole day relaxing and just chilling out. I have been constantly going for the past few weeks since I have been home from Kenya that I am exhausted. Today is been my catch up day and it has been wonderful!!!
I can't wait to see what else God has in store for me for the rest week!
Loves,
Ang

Where there are no groceries.

 To sum up the Kenya 2011 trip in one sentence would be: God works in so many ways.
The first week in my beautiful home country, I spent at New Hope Children's Centre in Uplands, Kenya. Tears immediately filled my eyes as I got our of the van. Twenty kids of all ages came running up to me, hugging me and for the little ones hugging my legs. The gate into New Hope reads The Lord is My Shepard...and as we all know the ending...I shall not want. The 8 days I spent at New Hope I felt not an ounce of want from any of the kids. Even though the kids come from horrible gut-twisting pasts they are overjoyed to be alive and the little that they have. Such pasts include being burned in a church fire, being found in a hole covered in fleas and being abused sexually. My first night at New Hope we had weekly fellowship and a sweet little 3 year old named Helena climbed into my lap and for the longest time we just looked at each other. Her little eyes were filled with hope. When she fell asleep I was perfectly content to kiss her little head and watch her sleep. The fellowship seem to end all to quickly and the older girls took her up to her bed. Spending time with the kids in any way was so special to me. When the kids came home from school we would go and talk to them about their day and what they learned. The boys love to play football (soccer for you Americans haha) and we would go out and of course the boys would cream us volunteers. It wasn't about winning or losing but it was about having fun and listening to the laughs and seeing the smiles on their sweet faces.
Our time in Olkoroi was equally as wonderful. The days flew by and yet each one of them was so busy that we fell into bed exhausted each night. Satan sure tried to scare us and run us out but we know who our trust is in and He will never ever leave us. One night, mom and dad heard what they thought were footsteps in the attic. It kept them awake all night and they were scared that someone was up there. Come to find out it was just rats. We were also threatened with jail time when we went to Tanzania. The police were trying to get a bribe ans so they were telling us all sorts of things that we did wrong and saying we were "in their hands now" but, we were in the Lord's hands and 6 hours later, we were let go and sent home. The Lord blessed us in so many ways this trip. We completed most of the water project and so 90% of Olkoroi has clean drinking water. We are so thankful that stomach illnesses are becoming almost non-existent in our little village. I was blessed to have 2 of the amazing volunteers from New Hope come out to visit me for a week. Cheryl Vickery and Sarah Ross came out and spent time with us in our little village. We explored the river and laid under the stars and visited the villages. I was so encouraged by their visit and pray that the Lord blesses them as the serve in Kenya. Even though our little village isn't on any map, its so very big on the map of our hearts and we pray that the Lord does big things even while we are away. Please pray that the Lord pierces the hearts of those who are still wondering in darkness.
Bwana Asifiwe (Praise the Lord!)
Angela

pictures from our trip:

 The beautiful kids at New Hope

 Saying goodbye

 Scooping Cow Manure :/

 

 Sarah and Cheryl

The kids at Olkoroi

So this is what devastation looks like.

Sunday night a tornado went right through the heart of Joplin, Missouri. Joplin is around of Springfield. We watched in horror as the news reporter's showed the ruins of what was once people's homes, cars and businesses. Monday rolled around and more graphic images filled our TV set as we sat glued to our seats. I felt like I needed to help. God kept nudging at my heart to do something, to help my fellow Missourians. I prayed all day that the Lord would show me what I needed to do. By the end of the day I felt like I had to go to Joplin itself. I contacted a group going and was there bright and early Tuesday morning.
We got to College Heights Christian Church ready to help out however we could, not expecting to be sent out into the devastation. Even though we were not ready to go, we found it within ourselves to do whatever was needed. We were sent out to 26th street and this is what we faced:

 It looked as if bombs had been dropped. Nothing was left standing.Houses were gone. Everything that once was a thriving community now only resembled the shadow of what was.
The people were shell shocked. No one knew what to do and many just stared at what once was their home. One man we helped was shaking and couldn't even complete sentences. Through it all God's name was glorified for the lives that had not been lost. There was hope even among the devastation. Some of the people in our group found an American Flag in some of the rubble and decided that she deserved better and the hung her by a 2x4. It was beautiful to see that even among the mess, we are still Americans united under the one true God and no matter what the situation is we will stand together through it all.

It hit me as soon as I stepped in the door of my house that I am so blessed to still have a place to call home. A front door still welcomes me into a home where the roof is still intact and glass still in the windows. I still have clothes to wear and everyone in my family is still alive. For so many in Joplin, they have lost everything and everyone. Please pray for the community of Joplin as they continue to pick up the pieces of their lives. Pray that the love of Christ will be shown and God will be glorified through it all.

In Christ alone,
Ang

Top 5 favorite memories from freshman year

I have been reflecting over the last school year and thought I would share my top 5 favorite memories from the past school year!!!

#1 Becoming A Ninja!

Holly, Amerrica and I got really bored one night after studying forever and decided to ninja around campus. We rolled down the hill, hid from cars, ran through the chapel, and over all just had a blast!!!!! (Even though some people thought we were a bit crazy)

#2 Fall Break!

Fall break was such an amazing time! I got to catch up with some great friends! I spent the week enjoying eating Kenyan food, going to the aquarium and the Varsity in Atlanta. I was so blessed by that trip!

#3 Spring Break Beach Trip

Spring Break 2011 was amazing!!! We had such an incredible time camping out right by the beach. It was an amazing time with some good friends that I will never forget!

#4 The Photo Project

This past semester we were required to come up with a creative project for Humanities. I came up with the idea to get people to share their favorite verses by writing them on their hands. I enjoyed seeing how everyone's verse reflects them. 

#5 Joy Prom

Joy Prom was one of the most amazing things that I have ever been a part of. I was so blessed to see everyone enjoying themselves so much. We had so many people come up to us and thank us over and over again for helping making the night special for those with mental disabilities. I think that they blessed us more than we could have ever blessed them. Since it was an incredible night it deserves multiple pictures!

We had the honor of doing the girl's nails.

We danced...

and danced....

and danced!!!

It was an incredible night and no one is every going to forget it!

The crazy life of a college kid

Lately I have been so consumed by so many things that I haven't been able to write much on here.

God has been doing so many things in my life and I have been so blessed by so many people around me.
In the past month, my eyes have really been opened to what God is doing in my life.

A couple of weeks ago a close friend and I were at the point of not speaking and it was devastating to me. He has been like a brother to me for a very long time and we had begun to let our differences and silly circumstances come in the way of our friendship. I hate losing any friend but especially someone that is literally a brother to me. We finally after weeks of not talking and ignoring one another sat down and hashed everything out. We began to meet every Wednesday night to hang out and I hope that will continue next fall when we get back to school...and he promised he would skype me over the summer :)

God has also shown me the value of prayer. I have begun to try and pray more. When I was younger and still in High School, I would pray every night and that ended when I came to college. I wasn't finding time to pray anymore. My life felt like something was missing so I began to pray more. When I was going to class, at lunch, etc. I decided that I needed to stop telling people I would pray for them and just do it at that moment. One of my greatest friends was going through a break-up and before we even began to pray, my friend asked me what I needed prayer for and as my friend was praying for my needs I felt like a new person, and that a burden that had been weighing on my heart was now lifted. I thought about how prayer really does impact a person, so I started a prayer board. (Picture to come later) and on my little dry erase board, I have all the prayer requests and praises I can think of. I hope that my prayers can be as effective as the one that my friend prayed for me.

The other big thing that God has taught me is how much we let our technology get in our way. We spend so much time every day on our cell phones, lap tops,  Ipods and the list goes on and on and on. My lap top broke three times this semester and the final time it really gave out and I had to send it in to the company so they could repair it. I had so much more time to spend with friends and do things that I had been putting off because I had to be on facebook for hours and watch my favorite shows when they finally got to hulu. God used my lap top being broken to show me how much friends matter and that I need to stop putting my technology in front of things that matter way more.

So this has been my crazy life over the past month...I will be trying to update this more often and I hope you enjoy!

Loves,
Ang

Oh to create

I recently completed my Humanities creativity project. I chose to do my project through photography. As you will see I had my peers write their favorite verse on their hand . It was so beautiful to me to see how each and every child of God was different but could be united in the name of Christ. I feel so honored that everyone was so willing to help me out. I tied my project into the Reformation and how if the bible wasn't pushed so much to be in the common people's hands and in their own language; we wouldn't have favorite bible verses.
So here it is, so of the pictures from my project:

Helen Biard

Brooke Harris

Holly Barker

Branden Jones

Lauren McInturff

Thanks again to everyone who helped me!

Loves,

Ang

Why so much?

I have begun a job at Plato's closet where people come to buy clothes and to sell their unwanted clothes.I looked out at the floor sets with the thousands upon thousands of clothing items and my first thought was of Kenya. What about all the the people in Kenya who have shreds of clothing. It broke my heart to think of the hundreds of transactions made to people who in reality didn't need a single item they were buying. What if a village of the most extreme poor from Kenya walked into a store like that. They would be so overwhelmed they would not be able to function but yet to us it is so normal. We think that we are not rich but compared to people who do not have anything we are like kings. It is a such a simple issue that can be fixed and yet no one does a thing about it.

The Glory of God

This past week a group of us went to Edisto Island, South Carolina and God reminded me of how majestic His glory is. God is an amazing God! This pictures I hope catch just a glimmer of the beauty of the nature God has created.

 

  

From the purple sunsets to every shell on the sand, God created it all! If this doesn't show how incredibly amazing our God is I don't know what will. 

Two major thoughts of this week

I have had two major thoughts this week
1) How God is challenging me. This past week God has been stretching me and growing me. This past week God put a situation in my life in which I had to choose if I was going to grow through it or take a negative attitude about it. It was tough but I looked at it as a growing experience. God taught me how much I needed to rely on him to be able to make it through. He surrounded me with wonderful friends to help me see how I could grow and also to pray for me.

2) I have also been thinking about how I need to have more patient. I have become so impatient with God's timing and wanting things to happen when I want them to happen. God's timing is perfect but sometimes its not when I think it should happen. I have realized that my impatience is leading me becoming worried. Being worried leads to me being depressed. This is a big downward spiral that only comes from the devil. If I let the Lord have control and trust that the Lords timing is perfect (which it is) I have nothing to worry about and life is so much happier.

I continue to pray that the Lord will open my eyes to what he has for me to learn,

Always in Christ
Ang

Hearts

He approaches slowly with a determination in his step and a hardened look on his face
He stops only short of where I am and looks into my eyes
His eyes are midnight black, they are frightening but yet I can't look away
His hand extends slowly reaching out toward me like a beggar looking for a coin
I know what he has come for and I can't stop him from taking it
He keeps reaching until he touches me, ever so slightly but yet I feel the electric sting behind it
He grabs my heart and with a sudden ease, he takes it
I look down and see an empty hole where once sat the very thing that made me love him
He holds my heart out in front of me and chuckles, a chuckle that says he has won the battle for my heart
A tear slips from my eye as he pulls out an old jar from his pocket
I begin to tremble as he begins to unscrew the rusted tin lid, for I know what will happen now
The jar contains hearts, not just mine but many more from those he has played the same trick on
He looks at me again with he mysterious black eyes and places my heart among the many
I am not the first victim nor will I be the last of his cruel game
He turns and I watch him walk a way with a hole in my chest, as he adds one more to his collection.

Memories

I watched my senior video tonight for the first time in a while. It brought back many memories from when I was growing up. Memories that leave me wishing I could revisit those times for even just a moment.

Some of the memories that were brought to my mind was times spent with my parents. On most afternoons or early evenings daddy would make time to spend with me. I realize now how busy he was with all the many tasks that come with the job of being a missionary. But the amazing thing is, he still took time for me. We would do so many fun things together. We had what we called our special tree. It was a fallen tree that was just a short walk from our house. Daddy would put me on top of the tree and I would proceed to walk across it all the while daddy was saying "Here she goes! Can she do it? Is she going to get the gold?" It was exhilarating for me as a little girl. Of course I would always end up getting the "gold" and daddy and I would walk back to the house hand in hand to see if mom needed help with dinner. Another thing that daddy and I would do sometimes is we would ride the motorcycle together.

It was a treat when dad would say that we could go for a motorcycle ride together.I would run up to the house and put shoes on (99% of the time I was barefoot!)I would get my helmet on but I could never figure out the chin strap so daddy would bend down on his knees and help me out even thought I always wanted to do it myself. Daddy would start up the motorcycle and I would hop on the back. I would wrap my arms around daddy and hold on as we took off down the dirt trails. I felt safe having my daddy so close as we zipped around Olkoroi. I loved the sound that the motorcycle made and the feeling that I nothing in the world could touch me. I loved every moment I got to spend with my daddy.

I loved spending time with mommy as well. A lot of the time mommy was in the kitchen and I loved to help cook. One of my favorite cooking activities with mom was making cinnamon rolls. Mom would let me help with every step of the way. Even though I couldn't do it all by myself she still let me do everything I could. I loved learning from her. She would tell me how much of a good job that I did even if I got the whole kitchen messy. Mom knew and still knows how to make me feel special and she knows how to make me feel good about myself.

Another thing that mommy did, is she would put me to bed almost every night (Daddy would too sometimes). She would come in my room and tuck me in bed and lay down beside me. She would scratch my back and she would sing me a song. Sometimes it would be a song that she would make up, other times it would be old hymns. My favorite song that she sang to me was one that she made up. It went like this: "The puppies go night night, the kitties go night night and Angela she goes night night too, And the stars up in the sky all smile and say good night, night night, night night."
This would go on with names of friends, family members and other animals. I love the song and it still brings peace to me.

I love my parents to pieces. They mean the world to me! They helped shape me to be who I am today and I wouldn't be the same without them. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!

Walking Tall for the Lord (Literally)

As most people know I am tall. almost 6'3" to be precise. Obviously it is the first thing that people notice about me. All the time I hear whispers when my back is turned saying, "HOLY COW! She is freakishly tall!" It stings a little bit because like the rest of the world I want to be accepted and I don't want to stick out among anyone. But its kind of a hard thing not to when I tower over most people! Ha ha ha!

It can be a really big struggle for me because the sting of the comments leads my mind down a path of insecurity and self-doubt. It makes it hard for me to want to do the work God has set out for me. All I want to do is sit in my dorm room where I know no one can judge me but I can't. Plain and simple. It is not what the Lord has in mind for my life. I have so much work left to do in my life to ignore those who feel it is there place to judge me.

The bible says in James 1 "Consider it pure joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds..." It is a hard command to follow because trials are not a happy time in a persons life. It certainly isn't a fun thing to hear hurtful comments. It takes a conscience effort to wake up in the morning and make myself face the cruel world but I know that I am a child of God. Every morning through out middle school and high school before I left for school my dad would tell me in maasai, "Remember who you are." I would reply back (in maasai) "I am a child of God." This simple act and reminder gave me that hope that God is with me. I can do anything through Christ.

Even with the hardships of being tall I know that I can walk tall for the Lord and hold my head high (it almost touches the clouds sometimes haha) and do the work that he has in store for me.

Momma and I walking in a state park in 2009.

Wherever you lead I will go!

It's funny to see the expressions on people's faces when I tell them that I want to be a missionary. For some people their expression is one of disbelief. They look at me like "why in the world would you want to do something crazy like that?" For others their expression is one like "Well I'm glad someone is going out, but I'm sure not!" A very select few pat me on the back and tell me that they are proud of me and will pray for my journey to become a missionary. I feel so blessed to know that even though they are few, there are people who believe in me.

Being a missionary to me is more than just a job, it is a way of life. It encompasses your whole life. From the time you wake-up until the very moment you lay your head on your pillow. Growing up in Kenya taught me so much about this. Mom and Dad would make late night drives to take people to the nearest clinic before ours were built. There were countless times that I remember having people into our home at all hours of the day and night to pray with them, having them in to have meals with us and loving on them like they were our family. As a missionary you are surrounded by your mission field all the time, and the thing while it is hard at times for missionaries to be completely surrounded by their mission field. The beauty of being is surrounded by your mission field is that God is always giving you opportunities to show people the light at the end of the tunnel which is God's wonderful grace.

I realize that becoming a missionary is going to be a hard choice for me as it already has been. I have had to end relationships to follow my passion of becoming a missionary. I know that I am following God's will and that I will face times where it will be difficult, but in the end I know I am doing the right thing, and that he will provide a husband for me in his timing. The thing is that I know that I can make it through the hard times and the good times are going to be even better than I could have ever imagined.

People think I am crazy for going to a place where there is no running water and there are wild animals are all around me. The thing is, no matter what I know I am following God's calling. God is calling me to be a missionary and every night when I pray I tell the Lord "Wherever you lead I will go!"

No matter what the passion God has placed on your heart don't let anyone or anything stop you from reaching for the stars and following that passion.

Loves,
Ang

Kenyan Sunset

Friday Night in the 423

Friday Night in the 423 may consist of many different things but tonight for me is a quiet night in my dorm room sitting and doing what I love best thinking and watching COPS. Tonight I am thinking once again about Kenya, but not just Kenya but about one person particularity. I am thinking about someone who is near and dear to my heart.My sister Toyie. I miss her so very very much. She has been there with me through thick and thin. I would like to tell you about how Toyie and I met and the story of us becoming closer than sisters.

I was about three years old and mom and I were walking home on the long and dusty road home from the villages.  I remember that there were a couple little girls from the village that were playing along the road. Mom knew who their parents were and invited them over to our house that following Friday night to spend the night. Every Friday and Saturday night from then on as long as I remember Toyie and Linti spent the night.

When were about 7 when Linti got the opportunity to go to a boarding school about an hour away from Olkoroi where we lived. Toyie still came over every weekend like always and we continued to play and have fun. We grew really really close and always talked about everything.

Some of my most fond moments were spend with Toyie. When were little we used to play house in the yard and cook "food" out of mud and grass. Every Saturday morning we would get up as early as we could and cook breakfast for mom and dad. Our favorite thing on a rainy afternoon was to watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. We would watch it over and over again and then we would sing the songs and try to do the dances.

Even now that we are older and have stayed close and when we get to see each other we can talk all day. Once when my dad when to Kenya by himself he visited her. Toyie asked dad if anything was wrong with me because she had this feeling in her heart that something was wrong with me. At that time I was going through a bout with an amoeba. We have such a close bond and I teared up when I heard this story.

I love my sister very much and I miss her!!!!

Here are some pictures of Toyie and I:

One of the things about Toyie and I is that we are crazy girls! Hence the fact that we are sitting in a pot!!!

I love my sister!!! This picture was taken in 2009.

 We love to cook traditional Kenyan food. When we were little we wanted to cook as much as we could but the mess we left behind was enormous!

One afternoon Toyie and I were sitting on the bed talking and we fell asleep. Dad came into get us for dinner and we were so tired that we didn't hear him and he took this picture.

Ponderings of a girl.

Count Down of My Top Eight Thoughts of the Day:

8: Starting classes tomorrow- I love starting school and the excitement of new books and new subjects. However, once the semester is halfway through I begin to get bored and just want to give up. With 19 hours this semester I have to step it up and become a mean studying machine. I want to prove to myself that I can do this. A bonus though. . .I just found out we are on snow schedule which means I don't have to start class until 9:30!!!!!


7: Home cooked meals- As I stare at the neon pink and yellow boxes of Maruchan Instant Lunch with Shrimp aka ramen noodles and I suddenly have a pang for home cooked meals. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls. . .I better stop or I am going to start drooling :)


6: Body Butter- For Christmas my Meme got me Body Butter and I have a question about it. Is there really butter in it? To answer that question there is cocoa butter in it. Problem is I don't know what cocoa butter is. . .


5: Snow- I don't think I ever realized how much it snows here in East Tennessee!!! I had at least 4 inches when I attempted to scrape it off. I have experienced "snow" before in Missouri but not anything like this. IT JUST KEEPS SNOWING!!!! Its crazy!!! One bonus like I mentioned earlier is the fact that we are on snow delay!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! It's still snowing and probably will for the next few days!!!


4: Spider-Man-I was looking through my closet and pulled out my spider-man shirt and I realize how much I still love spider-man and how much spider-man things I have. I have a comforter, a blanket, a coloring book, all three movies, a shirt, pictures, at one point a profile picture and the list continues!!! I am in love with spider-man! He is the only guy who can sweep me off my feet (literally!!!)


3: Reading-I realize that I won't have a big amount of time to read this semester because of all the classes I am taking but I would like to at least complete a couple of reading books. One book that I just found that I have is When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric and Leslie Ludy. It is really relevant to my life at the moment. Another book that I want to ready is Live Life on Purpose by Claude Hickman. Both of these books come with high recommendations and I am hoping to get them read!!!


2: Kenya-When am I not thinking about Kenya? I think about it every waking moment. It is my passion and my life. I couldn't live without it. I feel like a fish out of water when I am anywhere else. I know that with all my heart God is calling me to be a missionary there and to spread the gospel to those who have yet to be reached. I miss it so much and pray that God will calm my heart until I can go back to that wonderful country again.


1: Mistakes I have made- I have been thinking a lot about mistakes that I have made lately. How I feel so stupid when I look back on them. The lyric to Bruno Mar's Song Move On captures what I feel.
"How do I end up in the same old place,
faced again with the same mistakes,
so stubborn thinkin I know what is right,
but life proves me wrong everytime,
takin roads that lead me nowhere..." 
I talked to my dad about how I feel about the mistakes that I have made and how I feel stupid and his words to me really encouraged me. "I absolutely refuse to let the evil one condemn me and continue to call me stupid. I am God's child pure and simple, a holy temple for the swelling of the Holy Spirit and so are you my precious Angela. Always hold on to our God who sometimes shows us severe mercy."

I want to encourage all of you who are struggling with things in your life that leave you feeling stupid or leave you with a feeling in your stomach that you just can't seem to get rid of to take the advice that my dad gave me and refuse to let Satan make you think you are worthless and stupid.

Loves,
Ang

Cold Blustery Day

As I sit in my warm and cozy dorm room looking at the flakes of white fall from the sky, I think of the things I miss. I miss running barefoot through the emerald grass, smiling as the laughter of the beautiful Maasai children reach my ears as we played many games of soccer. I long to back to the days where simplicity was eternally mine. Where imagination was a way of life. I miss the days where riding in the truck was like riding in Cinderella's Coach. I miss the days when "pretend that. . ." was the start to every sentence among all the missionary kids as we climbed the trees at Mennonite Guest House. I miss climbing up into a tree and hiding away with a book and watching the monkeys climb above me and chatter to themselves. I miss hearing "Sopa" thousands of times everyday as people came up to the little red house to "chew the news" and drink chai. I miss the feeling that God was looking apon our little village and smiling as the believers gathered and worshiped in such a way that tears filled my eyes as the most beautiful prayers reached the heavens. I miss Olkoroi.

My goals for 2011!

I have five goals for 2011:
1- To start a blog capturing things in my life I feel as though need to be shared. I can now check this off my list!

2- STOP DRINKING SODAS!!!!

(this is the very last soda of the year!)

3-Studying more/better
Not that I don't study because I do but I need to start studying more because with 19 hours this semester shewww its going to be tough

4- To color more! I thoroughly enjoy coloring but find no time to do so!!! My goal is to color at least half of my Curious George coloring book!

 

5- Lastly but certainly not least! Is to go to Kenya in the summer!!! I am so blessed to have grown up there and look forward to spending three weeks there working in an orphanage in Nairobi and then on to Olkoroi to visit with all of my Maasai family!!!!