Memories

It is so interesting how one item can bring back a thousand memories. I went to a thrift store today and as I was looking around I found a beautiful picnic basket. As I picked it up and looked it over memories started pouring through my mind. It took me back to a time when I was a child and ran around barefoot. One Christmas my aunt sent us a picnic basket and even though it was a Christmas present, it got to us in the spring. A joke in our family was that it was Christmas all year round. As soon as we opened the picnic basket I couldn't wait to go on a picnic. As soon as I could, I grabbed food out of the fridge, a couple of bottles of coke, a blanket and went out with my Maasai sister for a picnic. We spread the blanket in the yard under the Acacia tree and spread out our feast. We laughed and had a good time picking wildflowers. We packed up and headed inside to watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers which we watched every weekend for many many years.

Now that I have a beautiful new picnic basket, I am so very excited for all the new memories are to come!

Where and Joy and Sorrow Meets

At two am you would think I would be ready to sleep. My mind won’t allow me to so I turn to writing. The only thing that can fully clear my mind is writing. Currently, my mind is a mess of thoughts and emotions that need to be sorted out.

Last night, I received a call from my parents who are currently a half a world away in the only place I can truly call home. The conversation started off as it always does by talking about what our days consisted of. I was so excited to tell them about all the things going on in my life and as I did so there was a slight hesitancy in their voices but at the same time a violent urge to tell me something. I asked them about how they have been and they briefly mentioned that they were well and started off with the sentence… “We have news about Toyie…” Toyie and I have been closer than any sisters ever have or could be. We have no blood relation but the bond is deeper than blood it is of the heart. Our hearts bind us together. My beautiful sister and I have been through everything together. There have been times where while worlds away we feel each others pain. They say only twins share the ability to feel each others pain but although we share no DNA, we share that.

When through the static of the phone I heard, “We have news about Toyie,” my being froze. Two seconds turned into two years as I waited with silent fervor to hear what exactly the news was.

“Toyie, is getting married this weekend.” My soul flooded with sheer bliss followed by a deep penetrating emotion only known as agony. My joy was for her and after long awaited prayers, God brought a good Christian man to her. My joy quickly turned to pain when I heard… “this weekend.” I was quickly taken back to the days when we would spend hours out under the hot African sun talking about growing up and what our weddings were going to be like as we frolicked among the butterflies and the birds. At the end of the day as the sun set and we crawled under the covers we whispered promises that we would be in each others weddings. The realization that promise was going to be broken pierced my heart like a knife.

I am more than proud for my sister and my only wish is that I could be there as she begins her new life to let her know that I love her. Just as we feel each others pain, we feel each others joy and being able to feel her joy is guiding me through.

I love you dear sister and may the Lord of the Universe bless you now as you marry and start a new life.

The Prayer of My Heart

 

Captivate my heart and move in me to move others

Show me the path my legs must walk

Teach me love only from you, God

Bring me to my knees in awe of your glory

Release my insecurities and self doubt and fill me with you

Give me patience to wait on the right one

Use the little things to teach me monumental lessons

Let every breath I take be only for you

Be my reason for every situation

In trials be my fortress and stronghold

Let your word start a fire in my soul that cannot be put out

When I slip be the arm that catches me

In my failures may I find hope in you to carry on

Let me not be afraid to shout your name

Keep my heart and mind pure and focused only on you

Bring peace when I am troubled

Let me remember those who fought the fight and never backed down

When I am persecuted give me strength to glorify you

I pray that my story, my life, my prayer will be a testimony for others

Amen

What are you chasing after?

Let me ask you a question, what are you chasing after? After examining what I was chasing after, I realized how much in my life I needed to stop chasing after and redirect my focus.
What I was chasing after, leads to broken hearts, restless nights and potentially into a life of sin. I was chasing after relationships that were not Christ focused. I was chasing after approval from anyone who would give it to me, no matter who that was. It was killing me from the inside out. I was self destructing. When I finally woke up to the realization that I was hurting myself and that what I was chasing after was not Christ centered, I began a season of change. I changed my whole thought process. I wrote down what I wanted and needed to start chasing after. At first, I stared at my journal wondering what I was going to write and suddenly God opened my mind and things came pouring out, it was as if I couldn't write fast enough.
My challenge for you is to find what you are chasing after that is dangerous, harmful, sinful, and write them all down. Ask yourself why you are chasing after those things. Why are you chasing those things? After you list out all of those things, throw it away, get rid of it. The act of throwing it away is symbolic of getting rid of those things out of your life. Get another piece of paper and write down all the things you need to be chasing after. Start chasing after God first and foremost.
May God bless you as you start to chase after the right things,
Ang

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