Guess what? Uganda goes through it's warm season in December-March and that is around 85 degrees.
So while I'm there January through May of 2012 I'll be enjoying the wonderful weather while you guys are stuck in the cold!
AND. I'll get to celebrate my birthday in warm weather for once in my life!
:D
I'm getting excited if you couldn't tell. I'm already looking up weather conditions.. haha.
I'll be setting up a separate account for Uganda and I want to see if my bank will lock it until next January. I want to be able to put money in, but not be able to take any out until I leave!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Rant.
Why does drinking appeal to people? Really.
I find no humor in drunken stupor.
It tastes awful.
You lose yourself.
You lose relationships.
You think you're building relationships with people, but the next day do you remember what you talked about?
"Oh it is just a little bit. And you see the drunken people out there? Yeah, that isn't what it really is like."
Yeah, well how do you think those people became the way they are? By starting out with just a little bit. Don't sit there and tell me that you have no intentions of becoming that way. You used to think drinking was stupid in the first place. So as you can see, your intentions tend to change when it comes to the subject.
I find no humor in drunken stupor.
It tastes awful.
You lose yourself.
You lose relationships.
You think you're building relationships with people, but the next day do you remember what you talked about?
"Oh it is just a little bit. And you see the drunken people out there? Yeah, that isn't what it really is like."
Yeah, well how do you think those people became the way they are? By starting out with just a little bit. Don't sit there and tell me that you have no intentions of becoming that way. You used to think drinking was stupid in the first place. So as you can see, your intentions tend to change when it comes to the subject.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Sickening.
The Irresistible Revolution. READ IT.
I'm only 1/2 of the way through it, but it has already convicted me as well as bring me great joy. I'm so sick of the way people complain about the Church or Christians but then do nothing about it. I'm so sick of people who hoard all of their stuff and never truly meet the poor.
I'm sick of me.
Sure, I've done a homeless outreach through Greenville. I've done a charity concert.
But when all of that is said and done -- I own more than one coat. I own more than one pair of shoes. I can eat whenever I want. I dine at restaurants. I buy more clothes when I don't need them.
For what reason? Selfishness? Greed?
Stupidity.
"I'm convinced that God did not mess up and make too many people and not enough stuff. Poverty was created not by God but by you and me, because we have not learned to love our neighbors as ourselves. " - Shane Claiborne
Take a look at the writings of the early Christians: "When someone strips a man of his clothes, we call him a thief. And one who might clothe the naked and does not - should not he be given the same name? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat in your wardrobe belongs to the naked; the shoes you let rot belong to the barefoot; the money in your vaults belongs to the destitute."
What has Christianity become?
Look at yourself.
I'm not fed up with the Church to the point where I want to leave it. I'm fed up with the Church to the point where I want to fix it. We need to become the Church. Church shouldn't be the building we go to on Sundays or Wednesdays. It should be the building where The Church, The Bride of Christ, meets for fellowship. The Church should be out on the streets. The Church should be in the homes of the broken and the needy.
I'm only 1/2 of the way through it, but it has already convicted me as well as bring me great joy. I'm so sick of the way people complain about the Church or Christians but then do nothing about it. I'm so sick of people who hoard all of their stuff and never truly meet the poor.
I'm sick of me.
Sure, I've done a homeless outreach through Greenville. I've done a charity concert.
But when all of that is said and done -- I own more than one coat. I own more than one pair of shoes. I can eat whenever I want. I dine at restaurants. I buy more clothes when I don't need them.
For what reason? Selfishness? Greed?
Stupidity.
"I'm convinced that God did not mess up and make too many people and not enough stuff. Poverty was created not by God but by you and me, because we have not learned to love our neighbors as ourselves. " - Shane Claiborne
Take a look at the writings of the early Christians: "When someone strips a man of his clothes, we call him a thief. And one who might clothe the naked and does not - should not he be given the same name? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat in your wardrobe belongs to the naked; the shoes you let rot belong to the barefoot; the money in your vaults belongs to the destitute."
What has Christianity become?
Look at yourself.
I'm not fed up with the Church to the point where I want to leave it. I'm fed up with the Church to the point where I want to fix it. We need to become the Church. Church shouldn't be the building we go to on Sundays or Wednesdays. It should be the building where The Church, The Bride of Christ, meets for fellowship. The Church should be out on the streets. The Church should be in the homes of the broken and the needy.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Intentions
If you were to ask me a year ago to distance myself from a very attractive guy with a great heart I would have laughed in your face. Seriously.
There were two main reasons for this.
1. He had broken up with his girlfriend over the summer when he left Ecuador because of distance, and he didn't want to deal with a long-term relationship. (so he still had, and has, feelings for her but can't be with her)
2. This is the biggest reason. In the process of getting close to him, I was letting go of God. Subconsciously of course. I wasn't purposefully putting this guy over God, it is just that my feelings were getting in the way. My head was only focused on thoughts of him versus thoughts of God.
When I form any sort of relationship with someone (friendship, dating relationship, teacher/student relationship, mentors) I get attached really quickly. I love to learn new things about them constantly and once they become a part of my story it is really hard to let go. What was happening with this guy was how much potential I saw in him. I've never really liked someone like him. He was a new sort. :p. As I continuously learned new things about him and had a great time with him, I was forgetting God's calling on my life. My mind was elsewhere.
So once I realized this, I prayed. I didn't know what I was supposed to do, I mean I really liked this guy already. The answer I get from God is, "If he's worth it, you'll wait."
Uh, okay. Thanks.. What am I supposed to do with that? So I was talking to my friend Erin that day about it. She believes it to mean that I should distance myself from him right now. See if he starts conversation, see if he wants to hang out. Just wait and see if he shows any interest or any sort of worth in my life. This doesn't mean that I am completely ruling him out of my life (we're still remaining friends), it just means that I'm not putting so much time and energy into thoughts of him as I had previously.
In no way, shape, or form am I saying that we are meant to be together. All I know is that we aren't supposed to be right now. 1, he isn't even close to being emotionally ready. 2, I don't even know what his intentions are for anything he ever does. haha. Surprisingly enough, I am completely okay with this. I'm not giving myself false hope either. I'm taking it as it comes. And if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out.
There were two main reasons for this.
1. He had broken up with his girlfriend over the summer when he left Ecuador because of distance, and he didn't want to deal with a long-term relationship. (so he still had, and has, feelings for her but can't be with her)
2. This is the biggest reason. In the process of getting close to him, I was letting go of God. Subconsciously of course. I wasn't purposefully putting this guy over God, it is just that my feelings were getting in the way. My head was only focused on thoughts of him versus thoughts of God.
When I form any sort of relationship with someone (friendship, dating relationship, teacher/student relationship, mentors) I get attached really quickly. I love to learn new things about them constantly and once they become a part of my story it is really hard to let go. What was happening with this guy was how much potential I saw in him. I've never really liked someone like him. He was a new sort. :p. As I continuously learned new things about him and had a great time with him, I was forgetting God's calling on my life. My mind was elsewhere.
So once I realized this, I prayed. I didn't know what I was supposed to do, I mean I really liked this guy already. The answer I get from God is, "If he's worth it, you'll wait."
Uh, okay. Thanks.. What am I supposed to do with that? So I was talking to my friend Erin that day about it. She believes it to mean that I should distance myself from him right now. See if he starts conversation, see if he wants to hang out. Just wait and see if he shows any interest or any sort of worth in my life. This doesn't mean that I am completely ruling him out of my life (we're still remaining friends), it just means that I'm not putting so much time and energy into thoughts of him as I had previously.
In no way, shape, or form am I saying that we are meant to be together. All I know is that we aren't supposed to be right now. 1, he isn't even close to being emotionally ready. 2, I don't even know what his intentions are for anything he ever does. haha. Surprisingly enough, I am completely okay with this. I'm not giving myself false hope either. I'm taking it as it comes. And if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Sleep.
I began writing this blog a little while ago and didn't post it, because I thought about it for a second. I thought to myself, all I ever write about is God anymore. At first I thought that would get monotonous. I am so wrong. God is in every aspect of my life right now- and it is amazing. I can hardly write anything without incorporating God in it somehow. I was talking with my friend a couple days ago and she said, "When I went home, all of my friends had stories of these crazy college drinking parties... and I didn't have any of those." You know what? I'm glad to say that. My college experience is a story of God.
I still have hilarious stories. I still have fallen hopes and dreams. I still fail at times. I still feel like pulling my hair out during the last two weeks of the semester. I'm still a crazy college kid minus the parties.
So this story begins about 3 weeks ago. Right before I gave my testimony at Church Pastor Webb asks, "Are you going to be ready?" I said yes without really thinking about the question. He kept emphasizing that he wanted me to be prepared. That question didn't fully hit me until a couple of days ago. For the past few weeks I had, subconsciously, removed myself from God. I had stopped praying, stopped immersing myself into worship, stopped reading my bible, and became distracted with a lot of other things. Then came the thoughts/feelings. The lies. Lies that I wasn't good enough, wasn't beautiful even in the eyes of God, that I was going to fail in missions. I was losing sleep- constantly tired. I would lay in bed for hours during the day because I wanted to sleep but I couldn't. Last Tuesday was the worst. I was in bed from 6pm to 10pm. alone. Jennifer walked in around 10 and she knew something was wrong. She asked how I was and I just started crying. I couldn't understand why I was so upset and why I was feeling these things when I knew they were lies.
Friday rolls around and my roomie, Nicole, and friend, Christian, decide to have a "creative-writing session". I didn't want to write, but I wanted to hear what they wrote. Even when I told them this they still wanted me to so I did. They gave me a picture of a tattoo and I had to write the story of why this girl was getting it. I wrote 3 pages front and back of a story. A story of redemption and longing for peace. I always knew that a part of you comes out when you write, it is a kind of therapy, but I didn't realize how much it would effect me. Afterward they both said they loved it and asked where that came from.
All of a sudden it hit me. Seriously, like it was a wave of the holy spirit. I knew instantly, I had been spiritually attacked. I don't want this to sound like I blame everything on spiritual warfare, but it is truth. It's out there and I feel like I've been subjected to it slowly, resulting from the prayer to God at the beginning of the year.
So for time's sake- I removed my distraction(a boy). Maybe I'll write another blog later about that when I have more time.
Last night at vespers was a Christmas special. A mixture of Christmas songs and worship music. The greatest part was, there was still a passionate sense of worship through the Christmas songs. I was able to worship with no distractions and it felt so amazing, I honestly feel my best during moments of true worship. I had been missing that so much. At my peak, I heard God say, "Where have you been Megan?" He said it with joy. I pictured Him with a smile and open arms ecstatic for my return. I laughed.
I love the Holy Spirit. Needless to say, things are better. I got my best night sleep last night after vespers. :D
I still have hilarious stories. I still have fallen hopes and dreams. I still fail at times. I still feel like pulling my hair out during the last two weeks of the semester. I'm still a crazy college kid minus the parties.
So this story begins about 3 weeks ago. Right before I gave my testimony at Church Pastor Webb asks, "Are you going to be ready?" I said yes without really thinking about the question. He kept emphasizing that he wanted me to be prepared. That question didn't fully hit me until a couple of days ago. For the past few weeks I had, subconsciously, removed myself from God. I had stopped praying, stopped immersing myself into worship, stopped reading my bible, and became distracted with a lot of other things. Then came the thoughts/feelings. The lies. Lies that I wasn't good enough, wasn't beautiful even in the eyes of God, that I was going to fail in missions. I was losing sleep- constantly tired. I would lay in bed for hours during the day because I wanted to sleep but I couldn't. Last Tuesday was the worst. I was in bed from 6pm to 10pm. alone. Jennifer walked in around 10 and she knew something was wrong. She asked how I was and I just started crying. I couldn't understand why I was so upset and why I was feeling these things when I knew they were lies.
Friday rolls around and my roomie, Nicole, and friend, Christian, decide to have a "creative-writing session". I didn't want to write, but I wanted to hear what they wrote. Even when I told them this they still wanted me to so I did. They gave me a picture of a tattoo and I had to write the story of why this girl was getting it. I wrote 3 pages front and back of a story. A story of redemption and longing for peace. I always knew that a part of you comes out when you write, it is a kind of therapy, but I didn't realize how much it would effect me. Afterward they both said they loved it and asked where that came from.
All of a sudden it hit me. Seriously, like it was a wave of the holy spirit. I knew instantly, I had been spiritually attacked. I don't want this to sound like I blame everything on spiritual warfare, but it is truth. It's out there and I feel like I've been subjected to it slowly, resulting from the prayer to God at the beginning of the year.
So for time's sake- I removed my distraction(a boy). Maybe I'll write another blog later about that when I have more time.
Last night at vespers was a Christmas special. A mixture of Christmas songs and worship music. The greatest part was, there was still a passionate sense of worship through the Christmas songs. I was able to worship with no distractions and it felt so amazing, I honestly feel my best during moments of true worship. I had been missing that so much. At my peak, I heard God say, "Where have you been Megan?" He said it with joy. I pictured Him with a smile and open arms ecstatic for my return. I laughed.
I love the Holy Spirit. Needless to say, things are better. I got my best night sleep last night after vespers. :D
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