New Year's Resolution??

I know...I know... I've been so bad at updating my blog, but I am going to do my best to improve on this fact in 2010. It is sometimes hard to put into words what we do here keeping in mind confidentiality of the people with whom we work.

As I reflect on 2009, I am contemplating the amazing people; the deep issues that confront missionaries on the front line - from the 'uttermost' parts of the world; the diverse nationalities, and so much more - in this incredible work that the Lord has called me to do. I love what I do, and as I reflect on the transition of this past year, I recognize that the greatest sacrifice I make is in not getting to see my family and various friends around the world. That being said, I was so blessed that two of my sisters, Desiree and Dianna, were able to come to France (my sister, Desiree, won a trip to Paris and Bordeaux and I joined them) this past October. We argued over who God was giving this to - me or them (perhaps it was all of us!!). We were able to make special sister memories! What a precious time as we did the touristy thing around Paris, but more importantly, getting to share in each other's lives on a day to day basis for the 9 days we had together.

Also, my dear friend, Lisa came to visit me this past June and treated me to a beautiful time in various places around Italy and France. It's always a blessing when my family/ friends/ supporters get to see where I live, work, and experience a little bit of the european life-style first hand. And there's something to be said when they get to see 'how' I live, the rooms where I spend hours with the missionaries who come to us for debriefing, and meet my co-workers. It helps when we talk and I can say a name, and they can put a face to a name.

I am also reflecting on so many of you all over the world - from West Coast to East Coast in the US; to the beautiful Southern hospitality of the US, and up in the beautiful North Coast; my friends across Europe, throughout West, South, East and North Africa; all the way to New Zealand and Australia; others who are spread throughout India, Mongolia, China, Thailand, Singapore, and other countries in Asia; my dear friends who are aboard the Africa Mercy where I spent 3 of my 8 years in Mercy Ships pouring my life into the refitting of that ship; I think of my friends who are in different organizations throughout the world ... I marvel at the tool of Facebook and how it has allowed me to reconnect with so many people. I have over 1000 friends on facebook, and I say that not in a prideful way, but as a reminder to myself that my worlds have all come together. From past students whom I've taught, and who are all now grown-up and have kids in college of their own; to friends from my Apple Computer Days, elementary school days; high school friends; university friends; family; cousins; aunts and uncles; missions friends - it's amazing really!

It's a reminder that somehow, some way, we are all connected! And I hope it continues to be so, because in a world that says we should be independent, strong, and live for ourselves ... I am saying, we really do need to be dependent on each other; to help each other be strong, and to live for others. We are instructed to 'lay our lives down' for one another. I am willing to do that - are you?

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written." My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.. Your friends and
parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it..
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey
is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never
blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you, really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up
to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an
answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't
save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will
this matter?
27. Always choose life.
28.. Forgive everyone, everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or
didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd
grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Ever feel like you are going against the flow? Ever feel like every which way you turn, you bump up against something hard? For me, that's life in missions. But when I really think about it, that's the way my life has been from the beginning. And as I've gotten older, I realize that I'm kind of glad my life has been like this. I believe it has strengthened me as a person and as a Christ-follower. Perhaps it's 'iron sharpens iron' in the flesh. 

I recognize that many of us develop a bit of a 'sharp' edge to protect ourselves, an almost self-defense mechanism. Those sharp edges keep us from letting others get too close, and also keep us from getting cut ourselves. But I'm learning that as we allow ourselves to 'bump up against iron', those sharp edges I've developed over the years are slowly rounding themselves out. I find that the more I grow in Christ, the less I really care about the sharp edges - in fact, I'm learning that those very edges I grew as a protection often were used to cut someone else (and much of the time, it was unintentional). I still go against the flow, and still bump up and around the other things that come my way, but I find that I am navigating the flow much easier without so many sharp edges. Just a thought ... 

Illusions

A New Year = New Beginnings =  ???

We say a New Year means New Beginnings, but essentially we always bring in our old paradigms. How do we go about taking off the 'rose-colored' glasses and see with 'new eyes'. During the Christmas holidays, I went to a Christmas market at a village up the road. It's a very 'posh' town called Montreaux. They had beautiful little vendor huts selling everything from mulled wine to chestnuts roasting on an open fire, to crepes, to gifts...well, you get the picture. There was a spot in the middle of the market where you could get your photo taken. Here I am with two friends (I'm in the middle as 'santa')...the interesting thing is that you see things from a different vantage point when you are 'behind the wooden posing platform'. I saw the little girl trying to hide from her mama. I saw the old woman walking by herself with her head down. I saw the beautiful lights across Lake Geneva. I saw people glance our way but not really 'see' us.

It's the last one that caught my attention the most. How many people do you 'glance at' but don't really see. Or maybe a better question is, how many people do you see, but choose to only 'glance at' because of the time and energy it takes to become involved in people's lives. Here is my New Year's challenge to myself and to you...if you want to make a difference in this world, then you have to make a difference in peoples' lives. It's messy, takes time, takes energy, and also takes a lot of prayer and dedication. How much are you willing you put on a 'God set of lenses' to see what it is that He sees every day!

I had an interesting experience shortly after arriving in France. One of the couples here at Le Rucher asked me if I'd like to go with them (on a Sunday afternoon) to Nyon which is located about 20 minutes from us. It's a beautiful little coastal town. As none of us speak French fluently, we were wondering if we had to pay for parking or not. We wandered around the parking lot to see if we saw any 'pay stubs' on the windows, but we still could'nt tell. We then watched a woman get out of her car, wander over to the pay machine, read the instructions and drop some euros into the machine. Even though we saw her do this, we still questioned whether we had to pay or not. For some odd reason, (foreigners often have funny ways of going about things), we thought the longer we stood in front of the instructions, the more clarity we would get :) when all of a suddent, money started to come out of the machine. of course, we laughed and said it must have been God sending 'money from heaven', so we went ahead and paid for the parking stub, still not really knowing if we were suppose to pay or not. But we figured 'hey, it's free'. And of course, we also realized that it was most likely change from the woman ahead of us, but she had long gone, so we couldn't return it to her. We could have looked at it as a 'free' gift from God, but in reality, I recognized that this lady 'paid a price' for our gift...

The holiday season is always a time to reflect on the past year, its many blessings, and things for which we are grateful. It's also a time when some reflect on losses, and the price they or their family have paid for this loss. In coming here to France, I am once again paying the price (even though it's a personal choice) of leaving the US, acclimating to a new country and culture, being so far away from family, etc. What are the costs of your choices? Are they selfish or selfless sacrifices? Who benefits most from the choices we make? I thank Jesus for paying the ultimate price; the price on the cross. He died for me and you - amazing...no greater love than this...I challenge you, during this beautiful Christmas season, to stop and be thankful for the one(s) who have sacrificed and paid a cost for different things in your life whether it's your parents who possibly paid for your education while they worked a second job, or your children who gave you grandchildren, or that friend who gave of their time so you could have someone to lean on...whatever it is, recognize that it had to 'cost' someone something ... thank you to all of you who have 'paid the cost' to help me do what it is I do. Merry Christmas!

I love the architecture around Europe where you look up and you see beautiful flower boxes in the houses. It gives me a 'happy' feeling. But I recognize that in these houses, and in people, things aren't always what they seem. It's easy for us to 'cover up' with flowers, beautiful clothing, nice cars, and a fake smile. That's why I love the scripture that talks about man seeing what's on the outside, but that GOD looks on the heart!! This week, our staff is spread out in various parts of the world - Turkey, Wales, England, Rwanda, Germany and the south of France. Three of us are here holding down the fort, so we made the most of it by throwing open all the windows to the guest rooms to air them out in preparation for those coming to be debriefed next week. Just as these rooms need occasion 'airing out', it is my prayer that each of you reading this has someone with whom it is safe to throw open the curtains to your soul to allow fresh air breathe through your very being. God can do that for you - we all need it on a regular basis! :)  Breathe deep, my friend, and allow God to refresh your soul.

God's Creative Pictures

I was driving through Wyoming, in what seemed the middle of nowhere, I happened upon a beautiful field of sunflowers and I thought to come upon something so beautiful and yet, so unexpected! My sister has sunflowers in her 'English Garden'. She told me that the birds eat the seeds, they then drop them, and you don't know where they've dropped them until the next year when an unexpected sunflower grows in an unexpected spot! 

Since hearing her say that, I've often wondered how many of us drop 'seeds' that get planted, and although we may not get to see the fruits of the planting, someone else will hopefully get to enjoy one of 'God's creations' because of our willingness to plant a seed.

This is a picture I took in the Badlands - South Dakota! I wonder why they call it the Badlands. It's absolutely breathtaking to see all the diverse colors in these rocks that create magnificent craters and amazing mountain peaks! God's creativity never ceases to amaze me. After all, just look at all the people around you. none of us look the same. And even identical twins have a different set of fingerprints, and other things that set them apart. And He keeps creating over and over and over again...much of it for our enjoyment. Makes me excited to get to heaven. I have a hard time believing that some of this creativity won't be a part of heaven - only that much better!

Cessy, France - Here I Come!!

I am, once again, in the midst of transition. I've had such a great time living in Franklin, TN and my time with Hope Force was just what God ordered for me - great people and a great organization. But my heart is to be overseas, so it's overseas I am going ... I am joining the team at Le Rucher Ministries where I will be a part of their Member Care dept. as a debriefer. I will work with other team members in working with missionaries who come from all over the world who want to talk with someone who's 'been there'. I count it a privilege and an honor to be a part of a ministry that invests in the lives of missionaries; those that are out in the field giving of their lives to further the Kingdom of God.

Cessy is located just over the Swiss border about 15 minutes from the Geneva airport, so if you are ever 'passing through', be sure and look me up!

What a Difference a Few Seconds Make

It came fast and furious, or perhaps I should say 'they' as 64 tornadoes converged as they made their way through various states including Tennessee. I have given a lot of thought this week to the soveriengty of God, why some people are affected by disasters and others aren't. All questions we know that we'll never really have an answer for. I spent a day in Lafayette (Macon County), TN talking with people who survived this terrible disaster. Over and over again, I heard people express their thankfulness for being alive. It really puts into perspective what is really important in life - the people in your life who mean so much. Of course, I couldn't also think about people who might feel very much alone in this world. If you know someone who might feel that way - reach out to them. I'm thankful for those folks in my life who, knowing I am a single person, have reached out to me to include me in their daily lives.  You can't even imagine the aftermath of such a disaster. I stood in the midst of it, but I wasn't one of those left to deal with it day in and day out - at least this time. My heart goes out to them. 

Here's (who) Makes Me Thankful!

I know everyone can't say that 'family is a blessing' but I can truly say that IT IS!! My sister, Dianna, just came to spend a week with me here in Franklin, TN. She is such a blessing. She helped me unpack my things that had just arrived from Texas. We spent hours driving around the area and seeing the sights (such as Alan Jackson's house) ... amidst beautiful scenery. It's absolutely beautiful here this time of the year. The leaves are all turning orange, red and yellow (but I'm sure will soon be falling to the ground). Another marker that the end of the year is drawing to a close. Hard to believe in spite of all that has happened this year.

My time with Dianna went much too fast! But I know she'll be back. All of you should be blessed with such a wonderful sister (and guess what)...there are more of them!! (wonderful sisters that is). Dianna is outgoing, bubbly, insightful, discerning, encouraging, fun, and just a joy to have around. One night, while driving, we got to laughing so hard that I could barely see well enough to drive. Although it was probably dangerous, I don't think I've laughed that hard since I was in England!

Thanks, Dianna, for all the wonderful memories we made while you were here! I love you, sis!

The Leaves Are-a Changing

Fall has arrived (or on it's way, I should say...this pic was taken in the field right outside my house, but don't let these lovely cows fool you...I chased several out of my yard almost everyday last week. But I think at LAST, my fence is fixed...so hopefully my cow-chasing days are over (at least for the time being!). Lots of baby calves are being born right now, so that's been kind of fun! I also ran into a skunk the other night driving down my driveway...well, not literally 'ran into' - although he (she??) was heading towards my car. I wasn't sure if I should stop as I was afraid I was going to run over it. I decided it was best to keep moving in case the skunk decided to 'stop' directly under my car - and who knows WHERE that would have led to. Fortunately, I didn't run over it, and it kept moving in the opposite direction of my house! Oh the joys of living on a farm!

Hurray for the Home Team

This pic was just taken last week at our Hope Force Staff Retreat. We had a great time in meetings, as well as times of relaxation and fun. In the left hand side group sitting on a rhino, from back to front is Beckie Snow, Cherie Minton, Craig Snow, Jack Minton, me and Jeremy Snow. Around the back rhino from left to right is Jimmy, Kathy, Jeff Patrick, Dee Lynch, Sue Duby and Chuck Duby. Some of this group belongs to our Biloxi Team who work with Project Rebuild, while the rest of us are based here in Biloxi. What a great team we have!!

Everyone needs an Oasis

Everyone needs a place of refuge; a haven of rest...well I finally found mine. I previously posted a picture of where I am currently living - a beautiful farm-style home on a 26 acre piece of land. It's been a great 'transition spot', but I happened upon a great little find just down the road from it. It's a tiny little 3 bdrm house located on a 300 acre cattle ranch. It needs a bit of work, but the surrounding area is absolutely gorgeous! All that surrounds me is trees, hills, valleys, cows, an occasional coyote and fox, not to mention all the fun little creatures that come with 'woodsy' living. The cool thing is that I am only 5 min. from the grocery store and 10 min. from work! Since taking this picture, I've painted the living room, and my bedroom. I'm in the midst of waiting (I seem to be doing that a LOT lately) for furniture to arrive which I recently ordered, as well as waiting for my items in storage (from Texas) to arrive sometime in the next month (hopefully!). I've done a lot of weeding, cutting back trees, and putting in outdoor solar lighting. Still a lot more to do, but it's nice putting effort into a place I know I'm going to be for awhile. To the left of the house, you'll see a tiny little shed. Looks like the previous occupants used it for a schoolroom - it will be perfect for a craft room! I think I'll save that project for when my sister comes to visit :-) .... I have a guest room, so please come visit! Here's a view of part of my yard...

What's In Your Container?

A container holds lots of things...this particular one holds tents, cots, blankets, clothes and food (see the list below)...

These physical items are really representational of something much bigger...community, compassion, selflessness, sacrifice, unconditional love, time, energy, financial gifts, hope...

It took many people giving of their time, talent, efforts, money, etc. to fill this container in 7 short days (with additional tents sent down) for the country of Peru who just experienced an 8.0 earthquake, killing over 500 people and leaving thousands homeless.

As I started to think about these physical items and what they represented...I also wondered as individuals, if we gave of ourselves a portion of each othe representational items listed above, how big of a container would we each fill?

How often do we give of ourselves by participating in a community effort? How much compassion and selflessness are we willing to extend to others in need? Are we willing to sacrifice our time and money for the benefit of others and yet not expect anything in return?

It was great to watch our team come together and in a short amount of time and with the efforts of others from the community do something for others that required all of these wonderful gifts. If the opportunity arises, I encourage each of you to go for it...it's so rewarding!

For those of you that are interested - here's what's really in the container:

511 Tents; 4 cots; 12 air mattresses; 1079 blankets; 7 tarps; 313 towels; 39 sheets; 2009 pieces of clothing; 900 pairs of shoes; 19 lanterns and flashlights; 10 packages of batteries, 392 various food items; 23 bottles of detergent; and 8 sleeping bags!

Every Little Bit Helps

Earthquakes are a devestating experience, in many ways. Many of you reading this blog entry are from California and have experienced first-hand what that devastation entails. This is a picture from the recent 8.0 earthquake that just took place in Peru. We at Hope Force International, are exploring and getting involved with helping. We are currently partnering with Fellowship Bible Church as they collect a container full of things to send to Peru. We also have a way you can donate online to help with the purchase of items (they have a huge need for tents as many people, including the children and the elderly are sleeping in chairs outside). For some reason, this disaster seems to be under reported by the press, so I am asking each of you who are reading this, there are several ways you can help. One is to pray for these families, many who have had loved ones killed in this disaster, as well as many who have now been displaced from their homes. Secondly, you can GIVE. By clicking on this GIVE button, you can donate directly through Hope Force. Every dime you give will go directly to helping the relief efforts in Peru. Thank you ahead of time for your prayers and your donations. It is a small way we can reach out to our fellow brothers and sisters in another part of the world and let them know how much we care and support them in their time of need. God bless you!

Disguised!

And I thought my hard hat days were over when I left Mercy Ships!! But here I am again, along with Todd Sprinkel who is our Director of Emergency Health and Programs here at Hope Force. We both participated in a CERT class (Community Emergency Response Training) which prepares you to be a 'responder' in the event of a local emergency/disaster (although the skills and tools we used and received prepare you for a wider spread disaster as well). We did a whole morning on Light Search and Rescue, how to assess victims in a disaster (as to who needs help and who is beyond help). There were about 40 others from around the area taking the training (4 of our Hope Force Reservists participated). Clicking on the link above will take you to some great information to help YOU prepare for an emergency. Think of it as a gift to your family and loved ones!!

And of course, we did a bit of training on putting out fires (although I had this training while in Mercy Ships, so I was well prepared!). Todd and I both took a turn at putting out a little fire using a bit of CO2...not too eventful, although very informative.

Being in the field of Disaster Response, ongoing courses are a must to keep my mind filled with techniques, responses, and preparedness. What a better time to prepare than when things are calm on the homefront!

Highlighting a Hope Force Staff Member

Hey Everyone ... click on this link: WLOX, then on the little video icon to see Craig Snow, one of our Hope Force staff members who is the Project Director for Project Rebuild, and his wife, Beckie along with two of their four kids (Shanna and Jeremy - pictured here) serve in Biloxi, Mississippi helping to rebuild peoples' homes and lives from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Craig was honored as a 'Local Hero' for his volunteerism efforts in Biloxi! Great job, Craig!!

Paul Potts singing Opera

A true inspiration to encourage you to always go after your dreams!! Some have asked me why I've put this on my blog. To me, it was the epitomy of someone who went for their dream even though others may have discouraged him, or perhaps he wasn't confident enough in his own talent. He's the 'underdog' who came out on top...he goes on to win the entire competition. It's interesting to view the final event to see even how his countenance has changed. To me, it was an inspiration because it encourages us to go for our dreams, no matter if others discourage us. If it's truly something we know we are 'meant' to do, with God's help, and perseverance, we will get there. I pray it will encourage you as well to go for your dreams.

Building Houses...Building Hope

Disaster Recovery is just one of the areas where Hope Force International places our focus and attention. This is one of the current homes we are building in Biloxi, Mississippi. The heat and humidity reminded me so much of Africa. It takes special people to give of their time and talents down in a place where heat, bugs and humidity are sometimes unbearable. But everyone seemed in such great spirits, and the end result is that they continue to bless those who have lost everything - absolutely amazing!!

The recipient of the first house seen (in the framing stage) is intended for a 93 year old lady who takes care of her 64 year old handicapped daughter. We pray that this home will be a blessing to these two ladies. The home below is getting closer to the finished product. It is being built for a single father.

Rebuilding a Home...and a Life

I just spent the last two days in Biloxi, Mississippi. I had the privilege of attending a home dedication for one of the recipients of Project Rebuild - the team that is based in Biloxi rebuilding homes for Hope Force. This is a little home, and for many of us might not seem like 'much'. But after meeting Sherry and her grandson whom she is raising, this is a significant change considering she completely lost her home during Hurricane Katrina. Sherry is just one of many whom we've (Hope Force) been able to reach out and help in the 'rebuilding' of their lives.

As I toured Biloxi (two years after Hurricane Katrina), it was hard for someone such as I who didn't really have a reference point by which to judge to see where it was today, compared to two years ago. But there was still enough left 'over' that I caught a glimpse of what it might have been like. Still a lot of rubble, bricks, and empty lots (without the debris). How often is it like that in our own lives? Everything looks 'nice and orderly' on the outside because we get so good at hiding the 'debris'! I am so thankful for those who have 'built' in to my life. And I am sure many of you 'build' in to others, and may not even be aware of doing so.

Even as this house is representative of Sherry's new life, may it also be a reflection in our own hearts that it doesn't take much to make our 'home' (inside of us) beautiful. Sure, there might be leftover 'debris' from hurricanes that have hit our lives, but the Master Designer is so great at making something beautiful of our lives if we allow Him to 'rebuild'...