Today was a very good day! Not all that much happened but I attribute much of the positivity to a phone call that I made last night accepting a job offer that is set to begin on Monday, February 1st. Before Joseph and I moved out here, I was in touch with a place called Land of 1000 Hills Coffee. I first touched base with them back in September because of a Craigslist posting they had published looking for a barista for one of their (at the time) two stores. I contacted them to learn more about them and it turned out that they are a company started by an Anglican priest who wanted to "do good" for the people of Rwanda. He found out that their coffee industry had been decimated by the genocide and started to work towards recovery of that particular economy. In starting Land of 1000 Hills Coffee, he has been able to impact the Rwandan community by investing in local coffee growers and establishing above fair-trade pay for the locally grown coffee. He, in-turn, sells that coffee here in the States in two stores in Roswell and Atlanta. Land of 1000 Hills has poured a large amount of money into the local economy and continues to grow here in the States.
So, how did Joseph and I continue on our journey to be working for LOTH? It happened that our dear friend, Cheryl Bell, who had, along with her husband, been encouraging us to come out for Passion City Church, had a contact at LOTH named Amy. Amy and I were able to meet at Passion 2010 after much email conversation during the Fall. She introduced us to Karen who does all of the hiring for LOTH and passed along my resume as well. I met with Karen last week for a job interview and pitched the idea of Joseph and I co-managing their newest store, which just happens to be in the same town where we are currently living. The Cumming store is set to open March 8th and we have been offered the position as managers.
Aside from the LOTH ministry itself, there are some very cool things about our opportunity to manage the Cumming store. For one, we will be able to split the position in a way that allows one of us to always be with Mercy. As well, the store is inside of a ministry called "The Warehouse" that exists to equip young people for ministry in music, audio/visual and other creative facets of leadership. The Warehouse is located in a development called "Family Festival" which hosts soccer fields, baseball fields, batting cages, a playground, a karate studio, burger joint, swim club and lots more. It will be the perfect place to hang out with Mercy when we are not working. As well, it is right up the street from the newest YMCA which is a wonderful facility.
We really feel God's hand in this and while the pay is not the highlight of the job, the hours free us up to pursue ministry and allow Joseph to continue to teach bass (he currently has five students). Passion City Church is now in full-swing and we hope to be able to really plug in as the congregation firms up and we eventually find a permanent building. We plan to continue to live with Dianne while we work out what life will look like in the coming months and hope to be able to afford a small house or condo within the next year or two.
Mercy is growing exponentially, it seems, and she is starting to look like her mama more and more each day (Yay! Finally). I often look at her at night after she falls asleep and just study her face, trying to lock away in my memory exactly how her sweet, rosy cheeks look as she lays next to me. She is such a gem and a most definite gift from God. We think she will be walking very soon as she is super strong and very active. Of course, I wouldn't mind if she waits awhile because she is already hard to keep up with.
The transition here to Atlanta has been good; it's been hard too. I don't recommend moving to a new place without jobs or a place to live but it seems to be how we roll and God has rolled with us. At times, I have felt totally debilitated but I'm getting my sea legs finally. I really look forward to starting work on Monday (more than I thought I would) and I also look forward to working with Joseph. This will either solidify our dreams of opening something of our own someday or give us a good wake-up call.
I can't say enough how much I have loved talking to friends back home and feeling so supported in this move. I really miss home but this is a great place to be. I actually met a woman today at Mercy's doctor's office who is from Pasadena and went to the same elementary school (Linda Vista), high school (La Canada) and college (UCLA) that I went to. When I asked her about living here and how she found it she replied "great place to raise a family, great place to afford a home, good friends, good food, good life!". That is a recommendation that I can live with!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Days Like These
This coming Tuesday will officially mark the one month anniversary of our move to Atlanta. While it's amazing that we have only been here one month, it feels like we've been here much longer. That can sound either very positive or quite gloomy. It's a mix of both. We have been so blessed by Dianne who has opened up her home to Joseph, Mercy and I. She lost her husband a year ago February to lung cancer and has enjoyed the company of having our little family around. We have enjoyed her wonderful sense of humor, dry whit and hospitality. She really loves Mercy and, in turn, Mercy doles out miles of smiles to her every time she sees Dianne.
This week has been chock-full of appointments, interviews, business proposals and meetings. Monday morning we went to Atlanta Bread Company for a career group which was a blessing to Joseph as he looks to make contacts here. After, we were able to have some very special Rwandan coffee at Land of 1000 Hills (LOTH) in Roswell. We have been talking to LOTH about co-managing their new Cumming store and we are prayerfully considering it. The ministry pours so much money into Rwanda and the reconciliation efforts there. To work for them would be a privilege. As well, we are looking at substitute teaching jobs, full and part-time teaching jobs and lots of other opportunities. Our dear friend, David Bell, has started a management/event company, Orchestrate, and we met with him this week to see how we could plug-in there. I will hopefully be doing some writing projects with them to help them communicate their vision and services to the community.
The weather here has been so beautiful these last couple of days. Cumming is an absolutely beautiful county with lots of pine trees, farms, rolling hills, quaint (and large) homes and wonderful people. It is starting to grow on me as we look around at where we would like to end up. Georgia State University is downtown Atlanta as is Passion City Church (for now), so that is probably where we will end up looking. It will be hard to leave Cumming. Even now, as I look out the window into Dianne's expansive back yard, I see the silhouettes of trees, dense and sparse, as well as a sky that looks like an oil painting of descending colors of purple. It is a wonder and I praise God to be able to see it. It inspires me!
Mercy is starting to pop out a second tooth right next to her first and is working on saying "Dada". She is also getting very vocal about what she wants and what she doesn't. Joseph is a very hands-on father and I am so thankful to have him as a co-parent.
Passion City Church begins regular Sunday services this week and we are excited to show up and see what happens. I am praying that God will open up a position there for Joseph. That is why we came but we have given this whole thing up to God, so if there is something else here for us, so be it.
All in all, I am so glad that we are here and am starting to feel the clouds break over some blues that I initially had. I am so ready to see what God is going to do and I believe that this is going to be a great place to call home.
This week has been chock-full of appointments, interviews, business proposals and meetings. Monday morning we went to Atlanta Bread Company for a career group which was a blessing to Joseph as he looks to make contacts here. After, we were able to have some very special Rwandan coffee at Land of 1000 Hills (LOTH) in Roswell. We have been talking to LOTH about co-managing their new Cumming store and we are prayerfully considering it. The ministry pours so much money into Rwanda and the reconciliation efforts there. To work for them would be a privilege. As well, we are looking at substitute teaching jobs, full and part-time teaching jobs and lots of other opportunities. Our dear friend, David Bell, has started a management/event company, Orchestrate, and we met with him this week to see how we could plug-in there. I will hopefully be doing some writing projects with them to help them communicate their vision and services to the community.
The weather here has been so beautiful these last couple of days. Cumming is an absolutely beautiful county with lots of pine trees, farms, rolling hills, quaint (and large) homes and wonderful people. It is starting to grow on me as we look around at where we would like to end up. Georgia State University is downtown Atlanta as is Passion City Church (for now), so that is probably where we will end up looking. It will be hard to leave Cumming. Even now, as I look out the window into Dianne's expansive back yard, I see the silhouettes of trees, dense and sparse, as well as a sky that looks like an oil painting of descending colors of purple. It is a wonder and I praise God to be able to see it. It inspires me!
Mercy is starting to pop out a second tooth right next to her first and is working on saying "Dada". She is also getting very vocal about what she wants and what she doesn't. Joseph is a very hands-on father and I am so thankful to have him as a co-parent.
Passion City Church begins regular Sunday services this week and we are excited to show up and see what happens. I am praying that God will open up a position there for Joseph. That is why we came but we have given this whole thing up to God, so if there is something else here for us, so be it.
All in all, I am so glad that we are here and am starting to feel the clouds break over some blues that I initially had. I am so ready to see what God is going to do and I believe that this is going to be a great place to call home.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Ready
I think I am ready. It is amazing to me (I use that word way too much) that it has been six years since I graduated from UCLA and four since I graduated from Fuller. Where has the time gone? Well, part of it went to falling in love with and marrying Joseph, part of it went to the joy of newlywed life and part of it went to getting pregnant and having an exceptionally wonderful little Mercy. Now that I'm staring thirty in the face, I'm really thinking about some advice that my dad gave us before we left for Georgia: "Develop a five-year plan". Wow, a five-year plan? I don't even really have a one-month plan other than finding a place to work, a place to live and praising God for another day. But my dad is right! When I think about where I want to be in five years or in ten years, it sort of makes my mind spin. Mercy will eventually be older and in school and if we do have another child, that one will follow suit. Which means that at some point, I will have an empty house from 8 am to 3 pm every day. Wow! To have time to myself ... whatever will I do? So, I've been asking myself what it is that I really want to do and the thing that keeps coming up over and over again is how much I enjoyed my time at UCLA reading, writing and studying English Literature. So, here is the five year plan that seems to be forming. I am going to apply to Georgia State University's PhD program in Creative Writing. It is one of only eight in the country, including Vanderbilt in Nashville which I had originally considered when we thought we would be moving there. The five- year goal is to be finished with coursework and working on my thesis and the ten-year goal is to be completely finished with my PhD and working as a professor either at the junior college or university level. It's very scary to declare this on my blog in such a public way because I am notorious for talking and not doing. However, I've gotten in touch with the director of the program and plan on going out to GSU next week to check out the campus and find out more about the program, application process, etc. It's scary because of the time, money and effort it will take to finish a program like this but I feel like I owe it to my husband whom I'm always telling to get out there and follow his dreams, my daughter for whom I want to set an example and myself. I have wanted to teach for a very long time at the college level and if I can systematically take the steps to do that over the next ten-year period, I will head into my forties with expectation and enthusiasm for my professional life. Please pray for stamina in the application process and wisdom as to whether or not this is a good long-term goal.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Passion 2010
I thought that I had already posted the giving amounts of Passion 2010 but upon second glance, I see that I did not. So, below are the total amounts of monies given to the numerous NGO's in the "Do Something Now" center at Passion 2010. To me, these numbers are jaw-dropping and so encouraging. Please comment on what seeing these numbers does to you ... I would love to know! The following is from Louie Giglio
The heartbeat of the Passion Movement is not simply abut filling arenas, but a generation mobilized to carry the message of God’s fame to the unreached, oppressed and forgotten wherever they are on the planet.
To that end, one of the five statements of the 268 Declaration is:
Willingness To Shine The Gospel To All People—
Because God is seeking worshipers of all peoples, I will spread His fame among the nations, fully participating in His global purposes while engaging poverty and injustice in Jesus’ name.
[God, kindle in me the desire to go anywhere, at anytime, at any cost, to do anything to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.]
While the worship at Passion is vital, it is not an end in itself. Rather, our songs and anthems are fuel for our journey to the nations. Thus, Do Something Now is front and center in all we do, a major component of every gathering.
At Passion 2010 we introduced 12 partner organizations with causes totaling $500,000. Our goal was not pledges for the future, but giving on site together in four days. In the end (and this number will continue to grow), the total passed on to our 12 partners includes:
Building an education center for the Dalit people of India through Operation Mobilization. Goal–$75,000. Given–$92,753.91.
Small business loans for women in Haiti through Hope International. Goal–200 x $200 loans. Given–$64,412.34 for 322 loans.
Bible translation for Shatika and Rom People of SE Asia with OneVerse. Goal–translate 4000 verses at a cost of $100,000. Given–3134 verses/$78.359.
Sponsor 100 seminary students in the Middle East with E3 Partners. Goal–$30,000. Given–$45,318/151 students.
Build 10 wells in Guatemala with Living Water. Goal–$50,000. Given–$113.865/22 wells built.
Provide 100 cleft palate surgeries for children in Afghanistan with Cure International. Goal–$55,000. Given–$68,160.54/111 children get surgeries.
Package and send Bibles to unreached people in Asia through Bibles Unbound. Goal–3000 Bibles packaged and $3000 to cover cost. Given/Done–3000 Bibles packaged/$9,530.56 given to send more.
Build a border outpost in Nepal to intercept sex trafficking victims through Not For Sale. Goal–$25,000. Given–$86,516.72 for 3+ border outposts.
Support a Child Survival project in Indonesia through Compassion International. Goal–100 students x $20 a month for one year = $24,000. Given–205 students x $20 a month for one year = $50,170. (The 12 month commitment represents pledges for this cause).
Package meals through our partner Feed My Starving Children. Goal–package 100,000 meals atPassion 2010 and give $17,500 to cover costs. Given/Done–108,432 meals packaged and $17,533.32 given.
Sponsor children affected by HIV/AIDS in Mozambique with World Vision. Goal–200 students x $35 monthly/package 1000 Caregiver kits. Given–174 students x $35 monthly/1000 caregiver kits assembled.
Drink coffee and fund projects in Ethiopia through our partner Gobeana Coffee. Given–$24,548.
Total given at Passion 2010 = $724,480.42.
IN ADDITION, a family at Passion 2010 matched the total as of Tuesday morning with a gift of $668.597.00.
For a Passion 2010
As well, 14,820 towels and 72,600 pairs of socks were given to assist the homeless shelters of Atlanta.
Obviously, it’s not all about the money. But we know the verse, “where your money is your heart is also,” applies here, and believe many lives have been captured by His global purposes in these days.
Thanks to everyone who joined this amazing cause. Let’s continue to give everything until His grace, hope ad healing are extended to all.
Humbled,
LG
Praise God!
The heartbeat of the Passion Movement is not simply abut filling arenas, but a generation mobilized to carry the message of God’s fame to the unreached, oppressed and forgotten wherever they are on the planet.
To that end, one of the five statements of the 268 Declaration is:
Willingness To Shine The Gospel To All People—
Because God is seeking worshipers of all peoples, I will spread His fame among the nations, fully participating in His global purposes while engaging poverty and injustice in Jesus’ name.
[God, kindle in me the desire to go anywhere, at anytime, at any cost, to do anything to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.]
While the worship at Passion is vital, it is not an end in itself. Rather, our songs and anthems are fuel for our journey to the nations. Thus, Do Something Now is front and center in all we do, a major component of every gathering.
At Passion 2010 we introduced 12 partner organizations with causes totaling $500,000. Our goal was not pledges for the future, but giving on site together in four days. In the end (and this number will continue to grow), the total passed on to our 12 partners includes:
Building an education center for the Dalit people of India through Operation Mobilization. Goal–$75,000. Given–$92,753.91.
Small business loans for women in Haiti through Hope International. Goal–200 x $200 loans. Given–$64,412.34 for 322 loans.
Bible translation for Shatika and Rom People of SE Asia with OneVerse. Goal–translate 4000 verses at a cost of $100,000. Given–3134 verses/$78.359.
Sponsor 100 seminary students in the Middle East with E3 Partners. Goal–$30,000. Given–$45,318/151 students.
Build 10 wells in Guatemala with Living Water. Goal–$50,000. Given–$113.865/22 wells built.
Provide 100 cleft palate surgeries for children in Afghanistan with Cure International. Goal–$55,000. Given–$68,160.54/111 children get surgeries.
Package and send Bibles to unreached people in Asia through Bibles Unbound. Goal–3000 Bibles packaged and $3000 to cover cost. Given/Done–3000 Bibles packaged/$9,530.56 given to send more.
Build a border outpost in Nepal to intercept sex trafficking victims through Not For Sale. Goal–$25,000. Given–$86,516.72 for 3+ border outposts.
Support a Child Survival project in Indonesia through Compassion International. Goal–100 students x $20 a month for one year = $24,000. Given–205 students x $20 a month for one year = $50,170. (The 12 month commitment represents pledges for this cause).
Package meals through our partner Feed My Starving Children. Goal–package 100,000 meals atPassion 2010 and give $17,500 to cover costs. Given/Done–108,432 meals packaged and $17,533.32 given.
Sponsor children affected by HIV/AIDS in Mozambique with World Vision. Goal–200 students x $35 monthly/package 1000 Caregiver kits. Given–174 students x $35 monthly/1000 caregiver kits assembled.
Drink coffee and fund projects in Ethiopia through our partner Gobeana Coffee. Given–$24,548.
Total given at Passion 2010 = $724,480.42.
IN ADDITION, a family at Passion 2010 matched the total as of Tuesday morning with a gift of $668.597.00.
For a Passion 2010
As well, 14,820 towels and 72,600 pairs of socks were given to assist the homeless shelters of Atlanta.
Obviously, it’s not all about the money. But we know the verse, “where your money is your heart is also,” applies here, and believe many lives have been captured by His global purposes in these days.
Thanks to everyone who joined this amazing cause. Let’s continue to give everything until His grace, hope ad healing are extended to all.
Humbled,
LG
Praise God!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Today was my 29th birthday (I say "was" because it's 11:30 pm and my birthday privileges are almost over). I talked to my sister on the phone yesterday and she asked me how I felt about being one year away from thirty. I thought about it and answered as candidly as possible; it doesn't scare me ... as a matter of fact, I think I'm excited. My early twenties were such a hodge podge of bad decisions, immaturity and darkness and my later twenties were a time of complete redemption both spiritually and personally. I feel like with the tumult of the last decade, the next one is sure to be one of spiritual, personal, professional and relational bloom. At least that's what I'm asking God for.
So, for those who want to know how I spent my 29th birthday, I'll first ask a question. What is one of the things I like to do most in life? It's something that brings me great pleasure and from which I often ask God for deliverance. I love to eat! So, that's how I spent my day ... I ate my way through it. The morning started with a trip to Chick-fil-A around 11 am for a chicken biscuit and some coffee. If you don't know what Chick-fil-A is, please look it up and drive to one, no matter how far from you it may be. After breakfast, Joseph, Mercy and I went for a drive around Fulton and Forsyth counties. It was an absolutely beautiful day with the partially melted snow still sparkling in bright patches on the ground and the sun shining over the backs of grassy fields and horses manes. Our new home is a truly beautiful place. After taking care of a couple of errands, we drove to Roswell, our new favorite town and made a stop at Krispy Kremes. By this time it was around 2 pm and Mercy was asleep in the car, so we had to make it a drive through event. I have never had a fresh Krispy Kreme right off the belt (even though they had one at the student union at UCLA) and let me tell you, it is a heavenly experience not to be missed. After our doughnut snack we drove around some more to let Mercy get a bit more rest. Around 3pm we decided it was time for lunch and found a super tiny, hole-in-the-wall Greek/Mediterranean place called Baba's. So good! After some Gyro wraps and Greek potatoes (sweet tea to boot) we got back in the car and headed home.
Oddly enough, there are two movies I've been dying to see so we popped one in when we got home. Not to be too theme oriented here but the movies were Food Inc and Julie and Julia. Just writing this, I'm thinking that I need an intervention. I still haven't finished Food Inc but what I did see was crazy convicting. More to come on that later.
To finish off a great day, we spent the evening with the extended Bell family. Dinner was great: Chicken Tortellini with fresh spinach, grilled tomatoes, broccoli and rolls (sweet tea to boot, again) and then ice cream with brownie bites and chocolate sauce. To finish the evening, a few rounds of Wii and some decaf coffee. The night spent laughing with friends was just what a needed after a few days of solitude. Praise be to Jesus!
So, to all of my friends at home who called, Facebooked, texted and emailed Birthday wishes, thank you for remembering me. It means a lot!
Here's to the last year of my twenties. I'm ready to stare my thirties in the face but I'll take the year to practice my game face.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Old Song, New Meaning
It's too cold today to go to church. The wind is blowing about 20 mph and with the wind chill factor, it feels like six degrees outside. On top of that, the roads are still pretty icy and we don't want to risk driving with the baby. We haven't been out, except for a brief drive, for a couple of days which is making me very homesick. Not getting out to church is also making me really miss our church community at home, Evergreen Baptist Los Angeles. Along with this homesickness comes a small case of the blues. I got in the shower this morning trying to force myself to shake them, but to no avail. Finally, I gave up trying to pep talk myself and just started to repeat "Lord, help me. Lord, help me". This eventually led me to my knees in the shower with the water flowing over my head (and occasionally, up my nose). All I could say was "Jesus, I need you". As I said this and some other words of surrender, a song came back to me that I wrote with a childhood friend when I was eight years old. We used to love to dance and make up songs and one day, we decided that we wanted to write a worship song. As I knelt in the shower repeating "Jesus, I need you", these lyrics came back to me like a bolt of blue. They are trite and silly to an adult but as a child, they meant the world to me.
Jesus, we need you/ we really, really need you
The things you make/ the oceans and the lakes
Jesus, you made the sharks and the ark
You gave us wood to build a house/and then we found a mouse
Great are your works oh Lord
Yeah, Yeah
Great are you works oh Lord
We need you
Great are your works oh Lord
All the time
Great are your works oh Lord
Save us from sin
The rhyming is awful as is most of the song but the things I pull out as a 29 year old are very deep: Jesus, we need you, you made all things, your works are great, you are always great, you save us from our sin! I think this little song will be my mantra as I continually ask God for help during this transition. It's no "Blessed Be Your Name" but I know that God accepts it and is pleased by it nonetheless.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Not in Kansas anymore?
I've never lived in Kansas. California is Kansas for me and I'm most definitely not there anymore. Now I'm in Georgia. That state made famous by Mr. Ray Charles crooning over his long lost home with passion and grit. That's how I feel about my home today. I guess "California Dreamin'" is my theme song today. I really like our new "home". I also have a nostalgic feeling after only two weeks away. Part of it I attribute to the snow and ice outside which have kept us in for two days now. Another, larger, part I contribute to the news I received from my former boss at Coffee by the Books that Fuller's dean of students, Ruth Vuong, passed away a week ago today unexpectedly. I only knew Ruth from the time I spent on student government as well as from the Coffee Shop. She always ordered Paris tea and a Pecan Stick. It's really silly that I remember her order but that's how you get to know people behind the counter of a coffee bar. Ruth also really liked Mercy and always had a huge smile when she saw her. She had such a peaceful presence whether walking across campus, doing the benediction at chapel or speaking to students one-on-one. I would really like to be back in Pasadena, mourning with the rest of campus and remembering her at her memorial service. My best friend, Natalie, reminded me that I can be with them remembering her in spirit and to not lose sight of why we moved. She told me that she knows that I know that we made the right decision. I know she's right. It's just hard at times like these.
We have been here now for two weeks and they have been two good weeks. We were able to be part of Passion 2010. I had the joy of spending my time with a very lovely eleven-year-old girl whom Mercy just adores. I also got to meet and spend time with Matt Redman's little girl who has the name I originally thought we would name Mercy, which is Maisy. Joseph worked loading in and out furniture for the event and also got to help out running Pro to have slides up for the worship sessions. The time was a real blessing to both of us. It's hard now, though, after being so busy to be so not. I'm praying every day about what my next step should be vocationally. There is a coffee company here called Land of 1000 Hills which I would love to be connected with and for whom I would love to work. I also would love to go back and get my Masters in English so that I can teach at the Junior College level. I also want to spend as much time with Mercy as I possibly can but I want her to grow up with a mom who has a career and a life separate from her. I always felt so proud being able to tell people that my mom was an artist and at the same time, it really didn't matter what she "did" because she was (still is) such an amazing mom. On the other hand, I don't want to be away from Mercy eight hours a day. It would be so great to start and finish my Masters so that when she goes to school, I could go back to work. Of course, by then we'll probably be trying to have a second child. The planner in me wants to have everything figured out and the other part wants to just be still and let God figure it out. Only time will tell.
Sweet little Mercy has had many milestones since we left. She is now eating cereal and had her first tastes of both apples and bananas this week. She is also now saying "mama", although I'm not quite sure if she knows what she's saying. She mostly uses it when she wants something. I'm ok with that. She's very close to saying "dada" and is super close to crawling. As well, she's getting her first tooth. It's right on the surface and we can feel it when we put our finger on her gums. She is such a joy and was a total gerber baby during Passion. I got a number of breaks because of all the people who wanted to hold her. As well, I met lots of people I probably wouldn't have without her. I believe that God has an amazing purpose for her life. I also believe that our move here is part of that. Now if we can just convince our families that they should move here as well.
We have a good surrogate family in our friends, the Bells, as well as their families. We are living with Cheryl Bell's mom, Dianne, and she is absolutely wonderful. She has a wonderful sense of humor and we feel so comfortable in her home. Her husband passed away a year ago this February and so I think the arrangement has worked out well for all of us. She may be ready to kick us out soon but I think we're still in good because she has told us that we have to promise to visit when we do move. We are excited to be able to start house hunting soon. We never could've afforded anything back home but it looks like we'll be able to buy a home here. There are some really lovely homes starting at $150,000 and with the tax credit, it may be a great time to buy. We originally thought we wanted to be closer to the city but Cumming is really growing on me. As we drive around, we see horses in fields, old barns and lots of trees. It's also close to lots of restaurants and shopping (about 15 miles) so we don't feel like we are super isolated.
We would really covet the prayers of our friends and family as we continue to look for sustainable work which provides both income and insurance as well as a permanent place to live. Passion City Church could use your prayers for the provision of a church building. God has been so good to us and we are so excited to see what He will do in 2010! As much as I miss California, I'm thankful to be in Georgia with a new start and a new year.
We have been here now for two weeks and they have been two good weeks. We were able to be part of Passion 2010. I had the joy of spending my time with a very lovely eleven-year-old girl whom Mercy just adores. I also got to meet and spend time with Matt Redman's little girl who has the name I originally thought we would name Mercy, which is Maisy. Joseph worked loading in and out furniture for the event and also got to help out running Pro to have slides up for the worship sessions. The time was a real blessing to both of us. It's hard now, though, after being so busy to be so not. I'm praying every day about what my next step should be vocationally. There is a coffee company here called Land of 1000 Hills which I would love to be connected with and for whom I would love to work. I also would love to go back and get my Masters in English so that I can teach at the Junior College level. I also want to spend as much time with Mercy as I possibly can but I want her to grow up with a mom who has a career and a life separate from her. I always felt so proud being able to tell people that my mom was an artist and at the same time, it really didn't matter what she "did" because she was (still is) such an amazing mom. On the other hand, I don't want to be away from Mercy eight hours a day. It would be so great to start and finish my Masters so that when she goes to school, I could go back to work. Of course, by then we'll probably be trying to have a second child. The planner in me wants to have everything figured out and the other part wants to just be still and let God figure it out. Only time will tell.
Sweet little Mercy has had many milestones since we left. She is now eating cereal and had her first tastes of both apples and bananas this week. She is also now saying "mama", although I'm not quite sure if she knows what she's saying. She mostly uses it when she wants something. I'm ok with that. She's very close to saying "dada" and is super close to crawling. As well, she's getting her first tooth. It's right on the surface and we can feel it when we put our finger on her gums. She is such a joy and was a total gerber baby during Passion. I got a number of breaks because of all the people who wanted to hold her. As well, I met lots of people I probably wouldn't have without her. I believe that God has an amazing purpose for her life. I also believe that our move here is part of that. Now if we can just convince our families that they should move here as well.
We have a good surrogate family in our friends, the Bells, as well as their families. We are living with Cheryl Bell's mom, Dianne, and she is absolutely wonderful. She has a wonderful sense of humor and we feel so comfortable in her home. Her husband passed away a year ago this February and so I think the arrangement has worked out well for all of us. She may be ready to kick us out soon but I think we're still in good because she has told us that we have to promise to visit when we do move. We are excited to be able to start house hunting soon. We never could've afforded anything back home but it looks like we'll be able to buy a home here. There are some really lovely homes starting at $150,000 and with the tax credit, it may be a great time to buy. We originally thought we wanted to be closer to the city but Cumming is really growing on me. As we drive around, we see horses in fields, old barns and lots of trees. It's also close to lots of restaurants and shopping (about 15 miles) so we don't feel like we are super isolated.
We would really covet the prayers of our friends and family as we continue to look for sustainable work which provides both income and insurance as well as a permanent place to live. Passion City Church could use your prayers for the provision of a church building. God has been so good to us and we are so excited to see what He will do in 2010! As much as I miss California, I'm thankful to be in Georgia with a new start and a new year.
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