Beautiful

As I type right now there are 3 beautiful little Girls from Uganda sleeping in my bedroom on my bed and an air mattress...Rhoda, Martha, and Juliet. The Watato Children's Choir from Uganda Africa came to sing and dance at our Church this weekend. I opened my home up expecting to bless them...but they have blessed me so much more. All of the 18 children in the choir have lost one of both of their parents to the AIDS epidemic and they have been rescued from being forced to fight in a civil war that has been raging for 20 years in Uganda where children are being abducted and forced to fight. Children make of 80% of the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) which Joseph Kony is leading in what he maintains is a mandate from God to overthrow the Ugandan Government. This ware is being called the most neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today. Watoto exists as a way to 'raise future leaders' and provide a way out in what seems like an impossible situation. I thank God for organizations like this that just show me what the Church really looks like. It's just such a beautiful thing.

All that being said...for about 2 years now God has been putting Uganda on my heart and in my path. Please pray for me, as I made a decision tonight that I will go there. I don't know how, or with who, or when or any of that. But I will.

**If you are in a position anywhere to book the choir...do it. It's incredible.

For more info visit www.watoto.com or www.invisiblechildren.com

Ode to Fall

I love so many things about Fall. It is by far my favorite season. I always think Spring is...but Spring never seems to mutter up near the amount of feeling and emotion that Fall does for me. Isn't it a strange thing how sights and smells can make you so nostalgic? I love that God created us that way. The air today in Beloit was just so crisp and cool that I couldn't help but think of all the things I love about Fall and i got so excited about them. I love the obvious things...the beautiful colors of changing trees...the sound of leaves crunching beneath your feet...Halloween...pumpkins...the cool air (hoodie weather is my favorite). But then there are the not so obvious things that I really love. I love how most Autumn evenings are perfect for star gazing. For grabbing a blanket and a hot beverage and just watching the beautiful night sky. As much as I hate to see them go...I love the smell of burning leaves. I love the quiet that the cool air seems to bring. I love it when a few leaves get trapped in a whirlwind and just circle forever...I could watch that all day. I love sleeping with the windows open and all bundled up in blankets. I love getting fall scented candles so my house can welcome the change of climate. I love any and all Fall Festivals...and the tastes of fall! Mmmmm...apple cider, carmel apples, spiced pumpkin lattes. I love to go to bonfires in the fall. I think I'm going to get a fire pit for my back yard just so I can have one...or five! It just makes me so happy to know that Fall is almost here. I dare say it is here...

Busyness

Today marks a brand new season of busyness...I'm not even sure that is a word, but whatever. I do what I want!
Summer is already busy enough...but once Labor day is over, it's a new kind of busy. The high school kick off is tonight and I'm going to be helping out with that again this year. I kind of started at the end of the year last year and enjoyed it...but being at CIY and forming relationships with the kids made me want to continue on this year. So that will keep me busy. But good busy.

Life is really good right now. God is good and He blessed me daily. A lot of times I miss the blessings He's pouring out on me, but when I take time to stop and reflect it's just a beautiful thing. I'm just excited to see what He has in store for me in the near future. I feel like something is going to be changing. I'm just not sure what. So for now, I will wait patiently. Wait on what the Lord has for me.

In other news, my mom is coming to visit next week. She's just coming Tuesday night and leaving Wednesday...but she's coming and I'm really excited about that. I miss her a lot. It's a strange thing being far away from my mom. She's always been no more than 45 minutes away and though I tend to think I'm pretty independent...there was comfort in knowing she wasn't very far away. I wonder how long it takes to get used to that? Or if I ever will. We'll see.

So anyway...to summarize, life is busy...God is good....I miss my mom.

Ticked

So I'm bummed right now. Two months ago I bought a nano. Today they came out with a new version. Not only does it play video and has a wider screen...it's cheaper and comes in my favorite color! The same thing happened when I bought my last iPod. 2 weeks after I bought the last one I had, they came out with color screens. Great that Apple is so innovative. Sucky that I always seem to buy at the wrong time.

And for any techies out there. They also released the iPod Touch. Basically just the iPhone without the phone...it's pretty sweet. Also, I bet all those crazies who had to run right out and buy the iPhone are kicking themselves today. They dropped the price by $200.

Sweet Sleep, Sweep Me Away

For some strange reason lately I have felt like something big is going to be changing my life. I just took a new job so I know it can't be that. But whatever this thing is, I think God has laid something on my heart to prepare for. I just have no idea what it is...but I feel like it's something to be excited about. However, because of said 'big change' it is rare that I fall asleep before 1am these days because I cannot stop thinking of what this could be. Thus, my blogging nonsense at 12:20 am.