Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thoughts
It's a beautiful spring morning. My back door is open along with many windows in the house. A fan is on the next room and the birds are singing outside. And, it's spring break.
I love this time of year.
This morning I watched an episode of Destinos - a tv show created to teach Spanish. I am determined. Michael has been listening to a Spanish teaching podcast while he drives around at work in order to also learn the language. He's much more gifted linguistically than I am so he's been plowing through the lessons on the podcast and sends me text messages in Spanish that I can't quite always decipher on my own. But this way he can teach me, right?
As far as Texas goes, the response I got from my post was pretty divided. Some people were excited for us, others were hesitant. So let me explain a bit more:
This isn't something that we are doing to run away from where we are now and it's not something that we are going to make happen if God shuts the door. It's simply something that we have given to God and have been praying about. We've prayed and asked God to shut the door if we are not supposed to go this way; however, until then, we're moving forward. Yes, we may have thousands and thousands of dollars in student loans but we know that God is bigger than that and we are trusting Him with this step and our finances. (And, thankfully, more loans would not be involved in this certification process!)
It could be that Michael starts the certification process next month but that we don't move for another year. We don't know. But God does. So we pray. We wait. And we trust Him.
God has given us ministry and friends right here and for that, we are thankful. So we will do all that we can while we are here - with those He has here with us. We are not looking to neglect the ministry that we have now. Ministry is everywhere which is why we need our Heavenly Father to direct our steps to where we can be most used.
We would appreciate any and all prayers as we seek to figure out God's next step for us!
I love this time of year.
This morning I watched an episode of Destinos - a tv show created to teach Spanish. I am determined. Michael has been listening to a Spanish teaching podcast while he drives around at work in order to also learn the language. He's much more gifted linguistically than I am so he's been plowing through the lessons on the podcast and sends me text messages in Spanish that I can't quite always decipher on my own. But this way he can teach me, right?
As far as Texas goes, the response I got from my post was pretty divided. Some people were excited for us, others were hesitant. So let me explain a bit more:
This isn't something that we are doing to run away from where we are now and it's not something that we are going to make happen if God shuts the door. It's simply something that we have given to God and have been praying about. We've prayed and asked God to shut the door if we are not supposed to go this way; however, until then, we're moving forward. Yes, we may have thousands and thousands of dollars in student loans but we know that God is bigger than that and we are trusting Him with this step and our finances. (And, thankfully, more loans would not be involved in this certification process!)
It could be that Michael starts the certification process next month but that we don't move for another year. We don't know. But God does. So we pray. We wait. And we trust Him.
God has given us ministry and friends right here and for that, we are thankful. So we will do all that we can while we are here - with those He has here with us. We are not looking to neglect the ministry that we have now. Ministry is everywhere which is why we need our Heavenly Father to direct our steps to where we can be most used.
We would appreciate any and all prayers as we seek to figure out God's next step for us!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Nostalgic Morning
Today, I woke up early and went outside to switch the laundry.
It wasn't 7:00am yet and it was beautiful out. I was taken back to Honduras in my mind. The mornings that are cool and warm at the same time. Hearing the birds wake. The sun not quite risen. The only thing missing were roosters. Well, and everything else. Man, I miss that place.
It wasn't 7:00am yet and it was beautiful out. I was taken back to Honduras in my mind. The mornings that are cool and warm at the same time. Hearing the birds wake. The sun not quite risen. The only thing missing were roosters. Well, and everything else. Man, I miss that place.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Life
I know, it's been a while.
These thoughts and ideas that I'm about to share have been bouncing around between Michael and me for, oh I don't know, a little over a month now or so. I guess I'll start at the beginning.
The summer that I graduated from high school, I went on a missions trip to Honduras. It was life changing. Before I went, my plan was to go to East Carolina and study graphic design; however, I had not gotten accepted because of a Spanish class that they said I need to take (I was homeschooled, so I had taken Spanish 1 at home and Spanish 1 at the community college - they said I needed a Spanish 2). So I guess my plan was to take an intensive Spanish course that summer, get things squared away with ECU and head there in the fall. But then I went to Honduras.
I fell in love with the place, with the people, and my heart broke for them. I knew why I needed to take the Spanish course. (not that I would necessarily learn Spanish in an intense, online class, but it was a sign if nothing else) I knew that graphic design was out. Loving people, helping people, this was my calling. I didn't even want to take the time to go to college because I just wanted to get back. But, alas, a college degree was a better idea than not, so, after finding out about Columbia International University that summer, I applied and went!
I spent 3 years in Columbia, met my husband - who has the same heart for people as I do - graduated, got married, and here we are. Adjusting to married life, paying bills, and learning what God is teaching us and how He wants to use us and our passions.
Several weeks ago, Michael and I got on an immigration documentary and movie kick.
We watched Entre Nos which is an interesting movie about a Colombian family of four who came to the United States and were living in NYC when the father decided he didn't want to be involved with his family anymore and left them. He moved to Florida and left his wife and two children to struggle for money, food, and a place to sleep.
We also watched The Other Side of Immigration which is a documentary about the reasons why people are coming from Mexico to the United States. It gets to the heart of the issue of immigration.
Another documentary that we watched was Which Way Home which is a great film that follows various people coming to the United States. It follows 4 boys in particular, their reason for coming, and their struggles along the way. It's a very eye-opening film.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489342/
Lastly (these are not listed in the order we watched them - but in reverse order actually, I think), Amexicano was another film we watched. It's a movie about a guy who lives in NY and befriends an illegal immigrant and his sister. It's a good one.
Anyway, all this to say (other than recommending that you watch these movies - they are instant on Netflix!), it got the wheels turning in my mind. I want to help people who are coming to the US because they need help. Our country is missing it. There are reasons why people come to the United States and it's not necessarily because they want to be here. It's because they have to be in order to survive. A wall along the border of the United States is not the answer. By putting up a wall the US is just ignoring the problems in these other countries and refusing to help people who need our help. It's saying, "We don't care if you're hurting. We don't care if you've just risked your life to get here in order to feed your family. Stay out. We don't want to help you."
Oh, it breaks my heart. Which is why Michael and I may be moving. I don't think Texas was ever very high on my list of places where I would want to live; however, now it's pretty close to the top. We're thinking that's a God thing. We have looked into teaching certification in Texas and it's pretty straightforward. Michael can take the classes for certification online while we are still living here and we won't have to move until he gets a job. He has applied for the certification program, has been accepted, and can start taking the courses as soon as we pay the cost to get going!
We have gone through a bit of back and forth with this idea - wanting it to be God's plan for us but wanting to be sure. Now we notice every Texas license plate and often say that "it's a sign!" Partly jokingly, of course.
Well. A few days ago when Michael was driving at work, there was a bumper sticker on the car in front of him. What do you think it said?
GO TO TEXAS
What?!?!
I'll take that. Of course, he got closer and saw fine print at the top that said, "my money and my son...... Go to Texas." Nevertheless, that wasn't the bigger, bolder print that made itself clearly visible.
Thank you, God, for that sign.
So, we're moving forward! Not sure when exactly everything is going to happen. We're just taking it a step at a time trusting God to keep guiding us.
These thoughts and ideas that I'm about to share have been bouncing around between Michael and me for, oh I don't know, a little over a month now or so. I guess I'll start at the beginning.
The summer that I graduated from high school, I went on a missions trip to Honduras. It was life changing. Before I went, my plan was to go to East Carolina and study graphic design; however, I had not gotten accepted because of a Spanish class that they said I need to take (I was homeschooled, so I had taken Spanish 1 at home and Spanish 1 at the community college - they said I needed a Spanish 2). So I guess my plan was to take an intensive Spanish course that summer, get things squared away with ECU and head there in the fall. But then I went to Honduras.
I fell in love with the place, with the people, and my heart broke for them. I knew why I needed to take the Spanish course. (not that I would necessarily learn Spanish in an intense, online class, but it was a sign if nothing else) I knew that graphic design was out. Loving people, helping people, this was my calling. I didn't even want to take the time to go to college because I just wanted to get back. But, alas, a college degree was a better idea than not, so, after finding out about Columbia International University that summer, I applied and went!
I spent 3 years in Columbia, met my husband - who has the same heart for people as I do - graduated, got married, and here we are. Adjusting to married life, paying bills, and learning what God is teaching us and how He wants to use us and our passions.
Several weeks ago, Michael and I got on an immigration documentary and movie kick.
We watched Entre Nos which is an interesting movie about a Colombian family of four who came to the United States and were living in NYC when the father decided he didn't want to be involved with his family anymore and left them. He moved to Florida and left his wife and two children to struggle for money, food, and a place to sleep.
We also watched The Other Side of Immigration which is a documentary about the reasons why people are coming from Mexico to the United States. It gets to the heart of the issue of immigration.
Another documentary that we watched was Which Way Home which is a great film that follows various people coming to the United States. It follows 4 boys in particular, their reason for coming, and their struggles along the way. It's a very eye-opening film.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489342/
Lastly (these are not listed in the order we watched them - but in reverse order actually, I think), Amexicano was another film we watched. It's a movie about a guy who lives in NY and befriends an illegal immigrant and his sister. It's a good one.
Anyway, all this to say (other than recommending that you watch these movies - they are instant on Netflix!), it got the wheels turning in my mind. I want to help people who are coming to the US because they need help. Our country is missing it. There are reasons why people come to the United States and it's not necessarily because they want to be here. It's because they have to be in order to survive. A wall along the border of the United States is not the answer. By putting up a wall the US is just ignoring the problems in these other countries and refusing to help people who need our help. It's saying, "We don't care if you're hurting. We don't care if you've just risked your life to get here in order to feed your family. Stay out. We don't want to help you."
Oh, it breaks my heart. Which is why Michael and I may be moving. I don't think Texas was ever very high on my list of places where I would want to live; however, now it's pretty close to the top. We're thinking that's a God thing. We have looked into teaching certification in Texas and it's pretty straightforward. Michael can take the classes for certification online while we are still living here and we won't have to move until he gets a job. He has applied for the certification program, has been accepted, and can start taking the courses as soon as we pay the cost to get going!
We have gone through a bit of back and forth with this idea - wanting it to be God's plan for us but wanting to be sure. Now we notice every Texas license plate and often say that "it's a sign!" Partly jokingly, of course.
Well. A few days ago when Michael was driving at work, there was a bumper sticker on the car in front of him. What do you think it said?
GO TO TEXAS
What?!?!
I'll take that. Of course, he got closer and saw fine print at the top that said, "my money and my son...... Go to Texas." Nevertheless, that wasn't the bigger, bolder print that made itself clearly visible.
Thank you, God, for that sign.
So, we're moving forward! Not sure when exactly everything is going to happen. We're just taking it a step at a time trusting God to keep guiding us.
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