Three days I returned from one incredible gift of a vacation. I got to spend 15 days with dear family and friends in my favorite place in the world: Colorado. God gave me eyes to see just how good I have it when I was putting on my ski goggles and then remembered a month before when I was putting on snorkeling goggles, getting ready to behold the treasures of the Andeman Sea. Who the heck gets to live like this, I thought?
My heart is still overflowing with thankfulness as I recount all the sweet gifts I got to enjoy with my family. Sitting around a cozy cabin in Brek and playing Scrabble with my mom and Darlene, seeing my breath and frozen perfect little snow flakes after not having seen such wonders for 2 years, and zipping down the slopes with my whole family are some of the highlights of my first bit of time in the US. Another fun memory is my first time going off of a fun box in the terrain park at Copper Mountain. Good grief…what I will do when prodded by my brother…
After skiing, our family headed to Oak Creek for Christmas in Rob and Jules’ community. It was such a gift to wake up and shout Christmas carols with my sisters and then go to Rob and Jules’ home for present opening. An ordinary event became magical as I got to sit with my family and watch them open presents rather than talk with them on the phone and imagine them opening presents without me. What a gift to be with the fam at Christmastime. Perhaps my favorite part of the day was when Rob took us for a ride in the ski cat- a gargantuan piece of machinery that plowed through huge drifts of snow and over creek beds long lost under feet of snow. I was so proud to see Rob in action, knowing how to drive and fix these machines. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen trees so heavily laden with snow. We went up Buffalo Pass just outside of Steamboat after a huge storm, and it was ridiculous to see more white than green surrounding us. Incredible. One fun part of my time in Oak Creek was getting to see Oscar, Rob and Jules’ adopted outside kitty-cat. He sure is cute. Here’s a picture for you to enjoy.
The rest of my time at home was spent in Monument. I was so blessed to spend time with a few dear hearts who I love so much- God used this time to sort of re-ground me in reality- reminding me of who I am and what my life is about and what is true. A morning of worship in Vanguard Church and conversations with the folks who knew me best were incredible tools God used to just remind me of who I am and what I want my life to be about. It was powerful.
And the climactic ending of my time there was watching my dear friend of 15 years, Noelle Nygren, become Noelle Goodlin. It was a sweet few days of celebrating Noelle and the significance of her life. Truly it is a significant one. My heart was so full of thankfulness as I thought of the years and memories I’ve shared with Noelle. Who the heck gets to have a friend like that, I kept asking myself. I guess someone who God loves so deeply and wants to bless through people like Noelle Goodlin.
So it was a great time at home and now it’s back to the grind in Bangkok. (What?? Once again, who the heck gets to say that??) My head hit the pillow at 4 am on Wednesday, only to get up off the pillow at 6:30 am in order to work at 7. It’s been a thick couple of days, experience post-vacation let-down a little bit and missing folks at home, but the truth remains that there is so much I have to be thankful for. So I’m doing my best to just enjoy and swim around in THAT reality- that God has given me so many presents and there is so much for which to be thankful.
I went on outreach with Nightlight last night and met 3 new women for whom I now have great hope that life will be different. Nareeva, Osonna, and Om are 3 beautiful women having to do to dehumanizing work. I hope on their behalf that 2008 will be a year of radical life change and redemption. Hope and pray with me on behalf of these women. And if you’d like to give to an organization that is working every day on behalf of thousands of women like them, check out Nightlight’s website. It really is a remarkable organization that I’m so humbled to be a part of.
