Hawaii-Day 8

It seems so hard to believe that a week ago I had just arrived in Hawaii. Time has flown, and yet it feels like I have been here forever. I have pretty much settled into a nice routine, and really enjoy living with the B family. It's fun to alway have little ones around to play and snuggle with, and at the same time, I am way less busy then I am at home, because I am not babysitting as much.

You may be wondering, "Where are all the pictures?" They are, needless to say, nowhere. Today is going to be a picture less post as I only took one picture all of today, and that was on my phone. I was on the beach doing homework (the joy's of being home schooled.)

Today I was thinking that this is what life must feel like for someone who does not babysit. To actually have free time to sit around and play outside, to not rush through school because you have another job to go to. And thought I love my life back home, and I would not trade the wonderful children I babysit for ANYTHING in this world, it is very nice to have a change of scenery sometimes! (And nothing like a change of scenery to make you thankful for what God HAS blessed you with back home.)

Today was a wonderful day of sitting at home not doing much. Roughhousing with Ava and Owen, playing the Pinkalicous game, playing shooter hide and seek and many other small things to fill out time. As I said above I did my school work on the beach again, which was just as wonderful as the last time. I can not state enough times that I love the beach. It is one of the most beautiful and wonderful gifts from God in my opinion. There is nothing like the feeling of reading a school book while watching the blue waves lap 5 feet away and feeling the warm sand squish in your toes.

And then I made dinner tonight. I really enjoyed this as I have not had much of a chance to make dinner in quite some time (read:babysitting). I spent a lot of last night on Foodgawker (if you have not been there it is about the most addicting site ever, really close up there with Pintrest.) I made Parmesan and Basil Chicken, and homemade biscuits. The chicken turned out just a bit dry (I have quite the tendency to over cook chicken as i am always afraid I am going to under cook it) But overall it got raving reviews from everyone and I will definitely have to file the recipes away for another try.

We finished up the night by watching part of Mary Poppins. I forgot how much fun that movie was! What a great classic!

Rebekah

p.s.- Read this story over here. Beautiful testimony of God's working in lives.

Strength, Courage, Wisdom.

When I was about 10 years old I found the Serenity Prayer on one of my mom’s old magnets. With my oh so wise 10 year old brain I thought it was the most amazing prayer ever. Though I am a few years older today, I still think whoever wrote the prayers must have been a genius (or really close to God!) I used to keep the prayer in my night stand drawer and pray it at night for people that where hard to deal with. Over the years, the prayers has slowly faded to the back of my mind, and I haven’t repeated it’s oh-so comforting words to myself in at least a year.

This weekend, I got the chance to water ski and wake board. These were some of the most physically challenging things I have ever done. There were quite a few times where I had landed in the water bad, the breath had been knocked out of me, and I was ready to say I am done right there and then. But then I would remember that it was not on my stength I was doing any of it, It was God’s. I would say I wanted to do it all over again, and off I would go. I would get scared when I finally made it up on the water. I was literally flying through the air, and it was exhilarating, but scary. Then I would crash. While I was trying and trying again, suddenly a portion of the Serenity prayer popped into my head. (Don't ask me why) I repeated over and over to myself a jumbled bunch of words that went something like, or really nothing like the prayer (I think it went along the lines of. "God give me strength, and courage, and oh a little bit of wisdom too"). . They were what kept me going (or God working through them) for the next several tries.

After the fun experience of wake boarding, I got to thinking, why did I push myself, why did I keep trying? That feeling that I got, the smile on my face when I finally stood up on the water and boarded for almost an entire minute, that was why I did it. That is why I kept pushing myself. And that is why I try any new thing. I think that is why most people try new things. The feeling of accomplishment, of knowing you just finished something that you couldn’t do ten minutes ago, that is beautiful.

So I will conitue to try new things, even if they scare me. I will continue to ask God for serenity, courage and wisdom while I do them. And will definitely contiue to accomplish things. If I never try, I will never accomplish, and if I never accomplish where would that leave me?

Just incase you are wondering, yes, I am very very sore. Yes, I discovered muscles I did not know exsited, and yes I do feel like an 18 wheeler ran over me. I still think it was worth it though :)

~Rebekah

NC, TN, and other happenings.

(The first part was written two days ago)

I am on the airplane from Milwaukee (my layover) to DCA right now. Mixed emotions are pulsing through my body. I already miss Aunt Molly’s house, and all the great memories I just made there. At the same time, I am really feeling ready to get home. I have been away for two weeks, and so much has happened in that time. I have a very, very busy schedule greeting me the moment I step off plane. A graduation ceremony for most of my friends 1 hour and 30 minutes after my flight arrives, and a wedding tomorrow. 

Teenpact National Convention 2011, was just amazing. God moved me, taught me, showed me again His love that never leaves me, and held me through the course of the incredible 5 days. It was definitely different then the past two National Convention’s I have been to (‘09 and ‘10.) The first three days seemed to pass rather slowly. I was definitely not disappointed about that fact, as I love national convention, and normally it flies by. The last two days though, flew by just like all of the past years. We elected Steven Blunk and Valen Cadwell as our new President and Vice President (Congratulations!!) 

(Steven and Valen giving their speech's) (Photo by Galin)

We also elected four new senators and nine new representatives. The talks were just amazing, including Brett Harris’s moving, life changing, talk on Friday morning. My favorite talk was given by Matt Chambers of SafeWorld Nexus. It was beyond moving for me. I think God worked through it to reveal to me some of His plans for my future. Though I am not exactly sure what those plans are, I am very sure they are perfect ones, fit just for me. 

(Great, great friends)

(TPS Teenpacter's)

The worship at Teenpact is beyond amazing. It is something that I look forward to every year, and is probally my favorite thing about Teenpact. I am completly inadaqute to describe just what goes on during every morning and every evening in the gymnasium, but I think this image paints a beautiful picture.

(Photo by Galin)

This year the morning bible study (bonjour) was incredibly thought provoking, as well as the Psalm’s used for each day’s specific theme. The over all theme for the week was running towards the sunrise, and it was about vision and leadership. Though I wish I could explain just what is so beautiful and special about Teenpact, that 500 students come from all over the country to spend a week together in a gorgeous camp in TN, I can’t. The only thing I know is God is center of Teenpact, and therefore the amazing organization is richly blessed. Through it so many students have found purpose, vision, and most importantly, God’s love.

(The group that went from VA)

Now onto where I spent the last week.. TN, at Aunt Molly’s house. One of the best week ‘s of my life. I may say that often, but they just keep getting better and better! Anyways, I have fallen in love with TN, and Aunt Molly’s family. I love living with lots of animals, (especially dogs.. which are not allowed anywhere near my house!) and I also enjoyed the easy-going way of TN. I thought it would be really hard to go from “city” life to “country” life, but now I think I have been converted to a country girl! I think the thing I miss most about TN is just how people enjoyed nature and all of God’s creation.. and how easy it was to access. Sometimes I forget that there is even such a thing as woods around here! I know God has placed me in DC for a very good reason, and I do love a lot of the things about the city.. but I don’t think I would complain one bit if He moved me to the country at some point in my life!

The graduation was so much fun on Friday night. I knew every person that graduated (it was my co-op’s graduation, and 9 people graduated.) It is so weird to think that I am already at the point in life where a lot of my friend’s are graduating. And even weirder to think that I will be graduating next year.

The wedding was beautiful. It was definitely a God-filled service, and it was amazing to see both the bride’s and groom’s commitment to God. It was a simple wedding, but you could still see the joy on everyone’s faces as they watched two people become one. 

(My loved dogs!)

(At an amish store)

(At the Adventure Science Center)

(A dress, Toms, and the great outdoors. One of my favorite combinations.)

(Cutest little boy ever, getting ready to bat.)

(New favorite combination.. Little boy's, white polo's and red toms.)

(Me saying bye to the doggies!)

(Me and cutest little boy in the whole world!)

I have another busy week ahead of me, but God is good, and I am looking forward to the summer.

Rebekah

I delight

I am in Aspen. I have been having an amazing time. I have been doing just about everything I like to do, and almost nothing I don't like doing. 
I have been getting up early, I have been getting children out the door, I have been on a schedule. I have been surrounded with children at all times. I have been able to have control over a lot of things in my days. I have not been doing much school. I have been having little smiling faces around me all day. I have been carrying a baby on my hip half the day. I have been cleaning. I have been cooking. I have been helping other women that I look up to. I have had time with just adults, and adult conversation. I have been texting with friends. I have been eating wonderful food. 


All of the above give me wonderful Joy. Every single thing. I will admit some of the things, (like cleaning) I do occasionally get tired of, but not very often. Today, for the third morning in a row, I finished cleaning the kitchen, and got out the vacuum to clean the rug under the table. As I was starting to move all the chairs, this task, which I had honestly loved doing the last two mornings, started to seem tedious. And that started a train of thinking which has been running through my mind all day.... what is Joy? How do I have joy all the time?


Well first here is a couple quotes that I found, and really like:
Joy lies in the fight, in the attempt, in the suffering involved, not in the victory itself
Mahatma Gandhi

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

Thich Nhat Hanh  So. What is true Joy? how do I find it? Well, as I have been thinking about it all day, one main thought keeps coming back to me. Especially after vacuuming this morning. It is: This is Joy. Not that we are happy while doing things we delight in, but that we search for delight in everything. In every small task, in every hardship, and in the happy times. And that God, be our first, true, source of Joy. This is what I am striving for, and I can only accomplish with the grace of God. ~Rebekah