It's a God-Thing!

Good evening, everyone. I am just going to get to the point (as someone told me earlier). I am going to Mazatlan this summer! Yes, I had been praying about if it would be His will for me to go on a mission trip this summer. I received a call Sunday night from the leader of the Mexico team, saying I was in. I am already looking forward to going as from what he was telling me on the phone, it will be a different experience from when I went last time. I was on the team to Mazatlan in 2005 which was also a God thing, let me tell ya. He also did a mighty thing among a team member and also used each and every one of us during our time there.
I sent an email to my supervisor today asking for that time off work. She replied saying that that would be a hard week to miss since it will be a payroll week. She approved it on the condition that I would get all my work done by that Friday before I leave, and if not, I would have to come in Saturday to finish up. I replied back to her clarifying that the dates for the trip were out of my control, and then she said that if it were during the first week of the month, she would have said no (month-end). I think that is definitely a God thing, considering at first I wanted to go on the Serbia team and they are gone the last week of the month plus the first week of the next month. That obviously says something about His timing being perfect. I think also that what I desire isn't always what He desires exactly or wills for me. He is an omniscient God.

Many Parts but One

There have been two Scripture verses that have been in my heart since Saturday night at Mosaic. The first one is 1 Corinthians 12:18 (NKJV) which says, 'But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.' I know He has created us as we are and is making us who He wants us to become. There are many gifts that we could choose from to have and share and encourage with others. I'm sure there are some that we would like to have more than others, but we are given the one He wanted us to have. He knows us better than ourselves and the gift He gave us is the best one that 'fits' us as we are. I know that mine is the gift of music and I seem to have a knack for remembering where something is said in the Word and put out the reference. I was reading in my Bible the footnote on this verse in 1 Cor 12, and it says that if we think our gift is more important than others, that would be spiritual pride. I hope that I am not taking any pride in knowing these verses from memory and that it does not show. I should and do give the credit to the One who gave it to me, just as we all should give Him the credit for giving us the gift He gave us.
The second verse is this, which is a reference from the verse in 1 Cor 12: 'For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.' Romans 12:4-5 (NKJV) Again, the footnote in my Bible says that 'Paul uses the concept of the human body to teach how Christians should live and work together. (I love this next line). Just as the parts of the body function under the direction of the brain, so Christians are to work together under the command and authority of Jesus Christ.' If not all the parts are there at the gathering place, then how are we to grow and be complete as in a puzzle? Who said anything about putting together a puzzle fast?

We are 'Made to Love'

Hello all. How was your weekend? Mine was great. Friday (George Washington's b-day) work was fine. I got off an hour early so I would have time to go meet my friends at their house to head to a concert from there. I got a little lost on the way, but I am glad that my brother-in-Christ called me I think just at the right time to help me get there. The directions I had were not 100% accurate off the computer. We left a little after 5:00 and headed down I-5 to Salem for the concert. "Now playing: Matthew West, Jeremy Camp, and TobyMac". Once in Salem, we all agreed (yea) to eat dinner at Izzy's. It was good since I had not been there in a while. By the time we got parked and inside, Matthew was up on stage already. All three groups did a great job, even though Jeremy said he had had the flu the last couple days and wasn't feeling well. He did say that he was thankful that the Lord brought him through his part of the concert. When TobyMac came on stage, it became quite loud, but I think he brings a good message across (as well as the other two). I think he targets young ones as I could hear young ones screaming during the songs. That is a good sign, though that God is definitely working through him and his group. I was waiting to hear his song, Made to Love, and I think it was one of the last songs they did. After the concert, we headed back up to Portland, and stopped to get gas in the car and a soda to drink. I really enjoyed the fellowship we had in the car both ways and during the concert!
Saturday morning came and I got up before 9:00 to go to Safeway to get a veggie tray for a memorial service they were having at church for a friend of a lady in my bible study group. I got to the church at 10am and saw a couple ladies from my group. About 12 noon I went to go see my niece play her basketball game. It was an exciting and the closest game thus far in the season. We were up 16-5 at halftime and won 26-25. I am proud of the girls for doing a great job!
Saturday night was church. A 'newer' pastor spoke this weekend on enduring in the Truth and I thought it was really good. I think that was the first time I have heard him speak. 1.3 was afterwards, or rather Mosaic now. I thought it went rather well. We had a couple more people come this time, which is always a good thing. We went out to Chinese for dinner, which I was thinking about earlier in the day. Beef broccoli was my entree to be different and boy, was it good! I watched a movie when I got home then went to bed.
Sunday, I stayed home all day and relaxed (and also took the dog for a walk). Hope you were able to watch the exciting All-Star game last night. Brandon Roy was an All-Star and he played well, scoring 18 points and got a few rebounds. It was really cool that there was a Portland Trail Blazer on the All-Star team! Unfortunately, the West lost, 134-128 to the East, but it was a fun game to watch!
Last but not least, I wish you a happy President's Day!

A "Stately" Birthday

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear the State of Oregon...
Happy Birthday to you!!!

And many more!!!
Oregon turns 149 years old today...next year will be the sesquintennial...150! I think I will celebrate it within a few weeks or so by eating some halibut at a restaurant with a friend.

Hope you all are having a nice Valentine's Day. It's nice to know that if you don't have someone special to share it with, Jesus is your valentine. He is the best one, ya know! He loves us unconditionally!

From 1.3 to being puzzle pieces

Hope your Chinese New Year is going grand so far (even though there only has been six days since it started). I heard, I think, on Sunday, that they closed the mountain passes in WA because no one could get through the snow. My oh my! I just heard the weather report and they are forecasting up to 61 degrees this weekend (Sunday to be exact). If it hits 61 on Sunday (would be the first 60 degree day of 2008), that will be the same day, same degree as in 2007. As Care and I say, that would be creepy cool!
Changing subjects to last weekend...
I met up with the lady who is leading the team to Serbia on Saturday before church. I thought it went pretty well. I was on a Jesus high after that for church and afterwards (as some certain people may attest to observing). After service, we had 1.3 where we talked about where our group should go, etc. We have changed the name to Mosaic, which is what it was before it was 1.3. I like the name Mosaic because it's a puzzle and everyone has a part or piece of the puzzle. We all go together to complete the puzzle. That makes me think of where it says in 1 Corinthians 12 I believe where it talks about the different parts of the body and how one part or body cannot function without another part. That is so cool that He has given us each gifts to use to help complete the puzzle.
Tonight was Bible study which is always good. I enjoyed the songs we did in worship as I got to play my clarinet again. Please keep in prayer that God's will be done if I am supposed to go on a summer team. I also hope that the rest of the week would be time spent well at work so I can enjoy the concert I am going to with friends on Friday. :)

Heavy snow comes, bringing in the New Year.

Yes, you may think it a little odd that I am wishing you a happy New year again. Today, February 7, marks the beginning of a new year in China. 2008 (or whatever year the Chinese are on) is the year of the rat. I've been reading in the paper lately about the really bad snow blizzards they have been having over there, which is making traveling difficult. The trains have been backed up or not even running as people wait in the station to get home to visit their families for the holiday. The article I read in the paper said it is the worst blizzard they have had in five decades.
There much snow we have had in this state and in this region of the country. I have seen on the news lately little towns such as Drain and Idanha. No I had not heard of Idanha before this news report. Evidently they have like 10-14 feet of snow and they have brought in the troops to help shovel the snow out so the residents can get out of their driveways and stores. I guess the snow is going in the lake because that is the only place it can go. The pictures on the news are just amazing.
Speaking of amazing yet scary, four tornadoes touched down in the midwest, killing 55 people (30 of them being in TN alone). That was the last count I heard, as of yesterday. I did hear that a couple firefighters found an infant alive lying in a field but unfortunately his mother did not make it. I hope there is a father or some relative that can take care of him. My heart goes out to the places where there have been hurricanes or tornadoes or tsunamies. I hope they can get some help in recovery efforts (I think they are).
In my last post, I mentioned I was going to meet with the lady leading the Serbia team on Tuesday. That has been postponed until this Saturday afternoon. Hope you have a good rest of the week, and please keep those affected by weather in prayer.

Go team go (again)!

Here we go again. Friday night at my niece's school, they had a night of midnight madness, which meant that they would play basketball until midnight. Or at least that's the plan. There were three schools there including the home team, and there would be three games played the whole night. Plus, in between the games there would be fun drills and games. The first game was between the two visiting teams...I don't know who won that game as I wasn't there yet. The second game we played against one of the two schools and won 39-21. During the games I went out to the car to check how the Blazers were doing on their game against New York. The third game we played against the other school and won 36-16. I think the girls all had a good time, but the madness only went until about 11:15. Of course there were snacks provided to keep up the kids' energy level when they had a chance to eat.
Oh by the way, the Blazers did end up beating the Knicks in OT 94-88!!!
Saturday morning we got snow! My sister and I went to go see "A" play another game as it was in the afternoon. The girls won and beat the other team 34-25 with "A" getting the last shot. Way to go girls!!!
Saturday night was church and again it was a good message. Afterwards we went to go hear a lady talk about her experiences in Uganda.
Sunday I stayed home. Of course I watched the SuperBowl with my family and rooted for the Giants. Why? I like to root for the underdog. They did win against the Patriots 17-14. Oh, I will say what my favorite commercial was, and that was the one with the Clydesdales and the dog training the one horse that got left out.
Today was a good day at work. Tonight I was at the Blazers game, first one (going to) in 2008 I believe. We played the Blue-jerseyed Denver Nuggets. I hope that we would win since we are chasing them for first place in our division. Sadly, we lost in OT 105-103. Next up is Chicago at home then on to a 4-game road trip.
Oh, I am meeting up with the lady that is leading the team to Serbia tomorrow after work so I pray it will go well.
Hope you have had a good weekend and first part of the week.