Tea and Sweatpants...

We had the wonderful opportunity to experience Celebrate Recovery on Sunday evening. I found in a matter of minutes there that I have been living in denial. It's amazing when you are faced with the opportunity to confess, what actually comes out! I surprised myself in my confessions and I was surprised by what freedom I felt. I found that God is healing many areas of my life and other areas that I had buried deep so He would leave them alone. I pray that the Lord would continue to encourage me to go back so that I can face denial and sin and proclaim victory. If anyone is reading this doesn't know what CR is please do three things for me. 1. Do not assume it's only for drug and alcahol users. It exists for ALL hurts, habits and hang-ups. It exists for even people like me who think they actually have been working on all the sin in their lives. 2. Please look at the web page for information. http://www.celebraterecovery.com/ Even if you just read John Baker's testimony it will blow your mind! 3. Find a CR near you and go at least 4 times. I am committing to do the same. A man said to me the first 5 minutes we were there, "I have experienced more church in 30 min. than I have experienced in 30 years."
Well, Amen! Just as scripture says, let us confess sins to one another and pray andwe will experience healing.

I watched Nick do what God has called him to do. I took him to meet someone at a coffee shop that I had met a few weeks ago. It took about a total of 5 minutes before this guy trusted my husband and began to share about some of the struggles he has faced in the last month. It's amazing to me how strangers can be so comforted by the face of God reflected in a man like Nick. I watched him do it again tonight when he checked on a great neighbor of ours. The Holy Spirit has been working on the heart of this guy and Nick and been the human hands, feet and face that he needed. Praise God for Nick, this amazing man that God chose to be a walking and living reflection of Him.
Amen

I have just been slapped in the face with the reality that if I don't really start looking for a job, then I'll still be waiting for a job a year from now. I had not been stressing about job hunting for such a long time until about 3 days ago. I was hit with the reality that we really are in a recession. That may only be true in Portland, and honestly it may not be true at all! But...my grocery and gas bills have hit an all time high and there just simply aren't jobs available ANYWHERE! There are currently only a total of 17 postings for the entire PPS district and I was told by a principle that he has over 200 applicants for each position he posts. Of those 17, I only qualify for about 2. I have been glued to the computer for so many stinking hours to fill out nearly a dozen applications. Which, by the way, takes FOREVER to fill out. I am finding myself either unqualified or qualified in the wrong field. I even filled out a stupid application for a part-time cake decorating Safe Way position! I don't even know how to frost a cupcake, but hey maybe they'll see a degree and think I'm trainable or something. Anyway, I've been playing it pretty cool up until now, so much prayers are needed. Thanks so much for taking the time to read about my wak-o life and what we're up to here in Portland.

We had game night last night with a couple our age that we just met! It was so much fun, they killed us at skip bo. We grilled out, ate yummy corn on the cob and learned a lot about each other. My favorite part about all of this is they felt comfortable enough to share about the road they have been on and some of the pain that the church has caused them. She grew up going to Catholic school and has now described a "falling out" with church. He was raised Catholic, became a Satanist (he was laughing as he paused to reflect on those days), he then became licensed in the Nazarene church (small world!), and now claims all will find a way in their own time... Anyway thought this was an interesting journey and thought some of you might find it interesting. The good news is we didn't yell of preach at them, Nick didn't wear a suit and tie, and we didn't sing any weird songs. This is all good news because they've invited us to their home to meet the couple they live with and to share a meal with them. God is blessing our home by creating a hospitable space where we can love on the people who come here.
Amen!

Nick has been very patient in getting to know a neighbor of ours. He has been so open and ready to chat when this guy needs him to. I loved watching the Holy Spirit at work yesterday and using this amazing man I married to bless another. We were ready to head out on a prayer walk when this buddy from next door came knocking to chat. Celina and I acted busy to give him time to talk with Nick. At then end of the conversation he was pleading with Nick, and the two of us, to pray for a family that is very dear to him. So, we were blessed with the opportunity to usher this man with us into the presence of God. It was amazing to see his willingness to let us pray for his family and for him to actually ask us to pray for them. God is doing great things in his life and I can see layers falling away every day. What a blessing and honor it is when others (especially faint believers) ask us to pray for the people they care the most deeply about.

I really thought we were past the days of Bible pounding and screaming at people as they walk by on the street. I'm not sure who's idea it was to yell at people to make them love Jesus but I'm pretty sure I've never seen it work. The other day I was in downtown Portland waiting for the bus. I had been standing there for a very long time, only to find out my bus wasn't going to be coming by that stop on that day! That's besides the point. Anyway, I just bought this great book from Powell's and had taken that stupid plastic cover off that always gets in the way. So I'm standing there waiting and reading this big fatty book when two girls (about my age) walked by. They didn't just walk, they starting screaming at me! It took a minute for me to figure out why they were yelling but I guess they thought I was going to preach at them! They were yelling things like "don't you tell me how to live" "Jesus also said..." I then started being like..."this isn't a Bible" and defending myself. But then I was really feeling strange about that too, was I saying I didn't want to be "caught" on a street corner reading a Bible? Grrr... I found out that I was standing under a sign for some ministry and I'm assuming those girls had been yelled at and called sinners by them before. So, all in all, I'm a bit frustrated that I can't read a book that looks like a Bible while standing on a street corner without a stranger fearing that I would call them a sinner and tell them that they will burn in hell.

Here they are in no particular order...

European Americans
Native Americans
African Americans
Latin Americans
Middle-Eastern Decent
Old
Young
New
Lonely
Single
Vegan
Transsexual
Gay
Lesbian
Gangs
Skaters
believers
Non-believers
Meat Eating
Plant Eating
Angry
High
Loud
Silent
Home Owners
Renters
Government Housing

And Jesus loves and is active in each of their lives!

Nick and I were walking back from the bus (which is a frequent for us now) when we met a new neighbor! This gentleman was sitting in a camping chair in his front lawn absorbing the sun, a great way to spend your hot evening I might add. When we got close we introduced ourselves and began the common chit-chat when people meet. He was an older man, about 75 years old. At some point in the conversation he leaped out of the chair to come closer for the chat. This, I learned was not a good idea. Not good for reasons you might expect. Now, I can understand that everyone has their favorite lounge clothes and I am certainly not one to judge. But this guy was wearing a cut off tank-top and a nice pair of boxer briefs! The best part about it is that he went on to explain to us about how he felt pretty good that he fit into this pair of shorts he found! Thus drawing awkward attention to the underwear. I didn't have the heart to tell him. After we left he went right back to his seat and the evening just kept going on. I think that one of the hardest things, when ministering to the elderly, is to ignore the awkward and funny things they do while you are listening to their crazy life stories. So, yes, I plan on listening to more of his stories and am actually praying for his outfit. I don't think I've really prayed for people's outfits before today!

The school year has been over for weeks now... I am in such a huge transition place that I don't even know what to do! After a whole school-year of dealing with the drama and emotion of urban 4th graders my life feels as if it has come to a screeching halt. At first I found peace in having time to myself. Then, I was exited for the move and that mostly occupied my time. Now, I'm in Portland and my heart yearns to be with those babies again. As we spend evenings on prayer walks and I see a neighbor kid I find my body naturally gravitating toward them to just hear the energy and passion that children have for living. I'm longing to have the comfort that I will be teaching in the fall, but God may have other plans. If you read this and you are one who prays, pray for God to give me peace and to trust his perfect plans.