A friend and I decided to take a walk a few weeks ago and take some pictures, in the hopes of practicing and improving our photography. She suggested we do what a friend of hers had done- take pictures that reflect hope and photograph other pictures that depict despair. Here's a sampling of my photos:

I actually didn't find a lot of scenes that caused me to despair, but here are two that I think will qualify:

You Know Me

Majorly Slightly obsessed with this song....and Steffany's music. Trying to catch up on writing, so hopefully I'll have more on here soon..

Pray for...

Old, but great news: I was in Haiti a few weeks ago for a three week visit. LOVE!

When I lived in Haiti last year I held a weekly bible study for about 7-10 young girls, ages 9-15 years old. Most of them live in the nearby tent city. Two live in a neighborhood nearby but often hang out with their friends in the tent city, and one lives in Child Hope's girls home. I had the absolute pleasure of meeting with them again this trip. Although they often clam up when it comes time to share their thoughts, they love passing the bible around and reading scripture, as well as singing in little groups in front of the bigger group. Last year I wanted them to demonstrate how to be kind and loving to each other, so we roll played. It seemed this was the first time they had ever done this so it took some creative explanation to get them to understand. They loved roll playing how to verbally fight and beat each other up, but it was much harder for them to demonstrate how to love each other and be friends. (A side-note...just like when I was growing up, the girls here are cliquey and usually arrived to bible studying confessing that they were "not friends with" so and so, or so and so "does not want to be my friend." Most of the time I was so confused about who was friends or not friends with whom).

Tonight I was looking through my journal and reading through the prayer requests they shared. Join me, please, in praying for each of them and reading about how precious they are, as well as what they face in life. Many of their prayers are so big (We have a Big God) and very different from what many other children in the world may pray for.


L: not to fight, hit, or say bad words

D: to go to school. Her sister-in-law wants/needs her to watch her nephew so she cannot attend school. (This girl is only 10 years old and her nephew is an infant!)

G: for it to rain so her family and friends can find water to wash their clothes, her dad doesn't want her to go to worship on Saturdays (with the kids and staff of Child Hope)- pray that he will let her go.


K: Her mom to become a Christian, no more cockroaches in the girls' home

T: pass her exams, her mom to get married, and her mom to be healed of an illness

V: be intelligent in school, her mom to have the time to go to church

E: pray for her mom and papa (but she wasn't sure why we should pray. God knows)

L #2:  to pass her exams in school; healing for a little boy at the feeding program who is blind in one eye (recently his brother accidentally gouged his eye out. The brother is now in jail, even though it was an accident. This sweet boy walks around the feeding program with a hat covering half of his face.)

J: pray for her health. She has been sick a lot in her heart and lungs

Blog Crushes

I was majorly into reading blogs tonight. Here are two I was crushing on. I really want to be dangerous in the way this suggest. The thought of that makes my heart want to bust out of my chest and my feet point towards the door.

http://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2005/october/16176.html

I'm not sure I've ever read a more raw, thoughtful piece on someone's perceptions and struggles about Haiti and Jesus:

http://sarahbessey.com/in-which-god-doesnt-look-the-same-anymore/

Sugaring

Have any of you brave, crafty, or "I hate hair" people out there tried sugaring? A friend in my small group raved about it, so my roommate and I courageously prepared it and tried it. Here's a tidbit of our conversation as we endured the pain: "This makes me want to swear!" ~Mari. "Go right ahead." ~Brooke.

For those who might be wondering if this a sport, a method of medicating, or a way to get in touch with  God, look at this website, our resource for this (new to me) treatment: http://hairremoval.about.com/od/sugarwaxing/ss/sugar-hair-removal-recipe.htm

I sure hope the lady in the picture is not doing to this to her lips. Weird if there was a need to do that there....hmmm....

Only a small patch worked for each of us. I have my thoughts about why. We do know that for some reason the mixture didn't get hard enough. Youtube videos of the process helped us figure that out. And the videos made it look pretty much pain-free (and our friend claimed that too. She has yet to answer our emails with questions). We haven't given up hope yet, though. We and our hair will not admit defeat. A tupperware of the sugar mixture awaits in our fridge for the day we have the chutzpah and skill to endure it again.

Savor the Season Silent Stroll

I know, its been awhile....Since I do live in Seattle, I probably should post something about it here. Fall is my favorite season here. I recently realized I have not been here for a full fall season in 4 years.

Back on Veterans Day, my creative roommate planned a walk at Discovery Park, which is, according to its website: "a 534 acre natural area park operated by the Seattle Parks and Recreation. It is the largest city park in Seattle, and occupies most of the former Fort Lawton site. The site is one of breathtaking majesty. Situated on Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound, Discovery Park offers spectacular views of both the Cascade and the Olympic Mountain ranges. The secluded site includes two miles of protected tidal beaches as well as open meadow lands, dramatic sea cliffs, forest groves, active sand dunes, thickets and streams."

     We were instructed not to talk while we were walking, to just absorb nature, to reflect on it and pay attention to its characteristics that we might not otherwise notice if we were engaged in conversation. It was relaxing and really did cause me to take notice of God's beauty surrounding me.

 Such crazy cool trees in that park

*All photos taken with my phone

Read with me

For Love's Sake: One young woman's trek with the world's poor and your open door to a life of experiential love, by Jessica Davis
 (this woman works with or has worked for (I'm not sure if she still does because I haven't read for enough in the book to know for sure) Rolland and Heidi Baker, who started Iris Ministries, in Mozambique.)

"This journey is for the hungry because it is about the hungry. It is about what can happen when the hungry go after that which their soul longs for. Two things can happen to a hungry man- he can starve or he can eat. This, too, is our choice. A place where hunger is married to fullness is where we can now reside."



What does your soul long for? What or Who are you passionate about? Tell me please. Share with me your experiences, readers.