Princesses Don't Sweat

So, summer is hot. In Germany, without air-conditioning, I'm occasionally reminded of how little I like the heat! This last Sunday as the worship team was frantically scurrying around trying to set up a host of new equipment, we were all sweating up a storm and talking about how hot it was. Afterwards, a girlfriend and I were talking about how gross and sweaty we were and she told me about her days of working at an amusement park. She said, "Princesses are not allowed to sweat." I looked at her laughing and said, "Really? How are you supposed to do that in 100 degree weather and crazy humidity?" She replied, "You wear waterproof makeup and try and stay in the shade." She was SERIOUS! As I sat and pondered the phrase, "Princesses don't sweat.", I immediately felt inferior and twice as ugly as I probably looked, and then it occurred to me...that's exactly the message we are sending women and girls all over the world! Princesses don't sweat, and if they do, they are not worthy of their position. As we talked a little more, she told me how this park will also pay for their employees to get "boob jobs" if they dress as a princess who wears basically a bra. I can't imagine why women feel inferior to these non-sweating, disproportionate women they idolize from a very young age?

The bottom line is I am a Daughter of the King- which makes me a Princess...and guess what- I sweat. :D

Snow Heightens the Imagination

I stopped mid-step, awed by the beauty. Today as I was exploring the walking path near my new apartment, I found myself staring at the scene, examining each part, and wondering what about it captured my heart. It’s not that it was extraordinarily beautiful, or truly much to wonder over, but I couldn’t help but stare. I’m not sure what it is that captures my hearts sometimes, but I wanted to listen- to be drawn into its beauty. Perhaps it had something to teach me, or there was a part of my heart that longed for something it offered. I imagined myself, quietly standing at the base of the tree, enjoying the peaceful scene and my family inside the nearby house running around, laughing and just living life. I imagined how different my life would be with a family to raise and nurture. I’m sure they are all idyllic thoughts, without much foundation, but it sure was a lovely moment with my imagination.

Kum Bay Ya

As I continued my reading in Matthew today, I was making note of how Jesus seemed to be “withdrawing” more frequently, or taking time to be alone. I wondered what might have been going through his mind, and thinking about how I need time to myself as well to think and process and pray. Perhaps I am more focused on that topic as today is my “Sabbath”. Anyway, when I got to chapter 17:9-13, Jesus is explaining to his disciples that John the Baptist was the coming of Elijah. At first glance this didn’t really rock my world, but then I realized this was the fulfillment of prophecy, indicating that Jesus’ crucifixion was near at hand. I found myself suddenly not wanting to read anymore. I was struck with the reality that this God-man that I have been identifying with these last sixteen chapters is going to die a cruel and horrific death. He has been leading and teaching these men, who sometimes get it and most of the time don’t. He has been traveling with no real place to call home and some people were incredibly grateful, but many wanted nothing to do with him. He had been giving everything of himself to follow the will of His father, and soon, he will be giving his life- literally. Even though I know what happens at the end, and that he is victorious, I want to share in the pain of what his “today” must have felt like. Each day, each healing, each lesson with the disciples- knowing that THE day of his crucifixion was drawing closer. It’s hard to know how he felt being 100% God and 100% man, but even the night before he prayed that “this cup might be removed from him”…so, it would be fair to assume that he did not want to die. I want to sit with him by the fire, put my arm around him and say, “I’m going to miss you. I know you have to do what you have to do, but I wish you didn’t have to die.” Just for tonight, I want to shed a few tears and share in that pain with him.

And the hits keep on coming...

I have been loving my journaling Bible! Each day as I read, I write random things I observe or things that come to mind in the lined margins. It's been a great tool that helps me engage a little bit more and is fun to see themes throughout my readings. Today as I was reading Matthew 8-9, I found myself emotionally entangled with the events Jesus was facing. The first 18 verses are people who come to Him for healing, and he does so IMMEDIATELY. The next grouping of verses are some disciples who ask if He could give them a little time to take care of family business, and He says, "No, follow me." Then the next section is the disciples heading across the sea and He calms the storm. The disciples response is "What kind of MAN is this?" Once they cross the sea, He casts some demons into pigs, the townspeople get all worked up about it and BEG Him to leave their region! Whew! That's quite a couple of days!

Jesus had compassion on people and was touched by their faith. I imagine these quiet, deeply personal moments with them as He heals them or their loved ones and they are immensely grateful. He then steps out into the city where He is judged by the Pharisees and other people are constantly talking about His ministry. Then on top of it, some of the very people that He has healed, ignore His request to be quiet and they share their experiences with Jesus across the region.

The last couple of months have been quite emotional for me. There have been a lot of events where I have been concerned that people had misunderstood my motives and that my reputation was questioned by people around me. I don't know if you're anything like me, but when I start feeling like there is whisperings going on about me- I want to stop it and put an end to the rumors...whatever they might be. These chapters were such a good reminder for me. Whatever we face in our lives, Jesus has faced them before (and probably to a much greater degree). He was deeply loved by people, but He was also deeply despised. People questioned His motives and His authority all the time, even in His own hometown. He was rejected by many and even had people BEG Him to leave their region. How disheartening that must have felt.

There are so many times where I feel alone. Alone in ministry or in singleness or life in general, and it is such a wonderful reminder that my Savior and Lord has walked that path before me, and I am truly never alone.

I See You...

Yesterday, a small group of singles went to see the movie Avatar. I thoroughly enjoyed my first real 3-D experience! The colors in this movie stimulated my imagination and prompted me to open my eyes to the beautiful world around me even now. I am not writing this to debate the “hidden” or not so hidden messages of this movie, but to share a line that really touched me. It is used multiple times, usually between a man and a woman, but sometimes between rivals. The line is “I see you”, meaning not only do I see you with my physical eyes, I see the core of who you are…the real you. It was a beautiful picture that made me think about the longing we all have to be known- to be really known. It’s one of the reasons I love the line from One Fine Day, where George Clooney’s character says to Michelle Pfeiffer’s character, “I know your name, Mel.” We all long to be seen as more than the shell of who we are, or even our personality. It seems that in the understanding of the line “I see you” is an implied “I love you and accept you as who you truly are”. Who doesn’t want that?

I’ve been reading in I John lately and a verse that I highlighted on Sunday seems to be in a similar vein…4:14, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.” It’s more than just a head knowledge, there’s a connection there. Not long after that in verse 18, it talks about how perfect love casts out all fear. There is no fear in being known and loved. We all build our walls on this physical earth, primarily due to sin and our wounds, but we are known intimately and completely by our Almighty Creator who loves us. Now if we could only believe it.

Full

This is the word that has described my life these past few months.
Full of joy
Full of sorrow
Full of life
Full of smiles
Full of things to do
Full of opportunities

Full

In the fullness of life, I have missed many opportunities to update you on the awesome things God is doing here in Germany! Some of the highlights have been:

* Moving to a new apartment
* Several temporary cars (as provision until I find a good, permanent one)
* Settling into my "extra" job as co-leader of the Contemporary Worship Team on base
* Saying more "goodbyes" to people transferring to different bases around the world
* Welcoming the Rozmiarek's, the new Kaiserslautern Hospitality House Directors
* Meeting new women at the annual Swiss Hike, hosted by the Navigators
* Going deeper with my Monday night women's group
* Seeing my work account back in the black!
* Several short trips with singles here that allowed me to talk about some "real" things going on in their lives
* My health has stabilized
* The joy of starting braces on my teeth

There are SO many things that have been filling my days and weeks. Just like life anywhere, there are challenges, but I am SO incredibly thankful to God for His amazing provision in health, a car, an apartment, finances, grace to say "goodbye" and "hello", bringing new people into ministry, and causing ministry to flourish despite the challenges of life. It truly brings tears to my eyes as I reflect on how full I am this day! Thank you for being a VITAL part of this ministry and for making it possible to impact the lives of men and women here sacrificing their lives for our freedoms and trying to find Jesus in the midst of it all. Your prayers and sacrifices reach further than you will know this side of Heaven!

A God- Encounter

So, it has been entirely toooo long since I have posted anything on my blog. Some of that has been the logistics of living without internet connection at my house and some of that has simply been the life I lead these days. However, even though I just finished a 12 hour day- jumping from meeting to meeting- I just had to write about the awesome encounter I had today!
One of my meetings today was with the Chaplain community at Ramstein. I was a little nervous, as I always seem to be with people I view as authority. Anyway, everyone spent a couple of minutes (including the Chaplains) explaining their job and what they do here in Germany. I rambled on, feeling like I did a terrible job of explaining how much I love God and people. Anyway, as I was mentally beating myself up, the current Head Protestant Chaplain comes up to me and says, "As I was listening to you talk, I kept thinking about a girl who I met that is terribly lonely here. She has been involved with some other Chapel events, but they are not really meeting her needs." I asked for her information, and he gladly told me her name and where she works. I was looking forward to following up with her sometime in the near future.
The next task on my calendar was to wash some blankets and bedding at the base laundromat. I had never used the facility before, but thought it would be a good place for me to prepare a Bible study (my next meeting of the day). After I finally found the laundromat, I discovered that it cost $2.25 to do a large load of laundry and the coin machine would not give me change for a $5...so, I had to go find change. I decided to get some lunch at the pizza place around the corner. After I placed my order and got some ones for the machine, a lady leaving the building says, "Hey Mel! It's me, Chandra! How are you?" I sat there going through people in my mind trying to remember exactly where it was that I met her... After we chatted a bit, we decided we would eat our lunches together outside. I finally remembered where I met her, and then I asked her where she worked. As conversation continued, I realized THIS was the SAME woman that the Chaplain had just given me the information for!!! She told me, "Mel, I'm so lonely here. I am just looking for some people to spend time with." I told her I could definitely help her out in that area. :) So, we exchanged numbers and I'm really excited to get to know her better.
It was just an AWESOME reminder to me, that even in the midst of my busiest day in a long time, God had pre-orchestrated the events to help me see that He uses even what I view as my inability to meet the needs of others!

Special Gifts

As I drove "home" after a long, full day, I enjoyed the deep yellow moon rising over the horizon. It made me smile as it felt like a special gift- just for me! The last month has been filled with challenges for me, and the last couple of days have been such a breath of fresh air. It is as if I have felt the loving arms of my Heavenly Father wrap around me through deep laughter with friends, a gentle breeze that He just knows I adore, the gift of music, and spectacular moments of His indescribable beauty gently stroked across the sky. God, sometimes I forget all the good times we have shared, and I just want to say thank you for reminding me how much I mean to You!

Only in Germany

Yesterday, I was driving to base to run some errands. While I was driving through the village of Miesenbach, traffic was stopped. There were some pedestrians in the middle of the road holding back all of the cars. Slowly, a tractor started to appear from around the corner. This is not too unusual, but then I realized it was covered in greenery and yellow flowers. As I pulled out my camera, I realized this was a tractor filled with musicians who were traveling around the village playing music! It was the first time I had seen anything like it, but like I said, "Only in Germany"!

Whoda thunk?

Well, the big news in my life these days is that I have been given a car- FOR FREE! I'm so excited! And the bigger news is that it is a MINIVAN! Never in my unmarried life did I think that I would be the owner of a minivan, but it has turned out to be a great gift. Just a few minutes ago, I returned from lunch with the singles. We were going to a new restaurant, and only a few people knew the location. So, I volunteered to drive. It was so fun! We laughed and listened to funny music like, "Mm-Bop, by Hansen". It has been nicknamed the party van. :)
What a blessing to my soul to reconnect with the single community here- and whoda thunk it would come in the form of a minivan?

Knowing the Shepherd's Voice

I have been staying with a friend here in Germany, until I find an apt. Her landlord, who lives beyond the small pasture in her backyard, has sheep and a rooster. Growing up in the city, it's been quite funny to me to glance out the window and see these furry sheep (although they recently met the shears).
Well, my friend, Heather, told me that they always bleat more when the shepherd enters their pasture to feed them. So, I have listened and watched, and sure enough, around 5:30pm you will hear an uproar in the field.
A couple of days ago, I was cleaning the house in the middle of the afternoon and there was crazy "BAAAAAA, BAAAAAA, BAAAA" in the backyard. Knowing that it was not feeding time, I looked out the window to see what was going on. The shepherd had entered the pasture and was working on a small shed. I had to smile.
These sheep have brought to mind many Biblical pictures for me. Everytime I go outside, I say, "Hi, little sheepies!" They usually just look up at me, like, "Who are you talking to?" and then continue to eat their tasty grass. They never "Baaaaa" for me! That is because they know their Shepherd and his voice.

Music in the Silence

Last week I was sitting in the living room of my friend's house, when all of the sudden I heard hymns being sung. I sat there trying to recognize the refrain, and realized it was being sung in German. I looked out the window, and there walked a single-file line of people in robes singing hymns as they were walking through the nearby field. It was like a modern-day scene from Lord of the Rings! I found out later that it was in honor of another German holiday, Ascension Day.

Cadence Video

Joining forces in military ministry: Partnerships from Cadence International on Vimeo.

Here I am

One week ago, I returned to Germany for another two-year term ministering to military women. All went well with the flight, although it seemed like the longest flight ever...I guess multiple hours cramped in a small area next to someone you don't know will do that to you! Anyway, after 30+ hours, I finally got some sleep. Even though I've been here a week already, it is still hard to believe that I am actually here! It has truly been a leap of faith, as there is still support to be raised.

Everything has not been easy since I arrived either. Several days after arriving, I actually made a trip to the Emergency Room. I have been having pain on both sides. Long story short, they have run multiple tests, and discovered that I have an enlarged spleen and liver. The Dr's really have no explanation for the pain, because apparently it is not too uncommon to have enlarged organs. So, I am trying to find an internist. A funny story about my visit to the E.R. They were trying to draw some blood, and I quickly told the nurse that they usually have a hard time finding my veins. She immediately handed over the needle to the DR. As the Dr, who spoke great English, was flicking my arm and hand trying to find a good vein, he said, "Wow. It is so unusual for someone so young to have such small weens." If he didn't have a needle in my arm, I think I would have burst out laughing. Ahh- the joys of living in another country. :)

Another kink in the plans has been the vehicle that was going to be loaned to me...well, the transmission died. Truthfully, I'm glad it was not in my hands when that happened, but it has sped up the search for a vehicle. Currently, I do not have the funds for a vehicle in my work account...so, this is yet another need.

I have truly seen God's hand at work in bringing me to Germany in His timing. All of these "issues" are not a surprise to God. It can be frustrating at times, but it has been fun to see how God has provided and I know He will continue to do so.

Foolish Faith

I arrived in Phoenix, AZ last night a little later than I had planned. There was snow in Utah and when I arrived in Kingman, AZ, a gentleman pointed out that my tire was low. A long story short, I ended up replacing the tires on the Jeep. It just seemed wise to make sure that I was safe for the remainder of the trip.
This morning as I read in Proverbs and journaled a bit, I prayed about the reality of 35 days away. My ticket to return to Germany is April 28~ and there is still $1000 in monthly support to come in. Living by faith sometimes feels very foolish…plodding ahead, planning to get on that plane- even though there is a lot of money yet to come in. One of my favorite quotes from a book called “The Journey of Victorious Prayer” is, “…sometimes God uses prayer to purify our desires. To make sure that our desires are not to make us appear successful, but to truly honor Him.”
I don’t know if God’s plan IS to provide that money, but one of the definitions I have learned of faith is “To live as if what is unseen, is seen”. So, I continue to live as a fool, believing that despite the result, God will be honored.

Washington State- Is it named after George?

So, yes, the title of this blog is indeed something I've been pondering as I drove through the state seeing random things named "George". Wow, I can be pretty slow sometimes. :)
The state of Washington is intense in it's terrain and it's weather. I have been held up several times with the weather, and even missed getting together with my step-brother near the Canadian border! Major bummer.
One of the highlights so far have been to visit with Christi and her family. Christi and I worked together at Grace University, in Omaha, NE. It was so fun to talk about what God has been doing in our lives these last few years. While we were chatting about Germany, Christi got her photo book out. She and her husband visited Europe a few years ago, and near the front of her album was Kottweiler- a village right near the area I've been living. In fact, she had pictures of a church located around the corner from the gal who is storing my things for me while I'm in the states! The world just keeps getting smaller.

So, here are a few of the photos of Washington:

Christi & I


Some mean looking clouds...


Another highlight was visiting a life-size replica of Stonehenge!


The Washington landscape- before the snow. This is the Columbia River...one of my favorite landscapes in WA.

Prayers Answered on the Road

First- I want to say a big "THANK YOU" to the many of you who have been praying for me during my travels. Keep it up, because God has been answering prayers... especially ones regarding the car and weather!

I have been incredibly blessed thus far regarding the weather. I have only had one afternoon of driving in the rain (which was actually a blessing since I was driving in NYC traffic- slow was good!). I had one day where I decided not to drive because of weather, but almost every day I've been on the road so far has been sunny!

The car has been running great! I've had two oil changes already (that's a lot of miles!), and nothing other than filling it with gas. I have always found gas under $2 per gallon...so, God is taking care of me.

Another really fun thing has been the places that I've been able to stay. There have been a lot of neat provisions that way, and I've met some great people!!! On the nights that I haven't been able to stay with someone in town, I've been quite impressed with Priceline offers. There have been at least two really sweet deals at really nice hotels. I love how God provides even in little things like an awesome hotel room at a great price!

I have had only a couple of new supporters, but I continue to pray that God will lay it on the heart of those He wants to be a part of this ministry team. I realize that I am slated to get on a plane to Germany in less than 7 very short weeks! "For with God- nothing is impossible!" - Luke 1:37

THANKS so much for your prayers!

It's A Blizzard!

As to be expected when planning a road trip in March to the Northern states or Minnesota and North Dakota, there's the possibility of snow. Well, I arrived in Minnesota just in time for the "blizzard". Due to weather warnings, I decided to cancel one meeting and reschedule several others. So, today I enjoyed a day of rest, waiting for the snow. I don't know if there will be more snow- or we just got the light end of it, but it did not seem too bad here. We'll see how bad the roads really are as I travel around Minnesota and South Dakota tomorrow.

Catastrophe around every corner...

My time back in the States has been interesting to say the least...As I have retold various experiences to people while I've been on the road...it seems as if there is catastrophe around every corner!
Visit #1: Nebraska- The day I landed in the States, my stepmom's Dad had a stroke.
Visit #2: Colorado- I drove into the mountains and the car would not shift from 1st to 2nd gear.
Visit #3: Indiana- As I visited my brother and his family, they all enjoyed the latest round of stomach flu going around.
Visit #4: Chicago- After getting caught up with a friend, I fell down marble stairs and severely twisted my ankle and jacked up my shoulder.
Visit #5: Kansas- nothing traumatic here- whew!
Visit #6: Virginia- Canoeing in February was not my brightest decision ever, but of course we did not come to this conclusion until after we almost drowned in the icy waters.
Visit #7: West Virginia- My host develops severe mouth pain where it is painful to talk.

So, as you can see...things have been quite interesting here.

Truthfully, I have had some wonderful, obviously God-ordained meetings!

In Omaha, I met some incredible people- here's a little shout-out to the Bobbleheads! They are a small group from my sending church that were so loving and hilarious. :) AND I also met a man who was deployed with one of the gals from Germany. He just "happened" to be in a protestant church (he is catholic) on THE only Sunday that I "happened" to be available to share at this church. Pretty cool!
In Indiana, I had the opportunity to connect with a small group that has been supporting me for the past few months. It was an emotional time as I shared about my love for the people in Germany and how they have impacted my life- as well as what God is doing there.
In Chicago, I enjoyed listening to the life of my friend there, who has been in a relationship with an Army guy. It was amazing how much I could understand about her life because of my experience with the military these last two years.
In West Virgina, we watched a movie called "The Secret Life of Bees". I won't go into a lot of details, but it ministered to a deep part of my soul.
After a quick lunch in Harrisburg with a friend, I decided to make a quick stop in Hershey, PA. I had always wanted to visit the Hershey factory, and it was only 7 miles off of my route. I meandered around the museum, and decided to pick up a treat at the cafe, a treat for my next hosts. As I was scouring the menu, I started up a conversation with the cashier. Come to find out, she had been living in Germany for the last few months and was hoping to return soon. She lived in Trier, only about an hour from where I lived. So, we exchanged emails. Who knows what God will do with that, but it was too "random" to ignore.
In Pennsylvania, I shared with a church who has been supporting me with prayer for about two years now. They are a small, rural church who spend a lot of time praying their daily and weekly needs. It was humbling to be there to share my needs. Yet, this was the place where I had received the most financial help yet on my trip! I had a lady who has nothing (literally living with friends) hand me a check for $100. I also had coffee with the Secretary of the Missions Committee. We both cried as we shared about our past experiences on the mission field, and talked about what an AMAZING God we serve. This God is after our hearts and our faith- NOT our resources. It's never really about the money.

Although this trip has had challenges, I do not doubt that God has fore-ordained meetings with people. He has "prepared in advance" the way before me. Step by step, I'm learning to trust Him in deeper and more relevant ways.

My First Podcast Interview

Jill Hart, a woman I went to college with is one of the hosts for a Blog Talk Radio Show, as well as the founder of CWAHM (Christian Work At Home Moms). http://cwahm.com/wordpress/

Her and her co-host Dianna Ennen graciously invited me to share about my ministry with Cadence International. I was soooo nervous, but you can check out her website and even find the link to my interview at: http://blogtalkradio.com/cwahm.