Ethiopia: Day 1 & Day 2

Our alarm went off at 2:45am. We got up, showered, dressed, and off to the airport. Our flight left around 6-something where we headed to Chicago for a five-hour layover. Once we got on board in Chicago we were off to Germany. My first time to Europe and I didn't even get to see it. One day though, one day...

Our flight to Chicago was definitely the longest at 11 hours. We enjoyed some good German bratwurst at an airport restaurant and hung around our terminal for a few hours, before boarding for the last leg of our flight to Addis Ababa. One of the weird things about Germany this time of year was the sun didn't come up until after 8am or 9am. It was weird. When it finally did come up all you could see were clouds.




It's hard to say exactly when Day 1 ended and Day 2 began, so I'm clumping them together. Our flight from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa was about 8 hours (or at least I think) with a pitstop in Khartoum, Sudan to gas up. Flying over the Sudan we were actually able to see the Nile River--and that was pretty cool!

Finally we got into Addis Ababa in the evening, went through customs, and met up with Yoseph and Ripkah (Rebecca) and some of their team. We headed to our hotel for the night pretty tired and ready to stretch out.

"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless of millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever."
John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad!

11/30/07 - Gathering worshipers. I like that way of putting missions. It seems more a joy, than of fear or uncertainty.

So...we're back!

We're back!

You know that verse that says,

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the messenger
who brings good news,
the good news of peace and salvation,
the news that the God of Israel reigns! (Isaiah 52:7)

Well...these beautiful feet are back.
Tired, but recovering.
Thankful, still in awe.

We've been home for a week now and to sum it up for me its been a sleepy week. We got back Sunday afternoon and tried to stay up until a normal bedtime hour, but we were gone by 7pm. Which means on Monday we woke up about 3:45am! Quite early. We settled in. Unpacked and washed laundry. But by 11:30am I was so wiped out that picking out clothes to wear was such a challenge I just went back to bed--and slept until 4:30pm! We settled in for the night at a normal bedtime to be ready for work the next day. Most of the week was pretty much the same. Go to work, be sleepy after 4pm, go to bed early, wake up early.

I had hoped to already have posted and sent out a few e-mails about our trip, but obviously that didn't happen. It was a busy week coming back for me. At work we had our children's Christmas celebration to rehearse and perform Saturday morning, and then I had a girls overnighter Saturday night (I was the first to go to bed! Though I did wake up at 4:30am too!). Needless to say we're still getting back into the swing of things.

My goal is that this week I'll start sharing what happened day-by-day on the trip, post pictures, and share some of what God revealed of Himself (maybe I'll even have Joe write something!). So, take this as the first installment. :)

I'll leave you with this...

I have seen the blind see,
the crippled walk,
the demonized freed,
and the lost redeemed.

This article won't turn any heads, right?

And of course, it speaks the truth...uh huh...

Expertinent: Huckabee Agrees That Wives Should 'Submit Graciously' to Their Husbands. What Does He Mean?

Andrew Romano

Expertinent is a regular Stumper column featuring interviews with experts on the news of the day.

Poor Mike Huckabee. He can't catch a break these days--at least not with the press. (The polls: different story.)

First it's ethics complaints. Then AIDS. Then the parole of a once (and future) rapist/murderer. Then alleged payoffs from Big Tobacco. All while sustaining attacks from his Republican rivals on immigration, taxes and crime. It's almost enough to get a guy eating corndogs again.

The latest fuel on the fire: his views on marriage. In June 1998, the Southern Baptist convention amended its official statement of beliefs for the first time in 35 years to declare that "a wife is to submit graciously to the servant leadership of her husband." And Huckabee, a former Southern Baptist minister then serving as governor of Arkansas, signed a full-page ad in USA Today in support of the statement (along with 129 other evangelical leaders). Now, as the New York Post so poetically puts it, "HOLY HUCKABEE FACES SNIT OVER 'GALS, SUBMIT.'" DailyKos and Andrew Sullivan agree.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

So...we're off!

These feet are ready!
(This one's for you Ann! Oh, and Mom thanks for my Ethiopia shoes!)

It's 8:01am on Friday in Addis Ababa. It's still Thursday as I write this. 9:02pm to be exact. It's crazy that it's finally here! This time tomorrow we'll be in Ethiopia or at least almost there. It's exciting, but I also don't know what to expect. Few really do, I think. Africa will be a first--even Europe will be a first! That is if you count our layover in Frankfurt really being in Europe. But I once had a friend who said if you've left your mark (ie, used the restroom) it counts.

I'm doing some last minute double checking of our suitcases before I shower and head off to bed. Joe's getting some "funds" and Benadryl so he can sleep on the plane. He's still toying with the idea of staying up all night and just sleeping on the plane.

Pray for us all as we go. It will be new, interesting, excited, sometimes scary, faith-building, stretching, and God--what else can you say? With Him you never really know what to expect. Just that it will be good.

I was reading this passage this morning and found it fitting as we're off to declare the Gospel:
It was revealed to them [the prophets] that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things [the Gospel, Christ crucified] which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things into which angels long to look.
1 Peter 1:12

We are not doing this to serve ourselves, but the Lord and the people He is sending us to. May we remember that and be humbled.

Here's one last thing to leave you with...this thingy is called a Proclaimer. It's pretty neat. If I remember correctly this passage is John 1. (Please excuse the poor video quality.)

Unexpected Mail

Sometimes you forget things you've done in the past, especially when it's samples and freebies. Take for example today I came home from work with a package at on my doorstep.

I shook it.

Sounds like a book. I hadn't ordered any books. Maybe Joe did? But it was addressed to me. So, I opened it.

Guess what it was...
Yep...one of those. Well, at least I'll be prepared next time around!

So...I did it...

Black Friday. I went shopping. First, I was just going to Michaels (at 6am!) for 25% off total purchases. Then I went into Meryvn's, Ross, and Target.

Five hours later I was home.


Thanksgiving pictures to come.

CCMS Thanksgiving

This year at school we had a Thanksgiving Breakfast for the student's parents. The children served and the parents enjoyed. It was cute.

Here's the evidence:

Veteran's Day Weekend

(Bare with me as the next few posts are mostly updates of the last few weeks.)

Over Veteran's Day weekend Joe and I were planning to go to Palm Springs for the weekend. We were going to borrow a friend's timeshare, well that fell throw but we still decided to have a local weekend away. It was fun and relaxing. Joe made a yummy dinner Friday night. We actually slept in on Saturday morning and then headed up to Julian for the afternoon. And Sunday we went golfing--it was my first time!

Here are some pictures from the weekend.

(For some reason Joe really loves this picture of me.)

OH! I also got a niece on the 12th. 5lbs. 1 oz. 18inches. Amy Lynne.

What I did today...

Did some rearranging the bookshelves...

Before

After

Finished some throw pillows. These are actually placemats I got on clearance from Pier 1.

Early California Enchilada

Ingredients:
1 dozen tortillas
1 pound of cheese
1 can of enchilada sauce (large)
5 onions (chopped and sauted)
4 hard boiled eggs (chopped)
3 cans chopped olives



Directions:
Heat the 2 sauces together in a skillet. With tongs, soften tortillas one at a time in the pan of sauce. Put a spoonful of each ingredient on each tortilla and roll and secure with a wooden toothpick. Put in a casserole dish. Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

(Lovely picture...I know)

*Amendments: I used only one onion and found that that was too many onions, and definitely remember to sauté the onions. I missed that part, and you could definitely tell. Also, we upped the egg cook to 6 chopped hard boiled eggs and omitted the olives.

Seussical the Musical

Today we took the kids on a field trip to a Christian Youth Theater (CYT) production of Seussical the Musical. It was pretty cute and fun.

"Thorns, it seems, always accompany visits to glory.
No one who has walked in Christ's presence
will ever be allowed to strut."
Jamie Buckingham

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that through He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9

What is Christ's poverty, but an exclamation of His love? And, oh how we refuse it so...denying the pain afforded to him wanting little to do with the actual Cross.

Suffering? What's that? Give me joy unspeakable?
Pain, embarrassment, ridicule?
Those are not for me,
I bear no Cross except the one I choose,
and splinters I shall not see.
Polish it off, show me its shine
Oh! What a glory that will be!
To ascend upon Calvary sturdy
and primed is a fate I'll gladly see.
Crowds alongside cheering me on as
I walk to the hill with the skull.
But what do I find when I arrive
there at last?
A Savior who looks none like me.

Oh Lord, what have I done?
As you hang bruised and battered
I barely recognize the face that I see, but it is You, I know,
none the less hanging there on Calvary.
The soldiers they stab You as the crowd cheers them on
As I stand and ponder, "Oh, Lord what have I done?"

I've been a scorner, mocking in shame dressed in robes of victory,
knowing none of Your pain.
How could I have missed it?
You did this just for me,
as I stand clothed in victory.
My pride is the searing pain
in Your chest.
My ignorance is the blood
dripping on Your head.
My sin as apparent as the bruises
on Your face.
How could I have missed that?
I sought for a glory,
a Christ that was whole.
I sought for victory
over the sin that I know.
I sought for a Savior
that could conquer anything.
I sought for a Master
like none would know.

And here I am at the hill with a skull
Faced with a Calvary I barely know
Bruised and battered,
Torn and beaten,
Naked and bloody,
Where is the Christ that I thought I knew?

Hanging there, hanging there is my Savior my Lord
The One who has saved me and condemns me no more.
Hanging there, hanging there is the Victor of Life,
Dying to pay my redemption price.
Hanging there, hanging there is the Master of all
submitting to those who have come from the fall.
Hanging there, hanging there is the glory of Christ--
Risen not yet,
this is Christ crucified.

Operation Christmas Child

One of my favorite things about this time of year is Operation Christmas Child. It's so much fun to go shopping for these kids. Here's what we got this year:


Next week is collection week, so if you want to jump on the fun bandwagon find out more info and the church/collection place nearest you click here.

Scrapbooking Lately?

Here's some photos of my latest scrapbooking projects:

I made this mini-album tonight. I used the cardboard that stickers are packaged in. As for this theme, "Always remember to...share, cherish, wish, sing."

This is a summer/beach themed one page Accordion Album. I haven't yet decided what to put on the front for a title or whatnot.

This is an Accordion Tag Book that I still need to finish the tags and the back.

A set of rose/garden themed bookmarks.

This is an Explosion Box album that I made for my sister-in-law's baby shower.

The Great Divide

Hanson

After 11 years, 4 studio albums, 1 live album, a Christmas album, a few videos, and etc. I finally saw them in concert...Hanson! Woo Hoo! Now, some people only remember them for MMMBop, but they are so much more they blond-haired little boys singing "MMMBop ba duba dop, ba du bop..."

It was awesome and definitely worth seeing my favorite band live. Though it did make me feel old--eleven years!

Startling facts

• 30,000 is the number of children under age 5 who die every day from a preventable cause.
• 1 out of 7 people in the world have no access to clean water.
• The world's three richest people own more than the combined gross domestic product of the 48 poorest countries.
• More than a 1,000,000,000 people in the world live on less than a dollar a day.
• 9 out of 10 kids with AIDS are African.
• Every 3seconds a child under age 5 dies from poverty-related causes.

What are you going to do about it?

www.compassion.com

Oh, by the way...

For some reason I decided to look at the baby blog and I had put up one of those cute tickers that has the growth of the baby. 13 weeks.

Since losing the baby things have been up and down in many respects. There's always reminders of the baby we were planning for and then realizing we don't have the baby anymore. There's people not knowing how to react to the miscarriage. Sometimes resulting in not saying anything at all. No "I'm sorry" or "How are you doing?" It's' not that I feel I deserve those things, but there are some people you'd expect to say those kind of things, but who have kept silent. That's one of the things that hurts the most. Of course, there's the baby conversations that take place and where I use to be included I'm now ignored.

But none of those things prompted this post today.

I realized as I was posting the fire updates from last week that there are likely many little baby reminders that have yet to be taken down. This one was on my profile:

I'm a wife, soon-to-be mommy, teacher, writer, and etc. living life and chronicling it in some sort of way. Enjoy!

Ouch! Soon-to-be mommy. Soon-to-be mommy no more. That's sad. And you know what? I'm not ready to take it down. But that reminded me of the blog I started to keep our family informed about the baby...still haven't deleted that yet. Partly because I want to print those posts and save them, but the other part just wants to avoid that completely.

I did think of something else sad/baby related. My sister-in-law's baby shower is this Saturday for their second little one (a girl...hopefully! The last time the doctor said that it was a boy!). This will be my second baby shower since we lost our baby, and those are hard for me.

But it reminded me of Mother's Day. What am I going to do for Mother's Day this year? Our due date was about a week before Mother's Day and my sister-in-law and me had talked about how cool it would be to dedicate the baby on Mother's day. And now this Mother's Day I won't have a baby. What do I do when Pastor Joe asks all the women who are mothers to stand up to be honored? What will I do? In some ways it doesn't sound like a big deal, but in other ways it's HUGE! When do you become a mother? Once your baby is born or when you find out you're carrying a life within you.

It's just one of those things that I think about now...

am I a mother?

Back Home...

So...hopefully you all are aware of our current situation. We are back home. I guess, I just got so excited to be home and back to a somewhat "normal" routine that I neglected to update all of ya'll on that. We found out a little bit after lunch on Wednesday that we could go home. We quickly packed up our stuff said thanks and bye to Aunt Marie and went home. We really didn't have any damage in our area. The pool was covered in ash and our house smelled like smoke, but other than that things weren't too bad. Except for my car, of course. In the Volvo the driver's side window and sun roof don't close all the way, so I had a nice layer of ash in my car to clean out.

Since then we've been doing fine. Joe went back to work on Thursday and I went back to work on Monday. Some days the air quality is better than others. Monday at work you could feel the smoke/ash in your throat, but today it was fine. Our two friends that I was telling you about who live in the burn area are fine, but not yet home. They won't be able to go home until  mid-November, because their houses have to be decontaminated. Both the Jahnke's and the Bailey's need to have things purified...I guess is the best way to say it. At the Jahnke's they said it looked like a window was left open because ash was covering so much. The Bailey's came pretty close to losing their home. The fire burned a tree in their front yard and burned their trampoline on the side of the house. If I remember correctly neither area has electricity or clean water yet. So...both families are living in hotels until things get cleaned up. The Bailey's adjuster told them not to even open the fridge, because it sucks in all the fumes from the fire and if opened could start another fire (not quite sure how...but that's what they said)...

Well...that's pretty much it on the home front for now. We'd love to hear from you all!

Love,
Jess

...Christ in you, the hope of glory...Colossians 1:27...

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Wednesday Morning Fire Update 10-24-07

 
So...there's a few things to report:

• The two northern fires have converged as predicted.
• We're still not allowed back into our area. On the news this morning they said that they were seeing hot spots on Camino del Sur. Just to give you some perspective Camino Del Sur is the street that Brandon's old high school (Westview is on). The exit for Camino del Sur is off of the 56 and it is two exits above us.
• Another thing is the power grid for San Diego is in bad shape. One of the main corridors in the south is out and the other one near Camp Pendelton/San Onfre is threatened. So...that's not good. Water, electric, and gas are out in some areas....we'll see what happens with the grid.
• They're saying that the air quality today is the worse that it's been all week. And we can even tell that from Tierrasanta. The sky is pretty brown looking north (toward our area). We left Grandma's house (where we're sleeping) and are at Aunt Marie's house (where we have the wireless...woohoo!) and you could see ash in the air and it was gathering on car windshields. Spot, Joe's dog, had ash on him as well. We're still safe here. No evacuation orders yet.

I think that's about it for this morning. Talk to us people...we're bored!

Love,
Jess

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Help yourself to FREE treats served up daily at the Messenger Café. Stop by today!

Lunch Fire Update!

Right now we're at Joe's aunt's house in Tierrasanta, which is the area my family lived in when we lived here before. We're just waiting to see what to do next. They're saying they wouldn't be surprised if the fire goes all the way to the coast.
 
If you remember Angie Bailey from the wedding (she was like my coordinator person) they went into our area last night and when her husband went back to their house at 5am this morning he could see fire on the hill across from them. They live more in Poway about 15-20 minutes from us, but the fire has moved up and around that area, so they don't know if they have a house to go back to...It's crazy stuff to watch.
 
If you remember there's like a "small" mountain right behind our church and you can see it from our apartment also but right now that's basically the only barrier between the area the fire is now and our area. They're saying that the fire isn't trailing, but that embers are landing places and causing new fires. So...we'll see what happens. I'll try to keep in touch. I've been keeping in touch with both of my parents if you want to call them. Talk to you later!
 
Love,
Jess

...Christ in you, the hope of glory...Colossians 1:27...

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Help yourself to FREE treats served up daily at the Messenger Café. Stop by today!

Morning Fire Update! 10-22-07

Hi Friends & Family -

Nervously I'm writing this e-mail to you...A local friend of mine called at 6:21am and said that our areas are being told to evacuate. So...we did pack some stuff last night and we're packing more as we speak.

The I-15 is closed from the 56 and to the 78, which to give you a perspective the start of the 56 is at our exit about 3 minutes from our house. Sadly, the fire has not been able to be contained, because of the smoke and winds. Usually, the winds will die down during the night making it easier to see the fire and where it's going and be able to fight it, but now it's gotten even worse. Over night another fire started in San Marcos and the fire has gotten closer to the Wild Animal Park. Why we're being evacuated is because the fire has moved under the I-15 by Lake Hodges, which is about seven (?) exits north of us on the I-15. And with everything else they're saying evacuate when you're told to evacuate, don't wait to be told a second time. So....I'm packing it up people...Joe's out getting gas.

I'll send another e-mail when we head out.

Love you guys!

Jess

Christ in you, the hope of glory...Colossians 1:27...

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Help yourself to FREE treats served up daily at the Messenger Café. Stop by today!

Frugal Fridays

So...I thought about this recently and I figure it follows the "frugal rules."

I shop for my clothes mostly at thrift stores, clearance racks, and discount stores like TJ Maxx or Ross. I've grown up shopping this way--enjoy it and couldn't think of paying full price (most of the time)!

But another thing I do to save money is to separate my fall/winter clothes from my spring/summer clothes by boxing up the out of season clothes and storing them for the next few months. When the weather begins to get warm I put away my heavier skirts, sweaters (except for a few light cardigans I wear throughout the year), work blouses, and even shoes. Then, when the weather turns cooler I switch to my fall/winter clothes. Of course, there are certain clothing items that remain in my closet throughout the year like plain t-shirts, jeans, denim skirts, the staple black skirt, denim jacket, and etc.

I do this for three reasons:

1) It helps me to preserve my clothes so that they stay in good condition and last longer.
2) It makes me evaluate the clothes that I have and what I wear most often when it's time for to put the box back on the shelf.
3) When I pull that old Ikea box off the top shelf when the seasons change it makes me feel like I have new clothes...which means less shopping!

So...check out your closet and have fun!

A Little Bit of Life

So...life has been a little up and down as of late. We found out we were pregnant and a few weeks later lost our baby. So...yeah. Life is here and there. Stuff is hard and we're working through it...talking about it and staying connected to people. But God is good...all the time.

The other day at Joe read this to me at work. At the time it made me cry, but it's also been something I keep looking back to...

Q.

What is your only comfort in life and death?

A.

That I am not my own,1 but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death,2 to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.3 He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood,4 and has set me free from all the power of the devil.5 He also preserves me in such a way6 that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head;7 indeed, all things must work together for my salvation.8 Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life9 and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.10 1 1 Cor 6:19, 20. 2 Rom 14:7-9. 3 1 Cor 3:23; Tit 2:14. 4 1 Pet 1:18, 19; 1 Jn 1:7; 2:2. 5 Jn 8:34-36; Heb 2:14, 15; 1 Jn 3:8. 6 Jn 6:39, 40; 10:27-30; 2 Thess 3:3; 1 Pet 1:5. 7 Mt 10:29-31; Lk 21:16-18. 8 Rom 8:28. 9 Rom 8:15, 16; 2 Cor 1:21, 22; 5:5; Eph 1:13, 14. 10 Rom 8:14.

http://www.canrc.org/resources/bop/hcat/index.html

Birthdays are over and new News has come...

Well...our birthday season is all over and school is back in session. We do have other news...

http://muellerbaby.blogspot.com

Belated Birthday Update

This is a picture of Joe's planning diagram for my birthday. Quite funny considering the person looks a bit like a monkey! ;)


Something for my eyes

A SLR Sony camera we've been saving up to buy

Something for my ears

A song that Joe wrote for me (to the tune of "My Rifle, My Pony, & Me")

Something for my heart
A poem Joe wrote for me

Something for my mouth

Dinner at Jake's at Del Mar

Something for my brain

Two cute journals I've been looking at lately

Update on the birthday surprise

Here was my first clue, which came in an e-mail yesterday:

Dear Princess,

Tomorrow marks one of the more delightful occasions that have occurred in my short 25 years of life. Your birth has brought me so much joy and happiness that we absolutely have to celebrate. So in honor of you birth please be ready for your coach by 6 PM. A dashingly handsome man will come around that time to carry you off. The delay, unfortunately, is necessary. Wear something that helps you give expression to the timeless truth that you are beautiful.

With a heart of love,

Your Prince

Here's my most recent clue:

There'll be...
something for my eyes
something for my ears
something for my heart
something for my mouth, and
something for my brain.

I'll just have to wait and see...

So...it's been awhile...

The summer got really busy for us. After we went to visit my parents in South Carolina the rest of our summer was pretty much filled up with youth events and work. But now, I'm on a five day break between the ending of our school's summer session and the beginning of our academic school year.

Oh, and today's my birthday, so "Happy Birthday to me!" And Joe is taking me out for a surprise evening tonight. It should be fun.

I do have pictures to upload from Joe's birthday (which was on the 20th). My hubby is now an old man at 25! ;)

Well...not much more to report now. Maybe later.

Have you heard about the pope's been up to lately?

Read these:

Pope: Other denominations not true churches

Now, I'm not Catholic, so I don't know much about Vatician I or Vatician II other than that Vatician II brought good reform (so I hear from Catholics) to the church. But, it's interesting...this new pope is beginning to make changes and it makes me wonder how it will affect Catholism and Protestantism. In other words, Pope Benedict is seriously confused if he truly thinks that Catholism is the only means of salvation. I mean, has he read the Gospels?

And what about this statement,
"“Christ ‘established here on earth’ only one church,” the document said. The other communities “cannot be called ‘churches’ in the proper sense” because they do not have apostolic succession — the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ’s original apostles."

Is he serious? I don't mean to be disrespectful, and I apologize if I come across so, however, the pope is seriously in trouble with his interpretation of the Bible. The only TRUE church is the body of Jesus Christ, those who are TRUE followers by faith through grace--and nothing else.


Here's another article: Pope OKs Latin mass, sparks Jewish concern

Meal Plan Monday: Week of July 2nd - 6th

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - Hummus Pizza

Wednesday - Texas BBQ at the Bailey's

Thursday - Turkey & Pasta with Peanut Sauce

Friday - (I don't know, we'll be back east at my parent's house.)

More from Acts...

Again, where there is unity there is power. The church in Jerusalem began to pray in "one accord" to God after Peter and John had been arrested and released, and when they had finished praying (see Acts 4:24-30):

And when they had prayed, the place where they had

gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with

the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:31