Round 2

Well, I got a call yesterday - from the little brother...



He's gotta go back.





This time not to Iraq, but to Afghanistan.





I can't write much cuz we are moving this week - but for those who care, please be praying for him, for his new bride, for my parents, for my sister and I... and for all those who know and love him. It just doesn't seem fair to only allow him to be home for 11 months and then send him back....





Thanks for the prayers

Also - today is his birthday... go over and tell him happy birthday!

Things to come

Some of you may already be involved in this - but for those who aren't and those who care.... THIS is something we are going to do this summer....

Ventanas, Ecuador. You can search the internet and you will find very little information on this portion of the country that is named for the fact that it crosses the equator. Ventanas is located in the Los Rios province, due to the large rivers that flow through. In early 2008, heavy rains hit this area of the country destroying many homes and farm lands. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes and many lost their lives.

Due to this heavy flooding and loss of homes, Ecuador will allow us to come and help rebuild a portion of the community in Ventanas.

It is to this challenge, and to the goal of helping to build the local church in Ecuador that Ronnie and I feel we are called. As believers, God has called us to reach out to the hurting, the widows and orphans, and the prisoners. This summer, God has called us to take his message of Hope to the hopeless people in Ventanas, Ecuador. We are a part of a team of people from several different states that will be traveling in late July to do work in some of the area villages. Some of these villages have NEVER heard the gospel of Jesus Christ before.

We are writing together to ask for two things from you.

First, we are asking for your prayers. We believe that with a trip like this, nothing will happen without the prayers of God’s people pleading before the throne that hearts will be changed, lives will be transformed, and our work will not be in vain.

Second, we are asking for financial support. The Bible makes it clear that believers are called to go into the world to preach the gospel, to baptize believers, and to make disciples. You may not be able to go at this time, However, you can still be a part of our team by helping make it possible for us to go. Your ministry to the hurting people of Ecuador will be just as fruitful as our ministry will be once we get there. The people need Jesus, Ronnie and I feel called to take them the Hope of Jesus Christ. We need prayers and finances in order to do this. So, I need you, to prayerfully consider supporting our mission. Thank you in advance for your help!


If you are interested in supporting this ministry in Ventanas, Ecuador,(this is a tax deductible gift – simply attach a post it note to the check with our name on it) please either send your gift by check payable to:

E3 Partners
April Allen EC09H
600 Development Drive Suite 120
Plano, Tx 75074

Or you may donate online:
Go to www.e3partners.org
Click on “donate.” Fill in the blanks. Click “Give to a Campaigner.” Type in either Julia Mayhew, or Ronnie Mayhew, and enter the trip code EC09H.

THANK YOU!

Too much time, too little to do - Wait - Reverse that -

What movie is that from?




Anyway - as stated by my dear movie companion, and fellow chocolate lover - Willy Wonka - "too much time, too little to do" seems to be my theme these days. I mean, I feel like my list is long... laundry, syllabus writing, questions to create for this online music course, dishes, basic house maintenance, my commitment to Scripture memory and healthy living... yet, due to the fact that all of these have this "whenever" basis, I generally feel like I am behind in all of them.

It all falls back to discipline. My goal for the year. I have none when I am given freedom.

When I had a daily job, and requirements and deadlines, I get more done. When I have free time - I end up at the end of the day wondering why I didn't get my stuff done.

I don't want to waste my day. I don't set out for that to happen. It just seems to happen.

So, I am working on finding a way to plan my days. Even those days that seem to have no plan. I have got to get a schedule going. It can have some flexibility - but it must be planned.

So, having said that - - this must be a short blog. For I have a schedule to come up with!

P.S. mom blogged about her Hospital visit this weekend... and her memory verse and the reason behind it

What a whirlwind....

Memory Verse #2

Remember my memory verse goal??? Well, I am on to number 2 of 24 now... I am a couple days late due to an unexpected trip to Bama -

Anyway - the verse is....

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

Thanks!

Running around my head

It seems that when things that are heavy (not physically heavy... but mentally heavy... which isn't in all reality that heavy but due to the lack of my brain functions right now, they simply SEEM heavy)....

(if that last statement doesn't make you jump to the next blog then you win a prize.... please go to your own kitchen, get a whole sleeve of Oreos and return to your computer screen)

Ok - I am going to start that first sentence again. It seems that when things that are heavy, are running around in my head, I really struggle to get them into a blog. (now, was that so hard?)

I am going to try to do this today.

Right now I am dealing with trying to find those "lines." Here is what I mean. I need to give you a bit of background.

In 2004 I lived in Germany. It was a wonderful year, but a terribly challenging one. Especially the first 6 months. The town I lived in was about 50,000 people (Eisenach... the city Bach was born in, and the city in which Martin Luther translated the Bible into German for the first time). It was a beautiful city and I lived with the most AMAZING German family on earth! My struggle mainly lied in two areas.

1, I was the only English speaker I knew. This was stressful. But it is not the point.

2. The traditions of the church were WAY different than the traditions of the American churches I had always been a part of.

This was my struggle. It really pushed me back to study to find what part of what I know is due to my Scriptural understanding? What part of what I know is due to my Baptist background? and What part of what I know is due to me living my whole life in the USA? All three of these factors play into our religion weekly.... daily.... hourly.

I was pushed back to the Bible to determine what I believed.

I fell I am in that place again. This time, not because I am in a different country, but because of the situation in our country. I am not going to go into political stand offs about what we should/should not do in our country. I am going to simply state that things are not as they should be. We can throw blame in a TON of directions, and that is all fair in the political world. I believe that we all have a desire to see our country move forward, we simply have different beliefs on how we should get there. That is not the point. My point is that we have issues. We have financial issues, economical issues, ethical issues, (when a group of politicians are appointed and a large percentage are then found to be already breaking the law?? seriously??) world issues, unity issues, racial issues (please see the riots currently happening in Oakland, CA), security issues - - the list could go on. But you get my idea.

How do you line up the promises God has given to his children with the current state of affairs? I feel that in many cases we are continuing to walk as if nothing is happening. Just this last week I heard it said that when we were this close to economic breakdown in the 20's (right before the depression) people were already beginning to use savings to buy food, warmth, etc. When I walk into Wal-Mart today, the flat screen HUGE TVs are still flying off the shelves. Are we still burning up credit cards when the TVs are already yelling that the credit market is crashing? Or are we using the last few dollars that might be in a savings account so that we are able to demand from the government more money?

God's promises are true. He says that he will provide out needs, the righteous will not be forsaken, His seed not begging for bread. But does that give us the liberty to keep pushing on as if nothing were happening? I don't believe so? Am I a "doomsdayer?" No. I do believe that we have many opportunities to help this situation out - and that we are given the keys to make this work. I don't believe that we (not the politicians, but the people) have chances daily to help fix this.....

Anyway - I have no answer here. In talking to some people, they say go ahead and prepare for the worst... other say that we just "trust God." I think there is a balance. I feel that God gave us intelligence so that we could prepare for things when the worst happens. I also feel that He wants us to trust Him for everything! Not just the "rest" that we couldn't prepare for. I am working to find that balance in my life right now. Please leave comments on how you are balancing this? Or are you continuing along as if nothing is happening? If we ignore this will it go away?

Because I have nothing better to say

I stole this from One Thing because it looked like fun and, well, I don't have a lot of brain activity today as I am still sitting in my PJs... late into the morning... two days in a row... enough... Anyway, if you like it, please feel free to copy it at your own place and let me know so I can come and compare my own life stories with yours!

Just boldface the items that you HAVE done, and leave the rest normal….

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Number 6 has been deleted due to it being an unfair question.
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (wood working... its still in progress)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping - like I would even admit this on a BLOG!?!?!
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29 Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33 Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41 Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45 Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (I assume piano lessons were a business right?)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia (does Kazahkstan count?)
60 Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (for my sister... I was never a Girl Scout)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma (I tried... passed out when they pricked my finger - never saw the needle)
65. Gone sky diving
66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67 Bounced a check (oh college days....)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (my first job EVER as a life guard... but I promise it wasn't my fault!)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (Thanks Jon)
79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (once in 7th grade - had forgotten about that until recently - - and then a few weeks ago along with Todd Palin at a NASCAR race!)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (as a lifeguard... see I did a GOOD job!)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Now - copy it, post it, it gives you a day off - -and leave me a message that you did it... its kinda fun!

Following

Hey - I just added the gadget so that you.... yes you... you reader that doesn't want anyone to know who you are - - you can choose to FOLLOW my blog. I know you already have this excitement added to your RSS feed - or your reader - or whatever. But I want to know who you are:) - so - follow me :)

We went to see a different house yesterday. It isn't our house.... Next?? Sometimes its hard to continually have doors partially openened, and then completely slammed. I am trying to focus on my Isaiah 33:6 every day though.

"He is my constant source of stability, He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom. He gives all this to those fear him."

I am clinging to this, at least until God gives me something else.

Welcome to 2009

2009 has arrived.

Surprisingly, it arrived without too much fanfare in my life. I don't mean that bad, I mean, we were at a party, with friends and family, eating Krispy Kreme donuts and drinking carbonated grape juice - but still, not much fanfare today. It doesn't feel that different.

I do not usually do very well on resolutions. I have read some ideas today on not doing resolutions for a year, but short term goals. 7 per week - 4 per month - and 1 for the year.... I am afraid I would fail in january and not even try the rest of them (my perfectionism weighs in... if I can't do it 100%, I tend to not do it at all.)

So, here is my decision. I am going to try two things. They will each last all year. And I believe, that if I am successful, these two things will help me to be able to accomplish all other things much better.

1. Memorizing Scripture. I have signed up for the accountability on the LPM blog. I plan to memorize two per month. Ending with 24 in a year. No, this is not a major feat, many people much better than I am have done more amazing things many times over. However, I must admit that 24 in 2009 will be 24 more than I memorized in 2008. So, here we go with that one.

Other benefits: Discipline over weeks at a time. I cannot wait until the 14th of every month to start memorizing. I will have to do it as I go.
- I will have to be reading the Word often in order to know what Scripture will be impacting me.
- If I am meditating for two weeks at a time on a Scripture, it will be harder for my mind to get back into the pity parties that I tend to have.

I am starting with Isaiah 33:6.

2. Being healthy in body. This will encompass several things for me. I need to eat better. I was doing so well this time last year. I had completely cut out all carbonation, I was cooking healthy foods, we were not eating very much bad food... and for a while, I did really well at cooking for lunches, and having sandwiches or lighter food for dinner. I plan to get back into this. Also, I need to run. I love to run, I love to bike. I need to do the things I love to do.

Other Benefits: I will feel better.
- I will still be working on my discipline.
- I will be doing things I love to do, but so often laziness takes over my desires.
- I will have less time for the pity parties.
- I will waste less time staring at the internet!

So - there you go. 24 Bible verses...

I am not setting a weight goal. Its more about my health than about a particular number this time around. Also, last time I set a number goal, I got so frustrated. I felt better, I looked better, but I didn't lose any numbers - which got frustrating, so I quit (again, the perfectionism). So, this time there is not a number game to be played... I am going to do it for my health.

Anyone else out there setting goals??

Someone who aims at nothing is sure to hit it.