Busy week:

-Gave quilt to Krumreys. They really liked it (pics to come, promise!), which was good :-)
-BOUGHT a car- "Dayeinu" (Hebrew for "it would have been enough"). The story of the car is similar to that of the Hebrews' delieverence out of Egypt and the Christian's salvation--hence the name. It would have been enough if God had just delievered the Hebrews or if God had just given us salvation, but instead he gave so much more.
-Got hired at two places and quit one job.

(btw, this was ALL in one day...)

now, i'm busy getting my car set to go and getting ready for the IV retreat!

Hello world!

In my absence, I was hired by IVCF as part-time staff at MHC, I spent a week at Toah Nipi for new staff training, regionals and area meetings and now I'm off to Boston for a few days to see family, friends and to meet with some MHC alumni about fund development stuff, since I'm raising my own funds. --I guess this is one cool aspect about InterVarsity: that all of the national org's funds are raised by people like me and Jen instead of playing the whole corporate/finance game.

Getrude is spending a couple weeks at the house and its great having a roomie again! After two years in triples, especially a year with Marija and Nadine, sleeping in a room alone is a little lonely/awarkard. Its also really cool to see/listen to her process stuff that is pretty normal around here... like the other day, this homeless guy, "Gil", comes over for the afternoon so Pat can record some of his poetry/verse (he's an amazing wordsmith) and then Getrude, Pat and I took him back "home" to the overflow shelter after dinner.

I also finished THE quilt, for my faithful MoHo readers who know what I'm talking about. 13 months later... I'll try to remember to post pics after it's been given.... its really pretty. :-) [Its probably a good thing Romy's not here, cuz otherwise she'd steal it for sure!!!]

One last thing: please be praying for me. I really need a car by the 30th, so I can start driving to MHC (moving up there isn't an option, for varying reasons), but to be honest, my car budget right now is $75--. I'm praying that God will either give me a car, or will give me the funds to purchase a car. I believe he can (and will) do this, but with my hour of need quickly approaching, I have the urge to try and take things into my own hands (ironic, considering the aforestated budget). So yeah. Please pray... I'll keep updating.

Stuff rattling around my head:

-What does it really mean to follow Christ?

-"The Kingdom of God is within you."

In light of recent events. . .


To you, O Lord, I lift my soul
In you, O God, I place my trust
Do not let me be put to shame
Nor let my enemies triumph over me

My hope is you
Show me your ways
Guide me in Truth
In all my days
My hope is you

I am, O Lord, filled with your love
You are, O God, my salvation
Guard my life and rescue me
My broken spirit shouts
My mended heart cries out. . .
-Third Day

I went Episcopalian today at this church (www.christchurchcathedralspringfield.org). It was refreshing to be reminded of God's holiness, to be confronted with His awesome and terrible power. It seems like all too often recently I have put God in a box, have split hairs ("yes, but...") and have tried to conform him to my image, instead of me to His. While the unstated code of conduct (when to sit, stand, kneel, cross oneself, etc) might seem stuffy and the litergal readings dry and bland, I worshiped more there then I have the past month or so. Somewhere in the midst of it all, I heard God, I felt God and leaned against His mighty shoulder. I might not have worshipped in the Spirit, but oh boy, did I worship in His truth.

Side note: one really cool thing about this church, is that they're dedicated to helping Springfield's poor; they run a soup kitchen for the low income at lunch every day (about 200 in the neighborhood show up), they're bilingual (while ties could be strenghtened between congregations, there are ties existing, so it not just one church, two bodies, but rather one church, one body-ish), and they're letting Nehemiah Ministries use their building for a homeless awareness day.

I'll admit, I didn't entirely go [to the service] for kicks.

A couple days ago, a housemate asked me an innocent question that still throbs-- "Do you miss riding?" I stammered out an answer, but answer is my silence, the tears no one has seen, the longing ache of my heart. It's not just riding that I miss, its Germany.

More than any other sanctuary I've seen in this city, CCC's reminds me of the German church... while there are some differences between the Evangelical church (Germany) and the Episcopalian church, they are more similar than different.

Side, side note: Like the Evangelical church, the congregation was prodominately older (middle aged, retired, elderly), yet the congregation was one of the warmest, friendliest congregations that I've encountered in the US (very similar to Europe). I was stopped by several people (including a MHC alum) to chat... ironically most 'normal' or charasmatic (Assembly of God, Baptist, United Methodist) churches that I've been to don't have congregations like that.

On a different note, I've gotten quite a bit of quilting done recently and the one the MoHos all saw me working on last year is nearly finished! I WILL get it done before I leave for Toah Nipi on Saturday... HURRAH!

Speaking of Toah Nipi, I received some conference material (even the word 'conference' makes me feel all official and business like) for the regional/area conference. This IV stuff is beginning to feel more like a reality.

CONGRATS to Tori!!!! How exciting!