Today I noticed a wearied tree
leaves falling
falling
falling

Mahogany crisps
gently cascading
the ever-patient earth

Autumn

Do not delay
for humanity waits
in desperation
for your arrival

Ethiopia 2013 is Happening!

Dear friends and family,

                                 

It is with great joy that I write this letter and am able to share with you what God has laid on my heart.

I am going back to Ethiopia!

After my two-week stay in that beloved country in 2011, I knew I had to go back. I suppose it was never really a question to me whether I would return to Ethiopia or not. From the moment I stepped foot on that dusty, African soil, the question never was, 'will I return?' but, 'when will I return?’ It's never been an option not to go back. How could I not return to the nation God has so lovingly called me to?

Throughout the crazy process of transitioning to college life over the past year and a half, I spent a lot more time than anticipated longing for Africa. Going to Africa changed me far more than I ever expected it would. It changed everything from the way I go grocery shopping to the amount of time I leave the faucet running while brushing my teeth. It changed how I pray and how I feel when I see commercials of impoverished children on television. Ethiopia changed my understanding of worship and sacrifice and joy. It truly grew me in ways far beyond my understanding.

When I returned to America last year, I often referred to the idea that I left part of my heart in Africa. I fully expected that feeling to wear off over time. But, it never quite did. Sometimes, it even seemed to grow stronger. Some part of me - something now ingrained deep within my being - longs desperately for that dirty, smelly, torn-down, blessed country.

After much prayer and petition, I am elated that God has allowed me the opportunity to return to the place where part of my heart will forever be.

In May of 2013 I will be travelling back to Debre Zeit, Ethiopia. There, I will spend six weeks serving as a short-term missionary. With Blessing the Children International (BCI), the same organization I worked through last year, I will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with Ethiopian social workers, spending my days ministering to children who are in the BCI child sponsorship program. Some of the areas I will get to be involved in are organizing children's activity days, serving in local churches, ministering to orphans at BCI's foster home, daily home visits to provide donations and prayer to impoverished families, and building relationships with fellow believers halfway across the world.

My prayer is that I would willingly serve God with reckless abandonment throughout the entire duration of this trip. It is my desire that His will be done through my life and the lives of those I will come in contact with in Ethiopia. Would you please consider joining me in prayer for my adventure that is to come? Pray for my heart to be prepared for all that God has for me in Ethiopia. Also, keep Blessing the Children and all of those whom they are ministering to in your prayers. Pray that I may be used as an instrument to share God's love in a foreign land.

 "For the intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful."  --James 5:16.

I also ask that you would prayerfully consider supporting my trip financially. My total funds needed for this six-week stay is $4,500, which will cover airfare, room and board, transportation to ministry sites, and project funds. While this number may seem like a giant during these economic times, I am confident that God will provide what is needed to allow me to follow His call to Ethiopia. I ask that you would consider a monetary donation toward this trip if the Lord lays it upon your heart. If you are interested in supporting me financially, please use the information below.

I thank you immensely for your support and encouragement as I embark upon this journey. With great joy and anticipation, I look forward to sharing this experience with you. May we all come together to see the will of the Lord be done.

With Love in Christ,

 MaryBeth Hornbaker

To Support Ethiopia 2013:

Donations can be made payable to MaryBeth Hornbaker and sent to me at 623 North Crafford Street, Bushnell IL, 61422. To make a tax-deductable donation, please make checks payable to Blessing the Children International and send to the same address. Donations can also be made online at www.followyou2013.blogspot.com. Thank you!

Why I am Indifferent Toward Getting a College Degree, and Other Controversial Musings

You might hate me after reading this, just a fair warning.

I feel like I've kind of been hiding parts of myself from some of you for a while now. Or rather, I feel that I have perhaps been miscommunicating my true intentions. What I'm doing with my life right now is probably not quite what you thought I was doing, and I wanted to let you know.

It's not that I've purposely been lying to anyone about my current state of being. It's more like...I've been avoiding giving everyone the full details.
It seems I've been unnervingly terrified of your judgement
and perhaps of your mother's judgement
and her friend so-and-so's.

And I didn't want you to think I was wasting my life.
And I feared you might tell your children not to grow up like me.
And I wasn't completely sure of myself anyway
So I didn't want proclaim something that I wasn't sure I had my heart in 100%
Because what if I reneged?
Then what would you tell your children?

But since I've been doing this for a year now, I figured it was quite time you understood my intentions.

“We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all.”
― John Hughes, The Breakfast Club

I'm not going to college to get a degree.
And I don't believe that is what God has me there for, either.

If my sole motivation for being in college was to receive a piece of paper that may help me land a job that pays two dollars an hour higher than the job I had when I was sixteen, I wouldn't have made it through semester number one.
I needed another reason to be there.

You see, I'm not really sure what I was thinking, signing up for four more years of school in the first place. I suppose I didn't really know what else to do. It seemed like a better option than pulling cans of green beans to the font of a shelf at the local grocery store for the rest of my life. Maybe I was just looking for somewhere to go and something to do until I found this husband character who was going to sweep me off my feet and insist I drop out of college, volunteer at a Christian coffee shop, raise our three beautiful children from home, and make yearly trips to third-world countries to love on impoverished orphans.

I've never really been much of a career-minded individual. I've thought about jobs I might like to have in the future -- even tried three times to select my major accordingly. It turns out, I just don't really want to be a career woman. I know that's not what I'm supposed to say. I'm supposed to stand up and claim my power as an independent woman who can climb to the top without any man supporting her along the way! But, as it turns out, I kind of just want to be a wife and a mom and a home-maker. I want to fold laundry and cook dinner and braid little girls' hair.
Or maybe I want to move to Africa and adopt twelve children and live in a shack on a dirt road, eating stale bread and green oranges for dinner.

Either way, my desires in this life do not require a college degree or a well-paying job or a big house with apple trees and a swingset in the backyard.
This "American Dream" that I've been hearing about kind of sounds like a load of crap to me.
And, there is simply nothing in me that cares if I walk away from a university in three years with a Bachelor's of Such and Such to my name.

Yet here I am, packing up my mini-fridge and emergency first aid kit to move into my 10 by 7 foot dorm for the second year in a row. Here I am, registering for classes like "Introduction to New Media" and "Exploring Eastern Religions."

I spend my evenings at coffee shops writing papers about the emergence of King Arthur in nineteenth century literature. I eat three meals a day in a cafeteria that caused me to gain fifteen pounds my first year. I buy four months worth of deodorant at a time so I don't have to leave campus to get more. I am a college student every day of my life.

For what?

I spent a while trying to figure it out in the begining -- why God would have me here at this mediocre, far-from-conservative, gettin-wasted-every-night, non-Christian school that teaches me about how homosexuality is possibly even more of a natural way of connecting than heterosexuality, and it seems that we were perhaps even made to be with someone of the same sex.

But if you read that sentence again...
and try to figure out why God would have me at WIU...
it all seems very clear.

Where did I think God wanted me?
In some sort of cookie-cutter Christian bubble, floating around with a warm-hearted smile while we all supported each other in our missions trips to various unpronouncable nations and secretly were completely envious of our roomate's boyfriends and our non-Christian friend's ability to stay out past ten on weeknights...11 on weekends?

  "I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." -- Acts 26:17-18

He sends us into the darkest places to proclaim His light.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." --John 1:5

So I went to college at a mediocre, secular, party school. And, I didn't want to. But God made it clear to me in many ways that He had a place for me there.
And I prayed that He would send me anywhere else instead.
And in response, He provided me with a four-year scholarship to my mediocre, party school.

And I laughed.
And I sighed.
And I went.

And, It's all kind of been a whirlwind since then.
For a while, classes were my priority,
but I got over that pretty fast.

Soon, God began moving in ways that I couldn't even comprehend.
And people started giving their lives to Jesus,
and sixteen baptisms, and the most incredible Christian community I've ever experienced, and walking up to strangers in a cafeteria to tell them about Jesus, and spending my weekends in prayer and worship and my week nights at Bible study. And it was incredibly bazaar. I've never heard of anything like it...going to college for Jesus, not for an education.

But, that kind of seems to be what I'm doing.

Don't worry, I'm still regularly attending my classes and working hard to do well in them. I'm still learning as much as I can and staying on track to graduate in four years. I'm still trying to work at what I do as if working for the Lord and not for man.
But really, what I'm doing is being a missionary in one of the darkest places I've ever been.

It's been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life,
and it's only just begun.

I must be honest, though. While I am enthused about what God is doing on my campus and what He has given me the opportunity to participate in, I don't have any incredible attachment to this place.
I certainly don't have an attachment to graduating with a degree.
And, I'd be pretty okay if God called me someplace else when my time at WIU was up.
I'd be fine with leaving early to go to Africa or get married or go wherever the heck He told me to go.

I know this is weird.
It's isn't normal.
It's certainly quite controversial.

But I'm pretty much ready to say,
Screw normalcy.

I just want to love my life and figure out who I am and follow God wherever He leads me.

And, maybe I'm totally off in all of these theories I've got about life and love and God.
If I am, I suppose I will learn that lesson in the days to come.
And, maybe you don't approve of what I'm doing with my life,
thinking I'm "wasting my scholarship and valuable taxpayer dollars" on this little phase I'm going through.

Maybe I have this all wrong.
But at least I've got something.

So, there you have it.
There is my life as of late.
When you think of me at college during your afternoon ponderings, don't think of me as a full-time student, think of me as a full-time missionary, paying my way to be there by attending classes.

And, I suppose I will just continue on in this dark world, attempting to shine with every ounce of light I have in me.
And the darkness against me won't prevail.

“Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told." --Hab 1:5

Why Are You Going Back to Africa?

...Why would I not?

I suppose it never really was a question to me whether I would return to Ethiopia or not. From the moment I stepped foot in that precious country, the question never was, 'will I return?' It was, 'when will I return?'

It's not an option to not go back. How could I not?

So, once I got back to America last summer, I began praying about when God would have me return. While my heart desperately longed to return this summer, God had a better plan. In order to give my soul some rest and to get some financial footing, God pointed me toward the summer of 2013.

Throughout the crazy process of transitioning to college life over the past year, I spent a lot more time than anticipated longing for Africa. Going to Africa changed me. When I got back last year I often referred to the idea that I left part of my heart in Africa.
I fully expected that feeling to wear off over time.
But, it really never did.
Sometimes, it even seemed to grow stronger.
Some part of me - something now ingrained deep within my being - longs desperately for that dirty, smelly, torn-down, blessed country.

I need to go back.
Not one day has gone by over the past year when I did not think, with fondness, about my country abroad. While I have been able to keep my focus and priority on the ministry God has placed me in here, and while I love and fully enjoy the movement I get to be a part of on campus, my heart feels a bit torn sometimes.
Torn between American and Ethiopia.
Right now, it seems, God has allowed me to have both.
What a blessing.

The Big Bread

I recall one day last year when I was particularly longing to be in Ethiopia. I missed the people there. I missed the smells and the tastes and the weather. I longed for the funky trees and the dirt roads and the barefoot orphans chasing me down the street. I missed greeting friends with three kisses on the cheek. I missed shaking the hand of every single person upon entering a room. I wanted popcorn served with sugar and coffee so strong I could gag. I longed to fall asleep to the aroma of bug-spray-soaked sheets. I missed donkeys and cows right beside me as I walked down the streets. I craved green oranges and the big bread. I yearned for morning devotions taught in Amharic and English, dancing and praising God like He was something to get excited about, watching a child's face as he received his first pair of shoes, and taking warm dinner to a lonely security guard each evening.

Green Oranges!

And on this day, I wept.
I wept for Africa. For the people who were in need. For my inability to comfort them. For how much I take for granted. For how much faith they have despite their circumstances. For my little boy, uncertain of his heart's condition. For my great friend, working so hard for so little.
It is not often that I weep for Africa.
But on this day, I did.
And I knew I had to go back.
Not because Africa needs me.
But because I need Africa.

I hear it said sometimes as a joke, "God, I'll go wherever you want, but please don't send me to Africa."
It's funny though.
Because God sending me to Africa was one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
And, I am so incredible grateful that He is sending me back.
I know God doesn't need me to do the work that he has planned for that country.
I know He could use anyone who was just willing to go.

I guess I'm just overwhelmingly blessed, that although God didn't need me to do His work, He has chosen me and is allowing me to be a part of His perfect plan for Ethiopia.

One of my best friend named Tigist.
She is 21 years old and she works full time in Ethiopia as a social worker for Blessing the Children. Last year, when I met her, she was 20, working more hours than she was scheduled for, for no pay. She told us she had to work with the organization for so long and acquire a certain number of children to care for before she started receiving a salary. She spent every single day visiting the homes of orphaned and impoverished children. She played with them and prayed with them and loved on them and their families. Her love for these kids was so incredible. She loved them as if they were her own. When I commented on how well she loved the children, she told me, "A lot of these children don't have parents, but God has given them to me so I can be their mother." Her devotion to working for the Lord and pouring every ounce of her love out on the children amazed me. I am 19. She was 20. And, she was born and raised in that impoverished nation. I know that what she was doing at her age was far beyond anything I could be capable of at my age. This woman blew my mind. Tigist and I write letters back and forth as often as the mail system will deliver them. Right now, she is still working for BCI full time, finally receiving pay. With her salary, she is taking a bus into the city an hour away every evening to attend college.
Like I said, this woman blows my mind.
And, oh, how I cannot wait to return to her!

My faraway sister, Tigist

My sweet baby boy Nati will be one of the first I beg to see upon returning to Ethiopia. I began sponsoring this darling right after I returned last year, and he has made an imprint on my heart unlike anything I've ever felt before. I believe that I  have quite possibly never loved anyone the way I love this little boy. He is part of me now. I cannot believe I am going to have the chance to hold this little guy in my arms again.

The blessings God has lavished upon me are innumerable.

The day I met Nati

I get to go back to Africa.

Why am I going back?
Like I said,
How could I not?

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" -- Isaiah 6:8

Simplifying

"Seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, so that you may walk properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone." 1 Thes 4:11-12

I have been spending the last few months attempting to simplify my life. I can't say that I'm succeeding phenomenally or anything, but I'm trying. I'm trying to get rid of my excess clothes. I'm trying to weed through all of the crap I have accumulated under my bed, in my closet, and in the attic over the years. My dorm room next year will measure ten feet by eight feet, and I am super stoked to be forced to downsize my life into that space. 

I'm trying to hold myself accountable to not buy anything that is not a necessity. While I am utterly failing at this concept, it is something that I want to continue to reach for. 

You see, the thing about this stuff is that it's slowing me down. I want to be free and light and able to pick up and go anywhere God sends me. Recently I learned of a couple from New Zealand who moved themselves and their young children to a less-then-glamorous house on a dirt street in third-world Ethiopia where they will be serving as full-time missionaries. And, I thought to myself..."What if God called me to do that?" Even if my spirit was willing to go, I would have a lot of things to manage before I could actually leave. There would be so much stuff to go through. So many things I rely on that would have to be cut off. But, what I want... what I believe may be God's desire for us, is the ability to get up and go, wherever he calls me, whenever he calls me. 

“The simplification of anything is always sensational.” 
― G.K. Chesterton

Going to Ethiopia... changed my life. It changed so many things about the way I live and move and breathe. It drastically altered what I desired to be satisfied. 

America is so... distorted... in it's mindset of what is enough.

There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less. --G. K. Chesterton

I'm choosing to desire less, because I know that nothing on this earth will ever truly satisfy me. 

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven. And, I am the rich man. 

Lord, help me simplify my life. 

When you picture Jesus, do you ever see him carrying a bunch of stuff around with him? As he traveled from place to place, was he carrying a backpack or perhaps a few suitcases of odds and ends to increase his comfort? Did he have a bedroom back at Mary and Joseph's home, full of keepsakes and other items collecting dust?

I'm almost positive he didn't. It just wouldn't make any sense. Jesus didn't belong here. This world was not his home. He was only a temporary resident fulfilling a mission, awaiting the day he returned Home. Why in the world would he have...stuff? 

And, cannot the exact same be said for you and me?

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body...." Philippians 3:20

So here I go, on a long path of attempted simplification. How truly I can ever do that in this country, I'm not sure. But I'm willing to give it a shot. 

I want to eliminate excess stuff. But more than that, I want to rid my life of excess on so many levels. Emotional baggage. Unnecessary weight, chemicals, junk food in my body. Stressful, unorganized life. 

To simplify my eating habits, I've been trying to eat food that comes as close to fresh from the ground as possible. My garden is definitely helping with that. Foods that have been through twelve different steps of processing really have no business being in my body. 

I've even taken up the task of cleaning out my email inbox, deleting everything I don't need, and unsubscribing from all junk mail I receive. It's quite refreshing really. 

I've made a pact with myself. I am making it a goal to not buy any new clothing for a year.  Clothes shopping is a huge stumbling block for me in my journey of simplicity. So, it is the plan that anything that adds itself to my wardrobe will come from a thrift store, a gift, or a hand-me-down. In addition, when I add something to my wardrobe, I plan to get rid of something else, to avoid building up excessive stuff.

Pray for my accountability in this endeavor! 

"Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away." --1 Cor 7:31

May the Lord be glorified through every facet of my life.

"It was a beautiful letdown the day I knew that all the riches this world had to offer me would never do. In a world full of bitter pain and bitter doubt, I was trying so hard to fit in, until i found out that I don't belong here." --Switchfoot

“I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.” John Cage

Reading, writing, growing, running, learning, teaching, making...
This summer is turning out to be pretty stellar. 
I've casually referred to it as 
"the summer of productivity"
and "the summer of trying new things."
Exploring newness and getting stuff done are pretty much filling up my days,
and I am loving every minute of it.
Here's a peak into some of the things I have been creating as of late.


This lovely trio was made by a few college friends and I during a spontaneous summer trip. All of the designs were inspired by artwork found on Pinterest (which I have recently cut myself off from due to its addictive qualities). I gave them as a set to my friend Erin as a high school graduation gift, though I secretly long for them on my own wall. 

 For a while now, I've been wanting to experiment with making my own household cleaning products. So, since it is the summer of trying new things and all, I gave it a go. I actually acquired this recipe from my grandmother. She was so excited I was trying it out! Here's the recipe:

 Laundry Detergent 
1 cup -- Borax
1/2 cup – Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1 bar fels naptha
Large bucket -- hold 3 gallons of water easily
Water
Essential Oil or Fragrance Oil (optional)
Grate bar of soap. Put in saucepan with 5 cups boiling water. Boil until melted. While your soap is melting, add 3 gallons of hot water to your bucket. To the hot water, add 1 cup of Borax and 1/2 cup of Washing Soda. Stir with long handled spoon until dissolved. Add the melted soap water to the bucket and stir well. If you want to add any fragrance, add it now. Stir stir stir. Cover the bucket and set aside for 24 hours. Use ½ cup per load. 
This recipe has worked amazingly for me! My laundry gets clean and it's super easy and cheap. Once you do it once, you'll never go back.

If you're worried about your clothes being soft, here's a fabric softener recipe I made. 

Fabric Softener

6 cups water
3 cups white vinegar
2 cups hair conditioner
Mix all ingredients together. Stir, do not shake. Shaking will cause foaming. Use ¼ cup per load or spray on a washcloth and add to dry cycle.


This fabric softener is where it's at. My mom says her laundry is softer than when we were using brand-name softener. So, that's pretty legit. 
I look forward to using these recipes when I return to college in the fall. I'm all about saving money and cutting out the unknown chemicals. 


Summer = bugs. And I don't care for them at all. I also don't care for deet at all. Sooo....here is my homemade bug spray recipe. I've been using this for a few weeks, and it really works! It also smells lovely. Hooray for all natural replacements. 

Bug Spray
4oz distilled water
Essential Oils: 
20 drops eucalyptus oil
10 drops peppermint oil
15 drops tea tree oil
10 drops lemongrass oil
10 drops clove oil
Put water in a 4oz spray bottle. Add oil, shake well before each use. May use a variety of other essential oils. 

After trying a variety of different concoctions, I decided that it was either go big or go home when it comes to garden pest control. So, here is my very pungent pesticide recipe.

Vegetable Garden Pesticide

2-3 garlic bulbs 
6 large or 12 smaller hot chilli peppers (any variety will do, or if unavailable try 1-2 tablespoon hot chilli powder)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 squirts of liquid detergent (I use castile soap)
7 cups water. (Use about 2-3 cups in the blender, and top up with the rest after blending)
Put the whole lot into a blender and liquify, then strain through muslin, a coffee filter or similar. Pour what you need into a spray bottle for use and keep the rest in jars with lids on in a cupboard or on a shelf somewhere, well labeled.

Here are a few cleaners I have found to work really well. I'll have my own bathroom next year in my dorm, which means I will be cleaning my own bathroom. So, here's what I've got. 


Disinfectant/All Purpose spray    
use to clean countertops, toilets, tile floors, end tables, sinks, and bathtubs.
2 Tablespoons Borax 
4 Tablespoons White distilled vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap
3 Cups HOT Water
Add essential oil for scent (optional)
Funnel the Borax into an empty spray bottle. Add the vinegar. The action of this and the vinegar activates the solution. Add the Castile Soap. Add HOT Water


Mirror Cleaner/Air Freshener
1 1/2 cups of vinegar
1/2 cup water
8 drops of essential oil 
Mix in a spray bottle.


And, last but not least is my most recent project. This is an air freshener/deodorizer. Perfect for dorm-sized rooms and bathrooms!
It's super easy. 
Put 1/2 cup of baking soda in a small mason jar
Add 10-15 drops essential oil
I made two -- one with peppermint and eucalyptus oil
and one with lemongrass and clove oil.
Take out the center part of the lid and cut a piece of
craft paper the same size. 
Fasten the jar with the craft paper in the lid
and poke holes in the paper with a needle.
I had my doubts about this idea when I saw it.
But, it actually works! 
I put one in our bathroom and one in my bedroom
just a few days ago, and they both make the rooms
smell really good. 
I'm planning to get some lavender oil before I move 
into my dorm. 


 “Truly creative people care a little about what they have done, and a lot about what they are doing. Their driving focus is the life force that surges in them now.” — Alan Cohen

"Gardening is Cheaper than Therapy and You Get Tomatoes."

That just about sums it up.

My garden is thriving,

as is my soul.

There's something that just feels so right

about planting a seed in the ground

and watering it

and watching it grow into something

that can sustain you.

It's almost as if...

that's the way God planned it all to be.

It's almost like we were meant to eat the food

that comes straight out of the ground.

It just makes sense.

That God

...He was a smart fellow. 

Here's a little update on how my garden is growing: 

My tomatoes are beasting it out. They're pretty much killing it out there. It took me a bit to figure out just how much water they liked, but once I got to know them pretty well, they started producing beautiful little fruit for me. I have twelve tomato plants, which will make for some awesome salsa-making! My family is getting pretty anxious for these babies to ripen.

 My lettuce failed to grow in the garden. I determined it was from too much sun. My garden gets direct sunlight all day, and that sun has been HOT this summer. I've read that lettuce is sometimes a little picky about its sun. So, I replanted about two weeks ago in window boxes. I give them morning and early afternoon sunlight, and evening shade. They seem to be doing just peachy! It's all a learning experience.

I spent a good four hours the other day ridding my precious garden of killer weeds. It was a lot of work. Probably my least favorite part of the process so far. But, I would say it's worth it. Plus, it is so good to work with my hands. Productivity is delightful, and brings glory to God.


I harvested my first batch of spinach last week, and another batch today for my lovely grandmother. This is the first fruit of my labor that I have been able to consume! It's quite delicious, I'd say. Fresh fresh fresh. So much more flavor than store-bought leafy greens. It's like I had never tasted real spinach until now. I've been enjoying some brightly colored salads this week.

Zucchini and cucumbers are growing rapidly. They seem healthy. We're just waiting ever-so-patiently for some produce from those guys. My mom convinced me to plant some more peppers, so I have five now, all growing at different rates. They don't care for the heat of the sun much, as they wilt most afternoons. But they always perk back up, so I'm trusting in their health. Dill and cilantro are doing well, while parsley and basil seem to be pretty sparse. Oh well. I can't have it all my first year!
We've been throwing all of our fruit peels, cores, etc. in the garden instead of the trash lately. And, since we've all been healthifying our bodies this summer, we eat lots of fresh fruit! It feels resourceful, and gives my plants some yummy nutrients.
Something has been eating my green beans. I mixed up an all natural pesticide and it seems to have helped some. I will post the recipe for that soon.
All other plants not mentioned = thriving! Praise God for growing food!

 "As a gardener, I'm among those who believe that much of the evidence of God's existence has been planted."

~Robert Brault

Sweet Deal!

Oh boy, have I got a deal for you!

My brother told me about this super skeptical sounding deal a while back.

A free pair of glasses.

So, being the sucker I am, I jumped on it!

And turns out it worked. No loopholes, no fine print.

Just a straight up pair of free glasses.

And how could I benefit from this sweet deal without sharing it with you, 

my faithful reader?

So here's how it works:

Go to your eye doctor and in your sweetest, most innocent voice

request a copy of your prescription numbers.

(Sometimes they don't love doing this, since it implies you are taking your

 business elsewhere. But they should give it to you.)

Then, take said prescription numbers and go to

www.coastal.com.

Here, you will see a large advertisement reading

"First Pair Free!"

Click on this and browse through hundreds

of pairs of attractive glasses

for your lovely face.

Enter your prescription numbers, 

give 'em your shipping address,

and there you have it!

I received my glasses today and I love them!

Note: I did end up paying a total of $12.00 for shipping.

But I thought it was totally worth it. 

I mean...free glasses, just pay a little shipping? 

I'm in. 

 "If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." --John Bingham

That's right. I'm a runner. I run.
In the midst of implementing a healthier-me lifestyle this summer, I decided to take a leap of faith and start a running routine.

A little pre-run stretch. Here you will see me sporting some
unfortunate spandex shorts and a sweat-resistant tank.
Bring it on.

For those of you who know me, you'll understand why this is such a big deal. I'm never been what I'd call a ...supporter...of running. It is something I would normally try to avoid at all costs. I recall playing with a bunch of children at a vacation bible school a few years ago and trying to convince them that I simply didn't know how to run. My mother never taught me, I told them.
While that was obviously not true, it is true that running has never been my cup of tea, especially after I broke my foot last semester. With that, I pretty much retired from all possible running.

Went all out and bought myself a pair of Nike
running shoes. They are serving me quite well.

But, alas, summer has come, and my mindset has been renewed. It's time to do something I never thought I could do. So I got online and did some research on how to start running when you've never ran a significant distance in your life. I spent my birthday money on some snazzy running gear, to convince myself that I'm in it to win it. And, I made myself an 8-week running schedule, which gradually increases my running time. No turning back now.

Today begins week two of my program. At the end of my eight weeks (beginning of August), I plant to participate in a 5k race! While I seems like I have a lot of work to do to get to that point, I've already decided that I CAN do it, and I'm pretty stoked about this experience. In the mean time, I'm working on convincing my friend Brooke to join me in this adventure and 5k it up with me!

iPod armband = hands-free running

I run three days a week -- Monday, Wednesday, Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursday I do cross-training, which is anything but running -- yoga, weights, core, etc. And I almost always throw in a couple of bike rides with my sister, Megan. We've been building our biking endurance, topping it off at 7 miles so far...and the summer has only just begun! I'm so glad I have her as a partner in this. We're able to push each other and encourage each other.
 

What in the world have I gotten myself into?

I've lost eleven pounds so far this summer, which I'm pretty enthused about, seeing that my summer goal was fifteen pounds. But more than losing weight, I'm really just focusing these three months on getting my body healthy. College does something awful to the human body, and I'm ready to correct what I did to myself last year.
My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. This temporary shell I've been given was created by God, and I want to glorify Him with it in every way. If I was doing all of this sweating, stretching, and pushing myself only for the sake of me, I wouldn't have made it past day one! To God be the glory for all that I am able to do -- which is not from my own strength.

 Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men. –Col 3:23

Exciting News!

Oh, what exciting news I have to share with you!

I've been waiting ever-so-patiently by the mail box these last few weeks. Today, I finally received a letter from Blessing the Children International, congratulating me on my acceptance to a six week missions trip next summer in Ethiopia!

Praise God!

If you have followed me at all this past year, I'm sure you have been aware of my longing to return to my lovely family in Ethiopia. The relations I built there last summer were incredible. I have been able to stay connected with social workers and friends via letter-writing. I also decided to begin sponsoring one of the children I met there, Nati. As I have corresponded with him this year, I have desired to be with him so much -- especially through his serious health issues. Fekerite -- a deaf child in the orphanage, has been learning sign language since I left, and I can't wait to visit her and see her new communication skills! I am praising God for this opportunity to return to Ethiopia and be reunited with my friends, family, and children there. It is truly an answer to prayer. 

I don't know a lot of details yet about my trip, but here is what I do know:

I will be leaving in May of 2013 for Debre Zeit, Ethiopia. This is the exact same place Lindsey and I went last summer for two weeks. 

I will be living in a guesthouse and (hopefully) joining a team of other missionaries there. 

One of my main focuses during the trip will be working side-by-side with Ethiopian social workers -- going on home visits, planning church activity days, and working at the orphanage.

I will be enrolled in an Amharic class -- the language of Ethiopia, to sharpen my communication skills during my month-and-a-half stay. 

Ethiopia 2011

I will have the opportunity to teach Sunday school lessons, plan games and crafts, pray with broken families, and discover and serve even more in this country that I fell in love with.

My estimated fundraising goal for this trip is $4,500. While I may have shaken my head at that number a year ago, I now take it with ease, knowing God will provide. He always does. Last summer my sister and I raised over $7,000 for our trip, and God never let us down. 

I look forward to spending this next year planning for my trip to Ethiopia.

Please prayerfully consider supporting me on this mission God has called me to. 

I will post more about donation information soon. 

Also, start going through your kid's closets! If you are doing some cleaning and need somewhere to take your old clothes, shoes, etc., I will be collecting and packing as many donations as I can possibly squeeze into my suitcases!

And more than anything, pray.
Pray pray pray. 

Pray for God's will to be done in this entire adventure. 

"The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful." James 5:16

I look forward to sharing this experience with you over the next year as I prepare for six weeks in Africa. Stay tuned for any new bit of information I get.

Plans for the Sunny Days

Alright Dear Reader, let us talk about summer time!
I'm pretty stoked about this summer, to be completely honest. I get to hang out at home with my family and also get a lot of stuff done. I've managed to accumulate a pretty healthy list of lovely summer activities/goals, which I would love to share with you!

So here's what's up this summer.

Physical: All of this talk about the dreaded "freshman fifteen" is NOT a joke. That's serious business. I have actually managed to gain exactly fifteen pounds over the school year -- I'm pretty impressive like that. So, this summer, health is one of my main goals.

• My mom and sisters are already on weight watchers, so it's been pretty easy for me to slip right in there with them. My favorite thing about weight watchers is that it's not a diet plan, it's really just maintaining healthy eating habits. I've been cutting out most sugar and definitely that high-fructose corn syrup! Since I gave up drinking soda when  I started school, I'm only drinking water now -- which I find to be quite refreshing. Fresh fruits and vegetables are where it's at when it comes to nutrition and flavor. It's like God knew what he was doing when he made food for us. 
• I'm working hard at staying active. Between walking, jogging, biking, yoga, and pilates, my body is definitely feeling the burn. But, I really love it! It feels so good to get up in the morning and go for a walk, or go for an evening bike ride with my sister. I've been trying to get in both a morning and evening workout 5 days a week. Since it's summer, I have the blessing of choosing what I want to do each day. So, staying active it is! (My dog is also benefiting immensely from my morning walks.)
• At the one week mark, I had lost six pounds already! That was pretty sweet. Although I'm trying to keep my focus on becoming healthy as opposed to losing weight, those six pounds were a totally welcomed pay-off. By the end of the summer, those freshman fifteen will be long gone.

Spiritual: After being a part of such a Spirit-filled year at school, it is uber important that I continue growing in Christ during this break. To remain stagnant would be a shame, a definite disruption to our rapidly growing campus ministry. Here are some of the thing I'm doing to stay in touch with God this summer.

• Bible Reading Plan -- before school ended I made up a nice little daily Bible reading plan for myself and 5 or 6 of my lovely Christian sisters. We're each reading the same scripture each day, and we're video chatting on Saturday's to talk about what we've been learning. This not only keeps me accountable to spend time in the Word everyday, but it keeps me accountable to continue growing closer to my Christian friends as we prepare to lead a campus ministry together next semester. 
• I'm attending a small group in Macomb this summer for college students. It is a branch of one of the larger campus ministries I was a part of last year. Our group meets weekly in our pastor's home to study the word, fellowship, and be in prayer for one another. We are studying a book called "Weird" by Craig Groeschel. It discusses certain actions and thoughts that are accepted as normal in our Americana society, yet are not acceptable when lined up with Biblical truth. I've only read one chapter so far, but I'm definitely intrigued so far. And as a bonus, my sister Megan and my lovely friend Sarah are both joining me!
• Along with our Bible Reading Plan, my accountability group from school is also reading the book "Not a Fan" by Kyle Idleman this summer. It's about moving from being an enthusiastic admirer of Christ to a devoted follower. I'm loving this one as well. God has a lot of teaching planned this summer, and I'm super excited to continue growing.
• Also, all of this walking and bike riding around town is giving me some wonderful prayer/worship time with God.

Relational/Mental: 

• I would love to get in contact with some of my high school friends this summer -- especially the ones who are going to the same college as I am! 
• I'm investing specifically in a couple of younger girls this summer. At school this past semester I learned a lot about the concept of discipling. The Bible talks about staying accountable to one another, teaching one another, and encouraging one another in our walks with Christ. I will be meeting weekly with a couple of girls to do Bible study and just talk about life. I'm really looking forward to this. I know I will learn a lot through it, and it will definitely help equip me to start investing in freshmen at school next year.
• I have at least one, maybe two girls whom I am going to be teaching Sign Language to this summer. This is something I'm really excited about. It will help me stay fresh in my signing, and will also give me the awesome opportunity to teach and build new relationships.
• Spending less time in front of the T.V./computer are goals for the next few months. I have many more amazing things to spend my time on than staring at screens. 

Other Goals/Plans:

• Work on learning Amharic (the language of Ethiopia)
• Work toward getting my beautiful Ethiopian boy, Nati, to America to have heart surgery 
• Get back on a horse -- boy do I miss riding!
• Learn to knit. 
• Gardening! (see previous post)
• Read a Jane Austen book
• Enthusiastically attending Cornerstone Festival's last summer
• Teaching four children's summer school classes at Carl Sandburg College in Carthage ($$)
• Make my own laundry detergent and fabric softener (and maybe work on a few other homemade products as well)
• Create a handful of worthwhile crafting projects.
• Spend a weekend in the Quad Cities with my oldest sister, watching the office, playing Wii, and accompanying her to get a tattoo.
• Make and can salsa and pickles
• Look into being a part of Peoria's Church for the Deaf

I look forward to sharing this summer with you and keeping you up to date on all of the wonderful happenings! To God be the glory for the lovely summer which lies ahead. 

Rejoice, young man, while you are young,
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
And walk in the ways of your heart
and in the sight of your eyes; 
but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment.
¹⁰ Remove sorrow from your heart,
and put away pain from your flesh, 
because youth and the prime of life are fleeting

--Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

Growing for God

This summer I've set my heart on a new project -- a garden!

I've never gardened before, and I really don't know much about it, but I've been doing a lot of research and I'm excited to see what comes of it.

Yesterday, a family friend came and tilled up my yard for FREE. That was a definite blessing, as we were looking at paying others up to $100 to do it. 

With that done, my dad and I set to planting early in the evening, after the sun had gone down.

I've been collecting plants and seeds over the month and had quite a variety to experiment with. 

My first plant going in the ground!

I've heard first year soil can sometimes be a little tricky, especially with weeds, so I'll be putting a lot of work into that. I'm really looking forward to it though. 
I love working with my hands and keeping myself busy. 
I especially love doing something that can produce tangible fruit! Hopefully this is something I will be able to keep up in the years to come. 

I also feel that God has totally called us to work diligently and work for Him. I'm excited to allow him to use this process to draw me closer to Him and His creation.

Daddy is working hard. Thank God for him helping me out.

Benefits of gardening: 
It's a money saver! Fresh produce is expensive.
I know what chemicals are going into my food.
Having an abundance of fresh vegetables and herbs will help me stay healthy over the summer.
It gives me something productive to do.
Learning a new skill that will be useful for a lifetime.
Yummy meals with the freshest food.
Working with hands = awesome. Another area of my life to serve God in. Hopefully I will yield enough fruit to be able to share with friends and family!

It amazes me how these little seeds can actually produce amazing food!

Green Beans. Dirty hands.

So -- this year's garden consists of the following: tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, zucchini, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, onions, and a patch of herbs which I am particularly excited about -- parsley, cilantro, basil, dill!


My plans are to can salsa and make pickles as soon as my garden starts producing! 

Water brings life.

I'm going to be learning a lot through this laborious process over the next few months, and I am so looking forward to it. You never know what God can teach someone through a task as common as gardening. 


Keep an eye out for updates on how my garden is growing! 

This is only just the beginning.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. 
Colossians 3:23