It's a Jen's Life...

Life has been absolutely, absolutely, absolutely (is more than one absolutely unnecessary, since it's absolute?) nuts.  Crazy, I tell you.  [thinks for a minute] My life has been crazy for two years.  It wasn't this crazy before...whatever happened, it became my lot in life.  Maybe life isn't so busy, as much as my mind is.  Ever feel like that?  There's a whole lot more going on inside there than there is outside.

No, really, there is! :)

I've been praying about some direction with the Swat girls, and I believe we're gonna start this...

Elizabeth George's A Young Woman After God's Own Heart.  My cousin Rebekah gave me this book when I was around 16, and it was such a critical blessing in my spiritual life.  Elizabeth talks to you like she's your best friend, and her musings are FULL of wisdom/Scripture/stories on foundational things like: prayer, the Word, our love-life with Christ, guys (hard subject, there!), and just having a heart that is inclined to her Savior.  I've used it for lessons and given it as gifts many times cause I loved it so much. :)  She has A Woman After God's Own Heart as well--I'd like to check that out sometime.

The family went to the water/theme park, Holiday World, this week (all ten of us!)--got sunburned, got exhausted, got some REALLY needed family time.  My little brother Caleb is definitely my hero...that almost-nine-year-old-and-very-unadventurous-boy rode every single roller coaster...even The Voyage, which is one of the world's largest wooden coasters, and was featured on Travel Channel's Extreme Terror Rides 2 Death-Defying Drops: The World's Scariest Summits and Plummets...oh yes.  MY brother went on it THREE times.  I have the official picture.  You know, the unattractive ones they take of you as you've volunteered to basically skydive in a wooden cart...and charge you $10 a pop for.  Yep that one.

In the middle of all the craziness, I'm trying to pull my hair out be still.  Because busyness in my mind means I have a hard time focusing, getting things done, and being efficient.  Be still.  When Israel was crazy-busy with things that took their focus, God spoke, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength..."  Such gooood words.  Repentence (for loss of focus/idolotry), REST, Quietness, Trust.  Mmmm.  Israel wouldn't have any of it...but I sure do. :)

Back in APRIL, Chloe gave me the Beautiful Blogger award, yay!  I have just had a time with these 7 interesting things...but here we go...

1. 
   
   I am exactly 1/8 full Cherokee Native American, 1/8 Spaniard (from Spain) and alot of everything else.  I could have received free college because of my Native American heritage...BUT...my great-great grandfather was onery.  How?  On the reservation, he would shoot the clay water jars off the women's heads, drenching them.  One of the husbands wasn't happy, and they had a draw.  My Grandpa won, but since he killed a man, he fled the reservation to Mexico.  Changed his name and we have no documented proof.  Oh wells.  Interesting fact though, right? :)
2. 
   
   I am dense.  I lost my sarcasm meter somewhere recently, and I've needed every joke explained.  Unfortunate fact.
3. 
   
   Music.  I love to play guitar, listen to the radio, sing, (I have my Grooveshark playlist going now).
4. 
   
   I LOVE the color blue.  In all hues, it's fantastic.
5. 
   
   Parables, analogies and word pictures make me happy.  They explain deep things so much better.
6. 
   
   It really takes alot for me to be angry.  But lately, self-righteousness/arrogance (expecially if I realize it in myself) makes my blood boil.  I'm trying to work on that.
7. 
   
   I love tortillas, and I will eat very-nearly anything in them.  Anything.

The Beautiful (inside and out) Bloggers I award are:

Jen:  My sweet RanchGirl friend I've known since I was TWELVE!  I answered her pen pal request, which quickly turned to emailing and chatting all the time, which turned to telephone convos, etc.  She's a beautiful blogger, Mama, wife, friend (and has a cool name too). :)

&

Sara: Ironically, Jen's sister!  A beautiful young lady with a heart for foreign missions and a spectacular sense of humor. <3

The end.

P.S. Stay tuned. Once I have Africa pictures to share, instead of posting it all in one gi-normous post (cause there's ALOT), I will post small entries that expound on highlights. :)