#NWFBWA, Day 3

  Today, was a long day of driving...lots of it. When I initially looked at the GPS, it said 13 hours PLUS! My, My, My. Yesterday, or maybe the day before, we had talked about me driving most of the trip, because I love driving, and as Jeanne pointed out last night, I get bored when not behind the wheel. After being up 'til 12 last night, and my alarm going off at 5:15, I was still tired as we began to drive. Jasmine and Annalisa ended up driving for about four hours, and then I got back behind the wheel.

  We drove through west Texas today....exciting. The closer we came to the desert, the more beautiful it became. For awhile, it was a game of counting oil pumps in my head. As we came further west, and closer to the border, I was hoping we could see a Mexican in a bush, waiting for his freedom ticket...no luck. We stopped to pump gas, and met Ernie and Juan, men with stories, and advice.

Chico's tacos...kinda like taquitos with soup. ;)

  We stopped for dinner in El Paso at Chico's Tacos...the one listed on top in a food blog we read. On top...yes, my favorite...no, I still lean towards a fresh fish taco on the beach in FL, or in CA, like I can look forward to soon. After leaving El Paso, we drove through my first Border Patrol station...no, not into Mexico, just on I-10W. We passed, and it was non-climactic, as we had hoped to be able to write elaborately about it in our travel journal.

  One thing we did get to write about was our encounter with a Border Patrol officer about 30 minutes later...Jesse.We had pulled off the highway onto a dirt road so that I could find my geocache for the state of New Mexico, and we all needed to use the facilities...which were right next to the car on this stop. After I came back from finding my cache, I took my turn and as I was finishing Jasmine said there was a car approaching. Ciarra and I quickly hopped into the car, and I pulled forward to unclog the narrow way. It was when red and blue lights flashed that we realized who it was...Border Patrol. I pulled up to the truck of the officer, Jesse, and he asked if we were lost. I began to explain that I was geocaching, and in my description, which most people usually do not understand, I asked him if I could show him. He accepted my offer. I pulled back to the cache, got out, showed him where the cache was, and probably looked and sounded really ridiculous trying to do so. We ended up talking to him for a few minutes, explaining our trip, before we continued on our way...with another fun story for our journal.

  Ciarra has done an incredible job being the scribe for our trip thus far, and has even been drawing parts that need that special touch. I can't wait to look back at it as we end our trip in eleven days.

  Tonight, we are SO BLESSED, and sleeping in soft hotel beds, thanks to Jasmine's dad, in Wilcox, AZ. We will continue tomorrow to Tempe, and will spend three nights in the home of my mother, celebrating her school graduation, as well as Angela's, my sister. She is the reason this whole trip even came about, and I cannot wait to celebrate her school achievements and spend time in one of my favorite places, with my family.

  Please pray for our continued safety, and for relationships to be grown, with the love of Christ. Thanks for thinking of us!

Good Night.

  Charli

#NWFBWA, Day 1 & 2

 

Leaving Niceville, Monday morning...

So if I haven't had the pleasure of enlightening you on my life, as of late, or you are not socially connected online to keep up, I am currently sitting in Round Rock, TX(No, I did not move), ending day 2 of a 14 day road trip that I am taking with three friends.

  It sunk in as I woke at 4:30a this morning, that this trip is actually happening, but the two months to think before it happened were not really productive...until I landed in Florida on the 1st of May. What originally started as a trip to be taken with my friend Annalisa and I, has turned into a trip with Annalisa, Jasmine, and Ciarra...all three girls I met at Kanakuk. What started as a trip from FL to AZ, for my sister's graduation, and then to kamp...with some hiking mixed in, has become a trip traveling through 16 different states, still including my sister's graduation, and still ending at kamp.

  Here is a map of our general route and of our tentative stops. Already, we have traveled on different roads, and stopped in different places. On my first night in Florida before this trip, we sat down to talk through most of the trip, but still left some days and stops up for flexibility, fun, and any fit adventure. I will be posting pictures on my Instagram and Twitter along the way, using this blog, and those outlets, to hopefully keep my Facebook from being clogged with too many pictures.

 Thus far it has been fun, on Day 1, we ended up leaving Niceville almost four hours later than planned, in a vehicle twice the size of the one we planned to take. I began driving, and will drive for most of the trip, across FL, AL, MS, LA, and TX, until we arrived last night in the Big Thicket National Preserve, where we hung our hammocks and crawled into sleep. Personally, I had an awful time getting to sleep, trying to avoid being extremely hot when covering my whole self with my sleeping bag, and being eaten by bugs when I did not.

  This morning, Day 2, I awoke after probably four hours of total sleep, at 4:30am. I spent time in the Word and fidgeted on my phone before falling asleep for another hour, in the car mind you. We finally got around at about 8am and headed to Austin, where we ventured down South Congress, and Jasmine got to visit with a college roommate who is from this area. We are staying tonight at the home of Larry and Jeanne Stehr, two longtime mentors and friends of mine, who moved to TX within this past year. They made dinner, medicated Annalisa, who is not feeling too well, and let us disrupt their normalcy for a night.

  Tomorrow morning we will rise, eat a World Famous Round Rock Donut, and head west for a full day of driving across TX. Please continue praying for our safety, energy, and well-being. I will update my blog again somewhere along the way. We do have a trip journal going with all of our adventures and hand-drawn pictures that we will be able to look back on for a laugh in the future.


  Charli

 

...that they may be life-giving

"...and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,  for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak."
  -Paul, Ephesians 6:19-20 ESV 

 This verse hit home when I read it today in a book, on emotions, I am studying with friends. I have read it over and over, since then, in many different translations, to try and decide how I should directly apply it to my life. I think the question to me is this, what life am I giving or not giving with the words that come out of my mouth, in the places that the Lord has put me? 
 I have found myself recently wrestling with myself at work when I am short with a coworker, or even with a customer(the one I am there to serve)! The words, tone, praise, direction, and replies coming out of my mouth should be loving, caring, and compassionate. Who knows what life I am hindering from springing forth when I have a snappy reply to a half awake customer who I am paid to service. Who cares if they forgot to tell me that they didn't want whipped cream on their mocha after I had sent it to be made. It is such an easy fix, as well as others, that I find myself hung up on as I continue to interact with the customer, in sometimes an un-like-me manner recently. I have the JOY of the Lord and I am not letting it shine! 
 I have applied so many of the examples and questions in this book to my barista job, since that is where the Lord has me, interacting the most of the general public. It is so easy to be "life-giving" in our friend relationships, and when you don't it is something that can be corrected later in the time after time that you see them. But in my job I may never see each customer again, and I want them to see a light and a joy that IS mysterious and stems from the only truly life-giving Gospel of the One who can save their soul. 

 Please pray that I am joyfully serving those that the Lord has given me to serve, in and out of my daily job. I am the Gospel to these people. I have a hefty job. We have a hefty job as christians. Good thing we do not do it of our own accord! 

What kind of life are you giving with the words that you speak?

-Charli

Homecoming=Over-stimulation

  I attended my first "function" this evening since I have come back to the city. I have spent the last four days in my house, with the kids I nanny, and have only gone to do things by myself. I considered it my "resting time" after kamp. Tonight though, some girls from our church got together for a girl's night! Girl's nights are always a fun thing, involving food, games, and chatting with the people I want to most intentionally know. Thankfully, God has not placed me in a bubble where girls night includes atypical "girly" things, like spa treatments, cucumber eyes, and other sorts of pampering. If you know me, I don't really know how to pamper myself, and would rather just chat and play games. All of this to say, tonight was an interesting night for sure!

 In explanation....
I feel like most people would put a check next to the box that includes words like loud, outgoing, outspoken, and funny(in the "she doesn't really think about the things she says" kind-of way.), if they were asked to describe me by choosing words from a given list. I am these things...usually. I really crave those small group settings though, and one-on-one time where I get to know people and hear their heart. I love these times! I want people to know me, and I want to know them! I want our friendship to be used for His glory! By no way am I saying that in large group settings intentional conversations cannot happen, bringing him glory...but I am trying to say that I feel like I cannot have the conversations I want to have, comfortably, in group settings where my mind is wondering, "what is he laughing about?!", "what are they doing?", and all of the other things my mind bounces to. <<largest run-on ever

 In more explanation...
Most people here in the city I have not seen, or talked to in three months! These people were part of my daily life in the spring. I knew how they were doing on a deeper than surface level. If that wasn't the case, I was getting to know them and they were someone that I hung out with regularly. Then summer...three months!

 Even more...
A handful of these girls were at the girls night tonight. I was really excited to be seeing them! I walked into my friends home who was hosting, and my mind started hurting in no less than three minutes. I didn't know what to do. There were so many things that I wanted to talk to each girl about! I wanted to sit in the corner with each of them and pry their minds on the three months of their lives I had missed. I began to feel very overwhelmed. I wanted to ask each girl a different question. I wanted to give each of them my attention. I wanted to act like the bubbly person I am, but sometimes think that my kamp person and home person are different. Kamp=krazy! Home=less-er krazy! I wanted to do this and that. I really didn't know how to feel, how to act, or what to say. I am feeling my mind go crazy even now, just thinking about this evening.

 It turned out to be a very pleasant evening, obviously, filled with food, a game that I did not like(and not just because I was bad), and a Chiefs game. It was a fun girls night. I am thankful for the girls. I just have come to think about how this small setting made my mind go crazy, and tomorrow I am actually going to church for the first time. Oh my! I love my church. I love the people that make up the church body at The Cause. I just am nervous for...I will see so many people, the ones I have not seen in three months. I want to catch up. There are just so many places to start, and talk about, and figure out, and learn. I want to answer the question that begins every conversation, "HOW WAS KAMP?"...but where do I start, and how much do they really want to hear?!

 My mind has been at ease since I arrived at home, making lists of what I can do to make sure I am being intentional with every friendship that I am needing to catch up on. Pray that I follow through with these things! Please?! My life is back in full swing this week, with school, Starbucks, church, nannying, and my other various commitments. I want the Lord's hand to be leading each step I am taking, and sometimes think I try to take control when I think everything has to be done at once.

 I am so excited for what the Lord has after returning home from kamp. I can't see all that He has planned, nor should I need to, but am expectant, and excited for this year. He has blessed me immensely. I miss kamp life, but am grateful for what KC has to offer.

What situations over stimulate your mind?!

He is Good.

I promised last summer when I started my blog, that I would be faithful to write on it. We can see where that promise went, but since it is still here and I constantly think of things that I "want to blog"...I will now. This year has been anything but easy and everything chaotic. But, as is known, in the middle of all the chaos, He has still taken care of me and given me peace. I'll just list a few highlights/lowlights.


1. I currently am sitting in my bedroom. This is the 3rd bedroom I have had in the 9 months I have been in KC. When I go to kamp in May, I'll leave this one behind and come back to a new one in August.

This is where I am now. Cutest house ever.

2. I bought a car! Yay! My sweet friend Kalina sold me her old old 1989 Buick Century for cheap cheap. I named her Nura, drove her for two months, and then she got stolen. When Kalina had owned her this also happened, and I spent the money to fix her. She was mine for two months, and when she was recovered from being stolen, I decided to let her go, and put her to sleep for the final time.

3. I am back in school! No one believed me two and three years ago when I said I would go back to school. I am proving them wrong(humbly)...and in my second semester of being a really old undergrad student again. I love it. I do go to a rather shady community college, but it is my school home for now.

This is Jaime(R) and Rob. We met in our LC last semester and still keep in touch. This picture is from my birthday lunch.

 4. I have been blessed to have found a job that fits me well at Starbucks, and have met many inspiring people while working. As many people tell me, "I don't know a stranger"...and this job has given me a chance to make that true here in the city. Not that I will meet all multiple million people here, but my job has given me a chance to try. Our cafe is constantly filled with people of all nations and tribes. I feel as if my little Starbucks bubble is a place where Matthew 28:19 has it's home in KC for me.

5. Through my friendships at Starbucks, literally...I am a partner of the greatest local church body. I met the lead pastor, Kyle, at my register in Starbucks. He invited me to come to a service, which meets in the movie theater on the plaza, and when I finally gave in...I fell in love with the people I now call family at The Cause. In my two(honestly I don't know how long) months of attending The Cause, I have learned so much, and just last week I attended a great conference that affirmed that this body in KC was the one I am supposed to be part of.

6. My God is still good. I only add the "still" because I know that so many times over this year I have been the one to doubt his presence and direction on the life I have moved to here in the city. In the midst of struggle and pain, He has been the Rock...constant. In my lack of skill in the blogging world, I led up to a list that was to be amazing, telling details of my time so far in the city. I don't think that the list was amazing at all, but I wanted to make sure I ended with the only fact...my God is good, and has been so good to me during my time here...and is going to be good in my times to come. I have got into the habit of thanking Him for my life before I leave my bed in the morning, because without Him I would not be where I am. In my doubt, He is good. In my sin, He is good. In my weakness, He is good. In my triumph and goodness, He is the only good.

One more picture, of one of my favorite girls in the city....

BRI! Bri and I have lived in Bolivar, Springfield, and KC at the same time. At our carving party, we made sure everyone knew we loved and missed Springfield...but we're both loving the city now too. :)

-charli

reality. here. now.

Today is May 15, 2011.
I decided to move to KC on approximately, January 15, 2011.
I move my belongings to KC on May 18, 2011.
I move to kamp, for three months, on May 22, 2011.

1. Time has flown very rapidly since January. I feel like just yesterday it was January 1, and I was sitting in the Powers' home, only dreaming of moving to KC. Since then, I have made so many new friends here in Springfield, making it so much harder to move. I started a job in February, thinking it was going to be "just a job." It has been so much more.
      
2. I have not started packing yet. If you know me, you know I am a procrastinator. I have not moved cities since 2008...I don't think procrastinating is a good idea this time. Oh well!

3. The last month and a half have been such! a battle. My sinful and imperfect self is good at being convinced that living in Springfield is just easier, and would make sense. My Lord has a plan though, and assures me of it, even though I cannot see it. He has been SO faithful to show himself to me in the midst of my worrying, about not having things all ready to move, or about little things happening here. There is none better than He.

4. I am so bad at change! I don't do goodbye's well, and almost always am a little hesitant to step into a new "world." I said my first goodbye to Sharlotte Paradise, a little one I have been babysitting for four months, on Wednesday. That was the first check into the reality of this all. There are many more to happen soon, so pray that I am confident in them. I have many dear, dear friends in Springfield.

5. Whoa. It has been nine whole months, and it is time for kamp again! This is kind of hard to believe, but I am very excited. I have not seen some of my best friends in so long, and I know that their "side" hugs are going to feel phenomenal. I cannot wait to see familiar kid's faces, and I especially cannot wait to have a camera in my hand, capturing life for six weeks. I am so blessed to be a part of something so glorious!

...I planned for this to be very short. I just needed to release some emotion. Here it is.

Have a beautiful day!
       charli