Encore: relaxing massage?

In the coming weeks, I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts from the past six years on this blog. Yes, I have had this blog for nearly SIX years! I have revisited some of these posts lately. It is interesting to me how much life has changed. For those who are new around here, it will give you a glimpse of the journey. I am calling this series "Encore." If you'd like, you can vote on your favorites.

Best of 2007

Here is one of the nominees from May 2007. My recent trip to China was not the first for my dad and I. We had been there before, together. This was the most prominent memory from that first trip - we still talk about the night he came back with all the welts on his back.


Fiona and I decided to go to hot yoga tonight. Bob didn't want to stay home, he wanted to get out and do something. There is a massage parlor not far from the yoga place. Bob thought a relaxing foot massage would be nice. The driver dropped us in between and we went our seperate ways.

At the end of yoga we met up with him at the car and asked him about the massage. He said, "I don't speak Chinese." Obviously something was lost in translation because this photo shows the result of his relaxing foot massage. Yikes! There are 24 of these red, inflamed bumps on his back. He described them as "tender." Personally, I don't know how he's going to sleep tonight. I imagine it is uncomfortable to lay on your back, or even have the blankets touching the skin.

I guess they use these suction cups and fire to make these bumps. It's supposedly cleansing. Helen, one of Fiona's friends, said her husband did it and he has a hairy back. His result was much worse as it involved the smell of burnt hair. Would you like a relaxing Chinese massage?

Encore: Surprise! Marriage proposal.

In the coming weeks, I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts from the past six years on this blog. Yes, I have had this blog for nearly SIX years! I have revisited some of these posts lately. It is interesting to me how much life has changed. For those who are new around here, it will give you a glimpse of the journey. I am calling this series "Encore." If you'd like, you can vote on your favorites.

Best of 2007

Here is one of the nominees from April 2007. Marriage was not the BIG dream growing in my heart. My dream was about living overseas. Serving in the developing world. Turning my passion in to my vocation. Accepting Kenyon's proposal of marriage was about having a companion to join me on the adventure.

Its official, he proposed. And I accepted. He actually asked me three times, once for every ring. It was awesome! I came in blindfolded, he had a whole set-up, including an audience. When the blindfold came off, I saw all the people who were there to celebrate with us. My mom, aunt Carmen and aunt Gloria flew in from New Mexico for the event. What a surprise that was! They were the first thing I saw when the blindfold was removed. When the proposal was complete, it was sealed with a prayer and blessing by the group and Pastor Jones (Kenyon calls him Dad). Everyone said it felt like a wedding (minus the actual license). I felt so loved by all of those in attendance, and especially by my man for all his hard work. I'm a lucky girl! I told you I'd let you know when it happened...well, it happened. Now on to the weddings (that's right, there will be more than one on two different continents) and receptions (that's right, there will be more than one of those, too). Let the celebrations begin!

Encore: Dreams

In the coming weeks, I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts from the past six years on this blog. Yes, I have had this blog for nearly SIX years! I have revisited some of these posts lately. It is interesting to me how much life has changed. For those who are new around here, it will give you a glimpse of the journey. I am calling this series "Encore." If you'd like, you can vote on your favorites.


Best of 2007
Here is one of the nominees from March 2007. This was a time in life when I was dreaming BIG dreams. I was looking beyond India, beyond the horizon, and out in to the great, big world. Wondering about the possibilities and believing that something amazing was just around the corner. 


I've been thinking a lot about dreams lately. Not the kind of dreams you have when you are sleeping (I don't ever remember those anyway), but the kind you have in waking hours. The stuff that gets your heart pumping and your feet moving. When I graduated with my Master's degree I threw a big party, one of the attendees gave me a book called, "The Dream Giver." I'd never been fond of the author, but I read it anyway. It was a book and I like to read. It turned out to be life changing. The Dream Giver (God) has given every Nobody (us) a big dream (a purpose). I believe that to the core of my being. God put each of us on earth to fulfill a purpose. In the story, a Nobody named Ordinary goes on an adventure to pursue his big dream and overcomes many obstacles along the way; it is a journey of faith, ambition, and hope. These days I feel a lot like Ordinary. I have a big dream stirring in my soul with few details to go on and plenty of obstacles to overcome. I wish we all had Paul's Damascus road experience where God comes down in a light, stops us in our tracks and says, "here's what I want from you." That hasn't ever happened in my life. Rather, I'm given little hints, quite promptings, guidance that seems to come in whispers. It takes tremendous faith to take the next step.

The journey toward my big dream began on my first trip to India. That step of faith produced the start of an orphanage, delivery of medical supplies for a clinic that helps thousands and will likely grow in to a hospital/clinic in the next five years, a leadership/pastor training institute, and visits to the other side of the world leading groups at least twice per year. That's huge! Many of you probably think this is the destination of my big dream, but its not. I feel a stirring in my soul that it is just the start of something bigger (isn't that scary!). There are days when I want a normal life and a normal job, but I'm not cut from that mold and know that in the end I would feel imprisoned by that choice. I recently read the following story and found it inspiring. I thought I'd share...

Dreams

Knowing when to keep pursuing a dream and when to accept an alteration to your dream is not always an easy task. Jack Canfield tells about a young high school student whose father was a horse trainer. Because the family had to follow the horseracing season, the young boy was required to change schools throughout the year. During his senior year, he was asked to write a paper about what his dreams for the future were. The paper described his dream of owning a 200-acre horse ranch with stables, tracks and a 4,000-square-foot home. He even drew a diagram of the property and the design of his house. Two days after he had turned in his paper, it was returned to him with an "F" on the front and a note to see the teacher. After class, the teacher explained to the boy that his dream was "unrealistic." The teacher said that if the boy rewrote the paper with a much more realistic dream, he would reconsider the grade. The boy went home and asked his father what to do. "It's your decision," said the father. The boy kept the paper for a week and then returned it to his teacher after class. "Here," the boy said, "you can keep the 'F' and I'll keep my dream."

Encore: Valentine's Elf?

In the coming weeks, I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts from the past six years on this blog. Yes, I have had this blog for nearly SIX years! I have revisited some of these posts lately. It is interesting to me how much life has changed. For those who are new around here, it will give you a glimpse of the journey. I am calling this series "Encore." If you'd like, you can vote on your favorites.


Best of 2007
Here is one of the nominees from February 2007. Some traditions die hard. The Valentine's Elf lives on and has made appearances in various US locations as well as overseas. However, I still haven't decided on a costume.


What might a Valentine's elf look like? I'm taking suggestions, because I think I'm going to wear a costume next year while I deliver v-day gifts to single women. This year, at one of the offices I visited a co-worker of one of the delivery reciepients said, "She's back. The Valentine's elf comes every year." Imagine an office full of people working and the Valeninte's elf walks in. Just so you know, I refuse to wear an adult diaper like cupid. I don't think that is an appropriate v-day elf costume. What's your vision of the Valentine's elf? I'd love to hear about it.

This year I couldn't afford flowers, so instead I delivered conversational hearts. I found some that were written in Spanish. Cool! I had a great time keeping my tradition as the holiday delivery person. I'm already looking forward to it next year. What's great is that many of the women have come to anticipate it. One single mom said, "I woke up this morning and wondered if you'd show up." Of course! I love that she anticipated it. It gives her something to look forward to, rather than think about what she is missing out on. At another office where I visited a single gal whose never been married, but would really like to be I found her empty desk so I left a note and the gift. As I was leaving I saw her in the hall talking with a co-worker. I said, "I left something on your desk." She walked off with a smile and a pep in her step. The co-worker told me they were just talking about how much she hates this holiday because it makes her feel lonely. What timing!

I hope you know how special you are, even if you don't have a special someone to recognize it.

Encore: My favorite place on earth

In the coming weeks, I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts from the past six years on this blog. Yes, I have had this blog for nearly SIX years! I have revisited some of these posts lately. It is interesting to me how much life has changed. For those who are new around here, it will give you a glimpse of the journey. I am calling this series "Encore." If you'd like, you can vote on your favorites.


Best of 2007
Here is one of the nominees from January 2007. India remained my passion. Kenyon and I continued dating. I was a full-blown PhD student -  I kindly refer to those years as "self-imposed torture."


I decided on this recent trip to India that Light of Love Children's home is my favorite place on earth. I love the people. I love the climate. It is said that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, but its not - the happiest place is with the children in Tuni.

On this trip I taught the 400+ children to say "I love you" in American sign language. It was overwhelming to receive that message in return. It was great to walk to the campus and be able to tell children up close or from a distance, "I love you." On my first trip a few years ago the children were uncomfortable receiving hugs, now hugs and kisses are the norm and we have progressed to saying these precious words.

I am part of a very large family in India. To some I am "sister," to some I am "mommy," to all I am "friend." What an amazing gift to be part of such a large and loving family!