Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Ramblings
Wow, I’m behind! Lots has been happening this summer and much more is planned. I’ll warn you up front, I have a feeling this post will be scattered. :)
Thus far this month I’ve been to a birthday celebration, a wedding, a graduation celebration, and my grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary party on top of working full time.
Vacation Bible School is next week and Lord willing I’ll be in Asia this time in 2 WEEKS!!
Yesterday was my last day at work. For a variety of reasons, I’ve made the decision not to work for the remainder of the summer. There’s a possibility of me going back in the beginning of August, but if not, I’ll start a new job at the end of August. It’s been a good 3 years there, but I feel my time is done. Grad school is a new chapter in my life and I’m ready for a new challenge. It was a tad bit sad walking out of the office for what possibly was the last time. I found myself thinking yesterday as I left that I was not the same person I walked into that office as 3 years ago when I was just starting my college career. God has certainly done a good work.
In all honesty, the decision to leave now was kind of forced on me because I decided to not take the class I was signed up for in Summer 2. I knew when I signed up for the Asia trip that I’d miss the first day of class, but I figured I’d work hard to catch up when I got back. Up until about 10 days ago, that plan remained. Well, I spoke with my professor and had a copy of the syllabus sent to me. I never expected to see an essay exam scheduled for the second class day over the first day’s material. Such information sent me into a tail-spin. What to do? Do I cancel the trip to Asia? (this option was quickly thrown off the table) Do I change my trip dates and leave Asia early? Do I ask someone to sit in class for me and study like a mad woman through jet-lagged eyes when I returned? Who would sit in a 3 hour and 45 minute class for me? Do I drop the class and thus quit my job? What would I do with the rest of my summer? Would I go crazy with that much time off? Since taking at least one class is required for the classification of job I held, would I be paid for the month of work I had already completed? Would this decision impact future semesters of work? Welcome to just some of the thoughts that flooded my mind. ;)
After gathering the necessary information to make a decision and lots of prayer, I decided that the Asia trip was staying as-is (I’m so thankful I wrote out my thoughts and prayers and how God was leading as I struggled through the decision of whether or not to go on this trip. Those very words were used as a re-confirmation in this decision) and I’d be off the rest of the summer.
One immediate benefit of that decision was that I was able to sign-up to work in VBS – something that school has prevented me from doing for the past several summers. I have no clue what I’ll be doing, but I signed up with a “wherever you need me” attitude. I trust God can use that.
I want to pass along several prayer requests for the Asia trip. OUR plans have recently been changed, but HIS certainly haven’t. I’m eager to see what He has in store as a result. I can’t go into a lot of details, but I will ask you to pray about the following things:
* Safety while traveling (both internationally and within the country)
* The country I’m going to is extremely nervous about foreigners bringing in the Swine Flu, so they’ll be taking the temperature of everyone on the plane before we get off. If someone’s temperature is elevated, they have the option of quarantining the entire plane. I, obviously, am praying this doesn’t happen, but if it does, I’m trusting that God has divine appointments orchestrated through this.
* The hearts of those I’ll come into contact with
* That I’d be attentive to the Holy Spirit and His leadings
* Boldness when sharing
* That above all, HE would be glorified – in all that is said and done
If you’ll commit to praying for me in the days leading up to the trip and while I’m gone, please leave a comment so I’ll know. Thanks! :)
~ Ashley (the unemployed one!)
Thus far this month I’ve been to a birthday celebration, a wedding, a graduation celebration, and my grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary party on top of working full time.
Vacation Bible School is next week and Lord willing I’ll be in Asia this time in 2 WEEKS!!
Yesterday was my last day at work. For a variety of reasons, I’ve made the decision not to work for the remainder of the summer. There’s a possibility of me going back in the beginning of August, but if not, I’ll start a new job at the end of August. It’s been a good 3 years there, but I feel my time is done. Grad school is a new chapter in my life and I’m ready for a new challenge. It was a tad bit sad walking out of the office for what possibly was the last time. I found myself thinking yesterday as I left that I was not the same person I walked into that office as 3 years ago when I was just starting my college career. God has certainly done a good work.
In all honesty, the decision to leave now was kind of forced on me because I decided to not take the class I was signed up for in Summer 2. I knew when I signed up for the Asia trip that I’d miss the first day of class, but I figured I’d work hard to catch up when I got back. Up until about 10 days ago, that plan remained. Well, I spoke with my professor and had a copy of the syllabus sent to me. I never expected to see an essay exam scheduled for the second class day over the first day’s material. Such information sent me into a tail-spin. What to do? Do I cancel the trip to Asia? (this option was quickly thrown off the table) Do I change my trip dates and leave Asia early? Do I ask someone to sit in class for me and study like a mad woman through jet-lagged eyes when I returned? Who would sit in a 3 hour and 45 minute class for me? Do I drop the class and thus quit my job? What would I do with the rest of my summer? Would I go crazy with that much time off? Since taking at least one class is required for the classification of job I held, would I be paid for the month of work I had already completed? Would this decision impact future semesters of work? Welcome to just some of the thoughts that flooded my mind. ;)
After gathering the necessary information to make a decision and lots of prayer, I decided that the Asia trip was staying as-is (I’m so thankful I wrote out my thoughts and prayers and how God was leading as I struggled through the decision of whether or not to go on this trip. Those very words were used as a re-confirmation in this decision) and I’d be off the rest of the summer.
One immediate benefit of that decision was that I was able to sign-up to work in VBS – something that school has prevented me from doing for the past several summers. I have no clue what I’ll be doing, but I signed up with a “wherever you need me” attitude. I trust God can use that.
I want to pass along several prayer requests for the Asia trip. OUR plans have recently been changed, but HIS certainly haven’t. I’m eager to see what He has in store as a result. I can’t go into a lot of details, but I will ask you to pray about the following things:
* Safety while traveling (both internationally and within the country)
* The country I’m going to is extremely nervous about foreigners bringing in the Swine Flu, so they’ll be taking the temperature of everyone on the plane before we get off. If someone’s temperature is elevated, they have the option of quarantining the entire plane. I, obviously, am praying this doesn’t happen, but if it does, I’m trusting that God has divine appointments orchestrated through this.
* The hearts of those I’ll come into contact with
* That I’d be attentive to the Holy Spirit and His leadings
* Boldness when sharing
* That above all, HE would be glorified – in all that is said and done
If you’ll commit to praying for me in the days leading up to the trip and while I’m gone, please leave a comment so I’ll know. Thanks! :)
~ Ashley (the unemployed one!)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Weekend Wedding
I had the high privilege of attending the most Christ-centered wedding ceremony I've ever experienced this past Sunday. The bride and groom are a living testament of this song that was sung by the groom's sisters.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
~ Ephesians 5:22-33
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
~ Ephesians 5:22-33
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Do It Scared
This time in one month (baring any unforeseen events), I'll be Asia bound. Actually, I'll be in California and (knowing myself) will be celebrating "1 flight done, 2 to go." Have I mentioned how much I don't like flying? Seriously. Nothing causes such instantaneous fear and nausea as the mere thought of flying. But I'm choosing to do it scared. For His glory and for the sake of a lost world.
The preaching to myself has already begun - No matter where I go, He's there too. All the days ordained for me were written in His book before one of them came to be. He is big enough to do this. If He wants me dead, there's not a thing I can do to change that. No eye has seen, no ear has heard what God has prepared for those who love Him. He's preparing a place for me. My true citizenship is in heaven. I could go on ...
So for today, my motto is "do it scared."
The preaching to myself has already begun - No matter where I go, He's there too. All the days ordained for me were written in His book before one of them came to be. He is big enough to do this. If He wants me dead, there's not a thing I can do to change that. No eye has seen, no ear has heard what God has prepared for those who love Him. He's preparing a place for me. My true citizenship is in heaven. I could go on ...
So for today, my motto is "do it scared."
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