I have seen the Hunger Games... twice. Midnight showing and again on Saturday. And I read the book. This is a hard book/movie to say you love it. Its a bid intense and morbid. But it is so unique and well written and interesting. I love it. It even taught me some stuff.
#1) This weight loss thing is even more important, because if Obama ever calls for a reaping and I am chosen as tribute, I am sunk. This = more time at the gym to get in shape!
#2) Gale is hotter than Thor.
#3) A love story and an action killing movie in one? It can be done!
#4) I should've stayed in girl scouts...
#5) Hope truly is the only thing greater than fear. Its a good thing I have the best hope. Jesus.
If I have children that look just like him, I will be delighted.
So, for his birthday, I made him breakfast, we went and looked at a car (ugh), made a birthday cake, went to a nice dinner at Bentley's Grill (delish!), and went to the midnight premiere of the Hunger Games. Then tomorrow, we are having a BBQ with friends and family and I will reveal the birthday cake I made just for him.
My husband didn't really have birthdays before he met me. I mean, obviously, he turned a year older, but without a great family life, there was no celebration or presents or love. I have set out to make up for all of those years he missed being spoiled and loved on on March 22. This year, we were a bit strapped with finances, but I tried to still make it the best I could.
This picture cracks me up every time I see it :)
I love this man. He is the most incredible person I have ever known. He is smart, funny, talented, in love with the Lord and me, and I simply couldn't imagine life without him.
Maybe I am biased. I have lived here my whole life. Born and raised. I have never been to the south or the east coast. And I can count on one hand how many other states I have been to.
I may have just ruined all my credibility.
But, let me tell you, I have visited 3 other countries on 3 continents. All 3 countries do not have snow. The rain there is once in a while and when it comes, it is a flood from the clouds. The heat is scorching. The humidity is outrageous. Here in Oregon, we have all 4 seasons. It isn't just snow, it isn't just rain (although sometimes it feels that way...), it isn't just sun. We can have all 3 of those in one day! Its unpredictable. Take today for instance. It is March 21. Technically, it is spring. But I am looking out my window and snow is falling. Not just kinda, but there is snow sticking on the ground and it is still falling.
We have every kind of terrain here too. The coast, the valley, eastern Oregon, central Oregon, mountains. When I went to Uganda this past January, they told me they had never seen the ocean. Only in pictures. The children wanted to visit Oregon just to see the "water".
We have Portland. But it isn't like Chicago. Or New York. Or Atlanta. It is a big city, but not a BIG city. Drive an hour away from Portland, and we have farm land. The contrast between the 2 keeps life interesting and picturesque. I love it.
I could go on and on. I love this place. There is no where else I would rather live. There is no where else I would rather raise my kids. Oregon is amazing.
Today at church, there was a new lady. She brought her grandson. When pastor asked if anyone needed prayer, the could come up to the front and be prayed with, she began to cry. She stood up, came to the front, and had people pray for her need. When she sat back down, tears were still running down her face. As she sat down, her little grandson asked her if she was okay and if someone had hurt her. She replied, "Oh no. Grandma is fine. You can't get hurt here. They don't hurt people here."
Mam, I wish I could agree with you.
This is how it should be, yes. Church should be a haven, a safe place for both Christians and non-Christians alike. Love should abound and judgment be at a low. We should be growing, learning, worshiping, giving, serving, and evangelizing together. Our best friends and our biggest support should be found within the family known as the Church.
This is not what I see. And I am not just speaking about my little church. I mean the church as a whole. Gossip, bitterness, selfishness, anger, and judgment have crept in an infected the people that Jesus designed. The church is no longer a safe haven.
But this isn't hopeless. Even though the generations before us have failed, we do not have to. I refuse to continue this way just because that is how it has always been done. I want to make the church what God designed, and I think there is no reason why my generation can't make it that way.
1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Last night, our school showed a debate between professional Christian philosopher Dr. William Lane Craig and well known atheist Christian Hitchens. It was great to see an intellectual side of Christianity discussed. This piece has been missing from the church. Dr. Craig argued the existence of God without using Scripture. He used methods the secular world uses to meet them at their level. Hebrew to the Hebrews, intellectuals to the intellectuals...
Beyond just my faith being affirmed and my brain totally boggled with all the big words that actually made sense, there was one thing that stuck out to me more than any other. Christopher Hitchens died in December from throat cancer. He died still believing there was no God, no Heaven, no Jesus. He died and went to hell.
If that last sentence didn't make you at least pause, I would challenge you to check yourself.
Yes, this man was angry. He hated Christians and their God. He was sarcastic, rude, and spiteful. He scoffed and laughed at Dr. Craig during the debate, and this was so tame compared to how he normally is. But none of that matters when you think about where he will now spend eternity.
When he was diagnosed with cancer, he remarks that he got letters from so many Christians. Some said they were praying for him and thinking about him. Others were not as loving... They wrote him and simply said good riddens.
No wonder he hated Christians.
This man was no more lost than any other unbeliever. He was more outspoken than most, but no more lost. I wonder if things would have turned out differently if every Christian that wrote to him had said they were praying for him instead of being happy for his untimely death. I wonder if he would've converted. But we'll never know.
I think this was a great lesson for me. Instead of being angry with this man, and men like him, my heart should be broken for them. They completely misunderstand the Bible, God, and Christians have really not done anything to help. Now this man will eternally be separated from Christ, completely hopeless. Instead of mocking him, our hearts should be breaking.
Unless you have lived under a rock for the past couple days, I am sure you have heard about KONY2012. Just in case that boulder is where you call home, I will explain. This is a movement by Invisible Children, an organization that has been around for 9 years. I have been a part of their organization for a long time, and it is great to see this movement really taking over the internet. You can check out their website
here.
Basically, KONY2012 is trying to really get Kony out there, famous, known. Joseph Kony has been terrorizing Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and other places in Africa for over 26 years. More than 30,000 children have been abducted, raped, and killed during his reign. For some reason, it has taken 25 years to get his name out there and really have the world take notice.
After this video came out, there was quite a bit of critique for Invisible Children. Why people get negative when there is so much good trying to be done here, I don't know, but if you have heard barely any of the money goes to the actual cause or why the video focuses on Uganda, when Kony has now moved on to the surrounding nations, there is explanation. First off, the money stuff simply isn't true. Second, Uganda is a pretty open nation. So they have been the most cooperative with American troops, government, and the Invisible Children organization. They are the best equipped military also in the area. So that is why action starts there. That is where Kony started, and now that he is gone, those who were once terrorized by him in Uganda are now able to speak out without fear and they are setting up rehab centers, schools, etc. in Uganda. For any other questions that need answers, here is a link to Invisible Children's answers.
Please take 30 minutes to watch this video if you haven't already. Seriously, 30 minutes? Not a long time. This is worth it. Then, think about joining us for "Cover the Night" on April 20. My birthday is the 21st, so its my birthday present from you :) Get your action kit. It is so worth $30. Think of all that money goes to!
It is amazing to see people from all over the world uniting together for the cause of humanity. We are human beings and we have a responsibility to other human beings. With all that we disagree on, here is something we can agree on. Joseph Kony needs to be stopped. Period.
Life has been nuts lately. I have had very little time to do anything, including spill anything out on here. But I thought I would share a few pictures with ya about life recently.
On one of our many rides in the car... Obviously, we were paying great attention to the road. And yes, those are sunglasses... The one day of sunshine I've seen since Uganda.
This is the next day. Sunshine doesn't stay long here in the valley. Summer, where are you?
At a World Missions Conference with my husband. The past 2 days, this man has gotten up at 5 a.m. to go to work with just a few hours of sleep. He is the most incredible, hard-working man I have ever known.
Oh yea. Then this guy, my brother-from-another-mother pops in once in a while and takes pictures with my phone.
