On the Move

In 2010 I went to 22 States. To be exact it was May-December of 2010. That is excessive.

In May I was in a wedding in Mississippi(2) that entailed a bachelorette party in New Oreleans, Lousisanna(3).{Lay over in Texas(4)} The wedding was for 2 of my dear friends that I got to live with in South Africa. I watched their love begin and it was a blessing to get to be involved in the wedding. I also got to meet all of hte poeple in their lives that we talked about so much. To top it off I got to see 5 other people I lived with in Africa.



In the 2010 I made the trip to Illinois(5) a dozen or so times. Illinois is my homeland, and also the location of my childhood camp, Camp Adeline. I spend a couple weeks a year there helping, growing, and learning in some capacity there.

In July I got the opportunity to go to Canada for the first time. Every year a group of people from HU go to Canada to camp with some Canadian HU alumn and their friends. This year I made the cut and got to embark on 4 days camping in Bon Echo Provincial park with some great people. Everyday consisted of, cards, swimming, kayaking, sleeping, hiking, and eating the best camp food ever. oh and we drove through Michigan(6)

In September I had the privaledge of going on an epic(and I dont use this word much) road trip with my best friends. We started out driving through Ohio(7) to get to Pennsylvania(8) to hang out with my other best friend and her husband in Philly. After spending 2 days in Philly we ventured to New Jersey(9)Connecticut(10) Rhode Island(11) and landed in Massachusets(12). Boston was great, and new friends were made and If I loved winter more I would move there. From Boston went Maine(13) where we saw lighthouses, ate lobster, and spent time with another friend. Maine led us to meeting more new people and climbing a mountain with them in New Hampshire(14). After NH, came our descent home, going through the foothills in Vermont(15) and Niagra Falls In New York(16). After 7 days of greatness It was good to be home.



In october I was able to travel to see a friend and future roommate Hillary House, with two good friends. Road trips... I can't get enough of them. We drove down through Kentucky(17), and Tennessee(18) and say my great Nashville friends and ate some classic Caribbean food. We drove through Alabama(19) and saw the falls and landed in good ole Atlanta Georgia(20). That trip was so relaxing. I was with great people and was able to experience true hospitality. Hillary's host family has money, but gives so much. For so long I thought having money is a curse, but was finally able to see that it isn't always bad.



In November I was able to travel with my family and Darron's family to see my Sister Becca stage managage the play....Wait for it.. Klingon Christmas Carol. We drove through Wisconsin(21) and ended up in St. Paul Minnesota(22). Both of our families are weird, and it was an absolute blast to spend a couple days together acting like trekies.



I love to be on the move, I love to see new places and meet new people. However, I have come to realize more and more that I also love where I live and the people I already know. As I prepare to move away from the place and people I love it saddens me. My life of moving around constantly has prepared me for this. Huntington ties Lacon for the longest I've ever lived in a town and thats only 6 years. I thought that this fact would make it easier to leave Huntington... but it doesn't. Am I always going to live like this. Already in 2011 I've been in 5 states and in the next month will add 4 more and 2 more countries. Will I always be on the go, is this necessarily a bad thing?

Adventures with Mariska

She road trips to Atlanta to see Hil with us



She basks in the sun with us





She drinks refreshing beverages with us



She gets gussied up for a night on the town with us




She goes to Johnson's Junction with us



She goes on house outings with us







She gives high five to friends



And best of all Ingrid Michaelson herself holds her up at her concerts!



Jealous?

-Peace

What is normal anyway?

Unique, "out there", weird, different, unconventional, free-spirited, quirky. All of these words are often used to describe me. My typical response to all of these words are "I've never claimed to be normal" I am an individual and like it. I actually embrace all of these words or phrases that people use to define me, because after 23 years I love how weird I am. I also find great joy into sucking others into my wonderful world of weird. I, therefore, have decided to dedicate my next few posts to my "Uniqueness". Let the world (or my 10 followers) see my quirks, my obsessions, my reality.

Where else to start than my most recent oddity.

Ever since this summer my house (me and 4 other girls) have loved to watch Law and Order SVU together (thank you, Instant Netflix). This obviously led to our obsession with Detective Olivia Benson. {TIMEOUT} I should go back and say that I love claiming to be best friends with people I either don't know at all, or barely know.(QUIRK) {TIMEIN} Olivia Benson became a bff to our house.
Another weird thing I like to do is to research my "best friends" on Wikipedia. Wikipedia directed me to Mariska's (Det Benson's real name) personal website which inevitably led to my writing her fan mail. ( PLEASE KNOW HOW BORED I USED TO BE AT WORK)

My email was basically telling her I live with girls and we joke about how she is our bff. Then we wanted her to know that if she wanted to come to our guacamole and margarita night that would be okay. ---- OK ok I realize she could have misinterpreted my weird for stalkeresque but luckily she didn't. Because two days later I received this
"Well ladies., that's mighty tempting!
I am honored. you sound like a very cool group of women.
God bless
Thanks for the shout out
Your new bff
M"

This made our day/week/month! It would be rude to not respond. Right?

M,
I am thrilled to say that you made our house very happy with your quick response to our email. We may or may not have told everyone we know. I have attached a picture of our house (since we are BFF's now) Don't we just look like quality friends? Also If you're up for a road trip to Atlanta we are leaving Friday. You can just fly into the Indianapolis Airport and we'll pick you up on the way.
Hope to see you Fridee; if not we'll see you on Netflix.
Blessings
Your bffs
Katie,Katie Kayla, Jan, and Danielle

For some reason, we haven't got a response :)


This correspondence and one late loopy night has inspired us. We have now written to other people inviting them over for guacamole and margaritas. The list includes: Ellen, David Letterman, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Neil Patrick Harris
Safe to say I've offically SUCKED my roomies into this particular part of my wonderful world of weird.


Stay tuned next time for the Adventures with Mariska!

More Change Why NOT

So I'm still here in Indiana. I know that this is where I am supposed to be. However, the thought of my job made me uneasy. Since March I haven't had to live in the unknown b/c I had a job lined up for after Americorps, who cares if I wasn't in love with it, who am I to pass up a full time job. Luckily I didn't really have to pass it up, b/c it passed me up.(yes I said Luckily) I finally went in to find out the status of this job only to find out money might not be available until tax season. I have never felt so relieved. (which is the opposite of what someone in my position should have been feeling right then) all of a sudden I would be jobless in 2weeks with no plan. God. Remember Him. He's faithful. Within 24 hours of this meeting with my boss, I had landed myself 2 part time jobs that would equal well over 40 hours a week and flexible hours.
Job number 1- Pathfinders group homes
Likes: working with some great adults with disabilities, working with people and not files
Job number 2-Fort Wayne Airport- ticket counter, baggage, and bringing in planes-
Likes: working in airport- love this, flexible hours, Free Flying- yes I said it And not only can I fly for free, but my parents can as well. So I will definitely have more posts about "my Around the World Adventures"
Job potential 3- tax season-
Likes(or don't minds): believe it or not, that was the best part about my Americorp year. I actually don't mind taxes.

Now everyone is up to date.
Summary- used to have 1 job, now have three and can fly for free.

traveling addiction commence

CHANGE O PLANS

Here's a brief synopsis. I will no longer be going to INDIA. (what.. I know Let me explain) I have not had a peace about it ever since I took the job, but I wasn't able to place where that unease was coming from. I thought it might be fear, or missing Huntington, camp, family etc. However, the more I thought about it, I've left all that before and didn't experience this kind of anxiety. Two nights ago my community held an intervention for me. A close friend felt really convicted to tell me some things and I'm so glad he did. They basically were picking up that I was dreading going and called me out on that. They questioned my feelings, fears and intentions. At the end they made sure that I knew I didn't have to go, I still had an option. I don't really think I knew that and was borderline depressed about the whole thing. I think I play devils advocate with myself. Saying I am sad to leave, but God calls us away from things we love. But what I wasn't seeing was that he gives us a peace that passes understanding. A peace I didn't have about India. A peace that floods my body now that I am staying. My biggest fear about not going was disappointing the people I had committed to. That's not a reason to go. On some level that people pleaser in me took the job in the first place. Everything went down too quickly and then was asked to make the final decision in a span of 4 hours. It was quick.

I gave into lies from the enemy that said I was inadequate as a missions major living in Huntington IN, that I was living a life of comfort, I felt that this job was perfect and I would excel (which I believe is still true) and that would make me relevant as a person. However,that is not true. Huntington is my missions field right now and I am not to be ashamed of that. I am doing missions right here right now, I don't have to get a stamp in my passport to become legit. I am just sorry that is took a toll on the MIssion agency for me to figure this out...So this is where I am... right here ..same as always feeling good about it...

So where does this leave me? I will remain at my community house living with 4 wonderful girls. I will remain an active member of the 509. I will remain at Pathfinders. I will remain a part of my camp. However, I will not remain crippled with fear of doing what He has called me to do , I will live for his name and live to decrease so that HE may increase.


Final plug.. Continue to pray for Rosedale Mennonite MIssions as some jerk left them high and dry and are in need of a team leader for India.

The Plan

Well Folks, my life has changed significantly in the past couple of weeks. The plan three weeks ago was to continue living my life in Huntington and working at Pathfinders. However, one call from a friend changed it all. My friends Rachel and Austin work for Rosedale Mennonite Mission in Columbus, Ohio. They train groups to go out on short term missions for 9 months. As one of their team leaders dropped out Rachel called and ask me to consider applying. I told her I would think about it, secretly thinking I wouldn't think that hard. However, over the course of a week my attitude changed significantly.
A team leaders roles are similar to an RA position. Essentially it is the support for the whole team, in charge of discipleship all the way to budgeting. So after being offered the job and having an intense discussion of Jesus I decided to take the job. My decision essentially boiled down to God reminding me of all the times I sang in service "if you say go, I will Go" God called my bluff, and now I'm going to India
Time Line-
Aug 22 leave for Columbus. 22-29 will be leadership training and then from Aug 30 to Nov 20something Will be our team training also known as Discipleship Training School. During this time we will get to know each other as a team, volunteer various places around Columbus, get language and culture training, and sort out our baggage (both physically and emotionally)
Nov 20something to Nov 28 week off for thanksgiving
Nov 30 leave for Varanasi, India. The holy city of India
Over 17 percent of the world’s population lives in India on 2.4 percent of the world’s land surface. In India, over 600 million of its people live in deep poverty, and 300 million live below the means of daily survival. This team will be working alongside an established YWAM base. Outreach possibilities include teaching English as a second language, both rural and urban evangelism, prison ministries, leper ministry, friendship evangelism, and physical labor.The team is small because of the need to travel mostly by rickshaw (a cart pulled by a bicycle or scooter).
The Hindi people are glad to add Jesus in as one of their many deities but have great difficulty in accepting Him as the one and only true Savior.
South Asia is considered a closed country to Christianity. Therefore the team will have to use wisdom in how they share Christ and use caution in communication with people back home.
Aug 2011 arrive home!

So that is my one year plan. If you wish to be apart of it, I will try to keep you posted(literally) on my happenings throughout training and my time in India.

Some prayer requests- It was hard to make the decision to leave Huntington. Not only was I apart of something good in Huntington, I was experiencing true community and growth unlike any time in my life. This will be a hard to not be a part of. Things in my life were just starting to come together and now I'm leaving. I know God will use me in India and find other people to serve in the places where I'm leaving. I do know this, but just accepting it is where I need prayer.
Financially- I don't have to raise much support so that is a blessing, however I am having trouble with my Americorp end of the year stipend. I am leaving three weeks early,and although hours wise(due to tax season) I have completed all that I need to, I am three weeks short. I am not sure I will get any of the stipend which will be a great disappointment. Please pray that God will work this out, either by getting a prorated sum of it, or provision in another form.
That is all Folks

Here is a link to SEND ministries http://www.send-me.org/ if you want to check it out