tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37230080912421615262024-03-13T08:42:13.515-07:00Marissa's adventuresmarissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-1285311193839934732018-09-06T13:49:00.001-07:002018-09-06T14:19:51.785-07:00FeelingsFeelings. Today I have a lot of feelings about this topic!<br />
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For anyone familiar with the enneagram(hot topic 2018!) I am a 7. 7's try to avoid pain. Looking back that has been a huge part of who I am. I don't want to feel pain and I will do pretty much anything to accomplish that. Sometimes it means pushing down feelings and saying I will be fine. Sometimes it means avoiding people or places or events.<br />
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Growing up I was always told I was so happy. Joy has always been a word people have used to describe me. When I met with a counselor he said I was "smiling depressed." At the time it didn't make sense and I didn't really know what he meant other than I felt a lot of dark and deep feelings but I was still smiling-why was that? was that a bad thing? good thing? just a thing?<br />
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Recently, I think for maybe the first time in my life, I've been letting myself feel some things that are painful. My go to reaction when I experience pain is to avoid it. To tell myself I'm fine and move on. To try to justify the person who said hurtful things or rationalize why the event happened- all in pursuit of not feeling pain. Last week I spent most of a day in tears. Literally every time I tried to open my mouth I started crying. It frustrated me. I tried to stop it. I couldn't. Again my go to when I start to cry is to try and stop-to find a way to avoid feeling the pain of whatever is causing the tears. I took a morning and tried to process where the tears were coming from-if I'm being honest it was not in pursuit of healing but in pursuit of figuring out how to make it stop. There were a lot of reasons for the tears but I think the root of them was 2-fold. One it was the Holy Spirit trying to get me to listen and the other was me feelings some things I just couldn't push down any longer.<br />
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This week I have been feeling a lot of things. I have been angry, hurt, confused, excited, tired, encouraged, disappointed. This morning as I was spending some time journaling I decided to press into some of those feelings instead of avoiding them. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me process.<br />
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Part of what I was processing was something that was said to me yesterday. Someone said to me, "%#*& wants married couples . . . . " It was said in reference to community building and what would be good for a particular community that I am a part of and what someone valued in bringing a particular person into that community. It was said to my face. I am single. Again- I am single and someone said-to my face- that they valued married couples(over single people). This is where my avoidance of pain kicked in hard core! I respect and value both the person who said this to me and the person they were referencing. I value them as people and I value their words and work ethic. I believe they value me and my work as well. So my initial reaction was to rationalize-they didn't know what they were saying- they didn't mean it- they just don't know better- it's my own issues that make me feel hurt, etc.<br />
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I felt very hurt and angry but I tried to push it down. I couldn't. As the night went on, once I was alone, I got more and more hurt. As the words and the sentiment behind the words continued to sink in I became more discouraged and hurt and angry. So this morning I tried to process. Recently I have been reading through John. Today I just happened to be in chapter 11. The thing that hit me today was how Jesus felt. In the version I was reading it says several times, "he was deeply moved(vs 33, vs 38)." It also says he wept(vs 35). The thing(and I know this should not be an epiphany at this point in my walk-but it was today) that struck me was that Jesus felt. He felt deeply and he didn't try to avoid it because he knew everything would be ok. He didn't try to avoid it because he could control it. He didn't try to avoid it because he knew the people and could justify what happened. He was moved and he wept. He sat in it and felt it.<br />
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Here are my words from my journal as I processed-unedited from my journal<br />
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"Lord, sometimes/right now-it feels like I've been trying so hard to fit in, to find my place and in the midst of that it was thrown in my face that I don't. How hard it is in the christian world- as a woman and as a single person to feel like there is room for me-it feels like a constant battle and sometimes I don't want to feel it. I want to just keep going. When I feel it-it hurts and seems to make life harder. But maybe it also makes life better-both for me and for the people around me who I am a part of changing-opening the eyes of. God-I give you that-it is hard work to keep fighting/going/pursuing and to be rejected or left out or "behind." Help me to keep going though-use me, my voice, my life. Holy Spirit-all that you have given me-use it in my life and in the lives of the people I'm around."<br />
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As I finished writing those words I was encouraged. Encouraged that God is growing me, changing me, using me. Encouraged that even though it sometimes feels to me like I am always having to fight for my place in the church or christian community- God has put that fight in me-has created me to keep going even when I want to give up- is always pursuing me and saying there is room for me. I was also discouraged- that this is still something I butt up against on a daily basis- the idea that because someone has a ring on their finger they are somehow more valuable or more mature. So in this moment I am choosing to feel. Feel the feelings and not try to avoid them. That may mean more tears or venting than I am comfortable with but I'm pretty sure it is part of growth and I want to grow.marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-68146659506067853302018-05-31T16:14:00.003-07:002018-06-01T11:13:34.618-07:00Not on anyone else's timeline<div>
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I sat down in a meeting recently and the first question out of the person's mouth was, "Are you married?" </div>
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Picture this-We were outside of a lodge at the camp where I work- beautiful setting- looking out at the lake. We were about to sit in some Adirondack chairs and I was in the middle of sitting down as he asked me this question. So now I am sitting but he is not yet sitting down. I have never spent any amount of time with this person so we obviously did not know each other(given the question he is asking). So I am sitting there and he is halfway into his chair and I say, "No." He remains halfway down in his chair and just continues to look at me so I tentatively say, " . . . and I've never been???" trying to figure out what he's trying to figure out. I know it sounds creepy but really it wasn't- I think he was just trying to get to know more about me. I think we do that a lot when we meet new people- we try to figure out which category to put them in our brains. He went on to ask if I have pets- my answer is, "No." Then- do I have roommates?- the answer again is, "No." </div>
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At this point I have begun to feel like a psychopath- never been married, no kids, no pets, no roommates and I work with kids! These are the moments when I feel like I am the odd woman out. I do not fit into most peoples categories for a 41 year old woman. I have no husband or kids. I am not a cat or dog lady. I don't have a long term roommate. I don't own anything of monetary value(home, fancy car, a KitchenAid)<br />
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I am me.<br />
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I didn't follow the timeline and I don't fit into people's preset categories. I know people categorize never married older people into some very interesting categories. My own amazing family has even made those types of comments in front of me- things like, "You know he's never been married-he's a little odd." They are not trying to be mean- their brains are just trying to make connections and perhaps they are basing them off experiences or just what their culture or upbringing has taught them.<br />
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I didn't get married out of college-or anytime after that. I didn't have kids or buy a house or "settle down." Instead I spent some time figuring out who I am as an individual and by my late 20's when I started to entertain the idea that I MIGHT be ready to "settle down" or get married I decided instead to switch careers and move to Norway sight unseen. I decided that I really liked me and I had some more growing to do before I was ready to buy that house or have that kid or commit to that guy. So I moved to Norway and then 2 years later I moved to Belgium.<br />
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Now the timeline was completely out of whack and what category did I fit in?-the aging spinster?, the fun aunt?, the rebel? the crazy lady? A few years passed and I was mid 30's and still no husband, roommates, kids or permanent residence. So at 38 I decided to really send that timeline/category searching on a run for it's money and moved back to America and into my old bedroom at my parents house!!!! That'll teach 'em! Maybe the jarring nature of it would set the timeline straight. . . . . .it didn't!<br />
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So then 11 months later I packed up my car and left Pennsylvania and started driving west with no real plan other than that if I got to California(where I could go no farther west) and still didn't have a job I would drive north to Portland and find a place to live. Seemed like a reasonable plan-timeline moving along and all.<br />
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So off I went and for 3 months I drove west(making tons of stops along the way to see all those people I hadn't seen in 9 years of living outside of the country or who I had met while living outside the country but who now lived in America). If you really want to blow peoples ability to figure out where you are on the "timeline" or to place you in their internal categories- tell them you are a 38 year old single woman with no job and a brand new car driving across the country with no set plans until such a point as you can no longer go west in said car!<br />
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So of course at the end of that road trip I ended up in Arizona where I have spent the last 2 1/2 years. I'm going to go ahead and say my timeline is a bust and I don't fit into many preset categories. The things I thought I would be and be doing at 41 are nothing like what my life actually looks like. I thought I would have all those things I mentioned earlier-the husband, kids, house- maybe not the pets.<br />
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Instead my life has included deep friendships with people from all over the world. It has included visiting over 30 countries. It has included growth I don't think I ever would have experienced if I had followed the timeline I had as a kid. It has included getting to live, work and coach in 3 different countries. It has included having friends and family in pretty much any region of the world I would ever want to visit. It has included being on ESPN and in the USA Today because of the ridiculous outfits I'm willing to wear to support the USA teams in other countries. It has included being lonely and having to work through that and learn to enjoy being alone. My timeline has included so much more than I could have thought or imagined.<br />
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So when I get frustrated because my life doesn't look like what I thought it would or what others peoples look like. When I hear comments that allude to the fact that an older never married person is strange based solely on their marital status . When I start to question whether I am too old to be still asking the question-what do I want to do when I grow up? When I struggle with feeling like the odd woman out because most people don't know or understand huge chunks of my experiences. When I get frustrated because most of my dearest friends are at least 3 times zones away. When I begin to wonder if I AM that odd person my family has talked about. When people ask the initial questions of -are you married? because they are trying to figure out what box to put me in or where I am on my timeline- I kind of enjoy that I get to blow their box and their timelines up and I get to be me!<br />
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I'll be me and I hope you'll be you!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #ddddee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 13.4px; font-weight: 700;">"I Wanna Be Like Me" by Sara Bareilles</span></div>
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Oh<br />
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What if I wanna be the one who<br />
Never looks like anybody?<br />
What if I wanna be the one who<br />
Goes her own way?<br />
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Would you still believe in someone like me?<br />
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What if I wanna be the one who<br />
Doesn't belong here?<br />
What if I wanna be the one who<br />
Won't fit in?<br />
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Would you find a new way to make room for me?<br />
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What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Not to make you cry<br />
What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Just because I was made to be exactly like me<br />
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What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Not to tear you down<br />
What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Because I found I was made to be exactly like me<br />
I wanna be like me<br />
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Oh<br />
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What if I wanna be the one who<br />
Doesn't need to hide?<br />
What if I wanna be the one who<br />
Won't apologize?<br />
I'm not the enemy<br />
Unless that's what you choose to see<br />
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What if I wanna be the one who<br />
You never understand?<br />
Do you ever think you'll ever want to still try to hold my hand?<br />
To get through to you I'm still trying to<br />
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What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Not to make you cry<br />
What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Just because I was made to be exactly like me<br />
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What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Not to tear you down<br />
What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Because I found I was made to be exactly like me<br />
I wanna be like me<br />
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<i style="box-sizing: border-box;">[Break]</i><br />
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What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Not to tear you down<br />
What if I don't wanna be like you?<br />
Because I found I was made to be exactly like me<br />
I wanna be like me</div>
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marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-73054922764674289422018-02-06T20:29:00.002-08:002018-02-06T20:29:32.786-08:005 years laterWOW! and 5 years later I'm asking myself- why did I not keep up with this blog??? Pretty sure I know why-life, moving back to the states, figuring out life in America after having been gone for 9 years, moving to Arizona, the invention of Chatbooks to record my life in pictures......I just looked back through this and it is so interesting to read my thoughts from 5-10 years ago! I'm def still the same person with the same questions but I have also come up with a few more:) <br />
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Why are American's so obsessed with "stuff?" Why do I have this overwhelming "need" to know what's next? What-of my beliefs/knowledge- is cultural and what is universal? How does God see me? How do I see myself? When will I feel ready to settle down? What does that even mean? Where should I travel to next? Why does Williams, AZ not have a Chick-fil-a? :)<br />
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When I initially started this blog it was so people would know what was happening in my life while I lived in Norway and then Belgium. Looking back I realize it had morphed into a place where I was sharing bits and pieces of myself-not really caring if anyone else was reading it. And so today, I begin again- not caring if anyone else finds/reads this but also valuing the ability to not just look back on pictures but also on thoughts, questions and ideas.<br />
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5 years later. . . .<br />
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I live in a tiny town, where there are more tourists than residents, in Northern Arizona. I work at a camp(which I always thought was my dream job-still figuring that one out). I try to take a 2 week adventure trip each fall and spring-using my passport as often as I can. I have now been to at least 30 countries. I am still figuring out what life looks like for me and what I am passionate about. I have kept a few foster kids short term-which as been on my heart since middle school. I keep in touch with friends on a few continents. I still struggle with identity and a sense of belonging. I am still passionate about women and their strength and successes. I still question the "why's" of anything I do.<br />
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This weekend I am heading back to Atlanta for a baby shower. It has been a couple of years since I have been there and I am so excited to get to see and spend time with people that mean so much to me. 18 years ago I left Pennsylvania in a car packed with my limited earthly goods and drove to Atlanta knowing 3 people. I started a job teaching at a school I had been to one time(for an interview). I lived in the basement(picture cement floors, an area rug and flying cockroaches as my neighbors) of a friends family. I arrived feeling nervous and insecure but also excited about the possibilities. Feeling like I did not fit in to the southern world in which I had arrived. 4 years later I left Atlanta calling it home. I left with friends that had become family. I left having met some of the biggest heroes of my life- Teachers, Mothers, Students, Athletes and Activists. I head back this weekend knowing I will see some of those amazing women and some others I've met along the way in Norway and Belgium(somehow everyone ends up living in Atlanta at one point or another!). Women who are strong and loyal. Women who are vulnerable and giving. Women who care deeply and give of themselves freely. I am so excited to see some of these mentors and friends and hear what they have been learning about life.<br />
<br />marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-38176880460606705332013-05-21T14:13:00.001-07:002013-05-21T14:13:41.959-07:00on being single and a wedding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">I am back in Belgium after an almost 2 week adventure to California. One of my best friends-Sarah was going from being a Holt to a Kappen and I was not going to miss it. Since it was such a long trip and I have begun to hate plane rides- I get VERY antsy after the first 2 hours- I decided to make a vacation of it and get to spend some sweet moments with Sarah before she went from single to married. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I am SO glad I made the trip and that I went out early. I can say it was SOO good for my soul. </span></div>
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Another friend of mine from Belgium-Christie- also came out early and we rented a beach house together. So for a few days it was just Sarah, Christie and I at the house. It was beyond lovely to wake up leisurely in the mornings, eat breakfast together, work out together(yes-we did Insanity) and then go to the beach or run errands or whatever the day called for. All the while having amazing conversations about life-it's challenges and it's joys. I laughed so much my abs were hurting by the second day. These ladies are AMAZING women of God who know how to listen well and not always feel like they have to solve problems. They are women of prayer. Women who love well. Women who care deeply. True Community is something I tend to lack in Belgium and I got to experience amazing community last week. As I said-it was good for my SOUL.</div>
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The finale of the week was of course the wedding- which was probably the most beautiful and meaningful wedding I have ever gotten to be a part of-and if you know me- I consider myself in the running for 27 dresses status! It was truly about 2 lives coming together as one. The wedding was beautiful in an aesthetic sense-with old fashioned lights and pennants decorating the church and reception- but even more beautiful in a spiritual sense. From them inviting the people there to stand and commit to encouraging them as a married couple to the families coming together for an intimate communion in the middle of the service to the pure worship as Rex(Bride's dad and pastor) joyfully yelled out while singing 10,000 reasons. It was AWEsome!<br />
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Weddings are beautiful and intimate and powerful. As a single woman I love the promise of a wedding. The beauty of the day. The beginning of a new adventure. But the thing I love most about a wedding is the idea that for probably the only time in your life(except perhaps your funeral) it is the one time when people from all the different parts of your life come together to celebrate. Maybe it's because my life is so compartmentalized. Many of my friends have never met each other because they live across the country or even the world. I love the idea that all of my friends and family will get to meet and have a party together! That I will get to stand before them and God and make a lifelong commitment. That everyone gets to be a part of the beginning of something so deep, so intimate.<br />
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As a single woman weddings not only bring out joy for this amazing and beautiful moment but it is often a bittersweet reminder that I am single. Top that off with the fact that the week before the wedding it was mother's day and I had to SIT through the typical- "all mother's STAND up" bit at church- wondering if I will ever get to stand up-it made for an awesome but sometimes overwhelming week. YES- I want to celebrate the mother's and YES I want to celebrate the brides-I want to be their loudest fans, their biggest cheerleaders but it does remind me of what I am not- a wife or mother. Sometimes people write me cards and they mention me being a mother to so many through my job. Yes -I have loved and mentored many kids over the years but I have not had to learn the selflessness that comes with motherhood. I do not get to stand up on mothers day with all the other mother's- no matter how many lives I have touched. As pastor's speak of Motherhood being the highest calling I am reminded that I may never be able to pursue that calling no matter how much I want it. Sometimes people(especially within the church) say it is a privilege to be single and have time to do the things I want to do and to serve others with my time but at the same time they speak about how man was not meant to be alone. As a single woman within the church there is more often than not this feeling of not belonging. I have often felt used as a single person- someone who can help with children's ministry or with babysitting since they have time-so that the real people(the married people) can go to church or do fun things. Single people are often not invited into community with married people but, regardless of age lumped together with all other single people-as if being single or married is the most important defining characteristic of each person. I have often been made to feel-either overtly or covertly- that something is wrong with me-that I am not full or complete person until I am married. Like the time my sister and I joined the same church at the same time. We are basically the same age(she's one year older than I) but she was married with kids. Right away she got invited to be a part of all kinds of groups while I was asked to help out in the nursery but not invited into any kind of community. Or one holiday with my family when I was placed at the kids table(I was in my late 20's and the next oldest person at the kid's table was about 12) while my cousin, who is younger than I, was placed at the adults table because he had gotten engaged-I will admit to possibly calling them out on that one. <br />
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As I traveled home I was able to process through some of my thoughts and feelings from the week. I tend to be a slow processor so it was nice to have a plane ride to work through some thoughts. There may have been a moment on the plane where tears were literally streaming down my face but I think I did a pretty good job of paying it off as something in my eye:) I am BEYOND excited for my sweet friend as she beings this whole new adventure of being married. I was thrilled to stand beside her on Saturday and cry and smile and laugh as she joined her life with Billy's. They are amazing people individually and I can already see God beginning to grow them and use them together as a couple. I love that God orchestrated their lives is such a unique way and that there are no other Billy's or Sarah's in the world. They are unique as individuals and they will be unique as a married couple. I pray and have faith that their marriage is going to be powerful in many lives. <br />
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Maybe that's why these feeling and thoughts have come up- Because I could see what God is doing in them and through them and their coming together. Maybe it makes me want that sense of community even more. It is also a reminder to me that others want to be a part of community. That even in my daily life I want to be inviting other people into my life- regardless of their marital status.<br />
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<br />marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-48642334085200294332013-04-26T09:31:00.003-07:002013-04-26T09:31:22.418-07:00<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's that time of year again! We have been back from our Young Life service project for about 3 weeks. Once again it was an AMAZING week. We took 40 kids and 6 Adults from Brussels. I honestly can not put it into word but since a picture is worth a 1000 words- consider this a novel!</div>
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Here is my cabin of girls- all juniors. They were beasts on the Obstacle course which included getting pelted by flour balloons and having to carry me!</div>
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YES- I am so excited to be building my 8th playground!!</div>
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By day 3 I was a bit tired of being the coordinator so I grabbed Ella and Ally along with a drill, measuring tape and saw and we got the platform wrapped in wood. This is us being hardcore!</div>
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Celine and I-this was our 5th service project together and this year we recruited her husband. I think he's "IN" cuz after about 4 days of being back he told her he missed it already:)</div>
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Here I am with our senior student leaders- I am going to miss these awesome ladies next year! They are amazing! Madison is heading to university in Australia and Kelcie is off the Auburn!</div>
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The adult and student leaders- 3 years ago this was as big as our whole group and now this is just the leaders-God is so powerful!!</div>
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The Macedonian kids LOVING their new playground!</div>
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So stinking Cute!!!</div>
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and so cheeky!!</div>
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Young Life Brussels in downtown Struga, Macedonia</div>
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We saw lots of interesting things including a tractor that was actually a mobile saw mill- it looked like a car made out of scrap metal but they would drive it around and use it to cut wood. This was one of the best sign-YES you can drive your donkey cart on the road-in case you were wondering!</div>
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<br />marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-15413905161494128122013-03-15T09:41:00.000-07:002013-03-15T09:41:22.337-07:00Adventure. It's something I crave. It makes me feel alive. I know I often speak of control but when it comes to travel I love to explore new places. To get on a plane, land in an unknown country and hit to road to see what I find. Now the modern convenience of the GPS does give me a bit more confidence but it still is fun to get lost and find something new. <br />
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This past year has been quite busy with work. While that is awesome it has not left me a whole lot of time for adventure. Sure I have traveled but it has pretty much been to places I have been before or it has been for work-in which case there are not a whole lot of chances to just see where the road leads me.<br />
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As I am typing this I am actually laughing at myself because I know I often speak of wanting and seeking control in my life but it seems the one place I love to get outside that box is when I travel.<br />
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Well this past weekend I headed off to Portugal. The US women's soccer team was playing a tournament there and I was meeting up with some friends to take in a couple of games. After having seen the women at the Olympics I was pretty excited to see them again. I brought my face paint and various USA things in case we wanted to go all out. I am a little sad to say that we did not go all out but we apparently still got on the live coverage several times because I received an email from a friend in the states asking if I was at the games cuz she was 99% sure she had seen me at lease 3 times and she thought the camera guy had a love affair with us:)<br />
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I arrived in Portugal on Friday and we headed straight to the game. Right as the game began it started POURING. Not the weather I was hoping for but we were just excited to be there. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pouring rain</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Game Face:)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Megan and I are excited and Kerry is just realizing we have the same camera</td></tr>
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By the 2nd half the weather turned gorgeous and we considered running over the security guard to stand in the sun that was on the field-we were gonna promise not to harass the players- we just wanted the sun and the stands were in the shade! but we held ourselves back:(</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tobin Heath sure has a game face while she signs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">went for a sunset walk on the beach</td></tr>
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My friends had to leave saturday but I stayed on to watch the Monday game. So on Sunday, with the sun shining, I went for a walk on the beach and then found a place where the wind wasn't whipping and sat and read in the sun-GLORIOUS! Monday the game was about and hour away so i decided to make a day of it and left early to go visit some cliffs and a fort I had heard about. Though it was still quite windy the sun was out and I made it work:)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cliffs of Sagres</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm so excited to be in Portugal!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Game on Monday</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fort at Sagres</td></tr>
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<br />marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-34348136116036303572013-02-04T06:37:00.001-08:002013-02-04T06:39:24.119-08:00Between two worlds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I went downtown the other day dressed like this. I wouldn't say this look is particularly "american" or "european" but probably somewhere in between. The converses are less american than the many pair of other sneakers I have but the bright blue coat is not so very european. Apparently I am completely wrong about what makes a look american or european for as I exited the Metro at DeBroukere a girl(woman actually-probably in her early 20's) essentially yelled at me, "Vous etes Americaine!"(you are american) and then looked at me and smiled and repeated it louder and with the affirmative nodding of her head. I was so shocked -first that someone would make eye contact with a stranger on the Belgian metro but also that someone I didn't know would speak to me(maybe not so much to me as at me- but. . . )! I simply nodded my head yes, gave her a quick smile(trying to hide the shocked look on my face) and ran up the stairs.</div>
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Seriously though- I am perfectly aware that I am 100% american. As a matter of fact I am very capable of laughing at myself and my purely american sense of style. But I was not aware that my outfits are so SHOCKINGLY american that perfect strangers in the metro feel it is their duty to shout it to everyone within earshot!</div>
<br />marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-34865080635196206452013-01-09T13:54:00.004-08:002013-01-09T13:57:15.890-08:00New year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What a difference a year makes!</div>
It's been a common theme in conversations recently. Friends who were just beginning to date last year but are about to get married this year. Kids who were babies last year but are now walking and talking. People that we didn't even know last year who are now some of our intimate friends. <br />
Some things change and some things stay the same and as one year ends and another begins it seems that is often on our minds. <br />
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What is the same, what has changed, and what would I like to change in the coming year?<br />
I have often written about the fact that I don't always love change. I am a lover of tradition and comfort and expectations being met. I was in the States over christmas and I was on the phone with a good friend and we were talking about our holiday plans/activities. As I went through the long list of "Hunsberger traditions" she said- "yeah I can see you loving traditions."<br />
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It got me thinking- why? when my life is SO often crazy and change seems around every corner why am I a lover of tradition? I think that is exactly why i love tradition. My life IS crazy. From one year to the next i never seem to be sure of where I will be living or what I will be doing. I can not often count on even being able to communicate with people when I walk outside my door. I think that is the very reason that when I go to the States I LOVE to have traditions. Things I can count on. Things that are comfortable and easy. Times with people who I don't even need to talk to in order to communicate.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">visited some friends in NYC(Rockefeller center)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wanda and I on Christmas eve</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 of the sisters with our hangers and bags</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the "BIGS" with their stockings</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Uno</td></tr>
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<br />marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-90632449115235750322012-10-30T14:23:00.000-07:002012-10-30T14:23:02.810-07:00Days offI don't know why but I have a hard time letting my brain turn off. It's always been a problem. Perhaps not so much a problem(it's probably why I've always done so well in school and in sports), maybe more of a nuisance. It's like that piece of skin your tongue finds on the inside of your mouth and you just can't stop biting at it until the whole of your cheek is messed up. I am that way with just about every thought that comes into my head. I play it out in every scenario possible, seeing every angle, every possible combination of results. <br />
It's one of the reasons why when there is a school holiday i try to get away. It seems to be the best way for me to turn my mind from work related things to others. <br />
Well as I said in my previous post I was just too tired to head out even for a few days this holiday so I am staying put. Starting tomorrow I will be staying with 4 boys while their parents go back to the states. They are great kids but I am gonna be honest and say it's probably going to get a little crazy over at the Lane house soon:) so I wanted to enjoy my 2 days here in Brussels where I did not have to do anything work related. <br />
My normal work schedule is a little crazy so it doesn't always mesh up with many of my friends schedules. As a matter of fact seeing my friends sometimes involves putting it on the calendar a good month in advance! I know it's crazy! So yesterday I took advantage of my freed up schedule and spent a few quality hours with Jenna and baby Olivia(who is now 1 and not so much a baby). It was so fun seeing Jenna and getting lots of cuddles from Olivia-she often looks at me like I am crazy but she is willing to give me hugs and those pats on the back that toddlers do best!! <br />
Today I had no plans and the weather was alternating between raining and being sunny. So i decided to go to a cafe that a friend had told me about. They have free wifi(not as much of a given as in the states) and lots of food, drinks and comfy chairs. I took the tram there so I wouldn't have to find parking and I arrived amidst an influx of people. I looked around a bit discouraged that all of the comfy seats were taken and I might have to sit on one of the not so comfy wooden chairs. But i plowed on and ordered my fresh mint tea(yummy) and walked over to 2 men who were sitting with 2 empty comfy chairs. And as you do in Belgium I asked if I could sit in one of the empty chairs(I may have even been a little too excited and asked in English instead of french but lucky for me A-they understood what I was asking and B-they weren't even speaking french!)<br />
I proceeded to spend the next 2 or so hours oscillating between reading/doing my Bible study and people watching. Brussels is such a mixture of culture and language. It is always fun to sit in a public place and listen to the many different language(today I heard english, french, polish(i think), german and swedish)<br />
It was a great day and a reminder of some of the many reasons I love this city<br />
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<br />marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-46894061217557747672012-10-27T05:37:00.000-07:002012-10-27T05:37:50.731-07:00breaks and exhaustionBreaks . . .<br />
For all of my life (that I can remember) my year has followed that of a school calendar. First as a student, then as a teacher and now as someone who works with students. Those school calendars have months of intensity which lead up to a week or two of break. Today marks the first day of Fall break here in Brussels. For a brief moment I thought of going on an adventure to visit some friends in Luxembourg and then Germany but I have decided that both my mind and my body need a little break from running and so I will be spending the next week in Brussels while most of my friends and the kids I work with have headed out all over the world for their first real break of the school year.<br />
exhaustion . . .<br />
Thursday night at about 6pm I started to wonder if it was too early to go to bed. I didn't want to eat or even watch tv. I just wanted to sleep. But I knew that if I went to bed at 6pm I would probably wake up at 2am and be wide awake. So I made it until about 9pm and off it went to bed. This semester has been amazing and I am just coming off a 10 day visit from my parents which meant lots of new adventures and exploring! All of that, however, has led me to be really tired. <br />
So this week I am looking forward to sleeping in, cooking good food, catching up with friends I haven't gotten to spend quality time with, and just re-booting!marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-40103597752320060012012-08-30T05:45:00.000-07:002012-08-30T05:45:08.076-07:00summer 2012<br />
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So for some reason this morning I was laying in bed thinking about dreams. Not the dreams you have at night but the hopes and bucket list type dreams. It may have had something to do with the fact that some former Young life friends stopped over for dinner and a late night out on the terrace last night. The conversation went to jobs-since they are all college students with the type of jobs that will make them a bit of money but they are not what they want to do for the rest of their lives. I was recalling my days of working at Shelly's back in high school and college where I could not imagine doing that for the rest of my life. I would sit there answering phones or marking off items that had been received thinking about what I wanted to do in the future. The world was wide open. I was young. I was supposed to have dreams and ideas for the future. </div>
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Somewhere along the line though people are expected to "settle down." Their time for dreaming is over and they are expected to get a job and get a house and LIVE life like everyone else.</div>
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These are the thoughts that were floating through my head this morning. And then I said a BIG "THANK YOU" to God because that is not the life He calls us to. That is not the life He has given me. He does not call us to forget about dreaming. He does not call is to settle into so-called life and just keep going following the crowd. He calls us to BIG dreams and to true LIFE. He calls us to ADVENTURE and CHANGE. Now all of that looks different to different people because I have met some people to whom adventure means leaving their state and I have met other people to whom adventure means going into the inner city or to others it is going to China to teach english but I believe God calls all of us to a life OUTSIDE of ourselves. A life where God is evident because it would not be possible without Him. I was reading in 1 Corinthians today and it says in vs 17, "for Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel-not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." It got me thinking that I want to live a life that shows God's power-not empties it.</div>
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Ephesians 3:14-21 speaks about how wide and long and high and deep Christ's love for us is. It is beyond anything we can ask or imagine. He is in complete control and He wants great things for me and for you! I just need to remember that-and that is what I am often not very good at!</div>
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This summer was a summer of adventure. </div>
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It began right after school ended with a bus trip to Italy with about 40 High school and middle school friends. The way there was QUITE an adventure that included breaking down on the side of the road for about 5 hours and then making our way to a rest stop to spend another 7 hours waiting for our bus to get fixed. Once we arrived in Italy we had an amazing week of exploring Pisa and the Cinque Terre and getting to hear about and talk about the life giving love of Christ.</div>
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From Italy I headed to the states to visit family and friends. The first week back I went to the shore with my whole family and we had an amazing week of laughter and fun. It is so great to be together every summer! I've said it before and I'll say it again- I have the best(though sometimes craziest) family in the world! The next 2 weeks I got to spend with friends and family. It was incredibly life giving to me after a crazy but awesome year of ministry.</div>
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Me with my nephews Devon(14) and Tyler(16). Obviously they know how to grow!</div>
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Mom and the girls- we are lined up by age but I won't tell you our age- Just that wanda is a full 10 years older than me:)</div>
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the little ones got balloons!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qknXWG0apUU/UD9X5qIxtMI/AAAAAAAAA6o/Au64nWAGxTg/s1600/DSCN2764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qknXWG0apUU/UD9X5qIxtMI/AAAAAAAAA6o/Au64nWAGxTg/s320/DSCN2764.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then I headed back to Brussels to be in a wedding of a friend and volunteer leader, Said. You probably remember me mentioning him several times in these updates. He met his wife Katie on our service project back in 2011 and now they are beginning life together in Brussels. So as you can see-we not only tell kids about Christ but we are also a great matchmaking service:)</div>
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Right after the wedding I drove to England to fulfill a lifelong dream of going to the Olympics. I have always been obsessed with the idea of representing my country in the olympics. I have always wanted to go and be a part of such an amazing thing. Now I can dream but I still have not figured out what I could be good enough at to make the olympic team but I decided going and representing as a fan would do for now!</div>
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My first event was the women's soccer- USA vs Canada. If you watched the game at all you know it was one for the history books and being there live was amazing. I had spent much of my time in the states finding any and all USA/flag things to wear so I could go all out in supporting teams USA. Needless to say I believe will be in more scrap books than any athlete:) People from India, Israel, USA, UK, canada, etc all took my picture:) I even got featured on the USA Today website- here is the picture. It is me and my high school friend Macey-I was sitting with some good friends, the Mcdowell's from Atlanta, which made it even more fun!</div>
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this was the crew on the way up to Manchester-it was about a 4 hr drive each way-well worth it!</div>
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after the game the were saying thank you to the fans</div>
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Off to see women's basketball</div>
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watching some cycling in olympic par</div>
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at the P&G house </div>
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The cool cab in the P&G house- there was no seat but I made it work:)</div>
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you could take green screen pics but it was closed so we took our own</div>
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women's wrestling- ask me about it some time.</div>
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me and some friends at the gold medal game</div>
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walking around London was just plain cool!</div>
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It was an incredible week! I think I am still on the high:)</span><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
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marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-79658510328282617082012-05-22T06:09:00.002-07:002012-05-22T06:09:11.700-07:00securitySince we got back from our service project in Greece I have been meeting weekly with a group of amazing high school girls. Seriously- they are the most amazing young ladies and I am so blessed to know them and be able to share my life with them and I am thrilled to know that they also have each other to live life along side of!<br />
We have been talking about insecurity. I think it's something we ALL struggle with. Maybe we think once we are out of high school it will end? Or maybe when we are out of college? Or when we get our first job? or get married? or buy our first house? The reality is that unless we find our security in something other than these things we will NEVER be secure. Because degrees and jobs and spouses will always let us down. They are like shifting ground and if I am trying to find my security in them I will fall. I need to find my security in something that doesn't move or change. The only thing I can imagine that will never change is God. That is what we have been looking at these last few weeks. Finding our security in the arms of a loving God. Though other things may come and go. They may fail me and let me down. they may cause me to FEAR rejection or failure. but finding my security in Christ's love gives me FREEDOM. You may know one of my favorite verses is from 1 John 4:18- "There is no fear in love. But perfect live drives out fear"<br />
I was in Spain a few weeks ago for our Young Life regional conference and one of the speakers was talking about a time when he realized that his beliefs about God being good were being tested and as they were put through the fire the "dross" was being brought to the surface and his true thoughts about who God was were being brought to the surface. And those thoughts were not what he thought-the reality was that he didn't believe God was good because if he did he would act differently.<br />
As we have been talking about insecurity/security the dross of my thoughts about life and God have been brought to the surface. I am realizing that I often look for my security in things other than God and then I get frustrated because they fail. When I look for my security in other things I FEAR. I fear failure, rejection, disappointment. And often those fears keep me from doing things or pursuing relationships. So this week I am trying to fill me thoughts with the TRUTH of God and His control of all things and I am trying to get rid of the lies that the world often tells me about finding my security in passing things.<br />
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Just a fun pic from my time in Spain. This is the Young Life Madrid crew and me-I am an honorary member since I have been to more of THEIR staff meetings than my own(joke-I am the only one on staff in BXL so I don't have staff meetings-in case you didn't get that)<br />
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<br />marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-27916917710598030872012-04-02T11:39:00.003-07:002012-04-02T12:06:54.814-07:00lots of photosOver February break I headed to Spain to meet with my new Regional director and to hang out with friends for a few days! Emily and I went to Toledo for the day!<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zp9BPjrNGN0/T3n2vaBOatI/AAAAAAAAA5o/ERFYVsLyLzM/s1600/DSCN2371.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zp9BPjrNGN0/T3n2vaBOatI/AAAAAAAAA5o/ERFYVsLyLzM/s400/DSCN2371.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726879695477041874" /></a><div>We went to a "hipster" party-I think we did a pretty darn good job with our costumes:)<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yGeOryOwD_E/T3n2u15zFpI/AAAAAAAAA5g/-lNkPFTUHTk/s1600/DSCN2355.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yGeOryOwD_E/T3n2u15zFpI/AAAAAAAAA5g/-lNkPFTUHTk/s400/DSCN2355.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726879685782214290" /></a></div><div>Fiona came into Brussels for a day and Jenna and I met her downtown for lunch.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QdX2kNr0yWA/T3n2uXMtiEI/AAAAAAAAA5U/3ACWlskTioI/s1600/jenna%2Band%2BI.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QdX2kNr0yWA/T3n2uXMtiEI/AAAAAAAAA5U/3ACWlskTioI/s400/jenna%2Band%2BI.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726879677540042818" /></a><br />A few weeks later Jenna and I drove to Luxembourg for the day to visit Fiona- here they are looking out over the beautiful city<br /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NP_6V-RSsJI/T3n0QP9BbQI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/2-xc9ulwRtM/s400/DSCN2391.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726876961175858434" /></div><div>This past week Celine got hitched. This is us after the civil wedding-she was legally married but still had the church wedding to go:)</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gBhEmN4q370/T3n0QsGZtPI/AAAAAAAAA4g/4cefZbx9jQU/s400/DSCN2396.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726876968731391218" /></div><div>And now she is OFFICIALLY married-big wedding and all:)</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3c7v_xR-7Ho/T3n0ROALNcI/AAAAAAAAA4w/i8Rf83r4ivk/s400/DSCN2428.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726876977832080834" /></div><div>Met these awesome ladies at the bachelorette party where we got to experience the magic of pole dancing-it was hysterical!!:) and continued the party at the wedding!</div><div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b3DFDWLcJxc/T3n2v-Zv8PI/AAAAAAAAA50/hd0OIbNZ4hM/s400/DSCN2431.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726879705243578610" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></div><div>Young Life Bulgaria reunion at the wedding:)</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dKdPyFu0NTA/T3n0SsXfrzI/AAAAAAAAA5I/-0jR6H_2DL0/s400/celine%2Bwedding" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726877003162824498" /></div><div>Another sweet friend whom i met a few years back in Ghent-we got to party it up on the dance floor. </div><div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bVfaLzmT-uY/T3n0SKnXaFI/AAAAAAAAA48/lNZ0IRa0PMM/s400/DSCN2448.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726876994102585426" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /><br /><br /></div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-43596990085499033442012-03-19T06:34:00.003-07:002012-03-19T06:55:18.331-07:00More Christmas vacationIt has been a while but just wanted to share a few more pics from my January adventures across America. It had been quite some time since I have taken a proper road trip-for some reason in Europe a road trip usually consists of planes or trains and not so many cars. SO it was actually fun to drive around and be able to stop wherever. I left PA and headed to Virginia where I stayed with a college friend, Delia, for a few nights. Sadly i did not take any pics. From there I headed to Hilton Head South Carolina where I had lived for a year before moving to Norway. I stayed with my old roomate who is now married and has 3 kids 3 and under!!! it was SOOO much fun seeing her as a mom and just enjoying the sun! I also got to speak in my old church and go to the beach!<br /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tk0nVRF8Mr0/T2c3UhmXm6I/AAAAAAAAA3M/0vhruXlNCo4/s400/DSCN2247.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721602677353716642" /><div>From South Carolina I drove to Atlanta where I spent a few days with AmyBeth for a few days. We taught together for a few years back in the day and now she also has 3 kids. and again sadly I did not take any pics but we had a great time! From ATL i flew to California to visit Sarah who used to live here in Belgium. It was so great and I realized why God never sent me to California to live-cuz i NEVER would have left!!:) We even ate breakfast at this little airport one morning and walked out on the tarmack to check out the plains-sarah was a bit concerned that we weren't "authorized" as the sign said but we just acted like we were gonna buy that plane:)</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EYW208EVw44/T2c3VvClptI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/fFKYeLpZnSI/s400/DSCN2250.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721602698141607634" /></div><div>We also went to Santa Barbara and Ventura one day</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NZMruOKClLk/T2c3Won4v0I/AAAAAAAAA3k/kK_A0pDrRxc/s400/DSCN2267.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721602713598869314" /></div><div>I got to meet up with an old dear friend whom I hadn't seen in over 10 years. We had gone to middle and high school together so it was such fun catching up on life!</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TwdEy9BHlY4/T2c3XxMdWyI/AAAAAAAAA3w/Y_TJda7jqNA/s400/DSCN2274.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721602733079616290" /></div><div>After Cali it was a flight back to ATL where I met up with a BUNCH of dear friends over a few days but again did not take any pics-I am a slacker!!</div><div>Then I drove to Florida for Young Life's all staff conference. It was AMAZING and included a night at sea world!!</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1WVtfEoyBs/T2c3YjV981I/AAAAAAAAA38/JmnWiHcjeok/s400/DSCN2300.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721602746541273938" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YdOgknkGjGs/T2c59cmzRFI/AAAAAAAAA4M/NmNo93A2FDc/s400/DSCN2334.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721605579411244114" /></div><div>After the conference I made to 15 hour drive straight through back to PA and then flew back to BXL the next day-fun times!! So that was my stateside adventure!<br /></div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-61202193020319408072012-02-28T06:00:00.002-08:002012-02-28T06:18:34.723-08:00AdventureAdventure.<div>What does the word make you think of? Someone in a safari hat headed off to see the lions and tigers and bears-oh my!? Or spending the week in some exotic place like St. Thomas or Rome or California:)? Does it make you excited or stressed?</div><div><br /></div><div>While I was in the states over Christmas I got together with some friends who used to live in Spain and do Young Life there. They are now living life in the states. We met for breakfast-a fun adventure that I don't often get in Europe. In the midst of our conversation, as we were discussing the craziness of their life when they used to live in Spain(and it was TRULY crazy), they both mentioned the word "adventure." They were reminiscing about how even though living in another country and working with teenagers is often crazy and sometimes you end up in random foreign towns and don't know where you are:) it is all an adventure. You literally never know what is going to happen next.</div><div>The next day I was driving to the Young Life all-staff conference in Florida and I called my old friend and boss, Paul. In the midst of this conversation and me asking Paul how things were going he said he missed the "adventure" of living life in Belgium. He has an amazing life now but there is just something about the unknown of living in a place where you don't speak the language and you aren't really a part of the culture.</div><div><br /></div><div>Adventure. . . So today I am choosing to be blessed by the adventure that is my life. It is often extremely frustrating and I sometimes end up in tears but it is always an adventure. An adventure that God-who created and loves me and is with me every step of the way- has sent me on. An adventure that, through the tears, has often seen so much laughter and friendships and blessings. An adventure that means that just today I got to talk to sweet friends in Australia and read about a best friends life in Luxembourg and email a friend in Spain. An adventure that in the next few months has me taking a group of 35 high schoolers to Greece. An adventure that also includes the mundane and day to day tasks of grocery shopping, car repairs, work and running to the post office. An adventure that has far exceeded any expectations I could have had for my life. </div><div><br /></div><div>John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy: I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."</div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-57470414521498542022012-02-09T04:07:00.000-08:002012-02-09T04:33:11.640-08:00Let's start at the very beginning"Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When you read you being with a-b-c, when you sing you begin with do-ra-me." Or when talking about a trip to the states you begin with family time!<div>I had quite the adventure in the states-around 6 weeks of it to be exact. And it started out as any good trip should- with LOTS of family time. We did EVERYTHING! basketball games, shopping, puzzles, playing games, eating, laughing, chatting- and wedid it in abundance. I got home while the kids were still in school so right off the bat I got to go see on of Tyler's basketball games. He impressed me with his 18 points and 20 rebounds- NO DOUBT!!:) </div><div>I also got together with 3 friends from High school and we had a blast. We felt like we were back in High school-climbing(because she has a ghetto-fabulous car that has broken seats and has to be started with a screw driver!) into Jen's jeep and driving crazy through the streets of Perkasie-YES,that was us!!:) Finally after 2am we decided maybe it was time to call it quits but it was a blast!</div><div>Wanda and her crew got in last friday night after rescuingKari from school:) and then the chaos got taken up a few notches! I think we literally spent every waking moment together. I mean there was a 10 minute time at some point over the next 10 days when I went into my room just for a moment of peace and mom came in asking why I was in the room all alone:) Fun times!</div><div><br /></div><div>Mom decided to go through 1 of the hope chests and clear it out. So she made us each a bag of items that may or may not have been from our actual childhood-there were too many of us to keep straight:) and told us we had to take them or she was throwing them out. Her I am wearing just a few of the items in my bag. Notice the cute hat, booties and extra special cape! I decided maybe they don't actually fit any more. In case you were wondering there was also a old stained onesie-why she kept it I have no idea and how she could have know to whom it might belong is even more mind boggling.</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DPCjgfgs-rU/TzO54SX9cNI/AAAAAAAAA2I/qWnbqea7BNw/s400/IMG_0194.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707109529464697042" /></div><div>So in my bag was also the brown sweater that is on the monkey below. In the midst of us laughing about everything mom informs me that there were matching ones for her and dad that my grandmother had given them. This was the point when we realized that she really had no idea what belonged to whom because she remembered that they had worn them when they lived in Vermont- where they lived for 2 years right after they got married and LONG before I was born:) But she got the matching sweater and we took a "family portrait"</div><div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-15RoqxGxNTU/TzO548mPylI/AAAAAAAAA2U/hQEefZQSk1s/s400/IMG_0204.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707109540798909010" style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></div><div>here we are getting ready for the Christmas eve service- not sure what is going on but we were obviously having fun!</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCc8XcgAFzE/TzO55ixbu2I/AAAAAAAAA2g/YmzUNTkHmCo/s400/IMG_0211.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707109551046376290" /></div><div>The following week we headed out to Lancaster for a Green Dragon and Shady Maple run!</div><div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gO15aCOSMv4/TzO57NIlWpI/AAAAAAAAA24/iCoLlqkJ1Qg/s400/IMG_0315.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707109579597634194" style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></div><div>And for new years we played the amazing game of Quelf and had pretzel's, nuggets, homemade cake pops and so much more!!</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LTAqcDJx620/TzO565hXP-I/AAAAAAAAA2s/rNNaWjait6c/s400/IMG_0322.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707109574332858338" /></div><div>So that is the beginning-more to come!</div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-10697616667957229872012-02-06T07:34:00.000-08:002012-02-06T07:49:13.698-08:00Exchanges<div>SO a few years ago I posted this blog </div><div><a href="http://marissasadventures.blogspot.com/2009/05/daughter-of-farmer.html">http://marissasadventures.blogspot.com/2009/05/daughter-of-farmer.html</a></div><div>about how I tend to not get rid of things that I think I will be able to fix. Well here I am to verify that sometimes it pays off to hang onto those old things:) A few months back I saw on the Apple sight they were having a recall on the first ipod nanos from 2005. Well I happened to own one of those. It had been a birthday gift from some friends. It was my first ever ipod and I used it all the time until I bought a mac computer a few years later and it came with a free ipod touch. Then it mostly just got used on road trips because it worked with the cheapo device I got at Rice's to play my ipod through the radio. Any how-it was only 2gb and so I was constantly having to change the music/podcasts on it. I am NOT complaining-just setting the story up. So the said ipod was getting recalled. I filled out the appropriate paperwork and waited for an envelope to get sent to my parents house in PA. When I got home for Christmas it was there-waiting for me to put my old ipod in and take to the UPS store. From there they said they would send me a "fixed" one in 4-6 weeks. In the meantime I had looked up online to see if they were going to be sending the SAME ipod back or if it would be updated? The news I read was that they were refurbishing them and sending the same ones back.</div><div>So off I set on my 3 1/2 week road trip(more on that later) and when I returned my mom shows me a package and asks if it could possibly be my "new" ipod? She is sure it can't because it is so tiny(and she didn't see the buttons for turning it on). but indeed-my ipod has been upgraded to a 8gb nano-and all because I refuse to get rid of perfectly good "junk"</div><div>Here is a photo of my fantastic and new ipod! Yeah for being a Farmer's daughter:)</div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-REVbSzdAH1s/Ty_zGuELDhI/AAAAAAAAA1M/ZpR8RcTIn1w/s1600/Photo%2B1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-REVbSzdAH1s/Ty_zGuELDhI/AAAAAAAAA1M/ZpR8RcTIn1w/s400/Photo%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706046549672005138" /></a>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-66027148786915083822011-12-06T02:41:00.001-08:002011-12-06T02:51:10.245-08:00Day off!Yesterday I drove here(whilst passing through belgium and the netherlands)<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-USN9_Q6Cn-o/Tt3yPmP_B1I/AAAAAAAAA0o/mlICa17OI3g/s1600/DSCN2162.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-USN9_Q6Cn-o/Tt3yPmP_B1I/AAAAAAAAA0o/mlICa17OI3g/s400/DSCN2162.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682964654590986066" /></a><div>to shop at this</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-27zq5GiC6Q0/Tt3yQI5JZkI/AAAAAAAAA00/YHUlN712xkw/s400/DSCN2163.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682964663890437698" /></div><div>and enjoy these lights</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6mRNCbscIv8/Tt3yQvjgUYI/AAAAAAAAA1A/aoV4t3wsTko/s400/DSCN2167.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682964674268647810" /></div><div>The day started out gorgeous. Drove to Dusseldorf with the plan of shopping for some Christmas stuff, checking out a city I had never been to before and maybe sitting in a starbucks for a bit:) All was accomplished and though the day ended in a mix of rain/snow it was awesome! There may have been one awkward moment in starbucks when perhaps while reading in Matthew I may have teared up and then caught the eye of someone sitting across from me but I think we all escaped relatively unscathed:) Yeah for German Christmas markets, GPS's and awesome travel soundtracks!</div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-53265124410188735632011-12-03T05:10:00.000-08:002011-12-03T05:43:21.590-08:00Countdown ON!!<div>Can't wait to see these faces and more!!!</div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uNpUIVhIfNQ/TtomX5BIU-I/AAAAAAAAA0c/9sDPWZ_fEhE/s1600/DSCN1392.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uNpUIVhIfNQ/TtomX5BIU-I/AAAAAAAAA0c/9sDPWZ_fEhE/s400/DSCN1392.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681896071765709794" /></a><br />16 more days til I arrive in the states!! I am SOOO excited. Pretty much I become a useless mess when it gets this close to seeing my family so it's always a good thing that there on things on my calendar that keep me focused:) Right now I am listening to Christmas music and baking pumpkin bread! I know-you might think it's past pumpkin bread making days- I mean thanksgiving is past BUT I didn't get to make it even once this year so I am making now. PLUS I am still babysitting(have been for almost 2 weeks) and they have an actual stove(as you might guess) and counter space so i was feeling inspired. As a matter of fact- if I had the other ingredients I would consider making Christmas cookies!! But for now- Pumpkin bread it is. So thank you Mrs. Dovan-one of my second grade teachers-for your awesomepumpkin bread recipe- It has literally made it around the world!!<div>TRADITIONS<br /><div>So when I arrive in America I have some traditions. Like the fact that my dad picks me up and always has a few of his famous oatmeal raisin cookies for me to eat on the way home. No one else in the family likes or eats them but they are my FAVORITE cookie in the world and the fact that my dad makes them and remembers to bring them to me makes them that much more precious! Then we drive home and mom has usuallyplanned a home cooked meal that includes lima beans-again you may not be interested in them but they are my fav and they are also grown by my dad:) Can you see why my expectations for a husband are so high?:) Now this year when i arrive home Trisha's kids will be out of school already so I will not be able to surprise any of them at school BUT that does mean we will get to go to Chick-Fil-A together at least 5 times in my first week home:) We will also have our annual cookie baking extravaganza!! This involves a FULL day of baking all sorts of cookies and baked goods while listening to Johnny Mathis on the record player. This has been a tradition for as long as I have been alive and I can not listen to Johnny without wishing I was in my mom's kitchen baking cookies! Sadly Wanda and the girls will not be with us this year because Kari doesn't get out of school until the 23rd- REALLY people??? what if people have baking traditions they have to uphold?! BUT there has been word on the Hunsberger street that Devonand Alexis are quite the bakers these days so I think we will be able to fill in the gaps!</div><div>I LOVE traditions- they have a way of making me feel at home and I think it's an awesome way to connect and give a sense of community. I love that my nieces and nephews know and love the traditions as much as I do. I love that I get to SHARE them with so many amazing people. I love that my family appreciates the fact that though we may spend most of the year so far apart, when we are together we get to make awesome memories TOGETHER! New traditions are born every year- like homemade frappachino's on new years:) and the Christmas mice:) </div><div>What will it be this year?!!! Can't wait to see!</div><div>When there is snow- sledding is ALWAYS a must! this is from last years sledding day! Can you guess which one I am? </div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xfj9TftrvW4/TtomXvQGDdI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/8ZbH9Zv0z8g/s400/IMG_0514.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681896069144120786" /></div></div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-55606529999992960282011-11-23T05:51:00.000-08:002011-11-23T06:18:22.161-08:00ThanksgivingTomorrow marks the first in my 35 years that I will not celebrate Thanksgiving Day with a proper turkey and fixings. It's an odd feeling. A mixture of missing the traditions that this day holds along with that odd feeling that this is home now and in this home they do not have the same traditions. <div><div>So I will make a list of things that I am thankful for and for 2moro I will be content to say thank you without the amazing food.</div><div><br /></div><div>a comfy bed to sleep in, a hot shower whenever I want, food in the fridge and cabinets, laughter, good music, relationships, family who are friends as well, friends who are family as well, legs that can walk or run, shoes for various purposes, a car to get around in, God's love and pursuit, the ability to read, joy, iced coffee, airplanes to get me places, memories, pictures that tell stories, love, mercy, internet connection, books that challenge, different cultures, opportunity to cuddle friends babies, peace beyond understanding, selfless people/acts, chick-fil-a, the color orange, life lessons-even the hard ones, wisdom, smiles, wrinkles that show life lived, that God is bigger than my understanding, traditions, that life is new every day, free t-shirts, bathrooms that flush, water from a tap, grace, flowers, fall, sweet tea, a full life, opportunity to share God's love with my friends.</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! I pray that the day is amazing-filled with friends, family, traditions and new memories!</div></div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-45889660468075931632011-11-10T12:37:00.001-08:002011-11-10T12:52:40.011-08:00Christmas is comingI have already begun to listen to Christmas music-and I LOVE it! There has been this poster circulating the web about how Nordstrom's is not decorating for Christmas until after thanksgiving- a one holiday at a time policy. 7 or 8 years ago I would have held this same philosophy. Especially given that Thanksgiving has ALWAYS been my favorite holiday. I love it because it does not include the stress of picking out the prefect gift AND it involves eating copious amounts of amazingly good food. The problem is that it is a purely North American holiday. They do not celebrate it over here. I have found ways to celebrate every year with a variety of friends but it has never been the same since leaving the states and SO -I welcome an early Christmas with open arms. I welcome the fact that my neighborhood has already put up the Christmas lights over the streets. I welcome the fact that the other night I walked past a restaurant and they had their Christmas tree lit in the window. I welcome the fact that yesterday I met a friend at the only Starbucks in Brussels city and they had red cups, Christmas music playing and Christmas coffee for sale. I welcome the fact that Brussels has begun setting up for the Christmas market. I welcome these things because they do not bring the fear and panic of the crazy Christmas season in the US. Christmas here is more laid back, it's twinkle lights, candles and drinks with friends. It's ice skating on the square and getting churros at the market:) It is more about special moments with special people then about finding and buying a gift someone probably doesn't NEED anyway. And in the midst of it I seem to be able to remember a bit better the reason we celebrate-Jesus birth in a manger. The fact that our all powerful, all knowing, all loving God came in the form of a baby and HUMBLED himself to be born in a manger. He is about relationships- about loving people before they ever love him and so I welcome this celebration with the joy that comes from knowing I have been loved for eternity and that I have received a gift that I can not and need not repay. So for all my North American friends- I will join you in eating amazing food this month but I will ALSO begin celebrating Christmas a little earlier than you:)!marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-16177520676145410462011-10-04T08:26:00.000-07:002011-10-04T09:16:00.848-07:00Lately<div>It has been a very busy few weeks. I really am not quite sure where september went but I welcome October with open arms. October is, for many reasons, my favorite month. The least of these is that no one looks at me oddly when I wear my varied collection of orange clothing. Another is the introduction of candy corn into everyone's diet. There are just SO many ways to eat those niblets of goodness! I prefer to start at the top-for some reason the white part is my least favorite- and then eat the orange bit and savor the fat yellow bit for last. I have my technique perfected but I would assume there are many other ways to delight in the goodness of candy corn. I also love October for the colors. Everything just looks beautiful this month. The trees start to turn, the forest floor turns orange and golden, there is that brilliant red ivy climbing the sides of buildings. And every once in a while you get that perfect crisp fall day to go for a walk! AHHHH October is here and I love it!<div>Just because I have not been blogging here it doesn't mean that I have not been up to exciting things.</div></div><div>Several of my friends moved away-and by "away" I mean to australia and california-so about as far away as one could get! Before they left we spent the day at an abbey near Brussels. It is a gorgeous abbey with ivy growing everywhere and Ben kept saying he felt like he was in the Lord of the Rings:) Here are sarah, Julz and I at the abbey.</div><div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v-SS1fD_pho/TossigARO8I/AAAAAAAAAzY/Mr2jSNxZ8-4/s400/P1090352.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659666327939398594" style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></div><div>So everyone talks about the crazy cows we have in Belgium. They look like they are on steroids. So if you haven't seen them before- here is a photo though this guy isn't as muscly as some!</div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--0ef6VQnwII/Tossjh9hjeI/AAAAAAAAAzo/yD9DynF86eA/s1600/P1090418.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--0ef6VQnwII/Tossjh9hjeI/AAAAAAAAAzo/yD9DynF86eA/s400/P1090418.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659666345644625378" /></a></div><div>Spent some time on the "Brussels Beach." Each summer they build a "beach" along the canal. Let's just say it's a good thing this is at night because the canal is disgusting and I am not quite sure that the allure of the sand makes it any better but-hey-we went anyways:)</div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rOTKqQNMRSg/TossjIo-p6I/AAAAAAAAAzg/T9SV-fklM2Y/s1600/DSCN1929.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rOTKqQNMRSg/TossjIo-p6I/AAAAAAAAAzg/T9SV-fklM2Y/s400/DSCN1929.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659666338847565730" /></a><br />Had a picnic on the grand place-everyone should experience this at least once in their life-or maybe once a week:) But it was fun and there was even a light show at the end of the night!<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B62siW5kSWs/Tosp_fz5liI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/JxhEsqGvShM/s1600/P1090305.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B62siW5kSWs/Tosp_fz5liI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/JxhEsqGvShM/s400/P1090305.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659663527568840226" /></a><div>Then a few weeks ago I went to visit some friends in the UK. They are dear friends that moved from ATL to the UK this summer so I was anxious to visit and see how they were adjusting. We took a few little trips to castles and towns and just hung out a lot.</div><div>In York we went into the cathedral and they were having a service. At the end you could go and have one of the pastors pray for you. It was a really moving experience-which I unabashedly took a photo of:)<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NvthX-a8NHU/Tosp-0VNe8I/AAAAAAAAAzI/hQfFSjsveZQ/s1600/DSCN1999.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NvthX-a8NHU/Tosp-0VNe8I/AAAAAAAAAzI/hQfFSjsveZQ/s400/DSCN1999.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659663515897396162" /></a></div><div>Here is a picture of the outside of the cathedral.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SOHS1dgTPZ4/Tosp-qxijdI/AAAAAAAAAzA/jfixJqy0cY4/s1600/DSCN1993.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SOHS1dgTPZ4/Tosp-qxijdI/AAAAAAAAAzA/jfixJqy0cY4/s400/DSCN1993.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659663513331862994" /></a></div><div>and Macey and I at starbucks:) Macey was my roomate for about 4 months 6 years ago. Now she is in the 10th grade and is gorgeous and so mature and I was blessed to be able to eat many of her baked goods while I was there:)<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BtzH9nRc8LE/Tosp-Wff4XI/AAAAAAAAAy4/XDy4aSwWsB4/s1600/DSCN2003.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BtzH9nRc8LE/Tosp-Wff4XI/AAAAAAAAAy4/XDy4aSwWsB4/s400/DSCN2003.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659663507887481202" /></a></div><div>I flew to the UK on an airline I had never flown before(flybe). I was a little concerned that it wasn't a real airline when I booked the tickets and I am not saying they were excellent but not awful either. Here is the view out my window as we landed in Manchester. The fact that the wheels were not under the plane but on the wings lets you know how small the plain was:)<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sI9sMzxrGbA/Tosp-OgXYTI/AAAAAAAAAyw/b2Ecmvj1tMw/s1600/DSCN1985.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sI9sMzxrGbA/Tosp-OgXYTI/AAAAAAAAAyw/b2Ecmvj1tMw/s400/DSCN1985.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659663505743634738" /></a><br />Well that's all for now- many more adventures to come!</div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-78189594877628207062011-09-02T13:42:00.000-07:002011-09-02T14:11:55.535-07:00You know you've been out of the country too long when . . .So apparently I have been living outside of the USA for a little too long and no longer remember general holidays actual dates. I tend to remember when the 4th of July(kind of self explanatory) and Christmas are-they keep the same date every year. But those tricky holidays that switch dates every year- well they get me all kinds of confused. <div>
<br /></div><div>Like yesterday when I was on skype with my mom. It was September 1st and in my head that meant it was labor day- you know- the day where you can no longer wear white? but she mentions something about MONDAY being labor day. . . I tried to play it off but it took me probably a full 30 seconds of going over it in my head to remember that YES indeed labor day is not ALWAYS September 1st but the 1st Monday in September. REALLY- are they just trying to confuse those of us who longer live in America? </div><div>
<br /></div><div>can't we make more holidays like 4th of July?- cuz the name really helps me remember the date!</div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-85508727200520152802011-08-02T15:07:00.000-07:002011-08-02T15:19:42.847-07:00Yes I am still alive!<div>I know I have been missing for quite some time but I have many excuses-which include but are not limited to being in france and then the states for a month!<div>So for this moment I will leave you with a little teaser of my time away.</div></div><div>2 of my sisters came to YoungLife camp with me and I made them go on the giant swing:) They may tell you they hated it but they loved it:) they even willingly went on the Zip line the next day!</div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ssegtAQhIAE/Tjh3K9IRtMI/AAAAAAAAAyY/OmRAbXiwk3s/s1600/giant%2Bswing.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ssegtAQhIAE/Tjh3K9IRtMI/AAAAAAAAAyY/OmRAbXiwk3s/s400/giant%2Bswing.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636385963745850562" /></a><div>We also spent the annual week at the shore-here we are being hardcore!<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WPhqDP3xLvA/Tjh2j7fuMJI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/Xoq_kVHues8/s1600/DSCN1879.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WPhqDP3xLvA/Tjh2j7fuMJI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/Xoq_kVHues8/s400/DSCN1879.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636385293292417170" /></a></div><div>This was my view in France when I went to YoungLife camp to work! God's handiwork is AMAZING!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oGCvkNp-Buw/Tjh2jreZD7I/AAAAAAAAAyI/06mboTmGkh8/s1600/DSCN1836.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oGCvkNp-Buw/Tjh2jreZD7I/AAAAAAAAAyI/06mboTmGkh8/s400/DSCN1836.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636385288991870898" /></a><br /><br /></div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723008091242161526.post-91411567128928573442011-04-25T11:41:00.000-07:002011-04-25T11:57:57.592-07:00Bulgaria Hysteria!Just got back from our annual YoungLife service project. We went to Bulgaria this year. From Brussels we took 22 students and 4 adults. It was an absolute blast! I am still exhausted and a little sick but it was all VERY worth it!<div>Here is the program team of "Bulgaria Hysteria"<br /><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Y1QNZt6Jjw/TbXBPPRITeI/AAAAAAAAAws/xl-6tWSsSrA/s400/DSC_6657.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599594179245657570" /></div><div>One of the murals we painted at the school for kids with disabilities. </div><div> <img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Atl2ZZvxwzQ/TbXBQaBfT8I/AAAAAAAAAxE/9_Lsh4KyNJs/s400/DSC_6798.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599594199312715714" /></div><div>Alyssa getting to use the saw!</div><div> <img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kEWZ00URm2I/TbXBP4IFCFI/AAAAAAAAAw8/lYovDYWRrDM/s400/DSC_6756.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599594190213548114" /></div><div>Emily and I on the work site</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lOAaUIscb2g/TbXCmrg4tOI/AAAAAAAAAxk/8PK61B9vzdE/s400/DSC_7187.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599595681476556002" /></div><div>The girls on the beach!</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kuuR4NojWp8/TbXBPV76RxI/AAAAAAAAAw0/NbYzPYhwyPQ/s400/DSC_6662.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599594181035706130" /></div><div>The whole Brussels group in front of the other mural.</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jptTIEHNBVE/TbXCl3-cZXI/AAAAAAAAAxU/vxsKrF_9n6k/s400/DSC_7052.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599595667641886066" /></div><div>With some of the kids from the school</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W378YOsjJ3Y/TbXCm0YpcDI/AAAAAAAAAxs/jsBcaOJToq4/s400/DSC_7193.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599595683857920050" /></div><div>Stephen and his posse!</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5mOEEG7V6S0/TbXCnVd674I/AAAAAAAAAx0/gVnIVigRAfk/s400/DSC_7211.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599595692738408322" /></div><div>Our awesome Brussels leaders!!</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6MHQBqhKFdM/TbXDrJFqpVI/AAAAAAAAAx8/lAd1LBS6SBM/s400/DSC_7014.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599596857646556498" /></div><div>Paul got to come back and be part of Brussels!!</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pjsv8LpD5e4/TbXCmGnwucI/AAAAAAAAAxc/-dQtoCOG1yM/s400/DSC_6995.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599595671573281218" /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>marissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07461016167582484908noreply@blogger.com1