Why is it that every adult that returns home seems to step through some time warp that none of us notices but everyone feels? I have talked to SO many people that say they feel like a kid when they go back to their parents' house (or with whomever you lived with growing up). I'm feeling the affects of it today. Everyone is off at work and I'm stuck at home...literally. I don't have a car. So, I've been entertaining myself with video rentals (which I had to get a ride to go get) and typing up my newsletter. And my family KNOWS i'm an adult. I KNOW I'm an adult. Why don't we act like people have adult lives? I even find myself getting whiney and moody like a teenager. It's like the second I step through my front door my hair magically jumps up into a frizzy mess, my bangs get 10 feet higher, my acne magically appears and I am trying to find an excuse to stay up past my bed time...but, it's all blind to me and everyone around me until those magical family moments when you stop and think...hey, I live on the other side of the world ON MY OWN!!! I have a checking account and I pay taxes. What is happening to me!?!?!
So, I'm also trying to figure out what to do with my time here and make some major decisions. Prayer is always appreciatated. I honestly feel like Afghanistan is too much for my heart at the moment and I need a bit more time...not a lot but a bit. But, staying at home and just sitting all day is not refreshing my heart. It's mostly numbing it. So, I have some options. Please pray with me as I seek God as to what is best for me right now.
Oh and a little shout out to all you who have called or emailed about stopping by whenever I'm in your area...but unless it's outside of Gilbert, MN then it's probably not going to happen. If you really can't live without your Danika-fix until next summer, you'll have to come see me! I wish I could but between not having a car and buying plane tickets, it's just not possbile right now.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Ode to the airport
You know, I actually really enjoy the airport.
You would think after all the time I've had to spend in this self-contained limbo you would think that I'd hate the airport. But, I seriously enjoy it. I think I just love it that even though we are all here with separate passports we are all experiencing the same culture together. And it feels kind of like an exclusive club. You pay your fees and you get to walk through into the member's only area (aka "ticketed passengers"). It's the one place in the world where you can whip your belt off in public and no one thinks twice about it.
Today I sat down and finished my Seattles Best coffee (ah, I love America) just across from the door where you can greet people getting off their plane. I absolutely love that place...watching little kids scream out "daddy!!" and run and unabandondly jump into their father's arms, couples kissing after a long, or short, time apart, moms with 3 different spiderman backpacks hanging off their arms while dad and the boys are taking care of business in the men's room. I love it that people will dress in stalletto heels and faux fur jackets and sit next to the girl who looks like she rolled out of bed right into the plane in her sweatpants and a hoodie.
And, have you ever noticed that the people who work in the security area, especially around the holidays, are like super, super, super, SUPER happy. It's like they had 3 coffees and are chewing on candy canes all day. The guy today stamped my boarding pass like three times he was so excited about it. Maybe it's a ploy to distract us from the stress of security checks. Seriously, some day we are all going to have to strip down to our underwear to go through those and we'll probably only be able to carry our passport through. That will be a fun day.
Well, now after being in 9 countries and in through 6 different US states in the last month and a half, I'm headed back to "home" to spend the holidays with the family. My time in Colorado and Montana (and Wyoming for a night) was absolutely fantabulous and my soul feels much refreshed. I'm seriously amazed at the friends and family that God has placed in my life. If every girl could be so lucky.
You would think after all the time I've had to spend in this self-contained limbo you would think that I'd hate the airport. But, I seriously enjoy it. I think I just love it that even though we are all here with separate passports we are all experiencing the same culture together. And it feels kind of like an exclusive club. You pay your fees and you get to walk through into the member's only area (aka "ticketed passengers"). It's the one place in the world where you can whip your belt off in public and no one thinks twice about it.
Today I sat down and finished my Seattles Best coffee (ah, I love America) just across from the door where you can greet people getting off their plane. I absolutely love that place...watching little kids scream out "daddy!!" and run and unabandondly jump into their father's arms, couples kissing after a long, or short, time apart, moms with 3 different spiderman backpacks hanging off their arms while dad and the boys are taking care of business in the men's room. I love it that people will dress in stalletto heels and faux fur jackets and sit next to the girl who looks like she rolled out of bed right into the plane in her sweatpants and a hoodie.
And, have you ever noticed that the people who work in the security area, especially around the holidays, are like super, super, super, SUPER happy. It's like they had 3 coffees and are chewing on candy canes all day. The guy today stamped my boarding pass like three times he was so excited about it. Maybe it's a ploy to distract us from the stress of security checks. Seriously, some day we are all going to have to strip down to our underwear to go through those and we'll probably only be able to carry our passport through. That will be a fun day.
Well, now after being in 9 countries and in through 6 different US states in the last month and a half, I'm headed back to "home" to spend the holidays with the family. My time in Colorado and Montana (and Wyoming for a night) was absolutely fantabulous and my soul feels much refreshed. I'm seriously amazed at the friends and family that God has placed in my life. If every girl could be so lucky.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Makeup and prayer
My friend (momma) Donna, who I'm staying with while I'm in Colorado, treated me to a makeover this week. It was quite nice to be girly, in public, and have someone give me some tips on my makeup. Anyways, Donna told me it was a shame after the makeover just to take me home. So, I took some pictures and decided to post one on my blog to show you all my irresistable beauty. ;) And, it would be a shame to let a good makeover go to waste (remember guys, I'm still single!)
Well friends, it has been a restful week so far and also so full of just the real stuff of life. I wanted to just ask you all to pray for some real amazing friends of mine who are also walking through some real tough stuff right now. So, please get on your knees and say a prayer for these faithful ones:
1. Kendall and Andi Koens:
Kendall has been battling cancer since last spring and is recovering from his surgery to remove the tumor. However he's had complications including a collapsed lung and is on a trach. Please pray that he'd be able to be home without machines for Christmas.
2. The son of Jason and Adrienne Graves, Noah Steven.
This precious little boy has been in the hospital since he was 2 months old (over 4 months ago) and the doctors are still puzzled as to what is wrong with him. Please pray for his complete healing and for strength and wisdom for his family.
3. Hans Baumann and family. Hans is a dear, Christian man who was recently diagnosed with acute leukemia and is expected to go home to be with Jesus within the week. Please pray for his family and him as they face this time together.
And remember, especially in this Christmas season, that life is more than spending money or if you get the Christmas cookies done just right or the fact that your lights on your house don't quite look like your neighbor's. Life is fragile and it's a gift for us...and Jesus' birth here on earth was the greatest gift we could ever have received. Let's live as if that is that is the most significant thing this holiday season. The rest of it, is just dust.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
are you kidding me?!
So, I'm in the airport on my way out to Colorado and have a few minutes to get on the internet (yeah for wireless internet EVERYWHERE!)
But, I could not believe my eyes...I walked through the concourse looking at all the decked-out stores full of nice expensive goods for you to scratch your consumerism itch. Then I decided to head to the bathroom and right next to the women's room I spied an ipod VENDING MACHINE!!! You simply choose your style of ipod, any color, any size and any of the attachments. Then you swipe your card and $300 later you have a new ipod waiting to be grabbed out of the vending machine.
What will they think of next? Just between you and me, I think Apple is secretly planning to take over the world...yikes, and I just sold my soul to them--maybe that's why I had to get that barcode tattooed on the back of my hand. ;)
But, I could not believe my eyes...I walked through the concourse looking at all the decked-out stores full of nice expensive goods for you to scratch your consumerism itch. Then I decided to head to the bathroom and right next to the women's room I spied an ipod VENDING MACHINE!!! You simply choose your style of ipod, any color, any size and any of the attachments. Then you swipe your card and $300 later you have a new ipod waiting to be grabbed out of the vending machine.
What will they think of next? Just between you and me, I think Apple is secretly planning to take over the world...yikes, and I just sold my soul to them--maybe that's why I had to get that barcode tattooed on the back of my hand. ;)
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