Merry Christmas...oh...wait...I mean Happy Easter!

I swear Indiana has had some of the craziest weather I have ever experienced in my life lately! A week and a half ago it was 80 degrees outside and I was wearing capris and flip flops. And now its Easter Weekend and (are you sitting down??), its SNOWING! Not just little flakes. Here is what I saw when I looked out the window this morning:

It didn't exactly make me happy at 7:00 am on a Saturday morning....

I think God is slightly confused with His two biggest holidays...

???????

Why am I up?? It is nearly 1 a.m. and here I am, suddenly not tired anymore, playing around on the Internet.

Crazy how practically every night this week I have been wanting to go to bed or take a nap around 8 p.m. and then 11 hits and I am raring to go.

Good thing I have tomorrow off - maybe I can get myself back on track!

Bruchko

I just got done reading one of the most amazing, thought-provoking books I may have possibly ever read. While this may seem extreme to some of you (being that I am quite the reader), trust me. Read the book. I don't know if anyone could walk away from this book unchanged.

Not too long ago Rob was teaching on a Thursday night and had started telling the story of a young missionary in Colombia. He mentioned a book that was this man's story - a book he said was amazing. So naturally, I had to read it.

Maybe my new found favorite book hit me so hard because of my love for India and missions. Maybe it hit me so hard because it took me outside of my comfort zone. Maybe it hit me so hard because I yearn for the kind of trust and faith in God that this guy never seemed to lose. Maybe it hit me so hard because it was someone's story. Maybe it hit me so hard because it all started with a 19 year old. Maybe it hit me so hard because so many things hit home.

Read this book.

It's worth the time.

Just beware, it may open your eyes and change your life.

Here's a glimpse of Bruchko:

"Teenager Bruce Olson set out as a missionary with very little money, no support from a mission agency, and an intense desire to win an previously unreached tribe to Jesus Christ. He was was broke, starving, shot by arrows, tortured, had almost 5 or 6 almost lethal diseases, lived in filth, and only personally led one person to Christ among the tribe that he was called to share the gospel.

But God had called him there, and the result of the one person he led to Christ led to revolution of love among the Indian populations in Colombia. Then he spends his life among Motilone Indians that few white men had ever seen and even fewer had lived to tell about. How God used the simple ministry of this dedicated young Christian to eventually lead seventeen tribes to Jesus is one of the greatest missionary accounts of the century."

In dire need...of a vacation!

I do believe I have been suffering from what some people refer to as burnout. I have been craving a time to relax and just enjoy life and amazingly enough, I am getting two such weekends in this lovely month of April!

One of my friends is going to Chicago for a training next week for a few days and I get to "go along for the ride". It's sad how excited I am about being able to take a few good books that have been patiently waiting for me to crack them open and read them, be able to relax all day, hit the POOL! and the Fitness Center. Who needs activities when you just need some "ME" time.

Then only two short weeks after that I will be heading to Indy to visit my brother, sister-in-law and nephew! I haven't seen them in over a year! Yes, I know, you are wondering how that is possible when they live so close - well - when you don't trust your car, you tend not to travel far. So YAY for my mechanic who has said my car is in good working condition and I get to see my family!! Watch out for the pictures to come - you may be bombarded soon!!

Look out world, Jeanna's on her way to getting recharged!

April is shaping up to be a good month already!!

Tidbits

Today is one of my more random days - hard to believe I would have any days more random than the normal ME, but I do...so here are some of the things going through my mind today:

~ I love 80's music - which goes without saying that I love listening to Sunny 101.5 with their totally 80's weekend!

~ Today has been great! I got up early to do some cleaning, then headed back to bed to just relax for a few hours. Definitely what I needed today!

~ There is nothing like a hot shower on dreary days, right after a workout, to take a cold chill off or right after the beach.

~ My favorite season is beginning - Flip flop season!!

~ I can actually see my natural hair color again. Too bad I'll probably be getting highlights in the next few months!

~ I'm attempting to once again grow my hair out - lets see how long I last!

~ I love classic 80's movies! There is nothing like channel surfing and coming across the ending to Footloose - can't help but stop and watch it!

~ Love my new cell phone, just still trying to learn some of the ins and outs of it - I tend to hang up on people while they are on speaker phone - sorry!

~ I love snail mail!

~ Over the last few weeks I have gotten addicted to having coffee in the morning - probably not the best habit to get in, but I have it none the less.

~ I'm sitting here typing and craving a Chai - hmmm...yum....

~ Hailey Bean is turning more into a little girl and less like a baby - she still can't say my name though :(

~ I'm going to be an aunt again! My brother and his wife are expecting another child - I am too excited for words!

~ I can't hardly wait for summer and road trips to the beach - we girls need to formulate a plan soon!

~ I miss my friends and family who aren't around here...

~ Rain rain go away....

The end and the journey

Have you ever asked God for a "sign"? A glimmer of the future? A "flashing neon sign"?

I used to think that if I just knew the "end" that the journey would somehow be easier. God totally proved me wrong. Recently I have heard God's voice on a few major issues in my life. For once I know what my future includes. He just wants me to be patient and obedient in the process. Sounds easy right? I mean, I know the end, so all should be hunky dory...

Not true. Not true at all.

The saying that it is not the end that is important, but the journey, has never been so glaringly true for me. You may see the flashing neon sign, but there is still a path to get there. And that path may not always be easy, or smooth going, or even logical, but the path needs to be traveled for a reason.

I have learned more about myself on this path than I ever have before. I look back on who I was last year and I see radical differences. My thought processes, my spiritual life, my relationships, and the healings that have come.

Beware of praying for a flashing neon sign...sometimes...you may just get one...

Song of many souls...

Recently one of my amazing girl friends introduced me to this song by Jon McLaughlin. It illustrates so perfectly what I think every woman goes through at some point in time. How a man was able to capture that so well, I may never know, but until then I had to share the words of the souls of so many women...


Beautiful Disaster

she loves her momma's lemonade
hates the sounds that goodbyes make
she prays one day she'll find someone to need her
she swears there's no difference between the lies and compliments
it's all the same if everybody leaves her

and all the magazines tells her she's not good enough
the pictures that she sees makes her cry

she would change everything, everything, just ask her
caught in the in between of beautiful disaster
she just needs someone to take her home

she's giving boys what they want
trying to act so nonchalant
afraid to see that she's lost her direction
she never stays the same for long
assuming that she'll get it wrong
perfect only in her imperfection

she's not a drama queen
she doesn't wanna feel this way
only 17 and tired, yeah

she would change everything for happy ever after
caught in the in between of beautiful disaster
she just needs someone to take her home

she's just the way she is
but no one's told her that's okay

she would change everything, everything, just ask her
caught in the in between of beautiful disaster

she would change everything for happy ever after
caught in the in between of beautiful disaster
she just needs someone to take her home
she just needs someone to take her home