If you will notice I am typing this in pink of all colours! You guys and gals that really know me know that I'm not a fan of pink. I'm writing in pink because I was tickled pink tonight. I got to talk to Ms. Brandi, Mrs. Joyce, Valerie, and Brandon (P) at the BCM. And to top that I got to talk to a whole bunch of people at my beloved costume shop! It was so good to hear all those familiar voices!!! I can't tell you what it meant to get to talk to all of you. After the half week I've had it was good to hear all of you.
I was doing pretty good until I got on facebook and saw everyone's headshots (ok so not everybody, but a lot of them). And they looked awesome by the way! Anyway it just made me realize that I wasn't there to get mine made. :( And that yet again I'm not going to get to audition for SCTC cause I'll still be here. I even tired to convince Freddy to move all the costume classes to Wales so I could be near all you guys! You're suppose to just be right down the road not hundred of miles away! But now that I've called and talked to everyone I'm much better. You guys really brightened up my day (technically my night)! I love you all! You mean more to me than I let on, I hope each of you know how much I truly love you!
~Stella
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Monday, September 26, 2005
???????
God,
Help me. I don't know what I'm suppose to be doing right now. Am I on a M-trip or what? It doesn't feel the same. I'd say that meant I wasn't suppose to be here, but I know You're the only reason I'm here. I'm confused. I don't know what it is You want me to do here. I just can't seem to get my head wrapped around this program. I know what the class part of this is, but the M part is where I'm having the trouble. We're suppose to go out and introduce ourselves to the shop people here, so that they get use to seeing us around. Building relationships, got it. But then what? Maybe I'm just in a weird mood today. Jesus, I need You. I love You. Please hold and comfort me. Father, hear my prayer.
Your wondering child,
stella
Help me. I don't know what I'm suppose to be doing right now. Am I on a M-trip or what? It doesn't feel the same. I'd say that meant I wasn't suppose to be here, but I know You're the only reason I'm here. I'm confused. I don't know what it is You want me to do here. I just can't seem to get my head wrapped around this program. I know what the class part of this is, but the M part is where I'm having the trouble. We're suppose to go out and introduce ourselves to the shop people here, so that they get use to seeing us around. Building relationships, got it. But then what? Maybe I'm just in a weird mood today. Jesus, I need You. I love You. Please hold and comfort me. Father, hear my prayer.
Your wondering child,
stella
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Dinner with Brian
The title tells you what I'll being doing after church this evening. I just wanted to let everyone know that my journal from East Asia is now up and I'm beginning to put journal entries from before I left, while I was there, and there'll prolly be a few from when I got back to the states. The problem is you will have to start with my first post of that blog and work your way backwards. I've dated them with the actual date that I wrote them in my journal. Feel free to make comments on them if you wish. Love you all! Keep praying!
~Stella
~Stella
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Robert Litton ggrrrrrrrr........
He's the meanest, rudest, I don't know what else.........
I'm just kidding!! It's just a joke between me and him. Anyway this morning we had prayer meeting with the team. It was great! We met even more people from Alabama. I'm telling ya I think Alabama's got an undercover colony here. So undercover that they don't tell anybody unless they stay for a couple of years here in Wales. It's crazy how many people from Alabama come over here for mission work.
Later on today we are going to be cleaning out our youth room with our youth. They've got a lot of work ahead of them but they totally want to fix this room up for themselves. They have some really good ideas. I'll have to get Roberto to take some before, during and after pictures of the room so you guys can see what these kids are doing. It's going to be a lot of fun.
Oh and before I forget again Troy told us about a formula here in the UK. You know how Americans (for the most part) are all talkative and happy? Well, he told us you take 1 Brit + 1 bottle of wine = 1 American. Later on, after some debating we discovered that the formula works in the reverse order as well. 1 American + 1 bottle of wine = 1 Brit. LOL isn't that the greatest thing you ever heard?!?! Gots to go for know, I love you guys!! Keep praying!
~Stella
Ps. I'm going to start typing my journal entries from East Asia on here. I'll have a link to them as I get them typed up.
I'm just kidding!! It's just a joke between me and him. Anyway this morning we had prayer meeting with the team. It was great! We met even more people from Alabama. I'm telling ya I think Alabama's got an undercover colony here. So undercover that they don't tell anybody unless they stay for a couple of years here in Wales. It's crazy how many people from Alabama come over here for mission work.
Later on today we are going to be cleaning out our youth room with our youth. They've got a lot of work ahead of them but they totally want to fix this room up for themselves. They have some really good ideas. I'll have to get Roberto to take some before, during and after pictures of the room so you guys can see what these kids are doing. It's going to be a lot of fun.
Oh and before I forget again Troy told us about a formula here in the UK. You know how Americans (for the most part) are all talkative and happy? Well, he told us you take 1 Brit + 1 bottle of wine = 1 American. Later on, after some debating we discovered that the formula works in the reverse order as well. 1 American + 1 bottle of wine = 1 Brit. LOL isn't that the greatest thing you ever heard?!?! Gots to go for know, I love you guys!! Keep praying!
~Stella
Ps. I'm going to start typing my journal entries from East Asia on here. I'll have a link to them as I get them typed up.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Goodbye my little hobbits!
Last night I moved out of number 2 Thistle Close. I will miss my little hobbits and their hobbit hole. I'm now living in what the yankees would call a row home. Here it's called a terrace home. The funny thing is they don't have a terrace. Oh well. If you want to mail stuff to me you can still mail it to 2 Thistle Close, because I'll see Jackie and Alan almost everyday, I just won't be living with them.
As of right now I'll be home in December. As much as the flesh wants to stay in Wales forever (and I may move here one day) the spirit is not being told to stay. I would love to finish the course, but that's not what I've been led to do yet.
God, this saddens me that I can't stay. I pray that You will send someone to finish the work that needs to be done in the church. I pray that they will acknowledge the battle that must be faught here. May they see what must be done. I pray for Lewis. Father, keep calling to him. He's so close. Give Robert and I the words to say. Speak thru us. I love you more and more. The more I learn about You the more I'm falling in love with You. Thank You for loving me like You do. Thank You for never leaving me. Thank You for loving me for who I am. Bless those who are praying for us. Thank You for showing me that they give to You and not to me, because it is all about You. Thank You for easing the growing pains. Thank You for the comforting You've given me. Show me what I'm to do here, and what I'm to do with my life. Father, send my helpmate that You have for me. Open my eyes to see him when You send him. For now Your love and comfort is all I need. Your grace is sufficient for me. I love you Father!!! Reveal Yourself to me.
~Stella
As of right now I'll be home in December. As much as the flesh wants to stay in Wales forever (and I may move here one day) the spirit is not being told to stay. I would love to finish the course, but that's not what I've been led to do yet.
God, this saddens me that I can't stay. I pray that You will send someone to finish the work that needs to be done in the church. I pray that they will acknowledge the battle that must be faught here. May they see what must be done. I pray for Lewis. Father, keep calling to him. He's so close. Give Robert and I the words to say. Speak thru us. I love you more and more. The more I learn about You the more I'm falling in love with You. Thank You for loving me like You do. Thank You for never leaving me. Thank You for loving me for who I am. Bless those who are praying for us. Thank You for showing me that they give to You and not to me, because it is all about You. Thank You for easing the growing pains. Thank You for the comforting You've given me. Show me what I'm to do here, and what I'm to do with my life. Father, send my helpmate that You have for me. Open my eyes to see him when You send him. For now Your love and comfort is all I need. Your grace is sufficient for me. I love you Father!!! Reveal Yourself to me.
~Stella
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Humpty Dumpty = Man/Adam ?
Today was the first day of our class here in Wales and I have to tell you I was blown away by God. After stretching me day before I wasn't to sure how class would go today. In the first session we learned how to make disciples like Jesus did. God really showed me, in that, how we the church have strayed from this basic teaching. We are to focused on the masses. Jesus was disciplining the 12, people showed up to listen, he didn't turn them away, and by the end of it he was having the sermon on the mount. Although He was really teaching to the 12, He also laid the ground work so that His disciples could disciple some of the people there. It's a domino affect. Pretty cool, huh?
Session two was the part that God really showed out. For me session two was Drama. Robert did Sports and Games. In Drama we were looking at stories in the Bible and finding their "core issues." You know what the stories are really about underneath the surface. While doing this we were given this assignment:
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put humpty together again!
You and your partner now have 10 minutes to devise a new version of telling the Humpty Dumpty story. The rules to this are 1) One of your core issues must be made clear. {Find the core issue and make it easy for people to spot.} 2) You must use the written word in the course of the story telling that fits in with the story {eg. Write a word on a sign, read from a book etc.} 3) You must use one prop that again fits in with the story. 4) Other than the above, you can deliver your story dramatically, or just standing and telling, you can deliver the story through presentation in song/rap if you are brave enough and so on.
Well, me and Josh start thinking about the core issue going on in H.D. We start thinking out loud and I get "a thing is sitting there minding it's own business, and all of a sudden it falls to pieces, and nothing anybody can do can put the pieces together again." Then God starts molding the image of man into my head. The core issue is now, "Man is broken and unable to fix himself with out God(the "king"). Now take that and apply it to retelling of H.D. "Man lived life and fell. And no man could fix him, he needed God." With that sentence what do you get? You get Adam in the garden. Adam (man) fell when he ate the apple. Adam tried to fix things by what? By hiding from God and tying fig leafs together. That didn't work. It was God who had to fix Adam's nakedness by using animals skins and making him clothes. And to go one step further He had to really "fix" Adam by sending Jesus to die on the cross for the "fall of man." Now you tell me that's not deep and a revelation from God Himself. Only God could have made Humpty Dumpty have anything to do with Him.
Me and Josh could not stop laughing at the way God revealed Himself to us. We were just going to read a couple of verses from genesis to illustrate our version of H.D. but Josh wrote a little rap to do it instead it went like this:
Man lived life and fell
He was in danger of hell
The horses and men
Couldn't put him together again
He needed the King
With His atonement to bring
So the moral does say
That the King is the only Way.
Josh Boston, 15 Sept. 2005
God totally rocks!! I'll leave it at that for tonight. Before I have class again I will post some other things I learned today. God showed us a lot in just one day, I can't even imagine what all He'll show us in a year!! I love you all, each and everyone of you! Thank you for your prayers, they are always needed and appreciated!
~Stella
Ps. Here's one last thing to think about when you're out getting to know non-believers. What would you say to one that said, "Do you love me because you want me to be a Christian? Or do you want me to become a Christian because you love me."
Session two was the part that God really showed out. For me session two was Drama. Robert did Sports and Games. In Drama we were looking at stories in the Bible and finding their "core issues." You know what the stories are really about underneath the surface. While doing this we were given this assignment:
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put humpty together again!
You and your partner now have 10 minutes to devise a new version of telling the Humpty Dumpty story. The rules to this are 1) One of your core issues must be made clear. {Find the core issue and make it easy for people to spot.} 2) You must use the written word in the course of the story telling that fits in with the story {eg. Write a word on a sign, read from a book etc.} 3) You must use one prop that again fits in with the story. 4) Other than the above, you can deliver your story dramatically, or just standing and telling, you can deliver the story through presentation in song/rap if you are brave enough and so on.
Well, me and Josh start thinking about the core issue going on in H.D. We start thinking out loud and I get "a thing is sitting there minding it's own business, and all of a sudden it falls to pieces, and nothing anybody can do can put the pieces together again." Then God starts molding the image of man into my head. The core issue is now, "Man is broken and unable to fix himself with out God(the "king"). Now take that and apply it to retelling of H.D. "Man lived life and fell. And no man could fix him, he needed God." With that sentence what do you get? You get Adam in the garden. Adam (man) fell when he ate the apple. Adam tried to fix things by what? By hiding from God and tying fig leafs together. That didn't work. It was God who had to fix Adam's nakedness by using animals skins and making him clothes. And to go one step further He had to really "fix" Adam by sending Jesus to die on the cross for the "fall of man." Now you tell me that's not deep and a revelation from God Himself. Only God could have made Humpty Dumpty have anything to do with Him.
Me and Josh could not stop laughing at the way God revealed Himself to us. We were just going to read a couple of verses from genesis to illustrate our version of H.D. but Josh wrote a little rap to do it instead it went like this:
Man lived life and fell
He was in danger of hell
The horses and men
Couldn't put him together again
He needed the King
With His atonement to bring
So the moral does say
That the King is the only Way.
Josh Boston, 15 Sept. 2005
God totally rocks!! I'll leave it at that for tonight. Before I have class again I will post some other things I learned today. God showed us a lot in just one day, I can't even imagine what all He'll show us in a year!! I love you all, each and everyone of you! Thank you for your prayers, they are always needed and appreciated!
~Stella
Ps. Here's one last thing to think about when you're out getting to know non-believers. What would you say to one that said, "Do you love me because you want me to be a Christian? Or do you want me to become a Christian because you love me."
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
S-T-R-E-T-C-H
Ok so if you want the run down of the past two days see Robert's journal, today's post is going to be serious and directed a little more towards God. Not to worry fun posts will return shortly. Thank you for your prayers and understanding during this transition in my posts.
Stretching hurts. During our orientation it was discover that I personally couldn't care less about the news. This is something I've never hidden. I also don't like to debate on political views, because yet again I care nothing about politics. I mostly don't care about them because I know nothing about them. I'm learning that this is not necessarily a good thing. We were told to watch the news or read the newspaper everyday while we are here. Stella doesn't do either of those. The most I do is read headlines every now and then. Father, open me up to do all things asked of me.
All of you that really know me know that I don't like to argue. I gave that up when I was a junior in high school. If it's not about something Biblical I'm not going to debate you on it. What's the point if it doesn't affect whether you or I go to heaven or hell? If debating over something is going to change how I or someone else can get to heaven or hell, I'm all for it. Otherwise, in my opinion, debating is pointless and a horrible waste of time. I'm not going to change your mind by telling you the same thing over and over. I can only tell you what I know or believe and it's up to you to change your mind. And it's up to God to change your heart.
I guess at the heart of the matter, I don't like it when I'm corrected in front of people. And yesterday felt like I was being singled out, and I hate that feeling. My first response to that feeling is to immediately close myself off and basically clam up. After a really long day and a half I was able to realize that I wasn't singled out to be singled out, I just happened to be the only one in the room that didn't get what was going on, and I was corrected fully in love with the hopes of me understanding and becoming a part of the conversation.
BCM folks I can't tell you how depressed I was when I went to bed last night. Purely because I didn't want to hear what God said unless is was in my favor. I didn't want to open back up. I wanted to have a pity party and give up and come home. Like that would have solved anything. It would have only added to my problem. I've never really had a thick skin when it comes to someone correcting me, it always hurts my feelings no matter how it's done. I actually cried last night before I fell asleep. I don't like being center of attention when I'm being corrected, it hurts my feelings more than anything, and I know that it shouldn't be like that, but it is. I say all that to say this. Thank you Valerie for calling me at 3 am so that I could talk to you and all you BCM people. Talking to you guys really encouraged me to buck up and get over it. God used that phone conversation to keep me from making a huge mistake and leaving Wales. I was to the point that I just wanted to do the Stella thing and pack up and get out of Dodge.
I'm sorry that tonight's blog wasn't super silly like normal. I just felt I needed to share that with you all. I want to share with you all that I learn here, so maybe one day you guys won't make the stupid mistakes that I make. The lesson in this is when you feel wronged by anybody check your perspective maybe things are not as they seem. You'd of thought I learned that already. God showed me that while I was in East Asia just last month. We must always apply what we learn otherwise it was taught in vain. I love you all very much. Pray that I will be bold and strong in God so that I may learn, stretch, and grow while I'm here.
~Stella
Ps. One by one all of you go to Mrs. Joyce and give her a big hug from me. Tell her that I love her, every time you hug her.
Stretching hurts. During our orientation it was discover that I personally couldn't care less about the news. This is something I've never hidden. I also don't like to debate on political views, because yet again I care nothing about politics. I mostly don't care about them because I know nothing about them. I'm learning that this is not necessarily a good thing. We were told to watch the news or read the newspaper everyday while we are here. Stella doesn't do either of those. The most I do is read headlines every now and then. Father, open me up to do all things asked of me.
All of you that really know me know that I don't like to argue. I gave that up when I was a junior in high school. If it's not about something Biblical I'm not going to debate you on it. What's the point if it doesn't affect whether you or I go to heaven or hell? If debating over something is going to change how I or someone else can get to heaven or hell, I'm all for it. Otherwise, in my opinion, debating is pointless and a horrible waste of time. I'm not going to change your mind by telling you the same thing over and over. I can only tell you what I know or believe and it's up to you to change your mind. And it's up to God to change your heart.
I guess at the heart of the matter, I don't like it when I'm corrected in front of people. And yesterday felt like I was being singled out, and I hate that feeling. My first response to that feeling is to immediately close myself off and basically clam up. After a really long day and a half I was able to realize that I wasn't singled out to be singled out, I just happened to be the only one in the room that didn't get what was going on, and I was corrected fully in love with the hopes of me understanding and becoming a part of the conversation.
BCM folks I can't tell you how depressed I was when I went to bed last night. Purely because I didn't want to hear what God said unless is was in my favor. I didn't want to open back up. I wanted to have a pity party and give up and come home. Like that would have solved anything. It would have only added to my problem. I've never really had a thick skin when it comes to someone correcting me, it always hurts my feelings no matter how it's done. I actually cried last night before I fell asleep. I don't like being center of attention when I'm being corrected, it hurts my feelings more than anything, and I know that it shouldn't be like that, but it is. I say all that to say this. Thank you Valerie for calling me at 3 am so that I could talk to you and all you BCM people. Talking to you guys really encouraged me to buck up and get over it. God used that phone conversation to keep me from making a huge mistake and leaving Wales. I was to the point that I just wanted to do the Stella thing and pack up and get out of Dodge.
I'm sorry that tonight's blog wasn't super silly like normal. I just felt I needed to share that with you all. I want to share with you all that I learn here, so maybe one day you guys won't make the stupid mistakes that I make. The lesson in this is when you feel wronged by anybody check your perspective maybe things are not as they seem. You'd of thought I learned that already. God showed me that while I was in East Asia just last month. We must always apply what we learn otherwise it was taught in vain. I love you all very much. Pray that I will be bold and strong in God so that I may learn, stretch, and grow while I'm here.
~Stella
Ps. One by one all of you go to Mrs. Joyce and give her a big hug from me. Tell her that I love her, every time you hug her.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Hobbits Rock!
Tonight is a short entry cause I want to give everyone the chance to read and comment on the entry before this one, cause it's some of my best writing. Tonight I just want to say that I love you all. BCM I can't thank you enough times for the hand written notes. I will keep them forever, they are a real source for encouragement over here. Until tomorrow this is goodbye! Below is a reprint from an earlier post just want to make sure the message is out!
~Stella
I will reward you with my cell phone number here in Wales. You may call me at anytime. If you call me it's free for me, and as you all know anything that's free for me here is a blessing from God! So this is what you dial............... 01144-7914-249-794. Ring me whenever you like! I love you all! Keep us in your prayers. And if the money comes in or people tell me that they'll sponser me a month here, I'm going to stay for the ten months and complete the Youth Ministry course. So tell everyone you know!
~Stella
I will reward you with my cell phone number here in Wales. You may call me at anytime. If you call me it's free for me, and as you all know anything that's free for me here is a blessing from God! So this is what you dial............... 01144-7914-249-794. Ring me whenever you like! I love you all! Keep us in your prayers. And if the money comes in or people tell me that they'll sponser me a month here, I'm going to stay for the ten months and complete the Youth Ministry course. So tell everyone you know!
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Salsa-dancing-hobbits !!!!!!
I don't think I have ever laughed so hard before in my life! I'm staying with a great couple who's names are Jackie and Allan Holst. Well tonight we had a barbie (BBQ). Jackie's brother Les, his wife Jan, their daughter Sara, Jackie's friend Lorraine, and Jackie & Allan's friends Chris and his wife V (Veronica) were all here. After we all had a great meal Jackie was showing us a work out video that she, V and Jan are all going to start working out to. It's Salsa dancing!
A little background info before I get to the really funny part. Not including me and V, everyone at the BBQ was around 5'-5'2. They make me feel like I'm in the Lord of the Rings. I'm man and they're Hobbits. It's great! Cause you can't not like Hobbit sized people they're just to cute. But the Hobbits that were here tonight are not like normal Hobbits, no, they're like a bunch of Pippen and Merrys running around.
Ok now for the funny part. We'd finished tea (supper to you americans) and Jackie puts in the Salsa tape to show everybody. Well, Lorraine starts doing a little Salsa dance with the video. Then Jackie, V and Jan join in. Now you have to keep in mind that the living room is about the size of the BCM's downstairs back classroom if you take away the hall (that's really small for you non-BCMers). I start chuckling just a bit, then in walks Chris. Mr. IReallyLookLikeAHobbit, himself. He starts asking all kinds of questions about what the ladies are doing. Then he asks how they're going to lose weight doing that when it's so slow.
Jackie tells him to hang on and she FF to the real workout part of the video. (It's set up like a Taebo tape- you know they teach you all the moves then you really start the workout.) When she hits play Chris starts trying to do what the group on the tele are doing. To the absolute joy and entertainment of the entire room Chris has the classic white-man-can't-dance-cause-he-ain't-got-NO-rhythm disease. I hope you all have seen someone Salsa before, cause if you have you've got the picture in your head. Hobbit doing Salsa/Aerobics workout without any rhythm.
I thought we were all going to die, we were laughing so hard. Between me and Allan we decided that: We should film Chris with me doing the commentary on the "moves." Then we should sell them all around the world. I'm telling you we could make a fortune. The entire world would lose weight just from laughing. We were all crying!
If I stay for the year, during Christmas I'll be back with Jackie and Allan. Right now I'll only be with them for another week, then I'll go to another members house for a couple of months. Every couple of months me and Robert will go to stay with another of our church's members. Don't worry about where to mail stuff to us. The addresses we gave you are the Pastor's and I gave you Allan's (he's the church secretary- here that's the person in the role of head deacon), so if you mail us something we are sure to get it, cause we'll be in constant contact with them both.
Pray for Robert, he's not feeling to good. I'm not real sure why, it might just be that he's not quite yet used to the time. Also pray for this next week, we start our classes and ministry this week. Pray for Morgan as well, she didn't get in the country they sent her back to the US. I've heard that she's going to try again. Either she's not suppose to be here at all, or God's going to do something really BIG thru her when she gets here.
To the BCM I thank you so much for the hand written letters that you sent us in an email. That really meant a lot to me. There's just something about a hand written letter even if it's scanned onto the computer and emailed it has the same effect. I love you all so much. God has blessed me with REAL friends.
To FBC of Dadeville thank you to your continued giving. Because of your donations I will be able to stay another month. Because of this I am going to start applying for my VISA to stay the full ten months. I have felt at home since arriving in this country and I can't miss this opportunity to witness to the nations for/with God. He has given me a peace about staying, so I'm going to stay. I know that because of this peace the money needed for me to stay will continue to show up. God's just that AWESOME! I love you all! Keep praying!
~Stella
A little background info before I get to the really funny part. Not including me and V, everyone at the BBQ was around 5'-5'2. They make me feel like I'm in the Lord of the Rings. I'm man and they're Hobbits. It's great! Cause you can't not like Hobbit sized people they're just to cute. But the Hobbits that were here tonight are not like normal Hobbits, no, they're like a bunch of Pippen and Merrys running around.
Ok now for the funny part. We'd finished tea (supper to you americans) and Jackie puts in the Salsa tape to show everybody. Well, Lorraine starts doing a little Salsa dance with the video. Then Jackie, V and Jan join in. Now you have to keep in mind that the living room is about the size of the BCM's downstairs back classroom if you take away the hall (that's really small for you non-BCMers). I start chuckling just a bit, then in walks Chris. Mr. IReallyLookLikeAHobbit, himself. He starts asking all kinds of questions about what the ladies are doing. Then he asks how they're going to lose weight doing that when it's so slow.
Jackie tells him to hang on and she FF to the real workout part of the video. (It's set up like a Taebo tape- you know they teach you all the moves then you really start the workout.) When she hits play Chris starts trying to do what the group on the tele are doing. To the absolute joy and entertainment of the entire room Chris has the classic white-man-can't-dance-cause-he-ain't-got-NO-rhythm disease. I hope you all have seen someone Salsa before, cause if you have you've got the picture in your head. Hobbit doing Salsa/Aerobics workout without any rhythm.
I thought we were all going to die, we were laughing so hard. Between me and Allan we decided that: We should film Chris with me doing the commentary on the "moves." Then we should sell them all around the world. I'm telling you we could make a fortune. The entire world would lose weight just from laughing. We were all crying!
If I stay for the year, during Christmas I'll be back with Jackie and Allan. Right now I'll only be with them for another week, then I'll go to another members house for a couple of months. Every couple of months me and Robert will go to stay with another of our church's members. Don't worry about where to mail stuff to us. The addresses we gave you are the Pastor's and I gave you Allan's (he's the church secretary- here that's the person in the role of head deacon), so if you mail us something we are sure to get it, cause we'll be in constant contact with them both.
Pray for Robert, he's not feeling to good. I'm not real sure why, it might just be that he's not quite yet used to the time. Also pray for this next week, we start our classes and ministry this week. Pray for Morgan as well, she didn't get in the country they sent her back to the US. I've heard that she's going to try again. Either she's not suppose to be here at all, or God's going to do something really BIG thru her when she gets here.
To the BCM I thank you so much for the hand written letters that you sent us in an email. That really meant a lot to me. There's just something about a hand written letter even if it's scanned onto the computer and emailed it has the same effect. I love you all so much. God has blessed me with REAL friends.
To FBC of Dadeville thank you to your continued giving. Because of your donations I will be able to stay another month. Because of this I am going to start applying for my VISA to stay the full ten months. I have felt at home since arriving in this country and I can't miss this opportunity to witness to the nations for/with God. He has given me a peace about staying, so I'm going to stay. I know that because of this peace the money needed for me to stay will continue to show up. God's just that AWESOME! I love you all! Keep praying!
~Stella
Friday, September 09, 2005
Spam reaches a new level!
Start praying right now. Pray for our team mate Morgan. Right now she's in the custody of Passport Control. I think Robert has told you guys about Morgan, but just In case here's a little info. She has been trying to get a visa to stay in Wales for the year. She has applied and been denied three times already and now they aren't letting her into the country at all. I think (if it's like when me and Robert came in) it might have to do with her return ticket. You have to be able to prove that you're leaving the country when you say you're going to leave the country. I don't have all the details, but please pray for her that God's will will be done in this matter.
Now for the funny stuff! You will notice, when you go to post a comment, that you now have to type in a word verification. This is because spamming as soared to new heights! They have invented a software program that surfs blogs and posts comments on blogs that don't use word verification comments. How crazy is that? You can't even blog in peace anymore. I have started using w.v.comments because this morning I had 6 comments and only three of them were from real people. The other three were fake comments with links in them about bingo and car loans!
If you didn't read the comment below this one, you should. It has valuable information in it. My apologies to Sandy......yes, you did sign your post. Forgive me my Sandy! I throw myself upon the mercy of your court!! To my little hobbit.....the time difference is six hours. I'm six hours ahead of you, but you may ring me anytime. If a hobbit friend needs me they may ring me at any hour!
Love to all of you! God's blessing on you as well! Thank you for all your support, J'ville take care of my sister, Valerie take care of my brother, family take care of my parents. Have a blessed day!
~Stella
Now for the funny stuff! You will notice, when you go to post a comment, that you now have to type in a word verification. This is because spamming as soared to new heights! They have invented a software program that surfs blogs and posts comments on blogs that don't use word verification comments. How crazy is that? You can't even blog in peace anymore. I have started using w.v.comments because this morning I had 6 comments and only three of them were from real people. The other three were fake comments with links in them about bingo and car loans!
If you didn't read the comment below this one, you should. It has valuable information in it. My apologies to Sandy......yes, you did sign your post. Forgive me my Sandy! I throw myself upon the mercy of your court!! To my little hobbit.....the time difference is six hours. I'm six hours ahead of you, but you may ring me anytime. If a hobbit friend needs me they may ring me at any hour!
Love to all of you! God's blessing on you as well! Thank you for all your support, J'ville take care of my sister, Valerie take care of my brother, family take care of my parents. Have a blessed day!
~Stella
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Anonymous said...
Ok, before I tell you about today I want to teach all of you a new trick in reaching me.
Step 1. Go to the site www.allaroundtheworldforyou.blogspot.com .
Step 2. Read Stella' s side splitting entry for the day.
Step 3. Stop laughing enough to where you can type.
Step 4. Click on comments.
Step 5. When the comment box appears, type your funny or enlightening comment.
Now pay attention this is where it gets a little tricky !!
Step 6. Click on the circle next to the word other.
Step 7. Click to the right of the word name.
Step 8. Type your name in the space provided. Ex: Tom
Step 9. Click Publish your comment.
Step 10. Worship God and forgive Stella of being a cheeky monkey!
I love you guys so much! Please don't be to mad at me, but I won't know who said what unless you tell me. I'm pretty sure that Sandy's the one that posted the comment about "my stella," but unfortunately many people have started calling me that, so I'm not positive.
Now about my fun day here in Wales! I started the day off by waking up a little late, so there was no time to worry about what clothes I put on......Wait, I never worry about that so pay no attention to that comment. Because of the late wakening we were a little late getting out the door and on our way to Grangetown to meet Robert. We got to where Robert was staying and the two of us walked to a place called IKEA (Eye-KEY-Ya) for breakfast. We get there and have a lovely breakfast. We realize that now it's time to head back to the church cause it's 10am and we're suppose to be picked up at 10:30am to go around town. Well, we start out of the building just about the same way we came in. We just took a different set of stairs to get to the same floor we entered on. We start looking around and there's no exit anywhere. So we go back up the stairs to try to get to the escalator we came up to get to the resturant. The stairs next to the escalator have a no entry gate in front of them and the escalator only goes up.
So now what are we suppose to do? We take the elevator down to the first floor. The doors open and we're standing right next to where the first set of stairs took us. But the couple that was on the elevator with us starts walking through the store like they're not shopping, so we decide to follow them. Maybe just maybe they are trying to get out of this prision just like us. They manage to get us to another room in the store that we haven't been in yet and start shopping. Luckly to men walk around us with determined looks on their faces so we follow. Not to worry we're not following them close enough for them to notice we're following them. They take us through what appeared to be a lumber yard indoors.
They custom build beds and cabniets. I thought it was a cool room. Anyway, we round the next corner and lo and behold, what stands before us?............. Cash registers!! We had to break in line to get out! This place not only made you see the entire store to exit it, but you HAD to go through an open register line!!! The next Welsh person that tells me Wal-Mart's the devil, I going to say, " No it's not IKEA is. At least Wal-Mart lets you walk in and out as you please. We don't make you walk the entire store before allowing you to leave!"
At one point me and Robert talked about bringing a sack lunch with us next time. Guys I really thought that we were going to have to go out one of the fire exits to get out of this place! It was a bit unnerving. After that place the rest of my day seems a bit boring. Though I did discover the Cardiff is made up of a lot of different cultures. I even found China town, well China road anyway. I was happy.
If you've made it this far I will reward you with my cell phone number here in Wales. You may call me at anytime. If you call me it's free for me, and as you all know anything that's free for me here is a blessing from God!
So this is what you dial............... 01144-7914-249-794. Ring me whenever you like! I love you all! Keep us in your prayers. And if the money comes in or people tell me that they'll sponser me a month here, I'm going to stay for the ten months and complete the Youth Ministry course. So tell everyone you know!
~Stella
Step 1. Go to the site www.allaroundtheworldforyou.blogspot.com .
Step 2. Read Stella' s side splitting entry for the day.
Step 3. Stop laughing enough to where you can type.
Step 4. Click on comments.
Step 5. When the comment box appears, type your funny or enlightening comment.
Now pay attention this is where it gets a little tricky !!
Step 6. Click on the circle next to the word other.
Step 7. Click to the right of the word name.
Step 8. Type your name in the space provided. Ex: Tom
Step 9. Click Publish your comment.
Step 10. Worship God and forgive Stella of being a cheeky monkey!
I love you guys so much! Please don't be to mad at me, but I won't know who said what unless you tell me. I'm pretty sure that Sandy's the one that posted the comment about "my stella," but unfortunately many people have started calling me that, so I'm not positive.
Now about my fun day here in Wales! I started the day off by waking up a little late, so there was no time to worry about what clothes I put on......Wait, I never worry about that so pay no attention to that comment. Because of the late wakening we were a little late getting out the door and on our way to Grangetown to meet Robert. We got to where Robert was staying and the two of us walked to a place called IKEA (Eye-KEY-Ya) for breakfast. We get there and have a lovely breakfast. We realize that now it's time to head back to the church cause it's 10am and we're suppose to be picked up at 10:30am to go around town. Well, we start out of the building just about the same way we came in. We just took a different set of stairs to get to the same floor we entered on. We start looking around and there's no exit anywhere. So we go back up the stairs to try to get to the escalator we came up to get to the resturant. The stairs next to the escalator have a no entry gate in front of them and the escalator only goes up.
So now what are we suppose to do? We take the elevator down to the first floor. The doors open and we're standing right next to where the first set of stairs took us. But the couple that was on the elevator with us starts walking through the store like they're not shopping, so we decide to follow them. Maybe just maybe they are trying to get out of this prision just like us. They manage to get us to another room in the store that we haven't been in yet and start shopping. Luckly to men walk around us with determined looks on their faces so we follow. Not to worry we're not following them close enough for them to notice we're following them. They take us through what appeared to be a lumber yard indoors.
They custom build beds and cabniets. I thought it was a cool room. Anyway, we round the next corner and lo and behold, what stands before us?............. Cash registers!! We had to break in line to get out! This place not only made you see the entire store to exit it, but you HAD to go through an open register line!!! The next Welsh person that tells me Wal-Mart's the devil, I going to say, " No it's not IKEA is. At least Wal-Mart lets you walk in and out as you please. We don't make you walk the entire store before allowing you to leave!"
At one point me and Robert talked about bringing a sack lunch with us next time. Guys I really thought that we were going to have to go out one of the fire exits to get out of this place! It was a bit unnerving. After that place the rest of my day seems a bit boring. Though I did discover the Cardiff is made up of a lot of different cultures. I even found China town, well China road anyway. I was happy.
If you've made it this far I will reward you with my cell phone number here in Wales. You may call me at anytime. If you call me it's free for me, and as you all know anything that's free for me here is a blessing from God!
So this is what you dial............... 01144-7914-249-794. Ring me whenever you like! I love you all! Keep us in your prayers. And if the money comes in or people tell me that they'll sponser me a month here, I'm going to stay for the ten months and complete the Youth Ministry course. So tell everyone you know!
~Stella
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Cheeky Monkey ?!?!
Well, thanks to my family roots, it only took a day and a half for me to be called "cheeky." In the states you all would know that as a smarty pants. I guess I'll have to tell the story of calling the lady a horse since Robert went and told on me.
Robert and Troy went inside a bank to take care of some money issues, and left me, Joshua (Yes, yet another Josh has been added to my life. Is this some sort of plague? Or is God going easy on me since I'm horrible with names?), and a journeyman here named Amy (I think?!) sitting in the van. We were sitting there talking about some of our silly fears like mine about having to have the window cracked everytime I'm in the car. So we open the sliding door to let the breeze in for me, and a start hearing this noise. "Clip clop clip clop." So I say aloud to my aduience of two, "Hey, that sounds like a horse." And what happens........? A lady walks by the open door right at the exact moment that I say it. Yes, I really stuck my foot in my mouth, because of course I had to be in a country where they speak what? Yes, ENGLISH!!! Amy said that right after I said it the lady looked into the van. Josh said that he saw her to and that he just tried to play it off.
So just two days in Wales and I'm a Cheeky monkey that has foot-in-mouth diease. Horrible I tell ya, just horrible.
On the serious side of things. I must confess I feel I'm being led to stay here forever. My little Leprechaun, might have been onto something when he said that he'd never see me again. I have fallen in love with the people here. There are so many cultures here that would not get to hear about Jesus if they lived in their homeland instead of Wales. But here in Wales we can openly minister to them. This is such a blessing! Not having to hide out, but to be out and about getting to know people and sharing my faith with them. Thank You Lord, for everything you are doing here in Wales. Thank You for the church that me and Robert will be working with and for. Help us to be servants not only to You but to them as well. Break us and makes us humble while we are here. Let us not cut ourselves off from You with our foolish pride. I pray for Hannah, Father that You would use me to show her You. She's looking for something to feel that void, I can see that in her. I pray that she would fill that void with Christ.
I would like to ask you all to pray for our church and pray for Hannah and the other kids that come out to the computer club we have at the church. The church wants to start up a youth ministry in the church. And as you all know to do that you must have youth. Right now the church only has youth coming to the computer club. Hannah has told me that she will be in church on this Sunday, so please be in prayer that she will hear God and choose to follow Him. I love you guys and gals! Never forget that! Eemeber to pray first worry never! Give all your cares to God, He will take care of them no matter how small or how large God can handle it! Tata!
~Stella
Robert and Troy went inside a bank to take care of some money issues, and left me, Joshua (Yes, yet another Josh has been added to my life. Is this some sort of plague? Or is God going easy on me since I'm horrible with names?), and a journeyman here named Amy (I think?!) sitting in the van. We were sitting there talking about some of our silly fears like mine about having to have the window cracked everytime I'm in the car. So we open the sliding door to let the breeze in for me, and a start hearing this noise. "Clip clop clip clop." So I say aloud to my aduience of two, "Hey, that sounds like a horse." And what happens........? A lady walks by the open door right at the exact moment that I say it. Yes, I really stuck my foot in my mouth, because of course I had to be in a country where they speak what? Yes, ENGLISH!!! Amy said that right after I said it the lady looked into the van. Josh said that he saw her to and that he just tried to play it off.
So just two days in Wales and I'm a Cheeky monkey that has foot-in-mouth diease. Horrible I tell ya, just horrible.
On the serious side of things. I must confess I feel I'm being led to stay here forever. My little Leprechaun, might have been onto something when he said that he'd never see me again. I have fallen in love with the people here. There are so many cultures here that would not get to hear about Jesus if they lived in their homeland instead of Wales. But here in Wales we can openly minister to them. This is such a blessing! Not having to hide out, but to be out and about getting to know people and sharing my faith with them. Thank You Lord, for everything you are doing here in Wales. Thank You for the church that me and Robert will be working with and for. Help us to be servants not only to You but to them as well. Break us and makes us humble while we are here. Let us not cut ourselves off from You with our foolish pride. I pray for Hannah, Father that You would use me to show her You. She's looking for something to feel that void, I can see that in her. I pray that she would fill that void with Christ.
I would like to ask you all to pray for our church and pray for Hannah and the other kids that come out to the computer club we have at the church. The church wants to start up a youth ministry in the church. And as you all know to do that you must have youth. Right now the church only has youth coming to the computer club. Hannah has told me that she will be in church on this Sunday, so please be in prayer that she will hear God and choose to follow Him. I love you guys and gals! Never forget that! Eemeber to pray first worry never! Give all your cares to God, He will take care of them no matter how small or how large God can handle it! Tata!
~Stella
Monday, September 05, 2005
wow !
Wales.
What to say? What to say? We drove all around the area we will be working in and it's great. For right now I'm just going to say that I still can't believe I'm here. And I'm so thankful to your obe. to God in donating to get me here. Start praying for us as to wether or not we will stay for ten months instead of just three. Right now I'm feeling God's leading to be here for the ten months. That would mean I would have to raise around $1000 a month starting in December. Right now the dollar is low compared to the £, and the lower it drops the smaller the money I already got gets. Pray about that as well. It cost a lot to live in Wales but God will provide. I love you all! I'll tell you more about the city tomorrow!
~Stella
What to say? What to say? We drove all around the area we will be working in and it's great. For right now I'm just going to say that I still can't believe I'm here. And I'm so thankful to your obe. to God in donating to get me here. Start praying for us as to wether or not we will stay for ten months instead of just three. Right now I'm feeling God's leading to be here for the ten months. That would mean I would have to raise around $1000 a month starting in December. Right now the dollar is low compared to the £, and the lower it drops the smaller the money I already got gets. Pray about that as well. It cost a lot to live in Wales but God will provide. I love you all! I'll tell you more about the city tomorrow!
~Stella
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Is it already Thursday?!?!
I can not believe that it is Thursday already! Where have these three weeks gone? I have to pack, pack, pack and pack some more. That's what I should be doing right now. I'm off tonight and packing is all that Stella will be doing. On the money topic I still need around $1,000 for Wales. I'm not worried which is kind of surprising to me. I know that God is going to handle it. He has laid this trip out for me, and all I have to do is follow.
I found out yesterday that if I do stay for the 10 months I will get a diploma in Youth Ministries, and a certificate in Drama (my choice out of the three options). I have to admit to myself that I got really excited about the prospect of coming home with a diploma in hand. Just listening to Troy on the phone made me excited all over again to be going. I would say that I'm not worthy of this trip, but God taught me in East Asia that I'm worthy when He says I'm worthy. I'm worthy only through Jesus. God rocks!!
Bro Jim, I want to thank you for all your prayers and the great sermon Sunday before last. You have been my shepard for almost all of my life and I thank you for all you've taught me. One thing your message taught me was that I need to start looking at my church family different than I have been. For many years anytime we had problems I always took myself out of the equation. Thoughts like - "My church just doesn't go places anymore." or "They aren't as mission minded as I am." - would creep through my head. When the truth is we as a church family are going when any of us go. We are mission minded because I am mission minded. Maybe all this doesn't make sense to anybody but me. Just know that God really spoke to me through you the other day when I got to listen to the tape of the message.
FBC of Dadeville, I love you! You all have always been there for me and my family anytime we've needed you. Thank you for that blessing! We are truly a blessed church, and don't let anyone tell you different (unless it's God). I'm going to really miss you while I am away, but I know that you are all going to be there with me in Spirit. We are one in the bond of LOVE! I will be sending a copy of my journal from East Asia as soon as I am finished typing it all up. It may be a book by the time I'm finished with it. I'm doing this because I want you all to know the things that God taught me during my time there. For now I'll give you the really short version: God answers all prayers. We only see the things of God that we allow ourselves to see (what are you not seeing because you are choosing not to look? It may surprise you, it did me). And last, everything happens for God's perfect plan, even when it's through a crazy Nazi teacher assistant that won't translate for you.
Pray, pray, pray and pray some more!
Worthy thru Jesus,
stella
I found out yesterday that if I do stay for the 10 months I will get a diploma in Youth Ministries, and a certificate in Drama (my choice out of the three options). I have to admit to myself that I got really excited about the prospect of coming home with a diploma in hand. Just listening to Troy on the phone made me excited all over again to be going. I would say that I'm not worthy of this trip, but God taught me in East Asia that I'm worthy when He says I'm worthy. I'm worthy only through Jesus. God rocks!!
Bro Jim, I want to thank you for all your prayers and the great sermon Sunday before last. You have been my shepard for almost all of my life and I thank you for all you've taught me. One thing your message taught me was that I need to start looking at my church family different than I have been. For many years anytime we had problems I always took myself out of the equation. Thoughts like - "My church just doesn't go places anymore." or "They aren't as mission minded as I am." - would creep through my head. When the truth is we as a church family are going when any of us go. We are mission minded because I am mission minded. Maybe all this doesn't make sense to anybody but me. Just know that God really spoke to me through you the other day when I got to listen to the tape of the message.
FBC of Dadeville, I love you! You all have always been there for me and my family anytime we've needed you. Thank you for that blessing! We are truly a blessed church, and don't let anyone tell you different (unless it's God). I'm going to really miss you while I am away, but I know that you are all going to be there with me in Spirit. We are one in the bond of LOVE! I will be sending a copy of my journal from East Asia as soon as I am finished typing it all up. It may be a book by the time I'm finished with it. I'm doing this because I want you all to know the things that God taught me during my time there. For now I'll give you the really short version: God answers all prayers. We only see the things of God that we allow ourselves to see (what are you not seeing because you are choosing not to look? It may surprise you, it did me). And last, everything happens for God's perfect plan, even when it's through a crazy Nazi teacher assistant that won't translate for you.
Pray, pray, pray and pray some more!
Worthy thru Jesus,
stella
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