Landsflicka

          Take a moment to appreciate this little fur ball of cuteness. This is Mosi: she loves eggnog, crumpled up paper, and attacking your feet. She is the most adorable, cuddly, and mischievous kitten you may ever be acquainted with, so protect your feet and check under the furniture.
          Mosi showed up on my doorstep about a month ago. (Actually, she was curled up in Retta's dog house waiting to be picked up and loved on.) I carried her into the house and the following conversation ensued....
Mom: Oh my.
Me: Yes. It is cute isn't it.
Mom: .........
Mom: Bring it in and feed it.
           Ever since then, life has seldom been dull. Retta is thrilled to have a playmate, except for the times Mosi grapples her butt like a cougar and bites it. The two will chase each other around the basement, tearing up the carpet and generally creating a ruckus. After an especially rousing chase, there is the routine "drinking-out-of-the-Christmas-tree-stand" and "fighting-over-Laurel's-bed."

  
          Sometimes, I pretend that having such rambunctious companions is annoying. After all, they both beg for milk out of my cereal bowl, terrorize the parakeets and constantly demand attention. But in all honesty, Mosi and Retta keep my life in a wonderful state of happy and unexpected.
Every evening when I come home from work, they pile onto the couch with me and sleep peacefully, offering what animals give the best: companionship.
I'm looking forward to many adventures with my pets. Hopefully neither one of them kills the other first.

           A candle is lit in each window, there is a furry kitten in my lap and hot cocoa at my elbow. Everything in this picturesque scene is perfect --- except the dismal lack of snow. (All of my friends left for Florida this Christmas, but they didn't have to. There is tropical, 65 degree warmth here in Missouri.)
These days my life has consisted of the following:
Reading.
Two weeks ago my friend lent me the "Book Thief" by Markus Zusak..... and oh how INTERESTING it is! Every evening I curl up in bed with the thick black volume to absorb more of the captivating story. Mosi joins me -- licking me on the nose and begging for eggnog. 
The book started out like this:

          Thanksgiving happened a long time ago.... (Wait, was it only last week? oh my.) It feels like a lifetime has gone by since then; those turkey dinners and laughter-filled evenings are memories of the past. However, I am still in complete awe of the overabundant blessings in my life-- my mind is still focused on thanksgiving.

         Firstly, I have a network of family and friends like no other. Of course that sounds cliché -- everyone says they are thankful for friends and family. But honest to goodness. I love the people surrounding me. They are joyful, inspiring individuals and I don't know where in creation I would be without them. Our family gatherings are loud and exciting: there are usually little kids running about with their energetic chatter, theological debates, spontaneous music sessions, and the like. We are not perfect, but we are family---tied together with the endurable bonds of loyalty and love.


          There are times in my life when I start to freak out about finances and start scheming various get-rich-quick strategies, but I have to remember that God has always provided. He provided me with a clean functional car after my accident. He dropped a free piano into my lap -- (a beautiful upright with wood carving!). I was even gifted with a furry, grey kitten yesterday morning when it showed up on my doorstep. I have never gone hungry, and my living space is comfortable and warm....  Life is pretty okay I guess :)

     
          Recently, I stumbled across David's song of thanksgiving in 2 Samuel chapter 22. After reading it, I found that it pretty much covered everything -- from praising God, to destroying enemies, to words of thankfulness. The song struck a chord with me, so I will share a sample of it with you:

The sky was a "dense grey pavement of clouds" (Hawthorne) and the water was a chilly green. It couldn't have been a more perfect day for exploring.
Our first discovery was a dead gar fish. Those things look so prehistoric! Like something straight out of a children's dinosaur book. We looked for arrow heads -- without any luck, and Clara scaled the smooth wall of a bluff like a mountain goat. Also I fell in the water. (My camera was spared).

The thing about adventures is that you never know what's going to happen. Instead of worrying and avoiding risky situations, you have to adapt the mindset of embracing the unexpected.
Example: Falling into the creek was not planned and afterwards I was sloshing around in wet sneakers. Then, I climbed up the sandy banks to the woods: dirt, sand and burrs were all over me and I probably didn't smell all that great. Nevertheless, there were many miles to go and many more photos to take. (Plus I no longer had to worry about staying clean. Once a person falls in the water, they are less inclined to maintain their outward appearance.)

Every day can be an adventure if you choose.
It is a decision I have made and life is full and rich because of it.

An average day doing mission work in Mexico:
5:15 AM -- The alarm goes off on Olivia's phone. "California Dreamer" by the Mamas and the Papas.
5:45 AM -- Actually roll out of bed and get dressed.
6:00 AM -- Eat breakfast which usually consists of strong coffee and refried beans. The dining area is always crammed full with people, but the fellowship is irreplaceable.
6:30 AM -- Load up the vans and head out to the work site. The 20 minute commute is one of my favorite parts of the day; the sky is glowing pink from the sunrise, the city lights are still winking brightly, and mountains are towering on all sides of the sprawling city. On our ride we have entertaining discussions, sing hymns, and look out for landmarks such as Wal-Mart, the farmacia, and the Kim Kardashian sign.
7:00 - 8:30 AM -- The men and women separate into groups for morning devotions. There are more men than women, so they occupy the sanctuary and we take the chapel. While we pray and preach and listen, we can hear the men singing and praying aloud all at once; it is a powerful experience. Afterwards we frantically set up for another long day.
10:00 AM -- The labor begins. Carolyn and Olivia run the medical clinic with the help of Ilia. Sharon and I sit at the eyeglass table and manage with no interpreter. Our communication is limited to:
"Bien?"
"No, no bien."
"Mas?
"Mas!"
"Bien?
"Si! muy bien!"
"Buenas Dias!"
"Gracias!"
Needless to say, my ability to make up sign language improved rapidly. Thresia and some other women prepare food for the day and Michelle and Jeanine work fervently setting up the Children's Crusade program. Nick turns on the generator in the work trailer and immediately the welding, sawing, hammering, and drilling commences. One gets used to the humming and banging pretty quickly. In four days, electricity, 40 pews, and a flight of stairs are installed by the hard working crew of God-fearing men. I have been inspired by their perseverance and spirit.
12:00 PM -- Lunch begins. For a short while the construction stops and we enjoy the peaceful quiet while gathered under the tents. Everyone jokes around, Joe tells fishing stories, and someone always shares their testimony. Christian fellowship is rejuvenation for the soul.
1:00 PM -- The generator starts up again. The children begin collecting together begging for candy and presents, or just generally looking adorably. Is it just me or are Mexican children the absolute cutest? Some of the girls are especially sweet and help out as much as they can with huge smiles.
5:00 PM -- Dinner. Everyone is glad when dinner comes because it means that the day's work is done. Some of the Mexican church members join us.
7:00 PM -- The townspeople pull up in their dusty old trucks for evening worship; some of them bring instruments and some of them bring Bibles and all of them bring children. Hoards of children. So many children. They all lay out blankets and put the babies to sleep on the floor. One of our pastors preaches with the assistance of an interpreter. There are a few inside jokes our team has from interpreters making mistakes (Jalapeñosos!) resulting in the mission team crying with laughter. After the sermon, those who want to be saved or need prayer are invited to the alter and their Christian family comes forward to pray for them. It is a time of powerful prayer. Bold prayer. And the Spirit of God moving among the people.
11:00 PM -- The days are long: full of every emotion, hours of labor and determination, moments of peace. By the hand of God, they are brought to completion, and an exhausted mission team stumbles into the hotel welcoming sleep with open arms. Tomorrow is bright new day, full of opportunities to serve the Lord and spread His love!

There's inspiration to be drawn from the palette of browns and greys, and my heart soars when the north winds come sweeping through.

SEPTEMBER: The persimmons are ripening and if I'm lucky I'm able to harvest a decent amount to make cookies or bread. Otherwise they make an excellent meal for some woodland creature. The dogs eat them off the ground like candy and I have to shoo them away. Then, the acorns start to fall; smooth brown ones that scatter the ground. All through my childhood I would help Dad pick them up out of the driveway and throw them into the woods, giving them a better chance of growing into a fine strong tree. I still throw acorns out of the road -- it's a habit I'll never want to break.

OCTOBER: If October were a color I would say that it is either marsala or gold. Or both. The leaves have finally reached their peak of vibrancy and the temperatures have dropped low enough to wear sweaters and jackets. In the downtown you'll see women wearing fancy leather boots with plaid skirts and scarves. Autumn is the best time for fashion -- it's all an attractive blend of subdued tones and textures. If I'm not careful, I will start to drool with greed at the wonderful clothes a person can buy; someday when I am rich and famous I shall have as many wonderful trench coats and golden tassels I desire.

NOVEMBER: The month of birthdays --- (in our family anyways.) Large family get togethers, birthday dinners and Thanksgiving feasts are abundant in number. The brightness and cheer of our celebrations contrasts with the bleakness and grey of November: my favorite combination. It is the month of transition between Autumn gold into Winter silver. It is reminiscent of late nights sprawled out on the white leather couch -- of steaming apple cider -- of scratchy woolen scarves -- and the poem by Alice Cary. "The leaves are fading and falling; The winds are rough and wild...."

Autumn is wonderful...

"I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like best of all autumn, because its tone is mellower, its colours are richer, and it is tinged with a little sorrow. Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and its content." -- Lin Yutang

Guess what my dears?! I am going to Mexico!
Recently my good friend texted me something like this:
"So, just out of curiosity... On a scale of 1 to 10, how interested would you be in a week-long trip to Mexico?"
I promptly responded with "12!!!!". And that was that. Plans were made, paperwork was filled out, and there was lots of texting back and forth in caps lock letters. The two of us will be joining a group of volunteers in October to go on a mission trip in Chihuahua City.

Don't you wish that there was some sort of magical mindset we could put on when getting ready to do mission work? I do too. It would be sumpin' else  if we could go into servants-heart-mode automatically and anticipate everything that might happen. But that's not how mission trips work.
In volunteering to do mission work, you are sacrificing your personal life to serve the needs of others.
You are striving to reach the unlovable and the suffering.
You are taking off your cultural blinders and stepping outside of that safe little world you live in.
You have no idea what will happen because it's all in God's hands, but you pray and you pray mightily that His will be done.

     Hooves churning up the dirt. Panting horses and creaking leather. Country music blaring on the speakers. Little boys running around in cowboy duds. Breathless anticipation, spirited determination. The 8 second buzzer.... 91 points! A collective cheer from the crowd -- whooping, hollering, whistling... The victor throws his hat in the air. Another championship won!

Why are rodeos so appealing? What is so intoxicating about the atmosphere of horses, dirt and cowboys? I think it is the honest competition, the grit and hard work thrown into good riding.
It's the old fashioned romance of courage and integrity.
It's the fellowship of horse-loving, God-fearing, salt-of-the-earth people.
It's the comfortable familiarity of dusty boots, worn jeans, and a good saddle.
Rodeos epitomize the culture of country life -- a lifestyle admired and envied for the charm and legend built up around it. As Zane Grey put it: "It's my ideal of livin'!"

Sometimes life is hard. There are times when one must deal with a mile long to-do list, computers that go haywire just so they can laugh at your frustration, and overdue college papers no where near completion. Also absolutely nonresurrectable car batteries don't help either. In order to pull through, one needs a little pep talk. That's why I was dancing exuberantly in front of my mailbox this morning: MY PEP TALK HAD ARRIVED!!!
     Actually it was just an order of loose tea from the Tea Spot in Colorado, but it couldn't have been more appropriately timed. I immediately put water on to boil and tore into the package of goodness.

• Pumpkin Spice Chai (Black tea, ginger root, peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and pumpkin.)
• Silver Needle White Tea (Organic tea from Fujian, China.)
• Hibiscus Petals  (100% organic Hibiscus petals.)  
• Chocolate Peppermint Patty (Black tea, peppermint, chocolate flavoring.)

friends are irreplaceable people who will always go on adventures with you and make you laugh so hard that you spew tea all over the table. They will willingly take goofy pictures, consume unhealthy amounts of caffeine and walk around downtown like a mob of supermodels. I love you guys -- thank you for a wonderful day! But now, for some remarkably profound quotes from our time together :)