Just as a kitchen has a variety of utensils, so does life have a variety of people.
We can't all be forks. We can't all be ladles. We can't all be cheese graders.
Sometimes God asks us to be uncomfortable and fill anothers' role. At that point, He provides the tools necessary to grow you, stretch you, and complete the job for His glory. As He always does.
The Ladle
Server. Serves deep, serves well, serves always.
The Cheese Grader
The block of cheese is a big dream. I love cheese but a block is not practical. The cheese grader breaks down the dream into manageable slices in order to make it a reality. Big dream. Small pieces. One step at a time. Cheese grader.
The Fork
The fork gets the credit but a lot has to happen before everyone sees the fork move from here to there. The fork's the missionary. But being a fork isn't always glamorous. Would you want to be drown in saliva?
What else can we add to the kitchen?
<>< Katie
Showing posts with label dream. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dream. Show all posts
Friday, September 9, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
Reply
I have a good friend who is very bad with email. He admits it, and I'd say that to his face. Usually if I get a response, it's a week later and brief.
That's a big if. Normally, I don't get a reply. Sometimes I wonder if I really sent the email or if I only dreamt I did. I've considered attaching a "read receipt" so I know when he's gotten it and read it.
Except last week I was talking to him and he made a reference to something I'd said in an email.
"You do actually read my emails," I exclaimed in shock.
He assured me he does. He reads all of them even if he doesn't respond.
Ladies and gentlemen, that's God. He reads all of our knee-mail (sorry, that was bad). God hears our prayers even if we don't hear His response. In his book Too Busy Not to Pray, Bill Hybels points out that God only speaks when He has something to say.
Sometimes that quality drives me nuts. But I take comfort in that fact that He has heard my cries.
As a writer who thrives on feedback, this silence is especially difficult. But it's necessary. If it weren't, God wouldn't put me through it.
So, even know I know responses will be few and far between, I will continue to email my friend. Even know I know I may get an answer of silence, I will continue to pray to the Lord.
<>< Katie
That's a big if. Normally, I don't get a reply. Sometimes I wonder if I really sent the email or if I only dreamt I did. I've considered attaching a "read receipt" so I know when he's gotten it and read it.
Except last week I was talking to him and he made a reference to something I'd said in an email.
"You do actually read my emails," I exclaimed in shock.
He assured me he does. He reads all of them even if he doesn't respond.
Ladies and gentlemen, that's God. He reads all of our knee-mail (sorry, that was bad). God hears our prayers even if we don't hear His response. In his book Too Busy Not to Pray, Bill Hybels points out that God only speaks when He has something to say.
Sometimes that quality drives me nuts. But I take comfort in that fact that He has heard my cries.
As a writer who thrives on feedback, this silence is especially difficult. But it's necessary. If it weren't, God wouldn't put me through it.
So, even know I know responses will be few and far between, I will continue to email my friend. Even know I know I may get an answer of silence, I will continue to pray to the Lord.
<>< Katie
Thursday, May 26, 2011
God's Character
Last night I dreamed I got an email from my friend Whitney. She was leaving her job and looking for a new one. The email that I had to read twice described in detail her ideal job and asked if I had any suggestions for where she should start looking. Right, ask the unemployed for a job idea. Good call.
First thing when I woke up this morning was reach for my phone. I needed to hear again why Whitney was leaving her job after only a year and a half. As I typed out the text message, I replayed the dream in my head.
Something wasn't adding up:
- The email. Whitney and I rarely email. We prefer facebook, text messages, and Skype.
- The job. While the transition into this job has been a struggle, Whitney regularly tells me how it's a blessing, a prayed-for job.
- The idea job. What she described is essentially where she is.
I never sent her the text. I knew she wasn't leaving her job. Why? Because I know Whitney. I know how much Whitney loves her job, enjoys what she does, and sees God work in it. Knowing Whitney's character helped me differentiate between what was a dream and what was reality.
Just like I know Whitney, I want to know God. I want to know His character so well that in musing and praying over something, I can tell whether it was from Him or the enemy. I want to be aware of whether what is happening is consistent with the God I see in the Bible, the God I experience on the daily basis, and the God I know to be real.
If it's not, stop! Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.
If it is, proceed, pursuing His will. Always.
<>< Katie
PS: Just because Whitney and I don't usually converse via email doesn't mean we can't. Just because God doesn't usually get your attention through a medium as crazy as He and I often use doesn't mean He can't or won't.
First thing when I woke up this morning was reach for my phone. I needed to hear again why Whitney was leaving her job after only a year and a half. As I typed out the text message, I replayed the dream in my head.
Something wasn't adding up:
- The email. Whitney and I rarely email. We prefer facebook, text messages, and Skype.
- The job. While the transition into this job has been a struggle, Whitney regularly tells me how it's a blessing, a prayed-for job.
- The idea job. What she described is essentially where she is.
I never sent her the text. I knew she wasn't leaving her job. Why? Because I know Whitney. I know how much Whitney loves her job, enjoys what she does, and sees God work in it. Knowing Whitney's character helped me differentiate between what was a dream and what was reality.
Just like I know Whitney, I want to know God. I want to know His character so well that in musing and praying over something, I can tell whether it was from Him or the enemy. I want to be aware of whether what is happening is consistent with the God I see in the Bible, the God I experience on the daily basis, and the God I know to be real.
If it's not, stop! Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.
If it is, proceed, pursuing His will. Always.
<>< Katie
PS: Just because Whitney and I don't usually converse via email doesn't mean we can't. Just because God doesn't usually get your attention through a medium as crazy as He and I often use doesn't mean He can't or won't.
Friday, October 15, 2010
"Two in the Bed and the Little One Said..."
Everyone was still over watching Glee one Thursday night last year, but I had a different agenda: avoid the sixteen people in the living room and get to bed.
I accomplished my mission and was ready to head into dream-world when the bedroom door opened, shining light into my dark room. I thought it was my roommate. Until I saw a head pop up at the foot of my bed. I slept in a loft last year, just far enough away from the ceiling that I could sit straight up. The only people that climbed up there were me and whoever was attached to the head at the foot of my bed.
The head became shoulders and she army crawled towards me.
"Katie," she hissed. "Are you asleep?"
I considered faking it, but I could not stifle my laughter.
"I didn't get a good night hug."
Melia crawled all of the way up to the head of my bed, gave me a hug, crawled backwards, and tried to climb down the ladder. The ladder was built for me, and I am literally eight inches taller than she is.
This started a long-standing joke about how Melia was going to sleepover one night and sleep in my bed.
"I get the wall," she always called. If someone was falling six feet out of bed, it was going to have to be me.
Over the summer, we shared a double bed one night. But there was no wall side.
Last weekend, we had three friends visit us, all of whom needed places to sleep. Our futon folds down to sleep two, but the third was out of luck.
Katie: Melia can sleep with me.
Melia: Seriously?
Katie: As long as I get the wall.
My bed is only four feet off of the ground this year, but that's still not a fall I want to make.
On Sunday night, Melia and I jumped into my bed and were pleasantly surprised to discover we both fit. We had an agreement. If either one of us couldn't sleep, we were going to take a spare blanket and sleep on the loveseat. No hurt feelings.
Jennifer: If you guys can't sleep, wake me up. One of you can sleep in my bed, and I'll sleep on the floor."
Jennifer seriously can sleep anytime, anywhere. There are nights I'm up working on homework with the light on, music playing, and paper shuffling when I look over and notice she is asleep.
Melia: Do you have enough space?
Katie: Yup. Do you have enough pillow?
Melia: Yes. If I get too hot, I'm just going to do what I did this summer and throw all of the covers on you.
Katie: Perfect!
In the morning, Melia and I compared notes. We both slept well. I wasn't cold, first time ever. The only real challenge was rolling over, but I only got poked in the eye once.
Jennifer had different notes. She got a horrible night's sleep. Quite possibly because she was afraid she would wake one of us up if she rolled over. Now that's selflessness! To be afraid to roll over at night because one of the girls in the other bed might wake up.
<>< Katie
I accomplished my mission and was ready to head into dream-world when the bedroom door opened, shining light into my dark room. I thought it was my roommate. Until I saw a head pop up at the foot of my bed. I slept in a loft last year, just far enough away from the ceiling that I could sit straight up. The only people that climbed up there were me and whoever was attached to the head at the foot of my bed.
The head became shoulders and she army crawled towards me.
"Katie," she hissed. "Are you asleep?"
I considered faking it, but I could not stifle my laughter.
"I didn't get a good night hug."
Melia crawled all of the way up to the head of my bed, gave me a hug, crawled backwards, and tried to climb down the ladder. The ladder was built for me, and I am literally eight inches taller than she is.
This started a long-standing joke about how Melia was going to sleepover one night and sleep in my bed.
"I get the wall," she always called. If someone was falling six feet out of bed, it was going to have to be me.
Over the summer, we shared a double bed one night. But there was no wall side.
Last weekend, we had three friends visit us, all of whom needed places to sleep. Our futon folds down to sleep two, but the third was out of luck.
Katie: Melia can sleep with me.
Melia: Seriously?
Katie: As long as I get the wall.
My bed is only four feet off of the ground this year, but that's still not a fall I want to make.
On Sunday night, Melia and I jumped into my bed and were pleasantly surprised to discover we both fit. We had an agreement. If either one of us couldn't sleep, we were going to take a spare blanket and sleep on the loveseat. No hurt feelings.
Jennifer: If you guys can't sleep, wake me up. One of you can sleep in my bed, and I'll sleep on the floor."
Jennifer seriously can sleep anytime, anywhere. There are nights I'm up working on homework with the light on, music playing, and paper shuffling when I look over and notice she is asleep.
Melia: Do you have enough space?
Katie: Yup. Do you have enough pillow?
Melia: Yes. If I get too hot, I'm just going to do what I did this summer and throw all of the covers on you.
Katie: Perfect!
In the morning, Melia and I compared notes. We both slept well. I wasn't cold, first time ever. The only real challenge was rolling over, but I only got poked in the eye once.
Jennifer had different notes. She got a horrible night's sleep. Quite possibly because she was afraid she would wake one of us up if she rolled over. Now that's selflessness! To be afraid to roll over at night because one of the girls in the other bed might wake up.
<>< Katie
Thursday, May 6, 2010
She's Nuts
I appreciate Neal.
I don't always appreciate it when he sticks his finger into my ear, reprimands me in my dreams, gives me weird directions, or throws his dead skin cells in my face. But all in all, I appreciate Neal for everything he does.
The other day I was complaining about doing my devotion and reading the wrong passage. I'd read seven chapters in 1 Kings instead of four chapters in 2 Kings. Oops. Since he's our campus minister, I was really expecting him to call me out on the fact that I was complaining about reading the Word of God. Sometimes Nealio doesn't respond the way I expect (see the dead skin cells blog).
"You know how to get through those long Old Testament passages, right? Walk around, reading aloud, and act them out."
Neal's one of those people that if he gives me advice or a direct command, I should probably listen. Neal says "Jump;" I say, "How high?" Thus, I'm going to give it a try. So, if I'm walking around talking to myself: don't panic; I'm just doing my devotion.
"But don't do this with Song of Solomon," he added. Thanks.
Are you willing to look silly and try it with me?
<>< Katie
I don't always appreciate it when he sticks his finger into my ear, reprimands me in my dreams, gives me weird directions, or throws his dead skin cells in my face. But all in all, I appreciate Neal for everything he does.
The other day I was complaining about doing my devotion and reading the wrong passage. I'd read seven chapters in 1 Kings instead of four chapters in 2 Kings. Oops. Since he's our campus minister, I was really expecting him to call me out on the fact that I was complaining about reading the Word of God. Sometimes Nealio doesn't respond the way I expect (see the dead skin cells blog).
"You know how to get through those long Old Testament passages, right? Walk around, reading aloud, and act them out."
Neal's one of those people that if he gives me advice or a direct command, I should probably listen. Neal says "Jump;" I say, "How high?" Thus, I'm going to give it a try. So, if I'm walking around talking to myself: don't panic; I'm just doing my devotion.
"But don't do this with Song of Solomon," he added. Thanks.
Are you willing to look silly and try it with me?
<>< Katie
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Keep Looking
When it comes to the blog, there's no real system for what I post. I know it's a shocker for "Don't touch it; I have a system" Katie to not have a method to this madness.
I do try to include a nice mix of God moments, this is what my crazy friends did this week, book reviews, and other random stories. I've had the last two well-covered this week, but I was thinking it's been awhile since I posted my last God moment.
First thing this morning, I decided I wanted to post a God moment today. Problem: that means I need to have a God moment today and God moments don't always come when you call. You have to go searching for them. So I've been looking...
In my dreams... nope, I dreamed about a hearing man complaining to me (in ASL) about the lack of closed captioning on certain television channels. Gosh my dream-life is exciting.
In my social life... My creative writing friend has strep throat and one of my suitemates has a staph infection. My life is filled with hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and vitamin C. God did not get my attention through disinfecting the door-knobs and light switches, sorry.
In my academic life... "What language am I supposed to be using now?" has been my motto for this week. Signing to people who speak Spanish doesn't work any better than speaking Spanish to deaf people. I've tried both.
In my free time... what's that?
Just because I've been searching for God and haven't heard from Him directly doesn't mean He's not here. Just because you can't see His hand in your daily life doesn't mean He's not there. He's there. Trust me: He's there. Keep looking. Keep praying. Keep listening. When He gets your attention, don't be shocked if it's not life shattering. While He can do ostentatious divine interventions, most of the times He's gotten my attention it's been through mundane, every day activities. He's with you in the crazy and in the daily.
<>< Katie
I do try to include a nice mix of God moments, this is what my crazy friends did this week, book reviews, and other random stories. I've had the last two well-covered this week, but I was thinking it's been awhile since I posted my last God moment.
First thing this morning, I decided I wanted to post a God moment today. Problem: that means I need to have a God moment today and God moments don't always come when you call. You have to go searching for them. So I've been looking...
In my dreams... nope, I dreamed about a hearing man complaining to me (in ASL) about the lack of closed captioning on certain television channels. Gosh my dream-life is exciting.
In my social life... My creative writing friend has strep throat and one of my suitemates has a staph infection. My life is filled with hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and vitamin C. God did not get my attention through disinfecting the door-knobs and light switches, sorry.
In my academic life... "What language am I supposed to be using now?" has been my motto for this week. Signing to people who speak Spanish doesn't work any better than speaking Spanish to deaf people. I've tried both.
In my free time... what's that?
Just because I've been searching for God and haven't heard from Him directly doesn't mean He's not here. Just because you can't see His hand in your daily life doesn't mean He's not there. He's there. Trust me: He's there. Keep looking. Keep praying. Keep listening. When He gets your attention, don't be shocked if it's not life shattering. While He can do ostentatious divine interventions, most of the times He's gotten my attention it's been through mundane, every day activities. He's with you in the crazy and in the daily.
<>< Katie
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Dreamer
My sister sent me a message that said, "Look, it's you!" Along with the link to an article about a man who screams bizarre statements while sleeping.
Yes, I do talk in my sleep. However, unlike the man in the article, I don't have a wife (or husband or roommate) to write down my weird night-time quotes. While I do record the dreams I remember in the morning, I will not be putting a tape recorder in my bedroom at night. Instead, I'll be forever doomed to remember my classic line, "NO, DADDY, I DON'T WANNA WEAR THOSE PANTS!"
I've got a wide variety of dreams. Some of them very creative like the dream about turning into a shoe (that's going to become a short story for class). Sometimes they make me nervous. The dream about taking a long fall off of a pier and into a field of cat tails made me nervous because I sleep on the top bunk... But I was relieved to wake up still in bed! I have learned that if I'm having a nightmare/ super weird dream, I'm probably cold. Well, I'm almost always cold no matter how many layers I wear and our air conditioned apartment isn't helping. Thus, I've had a lot of weird dreams lately.
I firmly believe God still speaks through dreams and the other night he caught my attention again.
The other night I had this dream where my "uncle" had gone blind. At first we were all fed up with his new loss of sight because he was running everywhere without a real care. However, eventually we accepted it.
When I woke up, I thought some more about it. Just because he lost his sight doesn't mean he was living his life in fear. If I lost my sight, I'd be scared to move, but he was flying everywhere, not afraid to fall. Without sight, he had no fear.
Without sight of Gods' plans, do you have fear? Are you willing to fall? Are you willing to fail? Are you willing to be lifted up again?
"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
2 Timothy 5:7 (emphasis mine)
<>< Katie
Yes, I do talk in my sleep. However, unlike the man in the article, I don't have a wife (or husband or roommate) to write down my weird night-time quotes. While I do record the dreams I remember in the morning, I will not be putting a tape recorder in my bedroom at night. Instead, I'll be forever doomed to remember my classic line, "NO, DADDY, I DON'T WANNA WEAR THOSE PANTS!"
I've got a wide variety of dreams. Some of them very creative like the dream about turning into a shoe (that's going to become a short story for class). Sometimes they make me nervous. The dream about taking a long fall off of a pier and into a field of cat tails made me nervous because I sleep on the top bunk... But I was relieved to wake up still in bed! I have learned that if I'm having a nightmare/ super weird dream, I'm probably cold. Well, I'm almost always cold no matter how many layers I wear and our air conditioned apartment isn't helping. Thus, I've had a lot of weird dreams lately.
I firmly believe God still speaks through dreams and the other night he caught my attention again.
The other night I had this dream where my "uncle" had gone blind. At first we were all fed up with his new loss of sight because he was running everywhere without a real care. However, eventually we accepted it.
When I woke up, I thought some more about it. Just because he lost his sight doesn't mean he was living his life in fear. If I lost my sight, I'd be scared to move, but he was flying everywhere, not afraid to fall. Without sight, he had no fear.
Without sight of Gods' plans, do you have fear? Are you willing to fall? Are you willing to fail? Are you willing to be lifted up again?
"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
2 Timothy 5:7 (emphasis mine)
<>< Katie
Monday, October 5, 2009
Isaiah 40
I helped host a youth lock-in this weekend concluding with a worship service on Sunday morning.
This year, I'm reading through the Bible and right now I'm in Isaiah. The passage for Friday night--ok, 3am on Saturday morning while I secluded myself for some time with God (and sleep) but could hear the youth wreaking havoc around the building--was Isaiah 40. "The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will no grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28b-31
I read that passage aloud to my friend Jeanie who was responsible for coming up with something for the Scripture reading on Sunday. She had already been contemplating those verses. We laughed about the "youth growing tired and weary" part. On Saturday night, I read the verses again, this time to Sarah and Jeanie. Sunday morning, Jeanie read Isaiah 40:28-31 for the Scripture reading in church.
Now, the original plan was that the youth pastor was going to do Sunday's sermon on a passage in Revelation. Well, the youth pastor had a family emergency and the senior pastor did the sermon. We had no contact with the senior pastor--other than repeatedly running past his office on Saturday--and he came up with his sermon without knowledge of our scripture reading. Both happened to be based in Isaiah 40. Different passages; same chapter. God's sense of humor.
After church, my host mother from the night before came up to me, "Did you have a dream about a Bible passage last night?" I hadn't that I could remember. Apparently I appeared in several peoples' dreams on Saturday night and in one I was dreaming about a Bible passage. Hum... You never really know what God is doing and He does still speak through dreams.
<>< Katie
This year, I'm reading through the Bible and right now I'm in Isaiah. The passage for Friday night--ok, 3am on Saturday morning while I secluded myself for some time with God (and sleep) but could hear the youth wreaking havoc around the building--was Isaiah 40. "The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will no grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28b-31
I read that passage aloud to my friend Jeanie who was responsible for coming up with something for the Scripture reading on Sunday. She had already been contemplating those verses. We laughed about the "youth growing tired and weary" part. On Saturday night, I read the verses again, this time to Sarah and Jeanie. Sunday morning, Jeanie read Isaiah 40:28-31 for the Scripture reading in church.
Now, the original plan was that the youth pastor was going to do Sunday's sermon on a passage in Revelation. Well, the youth pastor had a family emergency and the senior pastor did the sermon. We had no contact with the senior pastor--other than repeatedly running past his office on Saturday--and he came up with his sermon without knowledge of our scripture reading. Both happened to be based in Isaiah 40. Different passages; same chapter. God's sense of humor.
After church, my host mother from the night before came up to me, "Did you have a dream about a Bible passage last night?" I hadn't that I could remember. Apparently I appeared in several peoples' dreams on Saturday night and in one I was dreaming about a Bible passage. Hum... You never really know what God is doing and He does still speak through dreams.
<>< Katie
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
TOR-NAY-DOE
At 5:05am on 09-09-09, I awoke suddenly to a very strange, very loud sound. Eventually I recognized the sound to the tornado siren. It's different than the noise I've always associated with tornadoes (the one that beeps TOR-NAY-DOE TOR-NAY-DOE). A million things ran through my mind: are we really in a tornado warning? What's protocol for tornado warnings? This building doesn't really have a first floor (much less basement). What do I have to do now? I don't hear a stampede of people or emergency instructions from the alarm (apparently we like talking alarms around here... ask me about our fire alarm sometime). My morning alarm is going off in two hours. How about I just duck and cover right here in my bed? If someone comes pounding on my door or for some reason I have to move, I will, but until then, I'm staying here. I reach over my head, slam the window shut (it was raining, too), say a little prayer asking for my safety and the safety of campus, roll over, and go back to sleep.
In the morning I mentioned the rude awakening and most people never heard it. Perhaps the fact that my open window was within arm's length of my head had something to do with it or perhaps not. Even people who insist they were up at 5am did not hear it. Of everyone I've mentioned it to today, no one heard it but some heard about it. (Apparently, it wasn't campus' siren but rather the town's siren, hence was there was no talking).
Am I crazy? Did I dream it? (I did record it in my dream journal this morning before talking to anyone). I'm pretty sure I heard it. That window didn't close itself. I just don't know exactly what happened at 5:05am on 09-09-09, but I do know that for some reason, I needed to pray for my safety and the safety of my campus. Why God chose 5:05am I may never know. Why He chose the tornado siren, I will also probably never know. Yet it happened. I know it happened. As annoyed as I was this morning, I realize I wasn't disturbed for no reason. There was a point and purpose (no, not a porpoise), but I will never know it.
Let God use you for some unknown point and purpose today. It doesn't have to be anything big. Maybe a simple prayer because of a tornado siren in the middle of the night or a smile to a stranger.
Also, don't be so caught up in your own world that it takes a tornado siren for God to get your attention. Yesterday I wrote about always being able to hear Him as clearly as a cicada... well, this morning I heard Him just as clearly. Although, I think the cicadas are a more peaceful sound.
In Christ,
<>< Katie
PS. Does this make any sense?
In the morning I mentioned the rude awakening and most people never heard it. Perhaps the fact that my open window was within arm's length of my head had something to do with it or perhaps not. Even people who insist they were up at 5am did not hear it. Of everyone I've mentioned it to today, no one heard it but some heard about it. (Apparently, it wasn't campus' siren but rather the town's siren, hence was there was no talking).
Am I crazy? Did I dream it? (I did record it in my dream journal this morning before talking to anyone). I'm pretty sure I heard it. That window didn't close itself. I just don't know exactly what happened at 5:05am on 09-09-09, but I do know that for some reason, I needed to pray for my safety and the safety of my campus. Why God chose 5:05am I may never know. Why He chose the tornado siren, I will also probably never know. Yet it happened. I know it happened. As annoyed as I was this morning, I realize I wasn't disturbed for no reason. There was a point and purpose (no, not a porpoise), but I will never know it.
Let God use you for some unknown point and purpose today. It doesn't have to be anything big. Maybe a simple prayer because of a tornado siren in the middle of the night or a smile to a stranger.
Also, don't be so caught up in your own world that it takes a tornado siren for God to get your attention. Yesterday I wrote about always being able to hear Him as clearly as a cicada... well, this morning I heard Him just as clearly. Although, I think the cicadas are a more peaceful sound.
In Christ,
<>< Katie
PS. Does this make any sense?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuve un sueño
Whenever I'm cold at night, I have bizarre dreams. The first night on my trip to Guatemala was COLD! Of course, I had a strange dream that doesn't make much sense. My mission team was in a large two-story room with a staircase in the middle (mall? airport? I don't know). I was being chased, so I was running down the stairs to where most of the team had gathered. I don't know where Neal was, but he was shouting, telling me to stop running because whoever was chasing me couldn't chase me anymore if I stopped running. I heard him and agreed, but it's easier to run down stairs than it is to walk, so I kept running, and Neal kept yelling. He wasn't necessarily angry, but he wasn't happy either. Eventually I did stop and walk the rest of the way down the stairs. When I got to the bottom, he make me go talk to one of my professors I was arguing with. In reality, I've never had this professor muchless had a problem with her, but in my dream we were fueding, and I woke up before I could figure out why. (It's a dream... it doesn't make sense).
According to my hugenormous trip journal, this dream haunted me for days. To this day Neal gets after me for being mad at him for something he did in a dream. Eventually, I wrote, "I'm not mad at Neal for my dream anymore. I don't think. He was confronting me about an issue and making me take care of it. He was upset (but he wasn't livid) and he was holding me accountable for my actions. We all need people like that, even in our dreams, even when we don't have a clue what we did. I really hope I don't have any more weird dreams."
Fast forward to Thursday. We needed to paint the top corner of the exterior of a building except it was hard to reach with the ladder and there was a huge birds nest and thus an angry momma bird. We girls decided against painting it ourselves and sent a guy up there.
Neal was our lucky victim. He perched himself precariously on an incredibly unsafe ladder contraption (involving a brick, a peice of plywood, a rock, and a sloped sidewalk), and I held the ladder.
Three or four songs from my sign choir played on the radio (ok, iPod), but I couldn't sign them because Neal's life was in my hands.
"God's trying to teach you to listen," he told me.
Eventually, he handed me the paint buck and climbed off the ladder. I signed with my one free hand.
"Stop it, Katie," he told me again.
I didn't stop instantly because it was my favorite part of the song, but I did stop a few signs later. I was moderately annoyed, but I figured he was probably right. After all, I'm not very good at listening.
For the rest of the work day, I didn't sign and I didn't sing. Under any other circumstances, I probably wouldn't have even considered not singing/signing. Yet I'm so glad I did because while cleaning the bucket that day, I had one of the best conversations with God that I've had in a long time.
In Christ,
<>< Katie
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
According to my hugenormous trip journal, this dream haunted me for days. To this day Neal gets after me for being mad at him for something he did in a dream. Eventually, I wrote, "I'm not mad at Neal for my dream anymore. I don't think. He was confronting me about an issue and making me take care of it. He was upset (but he wasn't livid) and he was holding me accountable for my actions. We all need people like that, even in our dreams, even when we don't have a clue what we did. I really hope I don't have any more weird dreams."
Fast forward to Thursday. We needed to paint the top corner of the exterior of a building except it was hard to reach with the ladder and there was a huge birds nest and thus an angry momma bird. We girls decided against painting it ourselves and sent a guy up there.
Neal was our lucky victim. He perched himself precariously on an incredibly unsafe ladder contraption (involving a brick, a peice of plywood, a rock, and a sloped sidewalk), and I held the ladder.
Three or four songs from my sign choir played on the radio (ok, iPod), but I couldn't sign them because Neal's life was in my hands.
"God's trying to teach you to listen," he told me.
Eventually, he handed me the paint buck and climbed off the ladder. I signed with my one free hand.
"Stop it, Katie," he told me again.
I didn't stop instantly because it was my favorite part of the song, but I did stop a few signs later. I was moderately annoyed, but I figured he was probably right. After all, I'm not very good at listening.
For the rest of the work day, I didn't sign and I didn't sing. Under any other circumstances, I probably wouldn't have even considered not singing/signing. Yet I'm so glad I did because while cleaning the bucket that day, I had one of the best conversations with God that I've had in a long time.
In Christ,
<>< Katie
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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