hey, lets have a contest!

Last weekend I went from NC to Baton Rouge and back. Tomorrow I'm going to Hawaii and back later, and then I'm going to Africa (not back) on the 7th.
So... guess how many hours I will be a) on a plane, or b) in an airport.
The closest guess-er gets a prize!!!!!!I dunno what it will be, but a prize is a prize

I'm go-in' to Ha-wa-ii!

nuf said.

Phew. That was close!

It was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.
After weeks on constant motion, non-stop work and STRESS I returned from Baton Rouge to pack my house, close, and go on to Michigan.
As I worked to move mountains at home, I decided I needed to get online and get my ticket. I was excited and thought it would be the bright spot of my day in the mist of letting go.
I was not surprised to find tickets available for July 7th,- after all that is my day. That's the day He picked for me to travel.
Select and Click.
I almost fainted. The price, in one week, had jumped to $3,600.
I'm not making this up.
I thought perhaps I had ordered 2 tickets by mistake.
No, there was no mistake.
I hurried to call South African Airlines, explaining the situation. But I got no sympathy from them.
What was I to do? Fist I frantically emailed my 'cup team for prayer and advice. Appearantly, the only other option I thought reasonable was to have a meltdown. I'm talking about a wailing, sobbing, stomping, pounding, kicking tantrum! I made no effort to control myself. I sat in the floor with my I Love Lucy face, and bawled. Finally pulling myself together, I attempted to put some sweaters into my suitcase. When they didn't fit, it was round 2.
I carried on for over an hour, but you know what? (The women will understand this)It felt good! It felt so good just to sit and cry and get it all out,- infact I'd just told James that's what I needed,- a good cry. He just looked at me. But for months everything has been building up in me and I just needed release! Finally I put my big girl panties on, and checked my email. My team had been praying, and offering advice when they could.
And now I have a ticket bought for only $2,300.
Done
Phew, that was close.

Good bye little house

:0(
That's me pouting. But just a little.
Today I closed on my house.
I no longer have the cutest little house in the world.
But that's okay.
I've always said, "I own, my house, it doesn't own me."
I've loved living in it every day for the past 3 years, and sincerely believe it was only by God's grace that I got to buy it in the first place.
A few weeks ago, Dennis and Tracey came and installed the ceiling fan- the last improvement project I'd wanted. And as I sat there enjoying it, I thought to myself, "Hmmm. It's done. All of the things I wanted to do are done." That's when I heard "sell it"
So I did.
And last night as I locked up for the last time, and said good-bye to my little house I felt at peace. I knew it wasn't my house anymore.
So good-bye little house. I love you and I will miss you... On to chippie cottage.

Baton Rouge!

I had a great weekend in Baton Rouge. I met some fun people, ate a LOT of food, saw the cutest children ever, and just relaxed. I haven't had that in a while, and probably won't again for another week or so.
One of the most enjoyable things was an outreach I did with Healing Place Church. We passed out tea and prayed for folks. It was crazy hot and all I could think about was watermelon, but it was a good time
One little old lady names Eloise, (92) found out I was going to Africa. She started praying for me after I prayed for her! I love it.
While the neighborhoods were really rough, there were some of the sweetest people living amongst it all. Poor yes, but gentle spirits and kind hearts. I'm glad there is a church attempting to serve their needs there. :0)

hmmmm

My very first blog post was about going to Swaziland. Cool huh? Check it out, May, 2005

Dad was wrong

SEE!!!!! It does grow on trees!!!
Whatever a man reaps, he shall sow!

Pretty Cool

Yesterday a friend came up out of the blue and apoligized for something he'd felt was wrong, even though I didn't know a thing about it.
Pretty cool.
It takes a big man to do something like that.
Humility is a good thing.

The bravest Man in Chapel Hill

This is a picture of Mike Helpingstein and his lovely wife Fran. Mike gets the award for the bravest man in chapel hill.
He (after his wife's volunteering) taught me to drive a stick!
My mom said an extra prayer for him (not me) and things seemed to go fine.
I need some practice still but if I absolutely had to do it today, I could. :0)
Now I only need to learn to drive on the wrong side of the road and I'll be ready for Swaziland. (I know we're not supposed to view other cultures as "wrong" but different. But if we drive on the right side, then they have to be on the wrong side. Right?)
And Drivers are also on the right side of the car over there. But in this case, the right- side is the wrong- side too.
Anyways, a big thanks to Mike and his patience.

That being said...

So the sale was kinda hard on me. Just a bit. (sniffle sniffle)
In spite of everything I felt yesterday, it was hard for me to watch the things go, bit by bit, one by one, to people who might not even cherish them the way I do.
I mean, the couple who bought the fan,- will they simply put it in a hot room, or will they take the time to talk into it and let it live up to it's full Darth Vadar potential?
The woman who bought my heels? Will she put them on with rolled up jeans and dance on a hard wood floor just to hear them click?
And the man who bought my tiki torches? Will he just use them for himself, or will he invite friends over to sit on the back porch, and curse the blasted things when they all realize they don't really deter mosquitos?
Maybe the things that I love so much,( even though they are just silly things) mean so much to me because of the memories they hold for me and those I love so much. And maybe I have so many things because I'm just so super blessed,- not with items, -but with people I love who I feel the need to share them with.
Maybe the Lord will bless me with some new things in Africa...and new loved ones to share them with.

I've know this day would come. I've been clinging to this lately:
And Jesus replied, "I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return, a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property..." Mark 10:29

How I'm feeling

Today was my BIG SALE. I attempted to sell every last possession. And last night as my mom, Jennifer, and I hurriedly rushed about (with the power out) to price and set up everything, I began to get this icky sinking feeling.
I HAVE SO MUCH STUFF!
I'm not one of those people you see on Oprah who horde stuff. And I'm not materialistic in any means. Yet When I saw everything I own, out of cupboards out of closets, and out of the attic and shed, it made me really upset.
Why do I have this much stuff?
I think about the people in the other countries I've visited. They dont' have 8 matching embroidered beaded placemats for Christmas dinner, and then 4 swede placemats for the fall. They dont' have so many shoes they need a show rack. They don't have a special plate to serve chips and dip in when they entertain.
Hmmm. It's not guilt I'm feeling. You know I'm not big on guilt.
But I don't like feeling like this. I don't like knowing that I have stuff, just for the sake of having stuff.
Yech.

I'm surrouded by deception!

Every person in my life is a big ol'e phoney! They lie to me! They purposefully decieve me! They sneak around behind my back! And I love them so much for it
This is how it all went down.
Joey told me a while ago she wanted to do a girl's night before I left with Jennifer and Renee. Fine
So we went to lunch at Carrburritos and then a movie. Now I'd wondered if they were going to secretly invite Heidi, but Heidi never gave me any incling to this so I figured maybe not. To be honest I was a bit hurt Heidi wasn't making an effort to say good-bye, but I figured "what ever!"
So we do the lunch and a movie and then Jennifer handed me a coupon:

To:Christy Merrill
From: Unknown
For: Dinner at Firebirds @ 6:15

Hmmmm. I thought "Great! They are taking me to dinner." But they kinda seemed clueless about what to do once we arrived at Firebirds.
"What is going on?" I thought. Then I thought again, "Did Heidi sneak into town to surprise me?"
Well sure enough, there she was. I'm not a cryer, but I did start crying I was so touched. My friends pulled a fast one on me, and I was so thrilled.
Oh, but it doesn't end there! As Heidi led me to our table, who was there but MARY!!!!!!!! I NEVER Expected her to come down. Between her national boards and wedding planning, I just didn't think it was possible for her.
So we have a nice dinner and walk around the mall a bit and then leave. Half-way to my house Heidi shout out, "Crap! Mary my car is still at Carrburitos! (they snuck there after we left) We need to go pick it up!" So we started down some back roads towards Carrboro when Mary suddenly turns into Mary Catherine's drive way.
And there waiting for me was a going away party with all of my friends and favorite people! I couldn't believe it. I still can't beleive it. And best of all they had all created a unique page about our friendship for a scrap book,- even the guys! I was so proud of them.
What a wonderful day...
But who says lightning doesn't strike twice? Monday I wen tot school and had a long sweaty day of field day activities. Snow cones, tug-of-war, dunking booths...lots of fun. but all the while, unbeknownst to me, my room parents were setting up a suprise party in our classroom complete with cake, streamers, and gifts
Sigh.
It's gonna be hard to leave peole like this behind. :0(

How true!

I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.
J. Hudson Taylor

Wow!

Awwwww. What a nice thing to say.

Here is a quote from President Bush about his funding for Africa: “Similar success stories are playing out all across the African continent where victims of HIV/AIDS are finding new reservoirs of strength and support. Villages in Africa now talk of the Lazarus effect, dying communities being brought back to life, thanks to the compassion of the American people. This is the impact that has made our emergency plan and the modern-day good Samaritans who are implementing it so effective. It's important that we continue the work we have begun.”


I know we (Americans) aren't the keepers of the world, but we are extremely blessed. And I'm glad our government is doing a bit more in this area. A while back an advisor to the someone, of the assistant to someone in the Bush administation visted Swaziland and the Children's Cup carepoints to see the work they are doing there. I'd like to think that this quote includes Children's Cup, as well as the countless other ministries and organizations in that area.

Okay, so it's not really about me...

There is so much that I never blogged about from my first trip to Africa. but now as I'm getting ready to return, I felt perhaps it's time. Lots of different things influenced my decision to return.

One was this little boy: Levi Rogers.
He's the son of Ben and Susan Rogers in Swaziland. The day before I left I visited them to say goodbye.
"Miss Christy," he asked with big puppy-dog eyes "Are you ever going to come back?"
Oh how could I resist that?
"Yes Levi,... I think I will be back ."
His little face lit up. "Good! Will you bring me some strawberry pop tarts?"