NC

I've been visiting friends and family down south in VA and NC. I love the nice weather (and by nice I mean not freezing) and I've loved catching up with everyone from my school, church, and just old time friends. Here are some pics of all the amazing people in my life!!!!

I'm sick of winter

We all knew Facebook was heaven sent

My email had this message

Garnet Merrill has joined facebook and has confirmed you as a friend.

Dad?

My first thoughts were "Woo-hoo!!!!! we get to facebook in heaven!!!!!!"

After all, facebook is the best known time waster, and if we're gonna be there for all eternity....

Then I realized it was just my brother. Garnet Bryan Merrill.

oh well. I tried.

My Jesus dress

A few years back the Lord told me to radically bless a friend of mine. He was very specific what I should do. So I took some money out of my bank account and set out to do it.

However, on the way I happened to pass Ann Taylor Loft, my favorite store and saw such beautiful dresses in the window. And that made me want a new dress for Easter, which was just around the corner.

Now of course, you know where my mind went. "I could just use some of the money to buy a dress, and then use the rest to bless my friend. After all she doesn't know about it anyway..."

But no I couldn't do that. So I did it exactly as God had instructed me.

But the thought of a new dress still lingered. Wes had invited me and Heidi to his hometown for Easter, and well... I just wanted a new dress.

So I decided to pray about it honestly.

"Lord. I want a new dress. I don't need a dress, I have others that would work. But I just want one. If you could work it out, I'd really appreicaite it. But if not it's okay. I'll wear another one. Amen"

Two days later my friend Heather called me. "Girl I want to go on a girl date with you."

"Okay, well, what did you have in mind?"

"Well I was in the shower praying yesterday, and the lOrd told me I should take you out to lunch and then buy you and Easter dress."

WHAT?!!!!!!

"What did you say?"

"I said, 'the Lord said..."

I started crying. I explained the story to her, and then she started crying.

"You mean I really heard that from the Lord?" she said,

And we carried on like that crying and in shock and happy for each other.

Well, that girl took me out and not only bought me this sooo cute dress at The Gap, but also bought me shoes and a purse to match.

How awesome is life when we step back and let God put things into place instead of always scheming to make it happen for ourselves?

So this is my Jesus dress, that I love to wear. And when eve someone compliments me on such a cute dress I tell them the story.

My God is awesome!!!

ungrateful

Months ago in Swaziland I had to attend a community meeting as a representative for our education program. As always we opened the floor for questions or concerns for the caregivers.I was appalled when a woman stood up and started complaining about the children not having meat at the care point.Are you frickin' kidding me?!!!! I thought to myself I'm so glad I didn't have to take this question because I would not have handled it well. My response would have sounded something like, "Well, we feed 10,000 kids a ample nutritious free meal everyday. We don't force them to eat here. If yours don't like it, they don't have to eat here. They can go home and eat the nothing that you provide for them."I have no grace when it comes to ungratefulness. If these kids are as hungry as the community says they are, then they should have no problem with pap/rice, beans, vegetables and meat on special occasions.Grrrrrrr!!! (But I must say not all of the caregivers felt that way, and some were very apologetic at this woman's request)But to be honest I've caught myself with the same attitude these last few days. I've been shaking my fist at God, angry and whiny about what I don't have, instead of being so grateful for what he has already given me.I have a roof over my head, a car to drive, my health, a wonderful healthy family, food in my belly, clothes on my back, money to pay my bills, friends to talk me off the ledge, I live in a country with freedom and have a Jesus who loves me enough not to strike me dead with a bolt of lightning when I act with such audacity!!!
Sorry Lord. Thank you for showing me all that I already have. Help me to be content, like Paul says, whether I have a little or a lot.