Everyone misses Mema...

So, as my contribution to Haitian Thanksgiving, I made my Mema's cinnamon rolls. These rolls could cure cancer (well, I haven't tried that yet) but they are delicious. So tasty that Mema made them for me the week before I moved to Haiti so I could have an early Thanksgiving with her and Pepa. Got it? If I could only eat one thing the rest of my life, I would pick Mema's cinnamon rolls.

Beth found Crisco for me, and my ingredients were all collected. Paige came over to help me on Wednesday night, the ipod was on shuffle, diet coke was in the fridge. Good times had to occur.

Well, I start baking...
1) I only have 6 teaspoons of yeast instead of 9.
2) I only have normal sugar, when the recipe calls for brown sugar too.

I figured I could keep going... how important is yeast anyway? Everything is going good.

Until Paige beats the 4 eggs and pours them into the boiling Crisco, water, sugar, yeast mixture. THE WATER WAS BOILING.

It wasn't her fault. I wasn't completely clear that I had to turn the heat down before adding the eggs.

3) The 4 eggs scrambled in the boiling water. Scrambled eggs.

Most people (OK, everyone) would have given up at this point. Not I. My feelings about these rolls overwhelmed me and took control. Should I have given up? Yes. Did I miss my family immensely? Yes. So I trucked on.



I strained the scrambled eggs out of the very important sugar-yeast mixture and made the dough like nothing was wrong. Stayed up rolling cinnamon rolls and cutting them until 2 in the morning. Put them in the fridge to cool. Then unplugged the fridge so the batteries wouldn't drain (and, therefore, not cool the cinnamon rolls). Got up at 6 to let them rise before baking. Put the UNLEAVENED cinnamon rolls in the oven. Pulled them out. Shed some tears and fed them to the dogs.



Happy Thanksgiving Mema. I tried my best.

Time flies when you're...?

I can distinctly remember walking off the plane in Port au Prince and asking God, out loud, "what the crap am I doing here?"

Now, after births and teaching classes on HIV and first aid and teaching school everyday, I only have a month left before Christmas break.

I have been able to witness so much in so little time.

This week is Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. I am definitely going to miss my Texas (and Iowa) family on Thursday, but the Heartline family is having Thanksgiving at the Buxmans, so I will be in good company.

I am going to hate missing out on black Friday deals though... oh well. My dad will have to go with my mom at 5am Friday. Should be an interesting experience for him.

Please continue praying for Jessica and her mom, Kris. Two great women in need of support, encouragement, love and prayers to Jesus.

-when you're... having fun/having new experiences/meeting new people/learning about Christ/meeting people where they are/ take your pick!

Prayer

My friend Jessica needs as much prayer as possible. Please, please, please.

We were born on the same day, in the same hospital. Went to the same schools growing up. Were in the same drumline.

Jess needs prayer, support, thoughts, good vibes, whatever. Her mom, Kris, needs them too.

Oh America, I don't miss you...

A HUGE waste. How many people would benefit from this money in Dallas alone? The $63 million already raised could help millions of lives on the border, in east Texas, El Paso... not to forget the rest of America and the WORLD.



Things like this make me sick.



I don't miss American 'Christianity'.


Not.one.bit.

I'm searching for a Biblical basis for this monstrosity, but it isn't there. Maybe because Jesus didn't save us to build megachurches to reach people: He wants us to live like He lived...

The Jesus I know wouldn't want it.

School is for suckers

I love my job.

Homesick.

I'm going through a period of missing people. I waited for as long as possible to put up pictures from home in my room here. I made it until Thursday.

It doesn't help when you're sick and your mom is 1795 miles away. I'm getting better though, slowly.

School is going super well, and I love what I do with Heartline on Tuesdays and sometimes Thursdays.


Time for Criminal Minds with Paige and Megan... but they are sitting far away from me!

Damages

Everyone has chains keeping them connected with the life they lived before Christ opened their eyes and changed them forever. Past struggles and pains have made us into who we are; however, if we truly, sincerely, whole-heartedly believe that Jesus wipes away our past and gives us a new future in Him, why do we continually use our baggage as an excuse to not do what He has called us to do?

I moved to Haiti because I knew God wanted me here for this phase of life. I moved to help a missionary family. I moved because I didn't want to go to grad school and didn't know what I was going to do instead. I moved because I had nothing holding me to Texas anymore... WHATEVER.

I came because it was an easy out. I know, sounds weird/insane to consider moving here 'easy'. My heart was a mess and I didn't want to deal with what was floating inside my head. Really, moving was nothing. I wasn't nervous. I was excited to escape for awhile. To experience something on my own, something no one in my family has done. Something I have dreamed of doing since Mrs. Houser wore her African dress and spoke about learning Swahili during a Vacation Bible School in 3rd grade.

Escape has not come. If anything, Port au Prince has been the opposite. This city makes me see my own depravity in a way I couldn't have at home. Port makes me examine my relationship with Christ everyday and focus on the walls I have built so that I could still hold onto those chains. Granted, if I would have sought out Jesus at home He would've have worked in me and probably shown me the same things about myself. But I didn't do it.

It has taken me five years to get to this point. I still have a tight grip on my luggage, but I'm slowly letting go.

I receive weekly emails from my church in Lubbock and this week's was an intense slap in the face:

"Bitterness is more lethal than betrayal. Betrayal happens to you; bitterness happens in you. Betrayal is what is done by others to you. Bitterness is what you do to yourself. Scripture talks about “the root of bitterness springing up and defiling.” You can recover from betrayal but bitterness is a different story. Many today have experienced betrayal by a mate, friend, co-worker or someone who was a confidant. A relationship turning sour is painful. While Jesus sat and ate with his disciples he made these remarks, “One of you will betray me.” Betray disguised in a kiss - what a blow. Yet Jesus was unfazed by it refusing to become bitter.

'Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude.' Ephesians 4:31

Bitter-free living, it doesn’t get any better than that. Forgive and cancel the debt. Remove all words of bitterness from future conversations. Stop nursing the grudge. Bitterness won’t leave on its own. You must send it away. Bitterness is overcome by the most powerful “ness” called forgiveness. May your days ahead be marked by joyfulness."

Amen.