What affects men sharply about a foreign nation is not so much finding or not finding familiar things; it is rather not finding them in the familiar place.
G.K. Chesterton

"When you remember me, it means that you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me. It means that even after I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.

For as long as you remember me, I am never entirely lost. When I'm feeling most ghost-like, it is your remembering me that helps remind me that I actually exist. When I'm feeling sad, it's my consolation. When I'm feeling happy, it's part of why I feel that way.

If you forget me, one of the ways I remember who I am will be gone. If you forget, part of who I am will be gone. "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." the good thief said from his cross (Luke 23:42). There are perhaps no more human words in all of Scripture, no prayer we can pray so well."
-Frederick Buechner

So ready to go. All these resources - language learning, storytelling, history and underlying rationale of it all - lie at my fingertips. And the more I explore them the more impatient I get, it seems. I know there's a time for everything, but some fast-forwarding motion would be nice. I want to *be* challenged to explain why I want to go, *be* in training, and *be* overseas working my heart out.

Finding a thought-provoking spiritual gifts test online, realising that's probably going to come into play later as well....

This question I couldn't easily answer, as much as I'd love to give a decisive 'yes'.
"I am ready to try the impossible because I have a great trust in God."
With my heart, sure I'd agree, and the word 'impossible' is such a beautiful challenge, as is 'trust'. I'd just be wary of whether it meant emotionally/mentally/spiritually possible, or physically possible. Physically, as in 'translate all 33 stories in half a year' - bring it on! So I guess 'yes' to the impossible... I don't know if that'd be based more on the adventure sense or on the trust in God, though. I do trust that God can do impossible things through us, through me, when He wants to.

"I do NOT feel uncomfortable when people drop in unexpectedly."
This one's funny, because by nature and from growing up overseas, I'm highly comfortably with unexpected visitors.

Strongest end scores - Hospitality, Going, Craftsmanship, Helping, Encouragement, Music, Writing.


Interesting. Seems pretty in-line with how life is, with what I love... taking care of people and doing my own jobs well, not to mention no-brainer inescapables like writing and music :) And just think if I get the videography job this summer- such a beautiful combination of craftsmanship, music, helping, and encouragement :)

Life is suddenly better, this February. It looks like there's a chance I may be heading back overseas, though not before fall. I had started studying Arabic, then went ahead and switched to Italian- the Middle East is still a possibility, but Europe tugs at me more. And I still have a half-finished workbook from last year, so it's easy to get back into it.

Knowing there's 'a future and a hope' just makes this year so much more faceable. Like I was telling someeone the other day, I "spent two challenging, delightful, frustrating weeks in SC with the wilderness training, then two weeks here wondering how it all went wrong, and what I was going to do with my life." But now I think I can see a little further into the future, a little more of what has for me. And that revs me up, so to speak, because when I know what's coming I can prepare for it. Just the simple step of studying Italian helps, as do some recent storytelling resources.

So we'll just have to see how all this develops, but I'd be highly excited (and not very surprised) to be on the road again soon....