Wednesday, June 29, 2011
bananananana
The morning started with breakfast at the "Coffee Shack" with mama. It's a literal shack hanging on the edge of a mountain with a fabulous breeze and stunning view of the ocean.
Then dad showed me how to get bananas out of the palm trees with a machete...
Now I'm relaxing with some "volcano blend" coffee... waiting for my husband (who is 12 hours ahead of me in Sweden) to wake up so we can have our Skype date. I miss him mucho.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Blue
Yesterday I raided a "used" box at the camera store! It was full of camera filters! I'm stoked!! Last September I was able to get a Canon SX30... basically a fat-daddy camera that straddles the line between a basic point-and-shoot and an SLR. It has ridiculous zoom capabilities of up to a mile away and takes beautiful shots. I'm in love. AND after my grand find yesterday... I now have 6 new filters (different colors, techniques and styles) that I got for only $25(should have costed around $300!!)
My photos today were taken in the "posterized" setting - and with a dark blue filter. Perfect for our morning submarine trip!
This guy was worshiping, something. I've seen it several times since I've come here... men doing peculiar dances and gestures in the ocean. Made for some really unique shots!
Our submarine - the Atlantis. We went around 100ft deep.. there were such cool creatures down there. Because the sun doesn't reach those depths, the colors of the fish, coral and ship wrecks are distorted and everything looks blue (even without the blue lens!)...
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Rich Mocha
Me: Do you want to hear the name of my new foundation? It's so African!
Mom: What is it?
Me: Rich Mocha!
Mom: You're starting a coffee ministry??
(I was talking about my makeup "foundation")
hahahahahahaha
Friday, June 24, 2011
little this, little that
I started my day pretty early (as you can see from my previous post)... and I ended my yester-yore quite late. So my eyes have been a bit droopy today. But I'm happy :) Went out for some ME time! Little shopping... little iced coffee... little beach...
Reading the sequel to Infidel now... by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She's a modern-day hero.
I've been looking for feather earrings for weeks. Finally found some!
Hair clips!
Starbucks is a pretty big deal for my Swedish friends.... since Sweden only has one of them in the whole country - the airport in Stockholm. This was just a black iced coffee :)
See how my tan has come along?? Thank goodness.
-began filling out the application in Sweden at the beginning of the year, right after leaving Ethiopia
-found out application could only be submitted in my home country
-flew to Hawaii
- application (size of a book!) was mailed to San Francisco where it sat for a month before I was called for an interview. I was supposed to fly to honolulu (on another island) for a 10 minute interview but I received major favor when they decided to question me over the phone!
-application was mailed to DC where it sat for a month. Not sure why.
- application was mailed to Sweden where it's been sitting for a few weeks
- as of this week -- the application is officially in the hands of a specified agent at the migration board in Sweden!
-now we will wait "up to 4" weeks for a decision to be made -- as long as they don't need any further investigation on our case. That could take up to 9 months - go figure.
-Once my permission to reside in Sweden is granted I must go to either Washington DC or Sweden(they say only DC, but I am an exception since I am a resident of Hawaii and it's quite a distance) to leave my fingerprints. It will take 3 additional weeks to produce and mail me my "resident permit card"
-AND I'm a FAST/EASY-case! I have such sympathy and understanding for immigrants now. Especially those who must be apart from their families for unspecified amounts of time!
So far, we've been waiting 2.5 months. Along with all the other pre-paper-work we've been waiting 13 weeks.
And in honor of the Swedish holiday Mid-Summer..... HAPPY HOLIDAY!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
early morning embassy dates
It's 4:30am and I've already been waiting a long while for 5 o'clock to roll around so I can call the Swedish embassy in DC. They only take calls about resident permit issues between 11am-12pm on the East coast.... don't think they thought about us in Hawaii!
I live in the province Halland!
The gals
Missing the girls today... could really go for some chai and coziness!
Maybe a late night swim? Homemade goodies and manicures? It's been a long long long time.
From Lauren's birthday/new pastor party last September!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
China
My students' note on the classroom door :) Nanning, China
Faith is nothing without WORK. Dreams must = action. Those are two big thoughts on my mind today! What are you going to DO!?!
Monday, June 20, 2011
My dad
I've been taking care of an old woman who has dementia the last few days.... Maria from Germany.... she's been cracking me up and keeping me busy! Otherwise, I got to spend some time with new island friends this weekend. I love hearing people's stories and hanging out in the sweet fellowship of Jesus -- which is essentially the same great experience no matter where you find it on the globe. That's one of the beauties of the body and family of Christ!
Today was the American "father's day". I just love days that are devoted to celebrating specific people. And really, I have the best dad there is :) Also, I realized last night that I'll be here for the 4th of July! A real American holiday! I don't remember the last time I had one of those!!!!
My dad:
anchor
provider
leader
voice
wild
encourager
dreamer
joy
builder
mr. fix it (for absolutely anything)
Mom, Dad and Me! At church today - "Living Stones" sits right on the ocean!
Wish you could make out the shoes in this pic... they're mom's and I'm trying to convince her every day that she needs to donate them to my life. I found my red purse about 1o years ago at Goodwill for $1.50. It's the only one that's stayed with me all these years! Love it! The red top is from Istanbul where Samuel took me for my birthday this year!! Thanks love!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Eat Pray Give
Sarah Graefe sent me the link to this video called Eat Pray Give - India this morning. I watched it twice now with tears streaming down my cheeks. It's not a Christian documentary. It's simply facts about the outcasts and the least of society - according to the world. It's inspirational, challenging, heartbreaking. It's about 20 mintues long, but if and when you have the time to spare, please watch. It's vital for the church to be aware of the people of the world... aware of the unreached. And then move from awareness to PRAYER, ACTION and CHANGE.
My heart cries simply because people don't know - and from the lack of knowledge, they come up with their own solutions and rituals that are twisted and useless to a life of freedom and joy and peace. That's largely the difinition of religion! JESUS is the only answer. A simple relationship with Him transforms lives, brings supernatural miracles and lights up the darkness. The Gospel is the only truth! I'm going to go tell them and I hope to see you out there!!!!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Best preacher I know
This video is from last May when we had 5 amazing Jesus-festival nights together with Mission SOS in Tanzania! On the 4th night, 10 minutes before the preaching would begin... the leader of SOS, (our spiritual papa) Johannes, asked Samuel to take his place on the stage. Samuel is always prepared to preach the Word of God! He does it everywhere and to everyone! If you ever try to ask him about what he'll be preaching ahead of time, he'll say either "Jesus", "Holy Spirit" "Fire" or "Faith" ... those may seem like generic, simple topics that aren't complex enough for Western billboards, but I've witnessed that the gospel of God is a simple message and every time it's preached... lives ARE transformed!! People meet their creator!!!!!
The first time I met Samuel he told me his 6 steps to reaching the unreached... "1- pray, 2- preach, 3-pray, 4-preach, 5- pray, 6-preach!" and I can tell you (now as his wife!) that is his life. His whole life! Almost every morning I'm wake up and hear him in another room praying in the Spirit. His life is Jesus. His drive is the Holy Spirit. His desire is for the lost to hear the Gospel. He is my pride and joy and this is the kind of life we love to live!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
King Kamehameha Parade
Today was the Hawaiian holiday - Kamehameha day! The streets were packed with locals, vacationers, cultures... everyone was out to watch the parade, enjoy the sea, visit local shops, stroll through markets, eat pork and meet a few new faces along the way! Hawaiians are so beautiful by the way!!
Hula dancers in the parade...
There were lots of Hawaiian cowboys and girls in long dresses riding horses!
The sound of the Islands! Ukulele!
Only in America!
The market full of local fruit and flowered leis...
Spent time trying to talk to a woman from Nepal in one of the shops I like to visit often. She doesn't speak much english though and I don't yet know Hindi. Dad even got me an AMAZING ring from her store! I'm in love! Thanks daddy!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)