What's New With Me - Part 2

So I thought of a few things I intended to include but forgot so here is part 2.

First, as Suzanne pointed out we went to Europe last summer. We met one of my friend's from Denver in Vienna and went on to do a whirlwind tour. In 10 days we saw Vienna, Salzburg, Paris, London, Oxford, Stonehenge, did lots of random driving, Bristol, Liverpool, Chatsworth House, and back to London. It was a lot of fun but on the next trip to Europe I hope to spend a little more time in each place but going to fewer places. Not that I have any idea when that will be.

Also, 5 years ago I bought a townhouse. I have learned that not only do I not like white, I can't just pick a paint color and paint a room. Each room I have painted has involved at least 4 different paint colors. This is a time consuming process for me but I enjoy doing it and I have loved the rooms when I get done with them. The downside to the townhouse is that it was built in the early 60's and still has the original bathrooms and kitchen so are they ever stylish. I would like to gut both bathrooms and the kitchen and do something more modern with them but I need to stop traveling half across the world every year to come up with the money to do this.

And on Friday I will turn 30, which I have been dreading since I turned 29. This summer I have realized my real problem with that is that I always subconsciously thought I would be married by now. And so now I hate the idea of turning 30 and still being single. I realize I just need to be content with where God has placed me and I know that he is in control and it will all be in his timing. But it's still a struggle. And don't bother to tell me that 30's are the new 20's or the best time of your life. Plenty of people have told me that but it has yet to help. So there's an honest answer on how I am feeling right now.

So enough about me, how are you?

What's New with Me

Since joining Facebook a lot of my college friends have asked "What's new with you?" or some variation of that. Seeing that it has been 7 years I don't really feel like that question can be answered on a Facebook wall so I decided to do this instead. These aren't necessarily new, but new since the last time I talked to many of my college friends.

Two months after graduating from Calvin I took a job in Denver and moved there. I love living in Denver. And although I haven't gotten into skiing, I love the mountains and all the fun things they have to offer. I enjoy hiking and camping and this winter I went snow-shoeing for the first time and I hope to do more of that next winter. I also love the weather in Denver. I didn't know that it was possible for the sun to shine every day ~ the first month I lived in Denver I was constantly amazed that the sun was out every single morning. That is something I have gotten used to and I don't know if I could go back to never seeing the sun. And although I miss having lakes around I don't miss the humidity. So there are no plans of moving back.

I ended up hating the job that first brought me to Denver and for a long time I felt stuck and didn't really know what I wanted to do. After 5 years I decided to leave and attempt a career change to which God responded "Sorry I don't think so." So I returned to engineering but the job I now do is much different than my previous job so it fits me and my personality much better. I now design heating and cooling systems in commercial buildings, and in the last month I have started to learn a little plumbing. In addition to the job itself being better I really enjoy the people I work with and the guys I work for.

I started doing Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) in the Young Adults Class in Denver when I first moved to Denver and have absolutely loved it. Now I am a discuss leader which is a role that I am not a natural at because I don't really see myself as a leader but I have really enjoyed it and God has used to it challenge me and help me grow.

And lastly, the thing that really is new. In October I am going on a mission's trip with my church to Zambia. We are going to work with a children's orphanage there. The goal is use what we do for a living there but seeing how electricity isn't reliable there isn't the need for heating and cooling so I am not sure what exactly I will be doing. But I will see Africa and the impact of AIDS first hand.

Oh, and don't worry - I am still a Detroit Red Wings fan and I am not afraid to show my true colors. The two times the Wings have won the Stanley Cup are the only two times I wish I was back in Detroit.

So what's new with you?

In Over My Head?

The other day I was talking to a co-worker about those situations where you find yourself in over your head. And he said I was in over my head with my next world adventure. And I wasn't sure how to respond to that because I knew that this was God's will but I did feel that I was in over my head. This weekend God showed me that I am not in over my head, I am following in obedience but I do need to focus on trusting Him that I am suppose to do this.

On October 24th I am leaving on a mission's trip with my church to Zambia (south-central Africa). A little over a year ago I decided that I would like to go to Africa and when the church announced the trip I was really excited about it. Then as the trip started to turn into a reality I got scared and wondered if this was something I was really suppose to do. Finally I couldn't come up with any reason not to go and prayed about that and when God didn't say "No" I said yes.

Since saying yes I keep hearing the importance of obedience. It showed up in daily devotions, the Bible study I am doing this summer, in church last weekend and then last night in the book I am currently reading about Moses. And I wanted to yell, "I am being obedient, I am going, what else to you want?" Then I kept reading and realized that it's not just about doing it but also about trusting Him no matter how illogical or scary it may seem. I don't believe going to Zambia is illogical, actually I think at this point in my life I think it is totally logical. But I have come up with a lot to scare me about this trip and it was the point at which the trip became real enough that I started to realize those fears that I started to pull away from the idea of the trip.

So I am going and I am not in over my head and starting to manage the fear enough to start to get excited about this. But still a little scared that I have no idea of what to expect from it.

I have also been hearing a lot about prayer lately. I wonder what that is suppose to mean? Hmm...