Remember me?

I can't believe how long it's been since I've entered anything here. So much has happened, yet it feels like nothing's changed at all. God is doing interesting things in me, but I feel sometimes like I'm just driving through life without a map. the good thing is that #1 I know I'm not lost, and #2 the scenery and people along the way are beautiful.

I am still loving Israel, still loving Bridges for Peace, and feeling no leading towards leaving. It can be hard though. Life in ministry is constantly changing and you have to be flexible enough to go with the flow or you'll drown. And while my body is getting older and a little less flexible, my spirit on the other hand, is getting older and a lot more flexible. So I guess as long as my body can keep up, I'll be okay.

One sad change is that two of my closest friends are moving to the states on the 22nd. I'm not ready to say goodbye, but I will do my best. It would be so much easier to guard my heart so that when people leave it wouldn't hurt as much. But then the rest of the time wouldn't be nearly as much fun. I think that in God's economy, the more pieces of your heart that you give away, the more you have to give away later. It's more like subtraction equals multiplication, which scientifically doesn't make much sense, but it is nevertheless true.

Hopefully this will be the beginning of me getting back to my little pink chair, but right now I'm just a little tired from painting my office all day (and last night). Brown and blue. It feels so much better. So at about 7:00 tonight I decided I was hungry and I didn't feel like cooking, so I called my favorite little sandwich shop for delivery. When the guy came, he told me that his friend used to live in this apartment about two years ago. Then he looked around and said, "You've painted. It looks amazing." Well, the tiny little apartment is finally starting to look more homey. And I'm starting to feel much more homey. My Hebrew is coming along slowly but surely. I've even found a dentist here (broke a crown -- bad!!!) and he and his staff are the nicest I've ever experienced. I'm not looking forward to the bill, but at least I'm not terrified and this guy speaks perfect English.

It's funny, but this month in particular I've really started to see the truth in Mark 10:29-30: "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life." My friend that is moving has been giving me all this cool stuff that they had in their apartment, even a Christmas tree with red and white ornaments! And I just won a breadmaker at our Christmas Party. (It's almost as big as my kitchen, but I'm sure I'll find a spot for it!)I always wanted a breadmaker, so that was really, really cool. Anyway, God is providing. And if you're wondering about the persecutions, well, there's a little bit, but not much!

I think I'll sign off for now. But hopefully I'll be back really soon.