because i haven’t posted much life stuff lately so here’s the latest:

1. My good friend and co-worker, Steven was baptized on Sunday. Not only that – but he did it outside, in our church’s lake. Oh wait – and it was 50 degrees outside and the water was half ice. Yep. But he wanted to go H2O for Jesus…. so he did. :) Here are some pics.

a) frozen lake water
b) steven professing his faith in Christ (with pastor tim)
c) walking into the depths of the ice cold water
d) hooray!!

2. Mission Stuff is going very well. I am feeling a lot more comfortable with each passing day. No doubt it due to my prayer warriors! A little bit of moola has come in and that is very encouraging. THANK YOU! I am a long way from $3,000 but it is a beginning. I know and have peace in knowing that God will provide. To keep up with all of the Africa Mission craziness you can subscribe to my e-letter or just check out my mission site for updates. I will be posting my support and expense report on there very soon. :)

If you would be willing to place my mission info as a link on your blog or website please let me know. I can provide you with sidebar art, etc. Thanks!!!!!

3. For those who care, I did get pink in my hair again last Saturday. This isn’t the best picture but you can kind of see it. Please do not stare directly at my massive and white forehead. You might go blind.

4. Remember a few posts back I was telling you about temptation? How the enemy is trying to use temptation of my past to distract me from my mission? Well, I went to my neighborhood Christian bookstore the other day and picked up something interesting. It is called, “peeking into a box of chocolates” and it is one in a series of devotional bible studies for women. This one is on Temptation. So far it is really good. The other one I picked up is called, “searching for God in a bottomless purse” and it is on Faith. They are very cleaver. Other topics are in the series as well. Check them out.

5. Every year I decorate my parent’s house for Christmas. Somehow about 5 or 6 years ago it became “my job” so I do it – and it makes them happy. BUT I got a late start and now it is December 13 and I am not finished yet. I wanted to get it ready during Thanksgiving since I had a few days off – but my dad wouldn’t get the 30 years of accumulated boxes out. He kept putting it off. They are in the basement and too heavy for me to bring up – otherwise I would. My parents have had their fake tree for 15 years and it is about as dead as a fake tree can get so I have been asking them to get a new one for a couple years now. Also, it is only 6ft tall which makes it look like a midget in our house (we have vaulted ceilings). Here’s a picture from last year.

Anyway, I was at Goodwill on Saturday looking for a Lucy-kind of dress (for charlie brown skit) when my mom and I stumbled across a really nice Christmas tree. 9 FEET TALL. Ok so yes, the tree is beautiful and very full… but have you ever decorated a 9ft tree? With my busy schedule right now it has taken me all week. I am almost finished but goodness it is like Everest. :) I will post pictures when everything is nicely decorated. I fear that by the time I finish it will be New Year’s Eve.

6. Friday is our staff Christmas party. Basically a time to make a spectacle of the few single staff members (like me) by making them mingle with all of the marrieds and their minions. But hopefully it will be fun. No doubt there will be good food. You can’t have a pot-luck created by Baptist church staff without an award-winning smorgasbord.

6. Look at me carrying on and on. What’s going on in your life?

As Christmas inches ever so much closer please answer one, two or all of the following questions:

a. What are you looking forward to most about the holiday?

b. Are you traveling anywhere?

c. Christmas just isn’t Christmas without _______.

d. What is the worst/weirdest gift you have ever received?