Back in the South.

The first thing that I noticed upon stepping out of the airport in Dallas was the smell. I must have noticed it before, but never really let it register. This state definitely has a defining odor. Not necessarily a bad one, but theres no denying that it is there. It's a smell that to me means a time when everything was so new and exciting. It means a period of my life when I spent all my time doing what makes me happy with people who make my heart smile. It's a smell that I love.
Baked earth. Fresh rain. Thick sweet southern air.
Oh Texas, how I've missed you.

Ecclesiastes-

Sometimes I look back on the things I've been able to do and places I've been blessed enough to visit. It's during those times that I really see God's face. During my day to day life, I feel like I tend to forget how much I've been given. I take a lot for granted. I start to fall back into my old habits. Then something as simple as a smile from a stranger, an song, a note that was forgotten in an old purse, an email from an unexpected friend, will bring me back to the times that are engraved on my heart.
It's sad that great trips, and wonderful relationships come to an end, but everything has it's time. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon talks about how everything has it's season.
"A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance." (Eccl. 3:3-4)
So maybe after every amazing journey there comes a tear filled goodbye. But all that that means is that there will be another chance to build up again. More to explore. More to adventure. More to experience.
I feel like there will be a great time for me to dance in the near future.

Packing up again.

As I mentioned before, I'm getting ready to head down to Texas again to embark on a new journey. Destination: Israel.
I've finally booked my flight. (Last minute, I know, but I'm a horrible procrastinator.) And I will be flying out of good old Grande Prairie on June 20th!
There are a few ends that need to be tied up here before I leave though, as I'm finding it difficult to raise/make enough money to pay off the outreach. It seems that my last trip set me back a little more then I would have liked, and unfortunately I haven't had a lot of time home in between to work on my finances.
But I have faith. And I'm trying to step out as much as I can to make room for some help from the Big Man.

Oh one last thing before I forget. I have been handing out a lot of newsletters and contact cards to people as I run into them, and unfortunately have been forgetting to get addresses from them. It will make it easier for me to mail my future newsletters then to wait until I run into them again. So please, if you are one of those people would you email me your address, email address, and any other contact information, so that I can keep better contact with you. Thanks so much!