blessed.

i don't believe in luck. i used to, i guess...it's not something i've ever really thought about very much. but when you're sitting at a pool in the front yard of your home in australia, reading a book with your feet up resting on a palm tree - you can't help but think that you're really kind of lucky. or when you're going to spend the afternoon reading and doing homework, but you pack a beach towel and tanning oil with your books - that's pretty lucky. (mom, don't fret, i'm being safe...they make tanning oil with SPF! yeah, sounds contradicting to me, too...) today, however, i decided that luck doesn't exist. i think that to say you're lucky insinuates that there were no influential factors leading you to the "luck" you are finding. i am so, so, so, SO blessed - and that's the only way to put it. every single day, several times a day, i'm reminded of how blessed i am. and so much of that goes back to those two little people in glen ellyn that you know as eric and carolyn. shake their hand or just go for the hug next time you see them...they've provided me with more than i can thank them for. a couple of lines in a blog will definitely not do the trick, but it's the least i can do for now.

we finished our week on 'hearing the voice of God,' which was so awesome. on wednesday night we had a time of worship, and then we talked about repentence. individually, we stood up and repented to God and in front of each other times when we did things our way instead of God's way. it's been a while since i cried that hard. on friday morning, we talked about giving up everything for God (Luke 9:23-25, Luke 14:26-27). so, we spent the morning writing down the things that we will give up for God and then we nailed them up on the cross. after that, we took communion, and then we had people cleanse our hands, signifying God's forgiveness for our sins. after that, we had a time of worship, and then we each stood and said out loud the things we would sacrifice for God. that was NOT easy. the members of my family (which includes a person i haven't even met yet!), pride, selfishness, past and future success, finances, my future husband, my beautifully envisioned wedding (that was a tough one), writing, control...needless to say, it was a pretty heavy morning. it forced a lot of growth and self-analysis, though, so the tears were well worth it.

friday night we started our weekly community evangelism. we went to the town next to us, mooloolaba, which is a pretty high class town with lots of resorts, shops, restaurants and bars all along the beach. the police designated an area on the sidewalk along a strip of bars to set up a free coffee bar, and we had a couple of guys playing guitar on the other side of the walkway. we stayed there til about midnight, starting up conversations with people, praying over them, and talking to them about God. we're lucky to be here with obvious accents because that consistently causes people to ask the "money question": why are you here? from there, it's easy to go into a spiritually driven conversation with believers and non-believers alike. it was challenging, i had to call police over because a young man had been slashed (really, it's a super high-class area...there was just a LOT of inebriated people....EVERYWHERE), and a few people completely shut us down, but as a group we had some really awesome conversations with people - and we thought we did pretty well for our first time out. but now we can't use the newbie excuse anymore, so this week should be interesting.

on saturday we went to the australia zoo (aka steve irwin's zoo. and they do NOT mess around when it comes to steve irwin, i can tell you that much) and it was amazingggg!!!!!!!!!!! actually, it wasn't really anything to write home about, except for the kangaroos and koala bears! they allow you to just roam around in fields with kangaroos...and the little guys don't even hop away! at first we were shocked when we were, like, ten feet away from one...little did we know that was child's play. about five minutes later i was laying on the ground next to a kangaroo feeding it and petting it. i pretty much spent the majority of the day hanging out with the 'roos and playing with them...it was unbelievable! they are so soft and just let you hang out with them...such good friends! we could do the same with the koalas, although they weren't as much fun because they sleep for about 20 hours a day. BORING. but they were super soft and cuddly and i had to stop myself from shoving one in my purse to take home with me.

i think i mentioned that there are families from the baptist church that our ywam base is partnered with who are adopting two or three of us each to have over for dinner once in a while. i'm thrilled to be able to tell you that i hit the jackpot with this little deal. jessica, from vancouver, and i were paired with a couple named mandy and gary (i've now met him once and i already am affectionately calling him 'gar'). they have two grown kids who no longer live at home, and i LOOOOOOVE them! they had jess and i over on monday, and we pretty much ate our way through their house and politely asked them to turn off the tv because it was freaking us out (we're out of the habit of watcing tv...already). they showed us pictures from their recent trip to antarctica (yes, everybody, i asked an insanely embarrassing question regarding antarctica that i will not be sharing with you at this time...but just know that i didn't let you down. i'm surprised mandy didn't disown me, actually). we talked for hours with them, and they're having us over every monday now (WAY above and beyond our expectations!). AND they have a washer and dryer that they offered to us, gary used to own a bakery and has ALREADY dropped off homemade cookies at our house for jess and i, and mandy told us to come over any night to watch chick flicks with her and we'll just "send gary to the computer room!" she also told me that if i crack my knuckles once more, she's going to slap me. so, needless to say, i think we're on a pretty comfortable level with gary and mandy...and it was only dinner #1. i see good things in the future of that relationship.

this week we're learning about the father heart of God. i'm continuing my daily bible reading, and am just finishing leviticus (my word a few of those chapters in exodus and leviticus are detail-oriented!) i'm finding that i really need time each day to just kind of step out of myself a little bit and clear my head, because some of these lectures and readings can get pretty heavy. usually i do this through running or calling someone from home. i'm quickly finding that i may have to just stick to the phone thing. so you know how they drive on the other side of the road here? well, apparently, that direction reversal goes for sidewalks, too. and i DON'T GET IT. every time i run i'm always finding myself on the wrong side of the stupid sidewalk. i nearly threw a rather elderly couple off of their bikes the other day because i was convinced that I was on the correct side of the sidewalk.

i was mistaken.

then i was almost taken out by a biker and a fellow runner. it happens several times daily...and personally, i think it's getting out of hand. as if the whiplash i get as i try to cross the street isn't bad enough (because i'm still not sure which way to look, so i just wave my head obsessively from side to side), the fact that i'm nearly murdering innocent people that are just trying to get some exercise is inexcusable.

i'm also sick...again, so i'm drinking tea and juice like it's going out of style (dad! that reminds me, i figured out what they call the 'bathroom' here. they keep the toilet in a different room than the rest of the bathroom and it's called...are you ready for this one? "the toilet." brilliant. i know. write that one down.) and am REALLY hoping for a day to sleep in sometime before i come home in november, although chances are not looking good for that one.

i gotta go, i'll try to be better about updating this again soon. love you guys a lottttttttt lot lot! xoxo