meet my new love

So I finally got to pick up my bike yesterday. I actually bought it last week, but alas, Hurricane Dolly while making an appearance on the gulf coast of Texas, inhibited me from taking it home. Then I was out of town (in San Antonio) and so finally, after much anticipation ... my motorcycle.

I still need a name for it though. While in India, I decided on Priya (which in Hindi means lovely), but this bike does not look like a Priya.

I admittedly was nervous taking it home. I have not ridden a motorcycle in six months and I kept thinking of ways that I could make a fool of myself or drop the bike or crash. I did stall out twice before leaving the parking lot, but got use to the clutch and throttle combination again.

Next accessory to buy: wind screen. Going above 50 mph produces an incredible amount of force on the driver. When I got up to 70 mph on the drive back to Seadrift from Victoria (where I bought it), I was literally holding on the bike so that I would not blow off. I even lifted up my foot and had trouble getting it back on its peg. Wow.

But at the very end of my hour journey home on my new bike, I became an idiot. I touched my exhaust pipe to wipe something off. And burned my hand. It blistered immediately and was painful all night. Here's to stupidity.

not in India any more

So these are various statements that I have made that have caused my sister to do a double-take, and then laugh with understanding. These might mean absolutely nothing to you, and I am sorry that you are missing out.


Me: "Wow, the cows are on the other side of the fence!"
Kelli: "Of course they are." (spoken with a very confused tone)
Me: "I guess they will no longer cause a traffic jam."
__________
Kelli: "You might see people walking with a stick."
Me: "Is that their monkey beating stick?"
__________
Me to U.S. airline steward: "Is this water purified?"
__________

Me (after using a washing machine): "Wow, actually my beanie (stocking cap) is already dry."

Kelli (after feeling my beanie): "It's not dry. Though I guess it is more dry than any clothing you have had for a while." (remembering that it is still the rainy season (monsoon) in Northern India and has been since May/June)

__________

Kelli: "Let's go for a walk on the coast. I'll get my car keys."

Me: "Keys? How far is it again to the coast?"

Kelli: "Half mile ..."

Me: "Why are we driving half a mile to walk to drive back home?"

(further update: we now walk to our walk ... and walk back home. And life is good.)

home

Another major chapter of my life has closed and I feel like I am staring at the next page which appears to be empty ... or at least written in a foreign alphabet. Maybe God has drawn it with invisible markers, and slowly (ever so slowly, apparently) He will use the magic marker (the white one that reveals what is hidden) to bring various elements of the whole picture to the surface.

Anyway, so my travels back across the ocean and down to Texas went wonderfully. My flights were early, my bags did not take any unauthorized detours, and I had good conversations with various people on the planes. Yesterday was the longest day I have had in my life. I had breakfast three times ... all at breakfast time. My 30 some-odd hour day finally came to an end after taking a walk along the coast.

Oh, and a word to the wise: after a mostly veg diet for six months, it is not recommended to digest (attempt to digest) onion rings (fried) and popcorn chicken (fried) with a thick white gravy on the day of arrival. Though the food was amazingly good, I think my stomach is still working with it.

Besides that, I am recovering nicely, have a 'to-do' list that is ever growing, am moving in with my sister, and not culture shocking surprisingly (it will probably hit later ...).

'insignificant' things

Father, where shall I work today?
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then He pointed out a tiny spot,
And said, “Tend that for Me.”
I answered quickly, “Oh no, not that.
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done,
Not that little place for me!”
And the word He spoke, it was not stern,
He answered me tenderly,
“Ah little one, search that heart of thine;
Art thou working for them or me?
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.”

(author unknown)

As I am about to leave India very shortly from now, my hope is to look ahead and be obedient. I pray that in those small things, I can prove faithful to where/what God has called me into. Which means shelving my pride more often and divesting me of myself to invest more deeply into others. For God is doing a new and good thing today (and tomorrow and the next ...).

2 week vacation/ transition

Just several hours ago I returned from a conference/ school on inner healing and deliverance. Half of us 'delegates' (students) were pastors or full time evangelists here in India - though from south to central to north. What an amazing time!

It was a vacation only in the fact that I took time off of work to come. Our schedule was full from morning to night with teachings, worship, and surrounded by prayer ... and of course with morning tea and afternoon tea in proper fashion.

I made so many wonderful friends and really found myself at new heights in focus, worship and prayer to God. I came in thinking that the main thing I would leave this time with was direction and guidance in knowing how to minister to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling are hurting. But God had much more in mind! I have found wonderful healing for myself in some deep wounds. Oh what fantastic freedom I have in Christ from shame and fear in particular areas! And what a joy it was to intercede in prayer for so many during this time.

Praise God that He showed up and that we were able to truly see His movements among us and through us. This is definitely one of those precious mountain top experiences.

So now what? I do not even know what the rest of July looks like beyond next week, but I am not at all worried or anxious. God has a plan and it is His ministry that I am walking by faith into. Let's see where He leads. He has promised that it will be good.

(What an amazing site to see grown men and women doing action songs declaring Christ's light has come and that God is our strong tower.)

(We had marathon ping pong fun until midnight - or later - many days nights ... and of course had great dance music going too.)

(So, what's up with this? Microphones and I use to not get along. When God puts something on your heart, you cannot help but tell.)

able

"He [God] seems to say to us, 'You have tried, I know; But stand still now and see the salvation of God. I will do what you have failed to do.'" (Revival in India: 1905-1906)

baptisms!

This last Sunday was a special day in the life of my local church here in Mussoorie - Baptisms! We all first met at the church building for worship (and also to congregate everybody together before trying to venture off the mountain as a group). The chosen baptism location was in Dehradun (an hour and half drive down, except during tourist season when traffic is nuts ... oh wait, that's now). So the church hired a bus that holds 44 passengers which is why we fit slightly more than 50 people. There were also personal cars and motorbikes. Anyway, so we left church to head for Lacheewala, a park with a river - beautiful setting, lots of people. Long story short: nine people were baptized, fun playing in the river, and great chicken biriyani (a deliciously flavorful Indian rice dish). And then back up the mountain we went.



Ah, food.

Anybody for a game of cricket?






Baptism: what a beautiful witness/sign of God's grace and forgiveness and the church's role in compassion and edification

And finally, just floating on the river. Good day.

exit & re-entry

I just wanted to send a quick note out (though with really slow internet, "quick" should come with a disclaimer).

I am doing my exit interview at the end of this week. eMi does this about a month before departure so that what is discussed about re-entering our home culture and leaving the culture and community that we have learned to call home ... these things can soak in. We will talk through what stumbling blocks we might encounter, what specific things could trigger culture shock, and how to move back in with as much grace as possible. Also on the agenda is how I have seen God here and how I feel God has changed me. So many deep, introspective ponderings and questions. I will let you know if I pass. (just kidding).

Two new interns have arrived from the states, and two more will arrive in two weeks. The summer interns here first went on a project trip and then have come up the mountain to continue and hopefully finish the work they have started. It was fun to listen to their stories of all the "firsts" they experienced during this first time in India. It reminded me of when I first arrived and the newness of everything. There is something spectacular about it - seeing God's children here and His amazing creation with fresh eyes. I want to hold onto the part of that which enables me to be utterly amazed at the depth of God's movement ... every where I go.

monsoon rolls back in

(This makes more sense ... though it is sufficient to be a stand alone picture ... with the previous post, and also the one before that. Just to let you know.)

This is looking towards Dehradun (the big city down from the mountain where I live) on the same sunsetting evening as the Himalaya picture prior. The clouds are starting to roll back in. And we had another storm that night/morning. You can actually watch the clouds climb up and over the hills as they move north. Once again, absolutely beautiful.

monsoon clears (momentarily)

(This post makes more sense within the context of the last post.)

So monsoon cleared and cleared the dust with it. This is our view from our front yard. Foot stool to the Himalayas. Sunsetting over the mountains. Beautiful! This is the clearest that I have ever seen the mountains. Not only is the first layer of snow caps visible, but also a layer behind them. Honestly, I was just happy to stand outside without feeling wet with the ability to see the hills nearest our hill (one layer back).

I am sure I am now no longer to seek pity for situations while living in India (like the fact that I am still wearing three layers of clothes at all times ... and it is June!).