Emily Richards - A Brilliant Adventure in Northern Ireland

To the silliest goober I know!

 

Remembering you, Missy Moo, on your birthday today.  I love you loads!

 

China . . . the land of surprises and loads of fun :)

My goodness . . . it has been a crazy week since I last blogged.  I guess that most of you probably saw my Mom’s post on her blog a few days back that she flew all the way to China to surprise me and Tanner.  How cool is that?  We haven’t seen her since Christmas time!  I had absolutely NO IDEA that she was coming . . . it was a total surprise.  We went with our host here in China, Rob, to supposedly pick up some suitcases of donations for the foster home and much to my surprise my Mom came walking through the airport!  We were able to spend Mother’s day together, and even though her card was in the mail on its way to America, we still had a wonderful time together.

 

 Not only did we receive an awesome surprise in having my Mom visit, but we were also able to welcome some family friends to China and do a bit of in-country travel before heading to Nanjing, China to watch them welcome their new daughter through the miracle of adoption.  My Mom has lots of photos posted on her blog of that amazing moment in which an orphan became a daughter!  Woah . . . I still get a little teary-eyed just thinking about it.  Other than Shaoey’s adoption, this was the only adoption I have watched take place.  As I watched the nannies hand our friends their precious daughter, I was once again overwhelmed and overjoyed to know that I too have been adopted into a heavenly family. 

 

 

  It was a whirlwind trip around China, but Tanner and I are back in Beijing now and will head down to Maria’s Big House of Hope in Luoyang on Friday, May 14^th.  My Mom left this morning to head back to America and get ready for the big Cinderella event that Show Hope is hosting.  Please check out www.showhope.org for more information!  It is going to be a spectacular event on Friday, May 14^th and Tanner and I are bummed we are going to miss out.  We taught pre-school this morning and had an absolute blast!  I have posted some photos for you all to see what kind of pre-school day we had today.  We started class off by all dressing up and doing a scavenger hunt! We had a blast.  Then, we had snack and lesson time and learned about animals J  After coloring for a bit, we then decided to make kitty cat masks which was hilarious.  All the kids were running around with their masks scaring Tanner and I and making cat noises.  To be honest . . . I left pre-school this morning feeling really special to have spent those few hours laughing with those kiddos.  And, I have to brag on my husband.  I have always said that he is better teaching kids than I am.  He just really has the ability to get on a kid’s level and teach them in a way that is fun and beneficial.  He has been a total hit with all the pre-school kiddos!  All of the kids know his name now, and so we will be walking down the hall and hear “Tanner Laoshi” which means “Teacher Tanner.”  Some of the kids even call him “big brother” and when they see me without him their first question is always, “Where is Tanner?”  He has been doing a bit of gymnastics with the kids because that is his background.  No, no, no . . . we haven’t been doing flips or anything like that but just simple stretches and such on the floor in the pre-school.  The kids LOVE getting the exercise and they pay great attention to Tan.  Honestly, I am really thankful for how hard Tanner has worked and how much effort he has put into this pre-school time.  Some might see it as a small thing, just four or five kids in a pre-school with a wife who knows little about teaching, but I believe he is really making a difference even by just laughing with these kids and affirming them in their talents and gifts.  Wow . . . I just have to say that I am one tremendously blessed woman J 

 

 

 

 

 Like I said earlier, we head to Maria’s Big House of Hope on Friday and I think there are quite a few projects for us to be working on there especially as it relates to setting up the preschool there for the kiddos!  We will continue to post photos J  Thanks once again for all your thoughts and prayers.

Ni Hao . . . from China!!

 

 

Do any of you remember the T.V. Show, “Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?”  Well . . . Tanner and I are beginning to relate with Miss Carmen herself as we jump from place to place around the globe!  But I don’t think we mind at all . . . actually we love it!  As of right now . . . Tanner and I are sitting in Beijing, CHINA!  We arrived here on Monday, May 3^rd and we will be here until June 10^th.  We feel privileged to be in this place to spend the next few weeks together loving on the precious children at Maria’s Big House of Hope.  We are currently in Beijing, teaching pre-school to a handful of the kids here at Hope Home.  In addition to Maria’s Big House of Hope, our friends and Show Hope partners, Rob and Joyce, also oversee Hope Home.  They have about 70 children who live here at Hope Home, most of whom have surgically correctable special needs, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, clubbed feet, congenital heart disease, etc.  We will be here, in Beijing, until the weekend and then we will travel down to Maria’s Big House of Hope to spend the rest of our time teaching the pre-schoolers there.

It feels so great to be back in China . . . I consider it my second home . . . or perhaps it should be my third home now that we have spent a significant amount of time in N. Ireland.  Oh . . . I don’t know . . .  I guess since I haven’t been back to my “home” in Nashville for about 8 months now, China feels even more inviting and home-like because it is familiar and holds a lot of precious memories.  I can so easily remember my first time visiting Robin and Joyce Hill in the summer of 2006.  Our entire family travelled here for about three weeks as a sort of vacation together.  It was so nice to be here . . . loving on others together as a family.  And, of course our precious Maria Sue was with us that summer.  My family returned to China the following summer; however, I was unable to come because I was working.  So, I hold many precious memories of my sweet little sister, who would have been turning seven in only one weeks time, here at this building of hope.  And all these wonderful memories only encourage me to make more fun memories while Tanner and I are here.  We have been given a treasure in these 6 weeks here in China.  I truly feel as if we have been invited into something very special . . . a time to know and understand our Father on a level different than we did before we came.  I hope I don’t miss it!  I hope I can keep my eyes open and take in every memory, every laugh, every giggle, every hug and even every tear.

Just this morning, we had the wonderful opportunity of teaching pre-school to the older kids here at Hope Home.  We had three kids, ages 3-5 and we learned about colors.  It was so fun to just hang out with these very special kiddos.  I know our Father has a very unique purpose and plan for EACH one of their lives.  I am always overcome by the true joy each one of these kids has . . . it just oozes out from their smiles!  I want to have that kind of joy . . . contagious joy J

I will try my hardest to stay up-to-date on my blog while we are here in China!  Please me gracious with me when there are no blogs . . . sometimes words are not enough . . . especially for the month of May.  Thank you for your continued support and prayers. 

Another Beautiful Trip . . . A Perhaps a Few Words of Encouragement

So, we have had quite the adventure since I last updated my blog . . . we went to the Highlands of Scotland.  Can you even believe it?  Tanner and I, along with our friend Shelley, decided to take a wee hop over the sea and visit another friend from Bible College who was back home in Scotland for Christmas Break.  He is from Aberdeen . . . so we spent an entire day flying from Belfast to Glasgow, taking a train from Glasgow to Dundee, riding a bus from Dundee to Aberdeen and then finally riding in our buddy’s car back to his house from the Aberdeen Train Station.  Pretty crazy day of travelling, but we were warmly welcomed with open arms when we arrived at Andy’s house.  His mother had cooked an amazing dinner meal and we sat around the table and enjoyed the tasty food as well as wonderful conversation.  It was a blessing to be in a home . . . and to sit on a couch by a cozy fireplace. 

On our second day in Scotland we journeyed up into the mountains as Tanner and Andy were determined to find some slopes for snowboarding.  For many Europeans, Scotland isn’t usually seen as the top destination for those desiring to ski and snowboard.  However, Scotland received a massive snowfall a few days before our arrival, making the slopes the best they have been in 30 years!  So, what were a few twenty-somethings looking for a Scottish adventure to do?  That’s right . . . head up the mountain.  

 

 

 So, we drove about two hours north, spent the night at a lovely hostel, and woke up early the next morning to make the most of our day on the mountain.  We skied at a place called Glenshee and it was a blast!  And, believe it or not . . . yours truly even put a pair of skis on and rocked out the bunny slopes!  Shelley and I came quite close to canning the whole skiing idea . . . hot chocolate in the café sounded quite nice to me.  However, Tanner and Andy were great encouragers and thus we found ourselves on the slopes.  I truly had so much fun and am thankful I had the opportunity to make such a unique memory with Tanner and our friends from Bible College. 

            At one point, while I was skiing down the mountain, I took a moment to stop and just take in the scenery around me.  Snow covered mountains are breathtakingly beautiful!  I really enjoy snow . . . it makes the cold worth it!  Recently, I have been enamoured with God’s unbelievable creativity.  Snow . . . what a neat invention!  And while I know certain snowfalls can cause danger and inconveniences, the white-capped Scottish Highlands invited me into a wonderful moment of worship as I recognized God’s splendour and magnificence expressed through creation.  I really can’t wait to see heaven . . . I wonder what true colours will look like realizing that the colours we now see are but a shadow of reality! 

 

 

We returned home from Scotland a little less than a week ago.  We were truly blessed by Andy’s family as they allowed us to stay in their house, use their warm showers, and even eat their food.  One thing I have learned in a very tangible way while living in a foreign country is the beauty of the ministry of hospitality.  Kerry Hasenbalg, the wife of our Executive Director at Show Hope, first introduced me to this idea.  She sent me some serving platters and hostess sets for one of my bridal showers prior to my wedding.  The note attached to the gift simply stated, “Emily, may you and Tanner always enjoy the ministry of hospitality.”  That idea stuck with me, and as Tanner and I have been living abroad, hospitably has been lavished upon us and has taken very visible forms.  Perhaps hospitality is a lost art and much-needed ministry in our American culture.  We are quite individually minded, and while this isn’t always a bad thing, perhaps we tend to focus on our own need while we let the needs of those around us go unseen.  There is such beauty in an open house.  And while the kitchen, shower and bed are nice it is perhaps the open hearts that are the most encouraging.  Last week, Tanner and I were welcomed into a home just as family would be at Christmas time.  I felt entirely favoured as I laid my head to sleep, realizing I was in the middle of Scotland, having just enjoyed a culinary masterpiece of a home cooked meal and was inspired by fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ.  And might I add, the Scottish accent is wonderfully endearing!  The ministry of hospitality . . . Tanner and I certainly endeavour to create a warm and inviting home.  It is our prayer that we never become so caught up in our little sphere that we forget the souls perhaps living next door that simply need to be invited in for a cup of hot tea and a good chat.

 

And so, while we returned from Scotland grateful and with full hearts, we have also been devastated by the news of Haiti’s earthquake.  Twelve years ago I visited Haiti on a mission trip.  My Mom and I travelled together and we were both completely shocked by the immense suffering we witnessed.  It was on this trip that God completely broke me and burdened me for the plight of orphans.  I was eleven at the time of the trip and I was befriending many children my age who had no Mother or Father to tuck them in at night, to protect them and provide for their every need.  As an eleven year old, I could not imagine having to find my own food, protect myself from criminals and perhaps even raise younger siblings.  And now the country is more desperate than it has ever been.  The news coverage is heartbreaking . . . Come Lord Jesus, Come!  I am praying for peace, I am praying for miraculous rescues and healing to take place.  I am praying for wisdom for the many humanitarian workers on the ground attempting to coordinate relief efforts.  I am praying for those who still have loved ones unaccounted for.  I am praying for the many Haitian orphans and for those taking care of them.  The need is so great and I feel quite useless.  Yet, I will never underestimate the power of prayer, the power of communicating and pleading with the One who is able to do infinitely more! 

            Friends . . . there will be a day when this world will fade away.  May we be men and women who choose to spend our time knowing God and investing in the lives of others.  When Maria passed away, the pastor from the church I attended while in college encouraged me with these words, “In light of tragedy, only two things really matter: heaven is real and relationships are the only things that matter this side of eternity.”  It is my prayer that we will become so enamoured and inspired by the hope of heaven that we can’t help but be men and women who recklessly love others . . . pointing them to the source of such love.

 

A Happy New Year and a Happy New Blog!

I hope this blog finds all you doing well and enjoying this New Year!  I am writing you from a very cold and snowy Northern Ireland.  But, I have to admit that the snow makes the cold worth it.  Just this morning, I looked out our window to see tiny flakes of shimmering white falling from the sky, and once again was reminded of God’s absolute creativity.  What a beautiful way to be reminded that we serve a magnificent God.

Tanner and I had a wonderful Christmas season.  While we were sad to be away from home and our families on Christmas Day, we were able to celebrate Christmas in our own unique way this year.  As many of you know, we are currently living on campus at Belfast Bible College, a small school in Northern Ireland.  We didn’t have much room in our house for a tree, so we improvised and made a “Paper Tree.”  I know that is a bit of an oxymoron, but we were simply trying to maximize our space and watch the budget.  I have included a photo just to show you how stunningly beautiful our tree was!  On Christmas day, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast together, read the Christmas story, opened our gifts and then went on a walk.  Now, I have to admit that going on walks and being active on Christmas day isn’t really how I grew up celebrating!  I am a “snuggle by the fire and eat some more food” kind of girl . . . but I embraced the athletic Richards side of the family that I married into and went on a pleasantly slow saunter with my husband on Christmas Day!  We walked to a park nearby, and it really was quite beautiful as we had a white Christmas here in Northern Ireland.  

 

 

A few days after Christmas, my Mom, Dad and two younger sisters arrived in Dublin.  Wow . . . it truly was such a blessing to spend a little over a week with the here in Europe.  Family is such a blessing, and Tanner and I were so excited to see our family when they arrived on the 28^th of December.  We spent the first few days of our trip here in Northern Ireland, and then we headed to London for New Years Eve.  Tanner and I were in downtown London on New Years Eve!  How cool is that?  We heard Big Ben strike at Midnight and watched the 8 minute long fireworks show over the river.  We were able to visit the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey.  Stevey and Shaoey thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Royal Family’s crowned jewels!  Pretty cool.  Mom and I ventured to Harrods just for fun, and it was absolute madness.  In the UK, there are tons of big sales during the week following Christmas . . . so you can imagine how crazy Harrods was on New Years Day!  I felt like all of London was crammed in this store trying to snag a good deal . . . which is hard to do in Harrods because everything is quite expensive.

 

 

From London, we headed to Paris via the Eurostar train . . . the train that takes you underneath the English Channel via a tunnel.  Stevey and I played Cinderella puppets for most of the ride while Tanner and Shaoey battled each other on the Nintendo DS.  France was amazing as well!  It was cold, but we had a wonderful time venturing around on the subway, trying to find our way to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame.  We also saw the Grand Opera House, which is where the Phantom of the Opera is set.  Stevey Joy wanted to know if she could quite her ballet class and come take lessons at the Grand Opera House.   How cute is that?  I don’t doubt that she will someday steal the hearts of thousands with her beautiful dancing!  She is quite graceful.  And Shaoey, she hung on every word during our tour of the Louvre.  She is so into history!  She absolutely loved getting background information on all the paintings and statues.  I am confidant that she too will change the lives of thousands with her amazing intelligence and deep compassion for others.  I have the most amazing sisters in the WORLD! 

 

And my parents . . . they are absolute jewels.  Their guidance and care has blessed me, and I will forever be inspired by their cheerful generosity and loving-kindness.  We shared many encouraging conversations together, conversations that further motivated Tanner and I on this journey together . . . the journey that currently has us half-way around the world.  Sometimes, I wish I could return home just for a few hours simply to experience the comforts of home.  However, I am completely certain that God wanted us in Northern Ireland for this season.  Tanner and I have both experienced growth . . . academically, spiritually, emotionally and relationally.  I am thankful that God knew what we needed this year.  And, I am grateful for our families who have supported our decision to spend this year abroad.  While it was certainly sad to see my family go because I absolutely adore them and had a blast travelling Europe with them, Tanner and I left encouraged and energized for the next semester of school. 

 

Thank you for your continued prayers for Tanner and me.  This wonderful Christmas celebration and time with my family came on the heels of a rather sad few days for me.  This holiday season was quite difficult in light of Maria not being with us.  And, as I reminisced on my own journey of grief, I couldn’t help but think of my many friends who watched their first Christmas season come and go without a certain loved one around the tree.  While I really don’t understand God’s ways most of the time, I am so thankful that He gave us a gift, the gift of Emmanual, God with us, over 2,000 years ago.  And now, no matter how dark and slippery the journey gets, we believe in a God who saw it fit to dwell among his people and ultimately die so as to save us into eternal relationship with him.  That is the good news I choose to cling to as 2010 begins to unfold.

  

  

 

 

 

 

A Week of Road Tripping!

It has been a week or so since I last checked in with all my faithful blog readers!  Tanner and I were on what the Irish refer to as holiday and what we know as vacation!  Because we were given a week off of school, Tanner and I decided to take the time to travel around the Green Isle.  We left early on the morning of October 26^th along with our friends Eric and Mary Whyte and Shelly Boyd that we have met here at Bible School.  Eric and Mary are a lovely married couple from Canada, and they only live two doors down from us in Student Housing.  We have been truly blessed by their friendship and are looking forward to the many more months ahead of spending time with one another!  Shelley is from a town here in Northern Ireland called Hillsborough!  She is so fun and Tanner and I are so grateful for her friendship.  She loves us really well as she is always willing to drive Tanner and I to the grocery store or the doctor’s office or the bank . . . you name it!  But, not only does Shelley drive us places and help us settle into life here in Northern Ireland, she is an amazing friend full of encouraging words and thoughtful insight into what God is doing in my life especially!  I am simply blown away by God’s goodness in brining these wonderful friends into our lives. 

  

 

Eric, Mary, Shelley, Tanner and I all set out on this road trip on Monday morning in Shelley’s little 2-door car.  So . . . to say it was a bit “tight” in the car is a slight understatement.  With all of our bags, coats, boots, cameras . . . and the food bag of course, we were packed in like a little can of sardines.  On Monday we drove from Belfast, Northern Ireland to Cork, Ireland (by way of Dublin).  We only passed through Dublin, but Tanner and I plan on going back soon to visit.  We made it to Cork in about 4 ½ hours . . . not too bad.  We even made our own Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches on the way to save money on lunch.  Shelley had never heard of a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich.  I guess it isn’t a very popular sandwich here.  We explained that in North America a lot of kids take Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches to school with them to eat for lunch.  She thought it was hilarious.  But, I think she enjoyed her sandwich.  After arriving in Cork, we spent the rest of the evening exploring the city center!

On Tuesday morning, October 27^th, we woke up nice and early and headed to the Blarney Castle, which is right outside of Cork.  This is where the infamous Blarney Stone is located.  The weather was a bit foggy and misty, but that is actually a good day here in Ireland . . . so we have learned to be thankful for mist as opposed to torrential downpours!  The Castle was beautiful and we climbed all the way to the top!  All of us kissed the Blarney Stone . . . well all of us but one certain Tanner Richards who claims he has a bit of Irish heritage!  How is that even Irish . . . going all the way to Blarney Castle and NOT kissing the Blarney Stone.  As you can see in the photos below . . . it is a bit of a challenge kissing the Blarney Stone as you have to bend backwards over this little opening looking straight down to kiss the stone . . . a little bit freaky!  Anyways, we had a really fun time exploring the Castle and the gardens around it.  We found some wonderful little waterfalls . . . absolutely brilliant. 

 

 

 

Afterwards we all piled back into the car, made our Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches again and headed toward a town called Killarney.  While in Killarney, we visited another Castle, The Ross Castle.  The Castle sits right on water and it is gorgeous.  We were there right about Sunset, so we were able to sneak a few photos in before the sun said goodnight.  Speaking of the sun setting, it gets dark here around 5 pm.  I know it gets dark early in the winter back home, but MY GOODNESS.  It is hard to stay energetic after Sunset when it is so dark. 

 

From Killarney we headed to a small town called Ballinskellig on the South West coast of Ireland.  We spend Tuesday evening in a hostel there and enjoyed the coastal view when we awoke on the morning of the 28^th.  We spent the morning exploring the coast, taking some fun photos of Castle ruins.  We even ventured up a few roads to the top of this beautiful hill for a stunning view of the coast!  There were quaint cottages at the top of the hill that are available for artists, authors, musicians, etc. to rent for time of rest and inspiration to further their particular art form.  How cool is that!  

 

 

 

So, from Ballinskellig we headed over to the Dingle Peninsula to the town of Inch and Dingle!  We stopped in the town of Inch to take photos of the beach . . . too bad it was too cold to go for a swim!  It would have been fun to spend a day simply relaxing on the beach, soaking in the rays . . . but the clouds were doing their best to restrict the sunlight.  And from Inch we headed to Dingle to try and spot the infamous Dolphin named Funghi that lives in Dingle Bay.  However, we arrived about an hour too late for the Dolphin cruise that takes you out to look for the Dolphin.  From Dingle we headed to Limerick for our next pit stop of our trip.  We didn’t do much in Limerick other than eat at a classic Irish Pub.  We had a great meal while listening to live traditional Irish music!  Tanner and I loved it!

 

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On Thursday morning, October 29^th, we headed from Limerick to The Cliffs of Mohr on the West coast of Ireland.  The drive was beautiful . . . all the driving we did was absolutely stunning!  Sometimes I would look out of my window and see small mountains rolling into the sea, while other times I would notice miles and miles of the greenest pastures full of sheep.  When we arrived at The Cliffs of Mohr, we spent a few hours exploring.  We walked along the nicely cemented and well-guarded path along the cliff’s edge until we came to a sign warning, “Do not cross beyond this barrier.”  Well . . . there were loads of other tourists passing beyond the barrier, and being in a group of adventurous youngsters, we too decided to cross the barrier.  Ok . . . time for my disclaimer . . . just because I was one of the five in this group of adventurous youngsters DOES NOT mean I wanted to cross beyond this sign to walk on a slippery, muddy path less than 10 feet away from falling off the cliffs!  NO THANK YOU!  But, I tried my hardest to be a trooper.  Well, about five minutes into our little hike, after I had already yelled about 3 times at those in our group to be careful and watch what they were doing because I was so paranoid someone was going to get hurt, I simply broke down in tears.  I mean . . . I lost it . . . and I was so embarrassed.  Tanner sat with me for a while and then we turned around and walked back to the safety that is cemented and guarded walkways!  It was crazy . . . seriously . . . there were times that you were only a few feet away from falling off of Ireland! 

 

 

 

From the Cliffs of Mohr we headed to Galway!  Galway is a great town . . . we had loads of fun wandering the streets and finding a good place to eat.  Again, we ended up enjoying some fabulous traditional Irish music at the Spanish Acres Pub.  After spending the night in Galway, we headed on Friday morning to perhaps my favorite stop of the entire trip, Kylemore Abbey and Gardens.  From Galway, we drove another 1 ½ hours West through amazing fields and more stunning scenery, until we came upon the Kylemore Abbey.  The Kylemore Abbey has been the home of Benedictine Nuns since around the time of World War I.  This beautiful castle sits on a lake and we enjoyed walking all around the premises, visiting the Abbey, the Church and the Victorian Gardens.  I am not exaggerating when I say this place was in the middle of nowhere!  There was an absolute serenity and peace as we spent time exploring the Kylemore Estate!  If you are ever afforded the opportunity to travel to West Ireland . . . try and visit the Kylemore Abbey.  It was definitely worth the drive out!

 

 

 

We headed home Friday night, and were back in Belfast by midnight!  The trip seemed to fly by.  Tanner and I were not only blessed to see more of God’s beauty through nature, only further falling in love with our God and His absolute creativity, but we were also blessed by Eric, Mary and Shelley and the conversations we had all throughout Ireland.  We still can’t believe that we are really in Northern Ireland, that our dreams are actually becoming reality.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting us on this journey . . . especially for all your prayers.  It is our prayer that we continue to seek after God’s will for our lives and that we will continue to be available and used by God to be living testaments of His grace and goodness!

 

How's About Ya?

How's About Ya?  That is a Northern Irish way of saying, "How are you doing?"  Well, may I first apologize for the small blogging hiatus I took for the last few weeks . . . Tanner and I have been rather busy in school.  We just finished our first round of assignments, and we are glad to have our essays all polished off and turned in.  It was a privilege to study and prepare our essays as we learned new things about God’s word and how it affects and influences our daily lives. 

 

I guess last time I blogged we were about to go on the C.S. Lewis tour around Belfast.  It was an absolutely fabulous tour!  We were able to see Little Lea, the house C.S. Lewis grew up in and we most certainly spotted a certain lamppost on the tour!  It was amazing to see how much of Lewis’ growing up in Belfast really did influence his writings.  I am looking forward to reading The Pilgrim’s Regress, as C.S. Lewis composed this entire work in Belfast documenting his return to the Christian faith after abandoning it for some time.

 

School has been going well.  I have thoroughly enjoyed all my classes, but I particularly enjoyed a class we had a few days ago specifically discussing the book of Isaiah.  We focused particularly on the first chapter.  For those of you familiar with Isaiah 1:17, then you probably know why I particularly enjoyed the class.  The verse states, “Learn to do right!  Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.  Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”  As I am learning in my Old Testament Prophet Books class, many prophets came with a message regarding pure worship of God, one involving a life wholly committed to God AND social justice.  Isaiah is speaking on behalf of God to the Israelite nation when he addresses the issue of true worship.  While the Israelites were busy with their worship rituals, making sacrifices and joining together in church services, the marginalized were completely forgotten about and disregarded.  Why was this an issue worth addressing?  In a predominantly patriarchal society, if the husband or father went missing, so did the protection and the provision for all other family members.  If a modern day prophet appeared in our churches in America, would he bring a similar message?  Please hear me say that church IS important and our bible studies ARE necessary.  But perhaps we busy ourselves so much so inside the walls of the church that we forget what is decaying on the outside.  It is my prayer that the church can continually be a people that love God and worship him through worship both within the church walls and out.  As Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).

 

This past week has been bittersweet as we remembered Maria on the 21^st.  I miss her.  I am sad that I haven’t seen her in 524 days.  I miss so much the way Mom would do her hair in the sloppy side bun.  I miss how she laughed; she could cackle with the best of them.  I guess I could go on and on as I miss every part her, but perhaps what I miss the most is the joy she brought.  If I could only hear my mom laugh again at Maria’s complete social aloofness, or hear my three sisters playing together as beautifully as any three sisters could, or watch Caleb come in the living room and pick Maria up only to spin her around a few times and gently toss her onto the couch, or watch Will Franklin teach her Randy Jackson’s “Yo Yo Yo Dawg” voice, or overhear my Dad lovingly explain to Maria why she can’t just throw absolute tantrums every time she wants her way . . . and her precious apologies were thoroughly endearing.  Because of the beauty of Jesus, and the gift he brought us with eternal life, confirms that I will absolutely see Maria again.  I can’t wait to awake from this dream to see the face of Jesus, the one who redeems and walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death and the even the dark caves of doubt and anger.  What a glorious day!  And, I know that Maria will be right behind him, with her face covered in crumbs and her hair tossed up in a bun!  What a marvelous sight!

 

So, what else has been going on with us in Northern Ireland?  Well . . . we are currently on fall break and we are heading on Monday, October 26^th to travel down to the south of the Irish Isle.  Hopefully we will make it to Cork to see the Blarney Castle and maybe Tanner will kiss the Blarney Stone.  I think I will carry a wet wipe with me so he can wipe the germs off of the stone wherever he chooses to kiss it!  We are road tripping with a few friends from Bible College, so it shall be a blast!  We will post photos when we get back!

 

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.  We are honored and blessed by your support in our adventure here in Northern Ireland.  Please continue to pray that God will mold us during this year, and that Tanner and I will be willing to follow Him wherever He may call us.  

Discipleship, Milk Shakes and C.S. Lewis

Our first week of school is over and we are certainly looking forward to all we have to learn in the upcoming year.  Tanner and I are each enrolled in the following classes: Biblical History, Old Testament Bible Books Study: The Prophets, and Biblical Discipleship.  In addition, I am taking a class regarding the history and biblical context of mission work while Tanner is taking a class about preaching in Christian ministry.  What an amazing opportunity we truly have ahead of us.  Perhaps my favorite thing about our class schedule thus far is the time carved into our schedule for spiritual reflection and prayer.  On Tuesday mornings we have school wide Chapel, allowing time for the student body to come together to worship and listen to a devotional message.  On Tuesday afternoons, we have an hour for “World Focus” prayer.  During this hour, we break into small groups to pray for specific regions in the world and pressing issues and needs prevalent in the respective region.  We also have Midday prayer on the afternoon of Tuesday through Friday.  This might be my favorite aspect of the schedule as we gather together and take time to reflect and think through God’s faithfulness even in the normal happenings of a school day.  Even in being here just one week, I have realized the benefits and appreciated the joy it brings me to diligently stop the hustle and bustle of everyday life in order to consider God’s faithfulness and grace ushering me through even what may seem routine.  

Tanner and I have already been assigned a couple of papers, and we have eagerly begun working away.  Tanner is working on his Biblical History question in which we must discuss certain aspects of King Solomon’s reign as it is portrayed in I Kings.  And I have chosen to tackle our Biblical Discipleship assignment first.  We have been asked to develop a ministry approach to discipleship that might work within our own home Church.  We have certain guidelines we must follow and requirements to meet.  I have read quite a bit today about discipleship within the first century church.  Discipleship was a process, determined and decided and a life-long event in first century Christendom.  When one became a Christian, he or she became a committed follower of Christ.  I don’t know if any of you have experienced this in your own faith communities, but sometimes we cheapen this idea of discipleship to simply some program we must complete or something to cross off our religious checklist.  I have sometimes mistaken discipleship as a quick fix, when in reality the beauty of discipleship is that it lasts a lifetime.  We are committed to the process of becoming more like Christ, daily learning His ways and following in His footsteps. The culmination of discipleship is when we see our Father face to face and hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25). 

 God has led us to a truly beautiful place for an amazing journey together.  Tanner and I have had the privilege of meeting so many wonderful new friends at Belfast Bible College.  The diversity of age, ethnicity, life experiences, and theological perspectives and opinions is so exciting.  But one common thread ties us all together, and that is the hope we have in knowing Christ as our personal Savior.  Many of my new friends have stories of extreme brokenness and pain woven into their past.  The pain of poverty, abuse, abandonment, loss of loved ones, addictions, depression . . . the list could go on.  I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t have a past painted with the dark colors of pain and grief.  And yet in midst of all the brokenness, God has somehow shown Himself faithful and worthy of all trust and all praise.  He has drawn each and everyone of us to a new understanding of His character, leading each of us to a deep yearning to know more of who He is and how we might effectively make His renown known throughout the whole earth. 

On the practical side of things, some of you might be wondering if I took any adventures into town or around our new city here in Northern Ireland.  Yes!  I have had quite a productive week in Northern Ireland.  Tanner and I officially opened a bank account here so that we can pay our school fees, we attempted to visit the Doctor so as to register for health care but we must return on the 28^th of September, we took a big shopping run to Super Tesco (thanks to our lovely friend Shelley who transported us there and back), we consumed TWO Jenz milkshakes (more about this later), I took my first visit of this stay into the Belfast City Center to activate our Cell Phone, and I went on an amazing drive through a bit of the countryside to see my friend’s, Shelley, house and meet her lovely family!  Whoo . . . what a whirlwind.   Shelley introduced us to Jenz milkshakes.  Jenz is a little shop off of Lisburn Road that sells milkshakes, coffee and sandwiches!  But, their signature item is the Hippy Shakes.  A Hippy Shake is sort of like a Blizzard or McFlurry in that you pick one out of like 20 candy bars to mix into your vanilla milkshake!  It is a bit overwhelming for indecisive people like me, but I REALLY loved the Oreo Hippy Shake.  If we lived in a Utopia, I would drink an Orea Hippy Shake every day, but unfortunately calories do count even here in Northern Ireland.  I also had a blast seeing Shelley’s house this week and meeting her family!  Her house is beautiful, and the drive from her house back to Belfast Bible College was simply picturesque.  I felt like I was in a movie!  And Shelley’s family was so welcoming, so interested in America and what life was like back home.   It made me miss my own family and friends!  

Today is winding down, and tomorrow will prove itself another day in our Northern Irish adventure.  We are taking a C.S. Lewis tour tomorrow afternoon, and I am really quite excited!  While I have read many of Lewis’ works, perhaps A Grief Observed is one of my favorites.  Maybe because it is the most recent piece of his I picked up; however, I appreciated Lewis’ uncanny reaction and response to grief and the monster it can be. 

May I end with a quote I read in one of my readings today, it comes from a man by the name Cyril of Jerusalem.  He said, “It is the sincerity of your resolution that makes you ‘called.’  It is of no use your body being here if your thoughts and heart are elsewhere.”  When we reflect on our life, on our jobs and current duties as perhaps students, teachers, wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, etc., may we realize that our work is only sincere if we do it with the entirety of who we are.  And perhaps we might venture back to what I mentioned at the beginning of this blog: discipleship.  In our pursuit of knowing Christ and making Him known to the world around us, are we investing ALL of who we are?  Christ deserves our all, may we endeavor to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him more whole-heartedly today than we did yesterday (Matthew 16).

So the Northern Irish journey begins . . .

Well . . . Tanner and I have officially made it to Northern Ireland safely!  For those of you who may not know, Tanner and I are both enrolled as full-time students at Belfast Bible College for the 2009-2010 school year (www.belfastbiblecollege.com).  We are both in the one-year certificate program and are extremely excited to have the opportunity to study alongside one another and dedicate this time to focus our thoughts on what God may have for our future.

We have officially been in Northern Ireland one week, and we really like it here!  Our first week was rather busy, and I have to admit that I am glad we just stayed in our apartment all day today to chill our and relax.  We arrived to Northern Ireland on Saturday, September 12^th.  Some dear friends welcomed us at the Belfast International Airport.  My brother, Caleb, recently married Julia Anderson.  Julia’s older sister, Kristen, lives here in Belfast with her Northern Irish husband, David.  So, David and Kristen welcomed us when we arrived last Saturday and helped us settle into our new place.  They even took us to Super Tesco (which is similar to Super Target or Super Wal-Mart), and we were able to grab a few items to help furnish our new apartment.  We are living in a small flat on the campus of the Bible College. 

         

We spent the rest of Saturday and all day Sunday unpacking and resting for the week ahead.  And while we saw other students around campus, we really didn’t meet any new people until orientation started on Monday morning.  Orientation lasted from Monday, September 14^th until Wednesday, September 16^th.  Orientation was amazing and a bit overwhelming as a lot of information was thrown our way.  We tried to catch all the details we needed to, but seeing as how we were fighting jet lag, I am just praying that we will be on time to our classes and have all the right papers filled in for this upcoming Monday!  

David Shepherd, the principal of the school, gave a small sermon/talk on the first day of orientation.  He explained that Belfast Bible College is most certainly a place to come and be academically challenged and encouraged and propelled to learn new things regarding scripture and theology.  However, that reason for coming to school should be second in comparison to the importance of living in the light as we live in community with the brethren at the Bible College.  Belfast Bible College exists to encourage its students to know the heart and character of God deeper and extend that love and grace toward our neighbors.  David talked about the importance of living in community, and not only living in community, but living in the light within community.  If even just one brother or sister in the community is living in darkness, then the WHOLE body suffers.  I am continually amazed that God has brought us to such a unique community here on the outskirts of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Tanner and I are not only looking forward to this next year, but we need this experience to teach us what it means to live in true community with other believers.

         

The second day of orientation began with a lecture from one of the professors within the Post-Graduate studies department.  He spoke for nearly an hour regarding devotion versus academics.  While he encouraged us to do all our work with excellence, he pointed out the importance of our walk with God and the supremacy it must take when studying at Bible College.  Our walk with God, our personal quiet times and our prayer time must remain primary, allowing the daily grind of homework and assignments to fall into place accordingly.  When I attended college in the United States, I went to the largest Christian University.  And while I absolutely LOVED my time at the University and grew tremendously in my personal walk with God specifically by being involved with my church, this idea of devotion being primary over academics was most certainly not shared in any of our orientation sessions.  While loving God with our all our mind is most important, we must not forget how vital it is to also love Him with all our heart, soul and strength (Mark 12:30).

          

Official orientation ended around lunchtime on the afternoon of September 16th.  After lunch, all the students along with the student life committee headed to a place about 45 minutes from school called Castlewellan.  We all stayed in this huge Castle for two nights, and had the opportunity to dine together, walk around the beautiful lake with one another, enjoying sports and worship together!  What a picturesque way to end your first week in Northern Ireland and to meet all the students you will be seeing around campus for the next year or so.  Tanner and I met so many amazing people!  Before we moved to Northern Ireland, I was afraid I would be the “old married” lady living on campus.  I had fears that others would be intimidated to befriend me because . . . well I don’t really know . . . I just was worrying way too much.  There was no need for me to worry because Tanner and I have already made many friends, from many different places.  Out of the 200-member student body at Belfast Bible College this year, over 30 different nations are represented.  I have new friends from Scotland, Germany, USA, Brazil, Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, England, Kenya, Slovakia, Canada, Poland, Sudan . . . the list could go on and on.  Two doors down from our apartment lives another young married couple, Eric and Mary.  Eric and Mary are from Canada and we have truly enjoyed getting to know them.  We had them over for dinner the other night, which was a hoot seeing as our kitchen table takes up the ENTIRE space in our dining room/kitchen.  Anyways, in the process of getting to know one another, we have come to find out that Mary has volunteered in an orphanage in China, Eric has one biological sister, 3 sisters adopted from China and 2 brothers adopted from Ethiopia, and they have been to Nashville before and even know where Barbara’s and Puckett’s Grocery in Leiper’s Fork are!  (For those of you who aren’t from our hometown, these are both two obscure restaurants close to our home in Franklin).  Isn’t that so like God!  Wow.

         

One afternoon while we were still at Castlewellan, someone noticed the hat that I was wearing had James 1:27 embroidered on it.  My friend, Shelly, asked me what that verse said.  We were sitting around a picnic table with a handful of other friends from Northern Ireland and England.  I told her that James 1:27 talks about pure and faultless religion being one in which the Church, the body of Christ, cares for orphans and widows.  Just quoting this verse opened up a really intriguing and encouraging dialogue regarding orphan care.  Everyone around the table began talking about orphan care and what we might be able to do to even make small differences in the lives of children even in our own backyard.  An English man named Bill, who is in his late 50’s and is attending Bible College with his wife, Nola, piped up and began talking from the perspective of an orphan.  Come to find out, Bill was adopted in the 1950’s domestically in England.  He has a big heart for helping the children in the foster care system here in the United Kingdom.  And after our 5 minute conversation regarding orphans and what we might do to even show them just a glimpse of our Father’s love, my friend Shelly suggested we pray.  And what unfolded over the next 10 minutes was so powerful and deeply inspiring.  Young people and old people, those that were once orphaned and those that knew nothing about the issue, were interceding on behalf of so many children who need forever families.  And not only were prayers offered for these children, but a sincere request was made for God to grant us wisdom in how we can adequately and appropriately respond to the issue.  Young people . . . we were praying for our generation to be the one that changes the mindset about adoption and orphan care within the Church.  And the power of prayer cannot be underestimated.

         

Well . . . I suppose this is a bit of a wordy blog.  Thank you for reading and for supporting Tanner and I as we are on our Northern Irish journey.  We have already had many amazing experiences and made wonderful memories.  We are confidant that God has great truths He wants to reveal to us this year.  

" . . . It's The Climb"

I am officially in China and am so grateful to be traveling alongside of my family and some of our best friends.  We landed in China at about 2 pm yesterday, and as a way to conquer the jet lag before it conquered us, we headed out early this morning to visit The Great Wall of China!  Wow . . . I have been to The Great Wall twice before, but something about this time was special!  I am sure having my hubby with me was part of it :)  But, I do have to tell you that I was OVERWHELMED by the beauty of creation.  The view from the top of The Great Wall was stunning!  What an amazing Father we serve.

I do have to admit that we broke out into spontaneous song more than once as we climbed to the top, all belting Miley Cyrus' latest hit, "The Climb."  That song took on a whole new meaning today as I was climbing . . . and climbing . . . and climbing some more . . . seeming to always wonder what was "waiting on the other side."  I kept saying to myself, "If you can just make it to the next little hut, then you will be able to see the next part of the wall and where you will have to climb next."  And, if I hadn't caught myself quickly enough I might have missed all the beauty that was in the present climb up to the next hut.  What a life lesson for me . . . I seem to easily get distracted from there here and now by striving for the not yet.  It is my hope that I continue to enjoy "The Climb," choosing to see the beauty in the moment, yet knowing that a breathtaking view awaits at the top.  

I hope you enjoy the photos!  Please continue to keep us in your thoughts as we open Maria's Big House of Hope in just two days!  Wow . . . "The Climb" of this past year for our family has sure seemed steep at times as we have wondered if the beautiful view at the top will come.  I believe we are about to get a glimpse as we open Maria's Big House of Hope and watch beauty arise from the ashes.