So far today has been quite the adventure! This morning we met at the church at 8:00 AM, loaded up our stuff, then stayed for the service. Pastor Mike spoke about urban legends part 3, and afterwards we had a special prayer time for the twelve of us who came to Jamaica. At 9:15, we headed out, and began the 2.5 hour trip to the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Due to bus problems that involved the inability to go over 50 mph, we were not able to stop for lunch until we got to the airport. By about 2:00 PM we were through check-in and security, and were getting our lunch at an airport restaurant. Because of the nasty, rainy weather, our plane was late, so we spent the time playing spoons with pens on the waiting room floor. It got so crazy! Crawling all over each other, fighting, hollaring, etc! FINALLY we were able to board, and we sorta switched our seats around. Well, I did. Once our plane began to get in line for take-off, Emily and I started our first video diary...We are currently up to #6 or #7, and they are quite funny!

Our plane ride was smooth, boring, and filled with Phase 10. The van ride, though...SUPER FAST! Everything was so narrow and there were times when I thought we'd hit! It's sickening though, to see one side of the road filled with shacks and poverty, and the beach side with skyscraper resorts.

I'll write some more tomorrow...
Dinner was GREAT and our rooms are nicer than American hotels, in our opinion.

At the moment, the security dogs are going crazy, and someone "knocked on my window"...the girls are freaked. I'm a little bit, too, I have to admit. Lol

Until later,
Courtney

P.S. "Look who's jumpin now!"

sadness

Today is Thomas' funeral. Even though death is one of the most natural things, it shocks me terribly when it is a young person, even more when it is someone I knew by name. I admit I didn't know Thomas THAT well, hardly at all, but nevertheless...it's tough.
I'm more concerned about my friends who knew him. Olga especially, and David and Chris and who knows who else. I pray that I can comfort them somehow...It's hard to watch people you care about deal with something so painful. It makes my heart wrench and tighten up, if that makes sense.
Lord, take care of them.

humility

1 Peter 5:5-7 "Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

"In today's world, asking for help is considered a weakness. We are taught to be independent and self-sufficient" --EC magazine

^ Yes! And that is me...I guess it's considered pride. I'm not necessarily boasting about myself, but I think I can do it all on my own. The fact of the matter is, I wasn't made that way. We're made to do things together.

1 Peter 5:5-7 talks about how we need to "clothe ourselves with humility". When we humble ourselves it might seem like we get the short end of the stick for awhile, but God will "lift [us] up in due time". If we keep humbling ourselves the way God asks, when the time comes, we'll see what came of it.
There's a verse that talks about tearing down the prideful and lifting up the humble.
--God will do that.

lillies?

Luke 12:22-30 "Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them."

Why do we worry so much about what we will eat or wear?
Nature is proof that God exists and that He cares for EVERYTHING.
It shows that he feeds the plants and animals without our help just fine, because he loves them.
Why, then, do we think He won't care for us?

Something Different

I started cleaning my room today, going through stacks of papers, old quiet time notebooks, etc, and I chose some things that I'm going to post up here to share. It's interesting to look back on my thoughts and see what I was learning one, even two, years ago. I'll start by putting some random little notes I found in this entry, and then I'll post separate ones, ending with my most recent journal entry. Enjoy!

Hebrews 12:5-7--"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"

** Do I give up on life completely when Dad disciplines me? Do I quit talking to him? Do I ignore him as if he's not even there?! Of course not. I accept the punishment, and continue on. [When I reread this, it kinda made me laugh because I could imagine me saying this, all worked up, like reciting lines in a play or something.]

11/26/06: Pastor Stephen--"We are as close to God as we want to be, because if we weren't, We'd be doing something about it. The real question is...Are we as close to God as HE wants us to be?"That's what matters...

Now, this verse I just liked:
Acts 5:38-39 "...For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourself fighting against God."
I'm not going to share anything else about this. You read it and decide what it means to you.