I'm in a Zumba class for the month of November. It's an hour on Monday nights. My friend Rachael and I go together, and there are a few other people we know there. Let me tell you, it's an experience.
Zumba is aerobic exercise using Latin music. It's kind of like dancing and working out all at once. This is a great way to get some exercise without feeling like you're working out.
However, it involves a LOT of dancing. Now, I'm not sure what to blame my ineptness on...Dutch? White? Small-town girl who never had the opportunity? My father and how he passed on the "challenged when doing two things at once" gene (he can't clap and sing at the same time)? For whatever reason, I have to concentrate really hard! Our instructor made a comment about none of us smiling today. If I know my facial expressions, I was probably scowling in concentration.
I guess that just means I have to practice more if I like dancing and want to be good at it, right? So, there was my adventure for the night. My Spanish fix, too, with all the Spanish music and dance moves. I'll let you know how it goes next week. For now, it's back to the books.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Babysitting
This weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to hang out with Ruby (almost 4) and Atticus (almost 2) from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon. Their family gives me rides to church most Sundays, and I really enjoy spending time with them. Paul and Danielle wanted a weekend getaway, and I was more than happy to stay with the kids for a night. We had a great time watching a movie, brushing teeth, reading books, taking a long walk and hanging out in downtown Fort Langley.
Ruby reminds me of myself because she is always asking questions. When I spend time with her, I know what my friends feel like when they hang out with me, especially when we are watching movies! haha Atticus does not talk very much, but he communicates enough to get his point across. For a linguist like me, it was fascinating to see how he communicates even with very limited language skills.
We had a good weekend, and I got to see the kids - and their parents - this morning at church. I really enjoy spending time with this family, and I am glad they let me be part of their lives.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Better is One Day
Today in church we sang the song that says, "Better is one day in your courts/ better is one day in your house/ better is one day in your courts/ than thousands elsewhere." That song reminds me of a lot. For one, it is a great reminder of the one that I worship and how much I should want to be with the Jesus - all throughout my day to day activities. This morning, my heart and flesh really did cry out for the living God, like the song says. It was good to be in the house of the Lord this morning.
That song always reminds me of my mom, too, for some reason. I think she liked it, or commented on it at some point. For whatever reason, I think of her when we sing it. Speaking of my mom, my family is coming for a visit at Christmas, and I'm really looking forward to it. I'll get to introduce my parents to my world now, and show Dirk more things that he did not see in the summer. Plus, we're going to Vancouver Island for a week as a family, so we'll all get to see something new together. Their trip in December has been occupying a lot of my thoughts lately, as I've been trying to arrange a place for them to stay and thinking of all the things I want to do with them. It's kind of odd... I'll be the hostess, I guess. I'm 23, and my family is visiting me. That seems to mean that I'll be arranging things and being a hostess for them, not just letting them visit and expecting them to do everything. Like one of my friends said, we're growing up!
The song "Better is One Day" is also one more reminder of Nicaragua for me. See, lately I've been missing my Nica life a lot. My aunt and uncle are currently in Nicaragua leading a short-term encouragement/learning trip. They invited me to go with them, but I couldn't miss that much school. I'm glad for my school work's sake that I'm not with them, but my heart really wants to be there. I miss my Nica family, my friends at the Nehemiah Center, and the way of life that I grew to love. It's strange to me that my life this year mirrors so much of my life a year ago in Nicaragua. I had to get used to new people, public transit, living with a different family. I'm doing it all over again in British Columbia, but it's worse here because the similarities all remind me of the life and loved ones I left in Nicaragua.
But anyways, back to the song. It comes from Psalm 84:10-11:
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
It was at the Nehemiah Center in Nicaragua that I first really felt what that meant. Who wants to just be at the door of a place than be anywhere else? I felt like that in the Nehemiah Center, though. I would have done anything they needed, just to be there. I would have worked the most insignificant job that they had, just to serve them in some way. I love the mission of the Nehemiah Center, and the way they get different mission organizations, international missionaries, and national leaders to work together. The atmosphere is so...wholesome at the Nehemiah Center. Because of my experience there, I now know what the psalmist meant when he said he'd rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than be anywhere else. One day is enough to satisfy all needs. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. He does not withhold good things. He is a sun and shield. Praise him, all the earth, for better is one day with Jesus than a lifetime with anyone else.
That song always reminds me of my mom, too, for some reason. I think she liked it, or commented on it at some point. For whatever reason, I think of her when we sing it. Speaking of my mom, my family is coming for a visit at Christmas, and I'm really looking forward to it. I'll get to introduce my parents to my world now, and show Dirk more things that he did not see in the summer. Plus, we're going to Vancouver Island for a week as a family, so we'll all get to see something new together. Their trip in December has been occupying a lot of my thoughts lately, as I've been trying to arrange a place for them to stay and thinking of all the things I want to do with them. It's kind of odd... I'll be the hostess, I guess. I'm 23, and my family is visiting me. That seems to mean that I'll be arranging things and being a hostess for them, not just letting them visit and expecting them to do everything. Like one of my friends said, we're growing up!
The song "Better is One Day" is also one more reminder of Nicaragua for me. See, lately I've been missing my Nica life a lot. My aunt and uncle are currently in Nicaragua leading a short-term encouragement/learning trip. They invited me to go with them, but I couldn't miss that much school. I'm glad for my school work's sake that I'm not with them, but my heart really wants to be there. I miss my Nica family, my friends at the Nehemiah Center, and the way of life that I grew to love. It's strange to me that my life this year mirrors so much of my life a year ago in Nicaragua. I had to get used to new people, public transit, living with a different family. I'm doing it all over again in British Columbia, but it's worse here because the similarities all remind me of the life and loved ones I left in Nicaragua.
But anyways, back to the song. It comes from Psalm 84:10-11:
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
It was at the Nehemiah Center in Nicaragua that I first really felt what that meant. Who wants to just be at the door of a place than be anywhere else? I felt like that in the Nehemiah Center, though. I would have done anything they needed, just to be there. I would have worked the most insignificant job that they had, just to serve them in some way. I love the mission of the Nehemiah Center, and the way they get different mission organizations, international missionaries, and national leaders to work together. The atmosphere is so...wholesome at the Nehemiah Center. Because of my experience there, I now know what the psalmist meant when he said he'd rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than be anywhere else. One day is enough to satisfy all needs. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. He does not withhold good things. He is a sun and shield. Praise him, all the earth, for better is one day with Jesus than a lifetime with anyone else.
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