from brazil...

My first time in South America has been nothing short of awesome. The land is beautiful, the weather is WARM, the people are friendly and the food is yummy! The only negative thing I've heard from people in Dourados is that I haven't really been to Brazil until I've been to Rio de Jeneiro :) Maybe I can make it there on my next trip down.

on a side note... I just had a conversation with one of the hotel employees and neither one of us understood the other. i KNOW we were having two completely different conversations! lol!

I'll add pictures when i get home...

THE Reason

Have you ever gotten into a rut... with your job, with church, with life? Please say yes so that I know I'm not the only one!!

Anyway, I was there last week. Well, I think I had been there for a while and was in desperate need of some rejuvination. The thing that made me upset though is that I had no reason to feel like I was in a rut! My church is amazing, my friends are wonderful and my family is the best ever. To top all of that off, I have an amazing job that not only allows me to travel the world, but as I do that, I'm able to impact the lives of people for the Kingdom! Hello!! But, even in ministry, it's easy to get into a rut. One thing I have done to try and stay out of that rut is to coach an Upward team every so often. This past fall I coached a 5yr old soccer team (oh la la!) and we just finished our basketball season where I coached a cheer squad (2nd to 5th grade). While the kids could be nuts and were often times hyped up on sugar (or so it seemed), they were adorable (as you can see below) and SO loving.

Well, even with coaching these incredible kids, I found myself in a rut. I was tired, I was anticipating all of the travel that I have during the month of March as well as moving at the beginning of April! But, God used a missionary to Bethlehem and a friend of mine to renew my soul :) Just hearing the missionary talk about how sports can bring the people in Palestine and Isreal togther and how Upward can play a part in that helped me to realize and remember that what I do at my desk each day has an eternal impact.

I've been working on some manuals that we will use in Brazil this week and much of it was mundane... but when I think about how each small task - getting those books translated, working with a graphic artist to lay them out into a printable format and then having them printed - will all fit together and allow a coach in Brazil to teach kids basketball and tell them about Christ, I realize that my life and my job have purpose.

I'm so thankful that these small things are behind the scenes because if I was able to see all that God sees in how my job affects each person who comes in contact with Upward... my head and ego would be too big to fit into a room. I'm not telling you this so that you can see how humble I'm trying to be... I'm telling you this to help you see how BIG our GOD is! I have NO CLUE how God uses each aspect of Upward. But, I'm so glad to hear the stories from coaches and kids and people who are involved in the ministry because that is what helps keep me motivated.

So, if you think about it, pray not just for me and my travels or for Upward and the ministry, but pray for all of those who are reaching the world for Christ. Regardless of your job title, if you are a believer who has a passion to live your life like Christ, then you are a missionary and the world is your mission field. It's a big challenge, but luckily we serve a BIG God.

New Trick

Look what I learned how to do this week... :)

Who knew...

...that I had a child?!? I got a voicemail a little while ago saying that my child was tardy to her elementary school this morning.

So, I called the school to clear things up...

Attendant: Thank you for calling The Elementary School.
Sabrina: Hi, I received a voicemail that my child was tardy this morning.
Attendant: Yes, ma'am.
Sabrina: Well, it's pretty difficult for her to be late because I actually don't have any children.
Attendant: [much laughter] Well, that is a problem then!

No worries though, I gave her the child's name and MY phone number and she was going to get it corrected.

Whew! Part of me was scared that I had blacked out for a few years, had gotten married, had a child and didn't know about it! But, I've checked the date and it's still 2008 so I think I'm safe :)

What were you doing 4 yrs ago today?

I realized this afternoon that 4 years ago today - almost to the hour - I was getting on a plane to fly to Brussels, Belgium where I was going to live in a neighborhood with mostly north Africans and teach English to anyone who wanted to learn.

Who knew that during those five months I was there that I would learn so much about Islam, become friends with people from at least five different countries - all of which I never thought I would meet people from - take three trips to Paris, visit six different countires, be PUSHED out of my comfort zone more times that I can count, meet one of my best friends and a family who might as well be related to me by blood.

It's amazing to see how even now, four years later, God is still using what He taught me in the little country of Belgium to further me as a Christian woman on a daily basis. It blows my mind and I am SO thankful for Him and all that He has allowed me to experience these past four years :)

Arica sitting in one of Marc's Black Hawks in Germany.

One of our first "statue pictures" in Worms, Germany :)

In England - obviously.

Ah... I love Paris in the springtime!

Packing to travel back to South Carolina... and yes, the suitcase DID close!

So... what were YOU doing this time four years ago??

Lunch at the Eiffel Tower

"[Alain] Ducasse, who has 16 Michelin stars and more than 20 restaurants around the world, says the menu price is "accessible to everyone": about $108 for lunch and $216 for dinner, without wine." Full CNN Article

He's kidding, right? Someone please tell me he's joking... At those rates I don't know that I could even afford the wine! oh la la...

For unto us a child is born...

Merry Christmas!!

May you and your loved ones experience the grace and love that God shared with us so long ago in the birth of His Son, Jesus.

Enjoy this season and may you have a wonderful 2008!!

What's Important?

The two greatest commandments are

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matt 22:37)

and

Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt 22:39b)

Knowing that God is a relational God (read Genesis 1:26 and let me know if you see "me" or "us" in the verse) it would stand to reason that since we are created in His image that we are also relational people. All you have to do is look at the two greatest commandments above to be reaffirmed of this. Rick's brother Paul left a comment on one of his blog posts and said, "... what God wants from me is fellowship, not my 'good works'."

One of my favorite things is being with other people, laughing, goofing off and loving on them. I always said that if I could get a degree in socializing in college then I'd be golden! I CAN NOT wait for Christmas to get here. I know that some of you are panicking right now because I said that, but it's true! Christmas means that I get to see my mom and my brother, I get to spend time with them doing things we love, I get to see extended family - related by blood or by Christ - we get to eat together, exchange gifts, go to movies and just goof off! And I'm going to love every minute of it. The best part about all of it is that we'll be doing what God has called us to do... to love our neighbor as ourself.

Not every Christmas has been great, nor will every Christmas in the years to come be wonderful. The Christmas after my dad died was the worst so far. Although, even from that, I have fond memories. On Christmas eve each of us would get to open one gift. Well, in 1994 mom opened one, I opened one and Matt opened one. We all looked at each other and said, "Let's open one more!" Sure, why not? Then we looked at each other again and said, "Why not one more?" OK, great! Before we knew it, we had opened all the gifts!! It cracks me up to think of us sitting in our den floor with our gifts and wrapping paper everywhere and it not even being Christmas morning yet.

The point I'm getting at is that I need to learn to enjoy just BEING. God is the great I AM, not the great I WILL BE or the great I WAS. While He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, He is always in the present and pursuing a relationship with us RIGHT NOW. So, I need to put aside all that I'm doing and let Him catch me and love on me. It's my fault that I've been running away instead of towards Him, but I'm changing that. Right now. If I'm going to be running, it might as well be into His arms instead of away from Him. Without Him I get no where. With Him, I go where He wants me, which is right where I want to be anyway. I just pray that you'll do the same!

It's been a while...

I know, I know... It's been way too long since I've posted and I hate that. And I could give you plenty of (good) excuses but I'm going to spare you. Instead, I'm going to give you an update of the last month or so in pictures. Besides, that's what everyone wants anyway, right?

Nov 3 - Robert and Lindsay got married!!!

Mid-November - did pictures for some families at work

Nov 19-23 - spent Thanksgiving in DC

Nov 24 - watched Clemson beat USC with some Gamecock fans :)

And now it's December... we've had the cabin weekend and our Upward Christmas party but you will have to wait on those pictures. I'll get caught up soon!!

for the love...

Luckily I've been on here enough so that I at least know where to click to add a post and stuff. Otherwise you would not be reading this right now. Why? Because when I logged in while in Ukraine, the website came up in Russian - or Ukrainian - and I couldn't read any of it.

For example, where you see the title of this post, the title of the box should just read "Title." However, while I'm typing this, I see "Название:" Do you think I have any idea what that says?? Clearly I do since I just told you... but I couldn't pronounce that right now without my little phrase book if my life counted on it. Ahh!!

It's ok though... my very witty and talented friend in Ukraine is looking into it for me. I've given him my username and password so he can get in and look at it to see if he can switch it back to English. I'm trusting you, Sasha!!!! :)