Apartment update

In an amazing feat of both ultimate sadness and ultimate peace, I said no to the ultra cute apartment of which I already posted pictures. Since I'm now trying to get to BFA on a reduced budget for this first year, I simply couldn't afford the ultra cute apartment with the gorgeous blue kitchen. Plus, my good friends the Loves have generously offered their guest apartment to me for the year.

Today when I was browsing through my pictures, I found, surprisingly enough, a picture of the building (sadly the apartment is in the attic, so you can't see windows), one of my brother taken in the guest apartment, and the view from the building which is the town fountain. The apartment is off the "Marktplatz" (old market square) of town.

You should all still come visit! :-)

Who is this about

Today was the culmination of a big God moment.

About a month ago, I went to a friend's movie night and met one of her friends, Sarah. We didn't talk much, but we did recognize each other 2 weeks later when we were at the same wedding. Not only that, her roommate who was also at the wedding was one of the 7 other ESL students I graduated with 5 years ago. Becca and I hadn't seen each other since. So today Becca, Sarah, and I met for coffee. Clearly my former classmate and I had a lot of catching up to do, and I couldn't wait to hear more about Sarah. What felt like maybe two hours of talking was actually three, and I was so engrossed in hearing their faith stories and sharing my own, that not even the hot sun on my back bothered me till I got up to leave. (I've decided if I could get paid to listen to people's faith stories all day long, I'd have the best job in the world!)

The real moment God showed up was when Sarah was talking in reference to her own support raising experience. She said one big lesson she learned was, "It's not about me!" The words were so simple and yet nearly knocked me off my chair. I felt like a big "Duh" formed in front of my eyes.

This ministry is not about me. It's about God and his glory as his name is proclaimed in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. It's about God and what he wants to do in the life of missionary kids. It's about God and his love for the German people.

Not even the support raising is about me. It's about hearts that love missions and Germans and MK's and education. It's about my being obedient to present the ministry and others being obedient to God's promptings to give. In no way is it ever my responsibility to move others' hearts. It's not about me.

In some ways, it was what I'd known all along, and yet I still felt a huge weight lift off my heart. Of course I have my role to play and my asking to do, but it's not about me. It's not a reflection of me. It's a reflection of God working in hearts, both mine and others. Duh, Katrina.

Will YOU come visit me in this place?

With a departure for Germany this fall still remaining a possibility, not a certainty, I continue to plan for two potential futures. The one that could take place on the other side of the ocean is getting ready to look at apartments, which, I might add, is extremely difficult from a continent away. That aside, I received some pictures of a really cute one that I'm trying to follow up on right now. Pending an e-mail reply from the landlord tomorrow and his decisions on when I'd have to start paying rent (please pray he says later rather than sooner), here is a small glimpse of what my future apartment could look like:
I'm looking forward to having every single one of you over sometime for dinner.

Dad, uncle, cousin

News you don't ever want to receive

It's 4:30 in the morning, and I can't sleep. It may partly be due to the fact that my bed is the floor, but I've slept on floors before. More likely, it's the fact that I have the image of a car hitting the back of a semi truck at full speed stuck in my head.

On Friday, we all received the terrible news that my cousin Jonathan Jacobsen had died in such a manner. It's been quite a shock and a rollercoaster weekend since my folks and I are actually in Texas for a surprise birthday party on the other side of the family. Clearly, that has been cut short now, and in a few hours we'll embark on a 12-hour car ride to Nebraska where family is converging. Jonathan was 24, had just finished his first year in med school at the University of Nebraska, was both the brightest and most laid back member of the family, had such a sense of humor, and loved family. He will obviously be missed!

Please pray for his parents, the family, and of course all his friends. The funeral will be Tuesday, and apparently the small country church is going to be maxed out. Thanks for all your care and concern. God is good!

Cokato Corn Carnival

I didn't quite meet my goal of 4 cobs. I only ate 3, but I did manage a root beer float. Had fun hanging out with the old roommates and some other friends I only get to see once in a while. Oh, and there were hula hoops. How fun!

How much corn can you guys eat in one sitting?

Good thing

"It is a good thing we believe in a sovereign God."

"It is a good thing God is sovereign no matter what we believe."

(Conversation from 8/5)

Rest of Dulut'

Day 2 wasn't nearly as adventurous as we spent most of it in the actual city of Dulut'. I did attempt to teach Kristin how to skip stones (only to be completely outdone by her), Kristin pined for her bonnie lad over the sea, and we figured out the automatic timer on my camera.
And then a statue ran by and grabbed my hand. But we didn't get very far.

The theater, the theater

Rosalind:
Love is merely a madness, and, I tell you, deserves
as well a dark house and a whip as madmen do: and
the reason why they are not so punished and cured
is, that the lunacy is so ordinary that the whippers
are in love too.

We went to free Shakespeare in the park today at Boom Island Park. I'd never seen As You Like It before, so I was super excited, even if it was an amateur theater company. Loved it! Loved the old English, loved Orlando, loved the setting outside, really loved Rosalind. What a heroine! Sadly, I forgot my camera. I'll bring it next time (if I can squeeze in going again :-)).

ORLANDO
Pardon me, dear Rosalind.

ROSALIND
Nay, an you be so tardy, come no more in my sight: I
had as lief be wooed of a snail.

ORLANDO
Of a snail?

ROSALIND
Ay, of a snail; for though he comes slowly, he
carries his house on his head; a better jointure,
I think, than you make a woman.