If I were any more relaxed, I'd be in dreamland

I'm listening to very mellow music right now, so blame that if I occasionally get maudlin or space out. Not that you would be able to tell the latter. I usually start rambling if that happens, and I don't think it would be that obvi...

Never mind.

It's been a somewhat eventful week for me. I spoke last Sunday at Monroe UB, which was a lovely experience. They have very nice people, and I felt so welcome! Thanks, Tina, for being awesome and letting me pick on you. :)

I've been taking on more responsibilities at work, which is both a blessing, because it means more hours, but also slightly nerve-wracking because there is more of which to keep track. (Sometimes I wish I weren't so focused on grammar. Things sound better when you aren't worried about prepositions and capitalization. And I'm doing it again.) I really enjoy the people I work with, and the people who come in always have good stories.

Ooo...my parents have a fire going in our fireplace, and I can smell it outside. (I'm in my room upstairs, but the window is open. Actually, it kind of smells like they are burning the house down. Should I be worried?)

I've been told that the DVD's of the historical presentation from Conference are 50% completed. They've been formatted, but now they need to be multiplied. Stay tuned for news on how to get those.

I got really wound up on Thursday/Friday, so my father took me out to lunch and we had a chat about life, the universe, and everything. (Hence the mellow/rambly/spaced-out-ness now.) Aren't fathers wonderful?

Okay, I think that's it. Be sure to check the links for missionary updates. Neal and Carol Brinneman have also sent out an update about their work with JAARS. Let me know if you'd like to be on their e-mail list.

If you'd like to know what I was listening to, here you go:

Parce Mihi Domine - Jan Garbarek & The Hilliard Ensemble - Officium

Kyrie (from Mass for Double Chorus) - Robert Shaw - A Capella

Brilliant

I know. Believe me, if there were something to write about, I would be all over it.

My parents are in Alaska this week for their anniversary, which leaves me to take care of the homestead by myself. I've done my best to fill it with people, but despite my efforts, I'm home alone, watching TV Land most nights. Either that, or writing chapters for my book.

Oh yeah. I'm writing a book. It's about the Crusades and how perceptions have changed over the years. It's mostly a historical survey, with some theology and hopefully pointed commentary on the current desire to ignore or downplay this period in history. No idea when I'll be ready to publish it.

Work is going well. I've been given more responsibilities lately, and we're trying to get ready for Christmas (ugh!), so I've been kept relatively busy with that.

There have been a couple of health concerns recently. I've been hesitant about getting them checked out, mostly because I don't want to know. If it continues, though, I'm thinking I won't have a choice.

New link is up for the Hendrick's blog. They are in Spain, and have been going through some difficulties lately, so they'd appreciate a word of encouragement, I'm sure.

I'll leave you with this sentiment from Paul to Philemon.

"I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."

Pay no attention to the time stamp

The China team arrived safely Sunday after a successful, and only mildly bumpy, trip. I and several others were at the Ft. Wayne airport to welcome the majority of our weary travelers home. It's nice having my mother back - I actually eat real food. :)

THANK YOU to everyone for your prayers lately. I have managed to acquire two very important pieces of equipment in the past week, which has been an incredible blessing. The project for this week is to get in touch with Operation Mobilization (OM) and see what they recommend for the other equipment I will need. This will all lead to a future project - figuring out how to get everything into and out of each country.

One logical impossibility at a time.

On a more personal level, things seem to be going well. I meet new and interesting people every day at work, and I even had time last weekend to attend my five-year high school reunion. It was nice to catch up on everyone's lives.

***Other Updates***

After a much-needed vacay, Wes and Jean Bell are back on the field. There are still some health concerns, but they are looking forward to the new school year.

The Hendricks are also back in Spain after their trip to the U.S. in June. Please continue to pray for their family and the new church plant.

Tomorrow, at Corunna UB, I will be showing the movie shown at US National Conference on missions night about the history of UB Missions. Church is at 10:15, directions are to the right on your screen. 

For those who requested DVD's of the occasion - they will be available shortly from Global Ministries. I can't give you an exact date because anyone who would know is in China. But if you need a copy absolutely right now, let me know, and I can have one made.

Upcoming events:

August 23 - I will be speaking at the Monroe UB Church. Again, see -->.

Check out the link for the China blog on the UB website. They will be returning in another week.

Also, as I hear from other missionaries, I'll be posting updates and links. Check back frequently to get the scoop.

Is my quirk showing?

Couple of things:

Keep in mind the team in China. My mother is leaving with sixteen others tomorrow for two weeks. There are already about 15 people there. They will be teaching Chinese English teachers how to teach conversational English.

Owen Gordon sent out the update for Jamaica Bible College. Keep them in your prayers, especially that scholarships will be available for their students.

This past week, I sent out an e-mail to the current UB full-support/endorsed/candidate staff people in their various fields. I've heard from several, and will keep you updated on their status. Please encourage the missionaries you support to put me on their lists - I'd like to keep everyone connected. 

Also - I am currently available for speaking engagements. This will not be the case for long. My appointment book is rapidly filling. I guarantee an interesting time will be had by all.

P.S. You are allowed to comment. In fact, it's encouraged. I do like to know that I'm being monitored by more people than the U.S. Government.

It takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish. And we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.

When I was in sixth grade, I wrote a short little note to a new girl in my class, at the behest of my friends, explaining to her why it was a terrible idea to be friends with another girl in the class. 

Needless to say, I got into a bit of trouble for that incident, and to top it all off, it didn't work. I didn't understand it then - the girl about whom the note was written was in fact constantly in trouble, and I was trying, the only way I knew how, to save the new girl from a lifetime of difficulties. What's so bad about that?

Legally, of course, the answer is called slander, or defamation of character. Morally, it's a severe violation of the Golden Rule. Logically, we should have stayed out of it altogether. But what twelve-year-old thinks logically?

What's my point? The title of this blog really says it all. It's a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by a character named Treebeard, who is a tree-herder, and caretaker of the old forests. He later says in the book that he is older than the elves (who are immortal) and that he will live long past the point that the current troubles have any bearing on the world. You knew right then that if Treebeard said something, it would be profound, and it would bring great change. 

Words are powerful. Whether we speak them, sing them or write them, they cannot be taken back. When I was the editor of my school paper, I spent three months on a story - working with the writer, the parties involved, my advisor, and my staff - because a) it was controversial, and b) I wanted it to make people think. 

That is my first goal with this ministry. As time passes, and I meet more and more people, I am given greater and greater vision for this position. I can do a great deal, I believe, but my primary goal is to make people think about the Kingdom and their place in it. 

Our time here is short, but what we do now will have meaning for eternity.

Think about it.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

I'm going to try something different today - I'm going to actually write the post before I figure out a title. 

It's taken some time, but I think I am fully recovered from the US National Conference for the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. From June 3 to June 7, I and more than 800 other UB's gathered at Sawmill Creek in Sandusky, Ohio for a few days of business, worship, and the all-important task of electing a new bishop. This was my second full conference I attended, but the first where I actually got to take a small part in the proceedings.

Of course, the highlight of the Conference for me was Saturday night, which was dedicated to missions. I was finally able to show people what I've been working on for the past few months. I have to admit - I was so nervous I couldn't watch it with everyone else. Aside from a few technical glitches, I think it went well, judging by the number of people who have requested the presentation on DVD. Speaking of which, we're still working on that. I, and everyone else in the office, use a Mac, and since the project was originally created in PowerPoint, we're having some issues getting it to save properly as a movie. I'm hoping, though, that this will be accomplished relatively soon.

The theme for the night was Looking Back, Looking Ahead. (I think I just found my title.) Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries, illustrated the problems inherent in trying to impose former ideas about missions onto the world we live in today. It's an important point - a hundred years ago, even fifty years ago, I don't think the idea of a missionary journalist would have gotten very far. (In my opinion, it would have been even more important back then, but that may just be me.) In this technological age, it's so easy to send off a quick e-mail or text and call that communication. I believe, though, in a more personal level of communication. The problem is that it's much more time-consuming than we like. 

Anyway, I'm getting off track. Jeff's theme also works as a theme for my life recently. When Queen Elizabeth I was nearing the end of her life, she finally chose a successor. She had no children, but her closest relative was James the Sixth of Scotland. He would ultimately become James I of England. Before Elizabeth died, though, there was some difficulty in the court. It was important to stay in Elizabeth's good graces so she didn't kill you before she died. At the same time, it was also important to start making nice with the man who would be King when she was gone. It was a delicate balance that all too often didn't succeed quite as well as some hoped. 

That's been my life for the past few months. Incredible as it may seem, there are actually a lot of things to take care of before you embark on something like this. College debts to settle, equipment to buy, things to pack, paperwork to sign - it's an exhausting process. At the same time, you have to take care of the day-to-day things like your job (so you can pay off those debts and buy food). At the same time, you also have to be thinking about the future, and how it's going to happen. I've been seriously lax in sending updates to supporters, which is partly why I created this blog. However, no one knows about it yet because I haven't sent out an update. I've also been lax in writing support letters and getting in contact with grant agencies. This has made it much more difficult to plan for the future because support has been coming in very slowly. Throw in the project for Global Ministries (about 400 hours), and yes, I've been quite busy, thanks, how are you?

Now that I have more time, the plan is to dive right in to raising support. I still have to work, of course, but once I get the movie situation sorted out, I'll be relatively free. 

And that's my life right now. I would appreciate your prayers. I made quite a few connections at Conference, and I'm hoping they come to fruition.

Because His love compels me,

Jessica