Big Changes....

Hi, friends! Is it really September? I've noticed here in Des Moines that some of the leaves on the trees are already turning. I love that!...but it also reminds me that winter is not too far off either. Not sure if I'm ready for that quite yet.

For those of you who don't know, I moved to Des Moines to be an assistant house parent at a maternity home for unwed young women. It's been quite a week, full of training, settling in, getting to know the house mom and dad a little more, and experiencing first hand the ups and downs of the emotional rollercoaster that are expected in a ministry like this. Currently there are no girls in the house which is nice in a way because it's given me a little time to adjust and get some training under my belt, but I am looking forward to serving the girls and living out what I'm learning. Sometimes you just have to learn by doing. There have been a couple times this week when I've had my confidence shaken and wondered "can I do this?". I know that some of the things I will need to do are a little out of my comfort zone and don't come naturally to me. I will be stretched in a good way, but it won't be easy. A friend reminded me on the phone last night that while it may not be easy, the Lord has equipped me to do what I need to do. I can't do it in my own strength, I know that for sure! I'm also really thankful for the team that I'm working alongside here at RH. Rusty and JoDee are amazing and I know it will be fun to work with them and learn from them.

There is a possibility that we could be welcoming a girl into the home sometime soon, but things are always changing. We trust that it's the Lord's timing, but it is frustrating to see so clearly when a girl needs help, but she can't see it herself. We can't force our help on anyone. They have to realize their need and make the decision to pursue it.

Some of you have asked me specifically what it is that I will be doing in my role as an assistant house parent. I will be living in the house with the girls, cooking with them, taking them to appointments, doing activities with them, and have countless opportunities to share the gospel with them and be an ambassdor for Christ. While RH does provide a bed, food and many of the necessitites of life, it is not just a place where the girls can come and go whenever they please, without structure. It is a program, and they know before they come in that there will be things expected of them while they live here. Our desire is to help them, teach them and equip them with skills that are important and necessary for life, whether or not they choose to parent or place for adoption. We function much like a family, which is a huge deal for many of these girls who haven't had a whole lot of stability in their families. I could go into more detail but I'll leave it at that and if you have specific questions, you can ask me. I'm really thankful for this opportunity and pray that God will use me for His glory.

I have the day off, so I've been doing a little driving around town to get some things done such as change the address on my divers license....I mean drivers license. haha. I could've changed the spelling but I thought it was funny. :) It was a good opportunity for me to learn how to navigate in a new city. I did get a little lost...but I was in the right area and I found where I needed to go with the help of Rusty (the house dad at RH). I'm sure it won't be the last time I call him for directions. :)

Right now I'm sitting at a coffee shop. I'll take you there if you come visit me. :) It shouldn't be a surprise to most of you that I've already found a coffee shop nearby.

Here are some things to pray for if you think of it:

* That we would get some girls into Ruth Habor, and that their hearts would be
softened toward Christ.

* Confidence and courage for me as I learn my role, and learn to establish respect and authority with the girls.

* That I will get settled in here without too much homesickness. I do miss home and have shed a few tears, but am doing better than I expected.


I appreciate the prayers!

Travelin' Girl (continued)

So it took me awhile, but a promise is a promise and I promised I would finish blogging about my time in Japan. So here I am, almost a year after my trip, and I'm making good on my promise. Better late than never, right? If you want to refresh your memory or never got to read about the beginning of my adventures you can find that here:

http://charissaeirene.blogspot.com/2008/09/travelin-girl.html

I remembered something that I meant to share in my previous post. Shortly before my trip to Japan I had become a fan of LOST. This was my first time on a plane since watching a few seasons. I'm embarrassed to admit that as I was walking to my seat on the plane I realized that I was trying to memorize every face I saw, you know...just in case we should happen to crash on some crazy island in nobody knows where and I have to know who was on the plane and who wasn't! Don't worry. I quickly came to my senses, realized what I was doing, laughed, and said to myself "Charissa, you're a dork."

Anyway....back to the rest of the trip. I left off with Rob and I getting safely to Sasebo sometime after 11 pm (Japan time). It felt a bit surreal being in Japan with Ben and Kristi. I still can't believe I was actually there. Since neither of us slept much on the plane we were good and tired and more than ready for bed, despite the fact that back home it was morning, and the day was just getting started there. As much as we felt like zombies it was actually for the best because we got a great night of sleep that first night and did not suffer any jet lag! Coming back to the states was a different story altogether.... ha ha!

Ben had duty on our first day in Japan, so Rob was stuck hanging out with me and Kristi (which he secretly loved ;) Kristi and I took a walk to a convenience store just down the street from the apartment to get some fruit for breakfast. I'm sure it made the day of the sweet little woman working there, as not one, but two curly blonde haired girls walked into her store. :) That's probably not something she sees everyday. Later that day we went to the Ginza (a shopping mall) and walked around taking in the sights and of course visiting the most amazing 100 Yen store. It was unreal. Our dollar stores here in the states don't even compare. We also played a fun game while out in town which Ben and Kristi call "Drum Drum". It's a bit like guitar hero...only it's drums. :) That evening we got to take dinner to Ben and eat with him on the ship. He then gave us a tour which was quite interesting, and involved climbing really steep stair/ladder type things and walking through loooooong passageways which I believe were the sleeping quarters? We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the ship but I got one of the four of us outside on the flight deck. It was pretty cool. I came to the conclusion that I don't think I'd like being in the navy, and I have a new appreciation for those who have to spend so much time out to sea on those ships. I would pretty much lose my mind.

After the first day my timeline gets a little fuzzy and I can't remember what days we did what. These may not be in order, but I'm just going to list the highlights, memorable moments, funny and not so funny moments of the trip. My thought process will flow better that way.

1. Eating at Ben and Kristi's favorite restaurant out in town: The Steak Salon. YUM. Really tiny place that seats about....20-25 people, maybe not even that many? Owned by a cute Japanese couple who make delicious food. If you ever find yourself in Sasebo....you should go there.

2. Having a slumber party with Kristi when Ben had overnight duty. Staying up late talking and giggling, and savoring every moment of it. :) Oh my, do I miss being able to do that with her.

3. More shopping at the Ginza, and a trip to Starbucks. Yes...I was able to feed my coffee addiction even while in Japan. Pathetic, I know.

4. Walking down to the pier with Kristi on a warm sunny day.

5. Playing Apples to Apples, Scrabble, and Mario Kart (which I was exceptionally good at...haha...that's actually a big fat lie)

6. Making iced chai and enjoying it with my favorite chai buddy. :)

7. Driving to Yoshi Town to see a beautiful waterfall. Sweating A LOT. Watching Ben be his crazy self and climb in places he probably wasn't supposed to climb, while Kristi watched nervously. :)

8. Shopping with Kristi.

9. Touring the 99 Islands.

10. Waking up every day and having to remind myself that I was in Japan. weird. and very cool.

11. the crazy toilets.

12. Nervous anticipation of climbing Mt. Fuji.

13. Packing to climb Mt. Fuji. Hahaha. What an ordeal. :) Remember that, Kristi?

14. The very long, very uncomfortable overnight bus ride to Mt. Fuji with a bunch of other navy people from the base.

15. Arriving very early in the morning after above mentioned bus ride and getting ready to begin the climb.

16. Thinking I was surely going to die while climbing Mt. Fuji.

17. Being glad I purchased a fuji stick (walking stick) before beginning the arduous climb.

18. Thinking to myself: "I can't believe I agreed to do this! Why....am....I....doing...this? Whose crazy idea was this anyway?!?!" ;)

19. Stopping to soak in the magnificence of God's creation. It was definitely worth the climb.

20. Feeling like my legs weighed a thousand pounds and not being able to take one more step if my life depended on it.

21. Being passed up by skinny, Japanese men in extremely short shorts, who were RUNNING up the mountain. I sincerely questioned their sanity. One of them was even dragging a poor little dog up the mountain with him!

22. Reaching the top and realizing that I was indeed still alive. Woohooooo!!!

23. The amazing feeling of not being the last people in our group to make it to the top.

24. Being able to do nothing but sit in a exhausted stupor at the top of the mountain. Face caked with grit and dirt.

25. One of our group members throwing up just a few feet away from where we were sitting.

26. Using a squatter toilet for the first time since arriving in Japan, at the top of Mt. Fuji of all places. It was anything but sanitary. haha....

27. Feeling relieved that the "hard" part of climbing was over, and looking forward to the "easier" descent. Hahahahahahahahahaha.

28. Thinking to myself "um, this is a nightmare..." about 5 minutes into the descent. : )

29. Slipping and sliding on the black ash and rock. Toes jamming into the front of our shoes. Knees feeling like they were going to give way. Turning bend after bend of the mountain and wondering if we were ever going to reach the bottom.

30. laughing...and even shedding some tears at the ridiculousness of it all.

31. Kristi's poor, blistered and mangled toe...which to this day is still not quite back to normal. :(

32. Feeling awful for Ben who ended up carrying a backpack full of bottles of gatorade up the mountain. It was heavy. He's tough. And being the awesome guy that he is, he ended up carrying not only that backpack but also the backpack of a woman in our group who was having a hard time with her knees on the way down the mountain.

33. Finally reaching the end and never being happier to see the bus that would carry us home.

34. Regretting not paying to get my fuji stick stamped at each station. :( Oh well.

35. Boldly going where I had never gone before: a Japanese Onsen. If you're curious you can feel free to look that up. I will spare the details on my blog, but it truly is a great story. Quite hilarious, really. It was an experience that will not be quickly forgotten....forever etched in my memory. Ha...

36. The very long bus ride back home...which ended up being even longer because there was something wrong with our bus and they had to keep stopping, which would mean that the AC would turn off, which made the bus uncomfortably warm, which resulted in a cranky busload of tired people who just climbed a mountain and were trying to get comfortable enough to sleep. Finally...about an hour from our final destination we had to pull over on the side of the road and sit while we waited for a smaller bus to come and get us. Haha. Ahhh....good times had by all. :)

37. Being thankful to sleep in a real bed.

38. Forcing myself to do something I'd never done before. It has changed my life. (Kristi knows what I'm talking about ;)

39. Hanging out in Fukuoka and meeting up with my friend Jonathan.

40. Ferrying to and exploring Nokonoshima Island.

41. Having our picture taken by a man sitting in his window, in his boxers, while smoking a cigarette. Nice. I think he thought he was being sneaky.

42. Walking on the beach barefoot.

43. Seeing a jellyfish for the first time.

44. Wandering around Fukuoka trying to find our way back to the hotel. Walking, walking, and more walking.

45. Feeling very thankful to be with someone who knew enough Japanese to be able to ask for directions. :)

46. People watching on the subway. I LOVE people watching.

47. Getting a sunburn on my last day in Japan. Of course.

48. Shopping at the awesome mall in Fukuoka.

49. Experiencing the ever so popular sushi bar. I found this description: the sushi dishes are presented to the customers on a conveyor belt. Customers can freely pick the dishes that they like as they pass in front of them or order dishes which are not available on the belt. In the end, the number of plates is counted to determine the cost. There are usually a few kinds of plates (differing in color or pattern), each being associated with a certain price of typically 100 to 500 yen.

50. Being out of my mind enough that I was convinced to try raw horse (I'll blame it on the sunburn) at above mentioned sushi bar. Also I sampled some grilled eel. Believe it or not...I didn't actually have any sushi. haha. I was too grossed out by the raw horse.

51. Enjoying our last night together in Fukuoka...which came much too soon.


I'm sure there are things I'm forgetting, but I had a lot of fun reminiscing and these are the things that I remember the most. I can't believe it's almost been a year since I was there! I loved it. It was awesome to see the sites and climb Mt. Fuji, but the best part for me was just being with Kristi and being able to be a part of her and Ben's world there in Japan for a little bit. I have a tube of chapstick that we all shared on our Mt. Fuji adventure. Whenever I use it, it brings back a flood of memories from that day. It still has volcanic ash/grit/dirt embedded in it. It's almost like a lip exfoliant. :)

Just a small sampling of pictures from the trip....

playing "drum drum"

on the ship! first day in Japan.









the boys




a red bib on a statue is a common site in Japan.
I think they have something to do with warding off evil.

Ben...being crazy.

at the pier

a cool ship we saw while out touring the 99 Islands

Early in the morning. Getting ready to begin the climb.
Looking slightly nervous.




Gorgeous view!









Torii gate

Kissing at the top of Mt. Fuji

"piece of cake!" haha.

back at the apartment and rewarding ourselves with chai!

I'm glad he knew what he was doing!

exploring Nokonoshima Island

saying our goodbyes at the airport. :(

bearing fruit

I've been reading Streams in the Desert, and nearly every day there is something in there that resonates so deeply with me and speaks right to my heart. There has been some major pruning going on in my life lately. It's far from fun, but I know it's necessary.

It is the branch that bears the fruit, that feels the knife,

To prune it for a larger growth, a fuller life.
Though every budding twig be lopped,

And every grace of swaying tendril,

springing leaf, be lost a space.
O thou whose life of joy seems reft, of beauty shorn;
Whose aspirations lie in dust, all bruised and torn,
Rejoice, tho’ each desire, each dream,

Each hope of thine shall fall and fade;

It is the hand of Love Divine that holds the knife,

That cuts and breaks with tenderest touch,
That thou, whose life has borne some fruit

May’st now bear much.

–Annie Johnson Flint

John 15: 1-11

Hebrews 12:11

Persuasion...

Last weekend for Valentine's Day I had the pleasure of spending the evening with a fun group of ladies. We had quite the spread of yummy food, including a whole table full of dessert! We all know that a girl's night would not be complete without dessert! It was a sweet night of fellowship, relaxing, and enjoying the lovely work of Jane Austen, and the suave dance moves of Fred Astaire. Two different eras...... equally wonderful. :)

a fun group of girls.... :)

We opted to watch "Persuasion" rather than the loooong version of P&P. During the movie there is much wondering and waiting to see if the main characters finally get together. What would a love story be without the beautiful agony of anticipation? :) I just have to share this letter that was written by Captain Wentworth to the woman he loved, which of course cleared all misunderstandings away and made for a happy ending! Sigh. Excuse me for being a sap, but it actually brought tears to my eyes. Not even kidding.

If you know the background and the conversation that Captain Wentworth was overhearing Anne have with Captain Benwick just a few feet away from him while he was writing this letter, then you will have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the words he writes to Anne. People just don't write like this anymore....

Dearest Anne,

I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own, than when you almost broke it eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone I think and plan. - Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? - I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice, when they would be lost on others.- Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating in F.W. ......I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never.