kristiapplesauce

Comfort

I found these at the store and yay! They actually tasted like real American chocolate chip cookies (um, like the box said). After a week like this, comfort cookies made my whole day better!

Dan and his driving woes Vs. Kristi and the wheel chair guy

So I am writing today because a few of you have asked me to clear up something...but first I have to narc on my husband. When we prepared to move here, he was the one to get all of our paperwork and shots in order (inoculations up to date, passports, visa's,whatever). He made sure one of those things were our drivers licenses and upon looking into that situation, the people on this side told us that all we needed was a US license and we would be set. NOPE. We soon discovered that if we were to get into ANY vehicle altercation in SA it would be deemed our fault. It could be a drunk driver hitting us, it could be somebody running a red...anything. If we were in an accident and didn't have an international license, it would be our fault. So we were careful and drove slowly and when we went home last year we got an international license (just another way for people to make money I think). I only tell you these things because Daniel, My Daniel has now gotten himself into TWO situations over here concerning the vehicle's. The first was totally a mistake that I would have made (but didn't) when we first got here. He turned left on a red and for some reason that is illegal...since we drive on the other side of the road here, we thought that was legal but nope...it is not. Ticket. The second was 2 days ago. He did NOT have his international license in hand which is why this is so great. The Xhosa cop did not know what to do about the situation or how to issue the ticket. So the other guy in the car asked him in Xhosa if he could just pay him R100 (about $14) to let him go. "Sure 'nuff" the cop said and they were on their way. Dang. If that only worked in America.

So for the second part of the story. My sad state of affairs and Kristi's driving woes: I have never ever ever tried to pass off that I was a good driver. Never. I have lost count along the way but I have probably gotten about 12 tickets during my driving career. Speeding, impeding traffic (I don't think that is even a real word - "impeding") but whatever, speeding. That does not include the tickets I have gotten out of. I am not proud of those; I am just being honest. So in Vegas (where I grew up) you can go down to the court and plead your case (no contest) and they lessen or drop your ticket if you go to traffic school (no contest). I have been like 9 times. No officer, I do not know how fast I was going. Really? That fast? Dang.

So on my way to the court house to plead a speeding ticket I was backing out (very slowly) and bumped into something. I thought I hit a dog...Nope. It was a guy in a wheel chair. I did not run him over thank you very much! I tipped him over. He was still sitting in his chair, only sideways on the ground. Like he was looking for something (maybe a contact?) So I got out (oh my gosh, oh my gosh....MOM!!!!) and asked him if he was okay, then I ran up to the house to get my mom. By that time the neighbor had ran over to help. The guy was totally fine except he was high and drunk and was half naked (no shirt) and slurring his words. He was totally wheeling under the influence. So after we tipped him right side up, he called me some explicit names and wheeled off down the road. We called the cops because we thought it better not to have the guy call later and make it like a hit and run. So the cop pulls up on a motorcycle and laughed at me after I told my story. Yes, like laughed out loud at me. So he drives off to find the guy...they come back together and the guy in the wheel chair told his side. He said he was thrown 15 feet from his chair and that I tried to kill him...he then said he wanted me to buy him a new chair. So then the cop said that he would have been dead if he was thrown that far and that there was no damage to the chair. He took all our statements then gave me a ticket for "unsafe backing" Another made up term. So then 2 days later I was sued for $55,000 for emotional damage. The guy said he was physically and emotionally scarred for life. He said he could no longer wheel around or live his life. We then caught him (on tape) wheeling all over the neighborhood day in and day out. Yup, my mom and I followed this guy around because it said in the subpoena or whatever it is called that "he couldn't get out of bed". Mostly he was going to the bar. So then our insurance settled out of court once we gave them the tapes for I think $8,000.

But driving on the other side of the road is much easier for me.... so maybe I am a left brain thinker after all.

Serving

Yesterday I saw this 5 year old open a bag of chips and hand it over to a 19 year old girl who was mentally challenged. She couldn't figure out how to open it herself and the girl in the blue walked up, took the bag, opened it and gave it back. I thought for a moment she was going to take it from her; but nope...she just simply gave it back. It was the most incredible thing I saw all day.

Denied.

I have read it in books and I have heard it in sermon illustrations and in conversations before that sometimes pastors deny that they are pastors or that they kind of skirt around the "job question" in certain circles with people or in groups of people because as soon as they (the other people in the convo) find out what they do for a living the tone of the conversation changes. The other people in the conversation become uncomfortable either with themselves (feeling judged) or with the pastor...not wanting to talk about what they were previously talking about after disclosing the information of him being in the ministry. Like the example I am thinking of was in Peppermint Filled Pinatas the pastor in the book was at a block party and they were BBQing, some of the men drinking beers and as soon as the "what do you do for a living" question popped up...the guys became uncomfortable even though for the hour previous they had all been hanging out and playing softball. Anyways, my point being that I think this same exact thing happens to us in the Christian circles as well. We judge ourselves against other people and we try to be something we are not. I don't understand. Like today, Daniel and I visited a church and they were so sweet and welcoming and you could tell that they were a church plant and since Daniel and I are looking for a church home, we were looking for doctrine and solid truth...community bla bla. In this church we visited, they overwhelmed us with their friendly. It was so fabulous. Anyways you can't deny our accents and then the inevitable questions always follow..."Why are you here in SA? Where are you from originally? What made you come here?" So we have started telling people that we volunteer...because that puts people much more at ease (in non-Christian circles) but in church it was like "are we lying?" Then we thought about if we were making it too complicated...and not wanting to, we just started telling them what we were doing here...but then it was like "Hi, we are visiting your church, but we are missionaries...here to feed kids and bring the message of Jesus Christ to your people". Yup...that is what we said. No! I did not say that!!!. But in my head that is what was going on. Grrrr. Why can't anything ever be easy?

Theater etiquette

If we are going to be friends you might as well know this up front. I am a movie snob. I have always been a little OCD when it comes to certain things...but sitting in the theater is absolutely high on the list, if not number one for some reason. So when I plan for a movie outing I am always sure to get there way way way early not only to see the previews (because I have always been a huge fan) but because of the disorder that I am about to tell you about; are you ready? I have to sit as close to the very center of the theater as possible. Middle row middle seat. I count the rows then count the seats to get the center. I always have. This doesn't always work...but usually, and yay all is well. I am okay sitting in other rows close to the center, but I like the center seat if possible. BUT here is the thing... I get extremely nervous when we are in a big fat opening weekend or something and people didn't plan ahead like me and they come in late or have too many people with them in their group where they can't all sit together and then they start eye-balling the one extra seat next to me and then ask me to scoot over so they can all sit together. Yes...you know what I am talking about. I also get nervous when the late comers start trickling in and they look lost and you know that they are going to ask me to move. Grrrr. But what I really hate hate hate is when there is a whole great big theater and a wide range of seats available for people to choose from and the stinky guy who just got done smoking his 5 packs of cigarettes comes and plops down right next to me. What? Why? Seriously. There are 300 other seats to choose from. That has happened to me twice in the last month. Seriously RIGHT NEXT TO ME. "Go get your own middle seat Mister." That is what I wanted to say but Daniel made me keep quiet. So yeah. That is my confession of crazy person. Please forgive me for being so lame. I know how inconvenient it can be...but admit it, you are a little OCD too.

Pop Tarts

Just now I ran to the grocery store and what do you suppose they had on an end cap? Yup! A great big "New American Food Import" section. Okay, it wasn't that big...it was an end cap after all...but there was all kinds of stuff...pop tarts (two flavors) shredded wheat, some other cereal and soup and pasta. Ahhh, home. But the other thing that made me happy was when I got back into the car to drive home Milli Vanilli was singing and my day was complete.

"So what are you doing back?"
"Well, I set back and thought about
the things we used to do.
It really mean a lot to me, you mean a lot to me."
"I really mean that much to you?"
"Girl, you know it's true."

Moses and Aaron

I am reading through Numbers right now and it is interesting at times...but mainly it is monotonous. I have also been praying for several people, one in particular who emailed me a very specific prayer request and just like that - God spoke to me about her situation and He guided me as to what to say to her. I love moments like that and I know that if I wasn't in the word, I would have missed out on what He wanted to say to her and actually to me too. Yay for His Holiness and perfection. So if you need a plan or a place to start, I grabbed this off of Bible Gateways site. It allows you/me to skip around or check off where you have read.

So I wonder...

Having to do with God stuff or not having to do with God stuff what absolutes are you absolutely sold out on? I was reading on Anne's blog today about stuff that people "keep their mouths shut about" and it kind of got me thinking...These people (including me) disclosed information that they normally wouldn't talk about at church or in front of their "churchy" friends...but why the hell heck not? Seriously. What is stopping us? What is stopping us from being so honest and forthcoming? Who is going to tell our secrets?? The judgment monster? I am so frustrated. At first when I read peoples responses it was kind of funny, but then as I read on, it kind of made my heart hurt a little, a little more, then a lot more. I think that for me...I wonder if people even know what they believe, and if they are sold out for anything at all. So many times in my own life I have questioned and requestioned everything, people and authority but I am always trying to find the answers...I guess as I read some of those comments, I wonder if those people even know what they believe or why. If I ask them, will they think I am the judgment monster? Aren't we supposed to carry one another's burden and press on toward the Cross? To know the Word of God and live it? To love people? Seriously, I don't get it.

Dung Beetle

Daniel and I are going to the Transkei for a few days so we thought we would leave you with a little som' some'um to keep you entertained while we were gone. Please pray for us and the success of this trip. We are meeting with several people to start up/maintain a Child Sponsorship Program up in a very rural area north of us (Transkei) and also connect with people who are running 2 soup kitchens there. We are super excited to build these relationships and further the ministry. Thanks.

 

Break through

Daniel is so awesome. Okay, rewind...with the teams and a few visitors here, I wasn't able to answer or get to all the emails piling up in my thingy...so he said I could take the next few days to catch up with those and deep clean the house and do whatever else I wanted to do. Yay. So in doing that, I am re-reading all the e-mails I skimmed over (sorry Mom) and answering them all in backwards order. In saying that, I came across one that ROCKED ME.  In it, this person is describing their life and journey in Christ. Dang. I think we can all take notes on this one. This is what it reads:

"I still definitely struggle with those past temptations and still fall to them once in a while, but i know that I no longer have any obligation to my sinful desires because i am FREE in Christ."

POWERFUL. "No longer have any obligation to sinful desires". I think that I have once or twice thought that I have had an obligation to sin. Am I the only one that has thought that? Where does that idea come from? Seriously. This definitely will stick with me. Thank you secret email person.