Here's a picture of what it looks like out my kitchen windown. Pretty awesome, I'd sure say so.
So I went and ate Vegan food last night with my friend Alexis and of course "my Vegan friend Tony." Its was great. I had a pad thai soy chicken wrap. It was delicious, seriously I'm not lying. After that we went to Trader Joe's an ever famous health food store and bought soy ice cream. Sounds crazy, but once again it was delicious!!! I really enjoyed my time with him. We continues to ask me these challenging controversial questions that come up in Christianity. My prayer is that my answers will be less of me and more of Christ. Im still praying for Tony. Im home that one of these days he might come to church with me. That would be great.
Sea World is still working me over. Im thankful cause I got today off. I spent some time with Amanda. My group around me has been the biggest support for me. My time with the Lord is of so much value to me. I literally retreat to the beach after a blow up with Amanda. I find so much rest at the beach, to me it is one of God's greatest inexplicable expressions of creation. I love it. And I love meeting Him there and reading His word. I dont know where I'd be this summer with out those times. God has used so much scripture from Psalms and Isaiah to speak to my heart. Its great! Things with Amanda are hard to explain. Her out bursts are less frequent but worse everytime. Its hard, I am learning so much about patience and in many ways parenting. Her reactions more often then not are that of a child. So I am thankful for that. The more I read this verse the more it becomes apparent to me what I am learning from dealing with Amanda. 2 Corinthians 3:8-12 "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed but not driven to despair; persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So that death is at work in us, but life in you." That is the basis of my time with Amanda. I continually die to myself so that Christ will be made more apparent to her and others. More death in me, more life in Christ. Its hard, really hard, and Im not a champ at it. But I am thankful for the experiences to have the chance to say such things.
Other cool story showing God's specific purpose for me here this summer. I continue to meet more Irish people here and I learn something new everytime I do. There is so much prior understanding of Christ in these people. They know full well who He is, but they are lacking the understanding of experiencing Him in their life. Time and time again I hear, "I was raised in a Catholic family. My grandparents are really strict and religious. My parents not as much. But my generation has very little reguard for religion. Churches are full of old boring people. We drink, we party, we live our lives, and we sometimes go to church." But when they meet my friends and I from Crusade and see how we make Him first in our life and everything falls in line behind they are astounded. They say we have nothing like you in our country. They dont know what it means to live and experience God fully. They are totally missing it! Drinking is in their genes, which comes with the life of sex and parties. Its been so interesting to ask questions and pick their brains about dating, marriage, religion in Ireland, the church, the culture, drinking, etc. Last night I celebrated my friend Sean's birthday after vegan food with Tony. They all work at the bike shop together. Which is the same place I met my long lost cousin Decklan Lavelle. :) Who by the way, yelled "Hey Lavelle" from across the street two days ago. I smiled so big. It was grand! Its the little things that God does to bless us. So we celebrated his birthday at a resturant and then went back to their place for a little bit of substance abuse for lack of better words. Which I did not partake of. My point in being there (with my friend Alexis who is a boy and could have my back) was to show that I am not above them even though I dont drink. That I do not condone their lifestyle, but I dont judge them and that they are still my friends. There were three Irish girls there and I got the number of one of them. I love how God opens doors to those who are wise and look for opportunities to do what might not look right but trusting God at the same time. Sean, the birthday book, asked me if I thought less of him for what he was doing. And I explained my purpose in being there. And he looked me in the face and said, "well whatever you came here do to, you have done." Meaning, he got my point and did not feel condemned. What freedom in Christ we have to do that. I enjoyed myself and learned alot from going. And... I love Ireland so what a blessing.
Thank you for supporting me in my efforts to relate with workers from Sea World, Irish friends, and Vegan surfers. I know I may only be one encounter, but for some of these people I am one of the first they have met like me. Someone who loves Christ and puts him first in my life. I am so grateful for all of the people I have met and look forward to praying for them and relating with them in the next few weeks to come. Blessings!
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