The Next Best Thing...

While I've always joked that I am the gold medalist of one-armed picture-taking, I now think I would also take the gold in having the most unfinished photo albums. I ventured into the wide world of Creative Memories at that tender high school age when the naive and the idealist collide and you feel like you will be 80 years old, looking through years of beautifully crafted pages of happy memories and fun trips.

Wrong.

Until today, I would have turned 80 and the picture record would still be stuck somewhere in 2003. However, as I've learned from years of psychology, you can't go backward, you can only go forward...you eat an elephant one bite at a time...start small...make little goals and mark them off as you go...etc. etc. etc.

Well, I'm not very motivated by all the small talk, it seems. I am, however, powerfully motivated by jealousy. Ha! Thanks to my sweet and very organized friend Ashley, who has beautiful bound photo albums from EVERY TRIP she's been on and also a HUGE hand-prepared scrap book of her first-born son, Nathan's first year, I was moved to get busy!

Ashley told me of a few websites to try such as Snapfish or MyPublisher. I had tried Snapfish in the past but didn't get far at all. I got discouraged and gave up. But MyPublisher is a downloadable program that you can work on at your own pace. One year after the fact, I decided to try my hand at this "online" photo album by memorializing a super fun girls trip to Chicago (to celebrate a birthday, see the city, and go to WICKED!) in October of '08.

So although it only took me a day to complete, this program from MyPublisher was slow, didn't have as many layout options as I was hoping, and was a little tricky to navigate at times. Not only that, but it ended up costing a pretty penny, as they only throw in expensive FedEx shipping options! Urgh.

But, I finished! I made an entire album of a trip in a day! Okay, so now, I have several other trips that need to materialize into albums instead of just a file folder on my computer. And I have the bug...of accomplishment...which is powerful...and so...I sought out another program and decided I'd try my hand at yet another album!

I downloaded Picaboo (Picassa Web Albums version of an online photobook). Clever name, and clever program! This program was quick, had several fun background options, made much more sense, and was good bit cheaper (with coupon codes). I finished my entire Romania Medical Mission trip album in just a few hours, and this album had much more of a journal feel as I had a ton to write about!! They layout options were perfect and the program was so much easier to navigate.

WOW! Two photobooks in two days!!! I'm on a roll....

But wait.

I need to be patient and wait for the finished product before I pour more money into this. Wisdom. I need to be wise! So...I will wait for the books to arrive and see what kind of quality they offer before proceeding with the China trip, the high school girls reunion beach trip, etc etc etc....

Just thought I'd share my fun accomplishments!

Quiet and Complete

So, there has been a theme in the past week that the Lord keeps sending my way as I read the Bible (Colossians), as I lift up my requests in prayer to the Lord, as I talk with my friends and as we encourage each other in our singleness. It is this: Colossians 2:10 and a commentary to follow:

"And you are complete in Christ" - 'It is a wonderful thing to be made whole and full. This means we can stop searching for identity and self-worth in the elemental and base philosophies of the world. Our future is sure in Christ because no longer are we incomplete creatures, helpless in face of an unseen destiny. Jesus Christ is the head over every power and authority, and He is more powerful than sorrow, gloom, fear, insecurity, and the need for approval.' ~Marie Chapian, Women's Devotional Bible, NIV.

We are filled.

We are complete in Him.

There are many instances lately where I do not feel filled. I care about my job and I am very thankful for it. But it does not fill me. I am thankful for my church family, but am not as connected as I have been in the past in others I've been a part of. I have close friends, but I do not have "the friend that sticks closer than a brother" currently. And lastly, often, I do not feel complete, as I am single and I am not currently dating anyone. That last line is code for: I get lonely.

As I meet with my friends to talk, quite a few have the same type of assessment of their own lives. And at times, thankfully different times, we can each get distracted or even discouraged by our longing for...something more. For a change.

But the Lord is teaching me this week, especially, that it's in those times, Scripture speaks loudly to those who are in Christ. We ARE complete. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. We have everything we need for life and godliness. We are deeply loved. We are fully known. He walks beside us, dwells within us, carries us, gives us wisdom, lights our path, lightens our load, shoulders our burdens, gives life to our mortal bodies, and takes our place in death. (I have the scripture references for all of these..if you'd like)

What more could we possibly need?

It is a deep comfort, a great joy and pleasant peace to know Him. And to be known by Him.

I have had some sweet and comforting encouragement by my friends these past two days. I have also been exposed to this verse a few different times this week: Zephaniah 3:17. "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

I love it when God repeats a verse to me through random, seemingly unrelated situations. He knows what I need and He always provides.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds...Encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near..." Heb. 10:23-25

Quieted by His love and faithfulness,
K

Humbled and Amazed...

Hello!!

I got back from Romania Sunday evening and was swept away in the current of the working world before I had time to decompress (let alone unpack!). I've put in close to 60 hours this week which, on top of difficulty sleeping through the night for the first few days, left me little time to process everything I experienced in Iasi (YAhsh). Thankfully, I had the chance to relive each day through journaling on the international flight home!



As we drove each day to our villages where we would hold our medical clinics, we were delighted by the beauty of the surrounding countryside. Rows on end of happy sunflowers and corn fields! There are rolling hills very similar to Birmingham, and the weather was similar all week as well...hot!

I started this trip more out of obedience than desire. I didn't know my teammates, we didn't find a doctor until the last minute...and I was worried about communications issues because they were going to be Romanian. Doing medical screenings is out of my comfort zone as a surgery PA, and on and on... I really just gave up all expectations, and trusted the Lord to do whatever He wanted. I was going to go. And I prayed it would go okay.

HAHAHA. Wow, talk about how stupid I can be! From day one, the Lord made it quite clear that this trip was going to show His glory and put me in my place.



Our team headed to First Baptist Church Iasi on Sunday morning, where we were ushered to the front rows of the sanctuary. They were finishing up bible study so we inturrupted, and couldn't understand a thing. In just a few minutes, a girl my age came from the other side of the church, sat behind me and tapped my shoulder, asking if I would like her to translate the service! We were introduced as a team and invited to sing a song up on stage (I was warned the night before and had brought my guitar. I picked "Here I Am to Worship" because everyone on my team knew it). The youth were in the choir loft behind us because they had just come from traveling on a choir tour, and as I began playing and we started to sing, they immediately joined in behind us ...in Romanian. Someone jumped on the piano and started accompanying as well. All together, in English and Romanian, with a guitar and piano, we sang praise and worship to the Lord...it was quite the moment.

As if that wasn't enough to put me in my place, the girl who sat behind me (her name is Miha) was also introduced as a visitor and got up to give a slideshow presentation of the people she is reaching in E. Asia. As I watched, it was all too familiar. When she sat down, I told her I had a friend working with the same people and mentioned her city that I had visited last summer. Miha's eyes got big and she said, "That is my city, what is her name???" I told her my friends' name and she not only knows her, they are very dear friends! Incredible. She just so 'happened' to be visiting the church on this day (she is Romanian and actually lives two hours away but came back to visit this church because she became a believer there in college), 'happened' to sit behind me, and 'happened' to live in the same city in E. Asia where my good friend lives that I went to visit last summer. Only God....

She was able to come back to our hotel with the Pastor and his family for lunch. We were able to share more of our stories and our mutual friendship. And I now have a new friend!


And this was just the first half of the first day...

K

Ridiculously Short update...But...

Hi~ I'm checking this from Bucharest, Romania!!

We just left Iasi, Romania and I cried for 30 minutes because I became surprisingly close with my 21 yo translator, Laura, and the Pastors wife, Denise. I met Pastor Florin and Denise and their 3 children, David (16), Andrew(11), and Estera (7) and have been amazed at how their WHOLE family serves Jesus Christ and shares the TRUTH of the gospel in such a dark country. I have had some amazing experiences this week and I've never felt so much like family with anyone in such a short amount of time as I have with Laura and Denise. These Christians have so much struggle for Truth in such dark blackness of Orthodox religion. It blankets the country with such a heaviness...and yet the Christian Evangelicals are strong in faith and passionate in missions...it's utterly amazing. I'm speechless.

I will blog more about the specific amazing stories from my trip when I get home. For now, I still can't get my head around this trip...it may take a while.

I get back in the states Sunday night. Please pray for our safe travel...

And we are bringing a young Romanian guy, Raoul (21) back to the states for his first time. He's studying to be a worship pastor and will be spending time at the church of Brookhills and with some friends in SC and CA. Pray for him...he has a lot of adjustments up ahead!!

With Love and Brokenness,
Karen

My heart in my hands

So, I leave in less than three days for another country, where I will be stepping into a completely different culture with a rich, deep and dark history, in an attempt to communicate the love of Jesus Christ through my hands in the form of daily medical clinics in rural towns outside of Iasi. I feel rather unprepared.

As a team, in preparation for the trip, we are going through a personal prayer journal called "ignite3 your prayer life" by Jim and Kaye Johns. They are e3 missionaries that have printed some simple prep materials for the e3 teams. This journal uses the five fingers of our hand to walk through the Lord's prayer, ascribing an WORD to each finger to accompany the principles taught by Jesus in this model prayer from Matthew 6:
"Our Father...(v9)" - our palm, as RELATIONSHIP
"hallowed by Your Name..." - our thumb, as WORSHIP
"Your kingdom come, Your will be done..." - our pointer, as SURRENDER of our lives to Him.
"Give us this day..." our long, as ASK for God to meet our needs.
"Forgive us..." - our ring, as CONFESS our sins daily to Jesus.
"Deliver us from the evil one..." - our small, for PROTECTION.
"for Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. Amen." - returning to the palm in WORSHIP.

At first, I felt it pretty basic. But as I continue to work through the daily devotions on each page, I am being challenged, humbled, and encouraged to truly evaluate my heart.

- page 5 "As we begin, let us recognize that active service for God is not the same thing as spiritual intimacy. Empowered service...is the result of an intimate walk with God, not the cause."
- page 11 "Name some of the ways you want to yield your mind, heart, will, attitude, dreams and goals to God in surrender." Ephesians 4:22-24
- page 16 "Need to forgive: We are to ask God to forgive us as we forgive others."
Does anyone come to mind? Do you have anger, resentment or grudges? Ask For His grace and strength to forgive unconditionally..." Ephesians 4:26-27,32

And finally, pages 28,29, is where I'm camping out:

- "We must all grow in our understanding of the faithfulness of God to find the persistence and boldness to continue in prayer-sometimes for years-without giving up. Jesus said we must not give up (Luke 18:1)
- "God honors obedience (1 John 3:21-22) The apostle John makes it clear that we cannot separate the lifestyle we live from the prayers we pray. This does not mean we have to live perfect lives, but obedient lives - confessing our sins so that our prayers are not hindered. (James 5:16)


I'm thankful for the time to prepare my heart to serve. I'm excited though apprehensive because of the element of the unknown. I'm looking forward to seeing the light of the Truth of the Gospel Message break through the darkness of a post-communist country to bring New Life in Christ to those who had no hope (Ephesians 2:11-13).

Thanks for your prayers!

T-minus 9 days and counting!

Salut!

A while back I wrote a blog about a medical mission trip opportunity to Iasi, Romania through the Church of Brookhills and E3Partners. Well, we are just around the corner from our departure date, and the trip has changed faces multiple times....

We’ve had a few obstacles to overcome but it seems that things are finally smoothing out. The Lord is providing and I am finding peace!

We began with about 25 interested people. After the economic downturn and the difficulty in finding a doctor to sponsor our trip, we are down to 13 people, leaving only 9 on the evangelical team and 4 on the medical team...an optometrist, two nurses, and myself, the "nurse" PA. I was very discouraged and unsure of whether even to go. As I prayed and waited though, the Lord began to move. In small ways at first... At our second meeting we were asked if anyone played a musical instrument to help with team worship while there. I was the only one who raised my hand and turns out, will be taking my guitar (those of you who know me, know that one of the main reasons I learned to play was for things like this). In a subsequent meeting, we were told we still didn't have a doc and therefore couldn't even take prescription medicines....again, discouraging. Well, through waiting and more prayer, we have found a Romanian doctor to work with us! And when we prayed for money to purchase the prescription meds, we learned a week later, someone had donated $700 to buy prescription medicines and eye glasses. Our team leader got some great deals and we even came in under budget for these items!

On the home front, we’ve had generous donations of over the counter medicines and supplies from friends like you. And, I just found out last week that we have some Romanian medical students eager to join in our clinics, as well!

I've learned so much already about depending on the Lord to provide, move, show up, and take control! It's been convicting and a powerful reminder that stepping out in faith is an act of Trust in the Lord and an act of Worship as well. He is Who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do...

I can't thank you enough for your generous support, faithful prayer and sweet encouragement.

Multumesc! Dumnezeu sa te Binecuvinteze!

(Thank you! God bless you!)

Karen Connor

kconnor7@yahoo.com

A lesson in spiritual horticulture...

As a child, I was introduced to the blessing of the "green thumb" by my mom. She loves house plants and we have plenty. I remember specifically growing avocado plants from store bought avocados. We would dry, then float the seeds in a clear glass full of water until they sprouted roots. I'm sure she planted them after that, but the growing was always the most interesting part. I remember, too, the night my parents were very excited, grabbed the flashlight, and made my brother and I rush to the pool deck where they shined the light on our very first pineapple sucker bloom (they had planted the sucker from a pineapple our neighbors had hand carried from Hawaii), and we kept watch as the pineapple grew large enough to eat!

I've been blessed to have a relatively green thumb myself. I enjoyed growing peppers, rosemary and grape tomatoes last summer (and eating them in my salad). I am currently growing some teddy bear sunflowers and my own avocado plant from a seed I bought to make guacamole :)

To be honest, though, this post is a bit overdue, because the real lessons for me came a few months ago. In early spring, my apartment complex groundskeepers drastically pruned the crepe myrtle trees that line the pool. It was such a pitiful sight. I remember learning about pruning from my parents as a child. And though it looks so wrong, I also remember the results from years of watching my parents care for their own trees in our front yard.

As I thought about the now pitiful, naked, stick-trees, and the avocado seed floating in water in my apartment window, seeminly lifeless, the Lord impressed a very valuable lesson on my heart.

There have been seasons in my life that have been ordinary and normal. There have been season that have been crazy busy with studying or moving or new jobs, or some combination of all. And there has been a new season as of late, that I have never experienced to this extent, called pruning.

I would qualify my life as a new Christian at age 14 through college as 'growing spiritually'. I would describe some points in there as pretty normal as well. There have been some moments of pruning, for sure. And even a few uprootings and replantings! But right here, right now, in this season, I very much feel like this picture.

The beauty of this picture is the fact that every thing this plant needs to sprout new shoots, grow new leaves, and bloom abundant flowers, is happening under the surface of the ground. In the roots. There is amazing life in the roots. And though the pruning leaves the tree looking vulnerable, fruitless, and even lifeless, it is anything but!

Honestly, I've felt like there is nothing happening at times in the past two years. I've felt fruitless, and sometimes even lifeless. I've been painfully pruned in some very big areas. However, it seems every time I start to get even a little down about where I am with the Lord, He gently reminds me of this picture. And of the life He is cultivating, enriching, and sustaining under the surface. SO THAT, in His perfect timing, there will be new shoots, fresh leaves, and abundant flowers...

'For I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus...And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can determine what really matters and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.' Philippins 1:6,9-11