missing China

Last night I was trying to remember the smells of China . . . and what did the food taste like? I already forget. Must mean we have to go back to remind ourselves.

I do not forget what the people were like. I remember their names and their faces. Hopefully we get to see them again.

simple old-fashioned fun

About a month ago John and I visited our local Salvation Army thrift store. This one in particular we have found some hidden gems in the past. John found a barely used Sigur Ros CD. Which he was astounded by because they are an icelandic band that we were positive no one in Gainesville listened to.

But on this trip they were having a 50% off sale on select items. We walked out with a sweet mug, some vintage-cottage-style fabric that I will use for something cute, Scattergories game for 25 cents AND a puzzle for 25 cents.

We walked out realizing that the game probably has missing items, and the puzzle missing pieces. And nothing is worse than pouring over a puzzle for hours only to find out you can never complete it.

The game came in handy over Christmas break as we packed it away and played to our hearts content with the fam in Colorado.

As for the puzzle, we pulled it out this weekend to give it a go. AND to our amazement . . . we had all the pieces. The previous owners even went to great lengths to put all the edge pieces in a baggie. How nice of them. So, you can have hours of fun for only 25 cents. Beautiful.

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

While checking my email I was informed that today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11th.

Nothing has gripped my heart more in the past couple of years like learning about modern day slavery. 27.1 million people are estimated to be in slavery today.

There are so many types of slavery and all types of people in bondage. And all need to be rescued and rehabilitated. But my heart aches especially for the little girls and women who are sold, forced or tricked into being prostitutes, sex slaves.

It is easier to believe that this is happening in faraway places, and some devastating cases can be found all around the world. However, it is harder to believe it happens here, down the street or across town, but it does.

I have read Not for Sale and am currently reading Terrify No More both are accounts of people who have begun massive rescue efforts around the globe. I don't want to simply feel sorry, cry a little and return the book to the library, that wont set girls my age and younger free. I want to help, I want to give money, I want to pray, I want to send qualified and skilled people to help, I want to help.

So if you feel inclined to know what is happening in Cambodia as well as next door then take a look at:

International Justice Mission

Not for Sale Campaign

2010!

Hello New Year! Hello another year of watching God love me and my friends and family in wonderful ways. 2009 was not what I expected, so I am expecting the unexpected for this year.

John and I loved, loved, loved time out in Colorado. What we do not love is returning to similar weather in Florida. It is SO cold, for Florida anyway. I am talking mittens, puffy jacket, painful winds. Yuck.

I celebrated the big 25 this month. I heard that at 25 your brain in fully developed . . . which means I have arrived. So many good ideas must be coming my way with my brain this size. Also, 25 is the peak of fertility I hear too. So that means either look out I am about to get preggo or it means it is all downhill from here as my fertility wanes.

Some dreams have already seen their fruition this year. Like my post-Christmas-decor-deal shopping. Yesterday I told Michaels who was boss when I got $122 worth of Christmas decor, ornaments, gifts, and crocheting yarn for $32. Yup, i am living it up in my 25th year.

In other news, John and I are moving to Jacksonville in the summer! We have prayerfully decided to open up a Navigators ministry at the University of North Florida. Jacksonville is an hour and a half from Gainesville, on the eastern shores of Florida. We get to maintain relationships with students, friends, and coworkers whom we LOVE while beginning new ones.

We are also prayerfully considering buying a home. Which is scary enough I want to write out another rent check just thinking about it. Yet it is exciting, having a space that is yours to do whatever you want with it, including fixing the dishwasher on your own dime and time. Cannot wait.

Well we are pretty pictureless this time of year. Which is too bad since we just spent so much time in the beauty of Colorado. But soon, so soon, we should have something fun to look at. Until then,

Melissa