the gift of Gab

Because you can blow it and pick it.

Yeah, yeah, I totally stole this one from a six year old! But you laughed anyway, didn't you?

Posted by Gabi at 06:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last week I sent off another initial contact form/request for more information. This time to Flying Mission. In October 2004, I met the Director of Flight Operations and his wife at a home presentation abou their work. I've continued to communicate with Bryan and Diane since then.

I got quite a speedy and enthusiastic response from FM. Of course, was very encouraging to me. Like World Venture, they will need some time to review the application and get back to me.

So now the waiting game begins. :-)

Posted by Gabi at 11:40 PM | Permalink

I've had a headache for about 10 days now. The intensity varies, but it never completely goes away. I've been to my chiropractor a couple of times. I've had some folks pray over me at work and at church. (It's great to have friends/co-workers like that.) Of course, I've done a lot of praying myself and taken fists full of Excedrin. I'm surprised my liver hasn't fallen out of my body yet. Today I went to the pool at my gym, and bobbing around in the water took some of the pressure and pain off my head.

The trouble with the headache is that it is so hard for me to concentrate on my work and I contantly feel exhausted from it. I tend to work at about 50% of my normal speed.

I'm not sure what's going on. But I've thought it through, and I'm sure I'd be okay without the headache at this point. ;-) So any and all prayers on my behalf in that regard would be greatly appreciated.

Posted by Gabi at 08:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I’ve made several forays into the world of horticulture, each a more dismal failure than the last. Most people who walk by my patio assume that I throw a bunch of dead sticks in a pot full of dirt and call it good.

Every once in a while, I decide that enough time has elapsed for my very brown thumb to have gotten a little green. (It isn’t until later that I realize it was just some mold.) So I head on down to my local nursery and buy several small plants. On really courageous outings, I buy seeds. I lovingly plant them in decorative pots with high quality potting soil. I water them. I talk to them. I beg and plead with them to PLEASE not die this time!

When I stop to think about the process of growing plants, I realize there is very little I have to do. I don’t make the seeds or the dirt, and I can’t physically make them grow. I simply nurture and encourage.

Isn’t that how it is with Christians? God gives us the seed. He gives us the “dirt.” (See Matthew 13.) And he causes the seed to grow. While the whole process really is up to God, He does desire us to provide some nurturing. Not the begging and pleading I do with my plants. No, God expects us to encourage and care for one another, to nurture and foster spiritual growth in each other regardless of where we are in our spiritual journeys.

After all, no matter how old the plant, you gotta water.

Posted by Gabi at 09:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Continue seeking God with seriousness. Unless He wanted you, you would not be wanting Him. - CS Lewis

Posted by Gabi at 02:03 PM | Permalink

So, I'm sitting in my office on a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon trying to get caught up on some work. My boss recenlty loaned me his copy of the new Trailer Park Troubadours CD (Trailercana), and I've been listening to that all afternoon.

One of the songs is called "I Just Got Flipped Off By a Silverhaired Old Lady with a 'Honk If You Love Jesus' Sticker on the Bumper of Her Car" (yes, the title really is that long). It is a pretty amusing song, but it made me think about the kind of witnesses that we are supposed to be.

Maybe that's why I've never put a fish on the back of my car. I try to obey the traffic laws. But I also try to keep up with the flow of traffic. And some days I get distracted listening to the radio or get lost in thought and when I look down at the speedometer, I'm going 57 in a 45 MPH zone. I know that someone will see me speeding down the road and talk about "those hypocritical Christians."

Even though the song is definitely not intended as a witnessing tool, it certainly reminded me that we, as Christ-followers, are being watched where ever we go. We never know who might see us away from work or church. Many people that I've met are aware of my beliefs. It inevitably comes up in conversation if we talk long enough, even with the folks that I come in contact with on a regular basis through my work. It's important for us to be constant reminders of Christ in our world. And, I guess, I needed to be reminded of that.

I think it was St. Francis who said, (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Witness where ever you go, and when necessary, use words."

Posted by Gabi at 06:59 PM | Permalink

Most of you know of my desire to go into full time missions. I was feeling pretty comfortable with one group in particular, but hadn't heard anything from my contact there in quite some time. So I've decided to start looking around some more. On Tuesday I contacted Wolrd Venture, which is the missions branch of the Conservative Baptist Church.

So today, I have an initial phone interview with Larry from World Venture. It's just one of those "get-to-know-you" conversations. Please pray with me that God's leading will be very clear. Specifically, if this is not the group for me to go with, the doors should be quite obviously closed. If this is one that I need to consider, I would also like that to be very clear.

Thanks for praying with me, and I'll keep you posted.

Later the same day...

The interview with Larry went very well. The conversation was easy and relaxed. I will continue talking with these folks. Please continue to pray for God's clear guidance in this decision. And be careful! I may be hitting you up for a reference at some point. :-D

Thanks again for your prayers!

Posted by Gabi at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, I've finally caved! I thought I could go without internet at home, but I can't. Now I have an appointment for Tuesday between 1 & 5 (gotta love that narrow window) to get tethered to the world wide web.

It will be a good thing, I think. I really can't spend any time at work typing new entries for my blog. Now I'll be able to do this in the evenings. I've been looking forward to writing more and now I'll have the opportunity to do that.

Posted by Gabi at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Headaches suck! :-(

Posted by Gabi at 05:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, here we are at another Valentine's day and I'm dressed in my traditional all-black ensemble. Yes, I said all black. Black pants, black sweater, black shoes. It is a day of mourning, after all. However, in a display of optimism, I do wear a gold filigree heart pin on my sweater.
For the past 13 years I've been doing this. It seems that I'm never dating anyone on Valentine's day itself, with the exception of V-day 5 years ago. That day I was so confused about what to wear! It's not that I haven't dated at all in that time. It's just that it's never been on Valentine's day.

So until my prince charming comes along, I'll continue to wear my black ensemble and my heart of gold. In the mean time, maybe I'll go back to the gym. There I'll work to improve my body in that hopes that I'll find a man who'll love me for my mind.

Posted by Gabi at 09:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Recently we got a letter of inquiry at our office. I believe it speaks for itself when I quote:

"I have just finished my bachelorette degree in Political Science from * Univeristy (name withheld) and am now looking forward to entering law school in the fall."

Hmmm

Posted by Gabi at 07:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Life on a beach is good.

We'd been hoping for something a little quieter while we were in Rocky Point, but that was not to be at our hotel. Our place was undergoing some serious renovating. Construction started at 7:30 am (so much for sleeping in) and on Friday didn't even stop until 8:00 PM. We spent most of Friday trying to find some quiet place to do our work (writing and studying). So before we came home on Saturday, we hung out on the beach and at the pool at Mayan Palace. Now there's the life!

Posted by Gabi at 07:06 PM | Permalink

Had some fabulous coffee here, two mornings in a row. Even had a chance to work on Mom's book a little and chat with my brother, Carsten Michael.

Posted by Gabi at 03:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I love my job. I have been very blessed to work with Christian co-workers and a delightful boss.

However, today is one of those days. The kind of day where working from home seems like a brilliant idea. No phones ringing off the hook (yes, I know, the logic in that is not entirely sound), no extra noise, no cranky people. Just me and the computer...getting things done.

Of course, by tomorrow night, I'll be on the beach in Mexico and it won't matter. :-D On Monday, work will be fine again.

Posted by Gabi at 03:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

My brother and I are headed for Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco) Mexico on Thursday. I'm really looking forward to the ocean and some down time. Carsten and I don't get to spend very much time together anymore, so this will be a nice change. Mom - you'll be happy to know that I'll be working on your book a lot while we're there.

What is it about the beach that makes me feel so relaxed? The constant sound of the surf. The fresh salty air. The expanse of it. The relaxed feel of the people around me.

Of course, drinks with umbrellas don't hurt. ;-)

Posted by Gabi at 03:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I ride alone
On a bicycle
Built for two

Read the real definition of Haiku here. However, as a teacher, I was informed that there are variations of Haiku.

Posted by Gabi at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I've never had a blog before. This will take some getting used to. I'm hoping that ultimately, this will become a useful tool for people to keep up with me on my quest for missions. Once I'm in the mission field, I would like to use this for people to keep in touch with me - with information going both ways. :-)

Posted by Gabi at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)