Kleenex & Hot Sauce

I'm pretty fond of my family, so it was a huge blessing to have everyone home for Christmas.  I absolutely loved it :).

Time is cruel though, and the goodbyes came way too quickly.  With my brother living in Texas and my sister in New York, these were my first close family goodbyes before leaving for Spain.  Not fun.

I should check to see if I've invested in any Kleenex stock or whatever.  It'd be nice to get a return on the kleenexes I've used (and will use) being all tearful and spontaneously emotional.  Ugh.

On a lighter note - I've continued packing and was able to get all stocked up on hot sauce!  Do I hear an aww yeah? :)

Based on some brief research, I might be able to find Sriracha and Tabasco in Madrid, but it doesn't hurt to start out ahead of the game right?  I haven't seen anything about Cholula though, so I scored the big bottle!  Now I just have to figure out how to pack them so they make the trip safely (or at least don't end up all over everything else in the suitcase).  Suggestions are welcome :).

**Reminder to myself:  get buffalo wing sauce & ziplock bags**

Holla Spain Christmas

My little sister has some super neat interests, one of which is screen printing.  So, in support of my ministry to Spain, she made these shirts and gave them to the family for Christmas!  Aren't they great?

She has created some of these guys for sale as well, so stay tuned for information on how to score one of your own :).

Nostalgia in a White Manila Envelope

Today I decided to start putting actual objects, that I intend to take to Madrid, into an actual suitcase that will be going to Madrid.  It definitely felt a little surreal.

But, in the process, I discovered this picture hanging out in a white manila envelope.

It's from the Campus Crusade Denver Christmas Conference back in 2000, when I signed the Millennial Pledge.  If you're not familiar with this particular pledge, here's what it says:

The Millennial Pledge

“At the dawn of a new Millennium there has been born a generation through whom God is moving…”

My Mission

And, because God has called me to be His ambassador; and because all people are lost apart from Christ; and because Jesus commands us to take the Good News of His life, death, and resurrection to all creation; and because the primary hindrance to fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission is a lack of laborers, it is my pledge, the Lord willing, to give at least a year of my life in full-time service to further the work of the Gospel in my generation, in the new millennium.

Some of you are probably wondering why I signed the thing :).  There have been times over the past ten years that I've wondered that as well!  Also, why exactly it was taking so long for the Lord to reveal how He wanted me to fulfill this commitment.  I think we've probably all been told at one point or another that God's timing is perfect.  For me, finding this picture in light of leaving for Madrid with my a-mazing team is a testimony of how true that is.

So, that was a neat way to learn a little bit more about patience and God's timing.

Travel Plans: January 11 & 12, 2011

A) Omaha --> B) Dallas/Fort Worth --> C) Madrid, Spain


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To Ashley, per your request:

Something on it.