Feeling Behind

Wow!  I am feeling behind on all my updating.  It's been a whirlwind here.

First of all...stuff happened.  Namely, my boss telling me out of the blue, "if you feel lonely or scared by living out in the woods by yourself, then you can get a dog."  I promptly told him that I did not want a dog, because those things live longer than goldfish, and I already hit my commitment quota by joining a gym.

Later, someone else teased me about getting a puppy.  And then I promptly told God, "People keep bringing up this topic, but you know I am not going and getting a dog.  If you want me to have one, you just have to drop it in my lap."  One Saturday morning, I was rushing out the door and, yep you guessed it.  A puppy...a little 4 month old hound/lab mix was just looking miserable at my doorstep.

She was so covered in fleas that as she scratched, she would whine because it hurt.  I just cried.  I knew I couldn't take care of a puppy, but I just couldn't leave her in that state...so I said, one step...I will just take one step.  So I washed all her fleas off.  Then I called my friend who owned a kennel and told her I didn't know the next step.  I wasn't keeping her but I needed help.

Well my kennel friend showed up with puppy supplies, and that dog ran right to my side for protection...apparently she already adopted me.  So now, I can't imagine life without her.  It's been a full month and I love my baby Jade so much.  We are doing all the right things with the vet and I am reading more about puppy training online than I am school work.  But she does make my heart smile.

This is Jade playing with her husky friend who likes to visit.

Other than puppy and school, the most recent excitement was a trip to the mountains.  My mother has a birthday this week, and it being labor day weekend, we had a longer one than normal.  My mother said in passing, "oh I wish I could come down and see you...."  And between the two of us, within 48 hours we had her plane ticket booked and a cabin in the woods rented.  We spent an awesome weekend grilling out, visiting the small mountain town of Blue Ridge, sampling chocolate, visiting a winery, and hiking to a waterfall.  I had a great deal of rest and enjoyment with her, and brought her back to the airport.

Unfortunately, my car broke down about an hour away from home, so I am even more behind on the many things I should have done this weekend...but I wouldn't change it for the world!

One topic that keeps coming up in my Quiet Time is the need to breathe.  To just rest, to not have to do all the time, despite the fact that doing gives me a semblance of control...but just to be.  To rest, to breathe...to truly trust that all my needs will be met, that not every single thing has to be in order for me to move forward, and to rest.  So I think in lieu of giving myself an ulcer...I should breathe and rest.  SELAH!  :-)

Finally! The Mongolia Video...

Update and Seasonal Gardening Blog

Hi Hi Hi!

Work has been a little busy since I have been trying to incorporate my gradschool IAP work in with my workplace.  And it is going quite well!  I have actually started designing a cost benefit analysis on herbicides with the hope of opening up the pine forest for red-cockaded woodpeckers, which I am hoping may be publishable research someday.

That aside, I have been able to catch up on some personal things, like finally going to the doctor about my cyst and turned ankle (from Mongolia), and I even ordered some new glasses after heading into the city of Savannah for an appointment.  I did enjoy the mini-vacation that the trip turned into.

Lastly, I have been seeking counsel from a few Godly people who have, without knowing, confirmed what the other has advised.  Despite being called to be an intercessor (a call I got long ago but finally agreed to do recently during my visit to Korea), I am actually in a season where I cannot contend and pray in the way I want.  I think to myself that I need to spend so much time in disciplined structured prayer and scripture meditation.  But honestly, I need to just sit and soak in the presence of God.  I have been trying that lately and powerful prayer (though it doesn't look or feel like it in the natural) comes out of that.  I have found that there is so much power in praising God not for what He has done, but for who He is...which is one thing I have been doing in that "soaking" time.  I asked God to meet me in new ways...so...you get what you ask for.

My fall class begins in a few weeks, so I am trying to keep up my website that I designed for the class from last spring.  I make a quick blog on it about planting in season, so if you want to check that out: http://critchey1.wixsite.com/sustainablegardening/single-post/2016/08/02/Planting-in-Season

Things are really starting to turn up.  And I am so very very glad about that.

New Ways

I got really mad at God last week.  It sounds really silly to be mad at the God of the Universe, the one who created all things, and all that.  I mean, by being mad at Him, it really achieves nothing, but human emotions are weird.

It all started with things that He was calling me to in my recent short visit to Korea.  I finally said yes to being an intercessor.  I finally agreed to take the steps, to pray for more discernment to hone my gift and also for Him to meet me in new ways in the coming season (because the old ways just won't do for what I am called to).

Immediately after that, I couldn't hear God.  I couldn't feel God.  I thought this must be an attack of the enemy, something that I would have to endure.  But after three weeks, I got a little miffed.  Why do I have to endure?  What if I never feel God again? What if I never ever felt Him before?  What if it is all in my head?  What if there is really no God?  (I just got real with you here!)

Now, I want to interject.  The first part of this experience (not feeling or not hearing from God) was NOT from satan...nor was it an attack.  But the second part (the doubt, fear, worry, and disbelief) was most DEFINITELY a manipulative attack of the enemy.  And yes, though it makes no sense...God is real. But back to my tale....

So. After finally admitting to Him that I was mad, I "took a break".  Which is silly too.  Though I went about 3 days without having a scheduled quiet time, I never really stopped talking to Him.  Because in my life, my relationship with God is just that...a relationship.  We talk all day together.  Well, of course I was doing all the talking lately, but you know.  In a relationship, the wife doesn't say to the husband, "I don't feel married right now, so I am going to avoid you..."  Haha!

In the same way, taking a break was stupid.  But once I came back into my quiet times, I came in with a zealous goal of figuring this out and making it right.  Because I love Him just too much to live without Him.

Well, at this point God gave me a hint.  Well, pretty much the whole picture.  He started piecing together things from Korea, my own reading and heart, and sermons I was listening to from my old church.  And I finally got it.  And boy did I feel silly when I did.

Bottom Line and the Reader's Digest Version of all that came to light:  The Pillar of Fire and Cloud in the desert never left its spot before the people except for one time.  It went behind them to block the Egyptians when it was time for the Israelites to cross the sea.  In the same way, the presence of God was not gone in my life, it was just positioned differently because I have a great step to take forward.  And how in the world can I pray for God to meet me in New Ways and then to search for Him down the same old paths? 

God is also teaching me to be less dependent on my feelings, but to truly learn all aspects of discernment (another thing that I was praying for before all this happened).  I believe this time is a time for me to learn to fellowship with Holy Spirit not just in power and feeling, but in the truth of the scripture.  So, I may not feel very close to God lately, but I need to learn that feelings are not the only indicator of the relationship.

LONG STORY SHORT- I got mad at God for answering all my prayers...haha.  But now that I see what is happening, I am excited to see how He will meet me in these new ways.  Thanks for your continued prayers all!

Climbing the Singing Dune

Believe it or not... the Gobi desert is actually not all sand dunes and camels. It actually has plains and mountains, glaciers and crazy wildlife (like bears...)

But there is one famous dune there called Singing Dune. The wind blows hard across it making a sound while sandblasting all the tourists that are crazy enough to try to climb up a 45° incline on sand (which falls with each step...so to avoid making no progress with so much effort you have to use your hands and feet).

After about two hours of bear-crawling up the dune, I was able to sit atop where it subsequently rained and kept the Singing Dune from its song. So after my exfoliating experience on the top, I sang my favorite Mongolian lullaby with my guide as we slid down on our backsides...haha. In theory, it was still the Singing Dune, right ?

Other highlights of that day, camel riding, archery, and sneaking into the rec center at camp for table tennis with my awesome guide. We are so naughty...haha.

Goodbye UB...Hello Gobi

Today is my last day in the capital city, Ulaanbataar.  I have very much enjoyed the city life; seeing a fashion show at the textile company, paying way too much to see the world's largest statue of Chinggis Khan, breakfast at my favorite Korean Coffee Shop, and a walk around town/folk art museum.

But in a few hours, I will be heading by plane to the Gobi desert to see the famous two humped-camels. I am not sure the living conditions or the internet situation...but I will be sure to share all about the place and experience when I get back.

Until then...

Sneak peek of the fashion show!

More than Words Can Say

I have completely lost track of the passage of time these days. The sun rises around 6am if not sooner and sets after 11pm.  Not only that, but there is a flexibility in our studies which comes from working so closely with the locals. For that reason we were never given a day-to-day schedule.

This worked out incredibility well when one morning we were visiting a some nomadic herdsmen in their Ger and were then invited to a festival which turned out to be a precursor to the annual event Naadaam. What we got to see was a children's horserace (where they walked into the Steppe one km then raced back), and the wrestling competition for adults. The outfits were colorful and traditional yet very goofy looking to the outside eye. And the winners of each round would grab a handful of cheese from the judges and throw into the audience. Such a cultural experience!

That threw off the schedule that I was never tracking with anyway, and we found ourselves going at the speed of light… lessons, presentations, adventures, all blended into an amazing experience which concluded with making and flying kites with the kids from our Ecospot Radio Workshop and then a huge traditional barbecue. There was dancing and singing from everyone though the Mongolian typically sounded much better.

In losing track of time, I have been told this is our last day out in the middle of nowhere. So I chanced turning on the phone to type out this blog (no electricity for charging). Tonight we should be back in the capital, Ulanbaatar. After a short time there, myself and two others will begin our Gobi Desert Adventure! Note sure what to expect, but when have I ever known what to expect on this trip. I am just here for the ride!