Monday, May 29, 2006

Why Not?

So this is my personality supposedly, what do you think?

You are a Type A Personality
You are one of the most balanced people around
Motivated and focused, you are good at getting what you want
You rule at success, but success doesn't rule you.

When it's playtime, you really know how to kick back
Whether it's hanging out with friends or doing something you love!
You live life to the fullest - encorporating the best of both worlds

http://www.blogthings.com/doyouhaveatypeapersonalityquiz/

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Trip To Books A Million

Ok, first, Barnes and Noble is so much better than "BAM" but here in Auburn, Alabama we have to do with what we have. So because of my recent trip and Dan's recent post on his blog I have come up with a book list for myself.

1. The Great Gatsby-Fitzgerald (I know, can you believe I got out of high school without reading it)
2. Madame Bovary-Flaubert
3. Farewell to Arms-Hemingway
4. Great Expectations-Dickens
5. Room With a View-Forster
6. Emma and Sense and Sensibility-Austen (Reading Persuasion now and love it)
7. Portrait of a Lady-James
8. The Bell Jar-Sylvia Plath
9. The Jane Austen Book Club-can't remember the author but have heard it's really good
10. The Eight-also can't remember the author, need to get on that

There are more I assure you but for now this will do.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Weekend Update for Tanzania Trip

Dad returned to Dar es Salaam last night. He said the trip coming back was a lot rougher than the trip going to the village/city. Just to give you an idea...the driver going was very careful and the trip took 11 1/2 hours; the driver coming back was more reckless, and the trip took only 10 1/2 hours. They had a wonderful time visiting with Elder Obey's parents. They also were able to eat at a nice restaurant where Dad had rice, and Elder Paul had rice and vegetables. Elder Sam may not have still eaten anything.

Tonight, they constituted the church in Tanzania. Dad simply said, "It was beautiful." He recorded the whole thing on video. He also said the singing was amazing. After the constitution, the church had communion. Then, the church provided dinner, which consisted of fries and chicken.

Tomorrow night they will have one more service, and then they fly out of Tanzania at 8:30 pm, which will be about 12:30 pm our time. They will arrive in Birmingham on Thursday around 4:00 pm our time.

Thanks again for all your prayers, and please continue to pray. Dad said he really feels like the Lord has been in the entire matter and has been with them throughout the trip. (Maybe at a later time I can write about the beginning of the trip where the Lord provided Dad and Elder Paul's visas...(quick summary: Visa office in Tanzanian embassy closed, embassy itself almost closed for the weekend (minutes left), flying out on Monday, appears hopeless...but we receive a call telling us not to cancel our tickets, we have the visas. Only the Lord, my friends.)


"Go preachers and tell it to the world..."

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Elaborations on Tanzania, and Jaycee Holland, too

Hello all! My dear sis gave a good bit of the update on dad that I was going to write. But, I do have news from today, so I thought I would share that.

Mom only spoke to dad for 5-10 minutes today. It was about 11:30 pm in Dar es Salaam where they are staying until tomorrow. Dad, Elder Sam, and Elder Paul are doing fine, but eating very little as Table said. Dad had two cinammon rolls today, and more crackers. He and Elder Paul also had bottled cokes. Basically, Elder Sam is eating very little, Dad a little more, and Elder Paul a little more than that. Today, they baptized 20 people in the Indian Ocean. It took 2 people to baptize one person - one elder held the person (to keep from drifting away), and the other elder baptized the person. The baptizing was held as the sun was setting, and dad said it was beautiful! Tomorrow, they are leaving at 5:30 am Tanzanian time on a bus to travel to the village (?) of 2 million people where Elder Obey's dad pastors a church. That means they left approximately an hour ago our time, because they are eight hours ahead of us. We may not be able to talk to them again until Sunday or Monday when they will return to Dar es Salaam.

Please continue to pray for these brethren. Pray that they will receive the nourishment they need and the strength they need. Pray for their safety. Pray that the preaching will be blessed, and the people will be blessed to hear. Pray.

I can't wait to hear their stories, look at the pictures, and watch the video.


Now, for an update on Jaycee Holland, my 2 year old cousin. Many of you know her sister who attends the singing school, Carlee Holland, and her other cousins, the Hocutts - Lance, Celeste, Maggie, Laney, Will, and Jamie. Jaycee has been in the hospital for the past month. She came in originally with pnemonia, and had to be put on the ventillator. When they tried to take her off, they couldn't. A weak spot in her heart, that had been fixed when she was just born, became weak again during the sickness, and that was why they couldn't take her off the vent. As of last week, she needed emergency surgery to repair her heart. Dr. Precifico at UAB said he wouldn't do it, but he recommended doctors at Boston who perform this particular type of surgery all the time. Jaycee was flown to Boston on Wednesday, and the surgery was performed today. She made it through the surgery fine, but please continue to pray for her and her family. It has been a long process, but if the surgery was successful, she could have a normal life.

Much love to you all, and thanks so much for your prayers.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Blessings

Today I got back to Auburn and what does that mean for me? A lot of cleaning. My roommates and I sort of left in a hurry knowing that we would be back in just two weeks and while we were gone things got a little disgusting. The refrigerator was particularly gross and so Bridget and I set our minds to tackling it first. So here we were throwing away and throwing away just tons of food. No seriously, tons. Four trash bags full to be exact. And it set me to thinking. As most of you know, my dad and Elder Sam Bryant and Elder Paul Blair are in Tanzania for the next 9 or so days. My mom called me on my way to Auburn and informed me that she had talked to dad very briefly. He told her that he couldn't describe it to her, that he just couldn't. He said it was incredibly hot even at night and that they were wearing long sleeves and pants and that there was obviously no air conditioning just fans and the outlets were coming out of the walls. And that even though they were in a catholic facility they still had to sleep with mosquito nets around them. By the way, this is the nicest place they will be staying all week. But what I wanted to get to was that bro. obey had warned them about the food before they went on their tour of dar es salaam. He told them it would make them sick if they weren't careful. So dad ate two packs of crackers for breakfast. A pizza (totally different from american style) at lunch. And two packs of crackers for supper. he told mom that crackers was going to be his meal for a while. And here I am, in Auburn, Alabama, United States throwing away 4 TRASH BAGS FULL of food. And not even that but tonight I'll go out and buy me a nice meal and not have to worry for one second if its going to make me sick or harm me in anyway. I should be more thankful, seriously on my knees daily thanking GOD for what HE has provided. It made me think, when I say my blessing for the food and I say "God thank you for this food" do I mean it? Am I really thankful? I know my dad is going to be when he gets back, and I want to be truly thankful too.