getting real


I apply my Maybelline foundation like war paint to hide any flaws or imperfections as I get ready to face the day.   I want people to think that what they see is the real me- very together, with no crow's feet, laugh lines or wrinkles. 

(When you find a foundation that actually pulls off this magic act, let me know).

I walk away from the mirror feeling confident, yet fake, knowing that I'm hiding behind a thick layer of medium beige from a bottle.  Who am I kidding anyway?  I'm almost 50 years old - nobody at 50 years old has perfect skin anymore, unless it's been photo-shopped on.  And it's really ok.  The laugh lines are there, thankfully, because I've laughed.  The freckles probably because I've had a lot of summers to spend time in the sun.  The crows feet because I've lived long enough to have....well..... crow's feet.

And this is all good.

It feels better to be real.

Better than being beige from a bottle.

It's the same with who we are.  We have a hard time being real.  We're scared to tell our story.  We're leary of letting on who we really are.  We're afraid of sharing what we've been through.

But, why?

Where is the unwritten rule that says we have to have it all together to be happy, popular, liked, loved, accepted, adored?

I am much more endeared to a person when they share their story, their struggle, their heart.

Because then I don't feel so alone in what I've gone through.

I've found that encouraging women to be real is one of my passions.  Encouraging them to do so and then listening and supporting them - no matter what they say.  Accepting them no matter what.  Hearing their hurt and thereby hearing their heart.

I love to hear what they have to say and watch them get bolder and stronger for saying it.  The fear goes away.  God uses the hurt.  And hearts get healed.

So throw away that bottle of beige.  Show those wrinkles.  Enjoy your laugh lines.

Be real with yourself, your friends and your God.

You never know who needs to hear your real story in order to deal with their own.

local flavor

We loaded in the van at 3:30 pm yesterday with our guide, Leslie from CHIEF, and she took us on a tour of the mesas where a lot of the traditional Hopi live.  They are simply named First Mesa, Second Mesa, and Third Mesa, in order from east to west.  It's amazing that there are communities up on these high plateaus and the people there count a lot on tourism and selling their wares (pottery, carved wood) to make a little income.  We were not allowed to take pictures on top of the mesa (due to it being traditional sacred ground) but we got some great shots on the way up and down!



They saw us coming (somehow) and three men walked down the hill to try to sell us carvings and drawings.


 And here's the hill -

Even tho we weren't allowed pictures on the top, Leslie knew one family well and asked permission.  Savannah was giggling as I showed her my phone and told her I would take her picture and then let her see it right afterwards.  


We were running out of daylight so it was time to come down and head home for a traditional Hopi meal being prepared for us by Kay.



On the drive home, we caught the moon coming up over the canyon.

Awesome.

away for the week

I'm posting this week over at News from the Mesa.  I am living on a Hopi Indian reservation with 7 others from our church, and the two of us women along for the ride are responsible for supporting the working men by providing meals, helping out where we can, documenting the trip through photography and keeping in touch with folks back home via the blog.

Of course, I have my own ways of communicating with back home...



 if is stand in just the right spot and don't move so as to keep my cell service!  It's hard to break those mom ties completely, even for a week.

I'm getting to do things I love to do...

in amazing surroundings worlds different from where I live.

So, check out News from the Mesa and we'll see you there!

out of town

Blogging with photos this week over at http://www.davisvillearizonateam.blogspot.com/

Having a wonderful time in Keams Canyon, Arizona!

Stop over to the other blog and check it out - see you there!

packing


On Saturday, I'm headed to Keam's Canyon, AZ for a week-long mission trip with the Hopi Indians.

So, among other things I'm doing to prepare, I'm....

Packing. 

It's always a stressful dilemma for me.

One of this and two of that.

A bunch of these and oh yes, some of those.

Did I get it all?  Will I have enough?

What if it's hot during the day? What if it's chilly at night?

Am I prepared?

Whoa.  Slow down. Wait a minute.

Am I prepared....that's a really good question.

The answer isn't in the luggage.

Or in my carry on.

Or in my laptop case.

It's in my heart.

Am I asking God to go before me on this trip and prepare the hearts of the people we will be ministering to and serving?

Am I praying for the team that I'm a part of?

Am I spending time in His word getting to know Him better in here before I go out there?

Good questions.  Tough answers.

For now I'm done packing my suitcase.

I need to work on packing my heart.








westward bound




This Saturday I will be heading out to Arizona to spend 7 days on a Hopi Indian reservation.  I am part of the team that Davisville Church is sending out to cooperate with CHIEF missionaries in the area.  There are 6 men on the team who will be doing repairs to the Hopi church and some other community buildings.  My friend Jo and I will be responsible for providing meals for the men, documenting the trip through blogging and photography, and possibly leading a women's bible study there one night.  We will also be supporting the work and construction in any way possible - even if it's just hauling the trash!

It will be quite an adventure; for starters I know there are currently no available showers (until our guys put them in - we made sure that was their first project), we cannot drink or cook with the water as it is laced with arsenic, and our nearest large store will be over 3 hours away making it impractical to do any "runs" to such a store during our week there.  We will land in Phoenix, pass through Flagstaff, and in doing so pick up all supplies, food and items we will need for our next 7 days on the reservation.

Did I say challenge??

At home is my comfy bed.  Awaiting me there is an air mattress and sleeping bag.

At home is my familiar routine.  There, I will need to be flexible to do whatever I need to do whenever I need to do it. 

At home is a closet full of clothes and a fridge full of food - there I will hope and pray I packed the clothing and will most likely make daily trips to the small local food mart to get what we need for that day.

Challenge.

This is what "out of my comfort zone" looks like.

But this also excites and encourages me that I can do more than I think I can.

God goes before the whole team, and it should prove to be an amazing time.  If you like, you can follow us here -

http://davisvillearizonateam.blogspot.com/

We would ask for your prayers as we go forth in this God-sized task!!