Author: Caroline

When I'm not riding in the backseat of my Grandpa's restored vintage car "Mable," I'm doing other things like... rising to most adventure occasions my husband proposes / chasing our toddler around Brooklyn / enjoying neighbors, strangers, and friends / making countless trips to the laundromat / writing for various publications and for personal reflection / loving and serving our local church / cleaning the bathroom / hosting small and big crowds in our home / meeting up with a friend for coffee / thinking Vocation is my strange frenemy. Though I have worked and existed in many stations/places, I am convinced that each day has good work to be done and that I am equipped and prepared to do that good work. This blog explores the tension and the intersection of a constant vocational call - to good work, neighbor love, and living in the kingdom come. My favorite things are coffee and creating and laughing (preferably with company). I love to listen to sermons and read biographies and make tea before going to bed.

What I’ve been up to

Maybe I should name the post “When I’ve been up ’till” instead, but that’s pretty big news!

Bedtime since moving down here (actually since graduating from college) has been on a steady downhill roll until this week. We have the student retreat coming up this weekend and we are really feeling the opposition pressing in heavy. It’s been hard to recruit students and convince them it’s something worthwhile.

It’s so rough trying to make things cool, you know? High schoolers are just obsessed with making sure things are ‘cool,’ even down here. But, we are praying and hoping that the Lord will bless us with a group that wants to be real. Forget cool. That’s what I say.

And that’s how we ended up with this outrageous video to promote the weekend.

http://www.facebook.com/v/524193470035

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Seek me with all your heart

In my devotions this morning, I was reading about Zacchaeus… you know that “wee little man” you sang about as a child? I tried to separate the Sunday school image and focus on what the Lord is saying through His Son’s actions.

I stumbled on this verse in Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Sorry, I’ve been repeating it in my mind all day and I really think the repetition is finding a solid, steady groove in my soul. I am taking such comfort in the knowledge that God’s promises are never empty – so when he says I will find him, I believe it!

But, what’s holding my heart in conviction today is the last part of that verse. You will seek and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Tonight I’m exhausting, but remembering the same promise God gave me at the beginning of the day, “Seek me with your whole heart, child and you will not be disappointed! I am here!”

Zaccheaus found. Jesus saw into his heart that he was desperate for even the sight of Him… and the Son did not disappoint.

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Honduran Horizon (late for February!)

I’m late. I hate making excuses and apologies for this … so I’m going to skip it.

This month has been an absolute craziness. Sometimes I can’t believe I’ve been here seven months already and other times I am frustrated that it seems I’m only at the beginning. Regardless, I am learning and growing and living. I think that’s pretty important – the living part.

I’m trying to do a good amount of living without letting other things get in the way, like disappointment and Debbie Downers. Have you ever looked around and noticed how many things try to steal your joy?

That’s been in a lot of my counseling sessions lately, “Are you going to let that steal your joy?” I guess it’s good to repeat because I remind myself at the same time!

Well, I hope you enjoy this edition of Honduran Horizon. As always, just click on this image or this link and then click on February 2009. Let me know what you think! Hopefully it was worth waiting for!

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orfanato

Some things about this random life I lead give me inexplicable joy.

This trip to Amigos de Niños on Saturday was one of those things. Here are some pictures – I hope you share in my joy as well! This week, when I have more time, I’ll have to give greater detail to the craziest Honduran day yet!

Don’t worry – there are more pictures to come!

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Something for FREE


Guess what? You can download this audio book for FREE on Christianaudio.com!! Every month, they offer a different book for absolutely free. You better believe I’ll be taking advantage of this offer monthly! 🙂 This month’s book “Not for Sale” is exactly what I want to be knowing more about. With information like this, we simply cannot plead ignorance when it comes to caring for those in distress. The knowledge is out there… we just have to read it.

Download – Christianaudio.com

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to be alone with you

So, this past weekend I was at a staff retreat. Apart from the ridiculous work of getting old-timers to catch the camp spirit… I absolutely thrived! I love camp!

It made me remember all of the fabulous weeks at Covenant Harbor in Wisconsin (where I spent one summer during college) and Hidden Acres in Iowa (where I spent one/two weeks every summer growing up) and thank God for the blessing of fellowship with believers out in His creation.

One of the night events was a talent show, and in typical Nichols fashion, I was in three groups (all thrown together on the same day, of course! :). Heather and I performed a parody of Freefalling… which we had masterfully adapted to We Love Honduras, complete with anecdotal verses that had the crowd laughing (at us or with us, I’m not sure). Then, a group of talented ladies sang “Love Song for a Savior” by Jars of Clay with some sweet harmony.

And my favorite was a duet performance with my friend Heidi, the high school art teacher and fellow lover of good music, the song, “To be Alone with You” by Sufjan Stevens. I loved it so much that I thought you should hear the real version by Sufjan himself.

http://www.youtube.com/v/FoQzWb_f1oA&hl=en&fs=1

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praying for Africa

I just wanted to post something tonight to ask you to pray for my dad while he is in Africa. For those of you who don’t know, my dad left for Africa over a week ago and will return in about a week. He and another man from my home church, Denny, are humble farmers from Iowa with a desire to share their gifts and talents with the people of Kenya. My dad caught the missions bug last year when he lead the first agriculture-related trip to work with PACE Kenya – the local organization we support.

When he came back, his stories were amazing. I really believe it changed his life, opening up parts of the world and his heart he’d never thought or expected. So this year he was drawn back with fresh ideas and another bag of tricks for the struggling farmers in the region. I praise God for the way he is using my dad to work out His purposes in Kenya… and the obedience I see as such an example in responding to the call.

This is the most recent message I’ve received.

They report both frustrating challenges and incredible encouragement.
Praise: They have not yet had to “teach” about raising fish!
They are feeling well and rested. There is great excitement about the poultry project and the people are so appreciative. PACE sends their greetings and thanks to our church. Dick and Denny report wonderful answers to prayer and thank all who are remembering to pray.

Prayer: They have 200 baby chicks that need heat at night to survive. So far the heat lamps are keeping them alive. Please pray that the electricity will remain constant (not a given) until they can get a generator in place- hopefully Monday. They also are having trouble with the incubators for the same reason.
They have 2 more days of teaching, then they are going on some farm visits.

I am praying that God blesses the work of their hands… and also that they are blessed by the people, relationships, and just creation.

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photo scavenger hunt!

If you haven’t participated in an unruly competition of ‘photo scavenger hunt’ I sincerely suggest it. Last night, I was chilling with a few amazing students for dinner when the plan hatched. For the next 15 minutes we hastily made the rules:

45 minutes
take a picture of each thing on the list
meet back at Quizno’s
winner gets the glory

I know, not exactly complicated, but A LOT of fun! We split up into teams of two and captured these moments on camera (not mine because I was silly and left it at home):
-chewing 5 pieces of BIG RED gum
-posing with a street vendor
-doing a handstand on the sidewalk
-inside a fountain
-holding a menu to a restaurant
-with a banana
-lifting weights

We frantically rushed the city and returned to the Quizno’s quite out of breath… I am proud to say Alexandra and I beat the other team handily (although we didn’t figure in that one of them is currently wearing an ankle brace, but hey, it’s a competition!). We took a few victory poses and compared our ridiculous pictures. My least favorite was me with an uncomfortable amount of Big Red chewing gum sitting on my tongue.

GOOD TIMES! We have a re-match scheduled for Monday and I’m definitely bringing my camera this time!

Well, this morning I am off to the teacher’s retreat. I’m hoping to find some rest, relaxation, and possibly some sweet outreach ideas.

I hope you all have a splendid weekend!

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did I mention I now teach PE

Okay, so the blogs had a couple rough weeks. Sorry. But, did I mention I now teach Physical Education to 10th and 12th grade?

That’s right folks. Not only am I slightly less than qualified to teach students sitting in desks, now I’m also trying to teach students who wander around with no anchor, forget their gym clothes, and constantly complain about the heat.

When I told my siblings (on the most ridiculous conference call ever made), they couldn’t stop laughing! I can’t really blame them. During my first class, with the 12th grade girls, it was raining so we were forced inside with no lesson plan. Within five minutes, someone was straightening her hair, another girl pulled out an evening dress to show off, and two other girls whipped out cell phones to take pictures of the 12th grade boys PE class (dutifully on task within eyeshot!!). How did I get into this mess?

I have to admit the humor. Without laughter I might have given up alltogether. I’m teaching three PE classes a week so that our PE teacher can take a college class at the nearby university where she is finishing her degree. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m doing my best to not appear as desperate as I feel to make this arrangement work out without too terribly impairing these girls’ physical education.

I’m holding on to Psalm 94

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. a]”>[a]

2 I will say b]”>[b] of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

.

.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

I’m just going to keep on delighting in His promises and know that HE alone sustains, protects, defends, comforts, and guides.

But… just out of curiosity… how would you teach a high school girls PE class? The next sport in the lineup: badminton. That ought to be interesting… real interesting.

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