Category: culture and current events

Snapshots, Imprints, and Lessons Learned

Here is a collection of pictures to give you an idea as to the many happenings in my life as of late. Enjoy, comment, and question:)

These are a few pictures from our service project at the orphanage, Sociedad Amigos de los Niños.



f

These are pictures from the students who translated for the mission group from Dallas, Texas. We were in an orphanage and also a public school… a first for many of my students.

The mission group had an outreach event one evening and I was able to get a group of students to go and help translate and fellowship. They were expecting about 50 local teenagers and what they got was somewhere around 150! God is so very, very good! One of my students was able to share her testimony with this group, many of whom are caught in various struggles and looking for HOPE.

We played games and hung out… it was amazing to see privileged Americans, privileged Hondurans, and underprivileged Hondurans all hanging out and having fun together!


BAGOPE RETREAT!
The theme for Bagope (the Baptist camp about 4 hours from our school) this year was “school on hill” … taken from Matthew 5. We blasted our theme song, “In the Light” by DC Talk and encouraged one another to be lights for Christ in the most dark places.

We played games!

This is my team – the awesome PURPLE POIGNANT PLATYPI!

And we had a game show – PRICE IS RIGHT – where I was Barb Barker (80s style I guess!).

Then we heard the message about how one light can shine in the darkness (and it’s rough), but many lights can bring hope and healing to the darkest of places. We wrote a drama and some of the students helped act it out to the song, “Go Light Your World.” At the end the students were invited to the front to light their candles to symbolize the light in their hearts. Many stayed after and prayed, hugged, cried, and just loved on one another in our most vulnerable states.

This is the group of us – loving, living, and shining. Now, pray our lights won’t burn out!

Posted on by Caroline 1

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

Posted using ShareThis

Posted on by Caroline 0

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

Posted on by Caroline 0

feeling a bit fragile

I’m in a box with a worn, engine-red FRAGILE sticker clinging to the corrugated cardboard.

Okay, so it may not be that dramatic. But, as I try to pack my thoughts with my Christmas gifts, between the few clothes I’m bringing back to the States, I’m wondering just how this transition will go.

For two weeks, more or less, I’ll be in the US of A. I’ll be hearing English everywhere, zipping around in cars driving at reasonable speeds, and (heaven forbid) stopping at stop signs.

Just this evening a family from church invited Heather and I to dinner. We knew they would ask our preference for the restaurant, but like any good guest we deferred … which is why we ended up eating at Chili’s for the first time since we’ve been here. When the server gave us our menus, I didn’t know what to do: SO MANY CHOICES!

I’ve heard that going back to the States can be a shock. Some of my friends here said they stood in front of the chip aisle for 20 minutes, just to stare at all the options and then she couldn’t decide on anything. Another friend had a similar problem with Cheez-its. It may hit me in the cereal aisle, I don’t know.

It seems so strange to jump in and out of life within a matter of weeks. I feel I’m finally getting accustomed to a certain routine, to my role exactly where God has placed me for this time. It’s funny because modern technology continues to make the miles smaller and smaller. A few decades ago, someone doing what I am doing would have to wait months for mail (well, I still do sometimes) and might be lucky to make the occasional phone call.

Now, I sit here writing on my laptop and checking to see if anyone is available to talk on skype. How things change! In some ways the technology makes it easier to be away from the ones I love and in other ways the option of travel makes it harder to set my feet firmly on this Honduran ground.

One thing I’m not confused about: my anticipation in seeing my family! I am full of joy already at the thought! I better finish up tonight before I get too soft.

Do you have any advice for re-entry? Post it here!

Posted on by Caroline 0

Christmas countdown

I don’t know about you – but there are certain things around Christmastime that make me feel so grateful for this life. I’ve compiled a short list, but not in any order and definitely missing things. I hope this brings back memories (or gives you ideas for this Christmas!).

Movies
1. White Christmas
2. Home Alone
3. It’s a Wonderful Life
4. A Christmas Carol (both the original AND the Muppet version)
5. Elf

Songs
1. All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey
2. Happy Holidays by NSync
3. Soundtrack to Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (acoustic style)
5. ALL the Christmas carols with all the verses … so beautiful!
6. Whatever Christina and I end up performing for church

Activities
1. trying to snowboard for the first time behind a four-wheeler
2. road trips in the middle of snow-storms to Chicago and Indianapolis
3. sledding down a hill on a picnic table
4. hot chocolate, tea, coffee – anywhere, anytime
5. cards, cards and more cards (especially at my friends the Kolts’)
6. board games with the fam!
7. COOKIE DECORATING contest (I always lose, but sometimes I manage to get some award for creativity)
8. Cranium
9. baking and cooking … and being in the kitchen when it’s being done
10. breakfast! early mornings are the best!
11. Looking at ridiculous Christmas displays

Traditions
1. Christmas caroling to neighbors
2. cousin sleepover with all the girls
3. Christmas Eve service with candle light “Silent Night”
4. Christmas Eve dinner before the service and gifts afterward
5. Christmas day with G&G Sponsler, and whatever day works for the Nichols masses
6. DOUGHNUTS with Jane at the Nichols’

There are too many to list! Oh, how thankful I’ve become by the bottom of the list. Wow! Please feel free to add your Christmas countdown favorites here and let me know if I’ve missed some of my own!

Posted on by Caroline 0

Being a Christian isn’t about being good and nice

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

I was thinking about this after doing a bible study with my girls group a few weeks ago. We had been talking about the tongue, and how to keep our tongues under control. It was a decent discussion, but some of the girls’ take-away thoughts left me thinking, “wow, they really don’t get it…”

That got me thinking… the worst thing that can happen from this Bible study is that these girls go away, not gossiping, not slandering, not complaining… but not KNOWING the God who created the universe. You know? Because although one less gossiper is better for the world, the girl is no better without Christ.

WHICH got me thinking… you know, being a Christian isn’t about being good. It really isn’t. And I think that the fact that people have gotten it all a little confused has messed up a lot for God’s Kingdom. The confusion between goodness and holiness, the confusion between being a good persona and being a sold-out soldier for Christ, this has not done good things for God’s cause.

For really, we should not be known for being boring and good.
We should be known for our mercy, our love, our sacrifice. We should be known for sold-out service for our great King. We should be not good, but a revolution of Christlikeness.

And my Christ? Well, he was definitely not just nice. He changed the world.

Posted on by Caroline 1

whose side are you on, anyway?

This morning, I spoke in chapel to 7-12 graders about the spiritual battle we find ourselves in every single day.

Today the theme was, “whose side are you on, anyway?” and it really forced me to do some thinking. To be honest, I’m not sure why I spoke today and not someone else. I know there are teachers on staff much more capable. But, last night, as we were praying in the 212 room, I felt like I needed to just be obedient and trust the rest to Him.

The previous days focused emphasized that we are “in a battle,” we’ve been “called to fight,” and we are “equipped.”

Today, as I asked the question, “Whose side are you on, anyway?” I focused on these four points:
There’s no middle ground
The battle is BIGGER than you
God HAS WON the victory
You are redeemed for a purpose


I just want to share the final point with you today, as it is fresh on my mind and pressing on my heart.

redeemed for a purpose
“When Jesus redeemed sinners, he didn’t say, “Sit here and don’t sin.” NO! He said GO! and sin no more! (John 8:1-11) You are His ambassadors, as Paul writes to the Corinthians, as though Christ were making His appeal to the world THROUGH YOU. God is making His appeal through you – do you think his plan is for you to be silent? Is that why you’ve got all this armor?

What are you going to do with your redemption?

2 Timothy 2:3-4 says, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.”

When a soldier wakes up in the morning, he doesn’t ask “what do I feel like doing?” No, a soldier doesn’t meddle in civilian affairs – he is concerned only with pleasing his commander. Be ready, soldier, to endure hardships, be ready to pass on Truth and teach others. Be ready, soldier, to please your commander.
But, to please God you have to know God and what it is He requires.

Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you. But to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

If you claim to be in the Lord’s army – then your commander requires you to ACT.
do justice
love mercy
walk humbly with God.

Justice is bringing the fairness of God to the unfairness of the world.
Mercy is not getting what you deserve. We don’t deserve salvation, but God has offered it freely. How can we do the same?
To walk humbly we must truly believe that we are unworthy of this relationship with an Almighty God, but honored to be enlisted in His service.

This morning, some of you know that you have not placed your faith in Christ as your Savior. You know that you are walking around without any armor, unsure of your allegiances.

Some of you may have said the words of a sinner’s prayer hundreds of times, but your life bears no fruit.

Some of you have that personal relationship, but you not really sure what to do about it.

Wherever this morning finds you, know that there are only two choices – to fight for God or fall prey to Satan. Take your pick. This morning – whose side are you on, anyway?

I showed this short movie, featured on the 24-7 prayer website, shows an example of someone doing what our commander requires.

Posted on by Caroline 0