We are having a little Christmas get together tomorrow evening with some friends who have been asking questions about God and Christianity. Two of which never grown up in homes that Christ was taught. L and I need lots of prayer about what to say if the subject comes up, which I think it will. Its not easy to explain our infinite Creator in finite words. Please be praying for this couple and guy, that the Holy Spirit will move in their hearts, and that our words will make sense to them.
Its a very different Christmas for me because aside from not spending it they way I grew up, this will be the first Christmas without my Gammy. I had never realized how many traditions and memories of Christmas had to do with her. I'm having to create our own traditions. This year its been a little unorganized just because of planning around other's schedules and our trip home on Wednesday. But next year I want to establish our Christmas traditions so we will have a foundation for when we start having kids. I want them to have memories they can cherish as I have.
Thank you to everyone who prays for us! We definitely feel them.
"Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears."
Phil 1:3-6 [The Message]
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!
New day, new insights. Being in a place completely opposite to home, snowed in most days off, no cable and a sinfully over-watched movie collection gives plenty of time for reflection. I can't speak for L, but for me, I'm ready for a change. I'm itchin for something I haven't been able to put my finger on for awhile. However, yesterday and today I think I've got it. Not only is being in ND isolating physically from what I know, but mentally too. To make it more clear, I used to know what was going on in the world and was passionate about it. Through Dingo ( Sarah Dingus ) I was kept up on what's going on in Africa. Kelly and I were hardcore about human justice and we kept up with ministries who fought for it. Just those two things among many others was my passion. I knew I was created for something far greater than myself. I've wanted to use nursing to bring healthcare to people in third world countries. I wanted to join forces with and work for a non-profit..... But for some reason, God brought my husband and I out here. I let that cloud my vision and passion. I let it harden my heart because there's a huge difference between hard-headed Norwiegans, Swedes, and precious grateful African children. I admit, i have a very hard time caring for the people who call this part of the country home, because to me, they are not exactly easy to love. I know thats wrong of me, and God's working on my heart.
I still know and want all those things mentioned earlier, but I'm trying to figure out how to get on that track. I said something to L the other day about my frustration of not fitting in with the people here. Then, a couple days later it hit me : I'm not supposed to fit in. Thats the whole point. Its sad and comforting all at the same time. God didn't create me to fit in with people who don't give Him a second glance. I've always known that way down, but now I don't have the comfort of running to those who understand. Reading Radical by David Platt put my very position into words : "This is how God works. He puts His people in positions where they are desperate for His power, and then He shows His provision in ways that display His greatness." I am desperate. More than I ever have been for Him. I feel very much out of control of my life and thats where He wants me. I want this to bring peace and joy. I'm tired of feeling frustrated and upset about our current situation.
Whoever reads this, please try and learn what I hadn't. Be grateful for the time you spend with family and close friends, for good weather and warmth. Those of you who live in God's country (aka TN),
I pretty much knew this would happen. I'd start a blog, do well with keeping it up with it for, eh, a couple months, then I'd have to do a huge update to catch up. Not really sure where to start. I'll begin with what's been the biggest thing in our lives lately : marriage.
Confession #1: Marriage is the hardest thing I've ever experienced. Constantly learning new things about L and myself everyday. It sucks that we didn't get to have our "honeymoon year" like most couples. We jumped right into hard reality where we are exhausted every night and hardly see each other. Its not all negative though, the danger in L's job keeps things in perspective and we appreciate the time we do have even more. The things marriage has taught me so far about myself aren't exactly favorable. I'm extremely type A (yes, Kelly, I know you knew that) that I didn't know how to just relax if there were dishes in the sink or laundry to be done. I'm so grateful for L being laid back when it comes to that stuff and helps me to chill and laugh. And he makes me laugh all the time, I love that goofy man :D.
Confession #2 : I hate, yes hate, everything about this place. The tiny God-forsaken town, my job (except the fact I get paid a decent amount for it), the weather, how expensive everything is here and how the locals take advantage of us and all others brought here by the oil. When I said God-forsaken, I mean this place does a good job of repelling God. Not saying there aren't believers here, but not many. Some examples : the town-owned visitor's center has a liquor store with a drive-thru in it (the only drive-thru in the town), the only thing to do on a, well every night, is go to one of the many bars and get drunk; and the Catholic church's priest is gay and lives with his partner. This is only just a little bit I've chosen to list, but theres a reason we "affectionately" call this place the Devil's Playground. Lots of prayer is needed!!!!
All in all, its not easy living here as a young, newly married Christian couple. Everything is against us and we need spiritual encouragement desperately. None of our friends are Christians so they don't get it. Its only been a few months in to our 36 month stay and I'm very very unhappy and ready to give up on being in Sodom....
We greatly appreciate your prayers! We definitely felt them this past week. For those who don't know, we took an unplanned trip to Tennessee for a family emergency. L's grandma is in the hospital and isn't doing well. She goes back and forth between ICU and the med/surg floor. We aren't sure how much longer she will be with us and that's been really hard. Also, while we were in TN, my father-in-law ended up in the hospital, he isn't doing so great either. He's been fighting colon cancer, and now congestive heart failure. Please pray even harder for us. For L, its hard to work when his mind is on family back home. It has been a really rough few months, won't go into detail, and its taken a toll on both of us and we are tired. The verse that has been my rock through tough situations has been on my heart a lot lately:
"Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
while we look not at the things with are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Love y'all!
A few weeks ago, one of my fellow oil field worker's wife and I were talking about school pictures coming up, and how expensive the packages are compared to the quality. It gave me an idea. Lane and I both love photography, so I talked with him about it and we decided to offer to take some pictures of the boys for free. Shanna wanted pictures and we love taking them so all were happy. Lane had the idea of taking them on one of the routes he drives frequently. In ND, no one demolishes old structures, so there are randomly placed old schools, churches, and clapboard houses along the main roads. We used an old church as our backdrop. We aren't professionals or trained photographers by any means, we just really enjoy the art. Here are a few of the pics. Sorry its really long, The photo gallery app on this thing isn't working today for some reason.
 This is going to take some getting used to: Walmart, 46 miles, Target, 123 miles. Ahhhh, just shoot me now!
Side note:
<--this is Main St, btw. Driving from one end of town to the other takes about 5 minutes.
Its not that bad....
It is strange, though, for everyone to know who you are...before meeting them. Or, to even ask "Where are you from?" before you open your mouth and a Southern drawl comes out. Obviously, not only do I sound like I'm "not from around here" but I must not look it either. It helps that I have the only red Honda CRV in town too.
The cool thing is that I walk in the bank, they know who I am. I walk into one of the 3 gas stations, I'm asked how my husband likes his new bike (granted, it was the wife of the guy who sold it to him, but still, I don't know her from Adam!).
Both grocery stores extend their service to helping customers carry their bags to the car. I can walk to the post office to check our mail, go over to the Farmer's Union Insurance to pay for L's car insurance, drop of the rent check, stop in Jack and Jill's grocery to grab a few necessities and walk back to the apt within 30 minutes. Crazy!
Back to Walmart. Obviously, since its not within the comfortable distance of 15 minutes, one must plan the trip. A fellow oil field worker's wife and I decided to go today. When I go, it seems I never spend less than $100, which sucks but what can you do when you have to stock up until the next trip.
On to another subject. L and I have decided that for this Sunday's Bible study, to split up having the girls here at the apt and the guys will meet up at one of the parks. That means that I will be leading the girls, so I will be needing lots of prayer that God will speak through me and that He will give me exactly what these girls need to hear. Will keep y'all posted!
~ S
 This was my view half our trip out here. Beautiful but bare and lonely.
The goal of this blog/website is to allow those who are interested to see and understand a little of this crazy new part of our life as Mr and Mrs. New place, new jobs, new people, new way of life, new....everything. Not gonna lie, its a little too overwhelming at times and I wonder what I was thinking to leave paradise for a desert. Hind sight is always 20/20. If you would have asked me 3 months ago, would I miss TN, probably would have said "heck no!" See, already learned something about myself: I'm a homebody. You can take the girl outta the South, but you can't take the South outta the girl.
Something even more important I've learned, something with eternal value, is that I am able to grasp how much this earth is not my home. For the first time, I know what it feels like. Just as much as this desolate little town is not my home, neither is TN. It makes it easier to think of leaving this place for my Heavenly home, than it was before.
I'm excited to see how God uses L and I. I'm already seeing some. A few weeks ago, he started a Bible study with guys from work and their girlfriends/wives. To already see a response in wanting changed lives is such a blessing. This is huge because this town is definitely not in the Bible Belt. We are talking the Wild West, cowboys and indians, drugs and alcohol, and profanity might as well be a pronoun. This is rough country.
Prayer request of the day. week, month ::
1. That L and I will continue to grow as a couple and in our relationships with God.
2. For the people. For a revival, revolution, whatever you want to call it, to break out from our new Bible study.
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