new name

I'm feeling nostalgic...

In the past year, I've said so many goodbyes--some till eternity, some for a few months, some until who knows when. It's been a long year. I'm weary, but getting better.

Some positives though...
1. i bought my first polish pottery piece for myself--tall mug.
2. i can now sing in polish and have an interesting conversation in polish
3. i have a new car
4. it is rainy in TN. i missed good ole rainy days.
5. saw a snowy winter.
6. rode my bike like a crazy mo fo through the streets of krakow.
7. visited turkey and macedonia and germany and greece and slovakia and the czech republic.
8. made a few friends for a lifetime.
9. was called "sister" by the roma.
10. i can sing roma songs!
11. wrote about 8 good keeper songs.
12. live in a nice house by myself!!!
13. had an apt by myself.
14. got to ride the train.
15. had a steady income for 10 months with insurance.
16. got a beautiful new guitar!
17. got a new harmonica!
18. got to eat beverly everly's cooking o so many amazing times.
19. met the Lady that Listens
20. got a cool krakow tattoo and lip piercing.
21. got to play gigs in krakow.
22. got to be an honored guest musician for an art exhibition opening for a famous painter in poland.
23. was taught how to use the light meter on my camera
24. learned the simple amazingness of mornings with oatmeal, coffee, the word and a good friend.
25. got to watch the trains going to warsaw from my balcony.
26. bought skinny jeans!
27. saw a sunrise in krakow and zakopane.
28. got to live in a cold place for the winter... man... this southern girl is like a fish out of water down here.
29. GOT DREADLOCKS my last 5 days in poland!!!
30. made 2 decent websites.
31. got to make wedding programs for a girl near vancouver.
32. got some terribly unbelievable and funny crazy stories from not so funny adventures. (there's always an adventure with me... i don't know what it is. can't do anything normal.)
33. I SLEEP IN A KING SIZED BED!!! my feet don't hang off the end and they're not jammed into the foot board and it's pretty much amazing.
34. got to teach orphan kids straight from the Word for a week.
35. i get to cut the grass every week and enjoy it because my skin doesn't break out in crazy rashes. G's changing even my skin. what does this mean?!


i'm sure there are so many more things i could put here, but i'm slowing down for the moment. man... it's been a full year--good and bad.

God, this year, may I never forget where you've brought me out of and how you've provided for me in great ways. May I never forget. May I continue to seek healing with all my heart. May I continually delight in you. May you find me faithful to the things you've called me to. Thank you for where I am right now. Even though I'm always scheming about my escape back to Poland, for now, I'd rather be in no other place. Thanks for this safe place. Thanks for this rest. Thanks for this abundant blessing of CARE. amen.