Connections: Small world and all that jazz

Yesterday, I was working at Cook's and a lady came in. As is encouraged, I asked the lady if she was or would like to be on our customer list. After her affirmative response to the latter, I noticed that her address was on Dover Rd in Clare, the same road my in-laws live on. So I asked if she knows the Bays or Ricolos. She asked which Bays, and I clarified. She informed me that she is family friends of Kassie's grandparents and also knows Kassie's mom. So, that was my excitement for the day at work.

Today, Grant(one of my men's house roommates both years I was there)'s parents were at church and they came up to me excitedly and explained that they were looking at Kassie and my wedding pictures on facebook. Grants dad was looking at them, for whatever reason, and got excited and called over his wife. As it turns out, he worked with my Grandpa Max for several years in Royal Oak. Pretty crazy. What a mind-blowing or maybe world-shrinking weekend.

*Bonus*
That's right, you get extra credit for reading this story, or something like that. It's about a dream it's real life correlations. I will start with the dream as well as I remember it:

I was sitting on a brick wall, a short terrace wall (like the ones going down to the lake at the cottage, except taller, for those who know the cottage), talking to somebody and I saw one of my SpringHill campers in a mass of people in front of us. She then left and went over to a field where people were partying and stuff. Soon after, I followed her to the field to see if I could find her, but most of the partiers had left. I was surprised, though, to see me friend Kristen kicking a soccer ball with somebody (not that she can't kick a soccer ball, but I just wasn't expecting her to be in the field or to be kicking a ball in the field). I asked her what she was doing there and if she was going to come to ____. I don't remember what event I was asking her about or inviting her to, but she informed me she would not be going because was about to go eat. I asked her why she was eating so late and she told me it was because she had been making a fake mustache earlier and hadn't had time to eat.

Connections with real life: I had been at Hot Dogs last night sitting on the swing on the men's house porch talking to Katie Bennett overlooking the mass of people getting hot dogs, playing lightning, talking, etc. I noticed one of my SpringHill campers there and saw her leave with a couple people and then come back. When I was leaving I looked for her but didn't find her. I also saw Kristen at hot dogs, but I don't know where the soccer ball or fake mustache come in. Also, last night I was walking home and had some kind of thought that I thought was nightmarish, so I prayed that I wouldn't have nightmares but would instead have a good dream that I would remember. So, I guess that was it. Cool

Livemocha

Well, I am not sure how many of you I have already told, but I think I should get paid for how much I advertise the site livemocha.com. It is a language learning site. You can take some free lessons, connect with people from all around the world who are trying to learn English and other languages, correct people's submissions in their lessons, and so on. It seems to be a great way to learn languages. I have been brushing up on Spanish. I also started to learn a little hindi but then decided to go for Mandarin Chinese instead since I have four Chinese conversation partners this semester, plus a good friend from China I met last year.

Speaking of Ou, he came over to have dinner with Kassie and I tonight. I tried out some of my Chinese on him. He had some laughs and helped me out a bit. It turns out, funny sounds an awful lot like tall, and strong sounds a lot like poor.

Since my chinese is limited, I was trying to say I am tall and poor. he thought I was full of myself, saying I am funny and strong. I also learned from him how to call Kassie pretty, which she seems happy about. When I asked him how to say crazy, Kassie warned him not to, so Ou just fed me the word for pretty again. Smart guy.

Life is going pretty well. I think this week has been a foreshadowing of the winter to come, kind of dark and cloudy. This tends to dampen my mood somewhat, and there were also a couple things to bolster that feeling.

On the positive side, though, I tried to stay positive about things and have noticed Kassie having a positive attitude as well. This has been very encouraging. It's much easier to stay positive when there is somebody with you who stays positive too.
It's also very helpful to focus on God, which we have done, in small ways, more lately than we had for a while.

I resumed my job search this week after about a week off. So far, I have applied to about 3 places this week. We'll see if anything comes from it. I know God's got our back and everything (literally everything...you know that "He's got the whole world in his hands" kind of thing).

Praise God!

Life, Love, and Happiness, and then the Hoy Ghost

Well, I am talking to Amy right now about some things that are going on in my life and decided to share them with whoever reads this.

I still havent found a job. I am trying to continue to trust God with that. In fact, I am taking a little break from looking at the job websites and stuff to get my focus in the right place, depending on God rather than myself. I know that I can't just expect God to do everything for me, but I feel like he is telling me to do this.

Other things are starting to pick up a little bit. the Drama ministry started on Friday and I went to that meeting. I don't normally consider myself much of a drama person but I think I will enjoy it. Kassie is one of the leaders, and I had fun at the meeting on Friday.

Also, Kassie and I started Financial Peace University, a finance course by Dave Ramsey that is offered through His House. It should be good to start a budget and stuff.

I was assigned to two international students as a conversation partner through the English Language Institute at CMU.

So, those are some of the things going on in my life. I also just finished a book called Bruchko about Bruce Olson, a missionary to the Motilone tribe in South America. It was a really good book, and now I am reading In The Gap about missions which is pretty convicting.

Kassie and I are trying to figure out where we are going to go from here. Kassie will be finishing her Associate's degree in the Spring. After that we plan on moving away, anywhere from New Orleans to New Zealand. In other words, we're not sure where.

I have thought of the possibility of teaching English in another country, such as Korea of China, or just moving to a developed english speaking country, such as New Zealand and getting some type of job to pay of loans and such.

You can be be praying for us now, as we have completely different schedules or lack thereof and for the future. Thanks.