2 days till SATC comes out!!!! I am so excited to go see it with my sister, best friend and my sisters best friend (whom I also consider a friend). It is going to be a great girls outing!!!!

So I have not been blogging in a long time.....partially because i am truly not a blogger and partially because i have a blog for our Kazakhstan trip that takes up time. I wish i was better at remembering witty things that happened during my day or taking pictures of the random things i see every day, but honestly my brain does not hold onto anything that long, or i like to think that my life pertains so many funny and amusing things that i can't remember them all. So I will be updating this blog with stuff from our Kazakhstan trip, which we leave on June 20, but i will also update the trip blog so that you have up to date informaiton on what is happening! Also for those who don't know, I am moving to San Francisco come August to get my masters degree from SFSU! I am really excited for the change, but will miss my job and all the great people that i have met while down in SoCal again.

I head up to Nor Cal in two days to go to Kim's wedding! I am so excited, I love both her and matt! I will post pics when I return......I will also get to see Trave and Annette (old youth pastors and friends), so I am ready to be rejuvenated by this weekend of friends and love!

I don't know what it is, but lately I have just been over everything.......I don't want to work, I don't want to go shopping, I just really want to be on a beach laying under an umbrella(if i laid in the sun i would burn) and listen to the waves as i read a book. I have no motivation to do anything, and I have a long list of things to do, both at work and in my personal life. I went for a walk last night to see if excercise would boost my motivation, but really it just made me tired and ready to get in bed early. So i will push through the next week and a half (at that time a lot of deadlines will be over). Until then I am really tired and wanting to just go live my inclination to be a gypsy........oh and last night i had a dream that me and bethany missed kim's wedding and i was so afraid how kim would react.........trust me, we won't miss it!

Yep that's right.......the girls are back! I have been watching making the band 4, which follows their making of the second record, and now it is leaked on MTV.com. I am loving on this record! It is something that just makes me move. check it out at http://www.mtv.com/music/the_leak/danity_kane/welcome_to_the_dollhouse/#. THe CD drops on March 18th....yes I did just say drop...I am so in the know. Seriously I love this band, these girls crack me up and I love the sounds on the CD. It is like a European disco, and it takes me back to my time in Italy. I am loving loving loving it!!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

That's right we are going to Kazakhstan! June 20-July1! We are going to have a seriously fun and exciting trip, so if you want to go.....email me at elizabeth@hadassahshope.org. The trip costs $4200 and it covers everything.....so it really is a great deal! Look at the Taraz bathroom slideshow to see what project we are undertaking. If you want to donate to the trip and the project go to www.hadassahshope.org. This is my favorite part about my job and i cannot wait to go and see my friends and the kids in Kazakhstan and to see lives on the team change! Come join the team......you won't regret it!

I have been attending a church here in OC called Rock Harbor. It has been a great place and i have been learning a lot from the pastors there. One week we were talking about God's gifts that he gives us and that we need to rememeber they are gifts....not postings. IT took me back, because often i feel like i am where i am because God has not moved me, but in actuality i am not in a posting that i have to fulfill my sentence before moving on. So i began to look at what things in life i would like to change and how to change them. in actuality God gave me many gifts and i need to seek out ways to fulfill them instead of waiting for God to move me, when He is constantly putting ways to move me in my life and i ignore them, because they are not an easy first class ticket.....i need to do my part. So i am making commitments this year to start doing my part and fulfilling all my passions....this is the only life i get, so i am going to make it the best ever!

I heard from a trusted friend the other day "Bottom line....live my life...choose joy...and don't be preasured to "be called" to something for God. We are called everyday to live for Him." It hit me because, it is so true that as christians we get so wrapped up in the "calling" and often forget that the calling is to live everyday for and with Him. I get so caught up in the future and trying to figure out what God has for me and where I should be to follow what he is "calling" me to do! I don't know why we feel like we have to make everything work in life....I know that I will try until I am exhausted and then look back and realize that I probably should have just stopped what it was I was doing, because it was unnecessary, unfortunately I was taught from an early age that perseverance is key in the Bible, but so is just listening to God and taking clues when all is going horribly wrong, to take a step back and move on. So I am choosing Joy and moving on instead of being pressured into the calling of the world. God has many things for me and I don't need to pidgeon hole myself into one thing and say "this is it". I truly don't believe God made such splendor for me to be done by 26 with what he wants me to do. I am excited to move forward and pursue Him in life.

Often I get asked "what do you do" so for all of you that ask that, I am posting my pics entitled what we do! It gives you a brief glimpse at the lives of those of us who have in the past or do work at Empowering Kids or Hadassah's Hope! Enjoy.

So I admit that when it comes to life I can get pretty impatient. I try to keep my cool, but when I don't want to do something and don't want to be somewhere, I can admit that I get very pushy with God. I tend to pray God....do this and show me where I am going to be.....please just do this because if you don't I am going to leave. I know this is completely the wrong way to be and I recently realized why I do this.....get ready for the wisdom.......because I am not in contact with God. I know, it is the dumbest, simplest answer and somehow I miss it every time. I was reading Oswald the other day and he said When we are in full oneness with God we stop wondering what his purposes are and know that he will take us into them. When I read that, I realized that I was not in oneness with God. I can remember times when I am so into His word and in His presence that I don't care that I am in the hottest most miserable country. I need to get back to the place where I don't wonder what His purposes are and start enjoying all the greatness that is around me......things that He has put around me for my enjoyment and to make me happy. I have so many great, great friends and family, that I am blessed beyond belief. So here it is.....pray for me...pray that I can keep sight of His purposes and stop worrying about others around me that have a toxic personality. Pray I keep my eyes on Him and depend on Him to block the bad things that keep me from feeling His peace and love.

So today I went to work and there are raging fires in Orange County where Hadassah's Hope is. It took me 4 hours to drive a normally 1 hour commute, and by the time I got to work, i could not breath and had little visibility. The fire is about 2 miles away, but we have not been evacuated yet! So please pray that the winds continue to be in our favor and that the fire gets contained quickly. THere are so many families that have been evacuated and are having to pray their homes do not get destroyed. Pray this all gets contained and the firefighters have much strength!

So, my other friend Kim......the one not mentioned in the previous blog.....was a little upset at the absence of her name, but she has made quite a few of the pictures.......so to make all right with the world I write an ode to her......I don't know if this is an ode, and she will probably let me know, but here is my poem to her........

Oh Kimberly Audrey Blair

you felt like it wasn't fair

although you take the cake in pics

you felt my words were fixed

let me tell you, you silly goose

only you could tell the tale of the moose

so if your feeling slighted

remember I spend 8 hours a day with you and am so delighted

I call you my friend that is no lie

wether in the blog or to passers by

so next timeyou feel all crazy and scared

remember that I always cared.

 

I hope this makes right whatever is wrong. :)

Ok, so for those who know me, you know that I am way behind the times when it comes to technology.......I never had the best cell phone(in fact I tried to buy a car charger the other day and they kindly let me know that this model is not made anymore and to get a car charger for it I would need to get a new updated phone), the internet is something I used for fun and blogging was something only nerds did.....Well apparently I am the nerd now, as the cool kids have entered the age of technology. My friend Bethany has always been up on everything and I have relied on her to keep me up and informed,(oh my goodness I am an old grandma at 26) but I am making a vow now to keep this blog thing up. I know I have said it before, but I am committing to blog at least 3 times a week to let everyone know what is going on not only at Hadassah's Hope, but also in my own life. I will also put up more pics as that is what the masses are asking for. As my soon to be brother-in-law said, you have to have your finger on the pulse of America......so I am attempting by putting some funny and not so funny thoughts down each week. So please keep coming back and reading up on what is going on.....and leave a comment....I love to read those(thanks Erin). Till next time...ciao!

Friday, August 10th from 6pm-10pm, we will be having a fundraising event at the Fuddruckers in Foothill Ranch! All you have to do is eat your dinner at Fuddruckers that night and a portion of your meal sales will go towards Hadassah's Hope! If you need more information or the flyer that must be presented with your meal, e-mail me at elizabeth@hadassahshope.org. I hope that a large group of people come, so we can help support the multiple families that are wanting a grant from us. We also have a large building project scheduled for next year, so we need to raise the funds to redo the bathrooms!

 

Hello to all of you who are still coming to the blog site. I have not been putting anything up since my trip ended, but realized that some of you are still wanting to know more about getting involved. Well here is the skinny on what is happening.....currently we are always looking for donors to contribute to the organization....I had to get that out of the way. We are planning for our trip next summer to Kazakhstan. We have not finished the date details, but I am pretty sure we want to redo the bathrooms at the orphanage in Taraz. There are many ways you can help with this. First is pray...we are trying to work everything out and not get stuck with unnecessary building bills for this project. Pray for the planning and pray for those who are considering going to Kazakhstan next year. Second, is that we are in need of shoes for the kids in Karakestec. If you would like to send us shoes for kids Ages birth to 6years, please send them you can get our address of our site at www.hadassahshope.org . We are asking for new shoes, as they will probably have them for quite some time. Prefereably closed toe shoes as well, since they will need to use them all year round. Finally is that we have items being sold on the Empowering Kids website by which the profit goes directly to Hadassah's Hope. visit their site at www.empoweringkids.net and any item with the HH logo next to it will go towards Hadassah's Hope. I recommend the dinner game, it helps get you and your kids talking and teaches them things about manners, chores and has cards that you can make up questions specifically relating to your family! I am very excited for the upcoming events and what God has in store for us. Also sign up for the newsletter on our site and we will send you one in the mail or by e-mail. This is the best way to know what is going on. I hope you are all doing well, and I will try to keep up with this blog.

Sorry it took me so long to put up pictures, but they are finally up. I put up a slide show from the 2006 trip, to motivate those of you who are thinking of coming on the 2008 trip! Enjoy!

There is nothing like being in a third world country, to make you miss home. I am in London now for my final day of my trip. I will be taking some time to go around the city and see the sites, but wanted to take a moment to let you all know that my time in Kazakhstan was very successful! I am very excited for what will come of this trip. God taught me many things and opened my eyes to see what He has there and wants Hadassah's Hope to pursue. Thank you to everyone who prayed for me and kept reading my blog. Sorry that I never got pictures up, but you can look for those on friday....I will work on this thursday back in the office. I will of course miss my friends in Kazakhstan, but will look forward to seeing them again soon. Remember that God is God and He will take care of your every move, whether it appears big or small. I love you all! See you soon!

Today was my final day in Taraz. It was a good day, the orphanage brought me a proposal for one of the projects, and then I went out to lunch with Vera, Ayman and Medet. We had a great time talking and making toasts about how we are grateful for each other and that we all will see each other soon. I really enjoyed my time here. We went to check some hotels today and they took us to see different rooms. The lady went to one room where people were staying, the man answered the door with no pants on and I about lost it. After he let us in, Ayman told me to hurry up because the room smelt from what Vera calls "making a deposit". I was laughing so hard when we got outside. After lunch we went and saw one of the Directors at the Ministry of Education, and they presented me with a gift to thank me for coming. They are excited about the prospect of having Hadassah's Hope come and bring aid to their orphanages.....I am also very excited for these projects. I will miss my friends in taraz, but I will be happy to go to Almaty and see more familier faces and stay in a nice bed. We will be traveling to Almaty by train tonight, so keep the prayers coming. I love you all! As I read Oswald today, he spoke how the road to hell is paved with good intentions....he didn't say that phrase exactly, but he was talking about how we can make decisions everyday by ourselves, and they are not necessarily bad. It takes discipline to hand over every decision to God, even the ones that you think may be easy......While Oswald feels that way, I believe that it takes discipline to hand over the decisions in the begining to God, but once you grasp the fact that he is smarter than we will ever be, and that He wants nothing but the best for us, you realize that it can become comforting to know that you don't have to make the decisions anymore. The only decisions you have to make is to tell God that he is in control whenever something comes up....after that you He will do the planning and worrying for you. It is like how you always wished to be an adult when you were a kid, and wanted to never hear from your parents again....but then when you get older and are making decisions about boyfriends, mortgages, when to have kids, if to have kids, should you take this job or that job.....you long to have your parents making decisions again and have them take responsibility.....I am so greatful that God cares enough about me, cause who am I that he should even remember my name, to realize that I cannot deal with the stress of life and that I need someone to lighten that load. Then I turn to Him and know that the best will come out of every situation. I love you all!!! I cannot wait to see you!!!!

God is Love....Rev Liz