5 Funny Years

Today is my beautiful niece Britony's 5th birthday. I am blessed to be her aunt and to have spent the past 5 years watching her grow. She's a joy to be around and a little girl full of spunk and energy. She's inquisitive, creative, and loving. I still remember standing in my dorm room my freshman year of college in complete shock as my sister told me over the phone that she was pregnant. I remember watching Britony waddle as she learned to walk. I remember our nonsensical babble conversations on the phone. I remember our first trip to Disney World and how enamored she was with it (and she still totally is!!!). I remember her hugging me at the Detroit airport and telling me she was just going to get in my suitcase to go back to Florida with me. I have so many great memories over the past year that include this amazing little girl. I can't wait to continue to see her grow and develop into a beautiful young girl.

Happy Birthday, Britony!!! I pray that you would grow in the love of Christ and know that you are forever loved.

Some pictures of my favorite 5 year old.

Goofing off on the front porch of Grandma and Grandpa's house.



Obviously I'm their favorite aunt, right? :)


She teaches me how to be gangsta.


Candy cane in the hair...oops! Grandma to the rescue!



Okay, everyone make normal faces. Yep. Just like that.


Ready for Safari.


Flying high in a balloon! She's a daredevil!

My Music Monday

I recently added some new albums to my music collection. And it's good (of course!). So check it out:

Dark Fades Into The Light by Sandrine--My fav song is "Where Do We Go?" but they're all fantastic. Pretty mellow, for the most part. But a few songs have a nice little upbeat sound.

Flying Upside Down by Griffin House--Favorite song is "The Guy That Says Goodbye to You is Out of His Mind." But then again, what girl wouldn't love this song??? Thanks Josh for the recommendation!

I And Love And You by The Avett Brothers--I know, I know, I know. I'm a little bit behind the game on this one. It's been out for a while now (heck, I think most of the albums I downloaded have been out for a while). In any case, this album is quality. I don't think that it's quite as folksy as their previous albums, but still plenty folksy which ya'll know makes me amazingly happy. My best friend, Katie, has been telling me for a while that this album is good. She doesn't lie.

Break Up by Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson--Austina recommended this one to me and I know she has superb music tastes. This was proven once again.

If It Ain't Broke... by Matt Wertz -- It's his live album. It was free. I probably would have even paid for it b/c it's that good. I love me some good Matt Wertz music. And listening to the album and pretending I'm at the show--even better.

I've been given some other music recommendations, but haven't had a chance to check them out yet. I still need to listen to Muse, Bifrost Arts, The Almost, Angels and Airwaves, Spill Canvas, and Jack's Mannequin (which I've listened to before but need to give another go around).

Anyone else got more recommendations for me? Not that I could probably afford downloading any more albums...but still...

Ethiopia Meeting #1

I just got off my first conference call with the team traveling to Ethiopia in December. I've known ever since mailing in my application that God's hand was over this trip and had arranged things so I could go, but after getting off the call, I'm even more sure of it. As people shared how God had opened the doors to allow them to join this mission, I was filled with such great joy. It's so amazing to see how our savior can orchestrate things perfectly.

So let me share a bit about The Mocha Club Ethiopia Team December 2009.

• We are 14 members strong
  
• We are comprised of 10 women and 4 men
• We are an international team with 2 members hailing from New Zealand!
• We come from 8 different states - Texas, Maryland, Colorado, Wisconsin, Tennessee, New York, Massachusetts, and Florida.
• We are made up of students, grad students, vocational ministers, corporate professionals, and moms!
• And most of all---We love Jesus and desire to serve his people in Ethiopia. :)

If you are praying for our team (and I ask that you would!) please pray for Tiffany, Danielle, Julie, Michelle, Asaua, Christine, Cole, Laura, Linda, Sarah, Shawn, Brittany, Geoffrey, and myself.

I feel like I'm at such a loss for words right now because I'm still in such shock at how beautiful God's plan is. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as His plan is always good and perfect! The reality, however, is finally sinking in that I am going. Our flights have been booked and this week we'll be receiving our travel itineraries. Our definite dates are 12/26-1/8.

Thank you friends and families for your prayers and continual support. I'm so excited that I'm able to share this experience with you all. Already I can feel God working in my heart and softening my heart for the work he has prepared for me to do and the work that he is doing in me.

Please feel free to leave a comment, email me, or call me (let me know if you need my phone number) if you'd like to learn more about this trip, my passion and desire to go, and the work that the Lord is doing in my life. For my Florida friends, I'd be more than happy and willing to meet with you in person to talk about it more. And I'm definitely open for advice too if you've traveled overseas.

Mocha Club Work in Ethiopia

Take a look at some of the work Mocha Club is doing in Ethiopia. Not entirely sure what we'll be working on when we go over in 2 months, but you can get an idea of work they've been a part of. $7 a month (aka 2 Mochas) does work like this...I'm just awe of God's provision and humbled when I watch this video.

Conversations with my nieces

So if you haven't figured it out by now, I have two beautiful nieces whom I absolutely adore. I never thought being an aunt would be as much of a blessing as it is. I can honestly say it's been a complete joy to be able to spend the last 5 years watching them grow and learn. Right now I'm absolutely loving the silly, nonsensical conversations that I get to have with a 5 year old and 3 year old on the phone. Tonight, I called to talk to my sister as Britony's birthday is coming up and I needed to know what she wanted for her birthday. I called multiple times throughout the evening because I was out shopping and really wanted to get something. The third time I called, the phone was answered and I was expecting to hear my sister's voice, but instead I heard the tiny voice of the world's cutest 5 year old. This is basically how our conversation went:

B: Hello
Me: Hey! What are ya doing? (Sidenote: It's typically a bit difficult for me to tell B & K apart right away on the phone. After a few sentences I can usually tell who I'm talking to...)
B: Having my birthday party.
Me: But it's not your birthday.
B: Yes it is!
Me: No it's not.
B: How do you know?
Me: Because I know your birthday is next week and I was calling to see what I should get you for your birthday.
B: Awwww mannnn
Me: You thought you could lie to me, didn't you?
B: We're having a party tonight.
Me: What should I get you?
B: It could be a supwise (yes supwise, not surprise).
Me: So should I get you a can of worms?
B: Or a headband.
Me: Oh, I like headbands. What else?
B: Some clips.
Me: So you just want stuff for your hair? No toys or books? Are you going shopping for your birthday? (My sister had told me they were taking her clothes shopping for her birthday b/c yes, that's what this 5 year old wanted to do.)
B: We're getting our nails painted.
Me: Oooo! What color are you going to get yours painted?
B: Whatever color they have.
Me: Pink or black?
B: Pink. Okay love you bye. Mom says can you call her back later.
Me: Tell your mom to call me when she has time.
B: (to my sister) she said call her later when you have time. (to me) Kerigan wants to talk to you.

And this is where things get really interesting.....I couldn't understand most of what she was telling me. This is what I made of the conversation...

Me: Hi Kerigan!
K: Hi, do you have alligators?
Me: What?
K: Do you have alligators?
Me: Oh yes, there are still alligators here. Do you want me to catch one and send it to you?
K: They're in the water!!
Me: Yeah, I'll swim out and catch one.
K: Okay. But don't get bited.
Me: Oh yeah, that would hurt.
K: And there would be blood.
Me: haha yep.
K: We're having a party with cake and ice cream.
Me: Right now?
K: Well, when daddy gets home.
Me: Oh, can I have some cake?
K: Only if you come over?
Me: Right now?
K: Yep.
Me: How will I get there?
K: (mumbling so I couldn't understand much) take a plane and then a boat and then a cab and then you'll be here.
Me: oh, okay.
K: Where are you?
Me: I'm in Florida, where are you?
K: Are you at your house?
Me: Nope, I'm in my car. Are you at your house?
K: Yep.
Me: Did you get sissy something for her birthday?
K: Yep, but if she's not good then she doesn't get it. I got her something scary, but not too scary. But she has to be good. If you come over you can play with my toys.

She then proceeded to "show" me all of her toys except I don't think she realized that I couldn't actually see them over the phone. And once she gets going, there is no opportunity to stop her chatter, so basically for the next few minutes I just sat on the phone as she talked about all of her toys. Then she started singing Hannah Montana so we sang that together over the phone. After about 3 or 4 minutes of that she said "okay, love you, bye." Best part is, she didn't hang up the phone, but she also didn't give it back to my sister. So basically I could have stayed on the phone all night and listened to the party. I'm kinda wondering if the phone was left in the playroom for the rest of the night...So Keri, if you read this and you're missing your phone, it's probably in the play room next to all the toys Kerigan told me about.

So I suppose it isn't that funny to all who are reading, but on the phone it was hilarious. I love these little girls and cannot wait to see them in a little over a month!!

I'm Going to Africa!

Yep, you read that title right. I'm going to Africa--specifically, Ethiopia. I'm so thrilled for this opportunity and passionately believe that God is indeed the one sending me on this mission trip. I hear the term "global community" used quite a bit and lately I've begun to think more about what that term means. As technology makes it possible to bring people from all over the world together, I think it also must change the way we think about who our neighbors and community are. In Mark 12:29-31 Jesus says:

"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."

If we are truly living in a global community, our neighbors are not only those that live in the apartments or houses next to us, or the people we work with, or our friends, or the people we go to church with, or even just the people of our city. Our neighbors are people all over the world and we are called to love them. Even more importantly, we are called to Love the Lord our God. I strongly believe that we can show our love for Him by caring for His people.

So here I am, gearing up for the journey of a lifetime! You want the details, I suppose, right? Great! I'll be traveling with 2 organizations that are partnering together for this trip--The Mocha Club and 963 Missions. The trip is tentatively scheduled for December 27, 2009 through January 9, 2010. That's right, just TWO months away!! Joining me on the trip will be individuals from all over the United States (and possibly even beyond). While in Ethiopia we'll be working working with a Mocha Club project that rescues women from the growing world of prostitution and offers them a 10-month rehabilitation program (including social, personal, and spiritual rehab as well as job training). We'll also be working with 2 other Mocha Club projects that work with children. I'm so excited to get to know the people of Ethiopia and share the love of Jesus Christ with them.

Where do you come in? I'm glad you asked. I need your support, both financially and through prayer. I need to raise nearly $3000 in support money to be able to go on this mission. I ask that you would prayerfully consider supporting me. Any amount you can give helps get me one step closer to serving God's people in Ethiopia. My first payment is due in just a little over a week so please, if you can give, don't wait! :)

You can send financial support to:

963 Missions
Attn: Mocha Club
10440 N. Central Expwy., Suite 122,
Dallas, TX, 75231
Please make checks out to African Leadership (The Mocha Club's parent organization).

Do not write my name on the memo line as it could nullify tax exemption for your donation.

Please print the support note below and include with your donation so they know who it's for.

An online giving link will be made available soon, but is not quite ready yet.

Whether or not you are able to give financially, I ask that you would be praying:

• Pray that our team of individuals would bond together easily and work together as a team.
• Pray for our team's safety in travels and for safe health while in Africa.
• Pray for our team's leaders as they continue to put together final details for the trip.
• Pray for the people of Ethiopia that they would come to know the saving love of Jesus Christ.

Finally, if you would like to receive updates of my trip leading up to my departure and while I'm in Africa, please let me know. You can either leave a comment on this blog or email me at kristi.kratzer@gmail.com.

Thanks all for your support and encouragement. I feel incredibly blessed that God has chosen me to go on this trip and I'm so excited!

Ramblings...

It's November. I can hardly believe it. Daylight Savings Time has ended and the Holiday season is drawing near. It seems like only yesterday I was complaining of the dead heat that defines Florida Summers--then again, this past week it was recording breaking temperatures here in Florida, so I was probably complaining of the dead heat that now defines Florida Falls, too! In any case, life has been crazy and unpredictable lately. Like normal, I've had my fair share of ups and downs, but I can't deny that I've been in the midst of experiencing the work of God both on my life and the lives of the people around me.

In an effort to keep private struggles somewhat private, this will be somewhat vague. As I've struggled with how to serve and honor my Savior before all else, I've been confronted with a whole gamut of emotions over the past several weeks. I've been sorting through the lies that society, culture and Satan have continually tried to feed me and found Truth and comfort in the reaffirming words of a Savior that provides for my every need. I've been prayed with and prayed for so intensely that I cannot deny that my Jesus knows me, knows my heart, and cares about my every thought, my every action and my every desire. I've been convicted of wanting the things of this world more than the eternal love and life that Christ has to offer. My idols have begun to reveal themselves and I'm being forced (a good thing, of course) to face those idols and make decisions whether I'm going to bow to them or to my Jesus. It's a battle that all of mankind will surely continue to fight until the end of time--how to live in this world but not be of this world. I've also realized that I don't entirely trust Jesus all of the time (okay, most of the time) with my life. I don't trust that He will provide, I don't trust that He will answer prayers, I don't trust that He will mend broken hearts and broken relationships, I don't trust that He will forgive, and I don't trust that He will always love me. Yeah, I know, those are huge issues. I recognize that. And I'm realizing that in order to trust him I have to give up control (all of it!) to him and just allow him to work. Logically, it shouldn't be that hard, right? I mean, why shouldn't I be able to trust the creator of the universe, the all powerful, all knowing, all loving God? Crazy. When I think about who God is it seems ridiculous for me to not want to give absolutely everything I have up to him. Slowly I'm realizing that giving it up is so much easier than fighting to keep control when I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. And I'm realizing that it makes much more sense to let God, who sees the past, present, and the future and knows the plans he has for me both now and in the future, have control over my life. (This is a crazy long paragraph that probably makes absolutely no sense...ha!)

As for more specifics of how God is working in my life--He's beginning to show me why Orlando is The City Beautiful and let me just say that I certainly don't believe it's the buildings, the landscape, or the amusement parks. Rather, The City Beautiful is beautiful because of its people. Whether it's my church family, my Celebration friends, my work friends, or the faces of the children and parents of OURM, I see God moving and working in all of their lives (often, without these people even knowing it). At OURM (Orlando Union Rescue Mission) I find myself eager to go and serve and love and at the end of my time there realizing that I'm likely receiving more than I'm even able to give. Spending time with the children at OURM is so incredibly rewarding (although, certainly challenging at times!). When I walked in a few weeks ago, a little boy immediately ran up to me and wanted to be held. As I sit here thinking about how insignificant that seemed at the time, I realize that this little boy trusted me without hesitation. He didn't judge me for the color of my skin, what kind of job I have, how much money I had, what kind of clothes I was wearing, etc. A lot of the children there are like that...they just want your attention. They want to love you and be loved in return. They want what so many of us want---relationships, community. And I give because it's the one thing I know I'll always have to give--I can give love. Freely. Because it was first given to me.

The most exciting news as of recent (that will soon be receiving its very own dedicated blog post) is that I'm going to Ethiopia, Africa in just TWO months!!! I'll save all the details for the blog post that will be coming in the next few days (waiting on a few details to be able to share with you all), but I just couldn't wait any longer to share the news (as I've known for about a week and a half now). I'll be gone for 2 weeks to do missions with two absolutely fantastic organizations and I couldn't be more excited about the opportunity and the work God has laid before me. Please be praying for the trip and for all the people traveling with me and for all of the people we are sure to meet.

So there it is. My ramblings. On a very surface level, of course. the end :)