MollyMadonna.com

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sidetracked. for good reason.

I came here to blog about something entirely different tonight, but got sidetracked by something great that I want to share with you. It’s called SocialVibe, and you’ll now find it here in my sidebar whenever you visit mollymadonna.com. I happened upon it while making a few minor changes to the site, and it’s a welcome new addition. When you click on the SocialVibe icon that says “Click Here to Help for Free,” you’ll have the chance to do just that–and for a cause I can really get behind, blood:water mission.

What’s blood:water mission? You can find out more about the organization by clicking on my sidebar link, or by visiting bloodwatermission.com.

Here’s a little of what they have to say about themselves:

Our Mission: Blood:Water Mission is a grassroots organization that empowers communities to work together against the HIV/AIDS and water crisis.

Our Core Purpose: To build community through creative social action.

Our Core Values:

  • Community
  • Responsibility
  • Integrity
  • Dignity
  • Teachability
blood:water mission is truly an amazing organization, and one that I believe in as they seek to be change agents around the world. Please don’t forget to click on my SocialVibe link if you feel compelled, and help in providing water FOR FREE to someone in need.
In doing so, may you be richly and abundantly blessed!
mm

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rooibos, coffee cake, banana ice cream

I stepped outside to leave for work this morning, and everything smelled like Africa. This probably sounds entirely strange, but it’s true. I can hardly describe what happens in that moment, when I’m safe and sound in my usual, comfortable routine and something triggers my senses to recall somewhere else incredibly far from home. It’s magical every time, almost like I’m being teleported to another space and date–and every memory that comes up when this happens is a good one. I wish I could bottle this feeling.

To be honest, I woke up in a terrible mood this morning. I hit snooze three or four times, I grumbled about getting up later than planned, and I had one heck of a hard time getting motivated to face the day. But the second I set foot outside our back door, everything shifted. This phenomenon is amazing to me. I’m standing on my back porch, dressed for work in a jacket and heels, juggling keys, computer, water bottle and breakfast, and suddenly, I’m transported to Africa. And not just any Africa. Fresh, bright sunny Africa, on a day when hanging laundry was my biggest charge, when Daphne and Josephine and Bruce would all pass through the seminary kitchen and dining room and we’d exchange greetings, stories, prayers. Africa on an afternoon when we ended the work day with a run through the mission house neighborhood, cleansed from a days’ work with sweat on our necks and miles on our shoes. Africa. Walking through an uncut field to the home of our dear friends, sharing the events of the past week over rooibos tea with milk and sugar, cakes (shortbread-like cookies) on the side.

I miss this place.

For all of the times I wanted to come home, and for all of the days I wouldn’t choose to relive halfway around the world, there were so many wonderful moments, and so many incredible memories still linger…

In the same way that this morning’s fresh air, temperature, sights and sounds brought me back to Africa, this momentary respite from the present and into sweet places from the past happens on other occasions as well. Not long ago, I tasted the streets of Cairo in a bite of peach coffee cake–suddenly transported to the bakery down the street from our rooftop residence, to the sweet shop on the corner with mango and banana ice cream. The busy taxis rushed through my head, the dewy rooftop mornings and every last prayer spoken over its edges and into the city dripped into my spirit. The sunrise, sunset pattern of walking and sharing, worshiping and changing, stretching and longing all flooded back in one mouthful. Memory is a magnificent thing.

I never expect these flashback moments when they happen–am always pleasantly surprised when they do. It must be God, knowing that a recollection, however brief, of seasons that have shaped and molded me will somehow alter my mindset, recharge my system. It was indeed that way this morning. As I settled into the car for the short jaunt across town to begin my “real” day, other days streamed through my mind, filled me up with joyful, thankful emotion, ushered me gracefully away from where I was and placed me, somehow, right back where I needed to be.

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one last look at twenty seven

I spent today being 27 for the very last time (which is to say, in my most dramatic attempt, that tomorrow, I’ll be 28). I’m not sure what to think about that number just yet, but I am all for the newness of things–the fresh start/new leaf/clean page feeling that comes with celebrating a birthday. I’m quite optimistic about what my 29th year might hold (and if you know me, you know I LOVE even numbers, so “being” 28 is quite pleasing to my little mind).

My 28th year had its fair share of ups and downs, as most years are wont to do. And as I bid it farewell on many accounts, I think it prudent to recall some of the highlights that have folded themselves into the past 365 days. No need to harbor on hard things to be sure, but rather to learn and grow and be shaped from them. So here’s to being shaped, and to the following:

-A healthy year. Nothing but a few minor colds and allergies to make me sneeze-y on occasion. For this, I’m VERY grateful.

-A successful summer of training, two half marathons, a 5k, a 10k and personal records on three out of four!

-Trips to visit friends and strangers. California was lovely in the Fall. India changed my world forever. (India deserves so much more than a one-liner here. More later, I promise)

-Sister time in Kansas City and another sisterly visit over Easter. Long chats, funny photos, shopping, walks, crafts, great food, prayer. Just what sister time should be made of!

-Holidays with family. As a kid, I always thought this was a given, but after a few years away from home, being “home for the holidays” is just that much more splendid

-A growing pup. Kruger was 4 months old on my last birthday. Now he’s well past a year and a whopping 85 pounds of black lab puppy love (and trouble:)

-A changing home. We’ve done so much in and around the house in the past year. Progress seems slow when it comes in spurts, but so much has changed–from paint on walls to new memories in frames to a completely new front yard

-A new job. I feel like I’ve gained an entire education in marketing in my role as a consultant, and now, I’m learning new things again as a marketing director in an entirely different field

-Doula training. Near the end of my litany, but not the least bit insignificant. God made a place in my heart for this journey when we were living in Africa, and now I’m amazed to watch it come to fruition. I cannot wait to support and bless mommies/babies/families in love and ministry for years to come

-Witnessing a live birth for the first time–ever. And my goodness, was it a red letter day! I will never forget seeing that sweet little face and those stretched out little toes as they entered the world. I owe her mommy and daddy a world of thanks. She’ll always be incredibly special in my heart!

-Learning to love in new ways. Learning to accept in new ways. Learning to be more patient, forgiving, gracious, joyful, peaceful, grateful, passionate, determined, surrendered, delighted, open, vulnerable, willing, prayerful, serving, wise, discerning, restrained, empowered, life-filled than I was at 24, 25, 26…

-Most importantly…being stretched and molded, challenged and frustrated, loved and forgiven, adored and accepted, blessed and protected, guided and sought-after, uplifted and joy-filled, made worshipful and more sanctified by a most Holy and unconditional Creator. After this year, our God is more marvelous to me than ever before, and I have more trust and faith and hope in Him than I ever knew possible. Amazing!

27 wasn’t always one of my favorite years. But I don’t think I’ll look back on it, or on the list above, and ever regret the growth that has occurred in and around me over the past 12 months. Tomorrow, I’ll be 28. Tomorrow, I’ll turn over another new leaf and mark another year gone by. I’m so glad it counted for something–and more than just something. I couldn’t be more blessed to look forward to another day!

Here’s to 28 and all that will fall within its pages,

mm

filled with awe and wonder at the beauty of life, in my 28th year, age 27 🙂

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leaning on ephesians

Reading through Ephesians yesterday morning, I found myself wrapped up in the reality of God’s plan for us, “Both Gentiles and Jews who believe in the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus…Because of Christ’s faithfulness, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” (Eph. 3 v.6, v.12)

I have always loved Ephesians, but this time, I think it was Paul’s awe for God that really struck me. “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father…” he records. The translation then, is captivating to me, “…from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.” (Eph. 3 v.14-15.) Every family in heaven and on earth. Every single one. We are all counted by Him, all carefully planned and crafted and looked after by Him.

Paul continues, “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust him. Your roots will go down into God’s love and keep you strong.” (Eph. 3 v.16-17) I love this. God’s Spirit fills us up and flows over until we are no longer our former selves. And Christ lives IN us. He “makes his home in our hearts.” There is nothing we could ever do to deserve his presence there, but we get to experience Christ moving in and through us anyway.

Then Paul declares, “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Eph. 3.18-19) How wide, how long, how high, and how deep. Can we even conceive of it? In our whole lives on earth, we will never fully know the greatness of God’s love, and yet it overwhelms us, impresses us, changes us when we encounter even a portion of it.

I LOVE this prayer. In fact, if I had only one prayer for everyone I’ve ever known and anyone I will ever meet going forward, this would be it. It is my prayer for those who have known Christ from a time when the were very young, and it is my prayer for those who have never known Him, but who have been named and counted by our heavenly Father. God is so attentive–to be alive and well among us, to be revealing more and more of himself to me in the Word each day.

Today, I’m leaning on Ephesians. And I’m cementing this prayer on my heart.

This post was originally blogged on 7 November 2007 @ 4:00pm from Johannesburg, South Africa

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new delights

Although it’s been a month since our trip to Mozambique, I’m still turning over the details of the visit in my head. Our time there was a blessing in so many ways, and I can’t help but return to the experience with great joy and grateful reflection for having traveled there. I hope that the memories I have of our time in Xai Xai will never erase themselves:)

Besides setting foot in Mozambique for the first time, there were many other firsts that came with our visit. Among them, my favorites include attempting to speak Portuguese, realizing that I can hear and understand the language–despite my lacking ability to reply, braving the challenge to hold a python (the first snake I’ve ever held!), watching fishermen carry torches into the ocean to hunt for lobsters by moonlight, visiting Eden (well, the Mozambican version at least), sleeping under a mosquito net, purchasing a kapalana (Mozambican fabric worn as a skirt) and making lunch out of fresh Mozambican bread and soft cheese on the roadside on the way home. Our days in Xai Xai were characterized by incredible times of fellowship, amazing God moments in the midst of His creation, prayer and conversations on the beach, an overwhelming sense of peace and calm, and the warm, engaging spirit of Africa on Mozambican soil. I am so humbled by the opportunities that we were afforded by God in our time there.

While traveling, our days took on a different pace and rhythm than they’ve had here in Johannesburg. The hustle and bustle of city life fell away as we drove further and further into the “bush.” Xai Xai, by Mozambican standards, is quite developed; still, the way of things there seemed simpler, more life-giving in many ways. Stores carried basic items, people walked everywhere and the lone road in and out of Xai Xai had one lane traveling in one direction and one headed the other. Lush, green foliage covered the landscape, coconut trees standing tall on the horizon at every turn. Mangoes, avocados, bananas, aloe and citrus fruits grew in abundance. i couldn’t help but feel at home in a space so foreign to me just days earlier–and I can’t wait to go back someday!

God has certainly stretched me and grown me in ways I never imagined before traveling to Africa this time around. Experiences that seemed so obvious or natural have taken me by surprise after surprise. Through the peaks and valleys of our journey, I’ve fallen in love with God and His creation over and over again, and Mozambique was another opportunity for me to stand in awe. I don’t know where I’d be right now if it weren’t here–spending this year on a continent that is in some ways still new and in others, so familiar–but I know that this is where I have needed to be. Africa has been moving my heart, bringing new delights at every turn.


This post was originally blogged on 26 May 2008 @ 11:02pm from Johannesburg, South Africa