"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices  with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.....faith, hope, and love abide, these three, but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13
 

Chan then goes on to say to take the word Love in that passage and insert your name in it's place....."Emmaly is patient and kind..."
I didn't get any further than that before I felt like throwing up. Let me share a little story with you guys that just happened this morning....

First of all, I am generally a happy person and it takes a lot to upset me....like really upset me. I enjoy people and I enjoy my job (I work in a gym) because I am surrounded by people. However, today I was asked to sign this lady up for a gym membership, which is a normal task for my job.  I walk to the computer where she is standing and ask her which membership she would like to sign up for. She tells me the package that she wants. I begin to sign her up, while noticing that she was going to be one of "those" people. "Those" people = difficult, annoyed, angry, know-it-all...etc (judgemental much?)

So, she proceeds to question me about the membership, which is totally normal. I answer her questions to the best of my knowledge, knowing that my answers are not making her happy because I am beginning to sense her attitude change. She begins to sign the agreement for the membership and when it gets to the one about the the annual fee for her particular package, she blows up! She wants to know why she has to pay an annual fee on a certain day when her year isn't up until such and such day...etc. etc. She then proceeds to tell me that it's such a dumb policy (mind you, she is still signing the agreement as she is ranting about how dumb it all is), and then she continues to bash the gym. 

I am not a verbal person when it comes to conflict...at all. I tend to ignore their insults and just let it go, but not with this lady. By the time I finished signing her up, I was completely and utterly...annoyed. I was annoyed with her attitude and with how she was talking about the company and talking to me. The bad thing....she could see it all over my face and it only fed into her attitude. She went and sat down as I signed up another person but I noticed that she was staring at me and I stared....well, as she put it...I glared at her. 

Once I finished signing up the other person, the lady came back up to the front desk and told me that because I was of no help to her and offered her 0 information, that she didn't know what to do next. She asked me where she needed to scan her card. I told her where. She asked me where she could get a towel from and I gave her one. She then asked me what's up with the attitude and that I shouldn't be employed there because I was a horrible representation of the work place. 

I.WANTED.TO.SMACK.HER.- Not very "Godly" of me, eh?  I was so flustered and irritated beyond words at this point that all I could do was offer her a very smart-ellicky "I'm sorry". Ugh.

I told my boss that she may be receiving a complaint about me and she asked me why, so I told her the story. She found it hard to believe that I would act in such a manner, which is nice to know because like I said I am very professional when it comes to my job, but I told her that this lady would be telling the truth and that I probably wasn't very nice to her but that she wasn't very nice to me either.....but, in all honesty, should that matter?

Should it matter that she was rude to me? Should it matter that she insulted the company or me? Does that make it ok for me to respond in the same manner?

Is that what Jesus would do? Is that how He would've acted?

Never. 

He would've handled it with such grace and mercy. He would've shown her Love.
 

Now, I know I am not Jesus. I am only human, but I could've handled that situation with a little more "Kindness" and "Patience".

So when I read that section in Chan's book....it felt like a slap in the face. A punch in the stomach. Follower's of Jesus Christ are not here to cause pain, anger, or hatred. We are here to love like He did and does. We are here to live a life through Jesus Christ by serving people even when they are not being so nice back. We are called to give everything we got to the lost, the biggest being Love.

I didn't do that today, but I learned from it and my goal for the next time I see her....

An apology and a thank you.
An apology for my attitude and a thank you for calling me out on it.

Mission: to live out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13
 

Thank you all for loving me and my imperfections. Continue to bless and be blessed. We serve an awesome God.

Emms

1. I was bald-headed in 3rd grade.
2. I am terrified of spiders.
3. I would like to have a golden retriever one day, and name him/her Goldie.
4. I can't wait to be a wife.
5. I can't wait to be a mother.
6. I have lived in Texas, Michigan, Arkansas, and Delaware.
7. I did not attend the same school for more than a year until my Junior year of high school.
8. My favorite movie is Fried Green Tomatoes.
9. I want to hike the Appalachain Trail.
10. I was once interested in rock climbing but after watching 127 Hours, I no longer have that desire.
11. I am terrified of speaking in public.
12. I like the ocean but love the mountains.
13. I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart when I was 13.
14. Since I was 14, I have had a desire for missions.
15. I am a daddy's girl.
16. My dad sent me 16 pink roses on my 16th birthday.  
17. I went on my first date when I was 17.
18. My senior trip consisted of a month in Michigan with my grandparents, and then a week in Tennesse with my parents.
19. I want to go to California. A plan is being formulated to go there after I return from the World Race.
20. May 20th, 2012 will be 6 years since the passing of my mother.
21. I had the flu on my 21st birthday.
22. I like the taste of red wine.
23. I will be turning 23 in Cambodia.
24. I have a brother and a sister: Hanna-23, Jacob-20.
25. I am a coffee addict.
26. When I was younger I wanted to be a lawyer, a cheerleader, a choreographer, a psychologist, a vet, and a mortician. Mhhm.
27. Now, I am going to be an Elementary school teacher.
28. I am pretty easy-going and generally a happy person.
29. Most of the time, people can tell when I am having a bad day.
30. I have yet to imagine life at 30. I suppose it will be Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving.
31. I am horrible at remembering quotes from movies except for one: Bridesmaids.
32. I hate Sudoku.
33. Love books.
34. I. loathe. video. games.
35. Gosh, I am only at 35 and I running out of things to say.
36. Is anyone even going to make it to #36 on this thing?
37. I basically love music.
38. I want to learn how to play the Cello.
39. I want to take voice lessons.
40. I love building relationships with people.
41. My favorite fruit is a banana.
42. My favorite color is Orange.
43. I like technology but I could live with out it.
44. I love to fish but haven't done it in about 6 years.
45. I have known the family that I am living with for almost 10 years now. Shoowee. We are getting old, guys.
46. I will not go swimming at night. Creeps me out.
47. I procrastinate. A lot.
48. I have worked at Fred's, an assisted living home, an arcade, Barista Cafe, Notting Hill Coffee Roastery, and now 24/7 Club Fitness.
49. I love old people. I just wanna sit and soak in their wisdom.
50. My dad will be 50 in two years. Holy macro!
51. I have been to Ecuador, Peru, Key West, and Cococay Bahamas.
52. I was in my first wedding last April. Woot woot! Go Chavez's.
53. I am probably considered the odd one in the family.
54. I feel like "How are you?" is now a form of Hello. You can either answer back or just keep on walking.
55. I am so stoked about the World Race.
56. I can't wait to go to Thailand or Central America.
57. I can't wait to meet my teammates.
58. I can't wait to make memories with them.
59. I will miss my peeps here, like crazy, but that's what Skype and Facebook are for.
60. 40 more to go.
61. I really hope people read this far.
62. I enjoy reading blogs.
63. I kinda want to be a radio talk show host.
64. I love to bake, so future husband.....be prepared to get fat.
65. I am very trusting, which can be a good or a bad thing.
66. I bite my nails when I am nervous.
67. My foot once went through a wall after being thrown off a treadmill.
68. I love old horror movies.
69. I will be traveling the world with 69 other people.
70. I am going to Bulgaria, Romania, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.
71. My dislike for running has slowly grown to love.
72. Some of my favorite running songs are: Christina Aguilera- Fighter, Kelly Clarkson- Stronger, David Crowder- How He Loves Us, and Gym Class Heroes- My Hearts A Stereo.
73. Delaware reminds me of the song: I'm from the Country-Tracy Byrd.
74. My mom made the best chocolate gravy and homemade biscuits.
75. My dad makes the best hamburgers, in my opinion, and the best chocolate chip cookies.
76. I have never used a grill before, kinda feel like that's the man's domain.
77. I get sunburnt very easily.
78. I love giving tours at work because then I get to talk to people and find out some of their story. 
79. I miss 2:20.
80. I was once a red-head, a brunette gone bad, and a bleach blond.
81. I love cereal.
82. Pizza, pizza, pizza.
83. I wish I had some artistic ability but I have 0.  
84. Ethos is where it's at. 6:30pm. Sunday nights. Eagles Nest. Be there.
85. I just received my first write up (ever!!!!!!) at work.
86. 14 more.
87. My arms are hurting from typing all of this.
88. I secretly want to be a lumberjack.
89. I have some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for.
90. I have the best church family a girl could ever ask for.
91. Kathy Bates is my favorite actress.
92. David Morse and Brendan Fraiser are my old man actor crushes.
93. I would love to sit down and have a conversation with Oprah.
94. One thing I will miss while on this trip is the structure of life.
95. One thing I won't miss while on this trip is the structure of life.
96. Growing up is an adventure.
97. The Lord has a plan and a purpose for your life.
98. I am not perfect.
99. He knows that and He still loves me.
100. Boo Yeaaaaa! - Mixed style (thank you Isaac Weathersby).

Going on any sorta trip, there are always expectations. It could be a trip to Disney World, a business trip to London, a trip to see the family (consider this what you will), a hiking/camping trip, or just a trip to the grocery store, they are all set out with plans or expectations in mind.
It's just human instinct to assume or expect what you may think will happen on a trip or in life.
 

Disney World = "Where Dreams Come True"
Business Trip = Money in the Bank
Trip to see the Family = Good quailty time with the ones that you love
Hiking/Camping trip = Adventure, becoming one with nature
Grocery Store = Food and the assumption that you will not be starving for the next couple of days.
 

Now, keep in mind, these are my expectations of said trips. Everyone's different. However, what about a mission trip? In 5 months and 10 days, I am leaving to embark on one of God's many journey's for my life. The World Race.
 

What are my expectations for this trip?
 

I expect to see the hand of God work in numerous ways. I expect to build lasting friendships with people from all over the world. I expect to eat things that I never would have eaten in the U.S. and like it, maybe. I expect to not shower for 2 weeks at a time (eat your heart out boys, although some can probably relate). I expect to get over my fear of spiders and fast. I expect to see some of God's beautiful art: the night sky in Africa and the countryside in Central America. I expect to listen to awesome testimonies, to spend time with some of the most amazing people, to love and to be loved right back. I expect to find out my strengths and weaknesses. I expect to really and truly see what it means to love like God. I expect to see His love, mercy, grace, wisdom, forgiveness just reign time and time again over my teammates and me. I expect to learn and witness so so much.
 

I do NOT expect to come back the same person, and hey, that is perfectly fine.
 

Again, keep in mind, these are my expectations, my assumptions on a trip that I have yet to go on. As I read over what I have written, I smile because while these may be my expectations, they may not be God's, which makes it even more exciting. No one knows their future. Try as you might to plan your life out, it never matches His plans or expectations for your life. I am not saying that it's bad to plan, it's actually good to have plans, but don't get upset if it doesn't work out like you wanted or hoped, it just means that His plan is so much bigger! Who wants to know their future anyway? Where is the fun in that?
 

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".-Jeremiah 29:11

This verse has been popping up quite a bit, not just for me, but for a lot of my friends as well. Try to keep it in mind when things don't go as you plan or even expect.

Emms

When asked about the World Race these were some of the questions that I received:
 

Um, are you crazy?
Are you sure that you want to do this?
Do you have to get shots before you leave?
Do you think that you will raise all of your money in time?
How will you defend yourself if something happens?
Will you be able to shower?
What about the bugs?
Sleeping on the ground, are you nuts?
Will you see skinny village children?
What will you be doing?
What is the World Race?
Is it like the Amazing Race?
How is the fundraising going?
Are you going to "convert" people?
What is the purpose of this trip?
Are you allowed to have a cell phone?
Are you allowed to have weapons?
Aren't you worried about getting pimples(haha)?

I am sure that there will be many more to add as time progresses.

 

Some clarification:
 

I am absolutely and postively crazy.
Crazy in love with a Father who has called me to step outside of this box that most of us may live in. I already expect to be stripped of every comfort I have ever known:

Nice hot showers.
A very comfortable bed.
A cozy home.
Cabinets stocked full of food.
Family and friends that are just a phone call away.
Constant source of income.
A reliable car(sorta, but hey, it's a car).
My Ethos family.
My phone.
Internet.
Clean water.
Air conditioning.
Pizza.
Starbucks.
Being called a babysitter by 3 fantastic kids.
School(yea, yea I know).
Movie nights.
Midnight ice cream runs.

This list could go on.

Some more clarification:

I know without a doubt that this trip is something that He wants of me and for me. How do I know this?

• The peace that came to heart when I prayed about it, starting 2 years ago.
• The clearness and solidness of His voice when I asked Him if He was sure.
• The fact that He has been preparing my heart for a trip like this since I was 14.

I am so ready. SO ready for the things that will be revealed to me and to my team on this trip. To experience Him in ways that I never knew were possible, to see the Holy Spirit take part in and of our lives, and to be stretched beyond maximum capacity and beaten down so that all I can do is call out to Him.

So, why missions and why this trip?

Because He called and no, it wasn't a fella'.

Matthew 24:14-And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.