Week Three!

Hey, everyone! Hope you all are well! Hopefully I can write this post without falling asleep! I am very worn out today but it's a good worn out. My host mom and I took a 5 mile walk yesterday and another one today. The weather has been truly amazing! Though I have begun to play Christmas music today. I'm getting antsy for the first snowfall! Till then, I will enjoy the wonderful temperatures and beautiful fall leaves!
This week I think slowed down quite a lot since last week. Our teachings in class were all Old Testament study. Really just stirring the waters of such a vast ocean of information!
Also this week I continued reading a book called The Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster. Very much enjoyed it! This book expounded on twelve different yet equally important spiritual disciplines that every Christian should structure into their lives. These disciplines were grouped into three categories: Inward, outward, and corporate disciplines. This book was a fantastic read that challenged me to look deeper and earnestly seek on how to better my life by building up my relationship with God in deep ways.
I have been bonding well with my class. I've really been enjoying playing fuse ball. It's a class wide game playing phenomenon. We have had one tournament so far in which I believe our director, Erika won. We will be beginning a team tournament probably this week. Everyone loves it! Friday night (Halloween) my friend John had a bonfire at his house. I almost didn't go due to a headache and the fact I hate halloween and never want to leave my house on that night. haha. But I had gone out to dinner with my host parents (all the girls were gone, one to a friend's house and the other two to a church weekend retreat). I also had left my tablet at school which I need for the weekend (it's also my alarm clock) so that kind of forced me to go to the bonfire to get my tablet from a friend. Glad I went though. It was a good time of fellowship around a HUGE fire. Definitely not a fire for roasting marshmallows! Also, on Friday, I had, I think my new favorite drink from Caribou (coffee shop) it is called a Vanilla White Chocolate Mocha. Oh my goodness it was like drinking melted white chocolate. AMAZING! haha
This week has been great at home. I mean, besides being driven crazy by the family cat, Okin and his sneaky antics (This little guy got up on the counter and stole my piece of banana bread! Stole it right off my plate! Little brat haha).(Even as I type Okin was being bad and got up on the kitchen counter and began eating crumbs from dinner last night that was in a plate by the sink!! Bad kitty!) I've been able to help with dinners. Last night Scott (my host dad) had two old students from like 20 years ago that he coached in Swim, they reconnected and they came over for dinner last night. I was able to kinda lead the way with dinner. We made a spaghetti/goulash dish. Just noodles and sauce. But we added cans of tomatoes with herbs. Also added a bunch of chopped veggies including carrots, zucchini, yellow bell pepper and cauliflower! Also added garlic. It was so good and we have LOTS of leftovers which makes us all excited! It's kind of become my specialty dish (we have done it twice now). Melissa (host mom) and I make a great team. I enjoy to cook and she enjoys the cleaning (which we dislike the reverse so we work great doing what we enjoy!) I'm thankful for this way to serve my host family.
I'm connecting well with the youngest daughter, Danielle who is 11. We love to play games together. Our favorite so far (granted it's really the only thing we have played together) is called Spot It. It's a fun quick thinking card game!
Today we went to church and got home earlier than usual. Melissa and I went for that walk and came home. It's been a pretty chill day. The two older girls are still gone at the retreat but should be home soon. And Scott had to coach swim today in like St.Paul or something. So quiet day. I wrote my second paper for Kairos on the book, Celebration of Discipline. Though I still need to re read it. Which I hate doing. haha. I hate re reading my works. So I am blogging to take a break from that. But I'm glad it is written. It's due Wednesday. The next book on the list is Abba's Child by Brennan Manning and I also have a book study on Ruth due, both in a couple weeks. I'll most likely begin those tomorrow. 

 As always, THANK YOU for your support and your prayers! Some things to pray for :

- That my small group will continue to bond well (Chelsea and Casey)

- The rest of my finances will come in. God is SO good! I am down to only needing $1,330 left to raise! YAY!

-Gas money

- $ for personal expenses

-That I can begin to apply all that I have been learning, especially in spiritual disciplines. God has been teaching me so much and I honestly can't wait to really apply what I have read.

  Care packages make my heart happy :) My love language is gifts.

 And if you ever feel the desire to send anything to brighten my day, I will never say no to anything warm such as teas, coffees and hot chocolate!

Gum is another thing where it's pretty much never disappointing. (Watermelon and spicy gum are the exceptions that I will be sad over. haha)

And also, monetary gifts come in handy too! lol

If you'd like to donate to my trip fund or to my personal fund, here is a link and my address :)

https://www.egsnetwork.com/gift2/?giftid=3C14F4E1-28B3-4FC4-8A37-F3611508F638


245 Walker Avenue, N.
Wayzata, MN 55391

Love you all! Thank you so much!

Beka
बेका

I wanted to take a moment to remember a dear friend. Ms.Linda was a wonderful woman of God who supported and encouraged me in so many ways these last ten months. I have been extremely blessed by her kindness. Ms.Linda passed away and although I am deeply saddened that I will not get to see her again when I visit home, I am encouraged because I know that I will see her again in eternity some day.

Love you, Ms.Linda!