Chels in Progress

dinner dates a new plant family laughs new tires coconut soy candles cinnamon crunch bagels a little bit of rain friends who stick through thick and thin Frozen 90s music at work

Nearly two years have gone by.  I know there is a part of me that romanticizes the two-month journey the Lord took us on.  But mostly, in hindsight I am able to see God's grace more clearly.  I know it was hard.  I know that by week seven I was so ready to come home.  But part of me stayed in Asia. I sometimes wonder what your experience was like.  What do you think of when you look back on those months?  Do faces of the people we shared with ever come back to you?  Do you ever dream and pray that those who decided to follow Jesus would stay strong?  What do you think of me?  Do you ever think of that time, of our team, of our family overseas? So much has happened in two years. Maybe when people look at my life, it looks stagnant.  Maybe it looks like nothing much has changed.  My heart would tell you differently.  God has continued to refine me, to scoop out more junk, and bless me with simple, little gifts of Grace.  There have been times where I didn't want to purs

My dad once told me (half-jokingly) to be careful when praying for patience, because you get lessons in patience and opportunities to be stretched in that area.  So I tried to avoid praying for patience. But then I met a really patient person who made me want to pray for patience. So here I am, in the middle of many lessons in patience that the Lord has given me.  And for the first time, I'm not just excited for the destination, but I'm enjoying the journey.

Treated myself to taro milk tea + boba. New Brooks.  I can now run happy.  My knees are stoked. We changed a car battery.  By ourselves. Junior highers taught me that it is possible to do a three-way thumb war. I fell in love with chamomile flowers. We decorated The Full House for Valentine's Day. I tried a cronut, and couldn't figure out the hype. Drank green tea + read  Captivating in the Orange Circle. Daniel the Barista put smiley faces on our cups every week. I bought a ranunculus plant.  And accidentally killed it.  In the same week. God painted multiple pretty sunsets for us. Mom and I found cute flowers on our walks. It was sunny and 75. My coworkers left me tiny gifts on my car. And God did amazing things in my heart, in my friendships, in my church, and in my family. It was a good February.