Again, my competitive spirit rises up!¬† I love online surveys and I love a good contest…especially when writing is involved! So today, i’m entering a contest to “try” and win a new palm pre.¬† Never thought the questions would be so heart wrenching.

Question #3 says “describe one thing you are passionate about.”

I had to look back over my blog tags and my bookmarks to really dig deep to find one specific big huge passion.¬† There are so many variables in my “bookmark club” — music, song lyrics, photography, makeup, celebrity gossip, tech tags, social networking, church ministry, singing, worship, local eateries, entrepreneurship, news, foreign language, travel and so many more…

But I keep going back, to a secret place buried deep inside of my being, that beckons daily with memories like high-resolution photographs of a life-changing experience that dates back nearly ten years. Journeying on a one month missions endeavor to South Africa, working and ministering hope and encouragement to children and infants with AIDS, is a moment that will forever remain my deepest passion.  My heart beats for this cause Рholding hungry, hurting infants, hugging orphans that have no home, no family, no clean water, no opportunity to bathe, unloved and forgotten.

Most days I appease the ache by sending “just a dollar a day” to various organizations – hoping that will somehow make a difference. My heart still longs to loose myself completely though, in love for this hurting world. My arms still long to hold and my eyes still long to see the beautiful, smiling, African faces that are now stained forever in my memories.¬† So passion? Yes, maybe I do posses one singular passion, but it’s buried in the deepest realms of South Africa along with a portion of my heart…

Keith is in Belgium this week on a Missions trip with a Men’s MAPS team from Montgomery, and I’m in D.C. visiting David, Missy and Andrew.¬† This is the first time Keith and I have been away from each other for this long, eight days!¬† I miss him so much.¬† Today we had a ten minute chat on Facebook.¬† He does not have a phone while overseas and he did not take his laptop, so any communication we have is precious.

Even though I miss Keith so much, David and Missy have been taking me out on the town and Andrew has been entertaining me with new words, smiles and sweet kisses.¬† Tonight we went to Sette – a great spot serving the most delicious wood fired pizzas and enjoyed outside dining near Dupont Circle.¬† Then we strolled Andrew through the neighborhood and enjoyed the late afternoon air.¬† I really enjoy seeing this side of the city–versus the tourist face value side.

When I was in Paris, everyone went off to museums and gift shops, I rounded up the Eiffel Tower, breezed by the Louvre and found a nice Cafe’ with dining on the street, followed with Strawberry Truffels from a local Chocolatier then strolled down the streets of Paris, walking through Channel down the Champs Elysees…My favorite way to see the city, really experiencing it…like we did tonight.

Tonight we had a blast of a date night eating Sushi & then on to Starbucks.  I love watching my husband devour his favorite Japanese delicatessen.   He really loves the Sushi – I do too!  Orlando changed him into a cultural junkie!!  Maybe it was walking around the world at Epcot, staying at the luxurious Portfino Bay Hotel at Universal or sneaking into Hard Rock Hotel with mom and dad, just to eat ice cream or watch a late night movie by the pool and say we did it!  Those were really, wonderfully good times!

But, now we are on to new adventures and new discoveries, as we take Wetumpka and Montgomery by storm. Ha!  We have found several great local restaurants and nature spots that we have been embracing as our new home.  The scenery is becoming more familiar and the new friends are keeping us busy.

Keith was reading a book tonight that a friend handed to him six months ago, “Velvet Elvis” by Rob Bell, pastor at Mars Hill Church.  It has really shaken his world, and dare I say changing him.  Recently, as recent as in the past 48 – 72 hours, the Lord has been churning us like butta’ (with my NY accent) – but all for the better to fashion us into His best.

We do have a great commission and a great commandment…they are very clear, and from the Lord.  Our journey now is one of preparation and transition, a daily process that demands our full attention.  It seems the days we try to sneak past the discipline of our calling – those are the worst days ever.  But the days we actually quit running from what seems like too hefty of a giant to face, the moment we face it and discipline ourselves “under the anointing” and accept our calling, those are the mightiest days ever…the most rewarding…the days we dance and celebrate in the streets.  Spiritual victory is the greatest success we can ever experience.

Ah, the challenge of a good competition…give me some spoons, a
deck of cards, scrabble, a flag and a football, a tree to climb, a race
to run, a verbal debate to conquer or any friendly game to jump
into…and I am ALL in.  Especially when the challenge involves two
teams pitted against each other.  And yes, it can get brutal!! My
latest craze is a card game called “pit” – introduced to me last year
in Saraland.

The spectator sport is simply NOT for me…i truly DETEST watching
spectator sports, i get board and feel as if I’m wasting time, just
watching.  I’d rather be participating…doing something, producing
something…or maybe I should say “proving” something.

Whatever the case, when I think back over the sheer joy I have felt
beating out the proven competitor who has commited to an easy win over
me, I can remember several, almost embarassing, victory dances, with my
hands in the air, brutally “kicking butt” at some game of Cranium, or
some summer camp sport.   The sheer joy of claiming the title of the
big “V” for victory is how does Visa say, priceless.

One thing I have learned however, is that as great as it is to win
prized and receive trophies – it will never compare to the victory of
conquering spiritual giants!  The reward of lifting my hands in the
air, praising God for helping me conquer my flesh, fight my battles and
defeat my biggest enemies!  Watching the “Goliaths” fall in my
spiritual and personal life are big “V” victories, that have the
sweetest most enjoyable after parties.   These are the greatest
successes we will ever experience in this life.  So, I ask…why pursue
any other goal, why seek any other win or success?  We all get to win
with Jesus, every time.

Hebrews 12:1 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great
cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the
sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.