So the time has come for me to head to Thailand. How crazy.
This is short and sweet- if you want to contact me you can text the number 504-298-9061. Please please dont text the 336 number.
I am not saying I will txt a lot, or often, but i you miss me, or need to tell me something you can send it there. And of course email works (mh.layne@gmail.com).
Thanks everyone for everything, I am so excited and I am looking forward to sharing it all with you
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
His law is love, his gospel is peace
I hope you all find yourselves with loved ones celebrating the time we remember the birth of our Redeemer with your own traditions.
This time of year has come to mean so much more to me as I continue to learn about the huge sacrifice that it was to willingly walk away from everything Jesus had as the Son of God in heaven. The comfort of paradise was his, the power of creating and sustaining the universe was his, the warmth and community of the trinity was his, and for me, he became a cold, tiny, crying baby born in an animal shed. Yes, dying for you and I was Christ’s greatest sacrifice but I just am reminded this holiday season what a huge sacrifice strapping on some sin-craving, pain-filled, limiting skin was for him.
Understanding the whole fully God/fully man thing is hard to handle sometimes, but fully God/fully baby? Even harder to wrap my head around, I mean is there anything more vulnerable than a newborn baby, who can't hold his head up? And is there anything less vulnerable than the all powerful King of Kings? That is so the opposite way that we are taught to think to live- we don't do anything to limit our own power. It makes me think about Mary too, what an amazing young woman she must have been to be chosen by God, not only to share DNA with Jesus, but to protect him and care for him when he was an vulnerable little baby who depended on her entirely for his physical needs.
So this holiday as we are rushing and stressing, remember this is the time we remember the ultimate Missionary going to his mission field. Sure that sounds a little corny, but its true, Christ relocated from every comfort and ultimate power, to earth, to suffer, to be mocked, disrespected and ultimately murdered and all because he loves us so much that he didn't want to live in eternity without us there with him. There isn't any gift, under any tree in this entire world that can beat that.
Hard to believe that there are only 8 days before I leave for Thailand! I am busy with getting ready, and spending the holidays with family and friends. Mom and LiAnna have planned a going away reception on the 27th, and if anyone would like to go contact me for more information, but I would love to see everyone and get a chance to say goodbye for a while! Financially I am doing pretty good got an update from WMF and right now I have $2,588. Still shooting for the $4000 before I go, and over all $7000 but I believe that it will come in and I am so thankful to amazing friends and family for all the support and prayers.
Be safe, and have a very merry Christmas!
This time of year has come to mean so much more to me as I continue to learn about the huge sacrifice that it was to willingly walk away from everything Jesus had as the Son of God in heaven. The comfort of paradise was his, the power of creating and sustaining the universe was his, the warmth and community of the trinity was his, and for me, he became a cold, tiny, crying baby born in an animal shed. Yes, dying for you and I was Christ’s greatest sacrifice but I just am reminded this holiday season what a huge sacrifice strapping on some sin-craving, pain-filled, limiting skin was for him.
Understanding the whole fully God/fully man thing is hard to handle sometimes, but fully God/fully baby? Even harder to wrap my head around, I mean is there anything more vulnerable than a newborn baby, who can't hold his head up? And is there anything less vulnerable than the all powerful King of Kings? That is so the opposite way that we are taught to think to live- we don't do anything to limit our own power. It makes me think about Mary too, what an amazing young woman she must have been to be chosen by God, not only to share DNA with Jesus, but to protect him and care for him when he was an vulnerable little baby who depended on her entirely for his physical needs.
So this holiday as we are rushing and stressing, remember this is the time we remember the ultimate Missionary going to his mission field. Sure that sounds a little corny, but its true, Christ relocated from every comfort and ultimate power, to earth, to suffer, to be mocked, disrespected and ultimately murdered and all because he loves us so much that he didn't want to live in eternity without us there with him. There isn't any gift, under any tree in this entire world that can beat that.
Hard to believe that there are only 8 days before I leave for Thailand! I am busy with getting ready, and spending the holidays with family and friends. Mom and LiAnna have planned a going away reception on the 27th, and if anyone would like to go contact me for more information, but I would love to see everyone and get a chance to say goodbye for a while! Financially I am doing pretty good got an update from WMF and right now I have $2,588. Still shooting for the $4000 before I go, and over all $7000 but I believe that it will come in and I am so thankful to amazing friends and family for all the support and prayers.
Be safe, and have a very merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
In all (F)actuality
So, I wanted to update the ol' blog here and give you all some stats on the situation as a whole.
Facts:
I covet your prayers. I am being reminded that I am going to a dangerous part of the world, and while I am not scared at this point, I am worried about being afraid, that doesn't even really make sense, but I don't want to be afraid, because I wasn't made with a spirit of fear, but one of power and love and smarts. I know I should be careful, and pay attention and be cautious, but I don't want to be overcome with that or let that be a focus at all. I want to be focused on God, and that means being compassionate, and loving and broken, not fearful and timid.
"Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter the places of pain, to share in the brokenness, fear, confusion and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human." -Henri Nouwen
Facts:
- While I haven't recieved an official financial update in a couple of weeks, I figure my fund raising to be around $2,150. Woo!
- When WMF went to purchase the ticket for me to leave on the 20th of December, there wasn't actually a ticket to Bangkok from Charlotte, NC on that date. So right now I am leaving on the 31st of December, which is nice since I will get to spend the Christmas holiday with my family and friends.
- This also means that I have a little more time for the fund raising, and as of now I have 30 days to raise atleast $1,850. So in reality that is 92.5 people to give $20, which seems doable to me (although, I don't know which of you counts as half-a person..I whole love you.)!
- When going to the Word Made Flesh website (http://www.wordmadeflesh.org/support/give/) to donate there (that way you are able to take advantage of tax deductions) on the donation form, it says "Designation I desire that this gift be used for:" that is where you put "Meredith Layne" (thats me!) or "support of Meredith Layne" or something along those lines. The other place is if you want the gift given in someones name or memory. Hope that clears up any confusion.
- I know my birthday and Christmas are fast approaching, and if you are considering getting me anything for either, I ask instead that you would please give towards my goal, that would mean so much to me!
I covet your prayers. I am being reminded that I am going to a dangerous part of the world, and while I am not scared at this point, I am worried about being afraid, that doesn't even really make sense, but I don't want to be afraid, because I wasn't made with a spirit of fear, but one of power and love and smarts. I know I should be careful, and pay attention and be cautious, but I don't want to be overcome with that or let that be a focus at all. I want to be focused on God, and that means being compassionate, and loving and broken, not fearful and timid.
"Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter the places of pain, to share in the brokenness, fear, confusion and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human." -Henri Nouwen
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