OKAY, SOOoOOOoOOO. . . clockwork.  My spring/summer season is like clockwork.  Get out of spring semester at school (or not at school last year) and come home for 1 to 2 weeks before I go to Zambia.  Week one Im home, see friends and people i wont during the summer, go bowling?, go to at least 6 types of dr.'s apts, Week 2, INSANITY!!!- check email at least 30 times  a day, make NUMEROUS lists or RANDOM things, and think.  Not that I don't every minute of every other day of the year, overly so in fact, but I REALLY think.  I have noticed some interesting, almost indescrepent items I would like to share.  

1. Johnson and Johnson's "Baby Wash."    

  it is baby shampoo/soap you use to "wash" your baby, right before you put it in the cabinet next to the cereal bowls in the kitchen."  Honestly, thats the EXACT thing I thought upon taking a shower this morning.  It struck me as strange to call it "Baby Wash."  I suppose you call it "Body Wash" as well, but with the pro-nounish word "Baby" in front sounds a bit odd and literally "objective."  It would be like saying "Man Wash" or "Girl Wash."  Im waiting for the day when I walk into Wallgreens and they have "Kasey Wash" on the shelf.  Give it time friends, give it time.  

2. Nelson Mandela Beany-Baby  

I was, of course, making a list of things I'm going to get people from London/Africa today, and I remembered I can/will purchase a Nelson Mandela Beany-Baby in the JoBurg airport?  Emmm, I'm not quite sure HOW/WHO came up with capitalizing on a previously imprisoned president of South Africa via HIGHLY over-rated kids toy?  What a way to commemorate such an amazing anti-apartheid activist!! BEANY BABY!!  that way you can carry it practically anywhere, and distract children when their bored at church while spreading awareness!?  I could be wrong, but IM PRETTY SURE we don't carry Nixon Beany-Babies in our airports in the U.S.   Correct me if im wrong/or even relevant, but it just seemed, "strange"/amazing.  Tell me if there are any takers. . . 

3. Blue Crush  

Tonight, when I was coming home from BOWLING?, I said to myself and to courtney, "I really wish I would have brought Blue Crush (the movie) home from Jackson!  I REALLY want to see it tonight!"  After packing, I turn on the T.V. and LOW AND BEHOLD, Blue Crush, in my face. . . What are the odds?   i feel okay/better now that im watching it. . . 

4. Unnecessary CAPITALIZATION TO EMPHASIZE BOLD EMOTION

I've just been doing it alot for some reason, in case you havn't noticed from the previously stipulated numeraled paragraphs.  Bad or Good, undecided.  

5. God    

He is Good.  Got this new Bible right, from my pastor.  The mother actually got it while I was gone, and gave it to me to read.  It's very cool.  Called "The Voice"  its only New Testament at the moment, but I've enjoyed it.  It reads somewhat like a script?  sounds weird, but its not, trust me.  I really love how its written.  It's not divided into chapters, it's just like a narrative, which enables you to actually read it like a narrative.  Oswald Chambers told me to read John 17 today, so I did (Oswald says jump, I say how high? within reason tehe).  Jesus is talking to His Father about us.  inhabitants of the world.  Basically "appealing to [God] on their behalf" (p. 123).  He loves us.  So much.  He speaks on our behalf to His Father to keep us from evil, and to have mercy.  One of my favorite statements is 

"Immerse them in the truth, the truth Your voice speaks.  In the same way You sent Me into this world, I am sending them.  It is entirely for their benefit that i have set Myself apart so that they may be set apart by truth.  I am not asking solely for their benefit; this prayer is also for all the believers who will follow them and hear them speak.   Father, may they all be one as You are in Me and I am in You; may they be in Us, for by this unity the world will believe that You sent me." -John 17:17-21 

It was kinda a blessing to me alot today?  ha  hopefully it will be for yall as well! 

---nikokonda 

It's about that time again. . . I KNOW I would use this all last summer to help people know whats goin on while Im not in the U.S., and I KNOW I didnt do this attt all. . . sooooooo I am going to VOW to do so this summer.  I WILL do this. . . 

I'm pretty ready to be there already.  It's kind of cool coming back for a 3rd year.  2nd year has that element of surprise to your kids, like WOW you REALLY weren't lying when you said you were coming back kinda thing . . . but the 3rd year seems kinda foreign/cool.  I dont know, im super excited!   

They change so much in the span of a year.  I didnt recognize some of my boys last year.  They're going to be 10-12 this summer.  I CANT believe that actually.  .  . along with wonderment of watching them grow up, comes with some CRAZY responsibilities on my part. . . . partially at least.  I have to talk to my group about sex this summer, or at least my partner, Gift, does.  SOOOOo crazy to me that statistically, most of my boys could potentially already had sex by the age of 10.  wooowwww.  . . . . almost too sad for me to think about.  I'm praying alot about it.  please do so as well.  

I'm ready.  So ready.  

More calm and patient than last year about departure, but excited more than words can say.  

Inspired Beauty

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.  Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.  Now all who believed were together and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.  So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." 

Acts 2:42-47

How beautifully the first church lived.  They loved uncontrollably.  They gave unconditionally and unsparingly.  They lived completely.  Uninhibited.  Unashamed.  Exuding the Savior from every pore on their bodies.  With Joy.  Overabundance.  Overwhelming.  I'm overwhelmed.  

I want nothing more than to be this.  

I am in love! Can't stop, won't stop!  

Please pray for Gift Schinga.  He is my friend in Zambia and I haven't heard from him in a month.  

As well as for Philip Zimba.  He is 8 years old (allegedly, but im NOT convinced! ha) and needs prayer!  

nikokonda one and all

Apparently, there aint no party like an S-Club party? who knew.

Upon being enlightened by Justin "bringing sexy back," I decided right then and there that I was to also, on a yearly basis, bring something back.  My first thing for 2009 will be the parachute.  The kind that you get to use on special occasions in 2nd grade where your class gets to go outside and each person holds a handle and you make it fly up and down, and sometimes you put bean bags on it and make them fly up, and you can run under it (taking turns of course) and Yes. That is what my first long since forgotten "fad" or item i will reinstate back into society. The leisure/party parachute. Please contact me if you know how I might acquire one. 

You're welcome.  

All I want for Christmas is Christmas. . . really

Christmas. . . ohyes. . . Christmas

If I could write a song about Christmas (which I wouldn't, because I pretty much loath holiday music), It would be entitled, "Oh man, I almost just died via shopping cart driven by father 10 minutes before Target closes on Christmas Eve."  Lengthy, yes, but poignant, double yes.  People are a bag full of crazzzzayyy around Christmas.  A man was trampled last month in front of a department store the day after Thanksgiving because of STUFF!!  OH MY GOSH!  I can't yell it loud enough! OHHH MY GOSH WHAT IS WRONG WITH US!?! ha seriously, how crazy has our cultured transformed a once pure, glorifying holiday of thanks for God's provision, into a consumer driven whack-fest of material glory.  It is so dumb.  SO dumb.  I want to know how we got this far?  im done ranting, i guess.   

I also want to propose an idea to the world (or at least the people I'm friends with, present and future).  Let us give up texting so if I give it up, I will still get invited places and talked to?  please?  Let me know if anyone wants to jump aboard the Anti-Texting Train and take a ride?!  :)  love love love

Estoy en la biblioteca

so yes, I started school. I have some pretty amazingly interesting classes, which is cool, but I really really was not created for institutionalized learning. Like, for reals guys. I am soooooo grateful that my parents can send me to a great school, and I am taking every advantage I can to learn everything that I need to know to better "equip" me for whatevers after this, but ahhhhhh! I am going nuts! It is stifling my creative soul! ha I am whining now, but yah, now you know my current predicament.

As soon as I woke up in Zambia, I would put my iPod in as I was getting ready. I listened to the same playlist every morning. I listened to it this morning as I was getting ready to go to class, and I really hurt. Ha, I hurt to be back. I dream about it. Almost every night. My heart lives there now! ha

If anyone could pray for me to be "all here" like Jim Elliot says.

Yesu Ateke. . .

Lo Siento. . . .

ohhhhhkayyyy soooooo. . . I realize that this blog was created for the sole purpose of keeping friends, family, yada Mcyada, in the loop about happenings while I was in Zambia, buttttt, long story short, I didn't really EVER have my laptop anywhere with me, but with all excuses aside, I am taking on the rigorous task of dot dot dot, updating my blog. . . sooooo over the next few days, I will be posting everything I SHOULD have posted with the past dates attached so you can know what HAPPENED while I was in Zambia :) so sorry for the inconvenience!

for all the gals in 57, I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!!!
Super Randy. . . I LOVE AND MISS YOU TOO!