true life: I'm addicted to owning things and approval

Okay, I'm totally not one of those missionaries who goes to another country and then returns to America only to rant and rave about all the wrong ways that Americans live.

However, since being back in America, I've noticed some very deep sin in my life that results from 1. adam and eve eating that dang fruit and 2. being born and bred in America.

I miss the way that things don't matter in Fiji. For example, it doesn't matter what you wear. The kind of car you drive doesn't matter (because hardly anyone has a car anyway), and the kind of job you have is totally negligible. I think, after living in Fiji for a year, I supernaturally began to adopt this mentality.

I discovered that because, now, after living back in America for two months, I find desires that creep into my heart that seem completely quenchable but in reality are totally, absolutely, exclusively insatiable. Desires that mask themselves as needs. For example, I think I need a new car. Apparently post-graduation is the time to buy a new car, because all my friends have new cars. I can't really talk on the phone when I'm driving because my car is so loud that it's hard to hear the person on the other end. I think that's really funny. But let's be honest: I have a car that gets me to places (well, mostly). I think for now I'll keep my ford focus.

I just started working at a coffee shop. When people ask me about my job situation, I tell them that I work at a coffee shop right now, but that it's a temporary thing until I can find a real job. Because I am a college graduate with a bachelor's degree. And it is ludicrous to think that I would work at a coffee shop making minimum wage. And I care about what people think about me.

Well, maybe I will work at a coffee shop forever. I don't know.
p.s. I'm also living with my parents.

I miss being in Fiji where it doesn't matter. Here's something that made my mind spin: Fijian girls don't struggle with body image issues. Okay, that's a huge generalization and not true for every single girl. But it's not an issue there. Weird, huh? There aren't socioeconomic strata that guide friend groups. Super weird. I miss not caring about my car, job, weight, bank account balance, relationship status. Because in light of eternity and the purpose of my life, they just don't matter. And I wish I could remember this more often.

Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

fiji meets america

Adonia and Nina have been working on their visas, raising support, and searching for warm clothes for months now. On December 20, Adonia flew into Columbus and spent some time at with me before heading down to Cincinnati for a couple days and then to Indianapolis Christmas Conferece.


I introduced her to Chick-Fil-A.

And buckeyes!







one time I found Adonia with earmuffs on in my bedroom... I think the cold was getting to her.







I couldn't decide my favorite Christmas gift: a visit with adonia all the way from Fiji... or the rugby ball she brought me!








"get a picture with me and the highway."

"umm, okay adonia."







INDYCC - a five-day Cru conference with students from schools all over Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. The theme of the conference was God is Greater Than. I was so excited for Adonia and Nina to get to attend a conference where I learned so much throughout college!





and that's where I met up with the one and only NINA TAMANI!

She got me totally lost one night, wandering around downtown indianapolis looking for where I parked my car.









the gang: adonia, nina, tuma, and Tuma's american host, brian!







Adonia, Nina, and Tuma are currently checking out Cali for a bit, before heading back to Fiji on January 11. I'm really excited to hear about the impact they have at USP this year and how god uses what they learned at the conference and during their time in America.