Maybe if my posts were to be shorter I would be inclined to blog more frequently. I, obviously, love to be verbose, and I assume that since I think I'm hilarious and hang on my every word, that everyone else will, too. Well, I guess it's time to face the music and realize that no, people don't think I'm as hilarious as I do, nor do they hang on to my every word. Here's to shorter (and hopefully more frequent!) blogs.

I told you a month or so ago about my advanced debate class on the eve of the first meeting. Well, it was everything I had hoped for an more. I have enjoyed every minute of each class and can see the development in thought and language in each of my students. We have covered topics ranging from "Does Christianity have the highest standard of ethics?" (depends on who you ask) to "Is faith just a big leap in the dark?" (yes, on a certain level) to "What will happen to those who have never heard the Gospel?" (jury's still out on that one...pretty sure it will be out until judgment day) to "Should Christians have to suffer?" (yes, was the consensus that day.)

One of my students in particular, let's call him Thomas, started studying with LST this year and was full of questions about faith and religion. He has had a confusing religious upbringing, and having just turned 18 is stepping out on his own to see where he fits. He never misses a class and usually sits in silence for a long time until I have to draw him out. Once he gets going, though, it's hard to get him to stop! It's been a blessing for me to see his wheels turning and him asking deep questions about how he can have faith in his life. Thomas shared with the LST teams who were here this month how much he enjoys the class, and how he has gotten many answers to his MANY questions through our discussions.

Please pray for these classes and the way that God will use them to water seeds that have already been planted and continue planting more!

(Ok..was that short enough?)

TWO YEARS

Although I'm guilty sometimes of trying to make a big deal out of something that's really a little deal, I don't know that this counts as one of those times. Today is my 2-year anniversary of that fateful day I arrived in Natal and my life, so to speak, changed forever. :)

More later...but until then, here is a collection of some of my favorite pictures from the past year in no particular order...

A fancy graduation party in September celebrating two of our friends' college graduations. It was fancyyyyyyy and the party started at midnight...

LST Costume party in October. A mummy, a flower, and Luigi. Poor Luigi was baptized a couple months later and to this day is still called "Luigi" more often than by his real name, Jefferson. Oh well...I think he likes it...

At the Continent of Great Cities conference in November, with my dear family friend Rachel McClure.

At my birthday dinner in May. The least-ugly candid photo I have ever taken. Clearly I do not have a future in candid photos...

My sister and brother in law visiting Natal in November...one of the highlights of 2008 for me.

At the Festa Junina party in June. Fishing for a paper cup with a number on it so that I could answer a corresponding Bible question and maybe win a tiny piece of chocolate. :)

At the top of the water slide with the ladies from Comunidade de Cristo at the women's retreat in Joao Pessoa, Brazil.

At Sarah's birthday barbecue 2 days before my trip to the US in January

In Abilene, Texas in April at Joe's Italian with Whitney Mann Davis, one of my most favorite friends in the world.

Celebrating my birthday with a cheesecake a bit early before returning to Brazil in April .