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dawnette
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Name: dawnette
Country: United States
State: Oregon
Metro: Portland
Birthday: 5/5/1967
Gender: Female
Interests: the outdoors, sunshine, the day and night sky, big trees, natural lighting, lakes and rivers, wild flowers, biking, kayaking, camping.
Someday i hope to own a home of my own, and when i do, i will have me a big ol' dog. I love mentoring. I'm privileged to work with college students & teenagers in a short-term mission organization (212 Degrees), and there are a handful of young women in the Portland area that allow me to walk alongside them as they travel through life and try to become more like Christ. I have a fabulous family - parents, two sisters, one brother and a brother-in-law.
And definitely, DEFINITELY I am recklessly in love with my two nieces.
Expertise: master ragamuffin
Occupation: missionary
Industry: nonprofit
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
MSN: dawnette_s@hotmail.com
Member Since:
4/15/2005
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| shutting down
just a note to let you know i'll be shutting down my xanga soon. I just don't use it any more. if you wanna stay in touch somehow, feel free to email me and i'll make sure that happens. no real date for when this'll go down. just givin' y'all the heads-up that it'll happen.
happy spring - dawnette
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| I haven't been good about getting back here to xanga lately. Sorry about that.
For those of you who've asked, my personal retreat was really so much what I needed. It was rest and peace and beauty and Christ and community as well as solitude. The place I went to (ARC) provided a wonderful Hermitage cabin in a wooded setting. I was able to take my meals in the cabin OR choose to dine in the lodge with other community members. I opted to take breakfast and lunch in the Hermitage (which meant I'd go to the lodge and pick those meals up in a quaint basket and take them back to the Hermitage) and join the community members in the Lodge for supper. It was perfect for me - a wonderful combination of solitude and community.
I trekked through the snow most of the days I was there. Each trek opened my eyes to such deep beauty. The final day I actually just stood and wept, so overtaken by the beauty that lay before me in wood and sky and birds and ice-covered stream. Breathtaking.
I talked with God a lot. I learned I am in a season where I need to talk out loud with Him. I tend to think to Him a lot. But I need a change. My connection with Him is more intimate right now if I'll just talk aloud to Him. So that's how we converse these days.
I also read a lot. I'm in a season where trust is a pretty significant issue. Wouldn't you know it, I stopped at a bookstore just before leaving town and "stumbled upon" a book that I was compelled to buy...and of course that's the one He's using most deeply in me right now. It is all about trust. (of course it is) I know He wants to see a shift in this area for me. I do too.
I also sang a lot while I was away. And I came home to a renewed attachment to music. I've been pretty ambivilent about music the past couple of years. Now it seems I can't get enough of it, and it can't be loud enough for me. I'm sure there's a reason for it - but for now I'm just enjoying this reality.
It was a great time away.
I made one mistake though. I stopped at a coffee shop on the way back into town to check my email. Now, for work reasons it was really wise that I did this. But for stress reasons, it was a totally dumb move on my part. Note to self: when coming off an entirely relaxing series of days, give yourself some time to readjust to life as you know it before jumping back into technofury. Cut yourself some slack in that arena.
I was home a few days before I got in my car accident. yep, I totaled the Forester. What a bummer. I'm in the midst of working things out with the insurance company now (BTW: getting in a car accident = another FABULOUS way to end a time of relaxation). For the record, Progressive has been pretty doggone great with me. yeah, it's still stressful, but really, they've been wonderful. No verdict yet on the final outcome, and for now I'm set on being a commuter for a while. I like to think of it as getting in touch with my inner environmentalist.
I think that's all for now. At some point I'll develop the pics I took during my retreat, and if any are post-worthy I'll get 'em up here.
I hope you are doing well. I'd love to hear from you, if you've time.
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| A big THANK YOU to all of you who stopped in to say hello at the booth this weekend!
Mission Connexion NW may very well be my favorite conference of all mission conferences. It's a grassroots effort amongst the churches of the greater Portland area, and they do a PHENOMENAL job at it!
Having served on the steering committee for about 18 months, I know firsthand the heart of these folks who are putting it all together. No one gets a salary - it's 100% volunteer - and all this on top of full-time jobs.
fabulous.
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| true confessions...
I snagged these pictures (w/permission!) from my friend Liz's blog. (thanks, liz!)
I booked a personal silent retreat for myself for the end of this month. Four glorious days, three wonderful nights, at The Hermitage - part of an ecumenical retreat center here in MN.
I can't wait.
jesus, prepare my heart.
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