love is hard

It's not that I expected this to be easy...I did not expected to be loved in return or to even find it easy to love the boys that were waiting for us when we came to Pennsylvania.

But with the arrival of two boys that are brand new to the program, the hubbs and I see that there is hope for boys here to like us...the ones that were here before we came are just so jaded...and bitter...it's hard to even believe we can get any where good from here.

Alas, when I am at my breaking point, I am reminded of this song by a friend...Love is Hard...if love was easier, we would have world peace.  And if love is easy for you, you have either found a wonderful person who loves you back completely...or maybe you need to examine what you think love really is.

Thank you all for your prayers and love.  We are looking for God to take over and use us despite our limits.

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

Happy Birthday, Sissy

Today my sweet sister takes another step toward 30 {I knew you would appreciate that, Amy}

She is so wonderful and will be a Dr. of English soon...craziness...I have only begun to understand how much work she has really put in to reaching her goal of a doctorate...she is admired, for sure

My sister and I have the wonderful gift of a shared sense of humor and the ability to cry while laughing...and we both like cats more than the average person.

I look forward to the day when we live less than 4 hours away from each other and can be a part of each other's lives on a regular basis...siiiiiiggghhh

Sissy, I love you and I am very proud of you.  The woman you have become is strong, caring and unique.  Thank you for not really liking Lady Gaga.

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

{Psalm 13}

1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever? 

How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts 

and every day have sorrow in my heart? 

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. 

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," 

and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love; 
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing to the LORD, 

for he has been good to me.

{I bet most of you could pick out that line without me coloring it green and putting it in italics}

It has been very hard...just one of these feats would be hard by themselves...but two...

This weekend we had one of our boys run away...but I still got all of my homework for Monday AND Tuesday classes done...only the Divine could have been involved in that, for sure

So it's not a matter of wondering if we are in the wrong place...it's a matter of who we are putting our trust in...the hubbs and I have for sure been praying more together since we took on this house parenting job...but we sense a lack of scripture in our lives and a lack of quiet time...and scriptures ,like the one above, prove to us that we NEED this good, rich nutrient to survive from day to day.

I have always seen such beauty at the end of myself and knowing that God is working in spite of me.  The hubbs and I have come to end of ourselves in a short four weeks...so we are ready...GOD USE US PLEASE!  

But what we continue to see is a broken world that has shaped the hearts and souls of these boys in our home...and God's unfailing love is the only thing that can remodel.

Oh God, my God...why has though forsaken me?  Why would you bring us here, just to show us that we don't know anything about how to change the lives of these boys?

And He smiles down and says:

"Trust in my unfailing love, and your heart will rejoice in my salvation."

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.

Much love,

Emily Elizabeth

{challenge yourself every time you turn on your computer}

check out {Just Wallpaper}

This is my wallpaper...the challenge I gave myself after my Mission Year...and that God give us all in Micah 6:8

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

Grad School

why am I here?

to be a scholar?  umm no

to work in a Third World country for the rest of my life?  probably not

to just get a Master's Degree in something that sounded interesting ao I can get paid more one day?  nope

so why?

I am at Eastern University getting my Master's in International Development so I can know what my actions and my country's actions are doing to the rest of the world...and to know how I can help those that are doing good do more.

So, no Prof., I will not be getting an "A" on this paper...but I will be getting my mind blown by all this crazy information about development, leadership and theology...and I will be telling everyone I know about everything I learn {especially the hubbs}

So thanks Profs for being so awesome!

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

death is nothing at all

Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away to the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect.
Without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you.
For an interval.
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.

All is well.

-Henry Scott Holland


My dear roomie, Justina, gave me this poem as I struggle with death. Death and I really hadn't come in close quarters until I lost my aunt two years ago...I have been wanting to write about it...but I just haven't found the words...

Death comes into my lively world again with the news that a mentor of my youth will not defeat colon cancer that she has been fighting for a year and a half...and all the same feelings came back...its so final...so distancing...

until Stina gave me this poem

Thank you...and I am sure my mother thanks you as well as she reads this poem as well...I love you.

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

Half the Sky

One of the women in my cohort talked about this book during class discussion this week.  I went to the library that day to check it out...and it was gone...so it must have been as good as she said it was, right?

So I went home and ordered it from Amazon...got it in the mail yesterday...and I don't want to put it down.  How have I never heard of this book before...and it's not like I don't listen to NPR...I must have been jamming to Air 1 when they interviewed Kristof and WuDunn about their marvelous work!

Women are beautiful, I think everyone can agree to that.  Half the Sky unveils the horrors that women undergo around the world...even in America.  But unlike so much information that we get today, this book not only makes you aware of the pain and despair, it also makes you aware of the organizations that are helping women overcome their disparities.

This book has helped me to hone in my passion for women and children in the informal sector (sweatshops, brothels, etc.) in the world.  God has given me a vision...but that is for another post :)

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

Stuff Christians Like

I love people with a good sense of humor...like this guy...so if you are in the mood to poke a little at your Christian friends (which actually...these are some pretty good observations), check out

Stuff Christians Like:  The Blog

Which I think that it is interesting that we like so much anyway, we definitely are a consumeristic society...I know I am...but I'm working on it...I have to stop myself so many times from blogging about material things that "I love"...but it's a start

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

show some love

I just wanted to let all my readers know that I LOVE comments...so please, if you are reading and just want to say "hi" or ":)" I would love to know!  I'm making it easier for you to comment, as well...so try it out :)


Also, the hubbs and I have started a blog about our time in Philly...to follow this blog, just go to The Newin Weds.


Thank you all for your support and prayers...the hubbs and I have seen the fruits of your thoughfulness.


Much love,
Emily Elizabeth