Having faith to trust and believe...

I have a hard time dealing with things.

I have nothing in my control and that is something I don't deal with easily... I mean, I do... gosh... its hard to explain. What I mean is it's not easy to just accept things will happen when you need them/want them/require their assistance to turn up/etc. Its really not. Its not easy to feel like you've been changed, grown, pulled down a new direction - a direction that you thought was not where you would end up going - and despite all odds, still have faith to believe that it will happen. Faith to be patient that perhaps if it doesn't happen now that it might be soon, or later, or not at all, but still maintaining that faith.


It's just so hard! SO hard!!!

But it is VERY exciting! What is going to happen? Where will this take me? How will I be grown through this? Will my family stay excited about it when I've been gone for a while?

Unemployment and PFT Training

Hey you funtastic people...

So this is a little update to let you know what I'm doing... or something.

I've been back home in Adelaide now officially for just over a week. That blows my mind to read that but its actually very true. One week yesterday. Life just seems to have stopped, that I'm still in July only with no job. But alas life has certainly continued - for all of us.

So we are here in November. This evening I spoke with the Elders of my church about my desire to go back to the MV Doulos. I kind of expected the response I got, which was totally and utterly behind me every step of the way, but its just nice to hear it from them. It was a full-on rush of blood to the brain... followed by a pause and then a distinct unwell feeling in my stomach.

How am I going to do this? How am i going to pay for this? How is this even possible and why am I not running away from this... at all?

This is probably all coming to head because I dont have something occupying my time during the day like a job would. And it also helps that before I can go back to the ship I have to go to Pre-Field Training - and that starts Monday. Thats right, Monday coming. No rest for the wicked - and Carola too it seems.


So - with the blessing of the Elders, I'm now here writing to you the latest in the dramatic saga that is my life just now. With some of the little money I have remaining I have paid for my flight to Melbourne for the 23rd of November, and I return to Adelaide on the 29th of November. The course, which covers a wide range of helpful and informative things like who OM is, raising support, presenting my vision, writing a prayer letter, giving a missions testimony, cross-cultural & team living and importantly - prayer, as well as participating in a Life Direction Workshop amongst other things... all this an more for the low low price of.... $... - well its plenty and I'm going to believe it will turn up before I need to leave on Sunday evening. Oh my goodness - what am I doing???

Humanly speaking I should be running away - screaming and heading for the hills. Yet, I'm still compelled to do this. I still believe this is where I'm meant to be going. I still believe this is the door that is opening and despite the circumstances and frail footings, I'm walking this path. God is bigger than absolutely EVERYTHING, so why shouldn't I believe He will come through? Sure, it might not be right now, but at somepoint, God's plan is going to work out - its just that I have faith to think it is now...


Please pray for me! This is bigger than me and I cannot possibly do it alone! I haven't been more excited and passionate and utterly scared of my choice in something like this before, and just thinking about it all scares me more! I am but a servant and I only want to do what my Master instructs - I just pray I'm listening correctly!

Please also pray for OM Australia - they have a problem on their hands - me! Okay, I'm not that big a problem but I certainly am giving their stress levels a good workout - mine too!

Well... here's to living by faith... it certainly keeps you on your toes...!!!

To hyphenate or to not hyphenate...

[is that really how we spell the word 'hyphenate'...?]

Hyphenating. Why am I talking about this? Oh only because Lewis Franklin Bradford Scott possibly has a Hyphenated name... its true...

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?

Okay, to the beginning. Hello, my name is Carola and I am officially an Aunty!!!! My very first nephew popped out into the world today, November 2, at 5:34pm South Australian time to his mummy, Rachel Scott and to his daddy, Troy Bradford.

Doctors 'forecasted' the birth date to be October 26, but I thought they were out by a week [according to my background in medical... sciencey... stuff], so I said that the little bun would be baked by November 2... seriously this is not even a joke. I am not even laughing - THATS how weird it is...

I think I'll be known as Aunty Car-Car but according to my Dutch and South African friends from the ship, car-car means, ahm.... *whispers*... poo.

SO - as long as no one spreads that arounds too far [oh, EW!], and because kids can't say my name anyway, [usually Koala comes out and I'm not THAT fuzzy!], Car-Car is kind of a 'cool' name for an Aunty - that is till it becomes uncool and they think of something better... yeah....

In Perth

Welcome to a series of micro-updates... updates to let you know what's happening but small enough I don't have to think about writing them... only because I'm using an internet connection which has limits - you know, monthly download usability limits. This has been a first for a long time!

So, sadly I was off the ship Tuesday 28th October at 3pm. Held the emotions together till everyone seemingly lost control of themselves, with people crying on the Quay-side [off the ship] and on the ship where does one look? And because my little brother sent me a text that morning telling me his *cough* girlfriend was in labour I think it helped keep the emotions under control by sheer excitement. So, emotions now flying everywhere, I was happy to shed a tear or twenty hundred and wave and yell out goodbyes to the ship. It was harder the further away the ship went but it was dealable. I still think the ship left me behind by accident...

Oh yeah, I'm here in Perth at the Bond residence [so mysterious] until Tomorrow night. My flight has changed to arrive in Adelaide @ 10:05pm. Tuesday morning I'll then drive over to the Eyre Peninsular to spend time with family...