April 2009 will mark 10 years since I took my first trip out of the country.
It was 1999.

My grandmother had been dealing with kidney problems for a number of years already and she felt like she was nearing the end of her life here on earth. She wanted to go home to spend time with family. She had expected that she woudn't make it back.

It just so happened that I still hadn't found a job after college graduation and I had "nothing" to do. So, in a whirlwind of activity, I applied for my first passport and fulfilled a dream of visiting the Philippines.

Well, I had to apply to renew my passport before my November trip and before applying for my visa to stay in Manila for over a year.

A brand new passport.

A book full of blank pages.

It's kind of exciting to flip through the book, feel the blank pages... and wonder what stamps and stickers might fill it over the next couple of years.

Hopefully in 10 years my passport book will be full when I renew it... and I'll have a better passport picture for the next one!

and I am so excited!!!!

Early in November I'll be headed to the Philippines to meet with folks who help to coordinate prayer and communications efforts for Bible translation organizations around the world.

I am really looking forward to hearing about the things God's doing around the world through these organizations, learning how to more effectively communicate about these exciting things to the Church and seeing where God leads us as a group.

I'm also excited because I'll get to see Manila again.

To be honest, there have been times over the last several months when I have felt less than excited at the thought of moving overseas. It's a hard thing to think about when a loved one at home is dealing with cancer.

But at the same time, God has been dealing with me.
He has been challenging my faith and trust in Him.
And, He is renewing my vision and excitement about being engaged in this work from Manila.

So, I'm looking forward to being there for that week. I'm praying that God would use this time to continue to build excitement and confirm again this direction I'm heading in.

And what are my long-term plans for moving to Manila??
As long as my mom's recovery continues to go well (which we are hopeful and prayerful for), I hope to move to Manila at the beginning of 2009. After my November trip I'll head home, pack up what's left to bring to Manila (hope to bring a lot with me on the first trip!), spend the holidays with my family and finish final preparations and make the move!!

I've been realizing that as much as I thought that the last couple of years and this whole process has been about getting me to Manila... it's not really. I'm realizing that in each stage in life it's not so much about getting closer to a specific place, as much as it is about getting closer to Him.

So, as I look forward to being in Manila... yes, I am excited about the place itself. But, I am even more excited about how my living there, the work that I'll be doing there, the challenges I'll face during that time, the lessons I'll learn... will be used by Him to show me more of Himself, show me more of myself and experience greater intimacy with my Lord.

I was reminded today that there are now 20 days left until Election Day.

As my sister and I were watching videos on YouTube this weekend I realized something...
I can't always tell Sarah Palin apart from Tina Fey's Sarah Palin.
Tina Fey REALLY looks and sounds like her!

However it turns out... it will likely be a big, exciting election day.
AND, I won't even be in the country!

I booked plane tickets last week.
I'll be in the Philippines for a short trip over election day.
AND, the day the next President is inaugurated, I will hopefully be starting to settle in to life in Manila.

It's a weird thing, thinking about days to come and realizing that I will be experiencing some big events "from a distance."