Quebec City

Bawa. Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

(in the Name of God most Merciful, most Compassionate)

it’s ridiculous that I worry about things, or try to take charge of things. because by the time I can stand back and look at what happened, I’m always amazed by how everything always turns out way more amazing and perfect then I could have ever even imagined. this month has been quite the spectacular one, and as I look back now, I believe this entire summer has been one of the most beautiful and awesome experiences I can recall. on that note, I love you. I really truly love you all, if you are reading this, and even some of you who are too busy to even read this. this has been an amazing summer of seeing and hanging out with some of the most delightful and beautiful people I know. I’m sure it’s a combination of knowing I won’t be seeing the regular Houghton people daily like I’m use to anymore, along with simply realizing the incredible value of God’s children. but every time I’ve been blessed to hang out with brothers and sisters this summer, old ones and ones just met, I’ve had the most blissful time, usually involving grinning so much my face hurts. you guys are great.

well, when I last wrote I was finishing up my final college summer courses on-line, and am now an official Houghton College graduate! with a BA in visual art, and a concentration in painting. (so, anyone need an artist with credentials? haha.) I was living with my amazing little brother Nicodemus in Connecticut, enjoying the hot sun, swimming, fires, and hanging out with old friends in that area. then my more recent adventures started:

God is amazing. in case you might’ve forgotten that, He is. one of the big reasons I was happy that my trip to Korea got postponed was so I could go to wonderful brother Shawn Livingston and his now wife Rachel Meekins’ wedding near Baltimore on August 8. but for those of you who don’t know, I don’t have my driver’s license and constantly have to hope on the kindness of others. (I also don’t have a cell phone. I know, I’m probably the only person I know. but I’ve gotten very bold in asking to borrow phones from perfect strangers. some call me a mooch, I just think it’s great conversation starters and learning humbleness and to rely totally on God’s amazing grace.) this was when I was getting worried I wouldn’t be able to make it to the wedding, but Shawn, in his incredible wisdom, informed me that obviously God wanted me there and that He’s work everything out amazingly. and for course He did. after catching a ride to the train station in New Haven I met up with wonderful Mike Biele, Mike Verriale, and Melissa Ingino in Long Island and the four of us drove down together. that weekend… was the most amazing, most blissful, simply a complete delight of the summer (although, it is so hard to say that for sure, because there were so many times like that this summer! it seems every experience was better than the last. it’s been a great summer, truly). there were so many old brothers and sisters to see, such joy in meeting new ones. some of the best times were at the beautiful Adam and Susanne Leach’s with simply being so incredibly joyful in the company of so many people I love. they are one of the sweetest couples I have ever met. many of us Houghton people stayed at Jon McKinley’s for the weekend (he’s so great. so’s his family).

after the wedding I very much wanted to get up to the Western New York area of the world and silly me, worried about it again and of course, God made my transportation even better then I could’ve imagined. beautiful Jesse and Jessica Stevenson not only offered me a ride up to Rochester but also a place to stay with them at Jesse’s parents’ house (Amanda Kronert came with us too, she was so lovely to have along). by the way, Jesse and Jessica are amazing, I love them so much, especially together. I stayed with them for a week as they packed up to move down to Hudson Falls (Jesse just got a music teaching job down there. and they’ll be living within minutes of Orion Harrison! how sweet is that?) Leah Gauthier, newly returned from her summer studies in Germany, decided to come visit me because she loves me (she’s such a lovely sister, we had some amazing times and talks together). there was even more wonderful times visiting beautiful people, including a trip to Houghton for part of the Woods Themselves tour! (plug for them: http://www.myspace.com/thewoodsthemselvesmusic)

last Friday (the 14^th) Jesse and Jessica moved out and Leah drove home and Sarah Thomas, a wonderful old housemate from Houghton, picked me up for her graduation party/camping trip on Seneca Lake. that was also an absolutely spectacular weekend. we did wine tasting at ‘Rasta Ranch’, swimming, meeting some purely lovely people, and the best part: creeking up to the most beautiful double waterfall and swimming holes I have ever seen were I met some amazingly beautiful dreadlocked hippies who gave me watermelon. seriously, I think this was the most beautiful place I have ever been; 7 story rock cliffs on either side with crisp cool water lit by the golden sunlight catching on brilliant green leaves high above our heads, I’ll bring you there some day, I promise.

that was Sunday morning and out last day of camping. camping with us that weekend were Alex and her boyfriend Brian who told me they were going to see the Weiss Family Band in Buffalo and offered me a ride with them. seriously, I could not have planned how perfect that worked out! the show was… indescribably amazing. we unexpectedly encountered a wonderful handful of old Houghton brothers and sisters and spent time dancing and singing and hugging and loving with a street band before the show started. the show itself was pure bliss and I even met new beautiful brothers and sisters there. aaron of course enlightened us with his wisdom (he sends his love to you all, by the way).

sad goodbyes were said at the end of the night and the next day I was dropped again at Jesse Stevenson’s parents’ empty house. since him and Jessica had moved and his parents were in Guatemala for the summer, I was completely alone for the rest of the week to house sit. it was a very lonely time, but so incredibly amazing and I wish I’d had more time to spend praying and meditating in our amazing LORD and Savior. He used that week I had away from all people, phones, internet, everything to truly speak with me and grow me in ways I didn’t even realize I needed growing in. He is so incredible. ‘what a beautiful God there must be.’

well, now I’m in the next section of my adventure: yesterday my parents picked me up from the Stevenson house (my house sitting ended that night as the owners were coming home) and tonight I sit on the floor of a very cold air conditioned hotel room in Quebec City, taking advantage of the free wireless. I decided, sort of on a whim, to join my parents as they move up to the Naskapi reservation in northern Canada, the place were I grew up. it takes 3 full days (8 to 12 hours a day) of traveling to reach my ‘home town’ of Schefferville, Quebec, population 2,000 (and the only people around for about 300 miles). it’s really out there, but I’m excited to go back for a while (I’ve been gone for about 6 years now). I have no idea really what I’ll be doing, but I’m sure God has some really fun adventures set up for me. by the way, I know it’s ridiculously up there, but if you’ve got two weeks free and want to experience something totally new and different, come visit! I promise you it’ll be absolutely amazing and I would of course love to see you!

lastly, as we make our way up to Schefferville we’ve also been searching for a new kitten! my parents decided to get me one for my 23^rd birthday (which is Wednesday). I’ll be taking name suggestions starting now.

as for Korea, I still am hoping on starting that job in November; my parents will be traveling back to CT at the beginning of November and I’ll be going with them, work at completing all my final visa paperwork, and then shipping off to Cheonan City to teach English as a second language! join me if you also can’t think of what to do with your college degree.

well, I miss you all quite terribly, and I sincerely pray you are all doing well. if you have any specific prayer requests please don’t hesitate to write me, even just to let me know how you’re doing. and I hope if you think of it you’ll pray for me, as I embark on these new adventures.

keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters; to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our LORD Yeshua, before all ages, now and forevermore. may His incredible peace and grace completely cover you brothers and sisters, and may we never forget to thank Him for His incredible blessings.

sister elizabeth