Tolstoy's take on Europeans

A Frenchman is self-assured because he considers himself personally, in mind as well as body, irresistibly enchanting for men as well as women. An Englishman is self-assured on the grounds that he is a citizen of the best-organized state in the world, and therefore, as an Englishman, he always knows what he must do, and knows that everything he does as an Englishman is unquestionably good. An Italian is self-assured because he is excitable and easily forgets himself and others. A Russian is self-assured precisely because he does not know anything and does not want to know anything, because he does not believe it possible to know anything fully. A German is self-assured worst of all, and most firmly of all, and most disgustingly of all, because he imagines that he knows the truth, science, which he has invented himself, but which for him is the absolute truth.

- from War and Peace, Vol. III, Part One, Chapter X

equals seven kids

[carrie normal face]

[carrie decides to ruin a string of great pictures]

[the park again]

[not such a good one of us playing cards]

[favorite]

[makes for a huge family]

and 2 brothers

[as per mom's request]

[jesse]

[isaac]

[in the park]

[it's like a biblical wilderness overlooking a city]

[on the way home from the train station, after not seeing each other for a year]

[bob the builder christmas present!]

[waiting out a school play]

[upper balkaria...ever been there?]

[oh my goodness cute]

5 sisters

[i have a paper due in 14 hours]

[rachel]

[me]

[emily]

[dina]

[carrie]

[pyramid!]

[adyghei memorial]

[couch]

[the game of life]

[self-portraits are really hard!]

[christmas morning, older 2]

[christmas morning, youngest 4]

support letter

Dear Friends,

As I look towards the end of my senior year and seek God's direction for my future, an exciting opportunity has come up for me. Reformed University Fellowship, which I have been attending at the University of Oklahoma for the last four years, is taking a missions trip to Trujillo, Peru for spring break. We will be there from March 12 to 19. I am excited to join this trip and to see God at work in Peru.

Peru Mission has been working in Trujillo since 2002. The focus of their ministry is church planting, and there are currently three churches in the Trujillo area (Wichanzao, Arevalo, and Larco). Along with church planting, Peru Mission is also involved in children's ministry, micro-financing projects, medical ministry, university ministry, and English language teaching. They have a team of several families and a number of short-term interns, including my good friend and college roommate Amanda Willis.

Over the course of our stay in Trujillo, we will be helping with construction-type projects, spending time with university students and children of the church communities, and worshiping at one of the churches in Trujillo. We will also help with English conversation classes, getting to know the Peru Mission team, and learning more about the history and culture of Peru as we sightsee in Trujillo and the capital Lima, where we fly into.

I would like to ask for your prayers for me and our team as we make this trip. Please pray for our safety in travel and for us to be a blessing to Peru Mission, as well as being impacted by how God is at work in Trujillo. Pray for the Peru Mission team as they seek to spread the gospel and raise up church leaders. Pray that the gospel would go forward and the Lord would soften the hardened hearts of Peruvians and draw them to Himself. Also please prayerfully consider giving financially. The cost of my trip is $2000, which I need to raise by the time we leave. I do not make this trip alone, but as a member of God's kingdom. Please consider partnering with me.

All donations are tax deductible....etc.

We Wear the Mask

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, -

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be overwise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

- Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1897

I think I read that in high school.