Urban Missions

Okay today I've done something I have never ever ever in my entire life done before ever:
I gave my toes a french manicure.
well, an amateur version anyway.
Yeah, I painted my toe-nails, and then painted the white line across the top. Whoop-dee-doo.
You have to understand, doing girly things like painting my nails and spending hours on my make-up or hair has never been a concern for me. I just started using hair-spray correctly and on a regular basis last semester.
So I'm not sure what exactly overcame me that I was suddenly seized with the wild impulse to make my feet pleasing to the eye. I've been wearing flip-flops around campus, which might be part of it, but I have never cared what my feet looked like. Hey I guess this 'wild' impulse is far better than, I don't know, having something pierced or tattooed... something drastic that just won't look right when I'm 80.
I don't know, whadaya think... would a nose piercing look styling on an 80 year old in 57 years?

In other news, have been doing some reflecting on my recent trip to the Chicago area. We were able to bum around the area near Gino's East (Pizza place) for about an hour and my friend/team mate Nichole and I ended up strolling along the shores of Lake Michigan for a while before heading into the restaurant where any surface area outside the bathrooms can be graffiti/written on.
I usually don't like cities in the United States with a passion. I don't mind them overseas at all, just not in the States. I really wasn't sure why until a friend pointed out that overseas there are people walking around quite a bit in cities, but in the States almost everyone drives, so you don't see people outside as much. Which after thinking about it and walking around Chicago seems to be right on.
It was a little strange doing a ministry project on a team again. I haven't done that since YLP in 2004. And it was kind of funny last week as we walked across busy intersections or through the mall when someone would walk up next to me and I thought it was one of my team mates. I mean, who else would be walking up next to me? So I'd turn to them to say something and realize I had never seen that person before and they were simply someone who happened to be going the same direction as I was.
But it struck me towards the evening as I watched the faces of some team mates who had never been in a huge city before, and were feeling perhaps a little overwhelmed, how confident I felt. Even though the buildings dozens of stories high that were towering over my head did every now and again make me feel slightly claustrophobic, for the most part I enjoyed our time in the city. It struck me because I have for the last few years assumed that I was called to a rural setting with minority groups, and have vehemently opposed any thought of working in a city. I wanted someplace lush, green, and rural. Thank you. But walking in Chicago made me wonder if I might want to do some work at some point inner city. Granted, it would hardly be as nice and clean as the tourist trap area of the Windy City. But it would be something to look into. Which really surprised me. But then hey, I painted my toe-nails this afternoon, so why am I shocked at being once again surprised by myself?
Anyway all that to say, between China still stalking me (Sunday School leader last Sunday had spent a few years in China, was teaching a lesson on Missions, and of course guess what part of the world came up. Learned about yet ANOTHER unreached people group in that oriental region) and my new found piqued interest in cities, I have no idea where I'm going to end up Missiologically.
It was also weird because I worked a lot with Eastern Europeans last week. It was totally right up my ally. I knew what to say, how to say it, didn't feel uncomfortable, felt right at home. And for some reason, the old sense of "yay! I'm with who I'm supposed to work with long-term and finding out things that will benefit me later!" wasn't there. My sister pointed out that I have sort of 'cracked the code' with Eastern Europeans so the old challenge isn't there anymore, which is maybe why my interest is more piqued when the Orient is mentioned rather than when something in Europe is mentioned (which, incidentally, when I was called to work with Gypsies in Eastern Europe, Romania kept popping up every time I turned around - totally out of my control, and now that I'm wondering about the 10-40 window, India and China keep popping up. I'd like to read into it, but trying to keep my thoughts still and my prayers active).
Yeah I'm definitely 'wired' for Europe - it's my ancestry and a lot of how I was raised helps me feel much more able to melt right into European culture (and all my Eastern European readers are thinking, "HA! If only you KNEW Rachel how culturally DUMB you still are!" Okay granted. I am still American, and I will be the first to admit that we're kind of dumb when it comes to international interactions. Do I get points for my disclaimer now? ;-D)
So I'm wondering, sometimes God does call us someplace where we just 'melt in.' And He did call me to a place that was very conducive to me learning and growing in ways that will always effect me in my faith and calling. But I am learning there are seasons, and while I still feel that I'll go back to visit Romania and my friends there and rejoice in the growth of their ministries, I don't know that I'll join them like I did before or like I thought I would long-term. I could be totally wrong though. I'm not sure what this new season is of my 'missions career' but I do have a sense that the season is changing, and I'm trying to hold it loosely and focus singly on the Lord and where He is leading. Not easy when there are a bazillion voices all screaming, "Go this way! Go that way!"
So... all that to say, still being stretched and serving Him blindly. Its adventuresome to be sure, but not always as informed as I'd like it to be. See the horrible thing about adventures is that they are wonderful to read about because you know - by what genre section you checked the book out of- how the end will be. But when you are actually LIVING it, you have no idea. And as a Christian, that is okay because we know God is sovereign. As a human though, and a rather type-A one at that, it compels me to... well, do crazy things like paint my toes. Yeah, I know. It's pretty lame. But you must also realize that I have a very healthy guilt-complex instilled in me as an oldest child of two homeschooling therapists. I know enough to be dangerous about anything else wacky that I would want to do. ;-) Tragic, I know. See I wish I wasn't terrified of heights because then I could go skydiving and would have something somewhat impressive to brag about in my "wild and crazy whim that I followed through on" department. ;-)
Alrighty, well, speaking of Eastern Europeans, my dear Romanian brother and his wife invited me over for dinner, and it is one minute past when I am supposed to meet them. Fortunately they are relationship rather than time-oriented people, yet nonetheless, I must go.

~Princess Ouch~