Psalm 118:24 - This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Wow... TODAY is the day... the long, exciting, sad, amazing day I've been thinking and praying about for 10 months!!!
I went to bed around 1:45 a.m. this morning and slept LIKE A LOG! Thank you Lord! Woke up to the sound of my alarm (I think I was dreaming about puppy Jen at the moment...), at 7:30, just in time to visit a little with Josh and say good-bye (sniff, sniff), before he headed off to work. Another answered prayer: it wasn't an awful good-bye, and we got through with nary a tear! My bro is the best! I sure will miss him!
So... just about 9 more really difficult good-byes and I will be on the plane with my face "set" to Belgium!
From the words of a friend... who couldn't have put it better! "... Thankfully, security can't keep God in checked luggage or at home, so He'll be right there with you..."
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your prayers! Love ya'll!
~ MB
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Monday, July 9, 2007
PACKING!!
Packing has begun in full force! What fun! The picture on the bottom shows the packing preparation, and on the left, you can see my suitcases packed and ready to go! :-)
Seriously, I did get just about everything in my suitcases already, and am very happy to say I have PLENTY of extra space and about 22 lbs. to spare in each large suitcase! I guess that means plenty of room to bring a sibling along?! :-) (I wish!)
Have a GREAT Monday!
2 days... 50 hours... 3,000 minutes...
~ MB
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Answered Prayers
Just wanted to take a moment to thank and encourage you all in your prayers!!! God has been listening and much to my great joy, He has been carrying me through some difficult good-byes in an amazing way!
I dropped Jen, my CCI puppy off yesterday, and when I left she was so happy and relaxed that I couldn't feel horrible or cry about it! It's very erie without a dog or any signs of the dog (other than leashes and collars hanging on a rack by my door), but instead of feeling sad or upset, I'm actually even more excited as I realize that I'm closer than ever to embarking on this exciting trip!
Today was my last day at church until I return home, but instead of feeling very sad and gloomy, I have been filled with an unexplainable "joy of the Lord". The good-byes WERE hard, and I am going to miss everybody SO very much... but I feel, as Nehemiah said in Nehemiah 8:10, "This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
THANK YOU for your prayers, and hugs, and support, and encouragement, and words of wisdom... and the list goes on! THANK YOU!
Amour,
MB
I dropped Jen, my CCI puppy off yesterday, and when I left she was so happy and relaxed that I couldn't feel horrible or cry about it! It's very erie without a dog or any signs of the dog (other than leashes and collars hanging on a rack by my door), but instead of feeling sad or upset, I'm actually even more excited as I realize that I'm closer than ever to embarking on this exciting trip!
Today was my last day at church until I return home, but instead of feeling very sad and gloomy, I have been filled with an unexplainable "joy of the Lord". The good-byes WERE hard, and I am going to miss everybody SO very much... but I feel, as Nehemiah said in Nehemiah 8:10, "This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
THANK YOU for your prayers, and hugs, and support, and encouragement, and words of wisdom... and the list goes on! THANK YOU!
Amour,
MB
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
1 week... Tough Stuff
1 week...7 days...168 hours...10,080 minutes...
Philippians 3:13-14 - "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Right now is a very exciting time of preparation, anticipation, cleaning, packing, writing lists, re-writing lists, spending precious-short time with friends and family, obtaining new and used "essentials", and trying to cover the hundreds of things that need finished, planned out, organized, identified, and done before I leave on this great adventure!
It is also a very sad and difficult time for me. I love greetings and change and new things... I don't love long-term good-byes and separation from my dear friends and family. One by one I am doing things for the "last time" in a long while... some things will be the last forever, and that's hard. I completed my last day at CCI yesterday, and cried on my way home. How many people cry after their voluntary resignation from work?! I was also leaving Steed, the last CCI pup I raised, for what may be the last time. There is a possibility that he will be placed with somebody and graduate while I am away, in which case I may or may not hear or see him ever again. That's hard. I finish my last day at our vet's office tomorrow. I take Jen, my current CCI puppy, to the puppy raising friends who will have her for the final 6 weeks before she turns-in for advanced training. Although I know I will be seeing Jen again, it's still not easy to think that these are quite possibly her last days here at our house. What a fun 5 months it's been with her, and what a privilige to get to work with her! I will probably cry when I leave her on Saturday, even though I know she's in fabulous hands! And sheesh... if I cry that much from saying good bye to my doggies and co-workers, I hate the thought of saying good-bye to my friends and family! ...
But that's enough dwelling on the sad stuff. It doesn't do me a bit of good anyhow. If I focus on what's ahead... an exciting trip, (I love airports, flying, and traveling!), a new country (I love new things, new cultures, people, languages, etc.!), an amazing family to live with (I love the Petries!), and so much more that God has in store that I don't know about yet (I love God's little (and big) surprises!), then it makes it hard to stay sad for long. :-)
If you happen to think of me in the next week though, please pray...
--- that I will continue to be able to focus on what's ahead with excitement, anticipation, and joy
--- that I will not focus or be overcome by the sadness of saying good-byes and missing my family and friends
--- that I will be humbled and be able to fill the servant role I desire and am going to Belgium to be
--- that I will be able to accomplish all the things I would like to get done before I leave, use my remaining time here wisely, and not forget anything too vital in my packing! :-)
Thank You! Merci! Muchas Gracias! And my love to ya'll!
His,
MB
Philippians 3:13-14 - "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Right now is a very exciting time of preparation, anticipation, cleaning, packing, writing lists, re-writing lists, spending precious-short time with friends and family, obtaining new and used "essentials", and trying to cover the hundreds of things that need finished, planned out, organized, identified, and done before I leave on this great adventure!
It is also a very sad and difficult time for me. I love greetings and change and new things... I don't love long-term good-byes and separation from my dear friends and family. One by one I am doing things for the "last time" in a long while... some things will be the last forever, and that's hard. I completed my last day at CCI yesterday, and cried on my way home. How many people cry after their voluntary resignation from work?! I was also leaving Steed, the last CCI pup I raised, for what may be the last time. There is a possibility that he will be placed with somebody and graduate while I am away, in which case I may or may not hear or see him ever again. That's hard. I finish my last day at our vet's office tomorrow. I take Jen, my current CCI puppy, to the puppy raising friends who will have her for the final 6 weeks before she turns-in for advanced training. Although I know I will be seeing Jen again, it's still not easy to think that these are quite possibly her last days here at our house. What a fun 5 months it's been with her, and what a privilige to get to work with her! I will probably cry when I leave her on Saturday, even though I know she's in fabulous hands! And sheesh... if I cry that much from saying good bye to my doggies and co-workers, I hate the thought of saying good-bye to my friends and family! ...
But that's enough dwelling on the sad stuff. It doesn't do me a bit of good anyhow. If I focus on what's ahead... an exciting trip, (I love airports, flying, and traveling!), a new country (I love new things, new cultures, people, languages, etc.!), an amazing family to live with (I love the Petries!), and so much more that God has in store that I don't know about yet (I love God's little (and big) surprises!), then it makes it hard to stay sad for long. :-)
If you happen to think of me in the next week though, please pray...
--- that I will continue to be able to focus on what's ahead with excitement, anticipation, and joy
--- that I will not focus or be overcome by the sadness of saying good-byes and missing my family and friends
--- that I will be humbled and be able to fill the servant role I desire and am going to Belgium to be
--- that I will be able to accomplish all the things I would like to get done before I leave, use my remaining time here wisely, and not forget anything too vital in my packing! :-)
Thank You! Merci! Muchas Gracias! And my love to ya'll!
His,
MB
Thursday, June 21, 2007
3 Week Countdown...
In just 3 more weeks I will be on my way to Brussels, Belgium for an 89 day visit! As a member of the family I will be staying with said, "Your arrival has seemed "a long way off" when we have chatted about it. Now it is nearly here..." That's exactly it! It seems like just a few days ago that I was contemplating and praying about the whole idea, and now it's 3 weeks away from actually happening!
It's hard to believe I will be approximately 4,061 miles (as the crow flies anyhow!) from home for nearly 3 months. I sure am going to miss everybody and everything! I honestly try not to think about that part too much because that makes it hard. Nevertheless, I believe that had I not decided to go, I would end up in some way like Jonah. :-) The way the whole trip has come together and the ways God has been preparing and filling me with excitement for this trip has helped me trust that this is all in His hands and whatever and however everything happens, it will be okay and meant to be. The times I have begun to feel anxious or nervous about the whole thing, I've turned to the Bible and prayer and have received a "peace that transcends all understanding".
As my departure date approaches, if you think of me, please pray that I would continue to be excited and peace-filled about the whole thing and that all the planning and packing goes smoothly. It's quite a job! :-)
I'll conclude with a bit of interesting Belgium info...
*** Brussels, Belgium time is 6 hours ahead of our Eastern Standard Time. That means that though I will be arriving to Brussels, Belgium at 10:25 their time, it will be 4:25 a.m. my time. :-) Pretty cool how all that works!
*** The country of Belgium is bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxemburg, and France, with a short coastline on the North Sea.
*** Official Belgium Languages are French, Dutch, and German (and thankfully it sounds like a lot of people speak English as well. :-)
Love ya'll!
~ MB
It's hard to believe I will be approximately 4,061 miles (as the crow flies anyhow!) from home for nearly 3 months. I sure am going to miss everybody and everything! I honestly try not to think about that part too much because that makes it hard. Nevertheless, I believe that had I not decided to go, I would end up in some way like Jonah. :-) The way the whole trip has come together and the ways God has been preparing and filling me with excitement for this trip has helped me trust that this is all in His hands and whatever and however everything happens, it will be okay and meant to be. The times I have begun to feel anxious or nervous about the whole thing, I've turned to the Bible and prayer and have received a "peace that transcends all understanding".
As my departure date approaches, if you think of me, please pray that I would continue to be excited and peace-filled about the whole thing and that all the planning and packing goes smoothly. It's quite a job! :-)
I'll conclude with a bit of interesting Belgium info...
*** Brussels, Belgium time is 6 hours ahead of our Eastern Standard Time. That means that though I will be arriving to Brussels, Belgium at 10:25 their time, it will be 4:25 a.m. my time. :-) Pretty cool how all that works!
*** The country of Belgium is bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxemburg, and France, with a short coastline on the North Sea.
*** Official Belgium Languages are French, Dutch, and German (and thankfully it sounds like a lot of people speak English as well. :-)
Love ya'll!
~ MB
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Trois Mois Jusqu' à Belgique (3 months until Belgium!) - 4/14/07
Greetings Friends/Bonjour les Amis!
I apologize, but that will have to be the extent of my French usage in this e-mail. :-)
So how are you all?
I am doing well. I have eight weeks left before graduation and am beyond excited!!!! :-) I am only taking three classes this quarter, which also happen to be only three days a week. I LOVE it! With all that "free time", I have currently been working 20+ hours a week at CCI (the assistance dog training center), so I'm keeping very busy, as usual, even if it's not so much with school this time!
I hope to keep this e-mail semi-short (don't laugh! :-), but I am writing to share my excitement about the fact that I will be leaving for Belgium in just under 3 months! I know that sounds like a long time, but at the rate that time has been going lately, I think it will be here before I know it! God has been filling me with a great anticipation and excitement for this trip. To be honest, I am surprised by how I feel about it, because knowing the "normal" me, I would be much more scared, nervous, and worried about all the "newness" and challenges of this adventure. I guess this peace and excitement about the trip is just another confirmation that God has really called me to this and is carrying me through it. There are moments and days when I am afraid or worried about being so far, for so long, and without my close friends and family, but they are much fewer and farther between than I ever thought they would be, and the excitement and anticipation is far outweighing the fears! Please pray it remains that way as the departure date continues to near!
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend, and THANK YOU for being my friend(s)!
~ Mary Beth Kopechek
--- Colossians 1:9-14 ---
P.s. Please feel free to forward this on to anybody you think or know I may have missed or who might be interested!
I apologize, but that will have to be the extent of my French usage in this e-mail. :-)
So how are you all?
I am doing well. I have eight weeks left before graduation and am beyond excited!!!! :-) I am only taking three classes this quarter, which also happen to be only three days a week. I LOVE it! With all that "free time", I have currently been working 20+ hours a week at CCI (the assistance dog training center), so I'm keeping very busy, as usual, even if it's not so much with school this time!
I hope to keep this e-mail semi-short (don't laugh! :-), but I am writing to share my excitement about the fact that I will be leaving for Belgium in just under 3 months! I know that sounds like a long time, but at the rate that time has been going lately, I think it will be here before I know it! God has been filling me with a great anticipation and excitement for this trip. To be honest, I am surprised by how I feel about it, because knowing the "normal" me, I would be much more scared, nervous, and worried about all the "newness" and challenges of this adventure. I guess this peace and excitement about the trip is just another confirmation that God has really called me to this and is carrying me through it. There are moments and days when I am afraid or worried about being so far, for so long, and without my close friends and family, but they are much fewer and farther between than I ever thought they would be, and the excitement and anticipation is far outweighing the fears! Please pray it remains that way as the departure date continues to near!
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend, and THANK YOU for being my friend(s)!
~ Mary Beth Kopechek
--- Colossians 1:9-14 ---
P.s. Please feel free to forward this on to anybody you think or know I may have missed or who might be interested!
Friday, February 9, 2007
Answering Some Questions... - 2/9/07
Dad forwarded me the questions from your e-mail about Belgium so I could e-mail you personally to try to answer your questions. :-) I'll try to keep the e-mail brief... but I'm not very good at that!
I've known the family I'm going to for as long as I can remember. They are very good friends with the pastor of our church, so I've heard a lot about their family and met some of the family when they've visited our church or church events. I've never actually met the lady I will be helping, but really admire the members of the family I've met, and have heard wonderful things about and from her as well. I hear she's quite the mentor and spiritual leader as well, so I'm looking forward to getting to spend time with her and learn from her. We have also shared Christmas cards and letters with this family for as long as I can remember, so though I wouldn't say I know them well (yet), they've been a part of our lives for quite some time.
As far as why I'm choosing this experience... I'd have to say I didn't really choose it! God did! During our annual Labor Day Camp back in September, the teacher talked a lot about surrendering our lives and plans over to God and giving Him control of our lives. This really spoke to me, and I spent a lot of time dealing with this and trying to let go of some things that I felt I was trying to hold from God and control myself. When I finally got to the point that I was letting some of those things go, God suddenly gave me this very strong desire and interest to go and help take care of our friend. It was almost as though when I gave him the things I was holding back, he took that "empty space" I had left and filled it with this "call". I had known about their situation for quite some time, but never felt "called" to go... until now. Since that experience, I have had many, many things help confirm this "calling", and also feel there are a lot of other beneficial things I will gain from the experience. Since I hope to someday work for CCI, the dog training organization that places dogs with people with disabilities, I think it will be an invaluable experience for me to spend three months living and helping take care of someone with a pretty serious disability. What better way to try to understand the world and challenges they face?! I also feel I am at an age and stage in my life where I need to take a big step and be "on my own" for a bit. I'm afraid to do it, because I've always been in the shelter and safety of my family and home, but I'm at an age where I think it should be done, and I feel that this situation, though terribly far away, is a safe place, and a place where I will receive a lot of spiritual guidance and encouragement as well. In addition to that, I realize that this may be a once in a life-time experience, because if I get a full-time job or get married someday, I will not have the freedom to do this. And finally, I feel like I've been constantly on the go and running around, really not taking time for a long period of rest, refocusing, and quietness for the past 4 or so years of my life, and this "forced" time of quietness, solitude, and being out of my comfort zone will be good for me... I think. At any rate, I'll certainly find out soon enough! :-)
I've known the family I'm going to for as long as I can remember. They are very good friends with the pastor of our church, so I've heard a lot about their family and met some of the family when they've visited our church or church events. I've never actually met the lady I will be helping, but really admire the members of the family I've met, and have heard wonderful things about and from her as well. I hear she's quite the mentor and spiritual leader as well, so I'm looking forward to getting to spend time with her and learn from her. We have also shared Christmas cards and letters with this family for as long as I can remember, so though I wouldn't say I know them well (yet), they've been a part of our lives for quite some time.
As far as why I'm choosing this experience... I'd have to say I didn't really choose it! God did! During our annual Labor Day Camp back in September, the teacher talked a lot about surrendering our lives and plans over to God and giving Him control of our lives. This really spoke to me, and I spent a lot of time dealing with this and trying to let go of some things that I felt I was trying to hold from God and control myself. When I finally got to the point that I was letting some of those things go, God suddenly gave me this very strong desire and interest to go and help take care of our friend. It was almost as though when I gave him the things I was holding back, he took that "empty space" I had left and filled it with this "call". I had known about their situation for quite some time, but never felt "called" to go... until now. Since that experience, I have had many, many things help confirm this "calling", and also feel there are a lot of other beneficial things I will gain from the experience. Since I hope to someday work for CCI, the dog training organization that places dogs with people with disabilities, I think it will be an invaluable experience for me to spend three months living and helping take care of someone with a pretty serious disability. What better way to try to understand the world and challenges they face?! I also feel I am at an age and stage in my life where I need to take a big step and be "on my own" for a bit. I'm afraid to do it, because I've always been in the shelter and safety of my family and home, but I'm at an age where I think it should be done, and I feel that this situation, though terribly far away, is a safe place, and a place where I will receive a lot of spiritual guidance and encouragement as well. In addition to that, I realize that this may be a once in a life-time experience, because if I get a full-time job or get married someday, I will not have the freedom to do this. And finally, I feel like I've been constantly on the go and running around, really not taking time for a long period of rest, refocusing, and quietness for the past 4 or so years of my life, and this "forced" time of quietness, solitude, and being out of my comfort zone will be good for me... I think. At any rate, I'll certainly find out soon enough! :-)
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