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Emo and Walking Awkwardly
Well, the girls retreat was a raving success, and I laughed harder than I have in quite a long time. Elise was extraordinary with the girls, as expected. It seemed that the Spirit was a busy-one over our weekend. I waved Elise off at the aeroporto as she is flying back to Portugal tonight. Now […]
Jenelle
June 14, 2007
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From an Old Kitchen Window
I’m not sure if you’ve ever felt caught in between worlds, but I do. I’ve been in the States since September, but my heart still walks on water back to our apartment in Portugal. (The photo above was taken from our old kitchen window, in between the yellow curtains.) Rachel was one of my roommates […]
Jenelle
May 15, 2007
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Ajuda Me
A few nights ago I dreamt that I was back at a cafe in Portugal, ordering pastries and coffee in the early evening. It was the first dream I’ve had in a long while where I was speaking Portuguese, not English. After ordering my milky galao, the sassy-pants barista demanded that I order an aperitif […]
Jenelle
May 15, 2007
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Grocery Listing
Greetings from defunct blogdom and from Pasadena*, California, home of the original Trader Joe’s**! I am mad about this grocery store. It’s fresh, organic, cheap, and witty. And they have free samples! I love free samples! And it’s not so monstrous a store that I need a map to find my way around. I miss […]
Jenelle
February 12, 2007
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Most Vivid Dreams – Part 1
I’ve been having the most extensive, vivid dreams. Last night my dream was replete with Europe, my murderous spirit, show-tunes, The Last Supper, and the Postal Service. (Enjoy the trip in to my psyche. Any interpretations welcome.) In my dream last night I was with some of my roommates from Portugal, a couple youth group […]
Jenelle
December 11, 2006
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One Thing
(I’m kicking myself a bit, because I meant to post this about a month ago. I think part of the reason I waited was because I wanted to have something uber-creative to say to introduce my Elise. But I don’t. I just really want you to listen to this new song of her’s. Because it’s […]
Jenelle
December 6, 2006
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Waking in London
I’ve just spent the last few days in London with the ladies of Young Life Europe. Worshipping God alongside of them was more than refreshing, it was awakening. It almost felt like I was playing the guitar for the first time. The best gift of the trip, though, was getting to spend these few days […]
Jenelle
December 4, 2006
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Sunsets Say Goodbye
Trevor Borden wrote this song as he was saying “goodbye” to Portugal. The last days of my time in Portugal happened to be the last days of the Borden’s, too. I’d come home awfully late to the Borden’s house and find Trev tinkering away on his guitar, outside in the garden. Eventhough it was past […]
Jenelle
October 11, 2006
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How to Rest in America – part 1
(This post has nothing to do with my cat, Gus. I just really miss him. He’s back in Portugal with a wonderful new family.) I had a teary-fight with God a few days ago. I know he’s asking me to spend time back here in the USA to Rest. But, I said, I don’t know […]
Jenelle
September 24, 2006
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Weeding through the Web
(We interrupt this eleven-day blog “hmmmm” on the Church in the End Times for a brief breath of garden air.) When I first arrived in Portugal with Jane, back in 2003, I stayed with the lovely Luxton family. The Luxtons have an outrageous garden. I couldn’t stop sitting in it. One day in that garden […]
Jenelle
September 24, 2006
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Jesus loves me, this I know.
Here I am, in Colorado, at Missions Training International, for a week of de-briefing my three and a half years in Portugal. I’m with about twenty other missionaries returning from countries like Ethiopia, Haiti, Russia, and the like. We’re all processing the emotions of leaving America to make a foreign culture a home, and then […]
Jenelle
August 31, 2006
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Leavin on a jet plane
During my last days in Portugal I stayed with my dear friends (they are family), the Bordens. The night before my flight I stayed up all night to try to get my body back on American time. (And because I was still sorting through all those piles of files from my apartment in Sao Joao.) […]
Jenelle
August 30, 2006