well, we've gotten our first snow here in tulsa. i've lived here a little over 3 years now and i've noticed something here that i haven't seen in any other place i've been. that is, with snow inevitably comes extreme interstate sledding/snowboarding. this could very well happen in many other places, but like i said, i've only seen it here. basically people drive to the biggest hill/embankment they can find which usually is one created by the building of interstate highways. i guess this is understandable since oklahoma is so flat. so, as you are driving along, not only can you enjoy the beauty of the snow, you can also catch some great snowboarding action. driving to work this morning, i had to fight the "only in oklahoma" reflex in the back of my head. but you do what you gotta do, right?

i'm fighting to get all my christmas shopping done this year. usually i've gotten most of it done by now, but this year i am seriously behind. i just have no desire to fight all the crowds.

i'm also trying to get ready for my trip to jinotega, nicaragua. i'll be there from december 27 to january 1 with about 6 other people from church. we will be working with a ministry there and focusing on children, prison ministry, and medical missions. i'm very excited about it. i've never been to that part of the world and we've been helping with support for the ministry for a while. we'll be working with children and with their medical outreach there. one member of our team will be working with the prison ministry there.

the most recent book i've finished is an autobiography called Where White Men Fear to Tread by Russell Means. it has been a very challenging book for me in a lot of ways. i initially started reading it because i'm trying to get prepared for our high school mission trip this summer to the blackfeet indian reservation in browning, montana. as i read about means' experience as an american indian in the u.s., i really struggle with my country and some of the things we have done to these people. the way they have been treated just isn't right or just. i'm not sure what to do with that or what my response should be. i also struggle with means' bitterness towards white people and christians. since i am both of those, it is difficult for me to not take personally some of the blanket statements he makes about both groups. he is justified in a lot of his anger because he has personally been mistreated and witnessed injustices from christians and white people. i just don't like it when he lumps all of us together. i'm still trying to work out my feelings about this issue. i think the issue will only continue to challenge as i prepare more for this trip. peace.