Friday, April 29, 2011

365 RANDOM DAYS OF TEAM ZYBKO




DAY #40




APRIL 28TH 2011





BELIZE OR BUST





Jennie: (May 2010) Hey Victoria, I'm going on a short term mission trip to Haiti in August, think you can come?





Me: Oh yea sure, and maybe a monkey will shoot out of my....well..... nose.





This seemed to be the most ridiculous question I have ever been asked.





I'm not a Missionary.




Who would watch the kids?




We have no money for this.




Would I have to stop shaving my armpits and get a pair of Birkenstocks?




Couldn't even remember at the moment where Haiti was.




Why would anyone want to risk getting sick or a disease or something.




What on Earth do I have to offer some strangers who don't even speak my language.




ME: Jennie, have you been drinking?




Jennie: No, but I'm definitely going, I think it will be awesome. Just pray about, we have time.





Our conversation was still on my brain when I get home. Wash, dishes, checking on kids, picking up after kids, raiding the fridge for snacks. All of these duties have me walking past my HUGE wipey marker prayer board. Finally after ten or so trips past, I stop long enough to scribble Haiti in red on the bottom left corner. I'm hesitate to see it officially on "The Board" but it's too late. The freaky scent of the dry erase marker has already left the room.




Vanished from the air, straight to my heart.





I stop for a minute, homework folders could wait. I stop to pray. Not about the money or childcare but I pray that Baby Daddy wouldn't think I had been drinking all afternoon, when I eventually in a few days brought up the subject.





Well, as GOD would have it. He opened up ALL the doors.




Baby Daddy was caught off guard but OK with it.




The cost of my trip was paid, donated anonymously.




My sister and her crew offered, well agreed happily to watch the kids.
My passport arrives in the nick of time, just days before leaving.





At this point a NO BRAINER







Haiti or Bust





Let's roll





I've written a few posts about my first Mission trip. Haiti was actually the reason this blog was started. Way to much stuff laid heavy on my brain and heart upon returning. My $2.99 clearance journal never left my side, a constant companion. A faithful listener. I look at it now, sitting on top of the family printer as I type. My heart beats faster as I get a glimpse of the cheesy flower printed cover. Memories still so fresh. Only fifty or so scribbled on, worn out pages. This special notebook safely contains the words, emotions and experiences which have changed my life forever.




They were long sad weeks before I came out of my reverse culture shock funk. Where on earth did the happy-go-lucky Victoria go? I eventually did get my smile back but have yet to find the old me. Honestly, I'm not looking for her. If I had to take a guess she is probably walking around the Haiti airport. Eyes as wide as saucers, mouth on the ground. Oh man, we ain't in Kansas anymore.




Post Haiti me wants to be challenged. Not with easy stuff like laundry and car lines. Hard stuff. Challenges of the heart. Meaningful, life changing stuff.




Fast forward a few months. I find myself sitting in a Church meeting, a meeting about a Mission trip to Belize. A family trip. Whoa. Crazy pre Haiti thoughts fill my brain. Not even really sure why I went.




This trip is for the 'Hug a tree' type people




This trip would be too hard to work out.




This trip with kids? Too dangerous.




This trip also comes with tarantulas.
Nope, not for me.




Yeah sure I will pray about it BUT I already know the answer.
I mean, GOD knows the answer. He knows the next challenge in store for me.




He's got a game plan. He's got game.




The kids are excited about the idea. I leave the big fat hairy spider details out of it.




Nine year old Delaney is totally stoked. She asks me almost every morning.




So, Mom. What did GOD say? Are we going to Belize?
I smile and take a deep breathe. Well honey, that's not exactly how it works. I mumble a few in- concise sentences. She doesn't seem to notice I'm not exactly sure how it works either.




Pray, Listen, React.




Sounds easy enough.




Take charge, organized, almost sort of at times bossy Delaney gets a plan together.




Selling goodie bags at away soccer games.




Exchanging Birthday gift cards for cash.




Planning lemonade sales and writing a letter to mail to friends and family.








On a Mission before the Mission trip.




Hasn't complained once about the work involved.








Six year old team mate Drexel lends his special skills. Spitting and the interest of licking anything disgusting, including envelopes.


I wanna be realistic and straight up. I explain to the kids. We will mail, pray and wait. People will give if they can. Let's not be disappointed.
A few days later I hear a very exuberant chant.
God's doing it! God's doing it!
Delaney runs into the kitchen, waving a check above her head. A little out of breathe from sprinting all the way inside from the mailbox.
What? What? What? Doing what?





It's a $100 Mom! $100 dollars and a note, they are proud of me. They said they would never have enough guts to go on a Mission trip at nine years old.
Post Haiti me is much much mushier. I cry a lot more, at times I least expect it. Not stopping to wipe my soapy hands, or my tears I grab her and tell her.....


YES babes HE is doing it and I too am proud of you. Not really positive about everything I was doing at age nine. Let's see, I had an unattractive awkward bowl hair cut, bad handwriting and NO knowledge what so ever of a world that existed outside of my little 3rd grade bubble.


I think Delaney wants challenges too!
Gonna take her to the store tomorrow, to pick out a journal of her choice. To take with us to Belize. Maybe, just maybe a journal and a trip that will change her life.


A copy of Delaney's Letter


Hello Everyone!


Hi, my name is Delaney Grace Zybko. I am nine years old and I am in the third grade. I am hoping to go on my first Mission trip, to Belize. It's a small country in Central America.


I think it would be AWESOME to go because I want to help the kids learn more about the Bible, God and Jesus! Some of them have don't even know about God or His love. I have already earned $56 dollars and saved my Birthday money, all that is going toward my plane ticket. My goal is $700. Over Spring Break I plan on having lemonade stands and bake sales.


If you could help me get there by donating any amount I would be so so so GRATEFUL!




Matthew 28:18-20 THE GREAT COMMISSION




Love Your Friend:


Delaney


By the way, my Mommy is coming too!



























Tuesday, April 26, 2011

365 DAYS OF RANDOM TEAM ZYBKO




DAY #39




"Green Thumb? NOT!"




I love Spring time




The colors that pop against the perfect sky




I love flowers




I have no allergies




and




I also have




NO




knowledge of gardening




what so ever.....period





I wish I like to fiddle around the yard.




PLANTING, WEEDING, and PRUNING




Kinda like I wish I liked seafood.




To watch someone eat crabs legs, it's like an art, really. So passionate about getting that tiny bit of meat they can barely look up from their plate.




A special way to crack, dip, suck and toss!




RINSE, LATHER and REPEAT!




No thanks, too much trouble.




Can you please pass the basket of hush puppies and honey butter?
Refill of sweet tea? Oh yes ma'am, thank you.












As I drive to and from my daily travels I witness the same kinda ART with neighbors and their flower beds. Even when I blare my big ole van horn, they don't look up. It seems as if they can't even hear me shout "Hey" as I whirl by.




I don't take offense.




I understand they are submerged in a special invite only, green thumb world.




A world where I don't hold a ticket.







No worries here, I stick to house plants.




I walk into Lowe's and ask where I can find the easiest type of house plant.




I'm pretty sure in the gardening world 'easiest' is actually translated by




green 'thumbers'




as




HE WHO KNOWS NOTHING




I have one trick to keeping my house plants alive.











I MOVE THEM




GIVE THEM NEW SCENERY




DIFFERENT LIGHT




A NEW WAY TO LOOK AT THE WORLD AROUND THEM




A sure sign to this lady when it's time for a plant road trip is




brown, crackly, dead leaves




and




NO newness




NO difference in appearanceat all




I simply change the plants perspective




and VIOLA!




It grows new leaves




It comes alive








By now you have probably realized this post is not about my gardening skills or lack there of.




With our upcoming move hanging over my head I think about my $5 house plants.




If they can do it, so can I




Yep, I'm pretty simple these days




Change is good




Change is growth




BUT




Change is hard





I hear my thoughts out loud




I sound a tidy tad like a 3rd grader




BUT my friends are here.....




BUT I love this house......




BUT I know where all the shortcuts are in town.....




BUT everyone at Don Jose' knows my name




and




my special chicken 'kay-sa-dill-ah' order




I'm good here




I'm comfortable here




Oh my stars




I have become my dusty ole on sale Christmas Cactus




The one that never ever blooms during Christmas time




GOD has provided a job elsewhere




I need to get over it.




I need to change my perspective




Get out of my 'cozy' zone




SO




I can grow and bloom




Just at the right time.




































Wednesday, April 13, 2011

365 RANDOM DAYS OF TEAM ZYBKO

DAY #38

"ALMOST" WORDLESS WEDNESDAY


Just for the record I have not failed my blogging mission!

At least this is what I tell myself.

Always look for the small print, been told this all my life. Well I suppose this should apply to goals and challenges we create for ourselves, not just in cell phone contracts.


I TOLD MYSELF I WOULD BLOG 365 DAYS

Not in a row Victoria, not in a row. You never said in a row, for sure. I never heard you tell anyone it would be 365 consecutive days!

So here at I am on day #38 with fun pictures of what's going on with Team Zybko and not enough time to create a super, duper meaningful, inspiration post about them. Takes me WAY longer to complete a post I'm happy and content with then I ever thought. If I sign my name to it, I want it to be just right. PERFECT. I read, reread, spell check and spell check again.

I seriously have never considered myself a "perfectionist" I'm not. If you know me well you might be laughing. I'm much, much better at being imperfect. I can really survive in that kinda world. That's why it surprises me I fret about making each post PERFECT.

Well, enough talk and words on wordless Wednesday.....I'm off to the dentist where I really and truly can't talk for....hhhmmm 20 minutes. Going to have my gold crown put back on, I ate a Sugar Daddy on Friday....fill in the blanks of that story and the captions for pictures below.