Your Love is Extravagant

I strongly encourage each of you to go to Mission Arlington. I could tell you all about it, but it means so much more and makes much more sense when you experience it for yourself. The Christmas store is absolutely amazing. We unloaded about 3 completely full truck loads of toys in the short amount of time we were there. Brand new toys, by the truck loads! I have never worked so hard in my life. We were so worn out and tired every night, but it was a good tired. MA is huge. They own many different buildings, but it amazed me at how incredibely organized everything was. The Christmas store helped give gifts to over 11,000 children. There were over 100 decisions made. Over 500 people came through the store that Saturday. It's amazing to see God at work each and every day. He runs Mission Arlington. We hope to make our MA trip yearly. Please, join us.

Christmas was a blessing as always. I love our traditions. I love that even though I am 21 and the youngest of the Mattox kids, we still wake up early to see what Santa left us. We found some old home videos and watched those one night. It was so nice to have us all together reliving the good old days.

This past Sunday, I, Claire Mattox, preached at my church. It was Youth Sunday, so the other kids just said the prayers that were written for them and read Scriptures. I was in charge of everything else. I spoke on missions; on how I got involved, missionaries aren't special people, we're all called, my time in Nevada (mostly about the refugees), and a challenge as to what is your part in missions. I didn't really think it was anything special, it's just what was on my heart. After the service, I was swarmed by everyone telling me how much they enjoyed it. I was doing fine until people started talking about my Grandaddy. How they could see him coming out in me when I was up at the pulpit, that he was definitely smiling down on me today, and how proud he would be. Quinn Mattox was one amazing man. I am so honored for people to think of him when they see me. My dad and aunt cried through the whole sermon. I later found out that Daddy told my other aunt in Florida that this was the best Christmas present he had ever gotten. I am so blessed to have parents that love me and are proud of me. Some people asked if I was for hire and if I was adopted. Haha!

I'm going with Auburn Baptist Church to Passion. We're leaving Saturday at 6 AM for Atlanta, Georgia. I am so excited. Passion is an amazing conference with about 20,000 other college students coming together to praise and worship our Father. I'm pretty pumped!

My dear Amy Simmons is back from Peru. It truly changed her life, and I loved hearing all her stories. It definitely makes me want to go overseas. Hopefully, that is in my future.
Will comes home Saturday. It's been so long since I've talked to him. I'm ready for him to be safe and sound in Pontotoc, MS.
Matthew Archer is also home from China. He is so much fun! And he brought me back a Chinese soldier statue! haha! We named him, but I surely can't type it....sorry.

Anywho, I hope you all had a marvelous Christmas and have a splendid New Year! See you in 2010! Love you!

So blessed

My first semester as a Mississippi State University student is finished. I took my last exam today. Thank the Lord for getting me through this semester. He certainly held and carried me a lot. I will definitely be depending on Him even more in semesters to come.
So, what are you doing for Christmas break? Well, I want to tell you my plans. A week from today, the 16th, a group of us will be leaving bright and early from Tupelo, loading up in a 15 passenger van, and driving roughly 10 hours to Arlington, Texas. We'll be staying there for 5 days working at Mission Arlington. I am beyond excited. I get the priviledge to go there, help with wrapping Christmas presents, spend time with children, and tell the glorious Christmas story. Christmas and children, what could be better?
After a marvelous, traditional Christmas, I'll be heading to Passion on January 2nd. I've been once before, but it was just a weekend one then. This year it's a full 4 days of non-stop worship. God shows up and shows out at Passion. I am uber excited to see what He is going to show me there. It's an amazing experience to be in the midst of nearly 20,000 other college students full out worshipping our Lord and Savior. It gives me chills just thinking about it. Stay tuned because I'm sure after MA and Passion, the next blog will be filled with lots of goodies! :)

Now can I tell you how blessed I am to have the friends that I have in my life?

I am SO proud of them for giving up the comforts of home especially during Christmas time and going to a foreign place. Amy Simmons, yes, dear, sweet Mamy, is leaving this Saturday with a group from her church headed to Peru. It's hard for me to picture little Amy backpacking through the jungle in Peru. However, I know that the Lord has placed it on her heart to go and she, without missing a beat, accepted and is following His command.
Will Simmons is leaving in 6 days for Asia (for safety reason, I cannot say his exact location). The information I just typed in parenthesis scares me. He stopped by my apartment the other day before he headed home to say goodbye. All I kept saying was "be careful, Will." I am so excited for what he's going to be doing there. He'll be gone for about 3 weeks, which is the longest he's been gone from home. I know the Lord is going to work in him and through him while he's there.
These Simmons twins are some of my best friends. It's going to be hard knowing that they aren't just up the road during break. It's going to be hard not being able to talk to them while they are away. I am already looking forward to the massive amounts of pictures and stories from each trip.
Also, my dear friend Joy Smith, whom I spent the summer with in Nevada left today for Uganda. Wow. She is one special girl and holds a place in my heart. She'll be there for about 2 weeks. She went through a lot to get to go on this trip and the devil tried his hardest to stop her. However, her faith in God prevailed and everything worked out and she's on a plane right now. Amen!
*Please be in prayer for these amazing people who are going to the different nations to spread the love of Christ.
Another thing, I am so blessed to have friends that I can call up and talk about scripture with. I have been trying to get better about reading my Bible. Not just reading to read, to get my numbers up, but reading to get something out of it. I'm blessed that I can call Ashley or Tara and talk to them about how I interpreted what I just read and get their opinions on it, too. That's just so awesome.

As you probably know, I spent last summer in Nevada (not "Nevahdah"). I have already applied for summer missions again for this summer. I am staying in the states again and my top 3 choices are 1. Orlando, Florida 2. Boston traveling team 3. Scarbourgh, Maine. The position in Florida really jumped off the page to me. I'd be on a team called Give the Kids the World. Familes with children who have terminal illnesses come to Orlando and stay at a resort. The family gets to enjoy a week of pure fun. They leave their worries of doctors, bills, and the future behind and just enjoy the attractions of Orlando. I would be able to work with and spend time with the families that came in each week. I wish I could explain just how much I would love to spend my summer there, doing that. However, I know that it is all in the Lord's hands. I mean, I didn't even know Nevada was an option last summer, and that's where He placed me. It was the best summer of my life. So I know that where ever He wants me to be is where He is going to put me. I'm excited to see where that might be.

Love y'all! Have a wonderful Christmas break!

Weekend

I wonder why I have this blog. I'm pretty sure no one reads it, except for Lauren every now and then. (Thanks Lauren). Hmm...oh well, I guess my life isn't that exciting for people to want to read about it.

I'm going to write about my weekend anyways. :)

• Friday - My wonderful friend Carlye Carpenter sat with me out in the Junction from 1 to about 4ish. We got to catch up on each other's lives and enjoy the beautiful day. Hutch came by right at 5 to help me actually put our tent up. So glad I have friends that will come and help me with things. That night, me and Andrea Rodgers went to the men's basketball game. It was really fun and we're looking forward to the next game. After that, we went to Pancake Fest. Now, I've been hearing all this stuff about Pancake Fest and how amazing it is and yada yada. Well, I'm here to testify that Pancake Fest is, in fact, AMAZING. It was so much fun. Three different kinds of pancakes, a stage outside with live music, tons of friends, a pancake eating contest, I mean, the works. Great job Sycamore Boys! I can't wait for the next one.
  
• Saturday - GAME DAY! Mamie Shannon from Philadelphia, MS came up to see me and come to the game. We spent the summer together in Nevada. It was great to see her and talk with her again. Will picked us up and we loaded everything out to the Junction to tailgate. This was definitely the best tailgate we've had this season. Again, that awesome girl, Carlye, made us some BBQ and it was marvelous. We had a great crowd of friends and had lots of fun hanging out and playing Ladder Golf. I'll be happy next year when Will doesn't have to leave to go do his Jumbo-tron business. So Mamie, Andrea, Reed Jones, and I sat in the Student Section for the Alabama game. It was a terrible game, but we had fun. After the game, we all met up back at the tent and hung out some more. Also, one of my best friends from back in the day came for the game, Kristen Mathews. She and I have been friends since 3rd grade, but she moved to Alabama in 7th grade. She and her boyfriend, Tim, came to Starkville. It was so so great to see them again and talk and catch up, which we did a lot of.
  
• Sunday - Mamie left me that morning, it was sad to see her leave. I tagged along with the Drawn Together Band to Mathiston to hear them perform. I got to take pictures of them and record them, too. I loved it. They had a banjo, a mandilan(?), a violin, an upright bass, a piano, and guitar. It was just like some good ole blue grass Christian hymns. I loved it and so did everyone else. That afternoon, me, Will, and Ashley Farris went to Aberdeen for the Christmas Open House. The Christmas atmosphere and being back home was great. I loved showing Will and Ashley my town. There's just something about a good ole Southern hometown where you can't walk into a store without knowing people. I am truly a Southern girl, and proud of it. That night, Ashley and I went to Calvary Baptist Church. After the message from Perry, we had plenty to talk about. I am so blessed to have a friend like that in my life when we can talk on a subject and have the same feelings and just be able to share anything with her.

So all in all, this was probably the best weekend I've had since being in Starkville.

Now, how about a few pictures from the weekend?

Me and Andrea at the basketball game.

Me and Matthew Witbeck, one of the Sycamore boys that hosted the Pancake Fest.

Some of us girls at the Pancake Fest.

Me and Mamie in the Junction!

The girls of the Big Green Tent.

Our traditional tailgating picture. :)

This is the infamous Kristen Mathews.

Me and Ashley being goofy at the Open House.

BTW, it's a big hassel to get pictures on this thing. Maybe there's an easier way to do it and I just don't know about it, but this has taken me FOREVER!

How are you?

"How are you?" Such a simple question. In most cases, the person asking doesn't really care about how the person really is. It's just small talk, really. However, when the person being asked the question has an answer other than "Oh, I'm good" or "Things are fine", this question almost stings. The person really wants to tell them what is really going on in their life. How their heart is breaking, how they feel so alone, and insignificant in the world, how terrified they are of the future. But we don't do that, do we? We tuck all that inside, smile and tell them what they want to hear: "Everything is going good."

So, in that case, "How are you, Claire?" Honestly, it's been rough for a while. I have given everything to God. All that I have going on is in His hands. However, I know that satan is at work. He can take all these things, even though I have turned them all in to God, and keep bringing them up in my mind. He does this with every little aspect and let's it build and build. I finally had to break down, turn down the music, and say aloud "Satan, in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, get OUT! Get out of my life and quit bringing me down. Stop taking away my joy and strength."

Now things did not instantly get better after that. However, God is helping me through everything. Throughout all of this I have had the attitude of "Okay God, what are you trying to teach me?" I have been keeping my eyes open for something from Him. I might not know what I'm supposed to learn until a later time. I am fine with that. God helped me through one of the major complications this week. And I praise Him. I've been praising Him through it all.

I was sure by now, God, that You would have reached down

and wiped our tears away

stepped in and saved the day.

But once again, I say amen

and it's still raining.

And as the thunder rolls,

I barely hear you whisper through the rain,

"I'm with you"

and as your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

and takes away.

I will praise you in this storm.

And I will lift my hands.

For You are who You are

no matter where I am

and every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand.

You've never left my side

and though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm.

I love Starkville

Yesterday was my first true tailgating experience. Emilee Taylor and I sat on the sidewalk Friday from 1 to 5 to set our tent up. We really like the spot we got and plan on getting it from here on out.
The tent (which we are still trying to name) was packed with food, friends, and games. We had lots of fun playing Ladder Golf.
The game, however, was a let down. State didn't play good at all. Oh well, nothing new.
I'm excited for the next game. I really like tailgating, especially when I have my own tent.

What has God been teaching you?
I'm seeing now more than ever that I can't lean on my earthly relationships. I see that they don't always last even when so much effort is put into them. I know that my Father is always there. He's always ready to listen, to teach, and to comfort. This week has been kind of rough. I've read the book Captivating a while back. It talks about how God romances us. I truly believe that. I mean, He knows everything about us, including what makes us happy and smile, even the little things. I'm a big fan of nature and skies. So this week God blessed us all with amazing weather. At the game, He placed a full, bright moon in the sky. Things like that and sunsets and butterflies just make me smile and thank God for putting them in my day.

Hmm....did I just mess up my blog??

....

UGH!!

I mean really? What's the point anymore?

I tried. I tried again. I fail more and more.

When will I get a break? When will this rain cloud that has been hovering over me leave?

Where is my time? my happiness?

I feel like that girl "Does anybody hear her" from Casting Crowns song. Well, do you? Do you hear me? Do you see me hurt? Do you even care? IS ANYBODY LISTENING?

Overwhelmed...

So I really don't know why I even have this blog. For one, I hardly ever update it, also, it seems as though no one reads it. Correction, no one reads it period.

Big girl school is in full swing. I love State. It's pretty overwhelming though.

So this summer was amazing and I wouldn't change it for the world, I am so glad I did it. However, one downfall of it is that since I'm not Baptist, I didn't get the "honorarium" check that everyone else got. Throughout the whole process I just kept telling myself, "God has it under control, Claire. Don't worry about it." And I didn't....until now. I still can't find a job, and everyone everywhere wants money for something from me. It's hard to stay above water. I just don't know what to do. I hate having to run to my parents every week needing money, which sadly, is what I have had to do every week. I just knew God would open a door for me in Starkville, but I haven't found it yet. Everyone says "Don't worry about it." I can't help but to worry about it.

I just feel lost right now. Everyone else seems to have it all together. Why am I such a mess? I miss the easy life of ICC. I miss being known and knowing people. I miss my teachers really caring about me. I miss the BSU and everyone that is still there.

I am trying to keep the bigger picture in mind. I'm trying to find God in all of this. I know this isn't the worse that could happen. And I'm sure if you are reading this you're just thinking I'm overreacting and maybe I am, but it's just how I'm feeling right now.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

I am so embarassed by how little I have written in this blog.

Well, to recap the summer...it was hard, intense, amazing, the best experience of my life. My 5 other teammates and now my brothers and sisters and I miss them dearly. We laughed, we cried, we argued, we worked things out. We got so close, it's not even funny. God taught me SO much in such a short amount of time. My eyes have been opened to many new things. Who knows what He has in store for me next summer.......to be continued I guess.

I've heard it from other missionaries that it was really hard to come home, but I didn't know for sure how it was going to be. For one it was hard to leave Nevada, but I was so excited to get home and see my family. The next few days after my return, all I wanted to do was be back in the desert. It's a strange feeling. I felt like I was so useless at home. And let me tell you, the devil was at work in me. I kept getting down on myself because of other people and would mope to others. I didn't like, still don't. But I'm keeping busy and as one friend tells me, "You're about to be lost in a sea of 18,000 new people. Be excited. You're going to make so many new friends it will be insane." So I'm keeping that in mind, and I get excited again, and also pretty scared!

As I write this, I am sitting in my room in my apartment. This has been so much fun. Moving in, decorating, and being "grown up". Classes start Monday, kinda nervous about that, but I'm sure all will go well.

Pahrump

So this week has been really busy! We had Boomerang Express VBS at one church from 9-12. Then we had Club VBS at another church from 1-3. Then we had youth VBS at the first church from 6-9. It was insane, but soooo much fun! We've learned new games and met so many new people.
Tonight, the third, we went to the park and watched the fireworks. Not real sure why Pahrump celebrates the 4th of July on the 3rd, but oh well...it was fun!
Next week all 6 of us are going to be staying in one house...the same house us girls have been in this week. The family is great. They cut up with us and everything. So, we'll be staying in Pahrump again, but working with a different church. Guess what we're doing? Boomerang Express...yay...:/ haha. I'm sure it'll be great. At night us 6 are splitting up and 3 of us are going back to the church to do youth and the other 3 will be going to a Spanish church. No, I'm not going to Spanish church. My Spanish consists of putting an "o" on the end of words. The door-o. Can I have a drink-o? See, not that good at it...
It's been a month since I've seen my house and my family. It's been hard at times, but for the most part, I'm doing fine. I can't wait to see everyone again in another month though. I have mixed emotions about our time. In one case it's like Dang, I've been out here for a whole month! But in another case, it's like Dang, it's only been a month. I want it to end, but then again, I don't. It's going to be hard to leave here and leave my team.
Happy Fourth of July! So thankful to be living in a country that I can freely and openly worship my God. So proud of all the men and women who risk their lives for my freedom. Praise God for them!
Love yall!!

God of this city

So we're back in Vegas. We are helping with Grace Baptist Church. This week we've mostly been doing work at their office. It's been fun though. It's just me and two other of my teammates, Joy and Mamie. Erika, Robert, and John are at a different church doing VBS. We're staying with the youth minister, his wife, and their 3 kids. They are so much fun. Tonight, they took us up to Sunrise Mountain. We got out and walked ontop of it a little bit. We got to see all of Vegas. It was purely amazing. He told us that 19 out of 20 people in Vegas are not saved. However, the Chris Tomlin song "God of this City" kept playing in my head. Even though more than 90% of the Vegas population does not know or believe in God, He still loves them.



"You're the God of this city. You're the King of these people. You're the Lord of this nation. You are."





Now for a few pictures....

This was our first day in Vegas. Just some of my teammates. Mamie, Joy, Robert.

Ahmeen. He is from Iraq. Ask him a question his answer was always "Yup."

Saroach. We played with the ball and paddle everyday!

These are some of the kids at the other apartment complex...

Ready for Boomerang Express VBS in Pioche!

We hiked up this mountain and sat around by the cross. We got to look out over all of Pioche and all the mountains. It was simply amazing.

Pioche

Well, we finished the VBS with the refugees. It was really hard to say goodbye to them. But I know that we planted the seeds that the association will help grow in them.
We got to Pioche, NV Thursday. Talk about a rural town. It took us at least 4 hours to get here from Vegas. It's only about 30 minutes from Utah though. I mean, this town makes Aberdeen look like Tupelo!
It's just us girls here and they've separated us. We're each staying with a different family. I'm staying with a couple that has 4 kids. The oldest one is in college, so she won't be there. Our house is in Caliente which is about 30 minutes from Pioche.
We start Monday doing VBS at Berean Baptist Church. I'm excited to get that started. Since Thursday we've really just been hanging out, doing a little sightseeing. We went to a big gorge Friday. Yesterday we decorated the church for VBS. Today we went to church and some of the ladies took me and Mamie to see some charcoal ovens. It's hard to explain, but they were huge! I have pictures I'll post later.
Well, we're about to eat supper. So I'll post again later. Love you!

VBS

I'm sitting at the office right now. We're getting ready for our first day of Club VBS with the refugees. I am so excited and so nervous. It's going to be hard to get everything so simplified for them. They can hardly speak English. But I know God has a plan for all of this. So if all they understand is to color this picture, then at least they'll have some of the Bible story to take to their house.
God has opened my eyes to new things here. We went to church on Saturday night. That was strange. And we had it in the high school gym. It was awesome. It's not like the "cookie-cutter" image of church we have back home. There were all different kinds of people coming together for one purpose and that is to praise our awesome God! We had church Sunday morning in a cafe.
My mom is having surgery today. It's really hard not being with her at this time. She's my best friend. I know everything will be ok, it's just that I want to be with her, ya know?
Ok, I'm off to teach some Butanese and Asian kids about Daniel in the Lion's Den! Hooray!
Love you all!

Viva Las Vegas

So this is my first blog...I'm not sure if I like it or not yet, I'll let you know. There probably won't be anyone to read this, but I guess I'll have it for myself...
Well, I am in Las Vegas Nevada right now. I never thought that I would be called to do summer missions, but here I am. I am so grateful for this opportunity God has given me. I got here Thursday, May 28th. So far there are 3 other girls with me and a guy. We're getting another guy in Sunday. It's been a lot of fun so far.
We went to Vietnamese church Sunday and ate lunch with them. We wore headphones and had a man translate the sermon for us. It was hard to watch the preacher preach and try to understand the translation. But seeing the Vietnamese people worship and being able to worship with them was great. They were so kind and so welcoming. It was definitely an expierence.
Monday was the start of the new refugee ministry. This is going to be a big thing here. And I am so blessed to have been here for the very beginning of it. Mr. Tom and Mrs. Cynthia (they work with the Nevada Baptist Association and we girls are staying at their house) along with some others, worked with the refugee adults. They teach them simple things, like how to use a stove or what to put in ziplock bags. Common knowlege for us, but things that they have never had to do or get used to. We, on the other hand, get to entertain their kids. Now, I have entertained a lot of kids in my day, but I've got to say, this has been the most fun I've had entertaining them, like ever. We can hardly pronounce their names, the youngest kids can't speak English, the older ones don't understand some of the things we say either. But the older kids help the younger ones when we ask them something. They get so excited with stickers and crayons and balloons it's not even funny! We go to two different apartment complexes and do the same thing with different people. By the time we finished with the first group, they were calling me "sister". I thought that was the most precious thing ever. Then when I thought about it, how true is that? We are all brothers and sisters in Christ no matter how different we are. It was amazing to say the least. We'll be doing this all week with the different kids. Next week we'll be with them again, but doing a VBS. I'm excited for that too.
So as you can see, Vegas is great. I love my team. They are all so special. We got to see some of the sights our first night. We're going souvenir shopping Saturday. Yay!
If you will please continue to pray for us this summer. It's hot and the days are so full and long we are exhausted by the time we get home. And even though these games we play with the kids are boring to us, they get such joy out of it. And that's all that matters. Pray for the refugees too. I never knew what all they had to go through to get here and then what all they have to continue to go through to stay here. It's heartbreaking.
So for my first post, this was a pretty long one. I hope to try to keep up with this throughout the summer.
Thanks for reading! I love you all!