New Beginnings

I was trying to find a picture from when I moved to Waverly. This one (me in the middle of my sisters Steph and Beth) is dated from January 2001. I moved in February 2002, but this is as close as I'm able to get. It's amazing to think about how much has changed in seven years. How much I have changed.

I scarcely recognize myself. I'm not talking about physically, although I have definitely changed there. I'm talking about the steps I have taken in the journey to the woman God has called me to be. This seven years (almost one-quarter of my life!) has brought challenges I never anticipated, pain I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It has also brought deeper joy and greater love than I had ever experienced.

So in this time of transition from the ministry that brought me here to the unknown future that lies ahead of me, I reflect on God's goodness. I rejoice in God's grace and love. I am amazed at the joy that comes from knowing Him. Even though the next seven years will likely bring more change than I can comprehend today, I eagerly anticipate knowing Him more and seeing Him revealed in each moment of each day that lies ahead.

"If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread." Psalm 37:25-26 (NIV)

Matt's birthday surprise

I kept a birthday secret for Matt this year. I kept it for a VERY long time. It was probably close to two months, and I am not good at deception, so this was quite a challenge. He turned 30 on Sunday, so I thought this year should be special. I found this B&B, and I knew he would like the room. They also have a home theater in the basement. We were the only guests that evening, so we had the place to ourselves! It was great; the theater seats were insanely comfortable, and we watched "Trans-Siberian" (too scary for me; I don't necessarily recommend it unless you like being afraid for your life). We followed up with parts of "The Transporter" since it's difficult to end the evening on a super scary note.

On Saturday, I took him to House on the Rock. He loves that place. I tolerate it, so I knew that he would appreciate the gift of going there and me going with him. I brought a book that I happened to check out at the library on Friday. It was great; I am SO glad that I thought to grab it and throw it in the camera bag. I read the whole thing! (It's about 100 pages long.) I moved from light source to light source devouring my new book as Matt took pictures of, well, everything. From every possible angle. I resisted the impulse to hurry him along. This was his birthday gift; I was determined to let him enjoy it. And he did enjoy it very much.

On Sunday, the day of his birthday, we had some friends over for snacks and games and hanging out. Wow, did they bring some incredible food. We need to have friends over more often. Banana bars with cream cheese frosting, homemade guacamole, spinach/cheese dip, smokies wrapped in bacon, brownies with ice cream and hot fudge...are you hungry yet? It was a wonderful way to celebrate Matt's birthday.

He took the camera to work, so I'll try to get it back and post a few B&B pictures and maybe a House on the Rock one. :-) Whew - I am so glad the secret's out!

31 Years

You probably can't tell by the picture, but my office was decorated to the max for my 31st birthday. My husband planned a surprise an hour (sometimes more!), thus the large envelope with instructions on where to find my surprises. He did the most amazing job of making my birthday incredibly special. I have a couple more pics on the camera, but I'll have to get those out later. My birthday was great because...

• I made monkey bread for breakfast (and snacked on it all day).
• My sister sent me a very sweet card that I opened in the morning.
• Tina gave me an amazing, all-day long, present-an-hour gift, too! (Where did she find the time?)
• We ate at Panera with some amazing friends!
• Starbucks.
• Cookies.
• iTunes gift card from Matt!
• Pick-your-own gift card from Beth!
• Super sweet words from my loving husband.
• Birthday wishes from so many friends.
• Beautiful flowers from Mel!

It was a wonderful day. I am so grateful.

My New Toy

I'm a LOT of years behind the iPod craze. Yes, I have been pretty happy with my Dell DJ for quite a while. But this year I took a liking to the new iPod nano. Behold...my Christmas present.Yeah, it's hot pink. HOT pink. It rocks. So far I have listened to very little music and played a lot of games. I am really looking forward to listening to music and podcasts in the near future, though.

But seriously, it's been a fun Christmas and we have played lots of games and had tons of fun with family. My sister, brother-in-law, and new niece are coming to visit tomorrow, so we have some after-Christmas fun still to anticipate. Yeah!

Hannah's First Thanksgiving

Hannah was a busy girl while her mom was away! We're trying to be a good, positive influence on our new niece.

Happy first Thanksgiving, Hannah!

Welcome Hannah Grace

I'm an aunt! Hannah Grace was born at 1:35 this morning. She was only five pounds, nine ounces! What a tiny, sweet baby. Melanie and I are going to road trip it down there this weekend. It's 8 hours each way, and we only have Friday night and Saturday to do it. It's totally worth it, though!! I can't wait to meet her!

Song of Hope

The latest New Life Worship CD has been in my CD player nonstop. I bought the downloaded version, so I don't have access to lyrics and can't find them online. I typed these out because it's one of my favorites. (Warning: they may not be correct. There are few words that were hard to decipher. I gave it my best shot.) It has encouraged me so much as I have listened to it. Repeatedly. I hope the lyrics encourage you, too. Pick it up if you have a chance. It's totally worth it.

Greater

Find rest, my soul

Confess your freedom

Surrender all

Embrace your healing

I will cast my cares

You are always there

You are greater, greater than the fight

That rages for my life

I have found my rest is in

You are brighter, breaking through the night

Lighting up my sight

I have seen my rest is in You

Find hope, my soul

You know He’s with you

My Savior God

Still I will praise You

I will cast my cares

For You have always cared

You are greater, greater than the fight

That rages for my life

I have found my rest is in

You are brighter, breaking through the night

Lighting up my sight

I have seen my rest is in You

His yoke is easy

His burden is light

I have decided

I’m gonna fix my eyes

On the Perfecter

The Author of my faith, Jesus Christ

Boys and Their Toys

Here it is! It's very nice. I love it. I drove it yesterday! I can't wait to take everyone for a ride in it.

Who brings a computer on vacation?

I am usually pretty unplugged on vacation. I just figured I would rather upload some pictures to Facebook than sit mindlessly in front of the TV while my husband took a nap this afternoon. So I'm on the computer in the Rocky Mountains. Have I mentioned it's gorgeous here? We're staying in Estes Park tonight and spending the rest of our weekend with Mandy (Matt's sister) in Denver. We have had a great time so far. I am so sad that I can't be with Melanie tomorrow. Her brother Craig loved spending time in Colorado, so I am thinking about her and him as we view the gorgeous backdrop throughout the area. If I can't be with her to remember her brother, then it's fitting that I'm here to remember him.

So I'm blogging on vacation. But this is probably all you will see (or hear) of me. Hopefully I'll have some good pictures to post when we return. For now, you can check my Facebook for some new and older ones. :-)

Oh, and before I go, here's my current favorite Psalm:

Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israell, put your hope in the Lord, for wiht the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

Miss you all! We look forward to seeing you next week. And I love you lots, Mel.

Know & Tell Friday

I've never done this before, but a friend of mine does it pretty regularly, so I thought I would give it a shot today. Maybe you should, too!

1. My favorite bedtime attire is right now, shorts and a tank top. We don't have A/C in our bedroom, and there have been some hot nights!! (No, that's not what I mean, Jenni).

2. The perfect meal would include something Italian and super cheesy with a hearty side of Vinny's garlic bread and a big glass of Diet Pepsi.

3. The most memorable girl's night out I've ever had was when ...it's hard for me to pick the "most" because so many have been so great. One that stands out is when some of us went to Starbucks after the Women's Conference. It was spontaneous, which is not my nature. We had a fun time! That was in March 2008. I was 30-years-old (if I have to admit it).

4. My earliest memory is being in the basement of our first church for Sunday School. I have no idea how old I was.

5. The family is gone for the evening and I will spend my time reading, playing games on my phone, making whatever I want for dinner, and watching TV in the background. Maybe call someone I don't talk too much.

6. Right now I am blogging, of course! And drinking Diet Pepsi.

7. When I am done blogging, I am going to decide what to do next.

Happy Friday!

Go, Carl, Go!

You have heard that I love NASCAR. But do you know why?

I have been a fan for around 6 years. I definitely knew about it and watched races prior to that time, but I was very casual about it. When I moved to another city, I decided to start watching more regularly so I could have something to share with my dad (he has loved cars and racing for a very long time).

I began watching and cheering for his favorites because, well, that's all I knew. I hated the ones he hated, too. Oh, that Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. To mention such names is tantamount to swearing in his presence. So I got into it and realized how interesting the season as a whole could be. Like other sports, you compete all season for the big year-end "prize" - to be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion. (Used to be Nextel Cup, used to be Winston Cup...but that's another blog.)

Some of my favorites did better than others. I loved Matt Kenseth. He's from Wisconsin (Midwestern-born like me), drives a Ford, and I liked his humble personality. He won the championship in 2003. Two years in a row! I loved Kurt Busch when he drove a Ford (one of the key criteria in my home). He was brash and bold, but he was a great driver. He won the championship in 2004. I cried. (Stop laughing.)

So now we skip ahead to 2008. Kyle Busch is really showing his stuff. However, Carl Edwards is up to four wins (second to Kyle in this category). Carl is from Missouri (I lived there for 7 years). He has the best personality of any guy on the circuit. He is a tough competitor, but he's friendly, gives a great interview, and is respectful. I really like Carl. I met him in October 2004. He was just entering the scene, and I was able to get the above picture with him. Single girl, single guy - my head was spinning. Sure, I'm a pastor. And Carl...well, I knew that would likely never work out well. But a girl can dream, right?

I am amazed at how popular he is now. He has the best shot to win this year's championship of all the guys I root for (Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl, Jamie McMurray, David Ragan - they all drive for the same owner). And he won the race on Sunday! It was a great race with plenty of ups and downs. It's like a movie; you can't stop it in the middle or skip to the end lest you miss some great plot twist. It's tense; the protagonist may lose it all. And when he pulls off the win, it's that much sweeter. I didn't get to watch it until Monday, but I still screamed and yelled for him. There is nothing like your guy winning. I'm sure you agree, no matter what sport you follow.

Until Then

Scripture John 7:6-8 "Therefore Jesus told them, 'The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come.'"

Observation Jesus knew the importance of God's timing and allowing Him to prepare the way. His family was not aware of it, so they pressured Him to come out of anonymity. However, Jesus was confident in knowing that the Father would show Him when the right time arrived.

Application "The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing." How many times have I seen this proven true in my life? Even when waiting means prolonged pain, God's timing is still best. The current pain will eventually pass, but the perseverance gained and the closer walk with God will be worth it. I know because it has been true in the past. I believe it will be true in the future. Even those closest to me may not see the timing as God's, but I must continue to trust and believe. I will hold on because I want to see "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psalm 27:14).

Prayer Dear Father, You are my Strength and my Shield. The consequences of sin are at times devastating, especially when I didn't commit the sin. Yet I am reminded that I, too, am a sinner and am in need of Your grace daily. Please guide me with Your counsel and hold my hand today. I desperately need Your presence to comfort me and keep me safe through the storm. I may get wet, but please preserve my life so that I may tell the story of Your great goodness. Forgive me of my sins - for my bad attitude, my desire for revenge, and my ungodly thoughts. Wash me and purify my heart. Show me how to respond in a godly way. Transform my heart and mind as only You can.

Buddies

Awww! Aren't they adorable?
Irresistible, right?

Free to a good any home.

The Mother Lode

My sister is due with her first child (a daughter!) in a few months. We are having her first baby shower next weekend, so I have been looking for deals so I can get her MORE stuff! She hasn't bought a lot of clothes, which of course is one of the most fun baby shopping experiences. At least, it is for me. I found this adorable outfit at H&M:

It wasn't even on SALE. Hel-lo?!?! (Get it? Hello Kitty?) I don't know the last time I bought a clothing item at regular price. I just thought the Hello Kitty was too adorable, and I figured a hot pink sweater for a baby girl could be worn over many things in the winter. I hope so, because I think it's just precious.

Then my clearance shopping instinct kicked in and I purchased the following items for next summer:

That would be 2 pairs of shorts, 4 tank tops (all items were 98 cents each), two floral print dresses, one insanely cute smocked pink top with brown polka dots (her nursery colors will be pink and brown), and two peasant-style tops with stitching on the sleeves. Oh, and I didn't include them in the picture, but there is a set of onesies with Disney princesses dresses. One says "It's all about the..." and has a picture of a dress. SO cute! I am so glad she found out she is having a girl - it's so fun to shop when you know who you're shopping for!

Kiddies...er...Kitties

So we bought kitty #2 last weekend. Legato. He he...we get to use a musical term to name our kitty! Yeah! He's much, much calmer than Monkey. That's my kind of pet. Life is stressful enough that I don't need a spastic kitty to raise my stress level when I'm supposed to be relaxing at home. Am I right here? I'm counting down the days until they become "outdoor kittens."

I suspect he may have a kitty cold (which is apparently life-threatening at his age), so we have to keep them apart for a couple of weeks. They were so funny when they were able to play together a little bit. I have no idea how to get the video from a mini-DV tape onto my computer, but I would love to so you could see it. I was scared that Monkey would definitely hurt Legato, but the vet said it would be very unlikely that he could cause him real harm.

Ohhh-kkaaayyyyy....maybe you should watch them play before you make a judgment call like that. It's pretty rough in the land of Monkey. Until he gets neutered in a few weeks. Then he may not have quite so much energy.

I hope.

Quote on Prayer

"Prayer always has its effects in the spirit realm. The only thing you must remember is this: It won't be the one who reads about prayer who will move mountains, and it won't be the one who believes in prayer who will cast that mountain into the sea. It won't even be the one who aches to pray more often who will carry the day in battle. It'll go to the one who prays.

You need to pray, my friend."

-Fred Stoeker, The Healing Choice (p. 133)

Reader's MEME

I found this MEME on the blog of one of my favorite authors. I LOVE to read, and I thought it looked like fun. Feel free to use it on your blog if you like!

1. Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? I believe my parents read to me quite a bit. But I have always loved reading; I can't remember NOT loving it.

2. What are some books you read as a child? Nancy Drew mysteries, Hardy Boys mysteries, Box Car kids, The Baby-Sitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins...pretty much everything I could get my hands on!

3. What is your favorite genre? Probably Christian non-fiction. I read a ton of ministry, marriage, and other Christian living books. I love Christian fiction and fiction in general, too.

4. Do you have a favorite novel? I have a difficult time choosing favorites. To narrow it down, some of the top ones I can recall are The Covenant by Terry Blackstock, The Awakening by Angela Hunt,

5. Where do you usually read? At home, on the couch.

6. When do you usually read? In the evening, often before bed.

7. Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time? Oh yes. I have a number of books in progress. I buy more books than I can read at one time, so they keep piling up on the floor, the shelves, the nightstand...

8. Do you read non-fiction in a different way or place than you read fiction? I usually read fiction straight through, often in a few days. If I don't have the time, I will drag it out a little more. I read non-fiction more slowly to process the content and what it means to me personally.

9. Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library? I buy most of them. I like to have them to loan out and I like full bookshelves. I also highlight and mark up the books that really mean a lot to me. In addition, as a future author, this is a great quote from another author: "I buy them. Because if nobody buys books, authors starve. Sad but true."

10. Do you keep most of the books you buy? If not, what do you do with them? Yes, I keep them. I loan them out as well, but I like to have them for quick access. I often plan on re-reading most of the books I have.

11. If you have children, what are some of the favorite books you have shared with them? Were they some of the same ones you read as a child? N/A

12. What are you reading now? Hmmm...I have lots of things in progress. Matt and I are reading The First Five Years by Bill and Pam Farrel together. I am also reading The Sacred Influence by Gary Thomas, In Search of Eden by Linda Windsor, a re-read of Get Out of That Pit by Beth Moore, and a book recommended by a friend called The Healing Choice by Brenda Stoeker and Susan Allen. The intended audience is wives who have been betrayed, but I have found that it applies to a much broader spectrum as the woman who writes the first half dealt with her mother's battle with cancer. Many of the truths I have read are universally applicable to everyone who has taken an "unintended journey" in life (who hasn't?). It really has given me some great tools to draw closer to God. I'm only about a third of the way through it, but it is incredible in its ability to honestly address pain and how we deal with it.

13. Do you keep a TBR (To Be Read) list? I buy what I want to read. If I can't afford everything I am interested in (generally true), I save it in my Amazon.com cart so I can retrieve it the next time I'm ready to place an order.

14. What's next? I just ordered Every Woman's Battle, Believing God by Beth Moore, and I also have Authentic Faith by Gary Thomas that I really want to start and When Sinners Say I Do...don't remember the author.

15. What books would you like to reread? A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards. Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. Joy That Lasts by Gary Smalley. Visioneering by Andy Stanley.

16. Who are your favorite authors? Oh, I have so many. I will list just a few. For non-fiction, it would be Gary Thomas, Brenda Stoeker, Beth Moore, John Ortberg, and Andy Stanley. For fiction, Angela Hunt, Karen Kingsbury, Terry Blackstock, and Dee Henderson.

Missing You

When you live far from those you call family - parents, siblings, and extended family - you have to create your own family. Your friends become like family. Those you work with, minister with, and share life with are the family God has provided. I am grateful for each one I have come to know and love.

However, if you are a sister, you also know that there is no bond like a sister bond. We are linked forever by our blood and our heritage, our memories and our faces, our laughs and our shared experiences.

I have two sisters. They live 8 hours from me. One is pregnant, due near the end of October. I feel far removed from this incredible event in her life. I haven't seen her since the end of March, and I don't know when I will be able to meet her beautiful baby because of the distance between us. I talk to my sisters on the phone, but we don't get to "share life" as fully as when we lived in the same town. They still live in the same town, and sometimes I get jealous of the times they share. I am the oldest and not used to being the one left out of things.

Ministry is a different calling; if I had a choice, I would live much closer to them. But unless God allows it, I will make the best of what we have, the times we do share, and the friendship that was birthed decades ago in our cozy, childhood home.

(With Mom and Grandma)

Fading Away

Psalm 102:25-27 "In the beginning, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing, You will change them and they will be discarded. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end."

As beautiful as this earth is, it is not forever. As much as I love my clothes/books/shoes (fill in the blank), they are temporary and will all wear out or be discarded. My feelings seem so real that I can forget what is real: God. God alone. Only God is real and everlasting. Being centered on God will provide lasting satisfaction. Nothing else will fill my deepest longings. I have been reading and re-reading and reading again the Word of God. It is the real truth I need when the lies are masquerading as truth. So in lieu of my personal thoughts, I wanted to list some other verses I have loved lately. I hope they encourage you as only God's truth can.

Psalm 27:13-14 "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Psalm 73:23-26 "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 116:1-2 "I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live."

Psalm 91:9-12 "If you make the Most High your dwelling - even the Lord, who is my refuge - then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

2 Samuel 22:29-31 "You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light. With your help, I can advance against a troop; with my God, I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him."

Tagged

Before I write, I had to throw in a vacation picture. LOVE the Goldmoor.

Beefy tagged me, and I have not blogged much, so this seemed like an easy one. Hopefully.
Here are the rules: All of the answers must be just one word.

1. Where is your cell phone? Desk
2. Your significant other? Hysterical
3. Your hair? Long
4. Your mother? Smart
5. Your father? Fanatic
6. Your favorite thing? Home
7. Your dream last night? Unsure
8. Your favorite drink? Starbucks
9. Your dream/goal? Trust
10. The room you’re in? Alone

11. Your church? Friendly

12. Your fear? Misunderstood

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Mothering

14. Where were you last night? Home

15. What you’re not? Quiet

16. Muffins? Pastries

17. One of your wish list items? Purse

18. Where you grew up? Des Moines

19. The last thing you did? X-ray

20. What are you wearing? casual

21. Your TV? HGTV

22. Your pets? Kitty

23. Your computer? laptop

24. Your life? Eventful

25. Your mood? Tired

26. Missing someone? Sisters

27. Your car? Cluttered

28. Something you’re not wearing? glasses

29. Favorite store? Limited

30. Your summer? Fast

31. Like (love) someone? Completely

32. Your favorite color? Red

33. Last time you laughed? Yesterday

34. Last time you cried? Yesterday

35. Who will re post this? ??

I tag Mel...I haven't talked to her in a while, and I miss her.