My Favorite Things

A few of my favorite things these days....

My fall wreath!  (Thanks, Nancy, for the idea!)  I love it so much that I didn't want to put it on the outside of the front-door-that-we-don't-use.  So, it's hanging on the wall.



Battery-operated candles on a timer.  We are enjoying these things so much.  Every night as the sun goes down, magical candles automatically start flickering all over our house.  One night last week, I came home to an empty house about 9pm and was happily greeted by flickering "candles"!  Such a great investment - get some.

I had almost sworn-off tortillas.  Lets be honest, they sometimes stink like.....feet.  Oh, you don't think so?  Sorry I ruined that for you.  Well, these fellas changed my mind!  These delicious Whole-Foods tortillas make this recipe fantastic!

The Labelmaker!! .....also known as the organizer's dream machine.   This bad boy has been hard at work recently helping me organize my home.  Come over and I'll show you!

Do you have any favorite things that I should know about? 

Daily Resurrection

"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia.  We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.  Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."  2 Cor. 1:8-11

My soul absolutely fed on these words this morning.  There are endless ways to describe the Word of God, but today I would choose rich and.....so very real. 

Lets think about the author of these verses: Paul.  --Apostle.--Church-planter.--Endured hardships unimaginable.--At the top of the hero list.  But then verse eight stopped me in my tracks.  I read and re-read.  Paul despaired??? 

Paul is referring to some intense suffering he had incurred since last writing to the church in Corinth, likely persecution, illness, or injury.  In the next verse, we read that the suffering was so intense that Paul honestly felt like his life was soon to end.

The word used here (in the original Greek) for despair means "to utterly be at a loss."  If you're like me, however, then I don't need to explain the meaning.  Yes, I know this word well.  I know what it means to come to the end of myself, to feel like it is "far beyond [my] ability to endure."  But that is my weakness.  Paul felt the same?

Apparently so.  Paul was very real about his emotions, but equally as real about the Truth.  Read this commentary from The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible study notes:  (pg. 1872-3)

"God's purpose in our afflictions is often to cause us to cease trusting in our own strength and abilities and trust more fully in him."

Alleluia!  What sweet release and relief comes from casting our burdens onto Jesus.   To know that I do not have to shoulder the burden any longer on my own is a mind-blowing revelation.  My strength flows from His well!  Despairing is normal; we live in a fallen world and feel the effects of that "fallenness", the results of sin.  But how much more does my heart need to fully realize my weakness and boast in His strength!  Let me gladly allow affliction to lead me deeper into Him.

"If God can empower even the dead to return to life, surely he can enable believers in their weaknesses.  In this way, the death and resurrection of Christ are daily manifested anew in believers' lives (cf. 1Co 15:31; Gal 2:20), and their future resurrection is foreshadowed as well (Php 3:10; Col 3:10).

And this is where I feasted, folks.  So my weaknesses - yes, even my occasional despair - is an opportunity to experience the Gospel afresh each and every day!  When I feel weak, I can claim the very work of God through Christ on my behalf to overcome my own weakness, cling to Christ, and live in His strength.  Rejoicing in my weaknesses preaches the Gospel to myself each day-- I need Him!  And He gives Himself to me!  What richness and comfort and contentment is there.

There is more in this chapter on prayer.

"Prayer has real results.  Paul was convinced that God has ordained his relationship to the world in such a way that he will respond to prayer.  Paul needed this kind of help from others, just as each of us does.  The Greek term translated "then" may also be rendered "in order that."  The clause depends on God's action in the beginning of verse 10 (deliverance from peril).  God would continue to deliver Paul and answer prayer "in order that" many people would thank and praise God.  Throughout all of human history God's desire is that many people serve and praise Him (Ge 1:28-29; Rev. 7:9).  Paul's ministry served this goal by redeeming many who would praise the grace of God (cf. 4:15).

May He be glorified, praised, and served through the work of His grace in my life.

Happiest Day of my Life!

September 13, 2008

THIS was a great day!   Three years later, we celebrated last week with a visit to Mount Dora -- enjoyed a bed-and-breakfast, explored the town's eateries (what else do you do on vacation?!), and toured the area on segways!  (I might need one of my own...very, very fun)  We had a really great time together that weekend, but are even more grateful for the three years of marriage behind us and the exciting years of adventure ahead!

I praise God for you, JHY!  (posting on his birthday today)

New Look

I've been working so diligently on this blog, that I decided mine needed a major re-do!  

What do you think? 

I'm open to any and all feedback - please share!  Also, I'm looking for a new name.....suggestions?

More to come!

Luke 13: 10 -13

"Never underestimate the ability of our Savior to see you.  He cares for you and about you and He has not forgotten you."

This quote is from Patsy Clairmont while speaking at a women's conference. She was referencing Luke 13, when Jesus - of his own initiative, not by her asking - healed a crippled woman on the Sabbath.

This was exactly what I needed last night --- I laughed so hard at her humor and delivery, but she also took me to our Savior, whose compassion and love for me is greater than I could ever imagine. 

You can hear the entire talk here. (about 25 minutes)  I highly recommend it!

Student Stories

I am so very grateful for a job that I love.

I have a job.
And I love doing what I do.

That's something to celebrate, isn't it? 

What's more is that my wonderful job allows me to influence nations, many nations.  My students come from the Phillipines, Japan, China, Pakistan, Morocco, UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, France, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Switzerland, Ethiopia, Haiti, Guatemala, Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Peru, Nicaragua, Mexico, and more.  I truly do consider it a privilege to help them meet their academic goals, which in turn propels them toward personal or national goals.    And this is why I love it.

In my attempt to revive this blog yet again, I think this very spot is a good place to record a sampling of the student stories I want to remember.  Here is my first installment.  As a sidenote, these are all from entirely different classes/schools.

~
When asked to describe a place from his childhood, a Pakistani man chose amazingly descriptive words to transport me to a beautiful lake -- away from the noisy, dusty city with his family to a lush respite in the mountains, where families picnicked and splashed in the water.  Then, to my horror, he told me of the drowning death of his uncle on one such family outing.  It's hard to imagine the coexistence of such beauty and such sorrow at once, a concept much more real in that era, in that place, than here.

"I have a story I want to tell you."  But, you gave your personal speech yesterday. I want to give everyone in the class a turn and we need to keep moving through the roster today.  "But I really want to tell you this story."  So, we stepped outside at the end of class.  There, at the bottom of the student stairwell, with the hustling and bustling of college students running to class, talking about their new shoes, and enthusiastically yelling 'hello's' across the courtyard, this gal from Turkey described her kidnapping by gypsies when she was five years old. She could tell me about the candy they offered her, the smell of the feedsack over her head, the rocking of the cart she sat in for six fearful hours until her father found her.  "My father saved my life.  He thought he might lose me forever, but he would not give up."  Can you imagine where she might be today if that nightmare had not ended?  This is not from a movie.  These are the lives of people around us!

One of my favorite assignments in speech class is the "Old Bag Speech."  Students bring a bag that has some type of significance and fill it with three items that represent their past, present, and future.  One student started, "The item that represents my past....well....I waited a really long time for this.  It represents my past because I waited ten years."  I'm trying to predict in my head what it might be while she continues to build the suspense.  Obviously, I think, this is very important!  What could it be?  She whipped out a small card and said, "It's my Green Card."  Before I had time to process that annoucement - not even close to my guesses - the whole class erupted in whooping and hollaring and applause!!  I wasn't sure how to respond, but I followed suit and started clapping.  I've got a lot to learn about working with the immigrant community!

I pulled out a question card, turned to the next student, and asked "What is one thing in your past you wish you could change?"  Without hesitating, he answered, "I wish my boys were still alive."  My eyes popped.  Excuse me?  I have known you, at this school, for at least eight months where you have been enrolled in no less than four of my classes.  What are you talking about?  "They both had the same rare disease.  One died at birth and one lived for just two years."  He spoke of his first son, who lived in the hospital for two years and came home for one week before his sudden death; and he spoke of the joy and fear that came with the next pregnancy, which ended before life outside the womb could even begin.  I was dumbfounded that I had known this man for so long without the slightest inking as to the enormity of pain he carried in his heart.  Alongside the pain, I was also able to see a tenderness for his wife that I had not seen before.  Thinking of this family still breaks my heart.  (I might add that my question card does sound a bit loaded, doesn't it?  --maybe I should throw it out--  But I'm not really asking for deep, personal revelations. I'm asking for the correct grammar use of "wish statements", which in his defense he nailed!)

Glory by Selah & Nichole Nordeman

Wow, I am crazy about this song! I looked for a good YouTube video so you could listen to it right here, but the pictures pared with this song tend to be either cheesy or offensive. So, you'll have to find another way to listen to it - but DO IT!   I pray you are blessed.

This... This is our soul's deepest longing and what our hope is fixed upon.

One day eyes that are blind will see you clearly

And one day all who deny will finally believe

One day hearts made of stone will break in pieces

And one day chains once unbroken will fall down at your feet

So we wait

for that one day

come quickly!

We want to see your Glory

Every knee falls down before thee

Every tongue offers you praise -- With every hand raised

Singing Glory to you and unto you only

We'll sing Glory to Your name

One day voices that lie will all be silent

One day all that's divided will be whole again

One day death will retreat and wave it's white flag

One day love will defeat the strongest enemy

So we wait We know not the day or the hour or the moments in between

for that one day

come quickly!

We want to see your Glory

Every knee falls down before thee

Every tongue offers you praise -- With every hand raised

Singing Glory to you and unto you only

We'll sing Glory to Your name

But we know the end of the story when we'll see

Glory!

Every knee falls down before thee

Every tongue offers you praise -- With every hand raised

Singing Glory to you and unto you only

We'll sing Glory to Your name



Eucharisteo

51. Grace of my Heavenly Father - what grace and mercy!
52. grace of my husband
53. which comes from him truly knowing the Grace of the Father
54. and loving the Father
55. and seeking to follow Him, honor Him, serve Him
56. by loving me well
57. a much-anticipated trip this week!
58. full of learning and training and growing
59. my company, which is sending me
60. a last-minute flight for Joe to join me!
61. the means by which to do that
62. a time in our life when it's possible to do that
63. our home group
64. hosting dinners at our home
65. st. patrick and his service to the church, to missiology, and to Ireland
66. celebrations! with green food!
67. my iphone :)

Eucharisteo

35. A discipline that is working on my heart! --finding beauty everywhere and feeling thankfulness grow
36. A job.
37. That I generally love.
38. my Mom
39. a whole-long-nearly-eleven-hour-day with her on Saturday
40. celebrating my birthday with the one who gave it to me
41. new clothes!
42. mom's generosity
43. neverending things to talk about with her
44. understanding --getting-- each other
45. remembering difficult years and reveling in grace!
46. a tremendously authentic, difficult, and piercing sermon this weekend
47. B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l (this is why I live in FL) weather!
48. Tim Keller in Orlando
49. fellowship with family in Christ -grateful for joy that I feel anticipating it!
50. organization, yes, it makes me so happy

Four Years

I sat on the couch, all comfy in PJs and enjoying the company of old friends and new, and stared at my phone.

The text read, "Can we meet somewhere and talk?"

I looked up, caught the eyes of my roommate, and, well, I may have let out a little scream. I showed her the phone screen. She screamed.

We both knew what this meant.

I had spent the last week on board a cruise ship, aptly named by fellow cruisers the Love Boat, with around 100 of my fellow ministry partners; one of which, in particular, held nearly all of my attention.

I had spent the last month on the phone with this fella nearly everyday, sharing our lives and getting to know each other.

I had spent the last several months emailing him jokes, comments, and interruptions to his day.

I had spent the last twenty-five years praying for him.

So, when the text rang from my phone, my roommate and I knew: now, my prince had come!

He came over to my house around 10pm, all snuffly and sick, and we walked around the neighborhood putting words to feelings and throwing around questions like "what about Japan?" and "what about my timeline?" and " what could this mean?" The answer to all of that was "I just don't know." We walked in silence.

The only answer I could find was: "I do know I don't want to walk away from you." We held hands and prayed and asked God for direction.

And God blessed! What followed was the most incredible year of adventures and memories and hard discussions and growth. What delight we had in being together! Neither of us could believe the joy God gave in our relationship.

Four years later... what a sweet Valentine I have! He is a treasure. He is grace - the loving gift of God for my good, a daily reminder of God's tender care for me, and a place of safety for my heart. Love grows more, richer and deeper. We're still learning each other - what he/she likes, how he/she gets irritated, and (the hard one) how to bless in the midst of irritation. I'm learning how to really pray for someone and how to trust God with someone.

An adventure, to be sure, and one I'm most grateful for. What could He have for us? We're not sure, but definitely praying and dreaming and holding fast together.

I'm so glad that dashing young fella called and asked to talk!

One Thousand Gifts = Eucharisteo

Let me just start this post by saying that I am really being blessed by reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts! It's such a good read packed with descriptive examples and piercing summaries of what's really happening in our hearts. It's scrumptious. Read it.

The premise is that our lives are so busily focused on earthly things that we fail to see the great gifts of Love showered upon us all day everyday by our Heavenly Father. To combat this ungrateful symptom of the imperfect life, the author welcomes us into her daily habit of recording moments of joy on a list that she calls One Thousand Gifts. She is well past one thousand...and I am well on my way! She keeps a journal with her at all times (and often a camera, too) to never miss a moment to record. The physical habit has transformed her spiritual habits to reflect a heart of worship.

The word Eucharisteo is the greek word that led her through Scripture to embrace a life of gratefulness, a life that says thanks at every moment. (Read more in chapter two!) So I will retitle my posts Eucharisteo and you may just see them a little more often.

18. Flowers. Delivered. Shock and awe! Feeling loved.
19. Valentines Day dinner with friends!
20. A reason to decorate the table all pink and red, light candles, welcome friends, and dine together.
21. Dan & Tawnny Kramer
22. Ken & Crystal Mauger
23. Making Valentine cards
24. Sending Valentine cards and boxes with joy, imagining my loved one receiving it!
25. Sleeping in
26. Naps
27. the Bahamas :)
28. Tour guides happy to tell me about their home
29. the 24-hour buffet
30. boats on clear, turquoise seas
31. Quiet moments reading with a cup of tea overlooking calm, dark waters
32. HOME! So grateful for the home I have with my husband.
33. Teaching at VCC - love my students, love my time with them, loving helping them grow
34. sunshine

One Thousand Gifts

7. Sickness last week that brought a forced slowdown
8. St. Paul's Mission Conference - so very blessed! Thank you, Dr. Oh!
9. Barbie & Sarah who worked so hard and did such a tremendous job with the organization of the conference
10. a whole day with Amy on Saturday, serving together
11. fresh fruit and vegetables at our table after a weekend of busyness/eating out
12. shopping my closet and finding new combos
13. anticipation for blessings ahead
14. Sunday afternoon naps with Husband
15. A husband who serves joyfully
16. A treasured book arrived - my copy of One Thousand Gifts!
17. Newfound hours of pleasure reading - no longer required to give a reading report :)

Investing in your Marriage

Me again with a hearty recommendation for you to take your spouse to Family Life's Weekend to Remember conference this year and make a very big, very worthy, very important investment in your marriage.

It doesn't matter if ya'll are swinging at a perfect 10 or struggling to find kind words for one another, --if you're like us, you're probably somewhere in the middle of that assessment, and may fluctuate greatly between the two all in one day!-- but the point on this conference is to realign your marriage to God's principles and plan for the gift He's given you in each other.

Take a weekend to get away, just the two of you - it's hard, but very, very fun. Did I mention there's a planned date night on Saturday night?

If you're in Orlando, the dates are March 18-20 and April 1-3, both in Lake Mary. Right now, you can score a BOGO registration offer by entering the keycode BOB at checkout.

Do it! It's so very, very worth it! I promise you won't regret it.

Another idea? Bless a newly married couple with this precious time. Thank you Danny & Suzanne for doing that for us!

Here's to a long, healthy marriage for the sake of His Kingdom! ~~~

One Thousand Gifts

Well, my friends, it's 2011!

I'm excited and ready to....
--Get my book in the mail and start reading!
--Join the Bloom Book Club with my sister-in-law!
--Start recording my one thousand gifts+!

Happy Monday! ....Here we go:

1. A job. Hard days remind me I need to be thankful for work, as God created.
2. A very great treasure of a husband with endless grace.
3. Fun friends visiting our house this week! Close friends who 'get' you are hard to find.
4. A toddler to play with 24-7. We love you, Elias!
5. My nephew, Jacob. Happy Birthday big boy! Love hearing you say you're two. :)
6. My niece, Katie-girl, who was dedicated to the Lord yesterday by her parents.
7. My SIL, Ashlee, celebrating her birthday this week. You are an answer to many, many prayers, the sister I never had, and one of my best friends!
8. A very heart-full day with my family yesterday celebrating God's gifts to us.
6. The love of the Father - a love I don't know I'll ever fully understand. It amazes me everyday.