tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15962306769831377052024-03-13T21:58:54.423-05:00All Things Loss"Indeed I also count all things as loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..." Philippians 3:8Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger231125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-64300621507279724602011-02-02T14:11:00.000-05:002011-02-02T14:11:13.671-05:00Signing OffWell, it's been a fun ride at this blog for the last few years. Thanks to those of you who've taken the time to keep up with our fam through this little blog. I'm heading over to a new blogspot. If you're on our email list, you should've already received the link to the new one. If not, leave a comment, and I'll get you the new address. Thanks!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-75454091153322224022010-10-25T14:18:00.000-05:002010-10-25T14:18:24.395-05:00We're still alive!Whew, life is certainly a whirlwind these days and probably isn't going to slow down for some time. In the meantime, here are some pictures from my mom from our time in Richmond. Enjoy!<span id="goog_408996672"></span><span id="goog_408996673"></span><br />
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 425px;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AcuGrhs5ct2E8&eid=118">Click here to view these pictures larger</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-18303356170546524732010-10-22T13:30:00.003-05:002010-10-23T22:13:52.888-05:00Multitudes again*a post from a looooonnnggg time ago that never got posted* (better late than never, right?)<br />
<br />
For those of you who don't know about this <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2003/06/gratitude-community.html">Gratitude Community</a> that is keeping my blog alive (albeit barely alive), please read about it and drink deeply from this <a href="http://aholyexperience.com/">sacred blog</a> (I know, it sounds like an oxymoron to associate "sacred" and "blog" but really, it's true for this one.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<center style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><img alt="holy experience" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/ann%20voskamp/mondaybutton2.png" title="holy experience" /></center><br />
*Adam's last day of work!<br />
*For God's provision for our family through his job for the last two years<br />
*Seeing an old friend<br />
*And enjoying her hospitality<br />
*And conversation with her<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Meeting her husband for the first time<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiqoAizpYxFPFQ0YDnc_ZDQKj9YwK2auqKS7y_1d9WwHo-6_Uc4RRh2suVoP9b_lC537JH8m6v9dKGAIhWqInROUleTbSTwD7IY8MaLVTxFq1xTrKxfgWyU9VYslub8x5v1FzddR1jo8/s1600/DSC03001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiqoAizpYxFPFQ0YDnc_ZDQKj9YwK2auqKS7y_1d9WwHo-6_Uc4RRh2suVoP9b_lC537JH8m6v9dKGAIhWqInROUleTbSTwD7IY8MaLVTxFq1xTrKxfgWyU9VYslub8x5v1FzddR1jo8/s320/DSC03001.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Meeting her second-born for the first time<br />
*And her meeting ours!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2HrRQEG8Gf_3il2oP08aGK1wB71DTDO44Mcxd4Q4_7Jz1EbvnQNRRZXXCldx2RMIjvlgHVuoYsQJmX3Ve_8RjTRrHMvBtbQOA_SrYTyIBWxVHoyqivwZirYx63pNkryuTzUyAW9dGI8/s1600/DSC02985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2HrRQEG8Gf_3il2oP08aGK1wB71DTDO44Mcxd4Q4_7Jz1EbvnQNRRZXXCldx2RMIjvlgHVuoYsQJmX3Ve_8RjTRrHMvBtbQOA_SrYTyIBWxVHoyqivwZirYx63pNkryuTzUyAW9dGI8/s320/DSC02985.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*First-borns playing together as if they're old friends</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetXMbWeGvmehw4H-yd5GsgJL5YxL1tMSSc443fVAFCwk_rjJ2vd4cT6KW7mty_XmPX-MSXt_u9XyMdf6dvCSyr4nTP4zBjp0pGEuMsitP1lnmJ4xE4zKlhFi9mzfFE8bDAtwV-h03rEk/s1600/DSC02991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetXMbWeGvmehw4H-yd5GsgJL5YxL1tMSSc443fVAFCwk_rjJ2vd4cT6KW7mty_XmPX-MSXt_u9XyMdf6dvCSyr4nTP4zBjp0pGEuMsitP1lnmJ4xE4zKlhFi9mzfFE8bDAtwV-h03rEk/s320/DSC02991.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Country fairs</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Michigan summers</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5troqu4D5HTQ1p78J4pj9KOqW5LIcRNjpnmuYULvu89xSPzUVb5qiLrLU0CJK5tkNcG3gih1Vx2wez-yH6skuPRvx0xHG2KT-DVtpPyw_7GiDzvl1swAFcU4PFF6wAyWlz3kEKfdC32Y/s1600/DSC03004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5troqu4D5HTQ1p78J4pj9KOqW5LIcRNjpnmuYULvu89xSPzUVb5qiLrLU0CJK5tkNcG3gih1Vx2wez-yH6skuPRvx0xHG2KT-DVtpPyw_7GiDzvl1swAFcU4PFF6wAyWlz3kEKfdC32Y/s320/DSC03004.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Frankenmuth</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Beauty</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Strategies from friends (and tents and noise machines) to aid in sleeping in the same hotel room with your kids</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Cousin fun</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Acoustic instrumental Beatles' albums</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Hearing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hHNUVo9eEM">your favorite Beatles' song</a> playing when you walk into a coffee shop</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Coffee shops that have used books for sale </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*including a Carson commentary for 50 cents</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHoL7VS9QV4QoicaSMxz6y-0TD2R3_08GfC-GBC5ukjem5w5DSMRP6zUHzrvkc44ojx49IONYCTqaL_vL9HKnnjNUxPZLC8lAuBipqdV1_NilWrcIlG-EOfQQ5k3AMCStmqBKwXdLYGU/s1600/DSC03075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHoL7VS9QV4QoicaSMxz6y-0TD2R3_08GfC-GBC5ukjem5w5DSMRP6zUHzrvkc44ojx49IONYCTqaL_vL9HKnnjNUxPZLC8lAuBipqdV1_NilWrcIlG-EOfQQ5k3AMCStmqBKwXdLYGU/s320/DSC03075.JPG" /></a>*visiting the legendary Wheaton College</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Getting to see THE REAL WARDROBE!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAolsZVWj43nFdfMERelQSpuNmC9KT-wE-20GyOHbImP4EaJ5CaBJhORqN6LRpeetC2-TYs3thkTcgfnQbCvoGH-BVDDeUrJEFSYGfGi5Ua3fytZw4YjT3f6jLDNktUSZi_XUx2-AEkcA/s1600/DSC03077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAolsZVWj43nFdfMERelQSpuNmC9KT-wE-20GyOHbImP4EaJ5CaBJhORqN6LRpeetC2-TYs3thkTcgfnQbCvoGH-BVDDeUrJEFSYGfGi5Ua3fytZw4YjT3f6jLDNktUSZi_XUx2-AEkcA/s320/DSC03077.JPG" /></a>*Katie's complete awe upon opening the doors</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*And discovering that fur coats were hanging inside</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*The awesome warning inside, "The Wade Center is not responsible for any persons who might disappear into this wardrobe." (or something to that effect)<br />
*Lewis' desk, Lewis' pipe, Lewis' teapot, and Tolkein's desk at which he wrote <em>The Hobbit</em><br />
*"<a href="http://www.giordanos.com/">super-pizza</a>" (thanks, Ryan and Sarah...and Adam W for coining the phrase)<br />
*that He gave our family grace to sleep in the same room for days on end!<br />
*but that He also gives us separate rooms for my each of the girls at home <br />
*sleeping in a room without my children<br />
*a few days of normalcy</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-21581872307591378782010-09-22T06:11:00.000-05:002010-09-22T06:11:57.936-05:00I Have a ShelterListen <a href="http://new.music.yahoo.com/sovereign-grace-music/tracks/i-have-a-shelter--179553379">here</a> for free.<br />
<br />
I have a shelter in the storm<br />
When troubles pour upon me<br />
Though fears are rising like a flood<br />
My soul can rest securely<br />
O Jesus, I will hide in You<br />
My place of peace and solace<br />
No trial is deeper than Your love<br />
That comforts all my sorrows<br />
<br />
I have a shelter in the storm<br />
When all my sins accuse me<br />
Though justice charges me with guilt<br />
Your grace will not refuse me<br />
O Jesus, I will hide in You<br />
Who bore my condemnation<br />
I find my refuge in Your wounds<br />
For there I find salvation<br />
<br />
I have a shelter in the storm<br />
When constant winds would break me<br />
For in my weakness, I have learned<br />
Your strength will not forsake me<br />
O Jesus, I will hide in You<br />
The One who bears my burdens<br />
With faithful hands that cannot fail<br />
You’ll bring me home to heavenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-78012108270128758442010-09-21T09:48:00.000-05:002010-09-21T09:48:51.509-05:00One week...In one week from today we will be leaving Louisville. <br />
<br />
Wow. Now you know why there has been a blogging drought. Somehow I haven't been able to justify in my mind spending time uploading photos and writing witty things about the amazing travel experiences we have had in the last six weeks (EIGHT different states seen! whew!). But this morning as I wrote that first sentence in my journal, I could no longer resist the longing I've had to pause and to reflect on what God is doing underneath the crazy chaos that is our life right now. <br />
<br />
<strong><em>"And Abraham went out, not knowing where he was going."</em></strong> <br />
<br />
What a comfort that sentence is to me this morning. Two weeks ago, as we began taking pictures off the walls and posting our possessions on craigslist, I found myself thinking with greater frequency, "Are we crazy? What are we doing? Are we completely foolish to be leaving our apartment and life here when we only have 27% of our monthly support raised?" But as a precious friend said last night, these times (when our circumstances strip away all that we normally cling to and rely upon and expose the deep needs that are really in our hearts), these are the times when His promises become concrete realities, when we are faced with the decision to trust or to fear, and when His Word can become fresh and new to our often hard hearts. (Click <a href="http://caseyandalicia.com/2010/09/14/an-update-kind-of/">here</a> and <a href="http://rachelamariah.blogspot.com/2010/09/gift-of-more-time.html">here</a> to see to this playing out in other friends' lives in much harder circumstances than what we are experiencing.)<br />
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<strong><em>"And Abraham went out, not knowing where he was going."</em></strong><br />
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<strong><em>"By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise."</em></strong><br />
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The land of promise. Sounds nice, doesn't it? Sounds like golden sunrises and scarlet sunsets, like bunnies hopping and streams trickling and milk and honey and picnics. But according to Hebrews 11:9, the land of promise is really more like living in a tent in a foreign country. <a href="http://mongabay.com/images/nancy/pictures/in38.jpg">How does that sound to you</a>? <br />
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So why would a person do such a thing? I asked myself. <br />
<br />
<strong><em>"For he was looking forward</em></strong><br />
<strong><em> to the city that has foundations,</em></strong><br />
<strong><em> whose designer and builder is God....</em></strong><br />
<strong><em>"As it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city."</em></strong><br />
<br />
What is my hope, my reason, my motivation...<br />
...for going out, not knowing where we are going?<br />
...for living in tents, as it were, in a foreign country?<br />
<br />
Promise. The land of promise. The promise of a city with foundations, designed and built by God, a better country, a heavenly one, that He has prepared for us. And not only for us, but for <a href="http://yeinjee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/china-lifestyle-009.jpg">them</a> as well. And <a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44316000/jpg/_44316834_srinagarwomen_afp416.jpg">them</a>. And <a href="http://www.photoseek.com/81NEP-02-09-Nepal-children.jpg">them</a>. Someone just has to invite them.<br />
<br />
So it's encouraging to read in Hebrews 11 that, no, we're not crazy for doing what we're doing. While it may seem and feel and look like crazy, it's actually just what the Bible calls faith.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-20388038630424395682010-08-30T09:10:00.000-05:002010-08-30T09:10:29.561-05:00Monday"Lord, what do <em>You</em> want me to do today?" I groan under the weight of an onerous to-do list, taking another clean glass out of the dishwasher. <br />
<br />
"Find Me today." The voice is quiet but clear.<br />
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I sigh, knowing it's true but not wanting to do it. Knowing that <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2007/10/peace-is-person.html">He is Peace</a> but still holding onto the futile hope that activity and action, busyness and productivity, doing and going will give me the rest I crave. It seems silly when I write it out like that. Yet that is the decision that faces me day after day, moment after moment, the decision in which I too often make the wrong choice. <em>Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your labor for what does not satisfy? My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn for themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water. </em><br />
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"To know God is to realize there's no such thing as ordinary and all our ache is only for more of His glory," <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2010/08/when-you-ache-with-ordinary-life.html">she writes</a>. It rings true. Then why do I resist it so? It takes faith. "For the things which are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." I am an Israelite, wanting the immediate satisfaction (that doesn't last) of a Golden Calf I can see rather than the truly satisfying rest of the Invisible God. <br />
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I chafe under the waiting that will open my eyes to His glory. <em>Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to Me; hear, that your soul may live. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by You.</em><br />
<br />
Oh, God, give me a heart, a taste, a desire for Your glory. Give me courage to wait for it, to choose what is unseen, to choose <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2010:42&version=NIV">the better portion</a>. <em>Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.</em><br />
<br />
Is it really true? Will I really find the rest I crave if I just go to Him? A holy experiment. <em>"Come and see,"</em> He says.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-81066942592800355602010-08-09T06:36:00.015-05:002010-08-10T14:40:45.681-05:00Multitude Monday<center><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/"><img title="holy experience" alt="holy experience" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/ann%20voskamp/mondaybutton2.png" /></a></center><br />182-200<br /><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">*that I have seen so much beauty and received so much grace lately that I feel a little overwhelmed at the prospect of recounting it all</div><div align="left">*a out-of-town membership to <a href="http://www.lewisginter.org/">Lewis Ginter</a> (thanks, Mom!)<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503750253811311394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDm9z184u1_vOvixHwhQie_7fxA01wqsOYSH3_NFR2AvEalOdu_SsbkH8J1UOrTLT_2u7K0tiE-sMI9zExGkSOuOgPBF1MhViz3aKio8mVZFg0Xndr3deWt86wI1LBjZcMC0aG0oL2pQc/s400/DSC02947.JPG" /></div>*the Children's Garden<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503754486053979266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzfsLUay4Ft5wkI1ZEj6cJnYj9daGEb8wxIJP8GU5PZFuQX9FMjULKPT71Vah7AsqEvUBPWpUaUth5MvsfamNwDo-BZOcw1KlN6f7VDGe18m-WTzzjZo3M6BXFw1a9SXg31KbXKQR4Oc/s400/DSC02915.JPG" /> *exuberant 4 year olds who boldly dash in and out of the spray<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503755587470131410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvT51B-hlvzJWCm151jlZAR-sFDjpFCtglA8unW2kXrePNvK8CEL4E8WquM5F9TcaietLttemoByiZtkwtBKrjsGLthFPDurf3ZUTGn1Sbq9eX_6YFDZNNOU2aIUuvYaXaE8W9rkM2l0/s400/DSC02930.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503756664813613106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_e7N6S308P6ZUbC_1F3a_5urPH26b0boq1T4UzCqwfnYcYmtwaSM6LIBRfQd4HjwcmH4i-4-44memvB5Bvqr571WDn0pKPrPGpH36PfIW9U5a6M_G9PQMBahbPC_lPTHODHc9S9bdIw/s400/DSC02931.JPG" />*shy 16 month olds who gradually warm up enough boldness to reach out and let the spray hit their hand <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503867516722895714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZ39XKQ-q6dkM_GkTm4wM5vOTvDIRG78A5eBmwk3bn9n6DHucgKGi7cOgQpcNjtzJMXX9d-yo-VPbYAlNuHDY5B0FTq1T8DpRzsyd0Pv-Zbwstmq7mzMyIVK98AsU9dW-0jT0Y206hUo/s400/DSC02929.JPG" /> <div>*getting caught in a warm rain shower in the middle of it all</div><div>*laughing at the situation</div><div>*the walk back to the top through the dark green shadowy trail</div><div>*"This feels like Neverland!"</div><div>*getting sick at Grandmommy's</div><div>*camping out on the sofa and watching <em>The Sound of Music</em></div><div>*4 year old decorated birthday cakes</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503790067882209314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bEcNjIBUwq1YVv0TN1ewAAYoI7zsROaKMgNxWjQJlKZUU-j4ZHWtt81p9gUWwrNy4yPWm4r1epgHjkkVgyT7Wn__BRsPt_1tQqIcyzq4gdCvCSDNM4Caq6brGH5_LQcw55zPHsB9cJY/s400/DSC02954.JPG" />*train rides with Grandmommy<br /><div>*the Farm</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503788445598244594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1boII31znBuSRqdSn2nftDo5DSY0-3LN6UpSHrLID44gNWmKbavIvs5Yi92T3RWLlUnq87VfSf-mbEnP3UULSh9A8SicYIAVzmuCocQV0YCcHecGA2Ykft7CGSyFZ_BTr18u60Z1cVQ/s400/DSC02976_edited-1.jpg" /> *my daughters getting to spend the night in their great-great grandmother's house, great-grandmother's house, and grandmother's house in a 3-day span!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503789167441910690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQzIBIPHNKCLF_wX1ydd2REoRrdZwTQ5b1_rZCvLLEoueKeHkF4W4k0xfHlQd1H4kB8dc-utOdka5kN0W6oerkKmiA_MFTzluvA-9GCD0rjmviYgrbiVDBVd-XoF-3zR2TrdjjXJP1GM/s400/DSC02960.JPG" />*kissin' cousins<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503786636669518514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0LHqx4S9Tj_4hzXq8h_-pSh59xwZWDcZPm64934XGKNaNy9NxALeCgAS58i_i2O2Is5ImVBqKjW9vcx_VaeB4kPLiatB2NxQDhwS-AHQb7W6RlV9hyphenhyphenH9DodNBQhiZKRCA05ZhIGRdTw/s400/DSC02972.JPG" />*sandboxes<br /><div>*laughing hard with cousins</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503786193639021762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibeI6mY7DFmje5OlRmxR48Sy-_iDtL6RLKnziqPJe6Lbpi3Hdr14zsQrm-TpgPu45CMkl31SqMKnsdRKUvkHLlNBXZ-ZySPi8pQ1xmAo62-xRxIlxDPdWdmP40Uy9aQuVb7BunfZgMspI/s400/DSC02980.JPG" />*catching up<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503785672510058098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3Q9B5LgeZncYBQKcdL-RhpfaD6nUzEx4OW6MTTHHzFqjlOHQESSUxFmfWRX9TOa8S779i76KsFgXRF6nwFDUDpch7VEdR9eou-S8vyKDWO0p1obs23ir-p7gPYYa_v8we8I6FkOaI0s/s400/DSC02959.JPG" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-61140624166997614092010-07-26T06:59:00.006-05:002010-07-26T09:57:25.070-05:00The endless gifts<center><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/"><img title="holy experience" alt="holy experience" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/ann%20voskamp/mondaybutton2.png" /></a></center><p><br />161-181<br />*Being (gently) reminded of the truth<br />*That He uses <a href="http://aholyexperience.com/">her </a>to do it again<br />*"<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2010/07/how-to-read-scales-and-find-your.html">The weight of Glory always tips the scales for joy</a>"<br />*That He used the sermon yesterday at church<br />*"You can't think of anything better than God."<br />*The voice of the Lord thunders (ps29)<br />*and still He puts my tears in His bottle (ps56:8)<br />*That I have His written word<br />*In my hands<br />*In a language I can understand<br />*Precious saints who leave everything<br />*joyfully<br />*generously<br />*so they can translate His Life-Word into languages in which He has not yet been named<br />*"<a href="http://owenstrachan.com/2010/07/23/the-endless-evangelical-quest-for-ultimate-transformation/">plodding visionaries</a>"<br />*surprise Graeter's gift cards<br />*Dads that break the hard news to 4 year olds that they won't be returning to preschool this fall<br />*The 4 year old's reply: "That's okay, I want to live with Grandmommy. I love her."<br />*that I am utterly annoyed by everything that is "Elmo's World" except for the part when Elmo talks to a baby which cracks me up every time (mostly the baby's complete obliviousness to what's going on)<br />*the way 16 months old talk (she calls every person "baby" and every cartoon "elbo" meaning "elmo" and roars whenever we ask her what something says</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-46338351207513100022010-07-21T06:34:00.002-05:002010-07-21T06:34:58.187-05:00Agh!I'm overwhelmed by all the Blogger background options! Please won't someone come and just design my blog for me?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-53757951123768390662010-07-14T06:52:00.000-05:002010-07-14T06:52:44.118-05:00Andrew Peterson's "Dancing in the Mine Fields"<a href="http://www.hearitfirst.com/artisthome.aspx?f=artisthome&artist_id=3330&vid=1043619">Andrew Peterson's "Dancing in the Mine Fields"</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-14208682485117932412010-07-07T07:00:00.002-05:002010-07-07T08:49:37.218-05:00Multitude Catch-up, Part 2151-156<br /> What you can't see in this picture is that they were holding hands! Too cute!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZ0utLDFAZdzx_Vy6BQVFjJq1GeEzvodYTJ9_2OVKelEcu_5EOeHmPhgo-wxdFVVbtmFPetOoR9OwZ4BHV-XoPpCrXQDBcGCz7zplbitTUQSOSpDRuX8RBX9Q23KU39Ey_5wMxkGzAL4/s1600/DSC02811.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490543784814769682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZ0utLDFAZdzx_Vy6BQVFjJq1GeEzvodYTJ9_2OVKelEcu_5EOeHmPhgo-wxdFVVbtmFPetOoR9OwZ4BHV-XoPpCrXQDBcGCz7zplbitTUQSOSpDRuX8RBX9Q23KU39Ey_5wMxkGzAL4/s320/DSC02811.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-Cclu9Z2zPwiokIuVIAjZKRq22U1tFqH_2wsaeyxEjVe4DwTeCbmbkP85kSIztx3iv6jAXFqoymPujE-3tE1Pt7ZBWJWW8IETk6zUUkVddd2tbccZyzm9CozKSLpoVSRiAPoreal0hg/s1600/DSC02826.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490543616563232962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-Cclu9Z2zPwiokIuVIAjZKRq22U1tFqH_2wsaeyxEjVe4DwTeCbmbkP85kSIztx3iv6jAXFqoymPujE-3tE1Pt7ZBWJWW8IETk6zUUkVddd2tbccZyzm9CozKSLpoVSRiAPoreal0hg/s320/DSC02826.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKb-2X2KQc236f7UFn_p9l44L7dfxMLOD3Zr_QPB9zn-LZWmwFmfBRrTJI5G2A2brYa5xkEjw5pH22XWt3c-XhwJqA_N4SAceMi4FDzGtO4D6Fuj4z5Pz1aRI1AMTVQYk80jdx2UWw_2I/s1600/DSC02827-2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490543159946287410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKb-2X2KQc236f7UFn_p9l44L7dfxMLOD3Zr_QPB9zn-LZWmwFmfBRrTJI5G2A2brYa5xkEjw5pH22XWt3c-XhwJqA_N4SAceMi4FDzGtO4D6Fuj4z5Pz1aRI1AMTVQYk80jdx2UWw_2I/s320/DSC02827-2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCI24OTSvavhRtPGDxB6u2wTC8GsFOMxP5l6CELZAYS3jg8EjGjWlu-IUPylh8Hmdtv08NiaCUTtgzUcj4Qln0qxuyLQxzIxQvlg6afX7mxaaovkqqJDfgl7tY_kP9BxWr9GUPiXMw_IQ/s1600/DSC02832.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490543953356176098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCI24OTSvavhRtPGDxB6u2wTC8GsFOMxP5l6CELZAYS3jg8EjGjWlu-IUPylh8Hmdtv08NiaCUTtgzUcj4Qln0qxuyLQxzIxQvlg6afX7mxaaovkqqJDfgl7tY_kP9BxWr9GUPiXMw_IQ/s320/DSC02832.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPcRztT42OBW4e0sDoxY4L2CyqIy0HtuIo5sFwiNZ_YECvhQ0ZqWFGgGjocVEnYjKZCl9KHaUpN3jCG3Vk3DdKchz_l_DCPEyeLcJKzuCR-s9k_NcR6Q4NXa_UGYa290R0s42-B1gGHw/s1600/DSC02833.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490541332393205490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPcRztT42OBW4e0sDoxY4L2CyqIy0HtuIo5sFwiNZ_YECvhQ0ZqWFGgGjocVEnYjKZCl9KHaUpN3jCG3Vk3DdKchz_l_DCPEyeLcJKzuCR-s9k_NcR6Q4NXa_UGYa290R0s42-B1gGHw/s320/DSC02833.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EjiRefTTHx1jgYzA4EyJd_BsRdIOM-w82n5axj_fKdoH7hfBa9aSK6nlPbIstYRpDfcQpWL8mr4Evznnk85nfKSzyCh4WoqZgp9iAVcvx66XkWUXLuHW8JZDc_XrRP26dBH5zAhK7GE/s1600/DSC02831-2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490541927771490674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EjiRefTTHx1jgYzA4EyJd_BsRdIOM-w82n5axj_fKdoH7hfBa9aSK6nlPbIstYRpDfcQpWL8mr4Evznnk85nfKSzyCh4WoqZgp9iAVcvx66XkWUXLuHW8JZDc_XrRP26dBH5zAhK7GE/s320/DSC02831-2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />157. For the baptism of precious friends!<br />(I feel like this item should count for like 25 items on the gratitude count!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19FtJ48VZzNuIxDVj2bzVZdrPYMv98cRl02Ui_q-_IO_IC6q2O4r4aHeReOZIrVh1lBWxzwbxuMdk9vZfiiQExGnGiG67opZv7Ql2myNRzo-7fkg0H_AHmJYxV_VfrfzILvLVB2Dm99E/s1600/DSC02810.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjSvY341X0TE6gGkDpdsiCDbrFGH6uWXgijhv76j9qDzTaSsLQLWWvh7DfrLaBowenV2Ni7FvukruptRySUeTugon3rlzejhOCstz_HHZn98ijgQnHO33aFELfjDxUL8lcirdozkvII8/s1600/DSC02808.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490539766895762050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjSvY341X0TE6gGkDpdsiCDbrFGH6uWXgijhv76j9qDzTaSsLQLWWvh7DfrLaBowenV2Ni7FvukruptRySUeTugon3rlzejhOCstz_HHZn98ijgQnHO33aFELfjDxUL8lcirdozkvII8/s320/DSC02808.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />158. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17<br /><br /><br />159. "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4<br /><br />160. That God is still in the business of bringing <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+37&version=NIV">breath to dry bones</a>, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2036:26&version=NIV">flesh to stone hearts</a>, sight to blind eyesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-78182536285640511842010-07-05T16:40:00.000-05:002010-07-05T16:35:31.199-05:00Multitude Catch-up<div align="center"><em>"You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told." Psalm 40:5</em></div><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;">(I've had this list growing since back in May....so this might take awhile!)</span></p><p>57. 3 sets of amazing students to whom I could entrust my children for a week (Thanks Becky, Ian, Rachel, and Jess!)</p><p>58. my mother who paid for us to fly to Orlando instead of drive</p><p>59. <a href="http://www.pioneers.org/">Pioneers</a></p><p>60. Their mission: mobilizing teams to glorify God among unreached peoples by initiating church-planting movements in partnership with local churches</p><p>61-68. Their core values: passion for God, unreached peoples, church-planting movements, ethos of grace, the local church, team-centered, innovation and flexibility, participatory servant leadership</p><p>69. the Orlando team</p><p>70. the fact that most of them raise their own support </p><p>71-97. Scott and Christine (thanks for your ministry to us that week!), Kim and Casey, Amy and Mark, Bryan and Laura, Kurt and Carrie, Rick and Suzi, Joy and Jeremy, Dorothy, Charissa, Ekren and Kari, Amy, Faith, Mike, Heather, Joshua, Cynthia, Abbey, Brittany</p><p>98. Adam's determination to see real FL wildlife (ie alligators)</p><p>99. Bojangles in the Charlotte airport</p><p>100. a long enough layover to eat at said Bojangles</p><p>101. that the Bojangles was right next to our gate (and not in the opposite concourse as in the case on previous layovers in CLT)</p><p>102-106. Cajun Filet Biscuits, Sweet Tea, Seasoned Fries, Bo-Berry Biscuits, Cinnamon Biscuits</p><p>107. That Adam now loves Bojangles almost as much as I do</p><p>108. Remembering the Valentine's Day when Ann Wilson bought a box of heart-shaped Bo-berry biscuits and showed up late to Dr. Plank's class to give them to her classmates, totally interrupting the lecture/discussion, and completely befuddling Dr. Plank </p><p>109. Remembering the many mornings that Mooresville High School girls would meet me at the crack of dawn at Bojangles to study the Word together</p><p>110. Remembering that only Jesus, Caedmon's Call as my alarm clock, and the hope of a cup of coffee were what got me out of bed that early</p><p>111. Realizing that Jesus and the hope of a cup of coffee are still what get me out of bed in the morning (well, that and if I try to sleep until 7am an alarm clock named Katie or Caroline wakes me up)</p><p>112. Remembering the joy and peace of being an "old person" during my senior year at Davidson and year in China....going to bed at 9pm and waking up at 5 or 6 and feeling well-rested</p><p>113. Reconnecting with my YL girls on Facebook</p><p>114. 3 John 4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."</p><p>115. brothers who faithfully preach the Word (most recently at 3ABC: <a href="http://www.thirdavenue.org/listentosermons/?sermon_id=216">Kurt</a>, <a href="http://www.thirdavenue.org/listentosermons/?sermon_id=219">Josh</a>, <a href="http://www.thirdavenue.org/listentosermons/?sermon_id=220">Sam</a>, and Steve)</p><p>116. being a work-in-progress (thanks to my husband, Eric Johnson and Kurt for heralding this)</p><p>117. that God is completely okay with me being a work-in-progress</p><p>118. embracing that truth</p><p>119. that God's chosen method of growing His Kingdom is using works-in-progress</p><p>120. that Pioneers "gets" this and is happy to accept broken people ('cause that's the only kind of person there is!)</p><p>121. embracing others as works-in-progress</p><p>122. needing so much grace to truly embrace my status as a work-in-progress and to embrace others as such</p><p>123. abundant mercy for when I fail to do that</p><p>124. having lunch with an "old" <a href="http://embraceyourlot.blogspot.com/">friend</a></p><p>125. that this old friend eagerly and generously watching my children after I had to go to the Urgent Care because I sliced my finger attempting to remove a stubborn avocado pit after only being at her place for 30 minutes</p><p>126. Providence</p><p>127. The ability (means, time, money) to drive back east and visit family</p><p>128. That Caroline at least slept 30 minutes for the 12 hour drive</p><p>129. Portable DVD players</p><p>130. Introducing Katie to <em>Hook</em></p><p>131. Introducing Katie to the <em>Sound of Music</em></p><p>132. Introducing Adam to the <em>Sound of Music </em>(slowly though since he can only handle about 45 minutes at a time)</p><p>133. Being transported back to my childhood</p><p>134. Enjoying things with Katie that I used to do with my mom</p><p>135. Children who sleep until 8am (and sometimes 9!) (<em>Update: this trend has since ended but it was nice while it lasted</em>)</p><p>136. Thick blankets over windows that help</p><p>137. 3 hours of time alone during the day!</p><p>138. Precious friends who make that happen</p><p>139. A quiet house</p><p>140. Cup of coffee</p><p>141. <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/sweet-rolls/no-knead-chocolate-and-coconut-rolls/">One of these</a></p><p>142. Hydrangeas</p><p>143. in a vase on my table</p><p>144. From a friend's yard</p><p>145. That have stayed beautiful for weeks</p><p>146. Blueberry pie</p><p>147. Making the crust from scratch for the first time in 4 years (and not completely butchering it) </p><p>147. Calling it "rustic" blueberry to make it look like I messed up the crust on purpose</p><p>148. Feeling like it was okay to spend the time on the crust since I was only using canned blueberry filling</p><p>148.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz0YuBqnkokbwybfcAK3K8DkRFP1bnQqxTqLAun5fcRGaBN9iX_me41kcz3qJ--7wCoMALBWc4C_XByeJtRNg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><br />149.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwA6TrbjhKfXCPca68D5SPQZArv--DR2HCP8VbU44zJKHac4ei_iMv1Qb_eAla_qWZEsyoxyG8Z894FxjbleA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><br /><p>150. hitting publish even though I'm not nearly done catching up with my gratitude!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-55397226685621655262010-07-01T08:45:00.004-05:002010-07-01T09:56:30.712-05:00Timely<em>"The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to the Other voice, taking that Other point of view, letting that Other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in."</em><br />-C.S. Lewis in <em>Mere Christianity</em><br /><em></em><br />Isn't that so true? Isn't that just how it is? Oh, Father, help me, give me the strength, grant me the grace, to shove it all back. To slow down and listen.<br /><br />It seems that everywhere I turn lately I hear the same message. Like <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2010/06/why-your-daily-push-practice-of-rest-pt.html">here</a>, for example.<br /><em></em><br /><div align="center"><em>"Slow down. Breathe. Rest. Listen. Receive." </em></div><br />Why is this so hard?<br /><br /><em>"The measure of the worth of our public activity for God is the private profound communion we have with Him. Rush is wrong every time, there is always plenty of time to worship God. Quiet days with God may be a snare. We have to pitch our tents where we shall always have quiet times with God, however noisy our times with the world may be. There are not three stages in spiritual life - worship, waiting and work. Some of us go in jumps like spiritual frogs, we jump from worship to waiting, and from waiting to work. God's idea is that the three should go together. They were always together in the life of Our Lord. He was unhasting and unresting. It is a discipline, we cannot get into it all at once."</em> -Oswald Chambers, <em>My Utmost for His Highest</em>, January 6<br /><br />See also, <em>My Utmost</em>, <a href="http://www.myutmost.org/10/1019.html">October 19</a><br /><br />This is a busy season of life, to be sure. If you're not sure why, visit <a href="http://adammcculloch.blogspot.com/">here</a>. Support-raising feels like a full-time job...and it's not like life wasn't full before! But what makes it especially difficult for me is my case of morbid Martha-ism. Why do I value task more than relationship? Why do I fail to treasure what is truly valuable? This is a joyful season of our life to be sure, and we are thrilled with the chance to take part in the "ministry of fund-raising" (<a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:uugvsFBfmoIJ:library.generousgiving.org/images/uploaded/NOUWEN_Spirituality_Fund_Raising.doc+henri+nouwen+spirituality+of+fund-raising&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us">Henri Nouwen</a>). But I am coming to see that it is also a very necessary season for my own soul. He wants me to grow in cherishing what He cherishes, what He deems as most important. <em>"Only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better portion and it will not be taken from her."</em> <em>(Luke 12:42) <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+27:4&version=NIV">One thing</a>. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3:13&version=NIV">One thing</a>. <a href="http://s0.ilike.com/play#Rich+Mullins:My+One+Thing:196941:s28429286.8121833.11590121.0.2.196%2Cstd_f0eea0744f354ba5b3307243d4e1254d">One thing</a>. <a href="http://www.religion-online.org/showbook.asp?title=2523">One thing</a>.</em><br /><br />Adam and I both struggle with the temptation to sacrifice family for the sake of "ministry." I am fearful for what that could mean for our marriage and our children as we head into full-time work overseas. I am thankful that the very fact that we are aware of this temptation means that He is with us and is willing and able to help us overcome this sin. Please pray with us in this and help us keep watch over our souls. <br /><br />I've also seen afresh how I want to keep relationships in nice, neat boxes of time so that I can preserve my schedule, my agenda. You'd think that I'd have made more progress in this area since having kids! By God's grace I think I have grown, but then something happens--an interruption, an inconvenience, a relationship that won't conform to appointments and schedules and my to-do list--to show me that I haven't yet "arrived." And again He speaks to me <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2010/07/when-you-cant-quite-figure-out-how-to.html">here</a>. Oh, Jesus, help me to choose the better portion. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16:25&version=NIV">To lose my life and find it</a>.<br /><br />Thanks for lettting me indulge in some soul-baring. Pictures and videos and "multitude catch-up" to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-77652249469717124832010-05-10T10:21:00.004-05:002010-05-10T14:11:52.117-05:00Multitude Monday<center><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/"><img title="holy experience" alt="holy experience" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/ann%20voskamp/mondaybutton2.png" /></a></center><br /><center></center><div align="left"></div><div align="left">57. new (to me) Andrew Peterson music!</div><div align="left">58. husbands who spend part of their birthday iTunes gift card to buy said album for their wives</div>59. <a href="http://popup.lala.com/popup/504684655009602464">perfect songs </a>that put together all the different things God's been doing in your heart<br /><div align="left">60. What's that on the ground? It's what's left of my heart. Somebody named Jesus broke it to pieces and planted the shards.</div><div align="left">61. And they're coming up green, and they're coming in bloom. I can hardly believe, this is all coming true.</div><div align="left">62. Just as I am,</div><div align="left">63. Just as I was,</div><div align="left">64. Just as I will be</div><div align="left">65. He loves me, He does.</div><div align="left">66. He showed me the day that He shed His own blood.</div><div align="left">67. He loves me, oh He loves me, He does.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">68. Well it's time now to harvest what little that grew. This man they call Jesus, who planted the seeds, has come for the fruit. And the best that I've got isn't nearly enough. </div><div align="left">69. He's glad for the crop, </div><div align="left"><strong>70. but it's me that He loves!</strong></div><div align="left"><strong></strong>71. <a href="http://www.rabbitroom.com/?p=6978">Evidence</a> that Resurrection Letters, Volume 1 is in gestation!</div><div align="left">72. the grace that will surely be given when <a href="http://andrew-peterson.com/index.php?s=au&nid=76664&news_id=20284">this album </a>comes out</div><div align="left">73. 4 year olds who are almost excited about Mother's Day as they are about Christmas (well, maybe not Christmas, but perhaps Thanksgiving?)</div><div align="left">74. preschool teachers who make sure that mothers have gifts to open on Mother's Day</div><div align="left">75. Sunday School teachers who plan sweet Mother's Day crafts that include a much-needed cup of hot tea</div><div align="left">76. YMCA workers who help 4 year olds make Mother's Day cards </div><div align="left">77. Daddies that hide the card in their cars so it will be a surprise</div><div align="left">78. sisters that make each other laugh</div><div align="left">79. sister laughter that sounds so much alike even though one is one and one is four!</div><div align="left">80. good strawberries at Aldi for $1.19</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-77898723836249547382010-05-05T10:15:00.000-05:002010-05-05T10:25:57.529-05:00Multitude Wednesday<p align="center"><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/"><img title="holy experience" alt="holy experience" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/ann%20voskamp/mondaybutton2.png" /></a></p><div align="center">35. restored internet access!<br />36. the timing of our internet outage to coincide with my need to refrain from blogreading so I could get off the evil comparison wagon</div><div align="center">37. <a href="http://www.rhapsody.com/player?type=undefined&id=tra.9488082&remote=undefined&page=undefined&pageregion=undefined&guid=undefined&from=undefined&__pcode=">grace that is greater than all my sin</a></div><div align="center">38. great music I was introduced to in college that still ministers to me today</div><div align="center">39. great friends from college who introduced me to said music</div><div align="center">40. my friend <a href="http://theiversons.blogspot.com/">Maggie</a> from college</div><div align="center">41. whose blog <a href="http://theiversons.blogspot.com/2010/05/gratitude-281-285.html">post</a> I completely relate to</div><div align="center">42. a group of women in Louisville I am so excited to see tonight and have missed for the last three weeks</div><div align="center">43. beautiful days in Louisville</div><div align="center">44. that make 4 year olds say that they are thankful God made the world</div><div align="center">45. the ease with which she gave thanks this morning when usually it's a tooth and nail fight all the way to preschool to get her to give thanks for one thing</div><div align="center">46. the perfect breeze</div><div align="center">47. on a beautiful day</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467804498761799666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03fY_o_TgHwIF8msy0a9pHV87MwnRgbItycO7C8AO8NPNLBQS0kRjkc9a02AhphWhDTE2COHbIAWBg2QQieAoCslM9Pz6t4qE9L2mCX5xblgAouuBfCXMQFRjNBbGcW3iuuvKzLylNqk/s320/DSC02784.JPG" /> <div align="center">48. in which to fly the dragon kite<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467800833344099474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQUqFK6vZEukhFNXkOWjWqtdWHOvMuaTeVKSg5NtxzuVwr9dBNIuz3hj6OFB7OB9KhAkmOGyIjtUQZ-Bzy3d8m-ti3lx4zlkigahc3bfkqwCi4yVOUSjd17pOAbes9JG8D92Zwv7nSTM/s320/DSC02789.JPG" /></div><div align="center">47. from Chinatown<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467801040696474466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Bho3NoKI4gukbZrYg0pqKY84DaG4oO4C5B9hm3kYNIY6JVfM-ceD9ndDx_aO2o8AY98MtsjEGK7bsfdbFnTQbfH7Sn42VXtUR7s_R3_n1O3HVnn9rak8HYHrL-riDH_8Qj_u7TAZqxg/s320/DSC02752.JPG" /></div><div align="center">48. which she requested</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467802354441503074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDh0_bhJeb5vj_aGVCl3OwHKF6AaGQPd-AmXesv_zeSFyI1KGddZrEmh2EaeqvjlokWcrsuxleWSAqOe_JgZFVpHnPRVxzRCGRpOqcqsMrqwVkx4g2cKTl9PDgEtrNcd3zgKYJuTlNK4/s320/DSC02790.JPG" /> <p align="center">49. the look on her face as she flies it by herself<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467801940817698066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvAtzeITQxyha1JY6Xv2zVSXw6snjNYl774Ue6yKk87HRk8YbOuD1tsU7MXgEA6LxcG7Q1sRybXZpDTKENQDNqQVJdJZtnhCmsUWKgjvHgX5j6JmCUTC3Xm28JUyF5Ca5l6cgrjbvdbA/s320/DSC02791.JPG" /> 50. the toddler's excitement to be out of the stroller and in the grass<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467803265148463506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigU5szSbs4Frrq4M8zLhnCeVki4PxeauKIFXSMe_ywobF23NW_gFokUV3JiQl4URUvoZPJDKt99t7BM9VbJUBx48pz4-Vz3lnrkXbYqStWdcFyiJcsFaS9OilI8TtjdsABQGnAE3dGcGE/s320/DSC02793.JPG" />51. the toddler's glee to push the stroller by herself</p><p align="center">52. Daddy being a part of it all</p><p align="center">53. the smiles on the faces of the passersby as they watch our family</p><p align="center">54. <a href="http://www.derbypie.com/">Kern's Kitchen Derby Pie</a></p><div align="center">55. <a href="http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/images/weblogs_sqlteam_com/derekc/CalvinBorel_2009DerbyWinner.jpg">Calvin Borel</a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">56. <a href="http://popup.lala.com/popup/576742255392336307">It knocked me down, it dragged me out, it left me there for dead. It took all the freedom I wanted and gave me something else instead. It blew my mind, it bled me dry, it hit me like a long goodbye, and nobody here knows better than I that it’s a good thing. Love is a good thing. It’ll fall like rain on your parade, laugh at the plans that you tried to make, it’ll wear you down till your heart just breaks and it’s a good thing. Love is a good thing.It’ll wake you up in the middle of the night, it’ll take just a little too much. It’ll burn you like a cinder till you’re tender to the touch. It’ll chase you down, swallow you whole, it’ll make your blood run hot and cold. Like a thief in the night it’ll steal your soul, and that’s a good thing. Love is a good thing. It’ll follow you down to the ruin of your great divide, and open the wounds that you tried to hide. And there in the rubble of the heart that died you’ll find a good thing. Love is a good thing. Take cover, the end is near. Take cover, but do not fear. It’ll break your will, it’ll change your mind, it’ll loose all the chains of the ties that bind. If you’re lucky you’ll never make it out alive, and that’s a good thing. Love is a good thing. It can hurt like a blast from a hand grenade when all that used to matter is blown away. There in the middle of the mess it made you’ll find a good thing.Yes, it’s worth every penny of the price you paid. It’s a good thing. Love is a good thing. Do not fear.</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-9974159989117798062010-04-26T09:40:00.004-05:002010-04-26T09:50:19.814-05:00Multitude Monday<center><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/"><img title="holy experience" alt="holy experience" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/ann%20voskamp/mondaybutton2.png" /></a></center><div align="left">I've been considering joining this Gratitude Community for some time. This morning, I'm diving in:</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">1. Four days alone with my husband...</div><div align="left">2. ...in San Francisco!</div><div align="left">3. Good friends who love and care well for our children (for free)</div><div align="left">4. God's grace that caused our children to eat well and sleep well for our friends</div><div align="left">5. travelling mercies</div><div align="left">6. happy reunions</div><div align="left">7. fresh baked sour dough bread...</div><div align="left">8. ...with peach vinegar</div><div align="left">9. In-and-out burgers and fries</div><div align="left">10. Ghiradelli chocolate ice cream</div><div align="left">11. real chao mian in Chinatown</div><div align="left">12. delicious food in Haight-Ashbury</div><div align="left">13. Helpful bus drivers and native San Franciscans</div><div align="left">14. Sausalito</div><div align="left">15. biking across the Golden Gate Bridge</div><div align="left">16. the sound sea lions make</div><div align="left">17. a Boxcar Children book about SF to help 4 year olds understand where we went</div><div align="left">18. Giving souvenirs to 4 year olds, who like the airplane peanuts best of all</div><div align="left">19. Remembering the anticipation of getting airplane peanuts from my dad when he would go on a trip</div><div align="left">20. Joy from the Lord that is bigger than vacations...</div><div align="left">21. ...and is available on the Mondays when life gets back to normal</div><div align="left">22. A washer and dryer in which to do massive amounts of laundry</div><div align="left">23. having plenty to keep me busy and to keep me from the despair of "an empty day"</div><div align="left">24. an abundance of clothing (even if it's all dirty)</div><div align="left">25. money to replenish our pantry and fridge</div><div align="left">26. having just enough food left so I don't have to run to the grocery store right away</div><div align="left">27. friends that clean your house in just the right ways</div><div align="left">28. a job for my husband to go to on a Monday morning</div><div align="left">29. the ability to enjoy joy (Ecclesiastes 2:25, 5:19)</div><div align="left">30. a home to take care of</div><div align="left">31. a husband who loves me in spite of my many sins and weaknesses</div><div align="left">32. children who are very forgiving</div><div align="left">33. clean sheets and towels</div><div align="left">34. Walter Wangerin books</div><div align="left"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-55420865776368523152010-04-14T14:16:00.008-05:002010-04-14T20:00:42.162-05:00photo updateSorry (grandparents) for the blogging drought. We've been too busy living life to record it! Here are some shots though from Susannah's recent visit to Louisville. You can see in the sidebar our best attempt at a family photo. I really, really wanted to get one on Easter, but as soon as we gathered everyone together Caroline started screaming! Of course. I should devote a blog post to all of our failed family photo attempts. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460162154953018626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEita2PCMJbGkXoTZEmZ2ABdqsOpgySJzyfmZ1O47cUEws-g1-FNUTPcBQz-jTrULd9HVZYGvrvCOZXffZfK-4WhEmNDfz9nCfwh6dCYpKungeiMfuJqWdxNFqOi1Y93paTsrHVBV3ckVzY/s320/DSC02659.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460161965374813554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZ_ahfMrcY3At-uPXJHLUbhBvqoWKmc5kc2K8WmvpM1WYQr5cKyJ7JFhOxb4fq0r1IuNcjPc22R8UOMkXuHQThUhayxTAFv3XV86NRG73YgUjMc9v4Y1_GROuaECDDIcDC11yaSQi95k/s320/DSC02651.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460162482135198914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDW14kW1g9twB0DSjt6W0lniq96RG9mEkkVXhHJIbn8VZc6LemvS0OC6NHKiPUrx2ofK0bY1MLpWnOMlsLMafDSbnIItFLEdTp45HAxPDa4sbX1eGGu2Bx2b4I1gfwhZepuPoRwUgDUs/s320/DSC02654.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460161740333257602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumQgr_Y9ssOYFPmUdF6_uc0xNIPxqChRrxRktIVENEnUPxTpOggfenHQQS0t3FvgQjSJztDnI6MkuNgp_XojHx5vTXWdfQTNKani1UarL0tUqAasn4hshD_xOU6CCOLXUrmzPw5V7rts/s320/DSC02648.JPG" /> A grandma in town can mean only one thing...an excuse to go to the Butterfly Garden Cafe! I promise we had more fun than it looks like we did in the pictures...even despite the fact that I spent most of the meal standing up with Caroline and Katie dumped her entire glass of iced raspberry tea all over herself and the floor. At least Katie looks cute in the pictures!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460160963887068402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvOOY4qqMFTemqPEZS4MAluQg2NKydZMhliTKt2lOuCCWfe2XOs98P4gzMf0zNIqw1IDyddSNfre1JE64mnYrkO65S2p1Hewfecg2N13Sc-jXGEpDOIOc4prsQcrC7YxBMIBHf-U8AQY/s320/DSC02641.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460161463526988002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4H_mZdhfbeNsdrWWLIIIboAbQJLK0F11bbJ5ZSVyCoiHgxWI_05RgAjlwVZHkH8juitmkB8-Rusl2p8AsNI0Eev6Qxb7GwzOrn9gIOScLdte1rTVAYEHde0y2anuqctFw9pF9p19cyQY/s320/DSC02642.JPG" /> <p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyPQBjKUfqXb2zOR8vlKW4YnM3W0kqTYaneq6RTz0R4Q5VnbXRlm58Ea00r6fvOxITezcyeyfwDMrnWPnu-gg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-14771698202494931582010-03-24T08:50:00.001-05:002010-03-24T08:52:06.090-05:00a holy experienceJust had to share <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">this incredible blog </a>I found through my friend Tara's <a href="http://travelersrest.wordpress.com/">blog</a>. Go to it, and savor.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-75194601596969595652010-03-22T06:49:00.008-05:002010-03-23T19:12:00.801-05:00More birthdayTo celebrate Bean Town's birthday (yes, we call her Bean Town...long evolution on that nickname), we had a joint-party with a family whose youngest son is about a week younger than Caroline. As you can see in the final pictures, we are unabashedly trying to arrange their marriage.<br /><br /><p align="center"><object id="Slideshow" name="Slideshow" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" align="middle" height="425"><param name="_cx" value="11244"><param name="_cy" value="11244"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://www.shutterfly.com/flashapps/flashslideshow/Slideshow.swf"><param name="Src" value="http://www.shutterfly.com/flashapps/flashslideshow/Slideshow.swf"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value=""><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="false"><embed id="Slideshow" width="425" height="425" name="Slideshow" align="middle" quality="high" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="configurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcmd.shutterfly.com%2Fcommands%2Fpictures%2Fgetshareoutslideshowconfig%3Fsite%3Dmarymcculloch%26page%3Dmarymcculloch%26node%3D2774" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" bgcolor="#869ca7" src="http://www.shutterfly.com/flashapps/flashslideshow/Slideshow.swf"></embed></object></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN-TOP: 0px; WIDTH: 425px"><a href="http://marymcculloch.shutterfly.com/2774?eid=116">Click here to view these pictures larger</a><img border="0" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=pictures&c2=embed" width="1" height="1" /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-61126517553469928702010-03-20T09:25:00.012-05:002010-03-20T14:36:21.700-05:00Happy Birthday, Caroline!Caroline, oh, sweet Caroline, we love you so much. You bring such unique joy and happiness to our family. We love your slimy open mouth kisses (that sometimes involve biting), we love the spider walk you've figured out so you wouldn't get tangled in your dress, we love how you never fail to hear a single airplane that flies overhead (about 45 a day), but most of all we just love YOU! Happy 1st birthday, little Peanut/Bunny/Carebear. <div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">March 20, 2009<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450796765267714146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfo2tysUl4Pxzl9rHJeGubumjuPK0Mwp7bHmqAmMP5olCFhrn-HwNjBN1gmmbeVztdhqWhVabMZhWJIl73fiDe-57bZct5CGVIiMmyoVyi1OZtKz-PQwFNIBKIpHpwrx8177uVInAfdg/s320/DSC03947.JPG" /></span></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;">A few days old<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450796893023696562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucMcUl_LkXggs3Rl8GsXNyKy-DyTygEOTEZDBSRDWHfYXgDfCJShxqQyyjoCSAIoj2yOioGssA7SE8r8y6gaulc4pnHqwyos2-msAU8UciPovIh-9gQ-7EuwbWXRzmOrE5vOXS2aFafw/s320/DSC03984.JPG" /></span></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;">April 2009<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450800400811958338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYAC9f_Dl7im5KUviP7AwRcTRpn2oz_VbeZB-DJzz5QxlhzNXEeQIe7Dd2ZeiKo2DUoHLiGBHrapZ8gQWoLzblYjO2ZIHDd4c3M6h4h4vN6PMWJXNNHsIzyAJSSRJyI7yjGCM3tO7Obc/s320/DSC04029.JPG" /></span></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;">June 2009</span><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450800193018367906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGeif0_vyMiVRNyfseNL2UCf4oswThCKCFHfmbk2gdLuNfsBmZzfX0W2y7qE3Fd8z9deE99XDXGJl4gqqEDyqZu5x6jktp_RN_7vj0WbHMEi20d1aApsqahI-iaoXQEZ3yQhIlWEuRUA/s320/DSC04211.JPG" /></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;">July 2009<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450800685555288050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvpUSlAEeIFYJhWfeC8N403sPZSusB8lDj6EWTxVRFYv-VNe5oFTQnNoRHm08bYAGlSgJ7jL6gsyCcgl9pf3nbtAr6gL9dqOQ-yv5-eWWOANVSbeuX8d7yvtmJRtUgLfatcmNeJFW2-g/s320/DSC04256.JPG" /></span></em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>August 2009<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450799543912660402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3v8Bf-Jl8aFezrH-_bENU39ma9e-v_y2MOcrIo_w7tR5dLfMVgVUSU9J_Z7ldhzGk-5TnYkD5Mp7Z4uvHGi56wXOaY-2_90m0uVFe536ZgLH7uFxFju_xhG4bF7CCST3yGUsrshRxjWo/s320/DSC04398.JPG" /></em></span><em><span style="font-size:85%;">October 2009<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 244px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450798223568726050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgirU6CMesVvxRcZXy0nk9kjMYrlx_Wj6ojZrsSRLV7ruVJll8N7ERCeia8vqSfJf_idUZhIUPh4ZMdYAPiB1dWXErmNNIPaZmGPEFsI7pPuTKmLA9MdSrG_Abkz8ctuM1Rd9trGlUwg1g/s320/Punkin.jpg" />December 2009<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450801645136587154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8btJOn3HaetsaW9bvMAE9Z0nZVqOx2RYtte2OM7UqMPh7cGnvUhW3TNNDoMfVVudwwaXo732IdI7maU2KP4Ki-FZnm1gT0Hc3by6V1exaJ-tEyHNJ06b1AR5ozVh_u-dhI9-D9jdBD1o/s320/DSC02232.JPG" /></span></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;">March 19, 2010</span></em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450798710192291714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2TB0xdXb0bh1NgN00yXGpYwMc_IqxGreYn5rMOZtOkSAdgDBmemFSadJjeJDDlKef35Tzf7H-L6siAC_kremHZKG-hbcSfMhVg09GUr-Yrw-0SuO1OpqPboIZwXT3OEHmfOCx1wthVA/s320/DSC02518.JPG" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-71526568798279342872010-03-17T14:51:00.005-05:002010-03-17T15:13:56.520-05:00You know it's Spring when......the Dairy Kastle opens!<br /><br /><div><div></div><div>I must admit. Ever since the warm spell we had a few weeks ago, I've been compulsively driving by the Dairy Kastle several times a week to see if it's open. Yesterday when the girls and I were out for a walk, I saw that the boards had been taken off the windows...could it be? We strolled over and the owner told us that it would be open tomorrow...which is today! So, did we go? You betcha!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449697469125209698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CgAVovfZVKow8TfDS6dhPuI9oDgbu2fBY5hTO9hwPN3mo3mr0mA5lklAXFTdPPuyAU1AyMFHFTfTh_M6Ucc1W43YNeyXNa8btPgC2VXnYHIDOvwDV6uZgjfCN5v_CTLiWLFDsGsZKr0/s320/DSC02466.JPG" /> <p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxF3zxn-sMMEQwSEg7e-Q0Sv4S_u-n5dlIKV1ZTh6dx4pzWLmJQU9jsasy3uxAaY96zwcntAmrkpUFPwO03mQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="center">As if it weren't enough for the Kastle to be open, Katie also had a St. Patrick's Day party at her preschool...and I got the privilege of helping with it! It was so fun to visit her class and see the other kids, although their teachers said they were being unusually quiet. I like to think that they were blown away by the cupcakes and punch I made (which I confess I was a little stressed out about...but that's another blog post).</p></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449697874211573634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8GlxDUyfnPTBu7hudNBITo5BPkxil-dOs2ltc4Ds_nDx7efbSdZLjgIz0974rrtuc3puKQRSW37gDz_fhiLknXSPq2CmJPJnapkRf7tzqOD_ghyphenhyphen1r3p9FEhD19j7jYJc2sIFt5NmSyc/s320/DSC02457.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449698275103708226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN44rUysjSJMgF_AEYwNbXm1EHc_M-_Of0TZbuVS80-J2P7aW6cxKY6irAv4OdmTcTawqyPqGgzjd1LveXfVfc-xhy9IzaplWzZR14gc_QlvaL5pebOJvCLT0yY8lbIEUwL1IX0jnADvA/s320/DSC02458.JPG" /><br /><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz8MAt79R4wS8p_kz_YYQGxkVyfErlV5TUS1qkGBT0rCCEAMWsDnujL340z45egUoBg7g93-uU7j4jrkg2lRA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-65825504399365704332010-03-15T13:15:00.005-05:002010-03-15T13:49:19.089-05:00New tricksOur littlest sweetie will be one year old on Saturday! She started celebrating early by taking her first steps this past weekend. I've yet to capture her "walking" on camera, but I did manage to get some of her other tricks this past week.<br /><br /><div align="center"><em>Desperately trying to see what sister's doing<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448931777312090594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA99EZkn47zzn7YRPsU3W0d3I-REqkQwqvLyejvqghJKHdwq0HpvdXE40pd8H7edURNmRuK8W3r6NzJV-y4JQ67r6pyJlbywbePfC4ssCcS5HJ3AFD45e0470YbWzBZLKY1rUrP2_uUSM/s320/DSC02436.JPG" /></em></div><div align="center"><em>I climbed up all by myself!</em></div><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448932155034407234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3gn5hJgd_0KqOfEneFZbhf0zBBy1iGp0sHa04GBtu93BLBsq9d2W8tOaEtmkHkHQynBt8mtwFzqYc65vlnyH4EjUZExw8KsN9dWvefiDz38sbxI-XVvxUQv0PCSOKrrWhFhpaV5gIM0/s320/DSC02443.JPG" /></em> <div align="center"><em>And now I'm going to really spook my mom</em></div><div align="center"><em>and try to stand up on it... </div></em><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448932238095411554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNgnzY8_UiuOKo2qHjBZSd75YgNSjUf-aRe2g7BFiuUEZcLPcgDvZS2a67skianyCpHELEUsbctiZr9-IG9l4g30UB6TwLWcSJ8RyJdR8D51J3gpwWfX2Gy0cZTuOf0VnfVuoPVvBAwg/s320/DSC02444.JPG" /></em><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dycYd3Z7hfnVHJrRUWwzCe7-yl9UUshicU8wgYgEsxK2UAQ_E5HC2hK0mJ6nYq0sN9b2mlP3pL_yVl452Zy1A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p></em></span>Sorry for being a doof and not having the camera turned the right way (and for having an incredibly annoying 'mommy voice'). Any ideas on how I can fix that? The video, I mean, not my voice...although if you have any tips on the voice I'll take them too! And just in case you were wondering, she did NOT fall off the box at the end.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-61540993221405602102010-02-24T14:23:00.003-05:002010-02-24T14:35:14.786-05:00How we celebrate being 11 months old<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGNwgB9SdK6t0-sYMnWfi2yQStGJSK66llM9PBJAooxq_K8CTviRR94f09GCucGQw_8tmEHVaiewEd0BIFzJGLAOFP3zf6hjmd7ZVLGwuEc-dmnsdoNWgj14RC36iw3r07YCq_oxVe-I/s1600-h/DSC02430.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441894794227639090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGNwgB9SdK6t0-sYMnWfi2yQStGJSK66llM9PBJAooxq_K8CTviRR94f09GCucGQw_8tmEHVaiewEd0BIFzJGLAOFP3zf6hjmd7ZVLGwuEc-dmnsdoNWgj14RC36iw3r07YCq_oxVe-I/s320/DSC02430.JPG" /></a>As of Saturday, Caroline is 11 months old. Unbelievable. My little baby will be one in one month! She is a joy--loves her sister, loves climbing on things, and loves pointing at objects(especially photos) and saying "Da." <div><div></div><br /><div>So, in honor of her cuteness, we went to Chuck E. Cheese on Friday night for dinner. Okay, so not really for Caroline (as you can see in the picture, she was not amused), but fun nevertheless. I loved Chuck E. Cheese as a kid (until I almost drowned in the ball pit at my brother's birthday party, but that's a story for another day). I hadn't been to Chuck E. Cheese since then (except for the time we went there for Homecoming in high school, super-fun). I had vague memories of the pizza being pretty decent, but I went on Friday with very low expectations. The pizza actually wasn't too bad! I think I ate most of ours! Here's a pic from the night as well as a video of the 11 month old Caroline. </div><div> </div></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwKNO42mrgFMrk55vUkhaTFn8slAYy9fO5DBJ_zK_iRFkuXcaTf-KezEIiLIqBkqpUDdyzVhccrXR3e-ETM6g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-16195215264772750682010-02-22T10:00:00.003-05:002010-02-22T10:14:12.640-05:00FriendsHave you seen those gratitude posts on blogs lately? Like my sweet friend <a href="http://travelersrest.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/multitude-monday-and-its-menu-musings-5/">Tara</a>'s? Or <a href="http://theiversons.blogspot.com/2010/02/gratitude-1-10.html">Maggie</a>'s? I love these posts and am encouraged by them, but I must confess that they also make me feel guilty for not being as disciplined in the practice of thankfulness as I need to be. I need to incorporate such a practice into my life and hope to do so soon. As a start...<br /><br />Recently, I have found myself incredibly grateful lately for friends. I mean, real friends...the ones you can spill your guts to without fear that they will judge you or misunderstand you or think less of you. As I think back through each season of my life, the memories that give me the greatest joy all revolve around remembering who my friends were during that time. In preschool there were Peter and Brad and Jack. In elementary school there were Kathleen and Ethan, Mark and Ann. In middle school Susan, Kathryn, and Marni. In high school, Sandy, Veronica, Kathryn, Susan, Sallie, Rob, Shannon. In college there were dozens, but especially Jenny, Jaclyn, and Hannah. In China there was my whole team. And now, one of the joys of being married is that I get to live with my best friend without ever fearing that one of us will have to move away. In Louisville God has provided Cari, Melanie, Cindy, Laurel, Lisa, Emily, Megan, and Ashley. Even as I write these names, I'm sure I'm inadvertently leaving many out whom the Lord used profoundly in my life to love me, support me, encourage me, and (maybe the best part of friendship) to actually <em>like </em>me! How would I have ever made it through life without friends?<br /><br />Reflecting upon sweet friendships makes Christ's statement in John 15:15 that more meaningful: <em>"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."</em><br /><br />I can't help but think of Lewis' chapter on Friendship in <em>The Four Loves. </em>Here are two of my favorite parts that have come to mind recently:<br /><br /><em>"In a perfect Friendship this Appreciative love is, I think, so great and so firmly based that each member of the circle feels, in his secret heart, humbled before all the rest. Sometimes he wonders what he is doing there among his betters. He is lucky beyond desert to be in such company. Especially when the whole group is together, each bringing out all that is best, wisest, or funniest in all the others. Those are the golden sessions; when four or five of us after a hard day’s walking have come to our inn; when our slippers are on, our feet spread out towards the blaze and our drinks at our elbows; when the whole world, and something beyond the world, opens itself to our minds as we talk; and no one has any claim on or any responsibility for another, but all are freemen and equals as if we had first met an hour ago, while at the same time an Affection mellowed by the years enfolds us. Life—natural life—has no better gift to give. Who could have deserved it?"</em><br /><br /><em>"In Friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality, a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another, posting to different regiments, the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,' can truly say to every group of Christian friends, 'You have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another.' The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others. They are no greater than the beauties of a thousand other men; by Friendship God opens our eyes to them. They are, like all beauties, derived from Him, and then, in a good Friendship, increased by Him through the Friendship itself, so that it is His instrument for creating as well as for revealing. At this feast it is He who has spread the board and it is He who has chosen the guests. It is He, we may dare to hope, who sometimes does, and always should, preside. Let us not reckon without our Host."</em><br /><br />So, thank you, Father, for my friends.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1596230676983137705.post-65031982390755325012010-02-19T14:15:00.002-05:002010-02-19T14:20:44.916-05:00Testimony<span style="font-size:85%;">I just had to share <a href="http://murraysonamission.blogspot.com/2010/02/ten-years.html">this sweet testimony </a>from one of my dearest friends on the planet. Hannah, I love you, I am so thankful for what God has done in your life, and I count it one of my highest privileges to be your friend.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ten years ago tonight I was in my dorm room (Little 202) with Ashley, Lauren, and Sheila. I was overwhelmed by this sense that God was doing something new in my life. All week I had been praying that He would change me but knowing that those prayers were meaningless as I looked toward another weekend of carousing and shenanigans. What does Tuesday's devotion mean next to Friday's delinquency?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But Friday didn't bring the delinquency I expected. Out of nowhere, I woke up with a deep peace and an empowered desire to follow God, leaving behind anything that would hinder that pursuit. I had tried it before, and I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. As I poured a few bottles of liquor down the drain, I thought aloud, "If this is just another season of piety, I'm really wasting some good booze."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As it turns out, it wasn't a season. It was a new life. Some call it "conversion," turning from one thing to another. Others (including Jesus in John 3) call it "born again," referring to a spiritual birth. Still others describe it as "becoming a Christian," "giving your life to Jesus," or "accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior." Whatever it was, it started that night in Little 202, even without my understanding what was going on. I wouldn't claim today that I understand it either, but ten years down the road, I can at least put some words to the experience that has shaped the last decade of my life.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Most of all I know it had to do with giving up. I had tried so many times to be "good enough" for God and fallen flat on my face again and again. It just seemed that I didn't have enough self-control. The reason this time was different was that I stopped trying. I spent all week bemoaning to God that I wasn't good enough and never could be. That's where He stepped in</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:arial;">Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law, we become conscious of sin. But now, a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the law and the prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ." Romans 3:20-24</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For the first time I realized that Jesus thought of me on the cross, and that if I had been the only person ever to exist, He still would have done it. That central act of Christianity became personal for me. That's what "faith in Jesus" and "believe" are about. I didn't believe the Bible was true, I didn't care about Christian political "hot topics," and I sure didn't know much about righteousness, but I knew that Jesus's death saved me. That was enough.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">He forgave me, despite all I had done and the depths of sin in my heart. He filled me with His Spirit and empowered me to do the good I wanted to do but never could sustain. In the end, it was true that I wasn't able to live up to His standards on my own, but living in His strength, I felt a new power for holy living. Paul said it this way: <em>"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14)</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">My experience was about surrender more than anything else. Honestly, it hinged on excessive drinking, as trite as that may sound. But the essence of my surrender was a lot deeper than that, and the results blew the top off my life. All of the sudden that "God feeling" that I had experienced before, His presence in a tangible way, was everywhere and all the time. My prayers were answered. I was filled with a new joy. My life had purpose.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I really expected it to go away after a month or so, but that milestone passed a long time ago. Somewhere along the way, I realized that it wasn't a season. It's a life. I still sense His presence here in the jungles of Peru and know that He will not leave me today, tomorrow, or ever. He answers my prayers. He fills me with joy. My life has purpose in Him. This is the first ten years of eternity.</span><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:arial;">"But now that you have been set free from sin, and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:22-23</span></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0