2001.
It was one of the most life-changing years of my life. I don't have time to write about every event and how it affected me, but I will list just some of the things that occurred.
*I finished my first year of teaching
*My sister-in-law was diagnosed with MS
*I got my heart broken
* I was in a pretty serious car accident
*My sister had to have a major surgery
*My grandfather's health continued to falter
*I quit my first teaching job
*I got another job teaching, but this time in Indiana
*I moved back to Indiana
*I lived on my own for the very first time
*I began to help with the youth at Chapel Hill
*I met David
*9/11 occurred
Needless to say, it was a pretty traumatic year. Through all of the ups and downs, I learned that the only constant in my life is God. As soon as I start to rely on anything or anyone more than Him, I lose focus and direction. 2001 was a hard year for me. But as I look back on it now with some perspective, I am so thankful for the hard years, because those are the times when God really molded me and shaped me.
I am, by nature, a very social person. I love to be around people. I can't imagine having a job or career where I wouldn't get to interact with people on a daily basis. But sometimes my social tendencies made me uncomfortable being alone. 2001 was a year where I learned that my God is enough. And so many positive things have come out of those events, that I can't help but to be thankful for it all. The good and the bad. The highs and the lows.
If you are reading this, you might be having a year like the one I just listed. You might be feeling like you are getting slammed with one crazy thing after another. Let me encourage you that God is still in control and He has a plan, even if you have no idea what it is. Even if we never find out what it is, He has a plan.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Moments that changed my life, Part 4
Besides going to a Christian college, I also attended Illinois State University for 2 years. (Don't stop to do the math, because it will be very clear that it took me much longer than 4 years to finish school). And while I was so thankful for my time at a Christian college, I do not think I would have been as prepared to teach in the public school setting if it had not been for my time at ISU.
Going to ISU was my wake up call. I found out very quickly that what I believed was not what everyone else believed. While I was on my own at Lincoln, I was REALLY on my own at ISU. There was no curfew, no rules about where I lived, no RA's to look out for me. And while I did not always make the best decisions, I learned how to be a light in the darkness for God. Two events stand out in my mind vividly. The first was when I chose not to attend a play that my drama class was supposed to go to. I did not feel like the subject matter was appropriate, and I really felt like it was an opportunity for me to share with my professor about my faith. The second event was when I casually mentioned that I was a virgin to another classmate on the way to class. She was dumbfounded, saying she did not have any friends who were still virgins. Ha!
Beyond the actual university experience, going to ISU was the first place where I lived in an apartment. I cannot begin to recount the stories of the fun we had at 2412 Clearwater. In total, 9 girls rotated through there, and it was such a crazy time! I made lifelong friends, created memories, had some of the best conversations of my life, and learned a lot about heartache as well. I won't go into detail, but I did get my heart broken during this time. It was one of the hardest times of my life, but I will always remember the support of my friends as well as learning about leaning on God above all others.
Every experience is for a reason, and I am so thankful that I got to attend both a Christian college and a university! Go Redbirds!
Going to ISU was my wake up call. I found out very quickly that what I believed was not what everyone else believed. While I was on my own at Lincoln, I was REALLY on my own at ISU. There was no curfew, no rules about where I lived, no RA's to look out for me. And while I did not always make the best decisions, I learned how to be a light in the darkness for God. Two events stand out in my mind vividly. The first was when I chose not to attend a play that my drama class was supposed to go to. I did not feel like the subject matter was appropriate, and I really felt like it was an opportunity for me to share with my professor about my faith. The second event was when I casually mentioned that I was a virgin to another classmate on the way to class. She was dumbfounded, saying she did not have any friends who were still virgins. Ha!
Beyond the actual university experience, going to ISU was the first place where I lived in an apartment. I cannot begin to recount the stories of the fun we had at 2412 Clearwater. In total, 9 girls rotated through there, and it was such a crazy time! I made lifelong friends, created memories, had some of the best conversations of my life, and learned a lot about heartache as well. I won't go into detail, but I did get my heart broken during this time. It was one of the hardest times of my life, but I will always remember the support of my friends as well as learning about leaning on God above all others.
Every experience is for a reason, and I am so thankful that I got to attend both a Christian college and a university! Go Redbirds!
Friday, May 18, 2012
Full Circle
Noel on his very first day of preschool, September 2009
Noel on his very last day of preschool, May 2012
It has truly been a wonderful experience for Noel to go to Chapel Hill Preschool. Fortunately, we get to keep him there one more year, as he is headed to kindergarten there in the fall. I am very thankful for the guidance, love, lessons, fun, and example the teachers, aids, and director have given Noel. I'm not gonna lie that it is a little bittersweet, but I want to enjoy and embrace every season of Noel's life. Onward and upward! Ha!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Thursday Thank yous
This week I am thankful for. . .
551. the fact that my kids love hip-hop/dance music.
552. seeing my Bridges kids one last time at their awards program tonight. So proud of them.
553. my Mothers Day gift: JUST DANCE!! We have been getting our groove on around here. (And yes, I know Just Dance came out like 10 years ago, but I catch on slowly, okay?)
554. going to the zoo with the kiddos and some friends. Great time.
555. the impending arrival of my husband from a business trip. It's 8:33 pm as I write this, and he is supposed to be home at 9:00. It's the last few hours that go by the slowest.
556. leftovers.
557. a wonderful school year for Noel. He has had such wonderful teachers at Chapel Hill, and we are so thankful that he sees school in a positive light and that he has gotten to learn in a Christian environment.
558. God working out a new place for me to serve that I'm super excited about.
559. getting a sweet, romantic text from David on the anniversary of the day he proposed.
560. the knowledge that we have hope, even when we are in the midst of discouragement. A couple of my friends are really going through some trials, and yet they are relying on God to carry them through. What an inspiration to all of us!
What are you thankful for?
551. the fact that my kids love hip-hop/dance music.
552. seeing my Bridges kids one last time at their awards program tonight. So proud of them.
553. my Mothers Day gift: JUST DANCE!! We have been getting our groove on around here. (And yes, I know Just Dance came out like 10 years ago, but I catch on slowly, okay?)
554. going to the zoo with the kiddos and some friends. Great time.
555. the impending arrival of my husband from a business trip. It's 8:33 pm as I write this, and he is supposed to be home at 9:00. It's the last few hours that go by the slowest.
556. leftovers.
557. a wonderful school year for Noel. He has had such wonderful teachers at Chapel Hill, and we are so thankful that he sees school in a positive light and that he has gotten to learn in a Christian environment.
558. God working out a new place for me to serve that I'm super excited about.
559. getting a sweet, romantic text from David on the anniversary of the day he proposed.
560. the knowledge that we have hope, even when we are in the midst of discouragement. A couple of my friends are really going through some trials, and yet they are relying on God to carry them through. What an inspiration to all of us!
What are you thankful for?
Friday, May 11, 2012
Moments that changed my life, part 3
Because Mothers' Day is coming up, I am incredibly tempted to write about how becoming a mom has changed my life. But I'm trying to write these "moments" in chronological order, so just bear with me until I get there.
Moments that changed my life, part 3: Going to a Christian College
As long as I can remember, I knew I wanted to go to college. I didn't know what I wanted to do (still don't, some days), but I knew that college would be in my future. Between my sophomore and junior years in high school, my youth minister's wife told me about Lincoln Christian College. At the time they held a summer music camp for high school students. On a whim, I went. All by myself.
I knew nobody.
I had no idea what I was doing.
And I had the time of my life.
We sang and learned a musical, but more importantly I got to know some of the students from Lincoln and see a little glimpse of what college life was like in at a small Christian school. By the end of summer camp, I knew that a Christian college was the right fit for me.
I went to Lincoln for 3 1/2 years. I was a business major for two years, and after spending a summer at church camps with junior and senior high school students, I knew that I had to change my major to education. I took a lot of flak for that, and I had to stay in school a lot longer than planned, but if was all worth it.
I ended up with a Bachelor's Degree in Bible from Lincoln (so if you need a licensed Sunday School teacher, I'm your man!), and I finished up my Bachelor's Degree in English from Illinois State University. (Don't worry, my next "moment" post will be about going to a state school as well. . .)
Here are just some of the ways going to a Christian school affected me:
*amazing opportunities to serve, locally and globally
*taught by some of the most amazing people I have ever me
*made some of the best friends I ever had
*saw how I fit into God's plan
More than anything, going to Lincoln gave me a foundation that I did not have before I left for school. Before that, I went to church because it was the right thing to do. I read the Bible because I knew I was supposed to. But I didn't really connect how God was working in my life to change others.
I am forever thankful that I went to Lincoln. It helped prepare me for my lifelong journey with God, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to go to a Christian college.
Moments that changed my life, part 3: Going to a Christian College
As long as I can remember, I knew I wanted to go to college. I didn't know what I wanted to do (still don't, some days), but I knew that college would be in my future. Between my sophomore and junior years in high school, my youth minister's wife told me about Lincoln Christian College. At the time they held a summer music camp for high school students. On a whim, I went. All by myself.
I knew nobody.
I had no idea what I was doing.
And I had the time of my life.
We sang and learned a musical, but more importantly I got to know some of the students from Lincoln and see a little glimpse of what college life was like in at a small Christian school. By the end of summer camp, I knew that a Christian college was the right fit for me.
I went to Lincoln for 3 1/2 years. I was a business major for two years, and after spending a summer at church camps with junior and senior high school students, I knew that I had to change my major to education. I took a lot of flak for that, and I had to stay in school a lot longer than planned, but if was all worth it.
I ended up with a Bachelor's Degree in Bible from Lincoln (so if you need a licensed Sunday School teacher, I'm your man!), and I finished up my Bachelor's Degree in English from Illinois State University. (Don't worry, my next "moment" post will be about going to a state school as well. . .)
Here are just some of the ways going to a Christian school affected me:
*amazing opportunities to serve, locally and globally
*taught by some of the most amazing people I have ever me
*made some of the best friends I ever had
*saw how I fit into God's plan
More than anything, going to Lincoln gave me a foundation that I did not have before I left for school. Before that, I went to church because it was the right thing to do. I read the Bible because I knew I was supposed to. But I didn't really connect how God was working in my life to change others.
I am forever thankful that I went to Lincoln. It helped prepare me for my lifelong journey with God, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to go to a Christian college.
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Moments that changed my life, part 2
My parents have been married for 49 years. Not once have I ever questioned their love for each other or their love for me.
The older I get, the more I realize that this is a significant part to who I am as a person. I work with students who range from 6th grade to college age. I have seen so many kids who deal with stuff they shouldn't have to, and one of those is parents who either fight all of the time or who are divorced/separated and put the child in the middle. Instead of home being a place for fond memories, home is sometimes where a child least wants to be.
I understand that sometimes divorce is inevitable. I know from experience that you can't control what the other person in the marriage does. I understand that step-parents can be a blessing. I truly believe that God gives us second chances in every area of our lives.
But I also understand that there are a lot of hurting children because their parents choose to make selfish decisions. When a girl I know doesn't want to go home because mom is drunk and dad doesn't want to come get her, my heart breaks. I have had numerous conversations with students whose dads promised to be there for something special, only to bail at the last minute.
Being a parent is easy. Being a GOOD parent is not.
By no means am I an awesome parent every day. And I am the first one sometimes to point out my parents' flaws (too much, actually), but the more I spend time with students who don't have the home life they need, I am more and more thankful that I never had to experience that in my family. And the more and more determined I am to show students the love and encouragement they need that they might not be getting from home.
The older I get, the more I realize that this is a significant part to who I am as a person. I work with students who range from 6th grade to college age. I have seen so many kids who deal with stuff they shouldn't have to, and one of those is parents who either fight all of the time or who are divorced/separated and put the child in the middle. Instead of home being a place for fond memories, home is sometimes where a child least wants to be.
I understand that sometimes divorce is inevitable. I know from experience that you can't control what the other person in the marriage does. I understand that step-parents can be a blessing. I truly believe that God gives us second chances in every area of our lives.
But I also understand that there are a lot of hurting children because their parents choose to make selfish decisions. When a girl I know doesn't want to go home because mom is drunk and dad doesn't want to come get her, my heart breaks. I have had numerous conversations with students whose dads promised to be there for something special, only to bail at the last minute.
Being a parent is easy. Being a GOOD parent is not.
By no means am I an awesome parent every day. And I am the first one sometimes to point out my parents' flaws (too much, actually), but the more I spend time with students who don't have the home life they need, I am more and more thankful that I never had to experience that in my family. And the more and more determined I am to show students the love and encouragement they need that they might not be getting from home.
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
new food hits and misses
I don't have a lot of time to write tonight, but I wanted to share two new developments in my "new food" adventure of 2012.
#1 Mustard Greens. I tried braising them with some bacon, sugar, chicken broth, and vinegar. They were okay, but not near as good as kale. Not sure mustard greens will ever make another appearance at our house.
#2 Okay, promise you won't laugh. . .
Well, you can go ahead and laugh, but I must say that it was rather tasty.
Here's the story:
My mom has decided that she is going gluten-free. I love that she is taking steps to make her life more healthy, and I really love that she deiced to get rid of everything in her entire pantry that has gluten in it. Thanks to her we have 5 or 6 boxes of pasta and this little gem called Shake 'n Bake.
For the record, I have never used Shake 'n Bake, but I figured it's worth a try. Instead of coating entire chicken breasts, I cut the chicken into small, nugget-esque pieces and coated them. Wouldn't you know it? My kids thought they were honest-to-goodness chicken nuggets. Ate the whole plate of them. Now, I know Shake 'n Bake is my no means an all natural product, but it has to be better than the pink slime they put in McDonald's Chicken Nuggets. Baby steps. Baby steps.
And if you have stuck with me for this entire post (which is much longer than I originally intended), you receive a handsome reward:
Does anyone out there love this as much as I do? How come the Brady Bunch isn't on TV anywhere? My kids need to see it!
So, what have you all been eating?
#1 Mustard Greens. I tried braising them with some bacon, sugar, chicken broth, and vinegar. They were okay, but not near as good as kale. Not sure mustard greens will ever make another appearance at our house.
#2 Okay, promise you won't laugh. . .
Well, you can go ahead and laugh, but I must say that it was rather tasty.
Here's the story:
My mom has decided that she is going gluten-free. I love that she is taking steps to make her life more healthy, and I really love that she deiced to get rid of everything in her entire pantry that has gluten in it. Thanks to her we have 5 or 6 boxes of pasta and this little gem called Shake 'n Bake.
For the record, I have never used Shake 'n Bake, but I figured it's worth a try. Instead of coating entire chicken breasts, I cut the chicken into small, nugget-esque pieces and coated them. Wouldn't you know it? My kids thought they were honest-to-goodness chicken nuggets. Ate the whole plate of them. Now, I know Shake 'n Bake is my no means an all natural product, but it has to be better than the pink slime they put in McDonald's Chicken Nuggets. Baby steps. Baby steps.
And if you have stuck with me for this entire post (which is much longer than I originally intended), you receive a handsome reward:
Does anyone out there love this as much as I do? How come the Brady Bunch isn't on TV anywhere? My kids need to see it!
So, what have you all been eating?
Monday, May 07, 2012
Moments that changed my life, part 1
I have been filled with nostalgia lately. I think it's a combo of putting the house up for sale, getting ready for Noel to go to kindergarten, and finishing up the school year with my students. I've been thinking a lot about the way my life has been shaped and changed. So, I have decided to start blogging about my past and see what happens. I have creatively and uniquely names this: "Moments that changed my life". I know, I know, how am I not a published author yet?
Anyway. . .part 1: Growing up in my neighborhood
Until I left for college I had the same address: 3200 Revere Street. (Don't worry, stalkers, my parents don't live there anymore!). I lived in a little neighborhood of about 60 houses or so called Holiday Park. When I was in grade school I could have told you who lived in every house. It was so much fun to grow up in that neighborhood. Riding bikes was a daily ritual from March until October. We knew which house had the good candy on Halloween. And you never did anything without Mrs. Bell finding out about it.
Here are some moments that will always stand out in my mind from living in that neighborhood:
*playing in my best friends' back yards (none of our parents would let us come in and wreck their house--although I do remember sneaking in to Chiandra's house while her mom was gone & of course we got busted.)
*daring each other to walk up to the abandoned house on the corner. So many great, scary stories passed down about that house that I'm sure were never true. ("I heard there's a ghost who haunts the upstairs. . .")
*making up dance/ballet routines and performing them for our moms.
*riding the school bus with my friends
*camp outs that always ended up with us all inside.
*adventures to the neighborhood across the street, because it had a creek, making it exponentially cooler.
*getting picked on my the older neighborhood kids.
*wrecking my bike the day before the start of middle school. Nothing makes a girl feel more confident than a big scab on her forehead!
*trying to drive my first car up the hill in the yard instead of the driveway. Not a smart choice. Not. At. All.
Mostly, I just remember that in the midst of the chaos my family was going through, I found shelter in the safety of my neighborhood. Having siblings who were much older than me, I would have been all by myself most of the time, but thanks to living where I did, I didn't have to be. It was simple, but so much fun.
What memories of growing up do you have that you cherish?
Anyway. . .part 1: Growing up in my neighborhood
Until I left for college I had the same address: 3200 Revere Street. (Don't worry, stalkers, my parents don't live there anymore!). I lived in a little neighborhood of about 60 houses or so called Holiday Park. When I was in grade school I could have told you who lived in every house. It was so much fun to grow up in that neighborhood. Riding bikes was a daily ritual from March until October. We knew which house had the good candy on Halloween. And you never did anything without Mrs. Bell finding out about it.
Here are some moments that will always stand out in my mind from living in that neighborhood:
*playing in my best friends' back yards (none of our parents would let us come in and wreck their house--although I do remember sneaking in to Chiandra's house while her mom was gone & of course we got busted.)
*daring each other to walk up to the abandoned house on the corner. So many great, scary stories passed down about that house that I'm sure were never true. ("I heard there's a ghost who haunts the upstairs. . .")
*making up dance/ballet routines and performing them for our moms.
*riding the school bus with my friends
*camp outs that always ended up with us all inside.
*adventures to the neighborhood across the street, because it had a creek, making it exponentially cooler.
*getting picked on my the older neighborhood kids.
*wrecking my bike the day before the start of middle school. Nothing makes a girl feel more confident than a big scab on her forehead!
*trying to drive my first car up the hill in the yard instead of the driveway. Not a smart choice. Not. At. All.
Mostly, I just remember that in the midst of the chaos my family was going through, I found shelter in the safety of my neighborhood. Having siblings who were much older than me, I would have been all by myself most of the time, but thanks to living where I did, I didn't have to be. It was simple, but so much fun.
What memories of growing up do you have that you cherish?
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Thursday Thank Yous
This week I am thankful for. . .
541. homemade waffles.
542. forgiveness.
543. hard-but-necessary conversations.
544. healthy bodies.
545. my guitar.
546. my brother and sister.
547. answered prayers for a friend.
548. people who read and respond to my writing.
549. all of the beauty of spring: flowers blooming, grass growing, birds crashing into my window every morning!
550. God's provisions every day. It might not always be what I want, but it is always what I need.
What are you thankful for?
541. homemade waffles.
542. forgiveness.
543. hard-but-necessary conversations.
544. healthy bodies.
545. my guitar.
546. my brother and sister.
547. answered prayers for a friend.
548. people who read and respond to my writing.
549. all of the beauty of spring: flowers blooming, grass growing, birds crashing into my window every morning!
550. God's provisions every day. It might not always be what I want, but it is always what I need.
What are you thankful for?
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
I wish Rob Bell was right. . .but he's not.
I just finished reading the book Erasing Hell by Francis Chan. It is such a well-written book, and I cannot recommend it enough to any believer out there. A while back, Rob Bell wrote a book called Love Wins, in which he basically says that "hell" is all of the terrible things people have to face here on earth. According to Bell, each of us will get as many tries as it takes until we finally come to accept Jesus as Lord. What all of this means specifically, I cannot tell you.
But I wish he was right.
I wish that I could sleep at night knowing that every person will eventually end up in heaven.
The only problem is: this isn't what the Bible says.
Most of Chan's new book is looking specifically at what the Bible says about hell and (most importantly) what that means for us. For some reason, when Rob Bell wrote his book, it struck a nerve with many Christians. People were all up in arms, calling him a Universalist and writing him off.
And while I think Rob Bell was wrong in his book Love Wins, aren't we just as bad?
I believe hell is real. I believe that those who don't have the forgiveness of Jesus will be there after they die. And yet most days I do nothing to change that.
Isn't that worse??
I can't stand for someone to say they don't believe in hell, but I will stand by and watch thousand of lost souls continue on the path towards hell without doing anything about it.
The truth is that yes, hell is real, AND yes, I need to do everything I can, not to scare people out of hell, but to share the amazing gift of forgiveness, healing, hope, and eternity we have been offered in Jesus. If I can't do that, then what do my actions really say about my beliefs?
I am a pretty open person. If something is bothering me, I'm going to talk to someone about it. If I am excited about something, I will probably talk about it with everyone I see. How come I don't have that same attitude about heaven and hell? It should bother me--rock me to the core--that so many people don't know the love of God. There are still whole people groups with no Bible, for crying out loud. And I should be so excited about my salvation that I share it with everyone I see. Not in an annoying, in your face way, but the same way I share anything else I am passionate about.
I hope that if you are reading this that you know about God's love and forgiveness. If you don't, please ask me about Him. And if you do, please tell someone else about it.
But I wish he was right.
I wish that I could sleep at night knowing that every person will eventually end up in heaven.
The only problem is: this isn't what the Bible says.
Most of Chan's new book is looking specifically at what the Bible says about hell and (most importantly) what that means for us. For some reason, when Rob Bell wrote his book, it struck a nerve with many Christians. People were all up in arms, calling him a Universalist and writing him off.
And while I think Rob Bell was wrong in his book Love Wins, aren't we just as bad?
I believe hell is real. I believe that those who don't have the forgiveness of Jesus will be there after they die. And yet most days I do nothing to change that.
Isn't that worse??
I can't stand for someone to say they don't believe in hell, but I will stand by and watch thousand of lost souls continue on the path towards hell without doing anything about it.
The truth is that yes, hell is real, AND yes, I need to do everything I can, not to scare people out of hell, but to share the amazing gift of forgiveness, healing, hope, and eternity we have been offered in Jesus. If I can't do that, then what do my actions really say about my beliefs?
I am a pretty open person. If something is bothering me, I'm going to talk to someone about it. If I am excited about something, I will probably talk about it with everyone I see. How come I don't have that same attitude about heaven and hell? It should bother me--rock me to the core--that so many people don't know the love of God. There are still whole people groups with no Bible, for crying out loud. And I should be so excited about my salvation that I share it with everyone I see. Not in an annoying, in your face way, but the same way I share anything else I am passionate about.
I hope that if you are reading this that you know about God's love and forgiveness. If you don't, please ask me about Him. And if you do, please tell someone else about it.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Thursday Thank Yous
This week I am thankful for. . .
531. upcoming plans to celebrate David's parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Can you say Party on the Farm??!!
532. free books on the Kindle.
533. hearing other people share their stories of how God has worked in their lives. Inspiring.
534. Phineas and Ferb. Hands down much better than Dora, Diego, Handy Manny, or Mickey Mouse.
535. intentional conversations that mean something instead of surface level ones.
536. the high school girls in my life group.
537. the rain holding out yesterday until I got the mulching done.
538. workout DVDs from the library. Because you can only do so much Bob Harper before enough is enough, right?
539. secret jokes between David and me.
540. hearing my children's prayers at bedtime. Is there anything more precious?
What are you thankful for?
531. upcoming plans to celebrate David's parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Can you say Party on the Farm??!!
532. free books on the Kindle.
533. hearing other people share their stories of how God has worked in their lives. Inspiring.
534. Phineas and Ferb. Hands down much better than Dora, Diego, Handy Manny, or Mickey Mouse.
535. intentional conversations that mean something instead of surface level ones.
536. the high school girls in my life group.
537. the rain holding out yesterday until I got the mulching done.
538. workout DVDs from the library. Because you can only do so much Bob Harper before enough is enough, right?
539. secret jokes between David and me.
540. hearing my children's prayers at bedtime. Is there anything more precious?
What are you thankful for?
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Where has the time gone?
Okay, I have almost no excuse for not blogging for several days in a row. I guess the cleaning got to me. You see, we had our very first (and only so far) showing of our house. It's not even on the market yet, but our realtor asked if she could show it to one family. I think it went okay. If anything, it taught us what we need to do when someone wants to look at our house (aka: where to hide the junk). The whole time we were cleaning, I had that music in my head that they play on makeover shows where the clock is ticking down to "reveal" time, and they just don't think everything is going to get done, but then it does. I think that's what motivated me. I kind of pretended I was on some sort of "clean up" reality show. I just hope in this pretend reality show that I am cast as the funny/sweet/smart girl and not the terrible/stubborn/hard to work with contestant. Oh, if you all only knew what goes on in my mind. . .
We have been looking at more houses lately, and we are starting to figure out what we would like in a house. It's really tricky, though, because it can easily get away from you. As soon as you see a house with granite counter tops, then you think, "Wow, maybe I NEED granite counter tops." Or a reading room. Or a beautiful front porch. The list goes on.
None of these are bad things. I'm just starting to realize how material items in a house begin to snowball, and before I know it, my idea of what we "need" has changed. And I'm also starting to realize how tempting it is going to be to want to spend lots of time and money fixing up whatever house we do eventually buy. And while making a house our own is totally fine, I have to really keep myself in check as to not spend money that could go to something much more important. Know what I mean?
"This world has nothing for me, and this world has everything. All that I could want, and nothing that I need." Words from an old Caedmon's Call song still ring in my heart.
Whatever this world is offering us, it's not what we "need". It never will be. Even if it is covered in new brick and hardwood flooring.
We have been looking at more houses lately, and we are starting to figure out what we would like in a house. It's really tricky, though, because it can easily get away from you. As soon as you see a house with granite counter tops, then you think, "Wow, maybe I NEED granite counter tops." Or a reading room. Or a beautiful front porch. The list goes on.
None of these are bad things. I'm just starting to realize how material items in a house begin to snowball, and before I know it, my idea of what we "need" has changed. And I'm also starting to realize how tempting it is going to be to want to spend lots of time and money fixing up whatever house we do eventually buy. And while making a house our own is totally fine, I have to really keep myself in check as to not spend money that could go to something much more important. Know what I mean?
"This world has nothing for me, and this world has everything. All that I could want, and nothing that I need." Words from an old Caedmon's Call song still ring in my heart.
Whatever this world is offering us, it's not what we "need". It never will be. Even if it is covered in new brick and hardwood flooring.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Thursday Thank You's
This week I am thankful for. . .
521. getting to celebrate my sweet ball of fire's third birthday, complete with bouncy mat and Barbie cake.
522. opportunities to meet new people.
523. other people who love on my kids.
524. an easygoing family that doesn't get mad when a new meal experiment is a total failure. Live and learn!
525. sunshine and beautiful weather.
526. watching David play with the kids at night.
527. little reminders from God that I am making decisions that are in the right direction. (most of the time!)
528. a new Parks and Recreation tonight. I know, I know, it's a TV show, but the little things make life fun, right?
529. free books on the Kindle. Currently reading "Erasing Hell" by Francis Chan, and it is really good.
530. my hammock. Have I ever written on here about how my only dream when I was growing up was to have a house with a hammock in my yard. Mission accomplished, and it is as wonderful as I thought it would be. We love it!
What little and big things are you thankful for?
521. getting to celebrate my sweet ball of fire's third birthday, complete with bouncy mat and Barbie cake.
522. opportunities to meet new people.
523. other people who love on my kids.
524. an easygoing family that doesn't get mad when a new meal experiment is a total failure. Live and learn!
525. sunshine and beautiful weather.
526. watching David play with the kids at night.
527. little reminders from God that I am making decisions that are in the right direction. (most of the time!)
528. a new Parks and Recreation tonight. I know, I know, it's a TV show, but the little things make life fun, right?
529. free books on the Kindle. Currently reading "Erasing Hell" by Francis Chan, and it is really good.
530. my hammock. Have I ever written on here about how my only dream when I was growing up was to have a house with a hammock in my yard. Mission accomplished, and it is as wonderful as I thought it would be. We love it!
What little and big things are you thankful for?
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
All you need is love. . .and something bouncy
My sweet, spunky ball of fire is turning 3 this weekend. Can you believe it? Is there anyone who doesn't say that the time goes by so quickly? Anyway, we were trying to figure out what to do for her birthday, and couldn't really come up with anything. I'm one of those people who is a little torn about birthday parties. While I love having people over to eat and hang out, I am a little hesitant to have a "birthday" party for a three-year old. Everything ends up being so over-the-top. Does everyone really need a theme? Matching hats, decorations, party invitations, favors, etc? And then there are the gifts. Elise has so many things already, and I hate making people feel like they need to buy something for her. But if we don't do something we look like stick-in-the-muds. Or worse.
So I asked Elise what she wanted to do. A few weeks back, our church had a "bounce night" for any kids who wanted to come. They filled the gym with blow up stuff and just let the kids have at it. When I asked Elise what she wanted, she said she wanted to bounce and have a Barbie cake.
I found out that our church lets people borrow the smallest of the bouncy mats for no cost. And this week we have been putting together one of those Barbie cakes made from a batter bowl. We invited our play group over for tomorrow afternoon (about 6 kids) to eat Barbie cake and bounce.
It's a win-win-win (anyone remember that episode of The Office? Conflict Resolution? That was when the show was so funny!)
I love looking at cool websites and Pinterest, but sometimes (at least for me) reading all of that can make me have these expectations that I need to be super mom in order for my kids to have a good time. I need to check myself sometimes and just realize that I am doing what I can for my kids. They don't know that they "need" a portrait of every first day of school on an amazing homemade canvas. They just want to be loved and known.
So, if anyone is looking for us for the next few days, we'll be bouncing.
So I asked Elise what she wanted to do. A few weeks back, our church had a "bounce night" for any kids who wanted to come. They filled the gym with blow up stuff and just let the kids have at it. When I asked Elise what she wanted, she said she wanted to bounce and have a Barbie cake.
I found out that our church lets people borrow the smallest of the bouncy mats for no cost. And this week we have been putting together one of those Barbie cakes made from a batter bowl. We invited our play group over for tomorrow afternoon (about 6 kids) to eat Barbie cake and bounce.
It's a win-win-win (anyone remember that episode of The Office? Conflict Resolution? That was when the show was so funny!)
I love looking at cool websites and Pinterest, but sometimes (at least for me) reading all of that can make me have these expectations that I need to be super mom in order for my kids to have a good time. I need to check myself sometimes and just realize that I am doing what I can for my kids. They don't know that they "need" a portrait of every first day of school on an amazing homemade canvas. They just want to be loved and known.
So, if anyone is looking for us for the next few days, we'll be bouncing.
Monday, April 16, 2012
homemade hummus
I think about a year ago I was introduced to hummus. I found it on clearance at Meijer one day and tried it. Of course, they hooked me, and now I want it every time I go there, even when it's not on sale. David swears it's because we eat the hummus with these:
Oh, sweet mercy, they are good. I think that in my mind I justify eating so many of them because they kind of look healthy. But a whole bag of anything isn't really healthy. But I digress. . .
Last week when I was trying to find a new food, I bought some garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, which is the main ingredient in hummus. Does anyone know why the same food has 2 different names? Enlighten me, please. Anyway, I decided I would make my own hummus. And it was pretty easy. The only other thing I really needed was Tahini sauce, which is made from sesame seeds (I think).
So, you just put a can of chickpeas in your food processor with some garlic, some Tahini sauce, lemon juice, salt, and then whatever you want to add flavoring (pine nuts, red pepper, basil, etc.).
Unless you are like me and don't own a food processor. In that case, use your blender.
In the end, it turned out to be delicious, and we didn't even have the amazing pretzels! We ate it all the way to Chicago to pick my brother up from his trip to Haiti.
So, anybody have some new food ideas for me to try next week?
Oh, sweet mercy, they are good. I think that in my mind I justify eating so many of them because they kind of look healthy. But a whole bag of anything isn't really healthy. But I digress. . .
Last week when I was trying to find a new food, I bought some garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, which is the main ingredient in hummus. Does anyone know why the same food has 2 different names? Enlighten me, please. Anyway, I decided I would make my own hummus. And it was pretty easy. The only other thing I really needed was Tahini sauce, which is made from sesame seeds (I think).
So, you just put a can of chickpeas in your food processor with some garlic, some Tahini sauce, lemon juice, salt, and then whatever you want to add flavoring (pine nuts, red pepper, basil, etc.).
Unless you are like me and don't own a food processor. In that case, use your blender.
In the end, it turned out to be delicious, and we didn't even have the amazing pretzels! We ate it all the way to Chicago to pick my brother up from his trip to Haiti.
So, anybody have some new food ideas for me to try next week?
Thursday, April 12, 2012
The weight of the world
Some days I leave Bridges laughing at the crazy fun we had. (Oh my, if I only had a video camera with me. . .) Some days I leave Bridges completely frustrated because of a situation. (How many times can a student "forget" their homework?) But today I left Bridges, sat in my car, and cried.
I cried for my students.
They are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, and many have nobody to help them.
This week at Bridges the theme was "your story". They've been giving students a chance to tell their story to everyone. Today one brave girl started. She told her story, which is filled with the heartaches of drug abuse, foster care, and poverty. But through it all she has continued to press on. She spoke about the hope that God gives her that she can keep pressing on no matter what.
I was so proud of her courage to speak and share. Whew. That was tough. Now, onto free time, right?
Nope.
Another student shared. And then another. One by one students came up and vocalized their struggles. These students who are between 12 and 15 spoke of things that nobody should experience, let alone as a child.
Abuse from parents
Abandonment
Drug Addiction
Incarceration of family members
Divorce
Dad running off
Being molested
Being bullied
One boy spoke of how he had never met his dad. "I don't know what is so wrong with me that he doesn't even want to know me."
The stories started to overwhelm me. Honestly, I just wanted to walk out of the room and cry. But for some reason, I kept thinking of my friend Ginny, who is a missionary in Haiti. When she took me to a Tent City in Jacmel, she said, "Don't cry in front of them. They don't want your pity. They want your help."
And that's what Bridges is all about. It's not about pity. It's about help.
Most of the students who shared their stories were missing a true family. Someone who misses them when they are not around, who cheers them on, laughs with them, pushes them to do their best. And they have found some of that in Bridges.
So, while it's nice I get to help them with homework, and it's fun to play games with them, the reason I'm there is to show them that they are not alone. Someone cares.
I cried for my students.
They are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, and many have nobody to help them.
This week at Bridges the theme was "your story". They've been giving students a chance to tell their story to everyone. Today one brave girl started. She told her story, which is filled with the heartaches of drug abuse, foster care, and poverty. But through it all she has continued to press on. She spoke about the hope that God gives her that she can keep pressing on no matter what.
I was so proud of her courage to speak and share. Whew. That was tough. Now, onto free time, right?
Nope.
Another student shared. And then another. One by one students came up and vocalized their struggles. These students who are between 12 and 15 spoke of things that nobody should experience, let alone as a child.
Abuse from parents
Abandonment
Drug Addiction
Incarceration of family members
Divorce
Dad running off
Being molested
Being bullied
One boy spoke of how he had never met his dad. "I don't know what is so wrong with me that he doesn't even want to know me."
The stories started to overwhelm me. Honestly, I just wanted to walk out of the room and cry. But for some reason, I kept thinking of my friend Ginny, who is a missionary in Haiti. When she took me to a Tent City in Jacmel, she said, "Don't cry in front of them. They don't want your pity. They want your help."
And that's what Bridges is all about. It's not about pity. It's about help.
Most of the students who shared their stories were missing a true family. Someone who misses them when they are not around, who cheers them on, laughs with them, pushes them to do their best. And they have found some of that in Bridges.
So, while it's nice I get to help them with homework, and it's fun to play games with them, the reason I'm there is to show them that they are not alone. Someone cares.
Thursday Thank You's
I am thankful for. . .
511. spring, and everything it brings.
512. celebrating Easter with my family.
513. antibiotics. I had a small infection that made my face swell up last week (not a pretty sight). Anyway, once I got some antibiotics I was fine. But the whole time, I kept thinking about places where people don't have access to antibiotics. Wow.
514. a husband who prays with me and for me.
515. listening to my kids sing David Crowder in the car.
516. Goodwill bargains.
517. good books that really speak to me and help me to feel like I'm not the only one feeling the way I do.
518. last Friday: took the fastest trip to Chicago and back ever. Stopped for gas on the way, picked my brother up at the airport, and stopped for a drink on the way back. 7 hours later we were back home.
519. getting to be a part of things much bigger than myself.
520. lessons learned every day. It's never too old to stop learning.
What are you thankful for?
511. spring, and everything it brings.
512. celebrating Easter with my family.
513. antibiotics. I had a small infection that made my face swell up last week (not a pretty sight). Anyway, once I got some antibiotics I was fine. But the whole time, I kept thinking about places where people don't have access to antibiotics. Wow.
514. a husband who prays with me and for me.
515. listening to my kids sing David Crowder in the car.
516. Goodwill bargains.
517. good books that really speak to me and help me to feel like I'm not the only one feeling the way I do.
518. last Friday: took the fastest trip to Chicago and back ever. Stopped for gas on the way, picked my brother up at the airport, and stopped for a drink on the way back. 7 hours later we were back home.
519. getting to be a part of things much bigger than myself.
520. lessons learned every day. It's never too old to stop learning.
What are you thankful for?
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
What works for me: Grocery Shopping
I've been writing about my new food items this year, and I wanted to throw a little something out there about how I shop at the grocery store. Now, I need to make a disclaimer that by no means am I a total expert at this. This post is not about how to leave the store with $500 of groceries and pay $6. I don't really use coupons. What I will share is how we grocery shop so that we don't eat out very much and try to eat healthy. (Try is the operative word there).
#1: Make a menu. I usually do my grocery shopping on Friday. So, Thursday night I sit down and make a menu. I have a notebook where I keep the menus. If I get stuck with what to plan, I look back at what we have eaten over the last few weeks. I also have my cookbooks and recipes handy, too. If I know ahead of time that we are going to be doing something on a given night, I can plan accordingly. Now, this menu doesn't always get followed, but by doing this, I know that we will have everything we need for the meals listed. I usually plan for one night of leftovers, but that doesn't always happen, as we eat leftovers a lot for lunch.
Notice the arrows. As you can see, plans change a lot around here.
#2: Make a categorized grocery list. I go to the same grocery store almost every week. I know where I start (dairy) and where I finish (fruit). So, I write my list in this order. I also check the pantry, freezer, and fridge to see what I already have before I buy it again. When I don't, I end up with 3 containers of sour cream in my fridge (like I do right now).
#3: Buy your meat first. I try to get my meat from a local business. If I find that a specific meat is on sale that week, I might change the menu plan before I hit the big grocery store. Plus, you can always freeze meat. For example, I really like salmon, but if it's not on sale, I won't buy it, so the menu might have to change.
#4: Stick to the list, for the most part. I usually walk away with a few items that weren't on the list, but in general, if it's not on the list, we aren't going to get it. The only exceptions I make are sale items that I KNOW we we use, or a good deal on fruit/veggies.
#5: Shop the outside. Most of us know this by now, but the outer edge of the grocery store is where most of the shopping should take place. The aisles are filled with processed foods. We are not all-organic or non-processed food only shoppers by any means, but if I don't have anything on the list for a specific aisle, I just don't walk down it. I know that if I walk down the chip aisle, inevitably some snack is going to catch my eye, and then I will eat it. I will confess that I have zero will power. I love snack foods, so if they are in the house, I eat them. If they aren't in the house, I don't have a choice.
So, there are my tips. What are yours? Please share!
#1: Make a menu. I usually do my grocery shopping on Friday. So, Thursday night I sit down and make a menu. I have a notebook where I keep the menus. If I get stuck with what to plan, I look back at what we have eaten over the last few weeks. I also have my cookbooks and recipes handy, too. If I know ahead of time that we are going to be doing something on a given night, I can plan accordingly. Now, this menu doesn't always get followed, but by doing this, I know that we will have everything we need for the meals listed. I usually plan for one night of leftovers, but that doesn't always happen, as we eat leftovers a lot for lunch.
Notice the arrows. As you can see, plans change a lot around here.
#2: Make a categorized grocery list. I go to the same grocery store almost every week. I know where I start (dairy) and where I finish (fruit). So, I write my list in this order. I also check the pantry, freezer, and fridge to see what I already have before I buy it again. When I don't, I end up with 3 containers of sour cream in my fridge (like I do right now).
#3: Buy your meat first. I try to get my meat from a local business. If I find that a specific meat is on sale that week, I might change the menu plan before I hit the big grocery store. Plus, you can always freeze meat. For example, I really like salmon, but if it's not on sale, I won't buy it, so the menu might have to change.
#4: Stick to the list, for the most part. I usually walk away with a few items that weren't on the list, but in general, if it's not on the list, we aren't going to get it. The only exceptions I make are sale items that I KNOW we we use, or a good deal on fruit/veggies.
#5: Shop the outside. Most of us know this by now, but the outer edge of the grocery store is where most of the shopping should take place. The aisles are filled with processed foods. We are not all-organic or non-processed food only shoppers by any means, but if I don't have anything on the list for a specific aisle, I just don't walk down it. I know that if I walk down the chip aisle, inevitably some snack is going to catch my eye, and then I will eat it. I will confess that I have zero will power. I love snack foods, so if they are in the house, I eat them. If they aren't in the house, I don't have a choice.
So, there are my tips. What are yours? Please share!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
When it rains (pictures of my kids), it pours
Are you tired of seeing these adorable faces?
Me neither.
Just wanted to share some photos from Easter. On the weekend of Palm Sunday we went to the Deans. We had a great time with family, despite the Buckeyes losing and me having some weird face infection that involved going to the urgent care clinic for antibiotics.
Candy + Family = Best. Weekend. Ever.
And of course there was the annual egg hunt. Even though my kids were the only ones who took part (some couldn't make it, some were too old), it was still a race to the finish.
The smiles are a little easier to come by with a bag full of candy in your arms.
This is a picture on Easter Sunday at our house. Noel and Elise are wearing their Easter gifts: a dress and a Mario shirt. They also got new toothbrushes (Wow. When I type it, I sound like the most un-fun mom ever, but that is really what they wanted--light up toothbrushes).
We had a nice, lazy afternoon, in which there was plenty of Mario time.
Two peas in a pod. Which one is having more fun???
My favorite part of the whole Easter season was reading through the stories of the Passion Week with the kids. The night we read about Jesus' death, the kids were sad. And I tried to leave it like that for the night, so that the next day they could kind of experience the joy of the resurrection. It is such an amazing experience to see life through the eyes of a child. The wonder. The newness. The excitement. I don't want them to ever lose it.
Okay, back to my normal no-pictured blog posts.
Sunday, April 08, 2012
Some proof that I actually DO take pictures
I'd like to share a few pictures from our vacation to Columbus. We stayed in a hotel that had an indoor waterpark. It was a really fun place, and Noel had the time of his life. Elise kind of likes the water, but Noel could go all day and never stop. It was just fun being together and making memories.
Noel hates being sprayed in the face. But he soon realized that almost every slide involved getting sprayed at one point or another, and that he needed to just suck it up and enjoy the ride. Once he did, he was good to go!
Elise having a good time drowning Ariel.
Playing in the fountains
Basketball
More slides
Ready to take on the bigger slides! (Noel is, at least)
Climbing the rope ladder
In keeping with my terrible photography skills, this is a picture of the biggest slide Noel went down, but it is, in fact, not Noel coming down. I tried a bunch of times, but couldn't snap him at the right time. So just pretend he is coming out. I was really proud of him for trying the slide, and he ended up loving it. If you know Noel, he is not always gung ho about doing new stuff. But he pushed himself, and was very proud of it.
More pictures to come from the Dean's house and Easter Sunday!
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