The lonely times...

It took me 4 hours to do laundry tonight.Yup. 4 whole hours. Normally it takes me an hour and a half to do my usual 2 loads. Why you ask,did it take 4... Well, because I got busy watching The Ramp online.

Normally I would have been there live, but not this time. And for the first time in a while-I felt lonely. I sat in my living room floor interpreting Damon's message and wondering what Jeffrey was thinking about it. I could just see us sitting beside each other~Me furiously taking notes, and him tapping my leg when he wanted to make sure I wrote something down. We have a pretty good system. I take pages of notes-He takes maybe 1/2 a page...

Then towards the end I was earnestly starring at the screen to see if that bald head I saw was his-it wasn't. But I realized that no matter how happy you are, somethings will still always make you miss home. Maybe it's a smell, or the way going shopping by yourself just isn't the same. Maybe it's wanting to be forced to switch back and forth between SportsCenter and Grey's Anatomy. Maybe it's reading something and immediately wanting to pull out the concordance-but realizing that you don't actually OWN the concordance-He does.

Growing up is crazy hard. Being apart from people you love is super crazy hard. Finding your place in the world is harder than I could have ever believed. I feel like I'd like to have my entire life story laid out in a nice neat book. But lately, I feel like I'm getting a sentence at a time. But I suppose that's all I need.

So here I am. In a bit of a lonely time. But I feel that in a year-things will be different. Lonely won't follow me around forever. A wise man once told me that this time would be lonely, but when I finished I'd know some things beyond a shadow of a doubt. So each time lonely comes-I just stop and ask God what He's trying to tell me. And then I get it- one sentence at a time...

Tulips and Izzies

Ever notice how flowers just make your day better. When you put them in a vase and wake up the next morning, and say "oh hello beautiful bright flowers!" I bought these tulips from the grocery yesterday. When I got them they were a bit droopy. So I put them in nice cold water. Then I went to bed. When I woke up today, they were much perkier. Then when I got home from work, I realized they were not droopy anymore, they were standing up straight-as straight as tulips stand-
Then I remembered this cool passage I'd read while I was at work. Yup. I get paid to sit and read books sometimes...I know. It's such a blessing!

The book is called "Primal" it was written by the pastor of the church I go to now...www.theaterchurch.com
He was talking about how as Christians we are constantly asking to "be fed". And if we feel we aren't getting fed, we stop going to that church or Bible study. Then he said this. "My kids starting feeding themselves when they were toddlers."
Ouch! I've been around quite a few kiddos in my life. Some of them eat table food earlier than others, but eventually they all takeover and feed themselves. We are responsible for "Feeding off the Word". Just like my tulips- I gave them the "food", but they had to drink it up and soak it in. Then instead of being droopy they stood tall and are about to bloom.
How much more would we be able to stand tall for Jesus if we fed ourselves from the Word, instead of just solely relying on our pastors and worship leaders to feed us on Sundays.

I'm talking to me too! I realized today that every day we should be looking for that one person God's placed in our path to witness too. I like days where I get to read my Christian books at work, and people always say, "Hey, what'cha reading?" Well actually.... It's a great witnessing tool. And I decided today, that no matter what people might say about me to my back- when I'm facing them, I want to be "full enough" to say This is whom I have believed in-His name is Jesus and He can give you the best life you've imagined.

That life definitely includes Pink Tulips and Pomegranate Izzies!~

City.

Today I realized that I'm getting a little "City Spoiled".
Definition~ When you realize that going for groceries only means a 45 minute trip-total. Drive time included.
When the movies are a block away and you can get a milkshake right next door. Having an Ann Taylor and New York &Co. less than 5 minutes away! Oh the city sure is sweet!

Mommy Week

This week was full of my momma. She visited from last Friday until this Sunday, and what fun we had...
Opening Ceremonies.Pairs Figure Skating. Men's Figure Skating. Snow Boarding. Veggie Soup. Museum of Natural History. Chicken Casserole. Walks to the grocery. Milk. Cupcakes.(which turned my hands red!) Shopping trip. The 2nd longest escalator in the world. (mom did that one by herself, you should ask her about it) Georgetown. Georgetown Cupcake. Church(twice). A spattering of more Olympic events and lots of laughing!
We also got to see the "most beautiful room in Washington"...The main reading room of the Library of Congress! It was too beautiful for words...

Valentine's Day

"God is love."

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. And that that is, according to my twin, simply a holiday created by greeting card companies and Wal-mart to sell things! And she has lived by that for a while-never celebrating Valentine's Day, but quietly tolerating anyone who did. But this year is different. You see for the first time since I've known her Dena is celebrating Valentine's Day. Today she was out searching for the prefect shoes to wear with her perfect dress on her perfect Valentine's Day date tomorrow night. So why you ask is this year different? Because, I think, Dena finally understands that God IS Love. Truly. And because she chose to believe that Jesus loves us no matter what, and that He always wants what's best for us. She now has a great guy who loves her back. They both understand that God is love...

This year I'm 12 hours from the guy I normally spend Valentine's Day with. And I'm gonna be alright. Except for a little bit tonight when I left the movies. For 6 years when the movies are finished I hear, "There's no reason to get in a hurry." Tonight I didn't hear that. And for the first time in 6 years I was one of the first people out of the theater. And I missed him. And I cried. It's the simple things that I miss the most. But I do know that he understands as do I that God is love; and that if we truly love God as He loved us, everything will be alright. When I found out that what God has called us both to do would probably separate us for a while. I struggled to understand why. And then I came across this, " Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." The true love that God gives us, never gives up. It waits for the perfect time that God has planned for us...

So this Valentine's Day. The love that God gives is perfection. It restores our faith in others. It shows us that even the simplest things have meaning. And even if Valentine's Day was created by Hershey's to sell more "kisses"...if we truly understand the meaning behind God's love. He will always show us that perfect person to restore our faith...

~~Happy Valentine's Day~~
1 John 4:8
1 Corinthians 13:7

This is Noah.

This is Noah. He's is 3. Noah is Jeffrey's newest nephew, but not for long. You see Noah's mommy has a dream, to have lots of little children. But kind of like Hannah in the Bible, she couldn't. She had Noah, and we all love him. Well...he's warming up to me-we made Jesus a birthday cake at Christmas and now we're good friends. For a little while Noah's mommy was sad. And we are were too. She told me today that her sadness consumed her. We all noticed that she was sad, but we didn't know what to do. One night at church God told me to go pray for her. But I didn't. I wasn't very close to her at the time. I felt like she didn't need me. But finally after hearing it every time I saw her I finally did. I prayed that God would bring Noah's mommy a baby, even if it wasn't her's biologically and I told God that the whole family would love this new baby.
Well, we've been waiting and just the other day we heard some good news. There was a girl who loved a baby so much that even though she didn't want to raise it, she decided to let it grow inside her and then give it away for some one else to love. Well God had given Noah's mommy some really good Dr. friends, and they talked to that girl and Noah's mommy. Noah's mommy wrote a letter to the girl and told her all about how everyone of us love that baby that's growing inside of her. But that girl wasn't sure she wanted to know who was going to love that baby.
So Noah's mommy was kind-of sad, but she just kept Delighting herself in Jesus. Then this morning, I got a text message. Jesus had spoken to that girls heart, she might not know it yet-but I do, and she decided that she wanted that baby inside of her to be loved by Noah's mommy and daddy. Noah's mommy had to tell some one, and I was the first to know!! The funny thing is, that this morning I felt like I was suppose to call Noah's mommy and remind her to Delight herself in Jesus. But she didn't need me, because she had already realized that Jesus had everything in control. And that's what Jesus did. Because Noah's mommy was delighted in Jesus-even when she could have been sad- she is going to be a mommy again in April!!

All of us are very excited, but not just because Noah is getting a new brother or sister, but because Jesus loves us so much that when we are truly delighted with Him-He gives us good gifts. I hope that one day I can meet that girl who chose to let Noah's new sibling grow inside her and I can tell her how much she helped this family even though she doesn't know it. Because you see, this baby has taught me that if we believe and act on what God speaks to our heart-eventually He will use it. I'd like to think that my prayer for Noah's mommy was the turning point in this story,but it probably isn't. Either way this baby, even though we haven't met, has helped bring me and Noah's mommy closer together!! Now we are like sisters, where before we weren't. I can't contain my happiness-so I wanted to share it with you!

Jesus delights in us when we Delight in Him!

-Psalms 139:14 "I will Praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;Marvelous are Thy works, that my soul knoweth right well."

No Salt?

So. Apparently this area of the country where I live now-DC :) I just love saying that! Doesn't understand the concept of pre-salting the roads. Where I come from the minute there is snow in the forecast, and by that I mean 5hours later, the big snow plows are going up and down the roads dumping salt all over creation. Not here. Apparently they don't even budget for it!
Imagine my surprise when I learned this on the Metro this morning! Then after I get home from work I see one lonely little snow truck. And I'm thinking...why are you out you don't have any salt!?

Poor snow truck man, you can't take any preventative measures-you just have to wait for the bad stuff to come.
So, if we are the salt of the earth does this mean we can take preventative measures to save people from becoming stuck in the snow?

Today I met a new interpreter and in the course of our 30 minute discussion she was using some what I'll call "common curse words". Not that they're common for me, but you usually hear them in casual conversation. All of a sudden she stops and says "Oh, I'm sorry, I should probably stop saying that".
I hadn't said anything to her. Not one word. But was the preventative salt that I have in my life rubbing off on her? I'd like to think so. I'd like to think that people like me, but can't quite figure out why I'm so different. I like those moments in life where I can say, here's some salt...you might need it. And if you decided that you do, I'm here to talk.

Jesus shines through us everyday if we'd only let Him. So tomorrow while you're thinking of that lonely snow truck with no salt, let your life be salty enough to rub off on someone else.