The following pictures are all from here.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Pretty Little Spaces
Since, in a very LITTLE amount of time (100 days... let the countdown begin!), Andrew and I will be living in a very LITTLE apartment, with very LITTLE space, I thought these adorable pictures of SMALL living spaces were quite appropriate....
Goodnight! Or Good Morning...?
Some nights I lay in bed, those last few minutes of the day before I drift off to sleep, in total disbelief of how happy I am... Of how blessed I am; of how content and at peace I am.
Do you ever have those? I certainly hope you do...
I seem to have them a lot lately. A week or two ago I could not sleep because of how stressed and anxious I was. Now I cannot sleep because I am just too darn happy.
I never would have thought that a person could be as happy as I am. And it is not a fleeting kind of happy that will be gone when I wake up in the morning, with any slight kink in a plan, or with a wrong word from a loved (or not so loved) one. It is a feeling that has been with me for quite a while.
Amidst the trials and uncertainties that characterize life these days (or maybe they just characterize life period), I feel totally, unbelievably, and indescribably blessed. I feel loved; I feel cherished and valued; I feel liked; I feel known. In short, I feel great!
I feel secure in the knowledge that there is a God who loves me. In addition to that, I have a wonderful family that loves me, and I am about the begin a NEW wonderful family with someone else who loves me... and with whom I love completely.
Do you ever have those? I certainly hope you do...
I seem to have them a lot lately. A week or two ago I could not sleep because of how stressed and anxious I was. Now I cannot sleep because I am just too darn happy.
I never would have thought that a person could be as happy as I am. And it is not a fleeting kind of happy that will be gone when I wake up in the morning, with any slight kink in a plan, or with a wrong word from a loved (or not so loved) one. It is a feeling that has been with me for quite a while.
Amidst the trials and uncertainties that characterize life these days (or maybe they just characterize life period), I feel totally, unbelievably, and indescribably blessed. I feel loved; I feel cherished and valued; I feel liked; I feel known. In short, I feel great!
I feel secure in the knowledge that there is a God who loves me. In addition to that, I have a wonderful family that loves me, and I am about the begin a NEW wonderful family with someone else who loves me... and with whom I love completely.
Oh, Audrey. One of the most beautiful people who has ever lived (in my opinion). And if she can learn to cook, then, by golly, so can I! And I have exactly 100 days to do just that! I started tonight by cooking dinner for Andrew and me. It was really easy, actually. Granted, I did have my mother's help. And granted, the meal was from a crock-pot (Is that cheating?), so it was not incredibly work intensive. It did taste a lot better than I feared it would; however, it was not much to look at... But what crock-pot recipe is?
All of her pictures make me happy, but this one especially does. It embodies two of my favorite things: the color purple (a lifelong favorite of mine) and cupcakes (heavy on the icing, please). The purple flowers are just a nice little added bonus. Speaking of purple flowers, I have a story about them. About Andrew and purple flowers, actually. Remind me later, and I will tell you.
Maybe I should tell you now, before it slips my mind (since I do seem to be extra forgetful and scatterbrained lately for some strange reason... I think graduating from college, finding a job, and getting married all contribute to my fading memory and lack of organization as of late).
A few days ago, Andrew and I were driving down a country road, and I noticed a patch of purple flowers on the side of the road. (I have not a clue what kind of flowers they were. I just know they were pretty.) Each time we passed said flowers, I commented on how pretty they were, and remarked that I would like to stop and pick one.
The day got away from us, and I never stopped to pick the flowers (One contributing factor to my not picking the flowers was that I was not sure if maybe there is some sort of rule against picking flowers that are technically not yours for the picking).
The time came for Andrew and I to part ways, so we did just that. Moments after he left my house, I heard a knock on the door. I opened the door to a bundle of big, purple, side-of -the-road, not mine for the picking, flowers, with Andrew's face hidden behind them.
Precious.
Maybe I should tell you now, before it slips my mind (since I do seem to be extra forgetful and scatterbrained lately for some strange reason... I think graduating from college, finding a job, and getting married all contribute to my fading memory and lack of organization as of late).
A few days ago, Andrew and I were driving down a country road, and I noticed a patch of purple flowers on the side of the road. (I have not a clue what kind of flowers they were. I just know they were pretty.) Each time we passed said flowers, I commented on how pretty they were, and remarked that I would like to stop and pick one.
The day got away from us, and I never stopped to pick the flowers (One contributing factor to my not picking the flowers was that I was not sure if maybe there is some sort of rule against picking flowers that are technically not yours for the picking).
The time came for Andrew and I to part ways, so we did just that. Moments after he left my house, I heard a knock on the door. I opened the door to a bundle of big, purple, side-of -the-road, not mine for the picking, flowers, with Andrew's face hidden behind them.
Precious.
One more picture of her. I just can't resist. Something about her inspires me... Such a lovely person. I hope she had someone in her life who loved her enough to pick side-of-the-road flowers for her. She probably deserved it much more than I. At least, that is what I choose to believe.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Happy Wednesday!!!
No, I have not fallen off the face of the earth. Quite the contrary actually. I am alive, well, and busy... Busy with FUN things. Busy with WEDDING things :)
Life is so funny. God is so funny. He works things out in ways that we least expect Him to. My dad said the other day, "Your life seems to be working out kind of how you had planned, doesn't it?" I answered only with a laugh, but after having thought about it some, that could not be further from the truth.
If you had asked me a year ago what I would have been doing after graduation, Andrew probably would not have been a factor at all; marriage would not have been either. And neither would a full-time job have been.
Graduate school would have been at the top of my "to do" list. Moving into an apartment with my freshman year college roommate would have been next on the list. Neither of those things are happening; at least not in the foreseeable future.
Had you asked me three years ago what I would be doing with my life, social work would not have been in the picture. Three years ago I barely had an understanding of what social work was; now, it is one of the things I am most passionate about. Three years ago, I spent every spare moment I had singing, which is something I have barely done over the past year. Three years ago, Andrew would have been even LESS of a factor in my life, and he would not have even crossed my mind in regards to my future.
Today, I had an interview for a baccalaureate service video, and the woman who interviewed me asked what the significance of Trevecca was in my life, and how it has changed me. Had it not been for Trevecca, I would probably not be involved in the social work field at all. And had it not been for Trevecca, I probably would not have met the man that I am going to marry (in 101 days)!
In spite of all the planning I have done over the past few years of my life, God's leadership and plan have still prevailed. In spite of my humanness, He has continued to remind me of His Lordship over my life, and over all of creation. In spite of my attempts to intervene with His Lordship, and take over control of my own life, God has provided. He constantly reminds me that He is God; I am not. He sees the present, and He sees the future. Even more than that, He is the present, and He is the future.
He holds my life in the palm of His hand. He knows the plans He has for me and for my family. His ways are higher than my ways; His thoughts higher than my own.
Life is so funny. God is so funny. He works things out in ways that we least expect Him to. My dad said the other day, "Your life seems to be working out kind of how you had planned, doesn't it?" I answered only with a laugh, but after having thought about it some, that could not be further from the truth.
If you had asked me a year ago what I would have been doing after graduation, Andrew probably would not have been a factor at all; marriage would not have been either. And neither would a full-time job have been.
Graduate school would have been at the top of my "to do" list. Moving into an apartment with my freshman year college roommate would have been next on the list. Neither of those things are happening; at least not in the foreseeable future.
Had you asked me three years ago what I would be doing with my life, social work would not have been in the picture. Three years ago I barely had an understanding of what social work was; now, it is one of the things I am most passionate about. Three years ago, I spent every spare moment I had singing, which is something I have barely done over the past year. Three years ago, Andrew would have been even LESS of a factor in my life, and he would not have even crossed my mind in regards to my future.
Today, I had an interview for a baccalaureate service video, and the woman who interviewed me asked what the significance of Trevecca was in my life, and how it has changed me. Had it not been for Trevecca, I would probably not be involved in the social work field at all. And had it not been for Trevecca, I probably would not have met the man that I am going to marry (in 101 days)!
In spite of all the planning I have done over the past few years of my life, God's leadership and plan have still prevailed. In spite of my humanness, He has continued to remind me of His Lordship over my life, and over all of creation. In spite of my attempts to intervene with His Lordship, and take over control of my own life, God has provided. He constantly reminds me that He is God; I am not. He sees the present, and He sees the future. Even more than that, He is the present, and He is the future.
He holds my life in the palm of His hand. He knows the plans He has for me and for my family. His ways are higher than my ways; His thoughts higher than my own.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Hope Nuggets
Yes, apparently, there are such things as "hope nuggets". If you have never heard of these nuggets of hope, do not feel bad; I had not heard of them either until just recently. Until tonight, actually.
I can now add "nuggets of hope" to the list of things my mother has taught me.
As you well know, I have been feeling slightly discouraged and overwhelmed at the prospect of finding a job. It is significantly more difficult than I had anticipated. As it turns out, the whole process is truly a test of faith!
God has something out there for me, and ofttimes, God does not give us what we need until the very moment we need it (something else I learned from my mother).
Take hope nuggets, for instance.
Hope nuggets are the things that God sends us just before we have reached our wits' ends; just when we think we are going to lose our minds, our hearts, our faith....
BOOM! Hope nugget!
Except, hope nuggets do not actually arrive with a "BOOM". That is the thing about hope nuggets; they can be sneaky and subtle, so you have to really look out for them. Sometimes, you may not even know that you experienced a hope nugget until that nugget of hope has come and gone.
Tricky, I know.
Let me explain.
After making about twenty phone calls yesterday, with zero luck (on the job front, if you need clarification), I received an email from the lady who works at the very first place I applied to months ago. Of all the places I have applied, this place is definitely one of my top three pick (but don't get me wrong; I am not picky at this point!) The email was encouraging, and brought with it a certain peace, and a respite from the anxiety that I have felt recently.
I choose to believe that the email was a little reminder from God that my efforts are not totally in vain.
In other words, the email was a hope nugget that arrived just in the nick of time.... Probably about two minutes pre- nervous breakdown.
Other nuggets of hope that I got a taste of today:
1) A mother who loves me, that will help me look for a job as hard as if she were the one looking for a job! And who will inform me of the existence of hope nuggets, so that I will recognize them more promptly next time they find their way into my day.
2) A father who loves me; who sends me hope nuggets, disguised as texts. The hope nugget (disguised as my dad's text message) said (in regards to job hunting and job getting), "This is where faith, real, true faith, kicks in. If He [God] is all He claims to be, (and He is!) He's already got your situation planned."
3) A boyfriend who loves me, and who prays with and for me every single day, and with whom I was able to spend a few extra hours tonight!
The list could continue for miles, if it were not way past my bedtime already.
Now that I know that hope nuggets exist, I see them everywhere!
My creator knows my name, and He knows my needs better than I do.
He's got the whole world in His hands (yes, it is okay if you just now started singing the song in your head)... even me!
I can now add "nuggets of hope" to the list of things my mother has taught me.
As you well know, I have been feeling slightly discouraged and overwhelmed at the prospect of finding a job. It is significantly more difficult than I had anticipated. As it turns out, the whole process is truly a test of faith!
God has something out there for me, and ofttimes, God does not give us what we need until the very moment we need it (something else I learned from my mother).
Take hope nuggets, for instance.
Hope nuggets are the things that God sends us just before we have reached our wits' ends; just when we think we are going to lose our minds, our hearts, our faith....
BOOM! Hope nugget!
Except, hope nuggets do not actually arrive with a "BOOM". That is the thing about hope nuggets; they can be sneaky and subtle, so you have to really look out for them. Sometimes, you may not even know that you experienced a hope nugget until that nugget of hope has come and gone.
Tricky, I know.
Let me explain.
After making about twenty phone calls yesterday, with zero luck (on the job front, if you need clarification), I received an email from the lady who works at the very first place I applied to months ago. Of all the places I have applied, this place is definitely one of my top three pick (but don't get me wrong; I am not picky at this point!) The email was encouraging, and brought with it a certain peace, and a respite from the anxiety that I have felt recently.
I choose to believe that the email was a little reminder from God that my efforts are not totally in vain.
In other words, the email was a hope nugget that arrived just in the nick of time.... Probably about two minutes pre- nervous breakdown.
Other nuggets of hope that I got a taste of today:
1) A mother who loves me, that will help me look for a job as hard as if she were the one looking for a job! And who will inform me of the existence of hope nuggets, so that I will recognize them more promptly next time they find their way into my day.
2) A father who loves me; who sends me hope nuggets, disguised as texts. The hope nugget (disguised as my dad's text message) said (in regards to job hunting and job getting), "This is where faith, real, true faith, kicks in. If He [God] is all He claims to be, (and He is!) He's already got your situation planned."
3) A boyfriend who loves me, and who prays with and for me every single day, and with whom I was able to spend a few extra hours tonight!
The list could continue for miles, if it were not way past my bedtime already.
Now that I know that hope nuggets exist, I see them everywhere!
"We live by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1
My creator knows my name, and He knows my needs better than I do.
He's got the whole world in His hands (yes, it is okay if you just now started singing the song in your head)... even me!
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:13
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity." - Jeremiah 29:1-14
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity." - Jeremiah 29:1-14
Friday, April 9, 2010
Everybody
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."
-1 John 4:7-12
-1 John 4:7-12
"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
"We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
-1 John 4:16-21
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
"We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
-1 John 4:16-21
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Oh, dear...
This week has been crazy. It has not necessarily been any more busy than usual; just a little overwhelming emotionally. I feel like I have experienced such a wide range of feelings this week... It has worn me out! :)
Deciding against going to grad school next semester has completely shifted my focus. I definitely feel a peace about my decision; thus, I feel about a thousand pounds lighter than I did two weeks ago. But I also feel very strange.
In a way, school is a comfort zone to me. It is something I have always done, and something I have always been good at (minus statistics my junior year of college, but that is irrelevant at this point). With graduate school came an instant internship, set up by someone other than me, which would have allowed me to put off looking for full-time employment for another two years. With graduate school came a class schedule already set up for me, with very little free time included.
Now that graduate school is out of the picture, I am free as a bird! And let me just say this about being free as a bird: It is scary.
I have applied for at least twenty jobs, probably more, over the course of the past two weeks. That, in and of itself, takes a person through a whirlwind of emotions: excitement; nervousness; incompetency; inferiority; empowerment; happiness; disappointment; uncertainty... The list goes on.
Life is just so full of possibilities.
Life is so full of potential and promise.
Wow.
This photo, from here, just made me smile.
Deciding against going to grad school next semester has completely shifted my focus. I definitely feel a peace about my decision; thus, I feel about a thousand pounds lighter than I did two weeks ago. But I also feel very strange.
In a way, school is a comfort zone to me. It is something I have always done, and something I have always been good at (minus statistics my junior year of college, but that is irrelevant at this point). With graduate school came an instant internship, set up by someone other than me, which would have allowed me to put off looking for full-time employment for another two years. With graduate school came a class schedule already set up for me, with very little free time included.
Now that graduate school is out of the picture, I am free as a bird! And let me just say this about being free as a bird: It is scary.
I have applied for at least twenty jobs, probably more, over the course of the past two weeks. That, in and of itself, takes a person through a whirlwind of emotions: excitement; nervousness; incompetency; inferiority; empowerment; happiness; disappointment; uncertainty... The list goes on.
Life is just so full of possibilities.
Life is so full of potential and promise.
Wow.
This photo, from here, just made me smile.
Friday, April 2, 2010
What A Good Friday
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."
Romans 1:20
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Love All, Always.
In class today, we talked about diversity. At the end of class, the professor showed this video...
I do not agree with everything Tony Campolo says or does. In fact, there are many things he says that I do not agree with; however, I do agree with this: Everyone is worth loving. Everyone. Period.
There are times when social work is discouraging because, in social work, as in most other ministries, we sow many seeds, but are often unable to see the harvest of those seeds. We may never know the extent of the impact we make on the lives of certain people.
Tony Campolo may never know how his birthday party affected Agnes. Did it impact her life, long term, in any way, or was it something that provided her with a good story to tell, and a nice memory, but not much more? There is no way of knowing. But one thing is certain: Had he not done anything for her, he undoubtedly would not have made an impact on her at all.
Sometimes we cannot know how much, or how little, will be made of the love we give. But what a shame to let that be our excuse for not giving love at all.
How have we treated the 'Agneses' in our lives? Have we taken the time to truly enter into their lives with hearts of compassion? Or have we side-stepped them by giving them food, money, or clothing, without ever really showing them love? Have we treated them as charity cases; nothing more, nothing less? Or have we ignored them all together?
Truly loving someone takes time. It takes effort. It takes making the conscious choice to love them, even when we could be taking that time and effort to do something else instead. Tony Campolo could have easily left the diner that first night without giving Agnes a second thought. Easily. But he did not. He could have left only after having tossed a twenty dollar bill her way and telling her to go buy herself something nice for her birthday. That would have been easy. But he did not do that either. He reached into her life and made a difference; even if that difference lasted only as long as the cake did.
Tony Campolo put it this way: "We have to do more than just give them bread and clothes. We've got to bring love and joy into their lives."
Mother Teresa put it beautifully when she said, "Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough. Money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go."
Jesus Christ commands us, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18)."
This was the mission of Christ during the time the He walked this earth. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10)." And it is the commission with which He left us (Matthew 28:16-20).
1 Peter 4:8-11 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should sue whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ..."
There are times when social work is discouraging because, in social work, as in most other ministries, we sow many seeds, but are often unable to see the harvest of those seeds. We may never know the extent of the impact we make on the lives of certain people.
Tony Campolo may never know how his birthday party affected Agnes. Did it impact her life, long term, in any way, or was it something that provided her with a good story to tell, and a nice memory, but not much more? There is no way of knowing. But one thing is certain: Had he not done anything for her, he undoubtedly would not have made an impact on her at all.
Sometimes we cannot know how much, or how little, will be made of the love we give. But what a shame to let that be our excuse for not giving love at all.
How have we treated the 'Agneses' in our lives? Have we taken the time to truly enter into their lives with hearts of compassion? Or have we side-stepped them by giving them food, money, or clothing, without ever really showing them love? Have we treated them as charity cases; nothing more, nothing less? Or have we ignored them all together?
Truly loving someone takes time. It takes effort. It takes making the conscious choice to love them, even when we could be taking that time and effort to do something else instead. Tony Campolo could have easily left the diner that first night without giving Agnes a second thought. Easily. But he did not. He could have left only after having tossed a twenty dollar bill her way and telling her to go buy herself something nice for her birthday. That would have been easy. But he did not do that either. He reached into her life and made a difference; even if that difference lasted only as long as the cake did.
Tony Campolo put it this way: "We have to do more than just give them bread and clothes. We've got to bring love and joy into their lives."
Mother Teresa put it beautifully when she said, "Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough. Money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go."
Jesus Christ commands us, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18)."
This was the mission of Christ during the time the He walked this earth. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10)." And it is the commission with which He left us (Matthew 28:16-20).
1 Peter 4:8-11 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should sue whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ..."
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