These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Just for fun...

Music artists (in no particular order):

• Philips, Craig, and Dean- especially Revelation Song, When the Stars Burn Out, Great I Am
• Jars of Clay- especially Worlds Apart, Needful Hands, Valley Song
• David Crowder Band- especially SMS, Deliver Me, After All
• Chris Tomlin- especially Indescribable
• Nichole Nordeman- especially I Am
• Newboys- especially Blessed by Your Name, The Orphan, Entertaining Angels

bananas, mangoes, Blood oranges

PINK (the color, not the singer)

Oink cafe (weekend tradition)

amusement parks (especially with fast rides)

coffee (smell, taste, everything)

red licorice (not Twizzlers)

shrimp tails

rubbing the fabric of Mike's sweaters across my lips (it's soothing)

PJ pants

Christmas- everything about it!

Where's the Missing Piece?

I've been doing a parallel study of the Gospels, a task I've desired to complete for some time. I have learned so many new things from stories that I thought I knew so well. I'm eager to know more and hear perspectives from others that I may not have considered or known.

1. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John may not all have been disciples of Jesus. In fact, there is a possibility that they all  may not have known each other directly. Different theologians and historians have found evidence that speaks for both ideas. I've had pastors from multiple churches teach different perspectives as well.

2. All four books that are Gospel are written for different purposes and with a different audience in mind. Matthew wrote to the Jews, specifically addressing prophecies of the Old Testament. Mark wrote to the gentiles and focused on the power of Jesus as God, Luke wrote to the Greeks and emphasized Jesus and his life's ministry. John is the odd ball out- the book is written from an entirely unique perspective and with a different voice.

My questions as I'm studying:

1. Why did each person choose to include what he did in his book? Why does Luke have so many details about the birth of Christ and John is the only gospel to reference Jesus' first miracle?

2. If the authors of the Gospels did  not know each other or possibly Jesus directly, how are there certain quotes that are almost verbatim in multiple Gospels? Is there a source that they may have used to cross reference? 

I do not claim to be an expert in any of these things and I recognize that taking just one study guide as fact is ignorant. I'm excited to learn more!

The Year of the...

Although I do not believe in it, we are apparently in the Year of the Snake. It made me think what 2013 will be the year of for my family.

2009 was the year I got engaged and married
2010 was the year I started my master's
2011 was the year I got pregnant and had my first baby
2012 was the year that we just...survived
2013 will be the year of change.

Every year comes with change of course but as Mike and I preview 2013, we anticipate and are planning for several things to possibly change including our housing situation, career paths, education, and family size (possibly). That's a lot that could happen in a short amount of time. What's interesting is that we have clearly seen God opening doors for these events to occur. It's time to buckle up because it's the year of change.

Exploring the World of Couponing

I finally did it but let me state the disclaimer that I do not intend to end up on Extreme Couponers or create a room full of free stuff that I'll never use. I only plan to use coupons for items that I need and I don't plan to stock pile them. My ally is couponsense.com and my enabler is my friend Kristy.

On my first attempt at couponing I was able to score two packages of toilet paper for free and two cups of Yoplait greek yogurt for free. I use toilet paper and I eat Greek yogurt so I call that a success.

Unfortunately, I'm starting to realize that couponing is addicting. Couponsense doesn't just tell you which coupons from the newspaper to use, it also tells you about coupons from the internet and it pairs them with the best deals at different stores. I find myself scouring couponsense for the best deals.

In just a couple days I've already made a remarkable discovery: don't buy your Sunday papers on Sunday; wait until Monday and buy them from the dollar store for $1 instead!

Can't wait to see what I save this week!

Happy Birthday to My Husband

This is really the type of birthday tribute that would have been more appropriate for the milestone birthday that is 30 years but I'm a year late...

Today is Mike's 31st birthday. Although I don't have the back knowledge to reflect on all 31 years, I can reflect on the last 8 that he spent with me; they've been the best 8 years of my life!

To my love: you are extraordinary! I know few people who have the capacity to assume the best in everyone like you do. You are calm and steady in the face of adversity and tribulation. I can always count on your gentle and consistent manner when I'm caught up in our daily trials. Words such as loving and loving don't come close to describing the size of your heart and what flows from it.

I knew you would be the sweetest daddy but nothing could have prepared me for the heart stopping moments when you cuddle our precious girl, or caress her hair, or turn into her own personal jungle gym. Your gentleness really knows no limit.

I'm awed by what you do everyday with your students. You truly give of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally to meet the needs of your special students.

Here is to the next 31 years x forever. Happy Birthday babe!

www.glennbjenksphoto.com

www.courtneysargentphotography.com

www.courtneysargentphotography.com

www.courtneysargentphotography.com

Just Around the Corner

Feb. 2nd...it's coming. Even worse, February 6th is coming right afterward. These are days that I'm dreading worse than the anniversary of my grandfather's death. I wish I had my husband's optimism as he looks forward to celebrating God's triumph; I approach this day with lingering pain and trepidation.

In high school, I loved a band called Plumb. Do you remember them? Plumb just released a new album with a single that has been frequenting K-Love, it's called Need You Now (How Many Times). The lead singer wrote the song in reflection of her times in high school dealing with anxiety attacks. I think this song likely resonates with so many people because we have all been through times in our life where we were desperately clutching to God in desperation for His deliverance. Consider the lyrics (from azlyrics.com):

"Need You Now (How Many Times)"

Well, everybody's got a story to tell
And everybody's got a wound to be healed
I want to believe there's beauty here
So, I guess you're tired of holding on
I can't let go, I can't move on (this is me right now)
I want to believe there's meaning here (this was me then)

How many times have you heard me cry out
"God please take this"?
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing? (begging, pleading, gasping)
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.

Standing on a road I didn't plan
Wondering how I got to where I am
I'm trying to hear that still small voice
I'm trying to hear above the noise

How many times have you heard me cry out
"God please take this"?
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing?
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.

Though I walk,
Though I walk through the shadows
And I, I am so afraid
Please stay, please stay right beside me
With every single step I take

Here's the good news... it's time to do something proactive. Interestingly, Mike and I have had the same exact thoughts on our minds and in our hearts recently and when we shared with each other tonight, we were astonished to see how God had revealed the same thing to each of us. I think we are finally ready. We loathe the idea that another family will endure our plight, that another child will be lose precious time with their deserving parents because of ambiguous and misinterpreted data. This just can't happen again. We received so much encouragement and guidance from complete strangers we found on the internet who went through exactly the same thing that we did. I wish there was a platform, a soapbox if you will. The time will come; in fact, it's just around the corner. 

Resolutions after all

So I know I said I wasn't making any New Year's Resolutions but.......... I've decided to make a couple, although I'm not so much resolved to start doing these things as excited to embark on a couple new hobbies. I love photography. I took four years in high school and little known fact, I actually started as a photo major in college. I didn't like all the art classes I was forced to take though so I changed my mind. Last year, I got a gorgeous, amazing, beautiful, incredible camera as a graduation/birthday/christmas gift from multiple people. The task of learning all the different functions has blown my mind. I've always loved editing photos using websites such as picmonkey but my father-in-law Glenn is slowly (because he has so much patience) introducing me to other options such as Faststone viewing software, which has some editing capabilities. I've fallen in love with photography all over again. He is showing me how to manipulate light, consider picture composition, and vary my aperture settings to achieve my desired goals. Again...blowing my mind.

My first goal for 2013 is to develop my skills as a photographer. I don't anticipate becoming the next Ansel Adams or anything but I want go back to one of my first loves. I'm so eager in fact, I'm looking for willing guinea pigs. If you would be willing to let me photograph you, I would be so delighted. I can't guarantee anything worth sharing with people but it's free! Please let me photograph you!

My second goal is to learn to dance. Mike and I have casually thrown around the idea of taking dance classes together to learn to salsa, tango, waltz etc. I love the idea of floating along in a pretty dress with us resembling something akin to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers...not so much actually. We'd probably look more like Lloyd and Harry from Dumb and Dumber. Regardless, there are Groupon, Living Social, etc. deals all the time. The bonus though and what is actually motivating me is that we may have found a dance partner couple in my friend Holly and Ish. How much fun would it be to meet with a couple friends a couple times a month to go dancing???

So those are my New Resolutions: nothing to do with the typical health and finance related goals but I look forward to taking on these new hobbies.