a cool skit

So our friends John and Ellie were over tonight and they showed me this skit John found on youtube.com. It's a beautiful skit...and a bit emotional. I was really moved by the beginning. It's an incredible image of the relationship Christ intends for us to have with him. You see Him breathing life into her, then demonstrating how she was made in HIs image, he shows her the incredible creation, offers her an apple, and romances her with a dance. Then the skit goes into all the things that tears us away from Him.

I just think the first 30 seconds are so beautiful and they make me long so dearly to be romanced by Him. I hope you see the skit and are equally moved.

Let me know your thoughts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA

the start of my Christmas list

Books
the new one that came out about Mother Teresa- her journal
Three cups of Tea- about the guy who started that school...in pakistan?
or any sad depressing social justice books- you know what I like...and if you don't, ask Jane for a suggestion because she always chooses the right ones for me!

Movies
The Motorcycle Diaries
Nueve Reinas (argentinian movie)
The Queen

Clothes
Anything warm
sweat pants- like those grey ones on the sale rack at American Eagle...cozy! (or something like that)

Accessories
warm socks
scarves, gloves, hats
I also liked that conditioner from Origins Mom bought for me a few birthdays ago....or any of their exfoliating body scrubs...like the paradise found or the ginger one.

Also, I would like a case for my ipod "classic" something to protect it from the daily beatings, droppings, and for when I lose it in my purse and all my books fall on it. :)

So yeah I hope that should help. Know this is just ideas as I am trying to be helpful, but if you have an idea...Go with it!

A tribute to love on my 100th blog

Love Grows
On this exceptionally beautiful Thanksgiving Day I awoke to find a blanket of snow all around. Another gift from my Savior reminding me this is where He wants us and asking for my hand in trust once again. David knew I would love this and was the one to come in and tenderly wake me and open up the blinds, excitedely he said, "You're going to love this!" And I did.
I was thinking the other day about the love I have for my husband and I was thinking about the wonderful experiences we have had together. And it's really funny...because when I fell in love...when we were dating and we said I love you in Mexico City the first time I thought that was it! I had found love. I couldn't imagine that your love for someone grows...that it becomes deeper and stronger and to the point where two people really can't imagine life without one another.
The other interesting thing is that we have only been married 2 1/2 years...and so I think of Mom and Dad. How much their love for each other must be and how it's something we can't comprehend until we too have experienced it. And then you look at grandparents...and their long lives together. It's such a gift from God that He made us to have a life companion. And I think of those who lose their companions...like my two women at Glacier Hills...or when someone leaves us to go home when we are younger. What a wound it must cause...a pain that once again we can't know unless it happens. Even in the pain there is a beauty about finding love and staying true to your love. And taking care of that person in their sickness. It's such a testimony of vows.
I just love this season. Thanksgiving to the new year. It's full of warmth and love and joy.

So may this be a toast...a toast of celebration for blogging 100 times (even though many of you long past that mark!) and a toast to my husband....a man who knows my deepest secrets and my greatest joys. I can't wait for our love to continue to grow.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!

game highlights

There I am!!!




Desmond Howard hugging Hart before the game....




As he walks away...


Apparently that's all it takes!



the love of my life




the biggest rivalry in the country


If you look closely you can see the drum major as his head touches the ground (I didn't bring my good camera as it was raining).

Even though the game was awful and Michigan displayed zero offense... and it was 32 degrees and raining...it was still an experience I will never forget.

Good News!

She is doing much better, in fact she is doing really well! You'll all know who "she" is. My heart feels so relieved. Continue praying!

not to brag, but

I got us two tickets to the OSU/UofM game on Saturday.

Oh yeah.

I am

homesick.


I miss the sun, our friends, seeing David's family every weekend, and desert landscape.

I have the opportunity to speak to the youth next Sunday night at their big group gathering. :) Chris called me on Saturday to speak. I am so excited! I have my outline and powerpoint set up so I plan to go over it daily and pray over it to make sure I am doing as God desires.
Please join me in praying this week...to open their hearts and minds to what God has for them. And so that I speak and communicate well to them during this time.

THANKS!

a good lunch

So I went to lunch with a wise woman today. We each ordered a half cherry chicken salad sandwhich and a salad. With our sandwhich comes chips. I ate my lunch, including the chips. She had a few chips on her plate and I snagged one. I said, "I don't have a lot of discipline. I try to eat healthy, but if there are chips it's hard to resist." And she said, "Well, I don't think eating healthy foods and avoiding unhealthy foods is discipline. I think it's just common sense."

And for all the therapy I have been there for not being disciplined enough! I should have chosen what is right!!!
(Just kidding).



(kind of).

A short walk from our home leads into....

what is Truth, what is ok to change, and how do you know/

Recently a friend of mine wanted to discuss whether women should lead ministry and other such hot topics about women. I tend to be more traditional in my thoughts about such issues. Although it's easy for a few reasons.
1. I don't want to be a pastor of a church.
2. It's easy for me to submit to my husband because I am encouraged to do so and because I trust him with our family. I don't always follow him without a a little struggle...but I know that I should.
I think such issues are interesting to discuss, although with all kinds of opinions I tend to not discuss the hot topic stuff because it's easier not to.

So I was talking with one of the men that comes to our Bible study. He has studied the Bible extensively and I wanted to know the debates. He brought up the most interesting thought. He said when he studies such issues he usually looks at the history of the debate. On the issue of head coverings...this has been a struggle for Christians for 1500 years. Many have pondered the reason for the text. Cultural? Necessity? However, the question of women in ministry has been a louder struggle for the last 75 years or so. I am interested in looking more into these issues and the thoughts involved to understand better.

I tend to read scripture and believe exactly what I read...so there is a part of me that wonders if I really should have a head covering on in church. But then I think of the muslim women who honor the head covering and then have skin tight jeans and shirts that leave little for a man's imagination. So one can follow the law, but miss the heart of the law.

The other thing is that if you start saying something is cultural then the Bible can become a book of suggestions...and everything is cultural.

I guess the whole Bible is really hard for me. I read it and then I try to apply it to my life and understand it, but I am left with so many questions. So then I think well if God leads me into this or that I will follow him. But then I wonder what kind of leader am I? How can I take from the Bible what God is leading me into and then lead a Bible Study? Who am I to take some of it and leave other parts? So does that mean I need to bring out the head coverings?

And these are only 1/1000000000 of my questions about things!!! If only I could connect my brain to the computer so that my thoughts would upload and then I wouldn't have siffer through them and figure out how to explain myself. :)

So yeah...a whole lot of randomness for you.

ask and you shall receive (lol)

So yeah, the game was AWESOME! MICHIGAN WON!!!!

lots of random thoughts

I went to an orientation on Thursday to see if I want to be a mentor to a foster child (14-17years) who is aging out of the system. The goal is to give the child another role model to help increase the success rate and decrease the risk of being incarcerated. I look forward to the opportunity and am hoping to be paired with a girl who I connect easily with.

God is moving me into the youth atmosphere these days! I was so scared to be a mentor or a leader, but He's been walking with me and it's starting to look like something fruitful.

I had another thought earlier as well. I have been seeing a lot of disabled children, and of course we fostered one. God is placing a desire in my heart for those with medical issues or disabilities. And so I was thinking about what that might look like someday...which leads to my next thought!

I was listening to Eric's sermon online about 1Peter. The part that struck me the most was...Where you are at...God put you there. Don't live in the past or the future....live in the NOW. So as I was thinking about the disabled children God may lead me into someday I heard HIm leading me away from my thoughts and to focus back on the now. What does God want from me today...or this minute of today. I am so guilty of living in the future. You all know I am always coming up with crazy new ideas...and they all take place in the future. But the important thing is to meditate on the now.

I love how when I am learning something new in my life it doesn't take place in one situation. But God takes all these conversations, sermons, books, thoughts, and intertwines them together like the threads of a quilt to get my attention and teach me a lesson. He never leaves me out there in a place where I don't get it...He makes sure that I hear what he's trying to teach me like 50 times and then I do the ohhhh I see, Jesus, and blog it online!!! Just kidding about the blog part...kind of.

Anyway, I just love the way He's been teaching me lately. What has He been teaching or showing you?

MICHIGAN FOOTBALL

David and I are going to see Michigan play tomorrow at the biggest football in the United States. 107,501 can sit in the stadium. SWEEEETTT!!!! One of the students in the youth group realized I hadn't been to a game and would like to, and he talked with his dad who had 2 extra tickets for us!!!! And then I was able to get my shift covered at work without even really trying!!!! This is such a treat.

So think of us tomorrow......having fun in the cold rainy outdoor Michigan stadium!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dinners are back!

One of the things I loved about Tucson was that in the last year we didn't eat dinner alone. We had people at our house about 4-5 nights a week and the other 2 we were usually somewhere else. Eating dinner with friends is amazing. The discussions that come out during a meal and the frienships that are strengthened are so special.
Upon arrival in Michigan we ate with family, but didn't really know people to invite, etc... WEll we have been working and slowing changing this!!! So Mon. nights Micah and Hannah come over! Friday nights we eat with Ellie and John, and then Luke, Katherine, and Ben when they can. Now we are starting Thursday nights at the lodge! (The lodge is this really cool building near the church with that rustic looking furniture and a big moosehead and moose antlers as a chandelier...totally Michigan!!! LOL) A potlock!!!! This came up with Dale and Julie last night. Soooo as you can see we are quickly getting in a dinner routine. I think God is going to do some really cool things in this community. He's already been ruffling some feathers! This is an assumption, but well to do people aren't ones to break down the privacy walls and be part of a community that is so open and accountable to one another. I think He wants to do some work here. so as we used to say in Oregon....YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAWWWWWWW Let the fun and food and laughter and tears and heartaches and all that happens in community come!!!!!!!

I had a great time with the youth this weekend. We went to a camp up north called Center Lake. It was nestled among tall trees and a large lake. The leaves are red, orange, yellow, and green. It's quite beautiful. One of the high school students said, "God is so cool. He gave us these beautiful trees and put leaves on them...but he didn't leave them green. He must of thought to himself, 'when fall comes I will have the leaves change colors and really bless others with their beauty." And then she paused, "I would have just left them green."
Some highlights of the retreat were: playing games with the kids, climbing the wall, and beginning to get into some deep conversations.
Three of my regular girls at Bible Study came up to me at the end of camp and said, "You have to be with all four years! You can't ever leave." I felt warm and fuzzy inside!!!

God has been teaching me a lot lately. One of the things He is walking me through is quite difficult. As many of you saw in a recent email, H is not doing well. I was able to get an update and it was quite overwhelming. So I called Sue and in between tears fought the words, "I don't know what to do anymore." And she said, "Do you think it's time to let go?" The quesiton that I feared most.
God is asking me to let go, but it's the details that are the hardest. Ok, she's yours Lord. I won't pursue her and if you want her with us you will work your plan.
And then I find her picture in my journal, do you want that too? Yes.
You want her painting of our family? Yes.
You want me not to worry about her at all? Yes.
Letting go of something is extremely difficult. I have a whole new understanding for those who experience loss. Here I am 5 months after her departure and I still am holding on.
I have been sharing this experience with many for a few reasons. The biggest is so that I can be kept accountable.

Typical