To Be One...

Balancing

2011-10-17T07:41:00.000-07:00

I am three weeks into school and I have survived. It was a rough transition. I don't always handle change well. It was hard leaving Sophie several days a week, even if only for a few hours. It was hard adjusting to having homework and using my brain again, and it was hard finding the motivation to just plain be in school. But I have survived the first few weeks, I am motivated and have also found it refreshing to have more of schedule and routine each week.

I appreciate my days with Sophie more now that I have to leave her a few times a week. Sophie is at such a fun age. She is about two seconds away from crawling and she manages to roll all over the living room if we let her. She is always smiling and laughing and talking. She grabs at everything and wants to taste anything we give her. She sure is feisty though. She gets upset when she can do what she wants and will yell out her frustration. The poor girl wants to crawl so badly, I am bracing myself for when she does because she is going to be a mover.

I am taking a sewing class next week that I am very excited about! Learning to sew feels like a fun and exciting skill to have. I like to create things! I also like to be practical, sewing is both of these things!

I know its not even November yet, but I am getting excited for the holidays! Fall came so fast! Sophie is going to be 5 months this week. Time sure does fly!

Meal Plan

2011-09-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

So, one of my goals is to have a dinner plan each night. I am bad at this and I really don't like it. But I am going to attempt a meal plan this week. Its somewhat vague at this point because I didn't go grocery shopping but this is it. If I post it here I am thinking I might remember what my plan was because I know where to look for it. And maybe it will give you some ideas, I love getting meal ideas from blogs I read.

Monday:

Tilapia and squash

Tuesday:

Spaghetti (need to go to the store for pasta)

Wednesday:

Chicken in the crockpot with rice

Thursday:

Chicken Nugget Salads and something else...

Friday:

Cheesy Chili Mac (need to go to the store)

Saturday:

Free day---Mark and I will figure something together

Sunday:

A crockpot meal to have after church and then just something easy for dinner.

OK, hopefully I can stick to this. Did I say how bad I am at sticking to a plan?

P.S. if you are subscribed to my blog and were thinking you would get more interesting posts--not my goals and meal plans--I am sorry :-( Feel free to unsubscribe however these will only be one day a week (if I even keep up with it)

Goals

2011-09-19T11:36:00.001-07:00

I got this great idea of writing down some goals for each week from another blogger. I did it last week and I actually got a lot more accomplished. I thought I would put my goals on here this week for a little more accountability. Here they are:

Sophie Goals:

Read Sophie at least one book each day
Work on getting her to take all naps in her bed

School Goals:

Read my first chapter for business law (who gives homework before school starts anyways)
Spend a few hours this weekend studying (no sense getting behind the first week of school)

Personal Goals:

Read my bible each day
Stay calm and not stressed
Be in bed by 10 each night and going to sleep by 11
drink more water ( I am drinking hardly any which is really not good and I can tell by the way I feel)

House Goals:

Have a PLAN for dinner each night
Spend time every morning picking up and keeping things clean

Wife Goals:

Work on being in a better mood (even though I am tired my crabbiness wears on Mark)
Be active in finding fun things to do together so we have good time together during the week

Ok, so that may seem like a lot but some of these I have been working on for a few weeks. So I will let you know how it goes next Monday and will make new goals. Maybe you should write down your goals too.

What we have been up to...

2011-09-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

Every day around here starts out the same. Somewhere between the hours of 7 and 9 am I here little noises coming from Sophie's room. I assume i get out of bed at this time and shuffle in to retreive her, however I rarely remember doing this. I climb back into bed with Sophie cuddled up next to me, I feed her and we both fall back asleep. Sometime shortly after that we are rudely awakened by marks alarm and we all begin to wake up within the following two hours. And somehow we all manage to get up change diapers, make smoothies, brush teeth and put on some form of clothes that aren't pjs and get out the door in about 20 mins. I drop mark off at work 2-3 days a week so Sophie and I can have a car for the day. Then Sophie and I come home and I make breakfast while she plays happily on her playmat. Misty whines at me the whole time. I often brew a pot of decaf coffee that I never drink because after i eat breakfast and check my Facebook, Sophie is ready to eat or do something other than her playmat. I then don't return to my coffee until approximately 1:00. And then our day is off...

The rest of our day has been filled with lots of things, here are some ideas of what the potter family has been up too...

We have happily welcomed fall and football season with our windows wide open, pizza, and football on Saturday's.

Sophie and I have had many playdates with friends and their kids although it is much more of a play date for me and Sophie just tags along.

We have gone to the Dr, what feels like a zillion times for different infections, screaming and not eating baby and a diaper rash that never goes a way.

We have done a ton of laundry because Sophie has an awesome talent of peeing and pooping on everything.

I now feel like an official mom now that i cut all my hair off, even though I said i would never do that. But really, there just isn't time in this crazy life to deal with massive quantity of long hair.

While I cut my hair off Mark is growing is hair back out from his buzz cut, this makes me happy.

We spend countless hours laughing at Sophie because even at 4 months she is one funny little girl.

We may have finally found a small group at church that we like. It is chuck full of kids and crazy parents. Way fun.

We are trying to get healthy together. One step at a time. Right now we are focusing on drinking more water, I think we are both bad at it.

We are in a stage of life where we are trying to enjoy every little thing we have even though there are some things we would change but can't. We are trying to figure out what our life with God looks like. It seems like our whole life got thrown in the air and we are catching each piece one at a time and figuring out how it fits. It's a crazy beautiful kind of thing.

Right now we are cuddled up on the couch watching football while Sophie sleeps in her crib. All is right in the world.

Fall...new seasons

2011-09-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

I always love fall. Im not sure what it is because I love things about every seasons but fall seems to be especially exciting. Everything seems new in fall. New school year, new activities, new routine, etc. Fall is also very nostalgic. I don't know why this is but it always brings memories flowing in like crazy.

When a new season starts I am always reminded that no matter how hard or uncomfortable a season of life is a new one always comes. Life is full of good seasons and bad seasons and I love that fall always reminds me that a new season ALWAYS comes. So when you are in the midst of bad one, hold onto the hope that there is always a new day, new grace from God and a new season in life yet to come. And when you are in a really awesome season, enjoy every moment to its fullest because chances are at some point things won't be so awesome.

Having a baby has showed me how incredibly fleeting our days are. They come and go so fast. I am on a mission to enjoy each and every moment, good and bad. :-)

Being real...

2011-09-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

When I first had Sophia I was seriously under the impression that most people loved nursing. I knew that people struggled with it but I still thought that maybe the first few weeks could be rough but then it was easy and enjoyable. After a month of non-stop nursing troubles I can remember saying to Mark in tears, "why does everyone else love nursing, while I hate it?" He looked at me like I was crazy and said, "they are all lying." Now I don't think everyone is lying but what I did learn was that people don't talk very openly. I felt so isolated in the struggles but as soon as I decided to talk about it, everyone else started sharing their struggles too. Everyone else started talking about how they didn't enjoy it all the time either. It was so much easier to know that I wasn't alone.

I am so much more the type of person to be open and talk about all that is hard, tough or embarrassing then to pretend things are fine and feel alone. In relationships I have found that to be the hardest thing. Sometimes I think I am too open for people and they don't want to know that much about me. Other times I'm not open enough and the friendship remains at a "surfacey" level. I often wonder why are we trying to act like we have it all together? I do it too, so no shame. What are we afraid of, really? What satisfaction does it bring to pretend and act like everything is fine even though we know it isn't and in all reality everyone else probably knows it too.

Mark and I have a passion for family and marriage. And as we have tried to figure out where we are going to take that passion we have talked about how important it is to get people to open up, ourselves included. It's healthy, it's healing and sometimes its even fun!

Let's all quit acting like we have it all together. Let's face it, WE DON'T. No need to pretend, everyone already knows anyways. Open up and feel the freedom in being REAL. You could even do a little dance because that's what being free makes you want to do. Tell someone today that you aren't as perfect as you would like people to think. JUST DO IT, I dare you! :-)

Being a mommy..

2011-07-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

Being a mommy is great! Being a mommy is also very time consuming. I always am thinking of things I want to write on here but I never have the time. There are many other things on the list before blogging, such as cleaning, laundry, loving my husband, cooking dinner, playing with Sophie, spending time with God etc., (soon I will have to add school to the list! YIKES!). But its all worth it because Sophia is perfect in every way :-) I love her.

Sophia Annitza Potter

2011-06-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

Our beautiful little girl was born three weeks ago on May 20th at 7:07am. I want to write the birth story because it was an amazing experience and while I was pregnant I loved reading people's birth stories so I thought I should share mine and Sophia's.

I had bein bon bed rest with Sophi since week 29 with preterm labor and as scary and as not fun as that was I do think it helped my body to prepare for labor before hand a little more than normal. By 36 weeks when I got off bed rest I was almost 100 percent effaced and 1 cm dilated. Mark and I began walking 2-3 miles a day to help get me back in shape and help my body to prepare even more for labor. I knew I wanted to go natural and have no drugs if at all possible, so I also wanted to be in the best shape possible because I knew it would be a lot of physical work. By 38 weeks I was over 2 cm dilated and having really hard contractions once or twice a day and while we walked. My doctor kept telling me that the baby could come any day but we kept waiting...and walking. At exactly 39 weeks I had my membranes stripped at my dr. appointment. This was the Wednesday before she was born. I had a ton of cramping and contractions for the 24 hours following this and felt pretty sick in general. Thursday morning I lost my mucus plug and could tell that things were changing but still I had no idea if that meant she would be here in two days or ten. Thursday night we went to my in-laws house to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday. We also went on one last walk before ending the night. Mark and I went to bed at 11pm andi slept a solid three hours ( which hadn't happened in months because of my over active bladder).

I woke up at 2 am Friday morning and knew immediately that our baby was coming. I hadn't yet had a contraction so I have no idea how I knew this, but something felt different. I walked around for 15 minutes just to see what would happen and I immediately started having contractions that were five minutes apart lasting about 45 seconds. They were very different than anything I had felt up to that point and they hurt! I knew it was time. I woke Mark up and we slowly got things together and decided to just go ahead and go to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital at about 3:15am and at that point the contractions were 3 to 4 minutes apart. At this point things become a little foggy for me because the pain was getting pretty bad. They put me in triage and asked a million questions that I barely remember. All I remember is focusing on each contraction and being thankful the break in between. When she checked me she said I was dilated to 4 cm. and fully effaced. She then said, "So, you will be staying to have your baby." Even though at that point I was pretty sure that would be the case I still remember feeling so excited at that moment and with my fist in the air, I was thinking FINALLY! But that excitement came in went in about 30 seconds as another contraction settled in and I realized that meant I was in for the long haul. The moved me into labor and delivery and Mark and I settled in for what I thought would be at least 6-8 hours.

The contractions were very intense at this point and I think I told Mark multiple times, "I CANNOT do this." I kept thinking there is no way. The contractions were only about 2 minutes apart and were lasting almost a minute so the break in between felt like nothing. At this point Mark started praying me through each contraction and coaching me on breathing. These two things together were what got me through. I leaned on God for strength and Mark held my hand and talked me through each one. I have never felt anything quite like labor contractions. I knew I had to focus on working with my body and not against it and that's what I did one contractions at a time. I was making it slowly but surely but then all of the sudden things changed. I had a ton of pressure and was in even more pain. I had Mark call our nurse and she came and checked me and I was at 7 cm, with a bulging bag of waters! I couldn't believe it. She immediately went to call my Dr. and tell her to hurry over. She said that if my water broke I would be ready to push. Knowing that I had progressed so fast gave me strength to keep going. It was 6am at this point, only four hours since I had woken up at home.

At 6:30 I knew I couldn't wait any longer, I had to push, but my Dr. wasn't there yet. I kept asking if she was here and saying that I needed to push, so my nurse called the resident OB to stand by just in case my Dr. didn't make it. I really, really wanted my Dr. to deliver my baby so we were so relieved when minutes later, in walked Dr. Sloop at 6:30am. She was still in her street clothes and decided that she didn't have time to change. They never broke my bed down to a delivery table, she just sat on the edge and broke my water and then coached me through pushing. It was so hard but I was so thankful at the same time that I could feel everything. At 7:07 our baby was born. It felt like an eternity as I looked from my Dr. to Mark waiting to find out if it was a boy or a girl. It was a girl, I was shocked. I thought for sure it was a boy but I was so excited.

She was 6lbs 10oz. and 21 inches long. So tiny! Which I'm sure had to do with my crazy 5 hour delivery. I never expected it to be so short! I am so thankful I was able to go without any drugs, although I have no idea if I would have made it had the delivery been a lot longer. I felt amazing afterwards. First I wanted breakfast and then I wanted to walk to our room in the family unit but they wouldn't let me.

It was all an amazing experience that I will never forget. I couldn't have done it without Mark, he was awesome and coached me through every step of the way. I am so thankful for our little Sophia.

The next post I will talk a little more about what it has been like since we came home.

**Sorry if this is more descriptive than some would have liked. I just really wanted the whole story there for those who, like me, like all the details**

Update

2011-05-10T06:45:00.001-07:00

Well, we made it full term. In fact, I am almost 38 weeks. I am so thankful that we didn't deliver a preemie baby and am thankful that I had a Dr. who took very good care of my baby and I. The Dr. keeps saying I could have the baby any day. My body is ready to go. I am 100 percent effaced and 2cm dilated. The house is clean, the baby room is ready. Mark and I are so excited. But we wait. Which is good. I know the longer the baby stays in the better and I also know that we can't do anything to make the baby come early. I am okay waiting, however that doesn't make the excitement and apprehension any less. Its hard to keep myself busy day after day. This is what the last two weeks have looked like...

-We have been walking A LOT. Several miles a day for multiple reasons: 1.) Its good exercise and I needed after 8 weeks of bed rest. 2.) It helps get the baby in a good birthing position and can help move your body towards labor, if your body is ready. 3.) Its fun! We have gone to Eden Park, Downtown by the river, Wyoming, our neighborhood lots, Harbin Park and the mall (when it rains). Its really good time together and we like as well as our dog. 4.) The Dr. said to walk :-)
-We have gotten a ton of work done in our yard that we didn't think we would have time to do. It looks the most cleaned up and pretty that it has looked since we moved in. I am really excited about this.
-We have gotten lots of good times with friends. And I have spent many afternoons with friends that I don't always get to see.
-I have organized closets and done lots of deep cleaning that has been on my list for a year or more.
-I actually have a tan because I am able to sit outside and read.
-We have spent many quiet evenings sitting on our porch and listening to it rain or enjoying a sunset.
-And then we have spent most of our time talking, day dreaming, being excited, anxious and every other emotion about our baby. We have talked about what we think it will look like, had countless discussions on names, and have talked about what we think it will be like to be parents. Its all so exciting!

So as the days seem to drag and I get more and more excited there is still a lot to enjoy and be thankful for as we wait. I have been trying to find contentment and joy in the wait. And most of the time I am pretty successful. But every night when I go to bed I have to prep myself for another day ahead. Figure out what I will do and make sure my attitude is in check so I don't get too anxious or frustrated or bored. I think I have been in what could be called early labor or prodromal labor. I have been having a lot of inconsistent yet strong and painful contractions for almost a week now. This can be very tiring and wearing. Not to mention every time wondering if this will turn into real labor. However, my body is making progress which means less work at the actual time of labor.

Maybe next time you hear from us it will be to tell you about our little baby :-)

Thankful

2011-04-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

Since bed rest is quickly coming to an end I thought I would make a list of all the good things that happened in the past 7 weeks and what I am thankful for!

1.) My iPad! Mark got up at 5:30 am in order to wait in line for two hours to get me this wonderful little machine. I did not by any means need it, nor did I even ask for it but he wanted to get it for me to bed rest easier and more fun. I love this thing and am very thankful for it.
2.) countless mornings of sleeping in with Mark. I normally am the type to fly out of bed the minute I wake up, but with nothing to do each day I stayed in bed most days until Mark got up. I have really enjoyed this.
3.) Learning to let things not get done. I usually am a freak about cleaning the house, especially the kitchen. I can't stand the mess and stress about it until I am able to clean. Well seven weeks of not being able to clean taught me that mess is ok. This was a much needed lesson.
4.) Misty. My dog has been such a good companion every day. She cuddled lots with me and just made me feel not quite so alone all the time.
5.) My sisters emails. Through the hardest part of bed rest Katie was able to send me emails each day, which gave me something to look forward to and again took away a little of the loneliness that came with being at home all day everyday.
6.) The three visits from my family. It was so good to have them here and we needed the help. It broke up bed rest and was fun to spend lots of time with them.
7.) being the least stressed out I have been in years. God really used this time to teach me to slow down and just be still. I feel at peace and not worried about anything. For those of you that know me well, this is nothing short of amazing.
8.) Being able to just enjoy time with Mark. We have watched movie and tv, gone on rides and spent lots of time laughing together.
9.) All our family and friends who brought us meals and did our dishes. Such simple things but they made the days so much easier. We are so thankful to have so many great people in our lives.
10.) That our little baby made it to 35 weeks (at least). I am si excited to meet our little one and so in love and thankful for him or her already.
11.) Mostly though I am thankful for Mark because I never would have made it without him. He has been amazing this whole time. He worked more than full time some weeks, took care of the house, fed us, and took care of me all with a smile. He made me laugh evryday and smile. I am so lucky to have him and he is going to be an awesome father. He is so selfless and loving, I have much to learn to from him.
12.) I sm thankful that we have a God who knew the life of our little baby and who was in control the whole time. I am thankful that. Could trust him, and that we could find peace each day in his love. Thank you God for always taking care of us and always knowing what is best.

Please excuse the typos. iPad likes to autocorrect and often it is wrong.

I am not completely off bed rest. I still have to lay down when I have contractions and be careful how much I do but the worst is over and for sure in two weeks I will be able to do whatever I want to make this baby come out.

Thoughts...

2011-03-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I don't have a lot to write about. When you do nothing all day for weeks it becomes really hard to think of things to write about or talk about. On the flip side writing and talking are both things I feel like doing. Makes quite the problem. Another thing that is becoming hard is I really want to cook. I really like cooking and even before bed rest my schedule just wasn't allowing ample time to do anything other than the most basic of cooking and now I can't cook at all. I really like trying new recipes, making whole, real food and using in season food. I have only just brushed the surface of trying to eat real food and buying locally and such. Time and money become quite the stumbling blocks for me. It can also be hard because mark and I differ a lot on how many and what kinds of vegetables we like. So I would really like to be able to get back into and start working to eat really healthy again. Sadly, I have no idea when that will happen. I will get off bed rest just in time to have a new born. But I am hopeful that I will be able to start doing what I love again. If anyone has any good easy recipes they want to share, that would be great.

I guess that's all I have to say...

Bed rest

2011-03-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

I am coming up on three full weeks of bed rest. Thankfully have only spent 72 hours on complete "lay down in bed" bed rest. On good days I am allowed to "putts" around the house in very small amounts and on bad days I lay down or recline only getting up to use the bathroom. I have been able to get out a few times a take really small trips to the store or a short car ride to get fresh air. I have been able to go out to dinner 3 times, so all that to say that I am thankful that I have not been completely confined to my house or bed.

Bed rest has been harder than I could ever have imagined and such a whirl wind of emotions. It started three weeks ago Friday when something just did't feel right. I knew I had a bladder infection and it was getting worse but I also just knew something wasn't right so I called my dr. And she wanted to see me right away. I felt like everything would be fine but in the back of my head all I could think was i am going to get sent to the hospital or put on bed rest. Our bodies know when something isn't right even if we feel no physical effects. My dr. Did an ultrasound and I was contracting with funneling and had a shortening cervix. She put me on medicine for the bladder infection which was most likely causing this as well as meds for the contractions. She took me off work and school for the week and sent me home with specific instructions. All she said was we can't have this baby coming at 28.5 weeks. I left and drove to kroger as I tried to understand everything that was going on.

I called mark while I waited on my prescriptions and broke down in the middle of kroger. All I could think was "this baby cannot come now." I think for both mark and I, it was one of the scariest moments in our lives. We knew that if the baby came in the next few days it had a chance of not living or of having long term disabilities. At this point I didn't care that I just got confined to my house for an indefinite period of time. All I cared about was that our baby would live and be healthy. But i was terrified. It was so shocking to go from a healthy pregnancy to this in matter of hours.

There is no way anyone can understand all the emotional strain of bed rest for both the pregnant one and the husband until you have been there. It is so easy to say and think how nice it would be to do nothing for weeks. But what people don't think about is that first and foremost you are on bed rest because your baby is at risk and in danger. At first it has nothing to do with not doing anything you are fully concerned each day with what will happen if this baby comes. Second, it is no fun to be forced to do nothing. Sure you can read books, watch tv, sleep, write anything. But your body gets tired and weak. You are sore from not being able to move much. You are lonely and the days are long. It is hard, harder than i would have ever thought. Then there is the terrible part of worrying every minute about what your body is doing. Is your baby okay? If something happens who will be here to help? What if I don't know I am going into labor until it is too late?

And then watching mark work 50 hour weeks, cook, clean, do laundry and crash at the end of the day is so hard. He is doing so much right now and I can't help. He is amazing and has laughed and smiled through it all even though he is dealing with so many of the same emotions me yet he has been so strong and steadfast. I am so thankful for him.

Bed rest is hard and challenging yet there has been so much oppurtunity to trust god and find all my peace in him. It has helped me to calm down and quit being a clean freak and to quit stressing about everything that needs to be done. I have had no choice but to be quiet and still and do what I can to be positive. This may prepare us more for parenthood than any extra money in the bank or a clean baby ready house ever could. Every day my only purpose is to do what I can to keep my baby inside me. I have given up work, school, fun and many other things for my baby. Isn't this the basis of parenthood?

We have been so thankful for family and friends who have brought us meals, cleaned our kitchen and just been there for us. For the first time in our married life we feel completely surrounded by people who love us and care for and we are so thankful. God is good and he is in control and every moment will be worth it when our little bean as safe at home in our arms.

Micro-church..aka House Church

2011-01-27T13:19:00.000-08:00

I came home from my classes today feeling fairly under the weather. Not terrible by any means but headache, stuffy nose, etc. I took a long nap and now I have a cup of tea and thought that I would enjoy spending some time writing on my blog. I decided to tell you guys about a new adventure that might be on our family's horizon.

We have been going to Vineyard Community Church, here in Cincinnati for just a few months. Its a large church, I think 8,000 people but is doing some amazing things in the community around them. That's is why we love it there. They are actively reaching out. One of the other things that really got us stuck on their vision is that they aren't trying to bring people into their doors but instead are actively figuring out ways they can TAKE Jesus to the people of Cincinnati. So a couple things they are doing in the next few months are starting two new campuses, Uptown and Middletown and also starting 10 micro-churches (also known as house churches). Let me just step to the side for a minute and say that the coolest thing about this whole process is that they felt God calling them to do it and so they are "Praying, and Going". They took the steps and are just doing it without having any idea how it will all happen. I love it! They didn't make a 50 step plan in order to make sure they had enough money, people, resources etc. But they just said God is calling us lets pray and do it!

When Mark and I moved to Cincinnati we had a vision of what we wanted and felt church should be in our lives. It was all of the Acts 2 principles. Meeting together, eating together, teaching, prayer, fellowship, giving to one another etc. We wanted something on Sundays that was more than just sitting and listening, we wanted to do life with people. And we wanted that to be our church. We also really valued the idea of meeting in homes. We know a lot of people who would come to church if it was in a home with food. So anyways, God really started this journey in us of seeking him on church and what direction we should go. The first Sunday we went to Vineyard they talked about the micro-churches they were going to start. And the things they wanted them to be matched exactly our list of what we desired church to be. So we went to the meetings, we prayed and we turned in a little application/get-to-know-us/why do you want to do a micro-church and then left it up to God. Well there were 40 people who did what we did and the leaders said they were going to pray over them and get back to us. Well, they feel like we have the gifts and skills to lead a micro-church and have told us they would like to move forward with us. They have never met us, so I feel so very confident that God is all over this we felt pretty confidentially that this is the type of thing God had been calling us to do. Isn't it so cool how God works everything out?

So we will be meeting with them soon and making sure it will work and that our visions all line up but we are super excited. We will watch a video message from the Vineyard each week, and we will still be under their leadership in every way. But we will meet in homes and have a very missonal/outreach focus. At this point we are leaning towards young marrieds and couples as our focus but we don't really want to exclude people so we have to work that out still.

So its lots of excitement and also a little apprehensiveness. I keep thinking what if no one comes? Or can we really have church in our home!? But it is really exciting. So you can pray about the journey ahead and what God will do with it but we are super excited to see whats next. Here is Vineyards vision for their church--I love it so I wanted to share it!!

The Vision
Imagine a ragtag collection of surrendered and transformed people who love
God and others. They are mesmerized by the idea that this is not about them,
But all about Jesus. They are transfixed by His story and His heart for their city.
They are seedthrowers and firestarters, hope peddlers, and grace-givers,
Risktakers and dreamers, young and old. They link arms with anyone who tells
the story of Jesus. They empower the poor, strengthen the weak, embrace the
outcast, seek the lost. They serve together, play together, worship together, live
life together. Their city will change because God sent them.
They are us.

Lessons learned

2011-01-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

So as I venture into 22 weeks of pregnancy, I am finding one lesson has come up again and again. This is not the first time in my life that this lesson has sprung into my life. It is though, the first time I have seen the difference and desperately wanted to be different.

It has to do with being positive, content and thankful in every situation. During pregnancy there is so much excitement but there is also a lot that doesn't feel awesome. A lot of things that you could dwell on and complain about. And then when you begin to think about what life will be like when the baby comes it is easy to think of things to dread, be sarcastic about and even afraid of. I had decided at the beginning of pregnancy that I really wanted to be really positive about the whole thing--I mean I have a miracle of a child GROWING inside of me. How can that be bad? Yes there are hard days, but I wanted the miracle of it all to trump any negative emotions or need to complain.

I haven't been perfect and I have had a lot of bad days of being caught up in how I feel and not about why i feel that way. But what has been the hardest is the massive amount of negative and sarcastic comments from every one who was ever a mom. If they don't have something great to say about pregnancy they definitely have their two cents on being a mom of a new born. Now believe me I get the reality of having a child as much as I can right now. I know it will be hard, sleepless and stressful. But it is a child and I REFUSE to spend my life dwelling on all the bad. And one thing I really want to be is an ENCOURAGEMENT to new moms. I do not want to point out everything that is awful about being a parent.

Here are some of things I have been told about pregnancy and parenting. These have all been told with laughs and sarcasm but I will say that they have not once encouraged me. If these things I am going to list are all that I have to look forward to I never would have gotten pregnant....

You will never eat a hot meal again
You will be exhausted all of the time and never sleep
You will never celebrate a birthday again--its all about the kids from here on out
You won't have any money because kids are so expensive (news flash--we got the "no money" thing down)
By the end of pregnancy you will be huge and miserable
And the list goes on...

So, definitely not encouraging to someone who is so looking forward to one of the most exciting seasons of life. Why do so many moms feel this way? Will I join the crowd after 18 years of parenting? Let try to change. Lets not scare moms when they are already entering into one of the most unknown seasons of their life. There is a fine line between preparing a friend for being a parent and just being negative. How about talking about the joy of feeling your baby moving inside of you for the first time--instead of how hard it is to sleep when the baby is ALWAYS kicking. Or how about the fact that your baby literally was the size of a bean 15 weeks ago and now weighs a pound and it all happened inside of you---instead of how big and disgusting you will feel! I want to be real, and I want to be honest with people but at the same time encouraging and loving.

The bible says to think upon whatever is noble, pure and noteworthy.

I told Mark the other day that if everything that has been said up until this point is completely true than I might as well resign to a tired, hungry, poor and miserable life. And go ahead and change my name from Jenny to "babys mom" because I will no longer have any life or identity outside of that.

I want to love my child and be the best mom I can and with the help of my amazing husband I am sure we will do just that. I am also sure we won't sleep a lot, I will eat some cold meals, and I will become much less self-focused and much more others focused. But I am doing all of this because of the precious life growing inside me NOT because I signed up for a horrible, terrible life of parenting!

*****I write all of this, not to act as though I am better and never do any of the above things. One of the reason this stuff bothers me so much is because I often find myself caught in the trap of only talking about the negative things in life. I want so badly to change and want to encourage others also to be more positive. This is not meant to be condemning but rather slightly comical and me just venting with a problem that my life is plagued with inside and out. Please hear my heart, in just wanting to focus on the miracle of life*****

Denver and baby

2010-12-17T18:51:00.001-08:00

We just spent the last week in Estes Park which is north of Denver. It was tons of fun and a great time for Mark and I to just get away and spend good time together before the baby comes. I am so thankful that we were able to take this trip. Many thanks to both of our parents for making this week possible by giving us a week of time share and transporting us back and forth to Indianapolis to the airport. I am 17 weeks pregnant. My belly is starting to grow and I think sometimes I can feel the baby move. Sometime in the next 3 weeks we will be able to have our ultrasound. We won't be finding out the sex but it will be fun to see the little munchkin and also make sure all is going well.

This week we did so much hiking in the mountains. It was amazing but I have to say that I worked my pregnant self very hard. It felt good though. Hopefully the baby agrees :-) I know my doctor will be happy since she is all about exercise while pregnant. My husband has been amazing about walking with me multiple times a week. The doctor asked me to be walking 30 min a day, 5 days a week. We have been doing pretty well and not once have I had to walk alone. He is awesome! He has been so good to me while i have been pregnant and has made it an awesome thing to experience together. The only thing I can't figure out is that he seems to think that he gets to eat for 2 as well. I hear him say things like "I am having chocolate milk because I am pregnant." haha. It makes me laugh and love him that much more. When we get the ultra sounds pictures we will make sure they are somewhere for all to see.

Merry Christmas!

A much needed update...

2010-11-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

Well as most of you now know, I am pregnant! About 12 weeks now. Which would explain the complete lack of updates, in fact it explains the complete lack of anything productive for the past 6 weeks. I was feeling so sick along with pure exhaustion that not much was getting accomplished. And when I did feel up to something I wanted it to be baby somethings!

We are really really excited about our baby. IN fact we can't wait until May. Who needs 9 months?! I am finally feeling much better and have a good amount more of energy. I am really looking forward to the next few months. Mark and I are going to Denver in December for a trip just the two of us before lil bean comes. And then we have Thanksgiving and Christmas. Such a packed 2 months but really exciting. I am also looking forward to a break from school. Well this is short but about all I wanted to say. Love to everyone.

busy season...

2010-09-21T11:24:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow Mark and I both go back to school. A year ago, I never would have thought that this is where we would be, however I am so very confident that it is where God has us. I am excited for a new adventure and to be doing it together. However, I am also very nervous. You see, right now our life if great. We have a lot of time and flexibility on our hands. Life has been fun and refreshing, but adding school to the mix seems like a lot. With only one car, 2 jobs, and 4 classes things are tight. There is no wiggle room in the schedule. And to be able to manage it all we will have to be very disciplined. It is a big change. But what I am most nervous about is my attitude. Mark is going to be much more busy than I. He will have a lot on his plate which will leave me needing to be patient, selfless and flexible. I am not good at any of those things.

Yesterday I felt God very clearly tell me, "Jenny, it is up to you to make this season of life a great one, or a terrible one". Why up to me you ask? Because Mark changes and adjusts easily. He is patient and hard working. He doesn't complain or become restless. He doesn't nag or whine. He just endures and is content and thankful through it all. Me, i am just the opposite. God is telling me that if my attitude is patient, content, peaceful, thankful, and selfless than this season will be a great opportunity to support and love Mark. But if it is the opposite it will be miserable for both of us.

The saying is true (at least in the Potter, household) "if momma/wife is happy, everyone is happy".

There are a few verses that God brought to mind that I think will help me through this season of life and every day beyond it.

Here is one of them:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippeans 4:6-7

Oh, and one more thing....I thought it would be silly and fun if we took first day of school pictures of ourselves. You know, we could put on our backpacks (do we even have backpacks?) and take pictures of us leaving for class. Fun, right? Mark said no! But maybe, just maybe you will see one on here in the next few days...if I can be sneaky..haha :-)

Football

2010-09-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

So, over the last year Mark has really begun to love football. I have always enjoyed football in very small amounts. It was always more about the experience and not so much the game. Since he was really liking it and spending a lot of his free and "fun" time doing football related things I decided I would make effort to get a little more involved. I really like it when Mark shows interest in things I like so I knew he would enjoy me doing the same. Turns out I love being on a fantasy team. It really has been a simple, not a huge time commitment and fun activity. But, the best thing about it? It has given Mark and I lots of laughs and awesome time together. I wouldn't watch football or get that into if Mark didn't, but together I really love it. Today, its just us in our comfy clothes hanging out watching football, chatting, laughing and resting together.

Since we aren't involved in a church at the moment we spent the morning together at Panera drinking coffee and eating bagels while studying the book of Matthew together. It is an awesome day.

I think it is a great practice to try and like what our spouses like for the sake of loving them and being with them. It is worth it :-)

Curtains

2010-09-07T20:02:00.000-07:00

So when we moved into our house over a year ago we inherited a mass amount of pink curtains. I never liked them, not once did I look at them and think "they are ok". No, in fact I woke up everyday and grunted at the sight of them. I really, really disliked them. Not only did I have no idea how dirty, how old, or whose they were but I strongly disliked the color. However, they were the only curtains we had and we have not been able to afford new curtains for our HUGE windows. I fought to be patient as I waited for new ones, I sought to be grateful for everything I DID have, and I tried to not complain about how much I disliked them. I was a long ways from being successful at this but it was my desire and I did, also, learn some lessons in this curtain dilemma...

My neighbor and dear friend Rhea completely understood how much the curtains bothered me and had been helping me to come up with affordable ideas for curtains that really needed to be custom made (EXPENSIVE!). Mark and I came home the other day and were hanging out with Neil and Rhea on their porch, when Rhea very excitedly told me she had bought us curtains! I couldn't believe it. They are beautiful and perfect. Her mom sewed them for us so they fit perfectly and I love them. I was thrilled to stuff the pink ones and all of their dust in the trash! It was a huge gift and I am still amazed at her and Neil's thoughtfulness and generosity.

It was a huge reminder that God loves me. I had asked him for curtains and he gave them to me. It wasn't in my timing, it was a year later than I would have liked. I never would have been as grateful if I hadn't waited a year. I love them that much more. People, listen up, if you trust God, he does provide. Always. And even sometimes he provides what we don't need, what doesn't have eternal value and what won't last long but yet he knows will make us happy. Find your contentment and peace in him no matter what and trust that he will provide and just watch. God is good.

Also, a side note. I think Rhea was just as happy if not happier to be able to give something like this. I was reminded again why it is fun to give and why I want to spend my life giving, not receiving. Although this time it was fun receiving!!

Go right through for MSU...

2010-09-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

Mark and I were really excited to be able to watch the first MSU game of the season. I love that Mark and I share a love for MSU both sports wise and school wise. We both grew up MSU fans because our parents both went there and then we both have amazing memories from the school. Not to mention, we met, dated, got engaged and married all while at MSU. MSU is just a special place for both of us. With all that said though, it is strange that we both, soon, will be bearcats. If all goes as planned we will both have a degree from UC. Its funny that we will both share the same two schools. I may get my degree from UC but I think I will always think of myself as a spartan first. I was raised a Spartan and I'm not sure I could ever truly be anything else. Although it will be fun to have another school to make memories at together and a local school to root for and love, I think we will both always be a Spartan!

Go Green!

Speaking of Mark and I and our lives at MSU. Here is a picture before we started officially "dating".

And we are maintaining our loyalty in our new home in Cincinnati.

Soon I will have a picture to post of us maybe in a bearcats shirt attending our first game as students again?

Who knows?!

commenting...

2010-09-02T10:04:00.001-07:00

Hey all,

So some of you (parents) send me or mark an email in response to the blog which is fine. But I like it to go on the blog if possible. then it is there forever and others can see your thoughts. So instead of responding the email you get from being subscribed to the blog. Go to markjenny.blogspot.com and click comment at the bottom of the post you want to respond to. That would make me happy :-)

bubble machine

2010-09-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

Today on the radio they read a list of things the will make you feel good FAST. What was number one? Have two bubble machines?! Not one, but TWO bubble machines? What the heck, who would have thought!?1

blogging...

2010-08-31T14:07:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy blogging. I love writing and I love the conversation that can happen between blog post and between readers. I love that God works things out in me as I write and I hope that the few that read it gain from what God is teaching me. I don't claim to know a lot and I don't really spend time researching my ideas. I know that most people who read this are family and really close friends who love me even what I am crazy or wrong. But sometimes I like the idea of writing a blog that had intention to it. A blog that I spend time on and spent time researching and gathering info to teach others. I spend a lot of time in blog-o-sphere (like my word?) and love every minute of it. I learn a lot and feel like I know a lot of people that I really don't (is this a good thing?). And I spend time dreaming of have a "big" blog. Thats what I named the people who have thousands of readers.

But to be honest there are many things that scare me. Like first, i don't want my blog to be about how many readers. I want it to point people to God whether its 1 or 1000. Also these "big" bloggers know something I don't. Its a whole different world. I mean, they have conferences on blogging! Its a "cool" thing. It is THE thing right now. And honestly I have issues with "cool" things. I don't want to do what everyone else is doing.

But I love blogging. And yes, I could stay here at markjenny.blogspot.com and continue writing to those who read. I am content with this. BUT I want a new name. I don't want it to be markjenny anymore because Mark doesn't blog here anymore. Sorry Polo, I am kicking you out. And it is easy for Mark to make a blog. But I don't want it to be that I chasing blogland. I don't want it to be a chase to be cool and blog. Although I am sure you can see the war within me right now. I suppose it isn't a big deal anyways since, even if I tried I probably would not become a BIG blog.

I like my happy little corner or the world. We saw Cinderalla the other day. This song comes to mind...

"In my own little corner in my own little chair
I can be whatever I want to be.
On the wings of my fancy I can fly anywhere
and the world will open its arms to me."

Lets just change the words and this is how I feel about my blog:

"In my own little corner in my own little blog
I can be whatever I want to be,
By the tip of my pencil I can go anywhere
and the world will open its arms to me"

I like it here.

Oh and by the way if I am going to be like Cinderella, I would totally wear the dress..

Randomness

2010-08-28T06:05:00.001-07:00

This is a break in the rat race blogs for just some random things that the Potters have been up to.

First can I say that I have the best husband ever? Last weekend Mark and I were discussing ways to make our cooking and grocery shopping more consistent and planned for. I really love cooking and really feel strongly about eating REAL food, that doesn't come from a box, and as healthy as possible. But in order to eat like this and especially on our budget it needs to planned out. What was happening was when we both got home from work and were hungry and tired, making dinner felt like it would take to much time. We weren't prepared and instead we were eating out more and eating less healthy food. So my husband (this is why he is great) decided that every Saturday we would go grocery shopping. We would plan 5 meals a week and prepare as much as possible on Saturday and then freeze it. So this past week we ate 5, home cooked healthy meals without cooking once. It was great. We are going to do it again today, once we get moving.

Another thing we accomplished this month was eating a food budget of $200. I was so skeptical and did not think we could do but we wanted to get our food cost as low as possible. And we did it! We will do $50 a week on our Saturday trips now. My tips to lower your food budget--start with eating less, most of us eat to much and can afford to eat less. Buy whats on sales. Go meatless once in a while. Don't buy snack stuff. If you eat lots of snacks do fruits or veggies--you won't eat as much of them. And skip on beverages. Water and milk work just as well or you could buy 100% juice concentrate which is half the price.

Random fact: I currently have almost 30 books checked out from the library. I have no idea how this happened. Please know that I have not and will not read them all. I just like to look through and learn random facts on whatever topic the book is on.

I am considering taking full advantage of my husband being a web-designer and having unlimited website hosting by having him make me my own custom blog. We though it would be fun. I want the domain name to have Jenny in it. Any suggestions? We thought of:

lifebyjenny.com
jennyinreallife.com

those two are my favorites. Any suggestions?

Have a good weekend!

Rat Race, part 2

2010-08-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

I left off my last entry saying, “we have to slow down.” In part 2 I want to talk more about WHY we need to slow down. Its not about slowing down just for the sake of being lazy and sitting around, its about slowing down in order to build our life around God rather than trying to squeeze Him in between work, the gym, bible study, grocery shopping, worship practice and girls night out. First stop is to look at what the bible says about our priorities.

The “Proverbs 31 Woman” is a great passage in the bible that talks about a “wife of noble character.” She is hard working bringing food and clothing to her family and extending her hands to the needy. In fact, it says her light never goes out at night and she is up before dawn. She works hard and she is praised for it. I definitely think we are called to work hard. Proverbs 10:4 says  ”lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” So, if the bible praises and encourages working hard, why am I saying to slow down? If you look closely, the woman in Proverbs 31 is putting her hands to meaningful tasks, providing and caring for family and those in need around her. Yes, she is busy but it isn’t a stressful pursuit of the American Dream. When I read about her I sense that her life is a calm and purposeful pursuit of caring for the people that God has placed in her life. She can laugh at the days to come proving that she wasn’t worrying about tomorrow, she wasn’t planning out her days and stressing about how she could make is all work. She laughed at it. My guess is, she was living one moment at a time, each one glorifying the Lord. Also, we can consider Mary and Martha. Jesus praised Mary for sitting at his feet and worshipping while Martha bustled around cleaning and preparing food. Ecclesiastes 4:5 says, “Some say it is foolish to fold your hands and do nothing, because you will starve to death. Maybe so, but I say it is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind.”—King Soloman (the wealthiest man to live). We have to be careful why we do what we do. It is so easy to get caught up in chasing things or spending our time doing stuff that distracts from God and his eternal purposes. Things that often seem important or like a good thing are only pulling us away from God.

This is where is gets tricky because often the things that are making us go non-stop are good things. In my life, two examples were a job and bible study. Even good, well intentioned things can distract us from God. We have to make time for him and do what he is calling us too. He wants us to put him first in everything. It is fine to work hard and provide a good life your family, if you are also willing to give up everything you have (literally) to follow him. What isn’t ok is working so hard and being so busy that we wouldn’t even know if he was calling us to give it all up.

This past month I gave up several things that were “crowding” and “busying” my life. And in doing that I have found time to study the bible daily with my husband, write letters of encouragement to several friends, spend time with neighbors and more time in prayer and worship. The things I am doing have more meaning to me. They are eternal things that I am investing in. Also in quitting a few things I have had to face several fears head on, such as not having enough money and having no friends. I was working a job because I was scared to death that if I didn’t we wouldn’t have money. And for that reason alone I had to quit. I cared more about the job than I did about trusting God. And you know what? As soon as I quit the job money came from the most unexpected places. My life is slower and more focused on God. It is a work in progress but one I will never stop marching towards. When I die I want to look back on my life and know that I lived each day focused on God, that my children lived a life devoted to the Lord and that I gave up everything for Jesus. I do not want to look back and have only a nice house, a nice car, and a fun life to remember. I want God all over my life. I want a life that sets me apart from those that don’t know the Lord, because that’s what living for Jesus is. If it looks like the rest of the world, what are we doing wrong? Jesus didn’t live like everyone else. He lived only to glorify God and I am pretty confident that it didn’t involve rushing from one event to the other trying to find a way to eat dinner in between. He had time for prayer and fasting, he had time to eat dinner with those who didn’t know him and time to teach others. He only did what mattered. Jesus didn’t run the rat race. You know, even if you win the rat race, in the end you are still a rat. :-)

In part 3 I want to challenge some of the things we fill our lives with. I want us all to take time to think about why we value what we do and why we spend our lives working towards certain things. Stay tuned…

Rat Race, part 1

2010-08-24T06:49:00.000-07:00

My last post talked a lot about my struggles to learn to be ok staying home, to stop seeking out fun and to learn to adjust and find purpose in the "same old routine". This post has a lot to do with this same idea. It is journey I feel God has me on right now. I am learning a lot about WHAT I do on a day to day basis compared to WHO I am. I think it is easy, and in fact what most Americans feel, to find our identity in what we do. We (Americans) live very busy, very fast paced lives. We say "yes" to everything in order to make others happy, to be a good person, to make more friends, to be the best parents, to be a good christian and so on and so forth. We think we have to do certain things in order to be who we want to be. We often get involved in certain things to give ourselves a certain reputation, or because we want to look good to those around us. As woman we are often trying to become that "supermom" or "superwomen" who can do EVERYTHING (or at least look as though we can). We want a clean house, homemade meals, lots of friends, to be active in a church, to have perfect kids who do well at everything, to be in shape, to look stylish and to have a great house in a great neighborhood. We think these things are what make us the person we want to be so we get involved in everything we can. We run around like crazy trying to do the impossible of working, keeping the house clean, laundry done and family fed. It is one big rat race until we drop dead in our beds at the end of the day for maybe 6 hours of sleep only to get up and do it all over again. MAYBE we create a small space in our schedule for God, and maybe we throw out prayers all day for Him to keep us going and help us get OUR list done.

I'll go ahead and say that I think this is satan's biggest fight against women. Keep us busy, keep us chasing unrealistic expectations and keep us searching for our identity in everything but God. And in all of it he somehow manages to convince us that yes, this is how life with God looks, we are being good christian women. BAH! Not TRUE, Not TRUE, Not TRUE!!!

So, I personally had realized that I was fighting this battle. I was getting so busy and was running around like a crazy women--and golly gee...I don't even have kids yet! And then I was so distressed and confused and busy that I couldn't handle it. I didn't even know why I was doing everything I was doing. And then I felt God tell me to quit all of these things. And with lots of struggle I did. I quit one job (I don't advise quitting jobs unless you really feel like this is what God says to do, by the way), I quit bible study (GASP! Bible study? Yes, bible study), I set boundaries on how many times a day I cleaned my house, I got off facebook (yes facebook can make you more busy than necessary), and I began focusing on slowing down in everything. So here I am, working 20 hours a week, meeting one night a week to have bible study with our neighbors (I quit one, I was in two), and, well, I guess, those are my ONLY commitments for now. Can you believe it? Is this legal?

And of course, now I am struggling with feeling like I am wasting time. "What would others think?" "Should I get another job?" "Certainly I can't have THIS much time on my hands, I must be doing something wrong." But honestly this is where God has called me right now. He has slowed me way down. And the one thing that is coming with all of this is that I see God all through out my life. I was so busy before that even in the God things I couldn't see him. I am growing and learning again. I am falling in love with my Jesus.

We HAVE to slow down. We have to learn to say no. And we HAVE to find our identity in God.

I have more to say but this is already too long. I will continue this blog later this week.

Random thinkings...

2010-08-14T05:55:00.000-07:00

I know, that my subject is not proper english...sorry all, but I liked the way it sounded...

Please forgive me now for the random thoughts you are about to read. I fear this post could be long and unconnected. You do not have to read this, however I like to think that there are many people out there who read my blog. I know I am only kidding myself but why think any differently? It makes it more fun.

Lately I have been learning a lot about peace, routine, and doing the same old thing everyday. I always considered myself a "homebody", I enjoy being in the comfort of my own home, with all that is familiar. But really Im not so sure that is me. Everyday I find myself wanting to do something new, something exciting. I think about all the places I could go and all the things I could see. I think about doing something and then I do it and I find myself thinking about something else that would be better. I think this is half bad, half good. I think it keeps me from falling into ruts, it keeps me thinking about life and what I want out of it. It helps me to constantly wrestle with what God is calling me to do and what America is telling me to do. It makes me think. On the other hand, it stops me from being content, it leaves me with a desire that I can't satiate. It stops me from enjoying the moment and ultimately it keeps me from being peaceful. I can't enjoy the peace the Lord has given me if I am always looking for something better and more exciting.

So, what have I learned from this? I have learned that I have to seek peace and quite. Did I write a blog about this before? Forgive me if I have, I guess it is a big deal to me right now. I am learning that going places and doing things is not what I seek. What I am always wanting more of, always desiring is to FEEL. I want to feel love, excitement, romance, peace, happiness, sadness or anything in between. God made us to feel deeply, and so we desire it. And sometimes it is hard to feel deeply about the same old routine. I think its why I love books, so I can feel the emotions of the story. I think this is normal and I think it plays out in everyones life differently. I think this constant drive to feel SOMETHING, ANYTHING is what gets people in trouble. A good desire gone bad. The need to feel loved leads to one-night stands and broken relationships, the need to feel excitement leads to new drugs and dangerous situations, the need to feel powerful or in control leads to violence and abuse. The need to feel beautiful or experience beauty can lead to all sorts of weird twisted forms of art. Sometimes I feel it is what America spends everyday doing. Seeking the need to FEEL something at the core of our being.

No one likes death or tragedy but often there is some odd sense of satisfaction when we are hurt and crying over something that really mattered. We feel death so deeply and it feels so right to mourn something, that big and at the core of who we are. Anyone with me? Or am I alone on this one? Its why we love weddings, and romance.

But is it possible that these emotions are good in the right place but ultimately should be found in God? I find that when I seek God and become vulnerable with Him I FEEL deeply. I am overwhelmed by love and gratitude for Him, I hurt at the core of who I am for the lost and the suffering, I feel total excitement when I think of what He could have in store for my life and I feel a deep sense of contentment and peace. God is what stirs these desires in my heart and I will only find ultimate satisfaction in Him. It won't be in a new restaurant, a new city, a new piece of art or a good book. It is in Him alone.

So, when I start to feel that ache for something other than this (whatever this may be) I need to pick up my bible and escape to a place of solitude. And when I do this I find my thirst quenched and my hunger for "something more" satiated. He is IT. Nothing else can fill the need and desire we have for Him in our life.

orange goodness

2010-07-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

My kitchen is bright orange. This is the number one reason why I love being in my kitchen. It is bright, cheerful and full of energy. The number two reason I like being in my kitchen is that I love creating things and that is about all I do in the kitchen, with the exception of doing dishes. The number three reason is that everything I do in the kitchen brings me joy, feels completely natural and feels as though God would be smiling upon my moments spent there. It is a place for me to serve my family and friends, it is something I am good at and it brings me great joy to share it with others.

This week I spent a lot of time in my kitchen. I made homemade bread, swiss chicken to share with our friends, shepherds pie-full of veggies and potatoes from the farm, biscuits, no bake cookies, fried green tomatoes, homemade whole wheat pancakes and I prepared and froze extra veggies. The past two days have followed a pattern, clean, cook, eat, repeat. The only part in there I don't like is the clean. However I have found that there is something slightly therapeutic about making cleanliness out of mess and order out of chaos.

The best part about my cooking this week however has been--well actually there are two great things. First sharing it with beloved family and friends. A lot of life happens over food, there is so much laughter, heartache and joys to be shared when you gather around a table with those you love. It is one thing we all have in common--we all eat--so start with that and a lot flows from it. This is why we love having people into our home to eat. Jesus shared meals with people all the time so we will too

Second best part (the part that I originally was going to write about until I remember the afore mention "best thing"). Is that almost everything I made this week was natural, from the earth without any chemicals. I cooked with things that had only, real food in them. Some of them even being right out of the fields here in Cincinnati. I never used to be one to care much about organic, natural foods. I wasn't very concerned about my eating habits and what effect they have on the environment but the more I learn and the more I try the more I want to eat this way. My body can tolerate less and less processed foods. I feel terrible when I eat them. Its not real food and that bothers me. My body was not made to digest high fructose corn syrup, some weird concoction we created to make sugar from corn? weird right. I also know that I am supporting a family in my community who lives off of farming, I know that I am composting my scraps and putting them back in the earth and I know that my friends, family and I are eating what God created. That makes me happy.

This my friends, is why I love my orange kitchen.

hard choice

2010-06-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

Today I quit the container store. There was a huge sense of relief that followed but getting there was such a struggle. The job was really hard on me. I didn't care for it but more than that it was the schedule. I worked so many days, but little shifts. I was often working stretches of 10-14 days with no break. Even if you only have to work for 3 hours there is something still tiring about it. We, or at least I, need a break once in a while. The other thing that was hard about it was they expected so much from me on and off the clock. It was supposed to be a second job for a little extra income: 10-15 hours a week. I wanted to go to work and it to be fun, simple, and easy and then I wanted to leave it there and come home twice a week. But instead I listen to work voicemail everyday and work 3-5 times a week. In order to perform well at work I really have to think ahead about my days. I had to be mentally prepared when I go in. We were asked to lead our own development, so there was always something more to learn and do and often that involved time off the clock for me. All of these things are great for someone who has the time. But I do not. So all of this was creating a stressed, worn out and anxious Jenny. I knew I needed to quit. I was missing out on the things most important to me because between both jobs I was just tuckered out. I often missed bible study and church. Being stressed out was affecting our marriage and our time together at home. The things most important to me were suffering the most. So with all this said, you might think "well obviously it is an easy choice, of course you needed to quit." However the reason I got the job was for money that we needed. I was so afraid to quit because of the money we would lose. It wasn't just extra money, its money that we needed to pay our bills.

But then my husband told me that I was choosing money over my marriage, my bible study and my relationship with God because this job was affecting all of these negatively. I knew the right decision was to quit. I knew it was what God wanted and what my husband wanted, as well as what I wanted. But I could not bring myself to do it. It was such a hard decision to make.

I did end up doing it. I did it because I trust God. And today I had to make the choice to trust that he would take care of us. I had to put my relationships and mental health first and forget about money. I trust God will take care of us...even if it means getting behind on a few bills, I KNOW he won't let us go without what we need. And I KNOW that I will be thankful I made this choice. The hardest choices are often the best ones. And sometimes it is just a step of faith. Mark and I have decided that we won't live our lives chasing money. We won't let money control us. And this is just one example of how we will live it out.

Today I quit my job because I needed God to be first in my life and NOT money.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength"

content

2010-06-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

Today I am doing all that I can to be content. Being content is what brings peace and thankfulness. It is so hard to be content. I find myself regretting things I think and say a lot. Wishing I had done things differently. Today I want to be content with where I am at.

I also want to remember that today is a new day. And I can always start new. Maybe there is something that I have been doing for the past 10 years and I feel like I can't change. But I can and today is the day. Why not just start new. Forget everything behind and press on. Today I start new. There are a lot of ruts I get myself into with negative thinking, criticism and poor decisions. Today I start over. I will be...

Thankful

Content

Kind

Humble

Positive

Encouraging

I will not think poorly of others

I will try to be a good friend instead of wishing someone would be a good friend to me...

We will start here...

"Be Uncommon"

2010-05-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

I am at work right now. But I had a sudden thought and I really wanted to write it down. I heard a quote from Tony Dungee this morning on the radio. He is an NFL coach and a devoted follower of Jesus. Mark and I have taken away several great life lessons from him. This morning he said his advice to graduates was to "Be Uncommon". Really simple but it got me thinking how hard being uncommon really is. That led to another thought. Mark is always pushing me in some way to give things up, to be better and follow God. He is really always pushing me to "be uncommon". I often get frustrated and think "well thats how so and so lives, or this person always does that so why should I stop?" I am reminded that it isn't about doing whatever anyone else does because that is not following God. It is about following God and doing what he wants which will always lead to being uncommon.

I get frustrated when Mark pushes me. I always think haven't I given up enough?? Or haven't I gotten good enough at that? He pushes me to trust God more, worry less. To need less material things and need God more. Sometimes I feel like I can't bear to give up one more thing or I will be so uncomfortable, have no security things left. Nothing comfortable. But today i was reminded that, isn't that just how God is? He always wants us to give up more, to need less and need Him more. Always with God it is just one more thing. He always wants more than we think we can give because then we NEED him, then we HAVE to DEPEND on Him.

I am thankful today that my husband does push me to serve God better, to live a simple life and to always be so dependent on my Father in Heaven.

I want to "be uncommon". I am not a graduate but this advice will stick with me.

2010-05-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

I have been reading "The Hole in our Gospel" by Richard Stearns with my bible study. He is the president of World Vision and it is all about poverty and what we are really missing as the Church. The biggest realization I have had in reading this book is how desensitized I have become to poverty. I realize that though I care about it I do nothing in my day to day life to help or change things. I rarely think about it and never do things to learn about and help poverty. I wonder how many of us are desensitized to it. I wonder if we could wake up and make one small step what kind of difference it would make.

I have also spent a lot of time thinking about how I live my life. I figured out today that while Faith and John were living here the 4 of us were using about 150 gallons of water A DAY!! Isn't that insane. And yet some people have none, and what they do have they have to haul from a source to their house just to get clean. I can't even imagine. As some of you know I cherish my baths. I love taking them and i take them all the time. I decided that it would be good for me to give them up. They use so much water and maybe in the tiniest way I can start to live a little more responsibly and with a little less. So I said I won't take a bath until the first of the year. About 6 months. I will still take showers but I know I will save a lot of water and will be foregoing something that is comforting and fun--and a HUGE luxury to a lot of the world.

I have just been so challenge to live on less. We already live on little and yet I know there is so much more we could go without. Even the amount of food that we eat. Mark and I eat on about 8 dollars a day. So 4 dollars a person a day. It seems like so little. You can't eat a meal at McDonalds for that. BUT we have so much more food than we need. I know we eat more than we need and I also know that we don't eat everything we have before it goes bad.

All of this though can be so frustrating because I often wonder...how I live...does it matter? Am I changing anything? Today I decided that I know if we live on less then we have extra money and I know we can give that to sponsoring a child or to some other ministry and that makes a difference. The key is doing something--anything with the extra. Not using what we save to buy us more things or for us to go somewhere but to feed the world and do SOMETHING.

What can you live without? Or what could you live on less of? Think about it...Im sure there is something!

2010-05-21T06:12:00.001-07:00

Today I am thankful for..

Sunshine! (did I say this a couple days ago? Im always thankful for sunshine)

The pink flowers in my window sill

8 hours of sleep

Peace--and the realization that I need to SEEK it or it doesn't come

That someone said "work needs to revolve around your life not the other way around"

The fact that Jesus is what matters--not money, jobs, education, food etc.

That I have a bright orange shirt to wear to work today ---when all else fails I know that bright colors will make me smile

Coffeeee

Good music

Thats all for now...

P.S. this is my way of practicing starting my day being joyful and thankful. Not negative and annoyed. It works. TRY IT!

Worship

2010-05-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

I wrote this to submit to a magazine a while ago. They give topics and verses and then you write. I didn't submit it right away because I was waiting for a friend to review it and then I completely forgot and missed the deadline. So I will share it with you... (the magazine requires it to be King James Version, thus some of the funny words...)

“A great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round bout the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God.” The power from this passage radiates through me as I read these words. Something about this picture is right and creates an unquenchable desire within me to worship God with thousands and thousands of other believers. It reminds me of a familiar feeling around Christmas time. I love the day before Christmas Eve when everyone is out and about grabbing their last specials gifts and the remaining few ingredients, Christmas music is winding down the aisle and the excitement pulsates through the air. Something inside me becomes overwhelmed and excited participating in this holiday dance. I love being a part of something big and celebrating it with people all across the nation and world at the same time. We are all excited about the same thing and we are all getting ready for the same big event. We all share it in common. We can talk about it, dream about and be anxious about it together. There is something within us –something that God created – to desire and long to be a part of something huge. I believe it is worship.

The Bible gives us accounts of people worshipping God in all circumstances. We see worship come from thankfulness, from sorrow, from joy and from fear. We are beings made to worship God for all of eternity and he is preparing us for the day when “every knee will bow and ever tongue will confess” the risen name of Jesus Christ. But have you ever wondered why God created us this way? I think back to a time when a beloved mentor shared an experience from when she was first married. Life was hard for them, no place to call home, no jobs, no money to buy food and they had no one to share in their pain. They were lying in bed one bleak night at her husband’s parents’ house wrestling with what their lives had become and what they should do next. Overwhelmed with sorrow and grief, they felt God calling them to remember the good in their life. So they began with the simple things. They thanked God for each other, for the beds they were sleeping in, for the clothes they were wearing, and for the dinner that he had provided for them that night. They continued on and on until theirs hearts were so full of thankfulness they thought they might burst. They fell on their knees and worshipped the Lord and from then on things were different for them. They still had no home and still had no jobs, their circumstances had not changed but their hearts had. They saw things differently and were now carrying a new sense of hope and freedom – worship changed them.

Even in the worst of circumstances we can choose to worship our God. I remember this story often, especially when my life feels as though it is falling apart. It is easy to worship God when we have all we need and the sun is always shining, but when winter takes over and life is falling apart worship is no longer a choice – it is a necessity. Is there not always something to thank God for? Can’t we always start with the clothes on our back and the food in our belly? Or maybe we don’t even have those luxuries. Instead we can worship him because one day we “shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore…For the Lamb shall feed [us], and shall lead [us] unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all the tears from [our] eyes.” Can you imagine? To never hunger, thirst or cry again. Now that is something to worship our God for.
We understand God so much more when we take the time to let our hearts and mind meditate on his greatness, his unfailing love and his never-ending grace. Every day we can practice being thankful for all the little things we take for granted, such as food and clean water. We can look out our windows or even walk out our doors and admire the beauty that God has created all around us. We can worship him because of the adorable laugh from our child or because of a great song on the radio. He created it all so why not give him the credit he is due and let our hearts overflow with gratefulness and adoration? God has redeemed us and in the end all that will matter is the God we know and love. One day we will stand among the multitudes of his children and sing “holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” May we not let that day be the first time our hearts have truly worshipped our God on high!

thankful...

2010-05-19T05:20:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for...

the jobs that Mark and I both have. We make enough money at these jobs to support us and for that I am thankful.

A warm house and food to eat.

Beautiful pink flowers to put in a vase and have in my home.

A warm comfy puppy who loves to cuddle.

just saying...

2010-04-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

I just have to say that no matter how much money you make, or how successful your career is--it is no reflection on the amount of happiness and satisfaction one feels with their life...just saying...

The next 5 years...

2010-04-16T07:04:00.001-07:00

Here are some things that I would like to accomplish maybe in the next 5 years? Sounds like a good timeline....

1.) Be at a point of eating little to none processed foods at home
2.) Regularly making my own yogurt, granola, and mayonnaise
3.) Eating all of our meat and as much dairy and produce from local sources (eggs-check, beef we know the source)
4.) Run a 5k
5.) Go backpacking
6.) Go on a mission trip
7.) Have a garden where I grow a lot of my own veggies
8.) Finish school
9.) Have our car paid off
10.) Love the Lord much more than I do today.

Ready, set, go....

A poem

2010-03-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

I found this poem that I wrote a few years ago...I thought I would share it...

Im not sure why I wrote it or what I was thinking but I like it

Through your eyes there is beauty
Your glory shines in all directions
Through your eyes there is romance
Your love floods the Earth from one end to the other
Through your eyes I am loved
Through you eyes there is only color

I bow before you, my life in your hands
let me see the world through your eyes
Give me your eyes, God Almighty
Oh, how I need you.

Through your eyes no one is lonely
and no one goes hungry
Through your eyes there is only love
and that will always triumph!

health care

2010-03-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

So I usually don't get into politics, and i wouldn't even call this "getting into it" but I do have a few things I would like to say or possibly vent. Im not sure how I feel about this health care reform bill but there are a few thoughts that I have, mostly from others reactions. I have heard a lot of people complaining and I agree there is a lot about this whole thing that doesn't seem like it is going to work out. But I do think the motivation behind it is good. I do think there is a lot wrong with our health care system. And I do think something needs to change. Now whether or not what is going on, on capital hill will change anything? I don't know.

I think a lot of the people to complain about this are those that have always had good health care. People who look at it as a privilege and that they have earned their health care. Now don't get me wrong I do think that everyone willing and able should be working and should not be handed everything. But, is health care really a privilege? I tend to think it is more of a right. I also think that working hard doesn't always equate to good health care. I know my husband and I both work very hard yet, we happen to work for people who don't offer health care. Does that make us deserve good health care any less?

On the flip side of that we do take a huge hit to pay for own insurance and yes at times it is inconvenient and sure we could find so much else to put our money to but this is just what we have to do right now. Would we take advantage of a government handout in health care if thats how it was? ehh probably not until we seriously couldn't afford our own. And by that I mean managing our money well, only buying what we need and still not being able to afford it. I very much dislike a lot of our government programs. Take food stamps for example. In my experience I have known more people who were able and could work but weren't, who were on food stamps than those who were truly unable to make a living. I think it is taken advantage of. Im sure there are plenty of people out there who seriously deserve and need them but I think there are just as many, if not more who could do better with there money and/or work harder in order to buy their own food. I can say this since Mark and i make very little money and yet we still have managed to buy our own health care and our own food. I believe we do qualify for food stamps. All this to say that another government program makes me a little nervous. Will it help those who need it?

I first started getting disgruntled with our health care system when I applied in December for health insurance and they would not cover my asthma or anything related to my lungs, i.e. bronchitis. I have not seen a doctor for years for asthma but yet I do have it and I am on an inhaler therefore they won't cover ANYTHING having to do with my lungs? It just wasn't right. We tried another company and they cover it but at an extra charge. I wonder how many people complaining about this new health care have ever been denied coverage for any reason? Do they know what it is like? I am thankful that it won't happen anymore although I have heard that this fact alone could make everyone pay more.

I would love to see this bill help people who truly need it. I would love to see much less complaining, after all its a done deal. Im not sure what we are accomplishing with complaining. Our health care system isn't right now maybe there is hope it could get better for some? Who knows?!

**sorry if this was confusing and that there are no concrete facts. I just wanted to share some of my thoughts based upon others complaints. Thats all. Now I can go back on with my life***

spring vs. allergies

2010-03-11T04:44:00.000-08:00

I love spring a whole lot. I have been watching my flowers grow taller every day, I have no been able to stand being inside and I can't wait to start bring home my produce from my CSA. BUT one thing that also is creeping up on me are allergies. It has been only 1 week of nice weather and my allergies are full blown. Its a good thing spring is full of good things other wise allergies might win and have me very much disliking it right now. Maybe I will see a flower today...

Wahoo!

2010-03-10T16:01:00.000-08:00

After only 11 months I am amazed by how much Cincinnati feels like home. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else right now. When we came here we brought all sorts of pain and confusion. We weren't really sure if Cincinnati was where we wanted to be but it was our only option. It is amazing how much God had planned for us. I could not be more excited about our life right now. I cannot wait for summer. Life is finally feeling right and I love everything about it.

Today I am thankful for my amazing husband, for our perfect little home, the sunshine and the summer ahead....

Freedom

2010-03-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

"Real freedom is being able to live in the truth in spite of our circumstance. It is living with and structuring our lives around hope."

"Hope looks forward to something that's founded in reality-something that's even more real than what we think or feel."

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Im seeking freedom...

Sunshine!!

2010-02-19T20:47:00.000-08:00

The sun was shining today and, wow, was I happy to see it. This week has been bumpy and rough in every way possible and for it to end with the sun shining was just what I needed. It is amazing to me what a little sunshine can do. Everything is better, brighter, happier and easier. We have more energy and we smile more, we feel like getting up out of bed and are eager to start the day. Its a amazing.

The sunshine reminds me of God. After all He is light. He also is the giver of all good things. I think the affects that sunshine has on us has much more to do with God than our bodies being replenished with vitamin D--although that too is important. Next time you see the sunshine (I know those of you in Michigan could be waiting a few months, ha) see if you can see God behind it all.

*two scared little runaways, hold fast to the break of daylight where- the shadow proves the sunshine, the shadow proves the sunshine*

rest...

2010-02-15T18:26:00.000-08:00

The last two days have been amazing. Even though I was really sick I was able to forget about all that had to be done and sit on the couch with Mark and watch some 16 episodes of the Mentalist! Wow typing that seems really pathetic but its ok because I never ever do that. It was refreshing and fun. And in all reality there really wasn't that much to be done. We should rest without good reason more often...

shades of grey...

2010-02-05T13:52:00.001-08:00

My husband is a very white and black or right and wrong kind of a person. Obviously there are exceptions but in most cases he holds a strong opinion or knows the answer. There is little gray in his life when it comes to the big things. At times this has been hard. For example-- Jen shares a feeling or thought and Mark responds with "No you are wrong". I say "but, uh no, this is how I FEEL" and Mark says "you may FEEL that way but it is wrong."--most of the time this is a very RIGHT answer backed up by evidence and truth.

His right and wrong is always well thought out. It is never a rash decision. My sister put it well today speaking of her fiance and my husband who are very similar in this area, "every decision they have made their entire life has been calculated" and from witnessing this it is rare that they calculate wrong. They operate not out of emotions or feelings but out of what they believe to be true and fact. Rarely do they have to experiment to find out if it is true--they don't need to find out for themselves. If someone else made the mistakes they most likely will not still need to dabble in this or that to find out for themselves. Yes, for most of us, living like this is hard and for a lot of us (females in particular) we could possibly go crazy. I also may add that Mark could probably come up with a million examples of times things weren't like this in his life but for the purpose of this blog I am focusing on the large percentage of time that things are this way.

So for Mark his source for things being black or white, right or wrong is the Bible. The infallible word of God. He has crazy strength and will power. If the bible says no than the answer is no. We don't need to waste one second thinking about it and we certainly will not try to interpret it differently so that we can have just a little of what isn't aloud. No is no. If the bible says we should stand for what is right and something is right then don't think about--do it. Let your voice be heard. It is challenging. I start doing the "well what about this", or what if "he thinks this or she says that". And Im sure he has thoughts like this at times but most of the time he does it no matter the consequences, knowing full well that God is on his side and tomorrow it will feel better even if today it does not.

I think about this a lot. Especially lately. At times I have a tough situation and I know what the bible says and yet I will pray for God to give me guidance. How silly. Is that not what the bible is for? Why do I not act on what it says without thinking. Once my pastor was giving a talk about lifegroups and joining a small community. He said "don't pray about this, the bible says to do it-instead pray about which one to be in." That hit me. No i don't need to pray about that which I have already been told to do or not do. I just need to follow through.

How hard is it to stand for what is right? How hard do we struggle to go against others because it is what God says to do. But what I think about is how hard is it to live with it if we don't obey? How much harder is it to live in a thousand shades of gray instead of black OR white. I often think the later is the easier in the end.

Of course there are tons of problems and situations where the bible doesn't say yes or no. And there are times where no one you know has been there and so you have no one else's experience to learn from. And thus you are left to sort out all of the grays and find which one is best.

But when something is black or white, as Christians, we should stand on it. We should speak up if we must. That doesn't mean be extreme or irrational-don't disown people or kick people out of your life. And It doesn't mean you shouldn't still be very in tune to God when doing ANYTHING. Everything should be done out of love. But sometimes we must say how we see it and then continue to love that person and be in every part of their life when they continue to live in the wrong.

I feel like Christians should be better at standing up for right and making solid decisions based on what the bible says. Something to think about I guess...

No one wants a judgmental, critical or rude heart...

2010-02-01T06:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was reminded of the fact that what comes out of my mouth is a reflection of what is going on in my heart. If this is true than over the last few weeks my heart has not been looking so good. My thoughts and word have been highly critical and judgmental. Last night at church I was highly convicted of this. (you should listen to the sermon from last night if you were not there...www.lifespringchristianchurch.org--but beware only do it if you want to be highly challenged). It was a yucky feeling when I realized this. I mean who wants to be mean, judgmental, critical or rude? Not me. I knew part of it was learning to not let my thoughts go certain places but I also knew that somethings in my heart needed to change. New choices needed to be made.

This morning I feel fully dependent on God. My mouth is not something I do well controlling. This I know I need God.

In the book I was reading this morning I found this quote- "Make honesty and integrity the distinguishing characteristics of your speech. Reject jargon and abstract speculation, the purpose of which is to obscure and impress rather than to illuminate and inform. We have simplicity of speech when our words come from only one Source." --Richard J. Foster

Not only do we need simplicity in our life but in our speech as well. Not only should we "let our words be few" but also let them be simple, honest, and meaningful. Its so challenging, especially in a world where we can say whatever, whenever and no one even thinks twice about it.

This week let's remember that what comes out of our mouth is a reflection of what is going on in our heart. Get the root of the problem and may "our words come from only one Source," God Almighty.

Barefoot On Glass

2010-01-28T12:18:00.000-08:00

Mark started a blog of his own. He already has some awesome stuff. Things that have challenged me and made me think. You should read it and join in on his discussion.

barefootonglass.blogspot.com

there is a link to the left of this blog page.

You will see much less of him around here and way more of me since this will be more of a Jenny blog and Marks will be ....well, a Mark blog.

Put both feet in....at the same time.

2010-01-27T08:54:00.000-08:00

So as of today I have officially lost 11 pounds!! Woohoo! It is amazing how easy it actually is when you actually give a 100 percent and try. I always would try for a day and quit or a week and then quit and I would get so frustrated because it seemed so hard. But yet when I actually resolved to do it-it came right off.

Aren't all things in life that way? Aren't we continually surprised by how easy something is once we get past actually making the decision to do it. It inspires me in so many other areas of life. If I could just make up my mind to do the things I want to do would they actually turn out to be easier than carrying the stress of not doing them?

Another thing that was great about this is that I ate real butter most days and still had chocolate!

What do you always want to do but have never been able to convince yourself to put everything in all at once? Come on get both feet in the water, besides it might be easier than one foot in and one foot out.

Real Food

2010-01-25T11:09:00.000-08:00

So, I have been reading a ton of blogs lately. All of them having to do with eating real, nourishing food. I really feel like we eat to much stuff, that is not really food. I desire to feed myself and my family what God created us to eat. Going from where we are forward is so overwhelming though. It is easy to begin cutting out sugars, high fructose corn syrup, white flour and other things of the like. But what is all this talk about soaking my grains? Or grinding my own grains? Drinking raw milk or pasture fed beef? It overwhelms me. I don't even know where to start nor do I know how much of a difference it really will make. The other part of it is it seems so expensive.

I have read a ton about Cod Liver Oil as of late. It seems like the benefits are great and lots of people recommend it. But as I start to research it more I am finding equally as many people saying that it can be harmful in a lot of ways. It has in some cases too much vit A and D when added to your normal diet and that it can also contain a large amount of toxins. What is one to do? How do we know what we should and shouldn't do? And how do we know when enough is enough and what is worth spending the time and/or money on.

All this while I try to lose the weight I have put on since moving to Cincinnati. Ugh. Too much all at once. Step by step guide, please, anyone?

January?

2010-01-25T08:51:00.000-08:00

It's January and the birds are chirping. I also have been wearing flip-flops and no coat. AND I saw the sun today. This makes me thankful that I am not in Michigan. Im sure this isn't always the case here is Ohio but much more likely I am sure. Ohio I like you-Michigan I don't miss you that much.

Thats all I guess...

The Monday of all Mondays...

2010-01-03T18:27:00.000-08:00

I watched Julie and Julia tonight. It reminded me that once upon a time I liked to blog and that I actually did it more than once every three months.

Tomorrow is Monday January 4, 2010. It is that wonderful day when everything goes back to normal after he everything but normal month of December. There is so much of me that is ready for something to resemble a routine again and to have the holidays behind me but there is also is this horrible list of things that must start tomorrow and it is staring and taunting me at this very moment...

those things include...

back on weight watchers
find a job
do laundry more than once every two weeks
think about working out again
begin cooking again
stop spending money

and the list goes on....

At this very moment i am cuddled up in a huge comfy popazon chair with a sleeping dog under my arm. I have a fleece blanket on me and a space heater next to me. The thought of life going back to normal right now...seems like death. But in the morning I know there will be some hope at the thought of counting how many points my breakfast is before I have even had a chance to open my eyes all the way. Im sure I will be sick of it all by Wednesday but I suppose such is life. But the good news is that I will no longer feel like I have eaten enough food to feed a small country, my morning time with God will return to the actual early hours of the morning, and life can once again get accomplished in a timely fashion.

I think God gave us breaks like these for a few reasons. For me I always need the chance to slow down and not feel guilty. My body needs rest and my relationships need quality time. And then when it all comes to an end I go back with a fresh attitude and am able to appreciate the idea of working hard and living in a routine because it is actaully missed during the holiday merry-go-rounds.

So tomorrow it is. the start of a new year.

this year God is my focus. And he comes before the dreadful list above.

Silence

2009-11-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

Silence...do I know what silence is? Let's see...when I am driving I listen to music, when I a with Mark we (mostly me) are talking, when I am at work there is constant sounds of phones, talking and business, when I take a quiet bath or spend quiet time my mind is going crazy being loud with the thousands of thoughts that are running through my mind. I am not sure that I know what silence is. And yet I feel as though it is critical to my walk with God. How, if I am never quiet, do I hear God speak? How, if my mind is always going, do I experience true peace and restfulness?

I often feel stressed, overwhelmed and over stigmatized and have no idea why. And now I am beginning to wonder if it is because I never ever experience true silence. And if I am honest I might say that silence, true silence, is a little scary.

I talk a lot. And when I say a lot I mean all the time. Its habit I guess. It drives Mark crazy because he in fact likes silence and is good at practicing pure silence and me I am good at disturbing that silence. I find the constant need to tell him every thought that goes through my mind and I don't even realize I am doing it. This is something I have been working on for a while now. I want my words to be few and everything I say to be important and not useless. Anything else just gets me in trouble and annoys those around me. So if I could get this down silence may just come easier but really these are two very much related topics but also two very seperate topics...back to silence.

I want to try and spend time being truly silent each day. I will start off small maybe 3 min and grow from there. I think God calls us to practice and incorporate silence into our lives but what a struggle this is in our busy busy world. We are trained and raised to have overactive brains. We are always thinking, seeing, and listening and we don't really know any different. I suppose the only way I will pratice silence is away from phones, clocks, music, people, signs, books and anything else distracting. A closed room with nothing else going on. Quiet...oh how we all long for peace and quiet yet we rarely seek it and practice and take it seriously.

Today I will begin quieting my mind,talking less, thinking less, listening and seeing less....more Jesus please...

time flys...

2009-10-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

Well....I don't know if anyone has hung around long enough to see if we still post blogs because it has been FOREVER! When we moved to Cincinnati and started looking for houses I guess we got busy and distracted and then since we have had the house we have been busy and distracted fixing it up, painting, setteling in and enjoying.

An update on our lives:

-Jen works at Starbucks still and is now a shift supervisor. She work between 38 and 40 hours a week.
-Mark is working at Chic-fil-a about 35-40 hours a week and is also working on a web design business.
-We are attending LifeSpring Community Church and are really enjoying although we are taking it slow getting connected and involved.
-We have really been enjoying the large amount of free time we have now that we moved to Cincinnati.
-We have loved spending time getting to know our neighbors and having new and old friends in our home.
-We love our new home and are so thankful for it....we spend lots of time doing projects around here and just learning how to take care of a home and make it ours.
-We love being with our housemates (aka family) Faith and John who are living with us, they live upstairs. Faith also works at Sbux (a different one) and John is looking for a job.
-Jen likes to cook and bake and spend lots of time reading :-)
-We are loving fall and that Cincinnati brings tons and tons of sunshine!!!
-So far we have gone camping for a weekend, been to Michigan for a weekend, gone to Atlanta for a weekend and will end the summer with another trip camping in Kentucky next weekend.
-We are overwhelmed by how good God has been to us. We are so thankful for where he has brought us...6 months ago we had no idea life would be as it is now but we could have never imagined!
-We feel like after 2 years of marriage we are finally actually beginning our life together...things just feel right and they never did before and we are thankful!

I can't beleive that we are already in October. Two years ago we had just gotten married and settled and were getting ready to launch Journey. One year ago we were preparing to leave Journey full of all sorts of emotions and not knowing where or what to do next and now here we are in Cincinnati and for the first time I think we can say we are home.

waiting

2009-07-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

Over the past three years of my life I feel as though I have spent more time waiting than I have doing any other thing. We waited for job interviews and job decisions, we waited on a wedding and on a marriage, we waited on a new job and a new home, we waited on a new city and a new path and here we are yet again waiting on our very first home. Growing up if I had to pick one thing that was the absolute hardest for me it would have been having patience and WAITING. Oh God knows my faults and knows what I need to work on.

These times of waiting have been extremely difficult but yet I love that I have such clear words from God to take comfort in. Wait patiently on the Lord. Be still and know that I am God. Strength will rise as you wait upon the Lord. These waits have been everything but comfortable each though have been unique in there own way. Some have been filled with so much excitement and anticipation that I could hardly stand the wait. Others have been a walk of faith trusting God to provide and waiting patiently on him. Some have been simply inconvenient. And others have been filled with pain, hurt and confusion, longing for the next phase of life to finally bring renewal and love. And as you can guess God has taught us so much in these periods of waiting. All though at times it felt as though we were sitting in the empty waiting room listening to the clock ticking echo off the walls, just waiting for God to open the door and finally call our names to follow him. Every time when the waiting has ceased I look back and think why did I not wait more patiently, why did I ever doubt, why did I not enjoy the waiting more and why did I not just crawl into my heavenly Fathers arms? He is always there at the end of the wait. The wait was always part of the plan and he was always part of the wait.

As we finish up yet another period of waiting this Friday when we close on our house and our able to move into our own place again I confidently finish knowing that God has refined my heart a little bit more. Every time I look back and know that he smoothed another edge of my rough soul during each wait and that my character has been refined. But the most amazing part of it all is that in the end I always understand my God a little better, I always love him a little more and my Faith always is magnified. God knows me and he knows what this heart needs.

New season of life...

2009-06-28T16:58:00.001-07:00

Well in case anyone was wondering...we are still here and we have not forgotten about our blog. We just have not thought to update it. I just wanted to post in my excitement about being home owners this week. It looks like we will be closing on our very first home on Tuesday. We are so incredibly excited. We cannot wait. We will post pictures as soon as we get a chance. We are excited to see what life will be like in this home. We know God has plans....

home?

2009-05-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

So here we are. In Cincinnati finally with a routine of sorts kicking. It actually is starting to feel as though we live here and not like we are some sort of long extended vacation that we have chosen to never have end. I love everything about it here. I miss people back in Grand Rapids but I do not miss Grand Rapids. In fact I don't miss it even a tiny bit. I have found however a longing for a home. And not just a place of our own to live in but a place that we love, a place we can raise a family, and a place we can stay in for years.

The home I grew up in was so special. When we moved into a bigger and more beautiful house it did not take long for us all to want to go back. That place holds so many memories and even now we love reminiscing about that house. That is what I want. A place that my kids love and a place that we never want to leave. Mark and I have lived 3 different places in less than 2 years and not one of them as felt like a home. But especially now it is as though we are very "homeless". Living with his parents has been easy, good and comfortable but man are we ready for our own place. I have found myself so many times saying I just want to go home and then realizing that there is no home right now.

I don't think I will ever appreciate a place more than when we find our permanent residence this time. I will be so thankful for our own place. We are on the house hunt. We have a Realtor and are looking for a real house. If all else fails we will find an apartment that can hold us and a least one other so we can stay for sometime ;-). Please pray for us in this home search. We want a junkie one. Hehe. We are anxious to fix up a home and make it ours. So we are on the search for the perfect, cheap peace of junk. We may have caught sight of the perfect home but we are still crossing our fingers.

Our first night on the 'Nati

2009-04-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

We're here! And we're all settled in (for now). We're really happy to be in Cincinnati, and really excited about what the future holds. For now, at least, we have more time on our hands than we've ever had since getting married! So last night Jen & I took the opportunity to head downtown and spend our first night out on the town.

On the Kentucky side of the Ohio river is Newport On The Levee - basically an outdoor mall & tourist block. It includes the Newport Aquarium, a few dinner boats, a movie theater, a Hofbrauhaus, plenty of other restaurants, and a 2-story Barnes & Noble. This bookstore was our first destination. There is a BEAUTIFUL view of the river & the Cincinnati skyline from the top-floor cafe. The picture's not the best, but this will give you an idea:

The rain was just starting to clear up while we were there, and just as we were leaving, God decided to join us...

Can you see that it's a DOUBLE rainbow??!!! We loved God's extra touch there ;-)

After B&N, we walked around the plaza a bit and decided to walk on the "Purple People Bridge." Here's Jenny at the end of it, and a few views of the Cincy skyline from the bridge:

There are SEVERAL bridges connecting the Ohio side of Cincinnati to its Kentucky counterpart (historic German Newport). One of them is known as "The Big Mac Bridge." Can you tell why?:

Well, we're definitely off to a good start in Cincy. Thanks to those of you who helped us for your prayers and physical help. Check back soon!

Cincinnati here we come!!

2009-04-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long since we have updated! Life has been a little crazy! Biggest news is that we are moving to Cincinnati Ohio on Saturday morning at 6am! We are super excited and feel confident that God is calling us to move on from what we have been doing in Grand Rapids. We are sad to leave so many wonderful people behind but we are always excited about what is ahead! We will update more once we get settled but you can be praying with us for the transistion. We still need a place to live and we are still not quite sure what are life will look like but we are always up for an adventure!

So once again we are packing up and moving on!! Hopefully this time we can stay put!

sunshine!!

2009-03-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

I have just a few minutes before I have to begin working my beloved job at Starbucks. I have been here for three hours since Mark and I only have one car and he had to work at 11 and I have to work at 2. I just wanted to say how thankful I am that I have flip flops on my feet and sunshine in sight. I know this probably again is temporary but I will cherish it while it lasts. Life has been a little crazy this week and I am thankful to end it with a relaxed and beautiful day like today.

I guess I thought maybe I would come up with something worth while to say but I seem to be failing at this. I am over hearing a conversation about how perfume is the "extra special touch" each day. I have to wonder sometime if I am missing my girly jeans. I can't seem to get the whole doing my hair, wearing makeup and perfume and LOVING shoes thing. Not that I really want to get it. But sometimes I am utterly confused on how I can possibly be female and totally not understand these things. But on the other hand I am thankful that I don't. I'll take a t-shirt, sweats and poney-tale any day over all the girly stuff! (not that there is anything wrong with these things!)

I suppose this blog if of little importance, although it did help pass my time :)

Quote

2009-03-02T05:57:00.001-08:00

I get a quote of the day in my email and I really liked todays so I thought I would share it...

"No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence."
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

comfort?

2009-03-02T05:38:00.000-08:00

Mark and I are at this point in our lives where we feel incredibly restless. We aren't exactly sure where God wants us or what he wants us doing. There is a huge lack of vision in our lives and lets just say its driving us crazy. We love "The Story" church but yet we can't seem to get jobs here in Grand rapids that will allow us to stay with the story. So we have been questioning for months what to do. Do we move to a place where there are at least some jobs? Do we stay and weather this tough economy, not sure whether we can pull it off or not? We beg from God an answer yet every time we hear His quite whisper to trust him and we are constantly reminded that our God is a faithful God. And yes, these are great things to hear and we trust them whole heartedly and they do bring much peace. But yet we still hang in limbo wondering what direction we are headed, wondering what our vision for life needs to be.

We hear sermons and read bible studies that talk about God calling outside of our comfort zone and that we need to be ok with that. This has become so confusing since we feel as though we no longer have a comfort zone. Staying here isn't comfortable and moving to a totally new place isn't comfortable. We could go to Africa and that wouldn't be comfortable or we could go to Lansing and that wouldn't be comfortable. Whats becoming comfortable is being un-comfortable. I have been telling God to call us to something insanely hard and we will up and go, just please call us to something. This could be risky but I think we both would take the hardest thing we could possibly imagine over not knowing anything, hanging in limbo directionless.

Mostly I long for a home, a sense of belonging. A place where we know God wants us at least for a while a place where we can plant roots and be confident in that choice. I long to feel at home. But I constanly remind myself of a converstation Mark and I had before we got married. We declared to one another that home would be where each other are no matter what. If it was in a desert of in a home with whit picket fence as long as we are both there with our God, that will be home. So here we are this is our home for now. And we will give life all we have now in this moment. And we will continue to worship our God no matter where he takes us or doesn't take us for that matter. Because, he is a faithful God whom we love. He is worth everything even our worship when we don't understand anything about our lives.

He chose me....

2009-02-22T16:22:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I sang with Mark and Jon for our morning worship service. I love singing and I love worshipping so it is something I love doing. I still though, get fairly nervous, especially when they have me sing by myself. This past Sunday in my nervousness my voice got a little shaking and I felt as though I was losing all focus and I was reminded of a beautiful thing: God doesn't need me. He can accomplish everything without me. YET, he chooses to use me even though I mess up on a regular basis. As I lost focus and struggled to sing my part I looked out over our congregation and saw that people were still fully engaged with their God. I took a deep breath and remembered that it isn't about me and that God will do what he wants to do whether I mess up or not. Which seems often that I am mess up. But what an honor that he CHOOSES to use me. He doesn't NEED me yet he chose me. Sometimes I am so humbled by that thought.

He chose to use me that Sunday morning to help lead his people in worship and thankfully when I waivered he stayed strong. Our God is Strong forever.

update

2009-02-21T08:25:00.000-08:00

I promised I would keep everyone updated on my running. It holds me very accountable :) This week wasn't as successful mostly due to business and cold cold weather. I went running for 3.42 miles on Monday 3.7 on Tuesday. Both good runs. I even got to teach Mark some Pilates after the second run. I also began running 4 min and walking 2. But other than that I have only gotten i nPilates for the rest of the week. I don't know if anyone noticed but it is incredibly cold out. Don't we all love Michigan weather?

This week Mark and I have had a lot of chances to give to people. It has been so much fun! It is so fulfilling to be able to give to people. Every time we have felt very led by God on what and how much to give and it is silly because he provided perfectly every time for us to be able to give. God is so cool.

We have been focusing a lot of God and just falling in love with him. In the end its all that matters. Our relationship with Jesus is all that will matter when we are at throne of God worshipping someday. Everyting else in life is a by product of our relationship with him.

Take some time today, to just talk to the one who loves you so much and knows every last thing about you.

Running

2009-02-13T07:44:00.000-08:00

Before I start this blog I just have to say that I have the best husband in the world and he means everything to me and I too have been so thankful these past few weeks. It is true that we have seen how special our relationship is. It is definitely a treasure that we both want to protect with all we have. I love you Marko :)

So what this blog is about: RUNNING!

I have decided that this year I want to run the Grand Rapids 5th/3rd Riverbank run on May 9th. I have wanted to run races forever and EVERY year I say I am going to and I never do and EVERY year I am disappointed. So I will start with the 5k (3.2ish miles I think) and hopefully get the chance to run several this year and eventually work up to a 10 k. For my birthday I got a little chip for my shoe that syncs with my ipod and as I am running she tells me how far, how fast, and how many calories burned. And then I can log all my runs online, set goals and it keeps track of all of it for me! It is so much fun. I have read up on training for runs and they all said the same thing: start with run/walk. So I run 3 min and walk 2 and next week I will go to run 4 walk 2. I also do a quick run each week where I do no walking and run as far as I can. I did 1 mile this week so I know I am improving. I have a goal to run 40 miles in 4 weeks for training. I am at 6.8 today so tomorrow I will do 3.2 (my long runs have been right around 3mi). Since last Saturday I have run 9.62 miles and I am super proud of myself! It has been fun to set goals and actually do them!

I am also doing pilates three times a week which has helped a lot with flexibily and strength in my lower back which has been a problem in the past. And then I weight lift twice a week. Don't want to forget my arms! It has been so fun to actually enjoy this and have goals to meet and schedule to follow. I love it! So I will keep you all updated on my progress. It is accountability of sorts ;-)

Running for me has always been a big challenge. This week I have thought about the challenge on the mind and on the body. Towards the end of my runs everything is exhausted, my mind and my body but yet I love pushing myself when I think I can't handle anymore. It always amazes me how much more I have in me, how much farther I really can go. And I am just reminded about how true this is in life as well. When things are hard and we are tired and hurting and feel as though we can't go another step....if we push we can. If we rely on God we can and i think we will always be amazed at how many more steps we really have in us. Instead of looking at how much farther is ahead just focus on this step now, and then the next when it comes. God carries us all the way. So running has become a reminder of the strength we have in God and to always press on, press on, press on!

I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus - Philippians 3:14

The Best Friend in the World

2009-02-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

As you know, it's been an emotional couple of months for us recently. In December, we knew without a doubt that we needed to "set sail," but now - two months later - we still don't know our destination. It's always unnerving being at sea (if you'll allow me to continue the analogy), but ESPECIALLY when you aren't sure what direction you're heading. But, for me at least, the seasons that are lacking for positives tend to really help remind me of the few things that ARE great in my life.

This particular season has me especially thankful for two things, but I'll focus on ONE in this blog: Jenny.

The Michigan job market's effect on our ability to earn has two direct effects on me: less time working, and more time with Jen & I stuck at home. And as much as the financial part stinks, it's really been great overall. Don't get me wrong - we're both anxious to get out of this slump. But, being the optimist I am, hard times force me to focus on what is good, and my Jenny is VERY good :-)

I've taken the time to notice things about her that I've never noticed before. I've been more intentional about building our friendship. I even bought her flowers and watched a chick flick with her (sorta...). And above all, I've realized that she is a treasure that I never deserved and don't EVER want to be away from (that little fling with the Army helped me realize that one).

So I'm sorry to all of you who are puking now because of all the romantic mush in the air, but you read our blog because you want to know what's going on in our lives, so I thought I'd give you perhaps a closer look than normal. Love you all!

-Mark- +

cleaning

2009-02-11T12:56:00.000-08:00

So since the day I moved into an apartment that was mine, a home that I needed to take care of, I have battled one thing: I don't really care for cleaning and I am by nature and habit a very messy little girl. I amaze myself sometimes at how fast I can make a mess. I will have been home for 5 min and there will already be "stuff" spread out all over in every single room. I honestly have no idea how I do it and no matter how hard I try I always forget that I should pick up mess as I go.

My husband is incredibly patient with me on this as I continuously promise "I'm trying, I will get better!". So the battle is that I always feel like everything is a mess and I always feel as though I need to clean. There are always things to be picked up, often dishes, laundry, vacuuming, dusting, toilet cleaning and floor scrubbing to be done. I feel like it is a never ending job. By the time I get it all done it is time to start doing it all again. And don't get me wrong, Mark helps A LOT but at the same time he is not the walking tornado in this house nor is he the one that can't relax until everything is clean (I know it is ironic and doesn't make any sense that I am messy AND can't handle mess). So anyways now that I have rambled completely off the path I will get back on it...

I struggle daily to not let the stress of the work to be done effect the rest of my life. It can be crippling sometimes and because I feel like there is so much to do I can't do any of it because it seems so overwhelming. And trust me I know this is slightly ridiculous but no worries I have already consulted the professionals about this "disorder" I have when it comes to the dreaded cleaning!

As I have battled this weird cycle of events I have found one passage in the bible very inspirational.

Proverbs 31. You should read it if you are a female because it brings light into what God is calling us too. You may have to be creative and bring some things into our culture (not many of us make our own clothes anymore :) ). But there is lots to learn. Like a wife of noble character's lamp never goes out at night and she does not eat the bread of idleness. What this tells me is that God knew it wouldn't be easy work taking care of a home and a family. This motivates me when I feel like I can't take anymore. It reminds me that I'm not just a wimp and that there will always be work to do. And that I have no excuse to just ignore it day after day.

I also like that she opens her hands to the needy and extends her arms to the poor. It reminds me that I should give and care for people beyond my family and having people into my home is a great way to do that. Another reason why it is important to take care of the home God has given us. And the last thing I will mention that I really like is that beyond the work she does her love for God is most important and what makes her "A wife of noble character".

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised". We can work our whole lives to keep our homes clean and our families fed yet our fear and love for our God is ultimately what matters and will bring the most fulfillment.

So whenever I feel discouraged I will turn to this verse and every time I am encouraged and able to press on, press on, press on.

You get a pat of the back if you read this whole thing ;)

bitter-sweet

2009-02-05T06:54:00.000-08:00

I know we have not been doing a very good job at updating our blog lately and maybe everyone has given up on us and no one reads it anymore...anyone out there?

Life has been a little strange for us lately. Things just now are starting to feel more normal, maybe. With the transition of leaving Journey not only came leaving one church family and going to the other but also we had the transition of Mark working mostly the hours he chose and being very flexible to now also have a set hours and days he has to work. It took me a little while to get used to it. I have learned to really appreciate it. Even though jobs situations are far from what we would choose them to be there is a lot to be grateful for.

*Mark can go to work and come home and be done with work, something that never quite felt like it happened before. There was always something to be done.
*We now have almost every evening to spend together.
*We both have jobs that allow us to pay ALL of our bills AND buy groceries AND gas (we weren't sure that we would be able to do that in this economy)
*We have great health insurace!
*We saved up enough money to get our engine completly rebuilt, which means we will have almost a brand new engine in the Honda!
*God has been with us every step of the way even though at times I thought for sure he had left us.

I could keep going with all of things I am thankful for right now. But those are the big ones. We are still seeking God with everything we have, trying to figure out what we need to be doing right now. What career path should Mark explore, should one or both us go back to school? Should we leave Michigan? And the biggest question is what does God want us doing? I feel as though we have learned so much in the last few months even though it has been hard and discouraging. And I am thankful that we are only 22 and 23 and have lots of time to figure things out. We are just focusing on God, seeking him and knowing him and we pray that he will take care of the rest. We know one thing for sure about our lives and that is that we want to honor him in all that we do and we want to live a lifestyle of ministry. I know that no matter what we end up doing that this will become true in our lives.

God takes care of those he loves and we cling to that and press on.

Who am I?

2009-01-26T07:05:00.001-08:00

Mark and I are in this phase of trying to figure out who we are and where we are going. I am 22 and Mark is 23 and we are not sure exactly which direction our lives are headed. Which is ok since we are still young. But so many times in this "quarter-life crisis" we have questioned what vocation does God want us in? And I have come to conclusion that I think that is the wrong question. Instead I think we need to question who does God want us to be? And if we follow that and seek after God's heart I think he will show us the vocation we belong in as well.

Obituary

2009-01-03T18:05:00.000-08:00

Today at 1:05pm, our 1999 Honda CR-V passed away. COD has been diagnosed as a broken rod inside the engine. Funeral services will be held sometime later this week. The CR-V is survived by a black Pontiac Grand Am. Please pray for the family as they are half-unemployed in this time of terrible tragedy.

Cookie Monster

2008-12-26T03:19:00.001-08:00

And what is Christmas again?

2008-12-24T09:18:00.000-08:00

This year Christmas has looked different to me than ever before. Up until last year Christmas has consisted of a two week long break with no responsibilities, tons of presents and tons of fun. Christmas was always a break and full of activities and sleep. But this year for the first time ever I will work Christmas Eve and I will work the day after Christmas. This year we did almost no present buying or gift exchanging. And although at times leading up to Christmas it was hard to get excited about Christmas and it was disappointing that it wasn't going to be exactly the way I wanted it to be I am thankful that it ended up the way it did. It has forced me to make Christmas not about an emotional feeling of excitement or about the gifts but instead I have had to search for what really is Christmas. I learned that first and foremost it is not about me and what I want it to be. It has been hard to fight against what the world has made Christmas to be. I said last night that sometimes it seems like it would be nice to celebrate Christmas on a day different than rest of the world in order to be able to focus on Jesus's birth. All the celebrations and presents and music and decorations can sometimes just feel like static that gets in the way of a very special day. Does Satan use all of these things that feel so innocent and fun to distract us from worshiping and celebrating the day our God came to earth to save us? I think so.

Christmas Eve has always been my favorite part of Christmas and Silent night has always been my favorite Christmas song. Why? Because on Christmas Eve the world actually stops. Suddenly things are quiet, suddenly people have quit there busy lives and everyone goes home from work, people quit shopping and reside in the comfort of there own homes with the families they love. No other day of the year do we as a nation STOP. No other day of the year is the world quieter. No other day of the year in there a Silent Night for our Savior. It is a holy night, one when our God Immanuel (God with us) came to Earth to be WITH US, to SAVE US! It is so much more than Jesuses birthday and so much more than presents, cookies, and decorations. Without that Silent and Holy night we could not have been saved. Without that night we would not be able to call upon Jesus to save us from our sins. We would not have a God who understands all that we go through here on Earth because he never would have walked the Earth WITH US! So tonight enjoy the quietness and peacefulness of the world around you more than you enjoy the presents and good food. Take a night to be still and KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!

Because this is what Christmas is...

The night that Mary, "gave birth to a son, and gave him the name Jesus, because he saves his people from their sins. The virgin was with child and gave birth to a son, and they called him Immanuel- which means 'God with us'" Matthew 1:21-23

UPS Adventures

2008-12-20T02:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (Friday) we got some CRAZY snow in Michigan. At one point we were getting an estimated 3 inches per hour! I believe it because I'm pretty sure I had an inch on ME after scraping off my car in the morning! We got a total of at least 10 inches in less than 12 hours and apparently the state plow guys need a government bailout - they were nowhere to be found!

As you can imagine, a UPS package car (pictured above) is probably the WORST possible vehicle to try to drive through the snow. It was rare to find a road that had been plowed, and even the most gentle slope gave us trouble. My driver and I probably got stuck 6 or 7 times, plus countless times crawling around neighborhoods and tromping through a foot or more of untouched snow.

The photo above is not a road - it's a driveway that I had to walk up with a package in my arms as the driver pulled up to the next house and walked a different driveway that was just as long. Pretty, though, isn't it?

As tough as the weather makes life, though, it's hard to complain about such beauty. Happy snow day!

-Mark- +

Early Christmas

2008-12-18T16:54:00.000-08:00

Mark and I had an unplanned early Christmas today when he decided that he would "make" my Christmas present right in front of me. For several hours he was sawing, staining and nailing something and I was clueless the whole time. It did make it much more exciting than just opening a present. It was kind of like unwrapping a present only very, very slowly! In the end it turned out to be a frame with wire in between that I can hang all of my jewelry on! I was very excited considering all of my jewelry is just laying in a drawer. The coolest part about it though was that he thought of it, and then made it. I love living in a home where we can be creative and build things. They aren't always perfect but neither are we and I like it like that. I love my husband and how much he cares about me and does everything he can to meet my needs and make me happy! Im so thankful for him!

I did get Mark a present but there was no creativity on my part. He wanted the website domain name markpotter.me . So I got that for him which you can hope to see in the next few months when he launches it with his newly written music.

We will post pictures later of Mark's creation!

It's Almost Story Time!

2008-12-16T10:58:00.001-08:00

This past Sunday was our first official week as "Storytellers" rather than "Journeyers." We had what's called a practice service where the core team gets together to informally run through a service.

Aaron gave the message he will be giving next week...

...and Jen & I made sure there were no technical glitches.

This coming Sunday, we'll hold two preview services (9:30 & 11:15) where we actually invite people to start getting a taste of what The Story: a Community Church will be like. It was lots of fun worshiping with new people and getting to know them. Can't wait till Sunday!

-Mark- +

Only at UPS...

2008-12-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard those "Only in America" jokes? Like, only in America do banks leave vault doors wide open yet chain their pens to the desk. Or only in America are there handicap parking spots at a skating rink. Well, how about a variation:

Only at UPS will you find a bag of packing peanuts and a filing cabinet in the employee restroom!

How We Measure Snowfall

2008-12-10T17:49:00.000-08:00

How Jen & I measure the snowfall without even turning on the TV:

Fun with the Journey staff

2008-12-10T17:39:00.000-08:00

Two Monday nights ago (December 1) we went out for a night of food & fun with Jon & Erica and Ben & Sharon and Ben's mom to celebrate the last 15 months we've spent at Journey Church. The 7 of us went to Johnny Carino's for dinner and enjoyed their "Two can dine for $14.99" deal times three. We had a good time, shared lots of laughs, and a few sentimental stories. Ben's mom tried to get us all to cry but I don't think she succeeded :-)

After dinner, we went back to Jon & Erica's house and played cards like the good-ol'-days. We avoided playing Pit this time, since I (Mark) ended up 240 points in the hole last time. Instead, we played a dice game called Fill Or Bust. Jen seemed to be the lucky roller that night, and we were pretty sure it was because of the red fleece blanket. Towards the end of the game, when he had a chance to knock out the leader, Jon borrowed the lucky blanket and rolled a perfect roll!

There was a pic of him bowing down to the lucky blanket after his roll, but I didn't want that one falling into the wrong hands ;-P

All in all it was a GREAT night. We will definitely miss being so close to two awesome couples.

-Mark- +

Why I Love Mac

2008-12-06T09:40:00.000-08:00

I've tried to stay neutral with the whole Mac vs PC thing. As most of you know, I prefer Apple products but I try not to knock PC. Yesterday, however, I was fully "converted."

The hard drive on my 2-year-old MacBook went kaput. Jen and I were way bummed becaused I didn't buy Apple Care (extended warranty) when I bought the computer because I couldn't afford it. I went to the Apple Store yesterday at 10:30 to have a Mac Genious look at it. Steve the Mac Genious checked a few things, then went to the back to see if they had the part in stock. When he came back out is when I got my surprise...

"We're going to replace your hard drive for you. I also noticed that your keyboard cover is chipped and discolored, a known flaw with this model. We'll replace that for you too at no charge. Merry Christmas."

Haha! Apple rules!

"And we'll have it for you at noon."

No way! I love Mac. Thanks, Steve!

Saying goodbye and saying hello...

2008-12-04T16:54:00.000-08:00

So this is our last week at Journey. It has finally come and with a ton of emotions...

For those of you who don't know, Mark and I will be leaving Journey Church this week and heading up to the north side of town (comstock park) to help launch another church called The Story. There are tons of reasons for this decision that are not worth explaining but bottom line--God said "Go" so we what do we do? Well duh...we GO!

So as we approach this last week I think we are thankful to have transitions done but are sad to leave something that was nothing when we got here. We have watched God build a church from just a few people to a family of 170 or so. We have seen lives changed and people saved through the mighty power of Jesus Christ. We have invested so much and made many amazing friends and most of all we have grown individually and together. We have seen God move in so many ways. Leaving has been hard but at the same time we are so excited to start a new adventure. We can't wait to be a part of watching God build yet another new church. We can't wait to see what God change lives in Comstock Park and we are so excited to be following an amazing Pastor, Aaron, whom God has given an incredible vision.

The decision to leave Journey has been quite an adventure. When we originally felt God calling us to leave we had no idea where he was calling us to go. But we humbly submitted to the great provider and told Journey that we would have to follow God and take this step of faith. Shortly following, after much prayer, God brought The Story into our life and we eventually found our hearts and passions tied up in the vision of The Story. So we were excited and ready to make it happen even when we found out that The Story was not going to be able to pay Mark. But we knew AGAIN that God was calling us to take another step of faith and stay with the Story and wait for God to provide financially for us.

And again as always God shows up. Today Mark got a job with UPS! It is only seasonal but it allows him more time in a horrible job market to find a job. We are so thankful that the timing couldnt have been more perfect and that God takes care of those who love him.

This has been such a beautiful journey of obeying God and watching him move in our lives. It has been so hard and challenging but as always here we are again in awe of a God who never lets us down. As challenging as it can be to not have any idea what God is doing with your life it is so freeing to be completely in his hands. Sometimes I think it is where Mark and I feel the most comfortable. There were many moments where I (Jen) would think are we out of our minds? With the economy being so bad why in the world are we doing this? But then I remember that the one and only thing we are living for is God and the rest is only temporary. We are in the business of serving him and not ourselves. There is so much life in following him no matter how bumpy the road or how steep the mountain, God will always meet you right where you are at. He will carry us through and he will always win!

So as we did a year and half ago when we said goodbye to Faith and hello to Journey, we will now say goodbye to Journey and hello to The Story...

Gorveatte bros vs Jonas bros

2008-12-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

I'm watching the Jonas Brothers on the Rockafeller Christmas program, and I've figured out the difference between the Jonas Brothers and the Gorveatte Brothers (aka the Journey Church worship band):

The Gorveattes are cool and are good musicians.

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Justin Ackert!

2008-12-02T13:18:00.000-08:00

We went to Justin & Liz's wedding this past Saturday. It was fun to be a part of it. Mark was the "official" videographer, and Jen was the unofficial calmer-downer for Liz :-)

They had a beautiful, traditional ceremony at Liz's home church and a fun reception at the Grand Valley Armory. It was especially fun sharing the day with lots of Jen's co-workers, and the DJ was from our church! Congrats, Justin & Liz! We hope you're having a BLAST in San Diego right now!

Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T16:17:00.000-08:00

We had a GREAT time with my (Mark's) side of the family this Thanksgiving. Every-other year, the Potter family (my dad's brothers and sisters and all their families - about 40 people in all) gets together near Jackson, MI for Thanksgiving. The hi-lights are Wednesday night pizza, the family football game, and of course the Thanksgiving feast.

My cousins and I went all-out this year with the football game. This was the first year that we've ALL been old enough to fill up two teams and really compete. My cousin Don (who was also my best man) formulated the two most even teams he could think of, wrote an extensive playbook for his team, and got team shirts printed. It was the pink Blackbeard's Volkswagon Delight (don't ask) vs the blue Juggernauts (that was my team). Apparently Don did a great job of figuring out even teams, because the basketball game was decided by 2 points, and the football game was decided by a touchdown.

This is Travis in mid-air during his spectacular interception attempt.

And me, after throwing my second touchdown pass.

The results?

Juggernauts win by a touchdown! And my cousins voted for me to receive the MVP football - the highest honor in all of Potter football ;-P

Jen had fun hanging out with my mom & sisters...

...and the meal, of course, was spectacular!

I can't wait until November 2010!

iPod Touch!

2008-11-12T12:59:00.001-08:00

I got a new iPod touch today! And I'm writing this post with it! How cool is that!!!

Posted with LifeCast

"Matching" Socks

2008-11-09T12:24:00.000-08:00

Is this perfect or WHAT?

Thanks, Camie!

Why God Chose Barack Obama as President

2008-11-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, I AM in a controversial mood this morning. But hear me out:

I won't say who I voted for. In fact, I probably never will because it's stupid that some people challenge your character based on who you vote for and often they let it affect the status of your friendship.

What I will say is that I trust God is in control of the Presidential selection, not in spite of it.
"... there is no authority except that which God has established" - Romans 13:1

Besides that, I saw faces on TV last night that gave me confidence that God is in control - even in control of our "democratic" processes. I saw black faces, shining with the tears of someone who has always wanted to believe that anything is possible but nothing has ever given them reason to. I saw black faces shining with the tears of someone whose dreams have literally just come true. I honestly don't care one drop what you think, I KNOW that those tears of hope are from God.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." - James 1:17

Do you remember that Jesus guy we talk about every now and then? Do you remember that he was in the business of giving hope of those who had none? Do you remember that he breathed value into the worthless? Do you remember that he was all about unity? How can you have a black church in Atlanta, Georgia celebrating together because God has given them hope, while a white church in Michigan hangs their heads because they believe God has abandoned America (or vice versa) and Obama equates to a one-way ticket down the tubes?

Christians everywhere, have no doubt: God IS in control. And I say that not in spite of Obama's election. I say that because of it.

-Mark-

Politics

2008-10-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

A great comment from a blog post by Pastor Perry Noble in Anderson, SC:

"For a Christian to claim that the world is going to be doomed to hell because a particular party happens to “control” the White House is a slap in the face of a Sovereign God."

Senior Night @ Fairfield High School

2008-10-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

We're in Cincinnati this weekend for Maria's Senior Night - her last marching band game after 4 years marching @ FF.

The seniors got to wear funny hats, and Maria's hat with a feather in it was definitely the best. All for one, and one for all!

At halftime, the seniors walked out onto the field, escorted by their parents, and the announcer called their names.

We're so proud of Maria. She's grown to be a beautiful, smart, confident woman and we're excited to see where God takes her next! We love you, Maria!

I guess its about time...

2008-10-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

I have been getting yelled at for not ever writing in the blog anymore. I guess though since Mark has been so consistent at it I have sub-consciously removed it from list of things to do. Mark did say at one point that he thought everyone would quit reading if I didn't start writing in it.. :)

Well I don't have tons of exciting things to say. It has been a beautiful fall and it has felt really normal. The weather has been gorgeous and I have spent way to much time at Starbucks. I have had lots of amazing time with my husband and not enough time to relax. I have grown closer to God than I have ever been before and I have been challenged more than I ever have been before. In general life has felt good and peaceful. One of the highlights of the past few months has been the new addition to our lives--Justin and Elizabeth. I work with Elizabeth at Starbucks, she is my age and we have a lot in common. She is getting married next month to Justin and Mark and Justin also have a lot in common. In a very short time they have become very special to us and a necessity in life :) I have been so thankful to have someone that I really connect with and love being around and is also my age and in my stage of life. She is God sent Im sure :)

We also scheduled a trip to Nashville next summer with Justin and Elizabeth which will be amazing! We are very excited.

Well I need to make dinner so off I go!

Jen

Introducing, Mr. and Mrs. Ryan and Tara Jonker!

2008-10-21T16:25:00.001-07:00

Jen and I were invited to Ryan & Tara's wedding on Saturday. It was a beautiful wedding through and through. Classical church, elegant ceremony, and CLASSY country club reception.

Jon, Erica, and Ben were there too. Unfortunately Erica had to run home to get the girls after the ceremony, but we sat at a table with Jon & Ben.

I'm REALLY happy for Ryan and Tara. They both waited a lot longer than most people to make the marriage commitment, and it paid off because they are PERFECT together.

Everything went off without a hitch, and they even showed up at church the next day! I hope they're having a wonderful honeymoon together right now. God bless their life together.

We got Punked!

2008-10-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

Last night, and the end of our trek up 3 flights of stairs, we were greeted by 18 paper plates covering the door to our apartment!

Is this the apartment version of getting TP'ed?

The colorful decorations were a surprise pastor-appreciation gift from FUEL, the youth group here at Journey Church. The students had written brief notes and drawn pictures on paper plates and staked-out our apartment complex until someone let them in to "punk" us.

Statistic count:
Most popular word: "rock" !!!!!!! (haha! is there a 'rock-on' smiley?)
Second most popular word: "Mark"

And seriously guys, HOW LONG did you have to wait until someone let you in to the building??? (I think you just need a gmail account to leave comments - please do!)

Thanks, FUEL! You guys are the best!

Worship Conference

2008-10-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

Today, tomorrow, and Friday I'm at Integrity Music's "Seminars4Worship" hosted @ ResLife Church in Grand Rapids. Should be loads of fun & very refreshing. Great speakers like Paul Baloche, Mia Fieldes, and Jon Egan.

Today I'm in the "worship lab" called "Worship Leading and Songwriting." I'll let you know if I learn anything groundbreaking by adding comments to this post!

-Mark- +

If World Hope had $700 billion...

2008-10-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

I had lunch with my friend Justin on Saturday, and he brought up a RADICAL idea that made me even sadder about the bailout just passed by Congress.

Justin was trying to imagine how much $700 billion is, and he said "Can you imagine all the good that much money could do if the rich people getting it weren't so materialistic?" WOW! As I took that thought and chewed on it, my world began to change. Justin again said something profound: "The top 500 richest people in America probably have enough EXTRA money to end world poverty." WOOOOOOW!!!! He's right! And that makes me SO UNBELIEVABLY ANGRY! Especially after Justin pointed out that most of those people literally have more money than they will ever be able to spend or even experience.

This is just wrong. Do you realize that Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, or Sam Walton could each probably end the AIDS epidemic or African genocide single-handedly? They could probably even keep everything they have in the bank and just accomplish such a feat by selling their extra houses, cars and boats. Keep the biggest one, even, but what does someone need with more than 2 houses???

And so that led me to think about the $700 billion bailout. And do you know what I thought? What if World Hope International, an organization dedicated to ending human trafficking and "alleviating suffering and injustice," was given $700 billion? Could you imagine?

What if Congress saw human souls as more valuable than corporate wealth, and decided to give $700 billion of taxpayers' money to World Hope International? First of all, it makes me sick that corporate wealth is more important to them than genocide or AIDS or starvation. Humans across the ocean have no dignity left and struggle to survive each day. Shoot, some of our brothers and sisters in Africa don't even know what hope is any more. But if we did give $700 billion to World Hope, could you imagine the possibilities? GET THIS, PEOPLE - we would live in a different world.

As Justin said, World Hope's first reaction would be "Where do we start!!???" That money would be in such better hands with them. I know it's just a very small corner of the world that reads this blog, but maybe sharing these thoughts will help play a small part in turning the tide on the fight between greed on this side of the ocean and desparation on the other horizon.

-Mark- +

Can we flip the tickets?

2008-10-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

I watched the VP debate last night and both candidates did such a great job, it left me wondering - can we flip both tickets around and vote for Biden or Palin as President?

I agree with pastor Perry Noble and what he wrote in a blog a few weeks ago: I'm tired of hearing why NOT to vote for the other guy. I want to see respect among the candidates, and I want to be inspired and convinced of why each candidate SHOULD be President, not why the other guy SHOULDN'T. Last night, both VPs were cordial and avoided, for the most part, blasting each other or each other's running mates. Instead, they showed us where they stand and who they are.

Senator Biden showed EXCEPTIONAL knowledge and understanding of the Constitution. Which is, after all, our government's foundational document and seems to often get overlooked in this process. Biden showed severe respect for his opponents. He showed passion, wisdom, and poise.

I'm pretty sure Governor Palin blew EVERYONE'S expectations out of the water last night. She really did an outstanding job. She showed the confidence that had been drained from her after a rough first few weeks as McCain's running mate - the confidence that I think her supporters have missed and are glad to have back. I learned two major things about Governor Palin last night that give me more confidence in her as a VP candidate:
1) She is a quick learner.
2) She has surrounded herself with wise, knowledgeable people.
There's no question that she's a different person than she was before "debate boot camp," and I think she was well prepared and well educated by her staff.

One last comment about the VP debate - AND THIS IS IMPORTANT:

If you watched the debate last night, did you notice the one topic the candidates agreed on? Gay marriage. I was EXTRAORDINARILY proud of our country as Biden and Palin represented us. In a nutshell, this is what they said:

Whichever way America votes, the VPs said we will not discriminate against people for the choices they make. We will not, at this point in history, make people behave the way they should.

BUT...

It was made clear last night that America - Republican and Democrat alike - still has a stand. Both candidates firmly stated that they DO NOT support or approve of gay marriage, and they claimed the same stance for their running mates. THANK YOU, Senator Biden and Governor Palin, for standing firm, being honest, and representing us well on an important issue that (because of the exceptionally loud voice of one minority position) can be a politically dangerous stance to take.

However you think the government should act on issues like this (and I would not argue with you for feeling differently) , the VPs' stance on gay marriage parallels how Christians should behave. It is NOT our job to hate, shun, abuse, or criticize. It IS our job, however, to be honest with people in a loving way and tell them A) it doesn't have to be that way, and B) there is a Way that they will surely find to be immeasurably better and freeing to their souls.

-Mark- +

Fall...

2008-10-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

Every year I get so excited about fall. Fall seems to bring this aroma of expectancy and anticipation. I always feel like if I don't act fast fall will come and go and I won't be able to enjoy any of it. Fall always seems to hold exciting times, new memories and a feeling of peace. I love the sunshine and in just a few months I am sure I will looking outside longing for sun. But today I am enjoying the cloudy brisk day. God shines through in everything and I love it. We launch our second service this week at Journey. It is our 1st birthday at Journey and it is so exciting to look back a year ago and see how much has happened and how many lives have been changed. Even is our life there has been significant growth. In fact I kind of giggle when I think about where I was a year ago. God has taught me so much this year about relying on him. I have learned so much about his plan for us. God doesn't want us to live in sin and we don't have to. I have learned how to look to him for peace and guidance, patience and strength. He is such a wonder to me. Im thankful that if we seek him always he will always change us. Im thankful that life with God is never easy but always rewarding. Im thankful that he gave me a bestfriend to walk every step with and that he would never make me do it alone.

Just like with fall it feels like if we blink it will be gone I pray that we would have that same anticipation with God. Afraid that if we look a way just for a moment that we might miss something beautiful and magnificent. God is so good everyone. Try to look for him in all that you do. Everyday. I promise you he is there. Even on the cold, ugly and hard days. There is beautiful God who loves you more than you can ever imagine and he has his eyes on you, just waiting for you to fall at his feet.

1st Anniversary

2008-09-29T13:46:00.001-07:00

I was looking through the pics on my phone and realized that we never updated you all about our 1st Anniversary trip!

We left after church on Sunday, August 17 and headed north to Traverse City! Thanks to Dan & Sonya Richards, we had a free night at the Hampton Inn there. After checking in to the hotel and driving around for a little while, we found a fun place to eat that overlooked the bay called Scott's Harbor Grill.

Jenny had a little trouble keeping her food from running away!

But it was a great, relaxing anniversary dinner. Amazing salmon and catfish!

We followed dinner with a round of put-put, stopping under the waterfall for a romantic 5 seconds, then went back to the hotel and hit the sack.

On Monday, we took our time getting going, spent some time on the beach, watched the Olympics in the hotel room, and headed up the peninsula to another neat local restaurant called The Bowery. The Bowery is a very old restaurant with a legend of the ghost Genevieve. After dinner, we drove around the peninsula admiring its solitude and exploring the lighthouse and "Old Mission," the site of the first Christian mission to the area.

That evening, we headed home and watched the Olympics some more from our hotel room and drifted off to sleep...

Until the fire alarm went off at about 12:45am!!! Jen BOLTED out of bed and we grabbed our essentials (her purse and my computer) and went outside. The fire trucks showed up a speedy 30 MINUTES after the alarms started going off (it's a good thing there wasn't actually a fire) and we eventually learned that someone had knocked the head off of a sprinkler in their room.

The fire chief at first said he wasn't going to let anyone stay at that hotel. Since Jen and I had been planning on getting up early and leaving Traverse City around 6am, we decided we might as well take off and drive through the night. We barely made it home, crawled into our own bed, thanked God for fun and safety, and dozed off to sleep.

Brad

2008-09-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to a great article about our soon-to-be brother-in-law who's the Sports Information ("SI") Director @ Hillsdale College near Jakson, Michigan:

http://media.www.hillsdalecollegian.com/media/storage/paper1270/news/2008/09/25/Sports/above.And.Beyond-3454092.shtml

It ends with a really neat quote from Brad, one that I think describes him well:
"I don't like to be in the spotlight... I like to be the one operating the spotlight.

A Life Of Worship

2008-09-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

We had a really cool Gathering at church today. We've been in a series called "What If" during which Jon (our lead pastor) has taken one of our six core values each week and broken it down, saying "Jesus lived like this - what if we did?"

This week Jon talked about worship and used some neat illustrations. He talked about how God dares us: "Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8) And that we worship out of a hunger for God - the more we taste, the more we want. And inevitably, when we hunger and actually take a taste of something, that leads to an intense thirst - in this case, a thirst for righteousness and connection with God.

We entered the Gathering room this week to the smell (and sound) of popcorn! It was 10 minutes into theGathering before Jon had the ushers pass out bags of popcorn to everyone. They loved it! Then, as he began to talk some more, you could tell another sensation was filling the room - thirst. Intense thirst. Look-around-the-room-and-wish-you-hadn't-eaten-that-popcorn thirst. And then it came - Journey Church First Impressions Team to the rescue! The ushers passed out a bottle of water to each of us. WHAT A VIVID PICTURE of how important a lifestyle of worshiping God is.

Later in theGathering, Jon had us each take a piece of clay and form either what it is that compels us to worship or what it is that inhibits our worship of God (in which case we were invited to resolutely smash it up). I could tell that it was a really meaningful experience for some people.

So next time you have thoroughly enjoyed a salty snack and find yourself parched and desperate for water, remember that when you give God a chance (NOT church or religion or ritual, but GOD) to do something new in your life, that small taste will not disappoint you.

Fuel 4 ur Journey

2008-09-27T19:16:00.001-07:00

The youth group @ Journey Church is sweet.

These kids are so much fun, and so creative. There's got to be some kind of award for how awesome they are at whatever it is they are doing. Last night, Journey invaded the Caledonia High School Homecoming game and worked the concession stand, gave out the first 1000 hot dogs for free, and the youth group (Fuel) picked up trash - ALL the trash! Afterwards (to celebrate) they decided they had done such a great job they deserved cheerleaders just as much as the football team!

Fuel's got spirit, yes they do! Fuel's got spirit, how 'bout YOU!!!!

Our slightly-less-humble abode

2008-09-25T17:47:00.001-07:00

Well, we're all settled in to our new apartment in Caledonia - complete with wireless internet that we're actually paying for! We owe a huge thanks to those who helped us move: Todd, Teresa, Mark, Nathan, and Erick. And another huge thanks to those who helped us settle in and "warm" our house: Justin, Liz, Ben, Sharon, Jon, Erica, and Sydney and Makenzie.

(Todd hard at work.)

It feels like we have twice as much space now, and we're paying the same price we were before! (though we did forfeit our convenient in-unit washer and dryer).

If you were ever in our old apartment, you can see that the bedroom is HUGE compared to the old one, and we never used to have hallways!

The layout turned out to be great for all of our stuff. See, it even looks like there's something on-purpose about our living room!

Probably the best part - we have an extra room to use as an office/guest bedroom! We're taking reservations now!

As you can see, Jen has done a great job decorating and accessorizing (does that word work there?) and she's very happy with her new kitchen!

Needless to say, we're very happy with our new home. Besides the space itself, it's just great to be so close to work and (most importantly) friends. In fact, I roller-bladed to the staff leadership discussion this morning! It was great exercise, and a great way to get the blood pumping. Anyways, we hope to make our home a peaceful, inviting place where people know they can relax and be themselves.

For those of you who want the new address:
217 Maple St SE Apt B304
Caledonia, MI 49316

Phone numbers are still the same.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the last few weeks of summer, and get ready for the beautiful colors of fall!

"Reality"

2008-09-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

Katie, my sister-in-law, had a GREAT post called "Reality." Read it here.

After all, why DO we so often tag reality as a bad thing?