Saturday, November 20, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Santa Fe!
Last week this song was on our minds:
because we went away on a little family get-away. :) We left on Thursday morning at 6:30 and arrived in Santa Fe in time to eat at Maria's. A resturant that was recommended by friends here at church - we were not disappointed - Brad said his fajitas were the best he had EVER had. :) It was so good we went back for dinner on Friday! :)
We didn't have any agenda while we were there - and that lent to a relaxing few days together. We meandered in the art district, ate leisurely meals (amazing food!) and wandered around downtown Santa Fe. It was a great trip.
Brad had packed the tri-pod so we took some spontaneous family pictures. The landscape was too beautiful to pass up. It was a bit sunny - thus our squinty eyes.
Walking around downtown.
St. Frances Cathedral Basilica - it was beautiful...
...inside and out!
A street performer in downtown Santa Fe. His keyboard is on an ironing board - creative? I thought so. :)
Brad just had to try it out! :)
It was a bit chilly in Santa Fe - in the mid 40s, colder in the shade - and i was so thankful for Lucy's "bundle me." It fit inside her car seat and kept her nice and cozy warm. :) Little did I know that the first place we would use it would be in New Mexico!
(LOVE that movie!!! - Lucy will grow up with it. It has been decided.)
because we went away on a little family get-away. :) We left on Thursday morning at 6:30 and arrived in Santa Fe in time to eat at Maria's. A resturant that was recommended by friends here at church - we were not disappointed - Brad said his fajitas were the best he had EVER had. :) It was so good we went back for dinner on Friday! :)
We didn't have any agenda while we were there - and that lent to a relaxing few days together. We meandered in the art district, ate leisurely meals (amazing food!) and wandered around downtown Santa Fe. It was a great trip.
Brad had packed the tri-pod so we took some spontaneous family pictures. The landscape was too beautiful to pass up. It was a bit sunny - thus our squinty eyes.
Walking around downtown.
St. Frances Cathedral Basilica - it was beautiful...
...inside and out!
A street performer in downtown Santa Fe. His keyboard is on an ironing board - creative? I thought so. :)
Brad just had to try it out! :)
It was a bit chilly in Santa Fe - in the mid 40s, colder in the shade - and i was so thankful for Lucy's "bundle me." It fit inside her car seat and kept her nice and cozy warm. :) Little did I know that the first place we would use it would be in New Mexico!Some other highlights/observations:
- We got to visit Whole Foods (a grocery store we greatly miss) and bought some of our favorite cheese and crackers.
- Santa Fe is a very dog-friendly town. People were encouraged to bring their dogs into clothing stores and almost every car that drove by us had a canine friend on board. (We left Sophie behind, but I think Brad will want to bring her next time we go.)
- ALL the buildings are covered in Adobe - our hotel's shuttle driver informed us that it is a city code that all buildings be built in the Adobe style. It made the landscape cohesive and the atmosphere "New Mexican." I don't think I would want to live in an Adobe house because they don't have many windows - and I love natural light - but it was neat to see so many of them.
- A non-highlight, Lulu got a cold at the end of the trip :( She had just cut two teeth the week before and I think that her immune system was weakened because of that.
Five Months Old
Time is flying by! Our Lulu is already 5 months old. I seriously can not believe it.
Lucy has cut TWO teeth since her last birthday - bottom middle two - and has also had her first cold (so pitiful :( and difficult for her mommy and daddy to observe). She has had some mommy-attachment that has lead to difficulty in the nursery on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings, but I have been assured that it is a phase of life and it will pass. Misty reminded me that "It's nice to be wanted." so I'm trying to remember that as I leave her. :) Luce continues to find her voice and when she cries says "Mommom" - the jury is out as to whether or not she is calling for me (I say yes, Brad says no :) ) .
The dress she is wearing in the above pictures is her thanksgiving dress - I had so much fun making it! My mom and I started it when she was here visiting in October, I'm debating weather or not to make Lucy's Christmas dress too - we will see. :)
Lucy has cut TWO teeth since her last birthday - bottom middle two - and has also had her first cold (so pitiful :( and difficult for her mommy and daddy to observe). She has had some mommy-attachment that has lead to difficulty in the nursery on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings, but I have been assured that it is a phase of life and it will pass. Misty reminded me that "It's nice to be wanted." so I'm trying to remember that as I leave her. :) Luce continues to find her voice and when she cries says "Mommom" - the jury is out as to whether or not she is calling for me (I say yes, Brad says no :) ) .The dress she is wearing in the above pictures is her thanksgiving dress - I had so much fun making it! My mom and I started it when she was here visiting in October, I'm debating weather or not to make Lucy's Christmas dress too - we will see. :)
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Trust
Brad here, writing at somewhat of an interesting time of the day and week for me. It's Sunday Morning at 9:33 in about 80 Minutes I have to get up and preach. But a small thing just happened that has reminded me of a huge promise that God made to me a long time ago and I wanted to share with all of you.
As many of you know Sarah and I have for weeks and months been praying that God would bring us a buyer for our Condo in Chicago. We knew our call to come to Pampa, TX was clear and right where God needed us to be. It was a bit surprising though that even though we were following God to a new place so far from all of our friends and current home that he would have us wait for so long to sell our Condo. This week we were blessed to get an offer on our Condo which we promptly accepted. We are so thrilled to be able to fully commit to this community buy buying a home here and have excited started to look at homes for sale seeking the place where God would have us live.
As we look for homes it is so temping to buy "more house" that we can afford or need. It is easy to look at the home that we can not afford and wish they could be ours. This morning I was given a gift that transported me back to years and years ago.
The summer after my Freshman year in High School I was given the opportunity to travel to the far northern parts of Saskatchewan,Canada on work trip to help fix up and prepare a camp which missionaries run in order to get Cree Indian children out of their community and home for a week and to hear of God's love. Up until this point in my life I was convinced that God had a plan for my life, that plan, be rich. As it turned out this was God's plan for my life, the kind of rich that I would be turned out to look different than what I imagined. Through a simple passage of Scripture Matthew 6:19-34:
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Through this simple truth God lead me that I was to commit my life to serving him in the ministry. I was not sure what this would look like I assumed I would be a youth pastor, however as the years went I was called to be a Senior Pastor.
This land us here on this Sunday morning with me sitting in my office drying a few tears from my eyes as I contemplate the gift I was given. A simple black and white wooden plaque with the word trust spelled out in pictures. Below that selection of verses from Matthew 6:19-34. This now sits in my office and will sit in every office that I ever work out of. To remind me that God has made me very rich through what I do, and that it is a great honor to serve him in this way. I am so thankful for the earthly givers of this gift, but so much more grateful to the great gift given in Heaven who has blessed me beyond compare.
Trust God.
Ok now off to preach!
As many of you know Sarah and I have for weeks and months been praying that God would bring us a buyer for our Condo in Chicago. We knew our call to come to Pampa, TX was clear and right where God needed us to be. It was a bit surprising though that even though we were following God to a new place so far from all of our friends and current home that he would have us wait for so long to sell our Condo. This week we were blessed to get an offer on our Condo which we promptly accepted. We are so thrilled to be able to fully commit to this community buy buying a home here and have excited started to look at homes for sale seeking the place where God would have us live.
As we look for homes it is so temping to buy "more house" that we can afford or need. It is easy to look at the home that we can not afford and wish they could be ours. This morning I was given a gift that transported me back to years and years ago.
The summer after my Freshman year in High School I was given the opportunity to travel to the far northern parts of Saskatchewan,Canada on work trip to help fix up and prepare a camp which missionaries run in order to get Cree Indian children out of their community and home for a week and to hear of God's love. Up until this point in my life I was convinced that God had a plan for my life, that plan, be rich. As it turned out this was God's plan for my life, the kind of rich that I would be turned out to look different than what I imagined. Through a simple passage of Scripture Matthew 6:19-34:
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Through this simple truth God lead me that I was to commit my life to serving him in the ministry. I was not sure what this would look like I assumed I would be a youth pastor, however as the years went I was called to be a Senior Pastor.
This land us here on this Sunday morning with me sitting in my office drying a few tears from my eyes as I contemplate the gift I was given. A simple black and white wooden plaque with the word trust spelled out in pictures. Below that selection of verses from Matthew 6:19-34. This now sits in my office and will sit in every office that I ever work out of. To remind me that God has made me very rich through what I do, and that it is a great honor to serve him in this way. I am so thankful for the earthly givers of this gift, but so much more grateful to the great gift given in Heaven who has blessed me beyond compare.
Trust God.
Ok now off to preach!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Red Cup Day
A long lived tradition in Brad's group of college friends (which have become my dear friends as well - they graciously accepted me into the group :) ) is Red Cup Day. The day in which we celebrate Starbucks debuting their holiday cups.
Here is our family earlier today, unashamedly celebrating Red Cup Day, in Amarillo TX. (Yes, we set up the tripod in front of Starbucks - there are few things in life my husband is willing to look ridiculous for, coffee is one of them - so I rolled with it. :) )
And yes, we got Lucy a short coffee - she needed to celebrate this holiday with us!
She tasted it and kindly offered the rest to her daddy. :)
Brad has already asked me if it is possible to bronze a cup - I am thinking he wants to remember this day forever.
So do I.
Here is our family earlier today, unashamedly celebrating Red Cup Day, in Amarillo TX. (Yes, we set up the tripod in front of Starbucks - there are few things in life my husband is willing to look ridiculous for, coffee is one of them - so I rolled with it. :) )
And yes, we got Lucy a short coffee - she needed to celebrate this holiday with us!
She tasted it and kindly offered the rest to her daddy. :)Brad has already asked me if it is possible to bronze a cup - I am thinking he wants to remember this day forever.
So do I.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Our Personal Penguin
If you have spent any time with Brad - you know that he loves penguins. Little did I know when I bought this book to give to my future husband (I wasn't dating at the time) that I would give it to Bradley Wayne. :)
The idea of giving my significant other a childrens book originated with my mom who gave my dad a book about Hugs - pretty sweet. I read this book and knew it would be perfect, "I want to be your personal penguin.... I want to talk to you night and day...." (I could go on and on, I think I have the whole thing memorized). The book expresses my feelings for Brad exactly ;) - "Look at these wings, so perfect to hold you. I'd like to say again what I have already told you, Let me be your personal penguin, imagine me your personal penguin...."
Ahem... moving on....
Lucy got to be OUR personal penguin recently:
She got all dressed up for the fall festival at church and was the cutest penguin in attendance!
She loved her costume - as you can see.
Have you ever seen a pigeon-toed penguin? Well, now you have... :)
Lucy donned her penguin suit on the 31st as well - we went over to the Langford's house to help them pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters because we didn't think people would stop by our house, it is a church and not a regular house - we had so fun!). Lucy was a tremendous help - she was oohhed and ahhed over by Wonder Woman and a Princes, what a privilege.
For those of you who do not remember, Brad bought this costume last year - before we knew if we were having a boy or girl, before we had bought any other baby clothes. :) I am so glad Lucy was finally able to wear her penguin costume - it has been in her nursery for a lot longer than she has! :)
The idea of giving my significant other a childrens book originated with my mom who gave my dad a book about Hugs - pretty sweet. I read this book and knew it would be perfect, "I want to be your personal penguin.... I want to talk to you night and day...." (I could go on and on, I think I have the whole thing memorized). The book expresses my feelings for Brad exactly ;) - "Look at these wings, so perfect to hold you. I'd like to say again what I have already told you, Let me be your personal penguin, imagine me your personal penguin...."Ahem... moving on....
Lucy got to be OUR personal penguin recently:
She got all dressed up for the fall festival at church and was the cutest penguin in attendance!
She loved her costume - as you can see.
Have you ever seen a pigeon-toed penguin? Well, now you have... :)
Lucy donned her penguin suit on the 31st as well - we went over to the Langford's house to help them pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters because we didn't think people would stop by our house, it is a church and not a regular house - we had so fun!). Lucy was a tremendous help - she was oohhed and ahhed over by Wonder Woman and a Princes, what a privilege.
For those of you who do not remember, Brad bought this costume last year - before we knew if we were having a boy or girl, before we had bought any other baby clothes. :) I am so glad Lucy was finally able to wear her penguin costume - it has been in her nursery for a lot longer than she has! :)
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