There are so many things in my life that I know are a definite blessing. I haven't figured out why I deserve them, or how it happened...but I know that they only came about because of the Lord's blessing. And as I was struggling this week with some things, He continually kept shwoing me how blessed I am in the friendships I have....friends would say things to me, completely out of the blue, that I would instantly think...wow, thank you Jesus for that reminder, thank you for these people in my life, for this chance I've had to spend this time building those relationships. For keeping other things out of the way, so that even as I am working and going to school, there is time for these friends. So many different things that can come across as "not ideal" have led to the strong friendships I have. Even now, as bored as I have been at work in the last few months, it has been such a blessing because it has allowed me to accomplish so much school work during the day, so that I had time to spend with my friends. I know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be, and that He has kept so many things out of my life, that maybe I would choose to have, so that I can have this time--just being a college student...well, sort of :)
He is continually looking out for me, blessing me and providing for me. Yet there are so many times in my life when I am working on something or making a choice or worrying about what the outcome will be...when I realize, I never once prayed about it. I don't ask Him to be there, or to help me...I don't invite him along. And its this weird contradiction in my head...I can't figure out why I don't remember to talk to him about it beforehand, when as the question unfolds I know without a doubt that it is all Him. There is never any question in my mind as to whether or not the answer comes from Him. It is Him alone that could have made that happen, or could have calmed my irrational fears, or could have given me the patience to wait for His timing. Thankfully He walks with me even when I forget to ask him, but I want to do better. So, here's to a new season...of invitations!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Pumpkins!
I love fall...
I love sweaters, orange, coffee, cool weather, red, spiced cider, yellow, leaves, changing climates, fireplaces, blankets, football...
Fall means pumpkins, my birthday, thanksgiving...
Championship Powder Puff game...go Bloodbath!
The boys....
The girls...
Pumpkin Carving Party...
I love sweaters, orange, coffee, cool weather, red, spiced cider, yellow, leaves, changing climates, fireplaces, blankets, football...
Fall means pumpkins, my birthday, thanksgiving...
Championship Powder Puff game...go Bloodbath!
The boys....
The girls...
Pumpkin Carving Party...
I
Friday, October 24, 2008
funny...or not?
Patience has never been my strong point...
God has quite the sense of humor...
However, I'm not sure that I really wanted to learn this lesson!
God has quite the sense of humor...
However, I'm not sure that I really wanted to learn this lesson!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Clean Clean Clean
I have this overwhelming need to have a clean car. I am very particular about what happens in my car, what surfaces I drive on, where I park, and how often it must be washed. Now some of you may think I'm crazy...but really, I come by it very naturally. At my house there are more rules in the car then in the house. You don't eat in the car, you don't touch the paint, you only use the handles...to close the doors and the trunk, you beat off your shoes before you get in, you don't put your feet on the dash or on the seats...My dad will call someone for a ride before he takes his car out in the rain. He built himself a garage at his office, so that even when he is at work his car is not exposed to the elements. Our cars are VERY well taken care of, my dad's is now 6 years old and still looks brand new.
One thing driven into me from the time I could reach the windows, was that NEVER, under any circumstance do you draw/write on the windows. Car windows are not an artist medium...I learned last weekend that not everyone has these same convictions! When it is snowing outside and the windows are foggy, apparently that is an invitation for expression. We took my car to Twin Falls last weekend, all six of us. And by the time we were in Boise, where we picked up the guys, Jessie & Katelyn had both written on my windows. Yes, they were cute notes...but even as they were doing it, and I knew I would have to clean the windows later...I couldn't bring myself to join in. It is just too ingrained in me, that that is wrong, to consider that something fun to do.
Well needless to say, Jessie & Katelyn know me very well and both know that isn't something that I would do in my car :) And as we spent the whole weekend traipsing around in the snow and mud, climbing in and out of the car frequently...it received its fair share of loving reminders of our adventures. James kept telling me he wanted to help me wash my car...well I've come to expect that other people don't really see a clean car as a necessary part of life. But I've learned that James & Kevin lean a little more towards my family's side of the spectrum....both liking their cars to be clean. So while driving to Twin Falls most people may never consider washing the car as something necessary on the return...it was definitely at the front of our minds :)
So...James brought all different cleaners and such to church with him on Sunday and afterwards all 5 of us washed my car!! And not only washed it...but CLEANED it...we cleaned every piece of that vehicle. (Let me tell you, it helps to have tall people!!) It was really fun!
And it makes me grateful for my friends, simply that they respect others. I've had people borrow my car before, and when I got it back the first thought was...wow, I will never let them use my car again! It's refreshing to have the opposite experience, and I mean I was even with them, it wasn't like they borrowed my car...but they still wanted to help me clean it. It's just a thoughtful, respectful, thankful approach to looking at life. It's how I was raised.
One thing driven into me from the time I could reach the windows, was that NEVER, under any circumstance do you draw/write on the windows. Car windows are not an artist medium...I learned last weekend that not everyone has these same convictions! When it is snowing outside and the windows are foggy, apparently that is an invitation for expression. We took my car to Twin Falls last weekend, all six of us. And by the time we were in Boise, where we picked up the guys, Jessie & Katelyn had both written on my windows. Yes, they were cute notes...but even as they were doing it, and I knew I would have to clean the windows later...I couldn't bring myself to join in. It is just too ingrained in me, that that is wrong, to consider that something fun to do.
Well needless to say, Jessie & Katelyn know me very well and both know that isn't something that I would do in my car :) And as we spent the whole weekend traipsing around in the snow and mud, climbing in and out of the car frequently...it received its fair share of loving reminders of our adventures. James kept telling me he wanted to help me wash my car...well I've come to expect that other people don't really see a clean car as a necessary part of life. But I've learned that James & Kevin lean a little more towards my family's side of the spectrum....both liking their cars to be clean. So while driving to Twin Falls most people may never consider washing the car as something necessary on the return...it was definitely at the front of our minds :)
So...James brought all different cleaners and such to church with him on Sunday and afterwards all 5 of us washed my car!! And not only washed it...but CLEANED it...we cleaned every piece of that vehicle. (Let me tell you, it helps to have tall people!!) It was really fun!
And it makes me grateful for my friends, simply that they respect others. I've had people borrow my car before, and when I got it back the first thought was...wow, I will never let them use my car again! It's refreshing to have the opposite experience, and I mean I was even with them, it wasn't like they borrowed my car...but they still wanted to help me clean it. It's just a thoughtful, respectful, thankful approach to looking at life. It's how I was raised.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Pictures
We all happened to wear flowy black shirts Sunday...so we had to have a pic :)
Pictures from Portland with the Finkbeiner clan...Mom's brothers and their families...
The cousins...Holly loved the swing!
She's a binki thief :)
Her shirt..."Party at my Crib" 1am-6am
SUPER Holly!! lol
Took Isaac to the river to throw rocks!
She's so much fun! 
All the cousins...
Sibling shopping :)
Holly's first swim :) She wasn't quite sure what to think! 
Caleb...always ready with a smile :) 
Monday, October 13, 2008
SNOW
Yup, that's right! We had snow this weekend!! Friday night it snowed in Boise...it even stuck! And then Saturday we went to Twin Falls and it snowed ALL day! It was so much fun!!
Katelyn came for the weekend! It was SOOOO much fun! We wanted to go camping in McCall, but with the snow warning decided that wouldn't be the best idea...so instead James mom invited us to their home in Twin Falls. We headed over there Sat. morning and spent the day outside...it was gorgeous! The canyon, parks, waterfalls, lakes...amazing! And the snow flurries made it that much more interesting :) It was so much fun to be outside...played on the swings, danced on the docks, climbed up the rocks, watched parachuters jump off the bridge, snow ball fights, launched rockets, hot tubbed, and crammed six people into Torree! lol.
Katelyn came for the weekend! It was SOOOO much fun! We wanted to go camping in McCall, but with the snow warning decided that wouldn't be the best idea...so instead James mom invited us to their home in Twin Falls. We headed over there Sat. morning and spent the day outside...it was gorgeous! The canyon, parks, waterfalls, lakes...amazing! And the snow flurries made it that much more interesting :) It was so much fun to be outside...played on the swings, danced on the docks, climbed up the rocks, watched parachuters jump off the bridge, snow ball fights, launched rockets, hot tubbed, and crammed six people into Torree! lol.
It's always interesting to me how relationships just sort of develop, out of nowhere. Its been so much fun to get to know these guys over the last few months and see the influence Christ can have in relationships. It was great to get to go to their hometown and meet their parents and go to church with them...I love to watch God create the unexpected :)
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Insomnia? Or the Holy Spirit?
Well here we are...midnight on Tuesday. The 3rd day (night) in a row...I can't sleep! I do not know what my problem is...except that each night as I've been laying in bed...I have this heavy burden to pray and read my Bible. Well last night I spent the hours praying, tonight I'm reading.
Right now, my mom is the youth & children's pastor in my home church...and actually decided this week that she is going to start classes at Nazarene Bible College and get her local minister's license. Pretty cool!! But there are some issues in the church that I know have been heavy on her heart. And I came across these verses that I think give us a little insight into how Christ believes the church should be, NLT:
1 Corinthians 1:10
Now, dear Brothers and sisters, I appeal to you by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ to stop arguing among yourselves. Let there be harmony so there won't be divisions in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
1 Corinthians 12:26-28
If one part suffers all the parts suffer with it. And if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. Here is a list of some of the members that God has placed in the body of Christ:
first are apostles
second are prophets
third are teachers
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who can get others to work together...
No where in that list are grumblers, complainers, people looking to benefit themselves. The body of Christ exists to serve others...to seek and save the lost. Not to worry about how we are treated or how often we receive something from the church. If we are Christians it is our calling to reach out to others, to serve, to work together for the kingdom...not to worry about how we feel at church. Jesus' entire purpose on earth was to serve others. To look after and help the welfare of others...he led by serving. Whoever wants to be first, must first be a slave to all (Mark 2?) What you have done for the least of these, you have done for Me. So why are we as churches not more worried about who we are serving and helping? Why do we let politics and rules and tradition get in the way of our servant heart?
Also, as I was reading for some reason a couple songs by Rebecca St. James kept running through my head...The first is "Omega":
May the grace of our Lord be with you, Now and always may you stay blameless till he comes. May the Love of our Lord be with you...
And also her song "You then me"...which is all about the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Life should go You then me. We need to put others first. "It's your turn, it's not my turn"
I must admit that I just finished my 20 page research paper on Servant Leadership...so that may have something to do with my thoughts at the moment. But I think it applies in all areas of our lives! Why are we so focused on us? And believe me I'm as guilty as any...
Right now, my mom is the youth & children's pastor in my home church...and actually decided this week that she is going to start classes at Nazarene Bible College and get her local minister's license. Pretty cool!! But there are some issues in the church that I know have been heavy on her heart. And I came across these verses that I think give us a little insight into how Christ believes the church should be, NLT:
1 Corinthians 1:10
Now, dear Brothers and sisters, I appeal to you by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ to stop arguing among yourselves. Let there be harmony so there won't be divisions in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
1 Corinthians 12:26-28
If one part suffers all the parts suffer with it. And if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. Here is a list of some of the members that God has placed in the body of Christ:
first are apostles
second are prophets
third are teachers
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who can get others to work together...
No where in that list are grumblers, complainers, people looking to benefit themselves. The body of Christ exists to serve others...to seek and save the lost. Not to worry about how we are treated or how often we receive something from the church. If we are Christians it is our calling to reach out to others, to serve, to work together for the kingdom...not to worry about how we feel at church. Jesus' entire purpose on earth was to serve others. To look after and help the welfare of others...he led by serving. Whoever wants to be first, must first be a slave to all (Mark 2?) What you have done for the least of these, you have done for Me. So why are we as churches not more worried about who we are serving and helping? Why do we let politics and rules and tradition get in the way of our servant heart?
Also, as I was reading for some reason a couple songs by Rebecca St. James kept running through my head...The first is "Omega":
May the grace of our Lord be with you, Now and always may you stay blameless till he comes. May the Love of our Lord be with you...
And also her song "You then me"...which is all about the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Life should go You then me. We need to put others first. "It's your turn, it's not my turn"
I must admit that I just finished my 20 page research paper on Servant Leadership...so that may have something to do with my thoughts at the moment. But I think it applies in all areas of our lives! Why are we so focused on us? And believe me I'm as guilty as any...
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
can't believe it's here...
So I think sometimes we actually have to ask for the things we want. I guess I'm not very good at that....I typically assume that God knows my mind, and the desires of my heart...when maybe I should spend more time actually talking to Him about what I want.
And other then that...I have 9 more weeks of Grad school!! (one session, 2 classes)
And other then that...I have 9 more weeks of Grad school!! (one session, 2 classes)
Friday, October 3, 2008
Where's the rain?!
Well the weekend in Oregon was great!! And of course the one time I'm in Portland this fall...it is yes, beautiful! 85, sunshine...all 4 days!! Now, I know, if I was a normal person I would be very excited about this course of fate. However, I am not normal...I was hoping for at least some cooler weather, and ideally a little rain! I have been waiting for fall for now 4 long months...and my one weekend outside of Boise, to the coast...yup it's still nice outside! :)
Well one nice thing about the weather was we were able to spend lots of time outside...the kids could play on the playground and we all went swimming, and down to the river to throw rocks...and of course some went golfing :) Well the 3 little cousins are as cute as ever!
Well one nice thing about the weather was we were able to spend lots of time outside...the kids could play on the playground and we all went swimming, and down to the river to throw rocks...and of course some went golfing :) Well the 3 little cousins are as cute as ever!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)