I haven't really posted in awhile, especially about things going on with us.
I guess I have felt that there was nothing too exciting or blog-worthy happening to write about.
BUT just so the blog doesn't lie dormant,
and so whoever reads this can read something,
I will share with you some of the thoughts that have been running through my mind lately.
Here are some of my recent experiences, some confessions, some struggles,
and some purely random thoughts.
(I'll throw in some pictures, too!)
1. Andy and I are moving on May 12th. We found a cute little house to rent that's four houses down from the Phillips just a few blocks east of where we are now. I'm excited to live in a house and make it a home. Our place now is great. We have loved it, especially it's proximity (walking distance) to ASU's campus and the cute little neighborhood. We weren't set on moving but if we found an affordable house to rent, we would highly consider moving. It will be nice to have some extra space and a garage and a yard. The kitchen is awesome, so I'm excited about that. I will miss 2525 S. College Ave. She has served us well. Most of all I will miss this guy:
I've contemplated just taking him with us, but I recently found out that he lives with a lady with MS. She sometimes goes into the hospital for days at a time, so that's probably why he comes to visit! What a sweetie. I couldn't take him from her. (Never actually met the lady. Apparently this is the story from our neighbor.) We've named him Albus. I'm sure he'll miss us, too. Here's a pic of our new place:
2. Top three men I admire? (Besides my husband Andy, who is in a category all of his own!)
(I warned you about the random thoughts...)
My dad: He is full of integrity. He is radically generous. He is puts his family first in all things. Not to mention he's smart, handsome, and hip to be square.
Jeff Bianchi: This man knows the Word of God better than anyone else I know. If I could memorize and retain scripture just a fraction of how he does, then I would be a better person for it. He loves the Lord and walks what he talks.
Jimmy Seibert: I mean, come on! The father of our Antioch movement. He can preach it with the best of them. He makes following Jesus simple--just do it. When he talks about Jesus, I get stirred, fall in love, and am convicted all at once.
3. Confession: Remember this post? Well, I still have hope, but I'm feeling sad lately. Choosing to trust God and put my hope in Him is a daily choice and sometimes a battle against my circumstance and against despair. I feel my maternal alarm clock has been buzzing in my ears for months, but there's nothing I can do about it. Hitting snooze is getting old! I feel I have some fresh promises from God, but there's always the enemy poking and prodding and saying, "Did you really hear God say that, or are you making it up?" My resolve is to be like Abraham, "who, against all hope...in hope believed". He "did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God..."
4. My heart is sad for the sophomore boy who committed suicide at Boston College last weekend. I can't imagine being so depressed that hanging myself would be my choice. I don't say that to sound ignorant, and I fully believe that depression can be that dark and that hopeless. It just makes me so upset and almost angry that he didn't know the hope and life and healing he could have in God and that no one saw the warning signs. I am also upset, along with my family, that BC doesn't talk about the real issue here. Students are depressed and are contemplating--and going through with--suicide.
The school NEEDS to talk about this and get it out in the open, especially since this is the second BC student to kill himself this academic year, and something like the 18th student in the Boston/Cambridge area this school year. I'm sick of reading, "We remembered so and so in all of our masses this week. Please pray for the family."
I mean, really? They need to issue the signs and symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation so students and friends and roommates and faculty can know the warnings and help prevent another
unnecessary death.
Yes, it is so important to pray and remember the families in our prayers, but
let's do some preventative and preemptive praying and acting.
Get out from behind the altar and walk with people.
I get stirred to think about our college leaders from CFCF out and about on campus sharing the gospel and leading faithgroups. I pray and believe that they will meet the depressed and hurting and be able to share the hope of Jesus and the truth of the gospel with those ones before they reach the dark place of contemplating killing themselves. Jesus holds true life and hope and joy and peace. We just need to come to Him.
5. I have been loving spending time with my husband lately. We have been trying to be more intentional about spending time together. Whether or not we go on a "date" doesn't matter (although that's awesome), but just as long as we get time to connect and talk matters to us each week. Here is a picture from one of our after work walks along Tempe Town Lake. Isn't that sunset gorgeous?
6. Confession: Pinterest is fun... but it can also cause some not so fun parts about me to rise up. Like jealousy and coveting and the love of things. I'm loving pinning fun craft and DIY ideas as well as decorating ideas. It's fun to think about making my home look beautiful... but I can definitely take my day dreaming a little too far, you know? And then if I see someone else's board and what she's posted then I feel inferior or jealous that her house is going to look cuter than mine. Wow, how ugly.
Also, I mean, I'm basically pinning all these things that I probably won't ever get close to accomplishing or buying or whatever... it's like a giant covet board! I need this, I want this, I like this...
So, I am very aware of that sinful side of me and pin with caution. I wouldn't be surprised if I were to give it up for a period of time, but I don't feel that is necessary at this time.
Here is an idea I want to do for our new place, though, in the guestroom:
7. My job at the hospital is changing! I have been working at Phoenix Children's Hospital in the Gastroenterology Clinic since August. It has been good, but not great. I haven't been able to interact with patients much at all, as the nurses' main role in that clinic is to do phone triage and a lot of coordination of care (i.e. faxing, telephone, etc). Not my kind of thing! I miss the kids, not to mention my nursing skills feel a little rusty! God is good, and I will start orienting on the GI floor on May 14th. Yay! I'm a little nervous to say that least, but I am excited.
8. I have reconnected with an old friend from my one school year in England, Allyson. She's going to our church and leads worship with Adam almost every Sunday, too! She is such a dear friend, and I'm loving spending time with her and walking closely with her. She, Kristen, and I are becoming a fun little trio. Here we are hiking Camelback Mountain to celebrate Allyson's birthday.
She brings the sport/earthy/crunchy out of me :)
9. I made 100 cupcakes for a friend's silent auction dinner (not to auction off, but for the guests to eat for dessert). The auction's proceeds went to their charity Camp H.O.P.E., which is a summer camp they put on for orphans to get them excited about school. The theme of my cupcakes was summer childhood treats... Creamsicles, Bomb pops, Drumsticks, and Cherry Coke Floats.
Super fun!
10. I have started a Bible reading plan this year. I think I technically began on January 2nd, but oh well. I've stuck to it really well this time around. (How many times have I read Genesis and then given up?!) But it has been on my heart for so long to really READ the Word. Get a plan and do it. So, I chose a plan from youversion.com and started. Right now I'm in Deuteronomy, Ecclesiastes, and Acts. I so look forward to my Bible reading time each morning during my quiet time. Maybe next year I'll do a study alongside my reading, but right now I feel content to just be reading through it.
11. I LOVE Starbucks Morning Joe blend coffee. Interesting fact if you know me well: I have started taking half and half in my coffee! I used to be an all black coffee girl, but now I kind of like fat free half and half. I still don't like flavored creamer, but I'll take some plain stuff. Of course I still like it black, especially if I'm getting a cup from Starbucks, but when I brew at home, I usually lighten it up a bit. Crazy, I know!
Ok, well I think that's all I have to say for now.
Thanks for reading!
 |
| There are our sweet new neighbors :) |
2. Top three men I admire? (Besides my husband Andy, who is in a category all of his own!)
(I warned you about the random thoughts...)
My dad: He is full of integrity. He is radically generous. He is puts his family first in all things. Not to mention he's smart, handsome, and hip to be square.
Jeff Bianchi: This man knows the Word of God better than anyone else I know. If I could memorize and retain scripture just a fraction of how he does, then I would be a better person for it. He loves the Lord and walks what he talks.
Jimmy Seibert: I mean, come on! The father of our Antioch movement. He can preach it with the best of them. He makes following Jesus simple--just do it. When he talks about Jesus, I get stirred, fall in love, and am convicted all at once.
3. Confession: Remember this post? Well, I still have hope, but I'm feeling sad lately. Choosing to trust God and put my hope in Him is a daily choice and sometimes a battle against my circumstance and against despair. I feel my maternal alarm clock has been buzzing in my ears for months, but there's nothing I can do about it. Hitting snooze is getting old! I feel I have some fresh promises from God, but there's always the enemy poking and prodding and saying, "Did you really hear God say that, or are you making it up?" My resolve is to be like Abraham, "who, against all hope...in hope believed". He "did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God..."
4. My heart is sad for the sophomore boy who committed suicide at Boston College last weekend. I can't imagine being so depressed that hanging myself would be my choice. I don't say that to sound ignorant, and I fully believe that depression can be that dark and that hopeless. It just makes me so upset and almost angry that he didn't know the hope and life and healing he could have in God and that no one saw the warning signs. I am also upset, along with my family, that BC doesn't talk about the real issue here. Students are depressed and are contemplating--and going through with--suicide.
The school NEEDS to talk about this and get it out in the open, especially since this is the second BC student to kill himself this academic year, and something like the 18th student in the Boston/Cambridge area this school year. I'm sick of reading, "We remembered so and so in all of our masses this week. Please pray for the family."
I mean, really? They need to issue the signs and symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation so students and friends and roommates and faculty can know the warnings and help prevent another
unnecessary death.
Yes, it is so important to pray and remember the families in our prayers, but
let's do some preventative and preemptive praying and acting.
Get out from behind the altar and walk with people.
I get stirred to think about our college leaders from CFCF out and about on campus sharing the gospel and leading faithgroups. I pray and believe that they will meet the depressed and hurting and be able to share the hope of Jesus and the truth of the gospel with those ones before they reach the dark place of contemplating killing themselves. Jesus holds true life and hope and joy and peace. We just need to come to Him.
5. I have been loving spending time with my husband lately. We have been trying to be more intentional about spending time together. Whether or not we go on a "date" doesn't matter (although that's awesome), but just as long as we get time to connect and talk matters to us each week. Here is a picture from one of our after work walks along Tempe Town Lake. Isn't that sunset gorgeous?
6. Confession: Pinterest is fun... but it can also cause some not so fun parts about me to rise up. Like jealousy and coveting and the love of things. I'm loving pinning fun craft and DIY ideas as well as decorating ideas. It's fun to think about making my home look beautiful... but I can definitely take my day dreaming a little too far, you know? And then if I see someone else's board and what she's posted then I feel inferior or jealous that her house is going to look cuter than mine. Wow, how ugly.
Also, I mean, I'm basically pinning all these things that I probably won't ever get close to accomplishing or buying or whatever... it's like a giant covet board! I need this, I want this, I like this...
So, I am very aware of that sinful side of me and pin with caution. I wouldn't be surprised if I were to give it up for a period of time, but I don't feel that is necessary at this time.
Here is an idea I want to do for our new place, though, in the guestroom:
7. My job at the hospital is changing! I have been working at Phoenix Children's Hospital in the Gastroenterology Clinic since August. It has been good, but not great. I haven't been able to interact with patients much at all, as the nurses' main role in that clinic is to do phone triage and a lot of coordination of care (i.e. faxing, telephone, etc). Not my kind of thing! I miss the kids, not to mention my nursing skills feel a little rusty! God is good, and I will start orienting on the GI floor on May 14th. Yay! I'm a little nervous to say that least, but I am excited.
8. I have reconnected with an old friend from my one school year in England, Allyson. She's going to our church and leads worship with Adam almost every Sunday, too! She is such a dear friend, and I'm loving spending time with her and walking closely with her. She, Kristen, and I are becoming a fun little trio. Here we are hiking Camelback Mountain to celebrate Allyson's birthday.
She brings the sport/earthy/crunchy out of me :)
9. I made 100 cupcakes for a friend's silent auction dinner (not to auction off, but for the guests to eat for dessert). The auction's proceeds went to their charity Camp H.O.P.E., which is a summer camp they put on for orphans to get them excited about school. The theme of my cupcakes was summer childhood treats... Creamsicles, Bomb pops, Drumsticks, and Cherry Coke Floats.
Super fun!
10. I have started a Bible reading plan this year. I think I technically began on January 2nd, but oh well. I've stuck to it really well this time around. (How many times have I read Genesis and then given up?!) But it has been on my heart for so long to really READ the Word. Get a plan and do it. So, I chose a plan from youversion.com and started. Right now I'm in Deuteronomy, Ecclesiastes, and Acts. I so look forward to my Bible reading time each morning during my quiet time. Maybe next year I'll do a study alongside my reading, but right now I feel content to just be reading through it.
11. I LOVE Starbucks Morning Joe blend coffee. Interesting fact if you know me well: I have started taking half and half in my coffee! I used to be an all black coffee girl, but now I kind of like fat free half and half. I still don't like flavored creamer, but I'll take some plain stuff. Of course I still like it black, especially if I'm getting a cup from Starbucks, but when I brew at home, I usually lighten it up a bit. Crazy, I know!
Ok, well I think that's all I have to say for now.
Thanks for reading!
Love your posts. Thanks for being so authentic! I know it's cliche but I learned (too late) that TTC is such a great time to trust the Lord and really put that faith into practice. I think your candidness about your struggle is so helpful to other and so helpful in your own trust in Him.
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