We're Moving.

Up and out just like that. We move out of our tiny little closet apartment tonight! We had an offer we just couldn't resist and will now be sharing a home with the amazing family that is the Baxters! Could not be more grateful for them, and their willingness and enthusiasm to help us in this crazy and uncertain season we face. I'm excited not only because they have so graciously extended their home to us and are letting us invade the secret life of the Baxter family haha but also because I anticipate that Chris and I will be able to learn a lot from Justin and Gretchen; and how they have managed to raise two amazing teenagers, move across the country, and still appear to be happily married after almost 20 years! It will be a growing and stretching experience for Chris and I, and I am excited to look back and see how amazing God's plan worked in our lives and how unbelievably blessed we are for it.

As for now let the game nights begin!

Fill in the Blank.

Is this __________ more powerful than God?

I started reading the Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning earlier this week, I can't figure out exactly how I feel about it. I know that the first few pages have given me PLENTY to think about and called me out in more ways than I could have imagined, and for that I am grateful. The only downside is that for me, the vocbulary of the book is just a bit much. I subcribe to dictionary.com's word of the day in hopes that someday I can understand the words he uses in some of his paragraphs.

"In retrospect, my ponderous ponderings on the purgative, illuminative, and unitive stages of my spiritual life, my assidous search for shortcuts to holiness, my preoccuptaion with my spiritual pulse and my fasts, mortifactions, and penances have wrought psuedobliss and the egregious delusion that I was securly ensconced in the seventh mansion of spirtual perfection." (pg.66)

Ummm what? Maybe it's just me, but I think there might have been a slightly more effective way of saying that, whatever it was he was trying to say. But that is not the point, the point is that even inbetween the paragraphs and pages that I can't understand God still speaks.

He reminds me that I belong to Him, He loves me more than I will ever know or realize and, "not only does He love me, but He likes me too."

So during this unstable season we find ourselves in, I am reminded that this situation is not more powerful than God, that because He loves me, He is making all things work for my good.

Days Like This.

Extremely grateful for days like this. It's Thursday, not really any different than any other day this week, but for some unexplainable reason (God) I have an extra dosage of gratefulness this morning. It's gorgeous outside, and although I still technically have to sit in my office for most of the day just looking out the window and knowing it's out there waiting for me is making me smile.

We are extremely blessed, sometimes I don't think I give God enough credit for all of the amazing things he does for us only a daily basis. Correction- I know I don't give him the credit he deserves, but today I will fix that.

Ever think about all the little things that make up the greatness of your day? Your coffee being the right temperture, there being milk to pour into your cereal, getting a few green lights on your way to work, having lunch outside with a friend, going home to your family, laughing at an inside joke... it seems like we only notice the small things when they go wrong. What if instead we could learn to be grateful for all the little things on a consistent basis. It might just make all the chaos of our lives a little less crazy, and a lot more tolerable.

Last night Bryan (@bryan44 for all your twitters) came over and watched a movie with Chris and I, and he brought over ice cream. I realize that doesn't sound like a lot, but if you knew how much Chris loves ice cream and how miserable he is when there isn't any at home, you might be able to understand how much that little act of kindness meant to him, and by association me. It's all about the little things folks, it really is.

So if you still don't get it, all I am really trying to say is if you take the time to look, you will soon realize there are no shortage of things to be grateful for, that you are blessed, and that a half a gallon of ice cream does make a difference.

This Man.

I love this man. You can blame it on the "newly-wed" phase if you want, even though it's been over a year, so technically the honeymoon is supposed to be over.

He is everything I never knew I always wanted (yeah that's right Fools Rush In is where its at).

And everything I prayed my husband would be.

So whatever phase it is, I still do, and if you were me, you would too.

Who Needs Them.

I hate fees. Hate them.

More than I hate it when someone comes up behind me and plays the "guess who" game. At that point it's become the "guess who I wish would get their hands off my face game."

I don't understand.

"Washington Mutual, the nation's seventh-largest financial institution and the largest to promote overdraft protection, charged customers more than $1 billion in overdraft fees last year, some industry analysts estimated." (New York Times)

The banks offer this "as a service" to their customers. So you can spend more money than you have, and literally pay for it later. What they're really doing is enabling people to continue to make poor choices, live out of their means, and do it all without having to be embarrased by the unbearable "sorry miss" lecture.

I too am obviously guilty of this, whether it be intentional or not, fees happen. And I hate them. Mainly because I unknowingly purchased the most expensive $0.99 itune download and $1.89 tea latte ever.

Consider the very expensive lesson, learned.

At least I'm not the only one.

Maybe it's not quite like this but David knows what's up.

Psalm 43:4-5 ... Yeah that's where it's at right now.

This verse, along with about 15 other verses, is written on an index card and sitting in on my desk right now. I keep them there as a 'proactive' way to remind myself that God is who He says He is, and no matter what my life looks like He loves me more than I can ever realize and will always take care of me, especially when I don't deserve it.

Psalm 43 captures almost all of the emotions I'm currently expeirencing, and pretty much in that order.

David:
" For you are God, my only safe haven... Why must I wander around in grief," v.2

Es:
I agree.

David:
"Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me." v.3

Es:
Ready and willing.

David:
"There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy." v.4

Es:
The source of ALL my joy.

and then it all clicks...

David:
"Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!"

There is no need to be discouraged, there is no need for my heart to be sad. I will put my hope in God, and praise Him- my Savior.

God has proven His love for me over and over again, and I will praise Him in advance for what He is currently preparing for us.

2009