Home

It's been a few days since I 'blogged' :) We went to NE this last weekend to visit my family. Had a nice, relaxing visit. I'm always a little sappy the day I leave and the one after about living so far away.....sigh...Grandma always says on the phone, "We had dinner for such and such occasion, everyone was here.......except you"....heartbreaker. And Alex is getting older (almost 14) and no longer wants to hang out with me every second of my visit.....now I have to pester her to hang out :) What I love about visiting home:  just hanging around the house with everyone,  listening to my parent's tell the same stories (don't worry mom and dad- all parents do it :) ), bickering over who's paying the bill when we go out,  having to nearly wrestle my grandma to get her to come over for dinner (she feels like she's putting us out if she comes more than one night in a  row), giving Alex a hard time because she 'has it easy' with helping around the house, mom making a cake for Kyle whenever we come, Kyle laughing at the fact that the Sports page of the paper only covers college football :),  sitting on the back porch relaxing and talking, sitting around a campfire in the evening, Grandma having a little tear in her eye as she kisses me goodbye and puts an angel food cake in my arms, having to watch PG movies not because of Alex but because of me :).   All that being said..... I have a new home and I love Rochester,  my work, our home, our life..... God has certainly blessed me in abundance :)

This week we're back to work and life as usual. The landscaping is coming along nicely and we've planted a few things. Kyle is on the hunt for a gopher that is in the wrong place at the wrong time :) My project for today is to make some homemade shampoo and conditioner...I'm convinced I can make some 'good for you' stuff without a long list of chemicals on the label :) The more and more cancer,etc that I see, the more and more I'm on a  tirade to detox our house/lives.  I found this great site for healthy living:  http://www.care2.com/greenliving/

Godstop: 

Nothing too profound here today. I am just feeling amazingly blessed to know that the Holy Spirit abides in me....that God is with me wherever I go. How empowering to know that he is with me as I go to work everyday, that he is with me as I volunteer in the community, that he is with me as I mourn for those who've passed, that he is with me as I hold a friend's new baby, that he is with me as I enjoy a quiet night with my husband, that he is with me as I make dinner and take care of the house, that he is with me as I offer prayer for those I love,  that he is with me...........

1 Cor 12:7, Rom 8: 22-28, Phil 4:13, John 15:5

 

Pictures for my parents....

Here's a few photos of the finished deck and the landscaping so far :)

Brett Favre is still the man OR Brett Favre is an overpaid drama queen????

That is the question for today. Everyone is weighing in....on the news, on facebook status updates, in their journals before bed. It would be a sad life to be famous I think....everyone paying so much attention to every little thing you do. Still I say..... "How could you? The Vikings...REALLY???". 

I got an EA (excused absence) today. This means there were too many nurses scheduled on our floor and no other floor needed help....from there we take turns with who gets them. Generally, these are a heaven-sent little treat...........no better feeling than being offered the day off when you are still desperately trying to drag yourself out of bed at 5:30 or 5:45 in the morning...........aaaahhhhh roll over and go back to sleep, all is well with the world! Of course, there is looming dark side to EA's....the fear that they will soon become mandatory with all of the current cut-back stuff. Then what was a nice unexpected day off will be "oh no, this is the 3rd one this pay period, i really needed to work today to pay my bills".  Time will tell.

Godstop: 

" For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." - Phil 2:13.  How reassuring to remember that God is "at work/aiding/putting forth power" in us to guide our minds and actions. I want to remember this every time I have a chance to comfort or pray with a patient, every time I have a chance to speak truth at the DDH, every time a co-worker asks me about my faith.  A dear sister recently told me of a situation she was in (she was trying to speak truth into someones life and felt like she was in spiritual warfare)....she said what was amazing was that she had to rely on God- He was all the resource she had- she had to trust that He would guide her in the right words during that critical time.  Just an example of how He comes through for us because He is always with us!!

Praise His Name!

Today has been a lazy day. I got off work around 7:30 this morning (after working 12 hours overnight), stopped at the store, got home to chat with Kyle for a few minutes before he was off to work, and then napped from 9 until 11:30 with the county assessors rang the doorbell. I've been attempting to stay up since then and be somewhat productive but am just not finding the energy.....at least I'm fairly certain I'll be able to go to bed tonight :) 

Kyle came home and we watched our first Packer's game of the year (pre-season game tivo'd from Friday)-- woot woot! Um yeah....I'm a convert. While I still love my Huskers and don't know all the tiny little rules of football........ I have taken a liking to Sunday NFL football....lazy days on the couch, listening to the guys guffaw at the game, fall weather, chili suppers :)

Is summer just the BEST for fresh food! I LOVE it!! We've had fresh sweet corn, green beans, cucumbers, fresh caprese salads, peppers.....yumm! 

Planning a fun- filled trip back to O-town this coming weekend- excited to see my family! 

God stop: 

Lisa & I are starting our last week of this bibly study- it has been really encouraging and just what we needed! Thought I would share a section from today's: 

"The God to whom you commit yourself and everything that concerns you is huge. He is the omnipotent Maker of heaven and earth. He is the One who sees. He is the One who knows. He is the One who acts on behalf of his children. He is the Mighty Warrior. He is the compassionate Father. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the coming King. He is love. He is light. He is good. He is right. He is your soul's delight. He is....whatever you need. He alone is wise. In Him alone life makes sense, and apart from Him all is chaos. 

The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samson, David, John the Baptist, Mary of Magdala, Mary of Bethany, Peter, James, John, and Paul is your God. The same yesterday, today, and forever. A God so holy, powerful, and present that when He revealed himself to Ezekiel in the Old Testament and John in the New, both dropped like dead men. He is the magnificent One, full of splendor, beautiful beyond comprehension. The I Am throughout every generation. Whoever He was, He is. Who He was to them, He is to you. Start taking Him up on His goodness. When you have no idea what to believe Him for in a  given situation, just believe Him to be huge.   "  --- Beth Moore. 

Amen sister! 

Questions:   Do you know Him friends? Do you want that faith in God that you see others with? Have you felt there is something missing in your life? Do you think you've done too many bad things- that it's too late for you? What if it's all true (God, heaven, hell, forgiveness)??

Answer: You can. Just ask. There is- having faith in God is what makes us whole. It's never too late- if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and make us righteous in his eyes. IT IS ALL TRUE; God is real whether you believe or not-- I pray you would! 

I may have gotten a little carried away and of course never mean to be pushy. I just want to put it out there that if  you ever have questions about God, Jesus, becoming a Christian  or just need prayer....please know you can talk to Kyle or I. Open invitation!!!! If you'd like more info and don't want to talk to us now or ever  :) check out this site....  http://www.jesus2020.com

The joys of a wonderful hubby....

We slept in until 10 today....aaahhhhh (Saturday morning with no alarm clock and no agenda)! I've been lounging around, drinking my coffee, and working on bible study since then. I work nights this weekend and obviously feel as if I am not obligated to do anything else productive since I am being put out in this manner :) 

My wonderful husband however has been a productive machine these last months. He's out there even as I type working away on the new landscaping. Our deck was recently finished in record time. I know what you're all thinking.....it's because I'm so big a nag that he'd rather work on it than listen to me........NOT SO! He's done all of this of his own volition :) What a man! He also cooks, cleans up after parties, gives back and foot rubs, takes out the trash, and is just generally delightful :) What you all think........blah, blah, blah...newlywed head still......i know :)

I went to garage sales yesterday......can I just say how it warms my heart to come home with a car full of cute stuff having only spent $20 in 2 days. See the pic of our cute new coffee cart :) It was one dollar -- I love old people sales :)

Godstop: 

Can I just say what an amazing blessing it is to have friends who will intercede for you. Friends who are involved in your life and listen to your heart and pray for you from their heart to Gods. Thank you LORD for that!

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a  righteous man is powerful and effective." - James 5:16

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."-- Matt 18:19-20

Everyone else is doing it.....

Blogging, I mean. I thought it was high time that I too began rambling on about my thoughts for all to see. Therapeutic perhaps? Or perhaps just yet another way to waste time?  Time will tell. 

It must be wedding season....I received one save the date, one reception invite, and two invitations this week. Many congrats and blessings to Rachel & Chris, Mel & David, Matt & Alyssa, and Angie & Jake! Marriage is such a blessing & I'm deeply happy for each of you :) Some advice from me to you..... TRY each day, think of the other first, forgive as you have been forgiven,  look at the big picture, and don't lose your rose colored glasses :)

The project for this afternoon is experimenting with adding ground oatmeal to my soap for an exfoliating bar. If only I could take a picture of myself in my goggles, mask, and purple nitrile gloves......I'm sure it would give you a laugh for the day :) I'm waiting on a few shipments.... I bought some new oils/supplies so that hopefully I can make some lotion and lip balm soon :) Guinea pigs welcome !! 

I'm working through a bible study with Lisa right now and at the end of every day's study there is a journal section titled 'Godstop' (a time to stop and reflect on how you saw God at work that day). I thought that would be a good ending point for each of my notes.........

Godstop: 

In my bible study this morning, I was reading about the use of the word 'chosen' and this is what I found....

chosen; Transliteration: eklegomai; Phonetic Pronunciation: ek-leg-om-ahee; Part of speech: v; 1) to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for oneself  1a) choosing one out of many  1b)choosing one for an office   1c)of God choosing whom he judged fit to receive his favours and separated from the rest of mankind to be peculiarly his own and to be attended continually by his gracious oversight. 

Wow, right?! What a joy to be chosen!!