a bit of influence from sean

a list of things swimming in my head:

1. I hope Benji likes his swim lesson today
2. I hope Isabell & David get great teachers this fall
3. how much of a 1st aid kit do we need for Ethiopia?
4. I’m not ready for Wed preachin
5. i’m tired from yesterday
6. Mon mornings don’t rank in my top 10 favs
7. resource management:  time, energy, money – with finite quantities, how to best maximize
8. I really like Mark’s new song – maybe he could post the lyrics somewhere bc the tune keeps running through my mind
9. i’m still tired
10. Ethiopia is just around the corner – what to do next summer?  Cambodia?
11. friends: i wonder how Jesse is doing?  what’s new w john & carol?  i liked getting to know margaret & Laef better. our church has some way cool peeps – they blow my mind
12. judi’s volunteer idea – awesome! 
13. I’ve got greek tonight – and i’m not ready

Ok, what swims in your brain besides brain juice?  😉

energy management

Ok, my 3 kids have LOTS of energy.  If you work it right, you can get alot accomplished.  Take for example, dish unloading from the dishwasher.  David is in charge of silverware, Benji does tupperware & Isabell does coffee mugs & cups. I do plates & bowls.  We’ve got it down to a pretty good science & everyone knows their groove.  Another way to use their energy is when company comes over.

We’re having a party later this afternoon, so I turned Benji into the transportation unit – carrying things back & forth, while David & Bell did clean up.  Yesterday, Isabell, David & I cut up 12 lbs of strawberries – yes, 12 lbs.  🙂 All things being considered, we’ve gotten alot accopmlished, although we still have alot to do.  Anyways, its just fun to watch them all pitch in to get things done. 

Do you think God likes it when we get involved with what He’s doing?  Just a thought from Reece’s preaching.

addiction that’s healthy

I like, I want, I need.  Simple progression that can have disasterous results.  You can apply these 3 words (like, want & need) to lots of things:  food, shopping, sex, reading, a relationship, drinking, snowboarding, . . . pick your own fav.  I had this progression well refined with people, so I became proficient in co-dependant relationships.  Great sadness, pain & destruction was the result. 

So how can we have a healthy addiction, given our human tendency to extremism?  Point the like, want, need paradigm in the right direction – the direction with truth.  Point this progression to Jesus because the reality of being human is that we’re designed to like Jesus, we’re designed to want Him & the core reality of being human is that we need Jesus.  Turn to Jesus, bend to Jesus and crave Him.  The older I get, the more I sense my need for Him.  I wonder what this will be like when I’m 55, 62, 70. . . .?  Truthfully, I’m a very needy person and accepting this state has been very liberating.  What I really need is Jesus.

experiments in cooking – I’m no martha stewart

Here’s a good life lesson – if at 1st you don’t succeed, keep trying until you do.  Last night, we had some friends for dinner & we tried grilling artichokes for the 3rd time.  The 1st time we tried to make this dish, I burned them too much.  The 2nd time, they weren’t done enough.  Last night, we pretty much hit the nail on the head – they turned out quite nicely. 

I’ve had the same experience with cooking roast beef – except its been a MUCH longer learning curve.  I’m embarrased to admit how many years its taken to get it where we like it and I’m on the cusp of getting baked chix about right (too dry or not cooked enough).  Did you ever hear about my coconut cream pie disasters?  Let’s leave that for a day when we all need a good laugh.

Anyways, my point is that you shouldn’t quit if you don’t get something right the 1st time, or the 2nd time, 3rd, etc.  Generally, good things are accomplished through perseverance – try my roast beef, butterscotch pie, tres leches cake & I’m still working to get a monte cristo into a form that’s desireable & tasty.

To conclude, please let me give a general thanks to Travis & Keith who let me call them with cooking questions.  My family says “thanks” for helping us eat better! 😉

shout out

Ok, I feel the need for some interactivity.  What are some books / authors that have been very influential in helping you grow with Jesus?  Hopefully, the Bible is in the top ten.  🙂

Here’s a list for me, in no particular order: Richard Foster, RT Kendall, Madame Guyon, E. Stanley Jones, John Stott, G. Campbell Morgan, Thomas Kelly, Roy Hession, . . . .  When I think of some more, I’ll come back w a comment, but that’s a pretty good start.

Who have you enjoyed reading, or who has challenged your growth in God?

simplicity

This summer, we’re trying to save money (along w everyone else) & one way that we’re doing this is by opening windows at various times in the day & running the air conditioning less – translated, not at all.  Personally, I really like this plan.  My body doesn’t have to adjust to various temps throughout the day – it just regulates to the constant.  We’ll see how long this lasts (today is supposed to be 98degrees).  Nevertheless, I like the fresh air, I like hearing the birds, I like hearing my kids playing outside, I like smelling the trees & flowers, etc. 

May your life be filled with the clarity that comes from simplicity.  Remember to turn to Jesus.  🙂

a wed night secret

I’m sure there’s a more savy way to do this (like some link, gidget, widget, patch, lambano switch, . . . . ) that someone will educate me on, soon, but please read sean brage’s blog .  Then come tonight for something possibly in the high octane (not octive) range – we want need God.

trust

I’ve been thinking about trust this morning and I think that it is unfortunate that we sometimes equate trust with understanding.  I have a basic understanding that an electrical current coming from a power plant flows through a wire that leads to the lamp next to me, so that when I turn the switch to “on”, the electricity goes into the filament in the light bulb to provide light.  This is a pretty simplistic, cut & dry relationship between an inanimate object and me with the small possibility that it won’t work (in which case I would simply replace the light bulb and behave as I always have). 

Trust is a different issue when it comes to people and an even greater “adventure” when it comes to God.  Everyone has trusted someone only to be disappointed – or the other way around too.  When people disappoint us (or we disappoint others), we seem to be able to accept the disappointment “better” if we can “understand” the motivations and actions that are behind the disappointment.  When we take this principle of understanding & try to project that to God – well, all I can say is best of luck.  Asking a finite being to understand someone infinite is silly, at best. 

So really, trust is often based on understanding.  We trust people whom we understand (often with our mind), but trusting God requires us to understand with our hearts (maybe its better to say “accept”).  I trust God with my future (understand Him with my heart, accepting His Word) when He says in Jer 29:11, “I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper you, give you hope & a future . . . . ”  I trust God with my life when He says in Rom 8:28, that He causes “all things to work together for good to those who love Him & who are called according to His purposes.” 

Here’s a question to consider:  in a relationship, is the depth of authenticity proportional to the level of trust, ultimately affecting the level of intimacy?  What do you think?

Just some random thoughts this nice Wed morning.  🙂 

fun times!

Yesterday was a great family day!  My kids started swim lessons & even Benji was excited to jump in and have some lessons too.  Swimming is really important to me – I don’t expect my kids to be Olympians anytime soon, but I want them to be able to enjoy swimming and be proficient enough to swim without drowning.  So these lessons are important to Reece & I.  Two years ago, the swim lessons were pretty much worthless – I have higher hopes for this year.  🙂

After lessons, we went for a delightful lunch of pho & boba’s – God’s food love language to me is pho 75 w a medium #6 & and avacadoe boba.  YUM!  Our pho shop had its front window broken & the plasma tv stolen, so my kids immediately went into detective mode looking for clues as to who “stole the cookie from the cookie jar.”  😉  After pho, Isabell had a playdate w a friend and the boys & I planted our little garden.  They played w the neighbors while I studied greek.  It was an all around delightful day!  May God kiss your day today, as well. 

Ethiopia Update

So, we’re about 3 wks away from departure time & its time some more updates!  🙂

I’ve been talking to some pretty cool people about  coming with us – so we’ll see how it turns out.  Let me introduce you to Brenda Ballard – she’s a really sharp cookie.  She’s coordinating the logistics for our team & helping to keep us on on target with our goals.  🙂

Also, we have Mr Zach Hilbrich coming & I’m totally pumped to get to travel & minister w Zach.  Zach is cool because of his deep love for Jesus & people.  He’s really smart and extremely funny.  Zach will be helping with our univ ministry as well has helping with the kids programs and the medical things we’ll be doing.  Zach is cool!

I think you should come to Ethiopia with us. Its not too late!!  🙂

Give God another chance to turn your world upside down!