New Phone

Those who know me well know I love all new gadegets. It is my weakness.

I saw this today:

 

http://www.pomegranatephone.com/

 

I am saving every penny I have so I can get it when it is released.

 

Transition is difficult

I don’t think humans were meant to live in long periods of transition. As people, we like to plan, to know what to expect in the future. We find comfort in routines. It starts as soon as we are born. We know that infants do better with routines- their brains develop more efficiently when they know what to expect. 

Right now I am in transition in all areas of my life. At work, a new program is opening this summer. At home, we are getting ready to add another family member, become parents, to change the way we relate as husband and wife. Spiritually I am finding myself challenged and stretching. 

Transition is uncomfortable. Any type of growth typically is.  Yet, I am feeling a peace about it all.  I know that life is changing, but I believe it will all be for the better. 

How have you changed recently?

 

New Favorite Quote

“ Psychotherapy is a ritual in which people begin to slow down enough to begin to catch up with themselves in the presence of someone who will neither invade them nor abandon them and they begin to learn neither to invade nor abandon themselves”

- James Finley

 

Because everybody needs a laugh now and then

 

 

Random Fact # 42

Over the past several weeks, I have been cleaning out closets, purging through junk, re-organizing shelves etc in an effort to get ready for Baby F.  Part of this effort included packing up all of my psychology and counseling books and taking them to work. So as I shifted books and bookcases around this past weekend, I had a chance to go through my books and review all of my favorites. 

Random fact # 42 about me – I have an odd collection of books. If you looked on my bookcases, you would find every author from the Dalai Lama to Dave Ramsey. Tittles from The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Case for the Existence of the Soul to all 7 of the Harry Potter books.  Seriously.  My husband does not get it, but I love my books. In some strange way, they are part of me.  Or at least, they highlight part of me, my thoughts, beliefs, and hopes in the text. 

While I am on the topic of books, can I tell you some of my favorite authors? 

Henri Nouwen is incredible and has great insight into humanity and spirituality.

Irvin Yalom  is a psychotherapist and I love nearly everything he writes. One of my dreams is to hear him speak one day.

Charles Swindoll, Max Lucado and Philip Yancey are all good.  Particularly Philip Yancey.

                                                                                          

His book Prayer Does It Make Any Difference?  is a book that I have to read in small portions, line by line at times, to digest all of the information. 

Philip Baker is a pastor at my previous church in Australia. He is an excellent communicator. One of my favorite books he wrote is A Wiseheart. It is not a topic we hear about every day. It is a book worth reading.

Readers are leaders.  Who are your favorite authors?

 

What is your story?

I shared my story at church last week. In front of a lot of people. I was really nervous, but I was really glad I did it. 

A few days ago, we met over dinner with another friend that is adopting. We each shared what lead us to this decision. Shala said, “Everyone’s story about how they came to adoption is different. Even families from the same city that are traveling to the same country to adopt can have completely different stories.”

Throughout the week, I have been thinking about the idea of  stories. Everyone has one. I once heard it said, “God created man because He loves stories.” That’s the truth isn’t it? Just look at the Bible – Adam and Eve, Moses, Ruth, Esther, David and Goliath, Solomon, John the Baptist, the Apostles, and then of course, Jesus. 

As kids, we love stories. Fiction or real-life, we find aspects of the story that we can relate to. Draw courage from. Draw hope from.  We use stories to teach life lessons and to bring comfort. 

Perhaps we should tell our stories so that others can see what God has done in us and for us. Because maybe they will find hope that if you could_____________________(please feel free to fill in the blank here: change, find happiness, find hope, live life differently) then maybe they can also.

As for me, I am figuring out that I have many stories. My current situation is really only chapter 1 or 2 of what I think will be a pretty incredible story. So stay tuned.

 What is your story? More importantly, do you share it?

 

We are Adopting!

We are very excited to announce that we are adopting! We are beyond excited! Here are a few basic details:

-We are adopting from Jeremys tribe

-We are open to either a boy or a girl

-We do not know how long it will take That is everyone’s first question

 

You can read about it a little bit further and how we shared our news with our church in the post below or by clicking here

 

Purpose

Last week, we had dinner with our pastor to share a few exciting things with him. In the process, we started talking about how different life is today than it used to be. He called me a few days later and asked me to share my story at church. So I did:

When Pastor Steve called me last week and asked me to share my story about how purpose has played a role in my life, I just kind of laughed. When I was 15, my youth pastor asked me, “When you are 80 years old and look back on your life, what will you have to show for it? If you can indentify the people you have influenced and affected, then you will have lived a life worth living.” I took that to heart and that mindset has influenced many of the decisions in my life.

A few years ago, the standing joke was that I never went to church. My husband Jeremy was very involved in church – he was there every week. I made it maybe once a month. At the time, I was working for a social service agency and used my job as a convenient excuse. I told myself, “I don’t have to rush to be involved in church because my job is very demanding, and I have found purpose there, so I’m fine.” The problem was, without getting involved in the church, I had no reason to go.  So I didn’t. The few times I went were more out of obligation because it was the ‘right’ thing to do.

Once we started attending Passion, I wanted to do better than I had before.  I became convicted that having a job with purpose was not enough. So I got involved at church. I started working in the sound desk to run the screens and got involved in Fuel, our college and career group.  Something amazing happened – I discovered that I loved it. I began to look for creative ways for services to be better, I became very excited when services went well. I had become personally invested. No longer did I begrudge coming on Sundays, but rather looked forward to it as the highlight of my week. As I found a purpose and a reason for being here on Sundays, other things started happening too. I often left services feeling challenged to live life better -not because it was the right thing to do, but because my relationship with Christ was deepening and growing. Our marriage became stronger, and life long friendships have been made. Healing took place, and new dreams were set.

One thing that I am starting to figure out is that “Purpose” is a journey. God has been doing some work within myself and my husband over the past two years and preparing us for an exciting adventure. I’ve realized that not only am I called to have purpose at work and within the church, but at home as well. We are getting ready to adopting our first child. We are beyond excited. We feel like God is leading us in this new direction for a reason. We often wonder, “Who is this child that God is going to bring him/her into our lives?  That He would want us to parent them?” I know that I know that I know that this is God orchestrated. I am not sure what this will all look like in the end. What I do know is that living with a purpose in all areas of life is so much better than with none.

 

On a personal note, it was an honor to share our story this morning. A little intimidating and my voice was shaky the entire time, but truley an honor. I’m so grateful that people can see how God is working in my life and shaping me into what He has called me to be!

 

Happy New Year!

Happy 2009! Sorry for the lack of blogs lately. I have one in the works, check back in a few days!

 

VACATION & Merry Christmas

I am on vacation until Jan 5th! Woot Woot! I know I have been a little scarce on the blog lately, and this is why:

-Working for a non-profit agency around the holidays is a sure bet for chaos, busy-ness, and crisis. Add our current economic status in to the mix, and there are multiple situations wide with opportunities to help very needy families that are doing the best they can but still not able to do it on their own. 

-In the midst of working like a intern on wall-street, I have actually been doing a lot of personal growth. It can be painful but oh so exciting.  Whatever mental abilities I have at the end of my work days have been put towards reflections, growth and change. Let me say, I am exhausted

Simply put, I have not had the time or energy to do much else lately. However, I am now on vacation, so bring on Christmas!!

My family is coming to our house for Christmas and I can not wait! (Sidenote: This means 6 adults and three dogs in a teeny tiny house. Eekk!) We have a lot to celebrate this year. My brother and his girlfriend just got engaged a few weeks ago (Yea!), and it has been several years since we have been able to get together for Christmas. Like I said, lots to celebrate Yesterday at our staff Christmas party, someone asked what everyone was wanting for Christmas. I realized the presents will be nice, but being together will be priceless. I am expecting lots and lots of wonderful memories. 

I hope you have a Merry Christmas (yes, CHRISTMAS, not holiday) and that you have lots of wonderful memories too.