Anniversary

On Sunday, June 26^th, 2011, Kevin and I will celebrate our 1^st wedding anniversary. As I look back at “us” and our year, I can’t help but think about what a dear friend once told me—“God generally only lets us see a few steps ahead, that way we don’t get overwhelmed.”

This year has been a bit overwhelming, to put it mildly. We got married in June, moved to our new house in Florida in July, and found out in September that Kevin’s job (aka- our primary income source) would be going away in a year. So besides the regular newlywed adjustment year, we have dealt with job stress, moving to a new place, and even a health issue or two.

So here we are one year later, and the only thing I can say is that I know God will be faithful. All I need for proof is to look back at our story.

Kevin and I had been friends for ten years (A DECADE) before we even started dating. And while it may have been nice to get together sooner, I can honestly say that I needed that time. I needed the time to be single and the years of dating the wrong people for me to fully appreciate what God has given me in Kevin. I can’t think of anyone else who is more perfectly suited to be my husband. He lets me be me and loves me for it. He is patient. He is fun. He helps me keep perspective. His faith strengthens mine when it’s waning. He is my biggest encourager. He even helps out around the house and does dishes!! He never fusses at me, even when I deserve it—he just calmly talks to me. I would have taken all of his wonderfulness for granted had we married years ago. You see, God knew.

As we face the future with a lackluster job market and two mortgages (yes, the condo in Winston is still for sale), I can only see a couple of steps ahead. I have no idea where we will be by this time next year—or even two months from now, but I DO KNOW who I’ll be with—my very best friend. And you know what? Between knowing that, and knowing God’s got our future in His hands—I’ll celebrate on Sunday with a thankful and peaceful heart.

New Things

Our church recently started a new sermon series called "Frontiers Everywhere." This commercial was the inspiration for the series. If you are like me, you haven't ever heard of John Fetterman or Braddock, PA before. I first heard of them last Sunday at church. This story is truly inspiring.

Here is just a sample of the story--if you want to know more, there are lots of news stories on YouTube.



This town and this man are pictures of what can happen when people come together to bring life out of something dead. And the thing is--God's been doing this forever.

I think one reason it has gotten to me so much is that recently I have been hit with the realization of just how far God will go sometimes to show us that He is Sovereign and that He loves us beyond what we can imagine.

How many times have you known someone to say that things had to be at their very worst before they finally turned to God for help? I don't think that surprises God. I think He is just glad that we finally get out of the way and let Him knock our socks off.

Don't misunderstand me, I don't think God delights in our suffering at all. I just think he looks at it in a different way than we do. We finally take our mess to Him, He looks at it and says, "That? That's easy. " Then He takes it and gives us back something brand new and better than we ever imagined.

I know it happened to me. I had to let go of some things in my life-- some dreams, some people-- because God very clearly said that I couldn't have them anymore. It's hard when it feels like God is taking away something you love so much and seems so good. I was angry for a long time and fell into both a chemical and spiritual depression.

Even now, I can't pinpoint what the turning point was that brought newness into my seemingly dead life. What I do know, is that MANY people cared enough to sew seeds of love and hope into me that are blooming into something beautiful.

You know what I think? I think the commercial is right. The world may sometimes break on purpose to show that God is big enough to fix it. Because He WILL fix it. That's what He's all about--loving and making beautiful things. And the amazing thing is that He lets us come along to help.






To be continued... :)

why clumsy cartwheels?

Well, because clumsy cartwheels are a metaphor for my life.

Growing up I took gymnastics for a few years. I loved it, but alas, I was never very good. I would sit and watch as the other girls would run and flip with straight legs and pointed toes--graceful perfection wrapped in nine-year-old bodies. Me, on the other hand? Well, I would take off running and then...start to over-think. "Should I go now?" "Am I going fast enough?" "Which foot to take off from?" "Remember to point my toes." In the end, my cartwheels would be a rather sloppy mess.

But you know what? I loved cartwheeling. Taking off running as fast as you can. The feeling of your feet leaving the ground and inertia taking over. The point of no return once you start putting your hands toward the ground. Watching the room spin upside down and back again in the blink of an eye. Landing safely (albeit ugly-looking) on your own two feet with a face red from the effort.

In gymnastics--I knew what I was capable of doing. I had a teacher who had helped me practice. In fact, sometimes I could even do a perfect cartwheel. Oh the feeling! It was--well, pretty much the same as a clumsy cartwheel--it just looked better to the observer.


Sometimes it feels like my days are simply more clumsy cartwheels one right after the other. I get these ideas in my head of what I should be doing (be it for the day or for a bigger "life project"). I will start out all gung-ho, running and excited until I start to think about all of the things that could go wrong, obstacles that might arise, or my own inadequacies. Often, I will abort my mission when these thoughts become too much.


Some days my cartwheels are perfect, most of the time, not. But here's the thing I'm learning...even if it's not perfectly executed, life is a whole lot more exciting if I just go for it.

Clumsy or not--cartwheels are fun.