Greater things have yet to come...

The One-Year Plan

2011-05-15T10:47:00.001-04:00

Last year, I decided to start a "read-through-the-bible-in-a-year" plan. I have been wanting to do it for a long time, but I guess never thought I could do it, or something like that. So I signed up on biblegateway.com for a plan that would e-mail me every day the chapters I should read for that day: three chapters every day, and five on Sunday would get me through the bible in one year. I figured getting daily e-mails would help me stay on track and remind me every day to read my bible.
Last week, the plan came to a close...I did it!! I have officially read through the ENTIRE bible!! It was a little weird, because I started the plan in May, so I didn't start with Genesis and end with Revelation. I started with 1 Chronicles and ended with 2 Kings. But hey, it's done isn't it?!
Earlier in the year, my brother-in-law Christian also finished reading through the whole bible, and my sister-in-law Kelly asked him, "Well, what did you learn?" He said that he thought wisdom was obviously very important, and he said a few other things. So, I thought I would dedicate this time to tell you what I learned from reading through the bible. I'll take you through a few key things that I noticed.

1.) God is in control of everything - whether good or bad.

Daniel 4:35 - "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”"
Proverbs 24:12 - "If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?"

2.) Wisdom is indeed important.

Proverbs 2:6 - "For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
Proverbs 3:13-14 - "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold."
Ephesians 1:17 - "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

3.) Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Matthew 7:22-23 - "Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"
Matther 13:3-9 - “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Those are just a few of the many things I learned whilst on my journey through the bible. I will say that reading through the bible really did help me to better understand God's character, and really helped me to know that no matter what happens to me, God is in total control of it. He has a plan for everything. It's up to us to put our trust in God to carry us through whatever is going on, because He will be faithful and He is strong when we are not.
I also payed closer attention to the stories that most of us are familiar with (Noah's Ark, Jonah, Jesus' birth, etc.). There were times when I found myself going, "Wow, I never noticed THAT before!" Realizing that just taking those stories for granted is not enough. When you read it for yourself, the stories take on a whole new dimension that you may never have even knew.
If you haven't joined the "cover to cover club," I would encourage you to do so. It may seem daunting at first, but just a few chapters a day will get you there before you know it.
So what now?? As I was reading, I took not of a few books that I wanted to go back and read again to study more thoroughly. So that's what I'm doing. I am so thankful I was able to do this, and so thankful that God guided me through and helped me to understand His word.

A Lesson in Perseverance

2011-03-09T16:03:00.002-05:00

If you read my last post, you know that we recently lost our good friend Justin, who died suddenly back in February. Losing Justin was harder than I thought it would be. I am still in a state of disbelief, like, "this can't be real. How could this have happened?" I am a little less sad about his death every day, but I still think about him, and I miss him. Of course that is all part of the greiving process.
After Justin died, I started to feel something I had never felt before. Aside from the grief I was feeling, I started to feel "funny" about my relationship with God. The Sunday immediately after Justin's death, I didn't play or sing in church because it just felt funny. I didn't read my bible or pray for several days after it happened. It just felt funny. I felt funny singing words like "how great is our God," when, to be quite honest, I didn't agree with those words at the moment. Could I actually be angry at God? I thought to myself. I had never felt that before. I had spent the past year or so cultivating a relationship with God that was deep and meaninful and I was crazy in love with God. But now, I was feeling angry.
So I sat down with Evan and told him all of this. He agreed that feeling anger toward God is natural when something like this happens. And then my very wise husband told me something that I have heard, written about, and preached many times. "We may not know what God's plan is in all of this, and we may not like it or agree with it, but He is in control and His plan is perfect." He added, "This is the time when our faith is tested and when we persevere through the tough times, that's when we grow and mature in our faith." (Do I have a great husband or WHAT?)
Evan was completely and utterly right. He was practically quoting James chapter 1 which says:
² Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
...
¹² Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12 has become my "life verse" since Justin passed away. Little by little, I am trying to cope with the fact that although I may not like or agree with God's decision to take Justin, God IS in control. His ways are perfect. And the real test will be for me - if I can come out on the other side of this a stronger, and more mature follower of God. And what do I get? A crown of LIFE, that God has promised to me.
While I miss Justin a lot, and I am still very sad, ultimately, it is my devotion to God that counts the most. He is in control, and His plan is perfect. And, hopefully I will get to see Justin again when we are standing in God's great glory.

Justin, this one's for you...

2011-02-25T15:59:00.001-05:00

Early Thursday morning, a dear friend of ours was taken from this earth. Justin Panzanaro was Evan's best friend from high school, and was instant friends with me after Evan and I started dating. Justin and I were "birthday buddies" sharing the same birthday, only he was one year younger than me.
I had gone out to lunch with a friend from work. We were laughing, chatting and having a good time. When I returned to my desk, I saw that I had a missed call not only on my desk phone, but also on my cell phone from my husband. This shook me because Evan never calls me at work, and he really never calls my desk phone. The message didn't have any detail, only to call him back ASAP. I was immediately worried, because I knew it would be bad news, I just didn't know what to expect.
Once I got Evan on the phone, he announced that he had "terrible news." "What is it?" I implored. "Justin passed away last night." I was immediately in shock. I knew it would be bad news, but I NEVER expected to hear those words on the other line. I told Evan I was leaving work to come home...there was no way I was going to stay at work in the state I was in. So, I packed up and went home.
Evan and I hugged each other for what felt like hours. This can't be real. Why him? What happened? How can he be gone? All these thoughts were flying through our heads. Evan has just talked to Justin last week, and he was fine. Our world was shaken.
Learning of Justin's death put so many things in perspective. I went on Facebook and saw plenty of people complaining about this, that, or the other thing. None of it mattered to me. Oh, you're a little overweight? Oh, you're mad at your friend? Oh, you don't get along with your family? Well, you should consider yourself lucky because at least you're alive. Justin had big plans for his future. He was working on a bunch of different TV shows, and he was on the school board in Middlesex. And just like that, his fragile life was cut short. It really makes you think, "it could have been me." Death is never easy to deal with, but at least when it's someone older, or someone who is ill, you sort of expect death to come. With this, we are just in shock. Justin wasn't sick, he wasn't suicidal, he wasn't even old. And now he's gone. We didn't get to say goodbye, we didn't get to see him one last time...nothing. Life is too short and too fragile.
The one thing Evan and I are taking comfort in is the fact that a few years ago, Evan had a conversation with Justin about heaven, hell, God, etc. Justin asked if he was going to hell. So, Evan explained to him that unless he accepted Jesus into his life, then yes, he was going to hell. So, Evan and Justin prayed together and Justin prayed to accept Jesus into his life. I'm not sure whether that prayer was genuine, but it's really not up to me. I am taking comfort in the fact that Justin may be up in heaven right now, in a better place. All I know is that God had a plan. I may not like it, but God had a plan for Justin. And now it's over.

We will miss Justin very much. He was a wonderful person, and a great friend. Rest in peace Justin...we love you.

Justin Lewis Panzanaro, 26, passed away Thursday, February 24, 2011 at home. Born in Plainfield, he was a life-long resident of Middlesex. Justin graduated Middlesex High School in 2002 before attending the New York Film Academy in Manhattan. He began his filming career as an apprentice for Entertainment Partners in Manhattan. Before advancing to production assistant then most currently to the "grips," Justin was currently working on many new release films including "Departed" and "Michael Clayton."

Justin was a member of the Middlesex Borough Board of Education since 2010 and the Middlesex Elks Lodge 1488. He was very instrumental donating films and assisting with the Middlesex High School video class.

He was a devoted son, grandson, brother, nephew and friend to all who knew him and will be sadly missed.

This Blog Post is Brought to You By....

2011-02-09T16:00:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday, one of the greatest sporting events in the world occurred. Of course, I am talking about the Super Bowl. This year's Super Bowl brought the Pittsburgh Steelers together with the Green Bay Packers - each winning 6 and 3 Super Bowls, respectively. I love the Super Bowl. No matter who is playing, I always root for one of the teams, even if I'm not particularly a fan of either of them. This time, I was rooting for the Packers, and thankfully they beat the Steelers 31-25!
One thing I always notice in football games, is that sometimes when a player does something good - scores a touchdown, makes an important tackle, gets a stop on 3rd down, etc. - that player will point and/or look up towards the sky. Like this:

More often than not, the reason they are doing this is to give credit to God. While the crowd is busy cheering for the great play, it's their way of subtly acknowledging that God has helped them score that TD, or make that stop. I like it when players do this. It makes me smile every time. They might be in the middle of the most important game of their life, and they still take the time to give credit to God. (Of course there are some players who just do it to make a spectacle, and they don't actually intend to give any credit to God, but we won't get into that now).
The guy in the picture is, of course, Kurt Warner. Kurt, along with many other NFL players, is known to be a firm believer in Jesus Christ. In fact, he and his wife Brenda made a video series with Chip Ingram called "Marriage: Built to Last" to be used by church small groups. Kurt does a lot to demonstate his love for the Lord, from numerous volunteer activities, to adopting children of his own. Kurt is the real deal, and he doesn't try to hide it. It is for that reason, he is mine and Evan's favorite player (he's retired now, though).
But my point is not about Kurt Warner, my point is this: how often to we "give credit to God" when something good happens in our life? How often do we give credit to God no matter what is happening in our life? Most of us like to receive praise for doing something good. We like to be recognized for our good deeds. Some companies even have reward or incentive systems where you are publically recognized for something good that you have done. It's ok to get recognition for what we've done, but we can't forget that the only reason we did anything was because of God. The credit must go to Him and Him alone.
One of my favorite songs by the O.C Supertones is "Jury Duty." It talks about this horrible day that the lead singer had going to jury duty, getting stuck in traffic, forgetting people's birthdays, arguing with his wife, etc. But the chorus is what makes it great. He says this: "Every single moment whether sleeping or awake is your creation. What you made is good. I don't always thank you for the rough days and the hard times in my life, even though I should." (You can watch the music video here)
Now while it might look silly for us to point towards the sky every time we want to give props to God, just remember to give credit where credit is due. The truth is, every breath we take is from God, so we should always remember to thank him not just for the good things that happen, but the not-so-good things too.

Headin' to Texas Y'all!!

2011-01-10T16:58:00.003-05:00

My sweet nephew Michael is turning 1-year-old this month, and to celebrate, Evan and I are flying down to Texas on Thursday to be with him, Christian and Kelly. (I wish you could "tag" people in a blog post, but alas....). We were supposed to leave on Wednesday, but due to some epic winter weather, our flight got cancelled :(

I am so excited to see them. We miss them a lot. This will be our first time in Texas, so we really don't know what to expect. My sister-in-law assures me that we will have a good time, so I trust that we will! I can't wait to see them and give Michael lots of hugs and kisses.

Plus, how can you not love this sweet face?

2011-01-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

2010-12-25T07:00:00.002-05:00

Gets me every time...

2010-12-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is all the Christmas specials that come on (Rudolph, The Grinch, Frosty, etc.) I do my best to catch all of them when they are on, and they bring back such good memories of my childhood, and nine times out of ten they always make me cry. Not because I'm sad, but nostalgia always gets to me.

But the one that gets me the most is "A Charlie Brown Christmas". It's my favorite of all the Christmas shows, and it makes me cry every time. Why? This right here:

It's the only Christmas special that tells the true meaning of Christmas, and that is Jesus Christ being born into the world. In fact, I read somewhere that when it was created back in 1965, it almost didn't air because producers were afraid of the controversy the message might cause. According to IMDb.com: "Bill Melendez tried to talk Charles M. Schulz out of using Biblical references (especially Linus's speech) in this special. Schulz reportedly won him over by saying, "If we don't do it, who will?" As it turned out, Linus' recitation was hailed as one of the most powerful moments in the highly acclaimed special."
And that, friends and family, is why the Charlie Brown Christmas special makes me cry...every year.

Merry Christmas!

Reflections on 2010

2010-12-20T17:00:00.002-05:00

I think I probably say this every year, but this year absolutely flew by. I feel like I just took a deep breath, and just like that, the year is coming to an end in only a few short days. It just goes to show you that you have to make every moment count because before you know it, it's gone.
And so, that being said, I'd like to recap some of my favorite moments of the year 2010.

In no particular order, they are:
1) My nephew Michael being born.
My sister-in-law and brother-in-law went through a lot before they finally got pregnant with Michael. Heck, they were told they couldn't even get pregnant in the first place! When he finally came, the whole family was overjoyed. Kelly looked so radiant during her last month of pregancy, and I was so proud to finally be an aunt of possibly the cutest baby I have ever seen.

2) Becoming a First Responder.
My job offered me the opportunity to become a first responder at the office. Of course I accepted. Growing up with a mom who is a nurse - it's just naturally in my blood. The course was great. And even doubly so because I am able to use my skills in other places besides work. I even initiated a first aid/CPR course to be taught at my church for all the leaders in children and youth ministry! Luckily, I haven't yet seen anything to gross for me to handle, but at least I'll know what to do if that day ever comes.

3) Soup Suppers
This was the year I finally got to showcase my cream of turkey soup. (Want the recipe? Here you go.) People went crazy for it! They started begging me to make it week after week. Thankfully it's relatively easy and cheap to make!

4) 30 Hour Famine

I love the 30 Hour Famine. This year, I set out to make it my "baby." I let the other youth leaders know that I would take charge and organize everything. It was a total success, and the students loved it too. The Famine really puts things into perspective and really makes you appreciate simple things like food, water, and clothing. This year, we made it not only eye-opening as far as world hunger goes, but also on the spiritual level. We stepped it up a bit and made the worship very intentional, and even had a separate prayer room for those students who were interested. It was great, and I can't wait 'till next year's Famine!

5) Celebrating 5 years of marriage with Evan.
Words cannot express just how much I love Evan. He is my soulmate. Being married for five years has taught me so much, and I cannot think of anyone else I would have rather spent the rest of my life with.

6) Getting to actually meet Michael.

Like I said, I was so excited to finally be an aunt (I don't know why, but I've always wanted to be an aunt)! It was even better when I got to hold my nephew for the first time, and kiss him and hug him and love him! He was so cute, and I had the best time with Kelly and Christian. I miss them so much!

7) The 84th(?) Fleisher Family Reunion

It may surprise some of you to see this on the list, because most of the time, I dread the family reunion. Not because I don't enjoy seeing my family, but because if I don't go, I will hear about it from my aunt until the next one. This year's family party was at my aunt and uncle's house in Flemigton so it was nice and close. We had a really good time. They have a pool, so of course I had to go in. And the whole time, I was playing with my little cousin Savannah, and she kept calling me "best friend." It was great. I got to see relatives I haven't seen in ages, and it was just a great time all around. (Here's us chatting with Grandma Fleisher, Brad & Tina and my cousins).

8) Meeting the O.C. Supertones
For those of you who don't know the Supertones...what's wrong with you?? Just kidding. They are one of my favorite bands of all time, and this year at RevGen, they were playing, and I got to meet them. It was out of control. (The picture is a little blurry because there was a lot of dust in the air).

9) First Giant's game at the new stadium.
I always go to the Giants home opener at the start of football season. This year, we had a new home in the form of a huge new stadium. It was beautiful. Not only that, but we had different seats as well. In the old stadium, we were in section 306, up in the nosebleeds. Now, we are in section 126 (or something), which is field level. Right behind the end zone. Awesome.

10) Corn Maze trip at Etsch Farms

This was something I was looking forward to all year. We found this place online, and their corn maze was epic. It's shaped like Mount Rushmore, so you try to find your way through the president's heads. It was really cool. We didn't have a huge group of students, so it was nice for us considering the only two leaders were me and Karl! This was a lot of fun.

11) Thanksgiving

Duh. I made the biggest turkey I've ever made this year: 20 pounds (for 6 people!). Everything was delicious, and I really enjoyed having my family at our house for dinner. It's no wonder it's my favorite holiday!!

12) IEEE Holiday Party

I am on the party planning team where I work, and man oh man did we throw a spectacular party this year. We held it at a restaurant in Edison called "LouCas" (if you've never been, I highly recommend it). But, during the lunch, we also had a murder mystery team builder going on. We played a real-life game of Clue, and the actors we hired were amazing. They were so funny and we were literally crying with laughter. I didn't hear one complaint from anyone and everyone was smiling at the end. It was a great way to kick off the holiday season. I just don't know how we're going to top it next year!!

2010 has been a great year. I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store!!

Happy Belated Birthday to a Dear Friend

2010-12-17T14:52:00.000-05:00

December 14th was my Uncle Walt's birthday. I say "was" because he passed away back in 2008. I also should clarify that he is not my actual uncle, but rather just a very good friend of our family (see this blog post about Aunt Gail - Uncle Walt's wife).
Uncle Walt was such an inspiration to me. He struggled much of his life with cancer. He would go back and forth between beating it, to it beating him, but always managed to keep a smile on his face throughout. He also gave the best hugs IN THE WORLD. If you were ever feeling down about anything, a hug from Uncle Walt would cure it in a second. But the real reason Uncle Walt was such an inspiration was his genuine and absolute love for the Lord. Even though he was battling cancer, and he was sick most of the time, he knew that God was in control, and that there was nothing he needed to worry about because ultimately he was in God's hands. Of course Aunt Gail went through many struggles herself caring for her husband. She was under a lot of stress, but she too kept God at the forefront and took comfort in the fact that Uncle Walt's illness was part of God's plan and that there was greater meaning in all of it.
Hanging in my cubicle, I have a Christmas card from Uncle Walt and Aunt Gail that on the front has a picture of them standing by their car around a license plate that says "LET US GO." This always made me laugh, until I found out why their license plate says that. On the inside of the card, there is a poem written by Aunt Gail that has a different word for "go" to represent each town that each of their family or friends live in.
Like this:
Announce it in Alloway
Bring it to Bellbrook
Carol it in Center Valley
Declare it in Dunellen
Extol it in Enon
Focus on it in Fort Pierce
Go, tell it on the mountain and in Galax
Honor it in Hampton
Inform everyone in Indianapolis
Justify it in Jacksonville
Know it in Kettering
Laud it in Lakewood
Manifest it in Middlesex
Notify everyone in Newark
Orate it in Omaha
Proclaim it in Piscataway
Quote it in Queens
Rejoice in it in Richmond
Share it in Stewartsville
Tell it in Tulsa
Understand it in Union City
Verify it in Vista
Welcome it in Washington
Xerox it in Xian
Yodel it in Yellow Springs
Zip it along in Zanesville
Then, she closes with "Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, let us go and tell the Good News of a great joy...for to you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10a,11)

I love that! They had a town for every letter of the alphabet.

I miss Uncle Walt a lot, and sometimes get all misty-eyed when I think about him. But he has made a lasting impression on my life in that he has made me appreciate God's power and love. No matter what our circumstance, God is in control, even if we may not like it. And if God decides to take us home, we don't have to be afraid because we are going to spend eternity with Him in heaven! So, happy belated birthday Uncle Walt. I love you and miss you, and look forward to seeing you again one day in heaven.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #30

2010-11-30T15:41:00.023-05:00

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” - Revelation 1:8

I can't believe NaBloPoMo has come to an end! It went by so fast! I have really enjoyed sharing some of my favorite verses and passages with you. Of course there are many more I could share, and perhaps I will in the coming days!
I thought it would only be fitting for the last verse of the month to be from Revelation - the last book of the bible. And I thought it would be even more fitting that the verse be something that came straight from the mouth of God. I just love the absolute power in this verse. Alpha and Omega means beginning and end. It's like saying "A to Z." God, who is, who was and who is to come, the ALMIGHTY. What power in that sentence!
As humans, it's hard for us to think of something that never had a beginning, and will never have an end. Everything we know starts somewhere and ends somewhere. But God always was, always is and always will be. Amazing! And yet this same Almighty God is the same God who loves us more deeply than we could ever imagine. He is more compassionate and caring than we will ever know. The God of absolute power is also the God of absolute love. I don't think there's anything more that needs to be said.
Just read this verse over and over to yourself and reflect on God's power, but also his love for you. And all God's people said, "AMEN!"

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #29

2010-11-29T15:40:00.002-05:00

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:12-14

I am actually cheating here, because this is actually one of Evan's favorite passages. But I'm sneaking it in here because it makes me think of Evan, what with all the running analogies and all.
One of the most important things any good runner will tell you is to never look behind you. By all means, use your peripheral vision to see what may be coming up beside you, but looking behind you is a runner's death. In the split second you are turned around, you could trip, you could veer off course, you could run into something or someone, another runner could pass you, etc. In order to finish the race strong, you keep looking forward at the road ahead until you cross that finish line.
That is exactly what Paul is referring to here. In the great race of life, we should not be looking back, but always ahead. Looking back can only lead to destruction. We need to press on toward the crown that is promised us in heaven if we are faithful to God and continue to follow him. I've heard a saying that goes, "It doesn't matter if you are crawling, limping, walking, running or sprinting, as long as you're moving forward." I think that is good advice for our Christian lives. The bible tells us to put off our old lives of sin, so we have no choice but to move forward.
We have not yet reached that finish line. The finish line comes when Jesus Christ comes back for us, or he calls us home - whichever comes first. But until then, let's keep pressing on, forging ahead, and focusing heavenward.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #28

2010-11-28T15:31:00.000-05:00

"That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:10

I have this verse highlighted in green in my bible, and I also have the word AMEN! written after it. The green means that this is a verse that represents growth and/or new life. I think that is very true for this verse. It's not easy for us to say that we actually delight in weakness, or any of those other things that Paul says. Most of us just hope that life will be a cake walk, everything will go our way, and nothing bad will ever happen to us. But that is definitely not reality. Especially in the life of a believer. In fact, as believers we will probably suffer even more hardship simply for the fact that we follow Jesus Christ. But Paul gives us encouragement here. We are supposed to delight in our weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties because when we are weak, then we are strong. No, it's not a contradictory of terms. Think about it, when we are weak, we are forced to rely on God to help us through, and through him we are strong! A few verses earlier, God says, "My power is made perfect in weakness." That is exactly why Paul says that he delights in weakness, because it is the time when we can allow God's perfect power to work in us. We may not like it when we are weak, but we have the hope that God's power is made perfect in our weakness. AMEN!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #27

2010-11-27T12:48:00.000-05:00

"But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." - 1 Corinthians 12:8

The "body" Paul is referring to here is not an actual physical body, but rather, the body of believers. Every person has a special place in the body. We are all one in body, but we all represent different parts. God gave us each special talents and abilities so that collectively, we can carry out the works that God has commissioned us to. Think about it, if all of us had the ability to be pastors, there would be no one to shepherd. If all of us had the ability to play guitar and sing, who would play all the other instruments in the world? At work, we have a saying that says, "None of us is as good as all of us." That means that none of us is as good on our own as we all are together. That works the same way for the body of Christ. We can't do it alone, so God has surrounded us with other believers who can help us on our way. And according to this verse, God has arranged us just the way he wants us. Like I have been saying all along, God's plan is perfect. I know a lot of us say things like, "I wish I could sing like her," or, "I wish I could preach like him," etc. But the truth is, God gave you specific and special talents and skills for a reason, and it's perfect! Maybe your talent is playing an instrument, maybe it is caring for children, maybe it is cooking, maybe it is hospitality, maybe it is writing. Whatever it is, it is special and perfect because that is exactly how God wanted you to be. No one can do everything, which is exactly how God wanted it. So I encourage you, whatever your talent or ability is, embrace it, thank God for it, and get out there and use it!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #26

2010-11-26T23:16:00.000-05:00

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." - 1 John 3:16

Seemingly everyone knows about John 3:16, probably the most famous verse in the bible, but not everyone knows about 1 John 3:16, which I think is just as good! It is very similar in nature to John 3:16, in that it talks about Jesus laying down his life for us, but it goes one step further to say that we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. Why? Because that is how we understand what love is. Is there anyone in this world you would be willing to die for? Your spouse, your kids, your friends? Anyone? I have heard often that parents would die for their children, but I don't hear much beyond that. You don't often hear someone willing to die for someone else, especially someone they've never met. But that is the challenge here. Our "brothers and sisters" are our fellow believers in Jesus Christ. John is telling us that in order to display true love, we ought to be willing to die for our brothers and sisters in Christ, just following the example that Christ set for us on the cross.
So, ask yourself now, who are you willing to lay down your life for?

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #25

2010-11-25T11:25:00.000-05:00

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." - Colossians 2:6-7

Seeing as how today is Thanksgiving, I thought I would take a moment to reflect on how thankful I am for all the things God has given me. I am so beyond blessed that I often take it for granted. I sometimes don't realize just how much God has blessed me with and how privileged I am. I am most thankful that God has shown me how I can have a deep and meaningful relationship with him (as it mentions in this passage), and that I can continue to grow in his love and in my faith. That is really the only thing I will ever need in my life. Everything else, I consider a "bonus." I have the most wonderful husband I could ever ask for, and I love him more every single day. I have a beautiful family who loves me, and I love each and every one of them. I am so thankful for their love and support. I am so thankful for my friends who have stood by me through thick and thin. I am so thankful for every single one of my students at youth group. They have brought so much joy to my life and I love watching them grow in their faith and in their walk with God.
There are so many other things I am thankful for: my house, my cats, my job, may car, etc. But I am most thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ and all of the many things he has done for me.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #24

2010-11-24T08:58:00.001-05:00

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." - Psalm 84:10

This is one of my favorite because it is the inspiration for one of my favorite songs, "Better is One Day." We used to sing it all the time back in the "Mindset" days, and we sing it often at church. Instead of giving an explanation, I will just let you listen to the song. The "video" is a little boring as it is just a shot of the cover of a Matt Redman album, but concentrate on the words and sing along if you know it!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #23

2010-11-23T14:29:00.000-05:00

"Jesus wept." - John 11:35

Known for being the shortest verse in the bible, I really like this one because it reminds me that Jesus had human emotions just like you and me. Jesus wept here because Lazarus had died. Lazarus was the brother of Martha and the Mary who poured perfume on Jesus' feet. When the sisters took Jesus to see where Lazarus was buried, Jesus wept when he saw him. This brings Jesus to a very human level because he was deepy saddened by the death of his friend Lazarus. And it doesn't just say "Jesus cried." It says he wept. When do we weep over something? Often it is over the death of a loved one. Sometimes when we've been hurt very badly, we weep. (Some of us even weep over really sad movies!) But here, Jesus is weeping over Lazarus. Then it says that the Jews who were with Jesus at that moment were amazed at his love for Lazarus. “See how he loved him!” they said.
I know that there are times Jesus weeps over us. When we lose our way and grow far apart from Jesus. He weeps over us until we return, to which he welcomes us back with open arms. Then he is weeping over us because he is so happy we have found our way back to him.
Jesus loves us so much that when something terrible happens to us, he weeps for us. Even though Jesus is on the same level as God, he was still a human being with human emotions. That way, Jesus is able to relate to the things that we are going through and is always there to help us out.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #22

2010-11-22T15:45:00.000-05:00

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

I always think of the two books of Timothy like a father writing to a son and instructing him on the ways he ought to live his life. These verses are great, and they are ones that I often use with my students at youth group. If there is ever any question as to whether or not God's word is true, these verses help to answer that. It says that ALL scripture is God-breathed, meaning that nothing was written without God's divine inspiration. As I think I mentioned in an earlier post, people are constantly trying to find fault with God's word, but they will ultimately fail because God is perfect. And since it says that the scripture is God-breathed, that means the bible is perfect too. There is no need to change around words, no need to add or take away from the text. It's perfect just the way it is. As some people say, "It is what it is."
Paul says to Timothy here, that since the word of God is perfect, it is also useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that we are thoroughly equipped for every good work. But as I said before, the way to equip yourselves properly is to read the bible for yourself. Read it over and over, pray over it, and ask God to reveal his truths to you. The more you learn about scripture, the more you will know how to detect false prophets and how to rebuke, correct and/or train them. You can also use your scripture knowledge to teach those who know very little about it. Of course, very few of us will ever be bible scholars, but God doesn't want to hide his truth from us. The more we get into the word, the more we will learn and know. Then we can help others to learn and grow as well.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #21

2010-11-21T13:16:00.000-05:00

"Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." - Psalm 150:1-6

This one goes out to every person who has ever complained about the music being "too loud" at church. (Just kidding...sort of). I particularly like this passage because it says to praise God with the flute, and being a flute player for over 17 years, this one is special to me.
I'm pretty sure that this is the only place where we get actual direction on how to praise God (don't quote me on that, there may be others). But the impression that I get is that when we are praising God, it's supposed to be LOUD! Look at the instruments the Psalmist mentions: trumpet, harp, lyre, tambourine, strings, flute, cymbals (twice!). There's also dancing in there. As we've talked about already, God is so awesome, that I can't think of a better way to praise him for who he is than with awesome loud music! Now, praise is a little different from worship, although often the terms are used interchangeably. Worship involves so much more than music. You can worship God silently, you can worship God by serving him, you worship by following what it says in the bible, etc. Praising God mostly involves music. We can also praise God by speaking, but it most often is correlated with music. For me, I am a very musical person. God has given me many musical gifts that I use to praise his name. I play the flute, I play the bass guitar, and I sing. It is the best way I know how to praise God because I am playing and singing for him and to him.
So, as I somewhat jokingly mentioned before, to all those who have ever complained that the music in church is too loud, or to much like a rock concert, I say, that is what it is supposed to sound like!! In fact, turn it up! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #20

2010-11-20T14:20:00.030-05:00

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." - John 17:20-23

Just the mere fact that Jesus prayed for us before he was taken to the cross is awesome enough. But look at what his prayer is for us. Above all, he wants us to be ONE! He wants that so that others will believe in Jesus Christ. Think about that, if every believer in the whole world lived as one the way Jesus prayed for, how could anyone NOT believe in Jesus Christ? If we all lived the way God calls us to live in the bible, and we all lived in complete unity, no one could ever say that God isn't real and that there is no such thing as Jesus Christ.
Now, I understand that living in complete unity scares some of you. It would be close to impossible to live in complete unity. There are so many divisions of churches, so many versions of the bible, so many different teachings, there are even divisions within families! How could Jesus have prayed such an unrealistic expectation of us? But look at what he says, "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one." If only we would spend our lives trying to give God the glory that we have been given, we would live in complete unity. The main reason there are so many divisions among us is because we spend too much time trying to give ourselves the glory, when God is the only one who deserves it. Think about what it would look like for you to give God the glory in everything you do. It doesn't sound easy, does it? But that is ultimately what we are called to do. If God gets all the glory, the divisions will fade away and we can live in complete unity because we are all obsessed with giving God the glory that is due to him.
Do you pray this prayer for your fellow believers? Is it your wish to live in complete unity with other Christians? It's hard, but how awesome it would be if Jesus' prayer for us was manifested in our lifetimes.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #19

2010-11-19T14:18:00.023-05:00

"And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”" - Revelation 4:3-8

Ok, I know this is kind of a long one, but it is just such an awesome picture. This is what John actually got to see while writing the book of Revelation. Go ahead and read it again, I'll wait.......isn't that just incredible? John was actually seeing God on his throne in heaven, and doing his best to describe what was going on and what he was seeing. Can you imagine if you saw this? This is probably the best picture we have of what we will see when we finally get to heaven. I try to picture this image every time I sit down to pray by myself. It gives me this incredible sense of reverence, and helps to put my prayers into perspective. Before I start rattling off this laundry list of things I need from God, I remember that THIS is the God I am praying to. You'd be amazed what this does to your prayer life.
I don't really want to say much else about this passage. It's just so amazing. I can't wait to see this when I get to heaven, and we will join with the creatures in singing "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!"

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #18

2010-11-18T09:41:00.001-05:00

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself." - Galatians 5:13-14

Take a minute and think about the magnitude of these two verses. Think about what it might look like to "serve one another humbly in love." Here, Paul says that we are called to be free (from the law, that is), but that we should not use that freedom to just do whatever we want, and so serve ourselves, but rather we should serve others. Think about that. We live in a world that says that we should look out for ourselves, we should be independent, we don't have to share our things, etc. But the bible says quite the opposite.
Imagine if everyone in the world really did love their neighbor as themselves, what the world would be like. That is why Paul says the entire law is fulfilled when we keep that one command. If everyone genuinely did love their neighbor, everything else would just fall beautifully into place. It sure would make it a lot easier to follow the rest of God's commands. It is indeed a challenge to love everyone, but think of how much more pleasant the world would be if we did.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #17

2010-11-17T09:52:00.044-05:00

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." - 1 Peter 3:15, 16

This verse should be at the top of everyone's list of favorites. It's like the Boy Scout motto for Christians :) Just as Boy Scouts should always be prepared for survival, we should always be prepared to share our faith, and why we believe what we believe. There's a catch though. We can't just go thumping people over the heads with our bibles until they believe in Jesus. We have to speak with gentleness and respect, and keeping a clear conscience. While I'm sure sometimes we might feel like thumping people over the heads, it's not the best idea. Why? So that no one can say anything bad about us. Think about it, when have you ever heard someone say something like, "Oh that Aubrey, I hate it when she is so gentle and respectful!" Probably never - it's just silly!
So how do we become prepared? Well, through reading the bible of course! Praying helps too. But don't just breeze right through the bible or rely on what you've been told about the bible. The secret to really reading and understanding the bible is to read it for yourself (and by yourself), without any preconceived notions about the text. We call this type of reading "exegetic" (derived from the word exegesis - which just means to interpret the text). The other type of reading is called "isogetic" which means that you project your preconceived notions onto the existing text. This is not the way to read the bible. Read the bible as though you've never heard it before, meditate on it, pray over it, and come up with your own conclusions. Don't just take people's word for it, don't rely on other sources. Read it for yourself. Ask God to write his word on your heart so that you can be prepared. And keep this verse close to your heart as you read.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #16

2010-11-16T14:04:00.012-05:00

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." - Hebrews 13:8

This verse really speaks for itself. It is one of my favorites because it reminds me that in this ever changing world that we live in (is that a song lyric?) that there is only one thing that remains constant and that is GOD. These days, it seems like things change by the second: technology, television, video games, the job market, healthcare, even people. People who you think are your friends could backstab you at any moment. People in your own family could turn their backs on you. People who you thought you could trust betray you. But we have a hope that when the world fails us, there is one who will never fail us: Jesus Christ. I think I have said this before, but there is a saying that says, "There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and there is nothing you can do to make him love you less." God loves you the same no matter what, and he loves you the same as he did yesterday, and five years ago, and fifty years from now.
As humans, it is hard for us to grasp the concept that God didn't have a beginning, and he will not have an end. Everything that we know has a beginning and an end. God just always was. And the best part about that is that he was the same before the world was even created, and he is still the same today, and he will still be the same hundreds and thousands of years from now. The God who never changes, created us a world that constantly changes so that we could rely on him to be the only thing that is true and constant in our lives. Praise God!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #15

2010-11-15T09:24:00.000-05:00

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." - Ephesians 6:10

My youth group students will know why this is one of my favorite verses. This is the "theme verse" to our Sunday night youth group, which we aptly named "610." I love that we picked this verse as our theme because it is such a great reminder of God's power.
So many of our students are going through struggles in their lives. In fact, probably every single one of our students is struggling with something. When we remind them that God is sovereign and that he has more power than any of us can ever imagine, and that he is in total control of whatever is going on in their lives, it gives them hope. They may not always understand it, but they know that there is a God who loves them deeply and has them in his mighty hand. Whatever we are going through, we have the strength through God to overcome it.
So, here's to my 610 students...you guys rock!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #14

2010-11-14T17:00:00.003-05:00

"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." - Romans 1:20

*I just realized that I posted this without writing anything about it!!*

This verse is awesome. This verse is basically saying that you have no excuse not to believe in God. God's power is demonstrated through things we experience, and so much so that you get to a point where you think there must be a God - how else could that have happened? And think about that imagery: "God's invisible qualities...have been clearly seen..." So even though we can't see God, we can see him. Amazing isn't it? God is at work through everything that we see every day.
So how can you believe in something that you can't see? There is a quote from a DC Talk song that goes something like this: "I've never seen the wind. I've seen the effects of the wind, but I've never seen the wind." That's how it is with God. We can't see God, but we see the effects of what he is doing. There are certain things in this world that just can't be explained, other than that something supernatural is going on. That's God.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #13

2010-11-13T17:00:00.002-05:00

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3:23-24

This was one of the very first verses I highlighted in my bible when I started reading on a regular basis. This verse keeps me motivated especially at work. Sometimes I drag myself to work, and the second I sit down at my desk, I am asking "Is it time to go home yet?" Sometimes things happen at work that get me really frustrated, or really down and it makes it harder to get through the day. Sometimes I have so much work to do, I have no clue how I will get it all done before quitting time. Sometimes, I just plain feel like quitting on the spot. When these things happen, I think of this passage. I have to remember that I am working for THE LORD not for man. Yes, I have a human boss whom I work for. But ultimately, I serve the Lord in whatever I do. At work, I receive bonuses and raises every year, and every now and then we will recieve little gifts here and there. But what I am ultimately "working" for is that inheritance from the Lord. The fact that I get to spend eternity with him in heaven is worth whatever I am going through down here on earth. So on those days when I just don't feel like working, or my work is making me frustrated, I remember this passage and remember that it will all be worth it one day when I finally see His face. Amen.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #12

2010-11-12T13:56:00.028-05:00

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." - 1 Peter 3:3-4

In my old bible, I have this verse underlined with the word "Wow!" written next to the words "unfading beauty." 1 Peter 3 is one of those "wives submit to your husbands" passages, but these verses are so amazing, and I just love them. How many of us women are concerned with how we look every day? I confess that I have spent mornings just staring into my closet because I can't decide what I want to wear. I don't have a lot of jewelry, but the pieces that I have are very special to me, and I wear them often. And I don't know that I've ever worn an "elaborate hairstyle," but I have sure seen other women do it!
When I came across this verse, it put all of this into perspective (the bible has a knack for doing that!). I should not really care so much about what I look like on the outside, but that my inside is beautiful. I have met plenty of people who are beautiful on the outside, but inside they are very ugly. It's almost a shame when you meet someone like that because their outsides don't match their insides. Sometimes, I am like that, and I hate it. I try to think about this verse when I am doing something that makes my insides clash with my outside.
My favorite part of these verses is that it says a gentle and quiet spirit is of "great worth in God's sight." That is so amazing. God doesn't care what we look like on the outside, because after all, he made us in his image, so he knows it's perfect! God cares about our insides - our gentle and quiet spirits. Awesome.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #11

2010-11-11T14:30:00.002-05:00

"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." - 1 Timothy 4:12

This is a favorite among us youth leaders because we are constantly reinforcing this with our students. I also take this verse very personally because I am always thinking that people do look down on me because I am so young. I have always been mature for my age, and I am always trying to prove to people that I can hang with the grownups just as much as I can hang with the kids.
This verse really encourages me, and helps me to stay focused on my mission. The second part is really the most important part - "set and example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." As a youth leader, setting a good example is critical. We have to practice what we preach, because otherwise our entire ministry could be rendered useless.
So, to all you young'uns out there, make this verse your mantra. Keep it close to your heart, just as I do.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #10

2010-11-10T17:22:00.000-05:00

"All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”" - Daniel 4:35

Awesome words spoken by King Nebuchadnezzar. I came across this verse while I was going my "read through the bible in a year" plan, and I was reading through Daniel. Daniel is one of Evan's favorite books of the bible, so I paid careful attention while I was reading so I could figure out why.
Read the verse again. Really think about what it says. To give you a little background, Nebuchadnezzar had just been thinking to himself how great he was, because he had built the city of Babylon for his own glory. That was when God spoke directly to him and basically said, "now you see it, now you don't." God took everything away from him. All his riches, his authority, and his entire kingdom was taken away in one fell swoop, and God made him go eat like the oxen, and he became like a beast. After that was all over, Nebuchadnezzar spoke these wise words because he finally understood the fullness of God's power. God is in control of everything. There is nothing anyone on earth can do to hold back his hand, or to try and convince him that his plan is not the best plan. There is nothing anyone can say to make God change his mind. Not even if all the people in all the world got together and said, "God we really don't agree with [fill in the blank]." God would say, "That's nice, but it's still my Word, and it's not changing."
It's true that God does things that we may not agree with, or that we may not even like, but it's GOD! He is in total control, and no one can hold back his hand. I absolutely love this verse.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #9

2010-11-09T13:00:00.003-05:00

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God." - Psalm 42:1

This is such a simple passage, but definitely one of my favorites because of the image it conjures up. I don't think I've ever seen a deer panting, but I have seen a dog panting - it's a hot day, he's been running around the yard playing, and he's so thirsty, his tongue is hanging out of his mouth and he can hardly catch his breath. I imagine it is a similar scenario with a deer.
When a deer is so thirsty that he (or she) is panting, that deer will stop at nothing until he finds a source of water. Nothing in the world is more important than getting that drink of water.
I always think about that image when I hear this verse. The same way that a deer will stop at nothing to get that drink of water, so our souls should stop at nothing until we get that Living Water that is God. God is the only thing that will quench our spiritual thirst, and He does that through His word, and through our prayers. This verse is almost like my personal "mission statement." This is the way that I constantly want to live - panting for God's Living Water. I confess that sometimes I don't always live that way, but I try to keep focused and remember that no matter what, God is everything that I will ever need.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #8

2010-11-08T13:00:00.000-05:00

"The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." - Psalm 23:1-4

This passage is most commonly known as the "funeral Psalm" as it is often read at funerals. But as I was doing my bible reading one day, and I came to this passage, I really just stopped and carefully read it, and just fell in love with it. It paints a beautful picture of how God is always by our side protecting us. I love how it says "he refreshes my soul," and that it says "I lack nothing." That is so beautiful. God is the only thing I will ever need, because with Him I lack nothing. This passage also reminds me that there is nothing I need to fear because God is always with me.
These verses inspired one of my favorite songs by Matt Redman called "You Never Let Go." Listen to the song, and really meditate on the words. It is a great reminder that no matter what is going on in our lives, that God never lets go, and he is always with us.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #7

2010-11-07T12:08:00.000-05:00

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:9

This verse comes right after my favorite passage from yesterday, but it too is really great (I think I've said that almost every time now.) This verse gives me a lot of comfort when I really stop and think about it. It reminds me that God's thoughts are always higher than my thoughts so, although I may not understand what God's plan is, I know that he has it under control. He knows what he's doing...I mean, this is GOD we are talking about! The truth is, we can never fully understand God's thoughts. We often want to know what the plan is for our life. But our plan is probably and likely not the same as God's plan. We might not understand it, we might not even like it or agree with it, but we should remember that God's way is the best way (to steal a quote from Veggie Tales).

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #6

2010-11-06T13:32:00.000-04:00

"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." - Isaiah 55:6-7

This little passage brings me way back to my old Sunday School days at Terrill Road Bible Chapel, singing songs with my Uncle Gus playing guitar. He had written a song that took the New King James version of this passage and put music to it! It was always one of my favorite songs to sing in Sunday School. In fact, Terrill Road used to have "Youth Music Nights" where the youth of the church could show off their talents, musical and otherwise. So one year, my cousin Taylor and I sang this song together with Uncle Gus on guitar. Everyone just loved it, because as cousins, our voices blended quite nicely together.
Aside from it being a great song, it is also a great passage! It promises that the Lord will have mercy on the sinners (that's us) and will freely pardon us from our sins. The NKJV says "abundantly pardon." How great is that?! This passage is a great encouragement to those who do not yet know Jesus, or who are lost in their sin. He will welcome you in with open arms and will abundantly pardon you from your sins!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #5

2010-11-05T12:06:00.000-04:00

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

I don't think 2 Corinthians gets as much "play" as it's counterpart 1 Corinthians, but if you dig in, 2 Cor. is packed full of great stuff! This passage is definitely one of my favorites. It helps to keep me focused on eternity, rather than on the present life. It helps me remember that whatever I am going through - whether good or bad - it is only temporary. Whatever we are going through in our lives, it will all be worth it when we finally get to see God face to face in all His glory in heaven.

What a promise that inwardly we are being renewed every day! Every day we wake up, we are a new creation inside. I know that probably most of us do not like the way our bodies look on the outside, but this passage encourages the fact that it is only temporary. We are wasting away outside, but inside, we will live for eternity with God!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #4

2010-11-04T11:25:00.002-04:00

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

I love, love, love these verses. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING that can separate us from the love of God. God's love is accessible to us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, and 365 days a year. Now, those of you who know me really well know that this verse is special to me because it is part of an old Mindset song called "Praise." At one point in the song, my friend Karl would read this passage from Romans, and when he got to this verse, he would always start getting louder, and then at the very end, he would shout "AMEN!" It always put a smile on my face, and it still does today.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #3

2010-11-03T11:09:00.000-04:00

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:12

Keeping in step with the whole marriage thing from yesterday's post, this verse also means a lot to me in terms of my relationship with God and with Evan. Evan and I together are stronger than we are as individuals, and we are even stronger with God at the head of our relationship.

When Evan and I were preparing to get married, we faced a lot of opposition. Not necessarily from people, but there were a lot of snags in our preparations - we almost didn't even get to go on our honeymoon! It was clear that "someone" did NOT want us to get married because together, we were even stronger. Evan and I have grown so much in the 5 years that we have been married, all while keeping God at the center. It's not always easy, but it is always worth it to know that not only do we have each other, but we always have God.

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #2

2010-11-02T11:05:00.000-04:00

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. " - Proverbs 31:10-12

This passage is particularly special to me because Evan's cousin Linda read it to me on my wedding day. We shared some tears (happy ones!), and a hug, and later that day, I married Evan with that passage ringing in my ears.

I still think of this passage from time to time when I look back on my relationship with Evan, and I know I have stayed true to it. I love how it says that the husband "has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." How wonderful it is for your husband to have full confidence in you as a wife!

Now, if any of you know my husband, you know that he didn't exactly have an "easy" life. Things were often hard for him, and he struggled with many things. When I met him, he said that he was born with a broken heart. Well, I set out to mend that broken heart, and 9 years later, it is mended and then some. It is my job to bring "good, not harm," all the days of my life.

It really meant a lot to me when Linda read this to me, and it still means a lot to me today!

NaBloPoMo - Blog Post #1

2010-11-01T15:58:00.000-04:00

NaBloPoMo is short for "National Blog Posting Month," and November is the official month for it! I confess, I did not participate last year, but I am going to try my darndest to do it this year. So, without any further ado, here goes Blog Post #1!

I can't believe November is already here. There are 24 days left until Thanksgiving, and 54 days until Christmas. 2010 is flying by so fast, I barely even have time to blink!

I think I will use NaBloPoMo to share 30 of my most favorite verses/passages from the bible. I will give you the verse or passage, and then tell you a little bit about why it is a favorite of mine. Enjoy!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James 1:2-4

This is not only one of my favorite passages, but it also comes from my favorite book of the bible: James. I love this passage because it tells me that even though my life might be hard right now (and often it is!), that through it, I am developing perseverance and maturity in my faith and my relationship with God. And I love that it says that when I am mature, I am complete and not lacking anything. It's really hard to praise God in the midst of trial, but ultimately, that is what we should do. When we come out on the other side of our trials still praising God, we have persevered and we have matured. I just love that! It gives me that much more motivation to stay close to God and to thank Him not just for the good times, but the hard times as well because He is the creator of them all!

Why Worry?

2010-09-15T20:51:00.005-04:00

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" - Matthew 6:25-27

I had a night all to myself, being that Evan was at school. So, I wanted to get out of my house for a little while since it was such a gorgeous night, so I decided to pack up my bible and a blanket and go to the park to have some quiet time with God. I sat myself down on a bench between two big shade trees, facing a pond. As I was sitting there reading through my bible, I looked up a noticed a little goldfinch sitting on the branch of a tree that had fallen into the pond.Every now and again, he would fly up into the air, flutter around, and land back down on the tree. It took me a minute to realize what he was doing, but I figured out that he was catching bugs in mid-air. Sometimes he would catch two or three in the same flight. I watched him for a good five minutes and was fascinated by what was happening right in front of me.

As I was watching this adorable little goldfinch catch his dinner, Matthew 6:26 came into my head. I started thinking, "Here is this little bird, who doesn't have any real purpose to his life, and yet God is providing food for him to stay alive." I had not eaten dinner yet, and I thought to myself, "I am going to go home shortly and I am not worried whether or not there will be food for me to eat when I get home. I know I have food at home. I know I also have clothes to wear, and a house to live in." I had to stop and say a thank you prayer to God. God takes care of my little goldfinch friend, and He takes care of me. I have nothing to worry about.

Just then, a beautiful blue heron swooped down out of the sky and flew across the pond. Blue herons are probably my favorite birds in the world because they are so majestic and beautiful.
The blue heron landed on the bank of the pond and out of my line of sight. A few moments later, he swooped back to the middle of the pond, right in front of where I was sitting and stood in the water, perfectly still. I could see him peering into the water and every once in a while he would move ever so slightly to get a better look. He was hunting for fish. So, now I had two completely different kinds of birds being fed by my Heavenly Father!

I was so moved by this seemingly ordinary scenario. I was so thankful to be sitting there witnessing all this. We have nothing to worry about because our Heavenly Father takes care of us, just as he takes care of the birds of the air. Thank you Jesus!

Jesus' Prayer for You and Me

2010-09-03T13:27:00.004-04:00

John 17:20-26
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Read It For Yourself

2010-08-24T17:15:00.000-04:00

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

Think back to when you were a child, sitting in Sunday School, listening to the teacher tell you about all the best Bible stories: Adam & Eve, Noah & the ark, Moses & the Red Sea, Abraham & Isaac, Jesus & the 12 Apostles...the list goes on and on.
Now think ahead a little...you're sitting in church, listening to the preacher tell you those same stories, and many others, just a more "grown-up" version of them. Now let me ask you this: has most or even all of what you know of the bible and of God been told to you by someone else? Or, have you read and studied the bible for yourself, drawing your own conclusions, and asking God to reveal His truth to you?

For most of my life, the former question was true of me. Most of what I knew about the bible and God came from what other people had told me, only occasionally reading the bible for myself. It wasn't until the past couple of years that I actually started really reading the bible for myself, asking God to write His word on my heart, and help me to understand what the text is saying. How many times have you been reading a passage, and you just breeze through it without actually taking the time to understand what it really says?

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am not a big fan of Christian books. Not that they are bad, and that they shouldn't be read, but I am very wary of them because they are just one person's opinion and interpretation of something. Anyone can write a book. My problem with books is that often, people will place higher importance on those books than on the bible itself. Just because they read something they happen to like or agree with, then it must be the truth. This is a tremendous mistake. The only absolute truth out there is the written word of God - the Bible.

Reading the bible for ourselves also helps us identify false prophets. If we know what it says in the Word, we will know when someone is misinterpreting or misusing it. It will also help us to be able to respond when people ask about our faith. 1 Peter 3:15 says "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

God's word tells us everything we need to know. But we have to read it for ourselves. We cannot go through life depending on other people to feed it to us. Not your parents, not your siblings, not your friends, not even pastors. It's good to listen to your pastor, and to others, but ultimately, we answer to the one who resides in heaven. Reading the bible is one of the best ways for us to grow closer to God. It helps us understand his character, and how we should be living. If you are doing something that doesn't line up with what it says in the bible, you know you are not behaving the way God wants you to. Bottom line: read it for yourself.

What's Mine is Yours....or is it?

2010-08-20T16:00:00.000-04:00

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-20

I recently had a conversation with a coworker about having kids, which morphed into a conversation about having someone to whom you can pass your stuff and your money to when you pass away (i.e. your kids). We were talking about having kids vs. not having kids, and she said something to the effect of, "I like to know that I have someone that I can pass on my things to when I die, and that it doesn't go to just anyone, like my next closest relative or something." She then asked me if I agreed.
I immediately answered, "I really don't care. When I'm gone, I'm gone, I really don't care what happens to my stuff. It's just stuff anyway - even the money."
She seemed a little taken aback by my response. Nevermind that she was trying to convince me to have kids, I think she was shocked that I would have such a blasé attitude about my stuff. While I didn't get a chance to get into a whole spiritual discussion with her, I tried to explain that stuff is just stuff. I can't take it with me when I die, and when I do die, I'm not going to care either way who gets my stuff because, well, I'll be dead and partying with Jesus up in Heaven!
She then replied, "Yeah, I know it's just stuff, but it has memories attached to it." To that I said, "The memories are in your heart and in your head. Even if that thing that has the memory is gone, the memory is still within you." Now, I know a lot of people like that sentimental value that certain items have, and I do too, to an extent. There are things that I have saved from my past because they are tied to a nice memory, or someone gave it to me as a gift and I don't have the heart to throw it out or give it away. But in the end, what is it really worth? Will my life be any worse if I were to give those things away, or throw them out? There are plenty of things I have thrown out over the years that had great memories attached to them, but I do not wake up every day regretting that I ever got rid of them. Life goes on, and I am not ruled by my stuff. In fact, Evan and I are getting rid of a lot of our stuff (DVD's and CD's especially), because we realized that we don't need them. Sometimes what we will do is sell the DVDs and CDs back to a store or on Amazon, and then give the money we get to someone else who needs it. We're not trying to brag, we are just doing what the bible says: "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" - 1 John 3:17 and "Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." - Acts 2:45
Stuff is just stuff. There are so many people in the world who hardly have anything, so who are we to worry about where our stuff will end up when we are gone? I have more in my cubicle at work than some people have altogether. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that having stuff is bad, but I am saying that ultimately Jesus is all we will ever need. There are people who have literally risked their lives just to have more of Jesus. There are people who have died because of their belief in Jesus. Do you think those people are concerned about stuff? I doubt it.

Heavenly Father, I pray that we would all recognize that our stuff is just stuff. I pray that we would realize that YOU are all we need to survive, and that you provide for us everything that we need. You have said that we are much more precious and valuable than the birds of the air, and yet even they are not worried about food, clothing or shelter. Thank you for all that you give to us, and thank you for the opportunities to help those who are in need. In your most holy and precious name, amen.

My Dog Ate My Homework

2010-08-09T22:00:00.001-04:00

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20

I heard someone say recently that when we and/or if we get to heaven one day, God is not going to ask us to give an account for everything we did while we were on the earth, but rather, He is going to ask how many people we brought with us.
So, I ask you, how many people are you bringing with you to heaven? Because that, friends, is the assignment. Jesus gave us a very clear assignment to complete during our short time here on the earth. We are to make disciples of all nations, not just a few of our closest friends.
But what does "make disciples" mean exactly? Well, a disciple is defined as "a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another; a follower." So based on that, we are supposed to get other people to follow Christ, just as we do. But let's not ignore the second part of this command, and that is to teach them to obey everything I (Jesus) have commanded you. Did you catch that? Teach them to obey EVERYTHING. Not just some of God's commands, ALL of them. And those commands are clearly laid out for us in the bible.
Matthew 28:19-20, known as "The Great Commission," is the last thing that Jesus tells us to do during his time on earth. To me, that signifies that it is one of the most important commands that he gives us.
Imagine that one day you were walking along, and you found a key on the sidewalk. Attached to that key was a note that read, "This key opens a door to the greatest and most valuable treasure known to man, and it can be yours absolutely free. If you open the door, you will never have a need for anything ever again. Everything you will ever need is behind that door. However, once you open the door and see what is behind it, you must share it with as many people as you can and invite them to come with you." How would you respond? Would you keep it to yourself? Would you share it with others? Our society has bred us to be very protective of our valuables. What's mine is mine, and I don't have to share if I don't want to. But God's word tells us quite the opposite. What God has to offer us is the greatest and most valuable treasure known to man, and that is salvation. It is given to us for free, but the catch is that we have to tell everyone about it. That is our homework.
So, how many people will you bring with you en route to heaven? One is better than none, but none is unacceptable. Greater things have yet to come...but let's not keep that to ourselves.

What are You Willing to Give Up?

2010-07-26T12:08:00.007-04:00

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

You have probably heard this verse many times in your life, and never really thought anything of it. Or, if you have thought about it, you're not really sure what it looks like to "take up your cross" and follow Jesus.
As Americans, we are among the richest people in the world. Sure, there are times when we don't feel rich, but trust me, we are. Most of us have a house to live in, at least one TV in that house, at least one computer, maybe a video game console or two, cell phones, one or two cars per household...you get the idea. We have it all. We live in a society which tells us, "He who dies with the most toys, wins." But think about that statement for a moment. When you die, are you taking your toys with you? Will your toys even matter to you once you're dead? Sure, it will give people some nice things to say at your funeral, and you may be remembered well, but what does it all really count for? So what's more important to you - how many "toys" you have, or where you will be going when you die?
Friends, there is no "toy" on this earth that is greater than what God has to offer us. God is offering us an eternity in heaven with him, and salvation from the fires of hell. So, I ask you, what are you willing to give up to follow him?
If I were to ask some of my youth group students, I might ask if they are willing to give up their cell phones, or maybe their Facebook account. I have a feeling that most of them would be hesitant to give those up. Are you willing to give up watching TV, or watching movies? Are you willing to give up the things that other people in the world would consider luxuries? Making the decision to follow God is probably the most important decision you could ever make, and if you haven't made it yet, I encourage you to do so.
Matthew 13:44-46 talks about the Kingdom of Heaven being like a hidden treasure, or a valuable pearl. When the person in the story found it, he sold everything he had just so he could have the treasure, or the pearl. That is because the treasure is so valuable, so precious, that there is nothing on earth that could compare to it. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, there are many things that take our time away from God. But God is saying that we must give up those things in order to follow him. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to follow God, even if it meant giving up some or all of things you love?
I know I have a hard time committing to that. We are creatures of habit and comfort. We don't like to do things that are outside of our comfort zone. But God wants us to step out of our comfort zone. He wants us to take up our crosses daily and follow him. Are you willing to do that? Do you believe today that the Kingdom of Heaven is like the greatest and most valuable treasure you could ever find, and are you willing to sacrifice everything to have it? You can't take anything with you when you die except your soul. So, is your soul destined to spend eternity with God in heaven, or are you doomed to spend eternity in hell, forever separated from God?

Can't Talk Now, Too Busy

2010-07-20T13:46:00.003-04:00

I have heard it said once that BUSY can stand for Being Under Satan's Yoke. What does that mean to you?
When someone asks me what I have been up to lately, I find myself telling them often that I am "busy," or that I am "too busy" to do something. That something is usually spending time with God. I make excuses. "I can't read my bible/pray right now, I have to make dinner (or fill in some other activity that could most likely wait.)" I think about all the things I do during the day: work, check e-mail, check Facebook, check the weather, check other websites, etc. Once you add up all that stuff, there seems to be very little time left for God.
I heard a quote today from Pastor John Piper - "One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove on the last day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time." Reread that statement. I don't spend a ton of time on Facebook, but I probably spend more time on it than I do with God.
I am a creature of habit and routine. A typical day for me looks like this:

7:15am - wake up and get ready for work
7:45am - leave for work
8am - arrive at work
8am-8:15am - check various e-mail accounts, Facebook, weather, etc.
9am - eat breakfast
9:15ish-1pm - work stuff, occasionally taking breaks to check e-mail Facebook and other stuff
1pm-2pm - lunch (most days)
2pm-4pm - more work stuff
4pm - leave work and head home
4:15pm - arrive at home
4:15pm-anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30 - veg out, watch TV, talk to Evan
5:30ish - start dinner
6 or 6:30pm - eat dinner
7pm - watch Jeopardy with Evan
7:30pm and onward - watch TV, possibly go somewhere, talk to Evan, go on the computer to check e-mails, Facebook, etc.
Sometime during the evening - take a shower
11pm - go to bed
1am - lights out

That is the routine I am used to, and it has been that way for a little more than 3 years. Of course, weekends are different, but this is the usual M-F routine for me. Doesn't seem like there would be too much room for God in there does it? (You may also notice, there isn't much time for exercise either). Well, in a way, I have purposely made it that way. I get thrown off when I do something "outside" of my normal routine. If I tried to spend time with God before work, that may mean I have to wake up earlier that 7:15. My lunch hour is never consistent, so it wouldn't be the best time to spend with God. When I get home I am tired, and I want to relax and unwind by watching TV or talking to Evan. Then we need to eat, so I have to cook dinner - no time there. After that, I have to take a shower and watch all my shows. No time for God there either. Once that's all done, it's time for bed and I am too tired to talk to God at all. I'm just too busy!
Does any of this sound familiar? Do you say the same things to yourself? Are you "too busy" for God?

Back in May, I put myself on a bible reading plan that would take me through the bible in one year. It helps me to have daily reminders that I have to read the bible. They say it takes doing something 20 times to make it into a habit. I have officially made this a habit, and I love it. The actual time of day I spend reading my bible varies from day to day. Sometimes I have a few minutes before work to read a few chapters, sometimes I read during work or on my lunch break, sometimes I read after dinner. But the point is, I do it. I have even gotten so excited about it, that I am going beyond what the daily reading might be because I just want to be immersed in the Word. Proverbs 2 says: If you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
The only way to come closer to God is to read His Word for yourself and ask him for wisdom and understanding. You must also pray.

My prayer life is another thing that I claim to be "too busy" for. Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek church says that prayer is unnatural for us. It's not something we as humans are used to doing. We are accustomed to talking to people whom we can see and hear. For me, prayer also doesn't fit in my daily routine. There's no time. The bible says that when we pray, we are to go in a room, shut the door, and pray alone with nothing to distract us. Who has time for that? I've got to get to work! I've got to go to bed! I've got to...you get the idea. Occasionally, I will pray if I'm concerned about something, or if I've got a big meeting coming up, or something like that. So, I generally feel like I only talk to God when I need something. That's not the relationship we are supposed to have with God. I try to think of my relationship with God the way my relationship is with Evan, (Or at least, that's how I want it to be). I can talk to Evan about anything, I feel comfortable with him, I love spending time with him, in fact there is no one in the world I would rather be with than Evan. That's where I want my relationship with God to be. Right now, God is more of an acquaintance to me. He's like a relative that I only see a few times a year. I love him, but we don't talk all that much.

Gosh, the time I have spent writing this blog could have been time spent in the Word and in prayer. But we are constantly filling our lives with "busy work" and we are not leaving any time for God. Take stock of your own life. Seriously, write it out and add up the numbers. How many hours (or minutes) do you spend on your computer every day? How much time do you spend at work? How many hours of TV do you watch everyday? How many hours do you spend sleeping typically? Now how much time do you spend reading the bible? Praying?

Is God getting the lesser of your time? I am not saying that doing other things is bad, but I am saying that the less time you spend with God, the less of a relationship you will have with him. What can you cut out today? What can you do to make God the #1 priority in your life? Or are you too busy to think about it...

30 Hours of Hunger and Hope

2010-04-27T09:54:00.003-04:00

The next time you sit down to eat, think about this: About 25,000 children die every day because of hunger and related diseases. Almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries, with ¾ of them coming in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

On April 23 & 24, 11 leaders and 49 students from the Dunellen Pres youth group took part in this year's 30 Hour Famine. That meant that not only did we go 30 hours without eating, we also participated in various community service activities, played games which taught the students what life is like in third world countries, and also joined together to worship God through all of it.
This year's Famine brought us to one of the most impoverished countries in the world - Ethiopia, which was fitting because that is where our group chose to send the money we raised for the event. The students were split into tribes again, representing real tribes from around Ethiopia. Working together in their tribes, they would take on each game as not only a team, but also as a family. Each game was designed to give students a taste of what it is like to live in Ethiopia; from having to scavenge and fight for food, having to face dangerous situations, and having to use a shared (and dirty) water source. If any student complained of the game play being "not fair," we would remind them that life in Ethiopia is not fair, and that as we speak, more children are dying.
The community service aspect of the Famine taught the students about selflessness. Most of our students get whatever they want whenever they want. We wanted to teach them that life doesn't revolve around them, and that there are people right next door who are in need.
The worship was my favorite part of the Famine. Half of the students who participated were "unchurched," yet they were taking part in an experience they might otherwise never think twice about participating in. One student even said to me, "This is weird for me," but then I later saw that same student clapping and singing along. We made sure to drive home the point that all the glory goes to God. We do the Famine because God has commissioned us to serve the poor and the weak. It's a chance for us to show God's love to people we might never even meet.
At the end of the 30 hours, the fast is broken with our pastor serving communion. This just emphasized that God made the ultimate sacrifice for us when he died on the cross to save us from our sin.
Interesting things start to happen when you are deprived from food. You feel weaker. You get tired more easily. You can't think as clearly as you normally do. You sometimes get cranky or grumpy. At the end of the 30 hours, you can't wait to sit down and fill your belly back up with food - you don't even care what it is. For 9.7 million children in the world, they long for food, but it never comes. The hunger gets worse. Their bodies begin to shrink and become frail, and eventually, they die.
Holding an event like the 30 Hour Famine raises funds to provide food, clean water, and other provisions to Ethiopia and other impoverished countries. $1 feeds 1 child for 1 day. We raised about $2,300 this year. You do the math.
I am always moved by the 30 Hour Famine. When I see our students coming together as a family to help out other children they may never meet, and worshipping God together, it's something so special to me. I am proud of all the students and leaders who participated, and I can't wait for next year!

Is this not the most precious thing you ever did see???

2010-03-25T22:43:00.002-04:00

I mean really...

There's a First Time for Everything

2010-03-02T23:12:00.005-05:00

Back in oh, I'd say October of last year, I saw an ad for a new Monet exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. As soon as I saw that, I excitedly e-mailed my aunt who lives in Washington DC and asked if she would like to go see it with me, since she took me to Monet's house in Paris back in 1999. Not to mention, I ADORE Monet! She of course agreed, and we decided to work out the details later, since the exhibit was running until April of 2010.

I had nearly forgotten about it, when out of nowhere, I get an e-mail on Monday, February 22nd from my aunt asking if I could take the day off work the very next Monday to go see the exhibit with her! I quickly got the approval for the day off, and my aunt said she would call me later to work out how we would get there.
The whole week goes by, and not a peep from auntie. I was starting to think she was going to stand me up. Finally, on Sunday night while I was at youth group, I found I had a missed call and a message from her asking about our trip to NYC. I called her back as soon as I got home to see what was up. Well, she told me that the only way she could make the trip was if I met her in NYC at the train station. *Gulp* I had never, and I mean never traveled to the city by myself. I have always gone with someone who knew what they were doing and where they were going, and I just followed along. I reluctantly agreed because I did not want to let my auntie down. When I hung up, I pleaded with Evan if there was any way he could possibly come with me, and go to school early that day. He didn't want to do that, and he said I would be fine. All I had to do was catch the train from Dunellen to Newark, switch in Newark on track 1 and I would make it to NYC. Well, what if the train didn't bring me to track 1? What if I got lost and missed the train? I was nervous, but it was too late to say no. I barely slept that night thinking about my possible demise on the train to NYC.

So, I boarded the train at around 11 in Dunellen. I actually saw someone I went to high school with, and so was talking to him for a bit. When we arrived in Newark, my friend assured me I was in the right place, and that all I had to do was wait for the next train. So I did that, and before I knew it, I was in the city! I breathed a deep sigh of relief. I had made it. All by myself. Now all I had to do was find a place to wait for my aunt, since she was still en route. I went across the street to Lenny's - a favorite sandwich joint of Evan and mine - and bought lunch for auntie and I. Two hot pastrami sandwiches, yummmm. I was feeling empowered. Now that I knew I could travel to the city alone, I felt like I wanted to do it again.
My aunt finally arrived and we took a cab to the MoMA to make it in time for the lecture we were scheduled for. We enjoyed a very nice time with each other looking at our buddy Monet, and other wonderful works of art. Like this:

A whole wall covered in cows?? That belongs in my kitchen :)
Anyway, I had a great time with my aunt, and when we were done at MoMA, we walked back to the train station where I said goodbye, and proceeding to walk an additional 20 blocks to meet Evan at his school. Well, by that time, my feet were practically bleeding from pain and I was certain I had a blister under my foot. Evan wouldn't get out of school for another hour - at least - so I found a Jamba Juice and treated myself to a Pomegranate Pick-Me-Up. (If you've never had a Jamba Juice, get yourself to the city and have one!) I decided that even though my feet were throbbing, that I would go exploring until Evan got out. I shopped around a little bit, got some treats for my kitties, and finally got the call from Evan telling me where I should meet him. I don't think I have ever been happier to see my husband since the day we got married. I had been wandering around New York alone for nearly 2 hours and it was so good to see his face, knowing that I was safe.
Evan took me to the farmer's market in the park, but it was closing up since it was getting dark out. We then walked what felt like another 10 blocks to The Peanut Butter & Co., and had "dinner." I got a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich with a big cup of milk. YUM! It hit the spot. After a long, tiring and stressful (but good) day, I was happy to be eating peanut butter sandwiches with my favorite person in the world.
Finally, it was time to head home. Evan took me on The Path, which took us right to Newark where we could hop on the train to Dunellen. I was so relieved. I had a wonderful day. It was great to see my aunt, and it was great to spend time with Evan in the city. I can't wait to do it again!

Christmas Presence

2010-01-04T21:18:00.003-05:00

My mom has started sending out what she calls "God Thoughts" via e-mail. Whenever she gets inspired, she writes it down and sends it off to whomever she feels would be blessed by the message. I would like to share her God Thought from today, as it inspired me a great deal. Take some time to think and pray about the words of the Lord here as you delve into this new year.
God bless - I love you all!

What Did You Get for Christmas?
Do you find yourself on December 26th taking inventory of your Christmas gifts: delighting in what you got, yet lamenting what you didn’t get?
When I was a little girl, all I ever wanted for Christmas was the board game “Mouse Trap.” But for some reason my parents never bought it for me. Years later my husband bought it for me as a joke! We sat down & played it with our children, and concluded the game was pretty dumb! I realized that it was really not the game I desired – I wanted what I couldn’t have. Once I had it, I could see why my parents wisely chose not to waste their money on it!
When Moses led the people out of Egypt into the desert, God met their every need, but they complained about everything, most notably their food. God provided them with manna to eat every day. Numbers 11 tells us that it tasted like “cakes baked with oil” (vs. 8) It was probably pretty bland, and the people got tired of eating it day in and day out.
"If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic!” they lamented (v 5). They longed for flavor, but overlooked God’s gracious provision.
Eventually, God gave them what they wanted. He sent quail - lots of them - which the Israelites gathered and prepared. But verse 35 tells us that “while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck them with a very severe plague.” A pretty graphic picture, isn’t it? The Lord punished the people for their greed, and for their ungratefulness.
Nehemiah 9:21 says, “For forty years You sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.”
Clearly, the Israelites were not grateful for what they had; they were miserable because of what they didn’t have. They failed to realize that they lacked nothing, because God provided them with everything they needed, but not everything they wanted.
Aren’t we the same? Don’t we often find ourselves comparing our possessions with others? Don’t we grumble that we wish we had it better? If only we had this or that, then we would be happy!
We fail to “count our blessings,” and in so doing, lose sight of God’s gracious hand of provision on our lives. This earth is His creation, so everything we have is His anyway!
“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. “1 Timothy 6:7-8
If we put our faith and trust in Him, He has promised to care for us and meet our needs. What we need to remember is that God is not an ATM machine. We cannot just go to Him every time we want something and expect Him to “dispense” it! But our loving heavenly Father will make sure our basic, physical needs are met. “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Matthew 6:25-27 says: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord and He will give us the desires of our heart. What are the desires of your heart? To own a fancy car, a big house, to have nice things? Or - are you content with food on the table and a warm home in winter?
Our “heart’s desire” should be that our lives would bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ. One way we can do that is to be thankful for what He has given us, because it’s all from Him. When we recognize His hand in providing us with our fundamental needs, then we will naturally give Him the glory and honor for the big things He does for us!
So instead of taking inventory of your Christmas presents, take inventory of God’s many blessings on your life! He has promised to bless you – thank Him for it!
Dear friends, I submit that when we have Jesus, we already have everything we need! What worldly thing is there that compares with salvation and eternal life?

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).

“Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
Psalm 34:8-10

So what did you get for Christmas?

Do I Have a Great Husband or What?

2009-12-07T17:15:00.005-05:00

Ok, here's another one where I have to give you the background before I tell you the actual story.
So, here at our house, we have a tiny basement that is big enough to hold a washer, dryer, and a bit of storage space. The basement is damp and dark, and not very, well, friendly. So, lately, there have been a bunch of these guys hopping around down there:
This, my friends, is a camel cricket. They particularly like damp, dark places...just like our basement! Lucky us! When I first saw one of these yucky creatures, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I sprayed it with bug spray and it jumped right at me! So, needless to say, I am a bit apprehensive about going down in the basement for fear that I might encounter a dreaded camel cricket.
The only reason I need to go down in the basement is to do laundry, which is the one chore that I despise. It takes me for-e-ver to do a load of laundry. First of all, I hate going in the basement. Second of all, once I actually get down there and start the wash, I forget about it and it sits in there for a day or two. Then once I finally get everything dry and folded, it takes me at least another day or two to get it put away. Then, by the time that's all over, it's time to do laundry again. Sigh.
So, I told you all that to tell you this. I came home today feeling worn out and tired, knowing that I had a huge load of laundry to do, and Evan would be at school so there would be no one to kill the bugs in the basement for me. Well, I go to the fridge to get a drink, and what do I see? This:
Evan is so sweet. He knows I hate going down to the basement, and he also knows I hate doing laundry. What a great guy I have!

Things I love to come home to...

2009-11-19T19:05:00.003-05:00

Wow, it has been a WHILE!! You must understand, I am so swamped right now with the food blog (or as Evan's Uncle Brian calls it, my "Recipe Ministry" - I LOVE that!), that I have not had time to do any normal blogging. But there are just some things that are so perfectly blog-worthy, that I just cannot help myself.
First, a preface:
Every morning, either myself or Evan will take food out of the freezer to thaw it out in time for dinner. You know, chicken, steak, shrimp, fish, etc. Whatever it is, it gets left on the kitchen counter to thaw out. If Evan is the food-taker-outer, I usually don't know what he has taken out until I get home from work. So then I must quickly concoct a meal to make that relates to whatever meat he has chosen for that day.
So, today Evan was the food-taker-outer and I was anxious to see what he had taken out so I could make something delicious. I came home to find no meat on the kitchen counter. "Hmm," I thought, "did he forget to take something out?" Then I turn to the fridge to get myself an after-work snack, and I see this note on the whiteboard hanging on our fridge:

And sure enough, I open the fridge and there were the shrimp...right where the board said they would be! Evan knows me well, because he knows I would have thought that he forgot to take something out if I didn't see anything on the counter. So, being the thoughtful man that he is, he wrote me this note on the whiteboard assuring me that he DID take something out, and it was waiting for me approximately right there in the fridge.
I have such a sweet husband, and I look forward to cooking up that shrimp for him. Maybe a shrimp scampi pasta? Yummmm.....

Ode to a Fat Cat

2009-10-19T18:16:00.006-04:00

Our family cat Sylvester is sadly being put down this week. He is the last remaining cat that our family had after my parents moved out to Pennsylvania. Before they moved, we had four cats: Molly, Simon, Cindy and Sylvester. Molly and Simon were given away to other homes, and Cindy came to live with me at Oma's house while I finished up my college career. She died within a year simply of old age. Sylvester, however, survived the move and went to live in PA with my mom, Frank and Oma. Since then, he has enjoyed a lavish lifestyle of being the only cat (and a very spoiled one at that), and generally being the "king of the house."
Sylvester, in his prime, weighed close to 20 pounds. I used to call him our little cow, because of his black and white coat. The vet used to scold my mom for letting him get so "overweight." But we knew he was happy and he was definitely spoiled!
Sylvester had the wimpiest meow you'll ever hear. Here's this 20 pound cat and you would expect a deep, booming MEOW to come out, but all that came out was this faint "ow" whenever he spoke. It was just funny.
Recently, Sylvester started to get sick. He couldn't keep any of his food down, and was constantly running to the litter box. My mom took him to several different vets, and none of them could really help him. He was on meds and special food, but nothing was helping. He was losing so much weight, he didn't even look the same anymore. So, last week, my parents made the tough decision to end his suffering.
This week, we say goodbye to our beloved family cat. It's never easy to let go of a pet, especially one that has been through so much with you and your family. We will miss Sylvester for sure, but the fond memories we have of him will live on in our hearts. Rest in peace sweet kitty.

Remembering September 11th

2009-09-11T15:39:00.007-04:00

Today I said to someone, "I don't think anyone will ever forget where they were and what they were doing on September 11th."
Eight years later, I haven't forgotten. The images I witnessed are scarred on my mind forever. Though I did not lose anyone close to me in the tragedy, that day was not any less sad and horrific. My heart genuinely goes out to those who did lose a loved one in the towers, and those that have lost loved ones in the war resulting from that day, and have been suffering ever since.

I had a rough start to my day. I had an 8:00am class, and my car was not running very well. I managed to get it started and drive to my Oma's house to ask if I could borrow her car for the day, just so I knew I would be safe getting to and from school. She graciously allowed me to borrow the car, and I left mine in front of her house. Off to school I went.
I arrived right on time for my morning class. Groggy and tired, I sat down at my desk and awaited the boring lecture that was to come. Thankfully, class let out early, so I had enough time to go home and come back for my afternoon class. I hurried out to the parking lot to find Oma's car. Now, Oma's car does not have a CD player, so I was listening to the radio. 95.5 PLJ to be exact. I NEVER listen to the radio, but this day, I was forced. When I turned on the car, the announcers had a very somber tone in their voices, and they were talking about "something terrible" that just happened. I think they were trying to get a look from outside their studio window. They mentioned something about planes, I couldn't really make it out. Then they said it..."A plane has just flown into the World Trade Center."
WHAT??? I said outloud. Kean University is quite close to New York City, and on my way home, I get a quick glimpse on the skyline before turning around on Rt. 22. And there it was, I saw black smoke billowing from the skyline. And, suddenly, I saw what looked like a raven coming out of the sky and into the 2nd tower.

It was so brief, but so memorable. The smoke, the 2nd plane, the horror. I couldn't believe it. I could barely drive, but I turned the radio up and listened very intently. They talked about another plane, which I had just seen. I raced home.
My brother Brad was home. I screamed, "Turn on the TV, something terrible has happened!" He was confused, but did so. It didn't matter what channel you turned to, it was on. The terrifying images of NYC, and the faces of people who were actually there - we saw it all. Brad and I were in shock. We watched together for a few more minutes, not saying a word to each other.
Suddenly, I felt the need to go to the video store where I worked at the time. Evan, who is now my husband, had been in the city the night before with his cousin Linda. My heart sank. "What if he's stuck in the city? What if he's hurt? What if something happened?" We weren't even dating at the time, but I prayed and prayed that he was ok, and I had to get to the video store to find out. When I pulled up, I saw his car there. I breathed a sigh of relief. All of our other colleagues were there as well, exchanging short sentences about how awful this was. We decided to head up to Washington Rock, where we might be able to get a good view of what was going on. We were able to get up, but only shortly because they closed the park soon after we got there.
I went back home soon after that to exchange cars with Oma again, and talked briefly with her about the tragedy. We cried together, and I thanked her and gave her the keys back.
I wasn't scheduled to work that night, but I knew that Evan was. I knew that he would be there alone, and I wanted to keep him company because I knew he was extremely upset. So, he and I worked together, almost in total silence. Out of boredom, I had made a paper airplane and threw it at Evan to kind of break the silence. Bad idea. "What are you trying to do, reenact it?" he snapped at me. "Sorry," I sheepishly replied. We decided to close early, mainly because of what had just happened, and virtually no one was coming in. I was planning to go to KFC for dinner, and asked Evan if he would like to join me. He declined, saying that he just wanted to be alone. So, I headed to KFC, he headed to the diner, and that was that.
Later that night, I was hanging out with my then boyfriend John and all of our friends. We were all talking about what had happened, and what we had been doing when it happened. There was a sad overtone to the group that was usually upbeat and cheery. We were trying to make predictions for what might happen next. Would we go to war? Would we fight back? Would any other buildings get flown into? How many lives were lost? Everything was a big question mark.

Our lives have never been the same since that fateful day. September 11th, an otherwise normal Tuesday is now immortalized as one of the greatest American tragedies. It is hard to believe that eight years have passed since that day.
God's love and grace be with all those who were affected in some way by that event.

Happy Anniversary to Me!

2009-09-03T21:04:00.001-04:00

Just realized that today is my 1 year anniversary of being a blogger! Yay!!

What The....?

2009-09-03T20:41:00.002-04:00

As a youth leader, I am exposed to many many things that quite frankly, I would rather not be exposed to. But it comes with the territory, and I love my job as a youth leader, so I grin and bear it.
But recently, a new "phrase" has come on the scene in the form of an abbreviation known as "FML."
FML stands for F*** My Life. Students use this phrase when they are frustrated, angry, upset, or generally ticked off at something. You will mostly find it posted on their Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter pages. Something perhaps to the effect of: "Had to walk to school in the rain today. FML." "My boyfriend broke up with me. FML." "Mom made me clean up my room. FML." You get the idea.
Now, as a youth leader and as a Christian, I don't like the idea of my students using such words and phrases to describe how they're feeling. It's ok that they are upset or angry about something, but to sum it all up with "FML," to me, is a bit extreme and rather silly.
What I see is that students will use this phrase when things generally don't go their way. This seems to be the norm amongst students these days. What I am also seeing is that when things don't go their way, they quit or run away. Something got too hard? I quit. Getting too frustrated with something? I don't want to do it anymore. Things didn't work out as you planned? FML.
And there you have it. All of life's frustrations summed up in three little letters.

What really upsets me about the usage of this phrase is that it is being used by students who regularly attend either church or our youth group program. At church and at youth group, they are taught solid biblical principles that can be applied to their everyday lives. We try really hard as leaders to drill the points home and to challenge them to step up their faith at home, at school, wherever they are. We try to remind them that God is there for them no matter what, and even when they don't know where to turn, they can turn to God.
When we see things like FML being used by these students, it kind of deflates us because it feels like our words are falling on deaf ears. Rather than saying, "Had a bad day today, but God is good!" they resort to FML as though their life were falling apart at the seams just because something didn't go their way.
Do they even get it? Do they even realize that there is a gracious and loving God just waiting for them to come running to His arms? Do they realize that even if their life really is falling apart, that God is right there to put them back together? Do they just see it as the latest "cool" thing to do on Facebook?
Maybe I should just wait it out, because sooner or later, something else will come along, and FML will be DOA. Haha.

The End of an Era

2009-08-13T20:36:00.002-04:00

I haven't done any "normal" blogging in a while because I have been so busy with New Jersey Fresh, but there was something that I just needed to blog about. And here it is.
Tomorrow (Friday), a student and good friend of mine is moving due to her father's job transfer. "What's so bad about that?" you may ask. Well, for starters, she is moving clear across the country to California, so there's slim chances of her coming back often for a visit. Secondly, I feel like a little part of myself if leaving with her. Her name is Alexandra, or to many of us, Alge (yep, like the stuff that grows on ponds). Alge reminds me a lot of myself when I was her age. She is a free spirit, friends with many, and always has her man, Steve, by her side. I've only known Alge for about 2 years when I first met her at youth group at our church. At first, I was just an observer, noticing that a lot of the students gravitated toward her. Not only is she pretty, but she is a fun person to be around and is generally just a likeable girl. Once I started to get to know her a little better, I realized how much I liked her as well.
It really started last year after we had taken the youth group paintballing. On the way home, we passed by Hot Dog Johnny's in Buttzville and another student, Becky, and I wanted to stop there. Well, we were out voted and were forced to go to McDonald's instead. So I said, "Becky, I will take you on a special trip to Hot Dog Johnny's someday soon, and we can make up for this." Becky enthusiastically agreed, and asked if her friends Erin and Alge could come along as well. "Of course!" I replied, and thus the Aubrey Adventure was born.
Since then, the Aubrey Adventures have included more people, like our friend Charlie, Alge's boyfriend Steve, the twins - Charlie and Joshua, our friend Jenn, and some others. They are always a good time, and all the while, we are building relationships with each other.
I am really going to miss Alge when she moves. I feel so privileged to have gotten to know her over these past 2 years. Thanks to things like Facebook and e-mail and cell phones, it is really hard to stay out of touch with someone, so I know that we will continue to keep in tough with Alge and look forward to the next time we see her.
I wish Alge the best of luck out in California, and I hope she knows that we all love her and care about her and I hope that God blesses her life the same way she has blessed ours.
Bye Alge!!!

New Blog!

2009-07-16T18:39:00.003-04:00

Hey family, friends and devoted readers! I have been inspired to start a new blog. This one is all about one of my favorite things...FOOD.
Each post will feature a recipe of something that I have decided to make, a picture of the food, a little story to go with it, and a bible verse for inspiration!
Please check it out, and let me know what you think! I have also set the blog to automatically feed to Facebook, so you can check it out there too - although the pictures don't load, so you will have to check out the blog to see the pictures.
The new blog is called "Jersey Fresh - Downhome Jersey Cookin'" See it here.
Stop on by, and I hope you enjoy it!

Adventures at Drew University

2009-07-12T19:10:00.002-04:00

It has been a while since we had an official "Aubrey Adventure," and so we had to make sure this one was a good one.
I got a text yesterday afternoon from Becky asking if I wanted to go see her friend Charlie at Shakespeare camp. Charlie was doing his final performance in a play they had been rehearsing all summer. Excited for the opportunity, I jumped on it and told Becky to rally up the troops, and we would head up there. This Shakespeare camp was being held at Drew University up in Madison, NJ. I had never been there before, so this was going to be an adventure all right! I quickly printed out the directions, and it seemed fairly easy to get to - right off of Rt. 287 North.
An hour later, I picked up Becky, Alge and her boyfriend Steve to head up to Shakespeare camp. It took us about 30 minutes to get there - Mapquest predicted 45 - and we pulled into the parking lot near the theater. Or, so we thought. We walked up to the Kirby Theater at the University and saw all these elderly people milling around the entrance. We weren't sure if we needed to buy tickets, so we went up to the window to find out. We thought maybe all the elderly people were the grandparents of the students in the play. We overheard someone saying that tickets were $10 for the performance. I was stunned. It was only to be a 45 minute play...$10 seemed outlandish! But we found out that the play was going on at another theater across campus, and it was free....phew! So we trekked over there and were immediately greeted by a smiling woman handing out programs. She somehow knew we were there to see Charlie, and another girl named Rachel who they were also friends with. So, we walked in and took a seat in the top row.
The play was called "Troilus & Cressida," a little known Shakespeare play, and the team was doing a 45 minute version of it. Charlie and Rachel were Troilus and Cressida, respectively. This was basically a play about the Trojans and the Greeks, and the battle between their two camps. The love story is interwoven between Troilus and Cressida, and she ends up betraying his love by running off with someone from "the other side." The acting was very good. You could tell the students worked really hard to get the play to what it was. I was very impressed by how well they interpreted the words of Shakespeare. Charlie had the last line in the play, and he did an exceptional job, as did Rachel. We went down afterwards to hug Charlie and he was so happy we came! We pretty much had to scoot out of there because they were doing reenactments of some of their scenes so the parents could take flash photos.
After the play, we took a slight detour because we found this AWESOME tree on the University campus. It was one of those trees where the branches hang down like a weeping willow, but it wasn't a weeping willow. So we poked through the leaves, and Steve, Alge and Becky tried climbing it. Steve got really high, and then had a hard time getting down. It was a really cool tree. Unfortunately, I couldn't take any pictures because my camera battery was dead :(
After the tree, we stopped at Friendly's for lunch - even though it was practically dinner because it was already 3:30. I forgot how good Friendly's was. I got my old standby - a chicken quesadilla. And then for dessert, another old standby - the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae. We had lots of fun hanging out and talking. Sadly, Alge is moving away in August, so any time we get to spend with her is valuable and sweet.
We headed home, and Becky mentioned that she still had not seen our new house, so I took them all over to the house. The last time Alge and Steve were in the house, it was completely empty, so they were remarking how different everything looked now that we have stuff inside. We hung out on the front porch for a little while after they "sampled" all of my herbs. They said the basil numbed their tongues, the rosemary tasted "piney," the parsley tasted like breath freshener, and the thyme tasted a little lemony. What possessed them to eat raw herbs, I will never know. But it was still fun!
This certainly was an Aubrey Adventure for the history books. I am so glad these students are part of my life. We have so much fun together! Who knows what's in store for next time...

25 Burgers

2009-07-01T21:44:00.002-04:00

So a few weeks ago, Evan and I received a circular in the mail for this new place in Bound Book, NJ called "25 Burgers." Hmm, I thought, sounds interesting. The circular included a copy of their menu, so Evan and I curiously perused it. Sure enough, this restaurant had 25 burgers to choose from, ranging from the spicy 5 Alarm Burger, to the Crab Burger, and everywhere in between. Not only did they have 25 burgers, but they had cheesesteak, chicken sandwiches, salads, fries, onion rings, milkshakes....the list goes on.
"We've gotta check this place out!" I shrieked with excitement. Evan agreed. Today, we finally went to check it out. And boy am I glad we did. I went with the not-as-spicy "El Paso Burger," which came topped with pepper jack cheese, sauteed onions, bacon, tomato, lettuce, poblano peppers, and chipotle mayo. Evan went with a classic bacon cheeseburger - hold the tomato. We also got an order of cheese fries.
They give you one of those buzzer things you get when you're waiting for a table at a restaurant, and it buzzes when your food is ready. We waited in anticipation at the (possible) burger goodness that awaited us. The buzzer went off, and Evan went to get the food. It looked amazing - I almost didn't want to take a bite. They wrap the burgers halfway in that butcher's paper stuff. I don't know why, but I love that! My burger smelled fantastic, and Evan's looked equally delish.
We tried the fries first, and when we took a bite, we gave each other that look that said, "Whoa, those are some gooood fries." It was time to try the burgers. I almost had to unhinge my jaw to bite into my burger. But the first bite was juicy, spicy, tender, savory and delicious. I was in love. Evan finished his burger in probably less than 5 bites - being the wonderful Walter man that he is. We were hooked.
Now these burgers are not like processed McDonald's burgers. This is real meat, real buns, real ingredients. These were the real deal. I couldn't even finish my burger, it was so big. But, we polished off the cheese fries and sat back in utter satisfaction. Yum, Probably one of the best burgers I've ever had.
If you happen to live anywhere near Bound Brook, or you happen to be visiting us here in NJ, GO TO 25 BURGERS.
Move over Fudd's - there's a new burger joint in town!

2009-06-21T18:10:00.004-04:00

Last night, we had a concert at our church down in "The Cellar" which is basically the venue where all our youth hang out. This concert was definitely going to rock. We had five bands lined up, along with two solo acts, and two stages. One stage for the more acoustic sounding bands, and the main stage for the heavier stuff. And let me tell you, did it rock. We heard music all the way from laid-back guitar strumming to head banging, mosh-pit starting chaos.
But amid all the music, I was struck by something that I usually take for granted. My ex-boyfriend, and now very good friend John was standing on the stage performing some songs. He was on the "acoustic" stage, and as he was singing, something hit me like a wave of hot water. I was listening to the words, and thinking about the past. I was almost brought to tears as I thought, I never thought I would see the day when John would be performing praise and worship songs to our God. And I never thought that I would be there listening to it. John even read a poem he had written about his past and what God has done in his life. I found myself really relating to it, as I was a big part of his past life.
If you know anything about my past, you know that John and I were far from God during our relationship. So far away, that I didn't think we could ever come back. But that's not how God operates. God welcomes us back with open arms and the angels in heaven rejoice when we come back.

Then, later that evening, Evan got up to sing some songs. While Evan was singing, that same wave came over me again. Not only was I getting to see my ex-boyfriend praise the Lord, but I was getting to see my husband do it too. I felt so thankful for everything that God has done in our lives. Evan and I have been together for almost 8 years, and God has brought us through a lot together. I felt thankful for how God has worked in John's life. I have seen him go from your typical "wild child" to a God-fearing man who I am proud to have as my friend.

Skeptics often want proof that God exists. They don't understand the concept of faith, or believing in something you can't see, feel, or hear. You want proof? Look at me. Look at Evan. Look at John. Look at every person that genuinely calls themselves a Christian and truly believes that Jesus Christ has saved them from their sin. God transforms those lives. God spoke to me last night at that concert. He said very succinctly and very simply, "See what I can do?"
I challenge you to go see for yourself...

As promised...here they are.

2009-06-13T12:10:00.009-04:00

I have been a very bad blogger lately, and a sincere apology to my readers. But after much anticipation, I am finally bringing you the pictures of the house with all our stuff in it! (These are also on Facebook with a kind of Before & After setup - check 'em out!) And away we go...

Here is the living room, complete with our brand new furniture.

Here is the kitchen. It is overrun with cows. You have to see it to believe it.

Here is the "Eat-In" portion of the kitchen.

Here is our bedroom. We are still in the process of decorating, so if the walls look a little bare, that's why.

Here is the "Spongebob Bathroom" - this is the guest bathroom.

Here's the den, or, computer room. (I'm still not sure how they could qualify this room as a bedroom.)

And last but not least, the guest bedroom.

I did not get a picture of our bathroom, but you know, it's a bathroom. If you REALLY want to see it, well then, you will just have to come over. I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of our new house, in which we have now survived two whole weeks! Hope to see you all soon!

All Moved In

2009-06-04T16:38:00.002-04:00

Can you believe it? We are finally all moved in to our new house!!! We rented a big ol' truck last Saturday and had a whole crew of people helping us move out of 11 Valleybrook Drive, and in to 244 South Lincoln Avenue. It has been grand so far.
We bought some living room furniture yesterday, without really meaning to. We found a great deal on a couch with a recliner, so we bought them. They will arrive here next Thursday.
My first meal cooked in my new kitchen was, what else, fried chicken. It was great. I have so much counter space it's ridonculous (that's the amplified version of ridiculous, in case you were wondering). Yesterday I made chicken marsala...mmmm. (I know what you're thinking, "Chicken two days in a row?" Well, chicken happens to be the only protein we have in the freezer right now, so we're making due with what we've got.)
The cats are slowly adapting to their new surroundings. When we first brought them here, they were PISSED. I mean, pissed. Josie did not even want to come out of the cat carrier. They spent the first night hiding under the bed. But over the past couple of days, they have discovered that they are not at the vet, and this new house is not so bad. Josie even managed to sneak outside on the porch to check out the front yard. Thankfully I caught her and shooed her back inside.
Little by little, the boxes are getting unpacked. The guest room is still a bit cluttered, but we will make sure it is ready for our first guests, which, if I'm not mistaken will be Christian and Kelly (yay!).
We just got internet hookup today, and we are still deciding what cable package we want to get. I sure do miss the Food Network. Thankfully, we have most of the Family Guys on DVD, so we've been watching those before we go to bed.
So far, this house has been great. This was a good thing for Evan and me. Hopefully, you will all be able to come over and visit us! I'll be posting some pictures of the house soon and what we've done with it so far.

Moving Day!!

2009-05-28T16:00:00.002-04:00

Yes, moving day is almost upon us. I took off from work today, tomorrow, and of course over the weekend to start moving into our new home. We took today to paint the bedroom and the den. We went with a color called "Whispering Wheat" which looks much nicer than that ugly pink color they had going on before.
Tomorrow, we get the water turned on in the house, so now we will be able to use the bathroom. We have slowly been moving things out of this house and into our new house. I didn't realize how much stuff I have for the kitchen! Before you know it, it will start to look like a home.
Saturday, my mom, step-dad and my brother & his fiancee are coming down to help us move all the big stuff. By Sunday, we should be pretty much moved in!
I really appreciate everyone's love and support in this long and tedious process. We have waited so long to find a house, and we have finally found one. (I just hope all of our stuff fits inside!) If anyone is in the area in the next couple of days and wants to stop by, please feel free!

Memorial Day Meme

2009-05-21T20:27:00.002-04:00

1. What is your favorite thing to eat at a Memorial Day BBQ? If there's ribs, definitely that. If not, a hot dog with mustard and baked beans on top.

2. Do you have to work on Memorial Day? No, thank GOD.

3. If you answered no to question 2, how late do you plan on sleeping on Memorial Day? Probably until about 11am. We'll see.

4. What is the most number of BBQs you have ever been to on Memorial Day? Umm, I think 2. I'm usually the one hosting the BBQ.

5. Do you do the grilling at a Memorial Day BBQ? Heck yes. Well, I do the cooking. Usually I make Evan do the grilling...with my close supervision.

6. How many hamburgers do you think you can eat? Probably just one. I know Evan and Josh will put me to shame.

7. How many hot dogs can you eat? Definitely 2, if I don't eat anything else.

8. Do you believe that summer begins on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day? But of course! I am from New Jersey after all.

9. What's you favorite thing to put on your hot dog? Chili & cheese!

10. Who does Memorial Day make you think about? All of our men and women in the service.

Now go have a hamburger and a hot dog!!!

On Moving...or, Moving On. You decide.

2009-05-20T17:09:00.004-04:00

As many of you know, Evan and I are moving to a new house by the end of the month. I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have a house that we can call our own! And if you have seen the pictures of the kitchen, you know that I am beside myself with all the room I am going to have. Who knows what culinary creations will come out of my new kitchen?!
I had to laugh when I started unpacking some of the kitchen stuff, because there are tons of things that have essentially been unused since we got married 4 years ago. As I was taking things out of the boxes, I would think to myself, "Wow, I forgot I had this!" or "Oh man, I have one of these!" It was great. I realized that I have pretty nice stuff!
However, amidst all the excitement and happiness, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I know I have to pack, but I don't even know where to begin. We have so...much...stuff. We have already thrown out a lot of stuff, and yet there continues to be more of it! There is nothing like moving to help you weed out your essentials. I just realized yesterday how many stuffed animals we have. How and when did we acquire so many stuffed animals? (The cows don't count, they're part of my collection.)
All I can say is, thank God our new house is all one level. I hate trekking things up and down stairs, as I'm sure many of you can attest.
I am thankful, too, that we will be able to put the box spring back under our bed. This whole time, we have "ghetto rigged" our bed by putting sheets of plywood on the bed frame and praying every night that it doesn't cave in on us. Don't get me wrong, it has worked fine until now, but I am looking forward to having my real bed back.

Evan and I will be spending next Thursday through Sunday (May 28-31) moving in to our new home. If anyone has any moving tips, or would like to help out, feel free to stop by. You know where to find us. We may even treat you to a Rita's Italian Ice.

Per requests from Josh and Kelly

2009-05-05T16:49:00.010-04:00

Ok, I apologize for not posting more pictures, but you understand if I didn't want to jinx it by getting excited too early. We all know how that ended with the last house.
So, that being said, here's the pictures that are available online, but hopefully not too much longer 'cuz the house is ours now!!

Here's the living room. It's a bit small, but we'll make it work.

Here's the kitchen. WOO HOO!!!!

This is the "eat-in" portion of the kitchen. Nice size.

This is bathroom #1

This is one of the bedrooms

Here's what I am calling the den. That floating door is a closet/secret portal to another world :-)

This is the master bedroom (yes, we will be painting over that horrifying pink. Any ideas??)

and the master bathroom. By the way, both bathrooms are full baths, with standing showers.

And last but not least, the yard!

It's a cute little house with a lot of potential. I can't wait to move in, and have you all over!!!

It's a good day for the Walters!!

2009-05-04T17:28:00.002-04:00

Christian and Kelly are getting a baby boy, and Evan and I got the keys to our new house!!!
Praise the LORD!!!

*Are any other Walters out there having as good a day as we are?? I'd love to hear about it!*

This time it's for real

2009-05-03T17:59:00.004-04:00

Evan and I have been through a lot in trying to look for a house. I made it my goal in 2008 to be in our own house by the end of the year. It almost happened, but at the last moment, it fell through and didn't happen. We didn't get too upset about it, because in retrospect, that house wasn't that great anyway. It was too old and needed more repair than we anticipated.
So, here it is May 2009 and still no house. We have been looking, but not as fervently as in 2008. We've been quite busy with other things, and the truth is that there is not much out there in our price range that would be worth moving in to. We've been quite discouraged in our house hunting adventures.
But there is a bright side to this story! Yesterday we went to look at a house in Middlesex that was for rent. The price was right, so we went to check it out. It is an adorable 3BR, 2 bath ranch house. The kitchen is HUGE and the master bedroom was a decent size. Lots of closet space, and all appliances are included. This was nicer than most if not all the houses we've seen so far. It's perfect for the two of us (and our kitties!) and will be a great starter home. The realtor even said she would drop the rent by $100!
So, we met with the realtor this afternoon, signed the lease and all the necessary paperwork. Tomorrow we get our credit check done, and once that comes through, we will get the key to our new home! We are very excited. And we didn't have to go through the trouble of hiring a lawyer, paying a mortgage application fee, or anything. This will be a good move for us, and we can still save up to buy a house in the future. We were told we can start moving in as soon as we get the key, but our official move-in date is June 1st! I hope you all can come and visit sometime!!!

Scavenging Dunellen

2009-04-28T16:56:00.006-04:00

What happens when you let a youth group loose in Dunellen with a list of 50 things to find and/or do?
Well, this:

And this:

And this too:

It was time once again for the annual youth group scavenger hunt! This year, we made it a photo scavenger hunt. We gave each group a list of things to find and/or do, and then they had to take a picture of it to prove they got it. The groups returned with their pictures, and added up their points to see who the winners were.
My group was awesome. Seen here, from left to right, I had Joshua, Becky, Gino, Charlie S., Charlie W., Erin, Amy & Jenn.

We called ourselves "Team Tacos at Midnight." (By the way, if you have not tried that new flavor of Doritos, we highly recommend it.)
We ran all around Dunellen trying to find the things on the list. You can see some of them above. My favorite is the one where they are jumping. For the picture to count, everyone had to be midair. It was so cool.
When all the points were added up, the winners were announced from 4th place to 1st place. It came down to my team and Evan's team in 2nd and 1st place. "And in 2nd place....Evan's team!" My team was jumping up and down - we won!!! We couldn't believe it. I really didn't think we won because I saw the things that other teams got that we didn't, and I thought for sure we were beat. But not so!
And the prize? Each student in the group gets a free breakfast/lunch/dinner with a leader of their choice. My team chose me, and chose to go to the Grease Trucks! I smell an Aubrey Adventure coming on....

Good times.

Adventures at the Clinton Station Diner

2009-04-20T15:45:00.006-04:00

That's right, it's time for another "Aubrey Adventure!" This time, we ventured all the way to the Clinton Station Diner, right off of Rt. 78 West.
Clinton Station Diner is famous for making the world's largest hamburger, called Mt. Olympus. This burger weighs in at an astonishing 50 lbs., and costs a whopping $250.00. However, if you and four friends can eat the whole thing in under 3 hours, it's free! Well, we were intrigued, but being that we were four girls with not-so-big appetites, we opted not to go for the mondo-burger. CSD also does burgers at 25 lbs., 7 lbs., 3 lbs., and 1 lb. They are all named after Greek gods - it's pretty funny.
So instead, we each got something delectable to eat on our own. I went for the hot pastrami sandwich:
Yum. Alge opted for a "normal" size hamburger, and ironically enough did not finish even half of it. Becky got a chicken fajita wrap, and Erin got cheesy ravioli. We even got to sit in the train-car part of the diner!
We were stuffed after we finished what we could of our food (good thing we didn't order the Mt. Olympus!) CSD did offer some yummy looking desserts, but instead, we decided to make this a double Aubrey Adventure and go to Stewart's for root beer floats. Halfway between CSD and Stewart's, I realized that I had left my jacket at the diner. By the way, why is it that every time you need to turn around on the highway, the next exit seems like it will never come?? So anyway, we turned around and the jacket was right where I left it. (Did anyone even clean the table after we left??) So, back to Stewart's we went. "Four small root beer floats!" we chirped to the girl at the window. They were so delicious. It brought back memories of working with my brother at our grandfather's factory, and we used to go to Stewart's for lunch.

This was probably my favorite Aubrey Adventure so far. The CSD was very good, and Stewart's was just like I remembered it. I'm so glad these girls are a part of my life - they all remind me of me when I was that age. Good times!!

Those Amish really know their stuff

2009-04-15T16:54:00.007-04:00

Last Monday at work, I was given by my friends Tim and Matt, a bag that looked like this:

Just a plain Zip-Loc bag with a mushy, pale goo inside. Along with this bag, I was given directions and a recipe to follow for 10 days. This recipe was for Amish Friendship Bread (it's actually more of a coffee cake).
So, the idea is that for the first 4 days, all you do is mush the bag. Then on the 5th day, you add some ingredients. Then for 4 more days, you mush the bag some more. Then on the 10th day, you have to follow the recipe. The recipe creates 4 additional "starters," much like the bag I was handed last Monday, that you can give away to friends (hence the name). Once you have mixed all the ingredients together and baked it, you come out with this:

You go from a bag of goo, to a delectable cinnamon-sugary treat! If you can get your hands on a bag of goo - called a "starter" - I highly recommend it! And I'm no baker, and this came out good.
There are also recipes on the web to make your own starter, but it's just not as fun. The Amish got it goin' on!

The difference between dating and marriage?

2009-04-15T16:53:00.002-04:00

Being able to use the bathroom with the door still open.

American "Idle"

2009-04-07T21:48:00.004-04:00

I have always watched American Idol, but only the auditions. Evan and I love to watch the auditions and get a good hearty laugh at those that *swear* they are good singers and then totally blow it in front of the judges. I do give them credit for trying, though. I have never watched Idol past Hollywood Week, because it's just not fun after that. Beyond that point, most, if not all the contestants are very good and it would be great to see any of them win.
But this season, I find myself addicted to the show, well past Hollywood Week! Why? Because of this guy right here:

Adam Lambert. He is no doubt a singer. He was in the cast of "Wicked" for a while, and he has been in other stage productions. He is just so stinkin' good, that I have to watch every week to see what else he will do. His voice is infectious. He has great stage presence too, which makes the show even better.
Last week, they voted off the girl that was my least favorite, so from here on out, I really don't care who wins...as long as it's Adam. And if he doesn't win, I hope he gets picked up by a record label - a la Chris Daughtry - so that I can go buy his CD.
I feel like a teeny bopper, but this guy is so good.
There are currently 8 more contestants to go - we shall see who they vote off tomorrow night.

It's Up!

2009-04-02T17:22:00.002-04:00

In case you didn't know, my friends Steve, Carlos and I had been working on building a new website for our church. The one we had was a bit outdated, and we were paying someone who lived down in Florida to keep the information current. We brought our proposal to build a new website to the elders of the church, and it was approved with little to no questions asked!
Having a new website would allow us to build a fresher, more modern site and would enable those with the password to update content almost immediately. For example, if our pastor wanted to load his sermon from Sunday morning, by the old process he would have to convert it to MP3 format, and send it via e-mail to Florida and then it would be posted on the web within a day or two. With the new website, he can upload it himself right after church if he wanted to. And what's cool, is that the website editor is really easy to use and changes can be made effective immediately, or saved for later.
Steve, Evan, Carlos and I worked really late last Sunday trying to enter as much content as we could and finding pictures to put up on each page. We were planning to launch the new page on April 1st because we were sending out invitations to our Easter service, and the invitations have the website URL on them. So, by keeping up through e-mails and phone calls, we somehow managed to finish up the website.
The coolest part was this: the web server that we were using gave us a temporary URL to work with while we were editing the site. When we were all finished, all we had to do was call them and let them know and they would switch us over to our current URL. It was just that easy! Within one hour, the new page was up and running under our current URL.
We did it! The new website that we built is fully functional. We are breathing a sigh of relief, however, now we have to figure out who is going to keep it updated!

Wanna check out our hard work? Visit www.dunellenpres.org

You Gotta Try This

2009-03-29T16:45:00.003-04:00

This is a great camera trick. All you have to do is get a friend to take your picture while you are shaking your head back and forth as fast as you can. The results are hilarious!
This is me, looking like I got punched in the face by a ghost:

This is Patrick, just havin' a good ole time!

Try it out - I dare you!

Top Ten Things I Love About Easter

2009-03-26T21:23:00.005-04:00

I think this year, I will do a Top 10 Things I Love about each major holiday. I will not include Valentine's Day in this list because, well, it passed already, and I don't consider it a "major" holiday.
So, that being said, I am kicking off the year with Easter. I would be interested to hear other Top 10's!! Enjoy!

Again, in no particular order...

10. Flowers are usually starting to bloom.
9. It's starting to get warm.
8. The time I made dinner for Evan's dad & the boys (Evan and Chris) when Barbara was in the hospital. (He always said he appreciated that)
7. Being with family.
6. Jelly beans!
5. Finding the Easter eggs with money in them (always a favorite at Grandma Fleisher's house!)
4. Watching kids do Easter egg hunts.
3. CADBURY CREAM EGGS (ooooh yeah!)

2. Going to church and singing all the great Easter hymns.
1. Remembering that this was the day that Jesus rose from the dead.

A Fried Chicken Adventure

2009-03-24T16:40:00.002-04:00

So this was the "Aubrey Adventure" for March: homemade fried chicken at my house. Becky, Alge and Erin came over after church and I whipped up some of my famous fried chicken and some tater tots (at the request of the girls).
See, I have been bragging about my fried chicken for quite some time, and the girls really wanted to try it. So, instead of going to a restaurant for the Aubrey Adventure, we stayed in and dined on yummy delicious fried chicken. The girls were quite impressed. And I must say, I make awesome fried chicken - after testing many many recipes, I made one up that is GREAT! They enjoyed the good food, and had fun playing with Max and Wilford.
After the food, we looked through a Dunellen High School yearbook from 1967. Evan's dad is pictured in there, as well as my uncle Gus. Turns out, Uncle Gus and Evan's dad were in Chess Club together. How cool is that? The girls loved looking at all the old pictures of DHS and seeing what looks exactly the same even today. None of the teachers that were there in '67 are there now, of course, but the memories are all there.
And that's exactly what I am making with these girls...memories. We have so much fun together, and I'm glad they get excited for the new Aubrey Adventures each month. I hope that my relationship with these girls continues to grow and we can keep on having good food and good times together!!
We will see what April holds for the next adventure....

Sick Days

2009-03-21T18:31:00.002-04:00

Well, I managed to go all winter without getting sick. Everyone around me got sick, including colleagues at work, family members, and friends. People were dropping like flies while I skated by with my health in tact. Usually, at the beginning of winter I get a cold due to the drastic weather changes, but not this time.

But alas, my reign of health came to and end last Wednesday. I woke up to a minor sore throat and a feeling of congested-ness. I let my supervisor know that I would most likely be taking a sick day the next day, and did I ever. The next day I awoke to an even sorer throat, more congestion, itchy eyes and achy all over. So I stumbled to my laptop, switched it on and sent the e-mail I had saved in my "drafts": "Aubrey out sick. Call if you need me. NNTO" (NNTO stands for no need to open, in case you were wondering.) And that was that. I was officially SICK.

That same night, I had committed to babysitting my pastor's kids overnight. Though I still felt lousy, I went over their house anyway. I told the kids ahead of time that I might not be as fun as I usually am due to the fact that I am really sick. They understood - I love them. I had anticipated not going to a work a second day (Friday). So, I woke up from a horrible night's sleep, got the kids ready, took them to school and headed home to send out another e-mail: "Aubrey still sick - staying home. Call if you need me. NNTO" I didn't even go to Cellar Friday night. Which prompted a bunch of the students to text me telling me they hope I feel better. That made me smile.

I hate being sick. It is so debilitating. Even though it is good to get rest, I hate to just lie in bed all day. But that's what I did. I am feeling a bit better today. My sore throat is gone (thank GOD), but my nose is sooo clogged. I can't breathe, which also makes eating hard because I can't smell my food. My left eye is extremely itchy, so I believe that allergies have set in.

Well, it was my time. I had managed to allude being sick all winter, and it finally got me.

Happy Spring!!!

Tuesday Night

2009-03-18T18:23:00.003-04:00

I got the unique opportunity to relive my college days last night for just a few hours. Evan was asked to be a guest speaker at a film class at Raritan Valley Community College. The professor that teaches the class was Evan's professor when he took the class, and they are now good friends. So, the professor (Mark) asked Evan to come in and share his insights on movies with the class.
Now, anyone that knows Evan knows that he is freakin' brilliant when it comes to film. He always wins the Oscar pools, and he has a ton of movies in his DVD collection...everything from Apocalypse Now to Zoolander. So I went with him for moral support. He did this same thing last year for the same class, and I went then too. It's fun for me because I get to experience what it would be like if Evan were a professor, and I get to put my two sense in too. The class asks him questions, and he gets them really engaged in what he's saying.
Evan began talking about the film as a subversive art, and the discussions grew from there. We eventually got to talking about horror movies - of which I am a big fan. And anyone that knows Evan knows he is a HUGE fan of horror movies. Not just because they are cool and gross or scary, but because they say so much. And I'm not talking about movies like "Final Destination" where it is just about cool ways for people to die. I'm talking about REAL horror movies like Halloween and Friday the 13th. Campy and a bit cheesy? Yes, but good nonetheless. We talked about the portrayal of women in horror movies and Mark asked my opinion, so I got a chance to share how much I love horror movies.
The class ended up talking so much that we actually went almost an hour overtime. I felt so proud of Evan. He is so stinkin' smart, and he doesn't give himself enough credit. It has gotten to the point where Evan is the only movie critic I trust. Of course, I have my owen guilty pleasures like "A Bug's Life" or "The Devil Wears Prada," but I have such a deeper appreciation of movies after being with Evan. There's so much going on in a movie that the average Joe does not realize.
Evan even got an article of his published in the Brooklyn Rail! If you would like to check it out, visit http://www.brooklynrail.org/2009/03/film/ and look under "Japanese Cult Cinema and Abjection"

It was good to be back in the classroom, especially with my husband as the professor. I must admit though, I don't miss school whatsoever!

Air Band Contest 2009

2009-03-15T15:55:00.013-04:00

I'm sure most of us, if not all of us, have heard of people doing air guitar right? You know, that thing that Bill & Ted made famous in their movie. Well, at youth group last Friday, we held and air BAND contest. We told the students to get together with their friends, form a band, and pick a song to rock out to. We didn't know exactly what to expect. We didn't know if the students would actually go for it, or how much they would actually be into it. But as it turned out, they really came up with some creative stuff. Even the leaders did some air band-ing of their own.
So, here is just a taste of what the air bands had to offer:

This was "Small Group"

This was "The Awkward Cats"

Our solo act - "DC"

Then we had "Large Group"

My personal favorite - "The Cellar Dwellers"

And finally, "Neighborhood Watch"

A good time was had by all. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of the leaders' air band. But we rocked out to the O.C. Supertones "Forever." We gave out prizes to our favorite bands. Awkward Cats won free tickets to a concert we are having at the church at the end of the month.
Maybe YOU could hold an air band contest of your own. You never know what might happen...

And one more was added to their numbers

2009-03-09T16:52:00.003-04:00

Last night at youth group, I got an opportunity to do something that I have never done before...I helped one of our students accept Christ!! I will not say her name here for her own privacy, but it was totally awesome.
Last weekend, as you know, we hosted the 30 Hour Famine. Saturday evening, right before it was time to eat, our Pastor came and gave a short message and also served communion to break our fast. He had offered what we call "the salvation message," and asked that anyone who wanted to accept Christ raise their hand while everyone had their eyes closed in prayer. 5 of our students raised their hands - woo hoo!! I took a mental note of who had their hand up, and later on, the youth leaders discussed a follow-up plan. There was only one girl who raised her hand, so I took the task to follow-up with her.
Last night was my chance. We had finished up youth group and there was some time left over, so I pulled her into a room (I think she thought she was in trouble!), and I started talking to her about her decision.
I asked her why she decided to raise her hand and if she knew what that meant. She said yes, and that she wanted to be a Christian. So, I explained that all she had to do was pray and ask God into her heart but that she also needed to acknowledge that she is a sinner and ask God to forgive her. We talked a little bit more, and then I asked if she was ready to pray. She seemed a little nervous, so we did the "repeat after me" prayer. I walked her through it, and just like that, she was saved! It was so cool!
I told her I would get her a bible, but she said she already had one. So, I encouraged her to read it and get to know a little more about what she had just done. And I told her that if she had any questions, she could certainly come to me.

I LOVE THIS JOB!!!

Soup Suppers are Upon Us Once Again

2009-03-05T17:47:00.003-05:00

Yes, the beloved soup suppers. This is the time of the year where I get to stretch my culinary muscles and make every kind of soup I can think of. I ALWAYS donate a soup to the soup supper, and in fact, my "New Jersey Clam Chowder" has become something of a legend at Dunellen Pres. It is usually the first soup to go.
I have signed up to make soup for the next 4 soup suppers. Yay!! I am so happy when I am making soup. It's so relaxing and enjoyable. Plus I love that you can pretty much throw anything into some broth and call it a soup. I am trying to think of my own soup recipes, so that maybe one day, I can open a soup kitchen!

Any ideas on what kind of soup I should make next? I would love to hear them!!

Hungry? I was...

2009-03-02T17:11:00.004-05:00

Well, the 30 Hour Famine is now behind us. We had a great weekend...let me tell you more about it!

On Friday evening, the students were divided into 5 tribes representing countries from the Amazon: Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. These would serve as not only their teams for the weekend, but also, their families. We started by playing some games teaching them about the struggles that these families go through each day just to get a mere bite to eat. A lot of them complained that the rules "weren't fair," but that just drove home the point that life isn't fair for most people. While we sit at home and get fat on whatever food we want, others in the world wonder if they're even going to live to see tomorrow because they have no food. We had a short worship service, which was great because a good portion of the students had never witnessed that before.
We called it quits around 1am and went to our separate rooms to sleep on the hard, concrete floor. We did let them sleep in, but once they were awake, we divided into teams to go "canning." We basically went out into Dunellen door to door asking for donations of canned food for the FISH program run by our church. Karl advised us to "stick with houses that we knew," but my team totally ignored that and went to every house. We ended up collecting over 300 food items to donate.
We played some more tribe games with them to keep their spirits up and their minds off food - by lunch time, you really start to feel the hunger pangs. Then we put on a movie: "The End of the Spear" for them. Most of the students took this opportunity to take a much needed nap...including me. After the movie, we played crab soccer, which they liked. The last game we played was called "Endurance." In this, one girl and one guy would hold a bucket of water at a 90 degree angle at shoulder height and the moment they started to drop, they were out. The one with the highest time wins.
All of the games awarded Survival Cards to the winning tribe. The tribe with the most survival cards at the end of the weekend got to eat first!
Our pastor held a communion service for us, which was awesome. Something came over me, and I was so moved to see all of our students graciously accepting the bread and the wine as a symbol of faith. In fact, 5 of our students raised their hand to accept Christ into their life! Praise God! I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed.
Finally, it was time to eat. Parents started dropping off food for us ranging from pizza to Planet Chicken to White Castle. We didn't care, we just wanted to eat. The food never tasted so good. It really gave us a deeper appreciation for food. I never really realized how easy it is for us to get food. While, for the kids in most parts of the world risk their lives for food everyday. I was so thankful for the weekend. Of course, we had some hiccups - but that's to be expected in youth ministry. It was a great weekend. We had a great time, and grew closer to each other as well as to God. Overall, we raised over $2,000 to send to these kids in the Amazon. That will feed about 5 or 6 kids for a year. Amen!
Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to post because my camera wasn't working :-( Hopefully, I can scrounge up some pictures from some of the students to post for you all.
So, the next time you sit down to eat, whatever it is, thank God for your food, and say a prayer for those that are struggling for theirs.

Greater things....

2009-02-26T22:21:00.003-05:00

First off...let me apologize for being so delinquent in my posting! I have been so busy and/or tired, that I have barely had time to eat a decent meal, let alone post a blog.

Anyways, I'm pretty excited because I just found out that not only did I get a bonus for 2008, but I am also getting a raise! I was not expecting that, because, you know, the economy is in the crapper. My financial fate is decided by a board of people who get together, see how much money they can dole out, and give IEEE employees a cut of it. It can be a lot or a little. But what a pleasant surprise! And right on time too because I need to buy a dress for my brother's wedding! (Granted, that's not until August, but, you know, I like to be efficient.)

I am also excited because the 30 Hour Famine is TOMORROW! I have been reading through the leader's manual and it sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun. There are about 10 games that we will have the students play, each one teaching them something about world hunger and poverty. All the while, we are teaching them biblical principles to go along with what they are doing. It should be a blast. I hope to have some pictures up early next week. If you haven't donated to this awesome cause, check out my fundraising website (link is in the WILL STARVE FOR FOOD post) or e-mail me! If not, we would appreciate your prayers for this great event. Not just for us as leaders, but especially for the students.

Well, I just heard the phone ring which means I have to go pick up Evan from the train station. I'll be back soon!! Promise!!

Adventures at Chick-Fil-A

2009-02-18T21:25:00.004-05:00

That's right - Chick-Fil-A. This is the 2nd installment of what Becky has termed an "Aubrey Adventure." We agreed to go to one cool restaurant a month, and this month it was Chick-Fil-A, per my recommendation. Anyone who knows me, knows that cows are my favorite animals, and cows happen to be the spokesmen (or is that spokescow?) for Chick-Fil-A. Their motto is "Eat More Chicken." And it helps that the food there is absolutely amazing.
So, our journey began with me, Erin, Becky and this time Charlie Wright joined us instead of Alge. We went to the Chick-Fil-A (which I will now refer to as CFA) in Woodbridge Mall. It was pretty crowded, as it normally is, but we managed to find a seat waaay in the back corner. All of us got the chicken nuggets as they are far superior to the chicken fingers. If you've never been to CFA before, the food is just soulfully good. It warms your heart and your tummy. And somehow it doesn't feel like fast food. It's just darn good. Charlie and I got milkshakes - reminiscent of when we got back from Mexico and Karl bought us all milkshakes from CFA. To quote Charlie, they were "crazy good." So, here's a shot of our meal - YUM.

Here's Charlie and Becky enjoying the yummy food:

After eating, Erin, Becky & Charlie took a ride on the train that they have there for the kids. It was fun - unfortunately, I do not have a good picture to post here of that part of the adventure.

We tried to go to Dick's Sporting Goods to climb the rock wall, but apparently it is no longer open to the public. No rock wall - bummer.

Becky wanted to go to Delia's and everyone wanted to go see the puppies again, so we drove over to Menlo Mall which was right down the road. We went to the pet store and asked to play with the golden retriever puppy. He was so cute and fuzzy, but too hyper to get a picture.
We went to Delia's, and I think Becky tried on about 10 pairs of pants only to buy one because she wasn't sure what size she was. Erin also bought a pair of jeans. I got nothing.

We ended up being out for four hours!! But fun was had by all, and we look forward to our next "Aubrey Adventure."

My Valentine's Day

2009-02-16T11:18:00.002-05:00

Since Evan and I don't really believe in Valentine's Day, I offered to babysit my Pastor's kids for the weekend. Their anniversary is the day after Valentine's Day, so I wanted to give them some time away from the kids to celebrate. Friday and through til dinnertime Saturday. The kids were my dates for Valentine's Day. And boy, we had a blast.
My day started at about 8am - no sleeping in that day! I made the kids breakfast - eggs and toast, and then we got ready to start the day. We started by going to the dollar store near their house. I was going to get them little treats for Valentine's Day, but they didn't really see anything they liked. So, we headed back home and got in the car to go to Target.
Before we got to Target, we stopped at PetSmart. I needed to get some things for my kitties, and the kids wanted to see all the pets they have there for adoption day. There were some cute kittens!
We finished up there, and headed for Target. While we were there, I told the kids they could each pick something out to buy that was $5 or less. They each picked out a toy to get. Then we thought we should get a little gift for their parents to surprise them for their anniversary. We got them a card and a little gift for both parents. We checked out.
This was all done before 12 noon. We were all starting to get hungry, and they wanted Mickey D's, so that's where we went. Jhony wanted the #2, but only plain hamburgers. Angela wanted the #2, but with plain cheeseburgers. Natalia wanted the chicken strip meal. I knew there were going to mess up the order because the girl working the register was new. As soon as Jhony placed his order, she became panic stricken and called the manager over for help. (Why would they put a new girl on the register on a Saturday afternoon at lunch time??) We finally got the food, and they sure did get it wrong. They only gave us 3 fries when we should have gotten 4. They gave Jhony 2 cheeseburgers instead of hamburgers. And they only gave us three cups. So then I had to go back up and complain and get our order right. Finally, we got to eat.
After lunch, we headed back home. I was going to make the kids clean the house for their parents. (It was a MESS) So, we huddled in the kitchen and came up with the game plan. We started cleaning the kitchen and gradually made our way through the rest of the house. Jhony and Natalia even went around the house with Pledge and buffed all the wood surfaces! The house was sparkly clean. So, then we took a break for a little while and realized we wanted to get some balloons to go with the gifts we bought. We got our shoes back on and went to ANOTHER dollar store to get balloons. When we got home, we set the gifts and the balloons out on the table in a nice display as a surprise for their parents.
Around 4pm, we (Me and Natalia) took a nap. I got up at about 5 and started dinner: chicken nuggets, spaghetti and meatballs and corndogs. Yum! The spaghetti and meatballs were mostly for me because I was not about to eat those chicken nuggets. We ate dinner and then around 8pm, the parents came home. They were so surprised to see a clean house and the nice gifts on the table! They paid me, and I was on my way.
Evan was at a friend's house, so I didn't see him until about 9pm. I was so pooped by then, I pretty much kissed him goodnight and went to bed.
So, that was my Valentine's Day. How romantic! I hope your day was as fun as mine.

Fun at Youth Group

2009-02-16T11:15:00.003-05:00

How many people did we fit on this little platform? See if you can figure it out. We counted 13.

How Many Do YOU Have?

2009-02-10T17:23:00.002-05:00

You know, I was just thinking today exactly how many "User Names & Passwords" I have to enter throughout a given day. I am going to attempt to list them all. I'd be interested to hear what everyone else has!

Windows Login (what I use to get into my computer in the morning at work)
Lotus Notes (E-mail at work)
AIM
Yahoo Messenger
AOL Mail
Yahoo Mail
Siebel (Web-based program I use at work - there are 6 instances of this)
Help Desk (Program I use at work)
Quality Center (Like Help Desk, used at work)
Blogger
Any number of websites I have an account with
E-Time (Electronic time card used at work)
Staff Learning Center (Work)
Wireless Internet Access (When I work from home)

That's all I can really think of right now. I'm sure there's more. How many do YOU have?

Team Salter!

2009-02-10T17:08:00.003-05:00

This is a fun little thing that came about at youth group. You see, we have a set of twins that comes regularly to The Cellar, 610 (Sunday night youth group), and church. Their last name is Sawyer.
How Team Salter came to be goes like this:
The Sawyer boys - Joshua and Charlie - are going through some tough times in their life right now. What they are going through is very similar to what I went through when I was about their age, so I am able to empathize deeply with them. Over time, the three of us have grown very close. I will often pick them up for youth group events, or for church, and we always have a good time together. They laugh at all my jokes, and we learned that we have a shared interest in Spongebob Squarepants. They always give me big hugs when they see me, which makes me feel good, and makes them feel good too.
Sooo, all that being said, Team Salter came from combining their last name with mine: Sawyer + Walter = Salter. Get it?!
And here's something cool. The other day, I got a text/picture message from Charlie with this picture:

I'm not sure where this picture was taken, but it made me smile. I love those boys a lot, and I hope that we can be Team Salter for a long time to come.

WILL STARVE FOR FOOD

2009-02-05T18:06:00.004-05:00

I bet you're scratching your head. But you will stop once I explain the meaning of that sentence. The 30 Hour Famine is coming up really soon.

What is the 30 Hour Famine, you ask?
The 30 Hour Famine is an international youth movement to fight hunger. Students typically fast for 30 hours to spread awareness and raise funds to help provide food and care for children worldwide, including here in the US.
The 30 Hour Famine is sponsored by World Vision, which is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
For more info, visit www.worldvision.org.

Why am I telling you this? Because I need your help!!
Every $30 raised helps provide food and care for a child for a month (worldwide average).
I have set up a fundraising website for myself, so if you would like to help me out and donate to a worthy cause (tax-deductible), visit my website (copy & paste the link in a new browser) http://www.30hourfamine.org/portal/onlinegiving/donate/47608640-002

If you would rather mail me the donation, send me an email from here and I will give you my address (if you need it).

Our church has set a goal of raising $7000 collectively, and we can't do it without you!!
Please consider giving to this great cause and help fight world hunger.

Adventures at The Cheesecake Factory

2009-02-03T17:09:00.004-05:00

Continuing our fun from the trip to Hot Dog Johnny's a while back, the girls - Alge, Becky, Erin - and I decided to take a trip to The Cheesecake Factory. (To clarify, that is the name of the restaurant, it is not a factory where they make cheesecake - more on that later.)
So, we went on a Saturday afternoon thinking it wouldn't be too crowded. Boy were we wrong! I guess people really love this place at lunch time. It was PACKED! We only had to wait 15 minutes though, which was good. When we first walked into the place, we realized that it was fancier than we anticipated. There were people dressed up like they were going to church, and here we are in our hoodies and jeans. Alge had on her basketball jersey! Needless to say, we felt a bit out of place. But they hadn't thrown us out, so we were going to eat there gosh darn it.
We finally got seated and learned that there would be two servers taking care of us. One of them was named Shannon, and I'll be darned if we even saw the second one. We opened the menu which was more like a short novel rather than a menu. There was 5 pages of booze, 3 pages of dessert and about 8 pages of real food. Since the girls weren't exactly rolling in dough, they decided to order appetizers and/or a burger. Poor Becky could only afford french fries. Erin had popcorn shrimp, Alge had a burger, and I had buffalo wings.
The food wasn't bad. I've definitely had better wings. They weren't worth $9 I can tell you that much. I can get better (hotter) wings at Chicken Holiday for $3.99. But I digress. Then, it came time to contemplate the cheesecake. There were about 20 different types of cheesecake (hence the restaurant name) to choose from. I went with the Key Lime cheesecake seen here:

Alge and Erin both ordered some massively chocolate cheesecakes which were too chocolatey, even for me.

After consuming about 5000 calories-worth of dessert, we decided to go walk around the mall (I forgot to mention that this place was attached to Menlo Park Mall) to burn off all those calories. Becky asked if we could go see the puppies at the pet store. Sure! I love puppies as much as the next guy. When we got there, we saw the cutest puppy in history, and we asked if we would take her out and play with her. The girl at the counter actually carded me so we could do this! The puppy was a puggle - a cross between a poodle and a pug. Take a look at this face, is it not the cutest????

Here's Becky holding the puppy. She wanted me to buy it, but alas, I could not.

A good time was had by all. And going forward, we have agreed to do one fun restaurant trip a month. Next month's trip? Chick-Fil-A baby!

Been a long time...

2009-01-27T16:35:00.003-05:00

Here's a few updates to get you started:
1. The "dresser project" that I started a while back is now officially DONE! I finished the last dresser this past weekend, and I am very proud of how they came out. They are about as old as me, but they look brand new. I hope to be able to pass them on to my daughter one day! (that is, if I have one)
2. Youth group is going quite well. Friday nights have been bringing out between 70 and 90 students each week, which is great - but with only 5 leaders, can be hard to handle sometimes. Last Friday we had this one kid who was trying to pick fights with, oh, everyone he could see. We finally had to kick him out, which we don't like to do. But, youth group is not a place to be fighting. Sunday nights have been bringing out about 30-40 students each week, but unfortunately, they have been having a harder time paying attention. They must have the winter jitters or something.
3. House hunting is on pause for now. We still have our eyes open, but have taken it easy for now. Actually, the guy that owns the house we almost bought came back and tried to sell us the house again! He said he would lower the price, pay the closing cost, pay for all the repairs, and do whatever it took to get us in that house. But we were like, "Dude, we don't want your stinkin' house!!" Ok, we weren't that cruel, but we kindly turned it down. It just wouldn't be a good house for us - something we did not realize when we first started.
4. On another note, I found out that my dear friend Ali Wilks is getting married! She is marrying a guy named Phil that she met on one of her various mission trips around the world. I'm so happy for her and I wish her the best!
5. Evan has started school again :-( Thankfully, though, he does not have any classes that will have him getting home at 11:53 pm on a weeknight. That was killer for both him and me. He started taking some master's courses, so he is working on getting his Bachelor's and Master's degree at the same time.

I think that's pretty much all the news for now. I will try to be more diligent at posting more blogs so my readers don't give up on me!
Here's a little Dana Carvery humor for you:

A Night With the Wildrick Kids

2009-01-20T19:41:00.011-05:00

So, I've been babysitting my pastor's kids for about 2 years now, and I've had the unique opportunity to be a huge part of these kids' lives. They are so much fun and I have enjoyed watching them grow from the moment they arrived in this country. They were adopted from an orphanage in Columbia when they were 5, 5, and 4 years old. Natalia and Jhony are twins and are about to turn 12 later this month. Angela is the baby and she is 10. She's the diva of the family.
They can be a challenge at time because they can get a bit out of control, and thus scaring all other babysitters away. But I have watched them so many times, I know their schedules better than their parents do (sometimes)! In the beginning, they were impossible and ran me ragged all night, but they have gotten SO much better and I couldn't ask for better kids to babysit.
I babysit fairly regularly, and we always have a blast. They love to ask me questions about my life and about how I met Evan. The girls love to get backrubs from me before they go to bed. Jhony loves when I sit on his bed and we look at his yearbook. (He then tells me all the girls he thinks are cute!) Plus we get to play and be rowdy and have fun! So, that being said, here's some pics of my night with them last night, just after the snow stopped falling. The dog you see is their dog Mitzi.

This Is Your Life!

2009-01-13T17:09:00.002-05:00

This past Sunday I had a rare opportunity. Not only did I get the chance to go see the Giants get humiliated by the Eagles in the playoffs, but I also shared my testimony with the students at youth group that night.
Now I'm not just talking about the moment I got saved. I was three when that happened, so it's pretty unexciting as far as storytelling goes. I'm talking about my WHOLE story, from the moment I got saved when I was three to this moment right now. I ended up with about 5 pages worth of stuff I wanted to tell them about. Can I just tell you, it was amazing.
I started by telling them that they really needed to listen and sit there quietly because not only is my story true, it's very important to me and I really wanted them to get every bit of it. Boy, did they listen. That was the first time in youth group history that every single student had their mouths shut and their eyes on the speaker. I told them the whole story. (If you want to know more, just ask me - I'm not exactly comfortable posting every detail here.) The response I got was so incredible. They gave me a standing O. Most, if not all of the students gave me a hug afterwards. One student even approached me and said, "You know, of all the talks we've heard at youth group, that was the first time I actually felt the presence of God." WOW! That's probably the best compliment EVER! At some point in the talk, God totally took over. It wasn't me at all. I was saying things that I couldn't possibly have come up with on my own.
I drove the point home by telling the story of the prodigal son. It says that not only was the son's father waiting for him to come home, but when he saw him, he RAN to go meet him. He was so happy that his son had returned that he threw a party for him. He said, "My son was lost, and he has returned." That's how God reacted when I came back. Isn't that cool?? I wish I could share my story over and over again with the students, but God has planted the seed with those that were there to hear it. It was an incredible experience, and I thank GOD that He gave me the opportunity to share it.
AMEN!!!

Snow, snow, glorious snow....

2009-01-10T13:24:00.004-05:00

Can I just tell you that I LOVE snow? I mean, I really love it. I love going to sleep and waking up to a white blanket of snow covering the ground. I love how pretty the white snowflakes look against the bare trees. I love to play in the snow (yes, I still play in snow!) I love the crunching sound certain snow makes under my boots. I love that I get to stay home from work if it snows enough. I even love to drive in the snow. I just love it!
Today it is snowing. I'm not quite sure how many inches they are promising, but it is never right anyway. Snow just makes me so happy. I'm not even sure where my love of snow originated. Maybe as a kid I have such fond memories of playing with my brother in the snow on a day we got to stay home from school, and that just stuck with me so today I still love it. Who knows?
While I also love the warmth of the summer, I would never want to live somewhere where it would rarely or never snow. I will save those spots for vacationing only.
People think I'm crazy when I say that I love snow. My face lights up like a little kid when I hear it on the weather report. Even if there's a chance of snow, I get excited.
Just wanted to share that with you all. Happy snow day!
Here's some pictures of our dogs in the snow.

Let The Renovations Begin!

2009-01-07T19:11:00.005-05:00

Our church recently began a huge undertaking: they are going to "remodel" the sanctuary, and various other parts of the church that so desperately need work. The church itself is incredibly old, and hasn't been remodeled in over 20 years. A whole design team was put together and came up with this as the final look and feel for the new sanctuary:

Not bad eh? By the way, yes that is me up on the stage on the right playing bass.

Evan has taken the liberty of documenting this task. He is trying to take pictures each day of the progress of the renovations. Only 7 days into the year, and this is how far we've come:

It will be exciting to see how it will unfold and how much better it is going to look in just a few short months. We are hoping to have this done by Easter. The thing that I am most excited about is the renovation of what I call Command Central. This is the area in the back section of the balcony where the technology stuff resides. This is where we keep the computer that runs the projector screens, the sound board, the mixers, everything. They are going to remodel this area so it is more spacious and so we can actually have a desk/table for the computer instead of our laps.

Greater things have yet to come!!!

Can't Believe it's 2009

2009-01-03T13:28:00.006-05:00

I trust that all of you had a safe and happy New Year. I know we did. We had a "party" over at our friend Karl's house. The reason I say "party" is because there were only 4 of us there. Not including our friend Laura's 7-year-old son who insisted on staying up 'til midnight. I did make some food: spinach dip with pumpernickel bread, shrimp cocktail with homemade cocktail sauce, chips with salsa and cheese, and some taquitos (which didn't end up getting cooked anyway).
We played Trivial Pursuit 80's edition most of the evening because we forgot how long the game takes. As you can see on Karl's face.

After the game was over, we sat around and talked until it was almost time for the ball to drop. This was an interesting experience because Karl does not have TV. We found a live streaming video online of Time's Square and watched the ball drop on the internet. When midnight finally came, we heard some clamor out on the deck. We looked outside to see this banging pots and pans on the deck:

It turned out to be our friend John Bosse who showed up only minutes earlier to surprise us at midnight. We were surprised all right!
After that, we settled in the living room and played this game where the person who is "it" is given a word or phrase to say. That person is then asked questions by the other players and the person can only answer using that word or phrase. The trick is, the person who is it is not allowed to laugh. So, the other players are trying to ask questions to make that player laugh. Whoever makes him/her laugh is then it. For example, Evan was given the word "Touchdown!" and he had to raise his arms like signaling a touchdown. We then had to ask him questions to try and make him laugh.

We called it quits around 2am. All in all, it was a very fun evening. 2008 is gone, 2009 is here. What will 2009 be the year of? We shall wait and see.

There It Is...Excalibur

2008-12-31T16:50:00.004-05:00

Ok, not really. But isn't it beautiful?? I named it Red Ryder - after the Red Ryder BB Gun from "A Christmas Story." I absolutely love this thing. It plays so beautifully and it is just so pretty. I look forward to rocking out on it, either at church or elsewhere.

Pardon all the weird stuff in the picture - our house is pretty cluttered and I couldn't find a spot of bare wall to take the picture.