MIA

It has been quite awhile since I have had a chance to blog...or make anything. And I miss it.

However, I am loving life!

I have the most encouraging and hunky husband.

I love grad school...being challenged in so many ways.

And God has great things in store for us at The Bridge, and I am honored to be a part of it.

So although I have been missing from the blog world, I have not been missing out on living life to the fullest!

Hoping to make something in the near future to share with you all!

Why I have the Best Husband #65-He Cleans

This week has been crazy and for the most part our evenings have been booked.

LifeGroup.

Meetings.

My Sister Getting Married This Saturday.

I honestly was not sure when certain things would get done. I didn't know when I would have time. But I didn't need to worry about it.

This week, hubs has:
Unloaded the dishwasher
Swept
Swiffered
Vacuumed
Watered the grass daily
Watered the garden

All while still working a 40 hour week and attending one meeting with me.

I have it good.

Eyes and Balls

Part of my role at The Bridge is to oversee and implement our global and local missions program. I have been on staff for 3 years now. What I have discovered in those 3 years is that churches and non-profit organizations in Fresno work extremely well together. It's as if they realize that the goal isn't for each individual church to have the largest attendance but want to make the greatest impact on the kingdom by working together.

There are a group of missions pastors/directors that get together a couple times a month just to get together, to talk about what is going on in our ministries, and a time to ask each other questions. I have come to really value these times together. I love hearing what others are doing. I love gleaning ideas from their ministries so that it works in the culture of our church and the direct community that we are in.

Today, I had Indian food for the first time with a group of these people. One of the topics of discussion was the most abnormal food to our own culture that we have eaten on a trip to a foreign country. Pretty much every person beat me with what I would call a weird food...from a foot long worm, to half developed chicken egg, to an animals eyes and balls...

The only abnormal thing that I have eaten is iguana, armadillo, and goats meat (which is actually really good!)

What is something you have eaten that you never thought you would eat?

Why I have the Best Husband #172-Thoughtfulness

"Hope This Brightens Your Day!"

Going to the Dentist

I have gone to the dentist every 6 months for as long as I can remember.

And each time I dread going.

I don't think that is ever going to change.

A Deflated Spirit with Words

Isn't it funny how words can hurt/deflate a persons spririt?

This morning, a conversation took place where we evaluated the past week. Although some nice things were said, it was more of a conversation of what wasn't right.

The hardest part about it is the main thing that went wrong, I had no control over.

And when it was stated that a component that I oversaw was a failure, my spirit deflated...more than usual. And this is because I have given a month of my life to make the month of February the best it can be.

Sometimes I wonder if my best is even good enough...

Learning To Be Healthy

At the beginning of the year, Blake and I put some "guidelines" on our life. We want to have a happy, healthy, thriving marriage. We don't want to live in mediocrity.

Below is the list of things we came up with to help us move in the right direction:

1. Read our Bible daily.
Even though I work at a church, and read the Word for work, I don't always take time to just stop and be with Him. This has become the number one priority for us.

2. Praying together.

Way.

More.

Often.

About anything. About everything.

3. Read a book together. One chapter each week and discuss.

4.Exercise at least 4 days a week. This has turned into 6 days with P90X.

5. Cook at home more. Even though life can be crazy working at a church, we waste money and
eat more unhealthy when we eat out.

6.Individaually hang out with a friend at least every other week.

7. Hang out with another couple at least every other week.

8. Get out of town once a month, even if it is for a day. To stop and just be with each other.

9. Walk the dogs 3 times a week.

And for me:
Days that I don't have evening commitments...get my butt out of bed and to work by 8 so I can be off at 5 so I can spend the most amount of time per evening hanging out with Blake and doing whatever I want.

Journal at least once a week. I haven't been good at this one, but I know I need to do it. Prayer journaling helps me to get out all of my thoughts on paper to God, the good, the bad, the ugly. It helps me to process everything.

For the lifestyle changes we have made with each other, we have consequences put in place for when don't follow through.

So far, 2010 has been one of the best years of my life :)

P90X

2 weeks ago, hubs and I started P90X. We already eat pretty healthy, so the real change was the intense exercising.

P90X is hard, but for the most part, I have been able to keep up with good ol' Tony. Tony Horton reminds me of Michael Scott from The Office. He says awkward things at awkward times....which makes me laugh.

The best part of doing P90X right is the fact that we are already seeing results. We aren't sticking to the meal plane precisely, but if you can't have a little fun in life what's the point?

P90X-day 6

Dear Tony,

Although the excercise on day 5 (which lands on Friday for me), legs and back, is a good workout, on day 6, I can barely sit down.

Can you cool it on the squats?

Thanks.

Burnout

I never thought that I would even come close. I knew what a healthy balance was. But over these past 2 months, work has been so crazy that I have shut out many other areas of my life.

I was off work on Dec 24th, but decided to go pick up a check at the church office. While I was there, I went into our communication directors office and asked if I could borrow one of his books. I had seen it laying around, but never looked closely at it. Which is why I am not even sure why I asked for it (now I know).

"Mad Church Disease:Overcoming the burnout Epidemic" by Anne Jackson was the book.

I started reading it on the 26th on our way to Urbana, and finished it early on in the flight from LAX to St Louis.

These past 2 months, I have given 120% at work. There has been so much to do, and knowing that it needed to be done "now" didn't help.

It is extremely easy for me "to do" for God, that I forget how "to just be" with Him. To sit at the feet of my saviour. To rest in Him.

And it turns out that if I don't change my lifestyle soon, I am going to burnout.

I recommend that every church staff member and every church leader should read this book, if only for the knowledge of what it may look like if they are beginning to burn out or if someone they work with and know well may be experiencing this.

So while at Urbana, although there is lots to do, experience, and see, I am trying to reconnect with the Lord of my life, to figure out again what it can look like to slow down and just be in his presence.

When we get home, Blake and I are going to begin implementing some lifestyle changes that we have already begun to discuss.

This book has a lot of good information, helps you reflect on your situation, and gives you steps to changing all areas of your life (spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical).

A Relevant Life

I want my life to be relevant. I want the topics I blog about to relevant.

What does it mean to lead a relevant life to you?

A Two Dog Family

Last Saturday, we got another puppy. Sammy is a lab mix, which we have discovered that he is mixed with Great Dane (he is a big boy). We thought it would be good for Sammy to have a friend at home. It has been an interesting transition, but overall we think he likes her.

Maddi is also a lab mix, but she is part terrier. I am glad that she is not going to be as big as Sammy, but right now, she is tiny compared to him.

A Whole New World

There are many things that Blake was not able to experience as a kid since he came from such a large family. I come from a family of 2 kids...me and my sister. During Halloween time, I remember going to McDonalds and getting a Happy Meal. During this time of year, the Happy Meal was given in a plastic pumpkin. Blake did not have the joy of experiencing this as a kid. Friday night, he took me to Ruths Chris to celebrate six wonderful months of marriage. Sunday night, between meetings and class, I took him to McDonalds for a Happy Meal!

I had him meet me at the McDonalds at Willow and Nees, which is connected to a Union station. I told him to meet me at the Union 76 station at 5:15 (to throw him off!). I got their early and ordered the Happy Meal, put it in a pumpkin that I got at Target, and waited for him to show up. When he got their, he loved it! Of course, it wasn't quite the same as if he were a kid, but he sure did enjoy it!

Resting

I read Shaun Groves blog. I like what he has to say, even though I don't always agree with it. He is usually pretty insightful and makes me think.

I have been struggling with what it means to rest, to have a sabbath. Life is so busy that when I have an evening off, I am not quite sure what to do with myself.

Here is a portion of Shaun's blog from today:

"I’m always working because I’m never satisfied. At night I stay up dissecting the day and fretting over the next, sifting through the moments I wish I could do-over, prognosticating tomorrow’s troubles. Even when my body isn’t in motion my mind is still working away, tweaking the past and perfecting the future before it even arrives. I’m a bundle of anxiety and regret.

It’s good? Good enough to leave alone?

Taking a sabbath requires me to be satisfied with myself, with my reputation, with my income and the amount of stuff I own, with the finished and half-done and not-even-started. With God. With the life he’s made me – so far."

Am I not truly satisfied with life? Is that always a bad thing?

Do you struggle with taking a real "sabbath"? What do you like to do to rest?

To read the entire blog, go here.

My All-In-One Man

My husband is awesome. He can pretty much build, install, or fix anything. It is amazing.

His degree was in construction management at Fresno State, but he graduated from COS with his certificate in HVAC. He grew up watching his dad build custom cabinets and watching his grandpa fix/work on cars. Along with that, he has picked up many skills along the way, such as electrical and plumbing.

Last week, he built us a closet organizer.

Check it out!

If you ever need anything done, let me know!

Being Thankful

As an American, and as a daughter of parents who are middle class individuals, I never went without growing up. I wasn't spoiled by any means, but I was provided for.

I have been married to the love of my life for 5 months (exactly, tomorrow :) ) We were married one month to the day when my husband came home, and told me that he had been let go from his job in construction management. Not exactly something you want to hear when you just got married and just bought a house 4 months previously.

As hard as it has been, I admit that it has been wonderful.

It has put so many things into perspective.

The Lord has provided for us in so many ways. Thus far, we have no financial troubles. We have a roof over our heads. A warm bed to sleep in. Food in the cupboards. An awesome dog. And most importantly, we still have each other.

I am so thankful for the little things. I hope that as we continue on this journey, that I am reminded of all that God has done for us and how he has blessed us.

And right now, my heart is extremely thankful.

Tethering my IPhone to my Computer

We don't have internet at our house yet. Which is really inconvenient and great all at the same time.

On Saturday, I discovered something new. I can plug my IPhone into my computer via USB, and I can get on the internet.

Most of you probably already knew this, but I don't usually plug my phone into my computer at home, I only do it at work.

I am amazed by technology.

Yarcel...take 2

This post, with the picture, is authentic. As in, I was driving in a smaller valley community, and couldn't help but take a picture.

Now, this is extremely funny. But I couldn't help but start thinking about the fact that this kid thought that this was how you spelled "yardsale". And nobody corrected him. Which leads me to believe that his mom doesn't know how to spell "yardsale" either.

I wish I could just look at it and laugh, and look at it again and laugh some more (because I have done that numerous times) without feeling sorry for this kid and wondering what his future holds.

Yarcel

Yarcel. You know, the thing you have when you try to sell your belongings outside your home.

Changes

There have been quite a few changes in our lives recently. It is funny how in a moment, everything can change. And although we don't always see how it is a good thing at the time, we understand that we serve a God who is loving and just. I have seen over and over again how His timing is perfect. I don't always see it at the time, but looking back, I would not have it any other way.

This is another one of those times. Blake and I have been given a blank page so to speak. And we will see what God has in store for us to fill the pages with.