My Weekend

finals...

Worth it?

You're probably wondering:

what in the world could be worth this?

doughnuts.

lots and lots of doughnuts.

hey, if they're good enough for the president, they're good enough for us.

30 Degrees

It's currently 30 degrees outside.
[It's supposed to get down to 18.]

...I've been complaining about being cold for over a day.

Right now, I'm very convicted to pray and to do something about the thousands of homeless people in Seattle who are much colder than I am.

Yet I feel trapped by my circumstances.

<< What am I supposed to do?? >>


Seriously.

Oh baby baby

Thank you to our Presidents for treating me to a nice three-day weekend and the perfect opportunity for a mental health rest at home.

On Friday night, I stuffed my car with four girls and lots of luggage and laundry and headed south. After hitting more traffic than expected, I arrived home. Ahhhh.

My sister and step-dad were there, my mom would be home from Orlando the next night. I was so wonderful to sit on my couch, be with my family, sleep in my room, and be in my town. I got to spend time with my friend, Surabhi, and hear about her exciting life as a Willamette freshman/sorority girl. We walked around a beautiful, sunny downtown Salem sipping a lattes from Clockworks. Everything we passed made me feel at home, at rest, and at peace.

This quarter has been really busy for me (hence the lack of posts). I'm a nanny, and I work 12 hours a week over 4 days with a 2 year old and 4 month old. Both adorable girls, but it's tiring work. SPRINT is staring to rev up, and it's taking up more time than I anticipated, so I'll have to adjust. My classes are a lot of work too. I love my Christian Formation class, but Biology and French are giving me a hard time. At this point, I have 3 more weeks of instruction, then finals, then spring break. The light at the end of the tunnel. This past week in particular, I had almost every minute planned out. This weekend at home came at the perfect time.

While I was home, I also got to see my step-brother and sister-in-law. They're expecting their first child in July, and found out on Friday that they'll be having a little boy! I'm going to have a nephew!!!! I'm going to have to budget my money well so I don't spend it all on baby toys/clothes/books for the little Peanut.

The best part of my weekend, however, was church Sunday morning. I definitely missed my family, but I missed my church family just as much this time. I had been looking forward to going back to SSNaz for about a month. I picked a wonderful weekend to come home because I was there for the announcement that

Chris and Beth are HAVING A BABY!!!!!!! 

(If you didn't pick up on it, I'm more than excited)

On September 5th, little Cadence Emery or Judah Emerson will grace us with her/his presence in the world after long, excited, anticipation.

I can't even find words to express how much joy this news brings me.

Chris, my youth pastor, and Beth are my leaders, my brother or sister, and my best friends. Needless to say, they are two of the most important people in my life right now, and I love them so very much and know that they will be the absolute best parents ever. They each have so much love, passion, kindness, patience... I should pretty much just list the fruits of the spirit here. It meant so much to me that I was there to share in their excitement and joy as they shared with the church. I don't think I could handle it being any other way.

Last night I was telling my great friend, Sammy, about my weekend. I realzied I'm definitely in a baby season. I've never had a baby season! It will be fun though. I love being with Emma, the 4 month old whom I nanny, and being an aunt to Baby Peters and Baby May will be so joyous.

Going back to church is always a wonderful time for me because I'm reminded of the family that I have. I am reminded that I am still part of my Salem families, and it makes me appreciate my Seattle families. A hard, but great moment for me was during the service, a group of my small group girls from the summer went down to pray. It was so beautiful to witness the result of their individual growth, and their growth together as a family. (Noticing a theme word?) I was about to go down and join them, but I felt God keeping me in my pew. I reached my hand out toward them and prayed for them from where I was. It was a very concrete visual of my role now. Now, my role is to love them from afar, to pray for them, and to pray for the new leaders. It's hard, no lie, but it will be great. It already is.

Praise God for the weekend, for family, for family outside those related to us, for babies, for safe drives, for church, for joy, for peace, for rest, for refreshment, and for the home that He's preparing for us that is a million times better than any place we may find here on Earth.

It's that time of year again

Oh Valentine's Day...


Normally, I am not a fan of Valentine's day, but for some reason, my heart fluttered when I saw the pink and red aisles in the store today. If I had made New Years resolutions, I think being crafty would have been one of them. I snagged some heart shaped doilies for a buck or so and made my first Valentine of the season.

Who is it for?


[Your guess is as good as mine.]

मैं भारत के लिए जा रहा हूँ means...

i'm going to

 oh yeah.

wow.

story to come later, but I am so excited, I had to share the news.

wow wow wow.

god is good.

It's okay if you read this a million times.

I want you to be all Mine. I am weaning you from other dependencies. Your security rests in Me alone; not in other people, not in circumstances. Depending only on Me may feel like walking on a tightrope, but there is a safety net underneath: the everlasting arms. So don't be afraid of falling. Instead, look ahead to Me. I am always before you, beckoning you on - one step at a time. Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, can separate you from My loving Presence.

- Sarah Young's "Jesus Calling"