Do you ever have questions without answers? You know, those questions that make you stop dead in your tracks? I do. And I've been having a few of those lately.
About what? You may ask. Well, that's not going to be revealed. Just questions. Questions that eat away at me…that fill my thoughts, dreams, and days. Questions that I try to find answers for…but no answers can be found just yet. These questions take time. TIME. Ugh. Sometimes it feels like a horrible 4 letter word that never seems to fade. Well, it does NOT fade because it's time…and time just continues to go…even when you desire it to stop or pause or fade, or become less prominent. It's always there. Constant. Steady. It comes and it goes, and it is present. Always present. Our whole lives, we'll live with time. In a way, it's comforting, but not when you want to pause and think, and ponder, and consider. And you want to do all those things in a safe space, where nothing else can occur to mess up the current progression of thoughts. Am I making any sense, here?
Do any of you have these times or seasons in your life? Where things arise and you just want TIME to stop. So, you can regroup, figure it out, and move ahead with confidence, knowing that this is the right next step. I sure hope so. Maybe comment and let me know.
What else?
Well, it's summertime here. And most places, really. I've never really had good summers in my day. But this has been a good summer. A great one, really. I have a wonderful boyfriend who I'm seeing. I was able to go to Kansas and visit my family, which was wonderful. I'm missing my nieces a LOT about now. I've done some fun stuff this summer. One of my best girlfriends came to visit me in DC, and we had a lot of fun exploring the City and just enjoying spending time with one another.
Oh! And this past Friday I got to see one of my all time favorite people in whole world – LynAnne Weist. She's pretty great. If you don't know her, you should. She's an excellent friend, and I love her so! Anywho – she's back from being out of the country for a year…and she's in Pennsylvania. Yup, that's right – good 'ole PA. But only for a week. So last Friday, I rented a car and drove down to spend a few hours of goodness with her. It was great. Really great. I got home at an insanely late time in the morning, but it was SO worth it. I would do it again in a heartbeat. So, that was pretty awesome. Another great part of the summer.
And for the most part, the weather has been decent. Last week is an exception, but other than that – much milder than last summer. By far! Oh – I am going to the beach in a few weeks, and I'm SUPER stoked about that. And I have a new job that's gonna be pretty exciting and worthwhile. Plus, it pays better, which is a bonus. Hopefully, that means I'll be able to purchase a car in October. Well, sometime this fall, at least. That will make life a thousand times easier.
That's all for now. Questions….and summertime. Yup. That's where I'm at. And I'm choosing to trust God with all those silly questions. That makes it a bit better. Cuz He knows the answers and knows what's best for me – now and always. So, I will trust and continue to put myself in a place of rest and submission to His will…not mine. Until next time, continue to follow Christ faithfully, dear ones. You will be loved.
- - Tina Lou
Monday, July 25, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Thoughts...
Hello there,
I know, I know...it hasn't been very long since my last post. I realize this. But I need to write. So, here you go!
Ah, life. It's such a funny and fickle thing, ya know? One minute it's going great, your heart is soaring, the future looks bright and promising....and the next, well it's not going well. Why does that happen sometimes?
I guess by now, I should expect the unexpected to happen, because it usually does. It should be absolutely NO surprise to me that things pop up in one's life that you don't see coming. That's just the nature of this thing we call life. I guess it's how we handle those bumps in the road, those unexpected arrows flying our way that matters.
Because until life is no more, we will have things come up that we never, in a million years, could have anticipated. And that's okay. It makes life interesting. Varied. Challenging. And, as one of my friends would say, "It builds character."
This past weekend, I had a few unexpected bumps in the road. Nothing that can't be overcome or worked through...just unexpected bumps. That's all. No worries? Right...
I can't remember a time in my life that I've been good at the whole, "Let's not worry about this. Everything will turn out fine. Just fine." First of all, I dislike the word fine. Why? It's lame. It's a copout. And I think of the Italian Job, when they say what it stands for - F.reaked Out I.nsecure N.eurotic E.xcited. Secondly, I like to be in control. I like to know what's coming, what's right over the next bend. Ask those who know me well, I'm always thinking ahead. Always. Thus, sometimes, I worry. And consider, and plan, and fix.
Yeah, so anywho - how do I deal?
It depends. Sometimes, I freak out. Mostly, I think about how to resolve or move past whatever the situation may be. And, because I have "Strategic" as a top strength from Gallup's Strengthsquest, I immediately think of numerous solutions and then drop some down and end up with 2-4. Pretty quickly I choose what I think is the best option. And then I proceed. So - that's the default for me. But sometimes, it's really hard and I get scared. It's at those times that I cling to my good friends. I pour out my heart, ask for prayer and guidance, and of course - seek the Lord.
In the midst of a few "bumps in the road", I'm determined to...
- Keep my head up.
- Believe life will improve.
- Trust my King.
- Listen to my friends.
- Pray a LOT.
- Breathe
- Try not to focus on the bumps too much, even though it's hard.
- Continue to work through the issues.
- See how to do things differently next time.
- Continue to love and forgive.
- Embrace the truly hopeful future (even though it doesn't feel too hopeful right now)
- Take one day at a time...and one step at a time.
- Be patient. (I'll have to try REAL hard at this one!)
Yes. Life happens. Things come up. Surprises hit you in the face. Life keeps moving...it doesn't pause or slow down or stop. We have to keep going too! And thankfully, we have the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit to lean on and let be our sustenance. And for that - my friends, I am thankful.
Here's a photo of me this morning. Hopeful for a brighter day than the last; optimistic that life will improve, even if the odds are against me; ready to face the day - joy in heart.
Thanks for listening. For trusting and believing that we continue to grow as we journey on this path called life. The bumps, the decisions, the people in our lives create who we are today. Let's choose wisely, dear ones.
enJoy this brand new week. For it's NEW - clean, and fresh. A clean slate....a blank canvas, waiting and ready for the paint of your life to be splashed across it into a beautiful picture.
Embrace. Live. Love. Breathe. Experience. Hope. Be.
Until next time,
Tina Lou
I know, I know...it hasn't been very long since my last post. I realize this. But I need to write. So, here you go!
Ah, life. It's such a funny and fickle thing, ya know? One minute it's going great, your heart is soaring, the future looks bright and promising....and the next, well it's not going well. Why does that happen sometimes?
I guess by now, I should expect the unexpected to happen, because it usually does. It should be absolutely NO surprise to me that things pop up in one's life that you don't see coming. That's just the nature of this thing we call life. I guess it's how we handle those bumps in the road, those unexpected arrows flying our way that matters.
Because until life is no more, we will have things come up that we never, in a million years, could have anticipated. And that's okay. It makes life interesting. Varied. Challenging. And, as one of my friends would say, "It builds character."
This past weekend, I had a few unexpected bumps in the road. Nothing that can't be overcome or worked through...just unexpected bumps. That's all. No worries? Right...
I can't remember a time in my life that I've been good at the whole, "Let's not worry about this. Everything will turn out fine. Just fine." First of all, I dislike the word fine. Why? It's lame. It's a copout. And I think of the Italian Job, when they say what it stands for - F.reaked Out I.nsecure N.eurotic E.xcited. Secondly, I like to be in control. I like to know what's coming, what's right over the next bend. Ask those who know me well, I'm always thinking ahead. Always. Thus, sometimes, I worry. And consider, and plan, and fix.
Yeah, so anywho - how do I deal?
It depends. Sometimes, I freak out. Mostly, I think about how to resolve or move past whatever the situation may be. And, because I have "Strategic" as a top strength from Gallup's Strengthsquest, I immediately think of numerous solutions and then drop some down and end up with 2-4. Pretty quickly I choose what I think is the best option. And then I proceed. So - that's the default for me. But sometimes, it's really hard and I get scared. It's at those times that I cling to my good friends. I pour out my heart, ask for prayer and guidance, and of course - seek the Lord.
In the midst of a few "bumps in the road", I'm determined to...
- Keep my head up.
- Believe life will improve.
- Trust my King.
- Listen to my friends.
- Pray a LOT.
- Breathe
- Try not to focus on the bumps too much, even though it's hard.
- Continue to work through the issues.
- See how to do things differently next time.
- Continue to love and forgive.
- Embrace the truly hopeful future (even though it doesn't feel too hopeful right now)
- Take one day at a time...and one step at a time.
- Be patient. (I'll have to try REAL hard at this one!)
Yes. Life happens. Things come up. Surprises hit you in the face. Life keeps moving...it doesn't pause or slow down or stop. We have to keep going too! And thankfully, we have the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit to lean on and let be our sustenance. And for that - my friends, I am thankful.
Here's a photo of me this morning. Hopeful for a brighter day than the last; optimistic that life will improve, even if the odds are against me; ready to face the day - joy in heart.
Thanks for listening. For trusting and believing that we continue to grow as we journey on this path called life. The bumps, the decisions, the people in our lives create who we are today. Let's choose wisely, dear ones.
enJoy this brand new week. For it's NEW - clean, and fresh. A clean slate....a blank canvas, waiting and ready for the paint of your life to be splashed across it into a beautiful picture.
Embrace. Live. Love. Breathe. Experience. Hope. Be.
Until next time,
Tina Lou
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
An extended holiday weekend
Ah, the smell of fireworks being blown off all around you. What a beautiful thing.
This past weekend was full of family, food, good
times,laughter, fireworks, and memories made. My boyfriend and I flew down to Kansas on Thursday night and stayed through Monday. We had a great time!
Friday was a perfect day spent with my family. In the morning, the four of us went to the golf course and hit a bucket of golf balls. We had a lot of fun! When we headed back to my parent's house, Rachel and the girls had just arrived. We enJoyed a morning of good times with them and then went to pick out fireworks! At lunchtime, we celebrated my older sister's birthday. See pictures below:
Here you can see Elaina, Birthday lady (Rachel), me, and my boyfriend, Grant
Elaina helping Rachel open presents.
She got a bunch of K-cups (coffee) for her Kerig coffeemaker. :)
This past weekend was full of family, food, good
times,laughter, fireworks, and memories made. My boyfriend and I flew down to Kansas on Thursday night and stayed through Monday. We had a great time!
Friday was a perfect day spent with my family. In the morning, the four of us went to the golf course and hit a bucket of golf balls. We had a lot of fun! When we headed back to my parent's house, Rachel and the girls had just arrived. We enJoyed a morning of good times with them and then went to pick out fireworks! At lunchtime, we celebrated my older sister's birthday. See pictures below:
Here you can see Elaina, Birthday lady (Rachel), me, and my boyfriend, Grant
Elaina helping Rachel open presents.
She got a bunch of K-cups (coffee) for her Kerig coffeemaker. :)
In the afternoon, we just enJoyed hanging out with the girls and unraveling lots of black cat fireworks. After a bit, Kelly joined us and my mom's brothers & sisters and my grandparents. It's been a while since they've all been together - and it was really good to see everyone and have them meet my man! :) We had a great time grilling out, blowing off fireworks, eating great food, and just hanging out. Definitely a memorable trip! After they headed back to Mac town, we retreated to the air conditioning where we played Catch-a-Phrase with my grandparents. Good times. In the evening, we said goodnight to the two cuties and us adults headed outside to blow off fireworks and Roman candles....and eat some more yummy food! See some more great pics from the day:
Mimi and Isabelle Ruby hanging out in the shade.
My beautiful niece Elaina Marie :)
Me, my boyfriend, and Mimi chilling
Auntie Tina reading Elaina a Dr. Suess book in the afternoon
Mimi and Isabelle Ruby hanging out in the shade.
My beautiful niece Elaina Marie :)
Me, my boyfriend, and Mimi chilling
Auntie Tina reading Elaina a Dr. Suess book in the afternoon
My sis, Rachel laughing with Mimi about something while Isabelle sprawls out and Uncle Mick looks on at the cutie pie. :)
Yay! I love this one of all of us. The two couples. :)
Kelly & Rachel and then Grant and me.
I have a great sister and brother-in-law. Love them a Lot!
Yay! I love this one of all of us. The two couples. :)Kelly & Rachel and then Grant and me.
I have a great sister and brother-in-law. Love them a Lot!
The rest of the weekend we spent with my boyfriend's extended family. We had a lot of fun. Saturday was full of golf in the morning for the guys and pedicures for us ladies. :) Naps and a meat fest for the guys. Hanging out...buying boxed fireworks for the night show! And then we went to his Aunt & Uncle's place and enJoyed some food, played washers, hung out, ate homemade ice cream (yum!), and then had a nice little firework show there. Sunday we went to Journey the Way in Wichita and heard his cousin, David Campbell speak. It was excellent! Afterwards, we visited Mead's corner - a beloved coffee shop that I miss from living in Wichita. Then Grant & I went to visit his Grandpa. That was a great time...he's an onery fellow, but it was real fun. In the evening, we had dinner with his brother, niece, and mom. That night we just relaxed and watched a movie, which was very nice after a busy couple of days. On the actual holiday, we packed up and visited my brother John and then headed back to head to the airport.
Overall, it was a great weekend! I loved visiting Kansas, but am glad to be back in the big city of DC now. :) See some other photos from the weekend below:
Me and my boyfriend's niece, Kaylin on Saturday night.
She's enJoying some yummy chocolate sheet cake. :)
Me and my brother John. It was so good to see him!
Overall, it was a great weekend! I loved visiting Kansas, but am glad to be back in the big city of DC now. :) See some other photos from the weekend below:
Me and my boyfriend's niece, Kaylin on Saturday night.
She's enJoying some yummy chocolate sheet cake. :)
Me and my brother John. It was so good to see him!Well, dear friends that's all for now. I'm thankful for our country's freedom! I hope you had a lovely time celebrating...and hopefully relaxing some too. Let's see what the rest of the summer brings!
Monday, June 27, 2011
An update
Hello dear friends!
It's been entirely too long. I've discovered that I'm not really the "blog" type of person. See - in the past few months, a lot of personal things have been happening in my life, and I'm not much for advertising that for all the world to see and know. Thus, no posts.
That said, if you want details - email me. I'll try and update you on my life in a good, but vague way. Well, it's now summer. And so far, it's been a good one. That is a BIG deal for me, considering I've only had 2 good summers my whole life. Hopefully, at the end of this one I can add it to the list of good summers.
Spring was good. I'm still working at the same job as always...but I'm avidly looking for new work. I'm hopeful that something new will spring up within the month. I've gone on a few first interviews, and have another one scheduled for this Thursday - so God-willing I'll be working somewhere new within the month. :) That would be stellar! If I do get another job...and that job happens to be in DC, then I'll probably move into the city pretty soon thereafter. To be honest, I miss living in D.C. It's okay to live in the DC Metro area...but it takes about an hour to get into DC and then once I'm there, I have to be cognizant of time so I can be sure to make it to the metro stop at a decent time to catch a bus home. If I were IN the city, I wouldn't have to worry about all that. And it'd be a LOT easier to get around - just hop on the metro...not so much wasted time traveling. Right now it takes me a little over an hour to get to work (4 buses) and about an hour and a half to get home (3 buses + a 15 min. walk). Less time commuting would be great, as would living with ladies my own age. ;)
I know God has great plans in store, and I will continue to trust Him. He has the best plan for me, and I know that as long as I'm following Him all will be good. It might be hard, uncomfortable, and a little painful (or a lot) but it will be the best...because it's His will.
On another note, things with the man I am seeing are going quite well. We are pretty serious, and both pleased about that. In May, we flew to Kansas so he could meet my family - and that went really well. They like him a lot, and he fits. It's good. Real good. May was a whirlwind! We went to gold cup (horse races in Virginia), celebrated his graduation, went to his graduation and grad party, met his mom & sister-in-law & niece, made food for his party...ah, it was BuSy!
At my church I'm now on the "event-planning" team, so that has added to my crazy schedule, but it's been good. We've planned a few fun events so far, and will continue to do so as the year progresses. :) Hanging out with people and building quality relationships is always a good thing.
June has been good - a little less busy. Although, the man I'm seeing started Bar prep class and has been super busy with that...which has been hard. Less time together. But it's necessary. Passing the bar is a pretty big deal, so I am trying to be supportive and patient. :) What else? Oh, we celebrated his birthday a few weeks ago, and that was really fun! I gave him a frame with four pictures of us together and a nice card. The night of his bday, I took him a restaurant he likes and paid for the whole dinner. Afterwards, we went to a park. It was lovely.
Ashley came to visit me here in the nation's Capitol. That was fabulous! It was so fun to have a friend from Kansas come and visit. :) We did A LOT. On Thursday I met her at Union Station, where she came in on Amtrack, and we headed to the Capitol and took a tour there. Not near as cool as the tours I gave last summer as an intern. They do NOT show very much of the Capitol, I'm sad to say. I tried to show her more...but a guard caught us. Sad day. We also went to the Library of Congress and that was pretty sweet. I hadn't explored there before. Good times. Oh - and that night, we took a cruise of the monuments. That was relaxing and wonderful. It allowed space for us to catch up a bit on each other's lives. Friday was soo full! We saw most of the monuments that day. My man picked us up and we went to a nice restaurant and to a strange play called "Old Times". Look it up, it's an intriguing plot. I'm still mulling it over. Afterwards, we went to the Jefferson Memorial and FDR (which is great...it's a walk through). Saturday did not go quite as planned...but it was still okay. Sunday we spent the afternoon in Georgetown and that was good. We visited Georgetown cupcakes - so yummy! Went to the Kennedy Center for a free Millennium Stage performance and went up to the Terrace which provides a great view of D.C. , ate yummy savory crepes and enJoyed some sales at H&M. :) That night we relaxed at home and watched a movie. It was so good to have her visit and meet my guy. She liked him...and us, which is good. Real good.
Well, that's a LOT of an update for now. I'm excited for this upcoming weekend. We are headed to Kansas on Thursday to hang out with family for the 4th of July weekend. Friday with my family and the rest of the weekend with his. Look for some fun photos! And hopefully a few good stories. We'll see. Hope your summer is going swell, and you are taking time to take in the wonderful summer rays.
It's been entirely too long. I've discovered that I'm not really the "blog" type of person. See - in the past few months, a lot of personal things have been happening in my life, and I'm not much for advertising that for all the world to see and know. Thus, no posts.
That said, if you want details - email me. I'll try and update you on my life in a good, but vague way. Well, it's now summer. And so far, it's been a good one. That is a BIG deal for me, considering I've only had 2 good summers my whole life. Hopefully, at the end of this one I can add it to the list of good summers.
Spring was good. I'm still working at the same job as always...but I'm avidly looking for new work. I'm hopeful that something new will spring up within the month. I've gone on a few first interviews, and have another one scheduled for this Thursday - so God-willing I'll be working somewhere new within the month. :) That would be stellar! If I do get another job...and that job happens to be in DC, then I'll probably move into the city pretty soon thereafter. To be honest, I miss living in D.C. It's okay to live in the DC Metro area...but it takes about an hour to get into DC and then once I'm there, I have to be cognizant of time so I can be sure to make it to the metro stop at a decent time to catch a bus home. If I were IN the city, I wouldn't have to worry about all that. And it'd be a LOT easier to get around - just hop on the metro...not so much wasted time traveling. Right now it takes me a little over an hour to get to work (4 buses) and about an hour and a half to get home (3 buses + a 15 min. walk). Less time commuting would be great, as would living with ladies my own age. ;)
I know God has great plans in store, and I will continue to trust Him. He has the best plan for me, and I know that as long as I'm following Him all will be good. It might be hard, uncomfortable, and a little painful (or a lot) but it will be the best...because it's His will.
On another note, things with the man I am seeing are going quite well. We are pretty serious, and both pleased about that. In May, we flew to Kansas so he could meet my family - and that went really well. They like him a lot, and he fits. It's good. Real good. May was a whirlwind! We went to gold cup (horse races in Virginia), celebrated his graduation, went to his graduation and grad party, met his mom & sister-in-law & niece, made food for his party...ah, it was BuSy!
At my church I'm now on the "event-planning" team, so that has added to my crazy schedule, but it's been good. We've planned a few fun events so far, and will continue to do so as the year progresses. :) Hanging out with people and building quality relationships is always a good thing.
June has been good - a little less busy. Although, the man I'm seeing started Bar prep class and has been super busy with that...which has been hard. Less time together. But it's necessary. Passing the bar is a pretty big deal, so I am trying to be supportive and patient. :) What else? Oh, we celebrated his birthday a few weeks ago, and that was really fun! I gave him a frame with four pictures of us together and a nice card. The night of his bday, I took him a restaurant he likes and paid for the whole dinner. Afterwards, we went to a park. It was lovely.
Ashley came to visit me here in the nation's Capitol. That was fabulous! It was so fun to have a friend from Kansas come and visit. :) We did A LOT. On Thursday I met her at Union Station, where she came in on Amtrack, and we headed to the Capitol and took a tour there. Not near as cool as the tours I gave last summer as an intern. They do NOT show very much of the Capitol, I'm sad to say. I tried to show her more...but a guard caught us. Sad day. We also went to the Library of Congress and that was pretty sweet. I hadn't explored there before. Good times. Oh - and that night, we took a cruise of the monuments. That was relaxing and wonderful. It allowed space for us to catch up a bit on each other's lives. Friday was soo full! We saw most of the monuments that day. My man picked us up and we went to a nice restaurant and to a strange play called "Old Times". Look it up, it's an intriguing plot. I'm still mulling it over. Afterwards, we went to the Jefferson Memorial and FDR (which is great...it's a walk through). Saturday did not go quite as planned...but it was still okay. Sunday we spent the afternoon in Georgetown and that was good. We visited Georgetown cupcakes - so yummy! Went to the Kennedy Center for a free Millennium Stage performance and went up to the Terrace which provides a great view of D.C. , ate yummy savory crepes and enJoyed some sales at H&M. :) That night we relaxed at home and watched a movie. It was so good to have her visit and meet my guy. She liked him...and us, which is good. Real good.
Well, that's a LOT of an update for now. I'm excited for this upcoming weekend. We are headed to Kansas on Thursday to hang out with family for the 4th of July weekend. Friday with my family and the rest of the weekend with his. Look for some fun photos! And hopefully a few good stories. We'll see. Hope your summer is going swell, and you are taking time to take in the wonderful summer rays.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Thoughts and a poem.
Standing on the edge
She waits for the wind
Will it knock her forward
into the great unknown?
Or will it push her back
onto the safe, marshy ground?
She holds her breath in anticipation.
Trying to decide
Will she jump? Or will she
stand here and wait?
What will she choose?
Time is on her side.
For this jump or stance is in her mind.
Thus, there is safety in waiting.
Decisions always bring us to crossroads.
Which way we turn shapes who we are.
Let us ponder and consider each choice.
And the repercussions they give.
-------------------------------------
There you have it. A short and sweet poem.
The meaning, I will leave up to you, dear reader.
The month of April is good. Good for a number of reasons.
Because of friends, cherry blossoms, good cups of coffee.
Movies. Great books. Blogs. ;) Date nights. Late nights.
Heart to heart conversations. Long walks. Sunsets.
Good food. flowers. Springtime! :D
Yes, life is good. There's always something to learn, to gain,
a place to grow, a heart to expand. People to meet, hurdles to overcome. Dreams to dream.
Relationships to grow. What will your Spring be full of this year?
Well, I want you to know that if you believe, it will happen. And, if you Trust the King, He will surprise you beyond your wildest dreams. And that will be good. But you DO have to trust and let go of the control. Which is never easy, but it IS a requirement. He wants your heart - all of it, and you to believe. Have faith. And then, have some more! :) Need some encouragement in that area, read Hebrews 11. And take a deep breath, and trust some more. Now, enJoy this fresh, new week! :) Until next time...
She waits for the wind
Will it knock her forward
into the great unknown?
Or will it push her back
onto the safe, marshy ground?
She holds her breath in anticipation.
Trying to decide
Will she jump? Or will she
stand here and wait?
What will she choose?
Time is on her side.
For this jump or stance is in her mind.
Thus, there is safety in waiting.
Decisions always bring us to crossroads.
Which way we turn shapes who we are.
Let us ponder and consider each choice.
And the repercussions they give.
-------------------------------------
There you have it. A short and sweet poem.
The meaning, I will leave up to you, dear reader.
The month of April is good. Good for a number of reasons.
Because of friends, cherry blossoms, good cups of coffee.
Movies. Great books. Blogs. ;) Date nights. Late nights.
Heart to heart conversations. Long walks. Sunsets.
Good food. flowers. Springtime! :D
Yes, life is good. There's always something to learn, to gain,
a place to grow, a heart to expand. People to meet, hurdles to overcome. Dreams to dream.
Relationships to grow. What will your Spring be full of this year?
Well, I want you to know that if you believe, it will happen. And, if you Trust the King, He will surprise you beyond your wildest dreams. And that will be good. But you DO have to trust and let go of the control. Which is never easy, but it IS a requirement. He wants your heart - all of it, and you to believe. Have faith. And then, have some more! :) Need some encouragement in that area, read Hebrews 11. And take a deep breath, and trust some more. Now, enJoy this fresh, new week! :) Until next time...
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Life
Hi there friends,
So, there I go updating my blog and 1) it posts the date when I first started my draft (that was a LONG time ago!) 2) Now I want to update again! I think I just had to do it...and now it doesn't seem so hard. Go figure.
Life. It's a funny thing, isn't it? Here we are in April. How has the first part of 2011 been for you so far? I was talking to someone yesterday and it feels long and yet quick all at the same time. How is that possible? I know that I have made progress this year.
I've started back painting again, which feels oh, so good! I'll be excited when that first painting is complete. I've stuck to my resolution to write in my journal each and every day. Haven't missed one, and do not intend to. I've cooked a LOT more in these first few months of the year than I usually do...which is great fun. ;) I've been to Kansas and back, Dallas, and seen the cherry blossoms for the first time. In my walk with the Lord, I've been more actively engaged and open with others about my process. I can track the changes in my heart in 2011. And I feel like I have a vision for the future, which is a beautiful thing.
Do I know where I'll be working at this time next year? Nope. But God does. And that's ALL I need to know. I'm learning to TRUST more and to be content in waiting. Be patient. Yes, I tell myself this a lot "Patience is a virtue." :) Somehow it helps me feel a slight bit better.
Oh - and here's a big one. There's a special man in my life. Yup. There sure is. If you are friends with me on facebook, you know this. :) That in and of itself has been an adventure. A good one. I'm learning a lot about myself, life, and love in the midst of all of this...and waiting and learning from my King. It's been a good journey. One that I recommend. :)
And I'm learning how to maintain good, deep friendships in spite of the distance. I have quite a few close girlfriends who do not live near me, and yet I love them all the same. I pray for them, hold them in my heart, and hope that they are truly experiencing this beautiful thing called life. Each and every day - with all the pain, all the joy, all the lessons learned, all the hurdles overcome with God's strength, all the grace needed to keep going strong. I love them. So, if you are one of those dear friends of mine who doesn't live near, know that you are loved...and probably missed. That's all for now. Just some thoughts on life and 2011. enJoy the first hints of Spring, dear ones.
So, there I go updating my blog and 1) it posts the date when I first started my draft (that was a LONG time ago!) 2) Now I want to update again! I think I just had to do it...and now it doesn't seem so hard. Go figure.
Life. It's a funny thing, isn't it? Here we are in April. How has the first part of 2011 been for you so far? I was talking to someone yesterday and it feels long and yet quick all at the same time. How is that possible? I know that I have made progress this year.
I've started back painting again, which feels oh, so good! I'll be excited when that first painting is complete. I've stuck to my resolution to write in my journal each and every day. Haven't missed one, and do not intend to. I've cooked a LOT more in these first few months of the year than I usually do...which is great fun. ;) I've been to Kansas and back, Dallas, and seen the cherry blossoms for the first time. In my walk with the Lord, I've been more actively engaged and open with others about my process. I can track the changes in my heart in 2011. And I feel like I have a vision for the future, which is a beautiful thing.
Do I know where I'll be working at this time next year? Nope. But God does. And that's ALL I need to know. I'm learning to TRUST more and to be content in waiting. Be patient. Yes, I tell myself this a lot "Patience is a virtue." :) Somehow it helps me feel a slight bit better.
Oh - and here's a big one. There's a special man in my life. Yup. There sure is. If you are friends with me on facebook, you know this. :) That in and of itself has been an adventure. A good one. I'm learning a lot about myself, life, and love in the midst of all of this...and waiting and learning from my King. It's been a good journey. One that I recommend. :)
And I'm learning how to maintain good, deep friendships in spite of the distance. I have quite a few close girlfriends who do not live near me, and yet I love them all the same. I pray for them, hold them in my heart, and hope that they are truly experiencing this beautiful thing called life. Each and every day - with all the pain, all the joy, all the lessons learned, all the hurdles overcome with God's strength, all the grace needed to keep going strong. I love them. So, if you are one of those dear friends of mine who doesn't live near, know that you are loved...and probably missed. That's all for now. Just some thoughts on life and 2011. enJoy the first hints of Spring, dear ones.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Travel Highlights
It's been a bit. I need to give the highlights of my two recent trips in the States. :) My quick trip to Kansas to meet my new niece, Isabelle Ruby Stucky was quite the adventure back at the end of January. If I went into all the fun little hiccups along the way, this blog entry would be epically long. Thus, I will go against my nature and describe my two trips in bullet points. The second trip I went on was to Dallas in the middle of February for a Leadership Conference in conjunction with my church. Do enJoy this digression in my writing style. Trip to Kansas to meet the 2nd Stucky daughter. :)
- Woke up unexpectedly at 5:30am on Tuesday, January 25th to see texts from my parents, "Rachel is in labor!"
- Booked my flight to Kansas from BWI, left the house at 6am.
- Made it into Philly, and then finally MCI, rented a car and drove 3.5 hours to finally arrive at the hospital at 8pm the day Isabelle came to be. Rachel (my older sister) was stunned to SEE my face in Kansas the very day that Isabelle arrived!
- Isabelle Ruby Stucky (nickname, "Izzy Ru" or just "Izzy") came at 5:33am, weighing 8lbs, 12 oz.!
- There she is - the beautiful Isabelle Ruby! :) After spending 14 hours to meet her and see my beautiful older sister, Rachel (her momma), it was definitely worth it to hold my second niece in my arms and see her look sweetly up at her Auntie Tina. :)
- This is a pic of her & I on her day of birth! January 25, 2011 at the hospital in McPherson. What a precious time. It's a beautiful thing to be present when a new life in the family is born. I was soo proud of my sis - her labor was short (only 6 hours!) and she looked great!
- Here's a photo of the four ladies on day 2 in Kansas - Wednesday, January 26th.
- It's pretty blurry - but you can make out my Mom (Patty), Isabelle Ruby or (Izze Rue), Elaina, and my sis Rachel.
- On that Wednesday morning, we had a wonderful time playing, holding the new baby girl, and just spending time together. :) Elaina had the joy of opening a gift from mom & dad (a magnadoodle) and then she opened a present from Auntie Tina. While in the airport, this man showed me a demonstration of these sweet markers. One set of 9 used together creates a different color on top of another, and then the second set when you use the "magic" white maker, it erases the color. So, it's a fun drawing set of makers for her to use. Elaina did well as the big sister.
- After lunch, I had to head back to KC to catch my flight...and little Elaina did NOT want Auntie Tina to go.
- - "Auntie Tina, where are you going?" - Elaina
- - "I'm going to drive in my rental car to the airport and fly home. Auntie Tina has to get back to work, Elaina. But I love you!" - Auntie Tina
- - "I don't want you to fly! Can't you stay and play with me?!" - Elaina
- - "Auntie Tina wants to, but I have to go back home. We can see each other on skype and play and I'll read you books and we can sing songs together. Okay?" - A. T.
- - "Okay, but not now!" - Elaina
- Concerned about the price, I asked...and they said a number over $100. That was too much for me, and I expressed such. The older man (we'll call him Sam), said well, we're going to a Holiday Inn Express and I work for Holiday Inn and I can get us a good rate. You won't pay over $100. Okay, then! I'm in! :)
- We had a nice conversation on our way to the hotel and once we got there Sam asked for the good rate, and boy, howdy did she give it to us! I enJOyed a SHOWER and nice, King size bed that ensured a few hours of good sleep all for under $50! Incredible.
- The next morning, we made our way back to the airport - bright & early. I got on the standby list right away, and they called my name for the first flight out to DCA at 7:30am. By 9:15, I was back in DC on Thursday morning. Praise God!
- Remember that my house has no power? And no fireword? Yeah. So, I hop on the metro and make my way to Dunn-Loring. From there I catch a bus, and am determined to go home with heat (firewood). So, I go down the busy road in my town, and make my way to the Supermarket, and it's closed due to power outages.
:( Great. I'm in knee-deep ice cold water, my suitcase fell apart in the airport - so it's staying together with one of my scarves...ugh. There's SO much snow! Well, I make my way to a beauty parlor nearby the store, and they are open. I have something done there, and by the time I'm finished, I check back at the store and it's OPEN! Horray.
- Thankfully, I DID have that suitcase, b/c the firewood box was heavy. I was able to put it on top of my carry on and wheel all my stuff around that way. So, I make my way to the bus stop. Well, there's a HUGE embankment of snow between me and the street. Ugh. When the bus pulls up - she's like, "Honey, how are you going to get on here?!" I shrug my shoulders, determined to get home! A nice hispanic man hops over the snow, grabs my bag and firewood and then I do this silly jump, hop thing and land on the bus! :)
- Guess what? This bus isn't going down into my subdivision because of all the snow! Great. How am I going to get home? Well, when we are at the corner close to the area that starts the neighborhood that I live in, I get off. So does another nice hispanic man who carries my firewood (it kept falling off and into the snow. :( ) On the street...I put my thumb out and this nice woman picks me up and drives me to my townhouse. Praise the Lord! By about noon on Thursday I am finally home! Oh, it felt SO good to finally be home!!
- We still didn't have power, but now we had heat! Yay. I spent the rest of the day at home. So good. And in one day, I flew to Kansas, met my beautiful neice and spent some precious, quality time with my family. Love it.
Trip 2 - Dallas!
This trip I made to Dallas for a GLI Conferene - a Leadership conference for professionals that is connected to my church. :) It was SO good to see people that I love and know through GLI that came from all over the US. :) Good times for sure. I shared a hotel room with Gail (from Virginia), Jerusha (from my community in DC), and a gal I didn't know yet, Danyelle (she's from Canada). We had a great time.
The conference was very rich in resource and teaching. Definitely a lot to unpack still. One small tidbit that I'll share...and that spoke to me is how much our actions DO affect one another's process. Each and everyday the lives that we build directly impact our brother and sister's process and in turn change the nature of what WE as the body of Christ build in the unseen realm. The way that we structure and live our lives is vital to the health of the Body & the Kingdom. Thus, it's REALLY important to live a conscious life each and every day.
The other thing that really stuck out to me is the importance of being actively engaged at work each day. What type of life, heart are you building in your workplace? Does it mandate WHO you are? Or are you so in tune with the Holy Spirit, that you are consciously aware of God's design for your workplace; how you fit into that "big" picture; that God is ultimately in control, and we just have to listen and faithfully serve Him. We spend what was it, like 70% of our work week at WORK?! Yeah, that's A LOT of time. Definitely not the time to "check out" of life. Build well, my friends. These are dark times, thus it is VITAL for us to be that bright light in whatever spheres of influence we find ourselves. And remember to DREAM. Dream big. Ask God what His dreams are and live them out! :)
I went to Dallas the weekend of Feb. 11-13th. It was fabulous! And now the next trip will be to see my dearest cousin Monica and meet her lovely little newborn, Jacob Storm. :) Hopefully, that will be at the end of this month.
There you have it! FinAlLy - an update! :) Look for another sometime this month. enJoy Spring, dear friends.
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