Life lately

Wow, it’s been a long time since I have taken time to blog.  This is one of the negative things about Twitter and Facebook.  I feel like I say all I need to say in 140 characters or less and that covers me for my followers on Facebook and Twitter.  A lot tends to get lost doing it that way.

Let’s see.  My parents came to visit in May and I had a blast spending time with them.  We bought lots of plants and flowers to plant around our new pond and front of the house.  Everything looked so beautiful.  I love doing that sort of thing.  It makes me happy to know that I got that from my Dad.  He has always loved working with plants.  He really loves tending to his african violets in the house the most though (wink wink Mom hehe).  We worked a lot outdoors but we also had time to enjoy Amish country and just being together.

Dave and Jessica Mast came for a visit.  It’s always a good time when those two stop in.  We wish they lived in town so we could hang out more.  Jessica and I went shopping and found an awesome deal on an ottoman (I’ve been searching for one forever). Dave spent time with the GCC IT folks.  Then we bought a ton of nerf gun supplies (thanks to Laura Gekeler’s inspiration) and had a blast modifying the guns and shooting each other.

Justin’s parents also came up for a visit recently and Justin put them right to work.  He and his dad worked long hours on rewiring our garage electric adding a new breaker box and discovering that there was little to no insulation in the walls (more fun projects).  Justin’s mom headed up a yard sale to get rid of some old college mismatch furniture.  She made a killing and we were able to go celebrate at Texas Roadhouse with the funds.  I enjoyed getting to spend time one on one with Lorraine just talking.

Hopefully my sister Kelly and Justin’s sister Stacey will make the trek up here this month or next for a visit.  It’s so nice to get to see family.

Justin and I are heading to Grand Haven, MI this month for a long weekend getaway (our first on our own since our honeymoon almost 6 years ago).  We are bringing Java and are staying at a really cool apartment down town.  I am really looking forward to it after a long summer of book prep for the Fall semester at Bethel. We also plan to head to Florida to watch the second to last shuttle launch ever in November.  Justin was lucky enough to be selected to go to the NASA tweet-up and have up close access to the launch, tours, interviews, etc.   Unfortunately I was not selected to join him but I’m super stoked he will have this once in a lifetime opportunity.  I will watch from the hotel or somewhere a few miles away.

Life at the Bethel Bookstore has been busy but fulfilling.  We launched online textbook ordering for the first time this semester and it has proven to be very successful.  It definitely cut down on lines and made things much easier for students.  We have heard a lot of positive feedback from this feature.  We now have a new touch screen register system and love it.  That also made rush much smoother.  The returning student workers learned the new system very quickly and so far all of them seem to love it.  A lot of behind the scenes work has gone into the success of this fall semester and we are excited for what the future holds for our store.

If you are still reading this long blog entry I would like to ask you to sincerely pray for me about an opportunity I have been given at GCC.  I have been asked to lead a financial course for MC3 at the beginning of the year.  I’m excited about this but very nervous to be creating, leading, and possibly teaching this course to adults, teens, and kids.  I have been praying for awhile now for an opportunity to get more involved and to follow God’s will and then this popped up.  I could use all the prayers I can get.  I’m trying to jump out of the boat and out of my comfort zone in hopes that I will expand my comfort zone and continue to be obedient to whatever God brings my way.

Well that’s it for now.  Hope to blog again soon and more often.

9/4/2010 by bookstore family life Work 0

Make Music With The Heavens

I just love the song “Sing, Sing, Sing”…I think that’s what it’s called.  We sang it at church again this week.  When I’m focused and worshiping and listening to the words as I sing them it just gives me goose bumps…goose bumps that only God lets me feel.  It’s how I know for that moment that I’m completely in sync with Him.  The words that really get me are:

“Sing sing sing
And make music with the heavens
We will sing sing sing
Grateful that you hear us when we
Shout your praise
Lift high the name of Jesus”

How cool is it to remember that Heaven is in constant celebration with Jesus.  There is always joy, peace, love, excitement, etc.  It’s just one big Jesus party.  So, when I sing that song and think that maybe for a moment my heart is singing to Jesus in the same way and at the same time that my loved ones in Heaven are singing…I can’t help but be filled with joyous goose bumps.

Many times while I’m at church…I’m listening to the message and the music, but I also think God is speaking to me.  I have these thoughts that come to mind.  Like yesterday during that song, I was thinking about how it’s often impossible for us on earth to celebrate Jesus like those in Heaven.  We live in a world of constant distraction.  So, when I can find focus and point my heart towards Jesus, that is when I’m in “heaven”.  I love that feeling and I think that’s why Jesus lets us experience that.  It IS a taste of Heaven and something I long for.

I also thought about the fog from the fog machines.  How the dry ice allows us to see the air particles all around us in a new way.  Normally we don’t give the air particles a second thought.  What if we thought of the air as Jesus.  After all, Jesus IS all around us all the time….so is the air.  “This is the air I breathe…Your Holy Presence living in me.”  I didn’t notice the fog until I focused on it.  I really need to focus on the things I take for granted everyday.  Jesus is here, living around and in me.   Thank you Lord.  🙂

1/17/2010 by life love 1

Wish List

I have recently added a link on the right side of my site for my Amazon Wish List.  I am by no means expecting any of you to get me any of these things.  I did this more for myself so when/if someone does ask me what I want or I happen to have extra money (hahaha laugh with me) then I can remember some things I actually want.  I know you all know what I mean when someone asks you what you want and you go blank.  So…this is the best way I know how to keep a list going.

In other news it’s snowing outside. We have had such a great winter so far with hardly any snow. It’s only about an inch right now and the temperature is perfect.  It’s not miserable at all at like 33 degrees. I’ll take it! We even have actual packing snow so I made a small snowman hehe.  I enjoyed playing in the snow with Java in my pajamas, boots, and jacket/hat.  It wasn’t cold at all.

12/19/2009 by General 2

My God is An AWESOME God!

I don’t think I can even begin to type all the things that I am thankful for in the last year nevermind my entire life.  For the sake of the two of you that might read this, I’ll make it short haha.

A lot of things have changed since Thanksgiving last year.  Last year at this time I was in the middle of a depressing period of searching for a job with none in sight.  I spent most of my days on the couch or cleaning the house over and over just trying to feel useful while I waited for emails/calls that never came from many applications I sent out.  I think a lot of my discouragement was that I didn’t think it would take so long to find a job.  I trusted in God.  I always will, but it was definitely hard to feel defeat and uselessness.  Justin would come home from work all excited about his day and the things he was doing.  It was extremely hard for me to remain positive.  I knew there was a reason…a purpose for me to be in the state I was.  I tried…not always patiently to wait for the Lord’s guidance.

Then one day in January I got a phone call from a friend telling me about The Walking Company job.  I am forever grateful to her and to my coworkers there.  I was able to get out of the house and make friends and earn money and feel useful.  I stayed there full time for 8 months.  Then as many of you have read in a past post…I felt God calling me to “walk on water” and give up my position full time there.  Not long after that I found my current job at Bethel College Bookstore.  I love it, I love the schedule, the atmosphere, the people.  It is truly AWESOME how God works and molds me everyday.  I was also able to stay on at The Walking Company one night a week to help with shipping and damages.  That way I get to see my friends there.  I don’t know how long they will need me but I am thankful to have them as friends no matter what.

Today…I’m happy, we have a newly renovated kitchen that we were able to pay in cash (well check) thanks to Dave Ramsey’s teachings.  Our families are all happy and healthy.   Justin’s parents and sister are here now to enjoy Thanksgiving with us.  I have an amazing husband that shows me his love everyday.  Java and the boys are my sweet babies and I feel their love every time I walk in the door after a long day.  All is well and God is Awesome!

Thank you Lord for an amazing year of downs and now ups.  The view is great from the mountaintops.  I love you Lord.

(I know I said it would be short….but it could be longer right?)

Happy Thanksgiving all!

11/26/2009 by family life love 0

My Java Bean

Today is my Java Bean’s 5th birthday.  I love her so much.  There’s not one day I come home that she doesn’t greet me with so much excitement, happiness, and love.  She is the best dog ever.  Happy Birthday girl!IMG_1439

11/18/2009 by family love 1

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my mom’s birthday.  It’s a beautiful day here in Indiana…I hope that it will be a beautiful day in Brevard for her to enjoy.  I love you so much mom! Have an amazing day 🙂

11/8/2009 by family 0

Looking for something?

It occurred to me last Sunday as I listened to Dr. Bob speak about the Holy Spirit, that so many nonbelievers have a really hard time understanding the possibility of the Holy Spirit.  It really is a hard thing to grasp without knowing.  I’m sure there are many people that think Christians are crazy and make this stuff up to feel better about themselves while alive…to give themselves hope of “something else.”

While thinking about all this…it made me think about searching for something in general.  My mom always used to make fun of my sister Erin when she was looking for something because she would always yell, “Mom! I can’t find it” and my mom would yell back, “Have you picked anything up to look for it?” How can anyone expect to find something without a full out search.  Not everything is clearly on the surface to find.  In my experience, all the good stuff is found from digging deep.  Say you lose your wallet…you can’t just say, “where’s my wallet” and then stand still.  If you want to find it, you have to start looking…actively looking.  Things need to be moved…or you need to be moved to a different place to find it.  It is not going to just find you because you said “where’s my wallet.”

So, this being said…if you don’t know the amazing power of the Holy Spirit.  If you don’t truly understand the love of Jesus, perhaps it’s because you never “picked anything up to look for it.”  I encourage you to pray…even if you have never done so before…pray to God and ask Him to reveal the Holy Spirit to you.  And then don’t just stop there.  You should look for it.  Look for it everywhere.  Try to truly find it and you won’t miss it.  You will be pleasantly surprised.

I’ll leave you with one of my all time favorite verses (the one that brought me to know Jesus as my Savior)…

Matthew 7: 7-8

7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Have a Holy Spirit filled day 🙂

10/11/2009 by General 1

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