plans to prosper...

This week has been a tough week for me. I have become overwhelmed with my current circumstances and have broken down in tears sporadically throughout the week. Loans for school have been delayed making the option of moving delayed as well. I am still searching for a job and submitting resumes like someone desperate for work. Because I AM desperate for work!! My bills still need to be payed and I am praying that the funds to pay them will show up soon. I am sad because not having funds makes me think I may not be able to go to one of my DTS friends' wedding in BC next week. I take deep breaths and try not to focus on all of these things at the same time. Then I remember... He has a plan to prosper me and not to harm me... God is sovereign. He knew all of these things were going to happen before they did. I thought I have learned trust already in my walk with the Lord. Maybe I haven't captured all of what trusting really is. Am I acknowledging Him in all my ways? Am I trying to do things in my own will and my own strength? Questions and more questions bring me to a better place. Choosing to surrender all of my fears about the unknown and my hopes for the coming months I put my trust in the Almighty God. Recognizing that He is Almighty makes me feel like an idiot for blubbering through this week. Though I know His heart for me embraces me in every circumstance and His Father heart wants nothing more than for me to trust Him and know His love for me. He does have a plan to prosper me and not to harm me. I sit here in my bed with food in my belly, a roof over my head, and the knowledge that I am loved by the Almighty God. Please pray for me as I continue to trust in Him.

Remember when...

More than a decade ago my life was spent attending youth group events and hangin out with friends after church on Saturday nights. It doesn't seem possible that so much time has already passed us by...
Sunday afternoon several of the people I grew up at youth group with got together for a reunion. It was so wonderful to see faces that I haven't looked upon in years and hear how much all of our lives have changed. We are no longer children (though some of us still act like it) but adult with grown up lives. Weird. I still feel so young. It doesn't seem possible that so many of us have moved to the married or baby stages already. I am still in denial that I am a grown up.
A couple of months ago I was hanging out with one of my youth girls who is studying to be a chiropractor... she asked how old I was and got all confused when I told her. She responding saying "I always thought we were the same age"... not quite sure how that would work being as I was her youth leader when she was in jr high. It made me feel young though.
This reunion was very special. I think it is going to be the first of many. Hoping to do another one in six months or so. Make it a semi-regular event. I am excited to see how all of us continue to change throughout the years to come. Excited to watch my old friends grow their families and face new adventures. It will be fun to get together ten years from now and reminisce and "remember when..."

Spoontula

Alissa and I are hangin out this weekend as her parents are on a retreat. Tonight we made rice crispy treats with strawberry marshmallows and topped them off with a layer of ghiradelli milk chocolate and pink sprinkles. We discovered a spoontula (spatula-spoon combo) was the key to scraping as much of the crispies out of the bowl and into the pan. mmmm. can't wait to enjoy them! tomorrow Lis is having friends over to watch the premier of The Cheetah Girls new movie. The fun has only begun...

the 80s are back!

I visited this site www.yearbookyourself.com after seeing the magic it worked on some of my friends. If you take a look at my photo you will have to agree that it is pure magic. I feel so beautiful in this photo. wow. If only I had been in high school when that was the fashion. if only...

an afternoon with mom

after saying goodbye to Lola (the dog whose poop I have been picking up for the past two weeks) I went to the bank and then to get a coffee and headed to my moms house. she told me last night that she has been doing a good job of faking being ok lately. I congratulated her last night and made a mental note to check up on her more regularly.
so I show up at her house and find her asleep on the couch. We chatted while she woke up and went off to the grocery store. she needed milk and so I bought her some... and some syrup, butter, and ice cream. we went back to her house and had ice cream for dinner. It was delicious. she told me stories about the past and we laughed a bunch. I told her stories about when I was a kid and we laugh some more. It is days like today that makes me treasure my mom. I am blessed that she lives close by. I am blessed that she doesn't smother me. I am blessed that she has prayed for me every day of my life. I am blessed to be loved by such an amazing mom. I love you mom!

Lightning striking again and again and again and again!

So the past two weeks (almost) I have been staying at some friends' house taking care of their dog. We are a couple blocks from the railroad tracks and I have grown accustomed to the gentle movement that the house makes when a train is rolling through town. Last night was a different story.
The house shook so hard me the dog and I were startled awake at 3ish in the morning! I realized when I saw flashes of light coming through the blinds that there was a storm hovered directed above us. My eyes closed to try to get back to sleep and yet I could still see the flashes of light through my lids. It was some show. There were a few times that I dozed off and then was awoken by the thunder that shook the house. I was able to console the dog and she and I finally went back to sleep and the storm moved on. I think storms can be enjoyed more during day time or early evening hours. I just wish I had been able to watch more of the lightning "fireworks" and appreciate the beauty of the storm. I was half asleep. Didn't quite get to enjoy it to its fullest potential.

I love JJ!!!

So this amazing artist has so kindly put her newest album out there for all to have for free. You can follow the link above to her website and find out how to download it at no cost to you. We all love FREE!
I have loved her music since I discovered her about a year and a half ago. She is brilliant. Her music will captivate you and evoke thoughtful moments. I hope you enjoy discovering her sweet timeless sounds. You will love JJ soon too!

why have a planner...

...when our lives are like a mist?
we do not know what tomorrow holds.
so we must take hold of each day.
hold it as a treasure.
for what it is so beautifully named.
the present.

Crazy Heirloom

I don't understand how I can have three siblings and we are so so so very different. There is one thing about us that is similar though. We are all stubborn.

My sister Melissa is so stubborn she won't give up a married man in Wyoming who has told her time and again that he doesn't want her. She won't give up though. Stubborn. She is going back to Wyoming yet again. Leaving Puyallup and her daughter that she made countless promises of quality time with her mom to. I pray against this stubborn spirit. My sis is amazing when she puts her mind to something. I just wish it were something brilliant rather than a stupid man who is leading her down a path of destruction. She can be an amazing person when she focuses all of here determination (a nicer word for stubborn) on one thing. I always thought she would be a fantastic lawyer. I'm hoping that she soon discovers the emptiness in the man she is blindly chasing after. And that she returns to the only One who can fill her heart fully.

My brother Nick is so stubborn that he didn't tell me he was leaving town. He is now traveling the country in an RV with his girl friend and her mom. They even brought along an ice cream truck to make money on the side. He didn't want me to try to talk him out of going. Stubborn. I am sad that I didn't get to say good bye to him. I pray against this stubborn spirit. He has such a good heart and brings laughter to so many people. I wish he were sharing more of his testimony. Maybe this time in the RV traveling will give him opportunity to gather his thoughts and discover more of what the Lord wants him to do with his life. He has had some rough patches to travel through... I just know that God can use those rough patches for great things. Though I joked with him about being a motivational speaker... it is really something that I can see him stepping into in the future. I pray that he seeks the Lord to find the path that the Lord has gone before him and prepared.

My brother BJ is so stubborn that he gets under all of my nerves at the same time. He is the one who drives me crazy every time he opens his mouth. He always has to be right and have the last word. Stubborn. I pray against this stubborn spirit. Sometimes I wonder how we can be so close in age and yet the furthest apart in all aspects of our lives. It is a bit mind boggling to me. I wonder if there was something that I had done differently when we were kids if our relationship would be different today. He is a smart man. Sometimes so smart it frightens me. I pray that he will be able to use his gifts in a way that will give him great pride in himself. Even though he drives me crazy... I still love my brother. I also pray for a new attitude in myself when I am around him.


My family is unique. I was watching a movie called "the Family Stone" today and it reminded me how different each person in a family can be. It is the uniqueness of each individual in that family that makes the family that much more interesting. One of my friends described my family as a crazy quilt. I think that is a great picture. We are quite colorful and random in our grouping... however, we have all been grouped together to make something that is an heirloom that will forever be treasured.

I pray great things for each one of my family members. I pray that the stubbornness that each one of us so abundantly posses would be used for good in God's kingdom. Lord please protect and guide my sister and brothers today. Bring them back to you. Bring them back to wholeness. Bring them the joy that can only be found in your presence. Bring them the peace that goes beyond their own understandings. Bring them delight in following your leading. Bring them back to you.

dogs and kleenex

you may be wondering why those two things were put together in this post. it comes down to this... I am dog sitting. finished one week with Zoey and have made a small dent into my two week stay with Lola. And what about the kleenex? you are asking... I have been sick this week. so badly that I spent three days in bed and had to have a friend come and walk/feed Lola. Good news for me and Lola. I am on the mend. Though still a little dizzy when up for more than a couple minutes. I am feeling much better and don't require 20+ hours of sleep a day any longer. Lola had four walks today. Each about 10-15 minutes since I can't handle being up that long. Tomorrow I am hoping for three 20 minute walks. Baby steps. I think I can I think I can. Now its time to sleep.

Preview of Heaven

Tonight at a large church in Tacoma thousands of people gathered together with one purpose. Full out worship for two and a half hours!! It was amazing to see so many believers gathered together as a body being led in worship by the Holy Spirit. I invited friends to come with me and Suzanne was the only one who was interested. She had not yet been to a Hillsong concert. This concert of worship was my third Hillsong experience. It was amazing looking out on the masses of people with their hands stretched heavenward pouring out their hearts in worship. The "praise pit" had a beat of its own as the hundreds compacted on the floor level bounced and swayed with the music. I can only imagine that this experience is a tiny glimpse of what worship will be like in heaven. Only the light that bounces around us will not be from the high tech gadgets on stage but from the awesome glory of the Lord.

Marshmallow Fields, Emerald City Smoothie, and an Electra Townie

Last summer I bought an Electra Townie (a rad old school upright handle bar bicycle) and this summer I have been going on adventures with my bike a few times a week. So when I woke up this morning and saw the clouds were sparse and the sun was beckoning me out doors I knew what was in store.
I strapped my bike to the back of my car (with a proper bike rack of course) and headed down the hill to the small town of Orting. Ensuring that I had enough energy to make it through the day I stopped at Emerald City Smoothies and picked up a Sambazon smoothie which took me two hours to drink.

As I headed down the trail today I had a head ache but was hopeful that the fresh air would remedy that. The wind seemed to be going against me today... or maybe I was just tired. I think that the wind was against me both ways (no I was not going up hill both ways in the snow). The trail was more crowded than usual. I think the weather brought everyone outside today. I started in the middle of town by the park in Orting and rode for about two hours. Stopping whenever my butt could not handle sitting for another second or if I saw something beautiful that I just had to stop and enjoy. I rode along the river side loving the sounds of the rushing waters and through the lush green forests. This week I went further than I have in the past. I didn't realize how close I was to the next stop on the trail. So I powered through an extra two miles past my usual stopping point and found myself in the tiny town of South Prairie. As I rode into town I was greeted by beautiful marshmallow fields and quaint houses. There was even a coffee shop and smoothie shop at the trail stop. Amazing! I was still drinking my Sambazon so didn't need another smoothie... but I did sit and rest for a few minutes before turning around.


I am in love with riding. It is so refreshing and beautiful exploring the outdoors on a bicycle. If you want to go along with me on an adventure... let me know!