She Said
I recently started doing a bible study with a friend. As each of us were sharing how the study is impacting us, I share with her some of my thoughts about what she is struggling with. As I do I am struck by what I am saying and I say, "not that I have this all figured out." She says, "Missy, I wouldn't be doing this study with you if you were perfect."
"Our Family Said"
Our first family night was a great time to be had by all. We have gotten a lot of positive feedback from people reading our blog as well. We are excited this is encouraging families to be intentional together. Our first night had no agenda except to connect, have fun, and try something new. Honestly, our second night had a bit of an agenda considering the theme is "Obey!" Seth and I thought all four of us could use a little positive encouragement in this area :) Here is how our night went:
"She Said"
February is American Heart month to raise awareness of heart disease and encourage individual's to live a healthier life as well as seek regular medical guidance.
"Our Family Said"
When setting spiritual goals for 2012 we decided we wanted to have intentional family nights. The goals of the family night are a few: have fun as a family, do something intentional as a family (game, craft, project, serving, etc.), create memories together, have an intentional spiritual element, and some kid friendly food.
"She Says"
We had the joy of hearing Danny Oertli lead the service at our church recently. His words, experience, and testimony hit you at the core and make you even more aware of Christ's presence and work in our lives.
He Said
Remember the day when we ran away
And we saw the world for the first time?
We drove throught the night to those big city lights
And we knew that we could do anything
Anything at all
We don't have to live memories
Time can turn our dreams to reality
Oh, the possibilities
Sanctus Real "Possibilities"
"She Said"
Our house is pretty obsessed with the movie Tangled and in particular right now as we just finished planning Makenna's 4th Rapunzel birthday. I am pretty sure we have seen the movie 20 times or more. I find at different points in the day someone quoting a saying in the movie or singing a song from it. I must admit I kinda love the movie and our family's love of it!
"She Said"
As we are nearing the end of seminary and the beginning of full-time ministry, people have all kinds of advice to offer us. I think the number one piece of advice I am given is, "You know it is going to be hard - the closer you get to God and the more you serve Him - the harder your life is going to be. Satan is on the lookout and he is going to attack you." I have had more people than I can count utter some words similar to these to me. As a gal heading down the road to serving him full-time, this statement isn't exactly comforting or encouraging. This statement has left me paralyzed and made me question numerous times if I really want to go down this road full of pain and misery.
"She Said"
A few Sundays ago at Journey Mike Tolerico preached a sermon on a husband's responsibility within a marriage. As part of the sermon he said, "spiritual intimacy paves the way to emotional intimacy." I couldn't agree with this statement more. That statement probably encapsulates the heartbeat of why I find it so important to find ways to do ministry as a couple within a marriage. When Seth and I have the overlap of caring for others, preparing a bible study, praying for a friend in need, and so on - these acts unite our marriage far more than him bringing me flowers or even the best date night. They give our marriage purpose and depth that isn't based on circumstances or our mood.
"She Said"
As I titled this post, I had to look back to see if I had titled a previous post, "Timing" as there are endless examples of how timing has played itself out in our life. However, there has been no previous post with this title, so Timing it is!
Earlier this year when Seth and I had some time to process and dream through our passions as a couple, one thing that kept recurring in our discussions was our love for retreat planning. You may ask what part? I would say every part! As a travel agent want-to-be, finding a perfect location is like planning a vacation for me! And then getting to spend hours with coming up with teaching topics, games, and fun is this amazing blend of creativity, passion, and training that ignite our own marriage in great ways.
So in Feburary of this year we looked at the calendar and decided there would be two great weekends to chose from to plan a retreat. We decided we were going to put together a couples retreat and offer it to any and all couples we know. We chose two particular weekends in August in between semesters and before our kids' 6th and 4th b-days. Somehow as the year has progressed we still felt passionate about this idea, but never fully felt like we were able to move forward on planning.
Then one month ago some friends of ours who live in NM asked us if we would be willing to plan a retreat for their Young Marrieds group. The weekend proposed was August 20th (ie. one of the two weekends we had set aside!). We were thrilled. We both got pretty pumped up just thinking about it!
Then on Sunday, as part of Seth's internship for small groups, we were asked to help plan a leadership retreat for those leading small groups. Wanna guess what weekend? Yep, the OTHER weekend we had set aside!
I can't help but smile just writing this post. We felt a clear calling and passion for retreat planning for couples, but as equally for training up leaders. In back to back weekends in August, in a time that is perfect for us and our family, we will be a part of planning and leading one retreat for couples and one retreat for leadership training.
I'd say that is pretty perfect timing!
"He Said"
Timing is important. Some would say it's everything. It determines if a joke is funny, or not. It ensures that your car runs as it should. It is what separates a beautiful play from a disjointed mess. It is also something that we take for granted. By this I mean that we experience perfect timing through that which it enables, not the timing itself. It's only if we stop to actually evaluate and examine what has happened that we can appreciate the timing.
Last June (2010), Landon Donovan cleaned up a rebound in stoppage time against Algeria to advance to the next round of the World Cup. A nation (briefly) celebrated their good fortune, not even stopping to think through what just happened. They cherished the moment. What actually happened was a complex series of events that hinged upon players being where their teammates thought they should be, which was (hopefully) where their opponents would not be. It required trust, faith, execution, and in the end, awareness of what was going on around them. The end result was something that provided euphoria both on the field and off of it.
It's why so many of life's little nuances and things that seem so insignificant may be more important that we may recognize now. Taking time to reflect on the little events that have led to your circumstances now, both good and bad, will give you an appreciation for the complex timing that has gone into constructing your story. Not only this, but even THIS moment, RIGHT NOW, is part of a chain of events that will be woven into the fabric of your story. What will you remember about this moment six years on into the future?
