An answer to prayer.

As many of you may know, Jody and I have been praying and looking for a second car. When we moved to Colorado almost a year ago, we heard that Colorado experienced 300 days of blue skies a year. It is a kind of boast here, we have realized since moving. However, as of yet we have seen such variance of weather that it has been hard for me to take our sole car to work, leaving Jody to figure out how to get to the seminary for classes, training and mentoring at Englewood (our church), or any meeting he would need to make.

As we have been discussing next year, Jody has expressed a desire to slow down (in the number of credit hours he takes) and to start working part-time. So that pretty much sealed the deal. We began the car hunt with much prayer and diligence.

The Lord has been so good! Yesterday we went to look at a few cars at an auto broker, and within a few hours Jody drove home in a new (to us) car! We chose a 2002 Toyota Echo... it's bright red, and the best way I can describe the way it handles is 'peppy'. It responds quickly, and it has fantastic gas mileage - 40 mpg. It will be perfect for my daily commute to work. Anyway, I just wanted to publicly praise the Lord for His wonderful provision, and that I'm so encouraged to see Him answer in such a wonderful way!

October Snowfall

This past week it felt a little like Christmas here in Colorado. I found myself wanting to decorate the apartment and put in a CD of Christmas carols. Ha! Earlier on in the week, we began to hear reports of a potential blizzard, and on Tuesday night it began to snow. It didn't stop until Thursday afternoon... when we had two feet of light, perfect, fluffy snow. It was fantastic! Neither Jody or I have experienced this much snow in years. We felt like little kids and loved every minute of it. Sadly I had to inch my way to work on Wednesday, but thankfully I got Thursday as a snow day. It was fantastic to have an excuse just to play and rest! Jody also did not have classes at Denver Seminary on Thursday, so he missed a huge exam (which he has to make up this Thursday... of course).

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Instead of humdrum work on our uber-special and unexpected vacation day, we ate pancakes and watched a movie, then we met up with Sam and Britt and went to the park to play in the snow. The boys threw the football, and we just took pictures, sat in the snow, made snow angels and just reveled in the beauty of it all. That evening Jody and I celebrated by buying 2 Little Caesar $5 pizzas and watched another movie! It was a fantastic day! ... And now... 3 days later, the snow has all but melted and it was 64 degrees today. Ahhh, I love Colorado weather. :)

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Letting Go

I think it would be a good idea for me to sit down and write, but I confess I'm not really sure how I should put all my thoughts down in such a way that it would be coherent and/or beneficial to those of you who actually read my blog. There is so much going on in my head right now!

Right now the apartment is quiet. Jody is reading a book for his Old Testament class, Eu-mi is curled up on the back of the couch sleeping, and I am baking some more chocolate chip cookies (more on them later!) so there will be desserts the rest of the week.

Has the Lord ever given you a message in several different ways... on several different occasions, until you wanted to put your hands up in surrender to heaven and say, "Ok, Lord! I get it!" and truly give up? I feel like I'm in one of those places right now.

On Friday night a friend of mine, Sarah, invited me to attend an event that was held at Southeast. Sheila Walsh was the guest speaker, and her main message that night was on forgiveness. She shared a recent event in her family's life in which she was required to forgive her husband an enormous list of offenses. One thing she said that struck me was, "Forgiveness is God's gift to you..." I don't remember the latter half of that sentence, but it has stuck with me the past few days as I have mulled over the power of forgiveness, and how it really is a spiritual transaction that requires 100% of God's grace. I know there are many times where I choose to forgive someone with all of my will, but the heart transaction that takes place, where I truly extend 100% grace to someone and basically can say "You don't owe me anything anymore"... and my heart is truly free of any pain or offense in my heart - that is a transaction that requires the Lord. I am praying God calls to mind people I need to forgive, because I know I need to let go and get free. I want to be able to say about each and every person or situation that I have released them and they owe me no debt, because the Lord does not hold me accountable for my own sins (Matthew 18).

Also, I have been studying Beth Moore's Bible study on the book of Esther. On Saturday the girls in our Bible study watched session 6 together. In it, Beth's main point was that God is in control, and we do not have to figure out the 'how' of our lives. What a basic principle, and yet how powerfully it hit me.

The past few weeks have been really stressful for Jody and me, as we have been trying to figure out what will happen next year concerning Jody's school. How are we going to pay for it? The second stressful situation has been the hunt for a second car. Jody's Toyota has been a champ, but I take it every day to work, and so Jody is left to get to school no matter the weather. And while many say that Colorado is the place of 300 sunny days, we have yet to experience that. There has been so much rain, snow, sleet and general stormy weather, that I am eager for him to not have to rely on his bicycle or motorcycle in the elements. Both of these situations have been challenging and kept me on my knees. I confess I have been playing the "if we do this, then this will happen" game, looking at all the various options and playing them out in my head. All in all, it has been exhausting, and I know why God calls me to let go and let Him handle it.... I certainly can't!

The good news is, (PRAISE THE LORD!), that we qualified for loans that will pay for his classes in the spring. Fall of 2010, I do not know yet, but one step at a time. God is good, and I am thankful for this provision. As for a car, we are still hunting and praying for the right one. Please pray for God to provide the perfect vehicle for us. The potential plan is that Jody will slow down classes a little and work part-time on the side. We'll see what happens. Again, I am constantly challenging myself to just let go. It is in the Lord's hands, and I don't need to figure out the 'how' of life.

Amidst the stress, I am also challenging myself to take pleasure and joy in the little things of life. For example, I love making chocolate chip cookies. In fact, I have a recipe that I tweaked from one given by my dear friend Britt, and now I love it, make it almost weekly and love giving to friends to cheer them up. So here you see them in the process:

I love these cookies, and I'm so thankful for the joy that they bring to other people. :)

Another blessing came in the mail the other day... a package from my Mom! In it she gave us a flashlight (!!!! You have no idea how much we needed one!), as well as cloth napkins and placemats. I was thrilled! I have been eyeing things at TARGET for months, really, but could never justify the purchase. I have to say my heart jumped for joy when I saw them. Surely the Lord sees our situation and knows what is going on. If He can see that we needed a flashlight, and that I have been wanting silly cloth napkins and placemats, then surely He knows our greater needs and desires. I take comfort in this gift, and I praise God in faith, knowing that "The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles" (Psalm 34, 16-18).

Please notice Jody's amazing napkin-folding skills!


Thank you so much, Mommie, for your wonderful gift. I has encouraged me so much!

The Duplers' Visit in Pictures

Wonderful friends from Korea, Marc and Jenny Dupler, came and visited us a little over a week ago. While it was a busy weekend, and both Jody and I were exhausted from September, it was a wonderful way to finish out the month: visiting with friends, talking about what we learned from our experiences in Korea, sharing the struggles of life after coming back from Korea, as well as just the struggles that come with following God in this life. I am very thankful for Marc and Jenny, because I know that they too are struggling and yet they are so joyful! It makes me think of the verse, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (Romans 12:12) That is what the Duplers are, and I am thankful for their example.

Interestingly enough, one thing Jenny loved so much during her visit was the grass here in Colorado. It was so green, she said! And I could not agree more. Jody and I love to go to the park near our apartment and just soak in the goodness of being outside.

Here are some pictures from their visit. Thanks to Jenny, for her amazing photography skills and her willingness to post these brilliant pictures.

If you like what you see, visit Jenny's photography site: http://www.jennydupler.com/index2.php

Our baby at 9 months...

This is my little tribute to our little puppy, Eu-mi. We got Eu-mi at 8 weeks on Valentine's Day this year, so we're tracking her birthday as 12/14/08. Thus, she is roughly 9.5 months right now. I can hardly believe it!

Since we brought her home: she has learned to go potty outside, ring the bells at the door to let us know she needs to go potty, sit, lie down (when food is at stake, especially!), and heel (when it's convenient, Jody says). Overall, I am proud of our little girl. She is definitely a dachshund- bold, courageous, stubborn, very intelligent, and overall, a little rascal. But she is our Rocky Mountain Wiener Dog, who loves to go on hikes and loves to fetch. She also has become my new running buddy! I can only imagine how silly we look on the South Platte River Trail: me with a pup that stands 10 inches off the ground. But she's such a trooper, and I love her so much!

For more pictures, click on this link to see more pictures in a facebook album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=332973&id=853925610&l=3c9e762c7d

Here's a little video of her fetching a lacrosse ball at the baseball park. Go, Eu-mi!

Continuing from the last post...

so, as i was saying, jody is in the thick of school, and my only regret has been that my schedule has not been stable enough to allow him to get into a routine. it has been hard for him to buckle down and get work done, and so i think this semester has proven to be a greater challenge thus far.

in summary, this month how shown me how very important my schedule has been for jody's and my sanity. the month of september was a challenge for me, because my boss was gone on a trip to nairobi for two weeks, and in the meantime, i needed to help the outreach associate at weekend services to answer people's questions about service opportunities. all in all, i was working monday-thursday and then saturday and sunday. my only real day off was friday, but somehow i never felt like i was getting true rest. and quite honestly, i think it really affected jody's ability to get into a routine, get work done, and then have a definite time period where he could rest from his schoolwork.

now, my boss is back (for a little while, anyway), the outreach expo is over, and the month of september is in the bag. phew!

HOWEVER, i would be remiss if i did not mention a few wonderful aspects to this month:

1. THE DUPLERS CAME! friends of ours from korea, marc and jenny dupler, came and visited us september 24-28th. it was fantastic to spend time with friends who also experienced korea and who worked with jody at his first school, AEI. and God was so merciful; i didn't have to work at all that weekend. yay! sadly, i was not well two of those days, and so i stayed home most of the time and tried to get better. i do, however, hope to have some pictures to share from that weekend.
2. MY MOM CAME! at the same time that the duplers were here, actually, my mom was also in denver. i picked her up at the airport last wednesday, and we were able to spend wednesday and saturday evening with her. it was truly a blessing to be able to catch up with her, to hear about the family, and to hear about the women of faith conference held here in denver (the reason mom came).
   
3. my birthday! i turned 26 on saturday (september 26th - my golden birthday!). i cannot believe i'm 26. for some reason this birthday seems a bit bigger to me than the last; perhaps because i am now in the latter half of my 20s, and i feel the need to show something for my life. ha!
   

And now... I will close. Hopefully there will be pictures soon.

i guess i should write an update....

it's been a month since the last update, so i feel the need to at least write you all and let you know that jody and i are still alive... and surely something new has happened in our lives since the last time i wrote!

the days are marching on, and yet i can't believe it's not october yet. i have a confession: september is dragging on and on. i am exhausted, and i wish i could sleep a solid 24 hours. i bet i'd wake up and feel like a totally new person!

ok, first jody. this month jody started his second semester at denver seminary. he is taking a full load, and on top of that, one of his classes is a training and mentoring class, which requires him to have two mentors who are already out serving "in the world". thankfully, the two men he asked to be his mentors accepted, and he's enjoyed spending time with them. one of the mentors is our pastor, tj, who is a hilarious, loud man (the best way to describe him is 'my big fat greek wedding'. tj is greek, and he uses that movie to describe his family. i could not agree more.) the other mentor is a man named matt, who also serves in our church. i truly appreciate these men's willingness to spend time with jody, investing in him and growing him in the Lord. i am also thankful that in the future jody will have opportunities to take on different responsibilities in the church to really put his degree to some use before he graduates. keeps his feet on the ground, i think, and not just in the clouds with all of seminary's theories.
.....
more to be continued later....

markers

i cannot help but marvel that it is already the end of august 2009. how time has flown! when i look at Scripture, God always had His people establish markers - markers to remind them of one of God's feats, of an encounter with God, of an end or a beginning to a new season in life. in my own way, i feel like this season and really, the end of this month, is a time to put a marker down to remember what God has done in my life.

last year - september 2nd - jody and i left korea. i cannot believe it has been a whole year, and yet i know now would be a good time to stop and take stock of my heart and perspective one year after leaving so formative a place. i must say that life is hard wherever you live, so i am thankful that i did not leave korea thinking 'the grass is greener in america'. i knew that danger, and so i am thankful that jody and i left when we did... knowing that it truly was time for us to leave and begin a new chapter in our lives.

talking to mom over the phone yesterday put words to my feelings concerning korea's challenges for me. i feel like the challenges i faced in korea where few, but i could never seem to overcome them. they hounded and shamed me constantly, so i never felt at peace, never felt like i could overcome them and live in victory - especially in being joyful despite my circumstances, which the Lord commands us to be as Christians. here in colorado (or should i just say, america?), there are so many more factors to consider (families, friends, so many bills, transportation, etc) and potential bumps in the road, but i see marked progress so much more clearly as jody and i overcome one hurdle after another. i am more at peace here.

a year later, there are occasional twinges of discouragement concerning the season i spent in korea... and really just disappointment that i couldn't seem to live in victory. however, i truly believe the Lord is healing the past and allowing me to move forward in life. i praise Him for His faithfulness in bringing me through it all.

and i am always craving the food! a few nights ago jody and i had a deep craving for korean lamyun, which cannot be satisfied by typical american lamyun. so we snagged britt parsons and drove to aurora to the asian (korean, really) market. we bought our lamyun, and then we hunted down a little korean restaurant to have some korean food. i cannot lie, i was beyond excited. jody said i was glowing! and i can honestly say that i had been craving korean food for weeks. i had doenjang jjigae, a popular stew that warms your insides for hours! it was fantastic! then, a few nights ago jody and i watched a korean movie that was so typically korean in drama, it was hilarious. i praise God for korean food, for korean drama, and for the internationally cultural perspective having lived there gives me.


another marker

it is also worth mentioning that in three days jody and i celebrate our two year anniversary! this go-round, we have year 1 to look back on, and i can honestly attest to the blessing marriage is amidst life's challenges. year 1 of marriage was spent overseas, working in a foreign culture, going to an international church, learning from christian international couples and seeking God's heart for our future. year 2 we started married life in america, spending considerable time with each set of in-laws, moving and establishing residency in a new state and starting seminary. what unique challenges each year has presented! but God has truly been faithful through every hiccup and challenge, and through it all i praise God for jody! he has been such a blessing in my life. i look forward to many, many more years of serving the Lord with him, and i love seeing God do marvelous works in him, making him the man He's calling him to be.

i can also attest to the Scripture "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17 God has used marriage to show me how terribly sinful i am, and how very much i need the Lord to keep going. i am thankful for jody, who keeps me in check and challenges me to re-think how i have always done things and to consider others more carefully. marriage is definitely a check on selfishness, and i'm so glad. i pray my marriage is a testimony of God's goodness and faithfulness, and of His incredible love, which challenges, convicts and spurs us on towards Him.

pray for us. pray for our marriage as we grow together and as we continue to seek God's plan for our lives.

Happy Anniversary, my love!