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!

Woops.

Forgot to add the pictures I promised in the last blog from our camping trip! So a few weeks ago we spent some time with dear friends Justin and Lindsay, both of whom are students at Denver Seminary. We went with them to see a $2 movie at a nearby theater, and over some tiramisu and coffee afterwards, we discussed going on a camping trip the coming weekend. By Thursday it was a decided, done deal. Jody and I ran over to the army surplus store to pick up some last-minute necessities, and the plan was set: wake up at 4:50, depart littleton at 5:30. drive to Leadville and head up the mountain.

It was a wonderful hiking and camping experience overall. We both took our dogs - their dog Kaine and our dachshund Eu-mi. They both were fantastic, and we loved the experience. We hope to do it again sometime soon!

(click on collage to enlarge)

Summer

I thought it was high time I sat down and wrote a blog post. So much has been happening, and I know you're dying to know what's been going on in the whirlwind that is the Been family's life. :)

We moved into our new apartment June 27th, and my wonderful sister Anna visited us for 10 days. Though Anna is ten years younger than me, I marveled often during her visit how similar we are - in mannerisms, in the things we feel strongly about, in our movie taste (classics, not teeny-bopper movies. Ha!) I praise God for my wonderful siblings! I think it was a fun time for Anna, as we got to go hiking a couple of times, we biked a few times, and just hung out at the park. And then there was the bonding with Jody (the older and wiser brother-in-law) while I went to work and the intense playtime she had with Eu-mi. Overall, Anna's visit was SUCH a blessing, and I had a great time hanging out with her - even though our apartment was a wreck.

A highlight of Anna's trip (for Jody and me, too) was a trip up to Leadville, which is supposedly the highest town in America. It rests at 10,200 feet, and is the base of a bazillion amazing trails - mainly for hiking and camping. Anna was majorly suffering from altitude sickness, so we had to take it pretty slow the whole way, and we didn't finish the whole hike, but we did reach the tree line and saw the most amazing view! It was awe-inspiring enough that Jody and I knew we needed to go back to Leadville and finish that specific hike we took. The name of the mountain is Mt. Massive, and apparently it is a string of mountain peaks that are well over 14,000 ft. All in all, it gave us enough incentive to plan a camping trip a few weeks later (pictures of that below!).

Of course, you can't really get much better than this, so after such an amazing adventure, it was time to just go to the park right next to our apartment and rest for the next few days. Jody and I love the park, simply because it has so much wonderful green grass, and there's even an enclosed ball park where we can throw Eu-mi a lacrosse ball, and she gets all into chasing it. It's so much fun!



After Anna left (snif), it was back to a regular work schedule for me at Southeast, and Jody began to knock out a few items that we needed to make life functional. Throughout the past two to three weeks, I am marveling at God's wonderful goodness to us! We received a matching Maytag washer and dryer set for free from the growing Warehouse ministry at Southeast. We also received a matching set of wingback chairs from our family friends, the Kocurs for free. We praise God for such wonderful provision! Then, Jody began the craigslist search for a table and chairs set, as well as desk that would serve as our "office space" in our little one-bedroom apartment. Within a few days of constant looking, calling and emailing, Jody found both items we were looking for.

This table and chairs set belonged to a Christian couple that was selling everything to move further west in the mountains to help with a church plant. When the lady found out Jody is a Christian and attending Denver Seminary, she said, "I knew this was a God-appointment!" We could not agree more. Yay for the Lord's wonderful provision. I love my "new" table, and I am so humbled by God's marvelous provision.


And then the desk! Jody found the coolest rolltop desk, and for an extra $15, the gentleman was willing to deliver it to our apartment. Now we have been able to put files and folders and bills and piles of papers in their proper place. I know this desk will help us in getting some order to the logistics of our lives. And to top off the deal, we found an office chair that fits perfectly (small, rolly wheels, back that bends, comfortable) for $3.99 at Savers - the local consignment/thrift store! We give all the glory to the Lord.

So now we are just waiting on our sofa. We bought it a month ago, but every week it has been delayed. Alas! We are praying for patience as we remain at the mercy of the manufacturers and deliverers. Pray that we receive it soon! When all is said and done, I am really looking forward to getting everything in its' final spot, and then I will post "the finished product" of our apartment here on the blog. Or maybe I'll post a video of the grand tour. :) Wait patiently, my friends.

Another drama in the Been family came this past Monday. Jody and I decided it was time for poor little Eu-mi to get spayed.... We took her to the Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital in Denver in the morning, and after work I drove straight there to pick her up. I believe the surgery went well, and I brought her home with her pain meds to rest and recover. Overall, her recovery seems to be going well, though I believe it is hard for her to remain still now! Please pray for her complete and full recovery.. our precious little pup!

So that is what is up with us... we love you all very much. Please be in touch, dear ones.

slow to get up and running

i'm sitting in a very comfy chair in the public library, finally catching up on the news outside of our little world. i wanted to write a short update, and hopefully pictures will be here soon.

1) jody and i moved last saturday, june 27th into a small apartment near denver seminary. apart from the summer heat, we're doing well and slowly, every so slowly, settling in.
2) my sister anna came and visited us for 10 days. she was such a blessing! she helped us move in and distracted us during a stressful time.
3) jody completed paper #2 for his summer leadership class. he has one more to go. go jody!
4) on friday jody, anna and i drove up to leadville, colorado - supposedly the highest town in america. from there we drove a bit to a tall mountain and hiked up. it was amazing. pictures to come when i find the cord that connects the camera to the computer. what's that called?
5) i continue at my job at southeast christian church, and i daily praise God for His provision. we are hoping to settle down financially and get a budget going.
6) we don't have internet yet. we will - supposedly - by this coming friday.
7) while anna was here, we got to see my parents' good family friends uncle pete and uncle frank. i wonder what they think of us clementson kids now that we're growing up and living adult lives. :)
8) Happy 4th of July!

that's it for now, folks. pictures to come later.
love you. miss you. hope to catch up soon. xoxoxo
ruth and jody.

Praise the Lord!

God is good. The past three weeks have been challenging, but very exciting, as well. May 19th I was offered a job as the Missions Assistant at Southeast Christian Church in Parker, and though I was going through the interviewing process at another job, I decided to accept the missions job. I started two days later!

The downside to the job is that my commute is a solid thirty minutes, but the positive aspects of the job far outweigh it. I am able to see the inside dynamics of a larger church, especially their partnerships with local outreach programs and short-term mission trip planning and administration, Thus far I have only worked two weeks, but I'm learning a lot and enjoying the casual dress code, flexibility in my schedule and the warm atmosphere. I am also thankful that I have full insurance coverage. After being blessed with great insurance coverage in Korea and coming back to the States and being without insurance for 9 months, I am so thankful for God's provision in this job!

Meanwhile, Jody is in the midst of his one summer class - a class on the theories of leadership. It is only a two-week course, so he'll be done by next Friday. Woohoo! I am so proud of him. By then, he will be 17 credits into his 62 credit degree - the MA in Leadership. I am really proud of him for the path he is stepping out in.


Jody has also made a grand and glorious purchase. Last weekend, Jody completed a course to get his motorcycle license, as well as buying a 1985 Honda Shadow 500. Yes, Jody now owns a motorcycle! I confess as a wife I am a lot more comfortable with this development than I thought I would be, simply because I trust Jody to be as defensive a driver as possible. I know he will take every precaution necessary to stay safe. This knowledge, however, does not keep me from praying for his safety. May God put His angels around him and may the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ keep him from all evil, danger or harm.

I am also in the middle of doing the Beth Moore study on the book of Esther, and I'm really loving it. I'm studying along with ladies who are becoming very dear friends - Amber, Britton and Katie. All of us are wives supporting our husbands through seminary, all of us live off of the Denver Seminary campus, and all of us are far away from our family and friends. God has been faithful to bring us together, and I am praying that our friendships will deepen, and God will use us to spur one another on into a deeper, growing walk with our Lord. We are going through the study very slowly, so I am hoping that perhaps we can bring another lady or two along to join us as we delve into the book. I am reading Esther with a whole new set of eyes!

with may comes more CHANGE!

it is late friday night. the house is quiet and eu-mi is fast asleep. ahhhhh. i'm enjoying the silence, save the clicking on the keyboard. i am also pausing to take in the very full and interesting couple of weeks that have summed up may thus far.

but first i must write that spring has sprung quickly upon us in colorado. the trees were all barren just weeks ago... and then suddenly it was 75 degrees and the trees and foothills were green and bursting with new life. it has been WONDERFUL to welcome spring and, it seems, summer, as well!

as many of you know, i was nannying for a family for about a month. sadly, due to divorce complications the mother was not able to keep me. i confess when we got off the phone, i was so confused. and a little frustrated. what was God up to? why had everything fallen into place so nicely, only to fall apart just as quickly? normally, i would not consider working in anything other than a stable home environment, but i had felt so much peace about the job, that i had accepted. i took care of three children (ages 10, 8 and 5) and really loved the short season i had to be part of their lives. in fact, i look back on those few weeks as a great time - where i could just be part of their family and hopefully point them to Jesus in the midst of their confusion and pain. i am curious to see if our paths will ever cross again.

so i was jobless yet again. HA! when i prayed about what to do, i felt the Lord said to just wait. so i did. and opportunities began to fall in my lap. i was surprisingly so peaceful. so i filled out applications and sent them out. who knew what God would do with them....

in the meantime, my dear college friend christa came to visit me. we spent five wonderful days together - biking the south platte river trail, hiking in the rocky mountain national park, eating yummy indian food, cooking fun food at home, watching girly movies that i would never consider asking jody to endure... it was FANTASTIC! i loved every moment of our time together, and i praise God for such a great friend.

(click to enlarge)

a challenge we had to face this month came in the form of jody's fnals at denver seminary. i must confess there were a few moments when i wasn't sure how we were going to make it through... but we did! jody spent many days at the public library studying, and i would only interrupt him to bring eu-mi and a picnic lunch so we could enjoy the beautiful spring weather. in the end all his hard work has paid off. he did quite well in his classes this past semester. i'm so proud of him! YAY!

soooooooooo.... the completion of the semester + my unemployment + beautiful weather = LOTS OF BIKING AND HIKING! it has been fantastic! in the last two weeks jody and i have been outdoors every day doing something fun. we have loved every moment of it.






but back to the job situation. :) after a couple of applications and a few interviews, i decided to accept a job at a church in parker as the missions administrative assistant. i will be working for two great men, one who focuses on overseas missions and the other whose passion is the inner city and local ministries. i am thrilled to be working in a church setting (esp. if jody later gets a job in a church), and i'm thankful for the opportunity to see and learn the behind-the-scenes operations of a large body of Christians. so far i have worked two days, and i've survived. woohoo! i'm really looking forward to knowing my job and doing it all well.

now that i am working full-time, we are prayerfully considering what jody will do with his free time. since we only have one car, we are considering purchasing a motorcycle so jody can have a way to get around and get a part-time job this summer. he will be taking one class during the summer, but it will only last two quick weeks. beyond that, he is free and chomping at the bit to be productive. please be praying for us as we weigh out costs and do our best to be wise stewards of our time, money and talents.

we love you all! keep in touch. xoxox

p.s. here's the eu-minator at the park!

Waterton Canyon

today a group of us went biking in waterton canyon. it was a blast! i'm thankful for friends who like to get out and enjoy beautiful colorado as spring is finally blooming!
(click to enlarge)

meanwhile, eu-mi is growing so quickly! when we took her to the vet this week to get her heartworm pills, she weighed in at 7lbs. 13 oz. at four and a half months!!! we are so proud of our little girl for growing AND for learning how to go potty outside regularly. she has learned to ring the bells attached to our door when she wants to be let out. in this way, she can clearly communicate with us her need to be outside, which gives jody and me te freedom to go about our business and not stress about her going potty inside. eu-mi has also found the 'doorbells' an effective means to get outside just to play!! so we are trying to nip that in the bud pretty quickly. :)

this week we also made a wonderful and exciting purchase.... a new vacuum! for those of you who know, our vacuum cleaner decided to break a few weeks ago, and it has been challenging to keep the place clean since then. after doing a fair amount of research online and looking at both target and walmart and price-checking forever, we decided to give tuesday morning a chance. in the end, we walked out of there with a dirt devil vacuum cleaner that thus far has been fantastic! yay! i am so thankful and so happy about it.

please continue to be praying for my job search. i have three or four decently viable job options that i am looking into and applying for. overall, i am peaceful and actively trying to place my hope and trust in the Lord. He alone knows what jody and i need, and only He can make the way for us. i'll keep you posted.

again, since i am in-between jobs, i'm back into the creative cooking mode. this week i made potato soup and had so much fun with it! it has made for great leftovers, as well. we praise God for the food that manna ministries provides, and i am having so much fun being creative in my use of it all.

LOVE,
jody, ruth and eu-mi :)

p.s. here's eu-mi with her new bear latched around her neck. LOL. i think it happened by accident, and i was wondering why she was so fiercely attacking the bear. yep. it's because she got her head stuck in the loving arms of the teddy bear. ahahaha!

and pictures of eu-mi from the past month!

(click to enlarge)

so much going on... so little time to reflect upon it

as i think back upon the past month, i am amazed by how much has happened. it has been a whirlwind, and i must confess i am completely exhausted by it all. we have had a lot happen, and we have made a big decision, as well. but before i go into details, i must say it has been a humbling time where both jody and i know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has been with us and has provided for our every need along the way - reminding us that He is our Provider, our Protector, our Leader and our Master. when paul says, "my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus," (phil 4,19) we can fully say we know it to be true and we are learning to rejoice even in times of difficulty!

now as for the details... the last week in march my mom came to visit colorado and to stay with jody and me for a week. it was SO wonderful to have her here. she was able to see many of her old friends - from when she and dad lived here, and we were able to spend good catch-up time together. we played games, talked, watched movies, played with eu-mi, cooked, went and printed out old family pictures for me to hang up on the walls... and just caught up. it was so great!

through her visit, i think i realized that i have been away from home a long time, and whether i have liked it or not, i have learned to become very independent from my family. it is never easy to be away and to see family pictures with everyone there but me... but i have learned through the time in korea and now here in colorado that my home is where the Lord calls me to be. and maybe one day we will live close to them!

--------- much more has happened since writing the above ----------

if i can sum up our lives, i'd better do bullet points. ha ha.

• jody changed his major from an MDiv (3 1/2 year program) to a Masters of Arts in Leadership (2 - 2 1/2 year program). we are peaceful about it. it means less stress on our finances, less time spent in school, less focus on greek and hebrew and more focus on the practical aspects of leading people in the ministry. i think everybody should switch to an MA in leadership. :) it must be seminaries' best kept secret: spend more time in classes learning about heady, lofty spiritual ideas and come out completely broke and yet sure of one's ability to change the world that one has not been able to live in for almost four years.... haha.
  
• a car tire has popped - hence four new tires on the car, the vacuum cleaner has broken, our broom broke, the mirror on the inside windshield broke... and microsoft vista has been destroying jody's new laptop - causing major heart attacks and prayer sessions.... so we're wondering what is happening. :) can anything else go wrong?! oh, yes, i got sick with a really bad cold that kept me in bed for several days! haha. but i recovered, praise God, and i'm doing quite well now! in the meantime, i am choosing to trust God and His goodness in our lives, regardless of the fact that a lot seems to be falling apart. it has caused much meditation in this corner about the grace of God. i have known what it is like to be in a place with NO grace, so this season feels remarkably peaceful (ironically enough)! praise the Lord for His grace.
  
• my job as a nanny fell through because the father wasn't helping the mother pay for child support, so she sadly had to let me go. i'm back to square one on the job search and wondering what God is doing. still, i'm peaceful overall. God's in control. the door may reopen for me to work with the family. we'll see. i'm not holding my breath. in the meantime, looking for another job. if you know of one, please let me know! :)
  
• jody's parents came to visit this weekend, and we had a wonderful time together despite the weather. it was a wet, terrible cold on saturday, it rained yesterday, and it's snowing this morning. ???? REALLY?? but still, we had a great time. :) we visited downtown denver, which is somewhere i have wanted to visit since arriving here four months ago. finally we were able to test out the public transit system for denver. it was pretty good... for an american city, i thought. :)
  
• jody has a few more weeks of classes, then possibly will be taking two classes this summer. my friend christa is coming next week to stay with us for five days. i'm pretty stoked about that. and eu-mi has a new container to hold her food. it's clear... so now she can SEE her food. she was pretty stoked about that yesterday. thanks to pam and alan for their gift! we love it. and we think eu-mi loves them a lot, too.
• hope all is well with you. we love you and praise God for you. be in touch.
  

MOM IS COMING IN
2 DAYS!

YAY!

finally... i'm doing what i said i would do!

jody and i were able to go bike riding with some new friends today! their names are zach and amber, and zach and jody share a few classes at denver seminary. i think there must be a common love of texas here, as both zach and amber are from the great state, as well. in any case, jody and i are thrilled to meet people who enjoy the great outdoors, and so we are hoping this is the first of many rides....

the ride itself was actually quite short, but it was an introduction to riding in the mountains here. i confess i am embarrassed by how challenging it was of a cardio workout for me (the leg workout was easy). with all the spinning i like to do at the gym, it's still nothing like a workout on a real bike on a real hill... that keeps going and going! and also taking the high altitude into consideration. but i am hoping for more rides in the future, where i can really get more apt at this. and one man on the trail said it gets easier in the summer. i wonder if that's true.

in other news, i have interviewed for a nannying position and may soon be starting. i am curious to see what the job may actually entail from day to day, but i have enjoyed meeting each member of the family (including oswald the family's pet pug!). i am praying that God will direct my steps and confirm that this is the right place for me. please be praying for me and the situation!

love to you all. xoxo ruth

A Trip to the River....

Last week Jody and I teamed up with Sam and Britt and their hilarious dachshund Rustie (whom we call 'Wustie Wat' on occasion) and made a trip closer to the mountains to the South Platte River. It was such a fun trip! And the dogs had a blast playing along the trail, sniffing in the brush and attacking each other. Poor Eu-mi does not have as much stamina as Rustie - quite yet - so her main goal was just to keep up with Rustie and even just to chase after Rustie's leash. It was so entertaining!

Jody and I have often mentioned the fact that we would love to get up in the mountains, but it is a challenge to find a big enough block of time. Semester midterms are looming ahead for Jo starting next week, and I am in the middle of interviewing for a possible nannying position. And so I find the greatest challenge is just being available to meet for interviews at any time - and therefore not booking my schedule too much. The excuses are just that.... excuses... but we truly do hope that once life settles into a routine and I find a job, that we can begin to budget for little excursions up into the mountains or into downtown Denver for fun trips.

LOVE to YOU ALL!

At the River with Rustie!

Eu-mi playing fetch!

denver seminary...

behind the school there is a beautiful bike trail that stretches miles and miles both north and south of denver seminary. serious road bikers pack the trail, along with runners, walkers and families just taking their children or dogs for walks. from the house it is very easy to get to the school - about 8-10 minutes.

the mountains!

the back of the school - i think the buildings here are seminary housing

(L) the main academic building and chapel and (R) the library, cafe and bookstore ... those big windows to the right are actually doors that fold open on beautiful days. it's pretty sweet!

(L) the administrative and professors offices, (Middle) seminary housing, and (R) the academic buildings/chapel

straight ahead is the library, cafe and bookstore

the administrative/office building straight on, and yes, that is a fake, plastic coyote on a stick in the yard. it's to scare off the geese, which plague the littleton area. if only we could shoot them!

I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
Psalm 9,2

Jody and I are loving the time we have spent here in Colorado so far, and we praise God for His daily provision for our lives. We love our basement apartment, our new little puppy Eu-mi, our bikes (and the paths to ride them on!), and the chance to start life afresh in America. On top of all this, we are so thankful for the chance Jody has to study at Denver Seminary, and we have really enjoyed meeting other students there. There is such diversity in situations - some go part-time and study over five or six years, some go full-time and try to finish in two or three, depending on the degree. Some are married with children, others are couples with no children, and still others are singles. It is so much fun to meet people where they are, and Jody and I are praying for good friends through the school.

While Jody goes to class, reads books and writes papers (repeat x25oo in that order), I do everything I can to keep the house clean, Eu-mi going potty outside, do laundry, make food (as cheaply and creatively as possible!), and job-hunt. But I do everything I can - before I do all that other stuff - to make time with the Lord a top priority. It has been so encouraging for me to sit down and spend time in the Word and to seek His face about His plans for us and for me, personally. I am beginning to see Him heal disappointments and frustrations about Korea, and my faith and hope is being renewed that indeed, His plans are to give me a hope and a future!