John and I would like to announce a new addition to our family.  We are the new parents of a Betta fish, affectionately dubbed Gameliel or Gam for short.  He came into our lives as the table centerpiece at a wedding we attended this weekend, and we are already quite attached.  He’s much happier now that I transported him from the vase he came in to a new little abode just for him.  Now he has room to flit and stretch his fins.  We are so proud!

 

And just for fun, here’s a picture of the proud parents having a night out at the wedding.  I guess with this new responsibility, we won’t have as many opportunities to go out.  Don’t worry, we’ll make date night a priority and keep the love-flame alive. 

Jenny started the Monday WOG theme over on her blog, and I’m jumping on the bandwagon.  The greatest Work of God this past week was the birth of our newest little niece Kiersten Joy Valiante!  (My latest tally for nieces and nephews is 10.)  John and I drove down to Maryland with my mother and father-in-law to visit Tim and Sarah and the little ones.  Micah is vvvvvvvvvery excited to have a new baby sister, and she is such a sweet little girl.  Praise the Lord for the safety and health of both Sarah and baby Kiersten!  She is a precious gift!

 

     

 

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Cor 3:18

Mother’s Day is coming up, and with it comes the church’s annual Mother-Daughter Banquet.  The theme this year is change, specifically the changes we face throughout the many stages of Biblical womanhood.  Strangely enough, I’ve been asked to be one of the speakers.  (I know, I know.  Color me shocked! Oh, the irony that I’ll be speaking at a mother/daughter event when I am not a mother, my own mother is many eternal miles away, and my mother-in-law has to work and will be unable to attend with me this year.  I’m actually pretty sad about those facts at the moment, but I digress.)  I’m supposed to focus on the practical and spiritual changes that I personally experienced and also changes I had to consciously make in myself when transitioning from a single, independent woman to a married woman.

So I’ve been ruminating on our theme passage from 2 Corinthians and contemplating what changes have taken place around me and in me over the past four years.  A few things have occured to me.  1) It’s been a lot easier to come up with a long list of things I need to change rather than changes that have already taken place.  In fact, I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m pretty good at making lists, especially when it comes to self-improvement goals, but the follow-through. . . ah, there’s the rub.  2)  I can’t change myself.  Sure, I can clean up the facade of my life and make it look pretty, but the kind of change I really need, lasting change that results in a more Christlike me isn’t effected by the strength of my will.  It comes from, first, focusing my gaze on the person of Jesus Christ and, second, allowing the Holy Spirit to do the changing.  I am ever a work in progress. 

I’m still in the midst of brainstorming how to speak to the theme and what specifics to include.  Which brings me to my request for feedback from those of you married women who haven’t given up on reading this blog.  What is(are) the most significant change(s) you personally had to make early in your marriage?  Did you have to make any adjustments that took you by surprise, or did you feel you were fairly well prepared for the adventure?  Don’t worry, I won’t steal your answers (unless they are really good.)    

It’s been over a week since I’ve been on any blog, much less mine, and even longer since I’ve posted–I am officially a slacker.  But, hey, that shouldn’t be news to anyone.  I”m not going to give you the old “life’s been busy” excuse.  Even though life has been busy, the reasons I have for not posting have nothing to do with busyness.  I’ve simply been in a blogging slump.  Even when I’ve had things to say, I just haven’t felt like saying them. OR I’ve tried to write, and it just wasn’t flowing, so I have 3 or four saved drafts that I never completed.   And there’s the sad truth.  But posting is much like keeping in touch with old friends: the longer you wait to do it, the harder it is to do, until you finally just have to bite the bullet and make that phone call.  It’s awkward at first, of course.  The guilt over not having called chokes out in thin excuses, but soon you’re laughing and chatting again like there was never a disconnect.   

So, this is me making that phone call.  And this is me feeling awkward and not knowing what to say. . .

I ran into some bleachers playing volleyball last week.  (How’s that for an awkward segue?)  I was recently asked to join a adult, co-ed league that plays on Thursdays (More of a testament to my gender than my skill: there’s a minimum requirement for girls on each team, so you could say it’s affirmative action at it’s finest.  I’m not complaining.)  So, I was trying to save the ball, and I actually ran into the bleachers with my hands.  Thank you, peripheral vision!  Great job!  Both of my thumbs were bruised and swollen, but they’re feeling better now.

Tim, Sarah and MIcah came up to visit this weekend to celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday.  Happy Birthday, Mom!  We had a great time just hanging out.  I remember when I thought adults were so boring because all they did was sit around and talk.  Now, it’s the highlight of my weekend–that and all those birthday desserts we had.  Oh, man!  I’m getting old! 

OH, here’s something interesting:  You know that wonderful, amazing husband of mine that I gushed about in my last post?  Well, last night he left me at church. Yes, that’s right, he LEFT ME AT CHURCH!  Just abandoned me–walked out while I was having a brief moment of fellowship with a friend.  One second he was standing beside me, and the next he was gone.  So, I waited for him in the welcome center, because I thought he had wandered off to talk to someone or other.  I asked around: “Have you seen my husband?”  And I waited. . . but, you know, they like to lock the church up at night, so I wandered my lonesome self out to the parking lot, and discovered his car was nowhere to be found.  Now, I guess I need to admit that I had my own vehicle since I came early for choir practice, so I wasn’t exactly stranded.  But imagine my shock when I called his cell phone from the church parking lot to find he was already home!  In his defense, he was apparently in some severe back pain and could no longer bring himself to stand by my side while I was talking.  Which would have been fine, except that I had no idea. . . he was just gone.  OK, so I’ll probably get in trouble for telling this story, but I’m just keeping it real.  (Love you, Baby!  Maybe we can work out some kind of signal for next time!)     

Well, I guess that’s enough awkwardness for one post.  Happy Monday!

Today, I celebrate 4 years of marriage to my wonderful hubby!

John, you bless me every day with laughter and love.  Your love for God and strength of character inspire and challenge me, and I’m so proud to be your wife.  I admire so many things in you: your wisdom, your patience and determination, your dashing good looks. . . 

You are my joy, my partner, my best friend.

Happy Anniversary!  I love you! 

There is a fine line between faith and foolishness.  I wish I knew where the line is drawn.  That’s one of the thoughts that has been rattling around in my head since yesterday.  Unfortunately, I can’t seem to settle the rest of them down long enough to express them coherently–or even understand them myself.

Questions.  That’s what I have when what I want is answers.  How do wisdom and faith find harmony?  When is it wisdom to step out with nothing, least of all answers, and when is it wisdom to buy life and flood and fire insurance?  Is God giving me the desires of my heart, or are my desires turning me away from the heart of God?  All the scriptures I know about faith are pinging around in my brain:  “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. . .” “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like the wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed.”  Forgive me if I’ve misquoted. . . I’m writing this sortof stream-of-consciousness, so I haven’t actually looked these up to verify they are exact quotes.  I feel like that wave mentioned in James, driven with the wind, tossed about by the circumstances of life with no control of my own direction.  I feel the monotony of rolling, driving toward the shore, and wish I were the boat on the waves with the means to harness the wind and control my direction.   

I hesitate to publish this post.  I know if I do, I expose myself.  I know these thoughts don’t make me seem very sane or very spiritual, and I guess I’m not really either of those things.  I also recognize that this is very cryptic, and I do apologize, but I’m not really ready to explain all the details.   

               

Our good friends Chichi and Sabrina are getting married this weekend, and since John and I are both in the wedding party, we’re gearing up for a whirlwind weekend.  Tonight, we have our respective bachelor and bachelorette activities.   We girls are getting manicures and pedicures and then heading to my house to relax and eat yummy food–one word: chocolate!  Of course, Friday is rehearsal, and Saturday is the happy event, I’ll post pictures if I can get some.  I’m so thrilled for these two, and pray that God will bless then as they seek to honor him in their new life together.

I’ve been thinking a lot over the past few days about my own wedding (our 4 year anniversary is two weeks from today!) and the events of the week before it, and I remember how blessed I was and am.  I remember very little stress the week of my wedding, and I remember just being so excited and thrilled to have the friends and family I love the most near me for my Big Day!  At the time, I didn’t realize the effort it took on the part of my family, friends and bridal party, to make that week so smooth and enjoyable–I sortof thought it just happened, but now I know better.  I’m so thankful for the awesome people who were a part of my wedding.

Anyway, here are some pictures in honor of Chichi and Brina’s BIG DAY.  They truly are the perfect pair! 

Penn’s Landing: Downtown Philly.  This is  an older picture, but I couldn’t find anything more recent of just the two of them.

The Group, Girls: Carrie, Sabrina, Me, Chidinma

Classic John and Chi: going for the gangsta look

Hallelujah!  What a Savior!  He did not stay in the borrowed tomb but claimed victory over sin and death.  Now he lives in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father.  And one day, I will behold him face to face. 

This Sunday, I hope that each of you is resting in redemption through Christ’s blood and rejoicing in his resurrection from the dead.  Happy Easter!  

  

Jesus–Lamb of God, perfect, holy sacrifice–though he was God, took upon himself the form of a servant.  The King of Glory set aside his mighty power and humbled himself, took upon human flesh.  He made himself obedient to that horrible death on the cross.  He kept silent while men falsely accused him.  He didn’t cry out when they beat him and spat on him. He did not call out for judgement upon this wicked world, though we deserved it, and though he had every right and authority to do so.  Instead he bore in his broken body our griefs.  He carried our sorrows.  He was wounded for our transgressions.  He was bruised for MY iniquities.   He called out “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!” 

The Father turned his back on him, could not look upon the sin he carried for ME–and the world went dark.

If that were the end of the story, we would be of all men most miserable–and the world would remain in darkness.  But dawn is about to break, and Sunday is coming!

THE AGONY

        Philosophers have measured mountains,
Fathom’d the depths of seas, of states, and kings,
Walk’d with a staff to heaven, and traced fountains
        But there are two vast, spacious things,
The which to measure it doth more behove:
Yet few there are that sound them; Sin and Love.

        Who would know Sin, let him repair
Unto Mount Olivet; there shall he see
A man, so wrung with pains, that all his hair,
        His skin, his garments, bloody be.
Sin is that Press and Vice, which forceth pain
To hunt his cruel food through every vein.

        Who knows not Love, let him assay,
And taste that juice, which on the cross a pike
Did set again abroach; then let him say
        If ever he did taste the like.
Love is that liquor sweet and most divine,
Which my God feels as blood; but I, as wine.

by George Herbert 1593-1633   

This week is our church’s annual missions conference.  The conference started on Wednesday and will continue through Sunday morning.  There have been some changes this year in how the conference is done, and I’m finding I really enjoy the differences, particularly that in addition to hearing the presentations of their respective ministries, we are also getting a chance to hear the visiting missionaries preach.  It has been really challenging so far, and I look forward to the rest of the week.  Boy, have we been busy though!

In other news, I was in a bit of a car accident on Wednesday.  My poor little Mazda has taken a beating once again–and this time I was clearly at fault.  I was going straight through an intersection where there were a series of lights close together, and I collided with another vehicle turning left into my lane.  I could have sworn my light was green, but it turns out I was looking ahead to the light just beyond it!   No one was injured, and the damage to my car was minimal (the other car didn’t fare as well), so I’m giving thanks for that.

Easter is creeping up on us folks, and spring is officially less than a week away! 

Happy Friday!