six months

so, granted its been a little more than six months, i wanted to write some about our first half year together. its been up and down and all around, but overall, we're so grateful to be walking in marriage together. im grateful for a man to live life with, to grow with, to worship with.

some highlights(and a few lowlights..)of our first six months:
- We celebrated our first christmas together in New York City! What a blessing and what a wonderful honeymoon! We got to celebrate the day out and about in NYC, seeing the Christmas tree at Rockefeller, a movie in Times Square, and a nice dinner in together at our hotel.
-Upon arriving home, we worked on getting our apartment settled. We were joining two lives, two sets of 'stuff' and setting up our home. David was great help and although there's still some picture frames and things to hang, it feels more like home everyday, because he's there.
- Job Hunting seems to have gotten the best of us. We waited so long for a job that we could have 'in the mean time' while we were looking a more substanital job. Money was tight, but D's a wonderful provider. I was never in need of anything. I'm grateful for a man who worked hard before we got married,saving money up, so that we could be prepared those first few months of marriage without a job. He was preparing provision for me, and I'm so grateful. Although we have jobs now, we both are still seeking direction from God about 'callings.' We desire to be doing more than going to a rote job everyday. We desire to be doing something that matters, something with kingdom value. We believe and have faith that He has a purpose for us. He has plans for us, and in His time, He will place us there.
-We've enjoyed being part of a church home at PGBC. We've been enormously blessed by the body of believers there, and we're grateful to love on the kiddoes on Sunday mornings.
- Grocery shopping: I love grocery shopping with this man. I have no idea why or how, but he makes it so much fun. I love that we can have so much fun doing something so simple together.
- One night, not long after we'd been married, David and I were up late watching TV... we were a little hungry, and we decided to go get chicken nuggets and shakes from McDonalds. I have no idea why this sticks with me, or why it was so fun. But it just felt like freedom. We were together, in our home, and we could go out anytime of the night we wanted! We could be crazy and get ice cream in the middle of the night! Again, I don't know why this was so much fun, but I just remember being in complete bliss that night. It was amazing.
- I changed my name! Though this process was a bit tedious, I'm so grateful for it. I love how in the bible a name change represents a change in who you are. When God changed your name, or had someone else change it, it meant the essence of who you are had changed. I have changed! I'm a different person. A huge change has occured in my life - I've made a lifelong covenant to be joined in marriage for the rest of my life, and my name change represents this! As a graduation gift, my mom got me a new bible with my new name on it. It's beautiful and I love it.
- I graduated! Though I was pretty discouraged somedays, D helped encourage me to keep at it, and after lots of long hours, papers and presentations, I finished my degree. Grateful to my love for all his encouragement along the way.
- We had a pipe explode under our sink, we had draino spill in our bathroom and stink up our whole apartment, we went to the aquarium, we had outings to katy mills, we played hide and go seek in the mall with austin, we had a spring break getaway to katy, we (okay me, it was me) locked our keys in our car twice!, David preached his first two sermons, we got new jobs at pappadeaux and quilter's emporium, we hosted our families and friends for dinner and celebrations in our apt, went to see summer blockbusters with austin, we spent our first night away from each other when i went on a girls trip to salado, we watched HEROES and FAMILY TIES, we (okay David) built us a new dresser, we played jeopardy (a lot!), we rented movies, we got hooked on america's got talent,we sang together at the top of our lungs in the car, we watched fireworks, we loved, we fought, we prayed, we wept, we learned, we laughed. We - me and him, the one I love.

so many things on my heart this morning...

YHWH, we ask for your presence and guidance in all these situations. We seek you and you alone!

thinking of austin and his team in joplin, missouri as they minister to people who have recently suffered much.
thinking of ms. liz and her team as they are loving on people and preaching the gospel in uganda.
thinking of amber as she is getting through her first week at sky ranch.
thinking of mom and dad as they travel home today and tomorrow.
thinking of a sweet friend who is in a not so great family situation.
thinking always of my beloved, praying God's guidance and presence in him.

stewards of grace

been reading through ephesians lately. trying to look at it with new eyes, reading slowly, asking the Spirit to guide me. several things have stuck out to me lately, but i have really been thinking of something i read in chapter 3.

paul just casually mentions at the beginning of chapter three about how the ephesians have probably heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to him ... and then he goes on to make his point. but this idea of 'stewardship of God's grace' really got me.

we are to be stewards of His grace. When he graces us with his presence, his provision and his guidance, it is a gift given to us from the living God. his grace is something that he gives us, something we should not take for granted.
He graces us with his presence in our lives, and we have a responsibility to respond. We have a responsibility to treasure and value his grace, not to waste it or use it cheaply.

what does this look like exactly? well for us, it may mean going to these jobs that we hate so much... we wake up each morning dreading going to our jobs - they are environments we aren't crazy about and often it seems like there isn't any kingdom value in what we're doing (making sure metal gets delivered and waiting tables...) but the truth is that these jobs are God's grace to us in this season. We hope and believe he will give us direction and this season will shift into more meaningful and purposeful work, but until then - we have meaning and purpose in this ... in being stewards of his grace. in working hard at our jobs, which are expressions of his grace.

show us your grace, all the more. may our eyes be always open to see the gifts you give us, and may we be good stewards of these gifts. may we value your presence in our lives. may we respond to your grace in a way that shows we are grateful and may you gain glory in this.

may we see your work in our lives in a way that cannot be explained away by things of this world. we want the world to see your work and to know that nothing natural can explain what is happening. we want to see hard hearts healed, we want to see reconciliation and restoration. we want to see you, we want to work for you and your glory. we want to respond to your grace. we want to be stewards of your grace.

church seasons

just recently became really interested in learning about the church seasons. after doing some reading, im realizing that the seasons of the church year really help one to intentionally celebrate a certain time of year - like advent, or easter. and in the in between time (what is called 'ordinary time') it helps and encourages the believer to stay committed in devotions and prayer with the Lord.

two books i've really enjoyed:

"seeking God's face: praying with the bible through the year" - found here(thank you momma, for picking this one up for me!)

this book is a daily devotion. each day consists of an invitation, a bible song (usually a psalm), a bible reading, a lectio-divina type of guided mediation, suggestions for prayer, and then a prayer/benediction in closing.

so far, i've really enjoyed the lection divina part. the writer constantly reminds you that you are in God's presence, and then tells you to read the bible passage again. i dont think im usually in a mindset of 'im in God's presence' as im reading scripture, and i should be! i've also enjoyed the suggestions for prayer. some of the suggestions are not things i might have been thinking of on my own, but might be things God wants me thinking about - and he's using this to encourage me in that direction.

second book i've enjoyed - (not all the way through it) thanks to amy, for the book suggestion, and mom, again, for letting me borrow her copy.

"circle of seasons: meeting God in the church year" - found here.

again, im not all the way through this one, but have read some in the advent section. she compares the season of advent to her pregancy with her first child. she talks about how during her pregancy she was preparing - her life, her heart, her home, every aspect of her life, for this little guy who was going to come and change everything. this is how it should be with advent. advent should be a season of preparation, anticipation as we wait for the celebration of the birth of Christ, who comes and changes our world!
this book is also filled with interesting facts i didnt know. did you know that each of the four sundays in advent is associated with a different prophet and different scripture? i didnt! when advent rolls around, i want to take part in remembering these things, in fully celebrating, and in celebrating in community - years and years of believers have celebrating and walked through these church seasons. what a beautiful way to walk with believers who have gone before us!

Blessings by Laura Story

"We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise"

Moments Like These

I have been MIA for awhile, but its completely a result of crazy schoolness! Last night was such sweet relief... done with school, no worries, a very shortened to-do list, and my respiratory-infection-husband who was feeling much better!
We snuggled on the couch, eating ice cream, and watching a movie. It was just bliss. I am grateful for moments like that...

Food for Thought Wednesday

Busy with papers tonight, so just passing on a prayer from Tozer.

"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing. I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, 'Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.' Then give me the grace to rise and follow Thee up from the misty lowland where I have wandered so long."

Begin in mercy a new work of love within us, always, every day.