embracing it

the other night in church we talked about something that has been on my mind for a while. it was a thought, though, that i was having a hard time putting words to. and, in a way, a thought that i was afraid to voice because i wasn't sure how people would react to it. i'll share it, you think about it and i'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

WARNING: scattered thoughts ahead!!!

we, as people in general, do not like pain or suffering. we don't want to have it, we don't want our family to have it, we don't want our friends to have it, and, deep down, i don't think we even want our enemies to have it. it's not something we look forward to, or that we jump for joy when we end up having it. we don't want to hear about it, we don't want to read about it, and we certainly don't really want to even talk about it-if it's someone else's pain, that is. our's, well, depending on what it is, we might really want to talk about it...but never really feel like anyone actually wants to hear. when we do talk about it, a lot of times we get cliche responses to it. "way too busy week at work has you totally stressed and overwhelmed? you're taking it home with you and it's effecting your relationships with your family??...oh well, the big project will be finished next week, right...then everything will go back to normal!!!" "you just found out your mom is dying of cancer? that's rough, but you know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord!!!" "you're going through a terrible divorce? that's not good... but you know what they say, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger!!!"
these things are always said with the three !!!, in such a positive manner...but i can't help but wonder how they sound to the one who is hurting? my guess is trite and cliche, whether the response is true or not. i hesitate to even voice this thought because i don't want you to think that i think that the Bible is true. i certainly believe it when Paul writes in Romans, "and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose..." i am just questioning whether or not we actually mean that when we say it, or if we say it because it's an easy out. it's a quick response to pain in the life of believers, whatever that pain may be. and then, we turn and walk away from that poor brother or sister, running to a lighter, happier conversation. when what we really need to be doing, what we are even called to do, is to stay with that person and weep with them. we are all up for the "rejoice with those who rejoice," but so few people who stick near in that time of weeping. and we need to learn to do that... we need to learn to listen, no... really listen, not just hear them. i think part of that listening entails coming alongside our brother for the length of the problem...bearing one another's burdens. if you've ever had someone do that for you in your time of suffering, then you know just what a wonderful thing it is...and how, in some ways, when friends come alongside you and help bear up those hard things, those things seem just a little bitty bit lighter...and it causes you to think that maybe, just maybe..you are going to make it through. and, that, my friend, is what brotherhood/sisterhood is all about....



by the way: i changed our blog settings so now anyone can comment, not just google users. i didn't realize i had it that way.... so looking forward to hearing from all of you non-googlers!! :)

our dream(s)

ryan, nick (ryan's brother), and i have this dream that we talk about all the time these days. it's funny because each of us have a little bit of a different dream, but we'd like them to be combined into one. ryan's dream is to open an "adventure" shop, which he'd like to name "adventures, inc." that might be a little too creative a name, if you ask me...but whatever! :) this shop is going to specialize in creating adventure trips that ryan and nick (and he says me, but yah right!) lead them on. trips that include things like ice climbing, sky diving, sailing, hiking, scuba diving, etc. of course, before we open this shop, they must get certified in doing all these things... which sounds like great fun to them. but to me-AHHHH!! sailing, hiking and maybe scuba diving i can do, but have you ever seen pictures of people ice climbing-YIKES! a little too crazy for me. and i don't even need to comment on sky diving! :)

anyway, i'll let ryan tell you more about his dream... nick's dream, we recently learned is to open a resteraunt (i can never spell that word correctly!!). he wants to serve like fancy food and have a nice place. that's a little more in line with my dream..

i want to open a coffee/tea house. some might think i was inspired in my time at starbucks, but actually, i have wanted to for a long time. i've always just kind of toyed with the idea-thinking about how much fun it would be, but not thinking i'd ever seriously do it. but, these days, who knows? i went to a coffee place today with my mom and was immediately struck with the thought of "this is it." it is just the kind of place i'd love to one day open. the menu is not lengthy, but the food was delicious. i didn't have coffee today, but i will go back soon and try some. they also have a shop where they sell nifty little trinkets. it was just delightful!!! words just won't do it justice.. if you want to know more about it, you are just going to have to come down and see for yourself. in fact, if you'll go around lunch time, i'd be happy to join you...i work very near! :) anyway, the name of the place is the Urban Standard. not sure what the name means, but GREAT place! i'm working on the name of our place in my head right now...anyway, within our coffee shop, i think we would sell things made by independent artists because i love that sort of stuff! anyway, we might make cool cups of coffee like this:

so...that's that for now! :)

no longer a child...

i have been wanting to share this thought for a few days, but haven't gotten the chance to really sit down and write. i went to the doctor this past week and had such a sad experience. i had to get my finger pricked and that mean nurse lady just jabbed me with the pricker, squeezed all the blood out of my poor little finger and handed me a cotton swab thing and sent me on my way. can you believe that? not even a band-aid to stop the blood flow and mask the pain. what a disappointment?? as i sat there, an hour later, with my finger still dripping blood (okay, maybe it wasn't quite an hour...), i thought "it's official, i'm no longer a kid!" next time, i think i might take my own strawberry shortcake psychadelic bandaid and pull it out as soon as she finishes...maybe even ask her to put it on there for me! ;)

one of THOSE days...

before i explain why it's one of THOSE days, i need to say something else first. i don't have a big mirror in my house. we have our little mirror on our medicine cabinet, which is sufficient when you are brushing your teeth, shaving your face, or plucking your eyebrows...but is not sufficient for actually seeing how your whole outfit looks. added to that fact, to save time in the morning, i put my make-up on in the car. before you judge me, understand that i sit at quite a few redlights in the morning, which offers plenty of time for me to do this! all that to say, my first real look at my whole apperance in the morning usually happens at some point when i go to the bathroom at work. every now and then, i remember to go in there and check myself out before work actually starts (aka before i actually see anyone i know). but, usually.. .i forget. and this morning was one of those forgetting ones...

but, alas, a few moments ago, i needed to go visit the bathroom, so i did..and as i was washing my hands, i looked in the mirror and noticed my shirt looked a little strange. the sleeves looked almost inside out. i just kept staring at them in the mirror-thinking, "surely not." i try to kind of turn to the side to see if i can see the tag in the back, which i can't because my hair is down and covering where the tag would be...so, i just stand there, thinking about all the people i have chatted with this morning and wondering if they noticed. then, i looked down and looked at the sides of my shirt-thinking surely i would be able to see the seams if it was inside out, and they looked normal. long story short, the sleeves are supposed to fold up on the ends and have little buttons there on them. so, i just flipped them up quickly and laughed at myself. the sad thing-it took me like 5 minutes to realize it wasn't inside out at all.... yes, one of those days!

absolutamente profunda:

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,

that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

Al que no cometió pecado alguno, por nosotros Dios lo trató como pecador, para que en él recibiéramos la justicia de Dios.

(2 Corintios 5:21)

yo soy un secretario en una oficina pero me gustaría ser ama de casa!

i have been working on my spanish all morning. i found an online program through the jefferson county library that is moving me right along. it all in spanish, which is a challenge at times...but it's been really helpful so far, i think. i miss being in guatemala a little bit. one day, we'd like to go back. there's something much easier about learning a language in a place that actually speaks that language all the time. you are, in a sense, forced to learn-and quick! :) and learn we did! but unfortunately, i have not kept up with it sense then. and just a few weeks ago, i was trying to introduce myself and chat a bit with one of a children's moms at king, and do you know i was fumbling all over the place? i couldn't recall the words i needed to make basic conversation... just terribly out of practice. so, anyway, among the list of things i want to do this month, this year, is to become more fluent in spanish. it makes me so sad that i can't really communicate with the parents at king...and, now days, at least half of the children that are coming out are younger than 5. so, guess what-they don't speak english either (since they aren't in school yet). smiling and loving on them only goes so far... i want to be able to talk with them and understand them as they rattle on about the picture they are drawing, or their new toy. so, all that to say, i'm working on my spanish, slowly but surely!

a more serious reflection

"when you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

wow! i read that this morning and have been reflecting on it for most of the day. i was talking (electronically, no less) with a friend earlier who was sharing about the trials in her life. my heart was saddened to hear about her difficulties. i was sitting here at my desk afterwards talking with the Lord about her, and wondering why sometimes life is so hard for some people. very soon after, i picked up something and came across this verse. consequently, it was a verse that really "spoke to my heart" (that phrase sounds so funny sometimes, but it's true in this case!). there was much encouragement in it, i thought. i mean, first of all it caused me to realize that we, as believers, as people...will go through the waters and fire, so to speak. the verse doesn't say "if you happen into these things," rather "when" these things come upon you... in a strange sort of way, that honestly was such an encouragement to me because i realized that i wasn't alone in being one who struggles. in other words, there were other people out there dealing with hard things (not necessarily the same hard things, but hard things no less-some harder than mine, some not as hard...). but something that encouraged me more...and gave me hope was that the Lord said He is with us through those times. He doesn't forget about us or look away as the waters rise around us. i mean, can't you just picture this verse in your mind? i can, so vividly! a girl sitting there as the rain pours down upon her head...and the rain waters begin to flood around her, so much so that she has to stand up... and so she stands there, crying out for help..even as the waters continue to rise. i've been there, scared to death, wondering if God is hearing me cry out-if indeed He will rescue me from those waters..or if maybe He has forgotten, and this time the waters really are going to completely cover me up. but, no, of course He hasn't forgotten me..nor will He ever. and, my dear friend, if you are reading this, He hasn't forgotten you either. you might feel like the waters are going to completely overwhelm you this time.. and that the fire all around you is so hot that it's just not bearable any more. but, hear the word of the Lord... when you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. the truth of this word has been witnessed by my life....