It Is Well With My Soul!

It’s been such a great weekend! I drove to a friends Thurs night and then we headed out on Fri! On our way to my friends nieces house, we made a pitstop at one of my fave “holy ground” places-WTS! It felt so good to walk around that place again…if only for a little while!

Sat we went to our seminary friends wedding! It was a beautiful worship service followed by wonderful fellowship with more of my WTS peeps! The night was spent reminiscing, dancing, catching up, etc! I can’t even begin to tell you how blessed I am to have these wonderful people in my life! And to think, we never would have met if we didn’t go to seminary! I love that our lives and paths crossed!

Today was a lot of driving but it was so worth it! I’m tired physically but mentally and emotionally my heart is full! I love that these friends love ME for ME!! That is a wonderful gift!! Love you all!

It has been sooooo good for my soul to spend time with dear friends! Tonight I can say, “It is well with my soul!”

Time for Another Friday Five!

1. Tell us a moment of blessing that you have experienced in the past week-Getting to hold a baby after my workout at Curves on Monday, Having really great conversations with my colleagues and friends, Watching my Confirmation students and their homes engage in caring conversation.

2. Share the first thing/story that comes to mind when you read “When I was a child…”
The first thing that pops into my head is the text “When I was a child, I spoke like a child. When I was an adult…” (I’m prepping for our Confirmation banquet on Sunday!)
But really…when I was a child, I remember spending hours playing outside with our neighbors. We used to play Miss America all the time….LOL! Silly girls…

3, 4, and 5. If you were the host of a t.v. talk show, what three people would you like to interview on your first show, and what would you ask them? Hmmm this is a hard one. If Henri Nouwen was still alive, I would love to interview him and ask him about his faith etc! Let’s see….(1) Tom Osborne (former coach of the Nebraska CornhuskerS)I would ask him his greatest joys of coaching (2)Noah Wylie—I think he’s so darn cute and it would be fun to interview him about ER (3) Oprah

Thank You Henri Nouwen! (Reflection on "The Wounded Healer")

It’s 11:35 pm and I just finished Henri Nouwen’s book “The Wounded Healer!” This simple little book is only about 100 pages long but is a complete gem of a book!

I love Nouwen’s books! They always speak to my heart! However I do believe nothing has spoken to me more than “Wounded Healer!” I found myself continually underlining and highlighting as the words of this simple book spoke to me! I bought this book and began reading it after my colleague asked me if I had ever read it! He said he thought I would like the book and boy was he right!!

I truly don’t even know where to begin! I find myself realizing more fully why my story……my family’s story….is so vital to share as it is so much of who I am! Yes we as a family have experienced heartache and brokenness but we have also experienced joy and happiness! Nouwen’s book reminded me that it is this pain; this loneliness that needs to be shared because of it God brings hope and new creation! I believe I’ve always known this to some degree but Nouwen has a way of clarifying it and helping me to see more fully why our experiences are so essential to sharing the Gospel message! Thank you for your words Mr. Nouwen! I am so thankful for this beautiful gift that reminds me that I am never alone but that you are with me; a wounded healer today and every day!!!

Spreading the Love

I forgot how much fun it is to put care packages together! I am one of those people who has always tried so hard to keep in contact with my friends, family etc! I like to send cards. I always check FB in the morning; to see who’s birthday it is and then I make sure to write on my friends and families FB wall to let them know I am thinking about them. I pretty much will drop anything to spend time with a friend. These relationships are super important to me so I want to keep those relationships strong and healthy; full of love, grace, mercy and forgiveness.

I really did forget how much fun it is to put care packages together! I know that one of the receipents reads my blog but she already knows what she’s getting so I’m not spoiling the fun. Her husband and her are in Japan and they miss Halloween Oreos so yes, my dear friend, expect a package soon! (And there might be a few other things in that box too….you’ll just have to wait until it arrives!)

The second care package is for a friend that I met this summer. We were introduced through a mutual friend who just thought we would hit it off and we did! This friend and her husband are expecting their first child in early 2013. I don’t think she reads my blog so I think I’m safe telling you. Boy was that a fun package to put together…a little maternity care package (with a few things for the future baby!)

I wish I could be there or have a camera when these friends open their packages. I hope that my little gift brightens their day! Perhaps one of you soon will get a care package from me too…….

A Glimpse into my World

A little glimpse into my world on this 5th day of October! Inspired by my friend Anna who blogs at GirlWithBlog!

My friend Gretchen texted and we went for lunch at Olive Garden! Then we did some shopping and then home!



Leftover Olive Garden for supper tonight



Don’t judge! This is what happens when the week is crazy busy and the Dishwasher is full too!!



CLEAN DISHES!!! 🙂



Time to do laundry… Good ol quarters! One of the joys of living in an apt….NOT!!



A special maternity care package for a friend!! I don’t think she reads my blog so I don’t think I’m spoiling the surprise!! So much fun to put together! I hope it brightens her day when she gets it!

Artsy Friday Five

1. Do you have a favorite piece of art in your home? Was it made by you or someone you love? Was it a gift or something you decided to purchase? I have so many favorite pieces of art in my home. Most of them have been gifts! One of my favorites is a wall hanging that some ladies in my apartment building bought me when I moved away. The building I lived in was mostly older ladies. They gave me this beautiful piece its a vase with branches coming out of the vase with a couple of birds in the branches. It reminds me of all of them. A few of them have since past away so the birds remind me of them! Another is a collage of pictures from when my sister, my cousins and I were little. It used to hang about my grandparents bed but they have both since passed away. I have it hanging above my bed. The frame needs to be replaced but I have a hard time even having someone take care of this precious piece to me! My aunt also created this painting that she made…its a picture of our family. I love that she made it. And its even more special since my parents are now divorced. It hangs in my moms room at the nursing home she lives at.

2. What do you think of the the art in your place of worship? Does it enhance the worship experience? Would you add to it, take away from it, or otherwise change it? The stained glass in our sanctuary is spectacular. I really do think it enhances our worship space. I really wouldnt change anything about our worship space.

3. What public art have you loved– or hated? I cant think of anything off the top of my head!

4. What piece of art (famous, infamous, personal, or very, very well known masterpiece) speaks to your soul? I’m a poet so the words of the Psalms and Proverbs have always spoke to me and held a special place in my heart!

5. When is the last time you created something beautiful, just for you? Hmmm…I had to think about this one for awhile. I guess the last time I made something for myself was when I made myself a photo book for some summer pictures!

Treasuring Time

Why do some things move so slowly? It seems that when I am excited for an upcoming event; a wedding, a Baptism, etc, it takes forever for that event to get here! I sometimes find myself wishing for time to move more quickly! But that is such a ridiculous thing to wish for! We shouldn’t wish time away! So many pray and hope for time back with family who left too soon etc! I am doing my best to treasure every minute and not wish for time to move quicker even when I want something do desperately to come!

Fall OR Winter?

It’s October 4th today….and I woke up to this:

Yep good ol’ snow! I’ll agree that it might be a little early for this stuff but I don’t mind if all!! (You can think whatever you want of me but I do like it!) I’ve always loved living in an area where there’s all four seasons! I like watching the leaves change to beautiful vibrant colors! I like seeing the sun shine on newly glistening white snow! I like playing during the summer months! I like the newness of Spring; watching new calves being born! I love cooking new soups and other crockpot meals during the cooler months!
I know this white stuff won’t last so I’m going to enjoy it for the moment!

Cooking Frenzy

As a single woman, it is so hard to cook for myself and eat healthy! It’s just so easy to pop something in the microwave or eat a bowl of cereal! But I strive to be a better healthier me! So when I take the time to cook, I know that I will eat better!

This weekend I had two crockpots going! I had taco chicken chili going in one while I had a Dr Pepper Roast in the other! All the recipes I found were on Pinterest! The taco chicken chili is one of my go to recipes! It makes so much and is so yummy!! I ate some of the roast and chili Sat night and then I froze the rest! It was so great to come home at lunch and tonight for supper to heat up some of what I froze! I ate so much better and it was a REAL meal not something out of a can or a box!

I also made some treats! I made Snickers cream cheese dip which is awesome on graham crackers or with apple slices! I also made Rolo cookies! And in addition, I made pumpkin streusel muffins! I’m hoping to share some of these treats because I don’t need them all for myself! However its nice to be able to eat treats in moderation when I want a little treat!

Any awesome recipes I should try? Favorite recipes to enjoy in the Fall?