Monthly Archives: July 2013

Sunday Blessings; Edition Three

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Here is this week’s list:

(1) Popsicles

(2) Fresh lettuce from the garden shared with me by a neighbor

(3) A great night and great turnout for our Summer Campfire Vespers

(4) Watching people of all generations roast marshmallows

(5) Zumba

(6) Winning a toothbrush and a $10 Gift Card at a health fair. I never win anything!

(7) Driving a John Deere tractor in the LocoDaze parade

(8) Awesome youth who worked and sold concessions for a church youth fundraiser and totally rocked it!

(9) Hearing lots of little ones during worship

(10) A good friend starting her own blog and commenting on mine

(11) A House Hunters Marathon

(12) A good book–Right now it’s Rob Bell’s latest book and “Silver Linings Playbook.”

(13) A little rain

(14) Chatting with a friend online who is currently living in Japan

(15) And so much more!!

And I think that’s it for this week. 🙂

Summer Fun Friday Five

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Tell us your favorite:
1. Cool treat–Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, Popsicles! (I might just be a kid at heart!)

2. Cool drink–Iced Tea

3.
Cooling-off place–The Swimming Pool

4. Cool clothes–Sundress or shortrs and a tank top or tshirt. Lately though its been sun dresses.

5. Best alternative to
air-conditioning–Swimming!

BONUS:
Share a photo of your favorite hot weather
“chill out” spot. I haven’t been able to be here for a while but Camp holds a special place in my heart. Chillin out on the floating dock, spending time in the water and so much more are why this is place is one of my favorite chill out spots!

ABCs of Me

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Thanks
to my friend Sarah from  http://www.everydayholy.blogspot.com>Every Day Holy
for
tagging me in the ABC’s of Me, a popular blogging Q&A that’s going around
right now.

A. Attached or single? Very single….still waiting for God to bring my Mr. Right into my life

B. Best Friend? I am blessed to have a few…my friend Joni, my friend Jenny, and a few others!

C. Cake or Pie? I can eat both but I would choose cake first!

D. Day of the Week? Friday – It’s my day off of work!!

E. Essential
Item? Camera – I LOVE taking pictures. (Im with my friend Sarah on this one!)

F. Favorite Color? Green (Just ask any of my friends who have ever gone shopping with me. I always gravitate to green!)

G. Gummy Bears or Gummy
Worms? Bears–Cinnamon

H. Hometown? Ashley, North Dakota!

I. Favorite Indulgence? Ice Cream – any and
all. I also have been a frozen yogurt kick lately too!

J. January or July? Both!

K.
Kids? No kids but I dream of having children one day

L. Life isn’t complete without? My family and friends

M.
Marriage Date? Still single…so no wedding date

N. Number of brothers/sisters. 1 sister who is three years younger than me

O. Oranges or
apples? Oranges

P. Phobias? Bats!

Q.
Favorite quote? “The place God calls you to be is the place where the world’s deep hunger and your deep gladness meet.”—Frederick Buechner

R. Reason to smile? Being with friends and family, warm summer days, babys, laughter, my Diaconal ministry brothers and sisters, fresh garden produce, and so much more!

S. Season of Choice? Christmas and Lent

T. Tag 3
People:
              1. http://www.marklepper.blogspot.com>Mark at Every Day an Adventure
              2. http://www.julsvern.blogspot.com>Julia at Juls of Life,Spirit, and Sparkle
              3. http://www.desertspiritsfire.com>Leah at Desert Spirit’s Fire

U. Unknown fact about me? I’m a published poet.

V. Favorite
vegetable? Corn on the cob and sugar snap pears

W.
Worst habit?  Hmmm…I dont know

X. X-Ray or Ultrasound? Ultrasound

Y. Your favorite food? Mexican

Z. Zodiac Sign? Virgo

Sunday Blessings; Edition Two

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So here is this weeks list of blessings (Looks like there will be more than ten thus week) 🙂

(1) A friend offering to pick up my sister from the airport and save her $20. (And then having to pick her up at midnight due to a delayed flight)

(2) A colleague giving me a ride to the airport

(3) A generous soul picking me up at the airport and taking me to the retreat center

(4) An unexpected dinner treat

(5) Hearing the words “You are just such a ray of sunshine who pops in at the right moment.”–Said directly to me (I think this might be my favorite!)

(6) Visiting with a lady on the plane and having her gift me with a beautifully knitted scarf at the end of the flight

(7) Having my spiritual cup overflow; being at the Diaconal Ministry Gathering

(8) Lots of joy-filled laughter

(9) Hearing the words ” Never lose your joy. It’s contagious!” Something so holy and blessed when friends affirm your identity and your gifts.

(10) Swim time

(11) Cool enough weather to have my window open at night

(12) Running into colleagues at the airport; resulting in not having to travel alone and enjoying a meal with them.

(13) An unexpected email that totally made me smile

(14) Making New friends and spending time with dear friends.

(15) My own bed

Peace in my Heart

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I’ve been spending the last few days at a Gathering of ELCA Diaconal Ministers. My cup absolutely overflows when I’m with these dear brothers and sisters in “Diakonia.”

This morning we did the business part of our gathering where we elected a new leadership/transition team. Ever since entering this community, I’ve loved (and still love) our prayerful way of listening to where God is leading us. And I along with many of us have been open to that call.

Three years ago my name appeared on the list of potential names. However God did not lead me to that call. This morning I again said I was open to that call. My name once again appeared. And we prayerfully narrowed 5 names down to 2 names. At the end, my name was not one of those names. And to be honest, I felt and still feel complete peace.

Peace that our community elected two beautiful strongly gifted women. There is peace in my heart that God led us to elect these two individuals. Peace that God sensed I wasn’t the right person at this time and peace that God will lead and new life will emerge!

Thank you dear brothers and sisters for bringing forth my name. I’m honored that you would even feel God leading you to write down my name.

Continued Prayers and blessings to our new leadership/transition team!

Sunday Blessings

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I am sitting here listening to the news and my heart is just sad. The death of Glee star Corey Monteith, the verdict in the Treyvon Martin case, a local special needs man having his bike stolen (twice). I can’t help but be sad yet there is so much to be thankful for so instead of dwelling on the sadness I am going to list at least ten things that I am thankful for today.

(1) Getting to hold an infant at church
(2) Preaching the Word…of course, with the help of the Holy Spirit
(3) Camp of the Cross Ministries (especially this week as my momma gets to be there)
(4) My dear friends and family
(5) Sending some real mail to dear friends in my life
(6) My home and my job
(7) That a friend and her family finally have found a church home where they feel like its home!
(8) A cooler day
(9) That my sister is having fun on her trip
(10) Being excited and looking forward to the Diaconal Ministry gathering and getting to see dear DM sisters and brothers. Wednesday cannot come soon enough!

Well that’s a start…I think I may make this a weekly practice.
What are ten blessings in your life this week?

Hope you’ve had a blessed Sunday my friends!

On Being Single….and Trying to Be Content!

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I honestly love my life! I am at the point in my life when I, for the most part, am feeling content. However there are times that I really struggle with where I am as well. I hate to be such a whiner
but it is something that I pray for every day. I am so ready to settle down, have a family, etc. I know that it will happen in God’s timing and not mine but that is so much easier said than done. Just a few weeks ago, I was gathered with many of my high school classmates…many of whom I havent seen in 16 years. Many of them are married and have children. Some of them are engaged. And then there is me.

I have been on one of the well-known secure dating websites for awhile but nothing ever seems to come from that. There are days I wonder if its worth the monthly cost I pay. I have even had friends set me up. A college friend set me up with her brother. We talked a lot on the phone and decided to meet in person. I had a nice time with him and wondered where it might lead. But communication just stopped! I think we are too different and the fact that we were like two hours away played in.

I am at the point where if I don’t find my Mr. Right sooner rather than later. I honestly could see myself adopting at some point in my life.

It’s so hard to be a single woman….especially a single woman who works in a church. Like I said, I am content…for the most part…but I also pray for my prayers to be answered. I want God to bring that special guy into my life. I am not sure when or how that will happen. I also wonder why God brings certain people into my life as well. Why are they meant to be a part of my life? Just some thoughts rumbling around in my brain tonight!

In less than a month, I will be officiating at my first wedding and I am absolutely excited and honored to officiate this wedding. As I look at this young woman who I used to babysit and see her so happy, it makes my heart joyful! I am so happy for her and am hopeful that my friends and family will experience their joy and happiness throughout their lives too! I pray I find that type of love and joy someday too!

Fun with Words Friday Five

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Use these five words (in any tense) in a sentence:

1. pulpit, puppy,
wrench, word, mouse.
The puppy stood at the pulpit to preach the word while the mouse decided to put a wrench in the plan.

2. weep, love, prayer, bassoon, chair
The bassoon will weep in love and prayer as it sits on the chair.

3. heart,
shutter, wish, turtle, walk
The turtle with the heart shaped shell walked to the shutter and made a wish on the shooting star.

4. howl, worry, window, story, trust
A howl came from the window and I worried that I shouldnt trust the noise!

5.
garden, hat, shepherd, laugh, sigh.
The garden hat worn by the shepherd who laughed and sighed as he was tilling his garden.

Ok thats my shot at today’s Friday Five! 😛

Summer Fun and ShutterFly

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Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books offer a wide range of artful designs and embellishments to choose from.

Summer seems to be flying by way too fast! I have had so much fun. My hometown’s 125th Celebration, reconnecting with classmates, getting to go to Colorado for the second week of the Lutheran Academy of the Rockies as well as getting to see dear friends. Next week I head to Marriottsville MD for my Diaconal Ministry gathering. I always look so forward to that event. Something so holy and wonderful about being with my DM colleagues and friends who understand and have received the same call and know what it is to have to educate all the time. August brings about the first wedding I will officiate. I will be marrying one of the girl’s I used to babysit. Her siblings and her my sister and I call our “adopted” nieces and nephew. Their mom and aunt used to babysit for us when we were little. Lots yet to do but yet it is coming so quickly. I have been able to capture my trips in pictures so I have been working on ShutterFly books. Like my friend Sarah, I LOVE ShutterFly. I like how easy it is to navigate and that you can pick out different backgrounds, embellishments, etc. I had to finish my first one FAST because they have a 40% off deal going on now and it is only good through tomorrow. I FINISHED IT AND ORDERED MY BOOK TODAY