tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19939126200447690122024-03-05T00:16:33.061-06:00MamaKrys' MusingsNo, I'm not a Mama in the traditional sense, although someday I hope to be.... the name comes from my constant desire to take care of friends and family. This is just a collection of random thoughts that seem better to get out in the world than to keep in my head.mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-74822916761339707402014-01-01T11:11:00.001-06:002014-01-01T11:11:21.191-06:002014I'm not sure how 2014 got here... I feel like it was just yesterday that we were celebrating the arrival of 2013...and yet here we are, so let's chat about New Years resolutions<div><br></div><div>One of the definitions of resolution is "deciding upon a firm course of action." I like this definition because it speaks to the dedication required to achieve something, it is not a spur of the moment, impulsive decision, nor is it supposed to be something you easily give up on (although all too many of us abandon our resolutions after January). Rather, a resolution is something you've thought about, you've come up with a plan or course of action for achieving the goal. To me, resolutions are saturated with the desire to do better and to live better. I've thought a lot over the last year how I want to become a better person in 2014 and here are a few that I've come up with<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">:</span></div><div><br></div><div>1. To see more of the good in people and to forgive them quickly</div><div>2. To see the blessings of every day more clearly (I've even created a jar to write them down)</div><div>3. To worry less about what others think of me and to do so by replacing it with scriptural evidence of the Truth of what my Heavenly Father thinks of me (the only one who really matters).</div><div>4. To spend more time with the people who encourage and refresh me</div><div>5. To take more chances and step out of my comfort zone.</div><div><br></div>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-24556825966203677482013-08-28T22:18:00.001-05:002013-08-28T22:18:48.130-05:00WAITFor the past two weeks, a single word has appeared over and over again during my quiet time (time spent in the Word and in prayer), in listening to songs on the radio or my iphone, in the scripture on my bathroom mirror, and many other places.<br />
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WAIT<br />
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Psalm 38:15- Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.<br />
Psalm 24:14- Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.<br />
Psalm 130:5- I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.<br />
Lamentations 3:26- It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord<br />
Psalm 5:3- In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly<br />
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Clearly God is trying to teach me something through the repetition of this word in so many aspects of my life. Sadly, I haven't discerned exactly what it is that I'm supposed to be waiting on the Lord for. Often times when I receive a specific word from the Lord, it is because I am going through a trial and He is strengthening and encouraging me, or sometimes He will speak a word to me that is meant for someone else.<br />
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Certainly, I am waiting to be in Heaven with Him forever; I'm waiting for the second coming of Christ. No one knows when those things will happen and so scripture tells us that we should wait vigilantly, but somehow this message seems more immediate.<br />
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Some of the deepest desires of my heart have yet to be fulfilled, but for the most part I've been strangely at peace about not having those wants met, trusting that God's plan is better even if I don't know what it is; so it seems strange to me that God would call this word to mind so frequently in a season of relative contentedness. Maybe this word isn't for now, but so that I can be strengthened when I start into a season of discontent...<br />
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How do I know what to wait for? Does this word apply to big situations as well as everyday mundane ones, like waiting until the weekend to buy a pair of shoes that I've had my eye on for a while? Does this particular word apply to a certain situation in my life or should it be more broadly applied. I've even gone back through my journal to discern if there has been a particular pattern to my prayers or something I've been praying about repeatedly and I can't find anything...Sometimes it is so confusing! There are literally thousands of things that I could wait for. How long do I wait? How will I know when it's time to stop waiting? <br />
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Whatever the reason God wants me to wait and for however long, I will strive to follow my confirmation verse, Luke 11:28 "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it." Having heard this word, I will try my best to obey. So as I wait for God to make it clear, my prayer will be from a song by John Waller called "while I'm waiting"<br />
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"I'm waiting on You, Lord<br /> Though it's not easy<br /> But faithfully, I will wait</div>
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I will serve You while I'm waiting<br /> I will worship while I'm waiting"</div>
mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-43011534857908352342013-07-11T13:31:00.002-05:002013-07-11T13:31:30.594-05:00Dogs and their HumansSo those of you who know me or who have been reading this blog with any regularity know that I absolutely adore my sweet mutt Riley, who has been bringing sunshine into my life for two and a half years now. He came into my life shortly after the demise of a very serious relationship, and has been my constant companion and therapy dog ever since. Mary's little lamb has nothing on Riley!<br />
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This summer I've gotten to spend a lot of quality time with my Roo as I affectionately call him and as I was sitting on the couch this morning, I realized just how similar dogs and their humans are. I really think Riley is the canine version of me, picking up on many of my best (and unfortunately) some of my worst qualities.<br />
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1. <span style="color: #674ea7;">We are both extremely outgoing and social.</span> Anytime we are out for a walk, or at the dog park, Riley always wants to go and say hello to all the other dogs. When a new dog arrives at the dog park, Riley is right there by the gate, acting as the welcoming committee. It doesn't matter how big or small, how vicious or docile looking the dog is, he is right there, wagging his tail, begging for other dog to play with him! On Riley's pawgress reports from Doggie Day Camp (one of his favorite places), there at always comments like "Riley was the life of the party" or "Riley played with everyone non-stop"<br />
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2. <span style="color: #674ea7;">We are both motivated by food</span>. Riley will be in the back yard and I will call his name over and over again and tell him to come and he will just look right at me and wag his tail (I'd say his successful listening rate is about 50% even though he knows the command) but as soon as I ask him if he wants a c-o-o-k-i-e, he comes galloping in the house (he knows how to manipulate his momma for sure)!<br />
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3. <span style="color: #674ea7;">We both love snuggles (and naps).</span> Even though he's over 40 lbs, my boy thinks that he is a lap dog. He is constantly climbing into my lap while I watch tv or read a book on the couch and lays down to snuggle (even when it is inconvenient or painful). He always has to be touching me and when we go to sleep at night, he inches his body closer and closer to mine until I am falling off the bed or can't move because he is curled into the crook of my legs<br />
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4. <span style="color: #674ea7;">We both are</span><span style="color: #674ea7;"> attention seeking. <span style="color: black;">When he wants my attention, he will bring a toy and drop it in my lap. If I am perusing social media or email on an electronic device, he will go get a shoe of mine, or get up and walk to the other side of the room with a large sigh. When I have company over, he will climb on top of my guests until they pet him or play tug of war with his rope.</span> </span> When I am one the phone, he barks to let me know he is not happy that someone else has my attention.<br />
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I wouldn't trade him for the world, but it certainly is interesting to see qualities (for better or worse) of yourself manifested in an animal. Anybody out there have any similar experiences?mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-44506713991850773882013-05-11T18:36:00.001-05:002013-05-11T18:36:12.708-05:00Hello 31!So I'm a week late in getting this post updated, but better late than never, right?<br />
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Last Monday, May 6th, I turned 31, how did that happen? I still think of 10 years ago as being the 1990's, not the 2000's ! As I reflect on the last year, I am struck by the amazing amount of change and growth that has happened in only 12 months. Some of it has been incredibly good and some not so good, but through it all, I can confidently say that I'm not the same person I was 372 days ago! So here's some high's and lows of the past year.<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">The Awesome</span> (an extremely condensed version):<br />
~God has drawn me closer to Him than ever, teaching me to be an obedient follower, even when it's difficult (sometimes I wish He wouldn't give me so many opportunities to practice this obedience amidst difficulty)<br />
~I started leading a Sunday morning Bible study on various topics and attendence is increasing weekly.<br />
~I had (and continue to have) the opportunity to work with talented and dedicated people who minister to me and whom I learn from everyday<br />
~I got to spend a lot of time with friends who become more like family every day<br />
~I met some new people and deepened relationships with neighbors.<br />
~I got to see my family more than usual between my visits, thier visits and trips to random places<br />
~I lost about 30 pounds through diet and exercise<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">The Awful</span>:<br />
~The AC in my house broke (an unexpected and costly repair, but a necessity in Houston)<br />
~My dad discovered that I had a termite infestation (another unexpected and costly repair- a huge thanks to my parents who footed the bill for both the termites and the AC)<br />
~Two new administrators who know very little about actually running a school...<br />
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I also thought it would be fun to update you on the progress of my 30 while 30 goals from a year ago...<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">1. Walk Riley at
least 4 times a week--<span style="color: #e06666;">this one's hit or miss, depending on my schedule</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">2. Go to a fitness
class (like Zumba or belly dancing) at least once/week (I'm so not a gym
person)--<span style="color: #cc0000;">I love my Zumba class and I go regularly at least twice a week!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">3. Finish reading
the Bible from Genesis to Revelation--<span style="color: #e06666;">Finished Revelation on Sunday, May 5th despite some major laspes in reading my Bible daily- God is so faithful to provide!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">4. Have quiet time
at least 4 days a week- <span style="color: #e06666;">see above, but I would say the average was at least 3 times per week.</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">5. Increase my
financial giving to the church<span style="color: #e06666;">- still working on this one. I have definitely increased my giving, but I'm not where I would like to be yet.</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">6. Read two
books/month not related to school- <span style="color: #e06666;">sadly, school won most days/months, but the books for pleasure that I did get to read were incredible!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">7. Volunteer my time
at Trinity with the youth group and women's ministries<span style="color: #e06666;">- I have been able to give lots of time to various ministries at church, ironically, not so much with these specific ministries</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">8. Visit Miriam in
Boston- <span style="color: #e06666;">check :-) It was an epic weekend!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">9. Visit Bethy in
Maine <span style="color: #e06666;">:-( adding it to the list of goals for 31</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">10. Try one new
recipe a month <span style="color: #e06666;">thanks to Pinterest, I definitely did this!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">11. Write at least
two blog posts/month- <span style="color: #e06666;">too much life got in the way... also still on the list for 31</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">12. Learn to
drink/like beer <span style="color: #e06666;">tried to make it work many times, still don't like it!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">13. Increase my
fruit and vegetable intake<span style="color: #e06666;">- :-)</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">14. Decrease my fats
and oils intake (less desserts after dinner)<span style="color: #e06666;">:-( I love dessert, although I have significantly cut down on portion size.</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">15. write one
email/letter or make one phone call to a friend who lives out of state/month
(mass emails do not count)<span style="color: #e06666;">I'm not sure if it was once a month, but I did do a reasonable job of this!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">16. Take a real
vacation (one that involves sitting poolside somewhere in the tropics)<span style="color: #e06666;">sadly, too many unexpected home expenses prevented me from doing this... hopefully in 2013</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">17. Learn to make
macaroons<span style="color: #e06666;"> not yet</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">18. Believe I'm
worth it<span style="color: #e06666;">- getting there... some days are better</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">19. Go talk to
friends at school about non-school related items once/week <span style="color: #e06666;">success and fail- I did increase communication significantly with friends at school, but mostly it was school related given the change in admin....</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">20. Curse less<span style="color: #e06666;"> thanks to the incidents described above in the awful section, I think I actually increased this :-(</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">21. Hang curtains in
my bedroom <span style="color: #e06666;">they exist, but I need to get some different ones that block out the light better!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">22. Grow in my
relationship with God (learn to trust Him more and myself less)<span style="color: #e06666;">Only by His grace and faithfulness!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">23. Visit a museum
in Houston every other month <span style="color: #e06666;">I think I was only at one musuem- sad!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">24. Take 4 cooking
classes @ Sur La Table <span style="color: #e06666;">Thanks to my good friend Kathy who helped me achieve this</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">25. Pay off my
credit cards- <span style="color: #e06666;">work in progress, almost there!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">26. Take more deep
breaths-<span style="color: #e06666;">God has certainly given me many chances to practice this...</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">27. Have friends
over for dinner at least once/month <span style="color: #e06666;">Nope...</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">28. Buy myself fresh
cut flowers for no reason <span style="color: #e06666;">I need to do this more often!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;">29. Visit the
farmer's market- <span style="color: #ea9999;">still haven't been in Houston, I miss the one in Allentown!</span></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">30. Be more
spontaneous/open to new experiences- <span style="color: #e06666;">oh, I'm learning this...</span></span></strong><br />
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mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-56668228199051761192013-04-15T21:58:00.000-05:002013-04-15T22:00:49.238-05:00Rules and ExceptionsThe end of every love affair brings questions, confusion and hurt, especially when everything is going absolutely right (or so you thought) and then the other person quits you cold turkey, without so much as an explanation or even a word of good bye. Even if in your secret heart of hearts you knew when you began this affair that it would leave you irrevocably broken and your heart would be shattered in ways you didn't think possible; there is still the hope that this is the time you will be proved wrong...<br />
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In the midst of my sadness about RL on Saturday night, I turned on the tv and found myself watching "He's just not that into you," a movie that I've probably seen at least half a dozen times. I freely and readily identify with one of the main characters, Gigi (played by Ginnfer Goodwin). She is the hopeless romantic who is constantly finding herself in situations where she is over-analyzing every move the guys in her life make, making more of everything than it really means...everything to Gigi is a sign (side note: I apologize to all of my friends who listened to me go on and on about these "signs"). After one totally messed up date, she finds herself at a bar, where she meets Alex (played by Justin Long), a bartender who lays it all out on the table for Gigi about how men work. Now during or after every encounter with the opposite sex, Gigi calls or goes to see Alex to get his perspective. Through this experience, she slowly starts to learn not to read too much into experiences, to not see everything as a sign, and she learns that she is "the rule." Throughout the course of the movie, many of the characters explore the all too common trap that women fall into...believing that we are "the exception;" that somehow we are different and we will be the one to convince a man that he really does want to get married, or he really wants to be in a relationship, or he will stop cheating and be with only us or whatever it is. Part of this comes from our absorption of fairytales, romcoms, and other happily ever afters and part of it comes from actual real life experiences that we hear about (as Drew Berrymore's character in the movie says, "well, my sister has a friend who has a third cousin twice removed who it worked out for."<br />
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Whatever the reason, it is all too easy for me to believe that I will be the exception and my actions and words will work their magic, or more recently that God will open the other person's eyes and we will have our own fairytale ending. A while ago, I posted about Eat, Pray, Love and how I identified with Elizabeth Gilbert because she always sees the highest potential of men, instead of who they are at that moment. Yep-still true with RL, even though I was doing a remarkable job (compared to previous boys I dated) of taking his words at face value, not looking for hidden meanings, and being direct in my communication of needs and wants.<br />
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The scary part for me is that not only was I desiring to be RL's exception, but he was fast becoming mine. This man is my Kryptonite... I was completely willing to overlook character flaws and habits that have caused me to break up with other guys or not even consider dating them... that is an incredibly dangerous position to be in!<br />
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As Gigi says at the end of the movie (where of course she ended up being Alex's exception and living happily ever after)....<br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0;">"Girls are taught a lot of stuff growing up. If a guy punches you he likes you. Never try to trim your own bangs and someday you will meet a wonderful guy and get your very own happy ending. Every movie we see, Every story we're told implores us to wait for it, the third act twist, the unexpected declaration of love, the exception to the rule. But sometimes we're so focused on finding our happy ending we don't learn how to read the signs. How to tell from the ones who want us and the ones who don't, the ones who will stay and the ones who will leave. And maybe a happy ending doesn't include a guy, maybe... it's you, on your own, picking up the pieces and starting over, freeing yourself up for something better in the future. Maybe the happy ending is... just... moving on. Or maybe the happy ending is this, knowing after all the unreturned phone calls, broken-hearts, through the blunders and misread signals, through all the pain and embarrassment you never gave up hope"</span></div>
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So, even after this debacle with RL, I will not give up, I will continue to have hope and I will trust that God has a better plan than I could ever imagine, even if it doesn't include a happy ending that I want.</div>
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<br />mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-91827783373678670172012-11-12T20:39:00.002-06:002012-11-12T20:39:42.766-06:00Luke 11:28My confirmation verse is Luke 11:28~ "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it." I have tried to live by this verse and make sure that I am applying it to my life through regular study of the Word and praying for discernment of God's will. <br />
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Lately though, I have been wandered far from this... On two different occasions, I have pulled Psalm 37:7 out of our Stephen Ministry blessings basket, which says" Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." Another time I drew Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew thier strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shay run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Do you see a theme here? God is obviously trying to teach me about PATIENCE, and yet I forge ahead (for a variety of reasons) with my own plan and ignore God's word. So often I pray for a burning bush or an obvious sign. I don't know how much more plain this could be and yet I still turn away- how like the stubborn Israelites I am. <br />
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I pray that God would give me the strength and courage to heed His word and to obey it; that I might be able to abide contently in the Lord until His perfect timing is revealed, especially if it is contrary to my own will! mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-46152231133121118002012-10-06T20:12:00.000-05:002012-10-06T20:12:07.355-05:00The ShackOk, So I know I'm late to the party, in that the book, <em>The Shack </em>by WM. Paul Young was wildly popular several years ago and I'm just now getting around to reading it. Like <em>Eat, Pray, Love, </em>I really felt God speaking to me through this book. Here are a few quotes that spoke to me the most.<br />
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"Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved. Because you do not know that I love you, you cannot trust me." ~The Holy Spirit to Mack, pg. 132<br />
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"Freedom involves trust and obedience inside a relationship of love." ~The Holy Spirit to Mack, pg. 139<br />
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"Women in general will find it difficult to turn from a man and stop demanding that he meet her needs, provide security and protect her identify, and return to me...women turned from us to another relationship" Jesus to Mack, pg 157<br />
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"I don't wonder what you will do or what choices you will make. I already know. Let's say that I know it will take you 47 situations adn events before you will actuallly hear me, that is, before you will hear clearly enough to agree with me and change. So when you don't hear me the first time, I'm not frustrated or disappointed, I'm thrilled. Only 46 more times to go." ~Papa to Mack, pg 203<br />
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"people are tenacious when it comes to the treasure of their imaginary independence. They hoard and hold their sickness with a firm grip. They find their identity and worth in their brokeness and guard it with every ounce of strength they have. No wonder grace grace has such little attraction. In that sense, you have tried to lock the door of your heart from the inside." Papa to Mack pg 206<br />
<br />mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-50711806719839903692012-07-10T14:32:00.001-05:002012-07-10T14:32:46.535-05:00maybe it's me?<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Those of you who know me well, know that I am an extrovert to the extreme. I LOVE being around people. I draw my energy from them. I really don't like being by myself for very long periods of time (I think way too much when I am alone, and that is NEVER good). This allows me to flit pretty naturally between a whole bunch of social groups. I am comfortable talking to anyone and everyone. Left alone long enough, I could make friends with non living things, even the wall. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Another thing about me is that I love to help people and feel useful (read: people pleaser extraordinaire). This is usually a good thing, but can lead me to overcommitting myself and not really spending quality time with those whom I really care about because I want to help everyone and I want to be liked by everyone. On any given day, I can have 12-15 metaphoric plates spinning, and in my efforts not to drop any of them, maybe I pay them all the minimal amount of attention to keep them spinning, without recognizing the masterpieces present in each individual one. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">When I get really stressed by all of these committments, I tend to focus too much on my to-do list, checking things off my list and friendships can sometimes get pushed to the back burner, which is tragic and detrimental. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">There is this crazy vicious cycle that always ensues. The friend finds someone else to call their best friend. They start hanging out with that person or group more and more, and with me less and less. Then my feelings get hurt and I start to feel really bad that I've lost the friend (always completely unintentionally). Now don't get me wrong, I know I can still can count on that friend to be there for the big important stuff, or if I really need them, but it's the stuff of their daily lives that I miss; the things we used to share so readily. I take honest and uncomfortable responsibility for these changes in friendship. I'm not one to blame others, I think I blame myself too readily. But I can't help but think it's not the whole picture. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I think the most frustrating part is the part that is not in my control. Yes, I can control how much effort I invest in people. I also have control over the committments that I take on and I am working on being more assertive at saying no to things. But so much of friendship is dependent upon proximity and shared experience and I can't control those things. Naturally, you are going to get very close to the members of your teaching team because you share kids and a hall way. If you share a space with someone, you're probably going to tell them more about yourself due simply to the fact that they are right there. If you have significant experiences in your life, you are going to seek out those people who have had similar experiences because you feel like they really get you (i.e. getting married, having kids around the same age, or a troubled younger brother).</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">While lack of quality time is certainly a contributing factor to the decline of some of my most treasured friendships and something I can change; I can't change the fact that friends at my school view me as "one of them" (them being admin) instead of "one of us" since I took the position of reading specialist at my school. I can't change that many of my friends have gotten married or now have kids, things I don't share. </span><br />mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-7210039638662731372012-06-29T20:34:00.000-05:002012-06-29T20:34:20.699-05:00Eat, Pray, Love<span style="color: #a64d79;">Back in April, I <em>finally </em>read a book on my list that spoke to my soul and touched me to the core. I felt like Elizabeth Gilbert was in many ways writing the story of my life (minus all of the traveling) as she chronicled her search for balance. I know it's not a new book by any means and I even saw the movie before I read the book, which is not something I generally like to do but <em>Eat, Pray, Love</em> captured perfectly some of the emotions that I have been feeling in the last few months... I only wish I had read this book sooner!!!</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">One thing she said has stayed with me, like a haunting dream, even a couple of months later. It was like she took this feeling directly from my heart and put into words something that I couldn't verbalize on my own...</span><br />
<em> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">"I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism.”</span> </span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">I have a tendency to do this too-romanticizing and idealizing a guy until I am blind to the real person and can only see the pedestal version that I have created. I am the very definition of a hopeless romantic; I consume more than healthy doses of romantic comedies and happily ever afters and I am always the biggest cheerleader for relationships (mine and others) even when it might be healthier if the involved parties went their seperate ways. This optimism causes me to go overboard sometimes (ok all the time) because I want so badly for things to work out. I spend hours agaonizing over my relationships, deciding on the perfect card from Hallmark, or the perfect just because gift and I go out of my way to make sure the guys knows how awesome I think he is. This optimism helped me move 1,500 miles from my friends and family to Houston, TX. This optimism has led to more heartbreak and tears than I would like to acknowledge.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">In some ways, I think this optimism is vital to a relationship. It is what keeps me wanting to put forth effort even after the "honeymoon, lovey dovey phase" has ended. It is what helps me to sacrifice my needs for his. Yes, I know this optimism can be overwhelming and even smothering to guys because I don't know how to reign it in and it is probably the reason I almost always end up with a broken heart, but it's not something that I will give up, because maybe someday there will be someone who will appreciate that I see the best in them and will want to work at being the person I see, just as I will work to be the person they see. </span><br />
<br />mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-80066966477819497652012-03-14T19:44:00.000-05:002012-03-14T19:44:52.063-05:00No carbs<span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">For as long as I can remember, I've been an emotional eater. I have any emotion (good, bad, ugly) and I eat. For the most part, I try to eat pretty decently, but when I'm on an emotional downswing, I turn to carbs to try and pacify those emotions... the bread basket, pizza etc. While these things are temporarily satisfying, they ofen leave me feeling worse emotionally than I did before I ate them, so then I go back for more. I can eat an entire breadbasket at a restaurant before my meal arrives and then still eat my meal and most likely dessert too. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So for Lent this year, I decided to give up carbs, specifically- bread, pasta, pizza, potatoes and rice. This is my first foray into giving something up for Lent. Being a Lutheran, giving something up for Lent isn't mandatory, but it seemed like a good thing to do. I was super excited about the weight loss possibilities, as well as breaking my emotional dependence on food. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I'm 19 days in and I have to say that this is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do!!!! I have been pretty fanatical, but I have to admit there have been a few slip-ups. Old habits die hard!!! This week has been especially difficult as it is spring break and I am home all day. Being at school has actually been good for me, because I'm often too busy to think about eating except at lunch time.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> I haven't really noticed anything in the weight loss area, but as a good friend informed me, I needed to cut out fruit for the first two weeks also since it is high in natural sugars, so that my body gets used to burning the fat it has been storing... maybe that will be my next step.</span>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-47353877506968067592012-03-04T18:46:00.001-06:002012-03-16T11:02:52.164-05:00Amazing Grace<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This morning during church, we sang Amazing Grace. This is one of my favorite songs, so of course I sang with gusto and joy (despite my complete lack of ability to sing on key). I know most of the verses by heart, but today I was completely struck by the opening line of verse 4- "The Lord has promised good to me." With that simple line, I felt His peaceful presence come over me. On Thursday and Friday, I was feeling completely flawed. I know God has made me to be a unique individual, but I was feeling like me wasn't good enough, that the world in general didn't value me. With that simple and yet profound opener to verse 4, I was reminded that God does indeed love me very much, He does care for me and that He has made me unique for a reason, even I don't know that reason yet. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana;">For those of you who aren't familiar with <em>Amazing Grace, </em>at least beyond the first verse, here are the words of the hymn in its entirety. Maybe it will provide you with some peace too...</span><br />
<br />
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,<br />
That saved a wretch like me.<br />
I once was lost but now am found,<br />
Was blind, but now I see.<br />
<br />
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.<br />
And Grace, my fears relieved.<br />
How precious did that Grace appear<br />
The hour I first believed.<br />
<br />
Through many dangers, toils and snares<br />
I have already come;<br />
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far<br />
and Grace will lead me home.<br />
<br />
The Lord has promised good to me.<br />
His word my hope secures.<br />
He will my shield and portion be,<br />
As long as life endures.<br />
<br />
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,<br />
And mortal life shall cease,<br />
I shall possess within the veil,<br />
A life of joy and peace.<br />
<br />
When we've been here ten thousand years<br />
Bright shining as the sun.<br />
We've no less days to sing God's praise<br />
Than when we've first begun.mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-21818432077612550832012-02-29T19:03:00.000-06:002012-02-29T19:03:21.330-06:00a fine line...In the last day or so, I have been comtemplating the fine, often gray, line between going with the flow/choosing your battles wisely/being true to yourself.<br />
<br />
It's obviously very important to any relationship, whether romantic, or platonic, or even between teacher and student to be able to choose wisely. None of us is perfect, so how can we expect others to be... Life becomes a constant, miserable battle if you are nitpicking at everything. <br />
<br />
It's undeniably important to be able to go with the flow, as life never goes exactly as we envision it, no matter how carefully we plan!<br />
<br />
But how do you know when you're giving up too much? How do you determine when it's ok to let go of your plans and when you should hold on fiercely? Einstein is quoted as saying that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results..." So how do you know when it's time to let go of the insanity and draw up a new plan, because that is what you were supposed to be doing all along?mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-39184113722804970322012-02-12T16:36:00.000-06:002012-02-12T16:36:54.748-06:00Sun stand still<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These last two weeks in church, the sermon series has been titled Sun Stand Still, in reference to Joshua 10:12, where Joshua asked the sun to stand still so he could defeat his enemies and God listened.</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the sermons, we've been talking about asking God for the bing things, as well as the little things. Today's sermon was about Jesus raising Jairus' daughter from the dead... Nothing is too big for God. Now, our request may or may not be granted, but we should still ask for it and if it is in accordance with His will, he just may grant it. In fact, on the first Sunday of the series, a HUGE prayer from one of the congregation members was joyfully answered. A grandson who had been kidnapped 17 years ago, was returned home to the United States on that very day- talk about God's awesome timing! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hearing these sermons really convicted me of just how little I trust God. Yes, I ask God for the big things in my life, but do I really believe that He will grant them to me? Sadly no... I know that I'm forgiven and that there is nothing I can do to earn His favor, but there is a part of me that clings to the nagging doubt. The doubt that says I'm not worthy of such big things. I know the Lord has done many miraculous things in my life, and yet I still don't know how to let go of my heart's deepest desire, to give it over to Him and to say "I trust you Lord to take care of this in what ever way you see best, in whatever way is going to bring you glory."</span>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-32142730743813891822012-02-06T18:27:00.000-06:002012-02-06T18:27:31.527-06:0080-20During the month of January, the sermon series at church was called Once Upon a Marriage. It looked at some of the Bible's most famous couples, and the things we can learn from their marriages. Being a single gal, I of course made lots of notes about things that I hope to someday be able to practice, but there were also some excellent applications that I can begin right away, such as trusting God and his timing instead of trying to take things into my own hands (Abram and Sarai).<br />
<br />
The last sermon in the series focused on Hosea and Gomer. For those of who don't know the story, Hosea was a man of God, a prophet whom God called to marry Gomer, a prostitute. Even though God knew Gomer would be unfaithful to Hosea, God used this as a picture of Israel's unfaithfulness and God's continual faithfulness. Pastor talked about how in a good marriage, your spouse will be able to meet about 80% of your needs, and that people often become unfaithful when they start focusing on the 20% of their needs that aren't met by their spouse, believing (often falsely) that someone else can better meet their needs. <br />
<br />
Whether it is to God, to a spouse or to something else, I think trading the 80 for the 20 often causes us to stray. How often do I focus on what God has not given me, instead of remembering and being thankful for all the things He does supply me? Too often I'm afraid. I become obsessed with the things that I don't have until I am completely ungrateful for the ways God has provided for me, even without me asking....<br />
<br />
So tonight my prayer is from Psalm 51- create in me a clean heart oh God and renew a right spirit within me.... restore to me the joy of your salvation....mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-85461580034317700142012-02-05T21:30:00.000-06:002012-02-05T21:30:20.696-06:00Here goes nothing...A few days ago, I was reading my friend Katie's blog who had linked up with Kelly's corner to showcase her single brother. After reading some of the posts, I thought I would give it a try.<br />
<br />
My name is Krystle and I will be 30 in May. I've never been married and I have no kids. I am a reading specialist at an elementary school in Houston. I'm passionate about teaching kids to read and more importantly to get them to love reading as much as I do. I've lived a lot of places, but most recently before Houston, I was living on the East Coast, in Allentown, PA. I'm a Lutheran who loves Jesus and is super involved at my church. I love to cook, especially bake and very few people have the will power to my tasty treats. I go out of my way to do things for others and I love helping people. I adore children and hope that in God's timing he blesses me with children of my own, but until then, I'm content being Auntie Krystle to all of my friends kids.<br />
If you're interested, you can comment on my blog with your email address.<br />
<br />
Hope to hear from you soon!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_h1cA1ZCuikNPwUfpslxrZFn-9W9kxrWCcbV84P_gZ19AKN1FcCQ5rG0K1_ixo_OryfcthUV5Z1O7ryoqoN9BAfZxaUcDUga9L0Ag8L4UexZ_s8TsMLtkXZaNQvdowGB6GS5mGyifKpg/s1600/CIMG0669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_h1cA1ZCuikNPwUfpslxrZFn-9W9kxrWCcbV84P_gZ19AKN1FcCQ5rG0K1_ixo_OryfcthUV5Z1O7ryoqoN9BAfZxaUcDUga9L0Ag8L4UexZ_s8TsMLtkXZaNQvdowGB6GS5mGyifKpg/s320/CIMG0669.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> my 29th birthday</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClMOQF90z4Woch1t12p48rCe4z8bo_RLFyx2HMO70YMCRl7ghNMuJ6igxXZpPxl2fXe0JXfl9P83Yb0eoUXK-Wmbd8VbTgDURbzorTABFi48Crog3qDFvJYOV5cpcLO6NmwSn77nj6tY/s1600/CIMG0393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClMOQF90z4Woch1t12p48rCe4z8bo_RLFyx2HMO70YMCRl7ghNMuJ6igxXZpPxl2fXe0JXfl9P83Yb0eoUXK-Wmbd8VbTgDURbzorTABFi48Crog3qDFvJYOV5cpcLO6NmwSn77nj6tY/s320/CIMG0393.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> One of the many kiddos who calls me Auntie Krystle!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6YeHwmhHaP83GCpQ8yD7uUs08j-IMgrwKjXlctzXoQumyS4UAyrtQlrQxWa_m_7Lp1T0GqkU1r43yx0vyTwUG5h4TP1775cVeDMUxYQQC7GHDwZ2vR6O1d9_nnW2od-hjdLYKvZjKcY/s1600/denise+and+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6YeHwmhHaP83GCpQ8yD7uUs08j-IMgrwKjXlctzXoQumyS4UAyrtQlrQxWa_m_7Lp1T0GqkU1r43yx0vyTwUG5h4TP1775cVeDMUxYQQC7GHDwZ2vR6O1d9_nnW2od-hjdLYKvZjKcY/s320/denise+and+I.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> My girl Denise and I (I'm on the left)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpp3XcJPeSTzOTUDnC_mcG5rY8JVVT1MZoYFNrf8DVDJnJPNSomidxHG2TyF2qGmZkQNaPBPRqZuCfRLGVPJvhFynPgCEtS_qVvHJdSP_7kaoPkuV3VPYVT1i99PXvT6JQ1WMO53a2CQ/s1600/CIMG0548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpp3XcJPeSTzOTUDnC_mcG5rY8JVVT1MZoYFNrf8DVDJnJPNSomidxHG2TyF2qGmZkQNaPBPRqZuCfRLGVPJvhFynPgCEtS_qVvHJdSP_7kaoPkuV3VPYVT1i99PXvT6JQ1WMO53a2CQ/s320/CIMG0548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-76210261483474032442012-01-04T20:49:00.000-06:002012-01-04T20:49:54.714-06:00Riley- one year oldSo, a lot of my friends write posts updating us all on the fun milestones and general happenings of their children at various stages... since I don't have kids, I thought I would post about Riley. I don't know his exact birthday since I adopted him from a shelter (and I am choosing to celebrate Feb 21- the day we became a family instead) but the shelter thinks he was born on Dec 26, 2011...<br />
<br />
Eating-<br />
*eats two cups of Beneful Puppy food/day (one in morning and one at night)<br />
*loves people food, especially peanut butter<br />
*will whine if you don't let him lick the dishes<br />
*eats anything you put in front of him<br />
<br />
Sleeping-<br />
*is a huge snuggle bug and likes to sleep with some or all of his body on top of mama<br />
*hogs the bed<br />
*mostly sleeps through the night<br />
<br />
Playtime-<br />
*loves visiting his friends at Doggie Day Care on some Wednesdays<br />
*could play fetch for hours<br />
*loves to chew on rawhide bones<br />
*enjoys playing in the backyard, especially in the craters he has dug <br />
*splashes in every puddle he can<br />
<br />
Favorites-<br />
*when Mama comes home from work- he even jumps up and kisses me<br />
*meal time<br />
*stealing Mama's socks<br />
*chewing<br />
*walks<br />
*checking the mail with mama without being on a leash<br />
<br />
Dislikes-<br />
* being moved around on the bed so mommy can have a tiny bit more space<br />
*putting on a leash (he's great once you get it on him, but he runs away at first)<br />
*baths<br />
<br />
Tricks-<br />
*sit<br />
*shake (only with a cookie in hand)<br />
*fetch<br />
*has selective hearing when mama calls him, but will always come running at the mention of a c-o-o-k-i-emamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-67945830725055673302011-12-31T15:22:00.000-06:002011-12-31T15:22:22.867-06:0030 while 30<span style="color: #38761d;">Ok, so I totally am stealing this idea from my amazing friend Tara, who posted her list on her blog a little while ago. I was oringally going to wait and publish my 30 goals in a post on my 30th birthday, detailing all the things I'd like to accomplish in that year, but I'm going to cheat a little bit for two reasons. 1- it's NYE and I'm supposed to be coming up with resolutions anyway and 2- some of my goals I need to start ASAP. If I wait until I turn 30 in May, I will be that much further behind.... so I'm giving myself 17 months to accomplish these things and will revise the list as necessary....</span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1. Walk Riley at least 4 times a week</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">2. Go to a fitness class (like Zumba or belly dancing) at least once/week (I'm so not a gym person)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">3. Finish reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">4. Have quiet time at least 4 days a week</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">5. Increase my financial giving to the church</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">6. Read two books/month not related to school</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">7. Volunteer my time at Trinity with the youth group and women's ministries</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">8. Visit Miriam in Boston</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">9. Visit Bethy in Maine</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">10. Try one new recipe a month</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">11. Write at least two blog posts/month</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">12. Learn to drink/like beer</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">13. Increase my fruit and vegetable intake</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">14. Decrease my fats and oils intake (less desserts after dinner)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">15. write one email/letter or make one phone call to a friend who lives out of state/month (mass emails do not count)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">16. Take a real vacation (one that involves sitting poolside somewhere in the tropics)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">17. Learn to make macaroons</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">18. Believe I'm worth it</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">19. Go talk to friends at school about non-school related items once/week</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">20. Curse less</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">21. Hang curtains in my bedroom</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">22. Grow in my relationship with God (learn to trust Him more and myself less)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">23. Visit a museum in Houston every other month</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">24. Take 4 cooking classes @ Sur La Table</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">25. Pay off my credit cards</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">26. Take more deep breaths</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">27. Have friends over for dinner at least once/month</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">28. Buy myself fresh cut flowers for no reason</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">29. Visit the farmer's market</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">30. Be more spontaneous/open to new experiences</span></strong>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-90910066697045661402011-12-31T11:42:00.000-06:002011-12-31T11:42:41.510-06:00Great is Thy Faithfulness<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">As I was doing my quiet time on this New Year's Eve morning, I noticed some common themes between my life and that of the Israelites- God's infinite provision and compassion/mercy. Back in August, I decided that I was going to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. In the past 4 months, I have only just made it through the first five books- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, and barely begun Joshua. But already, there have been so many ways that the Lord has provided for his people. He provided Adam with a mate, He provided a sacrifice for Abraham to take the place of Isaac; He used Joseph's brothers selling him into slavery to provide for the family during the famine; He protected Moses from being killed by Pharoah; He plagued Egypt until Pharoah let His people go; He passed over the homes of the Israelites when the angel of death swept through the land; He parted the red sea so they could cross on dry land; He gave them commandments and created a covenant with his people, even specifying provision for the widow, the orphan and the poor; He fed them manna and quail in the desert for 40 years; He made water spring forth from a rock; He appeared as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night so that the Israelites would know He was present; He protected the spies who went into the promised land; He caused the Jordan river to stop flowing so the Israelites could cross; He destroyed Jericho only with the sound of shouting and trumpets; He gave over the cities of the promised land to His people so that they would be completely defeated (and I'm sure there are many more instances, these are just the ones that readily came to mind). Through everything, even their constant grumbling, complaining, unbelief and turning away from Him, God provided for His people because he loved them.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">Of course, the biggest provision God ever made was sending His son Jesus as a perfect sacrifice for all of our sins. Through that sacrifice, God has provided a way for us to be forgiven, an everlasting and eternal relationship with Him and the assurance of a place in heaven. Despite all of our turning away, our grumbling, our complaining, and our sin, God has given us these things because He loves us. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">Romans 8:38-39 says "neither death nor life, angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">Just as God provided for the Israelites, God has provided for me in many amazing ways. Seeing as how 2011 is about to end, here is just a short list that represents a much more encompassing list of the ways God has provided for me in 2011. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">1. He granted me strength and courage to walk away from a 4 year relationship that wasn't Godly, fulfilling. or pleasing to Him.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">2. He blessed me with many friends to support me in my transition to singleness and who continue to support me on a daily basis.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">3. He gave me opportunities to draw closer to Him and several coworkers through Bible Study</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">4. In February, He taught me about putting the needs of others first by giving me my sweet rescue puppy Riley.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">5. He renewed my sense of community and belonging by granting me a church family here in Houston like that of my church family in Allentown</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">6. He has brought new friendships into my life that are helping to develop different aspects of myself</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">7. He has given me renewed hope</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">8. He has kept me safe in all of my travels</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">9. He has provided me training in communication skills and is allowing me to use those skills to help others via Stephen Ministry</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">10. He has kept me from giving into temptation</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">11. He has renewed and restored relationships with family members.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;">As I completed my quiet time, I was reminded of one of my favorite hymns... Great is Thy Faithfulness...</span><br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;<br />
there is no shadow of turning with thee;<br />
thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;<br />
as thou hast been thou forever will be.<br />
<i></i></span></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Refrain:<br />
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!<br />
Morning by morning new mercies I see;<br />
all I have needed thy hand hath provided;<br />
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!</i><br />
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Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,<br />
sun, moon and stars in their courses above<br />
join with all nature in manifold witness<br />
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. <i>Refrain</i><br />
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Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth<br />
thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;<br />
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,<br />
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! <i>Refrain</i> </span></span></strong><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-71347624025018453002011-12-01T20:44:00.000-06:002011-12-01T20:44:38.075-06:00Trust the process!!<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Over and over again in my Stephen Ministry class, our leader has been saying "Trust the Process" in regards to being patient with out learning of all the necessary and required skills. As we were reviewing all this again on Tuesday night, God spoke directly to my heart, telling me that I need to "trust the process" in one particular aspect of my life. I have told more than a few people that I "just want to know" with regards to this issue. I want things to happen yesterday- on my time and not God's. I want things to work out the way I want them to, not necesarily desiring God's best for me. I am learning, growing and enjoying my more regular quiet times with God to be sure. I am learning more about His character and His compassion to be sure.... but if I'm really honest with myself, part of me has started thinking that if I just start reading the Bible enough, or praying enough, or being good enough that God would reward me with one of the deepest desires of my heart, but at the same time, believing that I'm not quite good enough or loveable enough to deserve that desire. Author Fil Anderson says it this way, which really resonated with me: "my hopes for the future have been haunted by my blunders of the past. My desperate longing to get my life right has been dogged by the nagging fear that it will never happen, given the obvious fact that I am helplessly flawed." </span><br />
<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Don't you just love when you read something or hear something in a song that puts your feelings into words better than you ever could?! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">As I was reminded on Tuesday night, my role is not to always know or understand but to trust. Fil Anderson says "prayer is God's business and what is most necesary is my willingness to surrender to what God desires, trusting God with the results (apparent or otherwise). If I am wise, I'll wait on God and persist in prayer without being consumed or frustrated with thinking about what I might receive in reurn." How easy to know, how difficult to practice!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Gracious Father- you who did not even spare your own son that I might be redeemed now and in eternity, renew my hope and faith that I might trust you to bless me with only the best you have for me, instead of settling for something less. Remind me of your faithfulness in my doubt and be faifthful to complete the good work you began in me, even as my sin constantly gets in the way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">**** all quotes taken from Fil Anderson's book- <em>Running on Empty, contemplative spirituality for over achievers.</em></span></span></span>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-30537809694603502992011-12-01T19:39:00.000-06:002011-12-01T19:39:04.714-06:00BusynessI've always enjoyed being busy. I like to take on projects that make me feel needed and useful. Too often though, the busyness becomes overwhelming and I feel like I'm drowning. My friend Rachel from church lent me a book called <em>Running on Empty: Contemplative Spirituality for Overachievers. </em> I Only 5 pages in and already I felt convicted; knowing that I need to let go of some things in order to have a more fulfilling relationship with the Lord. I need to learn to be still as Psalm 46:1 says- Be still and know that I am God."<br />
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Here are some quotes form the book that have helped me to put things in perspective...<br />
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P. 5- "I had perfected busyness but failed miserably at stillness"<br />
P. 20- "the noise, busyness and hurry deliver nothing but a heart that's hard of hearing and a life of anxious longing, and weary disappointment."<br />
P. 47- "with my mind, I can reason that God's love is true. But in day to day life, experiencing that God's love for the single thing that establishes, governs and maintains my personal worth is my greatest struggle...I must recognize that being 'the apple of God's eye' is not merely a nice idea, a worthy goal, or an inspirational thought. It's the one and only name by which God recognizes me and intends to relate to me. This kind of truth must make it's way into my heart if I'm to live in any meaningful and lasting degree of freedom."<br />
P. 87- "Discipline means being intentional about preventing everything in my life from being filled up. The diligent watchfulness guards my soul from intrusions that crowd out God."<br />
P. 96- "It's essential that I understand the health of my relationship with God is ultimately God's responsibility. My responsibility is providing space for solitute and silence so that God may attend to the needs of my soul. I'm just the innkeeper making room for the Guest."<br />
P. 176- " Only when I'm listening to God's voice, and not my own, am I set free from having to prove to the world (or to myself) that I am worth loving, because God has already, repeatedly, affirmed his love for me."<br />
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Lord, help me to subtract all of the things out of my life that distract me from you. I want to serve you with my whole heart. AmenmamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-68414974025674160642011-10-08T17:59:00.000-05:002011-10-08T17:59:23.934-05:00Let it Be<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm always surprised at the way God speaks to me, especially when I'm not actively seeking him in prayer or when I don't even really seem to be listening. On Tuesday night, I was driving home from Stephen Ministry training class about 9:30. I was listening to Delilah on 99.1 as I always do- Thankfully she's here in TX too! I wasn't really paying attention to anything that was playing; instead I was thinking about a friend that I'm very concerned about. I was worrying and fretting and wondering what I could do to help or to make him understand how much he is valued. Out of nowhere, I turned my attention back to the radio, only to hear the song "Let it Be" by the Beatles. I was particularly struck by the chorus, "let it be, there will be an answer, let it be." With those 11 simple words, God reminded me that I am not in control of the situation, but He is and that it will be resolved according to His will. I immediately felt comforted. All this week, in addition to prayer when I feel anxious, I have been reminding myself to "let it be" and it has helped me tremendously. I pray that I may always be reminded of this simple truth.</span>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-84163977191526836872011-09-24T18:52:00.000-05:002011-09-24T18:52:18.675-05:00Dropping the Ball<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This phrase has always had a negative connotation to me. It says that I haven't lived up to my responsibilities, that I've let someone down, or done something I shouldn't have. Generally it is something that I try to avoid.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three weeks ago at Bible Study, Beth Moore put the phrase into a new context, one that I am trying to embrace for the rest of my life, starting with the next nine weeks of Bible Study. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She told the story of her dog, a border collie, who is obsessed with her ball. She loves her ball so much that she drops the ball in her food dish and eats around it, she puts it in her water dish and drinks around it because she cannot bear to be parted from it. One day, she was chasing a bird or a squirrel or some other woodland creature and she cannot catch it because she won't put put down the ball, not to mention that holding on to it makes breathing a slow and awkward process. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Beth then challenged us to "drop the ball", to lay down our obsessions and all the things that we are holding on to which prevent us from reaching our goal- being in a close relationship with Jesus. She then went on to say that Jesus already broke our chains when he died on the cross- the chains are not holding us, but rather for whatever reason, we are holding onto our chains instead of clinging to the cross. I have been sharing this story with practically everyone because it has resonated so deeply with me. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me, dropping the ball means letting go of my obsession with getting married and being in a relationship. It means being genuinely happy for friends and family members who are engaged or married or are otherwise in happy and fulfilling relationships, even when I am not. It entails a daily choice of focusing on the blessings God has given me, instead of the ones he hasn't. It means trusting that God will work for His good in my life and believing that He will grant the desires of my heart if I seek Him first. Dropping my ball means not watching romantic comedies or listening to love songs obsessively, since they only serve as constant reminders of what I don't have and they make me sad. It means reading my Bible more and praying more- being in constant communication with God, regardless of my circumstance. It means letting go of my plans and my hopes and dreams.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dropping the ball is a constant and daily struggle. I find little thoughts creeping in and I have to literally talk out loud to myself and scold myself in order to stop the jealous thoughts. I have to turn off the radio, or skip songs on my ipod. It is a conscious choice, something I must be acutely aware of at all times. Thus far, I have been far from perfect. I find myself dropping the ball for a short time, only to pick it back up again a while later. It is asking God for forgiveness and starting over again. One benefit is that it has drawn me closer to God- I am spending more time communicating with him (mostly asking for his constant help). I know I am growing and that good will come out of it, but it is soooooo hard!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Your turn- What ball do you need to drop?</span>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-69648519996202933562011-09-24T18:16:00.000-05:002011-09-24T18:16:42.271-05:00Benedictions<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Growing up Lutheran, I have been hearing the benediction at the end of the church service for nearly thirty years. It always means that church is over. You sing the last hymn and you are on your way out into the world to do whatever you need to accomplish. In the last few weeks, benedictions have taken on a whole new significance to me. One Sunday a few weeks ago, I was sitting in church and listening to the familiar words that I've heard all my life:</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">"The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face </span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">countenance upon you and give you peace." ~Numbers 6:24-26</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">and it was as if I was hearing those words for the first time. They truly penetrated my heart in a way that they never have before. I knew that God was speaking directly to me. A benediction is meant to be a blessing as you depart from somewhere, but as I just read in this week's pre-class reading for Stephen Ministry, a benediction also proclaims that God has you in his care and is responsible for your well being. A benediction says that God is in charge. If you look at the benediction above, it is clear that God is in charge- you are the receiver of God's blessings, there is nothing you do except receive the things which he intends for you. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The more I think about benedictions, the more I think about how they are not just for the end of the church service... if I ever get married, I would like a benediction or two spoken at my wedding. They are words of comfort and blessing and more meaningful than any other toast I could think of... they are reminders of the great blessings God has already given, as well as a promise for future enrichment. Generally, they come directly from God's word (the Bible), so you can't go wrong there! To my friends and family who are getting married in the next few months- you can definitely expect a benediction written out in your cards from me. </span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">To all of you reading this blog, here is my benediction for you (from 2 Corinthians13:14):</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> ~The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holsy Spirit be with you all.~</span></span>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-20326826837697399342011-09-24T17:48:00.000-05:002011-09-24T17:48:19.444-05:00Shalom<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In both Stephen Ministry class and the Beth Moore Bible study that I'm attending on Revelation, we've been talking about the Hebrew word "shalom" which means peace be with you. For so long, I always thought that peace meant the absence of worry, uncertainity or fear, but as I've been studying more about the word, I've learned it is those things, but it also encompasses much more. When you say Shalom to someone, you are wishing them completeness and wholeness, not just a temporary relief from worry. What an incredibly powerful prayer for someone. Of course, that completeness/wholeness comes only when we accept Jesus and his healing grace because he is the giver of that peace that passes understanding. There is nothing we can do to achieve that peace on our own.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so to each of you reading this blog-Shalom.</span>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993912620044769012.post-64684247558638837142011-09-03T20:32:00.000-05:002011-09-03T20:33:45.680-05:00Where does the time go?<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So I just looked at the date of my last blog post and realized that more than two months have gone by since I last wrote! I wish I could say I was incredibly busy with exciting vacations or volunteering at an orphanage in Africa, but really it's just been a lot of keeping up with puppy antics (I wish I had a tenth of his energy), surviving the TX heat, getting prepared for back to school and technology support for the reading specialists. Not very exciting things I know. But you know what? more of life is comprised of the small moments than the big ones. My good friend Sarah from Muhlenberg has a blog that I read on a regular basis called the Glory of the Grind. In this blog, she captures a lot of the small moments in her life and in the life of her kids. Another friend, Katie, has a blog that she started to document her pregnancy with her son Santi and has continued even now that she has baby Gabe! Her post the other day was about taking the boys to story time at the library. I love that these girls are so vigilant about documenting daily life. We only have one life to live and if we are constantly waiting for the next big moment, we miss all the small moments that make life worth living. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> As I've been diligently following their blogs, I think some of their attitude has rubbed off on me. I'm definitely much more aware of the little things that seem so inconsequential but mean so much, like when Riley sleeps through the night all curled up with his head resting on my knee, or the cool breeze that allowed us to go for a long walk/run today.</span></span></span>mamaKryshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503312375784136978noreply@blogger.com0