Sorting Through Things

It's like staring at a huge pile of laundry that hasn't been washed in weeks. How do I even begin sorting through everything? What should I choose to work on first? What's actually dirty and what's clean but I was too lazy to put back on the hangers after I tried it on and chose not to wear it?

Did I take the analogy too far? haha

How could I possibly write about all the amazing and wonderful changes that have been going on in my life? It is terribly unfortunate that my blog life has suffered due to this crazy new season; documenting the experiences of falling in love, being sanctified by God's gift of engagement, and planning a wedding are all things I desire to do.

That leaves me back to the question, where do I begin? Well for starters, here is story of Cale and me along with more details about out wedding. The website is not complete, but it will be soon!

The date is set: March 12, 2011

The location is secure: Our ceremony will be held at Westminster Presbyterian in Bryan with the reception at the Giddings Stone Mansion in Brenham

The dress is purchased and being altered as we speak: Agh!

The guest list (oh my!) is complete... now on to collecting addresses!

And now we've moved on to details details details: I'm anxiously awaiting the holidays so I can forget about school and focus my attention on planning our wedding.

Hopefully, I'll keep you posted blog world and not let everything pile up like this again!

A Living Prayer

Alison Krauss and Union Station
Possibly my favorite song on their album, Lonely Runs Both Ways

The Sartin's Day at the Beach

August 8, 2010

What a lovely day in Galveston with such wonderful people.

Rereading Prayer Journals is Good for Two Things

I began, by God's grace, to consistently keep a prayer journal in the Spring of 2009. Since then I've filled three of them with prayers, sermon notes, Bible study notes, anecdotes on life etc.. Recently I decided to read through them, and have discovered that doing so is good for two things:

1.Reminders of God's faithfulness as He either answers prayers, chooses to close doors, or reveals to you areas in which you've grown

and/or

2. A good laugh

For example:

"Somewhere in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,
I
lost
myself.
Abba Father I pray that I would lose myself in Your Word..." (12.29.2010)

It was a heartfelt prayer, and I think it's important to be filling my mind with things that point me to the cross and the Gospel message daily. But looking back on this prayer, I have to chuckle. Honestly I'd rather cringe and hide my face in embarrassment after such an opening to a prayer. But I think it's good to not take yourself so seriously. There is freedom in being able to laugh at yourself... and I don't think a few months of growing up will change the fact that I'll have plenty more silly conversations with the Lord.

Sunflower

"I encourage you to be like a dolphin in the sea of our egalitarian, gender-leveling culture. Don't be like a jellyfish. The ocean of secularism that we swim in (including much of the church) drifts toward minimizing serious differences between manhood and womanhood. The culture swings back and forth as to whether women are mainly sex objects or senior vice presidents. But rarely does it ponder the biblical vision that men are called to humbly lead and protect and provide, and women are called to come in alongside with their unique gifts and strengths and help the men carry through the vision. I pray that you will be stirred...to pursue mature manhood and womanhood. More is at stake than we know. God has made marriage the showcase of his covenant love where the husband models Christ, and the wife models the church (Ephesians 5:21-33). And God calls single people to bless this vision and to cultivate an expression of leadership and support appropriate to their different relationships."

-John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence

Kid Pics

I always enjoy Friday Funnies from the Apel family's blog; the frankness and honesty of children is so refreshing and always good for a laugh. As a college student I spend quite a bit of time with families; living with one, serving in a church full of young families, and babysitting for one specifically every day. I've spent the last two years helping out the Gessner family and have grown quite fond of their kids. Yesterday Gunnar made me laugh so hard when he woke up, sleep still in his eyes and grumbled,

"Wanna hear my dream? I was Garfield and Otie got turned into a alien and I had a gun... (pause)... and I shot him... (insert some strange mumblings)... he had red eyes."

Gosh I love these kids. More fun pics to come I'm sure!

"...Hope helps us dream. Hope helps us think up ways to do good. Hope helps us pursue our ventures with virtue and integrity. It's hopelessness that makes people think they have to lie and steal and seize illicit pleasures for the moment. But hope, based on the confidence that a sovereing God is for us, gives us a thrilling impulse that I call strategic righteousness."

John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence