Years together treasured

A sweet story to share.....

Young and carefree

we dance & play

sweetly like two butterflies

Your hair so soft

your lips so sweet

lost in your deep blue eyes

I feel safe in your arms

I feel loved by your care

you know my heart is yours dear sir

I will protect you, come close

I will love you, draw near

will you be mine for forever?

I swoon and sway

I do. I will. Okay!

mr and mrs together

I never knew God's love so deep

until He gave me you to keep

fall into my arms like a feather.

The years go by

we fight. we play

sharing each day anew

You are more beautiful then the day we met

you shine Christ to me

you are my blessing too.

I've been your bride these 50 years

while you have loved me like Jesus

with pure joy and without hesitation.

As your groom I wish we had 50 more.

your joy so tender, you sparkle so free

US unified as one again.

Confused a bit. Age has captured me.

I wonder. I question. I fear.

He is near.

My chest is aching

my body is shaking

the sirens surround me, oh my dear.

The phone rings, you are healed.

mild stroke, I will come

in my car that will take me to...

God chose to heal me. I am thankful.

you are on your way, together we shall be

I will wait for you.

On my way fear grips me. It's stuck.

i am accelerating!

the memories of you flood every pore.

Thankful to have you to come to me

as I reminisce our life together.

praise Jesus I get to see you once more.

Out of control. nothing to do.

goodbye for now my love.

Jesus is calling. I see him here.

I wait. I wait. She never comes.

oh my sweet wife was taken home.

did this really happen? tear.

I open the door.

bittersweet place of rest.

the walls echo. I groan. I ache.

I lay down on my bed.

turn my head.

and weep until I wake.

Now and then

Wow it has been ages since I've posted on my blog. Every time I think about doing it I feel like there is so much to say, so then I choose not to. That's silly, so here is some bullet points:

+Went to London near Thanksgiving to visit Havana. Huge blessing to get to see her & Ingrid while I was there

-Missed out on being home for Thanksgiving

+Redwood Camp Reunion took place. Loved reconnecting with our staff

+New Year’s Eve party in Moraga was so fun.

+Getting to know Dave more and more! Watching our relationship grow has been a joy and sweet blessing

+Moved into my own room in Evergreen. I have a beautiful mural and a space away

-Jono moved. I’m happy for him but I miss his company

+Danni came to visit. Loved having her here

+Lindsay got married! What a beautiful story of waiting on the Lord's timing and now experiencing His love in such deep ways

-Overwhelmed with work. I’ve had an abundance of things to do

+Climbed Trinity Trees. Wow, what great perspective to have at the top looking over Redwood

+Ingrid came to visit. So fun to have her and show her my life up here

+I’m learning so much about ministry & work! God is abundantly providing, drawing me near, and loving me tenderly

-A rat just scurried across my ceiling and I can hear it chewing through something :(

So, according to my November post, my goal was to “catch a wild turkey, chop off it's head, watch the phrase "a turkey running with it's head cut off" come to life, and have a free delicious meal. :)” There was a wild turkey at the lake in Lafayette the other day and I had every intention to kill it and achieve this goal. I was stopped from this endeavor by a certain individual. Being that I was not the driver, I could not accomplish it! Sad day. Goal still in place.

Theme of the week: Simplicity. I want to travel light. “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.” God has been leading me in what areas He wants to simplify in my life. For me, it is simplifying at work and in play. Practically and in my mindset/perspective. He is wanting to be apart of every micro decision, so that I do not live into the way He has made me and my strengths without Him there. I can be good at something, but that doesn’t mean that’s what He wants me to be doing always. Even in how/when to care about people. We must discern His voice & His leading. This week, as interns, we went through our closets and got rid of a bunch of clothes. These ‘simple” disciplines help establish living the ‘simple’ life that He calls us each to in our own ways. Simplify. It may hurt a bit, but there is freedom.

I think that is all for now. Here are some pictures:

Perspective

Today we had mass cleaning in Evergreen. Last week we established one day a week where we will all clean the house together. The plan is to wake up Wednesday mornings and gather at 7:30 for 30 minutes of cleaning before staff breakfast. Every other Wednesday we will gather at 7:00 in order to eat together and clean before staff prayer. Today we gathered at 7:30. We each drew from a basket our task that we had to do and cleaned together. The house looks amazing and it only took us 30 minutes of cleaning! 11 people can do a lot! I already see this being a wonderful time for us to connect as an intern community, listen to music loud, and keep Evergreen ever clean! What a fun start to the day!

In staff breakfast the speaker briefly mentioned something about celebrating the gift of life at the passing of a friend's funeral. I think that is a great perspective to appreciate those we love. But what if we can rejoice in the fact of the ultimate final dying of ALL of self?! We are called to die to ourselves daily and what a victory it is when Jesus has more and more of our hearts and there is less and less of us. It is a daily commitment and prayer to die to ourselves. What a glorious thing to celebrate that there is no longer that struggle and a final dying of self (for whoever our loved one is)! Not only do they get to be in the presence of God, but God is fully reigning in them without that battle of self and sinful nature that keeps us from Him. What victory He has over death!

+New favorite food: dates!! Especially on cheese and toast or in a quesadilla like today :)

-My toes are freezing. This happens a few times a month and they can't get warm. Maybe I have bad circulation or it depends on the food I eat. I have had a space heater on my toes for the last hour

+Work is amazing! God is continuing to paint a picture of His plan and purposes here at Mount Hermon and for me here. All staff breakfast was focused on the process we get to be apart of in the Lord's ministry

+Spontaneous house dinner tonight! Bible study we are learning more about Jesus' mom!

+Jesus is seated at the right hand of God! He is seated on the throne, in our hearts!! gaahh praise the Lord for His finished work who Was and IS and IS to come! The Beginning, End, Now, and Then!

+I got a letter in the mail today!

-I have a secret, spontaneous attraction to flaming hot cheetos. My brain dislikes them, my stomach enjoys them, my digestion detests them, my mouth is still deciding the battle of taste and fire.

+packet peach tea--delicious!

+I'm going to london in 9 days

+ - out of the country, then out of the country....such adventures to share!

Wild Turkey

I saw a wild turkey today. It was just running around Mission Springs, the camp down the road, and thinking it owned the road. I hear that during this season wild turkeys run around this area. Quite a few were spotted around Mount Hermon this time last year. I wonder why we see them during this season? The season right before Thanksgiving.

Goal- Catch a wild turkey, chop off it's head, watch the phrase "a turkey running with it's head cut off" come to life, and have a free delicious meal. :)

Monday everyone got evacuated from our house (I wasn't there unfortunately). All of a sudden someone came into the living room where everyone was and told them to follow him out. They sawed through a gas pipe underneath our house as they were working on the foundation. No one could go back in until the evening.

+ Good thing no one was lighting a candle during that time! The gas was in the whole house!

+ Bonding time happened

- How are we living still in a house that needs a lot of work on the foundation?

+ Maybe the house will start collapsing, that would be an adventure!

Weak

Today I feel weak. There is much on my heart and much on my mind. 

I am speaking tonight in Piedmont for a donor dinner for Mount Hermon.  Supposedly some of the guests attending are some pretty big names of attendees that come here every summer. Something about fortune 500? It's going to be a long drive in traffic.  God has a purpose for me there. I pray His Spirit is moving through me tonight.  "Instead of speaking with conviction," I want to "speak my convictions." -the quiet poet

There are some hurting people in our house.  We are having a meeting today to talk through and address some of the hurt and discomfort of some of our housemates (from 3-5pm).  We are experiencing the picture of "bearing each other's burdens" and "rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." (Galatians 6:2; Romans 12:15) 

+Hard challenges. Sharpening experiences. Deepening friendships. God working.

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.   Knowing these truths God, leads my heart to this desire and prayer, that I may be "well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong!!" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Rejoice with me, and may we boast in the Lord and in our weakness for Christ to be known, seen, and glorified!

Long post, short post

I realized that long posts are fun, but not the easiest to read or sit down and write.  I think I am going to try to write short posts from now on.

So here's to the first of short posts! :)

first day of fall

Yesterday was the first official day of fall here at Mount Hermon. The air was brisk, the wind was blowing hard, and all the leaves were falling from the trees. Redwood trees smell incredible already, but something about the wind blowing them around made their fragrance even more distinct and glorious. This sweet smell will be quite enjoyable this fall season.

Fun happenings: We don't have a kitchen table or chairs yet, so we all ate on the floor last night. Kate cooked a cornbread/chili/cheese dish that she copied from trader joes and it was so delicious. We drank raspberry iced tea and had some salad on the side.

+Sunday night we had a bonfire at the beach. It was Dayna's first bonfire at the beach ever! That was exciting. We brought djembes, a guitar, and a harmonica to play. Roasted some mallows, drank sparkling lemonade, and used piles of wood as seats.

+Two little birds landed on my porch while I was reading my bible during lunch. They were singing a delightful melody together. Then they started flirtin' a bit and flew off :)

+My job today: Preparing camp for the weekend. Part of that is organizing and going through all the games to see what we have and what is missing. I think I am good at this, for I acquired skills from my dad of all the times we had to clean out our game closet, organize them by shelf, and keep inventory :) Thanks dad!

Word: John 15 sticks out to me today...some of Jesus' words: "“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

+We can do nothing apart from Him. May we abide in Him as we work and serve Him today. Jesus was a carpenter for many many years and served the Lord diligently in His work before His ministry with His disciples began that we read about in the Scriptures. I'm sure pounding in a nail to make a bench didn't always seem significant, but it was what the Lord called Him to do to serve Him and be a light to others. --May it be more than a job Father. May it be another way to glorify You in all I do, as an act of serving You alone.

+Keeping His commandments is abiding in His love. An act of obedience to Him. Following His Word that He has given to us. We must strive towards simple obedience to the Father in all that He is so that we might abide in His love....our wants are then fruits of His wants for us.

Road to Redwood--First fall day