It's that time of year again, time for me to make my annual journey up to the wonderful city in the east! I'm excited to return to visit old friends and make new ones, to sleep on an air mattress in a church that has stood for such a very long time, and to reach out and make a positive impact on people who are passing by.
This trip challenges me in its uniqueness - it isn't a typical missions trip in any way! Rather it is a reminder of the challenge to live out my faith in everything I do - to reach out to all those I come in contact with and endeavor to reflect the light of Christ to them.
At times I wonder if the fact that I've made this journey for so many years makes me callous to what God can do through the time. However, I know as I write this that God is already preparing great things in the city of Boston, things that I can only count myself as privileged for being able to take part in. I don't know what will be done in the next six days but I'm certain that God has something big up His sleeves, whether I see it directly or not!
As always, please remember our team in prayer! Check out the prayer guide at http://www.prestonwoodyoungsingles.org/index.cfm/pageid/1218/index.html and join with us in seeking God's favor as we aim to share His love and light with those who don't yet know Him!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Quack Quack Waddle Waddle
A couple of weeks ago as I was getting ready for work Brady alerted me to potentially very scary activities outside the house. Being a 70 pound retriever who is somewhat frightened by his own shadow, I tend not to jump when he decides to hit the high decibel range that others might associate with an eminent nuclear attack. However, he was completely beside himself this morning, running from my room out to the living room and back which, after about twenty times, makes me think something really is up.
I made my way out to the back door, fully expecting to see nothing of interest. However, this time as a surprise of all surprises there actually was something to see. And that something was none other than two wayward ducks, waddling through the growing grass. As Brady did a dance of joy thinking that I was about to let him unleash all of his instinctual retrieverism on those poor ducks, they must have caught sight of us and lifted off and were soon out of view.
Here's hoping they found a lovely pond! And I stand corrected Sir Brady, sometimes there are important things in the backyard that just must be attended to RIGHT NOW! My apologies most excellent retriever dog!
I made my way out to the back door, fully expecting to see nothing of interest. However, this time as a surprise of all surprises there actually was something to see. And that something was none other than two wayward ducks, waddling through the growing grass. As Brady did a dance of joy thinking that I was about to let him unleash all of his instinctual retrieverism on those poor ducks, they must have caught sight of us and lifted off and were soon out of view.
Here's hoping they found a lovely pond! And I stand corrected Sir Brady, sometimes there are important things in the backyard that just must be attended to RIGHT NOW! My apologies most excellent retriever dog!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Travesty...Coffee style
I think I may have broken myself...and I blame Iron Chef, the instructions on my bag of coffee, and a late night movie!
I love coffee, adore it, cherish it, might marry it if it would have me (ok, maybe that last was a bit extreme...I'm just kidding guys). So, on Sunday evening I was sitting down after mowing the yard and playing with the dog and Iron Chef came on. I love Iron Chef anyways (I believe there might be inspiration even for the culinarily challenged there) and then the secret ingredient was coffee! Score! I settled in for a great hour of TV.
Well, after about 20 minutes all I wanted was some coffee - any form, it didn't really matter. I thought about heading to Starbucks but didn't really want to leave so I broke into my freezer and grabs some beans. Now, one of the things that the show had talked about was making the correct strength of coffee and I figured that if I'm going to learn anything from Iron Chef then it ought to be that the best coffee is made by following the instructions! So, I filled up the pot with 7 cups of water (6oz = 1 cup in coffee world) and then read the instructions which said to use 2 (that's right, TWO) tablespoons per cup. For you un-mathy people, that's 14 tablespoons of ground coffee and even though I wasn't planning to drink it all, it's always good to make more than you need, right? I went ahead and aimed for 14 tablespoons of the stuff and by the time I'd ground it and filled up the filter, I was realizing that not only was there a TON of coffee in there but there was also no way you could make the 12 cups the machine claims to be able to handle. Well, that's a different dilemma for a different day but since there was so much coffee I thought that I'd best put in a bit more water cause otherwise I was worried it would brew itself up and then jump out of the pot and attack my dog, steal my car keys, and go on a joyride of the city! So, 9 cups of water, 14 (or so) tablespoons of coffee, and some time brewing results in one THICK brew! All is fine and dandy though so I fill up my big mug and take a sip. Now, this is some very strong coffee but it tastes pretty good so I'm up for it.
Right around then I realize that I was supposed to watch a movie for my movie club the next day so I run out to rent it thinking that I can stay awake because I've got the coffee! So, one really awful movie later, I've drunk almost the entire pot of coffee. My hand is actually shaking as I brush my teeth and I'm starting to think that this is not looking good! I lay down, still tasting coffee and proceed to lie awake for about an hour - something that I never do! Well, this is a bad deal but not a travesty, not yet.
The next morning, I get up (kind of feeling icky) and get ready for work. My routine always involves me brewing up coffee and taking it to the office but when I thought about doing that this Monday morning, my mind immediately went, "Absolutely no way under any circumstances are you putting more coffee into this body." Hmmm, convincing argument. So I went to work, on a MONDAY morning, with no coffee! Thought about getting some in the afternoon - same discussion, same results. Same thing this morning!
So, it's now been two days since I've had any coffee and I'm still not sure I'm up for it. I can't believe it - it's like hating chocolate! I have no idea when I'll break the fast but I'm thinking that I might just have to force myself into it because right now my mind is still saying, "Coffee, no, I don't think that would be wise!"
So, a somewhat sad week in Jen world...I'd hate to have to change my blog's header and for the record, the instructions may be right but they're insane, the Iron Chef doesn't know what he's talking about, and the movie totally wasn't worth it!
:)
I love coffee, adore it, cherish it, might marry it if it would have me (ok, maybe that last was a bit extreme...I'm just kidding guys). So, on Sunday evening I was sitting down after mowing the yard and playing with the dog and Iron Chef came on. I love Iron Chef anyways (I believe there might be inspiration even for the culinarily challenged there) and then the secret ingredient was coffee! Score! I settled in for a great hour of TV.
Well, after about 20 minutes all I wanted was some coffee - any form, it didn't really matter. I thought about heading to Starbucks but didn't really want to leave so I broke into my freezer and grabs some beans. Now, one of the things that the show had talked about was making the correct strength of coffee and I figured that if I'm going to learn anything from Iron Chef then it ought to be that the best coffee is made by following the instructions! So, I filled up the pot with 7 cups of water (6oz = 1 cup in coffee world) and then read the instructions which said to use 2 (that's right, TWO) tablespoons per cup. For you un-mathy people, that's 14 tablespoons of ground coffee and even though I wasn't planning to drink it all, it's always good to make more than you need, right? I went ahead and aimed for 14 tablespoons of the stuff and by the time I'd ground it and filled up the filter, I was realizing that not only was there a TON of coffee in there but there was also no way you could make the 12 cups the machine claims to be able to handle. Well, that's a different dilemma for a different day but since there was so much coffee I thought that I'd best put in a bit more water cause otherwise I was worried it would brew itself up and then jump out of the pot and attack my dog, steal my car keys, and go on a joyride of the city! So, 9 cups of water, 14 (or so) tablespoons of coffee, and some time brewing results in one THICK brew! All is fine and dandy though so I fill up my big mug and take a sip. Now, this is some very strong coffee but it tastes pretty good so I'm up for it.
Right around then I realize that I was supposed to watch a movie for my movie club the next day so I run out to rent it thinking that I can stay awake because I've got the coffee! So, one really awful movie later, I've drunk almost the entire pot of coffee. My hand is actually shaking as I brush my teeth and I'm starting to think that this is not looking good! I lay down, still tasting coffee and proceed to lie awake for about an hour - something that I never do! Well, this is a bad deal but not a travesty, not yet.
The next morning, I get up (kind of feeling icky) and get ready for work. My routine always involves me brewing up coffee and taking it to the office but when I thought about doing that this Monday morning, my mind immediately went, "Absolutely no way under any circumstances are you putting more coffee into this body." Hmmm, convincing argument. So I went to work, on a MONDAY morning, with no coffee! Thought about getting some in the afternoon - same discussion, same results. Same thing this morning!
So, it's now been two days since I've had any coffee and I'm still not sure I'm up for it. I can't believe it - it's like hating chocolate! I have no idea when I'll break the fast but I'm thinking that I might just have to force myself into it because right now my mind is still saying, "Coffee, no, I don't think that would be wise!"
So, a somewhat sad week in Jen world...I'd hate to have to change my blog's header and for the record, the instructions may be right but they're insane, the Iron Chef doesn't know what he's talking about, and the movie totally wasn't worth it!
:)
Monday, April 7, 2008
Seriously
So I'm coming to realize that maybe, just perhaps, life is too interesting and silly and fun to take things so seriously all of the time! Maybe every experience doesn't need to have a life lesson to teach, doesn't need to make me reconsider how God moves in the world, doesn't need to be just so SERIOUS!
With this said and as I'm realizing just how much crap there is out there that I can't control anyways, I'm going to attempt to write some more entertaining, silly, offsides, weird, funny stuff and not always make my work sound as if you just picked up a devotional guide!
After all, if you can't laugh at the things that are around you every day then what can you laugh at? Life shouldn't require a stand-up comic to make us giggle...God made it quite interesting enough without that being a requirement. So here's to some more light-hearted topics and thoughts - you only thought you knew what went through my mind up 'til now! :)
With this said and as I'm realizing just how much crap there is out there that I can't control anyways, I'm going to attempt to write some more entertaining, silly, offsides, weird, funny stuff and not always make my work sound as if you just picked up a devotional guide!
After all, if you can't laugh at the things that are around you every day then what can you laugh at? Life shouldn't require a stand-up comic to make us giggle...God made it quite interesting enough without that being a requirement. So here's to some more light-hearted topics and thoughts - you only thought you knew what went through my mind up 'til now! :)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Anniversary
I was in my backyard last night playing fetch with Brady and I realized that the crooked tree was starting to bloom again. Since that was what this blog started with a year ago I knew that it must be pretty close to the anniversary of my musings being made public! Turns out, I was right...I started this blog on March 19, 2007 and I'm within a week of that day a year later.
It's funny to me how much this last year has held. It's been a time of great growth and great struggles. In the months surrounding my thirtieth birthday I've sensed that God is breaking apart my very soul to recreate me in ways that I only hope more greatly reflect His consistent faithfulness and presence in my life. I feel as though all the days that I have lived through now have in some ways simply been preparing me for things that are to come. While they all have held their special joys and sorrows I find myself realizing that in the faithful walk I strive to have that the future holds ever more promise and the past ever less hold.
So, as I pause to remember those things that have come through the last year I can only be thankful that God has chosen to walk with me through them. I do not know that I would have made it through this last year without Him and I wouldn't have any desire to try. However, standing on the other side of some pretty large canyons that He has helped me cross over I feel that every day that I've had and every day that is to come are nothing more than a time of growing ever closer to the Lord that I have never loved more than I do now.
For all you readers out there I also say thank you - for not completely giving up on me in my times of silence. Truthfully there have been many more posts that I've started that have never made it out here but the fact is the challenge of finding words has never been more interesting to me than it is right now. So, I'm still here, still thinking, and planning to be writing.
A happy anniversary celebration for this blog and here's to many more!
It's funny to me how much this last year has held. It's been a time of great growth and great struggles. In the months surrounding my thirtieth birthday I've sensed that God is breaking apart my very soul to recreate me in ways that I only hope more greatly reflect His consistent faithfulness and presence in my life. I feel as though all the days that I have lived through now have in some ways simply been preparing me for things that are to come. While they all have held their special joys and sorrows I find myself realizing that in the faithful walk I strive to have that the future holds ever more promise and the past ever less hold.
So, as I pause to remember those things that have come through the last year I can only be thankful that God has chosen to walk with me through them. I do not know that I would have made it through this last year without Him and I wouldn't have any desire to try. However, standing on the other side of some pretty large canyons that He has helped me cross over I feel that every day that I've had and every day that is to come are nothing more than a time of growing ever closer to the Lord that I have never loved more than I do now.
For all you readers out there I also say thank you - for not completely giving up on me in my times of silence. Truthfully there have been many more posts that I've started that have never made it out here but the fact is the challenge of finding words has never been more interesting to me than it is right now. So, I'm still here, still thinking, and planning to be writing.
A happy anniversary celebration for this blog and here's to many more!
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