Little did she know...

yay .

My Bridge Radio is amazing . I wish that Hot Springs would not be such a black hole for radio stations :P But they provided me with my first project of the year : memorizing and meditating on a verse (or two) a week. I am not memorizing verses for school, which I had done for the first 15 years of my academic journey, so I thought this would be great for the self discipline factor. I already had pretty much all of these memorized from one time or another, but I am becoming an ESV-ite so these verses are emphasized in a new light to me as I memorize them in a different version. This month's verses: week 1: Ps 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." week 2: Rom 8:32 "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give

I like this face ---> :/ and? for some reason blogger is not letting me make big words and small words. annoying. But none of the above are really why I started this post in the first place. Moving on. This song is becoming one of my new fav's. Thanks, Starbucks Pick of the Week :) [ps, this version isn't as good live as it is on the cd, but whatev. still like it] I love that part where I have been memorizing and pondering a verse/passage, and suddenly it becomes so relevant and applicable and practical. These verses became real to me in the middle of the night as I was burdened for some friends who are being brought through a trial, and I just wanted to share them with you. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil

"Therefore my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58 [ the verse of the week ] " God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in him, in the midst of loss and not prosperity " -John Piper "On an every day basis we have so many opportunities to share our stories... it doesn't take a stage, it doesn't take a t-shirt, it doesn't take a book. It's just life . It's being available, being willing to be transparent and vulnerable with the people around you... that's where your story can make a difference, that's where we get to rescue and be rescued and love and learn to be loved... ...it's just people...community...churches...being there.... loving people ..." Renee, TWLOHA "The way to avoid housework is to live outside." —Sandra Blacksmith, 1900

And so this ends the 2010 Recap -beginning with Christmas 2009. Again, lots of pictures, lots of words, lots of mistakes, I'm sure. Good times. Christmas in the 2009 -Christmas in the Hills Awkward Santa last days in the classroom -not exactly sad about that :) the "trailer girls." We had one epic year weeks and weeks of practicing for Easter weekend: "Thief" by Third Day potentially best school memory: Sr Sneak in Colorado Springs. It was epic. an amazing last choir tour: to the Jersey Shore and back the Class of 2010 reunion: wedding road trip to KS Sarah Reunions: this time she's engaged, folks :) heat, people, music, lost voice, sore calves Independence Day Homemade ice cream joy lessons in grace, trust, faithfulness, mercy, love Softball Sundays summer sunshine and Papa Smurf's Harley Wannabe Memories that make me smile: summer nights. road trippin. work work work. CBC family time. my crazy classmates. local color. Things that shaped me and stretche

After attempting to finish uploading pictures for the millionth time (slight exaggeration), I gave up. You'll have to just bear with me. This is the first installment of the 2010 recap. Yes, there's a lot of pictures, probably terrible grammar mistakes, and spacing issues, but I got impatient. So here you go: a little bit of my year's highlights/themes/adventures Cappy's pulled pork on a Saturday: my summer/fall tradition -in the which I managed to convert several co-workers to the addiction :) New roommate adventures :) exploring the tourist traps -er, ATTRACTIONS in the BH developing my love/hate relationship with this place I love my job, I love my job, I love my job, I love my job... Feet staples: TOMS -finally! New friends and old friends, lots and lots of campfire bonding time Lots of road trips to the Sand hills of NE to visit these little cuties road trip to KC to visit old classmates -taking in the free art museum. And I quote "I don't know what that

This was the best part of Brazil: the people... Estancia Velha Bible study Campo Bom church the RS team my Brazilian sisters: Samantha and Jordana good friends: Fabio, George, Otavio, Maria, Marcos I can't wait to go back and see them all. [Or for them to come see me, cuz that would be fun too :) ]

traveling with the Pierre is one of my most favorite things to do. [This time we were doing a little more than navigating the back roads without a map, however. And we couldn't exactly roll down the windows and sing at the top of our lungs. ] I'm glad he was there to laugh at the emo singers who stopped in Sao Paulo, mock the stewardesses, point out the ugly Americans, people watch, navigate, play hearts, read David Sedaris , sing, sleep, drink "dirt water," give me the "you're sped" look, and experience Rio with. He's the bestest. Ps. If you want a bigger look at any of the collages on this blog, just click on the picture! :)

[I generally don't believe in them] But here's to LOVING more, GIVING more, LAUGHING more, EXPERIENCING more, to being broken and changed, to being uncomfortable, to having the living daylights scared out of me, to trying new things to being pushed past what I think is possible... ...to learning to trust. to being faithful. to being thankful. to growing... Here's to LIVING and SHOWING Christ to the world. "For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." 2 Corinthians 4:5-7 2011? Your unknowns are exhilarating...