Wordlessless Wednesday

Missy - PJ - Kaitlyn

S.W.A.T. girls on the mission field.

Paint and a girl's intuition.

Watch out This Old House.

Wordless [psych!] Wednesday

Summertime + Trampolines = CrazyawesomeHILARIOUSfun!

Sit a Spell to Spell a Bit

A is for adoption, something I really hope I get to do one day, Lord willing.

(I agree with Ash, who tagged me for this cool ABC thingamabob, and also begins with A)

B is for blog friends.  I've thought about blog friends ALOT lately and how I appreciate getting to know you amazing people.  Blogging allows me to know things about someone's heart that could take months/years of a friendship to know.  It's pretty cool.

C is for CNA, which I now AM.  My test results and certificate came in the mail last week--thank you for your prayers!

D is for Daniel.  I've had many Daniels leave footprints in my life.  Some good and some notsomuch.  This name seriously follows me around.  But I've been blessed with a couple of brothers-in-Christ that are stuck with their snippy sister: (L: Finney, my adopted lil bro, and me at Passion 2010 and R: "Skyguy", my partner in crime student ministry and fellow StarWars nerd.)

E is for experiencing the body of Christ outside of a church service.  Outside of a denomination.  Outside of a belief system.  Experiencing the love and fellowship of Christ, the joy of the Word and very little else: on the phone, in a coffeeshop, Facebook, blog, or workplace.

F is for funny pictures I find on my $800 camera that I, myself, didn't take.  Suspects under the age of 12 have taken these (can you say self-portait-queen?  There was about 100 of these on my Canon when I got back from Kenya)...

G is for [the] God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.  Recently I read a comment from an athiest on a Christian article, saying something along the lines of never being able to worship a god like the One in the Old Testament because He was about nothing but wrath.  Journeying with the Bible Retreat, and going through the OT at about 3 books a week...I wish this person took the chance to know this God for themselves.

H is for happinessssss....there's Grace enough for us and the whole human race...ohhhh happinessss....Thankfully, Lady Gaga has nothin' on this catchy David Crowder Band song that has been stuck. in. my. head!

I is for imagination.  Or lack thereof for this Interesting letter. [skuh-Ip]

J is for Jen moments.  My friends have them.  They usually consist of forgetting items in their hand, taking 6.7 seconds to receive information that has been spoken, lack of sarcasm sending and receiving, and things of that nature.  Do YOU have Jen moments?

K is for Kenya. Its crazy how you can continue to learn from a place/experience you're no longer in the middle of. I can't wait to relive a little as I share pieces of Kenya with you soon.

L is for lengthy posts and church meetings...the reason there will be a PART 2 to Jen's ABC thingamabob.

Love, Jen :)

Women of Faith blog series...

Melinda at Abounding in Hope invited me to join her Women of Faith blog series that begins this week.  The series will be featuring rich and famous real, everyday women who have it all together love Christ, who have trials, imperfections, and long to live out their faith genuinely.  I was incredibly blessed by her questions, and I really look forward to what the other ladies will be sharing.  I have a feeling there will be rich blessings from this series, please check it out and comment when you stop by. :)

I heart Coffee Drips Art (that rhymed)

Guess what came in the mail?
[oh my...see the fake blonde growing out. See? See?!  Now I have no excuse for my shenanigans]

Beka at hold on, love... was taking requests before I left for Africa, and I couldn't pass it up.  I chose earth colors, and a Scripture that is very dear to me:

John 13:35

"By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

And she painted them in the beautiful language of Kiswahili.

I'm truly loving it on my wall.

Life has been absolutely, absolutely, absolutely (is more than one absolutely unnecessary, since it's absolute?) nuts.  Crazy, I tell you.  [thinks for a minute] My life has been crazy for two years.  It wasn't this crazy before...whatever happened, it became my lot in life.  Maybe life isn't so busy, as much as my mind is.  Ever feel like that?  There's a whole lot more going on inside there than there is outside.

No, really, there is! :)

I've been praying about some direction with the Swat girls, and I believe we're gonna start this...

Elizabeth George's A Young Woman After God's Own Heart.  My cousin Rebekah gave me this book when I was around 16, and it was such a critical blessing in my spiritual life.  Elizabeth talks to you like she's your best friend, and her musings are FULL of wisdom/Scripture/stories on foundational things like: prayer, the Word, our love-life with Christ, guys (hard subject, there!), and just having a heart that is inclined to her Savior.  I've used it for lessons and given it as gifts many times cause I loved it so much. :)  She has A Woman After God's Own Heart as well--I'd like to check that out sometime.

The family went to the water/theme park, Holiday World, this week (all ten of us!)--got sunburned, got exhausted, got some REALLY needed family time.  My little brother Caleb is definitely my hero...that almost-nine-year-old-and-very-unadventurous-boy rode every single roller coaster...even The Voyage, which is one of the world's largest wooden coasters, and was featured on Travel Channel's Extreme Terror Rides 2 Death-Defying Drops: The World's Scariest Summits and Plummets...oh yes.  MY brother went on it THREE times.  I have the official picture.  You know, the unattractive ones they take of you as you've volunteered to basically skydive in a wooden cart...and charge you $10 a pop for.  Yep that one.

In the middle of all the craziness, I'm trying to pull my hair out be still.  Because busyness in my mind means I have a hard time focusing, getting things done, and being efficient.  Be still.  When Israel was crazy-busy with things that took their focus, God spoke, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength..."  Such gooood words.  Repentence (for loss of focus/idolotry), REST, Quietness, Trust.  Mmmm.  Israel wouldn't have any of it...but I sure do. :)

Back in APRIL, Chloe gave me the Beautiful Blogger award, yay!  I have just had a time with these 7 interesting things...but here we go...

1. 
   
   I am exactly 1/8 full Cherokee Native American, 1/8 Spaniard (from Spain) and alot of everything else.  I could have received free college because of my Native American heritage...BUT...my great-great grandfather was onery.  How?  On the reservation, he would shoot the clay water jars off the women's heads, drenching them.  One of the husbands wasn't happy, and they had a draw.  My Grandpa won, but since he killed a man, he fled the reservation to Mexico.  Changed his name and we have no documented proof.  Oh wells.  Interesting fact though, right? :)
2. 
   
   I am dense.  I lost my sarcasm meter somewhere recently, and I've needed every joke explained.  Unfortunate fact.
3. 
   
   Music.  I love to play guitar, listen to the radio, sing, (I have my Grooveshark playlist going now).
4. 
   
   I LOVE the color blue.  In all hues, it's fantastic.
5. 
   
   Parables, analogies and word pictures make me happy.  They explain deep things so much better.
6. 
   
   It really takes alot for me to be angry.  But lately, self-righteousness/arrogance (expecially if I realize it in myself) makes my blood boil.  I'm trying to work on that.
7. 
   
   I love tortillas, and I will eat very-nearly anything in them.  Anything.

The Beautiful (inside and out) Bloggers I award are:

Jen:  My sweet RanchGirl friend I've known since I was TWELVE!  I answered her pen pal request, which quickly turned to emailing and chatting all the time, which turned to telephone convos, etc.  She's a beautiful blogger, Mama, wife, friend (and has a cool name too). :)

&

Sara: Ironically, Jen's sister!  A beautiful young lady with a heart for foreign missions and a spectacular sense of humor. <3

The end.

P.S. Stay tuned. Once I have Africa pictures to share, instead of posting it all in one gi-normous post (cause there's ALOT), I will post small entries that expound on highlights. :)

[un]Wordless Wednesday: May Flowers Edition

FlowerMama's visit was muchly needed, and perfect timing for Jen.

I heart them.

Bible Retreat 2010

The Bible in 90 Days

Begins: Monday, June 21, 2010

Ends: Tuesday, September 23, 2010

A group of friends and I went though this two years ago--it was a really, really good journey through the Word.  A few of us have expressed a desire to do it together again, so I wanted to extend the invitation if anyone would like to join us (even some of my youth group students are in on it!).  We have a group on Facebook where we will post each weeks readings and we'll be able to discuss what we read and what blesses us as we go. :)

It's approximately 45 minutes of reading a day (with 2 grace days)--some of us have crazy busy lives and split it into increments. You don't really need to stick to the daily reading as long as you stay on track each week (I do alot of catch up days, but those days tend to be the best).  If we stay on track, we will have read through the entire Bible in just 90 days.

What I love and glean the most from this is the quiet time and the fellowship--it's really neat to come across things and know others are reading it too, and you can share it.  It's like a long-distance Bible study.  :)
Feel free to join us at the Facebook group, or comment/email me for the readings if you would like to dive in with us.

In ten years...

I would really love to share about Kenya now, but I have to wait until I have pictures too--because they're really going to say more than any blog words I would clack. :)  Though I'm happy to be home, I miss it very much.  When I was with the Challenge Farm students, my heart thought it was home and falling in love at the same time.  God is still working on my heart, and I can't wait to share the real-realness things that have come to the surface since being there.

In the meantime, I have been blessed with some blog awards from some bloggers that I'm starting to consider more than blog friends.  You know...we're at the phase where you're pretty sure they're not a psycho-maniac and without fearing for your life you really maybe want to visit them one day. :)

Who would have thought fellowship and kindredness could be found in blog form?  It's a crazy thing really.  And one of the blogs I get both from is by Miss Kaylene at Face Value--who awarded me with "You're going places, Baby".  The rules to this award are:  Share where you see yourself in ten years and then award this to ten other bloggers.

In my limited humanness, only God knows where I will actually be in ten years.  No matter what, I pray to be doing what He's led me to.  BUT since we're talking about what I would LIKE to see...Lord willing...

I hope to be a Registered Nurse and Certified Midwife, and serve people wherever I will be.  I would love to be doing this on a foreign mission field, but I know the mission field is anywhere.  That could be here, in a hospital, or in a refuge home for teenage girls, etc.  Whether here or on foreign soil, I would love to be married too, and have a family (though I don't see myself working a job here if I have children).  By then I will be 32, which is amazing to think about.  Ten years isn't very far away. :)

So this I award to ten bloggers that I know are going places, especially places they have been led to by God...

Miriam at mim's blog

Beka at hold on, love...

Chloe at tryin' to throw my arms around the world

Melinda at Abounding in Hope

Mary at Here am I, Lord.

Sarah at saramblings

Abbie at Abbie Writes.

Alicia at If a Tree Were to Fall

Ash at once upon a dreamer...

and my 10th blogger is actually a prayer request for a dear lady I've been incredibly blessed to follow--Stephanie at Still Waters.  Though she may be absent from blogging, the blog award isn't important.  But I do know she's going places; places that our amazing God is going to lead her to.  Please pray for her and her family on their journey.

--Jen

Wordless [oh, never] Wednesday

Kama mkipendana hivyo, watu wote watafahamu ya kuwa ninyi ni wanafunzi wangu.

~Yohana (John) 13:35

a call for prayer...

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep...." Romans 12:15

My heart goes out to our Flower Mama and her family.  Please, pray.  No matter where we are geographically, our Savior is the head of our Body, the church.  We're the body that rejoices when it's time to rejoice.  And cries, when it's time to cry.  Like King Jehoshophat, we cry out to our ever-present help: "For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."  (2 Chronicles 20:12)

Abba, we know there's a testimony of glory coming.

May Flowers

They say April showers bring May flowers...but I don't think we can credit the showers for THESE Flowers!...

Summer 2009

Tomorrow my home will be graced with my dear, LeAnna "FlowerMama" and Q--from Thoughts n Whatnots!  If you are a follower of LeAnna, you probably can guess this is a precious one.  I've been so blessed to call her one of my dearest sister-friends, and have been able to since she was 16 and I was 15 (I was also honored to a bridesmaid in her wedding to B!).

Spring 2004                                Fall 2006

This girl has seen me through thick and thin--circumstances, spiritual warfare, heartbreak, etc.  If I had something to cry about, LeAnna cried with me.  If I had something to pray about, oh my did LeAnna pray with and for me.  She and I have struggled in the friend-department at certain seasons in our life; we were homeschooled, poor things.  Apart from "no social life" (sarcasm) good, sturdy friends were always hard to come by.  Some friends have come, and some have gone--but I'm sure thankful that I still have her, and I have a certainty in my heart that I always will.

PLUS...have you noticed she has me a DARLING nephew?! (and one on the way, yay!)

She is also bringing her Bro and Sis, and they will be staying FIVE whole days.  Oh my, I'm so excited.

It's just what the doctor ordered for me.  It's been an exciting/interesting/difficult year so far, and a visit from my Banana Bread in the middle of it is going to be good.  JUST sayin'.

A Demand, a THANK YOU...and an Apology

If you haven't taken adivce that I have blogged about before...IM TELLIN' YA....
You MUST meet Chloe at tryin' to throw my arms around the world.  I met this sweet lady via blog-hopping (this term I have learned not to use in non-blogger circles, haha.  They just don't know of this world, they just don't know), and have been hooked. :)  This girl has a wonderful sense of humor, sense of style, and sense of all things important in the life God has given us.  AND she posts some sweet stuff about her law-student-husband...if Mr. J doesn't read her blog, someone needs to give him a heads up when she posts those awesome things about being his lady...which is just about everytime she writes. :)

DEMAND
You.
Yes you, reading this right now.
Go to Chloe's blog, because she's doing a giveaway--for a CUTE resuable bag (I heart cute bags--I'm actually going to blog about cute bags in the near future), and a gift card to one of my favorite places.  So go follow her (because you won't be sorry) and comment, letting her know that I sent you to be a follower.  Then YOU (yes you!) and MUAH will get an extra entry in her giveaway.  If you're one of my male-readers/followers, don't let the pretty bag stop you...I'm sure you have a special lady (wife/daughter/sister/mom/girlfriend) that needs a pretty reusable bag...just sayin. :)

THANK YOU
Aforementioned sweet-friend-Chloe also gave me the Beautiful Blogger award. :)  So you can thank her too, cause she's given us all hope that Jen will return to the blogosphere.
So thank you dear sis-in-Christ...I sure hope I get to meet you on this side of heaven. :)

APOLOGY
And I'm sorry I've been such a stranger--in comments and posts. I've been keeping up with everyone's blogging, and I LOVE all of it.  I'm just sorry I don't let you know faithfully. :(  Thanks to youth group, school, Africa preparation, family...Jen's brain is out-of-commission most of the time.  Ahem.

But stay tuned...I have much to share and I cannot wait to clack it out here.
Love, Jen

(GO SEE CHLOE'S GIVEAWAY...follow and comment. Kthxbi) :D

Ohmygoodness: JenCode for backed-up-blog. We're gonna need Blogger Drain-O after this.

Tuesday 1. Bible study with my prettymuchamazing college group--on the book of Malachi & empty religion (wonderful study, btw!).  This is the place where Jen dominates at Apples to Apples...a fantastic rare thing, indeed. :)

2. Stay the night with these two wonderful ladies: Ashley & Andrea...

My Bulgarian placebo sisters.  We were triplets in the spiritual womb and no one knew it. :)

Wednesday
3.  Andrea, Ashley & Jen motor to a Children's Home where we will help with any indoor/outdoor work they need accomplished.  That evening, we will hang out with the kids/teens there--have a devotional, worship and games.  Please pray for us--this is kind of our "spring break mission trip", and we hope to be a blessing to the kids there.  It's not about us...it's about our Savior and our "faith expressing itself through His love" (Gal. 5:6).

Thursday

4.  Go shopping for similar outfit to this.  Only without the cute lab coat.  Rebekah (my cousin and fellow future nursing student) and I went shopping for scrubs yesterday.  She made me laugh because our scrubs for class have to be white.  Yes, plain white.  No cute designer scrub-tops here (did you know they actually have name brand scrubs?!  Like Grey's Anatomy scrubs?  No joke).

And Rebekah figured we looked more like we're from the psych ward than cute nurses.  Ha, you never know. :)

Friday

5.  Pack up the cool cats on my sidebar: SWAT--and head to Nashville, TN for the weekend.  We are blessed to be able to go to Acquire the Fire for the second time, and we're looking forward to what God has for us.  It's like mini-Passion for high school/pre-college students.  Again, pray for us--I'm praying sincerely that the students are incredibly and imperishably (which means is lasts forever!) by Who their God is. :)

Saturday & Sunday

6. Return from Nashville and crash.

Monday

7. Nursing classes commence.

See what I mean by ohmygoodness?  I will be backed-up on posts, and unable to vent them until next week when I can sit down and breathe once again. :)  Blogging friends, prepare for battle.  You'll need your infectous blogging-bug sneezes and some Blogger Drain-O.