Merry Christmas!

For the first time ever my dream has come true! I woke up this morning to a very white Christmas! It snowed about 8 inches today and it was coming down all day long! This is the first truly white Christmas I have ever in my life experienced and I have lived here in CO for 19 years! Here are some pics from the great day filled with family, friends, and food!

"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." --Joel 2:12

My week of THANKS!

I was blessed by having all of last week off from school. I was not blessed by suffering from the flu to start my break, well, on second thought, maybe the flu was a blessing, a blessing in disguise. While most people spent the break eating too much and gaining weight, I on the other hand, was not eating too much and, therefore, losing weight. The flu shrunk my stomach and as a result I have been determined to stay healthy and watch the amount I eat and what I eat. So right before Thanksgiving I went on a semi-diet. I no longer drink those highly caloric coffee drinks, like the Egg Nog Latte. I no longer drink soda, like Dr. Pepper. And I no longer eat at Famous Daves, okay I take that back, I eat crackers, carrots, celery, and a hamburger with no bun while I am at work. Nonetheless, I was able to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal; I just did not eat a lot. Also over the break I found myself sleeping more than I should have and watching way too much football. I worked a little and studied not nearly as much as I should have...oh well...I was on break! The good news is that Thanksgiving break means 2.5 more weeks in the semester. Bad news is that I usually mentally check out of school after Thanksgiving break, of course when it is the most important time of the semester! So, instead of rambling on I should finish this paper that is due this evening.

Jess and Matt are engaged!!!!!

On Friday evening, November 9, Matt asked Jess to marry him! She said "YES!" Here is the story, written by Jess...

At 3:45 am on Friday, Nov. 9th, Matt came over to my house and woke me abruptly, saying I needed to get dressed because we were leaving. I kept saying, "I'm supposed to teach today!" Matt said he had already talked with my principal and I had the day off of school. At that hour in the morning, nothing really made sense, and it took me awhile to realize that it was not going to be an ordinary weekend! As I quickly showered and dressed, my roommate, Brienne, threw some essentials into a bag for me. Then Matt whisked me out the door and we drove to the Colorado Springs Airport. It turns out he had buddy passes (cheap plane tickets) from his friend, Brent, who is a pilot. We were on standby for a plane to San Francisco that only had 5 seats available, but 8 people on standby! Amazingly, we were able to get on the plane. When we arrived in San Fran, it took us awhile to figure out the public transportation. Eventually, we made our way to the Fisherman's Wharf, where we caught a boat to Alcatraz Island--yes, where a maximum security prison used to be! We toured the beautiful island and enjoyed time overlooking the bay's bridges and city skyline. Several hours later, we were back on the mainland watching street performers, poking into tiny shops and taking fun pictures of all the unique sights. We continued walking along the water to Fort Mason Park, and around sundown, we stood on a hill that perfectly overlooked the Golden Gate Bridge. As we reminisced about the past several months, Matt wrapped me in his arms and said, "Jess, I have a few words to say..." He then proposed...and I said YES! It was a perfect moment. Afterwards, I called my family--Hannah delivered a scream that still has my ears ringing. : ) We later took a bus to the Cliff House, a restaurant on the beach where we enjoyed a window seat, string music and a delicious dinner. Matt told me I couldn't plan our wedding yet, so we spent the time enjoying each other's company and reveling in how much God has blessed us.

Lamenting over our so often incorrect testimony of God

So often we as Christians do such a poor job of representing and being a living testimony to the true God. All too often, as followers, we portray a picture of God that is contrary to the very nature of God. It is at these times when I am most ashamed to be associated with Christianity. What is worse is when leaders of a church portray a grossly incorrect view of who God is and what He has called us to do and be. One of my friends has experienced just this in the past month and I have been on the outside looking in. To say the least, the more information I acquire the most outraged I become. The breaking point was yesterday when I was informed of more reasons for this church's behavior. To be brief...A youth pastor was fired from the church he worked at for many years because he became sick and was diagnosed with a curable neurological disorder. He is currently on meds and making improvements. The key here is that the disease is curable. Upon hearing this, the senior pastor, along with other leaders, decided it was in the best interest of the church and the youth pastor to fire him. The senior pastor has made it clear that he was not fired over any sin issues. Thus, the youth pastor is being punished for getting sick. My immediate response was, why did they have to fire him? Why not give him a 3 month leave and have leaders in the church sit in and teach the youth until their pastor returns. I mean the church, since firing him, is already paying him for the next 3 months anyway. So why not give him 3 months and during this leave, teach the kids about the power of prayer and fasting. I can assume that this would be a huge educational time for these kids as they are engaged in serious prayer and fasting for the restored health of their pastor. Also, during this time, along with praying and fasting, the kids could learn about God's sovereignty and that sometimes God chooses not to heal. These kids could learn about lamenting and disappointment with God. I envisioned this as a huge teaching opportunity but the church obviously closed the door on God and decided that God would not heal this man and therefore, he had to be fired. My outrage came when I heard the pastor's response to the question of why not give the youth pastor a 3 month leave and let him get well. He said that he didn't want to have the kids praying for 3 months only to be disappointed if God does not heal their pastor. He figured this was not healthy for the kids to be disappointed with God. WHAT?!?!?!? Welcome to the Christian journey...it is not all about happy times and God answering our every prayers! Suffering and lamenting are part of what it means to be a Christian and what not a better time to teach these kids this truth. The message this senior pastor is sending is, "We only pray and believe in the power of prayer when we know, without a doubt, that God will answer it. Therefore, we are never disappointed with God." No one in the church leadership has said that directly. But, I have concluded, based on the recent events and comments, that is precisely what this senior pastor believes, even if he does not know that he believes it and is unwilling to directly say it. This is terrible and my only response is to lament! Lamenting not only over this church's leadership but also over all other incorrect portrayals of God that we Christians show to the un-believing world...yes, even mine! I am guilty too!

My new toy!!!!

Here she is...the machine I love to spends hours a week on! Today I rode 23 miles on her and I hated that I had to turn around when I did!

The mystery man at Barnes & Noble...

On Mondays and Wednesdays you can find me at Barnes and Noble studying and sipping on a Toasted Marshmallow Mocha (yummy!). Today I went and was in need of an outlet to work on my lab-top (it dies if unplugged for 5 min). My favorite two locations were taken so I was forced to sit by the coffee shop at a small table and on a chair that barely fits my bum. As soon as I approached I immediately noticed the gentleman who would be sitting at the table directly in front of me. He was extremely attractive...to me that is! Carharts, montrail running shoes, mountaineering company's visor, hooded sweatshirt, light brown shaggy hair, and of course...a full beard! As I approached I noticed he was conversing with some old ladies (like grandmas) across the way. I figured he knew them but as I overheard their convo, it was clear that he did not. He was just having a nice discussion with some old ladies...that was HOT! Nevertheless, for the next hour and a half we sat across from each other, glancing up at each other every once in a while. I was working on a paper; he was reading a book on investing for dummies! It was almost to the point where one of us should have said something to the other, but of course I said nothing. I first of all wondered if he was a Christian...I thought it might have been pretty evident that I was one considering I had my Bible out and all these books on Biblical feminism (though that may have freaked him out...it freaks me out). I thought that maybe if he was a Christian he might have said something, but maybe not. Then I got to thinking, what the heck would I say if I did say something? I didn't want to throw out some cheesy pick-up line and I didn't want to look desperate or nosey. I concluded that I should say nothing and if it was God's will then something would be said. Nothing was said and he left. I left shortly there after and concluded that if I see him again, then I will say something for sure...something like, "hey I saw you at B&N reading and conversing with old ladies...it was cute!" LOL

Don't worry, Wednesday I will be back at B&N to study...maybe someday I will again run into cute, mountain, mystery man!

Halloween party!

Tis' the season for parties!

Yes...my costume was lame!

Proud of those Rockies!

The Rockies just lost the World Series in 4 games to none but, nevertheless, I am so proud of what they did accomplish this year! They barely made the playoffs as the Wild Card and then they swept in the NLDS and NLCS. Nothing to be ashamed of at all! We will be back next year and will be stronger than ever! Spring training in February...get ready!

Only in Colorado!

Only in the great state of Colorado can you, on one day, be doing this in 70 degree weather...

And on the very next day be enjoying this...

Yes...this was my weekend! Saturday was a beautiful, sunny fall day! Sunday I woke up and shoveled the driveway!

"Love thy enemy" -- U.S. soldier gets discharge

Tue Oct 16, 3:32 PM ET
A U.S. soldier who said his Christian beliefs compelled him to love his enemies, not kill them, has been granted conscientious objector status and honorably discharged, a civil liberties group said on Tuesday.
Capt. Peter Brown -- who served in Iraq for more than a year and was a graduate of the elite U.S. military academy West Point -- said in a statement issued by the New York Civil Liberties Union that he was relieved the Army had recognized his beliefs made it impossible for him to serve.
"In following Jesus' example, I could not have fired my weapon at another human being, even if he were shooting at me," said Brown, who plans to continue seminary classes he began by correspondence while in Iraq.
While in Iraq, Brown processed insurgents and detainees, the NYCLU said.
Brown said he had no conflict between his faith and military service until after he graduated from West Point in 2004 and began to study scripture and his belief.
During his Iraq deployment he applied for discharge as a conscientious objector but the request was denied, the NYCLU said. In July 2007 the NYCLU and the American Civil Liberties Union asked a federal court in Washington, D.C., to order the honorable discharge.
"Before the court acted, the Army reconsidered the issue, this time granting Brown's request," said the NYCLU, adding it would now withdraw the lawsuit.
The U.S. Army was not immediately available for comment.

My conclusion to this: Pacifists should not be in the military!

Tis' the season for weddings!

I went to the beautiful fall wedding today of my dear friend and mentor. The location was gorgeous with the leaves changing and the ceremony was so wonderfully orchestrated. You could feel God's presence in that chapel as two of His beloved children became one. This was the second wedding I have ever been to where I truly felt like I was standing in a building that was overwhelming with the presence of the Lord while knowing that I was witnessing one of the most serious, holy, and glorious events in one's life. Every part of that ceremony was done in light of God's intention for marriage and all of it was so genuine. Today the Lord was lifted up and glorified as Heidi and Jeff declared their love for one another and their duty to honor God in all they do! I wish them the best and hope to encourage them and hold them to their commitments to one another as all of us were commissioned to do.

This is the third wedding I have been to in the last month, but today's wedding really put a longing in my heart to be loved and to share in such a special and holy day with someone. But, at the same time, I am scared to death to fall in love because it is unknown to me. It is water I have never swam in before, or even gotten my feet wet in. It freaks me out to think that one day I might be walking down that isle, while probably drugged up to calm my anxious nerves. I wonder if it is even possible for me to be so at peace and so in love with someone that I could get through a wedding weekend with no anxiety. I think my fear keeps a big part of me content to be single right now knowing that I have a long way mentally and emotionally to go before I could commit to someone and something. Nevertheless, deep down inside of my soul there is a desire and longing to be adored and loved by someone that I adore and love just the same. Maybe that day will come...only the good Lord knows!

The beginning...

Not sure why I decided to start blogging...maybe because I am always reading other people's blogs while thinking that I might enjoy speaking my mind and sharing my life on the World Wide Web. So let the blogging begin!