Work and Worship Recap

Tall Timber Team 2013

Kitchen Duty; food prep, cooking, serving, clean up

Landscaping and ground breaking, raking, trail blazing, weeding and planting

Scrubbing and dusting, mopping and painting

Mowing lawn, spreading beauty bark

Building stuff; stage props, horseshoe pits, RV Camping sites and friendships

Singing round the campfire, S'mores, walking in the rain

Sharing meals, sharing laughter.

Teamwork. 

At it's finest. 

I love Tall Timber. If you are a regular reader here, you know this. 

I loved watching my friends fall in love with Tall Timber this weekend 

and the satisfaction gained from being part of the bigger picture. 

This camp will run smoother and better this summer because of the work done this past weekend. 

This camp will impact so many young lives over the course of it's camping season. 

Kids who will hear about how much Jesus loves them. 

Kids who will make a decision to follow Christ. 

Kids who will grow deeper in their knowledge and understanding of what it means to be a Christ Follower. 

Lives will be changed. 

showing our gritty growly side

flying like eagles

SOME OF THE BEST PEOPLE I KNOW IN ONE OF THE BEST PLACES THERE IS!

THANK YOU SHOUT OUTS TO:

BRYAN, DEWEY, DENNIS, TIM, DON, BRUCE, CHRIS, JOSH, ANGELA

LORI, TREVON, MARY, ROBYN, NADIA, KAREN, NORA, DEBI, MIKE, JULIE

YOU ALL ROCK!!

Do You Know the Way to San Jose?

This weekend is our chance to enjoy Costa Rica, to relax after our week of work and mission focus, to play and laugh and see new things.

We are heading out momentarily to catch a bus! to San Jose, the capitol of C.R. and explore! Stay tuned for a full report with pictures later!!

Autumn Recap

you all know by now that  I love fall! The crispness of the season, that sweet aroma drifting in through the open bedroom window as I fall asleep. The Kodachrome of colors on my mountain, that first pumpkin spice latte of the season (I refuse to drink pumpkiny drinks till the first day of fall-- had mine yesterday and it was scrump-delicious!)

**

Yesterday was a bittersweet day however, even as I did celebrate Autumn's official arrival by getting my latte. Yesterday was the memorial for our friend Michael. What a tribute! Have you ever attended a memorial service that was almost pure Worship? Where people were clapping their hands and CHEERING as they sang? The JOY that filled the place was overwhelming!! The lump in my throat competed with the tightness in my chest and I clapped so hard my hands tingled. We listened to his children and siblings pay him homage and cried with Catherine, his bride of nearly 16 years, as a letter she had penned was shared. Oh, it was hard. It was sad. But it was joyful! How do you explain such joy in the face of such sorrow? Only because of the HOPE we have in Jesus Christ.

**

Last night my husband and I sat and talked about faith. He credits me with a strong unshakable faith and I believe this is a gift God has given me. I've been through my share of heart ache and tough times but my faith in God is firm. I don't know why I have been given this gift but I do see it as exactly that. Despite the financial hardships we have faced, and continue to struggle with, I see God's Sovereign Hand on us and our situation. Faith doesn't come as easily for my husband and I pray for him to be granted extra faith and for it come easier to him.

**

I curled up in blankets last night and watched the fire burn in our woodstove as I drank hot tea, and sucked on throat lozenges. I could feel the aches and pains coming in stronger like the tide and my throat constricting. I was sniffly and sneezy and sleep was a welcome reprieve. I woke up early this morning, stuffed up and woozy headed and slothed my way downstairs for more Airborn. I don't wanna be sick!!

Hubby went on to church without me this morning and I watched church on the live-feed and felt nourished. I am feeling clearer headed now and less achy. I have learned to give in at the first sign of a cold, and soak up as much sleep and Vitamin C as I possible can and you know what? I usually kick whatever little bug is threatening me in the behind before it has a chance to roost. The sun, pale and thin, is still promising this day to be pleasant. It's the kind of day for wearing sweaters and socks but it's still a day that begs us come outside. We had originally had plans to host a small group fall kick off mini retreat but we had so many of our couples cancel that we canceled it as well! Which means this afternoon is a GIFT as we now have an open slot for an unplanned event! And if I feel strong enough we are going to take advantage of this opening and go play!!!

May you be blessed in the day~~ and my FAITH be granted unto you as well as JOY HOPE and LOVE.

Of Work and Play

I'd rather play than work any day, I can tell you that right now. But, one must pay the bills and so humming "I owe, I owe, it's off to work I go.." I do go to work 3 days a week.


I started this blog long after I sold my business. I wonder what my blog focus would have been if I had started it back when I owned my Curves? I did a monthly newsletter for my club and it of course covered health/fitness and all things Curves-related but I also wove in some humor and inspiration.

Now, as an employee of a Curves, rather than the owner, my focus is different. I love the ladies I meet on the circuit and I really like to help them and encourage them in their goals for health and fitness. But I also love being able to leave when my shift is done; the stress of running a business does not come home with me. And I only work 3 days a week for a few hours each shift. It's easy work. It's fun most of the time.

Still, with both my husband and I trying hard to regain the ground we lost while he was out of work for so very long, I sometimes wonder if I should be working more hours, making more money. And so, occasionally I peruse craigslist and other want ad's checking out the jobs listed. Sometimes I see something that intrigues me but it is usually something I am not trained, skilled or experienced in. And then I start to wonder about going back to school.....

This past week I saw a job posting at my local post office. That led to an online application, and a 2 part online assessment for the position. I have done part 1 but part 2 has to be done in their approved facility so I have scheduled an appointment. I have also talked to the postmaster at my post office. I have a pretty good rapport with him and we often engage in pleasantries when I go to buy stamps. He was enthusiastic and encouraging about my interest in the position and I came away feeling like the job was mine for the taking. Except.... it's a lot more hours than what I think I can or want to work.  And then I start to feel guilty because Bruce is working two jobs right now in an attempt to catch up on all the bills. (he has his full time job that he started 3 months ago and then side job popped up and ends up going there after work almost every night, sometimes getting home at 9 or 10 pm)

sigh. I decided to just go through the steps and see where it leads me. the pay for the position is really good. government jobs you know.... it could make a huge difference in our lives right now.... so I am taking one step at a time, praying about it, trusting God to open and close doors.

As I said.... I'd rather be playing. I went to the library and got a stack of books to entertain me. I scored 3 books from the library book sale table. They are all by an author that is new to me but she's on the best sellers list and these are all hard backed and signed by the author. whoot whoot! Her name is Dorothea Benton Frank. The 3 books look to be part of a series called 'low country tale' I haven't started them yet but they are fiction, female and relationship driven and all set in South Carolina which is a place I would truly love to explore.

I learned this week-- finally-- how to turn my power point slide shows into movies so I can upload them and share them. I chose Vimeo. It will be fun to be able to share links with friends and family. The first movie I made was with the very first power point presentation I ever made, which has since been tweaked a hundred times until I finally feel it's presentable. It's a slide show make over of the presentation we had at my dads memorial service 6 years ago. I had a lot of fun re-doing it even as it makes sniff a little each time I watch it.
(you can watch it if you like just click here!)

finally, playtime just got better. My husband sometimes makes some most amazing connections and today, as I was writing this he pulls in the yard with his trailer attached to the truck and loaded on the trailer is.... a HOT TUB!!! A friend decided after is has sat unused for a year, to part with is and offered it to us!!! I have been wanting a jucuzzi for like forever and this sweet little tub is gonna fit very nicely on our back deck!! BoooYAH!!!!!  except..... it needs some work first....

the day before he leaves

what a beautiful Sunday morning! 

Worship! A powerful message! Love and support from family and friends! 

Bellingham Bay

Bellingham Bay, facing Fairhaven

what a beautiful Sunday afternoon!

Coffee date! A walk through golden trails leading to the water! quality conversation laced with kisses and promises. greasy yummy fast food for dinner and more kissing. ;)

a part of the Interurban Trail

at Fairhaven Marine Park

 what a beautiful Sunday evening!

Birthday celebration for mom with pumpkin pie and whipped cream, hugs and laughter. 

looking pretty snazzy for 83!

it was pretty close to being a perfect day! ah, heck it WAS (IS)  a perfect day!

love~love~love where we live!

I want to say THANK YOU again to each and everyone of you for all your love, your support, your prayers, your gifts, your words of encouragement and just for being in our lives! This trip to Japan is so much bigger than we would have ever dared to reach for but God is able to do so much more than we could ever dare to hope or dream. I know, I KNOW, that with God NOTHING is impossible!!

 

The Good Old Days

We took a trip down Memory Lane yesterday. Driving around parts of Seattle, seeing the neighborhoods, schools and businesses through the eyes of my husband and his brother as they reminisced about growing up in the city.

The first house they lived in (in Burien) was torn down and a new home has been built in it's place but they recognized the neighbors houses and knew which lot was their old homestead...

"Remember how we used to borrow the Tonka trucks from those guys and we played in the big dirt pile in the front yard?"

we're not lost.

"That's the lane I went down to get to kindy-garden" (Yes, a time when life was simple and safe and a little kid could walk all those blocks by himself!)

"That hill looks so much smaller than it did when we were kids on a bike!"

"This was the church we attended as kids. I was 7 years old and I asked Jesus to come into my heart." (my heart sings)

formerly Bible Baptist Church

"Remember when the road used to go all the way though? Before they built the freeway? And we would walk from our house all the way to Angel Lake?" (another incredible long walk for little kids with no adult supervision!)

"This is where Grandma and Grandpa's laundromat and dry cleaning business was located." (back before having your own washer and dryer in your home was common place)

"We moved to Seahurst which was a big step up for our family after that little house on 152 Street."

Seahurst house

"The neighbors has lions in their house-- seriously, remember the lion cubs? No I'm not making this up! They had real live lions in the basement and they would bring the cubs out on the lawn to play!" (still having a hard time with this one but they swear it was true. Why the people had lions in their basement, we'll never know)

"Mom and Dad got a divorce. Mom had 5 kids to raise by herself and Dad was gone. We had to move to the projects. White Center." (a scary scary place)

"That house is gone now too. In fact they bulldozed all those houses down and rebuilt the whole area. It's still low income housing but it looks great!" (but White Center is still a scary scary place)

"This was Big Grandma's house. (mom's mom) and just around the corner is Little Grandma's house (dad's mom) And there's the school we attended."

"Every year we had to pose for a family picture in front of Big Grandma's hydrangea bush.'

big Grandma's house

"Remember the sand pit where we'd hang out, ride our bikes, shoot our BB guns?"(at the rocks, each other, airplanes. Crazy kids!)

"I was walking down this street one Halloween and this kid jumped out and knocked me over and stole all my candy. Never liked Halloween after that because of it."



As the boys shared stories, the young ladies listening in (besides myself) were our nieces, They giggled over the stories they heard their dad and uncle share. They took a lot of pictures. They were being exposed to their family heritage and they seemed to soak it up.

Sarah and Kristina catching it all on film.

King Wha's Mandarin Cafe

waiting for our meal

We had a family style feast at a Mandarin Cafe, and took in a farmer's market in Burien.

the air was fragrant from all the produce and flowers

those sunflowers are amazing!

We visited the (in)famous  Fremont Troll

that is a real life VW bug in the troll's hand-- the thing is HUGE!

and finally wound up at the Burke Museum on U of W campus. 

FREE admission on the 1st Thursday of the month!

 

We don't know if Burke is such a common name or not; the chances my husband is related is probably very very iffy. Still it makes for fun pretending.

there is a story about this photo shoot. come back later to hear it...

The trip was part of Kristina's graduation gift. It was a Family Day, a Fun Day, a Day Rich in Heritage, and Memories... both those revisited and those being built.

working it for the camera. oh yah!

Uncle loves his nieces!

~University of Washington~

Reflecting

You know, there is a lot to be said for taking a little outing all by yourself. I decided to take this impulsive day trip, that was the first advantage. It was just me, myself and I, throwing things together and racing out the door. Deciding which route to take and where to park. Where to sit (or stand) on the ferry and for how long to linger in one spot. I could walk laps around the ferry as I so choose --I believe I actually 'walked' all the way to Friday Harbor!! =)

I was free to eat ice cream for lunch and where to sit and lick my cone. I walked to what intrigued me and rested when I was tired. I poked my head into numerous little shops and didn't have to worry about inconveniencing anyone by my dawdling. I didn't have to confer with anyone about where to eat and when or what and sitting by myself to enjoy my meal was a peaceful pleasant experience. In fact the whole day was like that.

Please don't get me wrong! I would have LOVED to have shared this day with my best best friend-- my husband-- but there was something so relaxing and wholesome about hermit-ting the day away. I needed it I guess.