Top 5 Reads from 2015

It's 2016!!  Can you believe it?  I sure can't!

Lots of great things happened in 2015 for our family.  Our second child, William Baker, was born in January to kick off the year.  Blake started his specific nurse anesthesia clinical rotations and finished his formal classroom time.  Coralynn started preschool in the fall and LOVES it so much.  I became involved in a young mom's ministry at our church, MOMtourage, as the Assistant Director.  We also found out that we're expecting our 3RD CHILD!!!!!  God gives good gifts...am I right or what!? 

About halfway through 2015, I realized that I wasn't spending much time doing things that I love, so I began to make more time for reading.  I've always loved reading, but I wasn't sure how it'd fit in with life with small kids.  BUT...from June to December, I read 59 books!  Crazy, I know.  (We can talk later about how I find time to read with almost 3 kids, age 3 and under.)  So, I wanted to share you my top 5 books from this year (in no particular order)!

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese 

Admittedly, I almost abandoned this book, were it not for additional prompting from fellow GoodReads member and reader extraordinaire, Lindsey Paschal.  She said to give it 50 pages, and she was right on.  The first 50 pages of this book were slow, but I absolutely devoured it after that point and loved every minute of it.  

Some Girls: My Life in a Harem by Jillian Lauren

This book was completely and incredibly unbelievable!  Written by Jillian Lauren, she admits that very fact herself in episode #60 of The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey.  Jillian documents her life in a harem on the island of Borneo for the youngest brother of the Sultan of Brunei.  

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Before you write it off completely after reading the summary, I will say this book was altogether out of my normal genre, even out of my normal, everyday interest.  I would NEVER have picked this book on my own.  BUT...it came so highly recommended so I thought I'd give it shot.  I will tell you what, I RIPPED through it in a day and then passed it on to my husband.  He's a pretty slow reader, but he even finished it in 48 hours.  Some of the gaming references were a little over my head but that didn't take away from the overall story line or excitement of the characters and their experiences.

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle
I rented this book from the library after watching the Netflix documentary, G-DOG, which is all about the author, a Jesuit priest who has committed his life to ministering to rivaling gangs in LA through providing jobs at Homeboy Industries.  His essays were down-to-earth and heartening and I loved reading about hard love and compassion that seems to effortlessly leak out of his life.  Such a good, uplifting read.

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Invention of Wings is a wonderfully written, historical fiction novel by the author of The Secret Life of Bees, which is one of my top books of all time.  Sue Monk Kidd did not disappoint this time around either.  Although reminiscent of The Secret Life of Bees (takes place in early 19th century Charleston), I loved this book from the beginning to the very end.

Honorable Mentions:
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

You can check out the rest of the books I read in 2015 here.  What were your top reads from 2015?

a nutshell

Summer is coming to a close (or has already), and I am welcoming fall to Cleveland with open arms. My favorite season --- jeans, scarves and booties!

Running wears them out!

First, I have to tell you. I'm training for my very first 10K! It's coming up on October 3rd in Columbus, and while I'm a little behind in my training schedule, I'm really looking forward to it.

My favorite part of the past several weeks of training has been our "family runs".  Every other night, right after we finish dinner, Blake and I "suit up", we put the kids in the strollers and run together as a family. Granted, Blake and I usually have headphones in listening to our own things. Coralynn is ALWAYS singing and waving to those we pass on the sidewalk, and Liam just quietly observes as the world passes him by. And, every so often, I hear her yell, "Good job, Mommy! You can DO IT!!!!" She's a great, personal cheerleader, and I'm glad to have her on my team.

I've been occupying my spare time (HA!) with several great books. Possibly more on that later. I ran out of podcasts from The Happy Hour by Jamie Ivey, to which I was binge-listening and was so disappointed to be done and have to wait for the newest episodes to be released each week. AHHHHH!!!! But, on many recommendations from friends and guests who Jamie had on The Happy Hour, I started Serial a week or so ago and am down to one last episode.  THAT is how addicting and intriguing it is. 

For those of you who haven't heard about Serial, it is a podcast that began in October 2014 and aired each Thursday through December based on a true story.  It's hosted by (and produced by) Sarah Koenig, who acts as an investigative journalist for a 15-year-old murder case that took place in Baltimore, MD. The show unfolds the story over the course of the season, right along with Sarah as she discovers and unearths surprising twists and turns. It's so interesting and maddening. The story draws you in and keeps you guessing and wavering and believing. I've been saving the last episode because it's so good I don't want it to end. There is a follow-up podcast, Undisclosed: The State Vs. Adnan Syed, that uncovers more evidence and information in the wake of Serial. And you better believe, it's next on my list. (Full Disclosure: There is some language and violent content.) You can go to serialpodcast.org to listen or use the Podcasts app on your phone.  

I cannot get enough of this granola. I've tried so many different granola recipes, and I think this is the one. It seems like each recipe I find, I end up having to double or triple the recipe to make enough to last us more than a day or two. This recipe is from the Cornerstone Inn Bed & Breakfast in downtown Nashville, Indiana.

It's perfectly crunchy, nutty and sweet. I love everything about it.

Combine in large bowl:

6 c. old-fashioned oats

2 c. coconut

1 c. pecans

1 c. sliced almonds

1 c. chopped walnuts

1 T. cinnamon

Blend in separate bowl:

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. honey

1 c. oil (I used olive oil)

1 T. vanilla

pinch of salt

Pour the liquid over the cereal and mix. Line a large cookie sheet with foil and grease with cooking spray. 

The recipe says to bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until the coconut is lightly toasted. I baked my granola for 24 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes, and it was PERFECT.  Make sure you keep a close eye on how your oven does the job!  The other ingredients may not look done.  Cool and store in an airtight container. I think it's best served over yogurt with some fruit! YUM!

There you have it. My last few weeks in a nutshell.

Where are you spending your time?

my FAVORITE things.

When I love something, I want to SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS!!!!!!! There is no end to my excitement and passion.  So, I bring you, my most recent favorite things in all of the land [that I would tell you all about several times exhaustively if we had coffee together so it's better that I write about them]...

JethroAndHenrietta - "hand-crafted stationary" designed by sister duo Jen & Danielle.  They make simple, typewritten postcards on recycled material that makes the best snail mail for the lost art of letter writing.  I have a handful of these in my Etsy cart right now, and I'm so excited to order them and mail them to my people.  I mailed my sister a postcard from JethroAndHenrietta and she thought that I made it (tricky, tricky) and she just LOVED it!

Art & Manufacture - Listen, Edith makes the most beautiful ceramic pieces all made in her signature bright cobalt blue.  I LOVE this mug for coffee in the morning and am going to buy it right away!  It's not your normal coffee mug with a handle, and I think that's what makes it wonderful!!!!

The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey - People!  This is my most favorite thing.  Podcasts aren't a new thing, I know...but they are to me!!!  I don't even remember how I stumbled upon The Happy Hour podcast, but I am SO GLAD I did.  I have binge-listened to EVERY episode whenever I can - on walks, while working out, before bed, while I'm cooking...you get the picture.  The Happy Hour is like listening in on the most inspiring, funny, thought-provoking, life-giving conversation between girlfriends.  Jamie hosts authors, podcasters, bloggers, entrepreneurs, her neighbors, even her husband in one episode!  Get on your iPhone right now and download an episode!  GO!  (Click on your Podcasts button and search "Jamie Ivey" and it'll pop right up.  Click "Subscribe" to get the most recent episodes downloaded automatically when they're added.)

Savor by Shauna Niequist - This is Shauna's (first name basis, people!) most recent book, a 365-day devotional.  I pre-ordered this before Liam was born and had forgotten about it, so when it arrived, I was so surprised.  It has the most beautiful cover and includes short devotionals for every day and recipes.  If you've read her previous book, Bread and Wine, you already know how wonderful the recipes are!  Shauna writes in a way that makes you feel like you're drinking coffee with a friend and talking about life.  Check out her other books, too - Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet.  You really won't regret it.

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes - For all you moms of toddlers, nannies, teachers, childcare workers out there...we have been reading this OVER and OVER and OVER again.  Coralynn LOVES Pete the Cat and all the books in this "series".  Here are the books and BONUS, there are links for free downloads of several books and their songs that will make your book-reading life SO easy!

What are some of your favorite things???

Begin Again...

Do I even dare start writing again!?  Many, many things have changed since I last posted in February 2013!!  A lot of life lived!

We welcomed our daughter, Coralynn Neva, to the world on May 18, 2013 in Indianapolis.  Shortly, thereafter, Blake began applying for graduate school, and we traveled several places for his interviews.

We found out in January 2014 that we would be moving from Indianapolis, IN to Cleveland, Ohio for him to being schooling at Case Western Reserve University to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

On May 1, we were surprised to learn that Baby Hawk #2 was on the way!!!!

At the end of May, we packed up our home in Indianapolis, said "goodbye" to our friends, church and our home of 3 years and moved to Cleveland, just in time for Blake to start school on June 2!

Slowly, but surely, Cleveland is becoming our new home.

Our pace of life, routines and daily habits have changed and morphed to fit into Blake's school and clinical schedule.  I have adjusted to being a stay-at-home mom/household manager, and Blake has class and/or clinical at The Cleveland Clinic every day.  As soon as we get used to his schedule, it changes.  Such is the life of a medical professional, I've learned!

2014 has been a year of adjustments and really learning to trust the Lord and know that his plans are best.  He has provided in so many ways, beyond what we ever could have imagined!  We are so looking forward to what He has for us this coming year!

There are so many things to look forward to.  We are returning to Indiana to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family.  Blake's family will be visiting us in Cleveland over the Christmas holiday.  And, our SON is due January 6!

Though we are counting down the months that remain in the CRNA program for Blake, we are doing our best to live intentionally in this season of life.  There are many transitions ahead for us, but we draw peace from the fact that our God is good.  He is faithful.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.


Hosea 6:3  Oh, that we might know the Lord!  Let us press on to know him.  He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.

nash-vegas baby!

Blake and I are spending our much-needed vacation in Nasvhille, TN this weekend.  We traveled on Friday and are leaving to go back to Indianapolis tomorrow.  It's a baby-moon of sorts, I guess you could say.

I was a little worried about our trip at first...

When we checked in at the hotel, had to wait in line for 20 minutes and everyone else in line was drinking (at 3 pm) and carrying on.  It seemed like some sort of twisted, overnight, high school reunion.  Once we got our room keys and were on our way through the maize of drunk people in the lobby, I dropped his iPad on the floor of the lobby, where it crashed to the floor, slid several feet and the cover promptly fell off.  It didn't turn on after that.

That didn't really start our vacation out on the right foot...it was an expensive foot, but definitely not right.

Once we got to our room on the 9th floor, our keys didn't work, so I quietly (and submissively) rode the elevator back down to the lobby to get new keys.

Needless to say, we had a moment of testing...where we both had to choose our attitudes toward each other.  Luckily, we both chose correctly.

After we recharged in our hotel and rid ourselves of the sickness of a broken iPad, we met our friends, Andrew & Joy Patton for dinner.  We had a wonderful dinner, catching up, dinner AND dessert, hearing about their lives and updating them on ours.



Since Friday night, we've had a ton of fun together!  We toured the Country Music Hall of Fame and visited the famous, historic RCA Studio B.

I sat at the piano in Studio B, which is claimed to be Elvis' favorite piano and also where he recorded How Great Thou Art.

We walked up and down the streets of downtown Nashville.  Of course, we hit up Broadway Street.  And ate the best BBQ of our lives at Jack's. (No need to be dramatic about it.)




We have spent all day in two different coffee shops, Casablanca Coffee and The Well, studying, reading and writing.  We had gourmet Mexican at Cantina Laredo in The Gulch.  And I am anxiously anticipating an Italian feast for dinner tonight (and so is the baby).

And I am excited to declare, that next time we come to Nashville, I will return with my very own cowboy boots.  They have made it onto my birthday list.  :)

I love spending time with Blake, and his company never gets old.  What a time we've had...and it's not over yet!

pinterest recipe copy cat

today was a pinterest day.  we have some friends who recently had their second child.  i love feeding people and i love danielle and simon and their two girls, so i am taking them dinner saturday night. 

it's pretty easy to cook for myself because if it totally flops, we can just grab something quick.  if you are taking a meal to someone, you don't exactly want it to be a disaster.  so i turned to the one resource that i have come to depend on for tons of no-fail recipes -- pinterest.com.

on the menu -- mini meatloaf and smashed potatoes with cream cheese.  and for dessert, chocolate filled strawberries -- to be clear, NOT chocolate COVERED strawberries.  I'm not one for following recipes, but the rough ratio is an 11.5 oz bag of chocolate chips to 15-20 large strawberries.  I used milk chocolate this time, but I want to try dark chocolate next time.  here's how i did it:

first, i scooped out the middle of the strawberries.  when i first saw this idea on pinterest, i didn't like the thought of wasting the whole inside of the strawberry.  i used a little paring knife.  stick the end into the strawberry by the stem at a 45 degree angle.  keeping the tip of the knife in the middle of the strawberry as you cut around the stem.  when you pull out the top, the inside will be removed.  you won't have waste at all.


next, i washed the strawberries.  i rinsed out the inside and outside and let them dry on a paper towel upside down.  (aren't those strawberries just gems?!)

while the strawberries were drying out a bit, i began melting the chocolate.  the original recipe that i read said to use the microwave to melt the chocolate.  i melted the chocolate in a regular saucepan on the stove instead.  

melting the chocolate is my most challenging part of this process...because it requires enduring patience.  if you heat the chocolate too quickly, it becomes dry and chalky.  so melt slowly...
if it starts to look dry, add a small scoop of lard or some butter.  this will help smooth it out and makes the chocolate look shiny.

now, here's the controversy -- some people use egg cartons to hold the strawberries upright, but apparently you are at risk for contamination from people's dirty hands and salmonella poisoning.  i used mini muffin tins that i had laying around because i don't keep empty egg cartons.  you could also use tiny dixie cups.

put them in the fridge for about 10 minutes so the chocolate hardens a bit.  then ENJOY!!

on mother's day...

I wanted to celebrate Mother's Day this year.  No, I mean, I wanted to be celebrated as a Mother this year.

But instead...I eavesdropped.
(On a non-related note, my sisters could tell you stories of my professional eavesdropping they have observed.  If you'd like a good laugh, talk to them.)


Yes, you read correctly.  Eavesdropping vs. Mother's Day.

My husband, Blake, and I took road trip this past weekend to South Carolina to visit some of our very dear friends.  It was a great trip, by the way.

We had dinner Saturday night at a pizza place and were seated outside.  Soon after we got our food, I noticed a nearby table where a family of five was sitting.  It was a couple and their three, tween-age boys.  As I took a bite of my delicious, flatbread pizza, I mentioned, quietly observing, "Wow, three boys!  Wouldn't that be something?!"

I turned my attention back to the conversation at hand.  We talked, laughed and then quieted, as to focus on our grub.

A few minutes later, the same table caught my eye.  The father and sons raised their glasses of Diet Coke, sweet tea or Mountain Dew for a toast.  I didn't hear how the toast was initiated, but my heart melted when I heard what came out of their "cheers!"

Each of the three tweens were completely engrossed in the toast, as the father said, "To the BEST Mom in the world!"  The boys shook their heads in agreement, and the family toasted their mother and wife.

When I heard this, I looked at my girlfriend, who was sitting beside me and had been observing the same scene, unbeknownst to me.  We both burst into tears, quickly wiped them away with our napkins and giggled at each other for being so sentimental to a stranger's celebration.

I wondered why my reaction was so emotional.  But I quickly realized how much I want to be celebrated as a Mother.  I desire and long to be celebrated as a Mother.  But more than that, I long to raise children that love the Lord and love others well.

Jesus met me in that moment and reminded me that I AM celebrated.  Mother or not, I celebrate the woman you are.  I celebrates the woman that you are becoming.  Lean into me.  Let me take you to places where I can change who you are.  Let me write stories in your life that will create you into a better character than you would be if it was easy.

I AM celebrated.  And God is the same God regardless of who I am.  He is creating, molding, pruning and growing me into who he wants me to be, so that I might reveal His glory in all that I do...Mother or not.

To those of you who are Mother's...Happy Mother's Day, a couple days late.  May you continue to grow more into the woman, wife, daughter, sister, MOTHER, that God has created you to be.  Love well and live passionately.

letting go.

i have worries, fears and burdens.  my life is filled with struggle, disappointment and darkness.  in the moment, it feels just fine to carry all those hard circumstances, difficult situations and broken dreams with me, like a burlap sack full of feed.  throw it over my shoulder and walk.  keep. going. step. by. step. don't. slow. down.

my mind is a trap sometimes.  subconsciously rolling the same concern around and around, like a marble in a never-ending maze.

that's when letting go just might feel better.  maybe.

but i don't mean letting go in a nonchalant, apathetic, indifferent way.

i'm talking about taking that burlap sack filled with dirt, rocks and ugliness.  digging out each rock, pouring out all the dirt, burning the burlap sack and leaving it all behind.

write it on a piece of paper and leave it at the wailing wall.  give it to God.  let the Lord worry about it and carry it for you.  surrender the deepest, darkest parts of your heart to Jesus.  let him carry the sack.

i'm realizing, that what i worry about, fret over and can't get off my mind, doesn't have to be packaged just right or made into a fancy product for the Lord.  he hears me just the same.  he hears me.  he remembers.  he knows exactly when to act.

so i'm letting go...day by day, each and every day, giving all my burdens over to the King.  trusting that He hears and cares for me.  believing that he will not abandon me.  burning up my burlap sack full of grief, brokenness, shattered heart, disappointment, jealousy, anger, bitterness, loneliness and isolation.  He can handle it.  no matter what i feel.

so breathe in and breathe out.  and let go.  again.  and.  again.

here by david leonard, kari jobe, leslie jordan
come and rest here
come and lay your burdens down
come and rest here 
there is refuge for you now


you'll find his peace and know you're not alone any more
he is near
you'll find his healing
your heart isn't shattered anymore
he is here


breathe in breathe out
you will you will find him here


i will rest in you

On prayer...and more

Lately, I have not really known how to pray.  How do you pray in accordance with God's will if you don't know His will?  I started Anne Lamott's Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith today.  She quotes Kathleen Norris, "Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine."

Today, I don't really like that.  I might like both parts separately...but not together.

I want to pray for things I want (and believe God hears me).  But sometimes, I don't want to be changed.  I want to sit in my junk and be.  I want to be sad, angry, bitter, disappointed, discouraged.

Tonight, we studied John 9, the story of the blind man Jesus healed with spit and mud.  The disciples ask WHY?  Why was this man born blind?  Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sin?

Jesus' reply was that this happened so that the power of God could be displayed in him.

Once again, that shifts my mentality and perspective in the midst of difficult circumstances.

It reminds me that my struggle, the desert, the darkness in my life is here to draw me to Him for HIS GLORY.

I love that.  It makes this hard season worth it.

Evermore - Hillsong
And as I look upon Your name
Circumstances fade away
Now Your glory steals my heart
You are holy.
Evermore my heart, my heart will say
Above all, I live for Your glory.
Even if my world falls, I will say
Above all, I live for Your glory.

Promises

First, it's important that you know that I finally got an iPhone.  I know, I know, I'm a little bit behind.  In fact, I was pretty sure before I got it that I am an old soul, but now I know for sure.

On my new iPhone, I can access my Bible anytime through my Biblegateway.com app.  I joined a reading plan called "God's Promises."  It's a 7-day plan, and they email me the passage of the day.

Today's reading is from Hebrews 10:35-36 and verse 39.  I don't really like reading chunks without a context, so I backed up to Hebrews 10:1 and started to read, but I didn't get far.

Hebrews 10: 22-23

Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him.  ...Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

This reminded me of some promises that I claimed in my journal several months ago.  I went back and re-read them and as I claim them in my life, I also want to share them with you.

God is for me.   Romans 8:31
The Lord answers and sets me free.  He is for me, so I will have no fear.   Psalm 118:5-7
The Lord will work out his plans for my life.  His faithful love endures forever.   Psalm 138:8
The Lord directs my steps.  He delights in every detail of my life.   Psalm 37:23
I know the Lord is always with me.  I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.   Psalm 16:8
God listens and pays attention.  He did not and will not ignore me or take away his love.   Psalm 66:19    
I will not be abandoned by God.   2 Corinthians 4:8
I have placed my confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue me.   2 Corinthians 1:10
He has overcome the world.   John 16:33
I have confidence in approaching God.  If I ask anything according to his will, he hears me.   1 John 5:14
Neither my fears for today nor worries about tomorrow can separate me from God's love.   Romans 8:38
I will see the goodness of the Lord, when I patiently wait.   Psalm 27:13-14


These verses...and so many more...have been a place of truth and confirmation about my God, when I don't necessarily feel Him near or have a hard time trusting His plan.

These promises help me reaffirm that I can go into His presence, fully trusting him.  He can be trusted.

So I will not worry or fret.  My God is the God who will never forget.  All of His goodness and all of His promises.  He's holding my world in His hands. (Kristian Stanfill's Holding My World)

My Advocate

I recently began volunteering with Child Advocates, an organization located in Indianapolis (called CASA nationwide) that was created to represent and protect the best interest of children who are involved in legal proceedings.

I am a CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocate.  I am assigned to cases of children who experienced life-threatening abuse or neglect and have been placed in protective custody, such as with a relative or in a foster home.  I contact caseworkers, talk with biological parents, visit foster homes, make sure they are receiving necessary medical care, look out for educational interests and make recommendations in court about where the child should ultimately end up.  I am one of few "constants" in these children's lives.

Simply put, I am there to ensure that the basic needs of the child are met.

I really love what Romans 8 has to say about our very own Advocate.

Verse 26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We don't know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through groans that cannot be expressed in words.  27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's will for us.  28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose for them.  29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

I can declare with full confidence that my basic needs will be met by a God who is guided by the Holy Spirit.  Our Father KNOWS.  He HEARS.  And He DRAWS CLOSE.

John 5:17 says, "My Father is ALWAYS working and so am I."

He doesn't take a break.  He will not leave, forsake, abandon, reject or take away his Spirit from me.

He is CONSTANT.  He is STEADY.  He is NEAR.
                                         He is PROVIDER.  He is HEALER.  He is TEACHER.

Just Grace

Saved by the grace of God.  
It's only through the grace of God that I am here.
But for God's grace...

There are so many things said about grace, so many feelings, thoughts, prayers, beliefs.  If we could only choose ONE characteristic with which to describe our God and only one characteristic could remain of God, I have a feeling people would choose GRACE.  I certainly would think about choosing it.

Grace is unmerited.  Grace is unwarranted.  It's undeserved.

You can't earn it.  You can't repay it.  And you can't get away from it.

I was reading in John 1:14-18 yesterday.
Verse 14 So the Word became human, and made his home among us.  He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.  15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me."


16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.  17 For the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.  18 No one has ever seen God.  But the one and only Son is himself God and is near to the Father's heart.  He has revealed God to us.

I love the picture of Jesus Christ coming in human form and making his HOME among me.  Jesus makes his home among us, living and walking right beside us, dwelling in our midst.

Then, in verse 16, we have all received one gracious blessing after another.

So often, I think of God extending us grace on the cross through his son, Jesus.  But here's the thing about that act of grace:  it's not the END.

From God's abundance, he extends grace to us again and again.

I need that in my life, don't you?  I need the Lord to draw near to me, pull me close and extend grace to me.  Over and over and over again.

Sacrifice of Praise

Sacrifice as defined by Google's dictionary is "an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy" or "to give up something important or valued for the sake of other considerations".

So what does it mean to bring a "sacrifice of praise"?  As in, Hebrews 13:15--Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

I don't get it.

During church this morning, our worship leader prayed about our "sacrifice of praise", and I stopped praying, opened my eyes and looked at him like that was the first time I had heard that phrase.

Obviously, I have heard the phrase before, but I think it hit me in a new way this morning.  (See link to 1984 Christian song:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grn4pGm2Hx0)

So often, we come to worship with certain expectations.  We want to be apart of a church that has a really great band, progressive song choices, neat light shows...really modern, cool stuff, a great atmosphere.  And if it's not that way, we have problems.  They didn't play my favorite song.  The guitar was a little off this morning.  The tempo was not like the record.  Or I just really wasn't feeling it this morning.  I can think of many different complaints that I have either heard or had about worship.

This morning, when I heard that phrase, I really stopped to think about that.  What does it mean to bring a sacrifice of praise?  Is my worship a sacrifice of praise?

I. Don't. Think. So.

A sacrifice of praise isn't easy.  Or it wouldn't be called a sacrifice.  Sacrifice is to give up, to surrender for the sake of something more important or more worthy.  It's not bringing praise when I feel like it, when life is easy, when everything is going my way.  In fact, I think it's quite the opposite.

I think of Jonah and the greatest fishing story ever told.

The Lord gave him a specific command: "Get up and go to the great city of Ninevah.  Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are."  But Jonah ran.  He got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord.

You know the story.  He boards a boat, hoping to escape the Lord by sailing to another land.  So, the Lord sends a powerful storm, the crew figures out it was because of Jonah, and they throw him overboard where a great fish swallows Jonah.

From inside the fish, Jonah prays (verse 9), "But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.  What I have vowed I will make good.  I will say, 'Salvation comes from the Lord."

Jonah was in a predicament.  He was in a fish.  The last thing I would FEEL like doing would be bringing a sacrifice of praise to the Lord.  BUT..the truth of the matter was that 'salvation comes from the Lord.'  The ONLY way he was getting out of this situation was the Lord's salvation.

I NEED THAT SALVATION.

So this morning, as I sat there listening to this prayer, my sacrifice of praise was to give up my selfish motives and desires, put aside my distractions and lay aside my agenda to make HIS name known, to bring glory to the name of the One who Saves, to allow Him to draw near to me in my need, in my predicaments, in my mess.

This became my prayer:  Break down my pride, and all the walls I've built up inside.  Our earthy crowns and all our desires, we lay at Your feet.

My heart sang a song With Everything by Hillsong.
So let hope rise, and darkness tremble in Your holy light, and every eye will see Jesus, our God, great and mighty to be praised.  God of all days, glorious in all of Your ways.  Your majesty, the wonder and grace, in the light of Your name.

With everything, with EVERYTHING, we will shout for your glory.  With everything, with everything, we will shout forth your praise.

Our hearts will cry, be glorified.  Be lifted high above all names.  For You our King, with everything, we will shout forth your praise.


The bottom line is this:  My sacrifice of praise looks differently after I examine the areas of my life that I need, desperately need, His salvation.  But more importantly, it comes from a place of GRATEFUL praise.  

details...very tiny ones

We have made it to the time and place where Blake and Jess start a family. Minor detail...things don't always just go as planned...and that is definitely the case for us. So, I guess you could say we are working on a baby...

In the midst of this journey (sometimes difficult, exciting and overall, sort of like a roller coaster), I have found that although situations in life may bring constant suspense, I have constant certainty that my future is decided and taken care. I have written down ten verses for myself to memorize and claim during this time.

The other night, I came home from work to find Blake getting ready for work and trying to multi-task. We were supposed to be getting an internet set-up kit via UPS that night and it hadn't come. He was making the appropriate phone calls to see what was happening. When he didn't get the answers he wanted, we decided that we'd just eat dinner and go on with life as normal. Although, he didn't really like that idea, he tried his best to concentrate on getting ready for work. He had to leave for work around 6:30, and I was going to Bible study shortly after that time. Blake was concerned that no one would be home to gather up the package when it was delivered, IF it was delivered. He spent his last 15 minutes at home that night, looking out the window every few minutes to see if the UPS truck had pulled into our apartment complex yet. Finally, discouraged, he gave up and picked up his bags and headed for the door.

Before he left, he turned and said, "Hey, I read about Abram and Sarai this morning in my devotions. They really prayed expectantly for a child. I was really encouraged by that." I agreed and told him about my verses that I was working on memorizing. I quoted my verse of the week for him.

Psalm 37:23-24 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in EVERY DETAIL of their lives. Though they may stumble, they will never fall because the Lord holds them by the hand.

He encouraged me, said goodbye and left for work.

I needed to put some gas in the car before Bible study, so I decided to get ready and head out the door. I took my time getting reading and picked up the house a little bit. In no hurry at all, I headed out our front door into the rain and walked right in front of headlights of a large truck. At once, I realized what this meant -- the internet set-up kit had arrived!!! It was almost like Christmas day.

I walked back into our building, met the UPS delivery man in the doorway, signed for the package and put it inside the door of our apartment. I locked up our apartment and headed back into the night.

I didn't get but two steps out of my front door when I realized the sheer hilarity of the situation. It was like God swooped down, put the UPS delivery truck in my driveway that night and said, "Yes, Jessica, I do DELIGHT in EVERY DETAIL of your life...even something as silly and small as internet."

I laughed to myself and hopped in my car. With tears in my eyes, I laughed the whole way to the gas station, laughed as I pumped gas and the entire way to Bible study.

Thank you, Lord, for Your promise that you direct my steps and you delight yourself in every detail of my life.

All Things Well

I am either all or nothing.  I don't like to do things half-way.  


BUT, that sometimes gets me into things that I don't really stick with, hobbies especially.  Scrapbooking, for example, or blogging (the first time around) or, more detrimental to my health (mental and physical), exercising.  


I think this comes from my desire to do EVERYTHING better, great, the best, really well, at an expert level.  I don't like doing things that I am not great at or am only mediocre.  Who does?


Yes, I do have a few things that I do well, but I am not one of those who seems to be able to do EVERYTHING well.  The sooner I realize that, the better.  


I was reading in Isaiah 30 tonight and jumped across the title of verses 15-33: God Takes the Time to Do Everything Right. 


I thought of Chris Tomlin's song, You Do All Things Well.


The sound of your voice, the works of your hand.  You do all these well.


Isaiah 30:18-19 (NIV/The Message)
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.  For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for him!  Oh yes, people of Zion, citizens of Jerusalem, your time of tears is over.  Cry for help and you'll find it's grace and more grace.  The moment he hears, he'll answer.


Grace and more grace.  The moment he hears, he'll answer. 


Warning:  His answer might not be my answer, my plan or even on my radar, but he's the Master of ALL, the Jack-of-all-trades, the ultimate Renaissance Man...he does all things well.

Praise be to God...

Psalm 66:20  Praise be to God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.

As Blake and I begin to build our family tree, we are claiming this verse.  The Lord knows our needs, wants and desires and knows exactly what is right for us in His plan.  He will not reject my prayers.

How great that our prayers are heard and received, not rejected or ignored.  Our Father, with his unfailing love, hears us, loves us, cares for us, has a plan for us and will not turn away from us when we earnestly seek Him and His will for our lives..

Some Thoughts.

Instead of attending the 3rd Annual GermanFest yesterday and taking photos of the wiener dog races, I sat for almost 2 hours at Discount Tire, waiting in line to get new tires.  BOOOOO!!!  So, sadly, no photos to post.  There's always next year.  Sorry for the broken promise.

On another note,  Blake and I had date night last night and found ourselves in Broad Ripple.  What a fun little village it is!!  We ate at Bazbeaux's and then walked on the Monon Trail, which was filled with people traveling by foot to dinner, biking, running and walking.  We had a great time of food, conversation and it all ended around 7:30!  I know what you're thinking...LAME.  We were tired from a long day of sitting in Discount Tire.

Today, I am on my own.  I have finished two of the three books that I was working my way through.  I have taken a walk.  I ate lunch, of course.  And now...??

Sundays in our new town have been leaving me wanting...
My favorite memory of Sundays growing up and even into adulthood, is family lunch.  Everyone, all together, pot roast or chicken from the Crock Pot, Mom's meatloaf, BBQ pineapple chicken...YUM!!!  We quickly cleaned up dinner, talked for a bit, then parted from the table for our own napping place.

Now that's one thing that definitely translates to Indianapolis from Nappanee.  Speaking of napping...

The Original & Fabulous

Today, I am going back to my heritage and attending the 3rd Annual GermanFest.  But not just any GermanFest...the Original & Fabulous!!!
(http://athenaeumfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=71)


What do they have at the GermanFest you ask?  Well, as their slogan states:  Kids, Dogs, Strongmen, Cornhole, Beer and Yodeling.  HA!  Can you believe it?  All the best things about being German, I suppose.

I am especially excited for weiner dog races!!  My friend, Amy, has entered her dog, Kelby, into the races.

This will be a great day for an awesome adventure!!!!  Stay tuned for photos!!

I Like Your Toes

I ran out to get the mail last week and forgot to put shoes on.  I don't think that I was expecting anything, I just saw the mail lady and didn't want her to jam our mail in our box.  I was trying to save the mail from being smashed.

While in the stairwell, a little girl walked in the door, took one look at me and said, "I like your toes."  Of course, they were painted, but if you know OPI colors, they are painted You Don't Know Jacques, a brownish-gray color.  I quickly smiled, replied, "Thank you!" and rushed back down to my bungalow apartment.

I reported back to Blake what had happened.  We had a great little giggle and thought it was so cute.

Later on, Psalm 139 came to mind.

¹ You have searched me, LORD,
   and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
   you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
   you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
   you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
   and you lay your hand upon me. 


¹³ For you created my inmost being; 
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well. 

So, thank you, little girl in the stairwell, for reminding me of my Father's love for me, His care in creating me and His watchful eye over my life and His plan for me.

Put on Your Best Gram and GO GET 'EM!

It's one thing to negotiate, bargain, wheel-and-deal with merchants at a flea market or a swap meet.  But it's another to try and haggle with a salesperson at a store like Gap or J. Crew.  It's one thing to ask for a few dollars off of a plate that has a crack or pants with a broken zipper.  It's something totally different to ask for money off of a perfectly fine purse that you think may be too expensive.

Well, not to my Gram.  She's the Queen of Horse Trade.  And she's not afraid to bargain for those things that are perfectly fine, may be too expensive, but she just has to have.  It's a running joke in our family whenever we run into the situation above.  You know what I mean, right?  You find a particular something at the store, something's wrong with the item and you ask the manager or clerk for a deal.  I want these pants, but the zipper's broken.  What can you do for me?  My mom said it best recently.  "Put on your best Gram and go get 'em!"

Do you ever have that moment while shopping, when you find something you absolutely need, are attracted, can't stop thinking about and is such a GREAT deal that you will definitely regret not buying it if you walk away?


My sister and mom recently made a short trip down to Indianapolis to visit me and see where I live and work.  The day involved talking, eating, more talking and, of course, a shopping trip to several of our favorite stores.
And that shopping moment happened to Joslynn while were in T.J. Maxx.  She found some suede, thigh-high,   buff-colored boots she just could not forget.  However, they had a blue pen mark on toe.  After a while, she decided, to ask the clerk for some money off of the boots when we went to check-out.


So, she did just so.  She got up and courage and just asked.  The clerk told her that she would need to talk to her manager.  She left and went to talk to the manager and came back with her answer.  "My manager will take $1.00 off."  Well, Joslynn wasn't satisfied with that, so she walked out of the store empty-handed.

We had several other stops that day, but we just kept hearing about how much she loved those boots.  "We just might have to go back and get them.  I will check back home and see if the T.J. Maxx in South Bend or Mishawaka has the same boots.  Even better, they won't have pen on them."  On the way home, her search continued.  They stopped in Kokomo and, when they returned home, she looked in Mishawaka and called the store in South Bend.  NO luck.

Fast forward to this morning at 9:30.  My sister calls and wants to know if I will go back to T.J. Maxx and see if they still have her beloved tan boots.  Sure, I can do that.  "Jess, can you ask for money off, too?  I want them either way, but see if they will give you some money off."

Her message was clear.  PUT ON YOUR BEST GRAM AND GO GET 'EM! And I did just that.

I found the boots (the same one with the pen mark), marched straight to the check-out line, schmoozed a little and then confidently stated to Latoysha the T.J. Maxx Clerk, "I want these boots, but they have a large pen mark on the toe.  Can I get 10% off?"

Latoysha the Clerk replied, "Let me ask my manager, the woman of the hour."  She turns, "Miss Thompson, she wants these boots, but they have a pen mark.  She wants 10% off."

I interject, "Miss Thompson, someone told me you are the woman of the hour," with a small chuckle and twinkle in my eye.

Miss Thompson smiles and laughs to herself.  "How did I get that notoriety?  Sure, we can do 10% off."  She promptly reprices the item, I pay Latoysha and walk out of the store victorious.  And my sister, of course, is THRILLED.

This is a long and detailed story to simply tell you that I have inherited the same gene that is seemingly ingrained in Gram.  The strand of DNA that names me Dicker Princess (although, I'm sure I can come up with a better name for myself).

Moral of the story?  Always say exactly what you want.  You will get better than $1.00 off -- 10, 15 and, on a lucky day, 25% off.

But an even more funny lesson that I learned or just observed is this:
Despite the fact that I have several characteristics of some family members that I dislike and sometimes even border on being resentful, I also inherited money-saving, bargain-hunting, horse trading skills that make me SUCCESSFUL on something even as simple as a shopping trip.

So I say to you, go out into your world and PUT ON YOUR BEST GRAM!!!