Meeting my Good Nearby

"You're going to do something important someday. It may not change the entire world, but it'll change the world of the people around you. You'll be the good nearby....People don't realize good is closer than they think...the good nearby." (excerpt from The Good Nearby by Nancy Moser

I thought this book by Nancy Moser was good, though I can’t fully remember everything about it.  But the thing I did remember is how the grandmother spoke of Jesus.  She called him the good nearby.  Isn’t that the truth.  Jesus is the good all around us and he intercedes through people, circumstances, just about everything. 

My good nearby over the past 6 months has come over the internet.  A “blog” friend, who over the past months has come to be someone I can turn to and hear the Gospel.  Someone who’s walking the same road, almost identically.  Someone I am absolutely positive is a gift from Jesus.  I can’t even describe it very well, besides she beat me to it and anything I write doesn’t even do justice to the way she wrote about it.

And it all started here:  http://mollypiper.com/2010/04/i-hope-who-me/

After leaving a comment, another blogger commented and then checked out our blog.  I love how things happen like this.  She said it so much better when describing what would happen later, quite possible the best birthday present a girl could ask for.

Jackie lives in Ohio, though I had to do a little digging to find that out.  Her best friend and her husband just moved to MN to attend Bethlehem Seminary.  Jackie is amazing.  And I got to meet her in person.

If anyone has ministered to my heart in the past 6 months, she has.  Through her own battles, struggles, ponderings, grasping of the Gospel.  The Lord has given her a spiritual maturity beyond her years, she’s only in her mid-20’s.  (hope you don’t mind me sharing)  I’ve been incredibly blessed by her, in so may ways.  Seriously, I’m sure Alex got tired a time or two over all the things I’ve shared with him about this other “blogger”.  :)

And meeting her was the icing on the cake.  She is not only gorgeous but so full of life and love.  We never paused for a minute and our time together was far too short.  I’m thinking a trip to Ohio is in order:)  It’s as if I’ve known her my whole life, that’s one of the reasons I love blogging.  Jackie, I’m so thankful the Lord encouraged you to stalk my blog, comment on a post, and contact me about getting together.

Makes me want to blog stalk all the more:)

Thanks Jackie for being my good nearby…I’m so thankful for you!

 

Ready, Aim, Shoot

For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to shoot a gun. 

For my 30th birthday, which by the way still sounds funny to write, I received the best present ever.  We went clay pigeon shooting.  My problem before now has always been finding a gun to shoot.  not a problem when home with the folks…my dad has never failed to come through, especially in this case. 

So we bundled up in as much gear as we could and faced the windy and cold day.  Earplugs in and ready to go, I ended up doing better than I could have imagined.  My dad may have been in shock seeing his daughter shoot so well given I have no real training.  He’s mighty proud, I tell you!

For the first time ever shooting a gun and first time clay shooting, I went 14 for 40…not bad for a novice.  Though all it did was make me want to go again and again…maybe we should get a gun?

Oh my, oh my

I received a gift last night.  Not just one, but 25.  I’ve never been so overwhelmed, excited, patient, and surprised in a long time. 

Someone, maybe even a reader, gave me an advent basket.  Here’s a link to what an advent basket is: 

http://mollypiper.com/2010/10/advent-baskets-start-thinking-about-them-now/

I opened my first gift this morning, the first day of advent, and I received the perfect mug for coffee.  I squealed with delight and went right over to the coffeemaker to fill it up.  I might just use it every morning until Christmas:)

Seriously, whoever you are, you made my night and my next 25 days.  What a blessing.  This year hasn’t been easy…it’s been trying.  I don’t want to seem contrite, I know plenty of people personally who have been through far more difficult things, but this season of life, as I’ve mentioned on here before, has been harder than others.  What a perfect way to walk into this new season of life. Not only do I have 25 gifts to bless my heart daily but I also have 30 great goals.  I’m thinking December 2010 through 2011 are going to be months to remember.

Thanks again Advent Basket giver…my heart overflows with gratitude.

ps…my blog friend Jackie revealed her first Advent Basket today too!

The Big 3-0

Rather than dwelling on the end of an amazing decade…I mean, from 20-30 so many wonderful, trying, difficult, growing, celebratory, grief filled days have passed, I’m going to choose to look forward with anticipation to this next year.

Here’s to 30 things in my 30th year…in no particular order…some things I’ve been dreaming of for years and others are new, and I hope to accomplish or attempt to accomplish them all.  The first one I accomplished already on my birthday:)

1. Meet my “blog” friend Jackie in person (more on this later)
2. Run another half marathon
3. Write a book (or at least start it)
4. Shoot a gun
5. Interrupt people less
6. Make more phone calls
7. Stop biting my nails
8. Run a marathon
9. Read my top 5 books again
10. Learn to sew (again)
11. Recover our chairs
12. Learn to cross country ski (again) and go
13. Take the classes for our new camera
14. Start a new blog
15. Watch Food Inc
16. Make Artisan bread
17. Make all the Barefoot Contessa recipes that we like
18. Join the community center and workout consistently
19. Memorize the fighter verses
20. Use 1 new seasonal ingredient each month
21. Revamp or make a piece of furniture
22. Be a better wife with a better servant heart
23. Try to be on time :)
24. Learn to say no and keep life simpler
25. Get back into sending cards for birthdays
26. Organize our address book
27. Spend quality time in prayer and in the word
28. Eat more fruits and vegetables
29. Get organized…life, stuff, everything…
30. Enjoy this year to the fullest with family and friends:)

i miss 3 little faces

Somehow I have so many pictures of the littlest and the fewest of the oldest.  hmmm…I wonder how that happened.  all that said, I miss these boys and I am so looking forward to seeing them next weekend for brunch.  it’s been 5 1/2 weeks since I have seen them and I am in serious withdrawal.

Going from 4 days a week to not at all…the shock is setting in and I would give my left arm for a hug, a joke, a look, a sassy remark…just about anything from all three of them. 

Riley, Liam and Colin, I miss you!

The rest of the trip…

We are now safely home and happy to be here.  There’s something to be said of the comforts of home.  It was great to get away, relax, see new things and enjoy time together, but being home, I’m not sure I want to leave any time soon.  Good thing, because I have way too many projects planned:)

After we left the cape we ventured down to Stamford CT for a few nights so Alex could play golf.  We got down to one round of golf this trip, pretty good if you ask me!  So while he headed to the golf course I stayed and relaxed in our hotel catching up on my Precept Bible study.  Alex was lucky enough to cross a very well known course off of his top 100 list, Winged Foot Golf Club.  He was all smiles:)

From Stamford we headed into NYC.  This was a really fun part of our trip not only because NYC is fun to explore but it’s even more fun when you get to see friends as well.  One of my really good friends Emily and her husband Ernesto have lived in NYC for the past 2 years.  We don’t get to see them that often so it was really fun to get dinner and brunch with them.  Also our friends Brandon and Becky just moved to NYC from MN so we caught up with them one night too! 

  

We also headed to Ellis Island and it was so interesting.  Alex’s grandfather actually immigrated to the US when he was 9 years old, so we were able to look him up and read the ship Manifest.  Very Interesting!  Other than seeing friends we walked until our feet hurt and ate until our stomachs were full!

 

 

 

 

 

Highlights:  Eataly, the Doughnut Plant, Magnolia Bakery, Almond, and there were so many more!

From NYC we hopped on the Bolt Bus and headed into Washington DC.  For the next 5 days we slowly made our way through all most of the museums and took in loads of history.  Highlights included a turn on the Segways, the Spy Museum, lots of Potbelly Sandwiches, and plenty of election coverage.

       

 

 

Like I said, we’re happy to be home but very thankful for the time away!

Linen pinboard

Linen Pinboard courtesy of Pottery Barn 

For a slight hiatus from vacation postings, don’t worry I have the rest of the trip coming soon, I had to post a project I completed yesterday.

Inspired by many bloggers and Pottery Barn, I armed myself with my glue gun, linen fabric and a cheap corkboard from Ikea.  I was going to use our staple gun but I couldn’t find it and Alex wasn’t home.  Next time though, I will use the staple gun, I forgot how hot glue can be and my hands did not appreciate it:)

So back to the project…I have been craving a way for my jewelry to be more accessible and on display so I will actually wear it.  Yup, it’s normally hidden in a box on my nightstand but I wanted it in a place where I could see it.  Enter the closet.  Perfect spot.  You grab clothes there so why not grab jewelry too.

After pulling and adhering the fabric to the pinboard I was ecstatic to see that my hard work?!? resulted in the perfect jewelry holder:

 

From spendy to inexpensive, rounding out a whopping $10,

I’m in Love:)