I really enjoy reading this blog by a pastor at Granger in Indiana. His blog today really struck me.
Without restating what he has already said, I'll just say that I agree. There are definately "boundaries" as Christians, we have to set but seriously, when are Christians as a whole going to show the world what true Christianity is like by how we act towards each other, how we love, how we praise and how we humble ourselves in our everyday actions and not by how we raise our shields when someone or something goes against what we believe. If Christians aren't willing to understand the "secular world", why should we think that those who don't follow Christ will want to understand the Amazing Grace that we know, love and cherish?
I hope I stated that the right way...
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
So (not) HILARIOUS
I painted the second to last room in our house this weekend. I saved two of the bathrooms for last after finishing ours and realizing how annoying it was.
Part of what is so annoying is having to take the tank off the toilet so you can paint behind it. The tank came off and went back on fairly easily in our bathroom. The tank in the bathroom I painted this weekend came off easily but when we went to hook it back up, it wasn't working.
Mike and I took turns messing with it tonight to see if we could figure out what was wrong. At some point, the water decided to spurt out of the tank a la 'Old Faithful' style TWICE. I couldn't help but laugh just because I didn't know what else to do. The whole situation is rather frustrating but hey, if you can't laugh at stuff like this, life just isn't much fun.
We think we figured out the problem so I'll be making a trip to Home Depot on my way home tomorrow so we can (hopefully) fix the toilet tomorrow night.
Wish us luck!
Part of what is so annoying is having to take the tank off the toilet so you can paint behind it. The tank came off and went back on fairly easily in our bathroom. The tank in the bathroom I painted this weekend came off easily but when we went to hook it back up, it wasn't working.
Mike and I took turns messing with it tonight to see if we could figure out what was wrong. At some point, the water decided to spurt out of the tank a la 'Old Faithful' style TWICE. I couldn't help but laugh just because I didn't know what else to do. The whole situation is rather frustrating but hey, if you can't laugh at stuff like this, life just isn't much fun.
We think we figured out the problem so I'll be making a trip to Home Depot on my way home tomorrow so we can (hopefully) fix the toilet tomorrow night.
Wish us luck!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Blogs I Read
So, I finally got around to creating a "blog feed" on the right side of my blog so that I'm not going through a list of blogs in my "Favorites" and since you all can see it, I thought I'd run through a few of my faves. Beware - lots of links ahead!
Steece's Pieces - don't know the girl from Adam but a friend of mine introduced me to her blog and I am amazed by the Godly woman she is (not to mention the fact that she's raising quads and obviously has an incredible sense of humor)
Ashley, Kayleigh, Monty, Randall, Kristin, Steve, Renee, Rob, Catherine, Brunson, Casey and The Boys - all amazing friends (who happen to all go to Windsor) whom I have made me laughed with, cried with and make me want to be a better person. They're all awesome.
Tyler & Kelly - I went to college with them. They were great friends and big brother/sister type people that, while I don't stay in much touch with them, I will always hold a special place in my heart.
Confessions of a Pioneer Woman & Red Velvet Art - I stole these from Kristin, they both just fun and creative. Pioneer Woman has some awesome recipes and appeals to my "cowgirl" side.
Brent - A way cool guy that I went to college with. Some of my friends knew him from high school, thus the introduction. I still remember learning the "Snaps" game in the bleachers at a football game freshman year with him, my parents and a few other friends. He has been an amazing inspiration lately and his attitude amazes me. Check out his blog to see just how cool he is and keep him in your prayers. Brent, if you read this, you rock and I can't even tell you how many times Snaps has helped me keep a bunch of kids under control. :-)
The Fraily Fam - my cousin. My family helped with her wedding and I still remember it as one of my favorite times growing up. Now she has four little ones and lives in Cali. It has been too long since I've seen her!
Jim, Chelsea & Todd - a teacher and two other friends from college. They're all just cool and you've got to check out Chelsea's art and photography!
That pretty much sums it up - if I missed any, just check out the blogs - I'm sure you'll enjoy them too!
Steece's Pieces - don't know the girl from Adam but a friend of mine introduced me to her blog and I am amazed by the Godly woman she is (not to mention the fact that she's raising quads and obviously has an incredible sense of humor)
Ashley, Kayleigh, Monty, Randall, Kristin, Steve, Renee, Rob, Catherine, Brunson, Casey and The Boys - all amazing friends (who happen to all go to Windsor) whom I have made me laughed with, cried with and make me want to be a better person. They're all awesome.
Tyler & Kelly - I went to college with them. They were great friends and big brother/sister type people that, while I don't stay in much touch with them, I will always hold a special place in my heart.
Confessions of a Pioneer Woman & Red Velvet Art - I stole these from Kristin, they both just fun and creative. Pioneer Woman has some awesome recipes and appeals to my "cowgirl" side.
Brent - A way cool guy that I went to college with. Some of my friends knew him from high school, thus the introduction. I still remember learning the "Snaps" game in the bleachers at a football game freshman year with him, my parents and a few other friends. He has been an amazing inspiration lately and his attitude amazes me. Check out his blog to see just how cool he is and keep him in your prayers. Brent, if you read this, you rock and I can't even tell you how many times Snaps has helped me keep a bunch of kids under control. :-)
The Fraily Fam - my cousin. My family helped with her wedding and I still remember it as one of my favorite times growing up. Now she has four little ones and lives in Cali. It has been too long since I've seen her!
Jim, Chelsea & Todd - a teacher and two other friends from college. They're all just cool and you've got to check out Chelsea's art and photography!
That pretty much sums it up - if I missed any, just check out the blogs - I'm sure you'll enjoy them too!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Is this Heaven?
Some of my favorite quotes, from my favorite movie that sum up how amazing baseball is much better than I ever could:
Well, you know I... I never got to bat in the major leagues. I would have liked to have had that chance. Just once. To stare down a big league pitcher. To stare him down, and just as he goes into his windup, wink. Make him think you know something he doesn't. That's what I wish for. Chance to squint at a sky so blue that it hurts your eyes just to look at it. To feel the tingling in your arm as you connect with the ball. To run the bases - stretch a double into a triple, and flop face-first into third, wrap your arms around the bag. That's my wish, Ray Kinsella. That's my wish. And is there enough magic out there in the moonlight to make this dream come true?
Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.
Here's to another amazing baseball season and the amazing group of players that gathered at the sports most famouse stadium tonight.
Take me out to the ball game!
Well, you know I... I never got to bat in the major leagues. I would have liked to have had that chance. Just once. To stare down a big league pitcher. To stare him down, and just as he goes into his windup, wink. Make him think you know something he doesn't. That's what I wish for. Chance to squint at a sky so blue that it hurts your eyes just to look at it. To feel the tingling in your arm as you connect with the ball. To run the bases - stretch a double into a triple, and flop face-first into third, wrap your arms around the bag. That's my wish, Ray Kinsella. That's my wish. And is there enough magic out there in the moonlight to make this dream come true?
Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.
Here's to another amazing baseball season and the amazing group of players that gathered at the sports most famouse stadium tonight.
Take me out to the ball game!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Our House
We have been in our house for approximately 10 weeks. All but two bathrooms have been painted and we're slowly getting things organized and making things feel more and mroe like home.
I had to laugh this past weekend when my parents and brother were here visiting. My Dad asked how long we had been in the house and how many of weekends we have had visitors since then. Of the 10 weeks, we've been out of town once and we've had visitors for about 6 of them. I have always wanted our home to be open to anyone who needed a place to stay, whether it be during a transition or just as they were passing through. I think we're off to a pretty good start. :-)
Let us know if you need a place to stay for awhile, or just as you're passing through!
I had to laugh this past weekend when my parents and brother were here visiting. My Dad asked how long we had been in the house and how many of weekends we have had visitors since then. Of the 10 weeks, we've been out of town once and we've had visitors for about 6 of them. I have always wanted our home to be open to anyone who needed a place to stay, whether it be during a transition or just as they were passing through. I think we're off to a pretty good start. :-)
Let us know if you need a place to stay for awhile, or just as you're passing through!
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