This City

Sunday afternoon…boys napping on the couch together…how many times have I declared this time to be my favorite of the whole entire week? I wish I could take a picture of the two of them together, but I know the flash would wake the daddy (and without the flash, the pic just won’t be worth it)… and the daddy would not be happy anyway to hear of a photo like that posted online. But take it from me, or know yourself if you have a daddy and baby duo at your house---it’s the SWEETest thang. It just warms my whole heart.

And today I have the perfect background music…”All the Way My Savior Lead Me”, a new song off the latest Chris Tomlin project, Hello Love, which until this last Friday’s concert, I had never heard before. As I’ve said several times lately about various things, HOW COME NO ONE OUT THERE TOLD ME how INCREDIBLE this [album] is?!?! We had heard “Jesus, Messiah” and probably one or two others at Winter Retreat or the radio, but I can’t believe I hadn’t purchased or downloaded the rest of the album yet. So let me just be THAT FRIEND to you: If YOU have not heard the rest of the album, you need to get up off the computer and go out and get Hello Love before the weekend is over…or easier yet, stay at the computer and DOWNLOAD the whole thing off of iTunes. It is THAT good, people. You will thank me. And you will bless God because of it.

So that leads me to the concert on Friday…what a worship experience we had. It was literally the first worship-ful service Matt and I have gotten to be apart of for at least a month, (since Winter Retreat) because we’ve been upstairs with the teens on Sunday mornings—with plenty of praying and preaching, but no live music. And there is just something extra special about entering –yourself—into the Lord’s presence thru music, especially when surrounded by some 10,000 fellow worshipers. So cool. If I’ve ever gotten a glimpse of what Heaven might be like, I think this might just be it. And then, when Chris T. sang a newer song about heaven that I didn’t know yet, (I Will Rise,) as I sat back and actually just LISTENED for a second, I had this thought …that... Chris Tomlin will most definitely be one of God’s Worship Leaders up in Heaven one day. So serious. Him and Darlene Z! God has gifted that man with such talent, musically, but more specifically thru his song writing and his worship leading! I love going to a concert where the words to the songs are actually written on the screen so that everyone can sing along, and where this is done not because you love and adore the singing group so much, but because you love and adore who the songs are all about! My faves from the concert were Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone), Sing, Sing, Sing and God of This City. It was truly a great night, and it was so wonderful to be able to share with my wonderful husband--our first "date night" since before Thanksgiving! (The last few months have been a little...crazy...)

I hope everyone in Vero enjoyed the EverPraise concert this weekend as well. I was thinking about you all and praying for a good turnout and the presence of God to be with you as well. I can’t wait to hear, I know things have been really been “happening” around there lately!

So after all that, what Chris Tomlin lyrics do I leave with you? I’ve been going back and forth about this, but the song playing now has been really speaking to me this last month. I’m not sure when I heard it first, but I’ve been focusing on the verses of 1 Corinthians 2:9 and Isaiah 43:18 lately: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind can conceive what God has prepared for those who love him.” And “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and springs in the wasteland.” So I think the most appropriate lyrics are from God of this City. (Find it in the music box in my sidebar and play it!)

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
For greater things Have yet to come
And greater things Are still to be done in this city
For greater things Have yet to come
And greater things Are still to be done here.

I pray this over our church here in Houston and also “our” church in Vero. That in the cities that we live and work and play and worship—that we would never be content or satisfied with the good God has done for us in the past, but instead we would be constantly praying for a new touch, a new outpouring of His Spirit on our current ministry, and seeking daily opportunities to reach His World with the Good News. And I pray the same for this 29 year old body of mine, the Living Temple of the Holy Spirit that I live in, that THIS would be a Holy CITY on a hill, always shining with the light of Jesus.

A New Week

Wow. That last post was a doozy!
Just wanted to leave a few quick thoughts today.

Today is the 4th installment of the Beth Moore's Siesta Blog Bible Memorization Challenge of 2009. I don't know the official name of it, but that's basically what it is. My new verse to learn for the 2nd half of Feb. is Joshua 1:7-9. I've known the 9th verse forever, but I am learning the two previous ones to add to it. If you haven't heard me talk about this memorization accountability team, check it out at Beth's blog--follow the link on my sidebar.

We got to watch Fireproof last night, surprisingly, while Noah watched a little Wow, Wow Wubbzy video in the other room. It was actually a very good movie! (Fireproof, that is...WWW is the dumbest cartoon EVER). The acting in the first 10 min. kinda made us laugh, but once you got used to it, and followed the story line, it was good. I would recommend it to EVERY married couple if you haven't already seen it! Matt watched it with me despite having a huge, huge headache. He's such a sweetheart.

And just a few thoughts on Noah:
New favorite toy this week: Measuring tape
A few new words this week or so: own --as in, I want my OWN icecream, mom...
Matt, in reference to his Daddy...
Don, as in McDonalds.
Pink, G(r)een, b(r)own, and brown(ie)
A few words he is saying sooooo clearly now: EAT, GONE!, Done, play, , Band-aid, cake, of course there are more.
A few words he still says funny: Boom-boom (balloon), slirp-slirp (icecream)
This morning he woke up saying "Pee! Pee-pee!" Yes, he peed in our bed. How and when did he get there to begin with, I wondered?

This last week, while Matt was giving the dog a bath, Noah came in to the room I was in and insisted I get a "cup" for daddy, so clearly! Then, a few min. later he came out asking me to get a towel ---"ta-ow", it only took me a sec. to understand this one. Then for the next 5 min. he continued to take, one by one, every towel, tablecloth, and sheet he found in the opposite bathroom linen closet. He was so excited to know he was helping Daddy!

This is the beginning of a new week. I am looking forward to what I hope can be a better, less stressed week than last! And the Chris Tomlin concert is this week! Yippee!

Valentine's Day Happenings

Happy Day of Love, to you all!

Felt like I need to write an update. Many of you have been asking how things have been going and the job situations. Have a feeling this might be a little bit random.

It is a typical day here in Houston...that is, it would be if it were a weekDAY. But it's SATurday, (and also one of those little Holidays people like to celebrate!) So today feels completely strange. Not routine at all. I actually got up around 7:45 a.m. and went to work--tutoring--for 4 hours. It was my first Sat. to work, and I was originally scheduled for only 2 hours but then got the opportunity to cover for someone and get an extra 2 hours in. So, 9a-1p. I'll take the extra hours on Sat. every chance I can get, because Matt can be home. Today, however, soon after I got home, HE was out the door to go work at HIS job, getting things ready for tomorrow. He has lost so many "work hours" this week being with Noah in the afternoons that he had quite a lot left to do for tomorrow--Sundays are very busy in the world of ministry, as many of you know...here, it's Student Leadership team meeting at 9:30a, then his main speaking time at 10:15a, called The Edge, and then a sunday school type meeting at 11:35 called Parents 411. He had a little bit of each of them to finish up. (Er, a little bit of the Edge and All of the others, i think) I guess I'm a bit disappointed because after the BUSY week we've had of passing Noah back and forth and seeing each other only after (basically)10p each night, I thought we'd get to spend most of the day (afternoon and evening) together. But, again that's the kind of communication we've had going this week...not always exactly what you have planned.

As for Valentine's Day, well, we are not doing anything terribly romantic or alone tonight, because Babysitting is pretty hard to come by (and at premium pay!) for a day like this and we don't like to fight the crowds anyway. So we had decided to just go out NEXT weekend together to celebrate, since Matt was able to score us some Chris Tomlin tickets to the pretty much sold out concert here in town. It's a smaller venue and will be sooo cool. We are both NEEDING it! --Tonight, he just called to get my order for Chile's--he's picking it up curb side and then I rented "Fireproof" at the Redbox that we're going to watch after we get Noah settled in bed...(we'll see about that). Since we just got the Chile's GC in the mail, I think that tonight's festivities will basically cost us $2. We'll go out with a GC next week, too, and so it'll just be the cost of the tickets. Not bad.

Hope ya'll had great plans with your significant other/snuggly little kiddos/friends tonight.

And for the rest of the randomness...

1) We haven't reached any monumentous decisions on my working dilemna. I have cont. to look for jobs online everyday and have sent off my resume/apps to 4 or 5 every day for three weeks or so and have heard back from ZERO. So, at least for now, we're taking this as a sign to keep going in the direction we had planned: working at the tutoring place as much as we can balance and go for subbing a few times a week. My first full week of work has gone well--we're still working on the childcare end of that but next week looks to be better. I have finished my application for subbing--the online process and then all the paperwork only took me 4 HOURS or so! It was a ridiculously long app. Hopefully I will get a good amount of work from that before summer. Problem with that tho is that I don't begin for AT LEAST 3 more weeks, because I have to attend an all-day New Hire training, which happens to be on the 3rd of March--Noah's 2nd birthday. Not too thrilled about that but he'll be going to MDO anyway, and I should be able to take that evening off. If I don't go then I'd have to wait another whole month. So I guess that's a decision made for me!

2) Noah's 2nd Birthday is fast approaching! It is in the middle of the week, so we will probably go to dinner somewhere with a play place that night, like ChickFilet, and then celebrate with a VERY small party that weekend. Carrie is flying in on Friday to spend her spring break with us, so maybe we'll go to the zoo that Sat. I have to talk to Matt about it still. BTW, if anyone is thinking they want to send Noah toys for his birthday, please try to refrain! Unless you've already bought something...books and shirt size 4T--yes i did just say that, his 3Ts are too short--would be better received! We are soooo out of room for toys of any kind right now!

3) Church things are going well. Just busy. We started our new Life Group (small group) last Sunday and think we will enjoy the group we've been placed with. Most of the couples are older than us, signicantly, but there is one other couple our age (Matt puts US "in our 30s"!) and one right at 40. There is a little girl Noah's age and several kids/teens who hopefully will be able to play with N and keep him busy while we meet. Youth group things are settling down to a normal weekly pace. The Friday night Event was down in attendance a bit this week, due to the rain probably (skateboarders were mostly absent) but Matt's scheduling some bands to play on upcoming nights so that should pick up again. There's been around 90 each night since we've been here. Sunday attendance is a strong 50, and Matt is doing a good job leading the kids thru basic habits of the faith. We've heard good responses from parents, saying teens are coming home talking good things. So that is encouraging.

4) We met with a realtor from the church this week to officially begin our housing search. He's a guy our age and seems really great. We had a good initial meeting with him, despite the fact that we most recently broke like 4 out of 10 of his "ten commandments for financing a house"...that is a bit discouraging...but we know that if this move was truly God's leading for us, then He will cont. to make a way for us ...when there seems to be no way! We'll look at meeting with financial people this next week, if we can find the time. Keep your fingers crossed--or pray, rather--that the gov. and banks have/find favor with us. Because we need it!

5) Finally, last thought on my mind tonight--Noah has been enjoying going to "school" and church much more the last week and a half/2 weeks. No more crying or desperately hanging on to my leg when I drop him off--in fact, the trick seems to be letting HIM walk down the long hallway by himself, instead of letting him be carried all the way from car to door. I did this previously to keep him from running straight to the playground, then having a fit because he can't go there yet...but if we park on the other side of the church it's been better. He talks about his new friends Eeeee-than and Neeeeeeely all the time now. We DID have a pretty rotten night dropping him off at the Friday night babysitting (during the teen night) last night---a total meltdown/tamtrum on the floor in front of 20 people, but I hope this to be an isolated event. I think we're on the up and up. I got to buy Valentines for his first little Valentine's day party at Mother's Day Out on Thurs.--they had pizza, valentine's card baggies, candy, and all. It was quite cute, even for a nearly 2 year old who had no idea what it was about. And this, my first Valentine from Noah, will be kept for years to come...

"He will not let your foot slip"

Prayer Request:

Matt and I are really struggling with making a decision about what I need to do work-wise.
We (I) are (is--i mean am!) feeling totally stuck with what to do!

A few of you know that about a week ago I got offered a job doing tutoring for a company and have been doing training this week for that. About 8 hours so far. I will work with students tomorrow night for about 2 hours to round out my training, and then I have been put on the paying/working schedule for next week, and I have 13 1/2 hours. It is evening hours and then Sat. morning. I really enjoyed it so far and think it will be something I'll enjoy and also be good at.

Problem is, last night when we started actually talking about possible scheduling and how much money that will actually be, we (he) realized how much extra stress that will add, since he will be going in earlier to work and then having Noah basically all by himself 3 or 4 nights a week, till 8 or 8:30pm. So WE will hardly see each other, Noah will get passed back and forth, we will still need to get a babysitter for an hour or so until Matt gets done if I work the earliest shift, and it's still only a part time job and won't average more than 12-15 hours. So I will still need to try to do some substituting or something else, somehow.

I have continued to be looking everyday for job openings, in VARIOUS areas but I'm really only qualified and skilled in education. If I DO find and even get offered a full time job that is do-able, I will also have to find full time day care for Noah, which is maybe even more difficult at this time fo the year...I also spent a good amount of time calling all the church daycares in the area...no openings or leads yet. I will work on my substituting application tomorrow, during Mother's Day Out, as well as taking in both cars to get titled and registered at the big tax office...something tells me I won't get all that done in 5 hours.

I know some of you have been in this place, lately or even currently, so I'm not trying to complain since I know everyone is going thru financial issues these days. It's just hard to know what to do--and then once you decide what to do, knowing who to call and where to look....

So anyway, we just need wisdom and guidance and peace about what we should do. Specific situations: 1)I NEED to work, and soon, but need more hours/money than this job offers, but I've just started it, like it, and 2) don't want to just QUIT, either. It could be a great summer opportunity or in the future. I need to find something that pays better (more hours) but is still flexible enough to figure out care for Noah. And 3)I need to find someplace good for Noah to spend his M-W-Fdays. And 4)Matt needs to have some really productive days to catch up from all this moving/car issues that has got him feeling like he's barely treading above the water of responsibilities at church. He does a good job but he just never has time to work ahead, just trying to meet current deadlines. (Don't we all!)

The verses I've been learning this past 2 weeks have really kept my mind focused on the hope that we have in God, but it's just hard to know what paths to walk and when the doors are going to open! We need some doors to open, and possibly some windows too! Anyways, here they are, from my memory!

Psalm 121:1-8 "I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip. He who watches over you does not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The LORD will watch over you. The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm. He will watch over your life. The Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forever more."

***Just a P.S., the day I started the verses above, it was really cold here and when Noah and I took Peyton out in the morning to go potty, we walked down this little hill behind our apt, me holding Noah and the leash for the dog and keys, us all bundled up in jackets and slippers, and I SOOOO slipped and fell flat on my butt/back, still holding Noah but everything else flying. It was totally ungraceful, and sad that it happened so early and no one else got to see it! Noah was so confused about what had happened! Then, about an hour later, I came upon these verses in my Bible Study, ie. "he will not let your foot slip" and they were suggested as the memory verses. Hmmmm... Very funny, God. Okay, I'll memorize them!

And then the one I started for this next 2 weeks is good right now too: "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:8

Hope those speak to you today, and thanks for the prayers. Let me know how I can pray for you, too! Leave me a comment or text!