a reflection on 2011

As I reflect back on the year of 2011 I am amazed at God's constant companionship throughout each month, day, and even at very specific moments.

The year started with uncertainty of my future but a desperate desire to no longer work at my job and truly seek after my vocation (thank-you Pepperdine). I was REJECTED, rejected from my very very first educational institution ever in January. I was frustrated, defeated, and irritated. January was the month of buckling down and trying again. My boss at the time was one of the most encouraging people in my life towards trying again  and wrote a very kind recommendation. My dearest kindred spirit had her heart broken in January. Both were tough, but not insurmountable. God is faithful.

February - me and my love turned another year older. I had to say good-bye to my co-worker TK as he moved on to greener pastures with Ivan & Alyosha. I vowed to not be far behind him in taking my leave from work (but not for a spot in any touring band).

March, April, May - The application process continued. I went salsa dancing for the first time. T$ and I bought a house (OK, a townhouse that's actually a condo). Also, somewhere in that time, I was accepted to SPU!!! Thank the Lord. God is faithful.

June - Most likely the most difficult month and time period I have experienced. Also the most beautiful if in our brokenness we lean on Christ. On days that I wanted to crawl into dark spaces and disappear, God remained by my side.  We were also given some wonderful memories in the month of June - a faraway Rhode Island wedding vacation and Shasta. God is so faithful.

July - Surgery to say goodbye to metal that was part of my life for 400ish days. Closed the chapter on the saga of 6.9.10.  July also saw me closing the chapter on my life at the Bone & Joint. A two-and-a-half year chapter on learning to grow thick skin, answer phone calls FAST, plan bomb potlucks, and spend 40 hours a week with some of the nicest people I am happy to know. Opened the chapter on what I like to call: grad school. God is faithful.

August, September - Grad school. Marriage. Homework (what the...). Continual healing of relationships, an engagement for my kindred spirit, and a lifesaving surgery for my cousin Tommy. Stay at home wife life launches with a memorable camping trip. Oh! And a very quick, lovely trip to Malibu to witness a dear friend marry her love. God is faithful.

October - An internship! An anniversary! The year of Cotton commences for me and T$. Two years of marriage. God is faithful.

November, December - Dark, rainy nights. Days filled with my internship. Evenings spent writing papers and blogs about how much I love teaching, reflecting, reworking, rewriting, rethinking. A very fun November weekend spent with our brother in Chicago.  Happy birth day Zelen! Evenings also spent in bible study with some dear friends - we are learning to be secure women who daily remember they are FILLED with Christ.

Thank you to the people in my little life in the year 2011. Thank you for the walks around Green Lake, the coffee dates, the time spent quietly knitting, traveling together, studying God's Word, crying, laughing, dancing together.

Thank you 2011 - I pray that I am a wiser woman who knows her full security, beauty, and peace comes from an all-wise God who holds her in His hand.

INDEED, GOD IS FAITHFUL. 

6.9.10

All week I have been thinking about the countdown to June 9th of last year  - also known as 1 year since life changed for me & T$ & everyone we love. To those of you who loved us, brought us meals, cookies, notes, flowers, prayers. I will always be thankful, grateful, humbled, and simply feel loved. Thank you thank you thank you for  walking & sitting by me through this. There are still things that need to be done for her (the leg...yes she's a she because she's attached to me) like having the hardware removed and learning to look and feel graceful when I walk down stairs & hills, but oh! what a difference a year makes.

The passage that brought me through that season of life & still rings true today: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:4-7

So thank you.  We are so blessed to have such a great community of people who surround us through the good times and the tough times. I hope that we can reciprocate as well when people need love, compassion, and a homemade meal.

Love me some T$

the lady with the hardware



weekly gratitude

OK. So earlier this week (or last week) I stumbled across this lovely blog: Love, Life, Lace and found that she has and encourages others to start a weekly entry in regards to gratitude. I think it's fitting that my very first entry as a "participant" is on Good Friday.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Jerusalem, Israel

• Thank you to Christ for your sacrifice of yourself, and your sacrifice of your perfect & eternal relationship with God as you bore my burdens on the cross.
• Thank you to T$ for working so hard on our new home.
• Thank you sunshine for showing us your face this week.
  

  

  doug bookman

• Thank you Bookman for visiting us Seattle folks! I'm in eager anticipation to hear what you have to teach us tonight from God's Word.
• Thank you Mom & Dad for providing T$ and I with most (if not all) of our dinners as we transition into a new home.
• Thank you Ivan & Alyosha for doing what you were created to do. I literally can't stop smiling thinking about last night's show. Your guys' joy is so obvious!

• Thank you tulips for staying in bloom! Cannot wait to see you in the droves next week with the dearest of friends.
• Thank you Christ for the ability to heal & for staying by my side June 9, 2010.

be thankful for your knees!

i was struck by a car 6.9.10 while standing on a sidewalk and had my tibial plateau fracture operated on 6.11.10. Since then I have learned the joys of movies, knitting, reading, studying, sleeping, eating, and time with family. God has been teaching me patience throughout this entire process as it takes 12 weeks for my knee to completely heal and become weight bearing again.

i have had to constantly remind myself to, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

you truly don't know the future - can't really plan for it, can't really know what will happen. i suppose that is something i needed to and have most definitely learned.



my CPM machine. so cozy.





quality time with my kindred spirit. learning to use a walker (that lasted for about a day. don't need the whole world to see me as an elderly person quite yet).