Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for May, 2009

Getting ready to get ready

Posted in Action, tagged , , on May 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

I had a great time last night at a dinner with some old friends.

One of them is heading to Peru in a couple of days to join the Peace Corps.

This got me really thinking about this stage of my life.

This dude is heading off to a country thousands of miles from home to live for 27 months straight.

What am I doing?

Well, I am starting work, starting a family with my wife, and wanting to change people’s lives, but I’m not heading to live with a blanket.

This reminds me of a topic that was touched on last Sunday at St. Marks by Felicia (I haven’t heard the message itself-but I have heard a great story of how it impacted my dad).

Instead of just intending to do something, do something.

I feel like I have been getting ready to get ready … and maybe that is exactly what I am supposed to be doing in my life right now, but I am getting juiced up to explode.

Again-maybe I need even more juicing, but dang it’s difficult sometimes to continue to wait.

There seems to be a difficult balance between acting and waiting that yields the most efficient and effective results.

For me, I’m trying to find this balance and am getting ready to get ready to do something big.

Only time will show, but stay tuned-I’m going to need your support (in whatever way you are lead).

But for now, I am going to actually focus on getting ready to act instead of getting ready to get ready for who knows if what I am getting ready to get ready for will ever even come…

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Are you getting ready to get ready or are you getting ready to act?  What is the plan/action?

Read Full Post »

We’re HOME

Posted in home, tagged , , , on May 27, 2009 | 5 Comments »

Flying into El Paso this morning produced a feeling of comfort, excitement, and love all at the same time.

Ash & I were looking over the vast desert and had something bubble inside that made us both just smile at each other.

Our wedding was perfect in my eyes and the weeks that followed have been surreal, but knowing that we were about to step into our first house as owners together made today very special.

It was like today we get to start our lives together as one for real now that the honeymoon is over and that fires us up.

The sermons, talks, Bible studies, books, and thoughts that have been floating around our lives regarding marriage, life, and work are finally able to be put into motion.

It is like we have been putting together a gear for about a year learning where to put all of the pieces so that they can work most effectively, properly, and efficiently, and now the gear is about to start going.

We are so excited to see where that gear needs tweaking and where it is running smoothly, but we can’t figure that out until it starts rolling…which is today.

Our goal is to always remember the purpose of our marriage: to fully present the image of God.

If we can create a safe haven of trust with God at the top, I know that the gear won’t always run perfectly, but I am convinced that it will never stop.

We just got back from Lowe’s for the first time as a married couple and now are owners of a brand stinkin new refrigerator (thanks to Momo & DonDon)!

Thank you for all of your prayers, advice, thoughts, presents, presence, and love – it all begins (again) now…

What has been the most effective “tool” in tweaking your “gear” in your marriage or in a marriage that you have been witness to?

Read Full Post »

Honeymoon.6

Posted in honeymoon, tagged , , , on May 25, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Last full day in the Piton beauty.

After another very filling breakfast with fried sweet potatoes, Ash & I listened to a sermon by MacAttack to let our food digest before our final “walk.”

The sermon was the first on a series titled “Soulmates”…we are very excited to listen to all of them, and today was a beautiful reminder that the responsibility of marriage is to complete the image of God – “for this reason…”

We went on our last Indian “walk” and were pretty tired by the end-it only took about 45 minutes to complete, but the footing was awkward the entire time up and down uneven ground through the rain-forest.

We both slipped a couple of times, but both also avoided any serious injury once again.

Then we came back to the pool, went for a quick dip and I got started on John Piper’s “Battling Unbelief.”

I’m only 3 chapters into it, but it is GOOD-I’ll share more later.

After lunch, we were both pretty sun beaten and so we came back to our room to relax by our pool and then cuddled up and watched Ocean’s 13 on our bed while getting to look out over the Petite Piton one last day…what a setting.

Ash started packing everything up trying to make sure we don’t bust the 50 lb mark on any bag while I got ready.

But now we are ready to go check out our final sunset of the honeymoon-bitter sweet.

We leave the hotel at noon tomorrow, flight takes off at 3:05 here (Eastern Time), we get to ATL around 7:30, and arrive in Nashville around 10:30.

Next morning – Nashville to Dallas 8:30 AM and finally arrive in El Paso around 1 PM.

Piper cover: “defeating sin with superior pleasure.”

I’m trying to enjoy this superior pleasure and am SO thankful to have Ashley help me the rest of my life.

isn't she beautiful?

isn't she beautiful?

————-

Today was another beautiful day in paradise- but it is our last day :( However, we have great things to look forward to in El Paso.

Sorry to be so boring but the sun is setting, Ronnie is sitting next to me, and i am staring at the most beautiful sight i have ever seen- the mountains and the water- God is a great sculptor and painter- If you haven’t stopped to enjoy all the things he has created I urge you to do this. This trip has been eye opening to the wonderful blessings God has given me.

Right now i am going to take in the biggest of those blessings- Ronnie! It is our last sunset so I’m out! I will talk to you all soon, but i am going to enjoy this last night in St. Lucia with just him.

Sorry this was so short- but this gives you the chance to go out and dont miss that sunset God painted for you tonight. Love you guys…

Where & when was the prettiest sunset you have ever experienced?

Read Full Post »

Honeymoon.5

Posted in honeymoon, tagged , , on May 24, 2009 | 4 Comments »

Last night involved fire eating, limbo dancing, and Ashley doing a flip on the dance floor – great time.

This morning, equally as great: breakfast in bed while listening to a Ronnie Smith sermon-providing application for the use of prophesy over speaking in tongues (without interpretation)…please head over to the Austin Stone website to check it out if you are interested because he gives a great present day take away – it is titled “Speak the Gospel”…boiled down, he says, if you are a believer-tell people why you are so different-tough to do, but he knows this…

We then played gin rummy for an hour (Ashley is winning 75-31).

We canceled our tour this morning because we got to swim in a waterfall yesterday and didn’t want to sit in a taxi for an hour to go see a super tourized drive through volcano that exploded 40,000 years ago…we saw it from a distance on our horse back ride.

So we went to the pool instead did our Bible study, got to hear a St. Lucian “bluegrass” band play for a couple of hours with the youngest member pushing 70 (just a guess, but fairly certain), and had a great brunch buffet for lunch.

We got to sit back by the pool and I finished reading “Furious Longing of God” by Brennan Manning – I am going to be writing about this a lot in the near future because of the impact it has already had on me-I’m excited to share.

Here’s a snippet: Manning said that he has chosen to get “caught up in the reckless raging fury they call the love of God.”  I had never thought of God’s love in these terms, but wow…so true.

The rain clouds started coming in, so we came back to our room, worked on our Marriage Investment Plan, which is almost complete – and then watched “Fever Pitch” on a tiny portable DVD player as the rain poured.

The rain just stopped and we are headed right back to our spot for the sunset, only 2 more left…which also means Chloe-only 2 more days-we miss you.

here comes the sun again

here comes the sun again

———-

Well last night was an awesome night- My cheerleading helped me alot on that limbo and flip :) Ronnie was a dancing machine last night- :) We had so much fun! We actually stayed up till 11:30.. Wow.. late nighters.

Today was possibly my favorite day of all- Breakfast in bed, Austin Stone Sermon, Bible Study, Pool time while reading “Believing God” by Beth Moore, Lunch Buffet (I had BBQ, made me feel a little closer to the boro), a little more pool and reading, then back to the room to work on what Luke and Stacey like to call “A Marriage Investment Plan” like a Business investment plan… We came up with a “Mission Statement” and “Steps” to get there. (Thanks for the idea stace and luke).

After that we got to lay in bed and watch a movie on our portable DVD player… “Fever Pitch” It was pretty good.. it was just nice to rest and watch a movie (Ronnie stayed awake the WHOLE time too).

I wanted to share a little bit of the book I’m reading cause it really makes you think… But first my question for  you is- Do you BELIEVE GOD or just believe IN him? I’ll tell you about my book tomorrow- We just came up after the rain to enjoy the sunset and have an iced tea… mom and dad, sounds like we are doing exactly what you’re doing now.

I’m hungry and can’t wait for dinner- It’s only 5:20 and i’m already brain storming what i am going to choose tonight! :)

We love yall! Have a good evening….

So…do you believe God or just believe in God? What’s the difference if you think there is one?

Read Full Post »

Honeymoon.4

Posted in honeymoon, tagged , , on May 23, 2009 | 1 Comment »

7:15 wake up

7:45 breakfast

8:15 Bible study-Paul’s charge to Timothy (I think) any Christ follower…1 Tim 6 (disclaimer: I am far from there)

9:30 heavy rain forest hike to a waterfall

11:30 tour back through a couple of villages back to Ladera

12:30 lunch

2:00 beach – beautiful…started reading Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning

4:15 got back to room for a quick swim

5:00 time for sunset watching

life is good.

God is furiously in love with you.

And last-a great reminder I got from the comments of yesterday’s post …

“to God alone belongs the glory” of these mountains, sunsets, beaches, rainforests, and life.

good bye until tomorrow :)

—————-

Wow, ronnie’s tired can you tell??

resting on our out/indoor sofa

resting on our out/indoor sofa

so let me tell you what REALLY happened today…

Well first about last night- We had a great birthday celebration- Ronnie tried so hard to get the BEST table at the restaurant, the champagne and wine ready- but all that kinda fell through. But It was still awesome, and the best part… the bannana cake. Awesome- (kinda dry- doesn’t compare to Meme’s)- But still awesome-

Anyways today basically in a nut shell… EXHAUSTION! We were both so tired when we woke up- but we had a rainforest tour to do and we weren’t going to miss it.

The guide through the rainforest was fine- but the lady that drove us up to the rainforest was the bomb- We learned so much- I have become my parents trying to know everything about a country and not miss a thing.

I now know all about bananas and how they grow, I actually saw a cinnamon tree, nutmeg tree, avocado tree, tattoo tree, guava tree that we ate off of, mahagony tree, carribean cedar tree, lemon grass, coconut tree, rubber tree, a beautiful waterfall, clove tree, starfruit tree, bread fruit tree, orange tree, vanilla tree, angel horn flowers, hibiscus, black eyed susans, mango tree… thats only half that i learned today. My brain couldnt really take it all in.. but we have pictures of everything.

After our tour we ate a great lunch and headed to the beach- Ronnie and i decided it was way too hot down there. We like being on the mountain instead- we aren’t people that can just lay in the sun for hours- we needed some action- however i did sneak in a 30 min nap. :)

We got back to the resort showered and now we are watching sunset just like always- we try to make it down to the lounge by 5 so we can blog and watch the sunset- then dinner at 6:30- (Doc Bear we are having a martini in honor of you. :) )

We will talk to you tomorrow- We have a tour of waterfalls and volcanoes tomorrow- Oh, My! We love you guys- xoxo.

How many trees/plants/flowers can you name off the top of your head (Rhonda & DocBear aren’t allowed to answer, we don’t have enough time to read your responses)?

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.