Timing

"God's timing does not always coincide with our immediate plans. Sometimes His timing requires that we wait and hope."
- Beverly LaHaye

"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
- II Peter 3:8-9

Memorial Weekend

This was a nice, relaxing weekend for us. We didn't have any vacatino plans for the 3-day weekend, but it was restful just being home.

Saturday, we helped Nathan's brother and his family move to Camarillo - about an hour away. That ended up taking all day, but it was fun being with family. While some of the unloading/unpacking was happening at the new place, my mother-in-law and I took my new nieces (almost 1 & 2 years old) to the little playground area near their new place. That was fun.

After church on Sunday, we barbecued kabobs for lunch. Later, we went out to buy a new router and stopped off at the Juice Stop for a smoothie and a little "date" wandering around the adjacent Barnes & Noble. Those little times are always fun and quite special.

Today, I went grocery shopping in the morning. We couldn't figure out what to do, but we both wanted to do something. We eventually went for a walk in our neighborhood and then went to the mall to walk around. We didn't end up buying anything but a large pretzel to share, but it was nice to get out. This evening, we had leftover kabobs (freshly barbequed but using leftover ingredients), corn on the cob, and watermelon (there were little "personal" sized watermelons on sale at the grocery store, and I actually had a coupon for them and ended up getting it for FREE!!!). So, even though it was just the two of us, we had a very traditional Memorial Day dinner together. :)

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:17

Change and Trust

It's an age-old truth, and yet it will never die. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) Knowing God's character is the one thing that will keep my heart steadfast. My comfort as a believer is to continually remind myself of His faithfulness, patience and sovereignty, and knowing that these things are unchanging. He is ever-worthy of my trust and my bowing to His perfect plan for my life.

"Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation."
Isaiah 12:2

"For the believer, then, the question is vital: Is our God the Lord of change? Will he he with us in change, especially when it strains our trust to its limit?" - Gini Andrews

The resounding answer to these rhetorical questions is: "YES!!!"

"But You remain the same,
and Your years will never end."
Psalm 102:27

"Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."
Hebrews 6:17-19a

Update

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted anything. My life has been pretty routine lately... nothing too out of the ordinary. But, I thought I would just write about what I have been up to. :)

I have been cross-stitching alot. I am almost done with the Spring Queen (one of a set of four very detailed and pretty queens - one for each season). I already finished the Autumn Queen and this is a picture of that one, so that you can see the kind of style they are. The designer that makes these is my favorite cross-stitch designer. Recently, I got an email saying that they were discontinuing some of her less popular designs - so I ended up ordering one of a sandcastle and two little kids playing near it. I might make that one for a nursery decoration when the time comes.

I've also started another cross-stitch, completely not related to the above ones, which I will be doing for a gift. Gift projects are really fun for me because I usually finish them more quickly than the ones for myself because I am working towards a specific date. I also enjoy thinking about the person I will give it to while I'm stitching. Very nice.

I have two sewing projects currently under way. A friend from college & church is getting married in August and I will be adding spaghetti straps to all of her bridesmaids dresses. There has been some difficulty figuring out just how to make the straps, but I think we may be just about to a final decision, so I should be able to start working on those in earnest now.

There is a friend of Joanna's who is getting married in July and needs a few minor adjustments to her wedding gown (fixing the straps, hemming it, and bustling it), so we fitted that this week, so I have that project to work on as well.

I have also been playing alot of Sims 2 - which is a fun computer game that Nathan got for me for my birthday two years ago. I was having computer problems, so I wasn't able to really play it until just recently, so now I'm getting into it. I have an entire neighborhood dedicated to the people who are close to me - my family and a few friends. It has been fun making them be very close to real life - even looking like the real people.

Nathan's birthday is coming up (as well as my sister Jennifer - they are on the same day), so we are working on finding something fun to do that day. I think we decided to take the day off of work, but beyond that, it's still up in the air. Last year we went to the beach.

Anyway, I'm thankful for a faithful God. Throughout everything, good and bad, He is the rock and refuge we can turn to and rest in. His ways are supremely sovereign and can be trusted completely.

Sweet Sixteen

Yesterday, at 4:06am, the sixteenth member of Nathan's immediate family was welcomed into the world! Nathan's sister, Jennifer, and her husband, Dan, had their first baby, Evelyn Vevina, on May 10, 2006. She was 8 lbs, 8oz, 20.5 inches long. They live up in Santa Clara, so we won't get to see her in person for a little while, but we can enjoy pictures until then! We are aunt and uncle for the 6th time!

It's Been a Good Day

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful,
but heartache crushes the spirit."
"All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but the cheerful heart has a continual feast."
"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
and good news gives health to the boones."
-Proverbs 15:13, 15, 30

"I look back on this day with its usual ups and downs. Its moments of anguish, its moments of gratefulness and joy. And now that it's ending, an aching awareness fills me. I realize that it's been a good day, Lord. A very good day.
"For it's been filled with life. The life you have given me to cope with, and to contribute to. And I wouldn't want to have missed it, not a single moment of it.
"Thank you, God, for this good day."
-Marjorie Holmes

"This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it."
-Psalm 118:24

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
-Matthew 6:33-34

Trust

The following verses and thoughts were very encouraging to me this morning:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight."
-Proverbs 3:5-6

"there are many unknowns in life... let go completely. trust. live with it all in an open hand before God. Jesus promises he WILL work it all out."
-ann kiemel anderson

"You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal."
-Isaiah 26:3-4

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflowe with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
-Romans 15:13