club

7 years ago, a girl's club was formed. I know, I teach my girls NOT to form clubs because it sounds exclusive and we should never exclude people. SO, this is one time where I clearly communicated to them that they should do as I say, not as I do!
Anyways, what a riot we have at our monthly club gatherings! We rotate host homes, eat an indulgent meal, visit, laugh, play games, laugh, eat, laugh, eat, and talk talk talk. I can typically count on having insomnia after a night with these gals which I attribute to huge doses of adreneline and other various neurologically altering chemicals realeased during our laughing fits and non stop chattering!

On this second Thursday of the month, Carrie hosted. So, we made our longest commute from the East Siiiiiide out to LO.

What awaited me? A going away party!!!! Surprise!!!!
What an amazing evening my girlfriends planned. COME ON! All of my favorite foods (including velveeta/salsa dip, mexican food, home made guacamole, salad, hot fudge sundae bar)!
And, each girlfriend came with a suitcase. They said that since I did not invite them to come along with me, they packed their suitcases instead with memories of our times shared. They alo each presented me with a charm that held a memory and a beautiful charm bracelet.

I was so touched. I can't even tell you how loved and special I felt! Some of the girls shared things about me that I didn't really know. Just ways that God has used me inspire and draw them closer to Him. That was such a gift to me! Because, I've never "preached" to my girl's club about my faith or theirs. And, although I have prayed for each girlfriend many times and asked God to show me any opportunities to show his love, I never really saw it happening. So, it was cool to hear that He was indeed at work and answering my prayers.

I have to give a quick run down of my charms. So, for those of you who coule care less, goodbye.
Jaime - a plate and silverware to represent how much I love food!
Annete - Sweden charm to remember when I told her "Im totally from there!"
Kim - A pepper grinder to remember the infamous gift that KEEPS on giving.
Nada - a beautiful cross and heart to represent my heart for faith and family.
Michelle - Adorable praying girl to remind me of precious Morgan and all the nursery babies.
Sandra - fish to represent my journey as a 'fisher of men"
Pam - cheerleader because none of us can forget the American Idol night and "Hey Mickey"
Kelly - coffee mug because we both enjoy it so much (and they didn't have a pickle!)
Carrie - Sales tag with 50%off to represent our shared love of a bargain.
Amy - ice cream cone. Need more be said?
Katie - home sweet home. Because she wants me to know I am ALWAYS welcome back HOME.
Theresa - butterfly to symbolize the new life I'm starting. But, she also noted that a Monarch butterfly always returns to the place it first sprouted it's wings! So, she knows I will always return "home".

Maybe those random things don't stir much emotion for you. But for me, and all of club, it was an emotional evening. Tears of joy and sadness, and of course those tears produced by the kind of pee-in-your-pants laughter that leaves your cheeks and abs sore! These girlfriends are such a blessing to me!

And, of course, I can't forget that I acquired a new nickname that they fully expect me to start going by in Brooklyn. So, from now on, you can just call me...char-isma.

Back up to june 4

Hi. It's been a long time since I have been able to update my blog. I'd like to back up to June 4. See, as i've mentioned before, I maintain quite a few journals. So, in the absence of this blog, I wrote more in my other journal.
ON that day, I wrote about my devotional for the day.

In "My Utmost for His Highest", Chambers has this to say:
"We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing-that He is preparing and equipping us for some extraordinary work in the future. But, as we grow in His grace, we find that God is glorifying himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God's assurance behind us, the most amazing strentgth becomes ours and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life."

How does he do it? How does Oswald Chambers manage to just nail it and challenge me RIGHT where I am. Or encourage me, right when I could use it? He pulls these thoughts from Hebrews 13:5 "He himself has said 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'"
Now, I love that verse, but, on my own, I don't see how I would have been inspired to make the statements he made. It's so cool.

This has been one of the biggest lessons I've learned the last two years of my life! God is not simply PREPARING me to do something exceptional and grand. No. He is with me right now. Today. This day. THis moment. And, on THIS day, with my little "to-do" list place by the side of my journal....He wants to glorify Himself through every single thing I do. ANd, it is my absolute joy to allow His glory to shine through me. I may never leave the house-yet it is a day God has given me and I will bring Him glory, in all I do, think and say!

So many people are curious about what I plan to do for Communitas once we move. Truth is, I have no idea! God has not revealed to me what He has planned for my time, talent, or treasure. But, by abiding in him daily - I have been able to discern what I believe to be some of my God given talents and abilities. I want to use them to bring Him glory in any way that I can. But, it's foolish to believe that I'm WAITING for some grand opportunity or transition and THEN I'll be doing God's work. NO! I'm His faithful servant NOW. Here. Anywhere I go! And I may never have what appears to be an impressive ministry, but I don't need to impress anyone but my boss - God. He knows my heart and my heart praises Him as King...Lord...Giver of life and love and grace. And I will proclaim that through my words and actions wherever He chooses to place me.

So, am I excited about His plans for me in NY? You betcha! But, I don't expect some big, grand, specific role. I just expect to continue honoring him with my choices. And I know He will provide the opportunities for me to serve. When people ask me "What are YOU going to do in New York?" I need to answer "I'm going to serve God by showing love to people. I'm not exactly sure how that's going to look yet - but I'm excited to find out!"

Did you read all the way through this???? Wow.

closed

We did it.
We sold our house.
We closed the deal yesterday. On the way to the real estate office, I confided in Timm that I have not been entirely confident that we actually did sell this house. Here we are, completely moved out, the place is empty, and I couldn't rest assured. I mean, I knew it would happen as planned, in all liklihood....but....I just knew that anything could happen! It felt so good to sign the papers! And, it felt so good to NOT bring a check to the closing. We even got a few bucks back that we overpaid in taxes.
Praise God!
It is almost comical that I can praise God for allowing us to break even on our house! Especially if you knew my heart when God first knocked gently upon it and asked me to give up my security in my home.
So, on this glorious sunny day, I am so happy. I enjoyed my girls weekend away, while Timm hung out with our girls. I am refreshed and renewed after gabbing for hours and hours with great women, eating, shopping, and playing together. I even had a big surprise and ended up coming in first place in the 5K we ran over the weekend! That was cool and unexpected.
Now I am enjoying an ENTIRE week of having my husband home! Yay! Cuz it is kinda sickening how much I love that man.
God is good.
On Sunday, our sweet Isabella was dedicated and we all celebrated! That is an awesome thing. Just to see how many people will pour love and truth into her life...what a blessed baby girl she is!
Now, I am at the library, since I don't have internet at home. And, my sweeties are asking if we can go. So, my updates are brief and hold little sentiment. But, I will say again, GOD IS GOOD.

just-so-ya-know

OK, just so ya know, we do not have our new address for NY.
We thought we did.
We don't.
God's timing. Not ours.
We're along for the ride :)

Itchy

OK, I'm sitting here all itchy because I just read kush's blog about bedbugs in NYC. Lord, please, could we avoid that challenge once we move? I'm not exactly the squirmish type, but YUCK! I tend to be a freegan at heart (I'd prefer to search for things that have been used and/or tossed out by others rather than to buy them retail if at all possible. This seems to be a logical way to reduce, reuse, recycle...and save a bunch of money). But, I have been warned multiple times about the "bedbug issue" in NYC and I don't know if I will be able to acquire my furniture with my freegan mindset or not. Don't really want any uninvited critters jumping around our little apartment if it is at all possible to avoid!
ANyways, I am sitting back at the house we moved out of. We have 5 more days until we close the deal and the new guy moves in. So, I'm taking advantage of the wifi and letting the girls play with their friends down the street.
I'm feeling abundantly blessed this week. We moved on Saturday, and had a bunch of people running around working their butts off to make that happen. My parents showed up first thing, followed by other friends and family. We loaded up several trucks and vans....and we did it! We are all nestled into our temporary home. And, how blessed we are to have this amazing space to live for several months! Timm's parents have graciously given us a ton of space to live and store our stuff. Wow. The day after we moved was Mother's day and we also celebrated Liv's 7th birthday. My parents let us throw a party at their house, since we moved everything out of ours. It was a great day and I was so thankful to be surrounded by family, knowing that future birthdays, mother's days and such will not be the same.
Well, I don't feel like getting very deep. Timm already did that in his blog, and I concur. I pray for the new owner of this house, and praise God for the life we have enjoyed while living here.I thank God for family who are literally amazing. We are blessed so far beyond measure by our families.
Yesterday was liv's actual b-day. We went to Chuck E Cheese for some fun, and had taco tuesday for dinner at aunt KT's. Good times. My baby is seven, and I can hardly believe it. She is an absolute JOY in our lives and I thank God for her every day!
God is good.

Saying goodbye

Well, in just 2 days, we will leave this house. Every morning, I sit in this office and spend time with my best friend, Jesus. And, I always find myself looking out the window at His awesome creation and praising Him for the trees, clouds, birds, green grass, etc. And, I always praise him for the neighbors. What a seriously awesome neighborhood we have been blessed by!
Tonight, we will walk around the few streets in our little subdivision and say our goodbyes. I think I have tried to stay so busy with packing and planning that I could avoid the emotional poop that I feel about leaving such wonderful people. But, today is the day to face it. Ugh. I'm better at avoiding :)
All I can do is praise God for giving us the gift of such an AWESOME place to raise our kids for the last 7 years.
And, ultimately, I have certain faith that we are running the race God has set before us. So, I don't feel any sort of hopeless dread or fear or unbearable sadness. Not at all. I am eager and excited to experience the next place God has prepared for our family. I have an underlying joy that can NEVER be taken away.
But, I am learning to face my emotions - both the pleasant and the unpleasant. They are both real and necessary in this human realm. To avoid either the pleasant, or the unpleasant would be to deny reality.
And, today it is with sadness that I will say goodbye.
Tomorrow I will pack....
The next day I will move....
After that I don't know when I'll update this blog :)

I'm FULL

I am amazed by my God!
Last night I felt depleted. Just completely spent. And, I prayed for God to fill me with his spirit of joy and love and peace.
So, HE DID! It is inexplicable. These are the kinds of EXPERIENCES that make my faith real. They can't be explained. They are FELT. What a gift from my loving heavenly father.
Anyways, time is ticking...we are moving....I am sad to leave my neighbors. I am glad to have the transition of moving just 10 minutes away for a couple months. Because, although it is hard to say goodbye to these awesome neighbors, it will be much more dificult to say goodbye to family. And, we will have a little bit of time to do that.
As for our new address in NY, God has not revealed it to us yet. We only want to be where He places us...so we will wait. We have prayed that He will guide us to the right apartment where we can serve him and be his kingdom workers.....and we have asked him to steer us away from the wrong place. So, we wait. He's in control.
I'm missing my hubby. Look forward to seeing him for a couple of days this weekend.
Also look forward to celebrating Olivia's 7th birthday! We'll bbq at my Mom and Dad's on Sunday and celebrate her birthday, as well as Mother's day.
By the way, this stupid bleepin blogger account is still whacked. Won't let me change my email. My techie friend tried to advise me, but I am still confused.
Gotta go.
I am FULL! Wooo-hooooo!