God smiled, cont.

Blogger wouldn't let me insert any more photos in my entry about the baptism, but I wanted to show you this picture I took of the group that went after ours, because it shows so clearly how there were rain clouds all around, but sun shining down on the baptism site.

(You can click on it for a larger view -- for some reason that feature isn't working for the pics in the previous entry...)

God is awesome!

And here's a picture of everyone that was baptized from our group (plus the two who did the baptizing):

God smiled...

One really awesome memory we have from the trip is the day we were at the Jordan River to have a baptism ceremony for several members of our group. It was a chilly, cloudy, windy day. As we sat eating lunch in the restaurant near where the baptism would take place, big drops of rain began to splatter against the window, to the dismay of those who were soon to step into the chilly waters (and those of us who would be standing there watching them -- I didn't have an umbrella!). But only one person backed out, and we followed the remaining brave baptismal candidates to the area along the river that has been set aside for groups to have baptismal ceremonies.

They emerged from the dressing rooms a few minutes later in their white robes and descended the steps to the baptismal area. Then the most wonderful thing happened. The sun broke through the clouds as bright as could be, shining down on the water and our little group. Rain clouds all around, but above us, a patch of sunlight that we felt God had sent just for us. The sun warmed our bodies, and it felt like God was smiling down in His glory on His children who were proclaiming that their lives were His.

Two of the people were being baptized for the first time, and the rest were doing baptisms of rededication. It was a privilege to share this special time with them as Dr. Don Brake (Dean of Multnomah Biblical Seminary) and Dr. Dan Lockwood (President of Multnomah Bible College), who were our group leaders, baptized each one in turn in the river where John baptized Jesus so long ago.

After our group was finished, another group descended (a larger group) and the sun stayed out for them, too. It was such a beautiful reminder of God's care and love, even in the small things. As we boarded our bus and continued our tour afterwards, the wind started blowing and the rain came down again. But we held the memory of the earlier sunshine in our hearts, forever a delight in our memories.

A boat ride on the Sea of Galilee...

Sorry it's taken me a while to post some pictures from our trip...I think I'm finally back to normal after the jet lag! I'm waking up a lot earlier in the mornings now, which is a good thing! I've been trying to do that for years!

I will just highlight a few things from our trip. I'll probably post more about it in future entries.

One of my favorite moments was our early morning boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. It was a chilly, cloudy morning, and our group of 25 boarded a small boat owned by a Messianic Jew, called "The Jesus Boat." After setting sail, he played worship songs over the boat's speaker system. As we sailed on the peaceful water, I sat and gazed out to sea while "Shout to the Lord" and "Draw Me Close," among other songs, played in the background. I thought about all that had happened in that place -- Jesus walking on the water and Peter attempting to do the same; the disciples fishing there and miraculously catching so much fish their boat almost sank; Jesus calming the storm with a word. I was so moved and thankful that I know Him now, so many thousands of years later, and that I had the privilege of being in that place to worship Him!

Here's me on the boat:














A picture of the sea and the clouds:














The Israeli flag flying on the mast:















More memories and pictures to come!

Our Itinerary -- We're Going Overseas!

Andrew and I, along with my brother Nate, are about to embark on a wonderful adventure: touring the land where our Savior, Jesus, walked the earth and ministered, where He died and rose again. You could say we’ll be visiting His old neighborhood! I’m so excited, and even more thrilled to get to share this experience with my brother, who’s never been out of the United States before now. I’ve gotten used to overseas travel, so it’ll be fun to see things through the eyes of a first-timer!

For those of you who are interested in following our journey, I am going to post our itinerary below.

We would really appreciate your prayers for:

*Safety and protection while traveling
*Spiritual refreshment and renewal
*Health and stamina for the long days of sightseeing

Thanks, and I’ll check back in when we return!
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The really quick, flight-only version of the itinerary is as follows: Sacramento ---> Portland ---> Chicago ---> Istanbul ---> Israel ---> Egypt ---> Istanbul ---> New York ---> Portland ---> Sacramento! For the more detailed version, keep reading! :-)

Saturday, March 4th – We are flying to Portland this afternoon, and spending the evening with my parents and brother.

Sunday, March 5th – This morning we have to be at the airport at 6:30AM for our 8:30AM flight to Chicago. After a 2 ½ hour layover, we fly out to Istanbul, Turkey (about a 10 hour flight) aboard Turkish Airlines.

Monday, March 6th – We arrive in Istanbul at 10:20AM. We’ll check into our hotel and rest for an hour or so, then head out on a tour of some of Istanbul’s most well-known sites: Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, and the Grand Covered Bazaar. Then back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Tuesday, March 7th – After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, we’ll check out and visit St. Sophia, one of Christendom’s oldest churches, originally built in the 6th century, then converted into a mosque, now a museum. After this we’ll head to the airport for an early afternoon flight to Tel Aviv, Israel (about a two-hour flight). Once in Tel Aviv, we’ll board our tour bus and travel through the city to Bat Yam, a suburb of Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean. We’ll check into our hotel and have a brief overview lecture of our trip before bed.

Wednesday, March 8th – (I’m not sure exactly what we’ll be doing today, since the original itinerary they sent has us staying in Tiberias tonight, but the hotel list they sent shows we’re staying in Galilee. So, I’ll just list what’s on the itinerary, but I’m not positive this is what we’ll be doing!) This morning we start our day with a stop at Jaffa (Joppa), the city of Jonah, where Peter had his housetop experience at the home of Simon the Tanner. Proceed to Caesarea, capital of the Roman procurators of Judea. Visit the Roman port, Crusader’s Moat, Roman theater, and aqueduct. Continue to Muhraka on Mount Carmel. This afternoon we proceed to Megiddo to visit the excavations that unearthed 20 different civilizations. Traveling through the Plain of Jezreel, we visit Nazareth, boyhood home of Jesus. We will be staying tonight at a hotel in a peaceful setting overlooking the Sea of Galilee!

Thursday, March 9th – This morning we will visit the valley of Gennesareth to view the New Testament boat found below the sea and to visit the kibbutz. Then on to Chorazin, through the Hula Valley to Hazor, ruins of the powerful Canaanite city destroyed by Joshua and rebuilt by Solomon to command upper Galilee. We continue to the northern limits of Jesus’ travels as we cross the River Hatzbani to Dan and Banias (Caesarea Philippi), where Peter made his great profession of faith. Driving to the foot of Mount Hermon, we ascend onto the Golan Plateau for a magnificent view of upper Israel. Return to the hotel in Galilee for dinner and overnight.

Friday, March 10th – This morning we will take a relaxing boat ride on the Sea of Galilee where we will be able to look to the shore where so many miracles occurred. We continue to Capernaum and see first century ruins, then visit Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes. Continue to the River Jordan where some members of our group may choose to be baptized. This afternoon we travel via the Crusader fortress of Belvoir along the Rift Valley to Bet Shean, where King Saul and his sons were pinned to the walls. It became the Decapolis Capital and was traveled by Jesus and known as Scythopolis. We’ll see the ancient theater, Circus Maximus, and Cardo Maximo. We head down the Jordan River Road and head to the Judean wilderness on our way up to Jerusalem. We will enter the Holy City via the Mount of Olives with the beauty of Jerusalem before us. Continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Saturday, March 11th – This morning we visit the New City of Jerusalem, Mount Zion, the Upper Room, the tomb of King David, and Dormition Abbey. We enter the Jewish Quarter of the Old City to visit the Wohl Archaeological Museum, displaying the newly restored Herodian Quarter. Remains of this area of Jerusalem date back to the time of the Herodian Dynasty (37 BC to 70 AD). We proceed to the Shrine of the Book where we see the Dead Sea Scrolls on display, then view the Knesset (Israeli parliament) building. Continue to visit Yad Vashem, a memorial of the Holocaust, and then visit the Model City. This afternoon we continue to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity, the Manger, Crusader’s Cloister, and the Grotto of St. Jerome. We then visit the cave in Shepherd’s Field and view the Fields of Boaz. En route to Jerusalem we see the Tomb of Rachel and other antiquities before returning to the hotel for dinner. The evening ends as we share personal experiences of the day.

Sunday, March 12th – This morning we will board our bus for our exciting tour to the famous Rabbi Tunnel, where we will enter by the Western wall and go down to the foundation of the Second Temple. We will see a model that will demonstrate where we are in location to the time of Christ. We continue along the tunnel as we proceed to the entryway to the Holy of Holies. We will then head to the Temple Institute where we will see the making of instruments for the new temple. For lunch we will visit the Biblical Gardens and view reconstructed biblical culture, including possible crosses used by Romans, goat skin tents, tomb of Jesus, and then conclude with a meal in a re-enactment of Jesus’ “last supper meal.” This afternoon we will head to the Southern wall and visit the Mekev pools and the steps that Christ would have used to enter the Temple area and would have taught from. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Monday, March 13th – Today we drive to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem, visit the Church of Pater Noster and the Chapel of Ascension, and then proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane. Crossing the Kidron Valley, we pass the tombs of Absalom, Zechariah, and Saint James, then visit the Pool of Siloam and the Church of St. Peter of Gallicantu (Caiaphas’ House). We enter the Old City this afternoon through the Zion Gate and see the Cardo and the remains of Nehemiah’s Wall on the way to the Western (Wailing) Wall. We visit the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, the Church of St. Anne, the Pool of Bethesda, Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, and the Arch of Ecce Homo (“Behold the Man”). We follow the Via Dolorosa (“Way of the Cross”) to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and end our day in the Garden Tomb before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Tuesday, March 14th – We begin our day with a stop at Bethany, home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus. We travel to Jericho, the world’s oldest city. From the excavated tel atop the ruins of ancient Jericho we view the lush green Jordan Valley, Elisha’s spring, and the Mount of Temptation. Proceed to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Continuing alongside the Dead Sea, 1,300 feet below sea level (the lowest spot on earth) we stop at Ein Gedi, where we will have the chance to float in the Dead Sea, and for the adventurous ones, walk into the nature reserve and see the waterfall that David would have used while he was hiding from Saul. This afternoon we drive to Masada and ascend by cable car to the magnificent ruins of the fortress where, from 70 to 73 AD, Jewish defenders made their last stand in the Judean revolt against Rome. We see the remains of storehouses, cisterns, and a 6th-century Byzantine church. Then we had back to Jerusalem and return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Wednesday, March 15th – This morning we will have free to enjoy the beauty of the Red Sea, and maybe take a glass-bottom boat ride or go to the underground observatory to view some of the most colorful fish in the world! This afternoon we will go into Egypt at Taba. Continuing through the desert, we come to St. Catherine’s Monastery and the traditional location of Mt. Sinai, where Moses received the 10 Commandments. We’ll be staying at a little hotel just a few miles from the Monastery.

Thursday, March 16th – Those who desire may get up at 1:30AM to climb Mt. Sinai to see the sunrise, while the rest of the group can sleep in and tour St. Catherine’s Monastery in the morning, where a very important and early Bible manuscript (Sinaiticus) was found. We’ll visit the Chapel, then go to the traditional site of the Burning Bush and the Chamber of the Skulls. We then travel by bus to Sharm el Sheik and board a quick flight to Luxor, where we will check into our hotel for dinner and overnight. Our hotel is one of the biggest and most popular 5-star hotels in Luxor, built on 28 acres of sub-tropical landscaped gardens directly on the Nile, in the middle of the shopping center of Luxor and just a few minutes’ walk from the famous Luxor Temple. After dinner we will take a moonlight stroll through the beautifully illuminated Temple before turning in for the night.

Friday, March 17th – Today we will cross the Nile to the West Bank and see the Colossi of Memnon, the beautifully terraced Temple of Queen Hapshepsut (one of the most brilliant accomplishments in the history of architecture). We’ll continue on to visit the vast site of the Karnak Temple, built over a 2,000-year period. This evening we will head to the train station for our overnight journey to Cairo (we’ll be in sleeper cars). Dinner will be provided on the train.

Saturday, March 18th – Early this morning we will arrive in Cairo and head for breakfast. We will start our tour with a visit to the Egyptian Museum with its priceless gems from the tomb of Tutankhamen and other world-famous relics. We tour Old Cairo, including the Coptic church of “El Moallaka,” dating from the early 4th century, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque. This afternoon’s excursion includes an exciting camel ride to the Pyramids and visits the Sphinx. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Sunday, March 19th – This morning we get acquainted with Cairo. We take a felucca ride on the Nile, then continue to Mohammed Ali Mosque and proceed to the top of the Citadel for a famous view of the city with the Pyramids far in the distance. Continue past the City of the Dead to the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, where we can browse among the 12,000 tiny shops. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Monday, March 20th – We will actually be awakened about midnight in order to arrive on time to the airport for our 3:45AM flight to Istanbul. From Istanbul we fly to New York, arriving at about 3:30PM Eastern time. Then from New York we fly to Portland, arriving about 11:00PM. This is one LONG day of travel, considering we will go “back in time” about 10 hours! My family will pick us up at the airport and we’ll spend the night with them.

Tuesday, March 21st – We will spend the day with my family and then fly back to Sacramento in the evening, arriving home around 8:30PM.
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WHEW!!! What a journey this will be! I can’t wait to share stories and pictures with you when we get back! Thank you for your prayers! Until we meet again…

What a handsome little tiger!

I have to post these great pictures of my beautiful boy Skipper, taken by my sister-in-law Jessica, a budding young photographer (remember, you can click on them to make them bigger):

Isn't he regal?



















I wonder what he's thinking about?

Do we take it for granted?

"If an earthly king, our emperor, wrote you a letter, would you not read it with joy? Certainly, with great rejoicing and careful attention. You have been sent a letter, not by an earthly emperor, but by the King of Heaven. And yet you almost despise such a gift, so priceless a treasure."

~Tikhon of Zadonsk, writing in 18th century Russia

Lord, forgive me for not always treasuring Your Word, for letting it get too familiar, and for being more excited about reading the newest book I've purchased than reading what You have written for me...may I never, by actions of indifference, despise such a priceless treasure...

The Eyes Have It!

So I had my first eye exam in almost 10 years today...I didn't know you should get your eyes checked more often, even if there weren't any problems, but I guess you are supposed to get them checked every 2 to 4 years.

I've known since I was a little girl that I have really poor distance sight in my right eye and good vision in my left eye. Basically, my left eye compensates for my right eye's inability to clearly see things that are far away, so I've never needed glasses. I thought maybe it would be a good idea to get reading glasses now that I'm getting "older" (yeah, I know, 30 is really old!) so I scheduled the appointment to get a doctor's opinion.

Basically, what he told me is that my eyes make such a good team, with my left eye being my "distance" eye, like for driving, and my right eye seeing just fine close-up for reading, that I pretty much have "built-in bifocals." He says I will be able to read just fine without glasses well into my old age. Most people have to pay big bucks for bifocals to be able to continue to read as they get older, but he said I got mine for free! Only 1 out of 1,000 people have eyes like mine. Wow, I feel pretty special! And glad that I don't need glasses or contacts, and most likely won't for a very long time!

Ahhh, sunshine...

Yesterday afternoon Andrew and I went to a park and sat on a blanket in the grass by a pond to have a picnic lunch. Ducks, geese, and seagulls (yes, seagulls: there seemed to be a seagull convention in our part of town) added the background music. Then, while Andrew worked on his laptop in preparation for the evening service, I took a nap in the sun. I can't even remember the last time I took a nap outside! It was so peaceful. I'm loving this 70-degree weather we're having right now...blue sky and sunshine make me happy!

This is the park we were at; I found this picture online, but it gives you an idea of our afternoon:

God knew California weather was perfect for me, so in His providence He moved us here. I don't miss the Oregon rain (sorry Anna!) and would never be able to live on the East Coast and deal with all the snow and ice (you all who live over there are made from hardier stuff than I am)!

Praising God for beautiful weather today...

Pictures!

(See previous entry for explanation!)

I'm back!

I wrote up a nice, long blog entry last Thursday evening telling you all about my great plans for the weekend, but by the time I went to publish it, Blogger had stopped working. So I will just have to tell you about it now, after the fact!

On Friday morning, I flew to Kansas City, Missouri, where I spent two nights at a hotel with seven other ladies from Hannah's Prayer, the online community I am a part of (see link to left). We spent two days talking, laughing, shopping, eating, and just being women! On Saturday night, we all dressed up in retro-style formal gowns, donned tiaras, and went out to eat at an Italian restaurant! We had such a fun time! Here's a picture of all of us at the restaurant, and one of me in the dress I wore for the occasion:

On Sunday afternoon, when our event ended, I went to stay the night with my college roommate, Becky Johnson, who has been living in the Kansas City area for a month now, working as a nanny. I was privileged to be the first guest in her cute little apartment! We had a great time shopping, visiting, watching chick flicks, and finding good places to eat. On Monday evening, she took me to the airport and I flew home to Sacramento, arriving around 11:00PM.

Andrew picked me up at the airport and we came home. I was very tired (it was going on 2:00AM Kansas City time) and ready to go to sleep. I went to put something in the garage, and when I opened the door I saw a completely gift-wrapped vehicle with a heart-shaped balloon on top that had "I Love You" written on it! My old car had been giving me problems, so Andrew had bought me a new one! (It's not NEW new -- it has 3,000-something miles on it.)

So now I am driving a four-door hatchback 2005 Toyota Prius, a gas-electric hybrid! A guy at church who sells used cars gave Andrew a great deal on it. Some of the highlights:

*Gets great gas mileage (about 50 miles to the gallon) and is better for the environment
*Has a 6-CD changer!
*Voice-activated GPS system

It's also a "smart" car, so when I have the special key in my purse, I don't even need to take it out to get into the car. As soon as I walk up to the door, it unlocks. Then I don't even need the key to start the car. As long as the key is just in my purse on the seat beside me, I press the "Power" button and the car starts -- like turning on a computer! I can't get over the fact that you don't have to turn a key to start the engine! This is a fun car to drive!

So YAY for my sweet, thoughtful husband, and for the many blessings God pours out on us that we don't deserve, but that He so graciously continues to give. :-)

(I apologize for the lack of pictures of the car, but for some reason, Blogger is being a pain and not letting me insert them here. I will try again tomorrow...)

My nephew

My sister's baby, Benjamin, is now seven months old. I wish I could see him more often than I do, but they live 600 miles away. As Ben gets older, I look forward to cute conversations with him on the phone, and getting little letters from him in the mail. I can't wait to see what his personality will be like, and hear what his voice sounds like. He's definitely a gift from God!

Here he is, in all his cuteness:



















Giddy-up, Teddy!

I have a confession to make.

My Christmas tree is still up.

Yes, it's almost a month after Christmas, and the tree is still there in the corner of the living room. It's an artificial tree, so I don't have to worry about it drying out and shedding its needles everywhere.

Why is it still up? Well, I just haven't gotten around to taking it down yet. There's always something else to do.

It's been there for so long that it seems like part of the living room decor now...it's going to look empty in that corner when I take it down!

It would save me some work next Christmas if I just left it up all year! Hmmmm....

No, I don't think I'd be able to endure the strange looks from people visiting my home in June or July and seeing the Christmas tree, all sparkly and bright, standing in the corner.

No, I will have to take it down this week.

Confession over.

Surprised after all...

When I discovered that Andrew was flying my family down for my birthday, I assumed that they were coming on Sunday morning. On Saturday evening, Andrew and I left home to "go out for dinner together," but first he stopped by the grocery store to buy something while I waited in the car. Then we drove on a little further; I had no idea where we were going. Then he got a phone call and said that he needed to go back to the house to fax something to one of his company's drivers, and that it couldn't wait. We got back to our house (we had been gone about 25 minutes at that point) and he asked me if I wanted to come in with him. I said I'd just wait for him in the car. He came back out about a minute later and said he thought one of our cats had "made a mess" in the living room, so I figured I should go in and clean it up, since we'd be having company the next day.

When I got inside, everyone jumped out and yelled, "Surprise!" I saw Andrew's family, my family (who had flown in that evening), and some friends of ours. I was truly surprised that my party was at my own house! And I was very glad I had cleaned the place up!

I had a WONDERFUL weekend with my family. It was so cool for the four of us siblings to just hang out, and for all of us to enjoy the togetherness that we rarely get to experience anymore with us living so far away. We made a lot of good memories this weekend. They flew back to Oregon last night. I miss them!

And by the way, being 30 isn't that bad!

For more great pictures and my sister Anna's description of the weekend, visit her blog by clicking on "Anna and Matt's Page" under my links!

Here's Andrew and me with the beautiful birthday cake my mother-in-law made, and my whole family after church on Sunday (minus my sister's husband):

Books!

As you can probably tell from the background of my blog, and the way I compare my life to a story under the blog title, I love books. I have a modest antique book collection. I have a library (really more of an office, but hey, a girl can dream) with one wall of bookshelves filled to the brim and overflowing with books of all sorts (and more books in the living room).

Aside from my relationship with Christ, books define me. When I think of myself, I think of books -- the books I read as a child, the books I've collected over the years, the way books have challenged my thinking, increased my vocabulary, introduced me to characters (fictional and real) that I otherwise would never have met. Almost every night you'll find me reading in bed, sometimes into the wee hours of the morning. I really enjoy volunteering in our church library. I joined a women's book club last year. I guess you could call me a bookworm!

I love how books open up new worlds, encourage me, make me laugh and cry. I love coming to the end of a story and breathing out a deep sigh of satisfaction at the perfect ending of a tale well told. I love drinking in language that sings and dances and flies across the page in the hands of a skilled writer. What do you love about books?

I'm currently reading The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God by Dallas Willard. All I can say is "Wow." I'm only on chapter 3 and my thinking has already been challenged and I am looking at the Christian life in a new way. It's not an easy read...it's pretty deep. But I can't wait to read the rest of it! What book are you reading right now?

Here are some of my favorite quotes on books:

"The familiar faces of my books welcomed me. I threw myself into my reading chair and gazed around me with pleasure. All my old friends present -- there in spirit, ready to talk with me any moment when I was in the mood, making no claim upon my attention when I was not." ~ George MacDonald

"Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house." ~ Henry Ward Beecher

"Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier." ~ Kathleen Norris

"In the case of good books, the point is not how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you." ~ Mortimer Adler

"In a very real sense, people who have read good literature have lived more than people who cannot or will not read. " ~ S.I. Hayakawa

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. " ~ Dr. Suess

How many readers do I have?

Sometimes I wonder how many people actually read this blog on a regular basis...the little counter at the bottom of the page indicates that quite a few people have read it...probably half of that number is me coming on to check if anyone has commented on my latest entry! (hee hee)

So just for fun, and because we all know how curious I am (see previous post), if you are a regular reader of "Turning the Pages," could you leave me a comment telling me so? Even those of you who have never left a comment before? (If you really don't want to leave a comment, or don't know how, and you have my personal e-mail address, you could let me know that way too!)

I love surprises (even ruined ones)!

In order to understand this story, you need to know that my 30th birthday is coming up this weekend (scary, I know).

So I was sitting at my computer yesterday afternoon, checking e-mail or something important like that. Unlike my dear, sweet husband Andrew, I'm not oblivious to the world when I'm working; I still pay attention to what's going on around me (one of the perks of being a woman).

I heard Andrew make a phone call in his office, right across the hall, and then, while he was still talking on the phone (trying to keep his voice down, I noticed) he walked down the hall and went into the garage to continue the conversation, shutting the door behind him. He does not usually conduct his telephone conversations in the garage.

Immediately my sharp little mind concluded he was planning something for my birthday that he didn't want me to hear. Maybe he was ordering flowers to be delivered. Maybe he was making reservations for a nice dinner or a trip somewhere. My mind immediately jumped into Sherlock Holmes mode, and I thought, "Maybe the phone number for whatever place he called is still up on his computer screen (assuming that he looked something up online)." So without stopping to think about the implications, I rushed across the hall to his office and looked at his computer.

On the screen was a confirmation e-mail from Southwest Airlines. Again, not pausing to think about the fact that I was about to ruin a good surprise, I glanced down at the passenger names and saw my parents' names -- at that point, I began to feel guilty and didn't read the name under theirs (although I saw that there were more names there). I jaunted back over to my office as Andrew came out of the garage, still on the phone. I heard him give a confirmation number and ask about adding another person for the same rate (why he thought I would not be paying attention to his conversation, I have no idea).

At this point, I had a decision to make. I could pretend I didn't know about the surprise, keep it in all week and then act really surprised when I saw my family this weekend, or I could come clean with Andrew and admit that I had peeked. The idea of such deception didn't sit well with me, so I decided to confess. I jokingly tried to blame Andrew for not being more careful about calling the airline with me in the house (I notice EVERYTHING, especially anything out of the ordinary). But I had to admit that I was also to blame for giving in to my curiousity about who he had called! I told him it was still a surprise, whether I found out now or on Sunday, and that it was a really great gift (which truly, it is). I know he was a little disappointed, because he had been looking forward to my reaction when I saw them. To be honest, I was a little mad at myself for spoiling such a great surprise.

But in the end, I think that my knowing about their coming will work out for the best. My mom, dad, brother, two sisters, and baby nephew will all be spending Sunday night here, so I am glad for the chance to clean my house and get the guest room ready and have enough food in the fridge for them! It'll save my dad some money on postage, too, as he was going to mail me my birthday presents so they'd arrive by my birthday (which is Saturday), so I wouldn't get suspicious.

Moral of the story for Andrew: Always conduct secret surprise conversations at the office where curious wife cannot overhear!

Moral of the story for me: Learn to ignore secret surprise conversations I might happen to overhear!

P.S. I'M SO EXCITED THAT MY FAMILY WILL ALL BE HERE FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love creative writing!

Granted, I don't do as much of it as I used to, but maybe my new creative writing blog, Inkstains on Blank Pages, will help motivate me!

Check out the link over there on the left sidebar!

Rain, rain, go away!

Rain. Lots of rain. Pouring, flowing, saturating our back yard.

Leaky skylight:

drip,

drip,

dripping into a green plastic bowl on the dining room floor.

Gray and gloomy outside. Too much rain.

Messy yard. WetFallenYellowWillowLeavesStickingToOurShoes and hitching a ride inside. Messy entryway.

No sunshine or blue sky. I miss them.

I guess I can read his mind!

Andrew went outside this afternoon to load his stuff into his SUV. I was checking e-mail in my office. A few moments later, he came walking in with his hands behind his back.

Andrew: Guess what I found?

Me: Um...a package?

Andrew (a bit disappointed that I guessed so quickly): OK, three guesses who it's from.

Me: I don't know! (Pausing for a few seconds.) Anna?

Andrew (looking a bit shocked and then laughing): Did you see it?

Me: No!

Andrew (setting the package from my sister Anna on my desk): Were you expecting a package from Anna?

Me: No.

Andrew walks away, laughing in disbelief that I guessed correctly on the first try.

For fun...

Old journals...

Recently, while looking through some boxes for Christmas decorations, I came across the journal I kept when I was an exchange student in Chile my junior year of high school (August 20, 1991 to August 3, 1992). While in Chile, I lived with a very nice (but non-Christian) family. I was 15/16 years old while keeping this journal. It's so interesting to look back and see what kind of teenager I was, and how much I've matured and changed since then -- and how some things about me are still the same!

Here, for your enjoyment, are some random entries from that journal -- keep in mind that I was very homesick the first few weeks in Chile. It's funny to look back now and see the emotional ups and downs I went through in those first few weeks...but it sure wasn't funny at the time. I really thought I'd made a mistake in becoming an exchange student. Some of my entries are pretty melodramatic! :-)

August 25, 1991
I love and miss my real family so much. What have I ever done to deserve this? Please Lord, deliver me from my troubles, I can't bear them anymore. I never knew until now just how much I love my family, my friends, and relatives. Maybe that's one reason why this year could be good for me! I'll appreciate people more! All I know is I feel so sad. My soul aches and my body is weary and my mind is overwhelmed. I'm a mess right now.

August 27, 1991
GOD IS AWESOME! I feel His power here much more than I ever did in the States. I feel so assured! I still miss my family, friends, and life very very very very much, but at least I know I'm not alone!

August 28, 1991 -- morning
I miss my family so much! The only thing I want is to be with them! If I could have anything in the entire world, it would be to go home. I wish I'd never heard of Rotary Youth Exchange. I am so distressed! I want to cry ten million tears, each day I'm here. Then I could build a boat from all the boxes of Kleenex I used and float home on a sea of tears to my beloved family... I am so...discouraged, depressed, hopeless, sad, lonely, confused, tired, and scared, worried, apprehensive, sick, and angry at myself. I never want to hear another word of Spanish, see another Latin face or taste another Chilean dish again! I am blind with homesickness. My heart aches as though it would stop beating. I'm so sad I can't even cry. (Note from grown-up Sarah: I go on like this for a while, but I'll spare you the drama!)
August 28 -- evening
I must tell myself -- I'm going to have a good year! Don't worry! Everything is going to be great! The year's gonna go very fast and soon you'll be with your beloved family! The Lord is with you, and He loves you and wants the best for you! There is a purpose for everything, and the Lord has His own reasons why He allowed you to come here. You're never alone! You're never alone.

September 4, 1991
Oh no, I just got hit by a wave of homesickness. I want to go home so badly! I'm never going to last a whole year! But what am I saying? Of course I can last -- I have Jesus! It's so good to write my feelings down when they come -- it helps ease the pain a little because I'm not keeping it all inside; and it will be nice to be able to look back later and see how I was feeling.

September 9, 1991
I've been eating so much these past two days! I need to stop eating so much! I just eat when I'm bored, which is a lot. It's so easy when I'm bored to just want to munch, munch, munch! I love the food here! I need to start watching my intake of food though! (Note from grown-up Sarah: What happened to "I never want to taste another Chilean dish again"?)

September 12, 1991
I had a really good day today! I am really content here now! We got to come home from school early, which made me happy! I got a letter today, but it came a little late! It was intended to help me cheer up, and feel less homesick, but I already feel great! I'm so accustomed to life here -- I don't miss my family hardly at all! Wow, I wonder what happened? People's prayers? :-) Maybe, but all I know is I'm happy.

October 4, 1991
I know this year will go fast! It already is -- some of the things I did here the first couple weeks seems like ages ago! I can't believe how upset I was -- well actually I can believe it! It's a very difficult thing to do! But I'm also glad I'm over it now!... I need to keep praying because I feel like the devil's been trying to discourage me lately, and sometimes I can't stop bad thoughts from coming into my head no matter how hard I try! It's irritating! I need to be filled constantly with the Holy Spirit! I'm so glad I'm a Christian! I love You Lord!

October 6, 1991
I feel like there's been a kind-of spiritual battle going on around me the last few days -- Satan was trying hard to pull me away from God, and he was using all his best tricks. But I ended up triumphing over him, because I had Jesus by my side, and He is much, much more powerful than the Devil!

July 30, 1992
I seriously can't believe that I only have 3 1/2 days left in Chile. How could the year have gone by so fast? I'm a little nervous, I'll admit. I can feel it in my stomach! I'm also excited about seeing everyone again! AAAAH! :-)

So that's just a small sampling of my year in Chile, leaving out what I wrote about my daily activities and relationships, just focusing on my feelings. It's cool to me to see how much I loved and trusted the Lord even as a 15-year-old. He certainly had His hand on my life all along! Looking back, I can see that my year in Chile, adapting to a new culture and language, prepared me to one day meet my husband. When Andrew found out I had been an exchange student, it confirmed to him that I would be someone that could fit into the Russian culture he is so much a part of. It's also funny to me now to look back, knowing that just four years from the time I wrote all that, I would already be married! I never would have believed it at the time!

Life is so interesting...

Cool photo software...and it's free!

I found this awesome, free photo software from Google called Picasa. Here's the link to check it out for yourself:

http://picasa.google.com/index.html

It lets you do cool editing things to photos, and has this neat collage feature. Here are a few examples, using different numbers of pictures in the collage (remember, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them):

























































You can also layer two or more pictures on top of each other, like I did in this festive photo of my adorable nephew, Ben:















Enjoy!

What a sandwich!

Yesterday, after church, Andrew and I decided to drive up to Auburn, one of the historic mining towns in the Foothills around here. It's about a 40 minute drive from our house. The weather was beautiful -- blue sky, sunshine, and temps around 60 degrees.

We actually stopped in "Old Auburn," the historical, "touristy" part of town. We had lunch first, at a little place called Mary Belle's Restaurant. Then we window shopped for a while, and got some specialty coffees to drink while we walked. Here's what part of Main Street looks like:













It was very relaxing, and one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon...just Andrew and me, exploring a town we've never explored before. If you can call walking up and down Main Street checking out all the little shops "exploring!" We actually did have to walk a ways up a side street to get to the coffee shop someone told us about, which took us past the Placer County Courthouse -- isn't it impressive?















But back to Mary Belle's Restaurant. When I first opened the menu, nothing was sounding good. I wasn't extremely hungry, which didn't help. I decided on the Reuben sandwich. That turned out to be a very good decision.

This Reuben sandwich was delicious! The rye bread was grilled to a point of crunchy, buttery perfection and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. The sandwich was filled with a warm, tasty combination of chopped corned beef, sauerkraut, grilled onions, and melted Swiss cheese. What I especially loved was how they didn't pack the sandwich so full that I could barely get my mouth around it. The amount of "sandwich filling" was just right. The Reuben looked something like this (although this is not a picture of the actual item I ate):









As I began to eat the sandwich, I commented to Andrew how good it was. I offered him a bite, and he agreed that it was, indeed, very tasty. I told him I would be craving this Reuben from Mary Belle's in the future. I speculated that someday, I will be at some restaurant, and order a Reuben, and it will arrive at my table, and I will take a bite, and I will comment that "it's nowhere near as good as that one I had in Old Auburn." I said that one day I'm going to say to him, "Can we go back to Old Auburn for lunch so I can have another Reuben sandwich from Mary Belle's?"

(Alas, my prediction came true, for I am craving another one of those sandwiches as I type. I even stopped by our local family restaurant on the way home today to see about getting a Reuben to go -- although I knew it would not surpass the one I had yesterday -- and they didn't even have them on the menu!)

The waitress at Mary Belle's came to the table and asked how everything was. I told her, in short,

"This is pretty much the best Reuben sandwich ever made."

(I know, I know...like anyone could even know that!) :-)

May all your sandwiches be delicious!

Chronicles of Narnia...

Andrew and I are planning to see the Narnia movie, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, this Saturday with our friends Michael and Allison. I'm so excited to see this book brought to life on the big screen! I know it's going to be a wonderful movie...

Pastor Bob loved the Chronicles of Narnia series, and read through it annually. After he died, I thought of the passage from the end of the last book, after the main characters have died and are entering heaven. So cool to know that Pastor Bob is living this out now:

"All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

God is so good. How do people get through life without Him?

Back home...

We had a great time with family over the holiday week. Time spent with my family is always refreshing! It was fun to see Ben again -- he was five months old on Thanksgiving day. Here's an adorable shot of him with Anna and Matt's kittens, Missy and Bella:















So now we're home, back to cold, rainy weather (yeah, that summery weather we were having last week is history). Time to put up the Christmas decorations and settle in for the winter!

A weekend with my Mom...

I had such a wonderful weekend!

My Mom flew in from Portland on Thursday evening. On Friday afternoon, she came to my Russian class with me. That was fun (although she didn't understand anything)! Afterwards we drove four hours south to the city of Visalia, checked into a motel, and that evening went to see Petra perform at a church in town.

Petra is one of the first Christian bands I started listening to when I was a freshman in highschool. Their album Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out was the first one I owned, and I would listen to it daily. When I spent my 11th grade year in Chile as an exchange student, I had their Beyond Belief video with me, and it was one of my biggest links to home. I watched it all the time! Petra's music was very instrumental (no pun intended) in my spiritual life during my most formative years. When I saw that they are retiring this year (after over 30 years in ministry), and that they were on their farewell tour, I knew I couldn't miss the chance to see them perform one last time. Visalia was the closest location, hence the road trip!

The concert was awesome (loud, but awesome)! There were two bands that performed before Petra: Bread of Stone and Farewell June. They were good, but the crowd went crazy when Petra came out! They performed a lot of great songs, including a few medleys. It was so fun to sing along with them live! Finally, the concert was over at 11:00PM. Mom and I grabbed a quick dinner from McDonalds on the way back to the motel, and turned in for the night.

Aside from the Petra concert, it was so wonderful to have those extended hours in the car to just chat with Mom and get to know each other better. Living so far apart from each other for the last six years has made it difficult to keep our relationship as close as I'd like, so this was a real treat for me. She flew home on Sunday after attending church with us.

Thanks, God, for my Mom, and for the chance to spend this time with her. And thanks for Petra, and the great ministry they've had all these years. Thanks for giving me this chance to see them in concert -- it was truly a blessing for me!

Here's the cute Petra t-shirt I got at the concert:
















And here's a photo of Mom and me at the airport:

A photo shoot...

Andrew's sister Jessica (who celebrated her 15th birthday last week) is taking a digital photography class for school. One of her assignments was to take some portraiture shots of three different people, and one of the people she chose was me! She came over last night and took some "everyday life" type shots of me, as well as a few "portrait" type shots. Here they are -- I think she did a great job!

Picking Pomegranates




















Cutting Bread




















On the Computer




















Say, "Cheese!"

For less than $20!

Andrew and I impulsively decided to go out and see a movie tonight. The new Wallace and Gromit movie (rated G; always a good choice) seemed like the best option at the cinema closest to us, so we headed out into the brisk night, grabbed a quick chicken dinner at El Pollo Loco, and made it to the 9:20 showing.

We were the only ones in the theater!

Granted, it was one of their smaller theaters, and the movie has been out for a while now. Most people were there to see newer movies. I suppose everyone who might have wanted to see Wallace and Gromit late on a Monday night was either at a Halloween party or recovering from trick-or-treating. So it was a good night to go!

I commented to Andrew how cool it was that we rented a whole theater for ourselves, for a private showing of the movie, for less than $20!

And the movie was pretty funny, too!

I love life!

I'm so thankful to the Lord for the gift of life! How wonderful to be able to enjoy this world that He's created, and to have fellowship with sisters and brothers in Christ. I have so much to be grateful for, and I am! Here's just a sampling of all the reasons I have to smile each day. I have...

...the privilege of being God's daughter, of having my sins forgiven and the assurance of a home in Heaven, where I'll be with Him forever!

...an amazing gift of a husband -- Andrew and I have been blessed with a loving, serene relationship. We get along so well...I can't imagine my life without him! I am so grateful for the lack of stress and tension in our home!

...two of the most beautiful cats on the planet, who provide lots of snuggles and opportunities for amusement!

...the chance to own lots of books and have my own mini-library. For a bibliophile like me, that's a definite reason to smile!

...all of my basic needs (food, clothing, shelter) more than amply provided for. Thank you, God!

...opportunities to serve God and others using the gifts and talents He's given me. There's nothing more satisfying than doing something productive that you know will bring God glory!

...the privilege of living in a world where such things as flowers, trees, oceans, and sunsets exist.

...the ability to laugh and have fun with family and friends.

You know, I could go on and on... What makes me smile the most, though, is knowing that God is in control of my life, that everything that happens is part of His perfect plan to make me more like Jesus, and that He makes no mistakes. His will for me is perfect, and who can argue with perfection?

God is so awesome! I don't even care if I come across as too positive, or like I have my head in the clouds...I know evil exists in the world, and that life isn't without its problems, but these things are merely passing shadows. I choose to set my mind on things above (Colossians 3:1-3; Philippians 4:8)!

May your love for life and your joy in living it be ever increasing! :-)

I had a wonderful weekend!

There's nothing quite like a beautiful fall day in the Northwest...and I was blessed to experience one last Saturday!

I had flown into Portland that morning. The sun was shining; the weather was mild. So we decided to take a drive to the Vista House at Crown Point (http://www.vistahouse.com/photos.html). It's often quite windy there, hence the nickname we always called it in our family: The Windy House. I've been there on days when you could practically lean backwards and not fall over because the wind holds you up! But this day, there was barely a breeze. It was perfectly lovely, with patches of blue sky and puffy white clouds overhead, and the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in the background...(deep sigh). We ate frozen fruit bars from the little concession stand, and climbed the stairs to the top of the building for the best view! Here is a photo of me with my parents:

Later that evening, we visited our alma mater in Portland (Multnomah Bible College), where Anna's husband, Matt, played in an alumni basketball game against the current team. The alumni team lost, but they had fun trying!

On Sunday, after church, I visited two friends in Vancouver (Washington, where my sister lives). It was nice to see both Irina and Galina again! Sunday evening, my parents and my aunt and uncle came to Anna's house for dinner, and after everyone left, Anna and I settled down with home-brewed decaf lattes and home-baked shortbread to watch Sense and Sensibility -- that is such a great "sister" movie, and I loved watching it with my sister!

Of course, one of the highlights of the trip was getting to see and play with Benjamin, my adorable nephew who is now four months old. Here's a cute shot I snapped of him in the car:

Monday morning came all too quickly, and it was back to Sacramento. But we will be in the Northwest again in November to spend Thanksgiving week with them, so I have that to look forward to!

I thank the Lord for my family, and especially for such a special friend and sister as Anna!

Going On a Plane Ride!!

On Saturday morning I will be flying to Portland, where my lovely sister and my adorable nephew will pick me up! I'm so excited to see my family again! It will be a quick trip (I fly home Monday morning). But better than nothing!

Praying you all have a wonderful weekend, too!

Here's a random photo of my cats for your enjoyment:

Wait

I'm sure most of us have prayer requests that God has yet to answer with a clear "yes" or "no." This poem has been an encouragement to me, and I have found it to be true in my life that, as the poem talks about, there are wonderful blessings to be found in the waiting!

"Wait"

by Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate...
and the Master so gently said,"Wait."

"Wait? You say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate
hangs in the balance and you tell me to wait?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign.
Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.

You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
we need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply."

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
as my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine...
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
you'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
when darkness and silence are all you can see.

You'd never experience the fullness of love
when the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
but you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,
the faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
from an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
what it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
but oh, the loss, if you lost what I'm doing in you.

So be silent, My child, and in time you will see
that the greatest of gifts is to truly know Me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still "WAIT".

God is good...

...all the time!

That is a truth that never changes, no matter our circumstances...

I'm so glad we have a good God!

Praising Him today for the gift of life (both physical and spiritual)...and thanking Him that He gives us hope for the future!

Missing Anna...

No, my sister Anna isn't missing. But I'm missing her.

With Anna, I can just be me. I can be goofy and silly, or serious and deep. We share inside jokes, reminisce about the same songs and TV shows, and often find that we say something at the same time or are making the same gesture at the same time. It's sometimes eerie! I miss being able to call her and say, "Hey, want to go see a movie or come over for lunch?" Because she lives 10 hours away by car, and that would be impractical. I love being her big sis, but I also love being her friend. Seeing her a couple of times a year is just not enough. I was spoiled this summer by getting to spend five weeks with her when she gave birth to my nephew, Benjamin. We knew that an opportunity like that would probably never come again, so we treasured the time together.

In my opinion, sisters were never meant to live far apart -- we're supposed to share each other's lives. So we do our best with the resources technology has given us (e-mail and phone calls). But it's often not enough. I miss my sister. A lot.

October Already?

Where has this year gone? It's hard to believe it's October (even more so because it's still so warm here and I had to turn the air conditioning on for a while today). I can't wait for the truly autumnal weather, and to be able to wear sweaters again...

Speaking of sweaters, another thing I like about the cold weather is that I don't have to get irritated by seeing so many immodestly dressed girls, either on the university campus where I take my Russian class, or even at church! It's nice when they have to wear sweaters and jackets that cover up the things that only their husbands (or future husbands) should see! Seriously, ladies, give the guys a break (and respect your purity in the process)! Well, I could go on, but this is a "soapbox issue" for me, and I'll refrain!

I'm going to work on organizing my library this afternoon...I love the sound of those words -- "my library" -- OK, so it's still technically combined with my office, and only one wall has bookshelves, but it's better than nothing! And better than what I had before we remodeled! It's fun to finally have a place to display all my treasures...

So I am off to shelve and dust and organize my paper friends...

Until next time, keep your eyes on eternity!