Sometimes I Write

I hope Abi doesn’t mind me stealing her words, but I couldn’t articulate it any better than she did. Her words are incredibly beautiful and most definitely true. She posted this and many other pictures of our day together on her blog yesterday with the following words:

Today’s post is a request for prayers for Angi. For those of you new to this blog, she is my friend in Indiana that lost her husband two years ago. They were in a horrible car accident and Kyle didn’t survive.

Please pray for her as she struggles through yet another year without the man she loves. She is doing well, but there is much healing to be done. If you get a chance, visit her at her blog (which she rarely updates) 😉 and leave her a note of encouragement. She’s a great friend!

And as for Kyle, we miss you friend!

What a wonderful day! One of the best I’ve had in a few weeks. Worship was wonderful. The sermon about “Greed” hit me between the eyes and the music moved my heart. Once again as I belted out the words to one of my new favorite songs, I felt the Holy Spirit fill me with Joy, Compassion, Love, and Grace.

Come Lord Jesus, Come

All who are thirsty, All who are weak
Come to the fountain,
Dip your heart in the stream of Life

Let the pain and the sorrow be washed away
In the waves of His mercy
As deep cries out to deep (we sing)

Come Lord Jesus, Come

I remember a time that it was intimidating to talk to new people at church. That was when we were fairly new and I didn’t know visitors from those who were usually there. Today as I met a new couple I mused at the confidence I’ve gained and the genuine happiness to meet more of God’s children searching for a church family. I hope they return. I think they will.

After worship my family had the joy and privilege of having lunch and an afternoon with some of my favorite people in Denver. I’m speaking of my friends in my Captivating Study Group and their families. 10 adults and 16 children dined and played at my friend Abi’s house. It was the perfect day for a BBQ and great conversation. The five of us ladies have been a group all summer, but this was the first time our husbands had all been together and that ALL 16 children have been present. What a group we are! We took a group picture (the five of us) so when Abi sends it to me, I’ll post it. I wish I could articulate how much these women mean to me and how much they have helped and challenged me on my journey the past few months. I know I’ve blogged about them before, but my words don’t do us all justice. I thank God for working through Paula to bring us all together.

Abi and Kristi are both runners. Kristi ran in the “Race For The Cure” races this morning before worship. The Denver race is the largest in the country with 65,000 people participating in 4 races to raise money for breast cancer research and honor/remember those the disease has effected. As Kristi described the race, its participants and the onlookers to us, tears streamed down our faces. What a wonderful thing! I think next year I’ll join her – though I’m sure I’d never keep up with her. I may need to walk most of the way. 😉 I would have gone to support her, but I forgot all about it being today. Abi is running a marathon next weekend. 26.2 miles! The woman is amazing! I’m hoping to see her and cheer her on. I’m so proud of both of them. How blessed I am to share life with four such amazing women!

Today I’m a copycat. I “borrowed” this from Jared, who borrowed it from Liz, who borrowed it…you get the picture. I haven’t done anything like this in a long time, so here it is. I’ve done 84 of the 150. Not too bad. (I miscounted over at J’s blog.)

The things I have done are in bold type:

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (don’t they always come at the worst possible moment?)
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day – (does a few hours count? 😉
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states (I’ve visited 30+)
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children (this one is on-going for me)
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city just to start over.
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication – (define large)
106. Lost over 100 pounds (and gained and lost and gained)
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth (I’ve helped a human give birth too!)
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery (3 c-sections)
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi (that is different than sashimi) – YUK!
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad – and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

Happy Birthday Tawnya!!!

(She’s the one on the right)

Tawnya, you have been an unwavering and loyal friend. I’m so thankful that God brought us together way back when we were 17 year old college freshmen. We’ve officially been friends for half of our lives! (Not that we’re old or anything!) 😉 We have shared secrets and sorrows, laughter and tears, and best of all, we’ve shared our faith with each other. I couldn’t ask for a better friend. I miss living close enough to have lunch, but love our long talks on the phone. (Yeah Cingular mobile to mobile!) You have added so much colorful creativity and joy to my life. I’ve watched you uplift my husband and play with my children. You have challenged me to be a better person. You truly are a part of my family. I love you my friend.

I hope you have a wonderful day!