Fun in the Sun.

So, yesterday was probably, officially, the best beach day of my life. Not only because it was HOT outside, crystal clear skies, and blue water, but because I got to spend it with someone extremely special to me. Yes.. Brian. We had a blast! We started out at the beach in Lincoln City, laying in the sun, enjoying the company and reading the Word. We were there for about 2 1/2 hours before we decided it was actually too hot for our liking and we needed AC! So we went to Starbucks down the street, which just so happened to not have AC, lol. But it was good anyway. After that we decided to check out some glass blowing facilities! The first place we went was a very small business held out of an older house, which was fun. :) We missed the opportunity to watch the act of glass blowing at the first spot, so we found another place and caught the tail end of the glass blowing for the day. The art was SO incredible, colorful and unique. We had a blast there. After that, we headed to Mo's (Brian's first clam chowder experience in 10 years), and enjoyed the sites. Then it was back to the beach to watch the sunset and listen to worship.. okay... incredible. My word it was a total blast. I was so thankful to be able to spend the entire day with my boyfriend. :) Excellent.

Short but Sweet!

Today I was a wedding coordinator's assistant. :) Actually, I just watched Chris Porter's baby girl, Reagan, while Chris was putting together a wedding rehearsal. We had fun together, she was such a smiley baby. Here she is!!!!



Love her. :)

I've already written a post on this song, but I'm just going to give you a link.

http://www.myspace.com/trillium1

Listen to "Dry Bones." I can't get over it right now.

I Really Love You

I am babysitting a very wiped out 10 month old princess at the moment. After laying her down for bed, I decided my soul needs some refreshing - some Jesus time. I am listening to my current favorite worship leader, Rick Pino's song "I Really Love You." For the most part it is an almost free-style song (not as in rap, lol) where he sings out what is on his heart. It's about a 10 minute song, but I listen to it almost everyday on my way to or from work. It has so many scriptures packed into one song I couldn't be more restored than I am after I listen to it. Here's one of my favorite sections:

"I really love you... I really want you...
You lead me beside still waters, O Lord, there You restore my soul.
O Lord, whom have I in heaven but You? You are the Author and Finisher of all faith, O Lord!
O God, lead me not into temptation, O Lord, but may my cup be overflowing!
I shall not want, I shall not be in want, I really love You!

I really love you... I really want you...
O Lord, make us one with the Father, make us one with the Son, make us one with the Holy Spirit as You are three in one!
O Jesus we desire the unity of heaven, O God so we may see Your face!
Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts, for the pure in heart shall see God!
So we tell You O Lord, we tell You, O Lord,
I really love you... I really want you..."

For some reason the phrase that always strikes me the hardest is "for the pure in heart shall see God." It comes from Psalm 24:3-4 which says,

"Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not life up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false."

Once again, I am finding myself lacking a conclusion to my thoughts. I love that song, I love that Psalm, and because God loves me so, He has put it in my heart. Truths to live by! Now that I am entering a new season of life, I seek so desperately to have clean hands and a pure heart. Lord, make this my desire always, in and out of every season! I really love You.

Nothing like star gazing in a wheat field with a man after God's own heart.

Longest title ever!!! But it definitely sums up my life right now. Wow, I am just in awe right now over God's love for me and a man named Brian Bradley. He is my new boyfriend. :) Life has been a whirlwind the last week or so, I haven't been able to compose any thoughts to blog about thus far. In fact, right now I am still trying to put my thoughts about all of this into words, so bare with me.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am being pursued!!! And it feels incredible. :) Brian and I have been going to Outward Church basically since it started up two years ago. I, however, have been in Hawaii for the majority of those two years and lacked the chance to get to know many people, other than my close friends. Branching out is a good thing, I've discovered. :-) Now, I have been home since December and have had the chance to really get plugged into the church and build some awesome friendships with lots of men and women after God's heart. It is such a privilege to be part of this church! I have admired Brian for quite some time now, since he gave his testimony in front of the church a few months ago. However, I never put too much thought into it for various reasons. I have known for a while though, that he is one solid man of God who would make any girl a very blessed one. Secretly wishing it could be me, but doubting it was possible.

After a long talk last night under the stars, I discovered he has been thinking I, also, would be a cool person to get to know. All I have to say is thank goodness for match making friends! A push my direction from Josh, and hints here and there from my Amy girl have brought Brian and I to the point we are now - boyfriend and girlfriend! I am SO thankful for not only matchmaking friends interested in my relationship status, but GODLY friends who see the deeper possibilities behind such matchmaking. Brian and I had our first official date last Thursday evening - which was wonderful btw. We've been hanging out ever since and decided to take it deeper. It's happening fast, it's a whirlwind and it is exciting. I could write so, so much more about him but I guess I will save those for later posts. :)

It's great to get my thoughts out here, because for some reason lately I have been hesitant in my journaling. Hesitant = lazy.

On another note...

Please soak in this quote. It makes me cry and I read it over and over again! It's from the book Blue Like Jazz

"Years ago He was a swinging speck in the distance; Now He is close enough I can hear His singing. Soon I will see the lines on His face."


Story of my life. Love it!

E.R. experience.

I have always had a sensitivity to caffeine. Since high school when I first started enjoying caffeine in whatever form, I often get heart palpitations which has always freaked me out. I have always intended to get it checked out by the doctor, but put that on the back burner. Needless to say, coffee has always been more of an occasional treat for me than a regular 'pick me up' every morning. However the last maybe month or so I have had a cup (yes, one) everyday either at work or later in the day just for fun, thinking it would give me a greater tolerance for it. Bad idea!

I guess it all came to a peek yesterday when I got a big scare about it. All night (Monday) I could not get an ounce of sleep because my heart was beating ridiculously fast, hard and so painful. It was a very sharp pain and I had no idea how to manage it. I tried to control my breathing, raise my arm for circulation etc. but nothing worked. So I had no sleep. Then all day yesterday (Tuesday) I had the same problem. ALL day my heart was pounding super sharp pains, it was like a huge ache in my side. I cried all day long. Then what really scared me was after the baby I nanny had been asleep for about an hour, I sat down to read and experienced numbing in my left arm. Kind of a tingling / asleep arm feeling I couldn't shake off. Left hand started turning a bit purple etc. I was so scared! Then on top of it I got a massive head ache and tons of pressure behind mainly my left eye. I cried, prayed, cried, prayed didn't know what to do because I haven't purchased health insurance yet. It was horrible. Later in the evening, at life group, the left arm tingling came back for about 3 hours straight and the heart, still painful. My friends convinced me to go to urgent care (which was closed) then we went to the E.R.

At the E.R. I got a cool gown, an EKG, heart monitors, blood drawn, x-rays and many interviews from nurses and doctors. After all was said and some everything looked healthy and normal. They couldn't really figure out what I had experienced, other than having a super sensitivity to caffeine. Kind of extreme pain, in my opinion, just from caffeine, but that's all they could suspect. Still experiencing sharp pains in my heart today, but it's a bit better than yesterday. Mkkk that is my exciting story! I am at peace after all that happened last night, still needing to be wise, however, of my decisions in food and drink. Thanks everyone for your concern and prayers! I could still use the prayer about the sharpness and discomfort.

Thank you Lord for parents and friends who care so much about my health and well-being. Thank you that nothing horrible turned up in the blood test and x-rays last night. Please heal my heart.

Thursday

Oh I laughed at myself this morning as I was thinking about what my tomorrow (Thursday) looks like. It's kind of funny, just thought I should share:

Nannying job: 9:30am-2:30pm
Check on Puppeto (the dog I am sitting for)
Piano Lesson for Kaitlyn: 3:30-4:00
Babysit Jacob and Lizzie: 5:00-6:00
Babysit Lauralyn: 7:00-midnight.

Excellent.

Seasons.

I really love summer in Oregon. I feel so blessed to live in a state with such incredible seasons - very warm / hot / sunny summers, crisp colorful autumns, cold and sometimes snowy winters, and bright springs! It seems that even when I am in an awesome season, I look forward to the next one. I must admit right now, I am becoming giddy inside day dreaming about autumn!!! Ahh the beautiful rising fog in the mornings, the crisp fresh air and orange, red, and yellow leaves all over the place! I have not had a fall in two years, due to living in Hawaii. I feel like I have been looking forward to fall for ages and ages. However, I find myself needing to slow down and enjoy the season we are in right now:





Thank you Lord for summer, I really do enjoy it! :-)

Frustration!

Oh I am so peeved right now. I am watching the Tyra show, and it is a segment on racism. It is featuring 10 or so people with different races speaking out their view on the other races. It is for the most part negative. I am just so frustrated. There was just a blurb on a white, blonde hair blue eyed girl who started dating a Latino man. Her best friend found out about this and got in her face yelling at her about it. Now, on the show, her best friend explains "I was raised in a Christian home, with Christian values. And I was taught that in the Bible we are told not to date outside of our race." She goes on to defend herself saying things like "I know it sounds dumb, but that's what I have been taught from my parents and grand parents about the Bible." My heart rate shot through the roof when I heard that. I GOT SO ANGRY. I hate that Christians can be seen / portray themselves as such IDIOTS. I'm not sure what passage she could possibly be referring to, but I'm sure it is a passage written to a specific audience, and God gave them that command for a very specific reason. Probably keeping his people separate from the pagen idol worshippers of the time. IT IS NOT A TIMELESS TRUTH! Ahhhh I had to get that out. It is so important for Christians to rise up and study the Word for themselves and not be spoon fed, especially when what they are taught totally contradicts other parts of scripture. I.E. "Love your neighbor as yourself..."

Ok that's it.