Epiphany

I'm always inspired to write after my book club Wednesday nights. This week we discussed the chapters about vulnerability and forgiveness. They go together like cookies and milk. Nail polish and toe dividers. :-) So many incredible realizations last night, but one that really stands out for me. Regarding forgiveness, Paula Rinehart said (I'm paraphrazing)... that it starts with one big YES of forgiveness and is followed by lots of little yesses throughout the years.

Forgiveness would be so much easier if it really was the "forgive and forget" type of experience our culture seems stuck on. Forgetting just doesn't happen... but it doesn't have to turn into holding a grudge. It simply means continuing to say YES to forgiving. I've experienced this in so many ways in my life, and for a long time I couldn't figure out why I hadn't forgotten the "incident" I had already forgiven. We just don't work like that.

Forgiveness, vulnerability, and love are all choices we have to make... over and over again. Luckily, we have a great example of how to do that. His name is Jesus and He's a pretty cool guy. :-)

My Man

Happy 24th birthday to my love... my knight in skinny jeans.

You complete me, you make me laugh like no one else, and you are truly my best friend.

Excited to celebrate another year together.

Weekend

Jordan's birthday is tomorrow, so we celebrated a couple nights early with a night on the town.

A night at the new Twins stadium. Awesome seats!

Watched our friend's band (Al's Rockabilly Quartet) at Hell's Kitchen.

Stayed overnight at the Hyatt in downtown Minneapolis. Pretty great view!

Finished our night on the town with breakfast at Swede Hollow (voted best mocha in the Cities!).

Pray

After reading through this blog, my issues don't seem so important... Please take a few minutes to watch the video and pray for this family: http://prayfordaisy.com

Blogfreeze

I feel like I've been having major writer's block when thinking about this blog. Even though I know there aren't many people who read this, I found myself wondering why I should spend time writing about myself. What's so exciting that I should write about and that people would want to read about? Then I remembered my reason for starting a blog... journaling, a space to write down my random (and important!) thoughts. So I'm back.

This week is Jordan's birthday week (yes... week, not day). He's been putting the pressure on me to have a really awesome party and celebration, because apparently 24 is a big deal. :-) He continuously says he's only making a big deal about it because it stresses me out, but I'm feeling a sense of responsibility that he gets all the celebration necessary in his mind for his bday. We're having a J/K celebration on Friday, then a party with friends and family on Sunday. He insists on the party being a surprise (no matter how lame/cool it is), so details will be divulged later. It should be fun! (PS... does anyone else have such a high-maintenance husband?!)

We've had a couple busy weeks, but they've been filled with lots of fun things. My parents came to visit during the last weekend of June, when we also celebrated the marriage of our great friends, Bernie and Jess. Originally, the Hoods were just staying a couple days, but Jordan and my dad got food poisoning, so we got a little extra quality time.

We've been able to spend time with some friends we haven't seen for a while, have wine with some incredible girlfriends, and have at least one very memorable bonfire/Perkins run. :-) We've been BLESSED with amazing friends and it's been so fun creating great summer memories with them. For a while, I was feeling lost amidst the transition from college into "real life"... friends go different places, the 8-5 jobs take over, and it left me feeling a bit disconnected. Now (mostly thanks to our small groups through church), I feel like I'm finally establishing a new, awesome group of friends. I'm so much better because of them, too.

That's all for now. Feels good to be back.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Wednesdays are quickly becoming my new favorite day. Most people hate this "hump day", but I have new reason to look forward to it... in two words...

Book. Club.

I don't really like reading. I've attempted other book clubs, but found myself bored with the book or not caring enough about it to read. This time is different.

I know I've talked about it before, but we're reading "Strong Women, Soft Hearts" by Paula Rinehart and it has quickly risen to the top of my list of favorite books. It's addressing all the right issues for me at this time in my life, and it's bonding our group of girls together so closely.

Last week, we had the incredible opportunity to spend the night with Vivian, Katie's spiritual mentor and a well-known spiritual leader in the Twin Cities. She and Katie spent time praying over each of us individually and shared some great promises and blessings God has for us. The timing was perfect and they spoke about things that I had literally journaled just hours before. It's so cool to see God working through people to bless others.

Last night, we had the chance to spend some time reflecting on Ephesians 3:14-21. Talking through the strength God can give us, the faith we need to have, and the love that He gives to us was so enriching. We spent time reflecting on the previous week and just talking about how we can give God glory through all the things we do. Every time I leave our book club on Wednesdays, I feel lighter and as though we just spent two hours with Jesus. Pretty cool. Book club ladies, if you're reading, thanks so much for the light you have brought and continue to bring into my life each week.

I'll leave you with some Ephesians. So much truth and so much beauty in these words. Thanks, Paul. :-)

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.