My Friend Erin

Erin, Megan, Steph
July 2007

Proverbs 27:9
Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

My dear friend Erin was actually friends with my hubby before we were ever introduced! At first, Erin and I were unsure of what to make of each other, but slowly the Lord knit our hearts in a wonderful sisterhood. She is someone that I can continually count on for a straight-up opinion on anything, and shares many of the same wild dreams that I have. She's the kind of friend that tells me when I have a big honkin' piece of spinach in my teeth, and asks the difficult, probing questions in a gentle way that often draws out my motives in a situation. Her advice and listening ear are invaluable, as are her DDR and craft-making abilities. Thanks Erin, for your sweet friendship. Happy belated birthday blog.

BLOG EDIT:
This isn't my favorite picture of myself, but I can't believe how long and blonde my hair was last summer!

Thank you.

wild nephew

He makes some of the most interesting expressions I've ever seen.

Finals game 1

Here's hoping for a good Stanley Cup Finals start! Spectators wonder if the Pens can win big with their first two finals games at Detroit...I throw out an enthusiastic "yes" as the Pens have always won big when they win. In the 1992 cup finals, the pens played in Chicago for the first two games (winning both), and then came back to win two more (winning the series 4-0). There's no doubt our guys can skate in the style of Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Jaromir Jagr, and Tom Barasso.

If you need me after 8:08 tonight, you know where I'll be :)

My Graduate

This is a tribute to my hardworking husband who recently earned is M.A. in TESOL. Though the weekend of his graduation was one of the most hectic times in my whole life, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way than serving him and our family. My husband works hard; he had been diligent to work all day, five days a week, and often gives up at least one full evening and one day of his weekend due to the nature of his job. On top of that, he has been taking two graduate classes per semester for what seems like an eternity, though probably has been only for the past two years, with at least one class each summer session. He pursues his goals with a tenacity that I can only dream of.

More importanly, my husband seeks the Lord with that same tenacity and diligence. Each day, he goes to work about 1/2 hour early so that he can spend time preparing his heart in God's word. He seeks God in all of our decisions, and is quick to pray in tough situations. He is often the first to ask for forgiveness in a conflict, and enjoys bringing a smile to my face. He's faithful to meet with a friend in need, and often puts my needs and desires above his own. Most recently, we have been talking about a big decision and he has saught to consider how the decision would affect me more than how it would affect himself. How blessed I am to have a husband like him!

I could go on about every other way I am enamored with him, but will finish in saying that I hope to be able to serve him well all the years of my life.

15 reasons

...why you may or may not want to be a chaperone on a High School Marching Band trip:

1. It's usually for a few days.
2. You often go with your spouse.
3. There are other chaperones.
4. You learn how to survive on 4.5 hours of sleep and coffee for 5 days in a row.
5. The students quiz you about things that never crossed your mind as a young adult.
6. You have to convince park employees that, "These really aren't my kids."
7. Stilettos are off limits.
8. You are held responsible for the lives of 60-1,000 others, whatever the case may be.
9. You stay up late.
10. You don't go to work.
11. Slim-Jims are a food staple.
12. You learn 6 new Boy Scout songs.
13. You watch Pirates of the Carribean for the 19th time.
14. It's a fun trip.
15. You return to work, not knowing what day of the week it is.

Rejoice at His coming

All the church rejoice, for your King returns
on a white horse, wearing a crown!
He will break the sky with the angels' shout
descending from the clouds.
Then the dead will rise from the land and sea;
all His people will ascend.
We will reign with Him for eternity!
Rejoice all the church, rejoice!


Music and Lyrics from "Rejoice," by Todd Twinning
Photo: www.creativephotoworksbysusan.com

Come, weary saints!

Come, weary saints, though tired and weak
Hide away in the love of Jesus
Your strength will return by His quiet streams
Hide away in the love of Jesus

Steve & Vikki Cook
"Hide Away in the Love of Jesus"
Album: Come Weary Saints

Let's Go Pens!

There's just something about hometown sports that I love. Even if you don't like hockey (ahem- Erin), you should catch one of the Pens' games against long-time rivals, the Flyers. Because they haven't had a Stanley Cup Finals appearance since I was 8 yrs. old, I have lots of hope that if they get there, they'll take it all.
(Picture from espn.com)

Growing up godly

(Missing from photo: Larissa, Jan, and probably a few other people)

OR, I guess the title could be growing more godly. I was fortunate enough to spend an evening with some of the college girls this past weekend, and really enjoyed my time with them. These girls give me hope that our generation is not totally reckless and lost, and that there is hope for the future. These girls show wisdom exceeding their years, and speak as seasoned believers; I am able to glean a lot from simply listening to their conversations. Their pursuit of godliness while at IUP inspires me and shows the fruits of our church's constant care and outreach to the campus. If you don't know any of these gals, most of them will be around for the next year or so. Make it a point to learn more about them.