The Mercy of God...

Hey friends! I read this last night in my Spurgeon's Morning and Evening. It truly was like water to my soul as I "meditated a little on the mercy of the Lord." Hopefully, it will be of great encouragement to you as well.

Meditate a little on this mercy of the Lord. It is a tender mercy. With gentle, loving touch, He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He is as gracious in the manner of His mercy as in the matter of it.

It is great mercy. There is nothing little in God; His mercy is like himself- it is infinite. You cannot measure it. His mercy is so great that it forgives great sins to great sinners, after great lengths of time, and then gives great favours and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great heaven of the great God.

It is undeserved mercy, as indeed all true mercy must be, for deserved mercy is only a misnomer for justice. There was no right on the sinner's part to the kind consideration of the Most High; has the rebel been doomed at once to eternal fire he would have richly merited the doom, and if delivered from wrath, sovereign love alone has found a cause for their was none in the sinner himself.

It is rich mercy. Some things are great but have little efficacy in them, but this mercy is cordial to your drooping spirits; a golden ointment to your bleeding wounds; a heavenly bandage to your broken bones; a royal chariot for your weary feet; a bosom of love for your trembling heart.

It is manifold mercy. As Bunyan says, 'All the flowers in God's garden are double'. There is no single mercy. You may think you have but one mercy, but you shall find it to be a whole cluster of mercies.

It is abounding mercy. Millions have received it, yet far from its being exhausted, it is as fresh, as full, and as free as ever.

It is unfailing mercy. It will never leave thee. If mercy be thy friend, mercy will be with thee in temptation to keep thee from yielding; with thee in trouble to prevent thee from sinking; with thee living to be the light and life of thy countenance; and with thee dying to be the joy of thy soul when earthly comfort is ebbing fast.

Maybe on the Next Aisle...

Well, this title doubly describes my experience shopping at Schnucks this afternoon. Schnucks is the local grocer up here in St. Louis and I am pretty sure I will be a faithful shopper at Schnucks merely because of the name. Seriously, not much cooler than a store named Schnucks. Ok, maybe there is. But I just like saying it. Gives me a good laugh every time. Schnucks! Schnucks! Schnucks! :) Love it!

Also, for a good laugh there is a place nearby called Straubs. Not sure what they sell there, but whatever it is, I am going! Seriously, I am just getting in a good chuckle every time I drive down the street. But all this talk about Schnucks and Straubs, no matter how fun it is, is besides the point!

My experience shopping at Schnucks made me just a little bit sad and a little bit homesick. For probably a couple of reasons...

1. The fact that I was grocery shopping in general, and not going to dinner at MiCocina. I just love eating out and am maybe a little depressed that I no longer have the money to do so. Honestly though, there really aren't any great restaurants around here anyways- how could there be with no Mexican food. Who knows maybe I'll actually enjoy grocery shopping then. Dallas peeps, enjoy, we know food down there!

2. The fact that some of the few grocery items I do enjoy, I could not find on the shelves of Schnucks...like Honey Wheat Pretzels, good flat bread, my weight watchers yogurts, and duh... Blue Bell Ice Cream.

3. The fact that in my one hour- that's right, one hour of grocery shopping, I did not run into a single person that I knew! I found myself just hoping- maybe on the next aisle! Now, I realize that this is highly unlikely seeing as I know like 4 people in STL and they probably go to a different Schnucks! But regardless, I would get kind of excited every time I rounded my way to the next aisle, only to be faced with a bunch of random strangers.

I think that is one of the things I am going to miss the most- always having to allow for a few extra minutes for each of your errands because you are sure going to run into someone that you know. When a trip to the grocery store for me always inevitably included a few little chats with my girls, their parents, my friends!

Community is special and it is sweet. And it is such a joy and privilege to just do life with people. Today, I am missing that community I have at home- the faces I'd run into at the store, at the Y, and at JD's while I was getting my diet coke, the people that would honk and stop while I was on a walk.

But I am also hopeful and anxiously looking forward to the community that God will provide for me here- a people, friends, to live with and do life with, to know and be known by, to love and be loved by, a people with whom to share life, share joys, share burdens, share laughs. It's neat to think about the reality that some of the strangers I saw today- at lunch, at the coffee shop, at the store- may just become friends with whom I share my life and my heart!

What a day it will be when I have friends at Schnucks!! :) Can't wait!

For now, to my community, my friends, my fam, my girls in Dallas...I love and miss you! I'm so abundantly thankful for the community I have had and will always have with you!

Howdy from St. Louis...

Friends, family, and internet blogging pals...

"Greetings" from St. Louis, MO- also known as the Gateway to the West. Not sure what all that means, but I will get on my STL history and let you know ASAP!

I apologize for the delay in the blogging update, and promise to be better in the days ahead. Much has happened over the past few days. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, I give you many pictures and just a few words...

Karen, Me, Mindy, and Lucy getting ready to head off to STL. These three of my very best friends graciously offered to help me drive my car up to St. Louis...oh, and my Uhaul full of stuff. They could probably think of another word for it. I will just call it stuff- important stuff.

We tried to document each of us driving the U-Haul. Here are Lucy and I at stop #2! We were all pretty proud of our U-Haul driving. I think I may just be ready for my job at UPS!!

Our first St. Louis adventure... the Cardinals game! Nothing like a hot dog, a margarita, and Albert Pujols hitting a home run to welcome us to STL. We had a great time!

This is the City Museum. The weirdest, but maybe the most fun place in STL. It is like a massive McDonald's play place... but much better, and still super fun for those of us who are now over 36" tall. We had a blast! Come visit and I will take you there!

There are caves in this museum. Here I am venturing into a dark hole, an unknown abyss all alone. Hopefully this is not metaphoric of my move to STL!

Just call us Jonah! Hanging out in the mouth of a fish!

Here Lucy is coming out of a hole of rubber gloves! Nasty...yes! But a great pic!

Loved this pic of Karen in the mirrors!

Blueberry Hill... one of the most famous restaurants in all of St. Louis. There is a wall of pictures of the famous people who have eaten there! Next to go on the wall... Karen, Lucy, Mindy, and Caroline. Be sure to look for us when you go!

I have moved in with a great family here in STL who have graciously allowed me to live in their basement while I get my feet on the ground. This is my super cute room. I put it together all by myself!

Haha! Right! I NEVER hung even a thing on the walls my last 2 years at the Hawkins. Chalk this one up to my wedding planner best friends and my pal, Lucy! They did an amazing job. And my cute little room really feels like home!

Little desk area! They managed to use every decorative thing I had in one room...every picture, every cross. They even let me put all my books on the bookshelves! Thanks girls! Ya'll are the greatest!

Overall, things have been pretty good. Other than my mini breakdown the first night I was here, I have felt really at peace. (I woke up at 4 am wanting to go home!) I was so thankful for my friends being here and helping get adjusted. And now, I am even thankful for the Greek test I have to take on Thursday because it gives me something to do to fill my days!

Best part of today....I found a coffee shop to study at with free Wi-Fi and unlimited refills of Diet Coke. If this is any indication of what STL is like, I am pretty sure I am going to like it here.

Worst part of today...watching Nastia and the other American Gymnasts perform in Dallas from my bedroom in St. Louis. But whatever, I'm over it!

Right...

Seriously, thank you for your love, support, texts, calls, emails, and prayers! They have been so appreciated and the prayers so felt. I am missing all my sweet friends and fam in Dallas! But so looking forward to what's ahead!

I'll keep you posted. So be sure to tune in to the blog every once in a while!

It has been so rich...

That's how I would describe my last week here in Dallas. I have felt totally full and so satisfied for the past week. On occasion I have maybe even felt a little sick, but that's because I have effectively eaten my way through these past few days.

I made a list of restaurants I wanted to eat at before I left, and sure enough have checked them all off. But... Eating at all my favorite places in one week= eating a whole lot of things that aren't that good for me. And thus, I haven't felt all that well. :)

The richness I am feeling tonight however has little to do with the meals I have eaten, but rather so much more to do with the people with whom I have shared them. It is the richness of these deep friendships that make me feel so full tonight.

It is also however the richness of these friendships that has left me crying in my empty room much of the day today. Someone once told me that tears were the sign of a full heart, and today, more than ever I believe that to be true! My heart is full of thankfulness and joy and love as I reflect on how gracious and good the Lord has been to me in all the many relationships in my life and especially in these past 5+ years. But my heart also breaks as I think about leaving all of this, all of these people that I love so much, as I leave for St. Louis early Tuesday morning!

From my precious high school and college girls, to my incredible girl friends here in Dallas, to my amazing friends from work, to my PCPC family, to wonderful family with whom I have lived, to the incredible women who have poured their life into me, to my awesome extended family, and to my precious parents and brother and sister...the Lord has blessed me over and abundantly, so far beyond what I deserve, so far beyond all I could ask or imagine. And tonight, as I think about each of the people with whom I have shared my life I just couldn't be more thankful.

For all of you that have been a part of my life here these past few years- you have truly filled my cup, made my life so full of joy, so rich, so sweet. I love you dearly!

They say home is where the heart is. So...Dallas, Texas you are home! For as I drive away, so much of my heart stays here- a heart that's full, a heart that's thankful, a heart that's been blessed by the richness that has come from all my friendships with all of you! I LOVE YOU!!

Hole-In-One...AGAIN!!!

I just wanted to give a HUGE shout out to my Grandad, the golfing-extraordinaire, who made a Hole-In-One today!

Oh, and for the second time this year!

Grandad is 84 years old has been playing this very course for 70 years! A few months ago, he got his very first hole in one! He actually was sort of confused when he got to the green and couldn't find his ball. His friend was looking around for it, and all of a sudden exclaimed, "Buddy, it's in the hole!!"

Today, while Grandad was on that same course, on the exact same hole in fact, he again hit the ball with perfection. But this he time got to bask in all his glory because he actually saw it go in!

When we called to congratulate him today, Lindsay and I asked if we could please speak with the golf pro. He proudly answered, "You've got him!"

Congratulations Grandad! I love you and am so proud of you!

And thanks for proving that golfing skills like many things just get better with age. You've given me hope! Maybe in 60 years I will actually be able to make contact with the ball!!

Guess What!!!...

I met NASTIA today!!! 

It was just awesome! A few days ago I received a text message from my friend Ruth which read, "Do you want to go meet Nastia on Saturday?"

Um, obviously!! 

As you all know I am obsessed with gymnastics and have been dying to run into Nastia Liukin before I left for STL. It has been one of my 2 goals- the other meeting President Bush. So, let's just say, no matter what I had to do today I was not going to miss out on this opportunity. 

Today Nastia was signing autographs at an AT&T store close by. So I gathered up my things to have her autograph. Luckily, in all my cleaning out I could not bring my self to part with the newspaper articles from the Olympics and the US Weekly with her picture on the front. 

So yeah, I gathered up all my gear and about noon picked up Ruth and we headed up to AT&T. There was soo much excitement in the car. You have no idea. 

We pulled up, got in the line, and waited anxiously to meet the Olympic Champion. 

There were a bunch of other folks there as well. Ironically, not as many little aspiring Olympic Champions as we had expected!! Creepily, there were quite a few men older than me there by themselves. (I personally don't think they should have been allowed inside!) These fans, however were our favorties!

Here is Nastia signing autographs!!

Ruth with her pal...

My autographed paper and picture! Pretty sure these will look great on the walls of my room in STL...right next to my posters of Celine and Clay Aiken! 

Needless to say, this has been an incredible day! I am just ecstatic that I got to meet Nastia. And it pretty much makes up for the fact that I can't to go the National Championships next week! 

To all you bloggers out there, let me offer you a bit of encouragement... Dreams really do come true!!

Just Kidding!

Well, not really!!! 

Happy Saturday!!

how do you prepare?

As my move date gets closer and closer, one question becomes increasingly ever present in my mind and on my heart- how do I really prepare to move?

I mean, I know how to prepare for some things- like the Greek placement test that I unfortunately have to take. I just cram for hours every day like I have done today. Seriously? I thought Greek was over.

I know how to prepare physically- I just clean and pack. (Although it is a good thing few of you see my room or you might question whether I actually know how to do this or not.)

But the reality is, I don't know how to prepare emotionally and relationally for such a transition. Honestly, I have never really done it. I went to college with 20 friends from high school, and it was what everyone in my world was doing at the time. Now it is just me. Most everyone I know (except my sweet college girls) is staying here. It's just me that is moving on. How am I supposed to prepare for this? How am I supposed to handle these next few weeks?

How to I prepare my heart to be somewhere else and yet still be fully here? How do I spend my time with the people I will see in these next two weeks? How do I say goodbye to people who are in my everyday life, who have been my life,- my closest friends, my closest girls, my church, my family (I don't even want to go there).

The reality is that right now, I feel like I am in such a weird place- excited to go, really sad to leave, unsure of what the future looks like, unsure of what these next days will and should look like. I want to be intentional. I want to use my time, my conversations in the very best, most beneficial, most life giving (both to me and to others) way possible. But I honestly don't know how.

I would so covet your prayers- for the Lord to really guard and guide my heart in this transition. That he will show me what to do and how to live in these next few days, especially how to be with those I know and love the most. And I would covet any thoughts, any advice you may have.

What has been of great comfort to me in all of this has been the glorious reality that although this is maybe the biggest change of my life- my God who is bigger, above it, and in the midst of it- doesn't, will not, actually cannot change. He is the same- yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is ever present in every way both in Dallas and in St. Louis. His covenant promises to me have been sealed up in Christ, and I know, I can trust, and rest in the reality that he will be my God, I will be his, and he will be with me- today, and tomorrow, and in all the days to come.

Hallelujah!!

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father

There is no shadow of turning with thee

Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!