Full of Joy

Many of you know my dear friend, Misty. I was honored to have her as one of my bridesmaids in our wedding! God is doing miraculous things in the life of Mist, and her husband, Chad. I added their blog address on my sidebar, but thought I'd post for them as a special welcome to the blog world! Check out their story and praise God with us! http://www.ourjourneytomercy.blogspot.com/

Yes, I'm aware that most of my posts lately have just gushed newly wed giddy happiness.  When I was single it was easy to post about life situations that upset me.  It was easy to post about something that depressed me, annoyed me, or made me angry.  It was common for me to share what was going on with my relationship with God, even sharing personal details.  Being married is a different story.  I can not air my dirty laundry because now another person is involved.  A lot of my business now is his business, too. BUT I can air my dirty laundry when it's all my fault.  Yes, I fully take the blame and I ask any of you out there for Godly, wifely wisdom.  You see, I get teased sometimes as being "the perfect wife" merely because I stay home.  That couldn't be further from the truth. I whine when Chuck is looking at the TV or computer and doesn't pay attention to me right away; I cry when I don't know what food to fix for our company; I get si...

There are just those major high's in life when God blows me out of the water, over and over.  Last night was one of those nights.  It was the GREENEST night ever.  We praise GOD for how HE is providing for and taking care of us. Chuck was going to be home a little later from work, so I was able to catch up with 2 friends on the phone, only to be utterly amazed and shocked with what God was doing in each of their lives.  I had chills all over during both conversations.  I had tears in my eyes as I heard each woman pour out her heart at God's power, mercy, and adoring love for each of them.  I am blessed to have friends who love God and are examples to me of how to walk by faith. Crazy enough, while I was actually still on the phone, Chuck arrived home saying someone was outside wanting to look at our car that we were trying to sell.  Well when I got off the phone, absolutely elated for a dear friend, there were people sitting in our living room....

1.  It's been one year since my Dad's 3rd open heart surgery!  God has made his heart healthy! 2.  God gave me a job for a day so now I am able to buy Chuck his own Christmas presents, not using his money! 3.  Chail.  He brings me such joy!  I love him like I've never loved any baby in my whole life! 4.  God has given us an awesome Shepherd Group to be apart of. 5.  God has given me an incredible study on the book of Esther (by Beth Moore) and a great group of ladies to study with. 6.  I am working with a sweet group of teen girls, leading their Shepherd Group. 7.  I am a stay-at-home-wife, it is the best job on the planet.  8.  I no longer have to work on Thanksgiving Day. 9.  There is a new member arriving in our family in the next several months! 10.  My apartment.  It's so homey and is my most favorite place to be, especially when Chuck is home. 11.  I married my dream-come-true....

Thank you God! My Dad received a clean bill of health from his heart surgeon today! We are all incredibly relieved! What an awesome early Christmas present! Thank you to everyone who was praying. Thank you so much.

Exactly one year ago today, my Dad underwent his 3rd open-heart surgery at The University of Penn hospital.  At this time last year, my family was waiting as my Dad's heart lie on an operating table...again.  That was certainly no game of  "Operation."  In this operation, there is no buzzer that sounds when you hit the wall.  It is a reality that we lived through and will forever praise God for.  It's a terrifying memory, but sweet at the same time.  Sweet because of God's overwhelming peace.  We felt God's presence so tangibly, it was as if He was literally hugging us all day.  And what a loooooong day it was.  Oh how the hours dragged by! But praise God from whom ALL blessings flow, He brought my Dad through.  Just a few weeks ago my mom threw a semi-surprise party for my dad to celebrate all that God has done this year.  She took the people who were at the hospital the day of my dad's surgery out to an incredible steak d...

I'm not a morning girl by any stretch of the imagination.  This is in complete contrast to my husband who actually enjoys setting his alarm for 7:30am on the weekends.  On Sunday I told him to wake me up at 9am so I'd have time to get ready for church.  Promptly at 9, Chuck came in and began the routine of getting me up.  I typically just lie there, unmoving for several minutes.  Sometimes I make a noise or two to communicate something or rather.   At some point in the haze of the morning routine, Chuck whispered in a sing song voice, "I have a surprise for you!"  Breakfast (food, of course!) was my first thought.  But then I heard him get up, pick up his laptop, and bring it back into bed.  After getting my glasses I rolled over and found THIS! Chuck and I had scouted out many blog ideas on Saturday.  Since web design is his profession, he gets really excited to do any project of that nature.  We finally narrowed it down t...

Chuck and I met exactly one year ago TODAY! Since I already wrote about that night 2 posts ago, I'll just say: PRAISE GOD FROM WHO ALL BLESSINGS FLOW! If you asked me one year ago today if I'd be married, I'd say "YAY RIGHT." Now here I am, 4 1/2 months into marriage with the man that has already surpassed all my wildest dreams! God. Is. MIND-BOGGLING. Thank you God!!! I love you, Babe. Happy One-Year-Since-We-Met-Anniversary! (and thank you, as always, KT!)

Notice anything new about my blog? (Thanks to my talented, computer savvy man!) Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! =)

I have made some new, sweet friends recently while leading a teen girl's Shepherd Group through our church. Inquiring minds wanted to know how Chuck and I met so I shared our story. There has been a request for me to WRITE out the story, and as promised, here I will tell it again. Happily! =) A little over a year ago I moved to VA from MN. I began attending a church in the area comprised mostly of single, twenty to thirty-something adults called Frontline . The very first night I attended Frontline was the very last night anyone was able to sign up for a Fall Retreat they were having. I immediately went home and signed up! I was dying to get connected, and be involved in that church community. I already had 2 friends that were going, so they made sure we would be staying in the same room. When I got to the retreat, my 2 friends introduced me to their friends! Low and behold, I met my friend, Katie for the first time. We clicked right away and became "Retreat Best F...

Last Sunday afternoon I went out for coffee with some new girlfriends. They were both saying they had "The Sunday Night Blues". Both had to go back to work the next morning and confessed to feeling down about the weekend coming to a close. I didn't say much at the time, but I went home and declared to Chuck, "I don't have the Sunday night blues!" (said with a major grin on my face!) I really love my life! I love my day-to-day routine. Since I started watching Samuel 2 days a week, there has been some adjusting, but I think the kinks are being worked out quite nicely. Watching Samuel is a blessing! It's nice to have a little friend hangin' with me for 2 days! So on this Sunday evening, I do not write with blues, I write with...purples! (I had to choose a different color, so I picked my favorite one!) Chuck is scurrying around working on his To Do List (NOT a honey-do, his OWN, thank you very much!) so I feel the urge to write! Our weekend ha...

So what do I DO all day?! Easy. I follow my heart's desire and that is to take care of my husband! Obviously that can look a million different ways for a million different people. For me, I enjoy planning, creating, preparing, and administrating our home. A friend gave me this awesome calendar and I write out chores, meals, activities, our schedules and fun stuff on there. Then during the week I pretty much follow the calendar. I love To-Do lists! I love keeping our home organized, cleaned and feeling homey. I love having every thing in it's place so that when Chuck comes home from work he feels that he can sit down, relax and enjoy our home. During the day I get to spend time with God, journal, read, study, prepare lessons (Youth Group Shepherd group I'll be leading), and pray! I work out as well, which is amazing since last year I often was not able to. I enjoy planning meals, preparing dinner, making treats, you name it! It's especially fun when we have f...

It has been one of the biggest joys of my life to be Chuck's wife, and to stay at home. I was greatly reminded of this passion the other day when a good friend of mine announced, "I just want to be a wife and a mom!" (This coming from a woman with an amazing career!) She uttered the EXACT sentence I have said for countless years. And now ladies and gentlemen, I am a wife! I keep announcing it because it's still hard to fathom. Staying home hasn't come without difficulty though. I did not expect the intangible pressure that is out there for a young married woman to be working. I did not expect the funny looks, the confused glances, or the silence that would follow. I can understand though in our Nation's Capitol, with hard-working women driven in their careers all over the place, I am not the norm (any more). Staying home hasn't come without sacrifice either. It is not easy financially. I'm certainly not a Desperate Housewife of DC. Because ...

This Sunday marks 3 months of marriage for us! I do believe it's been the fastest 3 months of my life. Though in some ways, our wedding still feels like yesterday. At any rate, I now have 3 months as being a wife under my belt. Not a day goes by where I am not in wonder at my new life. Chuck and I have been surrounded by brand new people and situations. We've officially joined a new church together. We had prayed very specifically about what we believe a church should be and this church has certainly proved to be God's answer. Through our new church, we've joined a shepherd group (small group) that meets in a home. It's a multi-generational group that we both have come to thoroughly love. We're also volunteering in the youth group together. I've already attended my first Girl's Night Out event. It made me excited to continue volunteering! On top of a new church, Chuck has a new job. Seems every where we turn, new people are around the corner. ...

I've been missing our Jamaican honeymoon lately! We visited The Grand Palladium Resort and Spa near Montego Bay. Our honeymoon vacation was a gift from God. People ask us if we would go back and we always say, "We'd recommend YOU go, but if we're gonna travel like that again, it would be fun to try something new!" I do think we had the best trip either of us has ever taken! We went for 8 nights and 9 days of bliss morning, noon, and night! The resort was all inclusive which made us feel like royalty! We went on a "date" for every single meal! In between meals, we lived in the sun- either next to their enormous pool, or right on the beach! This is our very own balcony off of our fabulous room! We were on the third floor of a Villa. You can see the other Villas in the background, along with one of the pools. Ocean magic! This was our view from the majority of the scrumptious restaurants. We loved hanging out on the very top balcony. Welcome to ...

My Daddy and I's dance at the wedding! =)

Thanks for the video, Jen! We LOVE it! =)

Happy 2 Month Anniversary to the man who makes me come alive with a radiance in my soul that I have never known! Indeed, the dreams that I dared to dream really did come true. Dancing onstage at The Mellow Theater in Scranton, Pennsylvania seemed more like a dream then reality. Joanna Nunemaker and her assistant, Janean Truax artistically captured such dramatic scenes between my husband of just a few hours, and I on our wedding day. They made it seem as if we had all the time in the world to be in the spotlight, on stage, the stars of each other's show. And we were. We gazed at each other, danced across the stage with no music needed at all, laughed, whispered our thoughts to each other, and basked in the utopic feeling of our day. We hardly noticed our talented photographers as our only audience. I will not soon forget how it felt to done the gown of my dreams on that monumentous day. It was nothing like being a princess or even a queen. It was more then even that....

I came across this video today and found myself singing joyfully along! SO heartwarming! I used to love this show. I guess it's my love for reading, writing, and all things literature. It's amazing how one small memory can trigger such happy, warm, and safe feelings. I can totally picture myself as a little girl snuggled up on our old family couch mesmerized by this show and all the books it advertised. I love reading!

Married. I am married. I am a Mrs. I wake up every morning in awe and wonder at this life I am living. I treasure this man that I call my husband more then I ever knew possible. Chuck helps me to see the light. He helps me see the glass half full. He helps me to be positive, no matter the circumstances. He works hard and always with a smile on his face. Our newly wed life is fabulous! We are happy beyond happy! We ended up having a 4 week honeymoon due to some delays with Chuck's new job. Though the husband wasn't too thrilled, I was secretly doing cartwheels at our extended time together! God provided him with a job at a moving company that he worked so hard at whenever they offered him hours while we waited. I am a homemaker right now and couldn't be happier! I know you may be wondering if I get "bored" staying home all day. Heck no! I have many things to do that I just love. It's my dream come true. First being married to such an incredible...

We are THANKING God today! Chuck was officially offered a position with IBM today! Praise the LORD!!! =) And YES, he accepted the position! WHOO HOOOOOO!!!! THANKS for praying!

I woke up this morning in a haze but when I came to, I realized, "Next week at this time I will be a married woman!" Of course I called Chuck right away! I'm just so happy. It's the most incredible feeling on the planet to be The Bride. I went to Heritage this morning and felt like a movie star. People were coming up to me saying, "Uh...big event this week, huh?" Or, "Some one's getting married soon!" or "How many more days??" I LOVE IT! It's SUCH a blast! I knew I couldn't wait to marry Chuck, but I had no idea how much FUN the week before the wedding would be! Tonight I am going out with 2 of my beautiful bridesmaids! I'm just so excited to be with them and talk the night away. I am one very very blessed woman! Today my Grammy gave me a GORGEOUS wedding gift: a glass candy dish with lid! I adore it! And she wrote me a beautiful card mentioning how much my Grampy and Chuck would have gotten along. I held it...

I've been catching up with some friends lately, and have realized that there are questions out there that are dying to be answered! Thought I'd take a minute to share some of what is going on with Chuck and I. Most importantly, we are getting married in 16 days! Oh my goodness! If you have not RSVP'd yet, or for some reason did not see our invitation yet, check out: www.charlesandabigail.com ASAP! Here's the scoop y'all! Chuck has a passion and definite calling into youth ministry. He recently transitioned out of his position as Youth Director. He completed his master's degree in March (Seminary/Bible degree) and also the phase at his church. We feel God is leading us to stay out of full-time ministry during the first year of our marriage. Since Chuck received his undergrad degree in computer science, he has been searching for a computer programming position for this first year. He is extremely talented! I am so proud of this man that I am going to m...

5 years and 3 months. FIVE YEARS!!! I can hardly believe that's how long I worked for Starbucks! It just blows my mind. Good ' ol Dickson City, the not-so-good MOA 1, my beloved MOA 2, and now Chantilly Crossings! From Barista to Shift Supervisor to Coffee Master to completing my Assistant Manager Training and back down to Barista in the end! There is so much on my mind. I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts together. I haven't even been here for a year and already God has done earth-shattering things in my life! He's given me a nephew that I love and adore more then I ever knew possible! He's given me the love of my life, the man I am going to spend the rest of my life loving. I'm getting married in 22 days (3 weeks thank you very much!)! And on top of it all, He's used my future husband to release me from having to work 2 jobs! This is such a lame post. I can't write what I'm feeling because it's just TOO MUCH! That,...

There is hardly an inch free on my bedroom floor. I certainly can not even reach my closet without tripping over boxes of ribbon, tull, bows, invitations, or honeymoon clothes. I look around my room and there is evidence of an upcoming wedding everywhere! It's the best feeling on the planet. I have never been this happy in my entire life! Sure, there's the absolute excitement that comes from the fact that our wedding is in 50 days, but more then that, I am going to be Chuck's wife! The name of my blog is Full of Joy, and I AM! It's not the wedding that excites me the most, but becoming one. It's a dream come true. Chuck is beyond what I could have ever even dreamed of asking God for! I could not have made up a more perfect fit for me. Like bread and butter, toast and jam. ;) More accurately, like soy milk and espresso. (Yes! He drinks soy milk, too!) I love the fact that I am the Bride-to-Be. I love that I'm engaged. I love that I'm wearing a...

Happy Birthday Chail! Chail turned ONE on Saturday! I've been thinking about the first year of his life and all the ways that God has used him in mine. I'll never forget the first time I met him. He was the tiniest little thing. He had on tiny overalls, Trisha was feeding him, handed him to me, and I got the biggest tears in my eyes. Then Chail threw up on me. =) That day changed my life forever. It's crazy to think back on moving here to take care of this little guy. I've never experienced the kind of love I have for my nephew before. He brings so much joy, happiness, and huge smiles into my day like nothing else can. He makes me laugh, cry, act silly, and do disgusting things I never thought I'd do. He's the first face first face I see almost every morning. He crawls into my room screaming his happy baby screams and smiling so huge you'd think I was the most famous person on the planet. He loves to bury his face in my comforter, and roll around in the bl...

I've been accused of dragging out our engagement story to try to rope people in, which is a great idea, but really that's not my intention! In actuality, I am always nervous to post a blog that is too long because I find that readers lose interest! And because our story is so long, I didn't want to post the whole story at once! The story is incredibly sacred to me and I never want to cheapen it. I already feel like it loses it's value when I try to put it into my own feeble words. The man that has won my heart and captured my love is beyond anything I could ever even begin to post on a lame blog! BUT he deserves for his wonderful proposal story to be completed! =) The Rose Quest Venture moved on to his townhouse where we have spent countless conversations, hilarious moments, many movie nights, multiple dinners, breakfasts and lunches, and have delved into the deepest places of our hearts together. There were several more roses, notes, and riddles posted in these specia...

Last night Chuck and I rented a movie. It was my turn to pick (even though we typically like the same movies anyway!) so I chose the most recent N. Sparks movie. Chuck was out like a light after about 5 minutes (still jet laggin' from his trip to Germany) so I essentially watched the whole movie by myself. I am totally not a movie-crier. My heart turns to stone for some reason when I watch movies! Last night was no exception. It was a horribly sad and depressing film, and I sat there dry-eyed regardless. When the credits started rolling Chuck finally woke up and that's when it hit me. He was still pretty drowsy but I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck and whispered, "I love you..." and he responded, "I love you too..." and then I said as tears sprang to my eyes, "NO! I love you!" The tears continued to pour as I felt this man's arms around me and tried to fathom our relationship. This man loves me in a way I never knew existed...

Warning: The story you are about to read changed my life FOREVER. It might just change yours , too. It was 5:00 on Friday night, February 27. Date night had finally arrived! It is always, without a doubt, the highlight of my entire week. Chuck arrived and I bustled down the stairs ready to bust out of the house for our special date. I went to put on my jacket and he informed me to wait. Confusion began to formulate. He then came a little closer and handed me a small, fancy brown envelope, instructing me to open it and read the card. In it, I was invited on a mission called "The Quest for the Roses". I was given rules, awarded 3 lifelines, and an option to accept the mission... Upon accepting, I was handed my FIRST single red rose of the evening. I was also handed a second card, which happened to be attached. The card had a little riddle that I had to figure out explaining our next location. (I have to admit, even though the riddle was personal between Chuck and ...

The story of our engagement really started almost exactly a year ago. Last spring Chuck and I both lost our grandfathers. Though we didn’t know each other yet, we were grieving the serious loss in the same way at the same time. Chuck’s grandfather’s wish was that each of his grandsons (5 boys including my man) would inherit and divide up his gun collection. This left Chuck with two valuable guns, both monetarily and especially sentimentally. My baby loved those guns! His chest puffed out a little farther, and his grin got a little wider any time the topic of those weapons came up. I seem to even recall him asking my brother on a man date to go shoot their guns together some time. Chuck was proud of his guns, and proud to be the owner of his grandfather’s prized possessions. Several weeks ago, Chuck informed me that God provided a way for him to buy me an engagement ring. I was pleasantly surprised by the news, eager to hear what God had done. Without hesitation, my man proclai...

FOREVER HAPPY

The balanced woman of God is committed to the Scriptures, sees her giftedness and value, and trusts in the Lord as her refuge. ~Charles Swindoll

It's over. Thank God. That's the first thought that came to my mind when I came out of anesthesia yesterday...."It's OVER!" The past 3 days have been quite the journey. A journey I could not have expected, nor anticipated. Looking back, it was rougher then I realized it would be. But, also looking back, I am amazed at how God gave me strength and took care of me in ways I could not have known I would need. My parents came down! They watched Chail and allowed me to sleep, and be able to rest! A massively important blessing! Chuck sacrificed his day and schedule to drive me to and from the doctor's. Just his presence does wonders for my soul that I can not describe. The first question the nurse asked me as I was becoming conscience again was, "Who is driving you home today?" I felt so much peace in saying, "Chuck." And I felt so much peace in knowing my parent's were at the house, waiting for me to arrive and take care of me....

That's the first word that comes to mind when describing my current situation. I just drank my first glass of HalfLytely. I have to drink a glass every 10 minutes for the next 3-4 hours. I will prevail. The texture going down is not pleasant. The taste is managable. I chose pinneapple. The affect it is having and will have on my body...well, we're not gonna go there.

It's been 14 hours and 22 minutes since I've been able to eat! Right now it's cool. I'm hungry, of course! But, the good news is I am able to eat green, orange, or yellow Jello-O. I can also have some hard candy which keeps me distracted a bit. Fruit juices are also an option. The wierd thing is, I still won't be able to eat until around 5PM tomorrow. Sigh. I start the drugs in half an hour. Then the second round at 5. Oh dread...

I had my first ultrasound yesterday! It's a BOY! Not really. A common myth about ultrasounds is that they are used mostly for pregnancy. That was news to me. Apparently they are used mostly for OTHER tests, like mine. I actually thoroughly enjoyed my first ultrasound! I never thought I'd be having one until the possibility of a human being inside me came about. None the less, it felt nice. Basically a twenty minute massage of sorts. Not bad. I got a little nervous because the lady stayed on my right side for an awfully long time. I had a moment of "Ohmyword. Does she see something awful?!" No sense worrying. I'll find out soon enough. Yesterday also brought on a new symptom that actually proved quite frightening to me. More so because it proved to me that something more serious IS going on with my body. Another great reason why going to the specialist is essential. Not to mention getting the colonoscopy next week. I feel like I am 88 years old, inst...

I am the worst Nanny on the planet! Maybe not as obnoxious as Fran, but I bet Fran never put the baby down for a nap at 8:45 AM, decided to take a little nap herself and slept until NOON! Thank goodness the babe was playing happily in his crib! I hope he doesn't hold that against me for the rest of our lives...

It's been about 6 years. Yes, it's true. My stomach issues have prevailed and actually worsened over the last several years. I've always chalked it up to being good ' ol lactose intolerant, but that never explained why I still struggled even when I did not consume dairy products. I've tried every thing under the sun to figure out what exactly is wrong with me! -given up most dairy -given up ALL dairy -gone on the cleanse (Anyone remember THAT phase?! Oh have mercy on my soul! Poor Tara had to drag me to Urgent Care! At least I got to fall in love with Gilmore Girls then!) -drove at least twice a week for an HOUR each time to see the Chiropractor -given up wheat -given up flour -given up gluten -given up sugar -given up EVERY THING! (Boy do I miss my lattes.) -taken probiotics You get the picture. So, the time has come for me to buckle down and actually see a specialist. I did not even KNOW a specialist existed for my issues! Heck, I honestly thought I was act...

Whoa! Thanks to all of you who have been praying for Chuck (and for me!). Pretty sure I was way more worried/concerned then he was. He's just thrilled that he's getting released soon, and that the Dr. approved him to go back snowboarding Feb. 7. (No comment.) His CAT scan came back OK, so praise the LORD!!Thanks so much for praying! Chuck and Jon have a two hour drive back this afternoon, so hopefully that will go well. NO MORE HEAD INJURIES PLEASE. Thanks again!!

Well, this isn't exaclty the blog I was hoping to write tonight, but Chuck's CAT scan came back showing bleeding on his brain. They are obviously concerned and are keeping him overnight to do more CAT scans in the morning. From Chuck's perspective, he went up about 10 feet in the air over a jump, and doesn't remember anything until he woke up in the hospital. His face is scratched up, his limbs are sore, but he's already talking about the "next time" he goes. (This does not make a girlfriend happy.) Thankfully, my drive home went well, thanks for praying!!Please keep PRAYING for Chuck, as bleeding on the brain is NEVER good news...

So I just got a call from a good friend of Chuck's (boyfriend Chuck, not MN Chuck!) saying Chuck was being taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital. No one wants to get a call like that. My heart is racing, and I'm trying not to be the freak-out, worried girlfriend. Jon says Chuck should be fine, but that he mostly likely has a concussion from a snowboarding accident today. Please pray for him! Those are the only details I have right now. Also, I have been in NJ for the past couple of days and ended up getting very sick. I am about to drive back home right now and would appreciate your prayers for that as well. I am still weak, and am now obviously quite shaken by the news about Chuck. Please PRAY, and I will keep you posted as I know updates!! THANK YOU!

I thought today would be a great day to introduce my significant other (Chuck!) to my blog world! Starting at midnight last night, he has made my special day more sweet and wonderful then I ever thought possible! I woke up this morning and the celebrating only continued! The first image I saw when I opened my bedroom door was this man holding lil baby Chail in his arms! Of course I turned right back around to hide my messy hair, frumpy pj's and groggy eyes, but alas, he didn't mind after all! Luke 'n Trisha gave me a darling present and card, hugs all around and they were off to school. After getting the baby dressed for the day the three of us headed downstairs, only to encounter a half a dozen pink and yellow roses, a card, beautifully wrapped present, and homemade breakfast, all for me! I was stunned! Just stunned! I could write more, but I don't want to appear sappy and annoying (OK, I know I am, but I just can't help it people!). I am just so honored...

I finally got tagged in a 6th album/6th picture post! I'll admit I was beginning to feel a little left out! Chuck, you made my day with your Waveland pictures AND with tagging me! Thanks friend! =) Unfortunately, I have already posted this picture on my blog. I confess this makes for a boring post, but I had to follow the rules! I will say I feel as if I am leaving Christmas behind now, and moving forward. I am enjoying this feeling. I have been enjoying moving into 2009. I heard a wicked powerful message this morning. It was one of those messages where you know God is speaking directly to YOU (me) and probably no one else in the room! I could barely keep it together as I sat there stunned at the TRUTH God was so clearly speaking to my heart, to my soul. I am determined to REACH forward, TRUST God with my future, and bury those things that need to be buried. My 2009 year began on the beach, ocean crashing, stars bright, close to a very special friend ;), hearing other f...