I seriously just caught myself crying while I was putting away the laundry. I can no longer deny the inevitable. It's past time for me to switch Emma to big hangers :-(
Saturday, February 02, 2013
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Welcoming Ella Grace
I posted the photos that I took of the day that my niece, Ella, was born (April 4, 2012) quite a while back on facebook. But since I couldn't find it on my timeline. I thought I would post it here so that I can find it when I need it.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
On Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston......
Thoughts on Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, just in case I die young... As The Band Perry says, "funny when you're dead how people start listening".
I think there's a certain solace that comes with knowing that someone went down while still on top. For me, with situations like that of Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, there is an additional grief that comes with the knowing that the pressures of the industry took a toll on them and they were cut short of fulfilling their dreams (they both looked like they were about to make a major comeback) . I also grieve the fact that their families have to endure some of the horrible things that people have said about them. I am really bothered by the pleasures that it seems that some people take in watching a celebrity fall off the pedestal that they're on, only because they put them there. I think people forget that these are real people that have real people that love them that are grieving their loss. Death is a natural part of life. It stinks but we all know it's going to happen to us all. But, I have to work really hard to not let seeing someone lack humanity when responding to death turn me into a cynic.
And as Jewell put's it... "please be careful with me, I'm sensitive and I'd like to stay that way".
Blessings,
Dana
I think there's a certain solace that comes with knowing that someone went down while still on top. For me, with situations like that of Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, there is an additional grief that comes with the knowing that the pressures of the industry took a toll on them and they were cut short of fulfilling their dreams (they both looked like they were about to make a major comeback) . I also grieve the fact that their families have to endure some of the horrible things that people have said about them. I am really bothered by the pleasures that it seems that some people take in watching a celebrity fall off the pedestal that they're on, only because they put them there. I think people forget that these are real people that have real people that love them that are grieving their loss. Death is a natural part of life. It stinks but we all know it's going to happen to us all. But, I have to work really hard to not let seeing someone lack humanity when responding to death turn me into a cynic.
And as Jewell put's it... "please be careful with me, I'm sensitive and I'd like to stay that way".
Blessings,
Dana
Monday, March 19, 2012
Happy Cleo Patricks Day!
Cudo's to Pinterest for the rainbow fruit kabob idea!
And now caught on camera... Emma and Chloe discover a Leprechaun has used their bathroom...
My children are going to spend their adult life in therapy...
Blessings,
Dana
Monday, February 13, 2012
Motorcycle for Baby Milo
So I saw this cute idea on Pinterest and just had to make one for Baby Milo, the newest addition to our church family, weighing in at a whopping 2 lbs and 11 oz. Isn't it cute!? There's a super easy to follow tutorial at SweetAprils. Baby Milo will be in the hospital until his due date mid March, we're keeping our distance since we've all been sick but we can't wait to meet the sweet little guy!
Blessings,
Dana
Saturday, February 11, 2012
What Kind of Shopper are You?
So I made a post yesterday of a photo shoot I did of Emma way back in December. In that post, I said that I had been consumed with school work, none of which anyone would find interesting blog material. But, then I got to thinking... Maybe I'm wrong... A lot of people like to shop and all of us have to (which is the case for myself). So, perhaps you would be interesting in knowing what kind of shopper you are.
I had to do what is called the VALS survey for one of my marketing classes. It uses a series of questions to group people into target markets based on personality predisposition for innovation and the resources that are available them. Once you take the survey, you can click on "VALS types" and see a description of each type.
I found my results to be, as with any other personality test I've taken, to be quite bizarre but probably accurate. Which would explain why even I can't figure me out. Anyway, to avoid skewing the results for anyone else that might like to take it, I will give anyone that might possibly see this a chance to take it and report my results at a later point and time. I'd love to hear your results and whether you thought they were accurate.
I had to do what is called the VALS survey for one of my marketing classes. It uses a series of questions to group people into target markets based on personality predisposition for innovation and the resources that are available them. Once you take the survey, you can click on "VALS types" and see a description of each type.
I found my results to be, as with any other personality test I've taken, to be quite bizarre but probably accurate. Which would explain why even I can't figure me out. Anyway, to avoid skewing the results for anyone else that might like to take it, I will give anyone that might possibly see this a chance to take it and report my results at a later point and time. I'd love to hear your results and whether you thought they were accurate.
Blessings,
Dana
Friday, February 10, 2012
Guitar Photo Shoot
Taken December 6th 2011
Back in September, I started working on a marketing degree. While I do still write quite frequently, Consumer Behavior is hardly blogging material and coming here to write for leisure after I've spent my week doing case studies and writing research papers seems equivalent to working out after track practice during my college track days. There just isn't much of a desire to run five miles because the coach told you to and then leave track practice and go work out for fun.
I've still managed to capture a lot of daily life by camera. But all the pictures that I've taken since November are hanging out and twiddling their thumbs in my Photoshop Organizer. Hopefully I will get a chance to catch up on those some time in the near future.
For now, I am posting the only pictures I've managed to edit since I started school. Emma started taking guitar lessons in September and she really seems to have a natural talent for it (from her daddy no doubt). So, we played around, pretending to be doing a photo shoot for her album cover. I did manage to get Chloe in a couple but for the most part, she was more interested in playing than taking pictures. Emma's guitar shoot also ending up lending itself to a personally suited Valentine's Day card which was great since I had vowed not to do anything with any new pictures until I post my Christmas pictures.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
It's a Conspiracy!
Wow, it's been so long since I've been over here. For record keeping sake, I wanted to get over here and make a short note of our three day Christmas tradition. Watch the video below to see how it all got started.
To read more about our rethinking of how we approach Christmas, see our first Christmas of Presence in 2008.
I will be back soon with pictures of our activities.
If you're a friend on facebook, you can view our digital Christmas Card there. There are pictures of other children on there that I don't have permission to share publicly.
Blessings,
Dana
To read more about our rethinking of how we approach Christmas, see our first Christmas of Presence in 2008.
I will be back soon with pictures of our activities.
If you're a friend on facebook, you can view our digital Christmas Card there. There are pictures of other children on there that I don't have permission to share publicly.
Blessings,
Dana
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
PERSPECTIVE - My RESTLESS heart..
“There is within us a fundamental dis-ease, an unquenchable fire that renders us incapable, in this life, of ever coming to full peace. This desire lies at the center of our lives, in the marrow of our bones, and in the deep recesses of the soul. At the heart of all great literature, poetry, art, philosophy, psychology, and religion lies the naming and analyzing of this desire. Spirituality is, ultimately, about what we do with that desire. What we do with our longings, both in terms of handling the pain and the hope they bring us, that is our spirituality . . . Augustine says: ‘You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.’ Spirituality is about what we do with our unrest.”
It's funny how God speaks... and does not.. It's been so long since I had heard His voice. Somewhere deep inside the bitterness I felt towards His silence I learned to love Jesus in His humanity, more.. As if they are separate--which they are not..But they were for a moment. And now, a small piece, I understand. And so I suppose, the purpose of the silence has been served and so He speaks again..
I haven't written in so long. I've had no words.
But yesterday, I found myself reading St. Augustine's Confessions. I'm not even sure how I ended up there. But these words pierced my heart..
"For you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you"- St. Augustine.
They brought with them perspective..PERSPECTIVE.. It is everything..
My heart has been RESTLESS. And after months of hearing silence, the floodgates open and He comes to me, washing over me. And rushing so overwhelming that words still can't convey..
But more PERSPECTIVE for myself-- Answers to questions from a former student during our time in youth ministry.. She doesn't need my answers except as required for a paper for a class.. I know only some of her experiences. Only a small piece of her PERSPECTIVE.. One I wish I had at her age yet am grateful that I did not.. Because experience forms PERSPECTIVE and usually experience that does, is far from painless.. But I needed the answers and so here they are.. A small piece of the journey of my restless heart..
1. How would you define "spirituality" or the "spiritual life"?
A journey with a human instinct to make detours and a powerful and unexplainable force that steers me back to the path (sometimes gently with a soft saddle and a slow trott and sometimes bareback while I hang on for dear life!). And I have no idea why I'm riding a metaphorical horse because I haven't been on a horse since I was bucked off of one when I was 12. But I'm sure there's some spiritual significance there somewhere.
2. What are some practices or things you do that play a formational role in your spiritual life? When I'm on the path, pray, music, read and cry.. I think that when you can't cry on the outside you bleed on the inside.. When I've taken a detour, often, I find myself covering my ears and saying, "la la la la la"...
3. What difference does it make for you to worship/fast/pray/praise communally/corporately vs. individually? Which do you prefer?
This depends... If it's with people that I know believe in the power of it, it is the most meaningful thing I can experience. If it's with people that are just checking it off a list it can be the most frustrating experience. In real life application, the most meaningful experiences I've had with this have been in communion with Adam. I do often long for a community to do these things with in faith.. So I guess I would say I prefer it. And I probably need to focus more on making it happen.
4. Of the quote-unquote "disciplines", which is the most difficult for you? Do you see this as reason to push into this practice more or less? Well currently, because of my stage in life where I have small children that I have to feed, I find fasting difficult.. However, this has come up in conversation for Adam and me a lot lately with a realization that we've never fasted for the life at the current church we're working with and I think that we will probably be doing that very soon. So, I guess I would say at this current time, I feel a push to do it more.
5. When/how do you feel most connected with God? Prayer, praise, silence, service, something else? When I see the church being what I see described in the Bible. That's when I feel like I see Heaven breaking through.
6. When speaking with someone about growing in their relationship with Christ, how would you advise them to move forward?
By committing to pray. Even if it's just to the discipline at first. I don't know if it's the age old question of whether prayer changes God or changes perspective. I think in my heart of hearts I believe it's both. But actually, a change in perspective for myself is usually the most important because God does just fine when I get myself out of the way.
7. What do you perceive as the goal of these "practices"?
As somewhat already addressed above.. Discipline and perspective change.
8. Anything else you'd like to say on the topic?
I will say that up until recently, I think I had taken a major detour and fallen in a hole. There's a longer story behind this but it mostly involves the loss of quite a few people that I hold dear to my heart and disillusionment with the church (not specifically the congregation that we're in but the church globally ) and it was a commitment to the discipline of praying with Adam no matter what that got me back to "the journey".
You should also keep in mind that my role in life is probably alike to maybe one percent of the population if that. I find the life of being a preacher's wife often lonely. I am a friend that people go to when they need something. (Edit: I should add that to some degree I defined this role. Or perhaps, I let the role define me). I long to giggle like a school girl with friends that see me as just me. I think everyone experiences loneliness to some degree because of a feeling that no one truly understands us. I believe that loneliness can be an opportunity for growth or a force of destruction. I am trying to understand my loneliness and use it as a force to help me understand the sufferings of Jesus and bring me closer to God, the only one that can completely know and understand me..
This may very well become a blog post.. Since it may put some meaning behind why I haven't written one in so long..
Blessings, I love you!
Dana
A journey with a human instinct to make detours and a powerful and unexplainable force that steers me back to the path (sometimes gently with a soft saddle and a slow trott and sometimes bareback while I hang on for dear life!). And I have no idea why I'm riding a metaphorical horse because I haven't been on a horse since I was bucked off of one when I was 12. But I'm sure there's some spiritual significance there somewhere.
2. What are some practices or things you do that play a formational role in your spiritual life? When I'm on the path, pray, music, read and cry.. I think that when you can't cry on the outside you bleed on the inside.. When I've taken a detour, often, I find myself covering my ears and saying, "la la la la la"...
3. What difference does it make for you to worship/fast/pray/praise communally/corporately vs. individually? Which do you prefer?
This depends... If it's with people that I know believe in the power of it, it is the most meaningful thing I can experience. If it's with people that are just checking it off a list it can be the most frustrating experience. In real life application, the most meaningful experiences I've had with this have been in communion with Adam. I do often long for a community to do these things with in faith.. So I guess I would say I prefer it. And I probably need to focus more on making it happen.
4. Of the quote-unquote "disciplines", which is the most difficult for you? Do you see this as reason to push into this practice more or less? Well currently, because of my stage in life where I have small children that I have to feed, I find fasting difficult.. However, this has come up in conversation for Adam and me a lot lately with a realization that we've never fasted for the life at the current church we're working with and I think that we will probably be doing that very soon. So, I guess I would say at this current time, I feel a push to do it more.
5. When/how do you feel most connected with God? Prayer, praise, silence, service, something else? When I see the church being what I see described in the Bible. That's when I feel like I see Heaven breaking through.
6. When speaking with someone about growing in their relationship with Christ, how would you advise them to move forward?
By committing to pray. Even if it's just to the discipline at first. I don't know if it's the age old question of whether prayer changes God or changes perspective. I think in my heart of hearts I believe it's both. But actually, a change in perspective for myself is usually the most important because God does just fine when I get myself out of the way.
7. What do you perceive as the goal of these "practices"?
As somewhat already addressed above.. Discipline and perspective change.
8. Anything else you'd like to say on the topic?
I will say that up until recently, I think I had taken a major detour and fallen in a hole. There's a longer story behind this but it mostly involves the loss of quite a few people that I hold dear to my heart and disillusionment with the church (not specifically the congregation that we're in but the church globally ) and it was a commitment to the discipline of praying with Adam no matter what that got me back to "the journey".
You should also keep in mind that my role in life is probably alike to maybe one percent of the population if that. I find the life of being a preacher's wife often lonely. I am a friend that people go to when they need something. (Edit: I should add that to some degree I defined this role. Or perhaps, I let the role define me). I long to giggle like a school girl with friends that see me as just me. I think everyone experiences loneliness to some degree because of a feeling that no one truly understands us. I believe that loneliness can be an opportunity for growth or a force of destruction. I am trying to understand my loneliness and use it as a force to help me understand the sufferings of Jesus and bring me closer to God, the only one that can completely know and understand me..
This may very well become a blog post.. Since it may put some meaning behind why I haven't written one in so long..
Blessings, I love you!
Dana
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Little Pink Lady
Emma in her get up for 50's Day for Red Ribbon Week at school. I think I have more fun putting these costumes together than she does wearing them. Cutos to the costume store downtown for the "Pink Ladies" jacket and scarves. Kids costumes on sale for $2.00 Score! The rest came from around the house and the pants, they're Chloe's..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
