the big 2-9

It's officially the last year of my twenties. I turned the 29 about a week ago, just one year away from the big 3-0. I'm not sure what my 29th year will hold, but I know it will be a year of transition with me finishing school and starting residency, Jamie likely quitting his job and going back to school and the possibility of us relocating. If I've learned anything, it's that there is no way of predicting how a year will turn out, no matter how many plans you have. I'm excited to see what God has in store for the year ahead.

I was inspired by Ashley's blog to make a list of 29 things I want to do in my 29th year. Here they are:

1. get in great shape before I turn 30
2. be a better wife and show more unconditional respect for my husband
3. finish the Warrior Dash without keeling over
4. go on vacation somewhere besides Jamaica (although I love Jamaica)
5. grow out my hair (at least for a while)
6. be more grateful for all I've been blessed with
7. get professional pics taken with my hubby that aren't wedding pics (especially since we never had engagement pictures taken)
8. be a more consistent journaler (especially since I got 6 journals for my birthday), and hopefully blogger ;)
9. cultivate a passion for God's Word that I have been lacking lately and be more consistent in reading and studying the Bible
10. make an effort to build transparent, authentic community and relationships
11. get back to my crafty roots and spend more time doing creative things
12. get better at using my camera and the external flash Jamie bought me
13. become more financially responsible
14. attempt to actually enjoy cooking (aside from making desserts) and learn more healthy recipes
15. get a Mac (so ready to get rid of my crappy laptop)
16. get some cute winter clothes (my winter wardrobe has been lacking since my Houston days)
17. drink more water (and less diet soda)
18. read more books for fun
19. go to the shooting range again
20. go skiing
21. go camping with my hubby
22. start a photo journal
23. eat healthier
24. be more intentional about making sure people in my life know that I love them
25. complain less, encourage more
26. run a half-marathon
27. get my house more organized and less cluttered
28. live generously, in the knowledge that everything I have is God's anyway
29. finish (or at least start...ha) making my t-shirt quilt that i cut the pieces out for probably at least 5-6 years ago

We'll see how accomplishing that list goes for me. I'll try to keep you guys updated, especially in light of #8 ;).

where has the year gone?

I realize it's only March, but I also just realized that this will be my first blog post of 2010. I'm not sure where the past three months has gone other than the fact that my life was swallowed up by my surgery rotation for the first bit of the year. Honestly, I just haven't had much to blog about or maybe just not time to process things enough to share them with the world (or the two people who probably read this blog).

One of the big questions that has been looming larger and larger these days is what I am going to do with the rest of my life. I know what most of you are thinking "you're in medical school. you're going to be a doctor" and you would be right about that, but I'm still undecided on what area of medicine I want to pursue. It's true that I don't have to decide right now but seeing everyone around me decide on their specialties and having to make my schedule for next year has put the pressure on. Some things that are going through my mind in the decision making process are doing something that will glorify God, using my gifts in a way that will most benefit others, my desire to do medical missions and how I can best accomplish that, and the fact that I would like to have a somewhat normal life with time to devote to my marriage and eventually family. Right now, my top three options are: emergency medicine, internal medicine or psychiatry. Stay tuned to see what I decide and pray that God will give me direction on how I can best serve Him.

2010

It's hard for me to believe that another year is coming to a close and a new one is beginning. I've never been big on setting New Year's resolutions but one thing I do want to concentrate on in 2010 is seeing God as the Creator that He is. See, I have the tendency to wish for things to be the way they used to be or to want a great experience to be repeated again. Instead, this year, I want to start thinking in terms of the new things God is doing. I want to be open to new experiences and even new challenges that God has in store. God is a creator, not a replicator, and I want to adjust my frame of reference in order to see Him that way. Instead of praying for things to go back to the way they used to be I want to pray that God will create new experiences that will be just as meaningful and that He will place new dreams in my heart for this year and for the future.

Some big things I am looking forward to in the New Year:

• Celebrating Jamie's 30th birthday in a few short weeks....he may not be that excited about it, but I am looking forward to having a chance to celebrate him.
• Being a bridesmaid in Janine's wedding! She is an amazing person and friend and I will be so proud to stand with her as she pledges her heart to David.
• Celebrating the (so far) 4 weddings that are planned for good friends in 2010.
• Getting back into better shape and hopefully running my 3rd half-marathon sometime in the fall.

Most of all, I am looking forward to all the surprises God has in store and all the new things He is going to do that I haven't even imagined yet.

Grace, peace and blessings for the new year!

merry christmas!

We didn't send out Christmas cards this year but hope these pictures of our "kids" will do. I couldn't actually get Lucy to pose with any Christmas garb on so had to edit that in for her :). Merry Christmas! Praying that you spend some time reflecting on the love of our Savior whose birth we celebrate.

thankful

The thing I love about Thanksgiving is that it gives us an opportunity to truly focus on the blessings we have been given that we often tend to overlook in the day to day. I have so many things to be thankful for but here are just a few:

• A God who loves me with a perfect love even though I'm flawed and imperfect. He has blessed me in so many ways and is deserving of my utmost gratitude and love.
• A husband who takes care of me, makes me laugh like no one else can, loves me and loves the Lord.
• An awesome family, both biologically and through Christ. God has put some amazing people in my life who have blessed me beyond belief.
• Two fun dogs even though I want to kill them sometimes (like when they chew up my shoes)
• God's provision which has been shown to us in amazing ways. It has helped me trust the Lord when things look absolutely impossible.
• A roof over my head, food to eat, clothes to wear, and the knowledge that this makes me rich in comparison to most of the world.
• The dreams God has already fulfilled for me and the dreams He has yet to give me. I love God's surprises and the fact that I have no idea what God has in store for me. Sometimes it's nerve wracking to the worrier in me but I know that it's ultimately a blessing and an adventure.
• Friends that make me laugh until I cry
  
• Watching the first snow fall outside my window
• Peppermint mochas
• Wearing Jamie's sweatpants
• Candy cane Tootsie roll pops
  
• Anything pumpkin

I'm sure there are many more things I could list but I'll keep it short for now. Praying that you spend some time reflecting on all that you have to be thankful for.

God's provision

I have been amazing lately by the way God has been revealing Himself through His provision. I suppose God is always a provider, but I find that I often don't take the time to notice. Lately, though, His hand has been undeniable. Here are just a few ways He has provided recently:

• On the day I wrote a tithe check that I wasn't entirely sure we would have enough money in our account to cover, God provided exactly DOUBLE that amount through one of our friends who just felt called to give us that amount of money.
• When I got out of work the other day, I had 4 BRAND NEW tires on my car out of the blue thanks to other awesome people who God used as His hands and feet.
• This weekend was a pretty busy one for me. I had a test yesterday and "should have" been studying all weekend but ended up working on Saturday to help with our finances and went to see my friend Jill's baby on Saturday night. On Sunday I could have spent the whole day studying but instead decided to go to church and to the David Crowder concert, against what the fear of failure inside me wanted. Today I found out that I did better on that test than I have any the whole year!

These are just a few of the examples of God's amazing blessings lately. The most beautiful part about these provisions is the way I have seen God use our community and those people He has put in our lives to do His work. I have always loved that God uses ordinary, broken, messed up people to do extraordinary things. The sacrificial love of our community has shown me a true picture of who Jesus is. Never underestimate the value of even a small act done in God's love.

I AM...

I Am Nuru from Nuru International on Vimeo.

There are so many adjectives we each use to describe ourselves. Just think about the phrase I am ______. What words fill in the blank for you? Mine could include Christian, wife, student, pharmacist, daughter, sister, friend.....the list goes on and on.

One of the most exciting words I would use to fill in the blank recently, however, is Nuru. If you've read any of my previous blogs, you probably know how I feel about those living in poverty. I believe we have a responsibility to first of all, care about those who are suffering and second of all, care for them. I also believe that the end of extreme poverty is a milestone that can be reached in our lifetime. It may sound like a lofty goal, but I believe that Nuru International has just the unique vision and model to accomplish it. I've blogged about Nuru in the past but if you want to know more, please click on the link and explore their brand new website!

If you like what you see, I encourage you to take the next step and take action in the fight against extreme poverty. The website has a whole list of ways you can join the fight without spending a penny. For example, Jamie just ran his 3rd marathon to benefit Nuru and raised $250 in the process!

Jamie crossing the finish line

All of us decked out in our Nuru gear (puffy paint shirts and all)

If you can afford a financial donation, Nuru has a new recurring giving program designed to lift 1000 families out of extreme poverty for less than $1 a day. Whatever your resources, consider how you can use them to help those who aren't yet able to help themselves.

Be hope. Be light. Be Nuru.