Turn the Page.

I realize that since Easter was yesterday, technically I'm a day late. But I think this is applicable all year, as is the significance of Easter.

I went to church with my parents and grandparents, and got the opportunity to hear an incredible message. Easter is the biggest page turning even in history. Just when everyone thought the story was over...a new page was turned. And isn't that how God works in our everyday lives? Just when we think we can't sink any lower, that our story is over...we get a chance to turn the page.

There are so many things in this life that can be seen as the end. It could be a chronic diagnosis, an email that announces the company is downsizing, a text saying you've been cheated on. And yet Christ has the power to turn the page so that you get a fresh, blank page to begin anew.

We as humans have the power to turn back pages and live in the past...and I will be the first to admit I've fallen into that trap. But why go backwards when we get a fresh new start and have a relationship with someone who can turn the page and help us move forward??

An important point to consider is that just because we're given the grace of a new start, it doesn't erase the past. Just because you start a new chapter in a book, the beginning isn't erased. But we're not stuck on that page anymore...and that is the beauty of grace. The beauty of the cross.

So are you going to hold on to that page in your life? Or will you let Him turn the page for you?

When Waiting is Hard

Here's a blog from Proverbs 31 ministries, and it definitely encouraged me. I hope it helps you as well!!

When Waiting is Hard Wendy Pope

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” Psalm 27:14 (NIV)

Our hurry up, need it, gotta-have-it-now culture often makes us feel there’s something wrong with waiting and that we shouldn’t have to. Within seconds we can order a cute blouse from a trendy store, Skype with a friend across the country and text our husband a list of groceries to pick up on the way home. No wonder waiting can be hard to do.

David, the author of today’s key verse, was no stranger to waiting and knew its difficulties full well. Out of nowhere, Samuel showed up at his home to anoint the next king of Israel, who was to be chosen from David’s family. Only one of Jesse’s sons would be anointed as God’s chosen king for His beloved Israel. The son elected was David.

Scripture tells us the Spirit of God rushed over David and was with him the remainder of his days (1 Samuel 16:13 ESV). With such an anointing, we might expect David to run to the throne. But the only running David did was back to the pasture and his job as shepherd. Thus his wait began.

In the wait, God prepared David to be king. The only vocation David knew was shepherding. He did not know the ins and outs of kingly protocol or have the support of the people or armies. Instead of taking the position he was promised, David waited for God to move him from the pasture to the palace.

Waiting in the present is beneficial to our future. This is something David learned, along with many other lessons that we can find hope in during the difficulty of waiting.

1. Even though we are anointed and appointed we may still have to wait. David waited fifteen years to be king of Judah and even longer to be king of all Israel.

2. God’s ways are not our ways; His thoughts are not our thoughts. After being anointed and appointed David was called to serve Saul, the king who was sitting on “his” throne.

3. God doesn’t waste time … He redeems it. The time of waiting will be used to prosper us in each season of life.

4. If we allow it, our waiting will bring us an intimate knowledge of the Savior that we would not otherwise have. Most of David’s beautiful and poetic psalms were written while in caves, caverns and the wilderness, waiting on God.

5. God doesn’t ignore the cries of His children. David cried, and at times begged God for help, invention and defense. God never let David down. He did eventually take the throne, didn’t he?

6. Our waiting has a purpose for someone other than ourselves. Just think of how rich our lives are today because of the wait David endured. We have the comfort, compassion, hope and healing of his amazing poetry.

What awesome instructions David’s life gives for waiting! Waiting is less difficult and the future is brighter when we let God do His work in our waiting season. When we let our guard and defenses down He proves Himself faithful to bring His plans for our lives to fullness.

Dear Lord, help me wait. Help me wait well. I want to be still and allow You to bring Your plan in my life to its fullness. I can’t do this without You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflect and Respond:
Read more about David’s life starting in 1 Samuel 16.

What is your first response to waiting? Do you draw closer to or pull away from God when you’re waiting?

Write down what God taught you through this devotion on waiting.

Power Verses:
Psalm 27:4, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (NIV 1984)

Isaiah 40:31, “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (NIV 1984)

Lamentations 3:24, “I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’” (NIV 1984)

© 2012 by Wendy Pope. All rights reserved.

Something new to try!

It seems to me that the average person may perceive healthy eating to be boring, and without variety, however, they are gravely mistaken! There is always something new to find and experiment with, like kohlrabi! Kohlrabi literally means “cabbage turnip”, and is in the same family as more familiar foods such as kale and broccoli. Being in this nutrient dense family makes this vegetable a great choice. It’s low in calories, super high in fiber, and is full of many vitamins and minerals that frankly, we just don’t get enough of! Kohlrabi is incredibly high in antioxidants, and can easily add flavor to any dish. This delicious vegetable is available year round at almost any supermarket, although it’s peak flavor is spring through early summer. Traditionally it is incorporated heavily into European meals, but it hasn’t caught on in American currently. There are a variety of ways the vegetable can be utilized, either raw or cooked. Just like many others, it can also be steamed, barbecued, or stir-fried. It can be used to make fries, which are the perfect side to many meals, or even making it into a delicious pie! Who said healthy can’t be tasty? 

Here's a like that has 5 really delicious sounding recipes! http://tinyurl.com/7334clo 

Training your mind

I think ALL the time,  and in fact, there are hardly any moments when I am not thinking of the thousand things at once... Even when I should be sleeping.

This semester I have started taking yoga classes and it has been quite an experience. I love you for many reasons – one of the main reasons being that it is something that I can physically do. I can't do everything and can modify most things, and my instructor has been incredibly helpful with this. But not only that, it is constantly teaching me how to train my mind to relax, something I definitely can use.

At the end of each practice we laid down for conscious relaxation, something that is completely new to me. We listen to alpha waves, which I have learned  are the brain waves that occur in deep meditation states.  I won't lie, it has been really hard to train myself and I am still not perfect at it, but I'm getting better with each practice. Forcing yourself to be present in that moment and not think of what is going on later that day or what has really happened is really hard for me. But calming your mind and focusing on the music allows your brain to go into this meditative state and it is a feeling unlike any other. It's almost like a disconnect of your brain from your body and you're just in this place were there is nothing going on,  in for a chronic thinker like me this is paradise.

My instructor has also taught me about Delta waves, which help your brain mimic the same brain waves that occur when you're in a deep sleep. It normally takes me literally hours to fall asleep every night, the listening to Delta waves knocks me out in a matter of minutes. This is also taken a couple nights to get used to, because you have to force yourself to stop thinking and focus on the music.

I'm still learning how to not not think,  can be present in the moment, the learning how to train my mind has been quite an experience and one that I am very thankful for.   I am most definitely recommend  Yoga for everyone,  and it is a lot more intense than people think.  It is a great workout  and ironically also one of the most relaxing things ever.

 Even if  yoga is not for you,  listening to different waves and training yourself to relax with all the craziness of this world going on would be a good lesson  for us all.

If I can do it anyone can, and I think you should!

Sucky. Sucky week.

This week has basically just sucked. Had 5 tests...lots of friendships going through stuff...and the fact that at the current moment I can barely use my hands...Hence why this won't be too long.

I went to the doctor today and she said that my MD is spreading into my hands which explains my current predicament. There is a muscle that goes through your palm that for me has already wasted away in both of my hands, and as a result is making the big muscle below my thumbs work too hard, so they are super weak and wasting as well...which is why they hurt so badly. Not only is it a constant sharp, throbbing pain,  but if I use that muscle it cramps up and locks.

So...what does that mean? Not much. They can't do anything to stop it. But in the mean time I am waiting on some pain meds that will hopefully make it bearable, and I am going to go to Occupational Therapy. With that I will basically have to re-learn how to do everything...without using my thumbs. Hopefully they can teach me how to use the other muscles that I do have, and maybe give me ideas for adapting to this new stage in my life.

Prayers would be much appreciated. Frustration doesn't even come lightyears close to scratching the surface of how I'm feeling.

2011

Yet again another year has gone by! It's insane to think it's already about to be 2012!! I remember thinking that sounded so crazy and futuristic, yet here it is! This is my traditional post composed of my (to the best of my ability) chronological order of massive memories from the past year.

I feel like this year has been SO. LONG. So much happened....so much change occured. Some good, and some bad. But it would suffice to say that I am not the same person who started on January 1, and I think I'm okay with that. Life is a constant growth process full of pain, sorrow, joy, and laughter....and I think if I ever get so complacent with my life that I never change, or am the same person I was a year ago, I have cause to worry.

Here's a super Cliff note version of my year!

Started off the year with the last of a series of 3 surgeries, coincidentally about 4 days before school started
I spent another wonderful semester trying to keep track of the crazy awesome KXA Big Brothers
There was a crazy arctic cold front that resulted in lots of snow!
Because of said snow, my friends and I went sledding down at the marina, using the tops of plastic bins
Muburak stepped down, a big politcal move
I was absolutely blessed beyond measure to add my 2 grandlittles to my lineage
Being a part of All-University SING
Finding out my sister was going to have a baby!!
The earthquake and tsunami in Japan
Bin Laden being killed
Flying by myself for the first time (to see my epic best friend!)
The debt ceiling crisis
Starting my senior year, living with my best friend from 3rd grade
Being sent off as Early Alum from KXA
My last Christmas on 5th celebration
RG3 winning the Heisman
My wonderful, annual post-finals hang out with my Gangster Z lovely
Having my beloved friend of 16 years, Freeway, die in my arms the morning after Christmas
Baylor winning the Alamo Bowl
My sister having her baby - making me an aunt!!
My grandpa turning 90!


This year - as you can see - has been such a whirlwind!! I am definitely excited for this upcoming year, one that will be really big in terms of my next big step in life. I can't believe that college is almost over!! So insane. Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful and safe New Years Eve...and an epic 2012!

My love: Freeway

The past few days have been a stressful whirlwind of emotions, all of which ending in the passing of my beloved best friend Freeway.

There truly are no words to express how much pain is as a result of his loss, and how much he meant to me for the past 16 years. He has been through EVERYTHING with me. Medically, emotionally, everything. He was always there for my good days, and the bad...and always lended a listening ear.

He got sick a couple days ago, and I spent my Christmas day trying to nurse him back to health, all the while slowly watching him get worse and worse. This morning I woke up for some strange reason (no doubt in my mind a gift from God) and I heard him crying. I went down just in time to be with him in his last moments of life, and to be able to hold him in my arms as he passed from this life. As insanely hard as that moment was, it was one that I wouldn't trade for anything. If he had to go, that was the place I wanted him to be...where I always had him.

I've never had to lose an animal, much less one who has been with me since I was six, and it is an indescribable ache, and he has molded a place in my heart that he will always fill. It was his time to go, and I know that he is no longer suffering, which brings great peace, and am doing my best to remember all the good times we had, and not the scarring images seared in my mind of my last minutes with him. He truly has been a puppy his whole life and was the funniest dog I have ever met. He was a joy to all, and can never be replaced.

I keep hearing him crying, or hearing the jingle of his collar, or look in his room expecting to see him there....but I know this will pass eventually. I miss him so much, and could never express how much I loved him. But he is still around, and has forever changed my life in the most amazing way possible.