and then there was proof...

In the background... sometimes that's where the great things happen. Where they aren't noticed. Where they aren't readily praised. Where they aren't unnecessarily examined. Where they can be properly thought through. The background is where this story started, but not where it's going to stay.

This one guy had been in the background, behind the scenes, in my life. He was a friend, he was a smiling face, but that was all. He just sat and watched me while I paraded around trying to figure my life out. I put myself in the spotlight while he waited in the shadows. He waited for the timing to be right. Timing that wasn't in his terms. Timing that was in His terms, whether this guy knew it or not. I was busy trying to teach and coach and figure my life out while he watched me teach and coach and tried to figure out if he wanted a part of my busy life.

I was busy collecting friends and living the high life, or whatever you call teaching at a Christian school whilst running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and he was working. Becoming. Learning. Collecting skills and character qualities to be a godly man.

Then there was an accident, yet a moment in time that God knew we needed.

After that, the background wasn't really an option. He was on my radar, and I was... uhh... more than just on his radar.

Occasional texting turned into tennis.

Tennis turned into unintentional dates.

Unintentional dates turned into intentional dates.

Intentional dates turned into sporting events.

Sporting events turned into trips to the lake.

Trips to the lake turned into trips to my house.

Trips to my house turned into a family that was readily accepting and thrilled that this guy was so... me.
He smooths out my rough spots.

He eats and likes my food.

He laughs at my jokes. 

He buys me the most thoughtful things (like an automatic car starter).

He treats me with respect and dignity and he treats my family the same way.

 He puts my needs above his.

And he proves his trustworthiness and patience. 

I needed time to prioritize and clear my head while Christ used that time to redeem my past. I wanted pure motives and I needed time to make sure that's exactly what I had. I needed someone willing to wait for me. And that is EXACTLY who I spent time waiting for. :)

Isaiah and I spent time gaining wisdom from the friends who know us both. Praying and talking through our thoughts, dreams, and concerns. We spent time with each others' families and got to know them as well. After a few months of limbo, we made it "official" without making it "facebook official" (which is actually still okay in 2013). And 135 days later, we're still enjoying each other. :)

As someone without an M-R-S, I've gotten the question for years, "When are you going to get married?" I still don't know the answer, but I get to spend my days patiently waiting for an ever-faithful God. He's blessed me quite a bit up 'til now, and I'm excited to see His blessings down the road. For now, I'm gonna enjoy the blessings of a boyfriend who reminds me to love and trust my Jesus.

Amanda Joy Photography

 

Do it anyway.

I don't often (and maybe I really should) pass on words written by others, but today, I stumbled across this entry by Mother Teresa. Full of wisdom and full of grace.

Do It Anyway

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.



Such a poignant reminder to live for the perfect One who made me, not the imperfect others along life's path.

 

These are a few of my favorite... blogs.

When I was in Portugal, I came across several blogs with the help of my friend Krisanna. We spent some of our extra time looking for different blogs within our categories of interest. Now, my GoogleReader is filled with various blogs from all over cyber space. A few of my favorites are...

Young House Love. I get to follow the lives of John and Sherry. Two HILARIOUS DIYers. They have an adorable little girl and they spend their lives completing projects and blogging. Seriously amazing.

Little Miss Momma. Follow the life and adventures of Ashley Stock and her cute little family as she tells the stories of her learning how to be a mom and her projects along the way... including my recent favorite posts about how she and her husband met. DARLING!

The Pioneer Woman. Ree writes all about photography and cooking and making her own shortcuts to store-bought things because she lives in the boonies.

The Dating Divas. Cheap, simple date ideas. PERFECT for you married ladies who "follow" my blog... which let this be a reprimand if you don't follow me. On the right side of my page, click either "subscribe to posts," "follow by email," or down by my followers on the right side, click "join this site" with google friend connect. Be a dear, just do it. :)

iHeart Organizing. Seriously, amazing organizing ideas. And sweet giveaways. LOVE IT!

Petit Elefant. Just fun. Life. Kids. DIY. Gifts. Learning. Fashion. Love it. :)

Less Cake More Frosting. Just love it.

And several of my PERSONAL faves. Friends of mine. Stories that pull at my heart-strings. These are their stories.

Jennifer (NiHART) HARTwig over at Always Keep HeART.

Alyssa Leonard over at Echoes of the Creator.

Erin Wahlstrom over (in Portugal) at Reflections of the Undeserving. SUCH an amazing woman who reflects her love of the Almighty in her posts. SO genuine. LOVE HER!

Jennifer Vaughn and her son's story of living with Leukemia. Vaughn Party of Seven.

Melyssa Dark at Melyssa with a "Y"

Mark Cannon over at Be of Good Courage.

Moral of the story, blogs are like the world you want to follow, rather than facebook which is the world that your "friends" force you to follow, which includes their drama.

Also, someday, I'd LOVE to be part of the BlogHer network, marry money, and blog for a "job." But we'll see how that all pans out. ;) Basically, I'm NOT counting on it. ;)

Thankful Thoughts: Days 11, 12, and 13

Day eleven was Friday: I was able to drive up to Iowa after school and basketball practice to see my brother, catch up with some friends, and watch basketball. I'm thankful for:

basketball. LOVE it.
my younger brother, Seth.
my car that runs.
my new alternator.
a friendly, yet unexpected smile. :)
friends who speak the truth in love and continually shower me with encouragement.
girlfriends...
[specifically Jennifer over at always keep HeART and Melyssa over at Melyssa with a "Y"]

pasta. love that stuff. seriously.
finally realizing some things about yourself that puts some pieces together.
finding contentment. :)

Day twelve: Thankful for...

whomever came up with hair dye. :) love that stuff too!
friends that are friends no matter the circumstance.
advice from those who understand what my life circumstances are.

Day thirteen:

restoring friendships.
music.
church family.
being able to wholeheartedly praise my Savior.
music that points to the Creator and King.
hanging out with friends.
my dear mother who is an encouragement. :)

A week and a day until I visit the homeland! Which reminds me... I entered "home" in my GPS and had no idea where it would take me... and at this point, I can't remember. :/

Thankful Thoughts: Day Ten

The morning of the tenth of November, I found myself wanting to hop on a plane. Where I would fly to? I'd take just about anywhere... Lisbon, Salt Lake City, down south, STL, PA... seriously, if I could've, I would've hopped on a plane to go about anywhere but here. Why? Comparison. The ONLY reason. I LOVE Kansas City and I love the things and friends God has provided for me here. But I found myself thinking of a friend in Utah that I would love to see, and a friend in North Carolina that I would LOVE to just spend time with, and a friend in Pennsylvania who I could really stand to make some SWEET memories with!!! But here I am, living the life God has planned for me. I'm here, not there. And I love it here. Why do I go out of my way to make myself discontent? Good question...

Theodore Roosevelt worded it well when he said, "Comparison is the thief of joy."

Those words are so true. Today, I'm thankful for life. I'm thankful that my Savior knows what's best for me. I'm thankful that I was able to spend the day teaching kids how to read, write, and count. I'm thankful that I could spend my afternoon teaching girls the fundamentals of basketball and an example of being wholehearted about something and learning to do a certain thing well. I'm thankful for my dear friend, Laura. Thursdays are our only real day to talk, and I enjoy that. We spend our Thursday evenings playing volleyball in a rec league, then we get Sonic Slushies (lemon berry is the BEST), and we catch up on each others' life. She is truly a blessing. And she talks sense into me when I get a little gung ho about something that should just be let go of. ;) That girl is a blessing.

God is good to me.
He holds my hand.
He helps me stand.
He holds me tight.
He helps me fight.
God is GOOD to me.

Thankful Thoughts of November: Day Eight

As I think back on the different things I'm thankful for, I realize there is a trend. I'm thankful for people. I don't think that is a bad thing. God created us to be relational people. And I have seen that very much in my life. I am a people person, sometimes almost to a fault.

But I have been immensely encouraged by the people in my life...

who point me to the cross.
who stop and pray for a lost soul in the middle of an evening of fellowship.
who encourage me to try new things without reservation.
who desire the things of God.
who acknowledge the goodness of our Savior in even the smallest ways.
who seek out others to make a difference.
who lead.
who encourage.
who choose to be a blessing even if it means being inconvenienced.
who become transparent for the sake of growing in grace.
who desire to learn the person of our great God.
who open their hearts and lives to "newbies" like me.
who are simply following the Lord with no abandon.

God has blessed me beyond what I could ask or think. He took this opportunity to answer a prayer I hadn't even prayed. O taste and see that the LORD is good. :)

Thankful Thoughts: Day Seven

Wow. Already day seven. Today, I was reminded that I'm thankful for...

the friends I lose touch with and reconnect with. :)
students that play well together.
a vacuum that works.
rain.
a warm bed.
a conscience prodded by the Holy Spirit.
scent memory... just the recollections that my brain holds from smells... :) :) :)
Christmas-time.
friends with senses of humor.
chocolate.
dear family.
friends that evoke smiles. :)
a mother who is my friend.
going to bed early. :)
Emily.
Heidi.
Laura.
Moriah.
Katherine.
Ryan.
Aaron.
Tanner.
Jason.
Sunil.
Joel.
Hannah.
...and the list goes on...

Next step in my month of thankfulness was an idea from a dear friend, Emily. Write a thank you note every day this month. I'm a few days behind, but I think I can catch up. :)

Blessed.
Truly blessed.

Thankful Thoughts: Day Five

Today, I'm thankful for old friends. I've made several new friends lately with all the new life experiences that have ambushed me, but today I was reminded that there's a great comfort in the friends that know you better than yourself. Praise the Lord for those friends that take the time to get to know you that well, and stick around after they do... even if it isn't in the most conventional of ways... God has blessed me with solid, godly friends that I've had for years, and I'm excited for my new friends to become those solid friends that I keep for years.

"There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother..."

Small groups and soccer.

My list of things to blog about is growing, yet my free time is shrinking! Tuesday night's are small group nights for a local church here in KC. It isn't the church I attend, but I was included by a friend, only to make several other friends. Last night, we spent our evening at a soccer game and encouraging a high school senior on senior night. I just love the bond that the body of Christ brings no matter where your life may take you. My life brought me to KC and my Lord dropped me in the midst of a group of godly, encouraging friends. Praise the Lord for His excellent goodness. :)

memories are made...

when an unexpected event makes your weekend. :)
when someone shares pictures of your surprise sweet sixteen. :)
when a car breaks down in the "freezing" cold. :)
when roommates become "housemates." :)
when siblings become friends. :)
when "home" becomes a term used for several places. :)
when you realize that every day is remarkably wonderful. :)
when you have too many incredible friends to count. :)
when you look back on life and witness God's grace. :)
when late nights turn into really late nights. :)
when you're normally in bed by 10 and someone makes you more than willing to stay up til 3. :)
when you see how ridiculous you looked in high school... and you aren't embarrassed. :)
when you spend your days with children. :)
when you see the colors in a world that everyone is trying to make black, white, and grey. :)
when old friends are reacquainted. :)
when new friends are made. :)
when new steps are made after something "crippling" happens. :)

for so many reasons, my heart is filled with memories today. :)
Makes for a pretty good Monday, if I do say so myself. ;)