Thankfulness

Just wanted to share a chunk of the devotion for today from Jesus Calling. I just love the message. It is saying the exact same thing that One Thousand Gifts is about. Thankfulness is the key to joy.

"Thank Me for each blessing along the way; this brings Joy to both you and Me. A grateful heart protects you from negative thinking. Thankfulness enables you to see the abundance I shower upon you daily. Your prayers and petitions are winged into heaven’s throne room when they are permeated with thanksgiving. In everything give thanks, for this is My will for you."

Lenten Journey 2012

So last year was the first time since elementary school that lent really meant something to me. I say "since elementary school" because I went to Trinity Lutheran, so naturally we attended lenten services every week for chapel on wednesday and sunday morning church. It always felt like a weeks long journey of big events leading up to Easter. But after leaving Trinity that was kind of lost for me. Last year Peter's Aunt Jan organized a study for us to do individually at home with the book "Reliving the Passion", but there was also a blog that she updated frequently where we could discuss what each portion of the study meant to us. Since I was undertaking the discipline of doing the study and focusing my heart and my mind on lent I also decided to give up sweets, and tackle a Jillian Michaels workout program. (I'm not sure whether the workouts were really related to lent, but it worked for me!)

I made it the whole nearly 7 weeks without sweets and I lost inches, but most importantly I really felt the weight of Christ's sacrifice. Too often Easter sneaks up on us and we haven't even had the time to stop and think about what it really means. I'm not saying you should give something up for Lent but I am saying that for those weeks leading from Ash Wednesday to Easter you should do something unique to you that will help you journey toward Easter stopping to think about each major event that took place on the way to the cross. For me giving something up was a physical reminder of the season. Every time I had to turn down dessert I was reminded that it was Lent. Doing the study helped me to think about each event in great detail. He died for us! That is huge! We should feel the gravity of that every day of our lives. Instead I think we take it for granted. We forget what he suffered. We forget that Jesus knelt down in the garden the night He knew He would be betrayed and He wept. He begged that it could be done another way. He asked God to spare Him. It wasn't easy for Him, but He gave His life for us.

I challenge you to remember everything this year. Don't just wait until Easter morning to be thankful that He died and rose again. Carry it with you for these next several weeks. Let it sink in. Think about all the unpleasantness and fully realize the magnitude of His love for you!

This year I am giving up Facebook. Hopefully every time it crosses my mind to go on Facebook it will remind me to stop and ponder. I also hope to use this time to think more clearly about what I do or do not need to buy. A financial challenge should be good for me :)

And finally, I began reading "He Chose the Nails" by Max Lucado. This should be an excellent book to facilitate deeper thought. Lucado focuses on the "gifts" of the cross. Every little thing, the nails, the robe He wore, the spit, the crown of thorns, all of them translate into a gift that has been given to us. Ideally I will use this blog to further my study by posting my thoughts and favorite passages. Feel free to follow along :)

Things I Learned in Cozumel

As I opened my book to read for the night the smell that escaped from it's pages transported me back to Cozumel. It smells like sunscreen and salty air and who knows what else. But it's the combination that smells distinctly like Mexico. I was surrounded by it as I sorted laundry out of my suitcase. I wish I could bottle it and keep it forever. I have learned that the sense of smell is one of the most powerful. And the most elusive and unexpected. Mexico clings to my clothes and hair and books. But it will be gone soon and it's not something I'll get to cherish forever. But there are other things I can, all of the things I learned there.

General Things I Learned:

Lizards actually do run on their back legs, and it's awesome. Also, iguanas hang out in trees, and occasionally tumble out of them. Also awesome.

Pepto bismol tablets turn your tongue black. Gross.

The color of the water in Cozumel really is as bright as it looks in those idyllic pictures you see.

Jelly fish stings hurt.

The forecast is never right.

God's the most amazing artist. I was constantly in awe of His creation.



Things I Learned About Myself:

I love snorkeling.

People in costumes still terrify me.

I can eat a surprising amount of food.

I actually can be in the sun for a whole week without burning!

However, I don't tan much.

I am capable of doing adventurous things without being crippled by fear (namely of snakes). In fact I can almost talk myself out of fear.

I enjoy getting soaked in mud.

I am capable of bargaining with Mexican vendors!

I love my home and relaxing on the couch each night with my husband. A week of vacation is actually enough.

I enjoy traveling with people. Other people teach me things and make me look at things in a different way.

What I Learned About Peter:
(or what was reinforced, I already knew most of these things)

He doesn't get worked up about anything.

He is friendly to everyone, always.

He is hilarious. In a dry way. And he is completely unaware of this.

Watching people discover how funny he is brings me endless joy.

He still gets excited over tonka trucks.

He is capable of reading a whole book in less than a year. In fact, he can finish one in a week!

He only got on a plane because he loves me, and he'd be happy to never have to do it again.

Even when he feels sick and horrible and is forced to be on a plane and stand in long endless lines he still manages to be good natured. You would hardly know that he is suffering.

He is extremely positive.

He makes me feel safe.

His laugh is the best sound in the world.


Things I Learned About Jenelle:

She is the klutz-iest person I know :) if there is something to trip over or run in to, she will.

She eats very slowly ;) but honestly if that's how she manages to eat so much and still stay so skinny, more power to her!

She notices everything. The littlest things bring her joy and nothing is boring. I love her point of view. I hope to be more like her in this.

She always has a little smile on her face when she takes pictures. Even when she has been doing it for a while.

She has this certain little laugh when she is laughing at her husband. It's adorable and I love it and I wonder if he has ever noticed the difference.

She makes friends everywhere she goes. People are drawn to her.

When discovering a frog has been stepped on, she entombs it in a leaf and lovingly relocates it to the jungle.

She talks to any and all animals

She craves adventure and in turn makes everything into an adventure. Everything is more fun when Jenelle is around.

Most situations cause her to dance.

She is so thoughtful.



Things I Learned About My Brother:

He is still the funniest person I know.

He still makes super weird faces

He gets one annoying thing in his head and repeats it for days on end until everyone is repeating it and will never forget it.

He says flobberworm as an expletive. Often.

I absolutely love his laugh. Especially when he laughs at himself.

He is still one of my best friends. I can't believe I ever forgot this.

He is so happy. And positive. And unaffected by negativity.

He is very much like his dad. Also, he is going to be an amazing dad. These things go hand in hand.

When discovering a tiny hermit crab on the beach, most people would stop, look, and keep walking. He takes it with him, names it Alfonzo, and bonds with it in the sand.

He is quite fearless. Barracuda follow him and he just keeps on keepin on.

He drives like a maniac :)Which actually is a requirement in Cozumel.

He can find humor in any situation.

He becomes Joe Cool when he drinks ;)

Overall I learned that I am blessed beyond what I ever could possibly deserve. I learned that I have the best people in the world for family (honestly I knew this, but spending a week with them was the best). I learned that God delights in watching us explore His creation, I just know He does.

Best Books in 2011 (that I read)

I had a brilliant idea! I love recommending books to people, and last year was a year full of wonderful books! So here goes...

1) The Help by Katherine Stockett
~ I don't even think I need to elaborate on this considering most people have read it and/or watched the movie by now! All I have to say is, READ IT! I don't care if you've seen the movie. The book is phenomenal and still well worth your time.

2) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
~ I couldn't get enough of this creative genius of a book! It is truly the most imaginative book I have ever read. Morgenstern creates a whole world that exists in a traveling circus that only opens once night has fallen. In this atmosphere two magicians, Celia and Marco, must compete in a battle challenge that one of them will not survive. They are unaware of who their opponent is, and know very little about the actual challenge. After a series of innocent meetings, the pair falls in love. I know you're rolling your eyes right? Give it a chance! It is an absolutely mesmerizing novel. You won't want to leave the world she immerses you in.

3) The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
~ The beautiful and moving story of young girl who has spent her whole life moving from one foster home to the next. The one thing Victoria is truly passionate about is the Victorian Language of Flowers. Once she is emancipated from the system she becomes homeless in a park where she plants her first garden. Her gifts are discovered by a local florist and soon she is given a job. She uses her talent to help people convey messages with flowers. Not only will you learn a ton about flowers, you will be moved by Victoria's story as she struggles with a tumultuous past and tries to create a future free of the baggage.

4) One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
~ The most life changing, beautiful book I have ever read! Ann has a way of using language to its fullest, everything comes alive and everything is so beautiful. My life felt so different while I was reading this book and I am starting it again because I loved the way it changed me. 

5) Unplanned by Abby Johnson
~ This book will probably get its own blog post... It is the story of a woman who was the Director of a Planned Parenthood in Texas. After being called into a room to watch an ultrasound guided abortion she left the clinic to join the Coalition for Life. Her story is unbelievable, and long story short, it brought me to where I am today.

6) Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
~ This was just a really well written and fascinating book. It takes place during WW2 in California. A Chinese boy becomes friends with a Japanese girl and their friendship is challenged and ultimately torn apart when Keiko is taken to a Japanese Internment Camp. This book highlights a side of WW2 that we don't pay attention to often enough. SO GOOD!

7) The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
~ Just a flat out amazing story! She endured so many hardships and turned out okay! Walls writes about a childhood that was downright pitiful, without an ounce of self pity.

8) The House at Riverton and The Forgotten Garden both by Kate Morton
 ~I am totally hooked on Kate Morton. Her 3rd book is accompanying me to Mexico :) She is just so imaginative and draws on history and romance and mystery. Her books are so whimsical!

This list really has only just begun! But being as I have no internet at home, it's proving to be very difficult to finish these posts! So here's a partial post!

A New Year

I don't know if I've ever felt this energized about a new year. Although according to a bunch of crazies, it's the last year :) So I better make it the best ever right? I have a feeling it's going to be a big year in the Spinniken household.

Fabulous Things I Already Know Are Happening in 2012:

• I become Auntie Rach! Baby Girl Swinger, our first niece is due to arrive in 17 short days!
• A trip to Cozumel with my wonderful hubs, and brother & sister-in-law
• A Spinniken family fun weekend in Muskegon!
• Baby Boy Penninga, our first nephew, due to arrive in 3 1/2 months!
• A cruise on the Nauticat this summer with my family
• Our 2nd anniversary?! What?!

Hopes & Dreams for 2012:

• Drink more water!
• Spend more time in prayer
• Read a C.S. Lewis book, other than Screwtape Letters & Narnia
• Read at least one book a month
• Keep my house clean more often
• Figure out how to keep up on laundry and keep Pete's laundry from ruining mine!
• Be happier outside this winter
• Actually exercise
• Crochet an ENTIRE afghan
• Use our dang Juicer
• Visit my Grandparents more often
• Become pregnant :)
• MOVE INTO OUR HOUSE! high hopes here, but there's a better chance this year than ever before!
• Visit the cottage more than once
• Cuddle with my niece and nephew as much as possible!
• Explore creativity
• Cross Country Ski
• Make use of this blog 
• Freeze fresh fruit when it's in season, sounds easy enough, but we fail at this every year :(
• Make jam
• Garden? And keep some potted plants ALIVE for a change
• Make more relationships within our church
• Watch lots of sunsets!
• And most of all, find MOTIVATION

Keeping it Together

I guess this is the reason I'm keeping my blog fairly private, I need a place to unload a bit. When I need to write something out to better understand it, I do it here.

I don't understand how some people do it all. I can juggle an awful lot of things, but I can't do them all well. If I'm to be honest I would say I don't think I do my best at any of them. A woman I work with told me something her dad used to say to her, which perfectly suits my situation right now "Jack of all trades, Master of none". Just two weeks ago I had a perfectly clean house, that I kept that way. I baked and cooked often. I was creating things to possibly sell or give as gifts. I was studying the Word daily, praying and worshiping often. Then I got a job. A job that isn't even super demanding of my time, and I've lost control. I was master of my house, now I'm master of none. I feel like I'm lost. It scares me that it only took that much. Just a part time job, and I feel too lazy to focus on anything else.

There are so many things I want to do better. I know I can only do all those things through Christ who strengthens me. But when I get so caught up in the one thing, I don't leave time to let Him strengthen me. He is the first thing I toss aside, and its absolutely shameful. So here's to taking it one day at a time, rearranging my priorities, and making time for the more important things in life. I hope that this time next week, I feel a little more focused, and a little more energized.

Trust

“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Trust, -noun: reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.

~I trust God. If someone were to ask me if I believe in the integrity, strength and ability of God, I would answer with certainty that yes I surely do. At least I do a great job of convincing myself of it. However, when I make a decision, I don’t very often stop to run it by God. I almost always take the time to run it by people though; my husband, my best friend, my mom. When something upsets me, yes I do pray, or consider praying. In most cases though, I pick up my phone, I call my husband, or my mom or my dear friend Katie or Amber. Instantly, I feel better by their love and strength. Their advice means everything to me. Whoa. How scary is that? It sounds an awful lot like I trust people more than God. Is it because people have proved to be a better source of strength, trustworthiness, and advice? Certainly not. Is it because of instant gratification, (such a scary phenomenon in our culture) the tangible, unmistakable and immediate comfort? Yes, I believe it is.

It is so hard to follow through on a trust that we can’t always clearly see the results of. We are asked to rely on and trust in Jesus above all else. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” John 14:1 NIV. The very act of believing in God involves trust. To believe is to trust, to have confidence in. He is so worthy of it. He wants the very best for us, and we truly cannot change what he has planned for us in this life. It isn’t instant though. There are seasons of complete confusion, a transition with nothing to transition to. We are asked to lie in wait, to wait upon the Lord for His perfect answer. When the Israelites were led out of slavery in Egypt they surely thought the Promised Land was right around the corner. They were being saved! But no, they had to wander the desert for 40 years before they could enter the land the Lord had promised them. If we wait upon the Lord, we will never lose out, He follows through on every promise He makes. “The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time.” Psalm 145: 13b-15 Deep down I think we all know this, but Satan has a horrible way of planting a seed in our mind that takes root in the part of our brain that demands things to happen instantly. I would love to patiently wait and trust on God, but I often find myself panic stricken. I feel as if I am sitting idly by watching opportunities disappear, and if I took matters into my own hands I would be all set. I would have that job that just happens to be hiring, I would know I am taking care of myself. No one could call me lazy. Plus, how do I know that the little voice in my mind isn’t just me trying out different theories, or even worse, or maybe the same, is Satan trying to control my fate? I believe that this is one of the devils most deceiving and terrifying lies; that maybe that inkling isn’t the Holy Spirit, and you never really will know. I brought this subject up with a wise friend of mine, who very insightfully said “I just find that I have to ask Him to open and close doors for me”. How simple. I have been testing this theory in my own life since she offered the advice only a week ago. I have never felt more at peace. The worry that I may not get the memo from God is almost all but gone. I have seen at least one door close, and the fact that the door closing didn’t sadden me shows that He does have a greater plan. A few doors have opened, one just barely a crack and I’m still waiting for the invitation to step through it. The other was only a seed planted in my heart almost a year ago, that grew even more 8 months ago, and became a door pushed open by His doing in early August. Through a sad and difficult decision, an unexpected door slamming shut, I was given the chance to finally walk through that new door. I entered the Pregnancy Care Center on Tuesday for the very first time, and as the volunteer coordinator spoke to me about how she came to be at the center, I felt such a sense of certainty wash over me that I almost couldn’t hear her words. Events from the whole span of my life were flashing through my mind like God was saying to me “Rachel, remember this? And this? And this thing that happened before you were even born? This is why. I have wanted you here since I created you”. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart” Jeremiah 1:5a NIV. In light of this I ask myself, how could I not trust? He knows me better than anyone else, and His integrity is perfect. When I don’t trust it causes Him pain, and I am constantly guilty of that. I will admit that I may hold a grudge when I am not trusted, and at the very least, I will never forget it. Jesus does though. He forgives, and as if that isn’t enough, He forgets. And we are given the chance over and over again to say we trust in Him, only to obliterate that statement with a phone call to a friend that takes precedence over calling out to Him.

Today I am challenging myself and you to call Him first, to trust Him, and to wait PATIENTLY. If I call you, you are welcome to gently ask me first if I have called on Him yet. Encouragement from people is a beautiful thing and it has its place. But it comes last, and He comes first. Only He knows what is best for me. There is a reward for our trust in Him, and it is joy.

“Oh, the joys of those who trust in the Lord” Psalm 40:4a NLT

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NLT