A Rose

Late at night, in my semi-warm, little apartment, I have to ask myself,  Why do I burn the midnight hour candle Monica?! Then I thought to myself, passion. Passion is what keeps me up at night. Passion is what motivates me to better myself, my relationships, my work, and my life.

Some say that red is a color of passion, like how a red rose represents love, others I think see red and they think of blood, which courses through our veins to keep us alive. Still others I think see red as a color that could represent anger of fury. To me, I see red and I think of the Passion of the Christ. I think of Jesus's blood on the cross, shed for the forgiveness of my sins, and it reminds me that there was one man, one perfect man, willing to die for me so that I might have life and hope. I grew up with pink walls though in my room, so here is a pink rose!

Credit: Suzie Rose

According to http://www.almanac.com/plant/roses, you should plant roses where they will receive a minimum of 5 to 6 hours of full sun per day. Roses grown in weak sun may not die at once, but they weaken gradually. Give them plenty of organic matter when planting and don’t crowd them.

Recently, I feel like I have had a heart transplant. Now, I have no idea how that actually physically feels to go through  surgically, but what I do know is that I have begun to let in important people into my heart. After suffering from what I think of as a dark fall, dark past, and rough couple of years, I now have a renewed sense of passion in my life to better myself, my relationships, my work and my life. I am looking forward to getting married and in thinking about my wedding colors, flowers, and decorations, I have begun to think about what matters to me! But what matters to me isn't having the perfect color, flower or decoration at my wedding, what matters to me is that my wedding party is happy on that day and that I am happy, because I am marrying the one I have chosen to love for the rest of my life.

Having overcome doubt, pain, fear, and finding faith, hope and love, isn't an easy process and I think I will have to go through it every day for as long as I live. At least I know though, that each night, when I go to sleep, tomorrow when I wake up, God in his infinite wisdom, will have the sun rising again, over the mountains, over the highway, over my place of work, and his grace and mercy will be ready and available for me to receive, and like a father with open arms, I'll run to Him like a daughter or princess running to her king, because I know, that he paid the ultimate sacrifice for me.

11 Odd Questions

This is a challenge from my friend Patti. These questions were posted on her blog which is simply divine.

1) Do you hit the ground running when you first wake up or are you slow to warm up? I hit the ground running! I usually give myself 20 minutes from the time I wake up to the time I am out the door.
2) What is your favorite movie of all time? The Notebook because I believe it en captures the love story I am going through. The last half of the movie will hopefully be the next half of my life.
3) What is the best vacation you've ever taken, and why?
I liked going to Hawaii and going snorkeling. I got to see coral, dolphins, large fish and taste pineapple ice cream.
4) Do you have a hero in your life? Who and why? God is my hero because he won't give up on me.
Patti is my hero because she has stuck by her man. Tylor is a hero because he has stuck by me.
5) Cat person, dog person, or other?

Cat person. Purrrr, dogs are kinda intimidating. Cats are gentle and they like to sleep. So they are like me.
6) Favorite subject in elementary school?
English! I love words. My second favorite would be technology.
7) What is your favorite kind of food?
Chicken nuggets. I know its gross, but its what I grew up on. Nuggets and ketchup!
8) If you could ask God for ANYTHING what would it be?
If he could give me some heat in my apartment to keep warm.
9) What do you like to do in your spare time? Don't have
any? Pretend. I like to curl up and read a good book and drink some hot chocolate or tea.
10) What helps you get your creative juices flowing?
Journaling or day dreaming.
11) What genre of book do you tend to read the most?
 Right now I am reading Cake Boss and I am learning about business, life and cooking.

My questions for you are:
1. What is your source of heat in your house?
2. Is that heat source expensive?
3. Which one do you like best? Hummingbirds, dragonfly's or butterfly's?
4. If you could be free from one thing what it would be?

Bringing Hope To the Suffering

Acknowledging that there was pain in my life was a tough realization to come to last year. But last year I had to start over and take a hard look at myself. In September 2011, I found myself living at home, working part time, scrounging for money, barely being able to hold onto the idea of hope, and running (in the literal sense) from any pain I might possibly feel while living out my life.

I think it was fair to say that while I did have a home, friends who had a home that let me in and a boyfriend whose family welcomed me into their home, I had my bags packed and was ready to run. It sounds cowardly, but it was the sad truth.

Granted I still struggle with communicating and responding to people, rather than just reacting, fixing, and fleeing from painful situations. But in July, 2012, after graduating from a year at Freedom Session at Faith Assembly of Lacey, taking a self employment business class that taught me how to hone my skills as a professional, learning to budget money, and examining in my heart what I wanted to do with my life, I ended up finding, applying and subsequently taking a position with the Red Cross in Tacoma as a (Listener/Story Teller).

I also became a facilitator's assistant and signed up for an other round of Freedom Session. I am still the secretary for Lutheran Women's Missionary League, and I am going to be on the Board of Evangelism at Trinity Lutheran Church come January. Life and Times as my mom always says!

My Red Cross job entails bringing hope to the hopeless and alleviating suffering endured by those affected by a natural disaster or emergency. Just recently, I was creating a flier about our Holiday Giving Campaign and the graphics on it that were created by National, said Let it Hope, Let it Hope, Let it Hope. I just smiled knowing personally that for me, hope is the result of faith and faith is something I realized I had to hold onto last year when times were bleak. Faith & Hope is what I cling to now to stay sane and healthy.

After a year of getting to know my mom's passion for healthy living, I now leave my apartment every morning with a vi shake in my hand and vitamins in my pocket. I want to lose weight and know that I can if I eat healthy, drink my vi and exercise. I look forward to holding Challenge Parties at my apt complex's community room soon too. What I am really excited about is that I have my own apartment now (#B52, wifi is titled "Rock Lobster Network" and it looks like a pink bomb went off when you come in).


Life has suddenly become fast, furious and fulling, but I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to say that my life's entire work whether it be Mon-Fri or on the weekends is to bring hope to the hopeless and alleviate people's suffering. God is surely an amazing God who is full of grace and mercy and will use what you have been through to help others.

The Lovely Adventures of Jack and Jill in Olympia

Jill leisurely danced to a 90’s love song being sung by a soulful singer in the dark cove on the second story of The Pig Bar in Olympia. She nonchalantly swayed her hips from side to side and closed her eyes so that her ears could listen to the music being sung. Jill was enjoying herself and relaxing by the sound of Olympia.

Watching her was Jack who was seated on the black leather couch underneath the large flat screen T.V. in The Pig Bar. He took a bite out of his pulled pork nachos and then a sip from his cold beer every time she finished going side to side with her hips.

The bartender watched the two of them and silently smiled.  “It’s the time for love again I guess” He thought to himself and poured another glass for the gal and another beer for the guy.

Upon a bold move by Jack and help from the bartender, Jill released her phone number and a few days later the date was planned.

“We’ll go out to eat at Wally’s and then enjoy a sunset at the marina,” Jack spoke carefully.

“Okay sounds great!” Jill answered.

Jill felt butterflies turn in her stomach as she looked through her closet. To her surprise, she hardly had any good weekend date clothes. Luckily she saw a store that looked like a closet called Mandelins . So the next day she went back to the closet store to find an outfit for the date.

Upon entering Mandelins she noticed the twice worn clothes on the racks and realized it was a consignment store. But a pleasant surprise awaited her as she started to sift through the clothes…practically everything was a brand name piece. Torrid, BGX, AGB, Jones New York, Alfani, Karen Scott, Calvin Klein, and the names went on and on. The next surprise was pleasantly shocking…the prices were low enough on the pieces of clothing so that she could afford them.

“This place is great!” She exclaimed to the cashier.

“Yes, I love it. You’ve got a great outfit here too.  I love that you picked out the pink pencil skirt and white lacy, cap sleeved, top. You must be going on a date!”

“Yes I am,” Jill said while the color in her cheeks rose. “The guy who asked me seemed nice enough and I kind of let my guard down at this little place downtown so I guess I’ll just have to live with the consequences. Hopefully it will turn out to be a good consequence.”

-----

The Date
As Jack and Jill pulled up to Wally’s Sub and Sand which shop, the anticipation in Jack’s abs tightened as he thought of enjoying a good sand which with such fine company. Jill stepped out of the car daintily and put a simple smile to put him at ease.

Wally’s offered the two full sandwiches that they could each customize to meet their tastes in food. There was also entertainment because along the wall were drawings of scenes of local Olympians eating delicious meals at Wally’s.  Jack drew a drawing of Jill illustrating to her how beautiful she looked to him with her hair pinned up, eye lashes darkened, lips colored and white lace top accenting her feminine shoulders. Her polite smile turned into a real one as he pinned the napkin portrait on the wall with the rest.

While driving to Boston Harbor Marina, Jack and Jill chatted about their likes and dislikes, commented on the cold February weather and relaxed while watching the wide open sky, forests and fields pass by them.

Once they got to the marina, Jill interest sparked in the scenery even more.

“Can we walk down by the boats and get closer to the Puget Sound?” Jill asked.

“Of course, just be careful the wooden docks are a little wobbly.” Jack answered.

As they walked down the stairwell from the parking lot to the dock and then from the dock to the lower docks on the water, Jill thought of the local families who come and enjoy this place and how she might have one of her own someday.

Walking along the dock, a seal came up and greeted them both with a watchful eye. Boat owners tinkered on their boats and the masts on the boats chimed with the others. The cold air swooped in around them and Jack moved closer to Jill to make sure the wind wouldn’t cut through her light layers of clothing.

At the end of the dock was a bench. Jack offered her the seat and she took it. They sat together and watch the boats sail by, the kayakers’ row and the clouds move past the foot hills that sat just beneath the white capped cascades in the distance.

Jack sighed to calm himself down even further and then put his arm around Jill. She smiled expressing the tingle of warmth that she felt spark within her heart.

“Thank you Jack, I was getting cold and you warmed me up,” she said to break the ice even further.

“You are welcome Jill, you are a beautiful lady and this is the most beautiful place I could think to take such a lady.” 

Facing Giants

Our family dog, Zorro, is a small pooch. He is a Lhasa Apso and as cute as an ewok. He doesn't care how small he is or how cute he is though.

 While sitting in the living room enjoying some late evening T.V., I heard Zorro barking. My brother and I went to investigate in the back yard. Zorro had chased a raccoon way up into one of the trees.
A giant, dark, furry animal with sharp teeth didn't scare him and neither have big dogs. I remember when a friend of ours brought over their giant dog for Christmas and he barked at the giant dog letting him know whose house it was.

Instead of cowering behind the glass door with his tail between his legs, Zorro approaches his giants and lets them know how he feels. If Zorro can face his giants so can you. It doesn't matter how small and cute you are, or how big you are, be an ewok and scare the Emperor's best troops off of their flying mopeds!

Key Lime Pie

While working in the kitchen this week, someone mentioned key lime pie. A instant craving for it came up and the sound and thought of it reminded me of my family at home who enjoys it. That evening at dinner I mentioned it during conversation, a young girl named Rhianna next to me piped up excited at the thought of making one.


“I made one of those just last week! Can we make one tonight?” she said.
“Sure!” I replied surprised. And so it started, the process of making a pie. First, ingredients had to be gathered, which Tylor, one of the summer staff guys, graciously went into town twice after acquiring cream cheese frosting the first time instead of cream cheese. Then Rhianna and I squeezed the life out of several limes, cracked open several eggs to get egg yolks, put in some creamy ingredients, mixed it all together, cooked it and put in the refrigerator to set, but there was no patient waiting. After 45 minutes we enjoyed our pie….soup….since it wasn’t quite set yet.

This Saturday, Rhianna got up during testimony time and shared about how God called her name while she was working in the peach plant. When he called her name, her faith was affirmed to believe that God can do anything. She said she had given her life to Christ in 2008, but not fully since she hadn’t quite believed God could do everything, like speak to her. This week though was a break through.

Proud and happy for Rhianna, I believe she sets a great example for us all. We are like key lime pies. We need good cream cheese, not just cream cheese frosting, to have strong flavorful faith that can be enjoyed by all and it takes time to set us in our faith. Plus God continues to work in us to make our faith as delicious as possible so that we don’t just have faith soup.

Dried Peaches and Soup go to Hungry Kids

After breakfast this morning, Fritz, one of the directors here at Gleanings for the Hungry, shared about his recent mission trip to Haiti where he went with a team from Gleanings to help people in the recovering country. The slide show began with pictures of individuals giving out dried peaches and soup to hungry people, then it progressed to tell a deeper of story of circumstances aligning and an amazing accomplishment coming together.

The story started to unravel with a picture of a resort by the water coming up on the screen, after seeing many pictures of the hungry being fed, this one seemed kind of odd. But it turned out that there was a woman who worked there that really had a heart for the kids and the team prayed with her about this woman's longing to do something for the local kids.

A week later, when the team came back, she had hired a nanny and brought in 6 kids. The neat thing about this is that the team had been wanting to build a house for Rick's daughter Kim, who is a missionary there that watches over children. In introducing Kim to this woman, a greater purpose for the house was now set...to open an orphanage where Kim could share the responsibility of watching over orphaned children with this local woman.

Donations came in for the house and local people helped build the house and it came together in a couple months. "It was really incredible," Andrea Merrill, who went on the mission trip last year.

To learn more about their trip, go to http://gleanings.org/?p=2182