Thursday, September 22, 2011

Ode to Grandma Ruth

Not too seem to depressing but I happen to be driving by my Grandma's grave site this past week and thought I would snap a shot. It ended up being a good time of reflection. Below are a few things that came to mind as I was remembering life with Grandma Ruth! Unfortunately, I never got the privilege of meeting my Grandpa Harold.

- playing hide and go seek
- amazing Apple Pie - OMG!
- playing endless games of Checkers - I still think she let me win!
- staying at her house the week of the Franklin County Fair every summer
- Cinnamon Toast goodness
- Her finger nail with a bump on it - wicked cool!
- Her warm and caring personality
- Always offering everyone seconds and more seconds (food)
- Hugs
- Never being able to say my name right on the 1st try - too many grandkids!! :)
- Knowing I was her favorite!! I mean come on I had to be!! :)


Here's a brief slideshow of Grandma Ruth through the years!

The Young Grandpa Harold & Grandma Ruth

AND skipping a few years... Gosh, what a good looking bunch!

The whole Schaefer clan!

My Grandma's were my biggest fans for my High School glory days!!
They rarely missed a game!


AND this last one is for Kate and Rachel!
See.... my love for cats started at a young age!! :)


Monday, September 12, 2011

Joyfully Waiting!

One benefit of waiting for my visa to come is getting to go on wonderfully wicked fun trips like the one I took over my birthday weekend! :)

Last Friday I flew into Newark, NJ - took the 3 hour train to the ISU vs UConn game - spent the night in Hartford, CT - got a free ride back to New Jersey with the Huhn's (loads of fun!) - had a lazy birthday night still basking in a Cyclone victory - spent the next day at New York Jets game - and spent the rest of my time enjoying the company of good friends and taking in the sites, sounds, and smells of Parsippany, NJ! Here are my pictures to prove it all! :)

My train was a little late in arriving, but have no fear with my luggage in tow,
I made it just in time for the game!!

Ohh golly, aren't we cute?! Now for a little name drop...
Haley is Coach Rhoad's niece! It's good to have connections!

We made some friends at the game! I LOVE Cyclone fans!

We met Darius Reynolds #7 - aka Money!
He is a stud and practically won the game for ISU!

Jets Game - Life is good!

Metlife Stadium!

The one and only Mrs. DeVito - yeah her husband plays for the Jets!
No big deal! I almost touched her!!

AND the reason we went to NJ! Here are the love birds!!

Ohh sometimes we just get CRAZY Ya' all!!

Cluck-U-Chicken! Need I say more?!

AND then sometimes we get even CRAZIER Ya 'all!!!

THANK YOU Haley, Carrie, and Bryan for a great birthday weekend!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering The Year of 27...

All throughout the book of Deuteronomy God commands His people to REMEMBER. Remember ALL that God has done for them and how He has acted on their behalf. I have always loved this command and wanted a practical way of doing this frequently in my life.

My birthday is this Saturday, so I thought I would start a new tradition of taking time to reflect on this past year and all that God has done around me and through me.

Hopefully this will help me to REMEMBER His goodness and grace every year of my life!

Remembering The Year of 27:

Katie Wieland starting walking with Jesus!

Megan Olson grew deeper in love with Jesus!

God took me through the decision process of moving to England. I learned SO much, one of the big things was my experiencing more of my identity in Christ alone.

I grew in the gift of prophecy and being able to share God's heart with someone.

I got to spend 10 days with both my brother's families before moving to England.

As I moved to Iowa City God provided me with friends and a rockstar Grad Connection Group!

Brooke Overholt - enough said.

I watched season one of Glee with Carrie!

God gave me a best friend, who I lived with, worked with, and did life with.

I experienced God's heart for me - He loves me, delights in me, and calls me worthy and beautiful.

I went to NYC, Chicago, Indianapolis, TX, Lexington, UConn!

I went to Sea World San Antonio & Adventureland - get at me coasters!

Learned how important communication is.

Met regularly with people who struggle with depression - learned a lot.

Verses that stuck - Phil 1:6, Psalm 51:10-12, John 7:38

Sam Gorvin - Shared a picture w/ her at Salt which brought her into the Body!

Summer 2010 - moved to Iowa City and got to help start Veritas Church!

God provided support ($) for England - very humbling process.

Abiding & Rest - true "work" comes from this time - still learning this!

As I read back through this list, it doesn't even seem to justify all that God has done. Each of these statements have so much depth that speak even more to the goodness of God. I come back to Psalm 23:6 "Surely goodness & love will follow me all the days of my life"! Year of 28, bring it on!!


AND because God LOVES the Cyclones I can't help REMEMBER
how the Cyclones defeated the Hawkeyes this year!!! :)

Here's little man, Ethan - ohhh yeah he's already a die hard!

Bella is 18 months old and this is her 2nd ISU game! Priorites people!!

Good times with the Huhn's before the game!

Watching the game in the Jacobson Building! :)
It's great to know people who are related to the coach!

Perks of watching the game in the Jacobson!
You get to meet studs like "The Mayor"!


Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Guest Blogger, Ms. Carrie Clement

For all of you who are tired of hearing from me :)


I would like to introduce you to Ms. Carrie Clement.

Known for her amazing good looks and her charming and warm personality, Carrie's talents include (but are not limited to) living in the moment, running with any good vision you give her, and investing in the lives of those around her. She currently works as the TSC Women's Coordinator at Veritas Church and loves to spend her time reading fiction novels, being outside, and seeing chick flicks. Carrie is also in a courtship relationship with Mr. Bryan Dermody who resides in New York City (he may or may not work for the Jets!).

AND if you would like to hear more wonderful things about Carrie, CLICK HERE!


M: What is God currently teaching you?!

C: I tend to learn the same simple Truths over and over, but they are really fun to learn each time. Simple things like God loves me - He delights in me as his daughter. Or, His grace is always enough and always necessary. Or, I can't do anything apart from him...and trying to do things out of my own strength is exhausting.

But, I think the biggest thing I'm learning is the balance between fear and being in awe. It's been something I've continually come back to for the last 3 months or so...or even longer. I think I'm learning that fear isn't always a bad thing, but it's something that should drive me closer to Jesus. In Matthew 28, both Marys were at Jesus' tomb and there was an earthquake and then an angel appeared to them and told them that Jesus had risen. I can't imagine what it must have been like for them...I would have been FREAKED out! In verse 8, it says that the women hurried away from the tomb, "afraid yet filled with joy." That phrase has stuck with me for quite some time.

There seems to be this balance between having a healthy fear of God, but it's something that draws you TO Jesus instead of away from him. I think I've had glimpses of that healthy balance in my life, but I think I have a lot of growing to do as well. I tend to think of fear as a bad thing, but by these passages, I'm learning that there is a balance to it...just like everything in life.



M: Do you have an example of this from your own life?

C: Yes. I think the best example I have is when I approach a new semester or go into any sort of retreat...I always think, "God, I don't know what you're going to do to me. I don't really feel like changing. I get my life. I know what's going on and everything fits together. I don't want you to mess that up." That is the kind of fear I don't think is good. I really have to battle through that and REMEMBER what God has done in the past. I think we forget to remember a lot and it's one way to battle through any temptation or trial that Satan tries to throw your way. I have to realize that trusting God with whatever he has for me each day is going to be better than trying to keep a tight hold on what I think I have control of...because if I'm honest, I don't really have control of anything. So, whenever I feel like I'm going to "experience" God in a new way that I haven't in the past, my first emotion/feeling is fear.


M: How has it looked in your life to learn God's voice?

C: This is something that I continue to learn and grow in. I think it always starts, or at least is grounded in, in God's Word. If I want to hear from God, I need to be in the Scriptures, no doubt. I've also started to learn and recognize how God speaks to me specifically. I think this is different for everyone, depending on how God made you. For me, God uses my emotions and feelings a lot. He also just speaks to me in my head. I don't hear a booming voice, and it isn't even audible. In fact, it sounds a lot like my own voice because it's just in my head. It's in the moments when I allow it to happen...when I take the time to quiet the life around me, to take it all in and ask God what he has to say to me. Then, I have thoughts that come to mind. Then I ask myself if it's something that God would say to me...does it line up with Scripture? Does it line up with God's character? Then, I can more easily distinguish between God's voice, my own voice, or a lie from the enemy.

This started very simply. I had a friend challenge me, and then my brother challenge me to just sit and listen to God...even for just 5 minutes. My friend told me to ask God, "Who am I in you, Lord?" So, that's what I did. I literally set my alarm for 5 minutes and asked God who I was. I had a journal next to me and I just wrote what came to mind. There were days, I was so distracted and could only think of things that needed to get done. There were days when I didn't hear anything. There were days when I heard one word answers. I think all of that is normal. You can't expect to go run a marathon without training, so I figured this was like training...only not to run, but to hear God's voice. From there, it has grown and I think I'm able to hear God's voice more and more. It is a beautiful thing...to hear from my heavenly Father.


M: What makes you feel most alive?

C: I feel alive when I'm laughing...I mean, really laughing. I feel alive when I am able to recognize the simple things in life - a sunset, a quiet moment, when something just "clicks", being able to sit and think deeply about something. I feel alive when I think of the perfect gift for someone. I feel ALIVE when I can share my life with someone in such a way that it impacts them - I LOVE to see people understand who God made them to be and take steps into living that out to expand God's Kingdom around the world. I feel alive when I feel loved and am able to love.


M: If you had to give a new Believer only one piece of advice what would it be?

C: I think I would say to the new believer - listen and learn God's voice in your life. Allow him to teach you (in prayer and in his word) who you are and who he's made you to be, because then you will know your true identity, your true purpose, and your true value...and it's in those moments (they are still and quiet for me) when you know you can have an impact in God's Kingdom, and there is really nothing better than that.


M: If someone was discipled by you what do hope they would takeaway from your life?

Responses from a few of her "disciples" - Compassionate heart - Joyful (cause she likes to laugh :) - Uplifter (she's always encouraging others in some way) - Patience - Loving Personality - and the list goes on and on!


AND FOR FUN!

Whose your favorite Friends character? HARD question. There is so much I like about each of them...if one was missing, it wouldn't be the same, so I can't really say. Lame and cheesy, I know. I'm not very good at "favorites" either.

If you were on a TV show which one would it be? The Cosby Show. Best. Show. Ever.

Favorite blog - Hmmm, I don't think I'm very good at following blogs. My favorite is probably my cousin's because she puts up a TON of pictures and doesn't write a ton...it's quick and pictures are always fun! I follow a friend who is serving with her husband in Thailand and is an incredible writer. I also follow another friend who is in Spain, and she too, is an amazing writer.

Here are some pics from a recent boat outing!
Ohh golly I hope England has some lakes!! :)

Ms. Carrie and I on the water!

The Whole Crew

We just can't help ourselves!