Relationships

Today I was able to go to the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) convention in downtown Sacramento thanks to the generosity of a free ticket by Andy and Elda Robinson (Sam's parents, best man of our wedding). I really enjoyed being able to hang out with them for a bit! I was able to hear Elda share her ideas and techniques that she uses in her classroom and keep them for future use. I was even able to help Elda in her presentation by changing the overhead slides as she presented! Big job I know!!!! I also was able to meet up with Dr. Claudia Green, who was my professor all through college and my supervisor during student teaching. I really enjoyed catching up with her and being able to hang out with her! Tomorrow I am excited to hear Claudia speak twice once about math percents and the other about classroom management! My job for the day is to count the number of attendees in each of her seminars! I knew I was good for something.
During the general session this morning, the speaker talked about how we as teachers should be a a loving Christ-like teacher in all that we do even if it is in public school. I thought about this and this just doesn't pertain to teachers. Some questions that he got me thinking about was: how do I make others feel? Do I make a comfortable environment for others and do I transform lives by showing them love? Christ has given me the wonderful ability to love and am I giving that to others that do not know Him and those that do know Him? Do my actions, thoughts, and words demonstrate that there is something different about me? This speaker also talked about having a positive relationship with others we have to have three keys. 1) Relationship with ourselves 2) Relationships with others 3) Do I care and I should since I have Christ in my heart. I also in all my relationships with people is that I should have mutual respect for that person that I am seeking a relationship with. I felt like this was also true which can apply to any Christian in this world. What do I think about each person that enters my life? I should be thinking that God has a future and hope for each person. Also, that God has me in their life to help them discover their potential with them as well as their God given talents.
This made me really think and take full consideration of my relationships that I have with people. God has put people in my life during seasons in my life to learn and grow from. God has kept people in my life to continue friendships with and encourage me in my walk with the Lord. God has blessed me with all different kinds of people and I need to continue to grow in my walk with the Lord as well as outwardly show my love for Christ in all that I do each day that God gives me.

A Thought...

For four years, I was blessed to go to a Christian college in Salem, Oregon with first going to a community college my first year out of high school. When it was time to move on from this community college, God opened the door for me to play soccer with some great ladies. He continued to open many doors by enabling me to get into the elementary education program. God blessed me with my roommates that I learned patience from as well as friendships that I can carry on through life. I was so thankful to go to a Christian college that cared to put their emphasis on Jesus Christ and how to live a life for Him, not ourselves. There were professors, staff, resident directors, resident assistants that cared so much to serve us in wanting us to first and foremost in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
One thing that I had to do and wanted to do was sign a pledge to not smoke or drink while I was in attendance at this college. Yes, I thought that this was a pain at first, but I wanted to be at a Christian college for a reason. I wanted to learn more about Jesus Christ and be in an environment that doesn't party with alcohol, around people that cuss, around a people that decide to smoke, and be in the "world." I feel like God put this passion in me when I was little to attend a Christian college and I am glad that He did. What hurts now is that I see that my Christian college that I attended just a year and a half ago is conforming to the "world." I see on the social networks such as Facebook or Myspace that there are my fellow students who I went to college with posting pictures of them at different types of parties with different alcohol drinks in their hands. It saddens me that first they are going out and going against the college's standards, but they are also posting these pictures on these social networks to let anyone see. These pictures with these people represent my college that I attended and it isn't about the college so much, it is representing Jesus Christ in all that they do. Don't get me wrong, it isn't that I haven't drank a sip of alcohol, but I have taken what I have learned from my college years and learned what it means to represent Jesus Christ.
What I am trying to say is that I hope that these people realize that partying with alcohol isn't the way to go. How can we make an impact for Jesus Christ and how do we depend on the Lord with all that we have? If we do decide to go to the party, how can we represent Jesus Christ without conforming to the world? I am thankful for the Christian college experience that I was given and I thank those that were willing to take the time to help me grow in my faith. I just pray that those that decide to attend a Christian college that they make the most of it by serving the Lord in all that they do.

Christmas Cleaning

Andrew and I are here together writing this post due to our excitement together. Today, we were very busy with what we were doing. I asked Andrew if he would help me clean the kitchen. I don't mean do the dishes and put them away. I mean really deep clean the kitchen. We took everything off the counters and disinfected them, set the oven to clean, cleaned the microwave, cleaned the drip pans and even waxed the floor today. We decided it was time to think about placement on our counters and we made it so much tidier. We even put candy in three candy canisters. The canisters will be full of something all the time so this is an incentive to get you to come to our house. Another thing Andrew and I did was actually find a place for all our unopened wedding presents. We found the closet a perfect place to put them all for the time being because our house was fully furnished when we moved in. We keep rearranging stuff, but I am glad that we do it because we find news was to organize our stuff. We are doing this cleaning because as of November 1st we will be putting up our Christmas tree. We are very excited for the holiday season and happy November is coming quickly.

PS....remind me not to write a post with Andrew because he distracts me... in a good way!!!!!

A Laughing Moment

A blonde calls her boyfriend and says, 'Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started.'

Her boyfriend asks, 'What is it supposed to be when it's finished?'


The blonde says, 'According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster.'

Her boyfriend decides to go over and help with the puzzle.

She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table.

He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says,

'First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to
assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster.'

He takes her hand and says, 'Second, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then ..' he said with a deep sigh, . . . . . .




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'Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box.'

God Knows What He is Doing

I met up with a friend of mine today that I have gotten to know over the past 10 months. I had no clue that we would become such good friends these past few months. We have a lot in common especially one and that is being newlyweds. She got married 49 days after Andrew and me and it has been a true blessing in my life getting to know what her passion is and what God has been laying on her heart. I was able to go over to her house today since she was working from home and go out to lunch with her. As we shared our passions and what God has been laying on our hearts, we figured out that God has been laying the same thing on our hearts. What an awesome feeling! I am so excited to learn from her as well as her husband. I am excited what God teaches me as Andrew and I start working with both of them in our church's youth ministry.

I know this may sound cliche', but I am totally blessed by this woman of God and how she continues to remind me to seek after the Lord and what His will is for my life. It was amazing how our lives have crossed even in this big city of Sacramento. I never thought that God was using me in this city, but He continues to open doors that I would have never thought He would, I never thought He would provide friends because hey I have enough in Oregon and that is all I can have. I just have realized these past few weeks that God is in control of my life. I can't possibly imagine mixing up this concoction of living in a brand new city, new state for that matter, being a newlywed, and let alone being friendless. God has taught me to trust Him with all my might and if I continue to cling and trust in Him, He will provide that stable path for me to walk and even run on with Him.

I know I am not there yet as far as loving this city or loving my circumstances, i.e. no job yet for Andrew and me, but I have to remember God is in control. I am thankful and blessed that I am able to go home when money allows. I am thankful I have a working cell phone that I can call or text my family and/or friends back home. I am thankful and blessed for an awesome home with two amazing landlords serving the Lord on a daily basis. This is just the beginning and it surely is a work in progress, but God is truly using me to further His Kingdom. Truly there is no place like home, but the best place to be, is to be in God's arms.

Thank you to those who have been praying for me (please continue), for those who have received phone calls with me not knowing what to do, thank you for those with encouraging words and letters, and thank you for just being willing to listen. But most of all, I am thankful for my great Heavenly Father who is there whenever I need, with me all the time, and He is just waiting for me to reach out to Him and letting Him take control because He is the only one that knows the plan for my life!

Written by Kathleen

Happy Birthday Jazmyne!

Today is our oldest niece's 7th birthday! She is getting so big and old now and so mature. Happy Birthday Jazmyne and we hope you have an awesome day. We love you! Love, Aunt K-K and Uncle Andrew.

The picture idea of her on milepost 7 is from her grandpa (my dad) in Manzanita!

They Were Here Too!!!!!

I just wanted to say I was so blessed and thankful to see so many wonderful married couples from Corban yesterday. I first want to say it was so great to see Scott and Jessica Marshall! Then it was so great to see Kenny and Kim Stone! Wow....two amazing couples in one day, in one city, in one convention center!!! It was so great to see you four! We saw more than just them from Corban, but was really blessed by seeing them the most.


On another note....

Happy Birthday Terri!!!! =)

Yes, Jasmine Marie licked her mom on the face!!! This picture was a few years ago.

My Family

This is what happens when you live in another state away from your growing family. They go to the beach and spend time together. They went to Manzanita last weekend to relax and also to celebrate my niece's birthday which is this next Tuesday (Jazzy is already 7)! Augustine just turned 10 months two days ago and well I will leave it at that as far as ages.

Augustine with two teeth

"Crabby" Dad

Grandma with Augustine

Jazmyne and Josh "Daughter and Daddy"

Saundra and Augustine "Mother and Son"

Splurge

I have been on a cleaning splurge as far as cleaning and organizing things. I rearranged the living room on Saturday with Andrew's help with actually cleaning the window sills, cleaning the blinds, the windows, vacuuming the floor, and getting rid of stuff we don't need. The next project I took on was Monday and that was the office. Yes, I know we moved in two months ago, but I really needed a change. I (with Andrew) reorganized with moving the bookshelves, moving the desk, buying a nice 5 shelf bookshelf at IKEA (only $19.99) and actually putting out my organized children's books, and organizing all my cards and scrapbook stuff. One day we hope to have a house of our own that way we can paint and organize the way we want. I truly am enjoying organizing and I think Andrew thinks I am obsessed. Next it is time to clean the bathroom as it has been a couple weeks to do that! I think watching all the HGTV home shows has me hooked as well as Andrew. We are getting ideas.

Stop Means STOP!!!

Quick note. Today Andrew and I decided to reorganize our living room and hallway closet. We completed both of these things, so we decided to go to Quizno's for dinner since we only ate breakfast. We were coming back and right before we get to our gated entrance for our neighborhood we have to have a four way stop. Well, we stopped fine and everything. We were half way through the interaction when I looked to my right (I was in the passenger seat) and there is a mini-SUV not wanting to stop at the STOP sign. She continues to go right through, but finally notices that we are there and slams on her brakes and thank goodness I said something to Andrew and he sped up and swerved out of the way. The woman totally ran the stop sign at 35-40 MPH. We are very thankful God has kept us safe because that would not have been good to have another accident (this one much worse) and it probably would have put me in the hospital. So our lesson that we learned today was: never decide to go out on a Saturday (three weeks ago today...out on a Saturday...rear ended) and that when we see a stop sign it means STOP and stop applies to everyone else too!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

I just wanted to display the guest bathroom. We completed decorating it a few weeks ago before Tahoe, but I finally got around to taking pictures of it. I am so happy with the finished product and I am glad that we decided to decorate this way. Thank you to all who contributed to the decoration of this bathroom!

This monkey is hanging on the door to greet you!

The towel with the bathroom toilet brush on the back of the toilet.

The rug!

The trash can!

We don't use these things actually, they are on display.

The tissue holder with a little monkey that I had.

The awesome shower curtain.

Rain

I am a true Oregon girl when I look forward to rain. I am excited to hear the rain fall on the pavement, on the trees, wherever it may fall near my house, I am joyful. It has not rained since I have lived in California and I am excited that it is raining! Praise the Lord! I was starting to miss the rain and I thought I would have to make an extra trip back up to Oregon to get some rain. It would be nice if that would happen as far as the extra trip, but I know soon enough in a month, Oregon will be at my beckon call for about 4 days!!!!