The End of An Era

As you can tell I have been in need of a new bible for awhile now. This sounds like an easy task, go online (or if you live anywhere but here you could actually go to a store, WalMart doesn't have much of a selection) put a new bible in your shopping cart, hit a couple of keys and next thing you know a new shiny bible sits at your door. But this wasn't an easy process for me. In fact it took me about 3 months to get a new bible. There was no problem with shipping, or items being out of stock. It was all me. I was having a hard time giving up my old friend.

You see, I've had this same bible nearly all of my christian life. My grandparents gave it to me for Christmas back in 1986. As I flip through the pages of this bible I can see myself growing up. There are passages underlined with red marker because back in jr. high I didn't know that marker would bleed through the pages of a bible. I found notes written in the margin that can only be described as jr. high girl fluffy writing - you know all the the 'i' have circles or hearts above them instead of a little dot.

Even if it's not clearly marked with a specific clue there are passages underlined that take me right back to a certain place or time. In ninth grade we had one class period that was a school wide "Drop-Everything-And-Read" time. I was a fairly new believer and liked to read my bible during this time. I don't remember why, but I had for some reason decided to read Revelations during DEAR time. I remember as if it were yesterday, reading and underlining this passage in Rev. 21. I was so excited by what I read I literally ran all the way to my next class, choir, threw open the door and called out to my Christian friends "Did you know that the there would be no sun or moon in heaven because the Glory of God illuminates it! Isn't that rad!!" So now when I see this passage underlined I am reminded of my new christian enthusiasm and am convicted when I don't get just as excited by God's word.

There are other sections that have dates or names written beside them. These help me remember all that the Lord has brought me through over the years. Loss of friendships that left me eating alone in my car every lunch period my senior year of high school, all I had to depend on was my bible and time with the Lord. It was during this time that the Lord taught me that He alone is sufficient. Or facing the truth about my past. The Lord used His word to heal a broken heart and to wash away years of shame. And most recently, the Lord has used His word to teach me that despite month after month, and year after year of disappointment He IS trustworthy, and loving. I've learned that trust really isn't trust when you get what you want when you want it, true trust happens when it appears that there is no way you will get what you want and you instead trust that He will provide what you need, when you trust His heart more than you trust your own.

So here I am with a brand new bible filled with crisp, clean pages waiting to see what new lessons lie before me, what new memories will lie within these pages.

Spring Starts When??

This is the view from my guest bedroom window, the view from the master bedroom is just about the same. What are you looking at, you ask? Snow. Lots and lots of snow. Last weekend our roof was shoveled and the result is that we can no longer see out of our windows. Here we are a couple of days before the official start to spring and all I can see is snow! I'm tired of snow. I want green grass, and flowers blooming (deep sigh) but all I have is snow.

A Cacamaka Birthday To You!

Tomorrow is my "sister" Nicole's birthday (I won't tell you how old she is because she just might stretch her hand out and slap me from clear across the country). I thought I would write her a little note to wish her a happy bithday. Sorry if some of this doesn't make sense to you, just use your imaginations and laugh along with the things that sound funny even if you don't know what they are.

Cole,
I chose to put this picture up because it brings back so many great memories:
- roller blading in the kitchen, or to Karen Schanzenbach's (what were we thinking???) or you trying to skate with a giant box
- our annual "first flood, puddle jumping days"
- Buddy, the only tone deaf dove ever created
- late night talks in our "hallway"
- "Oh-00 say do my boobs..." (Sing along with me, I know you want to)
- our "spontaneous" trip to Oregon and Washington
- being so poor we couldn't even afford to share a Happy Meal
- all the "wild and crazy" New Year's Eve parties we planned. Why didn't we become professional party planners??? Oh yeah, no one showed up.
- "STEAMROLL!!"
- leaving microwave popcorn on your wall for 5 years may be a great way to remember that being single is MUCH better than dating Mr. Wrong, but it leaves nasty butter stains on the wall
- "Driving with only one contact is weird"
- grocery shopping with Dad, or in the pantry of any of our "adopt-a-families"
- can't afford a cordless phone? Get a 50 foot cord instead
- Shy-Shy
- Heather, the most intimidating person in the world!
- calling all of our friends to if they could see their feet when they looked straight down
- late night Reno runs
- reading lips through your bedroom window

Remember the first time we met? The cowgirl meets the preppy. How could we have ever guessed that nearly 15 years later we would still be friends. After all I didn't want a friend, I only wanted someone I could stand being roommates with. I'm so thankful God didn't give me what I wanted but what I needed. The Lord used you to minister to me as I went through some of the toughest years of my life. You kept me laughing, and made home a safe place to be. Thank you. You taught me that it's OK to stand up for myself and that PJ's don't always have to match.

You are a faithful friend and I love you dearly. The "Great Divorce" may have ended us being roommates, but it will never end us being sisters. Happy Birthday Co-Co, I wish I could be with you to celebrate. Since it's your birthday I wouldn't even make faces at you if you wanted to eat cheese and mayo! (At least I would try not to)

Love ya bunches,
Poke

Nana's Birthday Pics

I know I said I would post these pictures nearly a week ago but my computer was not cooperating with me. It took me several days and even more tries to get the pictures loaded into PictureTrail. Finally it is done! Thanks for being patient with me.

By the way, if you move your mouse over the pictures it will magnify part of the picture for you. Enjoy.

Trip Update

We made it home from Cali on Sunday night, but I've been heading to bed so soon after work I haven't taken the time or energy to blog. Here's a quick rundown of the trip, I'll post pictures as soon as I find the wire used to connect my camera to the computer (It is somewhere in the luggage)

We arrived in So Cal about 3 hours later than we were scheduled to arrive which means we didn't get to my parent's place until 4:30 AM! We were exhausted but since it was so close to morning we just stayed up. Unfortunately our luggage did not arrive with us so we didn't have the option of taking a refreshing shower and changing out of the clothes we had been in for close to 24 hours. That first day was low-key but nice, we hung out at the house and then had some yummy Mexican food.

Tuesday I woke up with a tight chest and cough. I just wasn't feeling right, but tried to fake it. As the day went on however I felt worse and worse. We took my temp in the early after noon, it was at 101.7 and rising. By the time I saw the nurse at the urgent care center it was up to 102.9 and I was miserable. I got a couple of shots in the butt, a couple of prescriptions and headed back home to the couch where I remained for the next 3 dayys! So much for our great California tour. Rob joined me on the couch on Thursday with a 100.7 temp. Basically our entire trip was spent in one room of my parent's home.

I was feeling a little better on Saturday and thankfully was able to go to Nana's party. It was great seeing my cousins and aunt and uncles. 5 out of 6 of the cousins were there and 3 out of Nana's 4 kids was there. We had a great time catching up and looking at old family pictures. (Most of the pics I'll be posting are from this party) Rob was still running a little temp so he skipped the party, he didn't think it would be wise to go to a nursing home with a fever. I agreed. Shortly after we got home from the party Paul and Jenn, our good friends from San Diego came up to see us. Paul is Rob's "brother from another mother". It was such a blessing to spend a few hours with them. We had a great time sharing with eachother and praying together. Rob and I spent most of the time trying to talk them into moving up to Presque Isle. We'll see if it works. They want to come visit this summer.

I'll try to post the pictures tonight after choir. Thanks for all of the prayers while we were gone.