Bubbles Gave Me a New Sister!!

Matt & Rae FINALLY tied the knot last weekend! It was a full weekend of family and friends but it was a great celebration.

Friday morning we decorated the hall - Beautiful! If I do say so myself.

Later that evening we had the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Things went off without a hitch and Rae's brother and dad did an amazing job with a catered meal of prime rib, corn on the cob, red potatoes, and salad.

Finally Saturday - the big day. Mom, Brenda, and I had hair appointments with the wonderful Melissa VanDam starting at 8. Everyone was at the church by noon for pre wedding photos. Steph and I, as the mistresses of ceremonies, had the tricky task of keeping the bride and groom from seeing each other. I heard no complaints so I think we pulled it off alright.

The wedding was perfect. Even little Parker went down the aisle with no complications. Of course, Brenda was sitting at the end of the aisle to give him his reward for making it all the way down :)

Both girls looked like little princesses. Actually, Deidre looked a little more like a pixie than a princess but all of the kiddies were adorable in their finery.

Even the guys all cleaned up fairly well...

... and the ladies kept them on their toes.

All together, it was a good looking group.

... and then of course the bride and groom.

At long last; Mr & Mrs Matthew Turner. Congratulations!! Rae, "You couldn't have been more perfect for him if he'd have picked you out of a catalog." Love you both!

We have our own space!!

Last night we had youth group in our very own, newly renovated space. It's been a long time coming but Rhiza finally has a place to call home. I am excited! I can't wait to see how God uses our new/old building for His glory.

Photos to come...

Pray for Vegas

So a few weeks ago I went to Las Vegas for Construct 2008. It's a construction trade show. The internal company that I work for, Stadium Savers, had a booth at the show and my boss' decided that it was necessary to have 2 people in the booth this year - hence, my presence there. I was honored by their faith in my abilities and knowledge of the product/system but also excited about the opportunities that it afforded me; a) do some marketing outside of the office, b) see Vegas.

While in Vegas, my days were fairly routine... Woke up around 6, logged in to the company network to respond to emails and make a few calls, showered and got ready for the day, breakfast with the boss and his wife, and then manned the booth from 11-4 each day. Following the close of the show each afternoon, I had about an hour to relax in my room before we hit the strip each night.

The first evening we spent on the strip was a bit overwhelming. So much to see and everything is amazing. Each of the hotels there has a "theme" if you will. We started at the MGM Grand. Really just a walk-thru to get us to the strip but the interior of it... enormous, flashy, and chic. Then on to New York, New York. They had the statue of liberty, the skyline, the bridge, the works. So much effort and expense had gone into recreating the real thing. We moved on to the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Venetian, Treasure Island; each one unique and awe inspiring, each one grander than the last. So many photos and moments taken to admire the view.

We spent several hours on the strip each night just taking things in. Our hotel was off the strip, next to the convention center. When we returned each evening, I was grateful for the privacy the location afforded and for the lack of a casino in our hotel. As I laid in bed that first night, I had a deep feeling of discontent that I just couldn't put my finger on. The more I pondered it, the more I was able to come to realize what it was I was feeling. Sadness. Soul burdened and heart aching I said my prayers that night and included one for the City that I'd just wandered through. The city with the amazing view, towering hotels, flashing lights, and crowds that never sleep... that has no soul.  There is so much to see and so many gods (sex, money, alchohol) but no real God.

Too often as Christians living in a "bible belt" mentality, we forget how much pain there is in our world.  Its easy to go to church and fall into the routine of hoping the lost will find us.  The truth is the lost are just that, lost.  They need us to throw them a lifeline, to find them in the wilderness.  While in Vegas, I got a good glimpse of how very lost people without Christ are.  I hope that I don't forget that glimpse and that the experience is one that continues to weigh on my heart and mind.  We are the hands and feet of Christ...  are we effectively seeking the lost?

Just a Few Things I've Learned...

For our winter series, Derek asked all of the leaders to share their testimony with the youth group. He specifically requested that we share the verses that were instrumental in developing our relationship with Christ and try to put it together like a message. Because I work with both Jr and Sr High (along with a couple of other people) I had the unique opportunity to share my testimony with both Jr and Sr High, about a month apart, in two very different ways.

You may be asking "what does that have to do with this blog?" Well, through the process of putting to paper the details of my walk with Christ, I had a bit of time to reflect on the lessons I've learned. I love to make lists and its been awhile since I posted a blog so I thought I'd take the opportunity to share this list with you. In no particular order, I've learned that...

* as the creator of my heart, God is the only one who can truly heal it

* when I focus my life around Christ, everything else falls into place

* transparency in my walk shows other Christians that they aren't the only ones who fail at being perfect

* giving your heart to someone is dangerous

* children often lose their innocence too young because of the carelessness of the adults around them

* being a Christian has nothing to do with how well I hide the not so pretty things in my life

* any sin separates me from Christ, regardless of whether its more socially acceptable than another - there is no grey scale

* dating a Christian doesn't mean you are immune to the temptation to make poor choices

* the old cliche "time is a great healer" is true but scars still hurt from time to time

* love is not an emotion... or shouldn't be anyway. Not totally detached (thanks Pete) but not always tied in with emotion.

* sometimes serving God is easy, sometimes he asks us to "step out of the boat"

* sarcasm hurts people, often unintentionally

* good friends don't tell you how to live your life. they caution you and then let you make the choice. if you fall, they hold you while you cry about it and don't say "I told you so."

* the best relationships take effort

* some people come in to our lives for a season and its not always earth shaking or devastating... just life

* the greatest blessings aren't material or monetary

* sometimes the people we notice last are the ones we later wish we'd noticed first

* no matter how careful one is about maintaining a peaceful home, certain people will always disturb the peace when they enter

* we each grieve in our own way and its wrong to criticize how another person goes about it

* its very easy to prioritize a human relationship above our relationship with Christ but the effects can be devastating

* if you think something good about a person, you should share the compliment with them

* everyone else's family is crazy too

* the less I strive for an elusive goal, the more content I am in where God has placed me

There are many more that aren't immediately coming to mind so I may update this list from time to time but that's what I've got right now. I would love it if anyone reading this would let me know about the lessons they've learned... in life and their relationships with Christ.