My Husband's Good Fortune

The day the Packers play the Vikings, Ben is at Soldier Field, meeting the Seahawks coach Pete Correll.  What? Only Ben, via Bud of course.  (While this was going down, I was watching The Cosby Show and eating tacos, for the record. No idea who even won the Packer game)

Less Is More

Last week I was convinced Ben and I needed to buy a house as soon as possible because the hall closet was a bit too overstuffed.  It wasn't until later that I admitted a bigger house would simply hold more things. Not really solving the problem.   Especially because I love things. I like to shop, and I am easily bored-with styles, items, routines. I know the material will burn away, and many of the pretty things I own have already cracked or broken, and lost their allure.  Just this morning while Ben was making pancakes the salt shaker was knocked down from the top of the stove and landed on the ceramic spoon rest on the stove top.  It cracked into smithereens. 

This motto of "less is more" has been floating through my head for several months, and it causes me to think about living a bit more simply.  I'm not very good at this. Ok-I'm horrible at it.  My friend Lisa is the opposite of me.  She is always giving things away and living very presently-talking about what God is doing right now [as opposed to what He might do next week, next year, or dwelling on what He didn't do in the past].  Her cupboards appear to be half empty and you can always see everything that is in the refrigerator.  She's not the sort of person to be accused of having a cluttered home. Since we live in the same town and I see her at least once a week, I get to glean a little inspiration from her in this area, as well as benefit from receiving the clothes purged from  her closet. 

Believing that "less is more" reminds me to show myself grace when I don't feel like I measure up-mostly to my own standards.  This is something else I am no good at.  I spend a lot of time doing things, checking big and little tasks off my proverbial list, because it makes me feel accomplished and productive. But the problem is-the list keeps growing. Just when I feel a sense of relief, another pile of mail enters through the door, waiting to be opened.  Or I remember that it's been a week since I talked to my mom, and I don't have the energy to pick up the phone.  Fail. Do my friends know I still care about them even though I haven't checked in? We should schedule something.  And I am tired.  The list could go on...but not without wiping out my enthusiasm for life and remaining grounded to who I am and what I'm here for. 

Jesus told the crowds that followed him, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Less is more.  

Jesus didn't delight in a packed schedule or a home filled with a variety of material things.  He didn't command people to follow him by force or lord his authority over others.  He knew the true way to have abundant life-connected to the Father, and living by His will, and he invites us to live like him.

The apostle Paul boasted in his weaknesses because then God's power would be seen, instead of Paul's confidence or abilities.  This is a good thing, and reminds me that less of me and more of God is actually how I want my life to be lived. 

I hope to continue giving thanks to God for the daily reminders that call me to rest in his love and power, and not buy the lie that I should be something more than I am.

Sentimental Road Trip

I headed to Iowa for a not-so-pleasant reason this weekend: a funeral.  But along the way, I enjoyed some simple pleasures that I have missed since moving away.

 

An endless sea of cornfields (and other fields unrecognizable to me)

 

And of course:  Pancheros! My traveling companions and I may have stopped there twice on our 17 hour journey.

Photo Book

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Under Construction

Currently, our street is under massive construction.  We have been navigating "Road Closed" signs and cranes at any given hour of the day.  This week, our alley was completely blocked off, and a path was made through the Alterra coffee shop down the street.  We are flexing with each new development. I just feel bad for the home owners whose homes face the worst of it all!

View to the left from our alley:

                                     

And to the right.  It is actually drive-able today!

                                    
                                     

We have had to alter our jogging route on the parkway as well.

New view for the neighbors

                                      

 We enjoyed playing in some of the equipment.

So many big round things!

A new scenic overlook.



 All of the work will allow the new sewers to drain into the river and keep us free of flooding. Even better, we get a pedestrian-controlled stop light on our corner, which means we won't have to wait so long for North Ave. traffic when crossing!

Sabbath Rest

I have realized something about myself over the past few years that I am finally taking time to reflect on.  It's something that needs to change, and it's not a change that will come easy.  I anticipate figuring this out for the rest of my life.  The truth is:  I have a really hard time resting.  On Sunday a friend of mine asked why I don't like taking naps, and my response was, "I feel like I'm wasting time."  

Do I think the world can't go on without me? Am I really that important and productive that if I stopped to rest every now and then, everything I've been working toward will become mass chaos? Of course not.  But then why do I live that way?  In Peter Scazzero's book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, which I am reading at the moment, he dedicates two chapters to the importance of the sabbath.  The fourth commandment God gave to His people, in summary, is, "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy."  This is one of God's commands-and I have been breaking it my whole life! (Thank you, God, for your lavish grace that allows me to know you still). 

The Sabbath is a time to rest and delight in God.  It puts God at the center and focus of my week, as I stop work and trust Him to take care of the things I have left undone for the time being.   God did it after creating the world in six days, and He invites us into this rest, because He knows we need it.  Scazzero calls it "stopping to breath the air of eternity".  Even in my free time I am often checking things off of my ongoing list, which doesn't really allow myself to rest in the way I am meant to.  A Sabbath can be taken any day of the week for 24 hours, and for those working in full-time ministry it thought wise to take a several month long Sabbatical every eight years or so. 

Sometimes I forget that I have limits, and I try to replace God by acting as if I know what is best, and  I have all the energy in the world to do it.  For my mind to make the shift from "doing" to "being,"

it will take a radical transformation and undoing of habits I have built up for years-but I am ready.  I'm ready for the refreshment and rest that God invites me into, so that I can best reflect and glorify Him with the limited time He has given to me.

  

(Photo taken on our honeymoon in Negril, Jamaica. It is a perfect depiction of rest for a beach lover like myself!)

A Messy Kitchen

This is what our kitchen has looked like two nights in a row.  (And not because we didn't do the dishes). These are just the dinner dishes! While it was a lot of work cleaning up, it was well worth the work.  The weekend was full of home made meals with fresh ingredients, and three new recipes that weren't planned out. 

Earlier in the week we had eaten lunch at a cafe in Cedarburg and as we raved about our chicken pesto paninis with roasted red peppers I said, "We could make these at home".  So today I busted out the counter top grill that we had unintentionally relegated to pancake making-and the turkey paninis that turned out were amazing!  Last night it was bruschetta (Ben's favorite appetizer), and shrimp with angel hair pasta and a sauce I made up on the spot.  For desert, the ever so easy but always delicious trifle with angel food cake, pudding & Cool Whip, and berries. 

So, I don't mind a messy kitchen at dinnertime because it means we are likely enjoying some good food, and in this season of fresh fruits and veggies and endless options of exploring how to enjoy them, I anticipate spending a lot more time in my kitchen. 

Budman's First Pitch

My father in law is the biggest Cub's fan I know.  So when a friend of his set it up for him to throw the first pitch out at a game early this season, it was a really big deal! 60 of his closest friends came to celebrate and enjoy the game in the Batter's Eye Lounge.  To top it off, we got to mingle with Chairman of the Cubs, Tom Ricketts.

"Strike!"

 

Chatting it up with Chairman Tom Ricketts

 

Someone wore the wrong apparel

 

Out on the field before the big throw

 

Jonny and Rachel's first time at Wrigley!

                                 Everyone signed a poster of Wrigley to be framed

   

Ben's college buddies Greg & Lyons

Elvis Shoes

These belong to my neighbor across the hall. I smile every time I walk out the door and see them!

Memory Books

After more than a month of papers and photos taking over my office floor, I buckled down and finally finished the mini scrapbooks I made for Ben's Dad and siblings, commemorating our bittersweet trip downtown Chicago before Christmas. It was a crucial time for our family, and the art of creating something from it was somewhat therapeutic.

April Showers Bring...Newton Birthdays!

This year I celebrated my birthday in Minneapolis. While mostly busy with a conference that ran all weekend, I did have a few little treats that made the day sweeter.
(On a side note, this blazer is finally making an appearance after two years of ownership)

After mentioning to one of the hotel staff working the breakfast line, three of them serenaded me by singing "Happy Birthday" and presenting me with a very tasty cinnamon swirl multi-grain muffin-complete with a candle to blow out!

Luke and Kristina picked us up and we went to Sebastian Joe's in Uptown for dessert and gift opening :) Ben was super excited about this Justin Morneau bobble head, as you can see.

What I Do For a Living

March Madness Week 3: Comm Lab

Over the years working in campus ministry, I have had enough opportunities to speak in large group settings that I can't count them on one hand. It's not at all a main part of my job, but the opportunity presents itself often enough that I see a need and have the desire to grow in this area and be a better presenter. The same is true of Ben, although he is an excellent communicator, and it is in fact one of his top 5 strengths on his StrengthsFinder analysis. So even though we would be coming off of two weeks of conferences in Florida, we decided 3 days of training in the area of public speaking would serve us well. Thus we began our journey Monday morning from New Orleans to an Indianapolis suburb where Keynote was holding the conference. (Keynote is Cru's creative communication ministry).

I was a little nervous coming into the training, not looking forward to being critiqued and watching myself on video, but after hearing the emcee lay out the purpose of the training, I quickly became excited to grow and learn from the professionals around me. She said something to the effect of helping us become effective painters, and how even though we have an awesome message, we sometimes distract from it by communicating poorly. This week we would learn to get rid of those distractions. This excites me, because each time I go to speak at a weekly meeting on campus or a retreat, I wrestle with things like, "Am I handing God's word accurately?", "Am I engaging enough?","Do I sound too monotone?"

Some things I took away from the first day's sessions:
-Communicating from up front is more of a sport than a science.
-You really need to practice.
-Effectiveness in teaching is largely dependent upon how your message is delivered, rather than simply what is being taught.
-When I speak up front, it's not about me, so I need to be humble for my audience in order to best serve them.
-Doing things like holding eye contact for 5 seconds may feel awkward, but it will form a bond with individuals and help them to connect with what I'm saying.
-Keynote has some very talented staff!
-Being recorded and having to watch myself speak isn't as scary as I thought it would be!

I'm excited for what the next two days will bring and what I will learn from "the Tims" (Tim Downs & Tim Muelhoff) and my coach. Hopefully this will be the start of a strong foundation to build on for the years to come.

48 Hours In Crescent City

Week 2 at Big Break ended and I celebrated by going to a walk-in clinic to get antibiotics to treat a recurring ear infection. :/ It was actually an easy process and I'm so thankful for the relief! It was Friday, and the first day we had rain our entire time in Florida. Not bad! It was a day of rest before heading out on our next adventure: New Orleans!

Since we travel a lot for our job, I like to tack little adventures onto trips that take us to parts of the country we wouldn't normally go to. Last year we went to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, and the year prior we stopped for dinner & walked down Broadway St. in Nashville. This year, we wanted to do something a little more exciting. And what could be more exciting than New Orleans? Seriously-I didn't know how much fun it would be.

The only plan we made was a minibus tour I found through a Groupon deal. It started the minute we pulled into town and lasted three hours. It gave us a great overview of the city's districts and what's still happening to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. We learned that a few stars had homes in both the French Quarter and the Garden District, so we got to snap a few shots of those. We visited City Park, which is twice the size of Central Park in NYC. The rest was spontaneous and totally unplanned. We went to the French Market, and were fortunate to be there during the Roadfood Festival that comes once a year. Shrimp Creole, baked Alaskan with chocolate sauce (which I didn't realize was a dessert), Jambalya, Red Beans & Rice, Crawfish-We tried it all! I couldn't resist buying a cheap Mardi Gras mask from the market.

After dinner at Pat O'Brien's and a walk down Bourban Street we walked to our hotel just outside the French Quarter. It was a treat in and of itself. Having booked it over the phone without seeing it or being able to know if it would be close enough to the Quarter, I was a little nervous. But it was just the right distance away-in fact we are glad we didn't stay in the Quarter in the midst of the craziness. The hotel, the Holiday Inn Superdome, was modernly decorated, very clean & comfortable, and had an awesome rooftop pool. We couldn't have found anything better for the price.

It was a perfect vacation. We tried a lot of great food (Biegnets at Cafe Du Monde, boiled crab and seafood pizza at Deanie's, daiquiris at one of the many daiquiri shops), walked really fun streets in the Garden District & French Quarter, took hundreds of pictures on our new camera, slept in at a hotel we were in no hurry to get out of, and just enjoyed being together in a new city.
And-I didn't even mention our Favre-themed stops that flanked our NOLA trip. On the way there, we stopped in Kiln, MS where he was born and raised. On the way out, we hit up The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS where he played college football. This was an unplanned treat that we happened upon. Literally, we saw a sign, learned it was just 4 miles from the interstate, and drove right into the stadium parking lot. The field was unsecured and open for anyone to walk on. Ben was like a kid in a candy shop. Yes, we did find a foam finger at the bookstore across from campus :)

A French Quarter street's hitching posts (a rest stop for horses).

Recognize the house? It'sthe old folks home from "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." We also saw Sandra Bullock, Sean Penn, Bradgelina's and Lenny Kravitz's places among others.

We happened upon these street performers on our way to Cafe Du Monde for beignets. I love this kind of thing, where people use their strength and skill to entertain pedestrians. It was a blast!








The beignets were delicious! Check out that powdered sugar falling off!

March Madness: Week 1

Over the next few days I'll be writing about the road trips and conferences Ben and I have experienced throughout the month of March. We've traveled over 2,500 miles and seen a lot of new sights along the way! On the 9th we took off for Panama City Beach, FL in our faithful Saturn, along with our friend and co-worker Jonny. The ride was surprisingly quick-probably because it was so fun (and I didn't have to drive much. Thanks guys!) The weather in PCB was the nicest yet during any Big Break conference I have been to in previous years. This was my fourth-at least-I can't remember if I went twice as a student.

Marquette and UW-Parkside students arrived eagerly and a bit anxious for the week of being taught from featured speakers and sharing their faith on the beach. We had a LOT of students come who had never ever shared their faith before, let alone been to Big Break. It was a great week of seeing these students step out and trust God to use them to love on people and listen to them. In particular, Ben and I are excited to see the momentum back on campus at UWP, as one of the girls said she wants to have a weekly time where people gather to go and initiate spiritual conversations with other students on campus. They saw God work through them during this week and want to make it a lifestyle, as we are called to do as followers of Christ.

The week was filled with bonding, and we especially loved getting to live life with students off campus, which is hard for us since we live out of town. Below, Kat and Halima learn to use Soularium, a tool that uses pictures to ask people about their life experiences and view of God.
This group of students left Saturday morning, and just hours later we greeted the UWM group to do the whole thing over. I prayed that God would help me to hear the speakers and experience this week with fresh perspective, not thinking that since I was there the week before that I could just check out mentally. It proved to be a bit of a struggle through the week, and I needed to pull away at times to think and process experiences & what I was learning-but God answered that prayer and taught me what it really means to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Girls share about a fruitful conversation they had on the beach one afternoon.


Over 100 students attended an optional morning seminar that taught them about apologetics and the importance of understanding a variety of worldviews.

Resourcing on a Whim

I hate wasting things, and I love being resourceful. So tonight, as I was packing up from the villa in Florida Ben and I have been living in for the past two weeks, I decided to put together some sort of a snack for our weekend vacation to New Orleans. With a fridge of half-used condiments and various ingredients, it was pretty easy to decide on chocolate chip cookies. I actually had baking soda and vanilla on hand, but no eggs or butter. After almost 15 minutes browsing the web to find a recipe I could make without either, I finally decided to implement some things I found. I could sub a banana for the butter, and mayo for the eggs. (I know, gross, right?) The dough was pretty dry, so I added some Canola oil, and after it was still dry, I mixed in some peanut butter. In the end, they turned out to be pretty delicious! And I didn't have to worry about consuming raw eggs while eating the batter :)

Not bad looking, right?

Words To Live By

Writer and blogger Ann Voskamp states on her blog, "The only words that really matter are the ones I live."

On any given day I am using words to communicate something-writing, reading, teaching, praying. Writing in my journal to process thoughts I have about something I learned, or recording events from the day. Reading the Bible, which I believe are the very words of God. By doing this I better know his heart and character. Teaching younger women to understand God's word and apply His truths to their lives. Praying that I can be faithful to follow Christ every day, and asking God for the ability to show him off through the way I live.

Once I have prayed, studied, taught, and written everything down-Am I able to act in a way that reflects what I am trying to communicate? What I believe in my soul to be most important? It is one thing to say a statement, but it is another to live out its meaning. I have to ask myself this question, "Am I truly following Christ, or just talking about following him?"

Happiness Project

Every month I get an issue of Good Housekeeping magazine delivered to my door. This is the magazine I enjoy more than others in my stash because it has a good variety of tasty recipes, household advice and tips, and I actually like to read the articles. An added bonus is that I get it for free, thanks to Coke rewards points :) (So if you're a Coke drinker-save your caps and rip off the code from your 12-pack. You can actually get some decent items with them)

Last night I was reading a section from their newest columnist, who has been working on something called the Happiness Project. Each month she shares ideas she has tried or is working on to keep her mindset positive and enjoy the little things in life. In this month's issue she talks about her one-sentence journal. This a place to write down highlights from the day, and a way to remember funny conversations and moments you think you could never forget, but inevitably probably will. At least I probably would, because my memory seems to be doing down the drain.

So I picked up one of the many little journals I've acquired over the years from conferences or as gifts, and I started my own one-sentence journal. I'm excited to look back on it in the years ahead and reminisce about the every day pleasures I enjoy, and the unique things that stand out in my mind. I journal several times a week already, but this will serve as more of a scrapbook that will be easy to look at and share with others.

Last night's entry: 2nd week of Tuesday night girls' dinner at Parkside. 2 guys came, but it was fun to meet 3 new people and just hang out! They asked questions about Cru and got to "know someone who truly follows Christ." Joe gave his first talk at our weekly meeting, on the Lordship of Christ, and it was wonderful! It was a good night on campus.

She is giving away 25 journals, which you can enter to win here. (I didn't enter because I like mine so much.)

Isn't it cute?!

New Year's Reflection

Tonight I was reflecting on how times of crisis or tragedy seem to bring people to share their true feelings. Words are said that might possibly never have been said before. People say “I love you” more easily than ever. At the realization that life is short, and every moment is sacred, people come out of their shells and suddenly become vulnerable. It’s as if there is no longer anything to risk.

But why not live every day like this? Unafraid of feeling insecure at the possibility that our affections might not be returned. Or that we would sound silly as we verbalize how much a loved one means to us.

Tonight is New Year’s Eve, and as my in-laws and I were sitting by the fire reflecting on the final days of my mother in law’s life, I realized something beautiful about this family. They have no worries about anything being left unsaid to their mother or wife. There was a point when one of the nurses told us it would be a good time to get anything out in the open that we might have neglected over the years, like apologizing for taking her lipstick that one time when she told you not to. Something that was true for each family member is that nothing had gone unsaid. They live really open lives with each other, and take the opportunity to say “I love you” or whatever else is on their mind. In the moments alone that each child had taken with their mom in the hospital room the day she passed, no one had any regrets. They just got to enjoy being with her and taking in those final hours being by her side. This is a truly admirable way to live.

A passage of scripture that I find especially wise and helpful when I contemplate certain decisions in life is Ephesians 5: 15. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Relationally, I want to make the best use of my time, because I don't know how long I have, and even if I had 100 more years on this earth, why wouldn't I want each day to be rich and full of depth-having the ones I love not left wondering how I feel about them?

As 2011 comes to an end and 2012 awaits-untainted and full of mystery and adventure, I am thankful for being a part of a family that has shown me how to love with abandon, cherish every moment, and speak my heart to those I love. I love you Newtons! May 2012 be a wonderful year for us and those we love.