Feeling Pretty Blessed

Dear friend,

Head's up- this might be lengthy...

Does it ever shock you at how many emotions or memories a song can stir up in you?  I don't know if it's that way for everyone, but if you want to cut me to the core and get to my heart as quick as possible, find a song to do the talking. 

First- I have to confess that I had notes written in church to be the basis of this letter, but I am sans my Bible right now, and thus sans notes.  I'm going off of an emotion saturated memory.

Maybe I should start by telling you that Jered and I spent the majority of the last week with my family, and in addition to the great time we enjoy while there, I also feel that returning to my home church is a highlight of my time in town.

This week was no exception, and as you may have guessed, it centers greatly around God's use of music to tap into my head and heart.  First of all, the worship song we sang at our wedding happens to be on the playlist almost every. single. time. we go home.  Mom has assured me that they only play it when we are there, which is always randomly scheduled.


Needless to say- every time we sing it, I tear up, and this week was no different- especially as I held on to Jered's arm and felt it break out in goosebumps during the song.

It didn't stop there though.  It's difficult for me to go to my home church and not think of Mike.  After all, he wasn't just a friend, but our Pastor for many years- many years that made up the biggest part of my becoming an adult- a Christian by my own beliefs and convictions.  His ministry shaped my character more than he would ever know.

As I sat in the service, our new Pastor's style- the way he calls up missionaries to share and asks how he can pray for them, asks people to share testimonies on the spot, his messages- really stood out to me.  I found myself thinking, "This is good.  Our church is going to be ok.  He is going to help hearts heal.  He is going to continue on Mike's ministry for the Lord."

We took communion, and I was feeling quite convicted over the caliber of my wifeliness.  (I just made that word up right this second.)  So I was already turning quite emotional over that, when the song started.  I knew it right away before they started singing.  I don't know if you remember, but I've written about it before HERE.

Here are the full lyrics:

Be still, there is a healer
His love is deeper than the sea
His mercy, it is unfailing
His arms are a fortress for the weak


Let faith arise
Let faith arise


I lift my hands to believe again
You are my refuge, You are my strength
As I pour out my heart, these things I remember
You are faithful, God, forever
 
Be still, there is a river
That flows from Calvary's tree
A fountain for the thirsty
Pure grace that washes over me


So let faith arise
Let faith arise
Open my eyes
Open my eyes


I lift my hands to believe again
You are my refuge, You are my strength
As I pour out my heart, these things I remember
You are faithful, God
You are faithful, God, forever 

This song meant so much to me last time we sang it.  I was trying to reestablish my trust in God- that He knew best.  Our church body was staring death in the face as it threatened to take one we loved.  And this week, it struck me so strongly because of that memory, and the realization that God was carrying us through that hard time and is still carrying us as we continue to heal. 

The next song was Amazing Grace.  Pastor Bill asked us to stand and hold hands across the aisles, to sing it as one church body.  The last time I remember doing that was at Mike's memorial service.  It was the first time we, as a church, had met in the new sanctuary, and we sang it a Capella.  And as we sang it, I had this overwhelming feeling that we had survived.  That my home church was in the hands of a Pastor that God had ordained for such a time as this.

In case you didn't know, friend, I am a major crier.  I tried, but couldn't hold back the overpowering emotions.  And if this wasn't the epitome of the conclusions I had just come to- I don't know what is:  Pastor Bill made his way through the front of the congregation, and came right over to me, and prayed for me.  He had no idea that I was crying because of how blessed I felt because of God placing him in our lives.  I was sad, thinking about Mike and how I missed him, but I was also feeling unbelievably blessed at God's provision.

Whew- speaking of being a crier- I'm trying not to right now, so I will move on.

Here were some more highlights of our week at home:

Spending time at The Farm with family

Fireworks with Kate and Jered

 

Birthday dinner and a movie with my favorite family

 

Saw our precious flowergirls- two of them wearing their dresses

Looking matchy-matchy for church 

(I don't know why this is all being spaced out so strangely. Sorry bout that.)

Anyway- it was a great week.  If you aren't living at home with your family right now- isn't it weird how every time you go back it feels like no time has passed and it's no less home than before?  

Well my friend, I am done for now.  I will talk to you later.

Aim

Ready to Dress Up the New Nest

Hi friend.

Having a happy weekend?  We are here.  Well, pretty lazy, but good. 

Jered has been studying nonstop.  (In my opinion.)  Yesterday he decided to take a break- which, in my opinion, was a good idea.  I woke up to his smiling face asking me if I wanted to go out for pancakes.  Why yes! Yes, I do!  So we enjoyed a long breakfast at our favorite corner diner. 

Then we lazed around the apartment most of the day.  I cooked up a ton of chicken for the next few days, tried making banana chips, and made some lime cilantro dressing from my Cast Iron Skillet Cook Book that I got from Grandpa Bill and Grandma Robbie for the wedding.  It turned out pretty good!

Jered and I have spent the last two afternoons in a quiet classroom on campus.  Yesterday we wasted a couple hours on the computer- he looked at land and listened to music, and I pinned and blog browsed.    Today we packed up a big lunchbox full of healthy goodies, and he is studying and taking practice tests, but I am doing the same old thing. 

I have found a blog that I am in love with- look up sweet-verbena.blogspot.com.  She does so many DIY projects, and better yet- makes them seem really easy and posts great directions.  I am basically stock-piling ideas right now for our new apartment.  I cannot wait to feel like we live in a grown up place and something a little less dorm roomesque.

But friend- if you could just see all the ideas piling up in my head, you would think we were getting ready to move into a big house, not a two bedroom apartment. Ha.  I'm going to have to do some major picking and choosing and planning to make everything work together and still look simple- which is ultimately what I'm wanting- nice and simple.

I'm also trying to figure out how to get some of the styles I like without making it too "girly" for Jered.  Although I don't think my taste is that girly to start with, he is definitely a "man's man," and I want him to love the look of our apartment too.

Here are some of my favorite finds of the week:

The wreath and the table are both from my new favorite blog.  I found the barrel tables on Pinterest.  I also found some great antiqued glass tutorials for candles and jars and such.

I've already asked Dad to help me with a father-daughter project. (That great TV table.)  I love how simple it it- and she say's it's crazy sturdy.  To me, it seems modern and rustic mixed together.  

Since we will be home for a few days over my birthday weekend, I've roped Mom and Kate into trying some of the other projects.  Hopefully we will have some beauties to share with you next week.

In case you were wondering, Jered is now playing his harmonica with a backtrack he found online.  Being the loving, supportive wife that I am, I have headphones in and am listening to old Mickey Mouse cartoons.

Well friend, time to get back to my lovely weekend with my handsome husband.  I sure do wish I had brought my camera with me so you could see him right now.  Maybe we'll venture back this way again this week and I can sneak a picture in somewhere.  Anyway- later!

Aim

The Fount

Dear friend,


Did you have a nice weekend?  I sure did.  We ended up having an impromptu visit to Jered's family's house.  While I enjoyed some girl time with Jessica, Kelly, and Beth, Jered got some much needed basketball and more importantly, hunting time.  He really needs to get out of doors more often.

We sang three of my favorite songs in church this week.

The first was Our God- which admittedly, I have sung in confusion, and often through tears as I sing lyrics that proclaim our God is healer and awesome in power.  I believe with my whole heart that it's true, but it's still hard to realize that sometimes God's plans are different than my own.

The second was In Christ Alone.  It gives me chills every. single. time.  No power of hell, no scheme of man could ever pluck me from His hand.  Til He returns, or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I stand.  Gosh, I don't even know what to say about that one, except that if you don't know the lyrics to it- look them up real quick.  Life-altering words.

We watched a video about the writer of the last song.  Turns out it was written by Robert Robinson, to which I initially thought, "Who would name their kid that?"  Then I learned that he was a man from the 1700s and had his life greatly changed by God.  They revealed that the song was Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.  This song is one that I don't think of often, but when it does come up on the Sunday morning worship list, it always breaks my heart.

Come thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise

I love that it points out that God's mercy demands our loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise His Name I'm fixed upon it
Name of God's redeeming love.

Won't it be wonderful when the angels are teaching us new worship songs?  Wow- what a picture in my head!  The second half creates so much conviction in me- I want to be wholly fixed on that name.

Hither to thy love has blessed me
Thou has brought me to this place
And I know thy hand will bring me
Safely home by thy good grace

He has blessed me in so many ways.  If it weren't for how He's worked in my life, I think I would be in a totally different place right now.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Bought me with His precious blood.

He desired to save strangers from the ultimate danger- eternity away from God.  He saved me when I had done nothing to deserve His smallest attention.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee:

I could never be "even" with Him for what He has done.  I will always be a debtor to Him.  

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love!  To know that in the depths of my heart, I will always be prone to sin, to leave this God who has so mercifully saved me, is absolutely heartbreaking.  How fitting that it ends with a prayer for God to "take and seal" my heart for Him.

Do you get why I love this song even when it breaks my heart so much?  It's just a "wow" moment for me every time I think about those lyrics.

Well friend, that's really all I have to write to you about today.  Hopefully I will talk to you again soon.

Aim

Perspective

Hi.

I've had a little more time to write recently, in case you hadn't noticed. 

Yesterday was glorious, if you were wondering.  We spent the afternoon by the pool at Jeremy and Kelly's.  While the boys played basketball, Kelly, Jessica, and I soaked up the sun.  I watched while Kelly and Jessa practiced their dives into the ice cold water.  It was a delightful time of togetherness.

So, I heard a message at church a couple weeks ago, and one anecdote really stood out to me.  I don't remember who the story was about at all, but I don't know that it matters.  It was a well known, much loved Christian leader of some sort, who had done a lot of good things throughout his life.

He was on his death bed and people were coming to visit him before he died.  One man knelt beside him and encouraged him by saying, "You are going to receive so many rewards in Heaven."

The dying man answered, "No, brother.  I am going to receive mercy."

I thought that was such a great reminder that we, as believers, are not receiving anything we've earned or that we deserve- thank God!  Since our good deeds don't make a lick of difference, I am so thankful that I'm not getting what I deserve.  That statement made me smile, but it also humbled me because I know I'm not nearly as good a person as that man was. I, too often, forget just how blessed I am that God chooses not to look at all I've done wrong.

Our God is merciful. 

Hopefully that thought makes you smile today.

Later,

Aim

Family Time

 Hey all.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  This girl was sick for the majority of it.  Have you seen Big Bang Theory?  You know how Sheldon is when he's sick?  You know how Leonard ran out of the apartment for his life while calling his friends, giving the warning, "code green?"

Well, if not, you should see it.  Hilarious.  And also, I felt bad for Jered having to deal with a wife who probably was alot like Sheldon this weekend.  Pitiful.

Anyway, I don't remember if I told you, but we visited my family last weekend after we stayed at Jacob and Molly's.  We wanted to surprise my dad for an early Father's Day since we couldn't see him this weekend.  I don't know if he was really surprised or not though... He always seems to know what's going on somehow.

It was a lovely weekend.  Mom and I did some bargain shopping, and Dad and Jered... you guessed it: played Wii Golf the whole time.  Except for when we went to The Farm and had a chance to see a bunch of family.  Then Jered jumped in on a Euchre game!  He's growing up so fast.

But our family time did not end there!  Last night we had the chance to spend time with alot of Jered's family while we celebrated Kelly's graduation.  Soaking up as much time together as we can before we're all more spread out again.  Justin's home for a bit before he takes off for his mission trip and then back to Cali.  Jessica's heading off to college in Arkansas for the first time in August.  Can you believe when I first met her, she was in 8th grade?!

 

And then, of course, we won't be living so close to Jeremy and Kelly for very much longer- which I've decided is going to be really weird.  Road trips will be a must.

To our delight- Justin stayed with Jeremy and Kelly last night, and Jessa stayed with us, and it's a GORGEOUS day today- so fun is in the schedule this afternoon.  Don't know how.  Don't know where.  But it is destined to be.  Woo hoo!

I was going to write more today, but I think I'll stop there. 

Til next time!

Aim

Good Bye Big City

Hey there.

So now that everything is official, and this huge burden has been lifted from our shoulders due to Jered's job offer, I feel another burden being dropped back onto mine.  How's that for short-lived joy?

Don't get me wrong- I am no less thankful for God opening the door and ushering us right on through- He is good.  I am no less happy for my fantastic husband, who just landed a smashing job.  I am no less excited that we will be moving to Des Moines shortly.  It's just that now it's Aimee's turn to start looking for jobs.  Aimee hates looking for jobs.  Hates it with a passion.

But looking for them, she is, and looking she will be, until God opens that door too.  I guess until then, Aimee will be learning patience.

Ok, enough of Aimee talking about herself in the third person.

I told Jered the other day that I think my problem is that I look for jobs until I find one that would be perfect.  I think, "Oh, this is just right!  It has to be the one!"  And then it's not.  And then it's devastation instead of just one more "not that one." 

So this time, I will not, or at least will try not to go about every application that way.  I will look and look and be positive without pinning my hopes and dreams on each application.  *Sigh* Wouldn't it be easier if just worked out my way instead?

I guess easier is not always the best.

Anyway...

How's this for crazy: Jered's looking up potential apartments for our very near future. In Des Moines.  Sorry- still not tired of saying that yet. 

 It was fun and exciting to move to Chicago, and I feel that we were here during the perfect time of our lives.  Newly married, no kids, nothing tying us down.  But let's face it: we are small town/country at heart.  A Kansas boy and a central Illinois girl.  And since it's a little hard to go back to that after living in the big city for a year, we think that Des Moines will be the perfect fit.

Well, I need to end my rambling because we are at the library right now, and supposedly there is a hefty storm coming our way, and I don't want to walk in it all the way home.

Bye!

Aim

PTL

Hi friends!

(Jeremy- I hope you appreciate this letter's title.  That was for you.)

Good news!  Great news!  Super news! Fantastic news!  Amazing news!

Jered received the call today that meant he got the job at Mercy in Des Moines!

In case you didn't know, Jered has been applying for psychiatric nursing jobs in Chicago, Peoria, and Des Moines.  First choice: Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

Last week, after calling several times to make sure they were going to be posting the job opening he had been told about, Jered sent in his application and very shortly after received news that he had a phone interview last Monday.  On Tuesday, they called him to set up an on campus interview.  Well, it just so happened we were planning on being in Des Moines on Friday, so they set his time up at 11:30 that morning.

I asked him what he was planning on doing about his hair... I told him to just call and be honest that he had long hair and wondered if it would hurt his chances.  When I asked him about it again, he said, "I'm just going to cut it. I'm 25, I'm not 21 anymore.  I gotta be responsible."  I sat on the bed and almost cried for him because I knew he wanted to grow it out long one more time.

Next step- what to wear?  We decided that on my morning off, we were going to scour the thrift shops to find him a jacket to wear with his dress clothes.  We walk in, and the first thing he pulls off the rack is a suit.  Just the right size.  For sixteen dollars.  We walk out of the door and see across the street: Same day dry cleaning.  Yes please!

After that, we stop by the Hair Cuttery and say good bye to his precious locks.

I go into work and get a text that Jered bought a tie clip at an antique shop near our apartment.  It is silver and black, so it matches his wedding ring.  Five dollars.

By the time we arrive at Jake and Molly's, we have a folder with multiple copies of his resume and references, a "fresh" suit for him to wear, and many practiced interview questions.

 

(Sorry this is so blurry.  I'm not the most technologically advanced.)

So he gets ready for his interview, and the rest of us get ready to go out for lunch.  I walked my husband out to the car and prayed with him that if this is what God wanted for us, that it would be abundantly clear.

Just about an hour later, we meet back up with Jered at the apartment, and he fills us in on how it went.  Just one interviewer, the questions he prepared for were basically unnecessary, and it sounded positive, except for the fact that they were nervous he only wanted to do adult psych, and not children, which he found was what they were interviewing for.  He, however, assured them that he would be happy to learn about it and would enjoy the experience.

They will contact him sometime next week.

Waiting anxiously.

Feeling good...  not getting hopes up...

The phone rings.  "Great.  Thank you, that sounds awesome."  *Thumb up to the wife*

There stands Jered being completely cool about the situation, and then there is his wife, jumping up and down on the bed and texting everyone she can think of that knew about the interview.

We're moving to Des Moines!

(You should know that Jered will read this and later ask me, "Why did you write all about that and make such a big deal about it?"  And to him I will say the same thing I'm telling you:  "This is huge!  This is life-changing!  This is something to be excited about!)

So there it is friends.  This wife and her awesome husband have been greatly blessed by God this week.  And we are excited to see what He has in store for us!

Thanks for sharing in, or at least tolerating my giddiness!

Aim