Rice Story Continues

I started something that I must pursue to the end. Mind you, I have no idea if anyone is reading. It's more for me. A challenge of the sorts. Can I type a post while in the minutes between simmer, saute and the ting of the timer and the dinner dance?

And it's a story I have yet to pen. Our story. How the little king won the heart of the princess. Start the countdown .... 5 minutes ticks away quickly and I apologize profusely for the errors as my fingers scramble over the keys.

Catch up and read part one if you like. We left with the he of my story following my footsteps. Brought together, I laugh now as almost it looks as if He was stalking me. Yet my eyes closed to the truth of what was happening. I couldn't see.

Serving together in our small group for college students, teaching Sunday school for 6th graders, a campus ministry at the University, inner city work with young kids on the weekends, everywhere together. He blended into my schedule and we fast became best friends.

Each night, he would call or visit my home. Sitting on opposite couches, we would fill the hours with words, dreams, life. Then one night he asked if I wanted to get a bite to eat. Making plans for later in the week. Accustomed to grabbing bites with our friends from time to time, I thought the same. My mom made sure I called him back, to ask what he was wearing.

I needed to wear a nice dress. He prayed over our time as I slipped into his car. Dinner at a nice restaurant, not our usual friend fast food fare. He paid. I can hear your laughter now as I honestly tell you I saw nothing. I debated for a few years after we were married, now I humbly realize it was a date.

I heard the first time he spoke the Word and taught others from the love inside of Him. He stood beside me in a difficult time in my life, wrapping me in prayers. When I was sick, he came with flowers and hot chocolate, helping me finish a class project.

Imagine the pain that hit me when people began to talk. A friend asked me if we were dating. Everyone was asking and thinking we made a great couple. My heart sank. I was going to have to tell him what our group was saying. I would lose my best friend.

I called him. He came over. I had rehearsed my words over and over to make sure I said them right. Sitting in my living room I told him.

Ugh, the five minute bell. This one is to be continued .....

PS I'm kinda liking this challenge for me. Keep it quick. Keep it simple. Type fast. I write during dinner and post for the next day. I just might keep this up for Fridays :)

Sneaking Away to Type

Valentine's ages ago ....

The rice awaits to be cooked. It beckons with the smells of dinner simmering downstairs. Yet something propels me to write. Dash to the keys that know the dance with my fingers. Can I post in 5 minutes. While the smells simmer, can I gather to write about the one the rice boils for ...

My story. Our story. The frost of February reaches even our home in Arizona. The month of love to adorn my word for the year, loveprints. How a master creator, knit our lives together. Ryan, little King, and Sarah, princess, married, united, a mystery portrait of His love enwrapped in ours.

Picture a crowded church. A nervous young women at the age of 19 for the first time gathers the children on crowded steps on the front of the church to share simply a message for their little hearts. A thousand or more adults peer from their polished pews as she shares. My nerves almost caused me to cancel. I fought on, with a little nudge from my Jesus knowing that I would meet someone that night. I did. He heard me. He was one of the 1,000.

Very soon thereafter, the he became a regular fixture around everything I served. He joined our college small group. He began to teach Sunday school with the 5th and 6th graders in my classroom. The campus ministry, his face appeared. He says the first time he heard me pray, he was overwhelmed. I had no idea what God was doing. I chose not to see. I looked away.

Then one day in the midst of my time alone, tucked in scripture time, conversation and prayer, a whisper to my heart from my Abba. He simply said that Ryan was the one. Fear tried to take hold. I refused and with simple boldness remarked with a gleam in my eye. "I'm not saying I don't believe you. I know you too well. But if this really is from you then I don't have to do anything. In fact I could do everything to stop it and it would still happen." Then I continued on with my life, blind to the happenings around me and the workings of my heart.

I had never dated. Boys in high school didn't seem too interested in the 'most likely to succeed' 5' 10" girl. In college, they came out of hiding. Everywhere they seemed to be standing with flowers, notes, an invitation to dates that I thought were for everyone in the group. Naive. Simple. Afraid. Any time a friend would become interested, I simply would drop the friendship with the poor boy with a resounding thud.

Hence the blinders, lovingly placed by my Abba Daddy to protect me from seeing.

Ahhh 5 minutes ticked by. The rice beckons ....

Love & War

(Just had to share this picture ... hope you smiled)

Hope, encouragement, tools, and a good old fashioned kick in the pants all wrapped up in a new release "Love and War" by John and Stasi Eldredge. As a family, we are more than familiar with their writings. "Wild at Heart" and "Captivating" shaped our lives. For me personally, "Captivating" remains on my top five list of books to radically transform my life. With eager anticipation, I jumped at the chance to review their new book, "Love & War; Finding the marriage you've dreamed of."

In this season of my life, I truly comprehend the war, the battle ground. I have stood in the midst of it not realizing that my marriage was under serious attack. As overseas missionaries, we focused on ministry as the bombs continued to hit our barracks. I knew how to fight for others, and repair war torn injuries on the field, but I failed to protect my own bunker.

Thankfully, we have a loving God who opened our eyes to the battle all around us. We are in the midst of guarding our marriage, rebuilding the lie bombed areas hit from the enemy, and learning to radically love again. One of our tools, "Love and War".

With raw realness, John and Stasi, fight alongside of all of us. Honesty, humor, and hope season every chapter and draw us into the greatest love story of our lives. The truth spills into our marriage and reinforces the things we knew while giving us new strategy to attack our real enemy.

The authors invite us into their marriage. The mistakes, the religious things that brought no true joy in marriage, the triumphs, the lessons they learned from the heart of God; all of it delivered with reality. In this fluff free zone, truth is shared openly and honestly. They truly understand and help us to see that "Marriage is fabulously hard." We need an understanding of this sentence and this faithful couple walk us through hand in hand, sharing the joys and utterly fabulous parts as well as the difficulties and how to walk victoriously through them.

A unique style comes to the literary table. Her thoughts. His perspective. They share the task engaging both wife and husband to come and sit, dine through their words and nourish any marriage. Wherever you are in your marriage, newlywed with starry glazed eyes, married for an eternity or allowing God to restore your marriage into His plans after 12 years, Love & War will challenge you and teach you.

You can learn more about his book here And feel free to join me in reviewing other great books (this is my first)! This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

I would love to hear if you have read this book as well, or any other titles that have shaped your life today! Leave a comment and share a title or few that you would encourage me to read (or others). I love getting to know you by the tidbits you leave as we splash around together.

Chocolate Kissed Memories

(a vintage love photo :)

Tucked in a yellowed envelope, I discovered a treasure.

Before we left to serve on the mission field, I packed a small box of memories.

Memories of a courtship, first years of marriage, two precious blessings of sons ...

In amongst the love tattered cuddly and hand knit baby blankets,

A simple envelope crammed with love and notes.

Mingled with words from our wedding

Drenched in a young wife's adoration of her prince

I uncovered my words from 12 years ago ...

May you have his kind of love for each other

Getting excited when you open the car door for me

Eating crunchy rice and mashed potatoes with too much pepper

Giving me eskimo kisses

Dancing with me under the moon

Love is the very nature of God, and this love can only come from God

Dressing up like a scarecrow with me

Surpising me with hot chocolate in the morning

Sneaking up on me and kissing my neck

Telling me my eyes reflect who I am

It is this kind of love that drove the creator down from glory to take upon himself the form of a man to die in our place

Bragging about me

Warming my side of the bed for me

Crying when I hurt

Buying me my first pumpkin

It is this kind of love that has brought Ryan and Sarah together this day in marriage

Coming to me when I need you to hold me so I can cry in your arms

Holding me until I fall asleep

Eating chocolate to give me chocolate kisses

Being my husband, lover, encourager, constant support and best friend

It is this love flowing from within them which will keep them together both now and for the rest of their lives.

God's love for us is real. I am beginning to fathom and truly receive His love. A love that brought us back to the United States, brought us out of our dream ministry, to restore us. To enable us to truly receive His love again for who we are and not what we do. A love that is restoring our marriage when we didn't even see the cracks crumbling around us. A love that is worth fighting for.

May we know your love, Abba, overflowing, saturating, and splashing all that we are.

Love and Laughs

“God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” - Genesis 21:6

I never quite envisioned why God brought me back to the United States ...

To wrap me in His love.

To reveal my need for Him in a deeper, real, intimate way.

To restore our marriage, hit hard by the idols of ministry in our lives.

To teach me how to receive His love and Ryan's.

To learn to live, love, and laugh again.

My hubby surprised me with laughter. He made this video, just to make me smile. I wanted to share it with you today and splash you in the love and laughter that is splashing over me.

Today Until Forever

"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you." - Psalm 33:22

Celebrating 12 years of a decision that changed my life. A decision to say yes to a mighty man of God. Wear his ring. Raise his children. Share his life. Support him as he pours into the nations.

We dated only 2 weeks before he asked. Never talked about marriage until his ring was on my finger. We were best friends, knit together by God's grace and mercy. I couldn't imagine my life without him. He fasted and without knowing my answer, bought a ring and took me to our favorite park.

For the first time, he said he loved me. The words were on our hearts for quite a while, but not yet uttered from our lips. I rejoiced, but my heart saddened just a bit. Closing my eyes, I whispered to my Abba in heaven, "Lord, I always wanted to hear that for the first time when it meant forever." Opening my eyes, I saw my Ryan on his knee.

Whispering memorized scripture over me, he washed me in God's Word and then asked me to be his wife. Without any hesitation, I said yes really quickly. Then, a ring, and shaking. Poor guy didn't even get a kiss.

Walking back to the car, still shaking, I repeated with joy and awe "Ryan, there's a ring on my finger." Smiling, he finally said "I know Sarah, I put it there."

And so it began. We walked down an aisle to begin the rest of our lives. A path lined with rose petals to lead us to life's path of joy, tears, partnership, and God's love.

We celebrate 12 years of marriage today. I married my best friend and I still cannot imagine my life without him. May your unfailing love continue to rest upon us O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Tend My Garden

"Do not stare at me because I am dark, because I am darkened by the sun.

My mother’s sons were angry with me and made me take care of the

vineyards; my own vineyard I have neglected."

-Song of Solomon 1:6

A night of worship and true revelation awaited me. You spoke into my life through a precious youth.

As she shared, Your words came directly from Your throne to my heart. The picture of the Song

of Solomon maiden came to mind. I am that maiden.

You are calling me to tend my garden. Then, my missing journal, a piece of my soul drove me

to seach, alone. Alone with just you is where you long for me. Speaking words of love, you revealed

the neglect in our garden.

I have placed more value in giving, cultivating and planting in others' gardens while mine lies dormant

and neglected. You invited me to tend my garden again. Cultivate and prune my children, the delicate

sprouting seedlings. Nurture and uphold my husband, the oak of righteousness. Water and weed the

delicate flowers of talents You planted in my life.

In our garden, it is a time for weeding. Weeding out the selfishness, the me cries from my heart.

Weeding out the plans I have that crowd your perfect plans for our life. Weeding out the small

idols that are threatening to overtake the seeds you planted.

In our garden, it is a time for pruning. Cutting away any dead and decaying part of my life that

hinders me from producing fruit.

In our garden, it is a time for cultivating. Enriching the soil of my heart as I soak more in You.

Preparing my heart for the dream seeds you desire to grow and flourish. Cultivating intimacy with You

where we can just linger together, in our garden.

My heart's desire has changed. May my garden emit a holy fragrance, an aroma pleasing to you. And

may I learn from the Master Gardener himself.

(the journal entry 10/08 that kindled a love for His garden in my life)