So close!

I am starting to realize how close the wedding is now.  It is 82 days away.  That's not very long at all.  Lately I've been going through a really impatient phase, but I think that I'm heading into a very content time which I'm excited about. But here's a peak into my reasons for being impatient (and a few reasons why I'm very happy to wait).

I am really excited to be married and to start Matt and my life together.  I am really excited to get to spend a week in North Carolina with him on the beach.  I am excited to get to have our own little home and make meals for him.  I am excited to not have to say good-bye at night.  I am excited to see how the Lord is going to use us together for His name.  I am excited to be Mrs. Farley.  I am excited to get to see him for more than 20 minutes every day.  I am excited to invite people over to OUR house to hang out.  I am excited to start actively working in our ministry as a unified couple.  I am excited to get all my new kitchen stuff.  I am excited to get to become even better friends with my already best friend.  I am excited to not have to drop him off at his dorm room at night and then make a cold drive and trek back to my room.  I am excited to be settled.  I am excited to get to know all the itty-bitty details about each other...which I'm sure will drive us crazy but will still be fun to find out.  I'm excited to gain a whole other family...officially.  I am excited to be Matt Farley's wife!

I am not excited to pay bills.  I am not excited to have to deal with insurance.  I am not excited to have to live apart (most likely for 3 days/week for a semester).  I am not excited to have to share my box of 'choice junk food' (may it be gushers, oreos, fruit roll ups, etc) and return to the cupboard with them half gone.  I am not excited to make that original shopping trip to the grocery store to buy all the staples (flour, sugar, spices, ketchup, etc) and have the bill be WAY TOO MUCH!  I am not excited for the laundry load to go up by 1.5 (seriously Matt has 1.5x more dirty clothes than I do).

Woo... let's do this thang!

A Fable about Fire

A Fable about Fire

by Leonardo da Vinci (from Prophecies)

The stone, feeling itself struck by flint, was astonished and said in a stern voice, "How can you be so presumptuous as to trouble me?  Stop upsetting me.  You have given me a blow as though in revenge, and yet I have never annoyed anyone."  To this the flint replied, "If you will be patient, you wil see a marvelous result."  The stone calmed down and bore its sufferings with patience and fortitude, and saw itself give birth to a marvelous fire that was so powerful that it was useful for many things. 

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Lately the idea of suffering has been prominent in both my personal devotions and in sermons.  This semester my bible study is going through 1 Peter which is a book written by Jesus' disciple Peter to a large group of people who are suffering under the rule of the Roman empire.  Thus the main idea of the book is about how to deal with suffering in light of Christ. 

This last week at Navigators the speaker talked about what true suffering is and how it isn't just a big test or feeling lonely for a day, but TRUE suffering is things like losing a loved one or being persecuted or etc.  BIG THINGS!  He also talked about how through suffering we must still continue to love and this is how the name of Christ is revealed.  1 Peter 2:12 says "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."  How we react to these sufferings is the main thing.  We must react in love so that others may see our good deeds and that there is something different within us than others.  

Suffering, although horrible in the eyes of the world, is most of the time for the benefit of something or someone.  So as we look at history and all of the suffering that has occurred, can we not learn and benefit from the mistakes made by others, even if the benefit was not felt or experienced by them? As a follower of Jesus Christ I also take from Christ’s example and can see how His tremendous suffering on the cross was an immense benefit for all of our sakes.  Suffering is not something to be scared about but rather to face with confidence and perseverance for in the end, there will be good.  

"Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything." James 1: 2-4

Good morning...

Recently I have started eating a fruit parfait every morning (well almost every morning).  I love them.  They are SOO easy and very good.  

I buy frozen fruit (right now I have peaches and raspberries) and just stick them in the microwave for a minute.  

And then comes the vanilla yogurt!

And finally the granola!

And this granola... it's WONDERFUL... here's the recipe!  ENJOY!!!

GRANOLA

Preheat the oven to 250.

Combine:

-2 cups whole wheat flour

-6 cups rolled oats

-1 cup coconut

-1 cup wheat germ

In another bowl blend:

-1/2 c water

-1 c oil

-1 c honey/corn syrup

-2 tsp vanilla

-1 T salt

Mix 2 bowls together.  Spread on greased cookie sheets.  

Bake for 1 hour, taking it out often to stir and break up the pieces.

Bake until dry and golden.

HAVE FUN!!!!

The Cutting Edge

Last weekend my family had Christmas.  It was SO much fun and great to all be together again.  It was the first Christmas that Matt was involved in as well which made it even more fun!  Matthew was also home for the first time since June!!!  It was so fun to see him. 

On Saturday night Cindy Shearer came over and we had a gift exchange with her.  She gave Matt and I a sweet name called "Curses" which we played that night and just laughed our heads off.  It's such a fun game.

Saturday morning, Santa came and gave me a SWEET present... and here it is:
(This is partly for the benefit of Rachel Farley!)

KNIVES!!!

 

 

I think I'll have to get tutored because i don't know exactly what each knife is meant for.

But I do know how to use the sharpener and scissors!!!

And lots of paring knives... why do we need so many?

Steak knives- We have 6 of these!

THANKS SANTA (a.k.a. MOM AND DAD!!!)