Thursday, May 21, 2009

Just thought you should know...

It is Josh's 32nd Birthday today...and he never ceases to amaze me...

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Where I am - 12 May 09

Where I am: It is Tuesday evening and I'm sitting on my couch. I'm contemplating going for a jog...part of me REALLY wants to...another part of me just wants to sit here on my couch!

What I am Listening To: Today I listened to Bethany Dillon's CD The Kingdom while I was attempting to do some writing. I'm mostly enjoying listening to the sounds of spring outside - I'm not trying to be deep with that statement, but don't you just love the way it seems everything comes alive in a new way this time of year?! Makes me think I should go jog...

What I am Reading: I recently finished Flashbang by Mark Steele. I liked his second book better, but this one had some good points in it as well. His stories are HILARIOUS...I'm also reading The Blue Shoe by Anne Lamott and I just finished Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlan

What I am Watching: Tonight I'm watching The Biggest Loser Finale. I'm feeling like Tara is going to win...this also makes me think I should go jog! Oh, and I watched Twilight last week...I really DON'T get the hoopla about this movie...I love a good romance, but creepy vampires??? not so much (sorry, I know lots of you LOVED this movie)...

Favorite Picture I have Taken:
On Mother's Day, Leslie read a book to Madi...nothing fabulous about my picture taking here...just liked this moment

Memorable Moments:
It has been a busy couple of weeks so here are the highlights! We took all of our zoe graduates out to a nice dinner & thought I'd share this pics...I love our young adults!

Nathan, Ashlee, Deneille, Hannah, Josh & Josiah

Dallas, Jeremy, Mark & Patrick

With the lovely Erin

Good Night Red Light: Myself, Josh, my mom, Kyla & Nathan traveled to Dallas last week to help out with a fundraising event for Bombay Teen Challenge. I mentioned it in my previous blog & it was a GREAT trip. I LOVE this ministry and can honestly say that they doing something to help women and children in hopeless situations. To find out more about BTC, see these 2 blogs that I wrote after visiting there last year:

http://joshandpaigeallen.blogspot.com/2008/08/being-daughters-bollywood-dancing-india.html

http://joshandpaigeallen.blogspot.com/2008/08/bombay-teen-challenge-india-02.html

Here are some pics of our time in Dallas:

My Team: Kyla, Linda, me, Christie, Josh & Nathan

Kyla & I got to work the will-call window...admit it - You're jealous - so much fun to talk through the little microphone & slide tickets under the window!

Mother's Day: This year we celebrated a bit more laid back than normal, but I still got to have my mom, sisters & their families over to my house. Since I'm the only non-mom in the family I feel it is the least I can do to honor them with a nice lunch on this day...I didn't take many pictures, but just thought I would show you the loveliness of my mom!
Mom with her newest grandbaby - Molly Kate

And with that, I'm going to go for a jog!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Repentance

I've been contemplating on repentance & forgiveness this morning...I stand in awe how God can completely change someone's life...and I'm in awe at how the words, "Will you forgive me?" after years have passed can genuinely bring healing into two hearts (or 3 in my case)...

Read Oswald Chambers this morning:

"The entrance into the Kingdom is through the panging pains of repentance crashing into a man's respectable goodness; then the Holy Ghost, Who produces these agonies, begins the formation of the Son of God in the life. The new life will manifest itself in conscious repentance and unconscious holiness, never the other way about. The bedrock of Christianity is repentance. Strictly speaking, a man cannot repent when he chooses; repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans used to pray for "the gift of tears." If ever you cease to know the virtue of repentance, you are in darkness. Examine yourself and see if you have forgotten how to be sorry. "

And now, I'm on my way to Dallas - helping at a fundraiser from Bombay Teen Challenge - one of the most amazing ministries I've ever worked with - they rescue women from prostitution in Mumbai, India...but they do it when the ladies are ready...to help the ladies ready their hearts - they lead Bible studies in the Brothels...
Forgiveness & repentence take on a new light when I stop to really thing about it...

If you are in Dallas, I would love for you to come to this event: http://www.goodnightredlight.com/

You need a ticket, so give me a call - I'll get one for you!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The Last Installment of Adventures with Mum

My mom and I ended our trip with 2 days in NYC (she had never been and I was so excited to show her this city that Josh and I have come to love!). I quickly discovered that this is the way to get over jetlag - we so badly wanted to see all that we could in our 2 days that regardless of how badly we wanted to shut our eyes we just kept on going!

Day 1 was devoted to major sites around our hotel (we stayed at 6th & 53rd)...so Central Park, Times Square, 5th Avenue, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and Macy's all made an appearance within that day! Highlights for me were that we ran into my friend Alyson (it was somewhat of an intentional run-in - she called and was only a few blocks away) & got to have coffee with one of my best friends from highschool! Alyson told us some fantastic places to eat (yay, for John's Pizzaria - that is in an old church, and the Brooklyn Diner (we met her again the next morning for a delicious breakfast of eggs, polenta, & muffins)! The additional highlight was going to a Broadway Musical (we saw 9 to 5 - the original cast), and finding a few cute items of clothing along the way!
Day 2 was equally fun!
  • Breakfast with Alyson - she showed us where she worked (she's the assistant art director for Country Living Magazine)
  • Carriage ride through Central Park
  • Farmer's Market at Union Square
  • South Street Sea Port where we took a water taxi out to see the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Brooklyn Bridge
  • The Outrageous Banana Split at Serendipity
  • More Shopping
  • Meeting Bill Clinton - saw him in our hotel while we were waiting for the eleveator...He said hi to us! We were a bit dazed but did our best to say hi back!
  • More Shopping
  • Fabulous Dinner near Rockefeller Center - we decided that this was our favorite meal from the entire trip and just happened upon this place (Morrell Wine Bar & Cafe) - you should try it if you are ever in the area...
It was fun & exhausting all at the same time!

With Alyson in the Hearst Building

The Statue of Liberty (as if you didn't know)



The Outrageous Banana Split - it was fairly amazing...

I could tell so many stories...the transvestite who was our neighbor in Prague...the waitress in Germany who asked if we wanted to eat any flesh...the girls on our water taxi who posed like models at the drop of hat...the nights of frustration because we could not sleep...the beautiful people we encountered along the way...and the many moments of laughter. Mostly though I will remember and tell others that for 10 days I got to travel the world with my mom...and in those 10 days I was reminded all over again just how blessed I am to have been raised by this amazing woman who loves easily, laughs heartily, and speaks with a soft conviction. Thanks mom for letting me travel with you - it was more than I had hoped for...
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