Coffe shop girl

That's me! I used to work at Starbucks a few years ago and as of next Tuesday, I am once again a "Cute Little Starbucks Girl." (That's a song title from a band Tim likes.) I'm excited about it; it's a fun job. It's also the new Starbucks on Grand Avenue right next to where Amanda works. I'm following her! We can be neighbors. This isn't quite the door marked 'how to advacne your career,' but this is the door that the Lord opened and therefore, I'm pumped. So, Nicole, now we both work in coffee shops. Only mine is a chain and I'm pretty sure yours is independent. Although, do they even have chains in Cananda? :P Just kidding!!! If only we worked together - how fun!

Well, since it's now time to rejoin the working world, I'd better live it up this weekend!!!

Worst movie ever!!!

I (Tim) feel that it is my duty to warn people about "The New World". A while back I saw a trailer for an upcoming movie (it opens Christmas Day, 2005) about John Smith and Pocahantas. It stars and Colin Farrell and some girl and a bunch of other people. The director is the same guy who made "the Thin Red Line". If you have not seen that film, than you should thank God right now. It is without question the worst film ever made. It is worse than A.I., Waterworld, Two Brothers, F.I.S.T., and Night of the Panzer. This movie will tear your soul from your body. If "The New World" is anything like "The Thin Red Line", it will be three plus hours long, waste the talent of good actors, make absolutely no sense, and be a statement about how awful the United States is. Consider yourself warned.

I would love to hear your comments about your own personal worst movie ever.

you smell like heaven.....

So I'm pushing my cart out of SuperTarget (best store EVER) and as I get to my car and start to load my bags, the "cart-boy" comes over and tells me I smell like heaven. What?! For one thing, I was downwind. For another thing, I am at least 10 years older than him. I had to suppress a heartfelt gaufaw (sp?) and instead I thanked him and got in my car and laughed the whole way home.

Not bad for not having had a shower for 3 days!!

new job

Many of you have been asking about how Tim's new job is going. It's going well. He's been training for the past week and a half. Training, as we all know, can be long and, well, a bit boring, but he's excited to get to the meat of the job. You know how much he likes meat.

Good reminder

I was reading through my blog on suffering from last week and it was a good reminder that there are good days even in the midst of trial. Days when it's easier to see the bigger picture of suffering and it's effect on spiritual maturity. The past few days have fallen into the "bad day" category and have really drained me physically. When you're in pain, sometimes all you can think about is that pain. But it's true that there are good days and God gives you grace to deal. And the joy of the Lord is our strength when we're willing to let it be our strength. I think that's the hard part. Letting the joy of the Lord overshadow the pain/trial/burden/etc. God is always bigger than our circumstances, especially when we feel particularly smaller.

Thanks for reading.

The older we get

The older I get, the more people I know who are suffering. In small ways as well as in big ways. I just got an email from a young woman I know who is experiencing some pretty serious health concerns given that she's also pregnant. And this weekend one of Tim's close friends fell from a roof and fractured his spine. He has a wife and three little girls, 4, 2 and 3 weeks. Life is hard. And it often involves lots of suffering. If not for you, then for someone dear to you. Life is so fragile. Yet, it's this fragile, precious life that Christ calls us to willingly lay down for the Kingdom. Sometimes that doesn't sounds very appealing to me. And at other times, there is nothing I would rather do for the Savior that laid His life down for me while I was yet a sinner. There's another side to suffering and that is that it has the ability to purify. That's why James can say count it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds, b/c we know that that testing of our faith develops perseverance and perseverance works in us to create character that we might be mature and complete not lacking in anything. I can tell you that there is nothing quite like experiencing this joy that James speaks of when you're in the midst of trial. No matter how dark life can seem, and it can sure seem dark at times, there is a way for us to rejoice in all things. Yay!

Update on Patrick: he had a 6 hour surgery yesturday that went amazingly well and we are hopeful and full of faith for a full recovery. Please keep he and Lynette and family in your prayers.

Do you know your student number?

I remember mine! I went to the U of MN this morning to get a transcript and what do you know, I still remember my student number.

Concert review: Petra Farewell Tour

I (Tim), being a long time Petra fan, felt the pull to Club 3 Degrees on Friday, September 30, 2005 to see them on their last tour. By the way, Club 3 Degrees is a sweet venue. If you live in the Twin Cities, you need to check it out. Petra took the stage after three forgettable opening acts and rocked the mostly over 35 years old crowd. After all these years, they still know how to rock. They played a few songs off their most recent album, but mostly focused on the old stuff. I was thrilled to hear such classics as "This Means War", "It is Finished", "Minefield", "Dance", "The Coloring Song", and "Road to Zion". While it is true that John and Bob are pretty dorky, I admire their hearts for ministry and love for the Lord. Christian music in 2005 does not hold a candle to bands like Petra, Whiteheart, Mastedon, Bride, and Whitecross in their prime. Those guys had it right. Wow. I feel old. Anyway, it was a great concert.

Orientation

We have our orientation with Mission: Moving Mountains this weekend and we are psyched! It's a really small group, only 6 candidates, including us! There will be staff and current field missionaries there as well and we are excited to hear from them. We are trying to schedule our formal interviews for later this month or early next....the pieces are actually coming together!

Here's another "wedding" photo just b/c it's fun! 

prayer request

Please keep our downstairs tenants in your prayers. They're a sweet Somali family, mom and 6 kids. On Monday night, a man broke in through an unlatched window and pulled one of the girls, Nadira, into a bedroom. He had her in there for a few minutes before Fozia (mom) awoke to Nadira's screaming. He heard her coming down the hall and ran away. No one was harmed and nothing was taken, but they are pretty shaken up. We're a little shaken as well. Shaken, but not fearful b/c we know who our Protector is - God.

God provides!!

Tim hasn't had a chance to blog about this, so I will b/c we want you to share in the good news with us. He was offered the job that he wanted!!!! Yay! We are so blessed and grateful to the Lord. It's quite overwhelming. We prayed for God's provision and we expected it, yet when it came, it was still overwhelming. God is so good to us! This offer came at just the right time. God's timing is always perfect. They called on Monday afternoon and he's already there right now. He's the Recruitment Coordinator for the National Marrow Donor Program in NE Mpls.