One Year Anniversary Getaway!

Nick's Cabin. New Auburn, WI. Me lighting the grill! I look like I've done this before, right?

The porch was quite the restful haven. We played lots of songs and sang and wrote. Definitely fun!

Cruisin'.

I like this pic. I feel like it reflects the plea of my heart... seeking light and freedom... seeking wisdom and glory from this great God of mercy. That is what marriage has really taught me. To seek. To ask for what I do not have. To glimpse moments of becoming complete in Him, of being healed by Him. The light in this pic is much like the light that Jesus has kindled in our marriage. He continues to shine on us, bless us and rescue us as we wrestle this battle of sin and life daily.

My baby lighting the fire. Good job baby!

We made blueberry/banana pancakes for breakfast... mmm mmm very good I must say.

We ate dinner at the "Larabee Lodge." If that doesn't sound hick-ish, I don't know what does! Beautiful view, no? Shortly after, Nick whooped me in a game of pig on the outdoor bball court. Not cool.

Awww. I am a lucky girl to be so loved.

I guess I love him too. Just a lil' bit.

The lovely weekend ended in a deep scrub down of the entire cabin... I couldn't resist. Much like God has used marriage in so many ways to deeply clean and scrub me too! I know that sounds wierd... but roll with me peeps. After one year, I am SO THANKFUL the Lord has revealed so much of my need for Him to come and remove old things still festering deep within me. Things that I stubbornly and angrily don't want the Lord to see or change, but then He DOES it, He changes me daily, and I am a transformed woman by Christ in our marriage every morning. Our marriage is entirely a different relationship after one year of growing together. It has been hard, sweet, emotional, blessed, and so rich with God's faithfulness. I know the deep scrubs will keep coming over the years... and I am watching the Lord change me from a stubborn and angry surrenderer to a willing and humbled surrendering woman. I am so thankful for my husband, Nck, who loves me and adores me. There's no words to describe waking up to the likeness of Christ. Thank you, Jesus, for this man who gives His whole heart and mind to you and leads me through this life. Amen for the first year of marriage!

Date Day

I love Saturdays.  Why?  Because I get to spend it with Nick doing something either random, surprising, planned, or spontaneous- sometimes just us and sometimes we hang out with others.  Whatever we do on Saturdays, we do it together.  This past Saturday, we went to Afton Apple Orchard and walked through giant corn stalks and got slightly angry because we got lost in the corn maze.  When we finally got out, I felt like that feeling when you win something.  Kinda dumb, I know, but it felt really cool to finish a corn maze!    Here are the pics…

Lots-a-big-corn!

The love of my life!

Take Me

Summer 2006

Will you take me like this
Will you reach your hands down from your holy height
And touch my lowliness
Will you wrap me in your arms of love
And hold me until I surrender
For I am flesh and bone,
Turned into dust
Longing to be recreated

Homeless Child

(An Excerpt from my personal journal)
Friday, August 08, 2008
1:49 PM

Father, thank you so much that you love me and forgive me- you shed on me your grace, which I am endlessly undeserving of. God, its amazing how you reach me. Amazing that you reach down to my cold, cold, cold heart. My heart that becomes a stone so fast. My heart that becomes undesirable of the only thing worth desiring- you. God, being married has revealed so much truth to me. It has shown me so much of how hurtful of a person I can be. And it has shown me such a picture of Jesus, of how much Nick forgives me and loves me and stands by my side. God, you are growing me, slowly, there is so much evidence of grace in my life. I am overwhelmed by the grace poured out on such a sinner. Its like when vanilla ice cream drowns underneath oodles of thick, chocolate fudge. I am the drowning vanilla ice cream. Your forgiveness clothes me like thick fudge.

Lord, I have been wandering, sinking, falling away from treasuring you. I have put my hope in things I own, put too much faith in flesh and bone, lived carelessly.

I am begging you Jesus to give me new perspective. Give me a new heart, new hands, new feet, a desire to give away my life.

Father, its taking all I am not break down and cry in Caribou right now. My heart is just so broken.  So confused about how being a Christian is possible when I am such a hypocrite. And yet- this is what being a Christian is. Being a hypocrite and being forgiven for it.