KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

remember when stamps used to be 25 cents....and a pop was never more than .50...well now a stamp is nearly as much as what a pop used to be and we are all paying through the nose.
today i had to go to the post office to send off some bills and a change of address form. the lines were enormous. everyone having to get the new stamps...everyone getting off work and swarming to the post office...
i got in one line, then noticed another line for just stamps....i switched lines and waited in that line for 5 minutes before i realized you had to have cash. i asked the woman in front of me if the machine took credit cards and she replied that it was only cash...she asked me then how many stamps i needed - giving me $1.35 for stamps. then the rest of the folks in line got in on it and provided me for stamps enough (39 cent and one cent) enough to send off my bills. it was such a beautiful outpouring of kindness on a busy sticky day at the post office. i was so tempted to decline their generosity - my face turned red as i tried to say "thank you" enough times...it made me realize again how hard it is to accept free grace. it is hard for me every day to receive the free love, forgiveness, and mercy that God continually offers to me...but i must. there is no life outside of Him. so this afternoon, i took the stamps and sent my mail...thanking God for the kindness of strangers and FREE grace.

STRESSFUL!!!

this whole house buying this is crazy - i feel like this poor little doggie...it is so much waiting and depending on other people getting things done. it is driving me nuts to have to just sit here and wait and see the weekend looming and fearing that we won't close by then...pray for us. i'm sure God is STILL trying to teach me that patience thing...

FOR REALS THIS TIME

our house should be OURS for reals on tuesday. i write this amongst boxes, an extra fridge in the dining room and general mayhem...patched walls, emptied closets...
our house, above, does not have the "curb appeal" that the little yellow house had (earlier house we backed out on due to DEBACLE of a home inspection)...but it is so wonderful - on more than a half acre, on the edge of a creek and little mountain, NO repairs needed to move in...hardwood throughout, beautiful backyard, surrounded by greenbelt, dishwasher (thank you Jesus!), right across the street from a lutheran church which means that we look out our front door to a cross...i mean, really...how cool is this?
come visit us soon...we are fun.

I LOVE YOU KYLEE!

hey amazing sister cousin friend...are you gonna come out here for marie and shawn's wedding or what? we hope so...we're jonesing for ya...have fun at nickel creek! xo, b

this picture reminds me of you...your heart is free and gives love just as freely - i LOVE that about you...

PREACHING LIFE

a beautiful life...this is what i have. the past few weeks have been surreal to say the least. i have been the head pastor of an entire church...people have already left (i am a GIRL you know...), people have already joined....there have been board meetings, ministry jam sessions, i have administered sacraments and visited in hospitals...i have pissed off some and blessed others. and as i drive the hour to to work (house is still closing), all i can think of how this is my first choice for a life. there is no place i would rather be than in the living room of elderly parishioners showing me pictures and telling me tales of submarines in the pacific during ww2. i would not spend my aftertoon doing anything other than playing with shredded paper and a 20 month old...never would i desire anything more than to be the one who gets to pray during the hard times and the one who gets the call when everything is o.k. i am overwhelmed with gratitude...

SHEEP BITE

i got my first sheep bite today (it is part of being a shepherd)...and, of course, it was regarding something trivial - ouch. JESUS GIVE ME YOUR LOVE!!!!

ORDINATION

As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity in Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called -one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. -Ephesians 4:1-6

6 years ago (well, 21 if you begin where i was called at the age of 8) i began the journey of ministry and the pursuit of ordination. these years have been filled with beauty, hardship, stress, study, joy & service...and ordination boards...and meetings...and filling out application after application...and scrutiny....and background checks...

but last night - with great joy - i knelt in front of the annual district assembly and the general superintendent along with the elders of the district laid hands on me and declared that - as God had called me - they were affirming and supporting that call and giving me the position of ordained elder where i am free to preach the Gospel of Peace, administer the sacraments to God's people and prayerfully lead on the narrow Way.

when the hands were laid on me last night it was such an intense feeling...by body was shaking violently, tears were falling freely from my eyes...every face that i've ever served communion to, imposed ashes on, cried with, laughed with, ridden on rollercoasters with, preached to, prayed for were parading in my mind...but all i could really focus on was Christ. it is He who beckons me into service...it is He who i serve...and i am humbled that i get to be used in His service.

so now i am an official reverend...i pray that my life glorifies the One who formed me, the One who watches me, the One who has drawn me to Himself and calls me Beloved.

CHURCH WEBSITE

i have been busy working on stuff for church - we now have a website...i hope to be putting more stuff on it soon (ministry stuff, video of sermons, pictures, etc.).

www.mountvernonnaz.org

check it out.

HE IS RISEN!

just like He said...

happy Easter...i pray yours has been as blessed as mine has.

walk in the Love of the Risen One.

HIZOUSE

UPDATE: THERE HAS BEEN CRAZINESS IN THE CLOSING...defunct water heater, fouled windows, leaky plumbing and unyielding seller...so PRAY FOR US- WE NEED A HOUSE. i know the Son of Man did not have a place to lay His head, but He didn't live in the pacific northwest! you know...rain and all that...

we have this beautiful little house in burlington (barring any unforseen craziness in closing)...now we will live and work and love in the skagit valley. we are so excited.

today is Good Friday - THANK HIM.

peace to all...