Here's what I'm thinking

Ok, so, here's what I'm thinking....
4 random thoughts that have absolutely no connection to each other
This post has no other point than brain download.
Here we go....
Boom
sha-zam
wah-lah

1. I invited Matt on a date tonight.  Texted him from work this afternoon and said, 'Wanna go out on a date?  let's go out to dinner- I'm starving' to which he said 'yes'.  We went to Shari's restaurant where he ordered chicken alfredo with small slimy looking mushrooms that were sticking to the side of the bowl.  I went with a Tillamook cheese burger substituting the fries for a garden salad.  We finished it off with their molten chocolate cake, ice cream, and fudge sauce. It was pretty good!  Here's a side note to the wife's reading this post....grab your phone (even if your husband is sitting by you) and send your husband a text asking him out on a date.  Here's a side note to all the husbands reading this post....reply with a 'yes' :)
2. We flew Alaska Airlines to and home from Hawaii.  We were supposed to fly United there and Alaska home.  United cancelled their flights on the morning we were leaving (due to weather) so they transferred us to Alaska who was still flying out of our hometown.  You expect a small plane from our hometown for the hour long flight to a bigger city.  It was a surprise to board a small older plane for the flight from the mainland to Hawaii.  It was 3 seats on one side and 3 seats on the other side with no business class and a very small first class.  Our plane was sitting next to a Hawaiian Airlines plane and looked so small.  Given the choice, I prefer to fly on the bigger planes.  It felt like we were driving on a gravel road the entire flight.  Note to self, check out the plane size before booking our flights.  Another note to self, Hawaiian Airlines is still my favorite airline to fly to Hawaii on.  One more note to self, don't only wear your socks to the airline toilet.  The ground is wet all around the toilet and so gross when you step on the wet floor knowing it's got to be a culmination of many people's pee.  I prayed against all the illness you can get from others pee and then walked back to my seat.  If I suddenly come down sick, it's the 'everybodys' pee
3. We had free checked bags because we are Alaska credit card holders.  I packed an entire suitcase with food for our vacation.  50 pounds of marinades, condiments, coffee, etc.- the things I learned while living on Kauai were way more expensive compared to mainland prices.  We used most all of it.  Not wanting to bring home an empty suitcase, I was careful to frequent Goodwill and Savers on Maui...I filled the entire bag up with clothes for the trip home!  Talk about a win/win!!  A side note about food- If your going to Maui and get a sweet craving, go buy a pie from Maui Pie (their pie is DELICIOUS)!! 
4. Here's a list of new things I have been trying over the past several months: Rodan and Fields skin care (a dear friend told me about it).  It really does make a difference in how your skin looks and feels.  Liposomal Vit. C- I take a consistent 8 grams a day (research the health benefits- another totally worth it purchase).  Testosterone Cream- I had no idea how much importance it was to your hormone health until seeing a hormone specialist at the beginning of the month.  

Happy Thursday night to you all!!

January 15

A year ago today, January 15, 2016, our family (minus Eli but with Ry's friend Isaiah) left our hometown in Oregon to fly to Germany so that Ryan could go through treatment for Lyme Disease.
This year, on the 1 year anniversary of our Germany adventure, our whole family is in Maui.
Ryan was able to fly over to Kauai for a few days to see Isaiah- His trip to Kauai happened to fall over this weekend.
It struck me, when I received a text with a picture message from Ryan today (Jan. 15,2017), that he and Isaiah were together on the same day last year.....
It wouldn't have been significant if they shared a hometown.  Isaiah and Ryan met their 5th grade year at Wilcox Elementary in Lihue, Hawaii (on Kauai).  After we moved back to Oregon, the boys stayed in touch and have seen each other several times.
7400 miles away from where they both were last year, together in Schwabisch Hall, Germany, they sat on a beach in Poipu Kauai and spent the day together.

Jan. 15, 2016

Jan. 15, 2017

hardly comfortable and rarely enamoring

There are certain seasons, sometimes defined by years, sometimes defined by circumstances, and sometimes will define the rest of your earthly life, that will etch into the very person you are called to be.  Seasons that the Lord allows His accounting to be so detailed, so distinct, so defined, even those who don't call Him theirs turn their heads to glimpse as He works.  I'm finding that these seasons He calls us to are hardly comfortable and rarely enamoring- It's mostly us, His own, being placed in less than ideal circumstances, so we can reach those who may never else have a chance to see.  Maybe you find yourself laying in the hospital bed, or with a scary diagnosis, maybe it is the chronic illness, infertility, a life changing disability, possibly even watching your child suffer.  If we could only glimpse, and see these moments through eternity's perspective, what would our attitude be.  That pain, the grief, your sorrow, my heartache, her joy, their loss- all of it, it all matters to Him.  He is defining and etching His glory through us with His nail scarred hands for perfections sake.  His perfect will working out His perfect plan in our less than perfect lives to create eternal masterpieces.  If I knew that my heartache was really just He asking me to walk forward in faith....walk forward in trust....with the divine understanding that every person you brush up against in your defining difficult season is there orchestrated by a loving Heavenly Father for a greater purpose.

What if it was said that the Lord asked her to walk through wrenching heartache and endure most difficult times.

What if it was said that the Lord asked him to know unbearable physical pain and understand grievous loss.

But what if it was added that through it all, neither she nor he lost sight of God's promises.  Never lost sight of a loving Heavenly Father entrusting them with such a priceless season- a season of reaching those around you through your own pain.  What if they walked as believers who knew they had a Heavenly purpose and a Heavenly home.

'Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart...'

John 16:33