fishers of men

Rise and follow me
I'll make you worthy
Rise and follow me
I'll make you fishers of men.

Rise and follow me
I'll make you worthy
Rise and follow me
I'll make you fishers of men.

Peter, John, and James
Could never be the same
After they heard him say
I'll make you fishers of men.

He said, Rise and follow me
I'll make you worthy
Rise and follow me
I'll make you fishers of men.
He said, Rise and follow me
I'll make you worthy
Rise and follow me
I'll make you fishers of men.

Cast your nets aside
and join the battle tide
He will be your guide
To make you fishers of men.

He said, Rise and follow me
I'll make you worthy
Rise and follow me
I'll make you fishers of men.
He said, Rise and follow me
I'll make you worthy
Rise and follow me
I'll make you fishers of men.

Jesus bore the cross
To gather in the lost
Oh what a mighty cost
To set us free from sin.

He said, Rise and follow me
I'll make you worthy
Rise and follow me
I'll make you fishers of men.
He said, Rise and follow me
I'll make you worthy
Rise and follow me
I'll make you fishers of men.

This song was sung by Rhonda Vincent at the Grand Ole Opry this weekend, and it really moved me. I highly recommend downloading it.

Blessings this Easter!

overdue update...and a little surprise

Yes, to my three dedicated readers (you know who you are) I apologize for the hiatus. It's been 2 months since I last posted anything, and it's time to get back into it. There's good reason for my absence and as most of you know now, this is the reason....



It's a little Lawson! This ultrasound picture was taken at 9 1/2 weeks. A lot of the reason I hadn't been writing is because the only thing I would have been writing about was how absolutely miserable I felt. I'm 14 weeks now, and it seems as if the worst is behind me. I definitely did NOT expect two full months of not being able to keep ice chips down! After trial and error, and loads of medication, I'm finally on the mend (and on a healthy dose of Zofran). Unfortunately, I lost close to 15 pounds over the course of the first trimester, and was still down 10 this morning at my appointment, so I'm really needing to put on some weight! My midwife was a tiny bit concerned, but overall, things are much better. I'm trying to eat more, it's just hard when the nausea comes and goes in waves (mostly at night).....but hey, I'll take that over what it was ANY day! I had lots of well-intentioned advice while I was going through the SEVERE nausea and vomiting phase, but I definitely did NOT have typical "morning sickness". Thankfully, I don't have any posts to look back through about the nightmare that was the first trimester, because I hope to forget about it completely- most people say you forget ALL about it, and I sure hope they're right!

We heard the heartbeat for the first time this morning (we saw it on the ultrasound at 9 weeks, but the tech didn't turn the volume up...) So crazy to actually hear our baby for the first time! We ARE planning on finding out the gender, and will know on May 13th! Before I got pregnant, I thought I'd want it to be a surprise, but now I MUST know! The baby is due October 6th. I can't thank you (those of you who already knew) for the prayers. I've been praying every day, but to know that people around me are as well, really made a HUGE difference!

notes about me

I absolutely adore animals...of any kind. In addition to my dog Moby and 2 cats, Ami and Soco, my favorites are giraffes and sea turtles. Don't ask me why.

I recently watched a sea turtle at the Chattanooga Aquarium for 30 minutes, right next to the glass, and wished I had a tank big enough at home to bring him along.

As a homeowner, I've come to the stark realization that my parents were right all along, there are always things to be done.

Unfortunately, I currently have no motivation to work full-time, other than that at some point in the future I want to do music in some capacity, and have no intention of pursuing a career using my Bachelor of Journalism.

I quite frequently wish that student loans had not accompanied this lack of focus, or perhaps that I had figured it out sooner.

I have perfect pitch, and quite frequently am asked to sing a "G" for my husband to tune his guitar to.

I substitute teach, and have aspirations of home schooling my future children.

Chris and I plan to adopt (after trying for and, God willing, successfully having a biological child) from Asia (hoping to adopt within the next 5 years) and would ideally like to have two biological and two adoptive children, intermixed.

I know some Chinese, and listen to Pimsleur CD's to further my knowledge of the language- Ni Hao!

My dog is currently at the bottom of the stairs, whining because Chris is up there and he can't get to him.

My favorite movie in the world is "Something's Gotta Give." That part where Diane Keaton is hysterically crying, after Jack Nicholson leaves, I laugh so hard I cry.

I can't stand Nicholas Cage. I don't know what it is, but his acting drives me crazy.

I can sleep for over 12 hours at a time, but try my hardest not to....

My grandfather was an artist, and though I don't consider myself a good one, I'd like to think I got my love of art from him.

If I won a large sum of money, I'd put enough away in savings to live off the interest and donate the rest to charity.

I tend to be a very random person and have trouble explaining exactly how these unrelated ideas pop into my head.

I inherited an anxiety disorder from my dad, who refuses to admit that he has anxiety, and now have to be on medication so I don't have panic attacks.

I cannot multi-task, and as such will never claim to be good at it on a resume.

I sing in the shower, but who doesn't?

I would LOVE to live overseas at some point...Ireland, England, China, Spain..I'm not particular.

If I ever get enough motivation, I hope to improve my piano playing skills...or lack thereof.

I would also love to take up Violin.

I love the show LOST. It's really the only show I watch on a regular basis...and I was really looking forward to it coming back.

I can't eat anything with wheat, barley, oats, or rye due to the fact that I have Celiac Disease. However, since being diagnosed 3 years ago, I'm doing much better at finding foods I can eat, and modifying recipes.

I believe God created the Universe, that Jesus was His Son, and that his grace is the ONLY reason I will know him in Heaven.

the woes of January

There's a chill in the air, meaning the dead of winter in Tennessee has finally arrived. Although it may be short lived, it's never short enough. Waking to temperatures in the single digits feels like torture in this state. Somehow one grows accustomed to the highs and lows of different parts of the country quite quickly. Where 25 degrees may feel warm during a Nebraska winter (some people wear no coats!), the same temp is utterly unbearable in Nashville. I've come to realize that I just can't handle that kind of cold. Give me 100 degrees any day over being so chilled to the bone I have to shower to warm up!

The one thing I'm thankful for about the cold is being able to have a fire. Our fireplace finally has a job, and fulfillment in life, thanks to Pine Mountain logs. If you have never experienced the beauty of these, it's a log wrapped in paper that you place into the fireplace, light, and let go. It's lasts about 4 hours, and has been the highlight of my evening. I just love cuddling up by the fire with a book and some cocoa. I can't get enough. In fact, I'd like to move my bedroom to the living room so I could enjoy the fire more often.

i think i'll go make some cocoa now...

ushering in a new year

2009 has officially begun, technically just over a day ago....but honestly, it feels no different. As always, it will probably take a good solid month before writing '09 at the end of a check will become automatic...which always annoyed me about the beginning of each new year. I was listening to resolutions of the Husker and Clemson football teams yesterday during the Gator Bowl- one memorable moment was that one of them wanted to give up fast food-after the season..... I resolve to write more. It's something I have been attempting to do, unsuccessfully, for the past few months. I'd love to find a direction for this blog, be it food, entertainment, crafting, or something else altogether. Perhaps I'll keep this blog about my personal life, and create another for something more specific? I also resolve to become the pack leader over my dog. Watching the Dog Whisperer was an eye opening experience highlighting my utter failure as a leader of my pack. I can't help it...I love to love on my pup. We'll see if this is achievable, but I know the failure is mine, so it's a start.

Happy 2009!

December 4th already?

Where exactly does the time go? Wow, I just can't believe it's Christmas again! Traveling to Nebraska was so much fun. Spending Thanksgiving with my family, going to the Nebraska-Colorado game with Chris' parents, seeing Nebraska play Creighton in Basketball, and having all our friends over to hang out was SO much fun! We were ready to get home, but knowing we are going back in a few weeks made it all that much easier to say goodbye. Thankfully, I had time to decorate before we left, and I've now had 5 wonderful days to enjoy our decorations (although I haven't had a chance to take any pictures yet.) The time is going far too quickly. I just love this time of year, and I'm really trying to slow down and enjoy it...and to remember WHY I celebrate it. It's so easy to get caught up in everything else that goes on, so I have to constantly remind myself to think about the birth of Christ, the manger, Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and the amazing miracle of His birth.
I once had an interesting conversation with someone about the "politically correct" way to greet people. I don't get offended if someone says Happy Hanukkah to me if that is what they celebrate. I choose to say Merry Christmas because the Birth of Christ is why I celebrate Christmas. Regardless of what anyone celebrates, I think we should be able to express our beliefs without abandon. With that being said, Peace to you this Christmas!

autumn in nashville

How beautiful is autumn in nashville, you ask? There's really no way to experience the beautifulness (is that a word?), but hopefully a picture will suffice. I couldn't resist taking some pictures of the red, flame-colored leaves on the maple tree in front of our house. It truly is breathtaking. Fall colors make me so joyful.

wild west wonderment

oh, how i love alliteration! it just makes me happy. I don't know why. While in Wisconsin, I happened upon a movie on the Hallmark Movie Channel (a channel, i must admit, i've never watched before) and to my surprise, it caught my attention. Most of the time, while flipping channels, i rarely find anything worth mentioning. This time is different. Even christopher will admit that this movie is worthwile. Now I've only seen half (of apparently the 2nd in a series of 6) which is why I am recommending it. I'm dying to get it so I can see them from the beginning. The movie in which I'm refering to is based on a book series by Janette Oke. The first movie, "Love Comes Softly", debuted in 2004, stars Katherine Heigl, and is set in the mid-late 1800's. I got caught up in the story of the second movie, "Love's Enduring Promise." I love the era, I love the wholesome values, and I love the hardships. I don't know what it is, but it's so appealing. I can't wait to see them all!




Along the same lines, in this weeks issue of 'People' Magazine, a photographer/writer was mentioned along with her website, and I am now completely addicted to her blog. She is a 30 year old writer from Wyoming who lives on a ranch, with her coyote, dog, and housecat. I am so enthralled by her life in the open country. It's like i'm living vicariously through her as I see the pictures. Something about the country is just so breathtaking. I highly recommend checking it out.

www.dailycoyote.net

goodbye dolores

All week we had been praying for my grandmother, Dolores Crane, and God answered our prayers for comfort and peace by taking her home on Friday, October 24. I am so thankful she is no longer uncomfortable and in pain. I am confident she was ready to leave this earthly body, and is now in Heaven. I am thankful for all the prayers, cards, e-mails, etc. We will be traveling to Wisconsin on the 7th for her funeral, and we are looking forward to not only saying goodbye, but celebrating her life.

The worship retreat was so amazing. I had the privilege of leading alongside Kelly Minter (an amazing speaker, singer/songwriter, author, and currently our worship leader.) She has definitely become an inspiration to me, as I've had the opportunity to get to know her better. I am finally reading her book, No Other Gods. I highly recommend it to everyone out there. It's available on Amazon for 11.19! It's something we all struggle with and a message I believe we all need to hear.

new friends

It's so crazy what a small world we really do live in. I used to have reservations about the whole six degrees of separation theory, but I'm beginning to believe it's not far from true. I have been so blessed to have been meeting new friends lately...in the oddest ways. I've never been much of a "friends with everyone" person-mostly as a result of my own insecurities growing up...but I think God has changed me for the better because I'm finding that the more I accept myself, or rather, who He created me to be, the more people I find coming into my life that have shared those same feelings. I found myself saying the other day, what a great season this has been. Not necessarily this "season" but you know, of life. It becomes more evident everyday that God has led us to this place for a purpose. Though we don't know the full scope of it yet, I have been so thankful to have had such peace over the past year. I always looked forward to leaving Nebraska, but never expected I would feel so fulfilled. At times, I find myself feeling guilty that it has been such an easy transition. This is not to say that I miss our family and friends any less, but that God has provided for us here. One lesson I feel i've learned lately is to trust in Him for guidance, taking it one step at a time, being prayerful of the future, but not rushing through the present. I feel as if the only way to do this is to continually be in service to God and reverence of all that has been so graciously bestowed upon us. This coming weekend, I have the privilege of leading worship at Rolling Hills annual women's retreat. I am so excited about it, and really praying that the Holy Spirit will move in and through the entire weekend's events. Please pray that this weekend goes smoothly, as well as for my paternal grandmother who is currently in intensive care at a hospital in Milwaukee...and for my dad who is trying to handle things from afar.

much love to all.