Facebook?

Facebook has officially taken me away from the blog.....I feel like I have been kidnapped by an evil operating system that consumes my actual writing time.

He's better than UPS

So as you can imagine it has been a frustrating week yet today I write to tell you that the great provider (surprise surprise) found a house for us! It was not where WE were looking but it is an incredible place to live. We went and looked at it on Sunday and found it to be HUGE!!!! It is a four bedroom monster of a place that has a large back bonus room. About 2100 sq ft! I am using lots of exclamation marks because I am so excited about it. We could have a ton of kids in our place within a matter of months. One of the cool things about the place is it owned by one of our fellow Missio Church members and friends of ours.

They have spent the last three months completely renovating the entire place. Hardwood floor through out with new kitchen counter tops and brand new furnace. place is going to fit us perfect.

Well, I have to go to work now but thought I would keep you up to date. Check back soon to see about how our trip to Georgia went and the move. We will be moving in the next two weeks so please pray for us!

BLAH BLAH BLAH

So I am sitting here this morning and I am realizing that not only have I not posted in a little bit but that there are a ton of things going on in our lives and haven't shared a one. That being said I will try and keep you up on whats up.

We are trying to move currently. It is amazing to think that it has been a while year that we have been in Syracuse but it has. God has done some amazing things in that time and we (Alaina and I) were just talking the other day about what God has done just in the year we have been here. We have had and are continuing to have the great opportunity to have front row seats as God is moving and changing lives all around us! (Thanks Jim) OK so back to moving. Alaina has been looking for houses for the last five months and has found it very difficult to rent a house that is in a good neighborhood and will let you have two huge dogs. Which really is ridiculous because everyone who knows our dogs knows they aren't too huge......well maybe Harley but he is nothing more than a drooler. Early last week we totally found a place and went and looked at it twice but when it came down to the landlord to make a decision on the applicants they picked someone else! :( Yet we move on and keep our heads up as we trust Gods timing....we may not like to wait that long but I know that there is a plan in all this. God has always been faithful and He remains faithful IN HIS TIMING. Still a tough place to be....

The whole reason behind moving is so that we can have foster kids in a new place. We cant have them where we live now because the bathroom is inside one of the bedrooms. So again we have been waiting for kids.

I feel like Joshua. Poor guy goes into the promised land as a spy for Moses. He gets the great opportunity to see where his people will go and live and flourish and yet he has to wait to enter. All that time knowing what is looks like and how cool it would be. As I write this I feel God convicting my own heart as I wait to work with youth and children full time. I know the task and the vision God has laid in my heart and yet I am in a holding pattern right on the edge of entering. Joshua remained faithful and God used him in mighty ways when they finally entered the land. All those years Joshua had to be frustrated and had to wonder what it would be like in the promised land.

My prayer for me and my wife through all of this is that we would place our hope in the promise of God. He has drawn us to this place to play a small part of His huge plan to redeem this city for His glory. So that every person that lives in the county surrounding Syracuse, would have at least one chance to experience the gospel. Our journey, though it is important, takes a back seat to Gods plan to take this city back. His plan fits together perfect and the more we sit and think about the things that LOOK perfect to US the less time we spend having intimate relationship and dependency with the Father.

Pray for us as you read this, for strength, discernment, guidance, and most of all obedience to the one who loves us the most.

Facespace and Mybook

So it is official, I have finally joined facebook! yeah now I can have another website in my favorites that I need to check everytime I get on my computer!!!! But the cool part is I get to keep in closer touch with everyone, including my Aunt Debbie!

Vancouver 2010

So Alaina and I have decided we want to try and go to the Winter Olympics next year. We have actually been thinking about it for sometime now because my parents live about 3 hours from Vancouver, BC and my brother lives right on the border of Canada.

I finally looked into it yesterday and it is incredible. I am on a list for when the rest of the tickets that are left over go on sale they will email me ahead of time. Heres to hoping they have some left. I mean there are over 1.5 million tickets available.......hmmm i wonder if there are enough......now as I type this I am getting worried. well we will see if there are here in a few weeks.

How awesome would it be to be able to say you went to the Winter Olympics just hours from where you grew up. Not to mention they are going to be at one of the greatest ski resort of all time: Whistler/Blackcomb. Sweetest place I ever got to snowboard growing up!

We will see what happens! I will try and keep ya'll posted.

Check this out if you want to see whats going on there:

http://www.vancouver2010.com/

Getting your blood taken.......

I had to go in today to get blood taken and I am not in the least bit a fan of it. In fact I happen to be the biggest sissy when it comes to getting it taken. Now for those of you who have ever seen me you may think that is odd because I have earrings. If you have been plagued to know me back in college then you also know that I had about 9 holes in my head at one time or another.

So the odd question then becomes.......Why are you so afraid of the needle going into your arm that could potentially save yours and someone else's life and NOT of the needle used by the man or woman that has enough tattoos on them to be entered into the world record book. And for any of you who have ever been to a tattoo or piercing place, whats with the black gloves anyway?

I haven't been able to figure out what my deal is with this. I believe that part of it could be that in one instance the nurse is taking something that I feel is vital to my life and the other is a piece of jewelry adding to my face and therefore my attraction of looking like a fishing lure. (as my dad would say)

But after today, I have resolved that I need to man up and realize I have many more years and blood test ahead of me. This certainly doesn't mean I will like it but that I need to get over it.

All right back to printing.........

God is doing amazing things in our midst

Friday was our first official gathering of students at our office space in Eastwood. (The part of the city where our church is) We gathered Four students and Four leaders. Even though it isn't much I am excited because Sunday morning I was swarmed by parents and students who were both excited about what happened on Friday and willing and ready to come again this week.

I am so amazed at how mighty and Faithful our God is. Not in a million years could I come up with a better plan than the one he has for us here in Syracuse. Not only is the student ministry starting with a small buzz but our children's ministry is becoming stable with volunteers and they are beginning to take ownership of the ministry. More and more volunteers keep coming out of the woodwork and asking me if they can serve because they are passionate about kids. I couldn't ask for a better time because one of our teachers is leaving to have a baby.

All too often I worry about what is going to happen or stress out about who is going to be where and the thing God keeps teaching me is that over and over again god is faithful and provides just what He needs to sustain His ministry. I was even reminded of this as I read Psalm 23 this week:

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

May I stay centered on what God wants to do in me and not on what I can do on my own power.

A renewed commitment because of access

So I know it has been quite the time since a post and really not too much since we moved to Syracuse. However...........now this is going to stop....the procrastinating not the blog itself. We have had a tremendous blessing in the last week. The church has furnished us with a new refurbished laptop with broadband internet so we have access anytime we need it.

So because of that I have decided to make sure I am keeping all..... hmmm how many of you keep an eye on this.......three of you maybe. Doesn't matter!!! I am writing this to tell you I am making a renewed commitment to keep this up to date and you all have the right to nag me as much as it takes or even make fun of me until I post.

thank you each for signing on to be Blog account ability partners. You ROCK!!!

PS Just got a new digital FLIP so look for videos to come

Surviving a Syracuse Winter!!!

So I have a few minutes on my lunch break right now to tell you what I've learned over the past couple of months of living in Syracuse.

- Give yourself an extra 20 minutes to get ready and an extra 20 minutes to get anywhere
- Do not touch your hair after you put your gloves on, especially if you have fleece gloves
- Warm up your car at least 10 minutes in advance
- Long-underwear are a must!
- There is a certain order to putting on winter outer-wear. I have found that putting on my scarf first, then hat, next come the jacket, earmuffs and then finally gloves.
- Wet socks are the worst!
- A Jeep that's not 4-wheel drive does NOT do very well in the snow
- Drive slow and break slowly, I leave a lot of room between me and the car in front of me
- Scarfs are WONDERFUL!!
- Buy winter windshield wipers- I never knew they existed until now
- There are no pony-tail days in the winter- it's way too cold. I don't know how guys stand short hair
- Cutting down a Christmas tree in a blizzard is fun and a little crazy
- Snow plows drive at 35mph or below
- Shoveling- Shoveling- Shoveling- shovel often
- Almost every morning I get to see what walked through the backyard the night before
- Harley loves the snow, Breezy does not
- I will hopefully never have to move during the winter, I can't imagine trying to load a big truck in the dead of winter
-Flannel sheets are the best but t-shirt sheets work okay too
- Having a super short driveway is a plus
- Fresh snow is beautiful
- Waterfalls look awesome in the winter
- Winter is a great time to cuddle
- LAYER, LAYER, LAYER- even if it makes you look fat
- A ceramic heater under the desk-keeps it a little bit warmer in the office
- Getting gas in the freezing cold is not fun
- Static electricity is ridiculous
- Invest in a really good hand and face moisturizer in the winter; cracked hands hurt and a pealing face is not so attractive (thank you my love for buying me the face cream)
- Buy special light bulbs to put in your house so you don't get S.A.D.
- Brush the car off standing upwind if possible
- I need a car starter stat!
- Parking lots become ice-skating rinks. Beware when stepping out of your car
- Open-toed shoes have to be retired for the season starting in September.
- Take a Vitamin D supplement because you're not going to see the sun for a while.
- Cold with snow is much better than cold without snow
- You will probably get sick- and stay sick for a while
- There are different types of snow:

Oh man, lunch is over... I'll add a lot more soon.

Chocolate Truffle Recipe

This past Sunday I went to a "Cookie Exchange Party." I had never been to this kind of party but I had such a great time that I'm thinking about hosting one myself. There were so many different types of wonderful goodies and I enjoyed meeting everyone as well. I promised the people at the party that I would post the recipe to the truffles. This is one of those recipes that you probably do not want to start until after the kids are in bed because it is a little time consuming (and so you can eat the "dough" without the little ones around).

One batch makes about 30 Truffles

Ingredients:
1 Package of Double Stuffed Oreos (I've also made it w/ Mint Oreos and white chocolate)
1 Package of Cream Cheese
2 Packages of Bakers Semi-sweet Chocolate
1 Package of Bakers White Chocolate (optional for decorating but is not a good consistency for the actual truffles)
2 cookie sheets
A lot of room in the fridge or freezer
Wax paper

Directions:
1. Crush the cookies in a food processor until they are very fine crumbs
2. Melt the cream cheese in the microwave- don't get it too hot or it will take a lot longer to firm up
3. Mix the Oreos and cream cheese together
4. Use a tablespoon to measure the "dough" and then roll into balls and place on cookie sheet that is covered in wax paper
5. Put in the fridge/freezer for at least 45 minutes or until pretty firm
6. Melt the Baker's chocolate- follow the directions on the back or the package when melting
7. Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the Oreo balls
8. Put them back into the fridge for 30 minutes or until choc coating hardens
9. You can now drizzle the white chocolate on top then place them back into the fridge OR you can just serve them
*try not to have them out of the fridge for more than 3 hours b/c of the milk products in them

I hope you enjoy. Please let me know how they turn out and if you need any further directions.