New Year, New Jacksons

That's right. We're adding to our family....but no baby humans. We adopted puppies! Chloe and Nadia are 8 week old sister lab/beagle mixes. (If you can figure out why we named them those names, I'll send you a present. You can't win if I already told you why.) They are sooo frickin cute....and a lot of work! I'm pretty sure we take about 10 potty breaks every day to ensure that there are no accidents on the carpet. So far, things are going well in that department. One thing that has become obvious in their first week with us is how very different they are. Nadia looks much more like a beagle with a short nose and stout body. Chloe looks like a lab with a longer nose and leaner body. They are both black with a little white on their chests.

Nadia (aka Whizzer, Baby Cow, Snuggle Baby, and Pretty Girl): loves to snuggle, snuggle, snuggle. She is definitely a lover...and an eater. When she came home, she was probably 1 1/2 times the size of her sister, and we found out why quickly. At our first meal time, she sat down, spread out her front legs and literally face planted into the food. She didn't move for about 1 minute in which time she had demolished the dinner. Then, she moved on to try and eat all of Chloe's food. Nadia's signature moves include: the leap frog--she will jump from a seated position straight up in the air like a frog, the 360 pounce--similar to the leap frog but she jumps four times in a circle, the groan/grunt--she shows her displeasure with gusto if you are outside in the cold for too long or go into a part of the downstairs that scares her (she is afraid of new places), the crash--when Nadia is sleepy no human effort can keep her awake.

Chloe (aka Lil Whiz, Velociraptor, Psycho, and Pretty Girl--yes they are both my pretty girls): loves to play and explore. Chloe is our skinny minny. We think that she wasn't properly weaned and hadn't eaten for about a week when we got her because she didn't know how to chew food or drink water from a bowl. She has learned though. Chloe can be found sniffing and exploring. She will definitely be our trouble maker but looks so cute doing it that you almost don't want to punish her. Chloe's signature moves include: Sneak attack--she hides about 4-5 feet from Nadia then bum rushes her for a play attack, crazy face--she bears her little teeth and her eyes get all big so she looks like a demented chiwawa, the head tilt--do you remember how in Jurassic Park the velociraptors tilt their heads like they are confused right before they try to eat people? That's what she does..should be cute but it kind of scares me, the guard dog--when she sees her reflection in the glass door at night she goes to great lengths to protect us from the scary dog outside that pounces and barks at us.

More pictures and stories to come I'm sure. I already love my pretty girls.

Chreasters

Ever heard this term? It refers to people who only go to church on Christmas and Easter. Between the ages of about 8-15, I was one of them. (I do refuse some of the blame mainly because I couldn't drive, but I also don't think I ever begged my parents to go to church either.) Chreasters have some moral sense that going to church on these major Jesus holidays is the right thing to do. They mentally ascent to Christianity as true but are uncomfortable with the sacrifice and the radical life that you have to live when you follow Christ.

People give 1000 excuses why they do not/should not/do not have to go to church on a weekly basis. What's so ironic is that if Chreasters truly understood the power the two sermons they hear every year--of the birth of Jesus and then His death, burial, and resurrection--those two messages would compel them to actually stop being Chreasters. They would have to choose. You must either be for Christ or against Him, believe or renounce belief. You cannot mentally ascent that God came to earth and was born through a virgin, that He lived a sinless life, and that He died as a sacrifice for our sins, overcame death and was resurrected through the power of His Spirit so we can live with Him forever. I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis.

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." – Mere Christianity, pages 40-41

God didn't give us the choice to be Chreasters.

A Happy Soul

I was "getting my soul happy" in the Word today, and God laid a thought on my heart. I have been reading in the beginning of Luke as Christmas approaches, and I was reading Zacharias's prophecy that starts in Luke 1:67. It struck me that the Jews must have been absolutely shocked when they encountered Jesus. The Jews had a promise from God about their salvation and redemption. They stood on that promise for hundreds of years. When Jesus came, the fulfillment of that promise didn't look how they thought it would look. God absolutely did what He said He would do. He saved them from their bondage. He gave them freedom, righteousness, and rescue from their enemies. However, it wasn't how they anticipated. In addition, it was more than they anticipated. He included the Gentiles in this opportunity for salvation and redemption. Even though He had told them He would through the prophets, they did not understand and became offended when Jesus began to do what the prophets said.

How many times in your life has God done something that He promised, but it did not look like what you expected? For example before I met David, I really had a desire in my heart that I would like to get married when I was 24. (Don't laugh, I just really wanted it.) However, there were no guys within a million miles to make that happen. So, I resigned myself to the fact that I would be single until I moved to CA where I would meet my husband. Then, David came out of no where and totally changed everything. I did not realize that I had a pre-conceived idea about how my husband would be, but I did. One day in Indiana I was sitting in Starbucks where a group of trendy (white) Christian guys were having a small group meeting. I realized it. My husband will not be a guy like that, and deep down I thought he would be. I didn't get offended though, and David is a bazillion--that's a real number--times better than I imagined my husband would be.

Second example: When we moved to CA, we thought that our church plant would go just like how it went for another church that we have really drawn from. Their church exploded in the first few months and has grown at an astronomical rate. That has not happened (yet) for us. We were very tempted to be offended. We knew that God sent us out here to start a church that would transform this entire region, but how would we ever change the region when no one was coming? God had a much bigger plan. Before He could change the region, He had to change us. He has unleashed a true revelation of grace and love on our team. I can honestly say that we are all different people than when we moved here. Now, people are coming, getting rocked by Jesus, and staying. Then, they are bringing their family and friends.

What do you do when the fulfillment of God's promise does not look like you imagined it? Choose to not be offended. He is infinitely more good than we can know. He won't let you down.

Great Analogy

I just heard a great analogy about giving. So, here it goes in a paraphrased version:

When a little child decides that they want to give a picture to their dad for a present, they go to the supply of paper that their father bought. Then, they get the markers out of the drawer in their dad's house. The picture they draw blesses their dad because it was out of their heart of love, but the child cannot truly give their dad anything that was not already his.

In the same way, God is our Father, and everything we have is His. He desires that we use what he provides us to give back to Him out of our heart of love.

Why would we ever choose to be selfish and not give to our Father from the abundance He provides? When we don't give, we are saying that God does not deserve what is His and take it for ourselves.

Deep. Kind of makes you evaluate your giving, huh?

My secret hope

is that one of our neighbors will decide that they are tired of looking at our overgrown grass and come mow it for us....

Bonus video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_eYSuPKP3Y

Love,
Lara

FROG

FROG=Cheesy Christian rubber bracelet that stands for Fully Rely On God.

David is finished. (If you aren't sure what that means, talk to me.) Praise the Lord. Throughout this season, I have really learned to FROG. Due to the nature of what he was working toward and the high stakes regarding our future, I had the opportunity for the past 5 months to live in a constant state of worry. If he didn't make it, then what? I had no idea. So, I worried. After about a month of constant worry and pressure, I realized how crazy it was to live like that. From that moment, I began my FROG journey. I'm not saying it happened overnight. I was still battling worry and fear today during his last 2 tests for graduation. BUT, I can say that I am not conquered and held captive like I used to be. I overcome through FROGging. I praise, I thank God, I remind myself of His past goodness toward us, and I tell satan to get the hell out of my mind.

Although I am ashamed by the total cheese factor of the bracelet (which I do not wear), the concept is powerful. FROG. He is sovereign. He is good. That's all I need to know.

Possibly the best compliment ever

I was at the couples small group last night, and one of the ladies approached me to talk with me privately. She wanted to talk about the women's Momentum meeting that we had both attended about a week and a half ago. Amanda did a great teaching about the Proverbs 31 woman and really broke down what it looks like to be that woman of power and virtue. This friend said to me that when she was thinking of the Proverbs 31 woman all she could think about was me!

I, of course, got all teary eyed. It was such a sweet compliment. I'm not writing this blog to brag about myself but to glorify God. He has truly done a work in me if that is how other people see me. I used to read Proverbs 31 almost every day and had most of it memorized. (Let's just say I may have slipped on that practice.) However, it really is the desire of my heart to be like that woman. She is an example that God set in the scriptures for all of us ladies to follow.

I think that it is really important that God never gives her a name. He names other women: Ruth, Deborah, Mary, Priscilla, etc. He never names her though. I think it is because He wants us to put our name in that Proverb and see ourselves as her.

That may have been the best compliment I have ever received. It has definitely motivated me to study Proverbs 31 again and sharpen myself in the areas that I fall short.

I encourage you to read Proverbs 31 in the amplified version. Praise God for forming us into such beauties!

A Remnant Thanksgiving (in pictures in reverse order)

Food Hangover



All smiles...about to eat!




The food...so much food that it didn't all fit in the picture.



Beautiful chef with new cut/color.

Lovin.

Best baby ever.

A friend with a gourd.

The beginning.

A Tiny Bit Naughty

Since my parents are coming in for Christmas and we only have one bed right now, a trip to the furniture store was inevitable. We planned to buy a queen mattress to go with a wooden frame we recently bought from some friends. However, I was having some second thoughts about the color of the frame we bought. It is a medium color (sorry I'm not up on wood names), and I have a slight obsession with dark woods--think Mahogany or espresso stained. While at the furniture store, we spotted a bedroom set (two night stands, bed frame/headboard, dresser with mirror) in a delightfully dark wood that we both really liked. Ummm...the store was also having a 25% off sale, which they have never had before. The best sale previously was 10% off or free shipping...times are tough, and the furniture people needed to move the goods. Without too much hesitation, we decided to buy the bedroom set and put the step child of a light wood bed frame in our guest room.

Then came the mattress testing. I have always been a "buy the cheapest one and get out of there" kind of gal. This time, we let ourselves get sold. We laid on the most heavenly of all beds. Seriously, we had to lift our hands and praise God when our backs hit that bed...you think I'm kidding, but we literally lifted our hands and praised God for that mattress....and then without much hesitation, we bought it too!

David and I have been so ultra conservative about spending--think "we haven't even bought cable since we've been married conservative." I think both of us just cracked at the same time and wanted what we wanted. We had the cash for it, so don't worry that we're going into debt or anything. Can I say though....it felt really good to be a tiny bit naughty?

P.S. I'll post the pics as soon as we get the furniture delivered.

Decorating Update

I've decided to keep you updated as I begin decorating our house. First, the master bedroom. My vision for the room is elegant yet comfortable.

Walls: Won't be painted for a few more months, but will be a light kind of chocolate brown.

Carpet: Beige-y

Furniture: No idea yet, but we need a new dresser, mirror, and comfy chair. We did recently purchase a wooden bed frame/head board/foot board.

Bedding: Check! I actually just bought our bedding and love it. It is a cool light blue/green with chocolate brown accents. Pictured here are the bedspread with the throw blanket on it and a throw pillow. I also bought bomb.com sheets that are so nice they feel like silk. I bought them in the blue/green color and brown.

Wall decorations: Framed wedding pics, the shelf pictured here with candles added on it--which I LOVE, and ??? Good ideas are welcome!

I am suuuuuper excited to make our house finally begin to feel like a home.

Pumpkin is a gift from God

Seriously. In combination with cinnamon and nutmeg, it is amazingly delicious. List of pumpkin-ness I enjoy: pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cheesecake, and my #1 favorite....Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks.

I realize that I could really make most of these foods year round. Somehow, that seems like cheating fall out of one of its most glorious wonders. So, every year around the end of July I begin dreaming of all things pumpkin. Then, every year around the beginning of January I push aside the memories of pumpkin and try to think that I've had enough of pumpkin. In my heart, I know I lie to myself. There can never, never, never be too much pumpkin in my diet.

P.S. Pumpkin pie is a perfectly acceptable breakfast food. Crust=carbohydrates that are necessary for your body to function. Pumpkin=a very healthy vegetable for breakfast! Whipped cream=dairy that your bones need.

Best. Moment. Ever.

Lara: I don't like it when women marry people.
David: Why are you so severe on your own sex?

David has been watching Pride and Prejudice when I go out of town....laughed until my cheeks hurt.

Can I be real?

Sometimes, I am very tempted to "go shallow" or censor my thoughts on my blog because I'm afraid what people may think if they read it. I know that I don't like reading shallow blogs--now, these are different from "everyday life" blogs which I totally understand won't be deep all of the time. I just mean that I don't want to write fluff to just post something.

That being said, I have been thinking a lot about my recent trip to Indiana. I had an absolute blast hanging out with my sister and friends--finding THE white dress. Seriously, I don't think it could have been more fun. The weirdness came for me when I visited my old church. It was wonderful to see everyone, and I felt very welcome. I felt the power of God. It was really positive in almost every way. The weird thing was that I didn't belong anymore. It was like I was watching my life from 2 years ago, but I wasn't in it anymore. It made me really sad, but I couldn't figure out why at the time. After thinking about it more, I have come to the conclusion that a chapter of my life is closed, but I didn't know it had happened until I was in church. That was so much a part of who I was for so long that I almost grieved a little for the loss. I think this will sound crazy unless you have experienced something similar.

Cali and my experience here have changed me more than I realized: being married, planting a church with a very small team (that really is like family now), leaving comfort, truly understanding grace and love...

I am not the person I was. I am thankful for the change, and God is sovereign. His perfect will is coming to pass in my life. It is just weird to realize all of this within the span of a couple of hours.

Yeah, so that's what I'm thinking, for real.

So Good to Me

Can I say that I love, love, LOVE the song So Good to Me by Cory Asbury? If you haven't heard it, it is a "must download." It just totally focuses on the goodness of God in our lives and all that He does for His kids.

If you are in a hard time, it will get you dancing. If you are in a good time, it will get you dancing. I was thinking today about all of the amazing things God has done in my life. He is so AMAZINGLY good. It is crazy to me to think how many people in the world are right now attributing bad things to Him. They think He is mean and punishing the world or just indifferent to suffering. Soooo not true. If you are struggling with those thoughts, take it from me (and the Bible!), that's not Him.

He's good all the time.
He's good when I'm not.
He's good when I feel it.
He's good when I don't feel it.
He's good when I see it.
He's good when I don't see it.
He's good in every way.
He's good-er than I can even imagine or know.

I really encourage you to start thinking and meditating on the goodness of God. (I have heard like every theological argument about why bad stuff comes from God, and when Christians especially make these arguments, they usually are not theologically sound in separating the way God operated in the Old Covenant vs. how He operates in the New Covenant. Want to know more? I'd love to share.)

How has He been good to you recently?

Twitter

Hmmm....I joined twitter. Still trying to decide if it is too much commitment to actually tweet and blog. At least I will follow some friends and church leaders. Any suggestions for people that you think I should follow?

LaraAJackson is my twitter account...maybe if enough of you follow me on twitter, it will convince me to tweet? I know you love my insights and can't wait to hear from me multiple times a day :)

I know...again

I know you are (maybe) getting tired of hearing about David, but too bad. I am going to blog about him again. This is because I am amazed on a regular basis about how great he is. This may seem small, but on Saturday, he straightened up the entire house and vacuumed while he forced (literally, I cried because I didn't want to go) me to go get a massage. It wasn't even a special occasion! Come on fellas--if any fellas read this--treat your lady right. I think David needs to teach a class on relationships and marriage. I know we've only been married a little over a year, but he's really good at it. He is selfless, generous, fun, handsome :), and a true man of God. I am so very blessed.

Now, all of this goodness does reciprocate back to him. I enjoy serving him and making his life better in any way that I can. It starts with the man though. He sets the tone of the relationship and is the leader. So, thank you, David. You are more than words can express to me!

It's Christmas time! and other random thoughts

Ok, so I know it's only the beginning of November, but Starbucks has Christmas cups and Gingerbread lattes. For me, that means it's time to snuggle in to big blankets on the couch and watch Home Alone....only it's still like 65-70 degrees here every day. Maybe I'll turn on the AC and pretend it's really cold :)

On a totally unrelated note, I have been thinking a lot about my role in other people's lives lately. There was a time in life that I really understood my relationships with other people. That is not so now. I feel like my relationships are so undefined. I'm kind of friends with some people but not at that friend stage where they truly tell me what's on their heart. The few people that I feel like are my best friends are far away. On top of that, the new friendships I am starting to develop are awkward. Maybe it's the people I'm meeting, but it feels like no one knows how to relate and become friends. It is a struggle to hang out, a struggle to have conversations, and a struggle to get to know them. It isn't a two way street. It's like I am trying to be friends, and they are allowing it but not an active participant in the process. Very weird. Why am I not meeting anyone that just "clicks" with me? You can pray for me about this because it makes me want to just stop trying which isn't good either.

On another totally unrelated and much happier note, David and Kaela, Remnant's worship leaders, got married last Sunday. It was totally a nor Cal wedding. So relaxed and very "hip" (even though I know hip is such an un-hip word to use). I loved being a part of their big day. Here are a few pics of them. They are wonderful. So in love with Jesus and each other.

The One Whom Jesus Loved

I have always noticed how John referred to himself as "the one whom Jesus loved." I have heard many different takes on what he meant by that. Some people have said that he was a little arrogant or that Jesus loved John more than any other disciple.

Today, I really understand what John meant though. John was so humbled by Jesus' love for him, that he could not think of himself in any other way besides as being one whom Jesus loved. Nothing else defined him. Above everything else in his life, above the miracles, above teaching, above his personality, above the church, above his suffering, above all, he understood that he was because Jesus loved him. Everything in his life became secondary to the fact that Jesus loved him. That's how he thought of himself because it became the all consuming, overarching idea that burned in him, Jesus loved him.

How powerful is that? I want love to ravage me how it ravaged John. I am the one whom Jesus loves.

Friends & Good Hair

I just had a really fun (and tiring) weekend. The entire weekend was pretty much consumed with being involved in other people's lives...wedding showers, meals together, just hanging out, etc. It has been a really long time since I've had a weekend like that, and it felt great to be with people and just love on them and relate.

The combo of moving away from so many great friends in Indiana and me traveling alone so much for my job really left me in relationship shock. I went from people constantly to alone (or just with David) almost all of the time. I think I just went into some kind of survival mode where I thought that being alone was really normal. This weekend helped remind me that I am really a people person. I love just doing life with great people. I know that is a weird thing to have forgotten, but it happened.

When I am in town, I am going to make a much better effort at being proactive and pursuing people. I need it in order to be the best version of me.

P.S. David and I saw the Chris Rock documentary Good Hair. I highly recommend it. It was very funny, mostly clean, and totally interesting. Since I could potentially have a girl child one day who faces these hair issues, I was fascinated. Plus during college, I had a brief stint cutting African American women's hair...and I have to say that I was pretty amazing at it too.

Wedding Craze

I think I'm officially about to burst internally. Three of my best girls are all engaged with one of them about to get married very soon. I am soooo excited for all of them. It's almost a little crazy on my part, but I really cannot help it. My life with David is so incredibly amazing, more than I could ever have imagined, and I want the same experience for them. I want them to have all of the goodness that comes after the wedding too--minds out of the gutter, I mean the being married to your best friend part. (I may focus on this in a later blog, but today, it's all about the wedding.)

Things I love about weddings:

Romance

Bling

Beautiful dresses

Cake

Bling

Planning everything

Love

Flowers

Dancing

Being sentimental

Bling

Getting the hair done

Shopping a lot for all of the stuff

The vows
Bling

So, congratulations to my buddies. I'm so happy for you :)

P.S. I am a little obsessed with diamonds...trying not to be, but they're so pretty.
P.P.S. My next job will be as a wedding planner. It's decided.

Shopping

I finally did it. I went shopping. This may not seem very exciting to some people, but let's just say it's been a reeeeeaaaaallllllly long time since I have bought anything new. (Engagement+Moving to CA+Job Transitions+Higher Cost of Living+Wedding+Honeymoon+Car Repairs+Buying a House=No cash to shop)

I didn't go crazy--I just bought a few new things, so that I don't feel like a total style-less shlub as I have been feeling lately. It's nice to feel nice. The end. :)

LUKE

I am jazzed. I'm talking jazz hands level of jazzed-ness. Mark Driscoll, Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, is starting a three year series (yes, count them...1, 2, 3 years!) on the book of Luke. David and I are committed to following the study by watching the Mars Hill podcast every week. I have not been this excited about the Bible in a while.

I feel like this is a huge opportunity to learn in depth about Jesus and all of the goodness that is recorded throughout the book of Luke. I've felt stuck lately when reading the scriptures, like I'm not uncovering or understanding anything new. I've just been reading....which leads to not reading because it's not meaningful. (I know you just gasped right then. A leader on a church plant team, and she said the Bible wasn't meaningful!) Am I an awful Christian or what? I'll go with "or what." Thank God for grace.

Anyway, back to Luke. This past Sunday was just covering Luke 1:1-4.

"Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught."

You may be asking, "What in the world did that guy preach on out of this verse (for over an hour!)?" Trust me. In the words of my good friend Ruby--bomb.com. I learned more in that hour than I feel like I've learned in a really long time. (Disclaimer--this excludes Sundays at Remnant where I do learn a lot but am often very distracted with volunteer duties throughout the worship experience.)

My challenge to you: If your Bible study time has slid into being just Bible reading time which will slide into your Bible not reading time, join us for the 3 year study through Luke. Let me know if you decide to do it. I think I'll be posting about what I'm learning quite a bit.

Did I mention that I'm jazzed?

Identity

So, David and I have been talking a lot about identity lately. Since moving to CA, I feel like we have both really been struggling with trying to figure out our identities. This is mostly because in the past we linked our identities more with what we did than who we are. Now that we don't do the things we used to do, especially in the church, we are feeling a little aimless and more than a little insignificant.

I blogged about finding my sweet spot a while ago. This is connected to that issue. I am trying to understand that even if I am doing small tasks right now for the kingdom that don't look (in my eyes) like they are meaningful and that don't feel like my sweet spot, that I as a person am still significant. I am trying to understand that my worth to the church is not based just on what I can give but also who I am. AND, I am trying to understand that if God has entrusted me with a role, no matter how small, it is what He has for me and that is enough. Where satan really wants to go with the negative thoughts here is that if I am not doing much than it would mean that I am no one. That is a lie, and I recognize it when I say it outright like this.

This all seems easier to write than to believe though. How do I disconnect who I am (my identity) from what I do (my contributions/tasks)?

Just wanted you to know

I found out a few nights ago that a very dear Christian woman went home to the Lord. It was quite a shock because we haven't even seen each other in probably 10 years. However, I am eternally grateful to her.

When I was a freshman in high school, my friend Liz invited me to attend a Christian youth conference called Acquire the Fire. Her mom, Laurie, took us to the conference. Even though I had been to church sporadically as a child, I had never heard about the need for a relationship with Jesus. I gave my life to Christ at that conference. I spent quite a bit of time with Liz and her family during that year or so of my life. I had never seen what a Christian family looked like, and they provided such an amazing example. Even now when I think about how I want my own family to look one day, I imagine them. Her death has really made me reflect on how beautiful the promises of God are. He is faithful and true. His word stands forever. I am excited to see her in heaven one day. She will be greatly missed here and now though.

I wrote to her shortly before she passed away to let her know what an impact she had on me. Kind of a "Just wanted you to know..." moment. It made me think, "Why didn't I do this before?" I guess I'm learning to express my heart to those who are important to me. Laurie's death was unexpectedly hard for me. It also made me reflect on the legacy that I want to leave behind. Hers is so marked by impact for Jesus. How amazing!

So, that was a lot. I would love to hear your reactions and thoughts on any or all of it.

One Year

Wow. David and I will have been married for one year on Sunday, August 23. I can't believe it has already been a year, and yet, it seems like it has been so much longer than a year. I decided to write a top 10 list of things I've learned about marriage and David...here it goes:

10. Being married to the right person is a natural step. (People told me before marriage how much we would have to work through and deal with in order to get along. That wasn't the case for us. We just fit together after marriage. It has been easy.)

9. Being married to your best friend is fun. (Of course we argue once in a while, but it has been the most fun I've ever had living with anyone. Everything is better when I am with him.)

8. David snores only if he goes to sleep with his arms flung up over his head. (At first, I was polite and waited a while to see if he would stop snoring. Now if he lays down with his arms above his head, I make him move them right away.)

7. Dating after you are married is important. (Even though we see each other all the time, we still need isolated, concentrated time that is designated just for being with each other.)

6. David knows how to have a good balance in life of work and relaxation. (I tend to work myself really hard and then crash and not want to do anything. He understands the importance of pacing life, so you enjoy it along the way.)

5. Serving someone is much easier when you really love them. (I don't mind doing chore-like tasks for him. I don't mind doing chore-like tasks for him that I don't even want to do for myself.)

4. You need to splurge once in a while. (I totally understand financial constraints. It has been, by far, the poorest year of my life financially because of the wedding, move, and cost of living increases. However, we've found little ways to splurge and just treat ourselves. It's important because you just need to feel a little special every once in a while.)

3. God is the glue. (I cannot understand non-Christian marriages. I don't understand how they survive. David and I have a common view of life and marriage because we have a standard to look at in the Bible. We learn to love each other through God.)

2. David eats a lot. (I have had to adapt the amount of food I cook. I cannot cook just two portions because we are two people. David eats at least twice what I do...easily....and is still not full.)

1. Falling in love isn't just for people who are dating. (I am so much more in love now than I was even a year ago. My love for David is deeper, richer, and more powerful than I knew a year ago that it could be. I know more and more how blessed I am to have such an amazing man as my husband.)

I'm excited for our second year together!

Advice

Alright my blog friends, I need some advice.

Several years ago, I had one of those very best of friends kind of friends. She was (hopefully still is) a Christian. We had some pretty strong disagreements about the paths we were each taking in life, and slowly, our friendship just dissolved. It got to the point that she didn't even invite me to her wedding, and we haven't been in contact for at least 4 years.

I was looking back through some pictures and kind of got nostalgic thinking about all of the fun we had and how close we were. Now, I'm wondering if I should try and get in contact with her. It is a situation where the hurt caused was very deep. I have forgiven her, but I don't think we would ever go back to being how we used to be. Too much has been said. Is it worth trying to find her to let her know I love her and hope everything is okay? Should I just let it be? I don't want to find her only to make things weird or hear that she doesn't want anything to do with me now.

What do you think?

Sweet Spot

At Remnant, we refer to your sweet spot a lot. It's the intersection of your unique gifting, abilities, and talents, with what God has called you to do. Your sweet spot is the place where you find yourself happiest, most productive, and most successful.

For some people, sweet spots are obvious. They just know that they are supposed to be a _____. (Whatever career, life path, role in the church, etc you can fill in there.) For others of us, me included, it's a little trickier. I've never been quite sure how I fit. I'm good at a lot of things but not necessarily passionate about them. I can do a bunch of different roles, but I don't feel like I'm really called to any of them. Every once in a while, I catch a glimpse of myself doing something sweet-spot-ish. I can tell because it's when I really feel fully alive and time just flies. It's never anything that lasts though...just a passing activity or moment.

I think a lot of Christians get burnt out because they are operating outside of their sweet spot. They are filling a role or doing a job for one of the following reasons: Someone asked them to do it, they like the prestige/honor/blessing that comes with a doing it, they think they don't have any other options so they might as well do it. I am pretty sure that I have tried to make different areas my sweet spot for all of the reasons above. Take it from me. You won't be satisfied. You will eventually get frustrated, bored, or apathetic because you are doing something God never intended.

I'm still on my journey to find Lara Alyson Jackson's sweet spot. Now, I'm hunting for those sweet spot moments and trying to figure out how to cobble them together into something permanent. I'll let you know when I figure it out.

What's your sweet spot?

The Garden

Lara to David: Ooh these grapes are good! Try one. (I hold a grape to his mouth.)
David: (Eats the grape.) Those are good....I just had a flashback to Adam and Eve.

LOL.

A weekend with no plans...

Glorious. I have been going fast and furious lately, and I am sooo excited to literally have nothing on my plate for this weekend. Things I do want to do: go out for Saturday breakfast, go to the gym, vacuum and dust the house (I've made a commitment to vacuum and dust every other weekend and then clean the bathrooms and mop on the other weekends. It makes me feel good to keep the house clean!), go for a walk in the park near our house, and paint my toenails. I'll probably end up doing some laundry and grocery shopping in there somewhere, but such is life.

What are your favorite plans for weekends when you don't have any plans?

Jesus Culture

So, I recently attended Jesus Culture....check it out here if you are unfamiliar with what it's all about: http://www.jesusculture.org/. It was pretty much amazing. Here is how I can best explain it using incomplete sentences:

1. People my age and younger who are passionate about Jesus.
2. Music that is off the chain. Seriously. How do that many amazingly talented people all gather in one location? (oops...part of that was a complete sentence)
3. Miracles--lots of people unleashed to pray for strangers in public with huge expectations=God shows up.
4. Bill Johnson. Enough said.
5. Large numbers of men wearing deep v-neck shirts and/or skinny jeans. (Don't understand? Come to Nor-Cal and you will.)
6. Revelation being dropped like it's hot.
7. Seeing people get rocked (by God) and all of the funny things that happen when that happens.
8. Learning that God is not good at hiding...just ask me and I can explain.
9. Remembering my personal call and what God has made me to be passionate about.
10. Kim Walker, Chris Quilala, Joel Houston--yes from Hillsong. Again, enough said.
11. Soaking.
12. Creating a personal history with God--what you do in secret sets you up for what God wants to do in public.
13. Lots of people with very cool haircuts. (I've made a resolution to soon shed my mid-western-ness, and do something crazy with my hair.)

That's it in a nutshell...love to tell you about it if you want to hear! (How can you really write an adequate blog about a 2.5 day all out Jesus-fest that totally refreshes you? I'm not sure it's possible.)

P.S. Buy the new Jesus Culture CD "Consumed." You will not be disappointed!

Brinks Customer Service....Awesome

And by awesome, I mean NOT awesome. Here is the story:

In our new house, there is a Brinks alarm system that always appeared to be on although we thought it couldn't be because we have never paid for anything. Every night it would start beeping about 2am, and I would get up and hit "cancel" to make the beeping stop. So, I finally decided I was tired of this routine. I tried reading the instruction manual and hitting a lot of buttons on the key pad, but I couldn't seem to turn it off. This was about 8pm. David had a late night of studying for the Academy plus an interview to prepare for the next day. I went to bed about 10:45pm. At midnight, I was awakened by a deafening "WOOO, WOOO, WOOO" sound coming from the alarm system. Apparently, David had to go to the garage to get something from his car and had set it off. When I was messing with it earlier that evening, I must have engaged the alarm somehow.

So, I call Brinks and tell them that we are the new owners of the home and have never paid for the alarm system. Can they please turn it off? They say that they cannot do anything without the access code. We say we don't have an access code because this is not our alarm system. They say that it is an active account. We say, "Why don't you call the number on file with the account and ask them if they still live here?" They say they cannot release that information. We say that we're not asking them to release any information. They refuse to call the owner of the alarm system without us giving them an access code. We say we don't have the access code because it's not our alarm system, and we've never paid for it. They tell us that they will not turn it off unless we call the police and have them come to our house to verify that we are the new owners on the phone with Brinks. We say it's 12:30am, and we aren't calling the police. They say they cannot help us.

We say aren't you supposed to call the owners of the house when you see that their alarm system is going off, and they haven't called you to tell you everything is okay? They say that they cannot release that information. We say no that is your procedure. It says so right on the information booklet that is with the alarm system. They say that we must call the police. We say, so if we are burglars, we could have the home owners tied up right now and you aren't calling them per your company's safety procedures. They refuse to call the owners of the system to make sure that we haven't tied them up to rob the house. (PS--if you have a Brinks security system, this should concern you.)

At this point, we are almost yelling at them on the phone. David and I have both tried reasoning with them to no avail. We have been through two customer service agents. They keep telling us "I understand." I yell, "No you don't understand! It is one in the morning and an alarm system that we have never paid for is going off in our house." The customer service agent says, "Well, it's 3 am here." I would have punched him if I could have.

David and I give up and decide to call the police non-emergency line. When we call the police, they say that Brinks must call them in order for them to dispatch an officer. So, we call Brinks back and tell them that. Brinks calls the police. About 1/2 hour later (keep in mind a deafening alarm is sounding about every 15 minutes for 10 minute intervals), the police show up. They call Brinks to confirm that we are the owners of the house. The Brinks customer service agent then begins the police officer instructions on how to find our main security system box and disengage the alarm. The police officer says, "I'm not paid to be your maintenance man. Send one of your people out here to do this." Apparently, the Brinks customer service agent says that they will not send one of their people. So, the police officer says that they need to call us back and tell us how to do it. The police leave.

Ten minutes later, Brinks still has not called us, so we call them. David asks them for the code to the system, so we can disengage it. They tell us that they cannot release that information. We say why not? The police just proved we own the house. They say they cannot release that information. We say then how do we turn it off? They say we will have to go to the security system's main power source and cut the power. Eventually, David finds it in the laundry closet in a corner. The box is screwed shut in such a way that he cannot fit a screw driver between the wall and the screws on the box. We begin to really despair. We say we cannot open the box. They say that there is nothing they can do. We say send a maintenance person now. They say no. I find a pair of bolt cutters. David cuts into the box. We turn off the power. We go to bed at 2am. We get up at 5am.

That was by far the most ridiculous customer service experience I have ever had. I can say definitively...BRINKS SUCKS.

Another Good One

You know how sometimes when you feel like you are at the very end of your energy and strength all you can do is just worship (not really pray effectively or even read the Bible)? Maybe that's just me. Anyway, that's been my life lately. I have another oldie but goodie for you today. I really suggest you buy the Deluge Band album "Live from Bethany World Prayer Center." Here is my inspiration today:

Worshiping You
by Deluge Band

Take this offering that I bring
Humbly I fall on my knees
To proclaim Your everything

My life's nothing without You
Take my hand and lead me through
You are my sustaining love

I live to worship You
I live to worship You

Here I am, worshiping You
With all I am, worshiping You
Bowing down in spirit and truth
Lifted hands, worshiping You
(repeat)

I'm gonna worship You forever
I'm gonna worship You
(repeat)

Wow--ness.

I'm baaaaack. It has been two crazy weeks. David and I officially closed on our house. God has saved us an amazing amount of money through this whole process. We got the house for $5,000 less than what we offered (which over time with interest is much more than just $5,000)! Plus, the seller bought our stove, repaired a leak in the roof, and fixed a wall inside that was damaged. That totaled at about $1,700 in repairs/appliances that we would otherwise have to fund. Yeah God! Because the market crashed so hard out here, we were able to buy the house at 1/2 the price it cost when someone bought it in 2005. Wow! God moved us out here at the exact right time for us to be able to afford a house.

We are moved in and getting things really arranged now. It is starting to feel like home. Now, it's on to painting walls and finding a puppy :) I promise that I will post pictures soon. (I'm going to get rid of boxes first.)

David goes into the Police Academy on Monday which is such a huge step. Please pray that he gets picked up to work for the right department where God wants him to be. We are super excited about this next phase and for his career to grow. I'll also post pictures of David in uniform. I have a very good looking husband ladies.

I'm glad to be back and writing again. So many exciting things happening!

Really good song...

Okay, so this may not be new to all of by blog friends, but take time to listen to this one again (or for the first time). Soooo good.


I Surrender
by Kim Walker

Verse 1:
There is no love, sweeter than the love You pour on me.
There is no song, sweeter than the song You sing to me.
There is no place, that I would rather be,
Than here at Your feet, laying down everything.

Chorus:
All to You, I surrender,
Everything, every part of me.
All to You, I surrender,
All of my dreams, all of me.

Verse 2:
If worship's like perfume,
I'll pour mine out on You.
For there is none as deserving of my love like You.
So take my hand and draw me into You,
I want to be swept away, lost in love for You.

Bridge:
No turning back,
I've made up my mind,
I'm giving all of my life this time.

Bridge:
Your love makes it worth it,
Your love makes it worth it all,
Your love makes it worth it all.

Why I Love My Dad the Best

When I was in elementary school, there was this contest with the local newspaper every year around Father's Day. Elementary students had to write a paragraph or so about why they loved their dad the best. The newspaper would publish this special insert with the responses. The top three kids who apparently REALLY loved their dads the best won some sort of prize. Needless to say, I must not have ever loved him the best or had enough eloquent words at 8 years old to express it because I never won. In honor of Father's Day, I would like you to leave a comment with the rest of this statement filled in: I love my Dad the best because...

(P.S. I know I said I was taking a blog break, but I couldn't stay away.)

(P.P.S. I have recently found out that there are many more of you out there reading this who don't subscribe and don't ever leave comments. I know it can feel weird to leave comments on someone else's blog, but don't. I read other blogs, and it took me a while to have the courage to actually leave a comment. I want to encourage you start subscribing or to at least leave a comment. It makes my day!)

(P.P.P.S. These are pics of my dad.)

Leaving

Hi all,

I'm going to be out of town and moving simultaneously over the next two weeks. Plus, it's the fourth of July and my sister is coming....all of that combined means I need to take a little blog break.

See you in two weeks. I promise to post pics of the house then!

Lara

To Do List

Over the next 3 weeks, I will:

1. Pack up our stuff
2. Close on the house while I'm out of town
3. Get carpets cleaned in the new house while I'm out of town
4. Have David and helpers move our stuff to the new house while I'm out of town
5. Order appliances and have them delivered
6. Clean the new house top to bottom--use sister as forced labor here
7. Unpack our stuff--use sister as forced labor here
8. Clean the old apartment
9. Have carpets cleaned in the apartment

I am choosing not to feel stressed. I will cross things off as they are done instead. This week, my goal is to just get everything possible packed into boxes/suitcases.

Addicts

Last night, David and I watched 4 episodes of the tv show "24" in a row. Now before you judge us with your noses stuck up in the air saying, "I just can't find the time to watch tv," there is something else you should know.

It is not our fault we spent like 2 hours and 40 minutes glued to the tv. We are addicts. 24 is more addictive than crack and heroine combined. If you think I'm joking or we just don't have self control, then I dare you to watch the first 2 episodes of season 1. Just try it, and see what happens. If you don't have the urge to compulsively watch the second 2 episodes on the DVD, I'll pay for your rental. However, beware if you take the challenge. You will almost certainly find yourself driving to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video at strange hours of the day because you just have to get the next DVD in the series.

Anyway, I just wanted to say, "Hi, I'm Lara, and I'm a 24 addict." I have no shame in my game.

Carrying Burdens

I listened to a podcast from Elevation Church (www.elevationchurch.org) yesterday, and one verse from the message really stuck out. The Bible says to cast all of our cares on Him because He cares for us. However in reality, most of us don't give Jesus our cares very effectively. We know the verse but just have trouble actually doing what it says. Why is that? Do we think that God doesn't really care enough to fix it? Do we think He isn't able? Do we think He doesn't hear? Maybe it is a combination of all of those things. Instead of just resting in Him, we continue to haul all of our burdens around like we're carrying 400 lb tumors. Worry, stress, and anxiety are all simply cancerous in spiritual terms. They drain away our focus, our joy, and our victory in Christ. Who would want to be a Christian like me when I don't look any better off than they are?

My challenge this week is to REALLY cast my cares on Jesus knowing assuredly that He cares for me....and then not pick up those cares anymore no matter how the situation looks.

No Mas

Well friends, I must admit. Fasting has not been my strong point....ever. Especially, now. I just don't really enjoy it. Does anyone really enjoy fasting? Well, they must be much more spiritual than me. Since being out here in CA, Pastor Mark has really helped our team with understanding about why we do spiritual disciplines like fasting. It is to focus on Jesus. I think a lot of the fasts I've done in the past have been really motivated by other things or totally unfocused altogether.

So lately, I have been eating way too much of my favorite dessert...ice cream. I am feeling the need to give it up for a while which seems inconvenient because it is just starting to get really hot here. Beginning tomorrow (I have about 1/2 pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer right now that must be polished off today), I'm saying no mas to ice cream and mas to Jesus. (Mas=more for all of you English speakers.) Pray for me....in my mind, this doesn't sound fun, but my spirit says "Let's do this."

Favorite ice cream? Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby. It is oh so delightful. What is yours?

Retirement

(Disclaimer: I really do love my job. It is a blessing for which I am very thankful. I won't be leaving it any time soon.)

I told David that after he gets a job as a police officer I am going to retire. He laughed at me. I wasn't joking. Maybe it's just me, but not working sounds like more fun than working. It would be incredible how clean my house would stay and how great the meals I could cook would be. Not to mention that I would get to do some killer workouts during the day when I have a lot of energy. Hmmm...yes, retirement is the only option. I've always thought that we do it backwards. You shouldn't have to work until you are 50 years old. We should all go out and live it up when we are young. Climb mountains, see the world, stay up late. Then when we get older, we go to work. Sounds better to me, but maybe I'll see things differently when I'm 50 :)

Secrets

I am currently entrusted with a couple of secrets from various people. I'm not talking gossip-type secrets just personal things that shouldn't be made public. What is it about knowing a secret that makes you feel good? I think it is the intimacy that someone else has told you something that is close to their heart. It is also special because you were chosen to keep that information out of everyone else that could have known it.

As much as I like knowing secrets, I hate it when someone keeps a secret from me. I just ask and ask until I get a hint or clue. Usually, this happens when someone is trying to surprise me with something. As much as I love being surprised, I don't like waiting for it. I think waiting for David to propose was the biggest challenge.

Little kids are hilarious when they know a secret because it never stays a secret for long. They don't have the filter that prevents them from talking about something even though they have been told to not talk about it. I'm still a child in this way. The better the secret, the more I want to tell it. I have learned a little self control though, so your secrets are safe with me.

Are you good at keeping secrets? If you aren't, post one in my comments! :)

Personal Space

So, I have had various experiences with a lot of different ethnicities that do the thing where they kiss on both cheeks as a greeting. I just cannot get used to it. It is always awkward and slightly embarrassing for me. I think I have a fear deep down that I'm going to miss and somehow end up kissing them on the lips. Americans shake hands. If you really know someone, it's okay to hug. Kissing is reserved for only your closest family. The bigger issue behind this kissing thing is personal space. Personal space is a value that is American to the core. Most other countries do not have this concept. One of my room mates during college had some friends from Sweden visit the U.S. for the first time. When we asked them what was different about the U.S., they said that "everything is bigger." At first I thought they were making a jab at our obesity rate, but when I followed up and asked what they meant, they said: Streets are bigger, curbs are higher, cars are bigger. (They politely didn't mention the huge portions we serve at restaurants.)

We like things big because we like our own space. Our children have their own bedrooms or at least their own beds. The bigger the house you can afford, the better regardless of whether you actually use the space. When you go to a movie, you only sit next to someone if there is no other option. Otherwise, you politely place a seat of border space in between yourself and any stranger. I have a thing where I don't like anyone to breathe in my space. I can't sleep face to face in close proximity with anyone. It feels like the air has already been used. I blame American culture for my weirdness. (Sometimes David will torture me by pinning my arms and just breathing out near my face....makes me crazy.) People hate flying on planes because you only have a tiny seat's worth of space. How else have you seen our American value of personal space manifest itself?

I want...

I know this is going to sound very selfish/western/superficial, but I don't care. I'm saying it anyway. I want some new clothes. Since moving to CA, we have been on a really tight budget. This means I have bought like 3 new articles of clothing in about a year. Right now, we are working on getting the Benz fixed, paying for a house and ALL of the costs associated with that, and putting David through the Police Academy. AKA: Our budget is tighter than ever.

All of that being said, I am really tired of everything I have to wear. I am tired of feeling out of style or style-less because I am not updating my wardrobe. I resort to wearing t-shirts most of the time because I just don't feel like putting on any of my "nice" clothes. This is probably only compounding my problem. Working from home does not help my sense of feeling bad about clothes. Most days, I work in a t-shirt and soccer shorts or something comparable. On the bad days, I wear my pj's until mid-afternoon. Even though it is great to have the flexibility of not being forced to dress up every day, it is nice to feel like you look nice. Working from home does not give me much motivation, since no one sees me.

I have given up even looking at new clothes because I know it just isn't an option. Right now, that would be a waste of money when there are so many necessary bills. I don't look at anything when I'm in the mall. I am a great bargain shopper, but my talents can't be used. It is very sad.

I think I need to find a rich friend who wants to buy me presents. Anyone know someone like that? LOL....well, maybe I'll just be patient and know that this is only a season. I am not in need of anything. That is something to be thankful for....but I really do want some new clothes.

Serious slacker

Alright all of my blog friends, I apologize. I have been a serious slacker. I know. Life has been CRAZY busy in the last month.

Here are a few updates:

Remnant--is amazing. God is adding to us every Sunday. This past Sunday was the highest attendance we have ever had (excluding our launch and Easter). We have a team of people who are committed and there every week now. That is a huge blessing because for the first few months I would hold my breath from about 9:45am-10:15am wondering who might show up. We are literally seeing lives change in ways that I have never seen in my past church experiences. We have a group of homeless people who show up weekly. After church last Sunday, one of them came up to Pastor Mark and showed Pastor his forearms. He said with a huge smile on his face, "I've been clean for 2 weeks!" We also have a man who comes every week with his wife who was the biggest meth dealer in our city. I know these seem like the dramatic cases, but it is really what God is doing! He is entrusting us with people that need real life change. He has brought us other people who were coasting in their relationships with God and are now completely sold out for Jesus. I could go on and on.....oh, one more thing. We are in a series called Cheers right now. It is all about communion. Last Sunday, we took communion for the first time as a church, and it was like you've never seen communion before. We all had shot glasses that say Remnant Church on them, and it was a huge celebration! No somber, sad communion. I encourage you to listen to the podcast at http://www.remnantloves.me/ in order to really understand what I mean.

David--getting ready to go into the Police Academy. He passed his physical tests and was accepted! This is so exciting because it is really what is in his heart to do. I am so proud of him. He has been working really hard and overtime right now to save up for the time he will be in the Academy. He is just an amazing leader.

House--in contract! We are (hopefully) in the final stages of getting our house. The picture posted with this is where we will live if everything goes well. One thing I love is that it has a huge yard. In CA, almost no one has a big yard. A lot of houses have no yard at all. I grew up with an enormous yard and a wooded lot next door. So, I can't imagine not having some space. I think we are going to have an amazing testimony when this is all said and done, but I'll save that for a later blog...I have to give you SOMETHING to come back for in the future.

Let me know what you have been doing!

Casting Stones, Washing Hands

It is funny how God will speak the same things to you through several different people or ways. Recently, I listened to a Bill Johnson message about how to deal with people who are in sinful situations. He said most people either pick up stones and judge like they did with the woman caught in the act of adultery, or they wash their hands of the situation like Pontius Pilate so that no matter what happens they end up looking righteous. Jesus reacted to people in these situations by showing mercy--not giving people the judgement they deserved. Every morning, God's mercies are new for us. I challenge you this week to drop stones you may have ready to throw, get your hands dirty, and show mercy.

House Hunting

Woohoo! David and I are house hunting....and I'm excited. I love big projects like these, and I especially love shopping. The amount of new financial information is really overwhelming, but we are starting to understand a little more of it. Thank God that the housing market crashed out here in Cali, or I doubt we would have ever been able to buy anything. A lot of houses are being priced at 30% less than last year! (One down the street from our apartments was $317,000 and is now $220,000. Talk about a clearance sale!) Great for us, bad if you bought a house last year. The prices out here are still shocking if you are from anywhere in the midwest. I guess that is the price you pay for living in beautiful Cali. I will keep ya'll updated on our progress, but we are looking with a realtor Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.

I'm a Jew

Okay, this is definitely not meant to offend any Jewish friends who may be reading.... I was talking last night with David about a particular part/practice of Christianity that I have always believed to be true and Biblical.....which he helped me to see was not so Biblical (in the New Testament at least). After talking, I realized that what I believed was part of the Old Covenant. It was Law and not grace. For some reason, I struggled and really clung to the "Law" that I thought to be true. David inadvertently compared me to the Jews of Jesus' day. They practiced what they knew to be the true way to worship and honor God. When Jesus came with grace, it was offensive. It was hard to change. Their hearts didn't rejoice because Jesus was fulfilling the Law. They mourned because they had to change. Granted, it was a change that was amazing and wonderful. They didn't see it like that. Last night, I did not see getting rid of my "Law" mindset as freeing. It was scary. I realized that in order to live by grace, you have to trust God infinitely more than if you live by the Law. You have to hear His voice much more personally. You have to be willing to give up control over what makes you righteous.

People have always asked me if I'm Jewish...I guess I have stereotypically Jewish features. Last night, I was a Jew. God speaks to me in such funny ways. If I wasn't so upset, I would have laughed.

O to the C to the D

Have you ever noticed how different people are OCD about different things? Examples: My dad counts the items he keeps in his pockets every time he gets up and is in public. (Pocket knife, money, silver dollar, etc.) My mom is obsessed with the security of our credit cards and with safety issues in general. David thinks that if you don't gargle with the nastiest version of Listerine (the orange/tan colored kind) that your mouth isn't very clean.

I know I have my share of OCD moments. They include but aren't limited to: keeping chapstick and lotion handy at all times, never getting on an airplane without a bottle of water, not touching anything--faucet, paper towel dispenser, door handle--after washing my hands in public, avoiding condiments on my sandwiches even if it means going hungry, cleaning the lint out of the lint trap in the dryer, and checking to make sure there aren't any bed bugs in my hotel rooms (this is a recent addition).

I know I should probably get over some of these things...but I haven't yet.

What are you OCD about?

Dreaming...

I think I used to dream more than I do now. I know that people say you dream every night whether you know it or not. I just used to know it more I guess. When I do dream, I have very vivid, memorable dreams.

I have two types of dreams--God dreams and random/nonsense dreams. When it is a God dream, I usually wake up immediately and know it was a God dream. The random dreams are a little fuzzier and always less memorable.

When I was little, I used to have really scary nightmares and go charging into my parents room to sleep with my mom. I would say a good percentage of those were probably about spiders.

Another weird thing about dreaming is that while you are dreaming, your body is physically paralyzed. It is something to do with that part of your sleep cycle. I have actually woken up a few times when my body didn't react quickly enough and I couldn't move. Really weird feeling.

Funny dream from the past: I dreamed that I woke up in the morning and wanted to eat some of the strawberry waffles my mom had bought. When I actually physically woke up that morning, I went downstairs to the freezer to get some of the strawberry waffles. There weren't any. I got mad at my sister because I thought she ate them all....turns out the waffles were only in my dream.

Leggo my eggo, Sara.

What are some of your funniest dreams?

Uninspired

I need some help with blog topics....what would you like to read about? If you request it, I will blog it...

Random Lara fact: I am on a kick of drinking iced chai lattes from Starbucks right now instead of coffee. Soooo tasty.

Random Lara update: I helped give the announcements yesterday at Remnant's worship experience. I actually had fun doing it...a new thing for me when speaking in front of people on a microphone.

The shine

(Let me preface this blog: I am not talking about my marriage...just thinking philosophically. David and I are in love and life is good.)

What do you do when the shine of something that was so wonderful and grand when it was new begins to wear off? What do you do when you begin to see imperfections in something that used to appear perfect? What do you do when something you were so sure about seems uncertain? Disappointment seems to creep in, but how do you prevent it? I know that some of my spiritual readers will tell me that I should only put my hope in God and not the things of this world. I understand that. Can you honestly say that you don't ever hope for/in a person, plan, or idea? I doubt it.

I have high expectations for myself. I often transfer those high hopes and expectations to outside things, people, etc. And, I am often let down.

God is my constant joy and strength. I just wish sometimes that situations were different, people were different, life was different.

Age

So much of America's culture is focused on youth and staying young....right now, looking young is actually a hard position for me. On the job, I regularly meet with Superintendents of school districts and other people who have been working in education for 20+ years. And I look young to them...very young. I realize that I look young and have to compensate with my level of professionalism and level of confidence.

I joked with one of my co-workers that I need a aging make up kit that I can pull out before important work meetings. Add some wrinkles...add some gray hair and voila! My outside will match my job....

On the other hand, I think I'd rather just impress them and let them think what they want about my age. Anyone else have unique challenges at work?

This one is for Sara....

I need to expand the variety of recipes I cook. I think God was trying to tell me this on my 25th birthday. I received 2 cookbooks from different people plus a subscription to Cooking Light. (Although I'm taking all of the recipes as a sign, I'm ignoring the insinuation behind the "Light" portion of that magazine title.)

For some reason, I have trouble with using recipes, but I'm not sure of any other way to learn. Either I don't like something that is in the recipe, I don't have all of the ingredients, or I don't want to invest the amount of time it takes to prepare the food. I am realizing now just how much time my mom must have put into feeding our family. She prepared almost every meal for us...breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Typically, I just have cereal/bananas for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and something simple for dinner. I also seem to cook like 2 big meals each week that we eat for dinner over several evenings.

With a full time (demanding) job and Remnant stuff, I'm already struggling to keep up with all of the household work. How do other women with full time jobs, outside interests, and kids make this all happen and learn to cook new meals? Any tips, advice, or quick/tasty recipes?

Learning...

I am learning what an amazing privelege it is to be humble and express my love for Jesus openly to other people....and then invite them to know Him too. I feel like it is Christianity 101...why am I just now getting it?

This one is for Ruby....

Sorry to all of my loyal blog readers...I had a crazy busy week and failed you all by not posting much. I am traveling for about an entire month straight, and truthfully, I'm kind of bummed about it. I don't like being away from David. Talking on the phone isn't the same. I am not able to really contribute to Remnant like I want when I am away because I can't invite people. Work piles up, blah, blah, blah. You get the point. A lot of negatives.

However, I am blessed with a really good job in an economy where so many people don't have work. I am choosing to focus on the positives of travel for work in this blog.

I love:

People watching in airports.

Fresh towels every day that I don't wash.

Eating off of a menu for every meal that I don't have to cook.

Watching TV in bed.

Lots of pillows on the bed.

Eating ice cream in bed while I watch TV propped up by lots of pillows.

Workout facilities just a few floors below me. (Usually used by me after the ice cream...)

Going to amazing cities--I've seen more than most people will in their entire lives.

Feeling professional.

Drinking Starbucks every day because it is bound to be a few blocks from where ever I am.

Coming home after being away.

Ruby, I promise I will try really hard to blog more consistently. It motivates me to know at least one person is reading :)

P.S. The pic is from some work travel with Ruby in Seattle. Seattle has the best people ever. And, Ruby has mad photo-taking skills. Really random I know, but it kind of fits my mood.

My birthday!

Happy 25th birthday to me! I'm a quarter of a century young today. No gray hair or wrinkles yet....So, I thought that it would be fun to think about some of my favorite birthday moments from past years.

4th birthday--(Let's be honest, I can't remember any birthday before this...) My family went to Disney World for the first time. I got a figure skater Barbie and adored her.

6th birthday--roller skating birthday party. My mom made some amazing cupcakes with home made chocolate icing and pink lettering.

10th birthday--I got my ears pierced.

all birthdays in the early teen years--sleep overs with by girls. I'm pretty sure I had amazing sleepover parties. Mom always made chocolate chip pancakes for us in the morning.

16th birthday--my friends threw a surprise party for me. My two best friends at the time made me a gift package of all of my favorite things.

19th birthday--there was an extreme blizzard in Bloomington, and my friends' cars could not even make it out of the stadium parking lot to go to dinner. So, we suited up and played in the snow at night. It turned out to be amazingly fun...

23rd birthday--All of my favorite people assembled at Casa Brava for a birthday dinner to celebrate with me

24th birthday--David and I were engaged at 1am on February 16th (although we celebrate our engagement on the 15th now). On my birthday, I got to announce to everyone that we were engaged. We had a great party at my apartment with all of our friends to announce the engagement.

What are your favorite birthday moments?

Sweet 16

All I can say is God is good. On Sunday, February 8, Remnant Church had our official launch. Our attendance goal was 100, and we had 93 people come! It was truly a day I'll never forget. Before I tell you what happened, let me tell you about the week leading up to our launch.

Over the course of the week before the launch, we:

• Gave out about 5,500 door hangers letting people know about Remnant Church. Our team covered neighborhoods and apartment complexes at all hours of the day and night, in the sun and pouring rain, and through some areas that might not have exactly been considered safe.
• Staffed a table at the mall for 1.5 days handing out information about Remnant Church
• Bought crazy amounts of sound equipment that none of us really knew how to operate
• Planned creative media and a set that churches 10 times our size might use
• Found a worship band
• Made the worship experience run from start to finish with 7 volunteers and 7 Remnant staff members--may not sound like a big accomplishment, but you try running a portable church with this many people, and then you'll understand
• Began small groups for men, women, and couples

I am sure that I'm probably forgetting some things, but that is just a sampling of the kind of hours the team put in last week. I'm so proud to be a part of Remnant Church. There is no substitute for a group of people who are totally head over heals in love with Jesus AND driven by a compelling mission. Our mission is, "So people far from God fall in love with Jesus." Every minute we worked last week was focused to see our mission accomplished.

Now for the Sunday worship experience:

We all arrived with the U-Haul pre-loaded at the movie theater by 7:00am. We immediately started unloading the truck and setting everything up. By 8:40am almost everything was set up, and we started our volunteer huddles. God was so present as we casted vision about the launch and prayed for the people coming to our worship experience and all of the details to go right. I had the privilege of honoring Remnant's first volunteer of the month, Maria, during the huddle.

At 9:15am, we started our dry run to rehearse all of the volunteer's roles and everything that would be happening up on stage with the worship band, announcements, the message, etc. By 9:30am, all of the volunteers were in place ready for our guests. We were all believing that God was going to bring the people. At 9:40am, no one was there. Then five minutes later, our first new guests began to arrive. On the inside, I was doing back handsprings or something. At least we had one new family. From there, the people just kept coming. At 9:57am, we opened the doors to the worship experience and seated everyone. Children were checked into BIG, our children's ministry. The worship band started playing, David did the welcome and announcements, and the worship band finished their set. Pastor Mark got up to preach. You can listen to the message here: http://www.remnantloves.me/pod/. I wasn't able to come into the worship experience until about half way through the message because I was busy greeting late guests, re-arranging our lobby set up, and a million other details. However when I came in, the entire theater was totally captivated as Pastor Mark preached the Word of God. It was really powerful. When he invited people to give their lives to Jesus, we knew that some people raised their hands, but none of us on staff were really able to see the entire crowd to count.

When the worship experience was over at 11:00am, we gave away free movie tickets to everyone who came. It was such a great way to bless the community, especially because I know that some of those people couldn't afford to take their families out to the movies. As the kids came out of BIG, you could tell they had a blast. They were all smiling and excited. I heard all kinds of comments like, "I'll be back next week," and "I'm bringing one of my friends next week!" Finally, we did a crazy-fast tear down because we have to be out of the theater by 11:30am.

David is the Plug-In Pastor at Remnant, so he connects with every new guest. When we got home, we looked through the connection cards and found that SIXTEEN people had checked the box on the connection card that they gave their life to Christ. 16!!!!!!!! This is so significant because all week, our focus had been, "So people far from God fall in love with Jesus." And they did.

I am so amazed and honored to be a part of Remnant Church. Thank you to everyone who has prayed, given, and supported us. Your reward is eternal.