Back in May I traveled to Ohio for the nuptials of this adorable couple. "Emmy" was 2 and I was 15 when they moved in next door to our family in Seattle. It has been a total privilege to watch this precious girl grow into a lovely young woman who loves God with all her heart and soul. She is beautiful inside and out. Although I don't know her new hubby very well, I know enough about him to be convinced that these two are perfectly matched.

Emily has been on staff with "h2o"--a college ministry on the campus of Kent State University. Following their wedding, Jake joined forces with her to reach, not only college students, but their "retirement community" as well. I just received their monthly newsletter and it was heartwarming. I just had to share it with you all. I am humbled and awed by how God is using these two willing servants to love people with his unconditional love. And what a difference they are making. Wow. I'm so proud of her I could just pop.

Here's an excerpt from her email:

As most of you know, Jake and I live in a retirement community situated across the street from Kent State. We absolutely love living here. We love talking with people who have experienced so much in life. Take Ed for instance: Ed is in his mid 80s, having just celebrated his 62nd wedding anniversary with the "girl of his dreams", Mim. Every time we talk with him, he has so many neat things to say about life and what he has learned. I adore him, and I'm always grateful for the times we are able to talk outside in our parking lot.

Then there's Ethel. As we made our way to our car a couple days ago, Ethel waved to us. She waved and beckoned for us to come to her. She looked at me and said, "Hi, I have met your husband, but haven't met you. I'm Ethel." I gave her my name and she said, "I just have to tell you, I really love your porch; you have such beautiful flowers, and it's nice to see some color up there. It really is beautiful." I can't explain it, but there was a longing for something in her voice and I also felt like perhaps she's touched by Jake and I.

As soon as we parted ways, I felt God speak to my heart. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 came to mind. It says, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowlege of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." I really felt like God was reminding me of the life, beauty and love He produces through us for others to see. Our love for Christ and how we love one another, can evoke many emotions and feelings in others. I'm not sure if this is what happened to Ethel, but our interaction was a sweet reminder of how much Christ loves His creation, and wants to reach us. As we live among those in our retirement community--those who understand their mortality--and as we work on a college campus with many young people who believe themselves to be invincible, we are reminded of Christ's heart for all to know Him!

Keep loving them, you two. You are making a difference!

"This is Kelli from 'ABC Title Company' calling to let you know that your the sale of your home has officially closed and is recorded at the courthouse." I had no idea that such a simple message would have brought a flood of tears and emotion. We had signed the closing documents the previous day but, knowing we still had six weeks to move out, I hadn't given it much thought. Until today. I walked back in the house with a different set of eyes. No longer would I take Millie on our morning walk on the beautiful trail or watch my boys scurry off to school on their bikes along that same trail. My kitchen island, which has served as the background for so many heart-to-heart conversations will soon belong to another family. My basement (or the 'testosterone dungeon' as I sometimes refer to it) was no longer a room I avoided but somewhere I wanted to hang out with my kids. My backyard --which is miniscule and backs up to a busy road--felt huge and beautiful and peaceful. Suddenly, everything I disliked about this house had become so sentimental.

Five years is more than enough time to become attached. Even to something you're not that fond of. Although I KNOW God has a perfect place for our family it's still hard to say good-bye to four walls full of memories. Even though I always knew in my heart we wouldn't settle here forever, I still "nested" and made it a home. And even though it technically belonged to the bank, I still thought of it as OUR HOME.

Yesterday as I sat here crying out to God for peace and direction, an email popped up in my inbox from a dear friend who walked a similar path in the Spring. Here's the most important part of her message:

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." ~ Isaiah 43:19

"But for now, dear servant Hope, listen— yes, you, my dear daughter, my personal choice. God who made you has something to say to you; the God who formed you in the womb wants to help you. Don't be afraid, dear servant Hope, the one I chose. For I will pour water on the thirsty ground and send streams coursing through the parched earth. I will pour my Spirit into your descendants and my blessing on your children.They shall sprout like grass on the prairie, like willows alongside creeks. This one will say, 'I am God's,' and another will go by the name Jacob; That one will write on his hand 'God's property'— and be proud to be called Israel." ~Isaiah 44:1-5

I am holding on these promises. For in spite of how I "feel" in this "desert" time, I know I can trust that He who has made these promises is faithful.

As all of our moms always said, "when one door closes, another one opens." Cheesy? Yes. Simple? Yes. True? Absolutely!

Last Friday we attempted to take one last camping trip before summer ends. The plan was for me and five (yes, five) boys to head up to our favorite primitive spot on the river, about an hour away. It was a feat in and of itself to survive the trip up there with six of us, the gear and the dog crammed into about 25 square feet. As we turned onto the Forest Service Road you couldn't miss the huge red and yellow signs announcing a burn ban. UGH! It had rained a ton all week and the ground was still quite wet so this caught us by surprise. Trey joined us a few hours later and we unanimously decided that no one wanted to camp without a campfire. We came home unpacked, and crashed around midnight, only to be awakened by what sounded like a huge cat fight. We didn't think anything of it and went back to sleep.

Saturday morning, on his way back from Starbucks (the best part of not camping), Trey saw a huge dead racoon on the side of the road. Turns out it wasn't a cat fight we heard, but a collision of a car and "Rocky". The boys heard him telling me about the mishap and immediately concocted a plan --which you can see below. Is that hilarious or what? Gotta love those middle schoolers.

• Do what is right. Not what is easy.
• Don't confuse a want with a need.
• Love people. Use things. Never confuse the two.
• Live your life so the preacher doesn't have to lie at your funeral.
• Keep your word.
• Never burn a bridge. Just shut it down for renovations for a while.
• Don't be afraid to be different.
• Put the peanut butter on the bread before the jelly.
• Respect those below you. You never know when they will be your boss.
• My sweet great-grandma used to say to us, "Live through it or die from it--you choose.
• Always keep your gas tank half-full.
• Don't worry about what you don't have. Be grateful for what you do have.
• When raising young kids, remember: The days are long but the years are short.
• Don't ever regret growing older. Many don't have that privilege.
• Remember that every expert was once a beginner.
• Maintain a valid passport. You never know when a new adventure might happen.

I'm not a loyal follower of college football but I happen to live with a few people of the male persuasion who are. So I guess, by osmosis, I've learned that ACC, SEC, and Pac-10 all have something to do with the subject. Beyond that I'm clueless.

During last year's national championship game, the camera was all over the Florida Gator's quarterback. Being that we are Florida State fans, (sorry all you Gators out there) I was kind of bugged that they kept making a big deal out of this guy. I heard the announcers mention his Heisman trophy nomination and I figured he was another candidate who would get drafted in the first round, not live up to his potential--or get injured-- never to be heard from again. But then I noticed the black smudges under his eyes. They weren't the typical marks that most players paint on to deflect the sunlight. This kid had some words and numbers on his that I couldn't quite make out on the TV screen. I asked my hubby about it and learned it was the bible verse Phillipians 4:13 which reads "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Now that takes some "you- know-whats" to write Scripture on your face for the entire nation to see. (Pun intended.) I longed to know more about this guy.

In the past week, three different stories on Tim Tebow have made their way into our house. I learned very quickly that this is a young man who "walks his talk". The first article was a newspaper clipping Mimi sent to the boys from the front page of the Florida Times-Union sports' section. Here's an excerpt:

Needless to say, the attention just intensified when Tebow arrived, with seemingly no topic off limits. During a radio interview Thursday, Tebow was asked whether he's waiting until marriage to have sex, to which he responded, "Yes, I am."
When another reporter couldn't find the right words for a follow-up, Tebow interjected, "I think you're stunned right now. You can't even ask a question. ... I was ready for that question, but I don't think y'all were." I love it!

The next day, Ian's Sports Illustrated Kids arrived with none other than Mr. Tebow gracing the front cover. The magazine's center pages focused on the quarterback's two national championship titles and a brief mention about his faith. I was hoping for a little more depth but I had to remind myself that the readership only spans the ages of 8 to 12.

This afternoon, the boys and I were perusing through the "free magazine" section at our local library where they added last week's Sports Illustrated issue to the stack. Inside Quinn discovered a feature story titled: "You Gotta Love Tim Tebow". It must be killing these reporters that they can't find any dirt on this guy--and you know they've tried. SI's Austin Murphy focused on the work Tebow does off the football field. On the day Sports Illustrated followed him, this stellar young man was spending the evening at a prison on Lawtey, Florida. "It's one of my favorite things to do, Tebow said during the drive, making it sound as if he were bound for Disney World rather than this razor-wire-ribboned stalag 35 miles northeast of Gainesville. 'You're talking to guys who have no hope, no support, who have been totally written off by the world'." Is he for real??? Not only is this guy well-respected by his team but his lifetstyle of selflessness and compassion carries over to his coaches and fellow players. "Even as the football program has suffered an embarrassing string of arrests, the number of hours players devote to charitable causes has dramatically increased. 'Our community service hours are off the charts, says Meyer (a UF coach), who describes his quarterback's influence on the team as 'phenomenal'.......It had begun to prey on Meyer's conscience that he luxuriated on a cruise ship or sat on a beach while his starting quarterback spent his vacation working in a Filipino slum. Thus did the Meyer clan sign on for six days of servitude in the Dominican--and ended up loving it." Murphy interjected his own opinion into the middle of the story: "Having covered Tim for three years, I would say he's the most effective ambassador-warrior for his faith I've come across in 25 years at SI." You go, Tim!

OK, I'm sold. In a day when college sports players are becoming as unethical as their professional counterparts, it's easy to be jaded and cynical. Thank you, Tim Tebow, for giving hope to the next generation (and their parents) keeping their eyes on you. I'm glad that your eyes are looking above and beyond yourself.