I am not in Class Today

So, today is the first day of Autumn quarter at the University of Washington - and I am not in class.

I cannot describe how strange this feels.

Unlike many people, I actually liked school - a lot. Sure, I got tired many times and dreamed of sleeping in - which at the time 7:00am would have been sleeping in. But now that I am no longer an undergraduate student, I miss the libraries, the random people I ran into during the day, the backpack that became a part of my body, the activities on the HUB lawn. I miss the place I am so familiar with.

UW taught me to be more independent, to walk faster, to enjoy little breaks, to use my time wisely, to expand my brain in ways I didn't know I could.

I want to see Mount Rainier behind Drumheller Fountain. I want to see the trees turn orange and yellow. I want to see the cherry blossoms.

I want to go back!

Happy Birthday to My Love

My beloved husband is turning a year older today.

Happy Birthday to John!!

Just playing around, I usually ask him if he feels like an old man yet. He ALWAYS responds by saying that he is not old and reminds me that I am not old either. I am convinced he will be saying that when we are in our 90s.

I know that in reality, we are not old (yet) but time travels so fast that I can hardly keep track of the date these days. Three years ago I got to celebrate John's birthday for the first time - we were just friends at that point - and I can't believe we are now married.

Three years ago I gave John two Alaska pictures framed and singed by me - with my maiden last name.

Isn't Alaska just gorgeous?

I am sure I would never get tired of looking at these mountains.

Today, these pictures hang in our bedroom as a reminder of the place that brought us together in first place!

**In 2006, John and I signed up to be camp counselors in Alaska through the University Presbyterian Church. We started dating about 6 months later.

Since those camp days, I have become John's greatest fan and I thank God daily for giving me such a wonderful man.

Here are a list of characteristics that makes John be the unique person that he is - and I just love him for these qualities!

• He hugs with his body - this is no awkward side hug - this is a full embrace that demonstrates he cares
• His organization skills are so helpful!
• He loves God and desires to know Him more
• He has a giggle that melts my heart
• He is devoted to family and friends
• He can be brutally honest
• He is always learning something new
• He is himself no matter what

I am thrilled to celebrate one more year of life with John, and I pray for many more!

Patience: I don't have enough

I have things to say and pictures I want to post.

But, the desktop won't let me access my account and I definitely don't have the patience to rely on my very slow, 5 years old laptop.

So...maybe I'll be able to post later this week.

Changes

I realized today that I no longer like or want to do some things I used to like doing and generally wanted to do. What's up with that?

When I first got married (about 14 months ago) I was a Nazi when it came to cleaning. I cleaned every Friday as if it was my religion.

Well, I have not cleaned in more than two weeks and I still don't feel like doing it. However, I have to - the toilet is getting a pink ring around the water edge, the bathtub is no longer white and the wooden floors have foot prints all over.

I had to wash the dishtowels yesterday because they were ALL dirty.

What else has changed? Eating habits.

I now like corn - especially on the cob and I dream about green peppers. I used to hate green peppers and all the other peppers as well.

John and I made a yummy pizza yesterday and because he knows me so well, he set up the table and brought out the mayo and ketchup. Yes, I like mayo and ketchup on my pizza. Except, yesterday that didn't seem appealing at all - and for the first time ever, I ate the pizza as it was made.

I also feel like eating chocolate - but I NEVER liked chocolate before.

Ya. These are big changes for me.

Dreams

I am not quite sure why one dreams at night, and I certainly don't know how dreams work...but I pretty much dream every night.

Sometimes my dreams are full of action - like a movie.

One time (in a dream) I was in an Air Force plane and had to be ejected with a parachute because the plane was hijacked with terrorists and I (along with a group of high school friends) were responsible for protecting that information and bringing it to the American base.

I had a dream where I died and was able to watch my own funeral - and see who had come to my funeral.

Another time I dreamed that I was in Brazil - running for my life because Osama Bin Ladin was chasing me. I had to swim to a boat that was waiting to take me to a secret island.

Seriously, how do I come up with these dreams?

Two night ago I dreamed that I was sitting in the kitchen of a Hispanic family - who I don't know in real life - while the mother served me pinto beans on rice! I woke up hungry and wishing the dream was true.

Last night, I dreamed that I was pregnant. Ya. You read it right. Pregnant. It was so real that I could almost 'feel' pregnant when I woke up.

While I usually wake up and immediately tell John what my dream was about before I forget, John claims that he rarely dreams. How? Why not?

Are my dreams a result of my imagination? Then I must have a really good imagination and should probably start writing books.

Fear of the Lord

My church's home group went through a study on the 'Fear of the Lord.' In a two week series we were suppose to dive into two questions:

1. What is the fear of God?
2. Why is it important to have a healthy fear of God?

While trying to gather up my knowledge to answer these questions I realized that the bible mentions the "Fear of the Lord" again and again in different contexts.

Trying to come up with definitions for each instance was hard and I thought it was a good idea to look at the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek dictionary to better understand this topic. Not knowing what we were getting ourselves into, John and I spent hours learning about the term "Fear of the Lord" - which is present in the old and new testament. The verb to 'fear' is used over 330 times and it means actual "fear."

Here are a couple of different definitions from the Old and New testament:

• an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime
• dread
• reverence - the word carries with it a sense of being shattered, broken, dismayed, and in fear
• being terrified
• to tremble with the sense of terror
• to bristle
• fear of the presence of God

C. S. Lewis references the term "fear of the Lord" in many of his writings, but specifically describes it in his book The Problem of Pain and states that fear of the Lord is not a fear that one feels for a tiger, or even a ghost. Rather, the fear of the Lord is one filled with awe, in which you "feel wonder and a certain shrinking" or "a sense of inadequacy to cope with such a visitant of or prostration before it". It is a fear that comes forth out of love for the Lord.
Reading through the different definitions and commentaries, I realized that I have much to learn about the fear of the Lord. Living in a society where Jesus is often described as 'our homeboy,' it is easy to forget about his holiness, power and authority. We forget what is it like to be reverent and in awe of God.
So, why is it important to have a healthy fear of God?
Here are a couple of answers found in scriptures:

• Psa 111:10 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
• Psa 145:19 - He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save (rescue) them.
• Pro 10:27 - The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
• Luk 1:50 - And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
• Ecc 12:13 - Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The verses that spoke to me the most came out of Deut. 10:12-22:
"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky."
These verses help me understand that the Fear of the Lord is what brings me closer to being Christ-like. It is through obeying God, hating evil and seeking wisdom that I am able to become more intimate with God - and therefore, more like him.
I have long ways to go before I can say I fully understand what it means to Fear the Lord, but this study has brought a certain excitement to learn more about God's nature and his plan for his people.

In the Kitchen

Since I tried my mother-in-law's fabulous dinner rolls, I have been wanting to make some really bad.

What stopped me?

The fear that they were not going to turn out to be as good as the ones I tried.

Thanks to John's encouragement, I decided to make some and see what would happen. The first time was a failure. I put the rolls in the oven and thought I had enough time to take a shower.

I was wrong.

The rolls were clearly overcooked and I got so sad I almost cried. I know this may sound dramatic, but I had built up this excitement and expectation - only to to find out that what I had made was far from the delicious, melt in your mouth rolls.

John, being the wonderful husband that he is, encouraged me to just try it again. I hesitantly agreed to give it another try - just one more time.

The results?

Splendid!!!

I ended up making 24 rolls that were rapidly consumed at our family vacation.

rolls after rising for an hour

butter and garlic glaze

overcooked rolls

try number 2 - perfect and ready to be eaten

I thought these were so good that I want to try baking different kinds of breads. We'll see what happens.