Alright, after a couple of weeks of praying and keeping a secret I can finally announce what I've been thinking and praying about for a while.......I'm officially the Director of Youth Ministries at First United Methodist Church of Joshua, Texas.
When God starts opening doors of opportunity, you better walk through them! This entire situation presented itself about two weeks ago and it's definitely a "God thing" because the turnaround time was really quick. Kim presented the church with her resignation (so sad - we're going to miss you, Kim!!!!) and I said, "here I am, Lord." So......here I am!
This morning's church services were AWESOME - - kudos Rev. Lara for her message and Christine for the music. Two of my all-time favorite hymns are "How Great Thou Art" and "Here I Am, Lord" - and we sang both of them today! I felt so moved by the Holy Spirit and such peace that this decision is exactly where I need to be in my life right now. It's an amazing feeling, I highly recommend this personal relationship with Jesus.....it's a really cool thing!!!
Genesis Youth Group members: You're all wonderful and awesome and so welcoming! Your smiles and greetings were so appreciated this morning and your hospitality is second to none. To top off my blessed day, you gave me a card with personal notes and sentiments that I will keep forever. I'm so incredibly excited about this journey we're beginning and I pray God will bless all of us on this adventure as we experience His Word through group meetings and mission trips and other special events. I'm so proud of FUMC-Joshua and I'm especially proud to be a part of Genesis, the youth group at FUMC-Joshua. You are a great group of young people.
Peace and love,
Nicole
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Easter Weekend 2010
****The tomb is empty...JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE!****
This past week has been filled with grief and guilt, but because the tomb where Jesus was buried is empty, I am filled with the love and grace of God because He lives!!! Jesus Christ is risen, he's alive.
The celebration of Easter, along with Christmas Eve, is my favorite time of year and worship service at church. The older I get, and as I mature in my faith, the more I understand the significance of the spiritual event that took place at the Passover, on the cross, and inside that tomb.
FUMC-Joshua observed Holy Week with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services and then celebrated the resurrection of Christ with sunrise services today, Easter Sunday. This was the first Easter sunrise service I had attended in Joshua, and it was beautiful. The youth did a fantastic job leading worship and performing the Easter story; they are a talented group of young adults.
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It's definitely springtime in Texas...the trees and flowers are blooming, the temperatures are rising, and allergy-sufferers are miserable! I have environmental allergies (dust, pollen, etc.) along with food allergies, but this year's weather has been especially wet and windy causing pollen counts to be at extreme levels. Thank goodness for Claritin and Benadryl!!!!!
Cameron enjoyed hunting for Easter eggs at the church yesterday (Saturday); he was a trooper waiting his turn too. The older groups went first while the young children went last. Later in the afternoon, Cameron helped Uncle Kebbie haul hay and feed into the barn with the tractor.
What a wonderful weekend filled with friends and family and great times of celebration. Now, if I could just get rid of these awful allergies........
This past week has been filled with grief and guilt, but because the tomb where Jesus was buried is empty, I am filled with the love and grace of God because He lives!!! Jesus Christ is risen, he's alive.
The celebration of Easter, along with Christmas Eve, is my favorite time of year and worship service at church. The older I get, and as I mature in my faith, the more I understand the significance of the spiritual event that took place at the Passover, on the cross, and inside that tomb.
FUMC-Joshua observed Holy Week with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services and then celebrated the resurrection of Christ with sunrise services today, Easter Sunday. This was the first Easter sunrise service I had attended in Joshua, and it was beautiful. The youth did a fantastic job leading worship and performing the Easter story; they are a talented group of young adults.
The sun finally peaked through the clouds at the conclusion of the Sunrise Service, it was a beautiful sight this morning praising God and celebrating the Risen Lord ~ this is the real meaning of Easter!
This precious 'Scotty' enjoyed Sunrise Service with us; he belongs to someone who lives in the apartment across the street from FUMC-Joshua. He was precious; and kept my feet warm too!
It's definitely springtime in Texas...the trees and flowers are blooming, the temperatures are rising, and allergy-sufferers are miserable! I have environmental allergies (dust, pollen, etc.) along with food allergies, but this year's weather has been especially wet and windy causing pollen counts to be at extreme levels. Thank goodness for Claritin and Benadryl!!!!!
Cameron enjoyed hunting for Easter eggs at the church yesterday (Saturday); he was a trooper waiting his turn too. The older groups went first while the young children went last. Later in the afternoon, Cameron helped Uncle Kebbie haul hay and feed into the barn with the tractor.
Cameron lounged beneath an oak tree waiting his turn for the Easter egg hunt.
CANDY!!!!!!
Cameron driving 'Uncle Kebbie' around on the tractor; he's a good driver too!
I'm not sure who's having more fun, Cameron or 'Uncle Kebbie'
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
*A*N*N*I*V*E*R*S*A*R*Y*
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Decision-making 101: I've made my decision....and my decision is "YES!"
Have you ever had to make a really important decision? A decision that would not only impact you, but your spouse, your family and friends, and others to whom you're not related?
I've made a decision to pursue something. My decision is "yes." I think God is leading me in the direction of His will; toward doors that are opening with specific purpose. This is driven by the Holy Spirit, there's no other way to explain it.
I've made a decision to pursue something. My decision is "yes." I think God is leading me in the direction of His will; toward doors that are opening with specific purpose. This is driven by the Holy Spirit, there's no other way to explain it.
Depend on the Lord, and he will take care of you. Psalm 37:5
One year ago this month, I took a tremondous 'leap of faith' to pursue a career in education. Today, I am qualified to teach English, Language Arts and Reading, and Social Studies in grades 4-8; a frequently requested substitute teacher; and employed as an 8th grade reading tutor at a nearby middle school. Professionally, life's pretty good...if I could just get that full-time teaching contract!.
Our wedding day - 03.31.07
Personally, my life is beyond blessed. I will celebrate three wonderful years of marriage to the love of my life, Kevin, on Wednesday. I have incredible friends, and I consider them all to be family. Neama and Stephanie's son, Cameron, turned two last week; he was the best one-year anniversary present I could have ever received. His hugs fill my soul and he melts my heart when he says Uncle Kebbie. He really is the cutest kid in the world!
Kimberly and I sip Shirley Temples and solve the world's problems; we both want to make a positive impact and that includes eliminating the 'stupid' and 'tacky' factor. Thanks to Rev. L's desire for an organic garden and eliminate-the-less-than-industrial-and-boring wall color in her office, I've discovered my dirt hauling and painting skills are way-above-average. However, my OCD-ness tend to surface excessively when it comes to paint lines and blue tape.
I created an online community and Facebook group, Busy Woman's Book Club, for friends, family, colleagues, and those who just want to read good stories and participate in regular discussions. I'm looking forward to the adventures of discussing books and general life topics with such a diverse group of women. And, it gives me an excellent excuse to spend even more time (and money!) at the bookstore.
Cameron and 'Aunt Co' - 03.20.10
Spiritually, I am growing and maturing in my faith. I am becoming more aware of small things, moments of miracles, that cause me to catch my breath and express thanks and gratitude to my Heavenly Father. I have very special and dear friends - I like to call them mentors of faith - at First United Methodist Church of Joshua. I appreciate their hugs, handshakes, laughs, and fine examples of what it truly means to be a Christian. I feel empowered by them all, to become greater and serve others better.
Two weeks ago, I submitted application materials to become a Hunger Justice Leader with Bread for the World, a Christian organization dedicated to supporting legislature to end hunger and poverty in the United States. I am deeply moved by this organization's mission, and encouraged to serve the community in whatever means possible. If selected, I will join other Hunger Justice Leaders in Washington D.C. for a four-day advocacy training workshop. Again, doors of opportunity that I did not know existed have opened. I appreciate Rev. L's introduction to this community program and Dr. Bob Holloway for his letter of recommendation from the Fort Worth District of the United Methodist Church. It's not everyday you get a personal letter from the District Superintendent. He is a great guy and the greatest fan of chocolate I know!!!!!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: to whom much is given, much is expected. Next week is Easter, a time of celebrating Christ's resurrection and a rebirth for ourselves. During this Season of Lent, I pray that God will pour his renewing Spirit in all of us; that we will become the people that He created us to be.
If a door opens, I will boldly walk through it with unwavering faith. I am walking...boldly...and with faith that God is with me always.
Grace,
Nicole
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
101 Daily Pleasures (from Yahoo!)
- coloring (yes, grown-ups can do it, too)
- crisp cotton sheets
- soft skin
- old family recipes
- the first daffodils of spring
- sleeping in
- an exercise endorphin high
- window boxes
- a perfect cup of coffee
- a genuine compliment (giving or receiving)
- the way babies smell
- a handwritten letter
- waking up in a good mood...for no real reason
- singing in the shower
- finding a couple forgotten dollars in your pocket
- doing something nice for your neighbor
- a home cooked meal
- laughing
- movie theater popcorn
- playing hookey
- a bubble bath
- swimming
- an afternoon nap
- street musicians
- your favorite song
- saying thank you
- helping someone in need
- old fashioned photo booths
- fresh whipped cream
- inspiring blogs
- a glass of wine
- rainy afternoons
- the funny things kids say
- a novel you can get lost in
- finding the perfect piece of clothing...on sale
- clean laundry
- the wind in your hair
- treating the person behind you at the drive-thru
- sharing an umbrella
- the smell of lavender
- a long walk that clears your head
- a bear hug
- The Beatles
- smiling at a stranger
- eating with chopsticks (Chinese food optional)
- butterflies
- staying in your pj's all day
- singing along to the radio and knowing all the words
- fresh herbs
- ordering in pizza
- happy endings...even if they're fictional
- flying a kite
- puppies
- root beer floats
- holding open the door...
- ...or having someone hold the door for you
- fountain soda
- white, fluffy towels
- sunshine
- spending an afternoon at a museum
- really great advice
- green lights all the way home
- the sound of rain hitting the windows
- sitting in a booth
- holding hands
- a great hair day with no effort
- building a fort with your kids
- when someone falls asleep with their head on your shoulder
- fireflies
- the perfect taco
- geraniums on a windowsill
- slow dancing
- the smell of fresh-baked bread
- cheesy, uplifting musicals
- great stories
- the smell of gasoline
- the cold side of the pillow
- love letters
- old friends...
- ...new friends
- a pull-through parking space
- a baguette -- crisp on the outside, airy on the inside
- when a dog licks your hand
- sitting at the counter at an old-fashioned diner
- using your favorite dishes
- reading your child a bedtime story
- Girl Scout Cookies
- flossing
- kissing someone you love
- the smell of onions and garlic cooking
- hot chocolate
- jumping in puddles
- old photographs
- birds hopping on the sidewalk
- Ella Fitzgerald
- a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar
- your softest t-shirt
- a new magazine in the mail
- fireplaces
- having exact change
- bacon and pancakes cooking on Saturday morning
Friday, March 19, 2010
Laundry - it never, ever, EVER ends!!!!! - a case of cow manure - and a sunny day in North Texas
Housework......it never, EVER ends!
I have sooo much I should be doing right now, but it's so peaceful and quiet and nice just to sit here and watch some March Madness basketball and hang out with my husband. The kitchen was a disaster this morning, beyond embarassing. I had to unload the dishwasher before I could re-load it with another full set of dirty dishes, handwashed pots and pans, and scrubbed the countertops. The dining room table is still not clear or set for tomorrow evening's dinner.
Seriously, whose laundry/utility room looks this perfect? Definitely not mine! Our utility rooms looks like a war zone, a shoe store, a hardware store, and a clothing outlet. If you ever need anything, just look in that room. I've done two loads of laundry and have at least two more to go. Kevin roped last night while I was painting at the church and came home with lots of cow sh*t, I'll use manure instead. At one point in the night, Kevin's rope got the steer's two back feet and it's tail, which was covered in manure. When Kevin re-coiled his rope, he got covered in manure and it landed on his jeans and shirt. Later, when he had unsaddled Blue and was getting ready to come home, he went to change his boots and stepped in a nice pile of manure with his bare, sock-covered foot. Needless to say, I soaked his jeans before putting them in the washer and I gladly tossed the socks in the garbage!
It's the end of my Spring Break and Kevin had today off too. What a beautiful, sunny day. We slept in (which was very nice) and did some errand-running. We ate lunch at Firehouse Subs - mmm mmm good! - then went to Tractor Supply, Lowe's, feed store, and to the sub-courthouse to pay vehicle registration. Tomorrow is supposed to be a different story: highs in the mid-30s and a chance of snow. SERIOUSLY!!!! Texas weather should be considered a "World Wonder" because it can literally change from one extreme to another. Crazy stuff.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Random Updates........shoveling a bunch of dirt, directory is nearly complete, a visit with Prego-Mama-to-Be Lindsey, more painting, and a quick visit with Cameron
This week is Spring Break and I have yet to 'break' from any activity - but that's how I like my life! Here's just a few updates on random parts of my life that I want to share with anyone who's listening:
Please pray for my friends Lindsey and Matt Williams, and their unborn daughter, Avery. Lindsey was put on strict bed rest orders from Dr. W after she started having continuous contractions. She's had multiple visits to the emergency room and NICU, but she's home and resting comfortably and keeping the stress down. To help with the situation and to keep her mind off the obvious, I took her a bag full of books for her to read in the next couple of weeks. However, she's breezed through the books she had so I might have to make a weekly book drive-by at the Williams' residence! Anything for them though, they are dear friends and I keep Lindsey, Matt, Avery, and their entire family in my prayers. I am excited to meet Miss Avery, but I do not want to meet her just yet - she needs to "cook" several more weeks!!!!
The church directory is nearly complete (hallejuah!) except for a couple adjustments to the roster of names and addresses. The First United Methodist Church of Joshua has suffered several deaths the past couple of weeks and there is another funeral this Friday. Unfortunately I did not know any of the people who have passed, but they were part of the FUMC-J family, so they're part of my family too. Hopefully the directory is on the road to its final production.
Speaking of church family, I've had a BLAST with Rev. L the past couple of days. We went to northeast Fort Worth on Saturday for two yards of dirt - if you don't know how much that is, it's a BUNCH!!!! - for her garden in the backyard. We had way too much dirt left, so we filled every flower pot we could find. At the end, we resorted to big coolers to store the dirt. Too funny. We were so sore at the beginning of this week, neither one of us could hardly move. All in good fun. This morning (Wednesday) I went to the church to help Rev. L begin painting her office. The space has an array of colors but the pale sage green she chose is perfect. I'm not sure of the exact color name, but I really like it. I never thought I would say this, but: I really enjoy painting - and my tape lines are awesome!!!!
When I left Lindsey's house I decided - since I was in the neighborhood - to drop by and see Stephanie and Cameron. Steph was busy painting the upstairs bedrooms. Neama and Steph have recently bought a new home and are preparing their current home to put on the market. My hat's off to Stephanie, she has a gift for home decor but when it comes to de-personalizing a space to sell, she's a professional! I hardly recognized the place when I walked in the door. Granted they are painting and hauling loads of stuff to storage, but they're working their tails off. Cameron was still at daycare when I got there, so I got into one of their vehicles with a carseat and went to get my Peanut, or Little Britches. I walked into the classroom and Cameron comes running at me with his hands raised, yelling, "Uncle Kebbie! Uncle Kebbie!" Ummm, no. Sorry it's just me, Aunt Co. That little stinker!!!!!
My body cannot get adjusted to the new time - we turned our clocks up an hour last weekend and I'm dragging. I started a couple more books this week too: "Little Bee" for an online book club I've joined and "Honeymoon With My Brother." Both are great books, completely different, but wonderful reads. I need to get my journal out, I haven't written - handwritten - anything in a long while. But I guess that's what this blog is for!!!!
Another day of painting at the church tomorrow. Peace and love to you.
Nicole
Please pray for my friends Lindsey and Matt Williams, and their unborn daughter, Avery. Lindsey was put on strict bed rest orders from Dr. W after she started having continuous contractions. She's had multiple visits to the emergency room and NICU, but she's home and resting comfortably and keeping the stress down. To help with the situation and to keep her mind off the obvious, I took her a bag full of books for her to read in the next couple of weeks. However, she's breezed through the books she had so I might have to make a weekly book drive-by at the Williams' residence! Anything for them though, they are dear friends and I keep Lindsey, Matt, Avery, and their entire family in my prayers. I am excited to meet Miss Avery, but I do not want to meet her just yet - she needs to "cook" several more weeks!!!!
The church directory is nearly complete (hallejuah!) except for a couple adjustments to the roster of names and addresses. The First United Methodist Church of Joshua has suffered several deaths the past couple of weeks and there is another funeral this Friday. Unfortunately I did not know any of the people who have passed, but they were part of the FUMC-J family, so they're part of my family too. Hopefully the directory is on the road to its final production.
Speaking of church family, I've had a BLAST with Rev. L the past couple of days. We went to northeast Fort Worth on Saturday for two yards of dirt - if you don't know how much that is, it's a BUNCH!!!! - for her garden in the backyard. We had way too much dirt left, so we filled every flower pot we could find. At the end, we resorted to big coolers to store the dirt. Too funny. We were so sore at the beginning of this week, neither one of us could hardly move. All in good fun. This morning (Wednesday) I went to the church to help Rev. L begin painting her office. The space has an array of colors but the pale sage green she chose is perfect. I'm not sure of the exact color name, but I really like it. I never thought I would say this, but: I really enjoy painting - and my tape lines are awesome!!!!
When I left Lindsey's house I decided - since I was in the neighborhood - to drop by and see Stephanie and Cameron. Steph was busy painting the upstairs bedrooms. Neama and Steph have recently bought a new home and are preparing their current home to put on the market. My hat's off to Stephanie, she has a gift for home decor but when it comes to de-personalizing a space to sell, she's a professional! I hardly recognized the place when I walked in the door. Granted they are painting and hauling loads of stuff to storage, but they're working their tails off. Cameron was still at daycare when I got there, so I got into one of their vehicles with a carseat and went to get my Peanut, or Little Britches. I walked into the classroom and Cameron comes running at me with his hands raised, yelling, "Uncle Kebbie! Uncle Kebbie!" Ummm, no. Sorry it's just me, Aunt Co. That little stinker!!!!!
My body cannot get adjusted to the new time - we turned our clocks up an hour last weekend and I'm dragging. I started a couple more books this week too: "Little Bee" for an online book club I've joined and "Honeymoon With My Brother." Both are great books, completely different, but wonderful reads. I need to get my journal out, I haven't written - handwritten - anything in a long while. But I guess that's what this blog is for!!!!
Another day of painting at the church tomorrow. Peace and love to you.
Nicole
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