Tag Archives: Love

Sufferin’ Succotash

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It’s Friday and usually I round-up the week with a little summary of what went down this past week with Jennifer Fulwiler and her peeps @ Conversion diary, however, it seems I’ve been doing plenty o’ whining about my week all week-long.  This Friday is a little different version…..because amidst all my moaning this week I’ve had a lot on my heart and prayers going up for various friends.  Tonight, in the midst of our evening routine a good friend emailed me great news regarding some prayers answered.  It was a reminder that suffering, though inevitable, often brings great changes.  This week I’ve been praying a lot and chewing on suffering.  We don’t always find out the “why” but when we realize that this life is temporary and accept that God CAN and DOES use all things to His glory, we can manage through a little bit easier until we gaze upon that which is eternal.  hopefully.  generally easier said than done.

  • In suffering we become more empathetic toward others, realizing we all have a cross to bear, none heavier than the other.
  • In suffering we are given the opportunity to open up and allow others in because we aren’t meant to carry our burdens alone.
  • In suffering we have a choice, to be bitter and let the weight of the world crush our shoulders or accept and let our suffering bring us to a healing relationship in Christ.
  • In suffering we are often begin to see more clearly the difference between what is useful and necessary and that which is excessive and confusing.
  • In suffering we prioritize the important and (hopefully) adjust our sails accordingly to tweak our actions to match our priorities.
  • In suffering we step out in faith.
  • In suffering we receive grace.

Whatever cross you bear, may you be fully comforted in the Truth and Joy that comes in a Savior that died for us so that we may be received into heaven freed from the suffering that comes in this life.  Be blessed.  Be encouraged.  You.  ARE.  Loved.

Psalm 66:10  For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.

Psalm 94:12  Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law.

Isaiah 55:9  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Romans 8:18  I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Romans 12:12  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Revelation 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:  for the former things are passed away.

Life giving friendships

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These girls, ladies, women, amazing friends and sisters in Christ.  They’ve been an integral thread in my life for a dozen years.  We met during a women’s retreat at our parish and many of our husbands participated in the men’s retreat that took place after ours.  Our retreat group was probably twice this size after formation, but this group……THIS group struck a bond.  A bond that went beyond formation and providing the next retreat.  A bond strengthened over bible studies, rosaries, dinners and desserts.  In spite of busy lives and season changes, we’ve managed to stick together, each taking a piece of the other’s heart so that we are all forever sisters regardless of distance and life’s plans for us.  These are life giving friends.

This picture captures a rare moment of togetherness recently,  and marks the move of one friend and her family to Washington D.C.  The fact that we were ALL able to make the dinner (with school over and summer ON, one with laryngitis, one leaving the next day with her husband and 6 kiddos on vacation, myself being 4 hours away, and one with a newborn) was an amazing accomplishment in itself–on a Wednesday night no less!  It was a bittersweet dinner (saying goodbye is NEVER easy) however, we were ALL able to take turns “catching up” in a roundtable discussion and enjoy each other’s company, laughing at stories and enjoying super delicious food, too–BONUS!

12 years brings much opportunity for prayer, encouragement, hope, love and comfort.  What a blessing in these friendships, an abundant harvest resulting from following the prompting of our Lord to attend a weekend retreat.

These friendships are a tapestry of prayer and God reveals the image one story at a time.  Through the years He’s weaved that tapestry through praying for one another and sharing in each other’s lives.

Prayers for struggling marriages and praises for God’s gift of forgiveness, compromise, commitment, and strength in fighting through the challenges and the fruit of  healed hearts.

Prayers for babies born and unborn and praises for those who took their sweet, sweet time.

Prayers for being open to life  and praises for the many varied gifts of life in this culture of death.

Prayers for children’s health, novenas for treatment and praises in God’s gift of talented physicians, compassionate nurses and a network of prayer warriors storming heaven.

Prayers for children lost in the sea of peer pressure and hurt as they spread their wings and fly solo, praises for God’s path and the gift of  healing through angels on earth who allow the Holy Spirit to form their words and gently redirect their path.

Prayers for the unfairness of cancer and all the promises it robs, praises for the power of prayer, God’s will and the promises of His plan far exceeding our own.

Prayers for guidance and advice in the ongoing vocation of motherhood and marriage, and praises for God’s wisdom and love provided through friends as we all weave our families through this obstacle course of life.

Prayers through job loss and financial struggles and praises for jobs found, opportunities presented a faith to step out of comfort zones into Trust.

Prayers throughout a family’s prison ordeal and praises for a family restored.

Prayers for friends who move away and praises for the unexpected gifts received in stepping out in love and hope.

Prayers spoken, fears whispered, tears shed, hope restored, love shared, faith renewed.  Prayer warriors and lifetime friends.  A bond not weakened by distance.  A bond strengthened through prayer, sharing, love and faith.

Thank you, Lord for the gift of friends.  I am truly blessed.

Proverbs 11:14 

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

For more on friendship Scripture check here…

I think I can, I think I can….

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Just thought I’d take a little break from moving 3 years of blogs over with 4 days left…..however, I am only down to the last 3 months and I just finished the annual May blog-a-palooza, so it should go quickly from here (in theory).Since I am usually BURNED out after May I don’t blog too much for a bit, although last year was pretty intense from May on so I may have had lots to share…..either way, I hear the Rocky theme in my head and I’ve got this!!!  Just.  Three.  More.  Months.  ADRIANNE!!!!!

We had a little storm this week, starting Sunday and today, actually this evening, the skies FINALLY began to clear.  See above photo.  In celebration of sunshine, I opted out of boot camp and opted in for a brisk walk around the neighborhood with our youngest while big sis was at soccer, Dad was running at the soccer fields, our oldest was skating and our youngest son was bike riding with my nephew.  We weren’t going stir crazy at all……

I’m off to bed…two stinky nights of interrupted sleep, I’m ready to SLEEP the whole night through!!!  I hope….

Friday is my favorite day….

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Good morning, Friday!!!

Friday.  A beautiful sound.  Even in summer.  Especially if you work all summer.  Friday. Ahhhhh.

Wrapping it up for the week with Jen and friends @ Conversion Diary….check ’em out!

1.   After taking the girls to their annual physical last week, it was time for “The Talk” with our oldest girl.  God provided a window and it went so well.  She was very attentive.  Lots of good questions.  Phew!

2.  GREAT workout week.  Gym @ lunch twice already and boot camp twice.  I even managed to somehow still walk after endless varieties of lunges and squats around an entire block.  (OK, maybe not a REAL block, but a HUGE parking lot!!!

3.  Our garden is huge!!! Who knew Hubby had such a  green thumb.  We have so many tomatoes that I am making homemade salsa this weekend….I even found my recipe!!!

4.  I’m mid-process of moving my old blog from apple’s iWeb over to wordpress….8 days left….2 years to go….I think I can, I think I can!!!  It’s crazy to think as user-friendly as apple is (for the most part) that they didn’t give more thought to helping people move their blogs more EASILY since they weren’t going to continue their service….I’ll continue to cut and paste, cut and paste, cut and paste!!!

5.  Hubby got our youngest to the eye doctor and she’ll be sporting some specs…she’s thrilled….thankfully vision insurance will foot some of the price tag….OUCH!  Eyes are important though!

6.  Great date night with my Hubby this week for dinner out.  Something about an uninterrupted conversation and finishing a thought……interesting concept, we must explore this more often!

7.  I finally managed to get my morning time adjusted to summer and made it to work ON TIME the last 2 days……phew!  Hate cutting my lunch short to adjust time.  GRRRR…

Happy Weekend, now head on over to Conversion Diary!!  😉

Sleepy cat!!

18 years and we still got it!!

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18 years ago, my 24-year-old self became a June bride.  My husband would turn 25 on our honeymoon in the Dominican Republic.  It was the “Year of the Wedding”…not just ours but with many of our friends getting married as well.  We joked we belonged to the Wedding of the Month Club.  It was a fun time.  Expensive, I’m certain, but at 24 who really dwells on that?  I certainly don’t remember losing any sleep over it.  For our own wedding, my girlfriend and I attended a bridal show and I won the GRAND PRIZE as we were leaving.  It consisted of a wedding gown, tux rentals, limo rental, wedding cake, hotel room, flowers and a bunch of other stuff.  All I know is…… SCORE!!!  (and boy were my parents happy!)

Fast forward 18 years, 4 kids, 1 townhouse, 3 houses, 2 dogs and 1 cat later.  We are but a glimpse of the smiling young couple you see above.  Not in a bad way.  In a roll-with-life way.  Kids change you.    Growing up changes you (NOW finances can cause you to lose sleep!).  Jobs change you.  Life changes you.  For us, I am happy to say that we still enjoy each other’s company.  We still laugh.  We still fight.  We still love.  So much has changed and yet, most days, in my heart, I still feel like the bright and happy 24-year-old.

Anyone that’s married can tell you, it’s not easy.  And either no one tells you that before you get married or you choose not to hear it from those cynical old biddies.  After you’ve been married awhile you see the humor in the jokes and understand what those people were trying to tell you.  It’s worth it though.  A marriage requires an effort.  A marriage requires TWO people to be engaged.  If you are in it for the long haul, be sure to pack some humor, compromise, forgiveness, hope, dreams and lots of love.

It’s been quite the ride and I’m looking forward to the rest of it…achy bones, graying hair and all!!

1 Corinthians 13:13

13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the [a]greatest of these is love.