Time...

Time is interesting.
Anders and I have been married for 3 and a half weeks. It seems like it's always been that way, and yet I remember before our wedding like it was yesterday. All of the struggles, the emotions and the stresses and the way time seemed to drag and fly all at once. And the wedding itself was over so quickly I barely remember enjoying the moment. Our first kiss (ever!) was a lifetime of warm, glittery, electric velvet, but it was over in a heartbeat. Our two weeks at the coast were wonderfully long, but as soon as we were on our way home, we wondered how that time had gone by so quickly!
What is it about time? The rate of time never changes, just our perception of it and how we experience it. Will it be the same way in eternity? Will the time of heaven be the same or will it exist at all? Questions are fun to ask when I know I will never know the answer with this brain. These are questions with glorified answers understood by a glorified mind.

Hi, All!

Here I am! Things are going great for me. Anders proposed to me on March 22, 2007 and we are getting married on September 9, 2007. We are so blessed by what God keeps showing us and growing in us. We are so happy to be engaged, and yet we fight to stay content in Today. Today is all God has promised us. We have no idea if September 2007 is even on God's calendar! So we strive in His strength to trust Him in the todays He gives us. Our wedding is going to be amazing. Tim, Anders, Rebecca, and I discussed the order of the service tonight and I am so looking forward to it. It is absolutely unique and right and beautiful and I am so glad and humbled to be apart of it.
God brought us to a perfect little rental home for us 17 miles west of our home town. Great location close to the insurance office (home for lunch!!!!!), but still with plenty of privacy. And a beautiful yard. And it's so clean and wonderful. And reasonable on our budget. And cute!
Okay, enough for now. I would've updated earlier, but it took me a while to remember my password!
Love you all!

I'm still alive!!!

No excuses, lame or otherwise, will be spelled out for why I haven't been blogging. I have a life and those who also have one will understand.
Things are pretty much the same in general, but a few perks and punks have taken place since October.
I have a beautiful niece named Genevieve Lynn who was born on December 4 at 3:33 pm. You can see the pictures and read the story on my brother and sister-in-law's blogger page at www.augurfamily.blogspot.com .
My dad moved to Portland to take care of his aging mother. She fell again and is coming home from the nursing facility tomorrow.
Anders started working at his dad's office and is really enjoying it. I love visiting him at the office and seeing him all dressed up in his office clothes.
Barbara got a job at the ski area and works 5 days a week. She really loves that, especially skiing and renting for free on her days off. She has a testimony of the Lord there and I am really proud of her.
My calling as youth leader at our church is coming to a close. I think there is a family willing to take over, all that needs to be settled is when. I'm not even sure of that.
I am more in love with Anders than I ever thought possible and I see no sign of it letting up. Though not yet officially engaged, we know that marriage is what God has in store for us.
I'm going to sign off now.
I love you all and thank you for reading.

The Fingers of God

I had a good week. Thursday Anders asked me if I had had any time with the Lord that day. I hadn't. I had all the time in the world, no school, the day off work, but I just didn't. So he took me in his arms and invited me to take some time in the arms of Christ and commune with Him. I closed my eyes and pictured myself in the arms of my Abba. I smiled and thought, "But God is always stroking my hair when I'm talking to Him." A few seconds later, Anders reached up and started running his fingers through my hair as we joined each other at the throne of grace in prayer and worship. It always amazes me how God cares about the little things and uses His children to bless each other with His heart. It was the most real worship time I had had for a while. I thank you, Father, for Your tender heart, and for giving Your heart for me to Anders. Thank you that I see my heavenly Bridegroom in his eyes. Thank you for giving him what it takes to be the spiritual leader a man needs to be for his family. Thank you for the love You have given us for each other. Again, and always, may it be a dim reflection of our love for You. Like the light of the moon is just a reflection of the light of the sun. You are our sun, and we will be the moon. The light is not of us, but we will show it to the world.

I'm so embarrassed!

My car was fine-ish. The reason it stopped running was because the gas tank was empty. Two miles from the Shell station. I thought it was related to the misfiring the engine had been doing lately. The mechanic put gas in it, changed the fuel filter and told me it needed a major tune up to the tune of around $400. It runs okay and my bank accounts are about empty. Actually, it hasn't been misfiring as much as before.
I have to take off. Friends are visiting my house and I should be there.
Anders is amazing. Friday he decorated his gramma's back yard like a fairy land with candles and white Christmas lights and served me dinner that he made himself. It was so beautiful and romantic! He is a genius!!!

Yeeehaaah!

Rejoicing!!!! Anders passed both casualty tests last night! He's done studying and testing! Now he can start working and earning money so we can get married. The next 5 years are going to be sooooo hard for him as he gets going in the business, but at least he'll have me to make sure his heart is okay. I love taking care of him. He loves taking care of me. We're going to have fun spoiling each other. As soon as things are "official" I will be sure to write all about it. Right now I have to get back to direct and inverse variations. Toddles, Noodles!

Hello, friends! Things here are pretty much the same as the last time I posted. Anders and I are more in love than ever. Emily is home and has been properly hugged and taken on a horseback ride. I have started Algebra II for fall quarter. Anders is taking the last two tests necessary for insurance licensing tomorrow evening. I bought a car, but it's broke down right now. I don't really have much to say right now and I have to get to class. Have an amazing day in the grace of our Abba.

Sheesh!

Don't you just hate it when there are so many emotions and thoughts and feelings running through your brain that you don't know which one to pick out and begin with? I know I do. I'm feeling a little lonely tonight. Barbara is staying the night at home with our dogs while I'm here at Jim's with Indie. Anders went to the Dalles with his mom and Josh to visit family. Mom and Dad are in Portland until Mom comes home tomorrow. I'm feeling emotional for the reasons above and for the reason to follow. I'm getting treatments that will cure my oral herpes for good. No more outbreaks. With the treatments come massage to get the lymph system flushing out toxins. When toxins get flushed into the blood stream to be dealt with in the liver, they cause the emotions to fluctuate. So I'm cleansing; I'm tired; I miss Anders, my parents, and my sister; and those seem very good reasons to be emotional. Remember that this comes with the territory with me being the woman I was created. There are times I wish I could turn them off and just see what it feels like to be "normal". Then I hear my sister's voice in my head saying, "Normal is a dryer setting." And God asks me if He made a mistake when He wired me. I hang my head and whisper no. I am the way I am because I'm the only one who can be me. No one else can do "La-la" with Katie like I can. No one can be Dad's favorite middle child like I can. No one else can make Anders come alive like I can. No one else can say the things I do, feel things the way I do, pray like I can. No one can give God the same love I can. No, I'm not better. I'm just me. And I'm fine with that. Confusing emotions and all. I am who God meant me to be.

It's so hard!

Well, here I go again. I don't know why it's so hard for me to make myself write/type out what has gone and how I feel about it. Regular journaling is a struggle lately, too. I think it's because what I would be writing seems too precious to be written out. Like putting happenings and feelings down on paper or online would somehow cheapen the beauty of it all.
I'm not really in the mood now, but I'll give it a try.
Today Emily comes home from Turkey! I really miss her and can't wait to see her. The insides of my arms are itching for an Em hug.
Tomorrow is Anders' and my eight month courtship anniversary. We're going riding with his dad and his dad's friend up to the up-highest place around. Yeah! We were wanting to do this for my birthday, but other, Priney stuff got scheduled and we've had to postpone.
I wish I could convey to y'all how much Anders and I love each other. Unfortunately, you would probably not care, get sick, get jealous, or not fully understand. Not only that, but I myself have a hard enough time wrapping my brain around it. Yesterday he was here in the house when I came home from work. He had hidden clues to a treasure and then hidden himself. He could hear me running from room to room, absolutely giddy and laughing my head off. "I don't have time for this, I have to pee!" Then I found the marble in the sugar canister, but I couldn't find Anders anywhere! I opened every closet door, looked under the beds, behind the washer and dryer, in the woodshed, garage, everywhere! My adrenaline was pumping, expecting him to jump out at me any moment. Then I saw his wonderfully masculine shoulder behind the entertainment center!
I get a taste of heaven on earth in his embrace. He and his name go together so well. Anders is the Scandinavian form of Andrew, which means MANLY! Yup, he's my manly man. Wild, dangerous, gentle, strong in character as well as in body, submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, children love him, he rides a horse like nobody's business, and he makes me feel like the most beautiful, feminine Woman on earth. What more could a girl ask for?

Psalm 37:1-40

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb.

Trust in the LORD and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Delight thyself in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.

And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

The LORD shall laugh at him: for He sees that his day is coming.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

A little that the righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever.

They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke they shall consume away.

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that are cursed of him shall be cut off.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him in His hand.

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

The law of his God is in his heart: none of his steps will slide.

The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: He is their strength in the time of trouble.

And the LORD shall help them and deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.