Five Minute Friday: Close

I have a friend.

She doesn't know me, but I read every post of her blog: www.lisajobaker.com. She is a wife, a mom, a woman who loves Jesus and isn't afraid to admit that her life isn't all flowers and butterflies. Her words inspire and encourage and help me to press on in the days when I am certain I am just a frame of a woman making it through life.

Each Friday, she challenges women to to write fearless for 5 minutes. No editing, no fretting. Spontaneous writing to be posted to blogs all over the world. And women write comments or messages and encourage each other through this crazy life with all of its ups and downs.

This is my first one.

Here are the rules from Lisa Jo Baker:

1. Check what the prompt is on my blog.
2. Write a post in only five minutes on that topic on your blog.
3. {And if you don’t have a blog, no worries! Just leave your writing as a comment on my post}
4. Link over here and invite friends to join in.
5. Select the permalink to your post {so not your blog url www.lisajobaker.com but your post url www.lisajobaker.com/2012/07/five-minute-friday-2/ }
6. Using the blue linky tool at the bottom of my Five Minute Friday post enter your link.
7. It will also walk you through selecting which photo you want to show up in the linky.
8. Your post will show up in our Five Minute Friday linky.
9. Be sure and encourage the person who linked up before you!

Ready. Go!

 

So close. So close to the end of the school year. To summer. To Tyler coming back home. It has been a long week lying lonely in my bed missing my other half. But he has had the opportunity to go and make disciples and live out the will of God in Nicaragua. How can I be lonely when I know he is serving and He is working. I lie in my bed instead and imagine the stories he will tell, of what God has done through those people in the mountains and those people climbing the mountains to tell them the Great Story.

 

 

So close. How close we get to God when we spend time in lonely places. Sometimes separating from people opens time holes in our lives for God to fill. When people fill all of our time we become dependent on those people and not on Him. This week, I have felt the closeness of God. In the still of my home with a candle lit and my journal open. In my sleep filled with peace instead of worry. He is always close to me, no matter how far away I may feel. It is when I am aware of His presence and make time holes for Him that we are close again.

 

Stop.

 

Shorts Weather

My secret dream job has always been to be a weather girl. As a kid, I loved when tropical storms and hurricanes neared the state of Florida so I could study them and of course, so I could have some days off of school. I would wake up early to watch the rain fall and the trees blow and to see the hurricane move across the TV screen. I may have inherited this obsession from my Dad, who checks the Weather Channel several times a day and ultimately announces that, “It’s shorts weather!” (Isn’t every day in Florida shorts weather?).

You couldn’t have paid me to wear shorts in Virginia this winter! We have had a total of 14 snow days, some even in late March. Now I must admit, part of the reason I wanted to work in the school system is for this sweet treat, but we have all been ready for some warm temps. Thankfully, the warm weather rolled in the last few weeks, giving Tyler and I time to run or ride the bike on the trail in Lynchburg and enjoy some sunshine. It has indeed been shorts weather, finally.

 

Here is a recap from our winter adventures:

 

 

My sister Sami came to visit Virginia! And she flew in on the day the biggest snow storm in 5 years hit our town. Tyler and I ventured out to the airport in over a foot of snow, with more flakes still falling. I was grippng the door handle as Tyler navigated the truck to Greensboro, NC to pick up Sami. My phone kept ringing as my Mom called to make sure things were going safely. I refused to call her back until we were all home in one piece. :) Sami arrived on practically the ONLY flight that actually landed in Greensboro that day- and we had an AWESOME weekend of sledding, snowman making, and movies.

 

My go to winter treat is below- Coffee and Cinnamon Popcorn. The popcorn recipe I use is from 100 Days of Real Food. Such a yummy homemade snack for any season! 



Click here to try it yourself! Cinnamon Glazed Popcorn



My cousin Danae got married a few weekends ago, so we had the opportunity to visit with the Sommers family- And meet my new nephew Asher!!

 



A closing thought: Remember, our lives cycle in and out seasons, just like the trees. Sometimes there is winter... brokenness and heartache and uncertainty. But often out of our brokenness comes the most beautiful stories. Stories of how God used something that we thought was ugly for good.

Jesus said this to his disciples before He was arrested to be cruicified. "So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you." John 16:22

Today we remember Good Friday, the day that Jesus sacrificed His life by dying on the cross. He lived a perfect life, free from sin. He was arrested and flogged and nailed to a cross as a sacrifice, a payment for sin... my sin. Your sin. His body was broken and he breathed His last breath. He was buried in a tomb and His friends and family and followers mourned. It was their winter.

But Sunday was coming! Three days later those friends visited the tomb of Jesus and the stone had been rolled away. And they saw Jesus, alive again! They saw his scars and his new body. His words are true- "your hearts will rejoice."

"Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5

Aloha and Mahalo!

I was awake. I rolled over and glanced at the clock- 6:30 am. It was six in the morning and my eyes were wide open, ready for a new day. I wondered what my students were doing back at LCA, if my office needed me this Monday morning, wait… what time was it there? Almost noon. No wonder my eyes were open. Lying in our bed with the 70-degree crisp air coming through the windows, I heard a rooster crow. For a split second, I wondered if I was dreaming… Was I really in Hawaii??

The answer: Yes. We were six days into the New Year and already grasping the adventure on an island that captivated all of my senses. We landed in Kauai in the middle of the night and fumbled our way to our timeshare cottage using a phone GPS. It wasn’t too difficult to follow the sole highway on this island but the pitch-black night sky masked the beauty etched in every corner.

That morning, I stepped into the daylight on my walk to the rental car and my jaw dropped in awe. I was surrounded by mountains, covered in both bright and dark green trees of every kind. There was no pattern to these cliffs; they were rocky and unique, nothing like Virginia, foreign almost. I could smell the salty air and instantly felt at home. Being the Florida girl that I am, I almost took off running towards the beach. Our group opted for the rental car to explore instead.

Let me pause to describe our wonderful group that made every ounce of Hawaii all the more exciting. Bill had been a friend and mentor to Tyler while he worked at Winco foods in Idaho. Each time we visited the West, we liked to get together Bill and his wife Jenny for dinner. Last winter, they shared that they needed to use their timeshare points soon and were planning a trip to Hawaii. They invited Tyler and I that night and we laughed at the dream invitation because we figured there was no way I could get off work in the middle of the school year. I asked. It was approved. And we had a blast with our kind friends in paradise!

We spent about six days in Hawaii, exploring the landscape, admiring the surfers, and resting in the warmth. The highlight of the trip for my husband, the history buff, was a day trip to the island of Oahu to visit Pearl Harbor. We purchased an audio tour headset that narrated every turn at this historical site. My heart began to ache as I heard background information on the political state of our world at the time and stories from survivors of the attacks. The USS Arizona rested at the bottom of the harbor, a solemn reminder of the events that day. I felt like in that one day, I had more interest in history than I ever had at Sebring High School. Maybe there should be mandatory field trips to Hawaii…

Bill and Tyler at the Pacific Crossroads

Pearl Harbor Memorial

For me, the highlights of our trip were back on the island of Kauai, with the sun toasting my skin and water at my fingertips. One afternoon, we rented paddleboards and navigated our way towards Hanalei Bay. We worked up the courage to head out into the smaller waves and coast across the bay, watching the surfers in the distance riding the monsters. They looked like tiny toy figurines on top of the giant caps.  The cliffs, the sun rays, the saltwater, the breeze… this was the perfect day.

Paddle Board Time!

Tyler on a rope swing!

There was one other item on my to-do list for Kauai, something I had read about online and wanted to set my eyes on: The Napali Coast. The Napali Coast is an area of Kauai that can only be accessed on a hiking trail. The entire trail is 11 miles long in which most travelers camp to conquer in a several day trip. Tyler and I decided that we would do a day trip adventure a few miles in to a waterfall. We hit the trail late morning with a backpack filled with water and granola. I quickly discovered that this trail was no ordinary hike on the Blue Ridge. The path was not wide and well worn. Instead, it was narrow, rocky, and WET. Kauai is known as “the wettest place on earth” and so the trail lives up to its name. Our shoes stuck in the mud like suction cups or slid like skis as we walked the course. We talked and laughed the entire time, stopping to take pictures of the gorgeous, never-ending ocean and dramatic cliffs.

As we travelled inland, we began an upward climb towards the waterfall. I had no idea how amazed I would be when we finally reached the bottom. The mist hit my face as I looked at the height, the majesty of it all. I turned to see Tyler, taking off his shoes and heading towards the water. I heard him yell, “We didn’t hike 4 miles to a waterfall in Hawaii and NOT jump in!” Well I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I made my way down the rocks and dove head first into the water. The icy water shocked me as it enveloped my body and I came up for a gasp of air. Tyler said, “Just keep moving. It gets warmer, I promise!” And so I swam. As fast as I could, reminding myself that I would be warm soon. And it worked! Before I knew it, we were both under the waterfall, looking through it from behind. He leaned over to kiss me and for a moment, I felt like I was on an episode of the Bachelorette. It was magical.

Saturday, we waited in the airport for our plane to board, with open windows and no air conditioning, only the warm breeze blowing. Tyler began to coax me into staying in Kauai. He had a plan that Marly could sell our things in Lynchburg and send us the money. It was tempting, but at the end of the day, we came back to Virginia. Who knows though, maybe they need school counselors in Hawaii too? :)

~ Mandi

Hello 2014!

A new year, a clean slate, a blank page waiting to be filled.

I filled the year 2013 to the brim- tried a “real food” menu, got my license for school counseling, went to Disney World, vacationed in the Virginia mountains, camped in Idaho, attended two of my dear friends weddings, joined the leadership team for kids ministry at church, ran a half marathon and… started a blog J.

Tyler and I finished the year making many memories with friends and family over the holidays. We were blessed to host Thanksgiving with friends (our “Lynchburg family”). I made a TURKEY for the first time- believe it or not- and it turned out pretty good! I also made a “real food” sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole. I have really grown from my boxed mac-and-cheese days…

 

We also celebrated our 3^rd year of marital bliss on December 11^th. Three years baby! I can truly say I love that man more and more every day.

For Christmas, we travelled to Seabrook, Washington to celebrate with the Harris/Fenske family.

 

 

We stayed in a beautiful ocean view beach house. The week was full of games, a Christmas pageant, and sing along to Abba. Needless to say, we laughed until we peed our pants. Literally.  

For New Year’s, we enjoyed a New England style celebration with our “Lynchburg family” complete with Chinese food and the game Hedbanz. Just picture six of us with nouns strapped to our foreheads, trying to guess what the word is on our own head, and one of us has the word “Nude Beach.” Priceless.

My dad’s family also came to visit for the weekend. It was so good to spend sweet time with them. My siblings are growing up way too fast… my youngest sister, Zoe, turns 13 this year. Wasn’t I just 13 the other day?!

 

Thought for the day: Don’t move too fast through the day. Soon it will be gone… Slow down, look for the little blessings in life. Count them, breathe, enjoy life.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday celebrating time with the ones you love!

Stay tuned for Tyler and I’s first adventure of 2014… HAWAII. More info this week!

Fall Memories

I have about ten minutes to write. Ten precious quiet minutes before I begin to scurry about the grocery store on a last minute search for Thanksgiving items. It has been a beautiful fall. Beautiful in the fact that we live in the Blue Ridge Mountains and you just can’t help but lose your breath at sight of the glowing leaves and the hues from the sun crossing over the horizon. Beautiful in our friendships with nights of laughter and dinners and sharing life together. Beautiful because God is teaching me more every day to be content in the here and now and enjoy the moments.

I did a Media Fast with my tenth grade girls at LCA in October. Basically that means no movies, no TV, no social media. We unplugged from technology and plugged into reading and enjoying spending time with those around us. It was amazing to hear the things these girls (and me too!) learned from this break. Some quotes: “I felt like my brain could think more clearly.” “I realized that I was focusing on more positive things than negative ones.” “I spent more time praying and reading my Bible.” “I realized I can survive without Twitter and Facebook. I don’t have to know what is going on in everyone’s lives.” These girls stunned me. 21 days of no media for a teenager in 2013 is like punching them in the stomach and knocking the wind out of them. I am so proud of their willingness to try something new and so happy to be able to meet with them every Friday.

Tyler and I ran a race called the Freedom 4/24 race in October too. The proceeds went to help stop human trafficking around the globe. You can learn more at http://www.freedom424.org.

I also finished my FIRST half marathon on November 16^th! My favorite part: When my husband was there to cheer me on at Mile 9, then Mile 10, then Mile 11… and I suddenly realized- He is running super fast so that he can see me at every mile marker to the finish! When I finished the race, I said, “That is the most romantic thing you have ever done for me.”

Tyler also went hunting for the first time! I have a feeling he will be out there again soon…

Well, my ten minutes is up. Off to the store! Enjoy your Thanksgiving!!

XOXO- Mandi

Remembering Loved Ones and Embracing Life

This past week, Tyler and I experienced grief for one of the first times in our married lives together… the loss of a grandparent. A grandparent, Grandma Fenske, who told stories of a little boy who lost his tooth and played baseball and came to visit in the summertime. A grandparent who, through her loss, has brought a family together to embrace and love and comfort in this hard time, in a way I truly admire.

Tyler flew out to Seattle last week to be with the family and he comes home today (boy have I missed him).  This has allowed me a week, seven full days to sit still in the quiet and think about the life I am living… The life I have been given to live…

A good portion of my free time was spent running. Yes, you read correctly: running.  For those that know me well, you know that this used to be the activity I hated most in the athletic world. That is, until I married a runner :-). Now I find myself reading Runner’s World magazine for fun and training for a half marathon. I will be running my half marathon in a little over a month from now, November 16^th. And for the first time in my life I really have had to go through training- a regimented schedule someone else created for me in order to prepare me for race day. And if I am honest, most days, I don’t feel like lacing up my shoes and running 4 miles after work. But I do it anyways! I run up the hills and I run back down them and sometimes I can’t wait for it to end. Then other days I run and I literally feel like I am flying. I am lost in thought and floating on air and before I know it the run is over.

It is an up-and-down kind of process. Sometimes the wind carries me and sometimes I have to struggle and push to the finish line. This up-and-down process… it goes beyond running. It’s those days at work and those days in our marriage and those days with family members and friends and the future…

As I have been thinking about my life this last week, I realize both the ups and the downs have been good for me in the long run (no pun intended). In training, my body becomes disciplined and I can do things I never thought I could do before. I think in life, these bumps in the road can do the same thing. The hurts can be transformed to help others, the waiting can develop patience, the arguments can turn around to strengthen relationships.

There is a grace, a beautiful mess that is going to emerge and prove itself good in time. Maybe we will see it here on earth or maybe it will come after us…

But not matter what, run hard. Don’t give up, especially on the hills. And hold onto friends and loved ones with sweet embraces and shared meals and spend life together. Enjoy life together.

And spend time getting to know our Maker… watch His sunsets and feel the fall breeze and breathe deep.

 

“I lift my eyes up to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made the heaven and the earth.”

Psalm 121:1-2

<3 Mandi

Sweet Summertime

Summer was here and left and now school is starting on Tuesday. TUESDAY! The amazing thing is: This summer was one our favorites so far. So, since my husband is working on his Fantasy Football Team Draft, I have decided to recap our travels from coast to coast…

Florida Adventures.

My dear friend Maggie got married in Florida in June. Her wedding was beautiful and I loved having some girl time in my hometown of Sebring. It felt like high school again, full of sleepovers, coffee, and giggles. I am so thankful to have these close friends in my life that you can meet with after not seeing each other for a year and never miss a beat. My grandma always told me when I was growing up that this friendship was a rare treasure. At 26 years old, I now understand what that means.

Tyler flew down to Florida the weekend after the wedding for our Disney vacation with the Sommers family. Water slides, Space Mountain, Tinker Bell flying from the castle… I wouldn’t be lying if I said I cried during the fireworks show. There is something about Disney, standing there with your family hearing Peter Pan say, “Let’s never grow up!” that makes you want to stay at the park forever. Needless to say, we made many memories, including Tyler experiencing dinner at the Melting Pot for the first time!

Virginia Adventures.

We were blessed with the wonderful gift of a timeshare in Massanutten, VA for one week in July. My mom and Grandma Doty were able to visit that week as well! We spent time in the mountains hiking and even Geocaching! Grandma was a true sport at 75 years old. She kept up with no problem. I hope I inherited those genes. (Special thanks to Bill and Jenny for this adventure!)

Idaho/Washington Adventures.

At the end of July, we flew out to Idaho to visit the Harris family. We visited the historic town of Idaho City, ID, induldged in my favorite coffee in the world (Dutch Bros), and enjoyed a weekend long camping adventure. Tyler’s brother, Ben, won not only the District Baseball Tournament while we were there, but State as well! The timing worked out perfectly and Tyler was so pumped to see his brother play. And I loved not only watching baseball, but working on my tan as well. :)

After the baseball tournament, we traveled to Seattle, WA to visit Tyler’s aunts and grandparents. It was beautiful weather, perfect for a convertible ride that we couldn’t turn down. We stayed up late playing Settlers of Catan and just catching up on life. It was a blast!

And now we are back to home sweet home! After our travels from coast to coast, we have spent the last week watching TV and eating dinner on the couch.  Maybe we will move to the table this week. :) 

We so enjoyed every minute we spent with our families this summer. We love you and miss you all very much! Please come visit soon. 

From the Burg, 

Mandi