Death of a Godly Man

Have you ever read the book "The Cross and the Switchblade"? Or seen the movie? It was written by the Reverend David Wilkerson, and is about his ministry to gang members and drug dealers in New York City. His method of ministry: just to love people and speak truth to them. And trust God.

Rev. Wilkinson was killed suddenly in a car accident yesterday. Here is what he wrote on his last day of life. It speaks for itself:

WHEN ALL MEANS FAIL
by David Wilkerson | April 27, 2011


To believe when all means fail is exceedingly pleasing to God and is most acceptable. Jesus said to Thomas, “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those that do believe and have not seen” (John 20:29).

Blessed are those who believe when there is no evidence of an answer to prayer—who trust beyond hope when all means have failed.

Someone has come to the place of hopelessness—the end of hope—the end of all means. A loved one is facing death and doctors give no hope. Death seems inevitable. Hope is gone. The miracle prayed for is not happening.

That is when Satan’s hordes come to attack your mind with fear, anger, overwhelming questions: “Where is your God now? You prayed until you had no tears left. You fasted. You stood on promises. You trusted.”

Blasphemous thoughts will be injected into your mind: “Prayer failed. Faith failed. Don’t quit on God—just do not trust him anymore. It doesn’t pay!”

Even questioning God’s existence will be injected into your mind. These have been the devices of Satan for centuries. Some of the godliest men and women who ever lived were under such demonic attacks.

To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.”

Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail—his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world.

You can find this devotional posted here.

We're moving! Again!

I've been absent from my blog for a little bit. Wanna know why? Oh, you already read the title of the post? It's true! In a few weeks we will be moving to Denver. Denver! My fella landed a good job, so we're takin' off. So at the moment we are packing, fixing stuff on the house & getting it ready to put on the market.

Anyone out there want to buy a cute little cottage in Nebraska???

I hope to be posting off & on about the move. I might miss this little place, but I'm looking forward to the future...finding new restaurants & shops, a new church, new parks & places to run, new neighbors and a new (to us) place to fix up and make our own.

Are you ready to join us on that journey? Should be an interesting ride!

Little spring things that make me happy: turquoise & fringe

thrifted fringy turquoise table cloth

Not much blogging going on here. Too much work...and flu-ish yuckiness...

But Spring is here!!! The daffodils and hyacinths are coming up all over town. The snow is gone. That's the best part. No freezing cold, dirty, wetness.

I don't know why, but this table cloth brings a smile to my face. It's a happy color and I like the thick fringe. I know it's nothing important in the large scope of life. But when I see things in our house that need to be done that I don't know when I'll get to, when I think about unencouraging issues with infertility & adoption, and any number of other stupid things I could fixate on, seeing something that brightens my day helps me to focus on things that I really am thankful for - the things that do matter. My faith in God, health, family, friends, the good man that I married.

I know it's just a table cloth. I'm not going to get dramatic about it. :)

What kinds of things help you to focus on what's really important? There's gotta be something.

Oh, The Carnage of Poor Packing!

So as many of you know, we spent two years living in Spain doing missions work. While we were gone, all of our possessions that we didn't take with us sat in storage that whole time. Some things lived in my mom & dad's basement (thanks!!) and the rest lived in a storage trailer behind their barn (thanks again!!). It was a great option for us because we didn't have to pay for storage, but the trailer wasn't climate controlled. As you can imagine, we've had a few casualties of storage.

Some of those unfortunate losses were because of moisture or varmints that we tried our best to prevent, but you can't stop everything. However, I recently found a tub of carnage that was completely my fault.

NEVER, and I say NEVER, pack a SNOW GLOBE to be stored in a non-climate controlled environment. Water freezes & expands. Then the glass breaks. I knew that. Now I really know it.

These were iron reindeer. Now they are rusty reindeer.

This gal looks more like a mummy than an angel.

These were olive wood bells from Israel that have been in our family for years.

My collection of vintage glass Christmas balls were all wet inside & out.

But there is hope. Some things can be salvaged...

She looks disgusted with me, as she should be. But look, lady, now you have a lovely "patina".

This is probably why she's ticked. Nothing a little glue won't fix.

The bells have their own patina now. They look like they've been in our family for centuries!

And after washing the vintage glass balls, most of the paint came off. I kind of like them now, though. They look like bubbles.

Something that seems like a disaster doesn't always have to turn out that way. I may have lost a few things, and I had to put some elbow grease into cleaning up my mess, but it's not the end of the world for the things that were damaged. The scars can give them character that may end up being appreciated more than a flawless finish.

Got disasters? Got flaws? Find the value in the scars. It's there. Trust me.

Help for Haiti

Like everyone else has been saying lately, the old bog seems pretty insignificant when you watch or read about news stories coming out of Haiti. The need seems so incredibly overwhelming. Yet in it all, God is in control. I'm not quite sure what He's doing or why, but I know He can be trusted. I also know that people will turn to Him in times of trouble, and I pray that many, many hearts will be open to His love, peace & salvation.

Yesterday in church, we learned that Convoy of Hope, a compassion ministry with the Assemblies of God, has a warehouse in Port-au-Prince that had just been filled with food before the earthquake, and was undamaged. Convoy of Hope feeds 7,000 children on a daily basis, and the food for that feeding program has been being used to feed thousands & thousands of people who are in desperate need. They will run out of food in 12-14 days and need financial donations to continue feeding & caring for those in need. Convoy of Hope is a reputable ministry that is considered a “first responder” organization in disaster relief. If you would like to donate, click here. Donating money is essential, but even more than giving of our finances, prayer is of the utmost importance. Yes, it seems like a hopeless task to restore Haiti, but we do serve the God of the impossible.

Family...Food...Football...Caramel Corn

We are at my sister & brother-in-law's house for Thanksgiving this year. It's not as exotic as spending Thanksgiving in Tunisia where we were at this time last year, but we're thankful to be with family! This is the first time we've been to their house (they moved here a few months ago). I really like it! I'll include some photos of my favorite decorating ideas that my sister has done.


My mom & my sister making stuffing.


Brother-in-law, Brad, cutting the bird.


Niece Julia.


Nephew Evan.


Nephew Isaac.


Niece Emma.

My sister Shelley and I have similar but not identical design taste. We both like rustic, but I like more of it than she does. She goes for more new furniture & house while I like old & worn in. We are both currently into the same color scheme, though. Neutrals with beachy muted aquas & greens. We're also both into cheap or free.

She has cottage style in a distinctly non-cottage house. I really like the way that she has combined vintage & beachy pieces with her newer stuff & home.


In the living room she has hung another one of the windows like I used in my parent's basement. I think it looks great on the big expanse of wall over her sofa.


She rescued this "O-So Orange" pop-bottle crate from my parent's garage & filled some of the cubbies with shells she collected on beaches in North Carolina. Perfect. And absolutely free.


I made that bowl in college. It's very thick & heavy. I was painfully unsuccessful in my pottery class but I really enjoyed it. I think I gave all my pieces away!


Shelley said that she wants to replace the chandelier with a large outdoor looking lantern, like the ones currently being sold at Restoration Hardware, but not like the prices. Oh, I got that birdcage for her years ago at a thrift store.


Love the ladder. She picked it up at a little antique store in the town where we bought our little house. She dry-brushed it with a little aqua paint (which doesn't show up in this photo) before she hung it.


I want a sea fan. Shelley brought this one back in her carry-on from a trip to North Carolina. I tried to take the photo without getting a glare. I was not successful.

It's now the day after Thanksgiving. The house is full of friends & family watching the Nebraska/Colorado game. The Huskers are currently ahead 13-0. Yessss. Vino is making caramel corn. We're all looking forward to that. It's the best ever. I'm not biased. You can watch his tutorial video here.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! We'll be back working on the house next week and will hopefully be able to move in before the first blizzard of the year!

Welcome, new life!

I had an amazing opportunity a couple of weeks ago. I witnessed life. And I got to cut the cord. On July 25th, late morning, Mateo Asher Rodriguez, coming in at 7 lbs. 5 oz., made his big entrance. He's my nephew. His mom, Teliza, is Vino's sister. When she asked me a couple of months ago if I would be in the delivery room with her, I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Having struggled with infertility for six years, I thought that I may never have the chance to be a part of the experience of the miracle of birth. Let me just tell you, it was incredible. Teliza was amazing - she showed much grace in a difficult circumstance. After 2 hours & 30 minutes of pushing, when it seemed like the only option would be a C-section, we gathered around & prayed that this little one would come quickly, and he did, just 15 minutes later. It was a messy, beautiful moment!


He has a FULL head of black hair. Lots of it. It's silky soft. He's a sweet boy, not very fussy. Very snuggly. So tiny.


That first day his hands & feet were so wrinkly, almost like paper. His hands looked like he was wearing gloves. Look at those long toes!


For the past several days I've been staying with Teliza to help her out with Mateo. When I hold him I pray that God will protect this sweet baby boy. That he will grow up to be a good man. That he will love Jesus with all his heart, and that he will have a kind, humble & gentle spirit.

So, Mateo, from your Auntie Erin, whom I am sure will be your favorite, welcome to the family. We've been waiting for you. You're even better than we hoped for.

My Mom

So today is Mother's Day, and I'm a couple thousand miles away from mine. I just called her, though. I love technology!

My mom is one of the kindest people I know. She has a very tender heart. She is one of the few people I know who has seen a lot of the heartache in the world yet has not lost her innocence.

I love spending a day with my mom tooling around town. Neither one of us get bored with each other.


She also has a lot of "mom-isms" that my sister & I regularly find coming out of our own mouths. She has a song for everything. Vino says that I do, too. Must have picked that up from her. :) She will talk to anyone in line at the grocery store. It used to embarrass me, but I've grown out of that.

I have such good childhood memories, and most of them are because of her. I couldn't have picked a better mom for myself.


I love you, Mom! Happy Mother's Day!

...And every knee to Him shall bow

Maker of the universe,
As Man for man was made a curse.

The claims of Law which He had made,
Unto the uttermost He paid.

His holy fingers made the bough,
Which grew the thorns that crowned His brow.

The nails that pierced His hands were mined
In secret places He designed.

He made the forest whence there sprung
The tree on which His body hung.

He died upon a cross of wood,
Yet made the hill on which it stood.

The sky that darkened o'er His head,
By Him above the earth was spread.

The sun that hid from Him it's face
By His decree was poised in space.

The spear which spilled His precious blood
Was tempered in the fires of God.

The grave in which His form was laid
Was hewn in rocks His hands had made.

The throne on which He now appears
Was His for everlasting years.

But a new glory crowns His brow
And every knee to Him shall bow.

-F.W. Pitt

I hope you had a happy & meaningful Easter!

Someone to watch over me...and bite my face.

This is the way it usually goes.


It's difficult for me to get a photo of the two of us where we're both smiling.



Sometimes I participate. Sometimes.


I've been known to photoshop two photos of us together to get one descent photo. But I wouldn't have it any other way. We have a lot of fun together.


We're two of a kind, and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else. He makes me a better person, and I hope that more of my good qualities rub off on him than my bad. He's still my best friend. We tell each other that a lot.


And every once in a blue moon, he'll smile for the camera.


I love you, Vino! Happy Valentine's Day!

{ sniff, sniff...grrrrr }

I Intensely Dislike jacked up hormones.

Lazy

No excuses. I'm just lazy. I read other blogs and tell myself, "hey, you - when are you going to start blogging again? the longer you go, the more scattered your thoughts will become." I've had time, and I enjoy blogging. I just couldn't get myself to do it until right now. Even now as I type, though, I'm not sure if I'll actually finish today.

Before Christmas I wanted so much to blog about the homemade gifts I was working on, but I didn't want to give away the surprise to the recipients. But that was SO long ago, and I didn't take pictures (silly, I know, for someone who over-docuements her life!). If I can get my mom to take a photo of what I gave her, I'll blog about it. Deal?

We went home for Christmas. My parents flew us home, so we were able to spend the holidays with my side and Vino's side. It was a surprise for his family, which was fun. We had such a wonderful time surrounded by loved ones. However, it was really cold and there was a lot of snow & ice going on that we were happy to leave. Now we are home (back in Spain) and have still not gotten back into a routine, for reasons (mostly) beyond my control.

Here's what happened: The day after we returned to Spain, Madrid had a freak snow storm!


It was beautiful. The flakes were huge, and I felt like I was inside a snow globe.


Snow is rare in this part of Spain, and when it does snow, it hardly ever accumulates. Here's a video that Vino made the day after we got back. This beautiful snow covered our area in a thick blanket, which would have been nice if we only had to look at it.


However, having just returned from the States, the cupboards were bare. So after he made his snow video, Vino and a friend of ours set of for the butcher on the other side of town, since it was the only place open within walking distance that had any sort of food (milk, bread, eggs, etc.). Half way there, Vino stepped in a hole that had been very expertly camouflaged by the snow and messed up his ankle. With the friend's help, he painfully limped back home where we discovered that his ankle was badly swollen.


We found out later that it was not broken, but had 2nd degree ligament damage. After 10 days of keeping it elevated, wrapped and iced (with a bag of Maize Dulce from the freezer), we painstakingly went to the doctor where he was told that he needed to spend two more weeks with it elevated, wrapped and iced.


Yikes! He was already going stir-crazy. In addition to the foot, he pulled a muscle or something in his arm so he can't use crutches. Poor thing has to hop around or use me for support.


So this has been my life since we got back to Spain. I get things for Vino. I wrap his foot, get him ice, put away the ice, get him drinks & food, act as a counterweight when he needs to get around. Good thing we live in the same building we work in, because I can check on him during the day. You'd think with all of this staying at home I would have the apartment spotless and all of my to-do list crossed off. Not even close. Does anyone else find it hard to accomplish much of anything with the hubby at home? I've been like that ever since we got married. As soon as he went on a business trip, or to hang out with a friend for the day, I was Super Susie Homemaker & Crafter. I don't know what my deal is. I can't seem to get anything done except wash dishes, and that is a never-ending task.

Seriously, am I the only one with this problem? Is it magnified when you have children? Which is more difficult: accomplishing tasks around the house with a husband present, or with children present? I know I'm an introvert who gets energized with time alone. Maybe that's my deal.

As I type this, I am in my office on a Saturday afternoon. The apartment is a mess. I just finished making eggs, waffles & maple syrup and am mostly cleaned up from that. The dishwasher is running. I still have my apron on. I came down to the office to get one little thing and realized it would be the perfect time to finish this blog entry. Three days after I stared it.

So there you go.