pink + orange

prayer + puppies

 
Last night was Youth Group Wednesday and my group of 15 people had the privilege of praying for the twins you see above (Megan, on the right, had surgery Monday and also the twins' parents are divorcing which has been a really painful process for the girls).   We also prayed for Sierra whose mom has been diagnosed with cancer and the whole family is hurting.

  

 
(It was also "crazy dress up night" which explains some of the costumes you'll see.) 

 

 

 

 
I love, love, love the smile on Sierra's face (she's in blue) as her friends hug her. 

We were also visited by about the cutest puppy in the world...or the building at least. A little something-poo.  I forget.  I just remember the poodle part.  Looks like the black poodle, Perry,  my family had when I was little.   We thought it was a girl but it turned out to be a boy.  Oops.  Here's the girl puppy from last night!

 
 Looks like a little teddy bear here!

I choose to live in apartments where no dogs are allowed but I adore dogs!!  I have to either buy the condo I'm renting - so I can have a little dog there with me... or I have to move apartments.  This puppy's owner will be breeding her at some point and has offered to sell one of the puppies to me...so I have some time to decide about moving or not.  Who wouldn't want a mini-bundle-of-joy like this in their home?!

 
 

angry? content?

Have had this underlying anger simmering beneath the surface for a few days now.  I probably don't have to tell you that it's no way to go through your day - and makes hearing comments objectively quite impossible.

I went to lunch today a bit disgruntled - taking a comment personally - and trying to work through it.  Suddenly began humming "Mighty to Save" and realized that God is bigger than the little work issue I was dealing with, bigger than the person who sent the email, and bigger than my little world.

Then I read these verses:

Ephesians 4:30-32 (New Living Translation)
 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own,[a] guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Prayed through these verses and received persepective on the day.  Then heard from Jennie - a friend and co-youth-group-leader, and we are having similar kinds of days and both are in need of a day of quiet and rest.  Am thankful for Jennie and the chance today to bounce ideas off her and vent a little.

Hoping for some desperately-needed-quiet-time Thursday night.  (that's over 24 hours from now).  Saturday will be spent out of town - so no quiet then.

All this to say...... craving down time but have to be "up" tonight for youth group.  Praying to have motivation to be at church tonight and a cheerfulness for the girls in the small group.  At the leadership retreat this weekend, I was told "You make everything fun!"  Hopefully tonight will be fun for my girls!

Here are some photos from the retreat:

 

(Jennie -mentioned above - and Anne)

 

 

Youth guy - Bryan Roe - who JUST got a facebook account.  woo hoo!!