Winter Retreat 2016

      It's getting to that time of year again. February is half way gone, the sun is moving in the sky and giving off a springy type of light, the days have been warm and things have been slushy, and Winter Retreat is almost here.
     One of the many blessings in my life is the wonderful church I am apart of. I first set foot in the Bemidji Church of Christ the summer my brother Jordan, friend Emily and I came up to check out the college in town. It was that weekend that I met My Love and his family and started a journey that was about to change my life. The people of the church drew us in, welcomed us, and it hasn't stopped.          This is the church that Luke has gone too his entire life. The small group of people that call the church home are his family and friends. And over the past five years they have become mine as well. These people are a true and beautiful example of what it means to be a family in Christ. I love them.
     One of my favorite times of the year is our yearly winter(though it's almost spring) retreat. The weeks leading up to the big weekend hold potlucks and planning and music practice. Every year since Luke and I got married we have hosted out of town friends and family. Last year was our first retreat in our new home and so we were able to host a few more. I believe we had 7 people stay with us last year. One of the guys had to sleep in the laundry room, but it worked.
    I especially love it because one of our guests is usually my dear friend Polly. Polly likes to take credit for bringing Luke and I together. She and I became friends my first year of Bible college. It was through her that I began hearing stories of the Williams family, this church, many of the people I hold dear, and this lovely little town I now call home.
    So, groceries have been bought, who's staying where has been figured out, and excitement is growing. Happy Saturday.

Polly and I this past Fall.

"Cherish your human connections - your relationships with friends and family." ~Barbara Bush

Beyond My Understanding

      The other day I was thinking about what the Bible has to say about my own understanding of things. It's not very reliable at all. I often have to remind myself of the wisdom of Proverbs 3:5-6
           "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding. But in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
      Trust in the LORD, not yourself. All to often I find myself leaning back on what I think I know or what I feel, but that proves to be a very shaky support system. Our own understanding is wobbly and unstable and all to often, when we lean on it we find ourselves toppling over backwards. We need to lean back on God.
    Then it says in Provers 28:25b-26
"But the one who trusts in the LORD will be enriched. Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered."
    Here again, it points out the uselessness of "my own understanding." According to this verse, I've found myself to be a fool more often than not. I trust what I think I know, I trust what I feel, but for some reason, it can be so hard to trust in the LORD. But when we do, we come to a place of safety.
    But the Bible doesn't just talk about the uselessness of our own understanding. It also talks about how God's peace and love is so far beyond what our minds can comprehend.
       Ephesians 3:17-19
"So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and the length and height and depth, and to know the love Christ which surpassed knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God."
     The love of The One who created this life "surpasses knowledge." His love is so big, we can't comprehend it. It's beyond our understanding. Which is good, because if God only loved me as much as I could understand, than I wouldn't be very loved.
     But there's more. God's in the business of blowing our minds and showing us things that are beyond our wildest imaginations. And not just in how much He loves us, but in the peace He floods our souls with.
    Philippians 4:6-7
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
    The peace of God is beyond our comprehension. And that peace is our safe place. It "will guard your heart and your mind," if you let it.
     If you let God's big love wash over you, and His incomprehensible peace guard your mind you will be in a good place. Because, if you rest in His love and peace you won't be leaning on yourself.
     So today, may you give up trying to understand and simply trust, resting in the love and peace and joy of One who is so much bigger than you.

Honey, Books, Soup, and Snow

      My little sisters Ema and Lucy are here for the weekend. Unfortunately however, Lucy woke up feeling under the weather this morning. So, Luke and Ema went to church and Lucy and I settled ourselves onto the couch.

 We watched a couple movies then I made a big pot of creamy, chicken, noodle soup. I've inherited my mom's inability to make a small pot of soup. So we will be eating leftovers.
      My mom had brought up this fancy honey for Luke and I to try. I had never heard of honey with special purposes but apparently it's a thing. Honey for grilling, honey for cheese, and honey for tea. Naturally I had to sample them to see what all the hype was about. I decided that the honey for cheese was the best. The bonus deal to this was that the honey came in cute jars with bees on the lid. Double the sweetness!

     Despite Lucy not feeling so great today, it has proved to be a good weekend. Yesterday we had a baby shower for Mr. Ephraim. Overall, I do think it was a success.

       It was "Storybook" themed. My friend Emily, found the idea and it turned out really cute. We brought food items that related to different storybooks and then the books went to Mr. Ephraim to start his very own library. I brought the books The Treasure Tree, My Father's Dragon and Curious George. Those first two are books that I have fond memories of from my own childhood. I made my Grandma Shearer's banana punch to accompany Curious George. Oranges went with My Father's Dragon, and chocolates for The Treasure Tree.
    So there you have it. I hope your weekend has been lovely. And oh, it's Valentines Day. On this day dedicated to love, may you remember the ultimate and beautiful love of The One who gave bee's the recipe for honey, puts the smile on a sweet baby's face, and sends the snow to quietly descend on a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

"We do not remember days, we remember moments." ~Unknown

The Mysterious Smell

         Yesterday at school, I made a disgusting albeit hilarious discovery. One day I had notice that one of my students seemed to have horrendous taco breath. When I sat next to her desk I could hardly stand it. It would be one thing if this happened just once, but I noticed it again a day or so later. It was nasty. Then, yesterday the kids were at recess and I was picking up around my classroom when I noticed the taco aura next to her desk. This made me think so I opened her desk and took a whiff. Something horrible was brewing in there. I called her in and told her she had something stinky in her desk and asked her to please check and get whatever it was out. She promptly pulled out a ziplock bag with a chunk of food in it. It was a half eaten piece of Falafel that I had take to school almost 2 weeks earlier for the kids to taste while we were learning about the Middle East. For some reason she had decided to save it and it had gotten forgotten in her desk. I'm really not sure how she stood the smell, because it was totally grossing me out.
        So there you have it. A lesson on the fact that you should never assume. What you might think is taco breath may indeed be some left over surprise hidden in a desk. Happy Saturday.

"There are a lot of funny things that happen in ones life." ~Pierce Brosnan

Just Drink Your Spit!

     Yesterday at work we were getting some maintenance done. Unfortunately there was a mishap and our water was cut for awhile. The secretary came up and informed me that there was no water which meant there was no bathrooms...In a school....With lots of kids. Adventures. They did eventually tell us we could use them just with no flushing capabilities. They managed to get it fixed by recess which was good, but I thought it rather funny when I overheard one of my students getting very resourceful. They were getting their snacks and must have been talking about being thirsty because one of my third graders piped up that they could just drink their spit. So there you go, in a "crisis' situation when you find yourselves without proper hydration, you can just drink your spit.
   Today we had a field trip to the skiing hills. It was fun and beautiful. I like driving a mini van full of students around. I love ridding the lifts and looking out over the glistening white slopes and the blue sky. I like coming home to relax and share a pizza with my love.
      Happy Friday!

"Adventure is worthwhile in itself." ~Amelia Earhart

The Rest of Beach Week

     So, this past week at school was Beach Week. And really, that puts me in my element. I mean come on, a weird and wonderful theme every day. I wore my wacky Wednesday outfit to church Wednesday night and a friend mentioned that I didn't look all that different from my norm. Success!

Crazy Hair Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, and Stripe Friday. (Thursday was sports day. A theme that I actually don't have much to go on. I wore a shirt with a football on it.)

May your Saturday be filled with beautiful moments, peace in your souls, and joy in your hearts. And perhaps a touch of Wacky.

"Sometimes I pretend to be normal. But it gets boring, so I go back to being me." ~Unknown

Beach Week

      It's Beach Week at school and the weather cooperated by giving us a balmy high of 24 degrees. The kids showed up in shorts, sandals, giant floppy hats and colorful leis. Aloha! For our group picture I thought it would be fun to run outside in our Hawaiian glory and snap a picture in the falling snow. We managed to forget to put the pin in the door and locked ourselves out, thus having to run around the building to the front door, cue laughter and squealing.  
    This all reminded me of a snowy winter day when I was a kid. We were cooped up and I'm sure fighting cabin fever. So, my mom let us have a beach day. We laid out beach towels, put on shorts and t-shirts, slathered on lotion(sunscreen) and imagined warmer days. I also remember, when we were living in Kenya,  having a pool party in the bathtub with my siblings and probably a neighbor kid or two. Moments in time. Memories. Stories.
     On a different note, I've been thinking lately about comparisons and how they are not good. All to often, I find that I compare myself, my life, and my story with people around me, and this can lead to stress, anxiety, and doubt. You see, I started to realize that I was comparing my faith, my walk with God, my decisions and so forth against other people. But the tricky thing was that I would compare it against what I thought the other person's faith, walk, and choices were and what I thought their thoughts on the subject must be. So really, I was comparing myself against what I thought others must be thinking/feeling/believing, not necessarily against what they actually were(if that makes any sense). Do this and you will quickly find yourself in a sticky, brain mess that doesn't seem to have an exit.
     Now the Bible has a thing or two to say about not judging others, but I think it might be just as important to not compare with others. Either it will make us feel hopelessly inadequate, give us a big head, or just plain confuse us. Instead, we should forget whether or not we match up with the those around us and rather strive to compare our lives, faith, walk, and decisions agains the Word of God.
     Happy Beach Week!

"In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." ~Albert Camus

Those Days We End Up In the Ditch

     It is once again bitterly cold outside. But the sun is so very bright and the snow is so very white. I was driving home this morning and was thinking about how the vast white backdrop brings out the intensity of the other colors. The blue of the sky, the yellows, greens, and reds of the road signs, the green of the pines, and the deep red of the barn. Colors that are brought to the forefront and put on display against the white backdrop of wintery glory.
      It was while I was thinking these thoughts that I turned the last curve on the road before reaching home and promptly slid right into the ditch. I like to think I did it gracefully. So, there I was stuck in the snow a 1/4 of a mile from home. I was about to call Luke when a pick up pulled up and stopped. He asked if someone was coming and I said that I was going to call my husband but that he was at work. So, without skipping a beat he started digging around in his truck for a strap and chain. While he was doing this, I called Luke and explained where I was and what was going on. When I hung up the guy looked at me and asked if I was Luke's wife(I hadn't mentioned Luke's name). Turns out he was a contractor Luke often works with and he actually is building a home on our road. In no time at all he had me pulled out and I was back on my way. The whole situation put a smile on my face. The kindness of a stranger to stop and help and the coincidence of him not really being a stranger.
     We are known by the One who puts the colors in the world. Did you know that. When we find ourselves sliding into the ditches that are the problems and worries of this life, The Creator of life comes along, pulls us out, and calls us by name. He knows us and He knows the cry of our hearts. And even if you don't know Him, He knows you and He loves you.
     So that's my story and I'm sticking with it. Also, I like to believe that my Heavenly Father knew I was going to end up in that ditch this morning and sent a friend at the very right moment. God's cool like that.
      And then there is this little guy, Mr. Ephraim.

I went to visit this afternoon, it was lovely.

“Wherever there is a human in need, there is an opportunity for kindness and to make a difference.” ~Kevin Heath

Frosty

It's a tad frosty out there.

Happy Saturday!

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” ~Lewis Caroll

Snow, Babies, and the Truth

        Another beautiful Friday has rolled around. Yesterday, it snowed and snowed and snowed. Today, the sun finally peeked out and the world was absolutely beautiful. The evergreen trees were heavy with sparkling snow. And since it was so cold it stuck to the trees all day. The view from my classroom window was delightful.

       Despite the beauty, I did manage to pick up a cold this week. I don't know if the kids were just chill today or if I just didn't let little things bother me, or maybe they sensed my need for a chill day. Whatever the reason, it was nice. I love having a rocking chair in my classroom. We spent a good chunk of time reading and when someone needed help with math my rocking chair pulled up to their desk. I am truly blessed with the job I have.
       Exciting news! The Lovely Keren Ruth had her sweet baby this week. Mr. Ephraim James was born on Wednesday and he is the cutest little nephew. From now on the adventures of Keren and Bea will be the Adventures of Keren, Bea, and Ephraim. They will be good ones!
       The other day I got an email from Pay Pal that was not addressed to me and I don't even have a Pay Pal account. Then, this morning, on the radio, they were talking about some scam that is going around. They talked about how scammers often send out incredibly legit looking emails trying to get your information from you. This made me think about how the enemy of our souls is a class A scammer. He knows all the tricks in the book to try to deceive you into believing a lie.
     It says in John 8:44 "When he[the devil] lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar
and the father of lies." So we know that the devil is a liar, but he's not just any liar, he's the best one. In the story of Jesus in the wilderness, we see how the devil comes to Him and begins to tempt Him. And he lies to Jesus. The tricky part comes when the devil uses the Word of God to try to deceive Jesus. (Matthew 4:1-11) Just like those internet scammers can do a pretty good job of making themselves look legit the devil tries very hard to make himself look legit. It says in 2 Corinthians 11:14 "...No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." Because he wants nothing more than to scam you of the peace, joy, and hope that is yours in Jesus. 
       So on this beautiful, snowy, Friday, I hope that you lean back in the arms of the One who makes the snow sparkle and rest in His love. And if you have a baby to snuggle and kiss go for it. Because it doesn't get much better than that. 

Side note, Norbert the Turtle is a yoga master. 

"The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love." ~Margaret Atwood 



"A baby is God's opinion that life should go on." ~Carl Sandburg 

Seasoning

      When I got married, one of my good friend's mom gave me a large cast iron skillet. She told me that if I was going to be a Williams, I would need one. I had little to no experience with cast iron, but she was right, a Williams' household is not complete without at least one good cast iron pan. And that skillet has turned out to be one of the most used items in my kitchen. I use it just about every single day.
       The thing about cast iron however, is that it needs to be seasoned. Unseasoned cast iron is no good, it sticks. So, whenever we have gotten a new cast iron pan, Luke rubs it down really well with oil and sticks it in the oven to really bake the oil in. Then from there, the more you use it the better the seasoning gets.
      A few years ago, my Grandpa gave us another cast iron skillet. This one however, was not brand new. I don't know if he found it at some second hand store or if it was from his own kitchen, but wherever it came from that baby is well seasoned. It has years of oils pressed into it's porous surface and it is a perfect example of a good skillet.
     As I was doing the dishes last night and cleaning up that very first skillet of ours, I began to think about how we as Christians are like cast iron. When we first begin our walk of faith we are unseasoned. We have begun a new journey and it is a good one(the best one), but we don't yet have much for seasoning. We don't know it all yet and we are bound to make some pretty good mistakes on the way. In order to begin the process of seasoning our new faith we need to absorb God's word, pray, spend time with wise and godly men and women who have been on the journey longer than we have. As we start the process, the seasoning begins. We begin to grow into a better version of ourselves. But we must remember that this is not going to be an instant process. Just like that skillet from my Grandpa probably had years of use and seasoning to make it such a great pan, so too we will take years of seasoning.
     I was talking with my Grandpa this weekend. I have always know this, but it struck me what a wise and godly man he is. Actually, both my Grandpas are. They are godly, men who seek the One who breathes life into our souls. But they didn't just get there overnight. They have been seasoning their faith for many many years.
    I am still a young skillet. I've done some seasoning but I still find myself sticking. I mess up and feel like a failure. But the point is, you don't give up. Scrape it up, oil it down and keep moving. Trust that the One who started you on your journey will keep the process of seasoning going. Allow your faith to grow. Happy New Year!

Philippians 1:6
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.”  ~Andy Rooney