Summer Reads

I'm currently on my second reading of the book "The Shack"

Summer Fun!

The summer is just zipping by and I'm lovin' every minute of it. Life is so calm and relaxing (outside of worrying endlessly about Skylar and Jamie in Colorado and all their housing woes - to the point that I would get stomach aches just thinking about it - God must have wonderful things in store for them as they go through the fire of faith and patience!!)

I've had numerous people comment that I look so refreshed that I'm too the point of questioning what on earth I looked like before!! :) It is true though, I am relaxed and refreshed. I think that comes with being able to read for pleasure - which I have been doing endlessly - reading numerous books since the end of April.

My favorite single book has been "The Shack". You simply must get it! Very thought provoking and I think, faith challenging. Makes you step back and reconsider what you believe about the trinity and why. Excellent book - wonderful book club choice.

Currently I am making my way through a 5 book Christian Historical Fiction series - Chronicles of the Kings by Lynn Austin. She is quickly becoming my favorite author to date! This series takes you through the Chronicles of Old Testament Kings and gives you a great glimpse at what happens regarding obedience and disobedience to God. Exciting and captivating reading! Stays very close to the biblical accounts.

Tim and I have started our summer travels, having returned last Saturday from 10 days in Boston. Great to see Tori and Tory and meet some more of Tory's family. Tim and I also stayed at a B and B in Vineyard Haven on the Island of Martha's Vineyard. This was courtesy of First Presbyterian Church, a gift to me for graduation. A great, relaxing time. See the pix!

DONE!

It's all over!! Big day came and went - much like Thanksgiving dinner where you work hard for days to put together and grand dinner and then in a matter of minutes the food is consumed and people are moving on to the next holiday - so it was with graduation. Came and went - but NOT without some good celebrating!! Now it is on to the next chapter of life - whatever THAT will be!

Four days to go!

The big day is almost here! One of those surreal moments that one longs for and then when it is near it seems unreal. Will it really happen? One of those strange things were you wonder ... will something happen to prevent this from taking place? Crazy thoughts!

Just Another Monday

Ahhh, this is the life! I love Mondays! The weekend is over and a new week is ahead. Okay, so Sunday really is the beginning of the week, however, when one is in ministry and working for a church Sunday is anything but the relaxing, spirit filled day it is designed to be! Attending three services and doing "ministry" inbetween can be taxing so Mondays are my "ahhh" days! And today is an even more "ahhh" day because I can sit and do nothing, absolutely nothing, without feeling one ounce of guilt for not doing school work! What a blessing to be in charge of my life once again!! Now, that may make it sound like the past five years of "doing school" were not worthwhile - they were but...I also like this new life :)!! A cup of green tea (with leaves straight from China!!), my bible study or a good book (currently Homestead by Jane Kirkpatrick), relaxing in the big chair, looking out the large front windows watching the storm come in and just "being". What a life!!

Ta Da! I'm Done!!

As of 9:01 p.m. April 1st, I finished my last class when I hit the submit button - sending off my final test. The last test covered the New Testament - James through Revelation. A most interesting class with lots to cover and memorize. My final paper was based on I Thessalonians 4:13-18 regarding those who "sleep in Christ" and exactly what that means. Does the body and soul sleep till the second coming of Christ (as some denominations and/or other faiths believe) or does only the body sleep with the soul of the believer immediately transported upon death to reside with Christ? You'll have to read my paper and find out!

So, this past week of absolute freedom I have read for fun, walked more, swam more, organized some pictures, cleaned some closests (sorting through years of cards that I have saved) and even deep cleaned the house (covering areas not covered in years!) without the stress of feeling guilty because I wasn't studying. In some ways it is weird to get used to (not studying) and in other ways I feel like my life has been handed back to me!

All of this is NOT to say that I'm not glad I did it - I am - it just took longer than I had anticipated and was super hard - but I did learn quite a bit, which of course is the goal so...I accomplished what I set out to do. Now, onto the next chapter...whatever that will be!

Tori's first Easter - what a doll!!

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Count down

I'm now less than four weeks away from the date I am required to have all my final work submitted in order to receive my actual diploma at graduatio! April 12th is that date. Seems I am finding more things to do that do NOT relate to school these days - senioritis I guess!

I just returned from a week spent up in Portland (cold, rainy area!!) at Western Seminary where I was involved with the "Heart Talk" conference. This is a four day conference for training in the art of delivering messages and speaches effectively put on by author/speaker Carol Kent. I had the opportunity and privilege of being a small group facilitator/evaluator - evaluating the students as they delivered their various talks. Was exciting to actually be working with Carol Kent!

Cindi's Stuff

Decided I'd better get with the program and create a blog! Not much exciting going on in my life BUT I am getting close to the end of my Master's program so that is something to track over the next 8 weeks.

I'll keep you posted on the progress!