The Gift of Protection

John and I awoke to a huge bang and loud crack. We looked out our cabin window and saw a huge pine tree crash to the ground. The cabin filled with smoke. We got out of the loft, fearful our cabin was about to burn to the ground. I told John to grab our baby's clothes and I grabbed a photo album from our honeymoon. (I completely forgot about my camera sitting on the floor!) With the storm still ranging around us, we fled to my parent's house.
~

Through time and measuring, we have discovered how graciously God spared us. The 80 foot pine tree struck by lightening, was only 45 feet from our cabin. Instead of falling toward us, it fell away from our cabin. The electricity then followed a jagged 52 foot trail to our cabin, blowing dirt and forest covering 10 feet high into the trees above and hitting our bedroom window. It then sailed up some downhill skis John had resting against the cabin and into a screw on our cabin's exterior. From there, it came inside, melted a screw, and blacked the wall where an extension cord was. Our microwave and toaster were plugged into that extension cord. That is where the smoke came from. Unbelievably, our microwave, toaster, fridge... actually everything plugged in still works!!! The only lights that don't work are our LED Christmas lights we had on the outside of our cabin.
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The electricity moved from our cabin to my parent's house, throwing two 100 amp breakers. So far, the only things discovered to not work are: my mom's computer (which has been giving her grief), the Internet router, and two cordless phones.

~
The Tree

John on his cell with a *Smile*

The tape measure follows the lightening path

The damage to the cabin

The Gift of Today

I've been posting so much on my pregnancy site: www.GodsKnittingProject.blogspot.com that I've fully neglected this blog. Every day is a gracious gift from God. Our tiny miracle is continuing to grow, my nausea is getting better (ever so slowly), and I am married to The Most Wonderful Man in the World!!! Marriage with John just gets better all the time. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share life together with him :0)

There are of course things that are stressful--our money tree refuses to sprout large bills (he,he) but God continues to provide for our needs and even many of our wants. I am continually amazed by the Goodness of God to us.

with love & hope ~

Amy

The Gift of warmth and safety

We had an impressive storm Thursday. The rain fell in sheets and turned roads into rivers. The wind broke trees and downed lines. In one place, a gust was recorded to reach 90 mph! We heard stories of trees doing great damage to houses.

Thursday night, we lost our electricity. It didn't return until late Monday morning. Kind of nice to have everything so quiet.

We moved in with my parents since we didn't have any source of heat. Mom turned out amazing meals using the wood stove. Their back porch turned into a walk in refrigerator. John figured out how to hook up his generator. He used it to keep the frozen foods frozen, pumped up water when we need it, and got the boiler running so people could take showers.

I've been feeling quite nauseated so I didn't get a lot of pictures but here is a sampling of the storm:

The Gift of Life

Today is the day I turn the BIG three-OH! How old!

I really liked my 20's. It was the decade of travel with so many good memories:

Romania:
Played with street children
Visited the homeless
Made precious friendships
Waded in the Black Sea

Thailand:
Kissed a boa constrictor
Got an elephant massage
Lived with a Thai family
Wore a lotus necklace

Australia:
Listened to a Kookaburra in the wild
Smelled Gum trees
Saw Kangaroos in the wild
Looked up at night to see the Southern Cross

China:
Visited Beijing, Chengdu, and Urumqi
Walked on the Great Wall
Ate monkey brain (bleck)
Almost got left behind!

Though the traveling stopped, the adventures did not! I turned 28 on the 28th of 2008. At the end of that year, on November 28th, I married my best friend--what a Delight!

I am so excited about this new decade... Last week, John and I discovered that God gave me an early birthday present: a BABY! Lord willing, we will welcome our Precious Little One sometime in early October :-* I am Very Excited about this new decade!

I started a strictly pregnancy/delivery/baby site: http://www.godsknittingproject.blogspot.com/

The Gift of Friendship

The Gift of Mentors

My family has been an encouragement, blessing, and inspiration to me. What began with my mother and sisters, has been continued by countless women around the world, both known and unknown. They have taught me what it means to be a woman by their example. The richest nuggets have come from those with a deep and lasting relationship with Jesus. Their friendship has been a priceless gift! With these jewels on my heart these words came to my mind:

We are the Women

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We are the daughters

Free from the world's expectations

Hope-filled, Diligent, Pure

Desiring to reflect Jesus in all things

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We are the wives

In love with our husbands

Helpful, Respectful, Alluring

Delighted to share life together

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We are the mothers

Tenderly nurturing our children

Happy, Unselfish, Patient

Preparing our darlings to launch out on their own

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We are the Grandmothers

Surrounded by admiring grandchildren

Wise, Thankful, Content

Seeking to encourage generations of faith

~

We are the women

Smiling at the future

Industrious, Knowledgeable, Teachable

Confident God will complete the good work He has begun

The Gift of Work

John and I have been staying busy working on remodeling a house. The owners of the home moved south and hired John to spruce things up. After receiving permission, John gave me the opportunity to expand my skills and work there as well. I have removed baseboards (and the nails holding them in a way to protect the woodwork), removed carpet and pad, painted and primed exterior wood, and patched sheetrock. We track our progress through photographs. Here is a sample of my work:

The gift of Protection

Two weeks ago this Saturday, my dad went to the basement stairs to carry down a large crock-pot full of beans. When Dad got to the top step, his ankle gave out under him and he somersaulted down the wooden stairs to the concrete floor below. My mom heard the crash and went to investigate. She found her beloved moaning in a crumpled heap. I cannot describe the physical and emotional agony they experienced.

Despite my patent's youthful appearance, they are no longer young. It is a miracle from God my dad survived his tumble... Even more so, that he did not sustain any broken bones! He has bruises and sore places but no permanent damage.

Dad has a great sense of humor. He knows more silly songs and goofy jokes than any clown -- a constant delight to his grandchildren! This enjoyment for life and deep faith in God is planted very deep in my dad's soul. It is not parched by pain. I am so grateful we have more years to celebrate together!