The last couple months have, I think, been some of the most crucial, and most defining months of my life. Please notice the emphasis on "some." Of course there have been moments here and there throughout my WHOLE 25 years that have been both crucial and defining (i.e. marrying the love of my life, meeting my best friends, etc.). However, the last two to three months have genuinely brought me closer to the Lord than I ever have been. I feel different. I feel incredible. And I am so very thankful for a God that gives second and third and twentieth chances. I know I'm not that generous...
Let me tell you a little about how this has evolved. To be honest, it sort of snuck up on me. One day, I was going about my business - ignoring God - but feeling decent about things. Of course loving married life and my husband, but finding myself short-tempered, frustrated a lot, and a little stressed when I had no business feeling that way. I was barely in communication with God and, quite frankly, dreaded going to church each weekend. NOT the picture of the woman I wanted to be.
First, on one of my slower night shifts, I stumbled across the blog of a person I did not know anything about. I was doing the thing where you look at the links one person has on their blog and click by click, you sort of end up reading about someone's life clear across the country. A little weird. BUT this blog just so happens to belong to a woman named Angie Smith. This is no ordinary woman who writes about trivial daily routines...she has an incredible story of faith and love for the Lord. Long story real short: she was pregnant with a baby that doctors said would only live a few minutes after birth - if at all. She began to write on her blog about her struggles and about how the Lord has worked through her family during this struggle. Her sweet baby did go to heaven a few hours after being born, but the impact that she has had on the world through her mom's blog will live on for years and years. I encourage anyone out there to go read her story and be inspired!
So...this woman's story and faith began to tug at my heart. I was seriously moved by it all, but still a little hesitant to do anything about it. The thing that really kicked me into gear was the Living Well conference I attended in March. I know I've already mentioned it here before, but now I see even more clearly how much those two days have impacted my life. The message of Living Well is amazing, but whats even more amazing is what comes after - a desire for change and renewal. I left knowing that I had to do something different.
And now, without even knowing it, I've started to develop some pretty good habits. I'm trying to discipline myself - in all aspects of my life. Some areas are easier than others and ALL of them need a LOT of work. But I feel good. No matter how cynical I can get at times and no matter how many questions I have - I simply feel better when I'm in communication with God, when I'm spending time with Him daily and aware of the ways in which He is involved in my life.
Ooook...I think that sums it up nicely for now. To be honest, I feel such a change within myself that its hard to put it into words or to explain exactly how it came about. I only hope that the change I feel inside begins to show itself on the outside: in my marriage, in my relationships, at work...in everything I do! I pray daily that every word and deed might reflect the Lord. Unfortunately, my own dumb ideas get in the way at times...but we're working on that one. : )
Goodnight everyone...I hope you checkout Angie's blog - she's seriously amazing.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Good Evening Friends
Oh Dear...It has been quite a while since I last posted. Two weekends ago, we ran in the Carlsbad 5k. And would you believe that we didn't take ONE picture? Such a bummer...especially since it was little Emma's first race! It has become a bit of a tradition to run in the 5k and immediately walk to the Armenian breakfast joint down the road and watch the actual runners as we stuff our faces. I think its my favorite part of the whole day! Let me just clarify a little bit because maybe the term "race" isn't quite accurate. We jogged slowly, stopping every once in a while - ya know - to let little Emma rest. Lets not even TALK about the half-marathon we're supposedly running in June. Oh, Mercy.
Other than finding out how inadequate we are at running, we've been working and playing around San Diego. Our friends Brian and Veronica are opening up a new Fro-Yo store in Point Loma. (Oh. Em. Gee.) It is approximately 2 minutes away from our apartment and...wait for it...John is going to work there a bit this summer! I've gotten some tastes of the frozen yogurt AND the AMAZING acai bowls they're going to offer. Oh my Lord, its awesome! The grand opening is this Thursday (the 22nd), so if you're in the San Diego area, come check out Cup Of Yo on Catalina!!
I'm still reading the 4:8 Principle - and still loving it. More thoughts on that later...for now, here are a couple pics of my little family : )
Little Numchuck after his first big haircut...so handsome
Johnny and I at Il Fornaio for Valentine's Day
Sunday, April 4, 2010
How Great the Father's Love For Us
Happy Easter!
There is SO much that comes with this day, I don't even know where to start or if I can say exactly what I want. I'll start with the verse that stood out to me most in the sermon this morning. My dear, sweet husband gave me a new Bible for Christmas. Its one of those that has both the NIV and the Message translations. And for a girl who loves to read, I sure do appreciate having a second translation there to give a little more insight. Today, I was blown away at how much the Message translation of this verse touched me. It is in such plain english and is so blunt and I love it.
Romans 5:6-8
...we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit. Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have know what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatsoever to him.
There is no way, in this earthly life, that I will ever do anything to deserve the sacrifice that He gave or the love that He lavishes on me. And the fact that He gave his Son anyways and he continues to love me, sins and all, is incredibly humbling. Today I'm reminded that no matter what, my God loves me so much that he gave his most prized possession to save me and to have the opportunity to have a relationship with me. How lucky I am - how lucky we ALL are!!
Happy Easter, everyone! Be encouraged today that the Lord is good and Jesus is alive!
P.S. The 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Baja hit while I was writing this. I'm up in LA at the Miles house and we felt it big time. Hopefully our apartment is still standing down in SD. Craaazy!
There is SO much that comes with this day, I don't even know where to start or if I can say exactly what I want. I'll start with the verse that stood out to me most in the sermon this morning. My dear, sweet husband gave me a new Bible for Christmas. Its one of those that has both the NIV and the Message translations. And for a girl who loves to read, I sure do appreciate having a second translation there to give a little more insight. Today, I was blown away at how much the Message translation of this verse touched me. It is in such plain english and is so blunt and I love it.
Romans 5:6-8
...we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit. Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have know what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatsoever to him.
There is no way, in this earthly life, that I will ever do anything to deserve the sacrifice that He gave or the love that He lavishes on me. And the fact that He gave his Son anyways and he continues to love me, sins and all, is incredibly humbling. Today I'm reminded that no matter what, my God loves me so much that he gave his most prized possession to save me and to have the opportunity to have a relationship with me. How lucky I am - how lucky we ALL are!!
Happy Easter, everyone! Be encouraged today that the Lord is good and Jesus is alive!
P.S. The 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Baja hit while I was writing this. I'm up in LA at the Miles house and we felt it big time. Hopefully our apartment is still standing down in SD. Craaazy!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
My Husband Rocks!...My Car Does Not
Back to point #2. My car is such a loser. Its not even three years old yet and it has been in the shop almost every six months since I bought it. Big BUMMER. I'm not sure what we're gonna do at this point but my vote is that the nice little service man says, "boy, I'm sorry but your car is totaled." And then I'll pretend to be sad and take my happy little self to find a new (used) car that is worth my money. We'll see how that turns out. :-/
But to reiterate (and end on a positive note), I love my husband!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Fun New Things
Ok, for some reason I'm not able to upload pictures! This one is the only one that worked...but its a pretty good representation of Costa Rica. Totally laid back, beautiful beach, sunny...PERFECT! I'll try to upload some more, but there will be a whole album over on the facebook : ) Mmmm, just looking at this picture makes me wanna lay in a hammock and read a good book (what we did almost EVERY afternoon in Costa). It also reminds me of the giant Cockroach that lost its life inside the room that this picture is being taken from - a room that we quickly vacated for an air-conditioned, cockroach-free room up the road. But, hey, the view was killer!
On a completely different note - I have an announcement to make. I have decided to try to pick up a new hobby : Sewing. I do not have a sewing machine, nor do I have ANY sewing skills. However - I love clothes and pretty things; therefore I have a great reason to want to try! Besides, the talent has gotta be hidden in my womanly genes somewhere right? This could be a disaster, but I'm going to use my positive thinking to convince myself that I can do it! ; ) I am in the process of researching sewing machines and figuring out where to take a few classes. I'm excited to try something new! Nana, my dear sweet grandmother who used to sew matching outfits for the two of us, will be proud.
I'm also going to try to go to Yoga on a regular basis. The only time I've gone was in 100 degree heat and I almost passed out. So perhaps I'll take a few steps back and try the not-so-ungodly-hot yoga class. Yes, that sounds good.
Another development in the lives of John and Ash : we're officially saving for our first home! We have started Financial Peace University and are putting together a plan to save up and we're really pumped about it. A budget is a hard thing to change - especially with the "envelope method" of paying cash for most things. Its so easy to pull out the debit card and swipe it - but with cash, we pay SO much more attention to the purchases we're making and how much we spend. And I have a little envelope specifically for clothing...something I thought would NOT be a good thing. However, I'm really surprised and happy to say that it gets me excited to save up and know that in a few months, I will have cash that is specifically for spending on clothes or shoes or whatever I want! And I don't have to feel guilty about it! Yep, this budget thing is really growing on me. : )
Well, goodnight for now my friends. Thanks for stopping by!
So, at the Living Well Conference, I picked up the book "The 4:8 Principle." Its all about training your mind to think on things that are good and positive, and the effect that this can have on our lives. It is SUCH a good book so far - super practical and really makes me pay attention to the thoughts that float through my mind throughout the day. The "4:8" refers to Philippians 4:8 - the verse in which we are instructed to think on "whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, of virtue and praiseworthy." I'm only through the first chapter right now, but I can completely see the value that this type of thinking can have in everyday life. Especially in the area of worry...One thing the author said that really stuck out to me was, "Joy is an outward sign of inward faith in the promises of God." Wow. The more I worry and think on the negative things or the things I hope don't happen, it just shows how little faith I have in the promise God has given to me that He's got my back. That He has a good and perfect plan for my life - no matter what that might look like. Needless to say, I'm loving the book and can't wait to share more about it. : )
On a completely different note - I have an announcement to make. I have decided to try to pick up a new hobby : Sewing. I do not have a sewing machine, nor do I have ANY sewing skills. However - I love clothes and pretty things; therefore I have a great reason to want to try! Besides, the talent has gotta be hidden in my womanly genes somewhere right? This could be a disaster, but I'm going to use my positive thinking to convince myself that I can do it! ; ) I am in the process of researching sewing machines and figuring out where to take a few classes. I'm excited to try something new! Nana, my dear sweet grandmother who used to sew matching outfits for the two of us, will be proud.
I'm also going to try to go to Yoga on a regular basis. The only time I've gone was in 100 degree heat and I almost passed out. So perhaps I'll take a few steps back and try the not-so-ungodly-hot yoga class. Yes, that sounds good.
Another development in the lives of John and Ash : we're officially saving for our first home! We have started Financial Peace University and are putting together a plan to save up and we're really pumped about it. A budget is a hard thing to change - especially with the "envelope method" of paying cash for most things. Its so easy to pull out the debit card and swipe it - but with cash, we pay SO much more attention to the purchases we're making and how much we spend. And I have a little envelope specifically for clothing...something I thought would NOT be a good thing. However, I'm really surprised and happy to say that it gets me excited to save up and know that in a few months, I will have cash that is specifically for spending on clothes or shoes or whatever I want! And I don't have to feel guilty about it! Yep, this budget thing is really growing on me. : )
Well, goodnight for now my friends. Thanks for stopping by!
Friday, March 19, 2010
My Oh My...
It's been a long time! I'm going to attempt a comeback in the blogging world! (For those four of you who actually read this blog waaaay back when : ) ) I've been meaning to do it for a very long time for a couple reasons. #1 : I think its pretty awesome that you can claim a tiny space on the internet to document life and go back and look and laugh at some of the things you write! #2: Writing has always been therapeutic for me. I've always loved to journal and for whatever reason, putting things down in words sortof helps me to process. SO - all that said - I understand that I'm no more special than any other gal, and I also understand that most people have no reason to care about the things that I write! And I say that with a smile...cause its true! HOWEVER, I am going to write on this blog as often as I can because...well, I just want to!
So, seeing as its been almost a YEAR since my last post - wow - I suppose we should catch up a bit.
- Marriage is awesome, especially to John Coleman Miles. He's incredible and I'm beyond blessed to call him my husband. I don't deserve his patience and kindness, but he gives it freely and I'm so grateful!!!
- Numchuck is now an 11month-old bundle of joy! He's big and hairy and such a sweet dog. ( And totally living up to his name with his clumsy, goofy self)
- Johnny is finishing up his second year of Law school and I'm still working hard for the money at Balboa Hospital.
- We just took an AMAZING trip to Costa Rica for 10 days. Yes...less than one year from our honeymoon : ) Again - incredible husband. ( I'll post pics from the trip a little later)
And that's the gist of things.
On a more serious note, I want this blog to also be a place for me to share what I'm learning. Lately, I've been realizing some serious areas in life that I need to attend to. Most importantly - my relationship with God. John and I want so badly to set our marriage in a strong foundation; one filled with loving the Lord and each other. We want to start healthy habits in all areas of our lives. SO, a lot of the content in this blog will be about our efforts and the things we learn along the way!
For starters - I had the privilege of going to a Living Well Ministry conference last weekend. Living Well Ministry was founded by my amazing Mom and her amazing best friend, Elizabeth. It is focused on helping women to live a balanced and truly GOOD life. And how does that happen? By first acknowledging the God needs to be #1 and the center of everything. It also happens by taking good care of yourself - eating right, sleeping enough, exercising, etc. This is such a tiny little explanation of the incredible ministry these ladies have. I was so inspired and so blessed to go to the conference and to know that these two ladies are such examples of what I want my life and my marriage to look like! I strongly urge you to check out their website and blog here:
http://www.livingwellministry.com/
http://www.livingwellministryblog.blogspot.com/
So, seeing as its been almost a YEAR since my last post - wow - I suppose we should catch up a bit.
- Marriage is awesome, especially to John Coleman Miles. He's incredible and I'm beyond blessed to call him my husband. I don't deserve his patience and kindness, but he gives it freely and I'm so grateful!!!
- Numchuck is now an 11month-old bundle of joy! He's big and hairy and such a sweet dog. ( And totally living up to his name with his clumsy, goofy self)
- Johnny is finishing up his second year of Law school and I'm still working hard for the money at Balboa Hospital.
- We just took an AMAZING trip to Costa Rica for 10 days. Yes...less than one year from our honeymoon : ) Again - incredible husband. ( I'll post pics from the trip a little later)
And that's the gist of things.
On a more serious note, I want this blog to also be a place for me to share what I'm learning. Lately, I've been realizing some serious areas in life that I need to attend to. Most importantly - my relationship with God. John and I want so badly to set our marriage in a strong foundation; one filled with loving the Lord and each other. We want to start healthy habits in all areas of our lives. SO, a lot of the content in this blog will be about our efforts and the things we learn along the way!
For starters - I had the privilege of going to a Living Well Ministry conference last weekend. Living Well Ministry was founded by my amazing Mom and her amazing best friend, Elizabeth. It is focused on helping women to live a balanced and truly GOOD life. And how does that happen? By first acknowledging the God needs to be #1 and the center of everything. It also happens by taking good care of yourself - eating right, sleeping enough, exercising, etc. This is such a tiny little explanation of the incredible ministry these ladies have. I was so inspired and so blessed to go to the conference and to know that these two ladies are such examples of what I want my life and my marriage to look like! I strongly urge you to check out their website and blog here:
http://www.livingwellministry.com/
http://www.livingwellministryblog.blogspot.com/
Welp, that's about all I have for right now. Off to have a wonderful Saturday!!
Ash
Monday, June 22, 2009
Our new little baby boy!
Aww...we have a new addition to our family! Meet..."NumChuck"!! I'm thinking I'll call him "Charlie" on occasion. haha
We rescued NumChuck from a Labrador rescue. His mommy died while giving birth to the litter, so another Black Lab took all the puppies in and fed them along with her own litter!
We are so excited and love him already!
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