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Monday, March 31, 2008

Name Change

Okay - so I decided to change the name of my blog. The old name was getting, well, old. I've decided on "The Journey". One definition of the word journey is: passage or progress from one stage to another. I think this would describe my life. This life of mine has been a journey. A passage or progress from one stage to another. I believe God has been taking me on a journey and I've been intrigued by each new stage He's taken me through. I wait in anticipation for the next stages. I trust where He's taking me.

Even more important than the destination is the journey...

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Random Thoughts Thursday

Here's some things that are on my mind this lovely, um, I mean RAINY afternoon...
  • I love the snow - but are you kidding me? It's actually sleeting right now and the weatherman's calling for 1-3 inches by tomorrow afternoon!
  • I love my husband and I sure miss him when he's out of town!
  • Tonight I'm taking my daughter on a mommy-daughter date night. Going to dinner and Staples! Hey - be quiet... it's only one of my favorite stores!
  • I can't wait for Sunday! I can't can't wait for every Sunday! Volunteers... be ready for God-size stuff!
  • d(is)Harmony begins this weekend at Crossroads. I'm looking forward to learning how to improve my marriage!
  • Last week was ONE BUSY week! One morning we didn't even have a clean towel to take a shower with! My poor family! Trevor actually ended up using a beach towel one morning.
  • I took some time to blow bubbles with my daughter this week. Do me a favor... if you have kids (I don't care how old they are), take some time out this spring to blow bubbles with them. There's something sweet and magical about bubble blowing. :)
  • Did I mention that it's sleeting. Okay, now it's snowing.
  • I heard a quote recently from the movie, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporrium. It now resides on the chalk board in my kitchen... "Life is an occasion, rise to it!"
  • I'm loving this season of American Idol. My picks: Carly Smithson or David Archuleta.
  • Oops... it's almost 6... let date night begin!

Monday, March 24, 2008

AWEsome Weekend!

Wow - - I am BLOWN away! This past week was powerful. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all that happened. Here are just some of the highlights:
  • Passion and Prayer on Wednesday night was incredible. Watching the suffering of Jesus Christ makes me incredibly humbled, honored and thankful to call myself His daughter. Not a dry eye in the place. There's just something about seeing that movie collectively as a church body that touches my heart! Wednesday night I was reminded of just how intense Christ's love is for ME and how much he endured for MY sin. Praise Him!
  • Friday night... can I just say WHAT HAPPENED TO SPRING? As I pulled into the parking lot of the Christian Family Centre at 4 p.m., I was SURE this Egg Hunt would NOT be happening. I was sure that volunteers wouldn't show and even more certain that no one in their right mind would bring children out to hunt eggs in SNOW! Um - let me just say how WRONG I was! I had to keep asking myself, "Who's in control, Wendy?" Thank God it wasn't me! The Egg Hunt happened and it was AMAZING! Truly one of the best Egg Hunts that I remember! I was totally BLOWN AWAY by the awesome volunteers who came out to show Christ's love to Egg Hunt attenders! I am SO honored to be serving Christ alongside of these amazing people! I will never forget the sea of snowsuits that surrounded Pastor Scott as he gave a heart warming message before guests arrived. It was truly one of the most unforgettable Crossroads moments! (I won't too soon forget our fearless Kid Crossing Director on cross country skis and the 2-year-old kids I witnessed trying to get a grip on their wet, snow-covered eggs!)
  • Easter experiences at Crossroads were unbelievable. Between all 4 service times, we recorded 1,800 people who attended. Fifty-Four families identified themselves as new to Crossroads. Forty-six individuals indicated a decision to accept Christ's gift of salvation. I tell you people - it doesn't get any better than that! THAT is why I do what I do. THAT is why I get excited every Sunday! It's all about changed lives. For two of those families who told us they were new to Crossroads for the very first time came as a result of the Egg Hunt - the SNOWY Egg Hunt - on Friday night. Did deciding to have the Egg Hunt, when every other hunt in the county was cancelled, have an impact on those two families? Absolutely!
My prayer is that we will NEVER lose sight of the lives we are trying to reach. May we continue to stay laser-focused on the 65,000 lives that God STILL wants to change and never forget why we do what we do!

Thank you, Crossroads - for being THAT kind of church where PEOPLE matter.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Eggs, Eggs and MORE Eggs!

66,000 Eggs!


Lots of candy!


Lots of fun with friends!


Can anyone guess who this is??

Saturday, March 15, 2008

11 Years Ago Today

Eleven years ago today I married my best friend. March 15, 1997. Here are the top ELEVEN reasons why I love my husband so much... (in no particular order)
  • He is my best friend. He's the one with whom I can laugh with, cry with & be myself with.

  • His love for me is unconditional. He loves me in good times and in bad times and most importantly... he loves me just the way I am. He's not interested in changing me.

  • He's trustworthy. I trust him with my heart completely.

  • He's a GREAT father. Chloe adores her daddy!

  • He makes me laugh. Trevor has one of the best personalities of anyone I know AND the best sense of humor.

  • He's thoughtful and kind. He's always thinking up creative ways to show his love for me.

  • He's gentle and caring.

  • He protects and defends me. I always know he will be on my side no matter what.

  • He's a great listener.

  • He's an awesome role model.

  • He loves Jesus!

I love you, Trevor. Thank you for eleven wonderful years. I look forward to MANY more wonderful years with you!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Good Listener.... (what did you say?)

Are you a good listener?


I think about this a lot.


As a leader, my prayer is that I will always be a good listener. Good leaders are good listeners.


I have struggled with this from time to time. Sometimes, when I am in a conversation with someone, I am also thinking about what I'm going to say next. This isn't a quality of a good listener.


A mentor/teacher/boss/friend once gave me some great advice! He said, the art of listening is making sure that the person with whom your communicating with KNOWS that they have been heard. Here is what he will do. When he is in a deep conversation with you about something, he will often say, "So, Wendy, what I'm hearing you say is..." This tells me he is listening. It also tells me that he values what I have to say and is interested in making sure I know I am heard!

This was very eye-opening for me.

I now find myself saying that when I'm in a conversation with someone, especially someone with whom I'm in leadership over... "So, what I'm hearing you say is..." This makes people feel valued, heard and important.


I recently read a quote that says...


"If God had wanted us to talk more than listen, He would have given us two mouths rather than two ears." Ken Blanchard

How are your listening skills?

Monday, March 10, 2008

I'm Tired!

Why is it that the Monday following Daylight Savings Time beginning is SO hard? I mean - Sunday wasn't as hard as it is today! For some odd reason, I am more tired today. One hour shouldn't have made THAT big of a difference - but I'm telling ya - I'm exhausted!

One more sip of that caffeinated drink!

Oh look - only 20 more minutes and it's quittin' time.

Well... until my 6:30 p.m. orientation meeting.

Back here in a bit.

Probably with another caffeinated product!


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Thursday, March 06, 2008

I Love These Things!

These are my favorite candy in the entire world! They're only out at Easter time and I have been DYING for one!

Monday, March 03, 2008

So You Say It's Your Birthday... Well it's MY Birthday too!

I've been singing that song all day. Well - actually all weekend. See - around my house, when it's your birthday - you actually get a birthday week or weekend - so for me - that was this past weekend. It was a really nice weekend spent with family and friends. I am blessed beyond words!

Today marks my 12,320 days on planet earth! Wow - what a ride it's been! Here are some of the highlights from birthday's past...
  • My parents once flew me and my boyfriend (at the time) to Chicago for a day trip. We ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe and took a stroll through Bloomingdale's. I was 20.
  • I remember that I got an Apple computer for my 17th birthday. My mom individually wrapped each part to that computer... the mouse, mouse pad, monitor, keyboard... it was awesome. I remember thinking how COOL I was to own my very own computer (and this was long before Internet).
  • I had a birthday party at Burger King one year. I think I was in the third grade. It was fun, but the highlight was watching my friend, Denise, throw up her lunch!
  • My wonderful husband bought me a beautiful diamond ring a few years ago. It was really too big for the finger I wanted it to fit on, so I forced it on another finger, thinking it would fit better. It didn't. It got stuck! I mean I couldn't get it off my finger for the life of me! I panicked and of course, that made it worse. We spent that night in the Emergency Room getting my new ring CUT off my finger! Now that's only something I would do!
  • I was pregnant on my 27th birthday. I tried to be happy - but truth be told, I was miserable! I'd chosen my favorite restaurant, at the time - Chi Chi's and I couldn't eat a thing! I was so sick! Pregnancy sick and throwing up! I was glad everyone else got to celebrate with nachos and burritos... while I hurled in the women's restroom!
  • I had a sleepover party when I was 13. I remember having a Madonna Look-Alike Contest and of course, I won! Oh - and I think that's the night my 4 best friends and I formed our own band, 'Timeout'. :) Oh those were the days!

I've had some wonderful birthdays, that's for sure!

THANK you to all my wonderful family and friends for another blessed birthday!

Blessed Are the Pancakes...?

So... there I am working with my daughter on her March Bible Memory verse for School and she's reading along on her own (and doing a marvelous job I might add) and then I heard something that didn't sound quite right. Here's what I heard (Matthew 5: 7-10)... "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the PANCAKES, for the will be called the sons of God."

I had to laugh! I think THIS is what she meant, "... Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS, for they will be called the sons of God."

I kind of like pancakes, though. :)

I love that girl!