Milestone Memories

August Journey {JttH}

2012-11-21T18:23:00.000-06:00

"What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net."

{Psalm 25:12-15}

*JttH = Journey to the Heart

the rest of {June}

2012-07-23T08:56:00.000-05:00

June 9th-19th
Journey to the Heart

10 Days with these wonderful friends!

June 22nd
Birthday outing w/ Charity

June 23rd
Brookfield Zoo

"Cricket Pancakes"...yum

"Mealworm Medley"...double yum =P

Go Heidi!

June 30th
Cousin Time :)

---------------------
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble;
and he knoweth them that trust in him."
Nahum 1:7

Three Keys...

2012-06-28T19:42:00.000-05:00

"God Doeth All Things Well"

Sometimes that's hard to believe; like when "bad" things happen
to "good" people. But whether I choose to believe
it or not...it will always be true.

"God Is All Powerful"

It's been proven again and again...but I'm sorry to say, there are times
when I have chosen not to acknowledged His power. Does that
change the fact that He CAN do the impossible? Nope.

"Give Thanks For All Things"

If you have ever wondered what God's will is for your life...look no further!
1 Thessalonians 5 mentions several things we should be
doing, but verse 18 says it very clearly. :)

These three Keys are from David Gibbs' message "The Secret Place" (Psalm 91). Knowing and applying these truths to my life has given me an entirely new perspective on what my relationship with God can, and should, look like. No doubt, there will be unpleasant things and circumstances that come up, but by God's grace I can choose to continually dwell in "The Secret Place".

{Psalm 91}

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my

fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the

fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt

thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;

nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness;

nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy

right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and

see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge,

even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall

any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee,

to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands,

lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion

and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me,

therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high,

because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:

I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him,

and show him my salvation."

God truly does ALL things well; He also has the power and desire to accomplish impossible things through me {us}; and because His will is perfect and His thoughts toward me are good, I can choose to thank Him for whatever He decides to bring my way.

Colorado Vacation

2012-06-22T14:10:00.001-05:00

Over the past two weeks I've had very few opportunities to actually sit down and collect my thoughts (and pictures), but here is a recap of our family's latest vacation. Colorado has been on our list of places to go for some time now...and we finally went. :) A huge thanks to dad's cousin Terri and her husband Tom for hosting us. We had an unforgettable time!

Traveling through Illinois, Iowa, & Nebraska...pretty flat I must say.

Then came the mountains of Colorado!

We took the Cog Railway up to the top of Pike's Peak.

Tour guide: "See that boring area over there on the horizon?...that's Kansas."

"The Incline"

The not-so-wild "wildlife"

Roaming Donkeys that helped themselves to our apples.

Tosha took us on a little tour of "The Broadmoore"

Evin did a great job for being in the car so long.

We visited the Air Force Academy Chapel.

"Garden Of The Gods"

Focus on the Family "Whit's End"

And we stayed in Omaha, NE on the way there and back.

I'm so thankful for the family God gave me! These are definitely memories we will add to our happy memory collection. :)

-----------------------------

"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Psalm 16:11

2012-06-08T10:23:00.000-05:00

Seeing as it has once again been quite some time since my last update, I thought I'd give you a brief summary of my year so far. There's a lot I could say, but in an effort to make this short and sweet I shall get to the point...which happens to be posting pictures! :)

---------- January ----------

Snowboarding. Ice-Skating. & Crazy-fun times with awesome friends!

---------- February ----------

Florida wedding. Birthdays. & Spontaneous outings.

---------- March ----------

Illinois wedding. Soccer games. & Wisdom teeth removal. =P

---------- April ----------
Mango Pies. Nephew visits. & The Big Sandy Regional Conference.

*I tried to upload a video of Evin, but it didn't work :(

---------- May ----------
Mother's Day. Happy Hour. & A whole lot of time in the good ol' 15 passenger...
...which I'll post more about later. :)

And that brings us to June... :)

*Next post = Our Colorado Vacation*

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding, In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6

Think about it...

2012-01-27T08:09:00.000-06:00

"If we are exiles and refugees on earth (1 Peter 2:11),

and if our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20),

and if nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35),

and if his steadfast love is better than life (Psalm 63:3),

and if all hardship is working for us an eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17),

then we will give to the winds our fears and

"seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33).

We will count everything as rubbish in comparison with Christ (Philippians 3:7-8).

We will "joyfully accept the plundering of our property"

for the sake of unpopular acts of mercy (Hebrews 10:34).

We will choose "rather to be mistreated with the people of God

than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin," and we will count "the reproach of Christ

greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt" (Hebrews 11:25-26)."

- John Piper {Don't Waste Your Life}

- - - What are the truths about God that control your life? - - -

Fall Happenings

2011-12-04T14:22:00.000-06:00

"My Savior"
I am not skilled to understand What God hath willed, what God hath planned;

I only know at His right hand Stands One who is my Savior.

I take Him at His word indeed: "Christ died for sinners" --this I read;

For in my heart I find a need Of Him to be my Savior!

* * *
I'm so very thankful for the opportunities that God has brought my way over the past few months. It's like He has handed me an ice-cream sundae...and then keeps putting cherries on top! (i don't really like maraschino cherries, but hopefully you get the idea ;)

{Since my last post was pretty close to forever ago...
I shall try to fill in a few blanks for you}

Being an Aunt has been oodles & oodles of fun!...just like everyone said it would be. :) It's hard to believe, but Evin will be 4 months old next week!

[photo credit: EvangelineRenee]

{September}
Camping Trip in Indiana.
Picnics & Volleyball w/ friends.
Heidi became an Eleven-ager!

{October}
Cooking @ the Northwoods for Journey to the Heart, and other events.
Still working as Dad's secretary. :)
Erik's 15th Birthday!

{November}

Was a Team Assistant for the last Girl's Journey of the year.

Mom & Sophia had Birthdays!

Annual family Hunting trip.

Grandma Fredrickson stayed w/ us for a few weeks.

And we spent Thanksgiving weekend with our family in Minnesota. :)

[^Journey Team^]
* * *
Something that God has been reminding me of recently is the fact that He is the one who will give me Strength and Joy through each moment of the day. Accepting those gifts is still a choice that I need to make daily; but it means that I don't have to rely on my family, my friends, or myself... and that's a big relief. :)

Psalm 73:25-26.
"Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

It's Official...

2011-08-16T21:12:00.002-05:00

After many months of eager anticipation, it gives me

great pleasure to announce - "I'm an Aunt" =D

Allow me to introduce...

{Evin August Porter}

Road trips, camping trips, weddings, and graduations...to name a few

2011-07-30T09:29:00.002-05:00

As usual, the months between April and August have been full of memorable events and activities. My summer started with a much anticipated trip to Florida (where I acquired a love for jet-skiing), and since then, I've been able to spend varying amounts of time with family and friends in: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana and of course, Illinois.

Here are pictures from a few of the places I've been...

- I got to spend several weeks with Tim & Evy

- Went to a wedding in Indiana

(more like a happy reunion :)

- Attended the Verity Graduation

- Helped w/ Pre-Excel in Nashville

- Drove to MN...

...for our Cousin's Graduation

- Road trip w/ Meghan to visit Evy in Indiana

- Attended a wedding in Illinois...

...and then another wedding in Wisconsin

- Traveled back to Minnesota for the 4th-of-July weekend

- Went camping in Wisconsin with several families from our church (more jet-skiing!...unfortunately, no pics)

And now, we are heading to Michigan for a second camping trip :)

Have a fabulous weekend!

* * * * * *

"The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us."

a quick update...

2011-01-29T10:43:00.000-06:00

::January::

This time last year I was gearing up for AE (Advanced EXCEL). I wasn’t really sure what all to expect, but I did know that there would be a good amount of writing involved. Well, it turned out that one of our assignments was to start a blog, and update it every few weeks…so I did.

Unfortunately, after AE was over (and summer was in full swing) blogging was not on my top priority list, and therefore it got overlooked. So here’s a quick overview of the rest of my year. :)

{AE Graduation}

{Evy got engaged!}

{I was an assistant leader for the girl’s Journey to the Heart in July}

{I helped w/ Pre-EXCEL at the Indy ATI Conf.}

{I was the Maid of Honor for Evy’s wedding}

{I was a Team Leader for the fall EXCEL class}

-My Team-

-Team Leaders-

…and then I finished up the year by spending

Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family and friends. :)

I am super excited about this new year, and I can't wait
to find out what God has planned next. :)

Happy 2011!!!!

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." ~Jeremiah 29:11

2010-06-11T17:04:00.001-05:00

“He is no fool to give what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”

– Jim Elliot

That quote has a lot of truth to it. Why is it that I try to hang on to the things of this world? Why do I look to others for acceptance when I should be thanking God for my existence? I can be so preoccupied with myself that I completely miss the blessings that God is waiting to give me every day.

Another thought that came to mind is from the verse in Colossians that says, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” It’s not always easy to do, but it’s well worth the effort. Today, my prayer is that everything I do would bring honor to God, and count for eternity.

“Only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”

2010-05-29T23:59:00.004-05:00

Hymn lyrics…they’re so often sung, but not heard, or read, but never comprehended. The following lyrics are from the well-known hymn How Great Thou Art. What are some things that stand out to you?

“And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.”

For a while now I’ve thought about this verse. I think about how many times I’ve fallen short, and how it’s so hard for me to surrender all that I am and have to God. But then I remember the words to this song and am reminded of the love that God has for me...and the cost He was willing to pay to save me.

In the dictionary, you’ll find that the word spare means “to refrain from treating harshly; to refrain from harming or destroying.” More than anything, God wants to have a personal relationship with each one of us. Jesus was not spared.

What am I sparing?

Photo Hunt

2010-05-28T21:45:00.002-05:00

The following pictures were taken for a Photo Scavenger Hunt.

I'm really not much of a photographer, but I have fun pretending. :)

#1. Stapler

Okay, so this isn't exactly a "stapler" but I was having a hard time finding one and thought this might work.

#2. Reflections

This was taken downtown Chicago.

#3. Leap

Heidi facing her fear of heights...

#4. Fears

...and here she is before she faced it.

#5. Coffee

This is coffee form the Dominican Republic.

#6. Time

Just a clock we passed while touring through Branson, MO.

#7. Love

Pretty self-explanatory.

#8. Shoe

A shoe among flip-flops.

#9. Date

One of my "Date w/ God" entries.

#10. Passion

Photographers are passionate about what they do...

#11. Self Portrait

...and then there's me...just having fun :)

#12. Making a Statement

Proof that sunscreen is not necessary.

#13. Memory

Remembering a special day.

#14. Weather

Pretty much perfect weather.

#15. Broken

It's not too often that you see a broken billboard.

#16. Green

The yucky stuff in the water...is usually green.

#17. Music

A fellow music lover :)

#18. Dream

Not quite what I was looking for...but it works.

#19. A Tool

My laptop...a tool that I am very grateful for at the moment.

#20. Journey

Looks like these folks are off on a Journey...or at least they will be soon.

#21. Funny

There you have it...

#22. Fire Truck

Not all fire trucks are red ;)

The End

Two years ago today…

2010-05-14T06:22:00.004-05:00

Lying in a hospital bed, on the verge of bursting into tears for the hundredth time, I got a call from my sister. She told me that a bunch of our friends had gone together to get me something, and that she’d be bringing it over pretty soon. I had some ideas of what this something might be, but boy, was I in for a surprise.

Backing up real quickly… May 10, 2008 I was taken to the ER because of a Crohn's flare-up and major dehydration. To make a long story short, this 10-day visit included: countless tests, ICU, an NG tube, avoided surgery, a PICC line, restless nights, pain, and much more. Thankfully, through all of this, God supplied His grace to me and my family. My dad and mom were able to take turns staying with me, so that I was never alone (parents are amazing).

So, in came my sister and a few representatives; flowers, balloons, cards…and a little tiny box. I opened it up and was flabbergasted…

...it was an i-pod!!

{i like cards with lots of words}

{flowers...and a ribbon which I still have}

To sum up the past two years... I was let out of the hospital, spent the summer recovering, had some pain here and there, but have been mostly pain-free this whole year. :) I am so blessed to have family and friends who care about me. God has taught me a lot through this experience, and I am constantly reminded to rely on Him for…everything really. Thank you again to all of the ones who made this happy memory possible!

{Happy 2nd Birthday to my little friend}

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…”

~ James 1:17a ~

Don't Miss the Mark

2010-04-30T18:00:00.002-05:00

“A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says, “I cannot stand anymore.” God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly.” - Oswald Chambers

When we question God, and doubt His provision for our lives, we are saying that He is not worthy of our trust. Why do we think we know better than the One who made us? What is so hard about believing the promises He has given us in His Word?

An arrow is aimed strategically at the target, but the slightest wind (if not compensated for) can alter its course. Satan is always trying to make us disoriented and fearful, and if given the chance, he will mislead us. But God has a steady hand and is fully capable of guiding us through the winds that will come our way.

God has made each of us with a purpose. We can either, cooperate and trust that He knows best, or, reject His leading and fail to hit the mark. This is a daily decision that must be made…choose wisely.

Feeling, Faith & Fact... and Heidi

2010-04-16T16:35:00.001-05:00

“Three men on a wall: Feeling, Faith and Fact. Feeling took an awful fall, and Faith was taken back. Faith was so close to feeling that he fell too, but Fact remained and pulled up Faith, and that brought Feeling too.”

Spring is here and it’s time to get outside and enjoy it (Fact)! A few weeks ago Heidi decided to take advantage of this weather and fly her kite. The wind seemed to have a mind of its own, and that brought some doubt as to whether or not the kite would fly (Faith). After several failed attempts, she was getting rather disheartened and was about to give up… (Feeling)

All of a sudden, the wind picked up again and her kite flew high into the sky (Fact).

She watched with pleasure the kite—that was just moments ago lying limp on the ground—soar above her like a bird... or rather, dolphin. The doubt was cleared from her mind (Faith), and once again she was happy (Feeling) with a smile on her face. J

~ The End ~

It's so easy for us to let our feelings control how we think, and what we believe. Many times I find myself trusting my feelings, rather than relying on what I know to be true (God's Word); and the results are, more often than not, disastrous. Head-knowledge and lip-service are not enough, we must trust God and allow Him to direct our steps.

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

2010-04-02T18:13:00.001-05:00

“There is nothing easier than getting into a right relationship with God except when it is not God Whom you want, but only what He gives.”

- Oswald Chambers

What is it that motivates you? Is it the promise of gain, or maybe the fear of loss? Are you more likely to get a job done, and do it well, if there is some sort of reward? For many people, knowing that there’s something in it for them is incentive enough; for others, thinking of what will happen if they fail will do the job.

Throughout scripture, we are told again and again of the blessings that will come to those who love God and keep His Word. We all want to be blessed by God, and I think there are times when that is what we base our relationship with God on. We think to ourselves, “If I serve God and tithe each week, then He’ll fight my battles and I won’t have to worry about a thing.” Sounds a little selfish to me.

Perhaps fear is the underlining motivation you have for being “good” and going to church. For some of us, the thought of going to hell and living in agony for eternity might be the reason for walking the straight and narrow. Is that what our relationship with Jesus should be based on?

As I’ve read and understood more of who God is, I’ve come to realize that all He wants is an intimate relationship with me. He’s not interested in all the “good” things I do, unless they are done from the right motivation. My goal would be to grow closer to God, obey the promptings of His Holy Spirit, and please Him without the expectation of any reward.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23-24

2010-03-19T07:02:00.001-05:00

Be purposeful and intentional, making each action count. Remember that everything you do has a consequence, whether good or bad. Don’t waste your life! These are a few of the thoughts racing through my head at the moment.

Knowing what to do, or when to do it can be difficult at times. When contemplating whether to do, or not to do something, do you ever think to yourself… “What will others think of me? How will this affect my reputation? What if I am made fun of?" Or… do you find yourself doing things impulsively, paying no attention to the consequence? If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably done both.

I think there must be a balance between these two very different thought processes. On one hand, it is good to take into consideration the probable outcome of each action, and base your decision on that. But letting yourself get caught up in worry and fear is no way to live your life. On the other hand, charging ahead carelessly and neglecting to think things through doesn’t sound like a very good alternative.

Andy Andrews, when writing about making responsible decisions says… “My life will not be an apology. It will be a statement.”

What are a few questions you might ask before making that final decision? Some that come to mind are… “How will this action affect my life and the life of those around me? Will this bring honor to the God who made me, or in the end, will I regret my actions?”

“Never doubt in the darkness what God has revealed to you in the light.”

If God is leading you to do something, move forward and trust that He will guide your steps. But if He closes that door, know that it is for your eternal best, and be confident that there are bigger and better things ahead for you.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." - Jeremiah 29:11

~ Olivia