Leewards

This Is the Way We Put on Our Clothes . . .

2012-01-10T08:19:00.002-05:00

I can remember times when I’ve studied the Fruit of the Spirit and have asked God to help me grow in them. Dangerous prayers. I actually went and asked Him to help me be more patient.

He gave me a two year old.

I am convinced that Charles Dickens must have had a two year old in mind when he penned, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” I daily find myself hilariously laughing, wanting to cry in frustration, needing to count to ten to collect myself, and uproariously laughing again. And that’s just when I’m trying to help Gabby get dressed.

While I love the learning, discovery, sweetness, and some of the funniest one-liners that I’ve ever heard, there are definitely aspects of two-yeardom that I could do without. Oddly, sometimes the parts that I love and hate are actually the same thing. I call it the paradox of the two year old.

For instance . . . newfound independence.

If I had to sum up this season in three words, it would be, “I do it.” Just about everything in our day ends up with this emphatic statement from eating food, to getting buckled in the car, and most dramatically, getting dressed. And although there was a time not too long ago when I longed for the day when Gabby could do these things on her own, I’m finding that this season is not the most efficient alternative.

After several weeks of practice with a newborn, I could get us both ready for the day in a flat 15 minutes. It could take 15 minutes for Gabby to put on a sock. A few days actually took over an hour to get her dressed, as attempts with each garment inevitably were scattered with frustrated fits of rage (Gabby, not me . . . usually). And although I could easily help her get dressed, it was made incredibly clear that my assistance was not desired.

After a few days of this routine, when we were both feeling particularly frustrated, I had this thought occur to me. “Maybe the point of this season is not actually getting dressed?”

I could focus on teaching Gabby the art of getting her arms in her sleeves and putting on her pants before her shoes, and I certainly could pick out cute, matching outfits, and get her dressed in 5 minutes on my own. At the end of the day, though, at best, she’s learned something that could be taught to some really smart primates. Maybe instead, I could use the clothes as an opportunity to talk about perseverance, asking for help, and how to handle frustration.

In a moment of divine reframing, the Holy Spirit gave me a glimpse of the Father’s heart, and His incredible kindness, goodness, and yes, patience, in helping me learn what must be some of the simplest tasks for His infinite power. I thought about my own “two-year old tantrums” that I fall prey to all too often.

I try and lead a Children’s Ministry for our church plant.

I try and adjust to a new city, culture, and friends.

I try to help my daughter get dressed.

When I try and do these things on my own, out of my own power and will, it’s only a matter of time before I find myself in tears, face down on the floor, banging my arms in frustration at my seemingly impossible task (or at least figuratively . . . usually). And my Heavenly Father so gently offers brilliant coaching, endless encouragement, and the most impeccable help the moment I ask Him for it.

He teaches me vision in the midst of weekly lesson plan preparation.

He teaches me how to find rest in the midst of a strange, new land.

He teaches me how to love my daughter the way He loves her.

And then, in a similar fashion to mine and Gabby’s post-dressed celebration, He dances, jumps up and down, and rejoices with even my mismatched, inside-out, backwards accomplishments. He knows that my growth in these seasons will go far beyond children’s ministry strategies and parallel parking expertise, just as I know that Gabby will come out of her season with far more than an ability to fix her sleeves and develop a better sense of fashion.

I was awoken this morning by a little girl running into my room, fully dressed in a matching outfit, proudly telling me how she got ready for the day all by herself. The paradox has turned, and I rejoice in the independence. And it gives me hope that maybe one day soon, I’ll master the art of newfound dependence, leaning on my Daddy to help me with even the most simple tasks, and learning to say, “You and I do it,” every step along the way.

See Your Face

2011-11-22T10:26:00.002-05:00

In the year since we moved to Philadelphia, God has been so faithful providing for our family in so many ways. One of the biggest difficulties, however, has been the subsequent distance that we experience from our families. There has been more than one occasion when I’ve desperately wished for some kind of teleportation device that could magically bring my Pittsburgh and Detroit families all together with us.

Although physical geography makes daily visits impossible, one of the best tools that has helped the separation has been FaceTime on the iPhone. (As if my husband needed one more reason to obsess over this phone). I remember when I first saw the commercial advertising it. There was that Marine watching his baby sonogram. And the little girl telling her dad, “Good night.” But when they showed the hearing impaired couple that could now talk on the phone for the first time, I cried. Those Apple people. It’s like they have a marketing strategy or something.

For my family, FaceTime has meant that Gabby and Claire can see and know their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins on a regular basis, even if there are months between our physical meetings. They can share in big moments like Claire’s first crawls or little moments like watching Gabby twirl in her dress.

We use it so often, that Gabby (my two-year-old) doesn’t understand what it’s like to talk to someone on the phone and not see them. In fact, she has no use for just talking and listening to someone’s voice. She’ll instead tell her listener, “I want to see your face.”

Since adding baby #2 to the mix in March 2011 and a church plant in September 2011, I’ve found that my previously scarce alone time spent for quiet and reflection has gone the way of the wooly mammoth. It’s officially extinct. Daytime (and sometimes nighttime) hours are spent changing diapers, working part time jobs, planning children’s ministry, and enjoying time with my husband.

My quiet times with Jesus have changed a bit since the days when I could get up early before classes and journal and read for several hours. When I do get time alone with Jesus (usually early in the morning or late at night), it’s easy to find myself doing a lot of the talking. And when I say talking, I really mean whining.

“How am I going to get all this stuff done, God?”

“What am I going to do with our budget?”

“I’m a little concerned about this new behavior that I’m seeing in my daughter.”

“What are you intending to do to help that family in our church?”

And the whines go on and on.

I get so wrapped up in lengthy descriptions of problems (as if He didn’t know them) and desperate pleas for solutions (as if He didn’t have them), that I forget my heart’s true desire. In spending so much time seeking after my Father’s hands, I miss seeing His face.

Even more than I want Him to “say the word” and fix my life, I just want Him. I want to see the big things and little things that He wants to show me, whether that be direction on that important decision that’s coming up, or the beauty of my daughter twirling. And more than anything, I want to see Him. Although there may be a physical separation between my Heavenly Father and me, I’ve found that His Holy Spirit is far more effective even than FaceTime in providing a meaningful connection.

In those early morning and late night moments, when I get my alone time with Jesus, I hear Gabby’s words coming back to me, and I say them to my Father.

“I want to see your face.”

Summer Lovin'

2010-08-29T07:11:00.002-04:00

The summer after my senior year in high school had to be one of the best summers of my life. I had a nanny job for one 8 year-old girl a few days a week, giving me the nights to hang out with my friends. Which I did, literally every night of the summer. There was a group of about 10 of us. We would take turns going to each other's houses, watching movies, going to fun restaurants, drive-in movies. Simply idyllic.

Throughout the summer, we all had this nagging thought in the back of our minds. Occasionally, someone would mention it, but the thought was quickly swept under the carpet of our subconscious. At the end of this utopia was the inevitable end . . . college. And while we all knew it was coming, it didn't make the end of summer any easier. I distinctly remember a group of about 30 of us, standing in the parking lot of Eat 'n Park, sobbing, hugging each other, and then sobbing some more, mourning the end of our friendships, convinced that we would never see each other again.

And then everyone came home 5 days later on Labor Day weekend. We felt kind of silly.

I can't help but feel that these past few months in Pittsburgh have been my 12th grade summer all over again. It has truly been a gift. Whenever I moved to Detroit several years ago, I never imagined I would be back in my hometown, with my family, not too far from my Michigan family, and surrounded by people who also wear Steelers shirts to church. We've all gone to parks, dinners, picnics, Kennywood. Yes, simply idyllic.

And like my Fall launch to Grove City College, I will soon be embarking on another Fall launch to a land far away. Well, not that far. But definitely a land far from Steelers jerseys at church. Similarly to September of 1997, my emotions are very mixed. I genuinely am excited to go. I want to go. I would regret it the rest of my life if I didn't go. But in the midst of all the excitement and adventure, I am truly sad to see this season end.

And perhaps that's the best way to describe these special moments in life. They are seasons. Just like the residents of Narnia learned, however, one magical season that is extended indefinitely is no kind of magic at all. It's like winter all the time without Christmas. To try and continue life in these "in between times" would ruin the unique joy that they bring. The sweetness of the season would quickly rot like a piece of fruit that's been in the back of the refrigerator drawer too long.

So where does this leave me as I once again pack my boxes from my bedroom and load a truck for a strange, new land? There is nervousness, yes. Anticipation? Yes. Sadness? Definitely. Peace? You bet. Once again, I have about every feeling on the gamut of emotions, and rather than focusing too much on these feelings, I focus on my Father who brought me to the doorstep of yet another adventure once again. I know that I am not going alone, and this time He even gave me roommates that I don't have to spend that awkward "getting to know you" phase with. :-)

Good-byes are not permanent, but much more like a "See you later." My new home will be a wonderful home, and my old homes are still there for many more "Labor Day Weekends" to come.

Quarterlife Discussion

2010-07-08T17:46:00.002-04:00

I had a cool opportunity to share about a Quarterlife Crisis on Dr. Ed Stetzer's blog today. Thanks so much for the opportunity, Ed. Come on over and join in the conversation!

Innovations

2010-07-07T21:53:00.002-04:00

I subscribe to this monthly newsletter from Trendwatching.com. It focuses on a particular theme each month and shows upcoming trends and issues happening in the world right now. I found this month's theme to be particularly interesting, as it focuses on innovations, featuring 67 innovations of various businesses and companies worldwide.

Some are humorously creative such as these rain boots from Britain that will charge your mobile phone using the heat generated from your feet. I'm guessing that these would not be as effective to the Alaskan market?

Some are creating a whole new way to do something that's been around for thousands of years, such as this little microchip tablet that can be attached to your tombstone, allowing users to learn more about you through a cell phone app. Can you imagine what Egyptian Pharoahs would have done with this?

My favorite, though, are those that have creatively thought how to improve and help the lives of others at little extra cost or effort to those involved. This company has created ATMs that give $1 of the $2 banking fee to a charity of the user's choice. And this group has sought to improve the slums of Rio by teaching and paying locals to paint these homes in an entirely new way.

Creatively thinking of "same old things" in new ways is an incredible gift and one for which I have tremendous respect. Should we be thinking of some new innovations about the way in which we do church?

Year One

2010-07-07T20:58:00.005-04:00

I tried to figure out how I could somehow change the date of this post, try and make it a few months ago so I don't feel so badly about my blog neglect.Poor, little Leewards. I'm so sorry. I gave her a little make-over to try and make her feel better. Make-overs always make me feel better, anyways.

It's impossible to try and catch up on several months, so instead I thought I'd give a few reflections in honor of the most recent celebration in the Leach family, Gabby's first birthday.

Here's a list I'm entitling: "Thoughts From the First Year of Mommyhood"

All-nighters with a baby are very different from college all-nighters or leading middle school all-nighters. There are a lot more messy clothes, stinky smells, and loud screams. Hmmm, on second thought, maybe it's not so different than a middle school all nighter. And Gabby was a lot cuter, so maybe I came out ahead with baby all-nighters.
I never knew that watching someone breathe could be so entertaining.
I fell in love with my husband even more watching him be a dad.
I've realized that one of my favorite things in the whole world is watching someone learn something new for the first time. I get to experience this almost every day now. It's no overstatement to call it a miracle.
You can never have too many Cheerios.
I can't think of too many other people in the world who could puke all over me and I'm more concerned about their health than the puke on my shirt.
There's no way I can ever thank my parents enough for all that they've done.
I will never be able to figure out the intrigue of my iPhone, what makes Gabby want to eat it, and how she can find it anywhere within a 10 foot radius of her little body.
Toys are interesting. The boxes that they come in are even more interesting.
How can Gabby come from my body and not like chocolate milk?

I'll include a few pictures from her first birthday party. We did a theme of elephants, "Gabriella-phants" to be exact. I got to live out a life-long dream of cake decorating, and can't wait for future opportunities.

Peekaboo!

2010-03-03T10:22:00.002-05:00

I get these weekly e-mails from Baby Center that give me updates on what I can expect about Gabby's physical, mental, and emotional development. I started receiving them when I was pregnant and waited with eager anticipation each week to see how big my baby was in relation to some fruit or vegetable. They were quite the highlight to my week.

Over the last month or so, my e-mails have discussed the development of "object permanence." As developmental psychologists explain, it's understanding that various objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or touched. That is why babies who are Gabby's age find the game peekaboo to be so delightful. It's a pretty important discovery, as without it, a person or object has no separate or permanent existence.

I've been thinking about object permanence quite a bit these days. Gabby is truly tickled with the game of peekaboo. Whether we're hiding or if she's hiding (under a bucket seems to be one of her faves), she loves to be surprised and excited to see our faces when we hide and then suddenly reappear. In addition to this wonderful development, however, comes a side-effect known as separation anxiety. I've been noticing a few more traces of this recently.

See, before this developed, when I left the room, Gabby did not get upset, mainly because when she could no longer see me, in her mind, I no longer existed. You can't get upset about something you can't see or remember. As this has been developing, however, in addition to the delight of peekaboo, there has also been a pain of realizing that there may be times when I temporarily leave her. I try to explain as a mature adult that I will be really quick and that I'm just running to the store, but rational explanations don't take you far with a baby who has just realized that her Mommy is gone for some unknown reason and she isn't coming back right away.

I suppose that the Holy Spirit has been reminding me of the need for not only the development of "object permanence" in my spiritual life, but to develop the maturity beyond it, recognizing that in moments where I may not be able to see or feel my Heavenly Father, His promises to never leave or forsake me are still true, and I need not fear or feel any separation anxiety. Unlike my metaphor, however, God never really leaves me, regardless of what my emotions may be telling me. His reasons for peekaboo may not always be clear, but resting in the fact that He exists, He loves me, and He is faithful to all His promises can get me through those moments when it seems He can't be seen.

The last few months have been filled with delightful peekaboo moments. God clearly led Brad and I to step out, move our family, and plant a new church in Philadelphia. Then there were definitely moments that followed where I've felt pretty scared and alone, wondering if God remembered our situations. And just when I really begin to question . . . "Peekaboo!" He shows me something through other people or situations that is evidence that He has been working all along.

Hopefully Gabby will continue to mature and build her trust and love for her dad and me, recognizing that as much as is in our power, we will protect her, care for her, love her, and be there for her. More than that, however, I desire her to mature and grow in her understanding of object permanence for her Heavenly Father, knowing that even when we are physically not around her, He is always a presence in her life.

P. S. - Brad actually wrote some thoughts about this on his blog, too.

Chain Gang

2010-02-16T14:46:00.005-05:00

I was reading through the book of Mark the other day when I came across a passage that really stuck out to me in a new way.

In Mark 5, we see the story of Jesus healing a demon-possessed man. It says that "This man lived in the tombs because no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him."

It struck me that the people of the town had tried time and time again to help this man, and quite obviously themselves as well, by attempting to tie him up with chains. So often, I think of helping people by trying to help them get rid of their "chains" that can hold us back to our past. In this case, however, chains were the best solution they could find.

It made me think about why we get stuck in "chains" in the first place. I'm using the word "chains" in a metaphorical sense, speaking of addictions, behaviors, mentalities, and other unhealthy ways of living that we adopt into our lifestyle to help us cope. They are different for each person. Some deal with stress or pain by grabbing a cigarette, a drink, junk food, or the remote control, but often we choose to put on a chain of some sort over our heart, mind or body as a way to numb and "put a band-aid" on the real root of the problem.

Many times this may not even seem like an intentional, deliberate choice, but thinking about this made me realize that I choose a chain far more often than I would like to admit.

The thing that really stuck out to me is that the chain can be broken in two ways, one far more healthy than another. The demon-possessed man had reached a point where he let the evil within him break through the chains, lashing out and driving him to a life of seclusion and torment. The only other option that he saw was to live a life of numb submission, literally a prisoner to his own chains. It was only Jesus who could provide another solution to this man's problem, breaking through the evil and the chains that tried to hide it, allowing true freedom and life to reign in this man once again.

As we've been praying and dreaming about our new church, a section of scripture that has continually been coming to mind is when Jesus speaks about His sole mission in coming to Earth. In Luke 4.18, Jesus is quoting from Isaiah when He says, "The Spirit of the LORD is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor."

It is our prayer that as He continues to free us from these chains, that He'll use us to do the same for the people of Philadelphia. We shall be a chain gang no longer, but like the man in Mark 5, we will run back to our homes and families and show them all that God has done for us. And the world will be amazed.

Those Parents . . .

2010-02-16T14:41:00.002-05:00

In case you have not already seen these on Brad's blog or my Facebook, I thought I'd post some links to two recent videos that we made of Gabby.

The first is video footage of her first "real" snow, the great Pittsburgh snow of 2010 . . . which seems to keep going and going and going.

The second is total silliness of one of the most fun faces that Gabby has most recently acquired.

And with the creation of these two videos, I have finally accepted the fact that we are officially, THOSE parents. :-)

Year of the Gift

2010-02-14T09:24:00.002-05:00

A few years ago, I read on Pastor Jeff Leake's blog about the spiritual practice of naming your year. It's a prayerful practice that I've been doing each January, asking God what would He like me to remember, to focus on, and to stand on through the upcoming year. I went back and found my post from 2007, the year when God's word to me was, "Imagine." What a fulfillment of Eph. 3:20 He chose to reveal! Meeting Brad and all the new changes that came with it truly were more than I could imagine.

This year, as I've been praying, I again felt that God gave me a word and a verse for 2010. It is "The Year of the Gift," and the verses that went along with it were again from Ephesians. Eph. 2:8-9. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works so that no one can boast." When God first laid this on my heart, I must confess that I wondered, "What does that mean?" but the more that I've prayed and thought about it, the more I think He continues to reveal.

I first thought about the whole idea of a gift. I love gifts. I love finding just the right gift for someone and I love the excitement of receiving a surprise that someone picked out to give me. But when you really think about it, receiving a gift is an exercise of trust. The receiver of the gift is trusting that the giver of the gift knows them, knows what they like, and wants to give them something that they like. We don't really think about this when we open the gift. We usually just open it and think one of three things:

"Wow! This is EXACTLY what I wanted! I am so excited and can't wait to use it!"
"Okay . . . I'm not really sure what to do with this. I wouldn't have chosen it, but I guess that I like it???"
"Oh dear. I hope there's a gift receipt."

I have experienced all these instances, but usually, the closer the gift giver is in relationship to me, the more likely they are to give a gift in the first category. If it's not in the first category, I really have to stop and reconsider my initial assessment of the gift.

I remember on one particular Easter Egg Hunt when I was little, we followed a clue that my parents had given and we found a small pile of presents along with a butter knife on top. We were excited about the presents, but perplexed about the knife. Figuring it must've been a weird mistake, we grabbed the presents, left the knife there, and moved on to follow the next clue.

When we got to the next clue, we realized the presents were inside this older china closet that had lost it's handle. The only way to open it was to slide a butter knife along the door and open the latch that way. My parents knew what we needed and wanted better than we did, and we would've been smart to trust them, and take ALL the gifts with us, rather than just the ones we wanted.

When I think about the gifts that God gives, I realize that it once again often comes down to an issue of trust. I've received gifts from God that were EXACTLY what I wanted (i.e. Brad!). I'm overwhelmed with gratitude and I can't thank God enough. I've received gifts that I never thought I wanted (i.e. pain, patience, and humility), and initially I want to take these gifts back. And I've received gifts that I would have never chosen or been certain what to do with them, but chose to receive them and use them and later found out that they were exactly what I wanted (i.e. God's timing, a job, etc.).

When I think about 2010, I can already recognize several "gifts" that have been surprises to open. A year ago, I would have never dreamed about going to Philadelphia and that gift alone has brought with it feelings of "Oh, I love this so much!" and "Can I take this back?" :-) In the midst of it all, however, I'm choosing to trust my gift Giver, and choosing to believe that He knows what's best more than I do. And, as His Word says, all of these gifts are simply an outpouring of His grace. I don't deserve ANY of them, and I'm so grateful for all of them, even the ones I wouldn't have initially chosen.

I can't imagine what gifts 2010 will bring, but I thank God in advance for them, and choose to receive ALL of them, trusting He is Good.

February Update

2010-02-04T15:16:00.007-05:00

So we made the first part of our big move and have been enjoying a week in Pittsburgh without having to pack or unpack a suitcase or box. It has been great getting settled here and we're really looking forward to spending the next few months. It's such a blessing to be with my family and seeing old friends once again. I certainly still miss family and friends back in Detroit and we look forward to a visit soon when we can see them once again.

For those of you interested in any Gabby updates, here are a few highlights. For those of you who are not, please humor the first-time Mom. :-)

Gabby has turned 7 months old. She got to celebrate in our nation's capital with her Aunt Ashley and Uncle Nate. We did take some pictures on my camera which I'd love to post, but I just realized that the USB connector cord is in a box somewhere in the garage. Great planning, Leah. :-( Maybe I'll post them sometime in July. :-( She had a great time and was often really tired out by the end of the day. If you'd like to see proof, check out this video on Brad's blog. (It's a wonder that we haven't traumatized her from cereal entirely!)
She also took her first trip to her new home of Philadelphia. She seemed intrigued by the history, motivated to start a new church, and enraptured by the cheesesteaks (pictured below). Mothers can tell these things through the babbles, spitups, and naps.
Gabs sits really well on her own now, so I'm planning on getting some more formal pictures of her soon. It's probably one of those first-born baby things that gets skipped over as you add more kids to the family, but I think I want to go ahead with it anyway. :-) The sitting skill has made playing with toys a lot more fun.
She's using rolling as a form of transportation right now which can prove to be surprisingly effective. She also seems to be doing a very primitive backwards scoot. This has already resulted in her eating a dead leaf from a hibiscus plant that was lying on the floor (which thankfully was not poisonous) and has taught mommy that it's a whole new ballgame.
Gabby is certainly living up to her name. Her speech has become a lot more syllabic over the past few weeks and we have caught many "mama's" and "dada's" (even though I don't think she attributes them to us just yet). And, I'm pretty sure I've heard her singing the chorus to "Mmmbop." Who knew she liked Hanson? :-) I never knew that "cuteness" actually had a sound, but when I listen to her talking and singing, it is most certainly the quintessence of cute.

I think those are the major highlights. I'll try and find some pictures from my phone that don't require a plug to upload. Thanks for all your prayers! We're doing great!

Gotcha!!!!

2010-01-28T14:22:00.004-05:00

Well, we've officially reached the end of a very busy week of packing, good-byes, hellos, traveling, exploring, and trying to get settled into our "new normal." While I'm still processing a lot of the experiences, dreams, and emotions, here are some of the initial thoughts.

As we were packing and getting ready to leave Michigan, I couldn't help but think back to almost exactly two years before when I was packing and getting ready to leave Pittsburgh. These were two very similar experiences, but they felt very different to me. I've been trying to process why.

When I was leaving Pittsburgh, I certainly was very sad to leave my family, church, friends, and the only home I had ever known. By saying, "Yes," to Brad, I was saying, "No," to Pittsburgh and all that it held. And while the pain of the, "No," was very significant, the joy of the, "Yes," was exciting, delightful, and certainly tangible. All of the long-distance dating was VERY old at that point and the thought of being able to stay with Brad, to live with him and do life with him was certainly a dream come true. It was really easy to see that, feel that, and touch that and it made the letting go a little easier.

With this move, we are again saying, "Yes," and, "No." Only this time, the, "No," is a lot more tangible than the, "Yes." We are confident that God has spoken to us and is leading us to start a church planting network in Philadelphia and with that, "Yes!" we feel great excitement and dreams building in our hearts. Sometimes, though, it's hard to hold on to that dream, when all we can feel is the pain of leaving so many people and places that we love so dearly behind. When the "Yes," is a bit more intangible, it can be harder to let go.

I guess that's why the end of this past week was so significant for me. Almost immediately upon arriving in Pittsburgh, we left again to visit my sister in DC and then to travel to Philly as a family and scope out the city for a few days. As we were entering the city, I was busy navigating for Brad, trying to look for road signs in the midst of six lanes of congested traffic.

Somewhere in the middle of this, however, I paused, looked out the window, and felt my heart leap inside my chest. Perhaps it was seeing the city skyline. Perhaps it was the sun peeking through the clouds. Perhaps it was the fact that we just passed a Target right in the city limits. :-) Whatever the case, it was a definite excitement burst in my heart. I wasn't even looking for it, but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

I would be lying if I said that over the next 48 hours I never had moments of feeling fear, anxiety, tension, uncertainty, or stress. These were certainly present and I'm sure it won't be the last time that I feel these over the next few months. Underneath it all, however, there was this underlying peace, this inexplicable confirmation to embrace the, "Yes."

I've identified with a picture of a trapeze artist who has just leapt off the platform to be caught by their partner. I've read that when the "catcher" successfully grabs on to the "flyer" sometimes the catcher will shout out, "Gotcha!" to their partner. This lets the flyer know that the catcher has a good grip and that the flyer can now let go of the bar.

At the end of several months of leaping off a secure platform into the arena of the unknown, this trip to Philadelphia was the "Gotcha!" at the peak of the leap. God was letting me know that He did have me in His grasp and that I could let go of the security of what we were leaving behind. Even in the midst of hanging at the end of a wild swing on a trapeze, there's nowhere more secure than in the grip of the hands of our Father.

I'll probably have to re-read this several times in the months ahead, but in the meantime, I'm going to try and make an intentional choice to enjoy the ride as a "flyer," and rest in the grasp of my Catcher.

Leach Family 411

2010-01-18T10:26:00.007-05:00

So I'm ashamed of how long it's been since I've written. I made it a New Year's Goal to try and write once a week, but I've already fallen behind in that. :-( Because there's been a lot of changes in the last few months, however, I thought I'd give a quick update.

Baby - Gabriella has officially turned 1/2. We used the day as an opportunity to discuss integers and rational numbers. I think she caught on, though she started asking some questions about irrational numbers and I told her we'd wait until she was at least 5/6 to discuss those. The imaginary number can get a little confusing. :-) It truly has been amazing to me to see how much I'm enjoying each new phase more than the last. Often I can actually see her learning something new. It's such a fresh, new perspective on life to see someone trying something and doing something for the very first time. It's really made me appreciate again the unique diversity and beauty of our world, things that are so easy to take for granted. I'll post some new pictures below.
Holidays - We were able to enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas with family and friends. We got to spend some time in Tampa with Brad's family and then enjoy a Pittsburgh Thanksgiving with my family. For Christmas, Brad took me to Bronners CHRISTmas Wonderland for the first time and I hope it's a tradition that we can continue as a family for a while. It truly made me happy making Christmas memories as our new expanded family. :-) Gabby was blessed with many wonderful gifts from Grandparents, Aunts, and Uncles and she's definitely enjoying playing with them now (although she seemed to enjoy the wrapping paper the most).
Philly Project - God has been doing some amazing work in the hearts of both Brad and me over these past few months. It's ultimately resulted in us stepping out in obedience to leave Detroit and plant a new church in Philadelphia, PA. You can read about the initial process of making the decision to plant a church here on Brad's blog. And you can read about the way God led us to Philly here on his blog. Honestly, more than any end result, I'm so grateful for the way that God used it as an opportunity to bring us closer to Him and to each other. It was really the first major decision that we made together as a married couple and we learned a lot about how God has spoken to us individually in the past and how He's speaking to us as a married couple. I'm so grateful and humbled that we serve a God who actually speaks to us and guides us. In the months since, I can honestly say that God has been growing the seed of faith and excitement that He first planted several months ago. I never imagined planting a church, but the more that I've learned, studied, and felt God planting a new dream in my heart, the more excited I've been. It's definitely bittersweet to leave a home, church, and family that we love, but we are filled with hope for the next chapter that God is bringing.
Next Steps - So that brings us to the specifics and logistics of now. I've noticed several comments on FB that have been wondering what I'm talking about when I discuss packing and moving. Yesterday was our last official Sunday at COTK, although I'm sure there will be visits in the future. :-) Brad preached such a meaningful message and you can read the highlights here. We will spend our 2 year wedding anniversary tomorrow packing up the last boxes, cleaning the house, and loading the moving truck. We will head to Pittsburgh on Wednesday morning and unpack there as we will be staying with my mom and dad for a few months. Allison Park Church is going to be partnering with us to launch a church planting movement in the city of Philadelphia. You can read more about Pastor Jeff's thoughts here and here. It is then our goal to be in Philly by June 2010.
Prayer Requests - I have heard so much encouragement and prayers from so many people as they've found out. To each of you, I truly am grateful and thank you so much for all your kind words. We would continue to covet your prayers. Specifically, our house is on the market at a time when it is not the most ideal timing to sell a house. We're praying that God would help it sell to the right person in His perfect timing and that He'd give us the patience, faith, and strength to trust Him in the meantime and glorify Him throughout the process. We'd also ask for prayers as we'll be making some major decisions in the upcoming months as far as location, housing, team building, financing, etc. We really trust that God will continue to lead us and want to remain soft and open to hearing the Holy Spirit each step of the way.

I guess the length of this post is evidence of what happens when you don't blog in 3 months. Sorry about that. :-( Hope to be better in 2010! You can also follow on Twitter if you wish at LeahLeach. I seem to be able to manage 140 characters a little better. :-)

Alive and Well

2009-10-06T07:31:00.006-04:00

Oh Sad! I had no idea how long it had been since I've been on here. Let's see what I can remember for a quick recap:

Gabby enjoyed her first trip to Disney World! During the AG General Council in the beginning of August, we took Gabs to the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. While there, I wondered what kind of parents take their 6-week old to Disney World? Apparently some do, because Disney has a "Baby Care Center" in each park. For those of you who may also do the same thing, Baby Care Center is the place to go! Very well done and nice touch to the day. For a really cool story on an amazing day in Hollywood Studios, follow the link here to my mom's blog. Samantha Edwards is my FAVORITE Idol! :-)
Gabby is now smiling and laughing up a storm. I read a story a few weeks ago about a research study conducted in Texas where they tracked what happened to new mom's when their babies smiled. What they found was that the brain activity that occurs is similar to what happens when one takes a hit of cocaine. I have no trouble believing that study. When I heard Gabby laugh last week (I mean really laugh . . . belly shaking, consistent laughter), it was intoxicating. I could listen to it all day.
Brad and I celebrated our birthdays in September. For his, I went to my first Michigan football game against Notre Dame. Great game and VERY exciting! Then, I turned 30!!!! It was a little weird because with everything else that has happened these last few months, 30 almost seemed like an after-thought. My husband made it so special, however, planning a party full of surprises including a visit from my childhood hero, Psalty the singing songbook. For a recap on the night, you can visit my mom's blog or Brad's blog here and here. What a man. I love you, Baby.

I know there is more, but it's all I can think of now. I'll try and do better in the future. :-)

Don't Cry, Baby!

2009-07-31T15:43:00.003-04:00

One of the things that I've most appreciated about being a parent is the entirely new perspective that I've begun to realize, recognizing God as my Father. I've always related to God in this manner as a daughter, and because I've had such a great Earthly father, I feel as if I've been blessed to understand how God loves me and cares for me.

Now that I am a parent, however, I find myself going throughout my days with these "epiphany moments," when I understand a spiritual Truth that I've always known on an entirely new level.

For example, often, when Gabby wakes up from a nap or her "sleeping time," (which is still pretty much a 3 hr. nap) she is waking up because she is hungry. And if it's been a few hours, she finds that she is ravenously hungry. And she really wants to make sure that we know that she's hungry and that we didn't forget about her, so she cries. In several cases, crying is not the best word for the situation. The sound is more like how you would imagine she would scream if we were dipping her in hot oil. She gets so worked up, all the while I am getting a bottle ready trying to remind her that I have never before forgotten to feed her, and we don't plan on doing it any time soon, so she doesn't have to worry.

She doesn't seem to understand this yet.

And the really sad part is that while she is so worked up, it's often hard to try and get her to eat because she is gasping for breath and cries, and well, if you've ever had to deal with this kind of crying baby, you know what I mean.

The moment that I am able to get the bottle into her mouth, however, the crying stops. She starts eating and then looks at me with this, "Oh, yeah. We've done this before. Guess Mom didn't forget about me," look that makes me smile.

And then I realize how often I do the same thing. Throughout my life, God has NEVER ONCE neglected to take care of my needs. Never once. I've always had food to eat, a house in which to live and more than enough clothes. And yet, I still find myself from time to time worrying about paying bills or our budget or so many other little things. And sometimes, I get so worked up, I can barely think about anything else, almost like that wail that Gabby does.

And then, God pulls through. Once again. Big surprise. He does something big or small that reminds me that He's always done this before. And He's going to continue to do it again. So maybe I should just chill out for a bit. This verse came to mind.

Psalm 131.2

"But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with it's mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me."

My "quiet times" are certainly different these days than they used to be, but God is using so many different opportunities to show me more of Himself. I can't wait to see what they continue to be!

More Pics!

2009-07-31T15:32:00.008-04:00

Here are a few more pics so I didn't clog up the one entry. Some of them are just plain cute and some include a variety of my favorite faces that she makes including the "deer in headlights" look and the "Popeye" (can't you just see her thinking, "Ah, guh, guh, guh, guh.") :-)

Still Alive!

2009-07-31T15:14:00.008-04:00

Someone told me about a week into mommyhood that it is "The hardest job you'll ever love." I can't think of something more appropriate to describe the last 5 weeks. It is by far the hardest job I have ever done. Being a mom quite literally beats the selfishness out of you. I had no idea how selfish of a person I was until I saw how much my life had centered around me pre-Gabby. I guess some of that is normal, but truly, having this little life has so dramatically shown me what it means to put another before yourself.

I don't know if there's any way that I can ever show enough appreciation for my mom. Every day should be Mother's Day. :-)

Truly, though, it is pretty amazing. Sometimes I just stare at Gabby in awe that God created this little life completely unique to the world as we know it. I wonder what she will continue to be like as she gets older.

And it's been really cool to see how it has taken the relationship that Brad and I have to an entirely new level. I really think one of my favorite parts of having Gabby is watching him interact with her. He's an amazing dad.

I'm afraid that my window of time when I have two hands free to type is quickly closing. I will try and post some new pics and will try and update them on Facebook, too. For those of you that have sent an e-mail/voice mail, I am so sorry if I haven't talked to you yet. I so appreciate all the love and prayers and couldn't make it without them!

Training Wheels Mommy

2009-07-02T12:38:00.007-04:00

Well, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. I apologize for the delay in blog updates. Hopefully, you've been able to keep up on Brad's blog. If not, you can catch up here.

First of all, I can't thank you enough for all the FB messages, blog comments, texts, e-mails, calls, and prayers that I have received from so many of you. To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement. We have felt such joy from this little girl and to know that it brings joy to others as well has been such a gift.

Secondly, I have to thank all of my families for all the love and help that they've given. Between Brad's family and my family I've had my laundry done, dishes washed, weeds pulled, home projects completed, and I'm sure I don't even realize the extent of everything that they've done for us. And our church family has been blessing us with meals delivered to our front door! It's why I think of myself as a Mommy with training wheels right now. I realize it will be a whole new ride when those training wheels come off.

Thirdly, GABRIELLA IS HERE!!!! :-)

I know we all know that, but sometimes I have to remind myself that this is all real and that yes, there is a baby in the next room. And yes, she belongs to Brad and I. Madness. Over this last week or so I've felt the whole gamut of emotions, but more than anything I feel incredibly thankful and so very blessed.

Here's a quick recap on the last week.

Monday, June 22, I got to enjoy the day with my parents. They decided to come out on Sunday night even though nothing was happening because my dad had already taken the week off of work and they chose to wait out here rather than in Pittsburgh. I can't express what a lovely time I had with just them and in retrospect, it truly was a gift of perfect timing.
4:45 PM, Monday, June 22. My water broke. I wasn't even sure that it had really happened, because it wasn't exactly what I expected. Contractions started almost immediately and again, I wasn't sure that they were contractions because they were not at all what I expected. And when I was timing what I felt, they started at 4.5 minutes apart. That wasn't supposed to happen that way, was it?!?
The doctor recommended heading to the hospital to check things out and Brad and I have been concerned all along about the time of day that we would head there, as it is full of traffic during construction and especially during rush hour. We were headed in the middle of rush hour, but by God's grace, hit NO traffic. It was a good thing, too, b/c by the time I made it to the hospital my contractions were about 3.5 minutes apart.
Within the next 2.5-3 hours, I was 10 cm and ready to push. I couldn't believe how fast everything was going and the only sad part about the whole experience was that it looked like my sister Ashley and brother-in-law, Nate, would not make it in time from their drive from Washington D.C.
I have never been so aware of the curse of sin as I was during those contractions.
The speed of the labor was made up for in the delivery part of the birth. It took about another 2.5 hours all in all, but again, the timing worked out perfectly. Ashley ran into the delivery room with 20 minutes to spare and because she was officially born on Tuesday, my other sister, Samantha, won the baby pool. :-)
Gabby was born on Tuesday, June 23, 12:21 AM and was 7 lbs., 15 oz. and 19 in. long. It was an incredible moment and I don't know that I'll ever find the right words to describe it.
The days since then have felt far more like weeks. I don't mean this in a bad way. I just think that when life is reduced to 2.5-3 hr. naps, that you lose sight of day/night and it all just turns into one big blur. I can't believe she's only been here for 9 days.
Baby girl has been doing pretty well with sleeping. At times, I've thought she would be on just the perfect schedule if we lived in China. I keep trying to explain to her that we live in the Eastern time zone, but she doesn't seem to quite grasp this. I can't really blame her. Time zones have been an elusive concept for me as well.
Brad has been absolutely AMAZING. Truly, my love for him has gone to an entirely new level and again, I wish I had words to express my feelings. He's the most incredible dad, sacrificing so much for his wife and daughter and showing such love and grace through it all. He is a gift beyond words and I'm so grateful.

This is already way too long, so I'll spare the extra details and try and post more frequently in the future. Also, I'll include some pics, although most of my family has the really good ones, as I've not really been able to take quite as many. :-)

Gabriella Faith Leach

2009-06-23T12:27:00.004-04:00

Still Pregnant . . .

2009-06-22T10:22:00.002-04:00

About a month ago, I felt slightly overwhelmed with all that had to be done before Baby Girl came. There were several major projects that needed to be completed before "the nest" was ready. In the weeks since, however, thanks to the help of our family, friends, and wonderful husband, the nest is ready, and I've been working on just about anything and everything that I can think of to get all the "finishing touches" together.

I've run out of things to do. Just playing the waiting game now.

And when it comes to the waiting game, well, it's not really a game I like to play so much. During these last few days, however, there have been several times when I've been reminded of some truths in waiting seasons.

One is that I think it's so important to try and stay focused on something other than what I'm waiting for. I say this because I've realized how easy it can be to get so self-centered on my situation, and when this happens, it's really easy to get not only impatient, but irrational. The thought has actually occurred to me, "What if she never comes out?!?" Clearly my brain knows this isn't possible, but when I'm focused on me, it's easy to lose sight of the reality of my situation.

When I take my eyes off of me and look around, I see how much I have for which to be thankful. My fat feet and hands don't seem like such a big deal when I see people with much bigger needs and health problems, and I remember that pregnancy and this baby are gifts, ones that a lot of people would love to have and haven't been able to experience. It is quite humbling.

This isn't the first time that I've been in a waiting season, and I know it certainly won't be the last. I really do want to get better at this and am asking God for the grace to trust His timing and plans, knowing that they are far better than I could imagine. All the days in my baby's book have been written before one of them came to be (Ps. 139). I am so thankful that my Father is writing the book and can't wait to read the next chapter.

The Pumpkin

2009-06-19T22:38:00.002-04:00

Well, it finally arrived today. My Baby Center e-mail that announced that my baby is now the size of a small pumpkin. I'm not sure if I should be encouraged by the thought that it is a "small" pumpkin. I've been to pumpkin patches and in my opinion, thinking of any size pumpkin coming out of my body sounds like quite a job. I guess that's why they call it labor. Tomorrow (June 20) is Gabriella's actual due date. I don't think I want to know what fruit comes after a "small pumpkin" should she want to delay her birthday.

I'm including my official 10 month photo. The shirt has been stretched to the extreme. I look back at the 5 month photo when I had to stand sideways to see the "HUGE" bump that I had at that time. It's definitely a pretty good chuckle. A few other thoughts for this final stretch:

Brad's already such an amazing Daddy. He's got the car packed, nursery ready, and talks to Gabby regularly telling her to kick and punch that water all around her so that he can meet her soon. What a gift he is to us both. 18 months ago today we were married. It's hard to believe all that God has done in such a short amount of time.
This week we enjoyed, "Celebrate the Week of TWWBATDIA" (Things We Won't Be Able To Do In Awhile). I posted it on Facebook and got quite a flurry of recommendations on how to participate. It was funny to see my friends who haven't had kids telling me to go out, stay up all night, etc. and those who have almost unanimously said, "Sleep!" We've been doing a mix of both.
I was watching a show called "Amazing Births" today on Discovery Health (what I call "The Trainwreck Channel") at the the gym. One of the stories started out with the line, "Some women dream of the opportunity to have their babies in water with the aid of dolphins." Ummmmm . . . I have no response to that.

We'll be updating as best as we can in the upcoming days. Brad will probably be better than I on his blog, Facebook, or Twitter. Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement!

Year of Champions!

2009-06-13T10:38:00.005-04:00

So I always took great pride in the fact that I was born in Pittsburgh in the year 1979. 1979 was referred to as a Year of Champions, as it was the year that the Steelers won the Super Bowl and the Pirates won the World Series. Now, nearly 30 years later, my daughter is going to be born in ANOTHER Year of Champions! How cool is that?!? Little Gabby is a champion from the very beginning. I can tell that she's really excited about it.

Ignorant Pregnancy

2009-06-09T12:51:00.002-04:00

Over these previous 9 months, I've found that pregnancy is a natural ice breaker for a variety of conversation topics, many of which I can honestly say I have never previously discussed in my life, nevertheless in public conversation. While these can run the gamut from "Eeeewwwww," to "That's Just Beautiful!" one of the more entertaining conversations that has come up several times is in regard to women who did not know they were pregnant until they went into labor.

I had thought this was an urban legend, but indeed, it does happen, even enough that they actually made an entire documentary about it on the Discovery Health channel ("I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant," airs June 14, 10 PM . . . creative title, huh?).

This has always seemed like a bizarre circumstance, but after going through pregnancy, I have to admit that it seems almost impossible to imagine going through this and not knowing why. It does happen, though. Morning sickness can be written off as the flu. Some don't have much weight gain or if they do, they don't notice it. I'm not sure how you can write off the movements in your tummy, but maybe it's thought of as bad indigestion???

In the midst of our conversation, one of my friends commented, "Well, at least you get to go through pregnancy without dealing with any of the waiting and not-so-fun parts," and while that's true, it's my opinion that having that happen would be way worse than anything that you feel during pregnancy. I've learned that there's a reason why God gives you 10 months to prepare physically, mentally, and emotionally. And any symptoms that do occur can be placed in the context of the season of pregnancy. (i.e. I may be sick now, but I know it won't be forever, I don't have to worry about it, and at the end there will be new life.)

While it's really easy for me to think, "How could you possibly be so clueless as to not know you are pregnant?" I was thinking about it more last night and realized that my ignorance can be just as prevalent in some other areas of my life.

So many times, I've found that God is working on creating a new thing in me, in my spirit, my heart, something that often takes time. And it's usually something that I want, like more patience, humility, love, empathy, generosity. The only thing is, that I would much prefer these beautiful "babies" to just be brought to my doorstep by the stork, rather than going through the process of actually growing them in my life.

It's that growth process that can often be not so much fun with feelings of pain or discomfort or sacrifice, and these symptoms can create a very natural response of wanting to avert the process, or write them off as problems that I'd like to avoid and get over. If I look at them through the lens and perspective of "pregnancy," however, realizing that God is generating and creating something that has never before been conceived, it somehow makes the process much more bearable and even enjoyable knowing that it will last for a season and at the end there will be new life.

So while this season of my first pregnancy may be coming to a close, I'm recognizing that God has been growing a lot more than just a baby inside of me. And I pray that as our baby girl is born that He will continue to birth new life and growth inside my heart and spirit.

Game Six

2009-06-09T12:44:00.003-04:00

So since I have moved to Detroit, the Pens have now played the Red Wings TWICE in the Stanley Cup Finals. Who would've ever guessed?

Last year, Brad and I had only been married about 6 months (see picture) when the revolutionary event happened and Brad learned what he has declared to be a very important lesson. Never bet with your wife. As he puts it, if you lose, you lose. And if you win, you still lose. :-)

This year, we have no official friendly wagers on the game, but there is still the marital rivalry going on. I like to think, however, that my fan base has doubled since last year making it even more fun to cheer on the Pens. Whereas it was just me and my mother-in-law last year (she felt so sorry for me being all alone), this year we have added Samantha (my sister) and Gabby (I have declared that at least while she is still a part of me, she is a Penguins fan. I swear she kicks whenever they score!). There have even been a few people at church who have stood up with me.

So, as we venture into Game 6 tonight, I'm confident that we'll see how Hockeytown handles another win for the Pens!

Almost there!

2009-06-03T14:31:00.006-04:00

Well, the official 9 month mark (36 weeks) has come and gone. This Friday, I will move to 38 weeks! Here are a few musings on this last stretch of the pregnancy adventure.

I've been amazed watching the transition of my fingers and feet over the last week or so. I think they resemble the Michelin man, or perhaps Princess Fiona from Shrek. I'm assuming that they will go down again after the baby is born? I would like to wear my wedding ring again soon. :-)
Over the last month or so, my belly button has completely popped. It kind of makes me feel like a Thanksgiving turkey. I think she is just about done cooking. :-)
And speaking of birds . . . I have a whole new understanding about the term "nesting." I believe that I had avoided it until Brad graduated and we could both really focus on getting physically ready for Gabby. Once we started, it was difficult for me to stop. I found myself doing very strange things like waking up at 5 AM unable to go back to sleep because of an irresistible desire to wash all the baby clothes and sheets. Brad has been so patient, supportive, and creative throughout this project and I'm so thankful for all he has done to get the "nest" ready. Mama Bird is very happy. :-) I've included some pics in case you're interested.
We traded in my Honda Civic for a family-friendly car. We weren't quite ready to enter the era of the mini-van so we went with a nice crossover, the Ford Edge. It even has a red racing stripe on it which makes us still feel not quite old. The car seat is installed and ready to go!

All we need now is Baby bird! We are so eager to meet her and yet at the same time, it's pretty surreal to think that in about 2 weeks, we'll actually have a baby with us. What a gift from God and we're certainly going to need His help to understand the "instruction manual" with this little girl. :-) Thanks for all your prayers!

Pretty Little Flower Weeds

2009-05-13T12:52:00.003-04:00

Since Spring has sprung on our little neighborhood of Berkley, the sights and sounds of lawnmowers and landscaping have once again permeated the neighborhood. It's fun to see people outside again. I so admire the people who have their lawns looking so well-manicured, colorful, and pretty. I confess, however, I do not enjoy this same passion.

I don't really like to dig around in the dirt. It's not the dirtiness I mind as much as the bugs. I really don't like the worms and bugs.

And then there's this whole thing of weeding. I hate weeding. It never goes away. No matter how many times I pull up those stinkin' weeds, they always come back. Very quickly, might I add.

And the ones that REALLY get me are the ones that I call "ninja weeds." They are the weeds that sneak up on you because they don't really look like weeds. They disguise themselves as pretty, little flowers. We had a large patch of pretty, little purple flowers in our front lawn this year which I thought were just delightful. Then, I was told that they were actually weeds and that they had to go! Imagine, the sneakiness of those weeds! Pretending to be flowers and all the while they are just waiting to pounce upon the healthy growth of our grass.

It made me think twice about the various "gardening habits" that I cultivate in my own life. When I go through life day to day, experiencing various circumstances and interactions with people, attitudes and thinking patterns naturally will begin to grow in my heart.

Sometimes, these are obviously beautiful, healthy flowers. Time spent with a trusted friend builds encouragement, love, and delight in my heart and adds "fertilizer" to the growth that may have already been there.

Other times, they are obviously weeds. When I spend my time watching shows with unhealthy images, or around people that bring out negative behaviors in me, weeds like gossip or deceit or self-indulgence can be fertilized, thereby choking out the healthy growth of the aforementioned "flowers." These weeds need to be picked and thrown out quite regularly.

The ones of which I've become more aware, however, are the "pretty little flower weeds" that can tend to grow in my heart. These aren't obviously "bad," but when I begin to analyze the growth that comes from them, I see they don't really produce flowers at all.

For example, I can indulge in romantic comedies or romance novels, and if I'm not careful, I can begin to compare my life, my marriage, my home, or any number of other things to a fantasy ideal that doesn't even exist. And the "pretty, little flower weeds" of discontent and anxiety begin to spring up. While these things may not be inherently "bad" or cause this sort of growth all the time, I've become aware of the need to be proactive about noticing what these sorts of things can do to my heart and be just as vigilant about pulling the "ninja weeds" as I am the obvious ones.

God, through the Holy Spirit, is the master Gardener of my heart and I need to look to Him for the guidance on a daily basis. Through His grace, I will be able to enjoy the rewards of the "pretty, little flowers" in my garden, without having to be tricked by the weeds.

Master Baby

2009-05-05T14:54:00.002-04:00

This weekend marked a monumental celebration in the Leach household . . . Brad graduated with his Master's Degree in Church Leadership from Assembly of God Theological Seminary!

I am so proud of him and although I couldn't physically be there, I made sure he took a picture so I could see how cute he looked in his cap and gown. :-)

It's pretty amazing to see this phase complete, as it was one of the first "big" things we discussed in the context of our relationship back in June 2007. While we had no certainty of the course of things ahead, I really knew this was a great opportunity for him and encouraged him to pursue it if he so desired. Looking back on things now, I see how providential God was in His timing to allow Brad to finish this season just in time before life would change once again when he's a Daddy! He really does seem to have these things planned out pretty well. :-)

Congratulations, Master Baby. :-) I love you and am so proud of you!!!

33 Weeks!

2009-05-04T22:09:00.004-04:00

So I was a little late on this posting as I should have posted it at 32 weeks. I'm actually at about 33.5 weeks today, so I have about 6.5 weeks left! Crazy. I didn't manage to get a new picture in the same shirt, but here is a picture in another outfit. Ironically, I wore that t-shirt originally to point out the "big belly" that I had at 5 months. It's not really necessary any more.

Here are some observations for month 8 of the pregnancy.

It's really quite convenient having a nice little "shelf" any time I need it. It's come in quite handy to store some snacks there while I do something else with my hands (typing on the computer for instance).
I would have thought that it was a good idea to let the mother "store up" sleep in the months before the baby is born knowing what was coming soon thereafter. God thought it better to prepare the mom for the new "sleep schedule" (or lack of it) in the months leading up to the birth. Between never really getting comfortable in bed and needing to pee an extraordinary amount of times in one day, sleep is rather elusive.
And speaking of peeing . . . the other night when I was feeling especially frustrated about the number of times I had to get up, I decided to make myself feel better by pretending that I had a superpower that I could pee more than anyone else in the world. I gave myself the name "The Urinator" and looked at the toilet saying, "I'll be back," in my best Arnold accent as I left the bathroom. Strangely enough, it did make me feel better.
I can actually make out particular body parts of Gabriella at this point if I push around in my stomach just so. Even though my brain has understood this for a while now, it still kind of weirds me out to realize there is a head inside of me.
Over the last few days/weeks, I have caught myself doing 2 of the quintessential pregnancy characteristics: crying at the drop of a hat and "the waddle." I always thought these were pregnancy jokes used on sitcoms, but they're pretty real.
I have come to appreciate little things in life that are temporarily out of my realm of possibility, such as the ability to pick things up from the ground when I drop them. Usually when this happens I spend about 5 seconds simply staring at the object, wondering how this occurred. Then, I spend another 5-10 seconds, trying to think like Master Yoda and use the force to pick the object up. This has yet to work. So, I finally spend another 10 seconds or so acting like a primate, trying to pick up the object with my toes. Thank God for opposable thumbs.
Despite any of these minor "inconveniences" I really have been so thankful for this pregnancy and can't wait to meet Gabriella soon! :-) Thank you so much for all your prayers!

New Set of Lenses

2009-04-20T10:28:00.003-04:00

Something very interesting happened to me the other day. When it did, I knew that I was officially entering a new season of life. Let me try and recreate.

Brad and I were watching TV when a particular commercial came on advertising kids meals for a fast-food restaurant. I confess, that when I first saw it, I chuckled. I thought it was funny and bizarre and fun. It didn't take too long, however, for me to stop mid-chuckle, and realize that this commercial was aimed at kids, and when I thought of my little girl watching this commercial, imitating the words or actions of the characters, suddenly I didn't think it was so funny anymore.

I realized that I was now looking at the world through a new set of lenses, through the eyes of a parent. I remember an older friend of mine telling me how she saw the checkout counters at the supermarket in a whole new way when her kids were in the cart and could start to read the magazine and tabloid headlines. These "glasses" tend to change everything.

Over these last few months, I've spent a lot of time thinking and preparing for the whole birth process, and getting physically ready for the baby to come. I haven't spent as much time, however, thinking about all the facets to actually parenting, probably because when I do, I become so overwhelmed with the responsibility of it all that I'm not sure even where to begin.

Working with students and kids ministry these past few years, I've always said that the job of a parent is the most important and probably most difficult job that you can have. I think I'm understanding that on an entirely new level now, and I'm sure that this learning curve is just beginning. Brad and I have been praying for an increased measure of wisdom and discernment as we enter this new adventure, as I know more than ever, that we cannot do this on our own. I'm so thankful for friends, church family, and our own family that we can very tangibly count on and talk to through this new season as well. These new lenses are a pretty amazing gift.

I Dreamed a Dream

2009-04-16T19:22:00.004-04:00

I realize I'm a little behind the rest of the world on this one, but my sister sent me a link to this You Tube video of Susan Boyle, a 47 year-old, unemployed, single woman who lives with her cat and has never been kissed. She recently auditioned on Britain's huge talent show, "Britain's Got Talent." If you haven't seen it, you must check it out here. When I watched it this morning, it had over 12,000,000 hits since it was first posted on Saturday. Tonight it has close to 15,000,000.

I seriously got tears in my eyes when I first watched this and I've been thinking about it all day. It's made me think twice about why it had such an impact on me. More than anything, I think it's such a powerful picture of someone pursuing and seeing a dream fulfilled. Obviously, I have no idea about what kind of relationship this woman has with Jesus, but it spoke to my heart that it is never too late or impossible to have God fulfill the dreams He has placed on our hearts. And when He does do that, it can't help but bring joy to the people with whom we come in contact. I don't think I've ever seen Simon Cowell smile like he does in this clip.

Enjoy the video if you haven't already seen it and continue to dream and pursue the dreams that God has placed in your heart!

Daddy's Voice

2009-04-06T12:13:00.003-04:00

I mentioned in my last baby update that although it's hard to compare with other babies, I've been experiencing the joys of what I think is a very active baby. I can't quite tell which body part it is that is doing the movement, but she seems to be having lots of fun kicking, punching, and twirling around in there.

I'm also starting to notice a particular pattern to her movements. She usually seems more active after I eat and it seems like one of her favorite times to work on her gymnastic routine is right before I want to go to sleep. The one that's been most amazing to me, however, is the way she responds to Brad's voice.

I'm really serious about this. I've noticed over the past few months that whenever we are sitting in church and she hears Brad's voice in a microphone, within minutes, my girl starts having a party in my tummy! (She's probably saying, "Amen, Daddy! Right on! Indeed!") :-) And even though she's become more active in general over these last few weeks, there's definitely a distinction when Brad is speaking in a microphone verses when someone else is speaking. When it's Brad, she's a lot more active versus someone else for whom she will barely move if at all. I truly think it's quite incredible.

Two things about this that made me think:

I can't tell you how much it delights Brad to hear about her movements. He loves knowing that his little girl knows his voice. It has to be just a small glimpse of how our Heavenly Father must feel when we take the time to listen and respond to His voice.
My mother-in-law was telling me that she heard that sometimes it's hard for the baby to hear things really clearly in the midst of all the amniotic fluid and heartbeats and all those other sounds that constantly surround her. Maybe there's something to Brad using a microphone that helps her to recognize the voice she's been hearing since she grew ears. :-) I was thinking about all the things in our lives that can tend to drown out the voice of God from day-to-day . . . busyness, anxiety, emotions, tiredness, celebrations. They can seem like good or bad things, but either way, they certainly seem to shout above the consistent, quiet voice of the LORD. I think praise is really the microphone that helps us to hear God's voice in the midst of these distractions. Inherent to praise is choosing to take our eyes off of our current situation and on to Someone much bigger. And because He abides in the praises of His people, all competing distractions must flee. God is always bigger.

All these things my baby is teaching me about Jesus and she hasn't even been born yet. I can only imagine what a teacher she'll be for me when I can actually see her little ears and hear her little voice. :-)

Sham-WOW!

2009-04-03T14:24:00.003-04:00

So do you think we should invest in one of these for Gabriella? You can never start teaching her chores too early, right? :-)

The Quest Continues . . .

2009-04-03T08:33:00.003-04:00

So each Easter, my quest to find the ultimate jelly bean continues. It started at a very young age, as I can remember my dad sitting me in a vat of jellybeans at our candy factory that completely covered all of me except my head. Pretty much a dream come true. :-)

Since then, I've gone the more commercial route and for a few years Starburst jellybeans had taken the lead. Great flavor and I like the texture of the harder shell w/ a chewy inside.

Last year, Nerds jellybeans made a surprising jump to the top of my list as I really liked the flavor and texture combination with the bumpy & sugary outer shell even more than the Starburst. These seem to be a bit harder to find, however.

So, last night I tried Sweet Tarts jellybeans (so new that I couldn't find a picture). The verdict is still out on these. They have definitely captured the Sweet Tart flavor in the jellybeans to a key. I enjoy them, and would put them in my top 5, but probably not as #1.

Any other votes out there for the rank of "Top Bean?"

7 Months (and 1 Week)

2009-04-03T08:19:00.003-04:00

I tried posting this last week, but when I went to publish it, it disappeared. :-(

Last Friday marked 28 weeks. That's 7 months and an official jump to the 3rd Trimester. Yay!

I'm posting a new picture (in the same outfit for comparison) and you can see that our little girl is definitely growing bigger. In fact, last week, my BabyCenter.com e-mail said that she was the size of a Chinese Cabbage. It's been kinda fun seeing what fruit/vegetable my baby is each week. Brad is simply astonished that fruit and vegetables have nationalities (Chinese cabbage, English cucumber, etc.).

It's hard for me to compare, but I have to say that this little baby is pretty active. It continually astounds me to see my stomach moving like a bubbling volcano. I'm really trying to be intentional about "enjoying the ride" of pregnancy, not just wanting it to be over (although I'm getting more and more anxious to actually hold her in my arms). Overall, it's been a really great pregnancy and God has blessed both of us with good health, and a great husband/daddy who supports and cares for us.

Thanks for all your continued prayers! We appreciate them more than you know.

Sign of the Times

2009-03-18T09:39:00.003-04:00

I was reading in my Bible the other day a passage that I have read many times before, but never quite caught on to it. I always kind of chuckle when I read it because it's clear that the disciples didn't get it either when Jesus first talked to them about it. Silly disciples. :-)

In Matthew 16, Jesus had just ended a conversation with the Pharisees who were trying to test Him, to ask Him for a sign from Heaven. When Jesus is later talking with His disciples, He tells them to beware of the "yeast of the Pharisees," a comment that prompted the disciples to assume that He was referring to their forgetfulness in bringing any bread on their trip. You can't really blame them. First of all, if you forgot to bring bread in the middle of a long day's trip, it's probably all you can really think about. "What are we going to eat today?!?" And secondly, referring to something as a "yeast of the Pharisees" is just plain weird.

It was Jesus' response that really struck me this time. He reminded them of the time He fed the 5,000, and how many basketfuls of bread they collected at the end of the day. And then there was the time He fed the 4,000 and all the basketfuls they had at the end of that day. And through this explanation, the disciples realized that Jesus wasn't referring to food, but to a much more subversive and subtle danger, the teaching of the Pharisees.

I suppose it struck me because I suddenly saw a lot of relevance to the whole conversation. Nationwide, it's an incredibly precarious time, with every day bringing new headlines of bankruptcies, recession, and billions of dollars of bail outs. In our city, especially, you can't open a newspaper or listen to the news for more than 5 minutes without hearing some story of new job losses representing thousands of Detroiters who are now out of work.

With all of these stories surrounding us, it's pretty hard to not think about taking care of the basic necessities of life . . . what will happen to our house? Will we be able to pay the bills? What will we eat this week? Will I still have a job next week? I've realized that many times, the anxiety and tension are so pervasive through our culture right now, that it's really easy for them to invade my thinking without even noticing. And they don't only invade my thinking. They consume my thinking. They become all I can think about and can very quickly turn into a down-spiral of depression or despair.

That's where Jesus' response comes in. Just like He reminded the disciples when all they could think about was their next meal, He reminds me of all the miracles He has done in my own life, all the times He has provided exceedingly and abundantly beyond all my needs. And He reminds me to be on the lookout of something much more important than worrying about my next meal.

I need to be aware of fighting against this spirit of trying to test God, of begging Him for some kind of sign, some kind of huge proof of who He is rather than acknowledging what is right there in front of my face. And this kind of thinking behaves exactly like Jesus explained when He called it a "yeast." It starts off tiny and small, almost imperceptible, but given time in a dark and cool place, it quickly grows and pervades the whole batch of "dough." That Jesus . . . He's one smart man, isn't He? :-)

I'm praying for the wisdom to be proactive in fighting against this mindset, for courage and an increase of faith for God to take care of our needs, and to have opportunities to speak life and hope into the desperate situations that are all around us.

Grandma

2009-03-12T05:15:00.005-04:00

Monday morning I got one of those phone calls that no one ever wants to get. My dad told me that my Grandma (mom's mom) had passed away suddenly early that morning. Brad, Samantha, and I came into Pittsburgh late Tuesday night for the viewing yesterday and the funeral today. It's certainly been an intense few days, but ones that have been full of grace and the full gamut of emotions. I thought it might help to sort some of them out by sharing my thoughts of my Grandma with the blogosphere.

One of my initial reactions was how sad I was that Grandma and Gabriella would never get to meet, at least not in this lifetime. I spent yesterday morning writing a letter to our little girl, telling her about her great-grandma and the special pieces of her legacy that I hope she inherits . . . her strength and her faithfulness to name a few.

For example, one of the most touching testimonies of her life over these past few days has been the numerous members of the Eat 'n Park wait staff that have come to pay their respects. My Grandma has eaten at the SAME restaurant EVERY DAY since 1994. (Brad is still trying to process this concept.) Every day, she would eat lunch at this Eat 'n Park with my uncle and throughout the years, the servers and management just become family. They brought a bouquet of green smiley-face cookies, an Eat 'n Park specialty (my Grandma's favorite . . . she really only liked the green ones). Brad commented that it was an illustration of the lives that can be touched simply by living a life of consistency over a long period of time.

I have learned some new things about her, too. When my Grandma and Pop Pop moved to Moon Township (where they lived their entire lives), the area was largely undeveloped and rural. They were charter members at the now large, Catholic church that is near their house. I looked at Brad when I found out and said, "Wow! Grandma was a church planter!" My dad smiled and pointed out that it's in my genes.

Our baby girl has quite a legacy of great-grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles and so many other loved ones on both sides of the family who have given her such a strong spiritual heritage. Brad's mom and I prayed on Monday and she gave me such a cool picture that right now Grandma and Pop Pop could be meeting Grandma and Grandpa Palmer (her mom and dad). Our family kept saying yesterday that while it was a sad day for us, it was a great day for Grandma. What a day it will be when we are all reunited once again!

I'm including a few pics that I found from the last few Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. You can see where Ashley got her red hair, and how much Grandma and I liked to catch a post-holiday meal nap. :-)

The New Slate

2009-03-02T10:32:00.002-05:00

I remember when we took a trip to Williamsburg when I was younger and we bought these little slates at one of their gift shops, as an example of what colonial kids used to use when they went to school. I was always a little bothered that they didn't erase completely and I was thankful for an era when we get to enjoy erasers and markerboards.

I read a few articles the other day that opened my eyes to the "slates" of the 21st century. I'm sure that this will continue to bring some controversy to the education realm over the next few years, but it was interesting to consider.

This article from the British publication, Telegraph, showed that in a recent study, more than a 1/3 of children surveyed owned their own cell phone by the age of 8. 3/4 of children aged seven to fifteen owned "at least" one mobile. Clearly there are lots of implications with this statistic, one being that children are becoming financially aware at a much earlier age, offering to do extra chores for ringtones and using the internet (and their parents' credit cards) to purchase various items online. While my first instinct is, "What in the world does an 8 year old need with a cell phone?" the closer I get to actually becoming a parent, the more I start to try and think about all aspects involved (both positive and negative) with making these kinds of decisions for your child.
Shortly after reading this article, I found another article that showed me exactly what an 8 year old could do with their cell phone. Project K-Nect placed mobile cell phones in the hands of at-risk 9th grade students in 4 different schools in North Carolina. They were given access through the phones to special math programs that were to be used in conjunction with the teacher's regular lesson plans. Students did show some improvement in their math lessons when they took the state Algebra exam. Again, there are many issues involved with making this decision (i.e. students texting during class, playing games on their phones, etc.), but it does provide an incredibly more cost-effective way of using technology in the classroom verses having a computer for each child. Again, definitely something to keep thinking about in the future.

It truly is a whole new world for this next generation, and I feel really old when I think that I got my first cell phone my senior year in high school. As Brad and I have stepped into working with the student ministry at our church, it's also good to keep up on these different trends and issues as we look at the best way to communicate with today's students. Any thoughts on some things that have worked for you?

Three Thilly Thisthers

2009-03-02T10:20:00.006-05:00

My sister Ashley had the chance to visit Detroit last weekend while her husband was out of town, so we got to enjoy a delightful Sister Weekend! Brad got a healthy dose of life with girls throughout the weekend and he may, at this point, be a little worried. :-)

Here are a few pics from our lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe. It's a restaurant where we've loved going while we're on vacation, so it made it seem like a mini-vacation to go there together. :-) (In the one picture, Ashley and I are making our best frog faces . . . I think hers is better.) I hope Gabriella gets to enjoy sisters like mine someday! :-)

6 Months!!

2009-03-02T10:02:00.004-05:00

For those of you who wanted to keep up with baby progress and pictures (Jen A.) :-) . . . Here you go! (I wore the same outfit so you could compare.)

I forgot to post that we picked a name. (Sorry!!!) We ruled out Robin, Ima, and Ura (say them all with our last name) and instead selected the name Gabriella Faith. Gabriella means "God is my Strength" and it's been a great starting point for a lot of my specific prayers for her. I'm praying that she would be a woman of faith who finds her strength in God. The nicknames are numerous and I'm sure we'll use Gabby, Brie, Ella, and/or Bella.
I feel like sometime shortly after the 5 month mark I became "suddenly pregnant." My head knew that I was pregnant, but it was like my body suddenly caught up with the fact. I swear that I triple in size each day (at least it feels like that). Sometimes I'll come down in the morning and brush my teeth and start to talk to Gabby insisting that she was not that big when I went to bed the night before. Just to confirm my suspicions, one day at school one of my girls came up to me and said, "I saw you yesterday and you were not that big yesterday." Another boy told me that I was getting kind of plump. I wanted to go into a lengthy explanation of why he should never use that adjective when talking to a girl, but instead I politely smiled and lamented about it later to my husband.
My girl is an acrobat! She is VERY active, finding points throughout the day (usually right before I want to go to sleep) when I'm pretty sure she's working on a routine for the 2024 Olympics. It's pretty cool to realize she's in there and still a little surreal to think that I have 2 little feet inside of me.

That's the latest on the baby front for those of you who wanted to know. :-) Thanks for all your prayers throughout this entire season!

Mrs. Leach

2009-03-02T09:51:00.002-05:00

My teaching schedule has finally calmed down a bit almost to the entire other extreme. I've gone from working about 35 hours a week to about 10. As a result I've discovered:

I think I'm finally getting used to being called Mrs. Leach. One of my coordinating teachers had a last name that sounded suspiciously like Miss Edwards, so I found that I would respond when they called her name as well. Overall, though, I'm not looking for my mother-in-law as much when people call out, "Mrs. Leach!"
I realized again that I do love to teach. Granted these were some pretty ideal teaching conditions in that I didn't have to take home papers to grade, keep up with lesson plans, etc. I just got to teach, which was pretty fun. Sure, there were days when getting up at 5:30 got pretty old and my back was hurting from standing, but it was a great experience and I'm so thankful for the opportunity.
During my student teaching I had experiences in rural, suburban, and urban settings. It was good to get a taste of each, as my own experience in school was definitely more suburban. After these past 2 months, I got a much bigger taste of life in an urban school, one which was very "Tale of Two Cities" (i.e. "The best of times . . . the worst of times."). At certain points my heart would break as I would catch glimpses of the many things these kids are dealing with and the choices that they were making that had some major impacts on their lives. At other points, I found myself laughing with delight and thrilled to see the progress they would make as well as new perspectives from an entirely different point of view. It's something I'll continue thinking about for a while, I'm sure.
I have a whole new respect for women who are pregnant and working full-time. You are my heroes. :-)

Beautiful Baby!

2009-02-05T09:26:00.003-05:00

I forgot to post the latest pics of Baby Girl. I usually can't see anything but blobs on these ultrasounds, but this last time, I really could make out her little body. I'm including a pretty profile shot as well as a picture of her cute little feet. :-)

In Spite of Myself

2009-02-05T09:04:00.004-05:00

I changed my major 3 times in the first 6 months of college. There was almost one more time during my junior year when I was going to switch out of elementary education into a broader communications major. My reasoning? The more I got into my education classes, the more I realized I didn't want to be a teacher, at least in the traditional sense of the word. If I asked people about it, they were pretty quick to agree with me. After all, if there's one major that you're supposed to know what you're going to do when you graduate, it's education.

The only thing that I couldn't shake was that when I prayed about it, I really felt like God was telling me to stay in education. This meant that I would have to complete student teaching, go through the certification tests and everything else that came with it, all the while knowing that I didn't want to teach. Even though it seemed like a crazy decision, I chose to obey the best that I could, trusting that God would work something out through the madness.

In the years since, I've been amazed at how God has used that training as a background to prepare me for so many opportunities that I couldn't have imagined. I went into Student Ministry for 3 years, and used my training to write curriculum, teach lessons, and get some kind of preparation to understand the middle school psyche (although I don't know that you can ever be fully prepared for that). The 3 years that I spent in Kidz Ministry further expanded my background, especially in understanding the "Early Childhood" realm of things.

And over these past few months, God's added another layer to "Aren't You Glad I Had You Major in El Ed?" as I've been working in a couple of the Detroit Public Schools through my job with Kaplan. I'm helping to prepare high school juniors to take a state-wide test, the MME, in about a month, which includes taking the ACT (the college prep test that most mid-westerners use). Initially, my greatest challenge was to try and remember geometric and trigonometry formulas, but in the months since, I've been stretched in an entirely new way.

My school assignments are very urban schools, in 2 different areas of the city. For a girl who has spent most of her life in a very non-diverse, suburban neighborhood, it was a challenge that I wanted to do in theory, but when it came down to my first trip to the schools, I found myself nervous, scared, and terribly intimidated.

After 2 months, I can honestly say again that this is yet another experience where I am truly thankful to see how God has blessed me in spite of myself. I truly look forward to these times and have a genuine love for the kids and desire to see them succeed beyond their expectations. My prayer has been that God would use it as an opportunity to speak life into their lives and show them gifts that they have that they may have never even known about.

I can't even begin to imagine how God will continue to use all the events of my past, but the older I get, the more I find that I am completely amazed at His masterful handiwork, often using a circuitous road to craft a wonderful journey.

Still Recovering

2009-02-02T21:52:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty sure that my baby must've thought her world was collapsing in on itself last night. I could feel my heart beating throughout the 4 hours of the game and I don't think the tension ever let up. At the end of it all, though, it was definitely worth it as we got to witness one of the greatest Super Bowls ever!!!

Today I was definitely dragging (and I was terribly jealous of all the Pittsburgh schools who got 2 hour delays today), but whenever I thought of the lovely victory, I couldn't help but be happy. And I'm pretty sure the baby was happy, too. Even Brad wore a Polamalu jersey for the occasion. Now if that isn't a picture of love . . .

Hope you're enjoying the happy times as much as we are!

Over the Hump!!!!

2009-01-31T19:27:00.004-05:00

I distinctly remember when I was little and my mom would come to wake us up for school (alarm clocks never seemed to work so well), she would try and give us specific motivation for getting up on a particular day. Wednesdays were "Over the Hump Day." We were 1/2 way through the week. We could soon sleep in during the weekend (except somehow it was never difficult to get up early for cartoons on Saturday).

Yesterday marked "Over the Hump Day" for this pregnancy! Baby Girl Leach turned minus five months. (I figure if she's zero when she's born, she would be in negative numbers now. I keep trying to explain this to her. It's never too early to learn about integers, I always say.) :-) In some ways it feels like, "I can't believe that I'm already 5 months pregnant!" And, in a lot of ways it feels like, "I can't believe that I'm only 5 months pregnant!"

Regardless, I'm really trying to enjoy this season for what it's worth instead of just wanting it to be over. I certainly have my moments (and the more people bless me with Little Girl clothes the more I want her to be here right now!) but I really do appreciate this season that Brad and I have to pray for our little girl, dream about her, and prepare for the special day when she will join us.

AND . . . for those of you back in Pittsburgh who have been asking for pictures of the tummy, I finally broke down and took some. Looks like it was a literal "Over the Hump Day" as well. :-)

Whew!!!!

2009-01-24T12:15:00.002-05:00

What a week! It's hard to even comprehend all the amazing gifts that God's blessed me with this week. A quick recap:

1 Year Anniversary - Brad planned a surprise getaway to Chicago right after church on Sunday. He planned out all the little details (i.e. staying in a Hyatt b/c that's where we stayed on our honeymoon), fun presents, and made sure that we left in enough time so that we could still watch the Steeler game on Sunday night. I felt so loved, honored, special and undeserving of the man God has given to me as my husband. I would have found it hard to imagine how I could love him more now than I did on January 19, 2008, but somehow, it's true!
One For the Other Thumb? - The Steelers won. Do I even need to say more? Somehow, though, it seems like people in Detroit think that it's more important to cover a new President's inauguration rather than pre-Superbowl coverage. Crazy Detroiters.
New Teaching Position - I have the opportunity through my job as an instructor with Kaplan, to work in one of the Detroit Public High Schools through the end of February to help prepare their students to take the ACT. I didn't realize until this week that it would be 8 hrs. a day, 3 days a week, so it's been somewhat of a mind-shift to get back into that schedule in addition to the other teaching jobs I've been doing. I really enjoy the challenge and opportunity, but find myself exhausted (and obviously behind on my blogging). And, after the first day, I remembered why teachers don't often wear heels to school. :-)
Boppli's a SHE!!! - Early Thursday morning, Brad and I got to go and see some of the most recent pictures of little Boppli. What an incredible experience and what an incredible surprise when we discovered she's a girl!!!! For some reason, we were both pretty certain that Boppli was a boy. The last few days have been filled with such delight as I imagine holding our baby girl in a few months and I even got our first little baby girl clothes last night. So cute! You can read Brad's thoughts here.
So rich . . . - Last night, we ended our exciting week with such a special and memorable time of celebration. Brad had planned a night to bring back the members of our wedding party and ask them for wisdom, advice, and accountability as we journey into Year 2 of our marriage and larger family. :-) We enjoyed a time of prayer, worship, and beautiful insights as each person had something unique and special to share that God had given to them. I truly felt so rich as I sat there last night surrounded by such tangible examples of God's faithfulness. It's almost too much to comprehend.

So sorry for the delayed post to those of you who have been waiting to hear the Boppli news. I'm going to try and scan some of her pictures and get them up soon! She's beautiful. :-)

Sophomore Year

2009-01-16T10:58:00.002-05:00

I've been catching up on a lot of blogs and have found so many great insights as January seems to be the natural time for reflection on the previous year and dreaming about the next. I confess that I have been doing a lot of the same.

One of the somewhat obvious realities that I acknowledged was just how much much life changed in the short timeframe of about 12-18 months. I had realized this before, certainly, but what I didn't take time to recognize were some of the more subtle changes that have occurred.

Clearly external things like my schedule, my job, my name, my city, my church, my home, and my family have changed, and what wonderful changes they were! What I realized, however, were the effects of these changes that influenced even some of my very simple "likes" and "dislikes." Things like my choice of reading material (used to be 95% non-fiction and this year has been almost 100% fiction), my desire to write (even journaling has felt more like a chore over this past year), and other preferences have evolved without me quite understanding why. (A post-graduate burn-out, perhaps?)

I suppose God gave me some perspective during my prayer times, looking back on other seasons of transition . . . going to high school, college, coming out of college, starting grad school. Each time, that first year was a roller coaster of emotions and physical, mental, and spiritual changes. I began to see this year as entering a "sophomore year" of sorts, and praying about how God would continue to meld both new and old dreams as I settle into this season of "new normal."

And yes, I realize that I'll be entering an entirely new "freshman year" in a few months when little Boppli decides to grace us with his/her presence, but in the meantime, I really want to press into all that God has for me in this season and enjoy new discoveries as a sophomore.

Homesick

2009-01-16T10:47:00.002-05:00

I love my new home. Really. Detroit is a great place and I have enjoyed getting acquainted with my new city. But there are a few moments when I find myself longing for some time in my city of old, and this is definitely one of those seasons.

I confess that when I was living in Pittsburgh, even I could get weary of the constant Steelers-mania that would pervade every aspect of life. It would take a few weeks, but even I realized that it was a sickness at a certain point.

But living here, would you believe that when they have their news broadcasts, that they don't take 17 out of 26 minutes to talk about the Steelers?!? They talk about things like Auto Shows and Presidential Inaugurations and other incidental world events that may be happening around the Steeler play-off. They never even mention stories like this one about Pittsburgh's Mayor, Luke Ravenstahl, which really captures the full sickness of Steelers mania in one brilliant story.

I suppose it's healthy to recognize that there's more important things in the world than Steeler football, but it would be nice to indulge in the sickness just a little bit more. :-)

Baby Steeler!

2009-01-12T10:50:00.003-05:00

You know that passage in Luke that talks about John the Baptist leaping in Elizabeth's womb when Mary came into her house?

I'm pretty sure that's what was happening last night during the Steelers game.

No, I didn't officially feel my baby yet, but I know my baby and I know that Boppli was leaping and cheering for the Steelers.

Brad says that I'm exploiting an unfair advantage over this child and to be quite honest, I won't try and argue that point. I'm trying to persuade Boppli, however, that this child can cheer for both teams. They only play each other maybe once every 3 years or so, and cheering for both teams will really help Boppli to be well-rounded, learning what it's like to be a good winner and what it might feel like if another team perhaps loses every once in a while.

If ever there was a hope for a Lions fan, it's gotta be the Arizona Cardinals. And, I'd also like to claim Steelers victory for that team thanks to the leadership of Ken Wisenhut. It always comes back to the Steelers. :-)

Good Things Come in Small Packages

2009-01-09T12:52:00.004-05:00

Brad sent me this video in an e-mail a few weeks ago and I continue to think it is one of the most astounding things I've ever seen. I can't imagine what kind of mind, patience, and personality that you have to be able to pursue this line of art as your life's work. I still chuckle just about every time I hear him talk about Alice in Wonderland.

As astounded as I am thinking about a Charlie Chaplain sculpture on the end of an eyelash, however, I have found myself even more astounded recently learning about the life and growth of little Boppli.

Today is Friday and every Friday I receive an e-mail from Babycenter.com and they tell me what is happening with our little baby and how big Boppli is each week. Last week, (Boppli's minus 6 month birthday (calculating back from age zero when the baby is born)) Boppli was the size of an avocado and was growing toenails (which ordinarily I would find repulsive, but I can't help but think they're kind of cute). I'm still waiting on what week 17 will bring.

It's interesting to me to read each week that the baby is growing lungs or fingers or kidneys and yes even toenails, but somehow, my head pictures it all happening like it looks on a newborn baby, when they are 7-9 pounds and a good 18-20 inches long. When I stop and realize all this is happening when the baby is the size of a shrimp or olive or even a little poppyseed (way back at the beginning), I have an entirely new appreciation for the greatest Artist I have ever known. God's creativity and genius is simply beyond comprehension and I find myself "pondering all these things in my heart" even more often now.

I thank God for this little masterpiece that He has taken the time to uniquely create and pray that somehow the awe of it all remains even when "new normal" has become "normal."

The Disney World Phenomenon

2008-12-25T06:09:00.004-05:00

I love Disney World. I grew up in a family that loves Disney World. And one of the most compelling reasons why, is because it literally is a world within a world. They so effectively create a land of 7-foot characters and princess castles and $10 chicken fingers that when you are there, it doesn't take long to forget that another world exists, one that has some decisions slightly bigger than, "At which park are we going to eat tonight?" or "Where do you want to use our Fast Pass next?"

The only problem with doing that so effectively, is that in forgetting that there is another world out there, sometimes, in the midst of the trip, I can forget to truly appreciate the joy of Disney World. I become so busy in thinking about the next ride, the next meal, the next day, that I miss truly enjoying the thrills of the Rockin' Rollercoaster or the simple nostalgia of walking down a Main Street from long ago. I forget to do so at least until I get home and remember that Disney World was a pretty special treat, and think, "Why didn't I appreciate that more?" as I wake up and prepare for the normal tasks of everyday living.

And so why could I possibly be writing about Disney World before dawn on this glorious Christmas morning? On the drive back to Pittsburgh last night, I was struck with the realization that all too often, I am living in the fog of this "Disney World Phenomenon," going through the steps of each day without really stopping to realize the beauty in each moment.

I'm preparing for the next meal, the next program, the next major life-event coming up, and if I'm not careful, the ride goes on and on and I forget that this is the ride. I forget that this is a greater joy, a most incredible opportunity that we've been given by our Heavenly Father to enjoy the gifts of this world for such a brief moment, and to actually be able to be used to make a significant life-impact for other people by His grace alone. And while life on this Earth, I'm sure, cannot hold a candle to eternity with Him, it's still a pretty amazing place to be.

I know. Heavy thoughts to think about at 6 AM on Christmas morning. Maybe it's the fact that I came back home last night, back to the Christmas decorations that have been here since I was a kid, the duck gravy bowl that signified that a fancy dinner was coming. My dad even made chocolates just like we used to have at the old candy factory. I actually started to tear up when I ate one. Maybe it's the fact that this is my last official Christmas as a "kid," as a new kid will be with me enjoying Christmas next year. Maybe it's the fact that Boppli is already waking me up before dawn on Christmas morning even though I can't see him/her yet.

Whatever the reason, I'm kind of glad for the little splash of cold water on my face. Glad for the opportunity to soak in the joys of the next few days. To soak up the delights of childhood memories and family and friends and to be truly thankful for the new things that God has done and is doing in my life. To thank God for a husband and new family that is a dream come true and realize that this ride is a Good one, all of it, even the twists and turns that sometimes make me wish I could somehow get off.

Everyone will be up soon. Okay, maybe not too soon. We seem to not be as early-risers as our younger years. Regardless, may you soak in this Christmas and ALL the gifts that God has placed under your tree, both tangible and intangible. May you live in the joys of the dreams He has already given to you and with the hope of the ones not yet realized. And may you enjoy the ride, remembering the past hills and thrills and relishing each and every moment of the ride right now. Merry Christmas!

Official Detroiter

2008-12-19T17:01:00.002-05:00

I think I have mentioned before that I grew up in a family that was in the chocolate business. I know. Too bad I didn't truly realize how cool that was until I was older. Anyway, I distinctly remember going to help out at the retail stores during the Christmas or Easter holidays, and even as a little girl, my dad taught me proper rules and etiquette of customer service. Treat the customer with respect. Welcome them, but don't hover about them. Help them without pestering them. Greet them with a smile. Basic things, but simple things that can make a big difference.

Perhaps it was from these early lessons, but in the years since, I have become a customer service junkie. Whenever I meet a company or business or associate that shows exemplary skills, I will be their biggest cheerleader and tell everyone I can about it. Thanks to an AT&T associate named, Quiana, I am now a raving fan of AT&T's service.

On Monday, she spent about an hour with me, helping me activate an iPhone for Brad and gave me a temporary number for it so I could give it to him for Christmas. I think she was almost as excited as me.

Monday night, I lost my phone. When I realized it wasn't coming back, I went back on Wednesday, and she immediately remembered my name, situation, and was concerned something happened with the surprise. When I told her about the phone, she spent about another 45 minutes with me helping me look at possible plans and phone options.

I gave Brad his phone last night (I think I have a better idea of what a cute little boy he must've been when he received "Snake Eyes" for Christmas. The man has a new toy and he is happy) and we went back to the store where Quiana again spent 1.5 hours with us (even staying after the store closed) to make sure we were completely set up and pleased with our choices. We are even Facebook friends now.

All that to say, I am now a very happy AT&T customer, with a new phone (an LG Vu - I'm thinking of calling it Barbara after another "View" star) and a new Detroit phone number. I guess it's now official that I am a Detroiter.

The Best of Times . . . The Worst of Times

2008-12-16T17:13:00.003-05:00

Ok, so maybe the "worst of times" is a bit hyperbolic, but anyone who has misplaced their cell phone knows how "worst of times" it can really be. Seriously, if I try really hard, I can remember a time without cell phones, but I don't know how we functioned! I continue to pray that it will show up, but I fear that my dear Samsung Alias may be lost forever.

On the best of times side of things . . . this morning, Brad and I got to hear little Boppli's heartbeat! It was pretty amazing (no hyperbole used) . . . a really fast "swoosh swoosh" rather than the traditional "lub dub" that fully grown hearts seem to beat. Doctor said that everything sounded great so we continue to thank Jesus for the gift of little Boppli and trust him/her in His care.

AND . . . as if the day couldn't get better after the heartbeat, I went to my e-mail and saw that what I thought to be my impossible dream has come true. One of my all-time favorite stores, Bed, Bath, and Beyond (see prior post here), has indeed branched out to baby land and is opening a store not too far from me! BuyBuy Baby is coming to Canton, MI, right by another Top 10 store, Ikea! How happy is Leah. And Boppli too. Boppli told me so.

Never Too Early

2008-12-10T14:48:00.021-05:00

So my friend, Kim, sent Brad and I a very helpful e-mail yesterday that she read on another friend's blog. It's some very helpful reminders about how to best care for Baby when little Boppli comes along. I've read it several times and it never ceases to make me giggle. You can never start preparing for these things too early!

Not Hijacked

2008-12-08T10:00:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, my blog was hijacked by my oh-so-funny husband when he announced to the world that I was pregnant and what a great husband he was.

I just wanted to start off by saying that this post is not hijacked, but I do want to reiterate again what an amazing husband I have. :-)

My man has been serving this family like crazy, unpacking all of our luggage, helping with the Christmas decorations, cleaning the house and dishes, and even came home on Saturday with one of the first e-mails I sent him over 2 years ago with a recipe for Cranberry Chicken on it that he was going to make me for dinner (and then he even allowed the menu to be changed when he saw that it really wasn't sitting well with my stomach). All of this in the middle of catching up from vacation and the busy weekend at church with a kick-off to the Christmas season! What a guy.

Thanks, Brad, for being such a picture of Jesus to me. I love you, Baby!

Mele Kalikimaka!

2008-12-05T16:49:00.006-05:00

So we're back from an incredible Thanksgiving vacation with Brad's family. And, as you can see from the title of this post, we enjoyed a wonderful Hawaiian kickoff to the Christmas season! It was a little strange seeing Christmas trees and wreaths adorned with fake snow in the middle of an 85 degree sandy beach (Santa ditches his suit, sleigh and reindeer in Hawaii for a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, a red canoe, and a team of dolphins), but it was a happy time nonetheless. I feel incredibly blessed to have such an amazing new family to add to my already great family. No words to convey my gratitude.

I'll include a few pictures of the whole family (Brad's mom and dad, sister, Betsy, and brother-in-law, Rob, and nephew, Robert - who is now about 13 months).

In other news, Boppli (the gender neutral name that we're calling our baby until we come up for something more appropriate) seemed to really enjoy Hawaii, even deciding not to make me sick while we were there and letting me sleep a little more. Isn't that the most thoughtful baby ever?!? :-) Boppli also started encouraging me to have some more, um interesting, tastes in food (including cherry Twizzlers and A-1 steak sauce, which I ate on potato chips). These were always fulfilled nearly on demand by my caring father-in-law.

Today is re-entry day which is always hard, but it's lots of fun seeing friends and family again and to be able to decorate for Christmas for the first time in my own home!

Engaged . . . Kind of

2008-11-19T14:17:00.002-05:00

So, like I mentioned in my last post, this was the way I wanted to go about discussing this new adventure. I can't help but feel like I'm engaged once again, this time engaged to be a Mommy instead of a wife.

They both are one of the few, unique seasons in life that you know how when they will begin and end (roughly). And, much of the time is spent wrapped up in preparations to get ready for the big event and finding oneself wishing it were just here already.

I remember making a conscious effort, however, when I was engaged, to really try and enjoy the season for what it was, recognizing that there wouldn't be another time in my life when I would be able to have that season. I definitely had my moments during my engagement, but I can honestly say that it was a truly special time and I can see so much merit to how much Brad and I grew together as God prepared us for the next season in our lives.

And so now, I am once again trying to do the same. It's a little bit harder to fully appreciate when you're experiencing "happy sickness" and sleepless nights, but I recognize that my sickness represents life. And it's a not-so-subtle reminder to me that even though it seems like nothing is different on the outside, God is doing an amazing miracle on the inside, the fruit of which will soon be evident for others to see . . . literally. :-)

So, I happily continue in my mommy engagement (maybe I should get a new ring? :-) ) and ask God to form a new work in my life, inside and out.

Hijacked!

2008-11-17T18:14:00.002-05:00

In case you couldn't tell, my blog was hijacked. Hijacked by my husband.

I had this really cute title and post all ready to go to announce the exciting news.

And then what gets posted but "I Am Pregnant."

Cute? Not so much.

But yes, it's true. Guess I'll have to work my cute post in tomorrow.

In the meantime . . .

Yes, I am feeling kind of sick (but it's a happy sort of sickness).

Yes, my husband is incredible.

But no, there will be no breakfast in bed tomorrow. Sorry, Baby. :-)

I am Pregnant

2008-11-17T17:19:00.001-05:00

It's true.

I've felt really sick. But Brad has been INCREDIBLE. He has been compassionate and empathetic. I don't know what I would do without him.

In fact, tomorrow I think I will make him breakfast in bed. And bring him lunch.

And make his favorite meal for dinner.

I also think that I will buy him an i-phone. Even if I have to cancel the Verizon contract, it is worth it to repay him for all he is doing for me.

Garage Sale Treasure

2008-11-07T19:49:00.003-05:00

Brad has been telling me about this particular podcast for a while: This American Life, produced by Chicago Public Radio. I had my first opportunity to listen to it over these past few days and heard one of the most fascinating narratives of a man, Sudhir Alladi Venkatesh - a sociological professor at Columbia University, and Sudhir's friend, a man named Nellie who lived in the South side of Chicago.

Nellie made a living, a very good living, illegally selling ammunitions in the neighborhoods where he lived. It was the exorbitant amount of cash that Nellie received from his job that ended up creating more of a problem than he ever imagined. He became racked with guilt in regard to his acquisition of the money and was ashamed to tell any of his family about it. What's more, it started creating incredible paranoia and panic attacks as Nellie would fear that something would happen to it, as he had to resort to hiding the money in mattresses or large garbage bags that he would hide in his yard.

Sudhir remembers the day that he went over to Nellie's house only to find him alone in his room, emotionally distraught, surrounded by crumpled up small bills totaling thousands of dollars. He begged Sudhir to help him find a solution to his problem.

"What do you people do when you have too much stuff?" Nellie asked Sudhir.

"Well, whenever a lot of our possessions would accumulate, we would sometimes have a garage sale in our neighborhood," Sudhir explained.

Excitement and relief splashed across Nellie's face as he quickly began making preparations for his own yard sale, a very special yard sale. Nellie began finding various appliances and pieces of furniture around the house. A vacuum cleaner got a few hundred dollars shoved into its bag. A television carried several hundred dollars in a back compartment. Couch cushions and an older mattress had numerous bills stuffed into them. And when the clandestine handiwork was completed, the items were taken outside to his front lawn where Nellie and Sudhir waited for some buyers.

After being ordered several times by Nellie that he must not say ANYTHING about the secret stash, Sudhir relates his interactions with the various shoppers for the day. A homeless man pushing a shopping cart came and bought the vacuum for $15, excited to sell it back to the Thrift Store for $30 later that day so he could make a quick profit. A group of women coming from church wanted to buy the couch, but didn't want to keep the cushions as they looked kind of lumpy and smelled funny.

And although Sudhir would try and persuade the people to look deeper in their purchases, the buyers would only look at him as if he were crazy. You can't really blame them. What would a homeless man do with a vacuum when he lives under a bridge? And why would ladies want to keep lumpy old cushions? Sudhir humorously relates his frustrations trying to convince people to look beyond what they could see or understand.

While I in no way condone money laundering or illegal selling of munitions, the story was an amazing illustration of people having no idea what kind of treasure was inside the most ordinary belongings. It brought to mind the verse from 2 Corinthians 4.7, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not us." As Paul notes, our outward, frail, and fallen bodies are the perfect vessel for God to hide His treasure in us, creating the most beautiful picture of redemption for even the most ordinary of His children. And often, people think us crazy for putting so much value into those

"ordinary vessels" that we see walking around. It's the knowledge of the treasure that is inside them, however, that makes all the difference.

May God give me His eyes to see His bright and beautiful treasure inside His "vacuum cleaners" and "couch cushions" and continue to hide His treasure inside this ordinary appliance to surprisingly bless the lives of those who meet me.

Irony of Change

2008-10-29T13:37:00.003-04:00

This upcoming Sunday will mark our third Sunday in our new location at Southfield-Lathrup High School. Brad posted some great pictures and updates of all the preparation & set-up, and first service. Check it out if you'd like. It's been a wonderful experience and I've been so proud of our teams, church family, and my husband, of course. :-)

Going through the preparation for the transition over these past few months has caused me to do some reflection about change. I realized what I think is one of the most ironic parts of the seasons of change in our lives.

Change is one of the most constant things in our world. If there's one thing we can always count on, it's that things will change. Our world was created to support it as evidenced by the four seasons and growth of all living things. I would even venture to say that if a person thought about it rationally, they would never advocate that things always stay the same. It wouldn't be a healthy or desirable option no matter how good things may seem at the present.

And yet, knowing these elements of change doesn't seem to alter the fact that change always seems to take us by surprise. We know in our heads that things will change, and yet when it does, our hearts can tend to fight against it wondering, "Why now?"

I consider myself to be a person that actually likes change, but even I have found in the midst of city changes, job changes, family changes, church changes, and friend changes, that there is part of me that longs for the perceived security and constancy of the way things were. My prayer is that in the midst of our life changes that we would focus on that which cannot change (Mal. 3.6) and that He would give us wisdom and discernment as He orchestrates changes as He best sees fit (Dan. 2.21).

Blog Wall

2008-10-15T21:18:00.004-04:00

So I kinda feel like I've hit a blogging wall these past few weeks, and even a writing wall for that matter. Writing truly has been one of my favorite things over these past few years, so journaling, and then blogging, came quite naturally.

Not so these days. I'm not sure why, but I've sat down to blog several times over these past weeks, but just didn't have anything to say.

I thought about writing about the economy, but I don't feel qualified to make any kind of assessment about it and instead find myself constantly reminding myself to trust God more than money or security. Whenever scenes from Cinderella Man come into my head, I must choose to push them away and trust God.

I thought about writing about my latest Bed, Bath, and Beyond escapade which blew even my high expectations out of the water. But then I realized, how much Bed, Bath, and Beyond publicizing can one person do? (FYI . . . they truly are phenomenal with their return policy. If you know someone getting married or you're getting married, register there!!!)

And so, I publish this blog about nothing, remembering one of the most recent Demotivators that I read recently (from one of my favorite sites).

The Times They Are A-Changin

2008-10-09T07:42:00.003-04:00

I had the opportunity to enjoy a 26 hour trip to Pittsburgh last weekend. Yep, that included the 9 hours spent in the car driving. Definitely couldn't have done it without the help of my sister, Samantha. (Thank you, Saulie!) :-)

Besides the fact that it was entirely too short, it really was a wonderful trip. I was able to go back to North Way and speak to a group of Middle School girls about their identity in Christ and relationships. Middle School Ministry at North Way was where I first cut my teeth in full-time ministry, so it was really special to come back to where it all began. Besides that, I loved the topic and am really passionate about trying to communicate these Truths to women as early as possible.

One of the things that really struck me on this trip home, however, is how much things have changed, at least physically speaking. When I left, 2 major projects were either just "born" or in a very embryonic state at North Way. The Family Ministry was just gaining ground and momentum and a building project for a new Kidz Ministry area was just going to be started. Not even one year later, the ministry is kickin' butt and the building is almost finished!

I've been a part of these kind of projects long enough to know that when you are in those trenches day to day, it feels like the changes are so long in coming. To those leading the effort, it often feels like the changes should have all been done about 3 months prior. Stepping away from the situation, however, and getting some perspective, really helps to see all that God has accomplished and is doing. I was so proud to see all the work He is continuing to do in the hearts and lives of the people that I don't get to see nearly as often as I like.

It also brought a healthy dose of reality to the season in which my church is now living, once again, a time of change. Working out the details of the change and move are important, but even more is the perspective that God is doing a much bigger change than we can see. Although His ways and thoughts will always be higher than ours, it's nice when He gives just a glimpse of His reality to His children.

Arrrrr you ready?!?

2008-09-19T09:24:00.003-04:00

For a few years now, this is one of my most favorite websites. I'm not sure how I even found it the first time, but it is a priceless gem in providing actual authenticated holidays that most people don't know they should be celebrating.

And today is definitely in my Top 5 Favorite Holidays . . . Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Really, it's so much fun. If you've never tried, you must. I'll get you started.

What is a Pirate's favorite state in the U. S.?

ARRRRRRRkansas. (You know you chuckled.)

What is a Pirate's favorite piece of furniture?

An ARRRRRRRmoire!

What is a Pirate's favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber song?

Don't Cry for Me ARRRRRRRRgentina!

I know, I could do this all day. And in fact . . . I will!!! :-)

It would make Johnny Depp so proud. And speaking of Pirate movies, you should really make a date night and go out and see the new Pirate movie coming out. You'll want to leave the kids at home, however, because it is rated . . . ARRRRRRRRR! (I think that one is my favorite.)

One last thing for those of you married females who are still reading . . . note on the website that TOMORROW is Wife Appreciation Day. Don't miss out on celebrating that one. :-)

And, if you would like a spiritual connection to my Piratical Celebration (okay, maybe it's just celebration in general), Brad gave a really great message about celebration this last Sunday when COTK turned 7! Check it out here if you like.

Sensational!

2008-09-16T17:15:00.003-04:00

I've mentioned this once or twice before, but I think it appropriate to once again confess.

My name is Leah Leach. And I am a Weather Channel junkie.

I come by it quite naturally. My mother instilled this addiction into our home at a rather early age. It's one that is truly outside the realm of understanding for my husband. He asks questions like:

"Why would you check today about weather on Saturday if you know the weather is going to change several times in between?" Of course I want to know a general idea of what is going to happen this week. They can't be that far off.

And when I wake up every morning and go down to check the weather I've heard, "Why are you checking the weather again when you just checked it yesterday?" Of course, because the weather always changes and those weather people can be wrong.

I realize it makes no sense. I still do it all the same.

Lately, however, I've stepped back from my Weather Channel addiction and looked at the weather coverage in a new light. It's difficult to watch the channel for more than 2 minutes (and many times any other channel for that matter) without getting some kind of update on a hurricane or tropical storm that is barrelling into the coastline or even just forming off the coast of Africa.

What's fascinating to me is the way that weather has become a form of entertainment of sorts, a sensationalized event for people to watch and get excited about the magnitude of the catastrophe. Maybe it's just me, but it somewhere in the midst of hurricane coverage, watching the insane reporters getting blown over and the massive amounts of water collecting, I forget that I'm not watching a movie set, a blockbuster epic with some amazing special effects.

That deluged house represents someone's home, their belongings, and their memories. I get so wrapped up in the drama that is being presented that for a second, some sick part of me feels a sense of disappointment that the hurricane has dropped from a category 3 to a category 2. That development could have saved the lives and homes of hundreds or thousands of people, and I was disappointed that it was not going to be as exciting of a show. Sick, I know.

It really challenged my sense of compassion. I can watch a sad story, on the news or in a movie, and feel some sort of distanced sadness. A sense of sympathy, maybe, that I feel really badly for those people. Or, if I hear about a sad story that is similar to something I've gone through, I can feel a sense of empathy, sadness with more depth, knowing some amount of what that person is going through. But when I hear a story of someone's suffering, and I'm actually moved to the point of doing something about it, I'm acting out of compassion, something that is continually mentioned in the Gospels when speaking of Jesus He didn't just see a crowd of people. He had compassion on them and fed them or taught them or healed them or did whatever was necessary to relieve their suffering.

I'm sure that Brad wishes my revelation has caused me to ditch the Weather Channel entirely, but rather it's caused me to watch in an entirely new way. I am reminded to pray for the people involved and to see how God would best have me respond, not only to victims of weather catastrophes, but the numerous people I see throughout the day that I rarely even think about because I'm too wrapped up in my daily agenda to notice. To start living a life of compassion would truly be sensational.

Flight Instructions

2008-09-05T07:13:00.003-04:00

Brad and I just got back from what I like to call a "mini-vacation." It was very short, but very sweet and one of those times when even a few days away can be a lovely breath of fresh air.

I can't say that I'm a frequent flyer, but I fly a few times a year, so I'm pretty familiar with the entire routine . . . when to board, where to put the bags, what is said, when you can turn on your iPod, etc. Usually, I just step right into auto-pilot (pun intended) whenever I'm traveling by plane.

This time, however, I paid extra attention to my fellow passengers as the flight attendants were going through all the pre-takeoff preparations. I could not find one person on either flight that was listening to ANYTHING that was being said. Some of this was probably due to common sense ("Oh, so THAT'S what you do with a seat belt!"). Some of this was due to repetition (there's only so many times you can hear the same thing before you completely tune out). And I'm sure some of this had to do with priorities (listening to a song, reading a book, or talking to a friend was way more important than hearing the standard rhetoric). I confess that on just about every flight, I am just like them.

What really struck me this time, however, was the incredible irony of the situation. What these attendants were sharing was vital information. In some circumstances, it could mean the difference between life and death. And yet, for many, the knowledge was considered way less important than the latest romantic happenings of Jessica Simpson. In the case of an emergency, how many people would wish that they had read that safety card on how to open the door rather than another few pages in People Magazine?

I couldn't help but see a spiritual connection as well. How much vital information do I have everyday at my fingertips . . . promises, warnings, instruction located throughout the Scriptures, not to mention a dynamic and personal relationship with God Himself. All this, and yet how often do I find myself skimming over my Bible reading or busying myself with "more important" matters, until I find myself up against a "crisis" of some kind (either big or small). I so quickly am reminded of how much I need my Father's guidance.

I suppose it's challenged me once again to take time and make space to listen throughout my day. There's a definite difference between hearing someone and listening to what they're saying. The art of listening is a practice I am choosing to pursue in a very loud world, one that I hope to improve for not only my Heavenly Father's voice, but that of my husband, family, and friends as well.

Me and My Shadow

2008-08-25T19:21:00.003-04:00

One of the first poems I remember my dad reading to me was "My Shadow," by Robert Lewis Stevenson. As I grew, my cousins and I would play shadow tag during the summer months as a fun twist on an old game. And who doesn't remember all the fun that Peter Pan had with his shadow?

With all my childhood background with shadows, perhaps it's not surprising that one of my favorite Bible passages is Psalm 91. Its first verse, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty," has been particularly meaningful to me and is one that I have prayed for numerous people when they have been in difficult situations.

As I've been thinking more about shadows, however, I thought about one simple difference that can make a shadow something to be desired or something to be feared . . . who, or what, is making it. As much fun as shadows were in a game of tag, they proved to be equally if not more terrifying whenever I went to bed and saw them through my bedroom. Shadows, by very definition, are dark and cold and often distort a picture of reality. There is a very fine line between a sweet shade and a scary shadow.

When I thought of that in the context of Psalm 91, it gave the chapter a new meaning. Verse 4 says that "He will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you will find refuge . . ." Being under some large wings in a shadow sounds like it can be a pretty dark and lonely place to be IF one were to forget who was making the shadow. If I looked back at the times when I've most often prayed this prayer it was during some of the scariest and darkest times that I've known. I desperately called out to God for protection and help. Resting in that shadow didn't always make things magically brighter or better, but it did provide me with indescribable comfort as I realized the darkness was not something to be feared, but a shade provided by my Heavenly Father. Once again, darkness isn't bad if you know from where it's coming.

And so I have a great, big shadow that goes in and out with me. And what can be the use of Him is far more than I can see. (That last part is for you, Dad.) :-)

Dreamin and Cruisin

2008-08-17T20:17:00.003-04:00

Friday was a pretty special day for me.

1. My amazing husband surprised me with an incredible picnic in honor of completing our thank you cards. It may seem silly, but since my Freshman year in high school, I've dreamed of one day having a picnic with my husband using a "real-live" picnic basket. (Thanks to Caroline who gave us this wonderful gift complete with little salt and pepper shakers!) It was a beautiful day at a beautiful park and even some ants came along to make the the time even more idyllic.

2. Friday night was the annual Berkley Cruisefest that coincides with the Woodward Dream Cruise each August. Last year, I participated in the first community outreach that COTK did for the Cruisefest. It was the first time I participated in something for COTK. A week after that, I got engaged. This year, a man came up to me at the Cruisefest rather excitedly and said, "Hi there! Do you remember me?" I think he could see the blank stare on my face because he continued, "Last year I met you here when you gave me a bottle of water," and honestly, I remembered this sweet older man that I met when we talked about Jesus, church, and the pastor that I was dating. As I nodded my head, he looked at me expectantly and asked, "Well . . . did you marry him?!?" I giggled and introduced him to my husband.

Both circumstances served as mini-altars to remind me of the incredible faithfulness of God. Our dreams, big and small, are anything but insignificant to Him and He has an amazing way of fulfilling them sometimes when we least expect it. Clearly there are some difficult times when we truly are walking by faith, trusting in that faithfulness rather than experiencing it to its fullness. But it seems like the darker those moments, the sweeter the taste of His promises, mainly because He has changed me in the process. May you taste His goodness today in whatever season you may find yourself.

Faith-full Living

2008-08-06T10:34:00.002-04:00

I've been reading through 2 Kings over these past few weeks, spending a lot of time reading about one of my favorite Biblical characters, Elisha. During our Team Retreat we spent a lot of time reading about faith in God's Word and what that means in our lives. I couldn't help but think of Elisha as his life was such a picture of living with an understanding of who God was and what He was doing. You get the idea that nothing really surprised him because nothing was outside God's realm of possibility.

Some of my favorite Elisha moments:

2 Kings 2.23-25 - Let's just say that I've always had to think twice before making any comments to my father about his hair (or lack of it).
2 Kings 4.8-37 - This story is one that has had a profound impact on my life for many years now. I can blog more about this later. That Shunammite woman, though, was pretty special.
2 Kings 4.40 - I think this is one of the funniest verses in the Bible. I say it with great enthusiasm and dramatic angst. "Oh man of God! There is death in the pot!" Who says the Bible isn't applicable today?
2 Kings 6.18-23 - Reminds me of the Heavenly perspective that I need to have in the midst of Earthly situations. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." May my blinded eyes see, too.
2 Kings 13.20-21 - This is, I think, one of the most remarkable stories, and it doesn't even get its own subject heading. It's just casually placed in the middle of another narrative. "Oh, by the way, Elisha had such a powerful measure of God's Spirit in his life that after he died, even his bones brought men back to life." Can you imagine how much fun that man had going back to his friends after they threw him in that cave? "Hey guys! How ya' doin? So you didn't want to bother burying me correctly, huh?" Wild.

What kind of legacy will be left with my life? May I receive an even greater measure of God's Spirit and presence that it will truly be one faith-full life.

COTK Team Retreat

2008-08-06T09:52:00.003-04:00

Just got back from our COTK Team Retreat last night. This has been a tradition since the very beginning of Church of the King, but was my first one! Apparently it was at last year's retreat that Brad first shared with the team his "top secret" plan to propose. It was thereafter referred to as "his cell phone plan." How fun to see the cell phone plan now in full operation. :-)

It was a wonderful time to get to know the leadership team better and full of laughter, prayer, beating of drums at the earliest hours of the morning (band camp was also there . . . couldn't help but think of Heart of Darkness) and ultra-competitive games of Mafia.

There were many sweet moments of prayer and bonding that I'll be building on for a while. One of the most significant parts of the retreat for this girl, however, happened yesterday afternoon around 1:30 PM, right before we left. Jim and Maria Zufall's card was addressed. That was the last thank you card. :-) I am so thankful for the many gifts and blessings we received and so thankful that these are done! :-) Yay Seabiscuit. Maybe I should treat myself to an extra carrot today? :-)

Ode to My Husband

2008-07-30T11:09:00.004-04:00

How do I love him? Let me count the ways . . .

1. His FAITH and ability to communicate that to others. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the "What If?" series, definitely check it out. God has been building faith around COTK and it's exciting to see what He'll continue to do.

2. His GRACE and support in giving me time to discern God's next steps for me and our family (and in being patient with a messy house as I've been studying).

3. He's really cute. He still makes me feel melty when I look at him. :-)

4. He's watching the original Pride and Prejudice with me, just because he loves me. (He was going to have to watch it if he lost the Stanley Cup bet.) You can read his prediction of how the movie will end here. Based on his description, you can imagine how entertaining this viewing is.

5. He does house repairs and "honey dos" even at the end of several extremely long days that left him extremely tired. And he does them very well.

I will spare the readers and won't go on (though I could for a while). I am so grateful for God's greatest gift (besides Himself, of course).

Updates

2008-07-30T10:58:00.002-04:00

A few updates on life these past few days . . .

I've been doing a quick crash course on trigonometry. No, I have not reached a new level of boredom. I've been going through a process to pursue a part-time teaching opportunity with the Kaplan Company. It's been a fairly extensive process so far, but as of Monday I had the go-ahead to start training for a position this Saturday. Training will continue through the month, but if I pass, I will be able to start teaching classes on ACT preparation (thus my review of Trig). I actually had to take the ACTs again because it's been more than 5 years since I last took them. Yikes! Crazy. After a lot of prayer for next steps it's been neat to see how God's been putting this opportunity together. We'll see how things continue to go . . .
I am on the "S's" for my thank yous. Yay! I decided that I'm like Seabiscuit, the racing horse. I need another horse in front of me to spur me on to race faster. In this case, that other horse is training for a job and trying to sell a house. I still am so ashamed that it's taken this long to write these. I must learn for the future . . .
The learning curve of cooking has leveled out a bit since my last post. I'm actually even enjoying it. I learned, however, that you can never be too confident in your abilities, lest you quickly slip and fall. At a leadership gathering on Sunday night, I proudly took my dessert that I tried for the first time . . . raspberry pie. I have to say, it looked beautiful and I was really excited for how it would be received. Imagine my horror when I looked over at the man across from me about to bite into my pie when I saw that I forgot to bake the crust!!! Pure dough. Beautiful raspberries and filling piled on top of pure dough. Turned out to be some humble pie for me.

Sorry for the irregular postings, but thought you might enjoy the quick catch-up. :-)

Threads Latest

2008-07-24T10:51:00.001-04:00

Here's the latest Quarterlife article if you care to read it. It focuses on the job search of a quarterlifer. Thanks to Threads Media for the opportunity to write. Enjoy! :-)

Home away from Home

2008-07-17T22:41:00.003-04:00

It's weird having a home in two places.

My cousin is getting married this weekend and I was able to leave a few days early and spend some more time back in the 'Burgh. I've been amazed at how quickly my new life and new home have become normal for me, but there's something about coming home that is unlike anything else.

Driving back on my old streets, seeing how much has changed and yet how much is exactly the same . . . it almost feels like I've walked back into a dream of a life long ago. It's a very happy thing, just kind of surreal at times.

It was a really tangible reminder that I should always have my feet in two homes. One is planted in my Father's Heavenly Kingdom, learning what it means to value the things of His heart and live with Him. Yet, there's still another foot here, in the place where He has me for as long as He tarries. Learning to bring His home into our home here on Earth.

Not even sure if this is making any sense right now, as it's hard to put a lot of these thoughts into words. I thought I'd give it the ole college try, though.

Confessions

2008-07-15T10:52:00.002-04:00

This Saturday will be my six month anniversary. So happy. I'm sure I'll blog more about that later.

But before I do, I have a confession to make.

I'm getting ready.

I'm so ashamed.

I should just do it.

My name is Leah Edwards Leach and I have not yet finished writing my wedding thank you cards!!!

So terrible.

Those of you who were gracious enough to bless us with a wedding gift whose last names are at the beginning of the alphabet are probably under the false impression that I was somewhat "on-the-ball" with the matter. Those of you at the end of the alphabet know how bad it is.

The really sad part is that we are genuinely thankful. Incredibly thankful and hugely blessed. So why is it that when it comes to actually writing that out in these thank you cards it sucks the air out of the balloon? Writing these cards has become the dark cloud on the horizon of my life. There's something about making thank yous obligatory and expected that takes all the joy out of it. Does anyone know any way to combat this?

In the meantime, know that if you're at the end of the alphabet, I truly am thankful and your card is coming to express the thoughts once again (I'm sure you'll be waiting at the mailbox with baited breath).

Whew!

2008-07-08T10:38:00.002-04:00

I woke up today and I was exhausted. I think it was one of those moments when activity from the previous days/weeks just catches up with you and hits you like a brick wall. And as I'm tired, I'm remembering my friends and old ministry team at North Way who is blessing so many at Kidz Gig this week. In some ways it feels like another place from long ago. Can't wait to hear about all that God does through it.

And, there is now officially two new Michiganders in Detroit (probably a few more, too, but I don't know about them). My youngest sister Samantha and her friend Hannah have moved into their new apartment. Samantha begins her year-long worship internship at COTK today. How happy!

We're Going Camping Now

2008-07-01T08:06:00.002-04:00

Been spending these last few days at the OH District Family Camp where my husband and father-in-law are the main speakers. The wireless has been pretty spotty so I'll try and post this while the sun is shining and the wind is blowing this way.

I have to say that I've never been too much of a camper, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. When we pulled up, all I could see were tents and a giant teepee. I gave Brad the look that says, "What have you gotten me into?!?" He calmed me down and told me we would be staying in a lodge and I have to say our lodge has exceeded my expectations. :-)

Besides that, I have been so blessed to listen to Brad and Dad preach each day. God is using them in mighty ways and it's doing some mighty work in His Kingdom. I think it was Brad's preaching that first captured my heart, so I always love the opportunity to do that even more.

We should return in time for the 4th of July, just in time to welcome my sister Samantha for a year-long worship internship at our church! How happy is Leah?!? :-)

P.S. - Bonus points to the person who can reference the Title of this post.

I Have Arrived!

2008-06-27T10:19:00.002-04:00

It's been a joke for the past several months that I am not listed on my husband's blogroll. While he links to me frequently, and he is my biggest referral, I always wondered when I would get that last stamp of approval.

I am proud to say, I have arrived. Wow. Kinda feels like I've just been given an Oscar.

Thanks, Baby. I won't take the honor lightly and will strive to live up to your recommendation. :-)

Threads

2008-06-20T15:26:00.002-04:00

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to meet Ed Stetzer at the AG Michigan District Council. (Thanks to Steve and Mary Beth for the invite!) I was really inspired and impressed by his talks about the nature of the church today and predictions for the years ahead. I was also really blessed by the time he spent talking and listening to many of us at lunch, including lending an ear to me while I shared some of my thoughts and experiences about a quarterlife crisis.

I wrote down some of my thoughts and sent it into Threads, an online journal through LifeWay Resources, and they published it yesterday. How very cool for God to redeem a difficult season in my life in such a great way! If you get a chance, maybe read it and let me know what you think about the topic. I'm feeling pretty passionate about finding a way for the church to speak to this, although I don't have many specifics as to how. Any thoughts?

Last One!

2008-06-20T15:08:00.002-04:00

Gotta make this quick, like a band-aid.

My last bet post on . . . the Red Wings.

Things that are great about the Red Wings:

They are a great blessing to the Swedish Olympic Hockey Team.
Their Red and White colors remind me of my elementary school days. Go Eden Warriors!
They have been innovative in their ways to celebrate with invertebrates. (By the way, anyone who can explain the origins of the octopi on the ice thing would be my hero.)
They have brought much joy to the city of Detroit, winning 10 Stanley Cups and 4 in the last 10 years alone.
I'm coming up empty. Maybe come to me in a few months when the wound is a little less fresh and I'll have some more.

Brad insists on editing this post, as he said there were some "inappropriate" comments in the last one (i.e. Chris Webber). Sorry to all my Pittsburgh readers. Remember it was a bet! :-)

Salty

2008-06-17T21:37:00.003-04:00

Have you ever read something so much that you quit paying attention to what it says? I had one of those moments earlier this week when I was reading a very familiar passage in Matthew 5.

I know this should not come as a shocker, but Jesus was completely brilliant in choosing salt and light as His analogy of what we're to be in this world. I started thinking about some of the basic properties of salt:

It is used to bring out flavors that already exist in a food.
A little bit of it goes a long way.
Too much of it can ruin a piece of food.
Tasting it will make a person thirsty.
If it is placed on a wound, it will sting a little, but it can also have healing properties.
It is by its very nature salty. If it tried to be any other flavor, or lost that property somehow, it's worthless.
And I think this had even more meaning in a culture where salt was used as a valuable food preservative and currency.

It made me think twice about how many of these kind of qualities I'm living in my everyday interactions with people I know as well as complete strangers. Am I being salty (no reference to the singing songbook)? :-)

Maize and Blue

2008-06-17T21:24:00.003-04:00

I write this knowing it's going to cause some personal pain to my father and mother. Sorry parents. Remember this is a bet.

The Wolverines . . . my dad described them as our Big 10 "Big Brother Team." (My parents attended and went to Penn State . . . JoPa has been bred into my subconscious.) They continually beat up on the Lions with no mercy, taunting them relentlessly.

So, here's my best take at things that are great about the University of Michigan Wolverines . . .

They are the arch rival of Ohio State.
Perhaps they will prove that something good can come out of WVU.
They got very Crayola-creative in their terminology for their team colors. You may think it's gold, but no. It's "maize."
They have an amazing history of some great quarterbacks that have come out of their school.
And, so as not to make it all about football, the infamous "time out" call by Chris Webber in the NCAA final has become one of my favorite all-time memories to bring up to my husband when he is taunting me about some sports team.

One more to go. Gotta work up some emotional strength before that one.

They're Grrrrrrrreat!

2008-06-13T22:43:00.002-04:00

Can you guess the team for the day?

Frosted Flakes. Tony the TIGER. Yeah, little bit of a reach. Trying to take up space here . . .

Well clearly the best thing about the Tigers is their manager, Jim Leyland. Jim was a part of the Pirates' glory days in the early 90s (I still hate the Atlanta Braves) and I've always had a fond place in my heart for him.

The Tigers have been struggling this year living up to their expectations, but they have great raw talent on their team.

Have I mentioned how much I love their team colors?

I'm really happy about the fact that the Tigers aren't the Atlanta Braves.

Yeah, now I'm really reaching.

I've really wanted to go to a Tigers game for the last year and a half. Maybe then I could identify a little better with the team? In the meantime, go Jim Leyland. I think you're grrrrrrreat!

Brave New World

2008-06-12T20:54:00.002-04:00

I subscribe to a really interesting daily newsletter called KidScreen Magazine. I learned about it at a Children's Ministry Conference a few years ago and love the way it keeps me updated on new trends, products, and issues that are affecting kids and teenagers worldwide.

I read some really interesting articles in an issue the other day that gave some great insight to a generation that I'm not that far from in age, but in some ways are light years apart.

This first article talks about how Japan is actually looking at setting legal limits on child cell phone use. It talks about how much kids are using their phones as mini-computers and how it could be detrimental to their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The second took another look at the virtual worlds that are so pervasive suggesting that they can be as normal as hanging out at the mall.

What are some other thoughts on these trends? How do you think it impacts church and ministry to these age groups and to ministry in general as they grow up?

How 'Bout Dem Lions

2008-06-12T16:42:00.003-04:00

So I'm a little behind on the bet blogging. Sorry Brad.

For my second choice, I am going to choose to write about the Lions. It may come as a surprise to some that the Lions would be my second easiest team to write about (being the Steelers' fan that I am), but I've always had a thing for underdogs and I think it's pretty safe to say that the Lions are underdogs.

Here's some things that I think are great about the Lions:

At the risk of being condemned for being repetitive, I like their team colors.
They think outside of the box, keeping people on their toes. For example, who would've ever thought the Lions would choose Gosder Cherilus for their first round draft pick? Pretty sure no one. Crazy Lions.
Their fans are a dichotomy of intense despair and hope. They manage to pack out their games despite their previous records and histories. And yet no matter what, there's still that little glimmer that, "There's always next year."
They hosted the Super Bowl where the Steelers won.
Jerome Bettis was probably a fan of the Lions at some time in his life.

I really do hope the Lions have a good year and bring great joy to the city. Now if they ever meet with the Steelers, well, I just won't go there in this post.

Ante Up

2008-06-09T22:23:00.003-04:00

So, it seems as if the Red Wings have won the Stanley Cup. They played a great series. They were tough. They earned it.

But I'm still sad.

Contrary to any rumors that I heard about, I was rooting for the Pens, although I have to say I'm thrilled that Detroit gets some good news these days.

As a result of the Penguins' loss, I must uphold my end of the Leach Family wager . . . write 5 different blog posts about how great the different Detroit sports teams are. Because I'd want Brad to be gracious if he lost (and watch Pride & Prejudice with an open-mind) I'm going to try and do this as honestly as possible.

I'm starting with the easiest for me . . . the Pistons.

I can honestly and quickly pursue being a Pistons fan without any divided loyalties. And after my first official game, I have to say I'm hooked. Here are some reasons why:

I really like their team colors. Bright blue and red. Classy.
They are my husband's favorite and I'm finding it's really great for our marriage when we're cheering for the same team. :-)
They give you Thundersticks when you go to a game for free. Who knew how much fun it could be to hit two plastic wands together?
They have really fun cheers when you are there. Deeeeee-troit . . . Basket-ball!!!!
They are good with really passionate fans. I have great respect for passionate fans.

I could go on, but Brad, is this good enough? :-) The week will only go uphill from here . . . :-)

New Bloggers!

2008-06-04T09:46:00.002-04:00

Two new friends of mine have started blogs and I thought I'd pass them along.

Megan Colabrese, one of the bridesmaids in my wedding and one of my oldest and dearest friends, has started a blog called Life Abundant. Megan is on full-time staff with the Navigators at Penn State University and I've been waiting a long time for her to share her many insights with so many others on the web.

Annie Maines is my sister's, sister-in-law, so we refer to her as my "sister in the family." Pretty good, huh? :-) She has just recently started a blog called Freeboard and I'm excited to keep up with her many exploits and insights there.

Yay for new bloggers. :-)

I Love It. I Love It Not . . .

2008-05-31T11:14:00.004-04:00

This week has been quite a roller coaster ride for me and my new city.

As I'm sure you're aware, our home has been filled with some playful rivalry in the present Stanley Cup playoffs. I wish I could say that I've been perfectly calm and fun about everything, but honestly I was getting pretty annoyed to live here at the beginning of the week. I wouldn't read the newspaper until Thursday. All those cocky articles about their "so great" hockey team . . . and what kind of city has a sadistic game called "Whack a Penguin" on their newspaper's website?!? And an even better question . . . what kind of person would actually play it?!?

Needless to say, things got a little more fun on Thursday. This was by far my favorite quote in the Detroit Free Press. "Red Wings fan Dave Thurman, 49, of Novi said security guards frisked him at the entrance and asked: 'Do you have any octopus?' He didn't. 'But they were serious about it,' Thurman said. 'They searched me.' A Mellon Arena usher, who declined to give his name said he had orders to boot any octopus-thrower out of the arena." Ahhhhh, Pittsburgh.

Last night however, was one of my first real connections that I felt with the city as I went to my first NBA game, watching the Pistons in Game 6. Brad and I went along with his parents and I confess that while I had previously found the NBA to be my least favorite professional sport, it's WAAAAAAAY better in person. Sadly, there was somewhat of a meltdown in the 4th quarter leaving the Pistons with a loss, but the experience was still a positive one for me. It's a foundation at least that me and the city can work on. Now, if only they'll get rid of their sequel game "Chuck a Penguin . . ."

Deal or No Deal

2008-05-20T17:44:00.002-04:00

So I'd like to confess one of the guilty pleasures of the Leach family.

Deal or No Deal.

I remember when it first aired and my dad and sister tried to explain the plot for me. (For those of you that have never experienced the show, here's a summary of the rules on NBC's website.) Needless to say, when I first heard the explanation I was flabbergasted. The show requires no skill. Absolutely nothing can make you better or worse at the game. It's really all just based on random chance. What could possibly be intriguing about that? And yet, it doesn't take too many viewings to get sucked into the black hole of entertainment piloted by the brilliant Howie Mandel.

What I find to be truly fascinating is the way the contestants talk on the show. They plead with the models to open up a small number (as if the model has ANY control over the outcome). No matter what the first offer is, they always say, "It's a lot of money . . ." but they never take the deal. And they always, always KNOW that their suitcase has $1,000,000 in it. But I've never seen anyone go all the way with their deal. They always sell their case back to the banker (and in most cases make a good deal).

I guess what really struck me is the discontinuity between what people are saying with their mouths and what they're really believing in their hearts. They may say they are certain that their case holds $1,000,000 but if they really believed that with 100% certainty, why would they ever settle for anything less? What they are saying and what they are doing don't add up.

Of course I had to ask myself that same question. I have been given a suitcase that holds way more worth than $1,000,000. The case of salvation that God has given to me provides me with innumerable blessings both now and for all of eternity. I know that. I say that to other people. And yet, I can think of some ways that I choose to settle for less, making a deal that just doesn't add up. I choose to be anxious or stressed or discontent instead of holding on to my case that's a guaranteed fortune.

I'll probably have to come back and read this blog again sometime in the distant (or more likely not-so-distant) future. I'm blessed to have family and friends that I brought with me to cheer me on when I might be tempted to compromise. I need to remind myself that no matter what the other cases that are opened in my life's circumstances my response always needs to be, "No Deal!" as I hold on to the case Christ has bought for me. I think Howie would be proud.

Kick in the Teeth

2008-05-20T17:36:00.002-04:00

So I went back to the gym yesterday. Sadly to say first time in about 2 weeks.

I took a pilates class (first one in about 3 weeks) and what was even worse than the "I'm going to throw up feeling" that I felt as my core was being turned inside out, was the lack of that feeling by anyone else in the room. Seriously, this class was really hard and everyone seemed perfectly okay about the regimen that we were under.

Finally, the lady sitting behind me groaned at the apex of one of the hardest sets we were doing. She groaned! I was so happy! A kindred spirit! Someone else who understands that this was an unusual form of bodily torture.

I looked at her with a smile and said, "Wow, this class is really hard, isn't it?"

She looked back at me with a similar expression of anguish and said, "Yeah, I just don't have anything left in my legs because I just finished doing the two classes before this one, too."

Bubble of glee quickly deflated to bitter humiliation. So much for finding camaraderie in the face of trials.

IT'S OFFICIAL

2008-05-20T16:42:00.004-04:00

Let's be honest. Hockey is probably the only sport that I would ever see this happen.

Gotta love those Pirates, but until we see some new management, it's gonna be hard to see them play the Tigers in any World Series.

And the Lions??? Well, do we really need to say anything more?

So how excited am I to see the Pittsburgh Penguins playing the Swedish, I mean Detroit Red Wings?

You can see that Brad has already thrown down the gauntlet on his blog and the Pittsburgh fans are coming out strong!!! We're trying to come up with a friendly wager on the series. Any suggestions?

The Little Friendly Restaurant

2008-05-14T15:28:00.007-04:00

So we made it to the booming metropolis of Springfield after a drive from Tulsa, OK (cheaper to fly there and rent a car). My first trip to either of these states (and I thought Detroit was flat!?!).

Yesterday, while Brad was in class, Aunt Debbie, Jonathan and his friend Heather and I went exploring the city. Aunt Debbie took us to a restaurant that she said we just HAD to try called Casper's (no little, friendly ghosts that I could see). I'm not sure that the pictures can do it justice.

The whole place literally sits maybe 25 people. 25 skinny people. And it's set up in a facility that looks like an old army barracks, circa 1964. When you walk inside, however, it's unlike any barracks that has been seen by a soldier. It reminded me of what I imagined Rainbow Brite's house to look like. It's comprised of pictures that have been collected throughout the restaurant's 100 year history and is known for a secret chili recipe that has been around that long as well.

The food was great, cooked by Etta who has probably been working there throughout most of the restaurant's history. What really impressed me, however, was the make-up of the restaurant's patrons. There were Lexus-driving, Armani-suit wearing businessmen sitting right beside the Missouri farmer who brought in pictures of the most recent renovations to his barn. And they all enjoyed the camaraderie.

It made me really wonder what was it about Casper's that made it so popular and endearing to it's variety of customers. While the aesthetics and food certainly add to its charm, I really think it's the people that make the difference. The wait staff and owner treated all their customers the same, rich or poor, fat or skinny, business deals or farm weddings . . . they were all treated with the same attitude of value and respect.

I think when it comes to ministry, I tend to really think a lot about getting externals right . . . brochures, environment, decorations. They're definitely important and something to be considered. Even more, however, I need to be concerned with how I am going to be a part of a person's experience. Am I going to make them feel valued, loved, and unique as Jesus certainly would or am I too busy getting everything ready that I miss out on the reasons why. My trip to the "little friendly restaurant" was one that made this Springfield trip something to remember.

First Trip!

2008-05-12T10:29:00.002-04:00

I get to leave today for my first trip to Springfield, MO. Brad has another week of his grad classes down there and I get to go with him this time! Yay!

I'm excited to spend some time with some more members of my new family (Uncle John, Aunt Debbie, and cousins Bethany and Jonathan) and to see the city where my husband spent 4 years of college. Every time I tell people that I'm going they say, "Is this your first trip?" and when I say that it is, they look at me with this knowing look that says, "Wow! Wait 'til you see it!"

I'm so intrigued.

Nephew Update

2008-05-06T12:51:00.006-04:00

Here are a few recent pics from the world's cutest nephew. He just turned 6 months old in April and we just had a celebration on Sunday after Betsy and Rob dedicated him in church. (Don't worry. Uncle Brad was sure to explain the theological implications of dedication to his nephew before the event.) :-)

Dream Final?!?

2008-05-06T12:44:00.003-04:00

How great would this be for a Stanley Cup Final?!? It's hard to keep up with Penguin news here (gotta watch a lot of ESPN for that), but the Red Wings fans are pretty excited and sure care a lot about octopuses (or is it octopi)? New, local customs here in Detroit . . . Four more wins for each of them and it can happen!

Quick Updates

2008-04-28T17:09:00.002-04:00

I have a few things jingling around in my head to write about, but for a quick update on some things . . .

NFL Draft this weekend. Big time stuff especially here in Detroit. Everyone's hopes soar yet again thinking, "This could be the year!!!" My favorite part has been watching the faces and reading the articles of the many Detroiters as they heard the name of the Lions' top choice. "Gosder who?!?" seems to be the most common theme. I hope he revolutionizes the team and shows everyone this is a new time for the Lions.
I also managed to catch an interview on ESPN with Mike Tomlin. It felt like someone just gave me a pitcher of cold water to drink after I'd be wandering around in a desert wasteland for a few months. Unlike Pittsburgh, Detroit news does not manage to work in some story about the Steelers into every broadcast regardless of what time of the year it is. Crazy, I know. How I missed hearing about my Steelers. :-)
Samantha, my sister, is graduating in a few weeks and had an opportunity to sing in a coffee house at the college as somewhat of a "last hurrah." My mom uploaded the videos to You Tube and I'm attaching the two links here and here. She sang 4 songs for a total of about 15 minutes (2 songs on each video) and I just have to say, "Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!!!!" I'm a bit biased, I know, but they truly are amazing. I think she does "Dream a Little Dream" better than Mama Cass (sans hambone) and I'm pretty sure Judy Garland turned over in her grave wishing she could have sang "Somewhere over the Rainbow" like Samantha. If you've got some time, I highly recommend the listen.

Springtime in Michigan is super pretty and really fun. I love the start of a new season!

Major Life Decisions

2008-04-18T11:42:00.003-04:00

So, there's these major decisions that we all must ask ourselves in life.

1. What will you do with Jesus?

2. Who will you marry?

3. PC or Mac?

Because I've got the first two answered, I thought it was time to tackle the third. And yesterday, I made my decision.

It's a Mac! I'm a pretty analytical person, so it will take me a while to make these decisions, but once I do, I'm two feet in. It's amazing how quickly I've become a Mac girl. Brad says he no longer feels as cool as me (as if he ever was . . .) :-)

Regardless, she's really pretty and nice and I think her name is Dayna. (I tend to anthropomorphize pretty much everything I own.) The only thing I hold against it is that I can't find Spider Solitaire. What a great new friend!

Closed for Remodeling

2008-04-11T12:55:00.006-04:00

Right across from Church of the King is a Burger King. I use that term loosely, because here are some pictures of the aforementioned Burger King.

When I passed the Burger King a few weeks ago, I noticed they put this sign up. "Closed for Remodeling." "Oh," I thought. "Burger King is remodeling . . . getting some new paint, tables, chairs. That should be nice. I wonder when they'll open again?"

Later that day I drove by only to see a crane digging into the roof. By the next day, the building was gone. Parking lot torn up. Huge chunks of cement foundation in a large pile. Leveled. The only thing that remained was the Burger King sign that said, "Closed for Remodeling." Remodeling, huh? It's gotta be one of the biggest understatements that would make even that scary BK King chuckle.

As much enjoyment as this sign has brought, God's recently used it as a metaphor of sorts for my life right now. I hesitate even stating that, because the immediate picture that comes to mind is one of terrible destruction and distress and that could not be further from the truth. I'm indescribably happy. I love being married and this new season where God has me. So many things are so much better than I could have ever imagined and the things that I thought would be a big transition (i.e. living together, sharing a tube of toothpaste, etc.) really haven't been a big deal at all. The things that have been bigger lessons are quite surprising to me, mainly because I thought I had already learned them.

Before we got married, Brad and I made a prayerful and conscious choice for me to wait before I jumped into a job or ministry area at church in order to give me time to adjust. It seemed like a brilliant plan. I would spend some time remodeling . . . new city, new name, new role, new church, paint the walls, change the carpet . . . that's what I imagined my renovations to be. It seems like God has wanted to get much more foundational in His renovations, however, reestablishing my identity in Him, simply as His daughter before I am a wife, pastor's wife, daughter, job title, or any thing else I can throw in there. I've been going through the book, The Search for Significance, and while most of the teaching is Truths I've known my whole life, I'm amazed at how quickly I can forget them and how revolutionary they really are.

So, by God's grace, I'm choosing to embrace God's "crane" of sorts, and let Him dig up my foundation and rebuild it once again with the proper blocks of His Truths that I am accepted, loved, forgiven, and pleasing to Him regardless of what I do, what people think, what I've done or anything else I can come up with to try and rock that foundation.

I would like to think that after this, I will have learned this lesson for good and God and I can move on to something else. I'm beginning to think now, however, that this is the lesson. It's so core and crucial to everything else, that I'll probably just keep building upon it the rest of my life. And in the meantime, it's so encouraging to know that unlike Burger King, God can still use me to bless other people and be blessed by others while He is still remodeling. Amazing, isn't it? I'm pretty sure the BK King is jealous.

Chick Flicks!

2008-04-09T18:33:00.003-04:00

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I had the delightful pleasure of growing up in the chocolate business. A common question that I get when people discover this is, "Wow! Did you just eat chocolate all the time?" My answer is not that surprising if you think about it. Of course we didn't eat it all the time because it was always there. We could have some if we wanted it, but we didn't need to gorge ourselves on it because there was always more to enjoy. A classic case of not recognizing what you had until it was gone. Now when I have chocolate cravings I swear I would pay $20 for a peanut butter meltaway from Geoffrey Boehm Chocolates.

Another blessing that I got to enjoy was growing up in a house full of girls. With closets and jewelry galore, there were always new outfits to be worn and accessories to be shared. And, a basic staple to our house of 4 women was a well-defined collection of chick flicks . . . the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan classics (including the little known, Joe vs. the Volcano, one of my faves) and the full Jane Austen gamut, just to name a few. They are pure bubble-gum movies, adding no real value to my life, but extremely entertaining to indulge in every once in a while.

So, imagine my pure glee when I got a package today with 11 of my favorite chick flick movies sent to me by my amazing mother!!! While I appreciate the wide variety of golf, basketball, and war movies that Brad has gathered, I found myself the other day craving a mindless chick flick to watch while writing thank you notes. Would you believe that Brad didn't have any?!? I felt again the twinge of not appreciating what I had until it was gone. Now I have hours of pure enjoyment right at my fingertips. I'm sure I can't fully express Brad's joy on this subject. :-)

And to top off my glee, it seems as if my mom is going to be able to come out here for a brief 24 hour period to watch them with me while Brad is at a conference in New York. It will be a nice balm to my saddened heart while Brad is away. :-)

Spin-O-Rama

2008-04-02T10:25:00.003-04:00

So, one of the many gifts of being Brad's wife is that I now get to join his membership at Lifetime Fitness, what I like to refer to as the Mecca of all gyms. The first time I walked into this place, I just stared with this deer-in-headlights look on my face trying to hide my complete awe-struck feelings and maintain the "I know what I'm doing here" mantra that everyone else seemed to have.

I've discovered over the last few years that I am more of a social-exerciser. While I really admire the people who put on their iPod and run 10 miles in a day, I much prefer to do a workout with a friend, or even a stranger if a friend is not available. That is why I've really enjoyed the Group Fitness Classes. I've tried "Core Strengthening" which made it hurt to even cough 4 days later, and "Strictly Strength" which I'll let your imagination try and guess what that one's about. But yesterday, I thought I'd try the big one . . . Cycle 60.

In case you're not familiar, Cycle 60 is a spinning class. Spinning sounds so happy, doesn't it? Twirling in a field in a pretty dress maybe? My friend Bonnie in Pittsburgh is a big spinner and she does this several times a week. Surely I should be able to give this a try for a mere hour. Bonnie, I have an entirely new found respect for you.

One of the benefits of doing something for the first time is that you're pretty ignorant to what you're getting into. I should have known when the lady helping me set up my bike asked if I was wearing a heart rate monitor (Heart rate monitor?!? Am I going into the ICU? Why do I need to measure my heart rate?) and she kind of laughed when I said I didn't have any water with me. "You'll definitely want to bring that next time," she advised. "This class is pretty hard." And then she proceeded to tell me that she regularly goes on 100 mile bike rides with her husband. This would be the time when most intelligent people would realize they should probably leave. Unfortunately my stubbornness overrode my intelligence yesterday.

They start pedaling their bikes and I think, "Hey, this is fun! A nice bike ride. Good workout. Yeah, I'm feeling pretty worked out right now." Then I looked at the clock and saw that we had been going for 13 minutes and I hear the instructor say, "Ok now, let's get out of the saddle and really kick it up!" Kick it up? Wasn't that what I was already doing? And did I mention how thirsty I am? And how much it hurts to be sitting on this pole that's referred to as a seat?!?

The misery continued for the next forty-five minutes reaching a climax when the instructor said, "I'm feeling that it's now disco time!!!" Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse. And as I was pedaling to "It's Raining Men" thinking about my complete torture, I was struck with the thought, "Wait a minute. I chose to do this. Oh no! I actually paid money to do this. What is the matter with me?!?"

I managed to make it through and looked at my bike's calorie counter that read, "65 kcal." The lady next to me assured me it was broken and it made me feel a little better that I didn't do all that work to burn off the apple that I would eat for a snack that afternoon. I'd also like to say that I won't be returning back there anytime soon, but as the wise Proverbs (26.11) have said, "As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." Me and my folly will probably take a spin again sometime soon. :-)

Ministry Preparation

2008-03-25T11:10:00.004-04:00

Growing up in the chocolate business was a pretty sweet deal . . . literally. I loved being able to visit my dad at the factory and having really great chocolate any time I wanted it was fantastic, too. One of the only downsides to it, however, was that holidays were never really holidays because they were always the busyiest times of the year (think about when you would usually purchase chocolate for someone . . .). It usually wasn't until after the celebrated holiday that we could all relax and enjoy a little rest.

Maybe God was trying to prepare me for a life in another career choice that also doesn't get vacation during holidays. I've learned over these past 7 years in ministry that Christmas and Easter are some of the craziest times in the year and this past Easter was no exception. The trickiest part of maintaining this schedule, I think, is stopping in the midst of it to really remember what all the busyness is about. Really participating in the Easter service and personally remembering what it's all about in the midst of making sure service details are covered, refreshments are put out for visitors, and the gamut of life in between! I love having the opportunity to be a part of full-time ministry just like I loved being a part of the chocolate business. This is just something I'm continually trying to work out.

Does anyone else feel this tension during holidays as well? What are some practices that you've adopted during these seasons?