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kritbug
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Name: Kristi
Country: United States
State: South Carolina
Gender: Female
Expertise: Driving with my windows down, Clogging kitchen drain systems, Coffee, IMing, Chick Fil A, Church bulletins, Snoozing my alarm clock, Traveling, Making messes in the kitchen, Cherry Coke, Using cellphone minutes, baseball in general, New York Yankees in particular, Being "Angelic," Cooking turkeys in plastic bags, Selective insulting, Making cranky patients laugh and Xanga Spying
Message: message me
Member Since:
6/24/2004
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| It happened to Peter. He stepped out of the boat to walk on top of the water to Jesus. And amazingly it worked. He walked on the water. I don’t know how long he was walking on top of the water, but the Bible seems to indicate it was long enough to get within a few steps of Jesus. Then in just a flash of time, it happened. He took his eyes off of Jesus and immediately began to sink. Now it stands to reason, that if Jesus could allow Peter to walk on top the water, He could keep him alive under the water as well. Yet, Peter, human to the core, panicked. I can relate to Peter in so many ways. I’m often too impetuous. I often speak without thinking. I’m overwhelmed by the grace of God and really want to follow Jesus with all my heart - so I’ll even jump out of a boat into the water to be near Him! Yet, just like Peter, as quickly as I jump out of the boat, I take my eyes off Jesus and sink. This was last year for me. Expectations in my life hadn’t been met, dreams were unfulfilled, sadness, fear, defeat over the destructiveness of sin in the lives of people I love... and I began to unconsciously distrust God’s goodness. Every thing was ok on the outside, but inside, I was deeply struggling. I couldn’t even tell you when or how it happened... it was gradual. But, like Peter, I started sinking. I began to believe Satan’s little lies and I lost sight of the goodness and faithfulness of our unchanging God. I couldn’t see Him work. I couldn’t hear His voice. I began to wonder why I struggled so hard when nothing went the way I thought it should. Oh, in my mind I knew the truth, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make what I knew in my mind and felt in my heart to match. To say that last year was a difficult year is an understatement. Yet, the Lord, in His kind, perfect graciousness, brought me to the end of myself. It wasn’t with flash of lightening or even a dramatic event. It was a slow, painful process where He reminded me of who I was and brought me to where I had choose to be obedient - even when I didn’t understand what He was doing in my life. He used disappointment. He used tears. He used people around me. He used messages from His Word. He used my quiet times... He used whatever it took to show me my sinfulness and to remind me once again to throw myself on His mercy. Jesus has done for me this year exactly what He did for Peter. He reached out His hand and drew me to Himself. I could share story after story. The joy that has flooded my life is overwhelming. On each page of God’s Word, I am amazed by Jesus. His peace is overwhelming. I see His kindness in so many seemingly small events. The heart of the matter is that it’s not about me, my circumstances or even the effectiveness of my ministries. It’s about Him and His glory. He wants me to love HIM more than anything, not how He uses me or my service to Him. He wants my willingness to obey and He’ll do whatever it takes to keep me there. Even allow me to sink. Praise His name! | | |
| In the back of my mind, I've got a list of dreams. Things I want to do or see or be before I die. I've never written it down. It doesn't really have a beginning, it doesn't really have an end.... it's just there. Things I want to do, places I want to see, who I want to be... Some of the things are extremely worthwhile - the "treasures in heaven" type stuff - good things that will last forever. While others, I admit are much more frivolous. This year God has blessed me. I've checked quite a few of those dreams, of both varieties, off my list. One of those things is worthy of a Xanga post: I WENT TO YANKEE'S STADIUM!!!!!!!!!!!  This has been a dream for years. I've always wanted to go watch a game in the place where baseball history was made over and over again. I wanted to feel the magic. I wanted to experience the thrill.
I used to make fun of one of my old friends who toured a legendary football stadium. He even brought home a little piece of the field. Ha. Yet, as I stood in Yankees Stadium, I finally understood what he meant. I WAS HERE! Everyone was excited to be there. I couldn't believe how many people where wearing various paraphernalia of their favorite Yank. Admittedly, I was right there among them - wearing my Wang t-shirt (can you '07 Taiwanies believe I forgot my bobble-head Wang earrings???). 
I couldn't keep this ridiculous grin off my face. I was SO happy to be there... I was like a little kid at Christmas. I yelled. I screamed. I even danced.... not pretty... you should see Aaron's video. 
I watched Clemens pitch and much to my delight, Rivera closed. RIVERA CLOSED. I got to watch one of the greatest closers in all of baseball history up close and personal!!!! Ok, so not quite "up close and personal..." we were on the third level in right field beyond the foul pole... but I didn't care! WE WERE THERE.     
Not only was I in Yankee Stadium but I was there with some of my favorite people in the whole world.... and boy did we have fun! We even collected a little of the game to take home to the VOICE students   
Incidentally, the Yankees won. But even if they had lost, it would have still been a once in a lifetime experience. And I can't help but think, even as I write this... if I get this excited about a very fleeting thing like attending a baseball game in New York, what is HEAVEN going to be like? I got to watch Rivera pitch from thousands of feet away and could hardly contain my joy, but one day I'm going to bow down at the feet of my Savior - up close and personal. And the best part, I'm not just going to be a "fan in the crowd." He's going to know ME! Wow, I can't wait! The best is yet to come!    
Photo credits go to my personal trip photographer Karen Chen (who takes all my pictures because I don't carry a camera and her's look better anyway) and to Faith and Chris and Mrs. Chen who took one or two of these. | | |
| John 11:40"Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" I can certainly understand Martha's questions when Jesus said this to her. Tragedy had struck. Her brother was dead. Jesus had delayed coming even though they had sent an urgent S.O.S. Her brother had been buried so long now that his body would even be decaying and smelling. Yet, here Jesus is telling them to remove the stone from the tomb. Martha reacted. Martha had already confessed that she believed Jesus. She loved Him. She believed in the resurrection, she believed Jesus was the Savior. She knew Jesus could do miracles and heal the sick ("Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee."). Yet here, as it comes time for the showdown, she demonstrates her very understandable human doubt. I am like Martha. I love Him. I know beyond a doubt He is the Savior of all the earth and the only hope for humanity. I know He loves me. I know I will spend eternity with Him. I know He can and does do miracles and yet, in my struggle with sin, the grief and trials of life, I question His ways. Hurts, fears, doubts, struggles... I lose hope. I don't believe. Then this verse jumped out at me: "Woman, if you would believe, you would see the glory of God." Isn't that our heart's deep desire? To see the glory of God. Has not God proven Himself trustworthy in our lives... so why don't we believe? Because like Martha, we see the impossibility of each situation through our human eyes and in our grief, lose hope. To believe is to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something. Absolute confidence! Even the disciples, those closest to Jesus with the greatest understanding of who He is, struggled with this when they didn't understand what was going on around them. Jesus' loving response to them: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." He is the ONLY One who is trustworthy! This year, may you believe! Believe when things around you crumble. Believe when your heart is breaking. Believe in the midst of the impossible. You will see the glory of God! Yes, Lazarus was given life again that day, but even more importantly, the people watching saw the glory of God and their lives were forever changed. What an amazing testimony. May that be true of each situation in our lives, no matter how impossible... may we and everyone watching, first and foremost, see the glory of God! | | |
| Sometimes words aren't enough to describe the preciousness of God's gifts. One of those gifts is my sister, Bethany. Bethany is amazing. Bethany loves people with all her heart. She'll pour herself out, give until she's exhausted, find ways to make anyone (even people she doesn't like) feel like they are the most important person in the world. She's sensitive to the voice of God and desires to please Him with her entire being. She's funny, she's beautiful, she's a great cook, she's sensitive, she's tough, she's kind, she insults with the best of them, she is someone I'm proud to have as my best friend. She's my sister... She's Beth!
My Sister, My Friend She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child."
Barbara Alpert
So to celebrate Beth's 18th birthday, we rented a cabin in mountains of Tennessee for the weekend. Check out the fun we had....      
  
  
Girls, the other photos stay in the sisterhood of the bosom friends  | | |
| 30 Years ago...... 
Today...... 
And boy, did we have a party!!!!! From the decorations...  
to the honored Couple... 
to 15 homemade strawberry cheesecakes... 
to the entertainment...   
to the servers..... 
It was INCREDIBLE.... but we're tired! 
Next time you guys should all come!!!! (all photos curtesy of Ashlyn! Thanks girl!) | | |
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