In no particular order, but containing lots of wonderful memories: california in pics.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Saturday, July 04, 2009
did you ever see a dog fly?
Yes this is for real, no photoshop or angle trickery involved....
Today i walked in the Annual 4th of July Pet Parade in downtown Bend... i carried my turtle in a basket... this young man however found a way to make his dog fly. People in Bend love this crazy-animal infested parade. It was quite interesting (and slightly odd) to see such sights as a flying dog, a star-painted dog, cats in wagons or on leashes, dogs with hats (or coats or costumes) and horses all decked out in Red, White and Blue.But i can now say, that i indeed have seen a dog fly!
mobile moments....
This was the view last night as i drove to the Old Mill to meet a friend....
Oh how i love living in Central Oregon!
*all pics taken on my cell phone*
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Summer Oh.Nine.
Seven's Summer Oh.Nine. Tip #1:
Wear sunglasses. Not only do they protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, but if you have a cool nanny who let's you wear her VZ's you might be making a fashion statement...however be advised that when the sunglasses are too big they may tend to fall off, in which case make sure you have a cool nanny who will hold them on for you to ensure protected eyes and a fashion statement.
Wear sunglasses. Not only do they protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, but if you have a cool nanny who let's you wear her VZ's you might be making a fashion statement...however be advised that when the sunglasses are too big they may tend to fall off, in which case make sure you have a cool nanny who will hold them on for you to ensure protected eyes and a fashion statement.
(please continue to check back for more of Summer Oh.Nine from Seven's point of view!)
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
i love you papa.
when you have a dad as great as mine it's hard to find the
right words on Father's Day to express what you want to say.
a tie would not do it justice.
neither would a gift certificate to play golf.
not even a card with sports objects and super creative wording would work.
Perhaps a surprise trip to a Nascar Race, but that's been done.
A mug that says #1 Dad would only look like every other kid's gift.
One time i drew a picture for my dad and cut out pieces of fabric for the clothes.
One time i gave him a cool t-shirt.
Candles are great for mom's but not so much for a dad, especially when he has allergies.
Perhaps i could get him an autographed picture of his hero... too bad he's dead.
Although my dad loves to read, i'm not sure a book would be special enough.
if i was rich i would buy him a new car or something fancy.
if i was 6 i would paint him the best picture ever.
if i was famous and had connections i would get him great seats to a great show.
if i could write a poem i would make sure it could make him tear up.
if i didn't have to work i would drive up to see him.
if he lived in Bend i would take him to my new favorite spot.
because i am poor, and live too far away,
because his tie collection is larger than my shoe collection,
because he has more mugs than we can count,
because his t-shirt drawer is too full,
because he has allergies and candles are for girls,
because his hero is dead,
because i'm not rish or famous,
because he's already been surprised with a trip to a Nascar Race,
because he doesn't even play golf,
because i am not a poet,
because i have to work and it's an 8.5 hour drive,
the best thing i can give my dad on father's day is my Facebook status:
"my dad is better than your dad. your dad doesn't have 13 kids. booyah!"
right words on Father's Day to express what you want to say.
a tie would not do it justice.
neither would a gift certificate to play golf.
not even a card with sports objects and super creative wording would work.
Perhaps a surprise trip to a Nascar Race, but that's been done.
A mug that says #1 Dad would only look like every other kid's gift.
One time i drew a picture for my dad and cut out pieces of fabric for the clothes.
One time i gave him a cool t-shirt.
Candles are great for mom's but not so much for a dad, especially when he has allergies.
Perhaps i could get him an autographed picture of his hero... too bad he's dead.
Although my dad loves to read, i'm not sure a book would be special enough.
if i was rich i would buy him a new car or something fancy.
if i was 6 i would paint him the best picture ever.
if i was famous and had connections i would get him great seats to a great show.
if i could write a poem i would make sure it could make him tear up.
if i didn't have to work i would drive up to see him.
if he lived in Bend i would take him to my new favorite spot.
because i am poor, and live too far away,
because his tie collection is larger than my shoe collection,
because he has more mugs than we can count,
because his t-shirt drawer is too full,
because he has allergies and candles are for girls,
because his hero is dead,
because i'm not rish or famous,
because he's already been surprised with a trip to a Nascar Race,
because he doesn't even play golf,
because i am not a poet,
because i have to work and it's an 8.5 hour drive,
the best thing i can give my dad on father's day is my Facebook status:
"my dad is better than your dad. your dad doesn't have 13 kids. booyah!"
i love you papa.Tuesday, June 16, 2009
i take pictures...
www.kekasmaiimages.blogspot.com
...and while you are opening a "new tab" to view my photo-blog,open 2 and check out: www.elliotband.com
Monday, June 15, 2009
twins... separated at birth.
We may be 16 months apart according to our birth certificate,
but i am convinced we are twins, separated at birth... and by 16 months.
but i am convinced we are twins, separated at birth... and by 16 months.
Here's to a the first 3 summer adventures of millions to come!Sunday, June 14, 2009
6 things.
i know a few things for sure:
#1. God is Good.
#2. His plans for me are good.
#3. Nothing can stop the plans of God.
#4. No matter what, i will not fail if i am on His team.
#5. Above all seek wisdom.
#6. Patience is hard to come by but the reward of it is beyond words.
#1. God is Good.
#2. His plans for me are good.
#3. Nothing can stop the plans of God.
#4. No matter what, i will not fail if i am on His team.
#5. Above all seek wisdom.
#6. Patience is hard to come by but the reward of it is beyond words.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
i fight.
sometimes a certain phrase or word will come into my mind and make a home for a few days... or sometimes weeks. 2 such certain things have built a home and are now on the verge of taking over my every thought. in times such as these a blog post about them is inevitable.
"i am a fighter."
"perseverance."
i do realize that upon first reading the above one may think they are connected and in many ways they are, but in my life right now one is producing the other in very different ways. Immediately upon writing that i realized it actually could go either way, so i better explain how it is true in my life and then see where this train of thought takes me.
i fight. the closest i've come to a fist fight is the time i slammed my bedroom door on my older brother's arm so hard he cried; i know it is one of the only time i have been the cause of tears from my older brother. sorry Gregg. Other than that insane moment of strength and passion in the fifth grade, i don't ever remember getting into a physical altercation... unless of course you count the tickle fights that end with one of the members of the party yelling at the top of their laughing lungs "i'm going to pee!". And yet i fight. i could jump into a super spiritual rant about fighting on my knees in prayer. i could talk about waging a spiritual war. i could even paint some awesome picture that would make you want to watch the battle scene's in Lord of the Rings or Narnia. However the holes in my jeans from prayer, the un-imaginable affect of a spiritual war and the thrill of victory after a battle scene would not exactly get my point across.
i fight.
on saturday of this last weekend i went on a hike. i consider myself an out-doorsy type, and i also am no new comer to the world of Saturday hikes. For some reason May 30th 2009 was different. I can't exactly put my finger on it, even now... and leaving the house on Saturday i had NO idea the challenge that awaited me across the river. Now mind you i was going on this hike with some dear friends.... and the 8yr. old and 11 yr. old expressed how they had just done this hike the weekend before. i grabbed my camera and bottle of water and was ready to hit the trail. I knew going into it that it was almost 8 miles round trip, and i new that the view from the top was something words could not describe, however what i did not account for was the sweat and pain that would ensue on the climb to the top of Dog Mountain.
perseverance.
i remember gasping for breath and thinking, "if Philip (8 years old) can do this, i can do this!". i stood in the middle of the dusty trail. we hadn't even gone a 1.5 miles yet and i was panting for air. Sweat was pouring down the side of my face and pooling in my collar bone area. Now either i was more out of shape than i thought i was or this was a lot harder than i anticipated. Looking back it was more the second one than the first. Onward and upward we went. Not a lot of talking on the way up.... we all were focusing on breathing and going. pressing past the pain in our knees and the desire for more water than we had. and there it was: perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance.
the night before i had a conversation with a good friend and we were going back and forth about taking risks and trusting verses waiting and fear. I didn't realize until that conversation that i can talk up perseverance all i want. i can shout TAKE A RISK! from the rooftops, but when in the situation that requires me to do either i had a HUGE fear of failing or getting hurt.
relationships are hard. they involve taking risks, no matter how much of a risk taker you think you are, just wait until you are pushed beyond what you knew was there. Trust is not as flowery and precious as it sounds. It's stinking HARD. As Christians we put a filter on our mind set and try to make trust an easy thing.... i have discovered in the last month or so, that it's because we can trust Jesus with anything and everything and he will NEVER EVER let us down. And so trust must be easy. wrong. Trusting a person is not a requirement of the Christian faith. It's not something anyone is required to do for another person... it's a choice we make to allow someone to come close to our lives and possibly have a lasting affect on us. I don't want to get into the theology of trust, i just want to say trusting people can be hard to do, especially when you(or i) have been hurt by people. I am also not here to say "throw yourself out to anyone".
now moving on a little bit. Waiting and fear. Waiting is BEAUTIFUL and wonderful and should at all time be practiced!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOWEVER, when it comes to taking a risk that you know God is asking you to take, waiting (and hesitating) can be a very dangerous thing. almost 2 years ago i fell nearly 30 feet off a cliff. On the way down i hit a rocky ledge and landed head first into water. the reason i fell was because i waited and hesitated. Always jump on the count of 3 and nothing more. It's funny because this situation has become a corner stone for illustrations about jumping and going and taking risks but until this weekend i didn't realize that in a couple areas of my life i am afraid to take risk and i am afraid to trust people.
and so i fight.
now based on the last couple paragraphs you may be thinking a lot of things about me and my life. (feel free to leave a comment) Regardless of what you are or are not thinking i consider myself a fighter. when i hear the call of God, when i get a vision for something beyond what i can see with my natural eyes, i will fight until i see it come to pass or until i am the last one standing and i have to give it back to the one who gave it. When i see the call of God on a couple's life and they decide that marriage is too hard or they give into sin and it tears something apart my heart beats faster, and i want to scream "fight for it." When i know the call of God one someone's life to change the nations and i see them not pursuing the call, or someone who has a call of God they don't quite get yet but they are running in circles trying to figure out how to make themselves look good, i want to stand up and scream "fight for it."
Somewhere we have lost the urge to fight for what God has called us to. Somewhere along the way we got stuck at the top of the cliff waiting for the water to rise and the sun to set. Somewhere we stopped trusting the people God lined up in our lives to help us go after our dreams because we were afraid of getting hurt (again).
and so i say; "fight for it."
i fight. i fight to be brave. i fight to trust. i fight to fulfill. i fight to move forward. i fight for a change i cannot see but believe with all my heart Jesus can bring. i fight to jump. i fight to wait. i fight the urge to give up. i fight.
back to the Mountain. With each step that brought us closer to the top, the sun rose above our heads and peaked through the trees, sometimes seemingly hotter than the moment before. With each drink of water that refreshed our insides and kept us going, the sweat poured down. Dirt sticks to sweat. Sometimes i would look up the trail for a horizon and all i would see was more trail, it seemed only to raise in front of me and never level out. I would pick out a tree or stump as my next "goal" or "stopping point". Once i made it there i would look up and pick another one. i stopped a few times to take pictures of flowers and views, but mostly i kept one word in my head: perseverance. i knew there was more in me that i had not given. i knew there was more strength deep inside.
when i heard the words "this is it." i thought my heart would burst. i turned to the right and in a second it was all behind me, all the sweat, pain, thirst, sweat and wanting to quit. the view was breath taking. nearly 4 miles, and it was the most amazing sights i have ever seen. i had never seen wild flowers like they grew in that place. i have never seen a river look so brilliant with the sun shining like it was. the statement perseverance pays off never made sense until that moment, because for me i don't remember the last time i was physically challenged like that with a reward so sweet! There are things i am hoping for, look forward to and expecting and what it has cost me thus far will have been worth it if the view from the top is anything like it was that day.
and so perseverance makes me stronger.
and i fight.
and i know that when all is said and done it will have been worth it.
i fight. the closest i've come to a fist fight is the time i slammed my bedroom door on my older brother's arm so hard he cried; i know it is one of the only time i have been the cause of tears from my older brother. sorry Gregg. Other than that insane moment of strength and passion in the fifth grade, i don't ever remember getting into a physical altercation... unless of course you count the tickle fights that end with one of the members of the party yelling at the top of their laughing lungs "i'm going to pee!". And yet i fight. i could jump into a super spiritual rant about fighting on my knees in prayer. i could talk about waging a spiritual war. i could even paint some awesome picture that would make you want to watch the battle scene's in Lord of the Rings or Narnia. However the holes in my jeans from prayer, the un-imaginable affect of a spiritual war and the thrill of victory after a battle scene would not exactly get my point across.
i fight.
on saturday of this last weekend i went on a hike. i consider myself an out-doorsy type, and i also am no new comer to the world of Saturday hikes. For some reason May 30th 2009 was different. I can't exactly put my finger on it, even now... and leaving the house on Saturday i had NO idea the challenge that awaited me across the river. Now mind you i was going on this hike with some dear friends.... and the 8yr. old and 11 yr. old expressed how they had just done this hike the weekend before. i grabbed my camera and bottle of water and was ready to hit the trail. I knew going into it that it was almost 8 miles round trip, and i new that the view from the top was something words could not describe, however what i did not account for was the sweat and pain that would ensue on the climb to the top of Dog Mountain.
perseverance.
i remember gasping for breath and thinking, "if Philip (8 years old) can do this, i can do this!". i stood in the middle of the dusty trail. we hadn't even gone a 1.5 miles yet and i was panting for air. Sweat was pouring down the side of my face and pooling in my collar bone area. Now either i was more out of shape than i thought i was or this was a lot harder than i anticipated. Looking back it was more the second one than the first. Onward and upward we went. Not a lot of talking on the way up.... we all were focusing on breathing and going. pressing past the pain in our knees and the desire for more water than we had. and there it was: perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance. perseverance.
the night before i had a conversation with a good friend and we were going back and forth about taking risks and trusting verses waiting and fear. I didn't realize until that conversation that i can talk up perseverance all i want. i can shout TAKE A RISK! from the rooftops, but when in the situation that requires me to do either i had a HUGE fear of failing or getting hurt.
relationships are hard. they involve taking risks, no matter how much of a risk taker you think you are, just wait until you are pushed beyond what you knew was there. Trust is not as flowery and precious as it sounds. It's stinking HARD. As Christians we put a filter on our mind set and try to make trust an easy thing.... i have discovered in the last month or so, that it's because we can trust Jesus with anything and everything and he will NEVER EVER let us down. And so trust must be easy. wrong. Trusting a person is not a requirement of the Christian faith. It's not something anyone is required to do for another person... it's a choice we make to allow someone to come close to our lives and possibly have a lasting affect on us. I don't want to get into the theology of trust, i just want to say trusting people can be hard to do, especially when you(or i) have been hurt by people. I am also not here to say "throw yourself out to anyone".
now moving on a little bit. Waiting and fear. Waiting is BEAUTIFUL and wonderful and should at all time be practiced!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOWEVER, when it comes to taking a risk that you know God is asking you to take, waiting (and hesitating) can be a very dangerous thing. almost 2 years ago i fell nearly 30 feet off a cliff. On the way down i hit a rocky ledge and landed head first into water. the reason i fell was because i waited and hesitated. Always jump on the count of 3 and nothing more. It's funny because this situation has become a corner stone for illustrations about jumping and going and taking risks but until this weekend i didn't realize that in a couple areas of my life i am afraid to take risk and i am afraid to trust people.
and so i fight.
now based on the last couple paragraphs you may be thinking a lot of things about me and my life. (feel free to leave a comment) Regardless of what you are or are not thinking i consider myself a fighter. when i hear the call of God, when i get a vision for something beyond what i can see with my natural eyes, i will fight until i see it come to pass or until i am the last one standing and i have to give it back to the one who gave it. When i see the call of God on a couple's life and they decide that marriage is too hard or they give into sin and it tears something apart my heart beats faster, and i want to scream "fight for it." When i know the call of God one someone's life to change the nations and i see them not pursuing the call, or someone who has a call of God they don't quite get yet but they are running in circles trying to figure out how to make themselves look good, i want to stand up and scream "fight for it."
Somewhere we have lost the urge to fight for what God has called us to. Somewhere along the way we got stuck at the top of the cliff waiting for the water to rise and the sun to set. Somewhere we stopped trusting the people God lined up in our lives to help us go after our dreams because we were afraid of getting hurt (again).
and so i say; "fight for it."
i fight. i fight to be brave. i fight to trust. i fight to fulfill. i fight to move forward. i fight for a change i cannot see but believe with all my heart Jesus can bring. i fight to jump. i fight to wait. i fight the urge to give up. i fight.
back to the Mountain. With each step that brought us closer to the top, the sun rose above our heads and peaked through the trees, sometimes seemingly hotter than the moment before. With each drink of water that refreshed our insides and kept us going, the sweat poured down. Dirt sticks to sweat. Sometimes i would look up the trail for a horizon and all i would see was more trail, it seemed only to raise in front of me and never level out. I would pick out a tree or stump as my next "goal" or "stopping point". Once i made it there i would look up and pick another one. i stopped a few times to take pictures of flowers and views, but mostly i kept one word in my head: perseverance. i knew there was more in me that i had not given. i knew there was more strength deep inside.
when i heard the words "this is it." i thought my heart would burst. i turned to the right and in a second it was all behind me, all the sweat, pain, thirst, sweat and wanting to quit. the view was breath taking. nearly 4 miles, and it was the most amazing sights i have ever seen. i had never seen wild flowers like they grew in that place. i have never seen a river look so brilliant with the sun shining like it was. the statement perseverance pays off never made sense until that moment, because for me i don't remember the last time i was physically challenged like that with a reward so sweet! There are things i am hoping for, look forward to and expecting and what it has cost me thus far will have been worth it if the view from the top is anything like it was that day.
and so perseverance makes me stronger.
and i fight.
and i know that when all is said and done it will have been worth it.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
i heart Sisters part2
Letting a city know it's loved....
Elliot Concert...
Corey Parnell:
Casey Parnell:
Evan Earwicker:
Mike Summers
Tim Heil:
Corey Parnell:
Casey Parnell:
Evan Earwicker:
Mike Summers
Tim Heil:
Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Verse of the moment...
Psalm 97: 1-6
"The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side
His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory."
i don't have a lot of thoughts other than WOW! What are your thoughts? leave a comment and let me know what you think about this wonderful piece of yum!
**oh and read it again with an Australian accent, just for fun.**
"The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side
His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory."
i don't have a lot of thoughts other than WOW! What are your thoughts? leave a comment and let me know what you think about this wonderful piece of yum!
**oh and read it again with an Australian accent, just for fun.**
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
hanging out with kiddos
Recently the most common thing in my life come in sizes 2T and smaller...
These are just some shots from my phone that i have been collecting.
These are just some shots from my phone that i have been collecting.
My littlest roommante Brie is just as precious as the day she was born...
this is Claire...we hangout a lot.
We go to the Boat Park...
and we build block towers that are as tall as me... which i know is not that tall, but compared
to a little 2.5 year old... it's a pretty big deal:
to a little 2.5 year old... it's a pretty big deal:
**sorry if the quality is not up to par, these were all taken on my phone and do not accurately reflect my photography skills.***
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Quote of the moment.
“My friend, will you go? Has God spoken to you? Have you heard His Call?
Will you not answer, “Lord, here am I, send me”?
And if you cannot go, will you not send a substitute? It is for you to decide.
Why should anyone hear the Gospel twice before everyone has heard it once?”
- Oswald J. Smith
Will you not answer, “Lord, here am I, send me”?
And if you cannot go, will you not send a substitute? It is for you to decide.
Why should anyone hear the Gospel twice before everyone has heard it once?”
- Oswald J. Smith
Friday, May 08, 2009
life on the edge of eternity pt.2
i told you it was on my mind :)
I will Rise- by Chris Tomlin
There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say, “it is well”
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles wings
Before my God, fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
There’s a day that’s drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
And I hear the voice of many angels sing, “worthy is the Lamb”
And I hear the cry of every longing heart, “worthy is the Lamb”
I will Rise- by Chris Tomlin
There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say, “it is well”
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles wings
Before my God, fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
There’s a day that’s drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
And I hear the voice of many angels sing, “worthy is the Lamb”
And I hear the cry of every longing heart, “worthy is the Lamb”
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
life on the edge of eternity
3 people i "know" right now are living on the edge of eternity. One is getting better daily. One is resting in Jesus' hands with an uncertain week ahead. One is a continent away hoping for a ticket to the hospital that has the things needed to save her life.
The first is "S". I've only met him once, but really like him a lot. His daughter is a very close friend of mine. On Easter the doctors told his family he would not make it through the night. 3 weeks later he is improving daily. On the second day of his drug-induced coma a friend of mine said, "wow, S could be chatting with Jesus right now... or soon." Now of course we all were praying that he would live and be healed and everything would be alright, but the thought of being that close to heaven made me think a little bit.
The second person i have also only met once. "K" moved away from Bend shortly after i moved to Bend. This week he took a turn for the worst with a brain tumor. The doctors are not sure he will make it through the week. Many of the people i know are praying and believing for another miracle. K has been given ____ amount of time for the last 2 years and has out lived it every time. When i read an update about him today i again thought about being a breath away from meeting Jesus.
The third is someone i have never met. She is a small girl living in an orphanage in Ghana. My mom is on a plane on her way to try and help get her to Children's Hospital in Seattle for the treatment she needs. "C"'s little heart is failing. I can't remember how old she is but i know it's under 10 years old. We are praying that the paper work for adoption is filed quickly and she can come home to America and receive the treatment she needs. This week she has come close to meeting Jesus twice.
What a thought... meeting the One who gives me breathe everyday, the One who sings over me, the One who died so i could live, and the One who loves me. Wow. I don't even know what that moment could look like, but i know it will be beautiful. Because of some of the recent events with the people mentioned above i have had eternity on my heart more so than normal... and i like it. I dream about heaven and think about meeting Jesus. I sometimes see myself running into His arms, but quickly realize that in His presence i crumble to the floor, and so i re-design the moment in my head and in that moment i am there, on the floor at his feet.
Until recently the thought of eternity has been so overwhelming i would rather not think about it. Not because it's unknown, but because it's so big and forever my mind doesn't understand it. I understand (kind of) this life here. I see little babies all around and life in it's newness is more precious than most things. I hear of death, and my heart is sad... but only for a moment, because if that person has found salvation in Jesus i know that for them it's just the begining of Life. Eternity could come sooner than we think... it has for lots of people in our lives, we all live on the edge of eternity, what matters is how we live.
Because i am not sitting in ICU with tubes going in and out i don't understand life at Eternity's edge in that sense. I don't have a tumor putting pain and pressure on my brain. As far as i know my heart is normal and in working order. So in a way Eternity feels far away... but each breathe i take brings me closer to that day, when Jesus calls my name and i will rise and wake up to a Life i never new was there.
Please pray for S, K, and C. Those who are closer to them would miss them a little more than me and you, but i know that each of them has a call of God for Kingdom purposes, the question we all have is will that call continue here on this Earth or in Eternity?
**sorry if this was a jumble of thoughts**
The first is "S". I've only met him once, but really like him a lot. His daughter is a very close friend of mine. On Easter the doctors told his family he would not make it through the night. 3 weeks later he is improving daily. On the second day of his drug-induced coma a friend of mine said, "wow, S could be chatting with Jesus right now... or soon." Now of course we all were praying that he would live and be healed and everything would be alright, but the thought of being that close to heaven made me think a little bit.
The second person i have also only met once. "K" moved away from Bend shortly after i moved to Bend. This week he took a turn for the worst with a brain tumor. The doctors are not sure he will make it through the week. Many of the people i know are praying and believing for another miracle. K has been given ____ amount of time for the last 2 years and has out lived it every time. When i read an update about him today i again thought about being a breath away from meeting Jesus.
The third is someone i have never met. She is a small girl living in an orphanage in Ghana. My mom is on a plane on her way to try and help get her to Children's Hospital in Seattle for the treatment she needs. "C"'s little heart is failing. I can't remember how old she is but i know it's under 10 years old. We are praying that the paper work for adoption is filed quickly and she can come home to America and receive the treatment she needs. This week she has come close to meeting Jesus twice.
What a thought... meeting the One who gives me breathe everyday, the One who sings over me, the One who died so i could live, and the One who loves me. Wow. I don't even know what that moment could look like, but i know it will be beautiful. Because of some of the recent events with the people mentioned above i have had eternity on my heart more so than normal... and i like it. I dream about heaven and think about meeting Jesus. I sometimes see myself running into His arms, but quickly realize that in His presence i crumble to the floor, and so i re-design the moment in my head and in that moment i am there, on the floor at his feet.
Until recently the thought of eternity has been so overwhelming i would rather not think about it. Not because it's unknown, but because it's so big and forever my mind doesn't understand it. I understand (kind of) this life here. I see little babies all around and life in it's newness is more precious than most things. I hear of death, and my heart is sad... but only for a moment, because if that person has found salvation in Jesus i know that for them it's just the begining of Life. Eternity could come sooner than we think... it has for lots of people in our lives, we all live on the edge of eternity, what matters is how we live.
Because i am not sitting in ICU with tubes going in and out i don't understand life at Eternity's edge in that sense. I don't have a tumor putting pain and pressure on my brain. As far as i know my heart is normal and in working order. So in a way Eternity feels far away... but each breathe i take brings me closer to that day, when Jesus calls my name and i will rise and wake up to a Life i never new was there.
Please pray for S, K, and C. Those who are closer to them would miss them a little more than me and you, but i know that each of them has a call of God for Kingdom purposes, the question we all have is will that call continue here on this Earth or in Eternity?
**sorry if this was a jumble of thoughts**
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
two years today
that's right folks; it's that time of year in which i post a crazy pic of me celebrating life in Bend Oregon!!! 2 years ago on April 21 2007 i finished packing up life in Lynden WA and moved south to Bend Oregon! i can hardly believe it has been 2 years...last year i said Woo-Hoo... and this year i echo it with Hooray!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
life at home.
A little while back i wrote a post about my new living situation and how much i LOVE living with a little family!!! This weekend our little family grew! Brie Ann Summers joined the household!
here are some pics from this weekend;
here are some pics from this weekend;
This is big sister Sienna...
Sienna loves her mommy and little sister...
Friday, April 17, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
This is what i was made for...
3:42am. the silence of my dreams was broken by these four precious words "i havea go ponny(potty)". silence again for a couple seconds and then the pitter-patter of 2-year-old feet on wood floor break the silence again. "mommy?".... "cassie, i havea go ponny." i sit up an throw off the blankets, i stumble out of bed and see precious Ella standing at the foot of the bed. I pick her up and take her in to the bathroom and help her go 'ponny'. After jammies are zipped back up and hands are washed i carry Ella back to her bed, kiss her forehead and walk back into bed. As i snuggle back into savor the last 3 hours of sleep, right before silence again fills my head this thought blazes across my mind... "THIS is what i was made for."
This weekend flew by in a flurry of pastel dresses, dark chocolate, beautiful songs, large choirs, messages of Hope and 29 hours of held breath. Yesterday morning between Easter services for Westside Church cell phones in Bend started vibrating with shocking and scary news, a dear friend and brother in the Lord was being rushed to the Hospital in Portland with a Brain Aneurysm. Within a couple hours Suburban loads of friends were making the trek across the mountain to be with loved ones. Being that i wasn't especially close to this friend, but close to his family, my place was to stay and pray... and pick up my favorite 'hat' to wear; the fill-in mommy hat!!! 4 kiddos for the night and then adding Seven in the am... no problem i thought!!!!
The rest of Easter went on without a hitch, underneath the looming feeling that all the adults were holding our breath the kiddos went on with the hunting of Easter Eggs and dividing the goods found in each one. We ate ham, pie, deviled-eggs and too much candy. And after the guest had left i settled into my most favorite role. We played games and colored pictures and then one by one the kiddos were sound asleep and i snuggled in with prayers for Steve on my heart and a big day ahead of me. I the last 3 hours of sleep after the potty break and woke up to the Central Oregon Sun rising in the window. As I showered and got ready for my day I carefully planned out who needed to be where when and how "my" little Seven fit into the day.
11:47am News from Portland was a little more hopeful than the night before, surgery was on the schedule, we held our breath and prayers for skilled hands went up. I was driving from 'here' to 'there' with Ella (2) and Seven (almost 1) buckled in car-seats on the back seat. "Twintle Twintle little staw, how i wonder what you are..." I glanced back through the re-view mirror and again, the thought blazed through my mind "THIS is what i was made for." Seven was blabbering on in "baby" language as Ella sang him Twinkle Twinkle over and over again. The smile on my face wouldn't go away.
4:21pm Surgery went well! Steve was coming out of the coma(drug induced) and responding to voices and commands! Within half an hour the house was full of the noises of 5 sweet kiddos wanting dinner and attention from this fill-in mommy. As i held one, gave advise to another, separated 2 from pulling each others hair out, and ate a little of the other's snack there it was again..."THIS is what i was made for."
6:15pm Seven went home with his mama, Dinner was done, homework for the freshman was hanging in the air and 3 balls of energy and i bundled up for a little game of baseball while the sun went down. I pitched. They hit. Stanley(the dog) ran and caught the ball and brought it back to the pitchers mound. Once our fingers were sufficiently cold and our cheeks were the color of the cherry Popsicles we headed inside for jammies and back rubs before bed. Little Ella was falling asleep standing up, in we went and got tucked in and prayers said. Shelbi (the freshman) was not feeling too hot so i got her Nyquil and said prayers for her before she fell asleep on her History books. Brodie(7th grade) asked my advise on the running shoes he was checking out on Eastbay.com and Parker(7 years old) was just happy if someone answered any of the 1,000 questions he had.
8:15pm Dishes done, living room cleaned and now it was Parker's turn for a back rub and chat on the couch about Rocketships and going to outer space to look at the Earth. Brodie went up to the xbox to veg. for a little while. There it was again "THIS is what i was made for."
I have these moments often enough to know that God is reminding me of sweet dreams He put in my heart when it started beating. I have these moments in 180 all the time. It happens when i pray with my small group gals. It happens when one of those girls tells me about the awesome things God did that week. It happens when i think about being back in Africa someday. It happens when play with my little roommate Sienna all the time. It happens with Seven more often than not. It happens when i see prayers answered in front of my face. Steve is breathing on his own and talking to his wife and daughter as i write this.
Soon, Daddy and Mama of these sweet ones will be home and i will be on my way to my own bed. I will hang up my fill-in mommy hat and say hello to "normal" life at 6:25am, but i will never live a "normal" life as long as i am living to see what Jesus has made me for and as long as i keep having these moments that blow my mind and make me think "THIS is what i was made for."
This weekend flew by in a flurry of pastel dresses, dark chocolate, beautiful songs, large choirs, messages of Hope and 29 hours of held breath. Yesterday morning between Easter services for Westside Church cell phones in Bend started vibrating with shocking and scary news, a dear friend and brother in the Lord was being rushed to the Hospital in Portland with a Brain Aneurysm. Within a couple hours Suburban loads of friends were making the trek across the mountain to be with loved ones. Being that i wasn't especially close to this friend, but close to his family, my place was to stay and pray... and pick up my favorite 'hat' to wear; the fill-in mommy hat!!! 4 kiddos for the night and then adding Seven in the am... no problem i thought!!!!
The rest of Easter went on without a hitch, underneath the looming feeling that all the adults were holding our breath the kiddos went on with the hunting of Easter Eggs and dividing the goods found in each one. We ate ham, pie, deviled-eggs and too much candy. And after the guest had left i settled into my most favorite role. We played games and colored pictures and then one by one the kiddos were sound asleep and i snuggled in with prayers for Steve on my heart and a big day ahead of me. I the last 3 hours of sleep after the potty break and woke up to the Central Oregon Sun rising in the window. As I showered and got ready for my day I carefully planned out who needed to be where when and how "my" little Seven fit into the day.
11:47am News from Portland was a little more hopeful than the night before, surgery was on the schedule, we held our breath and prayers for skilled hands went up. I was driving from 'here' to 'there' with Ella (2) and Seven (almost 1) buckled in car-seats on the back seat. "Twintle Twintle little staw, how i wonder what you are..." I glanced back through the re-view mirror and again, the thought blazed through my mind "THIS is what i was made for." Seven was blabbering on in "baby" language as Ella sang him Twinkle Twinkle over and over again. The smile on my face wouldn't go away.
4:21pm Surgery went well! Steve was coming out of the coma(drug induced) and responding to voices and commands! Within half an hour the house was full of the noises of 5 sweet kiddos wanting dinner and attention from this fill-in mommy. As i held one, gave advise to another, separated 2 from pulling each others hair out, and ate a little of the other's snack there it was again..."THIS is what i was made for."
6:15pm Seven went home with his mama, Dinner was done, homework for the freshman was hanging in the air and 3 balls of energy and i bundled up for a little game of baseball while the sun went down. I pitched. They hit. Stanley(the dog) ran and caught the ball and brought it back to the pitchers mound. Once our fingers were sufficiently cold and our cheeks were the color of the cherry Popsicles we headed inside for jammies and back rubs before bed. Little Ella was falling asleep standing up, in we went and got tucked in and prayers said. Shelbi (the freshman) was not feeling too hot so i got her Nyquil and said prayers for her before she fell asleep on her History books. Brodie(7th grade) asked my advise on the running shoes he was checking out on Eastbay.com and Parker(7 years old) was just happy if someone answered any of the 1,000 questions he had.
8:15pm Dishes done, living room cleaned and now it was Parker's turn for a back rub and chat on the couch about Rocketships and going to outer space to look at the Earth. Brodie went up to the xbox to veg. for a little while. There it was again "THIS is what i was made for."
I have these moments often enough to know that God is reminding me of sweet dreams He put in my heart when it started beating. I have these moments in 180 all the time. It happens when i pray with my small group gals. It happens when one of those girls tells me about the awesome things God did that week. It happens when i think about being back in Africa someday. It happens when play with my little roommate Sienna all the time. It happens with Seven more often than not. It happens when i see prayers answered in front of my face. Steve is breathing on his own and talking to his wife and daughter as i write this.
Soon, Daddy and Mama of these sweet ones will be home and i will be on my way to my own bed. I will hang up my fill-in mommy hat and say hello to "normal" life at 6:25am, but i will never live a "normal" life as long as i am living to see what Jesus has made me for and as long as i keep having these moments that blow my mind and make me think "THIS is what i was made for."
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
God is Good Part 3
i spoke in oneighty.
it was a delight.
i learned a lot from it.
it turned out alright.
i truly love Jesus.
it keeps me in tight.
i should really stop rhyming.
or it could end in a fright.
The Gathering March 25 2009 from The Gathering on Vimeo.
it was a delight.
i learned a lot from it.
it turned out alright.
i truly love Jesus.
it keeps me in tight.
i should really stop rhyming.
or it could end in a fright.
The Gathering March 25 2009 from The Gathering on Vimeo.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
God is Good. part 2
Is there any chance we can learn to embrace the hard times and
see them as the goodness of God in our lives?
Romans 8:28-29
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.
29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
James 1:17-18
“Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above who created all Heaven’s lights. Unlike them he never changes or cast a shifting shadow.
In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word.”
Because of the never changing character of God,
we need to begin to see the things he gives us as good and perfect.
He is good.
He is perfect.
He doesn’t do things by mistake or say oops!!
see them as the goodness of God in our lives?
Romans 8:28-29
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.
29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
James 1:17-18
“Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above who created all Heaven’s lights. Unlike them he never changes or cast a shifting shadow.
In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word.”
Because of the never changing character of God,
we need to begin to see the things he gives us as good and perfect.
He is good.
He is perfect.
He doesn’t do things by mistake or say oops!!
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Josiah Daniel
April 2, 2000 was a record hot day in Puyallup WA, so much so that the downtown McDonalds was out of Vanilla and Twist ice cream. Chocolate only. We were in the midst of moving 10(+1) people 250 miles. Mom's blood pressure spiked. Diacogiannis Baby #9 would be born earlier than planned. We all waited for the call. It seemed like a million hours, and i was getting ansy. I wanted to see this new little sibling... and mostly know if it was a BLUE or PINK baby!!! We went to the park (and McDonalds) to try and make time move faster. It didn't. After chocolate ice cream, and being that this was little sibling #7 for me, i knew it had been long enough to go to the hospital. I knew my mom and that once she was in labor, with water broke it wouldn't be long before baby was here. I convinced our driver (aka i was 14 and too old for a babysitter, but too young to drive) to take us to Good Sameritan without full knowledge if baby was here or not... We got there and i sprinted to the elevator leaving, Jeremiah and Josh in the dust with Joy "the driver". Once we got to Labor and Delivery i went straight to the nurses station, and out of breath said. "Diacogiannis?" the nurse smiled and said, "Down the hall, second door on the right, baby was born about 15 minutes ago." I heard what she said but it didn't really register, i just headed down the hall... again leaving the other 3 in the dust... i heard my dad's "daddy" voice calming a screaming new born, and that was the clue to what room to enter. I don't even remember seeing/ talking to my mom for about 5 minutes i just remember running in the room and standing on my tip toes to look over my dad's and the nurses shoulder to see the most precious pink baby with a blue hat, and squinting eyes, and a scream that pierced the room. "It's a BOY!!!!!" i ran out of the room and shouted at Jeremiah, Josh and Joy("the driver"). I ran back in and hugged my dad as he finished wrapping up my new brother in the hospital blanket (you know the ones with the pastel colored bunnies on it). I wanted to be the first to hold him, but dad let Joy... whatever! Josiah Daniel Diacogiannis. 7lbs. 14 onces. 21.5 inches long and perfect! I was thrilled to have another brother, and this little dude came out with blond hair (it'd been a few siblings since a blond one). He was so little, so precious, he smelled amazing... baby lotion plus clean. His fingers were long just like all of us D babies when we were born. He was perfect.
Happy Birthday Josiah Daniel. I can't believe you are 9 years old!!! It amazes me. You are my little think-tank brother. You had 2 sets of stiches before you were 2 years old. I think you might still have a scare in your ear. My first award winning picture was of you. As you started to grow from baby to little boy your personality started to show. You were so distinctly different from all of us. Your heart has always been in tune with people, and feelings. You have a heart that cares. I remember when you first fell in love with Art. You were so little and loved to color and paint. I remember when you were sitting at the kitchen counter and God told you that you would be an artist when you grew up and you were SO excited about it. I remember when you were a big brother to Elijah and you were so in awe of this little baby, yet you were still so little yourself. I remember when that same little brother was so sick and you sat on his bed and talked to him at the hosptial, you even brought him your favorite beanie baby to keep him company. That's just who you are. You care about people. I love you Josiah, and i'm so excited to see how you change the world. Never stop listening to Jesus. Never stop painting or drawing.
Happy Birthday Josiah Daniel. I can't believe you are 9 years old!!! It amazes me. You are my little think-tank brother. You had 2 sets of stiches before you were 2 years old. I think you might still have a scare in your ear. My first award winning picture was of you. As you started to grow from baby to little boy your personality started to show. You were so distinctly different from all of us. Your heart has always been in tune with people, and feelings. You have a heart that cares. I remember when you first fell in love with Art. You were so little and loved to color and paint. I remember when you were sitting at the kitchen counter and God told you that you would be an artist when you grew up and you were SO excited about it. I remember when you were a big brother to Elijah and you were so in awe of this little baby, yet you were still so little yourself. I remember when that same little brother was so sick and you sat on his bed and talked to him at the hosptial, you even brought him your favorite beanie baby to keep him company. That's just who you are. You care about people. I love you Josiah, and i'm so excited to see how you change the world. Never stop listening to Jesus. Never stop painting or drawing.
i love you to the moon. i win.
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