dorm life

My sister packs up this Sunday to leave for COLLEGE.  She is going to Lipscomb University in Nashville.  We went shopping at Ikea last weekend to get some last minute dorm necessities and after looking at all of the cute decorations, bedding, and dorm organization tools, I started to miss my dorm room.  just a little.  The picture above is from my first day at college.  My sweet roommate, Ami, moved in a week later.  She was such a blessing to me my first year of college- we even got to plan our weddings together since we got engaged the same week!!  In addition to many things... I really miss the PINK in my dorm room.  Patrick, I'm sorry, but I have kept all my pink decor and I'm saving it for a guest room or a sewing room one day :)
I plan to share some pictures from Sadie's dorm room after she moves in next week!

strength and glory

Psalm 96

"Sing to the LORD a new song;
       sing to the LORD, all the earth.

 Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
       proclaim his salvation day after day.

 Declare his glory among the nations,
       his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
       he is to be feared above all gods.

 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
       but the LORD made the heavens.

 Splendor and majesty are before him;
 Strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
       ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
       bring an offering and come into his courts.

 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
       tremble before him, all the earth.

 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns."
       The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
       he will judge the peoples with equity.

 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
       let the sea resound, and all that is in it;

 et the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.
       Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;

 they will sing before the LORD, for he comes,
       he comes to judge the earth.
       He will judge the world in righteousness
       and the peoples in his truth."

back to school so soon

Organic Honey Canvas Rucksack by Bees'netta

Lunch Bag by The Purl Bee

Whirl & Wind Cardigan by Anthropologie

Peacock Organizer Pad by Anthropologie

Blue Stripe Romper with Yellow Bus by RoomtoRomp

Champion Jersey sneakers by Keds

Bloom Flower Ring by Stella & Dot

Recycled Crayon Sticks by Urban Outfitters

{Here is last year's Back to School post}

NACC 2010- Indy

The North American Christian Convention was 1 month ago in Indianapolis... sorry these are a little late!
{click here} for last year's post on the NACC.

This year instead of being in the booth working for CCU, I was mainly helping with several CCU events throughout the week.  It was nice for Patrick to simply attend the convention and not have to work, since he is now working at Christ's Church at Mason and not CCU.  The convention was great... it was nice to hang out with family, catch up with friends (Eduardo came from Cuba!) and meet many new people.  Here are some pictures from the two CCU events: Alumni Reception and Legacy Awards Banquet.

please pray

Please join me in praying for precious Ezekiel Blanchard.  At just 6 weeks old, he is having surgery on his liver tomorrow morning at 7:30.  Please pray for his sweet parents, Amy and Chad who are celebrating their 4th wedding anniversary today... their faith in Christ through all of this is incredible and they are already being a great witness to the doctors and all who talk with them. Here is what Amy wrote on her Facebook:

"Specifically pray that when they go in and do the surgery they will find that he has nothing more than some "sludge" in his liver that needs cleaned out! If it's not just a blocked duct it will require them to make a large incision and do surgery on his liver and intestines. The doctor said yesterday there is only a 10% chance that this surgery will be successful. If it is not he will have to get a liver transplant. Please pray!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I don't know Libby personally, but her story touches a special place in my heart.  Jen, my blog friend :) asked for prayer for her friend and I want to ask all of you to join us in prayer.  Libby, a wife and young mom, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and is waiting for specific results in order to decide on a plan of action.  Sadly, Patrick and I know this cancer far too well, but Thankfully, we also know the joy and peace that come from trust in Jesus and prayers of believers.  She believes in God, who we know is the Ultimate Healer.  Please lift up Libby, her husband Justin, and her adorable little girl Ava as they prepare for a tough road of treatment.  
To read more on her story and be encouraged by their faith go {here}

My encouraging, funny, humble, and loving father-in-law, Dr. Garcia, is scheduled to have heart surgery Monday morning to put in a heart pump.  This should improve his heart efficiency and give him more energy as he waits to receive a heart transplant.  If you could please lift up Dr. Garcia as he prepares for surgery and recovery, my mother-in-law, Rita, as she loves and supports him and waits alongside, and for the rest of the family... especially my sister-in-law Cara whose twin boys are due this month :)  

Shrine of the Book and Holocaust Memorial

This is a magnificent replica of the Old City of Jerusalem located right outside the "Shrine of the Book".  This is how the city looked in Jesus' day.  (the Temple is shown in the picture below)

The "Shrine of the Book" was built to display the Dead Sea scrolls and other related items.  The roof of the building (pictured above) was created to look like the top of the jar the scrolls were found in.  You can read more on the Dead Sea Scrolls in a previous post {here} 


After the Shrine, we went to the Holocaust Memorial, Yad Vashem.  {website here}
The architecture of the Museum is very unique and holds great symbolism with the history of the Jewish people: before, during, and after the Holocaust.  Read more about the architect, Moshe Safdie, and design {here}

Here is a direct quote from the Museum website:
"As the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem safeguards the memory of the past and imparts its meaning for future generations. Established in 1953, as the world center for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust, Yad Vashem is today a dynamic and vital place of intergenerational and international encounter."

We had the great honor of walking through the Holocaust Memorial with a Holocaust survivor.  Beautiful Tova.  Tova is the mother of Sara, one of our wonderful tour guides and the owner of Jerusalem Tours.  On the bus ride over, Tova sat in the back with all of us "kids" and shared her story.  We all sat wide-eyed and in tears as she spoke of the horror, pain, and loneliness she experienced in Auschwitz at a similar age of those surrounding her.  We all learned more in the back of that bus from listening to Tova's experience and heart before we even set foot in the Memorial.   

"Her being with us added a deeper meaning and appreciation for the persecution the Jews have endured."- My Dad

My stomach twisted tighter as we followed the winding path throughout the museum.  A special area was dedicated to the children murdered during the Holocaust... In a dark circular room, portraits of young children covered the walls and a monotone recording overhead honored them by saying their names and ages.  As I followed behind Tova, I wondered if she heard the name of her sister, if their pictures hung above us, if she felt guilty that she was the only one in her family to make it through, and I wondered how she was able to take one step in front of the other and walk through this dark place... but Tova is strong.  She realizes if she does not share her story now, soon every Jew who experienced the Holocaust will be gone and there is a fear that it will be forgotten.
Elie Wiesel in the book Night writes, 
"For the survivor who chooses to testify, it is clear: his duty is to bear witness for the dead and the living. He has no right to deprive future generations of a past that belongs to our collective memory. To forget would be not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time. The witness has forced himself to testify. For the youth of today, for the children who will be born tomorrow. He does not want his past to become their future." 

Deuteronomy 4:9 "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them."