And Then There Was Cake!

Last night, Mike and I went to meet with the cake lady. We're both excited about the cakes we chose (which look completely different than what I pictured below haha, oh well). But I just have to bring us around to a reality check for second. The flour and sugar used in a wedding cake is pricey. It's not any different than the flour or sugar you would use in your own homemade cupcakes. But somehow, when you disguise it under a pretty layer of frosting and call it a "wedding" cake, its value skyrockets. From a business perspective, it's genius. And I know that you're really paying for the creativity behind the design and the hard work of the artist. It's still just funny for my practical brain.

The whole time we were meeting with the sweet (and extremely talented) cake lady, I couldn't help but think of this clip :)

I have been begging my dad to watch this movie with me; I just think it's fitting. My dad has been AMAZING throughout the process, but I can't help but think this is how he must feel on the inside :)

Fun Wedding Things :)

Slowly, one by one, things are getting crossed off the wedding To Do list. There is still a lot to do, but it's nice to see my list start to shrink (even if it is just a little!)

This weekend, Mike and I went to register. I just have to say- while the process was a little overwhelming (you have X amount of time to register for X amount of things), it was definitely lots of fun :) Not going to lie, it was fun to go "shopping" and walk out of the store without having spent any money. But more than that, it was fun to go shopping with Mike and pick things out together.

Tonight we are going to meet with a friend's mom about cakes. I don't have a specific design in mind and am really wanting something pretty simple. So it will be nice to meet with her and discuss options and get a little more direction on that. I did see these pictures and really liked them. I would use white gerbera daisies and maybe a teal ribbon.

My dress has arrived! I am going this week for my first dress fitting, and I am so excited! As my sweet MOH said, I am going to "visit" my dress this week haha. It will just be nice to try it on in my size. Also, my shoes arrived in the mail just in time for the fitting and I think they're kind of fun :) Completely girly but I love them!

We have also booked our honeymoon! I am definitely looking forward to spending a week here:

I am finishing up the invitations (because yes, I was crazy and decided to make them myself), working on designing the floral (another thing I am going to attempt to do myself), finalizing rehearsal dinner plans, and beginning to work on reception details. It's a lot. But I am enjoying every part of it. I want to remember this sweet and fun time, because what could be a sweeter memory than planning a fun party for you and the love of your life? ;)

2 Years Today

Today is my 2 year blog anniversary! :) While most people may think it's weird to "celebrate" this date, I always like reaching milestones like this because it's a great opportunity for me to reflect back on what the Lord has done in my life. It's kind of fun to read through old blog posts to see where I was a few months ago, a year ago, now 2 years ago (the time flies!)

I remember when I started this blog (and moved from my old xanga blog to good ol' blogger). I had just left my old job as an event planner and was trying to figure out what the Lord had for me next. It was a difficult time of letting go of lost dreams and learning to submit myself completely to the will of God- whatever that looked like. And yet I praise God for every moment of the last 2 years...because I look back on that time and see the Lord's hand as He was preparing me even way back then for what's ahead. It's always exciting when we get to see glimpses of God's work in our lives. At the time, I couldn't see or understand what His purposes were...I remember many prayers of "why?" "when?" and "what for?" And now I am able to reflect on and rest in the sweetness of God's perfect plan. And I can't help but smile :)

I purposely titled my blog "One Woman's Journey to the Heart of God" because I felt like that was the journey the Lord had me on at the time. Everything I thought I knew about the Lord was a little out of focus, and He was reshaping my heart to have one that looked more like His. While not all of my blog posts have been spiritual or thought-provoking, the title reminds me every time that I blog that life is about Him and the journey He has me on toward deeper intimacy with my Savior. I can certainly say that the last 2 years have been just that: a journey. Sometimes a difficult one, mostly a humbling one, but a sweet one for sure.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

~Philippians 1:6

My Super Cute Parents :)

I just have to say that I think my parents are pretty darn cute. They have been married 31 years and are the best of friends. I am so thankful for the example they have set of a sweet marriage that centers on Christ and that is the picture of love, faithfulness, and service. My parents are so much in love, and I praise the Lord for that sweet blessing!

With all of the wedding planning, there's no better time to pull out my parents' wedding photos, right? In going through old photos, I found some true gems :) I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Look how pretty my mama is! Blue eye shadow and all ;)

Saying "I Do" on August 4, 1979

So cute- gotta love the 70s!

;)

Yes- that is a silver tux. And yes, that is a VELVET bowtie :)

Paid Off :)

Ok- this is a random post, and I am probably the only one who cares enough to write about it. But I just have to share in my excitement and praise God for His provision. Today I sent my LAST payment for my hospital bills!! I kind of feel like doing a little happy dance (and still may at some point today hehe)  :)

If you'll recall, I had to go to the ER after returning from Nicaragua last summer. Those unexpected hospital bills were quite a blow, and I have been patiently awaiting the day to finally pay them off. And today is that day! :) There was definitely a sense of relief when I clicked the "submit" button for the last payment. God has been such a gracious provider, from providing good insurance (which ultimately lowered the amount due) and allowing me to be on a payment plan without paying interest, to working out my finances the last few months in order to pay that amount down. That is no small thing from the Lord, and I am so grateful!

Till We Meet Again

My heart is heavy and deeply saddened for a sweet family in the Lord today. On my way to work this morning, my mom told me that Dr. Chuck Musfeldt, the Director of International Operations at BSF and a beloved family friend, had been in a car accident last night. My parents were on the way to pick up his wife and daughter from the airport so their close friends could stay with him in the hospital. I hung up with fervent prayers on my tongue, but by the time I got to the office, I received word that Dr. Chuck had already gone to be with Jesus. My prayers are with their sweet family, as well the BSF family that Dr. Chuck faithfully served. While it is sad to lose a brother in Christ in such an unexpected way, we praise Jesus for His sovereignty and comfort. I was reminded today that our days are not our own. This life is so incredibly short; what are we doing to impact the kingdom while we have these precious few years on earth?

As I read through notes left on facebook in memory of Dr. Chuck- from people in classes all over the world- the phrase "till we meet again" repeats over and over. And I can't help but smile. There is a tradition in BSF, that at the end of a study, retreat, or training, we sing the hymn God Be With You Till We Meet Again. It's sung as a sweet reminder of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are serving and loving Jesus across the world. We have an eternal hope that we labor and yearn for; and we can find rest in knowing that we will see loved ones who know Christ again. It's so BSF. And I love it :)

God be with you till we meet again,
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you,
God be with you till we meet again.

Refrain:
Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus’ feet;
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again,
’Neath His wings securely hide you,
Daily manna still provide you,
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again,
When life’s perils thick confound you,
Put His arms unfailing round you,
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again,
Keep love’s banner floating o’er you,
Smite death’s threat’ning wave before you,
God be with you till we meet again.

Till we meet again, Dr. Chuck.

Church Planter

I realized this weekend that many of you know this already, but not everyone does. Mike and I will be getting married in July, and then we will be moving to McKinney to begin the process of planting a church. We have known for awhile that this was the Lord's calling on our lives, but we needed to wait on His timing in communicating that to everyone. So yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am going to be a pastor's wife :)

It still amazes me to think of the journey the Lord has had me on in the last couple of years. Because 2 years ago, if you had told me I would be marrying a pastor and beginning steps to plant a church, I would have thought you were crazy. "Me? Ha! You obviously don't know me that well. I'm certainly not qualified for that! Surely, more godly (and nicer) people are called to that..." It's funny how God seems to a)change your perspective, b)find purpose (and humor) in taking you completely outside of your comfort zone, and c)radically change your heart. Don't misunderstand me, I don't think I am more qualified today than I was 2 years ago. I am humbly dumbfounded that the Lord would want to use me in this way. But I do know how He has worked in my heart and how He has reminded me that it's not about me or my qualifications. It's about being obedient to the calling He has placed on our lives. It's about seeking to do His will and conforming my heart to the image of His Son. It's about reading through His Word and recognizing our call as Christ-followers to love our neighbors, share the gospel, and make our lives count for His kingdom, all to His glory. Mike and I just get to do that through a church plant :)

I don't have a lot of details yet; this is certainly something we are learning and praying our way through. I can't tell you what it will look like and how we will get there. We know it won't be easy. We know it won't be popular. We know that some will call us crazy :) There's a part of me that is excited to see what the Lord will accomplish and be a part of His work in this way, and there's also a part of me that is absolutely terrified of the unknown. And yet, when I think back over the times the Lord has asked me to do seemingly difficult or scary things, He has always provided, always shown His power, and always drawn me closer to His heart.

I am really looking forward to this upcoming conference:

I think this will be a good opportunity for me to have some questions answered and see more of the process and next steps. If you think about it, you can be praying for me and Mike this week as we attend this conference, as well as in the coming months. We recognize that we cannot do this on our own, and we are learning what it looks like to walk in faithful dependence on Christ. So your prayers are coveted. We are working on a blog that will be a central place for us to communicate our plans and update everyone on our ministry, so once we have that ready, I will be sure to share that with you.

I stand in humility before my Creator and pray that He will use me in spite of myself. I pray that He will give me the strength to be faithful and obedient. This is certainly a turning point in my journey...and I cannot wait to walk the next steps :)

Cake Topper: Yes or No?

Anyone who has planned a wedding knows that there are a lot of details involved. When you go to a wedding, you look around you and think to yourself, "that's nice" or "I like that" or "I would never do it that way."  But in reality, very few people actually pay attention to the details, and most forget about them if they do. Which is something that I have to constantly remind my perfectionist, event planner brain. I really want people to enjoy our wedding and think back on how great a time they had in celebrating with us. But I have to remind myself that that's not dependent on the table linen color or whether my invitation envelopes matched or if we served chicken or fish.

Or what cake topper I choose. This is probably one of the details I care the least about and probably won't even have one, but I just couldn't help but share some of the crazy things that I found. I figured you were due for a wedding update anyway, so today's topic: Cake Topper: Yes or No? 

There's the classic bride and groom topper...

This one's really sweet...

Or there's the monogram cake topper..

The floral cake topper...

Or you can have a bow if you'd prefer...

Or you can make your guests feel awkward...

And these just make me sad...

There are cake toppers for the Disney fans...

And for the Lego fans...

Don't forget the animal lovers...

But my personal favorite: the bobble head cake topper...

(and yes, you can have them made to look like you!

What's your vote? Question 1: Cake Topper- Yes or No? Question 2: If yes, which one? :)