Lessons from the "Swan Princess" Movie

I watched the "Swan Princess 2" a couple of weeks ago while folding laundry. I have seen the movie before, but I was surprised after watching it how much it is filled with marriage truths. In the second movie, Odette (the Swan Princess) and Prince Derek are celebrating their first anniversary of marriage. However, Prince Derek, forgets about it....can anyone relate? 

Princess Odette is not impressed and goes on to sing a song called "The Magic of Love"

I'm sure most married couples can relate to this song, as it talks about the passion and feelings of love fading away. We start to freak out when the warm, fuzzy feelings fade away. Nevertheless, they do still love each other and work together to defeat the evil sorcerer. In the end, it is their commitment that matters. 

Marriage transforms love from something on the surface to a very deep love that is committed for life. True enough, it sure doesn't feel good at first when it seems like your marriage is nothing but cooking, cleaning, doing the laundry, making dinner, getting to work on time, paying the bills, fixing the toilet seat, and turning off your wife's hair straightener when she forgets. Life gets busy and seems to take over the time you once had and thought you would always have.

But it doesn't have to stop there. I am determined (as Josh already knows) to keep our marriage strong and firmly grounded in faith. I want us to be able to stay connected during the busy times. It is very important, even if the fuzzy feelings fade away. It certainly isn't easy, and Josh and I definitely mess up from time to time. We are learning to forgive and forget. We are learning to be patient with one another. We are learning that things don't always go according to plan. And it's OKAY.

Speaking of forgiveness, Derek sings a song in the third Swan Princess movie that I sure many men can relate to...

"Because I Love Her"

This song actually makes me tear up because I know this is how Josh feels about me. I know I am not always the easiest person to please or get along with, but he forgives me because he loves me. Thank the Lord that I have such a forgiving man.

Who would have thought that the Swan Princess could hold such wisdom...most Princess movies don't show the couples' lives after Happily Ever After. 

And just for fun...a video about After Happily Ever After for some of the Disney Princesses:

(Warning: Mature adult material presented)

Spring is Here!

It is 60 degrees in Colorado Springs, and it has been a beautiful day! At 7 am it was already 40 degrees, and I was so excited to see how warm it would get. We have been having a lot of snow in the Springs lately, but I have been yearning for spring. I can't wait to run outside, go on picnics, take a hike, and have barbecues. 

I have also wanted spring to come for other reasons. Since moving to Colorado Springs, I have felt like I was under the dark cloud of winter emotionally. I felt cold inside. I felt hurt and afraid because of all of the change going around me (I would never suggest to any newlywed couple that they should get married, move to a completely new place, and start jobs all within the same season). In the last few weeks, God has been giving me more and more peace about living in the Springs. He has brought us great friends, helped us settle in, and opened up many doors of opportunity for us. 

However, things are still hard sometimes. Josh and I are still getting used to each other as husband and wife. Job stress has been a huge thing on our table. Josh is trying to make his project work, and I am trying to secure a job this month. There are still ups and downs. There are still things being thrown at us. Nevertheless, I am filled with a joy I have not felt in a few years. I feel God working. Even when things feel really BAD, I still feel God's presence and His love. I didn't sleep very well last night because my mind was racing from all of the stress, but I woke up this morning thinking, "I am alive! God has given me another day to live life to the fullest! I will praise him for the breath I have in my lungs." Thinking this takes away all of the hurt, the anxiety, the wearniess. I am at last filled with HIS JOY! Spring has finally arrived in my soul!

I was born in the spring, so I have a bias towards this season. Here are the reasons I love spring:

MY Birthday of course!

The sunshine

The fresh grass and flowers growing

Easter! A holiday that should be the most celebrated!

Wearing T-shirts and shorts

Pastel colors

Mother's Day

Spring Break!!!

Gardening

Picnics

Tractors planting

Hearing the birds chirping

I have decided to start a garden this spring on my (tiny) porch. I am ambitious, but I have always been that way--even unrealistically optimistic. I want to have herbs, vegetables, and flowers. 

This is what I would like my garden to look like:

This is probably what it will look like:

HA! HA!

No, I really do think I will do alright. I got the help of Hannah Clark while she was visiting us in February, and she is a pro! I have been reading a book called Apartment Gardening by Amy Pennington. It is awesome! If you are thinking about starting an apartment garden, you should check out this book. It gives you practical tips on everything, from what and when to plant, what size of pots you will need, how to harvest, when to harvest, and how to do it CHEAP. 

I will post pictures of my garden when I get it started. Happy SPRING!

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Isaiah 12:3

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!

Psalm 126:5

the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

Psalm 65:13

My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.

Psalm 71:23

My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Psalm 84:2

I left my heart in.....

I am a traveler and adventurer at heart. I love to travel and see new sights and experience new things. This love also causes me to fall in love with several places. I have left my heart in several places in my 22 years of life. 

The first place is Boise, Idaho. 

This city has been in my heart since I was a young girl. I grew up here, and it still surprises me with its beauty every time. Boise is a beautiful city, even though it is small. There is much to see and do if you know the right places to go. I love going downtown in the summer to do some shopping and to sit outside at a cafe or restaurant. Julia Davis park is also one of my favorite spots in Boise. The Boise Zoo is nestled there, as well as a small pond where you can rent a paddle-boat. My family would also rent bikes and bikes the miles of greenbelt along the Boise River. This city will always be in my heart, as well as the whole of the state of Idaho itself.

The next place I left my heart in was Villalba, Spain. 

This is the city my aunt and uncle live in just outside of Madrid. It has the amenities of being in a big city, but the beauty and architecture of a small Spanish village. Many of the streets are cobblestone, and walking their lengths around the village takes you back in time. I have been to this city three times, and it never gets old. There is always something new to see. My favorite thing to do is sit at an outdoor cafe after my family's Catholic mass, listening to the hub-bub and boisterous laughter of their Spanish friends, and watching people ride or walk by. They also have wonderful bakeries that always have the smell of just-out-of-the-oven goods. 

The last and most recent place is Colorado Springs.

I was recently driving home from Denver, and I had to drive over Monument Hill before I could see Colorado Springs and the valley it occupies. When I made it to the top of the Hill, I had this feeling of warmness and peace...the feeling you get when you know you are home. I have really fallen in love with this city. Pikes Peak is the most spectacular mountain to gaze upon every morning. I walk outside and thank God for this wonderful view. There is still so much to explore in this city, but I love the view and the mountains when I am standing amidst them. I also love the people we are meeting in this city. So many people from so many different backgrounds and experiences. Because Colorado Springs is a  heavy military city, many of its inhabitants are not native to the area. Just like Josh and I, they bring a story of a different place, where a part of their heart still lies. 

As I look at these three places, I see a resemblance in each of the pictures. A city nestled by the mountains. The mountains in each place are majestic and have its own character. I have been blessed to live by the mountains. They bring so much life and beauty to a place. I think it also brings a humbleness to mankind. I see the city that man created, but in the background, I see the mountains God created. We are not so big after all. We can build skyscrapers, but only God can build mountains. I stand in awe of the beauty He created. 

I hope to travel much more in my lifetime, but for now, I am satisfied exploring our new state of Colorado. There is so much to explore and experience! AND I AM EXCITED!

Kicking and Screaming

In the past few weeks, I have been struggling with my thoughts and fears. I let them spin around in my head until there is no hope in my mind. I lose hope for those few moments, and I end up feeling so far away from God. I have succumbed to my fears. I have succumbed to the lies Satan throws at me.

Josh and I have been struggling these last few weeks as he tries hard to make progress with his project. I never knew how helpless I would feel as a wife when he is struggling with engineering. Engineering is so foreign to me--as foreign as the Chinese language. I can't offer him any practical help with his work. Sometimes I want to go over to his office and rip the wires out of his computers, and say "I fixed it. I turned it off so you don't have to stress and worry about it anymore." Obviously, that is not the answer. As one of my friends from church told me this week, "Our men don't want their wives to solve their problems. They want their respect and support." I know this full well. Josh wouldn't want me to solve his problems. I would be terrible at it. However, I can continue to support him and encourage him. To me, this doesn't seem like enough, but I know that it is.

I have also had to hold back and fight back bitter and angry thoughts that his project is taking so much time away from me and being at home. It doesn't seem fair that I am at home most of the day twiddling my thumbs while he is wracking his brain for 10 hours a day. My sister-in-law wisely told me that I may want him home more, but I probably don't need him home more. I thought about that, and realized that I do want him home. I do want him stress-free. Marriage is not about getting what we want, however. It is about sacrifice. It is about completely denying oneself in order to love the other more fully. I have a chalkboard in our kitchen that I used in our wedding. Now I write Bible verses that I need to see everyday to be reminded of God's truth. This week's verse is Matthew 16:24.

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Through this hard time with Josh's job, I have been battling my sinful and selfish nature in order to be more loving and respectful to Josh. I feel like I am grinding my teeth because I want things my way, but God continually picks me up and tells me to keep loving. To fight the good fight. To keep loving Josh. 


I thought the following comic one of my friends posted on Facebook was very appropriate for my circumstances right now.

People told me marriage would be hard. It isn't until we are actually married that we realize that everyone isn't pulling a cruel trick on us. They tell us marriage is hard, and we think they are just joking or trying to scare us. But it's not a trick. It's a fact of life. It is hard living with someone when we are so sinful. It's not always a can of peaches. Nevertheless, it is also very wonderful. It is wonderful living and going through the journey of life with your best friend. Josh is the most wonderful man I will ever know. I know he isn't perfect, and he knows I'm not perfect. We know times are hard right now, and we are trying to make the most of the time we do have together. We keep praying and hoping his project will be done soon. God has it all in control. He knows what he is doing. He knows and had a purpose for all of this.

Even though I may be kicking and screaming in my head that it isn't fair or it's too hard, I know it isn't too hard with God on my side. I don't have to give in to my fear. I don't have to tear myself apart with shame and guilt. I can know that I am loved, I am growing, and I am making progress. As Joyce Meyer often says, "I am not where I want to be, but at least I am not where I was." Amen to that! God is a God of hope! He loves us too much to leave us where we are. I know I don't want to stay where I am at. Oh the journey of life!

Soli Deo Gloria

Summer in the Winter?

Since coming back to Colorado Springs after Christmas break, I have been trying to keep myself busy while Josh it at work. I have officially finished my degree and received my teaching license. Yay! It is so good to be done! However, now I have a lot of free time that I have been attempting to fill it up and be productive. After being in college for the last four and a half years, I am out of practice with having a lot of time to myself.

I've realized that when we are really busy, we want more free time, and when we too much free time, we wish we had something to keep us busy. I am trying to find a balance right now with the activities I have been starting. Here are a few of the things I am keeping busy with:

• Volunteering at an elementary school
• Babysitting two days a week
• Tuesday Women's Bible study
• Zumba and other exercising at the YMCA
• Receiving voice lessons from a world-renown opera singer
• Fiddler on the Roof rehearsals (performances in April)
• Reading lots of books
• Baking and cooking
• DIY crafts
• Singing in the Colorado Springs Chorale
• Singing and Volunteering at church whenever I can

I thank the Lord for the opportunities he has provided me with during this season. If it wasn't cold outside, it would be summer for me. A summer in the winter. Being without a job is not the best feeling right now, but God has good things planned for me at home and in my community. I keep praying and hoping for a good future and a good teaching job, but I am enjoying my life right now.

Josh has been heavily working on finishing his first project for CEI. We would really appreciate prayers for his system to work so he can install and test it at the client's building. Thank you for your loving support and encouragement. We send our love from the land of the beautiful Rockies.

Soli Deo Gloria

The Joy of Singing

This past weekend, Josh and I sang in the Colorado Springs Chorale's "Deck the Hall" concert. We performed at the Pikes Peak Center in downtown Colorado Springs. It was such a good turnout and a wonderfully fun concert. A bell choir from a nearby city joined us as well; their performance was so amazing and interesting to watch. Someday, I think I might want to try being in a bell choir....maybe when I'm old and my voice is too warbly. Josh and I both had solos in the performance, which made it an extra special event for us.

On Saturday, we went to a small town called Cripple Creek to perform some selections from our concert at the Baptist church. Cripple Creek is an old mountain mining town, with a lot of old history...and a lot of casinos. Nevertheless, I found the little town charming. I found the little church we sang in even more charming. People from all over that mountainous area came to hear us, and they packed that little church to the brim. The concert was free, and donations were being taken for a local charity in need. Singing in that church was one of the most joyous things I have done in a long time. The people were closing their eyes, laughing, singing along, and joining in our musical celebration of Christmas. They were a warm a hospitable people, and so many people came up to me afterwards to thank us for singing. I was filled with joy and satisfaction that I had made these people happy with singing.

It has been a long, dusty road since moving to Colorado. I have never questioned my abilities and my faith more than I have in these recent months. But something about singing in that church with all of those people gave me hope. I felt truly joyful to be here. I felt at peace about moving here with Josh. Singing for the glory of God and the true meaning of Christmas was a true joy. I thought, "If this was all I did to celebrate Christmas, I would be content." I would be content to know that I had given all of my voice to Jesus to celebrate his birth with these humble people. "They sound like angels from heaven," was one comment made by an audience member. The angels sang the of Jesus' birth that very first Christmas, and we are still doing it today. Praise the Lord for his faithfulness in our lives. I know he is being faithful to me this Christmas. He gave me what I needed--HOPE. Hope that Josh and I are in the right place. No matter how hard some days feel, I have hope that God has a good future for us here. I just need to be patient enough to let it happen.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Christmas is Here!

On Friday, Josh and I did some Christmas baking in our apartment. We also made a pizza that looked like a snowman and watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." We are celebrating Christmas in full swing and having a great time. Christmas makes us both giddy and happy. But we absolutely can't wait to celebrate Christ's birth and great gift with our families in a few weeks.

Josh and I also spent a night in downtown Denver. We booked a hotel for one night that had a package to get discount VIP tickets to the Van Gogh gallery at the Denver Art Museum. After we visited to art gallery, we were walking around town and noticed a lot of people gathering along the streets. We had no idea that Saturday night was the night for Denver's Parade of Lights. After a nice dinner out, we joined the masses to watch the parade of lights and floats go down Denver's downtown streets.

The next day we slept in and went to a nearby cafe for brunch. Then we went to the Buell Theatre to watch "White Christmas" the musical. The tickets to the show were a wedding gift from Josh's sister, Joy, and her husband, Philip. It was a wonderful show and ended up being one of the best weekends we've had since we moved to Colorado. I will share some pictures of our fun weekend.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and GOD BLESS YOU THIS SEASON!