by Kimberly | Jan 3, 2011 | Bible, Books, food, Uncategorized, Vegetables, vegetarian
Happy New Year! When do you get tired of hearing that? I usually have to wait until after my birthday, which is tomorrow. New Years and birthdays, both great. I used to dislike having a birthday so close to Christmas (school was out so I never got to celebrate it in school), but now I love it, because not only am I starting a new calendar year, but also a new birth year.
1. I had one of the best new years ever! A friend from seminary came over to Raleigh: we cooked dinner, hung out a cool place in Cary, went to the NCMA, and watched movies. It was low-key and wonderful.
2. I already went away from on of my 2011 goals. I ran in a 5k on Saturday and unfortunately left my cell phone at home so I had no interval timer. I finished this multi-terrain, ice/mud, hills, loops race about the same time I finished my first one. So, I wasn’t happy. But, I did it. And I had friends cheering me on and running with me!
3. This is going to be a tough week and a good week. Tough week with many things going on a work and writing kicked into high gear. Good week because I get to have dinner on Thursday night with some of the most amazing RDU friends a girl can have, both new and old, and I’ll be missing some too because of vacations and babies. God is good, isn’t He!
4. Day one of clean eating went very well yesterday! I am thankful for oranges and sweet potatoes that I don’t have to buy because of family! Everytime I have craved nut butter or even milk or egg whites today I thought that God is sufficient for my every need and He is gracious too. I have included seeds in this clean eating: fruits and veggies only while at home. Seeds because I eat hummus and tahini is in it – ground sesame seeds. I’m already thinking post-40 days to see how my diet will be altered, and see how my food-relationships/sin issues have been changed. Thank you God for the cross!
5. Bring on the playoffs! Excited. We’ll see how long my teams last.
6. January… here we go: I’m doing the list here rather a whole new post.
6.1: Birthday celebrating
6.2: Working out and logging milesd
6.3: Stemmerman Inn for my birthday! Thank you Mom!
6.4: Charlotte to prepare for an upcoming women’s conference I am speaking at in March.
6.5: Photog!
6.6: Writing and reading. Sound familiar?
Link Love
1. One of the coolest things I’ve heard from country music in a while – great on the gender issue too. Go Zac Brown!
2. With clean eating for 40 days, I’m making this soup.
3. For those of you memorizing Philippians, John Piper reciting it may spur you on!
4. Do you already need help keeping those resolutions? These apply to any you have made.
5. One of the smartest guys I know, and do ministry with, gives his list of best reads of 2010. And he read a lot more than this.
6. Some great sermons and talks about keeping resolutions
7. After taking off most of 2010, John Piper returns and tells all what God taught him and Noel from their leave of absence. Good stuff.
8. Also, if you have never memorized long passages of Scripture, here are some quality sermons from Andy Davis and John Piper to help you out and to see the benefit of it.
9. If you still need help picking which Bible reading plan to do for 2011, go here. Justin lays a lot of them out for you. I am doing Elevate’s B90X from last year, just multiplying it times 3 with some breather days in there.
10. Her photos are inspiring.
11. 
Recipe coming soon!
by Kimberly | Jan 1, 2011 | flowers, food, photo shoot, random
I look forward to many more in 2011. Enjoy.
by Kimberly | Jan 1, 2011 | random
Happy New Year! As I write this I’ve alreayd run a 5k (with a horrible time, but I did it), had a leisure brunch with 2 good friends, and am now watching the Gators, who seem to have forgotten how to play football, at least for the first quarter.
As I look back on 2010, I look back on it with mixed emotions:
1. Love the friendships that God has sustained and used to nourish me…some in Louisville, some new and old ones here in the RDU area, and of course some fb and faraway love and friendship from people who don’t see me every day.
2. I love my job that God has provided for me. At the end of 2009, I knew this new job was coming. I was so excited about it. Then, however, I don’t think I knew what a HUGE job it was. I mean, you know its going to be great and hard and a God-sized task – but its not until you have been in it for 9 months today that you reaize that you are totally inadequate for it, you are thankful for others who are a part of the journey with you, and you leave every day somewhat overwhelmed with what God has asked you to do. He is good. His grace sustains.
3. The part of my life that I am most disappointed in at the end of 2010 is the lack of healthy living in 2010. I have gained 25 lbs as of this morning, and that can’t be the case. So…here we are back at it again.
4. 2011 will be the year of pushing it hard. In every area: writing (job, blogs, book), exercising (1000 miles, at least 3 races, yoga, kettlebell routines, reading (1 book a week, and I read slow), relationships (which are key to live and I want to keep pouring into those, photography (I love this and I want to get better at it), and cooking (see paranthetical statement with photography). And this is all not knowing what 2011 will hold…I’m praying some big prayers. We’ll see how the faithful God and my Provider will answer those.
So, what I do know…God is gracious, faithful, and willing to forgive. He is the constant and stable in my life. He will be the same on Jan 1, 2012 as He is today.
But, I can change. God’s power and grace gives me reason to change. The cross is my ability to change. The gospel must impact every area of my life.
Who will be on January 2012 when I will almost be 35?
by Kimberly | Dec 31, 2010 | photo shoot
Cary is home to an eco-friendly, all organic wine store that is celebrating 8 months tomorrow – Sip. You need to make it your New Year’s Resolution to make a trip to their store, have a tasting, and love the wine you taste.
Not only is the wine superb, the staff, owned by April Schlanger, is friendly, knowledgeable, and not overwhelming. The owner invited us to her tasting table and gave us knowledgeable information about her favorite wines of 2010.
They have designed their store in such a way where you feel like you are almost in a cafe, a coffee shop, somewhere to stay all day. And I needed a wine for dinner: shrimp angel hair (the sauce needed a good white), and April gave such an excellent recommendation.
The store will also special order wines for you. And they have different levels of “wine of the month” clubs as well. They sell cork art, beers, wine racks, bottle charms, chocolate, and other wine accessories.
Some of the best on the tasting table tonight were:
2009 Lioco
2008 L’Aventure
by Kimberly | Dec 30, 2010 | Books, ethics, Worship
There have been two similar books published in the recent past that were pretty much about the same thing: this one is better. In my opinion, which really doesn’t matter, I know. I loved Platt’s book: all except the familiarity of the stories he told through out the book. I’ve heard him preach on several occasions – and I’ve heard them. So, I could skip over them.
He is very practical and honest in his book: which I love. He just doesn’t give lofty ideas of how to let go of American Christianity – but he actually gives you ways to do it.
If you are ready for a gut-check (as my cousin calls it) – read it. If not, keep it on its shelf and pick it up when you are ready.
“Wake up and realize that there are infinitely more important things in your life than football and a 401(k). Wake up and realize there are real battles to be fought, so different from the superficial, meaningless “battles” you focus on. Wake up to the countless multitudes who are currently destined for a Christless eternity.” – p 15. This hits home because what do we normally talk about in our chuches: this superficial stuff.
“As long as we achieve our desires in our own power, we will always attribute it to our own glory.” – p 46. Do we dream big dreams? I want to start dreaming big and praying big, so when things happen – God gets all the glory. How big do you dream? Do you dream for attainable things in your own power or do you pray for God sized dreams? Ephesians 3:19-21.
We’ve been hearing a lot about this in our ed staff meetings at our church:
“The church I lead could have the least gifted people, the least talented people, the fewest leaders, and the least money, and this church under the power of the Holy Spirit could still shake the nations for His glory. The reality is that the church I lead can accomplish more during the next month in the power of God’s Spirit than we can in the next hundred years apart from His provision. His power is so superior to ours. Why do we not desperately seek it?” – p 54
I need this especially for the work I am doing right now, because it is so often overwhelming to me: “Our great need is to fall before an Almighty Father day and night and to plead for Him to show His radical power in and through us, enabling us to accomplish for His glory what we could never imagine in our own strength. And when we do this, we will discover that we were created for a purpose much greater than ourselves the kind of purpose that can only be accomplished in the power of His Spirit.” p 60
Do you really believe this for yourself? “God has created us to accomplish a radically global, supremely God-exalting purpose with our lives.” – p 83. I don’t think I do. I again ask petty things that I want. But, I know one prayer I always pray that hasn’t come true yet. But, I still pray it.
We are starting Backyard Bible Clubs this summer at our church. I thought this quote went very well with the reason we are doing it: “Disciple making is not a call for others to come to us to hear the gospel but a comman for us to go to others to share the gospel. A command for us to be gospel-living, gospel-speaking people at every moment and in every contest where we find ourselves.” -p 94
Who do I go to first when I need advice? “Jesus never intended us to be one voice among, many counseling us on how to lead our lives and use our money. He always intends to be the voice that guides whatever decisions we make in our lives and with our money.” – p 121
Here is his one year experiment and ways that I intened to take him up on it:
1. Pray for the entire world. I haven’t decided yet how I am going to do this, but Operation World is a good start (that he mentions).
2. Read the entire Bible. Again, the plan isn’t in place, but it will be done.
3. Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose: I’m partnering this year with PSSWF because its close, the gospel, and tangible.
4. Spend your time in another context. Every month my church works with two low-income/homeless ministries here in Raleigh: feeing the homeless in Moore Square and With Love From Jesus. Once a month I will partner with these. This definitely takes me out of my upper-white neighborhood.
5. Commit your life to a multiplying community. Pray dot org. Done.
How will you live the experiment? For one year. This is a new year beginning, start now.
