Baptism

A few years ago a good friend, Ed, told me "God will get ya, you will find Him someday!" Of course me being me back then just said, "Yeah maybe when hell freezes over!" So I called Ed last week to tell him I was getting baptized Easter weekend he was very excited for me. When I asked him if he was surprised he said No because he had faith it was going to happen someday. I still remember when I was very pregnant with Michael and every day at work Ed would say the same scripture to Michael in my belly. He said my son was going to know the Word before he was born. At the time I humored him and let him do it as I giggled and rolled my eyes with that whatever attitude I had. I now use the Bible that Ed gave me that I had stuffed in a drawer since he gave it to me. It is now one of my most prized possessions.
So because I said I would believe in God when hell froze over there have been a few jokes going around in the last week or so that it is all my fault that Quincy is having an unusually cold spring and that the snow just doesn't want to go away here in Anchorage. ;)
So this last weekend I was baptized at Changepoint and let me tell you it is the best feeling in the world. As I sat in the water and they read my story and I just kept thinking about how different things were before. It is hard to put into words what it felt like but here is kinda how it was for me. It's like being trapped in a pitch black room. You can't see anything or go anywhere. It's lonely and sad. You're stuck. Then you see a light leading you up these stairs. There are broken and cracked stairs on the way up so it not easy but you feel "something" guiding you and when you get to the top you feel someone wrapping you in their arms and you feel safe. You can now see everything and you have an overwhelming feeling of freedom.
So long story even longer, hehe..... When I was in the water it felt like His arms were around me protecting me. He was pulling me out of the darkness so I could see. It is the most powerful thing I have ever felt, so powerful that my legs were shaking so bad that I had to be helped out of the water by an usher. I thought for sure I was going to fall.
So that is my very long story and I just hope it touches someone the way some people in my life have touched me.
I also want to thank Michelle, my sister-in-law for being there with me. She got baptized right after I did. It was awesome that we got to do this together. Love you.

You know you're from the Columbia Basin when...

So True!! You know you're from the Columbia Basin when...

You've never met a celebrity.

Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the
highway.

"Vacation" means going to Seattle, Portland or Spokane.

You measure distance in minutes.

You say pop instead of soda or soft drink.

You know several people who have hit a deer or a cow.

You've ridden the school bus for an hour each way. (This was me.)

You've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.

You think ethanol makes your truck "run a lot better."

You know what's knee-high by the Fourth of July. (This is a test)

Stores don't have bags; they have sacks.

You see a car running in the parking lot at the store with no one in it no matter what time of the day or year it is.

You end your sentences with an unnecessary preposition. (i.e., "Where's my coat at?" or "If you go to town I wanna go with.")

You know how to pronounce Wenatchee, Yakima, and Spokane. (Or worse Puyallup)

You know Walla Walla, Washington is a REAL town, not just cartoon!

All the festivals are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, or
animal.

You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both
unlocked.

You think of the major four food groups as beef, pork, elk, and Jell-O
salad with marshmallows.

You know what "cow tipping" and "snipe hunting" is. (Or Carp shootin...ANTHONY)

You only own 3 spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup.

You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

You know how to put on snow chains.

You think everyone from a bigger city has an accent.

The local paper does not cover national and international headlines but
requires 6 pages for cattle prices and sports.

You think that opening day of deer season is a national holiday. (It's not...DAD)

You know which leaves make good toilet paper.

You know the city of Pullman is named after a railroad sleeping car.

You traveled through hours of wheat fields or farms to get to the next
city.

You know the names of the Tri-cities.

Your home town had more cows than people in it.

You actually get these jokes and forward them to your friends!

Fellowship

Christian fellowship is essential to spiritual growth.**
"Christian fellowship involves more than visiting over a cup of coffee in the church kitchen between Sunday school and worship service."
I have to be honest and say that I didn't even know what fellowship really meant until a couple years ago. When I started attending church in Washington a couple years ago it was entirely different from when I was a kid. As a kid going to church with my grandparents was like going to any other appointment. I know that sounds bad but every Sunday morning we would go to church, sit, listen and try to keep Grandpa awake so Grandma didn't get mad at him. Then you go home and go about your life. However, Faith Community Church in Quincy was an entirely different experience for me. I was welcomed with open arms into a family. They were wonderful. I started attending small groups 2 nights a week and services on Sunday (when I could get off work on Sunday). Those people became true friends that I knew I could trust and were there for me. They cared about me and what was going on in my life. Even now living back in Alaska I still keep in touch with most of them. I have found a church home here in Anchorage where I feel just as comfortable and have made some great connections. I have to thank everyone at Faith Community for teaching me what fellowship really meant. I want to thank Dad for showing me what Christ can do in someones life. I love you so much. I want to thank Pastor Jess for changing my life. I didn't even know you but I felt very comfortable going to you. And I have to thank Donna, Brenda and Gena for being my Big Sisters in Christ. Last but definitely not least I want to thank Tia for going through all of this with me. I love you. You have all had a huge part in changing my life.

Slow Dance

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask How are you? Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
Ever told your child, We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste, Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time To call and say,'Hi'
You'd better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.
Life is not a race. Do take it slower.
Hear the music, Before the song is over.

RIP Alan

RIP Alan I can't believe he is actually gone. A very close friend of ours Alan Hartt passed away from a heart attack on Saturday night. I knew something was wrong when my Dad called me at 6 AM Sunday morning. I thought for sure it was Grandma. The last person I expected to hear come out of my Dads mouth was Alan. Alan was young, in good shape, used to be a marine. It really makes you wonder how much time you really have left. He left behind 2 twin girls that were only 16 and another daughter that is 18 and just had a baby boy not too long ago, and the love of his life Karla. I remember I always wanted to be as happy and in love like him and Karla were. I remember Alan from when I was a kid. I used to babysit the girls right after the twins were born. Alan and my Dad were pretty close. My Dad just turned 50 a week or so ago and I just can't imagine what I would do if I lost him. It really does make you realize that life can be cut short in an instant and to never take advantage of the time you have. You always think it won't happen to you or you have plenty of time to spend with the ones you love. Well, things like this kind of put things in prospective for you, ya know. I want to ask that everyone keep his family in their prayers. Give all those girls the strength to get through all this. Alan will be very missed and we love him very much.