26 Things...Transferred from crazy facebook.

I have to say that I kind of doubt I'll be able to top Peyton's. Just sayin'...
And, I'm doing 26 because Dora did and I think she's cool. :)

1. I love making things match. Take my bathroom...it pains me that all my tissue boxes can't match the color scheme of my little 3x5 space.

2. My home church is in Tacoma, even though I've never technically lived there. Sometimes I miss them so bad it physically hurts.

3. I have a Congressman's business card in my wallet. I was walking him backstage at TheCall (but didn't know who he was). He handed it to me after I, in a shell-shocked state, had a hard time remembering whatever name he said after "Congressman..." his position? Representative, "United States Congress".

3. I've been on a real football field (Qualcomm in San Diego)! Woohoo! Too bad I didn't tackle anybody (and there were no footballs around).

4. I get scared of sharks in the deep end of swimming pools.

5. My claim to fame in Kansas City is pretty much totally the coconut cakes I make from time to time. Now not only do people ask me if I'm related to Elizabeth [RED HAIR ALERT!], they ask if I'm the cake-baker they read about on Randy's blog.

6. I love playing classical piano but CAN'T STAND practicing.

7. I finished high school in three years.

8. Mike Bickle gave me $1 when I was 8, and I'm still praying through the bitterness about how I had to spend it at the coffee shop, but other people who I talk to who he gave money didn't have to.

9. I flew alone without telling the airlines I was actually an unaccompanied minor and survived.

10. I'm seriously considering not going to college. THERE! I said it.

11. The only time I have ever talked to Michael W. Smith, he was wearing pink sunglasses.

12. I fed the B. twins at the same time the other week, AND mastered the "double dismount" -- how to put them down at the same time after holding them both. That made me happy.

13. I went on a boat for the first time summer '07 in Tacoma -- it opened new doors of joy in my heart.

14. It seems to be a favorite of everyone to put their habits of falling asleep on these lists so here's mine: I listen to my sleep playlist: a little Misty, a little Reimherr, a little Josh Groban, and I'm in a state of rest.

15. Oh! Before I got an iPod speaker for my birthday from my fabulous parents and sister & bro-in-law, I would just go to sleep with my earbuds in. This began to worry me as morning after morning I woke up with the chord completely around my neck. I kept doing it because I figured the chord wasn't strong enough to choke me, but personally, I'm glad I survived.

16. Sometimes I think being an administrative assistant is my dream career.

17. I really have a hard time eating just one cookie. 

18. I have only one outfit I wear gold-colored jewelry with, and even that's not set because I'm wearing the outfit with silver today. Gold might match my skin tone better, but I don't prefer it.

19. I've never been overseas, and I've only been to Canada once (I was 2 and don't remember it).

20. I was too little to remember, but my family says I told them about Jesus actually appearing to me when I was really little. Apparently, He told me I didn't have to be afraid, and for the first time in a long time, my dad had a night where he didn't have to come stand in my room so I had peace to be able to fall asleep. I told them about it the next morning.

21. I've lived with my sister for the home-coming of two of her children.

22. I don't like milk in my coffee or my tea...half and half only! (and WAY too much sugar)

23. I have a secret dream of singing on a worship team in the prayer room. 

24. I used to really want to be a doctor (even said it in my 8th grade graduation speech!), but now, the thought is really hard for me to deal with.

25. I have what is probably an unhealthy obsession with goldfish. (the kind you eat...or at least the kind people who aren't Mr. Mann eat).

26. I love Jesus. If I could give everything, even my life, all for Him, it would be worth it. I can't wait to see His face.

Remembering.

A few weeks ago, I was looking through my blog to remind myself what I was doing last year. I was trying to tally up all the money I earned (I'm not quite to the point of filing my own taxes yet...I don't think anyone's really sure when that will actually start), and had this strange feeling I was forgetting something. Where do you chronicle your life? On the blog! So, I revisited to jog my memory.

In my scanning, I found this post.

Oh my goodness. That was not so long ago, yet my life is so different.

Can you hear the hopelessness in my writing that day? I can. And how I asked we could hit the "restart" button? Actually, Jesus was planning on hitting the "restoration" button. My life...Jesus has done the most amazing things in my life since I wrote that post.

I moved to Kansas City, got the most amazing miracle volunteer post that turned job, have connected with the most amazing friends, met some of the most amazing families, I live down the street from the Prayer Room and go every Sunday to worship with tons of people who love Jesus, all FOUR sisters live in the same city, I've been to San Diego, to DC, I saw Chloe, Peyton, Jackie, Nick, Nick, Christy, Alyssa, & Michelle at onething, my heart has been reminded of the things the Lord has whispered to me over the years, Jesus has told me more about who He made me to be...I could go on and on. Basically, I'm SO HAPPY. That post last May? The hopelessness littered through it has been gradually defeated by the unbelievable, undeserved goodness of God, and there is no doubt in my mind this is EXACTLY where I'm supposed to be right now.

Restart? No, no, no. Definitely restoration. It's the best.

Thank you, Jesus.

One Week Anniversary

Happy One Week Anniversary, stuffy nose.

It was this time last week that I woke up in the dark of the morning with white spots on my throat.  I headed off to do my fill-in nanny job anyways and felt moderately miserable until I went to bed later that day.  

Thankfully, the white spots went away, but Mr. Congestion has stuck around...  I kind of wonder what his personality is because he seems to like to MOVE but never LEAVE.  Sometimes, it's my nose.  Sometimes, it's my throat.  One day I coughed a little and the coughs sounded loaded [you know what I mean] but the next day it was back in my nose.

I have, however, kept myself tanked up on Sudafed ever since, probably in response to some comment about going the natural route, my sister made a comment to the tune of: "The more you keep it cleared out up there, the less chance of a sinus infection."  NO SIR-EE.  No sinus infections for me.  I've been tempted to pretend that the Sudafed directions actually say 3 hours instead of four, but it's okay...I was patient.

Yesterday I felt better -- only one dose in the morning!  Today, my nose is running like the Salmon of Capastrani.

Dear cold/flu/whatever you are....don't you think a week is long enough?

Not yours,

Annie

Excuse me, but you're wrong

The truth:

Psalm 127:3

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

The fruit of the womb is a reward."

I would argue that if our country wants to see an improvement in the state of things, we have to do quite the opposite of what Speaker Pelosi is proposing.  How about we agree with God's heart on the subject of children?  Let's value LIFE -- praise Him for every child He gives, and do our best to love each one the way Jesus does.  

I think overall, society is missing one vital piece of information: the physical state of things is directly related to the spiritual state of things.  We can never expect our hands to prosper while our hearts reject God.

The Lord controls economies; He gives and withholds prosperity.  

This whole happening only reminds me of the way this very subject of LIFE and honor of God has been on mine and hundreds of others' hearts recently.  I feel like the Lord has been highlighting it in a new way in my heart over the last few weeks, and I'm not the only one.

Read Amy's blog about it.  It's not being overly dramatic to believe that the Lord does execute judgments, and I was so moved by how matter of factly Amy said the truth...that the Lord will shake us to turn us toward righteousness.  Judgment is mercy in some ways: it would be the opposite of love to leave people wallowing in the ultimate self-destruction of sin.  The Lord shakes to turn people's eyes towards Him.

And Suz.  The other day, she happened to find an article on an immunization information website that explained how some of the most common vaccines (rubella, chicken pox) we and our children are getting were originally formulated using the bodies of aborted babies.  Read her outrage that no one told her before she gave the MMR vaccine to her children HERE.

God, end abortion and send revival to America.  There is hope, and His name is Jesus.

This Smile Brought to you By...

Happy Slip

Let's face it...she's right.

Samuel Eisenhower

For reals...does it get much cuter?  We can hardly believe he's not a newborn anymore! He is 3.5 months old, but has just moved into his 6-9month wardrobe, and the chubs just keep coming.  (In case you're new to this blog, this baby is not mine...he's my sister's)

Today was the first time he laughed for me, and it just about melted my heart.

Note below: the belly squinchy-ness

And -- the double chin...I think he's approaching a triple!

Oh, I know I just made your day with those pictures.  No thanks necessary. 

Where did she go?

Today I had a thought: I miss Secretary Rice!  I just think she was cool.  Smooth, beautiful, genius...I just thought she was pretty much awesome.  Then, in one day, she's gone!  I just realized she doesn't have her job anymore...  What do people from the old aministration do when they get honorably discharged?

Plus, she was a concert pianist.  It doesn't get much cooler.

Tuesday

President Obama is, well, President.

As I've typed before, there is not one issue more important to me than abortion.  Watching Tuesday broke my heart because of the babies...  Because our country just voted in a man who is expected to appoint a couple judges to the Supreme Court.  Considering his ideologies, those judges would be expected to lean far to the left, including a defiance of any sort of ban on Roe v. Wade.  Now, I can totally see the Lord stepping into this situation - picture this possible outcome: Obama appoints a judge that seems like a promising liberal, but instead turns around and becomes the key to overturning Roe v. Wade.  That I can see happening.

But there's more than the judges.  There's FOCA, and that he's expected to lift the ban on using US tax dollars to fund abortions in Mexico.  Most of all, there's the simple heartbreaking fact that our country said they were okay with it.  Honestly, it's not just Obama's problem.  

It's mostly ours.  The people...they have said yes over and over again.  The thought of a society that doesn't flinch at the killing of babies being legal...that breaks my heart.  I want Jesus to come back.

"We're standing in the gap, between this nation and Your wrath.  We're guilty, have mercy..."

My other thought of the day sprouted out of so many people referencing their wishes of "What if Martin Luther King could see this day?  Don't you wish he could have been here to rejoice?"

And I thought: "What if MLK could see this day?  How grieved would he be?"

Now, yes, it is victory that there is a black President.

But when I think about MLK, I think of a man who fought for righteousness.  I don't think he fought injustice out of pride or because he wanted good things to happen to him.  I think he fought because what was going on was absolutely EVIL.  I think he was a man who had met God, and had been given a fire in his bones to attack something that was unrighteous.  I think he fought because it was RIGHT.  And I think his definition of RIGHT came from the Word of God.

So, bring it all together.  Yes, the fact that Barack Obama is President is such a step forward.  But would this great pastor who forty years ago fought for freedom for his people, rejoice in limited victory at the expense of righteousness?

There's no real freedom apart from Jesus.  When His righteousness reigns on the earth, we will have a such greater understanding of what it truly means to be "free at last."

Highlights

Let me point you to...

Suzanna -- She returns to the blog!  See, I live with her and know firsthand that she is WAY to busy to blog normally.  When she does get a moment to sit down, though, it is a real treat.  Check out her writing and smile...I promise it'll make you laugh.

This quote: "God wills that we should push on into His presence and live our whole life there...It is more than a doctrine to be held; it is a life to be enjoyed every moment of every day."  -A.W. Tozer The Pursuit of God

To enjoy God and be enjoyed by Him.  Doesn't that blow your mind?  Every day of your life, God enjoys you, and every day of your life, you wake up created to know God and enjoy Him?  

The Chiropractor that Wasn't

Well, he might have been, but...we didn't stay long enough to find out.

Suz and I have been needing to go to the chiro for a very (very) long time.  In fact, I should have made a bee-line for the adjustment chair when I, as a sixteen year old, felt like I had the back of an 84 year old who just pulled every muscle below her ribs.  

We've been especially looking for doctors that specialize in "Upper Cervical" adjustments.  Best case scenario, there would be a NUCCA doctor around, but there's not.  Basically, if you go to a NUCCA doctor, they adjust your atlas bone at the top of your neck, and that aligns everything.  Seriously, it's awesome.  I don't really want to go somewhere to get a violent adjustment, because that scares me.  It is your spine, after all.

So, we look for doctors who specialize in Upper Cervical adjustments.  Charles Heflin is the one that we find.  Suz calls, he makes her an appointment (one of those "come in on Friday" to which Suz replies "Uh, okay...")  Suz, baby Samuel and I drive, we drive (on a snowy highway, mind you) and finally get off and drive past buildling after building that inspires a feeling...it would be an absolute lie if I tried to describe it as confidence.  We have to turn around because we miss the office.  Where is it?  Oh, it must be that rickety white house in the middle of the two funeral home parking lots.  Oh, good.

Our car getting parked makes the second one for the lot.  The only other automotive presence is a [super] old beater with a fuzzy steering wheel cover that looks like it hasn't moved an inch in thirty years.  Suz says: "I hope that's not his car..."  Alas, there is one set of footprints from the car to the door.  I observe: "Maybe he told you to bring your X-rays because he doesn't even have a way to take any..." 

After sitting in the car for a few seconds pondering how very bad all the clues are, we get out and add our sets of feet to the snow record.  There's a half-lit neon "Chiropractic Clinic" sign hanging in the window.  Upon entering the house, we enter the house a second time (what's up with second doors with nothing in between).  We are then faced with options, go up the stairs, go through a closed door, or go into the waiting room.

Or at least, we guess it's the waiting room.  It has chairs and magazines and an ALDO bag hanging from the coat rack.  It does not have a receptionist or a desk for a receptionist (so that's why he answered his own phone!).  The decor takes you back, oh, about thirty years (and technically, that should be impossible for me).  Dark paneling, striped carpet half way up the walls, a coat of arms with three swords sticking out of it, and an open-mouth bass looking as if it's about to swallow you whole make you feel instantly uncomfortable.  There's one lone speaker sitting distinctly apart from the wall playing elevator music, and a wicker basket plays its crown.  (The elevator music was what really convinced me).

No one has come to greet us.  Suz and I stand close together, taking in the scenery.  It's breathtaking in a bad way.  Of course all I have to say is: "Well, it'll be fun to blog about..."  I'm sure our thoughts wander to whoever didn't make this space very welcoming or comforting with his hands on our spines and...bam.  Suz whispers "I think we should go".  I nod in affirmation, and we high-tail it.  Of course once you're sneaking away from a doctor's office (if it was really that) you're all worried that he's gonna come out and greet you (finally!) and you'll have to do some awkward explanation.  Personally, I couldn't wait to drive away.  I could just picture him running out of the house, arms flailing, trying to force us to stay and meet our doom.  

Drive away we did, though, and I think it was the right course of action.  Our search for a chiropractor marches on; hopefully next time we can at least get an office with a receptionist.

Sigh

35 minutes ago, my birthday ended.  Oh, it was so splendiforous.  You want proof?

Saturday -- girls' day out at Cheesecake Factory (followed by movie and shopping!):

Party today after church:  Christina the wonderful...

Zoe, the cutie:
Randy, Jackson and baby Anna (can you tell she's loved?!...Jackson and Anna are Randy's first and fifth/sixth --she's a twin...I don't know who's older!-- children):

Wendy and Ariel:

Zoe likes cupcakes:

Evening with the family.  Yes, those are sugar-glazed lemon slices.  Yes, that is a beautiful sugar filligree design gracing the top of the cake.  Yes, my sister is amazing.

It's lemonade, people.  Lemonade.

And the part there aren't pictures of?  The part where Jesus spoke so incredibly clearly and gave me a church service like I've never had before?  The part where He spoke over who I was and how important it is that I'm turning 17 TODAY (for real...you have absolutely no idea how awesome this morning was...when was the last time you heard the preacher call all the 17 year olds out?  hmmm??)?  There aren't pictures of that, but it was the BEST PART.

My heart is heavy...

Yesterday, standing in the pharmacy section of Target, I saw and heard two girls. They weren't old -- maybe 18, 19... They were [nervously] giggling and one was giving advice to the other: "I just like this one because it says 'Yes' or 'No'...no faint lines you have to try to read." They went on to confer about how many to get, and how expensive the tests were. I thought about saying something, but my mind came up blank and I walked away before they did.

I spent the next fifteen minutes walking around like a zombie-of-sorts, picking out my brown sugar and my flour, the half and half and the cream...crying inside. I held it together until I got back in the car and my mind raced: What if Jesus had been standing in the aisle with them? He was. He was and I kept my mouth shut. What if she is pregnant, and doesn't want the baby like so many others... And I wept. It hurts so bad... So much of it. Why is this a reality in our culture? Why, to so many, would that scene be somewhat "normal"? And why...why am I so frightened? So what, I didn't know what to say...what if I had tried...

I went back into the store, literally thinking about answering Christ on judgment day for my actions that night. I walked through the aisles, didn't see them, and ended up in the baby clothes section, buying gifts for babies I know...I like to call them the "Rescued Ones"...Anna and Mercy, adopted through a series of miracles, hours from being put into foster care.

Jesus, I give you those girls. I ask that you would break into their lives. I ask for Divine protection over any babies that perhaps may be resting inside of them. Set your path for them, set your path for their children... and Jesus, make me bold. Forgive me for keeping my mouth shut...forgive me.

Then today, answering normal general e-mails that come into TheCall, I read one that said that Congress could be voting on the Freedom of Choice Act as soon as January 21. Looking it up, I found this article. Quote from Cardinal George about the ramifications of FOCA potentially being passed:

Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as would be laws banning procedures such as partial-birth abortion and protecting infants born alive after a failed abortion. (emphasis mine)

That makes me sick to my stomach, and I literally have a hard time thinking of something more evil.

Jesus, have mercy. Please, please let us see the might of Your hand and stop this bill. Protect the babies...

Then, Bound4LIFE twittered this article from 1871, published in the New York Times. If only they would publish it again. Back then there was no controversy...abortion was murder. They saw it though it happened in secret, and apparently, they wrote about it. The last line reads:

Certainly enough [information] is here given to arouse the general public sentiment to the necessity of taking some decided and effectual action.

If only the man who wrote that article and entitled it "The Evil of the Age" could see us now...

My heart is heavy.

I have my moments

Just call me oxy.  

There are certain moments in my life (I'm not quite ready to make a blanket statement about ALL the moments yet) where I am an oxymoron.  Examples you want?  Well, since you asked...

I have been absolutely convinced for years that I don't like to write || I love to blog.

I've also been sure that I don't like art for a very long time || I really enjoy designing with color schemes...love putting together rooms, love color coordination in weddings... (And when I have my own house, I want a bamboo-green dining room, with brown dishes, so as to showcase my awesome brown tea set from China!  I kid you not when I say that I think about these dishes a lot...multiple times in the last month have I wondered if you can even find nice brown dishes, and whether or not that would be weird, etc.)

I love to give people things || I'm absolutely convinced gifts are not my love language

Chicken is difficult for me || Chicken nuggets are my fave! (especially Chick-fil-a...love them)

Gym class was the worst! (I suspect it was having to change into gym clothes) || I really enjoy running on my own.

Sports?  Ahem...learning how each individual sport works took me about as long as it took me to finish high school. || Soccer!  I think soccer is SO fun to watch.

Never ever ever in my piano career have I practiced enough || I sincerely hope that soon I get my act together and build my repertoire because I LOVE being able to play fun pieces well.

What about you?  Where are your ironies?

He's Coming.

I didn't sit in for much of the onething conference this year, but I'll tell you what I did take away from it.  A song:

"We miss you, Jesus

We just want you to return.

We are lovesick, Jesus.

We just want you to come back.

For the Spirit, and the Bride say 'Come'

Yes the Spirit and the Bride say 'Come!'

O, that You would rend the heavens! (3x)

And come down...

You're the only solution!

You're the only resolution!"

Misty sang it, and I especially love that first line: "We miss you, Jesus..."

This same line struck me from a small group discussion with one of my favoritest people ever, Tim R.  We talked about fasting and why you fast.  Sometimes fasting seems to be kind of a crazy thing to do, ya?  But when Jesus says:

"How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast."

you kinda get the idea of missing him.  You know what I mean?  Imagine you're the disciples: you get to walk around with the God-man for three years, hear his heart, watch Him work, learn His ways, listen to Him speak directly to you about what happened that day...and then He's gone.  At this point, you know a few things:  

1. He's alive.  
   
2. He's coming back.  
   

Now, if you were them, you'd want him to come back sooner rather than later, wouldn't you?  I mean, I know they walked in power, spreading the Gospel, but imagine this scenario:  One week, you walk through a hospital with Jesus.  He cures the cancer, the paralyzed walk, the schizophrenic are put back to their right minds...  Then you have to walk through the next week without him.  As much as the power of God might flow through you, you lay hands on a few, and they are made well, wouldn't you so much RATHER watch Jesus do it?  Wouldn't you rather see it in their faces as they actually see, eye to eye, the Man who created them, loves them, and came to rescue them from their prisons?  Wouldn't you rather watch Christ's eyes light up as He sees another one of His children free?

So, here we are.  I don't know about you but I LOVE Jesus.  He's real, He's touched my life, and all I want is to know Him.  I just want to KNOW Jesus.  I promise you, it's the best thing you can do, this searching out of Christ.  It's the best way to spend the minutes of your life...it's one thing you can do this side of eternity that will last on the other.  

And how does fasting come in?  God created fasting...it obviously must have a purpose.  It must have some strategic way it unlocks our hearts.  Are you following me?

The last thing I want to do is fast out of what I might call "religion".  I honestly don't think fasting out of guilt is gonna get me very far either.  And, I've heard fasting described as "voluntarily putting yourself in a place of weakness" and then letting God move.  And then this idea of fasting because we miss Him came in...

When I think about fasting because I just love this Man so much...  When I think about the fact that I miss Him, and my world will be put aright when He returns (and He IS returning...make no mistake about it)...  When I think about the fact that my Jesus is perfect, but my world is turned around and inside out...when I think about how babies are being killed, children enslaved, people's lives are torn apart by selfishness both by dictators in Africa and by our self-focus as we sit in our comfortable Western living rooms...then I long for my Jesus to come back.  Then everything in me cries out for Him to come back.

It makes me miss Him.  And when I miss Him, my heart is tenderized...Oh, to love to fast and pray because of how close you feel His presence when you do.  Oh to not tire of spending hours in the Bible because it is the very WORDS of this One my heart loves.  He is the answer.  He's my answer, He's your answer - "You're the only solution..."  Jesus is coming back.  He's going to make the wrong things right, He's going to make the dark things light...  If you're having trouble connecting with the idea of "missing" Jesus, just ask Him to speak to you about it.  Ask Him to speak to your doubts and answer your questions.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13

This blog isn't saying I've reached the pinnacle, but I'm moving.  Fasting makes more sense when I think about it this way.  There's this feeling I can't quite describe with words; like there's a great mystery of how you abstain from food for a time and Jesus meets you in a special way...it is quite a mystery, isn't it?  

Jesus has me on the right track, and my choice daily has to be to love Him.  Love Him with my all, and everything else will follow.  Jesus is coming -- don't waste the time you have before He gets here.

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My sister wrote an awesome blog about reading the book of Revelation...  Scroll down to "Reading the Last Chapter" HERE!