E is for Eli

When I say, "I fly home tomorrow morning to visit my family" what I really mean is "I fly home tomorrow to visit Elijah John Emmons." Eli is my nephew. He is 17 months old and is the most wonderful boy in the entire world. He likes to hold my hand. Ahhh....Elijah. If you can't tell- I am pretty excited to see him.

The funny thing is, Elijah is technically number 24 in the long line of my nieces and nephews. You see... I have 2 half sisters that have 9 kids between them. I was adopted by my aunt and uncle who already had 4 kids when my sister CJ and I moved in--- between those 4 kids there are 14 children. The first "niece' was born when I was just three years old. The last one was born this past year. Most people would think it strange that it wasn't until Elijah was born that I really felt like an aunt....

On the one hand I am part of a very large family. I have the 2 half-sisters and the four cousin/sibling combos (even though they are technically my cousins....they feel like siblings). On the other hand, my immediate biological family consists of just one other person. I only have 1 full blooded sister- CJ. CJ is 18 months older than me and my very best friend. She is the closest thing to family that I will ever have- since our mom died and our dad didn't raise us. I am sure that all sisters share a special bond, but I suspect that what CJ and I have is as unique and sweet as it gets. She is the only other person in the world that has known all the details of my life since birth. She is my closest living relative, we share the same DNA. But what I love is that we share the same memories.

I'll never forget talking with Mollie McClellan Ackes after her brother and only sibling, Madison had passed away. She said that (paraphrasing) the grief she was feeling was so strong because she felt like she had lost her childhood. Madison was the only other person that had lived that same childhood along side her, and now he was gone. She had the memories alone. After thinking about what Mollie had shared, I realized how true that was of CJ and me. I know that I have cherished the times we have shared together even more thanks to Mollie and Madison.

I guess that is why Elijah seems like my first real nephew. When he was born, I had never felt so much love in my heart for another person (except Clay, but you all know what I mean :). He is now part of the little family of Rhoda (Katie) and CJ. I can't wait for Eli to start living a life alongside new brothers, sisters, and cousins and to have a heart full of wonderful memories like CJ and I have had the blessing of having all these years.

The Beginning and the End

I had the privilege of going on a couple college tours with our great friend Sarah Delk yesterday. We went to Wake Forest and Elon University. While on the tours, I couldn't help but think back on the college tour trip that I took the spring break of my junior year of high school. My parents had graciously made arrangements to travel with me for the week to check out some of the schools I was interested in attending. When you grow up in a large family, it is rare to get both of your parents to yourself for any length of time.It was one of the few trips that I took with just the two of them, and I felt very special and loved that they both came. The schools we toured were Appalachian State, Montreat, Mars Hill, and Covenant. Clay and I had just started dating a few months before this trip, and he had been living in Virginia for that time. He drove down and met us for the Montreat and Covenant visits. That trip ended being a very special crossroads for me. On the one hand, it would be the last trip that I would take with my parents as their child. It was a celebration of the family we had been all those years. On the other hand, it was the start of the new life I would have. Covenant was the last stop on our trip, and I immediately knew that is where God had wanted me. Clay kissed me for the first time while we were visiting Covenant. We would get married while attending there.


I wish that there could be a special trip every time there is a close of one chapter and the start of a new one in our lives. A time set apart for reflecting, enjoying, and preparing. As I reflected on this idea,my heart immediately moved to my Savior. How do I view this time I have on earth? I think it should be treated similarly to my trip with my parents. It is a trip filled with joy, preparation, communion, and anticipation. I live in the joy of the relationship I share with my Lord. This is a joyful celebration of where He has brought me, but it is also a time of preparation for where He wants to continue to use me for His glory. It is from having fellowship and communion with Him and other believers that He directs my path and works His plan. The anticipation is always my favorite part. There is nothing like it. The night before going to Disney World, the moment before you walk down the aisle, the planning of baby names....all of these are minor tremors in what will be the most anticipated, exciting time in all of creation when Christ returns and makes all things new! My prayer is that I will take time to use the time on earth that God has given me for these purposes, and that just like at the end of the college trip with my parents- I will be certain of where I have been, excited about where I am being led, and loved all along the way.

A Special Visitor

Tomorrow Clay and I are driving to Charlotte to pick up Sarah Delk from the airport.
Sarah was in the eighth grade when we first started student ministry at UPC in Orlando. The Delk family reached out to Clay and me more than any other family ever had. We ate countless meals at their house, played games with them for hours, and got to know one another extremely well. Clay and I loved Ruthie, David, Ryan, Sarah, and Kyle as much as we loved our own families. Leaving the Delk's was the hardest part of leaving Orlando. I remember thinking that we would probably never find a family that we could be that close with at our new church. Why had God done this?
The most amazing thing is that leaving Orlando and the Delk's wasn't the end of God's provision for us (go figure!) The Delk's love and kindness was only the beginning of many of our church families reaching out and inviting us to be part of their families. I never thought of how important that would be until my mom,sister, and niece drove away after helping us move in our new apartment in North Carolina. Sure, we would always have our families a phone call or drive away... but it isn't the same when you can't do life with them.
I was so surprised that I wasn't crying my eyes out that morning as my mom drove back to Florida. God was there. He was there when we spent our last night in Florida on the Delk's living room floor, and he was there when we pulled up to our new home with 20 people helping us unload the moving truck and bringing us food. We didn't even have to go 24 hours without feeling loved by a church family. What a blessing! I am so thankful to God for creating His Church and acting through it to show His love and provision to His people. This week will be special to have Sarah in Winston with all our new families. What a sweet reminder of God's provision and care for the past, present, and future!

Scripture Memory

Those who know me well know that there a special place in my heart for John Piper's ministry and work. I love listening to his sermons and reading his books. I really relate to the way he communicates, and his passions really speak to my heart and quickly become my passions. The other day I was listening to a sermon he preached last year on the importance of memorizing scripture. But not just of memorizing scripture (even the devil and the religious leaders who wanted Jesus killed had memorized scripture), but letting His words abide in you (John 15 was the text). Abide means making a home for the words of Christ in your heart. It might even mean having to move things out to make room for His words. I loved it. I hung on each word of the sermon. I printed it out and read it over and over. I was convicted that I haven't devoted time to memorize scripture. I was encouraged that doing it now would not be in vain. I then downloaded the verses that his church has memorized and got to work.
My first verse is Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations." Wow. I love this verse. I love that through the Bible we discover who God is. I love that God is faithful. I love that He has entered into a covenant with a broken people. I love that He loves with a steadfast love.
Piper was definitely right. Scripture memory is a sweet and precious thing that should be treasured.

Becoming a Blogger: Round 2

Well,

Over one year later....I guess I really must not have been a blogger. But, alot has happened in this past year which makes me think that a lot of blogging is in my future.
1. God moved us from a place that we were comfortable and happy to a brand new place where we knew nothing or no one. This caused Clay and I to grow closer than we ever had in our 7 seven years together. This also caused me to depend more on God than I had ever before. I had gotten comfortable in Orlando at UPC. I knew the ministry, knew the families, knew the city...It was easy to go through the motions of life and ministry without calling out to Him for help, guidance, and strength to draw from.

2. I have more time. My life in Orlando was packed. I worked full-time, with no day off. Any spare time was spent with Clay, and most of that time was in the car because it takes FOREVER to get anywhere in Orlando.

3. I have been doing a prayer journal. I love my prayer journal. My time spent journaling has made me more comfortable blogging.

4. I am still in love with people I know who blog. (Especially Meredith Smith!) I love reading people's blogs, so I guess that makes me think that somewhere out there people might enjoy reading mine.

So here is to a fresh start at the blog!