strahl life

6 months old

2008-12-15T17:12:00.003-05:00

the light was coming through my window so
beautifully, i just had to take a pic

avocados. yum.

ken making her smile. he can do that
really well.

not so christmas-y

2008-12-15T17:08:00.002-05:00

this year i'm not feeling so christmas-y. its december 15 and we still have no tree, no decorations, no hints of the holidays in our home. every year i get excited, but not this year. i am excited about other things like ken's trip to south africa, the toy store at church and spending good time with friends and family. i guess those are the things in life that are infused with the aroma of Christ and so maybe I am christmas-y after all.

she's gonna love food

2008-10-15T15:24:00.003-04:00

lylah is growing way to fast and i am not sure i'm ready for all the changes. today she tried rice cereal for the first time and seemed to really LOVE it. she licked her bib, it was that good! and, ya, we had to feed her in the car seat because we are in denial that she is old enough to eat from the table... no little chair purchase yet...i guess we should get on that.

yum yum

eating remainders off bib

labor day weekend at the beach

2008-10-02T22:42:00.009-04:00

loves the beach like mom and grandma marsh

qt with dad

ahhh...feet in the water

love my dad

dreamy sleep together

beautiful

happy!

Yessss!

2008-08-23T00:24:00.003-04:00

look what i can do!

2008-08-22T23:13:00.002-04:00

L's first trip to the beach

2008-08-20T10:26:00.004-04:00

she really liked it!

2 months old and smiling

2008-07-31T23:46:00.005-04:00

Lylah's stats at 8 weeks: 12 lbs 10.5 oz 24 in.

We love to see that grin!

what were we thinking...

2008-07-21T17:10:00.002-04:00

So, last night we may have done a silly thing. Before having Lylah, Laura and I talked a lot about integrating kids into our life and not feeling like kids have completely taken over our lives. We would often talk about things we would want to keep doing and incorporating our kids into that. Well, one example of that was going to the movies. Friends have often said that they can't go to the movies because they have kids which is great for them. However, we wanted to try something different. See, some of our other friends and us went to see Matrix Reloaded when it came out years ago and to our surprise just brought their baby with them into the theater. It was so awesome and I remember thinking, I want to try to do that. Ok, fast forward to last night. We were hanging out with our sunday night crew and someone had the idea to go see The Dark Knight, the latest batman movie. Laura and I really wanted to see it and also wanted to see how Lylah would do at a movie. So, we chose the adventure versus the safety and comfort of staying home. The movie started at 9:45pm, but little did I know that it was 2 hrs. 30 mins. long (don't know if I would have gone knowing it was that long). We get there and Lylah is already asleep as planned, yeehaw!! She miraculously stayed asleep during the entire movie, well almost. She started getting a little restless toward the end, but still mostly asleep. Can you believe that? 2 hrs. and 30 min. of non-stop action and she handled it great. Far better than me as I was worried about her at the beginning of the movie. Apparently though, I didn't think far enough ahead. Lylah began to wake up on the ride home. She had been sleeping from about 11pm to about 7-8am getting up then only to eat. However, this night she was asleep from 9:30pm till after the movie. When we got home, she was wide awake at a very late 1am. It would take her till about 3-3:30am to go back to sleep again. Laura and I were so tired, wondering to ourselves the whole time if it was worth it. Needless to say that today I am wiped, but doing ok. So, what's my takeaway from our adventure: better planning next time, but movies out are in no way off limits. By the way, the movie was freakin' awesome if you're interested. One of the best movies I've seen at the theater in a while.

Times like these

2008-06-25T10:35:00.003-04:00

Last night, our friends Amy and Sanchez came over to spend some time with Lylah and share some pictures of their trip to Puerto Rico! Lylah was content in Amy's arms for quite some time while making fun noises in her sleep. Later that night, I had Lylah in my lap for a couple hours at least and we just had the best time. We Oooed and Ahhhed at each other the whole time. Those moments are just awesome, indescribable really! She was so content and we just enjoyed each other and let momma catch a nap. Lylah is beginning to smile more, though I still think it's more involuntary. However, that means she's closer to smiling on purpose and that will be great. One unexpected thing with Lylah, she really likes laying on the changing table to change her diaper. She can be fussing like crazy, but the second we lay her on the changing table, she is so content. I'm not sure if that thing is just comfortable or she knows that relief from a dirty diaper is coming. Either way, I'm not complaining because it's nice! I really love her!!!

the other morning...

2008-06-20T18:02:00.002-04:00

i found these two like this...sound asleep

It's official!

2008-06-19T15:10:00.003-04:00

I passed my licensure exam. Yeehaw!!

more pics of lylah

2008-06-17T21:58:00.003-04:00

deep thoughts by lylah

work it out, girl

she's doing good out here in this crazy world

2 weeks

2008-06-13T12:10:00.002-04:00

happy 2 weeks old, lylah

a week ago...

2008-06-05T17:17:00.002-04:00

i can't believe that just one week ago little lylah was getting ready to make her entrance into the world! i have been meaning to write about the whole experience in order to help me process it a little more, but just haven't found the right time to sit down and do it. labor and delivery of lylah is an experience i never want to forget. last thursday while we were walking laps at the hospital, talking together softly about our anticipation of her, eating popsicles, and meditating on prayers that our small group wrote down on little pieces of paper were moments that were sweet and sacred. there was an intimacy with God during this time that is hard to articulate in words. i could tell that people were thinking of us and praying for us and that made all the difference in the world. when the pain grew more intense, ken breathed with me and kept me feeling relaxed and calm. our nurse that night was an amazing support and encouragement - i know that God knew exactly what i needed and he provided it through her. when it came time to push i was so scared but so ready at the same time...there was so much adrenaline and so much determination...i can't believe that i actually did it...i told ken that if i ever got through pregancy and birthing our baby it would be one of the most courageous things i have ever done (cuz i am pretty much a wimp!)

as 5:03am approaches this morning (and i am sure i will be up) i will thank God for this precious week of life of our sweet lylah.

Let the games begin!

2008-06-04T14:31:00.002-04:00

So, today begins our 4th day at home with precious Lylah. However, Lylah is winning the nighttime game, 2-1. Laura and I are feeling encouraged though and confident that we can even things up.
Our first night home, it's fair to say that Lylah owned us. The night can be summed up in the word, ill-prepared. Her schedule is still opposite of ours meaning she's awake most of the night when we are trying to get some or any bits of sleep. The advice of friends keeps coming to mind, "sleep when she sleeps". However, this isn't always likely to happen, especially on our first day home. So that night, she really owned us. She was up and we didn't want to be. She wanted to be fed and we had no backup plan. Thank goodness for a sample of some formula that helped supplement her breastfeeding. Lylah 1, Us 0.
The second night home, well Laura and I were more prepared with some extra food ready and waiting and we were more caught up on some sleep. Let's just say that Laura and I worked like a well oiled machine. We were like famous duos of old, Batman and Robin, Bert and Ernie, Bonnie and Clyde, Montana and Rice, Jordan and Pippen, etc. We had each others back each and every time, like clock work. It was a great night! Lylah 1, Us 1.
The third night, last night, Lylah tricked us. We felt rested, I think, we had some food ready, but that didn't seem to matter. She was up and wanted us to be up with her, but that was ok, I expected that. However, she wanted to be up much longer than before. She took us much later into the morning than she had before and there were more diaper changes. Though it was a good night and her and I had some great time together, she still owned the night. Lylah 2, Us 1.

Coming home...

2008-06-04T13:44:00.004-04:00

So coming home was pretty uneventful, we arrived safely with our precious little cargo. I'm sure I was driving slower and more cautiously than I normally do. We showed Lylah her new room and she quickly settled into her bouncy seat all wrapped up in her orange blanket. I love the look on her face and wonder what she was thinking. "Back in the womb, man, those were the days!"

More of our sweet girl...

2008-05-31T20:26:00.004-04:00

Here are some more pictures of our baby girl. We will be leaving for home tomorrow, but for now, we are still adjusting to life with our sweet Lylah. Every moment with her is incredibly wonderful, even just watching her sleep. She is an amazing gift.

She has arrived...

2008-05-30T21:05:00.000-04:00

Laura and I are proud and excited to introduce to you Lylah Esperanza Strahl. She was born on Friday, May 30th at 5:03am weighing 9 lbs. 2 oz. and measuring 21 inches long. We arrived at the hospital yesterday, May 29th, around noon after Laura's water broke at 11am. It was slow going for a while as the contractions were progressing slowly. After receiving an epidural at about 9pm, Laura was able to relax more easily through the remaining contractions. At 4:30am, Lylah was ready to come out and greet the world. The delivery went very smoothly with Laura only having to push for about 30 minutes. The nurses and other hospital staff were great!

Laura and Lylah are doing great! As I write this email, they are both resting together with Lylah sleeping in Laura's arms. Lylah is sweet and beautiful and has already learned how to form a cute pouty lip. Thanks for all of your prayers, words of encouragement, love and support!

Baby Update

2008-05-23T09:00:00.002-04:00

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! She continues to build a layer of fat to help control her body temperature after birth, but it's likely she already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of her skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

That was the latest update on the baby's progress from last week. Today is the "official", really the not so official, due date and she is still comfy inside. We had our last appointment on wednesday and there were no changes. We scheduled another appointment for next wednesday and if nothing has changed by then, we'll have to make plans to induce. We are both ready for the baby to come, obviously laura more than me. This morning I told our little girl that today was her "official" day and that it's time. So, hopefully she's beginning the process in there, you know packing her bags and stuff, don't want to leave anything behind. I'll update more when something happens. For now, we're continuing to get things ready at the house, so much preparation.

Hare Scramble

2008-03-20T16:17:00.007-04:00

Last Sunday we took a trip to the mountains to see our good friend Stu ride his dirt bike in a Hare Scramble race. It was a new experience for us to be around the dirt bike scene and we had TONS of fun.

Stuart racing

Ken wishing he was racing

Laura, Jeanene and Kim (Stuart's wife)

2008-03-14T10:59:00.004-04:00

Ok, so I thought I would post a few of my baby pictures to compare to the front profile ultrasound picture below. Laura thinks the nose and mouth are similar. Hmmm...

2008-03-07T11:36:00.006-05:00

Here are two of the ultrasound pictures that we had done on wednesday morning. It is really exciting to see her features already. The ultrasound went extremely well so that is fantastic news!! At this point she measured 3 lbs. 4 oz.!!

Here is the front profile and that isn't her arm across her face because you'll see where her hand is below. That is part of the umbilical cord I believe.

Here is her side profile and you can see her cute little hand near her nose.

Baby Update

2008-03-04T11:07:00.000-05:00

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can open and close her eyes, which now sport lashes. This movement is more of a reflexive blink than a deliberate opening and closing, but it won't be long before she's batting those beauties at you.

Baby update

2008-02-15T20:30:00.000-05:00

Your baby now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber), from head to heel. Her weight will more than triple between now and birth as she rapidly puts on baby fat. She'll need that fat to help adjust to colder temperatures outside the womb and as a source of energy and calories in the first days of life. It's not uncommon for newborns, especially those who are breastfed, to lose weight (sometimes as much as 10 percent of their birth weight) in the first week after birth.

our small group

2008-01-15T14:17:00.000-05:00

we love our small group. they have been our close and dear community for the past three years. ken does an amazing job of leading us and we both hope it keeps going for a long time. here are a couple of pics of some of the crew.

liz and jamie

sarah and jim

meesh and jordan

Baby Update

2008-01-14T09:17:00.000-05:00

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. If you're having a girl, her vagina is formed now, though it will continue to develop until birth. Your baby is really on the move now. Fetal researchers say babies move about 50 times an hour even while sleeping. All that movement helps stimulate your baby's physical and mental development. You may not notice 50 kicks, punches, and twirls during the day, but as you're settling down at night, don't be surprised if your little girl seems ready to dance the night away.

Baby S

2008-01-09T12:57:00.001-05:00

Here SHE is. Coming live May 2008

still growing...

2007-12-15T17:17:00.000-05:00

Here's the latest baby update:

Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and he's around 5 inches long. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now, rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden into bone. Some of it will remain cartilage for years after he's born. A newborn's skeleton has 300 parts (a combination of bone and cartilage). As your child grows, some of these parts harden and fuse together. By the time your baby reaches adulthood, he'll have just 206 bones.

Growth update

2007-12-07T11:37:00.000-05:00

We are now entering the 17th week. Here's what's happening:

At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails. Her fingernails and toenails will continue to grow, so don't be surprised if she needs them trimmed soon after birth.

We don't know the sex of the baby yet and won't know for a while (if we find out), but the update assumes it's a girl rather than an "it".

New news

2007-12-06T23:41:00.000-05:00

So it seems that our trip to Mexico was even better than we had planned. Alas, as a result of our fabulous vacation to the Mayan Riviera, we are now expecting our first child! The official due date is May 23. So, at this point we are adapting to being pregnant and learning so many things. Laura had a rough couple of months but is now in her 16th week and feeling more like herself. We have a LOT to do on our house to get ready for a new addition to the family.

perhaps not so "dream"-y

2007-08-21T11:10:00.000-04:00

"Dreams Tulum"- this is where we are supposed

to be heading for holiday a week from Friday!

After last night's hurricane slammed into the Yucatan

coast, I am not sure what's left of our little resort.
So far it seems that Tulum was spared direct contact with

the storm but who knows what damage was done.

It sure does look dreamy. Hope we still get to go!!

one of my favorite places ever

2007-08-14T15:54:00.000-04:00

oak island, nc

how to buy glasses online

2007-08-14T15:50:00.000-04:00

1. cut out little pieces of paper in the

exact measurements of the glasses you like.

2. hold them up to see if they'll look good

matters of the heart

2007-07-27T14:44:00.000-04:00

Ok, for those of you wondering how my heart stuff is going, I finally got in touch with the doctor today. According to my doctor, everything came back normal. So, what does that mean. Well, in terms of how a CT Angio test is read, everything is normal so all functions of the heart and blood vessels coming in/out of the heart are normal. Does this mean my heart is not rotated after all? Not necessarily. My doctor has not yet received an actual copy of the CT Angio test, he has only received word that it came back normal. So, my doctor will contact me when he has talked with the cardiologist (who is on vacation) and has the actual test results himself. Whew, what craziness!

fun times on the lake

2007-06-20T11:17:00.000-04:00

Yeeeaaaaahhh!!!

Whoooohoooo!!

Chillin'

this is fun!

growing pains

2007-06-01T17:20:00.000-04:00

i've been having growing pains lately. when my spiritual director asked me what that meant yesterday, i found it hard to explain. thus began a whole conversation on my inability (seemingly) to communicate, articluate, and explain ideas, thoughts, and feelings that I know and intuit internally. i absorb things very quickly...books, information, visuals, people's moods and personalities, external surroundings, etc...i take it all in. once its in there it makes great
sense to me...but i don't always know how to get it out or respond. when i attempt to explain my thoughts to people it seems to come out muffled...or my mind goes blank...or i can't find the right words to attach to what i sense and know inside. when i ponder these things, moses usually comes to mind...he didn't think he was eloquent or good at speaking, yet he grew up in Pharoah's home and was well-taught. maybe its a personality thing or maybe its just growing pains...

SD said growing pains remind her of birthing pains. when babies come out they can't speak at first. Jesus was a baby. Jesus was also the Word. sometimes when God is refining a gift he teaches you how to be humble and really depend on him. then, when you speak, you know its a God-thing and people are wow-ed...not because of you, but because how God spoke through you. so, i am experiencing some things that hurt a little, but God is refining me.

what was australia all about?

2007-05-23T13:05:00.000-04:00

when my boss asked me to go to australia i immediately answered "no" in my head. it was bad timing and the thought of trekking off halfway across the world was not peaking my usual sense of adventure. i couldn't imagine how i would ever have the time or energy to participate in a personnel consultation when my semester at school was wrapping up and i had just traveled to SA a few months before. but, after praying about it and talking to ken i decided to let it sit for a while and see if God was up to something with the whole australia thing. after about a month of this i started getting excited about the potential and felt like God was leading me to go. after saying yes, my boss included me in the planning and encouraged me by saying she really wanted a "young" perspective there in the meetings. She went on to ask me to lead the evening prayer times and to facilitate a presentation on my ministry with Latin American missionaries in SIM. i can honestly say now that i am so glad that i went. i don't know if there are huge life-changing lessons that occurred but small pieces of my life puzzle continue to come together as a result of such an experience -- i was delighted to meet other SIM folks; i got more down time than expected; i let God stretch me in new ways; i was inspired by what God is doing around the world; i learned a lot about myself, others and God. i am truly thankful for the experience and love knowing that i am just one small cog in a huge world that God created, loves, and longs to draw to himself.

see some pics below

images from australia

2007-05-23T12:53:00.000-04:00

the opera house

gorgeous sydney

sydney harbour bridge

a cockatoo resting on a fountain in the botanical gardens

a wombat in the wild!

SIM personnel folks from around the world

the camp where we stayed during our meetings

the beautiful bush

koala's are so fascinating!

manly beach

favorite girls continued...

2007-04-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

sweet talia and her mommy are more of my favorite girls.

favorite girls continued...

2007-04-04T11:27:00.000-04:00

sarah and jordan henderson

life together. for real.

some of my favorite girls

2007-03-30T15:57:00.000-04:00

Kim, Laurie, Jeanene, Laura
We live on the same street and share life together.
I love it.

peru

2007-03-07T11:28:00.000-05:00

beyond eating cow hearts and really good ceviche, i spent most of my days in peru working with my good friend Chris Conti on Spanish media materials. one day, however, i made it out to huaycan, a little community just outside Lima. SIM works here to provide wholistic care to those who have traveled into the city to look for better opportunities. They do a great job of meeting physical, spiritual and emotional needs. i sat back and observed missionaries Jean and Bill Williamson train teachers for their upcoming after-school programs. After the training was over i helped them get school supplies together.

sitting with a stirring

2007-02-07T14:20:00.000-05:00

today is one of those days where you're grateful for where you are and where you've come from, but you still have a stirring deep within that you should be somewhere else. not necessarily physically somewhere else...but spiritually...maybe?...I want to know how to respond to the stirrings inside of me...the passion I feel for certain life issues...do you just sit with the stirring? what do you do about it? maybe nothing. or, maybe something. i feel like i have been praying about my response to and engagement in mission for a very long time. just recently the stirrings have gotten louder and stronger...i really long to delve deep into issues of poverty, unity, social justice, and caring for people. but, i want to live in the midst of it and put my hands on it. instead i live in a gentrifying neighborhood where, admittedly, i keep my life so busy that i have "no time" to live with people and be a neighbor. i wish i could stop all my activities and actually live the way my heart is stirring...

on the other hand

2007-02-06T15:51:00.000-05:00

ken gets to go the the wild at heart retreat this thursday

first jm concert

2007-02-06T15:37:00.000-05:00

i get to see him this thursday

pics from berlin

2006-10-06T20:53:00.000-04:00

friends in berlin

berlinprojekt leadership: daniel, kathrine, kosta and christian

good convos

divas

love

berlinprojekt office space/future art gallery

a church for the city

berlinprojekt meets here

getting ready

church in session

after church meal

holocaust memorial

ken moved by the memorial

view from below

Christian [aka. John Cusack]

outdoor cafe life

Anna, Kosta and Ken

berlinprojekt

2006-09-25T18:37:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago Ken and I went to Berlin to hang out with some friends and experience the Berlinprojekt, a church that is reaching the artsy young twenty-somethings of the city. We will post pics.

Late nights in the panel...

2006-08-03T09:06:00.000-04:00

So, we made another big step forward today on the house. We passed our final electrical inspection this morning!! Yeehaw!!!!! On the first try as a matter of fact. So, what does this mean? Well, it mainly means that we no longer have a city permit deadline hanging over our heads. More than that though, it means we can begin hooking up appliances in the kitchen and we're all for that. Hopefully our next picture will include our new appliances in place.

Moving on up!

2006-07-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, so we've made some progress on the kitchen and many of you have asked to see some pictures of the cabinets that we installed this past weekend. There's also some pictures of the kitchen in progress. The pictures are in order as you scroll down.

working on electrical:

a view of the electrical, plumbing and insulation before we hang the drywall:

finishing up some drywall:

hmmm, so how does this stuff really work anyway:

someone peeking through:

ah yes, there are cabinets after all. this is the wall with the range:

and the other two walls. the refrigerator will go in that big space and the sink will go under the window there on the right:

a day in the life of...

2006-07-20T11:02:00.000-04:00

Sometimes there are so many places and people I'd rather be, that I don't take time to appreciate where and who I am. Though my days seem monotonous, I know there is life in each one of them...sweet life in Christ...

Last night Kenneth and I went to bed at 6:30pm and slept all the way through the night. I woke up once around 10:30pm confused about the time of day, my tummy a little hungry, but I soon found myself snuggled up in the covers once again and I was out like a light until 6:00am this morning. For the past couple weeks we have been getting up early, working all day and then coming home to work on the kitchen until 1am or so. Then we go to bed, wake up and start all over again.

I sit at my computer all day, doing administrative tasks, staring at a gray wall and wondering how to keep all my information organized. I would much rather be walking down the cobblestone streets of Mexico surrounded by bright colors and people laughing. But I know there is beauty and life here in the office. We start with prayer time every morning for 30 minutes. As boring as it may seem to me- its still time to be quiet and come to Jesus. Who else gets to do that every morning at work? And there are people here who are deep and wise and wonderful that I have barely scratched the surface of getting to know.

When we get home at night I am reminded that we are in process. Not just with the house but in life. God is at work in us just like we are at work in the house. The renovation process to make us whole and beautiful- like Him. Its hard to be patient in our house...I mean right now you can barely walk through the front door... but we will press on and though the changes may be hard to see on the exterior, we know that they're there inside.

slacker

2006-07-14T11:10:00.000-04:00

well, i am a slacker. one day i will post some birthday and house pictures on here. we have been in high gear working on the kitchen and our efforts will soon pay off. the cabinets are delivered and countertop decisions are being made. in two weeks we will start installation and hopefully by the end of july we will have a working kitchen. how exciting!!

here's a picture of me and amy from our memorial day weekend camping at the beach trip.

clarification

2006-06-07T10:01:00.000-04:00

ok...so i wasn't at the REAL big ben for my bday (i wish)....no, it was the big ben british restaurant in charlotte, north cackalacky. Pictures to come...

big ben and monkeys

2006-05-31T09:57:00.000-04:00

I spent my 30th birthday weekend eating a hearty english breakfast at Big Ben's with beautiful friends and touring the Asheboro zoo with my loving family. Pictures to come.

what to do

2006-05-18T17:04:00.000-04:00

God is either trying to show me (tell me?) that He wants me to stick with ministries I am involved in even though they seem disregarded and unimportant to others, or He is trying to help me see that I need to move on because their unsuccessfulness seems to have me in common. Maybe that is arrogant, cause they don't depend on me at all. I just want to lead well and spread passion. Don't feel like that's happening.

Should I get out of the way?

on the edge of something

2006-05-10T09:44:00.000-04:00

Ken and I are feeling the urge/stirring/leading/nudging to start pursuing opportunities for full time ministry around the world. Yesterday I wrote International Teams- the guys that got me to Bolivia 10 years ago and to Mexico 6 years ago. I can't believe its been that long cuz both these places continue to anchor my heart with such a force- like I was there yesterday. Who knows what IT may have going on now. We have also been talking to friends at church who are headed toLondon with World Harvest. The whole world is in London and the church is non-existent there. Being a part of something like this could impact the whole world...not to mention being on a team with deep, true, real friends that we have known for years.

Though it will be a couple years before we actually get there (wherever "there" is, it may be "here") would you pray for us?

personal lent learnings [thus far]

2006-04-16T22:31:00.000-04:00

God aches for me and He loves me

Loving myself (truly/like God does) will enable me to get beyond myself and love others

The journey is a process and dependency on God is crucial

I don't really like being exposed or vulnerable

I am fearfully and wonderfully made

Don't give up hope even when you don't "feel" God- He is present in all circumstances

I love music

lent playlist [so far]

2006-04-12T15:55:00.001-04:00

Nashville - David Mead
Beauty of your Peace - Tim Hughes
The Fear you won't Fall - Joshua Radin
Love with Justice - Rita Springer
Someone to Love - Kate Earl
When it was Over - Sara Groves
Heaven Forbid - The Fray
Lord let your Glory Fall - Rita Springer

this blog

2006-04-05T13:21:00.000-04:00

should be called "laura~life" since she's the only one who ever writes anything.

¡Felíz Cumpleaños Mara!

2006-03-31T10:27:00.000-05:00

Que tengas un dia muy bonito y lleno de sorpresas.
Que padre que celebramos juntas el año pasado. ¡Te extraño mucho!

bracket victory

2006-03-27T13:40:00.000-05:00

Kenneth's pipe dream
is getting closer. His
almost NCAA bracket
victory could ensure that
it comes to completion!
We will see!

quadragesima haiku

2006-03-14T11:04:00.000-05:00

Quadregesima
The season of lent is here
Awake my child, wake!

I never understood the concept of "giving up something" for lent. Why didn't my church participate in this exercise growing up? Friends would share their little obsessions and tempations with me, markedly proclaiming that fasting from it would cure or curb their desires. Then they would come back and tell me all the times they had cheated. Why not try to give these things up all year round? Well, that's important.. but there is something sobering, sacred and deep about going into an intentional time of engaging God-especially during the season leading up to His death and resurrection. This year I have decided to carve out some sacred space for these 40 days.

What's really good for me is that our church is combining Lent season with a series on Spiritual Formation. Podcasts can be found here.

2006-03-08T16:47:00.000-05:00

Its good say what you really feel
Its good to come out of hiding
Its good to express yourself around others

What is life if you are constantly shoving down pieces of yourself, real feelings,
and raw personality, to settle for a more fake, more "put together" person you think
everyone will like? Let the real you bubble to the surface in all its messiness. That's
when God can start shaping you by His amazing grace into the person he means for you
to be. Depression can be wrapped up in vicious addictive cycles. The addiction can be
as "subtle" as food, comfort, or self. Take the self, for example. The more I want to please
myself, the more I think I have to please others, the more pressure I put on myself, the
more depressed I become.

c-y-c-l-i-c-a-l

I am amazed at the stunning depths of God's grace. He knows all our junk and still
loves us. He knows our addictive patterns, and still chooses to use us. Still chooses
to make us His residence. A place to live and dwell.

we're famous

2006-03-07T12:29:00.000-05:00

grey's music

2006-03-01T10:48:00.000-05:00

I have to admit- I like Grey's Anatomy. So its gotten a little "hokey" over the last few episodes.. so what, I'm still in. Kenneth, on the other hand, can't deal with the "hokiness." So, I will see how much longer I can rope him into watching it with me. One of the many things I like about it is the music. Yea, I go to the Grey's Anatomy website to look for new music. I can't seem to find another way to hear new/good music. In college, it was SO easy. What happens to you in your late 20's that somehow it gets harder to keep up?? Well, thanks to Grey's Anatomy I have found Joshua Radin . Good stuff.

welcome home!

2006-02-26T21:37:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, we officially received our Wilmore neighborhood welcome. That's right, I came home in the afternoon to find that while I was out running errands someone tried to break into our house. Don't worry, they didn't make it inside, but this guy did manage to break out one of our new windows in our newly finished bedroom. Yeehaw!!!! There's no place like home, there's no place like home...

You know, it's crazy. There's so many thoughts and feelings about this, but it comes as no surprise. Laura and I knew what we were moving into here and we've been saying for a long time that this might happen. We're not all freaked out because again, we thought this might happen. So, from here, we'll just have to repair the damage and move on. I think what we really need is a fence and a dog, ya, that would do it. Hmmm, how long till that happens???

it's official

2006-02-24T09:59:00.000-05:00

Today is my last day at SIM USA. My job with "SIM Latino" has evolved into something bigger than it was before and I will be working with the International Director for the Americas at SIM International. Good thing its only 10 minutes down the street. Yea, the international office for SIM is in Tega Cay, SC. Whoohoo. SO, today I will be hauling some of my junk over there. It's amazing how much stuff you can harbor in drawers, shelves and filing cabinets. I guess I got pretty comfortable here over the last 3 1/2 years!! My email is the same. I will post my new office number when I know it.

brotherly love

2006-02-21T15:49:00.000-05:00

they really do exist

2006-02-16T15:42:00.000-05:00

little ken woke up on christmas morning only to find that the cinnamon rolls really did exist after all

haiku II

2006-02-16T10:27:00.000-05:00

thursday morning
breaking clouds cover
tiny bits of blue peek through
glimmering hope revealed

the uygur
flying through the wind
choices hang in the balance
drifting down again

kate earl

2006-02-09T13:52:00.000-05:00

good stuff

no looking back

2006-02-09T12:42:00.000-05:00

"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

count the cost of following

master bedroom makeover

2006-02-03T09:56:00.000-05:00

With the new windows installed and the trim complete, we were able to start painting. Tonight and tomorrow we will finish putting a second coat on the wall, paint the closet, install the ceiling fan, connect the outlets and light switch, and MOVE IN!! We will be sure to post the final product, but here's a preview of the process:

painting the trim

painting the walls!

blue ceiling

images

2006-01-25T12:35:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I have these moments, kind of like the leaves swirling around outside my window, where I swirl into a creative zone. My heart is stirring and my mind is focused-----often in these moments I am drawn to words and writing, but sometimes I am drawn to images. As a friend was looking through my collage journal yesterday she pointed out a theme in all my images. They were mostly pictures from home remodeling magazines like Country Living (of all things) which one might think.. "oh, that's how she wants to decorate her house..." But, really, I wasn't trying to decorate my house, I was drawn to textures, substances and colors. Real, raw, dark, rich, natural woods and simple, rustic decor that was balanced but unformulated. She asked me why I was so drawn to this theme...
I guess that took my heart on a little journey of discovering my longing for beauty and life in its richest and simplest forms. I don't want to cover or mask the rawness of a wooden chest with paint or shellac.... and I don't want to cover up or mask God living in me. God expresses Himself and His delight over me in my infrequent moments of creativity. I think He is saying, "I live in you and I am Beauty and Life. Your longing is for me, for real Life and simplicity."

more fun pics from ecuador

2006-01-19T11:25:00.000-05:00

sweet girls from venezuela

huh?

hey kirk! sorry i cut off part of your head!

i love colombia and i pray for her

moo. can i cross now?

latina 2006

2006-01-05T09:44:00.000-05:00

here are some pics of Latina 2006- the urbana like conference in Latin America that is held every three years. There are 6 people on our SIM team.. and we set up a display in the zona de exposiciones!

chatting with people at the display

this is the building where we put up our SIM display

look who i found at Latina!! Tim and Annette- good friends from my Mexico days

seminary campus where Latina 2006 is taking place

ecuador pics

2006-01-03T12:26:00.000-05:00

Big church downtown

Happy New Years!

Close your eyes vegetarians

Good friends

Big volcano

Millin' around downtown

desde ecuador

2006-01-01T18:04:00.000-05:00

I love how a computer and a blog can make you feel like you are not that far away from home. Happy New Years everyone!! Today has been a good day of reflection. Not so much on all the ins and outs of last year, but where I want to head in the new year. Since today was a free day, Chris (missionary from Peru) and I ventured downtown Quito to explore, take pictures, and sip cappucinos. We found a great spot in one of the main plazas- El Portal Cafe. They just so happened to have ice cream too...yummy. It was a great place to relax, journal, pray and think. One of my biggest prayers for this year is that I will not settle for mediocrity.. and that I will focus on priorities. Easy to say- harder to do. Sometimes I feel like I live between two worlds and can´t give myself fully to both. Thoughts...
I was hoping to post some pics but not today. Have to find a card reader. Hopefully I can do it in the next day or too. Missing everyone...

fun things

2005-12-31T16:13:00.000-05:00

Our Christmas this year was great!! We spent the Christmas with Laura's family and it was wonderful.
Us before the festivities at her parent's house.

This sleeping bag was Laura's present to me, it's awesome!!

home stretch

2005-12-15T15:09:00.000-05:00

This is it! i can do it!! Monday I turn in all my coursework for the semester -- finally!
This is the home stretch. I can't lose focus now. No distractions. Not even my brother's graduation this Saturday. No sir-ree! Not even my whole family coming down to Charlotte to celebrate my brother's graduation. Not even the fact that my newly married sister is coming all the way down from Rocky Mount. I am sure that I will be able to block them out!!! YES!! BLOCKAGE is the answer!! Not even my other brother's birthday party will skew me away from precious homework. Oh ya, and my other friends' graduation events on Fri. and Sun. --- not even TEMPTING! I will be a recluse. A hermit. A totally focused, serious, non-procrastinating seminarian. Ya, that's me.

the little things

2005-11-19T22:41:00.000-05:00

Ok, so Laura and I were talking about random things we would like to do in our lifetime, well I was talking, she was listening. Apart from cost, purpose, work, etc. what would you really like to do, accomplish, learn at some point? Nothing serious, just fun or silly things. For me, two things:
1) I think it would be great to learn a martial art. I'm not sure which art, or when, but I've always wanted to do this.
2) I also think it would be great to learn to fly. How awesome would that be? I wouldn't have much use for it, but I think I'd really enjoy it.

These were the first two things I thought of, there's so much more.

random thoughts

2005-11-19T22:27:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted some thoughts here. Life seems crazy lately. We had a family member pass away, another guy I knew passed away, I've recently recovered from being sick, we just returned from a wedding in Asheville and oh ya, I'm trying to renovate this house. Craziness, just craziness. Laura is at a friend's house working on some papers that are due soon, so I'm just hanging here.

Life right now seems so much bigger than me. That feeling that so much is happening around me and I'm sort of in the midst of it, not really choosing it, just kind of showing up. With recent events too, just makes me look around at what I'm doing, with work, with the house, etc. Am I doing what I want to be doing? what I should be doing? What is God saying in the midst of all this?

We're going to Raleigh this week to spend Thanksgiving with my family. My sister from Calif. is coming with her family and we're super excited to see them, especially her two boys. The topic of baptism and church has been coming up a lot lately within my family so Thanksgiving should be interesting.

full life

2005-11-09T16:29:00.000-05:00

ken is out side caulking the brand new windows right now.
a couple more hours of sanding and our master bedroom will be ready for trim and paint.
only 3 papers, 1 exam and 2 annotated bibliographies to finish up the semester.
30+ more hours of reading for both classes.
small group tonight, class tomorrow, paper writing this weekend.
this weekend alone i was invited to 2 showers, 1 fall festival and 1 birthday party.

in the midst of it all i am comforted by the promises of God, especially focusing in
on Matt. 7:7-8, *thanks to a good friend's suggestion*

learning how to say no

remembering what life is all about

stopping and experiencing the joys of my day

life is full!

Jeff and Kris's Wedding

2005-10-18T23:11:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, Laura and I were in Rocky Mount, NC for Jeff and Kris's wedding. Kris is Laura's sister. Family came from all over to attend the wedding so it was great to see everyone. We also celebrated Grandma's 80th birthday!!!! It was a great weekend. Here are some pictures:

haikus

2005-10-06T10:56:00.000-04:00

controlling bosses
imprisoned in their own minds
prayer will heal their souls

----------------------------------------------------

flailing in the wind
mysterious green mantis
praying towards the sky

-----------------------------------------------------

dreary rainy day
overcast clouds pressing down
brings refreshing change

hectic september

2005-09-13T09:26:00.000-04:00

We got a lot done on the master bedroom over labor day weekend-- put up drywall in the closet, sanded the walls, did more mudding. Another weekend of working, and we will be ready to paint!! The problem is - last weekend I was in class, this weekend we're going out of town... so maybe not this weekend but the next? Once the master bedroom is finished, we will start moving boxes from the kitchen to the back bedroom. Then we can start working on the kitchen!! We ordered the bathroom door-- it comes in on the 15!! If it works well we will order the other interior doors. The ones we settled on are smooth with 2 panels. Hopefully they will fit in with an old house!

Slowly but surely.........

beignets and cafe

2005-09-02T12:30:00.000-04:00

That is what i love most about New Orleans- reclining at Cafe Du Monde, sipping cafe and eating beignets.... watching the people walk by as a faint saxophone melody drifts through the air. It feels like my culture. It feels like all the stories my family has told me about growing up in Louisiana. It wasn't that long ago that Ken and I were there- he tried beignets for the first time- we walked along the water and through the stenchy stale streets of the French Quarter. I feel very sad for the people who are there right now. I want to drive down to prairieville and be with nanny. i want to help restore peace to a place where many generations of Marsh's have lived.

People are needed and will be needed to help rebuild and restore the affected areas. Samaritan's Purse is open to sending teams of at least 5 down to volunteer in the relief effort.

...and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always...Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings...

reppin' it up

2005-08-17T11:19:00.000-04:00

Communications is a new thing for me. I am currently attending a communication's consultation at SIM International that includes representatives from all over the world. I happen to be representing all countries from Mexico down. There are all kinds of great discussion on how to share products, materials and content. I am helping them keep our developing initiatives in mind as they go forward. Whooohoo.

house update

2005-08-13T14:29:00.000-04:00

The Strahl house as gone wireless. I am sitting in the living room typing this as Kenneth swings a plastic baseball bat in the dining room! Not much else to update, except we did some hefty cleaning and organizing today. Ever vaccumed paper? Hopefully we will get crackin' on this house thing soon. Don't know how much longer I can take it.

Yesterday was Ken's 30th bday!! We are celebrating in the park today-- thus, the plastic bat. I am so excited!! Burgers, friends, cupcakes, a little wiffle ball...I mean, what else is there? :)

2 days after

2005-07-27T13:36:00.000-04:00

my watch says 3:56pm. i can't seem to change it back to Charlotte time. it keeps me mindful and attentive to where people are and what they might be doing right now.
God touched my heart in ways that I haven't felt touched in a long time. He broke my heart for His beautiful people- especially the ones that live day in and day out to serve him and to endure the hardships of the complex and hard society of ireland. But he also broke my heart for the lost.. those wandering around in darkness who don't know the LIGHT and love of Jesus.
I see the shore and the bountiful flowers spilling out of the window boxes... i still feel the slight breeze coming up off the water... I sense a beauty that beckons me to come.. just like the first night eating dinner in Carrig Eden-- I couldn't sit in my chair any longer, I had to go out and experience it for myself!
I want to live in purpose and intentionality. I want to see people. I want to pray and worship and live in community. What we experienced there HAS to translate into life HERE. It just HAS TO or I think my heart will go back into hiding and slowly shrivel up under the pressure of life, busy-ness, overcommittment, pleasure, and the mundane. It has to be about
CHOICES. It has to be about SURRENDERING my life to God.
Don't we all want to be ALIVE?
MY life has been forever changed and it has little to do with another country-- it has more to do with GOD and how he hears prayer.. and responds... how he is inimately involved in each of our lives. How he gives us people to be in relationship with... how he SMILES at our dependence and worship of him.

ps. did i mention that i am IN? (Gordon Conwell that is...) So, i start the masters of counseling journey in september- AH!

hobnobbing

2005-06-22T11:20:00.000-04:00

Where did this word come from? I feel "old" using it. So, I am at a conference "hobnobbing" around with missions folks from around the country. I am one of 2 people under the age of 50 here, which is no new thing for me but it still makes me feel self-conscious. I am not saying that I dislike older people-- i love older people-- but in christian-y settings like this, i feel...weird...or compromised. The people here have been very nice and gracious... and I have learned from them...but they have also made it clear that they feel like younger people's mentalities are foreign to them. That's a good place to start...

The #2 youngster here is quite an interesting fella. His heart is for seeing the 7th and 8th generation of his family impacting a whole county and region of NC. He is the 6th generation of Wadsworths in Edgecombe County, NC. He has a produce stand in his frontyard and "The Wod's
House" in his backyard. The Wod's House is a shelter for single mom's, orphans, widows and anyone in distress. So, if you are ever in Tarboro, NC, go buy a tomato or visit The Wod's house. This is real Jesus-living in rural NC.

psalm 131

2005-06-17T15:16:00.000-04:00

My heart is not proud, O Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great
matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my
soul;
like a weaned child with its
mother,
like a weaned child is my soul
within me.
O _______, put your hope in the
Lord
both now and forevermore.

Insert any name in the blank.
I have been singing this song (Waterdeep version) in my head
for days inserting, "O Ireland Team...."

Pray for us.
12 people.
1 prayer conference.
2 missionaries.
Infinity arrows from the enemy.

Departure date: July 15th

my movie

2005-06-06T17:27:00.000-04:00

I like to watch people in airports. People are very interesting. It's especially interesting in America just how many people have blackberry's and other special technological gadgets that they are attached to. Who would they be without them? I can't say anything. I am sitting here with my laptop listening to my ipod. With music in my ears, I watch the people go by and its like they are all in my movie-- moving around in rhythm to the music.

juici patties

2005-05-31T00:45:00.000-04:00

I ate a juici beef patty at JUICI PATTIES today. Ya, mon, and I am not talking about a thin slice of meat between a sesame seed bun. Check it out. I am sooo enjoying Jamaica, though I think my hair is now officially curly. It is SOOO humid and dag on hot. Whew, i don't remember the last time I "perspired" so much. I also burned my finger on one of those hot lamps that keeps the meat warm on a buffet line. Just thought you would like to know. Good things are happening here..... more later.

kayaking the Dan River

2005-05-23T10:32:00.000-04:00

The weekend of Laura's birthday (May 21), I took her to kayak on the Dan River with thanks to the Dan River Company (DRC). We traveled about 7 miles down the river on saturday and camped on the river that night. We woke up on sunday and traveled the remaining 6 miles down the river. It was so much fun and we highly recommend it. This section of the Dan River is great for beginners as it has mainly class I rapids and a couple small class II. We so want to go back and take some friends. Not only is it a great time, but it's a great workout too. We didn't get any pictures of us going through rapids, well, because it's tough taking pictures while going through rapids.

hopeful future seminarian

2005-05-11T15:17:00.000-04:00

Gordon Conwell finally called me today!!! ARGHH!! Talk about anticipation. My interviews and tests are scheduled for May 19th. I think one of the psychological tests that I have to take is the same one I took before I went to Mexico. It's like 700 questions and by the end of it you really do feel like someone is following you and you secretly do want to be a circus elephant. I really don't like the Myers Brigg test because I feel like most people answer the questions based on how they've been conditioned to think about themselves and not on who they really are. For example, I always used to think I was an extrovert because that's the kind of person people like. I learned growing up along the way (from peers of course.. HI DAD!) that it's cool to be outgoing. So, I would always answer the Myers Brigg extrovert/introvert questions like, YEAH, I LOVE parties and LOTS of people. And, I do to an extent, but I am a little more introverted that I originally thought. Anwyay, we'll see how it goes. They haven't accepted me yet. They might not after the psychological testing (haha). I will let you know how the Myers Brigg turns out.

traci zambia

2005-04-28T18:42:00.000-04:00

Traci Zambia is my "Ron Mexico" name. The girl names are obviously not as cool as the guy names- I looked up Jeanene's name and it was Britney China. See, not as creative. They need to work on that a little bit more.

without power

2005-04-21T16:06:00.000-04:00

Sitting here listening to U2 live from the San Jose concert a couple weeks ago. I am so excited that they are coming to Charlotte!

So... Monday night we come home from work, try to turn on the light and discover that we have no power. Turns out - Duke power thought our meter base was unsafe so they snatched the meter out and cut the power to the house. The past three days we have been wandering around disoriented trying to pick up the pieces of this mess and fix what needs to be fixed. I guess I have been wandering around, Ken's been working hard! To make a long story short, we have had to install a new outside panel, meter box and all the new conductors etc. required to electrify an entire house. Today it was inspected and approved. Dang, my husband is a smart man. Being without power is an interesting thing. Lots of thoughts have come into my head, like-- walking around in the dark made me think about being blind, which made me think about how I see things or how I could see things; having no physical power made me think about the power I do have- the Spirit living inside; working hard on things I don't like made me think a lot about motivation, energy and servanthood; relying on others for stuff made me think about how awesome our friends are.

new floors

2005-04-11T11:16:00.000-04:00

now that we have some space where we can post some pictures, here are some of our new hardwood floors.

mexico pics

2005-04-06T13:04:00.000-04:00

I spent 10 days in Mexico last month going to a wedding, hanging out at Mara's cafe, and visiting friends. I'll be posting more pics from my time there soon. For now, check out Amanda's wedding.