We begin to be like Christ

We begin to be like Christ

(J. R. Miller, “The Life of Jesus”)

“I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22:27

“He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.” John 13:4-5

Serving is not an easy lesson to learn. But it is a lesson we must learn–if ever we would become like our Master. He did not come to be served–but to serve. He served to the uttermost, just as He loved to the uttermost. Anything that needed to be done for another, He did as naturally and as simply as He breathed. He loved people, and was interested in them, and was ready always to be helpful to them. It never mattered what the service was, whether it was the saving of a soul, the curing of a grievous sickness, or the giving of a cup of water–He did the least as graciously and as divinely, as the greatest.

The washing of feet was the lowliest service any man could do for another. It was the work of the lowliest slave. Yet Jesus without hesitation, did this service for His own disciples. Thus He taught them that nothing anyone may ever need to have done–is unfit for the whitest hands. We begin to be like Christ–only when we begin to love others enough to serve them.

There is no surer test of the genuineness of Christian life, than in this matter of serving others. When we see the Son of God washing His disciples’ feet–no service is too menial for us to do. A king may do the lowliest kindness to the poorest peasant in his realm, and his honor will only be enhanced by it.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet–you also should wash one another’s feet.” John 13:14

How to Buy a House

So in my humble opinion this is how you buy a house step by step.

1. Wake up earlier than necessary because you are so nervous and weren’t really sleeping anyway.

2. Go to the bank and get a big check. You don’t have to show them any cash just tell them what you want and they print it for you, it is so nice of them.

3. Now, this is a very important step, do not skip this one whatever you do…GO TO STARBUCKS! Get a great big yummy Pumpkin Spice coffee, and a pumpkin scone!  And read the paper as if nothing is happening.

 

 

 

4. Go to office to sign some stuff and get keys to your new house! With special blue pens.

5. Go to new house and check it out!

6. Get Thai Food and Eat it in the new house!

And that is how you buy a house! Well there might be a few more steps than that but you get the idea!

Stay tuned for what happens next!

d

And so the adventure begins…

Well, after almost 15 months of wedded bliss, we decided to join the ranks of homeowners.  After what was a very smooth process for financing and approval (interrupted by a couple of weeks of waiting and wondering), our closing went WAY smoother than either D or I anticipated.  Praise the Lord.  Upon leaving the closing office, I experienced about 15 seconds of extreme jubilation, which I would later find out was not the same experience D would have.  She would end the day exhausted from emotion!  (another example of a husband and wife complementing each other, she makes up where I lack!)

After receiving the keys to our new house, we immediately setup the water service and made our first list for Home Depot.  You’re welcome, HD, for the high quantities of cash you’re about to recieve via my debit card.  Our first day of home-ownership finished with our first meal in our new house (Thai takeout) and some drywall prep for painting in a couple of rooms.

And so began the journey… keep a look out for updates and pics from our new house!

-B

A Different Kind of Birthday Present

Dad was here this weekend and we got the chance to get into the house, take some measurements and redesign the kitchen. It was very scary and very exciting at the same time. Needless to say there are lots of decisions to make and work to be done. But I guess we should close on the house first. We should be doing that very soon, I promise to keep you updated.
After spending hours at the house Dad took B and I to Lowe’s and bought us birthday presents. He was very excited. Can you guess what they are?

That’s right a ladder, scaffolding and a bucket full of tools! Now that is a different kind of present for me, but Dad and B loved every minute of it!

D

Houses and Babies and Weddings Oh My!

Ok by now you know that we are in the process of buying our first house! We are very excited but cautious at the same time. I plan to take tons of before and after pictures and beef up the blogging with all things casa Voelker!
We are NOT having a baby!!! But we are in the process of taking MAPP classes to become emergency infant foster parents. (More about this later.)
In the middle of all of that I had the great privilege of planning a friend’s wedding.
So as you can imagine it has been a busy season. I have spent this week falling asleep on the couch and trying to make some order in our house as we begin to pack and prepare for a visit from Mom and Dad “V.”
In an effort to prepare for the big house move I have decided to take a stab at doubling some recipes and freezing half so that we can have some healthy premade meals prepared when there is no time to cook. I want to save the cash from eating it out and use it on the new CRIB!
So this is where you come in…to all my faithful readers please send me any recipes you have that you think or know freeze well, that I can make over the next two weeks. I plan to chronicle the cooking adventures here so you will know what worked and didn’t!
Our bellies thank you in advance!

57 Willow

So, for our loyal blog readers (the 1 to 3 of you who check out or blog), I thought we owed you a post of some kind, as it’s been far too long since we’ve had one.  And, as I am currently lacking any sort of creative energy, how about we show you all some fun mock layouts of the interior of our new house (well, not ours quite yet).  We found this cool website that allows you create a layout of your home, and then we used it to get an idea of how some of our proposed changes looked.  Check it out!

Here is the original layout (hardwood floors not included):

And here is our proposed layout for some time in the future (only big change is the kitchen):

And, because the software was cool, I added some more random stuff (hot tub is my fav):

HIS!

Taken from ‘My Utmost for His Highest’, by Oswald Chambers, for Sept. 4th.

“Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me.” John 17:6

The missionary is one in whom the Holy Ghost has wrought this realization – “Ye are not your own.” To say, “I am not my own” is to have reached a great point in spiritual nobility. The true nature of the life in the actual whirl is the deliberate giving up of myself to another in sovereign preference, and that other is Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit expounds the nature of Jesus to me in order to make me one with my Lord, not that I might go off as a showroom exhibit. Our Lord never sent any of the disciples out on the ground of what He had done for them. It was not until after the Resurrection, when the disciples had perceived by the power of the Holy Spirit Whom He was, that Jesus said “Go.”

“If any man come to me and hate not . . . , he cannot be My disciple,” not, he cannot be good and upright, but, he cannot be one over whom Jesus writes the word “Mine.” Any one of the relationships Our Lord mentions may be a competitive relationship. I may prefer to belong to my mother, or to my wife, or to myself; then, says Jesus, you cannot be My disciple. This does not mean I will not be saved, but it does mean that I cannot be “His.”

Our Lord makes a disciple His own possession, He becomes responsible for him. “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me.” The spirit that comes in is not that of doing anything for Jesus, but of being a perfect delight to Him. The secret of the missionary is – I am His, and He is carrying out His enterprises through me.

Be entirely His.

Who’s on first – Computer nerd style!

You have to be old enough (I’m not) to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY understand computers (again, I’m not), to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on….

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, ‘Who’s on First?’ might have turned out something like this: 

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks I’m setting up an office in my den and I’m thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name’s Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don’t own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name’s Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don’t know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let’s just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need? 

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue ‘W’.

COSTELLO: I’m going to click your blue ‘w’ if you don’t start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That’s right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What’s bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on ‘START’………….

I hate it, but I love it.

So, if you’ve seen the infomercial or perhaps even heard someone talk about it, P90X offers the love/hate relationship common to many workout routines.  The phrase does become annoying after you’ve heard Tony Horton say it 15 times during each 45+ minute workout session.  (and thankfully the DVDs give you an option to turn him off)  But, taking part in 90 days of P90X will lead to a definite understanding and agreement with what Tony’s getting at.  I certainly hate it, but love it.  The workouts themselves are intense, with cardio and weight elements that lead to an extremely tiring but effective workout.  Cardio – hate it, but love it.  Weights – hate it, but love it.  Soreness – hate it, but love it.  Anyways, before I digress too far, home DVD workouts haven’t appealed much to me in the past.  Seemed cheesy and often times and bit “girly”.  But, 3 workouts into P90X and I can assure you this one is neither of those.  It’s also much cheaper than our monthly gym membership used to cost, which might be my favorite part.  (maybe Tony will pay me for promoting his DVD system, uh maybe not)  Dawn and I are determined to see the 90 days through, and, Lord willing, I’ll still hate it but love it by the time we’re done.  Here’s to hoping my before and after results are similar to the people whose pictures they show during infomercials!  (cause those aren’t at all fudged and manipulated to sell products, right?!)

-b

Look Who’s Back!

Ok so I have been out of Blogland for a bit, thanks to b for keeping us alive! For my comeback I thought I would start out simple and work may way up to fabulous! So this is stolen but fun!

***********FOODOLOGY***************

What is your salad dressing of choice?
I don’t like a lot of dressing on my salad, but Greek or Blue Cheese are my favs

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
Blue Heaven – Key West

Food Shack – Jupiter

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
Peanut Butter and Honey sandwich

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
Not a pizza lover, but if I am going to eat it I want sausage, pepperoni, and mushroom

What do you like to put on your toast?
Butter and cinnamon sugar

***********TECHNOLOGY***************

How many televisions are in your house?
~2

What color is your cellphone?
~Black

Do you have an iPod?
yep

***************BIOLOGY******************

Are you right-handed or left-handed?
right

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
wisdom teeth

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
a box from oriental trading

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
~No

************BULLOLOGY**************

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
NO!

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I wouldn’t.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?

No, I hate spicy things!!

**************FAVORITOLOGY****************

Season?

Fall

Holiday?
Christmas

Day of the week?
Saturday

Month?

August

***********CURRENTOLOGY*****************

Missing someone?

My girls after girls weekend, and Jonas haven’t seen him in two weeks, withdraw!

Mood?
lazy

What are you listening to?
Preseason football game, it’s coming!

Current worry?

Making the right decision about a house, Phil 4:6

***************RANDOMOLOGY*****************

First place you went this morning?
Shower

What’s the last movie you saw?
Madea goes to Jail
***************OTHER-OLOGY*****************

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?

More than I want to admit

Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
Got a violation notice from sunpass today does that count?

Last person you talked to?
Bob

Last person you hugged?
Bob

Do you always answer your phone?
Nope

It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?
Kathleen, she is at work and forgot the rest of the world is asleep

If you could change your eye color what would it be?
I wouldn’t change them.

Do you own a digital camera?
yep

Have you ever had a pet fish?
~Yes

Favorite Christmas song?

Anything on Harry Connick’s Christmas album. O Come O Come Emmanuel

What’s on your wish list for your birthday?
a house!

Can you do push ups?

The girlie kind, the guy kind too but I hate it

Can you do the splits?
NO!!

Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
Excited

Do you have any saved texts?
Yes!

Have you ever been in a car accident?
yeah

Do you have an accent?
No

What is the last movie to make you cry?
I cry a lot easier these days, can’t think of a movie, but 20/20 special about a girl with autism who uses a computer to communicate

Plans tonight?
Sleepy!

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
Yep!

Name 3 things you bought yesterday?
Cream Cheese, Vitamin Water, CR Chicks

Have you ever been given roses?
~Yes

Met someone who changed your life?
~Yep

What song represents you?
Too young to be this Damn old!

Name two people who might complete this?
Don’t plan on tagging anyone.

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?

Nope

Have you ever dated someone longer thana year?
Yep

Do you have any tattoos/piercings?
Just my ears

Does anyone love you?
Yep

Would you be a pirate?
No

What songs do you sing in the shower?
I don’t really sing in the shower

Ever had someone sing to you?
Yep

When did you last cry?
Yesterday, disappointment is hard

Do you like to cuddle?
Yep

Have you held hands with anyone today?
No

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
Lisa Worley and Lynch’s kids

Are most of the friends in your life new or old?
~Both

Do you like pulpy orange juice?
NO!!!!

What is something your friends make fun of you for?

Asking what they are talking about!

d