Come to my Door

About prayer, Frederick Buechner says:::

"According to Jesus, by far the most important thing about praying

is to keep at it... Be importunate*, Jesus says ---

not, one assumes, because you have to beat a path to God's door

before he'll open it, but because until you beat down the path,

maybe there's no way of getting to your door."

*importunate - urgent or persistent in solicitation

Third Annual Springtime Desert Camping Trip

Canyonlands Natl'l Park is divided by canyons into three parts, we explored in The Needles, this particular area is called Chessler Park. This was the view from our campsite, it was incredible and full of wonders and surprises as Utah always is. We saw two people that afternoon/evening.

A nice little open-air window on our day hike.

We unexpectedly came across a series of maze-like giant cracks in the walls - which was a blast to explore.

More fun in the narrows and in-betweens.

Fine Desert Dining.

I loved this spot under the tree,

looking out over a vast, quiet desert

with a violent storm approaching.

We watched the rain clouds that day

eek closer and closer towards us,

until the rain drops hid us away in our tent.

~ALONG THE WAY~

Self Care 101

Last night at our ODM staff meeting a board member came to talk to us about "self care." She has been married and in the ministry for over 30 years - so i appreciate her advice. She reminded us of the threat of burn-out working in compassionate ministries. Her advice is:::

1. Get away by yourself - Reflect and Pray

2. Pray with your spouse - you can argue or fight all day with your spouse but it's hard to argue in front of God.

3. Lament - find someone to pour out your lamentations - either God or a good friend.

3. Ask for Help - don't be afraid to say you need a break or to ask for help.

4. Exercise - movement is key - you must exercise if you want to find rest at the end of the day.

5. Bedtime Hygiene - have a relatively consistent bedtime - and reserve 30 minutes before as winding down time - because good sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle/ministry.



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I treasure practical, experience-based suggestions like this - I'm all about preventative self care because in my young life I have already dabbled in burn-out. And I'm thankful that my boss for the most part sets a good example of caring for yourself so that you may care for others.

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Does anyone else have any self-care secrets???  besides of course a good book and coffee which is a staple for me.  =)

Where there is Love

Proverb of the Day

I've been reading in Proverbs for quite a while now - I want to meditate on a different one every few days:::

~~~

Better a meal of vegetables where there is love

than a fattened calf with hatred.

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I didn't say it, the Lord did!

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And speaking of vegetables Matt is currently plowing a community garden at our apartment property for this coming season. The kids that I work with are also going to have a plot - I'm excited to get to pass on this "gardening experience" that my mother and brother instilled in me when I was a young girl to my little urban children.

Best Seder Dinner Ever!

Our House Church hosted a Seder Dinner last week during Passover week. It was definitely a highlight of my year. Sitting around a lovely table with friends, sipping manoschewitz wine and remembering Jesus... enjoy the video



HC Seder Dinner for Passover from Kate Cremisino on Vimeo.