I Am Dad

Hello blog readers!  VERY long time, no see.  I guess I felt I needed to log a post for 2012.  So sad really...maybe next year will be better.

Taking a cue from one of my wife's blog posts, I decided I needed a reminder of who I am right now.  So, here goes:

I am...

* Provider (financially and physically)

* Weekend waker-upper

* Peek-a-boo player

* Book reader

* Connoisseur of fine baby foods (cheese cubes, pasta, fruits, veggies)

* Custodian

* Patrolman (we have a very rambunkous girl)

* Funny man/entertainer

* Lover of one Jennifer Dawn Hren and one Catherine Addison Hren, the MOST important ladies in my life.

* Bedtime starter

* Boo-boo kisser

* Sleep-deprived

* Happy

* Blessed beyond words

I am a daddy.

Half-Marathon...CHECK!

One more thing off my "bucket list".  Woot!!

Did you ever have one of those ideas cross your mind - the kind where its something really OUT there you want to do, but didn't know if you could actually do it.  Well...the half-marathon was mine.

Back in January, I had one of those crazy impulses to run a half-marathon.  I knew I wanted to do Sunburst, as it is in our backyard, but wasn't sure what race to run.  I was thinking 5K...10K, but not marathon.  Well, I decided that I wouldn't do the marathon, but maybe the HALF-marathon would be a goal I'd like to reach.  So, against all better judgement (hee hee) I did it...I signed up.

So, I trained.  And trained.  And TRAINED.  A high school friend suggested Hal Higdon's half-marathon program and it clicked for me.  It wasn't overwhelming, but gave me manageable targets and kept me motivated.  Well, before I knew it, it was TIME.

Without going into to great length and boring an audience, I ran like a champ.  My right knee decided in the last week of training to rebel against all running, so it kept me slower than expected, with a LOT of walking involved to keep it moving.  Still, I ran in a good time and was pleased with my accomplishments.

My girls were there to welcome me into Notre Dame Stadium.  My mom, Andy, Jen and Julia also accompanied them.  So glad for my cheering section!

Will I do it again?  Maybe....we'll see.  Time will tell.  I WILL keep running, which in and of itself is a smart decision (as long as my knee doesn't get contrary).

A Day I Can't Help but Remember

Today is 9/11/11...the 10th anniversary of that fateful day when our country's way of life changed forever. As I see all the Facebook posts, e-mails, news articles, etc. I can't help but relive where I was and what I thought on that day 10 years ago.

It was a typical Tuesday morning. I had been attending Bethel College for just a few weeks at this point. I was getting ready for my first class of the morning when I received a knock on my door - this was odd. It was my RD. He had a look of sheer sadness and stoicity on his face. He calmly but seriously told me that the Pentagon and World Trade Center had just been attacked. I could hardly believe what I was hearing? How could this be?!

So, after he left, I quickly turned my TV and switched it over to a news broadcast, which wasn't that hard to find. What I saw then was the World Trade Center - one of the pinnacles of our capitalist society - ablaze near the top of the building. They then switched over to show the Pentagon - the center of our national security - also on fire. Both buildings had suffered planes flying into them. There was NO WAY this was a coincidence! Already I felt sick to my stomach and as if the floor had just dropped out from underneath me. Just as I had thought that nothing else could be worse than this, I watched yet another plane fly full-speed into the second WTC tower and explode. I think that I fell to the ground. I had just witnessed (along with millions of other people) a jumbo jet full of people being flown intentionally into a building full of people. The nauseous feeling I had grew exponentially. It was as if the world was ending right before me on TV.

Bethel administration had called for an emergency prayer chapel meeting in the auditorium. As I made my way over, I saw many people walking as if zombies to this meeting. They were feeling and experiencing this just like me. Their security and peace had been stolen away. As we met for prayer, it was very heavy; however, I could still feel that God was at work in some way here. I didn't know what or how, I just knew. Still, I could help but think, "WHY?! Why me? Why our country? Why did these people have to die in this way??" No answers. As the people around me prayed, I began to calm. No, the feelings weren't gone, just I knew that God had the situation under control.

As I think about that time in my life, being a young, naive college junior, I had my innocence taken away by force. It changed me - my life, my concept of national security, my whole existence. 10 years later, I still don't have the answers to all the questions, but I am learning day by day that God has a bigger plan than what any of us can possibly understand. He is in control - that's all I need to know. No, that doesn't wipe away the loss of lives, the broken families, the state of our economy, and the wars we've fought since then, but it does help me cope with the "why". I continue to pray (probably not as much as I should) for those families who lost loved ones, the police and firefighters who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, and whose lives where thrown in a tailspin. In addition, I pray for those people who plotted to commit this horrific act. God will be victorious and He will set it aright.

That's what I need to remember today. I will never forget - we will never forget. God is on His throne.

Things I Want to Teach My Daughter

As many of you know, we are expecting a little baby girl in November. We are very anxious to meet her - to learn what she looks like, acts like, and what she'll be someday. Here are a few things I hope that I get the opportunity to teach her:

* Teenage boys are weird (I should know).

* Sometimes a good scoop of ice cream solves all dilemmas.

* Reading books open all sorts of worlds to you.

* How to play the piano and sing.

* Always do your best in whatever you do (school, sports, music, etc.).

* She is incredibly beautiful in her father's eyes.

* She will ALWAYS have at least one guy wrapped around her finger.

* I am her biggest fan, her chief protector and #1 ally.

* She should hope to be as beautiful and incredible a person as her Mommy is.

* I love my little girl more than ANYTHING ELSE in this world.

and most importantly...

* I want her to know that God loves her more than even I can AND to know Jesus as her Savior.

Daddy-hood

Guess what all? I'M GONNA BE A DADDY!! :)

Wow! Who'da thunk?! This is been such an emotional ride already, full of ups and downs, with fears and hopes. So many thoughts fill my mind daily, and I am processing it little by little.

I'm so thrilled to be able to have a child of my own. This has been one of my dreams for as long as I can remember. I have always wanted to be a father, doing father-son (or daughter) things. My dad was always such a great example to me and I can only hope to be as good a father as he was to me.

In all of the up's and down's, I've been learning to trust God and praise Him for this blessing. I know that I can do this if I follow His plan. After all, he is the ULTIMATE father. He loves us unconditionally and never lets us go.

A Good Couple of Weeks

Sorry for such a long absence from the blogging world. Life has been EXTREMELY busy and I just haven't had much energy or time to type one up. Well, to cure that, here's a list of the great things going my way:

* All three of my choirs recently received GOLD ratings at ISSMA contest last Saturday. They all scored extremely well and did a great job. I'm so proud of them.

* I was selected as a mentor teacher for next school year. I get to work with a small group of teachers next year, leading our school in the direction it needs to go. It comes along with a pay increase, which definitely doesn't hurt. :)

* Some of my 8th grade students were able to tour each of the elementary schools in my district to recruit for next fall. It went very smoothly and we all had a good time!

* It's SPRING BREAK! YES!!

* I have the MOST AMAZING WIFE! She is the best thing in my life (next to God, of course) and I love her very much!

Well...that's all for now. Blog at ya later!

J

DEBT FREE CAR!!

Yes, folks. That's right. My car is PAID OFF!! Check out that balance! Woot!!

This has been a long time coming (four years, in fact) and wasn't due to occur for another 2 years! My financial situation when I bought the car wasn't great, but I needed something more economic and gas-friendly at the time. Coby (my car) has been really good to me, and has seen me through many trips to grad school, work, vacations, road trips, honeymoon, etc. He does a good job transporting us back and forth between Goshen and The Bend.

Jennifer and I took Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (FPU for short), and we have worked really hard at conquering the debt we have. Our "debt snowball" tactic is working and we are seeing God's blessing on our finances. This past summer, we paid off my final credit card debts; now the car is done. On to student loans! YES!!

We know that God has His hand in our lives and we are blessed beyond measure; not just financially, but with an AWESOME family and great friends. We look forward to what He has in store for our future! To God be the glory!

SNOW!

WE HAVE SO MUCH SNOW!!

In case this is an issue of contention and bitterness about the multiple feet of snow that has fallen in the last month, please stop reading here. For the rest of you, who share my "weather geek" fascination with the aptly named "Snowcalypse 2011", let me share my thoughts with you.

Snow has always fascinated me. I loved playing in it as a child, whether it was sledding down our massive hills at home, or building snow forts and having snowball wars. Also, it was always awesome when our parents would wake us to let us know we had no school...BONUS! By the way, that really hasn't changed as an adult - I still LOVE snow days. Snow is pretty cool (pardon the pun).

As an adult, my fascination has waned a bit. While I still get a thrill out of watching weather forecasts predict large snowfalls and still enjoy seeing it fall out of the "permacloud" that is a midwest winter commodity, my love isn't as great. More so now, I see it as a hazardous substance that could put me and my car in a ditch somewhere in the country. I also hate cleaning it off my car. The sheer fact I have to stand in the stuff, while the wind blows coldly, makes me grumpy. ARGH!! Ok, all of those negatives aside, I have found that snow correlates quite well to my faith. This is something that happened over time, but I think God means for me to learn from it. For instance:

* Snow is pure (for the most part). Until we shovel it aside, put salt into it, get it dirty, etc., it is undisturbed, virgin material. God made us originally pure and virgin, but along the way we shovel that purity aside and throw the grime and gunk of our sinful actions into it. Thus, we ruin what God intended to be perfect and undisturbed.

* Snow is FULL of variety and uniqueness. No two snowflakes are the same. Just as no two people are the same, God has made us to be a unique part of His masterpiece. Genesis 1:31 reads that He called us "very good", setting us over His creation. We were each intended to play a specific, unique role in His story. Often times, we forget this and try to be something that we're not. We want to be JUST LIKE so-and-so and why don't we look, talk, act, you fill in the blank, like such-and-such. If we actually took the time to listen to God and find out what HE wants us to be, then we would, I think, find great satisfaction in being WHO. WE. ARE.

* Snow is fragile enough to melt at the slightest warmth, but can also cause massive destruction to the biggest of foes. Look at how snowstorms in Minnesota tore right through the Metrodome, a HUGE facility. Also, how many cars have we all seen flipped over, smashed up, and sitting nose-up in a ditch because of slippery roads or poor visibility? Snow can cause quite a mess. We also, like snow, have our fragile moments, but in making one horrible decision or one selfish act, can cause a multitude of problems for ourselves and others.

* Snow makes all things new and refreshed. The world looks like something new is being unveiled. Like a new painting, sculpture, invention, etc. that is getting ready to be unleashed to the world. Snow refreshes the earth, providing moisture that will make spring all the more verdant and beautiful. God washes us clean. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die to give us that newness. Daily we can come to Him and lay our dirty laundry at His feet, and time after time He forgives us. WOW! Why?! I am constantly amazed at the longevity of His love for me. Thank you, GOD!!

So you see, my fascination with snow has matured. I still love to grab an inner-tube and go tubing and yes, sometimes make snow angels, but now I think I have a better understanding of life. Yes, it still bugs me to clean my car and to shovel pounds of snow away, but I thank God for showing me a little piece of wisdom in the "white stuff".

Christmas Time Is Here

Yes, I am referencing the ever-famous tune from "A Charlie Brown Christmas". I LOVE Christmas! I enjoy the lights, the snow (for a period of time), and the opportunity to spend time with people I love.

Today begins what I have entitled "Christmas Extravaganza 2010". We begin today at my in-laws for brunch and what hopes to be a gift opening PAAARRRR-TAY! Woot! Presents aside, I really like spending time with them - they are down-to-earth and just like to have fun and celebrate with loved ones. Tomorrow is the Hren version. I always like going back to my childhood home and reliving those awesome Christmas mornings growing up. This time I get to go back with my wife and live it up even more. I love my family!

As for an opportunity to celebrate, just Jennifer and I, we may open a gift here sometime early next week, but our fun lies in JAMAICA! I am soooo ready to escape to warm temps, and lots of sun. WOOO HOOO! I am also pumped because this is my first overseas trip and I can't wait to experience that. We will take a present or two to open (that is, if TSA doesn't open it for us - sheesh!) and enjoy lots of down time, just the two of us. Obviously this will not be an annual tradition, but one that we will remember, I'm sure.

Despite getting away this time of year, we still put up a Christmas tree. Albeit a SMALL tree, it is a beautiful tree. It kind of reminds of Charlie Brown's tree - small and kind of wimpy, but still a work of art. Memories were made decorating it, and we savor every one of them.

Merry Christmas everyone! Remember to tell your family and friends you love them, and share God's love with those around you.

Until 2011,

Josh

Final Thoughts

Dear 20's:

Hello once again! As we prepare to part ways in a few hours, I felt like I should tell you how I feel about you. We've been together now for 10 years, and I've gotten so comfortable around you that I sometimes took you for granted. Yet, you still remained with me.

Now as I prepare to meet 30's, I can't help but remember all that we've been through together. It's been a pretty up and down ride, full of twists, turns, and sometimes some free-fall moments. There have been some huge milestones: 3 college graduations, marriage, weight loss (then gain and lose again), and some faith tests along the way. I grew up with you. When I started this journey with you, I was naive, childish, and carefree. Nowadays, I have experience, memories, and have grown up A LOT!! This has been a decade of change. Nevertheless, I always could count on you to remain constant. You were there.

In a couple hours you and I must part ways, never to meet again except in fond remembrances. I'll be embarking on a new journey, full of new memories and surprises. Don't worry - you'll always be a part of me, and I will miss you terribly. 30's will be good to me (so I'm told), so I'm looking forward to making a new friend.

To the many, many memories, trials, and high points,

Josh

Oh, by the way...

See what the Hren's are up to these days. Check out our joint blog: The Hren's Nest. It's great!

In Transition

Hello dear readers! It's been a while, hasn't it?

As the title clearly states, I'm (also meaning we're) transitioning into a lot of new things lately. Of course, marriage in and of itself is a MAJOR transition, but we are enjoying the ride and so far have done a pretty good job adjusting to it. Woo hoo! As with any marriage, there are growing pains, but it is good for us and it is teaching us a lot in the way of patience, selflessness, and agape love.

Also going on is that Jen has taken a position at my school as an instructional assistant. Also a big woo hoo!! It was an answer to prayer, as her now part-time, soon-to-be gone position is ending in October. The perks keep adding up, such as being able to ride together to and from work each day, seeing each other in the hall every so often, and getting a MAJOR discount on health insurance. We know that it is God who has provided for us and is blessing us each day.

The third transition we are going through is that of considering a change of address. I know - I JUST changed addresses a couple months ago, but with both of us now in Goshen, it doesn't make sense to keep living in DTSB, no matter how much we love it. So far, we haven't found anything comparable to what we have now in the rent range we would like to pay. It is frustrating at times to not see any clear option, but we know that with patience God will provide again. The patience is really the hard part - we know He's got the perfect place for us.

With another significant milestone around the corner for me (can we say 3-0?? YIKES!), we know that no matter what turns and twists life takes for us, we can trust God to get us through it all. What a ride we're on!

Until next time, all!

J

Monday Mania!

A couple of pictures for your viewing pleasure. I hope you get a chuckle of of my weirdness. I sure did. Enjoy!

My How Time Flies!

As I sit here, listening to the sound of rain and with a quiet house around me, my mind begins to wonder about all that has happened (and will be happening) recently. Today is officially the 1 month mark since I married the love of my life, Jennifer! I can't believe it! It seems like it was maybe a couple weeks ago, but yes, it HAS been a month. I've got the calendar to prove it! :) Being married to Jennifer has opened my eyes to a lot. For example, there has always been the head knowledge of how Christian marriage is a way to glimpse the love of God toward us, but now I truly think I can begin to grasp it in my heart. Obviously, we won't know that full scale and depth of that love until Heaven, but there are times when words are useless (or just not there) to convey my love for my wife. I just have to sit in awe of this. It has also deepened my love for God and my thankfulness towards Him for all his mercies and love that we don't even deserve.

She is so good to me. I LOVE MY WIFE!!



In other news...the other big "time flies" moment is that, once again, school is starting in a week! Yes, I knew it was coming, but man how I will MISS my summer break. Tears will be shed. Fetal position will be obtained. ;) Every year, I find that I have mixed emotions about the beginning of school. On one hand, I am very excited to begin anew and fresh with kids, hoping for great learning moments and fun times with the students. I especially am excited to meet my incoming 6th grade students, who are experiencing middle school for the first time. It shall be interesting. On the other hand, I feel like I could always use just a BIT more break. I savor my free time and try to recoup my strength (mental, emotional, physical) to deal with the up's and down's of middle school students. This year, I am really trying harder than ever to see my work not only as a paycheck, as a profession, but also as a mission field. I truly believe that God has put me here and that I should show God's love to these wonderful, frustrating teens, even when it is REALLY hard to do. This excites me and hopefully will make my teaching and their learning all the better. Mold me, LORD... Until next time!

Dave Ramsey and I

As the title of this blog indicates, we are BIG fans of Dave Ramsey and his advice regarding debt and all things financial. Jen and I took the course in 2009 (Oct. - Dec.) and are putting his advice into practice, such as:

* Living at Navarre St. in South Bend - even though it's farther away from work for me, it is yielding better rent than we can find anywhere else. This allows us to save some money towards other obligations.

* Sale shopping & coupons - we take the opportunity to look for the best deals on things (groceries, eating out, items for the apartment) and use any and all coupons we can. Sometimes that forces us to go places that we might not regularly shop, but at least it saves a bit o' cash. :)

* No new credit cards! - I was a big believer in the power of credit and it got me into nothing but TROUBLE! Are credit cards bad? I leave that to you to decide but doesn't work for me.

* Debt snowballing - this is a DR term, which just means we start paying gung-ho on the smallest debt we have until it is paid off. Then that money that was used is focused on the next smallest debt and so on. You are still paying on all your debts, but the focus is on one at a time.

These are just a few of the ways we have begun our debt-free marriage. Even our wedding was debt-free, which was (and is) such an awesome feeling! Has it been easy...not really, but it is really easy to say goodbye to having to pay a given bill or two. And yes, it has forced me to come out of my old habits and comforts to think more frugally. We are also encouraged by the recent development of Jen's brother and sister-in-law becoming completely debt-free, even paying their house off in one year!!!

Sooo....all this to say that today, Jennifer and I paid off not one, but TWO CREDIT CARDS!! It was so awesome to write that check and do that last online payment. Such a burden has been lifted!

Someday WE will get to yell "WE'RE DEBT FREE!!" What a great feeling!

Car Repairs - The Saga

Greetings!

Well...I just want to say that I HATE car repairs. I hate them with a passion that burns deep within me. Not only are they expensive as all get out, they also inconvenience the driver and force a change in routine, plans, budget, etc. Don't get me wrong - if something is wrong with my poor Coby (my car...that's his name), then I want them fixed. The last thing that I want to happen is some day when I'm driving my daily commute to work via the US-20 bypass that I end up stuck on the side of the road like some poor schmuck. That would NOT be pleasant and I fear for the person that finds me. I think the deepest root of my hatred is that dealerships STRETCH the truth of what actually needs fixed and what could be fixed, but isn't a true problem, followed by an astronomically expanded cost to each repair. Why?? I know they want to make a buck - hey, this is America - but it REALLY costs THAT much to bolt on a rotor, or replace a shifter? Good grief!

So, that being said, today I took Coby (my car - remember him?) to a dealership here for a safety recall. No big deal - it's free to me and I would much rather have it fixed, especially if GM thinks there are going to be problems. To the credit of the dealership (who shall stay anonymous - they did their job well), they were very pleasant and I couldn't have asked for better service. They left the decision on the repairs up to me and I felt no pressure to do it RIGHT NOW (which one sometimes feels with these places). Of course, I receive my phone call at McDonald's (yeah, free wi-fi!) that the car is finished, followed by a litany of OTHER "problems" they found. ARGH! Well...of course, my lovely bride was not excited, but we decided with good discussion and thought and LOTS of prayer beforehand, to have a second opinion. Yeah for respect and communication in marriage!! :)

Now, as I sit here, waiting for that call to see how many of the "problems" are actually problems, I pray that this will not hurt the bank as much as I think it could. Thank you all for allowing me to vent my frustrations. Better on a blog than on a poor repairman. Ha!

Until next time!

BTW...marriage, weeks 2 and 3....still FREAKING AWESOME! I love my wife!!

Marriage Week #1...Some Thoughts

WOW!!!

That is my thought for week one. :) The wow is simply a way of saying that I have no words available to me to describe the love and admiration I have for my beautiful wife. This is something we've actually discussed and can only thank God for such beautiful, indescribable love. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I could be THIS happy with one person.

Now we are beginning to phase ourselves back into the public. Sorry if this sounds a little weird, but we've enjoyed being alone, just the two of us, and want to savor as much of that as possible. Yesterday we went out for a bit, but maintained that we were going to shop, explore, and enjoy, but not proactively invite anyone to us just yet. So today, I am o.k. with our public "unveiling" because I know that now I get to share my love for Jennifer with those around us, especially our church friends and our families. It is my hope that our marriage and our undying happiness with each other can be a testimony to those around at the power of God's amazing love.

In summary, as I sit here in my livingroom, thinking about all that has happened in the last week, I can't help but tear up a little. I can only hope that the next 60 to 70 years of our lives are this incredible. She has my heart forever.

Until next post,
Josh

The End of an Era

Greetings, readers! This will most likely be my final blog before my wedding day. Yes, it is FINALLY here! I am so excited to marry my sweetheart, I can barely stand it. This blog is going to be dedicated to the end of this stage of my life.

Marriage is not something I step into lightly. It took a lot of thought and self-searching to make the leap and get engaged. I've experienced a lot of hurt in my relationships, and definitely didn't want to go down that road again. Have I enjoyed bachelorhood? Absolutely! It has given me the opportunity to develop into my own person and mature beyond what living with my parents had done. I found myself along the way and began to relate to people as an individual, not someone's child. Getting married is a product of my bachelor days. Because I was able to figure out who I was and what I wanted, I am better prepared to enter into this new adventure with Jennifer. No longer do I need to wonder am I going to get lost in our relationship. The answer is NO - I am a unique part of a new family. I think my individuality will be enhanced by my relationship with my wife.

So, to all of those who are pondering and considering marriage, think long and hard, but do THINK. Farewell, bachelor days...hello, marriage!!

Grateful for the Small Things

This is not going to be a wordy blog, but I thought in light of the events of yesterday it would be an important one.

The small things I'm grateful for:

* being able to spend time cooking a meal with the love of my life, Jennifer, then sitting down and enjoying it and some good conversation.
* spending some time with my mom and introducing her to the love of gourmet popcorn.
* having dinner and drinks with friends, even in the midst of flickering lights and raging rainstorms.
* being kept safe from a very NASTY storm.
* despite seeing trees knocked into streets and on top of houses and power outages, our street wasn't barely TOUCHED (a few small branches and some leaves in the street...that's all).
* getting to marry my soul's perfect counterpart in 15 days!

Find some time today to thank God for the small things He's blessed you with. It's the small things that keep us from being overwhelmed by the big things.

A Good Place

Joy is such a great feeling. The feeling that wells up and lets me know everything is as it should be. I've heard it described as a small taste of eternity - that's such a GREAT description (too bad I can't remember who said it and where...sheesh!). I love how God gives small samplings of what heaven will be like and I can't wait until I get to taste the full menu!

As I sit here, listening to Coldplay (one of my FAVE music groups) and typing away, I realize that, "hey...I'm in a really good place right now!" So many times, we only see the negative things: the stress at work, the messed up relationships, how little money we have for the ever-increasing bills, etc. It's so easy for us to get bogged down with all the problems we face that sometimes it's hard to see how God has blessed us and provided so much for us.

The biggest blessing is my beautiful fiance, Jennifer. She is my PERFECT match. God has provided this light in my life just when I was pretty sure all lights were out for good. It is uncanny how much we share in common and how manage to read each other's thoughts. I know it's cliche, but can finish each other's sentences and do things at the exact same time without discussing anything (just ask our family and friends how many time we've matched or coordinated outfits). With our wedding just 26 days away (WOW!), I can't help but be excited for what God is going to do in and with our marriage. It excites me to no end!

Another big blessing is the continued good health and the improving health in my family. I've always struggled with weight issues. I'm a foodie and it happens. For the majority of my 20's, I've been hanging right around 190-210 lbs. at any given time. Finally, as I move forward toward those blessed 30's (eek!), I've dropped 50 lbs. and am sitting pretty at around 155-160 lbs. YEAH! My mom, too, has been inspiration to me and an answer to prayer as she too has improved her weight as well. I've very proud of her and her continued commitment to improving her health. My dad, too, is working on improving his health. I am so happy to see us becoming healthier - I want at least 30 more years with them. :)

The last blessing talked about here are my new friends and family. I have been so blessed to have people in my life that help me through any particular season - good or bad. These people are so important to me and I love them all dearly. They come from different places (church, work, etc.) and have made my life that much more colorful. I especially thank God for my future in-laws. They have adopted me into their family and I couldn't imagine a GREATER group of people. These are people I can just hang around with, be silly with, or share my deepest feelings. Thank you!

Today, as we process all the problems in this world, be sure to also thank God for all that he has blessed us with. Find your silver lining...find your joy. God bless!