Life is shaking...but to Him I'm clinging.

A few days ago we found out that our land lord has sold our apartment and that we need to move out by the end of June.

In my heart is a mixture of emotions. I feel sad, I feel frustrated, disappointed, and stressed. I don't want to leave my beautiful home with a rooftop, in this quiet neighborhood, where my garden is growing and where my best friend just lives down the street!!

Yet in the midst of this torrent of emotions is a calmness and security that only comes from God. Knowing that He is holding this life of mine in His hands and He knows what is the best for me. Even if at the time it doesn't seem like the best, and its not what I want...He has proven Himself faithful and trustworthy. Every time life hasn't gone the way I had hoped, in that time there has been treasure to be found, there is another chance to know Him in a deeper way, to see how He will show up and come through. There is purpose beyond what we can see.  Haven't I asked for this? To know Him more? He is my peace in the midst of what seems unknown, scary and stressful. And so the battle rages on within me, between that place of peace and security and all the feelings of frustration, stress and even at times fear. Yet He is there in the midst of my struggle. Oh how good it is to have One who is constant and secure regardless of the circumstances of this life.

Last time we moved I really struggled, I had put my hope and security too much in a place and it rocked me more than was good, to have to move. Through that time I learned where my heart was. God taught me about how He is my security, the One who is worthy of all my trust and security. If my trust is in Him, regardless of my circumstances, I will not fall when life changes suddenly. Also I learned how much God loves to give good gifts to us and to surprise us with something (a new house with a rooftop) that was so much better than our last place and so much better than I could have imagined.  Honestly I can't imagine finding something better than this place, but whatever it turns up to be, I know there is another bit of who God is that He would love to show me. And I want my eyes to be open to see what it is that He is trying to show me.

So yes, I hate this having to move stuff. I really do. But I know there is a God who loves me and has the best for me no matter where I live or how long I live there. And that is what I must cling to. That truth.

Love,
Jessica

It's Spring!

   It's been a wonderfully warm week. Other then having a cold, I've really been able to enjoy the warmth and new life that is springing up all around me. Here are some of the splashes of color and good moments I've experienced this week.

1. I love that its warm enough to walk around the house in my bare feet. Yay Spring!

2. I had my first green bean sprout up this week, I feel like it came out of no where. I was on the roof around noon one day and there was nothing…come evening there was an inch high bean stalk in the garden! I was so excited!

3. My plants are all growing so much! They are all ready to transplant, we just have to get our plot of dirt prepared. See all the white paper cups? They all have tomatoes in them and are ready to give away to friends!

4. Evening walk to our favorite bubble tea shop. :)  This time we tried one of our favorites with half the sugar and it turned out perfect. Great way to end the day. Here's a picture I took while we were out.

Balloons for sale!

5. I put Instagram on my iPod. I am pretty stoked for all the cool effects it can give to pictures! Here are some of my favorites from this week.

6. This is one of the roses Ian gave me almost two weeks ago, it just keeps looking beautiful long after the other rose died. It’s amazing how much one flower given in love brightens my day every time I look at it. :)

7. Beautiful purple flowers I saw while out on a walk. These are climbing vine flowers, I'm not sure what kind they are since I've never seen them before. They were a wonderful surprise for my eyes!

d,

Jessica

52 New Recipes in 2012

   At the beginning of this year, I decided I would try to make 52 new recipes in 2012. The plan is one recipe a week, although it hasn't worked out exactly like that. Some weeks have zero new recipes, some weeks 2 new ones. The point is basically to try to make new things. Also we are rating the new recipes. So far there have been no failures. :)

   So far this year the very best new recipes that we have tried are bread sticks and pizza calzone. I will attempt to post those recipes at some point in the future when I make them again which I'm sure I will. The bread sticks have been made multiple times and also were taken to a Super Bowl party. The pizza calzone  has already been devoured twice. :) You will also notice that a majority of the new recipes have been desserts of some kind. What can I say? Sweet food is pretty much amazing to make and eat!

   Do you like to try out new recipes? What is a good one you have made recently?

Love, jessica

A time to plant

   This week had some great moments filled with life and rest and beauty. Life is made up of many good and also hard moments, but I love sharing some of the good times with you.  It's been really fun to look back on my week and recognize and be thankful for all the big and little gifts we have been given. 

This week’s highlights

1. We have a new nephew! His name is Zeke Michael. He is definitely a highlight! We now have 7 wonderful nieces and nephews who we miss like crazy!! 

2. Having a break from school. :) There was a national holiday here. Tomb sweeping day. So we got the week off, which was nice. My brain was definitely in need of a language break!

3. Going to a flower market with a good friend and picking some beautiful flowers for my windowsill. These flowers are really helping to brighten up the gloomy gray skies and rain that we have had the last few days.

The load of flowers my friend and I took home

Re-potting the flowers

My beautified windowsill!

Aren't these gorgeous!

4. Planting more seeds! I also picked up some new seeds at the market, and planted pumpkins, red peppers, yellow cherry tomatoes, green beans, strawberries (from seed), and some flowers from seed. I can't wait till all of these sprout as well. Here are some updated pictures of my ever growing veggie plants.

Beef Tomatoes, Spinach, Cucumbers, and Cilantro

Love,
Jessica

Spinach Sprouts

   Winner of the first to sprout award goes to the Spinach! Now there are sprouts of everything! Its so exciting! We just need to find a place to get a whole lot of dirt, and create a good space for all the plants to grow.

   I did go a little (ok, a lot) over board with my planting...two whole packages of tomatoes (they were different kinds) and two packages of cucumbers. I wasn't sure if the seeds would all grow, but they pretty much all did. Yeah, I didn't really think through that one, so now all my friends will be getting their own tomato plants. :) If my plants all do well here, my friends will not be lacking in veggies!

The First sprout! 

What the spinach looked like a few days later:

Cucumbers

Painting

   I had a bunch of teenage girls over to paint one night. It was really fun to be creative, and to see the artistic talent that all the girls have. Sorry that you only get to see my painting.

Above is the first completed piece, then there was a tragic moment when I accidentally squeezed some white paint right onto my painting, so I had to change it a little. Below is the finished one. :)

  

Flying our new kitE

Ian and I have a date together once a week, this past week for our date we decided to fly a kite together. d

Kites are a pretty common sight in the sky here. It is a great way to relax. This day it wasn't super windy, but we still managed to get it in the air. 

Peach Blossoms

 I took a trip out of the city with some friends to a place famous for their flowering peach trees. It was absolutely beautiful there.

   There were people everywhere selling these beautiful flower crowns...really how could I resist, especially when my friend was so sweet to buy one for me. :)

  Happy Easter!

Love, jessica