"As cold waters to thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." - Homeschool Blogger

A Night in the Life of Nicole Hearn

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:16:00 -0600

Jay was riding on the Box last night and while we were waiting to pick him up (his shift was over at 8), Em started complaining that she felt nauseous, etc. Fifteen minutes before we were supposed to get Jay, he called to say that they'd just been called out on another call and didn't know when they would be back. We occupied our time by playing Dutch Blitz (Daniel and I), working on paperwork (mom and dad) and feeling sick (Emily). Finally, the little kids went to bed because it had been over an hour since they'd run the call, and Jay still hadn't called. At about 9:45 dad and I went to the Station to pick Jay up, and discussed some very lively things from Life Purpose Planning on the way there. One of the things we discussed (ironically) was that if there was one thing I couldn't imagine doing, it was nursing. I hate the needles, seeing people in pain, etc. My dad said, "Oh, but if someone needs it you can do it. I've seen you......remember when the LeMasters all got sick and you stayed up with them all night playing 'Clara Barfton'? You can be motivated, but it has to be by necessity in a situation like that." I agreed, little knowing what the night would hold.

When we got back, Jay started to tell us about his day (we always like to hear about every call, his meals at the firehouse, and any other pertinent details) when Emily said that she really wasn't feeling well and said that she was going to go to bed. That's not like her. Anyway, Jay started regaling us with his usual interesting stories; they'd had 9 calls and went out on 7 of them yesterday (a heavy call load for a typical day) although they had only transported two or three times. Apparently, Jay's most memorable call was when dispatch called them out to a "Person Down on Main and Maple." That usually means a TC (traffic collision) so they were a little bewildered that there was no TC followup call. After getting to the corner of Main and Maple, and looking around, they saw no one, and no unusual activity. They radioed back to dispatch saying that they didn't find anything, but then they saw two cars, and one of the occupants was waving them down. They updated dispatch that they had arrived "on scene". The people in the car(s) had been the one(s) to call, because there was apparently a lady laying in the middle of Main Street and almost being hit by oncoming cars. Both cars had pulled over and advised her to move, but she had complained that her knees hurt, and then had taken off on foot. The paramedics spotted her across a field; and went over to her. The woman was clearly inebriated. What ensued was very comical for the paramedics; they had to wait for a sheriff to come and arrest the lady for being drunk in public (her only "medical problem" was that she'd had a few too many drinks). Meanwhile, they carried on a rather interesting "conversation" with her. After they asked what her name was, the woman earnestly handed them a notebook with a bunch of blank sheets in it, and one address/name on one of the pages. "This will tell you all about me," she told them. She was frustrated that they wouldn't let her "walk home", (although she would say that she knew exactly where her house was, they weren't so sure that was the case). They invited her to fulfill a lifelong dream (:D) by "sitting on a firetruck!" while she "waited for her ride." When her "ride" finally showed up, the sheriff was frowning as he got out of the vehicle. "Ma'am, you have a warrant out for your arrest. Please put your hands behind your back!" Her "ride" that night was probably straight to jail. :-D

After Jay finished telling us about all of his calls, and his meals, in depth, Dad, Jay, Mom and I went to bed at about 11, amazed with how late it had gotten. I was trying to get to sleep, and simultaneously trying to quote the verses in Matthew 6 that I learned this week; the two were not a good combination. I kept getting frustrated because I was too tired to think of what came next..........

I jerked awake to realize that Em hadn't been joking about her illness. Yep; she had the flu. No, it wasn't pretty. I felt like I was all thumbs as I tried to get her cleaned up, get the sheets changed, the barf bucket washed out, and other sundry things that I need not elaborate on here. Finally I decided that it would be a good idea to relocate our sleeping quarters to the living room for the night. (Genius, I know.) The rest of the house was still sleeping (despite the racket and lights on), and Em was, by this time, in the shower so I went valiantly in search of some blankets (and pillows) to be used to sleep on in the living room. The problem was, I was still slightly disoriented (well, maybe a little more than slightly) and I couldn't seem to find what I wanted. I did manage to get one blanket down, and a very fine selection of crib sheets and fitted (tiny) twin sheets. Altogether, they would have maybe covered us up to our knees. By this time, mom and dad were stirring so I went in to ask their advice (on what, I don't really know entirely).
They never went beyond the stirring stage, although we did carry on a conversation that went something like this:
Dad: Mhfhmmmm?
Me: Em....threw up....she's got the flu.......I changed the sheets......should I bring Mally to the living room?
Dad: Mhfhmmmm?
Me: Em has the flu. Should I bring Mally to the living room with us? Em's in the shower.
Mom: Mhfhmmmm?
Dad: Em is in the shower? Why?!
Mom (slurred): She has the flu.
Dad: Mhfmmm.
Me: Should I?
Dad: Should you what?
Me: Bring Mally into the living room.
Dad: Yeah.
Me: Okay. I can't find any blankets.
Mom: They should be in the hall cupboard.
Me: I can't find them. I found sheets.
Mom: Mhfmmmm.

Eventually I left the room and did manage to find two crocheted blankets, which I felt sure would have us roasting (for some reason, the fact that it's the middle of December didn't occur to me, and later I woke up in the middle of the night, freezing). Em emerged from the shower, I brought Mally out, got the washing machine going, and other like things. We went to bed. The washing machine (from the living room) was so loud that I couldn't sleep, so finally I covered my ears and started to drift off when a thought occurred to my sleep-deprived brain: what if Em gets sick again in the night and I have my ears covered and can't hear her?

Dutifully, I uncovered my ears and went back to sleep.

Of updates and updated views

Wed, 6 Dec 2006 10:42:00 -0600

I fully realize that, in order to keep up my status with homeschoolblogger.com, I have to periodically update. Since I don't have a very good update, I am going to add a post that I recently made on CDF, where I moderate and where a lively discussion on the merits of courtship has recently presented itself.

Here it is. :D

About two years ago my dad and I were driving somewhere late at night and I was babbling something about "courtship". He was fairly silent up to this point, but then said, simply, "Well, you know, I'm not sure I believe in courtship."

I stared at him, speechless. But you've taught me all of my life that I'm going to save my heart for the man I marry, and that I will honor you and seek your counsel by insisting that any man that marries me has your prior permission and approval.

I had the good sense to say, "What do you mean by that?"

He responded, "Nicole, there are a lot of good men out there. Men who have perhaps never heard of the old-fashioned terms and who know little else than the traditional. These are men who would possibly never think of approaching me first, but would instead come straight to you in pursuit. Just because a man did that would not disqualify him from being interested in you. If a guy goes to you someday and asks you out or tells you that he wants to pursue a relationship with you, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It could be that he had never heard of getting a pre-check from the dad."

I agreed, mostly because I knew that what he was saying was sound. But inside, I always thought, that might be true for some people. But it would never be true for me.

God has worked in my heart a lot in relationship to romantic things. When I was even fifteen and sixteen, I had some sort of opinion that if I wrote everything I was looking for in a spouse down on paper, God would somehow consider that the magic wand to getting me exactly what I wanted. True, I wouldn't have put it in those terms, but if you actually asked me about it, after I had read such stories as Jennie Chancey's, I felt confident that God would give me what I considered to be the perfect man for me. Not all of my conceptions were childish; I had a great list of things which included his various theological positions on things, his motivations in life, and a slew of character qualities which I wanted him to possess. (All good things, mind you.) I also added a few short things in which I hoped that we would feel romantically inclined towards one another, and that the marriage wouldn't be obligatory. It sounded nice, and you probably couldn't have pinpointed anything on the entire list that wasn't a good thing to hope for in a husband.

In the last few years, God has taken me through a bit of a "roller-coaster" with my thoughts on romance, prying from me certain things that I had been holding onto outside His will, and instilling in me new concepts and ideas that I hadn't considered before. Since I was young (probably eleven or twelve) I have always said that I would use "Courtship" as the means whereby I would get to the altar. To define courtship would have been a little difficult, but I think I can summarize it here---a guy would like me (hopefully without me knowing about his attention), he would go to my dad, my dad would provide a thorough process whereby he "evaluated" the young man, the young man would approach me with the possibility of getting to know me better, we would proceed with that, eventually fall in love, and he would marry me (hopefully all in a short matter of time). I didn't believe necessarily that any of those things were sacred or that the process whereby I would end up as a Mrs. So-and-so could be only fulfilled through courtship, but then again, I didn't see any viable alternatives to the exact way I had "planned" it out.

God has been teaching me a lot, I think--and hope--about such things especially in the last few months, through a variety of circumstances. The first came from a courtship of some family friends where the couple had met eachother at a youth function, had officially began courting several months later, and who had seemed to abide by every rule in the book. After awhile, I saw that their courtship was starting to put a "bad taste in my mouth" as their relationship seemed lifeless and so cautious that it seemed they had ruined any semblance of happiness (other than a superficial kind). The next came in discovering ylcf.org, where there were so many diverse stories with so much in common. And several other things happened after that wherein some couples did everything "right" and seemed to get in trouble, and other times when couples seemed to go against what I considered to be "proper" and yet were evidently blessed by God. I began thinking about the "status quo" in relationships...........and God began to work on my heart in a way that I had been unwilling to see before.

In short, here is what I think about relationships in general-------

First, I do know a few things, one of those being that it is a Biblical command to "keep [one's] heart". Defining that may be difficult, but we do know that it must be a priority, and therefore we should figure out what it is.

Second, I also know that I am commanded to honor those in authority over me. What "honor" is and what it isn't, I know that it, too, must be a priority, and therefore I should figure out what it is.

Third, the Bible says that marriage is permenant. Therefore, I want to know, going into it, that I am going into something I am willing to persist in for the rest of my life. And, I want to do my very best to try to make sure it is both God's will, and, practically speaking, something I will be happy in.

With those three, there is a theme--finding out God's will. Finding out how to keep one's heart. Finding out how to honor authorities. Just finding out in general! How does one "find out"? How does one guage what God's perspectives are in relationship to each of those questions?

I would venture to say that He reveals it through His spirit. Each person's romance will be different. No two stories will have the same ending. Rather, it's beautiful and healthy that we only have one primary goal in our marriages (and whatever stages lead up to marriage): obey the Lord. It is not a new concept for God to be revealing Himself to individuals, and there are only two states you can be in once he has done that: obedience, or disobedience. What he tells you to do, you do. That may be different for the neighbor down the street or the kid who sits behind you in church on Sundays. That, in fact, will be different for each person. But it is absolutely imperative for success.

Now, onto a bit more of practical issues....there are guidelines that one may set with himself or herself, to ensure accountability. Not just in relationship to marriage, or guy/girl relationships, but in every aspect of life (for instance, if someone has had a problem with alcohol, they may make a conscious decision to stay out of stores that keep it anywhere but behind the counter). I know that we all here believe in standards, and, while our standards may be different from one another, I think we all eventually have the same goal with our standard-setting----keeping accountable. If we obeyed God in each action, there would be no patterned "standard" that we set, because each action would be different. But we are imperfect human beings who struggle with things, and sometimes it can take a predetermined decision to keep us from erring in a given situation.

For me, I have three primary standards that I want to keep for myself; first, personal purity. I don't want to be emotionally entangled with anyone to the point where it distracts me from the Lord. I think people have been bantering over what emotional purity is, and I think that one of the ultimate tests of that, or at least the one that I prefer to use, is this--- does this distract me from serving the Lord? If you are too young to be entertaining such thoughts, or making such plans, the answer would probably be universally, 'Yes'. If you are, however, of marrying age this doesn't mean that you can't think of another person specially, or even perhaps single them out in your mind. But I've heard, and I agree with, an assessment of proper timing for marriage, namely, when both parties can serve the Lord better together than apart. Therefore, even any premarital interest that you have in the other person should spur you onto a closer relationship with Christ. For instance, if a young lady has particularly noticed a young man, the place that her attraction should draw her to is prayer. She should learn reliance, she should learn to be patient, and, most of all, she should learn to be satisfied that God will already do what is absolutely best in the situation. If she finds herself praying selfishly ( i.e. "Lord, please help him to be blinded to every girl but me!") or if she is neglecting prayer altogether (or perhaps finding herself thinking of him instead of what's on the page in front of her during her daily devotions), she knows that she has delved to a place that God wouldn't desire her to be. The second commandment is clear about that--God wants to be number one. Anything that userps Him as holding that title in your life (even after you are married) is unquestionably wrong.

Secondly (in my prior list of standards for myself), I want to allow the man to lead. In a relationship of such a gigantic proportion, (obviously the most important human relationship that a person should generally be in throughout their lives) it is imperative that each party does their part to ensure that God is being glorified. I think that the best way to start the relationship out on the right foot is for the woman to allow the man to initiate, and to lead. This does not in any way indicate a passive attitude. Rather, in much the same way that a wife would pray for an unbelieving husband, believing that her power is greater inside the will of God than outside, a woman can begin to practice the joyful submission that should characterize her wifehood....by letting the man take the first steps, by not assuming anything that he has not explicitly stated, and by not hog-tying him into something he perhaps wasn't ready to be in. This is a big one for girls especially because we often are more impulsive and usually have things figured out more quickly than our male counterparts, who perfer to take things at a slower pace (which in turn causes us to wish that we could just get in and make things happen). So, for me, one big step of mine is that the young man must initiate. I'm not going to try to attract his attention any more than I would walk up and propose. If he is to notice me, it will be through his own motivation alone (not to say that I try to avoid being notice, which I don't. But that I am "normal" all of the time, and when and if someone notices me, that is their issue, not mine. I don't go around asking for attention.)

The third, and final, standard that I set for myself is the issue of authority. Now, God established, from the beginning, three branches of authority, namely, the home, the church, and the law. When one is derelict in their responsibilities, God has created a balance of power to keep each branch in check. Before I go into honoring of my authorities in my choice of spouse, I first want to point out that not every situation is like mine. God has made it fairly easy for me to abide by clear-cut standards of honor and dishonor. But it is not always the same. Thankfully, God has provided all three branches as authority, and honoring the authority should (primarly) be able to be carried out by one means or another. I know that not many people on this forum, perhaps, have problems with this type of thing, but I will be very honest in saying that sometimes the situations those of us believe in as far as "parental approval" do not carry in every situation. There are some extreme situations which, while they should be taken as far as they possibly can in obedience, end in an other-than-fairytale manner. For instance, some young women who have been in cults and/or have had their marriages arranged through something of that nature have no choice but to appeal to the third branch of authority, namely, the law. There is no compulsory charge towards young women to obey anything that their parents or their church says in direct opposition to the word of God. Another, less extreme, situation would be in a time where parents disagreed with a girl's choice of spouse and church agreed, as well as law agreeing. In such a case, each person must do what God directs them to....but again, there is no going back on honor. Do it right the first time. If I want to marry a guy and my father cautions me against it, I will listen to him because I know that "The heart of a king is as rivers of water; [the Lord] directeth it withersoever he will." God speaks through parents, and always has. In fact, in the Bible there is a strong theme of reliance upon authorities (especially parents) and there are dozens of promises about how God blesses one who does honor their authority. In many situations, God waits just on the other side of compromise. Often, for instance, I have heard of parents who have voiced their cautions and had their children heed them, only to discover that it was a "test" from God in the relationship and that He eventually granted both the grace to deal with difficult things that the parents were doing, as well as the couple eventually being happily married and in their parents' will. Alternately, there have been some couples who have listened to their parents for a seemingly "perfect" person and, upon heeding their parents' counsel, have understood perhaps years or even tens of years later why their parents said what they said (optimally, the parents will have enough communication with their children to have specific resonings why they disagree with a certain person, but, even in the case of, say, unsaved parents, with no "resoning" behind their actions, the Lord does work through them). On the flip side, I have seen couples who have gone against their parents' wishes, only to their detriment, and have seen some things in their future spouse that they never saw coming, and that their parents could have advised them against. The rules about honoring authority are universal, and God does not offer any options but to heed them. However, there are some situations in which the young person must be wise as to what that exactly means; there are numerous situations in which alternate authorities must be consulted. Proverbs says that in the "multitude of counsellors is safety". When, say, a father has abandoned his family duties ( i.e. he is in prison, or has no ties to the family, etc.) often a young couple should search out the approval of their church family and/or trusted friends or relatives. God is faithful to direct in each situation.
Anyway, now with those disclaimers out of the way.........with me, it is imperative that my dad (or, in the case of something prohibiting that, an equivalent alternative authority figure) approves of the man I marry. If a guy asks me out, in fact, I generally will have this view---"Before I get to know you very well, why don't we see what my dad thinks of you; he's a guy, he's a great judge of character, and he wants the very best for me." Not the hardest of requests. My dad isn't an ogre waiting to sabotage my life. Instead, he strives to give me the very best, and time and again he has proven that he is worthy of evaluating situations and people better than I can. I don't necessarily consult him because I feel like I can't do it on my own, but then again, I do know that he provides a perspective that I really could never do on my own. He knows me well--he knows my ideosynchrosies, he knows my problems, and he knows what type of man I would work best with. He's also a guy, uninhibited by the romantics that would definitely be prevalent in any relationship I would be involved in, and thus has the potential to see anything that I'm missing. I also value the opinions of my brother Jay, and my family and church family. In general, I'm not just marrying a guy. I'm marrying his family. And he's not just marrying me, but he's becoming a part of my family. It's important that we all sense God's leading in whatever we are doing. My dad's protection isn't stifling. It's freeing. It will also free the young man to see how I will go about responding to his leadership--do I honor my dad even behind his back? If so, the young man will guess that I probably won't overstep his own authority as a woman later on in life. God has numerous promises to those who respect their authorities, and numerous problems facing those who don't, and I plan on being--for my sake and for God's--in the center of His will by obeying him in such an important matter.

So, basically, that's what I have decided to do. I have held onto numerous "standards" for the particulars of my relationship, most of which I have realized are unnecessary in the first place. I no longer hold onto big series of progressive lists about what will happen each step of my courtship. I know that God is bigger than a box, and that, generally, the only qualifications He has are ones that can take a million different scenarios and make them divinely appointed.

To recap, I want to be personally pure. (That includes the time that I'm in a romance, and, no, I don't exactly know what that means yet, but, God will probably not have any problems explaining once I get to that point). I want to be submissive. To let the guy lead. And I want to be under authority. I want to be willing to abide by the counsel of my parents and other authorities throughout my love story. And I don't want to box God in. I don't want to assume that everything in my story will read like a fairytale. I don't want to assume that it will be one way or another. I don't even want to put down lots of guidelines about the kind of person that I want to marry, or the rules that we will have during our courtship, or how long we believe that the relationship should take, or what its prerequisites are, or anything else that leads up to the aisle. Instead, I want to have this one goal in front of me: is God pleased? If I can answer that with satisfaction, I already know that I'm doing everything else right.

Nowadays, I no longer look at my dad in horror when he says that he maybe doesn't believe in courtship. Instead, I understand what he means--I understand that it is foolish to box God in with terms and rules. Instead, there is freedom in restricting ourselves to the ultimate standard, that of His perfection. He will direct. Even if my story surprises me with how it is carried out, I can rest assured that the God who has been guiding men and women for tens of centuries is still capable of doing so in the world we live in today. Whether my story is characterized by reserve or whether God chooses for it to be trademarked by freedom...that is His choice. All I know is that the requirement from me, now, is that I be willing to follow when He leads into it.

It can be hard to trust Him with the unknown. Sometimes making all sorts of rules seems easier, because we tend to think that God will follow our guidelines and grant us the perfect sequence that we have come up with. But it takes faith to believe that God wants to do beyond what we could ask or think. He wants to bless us with something that He has preordained for us.

The only rule, the only prerequisite, to a marriage according to His will, is, I daresay, childlike faith and simple obedience. Without them, no relationship with even the most perfect of rules can succeed. With them, God is faithful in showing you His rules....one by one, time and time again. Getting to the altar is not supposed to be done by following a rulebook. It's instead supposed to be done by following the Lord, through each step--easy and hard steps alike--into His perfect will.

It's a place that might not be like anything your expectations painted it to be, but it will be righteous, it will be holy, and it will be good.

Fond Farewells

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 16:24:00 -0500

Well, it's the last week. The very last days. All of the busyness surrounding is reminding me that on Saturday evening, and for every evening thereafter until the fall is coming to a close, I will be in another state, with entirely different circumstances than I have ever experienced before.
My suitcases are in my room, starting to fill up. The selection process has begun as I decide what things to bring along and what things to leave behind. I am doing my clothes packing tomorrow, but today and yesterday I have been adding things to my carryon, which has all of my books, writing supplies, and will eventually have the laptop as well. Dad told the family that we're going out to dinner on Friday. To say goodbye. I've been discussing the more practical matters of my stay with the Dean of Women, such as laundry soap and umbrellas. The online ticket agency emailed me this morning to remind me of my itinerary. I finished my Knowledge Journal today, the last requirement my parents had before I went abroad.
I have to finish packing, to make my meal for the plane, to send off my last letters to folks before I am writing from another address. And all too soon, Saturday will come, and the plane will take me 1900 miles away.

May this time be one of serving God in a new and renewed capacity. May I have a teachable spirit, and may I be an instrument of His hand. May I be protected, and may my dear family also be safe in my absence. And may the God who has led and protected me every day of my life continue to do so as I trust in Him from nearly two thousand miles away from home.

Goodbye, friends.

Why I Wait

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 15:13:00 -0500

Today, Samuel reminded me. He reminded me why I wait, why I guard my heart. I ran across a link which showed less than two minutes of his life�and not a single word from his mouth�but enough to bring unexpected tears springing to my eyes.

Recently I�ve been feeling very conflicting emotions regarding marriage. I wish for it, probably more than I have at any other time in my life, but in a different way. I do not so much look forward to the romantic part of it anymore. Especially in the last year, God has broadened my view of marriage to include the fellowship that such a relationship brings, and the working together towards a higher calling, and greater goals, than could have ever been accomplished apart. I find myself wanting it, awaiting its coming with eagerness.

My dad asked me a question a few months ago�Nicole, do you worry that you won�t ever get married? The answer to the question is surprisingly complex; yes, I worry. I worry that there won�t ever be anyone, or, worse, that there will be someone, but the wrong someone. I worry that I�ll have to tell a young man �no�, and then wonder for the next decade if I turned down something that was really God�s best. I worry that I�m not an attractive enough possibility; I worry that somehow I�ll be the very last available girl among my friends. But my biggest worry is this; as I wait, does he think that I�m worth waiting for, too? Will the man I marry simply �settle� for me? Or will I be worth guarding his heart for, will he go about his days willing to work�and wait�for me until God brings us together? Am I worth that?

I want to be worth that. I want to guard my heart, not just for myself, but to be worthy of him. Someday. When God ordains it. Not any sooner. I don�t want to wish for marriage when God hasn�t sent it along yet. I want to happily wait, to rest in the Lord�s provision, and trust that as I wait, he is out there waiting somewhere, too, working to be worthy as I work to be worthy of him.

Back to Samuel, his reminder was a perfect one for today. A reminder that strengthens my resolve to wait. To trust. And to be the kind of woman that is worthy of a man who is also willing to wait.

Watch Samuel�s video here.

Happy Birthdays

Tue, 5 Sep 2006 10:18:00 -0500

Happy Birthday.....

....to two of the dearest people in the world!!!!

September 4, 1989

Beth Anne Tonning

Beth has been one of the sweetest friends I've ever had! When I first met her over three years ago, I could have never known how much God would do in our lives and how close we would be! She balances me out perfectly....and always impresses me with her godliness and ability to stand with me through thick and thin.

She has so many amazing qualities!!! She can start interesting and rousing discussions, and yet is also a great listener. She can be adventurous, and also has a great spirit of meekness and femininity and graciousness. She's an amazing pianist, but she doesn't boast or act prideful about her many skills.

We've been through so much together. Church conflicts, family issues and friendship difficulties have only served to bring us closer to one another and to the Lord. Sundays--the days I normally see her--have come to be a definite highlight of every week for me!! She's the type of person who can run around and challenge your oldest brother and his five best friends to a fight and win, and yet can sit and discuss practical matters with eloquence for two hours.

Only God could have orchestrated our friendship! Beth's amazing godliness and the qualities that make her such an incredible friend are all His doing. I rejoice often that God has seen fit to allow me to be friends with Beth Tonning!!!

I love you, Beth!!!! You're such an inspiration and encouragement to me.

....and....

Elizabeth "Connie" Cheryl McCauley

September 6, 1989

Connie has been an amazing friend! I never guessed, when I met her last October, that she would become such a good friend. I also never guessed that we would actually meet in person, and God saw fit that we were able to. What an amazing God He is!!!

Connie is my greatest fan and encourager. If I'm having a bad day, she'll always look at things optomistically and enthusiastically. Her trademark smilies and bright ways of viewing life are always such a balance to me, especially when I tend to get a little sarcastic.

She shares many interests with me, and we have a mutual love of our family, ATI, CDF and How They Kept the Faith!! We've been encouraged to discover that we have almost identical standards in many of the practical issues of life, and agree almost across-the-board on theological issues.

We were privileged to meet this year in Sacramento. The story unfolded quite interestingly.....she had just moved from Arizona and was really disappointed about not being able to come to an ATI conference. I was so encouraged by her disposition regarding the whole thing, though. She was determined to have a great week during the week of Sacramento, even going as far as hosting a little CI for her brother David. I was amazed! At the last minute, God provided the opportunity for Mrs. McCauley, David and Elizabeth to come out to Sacramento. Then I persuaded them to stay in our hotel! I was getting excited. Finally, the day of their flight came. I asked my parents if we could please, pretty please, meet them at the airport as a surprise. Through various circumstances, it looked like we wouldn't be able to, but, again, at the last second, God made provision. We went to the airport, and I discovered that their flight had already come in! I started running towards baggage claim, and slowed suddenly when I saw a girl standing there in a black skirt and hot pink shirt. It had to be Connie!!!!! I was suddenly shy, then yelled, "ELIZABETH!"

She whirled and I remember her clutching at her chest and looking a bit ready to faint.
"Nicole?!"

"Connie?!"

And our hearts have been echoing it ever since!!!!!

I love you, dear Connie. Thanks for being my greatest supporter, a godly example to me, and one of the dearest and most precious friends I've ever had!!!!!

Pictures.......

Fri, 1 Sep 2006 17:05:00 -0500

Finally, some pictures from the Hemet CI!!!

Jay and I leading Large Assembly....

My good friend Elisa playing the part of Margaret (aka "Crybaby")

Yours truly!

The whole staff!!! *whistles* Aren't they all sharp-looking?!?!?

Toria, our funloving mystery rose lady!

Me and the best guy on the entire planet!!!!!!!!

Staff time at the Medinas

Staff shoes....neat picture, huh?!?

Dutch Blitz....a favorite pasttime! Andrew and I got fairly good at playing as a team....I always had the flip stack. In the round above, Josh joined us.

Kevin.... "If it's a habit, son, you've gotta kick it."

Roses are red, violets are blue....this is beautiful, and so are you! --Kevin

Elisa and Matthew, in a skit. Elisa is playing the part of a, erm, "food critic".

Hockenstock.....my favorite skit of the entire week!!!

The guys.....

The ladies.....

GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!!!

Life in the Fast Lane.....

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 17:48:00 -0500

I remember being twelve years old, and life being so simple. I thought it was fast-paced then, and I remember thinking, if my life never changes at all, it's bound to be the most enjoyable life a person has ever had.
Of course, God chose to bring a myriad of changes, some bad, most good. But I realize, overall, that this year my life has gone so quickly it makes all the other years of my life pale in comparison. This Summer has flown by so quickly; we went camping the first week in June; two weeks later we had an incredible time in Sacramento where I felt like God showed me a glimpse of what eternity promises to be like. A week after that I had the one experience I think I had dreamed of since I was six years old; my brother and I got to lead an entire Children's Institute, and God blessed so abundantly that I am almost brought to tears when I think of that week. My Aunt Middy came in from Florida and has been staying with my grandmother. I've written hundreds of pages on various writing and correspondence projects over these summer months. On Monday, I leave for another Children's Institute, in Hacienda Heights, California, and the following week I have all four of my Wisdom Teeth removed. After I recover from that, I'll begin gearing up for my trip, and in September I leave for Texas and the dawn of new opportunities and adventures. I'm excited about the stay, and a bit apprehensive, but truly see that God is directing, even when I'm unsure as to His plan. He reminds me often, as I think of those twelve-year-old days when the world seemed to go quickly, that His ways are "higher than our ways" and that to have served Him, and to have seen Him in His glory, is to have already rejected any lesser passions. What an incredible God He is! And, yes, I can still say, with a full heart, six years later that if my life never changes at all, it's bound to be the most enjoyable life a person has ever had. I have a wonderful family, godly brothers and sisters in Christ, and an incredible church. I don't know what God has planned for the future, but these moments are moments I cherish, remembering how little I deserve all that He has brought, and how infinitely gracious He is to have showered me with such blessings.

I love You, Lord.

HOME!!!!!

Fri, 4 Aug 2006 20:19:00 -0500

The Tonnings are HOME!!!!!
Ah, sigh! What a lonely month it's been without them.
Welcome back, dear friends.
We've missed you more than we can say!!!

The first wave.....

Thu, 13 Jul 2006 10:42:00 -0500

Some Sacramento pictures, with more (the Lord willing) to follow.....

You know you believe in courtship if....

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 09:49:00 -0500

I'm still working on assembling my article about camping, and, hopefully soon, an update about my life. I don't exactly have lots of time at the moment, because I'm preparing to lead the Hemet CI with Jay, and am getting ready for the Sacramento conference, and for an employee picnic today, and for Mally's party tomorrow (she'll be 2!), plus various other time-consuming things.

While you're waiting for an update, here's a hilarious article by Gretchen Glaser-Acheson.

You Know You Believe in Courtship If....
Your first kiss is at your wedding.

Your first date is on your honeymoon.

You own nearly 50 books and tapes on relationships and similar topics.

Every time you�re asked for a date you answer, "You�ll have to ask my dad."

You�re the only one at the Valentine banquet who has their brother for an escort.

You cringe every time you see an unmarried couple kissing�whether in a movie or on the street.

You know who Bill Gothard and Josh Harris are.

You know who Josh Harris� wife is.

You can talk for hours about the right way to approach relationships, without ever getting tired.

You�ve never been "out" with a guy before, don�t have a boyfriend or crush, and never plan to.

When asked if you have a boyfriend you reply, "No, and I never want one! I�d rather just get married."

You don�t spend time alone with a guy�until after the wedding.

Words like "betrothal" and "winning her heart" sound comforting�not terrifying or restricting.

When asked by a guy to go to a basketball game, you respond "Sure! My little brothers have been wanting me to take them. It�ll be fun to go together."

Your little sister tells a fellow 3-year-old, "We don�t believe in boyfriends and girlfriends."

You compare notes with friends on what you learned reading Best Friends for Life and Of Knights and Fair Maidens.

You frequently shock other girls your age by saying, "I�ve never had a boyfriend in my life!"

The closest you get to a deeply romantic conversation is a discussion about an evolution/creation quiz.

When asked about your boyfriends, you start listing the male horses, cows, cats, and dogs your family owns.

Your idea of a "romance novel" is the book of Ruth.

You�re the only young lady in your youth group who doesn�t consider a single girl older than 18 to be an "old maid."

Your idea of a "date" is having breakfast with your dad.

You love shocking people with the statement that you�re "never going to date, but plan to get married and have lots of children."