Call Me Kimmie Crocker!

Can I just brag about myself for one minute! I want you to know that I not only cooked dinner for myself last night (a grilled chicken salad pita with sauteed zucchini squash on the side), but I also prepared a sweet potato casserole and a banana nut cake for Thanksgiving (they are eagerly awaiting their divine appointment with the oven on Thursday morning). I must say I felt so domestic and wifely!! hahaha. If I had husband he surely would have praised me. And my children definitely would have risen up and called me blessed. =)

For a girl who once had to have her roommate come show her how to work the KitchenAid mixer, I say not to shabby! (Sidenote: I had no trouble working my old 1970s mixer.) You know, I realized last night that I don't do much baking from scratch. I, usually, pick up a little something something from Betty or Duncan that requires just a couple of additional ingredients and wah-lah --- I baked! Which makes me think of story that is kind of a tangent but it is too funny to not share. I had to make some breakfast foods for a wedding shower last year. I, of course, waited until late the night before to start making everything! (Seriously, my procrastination sometimes just sets me up for failure!). Well, I bought some muffin mix from the store and poured the mixture into the muffin pan. Only....when I went to pull them out I discovered they were cooked, but they didn't rise at all. What?!? I pulled the box back out of the trash. I forgot an ingredient. A friend called me in the midst of my discouragement. "I cannnnnn't cooooook! No guy will ever want to marry me. waaaah!" (Disclaimer: it was late, I was tired, stressed, and frustated....all breeding ground for the "I am never going to get married" pity party. hahaha). My friend, sweetly, encouraged me that anyone can overlook an ingredient and that she, too, has done it a time or two. "But...there was only 2 ingredients to add!" (Silence). She, then, offerred to give me cooking lessons before I got married. hahahah. Score!

Can I just be honest and say that I actually ENJOYED baking from scratch!!!  It really was alot of fun!  Not only did I feel a sense of joy, pride and accomplishment when I folded the finished product into the 9x13 casserole dish, but it also brought back fun memories of when I was a little girl.  I used to LOVE to watch mom bake cookies, pies, cakes, etc.  I would stand on a chair and watch with absolute fascination.  I loved watching the glass bowl spinning around, I loved seeing the mixture get sucked into the beater and come out smooth, I loved it when mom would turn up the speeds and it would get to the fastest speed.   But mostly, I loved licking the beater!  Not much has changed there!   I licked every bit of the banana nut cake off that beater!  Yuuuuummmyy!!  
 
I think I might just have to try this baking thing more!  I will definitely need to find a cute little apron to wear too....and some matching mitts!!  That way if the meal doesn't quite turn out, I still look cute!!!    
 

One night a few weeks ago, I had this overwhelming heaviness stirring in my soul. I stood in my room and I knew - I can either go before the Lord and wrestle this out with Him or I can sit back and let the enemy use this to consume me and bind me up. I laid on top of my bed with my face pressed into the mattress and I began to cry out to my Father in Heaven. And as I did, my heart began to pour out like water before Him. I wept as I released ALL my cares, my concerns, my worries, my desires, my fears, my sorrows, and my confessions of repentance before Him. “Raw Praying” (as Beth Moore once called it). As I spilled out my heart onto Him, I began to feel the quietness of the Holy Spirit overtake my soul. The tears stopped. My voice fell silent. I laid there and felt the presence of God consume me with stillness before Him. “Be Still and know that I am God” resonated over and over in my heart. I rested in it for a while. It was as though I was curled up on my Father’s lap as He stroked my head and held me close. There is such freedom in being with Him in the wide open, just being honest and raw before Him. Completely exposed and known. He already knows what lies in our hearts. He knows the thoughts we have before we even have them. He is fully aware of us – more so than we are even aware of us. He knows the weight of the burdens that we carry and He calls us to “come” and to cast them onto Him. He knows the depth of the needs of our soul and He calls us to “come” and be satisfied in Him. What a gracious invitation our God extends to us!

As I laid there before Him, I felt the heaviness lift and my soul no longer weighed down. But I knew I wasn’t finished. If I were to walk away now after feeling the releasing of my burdens off of me I would miss out on the blessing of RECEIVING His fullness and power and truth being poured back into me. I thought of David who so often begins his psalms with a cry of overwelming desperation, and fear, and urgency before the Lord. “O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me.” (Ps 3:1). “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?”(Ps 13:1). As you read through his psalms, you will find David doesn’t stop there. David doesn’t just pour out the depths of his heart and soul before the Lord and then walk away. No, David had a radical resolve to press in FURTHER into the presence of God and to grab hold of Him with his everything. And, I love it, because you can read through David’s psalms and see the exact moment where he just latches onto his God for dear life. “But, YOU, O Lord, ARE a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head.” (Ps 3:3). “But YOU, O Lord, ARE a God merciful and gracious…” (Ps 86:15). “YOU ARE my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” (Ps 142:5). And one of my favorites - “THIS I KNOW, that God is for me.” (Ps 56:9). And as David grabbed hold of the presence of God, a transformation took place. Where there was fear, there was now faith. Where there was doubt, there was a confident praise in His God. Where there was darkness, there was now an enlightenment of his eyes. Where there was wilderness, there was now worship!

Determined to press into His presence further, I arose on my feet and began to declare out loud the truth of who my God is. In faith, I grabbed hold of Him. God, You are able! All things are below your feet! Nothing is too hard for You! You are perfect in knowledge! Your plans cannot be thwarted! As I called upon my God, the power came! The Spirit within me began to rise up, He began to warrior inside me and intercede on my behalf. He IS the Spirit of Truth – and as truth was being spoken out He bore witness within me “This is truth! This is truth! My mind, and my will, and my emotions began to line up and submit under the authority of God’s Truth. He pulled me deep into His presence - and He took a girl who only moments before was broken before Him and He restored her to a spacious place where she had room to pace back and forth with her finger pointed up towards the heavens declaring who God is, declaring who she is in Christ, and declaring the victorious power that she has as her portion in Christ over the evil one. THAT is the transforming work of God when we grab hold of Him! He fills us with Himself. =)As I was pacing back in forth in my room, I prayed that God would show me truth after truth after truth that I could put my foot on to walk. While everything else around me may be shakey ground, I wanted a firm place for my feet to step on. As I prayed that, I felt in my Spirit that the Lord was saying to me go outside and get a rock. “Ummmm, ok, yes sir!” Now it was late at night by now so it was pitch black outside. I wasn’t sure where I was even going to find a rock, but I slipped on my shoes and hurried downstairs. I squatted down by some bushes and started feeling around and sure enough I found a little rock. I hurried back upstairs and ran into my room. I pleaded with the Lord to please speak to me what He wanted me to write on the rock (My bible study teacher this past semester had shared in class that God had called her to carry a rock with the word "redeemed" on it for a season). I knew I could have chosen for myself a word of truth or scripture to write on it – but I did not want it to be my words but HIS!! I prayed something similar to “I beg you, Lord, to show me – to speak to me what truth you want me to write on this rock. I am desperate for a word from YOU that I can stand on!” When I spoke the word “stand”, I can’t explain it….but I just knew. I wept in His presence. Kim, you STAND on My promises! You STAND on My truth! You STAND in My power and you STAND your ground against the evil one. After you have done everything else, you STAND. I pulled out a sharpie and wrote “stand” on the rock.

The next morning, I put my “stand rock” in my pocket to carry with me to remind me of the word the Lord had spoken. Any opposition from the enemy that I might face, any lie that contradicted the Word of God, any fear or worry that would attempt to rob me of my freedom in Christ, I would remember to STAND. I was in my car and I had the music on, but to be honest I was completely lost in my thoughts so I wasn’t listening to the song that was playing. All of a sudden I had this quick impulse (It was totally the Spirit!) to check my pocket to make sure I hadn’t left my rock. I pulled it out of my pocket and just as I was about to read it - the word "stand" was spoken out loud on the song that was playing in my car. uuuhhhhh....WHAT?? I turned the volume up. The song was near the end, and the chorus was continuing to repeat over and over again.

I began to tremble as I listened to the words:

"So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
So I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours"

Five times it repeated. WOW!!! I couldn’t even sing along, I just breathed it in and received it! It was a holy moment! =) When the song was over, I looked down at the screen to see what the name of the song was – it is called “The Stand" by Hillsong. I screamed out loud when the song was over, “LORD, YOU ARE FREAKING ME OUT!” hahaha. I just rested in that moment of wonderment for a bit and marveled at how amazing my God is. There is soooo much more to share of all that He is continuing to show me through the words of that song and through other things as well – but I will just have to post that at a later time. He is still working it in me. Hopefully soon...

Santa Barbara I Miss You!!

I went and visited my friend, Christianne, in Santa Barbara this weekend! It was phenomenal! I am in love with this city! The beach, the mountains, the weather (70 and breezy), the people....I could get used to this!! =) Christianne and I hung out on State St a few times. It is kind of like the strand in Galveston but WAY BETTER! We ate lunch, people watched, and walked around. What is so fun about this street is that it has everything! Restaurants, movie theaters, shops (antique stores, well known clothing stores like Gap, Macys, Banana Republic, etc, and also little unique clothing stores.) Just about everyone has a dog, and the stores even encourage you to bring your dog into the stores by having dog bowls outside their stores and bins with doggie treats in them. There were so many people biking too. There was a bike lane on just about every street. With the perfect weather Santa Barbara has, who wouldn't want to commute by bike/walk!! We went hiking up in the mountains at this little spot Christianne knew. It was sooo much fun that we went back the next day too! I could so get used to this!!!

Uhhhh, why do I live in Houston again?!?!

Christianne and I on State St.

Hiking in Montecito.

Kim with Zuri (Christianne's Husky)

At one of the waterfalls

There was a snake in one of the waterfalls (shiver!)

I can't believe I actually slid down the waterfall into the water where the snake had been! I was totally peer-pressured into doing it! hahaha. Some locals where cheering me on "Come on, Texas!! Do it!!" As you can see I was in/out of that water in a blink!! haha!

"If You're Happy and You Know it...."

Look at what my sweet little niece, Ava, learned at daycare. My sister, Lisa, didn't even know Ava knew the motions until she randomly started singing it and saw Ava do the clapping. Soooo cute!
I love how proud Ava is of herself at the end!


Video: If you're happy and you know it

It was an itty, bitty, teeny, weeny Houston Project fitted tee....

We had our first Houston Project meeting this past Sunday at the church. I got to see my Becky Parker lead us in announcements and opening prayer. I had a "moment" in the back of the room when I realized that this was the first time in my 5 years of knowing Becky that I have seen her speaking up on stage. I was filled with pride - that's my Becky! Malcolm Marshall did a great job preaching the do's and dont's of urban ministry! We, then, got to break up into the different inner city church sites for some prayer and planning time. I am back at Farrington Baptist Church for my 4th year now. I absolutely love this site and our site leaders Cas and Gina Webster!! I signed up for evangelism this year! I'm sooo excited and feel stretched! =) It is definitely the one area of service that I don't think I could "wing it" so to speak. It is so far beyond me and my personality and my ability. So, I am excited about seeing the strength of God exalted in my weakness!

One funny thing that happened (or almost happened) was that we were issued our Houston Project t-shirt for this year (which are really cool by the way!) We are suppose to wear our t-shirt to church next Sunday and than all week at our site the following week. I picked up my size small t-shirt and, you know, it kind of looked small...like really, really small. But I just rationalized that it was the style - the trendy fitted tee look. I even thought as I held it up to me that I might have to wear a cami or long tank underneath just in case I was to raise my hands in worship so not to show skin. All I can say is THANK THE LORD that a storm came through and that left me stuck up at the church for a while before I could head home!! While I was walking around waiting, I ran into some friends in the hallway who were coming out of their Houston Project meeting carrying their t-shirts. I, thankfully, made mention to them that the Houston Project t-shirts were running small this year. I held up my shirt and my friend informed me that I had a CHILD t-shirt. I, quicky, checked the tag...yep, youth small!! Oh my gosh! I had tears welling up I was laughing so hard! I was going to wear that shirt next Sunday to church!!! to church!!! This cropped, fitted, super tight tee! I would have been walking around the church halls wondering why everyone else's t-shirt looked normal and mine looked like a tube top! I, mean, I know HFBC desires to be culturally relevant but this might be going a bit to far with the fitted tee! hahaha. After I told Laurie Johnson the story, she informed me hers was actually a halter top. haha...funny. When I went to exchange my child small for the adult small, Becky informed me that the child whose shirt I took came into the office just 5 minutes before I did wearing my shirt and it looked like a dress on them. haha. poor thing! What a pair we would have looked like next Sunday.

this is what I pictured the

Youth S looking like - haha

maybe a little shorter though - yikes!

An Unexpected Blessing!!

The Lord is good!! And He does, indeed, go before us! (Even before us to Home Depot!!!)
Let me set the story!

The background:
For those of you who do not know, I am about to venture out again in the remodeling world with my guest bathroom. Yes, I have apparently suppressed all memory of the kitchen remodeling nightmare of 2007 and have willingly signed up for another round. It all began a few months back when the air conditioner (which is in the ceiling in the guest bathroom) began leaking. The water leak completely ruined the ceiling causing it to peel and fall apart. We had to rip the whole ceiling out (there still isn't a ceiling to this day!) and replace the AC. Not fun. On top of that, the bathtub in the guest bathroom is falling apart too - it is peeling and rusting....and it just completely ruins the whole "bath" experience (you girls know what I mean). After much dragging of my feet, I decided it was past time to remodel the bathroom. But I must tell you all that just the thought of hiring a contractor, planning out what I want done, picking out the tub, tile, paint color, etc makes me want to curl up in a ball and hide in a closet. hahaha!

OK...now to catch you up-to-date:

I, finally, got motivated this past Saturday to go shopping to look at tile, vanity sinks, and bathtubs. To be honest, I was kind-of stressed about it. ...I don't know what to look for, what not to look for, what looks good together, etc. I don't have a "eye" for this kind of thing at all!

I did find this real pretty "antique looking" vanity sink that I liked ALOT at this one store....it was EXACTLY what I wanted! BUT...after some thought in the store - it was just too costly! blast! I drove home feeling defeated and discouraged. When I got home, I got on homedepot.com and looked through their vanities. I found 3 or so that seemed to look nice and the price was about half the price of the other vanity I had my eye on. I hopped in the car and drove a few exits down to Home Depot. I walked up and down the aisle looking at the pictures on the outside of all the boxes, but I didn't see any of the ones I liked on the website. Errr. I was just about to give up and I saw one of them sitting on a cart - it wasn't boxed, but saran- wrapped. Hmmmm....is it coming or going? Somebody beat me to it, I bet. What bad timing I thought! I asked a saleswoman - she informed me that it was bought back in January but that the buyer never came and picked it up so it was going back on the shelf. Oooooh. This could be promising!! This other lady that she was helping turned and looked at the vanity when she said that and commented on how nice it was. BACK OFF! It's mine! (Ok, I didn't say it, but I thought it!! hahaha!) The saleswoman told me to roll the cart up to the front and ask a manager to price it for me (it didn't have a sku #). The manager told the customer service employee to try to look up the customer's name and the delivery number written on the delivery tag to get the price that was paid for it.....but nothing came up. The customer service employee called the manager to let him know. When he got off the phone with the manager, he told me "ma'am it is your lucky day..............$50" WHAT?!?!?!? SOLD!!! ( I jumped up and down and squealed!) I think I said a few "Amens!" somewhere in there too! He had to find an item nearby that was around $50 so he could ring it up so he could charge me for the vanity....he ended up finding something that was $41 so with tax it rang up like $45.

Isn't that awesome!?!?! I was giddy and praising the Lord the WHOLE way home!! I know that unexpected blessing was from Him! I thanked Him over and over in delight and amazement! He does care about the big AND LITTLE things in our life and He honors when we cast our cares, worries, concerns, and fears on Him!

Thank you Lord for the sink vanity!

Project: Outdoors!

Kim's Outdoor Adventure Check List

The Lord has definitely given me an adventurous spirit! I love the outdoors! I, especially, am wild about mountains and water! Someday, I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE (did I mention love?) to live where I can have them both! =) Any kind of outdoor play I am ALL about! There are times I'm confused as to why God would have placed such a thrill for the outdoors in the heart of a red-headed, fair-skinned body. hahaha. But praise Him for hats, sunglasses, and SPF 50 (seriously...the stuff is not even lotion...it is like paste!)


I had started making a list of all the adventures I've been on and all the adventures I still want to conqueror!



Adventures completed:

• Snow Skiing / Tubing
  

• Waterskiing

• Skydiving (Houston '00)

• White Water Rafting (Costa Rica, '01)
  
  
  

• Zip Line Canopy Tour (Costa Rica Rain Forest '01)

• Snorkeling (Costa Rica '01)

I can't find any pictures! =(

Guess I have to do it again! =)

• Rock Rappelling (Austin, '03)

• Horseback Riding (Costa Rica Beach '01, Yukon '05)
  
  

• Dogsledding (Alaska '05)

• Sea Kayaking (Alaska '05, Cabo San Lucas '07)

Adventures still awaiting to be had:
and YOU (yes YOU!!) still have time to join in on the fun!! Sign-ups begin NOW!

• Surfing (Santa Barbara, July '08)




• Indoor Skydiving




• Hiking




• Scuba Diving




• Windsurfing




• Sailing

• Fishing (haven't been since I was a little girl!)

• Parasailing (came so close to in Cabo....ran out of time. sniff sniff)

The list, by far, is not complete! But that gives me, at least, a start!