One of my favorite descriptions of God is found in Ephesians 3:20. The apostle Paul describes God as one "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." I don't know about you, but I have a pretty good imagination. I can imagine all kinds of nice things. And I've been known to ask for stuff too. I often ponder this verse as I wonder what God has in store for our family next. What is he going to do that I haven't even imagined yet?
I know his plans are good. They are plans for us to prosper, not plans that will harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). So, since I know that, it can be exciting to see what God will do to provide. What job opportunities will he bring? Just how does he plan to pay the mortgage next month?!?
This week I've been thinking about this work a lot. I started a new job on Monday - I am the new office coordinator for Multnomah University's Reno/Tahoe campus, and I LOVE it! I love the job, the people I work with, the school, the students and faculty that I have met so far. I love it. The hours are good and there is enough flexibility that I am not neglecting my family or our business. The pay is decent and I am eligible for half-price tuition!
To full appreciate this story, I should tell you that about 10 years ago I started thinking that I should go back to school some time and get a Masters degree. About 8 years ago I was doing some research and started learning about some of the programs that Multnomah offers. In fact, three years ago, when our family was trying to move out of Reno, I looked at Portland (home to Multnomah's main campus) to see if that was a viable option for our family. None of those doors opened and even after 2 years of trying to move to Idaho, we ended up staying in Reno.
In July, the small Bible college in Reno officially became a satellite campus of Multnomah and in August I saw the president at a church function (our pastor teaches there). On a whim, I sent him my resume and now I am on staff there! I never imagined that Multnomah would come to me the way that it did.
How about you? What do you imagine? What has God done for you that has been immeasurably more than you have asked or imagined?
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Stained Glass Windows
Our church has three beautiful stained glass windows on one wall of the sanctuary. They are square and have an artistic depiction of a rainbow and each also contains a symbol. The one on the left has the Alpha sign and the one on the right the Omega, and the middle one a cross. I've always thought they were pretty, but honestly never paid very much attention until last week.
Last Sunday was Max's first Sunday join us in church for worship before heading to Children's Church with the "big kids." During one of the songs he pointed to a chair near us and said, "Why does that chair have all those colors?" I looked up and saw the light reflecting on the chairs and pointed to the window so he could see the light. As I looked at the light pouring through that stained glass rainbow with the cross I could feel God smiling at us. I just had this sense of how we bless him when we gather together to praise him and learn from his word.
Then my mind flashed back to one night last spring when I drove by the church at night. Usually when we are at church for something in the evening we get there before dark. But one night I drove by when it was already dark outside and all the lights in the sanctuary were on. Those stained glass windows looked so beautiful!
These windows now remind me that on Sunday mornings we gather together and experience God's presence in corporate worship. The light is coming into the church as we are touched by his presence and filled by his spirit. But, the rest of the week we are to reflect his light in a dark world.
Last Sunday was Max's first Sunday join us in church for worship before heading to Children's Church with the "big kids." During one of the songs he pointed to a chair near us and said, "Why does that chair have all those colors?" I looked up and saw the light reflecting on the chairs and pointed to the window so he could see the light. As I looked at the light pouring through that stained glass rainbow with the cross I could feel God smiling at us. I just had this sense of how we bless him when we gather together to praise him and learn from his word.
Then my mind flashed back to one night last spring when I drove by the church at night. Usually when we are at church for something in the evening we get there before dark. But one night I drove by when it was already dark outside and all the lights in the sanctuary were on. Those stained glass windows looked so beautiful!
These windows now remind me that on Sunday mornings we gather together and experience God's presence in corporate worship. The light is coming into the church as we are touched by his presence and filled by his spirit. But, the rest of the week we are to reflect his light in a dark world.
Musni Family "Ketchup"
Much has been happening in the life of our family in recent months so I thought I would post a "ketchup" blog for those who want to catch up with work and life. Here are the summary points:
- Since Craig was laid off in February we have both knocked on many doors. He has done a lot of contract work, spent a few months at a couple different companies, and interviewed at others. None of those doors seem to be opening for full-time employment, and for that we are truly thankful.
- Our business, Ever After Creations, is picking up and we are branching out and now have EAC Video & Design. We have made a lot of great business contacts, and were recently asked to join the board of Weddings of the West, an association of professionals that we have been a part of for the last few years.
- I have been enjoying substitute teaching and volunteering at Josh and Annie's school and will be starting another part-time job tomorrow. Multnomah University has a satellite campus in Reno and I will be working a few nights a week doing office & receptionist duties while evening classes are in session. I am continuing with my current job for the county's Children's Mental Health Consortium since that is only about 15 hours a month.
- Last Wednesday was also the first night of our church's new MOPS group. I had so much fun and consider it such a privilege to be a part of such a wonderful organization.
- Meanwhile, Josh and Annie are enjoying school (3rd & 2nd grades). They are both in the kids choir at church and Annie is also involved in Girl Scouts, but their favorite things to do are jump on the trampoline and play Wii. Max and Noah just started a music class for preschoolers & toddlers and have a great time learning about sound and rhythm through songs and instruments. They also have fun going to the gym with me or Craig, and Max loves his preschool Sunday School classes.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
10 Things I Love About My Gym
This isn't really a Top 10 list, just a list of 10 things I love about my gym. They aren't "ranked" in order, merely listed in a logical sequence.
The Arrival:
1. The Parking Garage - Prior to joining St. Mary's Center for Health and Fitness I don't think I had a true appreciation for parking garages. I now love them, or at least this one. There was one week last May when I realized just how much I appreciated the parking garage. In one week we had rain, snow and 90+ temps. It is nice to be shielded from the elements. Besides that, my kids have lots of fun games that they have made up in the parking garage. In addition to counting "buggies" (see earlier post entitled "Counting Buggies") they play the color game (naming the color of each car as we walk by) and I Spy. They also take turns pushing the buttons for the elevator and other such entertaining activities.
2. The Entry Way - I love the fresh flowers in the enter way. Every day we look at them and talk about what color flowers there are this week. And we often stop and smell them because, well, it is important to stop and smell the roses.
3. The Front Desk - The staff is awesome. A typical greeting when we arrive usually goes something like this: "Hi Max! Hi Noah! How are you? It's nice to see you today, Vickie." I'm not kidding. And these are not even the same people that work regularly in the childcare!
Childcare:
4. I love that they have childcare. Think about, where else can you take your children for what works out to about 50 cents an hour per kid? You can't usually entertain them for that, let alone have people take care of them for that! This is way cheaper than preschool...
5. The Staff - The people who care for kids at the gym actually like my kids. They know them. They smile at them. They play with them. They take Max to the potty and give him a sticker after he goes. They notice if we aren't there. My kids like it there.
6. When things don't go so well (this has only happened once) they do have systems in place. I learned what a "Code Alpha" meant, in the middle of a water aerobics class. ("Non-life threatening injury" if you were wondering.) They took care of Max, came and found me (and the mother of the child who bit him) and continued to talk with me about the incident until the situation was resolved. I appreciate that.
The Locker Room:
7. The lockers - I love the little combination locks so I don't have to bring a lock with me. That makes things so easy. I like that they have hooks and shelves and that they are big enough that I can have a separate "spot" for everything like my watch, my keys, my shoes, my water bottle, etc.
8. Clean Towels - I love having stacks of clean towels - often still warm - available. And I love that someone else washes them and folds them.
9. All the "Stuff" - It is actually easier for me to shower at the gym than at home. Yes, this is partly because of the aforementioned childcare, but it is also because just about everything I need is there. In the shower - shampoo, conditioner, body wash. On the counters - hair spray, deodorant (okay, I do bring my own but if ever I didn't have it for some reason it's nice to know there is spray deodorant there if I need it), cotton balls, q-tips, lotion, hair gel and even mouthwash and these cute little cups. Oh, and of course lighted mirrors and plenty of hair dryers (that actually work better than mine at home).
Working Out
10. I bet you were wondering if I ever worked out! I could do a whole separate list about the classes I take, the staff who has helped me, the equipment I like - like the treadmills & bikes with the individual tv screens - or the pools. (Gee, I just realized that I didn't even mention the whirl pool or that saunas when I was talking about the locker room.) But, I was trying to keep it to 10.
Let me know if you want to go to the gym with me some day. Maybe we could even work out while we're there!
The Arrival:
1. The Parking Garage - Prior to joining St. Mary's Center for Health and Fitness I don't think I had a true appreciation for parking garages. I now love them, or at least this one. There was one week last May when I realized just how much I appreciated the parking garage. In one week we had rain, snow and 90+ temps. It is nice to be shielded from the elements. Besides that, my kids have lots of fun games that they have made up in the parking garage. In addition to counting "buggies" (see earlier post entitled "Counting Buggies") they play the color game (naming the color of each car as we walk by) and I Spy. They also take turns pushing the buttons for the elevator and other such entertaining activities.
2. The Entry Way - I love the fresh flowers in the enter way. Every day we look at them and talk about what color flowers there are this week. And we often stop and smell them because, well, it is important to stop and smell the roses.
3. The Front Desk - The staff is awesome. A typical greeting when we arrive usually goes something like this: "Hi Max! Hi Noah! How are you? It's nice to see you today, Vickie." I'm not kidding. And these are not even the same people that work regularly in the childcare!
Childcare:
4. I love that they have childcare. Think about, where else can you take your children for what works out to about 50 cents an hour per kid? You can't usually entertain them for that, let alone have people take care of them for that! This is way cheaper than preschool...
5. The Staff - The people who care for kids at the gym actually like my kids. They know them. They smile at them. They play with them. They take Max to the potty and give him a sticker after he goes. They notice if we aren't there. My kids like it there.
6. When things don't go so well (this has only happened once) they do have systems in place. I learned what a "Code Alpha" meant, in the middle of a water aerobics class. ("Non-life threatening injury" if you were wondering.) They took care of Max, came and found me (and the mother of the child who bit him) and continued to talk with me about the incident until the situation was resolved. I appreciate that.
The Locker Room:
7. The lockers - I love the little combination locks so I don't have to bring a lock with me. That makes things so easy. I like that they have hooks and shelves and that they are big enough that I can have a separate "spot" for everything like my watch, my keys, my shoes, my water bottle, etc.
8. Clean Towels - I love having stacks of clean towels - often still warm - available. And I love that someone else washes them and folds them.
9. All the "Stuff" - It is actually easier for me to shower at the gym than at home. Yes, this is partly because of the aforementioned childcare, but it is also because just about everything I need is there. In the shower - shampoo, conditioner, body wash. On the counters - hair spray, deodorant (okay, I do bring my own but if ever I didn't have it for some reason it's nice to know there is spray deodorant there if I need it), cotton balls, q-tips, lotion, hair gel and even mouthwash and these cute little cups. Oh, and of course lighted mirrors and plenty of hair dryers (that actually work better than mine at home).
Working Out
10. I bet you were wondering if I ever worked out! I could do a whole separate list about the classes I take, the staff who has helped me, the equipment I like - like the treadmills & bikes with the individual tv screens - or the pools. (Gee, I just realized that I didn't even mention the whirl pool or that saunas when I was talking about the locker room.) But, I was trying to keep it to 10.
Let me know if you want to go to the gym with me some day. Maybe we could even work out while we're there!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Top 10 Things I'm Thankful for this Summer
10. A great new tutoring client - I started in June working with a very sweet Jr. Higher whose goal is to become fluent in Spanish. I enjoy our time together and am glad she wants to keep working together during the school year.
9. Being involved more at Josh and Annie's school - Yes, it may seem odd that school is on the summer list but we attend a year round school that started July 21. Since Craig has been doing contract work and our business he has been working at home the past couple months. I am really enjoying volunteering in Josh's class on Mondays and Annie's class on Wednesdays. I also got my sub license. Orientation at the district office was this morning and I start subbing tomorrow!
8. Celebrating 12 years of marriage! I thank God every day for giving me such an amazing husband. Not only do we love being married and raising our family together, we like working together! Our summer "date nights" often involve us working weddings together. This summer we have really enjoyed some really beautiful weddings at Lake Tahoe.
7. Good road trips and fun times with family - we have made a couple trips to the Bay Area and to Sacramento this summer and enjoyed the time spent on the road and during our visits. A highlight is our annual get-together and Scott & Debbie's house where just the 19 of us hang out.
6. A visit from Uncle Kevin - My brother Kevin (www.iseenthat.blogspot.com) finished a two-year program for his teaching credential in May and was finally able to come up for a long weekend. We ALL love hanging out with Uncle Kevin...movie in the park, Sparks Marina and our new favorite activity: drinks on the trampoline.
5. The trampoline - some friends gave us a huge trampoline this summer and we all love it. Josh and Annie bounce when they need a break from homework. Craig and I take the little boys out to jump almost every day between lunch and naps. And, thanks to Kevin's inspiration, we've even invited friends over for margaritas on the trampoline.
4. Cancer Relay for Life - I have a whole separate post and a slide show on this but it needed to be on the list. We walked in honor of my grandma (turning 93 in 2 weeks) and Craig's cousin who both went through chemo/radiation within the last year and are now doing well. Praise God! We were thankful the opportunity to be a part of something meaningful and important.
3. CLASS - I spent 3 wonderful and challenging days attending the Christian Leaders Authors and Speaker Services seminar in Livermore. I feel excited, equipped and energized about taking my speaking ministry to the next step.
2. Max is potty-trained! Yes, only one more left in diapers. What a milestone! He turned 3 on August 4 and we gave him his present first thing in the morning - a new potty seat that plays music after each success! He loves his Thomas the Train underwear and carries a fold-up Sesame Street potty seat in a little backpack every time we go somewhere.
1. Watching God provide for us - The past 6 months have been quite a roller coaster for us but we have truly experienced peace amidst the challenges. When we approach a sudden turn, our response is more of a "Oh, I wonder what God is going to do now to take of this!" than a "Oh no, what are we going to do?" And that feels like a good place to be.
9. Being involved more at Josh and Annie's school - Yes, it may seem odd that school is on the summer list but we attend a year round school that started July 21. Since Craig has been doing contract work and our business he has been working at home the past couple months. I am really enjoying volunteering in Josh's class on Mondays and Annie's class on Wednesdays. I also got my sub license. Orientation at the district office was this morning and I start subbing tomorrow!
8. Celebrating 12 years of marriage! I thank God every day for giving me such an amazing husband. Not only do we love being married and raising our family together, we like working together! Our summer "date nights" often involve us working weddings together. This summer we have really enjoyed some really beautiful weddings at Lake Tahoe.
7. Good road trips and fun times with family - we have made a couple trips to the Bay Area and to Sacramento this summer and enjoyed the time spent on the road and during our visits. A highlight is our annual get-together and Scott & Debbie's house where just the 19 of us hang out.
6. A visit from Uncle Kevin - My brother Kevin (www.iseenthat.blogspot.com) finished a two-year program for his teaching credential in May and was finally able to come up for a long weekend. We ALL love hanging out with Uncle Kevin...movie in the park, Sparks Marina and our new favorite activity: drinks on the trampoline.
5. The trampoline - some friends gave us a huge trampoline this summer and we all love it. Josh and Annie bounce when they need a break from homework. Craig and I take the little boys out to jump almost every day between lunch and naps. And, thanks to Kevin's inspiration, we've even invited friends over for margaritas on the trampoline.
4. Cancer Relay for Life - I have a whole separate post and a slide show on this but it needed to be on the list. We walked in honor of my grandma (turning 93 in 2 weeks) and Craig's cousin who both went through chemo/radiation within the last year and are now doing well. Praise God! We were thankful the opportunity to be a part of something meaningful and important.
3. CLASS - I spent 3 wonderful and challenging days attending the Christian Leaders Authors and Speaker Services seminar in Livermore. I feel excited, equipped and energized about taking my speaking ministry to the next step.
2. Max is potty-trained! Yes, only one more left in diapers. What a milestone! He turned 3 on August 4 and we gave him his present first thing in the morning - a new potty seat that plays music after each success! He loves his Thomas the Train underwear and carries a fold-up Sesame Street potty seat in a little backpack every time we go somewhere.
1. Watching God provide for us - The past 6 months have been quite a roller coaster for us but we have truly experienced peace amidst the challenges. When we approach a sudden turn, our response is more of a "Oh, I wonder what God is going to do now to take of this!" than a "Oh no, what are we going to do?" And that feels like a good place to be.
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