Happy Easter!

Friday was one of those days where he quietly worked on his projects, and I worked on mine in the next room. There wasn't much conversation besides a few "hey hun...hey babe's" here and there, and it was exactly the type of day that is an unexpected blessing in the quietness of our home. 


One of my many projects was making these yummies for the kiddos for Easter. After putting my own spin on the recipe, I think my niece and nephew will be thoroughly satisfied with the result. I expect nothing less than a sugar coma by 2pm.

Happy Easter....

extreme home makeover

Ok, so it's not that extreme, it's really only two rooms. 

And it's not a house, it's just our little apartment, but its home to us. 

My absence from the blog is for a good reason. Our apartment has been in desperate need of some updating for some time, and I seem to have taken 'spring cleaning' to a whole new level this year. 

It's still in progress, but it's slowly coming along...
Until I muster up enough courage to share the new decor, you'll have to be content with the above photos from my weekend of painting.

I have a confession to make, that is only about half of the paint samples I got...please, don't judge...I am a girl who is indecisive, so I had to be sure about the color (even if it took 5 trips to Home Depot).

when i get older, i will be stronger

It was Tuesday morning, we were three days into our trip to Haiti, and it was a mild 90 degrees by 8:30am. Our task set before us that morning was hauling rubble from a crumbled home to the side of the street. Six months earlier the earthquake had turned the two story home with several families living in it, into a one story pile of rubble, and by the grace of God all 14 family members safely escaped the falling home before it was too late. 


No bulldozers, no heavy machinery, just rock by rock, bucket by bucket we walked to the side of the street for a dump truck to haul away the rubble. While we worked tirelessly for a few hours hauling rubble, a group of local Haitians worked along side us. Men, women and little children pitched in to clear away the home in hopes of rebuilding. It was a Tuesday morning and Benson, our new found friend, all of maybe 8 years old filled his coffee tin with rocks from the home and walked it to the street.  His face held a deeper understanding of life and pain than any 8 year old should ever have to know. Benson seemed to time his trips to the street perfectly to Dan's walk back. See, Dan was hauling rubble with a wheel-barrow, and Benson liked to hop in and catch a free ride back.  

Haitians speak Creole, similar to French, which helped me none. There was a distinct language barrier between us and the people of Haiti while we worked, yet there was one song that every child knew and sang that we understood. 


We heard it blaring on the radio as we walked back and forth from the crumbled home to the street. 

Dan would start signing to Benson and he would finish the song while sitting in the wheel-barrow.


As I walked past of group of children playing outside their tent, I heard their sweet little voices, "when i get older, i will be stronger"....and somehow I knew these lyrics had a deeper meaning to these children than just a song. 

Give me freedom

Give me fire

Give me reason

Take me higher

See the champions

Take the field now

You're the fighters

Make us feel proud

When I get older

I will be stronger

They'll call me freedom

Just like the wavin' flag

So wave your flag

Now wave your flag...

In the streets

are exalifting

as we lose our inhibitions

celebration is around us

every nation all around us

Singing forever young,

singing songs underneath the sun

let's rejoice to the beautiful game

and together at the end of day

When I get older

I will be stronger

they'll call me freedom

just like a wavin flag

So wave your flag

Now wave your flag...

Waving Flag by K'naan

2010 FIFA World Cup

That afternoon after removing rubble, we had some downtime before dinner and there there just so happened to be a World Cup game on tv. While the Haitian women worked on laundry by hand, the men took a break from work and watched the Game. The Haitians cheering for Brazil, Dan cheering for Holland. 

And there they were, pouring rain, covered by tarps...huddled around a tiny little tv...

Golden Weekend

Yes, I know it's Tuesday, but my weekend included Monday...and it was golden.

listening to...

celebrating...

A little breakfast at our favorite diner, surprise mani & pedi, shopping, driving the open road,
and a d-lish steak dinner made for the perfect birthday. 

Here's to turning 28, just when I think life doesn't get any better, 

new friendships are formed, 

love runs deeper that I thought possible,

and life gets more beautiful. 

I can't wait to see what this next year brings. 

I'm thanking God, who makes things right.

I'm singing the fame of heaven-high God.
Psalm 7:17 the message

Weekend Recap

I had the joy of visiting my family over the weekend. 

We ate lasagna, celebrated birthdays, and I even managed to fit in some much needed girl talk with my four year old niece before bedtime. Who knew a little girl could have so much to say about starting kindergarten and being a big sister. 

Enjoy a few photo's from my grandpa's house...  

 

cookies & lettuce

Lettuce & cookies...odd combination...I know.


It's a Saturday afternoon and I'm getting ready to make and photograph some of my favorite cookies-Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies. My version of a healthy cookie-a girl can dream. 


I start gathering the ingredients and realize the last of the eggs were eaten this morning by husband someone, but I'll refrain from naming names...so I can't make-or photograph-my d-lish cookies. 


So whats a girl to do who is jones-ing for some food photography but has no cookies in sight? The next best thing...grab the only semi-fresh thing in the fridge and shoot away. 
Which is where lettuce comes in.  

dreams into plans

Happy Saturday Friends!

Things are brewing on the FinkStudios front...2011 is looking to be a big year, 

can't wait to share it with you all.

Have a blessed weekend!

make all things new

Cabin fever is running deep through my veins this week. It's mid-February, and people (and by people, I'm referring to me, myself and I) are finding it harder to have patience with mr. winter.

Just the idea of spring gets me giddy with thoughts of sun-dresses and dinners on the patio...well-the patio may have to wait until summer, but just let me entertain myself. 
But forget the patio and sun-dresses and I'd be perfectly content with just seeing a little green instead of all this white that is covering the ground right now.
I love that spring brings new life, new growth, and makes all things new.



We will run to you, by Gungor

Create in me a clean heart, a clean heart
For I have turned my face from You
Teach us of Your ways oh God, oh God
For we have turned away from You
Lord have mercy

We will run to you, we will run to you
Turning from our sin we return to You
Father heal your world, make all things new
Make all things new
Your love and mercy build and shape us
Break us and recreate us now
Lord have mercy

Oh, bring us back to you

Slow Motion

This weekend was just what I needed. It's as if the days went in slow motion, no set schedule, and doing only one thing at a time. I know- it sounds too simple, but I often find myself perfecting the art of multi-tasking to the point that I forget what it's like to simply do one thing. at. a. time. 

And while I'm great at checking things off my never-ending 'list', my mind is constantly wandering to my next 'to do' that I miss out on the present moment. Maybe that's why life felt as if it was moving in slow motion this weekend...because I focused on the present, and nothing beyond. My soul feels truly rested and ready for the days ahead.

Unexpected & Unknown

Husband and I had a free night yesterday...so many possibilities of what to do...and yet surprisingly we didn't fall into the 'what do you want to do?', 'I don't know, what do you want to do?' trap. After a coffee date & dinner, we ended the night with sneaking candy into the theater (yep-I'm one of those people) and seeing Unknown.

It was one of those unexpected nights without any set plans...perfect medicine after a hectic week. 

Chill Fest 2011

We are still recovering from Chill Fest this past weekend. It proved once again to be an amazing weekend of leading students in the annual winter retreat.  

My apologies for the blog being a little quiet lately...it's the exact opposite of how life is going for us right now.

I'm determined to take a step back from life and regroup.

Just around the corner

It's Friday...finally.

Valentine's day is just around the corner, and while we usually don't do much, 

I'm determined to do something special for the mister this year. 

mr. sun

The winter is leaving us with a little to no sunshine.
Hoping to see at least a little this weekend...
And while most people would call the above weeds...I call them beautiful.

good mornings

 

Guaranteed. Every Morning.

Makes my morning

start out just right.

the little things in life

It's been snowy. And cold. And I'm very close to being done with this whole 'winter' thing. The other morning Dan cleaned off & started my Jeep for me before I left for work. So naturally, I returned the favor with a little love.

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving 

(Amy Carmichael)

Amy Carmichael was born in Ireland and lived from 1867-1951. She devoted her life to loving others and serving God as a missionary throughout Japan & South India. She worked specifically with rescuing girls who had been forced into prostitution.

Back in the 1920s, Amy rescued hundreds of orphaned children -- especially little girls that would be dedicated to Hindu gods for use in sexual temple rituals. By God's wonderful grace, some had miraculously escaped from such pagan slavery and were led to the Irish "mother" who lovingly cared for each child God sent her.

In 1931 she prayed, “God, please do with me whatever you want. Do anything that will help me to serve you better.”

That same day, she fell, suffering fractures that would cripple her for the rest of her life.  Not one to be discouraged or bitter when faced with pain or persecution, Amy now had the opportunity to demonstrate God's faithfulness before a much larger "host" of witnesses. While her growing children had continual freedom to enter her bedroom and share their hearts with their beloved "mother," she now had the quiet times that allowed her to write books, poems, and letters that were translated and shared around the world. (text found here)

This horrific epidemic of child trafficking and sex slavery still goes on today.

After drug dealing, human trafficking (both sex trafficking and trafficking for forced labor) is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest criminal industry in the world today, and it is the fastest growing. 

The Bible clearly speaks of us giving a voice to the oppressed. Giving a voice to the people who don't have one.

Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. (proverbs 31:8-9)

At Passion2011 they had a goal of raising $45,000 to fund 10 rescue operations to fee sex slaves in the Philippines. Each operation frees 15 women.

At Passion 2011 there was enough money raised to fund 29 rescue operations, that's 435 girls rescued. 

That's 435 lives saved. 

435 lives redeemed from the pit. 

435 lives freed from the yoke of slavery and abuse. 

These girls and women are given counseling, training to find a job and restoration. 

They are given their life back.

To learn more about how you can be a part of the movement to end human trafficking, check out:

Not For Sale

International Justice Mission

passion2011 part 2

Because I don't feel like writing today...here is more from our recent trip to Atlanta...

Gungor

Two sessions with Beth Moore...a-ma-zing.

Passion2011 wasn't just about speakers and music...but about doing something now about the poverty and injustice around the world. As Passion puts it...Though none of us alone can tackle the massive injustice and poverty that shatters so many, together we are a force for good that exponentially increases our opportunity to life those in need. 

Goal: $75,000 for 15 wells in villages in India

Given: 24 wells

Goal: Feed 1,000 at risk children in South Africa for one year 

(this comes out to a grand total of $50,000 needed. $50 feeds one child for one year)

Given: enough money was donated to feed 2,225 children in South Africa for an entire year

Our group of 11 was able to donate enough money to feed 8 children for an entire year...we prayed for the children and then wrote messages to them on the red bowls that they use to eat

Rescue & Restore Women from Human Trafficking

Goal: Restoration and a future for 10 girls trapped in sex slavery in Bolivia at a cost of $36,000

Given: enough money to rescue and restore 22 girls

Homes for Haiti

Goal: raise enough money to build 15 homes in Haiti at $54,000

Given: enough money was raised to build 39 homes in Haiti

Saturday

What do we do with an open Saturday and nothing to do? Naturally...being that the wind chill was only 0 degrees, we spend the day taking photos and making videos...outside...did I mention that I'm still waiting to get feeling back in my fingers and toes?