I met Hebrews 1:3 today. I have a feeling that Scripture is going to be my favorite way He is told.
My favorite way Mary is told is “the greatest enemy of Satan”; I don’t think those exact words are in Scripture but her receptivity is definitely that vibe. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/marys-enmity-towards-satan-was-absolute-8038
“On this planet we have a saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” -Transformers: Age of Extinction
Mary is the enemy of the enemy; therefore; Mary is my friend.
I thought about how quiet Mary is. I have seen some images of her crushing the serpent under the weight of her heel while holding Jesus as a baby. I think that’s my favorite depiction of The Mother of God- Mary defeats evil holding infant hope. That is mysterious power. I can sink my teeth into that kind of mystery, and I will want to.
https://nds.edu/blog-entry/mother-mary-warrior-queen/
I only remember the channels on my grandparents’ livingroom tv having: Jeopardy, football, EWTN, and Lassie. Our playroom’s tv, there, having: VH1 and Nickelodeon. Our playroom tv is the only reason why I know Jon Secada; he sounds like a male Gloria Estefan to me.
My favorite way St Joseph is told is “the terror of demons”.
I had only heard Sister Teresa Macdonald once before I liked listening to her. I tuned in a second time and she helped ground my understanding of Hope a little more through her hope in understanding. She says,
“We have to hold on to the reality - we don’t fully understand what God’s doing in the here and now and what’s to come. That’s why we live in hope. We don’t hope for what we are sure of. We hope for what we trust and what we don’t fully believe and understand in. My hope is in the God who raised His Son from the dead for my salvation. The church and her wisdom gives us this time to ponder that.”
Living in hope grabbed my attention. One of my favorite movies by way of my mom is “Something to Talk About” https://youtu.be/9WxvaEqgBAg; one of my favorite scenes is of the girls’ Great Aunt Rae asking for a skosh more drink poured into her glass, yet she means her niece to pour more than a skosh intends. Living in hope feels just a skosh more active than simply having hope.
I also heard a neat “Thanks” someone gave in gratitude to Father Galea who shared his message in hope his words would transform his listeners’ understanding of Christ’s crucifixion https://youtu.be/4odSp-JsOO0: She said,
“Thank you for leading me to the Cross where God is not afraid of mine.”
I also heard a neat answer Father Eamon Kelly LC gives to those asking how they can pray for him. He answers,
“Pray that I won’t resist The Holy Spirit.” https://youtu.be/kJWDT17-j_0
Those bolded words are a few more trinkets I took away from this year’s Holy Week.
PS I also heard one of my most enduring prayers ground this Holy Week. The confidence Father Eric gave his answer with spoke to me: When we:
1) Take on the Lord’s yoke
2) Imitate Him in His humility
3) Enter into His meekness
…the door is opened. It is a beautiful thing to remind myself Christ has already received us, He’s already ready already; it is we who open that door to Christ, in my opinion.
Y I am feeling something strange - The answer to that prayer came to me at a time I had a confidence. In my time, I would not have had an understanding, but in His time, I have a perfect understanding- I would just feel my confidence bloom.
Thank you, Lord, for Your life in me I live in You. https://youtu.be/nCaxLXj0PiU
4/12/23 https://youtu.be/fpE5a3i0qDA Father Mike’s delivery of this message helped ground my understanding of how great the words of Hebrews 1:3 meant to me in terms of Sister Teresa’s words.
Thank you, Lord, for protection of Your confidence in me.
4/15/23 In loving memory of Uncle Jay who Dad found we lost today. https://youtu.be/2lmPm_yZ9Ow My favorite memory of Uncle Jay is jumping on the trampoline at his house growing up.
Matt is of few words and when he says something about something important, it grabs my attention.
It is no surprise Dad was a responder for him, unbeknownst to Dad, and it is no surprise Dad called Mom for her help when he very abruptly met the truth in the unnoticeable circumstance.
That is all the power of connectedness in prayer, as far as I perceive it.
Dear Uncle Jay,
Thank you for the light. My respects.
Love,
Emily
As Fr Mike put it very truly in his Homily once, “Jesus will stretch our minds.”
I’d like to remind myself again, God will fill our hearts, and Jesus, The Son, will be the fullness of our joy. The word garden in make our hearts a garden made its full sense to me today https://youtu.be/F5x_p6o0VhA
Our minds have been delicately stretched by a truth beyond an immediate understanding of our own. Grace, too, was a caring professional first responder in the fire department who helped explain how it could be.)
John 9:4 came to me yesterday, 4/20/23, and I processed this Word on that evening’s walk with Matt; Matt was walking faster than I could keep up. I had a perfect understanding this morning: Over that weekend Mom didn’t miss a beat in her cooking and Dad didn’t skip a beat in his shot at the range. Mom’s cooking and Dad’s shooting at the range is what John 9:4-5 looks like to me.
John 1:5 was like a puppy this morning following right behind John 9:4
This picture of Harold I created a time ago still gets me.
4/29/23 I fact-checked today: That “beauty mark” was already created and in place to be accentuated. Harold was ready for the filter, and as I’ve often said about the invention of filters, that filter needed Harold. The beauty mark is my favorite charm about the picture. I am not surprised portions of The Gospel of John came to me like that yesterday and this morning. I was riding with Kate that Saturday afternoon and my eyes were drawn to a Ford Escape with “John 3:16” written in car chalk on both backseat windows; I fell asleep to this Rosary https://youtu.be/rZS098cs0J8 that night and just awoke in the middle of my sleep to The Gospel of John being told https://youtu.be/PKiAXVxOm6o
Remember the iPod Shuffle? I had a metallic blue one and a silver one. )
Thank you God for Your Graces.
4/16/23 Kate, Daniel, Dad, and I went to the gun range, and I captured two things - Daniel, a family friend, found Kate’s pearl stud earring in the sea of empty shells after we all agreed to call off the search, and Dad’s aim didn’t skip a beat. Kate is Dad’s student when it comes to her shot.
Dad couldn’t remember which of the Saints Aunt Clara advised him to pray to help him when he was searching for something lost. I never even knew, so I prayed:
Lord, send your friend to help us find the pearl.
.
Daniel told me, as Kate put the pearl back in her ear, he cannot recall many times he hasn’t seen her wearing them. Daniel is my favorite kind of friend someone can have; he takes care of himself, he takes care with others.
4/17/23 I met Luke 4:14 in the bathroom at Grandma’s. Tell me you keep up with prayer without telling me you keep up with prayer: Grandma’s book in the bathroom is always folded open on the day’s date; I am confidently assuming that absolute of always because it was the last time and the time before that. I liked how Luke 4:14 was put here:
“Just like when we trust God, we know that He'll always be with us through our hardships , also, when we rise from these hardships. Once we realize that it is not us against the world, rather it's us and our God against the world, we suddenly realize that we don't have to go through this life alone.”
I read “Easter People” and I wondered how would you tell an Easter Person from people. I think how Luke 4:14 is told and how someone put Luke 4:14, up there, is how an Easter Person would go.
Matt once called our house an Easter house because of Farrow and Ball paint I had color matched for the walls: Great White (a strawberry marshmallow meringue), Peignoir (a silk purple), and Borrowed Light (a nursery blue). The colors together remind me of the childhood church I grew up in. I’ve had at least 4 dreams Matt and I renew our vows - each time in the same dress.
I cannot believe the aisles and altar, there, were carpeted, but I can believe our baby sister had the confidence to teach CCD.
4/18/23 Father Mike gave neat answers for a question he asked, “Is it Heaven, is it something given by The Holy Spirit, is it material?” His question was, “What is your Promised Land?” Since I’ve had Promised Land milk, I always think of their flavored milk varieties- midnight chocolate, strawberry, cinnamon vanilla. The cinnamon vanilla was great. Just after we tried it and added it to our list of treats, they discontinued its availability. That was disappointing. Matt has shaken hands with the owner of the dairy a few times, and I joke the next time he’s in a room together and shaking hands, tell Dr. Leininger we want cinnamon vanilla back. Of course Matt doesn’t. I’ve always heard the Promised Land just told The Promised Land and everyone seems to take it the same way. Something The Holy Spirit gives you is a neat Promised Land idea.
4/20/23 A friend asked me last summer what I would do if I had all the money in the world? He’d make sure every homeless pet had care #duh And I’d buy skills. Like cooking. Not a cooking class. The skill. I’d buy the skill of cooking, and I’d just have it. Matt eating burnt and simple suppers with me is a sweet memory; he didn’t settle, though, he told me supper was his favorite meal. I am not making elevated dishes, but I’ve stepped up my supper game forreal since he told me like 8 years ago. I ate lunch with Grandma the same day I went to the bathroom and Uncle Stephen asked if I remembered “3 in 1” - rice, ground beef and tomato sauce. It took my memory a second to file it to the forefront, but I remembered. I like to add ketchup. Uncle Stephen also brought back to light we’d sit with Grandpa to play Go Fish after lunch before he went back to work at Great Grandpa’s. I am getting somewhere with taking up teaching myself piano faster than I ever imagined possible. It is not record speed but it is a record speed to me; I think that was a gift I knew ready to be received just right in His time. https://youtu.be/u1QeEdmDdCs 👈🏼 is a cool message. One gift I always felt immediate like that was song; my voice doesn’t sound professional, but it feels professional to me.
I got me and my mom a pair of Mavi overalls I caught on sale. Not worry about sales on jeans is what I would also do with all that. 
4/21/23 Audrey Assad and Meredith Andrews are my top two favorite musical artists. Meredith Andrews’ songwriting has the knack the listener can just pick up and sing along on first listen. Shakira is my third favorite; I don’t really like where she’s taking her music today, but I still think her talent is a league of its own.
I’m not pro, I am just inspired.
Meredith Andrews released a new pretty song today.
My favorite line is “This is me pursuing” In my opinion, she found the perfect words to give that verb.
6:48p After preparing dates to act like Snickers, carrot cake balls, and an all-scratch pizza, I looked to see how someone else perceived John 9:4 after I knew what it meant to me; I liked what the article had to share https://www.sharing-bread.com/commentary/john-9-4-5
Thank you Lord God for prayer and the help of Your Holy Spirit. https://youtu.be/PE0h_0XL0S0
4/22/23 Matt and I picked up Grandpa Sugarplum at the end of his driveway at the road, and he told us he was just watching the red ants go by to see where they go. In shorts! I’ve never seen him in shorts as young as my memory can remember. Absolutely never. That was a fun picture my memory took today.
We looked at an album after lunch and he said “Hi Baby” to his mom and to his great grandma Amalia, too, in their photos ☺️, and in a line of grade school photos of his four boys he straightened one up and told him to get in line there. I think it was the youngest, Uncle Paul.
I held out a bowl of lemon slices to Grandpa wondering if he’d like to add one to his tea. He was eager for one, but took a lime in his tea. I wondered all lunch where the limes were. He said he most likes his lemons with salt, so I tried that. I fixed him a slice like he likes it, too. I was afraid a lemon slice eaten like an orange would be too sour, but the salt cut the sour, and I had two. I packed him the lemons Mom sliced for tea to go. 
Matt asked me, “How long do you think your grandpa was standing out there watching the ants?” 🤷🏻♀️ I hoped not too long. I just know he was ready.
Matt asked me, “How long do you think your grandpa was standing out there watching the ants?” 🤷🏻♀️ I hoped not too long. I just know he was ready. I didn’t wonder when Grandpa would find the sticky note I put in his box of hearing aids Dad gave back to him today until Matt told me he won’t find it there because he doesn’t like his hearing aids. And I knew that because on the way to Mom and Dad’s I could only listen and he told us he thinks he needs bigger ones that wrap around his ear. I just know he’ll find it eventually.
He said Germans asked him if he was /Chinesisch/ (Chinese). Silvia Hector Webber is his grandmother I cannot count how many greats ago, but Kate has not found any Asian descent in genealogy yet as far as I know.
Grandpa pointed to his son Richard’s picture and said, “He was a good looking boy” with some might in it. Dad made us laugh when he asked Grandpa, “And I’m ugly?” Grandpa didn’t answer Dad; Mom is the better answer, ie #no She was standing at Grandpa’s right. This is a fun comparison I made of Richard once. Proof Brad Pitt is just a look alike.
Whoever Frank was, I’m glad Frank had the courage to ask Dad to tell Mom he liked her because Dad was oblivious Mom liked him. She had to tell Dad, “I don’t like Frank, I like you.” Poor Frank. Oh but look what Frank did - a good thing.
Grandpa asked Matt if he was going to go the way he knew like we were friends he was taking to meet Dad. I thought it was most endearing when he said “takes you straight to Mim’s house” like 463 was paved just to take you to Dad’s. You can just hear in Grandpa’s voice.
I’ve wondered what Richard and Mom’s brother Jay, both lost young, would be like as Uncles. Uncles are neat - I always thought Uncle Chris, Mom’s brother, was the tallest person alive when he put us on his shoulders. It was high.
It is a wonder the Boldt’s and Garcia’s grew up from childhood together, like Fillmore Street was just a world of its own. And Grandma, Uncle Stephen and Uncle Chris still live there today; that is a wonderful thing. Uncle Stephen liked to tell at lunch last week how Grandma and Grandma Sugarplum would sit on the porch and just visit over cigarettes 😂.
probably giving each other an ear full about Grandpa (Francis) and Grandpa Sugarplum (Jimmy). One piloted and one drove Jeeps.
They lived only several houses down from each other on the same side of the street; I remember balancing on the curb walking from grandma’s to grandma’s knowing I wasn’t supposed to go in the street. One time I threw a tantrum in my blue ballerina costume and sat myself on the curb of the street with Mom recording on the yellow Sony camcorder. “Emily Nicole that’s too close to the street!” That was a great tape!
I think Amanda might have been a hula girl that year, and she really did hula in her grass skirt. Or maybe that was the year she was a nurse, and she’s a nurse today.
That was a great tape!
My top favorite moment on that tape is Mom calling me to look up from eating a bowl of Cheerios.
4/29/23 We went back over to Grandma’s, and Uncle Chris was alive with stories of the past. He told some good ones and Uncle Stephen had a great time remembering. Grandma told us about the time she helped Grandma Sugarplum watch the oldest Garcia cousin, and she sat at Grandma’s table and told her she was hungry because Grandma Sugarplum didn’t feed her. Of course, Grandma was humored and humored her, too, with a snack. Both the Boldt’s and the Garcia’s are great storytellers, in my opinion. (4/28/23 Uncle Paul retold and retold some great ones this afternoon, and Richie, a Garcia cousin, told Kate and I to wait because Uncle Mim, our Dad, was going to have to tell the correct story. The afternoon was a hoot! Uncle Paul still lives within two miles of Fillmore, that is a wonderful thing. He said Uncle Chris visited him the other day, and he made all his neighbors lookout to see; Uncle Paul lives across the street from single story apartments. Uncle Chris was real quiet for a time, so I just envisioned that scene he made. Uncle Paul endearingly voiced in a tone all of us sitting around him could hear; it was how Uncle Jay would be missed, “God I’m gonna miss that boy”, he said. He said it with some might in sounding thankful for the good times they had just sitting in the driveway having beer. Dad didn’t have to tell us Uncle Jay was his best friend for us to know Uncle Jay was Dad’s best friend. They’d just go fishing on a whim, they’d just go shoot on a whim, they’d just go hunting on a whim, they both worked hard and just played like that - on a whim. Dad and Uncle Jay were neat brothers. Dad is just a neat brother. One of the great memories retold and retold of Grandma Sugarplum by everyone is she was always cooking something great. #necessaryabsolutes
John 9:4 sounds to me like all the memories retold again with zeal this month. #thankyouforthelightUncleJay
I wondered in a moment with Matt one night last week if Heaven was surprised. He didn’t think so. He had some grounded thought about it that went over my head, so I can’t remember how he thought about it, I just remember I understood it. I just wondered about the element of surprise if God gave it in Heaven, too.
4/28/23 One of the neat things I heard the second Garcia cousin say today is how mended the family is. Mended was a great word choice. That is so very truly well put, like a testament. We all understand life is going on, and it’s like we just saw each other yesterday. The Boldt’s and The Garcia’s and The Gilley’s grew up together. Uncle Paul (Dad’s youngest brother) has a pride he still tells and retold today in teaching Uncle Stephen (Mom’s youngest brother) how to ride a bike. Dad’s holding The Garcia’s down all by himself in just a mixed handful on Fillmore Street:
And to think Grandma Sugarplum almost didn’t happen. Once because her school in Germany was bombed; she received the intuition and had the courage to escape by herself just before the devastating blast. And then there was Grandpa Sugarplum; he told he could have married two girls before he married Grandma. That’s a lot of almost Grandma Sugarplum.
One girl was good looking but his father advised “If you do, you’ll be miserable.” so he honored his father. He said the girl made him go back inside and put a tie on.
The other girl sounded like she was a girl for Grandpa, a babydoll he called her, but he decided for himself. He must’ve had a knowing.
He said 16yo Grandma rode her bike to work everyday. He said from Germany, he picked Grandma up, put her in his duffel bag, and took her home to America. Grandma Sugarplum was his little duffle bag girl.
(2/7/24 I’ve been slowed way down.
Matt and I are watching Hercules Candy showcase their grip!
Grandma Sugarplum was industrious.
)Grandma’s sisters made it to America, too. The farthest I ever thought to go from home was to New Hampshire, and we were close! Matt accepted a job offer. But his intuition bugged him out one day, and he told us “No” to New Hampshire. I feel like I’ve come back to New Hampshire again. Grandma Sugarplum’s trust always seemed humble. I get it. I threw away an iPhone I forgot I was keeping that held Matt’s 30th birthday PW, Hank, Jack and I threw for him. 😖 I forgot why I was keeping an old iPhone. I get technology but it is also one of my pet-peeves. And technology doesn’t like me that much either. It’s always updating or disconnected when I intend to use it. Not always always but when technology and I don’t connect it feels like always always. Especially the smart television when I decide to just sit and flip the remote - it always decides to get busy updating, then, so I get back up; that’s the only way it seems smart to me. Matt said one time it’s because my cellular data was turned off; I don’t even know why cellular data needs a switch.
Grandma Sugarplum made the greatest tamales! Donnie reminded me of her with pecan pies; Grandma just knew the taste so no one has the recipe. Mom and I made a pasta dish that weekend and Jamie Oliver instructs, “Season to perfection.” It is always neat to taste what someone else’s perfection is. When you know it’s someone’s, it’s usually great! Erica’s tamales is what I’d hear them called.
The one time I would say Grandpa Sugarplum almost didn’t happen is when he was teaching his soldiers how to shoot tactically. He got a shot to the head; thankfully Grandpa was humble and wearing his helmet at practice.
Also, we never knew Aunt Minnie was engaged once upon a time. Her fiancé never made it home from war; according to Grandpa he was lost in action. Aunt Minnie’s joy became a little more HD this weekend. Their love looked humble; he wrote in the bottom right corner of that picture of him in uniform to her:
“With love,
Bob”
And that was all; I wrote the meaning of the picture on the back. He smiled with teeth in his photo.
Aunt Minnie married a Jimmy, too, late-late in their years. They were great friends. I never knew what they talked about. He only spoke Spanish so we could only ever exchange a smile and hello. I don’t know why it always seemed Jimmy just appeared and disappeared, that it didn’t seem like he really lived there, but he did. I guess it’s because he worked and Aunt Minnie stayed home, and Jimmy was just really quiet. When it seemed like Jimmy was irritated, he didn’t even sound mad in Spanish.
And like Grandpa said about Bob, Bob wasn’t the only one. There were many. Yep. To know Aunt Minnie, to know that’s part of her story, and for us just to find out now is neat. We lived next door to Aunt Minnie growing up. She had the best afterschool snack, in my opinion - fresh bread and Country Crock spread.
4/25/23 I just know this is going to be my favorite way St Paul is told. https://youtu.be/ZBIpGziSuTM I like how FrMike put it there: “the humanity of the Saints”
Their drama was so humble, and you want to know it because it’s so relatable in the walk in Christ. #keepingupwiththeSaintses
I also like hearing what sound like complaints of the Saints. There’s something real and satisfying about a sound complaint. They’re good! I think it might be the humility in it. Maybe? I just know the perspective in them is great!
At 5:50p I was thinking carrot cake. I have made two attempts at a three layer carrot cake, and while I wasn’t really thinking in my first attempt, what I learned from my second attempt is if you think pre-shredded carrots sound like a good shortcut, it is not, in my opinion. Even though I thought these carrots are never going to tenderize, I thought soaking them in the recipe’s buttermilk a few nights might be enough; it is not enough. Even though I cut them up into smaller bits thinking they’d soften up easier in the baking process. They do not. Pre-shredded carrots simply just make carrot-crunchy carrot cake, and the crunch of a carrot in carrot cake is not appetizing, in my opinion.
I watched two Homilies given by Fr Mike today. A great question he retold is:
“What can we do to accomplish the work of God?”
Jesus’ answer: Believe
Thank you Lord God for the gift of Faith.
I appreciate the work I put into my second carrot cake supported my intuition: pre-shredded carrots just aren’t going to cut it. Hot damn I have carrot cake intuition!
When it comes to carrot cake comfort, don’t choose convenience. Grate fresh carrots.
I laughed when I first watched the baker tutor her viewers about her carrot cake because while she has a dilemma of her own - she has a strange relationship with her food processor so she chooses to grate her carrots - I have a double dilemma. I have the same relationship with my food processor and grating carrots is literally painful. I don’t know what it is for her, but for me it’s the food processor clean up. It’s tedious in the small scheme of things, ie I have to hand wash it.
It is funny when Matt is on the same wave length as me. I am sitting here writing about my kitchen tools, and he states the obvious as he drives the vacuum by, “You have a lot of kitchen tools.” I guess this entry here is just meant to be.
Really, in the grand scheme of things, I don’t mind the extra work of a third carrot cake attempt because one of my goals is I will be able to create a great recipe without the recipe. I wouldn’t mind if it’s this carrot cake.
The question I asked myself this afternoon is why didn’t I listen to my carrot cake intuition? I’m getting over it again tonight.
One thing that helps me get over it is who I know will help me eat the mistake…
4/26/23 https://youtu.be/qMfsgLnCyfo
As my Kindergarten self would say…
Thanks speedy God.
That’s really meant Thanks be to God.
My first ever scratch carrot cake I nailed on my first shot is the carrot cake I measure all of my other carrot cakes by:
…and the third attempt, tonight, at my second ever scratch celebration carrot cake is looking charming. I just hope it travels well because it’s a little jigglier. I read put a yoga mat or towels under your cake to absorb some of the ride’s shock. Hot damn I have intuition of a traveling cake. I thought to do that, and I was happy to read from a professional baker that works.
4/28/23 Traveled well.
Thank you Lord God for Your Son, Jesus.
4/27/23 And as we always prayed with Grandma and Grandpa at lunch,
“Teach us Your ways, Oh Lord.”
And as I pray, “Give me the mind of Jesus.”
And as Mom and Dad close their prayer in thanks…
“In Jesus’ name we pray.”
I don’t mind he’d rather have corn than a fresh baked good. Corn seems to them like potato chips. For me, Lays Sour Cream and Onion.
5/1/23 St. Joseph, pray for us.
Thank you, Lord God, for Your friends.
Thank you, Lord God, for Your Word dwelling in us.
5/2/23 I heard something that took me a second to understand after the person who took his second to understand it presented how:
The Trinity can never say “No” to Mary.
The Trinity can never say “No” to Mary because her will is perfectly aligned with God’s will. Not because The Trinity bent Their will to her’s but because she bent her will to Theirs.
I think the greatest example of that is Matthew 26:39. In prayer, He wrestled with God’s will. I read the opinion in an article this is where Jesus’ humanity met his divinity; it was a moment of surrender and obedience.
I thought that was an incredible statement about Mary in a moment where the speaker was talking about following the heart; he said following the heart is not about emotions or passions, it’s about God’s desire becoming our own desire and following that desire. I think that takes high visibility.
I also liked the same speaker said God doesn’t want you to know everything. He said that was a first trouble of Eve and Adam. To me that sounds like God just wants trust.
I am not a summer person. It took me no less than four hours at the computer to decide I haven’t made any decision on a swimsuit. And that was just yesterday. I started looking the day before yesterday. Thank you, Lord God, for Your time. I’m not picky with food, but I am picky with sun protection. I could go new or used. I don’t mind used, but I feel like a used bathing suit is like used underwear. I think I just made my decision. After many hours of deliberation with zipper placement being of utmost importance second to neckline depth, the pattern I compromised on was…
I haven’t ordered it yet. I already just forgot why I wasn’t getting the other one, not because it’s used, because a side zipper like that will be more comfortable out of the way while I’m out of my comfort zone. #rememberEmilyremember I don’t feel I have four more hours today to decide.
I am feeling grateful my life choices have led me to this very moment my present concern is getting a suit in time. It is most neat how effortlessly God's will in Matt's life meshes with His will in my life as we are two but one; I don't need to know that certainly, but that's how I know for certain marriage is our vocation. Dad thanked us again last week for bringing peace into his and Mom's life. I told him in so many words like Chicka-Fil-A, "It's our pleasure." Matt's aunt is really cute like that. She wasn't playing when she said Chicka-Fil-A, we had to hold our giggles in. I'm glad she was serious because it is more comfortable that way.
Thank you, Lord God, for Your Will in our lives; I kind of think the first thing in that is the peace of Christ. Follow that peace!
If I order the suit within 13 hours, I can get it earliest by Friday in case I need to go back to the start. I already donated my backups, so I better get in that window.
5/4/23 I’ve wondered about this synergy:
5/5/23 I rarely take dishes outside the house. Imagine rarely as rarely in terms of a homebody. So, rarely.
The dish I took I was complimented with her thought I find great recipes. That recipe I thought was great like that, too.
I told her my secret to finding a great recipe:
Find out what the person who influences you likes.
For example, I like Audrey Assad. Her music influenced the journey I took in deepening my faith. https://youtu.be/dXDhCEnM-bQ I shared her artistry with my mom and only just some time after my godfather suddenly passed away, I shared her artistry with my godmother through that video. I love the sound of the introduction.
Audrey Assad likes Frida Sundemo. Frida's music is outside my box so I cannot enjoy all of her work, but I can enjoy how seamless her artistry in that genre is.
This is the easiest of her songs to listen to, in my opinion:
I can appreciate Frida's talent by this song. Her voice makes strings sound fresh:
The point I was getting to is after I cracked my Bible in 2016, DesiringGod.org came to me. It is the first resource to the Bible that came to me. DesiringGod.org did not have to grow on me, I just clicked with it. I like John Piper, he can be intense and he can be funny. I like his teaching style because how he shares; he preaches to himself first. I like the tone of his humility. I like to hear what he thinks because his thinking causes me to think and gives some teeth to my presence of mind; I feel an action happen: alignment
You can hear how he has made sense of things to himself; he is connected with his teachings. I connect with his teachings and sometimes not right away; he can take me on this journey where I encounter resistance, but usually he works that out within me. I don't mind that about his teachings.
For example, he's got a lecture titled, "Nothing is to Be Rejected - Including Pot". I felt resistance to agree with him as soon in the beginning as just reading the title from a random shuffle of all of YouTube, but then, I paused and remembered something:
I would be hypocritical if I disagreed.
I was very particular when I tried marijuana for the first time; I had criteria.
My second criteria was the support for my first criteria. 2) Knowing marijuana will never satisfy me. 1a) I trusted who was offering it to me 1b) I established my own boundary in trusting someone else's intention, ie I will only accept he is offering it to me to try; I trust my wits.
I did not like marijuana: it singed my lungs, it made my head feel like the safari guy in Beetlejuice, it didn't make me feel any ditzier than I need no help to be, and it intensely nauseated me.
Marijuana did nothing recreational for me, and I knew that not rejecting it.
I am curious to listen to that lecture, but I already know "nothing is to be rejected" intimately, I don't need to listen to how that applies to something as superficial as pot.
John Piper seems to choose his words with care, even in titles. I bet he was not talking medical marijuana, there.
My point is, John Piper shared most of his thoughts in teaching others how to seek The Holy Spirit originate from one place in the Bible, and he calls that place "one of the most precious promises concerning The Holy Spirit in our lives and one of the greatest enticements for seeking Him with all our heart":
1 Peter 4:12-14
I found it interesting in his lecture he described the feeling of fiery trial like ice water. I have had ice baths in the football tubs in the field house; I felt seized in that water. Your spirit feels seized in fiery trials.
I like how the richness of suffering is defined in 1 Peter 4:15-16; I believe that from the Apostle Peter.
I liked how Fr Mike put it very truly in his Homily once that the greatest rest we can experience is worshiping God. I am glad that rest is on earth as it is in Heaven.
This is just my signature expression of my feeling of rest. #toeachtheirown
Thank you Lord for Your rest upon me.
So, I’d say
Whatever you do, just don’t give in! Give in and Give up! Give in to The Holy Spirit (Luke 12:11-12) and give up directionally, like to God 💞. https://youtu.be/5hoFIKhUUcA
I am glad I met 1 Peter 4:15-16 today.
1 Peter 4:15-16 helps my compassion.
It is sheer coincidence seeking my final closure, I heard my final closure given. (Do not doubt God’s timing; that’s work, but trusting in it can be wonderful... https://youtu.be/Qs9RIVTP5gc) And I am listening. (To listen is to obey something you’ve heard.) And it is a grand way to close in my opinion, to record someone else’s daily prayer morning and night in testimony of what I have witnessed God doing in mine.
I am going to finally close finally.
Are you ready?
Dear Lord,
Please do something so big it can only be You.
5/6/23 Amen, God.
7/12/23
7/20-9/2023 #encoretilmylungsgetsore
Dear Lord God Almighty,
Thank you for the perpetual light of Your Love shown for me to receive. Psalm 91:1
#thisismy39I heard today, “It is strange to live under the sovereign Love of God...” That rang in my ears.
https://youtu.be/0fMUYU8DC1U I wore out their CD titled In Blue! I came back around to I am so grateful my suv still has a CD player.
Lord God, thank you for Your Son’s life and death and help us bear the fruit of moral courage to be Your witness here on earth.
“A-men.”
Romans 8:15-17 Thank you, Lord God, for Your Promises.
Love Always,
James 1:22
PS
#2018
August 29, 2023
Dear Lord God Almighty,
May I bend Your ear just a little closer?
Thank you for the perpetual light of Your Love shown for me to receive. Psalm 91:1
…
Thank you, Mom and Dad, for being our greatest first teachers of Love. #EAK Proverbs 22:6
And my -
To Matt,
You’re one of the strongest men I know; you always listen to my intuition wholeheartedly #necessaryabsolute and you see me through. You protect my nature my parents nurtured.
To Hank, you and Matt are Chevrolet #likearock You are a friend of all, except that one squirrel you took out. You’re a world class dog if I’ve ever met one. I knew you were ours when I first saw you. Thank you for trusting us while you took it all from Dixie in humility.
You carried me through my first semester of vet tech school, and we made it back together 11 years later to say thank you.
To my little Classified Ad Angel, P-Dub, thank you for returning me to “Sender”.
You had my back Little Gremlin. 2 Timothy 1:7
🎶 “If I could tell the world just one thing…” it would be https://youtu.be/QEHLUv0axGc?si=oJCNJIbOvk5Hsfre
I have this thing I do to lighten things up…I like to link the real celebrity to the “doppelgänger”. I have found some links in my studies. For example, in my eyes, Father Mike to Richard Gere as in my ears, Dr. Tony Evans to Mike Tyson. #aspoonfulofsugarhelpsthemedicinegodown
My mom has neat star power…
Matt Speer is to Drew Brees in my world. A collegiate cornerback who has the effortless precision of a quarterback in the reality of life. He’s a neat guy. I knew at first sight I couldn’t do my life without him; that’s when I met my intuition #loveatfirstsight
I was 15. I still have a crush on
I am thinking of swiss meringue frosting now like the sheen of taffeta and satin dresses.
One day I’m going to attempt Swiss meringue frosting, but not soon. I am still recovering from Dixie’s 11th birthday cake: scratch vanilla cake layers filled with fresh mango curd frosted with vanilla buttercream draped with white chocolate ganache.
Something had to give, though, and it was her cake’s presentation.
I had to wait like a year to meet my first batch of scratch vanilla extract. There’s a subtle difference in quality, and the difference is richness. I highly recommend baking with homemade vanilla extract.
Matt says he’s vanilla like his favorite flavor is vanilla.
Claire Saffitz validates the goodness of being vanilla…
To Dixie, my little PW 2.0, thank you for being a reason I’ll bake a cake. 💘
October 31, 2023 Swiss meringue buttercream. Did it! Happy Birthday, Grandma! Tiger tail-flavored cake with brown butter swiss meringue buttercream.
I used my doTerra wild orange essential oil to flavor the orange-vanilla cake swirl; you can do that so far I know only with doTerra. You should try licorice and orange marbled cake with the hint of caramel from the brown butter. It’s GREEAAAT!
Aug 31, 2023 https://youtu.be/5NIEElXBXQM?si=KmMxmsvWO9ajp1Eo #simplygorgeous
September 6, 2023 I was reminded of one of my favorite sentiments, and I made sure to take the time to tell him it was my favorite so, too. Thankfully, before his time ended.
06/19/20
but I am reaching for it. https://youtu.be/XTak3hY6hgw?si=UdaivM9tAThOW2Uq
Matt told me a neighborhood neighbor sings on the road. I passed that neighbor leaving his driveway on Monday, and I got ahead of him pretty good. I turn the music off in my earbuds on my cooldown, and I heard what Matt was talking about. He was belting Casting Crown, “I will praise you in this storm.” It carried up the road well. I only take my shots at it like that. Though, he wasn’t taking a shot, he meant it. He has been encouraging. I know I encourage him, too. He told me my walking routine is inspiring when he was trying to start one. He’s been doing a good job building his.
Fascia Guy is another walking neighborhood neighbor. Matt and I nicknamed him. He was always working on his home’s fascia the first year we moved in. He is one of the meticulous homeowners in the neighborhood. He walks nearly everyday (I just realize I came back around to Fascia Guy, here, again.), and his self-motivation encourages our self-motivation. I have a cheer I cheer him on with, when I catch I him in our kitchen window, to support the neighborhood cause. He cannot hear my cheer. If Fascia Guy didn’t know it, I think he is driving all of us who walk in the neighborhood.
Though now I wonder if it’s the neighbor Daniel who drives Fascia Guy? Fascia Guy and Daniel are regimented in their walking routine if I’ve ever seen anyone. They both wave stiffly, meaning man at work!
September 8, 2023 https://youtu.be/s8Nrg07b1W8?si=eKGVMgSW8imDlzfg
I met Job 4:6 today. I read The Book of Job after coming across that Verse, and I couldn’t read it word for word. I could only read it idea for idea. I found this article to help my takeaway. My takeaway from The Book of Job is this article’s prayer: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/job-4-6
September 9, 2023 https://youtu.be/mDHfDL659Ao?si=G6ixdiNqzZCBZKOG 💗
Like I told Amanda when we were out for supper and it was time to be done but I knew I had room for one more fruity drink in me before I’d get sloppy #justonemore
To Many Hail Marys at a Time, I’ve been called a lifesaver on a number of occasions, y’all are some real!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UQvruP7SzUs&pp=ygUZbWFueSBoYWlsIG1hcnlzIGF0IGEgdGltZQ%3D%3D
Thank you, Holy Spirit (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U7Y8BHrtywE&list=PLvrTLyL3lspY7MISwa4C6xKZFmgc3aPam&index=1&t=72s&pp=gAQBiAQB8AUB), for Your lead.🥂
#theReunion… 1/30/18
I met Isaiah 50:4-10.
Meeting Isaiah 50:10 after I met Isaiah 42:6 made my question to my mom, “What am I supposed to do now?”, before I knew Isaiah 42:6 that much sweeter. I remember my mom’s answer again…
I like this picture below to remind me of John 3:20-21. I first received that encouragement from my mom in her own way. It coming from her, first, makes meeting John 3:20-21 today, 9/29/23, sweeter. This is how I would tell my mom’s relationship with The Holy Spirit: She obeys.
Thank you, Mom.
Matt teases me I call the remote a tv box instead of remote.
Late 2016, Miss Lupe, who once called me her true friend,
asked me face to face in my unspoken fear, “Did you know this would happen to you?”.. I had no idea what she knew, then. In my listening, I have some clarity now, though, I still have no words. I was introduced to Belvita through Miss Lupe, and I’ll pack every one but the pumpkin spice kind in Matt’s lunch sometimes.
P.S. I proofread this ending a little. A
Thank you, Lord God, for Matt's Faith in You.
Thank you, Matt, for your Love and Faithfulness. I love you. I know your goodness and strength is in Matthew 22:37-38; it is a pleasure to be your help. Thank you for your patience with me as we willingly open the love we have for each other in our marriage to Love. https://youtube.com/shorts/1ADjnnoYWcI?si=Kk8vK229OKbPH_fR
9/27/23 “For the second is like unto the first” I could feel you beaming at me while I gave my intimate interpretation how that could be. I liked how you whipped it all up in your simplicity remembering your kid brain thought it meant your literal next door neighbor; that was a cotton candy moment. And you and Donny lit each other up.
I love how you know you are, Matt.
Hebrews13:20-21 Thank you, Lord God, for Your blessings...especially Mom. https://youtu.be/ruTtWqm8oa4?si=vPoB06cMh9G0aLYH
10/8/23 (Happy Birthday, Matt)…
Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Romans 12:
From how it started…
How I hope it will become…
: Psalm100
Just one more one little thing…
Dear Diary,
Another thing came up on the weekend of 10/20/23 (Happy Birthday Amanda, Kate and Aunt Kathy).
10/20/23…
https://youtu.be/JlhXsUVjMH4?si=OD5PVPp7hkeeis3c
https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxYRS3psNTkRqbn9TYC_nKu-ih_Bqd_PnU?si=75Za5pZ6AziuO1Da
10/22/23…
…Luke 12
My favorite part of the weekend was exchanging salutations with the little elderly lady who came to sit beside me by herself. I was clapping along to the gospel concert in anticipation of hearing Dr. Tony Evans live first time, and she arrived. Hindsight, I’m glad Matt declined the ushers offer to move us to seats he thought we’d like, and I’m glad Matt hushed my second thoughts to move us where the usher recommended. I would have missed her presence. Matt is always a neat lead when it comes to just the two of us in mind.
Emily 
PS
https://youtu.be/5znC-9kb8Sw?si=PLDXQIO4gaRsyK2E
https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx6J6zMZRLTGuYN0fssGGTPx2nt2ZICXMK?si=JTOl0Zq9cDDIQSOX
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