God's Plans Are Always Bigger

I wanted to write this blog last week, after Andy and I had decided that we were going to pursue membership at a chruch we've been visiting in Terre Haute. I'm glad I waited, because God has even bigger things for us to share about... As Andy and I have settled into life in Terre Haute, IN we've had numerous opportunities to look at each other and say "yep, God brought us here for a reason." But wait...I should back up... During the fall semester I was looking for jobs one evening while Andy was with me in Cedar Falls and came across a job posting for an academic advisor at ISU. It wasn't unusual that I was looking at job postings - I used to do that often because I wanted to gain the skills I would need for future positions, as my former job was not a job I would have until retirement. I had also just been rehired at UNI for a temporary, 1 year position, so I was doing what I do best...I was making future plans. I was checking out academic advisor positions closer to our families and happened to come across a posting at IU in Bloomington, IN, only 30 minutes from my hometown. After reading the description to Andy and talking about the pros and cons of applying for a position at that time of the year I continued on with my purusing of job descriptions and came across the ISU description. After more talk and prayer I decided to apply. Just deciding to apply was difficult enough, because I had just returned to UNI and was not comfortable with the idea of having to leave a position sooner than anticipated. But, I also knew that in a few months my position at UNI would be up and we knew that we wanted to get closer to home with our next move (God willing). To my surprise, I received interview offers for both positions. They originally wanted me to interview on the same day, believe it or not, but I managed to spread the interviews over two separate days. I went to ISU first and enjoyed the interview but didn't feel confident in my chances for moving further along in their process. As I drove back to Iowa after the interview I was disappointed but still excited about interviewing with IU. Within a couple of days I had received a job offer from ISU! Because I knew I had another interview to attend, I asked for the weekend to consider the offer. Looking back I know God was hitting His palm to His forehead or shaking His fist at me. Here He had laid His perfect plan and I needed some time to think about it! Oh, the audacity. A few days later I drove back to Indiana for the IU interview. I thought the interview day went really well, I felt really comfortable with the group, and they even allowed me to share in their office's Thanksgiving feast (my interview was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving). During that meal the director of the program introduced me to others as "our new academic advisor" with a chuckle. I thought I would hear about an offer the next day. I drove back to Iowa that evening excited about the ability to move back to IN but I was also nervous because I had not anticipated having to tell my current supervisor, colleagues, and staff that I was leaving early. The next day I heard from IU that they were pursuing the other candidate. I was totally thrown for a loop. Because of how I felt the interview went, I was totally surprised that an offer didn't come through. But, again, looking back, it was because God was shouting "Ashleigh! I've already worked this out!" So I called Andy and we decided that we would take some time to decide on the ISU job. We had to crunch the numbers and we had to figure out if we could go without any promise of Andy having a job. Luckily he was told that he could step down from assistant manager and be a salesperson at the Terre Haute Sofa Mart. When that current assistant manager got promoted, Andy would step back up into that role. My sister and brother-in-law came to CR for Thanksgiving and we talked about what to do about the job offer ALL weekend. Poor Aubrei and Dan! I also called both my parents and Andy and I weighed the pros and cons over and over and over again. After they left, I took all day Sunday praying to God that He would lead us to the right decision. By that evening, we had decided to take the plunge and move to Indiana... The next month was a whirlwind! I had to resign (again) from my position at UNI, Andy was trying to figure out what was happening with Sofa Mart in TH, we had to pack up our CF apartment AND CR apartment, we had to find an apartment in TH, etc. For the first two weeks after deciding to take the job, we hadn't heard anything from the people at Sofa Mart, so Andy decided to call one Friday evening. After a few minutes on the phone, Andy was offered the assistant manager position - the former manager had just resigned and the folks in TH thought Andy was the best candidate for the position. With one phone call, Andy had gone from taking a step down with the company to making a lateral move. When Andy called to tell me I got chills...during that phone call we took the time to thank God for working that out for us. Shortly after Andy's job worked out, we were approved for our new apartment in TH. My stepbrother lives in TH and had told us about his apartment complex. Again, God had worked things out. There was an apartment available in the complex for us to move on December 30! We were so thankful because we didn't have the time to come to TH to house hunt. So on December 29 I finished my last day of work at UNI, went to CR to finish packing our apartment, and we moved the next morning at 6 a.m. When we arrived the next day in TH, Aubrei and Dan came and helped us unload the truck. The next day (New Year's Eve) my mom and Trent came to help us unpack the apartment. That Monday (four days later) both Andy and I started our new jobs. It was absolutely amazing that we had so much help with the move. AM helped us move stuff out of the CF apartment, Andy's aunt and mom drove all the way to Iowa to help us pack and then followed us to TH driving one of our vehicles; we had a great friend drive down from CF to help Andy with the heavy stuff, etc. There is absolutely no way that we would have been able to do the move without everyone. In early January we started our jobs and immediately felt more at home then we ever did in Cedar Rapids. We settled into our jobs and started hunting for a new church home. Quickly we found a church where both Andy and I, on separate visits, felt that the sermon was created directly for us and just felt God's presence in that church. THAT is why I had originally wanted to write the blog, to talk about God leading us to a wonderful church. But, He had yet another blessing up his sleeve... About two weeks ago Andy heard that his boss was putting in for a transfer to another Sofa Mart store. We were SHOCKED because we didn't think that it would happen so quickly. Andy did know when he took the job that there was a chance that his boss was planning to leave sooner rather than later for another store and when that happened, Andy would be considered for the store manager position. But we had no idea that such an opportunity would come barely 3 months after our move. After a grueling week that felt like 10 years, Andy received a call on Thursday afternoon --- HE WAS THE NEW STORE MANAGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! During that phone call, we again took time to thank God for His blessings and faithfulness. The promotion came last Thursday. Since then, we've been on cloud nine. It's been so amazing to see God working in our lives and to reap the benefits of obedience. The decision to move to TH was not easy but we felt that God had opened the door and it was our duty to step out in faith. Even once we made the decision, the heavens didn't part and angels didn't start singing. Yes, we were relieved to have made a decision but we were worried that things wouldn't work out. But, God can do great things and He has done great things for us! We went from living in two separate towns in August, seeing each other on the weekends, to being MUCH closer to our family with jobs we love and an opportunity to put down roots. Every day we are overwhelmed by all God has given us and everything He worked out for all of this to happen. Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done. - 1 Chronicles 16:8.

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 4:29-5:2

This year I'm using Lent as an opportunity to "give up" gossiping/talking negatively about other people and situations. When I told Andy he said "you can't give that up for Lent. That's just something you're supposed to NOT do anyway...". Yes, I know. After having reflected on the meaning of Lent and in an effort to become more Christ-like and with God's grace revealing that this is an area I need to work on, here's where I landed. What's always so humbling about God is that after choosing this for myself (as if I really did it on my own, haha), I was reading something that I thought was unrelated to my Lent decision and the scripture above was included in the article. It struck me immediately.

Thank you, Lord, for showing us the way and always providing all the tools we need.

I love documentaries

I just finished The Future of Food, a documentary with a lot of information on genetically modified foods. While I appreciate the information, this type of documentary often sends me into a panic, because the problem seems so big and out of my hands that I'm usually hopeless for positive change. Or I'm so overwhelmed by where to start that I'm paralyzed. Nonetheless, I wanted to list it on my blog, because I though it was good. I hyperlinked the title, so click it to visit the movie's site.

Totally intrigued by a new book...

So I'm anxiously awaiting the library to call me and tell me that my reserved copy of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats is in. I've been reading about the book online (do NOT go to the nourishing cook blog...it covers your computer in malware!!) and am really excited to have the actual book in my hands. Anyone heard of it? Love it? Despise it?

Pictures from the ice storm

A few posts ago I mentioned our big February ice storm. Below are pictures to prove it!

We thought it would be helpful to thaw our cars out. First we had to get INTO our cars...tactics used: hip-bounce into side of vehicle; butter knife; punching

The pictures don't give the ice justice. It was at least 1/2 inch thick. You don't think 1/2 an inch means much until everything outside is covered in it.

While I was busy breaking into the cars and breaking the cars out of their ice imprisonment, Andy was creating art pieces.

Our last name, in case you forgot.

All the broken pieces of ice came from our cars.

The grass was covered. When I walked on it, it didn't always break. Imagine poor Spike!

I'm so in love with this recipe!

Since I'm quite sure that my family is sick of me talking about freakin' Hoppin' John's, I thought I'd blog about it, instead.

I haven't put any recipes or posts about cooking up lately, but had to share this super-duper amazing thing. We were at my dad's for New Years Day and he insisted on making "Hoppin' John's" to ensure we all had a great 2011. I was skeptical. Then, I tried it and immediately fell in love. Here's the Bill Weddle version:

1 15 oz can blackeye peas, rinshed and drained
1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper
3 cups rice
1/2 cup water or stock
garlic, salt, and pepper

Dice the onion and pepper and saute with garlic, salt, and pepper until onions are translucent. Start rice. Throw peas into onion/pepper mix and stir. Throw in 1/2 cup water or stock. Simmer. Before rice is done, through peas/peppers/onions mixture right into the rice. Let the rice finish cooking.

I know, it sounds simple. And, it may sound gross. But I guarantee you that it is delicious. Not to mention totally versatile and the poster child for how to spread a buck. The batch makes at least 12 1/2 cup servings. I eat it cold with my lunches, though heated up is delicious too. I've thrown turkey meat right on top and then put it in the microwave for a meal. I'm even thinking of frying it up with an egg for my own fried rice. It's so economical and so delicious! I. Cannot. Get. Enough.

If I figure out anything else to do with it, I'll let you know!