Happy Spring from the Savages!
Outside my window, seagulls are gliding and screeching in the 50 degree rainy sky, which means Spring must finally be ready to settle into New England. These are one of my favorite types of days in my novel-like home. I splashed through some rain puddles today in my red rain boots and yellow rain jacket, and grinned. New England is for dreamers, and for the tough, the ones who are inspired by the beauty of the region and who are tough enough to stay and enjoy it even when it gets hard. To be happy in New England, you have to be somewhat of a romantic and have a eucharisteo mentality to make it through a long winter like we’ve had. Without those two qualities, I think a person must be irritable and ungrateful for the moments and days God gives, wishing away the entire winter, which happens to be for about 8 months out of the year. That is a lot of time to wish away.
I’m so grateful for the home we have made here these two years. Dan and I have become better and better friends, deepening our oneness to a place that I simply didn’t know we could go. When you marry, you look forward to your life together, and you are sure you know nearly everything about your spouse. Two years later, I am marveling at the ways our hearts have been knit together, the bond becoming increasingly stronger as we experience life together, as a team. Even the mundane moments bind us together tighter. Our hearts seem to have threads that are extending to each other’s, anchoring in, and tying us closer. I think that is why divorce is such an incredibly painful thing. Those threads are ripped from their implantation, two hearts that were one, severed.
I’ve experienced this oneness deepening the more I give of myself, acting in love for Dan’s betterment. And why not? If a heart’s strings are searching for a place to anchor in, how much stronger the bond becomes when I direct those connections to anchor in and pour love and strength into Dan’s own heart? As a result, I become stronger as well; the love I give nourishes my own heart as he thrives and does well in life with my love and support.
So – we are doing very well! Our marriage is strong and we have so much fun together! Here’s what we have been up to!
Dan started his senior year this past fall semester. His work has produced so many great things for him, which is so rewarding! He spent much of last semester working closely with a professor, researching, coding, writing, presenting. He has published several papers on this research in professional journals. Dan also invested a lot of time applying for fellowships at the collegiate and national levels to fund his graduate studies next year. His research, other projects, and tutoring went a long way in giving him great material for producing a solid application and CV for these fellowships. We are so excited that he has been selected for one of the fellowships which will provide full tuition remission, funding for his research, and a yearly stipend! We are thanking God for this blessing, and I am so proud of Dan’s hard work! He is graduating in May at the top of his class in his department!
Dan and Toby Dewhurst also created a business plan for a social business competition, winning third prize. They are now working on the same project at a different level for another competition and are working towards getting the business funded and off the ground!
In November, I applied to and was offered a job at the Town’s Recreation Department as the administrative assistant. I am so thankful to be there, and work is so much fun! I am having so much fun being the “face” of the Rec Department at the front desk, maintaining an organized office, registering participants for new programs, and taking care of advertisement details for events and programs. More and more weakness are making themselves evident to me the longer I am there, which can be discouraging. I am on my knees before Him daily, often whispering prayers during work, asking for wisdom, clarity, strength of mind and memory. I have also owned to the embarrassment I feel after making a mistake. Aside from the pride and embarrassment, I also feel pretty badly about the valuable time it takes away from my supervisors and co-workers to undo and fix the mistake. But I am finding that, truly, God’s grace is enough and he gives wisdom freely!
In addition to my work at the Rec, I am also continuing to nanny. As tough as that is getting as they are becoming young adults and no longer the children I was introduced to two years ago, I love them. They are like my younger siblings, which is why my heart aches for them when I see them make poor choices and delights with them when they succeed and do well! I have gained a wealth of understanding, learning how to balance friendship and authority, when to press and when to back off, when to be uncompromising and when to allow them to make their own decision even if it is folly and is a poor decision, how to play and be silly and relate with them right where they are at, how to mentor, how to create structure, how to be consistent.
We have great friends, let me just say! “Our group of friends” are often the highlight of our week as we get together for games of Settlers of Catan, coffee dates, fishing trips, snowshoeing adventures, impromptu dinners, festive outings, movie nights, or time spent at small group Bible study. We are encouraged by the good company and learn so much about life from watching other people’s examples.
We attend a small group from Bethany Baptist Church since the small group times through our home church (DEC) didn’t work with our work schedules. Dan and I are really excited to have been asked to be part of an outreach group that is starting up through Bethany. We will be part of the leadership of this new group, “feeding the crowds” as we spread God’s love. Dan and I are really excited to get behind this and reach people’s hearts, both the workers and the recipients!
I have also recently joined the worship team at DEC! Ahh, I have been such a chicken about offering myself and my voice for this! Oh, doesn’t almost everything come back to pride? And isn’t every form of pride rooted back to fear? When I realized this, I laughed at myself. Why has my focus been the fear of people’s opinion when my purpose is not to sing for their approval but to delight the heart of my God? My heart absolutely soars and bubbles over at the thought of singing his praises and leading the rest of God’s people to this throne room for an intimate one-on-one time of adoration. How good He is, how terrifying, how overwhelmingly joyful! Dance, spin, sing, laugh. He delights in you.
I think I’ll end on that note. God – not God as someone distant and unknowable – but God, my friend, my Lord, my delight, my Creator, my fierce King, my Comforter… HE has made life, this life that I blog about, worth enjoying. How empty is your life? How full? How complete? What is at the bottom of your heart: hollow, muffled-but-not-completely discontent? or joy that overflows, peace that sustains, and hope that steadily carries you through the bad days at work and tough news? Pursue God. Hard. Seek and you will absolutely find.
We love all of you, our friends and family that are keeping up with us here. This year is going to be full of exciting things! Since this Spring Edition newsletter caught you up on life’s more serious and broad events, June’s newsletter will be full of fun details and events. Dan also bought me a really awesome camera, so expect the next issue to have some sweet shots!
xoxo,
Em (and Dan)
Outside my window, seagulls are gliding and screeching in the 50 degree rainy sky, which means Spring must finally be ready to settle into New England. These are one of my favorite types of days in my novel-like home. I splashed through some rain puddles today in my red rain boots and yellow rain jacket, and grinned. New England is for dreamers, and for the tough, the ones who are inspired by the beauty of the region and who are tough enough to stay and enjoy it even when it gets hard. To be happy in New England, you have to be somewhat of a romantic and have a eucharisteo mentality to make it through a long winter like we’ve had. Without those two qualities, I think a person must be irritable and ungrateful for the moments and days God gives, wishing away the entire winter, which happens to be for about 8 months out of the year. That is a lot of time to wish away.
I’m so grateful for the home we have made here these two years. Dan and I have become better and better friends, deepening our oneness to a place that I simply didn’t know we could go. When you marry, you look forward to your life together, and you are sure you know nearly everything about your spouse. Two years later, I am marveling at the ways our hearts have been knit together, the bond becoming increasingly stronger as we experience life together, as a team. Even the mundane moments bind us together tighter. Our hearts seem to have threads that are extending to each other’s, anchoring in, and tying us closer. I think that is why divorce is such an incredibly painful thing. Those threads are ripped from their implantation, two hearts that were one, severed.
I’ve experienced this oneness deepening the more I give of myself, acting in love for Dan’s betterment. And why not? If a heart’s strings are searching for a place to anchor in, how much stronger the bond becomes when I direct those connections to anchor in and pour love and strength into Dan’s own heart? As a result, I become stronger as well; the love I give nourishes my own heart as he thrives and does well in life with my love and support.
So – we are doing very well! Our marriage is strong and we have so much fun together! Here’s what we have been up to!
Dan started his senior year this past fall semester. His work has produced so many great things for him, which is so rewarding! He spent much of last semester working closely with a professor, researching, coding, writing, presenting. He has published several papers on this research in professional journals. Dan also invested a lot of time applying for fellowships at the collegiate and national levels to fund his graduate studies next year. His research, other projects, and tutoring went a long way in giving him great material for producing a solid application and CV for these fellowships. We are so excited that he has been selected for one of the fellowships which will provide full tuition remission, funding for his research, and a yearly stipend! We are thanking God for this blessing, and I am so proud of Dan’s hard work! He is graduating in May at the top of his class in his department!
Dan and Toby Dewhurst also created a business plan for a social business competition, winning third prize. They are now working on the same project at a different level for another competition and are working towards getting the business funded and off the ground!
In November, I applied to and was offered a job at the Town’s Recreation Department as the administrative assistant. I am so thankful to be there, and work is so much fun! I am having so much fun being the “face” of the Rec Department at the front desk, maintaining an organized office, registering participants for new programs, and taking care of advertisement details for events and programs. More and more weakness are making themselves evident to me the longer I am there, which can be discouraging. I am on my knees before Him daily, often whispering prayers during work, asking for wisdom, clarity, strength of mind and memory. I have also owned to the embarrassment I feel after making a mistake. Aside from the pride and embarrassment, I also feel pretty badly about the valuable time it takes away from my supervisors and co-workers to undo and fix the mistake. But I am finding that, truly, God’s grace is enough and he gives wisdom freely!
In addition to my work at the Rec, I am also continuing to nanny. As tough as that is getting as they are becoming young adults and no longer the children I was introduced to two years ago, I love them. They are like my younger siblings, which is why my heart aches for them when I see them make poor choices and delights with them when they succeed and do well! I have gained a wealth of understanding, learning how to balance friendship and authority, when to press and when to back off, when to be uncompromising and when to allow them to make their own decision even if it is folly and is a poor decision, how to play and be silly and relate with them right where they are at, how to mentor, how to create structure, how to be consistent.
We have great friends, let me just say! “Our group of friends” are often the highlight of our week as we get together for games of Settlers of Catan, coffee dates, fishing trips, snowshoeing adventures, impromptu dinners, festive outings, movie nights, or time spent at small group Bible study. We are encouraged by the good company and learn so much about life from watching other people’s examples.
We attend a small group from Bethany Baptist Church since the small group times through our home church (DEC) didn’t work with our work schedules. Dan and I are really excited to have been asked to be part of an outreach group that is starting up through Bethany. We will be part of the leadership of this new group, “feeding the crowds” as we spread God’s love. Dan and I are really excited to get behind this and reach people’s hearts, both the workers and the recipients!
I have also recently joined the worship team at DEC! Ahh, I have been such a chicken about offering myself and my voice for this! Oh, doesn’t almost everything come back to pride? And isn’t every form of pride rooted back to fear? When I realized this, I laughed at myself. Why has my focus been the fear of people’s opinion when my purpose is not to sing for their approval but to delight the heart of my God? My heart absolutely soars and bubbles over at the thought of singing his praises and leading the rest of God’s people to this throne room for an intimate one-on-one time of adoration. How good He is, how terrifying, how overwhelmingly joyful! Dance, spin, sing, laugh. He delights in you.
I think I’ll end on that note. God – not God as someone distant and unknowable – but God, my friend, my Lord, my delight, my Creator, my fierce King, my Comforter… HE has made life, this life that I blog about, worth enjoying. How empty is your life? How full? How complete? What is at the bottom of your heart: hollow, muffled-but-not-completely discontent? or joy that overflows, peace that sustains, and hope that steadily carries you through the bad days at work and tough news? Pursue God. Hard. Seek and you will absolutely find.
We love all of you, our friends and family that are keeping up with us here. This year is going to be full of exciting things! Since this Spring Edition newsletter caught you up on life’s more serious and broad events, June’s newsletter will be full of fun details and events. Dan also bought me a really awesome camera, so expect the next issue to have some sweet shots!
xoxo,
Em (and Dan)