Two Years In.

The feeling that I have in my heart today and on most days is this:

Gratefulness.

I’m grateful that marriage is more than a wedding, more than a friendship, more than shared values and a lot of inside jokes and fun and adventures together (though I do LOVE these simple joys).

I’m grateful that marriage is acquainted with difficulty. I’m grateful that I now know and see (and continue to see) the many ways I fall short as Ben’s counterpart.  I’m grateful that what I want is often disrupted by what is required of me as a Christ-following wife.  I’m grateful that I can’t hide my selfishness from my husband. He sees and he knows.

         I’m grateful for these things because they are true. I do fall short. I struggle. I cling tightly to idols.  I have dark places in my heart that I would rather keep a secret from anyone that might shed light.

But the truth is that marriage is the thing that sheds light and Christ is the one who knowingly died for every one of my sinful moments therein.  He has made a way in spite of every shortcoming.  He is stronger than every idol and he is more intentional than even the most intentional husband (mine!).  He pursues the heart and loosens even the most tightly gripped hand.

That is true love. Hallelujah.

So, I’m grateful.  I am grateful for a faithful God who sees, knows, loves, and covers.  I am grateful for a patient husband who sees, knows, loves, and hopes.

I can easily say that the day I married Ben was the day I loved him the least.  After two years of forgiving and being forgiven, gracing and being shown grace, and encouraging and being encouraged daily, life has been breathed into our marriage and real love into our hearts.

One day, one prayer, one hope, one confession, one offer of forgiveness, and one encouragement at a time.

“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by deceitfulness of sin.”

Hebrews 3:13

Ben and I embark on a different season of life now with new joys, continued trials and a lot of anticipation for what might be next.  We know that whatever is to come, we are not alone.  We are heirs with Christ.  What a stirring in my heart at what has been done by a faithful God and what an excitement and hope at what is still to be done.

It is with a full and aware heart that I say to the man that I would marry one hundred times again,

Happy Anniversary!

Grace Changes Everything

I’d like to introduce you to my friend Rock.

Rock is the homeless man who lives in my backyard.  His real name is Ronnie, but he simply prefers “Rock”.

To his name he has an orange tent, a cot, a blanket, several clothing items that are kept in a bin behind my neighbors house, a yellow comb that is always in his back pocket, and a pair of Ben’s hand-me-down Nike sneakers.  His favorite food is cereal, and if you don’t have milk, water or lemonade will do just fine.

Nearly ever morning, Rock neatly makes his cot, shares breakfast with our faithful and caring neighbors, showers using their garden hose, and takes out our trash.

Rock serves us often and well.  He is the self-proclaimed security guard at our complex, the garbage man, the gatekeeper, gardener, grocery-bag-carrier, car-washer, grass waterer, greeter, encourager, joke-teller, and even at times the pray-er.

To say that Rock’s life has been rough would be an unfair understatement.

I don’t know if Rock knows Jesus, but

I see Jesus in Rock.

 A man of sorrows well acquainted with grief.

A man who gives good gifts, without looking for a return on investment.

A man who came to serve, not to be served.

A man who sees beyond the exterior to the soul of a person.

Sometimes, early in the morning, I sit in my warm kitchen and enjoy a cup of freshly brewed Starbucks coffee with organic half-and-half in an oversized mug.  Against the wall is a bookshelf full of books on Theology and Christian Living, several translations of the Bible, a few commentaries and concordances, some Bible Studies, and a few Greek and Hebrew workbooks.  Yet, despite these endless resources, I’ve missed something.  Somehow in the midst of my busy schedule, my reading and theologizing, and ministry-doing, I’ve missed something.

Matthew 25:40 says,

“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

I look out my window and see Rock.  And usually, he’s getting ready for his day.  He’s getting ready to serve me.

 Me.

 A woman whose life is marked by abundance.

A woman who has been given many good gifts, and still expects more.

A woman who sometimes serves, but really loves to be served.

A woman who struggles to see beyond the exterior, to the soul of a person.

A self-righteous woman, who you might consider the “least of these, my brothers”.

And yet, Rock serves.  He takes out my trash and carries my groceries and waters my pumpkin plant.

You see, grace changes everything.  Not only does grace move a woman like me to love and serve a homeless man.  Grace moves a homeless man to love and serve a woman like me.

I don’t know if Rock knows Jesus, but I want to be like him, because

I see Jesus in Rock.

Oh Summer.

This summer has been full with travel, work, play, and rest.  Just how I like it.

And all of this business has left me with no time to blog.

But I’m baaaaack!

 So here’s what we’ve been up to…

 This spring, my wonderful husband took me on a cruise to celebrate one beautiful year of marriage.  We stopped off at Cozumel, MX, Belize City, BZ and Roatan, HN.

Goodness, we live on a beautiful planet.

Here are a few pictures from our trip:

 Nothing but ocean.

Our first evening on the ship with the main promenade in the background.  We loved exploring all the little shops and restaurants.  We also loved going to sleep early and taking lots of naps.  

My intentional husband set aside time each day for us to study over a view of the ocean with a warm cup of coffee.  It was a purposeful time of seeking, reflecting, and worshiping.  Following our study time, we spent an hour in the gym and then played for the rest of the day!

Perfect.  

 This is Ben on a catamaran in Roatan, Honduras.  We snorkeled the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which is the second largest reef in the world.  It rained while we were snorkeling which made for a really fun adventure and some really funny memories.  

We ventured into the town of Roatan and found a family-owned restaurant where we met lots of kids and locals.  This was by far the best part of the whole trip.  The sweet kids followed us around and talked about their dreams of becoming doctors, teachers, and business-men.  Pray for them!

Local tour guides led us on a hike through the jungle of Belize to the opening of a cave, where we floated on tubes.  I conquered a major fear that day! Afterwards, we enjoyed a meal prepared by locals in their village.

Our last evening before returning to Galveston.  We loved our time and look forward to a lifetime of traveling together.

In addition to our overseas trip, we had several opportunities to enjoy our part of the country a little closer to home.  We visited our sister Kat in Montgomery, AL a few weeks ago.  It was wonderful to spend time with her and to see where she works, lives, and plays.  She has a beautiful life and we loved getting to be a part of it for a few days.

Kat and I spent a lot of quality time at Dick’s Sporting Goods waiting for Ben to pick out a souvenir to bring back to Texas.

Good times.

  Here are Ben and Kat in front of the Capitol Building in Montgomery, down the street from the bus stop where Rosa Parks sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and ultimately began the modern Civil Rights era.

On the steps of Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church where Martin Luther King, Jr. served as pastor.

We loved the history, but we mostly loved hanging with Kat.  We miss her already.

And finally, we close out our summer with an overnight trip to the beautiful Low Places Oasis Ranch in Decatur, Texas.

It was great to get away from the noise of the city and into the solitude offered by the country.  We took naps, watched movies, grilled out, and hiked.

It was glorious.

Remember that souvenir Ben got back in Montgomery?

Here it is in all it’s glory.  

What a beautiful summer!

And now I couldn’t be more ready for hoodies, lattes, football, sweatpants, and pumpkins.

Love, Tiff

The Harvest Mentality.

It’s January and a new year is upon us.   The gym is busy and the lines at Whole Foods are long.  We enter this year hoping.  Hoping for change, improvement, and growth.  Some are motivated to exercise more, grow in status, make more money, and the like. Others will strive to serve better, to grow in self-control, and to remain steadfast.  We all enter 2012 the same way we entered 2011, 2010, and so on.  We enter with this shared mentality:

Harvest.

There is an organic relationship between the seeds you plant and the fruit you harvest.  This is the principle of consequences that we see every day in the organic world.  If you plant lilies, you get lilies.  If you plant roses, you get roses.  If you don’t plant anything, weeds are sure to spring up.  There will always be consistency between that which you plant and that which you harvest.

In the same way, there will be consistency between the seeds of words and actions that you plant and the harvest of those words and actions.  Every day, you harvest relational plants that are the result of previous seeds you have planted.  And every day, you plant new seeds of words and actions that will one day harvest.  Most of the seeds that you plant will be small and will go unnoticed, but one thousand small seeds that grow up into trees will result in an environment-changing forest.  Good or bad, the nature of that forest will resemble that which your heart is truly after, that which you believe to be most valuable.

Paul touches on this in Galatians 6:7 where he says,

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”

So I ask.

What kind of seeds will we plant this year?  Will we settle by planting seeds in the gym, the office, and the grocery store?  This will surely reap a harvest of a better body and a thicker wallet.

Maybe we will plant on the couch of laziness, indifference or comfort?  Surely weeds will spring up.

Or will we strive to plant seeds that will reap the harvest of a more Christ-centered marriage and deeper friendships?  Will we daily plant seeds by studying, serving and investing in godly activities that result in a Kingdom harvest?  Will we invest in earthly treasures for our sake or will we remain steadfast for the sake of the Kingdom?

 Yes, resolve to do better this year.

 Make plans to grow.

But believer, don’t settle.  Don’t believe that the comforts and adventures of this world are better.  Believe that stepping out in faith is better, wilder and fuller.

For your marriage, your friendships, and your heart.

Think ahead to the harvest.  Remain faithful with every seed that you plant.

Merry Christmas.

Joy.

Friends and Family,

This year has been overwhelmingly full of joy. We have experienced a great deal of change, adventure, and new things. Our hearts are full as we think back on 2011 and we are excited to share with you all that the Lord has done.
Around this time last year, Ben was planning to execute one of the most beautiful proposals on Christmas Eve. Tiffany enthusiastically said, “yes!” and the following months were a whirlwind of wedding planning, bridal showers, and pre-marital counseling. In addition to our already full calendar, we began renovating a condo in the South Dallas neighborhood where Ben has served as a mentor to kids for the last few years. Beginning a ministry in this community was a big decision for us as a newly engaged couple, yet we felt confident that this is what the Lord had for us.
On April 1, 2011 we happily and gratefully said, “I do!” We enjoyed a restful honeymoon in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and were surprised to return to a home that was still under construction. The Lord was gracious and provided us with an apartment on the same block. This apartment was uniquely located in the same building as a transformational housing ministry for women re-entering society from prison. This afforded Tiffany the opportunity to befriend some really incredible women who were experiencing redemption and transformation after years of difficulty. We will forever be grateful for the time we shared in this little apartment.
After another 6 months of construction, we excitedly spent our first night in the condo amidst boxes and sawdust. Tiffany made waffles in our new kitchen and we watched a movie. It really is the little things!
As if a new marriage, new neighborhood, new home and new ministry were not enough, Ben moved into a new position at FreedomPark. This position included oversight of all administration and communications within the company. Additionally, the new ValetNow service has been an exciting endeavor and we are having fun watching it grow. It really is a fun season as we get to see all that the Lord is doing in and through the company.
Now that we are settled, we are thankful to be in a comfortable rhythm. Tiffany continues to take classes at the Criswell College and spends most of her available time in the neighborhood or with family. Working out at the local gym is one of our favorite ways to get involved in our community. It is incredibly rewarding to do something that we love and are passionate about, while getting to use it as an opportunity for ministry. We met some great friends who run an after school program across the street from our home. It has been a joy to get to know them and the sweet kids, and to get to be a witness of God’s love for children.
In closing, we would like to announce the newest addition to our family. Lola is our sweet and loving tiny teacup Chihuahua. We went to look at puppies and promised ourselves we would not bring one home. Needless to say, Lola captured our hearts with her sweet demeanor and cuteness and was welcomed into our family that day.
We pray blessings over you and your family this Christmas season. We pray that in 2012 your heart will be filled with the joy that only comes from Him.

Warm Regards,

Ben and Tiffany

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
-Psalm 16:11

KaBoom!

This past weekend, Ben and I had the privilege of participating in a KaBoom! playground build.  KaBoom! is a national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America’s children.  Their mission is to create great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities.

This organization has truly warmed my heart.  The playground is awesome, but it is the process by which the playground came to be that I find so incredible.

Adam from KaBoom! flew out to South Dallas several months ago to meet with anyone in our neighborhood who would support the build and get involved.  This turned out to be an odd group of neighborhood residents (mostly single moms plus me and Ben), a few church leaders, and a few folks who regularly do volunteer work in the neighborhood.  This group became the masterminds behind the playground.

Next, the children in the community drew pictures of what they hoped the playground to be.  Each child submitted their “dream playground” picture to the designers at KaBoom!, who used the vision of the children to design the park.  Additionally, several thousands of dollars were raised by the community to fund the build.  Many individuals, families, and businesses from our community donated money and resources.

Little Willie emptied his entire piggybank into the playground fund!

Why am I so impressed by this process?

Ownership.

From the kids, to the single moms, to the young dads, the most unlikely group of people came together, took ownership over the project, and saw it through to the end.

What an accomplishment!

Below are some pictures of the KaBoom! playground build:

Moving this HUGE pile of mulch was quite possibly the most fun I have ever had.

Pre-build.
Here I am stirring concrete.  I am still asking myself why on earth anyone thought it efficient to put me on the “Concrete Team.”
Ben taking over on concrete:Cantrell and hammer. He worked harder than all of us put together!A few hours into the build, our group took a break and went to our house for lunch.  Ben explained that he MUST return to the build site to see if they needed help. He just HAD to.

And this is where I found him:
I love my husband:)

A crew from FreedomPark came early and stayed ALL day.  They are rockstars!This will melt your heart.  The kids painted wood blocks with pictures of how the playground inspired them. The blocks were used to decorate the playground.

These were the remaining volunteers at the end of the day!  And finally..a finished playground! 

After the build, our families and friends joined us at our home for pizza……and naps!

Ribs.

I am very excited to (finally) announce…

WE ARE IN OUR CONDO!

Yes, that’s right folks. The long and anxious wait is over and we are happily and thankfully living in our new home.  I will post pictures of our new pad soon.

Here is Ben happy to eat his first meal in the new place.

There are a few downsides to living in a home instead of an apartment complex.  Like the lawn maintenance..

..some minor plumbling issues..

..maybe a few smoke alarm malfunctions..

..and grill robberies.

“GRILL ROBBERIES????” you ask.

Yes. Grill robberies.

Not us. Our neighbors.

Not their grill.

Their meat that was on the grill.

(Are you laughing yet? Keep reading.)

Yes, our sweet neighbors Justin and Mel had their meat stolen RIGHT off their grill.  Justin, the expert meat-smoker, had 18 racks of ribs a-brewin’ overnight.  The smoked ribs smelled SO good that someone in our neighborhood could not contain his mouth-watering excitement over those juicy ribs and hopped right over our security wall, snatched the ribs, and hopped right back over to enjoy his hot and smoky breakfast.

Unfortunately, the local police man was unable to catch the perpetrator.

If you see ANYONE with sticky fingers and barbecue stains on their t-shirt, please call

1-800-HESTOLEMYRIBS

Here is the official police report:

Theft (No-Code)

UNK SUSPECT JUMPED TOWNHOUSE BACKYARD FENCE, REMOVED RIBS

2800 block of S ERVAY ST October 15, 2011 @ 10:57 a.m.

We are using this as a learning experience and have implemented a new and improved crime prevention program: