A med school wedding

Earlier this summer, I traveled for the first time to the great state of Minnesota for the wedding of two of our dear med school friends - Paul and Aubree.

They're in Matt's class.  That's right, they're BOTH in med school.  WHILE they were planning a wedding in another state.  I think that's pretty amazing.

When we met them, we instantly connected.  So easy.  So natural.  I think our first double-date, we talked about everything from the beer we like, to how we handle social anxiety, to how we came to know Jesus.

I went to the wedding with my friend Catherine, fellow med-school wife.

Her husband is one year ahead of Matt, Paul, and Aubree and was studying for his boards (the BIG test taken after your 2nd yr.).

Matt was in the middle of a clerkship (that I wrote about here).

So, Catherine and I road tripped it together, just us girls.

Road trips have a way of taking you months down the road relationally, and Catherine and I were never want for conversation.  I enjoyed it very much, and, since then, Catherine has become a treasured friend.


We stayed the weekend and had some time to kill before the wedding, so Catherine gave me a little tour of Minneapolis, her hometown.  I was delightfully surprised by how beautiful it is.  My only previous notions of Minnesota were from that movie "New in Town" with Renee Zellweger.

We walked and talked on this path...

And quietly admired this lake...

And posed in front of this sculpture...

Then we headed to this wedding...

Isn't that a cool looking place?

The wedding was originally going to be outside, but due to afternoon torrential rains, it was changed to inside at the reception site.  What I loved was Aubree's go-with-the-flow attitude (even though I'm sure, of course, she was disappointed.  Who wouldn't be?). There was seemingly no drama or pouting.  She made the best of it.  And the wedding was lovely.  God-honoring and just beautiful.

yay!
And don't you just love her classy and earthy decorations?

Paul and Aubree

me, Aubree, and Catherine

After hearing some of the most hilarious and heartwarming family member speeches we had both ever heard at a wedding reception, Catherine and I decided that we would like to be honorary members of their families.

Also, as providence would have it, Catherine and I ended up sitting next to one of the most encouraging couples we have both ever met.

The husband was a fairly new doctor, so they understood the road we were on.  The wife was delightfully positive and genuinely full of joy as she shared with us about their med school journey, having kids, and embracing the seasons of it all.  I could see the joy of the Lord in her face.

We were so blessed by them.

Catherine and I discovered that we both enjoy talking with strangers AND cutting a rug on the dance floor, so we were two peas in a pod at this wedding where we knew no one but the bride and groom.

I warned Catherine that I'm all elbows when I dance.  We made good fun of it.

arms a'flailin'

So, to end, Congratulations, Paul and Aubree!  And forgive me, Minnesota, for misjudging you.  I love your summertime and your lakes and your walking paths and clean city.

Why I love hiking

Matt had a medical clerkship in Colorado Springs last month.  I happily tagged along.

We saw some old friends and got in a couple of hikes.

When we lived in Colorado, I much preferred the summer outdoor activities to the winter sports.  Why?  Well, hiking is free, does not require a lot of gear or technical skill (both of which I don't have), and offers such colorful and majestic views.

Here are some shots from last month.

And to think that God just spoke this into being...

For some reason, we both felt compelled to put our hands on our hips at this next spot.

"Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones."
Isaiah 49:13

There's something about being out in God's creation that makes His Word come alive to me in a very distinct way.  And I find it easier to forget myself.

I came upon this verse the other day - "Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever." - Psalm 125:2.

I love the imagery of that.  He's so powerful and protective.

I love too how none of His colors clash.

(It's fair to say that my tank top does a little bit, but I mean none of the colors in nature.)

"Let every created thing give praise to the LORD,
for he issued his command, and they came into being!" Psalm 148:5

Matt found this little fella sitting up in a tree.
Reminded me of our brief pet swallowtail butterfly
that was first mentioned in this post.

We did break a couple cardinal rules of hiking in Colorado:

1. Start early enough to get off the mountain before the afternoon storms roll in.
2. Wear layers

Consequently, we got caught in the rain, and we were cold.  Our own faults.  We go livin' in Kansas City for a year and forget all the rules of mountaineering.

I don't think it dampened our experience though.  When it was too cold to hike, we drove, and eventually found our way up to the top of Pikes Peak.

I love the rain in the background of this picture.

almost to the top

America the Beautiful

Little factoid for ya

Standing in the spot where Matt proposed.  You can't tell, but we're really cold in this picture.

So glad for the chance to go back.

I don't understand God's kindness

Before I share these recent stories about God's kindness, my hope is that His goodness is what is highlighted, not my prayers or moments of right thinking.  But HIS GOODNESS, which I'm still trying to understand.  Perhaps when I'm a parent, I will understand His good gifts better than I do now.

Story #1
A couple of weeks ago, I was looking in my towel closet at our dingy, detergent stained bath towels.

And I found myself saying, "Lord, I know this isn't that important, but would You make a way for us to buy new towels?"

To be clear, I do not see God as a genie.  But I feel totally free to express my desires to Him and then leave them in His capable hands, knowing that whatever He decides to do is for my good and His glory.

The next day, I got a package in the mail.

I was confused when I opened it and saw our wedding program and a congratulations card. Then I saw a BedBath&Beyond gift card! along with the sweetest and sincerest note of apology from one of our wedding guests, stating that she was mortified when she found the unsent gift while cleaning up around her house.  Matt and I will celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary in a couple of months.

The wedding gift we got in the mail...7 years late.  But perfectly timed.

It's just towels.  There's child slavery in the world.  And the Lord heard (and cared about) my request for towels. I don't understand His kindness to me sometimes.


Story #2
A week later, Matt and I headed to the beach to spend some time with his family.

Our connecting flight got delayed, then cancelled due to weather.  We managed to fly stand-by on a later flight and reached our destination.

My suitcase, however, did not reach our destination.  It remained in our connecting city, but we were assured that it would be on the first flight the next morning.

No biggie.

So I went to bed in my airplane clothes and anticipated my bag coming.  Fortunately, I had traveled in a casual, comfortable, long dress.

The next morning, I checked my bag's status.  It was still in the delayed city.

I called the airline and was told there were several flights the bag could be put on, and it would likely come at some point today.  As an optimist, I figured, "It'll be here in a few hours, tonight at the latest, I'm not gonna sweat it.  I can endure anything for one day."

So I went down to the beach, still in my long dress, and soaked up some rays on a beach chair.  The sun felt nice, and I was content to be out there for awhile.

Then I got hot, and having no other desirable options, I went inside.

That's when I started to miss my bag, for a change of clothes or a swimsuit or my hairbrush. Something to feel comfortable.

I proceeded to check the status of my bag periodically for the next several hours, discovering that my poor suitcase had not made it on the first 5 flights out that day.  Then I was told that over 2,000 bags were stuck in the wrong cities due to all the delays and cancelled flights. My optimism took a little hit at that news.

The day wore on.  No bag.  We ate dinner.  No bag.

I started to think about a handout I saw at church recently about source idols.  And I started thinking that perhaps God was trying to expose a comfort idol that I have.

In the meantime, we enjoyed sunsets like this

And Matt took this cool picture of the sand after some rain.  And I marveled how God knows how many grains of sand are on all the beaches.  And I thought about the fact that He saw fit for my suitcase to get lost. 

I vacillated between having a good attitude and one of quiet (but real) frustration.

My healthy perspective inner record would play this:  "There's child slavery in the world...There's child slavery in the world...There's child slavery in the world...This is a first world problem...I have all my limbs...Thank you for my limbs, God....I have my hair...Thank you for my hair, God...I have no real reason to complain...We are with our family who loves us...the fact that we're even ON a vacation is reason to be grateful....I am not a victim of human trafficking....I am not a victim at all...This is a first world problem...Wow, the ocean is really pretty...Thank you, God, for your beautiful creation..." and so on.

And then in moments of weakness, my bummed perspective inner record would play this:  "Shucks, some of my favorite clothes were in that bag....And the hair dryer that Matt just got me....And all my toiletries....I don't want to have to replace all that....It stinks being at the beach without my swimsuit....I want to play in the water....I could just go get one...but what if my bag arrives?....And to add insult to injury, my journal and favorite Bible were in that bag, so I can't even process my frustration the way I feel like I need to....I'm so frustrated right now!...Maybe I do have a comfort idol...Is it so wrong to want my stuff?...Liane, it's just stuff...I know, but it's MY stuff and I want it....I want to fully enjoy this vacation and not be tied on the phone with the airline the whole time..."

I went to bed that night in my airplane clothes again.  By this time, we had at least replaced some toiletries, because, well, hygiene is important.  But I was hesitant to replace clothes, etc. since I kept thinking my bag was going to arrive the next hour.

Before going to sleep, I cried out, "Lord, please help me see this rightly. And respond rightly. I don't want to be dependent on my stuff for happiness, but I'm super frustrated right now and starting to loathe this stupid dress.  I need to see your kindness in this.  Please show me your kindness in a new way.  I believe You ARE kind.  I know your kindness does not necessarily equate my comfort.  It does not demand my comfort.  Help me to see Your goodness in this."

And I did.  More than I expected to see.

Ways God showed me His unexpectedly lavish kindness:

• The next day, Matt and I headed to Target (Thank you for existing, Target) to get me a swimsuit and change of clothes.  While there, I got a phone call from some dear family friends who happened to be in the same beach town that week and insisted on meeting up with me to give me some "birthday money."  (My birthday's in April.)
• My suitcase was finally delivered to where we were staying.  Nothing was missing or broken.
• The airline agreed to extend our travel day by 1 day at no extra charge and offered to reimburse us for interim purchases.
• On the flight home, Matt and I both somehow ended up in first class.

Living in the lap of luxury in first class.  What am I doing here?!
A completely unexpected surprise.

treats!

Are you kidding me, Jesus?  I just wanted my bag back.

I didn't know how to process it all.  I think I may have uncovered that l have a comfort idol.  But then He goes and makes things extra comfortable for me?

I don't understand His kindness.

An afternoon of antiquing

Matt and I recently mozied down to the River Market Antique Store.  You can't miss it - it's the one with the giant mural of Lewis and Clark on the outside wall.

It's four floors of jam-packed antique/vintage/retro miscellany.  

Among the kitsch we found some definite conversation pieces and historically informative items. Here's a sampling of what we saw while ambling through.

1960's furniture

Bric-a-brac

This rubber duck

Vintage cameras

Creepy doll parts 

 And to my right, a glass container of still more creepy doll parts

Looking for a bucket of antlers?  You're in luck!

Now, if only I could find an oversized frame holding a bunch of eyeglasses....

Oh, look!

Matt found this wooden sword wall-hanging decoration.  The perfect way to say, "Welcome to our home!"

And here he is with a found schythe doing his best "Grim Reaper."  Aside from the t-shirt, shorts, aviators, and collection of John Wayne photographs in the background, I'd say the two pictures are practically indistinguishable.  What do you think?

Here is John Wayne again, advertising a neat arrangement of boots and plaid shirts.

I imagined him looking down at me from that picture and saying, "Buy this pair, ya Texas brush popper." (a little True Grit reference for my dad)

It's a given that the hodgepodge in flea markets, thrift stores, and antique shops naturally creates unexpected displays.

Still, there was just something about this combination:

WWII practice shells, antique roller skates, and a ceramic lamb

 I was also lucky enough to find this coconut pirate.  My brother had one of these growing up.  But it was a coconut gorilla piggy bank.

 And who doesn't want a crocheted likeness of JFK?

Here is a wider view to give you the full effect of the display.

On another floor, I happened upon this list of Rules for Teachers purportedly from 1872.

This Jemima Puddle Duck print brought me back to my childhood.  I had a stuffed Jemima Puddle Duck just like the one in this picture, complete with blue bonnet and pink shawl. Under one of her wings, you could wind her up to play music.

Beatrix Potter is timeless.  Her work is full of rich language, classic themes, beautiful illustrations, and flawed but rescued characters.  It's just my opinion, but I highly doubt that Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid will last into the next century, like Beatrix's work has.

I was also reminded about a time many years ago when one of my student's parents (with a school-wide reputation of being hard-to-please) told me that she found The Tale of Peter Rabbit offensive and couldn't believe that I had read it to my class.  ???  I tried my best to listen and be diplomatic.  But I was dumbfounded.  My family said I should have responded, "Oh, because of all the drugs and sex scenes?"

But I digress.

Speaking of books, downstairs in the basement of the antique store is a huge selection of books.

We meandered a little more on our way out.

This caught my eye, and I snapped a (blurry) picture as a tribute to my home state of Georgia.  You can't grow up in Georgia and not have read or watched Gone with the Wind.

Rhett and Scarlett

Just when we thought we couldn't be more surprised by our findings, we ran into our next door neighbors Matt and Kelsie!  Coincidently, Kelsie goes to Matt's med school (she's a year ahead of him, so it's been nice to pick her brain about what's to come).  They were kind enough to water our plants and get our mail when we were out of town.  They are easy to get along with, love Jesus, and love the outdoors.  I like them very much.

Our next door neighbors, Matt and Kelsie.  They are fantastic.

That's our odd and interesting afternoon at the antique market!

School's about to start back up - I better get going on whittling all those pen nibs. :)