No, We Haven't Moved to Timbuktu...

Hey everyone!  Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  I'm afraid this one won't be real long, either, but I'm hoping to give y'all a quick update.  Things are going well here in the Guntzel household.  Life is busy, as always, and full of hard work and good fun!  I (Amy) am student teaching at an elementary school, and loving the experience!  Each day I find myself more amazed at just how much teachers must know and do.  The work is tiring, but the kids' excitement makes it so worthwhile.  Please pray for me as I take on more teaching responsibilities in the coming weeks.  Thanks and have a wonderful week.  Hopefully we'll be able to post a more thorough update soon!

New Food Adventures

 In the past couple months, I've probably gone to more new restaurants and tried more new foods than I ever have in a year before.  Most of the time, I'm not very adventurous in what I order, but I've had some interesting and delicious dishes.

 The Wilde Roast is an elegant, almost European feeling, restaurant/cafe on the river in Minneapolis.  Their creme brulee French toast is very tasty!

This was the biggest stretch for me - Thai food.  The Pad Thai was probably not my favorite of the new dishes, and I probably wouldn't ever specifically request having it again if I got to choose, but at least now I know there's something I like at Thai restaurants.

I'm not too picky when it comes to pancakes, but this one was exceptional.  We went to a cute, modern downtown style restaurant called Moose and Sally's, and I ordered the orange ricotta pancake.  The cake itself was had a refreshing orange flavor and the ricotta cheese made it so moist.  It was served with chopped pistachios and a rhubarb sauce on top - I definitely would never have expected all those flavors to go so well together!

Thoughts for a Rainy Day...

Today is a rainy day.  If you're like me (Amy), you may need a little extra hope to thrive on days like this one.  I found some encouragement in the book of Job today, and wanted to share it with you.  Keep in mind that Job said these words after he'd lost everything except his wife and his life, and he was only hanging on to those by a thread.  His life was hanging in the balance due to some really nasty health conditions, so his wife was repulsed by him and told him to curse God and die.  Job was having a very rainy day, which ended up dragging on for many more days.  But he clung to the Truth that transcended his feelings and circumstances, and said,

"I know that my Redeemer lives,

and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

And after my skin has been destroyed,

yet in my flesh I will see God;

I myself will see him

with my own eyes—I, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me!"

(Job 19: 25-27, emphasis mine) 

Cling to this Truth, my friends!  No amount of rain can wash it away.

Extreme

How extreme are you willing to be?  How far will you go to obey God?  Those are the questions that I (Amy) have been asking myself lately.  I think about Noah building an ark in a land that had never seen rain.  I think about Esther marrying a king she didn't love (or know, for that matter). I think about little David standing before a giant with just a few small stones.  All because God said so.

And then I think, "Would I be willing?"  Granted, God probably won't ask me to build an ark or marry a king or kill a giant with a rock.  But what if He asked me to move to a foreign country, or quit working on the degree I'm just a few months away from earning, or stay single for the rest of my life?  Disclaimer: So far, God has not asked me to do any of those things, and I sure wouldn't choose to do any of them on my own.  But if He asked, would I be willing? 

Yes.

Not because I have no dreams for my own life or because I have an amazing gift of understanding God's plans before they unfold.  But because I've followed God far enough to know that His plans are so much better than my dreams, and the peace that comes from walking with Him truly does surpass my understanding.

Like Jesus said, though, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  So I'm praying, "Lord, help me to obey you in the small things each day.  Help me to listen for Your still, small voice.  And help me to obey in the big things when Your voice is loud and clear.  I've tasted and I've seen that You are worth it, and I want to follow You. Amen."

What's God asking You to do today?  Are you willing?

Great Aunt Vi and Graciousness

This past weekend, I (Julie) had the privilege of meeting Brandon's great aunt Vi. Even though I only was with her for about a half hour total, I was struck with the graciousness she extended to me from the very beginning. I was greeted with a welcoming hug and immediately invited in to see family pictures; of course, I don't remember who was in all of them, but to me it meant that she wanted me to feel at home, like I should know who all these people were smiling at me. Our visit mostly centered around what each of us had done that day, sharing the way our family shares at the supper table. As we prepared to leave, I felt like I had been there for much longer than a half hour, like in that little window of time, we had passed by the trivial small talk and enjoyed each other's company. Such graciousness as this is a true picture of the acceptance we can find as children of God. Vi did not put me through a rigorous test to find out if I was worthy of her time, she did not ask to see my credentials, she did not demand anything of me. By believing in the blood of Jesus, we are welcomed into the Father's arms by no merit of our own. I pray that I can show others in my life this same graciousness.

Spring Break!

My (Amy's) Spring Break starts this Saturday. On Sunday, my grandparents are flying my cousin Thom and I down to Arizona to stay with them for a week. I can't wait! Unfortunately, some of my professors decided Spring Break would be a great time to load on the homework. Oh, well! Hopefully doing that homework out in the sunshine surrounded by mountains and wildlife will give me some inspiration and I'll be able to get it done fast :-). My goal is to get outside as much as possible and get lots of exercise! I'm also hoping to get some reading done on the plane. That hasn't really happened in the past, though, so I'm not getting my hopes up. I enjoy people-watching too much to really focus on books in airplanes, I think. Right now, I'm reading "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan for the Bible Study I'm in. If you haven't read it yet, I'd encourage you to check out a copy. I probably won't be blogging until after I get back, but maybe I can talk Julie into posting something. Happy March everyone!

These are a few of my favorite things...

• Birthdays. I (Amy) had one recently, and I had a blast celebrating with friends and family.
• Road trips. Two weekends ago, I went with a dear friend to the Cities to visit some other dear friends at college. We had good food, good talks, and good fellowship. Last weekend, I went with 19 other friends to Duluth for a fun weekend away. It was exhausting and refreshing all at the same time.
• Coffee shops. I went to one last night with my friend Eliza. The cozy atmosphere, encouraging conversation, and caffeine buzz were just what I needed in this busy week.
• Good down-home music. Right now Alan Jackson's "Are You Washed in the Blood?" is playing on my Pandora.
• My family. (For the record, this list is in no particular order ;-). I love coming home at night to a warm house full of people who love me.
• My Jesus. His mercies are new every morning, and His answers to prayer never cease to amaze me.

I hope you all are having a wonderful February. I can't believe it's almost over already! May God bless you and keep you as you seek His face today.