The Value of Your Life

As I have been reflecting this Easter Season (the time between Easter and Pentecost), the theme about the value of my life keeps cropping up in my thoughts.  In the world, there are all different values on a human life.  Some insurances companies may say your life is worth $100,000 or more, that's a lot of money.  I guess you pay for that coverage but still, why do we get money when people die?  What does God say the value of our life is?  

I can assure you that it is not so valuable that it is priceless, there is a price for your life and Jesus paid it. God wanted us to be with Him forever, that He sacrificed, the most valuable possession He had: His Son.  Jesus came to Earth with the ultimate goal to pay the price for each one of us.  That price you ask? Death.  We are all sinners.  God cannot be near sin.  If we are not with God, then we have no life.  So then we all deserve death.  

When Adam and Eve sinned for the first time in the Garden of Eden, God killed an animal to clothe them.  This is the first of many animal sacrifices that were to come to cover the sins of God's people.   For the Israelites, animal sacrifice could satisfy the wrath of God and cover their sins for a little while.  However, God knew that it would just be a temporary solution.  Jesus is the permanent solution. 

I tried to reflect on what Jesus truly went through those few days, thousands of years ago.  The entire time He was thinking of me and you and everyone one of His creations.  The prayers of anguish, the betrayal, the beatings, humiliation, and the nailing to the cross.  All of this done by those He had created and knit together.  He not only endured physical pain but also emotional and the worst of all spiritual.  Separation from His Father.  I can only imagine if I had as deep of a relationship with God the Father as Jesus did and suddenly that was ripped from me and God turned His back on me, I would be broken. 

Jesus endured all of this and more than we could ever understand to pay the price to keep you and me forever with Him.  He loves us that much to not just die but take on all the sins of the world and be treated as if He was a sinner, separating Himself from God even though He had never committed one sin.  That is true love and the best gift we could ever receive.  God's grace and mercy runs so deep, it's unfathomable, how much He values my life to pay for it.

So what does this mean for us?  Well since Jesus paid the price for our lives, we belong to Him.  "He has bought us back from the marketplace of sin" (phrase credit goes to Jackie Cagley, the teaching leader at my BSF class).  But we can also live now a life that has been paid for.  What do I mean by that?  All of our sins are forgiven because Jesus died for them.  How do you ask since Jesus died 2000 years ago?  Well since Jesus is fully man and God, He possess the qualities of infinite and eternal.  Since God has no beginning or end and cannot be measured, Jesus can be the sacrifice for every person and every sin committed, even into the future.  Isn't that awesome?!  So He was thinking of you and me on that cross and all the sins we would commit and will commit.  

We can live free from the burden, knowing that we don't have to die for our sins because they were paid for, a long time ago.  That doesn't mean we can keep sinning, it means we need to try our hardest to change and become more like Jesus.  We are works in progress but the goal is Jesus and we have His example in the Bible so there are no excuses.

Will you join me on this imperfect journey of following a Perfect God?  Please let me know if there is anything I can be praying about or for you!  God didn't create us to worship and learn about Him alone, He created us for community and communal worship.

In His Love,
A

May 8th 2015: 2 years since my life changed

Brain Aneurysm.  The words that I didn't know much about until 2 years ago today.  My mom had suddenly been diagnosed with one.  Last year I wrote a post all about her first year through hospitals and recovery.  You can visit that post if you want the back story and more information on her recovery. 

I can't believe that she has still been here on Earth for 2 years after we thought we would never hear her voice again.  God is amazing, awesome, wonderful, healer, provider, and so many more attributes.  I have been learning all the different characteristics of the God I serve more in depth over the past two years.  He has a sovereign plan and we are each part of it.  All of our circumstances fit together like pieces of a puzzle.  That is the first lesson that I have been learning through my mom's recovery.

I still am her primary care-giver because Sam still works full-time, however I have a part-time babysitting job and I am earning my Master's Degree in Teaching to teach Chemistry!  This last year has been difficult to learn how to balance coming back to a busier schedule.  The first year my mom was home, she needed me just about every minute of the day which was why I was there but as she regained many skills and ultimately her independence she needed me less and less so I was able to add things to my schedule.  

Then I was too eager to get out of the house after feeling cooped up for too long and socially inept, that I would overbook myself with classes and activities.  God doesn't want us to be rushed and overbooked each day.  That was lesson number two that I learned.

The last lesson I learned is that nothing is wasted with God.  This applies to the past two years but also to my entire life.  When I gave my life over to God and really started to live a life pleasing to Him just about five years ago, I felt shame and regret about my past.  I had lived almost 20 years without following God's plan for me, instead living for myself and not living with any rules or boundaries.  This left me feeling guilty for all those sins, even though I knew I was forgiven.  So over the Study of the Life of Moses with BSF, that was the major lesson that I learned: Nothing is wasted with God.  Those years of unbelief just fuel the fire of why I need God.  I tried it my way and I never felt whole.  Now I feel so complete with Jesus guiding me.

The second part of that lesson was about the time spent not working or just staying home these past two years.  God used those times to grow me and get me ready for the next thing.  Even though I applied to almost 10 jobs, all those doors stayed closed.  He put the desire on my heart to go back to school, which I don't think I would've gone if I was working.  I now have a part-time babysitting job which is close and flexible.  He also is showing me that time isn't wasted with my mom.  Those physical therapy sessions are paying off, reading each afternoon helping improve her speech and most importantly the time I take to read a devotion or Scripture to her is growing her faith too. 

So my mom is still continuing to improve each day in her mobility, speech, independence, and her faith.  She is starting to realize that God still has plans for her.  I remind her that Moses didn't stop serving God until he died, so neither should we.  God may not reveal to her why He has her here or even what work He wants her to do but I know that she has helped me grow.  Taking care of someone really helps develop your Christ-like qualities.  I need God's help with patience, compassion, and gentleness each and every day.  

There you have it.  The three lessons that I have learned this past year: God has a reason for our circumstances, don't overbook yourself, and nothing is wasted.  

Here are some pictures of the last year.  We try to go places and always bring my mom.  We go to dinner (tonight we are going to the Greek Food Festival in Oakland as a yearly tradition that we started when we were going to the hospital two years ago), Phipps Conservatory, or just walking around.  I always try to take pictures to document our adventures!  We even got to go to the beach last year :)

Got her makeup all done! Spring 2015

My Cousin's Wedding in March 2015

Graduation 2014

Beach Trip 2014

Phipps 2014

Cuddles with Layla and the twins

Thanksgiving 2014

My Friends Shelly and John's Wedding December 2014

Christmas 2014

Still cherish every moment you have with the people that God has given you in your life :D Renew the love you have for them each and every morning.

With His Love,

A

The "Urban Feel" Chicken Coop

So I got Chickens a few weeks ago for my Birthday.  My dad helped me to build the Chicken Coop as his present for me.  He had just done a renovation on his house plus he works other construction jobs, so he rounded up all kinds of supplies to build my coop! It is not only functional but reclaimed materials so I can feel good about my chickens living in a re-purposed coop. 

We started out with the base.  We used 2X6's as the corner posts and a band of 2X4's so we can set the floor onto it.  We also added a band of 2X4's at the top too to set the roof onto but I don't have an explicit picture for that (although you can see it in the second picture). 

Getting Started!

We used 1/2in plywood for the floor, sides and roof.  We made three roof joists with an angle of 22.5 degrees at the peak. 

Taking Shape

Originally I wanted to build the nesting boxes out like most coops I've seen but since the square footage of our coop ended up so large (20 sq feet: 5ft wide and 4ft deep), we decided to build them on the inside.  We added a ply-wood roof so that the will not try to roost on top of the nesting boxes.  We made three of them each about 12 inches deep and 16 inches wide.  The dividers don't go all the way up because we didn't have a piece large enough but also when the chickens are bigger they will not be able to get on them.

Nesting boxes

We used a smaller board for the roost.  It is about 13 inches off of the floor.  I haven't seen the chickens use it yet so we might have to make a ladder for it.

 

The roost

All framed in and ready for the siding

My dad had left over closet cedar lining so we decided to make the coop look real classy with that as the siding. We started in the front and moved to the nesting box side.  We did the front door and the nesting box door separately but they match each of their sides.  We ended up running out of the cedar but Lowe's has some so we bought a few more packs!

Cedar-sided Chicken Coop

We covered the roof with extra ice and snow guard that my dad had from the roof on his house.  This protects the wood from ice creeping up from the edges.  Hopefully it will also keep the coop warmer in the Pittsburgh winters.  Then we shingled it with, you guessed it, extra shingles from his house.  We added the doors with black hinges and bolts.  I even added a little round knob to the nesting box door that I found in my dad's truck! We added two vents to either side of the coop, high enough so that the chickens don't get a breeze while sleeping.  They are just ac/heat vents from Lowe's.  The one is adjustable on the side of the coop that will get the most wind, so I'm hoping that will be a good feature for the winter.  We just fenced in the bottom of the coop with poultry wire.  We dug a trench about 10-12 inches down and laid the wire in there covered it with bricks then the soil on top.  This will hopefully deter any predators from getting in.

All read for Chickens!

The Chickens are in!

For the feeders, we used some extra PVC pipe lying around and strapped it to the corner.  We haven't designed any fancy water system yet but that will come! 

Eating food right away!

My dad calls it the "Urban Feel" coop because he doesn't know that urban means city haha.  I think he meant to say the rustic feel but my sister and I kept teasing him so it has become the "Urban Feel" Style Chicken Coop.

All finished with the run added and some of the chickens checking it out

Here is one extra picture with evidence that my dad was building!

Check back for updates and the addition of the run!

With His Love,

A

Backyard Chickens: Oakmont Edition

I turned 25 a few days ago and all I wanted for my birthday were Chickens!!! So about a month ago, I told Sam that's all I wanted for my birthday.  We drove out to a Farm in Kittaning and there were loads of Chickens to choose from!! I ended up choosing some 4 week old pullets so that they will start laying eggs in about Mid-May.  There are four different breeds that lay 4 different colored eggs so that I will know who is laying!

When we brought them home, it was still too cold to be outside so we set them up in Layla's crate on our sunporch.  It's heated so they could be warm until the weather was not freezing to be outside.  They will be able to winter outside next year because they will be full grown. 

Layla is the best chicken guard!

From top going clockwise: Cuckoo Maran, Hamburg, Speckled Sussex and Easter Egger

Getting Bigger!

The Hamburg (black and white speckled) will lay white eggs, the Americana/Easter Egger (light brown) will lay green/blue/pink eggs (one of the three colors), the Speckled Sussex will lay (speckled brown) brown eggs, and the Cuckoo Maran (black with some white) will lay dark brown eggs.
 
Then I told my dad that all I wanted from him for my birthday was a Chicken Coop.  So over the past couple of weeks we built one!  I will post the tutorial because we basically built it for free from all of his scraps from his renovation.

Moved out to the Coop on Saturday

Exploring outside for the first time!

I will post the Coop Plan and updates once they start laying!  I'm so excited to have fresh and nutritious eggs so soon.  Plus the chickens can eat kitchen scraps and help me in the garden.

With His Love,

A

Crocheted Baby Blanket

One of the women at Church is pregnant and so we threw her a small baby shower after the Service on Palm Sunday.  I had been wanting to start a bigger crochet project so this was the perfect time!  I decided to make a baby blanket but also sew a piece of flannel cotton fabric on the back so that it would be warmer and softer. 

I hemmed the fabric so that it would have a nice finished edge

I pinned the fabric to the back of the blanket so that the sizes would match up when I sewed the two pieces together

The finished project!

I also made two pacifier clips

Baby Blanket Pattern

Materials:

I Hook

Lion Brand Pound of Love in Bubblegum

piece of fabric as large as blanket

Step 1: Chain approximately 100.  Depending on the yarn and hook size that you use, I just chained an amount that would equal 38 inches (I bought by fabric before I made the blanket so I would recommend crocheting the size of blanket you want then buying the fabric to fit)

Step 2: Start at 2nd chain from hook and Single crochet the entire row, Chain 1 and turn

Step 3:  Double Crochet in 2nd chain, then Single Crochet in 3rd Chain.  Repeat alternating Double and Single crochets until the end of the row, chain 1 and turn

Step 4: Depending on the last stitch of the previous row, you will do the opposite.  For example if you ended the row on a double crochet, then the new row will start with a single crochet.  Just keep alternating double and single the entire row.  You will always double crochet in the previous row single crochet and the opposite for single crochet.  This creates a nice textured pattern.

Step 5: Continue alternating until your blanket is a square (or any size you want).  You can check to see if the blanket is a square by folding adjacent corners together.  If they fit together, then the blanket is a square.  If is it hard to get them to fold nicely, you need to make it larger.  You can also measure it!

Step 6: Finish the blanket with a row of single crochet. Then a row of single crochet the entire edges of the blanket to give a smooth foundation row to sew to. Weave in the ends

Step 7: Iron and Hem your fabric to a size that will fit the blanket.

Step 8: Pin the Blanket and the fabric together.

Step 9: Hand stitch.

Step 10: Admire your work and take plenty of pictures, then give your project away and enjoy the reaction of the recipient.

Notes: I used one whole skein of the Pound of Love and needed just a little bit more of another to finish a few rows and the edges.

Let me know if you try this pattern out, I would love to see pictures.  Look forward to more crochet projects!!

With His Love,

A