Kari Jo

So I get the AMAZING privileged of knowing Kari Jo Cates.

If you have this same privilege then you know that she is sassy in the godliest of ways, makes you feel like she's known you for years, can whip up a gourmet meal and, of course, will serve it with decorative name cards.

She serves Redeemer and the city in a way that should be emulated. She loves her family endlessly (if you don't know her, she is a mom of 4).

Kari Jo has made New York feel more like home to this little southern girl. She's prayed with me and cried with me. She's fed me and welcomed me to the neighborhood with oh- so- cute luggage tags plus sent ME a dozen thank you's in the mail. (By the way, do you sleep?) She has shown me Jesus in countless ways during this first year in New York. I'm so glad I'm just a few blocks away!

I hope to be like her when I grow up ;0).

Kari Jo, happy birthday, my friend. I love you.

Check out this article on her business. Did I not mention she has her own business too????

http://www.mommyempire.com/articles/articles/10/1/Interview-with-Citywrites/Page1.html

"I don't drink BEER" by Tim Hawkins

Darin

I lost my cousin a year ago today. We all sure miss you!

(Darin & his family)

Darin was in his prime.
Surely it was not his time.
You say You are just; not cruel. not mean.
But, we can't understand why You didn't intervene.
Even though I've been walking with You for a while, I can't seem to find my smile.

With my doubt, I mean no disrespect. This is how my aching soul reflects.
All we feel is sorrow, yet You call us to follow.
Before I start to build against You my case, grant me Your amazing grace.

As we face one year, we've felt yet another tear. Please show us You are near.
We want our loss to make some sense. We need to be in Your presence.

Pain, Grief, loss
Come heal us with Your Cross.

(Darin next to me and other cousins when we were little.)


God, somehow bind up the broken-hearted and show us You never departed.
When there are no words to pray, help us trust that You will stay.


With Your love please redeem, this tragedy that feels like an awful dream.
Until You return, or call us home, help us stand on the love that You have shown.

(Darin on the farm with his kids.)

Lord, we continue to feel a great ache but keep going for Your Name's sake.

Show us Your promise that we are never alone and that this earth is surely not our home.

Please show us Your glory as You write this redemptive story.
When this seems too hard to face, remind us of Your sovereign grace.

(Darin & us cousins riding on the farm as kids.)

Though it can hurt to think of him, our memory of Darin will never dim.
Jeremiah 29:11

Come All Who are Weary

Amen Rob.

Beauty for Ashes

In light of one year without my cousin Darin...may our tears be drowning in His mercy this week.

Beauty for Ashes

Come unto me all ye who labor.
Come, and receive rest from your burdens.
Come, find your tears drowning in mercy.
Come, see your darkness dispelled in My light.





Beauty for ashes, gladness for mourning,
Anthems of joy in place of songs of loud despairing;
Pleasure for sorrow, comfort for grieving,
Covering brokenhearted souls in robes of splendor.

Make me Holy again....

This song has blessed me over, over & over again since it was sung a few weeks ago by song writers Seth & Amber Ward at Redeemer. Yes, Lord. Make me Holy...again!

**You can purchase the song or the whole CD on Itunes: Holy/Bitter Kiss/Five Cent Stand OR here:


Holy

Lord, I am so ashamed I can't even bow my head to pray And you seem so far away But I know you'll always stay by me When will I ever learn The life, the truth is in following you And knowing you will never fail to love me Make me holy again And I can't hide the pain There is no strength left in me And I am so afraid Your love won't cover all the sin in me So bring me to my knees And lift my eyes to the hill Where your blood was shed for me Make me holy again

Lily on the phone

Talked to little Lily on Wednesday on the phone. She's 2 now. I can't believe it. She is the daughter of one of my best friends and basically my niece.

Our conversations are short but sweet.

Well, her dog, Chloe, had a bday this week. They had gotten a cake to celebrate. Her mommy, Kristin, had already told they had bought chocolate cake.

I asked Lily what kind of cake they had gotten.

She smartly said, "Black."

*This pic of of Lily in early Nov at her 2nd bday party. I got her fake cell phone. So cute!

P & G makes a move

I live in an amazing place. A place that has an unshakable history like no other while changing at a blink of an eye.

The P & G has moved. Only a few blocks north but no longer is the sign I see as I come out of the subway every day and head to the block I call home. In a place that changes so quickly it is hard to find a sense of home. It is weird how a sign being taken down & moved a few blocks up the island can make me sad. I stopped and watched the workers for a few minutes. I never even went to the P & G but passed those familiar neon bulbs multiple times a day. I guess that is what makes me sad. Something, anything familiar being taken away from my daily routine.

*Note:
This famous bar was in the pilot of "Will & Grace" and also in an episode of "Seinfeld" and has been on this block for several generations.

God of this City

Go to www.youtube.com Chris Tomlin God of the City