grateful

yesterday I (Lindsay) had the opportunity to spend half a day at a retreat, where the purpose was to "breathe, be refreshed, be transformed". what a breath of fresh air! (no pun intended!)

Randy and I have been on the go since long before the wedding -- I tied up loose ends as I finished out my time directing the XA students at Cal Poly Pomona; Randy moved across the country; we got our new apartment (which meant I went through the moving process also!); Randy had seminary classes to finish up by the beginning of August in the midst of this; we finished planning the wedding; got married!; traveled to Cayucos, CA and enjoyed a Mexican Riviera cruise for our honeymoon; traveled to Louisiana to celebrate our marriage with a reception in Lake Charles (where Randy's family lives); and now I have started back to school with four intense seminary classes. (Randy still has a little more than a week before his seminary classes start.)

considering all of this, however, one of the main segments of my day at this retreat was spent reflecting on so many things, big and small, that have been evidence of God's blessing and his grace to Randy and me. throughout the summer and especially when I think about our wedding, the best way to describe how we feel about all of it, our world including so many moving parts, is this: God's grace has been all over it and in everything.

when we think about our wedding, we smile and have a deep, deep gratitude in our hearts for such perfect celebrations (in CA and LA) in which we saw the beauty of God's creation and God's community in our lives. we are blessed to have loved ones like you reading this blog, who have walked with us, prayed for us, and supported us as individuals and now as a married couple; through times of finding our identity and living out our call to ministry.