Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Wait....

Came across this poem on someone else's blog... I think it can be used in any situation, and even when we don't have a specific situation in mind. Learning to be patient is not something our human nature is willing to do but learn we must.


Wait
by Russell Kelfer
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried; 
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied. 
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate . . . 
And the Master so gently said, "Wait." 

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply. 
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word. 

"My future and all to which I relate 
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait? 
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign, 
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign. 

"You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe, 
We need but to ask, and we shall receive. 
And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply." 

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate, 
As my Master replied again, "Wait." 
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut, 
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting for what?" 

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . . 
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign. 
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun. 
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

"I could give all you seek and pleased you would be. 
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me. 
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint. 
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence are all you can see.

"You'd never experience the fullness of love
When the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

"The glow of my comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss, if you missed what I'm doing in you.

"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still . . . Wait."



Lenelle

Friday, August 24, 2012

Fun times!

I was given a bachelorette party by my sisters.. Cherise Bergsma and Jolena Andree, the two matrons of honor in my wedding. We went out to eat at the Logans restaurant on 44th st near the rivertown mall. Then we headed out to Cherise's house and spent an evening making scrap book pages for a book they were putting together for me. The thought was for each person to have a picture of a fond memory of our friendship and then write something next to the picture. I thought it was a sweat idea.

Here are a few pictures from that evening...

Sitting around the dinning room table starting on our pages..

Andrea Scholten, Melanie Kamp, Annelise, Jolena, Kim DeMeester, me, Cherise

Melanie made a card with all Ian and my "firsts"... date, holding hands, etc

Annelise's pages...

Andrea making a "romantic" card....

I wasn't told about this idea till that evening so I just made a page with our names on it..

Intrigued by what Jolena thought up...

Sitting in the living room chatting...

Girls: thanks so much for coming and for all the help you gave me at my shower and serving ice cream after the ceremony. We truly appreciate your willingness to go above and beyond. I hope and pray we can continue our friendship for years to come, even if distance tries to get in the way.

Lenelle

The Moerdyk wedding shower...

Well, it has been a while since I last updated my blog.. a lot has happened since. Here are some pictures from the wedding showers I was given. 
All the food!

They played a game where each person took as much toilet paper they wanted and then had to make something out of it that I would need on my wedding day..

The finished product!

The gifts.....

Trienna helping me with the wrapping on the cooler...

I appreciated all who came out that evening and all the gifts we were given. 
I know there were some who were not able to make it, just wanted to let you know we did miss you! 

Lenelle

Friday, June 15, 2012

Engagement Pictures!

Hello all!

Here are the long awaited pictures for you all to enjoy!
My sister, Cherise, agreed to take some pictures of Ian and me. We are grateful for her willingness to do this seeing as it has saved us a  bit of money and they still look professionally done!

 









Hope you've enjoyed them!

Lenelle

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Summer!

Wow, it has been a while since i updated this blog.. and some major events happened and are going to happen.

The beginning of March, Ian proposed to me.. and of course I said "YES". I feel truely blessed to have found such a man! His personality, character complements mine and I couldn't have asked for a better
match myself. Amazing how the Lord works without our help.

We have set the date for July 26, 2012. Yup, that is in 2 1/2 months! Very exciting! Wedding plans have been going smoothly for me. I already found a dress, the church is booked. The pastor has agreed to officiate the service, the photographer has been found and set. Things seem to be falling into place quite nicely and I am very thankful for that. Being stressed out is not one of my strengths so I have been amazed at how little stress I have had planning this! The wedding invites are already done and half of them have already been sent out so now it is the anticipation of getting the RSVP's back through e-mail.. or phone call.

Well, pictures hopefully to come soon! Summer is on its way so there will be plenty of opportunity to take pictures of us.

Hope all is well with you!

Lenelle

Monday, January 30, 2012

More Scotland Pictures!!

So, I decided to post the rest of my pictures from Scotland.

We stopped by a small beach close by one of Ian's friend's apartment. The boys talked, Evie Sommerville (who came from Ireland for a day) and I walked around. Evie found treasure and I took pictures.

The bridge in the back ground is for trains

Ian holding onto a clam which is hanging on to all the stones you see in the picture. Showing how strong the clam's grip is.

This is of a catholic church in Edinburgh, thought it looked really neat.

Edinburgh castle in the distance where the crowned jewels are... yes we did go and see them.

View from Edinburgh castle

 Cannons

more cannons

another view from the castle in Edinburgh

 bet you can't guess who this lovely couple is!!

Another view

The trip was wonderful! I had an amazing time getting to know his family and meet new people. Ian had the privilege of preaching in one of the congregations near his home town and I tagged along. The country is beautiful and rich with heritage. I felt it refreshing from the very modern culture here in America.

Lenelle

Monday, January 23, 2012

Scotland Pictures!

So... here are the pictures of my trip to Scotland, visiting Ian's family and friends. We were there for 3 weeks, spending most of the time with Ian's family. We were also able to visit with some of his friends in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The first night after our flight we spent with Ian's friend in Glasgow, headed off to Dingwall to meet and stay with the family for 2 weeks. 

The first place I visited was with Ian's sisters (Ian stayed home to study). The scenery is beautiful even in the winter when they say it gets really dreary and grey looking. This particular day it spitted rain the whole ride out there and once we arrived the sun came out a little for us to enjoy the waterfall.

 Looking from the platform we were standing on down at the base of the waterfall. It was really far down!

Ishbel, Ian's oldest sister, posing at the end of the platform where she would lean over the edge and take pictures looking down into the water.

Here Alison and I are at the bottom of the waterfall. Notice the platform at the top of the picture, that is how far up we were.


Ruth and I on the platform... some of us (me) didn't have the stomach to walk to the end of the platform and look down into the water. Lets just say it was really high!


Ishbel, me, Alison, Ruth
It was a wonderful trip, I enjoyed myself very much and got to know his family very well. 
More pictures to come!! 
Lenelle