Last Sunday we concluded a series in Proverbs with a sermon by Joshua Harris on the Proverbs 31 woman tittled A Woman of Valor. In this Hebrew poem found in Proverbs 31:10-31 a mother instructs her son find a wife who fears the Lord, gives her life away, is capable and is influential. While I found much personal application to take home from this great message, I also came away so encouraged by large host of women I know who aim to live by these godly characteristics.

So I just wanted to send out a little encouragement to you other blogging women - thank you for living in such a way that points a watching world to know the glories of our Lord. The life you live in Christ is anything but the "norm" and I really am overwhelmed with gratefulness for the clear work of the Spirit in you all. And I'm again challenged when I read of grace working your lives to not compare sinfully but worship humbly the One who is working in and through you. Thanks for striving to be this type of Proverbs 31 women!

This picture from C.S. Lewis' Meditation in a Toolshed one I think of as I see your lives:

I was standing today in the dark toolshed. The sun was shining outside and through the crack at the top of the door there came a sunbeam. From where I stood that beam of light, with the specks of dust floating in it, was the most striking thing in the place. Everything else was almost pitch-black. I was seeing the beam, not seeing things by it. Then I moved, so that the beam fell on my eyes. Instantly the whole previous picture vanished. I saw no toolshed, and (above all) no beam. Instead I saw, framed in the irregular cranny at the top of the door, green leaves moving on the branches of a tree outside and beyond that, 90 odd million miles away, the sun.

Looking along the beam, and looking at the beam are very different experiences.

Posted by tessa at 10:15 AM | 0 comments  
Labels: ::faith::, ::tools::

For once I am actually posting something before it happens! Here is some very important news for all you MD drivers.... don't text and drive.

Maryland Cell Phone and Text Messaging Laws

Effective October 1, 2009, all Maryland drivers are prohibited from writing, sending or reading a text message while operating a motor vehicle or while in the travel portion of the roadway. A conviction is a misdemeanor of the new text messaging law and may be accompanied by a fine of up to $500. The new law does not apply to emergency situations (Texting 9‐1‐1) or utilizing global positioning systems. Separately, drivers under the age of 18, drivers with learner's permits, and drivers with intermediate licenses are prohibited from using cell phones. There are no exceptions for hands‐free devices.

Next steps: Handbooks, policies and procedures should be updated to include the new Maryland texting law and the impact on employees whose job descriptions include driving their own or company vehicles.

Posted by tessa at 5:26 AM | 2 comments  
Labels: ::news::

While I'm well aware that today is a Hallmark made holiday, it doesn't mean its not worth celebrating. On Grandparents day today, I am giving thanks for Josh's grand and great-grand parents.

"One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts."

{Psalm 145:4}

Posted by tessa at 2:38 AM | 0 comments  

I just figured out how to combine our old family blog with our current family blog. Very high tech. Now we're all just one big happy winn fam blog ;) Time to clean out the computer storage!

Soon coming posts with loads of pictures...

- nantucket trip
- play dates
- weddings
- caregroup
- of course baby updates
and much much more.

I promise.

Posted by tessa at 9:43 AM | 4 comments  
Labels: ::news::, ::tools::

I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small;

Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all."

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

Posted by tessa at 3:25 PM | 0 comments  
Labels: ::faith::

I hope you were blessed my all that we did today even though I stuffed you to bits with your favorite foods (homemade breakfast, Cheese Cake Factory, DQ, Outback, Cold Stone... probably won't want to think about food for the rest of the week - but hey, it was our free day so we enjoyed it free of guilt ;)) While it was my joy to bless you with our trip to Baltimore and fun/food filled time, I did want to take the time to honor you with my words, so here it goes - consider this your blog card ;)

How do I begin to tell you about how much I cherish your life? Well my life would not be complete without you to be sure. On this day - your birthday - I want you to know how much your life has impacted mine. It is an impossible task to honor you in full but I'm willing to make a small attempt.

To my love on your birthday:

Thank you for your passion for our Savior and especially His Word.
Thank you for your faithfulness in all that you put your hand to be it spiritual disciplines, fitness or work. (note: the ice cream in hand does not contradict the faithful fitness category... we were on vacation :))

Thank you for your servant's heart that asks not if you can serve but how can you serve others, in particular Joshua and me.Thank you for being an incredible dad. No one can make our son smile at just the sound of their voice but you! How he love his daddy! :)

Thank you for showing me how to enjoy good gifts like sports in a way that is submitted to God. I love seeing you enjoy your skins & o's ;)
Thank you for working endless hours, at times literally all day, to genuinely serve your clients and provide for our family all with no complaint and much joy.

Thank you for how you care for people and lead me in such a way to put others interests above my own.
Thank you how you love both of our families as you take initiative to care for them no matter the distance or circumstance. From helping with moves to long phone conversations and prayer you genuinely display love for our families by making them a priority with your time.

Thank you for your steadfast faith in the Lord's sovereign plan for our future that encourages me on to look up and look back on His faithfulness.
Thank you for your example of humility that gives God glory for all there is to boast of in your life.

Thank you for committing the rest of your life to me as my hubby. I simply to not deserve such a man as you and am blessed beyond measure by the gift of your life!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!

Posted by tessa at 11:31 PM | 1 comments  
Labels: ::news::, ::romance::

Was the beginning of something GREAT when my now husband asked me to start a courtship with him! That picture was taken the day after we'd started courting... I feel like we look so young together :) Don't ask me why but Jim and I seem to get more excited about the 18th of every month more than we do about our engagement date or even our wedding anniversary as you can see here ;)

And if your super sappy like me, here's the story of how it all went down three years ago (taken from our wedding website)...

This is the story where Jim and Tessa's romance all began. Jim is the Single's Ministry Director at Covenant Life and as such he has led ECHO (campus ministry of CLC) which involves various colleges, including Montgomery College. Jim and Tessa met at an ECHO cookout in the summer of 2005. Tessa would see him at ECHO meetings in her first semester, but didn't really get to know Jim as a good friend until the following spring semester when she became ECHO administrator at MC.

Through serving together there, Tessa got to observe in Jim's character humility, joy, a love for the Savior, a passion for and deep knowledge of God's Word, a heart for evangelism and godly leadership that made her respect him deeply.

At the beginning of 2006, Tessa joined an E-team (evangelism-missions team) from Covenant Life Church that was planning on going to Wales that summer, which Jim happened to lead as well. Through these interactions, Tessa also was able to care for Jim and learn more how to support his leadership in ministry.

Deep respect quickly grew to affection and attraction, especially in April and May of that year. During this time, Tessa was trusting God for their developing relationship and praying for Jim. Little did she know that he was praying about her and considering pursuing her in a courtship (asking her to be his girlfriend). For almost two months, Jim had been praying about pursuing Tessa and getting counsel from the pastors in our church, and other good friends.

So after much prayer and consideration that Tessa was unaware of, Jim called her dad, Paul, on Monday, June 12th leaving a message for him on the voice mail to call him. Paul however, didn't check his voice mail and Jim sat wondering what was going on for the next three days, until he finally decided to call again. So on Thursday, Jim called Paul again and asked him for permission to court Tessa. He told Jim that he would talk and pray with her mom, Mary, and get back to him assuring him that 'Things seemed very favorable on Tessa's end'.

Completely unaware of any of these conversations, that week was especially a struggle for Tessa to keep Jim as just a friend, having many long talks with her mom, and good friends to help her. Tessa knew that she liked Jim and thought that he liked her, but she just needed to trust that Jim would pursue her in God's timing and consider him as a friend until he did.

Saturday afternoon, June 17 2006, Paul called Jim to give him the 'OK'. The next day Jim invited Tessa to come to a going away party for one of their friends that evening. Eager to hang out with Jim, Tessa told him that she would love to go, but being Father's Day she might come later. Jim called her and asked if he could pick her up and drive together to the party. Tessa was suspicious since her house was not exactly on the way to the party, but agreed to ride together.

On Sunday evening, June 18th Jim arrived and as they got to the car he went to open her door, like he usually did, but before Tessa could get in, he asked if he could give her something. Handing her a card, Jim asked if they could go for a walk together. Now Tessa knew something was up. Jim was definitely nervous and taking walks alone was not something they'd done. As they went for a little walk in Tessa's neighborhood, she read the card in which Jim shared what he respected about her. It also explained how through many times together, in which Jim had gotten to know her, his eyes had been opened in a 'special way'. He continued to write that this compelled him 'to pray, get input from others and finally talk to her dad regarding one important question.....' And there on the other fold of the card was the question 'will you enter a courtship with me?' followed by three boxes with three options of yes, no, or maybe. So cute and elementary style. Quickly, Tessa answered 'Yes!' as Jim then handed her a pen to fill it out. As they walked back to the Fosters house, they were able to just laugh at all the awkward moments of that past week and openly share how much they liked each other. And that's how it all begin.

Posted by tessa at 6:25 AM | 1 comments  
Labels: ::romance::