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If you shop on Amazon, please consider doing so by clicking on the above link first!  A percentage of your purchase will automatically go toward Paul & Cristine's Ugandan adoption!  Make sure your Amazon shopping cart is empty BEFORE you click the link, though - otherwise the items won't count.

The accordion is the new violin.

Tonight at worship team rehearsal, I learned 2 new instruments: the bass guitar and the accordion!!!! Ok so I have a lot to learn on both. But let's just say, if you were at a U2 concert and the bassist got sick, I could totally fill in. Ok that's stretching the truth. The point is...ok there is no point.

No, ok wait - I've got one.

The point is, I can't believe I get to do what I do and I get to create music with great people as we worship a GREAT God!

"Warm" is relative.

Today it was 50 degrees out and I was walking thru a parking lot. I passed a guy wearing shorts and a tshirt. Meanwhile I'm wearing jeans, a tank top under my tshirt, under a sweater, which was all under my down coat. Really, kid? Apparently he was NOT recently in Florida.

It did warm up to 61 for a little bit today. I sat out on my front porch in the sun and read. Until I got cold. And I looked at the temp at it had gone down to 60. Yep. It was time to go inside.

Good read. Good homemade mocha latte.

a clarification

i recently put up a post called "restoration and grace" and it seems that i did an amazingly, epic-cally bad job at explaining what i meant.  and so i took down the post because i realized that the message some were getting from reading it was completely NOT what i was intending.  i received some loving yet concerned feedback from others and for that i am grateful because i had no idea that the way i worded things and unintentionally left out clear explanations seemed to be sending a message that was not Biblical at all.

that's the hard thing about blogs, i think.  yes, i share quite a bit about my journey on my blog as it's my personal, online journal.  i try to be transparent, but there are just some things that you don't need to share with the whole world - like what i had for breakfast.  do you really care what i ate this morning?  it wasn't that exciting.  it involved peanut butter - big surprise.  :)

along that same line, those who have journeyed with me through the ups and downs and know more of the details of my journey that i don't always share on my blog knew where i was coming from and what i was meaning by this recent post.  things like grace... finding restoration and healing by repentance & forgiveness, by trusting & knowing Jesus as my Savior... re-discovering my identity in Him...trusting who He says i am instead of my own self-assessment of who i am... the list goes on.  i had the epic realization (some would call it common sense, but sometimes it just doesn't seem very common) that not everyone has been a part of the numerous discussions with me over coffee, the questions around dinner tables, and the conversations over email that i've had with various friends who have been walking (graciously) with me along the way and looking at the Truth in God's Word with me.  i realized without knowing the background behind the post, it did have potential of coming across entirely wrong.

and so, if you happened to read that post during the 15 hours or so that it was up, i would like to clarify at least this: i was not saying that people do not need saved.  i was not saying that people do not need to trust & know Jesus as their Savior.  that makes my stomach turn just hearing that that's how it was coming across to some.

i don't know what else from that post was specifically raising eyebrows, but if you read it and had concern or wanted clarification, i would love for you to message me on facebook or shoot me an email (stokedauntjen@gmail.com) so i could specifically address things.  or call me.  but i'm not posting my # on here because of whackos.  i mean, whackos who need Jesus.  :)

may Jesus be glorified despite my flawed attempts at communication :)

Passion 127 - An Adoption Journey

I am so excited to post this link - I will have to find out a better way to post it so it stays up all the time - but for now, it's going to go in this post.  :)

If you shop on Amazon (and if you don't, you should), I would love for you to shop by clicking on the link at the bottom of this post!  My friends are raising money to fund their adoption of children from Uganda and as one way to raise money, they have signed up with the Amazon Affiliate program.  The way the affiliate program works, is when you shop on Amazon by first clicking on the link at the bottom of this post, a percentage of whatever you purchase will go into their Amazon Affiliate fund.  It's so easy and all you have to do is do your Amazon shopping by going through this link: 

Shop Amazon

I will be posting more about their adoption and ways you can help as the process continues!   You can also follow their blog at:

I Am Sojourner - Passion 127

epic birthday gifts

This year I got some of the coolest, most creative birthday gifts EVER!  I have to share them.  Because they are so great.
First off, a tower of decorated toilet paper rolls.  This is epic.  I actually used to collect toilet paper rolls when I was younger (as in, last year.  oh my goodness I’m totally kidding.  I was a LOT younger).  At one point, my mom finally convinced me that if I threw them away, she would give me 10 cents a roll.  I made $30. For those mathematically challenged, that’s 300 rolls.  True story.  So this gift has extra specialness to it!  And each roll was decorated with things I love!

The whole top is Despicable Me rolls – how great are those minions??  Seriously cute.
The second row has running shoes, “13.1” for the 1/2 marathon Kendra and I ran, weights (complete with straps – love it), Broncos, a “Look Good, Play Good” roll, and a few other randoms.
The bottom row is a mix of music and Florida!
What’s also amazing is that this was a collaboration of like…7 or 8 people or something.  The pictures don’t do it justice, but here are some shots…

You can’t really see it in the pic, but the dolphin on the bottom has a googley eye glued on!!

             


and Mika made me a Starbucks roll! Hokey pete, this thing is LEGIT!
“
"Jen This is for you because you like chai and I like Chai so this works.” – love it!
                
and what would this be without a Zeva roll???

The Wyoming/Florida plates and the statutes referencing state laws regarding license plates shows that a State Trooper made this.  Ok so we may have had a few debates as to whether or not I really needed to change my FL plate to WY…Ok so maybe he won and Zeva has WY plates now…Zeva’s still cute, the WY plates actually look really cute on her :)

The “Rock It” portable amplifier that turns any cardboard box or hard object into a sweet stereo!  I tested it out on a homemade “boom box” :)


and the big finale picture.  a hilarious card from my great friend, Boonie (NOT Bonnie – it’s BOONIE!).  and a sweet card from my sister – the blue represents continual filling from Jesus, the red represents love, and the green represents growing.  love it.  :)  I am one blessed girl, so many amazing family and friends.

Sudden death of winter

This morning, at 6:30am, I walked outside in shorts and a tank top. And I was not freezing. There was no frostbite. My nose hairs did not freeze.

Because it was 75 degrees. And the sun wasn't even up yet.

Yes, my friends - it is possible to not suffer through negative degree winters. A land of year-long warmth and sunshine does exist on earth.

But alas, I must soon leave this home and return to where God has called me for now, another one of my homes. To the land of electric fireplaces and heating blankets. He is so good - He provides warmth for me no matter what conditions I'm in! :)

today is my birthday!

today is my birthday!

for the majority of my life, i have tried to hide on my birthday.  but this year i decided to turn over a new leaf.  God created me.  He's given me gifts and talents that are unique to me - just as He has given them to us all.  i can look back over my life and see awesome high times, rough times, comfortable times, challenging times - and i can see His faithfulness on it all.  i can celebrate what He has done, what He is doing, and look forward with great anticipation of what He is going to do!

i was so blessed today to get SO MANY facebook "happy birthday" wishes - from all over the world.  Australia, Estonia, Norway, Costa Rica, Canada, and all over the states so far.  each person's post brings back fun memories and i am reminded how incredibly blessed i have been to get to travel all over the world and live in so many places across the US.  ahhh!

i love my life!  i love where God has me.  i love what He is teaching me.  i love that He has a plan for me and it's so much more awesome than i could ever dream up!  He has plans for YOU too - get excited!!!

my heart is so full!

here's to another year - let the adventure continue!

Tonight I opened my sister's fridge to pull out leftover black beans and coconut rice that she told me were in there. Seeing 2 jars on the top shelf that resembled black beans and rice, I pulled them out and asked her if they were the right containers. To which she busted up laughing and pointing at each jar, said, "Um...that's blueberry syrup and that's parmesan..."

Did I mention I got in from traveling at 2:30am this morning? :) and I can't smell.

End of the day

The part of the day where I crawl into bed & go 10 toes up, warm under my heating blanket with the fireplace going 4 feet from my face, reminded again of God's great love He has lavished on me. Yep. I love this part.