Identity

What is our identity? What makes up who we are? Is it our name? Our friends? Where we live? What we do? Our looks? Our personality? What?

I've been looking through old pictures and realizing how much things have changed in the past 10 years since I was high school, begging friends for rides, trying not to be seen with my parents, thinking that I was the ish because I was in HS and come one what high schooler doesn't think that they are IT.

Back then I was Renae - ae, not ee (we had another Renee, spelled the 'normal' way). I was the girl who could always be found working at the pool. I was the vegetarian. I was Jimmy's neighbor. I lived behind the Franks. I drove the 'hunk of junk', my pale blue VW gulf. I was the soccer player, and manager of the boys soccer and b-ball team. I could be found at Rick's place on Saturday nights, and the Lazer Dome on Sundays, dancing with my bestest. I was Nae.

Then I went to college. No one knew who I was, what my past looked like, just want they saw. I became one of the tripleship and the blonde bridgade. Everyone knew if they saw Kel, or Sarah, I was around too. I was a Price Street girl. I was a runner, the nutrition major. Workout-aholic. The bench press champ. I was Renae, you know, the girl with long blonde hair, crazy last name. I was Snar Bar, RaeNae, and I had my list of "I don't do..."

Then I got married. I cut my long hair, my crazy last name has changed. I don't drive a VW, I don't live in Lancaster, or West Chester. My girls have moved away. My life has changed.
As I meet new people I forget that they don't know any part of my past. It's a brand new slate, to make an impression of who I am.
Now I'm, Kevin's wife. Some sort of office manager something for a college textbook company. Providence church attender, net group leader. Always game for a walk. Facebook-aholic.

But who I AM, has never really changed. Matured and adapted maybe, but not changed. My identity is in Christ! It is never changing, sure it's growing and pruning and molding, but that relationship is always there. He knows who I am, and it's not based on my appearance, or what I do, or who I hang out with.

I think this will need major editting, but whatever, it's my thoughts.

Hiking

So this weekend we decided would be a good hiking weekend. Why not? Over 90 everyday, super high humidity...perfect! Well, it's def a good way to work up a sweat...not that you wouldn't anyways climbing Mt. Misery at VF.

So Saturday morning we headed up to French Creek to check up the Horseshoe trail. While doing so we came across the old iron mill and furnace. They were actually starting to build the base for the fire as we went by.
We explored the old mill, and some of the surrounding buildings and land. It was quite interesting...at least for us, but I guess we might be history dorks. Instead of having someone fan the fire, they used a big paddle wheel to produce the air.

We finished completely sweaty, hot and just plain gross, but we had fun :-)

And...we decided to hit up Valley Forge the next day! We made sure that we stayed near water though and played in it :-)

It is awesome to live with your best friend and be able just to up and go when ever you want :-)

Small Blessings

Many years ago my mom gave me the book Prayer of Jabez. It is quite a small book, yet I don't think that I have ever actually read all it. Bits and pieces here and there, but never all of it straight through. I have read the verse many, many times though. It's 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 and says:

"Jabez cried out to the God of Israel. He said, "I wish you would bless me. I wish you would give me more territory. Let your powerful hand be with me. Keep me from harm. Then I won't have any pain." God gave him what he asked for."

Often time in the morning I will find myself praying this prayer (or at least the first few lines as I remember them). And also more often than not I forget that I pray this, and get caught up in my normal routine, not looking for ways that God is trying to bless me.
Well as I drove into work yesterday I caught myself praying it yet again. Driving from Exton to West Chester typically isn't too bad in the morning, but sitting at the stop light on 202 to make a left onto Matlack can be a nightmare sometimes. It's sad that I have sat there so many times I know exactly how many cars SHOULD be able to turn with each arrow (9) and how many lights it will take depending where you end up in the lane. (It's sad I know, but if you spend 5 mins 5 days a week sitting there, you'd figure it out too). Well yesterday I was far back, and was looking at being the 1st or 2nd car to turn for the 3rd light. Well we get the arrow and as we start to ever so slowly creep forward I hear sirens! There is an ambulance behind me with the flashing lights going crazy. Since we have lights that are triggered by flashing lights, everyone else got red lights, but ours stayed green!
So...lucky me got to turn on the FIRST light instead of waiting for the THIRD light!!!

It's small I know, but it's the small things that He blesses us with, that if we're not paying attention we can totally miss it. So keep your eyes open to His blessings!!!

Oil change

So we went home this past weekend to visit my family and celebrate my birthday. My grandmother is staying with my parents this week, so it was great to see her also!!!

Well being miss independent, and a DIY kind of girl, I decided that it was time to change my oil. Well, actually my car decided since it had been almost 7 months! (yes I know that is like twice as long as I'm suppose to wait).

So after we got home from dinner I changed into some old clothes and got dirty. My daddy sat on the porch to supervise me. Well after finally finding everything I needed since my youngest bro blew up his engine and had the garage torn apart.

Everything went smoothly until I tried to put the new oil filter on. I have a splash guard, so I have reach under that and it's just a matter of feeling around to find the right spot, plus at this point I'm totally covered in oil. I finally get it, and I ask both my dad and Kevin to double check that I have everything on tightly, and they say that they have faith in me. So I add the oil, check my other fluids, and I seemed good to go.

So a few hours later we go to leave, and my mom had to grab the cat out of the driveway since he was behind my car. At the same time I ask Kevin why my oil light is on, my mom starts freaking out! I turned off my car and ran out to see my new, clean oil running out of my car and down the driveway!

Apparently the oil filter wasn't on straight, so even though it felt tight, it wasn't. Luckily I had 2 extra quarts in my trunk.

So my car got 2 oil changes in 1 day! :-)
Gotta love it!

Busy week

So this past we was not only our 1 year anniversary, but also my 25th birthday! Talk about excitement!
So Monday night we went out to the Dilworthtown Inn to celebrate our 1st year :-) It was great! We got there early, and so we had the room we were sitting in to ourselves!
Plus, when we order our desert, they decorated it for us!!!
Yeah, it was pretty sweet!
Tuesday I got to catch up with my bestest girls that I haven't seen in like 2 months!
Wednesday was my birthday! I woke up to my husband who put a musical card on my pillow :-) He also was sweet enough to pack my lunch, and packed something a little extra. I got super yummy cake at work, and came home to dinner that my hubby had made! And...chocolate cake with homemade peanut butter icing!!!! Yes, my hubby made icing!!!!
LOVE HIM!!!
We are heading home this weekend to celebrate with my family...I love when birthdays last for a week instead of just a day :-)

Parks

So those who know me, know that I'm worse than a puppy when it comes to walks. I absolutely love them! Well being day 3 of no work, rainy weather, and the holiday I def have been inside more than I'd like to be. Add that to Kev's new video game, and I'm going stir crazy! I was saved though by one of Kev's best friends who called to see if we wanted to go hiking with him somewhere off 162. OF COURSE! Question is, where off 162? Apparently there is some wildlife reserve on S. Creek road that I never knew about. Walking down stone paths, corn fields, clover fields, deer...oh yes it reminded me of my days back home in Lancaster.

I love finding new places to play and this place is plenty big to explore! So if anyone wants to walk, run, or just look around let me know!!!