end of April

it's been a while since a post. everything is going alright. 5 out of the last 6 days i have woken up (willingly) at an hour that begins with a 5. i've been trying to regularly work out a couple of days a week and overtime started with work pretty hard core this week as well. for those of you that regularly wake up at 5:20-props to you. it is difficult. i am sleepy.

we got a new tv this week and we're pretty actively house hunting (well, at least i am). so that's fun. debbie, roderick, and hannah are coming to visit in the middle of may and kati and jesse are coming at the beginning of june. i drove down to washington today after going in to work from 6-9 this morning. it was a brief but good visit. mom and dad are redoing their living room area. they knocked down a whole wall. it's pretty crazy but it's going to look really good.

i'm looking for a little direction in my life coming up after the summer. if anyone has any ideas...

everything is going really well i'm just always trying to keep my options open.

i'm really tired and i feel like that's really obvious.

84 degrees

This was the temperature listed on the thermometer next to my cubicle at work today.

It was very hot and I did not like it...at all.

All in all the month has been good. We've now had 4 weeks of Missio Dei which has gone really well. Already we feel like there are some people that are returning back on a regular basis that are searching, so that is exciting and I think gives us all a lot of instant gratification with the church so far.

Anthea came to visit this weekend and we had a grand ol' time. We ate tacos with beer and had Ben and Jerrys. Mmm. Then we watched "Stranger than Fiction" which is a super movie. Then Anthea came to church with us and we all hung out until she went away. Then we were sad.

The weather has helped my mood. It's been great to take walks and breathe air.

I think each week as more and more of my time is taken by any given event that comes up how the Lord is sustaining me through each minute. When I am not this busy, I don't need that constant reminder every day of how much I can't handle everything on my plate. I think it's true that many times we all need to step back and relax in order to see and feel God's presence in our lives, but it is always refreshing to notice how steadfast He is when there is no time to step back at all.

Love and sunshine...

First two weeks

As most of my recent posts have involved Missio Dei, it will not be a surprise that this one is about it as well. Today we did our second official dress rehearsal with next Sunday being our "Grand Opening." Our first week was full of people. We were amazed at the numbers we saw with over 100 people in attendance. This week we didn't have as many people, but set up and take down (especially for children's ministry) was much better. My preschoolers had a great time and that was really important to me as last week's lesson was all kinds of chaos.

I worked the business expo in a nearby town for our church as well yesterday. It's so sad how most people are so skiddish when they see that our activity is from a church. Many people would not even say hello and just state "I'm not a religious person. " I caught a bit of Paul's sermon this morning and it was about the name of our church, "Missio Dei." It's Latin for mission of God. I think especially after yesterday I feel more and more like it is our church's responsibility to be like Christ in loving people no matter how strangely they look at what we are doing (or trying to do).

Missio Dei

Greetings,

This is the final week before the start of Missio Dei, the church plant that Jon and I have been involved with. I have not believed in any ministry with the possible exception of Camp Hope more than I believe in the work that God is doing in this church. Our church planting family has already become so important to Jon and I. It's so amazing to work with people who truly feel called to help the community and show them who God really is. I can not praise the Lord enough for giving us this community and our first "home" since we've been married. My prayer in this final week of preparation is just that Missio Dei can be even more beneficial to others in our community and that people would come to a true saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

My love to all,

kim

MD pics

a few pictures

I've been having a hard time getting these to transfer from Picassa, but hopefully this one will go and I can get some more up.

We've got a lot of snow here. Our trips the past few weeks to see our families have been very enjoyable. This is Hannah-she's already one year old. We had a lot of fun visiting her, her mom and dad, and her grandma and grandad.

This weekend

This weekend was really nice. Jon and I are tired! but it was worth it. The only thing that could have helped this weekend go better would have been if the Bears actually won the superbowl, but all in all, it was a wonderful time with the Kim family.

However, I did forget to bring my camera which is regret-able. This week is short and then Thursday we are off to Maryland for more family fun. This time it's on Jon's side. I took a CPR class tonight which was pretty standard as far as CPR classes go, but my instructor was British so you got the added bonus of phrases like "carry on then" and "you wouldn't want to tread on them" and my personal British favorite "thank you very much" in the context of a story. It goes something like "it would be ridiculous to eat peas-thank you very much."

Jon is still at praise band practice which I was unable to go to with the CPR class, but I'm going to grab a bit of food and relax the rest of my evening.

There are lots of changes for Jon right now with his job. As any of us would be uncertain, please pray for Jon as he has to make some decisions in the next few weeks and is anxious about that.

Love and warmth,
kim

superbowl

So, the reason I'm most excited about the Superbowl is because all of my immediate family is driving to Cincinnati to watch it together. My brother in North Carolina and his family and my parents and us from Illinois are all driving to Ohio to just view it together. I think it's mostly because we all want to see it with my dad. He is a huge Bears fan and we all got to experience the last time they went to the Superbowl together, so we want to do it again. A whole lot has changed in 21 years, but it's still really cool that we're all able to do it.

The weekend after that Jon and I are flying out to DC to see his family. We have not seen his parents since last March so we're well overdue. It'll be really nice to see all of them.

So be prepared for the family pictures that are soon to follow this week.

Hope all are well.

Peace and love.

da bears!

woooo!!!

yay bears!!!

superbowl time.

recently

Good morning,

There hasn't been a whole lot going on with Jon and I as of late. Our church plant stuff is about to ramp up even more as we look at a start date the first weekend in March. We are going out to see Jon's family in early February, weather providing, and we have been busy with work.

I gave a talk to my staff on Thursday all about just being mature people, being people who don't gossip as I have yet to see it as a productive form of communication. Then the very next day this woman that I did not care for (not anyone in my team) got fired and I could not stop myself from gossiping about it all day long. I was doing a quiet time this morning and through the morning I have just been asking the Lord to help me not be such a hypocrite. I do honestly believe that my worst enemy is myself.

In other news, our youngest niece Hannah is taking a few steps. She is just 11 months. She's a very talented little dear. We are excited to see their family in a month. We're supposed to get some actual snow this weekend instead of the heat wave we have been having.

Ok, well the dishes and laundry are not going to do themselves. Write more soon,

Kim

favorites in '06

Movies--Little Miss Sunshine, For Your Consideration, Stranger Than Fiction, The Prestige, The Departed, The Last Kiss

Music--Dylan's "Modern Times", the Weepies, Ray LaMontagne, Mates of State "Bring it Back"

TV--Lost and Veronica Mars along with watching all three seasons of "the Wire " that are on DVD, this is a good show

Books--I've only read a few things that I'm sure have come out this year so I won't try to list in case I'm wrong about those--currently reading "I Like You" by Amy Sedaris (hilarious) and "Take the Cannolli" by Sarah Vowell (did not come out this year)

Favorite moments of--time spent with our family, Hannah was born and their visit in August, my trip out to Cincinatti, Matt and Suzy's kids coming up to visit in July, our move up to Mokena

Notables--we got kicked out of our apartment complex via tornadoes in March, spent some time in St. Louis, my parents house, and eventually Maryland to get away, our church in Springfield packed up our whole lives in a moving truck within 2 and 1/2 hours for our move up here, we hooked up with our church plant and the wild and crazy believers at Missio Dei, we gave out Christmas cookies to our whole apartment complex and received back 3 thank you notes and 3 thank yous in person

I need your blog addresses!!!

We lost all of our bookmarks where I checked friends and family blogs!!!


Please send me your links!!!


I don't know what to do with myself!!!


Other than all that I'm doing well. It's the end of the year=crazy lots of work for me. I have been in at 7:30 every day and have left at 6:30 if I'm lucky. I am tired. I took Tuesday off as well so Jon and I can have some post holidays-everyone else in the world has had time off during this season except for us and we feel sorry for ourselves-time. I also have to work tomorrow (Saturday) for another full day, so 3 days in a row will be welcome. I like being in charge of people, but there's no way you can get off early if you expect all of them to be working.

Love you all,

Send me your links.


Kim

Gullett Christmas

Here we are. We had a wonderful time Christmas Eve with my side of the family. We've had Jon's family on speakerphone quite a few times the last few days and look forward to going and seeing them soon. Jon and I have had a relaxing day with one another.

As always,

love,

kim

Kati's poem

This is a post from my dear friend Kati who lives far away in Maine. Kati is married to a lovely gent. She is just finishing her bachelors in womens studies. The rest will speak for itself.

Inception

I came into a woman’s world,

my ever-present brother revolving in a zodiac of female constellations.

I came up into a woman’s realm

laundry, dusting, poetry, rain

all belonged to us, the sisterhood of the rowdy.

I came up into a woman’s code—

obedience, deference, selflessness—in public.

I came into reality of women’s lives

independently thinking and speaking our unfathomable minds.

I came up to the Virgin and saw she was crying;

she does not believe Eve is lost.

I came into classrooms and libraries and believed without being told

I belonged there.

I ran into a world of women’s don’ts and found them wanting,

I ran into the maze of mutilationous teenage yearnings,

I learned to ask why and who for.

Came up in a Southern Christian home

but our accents were not as sweet as they should have been,

we spoke our thoughts too often and close for comfort.

Came into adulthood without a trace of make-up,

Came into the world voracious for experience,

I came up into a place that is not fair: man-

eat-dog-world and we eat you for breakfast.

I came up to the city to live raw,

learning for myself what I can/not do.

I came into an old house and learned to sit

with the silence of loneliness, breathing a broken yes.

I came up into fire and uncontrollable lust for life and laughter,

alcohol-soaked nights, sweat-soaked mornings.

I came into cathedrals and rest stops and diners.

I chose to love a ragged man.

I came up into the dishes, the books, the knots, the wisdom.

I walked up into the halls of learning,

I only believe half of what they tell me.

I came into a woman’s world.

I did not know it at the time.

Addendum

Erin--is moving to Germany, that's super wild. Research? Like what? Where are you staying? Please let me know how you are doing.

speaking

I've been asked to say a few words at prayer meeting tonight. I like public speaking probably for the same reason that most people do...I think I have things to tell people, but not tonight. I'm getting a cold and don't really feel super, so maybe that's why, but I have no idea what I'm going to say. It's only 10 minutes, but still...I'll let you know how it goes.

Here's a word from our sponsors.

Anthea--your life is super hard right now. I love you. I'm thinking of you.
Kara--you too are in my prayers
Kati--I love your poem, may I post it? I miss you. I have your book and scarf within eyesight, I'm just too lazy to send them out. I will...maybe by your birthday.
Laura--thanks for your card, I'm sorry I suck at connecting with you
Cindy--GETTING MARRIED!!!
Rachel--your Christmas card is the best one I've received so far
Jane--how is married life?

Hosea 6:1-6, that's where I'm starting tonight...but really, that's all I know.

This is a picture from our trip downtown on Sunday. We had a great day, and we got to see all of the Christmas lights before it got so cold.