1. Jon and I have had two marriage counseling sessions now. Both went really well. We are learning a LOT! =) Our counselor, Pastor Don, has given us things to work on during the time in between our sessions. Last week we had our parents fill out a questionaire about us. It was fun to read their answers.
2. Today at work I spent four hours dusting, straightening, and restocking Playmobil at the Learning Post. When I close my eyes I think I'll see blue boxes! I was thankful I had something to do though, today I went with a sad mood. It kept my mind busy. Thank you Lord!
3. I'm seeing God working in my life and that is really encouraging! He is allowing me not to stress over the small details of life in general, including the wedding. It has really helped me get focused on what is truly important!
4. Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry.
5. I wish I didn't have to work for a few weeks/months so I could just get more wedding stuff done....like order and send out invitations!
6. Next weekend (March 12-13th) I'm going to Women of Faith! Super excited!!! =) I'm a note taker, so my notes will probably be one of my next posts.
7. Searching jobs in Ames is slowing down some wedding to do's. Jon has a couple or so years left at ISU. Instead of driving back and forth we're thinking it might just be best to live in Ames. Can't wait to pick out an apartment!!!
Have a wonderful week everyone!
"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever!"
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Updates!
1. The best wedding planning has been looking at my future husband, and learning more about his character. I am reading a book called The Marriage Builder. It has some great insight! I look forward to the next step in life, and focusing more on how to be a loving wife and to serve him.
2. This next week Jon and I will attend our first premarriage counseling. We're looking forward to seeing what more we have to learn about each other and prepare ourselves for the future.
3. Work has been interesting. The busy season has gone and now we are restocking and preparing for birthday gifts and then supplies for school.
(Jon and I are planning on living in Ankeny or Ames. If I find a job in Ames it would be nice to not have to commute, but at the same time would be hard to leave Timberline Church. We will probably end up in Ankeny.)
4. Every moment of my days reminds me of something I need to do for the wedding, apartment searching, filling out registries, etc. Never have I ever had so many things in my head before. I think this is preparing me for motherhood.
5. The weather has had a lot of people in a down sort-of mood. I understand. Ths is a LOT of snow to deal with. It's okay to worry about the possibility of flooding this spring. I just pray it wont be the focus. I pray it wont lead us to have an excuse for our attitudes. I pray we can all rely on God and know His plans are better than what we could ever imagine. How can we think positive about this weather? How can we serve others and love on others during this dark and cold winter?
6. It has been wonderful to see the changes at Timberline Church. We are at our new location now--in the timberline area!! =) The place is incredible! God has definitely blessed us! I look forward to the ministry that I see God doing through us.
7. It's weird to think about but June 12th my name will change. I will then have to remind myself to sign my name differently. I should start practicing! Not just how will it look? But to also try to retrain my brain to put a different last name! After I sign Mary, it's just habit to put A. Tometich, but soon I need to trigger it to say "Mary Kaisand." I've decided to take away the middle initial.
If you ladies have any tips for me let me know! =) And it doesn't have to just be lil tips of what it's like to have a name change, but things about premarriage and everything else that goes along with this new step in life!
Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!
Love and blessings!
2. This next week Jon and I will attend our first premarriage counseling. We're looking forward to seeing what more we have to learn about each other and prepare ourselves for the future.
3. Work has been interesting. The busy season has gone and now we are restocking and preparing for birthday gifts and then supplies for school.
(Jon and I are planning on living in Ankeny or Ames. If I find a job in Ames it would be nice to not have to commute, but at the same time would be hard to leave Timberline Church. We will probably end up in Ankeny.)
4. Every moment of my days reminds me of something I need to do for the wedding, apartment searching, filling out registries, etc. Never have I ever had so many things in my head before. I think this is preparing me for motherhood.
5. The weather has had a lot of people in a down sort-of mood. I understand. Ths is a LOT of snow to deal with. It's okay to worry about the possibility of flooding this spring. I just pray it wont be the focus. I pray it wont lead us to have an excuse for our attitudes. I pray we can all rely on God and know His plans are better than what we could ever imagine. How can we think positive about this weather? How can we serve others and love on others during this dark and cold winter?
6. It has been wonderful to see the changes at Timberline Church. We are at our new location now--in the timberline area!! =) The place is incredible! God has definitely blessed us! I look forward to the ministry that I see God doing through us.
7. It's weird to think about but June 12th my name will change. I will then have to remind myself to sign my name differently. I should start practicing! Not just how will it look? But to also try to retrain my brain to put a different last name! After I sign Mary, it's just habit to put A. Tometich, but soon I need to trigger it to say "Mary Kaisand." I've decided to take away the middle initial.
If you ladies have any tips for me let me know! =) And it doesn't have to just be lil tips of what it's like to have a name change, but things about premarriage and everything else that goes along with this new step in life!
Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!
Love and blessings!
Friday, January 22, 2010
THE PROPOSAL
Just want to make one thing clear, this is not the story of "the proposal" from the latest movie. This is Mary Tometich's story. Her one and only proposal story. =) It wasn't perfect, but why start our lives out with a perfect story? Doesn't reality have a few bumps along the way? This is the story......
I knew it was coming. I knew he had gotten the ring. He had it with him for awhile. Less than a couple weeks to be exact. I knew he was going to ask me before Christmas. The weekend before Christmas was his last shot. He was going to ask me Saturday night, December 19th. He told me we should go out to eat in Ankeny. He let me pick the spot. For girls I'll add a little part to the story..... Of course I had to wear the same thing I was wearing when he first saw me!! =)
I picked Chips. Little did I know how perfect of a choice that was. While waiting for Jon to park the car I knew it was going to take him awhile to get back. He had to make a call, but what for?
He walked in with a look on his face where I already knew the answer. The surprise he had for me that would happen after dinner, wasn't going to work out. I wasn't going to get engaged that night.
We got led to our booth.
We started eating chips and talking. Obviously I wasn't too excited about the bad news. Jon kept thinking. I encouraged him to do whatever he wanted to do, it was his thing. Why start a life together with the woman trying to lead?
While eating our meal, we talked about the situation. At that moment another idea came to his mind. He quickly dashed away from the table to make a call. He came back with more bad news. That plan might not work either.
Once in the car we were both pretty bummed. Jon was doing all he could to make a plan work, and he was doing a good job of keeping his cool. The whole time I think I was getting an idea of what he was trying to make work, but I didn't want to inform him that I was catching on.
He was trying to get ahold of someone to get into the church--Johnston E. Free! So he could propose to me in the room where he first spotted me. =)
He told me he wasn't going to propose, because his plan wasn't working out. He was really sorry, but he wanted to give me a special story to share. A story I could be proud of. A story with a perfect moment. A special moment. A typical story that all my girl friends would enjoy. I told Jon that I didn't want a perfect story. I looked at him and knew that the stupid idea of having a perfect story is only for fairy tales. My story that God wrote, what could be better then that?
While looking out the passanger window trying not to get too upset about the evening that was unfolding before us.....Jon was driving. He passed the street to get to our house quicker and said, "Let's not go back to your house quite yet." I was thankful. I didn't want to return with my family there, and show an empty finger. (I had already taken off my purity ring on the way to dinner to prepare for it!) But by that time I had already put the purity ring back on....all that driving I needed something to do. He pulled into the JEFC parking lot, pulling up by the door and parked his car. Sitting there, he began talking to me. All I can remember is still looking out the passenger window and telling myself to look at him and remember this moment for the rest of my life.
Looking at my future groom I was so proud of him. He decided to share what it meant to be commited to someone. The symbol of the ring meaning eternal and a true commitment. He talked about when we first met and since then. He told me how much he loved me and how much he wanted to share our lives together. He never wanted to have to leave my sight again. He wanted to marry me. He wanted to let me know that the early newlywed stuff would end at some point, but he reminded me of where our foundation lies. With God all things are possible. He told me so many things that I wish I could remember, but what I can remember is that he truly loves me. He wants to focus on God, and wants to be the man in my life and to be my spiritual leader. He told me he wont be perfect. I never planned on him to be, because how not perfect of a woman he wants to marry!!
He got the ring out and asked me. Before saying yes I shared some thoughts. Before I could say yes I wanted to talk to him about things we could always work on. I asked him a list of things that I wanted in a husband. If he didn't want to commit to them or didn't think they were reasonable, then I knew I wasn't about to say yes to the right man God had in store for me. He didn't have to say "YES!" to everything. Some of those things are tricky because we are all human. But just the fact of hearing his response was enough for me. He told me he would work on it, pray about it, and ask God for help to be able to provide those needs for me. He was honest that he couldn't fulfill my every desire. He couldn't live up to everything I could ever hope for, and I understood. Because I look in the mirror and think the same thing for his case. He just asked a woman who is not perfect in any way, and I wasn't about to hold that against him. Unconditional love is something we can all work on. What better example than Christ Jesus?
OF COURSE I SAID YES!!! I said, "Yes, Jonathan Kaisand, I will marry you!!!"
With a ring on my finger, I was not ready to go home! Not after that eventful night of tosses and turns of feelings! I asked him if we could go somewhere for dessert, and he said yes. We went to Village Inn. I couldn't stop looking at my ring sooo shiny! We talked about every little thing there was to talk about.
Once home my groom-to-be wanted to go on a walk. So on a cold, winter night we walked to the place where we went on our first date. With a hat, gloves, boots, and a blanket we sat on the bench. Well, I didn't wear gloves, I wanted to keep looking at my ring! We were on the bench for quite some time. After awhile we walked back home and happy as ever. But I did forget to mention one thing. While on the way to the park bench, we spotted my dad's car pulling up. We got them to stop and they said, "We wondered who the crazy people out walking were...."
That's when I said, "Hey mom and dad...I want you to meet my fiance Jon...."
They were SOO EXCITED FOR US!!!" =D
Sunday morning we went to church and people were excited to hear about the engagement. I was still not allowed to hear what was going on later that day. After church we stopped by the hospital to see my grandma. She wasn't doing very well, but we wanted to give her some good news! After that we ran some errands.
At 7:00 we had an appointment in Ankeny for something I didn't get to know about, but I had a feeling what it was. Jon was taking me to the Ankeny airport to get my first helicopter ride! It was a blast! We got to see a lot of the city/Des Moines area. Everything with Christmas lights was really beautiful!
Later that night he told me what his original plans were. He wanted to take me to dinner, helicopter ride, and then on the walk that we took on our first date. That is where he was going to propose to me...on that special park bench. It was a wonderful, sweet story. But the way things got changed meant even more. He told me how badly he didnt want other things or people to get in the way of what he truly wanted to do for us. He didn't want anything to get in the way of him wanting to do it that night, Saturday the 19th. I'm so glad he did that! What a great leader! =)
From then on I can't help but look at him and think, "June 13th will be the first day I won't just call you a man in my life, my fiance, my boyfriend, or just a friend. God brought you to me. I get to call you my husband. I get to lift you up in my prayers. I get to one day tell our kids what a great dad they have. I get to look into their eyes and tell them how much their dad loves our Heavenly Father."
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." Ephesians 5:31
I knew it was coming. I knew he had gotten the ring. He had it with him for awhile. Less than a couple weeks to be exact. I knew he was going to ask me before Christmas. The weekend before Christmas was his last shot. He was going to ask me Saturday night, December 19th. He told me we should go out to eat in Ankeny. He let me pick the spot. For girls I'll add a little part to the story..... Of course I had to wear the same thing I was wearing when he first saw me!! =)
I picked Chips. Little did I know how perfect of a choice that was. While waiting for Jon to park the car I knew it was going to take him awhile to get back. He had to make a call, but what for?
He walked in with a look on his face where I already knew the answer. The surprise he had for me that would happen after dinner, wasn't going to work out. I wasn't going to get engaged that night.
We got led to our booth.
We started eating chips and talking. Obviously I wasn't too excited about the bad news. Jon kept thinking. I encouraged him to do whatever he wanted to do, it was his thing. Why start a life together with the woman trying to lead?
While eating our meal, we talked about the situation. At that moment another idea came to his mind. He quickly dashed away from the table to make a call. He came back with more bad news. That plan might not work either.
Once in the car we were both pretty bummed. Jon was doing all he could to make a plan work, and he was doing a good job of keeping his cool. The whole time I think I was getting an idea of what he was trying to make work, but I didn't want to inform him that I was catching on.
He was trying to get ahold of someone to get into the church--Johnston E. Free! So he could propose to me in the room where he first spotted me. =)
He told me he wasn't going to propose, because his plan wasn't working out. He was really sorry, but he wanted to give me a special story to share. A story I could be proud of. A story with a perfect moment. A special moment. A typical story that all my girl friends would enjoy. I told Jon that I didn't want a perfect story. I looked at him and knew that the stupid idea of having a perfect story is only for fairy tales. My story that God wrote, what could be better then that?
While looking out the passanger window trying not to get too upset about the evening that was unfolding before us.....Jon was driving. He passed the street to get to our house quicker and said, "Let's not go back to your house quite yet." I was thankful. I didn't want to return with my family there, and show an empty finger. (I had already taken off my purity ring on the way to dinner to prepare for it!) But by that time I had already put the purity ring back on....all that driving I needed something to do. He pulled into the JEFC parking lot, pulling up by the door and parked his car. Sitting there, he began talking to me. All I can remember is still looking out the passenger window and telling myself to look at him and remember this moment for the rest of my life.
Looking at my future groom I was so proud of him. He decided to share what it meant to be commited to someone. The symbol of the ring meaning eternal and a true commitment. He talked about when we first met and since then. He told me how much he loved me and how much he wanted to share our lives together. He never wanted to have to leave my sight again. He wanted to marry me. He wanted to let me know that the early newlywed stuff would end at some point, but he reminded me of where our foundation lies. With God all things are possible. He told me so many things that I wish I could remember, but what I can remember is that he truly loves me. He wants to focus on God, and wants to be the man in my life and to be my spiritual leader. He told me he wont be perfect. I never planned on him to be, because how not perfect of a woman he wants to marry!!
He got the ring out and asked me. Before saying yes I shared some thoughts. Before I could say yes I wanted to talk to him about things we could always work on. I asked him a list of things that I wanted in a husband. If he didn't want to commit to them or didn't think they were reasonable, then I knew I wasn't about to say yes to the right man God had in store for me. He didn't have to say "YES!" to everything. Some of those things are tricky because we are all human. But just the fact of hearing his response was enough for me. He told me he would work on it, pray about it, and ask God for help to be able to provide those needs for me. He was honest that he couldn't fulfill my every desire. He couldn't live up to everything I could ever hope for, and I understood. Because I look in the mirror and think the same thing for his case. He just asked a woman who is not perfect in any way, and I wasn't about to hold that against him. Unconditional love is something we can all work on. What better example than Christ Jesus?
OF COURSE I SAID YES!!! I said, "Yes, Jonathan Kaisand, I will marry you!!!"
With a ring on my finger, I was not ready to go home! Not after that eventful night of tosses and turns of feelings! I asked him if we could go somewhere for dessert, and he said yes. We went to Village Inn. I couldn't stop looking at my ring sooo shiny! We talked about every little thing there was to talk about.
Once home my groom-to-be wanted to go on a walk. So on a cold, winter night we walked to the place where we went on our first date. With a hat, gloves, boots, and a blanket we sat on the bench. Well, I didn't wear gloves, I wanted to keep looking at my ring! We were on the bench for quite some time. After awhile we walked back home and happy as ever. But I did forget to mention one thing. While on the way to the park bench, we spotted my dad's car pulling up. We got them to stop and they said, "We wondered who the crazy people out walking were...."
That's when I said, "Hey mom and dad...I want you to meet my fiance Jon...."
They were SOO EXCITED FOR US!!!" =D
Sunday morning we went to church and people were excited to hear about the engagement. I was still not allowed to hear what was going on later that day. After church we stopped by the hospital to see my grandma. She wasn't doing very well, but we wanted to give her some good news! After that we ran some errands.
At 7:00 we had an appointment in Ankeny for something I didn't get to know about, but I had a feeling what it was. Jon was taking me to the Ankeny airport to get my first helicopter ride! It was a blast! We got to see a lot of the city/Des Moines area. Everything with Christmas lights was really beautiful!
Later that night he told me what his original plans were. He wanted to take me to dinner, helicopter ride, and then on the walk that we took on our first date. That is where he was going to propose to me...on that special park bench. It was a wonderful, sweet story. But the way things got changed meant even more. He told me how badly he didnt want other things or people to get in the way of what he truly wanted to do for us. He didn't want anything to get in the way of him wanting to do it that night, Saturday the 19th. I'm so glad he did that! What a great leader! =)
From then on I can't help but look at him and think, "June 13th will be the first day I won't just call you a man in my life, my fiance, my boyfriend, or just a friend. God brought you to me. I get to call you my husband. I get to lift you up in my prayers. I get to one day tell our kids what a great dad they have. I get to look into their eyes and tell them how much their dad loves our Heavenly Father."
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." Ephesians 5:31
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
No Typical Day
Most Wednesdays I don't work and I treat it like a Saturday. I get my errands done, laundry done, and hope to get any thing on my "to do list" done.
But today....
Today.
Today was different.
Why?
Because.
Because my wonderful boyfriend of four months had lunch with my dad.
This lunch wasn't any typical lunch.
Today was never meant for anything typical or "normal."
No, this lunch was for Jon to ask my dad if he could marry his youngest daughter. Talking to my dad about how much he wants to spend the rest of his life---with ME!
While they were having lunch, I was working on laundry.
When Jon got back he told me he was still alive (hehe), and then I got ready to leave with Jon.
We went shopping.
And like everything else from this nontypical day....
It wasn't like any other shopping I've ever done!
The first and last time that I will be shopping for an engagement ring. =)
(Well, I take that back, we're going back Friday evening, but you get the idea.)
Wanna know more details?
I'll explain more in my next post. =)
And by the way, ring shopping is fun. =)
But today....
Today.
Today was different.
Why?
Because.
Because my wonderful boyfriend of four months had lunch with my dad.
This lunch wasn't any typical lunch.
Today was never meant for anything typical or "normal."
No, this lunch was for Jon to ask my dad if he could marry his youngest daughter. Talking to my dad about how much he wants to spend the rest of his life---with ME!
While they were having lunch, I was working on laundry.
When Jon got back he told me he was still alive (hehe), and then I got ready to leave with Jon.
We went shopping.
And like everything else from this nontypical day....
It wasn't like any other shopping I've ever done!
The first and last time that I will be shopping for an engagement ring. =)
(Well, I take that back, we're going back Friday evening, but you get the idea.)
Wanna know more details?
I'll explain more in my next post. =)
And by the way, ring shopping is fun. =)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Motives, Fulfillment, and Being Great?
My sister Liz and her husband Scott attend this church in Kansas City called Redeemer Fellowship. The pastor reminds them of Pastor Steve Hudson, which I would have to agree! Here are my notes from the message I heard from him on Sunday (September 20th).
From Mark 9:30-37
The book of Mark talks about our need for Jesus.
"We believe" --> Our attitude and thoughts do not always show that we believe.
We are in danger because we think "we got it-let's move on." Our hearts are not changed.
Three parts in this section of Scripture:
1. What Jesus' Mission is
2. Why we need this mission (our rescue)
3. How His mission changes our mission
From Mark 9:30-37
The book of Mark talks about our need for Jesus.
"We believe" --> Our attitude and thoughts do not always show that we believe.
We are in danger because we think "we got it-let's move on." Our hearts are not changed.
Three parts in this section of Scripture:
1. What Jesus' Mission is
2. Why we need this mission (our rescue)
3. How His mission changes our mission
- You can't understand Jesus without understanding the cross. The cross was the purpose of Jesus.
- (verse 32) They didn't understand, but they were too afraid to ask. Have you ever noticed your sin without others having to notice? Jesus didn't have to tell the disciples "I'm going to the cross because you are sinful."
- While Jesus was teaching sacrifice, the disciples were trying to figure out who's greater.
- In today's culture we get hung up with: promotions, used to do this awesome job and now I'm just a stay-at-home mom, unemployed, competitions, etc. Everything around you is about being GREAT!
What is right verses what sin tells you?
- Jesus never said, Don't try not to be great. Live a life that matters to the glory of God. Our sin wants us to be noticed as great. Have a great life because of God.
- Competition and level of greatness (ranking sin) Don't persue your greatness for being greater than others.
- How capable are you of using Jesus to getting something else? The sin issue is this: The goal isn't Him, but what He's going to do for me. You follow and desure Jesus, but while "using Him."
Extra Application:
Is marriage for no loneliness or sexual desires? Are you using relationships for fulfillment? Are you using the sake of having children for fulfillment?
In what areas of your life are you thinking, How am I going to be great? What is the motive?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
When Dreams Come True
I'm reading this book for the second or third time. I really like it! It's about a love story. Two people who lived their lives according to themselves, then found God. Through grace they were given a new life, through Christ, and refocused their lives. The book is all about their lives before they met, their friendship, and then how it grew to love. It would be a wonderful thing to meet them someday. I should look them up online and see if they have a family of their own. =)
Sorry, I'm not keeping up on my blog lately. I really want to get back to writing again. I need to add more to my life experiences at Rosebud! I also should share the enjoyment of seeing my now one-year old niece "open" her presents. Her sweet little giggle as I played with her at her home. The joy she brings to our lives is absolutely wonderful! I also should find the time to write all the notes I took while listening to a great sermon at Liz and Scott's new church in Kansas City. I should asap! But until then.......thanks for your patience.
Sorry, I'm not keeping up on my blog lately. I really want to get back to writing again. I need to add more to my life experiences at Rosebud! I also should share the enjoyment of seeing my now one-year old niece "open" her presents. Her sweet little giggle as I played with her at her home. The joy she brings to our lives is absolutely wonderful! I also should find the time to write all the notes I took while listening to a great sermon at Liz and Scott's new church in Kansas City. I should asap! But until then.......thanks for your patience.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Why I Work
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..."
Colossians 3:23
"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
2 Thessalonians 3:10
Colossians 3:23
"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
2 Thessalonians 3:10
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