Well, much has happened in the last several months! In June Chris and I drove out to Fort Collins, CO to meet up with Mike and Debbie and we picked up our fantastically great dog, Frazier. He is definitely amazing. I didn’t want a dog for many reasons. I didn’t want to spend the money to get one, spend the money to own one, have dog hair on all my things, have all my things chewed up, etc. But, it turns out that I am a doting dog owner, just like every other dog owner in Jackson. I LOVE him. He’s actually a super good natured dog and he fits in well with our life. Chris gets to take him to work with him everyday, which makes it really easy to have him. One sad thing is that on the 4th of July we went down to the river to go rafting and he got his foot slammed in the car dar. It was horrible! Then we found out three weeks later that he broke his toe. Basically he has to have a cast for four weeks and it is the most annoying thing! We can’t get it wet…but we do…so we have to get it changed…which costs money. But we live in the mud! What are we to do? I cannot wait until his cast is off and he’s back to normal so we can can take him out hiking and playing again!

Chris was playing softball for a couple months this summer on the Sidewinders team. It was great! He had games two nights a week and, not to brag, but he was great. It was really fun to watch him play. Now co-ed softball is starting but we opted out because the summer has just been too crazy.

A couple weeks ago we had my parents here and Chris’ parents. It was so much fun! We don’t have the biggest living space, but it was awesome to have them here and they are both so easy going that they didn’t mind being cramped for a couple weeks. We went hiking, canoeing, rafting, shopping, golfing and just took them along with us in everything we do in life. They were such a huge blessing to us and to the church while they were here! I didn’t cook one thing or do one dish and they helped us with a lot of projects around the house that we never have to time to get to. We were super busy the whole time they were here and just this weekend we finally had a chance to catch up on sleep and rest a little. God, in His good providence, allowed Chris and I to both get sick together this weekend…not so sick we were miserable, but just sick enough that we didn’t feel bad doing nothing together all weekend. It was great!

This past week the Snider family was here visiting from California. The Sniders did our premarital counseling and their daughter is getting married and moving out here this October. They came out to visit and hang out, but they also did a lot to help with the church plant. Andy preached at church on Sunday on the omnipresence of God. It was a really great sermon. That specific doctrine seems pretty straightforward and there doesn’t seem to be that much to think about or dive into, but he did an awesome job of teaching on why God’s omnipresence matters. God is either with us to bless or to judge, depending on your relationship to Christ. How great to know that God is with me always to bless because Christ paid for my sins! Hopefully one day soon our church will have a podcast so that people can listen to the sermons on a regular basis. We are very blessed to have wonderful, biblical teaching on a regular basis!

Speaking of church, we recently found out that we are not longer able to meet at Wilson Elementary School on Sunday mornings, so in the Lord’s wisdom and kindness, He provided The Old Wilson Schoolhouse Community Center for us to meet on Sunday evenings. It was not our plan to meet on Sunday evenings on a regular basis, but it is clearly the Lord’s plan because that is exactly what we have to do now. It’s exciting when the Lord makes His will so clear because we can go into this change being confident that His hand is in it and He has a good purpose for it. The great thing is that the facilities at the schoolhouse are way more conducive for a church. Before we were meeting in a cafeteria and now we get to meet in a room that is much more like a church.

Next week Bethany (Chris’ sister) is coming into town for six days!!! I’m super excited. I am able to take all that time off work to spend with her and Chris and I both can’t wait to hang out with Bethany and show her around Jackson. This is a great place to have company come visit because it really is so beautiful and there are tons of things to do.

I guess that’s all the update I have for now!

As we were looking at our friend’s blog, Chris informed me that he wants to start his own blog. I reminded him that he will only blog once and then never look at it again and he said, “No! I’m going to blog about stuff that’s important to me. Like I will blog about the new song I heard today and what new insight I have about it. People who care about that will read it. I’ll blog about stuff that I can’t talk to you about!” Geesh. Now he’s telling me that I can’t blog about his blog. He says it is infringing on his rights as a blogger.

Well, spring has sprung in Jackson. It is so wonderful! We have three creeks around our house and all of them are filling with water. When we lay in bed at night we hear crickets chirping and frogs croaking. Our lawn is green and the cottonwood is starting to get little leaves. I wish you all could see how beautiful Jackson is in the spring. We have been out hiking, biking, and soaking up the long awaited sunshine. We moved to Wilson since my last post and we just love our new place. We have a beautiful deck with an awesome view of the mountains and it’s definitely the cozy cabin feel. It’s pretty “quant” (i.e. small), but it’s perfect for the two of us. We even had 12 people over for dinner the other night! All in all, we are feeling very, very blessed to be serving and ministering here in Jackson. 

On that note, I just ran across a little blurb about Adoniram Judson and it really put our ministry here in perspective. He was a missionary to Burma and after meeting his wife-to-be, Anne, in the states, he asked her father if he would give his blessing to let Anne move to Burma with him. He wrote this letter:

I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean, to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of Him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with the crown of righteousness, brightened with the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Savior from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?

Her father let her decide. She did go with her husband and she did die in Burma never to see her family again. Is this a tragedy? We certainly won’t think so when we stand before Christ and see just how precious and worthy He is of our whole lives. The story of their lives, and the lives of others like them, really make me reevaluate what I am doing in Jackson. Like I said in my last post, I have way too much to be thankful for. 

And God is certainly blessing us here! Cornerstone Church has made some pretty big strides in the last couple months, even though it can at times still feel like a very slow process. We started–and are almost done with–a Monday night study on “God’s Passion for the Church”. That has gone really well. Eric has been faithful to teach and we have camped out mostly in Ephesians which teaches on the theology of the church. We have talked about what Church is, what it isn’t, how to choose a church, how to use your gifts in a church, how to serve, what it means that God chooses the church, etc. It has been a very rich study! Also, we had another Dinner on the House outreach back in march when the TMC missions team came out. I have been doing some more formal counseling in the church on a weekly basis. The next big event we are doing is a garage sale to raise money for our counseling ministry. We have certainly been busy!

Chris took on the responsibility at church to lead outreach events and one of the things he is having everyone on the team do this summer is choose one regular event to be involved in with the community in Jackson. So, people can take a class, join a hiking club, volunteer somewhere, etc. Chris decided to join the Sidewinders (the restaurant where I work) softball team! My part is to go to the games and get to know the other people who go. And, I have major bragging rights now because he is a GREAT softball player. Did you know that? He is awesome. It’s been funny to see people’s reactions. People at work tell me, “So I heard Chris is like, really good.” Yeah. Yeah he is.

Next week Chris and I will celebrate our 1 year anniversary!! I’ll save my thoughts on that for another blog. But, we are going to stay at Spring Creek Ranch for the night. It’s an awesome hotel on this butte that looks out at that Tetons. They have a fireplace in the room, and a beautiful deck. The package includes dinner and breakfast…which is AMAZING. We can thank the Buczinski’s and Grandma and Grandpa for that one!

And, the most important news of all!, our puppy was born April 8th!!! Frazier is coming to us mid-July when Debbie and Mike come up from KS. He is a tri-colored English Setter and he is stinkin’ adorable (see picture to confirm that). I can’t wait to see him and Chris and I even contemplated driving to KS to get him. But, that wouldn’t be the wisest thing, so we are going to try to be patient until July. Along with Mike and Debbie, my mom and dad are coming out mid-July at the same time. We can’t wait. And in two weeks Tim, Jessica, and Colten Gray are coming out for a short visit, then in August Bethany comes to see us!! Seriously, if you have the opportunity to come out, I highly recommend it. I can’t believe not that many people have come out to visit yet because Jackson is super beautiful with lots to do.

I know a lot has happened since our last post so it’s hard to fit it all here! I resolve to blog more. There, I said it. Check back soon!

Frazier

I love to think about the risen Jesus. It’s great to think about the Jesus that was a carpenter and spent his days with tax-collectors and prostitutes. You can’t do without that Jesus! But something about the fire-in-His-eyes, walking-through-walls, Peter-do-you-love-me? Jesus makes me really excited. The example He lived out for us on earth as a humble servant is the example that I need to look to daily to be humbled myself, but it’s also the Jesus that people tend to look to and think, “That’s great, but not such a big deal.” You know when a person is wronged and all you want is justice for them? Then they get it and you want to stand up and shout? That’s how I feel about the risen Jesus.

I want to stand up and shout when I read, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” Then the crescendo, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems…And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses…And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, KING OF KING, AND LORD OF LORDS.” 

I’m so thankful to serve a powerful, reigning, sovereign Jesus. I have been working lately on being thankful. I normally would be quick to say that I am a thankful person, but God showed me recently how much I really do lack thankfulness. When I complain in my heart, argue with Chris, question when people disagree with me, respond in anger, I am clearly not a thankful person. I tend to be a person who thinks I deserve something. I think I deserve nice weather. I think I deserve all green lights and a comfortable life of ease with no speed bumps in the way. If something gets in my way, I can be quick to argue and complain. I’m so sad about this. Look at that Jesus that I serve. Look at that One who reigns in Heaven, completely in control of my tiny life. All I can do is praise Him. That’s all I get to do. No room for prideful complaints and arguments here.

I decided to track the lame things I do on account of not being from a mountain town.

Yesterday I was talking to a guy at work at I asked him what he did for work and he said, “I’m a groomer.” and I was like, “Oh cool! Like, a dog groomer, right?” Um, no. He grooms the runs at the mountain.

Last night we drove in to our apartment complex and I shouted, “Chris! Did you see that man dressed as a rabbit!?” and I backed up the car to go see what that was about, and it turned out to be a deer. Oh right. A deer.

Wow, I’ve been meaning to update the blog for ages now! I never know what to write because I don’t think life is too terribly exciting…but I’ll come up with something to say. Let’s see…Well, first of all, Chris made our first Valentine’s Day together as a married couple very special for me ) Last Valentine’s Day was pretty much nothing special for us and he didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. I was thinkin, “Man this is a bummer. My boyfriend is not very romantic at all. I wonder if Chris will ever do anything special for me…” and he was thinking, “My girlfiend is so cool! She doesn’t care about Valentine’s Day at all. What a lucky guy I am!” So we talked that through last year and this year he definitely romanced me. He got me flowers (that are so pretty!) and then we went to coffee and just spent a lot of time together during the day. He downloaded this spelling game on his XBox and I played video games while he cooked me a phenomonal meal. He made me elk tenderloin with a huckleberry sauce, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Then we had root beer floats (it’s really hard to come up with desserts when I can’t eat gluten) and watched a movie together. It was a fantastic day!

We also had a chance recently to go visit Chris’ aunt and soon-to-be uncle in Bozeman, MT. It was a really great time! On the way there I thought we were for sure going to die because we got “stuck” in a snowstorm in Idaho. I was driving and we got to the road we needed to turn on and there was a “Road Closed” sign and gate. Well, people kept going around it, so I did too. Turns out they don’t plow roads that are closed. So I couldn’t see the road at all. It was totally a white out and I was entering panic mode. For some reason I thought the answer was to pull over…but I pulled over in a big pile of fluffy snow and got stuck. So Chris and I changed spots and he got us out of that mess safely while I panicked and hit his arm about 250 times. It was so very stressful for me. So we finally made it to MT and it was an amazing weekend. It felt like spring the whole time. We got very spoiled by Marsha and Gary and it was just a sweet time to spend with Chris’ family that we don’t get to see very often. Another important thing that happened is that we bought an unbreakable french press (since I broke the last one). I LOVE it.

Church is going really good. I often hit this wall with the church plant where I think, “What are we doing here?? Why do I live in the snow and pay so much for our apartment? Why am I so far from my family? Is this church even go anywhere?” etc, etc. Last night Eric reminded us in church that we are here for a GREAT purpose. We are here to put Christ on display. It was really exciting because it made me want to be here even more. I really do want to sacrifice for Jesus and I am making miniscule sacrifices compared to what He sacrificed for me. I really do want to serve people in this community. I want to have an heavenly mind set that is not just seeking my own interests, but the interests of Christ Himself. It was a much needed reminder that what we are doing here matters for eternity. God loves His church so much and to be a part of what God loves is a very reassuring feeling. My friend from work asks me a lot, “How are you guys going to stay here and have a  family when you are a waitress and Chris is a custodain?” I can tend to panic a little, but it is so wonderful to abide in the truth that the God is sovereign over our lives and there is no earthly thing that will keep Him from doing His will in us. AND, He actually WANTS to bless us. He says, “They who seek the Lord will not be in want of any good thing, ” and “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” What a wonderful thing to be reminded of!

Chris is sleeping behind me and he has been known to wake up and say, “Are you writing a novel!?” if I type too loudly, so I’m quietly trying to type the updates. So picking up where I left off last…

We were very blessed to be able to visit family in Kansas for Christmas this year and it was so wonderful! I loved every second of it. All we heard the whole time we were there was that Jackson was being covered by snow. An avalanche death, a twenty foot wall of snow covering the highway from an avalanche, shoveling snow at 3 am just so you could get out in the morning…yikes! So, we were quite comfortable in the 60 degree weather of Kansas. It was really a very laid back holiday. We spent most evenings just talking with each other in the living room. My favorite part was that Debbie couldn’t handle waiting until Christmas to open presents, so we opened them all Christmas Eve. Apparently this is a normal thing at the Buczinskis…and it made for a very exciting gift opening time! I got to go shopping one day with Debbie and Bethany while Chris was hunting with Matt and Mike…and that was the best!! We don’t have any stores in Jackson–sans Kmart of course–so I was so excited to go to Old Navy and Target and The Buckle. I came home with a TON of stuff. We certainly feel blessed to have such a wonderful family. I was thankful for the time to be encouraged and to get to know this new family better.

Once back in Jackson, life was indeed very snowy! We had a couple days of -20 degree weather and that was like nothing I’ve ever felt. You walk outside and start coughing and your nose hairs freeze. No fun. Work picked up quite a bit which was a huge blessing and my boss put me on the schedule twice as much as when I left so I’m very thankful!! 

Church is going great…we have more people who are wanting to step up and serve in different ways which takes some work away from people on the team and really blesses all of us. It’s exciting to see the Lord working in people’s hearts to want to serve the Body of Christ in new ways. I’m still teaching a small group and it has been going really great. The holidays were hard, but now we are back in the routine of meeting every Thursday night and going through our book together.

One other new and not-so-exciting thing in my life is that since June I have been getting sick (nausea and other stomach-type problems) every couple weeks for a couple days. Long story short, I think it may be a gluten intolerance so I cut out gluten about three weeks ago. It was been really interesting…no wheat, rye, or barley products whatesoever. It makes it hard at work because we have seriously amazing pizza. My mom has been really supportive and helpful…she sent me a package with a ton of rice products (pasta, hot cereal, bread, etc.). Those products here are super expensive…Oh how I miss you, Trader Joes. It has definitely helped out a lot! She also calls me with new recipes for yummy gluten-free desserts. It may not sound delicious, but I have made this garbanzo bean chocolate cake three times! It is seriously tasty. And even the non-glutards love it. 

Other than that life has been pretty uneventful. We did get to ski at the village one day and that was pretty fun. I think I love climbing a lot more though, so I’m still trying to climb a few times a week. I finished a book I was reading called, “Because He Loves Me” by Elyse Fitzpatrick and it was seriously SOOO good. It put my relationship with Christ in a whole new view for me. It encouraged, motivated and convicted me a ton. Now I’m reading a counseling book called “Speaking the Truth in Love” by Powlison. The title says it all…something I am in desperate need of growth in. Chris is almost done with the book Brad and Heather sent him called “Bones of Contention” about the history of the fossil record that evolutionists use to support their theory. As you may know, Chris is quite passionate about creation and always wanting to learn more and more evidence in support of it. It was a super interesting book that he has really, really loved. Thanks Brad and Heather!

One last thing, I have to tell you about our very good, wonderfully fantastic day yesterday. Nothing too eventful, but it was just so lovely. I woke up Chris early (well…8:30…does that count?) and he VERY reluctantly got up to go to breakfast with me. We went to Shades downtown..seriously the cutest little restaurant ever. It is in this tiny one room log cabin and it sells all natural and organic breakfast and lunch. The snow was falling outside and we settled in for our breakfast and coffee. I got to read the paper and do the crossword (well attempt to anyway) and then these two guys came and played live bluegrass music for a couple hours. It was just a lovely, lovely morning. Then we strolled downtown in the falling snow. Wonderful, right?

I FINALLY put the pictures from my camera onto my computer so I thought I would share pics with everyone from the many Christmas festivities so far this year. First, we went home to CA for Thanksgiving and celebrated Christmas with the Newbold’s. When we got home we went straight out to Mosquito Creek and cut down our very first Christmas tree! It looks so great. Then we got ready for our 2nd annual Cornerstone Ugly Christmas Sweater party and I labored to make Chris the very ugliest Christmas sweater. It did indeed win ugliest sweater of the night. I won Miss Congeniality. Sadly, I don’t have any pics of my gettup…but it was awful. Finally, last Saturday we had our first annual Cornerstone Women’s Christmas Tea! It was also the first women’s ministry event for our church. It was seriously such a blessing. As you can see, we really went all out on the tables. I didn’t take a ton of pics, but everything was so beautiful. We had it at the high school and about 23 women came. It was just a really Christ-centered and girly afternoon. Wonderful! 

So, enjoy the pics!

If Chris would take the time to blog he would most certainly tell embarassing stories about me, but since he hates to write, he gets the blunt of the embarassing stories told about him.

The other day we went to the climbing gym and Chris was wearing sweats because it was freezing outside. He brought some shorts to change into so he could climb. So we are standing in the gym talking and Chris drops his pants. We’re standing there and he’s just wearing his little striped blue undies. What!? Once he noticed that we were not at home and we were not alone, he says, “I can’t do this here!” and quickly puts his shorts on. I was DYING laughing. Who forgets that they can’t take their pants off in public??

Side note, I left my camera at the Davis’ for a while so I haven’t been able to post pictures of life, but today I’m going to do that. So check back for pictures of Christmas trees, Women’s teas, and other such happenings.

Do you think it’s wrong to brag about how good the dinner you just made was? I don’t think so. Chris said it is his favorite thing I’ve ever made him…and it seriously was delicious! Leslie and Melissa both get Real Simple and they live together, so sometimes I get to take their magazine and look through it. This month they had a recipe for Horseradish Potatoes Gratin and Chris LOVES horseradish so I made those tonight. They were excellent. Then I made Sage Pork Loin Chops and they were fantastic too. I kind of made up the recipe and we ended up grilling them outside. Lauryn and Cory (Chris’ cousin) taught us that you don’t have to be afraid to eat rare pork…it really is okay. Honestly it is SOOOO much better if you eat it when it’s a little rare. Otherwise it gets super dry. All that to say, dinner was excellent and I was so excited to try out the new recipes!

I love the holidays! I’m so excited about Thanksgiving and Christmas. It means we get to be close to our families and we get to relax and spend time with each other. I miss my family and Chris’ family sooo much and I can’t wait to kick back with them. I’ve been busily working on Christmas gifts for everyone and I just hope that people enjoy a homemade gift! I ask Chris every day if we can decorate…but I’m trying to prefer him over myself and wait until after Thanksgiving.

I was just talking to my sister today and reflecting on how thankful I am that God is teaching me to trust Him with my finances. I think it is His grace that I get to learn when I am so young and when we are so newly married that what we have belongs to the Lord. I could have spent years being selfish with my money and bogged down by worry! Praise God that He has taught us to freely give what we have. We seriously don’t have much, but I think God’s ministry for us is to let people borrow our stuff and to give what we have, trusting that He will always provide. And He really does! Every week I have two shifts on the schedule (which is about an 8 hour work week) and that is simply not enough for us to get by. But, God has faithfully provided me with more shifts and more money. Just the other day at work Shanks asked me, “How do you get so many shifts!?” Kind of irritated because everyone is dying for shifts right now…and I was a little speechless. I wanted to just say, “Because I serve a mighty God of the universe and He never fails to provide for His children.” I don’t know why I didn’t say that…but I was just kind of without any other reason. And I ran into another custodian for the school district and in passing I mentioned that Chris gets a lot of overtime at work and she said, “You tell him to praise God for that because they DO NOT give out overtime.” I was so shocked. Why does God look down on sinners like us and have so much patience? Why would He see our plight and give us any notice? I’m so thankful that I can trust in Him! What a beautiful and gracious God we serve to take care of our every need and even to bless us abundantly. We seriously do not have a lot of money and God does not keep us in want or keep us from being able to give to the church and to those in need. What a blessing! I’m not at all saying this to pat us on the backs either… I just want God to be glorified in our hearts because He is so obviously protecting and watching over us. I feel so close to Him and so loved by Him when I surrender the hard things to Him and see Him watching over me “the way a mother hen gathers her chickens under her wings” Matthew 23:37. Please pray that we will continue to trust Him when we don’t have everything that we want or what we think we need. I never want to live in fear or in worry with what I have because God promises to provide for our every need and He does not sign His name on promises that He doesn’t intend to keep. He would never compromise His glory like that!