New Year's Eve, 2006

Nigel and I at our friends Ron and Nicole Gee's house on New Year's Eve. Yes, I actually cut my hair! I had been letting it get as long as possible for the wedding, and kept it that way through the second reception on December 23. Then it was time to chop it off for a while. Nigel LOVES it, which was a bonus!

Our first Christmas together!

Here we are at Dad's on Christmas.

Hometown Wedding Reception

The reception in Browns Valley on December 23 was a lot of fun. Nigel was very surprised to see this sign as we rolled into town the day before. It was still up when we left on the 26th (it's not like there was anything else going on in town). It was great to be able to celebrate with so many more family and friends.

Honeymoon pic 2

The last day of our honeymoon, at Poipu beach. We found another couple, also on their honeymoon, and took turns taking pictures of each other.

Honeymoon pic 1

This is a picture on the tour of the Smith Family Tropical Paradise on Kauai, the luau we went to on our honeymoon. It was SOOOO fun!!

A better pic of the cake

This is a great shot of the cake, as well as the awesome bridesmaids' bouquets my talented friends made the day before the wedding. We spent a good chunk of the afternoon at Krista's house assembling flowers. My grandma actually did all the corsages and boutonnieres, and Deana, Amanda, Krista, Kerri, Jill, Misty, Claudia, and others put together the rest. I have to say, they did a fabulously beautiful job. And we saved a TON of money! All the flowers came from Costco. They were beautiful.

Me and my dad

Our first kiss ever

The photographer was in on my little plan to kiss Nigel in the vineyard (instead of our first kiss being at the altar). He was ready with the camera and got some pics of it. I will love this picture forever - it's so special to have a picture of our first kiss.

A pic of me from my wedding day

Married life...

I LOVE being married. It helps when you have an absolutely wonderful husband, but marriage really does suit me. It's been two and a half weeks, and we're working on setting the house and getting into a routine. Our schedules are really nice right now - I start work later than Nigel and get home before him, so that's nice because I love making him breakfast in the morning (I'm a morning person) and I can get a start on dinner before he gets home to help. Usually anyway.

I really love the fact that I don't have to drive home late at night anymore. And waking up next to him is so sweet. I also love sharing a home with him, knowing we probably won't be moving anytime soon. Imagine that: me, living in the same place for longer than a few months!

Anyway, more on all that later. I wanted to post the link to our professional photos from the wedding. It's: http://www.joelflory.com/nigelandjackie. As he gets the rest of them edited, he will be posting them (it will be around 2000 total). But for now there's a good sample out there. There are also many pics from friends who were at the wedding on our website: http://www.nigelandjackie.com .

I can't believe how fast the wedding went. I loved it, every minute of it, and it still feels like a dream!

My Amazing Fiance (almost husband!)

Ok, so I need to say this for everyone to hear, because Nigel really is amazing. After a rough week last week for me with some wedding stress and fires to put out, Nigel has been so supportive. He cooks every night while I work away on the last-minute details, and has even helped assemble programs, clean hard wax out of all the votives I'm borrowing, and run errands. I love this man. I am so blessed. God's love really is that amazing, that He would bring me someone like Nigel.

Yeah, yeah, of course I'm biased, because I AM marrying him after all. This Sunday even (weird, in less than 6 days I will be Mrs. Nigel Clemonds!!!). But Nigel really is a gift from God to me. I love him. And Him.

I am so excited to get married! Check out our website in a couple weeks for posting of pics from the wedding. It's http://www.nigelandjackie.com.

Only 8 days to go!

I am so excited! Only 8 days until my wedding! I have to admit, the whole process has gone REALLY smoothly. Only yesterday did I start to really feel stress at all. And God has provided in BIG ways to help with this wedding, and surporised us around every corner, too. Here are a few:

1. We found someone to make the cake I designed myself for only $300! (Here's a pic I added from the wedding day) For those of you who know wedding cakes, you know that's a great deal. Especially in California. And Fatema, the woman making the cake, is from Pakistan! Nigel was super excited to find that out.

2. We found a great Christian couple to do our photography. And they have common friends with Nigel from a church they attend that Nigel used to. Check out his website at http://www.joelflory.com . It will be fun to work with them! And they were about half the price of some others that do the photojournalistic style in this area.

3. The site we are getting married at, Garre Winery. It is beautiful, in the country, and used to be a horse ranch so it has a rustic feel about it. Being from South Dakota, that's awesome. And Nigel and I fell in love with the place from the moment we saw it.

4. My hair appointment. My goodness, after the first two people fell through, I panicked last week. Then I called a cute little day spa in Danville called Chateau de Sable, decorated like a French chateau, and their prices were $30-40 below all the other salons. So I met with Chris, and she's doing my makeup, too, and giving me a deal!

5. Friends, and their able hands and eagerness to help. I've only lived here for a year and a half, but I have AMAZING friends. They have jumped in to help with everything from coordinating the ceremony, making programs and favors, gluing paper cones, and stamping a TON of stuff, to helping me design the reception and shop for and assemble all the flowers. And giving me a place to call "home" until the wedding.

6. Our rings. Nigel and I wanted to get our wedding bands at Simayof in San Francisco, where he bought my engagement ring. I of course was really hoping to get the matching diamond band for my ring, but knew it was out of the budget. The day we chose to go they happened to be having a big sale. Not only was his ring 30% off, mine was 50% off and put the diamond band under the budget Nigel had set for a plain one! So that was an easy choice!

I have a million more stories I could tell, and maybe I will at some point. For now, I am looking forward to becoming Mrs. Nigel Clemonds on October 8th, and then relaxing in Hawaii for a week. Yippee!

Long Time No Blog

Well, it's been a VERY long time indeed. So, head on over to http://www.nigelandjackie.com to see what I've been up to. And while you're there, leave us a note in the guestbook!

God's Amazing Love, part 2

Back in September I wrote about God's amazing love. He had shown it to me tangibly many times at the National Youth Workers' convention in Sacramento. Well, He's been showing it to me lately in similar and even bigger ways.

Last night, I went to a Shane & Shane concert in San Jose with Nigel and about ten friends. It was an awesome time, as their performances/worship times always are. And at the very end of the night (get ready for the deja-vu) they started singing "How Great is Our God." And yup, right after it, they sang "It Is Well With My Soul." I thanked God for thinking of me in that way, once again, and reminding me of all He's done in my life (see God's Amazing Love, the original post in September).

But even bigger than that, God has brought me Nigel. He's already heard most of this from me, but I wanted to put it here for you all, my friends, to read as well. I ahve prayed for years for God to bring me a special man, one who I would spend my life with. One who would love me as I am, the good and bad, and care about/for me by living God's love. I had no idea God would bring me more than I asked for.

I'm a pretty simple woman, from a simple upbringing, with simple yet strong and unwavering faith and an "old-fashioned" kind of love to give. But I am also messy, stubborn, picky about certain things, and love a good intellectual debate (though debates aren't necessarily bad).

Nigel has been so constant since I met him. Even though I've had many fears, doubts, and lack of trust due to being hurt and deceived so many times in the past, he has always, from day one, said he will not give up on me and that he loves me, ALL of me, just as I am. He has shown me more grace and love in just over two months than anyone other than God ever has, and he just keeps on going. I keep thinking he's going to all of a sudden "wise up" and run, like men always have in my life. But he doesn't. He just loves me more.

I keep wondering how it is that God could love me enough to send me someone like Nigel. It doesn't make sense at all. I'm far from good, and made so many mistakes, how could I deserve this kind of blessing? Yet God assures me I do deserve it, and much more, because He loves me that much.

I know that we will face challenges, especially once we get married, and I know we will not always see eye to eye (and we don't, even know, all the time). Yet, with God as our focus and guide and the center of all we say and do, the rest of it will work out. I know it will.

My favorite tradition that we have started is going up San Damiano every Wednesday night after I'm done with Wildside to pray together and talk about our relationship. San Damiano is a Benedictine retreat center straight up the mountain from here. They allow people to come there to pray and have quiet time with God. There are no cars, no streets other than the one leading to it, and there is a view of the entire valley. I can see my church, my house, and a lot more from there. It's amazing, and since I moved here has been my favorite place.

I am very excited, and yes a little scared too, for this next season in my life. It's hard for me to entrust my heart to someone besides God. God will never, ever let me down, but people always will at times. Yet I am so very glad to have found someone to share my life with - to walk side by side through the hills valleys, and meadows, and to love. God is so good!

Trust Him...with ALL your heart

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

I am posting this because I have some friends who were touched by it and I wanted to share it with more of you. I sent this out as the devotional thought part of my e-mail yesterday to my prayer team.

The above verse is one of my life verses. It first came to mean a lot to me when I was laid off from Grace the first time in January of 2003 and God taught me how to truly trust Him - for everything. Through the years since then it has been a verse I treasure in my heart through all the things God asks of me and leads me through. Right now, with all I have on my plate and the upcoming transitions I face, it again is a promise from God that I claim daily.

It's interesting - most translations of this verse, including the popular NIV, at the end read: "...and He will make your paths straight." But I stumbled on the New King James version above a couple years ago and realized that at the heart it is more true. So often I have heard people claim this verse to be saying that as long as they are following God and leaning on Him for direction, He will keep them on a straight path.

This is a great example of how when we read the Bible, we often take a verse to mean something that is just a bit of a stretch, if only because of a word choice by the translators. After now almost 2 quarters of Greek, I have a new appreciation for the Bible in its original form and how it came to be in the English form we read now. There is such a difference in meaning from the original text to our limited English language.

I know that God does not always take me on a "straight" path when I'm fully leaning on and trusting Him. My life is an ongoing testimony to that! There have been a lot of curves, blind intersections, hills, mountains, and dead ends that meant retracing some steps. Yet, I know that God alone is, and has been, in control. He knows where I'm headed and has a plan for my life. Even though it's not always easy, and the route doesn't always make sense to me, as long as I trust Him for direction He will guide me. Even if He only shows me the very next footstep and nothing further, I always know that I am taken care of, loved, and guided by Him. What a promise!

I am currently interviewing for full-time youth ministry positions. I know that God has called me to youth ministry for this next season of my life, however long it may be. Yet I'm not quite sure what the road looks like or where it's headed.

I also met this great person recently who has been blessing me in countless ways I cannot even express in words. He has been there for me to do things that I didn't know I needed or wanted. And it definitely is not what I would have expected this to look like. I'm not sure where that part of my journey is leading either, but I'm sure enjoying the travels.

I wouldn't want my path to be straight. Or smooth. There is so much I would have missed out on and so many experiences I wouldn't have had, all of which God is now using to reach and help others. What an amazing God I serve. I'm so glad He's at the helm - it's scary to think where I would be if He wasn't.

Father, I praise You for the bumps and curves. They are what have made me who I am and they are what have brought me to trust You this much. I love You.

Merry Christmas!

Me with my roommates Deana and Kathy at Union Square in San Francisco. Merry Christmas, and may God bless you as you celebrate the miracle of Jesus' birth! 

It was quite a year...

...and that would be an understatement! A lot has happened in my life in 2005, so I thought I would pause for a moment to reflect and share about some of the trials and blessings God has brought my way.

As the year began, I wrote in my blog that I had a feeling a lot of changes would be coming my way. I was sure right about that. It started right off in February at the first Grace Women's Prayer Summit. Not only was I relieved of a burden I thought would always be mine to carry, but God started speaking to me abouot California that weekend, too. My post from February "The healing that could only come from God" talks about the story in detail. In short, it changed my life and my outlook on my life. I had a confidence, peace, and unspeakable joy that I didn't know were possible when I returned home. I still do, it was that great of a milestone.

In March I found out I would once again be losing my position at Grace due to budget cuts. At the same time, I was booking a flight for a prayer conference in Sacramento. I remember asking God if He wanted me to move to CA, and I immediately knew that whatever job I took next would have me moving there. It was surreal, as I had just said to my friend Angela the year before that I could never live in CA. God really does have a sense of humor!

Between booking my flight and arriving at the conference two weeks later, I had three interviews for internships scheduled for while I was there. The first and last were good, but I knew they weren't right. The second one, however, was a perfect fit. I met with Bill and Deana in Danville, and knew I would be coming out.

I moved Memorial Day weekend, just under three weeks after finding out for sure that the position was mine if I wanted it. Kristin (bless her heart!) rode all the way across the country with me.

The rest was amazing through the year - God brought me a perfect part-time job at a little antique shop and the means to attend Fuller seminary. And I started making friends and falling in love with the Bay area.

I love it here, and though being homesick a couple times was pretty hard, I know God needs me here now and I plan to stay, at least for a while. I can't wait to see what changes 2006 is going to bring as I pursue a full-time youth ministry role.

And who knows, there may be other surprises along the way, too...

Giving thanks

Tomorrow, once again, it is Thanksgiving. My 28th Thanksgiving. It's that time of year when everyone gets together with family (or friends or extended family) to reflect on all the blessings of the past year and thank God for them....but do they?

It seems to me that Thanksgiving has come to mean other things to most Americans than what it originally did:

• Football games
• Decorating (though some people skip over the Thanksgiving decorating and go straight to Christmas)
• Shopping
• More shopping, for Christmas

Whatever happened to thanking God for the blessings of the past year? My dad reminded me of what November's become when he told me this story a couple weeks ago: He went to Walmart with my stepmom to get a few things. When he walked in, they were already playing Christmas music. He couldn't believe that Thanksgiving got completely skipped over, and he told my stepmom he had to leave the store.

I don't blame him. You see, my dad is a farmer. He knows the meaning of Thanksgiving: thanking God for the harvest that will allow the family to get through another year. That's what it's always been about for me, too.

Though now, as an adult, my dad's harvest doesn't affect me much anymore, as I'm earning my own way. But the meaning is still there. And I've always loved Thanksgiving. It's a time of family, friends, and "going home". And I love the simplicity of those small town Thanksgivings, with church the night before, pie and coffee as a fundraiser for the youth group afterwards, and dinner with all the relatives on Thanksgiving. My favorite part of the food is always Grandma's pies!

I am very sad that this is my first Thanksgiving that I can't go home. But it will be one with new memories nonetheless, and as it turns out, I will be learning to cook it all this year. Which I love to do anyway. And over the phone yesterday Grandma taught me how to make sour cream raisin pie, a traditions and my favorite after pumpkin. I baked one as a trial last night, and it tastes almost as good as hers! It's the second best thing to being there, I guess.

I pray you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving, and remember to thank the One who is the giver of all good things.

Me and Deana eating caramel apples at Santa Cruz

 

Two of my 7th grade girls

This is Haley (on top) and Stephanie, two of the girls in my small group. They're so cute!!!