lots to share

So, it's been a while my blog community. I'm sure you've missed us ;)

Well, where to begin is tricky. Let's start by saying that Corey takes his USMLE (the Board Exam) on Saturday, and his COMLEX (the DO component) on the 7th and then we are scott free until the 4th of August! A whole month of Corey time, I'm so excited!!! We plan to fly to Illinois from the 17th-24th to visit family and attend a family reunion (I've never been to one). So far, those are our only plans and that is music to my busy little ears (we all know they really aren't little). Hopefully we will be able to make lots of fun family memories, taking little Ash to the zoo and such. We may even get a night to ourselves, who knows! What I do know, is that it will be marvelous.

Now, remember the posts about my sweet friend Krystal whom I found and spoke with on the phone? Just a few hours after that post, Corey and I decided to pack up and visit her in Austin. She was celebrating a very special accomplishment at the end of a tumultuous and victorious year, it was such a special blessing to be able to celebrate with her. To see her was surreal, mostly because it was so natural. There were no hidden agendas or unforgiven hurts, just gratitude to have found one another again and a natural ease that is the consequence of still knowing one another so truly despite all the years and times that have passed. You can be sure I'm never letting her out of my life again (not in a creepy way though, like "Single White Female" or something). I haven't received any of the pictures she took of all of us together yet, but as soon as I do I will post them here for you to see the joy of the momentous reunion!

That same weekend also scattered my list of Christian ideals in a sense. I met some people who were so unshaken in their faith because they had been to the very pit of despair in their lives only to be brought back to hope by the one they call Savior. These weren't your typical believers and I love that. I don't want to be a typical believer. They were raw and real and outside of their pride. They confessed struggles and sins so vulnerably, professing the beauty and majesty of God in their lives-but through rather vulgar speech. It took me aback. Now I'm left wondering, when God asks us to obey to receive the Kingdom, where do these people stand. They love Him, trust Him, give thanks and praise for all blessings to Him, yet don't lift the "upright" moral life. I'm not one to believe God expects us to be pious, in fact I think He abhors that kind of thought, but does He expect us to control our tongue? How far does this example we are asked to set go? Scripture tells me that I am to:

"...say 'no' to ungodliness and worldly passions and to [a] live self-controlled, upright and godly [life] in this present age"

so...where do these folks fit in? Their faith inspired mine, and I, in no way, write this to say that I am trying to judge their eternity. I just want to understand the mind of God a little better. Any input?