Thursday, January 29, 2009

Pregnant!!!

HA! Did I get you with the subject?

Not me, friends. Not me.

My co-host, Tom and his wife Celeste, are pregnant! That was the big announcement today on Spirit. The secret I've been wanting to tell. I love Tom and Celeste so much, and have just been waiting and waiting and waiting for them to finally start a family. No pressure, right? :-)

I think Celestes Dad said it best at the Thanksgiving table when the announcement was made to their family: "Its about time!"

So congrats to Tom. And congrats Celeste. I look forward to watching the belly grow over these next few months, I look forward to your Seafair baby as the Blue Angels fly (Celeste is due around the beginning of August) and I look forward to snuggling new baby Pettijohn when he or she makes his or her debut.

The Big News

Its almost time! It's almost time!!!

The big news will be revealed on-air today at 3:21 PM. We are so excited.

Of course, if you miss it, I will post it on here after the show.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Sonbreak


It was more refreshing than a day at the spa.
Truly, it was. I'd take a day like this over a hot stone massage any day. (I sound crazy.)
The Sonbreak Womens Conference at Overlake Christian Church was last Saturday, and I was honored to be a part of it.

Pam Tebow was first up. If you haven't heard of her before, shes the mother of a very fabulous college football player named Tim Tebow. Or Timmy, as she refers to him. Pam spoke to us about hope - and shared so many scriptures that she knew from memory! I was in awe of how much she had memorized - and how cute she was doing it. She said "what's remembered in song...is remembered long..." and she put a little tune to each scripture in order to memorize. LOVED it.

Lisa Whelchel came next. Or "Blair" as you may remember her from the Facts Of Life. She was delightful, just as you would imagine her to be, sharing a hilarious story of how she fell for her husband. They have three teenagers now and Lisa has several books about motherhood that I've found quite helpful. I was walking by her green room back stage eating a brownie, and she said "aren't you on in a second?" and I looked at the clock and went running. She saved my bacon.

Ruth Graham knocked it out of the park, did she not? Stepping onto the stage and letting us know that it was not because of her last name that she was qualified to speak, but rather because she was a "sinner saved by grace, thats all." And if you hear me at all, hear me on this: "The people who think they have all the answers don't even know what the questions are."

Oh, Chonda. Chonda Chonda Chonda.
I'd never seen her perform before. She is amazing. I love this new found freedom she spoke of having. She didn't hold back on the jokes, did she? I gave her free range to say whatever she wanted about me when we were backstage :-) I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. And then, after all the jokes, came her story. I was in awe of her. She shared some of the hardest parts of her life. So brave. So strong. So beautiful.

It was a good day. If you were there, I'd love to know what you thought and how you were impacted. I keep thinking about everything these women spoke of. I feel refreshed. Now if we could only combine the spa with the conference...

Sarah

PS Special thanks to Community Ministry Productions (Billy & Daphne!) for all their hard work, and to Robert Forbes for the pictures. And to whoever made those coconut brownies backstage.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Falling Asleep

We play a group called Mercy Me. Think I Can Only Imagine.

Lead singer Bart Millard has some cute kids. And I love this.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

The Fourth Jonas Brother?


I had to post it.

Last Sunday night, Michael W. Smith joined the Jonas Brothers in a sold-out show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Michael W. Smith and the Jonas Brothers performed Smitty’s 1991 hit "Place in This World."

Man, what I would have given to see that! How cute!!!

Priorities

Can you tell I'm on the New Years Resolution train and its full speed ahead?

Yesterday it was about money.Today, its about priorities.

And wouldn't you know it (totally the way God speaks to me) this morning my friend Cindy sent an email with the following...

A person was presented an empty jar, several golf balls, pebbles, and sand by a professor. He was asked to figure out how all the objects would fit into the jar. The man told the professor that it’s impossible to fit all of the items into the small jar; "There's not enough room," he said.

The professor began to show how to fit them all in. First, lace the golf balls into the jar, then add the pebbles and then pour the sand over top of the golf balls and pebbles. As the sand cascaded over the balls and pebbles inside the jar it became clear to the man that all of the items WILL FIT if approached in the right order.

The professor enlightened the man even further by asking the man to imagine the jar as his life with the golf balls representing the most important elements in his life (family/friends/church). Then, imagine the pebbles as the next most important elements (work/projects outside the home). Finally, imagine the sand as all the other items in our life that "get in the way"; the items that we feel or believe are as important as the golf balls and pebbles.

Amazing that if you take care of the golf balls first and then make time for the pebbles, the sand will find a place – a way - to settle into your life.


I wonder how my husband and Olivia feel about being compared to a golf ball. :-)

I think I'm going to start speaking in this language. I picture myself in a meeting later this afternoon, saying something to the effect of: "I don't have time for that sand right now - I've got a pebble to deal with." ;-)

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Money. I'm savin' it.

A few years ago, I was teaching Sunday School and we were singing a song with the kids that went like this:

A penny in my pocket
a dollar in my shoe
when I give them all to Jesus
Theres nothing he can't doooooo......

Picture a class of 2nd graders, clapping along.

Its a cute little song, but what really made me laugh was the version coming from my friend Randy who was sitting off to the side. Randy is very insightful, and very funny. I had to hold in my laughter as I hear him sing along to the same tune with a theologically more accurate version of this kid-song:

A penny in my pocket
A dollar in my shoe
when I give them all to Jesus
it doesn't really matter because they were all His in the first place.....

:-)

Lately, I've been singing Randy's version in my head. One of my big goals for 2009 is to be debt free - and I believe that starts with getting my mind right with the way God views money.

I'm a Dave Ramsey fan. He's a financial straight shooter. He doesn't mince words and he tells you like it is. I need that. He's sort of like a personal trainer for money.

Daves main rule: No debt; no credit cards. Eesh. Thats a tough one for me, but he has "baby steps" to get me to where I need to be. Joel and I have both listened to his "Total Money Makeover" audio books, and we agree this is the way for us to live life financially. Its common sense, and sometimes Dave yells it, and we like it. My goal for 2009? Debt free.

My other goal, which is actually more important, is to tithe regularly. This is me being totally transparent here. I got my statement from my church in the mail that showed last years giving and I was so sad. It was a minuscule amount. What does that say about me in relationship to how I trust God?

I wasn't embarrassed about it. I was saddened by it.

So there lies my motivation to change.

I've taken a look at our major spending: Mortgage, Utilities, etc. and got things squared away. Now I'm taking a look at all our daily spending. For example, I go to Starbucks each morning...and thats something I enjoy and would like to make room in my budget for. So now, I am doing it smarter! First off, I signed up for their Starbucks Gold card, which gets you 10% off each purchase. Thats a savings for me of about .38 cents a day. Granted, they have you pay a 1-year $25.00 membership fee to begin, but I know I'll make that back in spades. Plus, have you found out that Costco sells five $20.00 Starbucks Gift Cards for only $80.00? Just doing that once paid for my Starbucks Gold membership! I'm never paying retail again.

I also order things online quite often - just to save time. Amazon.com is my friend with their free super-shipper savings. And I'm learning that I can always Google promo codes before hitting "check out" to see if I can find discounts. Just yesterday, I ordered custom invitations for my friend Amy's bridal shower, and before I hit "check out" I googled the name of the website I was at and I found a promo code for "SAVE 10" - and I saved 10% off my order. So simple.

My next step: packing a lunch each day. I know I need to do this the night before, because I'll never do it in the morning. Not only is it healthier, but I'll save a ton of cash.

Joel and I decided last night to cut down on our cable bill...that thing is ridiculous. How (and WHY) are we paying so much each month for television? I feel foolish. But no more.

These are just a few of my "little ways" to save a penny - what are yours? (And yes, Mom, I know you read my blog and I'm just bracing myself for your essay in the comments section, you thrifty little thing. *wink)

Friday, January 9, 2009

Zip my lip

OH!

Oh man!

I'm so excited.

First of all, never tell me secrets. I can't keep them. You hear me? Do not tell me secrets.

That being said, someone told me one and it's all I can do not to say anything. I'm like Kristin Wigg's character on Saturday Night Live. Have you seen that? She can't contain herself when someone tells her something good.

I digress.

I know a secret. And I get to tell it to you really soon. How soon? Before the month is over.

Oh no. Have I said too much?

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Aquarium Fun

For Olivias 2nd Birthday, Joel and I took her to the Seattle Aquarium.

She loved the fishies - and wanted to get IN the tanks with them. The glass frustrated her - she kept saying "touch water? touch water?"

Those poor starfish. She poked them... a lot.

Here she is, again, trying to get in. I'm also posting this picture because of my kickin' new handbag. :-)

Jellyfish Olivia

Uncle Neal and Aunt Amy came too!

Here she is, captivated by otters. She called them wet dogs. Close enough!

Family Photo

The classic ending picture to a busy, fun-filled day.


Happy Birthday to my sweet, sweet girl. You're two!