Wednesday, December 9, 2009

O Christmas Tree!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Cheer!!

I wanted to share with you our very first Christmas tree as a family! Wow... we had so much fun. Here is the tree on the civic... it started to fall off while we were driving home (a .5 mile drive) and I almost started crying... But she made it after all!


Thankfully, we had Criag there to help us. He carried the tree and here he is untying the tangled mess...





After Craig untied the tree from the car, PJ was determined to continue untangling the rope.. He's so sweet!


These boys really do love each other. But look at that tree!!



Here we are hanging our lights. How precious!




PJ's Mom bought us an "Our first Christmas 2009" Ornament. Here we are hanging it together. It was around this time that PJ called me tacky. I would prefer to say that he has a lack of Christmas spirit. ;)



The final product. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How beautiful your branches!!!



Merry Christmas Yall!!!
-Mrs. Scalf

























Wednesday, December 2, 2009

I'm the one that Jesus loves.

Hello friends and family.

Today is a really tough day for me. My boss resigned from her position. She is more than a boss though. She is the glue that holds our team together and she is a friend. I'm so happy for what God has planned for her next, but she will be missed dearly. I feel destraught. That's the only word that I have for it.

Grace. God is teaching me a lot about Grace... mostly because we are reading a book called "What's so Amazing about Grace" by Phillip Yancy. Yancy was writing about the parable of the workers in the vineyard. In this parable, there are some workers who get paid a days wage for working for a day and some get paid the same amount for only working an hour, which the world would see as completely unfair. Yancy explains it this way:

"Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?...God dispenses gifts, not wages. None of us gets paid according to merit, for none of us comes close to satisfying God's requirements for a perfect life. If paid on the basis of fairness, we would all end up in hell."
Hm. I think sometimes I do get envious when I see other people being blessed more than myself... but when it's because we have a generous God, why would I ever be envious!!!
Another great part of the book,
If John were to be asked, "What is your primary identity in life?" he would not reply, "I am a disciple, an apostle, an evangelist, an author of one of the four Gospels," but rather, "I am the one Jesus Loves."
What would it mean, I asky myself, if I too came to the place where I saw my primary identity in life as "the one Jesus loves"? How differently would I view myself at the end of a day?
If only I could grasp that.
Mrs. Scalf

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Stumped

Good Tuesday everyone,

I'm stumped. I need some cooking help because I'm just out of recipes. Here's the dilemma. Our oven is super flakey. (Meaning it just decides to turn it self off randomly in the middle of cooking. Baking cookies, I can handle because it only takes 8 minutes to do that. But for a 2.5 hour baking time on Chicken on Sunday - that's just not possible.) We are also poor, and buying meat is like dessert at the Scalf home, but I don't know anything good and vegetarian. Also, PJ and I are both terribly picky eaters. HELP!

I'm taking some girls to the zoo today, I can't wait! Pray that it doesn't rain.

Until next time,

Mrs. Scalf

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Hello Neighbor!

I just bought my tickets to Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors - A Neighborly Christmas! Who's excited? ME ME ME ME ME!

Go buy your tickets at Minglewoodhall.com. The show is December 11 at 8:00 PM. It can be a date night, maybe!

I'm so glad that it's Christmas time again :D.

-Mrs. Scalf

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Moment We've All Been Waiting For!

Or at least, the moment I've been waiting for!
Last night I started to pack up our books in the "office" (It's more of a dump-your-junk room, but office sounds nicer) and I heard the doorbell ring. We weren't expecting any visitors, so my ears perked a little. It was good 'ol FedEx with a wonderful little package - our wedding photos! :D

There are 687 of them. Or some strange large number like that and they are FABULOUS! I'm only going to post a few of my favorites here, but check out FaceBook for a more complete (top 50?) look!
Our photogropher was Vince Mcvay with McVay Vision Photography. I believe his website is mcvayvision.com or just google his name and it will pop up!
Our engagment photographer - who was also amazing - is Ryan Gauper. Gauperphoto.com I believe his his website. They are both up in Michigan - Kalamazoo, Michigan. We appreciate both of them dearly for such beautiful work on the most special occasions of our lives. THANK YOU!

-Mrs. Scalf

Friday, November 13, 2009

Cinderella Man

Hello there!

This is going to be a short one, but I have to get my thoughts out of my head and onto... something tangable I guess.

Last night, PJ popped "Cinderella Man" into the DVD player (we love watching movies together) and there is at least one truely valuable lesson that can be learned. I do believe that you can find truth in everything - movie, book, magazine, etc - but this truth is so good, I have to write about it.

Men need to feel supported by their wives. Several times in this movie, Cinderella Man's wife (let's just call her May, since I cannot remember what her name was) encourages him and supports him - even during the tough times, and even when she doesn't like it, and even when it means risking his life. "I can't win without your support," quotes Cinderella Man at one point in the movie. And I truely believe this is true for all men. And I struggle with it.

I'm married to an optomist, a dreamer, a "glass half-full" guy. I am a pesamist, a realist, and a "glass half-empty" girl. So I listen to his dreams and his hopes and immediately think, "that will never work." But what do I know? I know that PJ needs to feel loved, supported, and encouraged. My role in this marraige is the helper. Pray that I learn how to better encourage and support him, even if I don't understand. Because that is all that it is - I don't understand.

Over and out,

Mrs. Scalf

Thursday, November 12, 2009

I Spy with my Little Eye...

1.) Something Horrid.

On my 20 minute drive to work this morning, I witnessed, once again, catastrophic memphis drivers.

First, the cars in front of me in all 4 lanes slammed on their breaks breifly and I noticed on the right hand side of the road a car up on a pile of rocks, stranded.

Second, I was stopped off the highway at a red light. There are three lanes at this stop. The right hand turn lane is way off to the side, with a yeild sign. I was in the next lane which was a straight or left turn lane. And the far left lane was a left turn only lane. The light turned green and the lady in the left turn only lane went straight as I almost ran into her trying to turn left.
Lastly, I saw a cop coast through (at 35 mph) a busy 4-way stop (no lights, no sirens... stop sign just don't apply to Memphis cops apparently).

I'm fairly confident that I may or may not die one of these mornings driving to work. Oh, and heaven forbid it starts sprinkling or snowing... then they really get crazy!


2.) Something Beautiful!

Picture-Perfect Pickwick!!! Take a gander...

(The view of the lake sitting off the Holcomb's dock)


Ok, ok. I know... It's no lake Michigan...

(Mr. Scalf and Myself at the top of a HUGE dune!)


(Schramm at the bottom of the HUGE dune with feet buried in the crystal clear norther water)

(Sammy Lammy cannon-balling into the deep blue at the Holland Pier.)

(Joshua scoping the shore for a good wave to come and go for a smooth ride on the skim board)

(I used to have a plathera of susent photos over the endless waters, but this is the best one that I have now.. and it's still pretty great! Bets in the middle, and Grace-Face on the far right at Traverse City)

Also, Pickwick isn't quite as awesome as the Gulf of Mexico...

(I captured this just before Mr and me left our honeymoon.... wow)

But for real, Pickwick was just what the doctor ordered. Qaulity time with the ladies, wise words from Nancy (which is more valuable than gold.. for real). Look at the leaves out there...



(This is Ashley... and she is single...!)


Verse of the weekend from Miss Holcomb: "Set a gaurd over my moth, O Lord, watch over the doors of my lips." Pslam 141:3

Mrs. Scalf

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Honey is Sweet

It's a WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY, friends!
Happy belated birthday to Michael Bear Stienke. We love you, dear friend. Today I just have a thought. For our Mission Graduation Bible study, we have been reading The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller (On the "Maggie's Must Read List"!! Hmm... I really should start the "Maggie's Must Read List"...) Keller writes on the fact that Salvation is Experiential and quotes Jonathon Edwards,

The difference between believing that God is gracious and tasting that God is gracious is as different as having a rational belief that honey is sweet and having the actual sense of its sweetness.

How beautiful... Yes I know that God is gracious, and most Christians know that God is gracious, but isn't it lovely to say that we truely know ("have tasted") God's grace because we have experienced it? How have you experienced God's grace?


Comming Soon:

Picture-perfect Pickwick and Wedding Photos...

-Mrs. Scalf

Friday, November 6, 2009

Battle Wounds

Bonjour mes amis!!
Happy Friday, everyone! I was reflecting on my week and notcies that something this week has been different than everyother week of the last 6 or 7. I have not run - not even once. Lindsay and I are training for a 1/2 marathon (YIKES!). The race is in less than one month, and I just took the week off... This is not okay.
I also then thought about my battle wounds. "Battle wounds?" you ask. Yes. About 1.5 weeks ago, I was going for a little 6 mile job and at about the 5.5 mile mark I fell. I biffed it. I crashed. I got knocked down. It was terrible. The funny thing is that I don't even know what happened... one moment I was happily running and the next I was on the ground - bewildered. I didn't stumble over my feet... I didn't black out... I just plumited (spelling?) straight to the ground. Below are my Battle Wounds.

The picture doesn't really do it justice. It pussed for 7 days straight. However, in the last 5 it started healing pretty good. I figure, it's been quite awhile since I fell on my knee - what, maybe at least 5-10 years, so I was due for a good fall.
One of my favorite things to do with my husband is go to his softball games. He's so good!!! At Buckhead, they have this little fall-like display all lit up in front of one of the four feilds. I dragged PJ with me to take a nice fall photo. As you can see...the quality isn't the best, but look how cute we are!
Also, I chopped my hair, but I'm not a fan of taking photos of myself - that's weird and so we'll just have to wait for a nice photo to just happen.
Still waiting on wedding photos... but I'll post a few of those as soon as they come.
Monday's growth group was awesome, too. I LOVE IT! A verse that we went over was 2nd Corinthians 12:9
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"
It goes on to say that for the sake of Christ, I will DELIGHT in my weaknesses, in insults in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties, for when I am weak, then I am strong. Wow... chew on that for a bit...
Until next time!
-Mrs. Scalf

Friday, October 30, 2009

Pumpkin Party

Hello again.

I kind of like fall. I don't like that it starts getting cold, but I do like that the leaves turn pretty colors and that we get to carve pumpkins!! This past Saturday, Schramm and I decided that we wanted to carve pumpkins.

I wanted to share with YOU our experience. I'm very much a visual learner, so I'm going to demostrate our pumpkin party in photo. ENJOY!






BeforeHard at Work




The Design




PJ thinks carving pumpkins is stupid, but he helped me carve the mouth while I fixed a pizza.




The Final ProductOn the Porch for the world to see!




I'll have to post what they look like glowing in the dark because it's pretty neat!


One more thing before I go. I've been struggling to get out of bed lately and this is why:




.




Ok so it's not the best picture of him, but he makes it very difficult for me to want to get up and go to work.... Love you baby!



And such is life.



-Mrs. Scalf


One more thing - don't these look delicious! My new favorite website is pioneerwoman.com. I'm making some lasagna and these rosemary dinner rolls sometime this week :D


Thursday, October 29, 2009

Blog?

Hello there!
I haven't blogged since Xanga (2004). So this is quite strange. Also, I'm not so sure what to blog about. I suppose I'll do an update and try to make it brief.
First of all, I decided to blog because of Matt Szuminski's gmail status which said, "Awesome wife http://blablabla.com" (that's not what it really said, but it's too hard to type) which brought me to his wife's blogspot. And... I loved it.


The Latest and Greatest:
1.) Moved to Memphis - May 2008
2.) Started DownLine Ministries - August 2008 (AWESOME!!!)
3.) Engaged - May 6 2009 ( :D )
4.) Schramm moved to Memphis - August 2009
5.) Married William Swanson Scalf II - August 15, 2009 (Photos to come)
6.) Started working at STREETS Ministries - August 31, 2009

And now the details. I love Memphis. It's a phenominal city with lots and lots of need. The church here is doing GREAT things (also a lot of churches doing some not so great things...)
I'm so glad that God brought me to this city!

DownLine Ministries is a discipleship training program headed by Kennon Vaughan. (Check it out at downlineministries.com). The program's focus is on Biblical discipleship which is a lost practice in our church today. It also teaches students the Bible book by book, verse by verse so that they are "one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15). I could write all day about what God taught me via DL, but I won't. I'll just say that I look at life through a new lense...



PJ proposed to me on May 6, 2009 at Spring Hill Camps. I had a week of vacation from the bank and PJ got a week of from Cherokee Baptist Church. We headed to Michigan to see my family - it had been since August 08 since I had last seen them. We met at camp, and so we thought it would be fun to go back there and visit since we weren't going to be able to work there anymore. (This past summer was my first summer in 11 years not being at the hill...sad face). We went for a little walk around camp and we went to Burger Island a.k.a "The Island" (That's for you TDL). We sat at a picnic table...




I looked at him and said...
"Is this where you're going to propose?!?"
I then patted one of his pockets and he swatted my hand away.
I then patted the other pocket and felt something small and round.
Then... my jaw dropped.
Then he pulled out a beautiful ring,
Then he said,
"Will you marry me? You're a brat."
I ruined his plan for propising, but it was still perfect.
I said yes.


Please check out our engagement photos at gauperphoto.com. nevermind. you have to have a password. Go to my facebook!


Lindsay Schramm finally got back from India and a few months later made her way to Memphis TN to partake in the DownLine adventure as well. (along with Lucas, Tyler, Nick, and Sara. Jamie, Bear, and Nick E. had moved here earlier. Nick E is now doing DL. Craig also moved here and is a Youth Pastor. Did I miss anyone? I feel like I did....)

Wedding - awesome
Honeymoon - awesome
Marraige - awesome
photos to come.
STREETS.
Go to streetsministries.org. That's where I work. I work with 7th grade girls in a program called Mission Graduation. Memphis City Schools are struggling. The kids that STREETS ministers to are primarily the kids that live across the street from our facility in the projects. The only projects left in Memphis. Those same kids go to middle school at Vance Middle School, which is where I spend most of my time. I meet with them, have lunch with them, tutor them, love them. I love my kids. VERY VERY MUCH! I think I'll post a photo.







Lexus (left) and Kyneisha (right)

I think that's all for now. Lindsay and I are cooking tonight, I'll let you know how that goes. We are also training for a 1/2 marathon.... hm. More on that to come.

-Mrs. Scalf