Highs and Lows

Sometimes I play this game with my small group or with the girls that I babysit called "high and low". Nothing to complex, you just have to say what the high of your day was and what the low of your day was. So I will play that game for you now...

One low of the week was a sudden shift in summer plans that was thrown at me. I had a girl who had wanted to rent my room for the summer if I was going to go back to Colorado. Well I finally decided that it would be best for everyone if I did go home for the summer. I could save some money by not paying rent and I could get some time with fam and friends in Colorado. It felt good to decide. Then earlier this week that girl backed out so now my heart is still headed to Colorado for the summer while it looks like I will be paying rent in Chicago, what part of that makes sense! There is still time and hopefully someone will turn up that needs a room but for now I'm bummed that I have another detail to work out...

Another Low in my week was that Marissa's grandpa died on Monday. Marissa was in my CBC class last year and is now in my small group this year, but more importantly she is just great and is someone that I love a lot. Her family has kind of been my family away from home out here so it was hard to know that they were all so sad and that they lost an important piece of their family. Our small group drove out last night and went to the wake and then I went to the funeral this morning. It all just reminded me that sometimes doing life with people is messy and a little uncomfortable. I loved watching Marissa love on her family though, she is just so great.

Ok now some Highs...

Aaron Espe was here! He had a show on Tuesday night and then Jeff and I hosted a house concert for him on Wednesday night. It was really fun to have him around for a few days, good conversations and just a change in routine. Aaron reminds me of my brother Ben so that was nice, they both make themselves laugh and they ask good questions...maybe Aaron is our brother and we just don't know it. Also the house concert at Jeff's was a great excuse to have a lot of friends come hang out. Lots of people that I love were there and it was good to listen to Aaron and just hang out. So one of my favorite songs of his is called "Tuesday Morning" but it's not on any CD yet, but here's a clip of him singing part of it...



A high for this week would be that I'm pretty sure it is done snowing here and the sun actually came out this week...who knew it was still there! And in case you were wondering, I wore flip flops on Thursday :)

Another High would be that all my picks for the march madness games tonight won...I'm such a good guesser. Now to bed and I can't even wait to sleep in...

Spring Break...

Yes, it's true that I am 26 and I still get a spring break. It felt weird to have a break when I had only been back in Chicago for about a month but I wasn't complaining. For the first few days I stayed in Chicago and did some work around here. The weather was beautiful and I love this city when the weather is nice because you can go to the lake and eat outside at restaurants. Then on Wednesday night I flew to Colorado for the last few days of break. And nothing is more refreshing for me than some time in Colorado. Ev, my dad, and I spent Thursday skiing and then stayed at the Everitt's condo. Then Friday that plan was for my dad and I to ski again and then head home. But on our first run I had a little fall that ended up cranking my leg around in an unnatural sort of way that really hurt. So it became clear that I couldn't ski on it and I ended up having to get ski patrol to take me down. It was a little embarrassing but necessary. Now I know what it's like to ride in one of those sleds! Here are some pics of the ordeal thanks to my dad, yes he took pictures while I tried to get loaded in the sled!
















So in the end it looks like all that I did was sprain my knee, nothing that won't heal in a week or so. But it is so annoying to try to walk or get into cars or go up stairs.








But don't you worry, the weekend was still really great. Friday night we had everyone at our house for dad's birthday dinner (notice the curly candles on the grown man's cake...so classy!) Happy Birthday Dad!

I spent a good deal of my time watching march madness with Tate and Soph and checking my brackets. So far I'm holding on but I could have guessed a little better, oh well there is always next year. Besides the knee incident, spring break was truly a break and for that I'm really grateful! But now it's time for bed because I got up at 3:30am today and I'm starting to get loopy...talk to ya later

hips don't lie...

And this is why I love my brother...

who covers "hips don't lie"?...oh yeah ben, isaac, dave, and joe do...

my favorite part is ben reading the lyrics, I think he was really feeling it!

check this out "hips don't lie"

...and always will be...

It has been a pretty low-key weekend for me, very restful and a little boring at times. I did a lot of this...





because the weather outside looked like this...

there was one point yesterday when there was a flood warning for some parts of Illinois, a blizzard warning in some other parts of the state, and a winter storm warning in Chicago...those are 3 very different warnings...I'm ready for spring!


But I'm not complaining at all because it feels good to rest...

I also spent a good deal of time reading the book of Genesis. This semester I am taking Old Testament and so far I am loving it. Through "homework" I am gaining such a new appreciation for the Old Testament. I had a teacher once at CBC who would always say "God has been, and always will be, at work creating a holy people for himself " (Thank you Todd Slechta!). And that is exactly the phrase the kept ringing through my head as I was reading Genesis this weekend. God created us and then the rest of history has been him redeeming us as his people, sometimes through drastic measures (ie floods and becoming flesh). I really think that if Genesis were made into a movie it would be rated R! So once again I'm amazed at this God who would try so hard to redeem the actions of humans and this God is the one who "...always will be..."redeeming his people...

Grammy's

Going to the Grammy's is the newest addition to my list of surreal events that I've experiences. I've been known to tape the grammy's just so that I can re watch the performances so being there in person was so great. But what made it better was being there with the guys as they soaked in their first grammy nominations. I always have been, and always will be, proud of Ben but it was really great to be there for this "first" for him. Sometimes pictures just tell the story better so here are some pics from the weekend...

On the beach in February...nice...very nice...

All the "Fray" parents...













Lindsey helping Sophie get ready...

"Lindsey, you just have to relax and pretend like we belong here", says Sophie as we enter the Sony after party...














The Whole "Fray" family...














Proud sisters (me, linds, and soph)...we clean up pretty well when we have to...

Perspective...

I'm new to this whole blogging thing, but I really enjoy reading other's blogs and thought that maybe someone would be interested in reading mine. So to get things rolling here are some things that have been going on these past few months that have given me great perspective on my life...

As you might know I'm living in Chicago right now going to seminary. I started last fall and my first semester was not really what I expected (although I'm not sure I knew what to expect!). But I did enter last semester thinking that I was not cut out for life as a seminarian. I was overwhelmed with class work, friends, working...with life basically. But I survived, and I actually got a good report card! So with that under my belt, I took a break from Chicago and headed to Colorado for a good 6 weeks of Christmas break. And what a break it was! It was the first time in a while that I have spent a lot of time around some good 4C's folk and it was so refreshing. It was also so good to be at home and with the fam for awhile. It also snowed SO SO SO much while I was home, and that was pretty awesome! This is our house with all the snow...


It was also Sophie's Birthday while I was home, the big 15! I know that everyone says this but I really can't believe that she is this old. And I'm so proud of who she is. She is such a great girl and I couldn't be more proud of my baby sister (even thought she isn't a baby anymore!)


New Years was spend up at Ev and Joe's condo with an awesome group of people that made it so fun! I'm thankful for friends that I can be myself around, I realize that not everyone has that in their life. So here's to 2007!


While I was home, Mark asked me to help him out one Sunday in High Impact. I laughed at first and thought he was joking but when I realized that he wasn't I said sure. It was so great to be in that room again, and to be worshipping with all of those amazing students and to realize that God is still moving in mighty ways through the ministry of high impact. It was so good to get some perspective on where my life is now by remembering where I have come from.

Another great part of my break was helping with Powderburn. Ev asked Jeff G and I if we could help produce all of the main stage elements of Powderburn this year. It was so life giving to help with this event that was such a big part of my formation in high school. All in all it was a great weekend. It's so good to be reminded that no matter how hard we plan programs and events, God will still work. Check out one of Jeff G's awesome stage designs...


I have to mention that I got to celebrate my birthday during my time in good old Colorado. It was a good birthday and I got to celebrate with my fam and with some fun friends. I felt loved and that's always good. We also got to go to Sing Sing one night to celebrate Amanda and my b-days. I do love that place but this time around it did seem like the jokes were dirtier than I remembered, but it was still fun. The Birthday Girls and the group at Sing Sing...


So here I am back in Chicago and feeling a little torn between Colorado and Chicago. I miss Colorado, it will always feel good to be there, but I also love my life in Chicago. But I'm learning that it's ok to live in tension like that. God just wants me to take advantage of the life that is in front of me everyday. So I know that this week I will be in Chicago and I will go to class and I will pick up Camille and Madlen ( the girls that I babysit) from school and I will try to be aware of the presence of God in my everyday life...