Easter Weekend, the Russell Family, and a Prayer Request

This is a post I talked about writing with Abigail after Easter, but I think after a few things recently (I'll explain in a minute) this might go in a different direction than I originally planned.

Abigail and JJ on Easter

This is a post about family.

Imitating the freshman at a Wesleyan baseball game

If you know anyone in my family (even somewhat), you probably know that we are close. I love my family and, honestly, I think I have one of the best ones out there. But this post isn't about the Scheid family. It's about my "new" family, the Russell's. 

It's kind of weird in a way to call them my family because I'm not the one marrying into the family, Abigial is, but in a way this marriage unites both of our families. It's something I've thought about since the engagement...our family unit will never be the same as it was. When JJ and Abigail get married they will each be leaving their own respective families and making their own, new family. BUT the thing is, you can't think about "losing" a member of your family. In reality, you're gaining a member...actually LOTS of members.

JJ's brother, Chad

This story starts a few weeks ago when Abigail called me to see if I wanted to join her at the Russell's house for Easter. I had been contemplating going home but I had just been home for Spring Break and really didn't want to drive 8 hours or drive 2 hours then fly, so, going to the Russell's house in Atlanta seemed like the perfect solution. 

My first thought, however, was that I didn't want to be a burden. Beth (Mrs. Russell) has been pretty sick with cancer but Abigail assured me that Beth had given her the go ahead to invite me. Also, I was thinking that while Abigail was marrying JJ and had a reason to be there, I didn't want to be a kind of tag-a-long sister. Then I thought about it from another perspective...if Chad (JJ's younger brother) had wanted to join Easter at our house, I would have LOVED for him to be there. 

Easter cookies before

The weekend wound up being such a great and enjoyable one for me (and hopefully for everyone else too). I was able to meet JJ's grandparents as well as his aunt and uncle. It was wonderful to be able to get to know more people in the Russell family before the actual wedding day and I think that knowing everyone will help make that day even more special. 

We started out with a bit of a laugh when the cookies I made were crushed by my backpack as I was driving through downtown Atlanta. We wound up separating the broken ones and snacking on them all day and saving the pretty ones for Easter dinner. No use crying over broken cookies right? I was continually assured that they tasted delicious despite being broken ;) (Plus no one wanted to eat them initially at the engagement party so maybe this is the way to go??)

The Easter Cookies After (Blamed on my archnemesis, Atlanta traffic)

The rest of the weekend was pretty relaxed, which was nice after school work picking up and becoming more stressful. We spent a good part of the weekend hanging out, playing games, and just enjoying each other's company. The first night was fun because I was able to model my bridesmaid's dress for Beth. Chad and I wound up scheming about our plans for the wedding...just don't tell Abigail ;) (Abs...I'm kidding!)

Just Practicing

I'm happy to report that like my family, the Russell's are able to laugh when things go wrong. After Aunt Kelly had spent all morning making Easter dinner, the rolls that were in the oven caught on fire! Someone opened the oven and called for a fire extinguisher. At the same time, Abigail and I yelled "SHUT IT". Not that we know from experience or anything, but for anyone that doesn't know, if something catches on fire in your oven, just shut the door and turn it off. The fire will run out of oxygen and die. Also, don't use a fire extinguisher in your house unless you absolutely have to. That stuff coats EVERYTHING in a three room radius. Like I said, not that we know from experience or anything...

Husker, Another Visiting Family Member

Abigail and I also had a good laugh because while we were at someone else's house we still did the exact same thing we do every morning at our house we have to get ready for a family event. The white jeans I packed had a stain on them when I pulled them out so I borrowed Abigail's and then she thought her shirt was too thin so she wound up wearing my back up outfit...all of which we wound up frantically ironing before leaving for church because we were running late. All we could hear was Mom saying, "You should have laid our your clothes the night before!" 

Before Easter service

While the funny parts of the weekend were definitely memorable, I think the highlight of the weekend was watching the History Channel's The Bible Easter night. I was originally going to drive back to Auburn that night but decided to skip my class Monday morning and spend more time in Atlanta. In the big scheme, I'll remember my night at the Russell's but I wouldn't have remembered that class. But back to the show, if you haven't seen it, it's a 4 part series that chronicles the stories of the bible. The episode we watched was the last one which started with the crucifixion and went through the ministries of the apostles. I can't begin to even describe how good the show is. They did an amazing job producing it. We all already know the stories but it's one thing to know it and it's another thing to see it. It really helped me think about the stories from the perspective of the time. For example, what do you think Pontius Pilate was thinking when the whole city got dark just as Jesus died? Or how about how much courage it took for the apostles to go where Jesus sent them even though they knew very well they could be killed? It made me think about something important too...Jesus could have opted out of the crucifixion quite a few times, but he didn't. He went through all that pain. Do you think you would have been able to go through all of that for something you were making up? Which leads me to think either he was the craziest guy who ever existed or he was the real thing.

This is starting to shift into the second part of this post, but I also feel EXTREMELY blessed because it was a good weekend for Beth. She was able to sit downstairs on the love seat for most of the day and we could switch up sitting beside her and chat. Abigail told me this past weekend, that Easter was the first really good weekend Beth had had since the engagement, which was the last time I had been to visit. How lucky did I get to visit on those two weekends?  When I say that I consider myself lucky, I really do. I feel like I was able to really talk to Beth and get to know her better when I visited and for that, I feel truly grateful. 

Three Generations of Mrs. Russell's

I visited Abigail this past weekend (the weekend after Easter) at Furman for one of her showers. Jackie (a fellow bridesmaid, and Abigail's friend from high school) flew in that night too and we were all sitting talking when Abigail got a call from JJ saying his mom was in the hospital and it wasn't good. Instead of me explaining the situation, I'll just repost JJ's blog post from CaringBridge:


Last night at 10PM we had to rush Beth (Mom) to the hospital due to continuous vomiting and stomach pain. After performing a few scans, the Dr. informed us that some unknown source is causing air to leak and build up in her abdominal cavity. Were Beth stronger, and able to handle surgery, finding the source of the air and fixing the problem would not be unbelievably difficult. Unfortunately, the caner and chemo therapy have made her very weak, and surgery is not an option. Thus, we find ourselves in a "wait-and-see" situation.

All we can do is wait-and-see what the Lord decides to do. There's a part of me that wants to make it sound like that's an easy thing right now, but it's not. I know that God is good and that he loves us, but I'm finding it hard to trust His goodness amidst these circumstances. It's crazy to think that he really really does have this whole thing under control...ALL of it!

Although we do not know exactly what is causing Beth's complications, we do know that the situation is very serious. Dr.'s have instructed us to inform family members and loved ones to come and say hi to Beth ASAP. We are at Northside Forsyth Hospital in room 5060.

We are so thankful for the love and community that God has blessed us with! Please continue to pray for Beth's continued peace and comfort - that she would rely on the Spirit to give her peace and provide a way for her. God's exact will for her life is completely unknown to us, but we would love prayers for miraculous healing of her body! Thankfully, He has already done the most beautiful miracle and healed her heart.

JJ

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

- Zephaniah 3:17


We assured Abigail that if she wanted to go Atlanta, then that's what she should do...no one really cared about the shower and this was way more important. What wound up happening was that we moved the shower up in the day and after Abigail drove to Atlanta after. 

I drove home Sunday afternoon and stopped in the hospital on my way back. Abigail said before that this was so new for us because we haven't really been around death (or scary serious illness) before, which is partly true. But besides from my grandfather who passed away when I was 6, we haven't experienced the death of a family member and there really is no guide book for how to deal with this roller coaster.

I was able to talk to Beth for a few minutes and spent the rest of the time with JJ, Abigail and some family and friends. I'm very glad I went, but it was difficult in two ways...first, it was really hard to see Beth looking so weak. While I haven't spend too much Beth, she is one of those people that you can't help loving after meeting. [cue me trying not to cry as I keep writing] I think Abigail said it best when she said Beth has a "gentle spirit". I don't think I've used that phrase before for anyone, but Beth truly embodies it. Another remarkable thing is that I've never heard her complain. Abigail said that the entire Russell family is like that. What an amazing gift to have! How often do we complain about the smallest things? We could all take notes from this part of the Russell book. Finally, and most importantly, Beth and the entire Russell family have an incredible strength of faith. I don't know even where to start on this, but they have the rock solid belief that this is God's will. I wish I could have recording Terry's dinner blessing Easter weekend because that family sure does know how to pray. You can see the depth of their faith in the strength they are able to show even if something this difficult...that even through all this, they can have peace. I think that's what being a Christian is all about...being able to keep your beliefs when things get hard and then in turn, to use as your strength when you have none. 

Three Generations of Beautiful Wedding Rings

The second difficult part of visiting the hospital is seeing people you love hurting. The image I keep going back to is Terry holding Beth's hand by her bed, head bent, just praying. It hurts my heart so much to even think about the pain of having a ill spouse. And while, I love everyone in the Russell family, I can't tell you how hard it is to see your sister hurting. While the Russell's, Abigail, and I all have our faith, it still doesn't make any of this easy. It's still really hard. And you know what? Life is pretty darn hard sometimes.

But you know what else? Life is still GREAT. Leaving the hospital really helped put my life in perspective for me. While I still have problems, in the big picture, they are so minuscule in comparison to other people's problems. It reminded me of the quote, "If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back". So while life is hard sometimes, and it's so easy to complain, they are 100x more things we should be thanking God for. And those are the things we should be really putting our energy into.

Abigail and Husker

As I was saying goodbye, Terry said, "Thank you for coming and for joining our family". My response was, "Thank you for letting me join your family". I know this post doesn't do this incredible family justice but I am beyond thankful to know them and glad to know that this is who Abigail is going to be spending the rest of her life with. And while, I'm not the one marrying into this family I would be proud to call them my family too :)

As I was about halfway through this post, my mom texted me to tell me that Beth was going in for surgery at 6:30 (in 20 min, now) so this is my official pray request. Please storm Heaven asking to guide the doctors through a safe and successful surgery and for a full recovery. I'll go ahead and repost the last two posts from CaringBridge here as well so everyone can be up to speed. If you want to keep getting updates you can visit the site here.


some prayers answered and still asking for more
Written Apr 9, 2013 12:09pm by Beth Russell

It's been over 72 hours since Beth was admitted for a hole somewhere in her intestines. The DR's have been monitoring her vital signs very closely and giving her multiple IV meds to keep her nourished, hydrated, antibiotics, blood transfusions, platelets, etc and her vitals have improved each day.
We are so thankful for the outpouring of love and support from family, neighbors and friends. The 'body of 'Christ' has been amazing and we feel it on an hourly/daily basis.
She's not out of the woods yet but things are improving. She has a PET scan set for 2pm today (to get an update on the status of her cancer) then a CT scan in the next couple of days to give a update to the leak in her stomach and what the 'next steps' will be.
Please pray for her pain (it's been better but still seems to spike several times a day) the results of both scans and for guidance from the DR's as to what comes next. We're yet to get any answers as to what's caused the current problem in her stomach and would like to get an answer with a 'game-plan' to fix.

Col: 1:11 - May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Terry

Prayers needed! Emergency surgery

Written 11 minutes ago by Beth Russell

Beth's scan this afternoon showed a hole in her colon and she needs emergency surgery. they've taken her back to fix the hole and to put another colostomy in. 
We have no other options at this point and know that God is with her. She went into the O.R. with a smile on her face and a glow that resonated a 'peace' from God.
Please pray for the DR's and the surgery and that God would be with her both physically and emotionally.

Phil 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Oh, itz uh VIDEO!!!

The weird, the normal, the Spanish.

Strike A Pose!

If you want to keep up with my pictures from Spain, you can look at this website! 

http://abigailisinspain.shutterfly.com

Its super easy, but sadly not chronological. 

Enjoy the randomness of what is my life.

xox

Abs

Galicia!

Hello friends! 

     This past weekend we had a beautiful trip to Galicia, the northern part of Spain. It's normally very rainy here but we were very blessed because we did not see a single rain drop until we were getting on the bus to come home! I wish I could even attempt to recount the trip, but it was so phenomenal that my words cannot do it justice. This was a Furman planned trip (thanks tuition!!!) so we didn't have to pay and we all got to travel together. Our bonding began on the 6 hour bus ride while we sang karaoke and decided to make our own music video throughout the whole semester. We wanted a song that we'd all enjoy so we naturally chose Oops, I did it again. Brook is absolutely in love and obsessed with everything Britany, so she gave us inspiration! I'm in charge of directing, filming, and making the video and im so excited to do it!!

Ok, now back to the Galicia trip.. 
When we got to galicia, our first two nights were spent in La Caruña. It's a beautiful city surrounded by the ocean and a river. Like every night in Galicia, we all sat down to a dinner together in the hotel that usually seafood and delicious wine. Galicia is known for both of those, especially their octopus(pulpo) and white wine. After our first of four beautiful dinners, we all went to the beach at night!

     Every place we went was prettier than the next! We got to travel around and explore la Caruña and go into ancient cathedrals. Friday night was our last night in A Caruña and we all hung out in Camerons and my amazing corner room and Mario, Dr. massei's husband even came with us!! I cannot get over how diverse and fun my group is! Another blessing from the Galicia trip was two of the days we didn't have to be ready until 12 so God was so gracious and faithful by giving me a whole morning to spend time with him! I was and am so excited and thankful for it. 

    Saturday was Definitey one of my favorite days because we went to Santiago! Santiago is one of the three holiest cities in the world and is home of the cathedral de Santiago, which is the the final destination of the Camino de Santiago. This is the pilgrimage that begins in France and ends in Santiago. I think I would absolutely love to make this pilgrimage and am thinking about doing after graduation. I actually kind of already have my heart already set on it!! During Saturday, we also went to some of the prettiest places I've ever seen. Like I said, it usually rains in Galicia but we had perfectly blue skys that made for amazing views.

      Saturday night Rachel, Elise, Sarah, and I went to downtown Santiago and got to experience their nightlife! Rachel and I got lost their during the day, and we didn't do much better at night, but that's half the fun! Right across from the cathedral, we found a Spanish band playing where we danced and celebrated with people who had just finished their
Camino de Santiago. Rachel told me that Santiago is know for their stars so of course we laid down in the middle of the plaza to see the stars and the cathedral at night! After that, we decided to go meet some locals and everyone just goes out and plays, celebrates, and dances in the street. Spanish culture is so free and fun!

     We experienced this aspect of the culture on Sunday when we first went to a beautiful beach that reminded me of Massachusetts but then on an cruise to try fresh seafood and wine! Like I said, we did a lot of bonding on this trip, but this was easily everyone's favorite day together. The cruise we pretty chill but became super fun! We saw dolphins the whole cruise, tried mussels (EW), drank white Galician wine, and had a dance party on the top of the boat! Such a good time!

     After the cruise, we went on a mini train ride around the city to learn more. For lunch everyday, Furman gave us 15€ that we could spend. It was super nice because we didn't have to try to save money but could totally feast. 

     After a couple other smaller stops to see beautiful views, we stay for a bit in this  tiny, old city near the river. This is a unique river because it's where the river and ocean meet so the water is actually salty. We decided to be spontaneous so Elizabeth, Katie, Cameron, and I decided to jump into the water! The water was numbing at first but then felt great. We may or may not have made a scene and had old Spanish men call us loco but it was definitely one of  my favorite moments of the trip.

The whole trip to Galicia was fantastic and much needed. We had an exam last week and I also have to get up at 6:30 everyday to make it to class on time, so it was a nice time to play and change the pace. I can't believe how fast time is passing here but I'm so thankful to be in Spain living on my own and exploring this beautiful world. 

xox
Abigail 

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words

This past weekend, I visited Galicia, the Northern part of Spain! 

Here's my weekend through my iPhone (:

Where I was playing:

What I was seeing:

What I was reading:

What I was buying:

Where I was living:

Who I was living with:

What I was listening to:

Hasta luego!

Museo de Thyssen

Hola todos! 

My adventures in Spain have almost reached two weeks! I can't believe how quickly time has passed. We went to the thyseen last Saturday afternoon and if you were born in 1992, you got in for free to celebrate their 20th birthday! I'm going to be honest and say that I'm one of those people who do not particular adore museums, so free entrance was a definite win in my book. The majority of the group went and since there are about 15 of us, we tend to move rather slowly. This time it wasn't as much of a problem because everyone could look at the art at their own pace. It was crazy to see these paintings from so long ago! Such amazing detail that brought you back to exactly when it was painted. It was like time traveling. I also loved the 'religious paintings' sections because as I was looking at dates that went all the way back to the 1400's, I was reminded of how transcendent God's love story to us is. 

We also went through a room of 'retratos' or portraits. All these important people had commissioned a painter to capture the memory of who they were. I realized that however important they were, I, and most of these people looking at their portrait legitimately have no idea who they were. I couldnt help but to think about what I'm doing on earth  and what kind of legacy I'm leaving. Is it even about leaving a legacy and making my name known to be remembered? 

Millions and millions of people have gone before me and passed, but what impact have they left. In one part it makes me feel insanely small, like anything I do will be forgotten. On the other side, I'm pushed to ask if its even about being remembered or about making something else big? What about God? I know that as a daughter of Christ, I have been chosen by Christ, not by my own work but out of his pure grace and mercy. For this reason, I know that my life and soul are counted as precious, but what's the point in making my own name or any of my achievements important if this whole world is going to pass away. There will not be a u-haul behind my hearse. Matthew 6:19-21 tells us, 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy,and where thieves break in and steal.

 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  God is showing me that there is no way that I will ever find contentment in this world if I continue to store up my treasure here. By Christ's strength, If everything I live to do is to serve and glorify the Lord, I am storing up my treasure in heaven--a place that will never fall away but is a "kingdom that can never be shaken." Jesus tells us that wherever were storing up our treasure, there our heart, desire, and love is. We have two options: the fleeting world or the Lord's eternal kingdom. Even as I'm writing this, I am being convicted of how much I fail and choose the world over Jesus. I choose to continue walking and not offer a smile. I choose facebook over quiet time. I choose to worry about exams and not give God praise for going to school. This is when I look toward the cross and am reminded that everyday my sinful heart desires to not choose Jesus but that He reached down to me and told me that I don't have to strive to be prefect or important. He has made me perfectly righteous through His sacrifice! Even when I feel like the people in these painting, I can look to the cross and be reminded that with and through Christ, He will push and teach my sinful heart to store up my treasure in heaven. He is teaching me that this world is about making Him famous, and about leaving a legacy by telling others about the radical, beautiful, in changing love that Christ has for every person. 


In Christ,
Abigail 

Some Bloggy Love!

First off, we just want to say THANK YOU for everyone that has been so supportive of our blog. It's fun that everyone is loving this as much as we are.

We just put some new buttons on here and changed how the comments work so this is going to be a quick post to show you what's going on!

So to start off...comments. We'd love to hear from you. Let us know what you're thinking with a quick comment!

At the bottom of our posts you can click to comment. You either click on "No comments" or "1 comment" or whatever it says based on how many comments we have.

You can change the drop down box options and select Name/URL and enter your name and comment and then just publish it! 

Next up...following us. If you have a Gmail, Yahoo, or Blogger account (there might be more choices but I'm not sure), you can follow us. Just click on the Followers link on our right sidebar!

And finally, if you REALLY want to be in the know about whenever we post you can follow us by e-mail! With this you'll get an e-mail about any new posts. The button is on the right sidebar as well.

Yay! So go on and leave us some bloggy love because WE LOVE YOU TOO :)

xoxo

Jar O' Encouragement

Before I left for Madrid for this semester, I decided that I wanted to do something for JJ, my boyfriend, to encourage him while I cannot physically be there for him. I wanted to do something that when he needed a pick-me-up would push him directly back into the loving arms of our Lord. Words are very important to me and carry a lot of meaning, so I decided to do something for him that could dictate what I may or may not be able to tell him while I am away.

This is what I came up with: Jar o’ Encouragement

It was simple to make, but carries so much meaning! First thing I did was choose a theme verse which is, 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” I based all my notes around this verse and used it as my goal for each note! I wanted to make it even more personal, so I went to Hobby Lobby and went sticker-crazy picking some fun ones that would make JJ laugh.

The other thing I love about the jar is that when I gave it to JJ, he laughed and then pulled out this:

He made me a Box o' Encouragement! God totally merged our brains together in a way that would bring both of us closer to Himself. For the past week that I have been in Spain, these jars and notes have been so encouraging for both of us! God has used it to bring smiles, peace, laughter, and show His love and faithfulness. I can’t wait to see what other gifts God brings through this little jar!

Could you bless someone in your life by encouraging them and reminding them of God’s beautiful, unchanging love for them? Who comes to mind? What’s stopping you?

xoxo

Doodle Bug

What better way to pass time in class than to get to know more about Jesus??

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

-Matthew 4:19

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

– Psalm 19:1

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

-Psalm 16:11

 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

-Galatians 2:20

Estoy en Espana!

HOLA AMIGOS!!!!

     So here goes my first crocus lane blog post (Katie’s and my super sweet shared sisters blog!)! I am currently in my apartment in Madrid and I will be in this lovely city for the next 87 days.. but who is counting?! It has been a huge adjustment but I’m starting to really, really like it here! The fabulous Cameron Simon lives with me in our 5^th floor apartment that belongs to our Senor, Rosa. I am so thankful that we are living together as I cannot imagine being here alone. Also, Cameron is a vegetarian too, and living in a meat loving society like Spain, its way easier for Rosa to cook for us both being vegetarians.

Spain’s whole eating schedule is really different than the US’s, and that’s been one huge adjustment for me. Breakfast, aka my favorite meal of the day, is nonexistent. Dang it. Most Spaniards take a cup of coffee or tea and go, and so far that has not been enough to satisfy my seemly endless pit of a stomach. Lunch is at about 3 and dinner is at 10 so my struggle is that I feel like I don’t get enough food to feel normal during the rest of that time. Although I brought some special K protein bars, I believe a trip to the supermarket is in store! Apart from the food, I’m really like the culture and learning a lot of Spanish already. One of Rosa’s favorite words is traquilla, which means calm or relax—definitely an area that Spain focuses on! I hope that I’ll be able to learn to adopt this mindset and hopefully bring it back to Furman and the Scheid house.

Overall, the culture is just fabulous and I can’t help to think about how each of these people are complete strangers to be that speak and totally different dialect, yet function normally in their own lives. It would seem by chance that they were born in Spain and thus adopted this culture as their own, just like we have in the United States. Even as I am listening from my window to a father talking to his sons, I am learning quickly that we are all in a huge part what we learn from our culture. The beautiful part of that is that our sovereign God has specifically chosen where we will be born and unto which family.

“which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords”  -1 Timothy 6:15

        Jesus knows me and the small details about my life in Louisville, Greenville and Madrid, but He also know and cares about these details for every single person in Madrid. Although they may seem like random strangers that are products of their culture, each and every soul is a beautiful masterpiece that reflects Jesus’ endlessly creative mind and His unwavering love and grace for each of His people.

Praising our Lord that He is the one and only controller of all the details in each of our lives no matter the circumstance or place. 

Besitos para todos!!