Common Composure

Joey’s Trip to Honduras

Annie Frey — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:12:21 +0000

My mom and brother have spent the last week in Honduras on a mission trip with our church, Trinity Lutheran Ministries in Edwardsville. My mom is a Honduras veteran, maybe her 10th year this year, but this was Joey’s first trip. He posted the below words on the Facebook page where they story their week, and I wanted to share them with you.

Click to view slideshow.

Written by Joey Rathert:

I’ve never been out of the country until this week. I had some idea of what to expect because my mom and sister, Katie, had tried to prepare me. They used words and pictures, but no number of words and no number of pictures could prepare me for what I’ve seen. “It is a very poor country,” the…y told me. They were right. But the statement does not do the poverty justice. You have to see it with your eyes. “The people are very kind,” they assured me. But that statement does not do the graciousness justice. You have to feel it with your heart.

The combination of those two characteristics doesn’t quite mesh, especially for a middle-class American like me. At home we often gauge our happiness based on material things that can be bought with money or achieved through our ambition. This way of thinking will always leave us disappointed. However, there is one characteristic the Hondurans and I share – we are sinners. It was great to see how many of the people here have already received the gift of salvation through their faith in Jesus.

However, many times while speaking to the people at the brigades about their faith (or lack thereof), they express feelings of despair, as if they were sure that their sins were just too great for God to seriously be interested in any kind of personal relationship with them. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we have been able to share the very Good News through his Word. Now we have one more thing in common with some of these people we have seen this week — the assurance of eternity with our heavenly Father through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!

Filed under: Lutheran Tagged: Edwardsville, Honduras, Illinois, Lutheran, Ministries, Mission, Trinity, Trip, WGO, World Gospel Outreach

Amazing Cardinals Tribute Video

Annie Frey — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:51:40 +0000

If you ever played ball with your dad in the yard. If your grandpa ever turned you around at the plate and forced you to hit with your non-dominant hand. If you’ve ever dreamed a dream that is so beyond your wildest grasp of reality. If you’ve ever been the unexpected, accidental hero and felt so wildly blessed because of it…

“What would you have said if someone would have told you you were going to be the World Series MVP?”
“No chance.”

Phillipians 4:13

Filed under: Random Tagged: 2011, Albert Pujols, Baseball, cardinals, Cards, champions, Champs, David Freese, Lance Berkmann, MLB, Molina, St. Louis, stl, Tony LaRussa, Tribute, video, World Series, Yadi, Yadier

Go Cougars!

Annie Frey — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:23:34 +0000

Look! We’re tied on ESPN!

Yay for my alma mater

Filed under: Random

2012 Superbowl Commercial: Awesome.

Annie Frey — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:15:54 +0000

Filed under: Raves Tagged: bark, barking, Bowl, Commercial, dogs, star, Super, the bark side, Volkswagen, wars

Scenes from Peel

Annie Frey — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:27:15 +0000

While waiting for a table (always worthwhile) to celebrate Jarrod’s new job, two high school students sat down next to me in their Roxana lettermen’s jackets.

A businessman in a loosened tie with beer in hand walks passed them, pauses, and says, “R? What’s R?”

The boys reply, “Roxana…”

The businessman nods his head and moves to the other end of the bar. The boys then go into a ten minute diatribe about the amazing history and relevance of the town of Roxana.

Did you know that they have the second largest refinery in the United States and the eighth largest in the world? I didn’t, but I do now.

Apparently the one boy’s dad thinks the largest American refinery is in Texas.

Is my table ready yet?

As a matter if fact it is.

Filed under: Random

Adam Wainwright is Obsessed with Who?

Annie Frey — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:30:17 +0000

“I am obsessed with Tim Tebow,” Wainwright said according to an MLB.com story. “I’m not afraid to say it. It’s almost embarrassing to us athletes that this much emphasis is put on Tim Tebow because that means we aren’t living our lives as we should. If we did that more often, the way he is living wouldn’t be as big a story. I’m so proud of him for living out his faith.

“Tim Tebow is such a great role model. I feel like he’s the face of sports right now, and rightfully so. He gives the whole nation something to believe in. It’s a story of hope.”

Full Story

Filed under: Random

Excuse me while I vent…

Annie Frey — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:17:32 +0000

Many of you have been asking and sadly my response has not changed. Yes, I’m still here, and yes, I still feel terrible. I keep trying to put it out of mind, as if a mental showdown with myself is the best medicine. (Actually, that makes me sound like I may need a different kind of med…) I’ve gone through three different anti-nausea prescriptions (Zofran, Reglan, and Phenergen…in that order) and none of them have left me feeling relief. So, I’ve stopped taking them. I’m constantly loading up on water. I’ve not been able to drink anything carbonated (the bubbles are not my friend). I find myself drawn to foods that are natural and basic (meats, fruits, some veggies). The biggest game changers in how I feel are hunger and cold. Yes, I’m crazy. I know. But get me out of bed in the morning on an empty stomach and put my bare feet on the cold bathroom tile and there is a single guaranteed result.

I’m doing my best not to complain, or at least, not make it anyone else’s problem. Jarrod and I go hardly anywhere and we do hardly anything. My evenings home from work consist of an hour or two of finishing up that day’s work on the lap top and are quickly followed up by an early bedtime. When I sleep I don’t feel sick. Until I wake up in the middle of the night (because pregnant women sacrifice full nights of sleep due to frequent potty breaks) and once again I have to fight the cold bathroom floor.

I write this almost more as a blog to myself. Once pregnancy is far enough from the brain and you’re absorbed in captivating coos, tiny fingers wrapped tightly around your pinky, and the soft sweet stare of your newborn baby’s eyes…all of the less than glamorous pregnancy stuff seems to fade.

I always thought I’d have four children. I didn’t want to have three because I didn’t want to have a middle child (different blog for a different time…ha!). And two just never seemed enough.

Now I’m asking myself…

Can two be enough?

Filed under: Baby

Animal Sounds

Annie Frey — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:18:21 +0000

You know you don’t own labs and retrievers when you ask your son, “What does a puppy say?” And he says, “Ahhhoooooooooooooooooooo!”

Beagles rule.

Filed under: Random Tagged: beagles

Where Have I Been?

Annie Frey — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:38:32 +0000

As most, if not all, of you know, we are expecting baby #2 in late July. My time not spent working has been spent on the couch or in bed with a severe case of nausea (and the impending doom that follows the nausea). I’m on anti-nausea meds, but I have a huge question for any of my readers out there.

How did or do you combat morning sickness…okay…all day sickness that comes along with pregnancy? I’m interested in anything tried and true because this is kicking my butt.

Help!

Filed under: Random Tagged: advice, help, morning, nausea, pregnancy, sickness, trimester

Merry Christmas

Annie Frey — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 15:41:42 +0000

From the Frey home, Christmas morning.

Filed under: Random