Another Day in Paradise

There's a country song that describes elements of a day in the life of a family: kids screaming, phone ringing, dog barking, overdue bills, sour milk and broken appliances, to name a few. The singer says, though, " Well, it's ok. It's so nice. It's just another day in paradise. Well, there's no place that I'd rather be. Well, it's two hearts and one dream. I wouldn't trade it for anything. And I ask the Lord every night for just another day in paradise." This has become Jesse's catchphrase when he's had just a normal day with nothing out of the ordinary, which is where the title of our website came from.

At first I was about to sum our week up that way, to say it's been just an ordinary week with nothing unusual or exciting. To say that, though, would actually be incorrect. As I re-thought the events of the week, I was struck by how out of the ordinary it truly was.

To start with, last weekend my brother came home from college for the first time in a month. We joined him, my mom, and some friends for dinner Friday night at Red Robin, one of my favorite restaurants. Afterwards, everyone parted ways, and David and Jesse went to a movie while I went home. As I sat there that night, on this very computer, a lyric in a song I was listening to stuck out to me, and a whole series of thoughts began to go through my head as I contemplated the line of the song. I began to write out my thoughts and ended up with a poem that kinda expressed the cry of my heart for God. On Sunday, at church I was able to share what I had written leaving much of the congregation (and myself) in tears. In fact, my mom even took it to work and began to pass out copies to her coworkers and quite a few people asked me for copies. It was awesome that God moved so mightily from something I had written. That afternoon, about 25 of my family members gathered together at my aunt's house for an end of summer BBQ. We celebrated one of my cousin's birthday and spent the afternoon eating lots of food and playing "telepictionary". By early evening, though, Jesse and I realized we needed to go home to partake in the daily grind that we call "laundry" for we were running out of clothes to wear in the upcoming week.

While the next 3 days were fairly uneventful as far as our jobs or school go, we spent those days in a pregnancy scare, wondering if I was pregnant or not. That amounted to quite the emotional roller-coaster, especially for me. I'm nearly 23 and have always just wanted to be a wife and a mom. But as thrilled as I would be to find out that we were going to have a baby, it's intimidating to think of it happening so early in our marriage. We'll be parents the rest of our lives and only newlyweds for a short amount of time. I also know that while I'm older, Jesse isn't quite 21 yet and has expressed not feeling quite ready to be a dad yet. So, thinking that I may be pregnant now triggered dreaming of the excitement of a baby, but wondering about every aspect of how this would change our lives including: where we'd live, if we could afford a 2 bedroom house, if I could get away without me working, what we'd name the baby, how my body would change, how I would tell certain people, etc. After 2 sleepless nights and 3 negative pregnancy tests later, we discovered by Wednesday that I was, in fact, not pregnant. Jesse was really great the whole way through it. He didn't freak out at all about the possibility of being a dad so soon and comforted me through the difficult emotions.

Thursday, we took time out to relax at home from the exhausting week we'd already faced. We spent the evening at home. Jesse cooked dinner and we hung out watching our favorite reality shows.

And then, just when the week comes to an end and you think you can breathe, a million things happen at once. Fortunately, our's were mostly good.

For one, Jesse and I both got paid. We always love our paydays!!! In addition to that, though, because of a fall training I had to go through, my paycheck was about twice what it normally is, which is super!!! On top of that, I found out a few weeks ago that I was given an additional grant in my financial aid at school. Well, this extra grant meant that when we were going to owe money to my school, we were now going to be refunded money since the aid surpassed what my tuition would cost. I didn't think I would receive this money until December at the end of the term, but found out yesterday that I could pick up my check that very day in the school office. So on top of our paychecks, I received an extra check for over $1300, which is even $400 more than I expected it to be! With all of that, we went out and bought a new TV, much better than the 12 in. one we've been using, and Jesse got a new video game he was wanting, and I got to go shopping and buy new clothes. We ended the night by having my aunt, who's a nurse, remove Jesse's stitches. While his cut is all healed up, it appears that he has a bit of an infection. So we just have to keep watching it and make sure it doesn't get any worse.

The only downside to the day was that we finally received the hospital bill that we've been dreading for Jesse's stitches. The local anesthetic was roughly $30, the X-Ray was near $150, the emergency room was about $640 and the doctor's services were about $680. The total bill was upwards of $1550. They took off $200 since we don't have insurance and then another $100 because we paid that in the ER. So we're down to about $1250. We have to make a payment within 20 days, but otherwise there's no minimum payment that has to be made and they'll simply keep sending us bills until it's all paid. So while it's another expense, at least it's not a high-pressure expense with a due date on it or any interest accrued.

Today, Jesse and I spent most of the day apart. He invited several guys over to watch the Oregon Ducks lose on our new TV while I went shopping with my cousin. Afterwards, he stayed home to play his video game while I went over to my mom's to scrapbook with her. Jesse joined us later and my mom made us dinner, then Jesse came back home while I stayed there a few more hours.

I'm not really sure what our plans are for tomorrow or what exciting things will happen this next week. As for now, though, I'm going to spend some time with my husband as we end another day in paradise.

My Poem: How Effective am I?

When I walk, do the marks left behind resemble the Savior whose steps I strive to follow? Does my trail of footprints direct a lost generation to Him? (Psalm 17:5 & 1 Peter 2:21)

When I speak, is it with unsealed lips and a mouth that praises God unashamedly? Do my words overflow from an undefiled heart? (Psalm 51:15 & Matthew 15:18)

When I smile, does it reveal a divine romance with my King? Does my expression show a joy found only in knowing that I am loved by the Lord? (Psalm 5:11 & 1 John 4:16)

When I stand, is it with the authority of a God who moves mountains and brings nations to their knees? Is it with the humility of knowing that it is Him and not me? (Luke 10:19, Romans 14:11,& Phillipians 2:13)

Does the desire that screams from deep inside of me make a sound to those around? Does the cry of my heart echo in their ears? (Isaiah 26:8,9 Psalm 57:2)

Does the love that swells up within me touch the hearts of those I encounter? Does my passion for God leaving a lasting imprint on their lives? (Romans 12:9)

Does my presence convey a tangible expression of God's unconditional love? As I outstretch my arms to embrace another, do they see an image of the cross that bridges the gap between them and God? (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)

Am I an example in my life, my love, my faith, and my purity of a holy and omnipotent God who gave His life in unfailing adoration? Does who I am reflect who my God is? (1 Timothy 4:12 & John 1:14)

In the Past Week

Last Friday, Jesse and I drove up to Newberg to visit my brother David, and my friends Jenny and Sam, who are all attending George Fox University. After touring the campus and visiting a bit, I went back to the hotel while Jesse hung out with the guys. My cousin, Ben, was just getting off of work in Eugene around 11:30 and planned on taking the 2 hour journey to Newberg, arriving in the little town close to 2:00am. At this point the guys were gonna visit the "Man Hole". Having never seen this place, I can't really tell you exactly what it is, and, being a woman, I'd probably never go, but the way it's been described to me is being a drainage system just under the highway in which you can slide down into a little pool. I've been assured it's not a sewer system, though. Well, at about 3:00am, David walks into my hotel room and tells me I need to get up and get dressed. We need to go to the hospital. Apparently, each guy slid down once and on Jesse's turn, he turned his foot in a way that scraped his ankle against, most likely, a rock. This cut Jesse's ankle open, right on the bone, and it was clear he needed stitches. So we loaded up and met at the local Emergency Room as Jesse got sutured up. This is, of course, not how any of us wanted to end the night. However, what made it the most frustrating is the fact that Jesse's insurance has not kicked in and we had no idea what this hospital visit was going to cost us. We all tried to keep positive attitudes and made light of the situation. I knew that it was necessary for this to be done. Therefore, my response was just to trust that God was going to provide and not worry about it. Now, 4 days later, Jesse is healing very well with almost no pain at all. We're hoping to have my aunt, who's a nurse, remove the stitches saving us another hospital visit. He won't have them removed for another week and 1/2, though, to ensure healing.

After getting back into town and back to work the following Monday, I had a job interview concerning a new position available at my work. As of right now, I work at the Teen Center which is an after-school program for middle-schoolers. They drop in whenever they want and have games and activities. We provide snack and help them with their homework and I simply supervise them until it's time to go home. The new position would make me Site Coordinator over the after-school program at the school itself. Here, the kids devote themselves to staying after school and working on their homework with assistance and attending classes such as jewelry making or dance. I'd be organizing and scheduling the classes that the kids would be attending, and I'd be overseeing the teaching of those classes, making sure everything is running smoothly. It'd be a $3 an hour raise and I'd be working at least 4 more hours a week (when you only work 15 hours a week, that's a big deal). Well, I felt God pulling at me to apply for this job. I know that I am more than qualified to do it and it'd provide opportunity for some nice changes. I had the interview on Monday with my current boss. I didn't feel that the interview really showed my ability to lead the program, but I hoped my reputation with my boss and my application would shine. I had no clue, though, the type of competition I may be against and wasn't sure how I'd stand up. Well, today, 2 days later, I was informed by my boss that I did not receive the position. I have quite mixed feelings about it, mainly because I don't know what kept me from getting it. However, I know that I prayed as I went to apply and as I did my interview, and I'm trusting that God shut the door for a reason. Obviously He has something else in mind, either a different position or I'm supposed to stay where I am. My boss, however, does want to meet with me in the next couple of weeks and discuss how I could move up in the company and says she does see that happening. Perhaps, God will give me direction through that. Meanwhile, it allowed me the opportunity to witness to my boss simply telling her of my faith in God to lead me where He wants me to go. Perhaps, that's what it was all about. I don't know. As of right now, though, I feel like God is taking me through a time of change and preparing me to step into the ministry He has for me, but I have no idea what it looks like or how to get there. So for now, I'm waiting on direction.

As for Jesse and me together, we're finally settling into our routine again after a stressful week last week. Jesse had a lot of demanding orders with his job and was working overtime to compensate for it. I was pulled between school and work and all sorts of family obligations. That left both of us exhausted once we got home. And we'd been going out of town nearly every weekend for the past month. So this week, we are enjoying the relaxation and highly anticipating the upcoming weekend...

All About It

After being inspired by a co-worker, I decided to start this website. I figured it would be a really easy way to update all of those people who are far away about the day-to-day happenings in the lives of the Petersons. Here, we can post pictures and tell you about any breaking news in the household. You can check in on us regularly and comment on our stuff. Hope this helps to bridge the gap between miles!

Answers to Prayers

It was now 15 months since we had officially broken up and the journal encompassed every end of the spectrum concerning our relationship. It took a week for Jesse to pick it up, but when he did, he read the entire thing in one sitting. He was completely moved by the amount of love that I expressed for him, even in the darkest times. He had never felt that much love from anyone before, not even his parents. He knew that the love that I had given him was a tangible picture of God’s unconditional love for him. He also knew that he couldn’t imagine his life without me. He had tried to deny it many times, but admitted that even when he didn’t want to be with me, he still knew we would ultimately end up together. When he sat down to talk to me about it all, he described all of this to me. Neither of us was sure what to do next, but we wanted to make sure that it was according to God’s will. So while we both knew that we would end up getting married at that moment, we knew that we needed time to wait and pray for direction. While I was so happy to be where we were, it was really difficult knowing how to define our relationship. We talked about the kind of house we wanted to live in someday and about our future family, etc. But I couldn’t hold his hand even though it brushed up against mine and I couldn’t call him my boyfriend or anything more. Fortunately, we got the green light to go forward with our relationship before too much longer. Jesse went to my brother first and got his permission to date me, since my brother is the primary male figure in my family. And then on January 5, 2008, he informed me that we could now be together. I say “informed” because it went a little something like this: “So, we’re going out now.” I laughed and told him that he better not propose to me like that (“So, we’re engaged now.”)!

A month later, Jesse had lunch with my mom and asked her for my hand in marriage. And on February 12, 2007, Jesse and I spent a beautiful day at the coast where he later got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I, of course, responded, “ABSOLUTELY!” (You don’t wait 2 years for someone and hesitate…!) The speech he gave was short and sweet, but was followed by a moment that has defined our marriage. After kisses and hugs and pictures, we sat upon a big boulder on the beach and lifted everything up to God. We asked Him to teach us how to love each other as God loves us. We surrendered all of the wedding planning to His hands, asking Him to be over every detail. We prayed that our relationship would be a testimony to all who see it, and that our love for each other would overflow to those around us.

Four and ½ months later, I celebrated the greatest answer to prayer that I’ve ever received by marrying the love of my life. The months that led up to this were filled with joy and excitement, and as I stood in that dressing room, I had a complete peace about every detail of the ceremony. As Jesse and the groomsmen stood out in the courtyard posing for photographs, I watched from a 2nd story window and gazed at the amazing gift God had given me down below.

When it was time to walk down the aisle, the chapel doors opened and Jesse’s face lit up. Those who were there describe this as one of their favorite moments. They could just tell how excited he was and how much he loved me. Every piece of the ceremony was scripted to tell the story of our love. We chose the songs specifically to describe our love for God and had them sung in the midst of the ceremony in a time of worship to Him. Our vows were picked because they specifically depicted our goals for our marriage. Our candles were lit by both of our parents to symbolize the roles they played in bringing us up. And we lit the unity candle with these candles during a slideshow of our childhood photos and the song “God Blessed the Broken Road”. Furthermore, the entire wedding party, band, and ushers were comprised completely of our youth group members. Each decision made to tell a little bit of who we are and what God has done in our relationship.


It began with God changing our hearts towards each other. Then He revealed a love that neither of us had ever experienced before. He allowed us to lose our relationship to engrain His love for us deeply on our hearts. Although in different ways, we each learned the depths of God’s love for us. And then He brought us back together, creating a union made to mirror His love to other people. Jesse and I believe wholeheartedly that our marriage should be a testimony to all who see it and hear its story. We take that calling seriously in the affection we show towards each other, the way we talk to each other, even the way we argue with each other. We know that God has put us in each other’s lives for a purpose greater than we can achieve on our own and, even more, greater than we could ever know. We look forward to seeing where God takes us on this journey and praise Him for all He has done and will do. This is a love story continually being written by God…