Chief End... Glorify Christ

Home Decor Project

2011-10-09T15:51:00.001-07:00

First of all: this is not my area. I like to scrap book. That is usually the extent of my craftiness.

Thanks to pinterest, I am being more crafty. Yesterday I saw this on pinterest:

Decided to make an H for the Henry household.
Bought:
Canvas
Paint
Buttons (most expensive item- try to catch them on sale instead of getting them same day bc you can't wait to be crafty!)
Thread (had some but wanted heavier)
Ribbon

And below is the progress:

I arranged buttons, superglued them so they would stay, then sewed them on. I wanted the sewing look and to make sure they would stay, but needed them to stay in place. I started off free sewing with out them glued and noticed I started getting crooked.

I could have ordered one for $60 on etsy, but instead made it a Rainy day project...

$30 supplies at hobby lobby
(have a lot of left over buttons bc they don't sell black by itself and I didn't wait for a sale)
And 3 hours of work (while also doing laundry and other projects while canvas dried)

I am getting craftier.. Started crocheting today.

Dog hat instead of human hat= need more practice!

Craftiness for His glory...

I finally went to ALDI

2011-09-07T16:31:00.001-07:00

I admit it--- it's pretty great. I don't exactly how much I saved, but I know I won't have to shop for 2 weeks and only spent $100. We on average spend that much a week. So looking pretty beneficial. My experience also gave me a sweet reminder of China. All the grocery stores we went to there-- you have to use recycle bags or pay for some and you also have to bag it yourself after you check out at a counter. I will be returning....to say the least. Refer to Mary Rachel or Emily's ALDI blogs for the detailed lay out of ALDI. (not sure how to insert link from my phone)

Glorifying Christ in groceries....

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First Day

2011-08-28T20:39:00.001-07:00

I knew tomorrow was my first day of teaching as a graduated, certified teacher. I started working about a month ago... Working on enrollment, supply orders, organizing, etc. I felt ready and prepared, when we got a few curve balls that put us down a student teacher and then temporarily down the director, too. We had undergrad orientation this week along with open house. They both went wonderfully. I am a teacher. That just really clicked a couple hours ago that I am a grown up. I am making money that pays for the water coming out of the faucet I just did dishes in. Even though I've been married and helping provide those things the past 2 years, it just became surreal and real for the first time. Not sure if any of that makes sense...
I'll never be rid of "first days of school" but this year I'm on the other side of the classroom door...

Glorifying Him in "first days"....

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news from the phone to the blog

2011-08-13T18:04:00.001-07:00

A few things...
1- testing out the ability to post from the phone! Hopefully I will reflect more with the ability to blog anywhere.
2- listen to that first point in your head.... I am so overly blessed by the Lord and therefore over fortunate and "wealthy" compared to over 75% of this world. How can I ever complain about anything?! -- seriously! May we serve those around us and far from us, daily.
3- Korey, his stepdad Clint, and one of his best friends Jeff are finishing our month long project of a fence! We built it for our landlord and are excited for our dog (and maybe someday our first child) to have a yard to play in!
5- University Fellowship Church (our church) has moved onto campus in Stubbeman Village/Place. We are just west of the dorm towers. Our store front/room will be used as the church office and for anyone study/hangout. We'll also hopefully have a Wednesday night discussion group. Korey and I are excited to be a part of this extension with Andrew and Mary Rachel Fenrick and the rest of UFC.
4- working for OU in the fall is official! I am a mentor teacher full time at the OU Institute of Child Development (preschool on campus but open to anyone).

I am looking forward to meeting all the new children and families and reuniting with those from the spring!

Read this summer: Safely Home, Treasuring God in Our Traditions
Currently reading: Radical Together, 10 Things Every Minister's Wife Needs to Know, Fields of the Fatherless

Chief end of blogging, growing, working, reading... Glorify Christ.
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So it's been a while...

2011-08-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

The Spring was full and busy...

--I was student teaching full time and taking the grad research class that goes along with it. I was first at Capitol Hill Elementary in Oklahoma City Public Schools. It was in a wonderful first grade class and loved every minute of it. I really wanted a job in that area. The second half I student taught at the Institute of Child Development on OU's campus that is part of our program. There I worked with 2-5 year olds and loved the variety, the flexibility, and the families.

--During the job search and interviewing process, I found out about the need for a temporary Mentor teacher at OU's preschool. After praying about the new opportunity, Korey and I felt that having a job here in Norman that involves working with some really great people among other blessings would be the best thing for us this year. I'm very excited to be working there with such amazing staff and families.

--Korey finished up his semester at Southwestern's extension at OBU.

--Then we packed and headed to China for 6 weeks! God really blessed us with the opportunity to see what He was doing there already! We met some awesome people and hope to continue our relationships with them even though we are back in the states. I have pictures posted on facebook.

--Korey was offered the opportunity to become staff at our church and be a part of our movement into the campus. The things that God has laid on the hearts of our church's leaders have been so biblical and true to why we are a part of that church. There was a reason God lead us to stay in Oklahoma and not move to Kentucky. I pray daily that the Lord would guide our steps and he sure is revealing some of his purpose for keeping us here.

--Korey and I have been married for two years... CRAZY! Those two whole years we have had a roommate living in our back bedroom. This past weekend Jeff moved out :( It is bitter-sweet. Korey and I are excited to be a married couple living alone, yet at times the house seems empty not having a good friend always hanging around. We are excited for Jeff though because he will be getting married to our great friend GinnyAnn on September 17!! I have to admit, turning that back bedroom into an office and ridding the living room of a computer desk and bookshelf has been nice.

--I plan on trying to blog more. I am debating the phone app that will allow me to blog from it... thoughts?

Glorifying Christ as a married couple living alone...

Painting the Wall Purple

2011-01-04T20:38:00.000-08:00

Life is too short for us to be planning out meticulous details to our lives. And since God is the one and only true planner of our lives, sometimes I ask myself, "Why are you trying so hard to take control of those petty details, Crystal!?" Recently I have felt rejuvenated by God's grace and promises, allowing myself to be more spontaneous. Let me back up a few days. On Christmas Eve Eve Eve, we went to Chickasha to see the lights with some friends and just enjoy fellowship.

After the lights, we came back to our house to play some games. Korey and Jeff (our roommate) had been planning on rearranging the living room to get Jeff's TV to fit in there next to ours. Yes, I realize this is very bachelor-pad-esk, but wanted to allow the boys to do this the last few months Jeff lives with us and wanted the living room to get a good cleaning because of the rearranging. Well I knew this was coming soon and had slightly thought about painting one of the walls in the living room. So on Christmas Eve Eve, my friend Claire asks what I was up to and I just decided then and there that I was going to WalMart and I was going to look at paint colors to paint my wall. Claire met me there, we picked out a red color that we thought matched the living room. Got the paint, headed home.

That was NOT the RED we wanted!!! So we went back to WalMart and as we pondered the array of paint samples, I asked, "Should I do it in purple!?" (Keep in mind, Korey is a huge Kansas State fan - whose colors are purple and white.) Claire and I decided it would look great with the red accents. I decided to do it, but needed a pillow that would tie the room together. Found the perfect pillows that had the green of our recliner, goldish/brown of our couch, red curtains and decor, and purple for the wall. Here is our finished painted wall (minus the mirror, crosses, etc. that are now hung up) and the perfect pillows:

As Claire and I were painting, I would make comments... "Oh my gosh!" "Claire it's PURPLE!" "Oh my word, what am I doing?!"

She would reply with, "Keep painting Crystal!"

This was quite a spontaneous evening for me. Normally, I would find myself picking out samples and bringing them home. Consulting Korey, my mom, maybe even my Grandma and constantly questioning the color and the action. Well I decided to and painted the wall all in ONE day. It was thrilling, exhilarating, and enjoyable. I loved it. A few days later, Claire drove on the highway longer/further than she ever had and she felt that same exhilaration and thrill. She then said, "I'm painting my wall purple!!!!!!" Haha! It was great! She was being spontaneous and being a little unplanned! It was just a fantastic moment when we realized how great it was to do something that wasn't on the schedule!

From now on, I will try to be more spontaneous and allow unplanned things to be enjoyable instead of burdensome.

Chief end of painting my wall purple, shall be to glorify Christ.

1 Graduation + 4 Christmases

2010-12-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

I know it has been forever since I have posted, but I was busy finishing my undergrad!! :) Yes, yes I had opportunities to post. I was just never in the mood when I did have the chance.

Well school has been up and down and all around, but as of Friday the 10th I was done with classes and as of Friday the 17th I will be gradumacated!!!

This Christmas season Korey and I will be all over the place celebrating the birth of Jesus with our families. As soon as Korey got off work this past Friday, we headed to Arkansas with my parents for Christmas #1. We spent time with family, played Dirty Santa and Loaded Questions. It was a fast paced weekend to say the least, as it is Sunday night and we are home.

Tomorrow I get to sub again for my friend Mary Rachel and her beautiful children at Roosevelt Elementary. I have loved having the opportunity to sub for her this semester and get more experience with students with disabilities. The rest of the week for me is relaxed and hopefully full of cleaning, organizing, and resting before graduating on Friday night!!! :)

I have had some nightmares in my life about not showing up to things, or showing up and just being completely unprepared. Example: Korey and I's wedding... nightmare= I didn't show up. Not because I didn't want to be there, but as nightmares go, I just couldn't get there. I have had one nightmare about graduation and not making it there on time and then getting there eventually dressed in sweatpants with out my cap and gown. Let's just say, I will be early and already have my outfit picked out!

As soon as graduation is over, Korey and I will head to Kansas with his brother Richard and his fiance for Christmas #2. We will most likely have a weekend of catch phrase and maybe some snow! But we will head back Sunday because AT&T must have Korey on Monday.

Christmas Eve and Day will be spent at Korey's Mom's house - Christmas #3 and the day after at my parent's house - Christmas #4.

I am thankful that we have so many family members that love us and are close enough to spend the holidays with. Unlike the movie, Four Christmases, we are not trying to do go to 4 different houses in one day, but we have it spread out over the weeks leading up to Christmas and appreciate our families helping us out with that coordination.

We are truly thankful for our Father sending his Son to be a lowly human upon this earth. We hope to share that love from our Father with our family and others this Christmas season as we try to every other time of the year.

So the rest of the break, I will be awaiting an email with my student teaching placements and hopefully reorganizing/cleaning the house. Korey will be working like crazy till Christmas and then hopefully taking some vacation in January before I start student teaching.

I will be trying to stay more caught up with the blog. I appreciate my friends that stay caught up, so I should do the same!!

This graduation, my chief end is to glorify Christ.
This Christmas Season... chief end... glorifying the Christ of Christmas!

We're Staying in OK

2010-10-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

Over the last 6 or 7 months, Korey had been battling the idea of moving to Louisville to go to Southern Seminary and if that's what we were suppose to be doing. I didn't know he had been battling this or that it was up for question until the beginning of September. Since I had known it was an option that we could stay, my mind started racing the possibilities for our lives, our church family, and my teaching career here in Oklahoma. Then I was confronted by Korey with the idea that I just needed to stay in prayer about it. I needed to stop focusing on OK and keep my heart open to the possibility of both. We decided to stop discussing either option for a few weeks and both stay in prayer and then we'd revisit the ideas later.
Ten days went by and we hadn't spoken about anything really farther than 2 months out and kept the topic of moving completely silenced. Those 10 days included a lot of prayer and only by God's grace did I have the ability to be patient. Then Korey mentions on that 10th day that he has something he wants to tell me, but didn't want me to be too happy. Then he said, "You can start planning on staying in Oklahoma." I tried my best to not show my "too much happiness" but I was excited!! To test the realness of the situation, I asked if I could tell my Mom (who didn't know we'd been battling the idea for a month or so). When Korey said I could, I knew this was a decision he did feel strongly about.

I am trying to contain my joy. However, the possibilities and relationships that get to grow because we are staying are almost uncountable. Here are a few in no particular order:

Our Church Family at University Fellowship is amazing and we have been growing closer to couples and members so much lately.
Korey has been building strong relationships with some great men and as iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another. They have truly been learning from each other in their search for Christ's truth and understanding.
There are many girls in my life that I had started to distance myself from this summer with the idea that we'd be moving the next year. However, since August, many of those relationships have blossomed and grown into things that God has created and made so precious and helpful in my life.
Capitol Hill Elementary - this school and it's hurting community has relit a desire in my heart to work with the unloved, unwanted, hurting, and broken. (Watching the documentary on America's failing school system "Waiting for Superman" last night only fired up my heart and encouraged me to work in those districts that need the good teachers. It also made me HATE the idea of tenure more than ever before! My reflection statement after the movie was: No child should ever hear "Not Accepted" or "Wait-listed"when it comes to their Primary Education. That was heart-breaking.
I will be applying to work at Capitol Hill and other "inner city" schools of OKC.
Staying close to family is just very comforting to me. It may allow us to have children sooner than we thought, but we're still a couple years away from that.

Well, just wanted to make that announcement and explain some of it to you all!

We will glorify Christ in our plans to stay here.

so we're Henrys...

2010-10-15T18:12:00.003-07:00

Welcome to the Blog of The Henrys (or the Henries)! :) As you know from the end of the old blog, we are now Korey and Crystal Henry. The name change process has got to be one of the most tedious tasks known to any bride, however, I'm doing it for the 2nd time in less than 15 months. So far I have a new license, changed it with my insurance provider, our savings account bank, the University of Oklahoma, OG&E, ONG, and Korey's insurance provider. Sounds like we have a lot covered so far, but the list continues. Next will be sending proof off to Missouri to get Korey's birth certificate changed. He needs to go get his new license. Then we need new passports, social security cards, car titles, bank cards, and car insurance. There are still a few more that we need to do as well. But all in all... it's not bothering me much because I know that it's for a good reason.

On another note, Korey and I have prayed and prayed about going to China this summer. We have such a time of transition this summer with me finishing school and Korey quitting AT&T in May, so we have felt God showing us how perfect it is for us to go to China this summer to serve Him. So we have decided, we are going to China. Exact dates and length have yet to be determined, but that is our summer mission. Please be praying for us as we continue to seek God's guidance in this trip.

Our church, University Fellowship Church, is moving buildings in a few weeks. It's kind of exciting that we'll be in an actual church building for the first time since we've been a church, but kind of sad that we'll be losing our modern collegey feel.

I've got a Zumbathon tomorrow in the city with a friend and we're pretty excited for a few hours of Zumbaing!! Then on Monday I am heading to Tulsa to see my sister Jade!!! :) I haven't seen her since sometime this summer and I miss her dearly. She's been living in Cali, but is home for a bit and I'm so glad I get to see her! Korey has midterms at Seminary on Monday so be praying that God can grant him the peace to convey what he knows on those tests. Sometimes tests just make you forget things you really do know!

Glorifying Christ as Henrys!...