September 2009
SHAHEENUPDATE
This update is for you who, we have found, really care for us. Some of you we may have met once, others, we have known our entire lifetime. We understand that we could just as easily use facebook, twitter, or email to write you individually. However, we want to offer a more personal touch in updating you about how our lives together, by the will of God, are progressing.
So We Got Married... In Israel On May 30th 2009, we gathered with our friends and family in Israel and offered ourselves to God and to each other. We were married at the Salesian Church in Nazareth. With this amazing event came many issues. We had to keep in mind all the local traditions as well as the cultural rituals which laid upon the sacred ceremony. We agreed to many of the traditions, yet threw out a few which conflicted with the feel we desired our wedding to have. As you can tell from the picture above, we were smoking hot! I mean that in two ways. We did look good, but wearing wedding
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attire in a hot country is not the best way of staying cool. The ceremony itself went flawless. Amanda could think of a few small details that may have been off, but I thought it was great. You can find pictures of the wedding experience on both my wife and my wife’s Facebook page. If you don’t have Facebook..I’m sorry...if you would like to see pictures, let us know. The most interesting thing about our wedding was the unity ritual we took part of. I had heard of this ritual through some media and we decided it was wonderfully appropriate. The concept is to find a unique glass
container with some sort of lid on it. You then collect sand from both parties home town/state/ country,etc. You then buy white sand, which will symbolize God. During the ceremony you open the container, fill it a third white sand, then mix half your sand half your spouses, and lastly you fill the top with white sand to top it off. This symbolizes your decision to live together with God as your foundation and capstone. This also symbolizes living your lives wrapped in God’s guidance. Thank you to all who celebrated our wedding with us, both in Israel, and here.
SHAHEENUPDATE September 17, 2009
Apartment Makeover... turning broken down to OSM Since this update is covering more than a few “ Our new landlord informed us that his months since we’ve been married, there is a storage apartment burnt to the ground, bunch to talk about. So I’m gonna make it quick. and he was going to use our apartment I came back to Lincoln,IL after an for storage. Long story short, we had to amazing few months in Colorado. I was find a new apartment in less than a interning at Focus on the Family, in the week.” counseling department. I was exhausted and inspired to come back and enter what I had experienced with my peers and outlets. On my first day back, our new landlord informed us that his storage apartment burnt to the ground, and he was going to use our apartment for storage. Long story short, we had to find a new apartment in less than a week. This is when our trust in God geared into overdrive. Thankfully, God acts fast when the need is great. Within a week we found an amazing space for a conservative price. We spent weeks remodeling. I fixed a hole in the ground, leading to the first floor. I built shelves and borders and a closet using old Henderson auditorium bleacher wood from Lincoln Christian University. We painted the Our apartment is located on “The Square”, the downtown area of entire apartment, and started decorating. Lincoln. We are situated on the corner of S. Kickapoo and Pulaski. Here are a few pics. 501 1/2 Pulaski St: When we moved in, our landlord told us we share the same address. I quickly bought a mailbox, screwed it next to our front door and stuck ‘501 1/2’. Now we get our own mail. Tada!
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SHAHEENUPDATE September 17, 2009
“The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11 NIV
What’s to come... our future * Jiryis: - Finish my second to last semester at Lincoln Christian University. - Begin ground work for new prospect Radio Show - Preparation work for College Israel trip 2010, which Amanda and I are leading. - Strengthen the foundation of LCU’s ‘Movies in the Chapel.’ * Amanda - Finish up last semester of Masters Degree. - Continuing search of full time job that incorporates degree.
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Prayer Requests * Constantly seeking Gods will * Job opportunities * Newly-wed obstacles * Living life together with our culture
SHAHEENUPDATE September 17, 2009
More Apartment Pics
kitchen
living room
office
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