1 Mar 2017

Hello March Goals

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March is here.  March has some hard memories in it for me, but also some wonderful celebrations.  Here are some of my goals for the month that holds time change and season change.

Creative Goals: I have many book reviews coming up and I’ll be blogging some creative events and photo sessions too. I’ve got an infant photo shoot, and possibly some more creatives shoots to show you soon.  I’m working on a big wedding invitation order right now and I’ll get to set up my “office” (our hutch in our dining room) now that we’ve moved into an apartment.  And I’ll get to create (make order from chaos) from all of our boxes, setting up neat little areas in our home.

Health Goals: Not gain weight.  I’ve done very good at that since last January – and I need to see a downward spiral happen!  For that, I will be drinking more water, eating more whole foods (we moved, so I’m still getting my kitchen organized), and drinking fewer diet drinks.  I’m thankful for getting to try Blue Apron meals next week – that will make cooking dinner easier and give me and the mister special meals at night once the boys are in bed.

Reading: I’m currently diving into three things: Words Worth Noting Lent Study, You Are Free by Rebekah Lyons, and Adorned by Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth.

Family: We just moved, so my in-laws are coming soon which is always so good because they are such servants and they get to play with their grandsons.  And that means the mister and I will get free babysitting for a date night, and I want to take time to read to my older son at bedtime when my mister is home at night because I’ve been having to spend more time with my younger and by the time I’m done the older is asleep. And keep going with our taco nights.  I love those.  Even if Sundays are hard, we usually regroup and enjoy couch and taco time.

Spiritual: Journal more.  That is something that is super helpful. Not only for me but also for my sons.  And I’m working through the Lent study.  Wanting, and needing, more time in the Word.  For my heart.  For my marriage.  For my boys.

What are your goals for March?

And yall – how do you say no to good things so you can say yes to best things?  You need things that fill you up and allow you to give.  How do you do both?  This lovely shiny print is one that I won from The Brumby Nest.  You know me and my love of stationery, so head over and check them out.  I won it through a Flourish&Co giveaway on instagram.  Yall should check her out too – full of grace and encouragement!

28 Aug 2014

What do you do with PAIN?

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Tears and Pain

Life is a sweet journey – for the most part!  I’ve been amazingly graced with a really great life.

But, what do you do when life hands you pain?  As a believer in the sovereign plan of God and also the fact that God does all things good and for our good – this year has been a tough year to stand firm on that.

This past year has handed me a lot of pain.  We are just a year out from one of the most hurtful conversations in my life.  In each of these hurtful conversations I took away good and hard lessons.

Of the hardest conversations in my life, one of those conversations earned distrust.  One of those conversations earned freedom.  And the last of these conversations earned seclusion and doubt and tears.

So, how do you work with pain in your life?

1.  First, I couldn’t blog about it. Blogging is one way I think through what is in my head.  But, when I know others read my blog – there are some things that I can’t talk about on it.  Instead, I chose basically two people in my life to pour out everything to: a pastor’s wife that I knew faced similiar pain in ministry and the other one was my husband.  Both of these people shared wisdom with me and hours, whether on the phone or laying on the couch.  My husband was a champ during the months that followed this initial conversation and the tears each night for literally months on end that would stream down my face.

2.  Know where your trust is?  I used to be a very trusting person.  That was until people in my life that I trusted let me down.  Then, I don’t trust as much.  I really think i’ve come to know that God is the only person I can trust 100% of the time.  He is the only person who has never sinned and can’t sin – so that means he can’t let me down.  And God will never let me down.  At some point, every single person in your life will let you down.  Its a fact of sin nature.  You will let others down.  I will let others down.  But, God stands.

3.  My introvert self became more introverted.  Some people would never mark me as an introvert – but I truly am.  I thrive on quiet time during the day, on my boys taking their naps, on my panera time each week, on my laying in bed with a book or social media time.  I need to recharge.  And part of that being an introvert is usually yourself can’t hurt you.  But, others hurt me.  (and believe me I know I’ve hurt other people).  I’d rather stick with the friends I have who are tremendous and leave it at that.

4.  I’ve let go of things that we must agree on to be friends.  There are only a few BIG things in life that are worth battling over – those mountains you might say.  Don’t let battles rage and hurt fly over the little things.  Really.  You may not see eye to eye with someone and its ok.  Love anyway.

5.  Learning to love.  Reading Ryken’s book this past year and now going through Goff’s Love Does has been a tremendous thought process for me. Loving is hard.  It took MONTHS to even be able to look some people in the eye after this recent hurt.  Loving others is one of the hardest things to do.  Oh, its easy to love people when they are lovable.  But, grace and mercy and a generous love is needed when people are not lovable.

6.  I know some of you who many know me think I always take everything even keeled and am pretty much a laid back person.  But, as my husband will tell you, I am an emotional and passionate person.  Tears flow with friends as they share news of hurt with me.  After last summer, I didn’t think I would ever be able to cry any more tears.

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.  Are they not in your book?” – Psalm 56.8  It gives great comfort to know that the Psalmist was not a stranger to tears.  We see him often bringing his heartfelt and tearful please to the Lord.  This give me great confidence in knowing that I can do the same thing with the same Savior!

7.  But, more tears will come.  This year has been one of one hurt after another.  And I know that pain is a part of life…so we will start the cycle over again.

How do you handle the pain that life deals you?  How do you let God work on your heart with the hope of the Gospel?

15 May 2014

Why So Slow?

by | posted in: Georgia | 0

IMG_9185

You may be wondering why my blogging has dropped off to almost nothing the past 2 months.  Well, let me give a life update:

1.  First, the biggest, we moved.  We now reside in Marietta, GA about 20 minutes from downtown Atlanta.  I’m loving learning this new area, but don’t love the traffic.

2.  The mister works a lot and fights traffic, so we love it when he is home, and try to find stuff to explore while he is at work.

3.  And my blog is getting a new emphasis and re-design by Green Hill Lane Designs.  I’m very excited to show yall what we’ve been working on and get your thoughts and basically take this blog in a somewhat new direction.  I’ve been blogging now since 2005 and sometimes you just need new vision, new something to keep you going.

4.  Here’s what I’ve been reading:

Dream Devotional by my friend Renee Fisher

Haunted by my former roommate Charity Tinnin

Bread & Wine b S. Niequist  (interesting thought: I just read an amazon review of this book and one noter said she couldn’t relate to the author because she seemed to be living the “charmed life”.  Its a memoir.  She can only write about what she knows and is living.  We can all live how we want to live no matter where we live, what we do, if we have children, money, food, etc.  But, the feelings of life or the feelings of a person are what draw us together – humanity – need.  Everyone has those no matter what you do during your summer!

Glimpses of Grace by Gloria Furman.

5.  I have a long list of books to read too:

Modern Calligraphy (coming in the mail today)

Stronger

Delancey

Beekeepers Bible

All Joy and No Fun

What are you reading right now and what do you want to read this summer?

6.  I’ll be heading up the Georgia Women Bloggers soon!  I am excited about showcasing this new state that I live in and also building relationships with the women who live in, love on, and blog about this state of Georgia.  The Arkansas Women Bloggers were a highlight of my time in Little Rock, so I jumped at this chance to make it happen.

7.  Our boys are growing.  E is 20 months and S is 7 months.  So, there are always new stages to enter and exit.