Spring Has Sprung

Happy Spring!! This was yesterday in the beautiful square downtown! It was picture perfect weather!

I wore my yellow dress to celebrate! :)

With every season change, I feel like I need to re-decorate. I just simply cannot leave things the way they are when things are changing outside. Problem is, I want to change everything up, but it takes me about the entire season to finally find what I am looking for. I annoy myself sometimes. And I have a love/hate relationship with Hobby Lobby. I mean you can decorate every room in Mobile just in that one store. It's a one stop shop--but how do you decide??

Last week was full of lots of celebration! My sweet friend Jessica celebrated her birthday. I love birthdays, and I love to celebrate big. We had a sleepover the night before her birthday and watched the Bachelor and stayed up late and talked like we did when we were teenagers. Speaking of staying up late, we ended up taking pictures on our phones...and we laughed so hard until we were crying.

(This is what happens when you try to self-remove double-chins, ha!)

We were both off on her birthday and we did what girls do best: Shop & Eat! Saturday, we celebrated some more at Paint & Pal's studio. It was SO much fun! I am not an artist, but I thought my painting turned out pretty good!

This Saturday, I am running the Azalea Trail Run. I had planned to train better for this race...maybe if I go buy new running shoes it will give me a little boost when I run...cause I sure am not ready for this!!! Ready or not, it's a really fun day full of lots of people and beautiful scenery. It's like one of the top 10 races (I think!), and it's here in our hometown! I love to run, even though I do not make time for it often...and running races are a good way to stay motivated while supporting a good cause. Plus you get a free t-shirt, and they always have fun designs.

Spring is here, and so is the weather! My plants are starting to bloom, and although I think that they are beautiful, I am going to do my best to keep them alive! I didn't do anything to make them bloom, I wonder if that same principle works for keeping them alive! Ha!!!

Here is a little nugget for you this week: "But the wisdom above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accomodating, full of mercy & good fruit, impartial & not hypocritical." James 3:17

It's a mouthful to read---but it is so true. Wisdom from the Father never waivers. He isn't wishy-washy. He is constant. In Him there is pure stability. He is the Source. Amen!

A Little Bit of this, a Little Bit of That

It's been a while since I have blogged. Lots of life has been going on! :) Since the last post, here are a few things that have happened:

The Lord blessed me with the opportunity to keep my job, and I am so very grateful. It was an up-in-the-air fiasco for a few weeks due to me not student teaching this semester, but I'm very thankful that I did not have to find another career for the next 8 months. The Lord is my provider. He takes care of me, and knows exactly what I need.

Speaking of work, we have been so busy lately, I am flat exhausted come 5:00. This is what my desk looks like most of the time:

I love Post-It notes. Love them. They are the perfect little "reminder slips." Problem is, sometimes when I am in a hurry, I don't write everything I need to remember--so when I need to be reminded of something I have absolutely no idea what to do with it. Probably need to work on that a little! ;)

The Spring Ladies Bible Study is about to launch! I'm really excited; I love meeting with the women and discussing what God is showing us through His word. I haven't completely decided which book we are going to do, but I'm thinking about this one:

I've heard really good things about this study so I'm leaning toward learning lots from Jonah!

I have an itch to bake. I've been following the blog and this girl bakes some of the cutest stuff. I have bought some Valentine cookie cutters, and I'm ready to bake some cookies with some of the super fabulous Royal Icing, and hope that they turn out looking like a Valentine cookie! :) Stay tuned for the results, ha!!

Baby Micah is here! Whitney & Luke are fabulous parents, and Micah is beautiful! I think I'm going to call him "Little Sweet Cheeks" because that's what he is!! Here is a quick shot of my visit with him last night:

Isn't he the sweetest thing ever! Congratulations Whitney & Luke!

I want to leave you with a verse of scripture:

"Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him." Proverbs 30:5

I love the Lord so much. His word is filled with so much life. Every promise He's given. It's true. Every thing He said He would do. It's true. He never fails me. It's true. I love Him so. It's true!

Happy Weekend!

Bucket List Frenzy

First of all, does anyone know how to title the blog post? Mine is not showing up anywhere and it is quite annoying. Any tips would be appreciated :)

School starts today. A semester that seems sort of a waste; however, I keep telling myself that nothing in this life is a waste. Not even an extra 5 months in school, and extra semester of tuition, or a graduation date postponed 7 months. Nothing is a waste. May 14 was going to be a glorious day of celebration; however, it has now been moved to December. That's okay. More celebration for the holidays! :) Psalm 65:11 says that "He crowns the year with His goodness; His paths drip with abundance." I'm reminded daily that the path that I am on is His. It's about living for Him. And no matter what season I'm in on the path, He promises abundance. Because HE is more than enough in all situations.

Bucket List. Do you have one? I've never made one. I honestly didn't know what one was until the movie came out (which I have yet to see, ha!). But, I think there are a few things that deserve to be on this list (other than the obvious finish school, be successful, etc). Here is one:

Run a half marathon

Not just any half marathon. I want to go to a big city and run for a big cause. I'm not so sure why I feel the need to run 13.1 miles for any particular reason other than I just want to. I'm not sure why it looks so fun. Who knows? I do love to run, and I am not so sure why I always take breaks from it because I always have to start over (which is so hard). However, I love the feeling of lacing up my Nike's and hitting the pavement and putting lots of distance behind me. I love the feeling of sweating ridiculously in the summer heat, but being able to finish the course ahead. It has been something that I never thought I could do, but once I tackled one mile, I was addicted to make it to the next, and the next. Obviously not too addicted because I always take breaks, hahahah :).

So, I'm not sure when I will cross this off of the good ole bucket list, but I have some sort of a goal in mind. ;) I'm pretty sure it starts with actually lacing up the faithful Nike's and pulling my huge pile of running clothes out of the top of my closet. :)

Fresh. New. Year.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Beginnings are always full of different emotions. They are fresh, but sometimes uncertain. Exciting, but sometimes reserved. Change is a constant in our lives and that will never change.

This past year has been an interesting one. I have felt just about every emotion possible (College will do that to an individual). I have fought. I have struggled. I have prayed. I have cried. I have wanted to give up. I have laughed. I have been overwhelmed. I have held on.  I have trusted. I have exercised faith. But one thing is for certain, the Lord never let me drown. He always kept me floating. He is so good like that.

I love to encourage people to dream big. I believe that God gives us dreams to achieve; yet, I believe that so many of us give up on our dreams and settle for the norm. Speaking of dreams, this year I am reaching one of my dreams. I am finally graduating college. I realize that a degree isn't that big of a deal in society today, but my degree means more than a piece of paper or a status label. Being a teacher has been one of my dreams in life, for more reasons than owning a teacher's edition textbook and a SmartBoard (although those are fancy!). I have a desire to make an impact on the lives of students by encouraging them to succeed and to believe in themselves. And seeing the finish line within reaching distance is a GREAT feeling.

There are lots of things to look forward to, and I have lots of goals that I am setting out for this year, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I believe that God knows the desires of my heart, and as long as I put one foot in front of the other towards Him, He will get me where I need to be. 

Whatever your goals are for this year, set after them. Make a plan. Don't give up. Believe in yourself. And know this: The Almighty believes in Y-O-U. He wants to see you succeed more than you do. He loves you. 

Beth Moore suggested this verse for the beginning of the year:

"You crown the year with Your goodness, 

And Your paths drip with abundance." 

Psalm 65:11

I love it. I'm thankful for the Father above who cares for me. His path drips, drips, drips with abundance. Get on the path. He never forsakes us. He never, ever, leaves us lacking. Abundance. 

And that, dear, is sweet bliss. Soak it up in 2011. 

Christmas Tour of Homes

 

So, I've started following several blogs that I have realized lots of other people follow. I never knew blogging was so popular. How do you become so popular in the blog world anyway?? Anyway, I love to see all of these different ladies' blogs and all of their inspiring thoughts. I just love that God created us all so different, yet so much alike! 

Speaking of "blogging," Kelly's Korner and The Nester do a "Christmas Tour of Homes" every year and lots and lots of people blog about their Christmas decorations. Let me just say that I have loved looking through all of these different links---so many ideas!!! Each house is decorated so different, and it shows so many personalities. So, I decided to join the fun! ; D

This is my second year in my own place, so my decorations are building every year. Hobby Lobby and stores a-like are really my weakness, because I love to decorate! 

This is the small tree in the living room. I really don't have a large living room, and it's really not the ideal place for it because it blocks a view of the T.V. from one angle, but I didn't care because one of my favorite parts of Christmas is to turn the Christmas lights on while I watch T.V. And that wouldn't be possible if the tree wasn't in the living room! Anyway, I got the idea of the art mesh going vertical from Christmas Jubilee, and I think it turned out well! It's much easier to work with when you realize that it's not fragile! 

 

Okay, so I know this is a random picture, but I'm really obsessed with glass jars. Especially apothecary jars. I am always thinking of a new place that I can place a jar with some random objects in it. Pottery Barn has tons of gorgeous jars. 

This is the arrangement in my living room. I wouldn't call it an arrangement, because it's really a bunch of twigs shoved together. I'm not really happy with it, but it is what it is. I've taken it apart 3 times and tried to make it look like what I was trying to accomplish, and each time it looked worse. So, I've given up. I do love my lighted twigs from Kirklands. They stay in that vase year round (with different flowers, of course!). 

This is my second tree. I put it in the breakfast "nook" area. This thing is massive, and there are clearly not enough ornaments on it. I'm pretty sure I need a thousand more. However, it fits the space and it's really pretty when it's lit. That bow at the top is the result of a lot of frustration of trying to get that mesh wrapped around that fat tree. I kind of like the bow! I'm on the look-out for some gold/brown poinsettias to shove in the gaps. If I find some, I'll post an updated pic.

I love this snowman. I'm pretty sure this was my first Christmas decoration that I bought for the first Christmas in my apartment. It's like a silvery-gold glitter color. I love that color. The vase beside it has gold and brown tall twigs that go up really high but I really wanted to show this snow-man. This is in my kitchen.

And here is another jar. On the kitchen counter.  

This is my dining room table. I'm trying to find a table cloth that adds the perfect touch. (I'm aware that Christmas is next week, lol!) Anyway, I made this wreath this year and I thought it was too pretty to put outside where no-one would see it. So, here it is. This is right when you walk in my door, so it is the first thing people see. It's different, but I like it! 

And this is from my dining room going into my kitchen. This garland did NOT want to stay up on the hooks for the life of me. After I put it up, I realized that I had attached the mesh to the WRONG garland without the lights and I was quite irritated. However, I spent so much time begging for it to stay, that I didn't want to go through the whole process again with a heavier strand of garland. So, this is it. Sorry about the messy counter in the background! Ha! 

And that's it! There are a few more things floating around here, but those are the main decorations. 

Merry Christmas!

Bible Study Buddies

Over the past few months, I have been going through a Bible Study with some fabulous ladies. It has been such a wonderful study, and we have all learned so much. Not to mention a great excuse to eat cookies and drink flavored coffee! :) If you are looking for a great Bible Study to do with a group, or by yourself, I recommend this one:

Kelly Minter is a wonderful writer, and she has great insight into the Word of God. We have learned to clear out the things in our lives and in our hearts that we allow to "function" as a god. It doesn't stop with removing such things. It requires us to invite God in to occupy those areas of our lives. It's all about making room for Him!!  We have learned from each other and had a great time sharing what the Lord has done in us through this study.

The Lord has taught me so much, and I can't wait for the next study with my Bible Study Buddies! I'm on the lookout for the next study series. Any suggestions??

Slooooww Down!

Typically, my life is moving in a direction of a speed that is too fast to describe. My weeks normally go something like this: work, school, grocery store, homework, church, homework, homework, and homework. I feel like I live in a tug-of-war battle between social activities and homework. Doing fun things always are more enjoyable (obviously), but there is always this cloud of "deadlines to meet" hovering over my head. In the midst of it all, it is very easy to let moments and memories fly by. Before I know it, another week has passed of going through the "motions"

Recently, I've made it a point to slow down and actually enjoy the small things in life. As in, opening the windows on a beautiful Saturday and enjoying the cool breeze blowing through the house. The small things in life like curling up on the couch with a blanket and a good book. I've enjoyed spending more time at home lately. It feels good to relax and not to have a schedule of demands waiting on me!

I'm looking forward to the holiday season. Last year, I don't think I stopped going from Thanksgiving to Christmas. It seemed like every day I was walking in the door from work to wrap a present really quick, leave the wrapping paper mess everywhere because I was in such a hurry, then run out the door to the next party. It flew by so fast. I remember on Christmas Eve, when I finally settled in with my family, I said "I'll be glad when all of this is over." My dad looked at me and said, "the holidays aren't meant to be rushed, people just make it that way." He is so true. I remember not even being able to enjoy the Christmas tree at my house because I was always in a rush to do something else. I was tempted to leave it up during January so I could enjoy it. By no means am I saying that Christmas parties and events are not fun---because I love them all!  I love to give gifts, and I love to socialize. I love entertaining and I love to have the matching dishes for every holiday. I love every season, and every holiday. I think every holiday needs celebrating, and my house needs to be decorated for every month, including Valentine's Day. But there has to be a balance.

This year, I'm not going to make it about the hustle and bustle so much. I'm going to make it about the season. I'm going to enjoy being with my family. I'm going to enjoy going to Christmas parties because that's what you do during this time of year. I'm going to go the mall and enjoy shopping rather than feeling like I'm in a race to find a "suitable gift." I'm going to enjoy my Christmas tree at night. I'm going to enjoy wrapping presents in my pajamas with Christmas music playing because I want to, and not because I have 5 minutes to get out the door to the next event. I'm going to curl up on my couch and watch Christmas movies and drink hot chocolate and enjoy every minute of it. I'm going to slow down and embrace what this season is really about. If a present doesn't get purchased, life will still go on. Because it's not about buying the next gift. And it's not about who has the best holiday attire. It's about celebrating the birth of Jesus. And He deserves us to slow down and remember that.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who feels like a crazy woman during the holidays. But, regardless of how demanding your schedule may be, don't let the memories pass by because of the rush. And don't let the rush of the season pile on top of the real reason for such a great celebration.

So, curl up on your couch. Light a holiday scented candle. Drink some flavored coffee. Grab a good book. Play some holiday music. Read the Christmas story. Slow down a little. Enjoy the blissful moments. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.