TGIF

For fun, I thought I’d post again today.  Plus, I’ve had a sleepy puppy all morning so I might as well take advantage of the quiet and snuggly time. I saw this on Alece’s blog and she gave credit to Brene Brown who said, ” I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments strung together by trust, gratitude, and inspiration.”  I did add the last FAVORITE part to it for an extra dose of joy =)

I am TRUSTING that god has a plan in this crazy wild ride that includes grad school, internship hours, marriage, and wonderings about how it’s all going to come together and work out. I’m trusting that all that I’m doing today will not be wasted and will not be for nothing, but that it has a purpose. 

I am GRATEFUL for slow mornings with my puppy and my Bible and for nights with my husband.

I am INSPIRED by bright colors, sunshine, friends, puppies, music, pinterest, traveling

My FAVORITE parts of the week were watching the voice with the husband, getting planet earth, and napping with Boaz.

 

How about you? What’s your TGIF look like today!? Any other ideas for another word that would work for the F?

you:create…closet door

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness is useful and of value in everything and in every way.” 1 Timothy 4:8

“But if we hope for what we do not have, we wait for it patiently.” Romans 8:25

“And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Seek Intimacy–ways that to connect with God

Pre-training–current running

Marathon training schedule

Calendar with spots to keep track

Let God

—

Visual reminders are key. If I see my goals or have a spot to check them off then I am much more likely to follow through on them.  Plus, if it’s on my closet door….well, then there’s really no way around me seeing it at least twice a day!

How do you keep track? Do you keep track? Do you have any goals you’re working toward?

My Current Goals (check out Hello 2010 for the whole list of those I wrote in January): Bible in 90 days, Marathon in Africa, Go back to Africa in His Timing, Joy list, Drinking more water, Flossing/Brushing teeth, Waiting Well

a glimpse of god

I didn’t expect to find tears running down my face.  I didn’t expect to find such a clear glimpse of who God is and His love for me.  To see how faithful God is to walk with us and never leave.  That’s the thing about encouraging other people.  Oftentimes, you’re the one so blessed and can’t help but smile through the tears.

Within a free pack of cards from (in)courage for National Day of Encouragement, I pulled this one out to find my fingers covered in gold sparkles.  A card that I would not pick myself.  Oh, but, the words softened my heart toward it:

“Thank you for sharing God’s love, not only with your words but also with your life.  In today’s world, that’s not always easy to do–but you do it with kindness and consistency.  That’s what makes you different, and it’s the reason you make a difference.  Thanks for being who you are and doing what you do–you’re appreciated more than you know.”

Right away, I knew who God wanted to receive this card.  Words came easily across the paper as if we were sitting chatting together instead of miles apart.  Until I got caught on the word consistency…so I wrote:

“And you keep walking this road with me from afar even when you could have easily stopped when an ocean got in the way.”

Somewhere along the way I picked up this notion that even if people say they will walk with me through a storm…that they’ll end up leaving me alone.  Close to a year ago, I entered a big storm and made some life changing decisions.  One of my questions as I entered this storm was if a few people would walk with me…and here today, I find them still walking with me. The storm has changed, but the one who I’m giving this card to…well, she’s still here…walking through the rain with me and teaching me to jump in the puddles with a smile on my face even while the tears flow. All the while….encouraging. waiting. trusting. praying. with me.

believe

“There is a safe place with the Lord where we don’t have to have all the answers”

-Angie Smith, I Will Carry You

As much as I love learning, asking questions, digging deep, and talking, I am thankful that at the end of the day I can find just as much joy in an “I don’t know” than an “Oh!! I get it now.” Not everything has a neat little bow and I’m okay with that. A little mystery, a little too BIG for me to understand, well, that all adds to the beauty of God. Even in the midst of trials and heart aching questions, I can still find rest in His arms. Even if I find myself with an “I don’t know,” it’ll be okay because at the end of the day I remember this….

I believe that God is who He says He is.

you:create…paint on my fingers and a happy heart

Guess what!? I finally spent time painting for you:create!  I’ve only been wanting and thinking and planning of painting something since the beginning…so I’m pretty excited to share my little creation and the journey to get there with you all 🙂

of course I had to include a…hello, this is me, ready to create after running. and yeah, it was a hood day!

after painting over what had been on there (it was a jigsaw puzzle like fun thing that I just didn’t know how to finish so a fresh start was needed!), I was left with a blank blue canvas….why blue? because it would cover the other colors well and I used green on this little pretty.

Next I added a these super cute little flowery star bursts.

Then…well, I pretty much laid on the floor for a long while and pondered quotes, words, pictures, and the like. I let twitter and facebook and blogs keep me occupied. Oh and I still had the song “Have Your Way” by Britt Nicole on repeat…I did listen to “Defender” a few times though too.

Finally, I decided that this quote just fit too well with the sun/star bursts that I put it around them: “When I met Christ, I felt that I had swallowed sunshine.” -E. Stanley Jones

After that, I gave into my love for words and felt that being this year’s word…Joy needed to make an appearance.  But, then, just to add a bit more. Since I thought from the beginning this verse would work it’s way in there, I added it to the top: He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11. Oh, and I made those sun/star bursts into flowers. I felt they needed some distinction with all the yellow happening.

All that was left was to find a place for it…though, the walls in my room are pretty much covered! So, I wandered around and tried it a few places but then saw this place wide open in my closet.  I so love making spaces and since I spend a bit of time pondering what to wear I thought it fit perfectly.  Plus, I can see it from my bed and I must say that it matches my favorite plate that I made (er, only plate!) and the cute bucket. Oh, and note all those journals…yeah, I write a lot 🙂

So, there you have it. Until next week!

p.s. what have you created lately?!

put off my rags and clothed me with gladness

1446. walking and talking

1454. softball hits!

1458. changing the station to christian music

1470. hearing the birds in the morning while watching the sunrise

1480. worship at a wedding

1484. watching the storm roll in and even seeing some hail

1488. the smell of rosemary on biscuits

1489. lovely sunday with my church family

1491. a surprise present(the africa picture frame!) at church that made my heart soar

1492. little girls running up to give me hugs

1495. getting lost in worship

1500. hitting send

I’m still counting it all joy and thanking God….where have you seen or found joy?

Wordless Wednesday: I’m Happy

What’s your word/phrase/picture for today?

We Are Full of Beauty

that moment.

when the clock slows to fast forward.

to wrap us up in a memory that holds the sunrise of hope.

love.peace.comfort.overflowing.

into home.

being.simply being.

you.me.

being able to let all the masks fall off.

to fall asleep.

fully present. in beauty.

full of beauty.

*This is my response to the challenge presented by Sarah: “Write a blog post about beauty. Your thoughts, your pain, your triumphs. It can be outer beauty, inner beauty, what you hate, what you love. Anything. Be creative. It can even be a single photo.”

**That right there. written above. that’s when I feel beautiful and fully me. nothing held back.and even though it’s few and far between my heart so wants to feel and find that “fall asleep home” that fully comes from God more often. because in Him is where I am full of beauty.

***So, what about you? What are your thoughts about beauty?

Pouring Over The List Of Joy

Hi friends. I found myself talking out loud about joy this last week and…there’s a bit of wonder and a glimpse of God in expressing these little nothings in spoken, real words to someone else.  In the midst of my words, I found I got caught up all over again in the moments. literally lost as if all around me faded until I brought myself back to the conversation. That’s where I find myself when I share them here…pouring over my list, remembering, seeing afresh the ways that God shows up in all things and picking a few to share with you…

562. making happy spaces in nooks and corners

566. laughing at tomtom

572. buying my first pair of TOMS

582. smushing ice down while walking

591. getting teary eyed during UP

617. questions that make me ponder me

629. being a words girl that has to add words to the picture

641. mama buying me rain boots

643. seeing christmas lights on a drive

649. putting my feelings to songs

655. writing in new colors in my bible

678. walks…going on them, remembering them, looking forward to them

703. listening to others share and sharing about what makes each of our faces light up

What about you? I love hearing where you find joy…it adds to the wonder.

 

UP for some Real Me?

I lived in Africa for a year as many of you may know.  While there, I met this amazing girly who I absolutely love and we now have skype dates on Saturday that seriously make my week.  But, see, here’s the thing.  She doesn’t like movies. Like at all. And she rubbed off on me.

I have yet to go to a movie theater since being back in the States, shame, eh? I did thoroughly enjoy Earth from Red Box and would be so incredibly happy to own that entire DVD series.  My “bonding time” with my mama over “The Bachelor” is just about as poppy as I get when it comes to this stuff.

All of that to say that yesterday, I watched a movie after I went on my long run (and yes, we were friends!).  Remember how I told you that I ran 16.1k, well, that was on the docket again for this week.  Though, this time I ran outside (woot! woot! love me some warm(er) weather and running tights and wearing mittens to carry things) and listened to a whole jumble of worship songs*.  Plus, I improved my time!

Despite my speedy running and motivation to attempt to arrive on time, I didn’t…plus, when I got there I stopped and chatted for a bit with the pastor’s wife (love her and hey! relationships matter! and yes…still working on the time thing).  Thankfully, my friends (yes, I’ve been home long enough to even make “friends”) usually extend an extra big dose of grace. Hey, they must be friends if they’re already learning to not let me get away with my answers that aren’t answers (aka indecision) by helping me commit and they put up with my half inviting myself by saying that I so want/need to see said movie they are talking about watching.

By now, you must REALLY be wondering (or you’ve given up on this long post–usually I dislike long posts greatly and even spent time trying to make this shorter, but there’s just too much fun stuff to share….) what movie I would want/need to see….dun dun dun… UP.  Confession: the main reason I wanted to see this movie was because another fabulous girly I met in Africa watched this movie on the plane ride home (I fell asleep..I do that often especially during movies) and told me about an absolutely gut-wrenching line that simply made us BOTH teary eyed or should I say bawling (oh, side note: my eyes turn an amazingly gorgeous green when I cry)…as if we weren’t already since we were leaving “home.”  Today, I didn’t cry nearly as much as I would have if I had watched it then…I only got teary eyed and missed my people and my home.  All because of a few lines:

“It might sound boring, but the boring stuff I remember the most.”

“Thanks for the adventure, now go have a new one.”

Congrats to you if you made it this far!  So, your turn: have you seen UP? do you run on africa time?  do you like movies? tell me something I don’t know.

*Running Playlist for the day: Battlefield by Jordin Sparks, Everything Falls by Fee, More Like Falling in Love by Jason Gray, Rain it Down by Carlos Whittaker, There’s Only One by Caedmon’s Call, How He Loves by Kim Walker, This Day by Audio Adrenaline, You Said by Shane and Shane, Let My Love Open the Door by Audio Adrenaline, Glory to God Forever by Fee, This Could Be Our Day by Addison Road, God of Wonders by Third Day, Show Me Your Glory by Third Day, From the Inside Out by Hillson, Tomalo by Hillsong, Not Enough by Caedmon’s Call, Madly by Steve Fee, All We Need by Charlie Hall,