A Few of my Favorite Things...

 In no particular order....

Playing the piano 

 Cooking and Baking

 Writing with Sharpies 

 Falling asleep to the sound of rain

 Camping, and roasting marsh mellows :)

 Making shadow puppets 

 Writing and drinking tea

 Giving encouragement 

 Dressing up each day even if I'm not going anywhere 

 Fuzzy socks

 babies <3

 Playing guitar

 journaling

 Giraffes

 Denim and lace 

 Africa <3

Making daisy crowns 

 Coffee <3

Pride and Prejudiced 

Summer evenings

Fall <3

 Coloring

Flynn Ryder hehe

anything flannel 

 <3

 hot chocolate

 bare feet, rockers, and a front porch

 making new friends

baby goats

 walking and dancing in the rain

 Photography

 Swinging

  Taking pictures with friends

 Listening to music

 Holding hands

Candle light <3

Daring To Be Yourself....

     Get to know me, as I get to know myself...
......getting in touch with my natural preferences and what I really like, while trying to figure out my life goals and where I should be headed. (This is a challenge that my mom wrote and did as a young woman, and now she is encouraging me to do it as well.)

1. What is your idea of a perfect week? (detailed and realistic) 

   Monday, I would wake up at 6:00am, get a cup of coffee and sit by the fire while I "wake up." Then I would read my bible, pray, and journal for as long as need be. I would then get ready for the day, get dressed, clean up my room, etc; while listening to uplifting music. And at 9:00am I head off to work. Monday afternoon I would spend with my grandma. And in the evening, go to youth group. 

   Tuesday, starting off my morning same a Monday. Have breakfast and devotions with my family. While mom does school with the kiddo's, I would work on my own reading/writing/to-do list. Go for a walk. Start cooking dinner at 4:00pm. Spend the evening with my siblings. 

  Wednesday, Same as Monday, sticking to the morning routine and heading to work at 9:00am, except after work I would come home, spending the afternoon with my family. Go for a walk. Possibly take a nap? Then spend the evening with a friend/friends. 

  Thursday, continuing my ideal morning routine. Worship practice from 1:00pm - 3:00pm, get home in time to fix dinner for my family. That evening post a blog. 

   Friday, same as Monday and Wednesday morning. After work do errands/banking in town before coming home. Afternoon is free.


   Saturday, SLEEP IN! And have the day open and available to do whatever. Cleaning day(? )Possible town day(?) 


   Sunday,  Church is at 10:00am. Spend afternoon and evening relaxing hanging out with my family. And cook dinner with the kiddo's.

(I'm not much of a planner, so it is hard for me to come up with a whole week of planned things. This is pretty close to how my weeks look already (aside from waking up at 6:00am and the whole morning routine....I should really start doing that!)



2. Write a list of things you enjoy doing that are satisfying.

• Singing and playing on the worship team
• spending time in conversation with friends
• writing and publishing a blog-post
• Drinking coffee and snuggling under a blanket by the fire and just resting
• taking walks
• making my handwriting look nice
• cooking dinner for my family
• setting the table extra nice
• when I make someone laugh or smile
• coloring or drawing
• hanging out with friends
• washing dishes
• reading/ writing down inspirational quotes/lyrics
• photography
• writing fiction 
• painting my toe-nails 
• Doing makeup or hair
• listening to music
• writing in my journal
• sleeping
• cleaning my room 
• organizing 
• writing letters/messages to friends and family
• salving problems 
• figuring out new things on my guitar 
• baking

 3. Look for common trends in the things that you enjoy doing, and list them below.

- quality time
- encouragement
- creativity involving writing
- beauty and aesthetics
- successful problem salving 

4. What are your spiritual gifts?

• Evangelism 
• Mercy/compassion
• encouragement
• hospitality 

5. What is your personality type? (Take the test)

       (ESFP/ENFP) 

• extrovert
• intuitive/sensing 
• feeling
• perceiving  

6. What are your love language's? (read about the 5 love language's here)

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality time 

6. (STYLE)

• How effected are you by light? - moderately
• Do you prefer the mountains or the sea? - mountains 
• Do you prefer urban or rural? - rural 
• What is your favorite three colors? - purple, blue, green
• What is your least favorite color? - orange 
• Are you a morning person or a night person? - definitely a night person 
• Do you feel most alive when you are inside or outside? - outside
• What is your favorite thing to wear? - Jeans, a nice blouse, and sweater/cardigan   
• Why? - because it is comfortable, and I like to look nice even if I'm not going anywhere  
• What is your favorite book? - Instrument in the redeemers hands 
• What is your favorite author? - I don't know, maybe....Lori Wick?
• Who is your favorite artist? - I don't know
• Who is your hero? - my daddy 
• What is your favorite flower? - roses or lilacs
• What kind of music do you like? - contemplative contemporary/religious rock 
• What is your favorite scent? - anything sweet/fruity/not to strong 
• Do you prefer to be alone, or with other people? - I generally like to be with other people
• What is your favorite drink? - coffee 
• What kind of food do you relish? - meat 
• What do you think your best physical attribute is? - my hair
• What do you think your worst physical attribute is? - my legs 
• Do you like modern or country? - country 

7. List some bible verses/quotes, that are inspirational to you. 

"..for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." (Luke 6:45)

"A woman's heart should be so lost in God, that a man has to seek HIM in order to find her."


"....The great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sins, or our indifference; and, therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall be cured of those sins, and whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to Him." - C. S. Lewis


"I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that i could think of; for to have been thought about, born in Gods thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking" - C. S. Lewis


"Shame says that because I am flawed, I am unacceptable. Grace says that though I am flawed, I am cherished."


"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." (Colossians 3:12-13)


"Let God have you and let God love you, and don't be surprised if your heart begins to hear music you've never heard, and your feet learn to dance as never before."

"To be brutally honest, it doesn't really matter what place you find yourself in right now. Your part is to bring Him glory—whether eating a sandwich on a lunch break, drinking coffee at 12:04 a.m. so you can stay awake to study, or watching your four-month-old take a nap. The point of your life is to point to Him. Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is His. It is His movie, His world, His gift." - Francis Chan


(take some time and really think about these next few steps)

8. Finish the sentence; "I want to become the kind of person who is.....

   - always seeking others well-being, and happiness above her own. "

9. Write a detailed description of who you want to be in five years. 

 "I would then be 23. I desire to have become a woman of prudence; kind, patient, elegant, gracious, modest, gentle, showing inner beauty and personal style (not conforming to the world and its standards) joyful, self sacrificing, and servant-heart-ed. I realize that that is a lot, and I am to imperfect to accomplish such things on my own. "   

10. Finish this sentence; "I believe that I was put on this earth to....... 

   - use my music, writing, and love of people to encourage and inspire others towards an intimate relationship with God, giving glory and praise to Him in every aspect of life."



11. Finish this sentence; "I want to accomplish my life purpose by.......

   -  speaking into people lives through my writing and through meaningful conversation, Discipling, (as I get older) and in my role as a worship leader."


--

I highly encourage each of you to take the time to do this challenge. It has been such a help to me after the past couple of weeks (see previous post)

Blessings <3

The struggle..

For the past couple of week or so, I have been feeling very unmotivated, kinda hopeless and sad.  And for the longest time I didn't know why I was feeling those things, and it was frustrating. It put me in a very bad mood. After making a very poor decision to take my frustration out on a couple of friends, one of them pointed me in the right direction, and I spent all night praying, and crying, and pouring all my feelings and frustration's out to God. The following 2 days I was very mellow. My friends continued to encourage me and talk to me, even though I was being very obstinate and rebellious I'm sure.
I was feeling very stuck.

"God, I don't understand.
I know I should be happy....and there's no reason for me not to be.
But I cant. And I cant think happy thoughts.
God, sometimes you seem so far away,
and I don't even feel like looking for you, cause I'm so unmotivated." 

But with the help of my dear friends and some much needed time to refocus, I came to the conclusion that....when my life is at its lowest and I am struggling to even keep a smile on my face and am an emotional mess, the most likely reason is a lack of God. Not because He left or because He was busy doing other things, but because I had let other things become more important to me than God. I had lost sight of the most important thing. I was not close enough to Christ.

"Where have I gone, and what have I turned away from?
Why does it take me so long to realize my wrong?
Oh God forgive my blindness, and my lack of motivation to look to you,
to turn to you...
Oh, the woman of little faith, that I am.
Sometimes I wonder...how can you still love me?
 I don't deserve it...and you agree....yet....
..yet it says in the holy bible that YOU LOVE ME GOD!
Thank you."

Day by day its getting better though. Spending more time reading the bible, and writing down my thoughts, and praying.....always praying.

And I would like to quote my dear mom in saying; We all go through ups and downs. It is amazing that we think that we can go days or weeks with less of God and still be at peace and be happy, as if our friends and activities are enough to sustain us. But in truth, there is a longing in our hearts that only God can fill. So it is only when we fill our daily lives with him that we can remain peaceful, happy people.

"My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works." (Psalm 73:26, 28) 

Blessings <3

My day in Pictures....

Monday, November 11th 
 

I'm off to work at job #1

I love foggy mornings

The view from where I work

This Punkin <3

Precious chubby fingers <3

Such cuteness is a little bit of a distraction from cleaning! 

Finishing up today laundry

  

Off the job #2

And I got stuck driving 35mph behind a logging truck

Enjoyed a Raspberry and white chocolate mocha and some time in Gods word, before starting on my second cleaning job

last thing to be done before heading to youth group

someone is begging for attention before I leave

And that was my day! Well most of it.......
I finished up my day in fellowship with friends, and digging into Gods word, and playing games at youth group (but I don't have pictures of that)

Ah, yes.....I love my life(: