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(: 

I believe...

i believe in God.


i believe He loves me.


i believe Jesus, God's son, is the only way.


i believe He sent Jesus to die for me because He loved me that much.


i believe Jesus rose again.


i believe He's in heaven right now.


i believe Jesus is coming back.


i believe that the Holy Spirit lives in you if you're saved.


i believe that if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you're saved.


i believe that i have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.


i believe that i am complete in Christ.


I believe that because if Christ, i am free from condemnation.


I believe that i cannot be separated from Gods love.


i believe that i have a citizenship in heaven.


i believe that i am Gods workmanship.


i believe that i may approach God with freedom and confidence.


i believe in demons.


i believe that i have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.


i believe that because i am born of God, the evil one cannot touch me.


i believe that the bible is the written word of God.


i believe the baby in the womb is an innocent, living creature of God.


i believe abortion is murder.


i believe marriage is for one man and one woman.


i believe homosexuality is wrong.


i believe that a lack of boundaries brings a lack of respect.


i believe God has a guy picked out for me already.


i believe in smiling. smiling a lot.


i believe that idea's have consequences.


i believe friends will hurt you, but Jesus never will.


i believe in forgiveness.


i believe in counting my blessings


i believe in practicing kindness. (ALL THE TIME)


i believe loving on people is the best thing since microwaves(just kidding)


i believe love lasts forever.


i believe that being "right" rarely matters(except when it comes to eternity, than being right matters)


i believe in doing hard things.


i believe that i am a flawed human being, but that God can still use me.


i believe in hugs:)


i believe in prayer


what do YOU believe?


Blessings <3

"The Beginning. The Separation." Levi the Poet

---------

"In the beginning, God spoke, and God I hope his voice sounded like thunder (like that's where it got it's name from), like it reverberated inside of the son's eardrums. I wonder: did the father turn to the preincarnate word to ask him about the sound he'd heard? And did he smile and contemplate the earth while the spirit confirmed their plans?


And God said, "let there be…" and God, did that unparalleled melody sustain into all eternity while the blessed trinity joined in harmony to key in a void and formless land? Is the expanse between earth and sky as deep and wide as the difference between dark and light and did you stare at the stars like I stare at your night, and how bright do they shine from outside of time, and if there is no need for the suns in your kingdom, well did you need them?
See, I cannot fathom the winds and the waves, let alone the waves the winds made on the day that you say, "it is good," and no depraved gaze preys on your spirit's conversation with the creation you made. I can hardly see it! Even my imagination wanes beneath the death that deteriorates at my faith! But before a fog dimly, behind Eden's gates, man - man - walked hand in hand with his God, face to face.

Imago Dei.

"Let us make man in our image." Dust into clay, bestowing dignity to humanity the potter crafted and shaped… and when you breathed life into him, was it a whirlwind?

"In the beginning, God spoke, and the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth." and the details are speculation, but I picture your creation of man as glory that that heavenly host sung about. His chest rises and falls beneath this cosmic anticipation waitin' to see him open his eyes for the first time… his eyes open and close and if there was an expectation, it was exceeded in pupils finally dilated to find: GOD. Holding out his hand in a posture that hasn't changed just like his plan hasn't changed since day one. And I like to think that they danced to the glory of his name, three in one as the breath in man's lungs. Perfect.

And God put him to work and, work (ha! and if only work were the work of the fall)... A cultivator in the vein of his creator, tended to the garden, invited to enjoy it all, save. one. thing. [and that is freedom: unparalleled pleasure sustained within boundaries] Just do not go near that tree. Its fruit is divisive, its knowledge unseen, but not something that you need. What you need? What you need is a helper, and here a twist of irony: that man is no good without his eve. Sleep deeply; deep sleeping, he fashioned what adam never found among the beasts, and, awoke from his peace: an apologetic for poetry: the first words spoken were spoken words: "At last, bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh." One woman, one man, naked and unashamed to consummate the one plan that god had for his people, we call that "equal."

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with god, and the word watched Satan fall from heaven like lightening, and I'll bet that it was beautiful, that angel of light-ening up the sky like he could shine as bright as the son. "Did God really say?" and he still begins everything that he does by questioning the authority of the word of the one who did not succumb to his schemes… but the same cannot be said for Eve (the mother of the living, and of the dead offspring who labor beneath the curse that drips from good and evil's leaves…) "You will not die, and God knows that it's true, but god doesn't want truth to be made known to you." And as it delighted her eyes, she took of the fruit and her husband stood by almost as if to assume that the fault wouldn't fall to the man in the room if he used his bride to hide his cowardice before he took a bite, too. Evening, come king's wind, calling, "where are you?"

And I wonder what their friend felt like? Like his heart had been broken in two? Like from the overflow of his soul he crafted these people that were known, but sought to dethrone their lover's rule. "Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat of that forbidden fruit?" And the enemy still distorts "obedience" for "constriction", as oppose to opportunity to worship you. Well I guess he lives up to his name: serpent, constricting, fame-thief slithering fangs sucking blood from my veins, while life and death hang in the balance, and we suffer beneath the weight of satan, sin, death, flesh and it's effects as justly sentenced to us on that day.

What of man? And God said, "let there be enmity..." and God, did that devastating melody leave any hope for me while the brokenhearted trinity joined in harmony to agree to go forth with your plans? Is the expanse between earth and sky as deep and wide as the separation between you and I? And do you long for my heart like I long for your eyes to shine bright and fill the universal void that's in mine and if you do still long to call sons to your kingdom, well will you free them?

See, I can cannot fathom the hight nor the depth, let alone the scope or breadth of your love on the day that you wept and sent humanity from your presence, watching as they went, and continue to walk away as though we owe no debt. I can see it.

Look, in the beginning God spoke, so is there no hope left? Do we all lay down and die the way we made our beds? In the beginning, God spoke, and is there no hope left?
Devil, you will bruise his heal, but he will crush your head."

                                 - Levi The Poet 


-------


Blessings <3

Love Restores

Here is a new song that I heard on the Radio, its called 'Love Restores' by Shine Bright Baby. I really like this song :):) 

--

Are you desperate, for someone to hear your voice
You've been reaching, but you can't get through the noise
Don't give up now, there is hope for you

Are you searching, for a Savior for a friend
You've been hurting, you're about to reach your end
Don't give up now, there is hope for you

His love restores, His words are true
What this world breaks, His hands make new
So do not fear, not anymore,
He can heal what's broken and torn
His love restores, His love restores

Are you praying, for an answer for a cure
You've been waiting, for a miracle thats yours
God is with you, wherever you are
He is holding, onto your heart

His love restores, His words are true
What this world breaks, His hands make new
So do not fear, not anymore,
He can heal what's broken and torn
His love restores

Nothing, nothing, nothing is impossible
No one, no one, no one is unreachable
Nothing is impossible

His love restores, His words are true
What this world breaks, His hands make new
So do not fear, not anymore,
He can heal what's broken and torn

His love restores, His words are true
What this world breaks, His hands make new
So do not fear, not anymore,
He can heal what's broken and torn
He can heal what's broken and torn
His love restores, His love restores

--

Love and Blessings <3