well hello 2011.

I've been thinking a lot this week about my New Year Resolutions.

Do yall make them?

Do you ever keep them?

I'll be honest, my opinon on them changes every year.  Sometimes I can't wait to make my resolutions and get started on January 1st.  In fact, I get giddy over January 1st.  But then the next year I decide that I don't love them.  And I know that guilt will come in February or March when I fail [if I last that long].  So I'd rather not deal with the guilt.

Well this year I like them :)

But I've been thinking long and hard about what I want them to be.  So often it's a checklist kind of item that I want to do.  One that appeases my Type A, listmaking personality.  Like working out at least three times a week.  Or cutting out all caffiene.  Or doing a quiet time every single day without ever missing a day.

But I've realized this year that even though some of those might end up on my list, I would much rather my 2011 be focused on changes on the inside.  Changes to my heart.  Changes to the way I react and relate to others.  Changes to the way I see things.

And I believe that sometimes it takes deciding.  Deciding to see things more positively or deciding to love people better.  It's all about the decision.  If I don't conciously make the decision, then my flesh gets in the way.  I get selfish, or negative, or envious, or snappy.

Lately I've been chewing on these two things:

Love Well.

Live Simply.

I've been running them around in my mind.  And doing "trial runs".  And seeing the impact these two things have on me.  My heart.  And my attitude.  As well as the impact they have on the people I'm around.  The ones I have a relationship with as well as the barista at Starbucks and the highschool kid bagging my groceries.

And I have to say, I like what I see.

And, more importantly, I think God likes what He sees.


They are not easy.  And I fail often.  In fact, as I just reread what I wrote, I realized that I referred to doing "trial runs" but in reality, that's not what they started out as.  They started by me deciding I wanted to love well and live simply.  But they ended because my flesh got in the way.  I decided to be selfish or envious.  They became "trial runs" because they only lasted through one or two interactions before I returned to my old ways.


They definitely deal with my heart.  And allowing God to work through me.  Because only through Him will I be able to make through more than an interaction or two.


I know these are different than lots of New Year Resolutions.


They are much different than my normal ones.  In fact, they may fall more under Shawni's "motto"  idea like last year.  But regardless, I think I'll start there.


I plan to come up with another "checklist" for my OCD too :)
Maybe I'll post it?


What about you?  Any resolutions?

crazy.

Hi friends!

Happy Monday :)

I hope your weekend was fabulous!

Okay, interesting story.

First off, a little background...Worker Man is addicted to looking at houses.  So we have looked at houses for the last two years without any intention of moving.  Just to look.

Well, over the last few months we have started to feel a little cramped.  We love our little house [not that it's anything to get too excited about - but it's ours :)] but it's just not enough room. Especially when I have to use the second bedroom as an office, guest bedroom, storage space and craft room.  It's a little inconvenient to climb over Worker Man's mountain bike and wedge myself in between the Rubbermaid table and futon anytime I want to sew.  I'm just sayin'....

So, we came across a house that we really liked and thought maybe we should put our house for sale just to see if we could sell it.  Our house was not at all ready to be on the market.  Still lots of little projects that needed to be done.  But Worker Man wanted to just go ahead and "try it".  I figured no one would come see it for awhile so it would be no biggie.

Well, Worker Man put a sign in the yard on July 7th.  No paper with it.  No realtor.  No listing online. Just one sign with a phone number.

And we actually got calls.  From lots of realtors.  But also from people interested.  But no one interested enough to look at it.

Well, fast forward to last Saturday, July 24th.  I had just stepped out of the shower and there was a knock at the door.  Worker Man and I were getting ready to head out of town for a wedding.  And it's a woman with her sister.  Interested in coming to look.  Right then.

So, I threw on my clothes and they came in and looked around.

They talked to us about how quickly we could get out and told us they would call the next day.  We weren't sure if we'd hear from them.  They seemed serious, but we just weren't sure.  So, sure enough, on Sunday her grandson calls and wants to stop by.  Then on Monday, her husband and son stop by along with the grandson and his family.

Grandpa comes in the kitchen and tells Worker Man he wants to

buy.our.house.

Worker Man and I are a little in shock as we talk about and the man offers to pay cash, wants to close on the deal the next morning and wants us out by Saturday morning. 

We move the closing back to that Friday and agree to move out by Sunday afternoon.

And we had a deal.

So...as of yesterday afternoon at 4 pm, we are homeless.

We are living with Worker Man's parents while we look for a new house.  But seriously, we are so excited to see what the Lord has in store for our next step.  We know that this has to be divine.  We sold our house in three weeks, with no appraisal or inspection, with the man offering cash and closing four days after coming to see the house.   We will definitely keep you posted on what is to come.

But for now, just a little reminiscing...

Goodbye sweet, little first house.

busy, busy, busy.

I read this devotion in my Jesus: Day by Day devotional by Beth Moore.
I thought it was great so I wanted to share.

"Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, 'Lord, don't You care that my sister has left me to serve alone?'"
--Luke 10:40

I have a feeling if someone had asked Martha's sister Mary at the end of the day if Christ cared about her, she would have answered affirmatively without hesitiation.  But Martha came to Christ and asked, "Don't You care?"

Christ's love for us never changes, but our sense of His loving care can change dramatically over time.  And I believe the determining factor in whether we sense His love or not is our willingness to abide in Him, to seek to practice a relationship in which we develop a keener awareness of His presence.

Sometimes we are so shocked when a seasoned servant of God confesses that he or she is struggling with belief and awareness of God's loving care.  We might think, "You of all people!  You're such a wonderful servant of God.  How can you doubt for a moment how much He cares for you?"  Could it be that somehow service has distracted them from abundant, life-giving intimacy?

Don't neglect to give Him ample opportunities to lavish you with the love He always feels for you.

"She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet  

and was listening to what He said"

--Luke 10:39

Do you struggle with this? 

Finding the time to just be abundantly loved by Jesus. 

Allowing that intimacy to infiltrate every piece of your heart? 

I encourage you to find that time.

As the weekend approaches, seek out a time to be still. 

To focus on the love that He lavishes on us.

To sit at His feet.

And worry about nothing else.

small group.

last july i went to the deeper still conference with beth moore, kay arthur and priscilla shirer. 

well, priscilla shirer was amazing.

her teaching was so clear and concise.  and over six months later i still remember what she talked about.  the verse that she taught on and the points that she made.  it has stuck with me.

one of our christmas presents each year from my parents is a devotional.  well i happened to be with mom one afternoon at lifeway and she let me pick out what i wanted.  i immediately knew that i wanted a priscilla shirer study. 


so, i picked out this one:

let me just tell you, it did not disappoint.

it has been phenomenal.  so honest and straight forward.  seriously i love when i sit down to do this bible study because i know that i will leave with some awesome food for thought.

so, since i loved it so much, i convinced the ladies of the group we are involved with at church that we had to do this study for our first small group.

tonight's the first night. 

and i can't wait! 

[the guys are using the book, the man code - for my three male readers who might be interested :)]

perspective.

I read this post by Megan last Tuesday and it pretty much took words right out of my mouth.  


[Well, except for the part about sleeping with the lights on for years.] 


I am guilty of putting too much emphasis on earthly things. This was especially true when we first got married.  Being jealous of houses that were bigger than ours, cars that were nicer, couples that could take nicer vacations.  So many things that really weren't/aren't important.  It was easy to get caught up in all the things we don't have.  It still is.  


But, I realized that Satan was just trying to get a foothold.  Anywhere he could.  And I started to fight those thoughts.  Focusing on the amazing life we have.  The blessings we have.  The fact that I am here, on this Earth for one thing.  And one thing alone.  


To serve my Creator.


With my entire being.  Every year, every day, every second.


So with that, my perspective began to shift.  Does this mean that all of the sudden I stopped struggling with comparing our life, our relationship, and our possessions to others?  No.  But slowly that constant comparison has subsided.  There are still times that I wish for earthly things or become jealous of what other people might have.  But I have learned to quickly dismiss any of those thoughts. 




So, after reading Megan's post and realizing how true that was/is for me,  I happened to open the devotional, Jesus: Day by Day, by Beth Moore.  And Day 43 was the next day I was supposed to read.


Here's what it said:

"He turned and told Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me because you're not thinking about God's concerns, but man's.'"  

                                           --Matthew 16:23

All Satan needs to have momentary victory over a disciple is for us to have in mind the things of men.  Satan doesn't have to get us thinking blatantly satanic thoughts to have victory over us.  All he needs is to get us looking at life from man's perspective rather than God's.  But if we surrender our minds to the things of God, we are safe!  We don't have to constantly look out for our own best interests, because He's constantly looking out for them.

What Peter didn't understand is that what may have seemed best in the short run would have been disastrous in the long run.  Had Jesus saved His disciples the anxiety of His betrayal, trials, and death, He wouldn't have saved them at all.

On this earth, I don't know that we will ever perpetually have in mind the thing of God rather than the things of man.  But if we don't make the deliberate choice to have in mind the things of God when faced with our biggest challenges, most of us will probably default back to our natural instinct -- the things of man.

"As heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

                                                        --Isaiah 55:9

How incredible?  That this would be what I would read right when all this was fresh on my mind.  Crazy.


Well, it's definitely something that I've thought about many times since.  And my prayer is that I will make the deliberate choice to have in mind the things of God so I don't default back to my natural instinct, the things of man.


Hopefully it offered your some perspective today.




Happy Tuesday!

do it for others.

[updated to add:  this project does not require a sewing machine.  just $2 to buy two blankets at the Dollar Tree and a pair of scissors - that's it.  you just cut the ends in 2" strips and tie them together - there's a tutorial for it on Kristen's blog.]

I have a little proposition for you.

Kristen, at We are THAT Family, has done DIY posts with awesome decorating ideas for quite a while now.  Well, at the beginning of the year she decided to revamp her DIY theme a little.  Instead of doing my DIY projects she is going to have a Do It for Others Series.  Every month she is going to post a project and she encourages other bloggers to join her.

For her first project, she is asking that everyone make lap blankets for hospice.  Check out her post about it to learn more information.

Here's the blanket I made. 

It's all packed up and is shipping out this morning.

Will you join me??

show us your life - resolutions.

I've decided that I'm going to try to play along on Kelly's Show Us Your Life Tour every week.

This week we are supposed to talk about our New Years Resolutions.

This year my resolutions are all stemming from a word.  One word.  I saw that Shawni from Life has come up with a word each year that is her "motto".  Well, I have decided that I need a word for this year. 

I thought about this sometime in December but didn't know what my word should be.  I toyed with a few of them but none of them fit just right.

Then, all of the sudden, while describing my first few days of January to a friend at work....it hit me.  I used the word to describe how I was feeling.  And I knew, that was the word.




My word??

 Balance.




So often I do everything all or nothing.  

This is never good because I end up feeling like a failure in so many other areas because I'm only focused on one thing.  For example:

I'll be all about excercising. But that's all I'll be about.

And then all about doing my devotions.  But then feel guilty if I don't spend the right amount of time or if I miss a day.


But I want to make my friends the priority.  And I'll drop everything else just to make it to all the events.

And of course I want to be all about my husband.  Which is a good thing to some degree.  But not when I can't balance it with everything else.



So, this year my motto is balance.

I want to spend time with my Creator.  Because I want to.  Not because I have to check it off my list but because I can't stand not to spend time in His word and in prayer and in meditation.


I want to spend time with my husband.  Being a more supportive wife.  Falling more in love with him daily.  Praying consistently for him. 


I want to spend time being a better friend.  Even in the small things.  The e-mails.  The handwritten notes.  The coffee dates.  And the girl talk over Mexican food.


I want to spend more time being a better daughter, sister, daugther-in-law, sister-in-law, niece, granddaughter, cousin.  Being involved in the lives of my family.  Taking interest in their interests.  Staying in touch.

I want to serve.  The people in our church.  The Young Professionals ministry.  The people in our area that are in need.  The people across the world that are in need.  Taking part in events where I can share the love of Christ. 


I want to become a better photographer.  Photograph more events.  Learn more about photography.  Get better at the editing process.


I want to create.  I love making anything.  Sewing, painting, decorating.  I want to do more of that.  I want to teach myself new things.  Like upholstery and more difficult sewing.



Now does this mean that I can do it all, all the time?

No.


And I realize that. 


But it's not about doing everything all the time.  It's all about finding the balance in my life that makes me enjoy each one of these things individually.  Not breeze through spending time doing a devotion so I can make time to get to a coffee date.  Or give up all the time with my husband so that I can spend all the time with our families.  


I know I will have to make a huge effort to keep this happening.  As January starts I always feel refreshed and excited to start the year.  But then come mid-February the 'vision' starts to grow dull.  I lose focus and get into the rut of day in and day out.  Hopefully having a word will bring me back to the feeling I feel today. 



Balanced.

pray.

i came across this blog today.

just a recap:

sara was diagnosed with breast cancer and has gone through chemo.
she has also been pregnant during this time.
the baby was born on september 8th.
but sara's health has declined rapidly.
i know this time is crucial.

please pray for them!
i know God can perform a miracle!

aware.

i work at a medical school that is attached to a hospital.

thankfully, i have not spent a lot of time in hospitals. especially not in recent years. but, anytime i am walking through the hospital for a random reason i become aware of how much sickness there is out there. just today i walked down through the hospital and i saw three extremely sick people.

one with cancer. she had no hair. she was sitting in the lobby hooked to an iv with all kinds of bags hanging from it. i assume she was there, in the lobby, as an escape from the four walls she has probably been confined to for some time.

one man with tubes coming out of his nose. probably weighed eighty pounds, max. he was slowly walking down the hall in sock feet. no look of joy. no look of anything. just a blank stare.

and the third. another man with a hospital gown on. barely able to walk even with the help of a cane. carrying a bag of medicines. again, no joy. just a longing desire to be out of this place.

the third glanced at me as i walked by. and in that split second i was overwhelmed with emotion. just so incredibly thankful to be able to work. to be able to walk. to be able to find joy in the small things. the things i so quickly take for granted.

so today i am aware.

aware that i am healthy.
aware that i am able.

aware that i am blessed.

metro.

i'm sure all of you...

{ahem, all 15 of you}

...heard about the metro wreck in d.c. on monday.

when i was working at elon university, i worked with a guy named jamarl. during my time there, our whole staff became really close. jamarl moved to d.c. one month before i left elon.

i received this e-mail from him yesterday:

Good Morning,

I am so overjoyed this morning! Yesterday I left the office which is located in Takoma Park to get on the metro. I was running so fast trying to make the 5 o’clock red line train that goes to Fort Totten metro station. I recall running and seeing the train go pass me and thinking to myself I was a minute late from getting on that train. The train I almost boarded was the train that had the collision that you all have heard about on the news. I was one minute away from taking that train, God kept me! It’s something how a minute can make a difference. Let us keep the family of those that lost love ones and those that are injured. Please don’t take life for granted. Have a blessed day! When I saw the sun come up this morning a tear came down my face because I got to see a new day!

https://owa.wfubmc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/23/washington.metro.crash/index.html

God is so good.

Verse 4.

Well, it’s that time again!

I’m a few days late but here’s my scripture for the second part of February:

“Take on an entirely new way of life – a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in you.”

--Ephesians 4:23-24 (The Message)

You can still join in. If you’re interested head on over and post your verse for this round.

Verse 3.

I'm starting on my third scripture since it's the beginning of February! I'm so excited about it! Memorizing a new scripture twice a month is simple but it is incredible how much I reap from it. Anytime that I am stressed or frustrated about anything, it's so comforting to have these scriptures automatically come to mind. If it's already been this comforting and I only have two scriptures from this year, I can only imagine having 24!

Here's my verse for this month:

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Hebrews 12:11 NIV

The last two were:

"The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with his love."
--Zephaniah 3:17 NIV

"He is your constant source of stability.
He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom;
He gives all this to those who fear Him."
--Isaiah 33:6 ESV

Difficult practice.

I am currently read this book and it has been really good.

Last night, I almost finished it but right before the last chapter, I fell asleep.

There is one part I read last night (don't worry, this isn't going to ruin it for you if you haven't read it) where the main character is talking with God about forgiving someone. God tells the character, "for you to forgive this man is for you to release him to me and allow me to redeem him."

The character later on asks God if it is okay that he is still angry with the person who wronged him. God replies "Absolutely!...But don't let the anger and pain and loss you feel prevent you from forgiving him and removing your hands from around his neck".

This is such a difficult thing for me to practice if I am angry and truly upset with someone but I know that God has covered me with his grace and love and today I pray that I would be able to extend that same grace and love to others, forgiving and allowing God to work.

Praying for Harper!

Please pray for The Stamps family.

Kelly, Scott, and Harper need your prayers right now. Harper is in critical condition.

Click on the button to hear updates about Harper.

Memorizing.

I often read a blog by Beth Moore and her daughters that provides me a good outlet for refocusing on what is truly important. In their posts, it is easy to see that God works in their lives all the time. Even in daily relationships, struggles or problems, it is easy to see God’s fingerprints all over their lives. Reading this provides me a little focus during my day.

Beth (I’m talking about her like I know her on a personal, first-name basis…but I don’t) posted a challenge during the last days of December as an idea for the New Year. She challenged readers, if led, to commit to memorizing scripture verses with her. It’s so easy to let this piece of a person’s spiritual walk fall by the wayside without accountability partners. So, she decided to find some virtual accountability partners. Her guidelines are that you post a verse you feel led to memorize on the first and fifteenth of each month. Therefore, by the end of the year, you will have memorized 24 scripture verses.


When I read this, I knew I had to join. The scripture verses that I have memorized in the past have been so important. When I’m in difficult or stressful situations it always calms my soul when a verse I have memorized comes to mind. I know it is so critical and yet it is a part of my walk that I so easily overlook.


The catch to this is that you must be committed. You have to post the verse you feel led to memorize (in the comments of Beth’s blog) on the first and the fifteenth of every month and really work hard at it (meditating on it if you’re not so good at memorizing). If you don’t know what verse you would like to memorize, it’s easy to look at the comments section and see if someone has chose a verse that tugs at your heart. I think the group is over 3000 people at this point. If you want to join…head on over and check it out.


My verse for the first part of January is:

“He is your constant source of stability. He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; He gives all this to those who fear Him.”
--Isaiah 33:6 NET


Also, I just wanted to post this scripture because I feel like it is so clear in how memorizing scripture can be instrumental in my walk with Christ.

“How can a young person live a clean life?
By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I'm single-minded in pursuit of you;
don't let me miss the road signs you've posted.
I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart
so I won't sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed, God;
train me in your ways of wise living.
I'll transfer to my lips
all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
I delight far more in what you tell me about living
than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
I attentively watch how you've done it.
I relish everything you've told me of life,
I won't forget a word of it.”
-Psalms 119:9-16 (The Message)

May I strive to live my life this way.

so many lessons to learn...

Worker Man and I have been married for about 5 months now and it has taken me this long to begin to realize where part of the difficulty of marriage lies.

I have never been one to be super judgmental. I am loving towards most people and have very few people in my life that I do not get along with or enjoy spending time with. I have tried to remain pretty aware of the verse:

"And why worry about the speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own" --Matthew 7:3

I don't want to be judgmental or condemning of a friend because I know that there are so many areas in my life that are far from perfect.

Well, this has not been the case with Worker Man. I have begun to realize that I am so quick to point out things that he struggles with or frustrations that I may have with him. But all the while, those are only "specks" while I have a huge log to deal with. There are so many things that I can do differently as a wife that would make marriage easier and less frustrating but instead, it's easier to point out his small faults.

This is definitely something that I need to work on....