Friday Favorites!

Image via Pinterest

Happy Friday!!  Here are a few favorites from the week that I'm so excited to share.  Many of them are reader generated, so thanks for the ideas!

POPCORN!  You may not know that I view popcorn as its own major food group.  Many thanks to my sister-in-law, Caitlin, for passing along this fabulous article to all the Robertson girls on the benefits of popcorn.  Caitlin, you know us well and are already proving to be a perfect addition!

NAIL POLISH!  Today, Beauty.com is giving a way a free Deborah Lippman nail polish ($16 value) with any $10 purchase.  Click here.  

Speaking of nail polish.  Just heard from Birchbox that Kate Spade nail polish is heading your way this April! 

SHOES!
A good friend has requested that I share about a new line of wedges from Toms Shoes.  By now, I'm sure most of you are aware that for each pair of shoes you buy, Toms donates another brand new pair of shoes to a child who needs them.  She liked this concept so much, she just HAD to buy two!  Check them out:

And check out these adorable sparkle flats for a little girl:

 View them all at Nordstroms.


I enjoyed reading Anna Kate's Book Report on Good Enough Is The New Perfect by Becky Beaupre Gillespie & Hollee Schwarz Temple so much that I think I might have to read it myself!


And lastly, Nina shared a heartwarming video from Britain's Got Talent that brought me to tears.  I have no idea why singing shows always make me cry, but give me a compelling story and impeccable editing, and I'm a goner...
(Email subscribers click here)

We're Cool!

Reading as a little girl with my Granddaddy

As I mentioned yesterday, this past weekend, we were fortunate enough to be in the mountains of western Virginia at my grandparent's house.  I've been going there with my dad's family since I was a little girl and I have some of my most favorite family memories there.

There was one fateful winter, however, when we barely made it to the top.  Days before Christmas, our family of 7 piled into our blue and white striped suburban with our dog Celeste (who pretty much looked like a big grey bear) ready for the trek!

A few hours in, it began to rain/sleet, but we kept pushing through.  A few more hours in, it was snowing...roads were closed, snow was everywhere, no plows were in sight, and what was supposed to be a five hour drive, had already turned into a six hour drive, with no end in sight.  It was the scariest car ride our family had ever experienced together.  I, for one, was SO grateful my mother had made me go the the bathroom at our last stop because as she likes to say, "Never pass a potty!"  I can assure you, since that day, I never have!   

We were terrified.  We continued to inch along, while my parents tried to appear like everything was okay, but little by little, they were unraveling and showing their fear as well.  (When your parents are scared, then you know it's time to worry!)

 At one point my dad called our grandad to check in and see what the status was a the top of the mountain.  The phone was on speaker phone and my Granddaddy so calmly said, "We're cool up here!  The weather's great.  I'm standing outside in my slippers and no socks, hurry on up here!"

I'm sure my dad was quite annoyed, since his story and my granddad's seemed SO vastly different, it was hard to believe.   But, I remember sitting in the way back of the suburban, hearing his voice, and feeling like everything was going to be okay.  For me, when scary times hit, his voice has always been one that brings me peace and leads me back to Truth.  After talking to him on the phone, I knew that we were going to be okay and we were going to make it to the top--where we could run around outside in slippers with no socks--talk about crazy! 

After 8 long, scary hours, we FINALLY made it to the top, where we discovered that Granddaddy was right!  In a crazy turn of events, the weather at the top of the mountain was beautiful and unseasonably warm.  After pushing through the fear and the storm, it was finally over; we were at the top.

Sometimes, our lives hit extremely scary patches and we find ourselves inching along wondering just how in the world we're ever going to make it out.  It's so easy to focus on what is rather than what will be.  For us, our present was a blizzard, dangerous conditions, closed roads, and limited options of making it to the top, but what was awaiting us was a beautiful, calm, mild, winter night with our family.

And much like my Granddaddy assured us of what was awaiting at the top, our God assures us in countless ways that we WILL make it through our storms.  Through His Word, we know that He is with us, He will not desert us, He will strengthen us, He will help us, and though it seems daunting and impossible, He has a plan.

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
   I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze. 

Isaiah 43:1-2

Not Deserted

Happy Tuesday!  We're just getting back from the most wonderful trip to the mountains of western Virginia.  Seriously, I know I'm biased, but I just think Virginia is the most wonderful state that there ever was! 

We relaxed, I had the luxury of a spa day and afternoon tea, and cooked, and just enjoyed spending our days and nights with wonderful friends.

B and I also forgot our cell phone charger so we went four full days with no phone, texting, or email.  At first I panicked, but I have to tell you, it was SO refreshing to fully unplug!  

The trip was an incredible and so relaxing and I'm just now beginning to ease back into my daily routine.  So to ease back into blogging, I thought I'd leave you this morning with a FABULOUS verse that I've come to treasure this month:

"But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them."  

Nehemiah 9:17

I just love the truth that no matter what, our God will not desert us!  May we rest confidently in that today!   

Friday Favorites!

Image via Pinterest

Happy Friday!!  Today's favorites are short and sweet. 

One of the reasons I first connected with Nester, was her incredible ideas for renters.  It's easy to think because you rent, you're limited to what you can change in your house or apartment, but she's got some great ideas! 

This week, I loved her "Renter's Laundry Room Makeover".  You can also check out her mini-blogs Content to Rent or on Window Mistreatments.

I also LOVED Mary Elizabeth's post on Hearing His Voice.  It's incredibly beautiful!

We had such fun last weekend showering Anna Kate!  Sadly, we have no pictures, but here are two fun recipes for tea sandwiches that we used here and here.  

Have a great weekend!!

Productive Passions

Lately, I have been reading and praying about my passions and God’s direction in my life. Elizabeth’s post on Monday really resonated with what has been consuming my prayer life.  I was encouraged by the reminder that our completion, as a servant and child and workmanship of God, is inevitable.  We will fulfill His purpose.  Because He promised to complete what he started. And yesterday, Elizabeth reminded us that we are each completely unique - from the way we look and think to the calling we have in God.

A friend from church recently walked me through an exercise to help me identify my passions. One statement during the exercise was particularly reaffirming:  What you truly love and God’s will for you are one and the same. I understand that statement as an interpretation of Psalm 37:4 :

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

God designed you. And He designed certain things to bring you joy. In some ways I am still trying to figure out what the desires of my heart are for the next step in life: as a soon-to-be law school graduate.  I love the Lord, I love my husband and I love my family.  But what is it that I truly love as a ministry or career?

In praying through my passions and priorities, I repeatedly came across 2 Peter 1:5-6 :

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

            As part of my personality, I am task-oriented and enjoy being productive. Often, I am concerned that I am not doing enough.  But productivity in Christ is something much bigger than completing a single project.  

            At the most basic level, we are designed to grow in Christ. As we seek productivity in our knowledge in our Lord Jesus Christ, we will find direction and fulfillment.  We will be effective (produce fruit, bring others to Christ) as we invest in our relationship with Christ.  We can be secure in our faith even if we don’t know what our “calling” looks like. As Nina pointed out in her comment to Monday’s post, it took Beth Moore almost 20 years to discover Bible teaching as her specific calling in the ministry.  If God is passion #1, then in His time all the rest will fall in place.

            Lord, I delight in you. I love your Word and believe in your promises. Thank you that I get such joy from _____________. Show me how to serve and honor you in that. I pray that as I seek to increase in goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love, that I could be productive in you.  May my knowledge of you bring others to know you.

     And finally, a Caedmon's Call jam for an appropriate passion perspective: "You created nothing that gives me more pleasure than you."

(email subscribers click here)

Perfectly Unique

Have you ever really studied your fingerprint?  How amazing that throughout the entire world, there is no one who has your exact print?!  That concept completely and utterly fascinates me.

It's easy to get into the mindset that we all want or need to be the same as everyone else--same hairstyle, same fashion sense, same parenting techniques, same likes and dislikes, but the truth is, there are unique and original aspects in each one of us that we should embrace and celebrate.

A totally surfacey example for me is my red hair...for years all I wanted was to be blonde and tan like so many other girls in Virginia Beach.   I hated having a hair color that was so different and paler than pale skin, but after years of trying to fight it and convince myself I could "tan" only to utterly fry my fair skin, I now know that my red hair is part of who I am.  Plus, it allows me to join the ranks of a dying minority that include Anne of Green Gables, Madeline, Diane Lane, and Emma Stone.

For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.  

Each one of us has been uniquely shaped and designed by a Creator who knew exactly what He was doing when He knit us together.  We're perfectly original and totally unique. 

I recently had a conversation with a friend who was telling me that she's working on encouraging the uniqueness she sees in others.  Often, we're too focused on trying to figure out who we want to be, that we miss out on knowing and appreciating who we truly are.  

I was so struck by my friend's desire to celebrate the uniqueness in others and speak Truth into their original giftings and passions.  Wouldn't you just love someone to sit down and speak life into the real you...not who you want others to think you are, not who you wish you were, but the real you?  It's easy to say "your differences make your special" (sorry, I know that sounds a little Sesame Street) but to hear it from someone else, is a different story.

I have one friend who is the most perfect listener and able to acutely pinpoint the root of situations and rather than tell you what to do, she validates your feelings and offers insight and suggestions.

Another has an incredible eye for design and aesthetics and loves people so well by welcoming them into her home.

Another has an energy and zest for life that's so contagious that people are drawn to her and she's quick to bring them into the fold.

Others are incredible leaders and can shepherd flocks of all ages—whether it's by leading a Bible study, organizing group runs, or spontaneously putting on the most fabulous dance parties!

Even my fictional, red headed friend Madeline, though she drove Miss Clavel crazy, was created with courage, enthusiasm, and confidence to go on to do great things!

Many others have incredibly unique passions—a passion for highs school girls to come to know Jesus in a deep and meaningful way, a passion for serving groups of people in other countries, a passion for international public health, a passion for the poorest of the poor, a passion for victims of human trafficking—the list could go on and on.  

Even our passions are designed and intended to be unique and that is such a good thing!  It's okay if you don't feel like you have the same calling or passion as others.  If we all had the same passions there would be a lot of people and places in the world that would never be served.  

So, I apologize if I'm rambling this morning but the takeaways I want to leave you with are this: 

• You are fearfully and wonderfully made—there is no one else on this earth just like you.
• You're uniqueness is part of that perfection—don't try to fight it.
• Look at the people in your own life and see how you can encourage and speak life into their original strengths and giftings.   

Make It Work

Originally Published March 8, 2011, but I thought it was a good follow-up to yesterday's post.  

Does anyone else love Project Runway?  It never ceases to amaze me how they're able to make these incredible works of art using only newspaper or trash bags.  I mean, really?  How do they do that?  Talk about "making it work!" 

Yesterday on my drive to work, I was thinking about something a woman said at a recent women's conference: "Never despise the nothing in your hand.  It's amazing what God can do with nothing."  

In a similar way, I'm sure the Project Runway designers think to themselves, "How in the world am I going to make something for the runway using only newspaper?"  But somehow, they usually do. 

Similarly, sometimes we might think, "how in the world can God use me?"  Lucky for us, it's not up to us to create the finished product, that's God's job.  He's the designer.  We just have to bring to him what we have.

Take Moses for example.  When God appears to him in a burning bush and tells Moses He is calling him to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses responds with a, "Who me?  You can't be serious?"

Then God asks him, "What's that in your hand?"

All Moses had was a shepherd's rod, but God had him place it on the ground and Moses watched as it turned into a snake.  The minute Moses touched it again, it turned back into a rod.  God used this small, humble, simple, everyday rod to perform various miracles and He tells Moses to take his rod in his hand and use it to do the signs God has given to him.


God takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary.

What did God give to David to defeat Goliath?  A big, macho, powerful weapon?  Nope!  Why not try a slingshot and some rocks?

What did Jesus do with the boy who gave him five loaves of bread and two small fish?  He used his humble sacrifice to feed 5,000.  Afterwards, not only did they have leftovers, but they had 12 baskets full!

What has God placed in your hand?  Never despise your nothing or your ordinary; It's amazing what God can do with nothing!!

"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26

Made For This

Mary Tobin all set for tea

Happy Monday, friends!  I hope you had a fabulous weekend! We had a weekend full of fun house guests and showering.  Friday night, I got to hang out with my dear friends and old college roommates Anna Kate, Emily & Josie as we got ready to shower Anna Kate on Saturday in preparation for Baby Campbell.

Then Saturday night, Bernie's sister Anne came to visit all the way from Afghanistan!  It was so much fun to see and get to spend time with her!

In other news, I've been reading a lot lately about callings, passions, and fulfilling your purpose.

I don't know about you, but do you ever look at certain people who are totally in a role where their gifts and passions sparkle and rather than being happy for them, you get discouraged because:
1.  You don't know what/if you have any gifts
2.  You have no idea what your purpose is a.k.a what in the world you're supposed to do with your life

It can get frustrating and very discouraging.  I look at my friends and people in the greater world and think, "wow, they've found "it"...something that totally speaks to their gifts and passions and can also be a gift to others. 

Let's talk celebrity for a second...

Ryan Seacrest—is he not the best variety show host ever?  I mean, seriously, American Idol would be nothing without Ryan!

Kate Spade—without her style, handbags and shoes everywhere would be suffering.

Beth Moore—she was MADE to teach the Bible and use her own story of freedom to encourage others.

I have friends with kids and I look at them in awe and think, "this is what they were made for.  They are the best moms ever and are shaping and cultivating the hearts and minds of our future leaders." 

Speaking of shaping future leaders, I have teacher friends who are in very similar positions.  The impact teachers have on students is unbelievable.

My friend Karin is a strong, beautiful, conservative woman who, in my opinion, is on her way to becoming the next Laura Ingraham.

Sweet Mary blesses SO many with her gift of photography.  

So here's the thing...whether you've found "it" or are struggling, searching, and praying for "it" to be revealed to you, this week, everything I've been reading has the same theme surrounding it: Each one of us has been made for a unique purpose and there's something for each one of us was "born for." 

The words of Jeremiah 1:5 tell us that we have been chosen, set apart, and appointed.

"I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born.  I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

Priscilla Shirer compares it to fine china...we have been set apart and reserved for the extremely special occasion when only the fine china will do.  You're the "good stuff."

So if right now, you find yourself struggling along searching for "it" to find you, take heart in knowing that God knew exactly what He was doing when He made you.  And even if it's hard to see right now, He has plans.  He has promises.  And He has a future.  YOU are not a mistake!

"For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."    

Ephesians 2:10

 

Friday Favorites!

Parachute Concert--thanks to Molly for the photo!

(Lots of videos today!  Email subscribers, click here).

Happy Friday!

A definite highlight from this week was getting to go to the Parachute concert with some friends to see my best friend's incredibly talented husband.  Have I mentioned my best friend married a rock star...like, a real one?!  No. Big. Deal.

Here's the video from my favorite song, "What I Know:"




They're pretty great.  You should buy their album here.

Another highlight this week is going to be watching UVA advance today in the NCAA basketball tournament.  Game starts at 2:10.  And speaking of UVA basketball, I LOVED reading this article on our coach Tony Bennett--he's kind of amazing!

In other news, for the first time ever, I hired someone to clean our house yesterday. (Note: house guests arriving tonight, just ignore that sentence...obviously my house is ALWAYS this clean!)

Oh. My Gosh.  I never knew a sparkling house could make you feel so much better.  It's cleaner now than the day we moved in—all morning I've been thinking up ways to make this work on a more regular basis, but it's not very conducive to our student budget.  Ideas have included: stop ordering alcohol at restaurants, give up mani/pedis (though I already did that in Sept.), start babysitting again, figure out a monthly business where I can make $70 extra dollars a month.  Stay tuned!  All that to say, Charlottesville friends, if you need a deep spring clean that will change your life, let me know!!!


You may or may not know, that for my real job, I work for an early education initiative that raises awareness on the importance of the early years and advocates for a greater public/private investment in early education.  This is a passion of mine that I kind of stumbled into, but now that I have, I'm extremely committed.  Whether children are at home or in school, it's imperative that they're getting the strong start they deserve.  So, it was pretty awesome when Jenna Bush Hager ran a story on The Today Show this week talking about the importance of the early years and high quality education:

In other work-related news, last year, we published the Faithful Beginnings School Readiness Guide—a guide to arm parents with kindergarten readiness milestones, simple faith truths, and activities they can do at home with their children.  We recently brought the Guide to life with a few short videos featuring a mother and her two boys doing some of the activities.  Here's one of my favorites, but you can watch them all here.  







Are they not the cutest?  Dana makes two boys, 12 months apart, seems picturesque, fun, joyful, and abundant.  I came home from this day telling B we needed two boys one year apart who could wear matching madras plaid shorts everyday.

That's all for now, have a fabulous weekend!!

Shut The Front Door

Sadly, not my real front door, just a little Pinterest inspiration

Last night, I locked myself out of my house.  Ugh, isn't that the worst?!  After a late dinner with friends, I parted ways with B, and headed home.  He may have just finished a grueling exam schedule, but some of us have work around here, and my bed was calling my name.

Right when I pulled in the driveway, I knew, there was no way I was getting in.  I had gone on a walk with my sister earlier and neglected to put my key back in my purse.  I got out of the car, just in case the door could be pushed in (sometimes it doesn't close all the way...but don't tell anyone that!) but it was a lost cause.

I quickly hopped back in my car to go meet B to grab the key.

In the big picture of life, this was a non-issue.  Just an inconvenient blip.  But I have to tell you, there's nothing worse than longing to be at home, in your own bed, with all of your quirky comforts, only to arrive and realize you're locked out.  Everything you know and love is inside, you just can't access it.

But do you know what is SO amazing??  When it comes to God, we're never locked out.  No matter what we've done, or how long it has been since we've paid Him a visit, His door is open.  No locks, no keys, no barriers, just a beautiful door with a welcome mat that says, "Come in.  You are mine and I love you."

I don't know about you, but that Truth invigorates my soul and gives me Life—we are SO loved and SO welcomed!  I just love how much God loves us, don't you??

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you in with loving-kindness."

Jeremiah 31:3

"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 singing."

Zephaniah 3:17

“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

Here & There

La Republica Dominicana con Katerina

Contentment.

A beautiful, but incredibly challenging ideal, aspiration, and goal.  I remember being 15 on my first missions trip to the Dominican Republic with my best friend Catherine where we wrestled, talked, and prayed about "contentness."  Even before we knew the proper word, we knew it was a challenge--there, we were with people who had nothing, yet exuded more joy than we'd ever seen, and we were distraught because we didn't have cell phones, and our curfew was a humiliating 10:30 pm!

When we returned, we were all set to stand up at our church and share about "contentness" when minutes before, my sweet Catherine whispered in my ear, "Just found out that "contentness" isn't a word...apparently, people say "contentment".  What a friend!

Yet no matter what you choose to call it contentness, contentment, contentity, the root of the word is the same--a BIG challenge.

That's why this week, I so appreciated hearing thoughts from Priscilla Shirer on the topic in her book, The Resolution for Women.  She has a graceful way of taking things I struggle and fail at and making them sound doable, worth it, and rewarding.  

A woman who resolves to be content, she says, "Looks forward to tomorrow with peace and ease and an appropriate level of anticipation instead of the frustration and hurriedness that often accompanies our glances toward the future."

She finds a balance and "a genuine gratitude for what the day brings, all the while maintaining a controlled anticipation for what tomorrow may offer."

And her contentment "keeps (her) mind clear.  Peaceful.  Settled.  Undisturbed.  Happy to be here, and when God determines the time is right, happy to be there."


As the spouse of a business school student, who is about to be "there" for the summer, I can't tell you how much I appreciated her perspective!


If you're in the market for a new book, I highly recommend this one!  It's filled with quick, challenging, eye-opening chapters!

CHARGE!

Well, I don't know about you, but yesterday, I was dragging.  Who knew one little hour could make such a big difference?  I realize that Day Lights Savings is a means to an end that brings us longer, brighter days, but for me, it was tough adjustment.

All day long, I trudged along, mistyping words, forgetting what I was working on,  and basically, completely out of it. 

This morning, after snoozing for a full hour, I dragged myself out of bed only to find both my computer and phone were out of batteries.  Like me, they were in the red, in need of a jolt.  So, I did the natural thing when your electronic devices are dying, I plugged them into their power sources for the required energy boost.  Within no time, both devices were working at full capacity.

Maybe it's just me, but like my friends the Droid and the Mac, I'm in need of a boost.  When our batteries are fading into the red, we need to get plugged into the Source and say, "God, I'm fading, I can't do this without you.  I need Your help and I need Your strength."

Fortunately for us, there are lots of verses in the Bible that promise us that when we're in the red, our God is more than capable to give us His strength and energy to keep on keeping on.

"Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint." 

Isaiah 40:28-31 

Another little boost for me can come from worship songs that exude the power and promise of our God, like Laura Hackett's version of Joyful, Joyful:
(Email subscribers, click here)

Up & At 'Em

Originally Posted March 14th, 2011

It happens every year...springing forward means the incredible gift of longer days and more sunshine to enjoy, however it also brings with it the loss of an hour, which can be a rough adjustment.  It's just one tiny hour, who knew it could be so difficult?  But today, when my alarm started beeping at what felt like 5:20, I was not a happy girl.

  "Awake, O sleeper,
      rise up from the dead,
      and Christ will give you light."

 Ephesians 5:14 (NLT)

Whether we are sleeping or awake, God is always at work.  I recently heard Priscilla Shirer  tell a story about waiting at a stop light and trying to corral her boys into behaving from the driver seat.  The minute she looked up, she had missed the light and her opportunity to go forward. "Sometimes," she said, "In being distracted, you might miss your chance to go forward."   

I might add to that, sometimes, we're so tired, and our eyes are so tightly shut, that we miss out on seeing what God is doing in our lives.  This week, even though each morning my body will dread my alarm, I want to wake up each morning, ready to see what God has in store for me.  He is always moving and I don't want to miss a minute!

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."  

Psalm 143:8

For more morning related posts click here or here.   

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!  First things first today, Friday, March 9th.  I must wish my wonderful mother a happy, happy birthday!!  I mean, just look at the photo above and you can see that for over 30 years she has devoted herself to being a loving wife, mother to five, mother-in-law to four, and grandmother to 2.  She's pretty incredible. 

But her most celebrated accomplishment, in my opinion, is that for the entirety of her adult life, above all else, my mother is a woman who has chosen to walk with God.  There is not a morning I can recall that she has not ushered in the day with her prayer journal, Bible, and coffee.  She has established a legacy of what it looks like to trust God, walk with Him, and believe Him for the impossible that I hope to one day pass on to my own children.  Happy, Happy Birthday Mom!

In other news, my friend's husband was interviewed by Bill Hemmer on Fox News this week.  No big deal.

How cute is this idea--Pamper the Ladies with Babies?!

And spring is in the air...did you know that THIS Saturday, it's already time to spring forward?!  One of the things I love most about spring is new dresses!  Here are a few I have my eye on:

All dresses via Pinterest

 

Happy weekend!!

Ours

One of my favorite little parts of life is an email chain I'm on with a few friends from college.  We ask each other all kinds of random questions like what meal we're planning to cook this week, what's our #1 played song on iTunes, the current book by our bed side table...and then into more serious things like prayer requests and what God is showing us.

This week, the questions were so well thought out and there was one question that I especially loved:

 What's something that stirs your heart to love God more?  

Here are a few snippets....

People who are prayer warriors, parts of the Bible that are poetic, answered prayers, the promise of God's nearness, seeing breakthrough in certain areas, watching my kids just be kids, seeing people respond graciously and mercifully in situations where natural reactions of bitterness, frustration, retaliation, etc are to be expected, seeing children worship God, the Psalms, seeing redemption work itself out in relationships...

It's a great exercise that I definitely encouraged!

One answer took me by surprise, yet has since totally resonated with me is this: "Taylor Swift's "Ours" (don't know why)." 


I'm not sure why my friend listed "Ours" so I'm don't want to put words in her mouth, but after reading her email, I listened to the song a few times.  There are some initial major pluses—like Matt Saracen from Friday Night Lights co-starring in the video, and it's a cute little ditty.

But after listening to it a few times, I love the idea that when life is hard, you feel overwhelmed, or maybe even attacked, God says, "Don't worry...this love we have is "ours" and nothing, absolutely nothing, will ever shake that—you are not alone!"

That is a truth worth holding onto tightly and resting confidently in!

Here it is:
(Email subscribers, click here)



So inquiring minds want to know, what's something that stirs your heart to love God more?  

Warmest Regards

Weehah! Cards—one of my favorites!

Over the weekend, I received an incredible gift: a friend saw a greeting card that spoke clearly and encouragingly into my current season, but she didn't just tell me about it, she bought it, she wrote truth within it, and then she mailed it to me.

Ya'll, I can't tell you how much this simple card has encouraged me this week.  I've kept it in my purse as a reminder of this friend's love and support.  It means so much to know there are people in my life who believe in me and want me to succeed.  Not only that, but it's also served as a bigger reminder, that not only does she believe me, but I know God believes in me too.  And the things that He's pressing on my heart aren't just things to think about, but with His help, they are things we can accomplish together.  To me, this card was just a small way of God going out of His way to encourage me through someone else. 

More often than I'd like to admit,  I'm insecure and I feel like a failure—falling short of my goals be it exercise goals, eating ambitions, household organization, personal goals, etc.  This little card lifted me up right when I needed it and reminded me that no matter how I might be feeling, I'm not a failure.

It takes maybe 10-12 minutes to write someone a little note and pop it into the mail.  Far too often, we women can be catty, competitive, petty, or consumed by comparisons...BUT we can also be vehicles that God uses to speak life, truth, joy, and abundance into the lives of other women—don't we want to be those kind of women?

So this week, send a card, not a text or an email, but a real, live, paper note to someone and speak truth into them!  It is an incredible gift that each one of us is able to give, so what are we waiting for?!

Entering Into God's Rest

Image via Pinterest

It's no secret, I LOVE me some Joyce Meyer.  So in contemplating quiet, rest, and stillness, I loved what she had to say about entering into God's rest:

"What is God's rest?  It's not actually resting, or ceasing from physical work; it's the ability to trust God and rest in Him no matter what you're doing or what's going on in our life.  When we enter His rest, we can remain stable in every circumstance." 

Shhhh

Yesterday, I'm happy to say that I successfully checked "See The Artist" off of my to-do list and I'm so glad I did!  I now fully support its victory at the Oscars.

I walked away blown away by how much purpose and emotion can be conveyed in silence.  And then I read this:

"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God.  Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage.  The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace."

Matthew 6:6 (MSG)

Much like The Artist captivated Hollywood with its silence, God can move mightily within the quiet spaces of our day.  Sometimes, more than words, we just need to steal away a few quiet moments with our God who loves us deeply.  

Friday Favorites!

Happy Friday, my friends!!  A few favorites to send you off into the weekend!

I've linked back to them before, but for the past 4 years, I've been so taken by the story of Katherine and Jay Wolf.  Katherine had a stroke four years ago and nearly died, but was miraculously saved.  Their story of hope, faith, and rehabilitation is incredible.  I especially love the way her husband Jay has loved and cared for her throughout everything.  Click here to watch a local news story on them and you can follow their day-to-day journey at Hope Heals. 


Trish Ryan's candid and moving post on the Changing Seasons blog brought me to tears and I love how she talks about "Someday."

I'm doing some VERY extensive research with a friend as to which brand of nail polish is best and this week, my duty was to try Chanel's latest color: Distraction.  (What can I say, I'm a slave to science).  While I was very impressed with the streak-free polish and the shine, I did see chips in 2 days.  However, what I loved most was the color.  I'm still looking at my nails as I type, and they just make me happy.  A fun, frivolous, spring pick-me-up! 

Have you all heard of the book Bringing up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman?  I feel like I'm one month behind the trend, but the concept is so intriguing to me!  Click here to read an article from the Wall Street Journal penned by the author on "Why French Parents Are Superior" and you can also read Cup of Jo's thoughts here. 

If you're still in an Oscar kind of mood, check out Birchbox's Oscar Superlatives.  I also loved their "A Not So Secret For Getting Cleaner Skin From My Mother" post. 

And last but not least, I will send you off into the weekend with a song.  My sweet friend Catherine sent this to me a month ago, and I'm still just loving it!  Nicolle Galyon is a contestant on The Voice this season.  You can listen to some of her original songs here, but here's her take on Super Bass:
(Email subscribers, click here)

 

All By Myself

Image via Pinterest

On Tuesday I talked a little bit about loneliness.  But here's one thing about loneliness that can actually be really cool...sometimes when you're away from your family, your friends are out of commission, and even the Real Housewives, the Desperate Housewives, the Bachelor, and the 5th year residents at Seattle Grace hospital are unavailable, rather than wallowing, we can use this chance to step back and simply rest in God's loving fold. 

Growing up in a family with five kids, there were few moments that I had to myself (and even fewer for my saint of a mother).  It's easy to get used to being surrounded by people all the time—home, work, the grocery store, that when we're finally still and alone, we don't even know what to do with ourselves, and initially it can feel uncomfortable and awkward...now what...listen to "All By Myself" a la Bridget Jones?

My encouragement to you is this: when, if ever, you find those windows of solitude (whether welcomed or not), take advantage of them!  Journal, pray, read, or simply rest in the presence of God.  When we allow God to fill the void that lingers within our loneliness, a beautiful thing can happen—we become aware of the truth that though we may feel alone, we are not alone and we are not abandoned.   

Take advantage of the opportunity to bring your lonely, weary heart to God and watch as He carries you higher.  Watch as he satisfies and fulfills you in ways that would never be able to imagine, and once you experience it, you'll find, you may never need the Real Housewives again! 

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Joshua 1:5

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Deuteronomy 33:27