Oh, Baby!

Springtime always makes me revert back to childhood a little.  My sister and I LOVED playing outside together.  We loved dressing up in springtime outfits, we loved Easter egg hunts, we loved it all.  One of my favorite parts of spring are the flowers that come alive.  Lawns get a little greener, and gardens get a little more colorful.  Andrew and I went on a walk last night and our whole street just looked... happier!  Colors, flowers, and big, full, green bushes were everywhere! 

So in honor of childhood, of spring, of flowers, and of the newness that each season of life brings with it...

Floral Baby Bands

"To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven."

-Ecclesiastes 3:1



Best Foot Forward

Andrew and I met went out to dinner with some new friends Saturday night.   Since Andrew and I are relatively new to our church, we do not know many people there yet.  A group of people about our age, and in similar walks of life as us, were kind enough to reach out to us by inviting us to dinner with them so that we could get to know them a bit. 

On the way to the restaurant where we were meeting them, I told Andrew how nervous I was.  I was nervous about my being awkward, or not having much to say, not fitting in... I warned Andrew to be on his best behavior, as he can be a little nutty sometimes (which I love, but I did not want it to catch others who do not know him off guard). 

I think this is what we do when we come before God in prayer sometimes.  We withhold our dirtiness, our realness... the inner most parts of our hearts.  Our fears, our mistakes, even our wounds.  We bring only our best before God.  And God wants our best.  But He also wants our worst.  He wants what He died for, and He died for every part of us... Our talents, our gifts, our passions and desires, our accomplishments.  But He also wants our ugliness, the dark, black places in our heart, the things we are most ashamed of. 

In his book "With Open Hands,"  Henri Nouwen writes of coming before God with unclenched fists... giving absolutely everything to Him.  The first few lines of Nouwen's introduction go like this:

"Praying is no easy matter.  It demands a relationship in which you allow someone other than yourself to enter into the very center of your person, to see there what you would rather leave in darkness, and to touch there what you would rather leave untouched."

This is hard.  This is hard for me.  I am a Type-A personality, tending toward introversion, perfectionism, and a controlling spirit.  Why would I ever intentionally expose the ugly places in my life and heart... intentionally?!

Nouwen closes his introduction with this prayer.  

Dear God,

I am so afraid to open my clenched fists!

Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold onto?

Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands?

Please help me to gradually open my hands

and to discover that I am not what I own,

but what you want to give me.

And what you want to give me is love-

unconditional, everlasting love.

Amen.

 

Psalm 91

 "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
   will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
   my God, in whom I trust.”

 ³ Surely He will save you
   from the fowler’s snare
   and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with His feathers,
   and under His wings you will find refuge;
   His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
   nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
   nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
   ten thousand at your right hand,
   but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
   and see the punishment of the wicked.

 ⁹ If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
   and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
   no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For He will command His angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
   so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
   you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

 ¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
   I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
   I will be with him in trouble,
   I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
   and show him My salvation.” 

Verse 15 of this passage says that God will "deliver him and honor him."  Not only does He command His angels concerning us, in order that we might be delivered from harm, but He goes even beyond that.  He HONORS us.  He brings honor to us for HIS sake... So that we may proclaim HIM to those who do not know Him, and so that our lives may reflect His.  A God who honors His people who, without Him, would be lost, purposeless, and hopeless... that is love.  Not only does He deliver us, but he honors us.  We are worthy of no honor of this earth or not of this earth.  But neither were we worthy of being died for, and He did that too.  

As January comes to a close, we begin to prepare for February... a month of the celebration of love (Valentines Day.)  And I believe that true love does not exist apart from Jesus Christ, so it is only appropriate to celebrate love in the context of Christ, who is love, and who showed us with His life, and who still shows us through His Holy Spirit and through the fulfillment of His promises, what love looks like. 

Be Still

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."  

- Exodus 14:14

Take Time

Take time to work.
It is the price of success.

Take time to think.
It is the source of power.

Take time to play.
It is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take time to read.
It is the foundation of wisdom.

Take time to worship.
It is the highway to reverence.

Take time to be friendly.
It is the road to happiness.

Take time to dream.
It is hitching your wagon to a star.

Take time to love and be loved.
It is the privilege of life.

Take time to look around.
It is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to laugh.
It is the music of the soul.

–Old English Prayer

Source

Thoughtful Organization

I am taking away a few pieces of inspiration from this photo, and thought I would share them so you can have a piece or two also:

bhg

I really like the baskets.  Along with the matching white binders, they help give the space a cohesiveness and take the eye clutter down a notch.  I also love the magazine rack on the wall.  I saw a similar one at Marshall's yesterday, but had to sleep on it before deciding if it is worth the $12.99.

The reason I am torn is because I prefer hiding my clutter, my papers, and my projects in folders, baskets, etc... anything to keep them out of sight.  Andrew is not that way at all.  He is all about convenience and ease.  If he is going to put anything back where it belongs at all, that spot has to be easily accessible and visible.  Otherwise, the project will either be forgotten about, or he will never put the thing back where it belongs; he will leave it on the floor, on the desktop, somewhere effortless.  And the office space is technically for Andrew and not for me.  So I am thinking the magazine rack is the way to go... It is still better than having stuff piled on the floor, the desk, or the kitchen table. 

The chair is also right up my alley; however, I am leaning toward a thrifted chair topped off with a pretty cushion.

The goal this weekend is to purchase 2x4s and brackets, have them cut to the proper measurements, and then paint them.  I am leaning toward painting them white as opposed to staining them the harsh color of the desk.  While I am at Lowes, I also plan on purchasing some LED lights to hang in the office space, since there is no overhead light in that [former] closet.

Another view

Along the Same Lines

Since I am kind of on this "getting organized" kick, I thought I would share this ORGANIZED PANTRY with you, from Courtney at A Thoughtful Place. 

Here is what her kitchen looks like:

 And here is her pantry:

Let me interject here by saying that the size of this pantry is very comparable to the size of our pantry.  And Courtney has two small children, so Andrew and I have NO excuse for not being able to maintain an organized pantry, in spite of its size. 

Here is a list of things she added to help her get organized:

• hanging wire shelving system from Target {$35}
• wrapping paper to line the back of my pantry {$1} Target
• plastic drawer from Target {$8}
• chalkboard labels . . . DIY here.
• two plastic bins from Target to use as makeshift pull out shelves
• ribbon trim {already had}
• three blue tins from Target $1 section {already had}
• oxo containers {already had and LOVE} 

And here is a handy list she came up with to clear to pantry clutter:

• take everything out of your pantry. Toss what you don’t use or need.
• put things in clear containers so you can see your inventory
• label so even the hubby knows where things go when unloading groceries
• keep things in plain sight {like can goods} so you use them
• place like items together
• meal plan to cut down on the random buys that end up filling your pantry

The reason I like her pantry overhaul so much is because it is totally do-able.  She did not go out and spend an arm and a leg.  In fact, she said that the whole job cost about $45, which is pretty darn good.  

Here are some other inspirational, organized pantry ideas, to help get your organizational juices flowing!

From here

 

This one is a little over the top for my taste.

This one is one of my favorites!

I really like the calendar, grocery list, and meal planner hanging on the door... very cute and clever. (:

Cloffice

Yesterday I painted the closet in our spare bedroom, with the longer term goal of turning it into an closet office.  I did it almost without help... Andrew had to help me take the sliding doors off the closet. 

Here is some of my inspiration moving forward: 

I have not decided exactly which ideas to incorporate and which to do without, but at least I have a little direction!  With Andrew going back to school, we have the perfect motivation/excuse to take on this little project.  Hopefully it will help eliminate the clutter and mess that seem to appear when he walks in the door from work or school, and will give him a quiet place, free to chaos, so that he can focus! 

Images are from:  The Mustard Ceiling, Better Homes and Gardens, and Country Living.

Feeling Encouraged Yet?

"You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.

With your help I can advance against a troop;

With MY GOD I can scale a wall.

As for God, His way is perfect;

The Word of the Lord is flawless.

He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.

For who is God besides the Lord?

And who is the Rock except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength

And makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

He enables me to stand on the heights.

He trains my hand for battle;

My arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You give me your shield of victory;

You stoop down to make me great.

You broaden the path beneath me,

So that my ankles do not turn."

- 2 Samuel 22:29-36

And this is totally off topic, but if I do not post it now, I may never get around to it.  A gal at work has a daughter who had a zebra-themed birthday party last Saturday.  She asked me to make the cake, which I, of course, did!  

Here was the final product.  Well, the almost final product:

Upon completion of the cake, I realized that I spelled the name wrong.  She only uses one "r" to spell her name.  But after making that vital correction, but cake was apparently a big hit!  I certainly hope it was anyway! 

Pressing On

Originally, I intended for the verse of the week (1 John 3:19,20) to carry me through the entire week.  Meditating on just one or two verses each week helps to keep me from feeling overwhelmed.  But this week is an exception.  I need to protect my heart and mind with scripture extra this week!!!  (:

At the end of the sermon at church on Sunday, our pastor gave us a "take away" phrase for the week.  The phrase?

Press on. 

Here, from the Book of Isaiah, are some of my favorite "Pressing On" verses.  So, if you need an extra dose of encouragement this week...

"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." -Isaiah 40:29-31

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  -Isaiah 41:10

And this is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES: 

"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.  For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." -Isaiah 43:2

The pastor discussed that we cannot press on if we continually glance in, or stare at, our rear-view mirrors.  

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a NEW THING!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland!."  -Isaiah 43:18,19

I love that!!! God is doing a new thing, but we cannot perceive it if we are looking constantly into our rear-view mirror... The rear-view mirror that God NEVER uses!

"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." -Isaiah 43:25

Here are some of the verses that our pastor used during his sermon on Sunday:

"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I CONSIDER THEM RUBBISH, that I may gain Christ and be found in him...

FORGETTING WHAT IS BEHIND AND STRAINING TOWARD WHAT IS AHEAD, I PRESS ON toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 3:8,13,14    

In a nutshell, the message behind his sermon was that no human condition, no struggle, no victory, no riches, no heartache, no trial, no accomplishment... no earthly thing, amounts to anything compared to the glory found in Christ Jesus.  The greatest or riches and the hardest or trials are all rubbish compared to the prize that lies heavenward. 

All theses things that come wrapped in the package of being human... the heartache, the successes, the riches, the rags.... they can serve as distractions or stumbling blocks in our lives, hearts, and minds, or they can serve as constant reminders of the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.  They can serve as constant reminders of God's grace and glory.  If we let our humanity serve as a reminder to us, it will propel us forward... Pressing on. 

Verse for the Week

"This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us.  FOR GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEARTS, AND HE KNOWS EVERYTHING.

-1 John 3:19,20 

The past few nights I have not slept well at all.  Most of my life I have struggled with worry and with having such a need to be in control.  During the time that I have been married God has really dealt with those issues in me.  He has shown us such awesome miracles, and brought so many unexpected things into our lives that I have been constantly reminded that I am not, nor am I meant to be, in control.  I am, of course, in control of my own thoughts, words, and actions, but even at that, each morning when I wake up I surrender those parts of my heart and life to Him as well. 

That being said, I have fallen into the worry trap over the past few days.  Anxious anticipation, worry, wonder, curiosity... all have worked against my sleeping well this week. 

So, here I am, yet again, surrendering every circumstance of our lives to the Creator of our lives, Jesus Christ. 

"This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us.  FOR GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEARTS, AND HE KNOWS EVERYTHING.

                   -1 John 3:19,20

The Dawn Has Broken

"By the tender mercy of our God,

the dawn from on high will break upon us,

to give light to those who sit in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace."

-Luke 1:78-79

Winter Snow Song - Audrey Assad with Chris Tomlin from Eric Rutgrink on Vimeo.

Joyful

 "His life is our light-- our purpose and meaning and reason for living." -Anne Graham Lotz

During the season of Advent, we light five different candles.  Yesterday, the third Sunday of Advent, we lit the candle of joy.

Photo from here

 I am a pretty serious person, very introverted and reflective in nature, and also mellow.  But I am also happy most of the time.  And, I am a Christian whose life God has blessed IMMEASURABLY MORE than I ever could have imagined.  Thus, I have joy in my heart.  And I want this joy to overflow onto others.  I want it to radiate so that others see it immediately.  I want them to see the joy of Christ when they look at my.  Because, in my own nature, I am quiet and not typically bouncy or giddy, expressing my joy as my witness is something I have had to commit to prayer and to God.

As Christians, we are called to joy.  And we have SO MANY REASONS to be joyful!!!

The light of Christ in our hearts manifests expressions of joy in our lives.

Photo from here... And it is worth taking a few minutes to check out the rest of her house too!!!

 "Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth;

burst into song, O mountains! 

For the Lord comforts His people

and will have compassion on his afflicted ones." 

-Isaiah 48:13

This photo also from here

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." 

-Luke 2:8-14

One Day Closer

Today was the first truly COLD, WINTRY day we have had this year.  It was the kind of day when the sun never seemed to actually come out.  It was dark and overcast all day, and this weird not-quite-rain was in the air all day long.

It would have been a perfect day for cuddling in front of the fire with a good book... or just for sleeping in!  Except that it is a Tuesday... when people go to work.  And I am SO THANKFUL to have work to go to!!!  But I did miss that fireplace and book periodically throughout the day.

Aside from the weather, it was an absolutely crazy day at work.  There is no way that I could fully describe some of the things that happened or the people we saw today.  I do not even want to try because I could not do it justice.  All day I just wondered where the candid camera was.  It is like something you would watch on a sitcom... But it isn't quite so funny in the heat of the moment and in real life.

So, in the midst of the craziness, I longed for a little corner of the world that was my peaceful and quiet place.  And that is Jesus.  The peaceful and calm in the midst of a crazy world.

"In peace I will lie down and sleep; for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety."

-Psalm 4:8

Image from here

“The LORD bless you
   and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
   and be gracious to you;
 the LORD turn his face toward you
   and give you PEACE.”
-Numbers 6:24-26 

Image from here

^"Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."
-Thelssalonians 5:19,23

The Details

Yesterday I posted the menu that we decided on for our dessert bar at Jenny's wedding.  Henceforth, this bar will be referred to as "The Sweet Bean," as that is what we finally chose to name it!

Today I will go down the list of items served at The Sweet Bean, and provide recipes for each dessert, as well as pictures to go along with them!

Whippersnaps

(This recipe yields between 40 and 50 cookies, depending on how big you make them.)

• 1 box of cake mix (the flavor of your choosing; we used strawberry, lemon, and chocolate.)
• About 2 cups of frozen whipped topping, thawed (I saw "about" because I eye-balled it.)
• 1 egg
• Powdered sugar for dipping
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, the whipped topping, and the egg.  It will take a while for the dough to form, so be prepared for your stirring arm to get tired!
• Form tablespoons of dough into balls, and roll them in the powdered sugar. (I used less than a full tablespoon of dough for each cookie, because they are prettier and sturdier the smaller they are.)
• Place the cookies on a greased cookie sheet about an inch apart.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool. 

Mini Banana Nut Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

(We made 445 of these.  I used the original recipe I found here, with some small modifications.  This recipe makes about 12 regular sized muffins, or 24 mini muffins.)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose four
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• handful of walnuts
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease a muffin, or mini muffin pan.  Or line with cupcake papers (which is what we did).
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nuts.  Set aside.
• Combine bananas, applesauce, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl.
• Fold in the flour mixture, and mix until smooth.  Then scoop the batter into the muffin pans.
• Since our muffins were mini, I baked them for 12 minutes.  If you make regular sized muffins, you will probably bake them for 25 to 30 minutes.  

For the cream cheese frosting, I used this recipe.  It turned out great, and held up wonderfully at room temperature.  The icing actually sat on the muffins at room temp for a few days before the wedding, and it was still fine!   Because we had some many muffins to dollop, I made six batches of this stuff, and had the perfect amount for the job.  So, a word to the wise:  if you are planning on making large quantities of frosting, begin the process in advance!!!

Cake Pops

(We made somewhere in the ballpark of 300 of these puppies.  People LOVED them.  You can fine a basic recipe for bake balls here, and then you can mix and match cake and icing flavors, as well as the chocolate coatings and toppings.)

An important note about cake balls:  After baking the cakes, and mixing them with icing, it is best to let them sit in the fridge for, well, as long as you like, before trying to form them into balls.  Some of our mixes sat in the fridge for hours before we formed them into balls. 

After forming the mixture into balls, you will want to let the balls set in the fridge for a while, or in the freezer for a few minutes, before attempting to dip them.  Otherwise, they will fall apart during the process.

I am NOT an expert on cake balls.  If you had watched Jenny and me make them, you would probably have laughed at the mess we made, and at how many cake balls we lost! Angie (aka: Bakerella); however, IS the expert.  And you can watch her step-by-step cake pop instructions here.   Warning:  She makes these little buggers look much easier and less time consuming that they actually are!

 We got the idea for the Neapolitan cakes here, but ended up using the recipe from Annie's Eats.  We had A LOT of cakes to make, so we doubled everything... three or four times!!!  Eventually, we had enough batter to make three, 12" layers, three, 9" layers, and three, 6" layers.  We also used the recipe for the strawberry layer of this cake to make Jenny and Matt's small cake that they used to cut and feed to one another.   

 

For the filling for the Neapolitan cakes, we used raspberry preserves and the same buttercream icing that we used for the outside of the cakes.  We also did this to fill Jenny and Matt's small cake.  

Buttercream Icing 

Let me warn you, TONS of shortening was used in the making of this icing.  For practical, aesthetic, and taste reasons, I chose not to use butter at all.  So the name "Buttercream" is a bit misleading...

• 2 cups white, all-vegetable shortening
• 2 tsp CLEAR vanilla extract (if you use regular, it will give your icing a strange tint.)
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 lbs. (one bag/about 8 cups) of confectioners' sugar, 10x's sifted
• 2 tbsp Meringue Powder (I used Wilton)
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream shortening, flavoring, and water.  Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together.  This takes a while.  You may want to turn your mixer on, and then walk away for a few minutes while it does its thing!  
• After the icing is mixed well, you may find that it is too thick.  If so, add a tsp of water for each cup of powdered you used, and then turn the mixer back on until the water is incorporated into the icing.  
• You can store this icing for several days at room temp.  If you choose to do this, make sure you store the icing in ROUND, AIR-TIGHT containers.  

(We used somewhere between 6 and 10 batches of this for the wedding... I lost count eventually...) 

To decorate the Neapolitan cakes, I wanted something easy, but also knew that Jenny would want something fun, kinda classy, and simple too.  I got the idea for the Rosette design here,  and am SO happy with the way it turned out in all-white! It is just Jenny's style!

 Moving right along...

We used the same recipe for the Mint Oreo cake that we used for the chocolate layer of the Neapolitan cake.   We made four, 10" layers, and then turned the layers into two, 2-layer cakes.  

 For the Mint Chocolate Ovaltine frosting, we chose this recipe, with some minor changes.  Since we wanted the cake to have a minty hint to it, we used 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp of mint, rather than just 1 tsp of vanilla.  I think we ended up using about six batches of this stuff, but don't quote me on that.  

We coated the tops and sides of these cakes with off-brand Oreos.  To give the cookies a minty taste, after we put them in the food processor, we dumped them into a bowl, threw a healthy amount of mint extract in there with them, and stirred it around a little.  Then we put our make-shift Mint Oreos all over the cake. 

 

Without question, the best smelling dessert at the reception was the pumpkin cake on the groom's table.  These things were Jenny's babies.  I made the frosting, but Jenny made each of the four, 9" pumpkin cakes.  They smelled like fall, and were absolutely beautiful!  You can find the original recipe here.  The only things Jenny did differently were to omit the nuts, and use regular flour rather than wheat, because we did not have any wheat flour on hand.  

To ice the pumpkin cake, Jenny said she wanted something "simple and rustic."  So, I went with this Brown Sugar Icing.  I followed the recipe exactly, but quadrupled it.  I definitely could have gotten away with tripling it instead.  Now I know for next time...

The Sweet Bean was only one of many sweet touches in the Elliot Wedding. 

 

Matt and Jenny's love story, and their lives, are centered around Christ.  Knowing that about them, and seeing that acted out in their relationship and in their lives, made every moment of their wedding day sweet.  

It was such an honor to be a part of their wedding day, and of the planning process in some small way!

Things I Love

I am working on an alphabet book for my two year old niece to give her as a Christmas present.  The plan is to make a book with a letter on one page, and with a Bible verse that corresponds with each letter on each adjacent page.  I am VERY excited about it.  The biggest problem I have run into so far is deciding which verses to put with each letter... There are so many good ones to pick from!  The second biggest problem is pesky old "X."  Don't even get me started...

Anyway, that little project has had my wheels turning about what other things I can put with letters of the alphabet.  All sorts of things came to mind, but "26 Things I Love" was the easiest.  And since it's late, and I have been on my feet and working all day, I thought this would be a fun, simple way to unwind!!!

So, these are 26 things I love (with a few extras sprinkled in here and there): 

Andrew!!!! That was an easy one...
Baking... in moderation.
Crafting... painting, paper-crafting, decorating, wreath-making... the list goes on. There are more ideas in my head than I know what to do with!
Drinking coffee in the morning, in the peaceful quiet, and topping it off with a nice walk, before the noise of the day begins.
Eating healthily.  I should do this more often, because I always feel so good when I do.
Finding spare change in my car... or in the couch... or anywhere... and then using it on a Sonic drink!
Going to bed early.  This is pathetic, but it is true!
Having a productive day at work... the kind that make getting out of bed at 5am seem well-worth it.
Ice cold Diet Coke!  It is almost always my drink of choice!
Journaling... something I have not done nearly as much as I should lately...
Keeping the bed made.  Somehow, it makes the whole house seem cleaner. 
Learning!  We should all learn something every day!  And I love lists!  (: 
My dad.  He will always be the greatest man I know.
Nail polish... So many colors, so few fingers!
Opening presents... slowly... I love the sense of anticipation!
People.  I love them and I love helping them.  And I love having a job that lets me watch people begin to help themselves.... I also love "PLANNING...." Planning anything!
Quiet evenings with a good book.  Or a Real Simple magazine.  Or quiet evenings with nothing.  I just love quiet every now and then!
Re-watching old home videos.  I love feeling nostalgic.   And as much as I love them, they always make me want to cry!
Spending time with my husband.  It doesn't usually matter what we do... it is always fun!
Talking to my mom... on the phone or in person!
Unexpected gifts... given or received.
Very love baths after very long days...
Writing.  I have always loved writing... pretty much anything.  I even liked writing research papers in school. Strange...
X-tracts... Okay, EXTRACTS... vanilla, almond... those are my favorites for baking with.
Yellow!!! I also love yoga... Cannot decide which I like better!
Zoos.  Yes, it was the first word that came to mind that starts with "z," but I truly do love going to the zoo.  Honest.

What are 26 things YOU love?!

Love is a Shelter

Inspired by Lyndsay, in this video, I prayed for my clients on my way to work today.  The drive from our house to the office is a solid half hour at best, so I have plenty of quiet time before the noise of the day begins.  I prayed today specifically for the people I knew I would interact with, either by phone or in person, I prayed for co-workers I knew I would see, and I prayed for clients who I knew I wouldn't see, but who were on my heart.  The difference it made was unbelievable!!! My attitude toward my clients was different, my feelings toward them were different.  My heart was softer toward those certain few who always seem to know how to rub me the wrong way or drain me. My words and actions were probably even different.  And as a result, they probably reacted to me differently as well.  When I began my job almost a year and a half ago, I was diligent in praying for the people I met and worked with each day.  I guess as I have become comfortable. I have become TOO comfortable and passive.  Or some days, I am just overwhelmed, and feel as though the LAST thing I want to do is even think about work... let alone set aside enough time and energy to pray about it!
Like me, Lyndsay has a fairly "common" job.  She is a teacher; there are lots of those out there.  And there are both good and bad ones.  I am a social worker. There are lots of us floating about also, and some are great while others are not so great.  Lyndsay is exceptional at what she does.  Because she loves in an exceptional way... in a way that is foreign to this world. 
If we all could, and would, love like this... day in and day out... through the stressful  through the mundane... We will make an extraordinary difference.  That is what Christ's extraordinary love does.  It changes us, and it changes those with whom we come in contact.  If we pour His love onto others, we will be blessed beyond what we can imagine.  And they will see love, possibly in a way they have never seen it before.  "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." - Ephesians 3:20. 
Maybe it is kind of like a flow chart:  When we pray, God's love is activated in us.  It is moved to action, and through our actions of displaying God's love to those around us, He will, through His power, do more than we can ask with the love that we share... "according to His power!" And I learned this morning that prayer is the key to accessing and activating that power.  Prayer opens the door for Christ to move on in!



Warren Barfield sings, "Love is not a place where we can come and go as we please.  It is a house that we go in and never leave."  As Christians, every moment of our lives should be lived in love.  His life in us should be undeniable. 
And then, we would be extraordinary teachers, social workers, mothers, fathers, doctors... Our love, displayed through word and deed, is Christ to those who may never see Him anywhere else in their worlds.  Love may be the only shelter some people ever know; the only constant in a world of change, trials, hunger, relentless sunshine, or bitter cold, soup kitchens and welfare lines, street ditches, or highway bridges.  The love of Christ reaches through all these things, all these places.  It changes and heals.  And we have it in us.  It is our calling to give it away.

Paradox

I came across this poem recently and thought it too beautiful, and too profound, not to keep record of:

The Paradoxical Commandments

Mother Teresa
by Kent M. Keith

"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, people could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; 

Give the world the best you've got anyway.  

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway."

To me, this poem was a good reminder that I live according to a standard that is not of this world.  In fact, I live according to a standard that is quite opposite of the standards of this world.  And I do not live for this world.  I do not live to please those around me, though I am always happy when I am able to please some.  I give the world the best I have for the sake of my King, for the sake of the Creator of this world.  The reactions that my actions emit from others are insignificant compared to the Glory of my King that I will one day see.  (: 

Follow Instructions

I don't really feel like I have much to say tonight... It was kind of a long day (good, but long), and I am just ready to disconnect and disengage for the evening!

So, here is something to chomp on: 

Source: stylesncream.blogspot.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

I love lists, and there are some really good things on this one to take to heart!

(I found the original list here.) 

Encouragement

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken... Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in Him at all times, pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."  - Psalm 62: 1,2,5-8

I think it is interesting that David repeats himself verbatim in the psalm.  He says the same thing over, and then over again... almost as if he is convincing himself of it, reminding himself of it, and claiming it as truth.  Some days are just like that.  I have to continually remind myself that no matter how down or defeated I feel, my soul rests in God alone, who brings salvation, who is my rock. 

"When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way..."- Psalm 142:3