There's a Connection...

Me, Amie, Jenni

Where to begin...

First, I am feeling much better. Phew. It never ceases to amaze me how a little bout of sickness suddenly puts life into perspective. There's something about feeling terrible and not being able to enjoy anything that makes me realize just how good I have it every. single. day.

OK, about my little retreat...I am so very bad at wrapping up moments with words. They seem to fall short of conveying my experience, but here goes...

I went with my friend Jenni and new friend Amie. Jenni and I are the kind of friends that can tell each other like it is, no sugar coating it...remember the movie Steel Magnolias? Jenni and I kinda remind me of Clairee & Ouiser...and I love that! (I tried to put a clip from that movie on here, but turns out, there's some naughty little words in there!)

Amie and I are new friends. We have mutual real life friends, but really only knew each other through blogging..which made her feel like an old friend. On December 19th 2007 Amie's beautiful son Andy was born...and he was perfect. 40 days later, Andy died of SIDS. She worked on his scrapbook this weekend. I'm not quite sure how she did it, but she did...and God showed me something about life through this beautiful mama.

Life is about hurting and grieving and laughing and silliness all wrapped up in a big jumbled mess. One moment we could be crying with her, and the next moment we're all laughing about something completely trivial. It's how we all survive. It's what we're meant to do. I used to misunderstand this, I think. I took the words of Solomon...a time to dance, a time to mourn, etc and looked at them as one at a time, when really, the laughing and crying are many times all mixed together.

The connection with these two girlies is supernatural. There's no other explanation for it. We share a Savior. We share the same hope. We know the same forgiveness. It really is beyond words. So thankful to have been able to spend the weekend with these wonderful girlies...can't wait till next year ;)

Jenni, me, Amie

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Fantabulous

I'm back, and I had a great time.  

Lots to share...only...I can't right now.

By the time I got home late yesterday afternoon I was not feeling too good.  I will spare you details, except to say....there was barfing involved.  I only share that with you...because lets face it...I'll use any excuse I can to say barf.

I'll fill you in tomorrow though... on the retreat.  I promise no more on barfing.  It'll be safe to come back ;)

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I'm Off...

This morning I'm leaving for a little getaway...till SUNDAY.  

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!

I'm a little excited to get away.  This will be my 3rd year of going to a scrapbooking/Great Beginnings retreat, just a couple of hours away from tiny town.  

It's fabulous.  Great food (which I don't have to cook or even think about,) two wonderful friends to chat endlessly with, times of prayer and reflection, AND scrapbooking.

What?!?  You didn't know I scrapbook?!?  Hmmm...I never talk about it?!?  Yeah...that's because I went on this retreat last January, scrapped my brains out, and then started this little blog in February.  Guess what I have not done since last January....scrapbook.  

But, I have unrealistic expectations high hopes of getting caught up.  Even better than that, is just taking a brief break from reality...with friends.  

Maybe you could all say a quick prayer for my hubby as he becomes a single dad/pastor trying to prepare two sermons for Sunday kinda guy...with 3 little boys to help ;)

PS - I'm fully aware anything I've cleaned or organized the past 2 weeks will be undone in my absence...it's the price I pay...and it's totally worth it.  Amen.

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Love Me Some Yellow...

It's done.

And I love love love it. Makes me smile.

Kitchen before:

Kitchen After:

It didn't take long at all, which is the benefit of a small kitchen ;)

I also picked up a couple of real plants the other day...Ben couldn't believe it, he asked me twice if they were really real. He's given them a week to live before the boys destroy them or they just wither up and die from living with us. He's probably right...I won't get too attached. But they're sure cute in the mean time.

And the last of the winter home makeover is these cute green pillows that I got at WalMart for $5 a piece. (Ignore the dog, he wouldn't move)

Now, I've got some packing to do...more on that tomorrow.

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Scarily Do-able...

I have some deep stuff to share with ya'll, but it just doesn't seem to be making its way from my mind to my fingers. Must not be time yet :)

So....today I am:

• excited about the lovely shade of yellow that I will be painting my kitchen...tomorrow! YAY!
• glad that for the most part, my house is much, MUCH easier to pick up than it was pre-organizational tangent. Good news.
• Pondering our newest Ladies Bible Study called Living Beyond Ourselves by Beth Moore. We started last night, and I am so looking forward to living beyond myself.
• which leads me to something so FAR beyond myself I swore I'd never in my right mind consider it...half marathon. HALF, not the whole shebang. 13.1 miles...still sounds terrible doesn't it?!? I printed off a customized training schedule according to how much we currently run and guess what? It looks do-able. Scarily do-able. All of me needs to be living beyond my own abilities and limitations, and instead relying on the power I have, in me, through the Holy Spirit.
• Missing my comfort zone a little...
• eating Wheat Thins...why do those little crackers have to be so tasty?!?

Seriously, I gotta wrap this up...my boringness today is...welll...boring me :)

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To Find You...

My faith in Jesus defines me. I know this. It's who I am, to the core of my being. He changed me...and in still in the process, but without a doubt, I cannot for one second deny the change He's done.

I know who I was. And I know who I am now.

When someone close to me, whom I love immeasurably, walks away from that same faith...it hurts in a way I can't explain. Sometimes they're aware of what they're doing, and sometimes...not.

Last night, as I was driving to a friends Tupperware party, I was stewing about the situation with this one I care about so much. Playing conversations in my head, over and over. Some of the conversations were real...others were imaginary...you know the ones...where I'm all tellin' them what they need to hear, and they're all listening and responding positively...funny how it goes perfectly in my head and never that great in real life :)

Anyways, I was also making a mental list of all the possible reasons they were turning their back on a God who is so obviously trying to love them, and WHY this was such a bad, bad move.

I came up with a pretty good list.

But the list...it didn't make me feel better. It gave me a sense of hopelessness.

I happened to be listening to a CD that I've listened too since I was 15. It's an Audio Adrenaline Greatest Hits, and a song came on.

This song, in particular, I've never cared for. Something about the style of it makes me skip over it every. single. time. But last night, I know without a doubt God meant for me to hear the words to that song, because as I moved to push the skip button, I suddenly knew I needed to hear what that song said.

And, like so many other things in my life, something I didn't care for at all has now become one of my favorites.







I'm lost and broken all alone on this road
The wheels keep turning but the feeling is gone
when I fear I'm on my own
But you remind me i am not alone


You say..


I'd leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you
(For you alone)I'd leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you



It's dark and lonely and the path is unclear
Can't move my feet because I'm frozen with fear
And you say, my child, my child
I am always here, I'm by your side


I'd leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you
(For you alone) I'd leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you


You're never too far down
I promise you'll be found,
I'll reach into the mud,
the miry clay
pursue you to the end,
like a faithful friend,
nothing in this world,
will keep me away,


I'd leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you
(For you alone) I'd leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you... to find you..



I was filled with peace. All of my own words were washed away with the truth this song brings out of scripture. The song reads like a love letter from Jesus. He pursues us, because He loves us...and He knows where each one of us is at today, the good, the bad, and the ugly in each of us. He's not intimidated when we run from Him...and some of us know we've been running for a looooong time.



And He PURSUES us. Nothing in this world can keep Him away. Nothing.

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We Have a Winner

I am so excited to give this book away!

Without further ado, the number that the random generator chose out of 94 comments is..... *drum roll*

#3, Cindy @ Simply Cindy...YAY!

I used this generator (because I couldn't find the one everyone else seems to use...someone let me know what the link to that one is for future giveaways;)

Now Cindy, you're gonna totally have to let us know how it goes, OK?!?

And for those of you who've already ordered the book, you must MUST let me know how it goes.

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