Heart Songs

Hello Darlings!

This week looks exceedingly packed. I am working almost every day, and tomorrow (Sunday) we have an Ultimate Frisbee game and I'll be playing bass guitar for the morning worship service - did I ever tell you the story of how I became a bass player? I'll have to write that sometime. It was hilarious. :D

Anyways. I love it when life revs up like this and the days are jam-packed, a whirl of crazy color and music and laughter. It makes my heart dance.

The only problem with running here and there, to and fro, up hill and down dale, attending this gala and that garden party, is that in all the happy cacophony of noise, sometimes that still, small voice gets drowned out. :(
(ugh. The writer in me cringes at the amount of commas in that last sentence!) ;) Back to my point!

God wants you. Relationship, not reluctance. Communion, not carelessness. Prayer and praise, not procrastination. If you spend a little time each day with Him, life suddenly gets a whole lot sparklier. It's like tuning up your instrument... the song rises and swells until beauty bursts into every corner and cranny and the stress and worries all get squeezed out.

(Random photo of the Hillsong United concert we went to a few months ago, because it was overwhelmingly amazing)

My resolution for this next craaaaazy week is to do *something* every day that brings God and me closer together. Quality time with my father, savior, first love, and best friend.
Hopefully that means taking a few minutes to open the Bible app on my iPhone right after I wake up to sunshine pouring in my windows...
Having a few ongoing conversations with Jesus while I'm standing out in the middle of a field at the Rock Ranch watching exuberant kids on the giant jumping pillow...
raising my hand to lift His name high when I have a second in-between strumming a guitar string, or singing at the top of my lungs while I vacuum the living room carpet. :D

Being a believer doesn't have to be complicated, you know. Sometimes the best relationships in life happen when it's natural and unforced. There's still a choice involved, and it takes an effort on your part... but it's a two-way street. God meets you in the moments you turn to Him. :)

So be encouraged! Take some time to "be" with God this week, whatever that looks like! :)

Love,

How Sweet It Is: {Blooming}

*waves* Hey there!

Hi Everyone!

I know, right? It's been FOREVER! I haven't blogged in way too long. Mostly because I just kept putting it off, but for a few other personal reasons too. (Since that sounded more mysterious than I planned on - I was thinking that my one previous boyfriend might still be reading this blog, but I've decided I don't care. It's my blog and I'm going to blog on it.) ;)

I've been doing so. much. lately. I don't even know where to start, trying to get caught up on posting about things. Oh well! I'll just keep typing and see how it goes. :) The biggest and most wonderful thing? I'm blooming. Where I'm planted. As in... I'm actually REALLY happy about everything in my life right now. I've been having fun and enjoying my family and friends and reading good books and crocheting soft, gorgeous things and cooking great food and dancing and singing and laughing.

**insert big, huge smile**


AND LOOK AT THIS......!!!!

I had the incredible blessing of walking into a thrift store and finding this gem. Namely: a dress, that will be THE MOST PERFECT THING EVER to wear to the English Country Dance Ball I'm attending the weekend of my birthday. Which is next month. :) 

And it came with a wrap of the same pink satin that my genius mother can whip up some lovely wide straps with (which will be just the thing for my modest tastes).

And it was only $20. 

*SCORE!*

It looks much better ON, btw. Right now it rather resembles a flattened flounder at the top, but I assure you that when I'm wearing it it flatters my figure instead. Lol! 

Le Lace Closeup:

I have actually been really blessed in the area of finding modest, pretty clothes lately. ROSS actually had some gorgeous and modest and inexpensive dresses the last time I looked, and I ended up falling in love with (and buying) three! I think some fashion posts might be in order. ;)

A couple months ago, my family and I discovered IKEA.

*cue screeching tires sound effect*

HOLY MACKEREL. If you have never been inside an IKEA, get thee hither forthwith. Seriously. It is a wondrous land that is full of beautiful and contemporary and imaginative and fairly priced home decor, laced with the delicate scent of Swedish meatballs, cream sauce, and lingonberries.

'Tis where I found my new bookcases. :) (at last, my books breathe a sigh of relief as they no longer have to jostle with each other for elbow room, and get crammed in sideways on each other's ends!)

Yum and yay. I love them. 

I've been trying to earn a little extra money (even as I scatter it hither and yon like some spendthrift, on bookcases and dresses) - so I've been doing some special things like the Sweetheart Sale I did for Valentines' day on my jewelry stand:

Just today, actually, I went and babysat for a precious young couple from our church who have the cutest little one-year-old!! He's got blond hair and blue eyes and the most winning smile I've ever seen on a toddler. Also, their house is just too cute for words. I'll take a house and baby like that anytime you want to bring them along, Lord! ;)

And THIS precious one is Owen James. I had the opportunity to do his newborn photoshoot the week before last and his mommy said I could post photos on my blog. :) (But I didn't have time to watermark it so dude, if you steal it, may God have mercy on your soul.) :P

 And last but possibly most exciting, we started a connect group for the young people in our church called "Faith and Frisbee"! Daddy does a fifteen-minute devotional and then we have a game of Ultimate. It has been a blast, and I'm loving it!! (now to uh, actually get in shape so I can show these whippersnappers a thing or two.)

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that little glimpse!! Let's see... before I go (and I hope to be back posting soon, but I'm not promising anything) I'm also going to be a bridesmaid in September for the first time ever, for my incredibly sweet and godly and amazing friend McKenzie, and this spring I'll be working the pony rides at the Rock Ranch pretty regularly. And I'm planning to be at the GHEA convention in June, so if you're there, look me up! :D

Oh yeah! Yesterday my brothers, mom and I went to see the movie "God's Not Dead." WOOHOO!! It was totally awesome. God is NOT dead, he's surely alive, and he's the lover of my soul, my closest friend, and the creator of the universe who is completely in control of my destiny and future. Heady stuff. :)

Love & hugs, friends! If you've missed me, drop me a comment and I'll reply! ;)