Celebrate

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Have a blessed and wonderful day!

thanks

I feel like I have so much more to be thankful for this year. My heart is full and I am loved. Is that enough? It is, but I wanted to take the time to think through what I am thankful for on an everyday basis that I just don't think about. I take so much for granted and I think it's important to just step back and realize how much I truly have.

• how Jonah loves me in all the little ways, like washing out our coffee cups so I don't have them waiting for me in the sink.

• the luxury of a super walmart every 5-10 miles.

• having skype (free!) to be able to call anywhere to my family.

• a washer and dryer in our apartment- we live on the top floor.

• a sunny apartment with big windows.

• finding cortland apples at Harry's 

• quiet mornings with all the time in the world, no rush to work

• German coffee everyday

• emails from friends and family

• the Nikon camera we use......

• our Mac computer always :)

• my paints and paper

• creative inspiration

• all of our books, filled up on our shelf

• Jonah's kisses and creep up behind me hugs

• family- all of them, I love them all

• my slippers- I think I have about 5 pairs

• God- always there, always loving

How much more I have to be thankful for but for now this makes me smile as we enter into the holiday, with so very much.

think think think

That title is one of my favorite things from good ole Winnie the Pooh. 

I just finished a delicious bowl of homeade applesauce. It was warm and wonderful, truly a comfort food. I've been pondering a lot lately. There is alot going on in our lives that keep us so busy, but busy in a good way. I guess I'm trying to just keep my focus where it needs to be. There are several new things I am pursuing in my life and I'm generally a-get-distracted-too-easily kind of gal, and in certain situations I really don't want to be like that.

Whatever am I talking about? Well, different things that I believe God has placed on my heart, areas of service. That can be scary too. Stepping out and trusting God to walk you down a new path has it's areas of insecurities. I'm all too quick to doubt. 

I know that God already knows what I am capable of and His standards are so much higher than my own! Ah, faith. I am so grateful for faith in God. He is truly life and every reason for living. 

And serving Him is truly a joy. Why don't more people realize that? Just step out and do something for Him. It's an amazing feeling and one of the most rewarding things a human can do. Hmm, guess I just need to trust Him in this one too. I will post more in time. Just for now I am praying through what I need to do now.

Has it been a week?

My how the time has flown by. I haven't posted in over a week or so. Sorry. I have been busy at work. I am a graphic designer so my days are spent on the computer which makes it hard to be on the computer yet again when I get home. But today I took off! I was home which was marvelous. I was able to catch up on cleaning, laundry, a little baking (two loaves of cinnamon bread mmm), and I also did a little painting. I wrote a little story/poem again and I can see the illustrations in my mind- it's always a challenge to translate that onto paper. If your an artist I'm sure you understand. My favorite source of inspiration is an illustrator named David Shannon. Perhaps you have heard of him. His illustrations are so colorful and inspiring! 

I'm enjoying some hot chocolate now and waiting for my sweetheart to come home, he should be here any minute. We are traveling to my in-laws tonight to stay over for the night. It should be a good weekend, filled with catching up, visiting and relaxing. 

I love weekends like this- especially when we get to look forward to a short week at work next week with the upcoming holiday! Such a fun time of year!

A poem I found

I read this online and found it to be so true to my own desires.

God, give each true good woman 

Her own small house to keep,

No heart should ache with longing,

No hurt should go too deep...

Grant her age-old desire;

A house to love and sweep.

Give her a man beside her,

A kind man,  and a true,

And let them work together

And love, a lifetime through,

And let her mother children

As gentle women do.

Give her a shelf for dishes,

And a shining box for bread,

A white cloth for her table, 

And a white spread for her bed,

A shaded lamp at nightfall, 

And a row of books much read.

God, let her work with laughter,

And let her rest with sleep.

No life can truly offer

A peace more sure and deep...

God, give each true woman

Her own small house to keep.

–Grace Noll Crowell–1934

tag after tag

Well I woke up pretty tired today.
There is a sale at school today- you can bring your own goods and sell your own products. I thought it would be a good opportunity to really market my children's gift tags. I knew it would take time to have them printed, hand trim them and thread them with string. I have never made such a large quantity of them either. I didn't realize how labor intensive they are when they are in a huge quantity! I am so thankful for the help of my husband. He was right there next to me trimming and pain stakingly hole punching them to the point of making his hand bleed! What a loving man to work so hard with me. I ended up finishing nearly all of the tags I had printed. They look great too.
My hope is that today I do sell some, but also drum up business for future sales. Any extras I will post and sell on my etsy site.
Someone asked me when and why I had decided to do them. A few months ago when I was in between jobs I had time to work on something I love- illustrating. I had seen Etsy due to a mutual friend that had posted her goods to sell on the site. It started me thinking about my own illustrations and what I could do to sell them- to see how it went.
I feel like the Lord was leading in me in a small way, because it was literally within a few days after I had posted some items that I had someone contact me for a custom order. It may not have been a HUGE amount of money that I made from that order, but it was so gratifying to make and sell my own goods- and to be able to add income to our household. What a rewarding feeling. Someday when we start our own family I would love to be able to be with our kids at home. I feel like this is a way I could produce income and also be so gratifying. I don't know what the future holds or if this is the direction I will someday go- I am trusting God to lead me along the way, and praying for Him to bless my efforts for trying so hard!
It's so exciting to find something you are passionate about, enjoy doing, and also find it to be rewarding. I'm thankful for what God has allowed me to learn to get to this point-as an artist and creative thinker. Who knows where it will go from here? I only pray not to lose my passion, as it's easy to lose your way as you get older and busy.
Meanwhile I will keep on painting, drawing, and reading and studying children's books.

haircut

I took the plunge and decided to get some bangs.....I haven't had them since my junior high days. Wow that was a long time ago. Why do we never really feel older? I still feel like a teenager in some respect, but I'm getting to be an old lady :)

Time to think

Well, yesterday I posted a blog about our new president that wasn't the kindest. This morning has brought new feelings and emotions to our President-elect. While I do not agree with what he stands for, I will not allow Satan to use feelings as an attempt to cause disagreement, and conflict in my life. I find that where I am right now is a hard place....not fully agreeing with our newest leader, not feeling supportive. He is a figure of authority and we are taught as Christians to respect the authority God has placed over us.
My hearts prayer will be for the White House, for the men that are helping direct and lead our country. But I know that I am not going to allow any kind of predjudice, hate, or disrespect to give room for a victory for Satan. I know Satan has set up a lot of pieces right now to give room for destruction and chaos in America.
I won't allow him the victory. I will pray for our country and our leaders, and for God to give me a burden to continue to do so. This country was originally built on God and with God, and I won't push Him out of it now....It's important to show others how a true child of God should act, with love and compassion for others. Just some thoughts this morning as I go through the day.

Hope in Christ

It's the day after elections and we have our new president. Last night as we were watching the results roll in our hearts were heavy and sick over the prospect of having this liberal, socialist take the place as our leader.
It's happened, and we can take peace as Christians that God is in control. He always has been and I rejoice in that. I can understand why America made the choice it did. God has been left out of decision after decision for years now. When you turn your back on God there is a wickedness that comes out....like a rust corrupting metal.
My prayer now is for the hearts of all those that don't know Christ. They don't have the precious hope of having Life everlasting in Christ.
Rise up and pray Christians, trust in God He is always always faithful. How wonderful is that!
The verse that has been on my heart and mind since last night,
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 1Timothy 1:7

election day

Just wanted to put a quick post on here. I'm praying for the elections as they continue to roll in. God is in control.

I love fall

november already?

This morning Jonah said 'hey it's November!' and I realized it's already the 2nd of the month. Wow are we almost into another year? Where does the time go? It's been a great weekend- especially with the extra hour we had by turning our clocks back. This day just felt so long which has been great! We woke up earlier this morning because it felt like 8:30, even though it was 7:30 which made the whole morning so productive before we left for church. We even got there early. When does that happen? I even made muffins this morning! They were great too- coffee cake muffins, a recipe I swiped from the internet....I think through a blog somewhere. 

I'm proud to say that we have voted too! We mailed in absentee ballots this year, and I'm so glad we did considering the lines are expected to be very long this year. While I am not one to talk politics I do encourage everyone to vote. I am praying for the election as it is only a day away, and resting in the knowledge that God reigns no matter who our president is. I have peace that He is in control. In service this morning our pastor spoke of voting and how important it is to do that.  I know the candidates this year are not that great on either side. I know one is more of a socialist. Okay maybe that was saying too much? I just don't want to get started. Pray about your choices as you vote. Look to the Bible as your measuring stick- who comes closer to what the Bible says about different issues?

Ultimately it's in God's hands- aren't you thankful we get to serve a God who is so great?