simple sentiments

simple sentiments

nothing and everything

source

life lately has been consumed with routine, the mundane, typical family life stuff.

likely much of the same stuff that goes on at your house

as i laid in bed last night 

i was wrapped up in thought.

lately if someone had asked me 

"what have y'all been up to?"

my answer would have been "nothing"

but you know what? 

that isn't true.

it is so stinking far from true.

and i couldn't be more thrilled!

we have been up to so, so, so, much more than "nothing".

our days have been consumed with life.

a beautiful, gorgeous, full life.

our nights aren't filled with the city lights and my days aren't spent lunching

with famously important people. i don't always wear the perfect outfit 

nor look like i just stepped out of a magazine. 

our living room likely won't grace the next southern living.

but it's real. and it's so much more than anything i could have ever dreamed.

it isn't picture perfect each day and i certainly won't try to paint that here.

we have children who cry when they don't always get what they want or stay up too late.

we have relationships we struggle with in our family.

we have bills, and work stress, and on and on. 

but in the midst of all that. in the midst of "nothing"

we have everything. 

we have precious people to love on, read stories to, and laugh with.

we have meals together that involve stories and life lessons

we have football games on friday nights

and dinner at a local hole in the wall with too much greasy food.

we have friends to share church and brunch on sunday.

we have each other, we have love. 

above all else, we have Him. 

we have a peace that passes understanding

and a Savior who loves us without limitations

despite failing Him daily. 

you see, it wasn't too long ago, we weren't sure of all this.

it wasn't too long ago games under the friday night lights,

and brunch after church and falling asleep with both kids under one roof was not normal.

our world was upside down, how it looked when it flipped? 

well that was anybodies guess. 

we weren't sure this would be "life".

God knew. 

so tonight when i fell asleep

after a weekend of simple,

of laundry and cleaning, 

of loving on babies and husbands

and sitting in the church pew.

"nothing" sounds priceless.

because in the end it is everything.

it is everything to me. 

my heart could not be more grateful.
i have never been so grateful for a weekend of "nothing"

it was a hard lesson.

it was a painful one...

one that literally ripped me to pieces.

but one that brought me to a level of understanding,

of faith, of trust i likely could have missed otherwise.

sometimes in life i have found that the secret of true happiness

is in the little things.

it is in the mundane and in the routine

that our biggest and best blessings reside.

simple sentiments

defining moments

made by me

all of us are faced with defining moments.

for some of you i say "defining moment"

and your right smack dab in your biggest defining moment.

maybe it was truly just that, a moment, maybe it lasted longer.

more like a season, or seasons. 

many moments tied together.

unforgettable. 

we all have them.

a wise person said,

"defining moments, your either in one, just got out of one or you're about to face one"

i am in one. 

in a big way. 

it's a good place to be.... 

but if i am honest,

it isn't always comfortable. 

there are some growing pains.

some stretching of the soul, of the comfort zone.

of the, what will others think. 

then there is the voices who tell me no.

you aren't qualified.

you aren't enough.

you aren't ready.

the list could go on. 

but i am reminded,

"defining moments, often start with you being scared to death

and your inadequacies won't stop God 

from doing something good in you."

here's the tough part,

"you just have to willing to say yes"

i am going to say yes.

i am saying yes. 

for me this means several things.

there is something He wants to do in my life.

there is something He wants to do in your life. 

it will start the moment we say yes.

will you say yes with me? 

what would happen if we met God and got real,

said, yes. 

what would happen in our homes?

what would happen in our communities?

what would happen in hearts?

the possibilities are endless.

He is clear on this fact

He is with you.

He is with me.

i encourage you today, to search your soul.

what is He calling you to do?

i believe i know what He is asking of me. 

will you say yes?

simple sentiments

favorite verse

made by me

i love this verse. 

really, i think of it more as a promise. 

i like promises a lot.

pinky promises sealed with a kiss.

this is a sweet promise dear friends.

a promise that whatever giant you are facing.

whatever that thorn is in your side,

He is already there. 

He knows what you face.

He has gone before you. 

He is standing with you. 

picture it, arm and arm, you and Him. 

facing your giants together. 

burdens are lighter when shared with a friend.

what better friend than the King of Kings, your Father.

somehow that makes the unknown a little less frightening doesn't it?

He promises us, his children, that He has gone before us.

He will not leave us.

He is there with us.

With you:

in the waiting room of the drs office

next to the hospital bed

at the counselors office

with you. 

He won't abandon you. 

promise, sweet promise.

you are taken care of. 

verse

made by me

isn't this fantastic news?

when your tired, your flesh is failing you, your mind is spent,

the world is pressing down and squeezing out every last ounce of 

your spirit.... His love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out. 

never. 

people may fail you.

your friendships may give up.

the love of another may fade.

but His love. 

never. 

each day His mercies are new. 

each day there is more love than you can fathom.

it doesn't run out. 

take a deep breath.

let that rest in your mind. 

let that thought sink deep into your heart. 

His love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out. 

you know what else that means?

you aren't alone. 

He is there. 

loving you,

supporting you,

to the end.

others may fail you. 

He won't.

makes my heart happy. 

simple sentiments

source unknown

a blessing

my favorite part of this poem is the last sentence.

"may you learn to see yourself with the same delight,

pride, and expectation with which God see you in

every moment."

do you do this? 

as women i think this can be so difficult for us. 

many of us wrestle with this, sometimes for a lifetime. 

we see ourselves not even through our own lens, 

and certainly not through the lens of our Father,

we see each other from someone else's lens.

crazy isn't it?

whose lens are you looking through when you look at yourself?

your parents, your friends? 

when you look through that lens who do you see? 

how does it make you feel? 

i am guilty of this.

so many times. 

too many times. 

letting my view of myself come from someone else. 

then allowing that view to become all i see. 

allowing that to develop my self worth, who i am. 

and every time, every single time, 

i have come up short. 

but then there is a whisper, a reminder.

who i am in the eyes of my creator, my Father. 

my view changes. 

the way i look at myself changes. 

those short falls, those times where i just don't measure up,

they are burned to ashes. 

i encourage you to change the lens you are looking through. 

examine whose lens you are borrowing, 

if it isn't from Him, you have the wrong looking glass. 

there is so much more than what this world 

wants you to see. 

you are precious, perfect and blameless in His sight. 

auburn football love ~ war eagle

today will kick off the 2012 auburn university football season!

war eagle!

tonight at 6pm the tigers will take on clemson in the georgia dome. 

oh to be there to cheer them on!

kick em in the butt big blue!

here are a few things orange and blue that make me swoon this football season

source unknown 

is this not the cutest darn wreath?

i know, its stinking cute!

source

these are just darling!

what great decorations for an auburn tailgate complete with none other than

toomers lemonade!

source

what i love about these is you can show your team spirit beyond game day.

these would be perfect for during the week! adore these!!!

and this, well it just says it all. perfect for football in the south.

source

and what is game day in the south, especially auburn, without a game day dress?

well it isn't complete, that's what!

this honey of a dress is adorable and would keep you cool all day!

well, i am off to prepare for the game, 

whip up some game day food with my honey and settle in for the 6pm kick off

WAR EAGLE!