Simple Sentiments

Y'all this past year God has used this woman, Jennie Allen, to wreck me... in a good way. In a great way. 

Anyone from my small group can tell you, her studies, well, there are no words. 

If you do one, be ready, God will show up, He will unearth, He will move, He will bless....the list goes on..

Because it's true, we are all broken, we are all a mess... it is the common denominator of humanity.

But God... those two precious words, But God, He made a plan. A plan that is bigger..

and for that I am eternally grateful and I revel in the fact that I get to be part of that plan.

Guess what? You do too.

You do too!

That situation you are walking through that seems broken beyond repair, that heart that has been shattered to pieces to many times to count, He is bigger than all of that. His plan for you and His purposes are designed uniquely for you. There is no one else who has the same plan. So celebrate with me, we are never left broken. The great physician has a plan! 

Happy Sunday Friends! 

Book Worm ~ Printable

Around these parts come summer, there is no shortage of books!
Weekly trips to the library or the thrift store yield many new titles for our family. 

Adventures to far off places or the opportunity to learn something new about our favorite sea creatures.
We can't get enough! If you do not use your public library this book worm is encouraging you to do so!
You would be amazed all at the great stuff within those 4 walls.
Ours often boasts DVD's, exhibits, kids programs among the books. It is truly remarkable.
And best of all momma's, it's free. Just as long as you don't rack up those over due fees.

This summer I have created a little printable to log all our titles.
We've issued a challenge at this house for the summer and the kids are up for it!

I'd love to hear what your family does with it!

So here it is! Gender neutral, because after all who doesn't love pirates?

Isn't she darling? If you like them let me know and I just might customize a few more with some other fun themes... For now all you have to do is click and print!
Happy Reading!

friday faves ~ summer reading

Hello friends ~ 

Around these parts the school year is coming to a close 

and for me that means sweet summer days are looming.

Summer days around our home are often full of lots of of books.

Weekly trips to the library, rainy afternoons curled up with a book.

All year i do my fair share of reading but it's the summer where i get to catch up 

on my stock pile of titles I've collected all year.

Here are a few on my bedside table waiting for the lazy days of summer

This is my favorite author, favorite, hands down love all her books.

Can't wait for it to his shelves June 2013. 

Have you read her stories? They are fabulous, set in the low country with colorful characters....

Such a treat when she releases a new book.

Haven't read this author before but since it is set in the Low Country of Sullivan's Island I am sold. 

Recommended by Oprah's book club and set in the 1920's this is right up my alley. 

Fiction that centers around a main character who is female and overcomes challenges typically 

peaks my interest... this looks awesome

Our small bible study community group has done 1 jennie allen study and this summer 

we are embarking on her second study. 

This book, written by jennie allen has been on my "to read" list for quite some time...

She is such a powerful author, really proving opportunities for deep thought and growth.

Can't recommend her work highly enough!

Have you seen this yet? Have you read this book yet? 

It is a pretty new release. 

I have read about this title around the blog world and so far the reviews are fabulous.

Can't wait to read this...

What are you reading this summer? 

Any good suggestions? 

Redeemed ~

I am admittedly a lover of words, books, stories…

Spending way more time than i care to admit

awake after my family has fallen into dreams…

It has always been that way for me.

I can still remember as a little girl in my upstairs bedroom hiding beneath the covers with a flashlight

Often times to wake with the flashlight on and the book tangled in my sheets.

It has been a love affair for years.

Recently I have been studying Rahab.

Yes, the story of Rahab, the prostitute, the mother, God’s servant, Jesus relative.

My Father is the all-time best story teller.

I can get lost for hours in His words and stories He weaves.

Oh the detail, all good authors can paint a picture in my minds’ eye with details like Him.

I had read her story a time or two before but never dug into it across the chapter.

Across the bible like this.

Wow. What a testimony to God’s grace and redemption.

What a story of restoration.

He chose to take a prostitute from a city that was falling, save her, her family

and then, wait for it…. cast her directly into the blood line of Jesus, His son.

Certainly not what we would expect…

Really? The blood line of King? The Savior of the World?

That’s my God for you.

He is bigger than the situations we have gotten ourselves into and He loves us,

Chases after us, and is willing to restore what was meant for our harm.

No matter what. No matter who. No matter when.

His ways are always higher than our ways.

So often we can’t even fathom the scope of His mind.

But, it works out every. single. time. doesn’t it?

He took what the world saw and redeemed her.

He lifted her to place of dignity and grace.

She was obedient and faithful and He redeemed her.

Making her a woman of honor by placing her on the list of “who’s who’s”

in the line of Jesus genealogy.

She is also one of the only women noted in this list.

(matt 1:1-16)

That in and of itself speaks volumes to me.

God does nothing haphazardly, and mentioning her among a long list of men,

well, that says this is an important part of her story, His design.

Many years down the road she had a son, a son named Boaz.

Do you know Boaz?

Boaz too, came to rescue an unlikely woman, Ruth.

Ruth is a widow. During those days she likely having the responsibility of her mother in law may have never remarried and was likely destined to a life of hardship.

But Boaz saw so much more.
I can’t help but think being raised by Rahab impacted him.

Did her life experience trickle down into how she raised her son to view all people?

Did she raise her son to see the person and not the circumstance?

How many of us, me included God forgive, too often see the circumstance instead of the person?

And here, here a woman who was considered a prostitute, less than, undervalued second class citizen

Has it all figured out.

Trust God, Act in Faith, Love Others.

What simple, yet profound advice for us all through her life actions.

You see, her faith is what saved her.

It is what saves you and me.

No matter where you are today, no matter what you have done, or didn’t do

He loves you just the same. He is chasing after you to rescue you just the same.

You see God didn’t pursue Rahab, or me, or any other Christian I know once we had cleaned up our acts. It is quite the opposite actually. He pursued us while we were still a mess, and made us whole and new.

Friends, I encourage you today, he’s chasing you,

Just turn around, stop and let Him catch you.

You’ll be so glad you did.

jennie allen study continued - sad

source unknown (if you know do share so I can give credit) 

this week we have been studying chapter 6 in jennie allen's study, stuck.

our chapter was titled sad. 

after 2 tragic deaths in our circle of friends this past week, honestly it wasn't a chapter i was eager to jump into. we've had our share of "sad" and reality in these parts.

the past day or so i was really in quite the rut and emotionally just kinda wiped. 

the holidays and then the cold hard reality that we are never promised one more day was making me a little weary and cranky. have you been there? please say yes?

tonight with an ache in my spirit i sat down with my study materials, a candle and my tea and set out to conquer what jennie had to share... and my Heavenly Father had for me in his word. 

my heart still aches for the pains of this world but there is a new peace. 

we start with this promise from our Father

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the Glory that will be revealed in us"

romans 8:18

how's that for a promise? 

how's that for, "hey I got this, love God"

i read this over and over and over letting it be written across my heart and soul. 

i want to shout this promise, revel in it's goodness.

these sufferings, this "stuff", all this world has to throw at me and at you, 

it is not even worth comparing with the Glory that will be revealed in us!

that is such exciting news.

this is so exciting to me because my God, my Heavenly Father, when He creates He creates big and bold and beautiful ~ for goodness sakes we are told that when breathes stars were spoke

psalm 33:6 says "the Lord merely spoke and the heavens were created. 

He breathed the word and all the stars were born". 

that there my friends, that is my God. 

so if when he merely breathes a word our vast heavens with the sparkling stars in all their glory were created... can you even imagine, can you even consider, because I can't fathom it, what the Glory will be revealed in us when He intentionally creates that Glory? 

be still my heart.

in awe.

we are sad because we live in a fallen world. 

there is sin, and yuck and sadness.

when we focus on the things of this world, we come up sad and depressed every time. 

but what would happen if we focused on the things that were unseen? 

in 2 corinthians 4:18 we are charged "dont look at the troubles we can see now, 

rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. 

For the things we see now will soon be gone but the things we cannot see will last forever."

what if we did just that? 

what if you and i took our focus off what is seen and switched our view to the things we can't?

what would happen?

you know perspective is a powerful tool...

when i think about how awesome my God is, it is so often coupled with what a sinner i am and how awesome is He that he would even find favor me? how magnificent is it that He would call me His child?

my perspective is affected as i know i don't deserve the greatness and goodness that is all He is. 

my heart is overwhelmed time and time again that the God of the universe would call me unto Himself. 

what if i changed my perspective as i viewed the lens of my life?

would there still be sadness? yes i know there will be...

but what if i lived my life with the knowledge that no weapon formed against me will remain.

God is my victory, He is here and He is doing a great work in me.

this pursuit of happiness we're all on, i don't think it's bad.

it's wonderful!

our God made this planet with some of the most extraordinary creations my feeble mind can barely fathom.

we should experience all those things, we are created to feel love, enjoy relationships with others and community within our families and friends. those are some of lifes greatest blessings.

but what if in the midst of all of that we also focused on the things that were unseen? 

what would happen?

a few years ago i was faced with some tough mountains.

God got my attention in some pretty real ways.

what i learned is that happiness, true happiness, isn't in anything i can see.

what i learned is that what i desire is joy.

happiness we all experience, a baby playing peek a boo, a surprise party with friends.

those are happy times.

but joy, true joy, is choosing to be joyful even when the world around me may be falling down.

every day, every day i have found something to be grateful for.

there have been days, hours honestly when being grateful was reduced down to a single breath my son took.

each time his chest rose and fell in an hour, no matter what else was happening inside him made me grateful because it was one more hour i could behold his sweet little face, touch his tissue paper thin skin....

the best definition i have ever read is credited to the "gitzen girl" who sadly passed away in Sept of 2011.

but sara, the girl behind the blog was such an inspiration... and in her blog she defines what she believes is joy... and i have to share:

Joy: the unwavering trust that God knows what He’s doing and has blessed me with the opportunity to be a part of it… not despite what’s happening in my life but because of it. When everything earthly feels heavy He gives me an internal lightness that can’t be touched.

if you have never been to her site, please take some time, get to know her, and i promise in getting to know her, you will see Him. 

How do you define joy? 

friday faves - book edition

this week's friday faves is going to center around one of my all times favorite items, books!

the written word has long been one of my more treasured past times... whether reading a novel, a bible study or doing my own writing, all things books hold a special place in my heart.

so with the cooler weather upon us, cozy jammies and nights with hot tea or a great glass of wine to the books i dive right in. here are a few of my favorites in all different categories: 

 this cookbook is by far one of the most used at our home.
there are notes in many of the pages of recipes i have "doctored" up over the years
but nothing in here disappoints. it is often given as a gift to a new bride as she is sure to
find many wonderful meals for family and friends.

dorthea benton frank is my #1 favorite author to read.

her sweet stories, set in the south, colorful characters, oh my it is just too much.

adore everything she writes. have each of them perfectly sitting on the bookshelf in my room.

oh, and sorry, but if you ask me to borrow one, i may not be able to part with it. : )

crazy love by francis chan. 

it's fantastic. it's going to change your perspective on life, on god. 

on everything really. can't say it enough friends, go. read. this. book.

the little golden books, need i say more? 

really too many children are passing these up these days.

many of these stories have the sweetest life lessons, precious pictures...

my children have a huge collection, some dating back 30 years.

and you know what, we still adore them.

such innocence i long to hold on to as long as i can for these babies.

oh junie b jones! she is at our house one popular girl.

her silly character in the junie b jones series has us laughing outloud.

we are really enjoying getting to know this spunky kindergartener.

kate morton, you are new to me but oh how i love your novels.

they are totally different in terms of what i would normally read and they are a bit long

but oh how wonderfully written. 

this book i read shortly after finishing the help.

it was such a great read. if you loved the help you will love this too.

or at least i hope you do! 

this book is such an incredible resource. 

a valuable resource of a parent of a preemie.

highly recommend.

the help. it wins the award for my favorite book ever.

i was one of those people who even hesitated seeing the movie because i had such vivid images

of this story in my mind that i feared seeing the movie would ruin it. it didn't, it solidified this story for me.

and skeeter may just remind me of one of my most favorite people....  

and this my friends, this right here, it is wrecking me.

it has been more open and vulnerable to myself than ever before.

new things have been unearthed and growth like none other is happening.

powerful book. but i do warn you, it digs deep, super quick.

jennie allen knocks the socks off of a bible study in this one! 

can't sing her praises enough.

so what are your favorite reads??

freedom found ~ jennie allen stuck

the last few weeks my small group has been going through the jennie allen study, Stuck.

so far it has been good and made us all take a close look at ourselves.... 

however, in preparing for this weeks study i came across these bullet points 

and they really spoke to me:

freedom is found in

* allowing God to defend me, even if it means I don't see it until heaven

*accepting that life is not right and fair now, but it will be

*loving instead of defending, fearing or fighting

*giving freely and not having a sense of entitlement

*embracing my faults rather than proving my point

*releasing others perceptions and understandings of me, 

and holding on to God's, since He knows my heart

*embracing the death of my rights and desires 

and instead receiving His will for me

they are such radical statements, such a contrast from how the world views life.

can you imagine with me, for just a second, what would happen

if more Christians took this stance? 

 wow, what if that happened?

what would our world look like?

it might look pretty different.

i know if i held onto those concepts a little more closely,

applied them in my daily life a little more regularly, 

my world would look different.

there would be more of Him and less of me.

one thing i am realizing as a momma is this,

they watch me, they model me. 

what they see me do, how they see me react is how they in turn react.

knowing this fact there is nothing more on this earth i want to do 

than help them grow into a relationship with their Heavenly Father.

i not only want to be His hands and feet to the world but 

most importantly to me, i want to His hands and feet to them.

in my actions, living out my faith.

it isn't enough to take them to church on sunday and say prayers before bed.

talking my faith and never really living it.

living it, tested over time, that is where they will learn.

they will learn about His love by how i act and react.

what better way to do that than demonstrating to them what true freedom looks like?

broken ~ a universal issue

source unknown

you know, the source of the picture / quote above is unknown to me.

but the sentiment, the problem, it's not. 

i could have written it, heck maybe you could too.

if we got real honest, we all could.

we are all broken. 

some of us are just better at hiding it.

for many. many years. i was real good.

hiding our sin. 

hiding our hurts. 

and why is that? 

i am broken.

i am broken in a million ways.

ways a person shouldn't be broken. 

hurts from a parent, guilt and regrets, too many to count.

about a week and a half ago my small group started, stuck by jennie allen.

it's rocking my world. 

in a good way.

it's a nose dive into those places we are all trying to avoid.

past hurts, regrets, relationships, sin.

those yucky pieces of our life we'd all rather ignore and pretend aren't there.

for so many women we are so concerned about our image, how we "look" 

to those around us. and i don't just mean in the clothes we wear or the tablescape

on our dining room table for the holidays.

we are concerned how we "look" to our friends, our family,

never wanting to appear like we have done anything bad or that

our hurts actually hurt us. women are strong. 

aren't we told we should be strong? 

and if we are told we should be strong in adversity then wouldn't we 

"look" bad if we shared the broken pieces of our lives.

what would our friends think? our neighbors? or goodness gracious those  

ladies down at the church? surely we can't share that with them! 

so we package them up, tie on a bow, and set them in a dark corner of our heart.

only taking a peek at them when we can't sleep.

oh friends how i have been there.

there was a time where i surrounded myself with some friends, 

people i truly thought were my friends.

however, time told the truth as she always does... 

and they weren't.

years earlier i should have known this.

there was one huge clue.

the pieces of my heart that were broken,

the parts of my life where i needed the most help

i could have never, ever shared with them.

image was at the forefront and i felt that my "stuff" 

would have been looked down upon.

and you know what? it likely would have.

their lives appearing much more picture perfect than my background.

maturity and years of reflection have brought me to a place that 

made me realize, if i couldn't have shared those pieces freely 

then they weren't really my friends after all.

it also let me see they too had their own "stuff" but they were really great at hiding it.

i was too. years, never sharing more than the surface. 

sweeping it under the rug.

but oh! the things we young women do.

the broken places came to surface as they were never truly healed.

pieces of my story, the mess of my heart.

it has been a lifetime of hurt. 

to say this is a place where i was stuck.

a place in my heart that affects me to the core, well that's an understatement.

so when i heard about this study, i knew it was meant for people like me.

but you know what? 

this small group of girls i am meeting with... it's for them too.

you see, their story isn't the same as mine.

our broken pieces may have similarities, but they are different.

but it all boils down to a universal problem.

we are stuck. 

sins of our past. hurts from others.

we are stuck. 

what i am learning in this study, and being reminded of daily.

is that yes, we are stuck.

we are broken.

i am a hot mess! 

but there is a beautiful answer. 

we are loved by a perfect God.

we are made whole and our pieces are mended in His lavish grace.

as i fall on my face for what feels like the millionth time,

offering these broken pieces of my heart,

He draws near, calls me unto Himself,

and i hear Him say:

you are dearly loved.

and in those moments my spirits breaks free.

free from the hurt, free from the pain

and it is just me and my creator

i need Him at the core of my existence.

i need God. 

bare soul to the world, i need God.

paul tells us in 2 corinthians 12:9-10 

"my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

 therefore,i will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, 

so that Christ's power may rest on me. that is why, for Christ's sake, 

i delight in my weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.

 For when i am weak, then i am strong"

we all have them. broken pieces, places in our lives we rather brush over.

maybe we're embarrassed, maybe we're too ashamed to even go there,

maybe we just feel like it's only a small sin, it's not like we did anything

"that" terrible.

it is still sin. it is still, there. 

once we come face to face with our "stuff" and bare ourselves to the One who made us.

arms wide open, realizing we are just a mess, without Him.

once we come to that place, there is such freedom.

such grace, such love.

friends, go there, go there for one minute.

what would it be like to set it free?

to pull that place out of your heart, that broken place you have been hiding,

and give it away. 

what would happen?

early in my marriage i learned a valuable "new to me" aspect of god.

i learned that not only is He my Savior, but He is my Heavenly Father.

in my weakness, in my pain, through my tear streaked face

i saw God. i saw that even though my earthly father may disappoint and hurt me.

even though he may not keep his word and his sins have damaged my heart.

there is something so much better. 

there is a Heavenly Father who loves me.

a Heavenly Father who keeps His promises.

a Heavenly Father who lavishes grace, and love and mercy on His daughter.

a Heavenly Father who forgives, lifts up and bears my shame.

a Heavenly Father who is so much more than i can even fathom in my human mind.

for that i am forever grateful.

for that i will boast about my pain, my past hurts and sins.

for without those pieces of my story there would be no ending like the one 

i get to experience. 

my past could have brought me down.

it could have been my demise.

but God, but God used it for so much more.

when we give our broken pieces to our Heavenly Father,

His arms open wide and those pieces becomes something utterly amazing.

stuck - by jennie allen

this week my small group is starting this study.

couldn't be more thrilled to walk through this with some pretty amazing women.

some of us have similar pieces in our life stories, some very different.

and then there are some pieces we don't know about each other. 

pieces that hurt, pieces that are at the root of where we are stuck.

but there is something we all share. 

we know our God is bigger, He is greater than anything that has us stuck.

we know the truth He brings and of life eternal.

we've committed a few months together. 

to say i am excited, that's an understatement.

in all honesty, i am mess.

i am a big, hot mess.

i mess up daily,

i fall short hourly.

but you know what?

He is bigger. 

He forgives me. 

He gives me grace by the truckloads.

and luckily, so does my family. 

in this study we are promised that it won't be all "jesus loves you" and have a great week.

jennie promises that we will dig down deep into our hearts.

we will be carving out hidden sin. 

sin we think we have tucked away. 

sin that we know God sees. 

it isn't truly hidden. 

but she also promises that we will see God get bigger and bigger.

and as that happens we can see life in a whole new way. 

good stuff and i can't wait.

i'm not afraid to admit i am mess. 

i need Him. daily, hourly.

we're going to go to some places where broken hearts reside.

so grateful for the girls who are coming alongside me for this study.

praying for them daily as we gear up to grow together.

today i spent some time studying the lesson for our first session. 

a few things stuck out to me that i really held on to

and 

as we go through the study i will be sure to share how things are going.

have you ever done this study? if so what was your experience? 

also, one last thing, 

will you pray for us? 

a review - porch lights by dot frank

late the other night i turned the last page in the book.

dorthea benton frank has long been one of my favorite authors. 

the themes she captures, the settings she paints and the colorful characters 

who i swear could be some of my zany family members. 

her books do not disappoint. 

eagerly i read this selection having pre-ordered it off ibooks months ago. 

while i found it a good read it was quite predictable.

few twists or secrets like some of her other titles but endearing none the less.

easy summer read. 

i really liked the switch between mother and daughter narrators. 

often times giving 2 entirely different perspectives of one situation. 

made me think - what if i did that more. 

what if i stepped back more often and looked at a situation in a total different light?

separated myself from what i quickly surmise and tried to see through another's eyes.

it certainly isn't human nature. 

but what this book highlights is that one situation can easily be seen 2 totally different ways. 

and... often times neither is right or wrong, its just perspective. 

interesting thought. 

something to consider. 

thanks dot frank for another good one.

looking forward to the next! 

RRA

ann voskamo quote

ann voskamp 

ann voskamp, blogger, writer, author of 1,000 gifts. 

she's incredible. what a story, what a testimony. 

one thing i really like that she said is this

"only speak words that make souls stronger"

what wonderful advice for all of us.

if it isn't helpful, if it doesn't build someone up, why say share it?

it also encourages me, tell my story, 

by telling our stories, by sharing what we've been through,

souls become stronger.

ann told hers. 

her story made me stronger. 

what is your story? 

more to come on my story... 

what should a girl read next?

what should a girl read next? 

any suggestions? 

these are what I am looking at....

seriously considering this last selection

somehow i have made it through highschool, college and most of adulthood without 

ever having read it. 

friday faves

so here are some of my favorite things from the past week... too bad they didn't make it up on friday! oops!

finished this one night late

great read, it swtiches between 2 main characters

but the writer does a great job seperating the two characters

yet weaving their stories together.

here are some of my favorite quotes:

“I know what it is to hope and pray so hard that you're sure God will answer your

prayer just so you'll stop asking.” 

"great tragedy gives us great opportunities for kindness"

"you ain't dead yet, so you ain't done"

anyways, its a great read. super easy, sweet to the soul.

karen white is quickly becoming one of my newest favorite authors

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

tutu cute

by carol carmichael

carol is an artist from alabama

her art caught my eye a few weeks ago on pinterest

ever since i am now a blog follower

and carol carmichael art lover

go take a peek you won't be disappointed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

this little honey made it into my life a while back

and i have been loving it!

it is so nicely made

and perfect for summer

now i need one for the fall...

hmmm, there are so many choices

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

spent the week following the compassion international bloggers.

there are no words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

happy weekend friends

&

happy mothers day

rra