On Friendship

"One day, a man was walking along a road, when he saw a piece of clay in his path. He stooped down to pick it up, and as he did, he smelled a sweet fragrance. "This is but a piece of clay," said the man in bewilderment. "How is it that this scent is so sweet and fresh?" The piece of clay replied, "I have dwelt with the rose."

This story is from Aesop's Fables, but the moral of the story is simple; you become like those who you are around. Whether that is for good or for bad. Not only is it a simple fact, but it is Biblical. I found this quoted in a study I was doing yesterday and it really made me think about the friendships I have and how easy it is to pick up on phrases or mannerism. It challenges me to re-think who I spend my time with and makes me want to be a more positive influence to the people who are around me on a regular basis. I have realized the times where I maybe have had a negative attitude and possibly brought others down.(ahem...hubby, kids) Not only does it create an ugly atmosphere, but it influences my intimacy with the Lord.

A few things I have learned about friendship; true friendship is doing something for someone else and not expecting anything in return. A true friend is someone who you don't have to schedule something to do with them. You just be together. You can share anything with them and never feel scared that you may be judged. It is someone who can give you advice whether you like it or not and you can still trust them. A true heart-felt friend is refreshing to be around. Never feeling heavy or burdened, but always encouraging you spiritually.

What do you think are good qualities of true friendship? Do something special for a friend today. Say a prayer, write a note, bring a meal, or anything out of the ordinary to let them know you are thinking about them. I will to. :)

40 bags in 40 days

Today is Ash Wednesday. Lent has begun and we are in a season of preparing for Easter! As I get older I have moved Easter to the top of my holiday favs. :) I have also never really enjoyed spring all that much, but it seems like more every year it feels so refreshing! I found a beautiful idea over at August Fields. I like to think of Lent as a time to grow closer to God; a time to give more to God. And 40 Bags in 40 Days seems like the perfect idea! Less of me; more of Him! I wrote down 40 areas of my home that I want to go through and simplify, and for the next 40 days leading up to Easter(not counting Sundays) I will fill those bags with stuff to throw away or donate to those in need. Yay! Here we go...

...oh and I found this. Wouldn't this be awesome to have!

And on another subject...Karlie is 6 months old today!...growing so fast. :)

Oh So Pinteresting...

I know you all have heard me talk so highly about my love for Pinterest, but seriously it is the coolest website out there! Here are a few things I have recently made and a few things I want to make. There are just too many cool things discovered on there it would be a shame to not share. :)

We made this yummy sweet blackberry juice this weekend with our oatmeal. There are a ton of awesome oatmeal ideas I found here. And I knew I could rely on the Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup. It was awesome!...with the perfect amount of spice. I have been admiring these fun mason jar meals and hope to make some of these to stock the fridge with lunch salads. Such a brilliant idea! Speaking of brilliant, for Thanksgiving Day breakfast we made these individualbreakfasts in a muffin tin. These were such a good idea because we were able to customize our own little casseroles with eggs, bacon, green peppers, onions, etc. We made some of these delicious cinnamon maple pecans for Christmas presents. I had quite the sweet tooth this year for the holidays so I am now pinning some extra nutritious superfoods to detox all the sugar. :) I am going to make this powerhouse granola this week. The cool thing about granola is that I can just add in whatever I have on hand. I also made some almond milk in my new.....wait for it....wait for it.............................VITAMIX!! That's right! Only the best Christmas present ever! My smoothies taste amazing, I chopped cabbage in 1 second, and chopped up potatoes for fresh hash browns in 10 seconds. I have yet to grind up my whole wheat berries for some fresh ground whole wheat flour. Oh boy so many possibilities! I can not say enough good things about it. Next up...vanilla bean coconut peanut butter. Doesn't that just sound heavenly?! oh and speaking of peanut butter- we tried these peanut butter granola bars. They were scrumptious!

Ok and food isn't the only thing I have been up to. I have found way to many DIY projects onPinterest that I need to find time for. I made some of these spice rub gift sets for the dads gifts this year. This cute mason jar pin cushion for my quilting mother. And got this cool homemadefabric I-Spy book idea and made something similar for a couple of my nephews. I should have actually taken a picture of the ones I made. It was nice to use up lots of my fun narrative scraps! Next on the list- this homemade laundry detergent. I have already bought the ingredients. I have pinned a few of these and this one seems to be the winner. Does anyone else make their own detergent?

Oh, and one of my favorite websites discovered on Pinterest is theMarathonMom and her"What Mom's Need" series. If you are a mama, or even if your not...you should totally check it out! My head explodes with creativity when I am on this site. I don't know if this is a good thing or bad thing. :)

You are meant to be Extraordinary!

Just a thought for today...

Throughout Scripture God chooses ordinary, willing people to further his kingdom. Some of them today we may even call an "outcast." He doesn't wait for us to be spotlessly clean in order to use us. He chose a stutterer to speak for him (Moses), a weakling to defend him (Gideon), an infertile woman to be the mother of a nation (Sarah), a forgettable youngest son to be the most unforgettable king of his people (David), an unknown young lady to be the mother of his son (Mary), and a persecutor to take the Gospel to the nations (Paul). He actually promised to use us for the extraordinary and through those experiences to strengthen us. How cool is that? Why would we ever think that anyone, including ourselves is beyond the reach of God's work? We are of worth to Him! I confess my unwillingness to take the risks needed in order to follow Him at times, but am praying that my awe of Him may be increased significantly.

It seems easy to forget about sometimes. After reading about this today I felt the need to share. :) Have a spectacular Thursday!

...and they are off!

Coulsons">

As some of you know that my sister and her husband and son have been fundraising to move to Sydney, Australia to spread the Gospel for the next 5-7 years. (You can check out more about it at her blog here.) Praise the Lord they are fully funded and have made the transition down under!! About two weeks ago they got the good news that they could buy their plane tickets and they had about 10 days to get packed up and move. Crazy! There have been tears of joy and sadness. Australia is a long way and the big sister in me kind of had an emotional breakdown. It is hard not knowing when the next time will be that I will get to see them. It all happened so fast! But I am really excited for them and how the Lord will work through them as they are on this journey. They can never have too much prayer and support. Below are some specific prayer requests from Kristin, Josh and Hunter.

• Pray that God would grant us and our families peace during this transition.
• Pray that the transition on Hunter would go smoothly, and that we would be attentive to his needs.
• Pray that Kristin and I would be gracious and patient with one another during this hectic time.
• Pray that God would open up doors for ministry!
• Above all pray that He would be glorified in all things!!

a good way to start the day...

"All my Fountains" by Chris Tomlin is one of my new favorites! It has such a happy tune I can't help but smile a lot and dance around. A perfect way to start the day!! The acoustics are amazing too! :)

You can also listen to it here.

Have a splendid weekend!!

On Perfection...

photo credit: jmodus

One of the first things we did after moving to Des Moines was look for a gym to belong to. We thought that it would be nice for the winter since we do not do as much walking around outside and also gives Will a chance to climb and play in the kids area with other kids his age. After working out this morning I went to the locker room to get my coat and keys and as I was getting ready to go I over heard some women talking about life. About how this particular person cooks on thursdays, monday is laundry day, tuesday is cleaning, and so on. I thought to my self how nice it would be to actually be consistent like that. Well I do have things pretty organized and scheduled out, but it always varies from day to day a bit. I can never seem to be perfect with my schedule. Then I look around and see these moms picking up their kids in the kids area and see how together they look. They have got their hair all fixed up, make up on, smiles, holding a child in one hand and their coffee in the other. I thought to myself, wow all these people are so perfect. They have got it all together and the weird thing is that I know a couple of them don't have Christ in their life. For a moment it almost looked like God was unnecessary in their lives. Like they can achieve success with out Him. Then I caught myself...wait! What am I talking about? That could never happen in this world! It just so happened that I read a daily devo by Oswald Chambers this morning (while in the locker room), and he talks about just this. That Christian perfection will never be human perfection. It is not the same thing! Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true. Oswald said, "that I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself." He starts out the devo by saying that it is a trap to think that God wants to make us "perfect specimens" of what He can do, but that God's purpose is to make us one with Him. I realized that thoughts about human perfection were hindering my usefulness to God and my relationship to Him. Not that I am the "perfect" hair, makeup, coffee drinking type of person anyways, but I will remember now that its not all about how humanly perfect they look. I am sure they have their own set of problems, but also how much better life would be for them on the inside if and when they start a relationship with our one true King.

"God's purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants."-Oswald Chambers

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus made me His own." Philippians 3:12

Why Crawl When I Can Fly

"For all its caterpillar life, it crawls around a small patch of dirt and up and down a few plants. Then one day it takes a nap. A long nap. And then, what in the world must go through its head when it wakes up to discover it can fly? What happened to its dirty, plump little worm body? What does it think when it sees its tiny new body and gorgeous wings?

As believers, we ought to experience this same kind of astonishment when the Holy Spirit enters our bodies. We should be stunned in disbelief over becoming a "new creation" with the Spirit living in us. As the caterpillar finds its new ability to fly, we should be thrilled over our Spirit-empowered ability to live differently and faithfully. Isn't this what the Scriptures speak of? Isn't this what we've all been longing for?" -Francis Chan

I have been reading Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan. I am only in the beginning chapters, but I have been blown away by some of these simple word pictures. I am a visual person so this analogy of the caterpillar and the butterfly really sunk deep for me. Why is it that so many of us Christians live life exactly the same way as those that do not have the Holy Spirit in them? Sometimes many of those who do not have the Spirit actually seem happier and more at peace with life. How is this even possible? Is it because we can sometimes ignore Him? I think the Holy Spirit wants to intercede in our lives a lot more then we will let Him. In fact when I think about it I have a Counselor who is just like Christ who stands beside me everywhere I go and is giving me flawless direction in my life. How cool is that?! Reading this book makes me want to consistently live each day with an awareness of the Holy Spirit's strength. So, why keep crawling like a caterpillar when I have been given the ability to fly.

When was the last time you saw the Spirit at work in you?

Meteor Shower

This is one of my new favorite songs. Meteor Shower by Owl City. This is a video of them live in Chicago a couple months ago. (No I was not there...I wish.) It is short and simple, but the lyrics are so powerful!! Enjoy. :)

With Everything

Below is a video of the song Will and I have been listening to every time we are in the car. He head bangs usually while eating a snack and I am singing really loud. (probably off key, but who cares.) Hillsong United is my very favorite band and I am blown away by their vocals, instrumentals, lyrics, and the way everything is for God's glory! And they can really jam. Saying "Jam" was kind of 90's of me :)...anyways, I won't blab anymore. Just make sure you pay attention to the beautiful lyrics that are in subtitles. Enjoy the video! HooRoo!

...as you are going.

photo credit: anna maria horner

"Go and make disciples..." The grammatical understanding of "go" literally means "as you are going." So why do we always have to think BIG. In order to be a disciple or do what God wants for me doesn't have to involve across the world mission trips. It could and that is awesome! We could sit for hours, days, or years to wait and see what God has planned for us, or we could do as we are going.

"Serving God is going with what you know to do today with all the passion you have." -Gloria Gaither

If you were to live with all the passion you have each day, how would this change your view of things in life? As a stay at home mom I sometimes think...what are my dreams? What am I supposed to do in life? Am I really making a difference? Until I realized that I am doing the most important thing as we speak; raising a child to love the Lord. There is cooking, and cleaning, and piles of laundry and going to the park, and playing with blocks, etc...but to go at all that passionately is creating interest in the Lord for Will. It may seem little, but it is BIG. Our pastor at Heritage Church once said that we create interest in our leader only to the degree that we are authentic followers. So, as I am going through my day I should do it passionately, authentically, and know that these are my purposes for now.

p.s. Just so you know I write about such things not because I have mastered it (quite the opposite actually), but more as a reminder for myself. :)

Look up!...Turn in Faith To Him

photo credit muffet

"To believe actively that our Heavenly Father constantly spreads around us providential circumstances that work for our present good and our everlasting well-being brings to the soul veritable benediction. Most of us go through life praying a little, jockeying for position, hoping but never being quite certain of anything, and always secretly afraid that we will miss the way. This is a tragic waste of truth and never gives rest to the heart. There is a better way. It is to repudiate our own wisdom and take instead the infinite wisdom of God. Our insistence upon seeing ahead is natural enough, but it is a real hindrance to our spiritual progress. God has charged Himself with full responsibility for our eternal happiness and stands ready to take over the management of our lives the moment we turn in faith to Him."

-A. W. Tozer

True Freedom-Part 2

photo credit- josephpetepickle

"But what is the nature of our freedom? It is not release from all constraint. It is not license to indulge our sinful nature. Our freedom is the freedom to "serve one another in love." It is possible to do so, because the Holy Spirit enables us to act in ways that are contrary to that natural impulses of sinful nature. Walking by the Spirit, we are released from the old master that produces hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, envy, and such. We are released to be loving, patient, kind, faithful, and good."-Lawrence O. Richards

In our culture how often do we categorize freedom as a "run away" or "do what we want, when we want" type of thing? I cannot love God and the world; I cannot run freely if I'm hanging on to the things of this life. The Truth is that Christ died for us so that we can rid ourselves of the sin that enslaves us. It is the truth that sets us free!

"Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

Below is a list of the things I have decided to throw off. I am letting you know so you can keep me accountable. I want this blog to be a place of vulnerability and honesty. Call me out. Disucuss. Encourage. Commune. Pray.

1-The burden of carrying life myself. I am a control freak! I tend to run a busy life not including Christ at times. I notice when I have days like this I am more scatterbrained, irritated, I get nothing accomplished for the day, and I eat poorly. The Lord is my strength.

2-Bitterness. I realize that I am going to have to live with the consequences of others sin no matter what...but I could choose to live with it in bitterness or in the freedom of forgiveness. Forgiveness really has nothing to do with the other person's behavior. I don't really forgive them for their sake, but for my own. It's between me and God.

3-Anxiety and Fretting. When I worry about things I realize that it is usually a determination to get my own way. Christ never worried or was anxious in any way because he was not focused on his own ideas, he was out to realize God's ideas. Paul says in Phillippians 4 that we should pray and ask with thanksgiving- then the peace of God will follow. Being grateful about my life changes the focus to HIM and not me which amazingly makes it easier to not worry about life.

4-Discouragement. Freedom is not seeking approval from others, but doing everything for God's glory and not mine. Like I talked about before; people pleasing is definately not from God. I am learning what true fellowship with people looks like.

I feel that doing this is so important in order to see what God has planned for my life. It will take time and I will struggle, but if I struggle in God's way then I know the result will be peace. I need something to remind me of this freedom that is always there for me....humm...perhaps a tattoo....I dunno. :)

"True freedom exists only where the Holy Spirit works in a man, becoming the principle of his life, and where man does not block his working." - J. Blunck

True Freedom-Part 1

Why do I feel as if I am a hostage to other peoples opinions, thoughts, or feelings? Why do I feel enslaved to the need to be admired? I bend over backwards to receive continual approval from others especually the ones I am the closest to, but in the end I feel unappreciated, heavy, and tense. People-pleasing is not godly, nor is it healthy. Yes, I know this, but it is rooted so deeply in me it almost feels as if it would be impossible for me to completely throw it all off and run after what God has planned for me. It is hindering. It is discouraging. It is exhausting. I can not be all things to all people...and the funny part is, that they probably don't even expect me to.

When I was a teenager and my parents were going through a divorce I saw a councelor regularly. There was one thing the councelor told me that I remember today. She told me that I am not responsible for my parents feelings. I now can translate that to not being responsible to other peoples feelings. I can comfort and be sensitive, but in the end I can not do anything about their feelings. It is not up to me. I really wish I would have taken that step of freedom and not felt responsible. It is such a heavy burden. I know sometimes that there is nothing I can do, but I feel so deeply for people at times that I take on more then I was designed to. I don't want to be a slave to sin, to others, or to myself in order to feel good about who I am. I don't have to have the world tell me what will make me happy. What a sad life that would be. True freedom is life with Christ! Hebrews 12:1 says "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

I want to be like Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:45, " my messege and my preaching were not wise and persuasive words, but with demonstration of the Spirit's power so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." This passage really hit home. It plays a roll in not only my everyday life, but here on this blog. With out knowing it I was under the surface feeling a little pressure about what I write and who was going to read it. I seemed to be writing for the approval of others. Since when did I ever care about that? After having a small "blogger fast" I realized this was not such a good thing and that everything I do should be for God's glory and not mine. It is such a simple concept, but super easy to fall into a pattern of approval-seeking followed by disappointment. I have decided that in all aspects of my life this seeking approval from man is always so dissappointing... I have had enough of it! I want out! Here is a quote I really like by George MacDonald..." I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I can think of..." I want to experience the aliveness that comes only from throwing off everything that hinders me and being truely free. Getting rid of all the pride, self-gratification, and anxiety and making "it" (meaning my life) all about HIM. I will let what God is pleased with be enough. It is a process, but I will no longer feel like I need to explain myself. There is one judge, and God does not look around to others for their opinions.

"Our Lord was never suspicious, never bitter, never in despair about man because He put God first in trust; He trusted absolutely in what God's grace could do for any man. If I put my trust in human beings first, I will end in despairing of everyone; I will become bitter, because I have insisted on being what no man can ever be-absolutely right. Never trust anything but the grace of God in yourself or in anyone else."-Oswald Chambers

He took it all in Silence

photo by db*photography

Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?

The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,

a scrubby plant in a parched field.

There was nothing attractive about him,

nothing to cause us to take a second look.

He was looked down on and passed over,

a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.

One look at him and people turned away.

We looked down on him, thought he was scum.

But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—

our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.

We thought he brought it on himself,

that God was punishing him for his own failures.

But it was our sins that did that to him,

that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!

He took the punishment, and that made us whole.

Through his bruises we get healed.

We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.

We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.

And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,

on him, on him.

He was beaten, he was tortured,

but he didn't say a word.

Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered

and like a sheep being sheared,

he took it all in silence.

Justice miscarried, and he was led off—

and did anyone really know what was happening?

He died without a thought for his own welfare,

beaten bloody for the sins of my people.

They buried him with the wicked,

threw him in a grave with a rich man,

Even though he'd never hurt a soul

or said one word that wasn't true.

Still, it's what God had in mind all along,

to crush him with pain.

The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin

so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life.

And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.

Out of that terrible travail of soul,

he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.

Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,

will make many "righteous ones,"

as he himself carries the burden of their sins.

Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly—

the best of everything, the highest honors—

Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,

because he embraced the company of the lowest.

He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,

he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

-Isaiah 53

Albertine

Albertine by Brooke Fraser

I am sitting still
I think of Angelique
her mothers voice over me
And the bullets in the wall where it fell silent
And on a thousandth hill, I think of Albertine
there in her eyes what I don't see with my own
rwanda

now that I have seen, I am responsible
Faith without deeds is dead
now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let go till you are

I am on a plane across a distant sea
But I carry you in me
and the dust on, the dust on, the dust on my feet
Rwanda

I will tell the world, I will tell them where I've been
I will keep my word
I will tell them Albertine

I am on a stage, a thousand eyes on me
I will tell them, Albertine
I will tell them, Albertine

In 1994 there was a mass killing in Rwanda. Almost a million people were killed in the hands of their neighbors and friends with in only a short 100 days. There have since been decades of tension and fighting between the two ethnic groups- the Hutus and the Tutsis. Brooke Fraser, the artist and singer of this song, went to visit Rwanda in 2005. She helped out in the local churches, schools, memorials, etc. With in her stay she met people from child-headed households, communities living with AIDS, and many people facing life with no medical care or basics like clean water. She met many people who were joyous and many people who were in a lot of pain. Brooke's friend wanted her to meet a young orphan whose personal history he was familiar with. Through out the whole trip he introduced Brooke as a a musician from the other side of the world who was going to go back and tell everyone about the people of Rwanda and help. Just before introducing Brooke to the orphan girl he told her..."You must go back to your people and you must write a song, and I will tell you what the name of the song is going to be." He motioned Brooke toward the girl. "This is Albertine."

"Albertine is alive today because of the selfless, sacrificial love of another. Funny thing is, so am I. And now I want to know what it's like to love other people like that, so have decided to spend my whole life on the experiment. Feel free to join me. We might just change the world." -Brooke Fraser

This song has been on my mind a lot lately. I am blown away by it's beauty! I hope you are too. You can listen to it by clicking on #2 of my playlist in my sidebar.

Also check out the interview Part 1 and 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84RVRy0jFT4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Efi8mxIrcec&feature=related

Enjoy.

I am a Disciple of Jesus {Pep talk}

image by Mel B.

Below is a quoted letter that was written in the office of a young pastor in Zimbabwe, Africa following his martyrdom for his faith in Jesus. If this is not an encouraging pep talk for starting off the year rght, then I don't know what would be...

"I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the holy spirit power. The die has cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made-I'm a disciple of his. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean in his presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and I labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions are few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And, when he comes for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me...my banner will be clear."

Happy New Year!...2009 recap.

Will and I on Christmas Day. :)

Happy New Year! I just realized we are almost a week into 2010 and I haven't posted my 2009 recap or 2010 goals! I am still unpacking and reorganizing around here...getting everything back to normal after traveling for many days. I never even opened the computer while we were gone! I needed a break from anything that would inspire me to make something. :) hehe, I feel so blessed to be part of such an inspiring community online, but I get so excited about everything I see that I want to do it all!...and we know that is not possible. humm...maybe that could be a new years resolution...to sort out my priorities and stick to doing a few things well, rather then trying to do it all resulting in not well...that's not a bad idea. :)

Tonight I peaked at my Goals for 2009 post from last year checking over to see if I stuck to my goals completely...

1- get a bible reading plan started: yep! well, it was not much of a plan...I started out reading the One-Year Bible and got to about the middle of march and was ready to start something else I guess. I found an old testament youth bible at a garage sale with wonderful illustrations and started reading a bit each day. I am almost done with it! I love it!...I think it is the illustrations that draws me in, and I learned about so many stories that I never knew about. I also did an awesome study on Matthew and other various small studies.

2-get my studio put together and get working: yep! I definitely got this one going! I am so pleased with all the wonderful feedback I have been getting from people about my store. It really started to take off around the holidays. I have really enjoyed doing so many new projects! My store is now open again. I will soon be in the process of changing the look of it a little, so be sure to check back in the next month or so.

3-make an indoor herb garden: Yep!...only basil and chives though. Maybe I will attempt more in 2010.

4-get in shape: humm...this I was not so productive with. At least not by my standards. I have been back down to my pre-pregnancy body weight for a while now and have been good about getting normal daily exercise, but I did not started actually lifting weights again to tone up until the last month or two.

5-simplify!: Yep!..it is an ongoing process around here. I am again in the process of going back through our corners and closets. :)

6-learn how to cook authentic Italian meals:...kinda. I cooked a few new Italian recipes farfalle con pesto di arugula being my favorite, but I cut out dairy from my diet early in the year and many Italian meals that I wanted to make included mozzarella.

7-start a scrapbook for Will: Have not even started it! haha. It is always one of those things in the back of my mind. I did start designing a blurb book of his first year that I have yet to finish. :)

8-Make it a handmade year!: This was a big one for me and I am so glad that I followed through with it. It sure was a challenge, but each gift that I gave in 2009 I put a lot of thought into. Most of the gifts I made myself, some of the gifts I bought off Etsy, and a couple last minute gifts I bought gift cards tucked inside a handmade card. But for the most part I never had to walk into a mall or target for a gift. This really forced me to try new things. I learned new crafts and techniques, how to have patience when not getting things done just right the first time, and I also became more comfortable using my new serger.

While looking back over this past year I realized that I have learned so much! But the biggest thing I can take away from 2009 is that I learned how important it is to just...be. Will has made me realize that life is not about getting things done, but about being together. Being still and observant to what God has planned for me on any given day. I am so much happier and content with my day when I just sit and play with Will, or relax and have a conversation with Thad. Seems kind of funny, but I actually feel like I am more productive this way rather then making my day about lists. Laundry can always wait. :) I would always set my goals too high for the day and could never get everything accomplished what I had planned, leaving me discontent and irritated by the time my husband gets home. I can say that this past year has made me really realize this, but I have not been very good about actually doing this. So, naturally it seemed appropriate to make this my new years resolution. To just...be! Be still. Be observant. Be open.

Now there are plenty of other little goals I would like to accomplish this year: curing my cravings, cutting out white sugar, not eating after 8:00 p.m., getting my muscles strong again, incorporating lots more raw meals into my week, always simplifying, start cloth diapering, be more intentional about community, not just read my bible but really study it more often...and there are probably lots more. If you visit my blog often you will probably be hearing all about these and more.

What is the one thing you have learned or took away from 2009?

Creative Christmas Day 4- Charity

Did you know that approximately 40% of the world's population survives on less than $2 per day?...and that worldwide, 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation, and more than one billion people lack clean and safe water. I am so thankful for how and where I came into the world and for what I do have. It is hard to imagine living in those type of conditions all the time. It is easy for me to believe that I need to give. I have been commanded to give.

While looking for charity options this holiday season I thought to myself...Why do we give to charity? Is it really for them? Is it for me? Is it for God? Is it for a tax break?..hum, maybe for some people. What does the bible have to say about it? It may sound funny but as I researched I realized I still had a lot to research about this topic. I did come across a website I thought was very interesting that I wanted to share with you. I do not agree with all of the doctrine of this specific church, but what the writer is talking about on this page about charity I felt was very factual.

The Greek word 'agape' is translated as both charity and love in many places in the new testament. (mainly just in the KJV) Many people just think of charity as nothing more than giving money or donating something for a good cause. In this article the author says...

Charity specifically refers to the love that we have toward other men. Paul stresses that we are to walk "charitably" toward our weaker brothers (Romans 14:13-15). He praised the Thessalonians because "the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth" (2 Thessalonians 1:3). In 1 Peter 4:8-9, Peter told the believers, "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

I think his point was that the new testament talks about charity as a specific kind of love. So I redirected my thoughts about how I can give charity....how I can give love. It may not be writing a check to sponsor a child, or it may. My point being that you should not limit yourself to making charity only about money. Get a group of friends together and cook a meal for a specific group of people. Feed the homeless at your local shelter. Smile at the person in the car next to you at the stoplight. Get creative! Show love!

...and of course I have a list of links for specific organizations that need some love. :)

*Uthandoproject.org- an organization where you crafters can make dolls to send to children in South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal province.

*globalgiving.com-$50 will pay an orphans tuition for an entire year!

*humankindness-a Kentucky gal raising money to buy school supplies and etc. for a K-5 school in India.

*bloodwatermission.com-help work against the HIV/AIDS and water crisis in Africa.

*Compassion International-Learn about sponsoring a child in need.

Go Share the love,

Creative Christmas Day 2-Tradition

hats and mittens advent calendar by garnet hill

A native Mexican plant, poinsettias were named after Joel R. Poinsett, U.S. ambassador to Mexico who brought the plant to America in 1828. Poinsettias were likely used by Mexican Franciscans in their 17th century Christmas celebrations. One legend has it that a young Mexican boy, on his way to visit the village Nativity scene, realized he had no gift for the Christ child. He gathered pretty green branches from along the road and brought them to the church. Though the other children mocked him, when the leaves were laid at the manger, a beautiful star-shaped flower appeared on each branch. The bright red petals, often mistaken for flowers, are actually the upper leaves of the plant. Tradition! I love it...Each family and culture has their own traditions each year for celebrating Christmas. I came across this idea of an advent calendar ( I can't remember where I heard of it, but it was not my idea so I can not take the credit). Instead of the traditional advent calendar this one has a little twist. Placed inside each pocket is a piece of paper with something to do that night as a family. I came up with a list of 25 ideas that could be incorporated into the advent calendar, or just used as an individual new tradition. Some of them are probably already traditions in your family, but especially for kids there is so much excitement waking up in themorning to open up the next pocket on the calendar to see how they will be celebrating that evening. 1-put up the Christmas tree and decorate! 2-make ornaments. 3-drink apple cider and listen to Christmas music. 4-play a board game 5-feed the homeless at a local shelter. 6-make festive garland. 7-go ice skating 8-make a table centerpiece 9-make Christmas cards. 10-donate extra clothing to a shelter 11-go caroling. 12-make a button wreath 13-make a pinecone bird feeder. 14-watch a Christmas movie. 15-invite friends over for a holiday dinner 16-make paper snowflakes 17-shop for family angel tree. 18-bake cookies. 19-deliver cookies. 20-look through old holiday photos while sipping hot chocolate. 21-look at Christmas lights. 22-wrap gifts. 23-read the Christmas Story. 24-go to church. 25-go around the table and share why each person in the family is a gift to you. What traditions does your family do to celebrate Christmas?Have a lovely day.