From Four Days...Frankly

This last weekend was a productive one, so productive that it carried over into the week and I can't even believe it's already Friday! I'll tell you about that, and then I am linking up with Amy for something new called "Frankly Friday".

Highs

*Visiting with family

*Getting yard work done

*Cucumbers ready to be harvested 

*Lecrae's new cd Gravity just dropped, it's going big. I'm praying that it's as full of the Gospel as it can be so that all of these people will hear truth through some AMAZING music 

*Cooking out with friends ALL DAY LONG (this was probably my "most favorite" thing of the week)

*A batch of sweet tea

*Spending some serious time on the phone visiting with friends who just needed to talk 

Now, for the Frankly Friday bit. (As if I'm not already pretty frank and ready to just say it like it is...)

This week, I'm going to kind of keep with my theme of "highs" and tell you some things that I just really enjoyed. 

I am thankful for...

*Errands to quickly drop off something at a friend's house that turn into visiting on the patio, that turns inside to grab a quick soda, that turns into eating a light dinner, that turns into visiting in the living room until I absolutely had to go. 

*Small town living...A neighbor from down the street called to tell me that my dog was laying behind the van. On her way to work she noticed that the dog was laying there and was very concerned that someone might hit her if they started to back out. Yes, she called as soon as she got to work and repeated her concern several times. And yes, she called the dog by name. 

*The last days of summer. It's cooling off, but summer is hanging on. 

*Kids still playing out in their yards. 

*Cute old people. Especially the man who was shuffling around yesterday. It was sad to see him trying to cross a very busy street and getting honked at because there were lots of cars coming. He may or may not have been drunk and maybe even homeless. He looked pretty rough, but he was old and cute and looked as though SLOW was his only speed. 

*Friendly baristas. The car in front of me at the drive through paid and pulled right on through. The barista was like, "Ummmm, I'm not sure what that guy is doing. He paid and drove off without his drinks." So, I backed up. The guy's lights came on and he backed up for his coffee. When it was my turn at the window, the barista proceeded to apologize for it taking so long, tell me all about how a salted caramel hot chocolate is made, and how it is entered into their system. It was genuine friendliness and it caught me off gaurd. 

*Hot salted caramel mochas. Had my first one of the season yesterday and the above exchange took place. I think I liked it more just because of it. Oh, and by the way, I first saw the shuffling old guy as he shuffled across the drive thru lane. 

*A very unexpected outdoor concert in a park lot. As I was pulling away from the coffee shop, I saw these lights strung up in a sort of outdoor patio thing in the middle of the parking lot and I heard something that sounded like music coming across the parking lot. So, I drove out that way to figure out what it was. I heard a beat and realized it was a couple of guys rapping. I stopped to listen for a while and found out that they were rapping the gospel. I don't know who they were, but they reminded me that "It's alright....God cares for you!" and that there are people out there who do what they do in honor of what Jesus has done and is doing! 

So, to put all of this even more frankly:

I love people.

That's as simple as it gets. I love seeing people do what they do, being who they are. I love seeing people who are passionate about what they do. Not for what they get out of it or what it allows them to do for others, but because of the way it allows them to share and proclaim the excellencies of God. 

I've come into contact with a lot of people over the course of the last week. 

They all have lives, cares, concerns, passions, troubles, and a reason to smile. 

May I be passionate and friendly and full of joy so that they will know God better because of the time they spent with me. 

You Know What It Is

Every year, it never fails, at some point in August I realize (right along with many of you) that summer is almost over. Mid September, I realize that summer is still hanging on. Through October it goes back and forth between feeling like summer and being fall. Then Thanksgiving comes and there is no doubt about it, winter is here to stay.

Anyway, I spend August reminding myself that change is good and that in every season there are unique things that give me a reason to praise God. I usually post about it too. There is one quote in particular that I have posted several times. 

I think I've given in again, I'll love every ounce of summer that's left, but I'm ready for fall now too. (Okay, so I might have to tell myself this a few more times before I REALLY mean it). 

 

 

Yesterday morning I went out to take some pictures of the first few leaves that are falling of the trees. 

A few days ago, I made some soup and cornbread. (I also served a nice cold cantaloupe.) 

My throw blanket follows me around in the mornings, sweatshirts are coming out, and I have dark polish on my toes. 

Summer is a time when I, as silly as it sounds, feel most alive. I find myself in love with God's creation. I love feeling the sun on my skin and being able to spend so much time outside. During the summer there is a sense of community that seems to disappear come winter. 

So, during the summer I enjoy all that God has made in the fullest sense. 

 

Summer is a time to DELIGHT in God. 

Fall is the time when routine comes back. I find myself in love with God's ORDER. Every year I am reminded of His sovereignty and provision. I am always reminded of His work in my life. The summer leaves me feeling refreshed and I start fall with a sense of being recharged. 

Fall is a time to TRUST in God and be THANKFUL, for who He is and who He is making me. 

 

What are your favorite things about fall (or autumn if that's what you call it)? 

What is unique about the way you enjoy God's glory in this season? 

 

 

*The pictures in this post are: TOWELS still in their "summer place"// SUMMER scenes on Cape Cod// FALL scenes in Boston.*

Coulda Woulda Shoulda

How many posts begin with, "I really mean to post more often, but..."? Too many! We all have something in common. That thing is, we all mean to do something(s) but don't ever do these things the way we meant to do them. 

I'll say it again. 

We all mean to do something(s)

 but don't ever do these things the way we meant to do them. 

 

We start blogs, but don't post as often as we would like.

We buy new cameras, but don't use them.

We have Bibles, but don't read them as thoroughly as we know we need to.

We buy journals, and don't fill the pages.

We decide to start menu planning, and find ourselves serving leftovers AGAIN. 

We start friendships, and go two weeks without getting together. 

We plant gardens, and before we know it, there are more weeds than flowers. 

We have children, and find ourselves at odds with them wondering how they ever got to be that way. 

 

I don't have to tell you. You know what you meant to do and you know how you ended up doing it. 

That's the thing, you DID something, just not the way you meant to.

You started the blog and only posted a few times. You carry the camera, and leave it turned off. You have the Bible, and chose to read something else instead. You have the journal, but wrote other things other places (FB, e-mail, twitter, whatever). You have food to serve, recipes to try, and served leftovers. 

 

The good news is, most of these "meant to's" are no big deal! We think we need to do so many things and we get stressed out when life isn't going how we thought it would. Honestly, most of these things that we just have to do, DON'T EVEN MATTER. 

There is freedom in knowing that. Realizing we don't have to do everything we meant to do leaves room for us to do the things that we really do need to do. We do need to know God, we do need to love people, and we really do need to spend our lives doing things that matter. 

 

Pinning down what we need to do is only the beginning. Even then, we won't do these things the way we meant to or the way we need to. That is life, figuring out what's important and devoting ourselves to that. 

I've been reading a lot more lately. Seriously, I've finished about five books in the last couple of weeks. (That NEVER happens.) All of this reading has had me thinking about PEOPLE and how much we have in common. 

 

We are all different, but when it comes down to it, we are A LOT ALIKE. We all have hopes and dreams. We all have failures, hurts, disappoints. We have favorite memories, foods, hobbies. We all want to be loved and known. We all want to be able to be happy with who are, where we are going, and who we are becoming.

 

Every single one of us is born and will live on this earth until we die. We have so much in common. 

 

 

So, figure out what's important. I'm not talking about what's important to you. I'm talking about what's important in the grand scheme of things.  

 

That's my question for you today: What REALLY MATTERS?

 

*The pictures in this post are: LEAVES, the first sign of fall//A TREE losing its leaves//Learning to play RISK//A garden tool, it takes WORK.*

Me Myself & I pt. 2

 It's time to do another link-up. 

There are five more questions today. I'd love for you to answer the questions on your own blog and leave me a link to it!

1. What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

Everything I've never done before! No, really, ever since I was little, I would rather not even attempt to do something than do it poorly. 

One specific thing I am putting off is refinishing a bed (that I got two months ago). 

2. If you had only six months left to live, what would do with the time?

Spend serious time with people. I would talk to them about God and how I want them to treasure Him above all else.

*I would start with my family.

*I would then devote time to other people.

There are two specific groups... 

*A group of kids I had every year in VBS from the time they were in 4th grade until they were too old for VBS. 

*And a group of people that I met during my time away a couple of years ago. 

3. If a front page news article was written on you, what would the headline be?

Well, my family would like to see: "Got married" or "Had a baby" actually, make that, "TWINS!" .

I would like to see an article written BY me announcing a published book, speaking tour, and weekly column in the paper to follow.  

5. Favorite chick flick movie?

Just one? I have a few...

*The Lake House

 *North and South (Elizabeth Gaskell version)

 *Beauty and the Beast

 *Pride and Prejudice

*High Society 

 

The Scenic Route...Sunday Morning Baking

Sunday morning called for some baking. With summer here and the temps being right around 100, I just don't have it in me to do much in the kitchen at all. Yesterday was probably the first time I have baked in two months! 

I got onto the internet and checked around for a NEW recipe. What I found involved....

Sugar

Chocolate 

Peanut butter

         

....You get the idea. It was just sure to be GOOD! Joy the Baker's recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes is what I found myself with this morning.  

Sometimes I bake all alone, sometimes I have company, sometimes I have spectators. This morning, the house was empty. So, Matt Chandler "joined" me. I listened to part 3 of the Holiness series that I mentioned last week. 

These were some DARK cupcakes. The batter, well, it was pretty much AMAZING. Almost better than brownie batter amazing. Oh, and Joy didn't mention eggs...It didn't seem to matter. Not too cakey, not too fudgy. Just perfectly moist chocolate cupcakes.

 Some hints from me:

*I didn't want a whole bunch of these things around, so I cut the recipe in half. 

*Don't be shy with the batter. I filled the cupcake cups and had some left over. I happily ate it with a spoon, but I could have put it into the cups and that would have been just fine.

* Even with a half batch of frosting, I had a good bit left over. This time I popped that into the freezer to use later. Next time, I'll just make even less. 

*As soon as they are cooled and frosted, people eat them. There were 12 cupcakes. By the time I got around to taking pictures, there were 9. They're good. :) 

*************************************************

When do you like to bake...morning, the middle of the night, when do you put on the apron? 

Does summer slow you down too? 

What should I add to my list of recipes to try out? 

I made these just because I wanted to bake, but they were a great snack too! Some had them with coffee, others with milk, and I had mine with some iced water. As usual, Joy DID NOT disappoint! 

Just in case you missed it, here's the link to the original recipe before I fiddled with it! 

Joy the Baker's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes