Room Reveal pt. 1

I've been talking about the work being done on my bedroom for a while now. I've been collecting ideas and pieces of furniture for a few YEARS. It takes me FOREVER to make up my mind.

Today you get to see the most basic of before and after photos. The "worst" is behind us. Now the fun of putting everything together begins.
 

Before, but post popcorn removal.

In January, that giant window and brickwork were put in. At the end of January, I scraped the popcorn off of the ceiling. I will be doing a post about that some time soon with all of the details on how that went.

February and March were BUSY months around here...The room just sat empty.

Naval by Sherwin Williams

When we cracked open the paint can and put the first bit of paint on the walls last Thursday, I was sooo excited. It was EXACTLY what I wanted! I was LOVING it. So far, everybody calls me crazy for putting navy in a basement. You know what? I wouldn't change it!

My Mom put in a TON of work helping me get the ceiling ready to paint, painting the ceiling, and painting the walls. She is just over 5 feet tall, but she climbed up and down the ladder doing the trim work that I am far too clumsy to do.

After 5 painting days (we were only able to do one coat of paint a day because of day light and the other stuff that needs doing each day) we were GLAD to be done on Saturday.

After

So there you go! After all is said and done, everyone who has seen it (with the exception of my Dad) LOVES it. My sister who was very fond of the previous color and was completely uninterested in the navy even said that it looked good.

Now I'm on to mattress and light fixture shopping, junk sorting, and furniture arranging.

Are you into COLOR or neutrals? 

Have you done any projects around your house recently?

Setting Goals

Have you noticed how many writers were captivated by fall? Jane Austen helped me to notice, in "Persuasion" she wrote :

My favorite piece outside of this is F. Scott Fitzgerald's "life starts over again when it gets crisp in the fall." Now, I know, it snowed the other day, BUT, it's fall until the day after Thanksgiving. 

 

Like Austen, "every poet worthy of being read", Fitzgerald, and probably even you, fall inspires me.

Fall is a time for me to reset. Resetting looks like reflecting on what has happened and resolving to adjust, change, or continue. 

This year, my fall resolves or goals look like this:

* Get the last few credits I need to FINALLY complete my degree. (College got off to a roaring start for me back in Jan 2008. I worked sooo hard through 2010. The last few years have obviously been spent NOT doing school.) - Math credits and Public Speaking credits have been waiting. 

 

* Study writing and set aside time to write. This is my "reward" after finishing ^that^. I'm putting together a list of resources that I plan to go through. 

* Find a "from scratch" recipe for alfredo sauce. 

* Begin journaling recipes again.

* Get your hair healthy, trim a tiny bit every six weeks no matter what. (Since I cut my own hair, it's not about saving $$...I just need to do regular trims.) 

 

* Keep DRINKING from that fountain of living water that God has led you to! If you haven't been reading, this just means read the Bible and asking God to use it to show me more of Him. 

 

What are your goals? 

 

Do you have a favorite quote about fall?

Believing AND Caring

Last month I reviewed a copy of Joshua Harris's brand new book, "Humble Orthodoxy". 
I really enjoyed this book! 
As you can guess, Harris's aim was to communicate the fact that while orthodoxy (right belief about God) is absolutely necessary, so is humbly living alongside others who may or may not share those beliefs. 
There are several extremes: Some people don't know what they believe and don't really care what other people may or may not believe. Other people know exactly what they believe and don't have the time of day to calmly reason with others who do not agree with them. Still yet, some people know what they believe but are not concerned with what others may be dealing with.
Live and let live is NOT an option. 
Live and force to live is NOT an option.
Through "Humble Orthodoxy", Harris communicates just how we should aim to live as we stand firm in the truth and yet remain compassionate and concerned for those around us. 
Pick up the book and measure yourself. Click HERE. 
My guess is that you're either apathetic or rude...Unfortunately, I know that I bounce between the two. 
"Humble Orthodoxy" is a great companion to Harris's other book, "Dug Down Deep". With the two, you'll be able to get a grip on right thinking and right communicating....You'll be able to be a Christian who knows truth and lives to continually and humbly defend and share the truth that is changing your life each day. 



I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All thoughts and comments are my own. 

Days, Months, YEARS

A few of the gifts

Big things have been happening around here. 
I think I have eaten more cake in the last two months than I ate throughout the course of the last two years. And honestly, I don't even like cake all that much. 

A few weeks ago, my youngest brother turned 13. Time flies...Time is flying. It took me a while to catch on, but now I'm CONVINCED. 
To celebrate the house was full of people, we ate pizza AND tacos and ceasar salad, served up Jay juice, and finished things off with chocolate chocolate cake and banana split ice cream. There were LOTS of Legos, candles, balloons, laughs, and a new card game. 
After I love people by cleaning for them and feeding them, I add letter writing to the mix. I love writing to people...Really, I just like to write. I woke up knowing that the day would call for a special letter. 
I'm not going to share the letter with you, but I do want to share the ideas behind it. 

Playing with the helium tank was half the fun.

I think 13 is a monumental moment in the life of a boy. To me, 13 means you're not a little boy anymore. To me, 13 means you are officially on your way to becoming a man. Moms (and in this case, sisters) BLINK and their baby, toddler, little boy is THIRTEEN. Then, everyone (including the boy) BLINKS and their thirteen year old is TWENTY. 
I'm speaking from experience here...Last fall my other brother turned 20 and I'm still a little dumbfounded...HOW did that even HAPPEN? 

I don't envy guys today at all. The only thing I would enjoy about being a man would be the "don't mess with me" factor that I'm missing as a 20 something female. 
My brother has (and is) growing up in a world where he is being challenged by women everywhere he goes. He cannot watch TV, go to the grocery store, or get a job without having to deal with women who don't respect themselves and yet demand respect from him. 
My brother has (and is) growing up in a world where women are under dressed, outrageously competitive, and not willing to let him be a gentleman. 

Shhh...Christmas decorations are still up!

Still, God has given him life at the time He deemed best...He calls my brother to be a man, a godly gentleman who leads and serves and loves and protects and honors the women around him. There will be men to learn from, men to teach, and men to serve as well. 
My brother has a calling and the same Jesus who is making me who I am, is laboring to make my brother who he will be too. The same Jesus who protects and leads me is protecting and leading my brother. 

I wrote to my brother to express my love and excitement for him. I wanted him to begin to take life seriously. His foundation has been laid and now it is time to do the work of purposefully becoming a man. 
For many years, I have hoped and prayed for both of my brothers to become the men God would have them be. I wanted me brother to know that! 

I want my brothers to be able to look back on their lives (however long or short they may be) and KNOW that they lived them well. I want my brothers to be so glad in God that whenever they look back, they can smile as they consider the people they have helped to become glad in God as well. 
In short, I want my brothers to know that they didn't waste their lives.

The Scenic Route...Out the Window

 

Another beautiful, FREEZING winter day happened around here. Today I hit the road and took some pretty pictures of the scenery. That's what you're getting. :) 

Today was Martin Luther King Jr. day. We're all thinking of the man and the cause. At the mall today, there was a kids fair and there were kids EVERYWHERE. I saw several pictures of MLK and that was okay with me...I kind of love him.

Today was the second inauguration of Obama. We're all thinking of the man and the cause. I wasn't home to watch it, but I'm hoping to find some clips online. I watched things last time around and I want to this time around too. I seriously pray for him and the country he has been given to lead. 

Today my sister ended up in a cast. It's big and purple. Long story short, "ripsticks" truly are death traps. I am grateful that the fall I witnessed only led to the death of an arm. 

Tomorrow I'll be filling in at a coffee shop and I'm looking forward to it. When I was 15, I started working there and I worked there until college...Since then, I have filled in on emergencies when I am in town. I passed the job onto first my brother and now my sister...
I loved the summer that I spent opening the shop every morning. Maybe I'll tell you about that summer sometime!

Frankly Friday

Amy, I can't thank you enough for coming up with this. I am loving this prompt.




I have decided to get frank about 9/11.

I "love" my country, I am glad to live here. I am grateful for the many men and women who have spent their lives helping to make sure that I have a place where I can live with true freedom.

America was founded and (despite the work and opinions of many) still exists so that everyone can live not as they might want, but rather, as they ought.

Yes, I said it.

We're a Christian nation ladies and gents.

Which brings me to the real point of this post. 

I remember September 11, 2001. I know exactly what I was doing. I pretty much know what happened that day, and the day after, and the months that followed.

Every year, I remember.

But, I also get a sick feeling in my stomach when I think of how people respond.

9/11 should have sent us all to our knees. The days that followed should have had us all raising our hands to God with praise and thanksgiving.

It's not about remembering what happened 11 years ago on that day....What's even more amazing is looking at what we have been given. To this day, we are STILL FREE to do as we ought.

We are free in Christ and we are even free in America. Free to become like Him.

We can praise God for the gift of  His Son and His grace.


We can praise God for His DAILY work and provision and protection in our lives.

We can praise God that we have a country like the one we do.

I guess what I'm saying is, please let 9/11 go. Don't let remembering that day distract you from making a big deal out of something even more important.

Yes, lives were lost that day. A country was very much changed.

But, TODAY. We still have TODAY! 

On September 11, 2013 (and everyday until that day), I challenge you to think about the SOULS that are around you. The souls that need love while they are still here.

By God's grace, not everyone on those planes faced wrath.

By God's grace, we all have today and know others who are living it too. We are surrounded by people who may come to know the HOPE that God has given us.

In her post, Becky wrote these words about 9/11:
"This world is fallen, and our only hope is in Him."

So, let's remember THAT.

We humans do some pretty terrible things. Every terrible thing that happens is a reminder of who God is and just exactly what we are. What we are shows us how much we desperately need Him.

His goodness is what makes our wickedness so clear. For, we know we are wicked when we are not as good as He is.

Don't be any kind of terrorist in the lives of people around you. So, maybe you're not driving planes full of people into towers. Maybe you're just inconsiderate and rude. Maybe you are impatient and cutting.

Show the LOVE of Christ. The love that brings joy and peace and life to those around you.

If we learn anything from 9/11, may it be this:

The urgency of life and death
The goodness of God
The wickedness of humans and their need for a Savior
The call to be like Christ and the work of God making it happen

 

This is the "best" picture of the super moon that I got. I'm not impressed, but I know you saw the moon that night. As cliche as it sounds: As the moon shines by reflecting the light of the sun, so we were created to shine by reflecting the light of the Son of God.

*Pictures in this post: Washington DC 2007//Ocean City Boardwalk 2007//Historic Fort in Virginia 2007//Highway somewhere along the way 2007// Super Moon 2012

The Scenic Route...The Things of Summer

I have decided that over the next couple of months, I am going to use Monday's "The Scenic Route" posts differently. Instead of telling you about my weekend, I am going to use some of theses posts to tell you about some of the things of summer that I have been enjoying so far! 

Over the last month I have enjoyed a good deal of SUMMER already!

* Iced Coffee. I have The Pioneer Woman to thank for this. 

*Sweet tea. I have living in the south to thank for this.

* Road trips to visit friends.

* I have officially put out the summer nick-knacks... The sea shells, summery candles, and red, white, and blue items are showing their faces again.

A rose from the new bushes we're adding to the yard this year.

A drug store find that has become the center of attention.

The Bible is open to Philippians 1:6

* Days in the park.

* Watermelon Icees.

* Cool mornings and HOT afternoons.

*Swim suit buying.

*Gardening. Weeding, planting, watering,  you get the idea.

A peek into one of the flower pots, blue flowers for my sister.

The craziest, prettiest flower of this year.

My effortless flowers that come back strong every year.

These make me smile.

*Laying out on the patio. Listening to podcasts, reading, visiting with whoever may be joining me.

*Wearing pretty skirts.

* Green wheat fields alongside the brown fallow fields.

*Going geocaching.

Same rose, a week later. See, I don't notice flowers again until they are GONE.

* Cooking out with friends.

*Perfectly warm, still, quiet evenings.

*Yard games - volleyball, basketball, speedminton, catch, whatever, let's do it. 
 
 * This porch swing....

One of my favorite spots of summer.

Everything is so GREEN and the sky is BLUE.

Summer is a time for change. A time for growing and going.

What things of summer have you been enjoyed this year?

Ooops

Well, I was attempting to make a new post earlier this evening. Somehow I managed to get rid of the old template I was using. Not the background but the whole, complicated, behind the scenes format of the blog. 

I still can't figure out how to get that old one back. I actually think it is gone because of the way blogger has "upgraded". 

Needless to say this entire thing looks A LOT different. 

Some things I like. Some things I don't. I hope to get more color somewhere, some way. 

Either way, come back later this week I've got some posts planned!