Best Christmas Vacation EVER pt. 1

On December 16, I boarded a plane with my Mom, brother, and sister and flew across the country to one of my favorite places in the world! I think it's high time to tell you all more about this little trip....


My Mom is the youngest of six. With the exception of our family, everyone in her family lives within about three hours of one another. They don't do everything together, but any excuse to get together is a good one! My Grandparents built quite a legacy of family together! With 6 children, 21 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren (so far), there are a lot of us when we all manage to be in the same place at the same time. And we always have a blast.


Anway...They all got together over Thanksgiving weekend and planned to get together again right before Christmas for a Syrian Feast. My brother was there and immediately started texting us to see if we could swing a trip. And that's how the best Christmas vacation ever was born! Spontaneity drives me crazy, but sometimes, you just have to go with it!

A little over two weeks later, we boarded a plane and had one of the smoothest trips across the country that I've ever taken. I got to sit by a woman who spent her life as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. My sister got to sit by a man whose first and only words were, "So...You're not allergic to peanuts or anything, are you?" And before we knew it, we were on the ground in Atlanta!

Our first couple of days were spent with my Aunt and her three sons. We spent our evenings playing games (usually Catch Phrase) until early the next morning...Slept for a few hours, had chocolate chip pancakes, and then decided what the day would hold. On our last night there we loaded into her minivan and drove around looking at Christmas lights. I've never done that with her before, but somehow, it felt like an every day occurrence.

 

Now, you might be wondering what's up with these three pictures. It's pretty typical in my family, and probably yours too, for certain people NOT to like their picture being taken...I pulled out the camera and my cousin put his hand up in front of his face. My Mom leaned over like they were high fiving and then I suggested that EVERYONE put their hand up. They did and he whipped his hood on and put his hand down! Catch phrase continued with business as usual! 

 

On the first day my Aunt and I took her dog for a walk with my brother at a local park. It was gorgeous...And a warm welcome to the south! The next day we decided it was time to go shopping. We met up with friends for lunch at Chick-fil-A (aka I needed some southern sweet tea) and then headed to the outlets, Target, and a syrian market to get some goodies for the feast. 

 

Our days at my Aunt's flew by. Hugging her when she came out to welcome us was the first of many moments were I kept telling myself "I'm not going to cry...I'm not going to cry..." She pulled out scrapbooks and letters and we went over memories from days gone by. There's just something about family. We have a story and we remind each other of it and no matter how many years go by, the story is still there waiting to be enjoyed all over again.

So that's part 1...Next time I'll share the pictures from our trip to Asheville and Biltmore!

The Circle: A Letter To Your Past Self

16 year old Victoria

When Kiki announced this month's theme for The Circle, I remembered that I had done a post like this before. I went through the archives and found the letter that my 22 year old self wrote to my 16 year old self. Here it is:

"Victoria, don't ever think you have life all figured out. It's not going to look like you thought it would and that's okay. Pressing into God is good. He mainly wants to know you and you to know Him. That's your identity. Nothing else really matters. Don't wear yourself out trying to do it ALL. Just live to treasure God the way Christ did. Along the way, help who you can learn to do this too.

Remember this sentence and the next few years won't be so bad:

'The life of the godly is not a straight line to glory, but they do get there...all along this hazardous, twisted road that doesn't let you see very far ahead there are frequent signs that say, 'The best is yet to come.'...all the perplexing turns in your life lately are not dead-end streets. In all the setbacks of your life as a believer God is plotting for your joy.'

(This comes from a very influential sermon series on the book of Ruth that John Piper preached.)

Just so you know, I preach this to my 22 year old self almost daily"

At 24, I stand by these words! I'm still preaching them to myself very regularly. A lot is happening in this crazy world we live in. As I keep setting my hope in God, my 16 year old self and my 22 year old self are there reminding me of God's faithfulness and grace and sufficiency! Some things never change!

Let's link up with Kiki and Robyn!!!

Who We Are

January 3, 2015

There's a little saying that is on mugs and shirts and printed over pictures. It's a mantra that people love because it encourages them to do what they love. At first I didn't really give it a second thought. It keeps showing up and I need to set the record straight.

Here's the thing...Doing what we love is the thing that got us into trouble.

Living for ourselves is what the Gospel saves us from. Sure, we love a lot of good things. Quite often, the problem isn't in the doing, but in the motivation behind it. When we decide to make our lives about doing what we love, we give little thought to God.

We love this mantra because it puts us at the center. That's the problem.

Jesus Christ came that we might see the glory of God and be changed by it. Becoming a Christian means we are called to begin living in pursuit of knowing it and making it known. John 17 has become one of my favorite chapters in the Bible because it gives my life perspective.

Jesus Christ wasn't here to do what He loved. He was all about what the Father loved. He did what He saw the Father do. 

In John 17: 3-4 Jesus Christ said, "And this is eternal life, that they know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave Me to do."

He saved us so that we could know God and join Him in doing what God loves. It's who we are.

I turned this into a printable

just for you. Click HERE.
Or HERE for a black version. 

Currently pt. 10

hearting -Everything in that picture up there (plus some donut pans from my sister) is my favorite right now.  Let me tell you about it all...

My awesome brother got me the slippers for Christmas this year. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be like Dorothy and her ruby red slippers with these things, they are the best. 

Books and nail polish are always obvious.  

My sister got me hooked on Candy Cane Kisses and then my Dad gave me a little bag of them when I saw him in December.  

Every winter calls for some extra moisturizing and Tropical Traditions has the remedy!


reading - A little bit of everything. So far I've checked off at least 3 of the categories on the reading challenge!


pinning - This sandwich, this dinner, and this summer DIY.

 
eating - I spent a few hours in the kitchen on Friday preparing for the superbowl and trying out my donut pans that my sister got me for Christmas! The kitchen was destroyed, but we got lots of goodies out of it. 

Joy's Browned Butter Chocolate Glazed Donuts were great. 

My adaptation of these Lemon Donuts with this glaze was just okay. I think I need a better powdered sugar.   
 

anticipating - My Mom's birthday is in 10 days!!!! We're going to work together to make this spumoni cake. My favorite one year old is about to be two in 9 days! On top of all that, I'm eager to get into my gardens. I'm going take the cover off of my tulip bed any day. Before I know it, the little beauties will start popping up. 

What's on your currently list? 

I'm linking up with Anne and Jenna! Are you?

*This post contains some affiliate links to products I personally use and love. 

A Month of Saturdays

I already decided that 2015 is going to be about dreaming, reaching, and breathing. So far, so good!

Along with my new site design, I'm introducing a new series. It's going to be reminiscent of The Scenic Route, but I'm calling it "A Month of Saturdays". Sometime near the beginning of each month, I hope to have a post dedicated to sharing pictures and a few words from the Saturdays of the previous month. Here goes!

January was fabulous!!!! The first part was spent with friends and family on the other side of the country.  It was great to be in the same house as my brother again. Our trip was full of warm welcomes, awesome food, tons of games, geocaching (even with crazy hair because of a storm that we wouldn't let stop us), laughs, and some of the hardest goodbyes (which I prefer to call "see you laters") I've ever said.

The flight back home wasn't an easy one to make...But, we all put our soldier faces on and we're making it! The friends and celebrations waiting for us helped! We rang in Jay's 74th Birthday, my brother's 15th birthday, and have had lots of rain and fog. Being home has made for lots of fun in the kitchen, reading days, movie nights, and PIZZA.

Like I said, January was fabulous! Dreams of moving south were re-awakened. Motivation to reach up and out in every area of my life became real again. The reminder to breathe in the sweet aroma of life as a Christian was placed back in my soul.

God's goodness has overwhelmed me! With the happiest of tears streaming down my face, I look back and I look ahead! January was fabulous because my God is fabulous.

What was January like for you?

What has been the best kind of overwhelming to you lately?