Tulip Girl

As I sat down to finish my Bible study for the day, I had already gotten a lot done. My sensitive sniffer detects some sort of stink in the living room and I can't for the life of me figure out where it is. I used leather wipes on the couches, vacuumed and febrezed the carpet, dusted, cleaned the front door, lit a candle, I can't think of much more that I can do. I looked under and behind the sofas but I just can't find where the smell is coming from. It smells like I need to take the trash out but the smell has stayed through several garbage changings. My last guess is that it is from the leak in the ceiling from when the heater thing in the attic leaked. I really doubt it is that though. I even checked the air filter. And, no it isn't me, I took a shower. :) Well, the house is clean anyway. The laundry is done, beds made, bathrooms cleaned, kitchen floor cleaned (second time this week) and I even worked out this morning stretching and doing a Bible study on D...

As I continue forward leaving behind the grave clothes as Lazarus did and the enslavement as the Israelites did leaving Egypt and again ending their desert journey as only a daughter of the King of kings can, I find this video very poignant to representing that indeed I am free. I pray that each of my sisters in Christ and those yet to know Him may know the full freedom of a relationship with God. What I have claimed as "Just being a part of who I am" I find is loosed and a new me, better me, stronger me is revealed. Who I am is not a spirit of fear, a spirit of worry, complaining, or insecurity. God has created me and it is He who is preparing me for eternity with Christ. If God is for me who can be against me, including me?

I have to right this just for Dan. I want everyone, EVERYONE to know that that book, The Love Dare, based off the movie, Fireproof works. I should know. Dan started it and has committed himself to what it says and I can't tell you how giddy I get when I know he is doing something because it follows the guideline of the book. I know how hard it is for him to come home and find I have not yet finished the laundry or lay in on the bed while he irons and the house is still a mess. He has done it all and not only that but he has done it willingly and out of a heart of love. I know that he wouldn't even be able to get through the first week if he wasn't doing it because his loves me and is committed to our marriage. He started by bringing me flowers and then he massages my back when it hurts even when we are in public. He slept on the couch while my mom was here so I could get good sleep. He has worked extra extra hard at not complaining about absolutely anything (he...

The picket fence with ivy my mom stenciled. The ivy and a ladybug on the picket fence. My ladybug lamp. Mom stenciled ladybugs to match the ladybugs in my bedding and light switch.

Studying the Song of Songs in the Old Testament this morning has given me such a sweet reminder of what I look like to Christ. It is so easy to get distracted by the superficial things of this world and believe I am not fully beautiful because I have stretch marks, or my hair isn't the right color, my skin isn't the right shade or my body doesn't have the required curve to be considered beautiful. God made my body special and unique that I be the bride he intended for Christ. No bride will be more breathtaking for her groom than I for my Jesus. Such a peace and joy washes over me as I know I can securely walk in knowing that I am uniquely and wonderfully made, a beautiful creation. Christ's love has softened me and my glow is His love around me. As Beth Moore said in this study I am doing; daily my wedding portrait is being drawn. There has never been and never will be one like it. I have left the place where hurts, insecurities and fears were my mantle and have ...

This morning as I studied Scripture I found my Jesus waiting. When I seek Him to know Him, I always will find Him. This morning was no different. As I studied Scripture to find glimpses into this Prince of Peace I call my Bride-Groom, I found a window open in my heart and His light shone in. The more He reveals of Himself to me the more I find myself more like Him. How awesome it is that seeking Him in all I do I shed what hinders me, my fears, my insecurities, my bad habits, my sin. In its place I find radiance where once I was ashamed, His beauty is my beauty where once insecurities were my robes. I am so thankful to call Jesus, my Jesus. Here is a Scripture passage, Psalm 45:1-15 that I found to be especially illuminating this morning. 1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. 2 You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has...

For the first time this week, Sarah was able to kick and both Dan and my mom felt it. Thursday night she was so active so Dan put his head on my tummy and waited. Sarah kicked a lot and he felt her kick him four times. The second time was really strong like she was putting all her energy into it. Then since she was so awake, I let my mom put her head on my tummy and she felt her kick also. You are probably wondering why they put their heads on my tummy and not their hands. Well, my mom said if they did that then they might be able to hear Sarah. I don't think they did though. I had been praying Thursday morning that Thursday would be the day they felt her move. Then I really prayed as Dan waited to feel and hear something and then she started kicking up a storm. I know that was a God thing. He is so good.

This morning I just read through some articles in the Ladies' Home Journal. I'm not real fond of it any more but since it still comes, I still glance through it. I used to like the Can this Marriage be Saved article, but I've lost interest in it. Its got its good points I guess. It did spur me to think on this morning a topic that has come up more and more lately. It seems we are always looking for ways to make our lives easy. Lately though, I see less of an organized effort and one more like a squeamish effort to escape the discomfort of financial struggles, social expecations or social conflict. Its the same discomfort we get when we are with friends or family and the mood gets all of a sudden uneasy and every ones squirming around the big elephant in the room. Life's obstacles, rather than faced as opportunities are avoided. I talked to someone recently who said they avoid their family get togethers simply because one person is not pleasant enough to be aroun...

My mom has now been here for a week. We have been having a lot of fun together. We started painting the nursery. So far we have the top part of the wall and the ceiling sky blue and the bottom is green (my mom did most the work). Then my mom will paint on a picket fence around the room. We will stencil on flowers and ladybugs and other bugs. Mom did the same garden theme in my niece Jordan's room. I think that is pretty cool. The bug theme is my way of starting our baby off with a love for nature. With kids these days always wanting the latest and greatest video game or phone or music thing, I really want our child to appreciate all the...well...simpler things in life. I can't wait to go camping and kayaking with Sarah (and, God be willing, her sibling, Collin or Elizabeth). I am now four weeks into the Beth Moore Bible Study, Breaking Free. This past week we did generational sin and my mom was with me. At first I was kind of unsure how that would work out, but then ...

At our ultra sound we found out we are having a girl! I am so excited. I can hardly believe it. As soon as the ultra sound lady said we have a girl, my mom went and grabbed a girl outfit and a pink bug out of the purse. She said she just knew. I think I am reeling from this. Seeing little Sarah Grace in there made it all so real. Knowing that I'm having a girl means I'm her main role model. Yikes! :)

I am currently going through the Breaking Free Bible Study by Beth Moore with the ladies at my church. It has been such a delight and a blessing to me as I have facilitated these times together and prayed through out the week for their relationship with God and all of the blessings He desires to bring into their lives and the baggage He wants to take out. Well this week is a about generational sin. I have a very analytical (which turns into the critical quickly) brain so I can tell you I've already thought about the generational sin in my family. I can tell you what I haven't done though and that is go to the cross with it or seek out the Holy Spirit to see it from God's perspective. I just continued to judge and reject. I am so thankful for these last two days of lessons and am looking forward to the next three days of lessons. I am so excited to have a new perspective, God's perspective. God has revealed to me to continue bringing this to Him and let Him take c...

I showed Dan the picture of my dream necklace. Dan said it looked like a breast plate. I also showed him the necklace I made yesterday. He said he likes mine better (the beaded one w/ earing.) What a good husband. :) These necklace are both gifts to undisclosed people. Not the earings though. I am experimenting with coordinating non-matching jewelry so that is why they are together.

This is a necklace I want. I've been eyeing it to figure out how to make it but haven't figured it out. I would buy it if it weren't for the fact that it is...$3600!!!!! I know my eyes popped out of my head too. None the less I am left to just look at this picture. I've taken up trying to make jewelery. I've made some nice ones and deconstructed some not so nice ones as I figure it out. I think I got hooked on necklaces when I started watching Bones on Fox. The main character always wears cool necklaces. I will have to put some of those pictures on here. :)