Tulip Girl

In order to make a house a home, Momma Bear needs to make sure is right or else no matter how pretty the curtains are or the food is, well, things just are not gonna go good. So I've been working on memorizing Romans 12. It isn't like I'm doing it all at once. Its one verse a week. Easy right? Well, memorizing is easy if you don't apply it to scripture which pisses Satan off not to mention changes how you see things. When how you see things changes, how you do things based on how you see things changes. How people are responding to how you do things based on how you see things is disrupted. So basically, scripture memorization is like going to the physical therapist. It can be pretty uncomfortable in the beginning but eventually you start seeing the rewards. No pain no gain. If its worth having, its worth working for and you get what you pay for. So if I want a joy filled spirit, a peace filled home, what not and so on, then well, I push up my sleeves and dig in. Speaki...

Ok. I love my new blog look and don't plan on making any changes. I thought I might. I'm not. Those two birds are just super cute. Update on the Romans Project: "We are given gifts according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesy, let him do so in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve, if it is teaching let him teach. If it is encouragement, let him encourage. If a persons gift is giving then let him do so generously and if a person's gift is leadership than let him govern diligently. If his gift is mercy then let him do so cheerfully." I sort of mixed translations but that hopefully is accurate. So I'm 8 verses down, and 13 to go. Next week, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." I have been spending a few weeks comment free to sort of help me with my Romans 12 Project, you know to keep my focus in the right place. I am thankful to say I am now returning normal comment activity back to ac...

Hospitality is not just how you welcome somebody once they make it past your front door. Today I spent one of the most relaxing few hours of my summer with a mom friend and her triplet seven year old boys and rambunctious labradoodle . I wondered, as I felt the tension ease between my shoulder blades, what was it that made this so. I had a friend in high school whose home was a mish mash of garage sale finds; rugs to cover worn carpet, blankets to cover a taddy sofa, books upon piles of books on every available surface. Still another friend who cooks the most tantalizing meals while another friend is the master decorater . Each of these homes, are so welcoming and loving. Yet, it isn't the food, it isn't the decorations. It must be the people. Which is why I believe hospitality is something you can take on the road with you. Welcoming another into anything is hospitality. Its like when you hear the phrase, "An inhospitable environment." So if someone joins ...

Phew! That was a difficult night. At one point my head pounded and my stomach did summer saults . My pillow turned out not to be an asset so once I switched things started getting a little better. I slept most of the night on the couch. Hey, if the migraine was going to keep me awake, I might as will let Hubby sleep. Miss Wiggles slept in yesterday and today so that is a huge blessing. Teething does it every time...that and a later bedtime. So what happens when a Sanguine parents? Yesterday, I looked out the back door and thought the hanging plant could use some water so Miss Wiggles and I went outside to water it (in our pj's no less, don't worry mine was out door appropriate). Well, the weather was so nice we decided to water the vegetable garden as well, then I saw a patch of grass that looked dry so we watered the back yard. We played on a tree stump, then we sat on the porch drinking juice. Then I figured the plants out front needed water so off we went. Basically two hou...

I have a migraine. It started two hours before bedtime which means excedrine two hours before bedtime. It didn't take away my migraine but I do find myself wide wide wide awake at two hours after my normal bedtime. Awesome and not in a good way. So I'm going to give you a random post because well, you read the last paragraph right? I joke about living at Wal-Mart. I got at least twice a week around lunch time. I'm seriously glad I went yesterday and not today because had I gone today I would have been there during the hostage situation. I guy went wielding his knife all over the store before he took his ex-girlfriend hostage at the Vision Center. I have no commentary on it but to say thank you Jesus I wasn't there and thank you Jesus again that the girl is going to be ok. On a lighter note, the weather was awesome today we were outside for quite a while this morning. I'll tell you more about that later. For now, I need to get off the computer as my stomach is start...

Seriously, isn't she a little ray of sunshine? I've been a bit gloomy lately. I love to be outside but what with the heat and humidity being what it has been (108 on Sunday not counting the humidity) well, my inner sanguine has been a bit lifeless. This morning Miss Wiggles and I headed out to water a plant on the back deck and next thing you know, we watered the hanging plant, the vegetable garden, the grass, all the plants on the front porch, and of course ourselves. We walked up and down the street collecting pine cones in the little baby stroller and splashing water in the water table. Seriously, we only went out to water the hanging plant. We weren't even out of our pj's yet. The weather was just so nice we couldn't resist. My inner sanguine is very happy. Nap time was soon to follow and I was able to get some work done. I love hanging out with Miss Wiggles. I've not liked it that lately I've been eager for nap time so it was good for the both of us to ...

Well here you go! Late Wednesday night, my blog informed me that my background would disapear on Friday. So, for the last four days I've been working on finding a new look for my blog. I really liked my green stripe but change happens and I've really liked the fresh look of blogs with white backgrounds and just fancy headers. There are a few things I want to change but for now I'm thinking this is just fine. As a side note Hubby doesn't think the header goes with my blog title. I'll be working on getting that straight as well. We will see. I've also changed my blog title if you haven't noticed. I was thinking as I went about my bloggey makeover how I continue searching for tulips when I have perfectly beautiful hyacinth right here (say what? Its all explained underneath the header). I take my humbled self to the foot of the cross, not perfect but humbled. I thought it applicable or apra poe but I'm not sure I wrote that right. Thank you Shabby Blogs for ...

Update: Blog is a work in progress so please be patient while I figure out a better back ground and template. Thanks ya'll. You see that laundry closet there. I walked past it and then decided to snap that pic you see. I am tired of walking passed these never closed doors and seeing such a mess. My task is to figure out how to organize it and make it a bit more aesthetically pleasing. I just need to figure out how to do it now. It is just a laundry closet though, so not as interesting as some other cool DIY projects. So I figure you may want to see what neat stuff Hubby is up to. This desk is in the process of getting stripped and then restained a dark stain and then new handles. Hubby found this desk for himself at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for $10. How cool is that?! Also at the Restore was this awesome old dresser for a bit more at $60. It has some great original features. This pretty thing hear on the front. And then there are these wheels. Hubby is going to do a whit...

Update: Wow, amazing how a mistyped word changes things. I meant in the second from last paragraph that I balance what I am now, not what I am not. Oops. I will start with the disclaimer that I love my life. I'm completely at peace with it and I wouldn't change a thing. That said, I also loved my life three years ago. I was working my way through an internship with a nonprofit organization advocating for foster children. I volunteered on the side counseling pregnant teenagers on their choices, formulated fundraising ideas, cold called people to donate money for the cause. I was playing video games with a foster child one day and up to my elbows in case files the next. I loved the picnics and casual conversations with judges and the fundraisers adorned with center pieces I made. I did a short time as a hiring manager at an insurance company and I was awesome at it. I was seriously good at all of it. Then we decided to add a baby to the mix. Three years and two miscarriages and ...

Therefore, I say to you brothers and sisters in view of Gods mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. So no longer conform to the pattern of this age but instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may be able to discern the good pleasing perfect will of God. With the grace given me and my responsibility to you I tell everyone among you to not think more highly of yourselves than you should think but instead think with sober judgement in proportion to the faith God gives everyone. Just as each person has one body with many members and each member does not serve the same function, so it is in Christ that we who are many form one body and each one belongs to the other. We all have gift by the grace given us. If a man's gift is to prophesy then let him prophesy in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve and if it is teach then let him teach. Romans 12:1-7 Well that is where I a...

Well, there you go. We've done a bit of redecorating around here. Late last night I got a note that my blog background would disappear so I took it as an opportunity and did some sprucing. I hope you like it. I've got lots of other projects in the wings right now. We bought chairs for six bucks each at a thrift store for the dinner table and are in the process of refinishing them in a black stain along with the dinner table. Hubby refinished it in high school and is excited to give it another face lift. Free table from Grandma. Yay ! We also bought a dresser for Wiggles and an oak table for Hubby. The dresser is a gorgeous antique dresser complete with old fashioned wheels on it and a cool inlay design (did I write that right?) for $60 and the oak desk was a mere $10. I am so so excited. Hubby is hard at work stripping those down to refinish. He is so great. I told him though I just couldn't be around when he was working with the stripper because it was just wrong to ha...

One of the unexpected fun things about making jewelery is the custom made orders. I mean making my own creations is fun but when I can bring to reality the creative dream of someone else, well, that is is just awesome. Last Christmas, I made two necklaces for a high school girl and her BFF . This one pictures was for her BFF . In my first show, I made a similar necklace for her mom that she liked. It was fun to see her get excited about the two necklaces she went home with. I also made a six strand pearl and fluorite bracelet for my gal pal, Chloe. The pearls came from London where her mom lives. That was super cool, especially as you may remember, I was privileged to wear it to a Black Tie Gala a few months ago. Yeah, job perks. Anyway, I ended up making a pair of earrings and a baby bracelet out of the remaining pearls. Chloe's mum has asked that I make a baby bracelet for Miss Wiggles as well to say thank you. I am over the moon! I can't wait to get that made and put i...

Its Friday and motivation has been missing for about twenty four hours now. I would love to get it back. Probably won't happen though. I did go walking today but didn't work out at the park. I swung while Miss Wiggles swung. Ok , so I did make one cute grey, sky blue, turquoise pearl and fluorite necklace. I'm waiting for the finishing parts I ordered to come in, so I right now I've lots of unfinished jewelery in a pile on my desk. Maybe I could motivate myself by seeing how big I can make the pile. Mmh . Tomorrow is our six year anniversary. Last year we renewed our vows and this year we are opting for Virginia Beach. The Gem and Mineral show is down there so we will call it a working holiday day. Does any one else have the problem of sticking feet in mouth? I'm so all over that these days. You have no idea how many times I've had to go back and apologize for saying out loud what should have died in my head. Dang, its hard to tame the tongue. Well, if out of ...

Rather than conform to what this world wants from me, I rather be transformed by the continuous renewal of mind spirit and heart in my relationship with God. As I work to transform random beads and pearls into beautiful works of art, God is doing the same in me. While I clean the funk out of my kitchen, scrub out the gunk, God is doing the same in me. While I sit on the play room floor teaching Miss Wiggles new things, God is doing the same for me. That I had the words to simply explain, to easily explain the freedom I know in Jesus. I once chased after the illusion that I could ever be good enough to always please those around me. What a fruitless tiring waste of energy that was. The more I gave, the more was demanded and none of it was for what was best for me. Oh that I could make this make sense. On my walk this morning God opened my eyes to a fresh perspective of how he sees us when we are carried away in sin, in a lie Satan or the world has told us that we have believed like beli...

Pictures are finally here! The kitchen has a few more details but I will hold you in suspense no longer. See this particular corner of a cabinet all yuckified? Yeah, the whole kitchen was like that. I had to take steel wool to each of the door and drawer handles to clean the gunk off of them. It was enough to make your skin crawl. The counter was pealing and stained and generally...well, yuck. Then we bought paint... and many hours and days later. The owners of our rental bought new counter tops and we painted the cabinets and spray painted the hardware. Yes, it is a rental but what can I say? We really are a bit crazy. I'm ok with that though. Now we can comfortably have guests in our home which we have nonstop for the last few months and not feel like some health code was violated. I'm dramatic, I know but its true. We attacked the kitchen with sand paper. After that, we primed and painted white with oil based paint. It isn't my favorite but it is the best for kitches, ...

Therefore I urge you brothers [and sisters] in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as a living Sacrifice holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual worship. So do not conform any longer to the pattern of this age but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you be able to discern the good, pleasing, perfect will of God. By the grace given me, I tell everyone among you to not thing more highly of himself than he out but instead think sensibly as God has given a measure of faith to all. Just as we each have our own body with many members but each member does not serve the same function, in Christ we are many people who form one body all belonging to each other verse 5 in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. I want God to challenge me to welcome people into my life that are outside my comfort zone whether that be a friend from another culture, ethnicity, religious view point, single, older, younger, different in any way ...

These gorgeous gals are Chloe from English Tea Paperie and myself, Intricately Made by Katie (click on names to see our sites). Don't mind our crowns, we're just divas. That's what happens when good girlfriends get together...or celebrate Chloe's daughter's Birthday. Chloe started me on the road towards small business owner and transition from SAHM to WAHM. It has been awesome, awesome, awesome! Did I mention I made both of Chloe's necklaces in that picture and mine? I heart jewelry. This last weekend we worked our rears off getting ready for the P0quoson Seafood Festival. While both of us can be a bit scattered on our own, we totally compliment each other in that we bring out the kick butt business woman in each other. We organized our booth finalized pricing on items, assessed production of further inventory, what not, so on and so forth. Our sweet hubbies kept their eyes on the kiddies. We both have little girls who play great together and hubbys that also p...

Recap: Therefore, I urge you brothers [and sisters] in view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing, to God - this is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 I learned through studying this verse that in Romans 11, Paul talks reveals to the Roman church body that their worship was based on ritual. This applies to us because we think if we go to church on Sunday and occasionally help in the nursery that, that is our worship and the rest of our life the rest of the time is ours. Paul explains that this is not so. As Establishing Footsteps explains, their worship became wooden, mechanical. Instead, Romans 12 goes on to explain how every single thing we do is an act of worship; doing my family's laundry, being hospitable to friend and foe, cleaning toilets, respecting bosses, raising your hands in song and lowering them to work along side a friend. Everything is to be done for the Lord. I've realized that God doesn't want this just for Hi...

I'm thinkin ' Satan doesn't want me memorizing verses 'cause these last couple of weeks have been near torture... well not last weekend, that was awesome. I've become a compassionless , angry anxious bear and I can't blame it on you know what though you bet I've tried. I've been pinging on just about everything. I'm not ready for the Poquoson Seafood Festival. Hubby can't do anything right. Poor guy doesn't sit with me on the couch 'cause he said I bite. I've got good friends this weekend and I'm bound and determined to chill a bit. On another note I realize there are different kinds of commenter's . There are the noncommenters and then the commenter's . The commenter's break up into those who will comment about your post and those who will go on about themselves in relation to your post. I'm the latter. I'm always going on about myself. Self focused you could say. I guess I should work on that. Thank you t...

One of our favorite things to do is cuddle in my cozy reading chair. This picture was while we were waiting for our July 4 guests to arrive for our cookout. We had so much fun. There were three couples that hadn't known each other before the event but by the grace of God had a good time getting to know each other. You know that could have gone either way. It was sad to see everyone go. I am also excited that there were so many leftovers because that means I haven't had to cook anything...well almost anything. Wiggles can't survive on left over hamburgers and potato salad forever. ;) I want to share with you a really great event coming up for those of you near the Hampton Roads area in Virginia (if you aren't you know I've got two guest bedrooms...well a guest bedroom and a junk room and an air mattress any way). I digress. August 9-11, 2010 at 7pm at Christopher Newport University's Ferguson Center For The Arts Establishing Footsteps fourth annual Women's...

Update: corrections in bold letters Therefore, I urge you brothers [and sisters] in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing, to God - this is your spiritual worship. So do not conform any longer to the pattern of this age but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you can discern the good, pleasing and perfect will of God. By the grace given my I tell everyone among you to not think more highly of yourself than you should think. Instead think sensibly as God has given a measure of faith to every one. Romans 12:1-3 I realize you can't comment at the moment to tell me if I totally biffed that one up but I'll check it in the morning and let you know. :) This morning I read the weekly devotion from Established Footsteps . It wasn't pretty. "You see before Paul became a follower of Jesus he was a man definitely cut from the same pattern of this world. He was focused on self. His self focus was cloaked in a religious ...

I work really hard at being a follower. That may be crazy to read but its true. I tend to scrutinize those I want to really spend a lot of time with. I have a habit of picking up the habits of those I spend a lot of time with (you should here me my Southern accent). So when I was visiting Lauren at Living By Faith , the video she had up by Frances Chan. I knew I wanted to share it here too. The more people that see this the better. After watching this video I went straight to youtube and looked at more videos by Frances Chan. Life changing is all I have to say. Life changing. If this doesn't move you to some sort of change, well.... hopefully it is encouraging you in the change you are already in the progress of.

Seriously, I don't! Look at that amazing little person with her wrinkly nose grin. I didn't do anything to be this blessed for sure. That is how I know I am loved and not for me but despite me. God is good. My scripture memorization is highlighting some areas of chosen to simply ignore. Scratch that. I called on God and He showed up. God is highlighting some areas I was ignoring. The primary thing here is the comments. I admit I am human. In my desire for words of affirmation and want to be like everyone else, my simple words of affirmation love language has turned into more of a bit of a foothold verging on stronghold in my life. Please do not think I'm trying to be all religious or self righteous. I'm honest to goodness sharing with you the vulnerability of my spirit here. Plus, I love to share with you cool things like shoes or good finds at the thrift store. It is also my desire to share with you the cool things and good finds I have in God. I still adore you and de...

As my heart leaned into God yesterday, my Abba King impressed an analogy into my mind. I have pondered it since and thought about it as I've gone about my day today. Sometimes it seems the field of bitterness and anger seems so easy to work, ready at a moments notice to spring up a harvest of its dark and overpowering produce. At those times it seems as if the field of love, mercy, and grace is full of thistles and stones, to difficult to work and almost impossible to gain any harvest. This God has made clear is a lie straight from Satan himself. Even a hand full of harvest from the latter field is better than a truck load of harvest from the first. With God beside me, His hands deep in the soil with me, even the smallest of harvests feed thousands. The full and plentiful harvest from the field of bitterness and anger will leave even just one starving. Someone once said unforgiveness is like taking a poison and waiting for your enemy to die. Powerful words I will not soon forget. G...