I so appreciate my weekends...

Ok so even though it is going to be a full weekend, I am so thankful my weekend has officially started. Tonight will begin with a date night with my sweet husband...I live for Thursday nights!!! Tomorrow is going to be a full but fun day also. Not only do I get to sleep late and take my baby sister her birthday lunch at school, but I get to go play with the most precious little girls in the world (ie. Reagan and Gracen DeVaughn). I love these two girls, and I am so looking forward to spending some time with them. Saturday is kind of laid back, but we will probably do something with my sister since it is her birthday on Sunday. Speaking of which, I will probably not blog until Monday, so this is going to be my birthday shoutout to the best sister in the world.

Sixteen years ago my mamma and daddy told me there was a baby coming, from that moment I knew I would have a sister, not because that is what I wanted, but because that is what I prayed for. 9 months later my prayers were answered in the form of the most precious baby sister in the world. I remember my Aunt Dianne picking me up from school that day and taking me to meet her, I don't really remember much about that day except I loved her from the moment I saw her. To this day I love her more than words can say. Sure we still fight, and we have our disagreements but no matter what we love each other and we always have each other's backs. When one of us hurts the other one hurts, when one of us triumphs it is a win for both. Much can be said for the bond between sisters, but no words can truly describe how special that bond is. So having said all that Happy Birthday Michaela, you are an amazing sister and I love you more than you will ever know!!!!

Thanks Papa!

So the day started out pretty good, I was having a good day at work and then Jenna brought me coffee and coffee always makes me happy. Then through a random turn of events the day went sour. These events brought to mind a letter that my grandpa wrote to me the day I was born, at the end of that letter he wrote Psalm 37. Ever since my mother gave me this letter not long after my grandpa's death, this passage always comes to mind when situations deem it applicable. It is hard to stay focused sometimes and oftentimes it is extremely discouraging when you do good and it just seems like things get worse...it is in these times that this passage comforts me, and I might never have noticed it had my Papa not chosen to share it with me in his letter to me....

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers,neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,and wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD;and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD;trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,and thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be:yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth;and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked plotteth against the just,and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 The Lord shall laugh at him:for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow,to cast down the poor and needy,and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart,and their bows shall be broken. 16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken:but the LORD upholdeth the righteous. 18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright:and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time:and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 But the wicked shall perish,and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs:they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. 21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again:but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. 22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth;and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD:and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old;yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,nor his seed begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth;and his seed is blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good;and dwell for evermore. 28 For the LORD loveth judgment,and forsaketh not his saints;they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land,and dwell therein for ever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom,and his tongue talketh of judgment.31 The law of his God is in his heart;none of his steps shall slide. 32 The wicked watcheth the righteous,and seeketh to slay him. 33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand,nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way,and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land:when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power,and spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not:yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright:for the end of that man is peace.38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together:the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD:he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them:he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them,because they trust in him.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood...

I am not sure why I just channeled Mr. Rogers, but I do feel like he had something when he sang that song no matter what the weather. Despite the weather, it really can be a beautiful day, we just have to search for the beauty. So what is beautiful today in my neighborhood...

a) I have an amazing husband who loves me and never ceases to prove himself more loveable with each passing day.
b)I am embarking on a journey to make porkchops for the first time (baked not fried), and although I may not be successful at least I am taking a chance.
c) I am feeling especially healthy minded and although I am sure it will be a struggle, I am feeling motivated and I guess you have to start somewhere.
d) I saw the moon at 2:00 in the afternoon, which is rare but exciting.

And the more I think about it, I am surrounded by beautiful things and all those things are gifts from God. Sometimes it is hard to see the beauty, but maybe we should take a page out of the book of Fred Rogers and just sing no matter the circumstances...It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

Lineage of Grace

So I just finished the most amazing book. It is called "Lineage of Grace" and it is by Francine Rivers, who is one of my favorite Christian authors. I was first introduced to Mrs. Rivers by my wonderful mother in law, who coincidentally gave me my most recently completed book for Christmas. This book, although not completely Biblical is Francine Rivers' take on 5 amazing women in the Bible. All these women showed bravery and faith in the most adverse of circumstances, and their faith led to them being included in the lineage of Jesus Christ. The book covers the stories of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. It was absolutely incredible to read about the faith of these women. And although I am not sure all the events are accurate, the book did cause me to think about these women that I have heard and read about all my life. Their stories go much deeper than a few verses on a page. I guess more than anything reading this book convicted me. More often than not when I read a story in the Bible, it is just that a story that I know happened, but isn't always relatable. As I read this book I found myself fascinated and engrossed in their worlds and gained insight into my own life. I want to be a woman of faith. I want the patience of Tamar, the courage of Rahab, the commitment of Ruth, the redemption of Bathsheba and to be considered favored among women like Mary was. I have alot of work in even coming close to these women. Another thing this book made me think about was my Lineage of Grace. My great grandmother was a strong woman, I don't ever remember seeing her cry. Even when her mind was being devoured by dimentia she still exhibited that amazing strength I admired in her. My Grandma, my mother's mother, was my best friend. She taught me more about faith than anybody else in my life. A pastor's wife for over 50 years, she knew what it meant to put your trust in God to supply all your needs--something I struggle with everyday. She was truly an amazing woman and I cannot express how proud and thankful I am to have been her granddaughter. My grandmamma, my dad's mom who died before I was born, I know little about, only what my dad has told me. Although I didn't know her I know she was a great woman because she gave me my dad. A quiet man, many people will never know how amazing my daddy is. He may not have much, but I have learned from him what it means to serve. For as long as I can remember,if it needed to be done, my daddy would do it. So many times he goes unnoticed and sometimes I feel like he is underappreciated, but that is the point of being a servant. He doesn't need the accolades and praise that so many men and women long for, he just does what he does because he loves Jesus. I can't write about my lineage without mentioning my mom. I look so much like her and at times I hear her voice come out of my mouth when I speak. That is a little scary, but not as bad as I would let on. My sweet mamma has taught me many things, but perhaps the one thing I have truly taken from her is to love old people. Often times these are the people who get neglected and pushed to the wayside, but these are the people who don't demand that you put on airs; they are past all that. On Valentine's Day, my mom used to make up little bags of goodies and take my sister & I to visit some of the older people we knew. I remember not wanting to go, but every year she would make me go and by the end of the day I was always glad she did. Not only are older people some of the nicest people to be around, they are also some of the most entertaining, full of wit and wisdom for those who will listen. My mamma taught me to appreciate these people and for that and so many other things, I cannot thank her enough. So after writing all this I guess it is pretty safe to say, that although I still have much to learn, I have a pretty good start due in part to my heavenly Father and the lineage of grace He has given me.

The Start of a New Week

So after a nice long weekend of the great indoors, it is hard to go back to the daily grind. Drew & I had a nice weekend, with Michaela spending the night on Friday and then Drew & I going over to Matt & Michelle's house on Saturday night. I am learning that although I still need that female interaction with my girlfriends it is also really, really nice to hang out with another couple who can understand our daily struggles and also the simplicity that is afforded to most newly married couples. I have been thinking this weekend, how thankful I am that Drew & I do not have everything we want right now. Sure it would be nice to live in a house instead of this apartment where I can hear the children next door screaming back & forth at each other, and sometimes I wish we could afford a new car; but I am thankful that we have to wait. Through waiting I think that we will be more thankful when all those wants become reality. I guess I am just learning another lesson in patience. As far as my duties as a wife I have decided that this week I am going to try to make chili for the first time...I will let you all know how that turns out.

the new do

So I decided I wanted to do something new with my hair. I do this from time to time, but most of the time I just let it pass. Well...this week I have been having that urge for change and decided today would be a good day for something new. My friend Jenna is all about dying hair so naturally instead of paying $80 to get it done professionally, I let Jenna do it for $8. The color on the box was Navajo Brown, it looked to be a light honey brown. So we bought the hair dye and went to Jenna's house to begin my transformation. Jenna worked her magic and we followed all the directions on the box, but the golden brown turned out to be more of a reddish brown color. I must say it was a shock, but I really do like it. The good news is that it is supposed to wash out in a month, so if I get tired of it, it isn't permanent. Also I feel like life as a redhead might give me an excuse if I get a little saucy or hotheaded. Anyway, it was fun and now I am just waiting for Drew to get home from hunting to give me his verdict on the new look. We shall see...

I do not make New Year's Resolutions

Ok, so I do not make New Year's resolutions, but I do say random things that I will do in the new year. Not resolutions, just simple statements that I make not because it is a new year but because I have revelations about things I should or should not do. And honestly, this has nothing to do with the new year it simply is just something I do, I do it on a weekly basis, not just at the beginning of a new year. Like next week I am going to focus completely on laundry or I am going to put back $10 every paycheck so that I can go shopping when I have a good amount. Random goals like these dominate my life. So what goals did I make for these first few weeks of the new year...well for starters Drew & I were going to start going to the Y. We pay for it, we might as well take advantage and we only live 5 minutes away so it isn't really an inconvenience. This was going to start Monday (last night). The result has been the same for both nights of our week, Drew comes in from working in the frigid weather, we eat dinner while he enjoys the warmth, we sit on the couch to get our daily fix of "The Office" and then Drew falls into a deep sleep and I just feel too bad to wake him up. He works so hard, and it just seems wrong to wake him when he looks so peaceful. Eventually I am going to have to break down and just do it, because the eating and vegging out on the couch thing is starting to catch up with us both. My second goal for this week was to get both bathrooms and the back room cleaned so I could enjoy my off day on Friday...this also has not been accomplished. I did do two things that I set out to do though, and for that I guess I can feel some sense of accomplishment. I have acquired a new found love for arts and crafts. I am not sure if it is on account of my new domestic goddess status or if I simply have found a great outlet for the daily frustrations of life. At any rate I told myself I was going to paint something for my Aunt Susan whose birthday is Thursday and I was also going to make a luggage tad for Drew's sweet mamma to take on her trip to Montana this weekend. Both have been accomplished and both are pretty impressive if I do say myself. I have decided that if all else fails I could have a pretty good career as a stuggling arts and crafter. It would be super fun, but I am not too sure how well that would pay.

On a final note I would like to wish both of my parents a very happy 26th anniversary tomorrow. I am so thankful to have parents who love Jesus and are willing to honor Him not only with their lives but also with their marriage. They are a great example for Drew and I couldn't be more proud to be their daughter.