Devotional -- Day 16

Day 16

• Read Romans 5:12-21
• Write down one law that you know you have broken.
• What joy do you find in knowing Jesus has justified you despite your sin?

Devotional -- Day 15

Day 15

• Read Colossians 1:9–13.
• Pray this prayer for someone today.
• Which of these things would you most like God to work into your life?

So I Hear I'm Becoming A Bit Boring...

Last night, my loving husband informed me that this blog is getting boring.  Apparently, he does not like devotionals --  ha ha!!  I'm totally kidding. 

As we both know, life is definitely NOT boring right now.  In fact, it is probably the least boring that its ever been -- the continual house projects, visits from family, trips out of town, heavy workloads.  And with busy-ness comes less time for blogging and less time for putting much thought into my blogs.  Sure we have a lot of pictures of our house updates but the photos have not been downloaded.  I've been doing a lot of cooking but have not kept track of the recipe links and have definitely not taken any pictures.  I sometimes think our week-end updates get a tad boring so I have been doing less of those types of posts.  So that doesn't really leave me with much to say these days. 

However, in an effort to not become "boring" I'm going to try to give this little space of mine a new boost!  Back when I created my organization notebook, I made a place for my blog list so I could jot down blog ideas as I thought of them.  Clearly, I have not been keeping up with that so I plan to pull that out this week and start my list all over.  In the mean time, here are a few glimpses into what we've been doing in our kitchen.

We are trying to pick out tile for our backsplash along with laminate for our countertops.  We (mainly me) have been going back and forth with countertop and tile ideas and yesterday, I think I finally found the perfect tile!  Sure it isn't as cheap as the $.28 cent subway tile at Lowe's, but I think it really pulls together everything we're envisioning.  Here is a glimpse at what we've chosen:

Cabinet Paint -- yes, it is gray!

Countertops

And finally, the tile!

The tile has pretty warm tones running through it so I think it will tie in the cabinet color nicely and still provide the look of the subway tile that we like.  I haven't officially chosen the tile though.  I'm going to show the swatches and samples to my interior decorator friend tonight to get her thoughts.  But, as of now we are set to transform the kitchen in a couple of weeks.  Wish us luck!

Devotional -- Day 14

Day 14

• Read Genesis 3:1–7.
• Discuss with someone else the fatal decisions in this passage.
• What similar dialogue are you having with “the serpent” these days?

Devotional -- Days 11, 12 and 13

I thought I had scheduled my Days 11 and 12 posts to publish over the weekend, but apparently I didn't...  Oops!

Day 11

• Read 2 Corinthians 6:4–10.
• Write a note of encouragement to a spiritual leader who has sacrificed time or effort for you.
• How have you experienced the kind of victory during difficulties that Paul is talking about in these verses?

Day 12

• Read Matthew 6:1–6.
• Give away something of value today, whether it is money or a possession.
• What kind of motives do you generally have when giving? What do you tend to expect in return?

Day 13

• Read Genesis 2.
• Jot down the good things surrounding Adam in this passage.
• What in creation can you thank God for today?

Devotional - Days 9 and 10

Sorry about being MIA yesterday.  Life is crazy and work is crazy and I just didn't get to the computer much.  So, here are days 9 and 10 all wrapped into one!

Day 9

• Read Psalm 51.
• Write the sins that God brings to mind on a sheet of paper. Confess them, then shred the paper to symbolize that they are in the past.
• What is one area in which you need to feel that you are “whiter than snow”?

Day 10 This one is totally hitting home with me today...funny how that happens!Read 2 Corinthians 5:20–21.

• Consider to whom you might be an ambassador for Christ today.
• What should be the distinguishing characteristics of an ambassador for Christ?

Current Obsessions

Lately, I have been a bit obsessed with the following:

I brew up a to-go cup of this stuff every morning and I top it off with a little bit of creamer and it makes me so happy! 

We have been drinking this by the pitcher.  I didn't think I would like it at first, but it is mighty tasty!  I suppose it is also a good alternative to drinking too much soda, so that is a positive.  However, I'm not sure it has really boosted our immunity.

I love this show!  I love the relationship between the judges, I love how the show is set up, I love the songs -- I just love everything about it.  And, is Cee Lo's cat new this year??  I must admit I find it a bit creepy.

I desperately want to figure out how to make my hair look like this!  I just can't quite get it to look right and I can't seem to get the back curled very well.  I keep trying, though!

And speaking of hair, this stuff is amazing for my new bangs.  It isn't sticky or greasy and keeps everything smooth and styled.  Love it!

I could watch these re-runs over and over and still laugh!  Bazinga!!

 Technically, I was obsessed with these Bath and Body Works candles last spring but currently I'm obsessed with using up all of our fall/winter scents so I can burn these yummy spring/summer scents again.

I'm dying to use this color somewhere in our house, except it doesn't quite fit into our current color scheme...wah wah wah.

Another house item....loving the mid-century style furniture and am currently in the hunt for a dresser that would look very similar to this one.

So there you have it -- a peek into my current favs!

Devotional - Day 8

Day 8

• Read Isaiah 58:1–12
• Ask God to show you if you are going through the outward motions of Lent yet acting unjustly before him in everyday life
•  Is there someone you need to be helping right now?

A Day Without Media

Yesterday I went the entire day without checking my personal Twitter or Facebook accounts, reading blogs, browsing the internet, checking my personal email, watching TV, listening to the radio, and with limited cell phone use.  Why this "media fast"?  Well, as part of our new small group Bible study, as well as the devotionals I've been posting here (a coincidence that both required some sort of fasting??  I think not!), I was encouraged to take a one day break from media in an effort to create more space in my life for God, or at least the opportunity for me to focus on God.  Brandon also joined me in the effort.

Before I get into the things I learned yesterday, I do need to give one short disclaimer.  As part of my job, I am responsible for all communications in our office, along with overseeing and managing our website and social media channels.  So while I was fasting from personal social media and internet activities, I still had to use media at work. 

Okay, now on to my media-free observations (I jotted down a list throughout the day yesterday so I wouldn't forget anything):

• the drive to work was eerily quiet and I found myself humming and whistling
• my work day was a little more productive because I was not doing anything personal online
• realized I will survive without knowing all of the breaking news via Twitter
• the break provided me with more "thinking" time in the car sans the distraction of the radio
• Brandon and I actually had conversations when we got home from work instead of vegging in front of the TV
• we got more accomplished around the house last night since we were not distracted by TV
• realized how much time I do spend online or watching TV
• I actually read part of a book without falling asleep -- this is MAJOR!

So now that we have particpated in that little exercise and made these observations, we have decided that we need to refocus a little bit.  From now on, we are going to instill a no TV from the time we get home from work until after dinner.  This is a good opportunity for us to decompress and talk to each other about our days, and in all hoensty it was sort of nice to have some peace and quiet after a full work day.  I think we will also eventually limit our TV intake all together, or at least not feel like we have to watch our shows "live" since we do have a DVR and can watch them when we literally have nothing else to do.

One thing that I know I need to work on is my connection to social media.  I will be the first person to rattle off its benefits, and I do believe there are benefits, but it does not need to rule my life.  I can live without all of the tidbits of information I gather on Twitter and Facebook.  In reality, I do not need to check Twitter and FB right when I get up in the morning.  I watch the news and will find out any pertinent information that I need at that time.  And really, sometimes it is nice to be in the dark a bit -- for instance I did not know about the shooting in Ohio until this morning when we turned on the news.

So, all in all this was a good exercise for both Brandon and me.  I would encourage all of you (the few who do read this thing) to try a similar exercise in your own life and then re-evaluate how you've been doing things.  It really was refreshing.

Also, my faithful readers may have noticed that I had two posts yesterday but have no fear, they were both scheduled posts that I wrote on Sunday night :)

Devotional - Day 7

Day 7

• Read Joel 2:12–17
• Ask God to show you if there is something you need to repent of
• What does it mean to “rend your heart”?

Devotional - Day 6

Day 6

• Read Joel 2:1–10
• Sketch this passage
• What does this description make you feel? Why?

A Normal Weekend

It is so nice to be able to say we had a "normal" weekend.  We've been so busy lately and have been spending so much time on the house that we haven't really had one of those sleep-in-on-Saturday-clean-the-house-run-errands-piddle-around-the-yard-play-with-the-dog-have-no-major-plans weekends.

Friday night we had our neighbors over for dinner.  We made fajitas and all the fixings.  Since we have lived in the new house, we've gotten to know the neighbors a little bit, but have not done many social things with them, so we thought it was time get to know them better.  We had a fun evening with them and hope to become better friends as time goes on.

Saturday I got up and cleaned the house while Brandon went and picked up our beef.  Then, I had the privilege of babysitting my good friend's little girl.  We read books, played with her kitchen, chased each other with her pretend vacuum, and ate lunch together.  We had a great time!  After I got home, Brandon and I ran a few more errands and then came home to hang curtain rods, curtains and blinds.  It is so nice to finally have some privacy (all of our blinds have been down for about a month -- can you say neighborhood entertainment?!?).  My mom came to town Saturday evening and stayed the night with us because she was leaving for a road trip with her high school friends Sunday morning.

As for Sunday, I got up and took Mom to her friend's house and Brandon went to batting practice for the Blue Sox (yep, it is about that time again).  I also did our bi-weekly grocery shopping and we ran a few more errands.  Brandon spent some time outside working on the sprinkler system and then we settled in and watched the Oscars.  I love the red carpet shows more than the awards because I love looking at all of the dresses.  I really thought Emma Stone looked beautiful, but she's my favorite actress at the moment so it might be a biased opinion.  I just thought she looked very classy and very appropriate for the Oscars.

I also envied Cameron Diaz's body and hair cut and her dress wasn't too bad either.

While I was watching the Oscars, I made a new recipe courtesy of Pinterest.  I cheated a bit and used the Rhoades dinner rolls rather than making my own dough and I omitted the eggs.  We each ate one for dinner and they were pretty good.  We saved one for each of us for breakfast today and I froze the rest.  I thought they would be good to grab and heat up before heading to work.

We are definitely thankful for the down time this weekend and now we are ready for another work week!

Devotional - Day 5

Day 5

• Read Colossians 3:12-17
• Ask God to show you if there is someone you have wronged.
• Is there someone you need to reconcile with as you focus on Christ?

Devotional - Day 4

Day 4

• Read Ephesians 5:15-20
• Play a favorite hymn, chorus or praise song.
• How can you make different spiritual disciplines a joyous experience?  What kind of attitude do you need to have for that to happen?

Devotional - Day 3

Day 3

• Read Matthew 6:16-18
• Choose one item to fast today - food, media, etc.
• What can be challenging about fasting?  What can be beneficial?  What can be a wrong reason to fast?

Thursday Things

• It was close to 70 degrees yesterday!  Yes, 70 degrees in late February.  So, we took advantage of the nice weather and took Koby for a walk in the neighborhood.  Have I mentioned how much we love our new neighborhood??  We stopped and chatted with a neighbor down the street who has a cute little Yorkie.  She remembered us from the Christmas party and commented on the work we've been doing to our house.  Things like this NEVER happened in our old neighborhood. 
• Speaking of the house, we are taking a break from house projects this week and weekend.  We feel like we haven't had much time to just enjoy the work we've done so we are going to do that this weekend.  Then, we plan to move on to the next project which is painting our kitchen cabinets!  Definitely ready to get the kitchen updated.
• Little Brooklyn was able to go home from the hospital on Tuesday!  That girl is pretty tough -- its truly a miracle how well she is doing.  We haven't talked to Ash and Justin, but we hear things are going pretty smoothly. 
• After our walk yesterday, we wondered around our yard trying to figure out what kinds of plants and flowers we have.  The warm weather definitely has us itching to get into the yard.  We already know of a few things we want to pull up and areas we want to revamp.  One thing is for sure, though, the ivy growing on our retaining wall is going to be the first item to go!!
• I got my hair cut last night and was lamenting to my stylist that I can't ever get my hair to look the same as it does when I leave the salon.  She told me it is all in the blow-drying process and that the key to getting my hair to lay right is to dry my bangs first.  Who knew!  So today, I did just that and I think my hair is looking pretty good. 
• I'm at the point in the season where I dread figuring out what I'm going to wear each day.  I'm tired of my winter clothes and feel like I wear the same outfits every week, but it is still too chilly to bring out my spring clothes.  So frustrating!!
• We are pretty excited about The Voice, which started airing a few weeks ago.  We have never been big American Idol fans, but for some reason we are really drawn to The Voice.  Maybe it is because we generally like all of the judges (except for Christina) and we like the suspense since the judges can't see the contestants.  It was also fun to see a different side of the judges than what has typically been portrayed in the public -- a softer side, perhaps, or their excitement to help new artists?  Anyway, it's a fun show to watch.
• Last but not least, here is a cute picture I snapped of Koby the other morning.  Look at that tongue -- he could catch flies with that thing!  Apparently, he was one tired pup :)



Devotional - Day 2

Day 2

• Read Mark 1:35-39
• Find a solitary place to pray today.  Think of a time when you had a spiritual experience in a solitary place.
• What was it like?  How did you feel?  What did God show you?

Self-Discipline

Today is the first day of Lent, and while we don't regularly practice Lent, I do think it is a great time to refocus our thoughts on Christ and the price he paid for our sins. 

One thing I'm not very good at is self-discipline.  I've never been good at taking medication on a regular schedule.  I've never been good at establishing a good routine.  I've never been very good at following through on goals I set for myself -- think the type of goals like picking up a hobby or exercising regularly.  And, I certainly have never been good at creating a quiet time for myself to dig into my Bible. 

Last year around Easter time, I found a daily devotional that I thought was very good and very easy to do, but we never got around to starting it, and in our defense, the Easter season was practically over.  But, I tucked it back in a file on my computer to use this year.  So, every day for the next 40 days, I will be posting the devotional here and will be practicing self-discpline by making it a priority to go through this devotional with Brandon every evening.  If you are interested, you can join in too.

Day 1

• Read Matthew 6:5-15
• Pray the Lord's Prayer, pausing after each line to think about what it means.
• Why did Jesus tell us to pray alone and unseen? 

To My Valentine

I love you because:

• You are my best friend
• You make me laugh with your infinite movie knowledge
• You know the lyrics to every single song that comes on the radio
• You work hard to provide for us
• You are still a kid at heart
• You love the Lord
• You put up with me everyday...even on the hard days
• You eat peanut butter out of the jar before bed (psst...he has his own jar by the way!)
• You still play baseball, even if it is on an "old man team" (and  you still wear baseball pants!!)
• You humor me when I change my mind mid-project
• You love our dog so so much
• You sometimes watch my reality TV shows with me
• You tell me I look nice in the morning, even though you've probably seen me wear the same outfit 100 times
• You are a die-hard Wildcat fan
• You never give up
• You have a heart for kids
• You stop by my office out of the blue just to say hey...and eat my candy :)

This list could go on and on and on!  I am one lucky girl to have such a sweet and funny Valentine.  Even though he doesn't like me to dote on him on this holiday, I did want to take an opportunity to share why I think he is so great!



Baby Brooklyn

Well last week was a monumental week for us because we were finally able to get our hands on our new niece!!  Justin and Ashley have had a lot of company recently, and since we live in town we have been taking a back seat so the out-of-town visitors can enjoy time with little Brooklyn.  However, that all ended on Thursday when we got to hold her for the first time!

Here is Brooklyn and her proud Uncle B!

And here I am with the little peanut!

She is so tiny.  I don't think I've ever held a baby that was this little, but she's growing like a weed and just broke the five pound mark this weekend -- yep, she's gaind a pound and a half in four weeks and I think she's grown an inch and a half.  She's a determined little girl, that is for sure.  Justin and Ash better watch out when she's 16 ;) 

Ash sent me this pic yesterday of Brooklyn in one of the outfits that Uncle B picked out.  It was her Valentines Day gift from us :)

Isn't she so sweet?!?!