mellow mood music

I just bought a CD. It's my new favorite! Check it out!

fun times photos

In January, I had a birthday!

I had coffee with Leah...

ate Mexican with my roommies...

and blew out candles that had a mind of their own!

In the last few months, I ate vietnamese twice! yum!

We celebrated Steph's birthday with a rousing round of Cranium.

Britt and I went bowling!

We visited Jen at her new place.

Kirsten had a fun bridal shower!

and...

Early Saturday, we headed to the flower market downtown!

It's the simple things that make me happy.

trust

I feel I'm in a life upheaval. I started feeling the effects over Christmas. It's not like a hurricane or a tornado. Maybe it's more like a blizzard or a windstorm. Hmmm...I could even say the Holy Spirit's windstorm.

He wants to teach me, to get through the hard shell I have sometimes. I think He simply wants me to learn to trust him. I've known this for a while, but then, after the cognitive aspect, I've actually begun to feel broken. And you know this does not feel good! Releasing worries, fears, CONTROL of what I think I need, hurts.

Everywhere I turn lately the message is there...trust me...let go..."For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

And, I love Mary's prayer in Luke when the angel tells her she will have a baby, God's son. With simple faith she says, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said."

My pastor said something this weekend that resonates with me. He said,"We so often think that if we say 'yes' to God, we'll miss out on what we want most." But God is GOOD. "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." I realize how much I like that word GOOD. It just means everything pure, beautiful, and well...good.

Not sure what this all means in my life and not sure where it will go from here, but this mystery of trust is more compelling, spurred on by God's love for me.

no postings but Happy New Year!

Hello Blogland!
For the handful of you who check out my blog, I want to say I acknowledge that I have not posted in a while...but I'm not sorry. ;)

Really. Some people feel they should apologize for not blogging, but why?! who told you you had to blog? It wasn't Jesus or Santa Claus. It probably wasn't even your mother. It was, in fact, your brain...your own brain that tells you that you SHOULD do so many things in life. SHOULD?! that's way too much pressure to put on yourself! STOP IT!

okay...(breathing, composure) so Happy New Year!

(translation for the entire post: I will probably only blog here and there, but will hopefully keep up with other people's blogs. And, have a wonderful year. Hope it's one of the best, in fact!)

I used to be thankful

I'm not saying I am not thankful...I just used to be more aware of what I was thankful for.

I remember praying everyday, and the first thing I would do is thank God for several things. I look back at this and realize that attitude created a truly thankful heart. I wasn't just telling God "thank you." I really was.

Well, last night during prayer and reflection, I'm thinking about thankfulness - it being Thanksgiving season and all. And I have an epiphany (at least in my head it was an "aha") If I practiced thankfulness more...actually said "thank you" to God at least once a day and more...I think it may cut down on some of my current attitudes and anxieties. Profound, huh?!

If I purpose to create this atmosphere of thankfulness inside, how could I live in anything but joy?!

So, this is the plan...several times a day thanking God for who he is, what he's done, what's he's given me, what he will do in the future, and who he has made me to be.

Happy Thanksgiving!

world pasta day

Hey, today is World Pasta Day

And, I unknowingly brought spaghetti for lunch...Am I good or what?!

;)

Go eat some pasta!