Sick day

I'm not really one for the sick days, but being around people today would not have been beneficial for anyone. Sleep, Theraflu, HGTV, knit boots, and soup from my husband have been exceptional aids. Mom is bringing soup for dinner too. I know rest is what I need so I am over this quickly...Typically, I tend to push it, not resting, and only end up delaying recovery or relapsing into whatever it was ailing me. Never pleasant. The couch and I have been buds all day. And it's a raining day today. Perfect resting weather - dark and dreary.


In between naps I'm envisioning travel adventures. Talking with friends over the weekend about our vacation plans has me daydreaming about mine and TC's next journey. Last July, we enjoyed our first married vacation in Seattle. We went for our best friend's wedding, but the incredible generosity of our friend's family allowed us to tour Seattle and Mt. Rainier National Park. The rainy weather here always makes me think of Seattle now. I have yet to make a photo album of that trip, but it is high on my to-do list. For Christmas, I made mom and dad an album of all of our home videos converted to DVDs. The process reminded me and TC how diligent we want to be in documenting our adventures - both in photography and video. So before I get too far behind, I have some editing and creating to do. The only problem with going to Seattle your first year of marriage is the bar gets set pretty high. I'm learning to be realistic about what we can do this year, but I learned from my mother, a traveling pro, that you can vacation well and not break the bank. For now, I will research and patiently await a cost efficient trip agenda.

I feel I've been bolted down for a few weeks. The travel itch is getting bigger, though I am sure it's something a quick road trip could cure (at least temporarily). I love to travel. The world is too big and too exciting to settle for a few city blocks...

Down Seattle from Kerry Park

I want to expand this collection ASAP.

Friday Night

My little sister and brother-in-law came into town tonight. The little always brightens our hearts! And of course, what family gathering would be complete without a fancy, filling meal and full dinner time conversation? Mom and dad out-did themselves. It's already been a wonderful weekend. I hope everyone has a "fulfilling" weekend of their own, embracing the time to relax, recharge, reunite and rejuvenate.

Happy Weekend!  

Finally able to fiddle around with my portrait lens. What better subjects to test it on...

Fruition

My favorite word lately. I love when plans, dreams and goals come to fruition. The hours of diligent effort paying off. The endless whirring of thoughts now patiently processing. The revelation of a good thing accomplished. This is a good feeling. I welcome fruition. I hope it knocks on my door often. I hope the path to fruition is always appreciated and valued. And I hope the motivation to work hard is always as strong as the dream.

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 1:3-6 (NIV)

Pancake Day

Pancake Day really exists. It's not National Pancake Day. It's Pancake Day.

Mardi Gras are a major holiday around here. So much so, public schools now let students off the entire week. Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is known as Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday or as TC and I prefer, Pancake Day. TC and I were grateful for the day off, even mid-week. By the way, we had the day off because it was University President's Day, not because it was Pancake Day - our entire campus shut down, thus giving us a mid-week vacation; we kindly obliged. To jump start the day we naturally celebrated Pancake Day with a stack of pancakes. We then jumped in the car and headed to the beach. I've been wanting this getaway for awhile now. It was so peaceful; just the escape we were looking for to enjoy the time off. We enjoyed walking around, listening to the waves, playing cards and watching the sunset. Only one epic fail. I brought my camera with my new portait lens TC got me for Christmas. I was super-excited because up to this point, I've not had any time to try it out (as you can tell, with the lack of posts, time has not been my friend lately). I started shooting away and realized there was no memory card and my camera has no internal memory. A pouted for a bit, but then settled for the iPhone and instagram app.

I am thankful for the time off we are given. Mental breaks and lazy days are important for recharging even if they do make a Wednesday feel like a Monday.

Small Beginnings

      Kicking off my "love month" blogging with a post close to my heart. I've been pondering these thoughts for a while now and hope in sharing it will encourage others. I feel my age group started college at a time when job salaries were high, opportunities were wide open, and "dreams" came true quickly. Enter the struggling economy. Remain the same mindset. The combination equals an incredibly humbling and often (well mostly) frustrating experience. Yet in the midst of it all a really simple, but hopeful and encouraging lesson ensues. Faithfulness in the small things takes on a whole new meaning. Having to learn to value a seemingly small beginning... Asking, truely, what wishes and desires were (and are) mine...which ones are the Lord's? Challenging myself on doubting the plans and hand of God. Because I know "better. I know "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)." If I trust, an enlightening journey emanates.... 

      On a small seemingly small beginning - I cannot begin to express the excitement I felt and still feel over the direction God can take you and use you on the roads least expected. God showed me and TC a LOT in our first year of marriage. My own picture perfect was challenged - our own picture perfect was challenged. Our aspirations were checked. Our habits were evaluated. What if that very reaction was the reason for the small beginning? What if the "reason" is even greater than that? "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin... (Zechariah 4:10a)." How unbelievably refreshing - to know you can trust He is at work, and that He rejoices in the small steps...in the small beginnings. "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 (Jeremiah 29:11)." How unbelievably refreshing to know He knows the ending - He holds the future. Why would I put down a small beginning? Even the Kingdom of God in Mark 4 is compared to a mustard seed, the smallest on the earth, "yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade." A small beginning. A big ending. Why would I doubt my loving Heavenly Father?

      My challenge to any single adult, to any newly married couple or soon to be married couple is trust in the Lord, delight yourself in Him, trust He is working on your behalf as you follow after Him, be faithful in the small steps, be faithful in the not-so-ideal-job, be faithful in stewardship, be faithful in your efforts, be faithful to the Lord who has you safely in the palms of His hands. I encourage you to lay aside suspected judgments from others, lay aside the "wants" and "stuffitis" (as Dave Ramsey calls it), be content in "whatsoever state you find yourself in" - continuing to trust the Lord for His provision, and lay aside the need for immediate satisfaction in worldly measures. My little ideal scenario was shaken....for the better. I stand back in amazement at the work of God evident in my and TC's life. It's exciting.

      In this season, is it possible God is preparing you for a greater purpose? Is he working on your heart to bring you to a place He can move in and through you in a mighty way? Is he leading you through a valley so you glory in Him when you reach the mountaintop? Is he opening doors and setting the stage behind the scenes?

      In a short year and a half...well goodness...even the past 8 years... the connecting of the dots and the pieces of the puzzle latching tightly together inevitably show-off the beautiful handiwork of God. And yet this is such a small view. I cannot fathom the magnificent massivity of the full picture. I'm thankful for a spouse who turns to God first, who understands the bigger picture and who enjoys this crazy journey of life. We've come to love this adventure...the unfolding of a plan....the unveiling of our true dreams...the development of our life passions... and the fulfillment of diligent efforts.

A loving Father. Love. Such love. Love in the small beginnings and love in the big endings.



Psalms 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."