love what you do.

i have been so struck lately by how differently everyone is gifted.  i think growing up i kind of put myself in a box of what i wanted to be "good" at when i got older. using inspiration from the "perfect" world of the 50's i assumed i would master the art of cooking, housekeeping, sewing, gardening, and raising neat and tidy children.  i am really embracing the fact that while there are some things on that list that i feel i have somewhat of a natural inclination for, there are others that i just simply don't.  instead of fighting it and feeling frustrated with my ineptness, i am loving just doing the things that i AM more gifted in and accepting myself for not being the perfect _____________. 

as a perfect example, i am helping throwing a baby shower tomorrow with some lovely friends.  as we began making the plans there were certain aspects of the planning that i was immediately drawn to.... the "look", the decorations, the invitations, the "brand" of the shower i guess you could say.  jump down to the menu and i don't even know where to begin.  let's have.... bagels and cream cheese?  needless to say, for the first time, i didn't step up to do something i really didn't want to and knew i wouldn't have a love for and instead said, "can i not make any of this food?"  what a relief to know that i would just be doing things i LOVED for this event. 

if more of us embraced what we were gifted in instead of the things we think we are "supposed" to be gifted in i think we would be a lot happier people. 

this weekend i loved....

 ...eating every meal outside, digging in the dirt with liam, peppermint chip water ice, walking through town and seeing so many friends out and about, ncaa-ness, jesse leading worship, sunshine naps, morris arboretum, giggling in the grass with nld youth group... so many happinesses tucked into two little march days.

3.19.2010

come a mess.

i started out quite a mess yesterday.  i had a ton of morning adrenaline, a headache, combined with a very specific expectation for the day: a recipe for disaster.  inflexible expectations don't leave a lot of room for graciousness.  in pursuit of my very "righteous" desires (getting to women's bible study), i held so tightly to my "needs" (time away from the kids and with adults) that when they were not being met i began to shut down.  my heart was just so hardened to everything that was getting in the way of what i wanted.  i left church so embarrassed.  i couldn't believe how out of control my frustration had gotten.  for the first time ever i think, i actually just thought, "well, i can't change it, but i can repent for it. i'm not perfect and i never will be."  the honest truth is that in the past i would have dwelled on that hour until next week when i would have made sure to be the happiest, peppiest, most put together person present in order to push out anyone's memory of my miserable attitude from the week before; basically believing that i can save my reputation, that i can make myself appear perfect.  wow it is so freeing to just repent instead! to seek God's graciousness and to believe that His Son's perfection and righteousness can cover up all of my mess. 

happiness in an envelope.

i needed to create some quick birthday cards for two sweet girls and just happened to have an overabundance of these gorgeous little cut outs.  just perfect for lots of signatures and hung up happiness for a birthday week!  i punched two holes in the top, strung some twine through, made a quick envelope and we all signed a different card on the back!  it was super fun to have it hung up during our birthday celebration (complete with brownies, cupcakes, and mad gab!)

birds sitting on a powerline.

do i need this on the wall above my tv?  i can't decide if i love it or if i'll freak out that there are birds in my house.  thoughts?

start of something good.

oh, i am so thankful for this sneak peak of spring.  i do believe it is the start of something good... warmth and sunshine heading our way soon.  and if you watched the bachelor wedding the other night you would have seen one my favorites, gavin degraw, perform the song follow through for the new bachelor bride and groom.  it begins with the line, oh this is the start of something good, don't you agree?  click here to hear the rest of this happy, roll down your windows in the sunshine, tune that i loooooooooove.