New Year's Goals Revisited

Get ready for a wordy, pictureless post. Sorry, I just haven't posted in a while, so I wanted to start with this post.

I wanted to revisit this post that I wrote last year near this same time. I mentioned that I have NEVER been into New Year's Resolutions. So, I make New Year's Goals instead.

1.) Be happy.

At this time last year, we were in Aruba with Zach's dad. We have had yet another trip since then, when we went to Walt Disney World in September for our 4th Anniversary. We are a blessed couple to have the opportunities we do to take the trips we have taken. Vacations & time away are some things that make us
very happy.

I have been striving to find the good in things, and this, in turn, makes me a happier person. I want to continue to work on this in 2013. We have also been focusing on the finer things lately- a lot of Andy Griffith Show episodes have been watched, and a Disney movie has even fit into the mix. We have also been wearing out the Pandora 50's station, thanks to my sweetie's thoughtful Christmas gift of my new wireless speaker.

You are never too old for these kinds of things,
and this makes us happy. :)

2.) Pray more.

I have always said that I definitely don't do this enough. You can never pray too much. I need to always keep working on this one.

3.) Exercise more, and have FUN with it.

Eh, I haven't really done my part on this one. We have been getting a lot done in the house lately, though, which if we stay active, that is a form of exercise. I think of it as a win/win. We are being productive & we stay moving at the same time. When the weather warms up, we'll take advantage of our little neighborhood circle & walk with the doggies.

4.) Focus even less on the things that don't matter. Focus even more on the things that do.

I don't get on Facebook much anymore. I can't bring myself to completely delete my account yet- I still keep up with so many sweet friends on there. My age group is right smack dab in the middle of getting married and having babies, so I love to keep up with the pics! I am not logging on often at all, though, because I realize what a waste of precious time it can be. I want to focus on the things in my life that matter- my family/doggies, my church, my career, and our home.

5.) Surround myself with positives- positive people, positive thoughts.

Not sure if I have really worked on this one, but, as mentioned before, I am trying to see the good in all things. I'll keep working on this one. :)

6.) Blog more. Blog LESS.

I am actually going to change this one. I am now aiming for the goal to "Blog LESS." I do love blogging, but I am loving even more the extra time I have at home when I am not working on the next blog post. I am getting more into my little projects here & there, but I want to blog less often about them. Time is precious.

7.) Try more new recipes.

I mentioned last year in my post that I wanted to try new recipes, healthy ones, and branch out a little more. I wanted to focus more on fresh veggies & fruit at the store, and avoid those awful middle aisles. I had seen on a show back then, that the best routine in a grocery store is to gather fresh foods from the outside aisles, and avoid the middle aisles if at all possible. I feel like I have worked some toward this goal. I love to load up on veggies & fruits at the store, then bring them home & set them out. It seems like if you can see them set out, you are more likely to grab them up & eat them. Plus, they are just visually appealing set out in a little wire basket on the kitchen counter.

I have tried a good bit of new recipes this past year- just haven't posted about all of them. I may get around to that sometime... (remember, I'm also keeping #6 in mind at the same time).

8.) More home improvements- anything to make our home better.

Wow- have we worked our butts off toward achieving this goal this past year!! I was so excited to go back & read this post, knowing that we can definitely cross this one off of our list. Just last year, we have had all of our gutters replaced (woohoo!), and had brand new porcelain tile floors installed in our two bathrooms, kitchen & laundry room, which has been the biggest improvement at our house to date! Also, two weekends ago, my talented sweetie marked two other projects off his list- he installed a new outside flood light w/ sensor (all by himself), and a lock on the basement door. Gotta' protect all my "valuable" crafting stuff, you know... haha.

I listed in last year's post that I wanted to have the house more organized, room by room. We are both working diligently toward that goal. I am now finishing up our guest room, and he is focusing on his home office. Can't wait to have both of those rooms totally organized.

9.) More projects in general.

I feel like I have had a lot of projects posted this past year. I have also realized that I have a lot of projects either in the works or completely done that I haven't even posted on yet! I have the basement almost full with things I need to work on. Christmas time really put on a damper on my work in the basement, but it has already started back up again.

10.) Spend less on nothing.

I have not been to the thrift store in months, and one of the last trips I made, I didn't get a single thing. My very last trip, I bought something we actually needed- a $6 bookcase for our guest room. (I'm already planning out in my head how it's going to be painted! I want it to be functional- which is the reason why I bought it-
but, also pretty!)

I am buying a few clothes items here & there lately. I haven't done that in a long time, and I tend to get tired of old clothes easily, and especially if they're getting worn out. I also, unfortunately, like to keep up with current fashion (within reason though- if I don't love a new trend, I won't make myself wear it just to conform). I think of it as spending on/treating myself for now, because when/if little one(s) arrive, that will be the end of it. I know I will focus only on my children then. Plus, kids' clothes are so much more fun to shop for than adults'.

Zach & I have started a "program" for our decor/house item spending. When we buy one thing, we have to get rid of one thing- "one in, one out". I have a little process in place where I take something we don't use or haven't used in a while to the guest room. If it doesn't come out of the guest room (or when I forget it's even there), it goes into the yard sale pile. This is working so far. (See why we are in dire need of a guest room organization lately? It has been our graveyard for older, unwanted things.)

I hope to continue working every day on this list, and I may even add more to it as the year goes on. I'll keep you posted!

A Bench For Dad

Here's my favorite project that I wrapped up over my super productive weekend...

I started this project back in April (the post is here where I got the bench from the shop), which is sad, I know. Months ago, my sweetie got back into golf, and he tried to play atleast a couple times a week. He would usually work all day, then play golf in the late afternoons, so he would not be home when I got there. I used a lot of that time at home "alone" (Daisy & Cosmo were still there to keep me company) to start and/or wrap up my craft projects that I  had in the works. You know, we really need to take advantage of this extra time while we can, and I keep reminding myself of that...(and of traveling, which, speaking of, we're really excited about our anniversary trip to Disney coming up SOON! Woohoo!)

So, Zach playing golf = crafting time for me.

Thus, I used one of these afternoons to finally finish repurposing the bench that I swiped from my granddad's wood shop forever ago. I had already painted this little bench blue months ago, and finally got around to stenciling & painting letters. I hate when I get excited about a project, start it,
then it sits on the back-burner for a while.
Oh well...it's done now!

 First off, I knew I wanted to paint the bench a solid color, then add text to the border of the bench seat in brown. I went with the Peekaboo Blue from Krylon. (I've posted these next two pics in this post once before)...

I went back & forth about quotes to put on the bench. I had several Bible verses that I love & wanted to use, but it is SO hard to narrow down a verse, since they're all so meaningful & poetic. I then found the quote that I used just by accident one day. It's a Winnie the Pooh quote, and so beautiful...

It reminds me of my dad.

As usual, I took a few pics here & there showing the steps I took to transform the plain little wooden bench into what is now one of my favorite things in our living room.

Some step-by-step pics...

I used two stencils with different letter sizes and penciled in the entire quote, so that I could make sure it was laid out how I wanted. I then went back & used a brown paint pen to finish the text.

I just used the penciled letters as a guide, and added a little flair to make it more like handwriting.

I went over the letters a second time with the paint pen, just to thicken them up a little.

You can see from this next pic that I was a little off from the original pencil mark, but the spacing still turned out great. I was glad that my perfectionist self did well on the lettering & spacing-
that could have turned really ugly.

I waited a day for it to dry, erased any pencil marks that showed through, then covered the top with several thin coats of Mod Podge for protection...

This bench will only be lightly used for seating, and I may even place a potted plant on it to prevent seating, if I see that it wears easily. Either way, it is so cute in our living room, and it really adds a pop of blue in the once-bare corner. I also distressed the edges for a more natural look. You know me-
I can't pass up an opportunity to distress!

At the end, as usual, I wondered why in the heck I waited so long to finish this up, because it didn't take long at all!

Now, here goes...the Before & After...

BEFORE



AFTER

It was a little difficult to get a full shot of the entire bench, but you get the idea. I'm excited about this being my third piece of furniture to paint...my first being my side table makeover, and the second being my rooster table re-do. I noticed from the former link that I painted my first real piece of furniture in June of last year, meaning I have been at this for a little over a year now. I'm happy about the experiences I have had with painting, and excited about some new ones that I'm already planning out. I am glad that I've had the opportunity to begin with small pieces, and I'm hoping to work my way up to bigger pieces of furniture very soon.

I've learned so much already!

I wanted to include these next two shots to give more of an idea of the color. It was a little hard to grasp the full effect in photos, but trust me, it's a cutie!

Hope you all enjoy your weekend!!

V-Day #11

This Valentine's Day was our ELEVENTH together!!
That is absolutely unbelievable to me!
Each one is better than the one before! :)

To start out the week on Sunday, we spent the day in Cnooga. We got to visit with Zach's mom for a while, shopped a little, and went to the movies. Then, on Monday night, I went to the movies with the girls to see The Vow. Oh, it was so good!

Then, on V-Day, Zach woke me up to give me my gift. He was more excited about it than I was- he kept asking me all last week if I didn't want to open it early. Let me just say that I was very excited right off the bat when I saw the little box it came in...

 Inside was a beautiful bracelet! I was so surprised! My sweetie totally outdid himself!! We rarely spend on each other- a lot of Christmases, we just saved our money & used it for things we actually needed around the house or for something we both wanted. I am still telling him he did way too much this year. I'm going to have to pull out all the stops for his b-day, that's for sure!

That night, Zach & I went to our local country club & had a yummy dinner of prime rib. We had a great time!

I know every day should be Valentine's Day. I've always thought it was a silly holiday- whether you're single or with someone. I want Zach to always know, every day, that I love him & that I'm so proud of the man he is. I don't deserve him, but I'm thankful that God chose me to be his wife. He continually blessed our relationship while dating, and He still continues to bless our marriage, every day.

So, for a real Valentine's Day meaning, I found this little gem on a visit to the site here, Uncommon Designs Online.

For God so loVed the world

That He gAve

His onLy

BegottEn

SoN

ThaT whosoever

Believeth In Him

Should Not perish

But have evErlasting life.

John 3:16


He gave us the ultimate Valentine's gift, and I hope we'll always remember that. Jewelry, flowers & cards will fade away & tarnish, but that gift won't.

New Year's Goals Follow-Up... Already

For my own benefit, I wanted to post a follow-up on my New Year's Goals...and I know, it's just February. I don't want to jinx myself, but I do want to keep up with my "progress"...or lack thereof. So far, I really feel like I have started off on the right foot with this little list. Even though I'm only a month into it, I am hoping I have gotten the momentum started, and that I will keep it going throughout the year. It may also be that we're just getting back from vacation, so I may just be feeding off of that relaxed, refreshed feeling.

Either way, something's working thus far. :)

Here goes...


1.) Be happy. I really am happier. I think it's a culmination of doing some of these other things on the list & lots of time to heal from the past year, but I really feel like I am.

2.) Pray more. I am working on this, so I'm not marking it off yet.

3.) Exercise more, and have FUN with it. I got up a few Saturday mornings and ran. I LOVED it!! It has been freezing cold, but I would get up out of bed, bundle up & hit the neighborhood. One recent Sunday afternoon, Zach & I took both dogs for a walk around the neighborhood. But, I can't seem to find the time to do much of this during the week. It is dark outside when I get home from work. I do want to start using our Wii more for exercise. It's not used enough. So, that is why this item is halfway marked off. :)

4.) Focus even less on the things that don't matter. Focus even more on the things that do. Here again, another halfway marked one. I really am focusing more on the good things in life. I am trying to spend more time with my sweetie. All we have together during the week are a couple of lunches & weeknights, and lately he has been taking off from work right when I get home. He is still very busy at this time of the year (praise the Lord for that!), but he is taking a break at night, which is good for both of us. We have been catching up on Netflix & relaxing, which is definitely a good thing.

5.) Surround myself with positives- positive people, positive thoughts. Still working on this.

6.) Blog more. This has easily been accomplished! I am spending less & less time on FB, and focusing more on blogs- my own & others'. I have already made many blogger friends in the past few weeks, and hope to keep that list growing!

7.) Try more new recipes. Done! I have tried a few new ones in the past weeks (they have all been good, but not any that just blew us away- still looking for that one)!

8.) More home improvements- anything to make our home better. My sweetie has already accomplished two big things (well, big to us) around the house. All it took was a quick trip to Lowe's & a few minutes of work. I stayed away. He replaced two switches in our kitchen, and we now have a perfectly-working disposal & light above our sink. Before his little handywork, the light would flip on only occassionally, and the disposal would come on sporadically. I have started a list of things we want done, and we hope to start marking things off (more on that in the final paragraph of this post). 

9.) More projects in general. I SO want to mark this one off. I have a project or two that I will do soon, but because of me working on #4 so much more, I don't have the time for projects during the week. Vacation has gotten me missing projects even more, so we'll see. 

10.) Spend less on nothing. I could not tell you the last time I stepped foot in a thrift store. I have, however, been shopping the last two weekends before the trip (mainly because we went out of town both weekends for my birthday, and I can't go out of town & not shop). BUT, I only used gift cards for my purchases. Go me!! I am not planning on shopping any more any time soon, just because I have projects still left to be done, and I can't keep piling things up in our guest room. Also, I realized the other day how many sweet friends of mine will be having babies very soon, and Miss Sheena will be tying the knot in just a few short months! This gal will be busy spending on wedding & baby gifts!

I am really happy when I look back at this list. If you know me, you know I LOVE to make lists. I love even more marking things off of said lists. I make lists even for small things, just so I can mark things off of them easily. At any given time, I will have 3 or 4 post-its or pieces of scrap paper in my purse with "important" lists on them. I have found that it just works for me. I have recently bought a cute little "J" notepad that I am keeping my lists in. This helps with #8- the house is cleaner without my little notes scattered everywhere. :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend &
Happy (Early) Valentine's Day!!

4/27/11 Storms

Love this! A friend of mine posted it on Facebook, and I loved it, so I stole it. :)

So much has been going on all around us. The storms of 4/27/11 were some of the worst ever in our area. Only one other outbreak of storms in the state compare to them, and it was back in the 1970's. Tuscaloosa, AL was hit, and so were Rainsville, AL & Trenton, GA, along with many other countless communities. It is always a somber event to witness things like this, but when it is nearer to you, you feel it even more.

Please keep my best friend, Sheena Quizon, in your thoughts and prayers. She has lost her home and so many of her things in the Tuscaloosa tornado. I can't imagine what she's going through, and I feel so helpless to be so far away!

Since Zach & I are so close to Rainsville, we felt that there would be atleast something we could do there. We went to church on Sunday morning, which was a sad but inspiring service, then ate lunch and headed out. We ended up finding work (and plenty of it) at a relief center that had just been set up that day. It is located in Rainsville in the building of Orchard Lanes bowling alley & Zoom In photography. It used to be a Winn Dixie, so it has tons of room. When we first got there yesterday afternoon, it was almost empty, but when we left some hours later, it was filling up quickly! Praise the Lord!

See what God can do?! This building was empty just a few hours before this photo was taken. I hate that I didn't take a Before pic, but you can imagine it being empty.

There's my sweetie working. The clothes just kept coming!

Bring more, if you are able! These people will have to replenish EVERYTHING- clothes, food, home stuff, toiletries, etc.

Water and drinks galore!

Please spread the word about this place!! I have been posting things non-stop on FB (which is about the only thing FB has been good for lately, besides Bin Laden comments), and have already heard from many that have made donations. This is such an awesome set up, and I hope the word gets spread to the victims in need!! If you have any questions about it, please let me know!

******

Our only loss was what food we had in our fridge & freezer. From what I've seen at work with claims, the amount we lost was not much at all compared to others. If food and power for a few days are the only losses we had, WE ARE BLESSED!! Being without power gave us a chance to enjoy the little things in life, that's for sure. We spent one night playing Scrabble, and another night hanging out (by candlelight) with our friends & neighbors, David & Amy & their kids. It's amazing how much we can actually do without, isn't it??

I went into work on both Thursday & Friday, because we were absolutely covered up. It was a strange experience working in the dark and with only one phone line, but it did the job. We cooked out from a charcoal grill with things that we were cleaning out of our freezers.

After work on Friday, Zach & I headed to his mom's in Chattanooga for a mini get-away. It was nice to visit with her and enjoy power again. We had to take Miss Daisy with us, but she was actually very well-behaved. I was surprised!

We ate and shopped in Chattanooga, then headed back home before it got dark on Saturday night. The days weren't too bad without power, but the nights were boring. We were blessed, though, in that we have a gas grill for food and a gas hot water heater for hot showers. There aren't too many people around that had gas water heaters, so we were blessed in that.

Heck, we were blessed just to have each other & our home. Period. 

We had heard that some of downtown FP had power by Saturday afternoon, and I received a text that day that FBC was having the Sunday morning service. We got up and went to church that morning- my curly hair and all. It was a sad, but sweet service, with so many calling out prayer requests and telling stories of how they were touched by what had happened. We were so inspired by others who were sharing stories of helping others, that we decided to take part. We ate lunch (the best Cracker Barrel meal I have ever had, it felt like), then headed to Rainsville.

I encourage you to help others in need whenever the opportunity arises! You never know when it might be you on the other end, needing help from others.

On another note, we were resting and enjoying TV on Sunday night after we got home. We had power restored to our neighborhood sometime Sunday afternoon. We learned while watching The Celebrity Apprentice the news about Bin Laden. I did hate that we missed the end of the show, though! I caught a screen shot, just so I would have it. This will be one of those times where you will always remember where you were the day you heard the news.

I couldn't believe it when we heard it! There are so many mixed emotions surrounding this- some people on FB are posting the Bible verse on how we shouldn't be happy when an enemy falls, and I agree to some extent. I just can't help but be glad that this man is not on the face of this earth any longer. It's safe to say that the families linked to 9/11/01 feel the same way.

So many different events wrapped up in this one week. I definitely know that 2011 has been an eventful year already, and not in a good way. I pray for what God has in store for the rest of this year.

The Daffodil Garden

Zach's grandmother forwarded me this email that I wanted to share. In summary, the story is about one woman named Gene Bauer who wanted to share something with those around her. She began The Daffodil Garden in Lake Arrowhead over 50 years ago (1958), and people have been visiting ever since. It is from the point of view of a woman who visited there with her daughter.

"It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron, and butter yellow. Each different colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

'Who did this?' I asked Carolyn.

'Just one woman,' Carolyn answered. 'She lives on the property. That's her home.' Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. 'ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS I KNOW YOU ARE ASKING' was the headline. The first answer was a simple one---'50,000 BULBS' it read. The second answer was, 'ONE AT A TIME, BY ONE WOMAN. TWO HANDS, TWO FEET, AND ONE BRAIN'. The third answer was 'BEGAN IN 1958'.

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman, whom I had never met, who, more than 40 years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration."

"That is---learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time, often just one baby step at a time and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.

'It makes me sad in a way,' I admitted to Carolyn. 'What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal 35 or 40 years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years?

Just think what I might have been able to achieve!'

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. 'Start tomorrow,' she said.

She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, 'How can I put this to use today?'

Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting---

Until your car or home is paid off

Until you get a new car or home

Until your kids leave the house

Until you go back to school

Until the kids go to school
Until you finish school

Until you clean the house

Until you organize the garage

Until you clean off your desk

Until you lose 10 pounds

Until you gain 10 pounds

Until you get married

Until you get a divorce

Until you have kids

Until you retire

Until summer

Until spring

Until winter

Until fall

Until you die.

**Did you notice it makes the shape of a vase?? I noticed that when I copied it over. It's a vase for your daffodil. :)

There is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination...So work like you don't need money, love like you've never been hurt and dance like no one's watching.

Don't be afraid that your life will end. Be afraid that it will never begin.

As a sidenote, this email really meant a lot to me. I wrote a policy for a lady on 5/27/10. She sat here in my office right in front of me, and we talked for a long time. She showed me pictures of her newborn great-granddaughter. I found out that the day after, on 5/28/10, the lady had passed away. It's crazy how fleeting life really is. We don't realize unless we're touched by something like this, even in some small way. Really take the time to think about it. Cherish every moment!! 

Wishing you a beautiful daffodil day!

In Honor of Mother's Day

I received this email forward a few days ago and thought it was a really, really good read. Happy Mother's Day to all the awesome moms- especially my wonderful mom, grandmothers, mother-in-law, "grandmother-in-law", and all my mommy friends!!

And, no, you certain people that ALWAYS ask...I, myself, do not have any special announcements to make... :)


A Note from Paul Harvey:

We try so hard to make things better for our kids, that we have seemed to make things worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends, and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as un-cool as your mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother, that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it...

And if a friend offers you drugs, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I hope you make time to sit on a porch with your grandma/grandpa, and go fishing with your uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window, and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.


This was the riddle he included at the end:

When asked this riddle, 80% of kindergarten kids got the answer, compared to 17% of Stanford University Seniors.

"What is greater than God; more evil than the devil? The poor have it; the rich need it. If you eat it, you will die."

The answer: NOTHING

Lent

First of all, I am in no way bragging by posting about Lent, and I also don't want to push anything on anyone. I never really knew much about Lent growing up in only one Baptist church. I remember the first year we were at our new church, hearing more and more about Lent. Our Sunday School teacher mentioned it in some lessons our first Lenten season there, and it has always somewhat intrigued me since then. It is amazing to me how people stress over the decision of what to give up for Lent. No matter what the sacrifice, it is so small compared to what God sacrificed for us.

Our Sunday School teacher had always talked about how giving something up really makes you realize what is important in life. It prepares your heart and mind for the celebration of Easter. A girl that attended our women's retreat in January told us about how her church group would always join together and give up the same thing for Lent. She said that last year, they fasted completely for one week, and the outcome was amazing. How awesome would it be to become spiritually stronger from an experience like this? I didn't participate last year, but want to this year. Just a simple act of giving up a virtually meaningless thing for 40 days can make a difference.

I have been looking into the subject online, and found one website with a lot of info: http://www.spirithome.com/lent.html. One thing that stood out for me was this:

Jesus is not looking for self-torture, self-hatred, woe-is-me thinking, 40-day starvation and oceans of tears...Lent is for soberly looking into yourself and getting down to what's real. Self-hatred is not being real. How could it be right to despise someone who God loves and treasures? The Sundays aren't counted in the 40 days of Lent, because every Sunday carries with it a part of the glow of Easter Sunday. So it's not all gloom and doom. But even on the Sundays, the theme of repentance (turning from our ungodly ways) holds true. When you repent, you please God whether you fast or not, and that is what most counts for Lent.

This particular website also mentions adding something for Lent. Whether giving something up, adding something different, or just researching the subject, it really gives you something to think about.

"Ordinary Friends, Extraordinary God"- FBC Christian Women's Retreat 2010

This past weekend, we had our CW Retreat at The Summit in Fort Payne. I look forward to it every year. It's such an awesome way to start out the new year. The worship was great, the food was wonderful, The Summit was beautiful, and the friends were the best--about 40 women were there!! This past year and this year, it has happened to fall on my birthday, but it truly makes my birthday even better. A birthday is just another day, and it's best spent with God and friends anyway! I really missed getting to see Zach on that day this year, but it was just a small sacrifice that was worth it. They say "absence makes the heart grow fonder," and I really believe that's true. He gave me my gift when I got home that Sunday, and he's taking me out to eat in Birmingham this week, so we'll make up for it.

Our theme this year was "Ordinary Friends, Extraordinary God," and we focused on our relationships with God and others. We asked ourselves if we really were good friends to others and if our relationships were Christ-centered. We took the time to forgive others for ever wounding us, and we asked for forgiveness for wounding others. Our last night there after our session, we gathered around the fireplace and had Communion- such a sweet experience!

 Before Communion though, we had the best experience we'd had all weekend. We were given the chance to go to others there and say things we wanted to say. It was amazing how God moved and let us know there were women we needed to go to and say things to. A sweet friend came up to me and said something that I pray will live in my heart forever. She took my face in her hands like a mother would do to her child, and said, "Ashley, you're 25 years old today. Exactly 25 years ago today, I lost my father. I just want you to know that where I used to dread this day, you've put a little spark of joy into my life." Isn't God wonderful with his timing?! He knew that I would need to hear something like that. It's amazing how many lives we all touch, even without knowing it. We later shared with the entire group things we had said and prayer requests, and spent the late hours of the night talking, sharing and singing. It was wonderful!!

I pray that I do allow this experience change me, and never forget how close we all became on this trip. I thank Jena Forehand for being our speaker this weekend, and really giving us what God wanted us to hear. I hope that during this new year, I will strive to have Christ-centered relationships!

Also, thanks everyone for all the texts, cards, gifts and birthday wishes!! It's been a great one and I still can't believe I'm 25! I was really happy to celebrate it by having a little time off from work. Because of the snow, we left work early on Thursday and then were off all day Friday, so that was a nice early birthday present! Zach was excited to take some pictures of the snow, so I'll post those soon!

"I Heard The Bells"

Just want to make a quick post and invite everyone to First Baptist Church's Christmas Chorale Concert entitled, "I Heard the Bells." We have so much great Christmas music this year, including the handbell choir and three special ensemble songs (two of them including yours truly.) :) I am so excited to be a part of our wonderful church choir and ensemble groups. I'm also really excited to have my family coming again this year! The more, the merrier! The music begins at 6:00 PM and we would love to pack the house again!

Our theme this year is based on the poem-turned-song by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I had heard this song many times before, but never really focused on the words until rehearsals this year. The words are beautiful:


I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Mary's Prayer

Amy Fischer taught our Sunday School class this past Sunday and included in her lesson the following poem that really caught my attention. I had heard of the author, Max Lucado, before, but had never heard this prayer read. It is beautifully worded and really shows us what Mary possibly felt and thought. It also reminds me of "Mary Did You Know," one of my absolute favorite Christmas songs!

Mary's Prayer

GOD. O infant, God. Heaven's fairest child. Conceived by the union of divine grace with our disgrace. Sleep well.

Sleep well. Bask in the coolness of this night bright with diamonds. Sleep well, for the heat of anger simmers nearby. Enjoy the silence of the crib, for the noise of confusion rumbles in your future. Savor the sweet safety of my arms, for a day is soon coming when I cannot protect you.

Rest well, tiny hands. For though you belong to a king, you will touch no satin, own no gold. You will grasp no pen, guide no brush. No, your tiny hands are reserved for works more precious:

to touch a leper's open wound,
to wipe a widow's weary tear,
to claw the ground of Gethsemane.

Your hands, so tiny, so white--clutched tonight in an infant's fist. They aren't destined to hold a scepter nor wave from a palace balcony. They are reserved instead for a Roman spike that will staple them to a Roman cross.

Sleep deeply, tiny eyes. Sleep while you can. For soon the blurriness will clear and you will see the mess we have made of your world.

You will see our nakedness, for we cannot hide.

You will see our selfishness, for we cannot give.

You will see our pain, for we cannot heal.

O eyes that will see hell's darkest pit and witness her ugly prince... sleep, please sleep; sleep while you can.

Lie still, tiny mouth. Lie still, mouth from which eternity will speak.

Tiny tongue that will soon summon the dead; that will define grace; that will silence our foolishness.

Rosebud lips--upon which ride a starborn kiss of forgiveness to those who believe you, and of death to those who deny you--lie still.

And tiny feet cupped in the palm of my hand, rest. For many difficult steps lie ahead for you.

Do you taste the dust of the trails you will travel?

Do you feel the cold seawater upon which you will walk?

Do you wrench at the invasion of the nail you will bear?

Do you fear the steep descent down the spiral staircase into Satan's domain?

Rest, tiny feet. Rest today so that tomorrow you might walk with power. Rest. For millions will follow in your steps.

And little heart ... holy heart ... pumping the blood of life through the universe: How many times will we break you?

You'll be torn by the thorns of our accusations.

You'll be ravaged by the cancer of our sin.

You'll be crushed under the weight of your own sorrow.

And you'll be pierced by the spear of our rejection.

Yet in that piercing, in that ultimate ripping of muscle and membrane, in that final rush of blood and water, you will find rest. Your hands will be freed, your eyes will see justice, your lips will smile, and your feet will carry you home.

And there you'll rest again this time in the embrace of your Father.

The real message of Christmas is the Easter message. It is John 3:16. He came as a baby so that He could one day die for your sins on a cross, and He rose again to prove that death was defeated.

~ Max Lucado, "God Came Near"

The Station

The following is an essay by Robert J. Hastings entitled "The Station." My Sunday School teacher sent this out as a note to our class members on Facebook and it really meant a lot to me when I read it, so I thought I would share. Hope you enjoy it and take it to heart--especially the very last paragraph! :)

Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision in which we see ourselves on a long journey that spans an entire continent. We're traveling by train and, from the windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at crossings, of cattle grazing in distant pastures, of smoke pouring from power plants, of row upon row upon row of cotton and corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of city skylines and village halls.

But uppermost in our conscious minds is our final destination--for at a certain hour and on a given day, our train will finally pull into the Station with bells ringing, flags waving, and bands playing. And once that day comes, so many wonderful dreams will come true. So restlessly, we pace the aisles and count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting, waiting for the Station.

"Yes, when we reach the Station, that will be it!" we promise ourselves. "When we're eighteen. . . win that promotion. . . put the last kid through college. . . buy that 450SL Mercedes-Benz. . . have a nest egg for retirement!"

From that day on we will all live happily ever after.

Sooner or later, however, we must realize there is no Station in this life, no one earthly place to arrive at once and for all. The journey is the joy. The Station is an illusion--it constantly outdistances us. Yesterday's a memory, tomorrow's a dream. Yesterday belongs to a history, tomorrow belongs to God. Yesterday's a fading sunset, tomorrow's a faint sunrise. Only today is there light enough to love and live.

So, gently close the door on yesterday and throw the key away. It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad, but rather regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today.

"Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, swim more rivers, climb more mountains, kiss more babies, count more stars. Laugh more and cry less. Go barefoot oftener. Eat more ice cream. Ride more merry-go-rounds. Watch more sunsets. Life must be lived as we go along. The Station will come soon enough.

Someone's Praying For Us

This past week, Zach and I got a nice surprise in the mail. A member from our church had written us a "Prayer Gram" letting us know that she drew our name in the prayer room and prayed for us. She told us in the note that she did not know our needs at the time, but that God definitely does. She said, "All we have to do is ask and He will take care of us. May God's grace, peace, guiding hand and blessings be with you both."

I didn't even know that our church had this activity in place, but I think it's a great thing. For someone to randomly draw a church member or family's name (that they may not even know) and pray only for them during that time is such a sweet thing. The timing was perfect for us to get a message like this, and I hope it's like that for everyone who receives one.

I just wanted to mention that, since it meant so much to us. I know people that are hurting right now and it would be so encouraging if they knew that someone else is thinking of them and praying for them. Like she told us in the note, we don't know what the people around us are going through from day to day, but we should always keep others in mind and pray for them. God knows what their needs are. He knows what our needs are and is willing to help us- if only we ask.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." -Romans 12:12

God Is Like...

Jen sent me this cute email to share. I never would have connected some of these. I just love the innocence of children...


A fifth grade teacher asked her class to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them in some way to communicate ideas about God.
Here are some of the results:

GOD IS LIKE...

-BAYER ASPIRIN...
He works miracles.
-FORD...
He's got a better idea.
-COKE...
He's the real thing.
-HALLMARK CARDS...
He cares enough to send His very best.
-TIDE...
He gets the stains out that others leave behind.
-GENERAL ELECTRIC...
He brings good things to life.
-SEARS...
He has everything.
-ALKA-SELTZER...
Try Him, you'll like Him.
-SCOTCH TAPE...
You can't see Him, but you know He's there.
-DELTA...
He's ready when you are.
-ALLSTATE...
You're in good hands with Him.
-VO-5 HAIR SPRAY...
He holds through all kinds of weather.
-DIAL SOAP...
Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did?
-U.S. POST OFFICE...
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet. nor ice will keep Him from
His appointed destination.
(From the experiences I've had with the post office, I don't agree on their part.)
-CHEVROLET... The heart beat of America.
-MAXWELL HOUSE...Good to the very last drop.
-BOUNTY...
He is the quicker picker upper...Can handle the tough jobs...And He won't fall apart on you.

Things Unseen

I didn't write the following post, but thought it was well worth re-posting to share. It was an email sent out by one of my friends in our Sunday School class...

To my friends,
I really needed this devotional reading today, and I thought I would share it! Not so much "bubbles" for me today, but it came in the form of a fishing rod! David Allen gave Don a fishing rod for his birthday (41 years tomorrow), and he also got a matching one so that they can go together. What a simple pleasure to see themin the yard now practicing their casting. Sometimes my focus gets so off track! I only focus on what's going on right around me, and I stress over too many little things when I should have the "right" focus so that I can handle life more joyfully. Off to eat some blueberry cheesecake and watch them "fish." With love to you all!!! -Amy
From Our Daily Bread:

"What We See Depends Mainly On What We Look For"

Stuck in a long line at the US-Canada border, Joel Schoon Tanis had to do something to lighten the mood! He reached for his bottles of bubble-making solution, bounded out of the car, and began blowing bubbles. He handed bottles to other drivers too, and he says that “soon there were bubbles everywhere. . . . It’s amazing what bubbles do for people.” The line didn’t move any faster, but “suddenly everyone was happy,” Joel says.
“What we see depends mainly on what we look for,” said British statesman John Lubbock (1834–1913). A good attitude and the right focus help us to handle life joyfully, even though it doesn’t change our circumstances.
Paul encouraged the Corinthians in their trials: “Do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18).
So what’s unseen and eternal that we can look at? The character of God is an excellent place to focus. He is good (Ps. 25:8), He is just (Isa. 30:18), He is forgiving (1 John 1:9), and He is faithful (Deut. 7:9).
Pondering God’s character can give us joy in the midst of our struggles. — A

The eyes of faith when fixed on Christ
Give hope for what’s ahead;
But focus on life’s obstacles,
And faith gives way to dread. —D. De Haan
When Christ is the center of your focus, all else will come into proper perspective.

Losing Someone

I usually don't post many of my thoughts and feelings on here, but after thinking about it, that's really what a "blog" is for. So, I decided I would type up a few things I've been thinking about lately...

This past weekend was just really long for me, it seemed. Usually I enjoy the weekends and look forward to them, but this weekend was a little different. I was excited about getting my hair done on Saturday, so that was fun. Also, my best friend Jennifer flew home this weekend for her grandmother's 80th birthday party, so I got to spend a little time with her. Sunday was the longest day ever, for me anyways. We sang at church that morning and it was wonderful. Then, Zach and I went out to lunch to spend time with Jennifer. After that, our choir was asked to sing at the funeral for Brant Craig. (I didn't know Brant really well, but I graduated from high school and was good friends back then with his younger son, Ryne.)

This is the hardest thing for a choir as a whole to do, in my opinion. We sang "I Can Only Imagine," which, when looking at the faces of the family, brings a whole new meaning to me now when I listen to the words. We were seated, as usual, in the choir loft, and the family faced us. This is what made it so difficult. I can not, and hope I never will, imagine what they're going through right now. They've lost a husband, son, brother, father, grandfather and "hero," as John Croyle (one of the speakers at the funeral) put it, and they're really hurting. My mom went through it when she lost her first husband. My grandmother went through it twice. I wish that neither Zach or me ever have to face that someday.

The speakers at the funeral did leave us with hope, and that's what makes everything easier to handle. Things can change so suddenly from one day to the next--nothing is certain. It seems like members of our church have been awakened to the thought that life is very short and we should tell people everyday that we love them and treat others the way you would want to be treated. I thought of a quote yesterday that really makes you think. Dave Matthews said this when talking about their saxophonist who passed away about a year ago.

"We should never wait to do things. Death teaches us that."

"Up"

I'm not big on posting links to articles on here, but I just had to post this one. It really tugs at your heart. Zach had told me about it last night and then I saw the article online today. My homepage, which is MSN (only because I am constantly checking my hotmail account), showed a picture of the little girl and she is such a beautiful child! Her dying wish was to see the movie "Up." She had cancer and it was so advanced that she was not even able to go to a theatre to see the movie. After being contacted by a friend of her family, an employee of Pixar hand-delivered a DVD copy of the movie to the little girl and her parents for her to watch. She was able to hear it, but had to keep her eyes closed for the most part. Her mother would describe to her everything that was going on in the movie. So sadly, she died later that night.

The ironic and meaningful part of the story is that the movie's basis is to live life to the fullest, with the story being centered around a little girl's "Adventure Book." The article I posted the link to below gives more detail to the meaning, so check it out when you have time...and Kleenex nearby.

Zach and I watched this movie a few weeks ago and it really meant a lot to us, especially as a young couple starting our lives together. Who knows, maybe we'll start our own "Adventure Book." I hope that for us, our adventure has just begun! :)

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=415257&GT1=28101

I Am Thankful

I received this really good email forward from Linda Troxtel the other day (she was my wedding planner.) It really makes you think, so I thought I would post it on here.

I Am Thankful:

-For the wife who says it's hot dogs tonight, because she is home with me, and not out with someone else.
-For the husband who is on the sofa being a couch potato, because he is home with me and not out at the bars.
-For the teenager who is complaining about doing the dishes, because it means they are at home, not on the streets.
- For the taxes I pay, because it means I am employed.
- For the mess to clean after a party, because it means I have been surrounded by family and friends.
-For the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means I have enough to eat.
-For my shadow that watches me, because it means I am in the sunshine.
-For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing, because it means I have a home.
-For all the complaining I hear about the government, because it means we have freedom of speech.
-For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means I am capable of walking and I have been blessed with transportation.
-For my huge heating/air bill, because it means I am warm/cool.
-For the lady behind me in church who sings off key, because it means I can hear, and am able to be in church.
-For the pile of laundry and ironing, because it means I have clothes to wear.
- For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day, because it means I have been capable of working.
-For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means I am alive.

Christian Women's Retreat

This past weekend, our Christian Women group from church went on a retreat to Camp ToKnowHim in Pisgah. It was nice to get away (even though I missed Zach, Daisy and Cosmo very much!), and spend time with friends. It was especially nice to not have to fix up and dress up the entire weekend!! (You can tell this from our pictures of me with my curly hair! haha) We had a great time of worship, singing and chatting with each other.

We arrived there on Friday, which was my and Amanda Shirey's birthday, and the girls all sang to us after our devotion that night. We had cake and then sang a lot of songs around the piano, which I loved! We stayed up talking for hours that night. On Saturday, we had two devotions by Janet O'Neal (who did a wonderful job!) and spent a lot of time in our small groups. We ended the night by having a Communion service and listening to Susan Downey sing while LaRae Thurman played the piano- both incredibly talented ladies.

Our main lesson for the weekend was to not expect so much of ourselves. Try to be a good Christian woman, wife, mother, friend, co-worker, etc., but don't push yourself to be perfect. This really helped me to realize that I cannot be the perfect person. As a new wife, I feel like I have to have the house spotless, dinner cooked perfectly, the laundry always done, and so on, all the time. This won't EVER happen! There are always times when we sacrifice time spent with our families to work instead, whether it be with our jobs or work done at home. Sometimes, we should just try leaving that laundry in the hamper while we spend quality time with our husbands and/or children. I'm not saying NEVER clean house or get anything done, but we shouldn't make it our top priority as we sometimes (almost always) do! Not only should we spend time with our families, but we should give our time to God. I realized this weekend how we can always make time for what we want to. For example, I've said before that I didn't have time to start going back to the rec center, yet I always find the time to watch my favorite TV shows!

I was really blessed this weekend by the music and by everyone sharing things about themselves. I found out just how much we can learn from each other if we just open up. I'm also glad I had the chance to get to know a lot of women from church on the trip. I'm already excited about going next year!!