spring fever

well, it's official. with this recent sneak peek of spring like, BEAUTIFUL weather down here in Charleston...I have crazy spring fever. and although we have had a very mild winter, I am still looking so forward to springtime :)

sometimes I don't like when stores jump ahead to the next season so quickly...I usually think "well, for goodness sake, let us finish enjoying the current season"....BUT not with spring! I have loved seeing all the pastel colors slowly pop up in the lovely stores along King St.!! It lifts my spirits! and this sunshiny weather hasn't hurt either...;)

my hubby and I have really enjoyed being in Charleston for the "off season"...seeing everything decorated for Christmas, and not as many crowded streets and beaches. it puts it in a whole new light. it is really is a wonderful city...year round! but we are also looking forward to seeing this city get cranked back up again so we can take full advantage of the fun beaches and water sports again.

...and even though i'll miss the coziness of fall and winter, I am excited for the lightness of spring and the new beginnings that it brings!

here are a few images that capture my vision of Spring and will hopefully make your day a little brighter also! :)











what are some of your favorite things about Spring?!

have a wonderful thursday!!

hopeFULLY

my fabulous mother-in-law gave me the devotional book, Jesus Today, by Sarah Young, for Christmas.

It is such a amazing little book, but the main reason I love it so much is because it is all about HOPE.

I don't know about y'all but I tend to use the word "hopefully" alot. I like to think this is because I am always hopeful. but not necessarily. haha.

this is probably a obvious realization to all of you but when I was reading the book I began to look at the word "hopefully" differently. I started to think of it as 2 words: Hope and Fully. The word hope is used so many times throughout the Jesus Today book and the Bible that it makes you wonder. I think God is trying to tell us something...and I think that something is that we should Hope Fully by placing our Hope, FULLY in Him...get it? Hope...fully...:)

 If we do this, we will find peace. peace in knowing He is in complete control and that we have nothing to fret about. SO...be hopeful. BUT be hopeful in the Lord and his blessings and promises. and NOT in earthly things or people. when we HOPE in this way, we will never be disappointed.

and now, an excerpt from Jesus Calling, also by Sarah Young, a gift from my sweet friend Elizabeth....'Hope in Me, and you will be protected from depression and self-pity. HOPE is like a golden cord connecting you to heaven. The more you cling to this cord, the more I bear the weight of your burdens; thus you are lightened. Heaviness is not of My kingdom. Cling to Hope, and My rays of light will reach you through darkness.' ....LOVE that.

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all who Hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24

happy wednesday!!

forward focus

happy new year!!!

sorry I have been a little slack and haven't posted in a while. it has been a combo of both "blogger's block" and holiday busyness! my husband and I were very blessed to be able to spend some great time with our families over the holidays!

with this new year, I have been doing some reflecting ( I am always a sentimental one)...and I do think SOME reflecting is good and healthy but too much dwelling on the past is not good for us. it leads to feelings of regret, gulit, and would've, should've, could've's...

I was lying in bed trying to sleep/nap before my night shift yesterday and had all kinds of thoughts going through my head. this usually happens when I try to sleep...I lay down to go to sleep and suddenly remember all the things I need to do or should have done, etc. ....yesterday, I was thinking about the past year and what things I should have done differently, how I should have spent more time with certain people, how fast it went by...and on and on. I was getting anxious and almost upset thinking about all the things I regret in the past year/years when I was suddenly comforted by a feeling of peace and hope for the future. after getting up, I sat down to read my daily devotional and have some quiet time and what do you know?...it was about how we should "focus forward" how appropriate! it was accompanied by the verse Philippians 3:13: 'Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.'

I thought this was the perfect time to share this with all of you with the start of this new year!

so leave all the regrets of the past year behind and focus forward my friends and happy weekend!! :)

ruby red

I  LOVE the color red...and I don't mean the awful "garnet-red"...I mean fire-engine, bright red! something about the color is bright and happy, yet warm and cozy! and since the holidays are a great excuse to sport even more red I am sharing some of my favorite "red things"...






 





happy tuesday, friends!

Scripture of the day:

'I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.'
Matthew 12:6

 

'tis the season

tis' the season...

so, I have always LOVED traditions (esp. holiday ones) ...you can ask anyone! and I tend to get a little "out of sorts" if we are unable to do the "tradition" (whatever it might be). It is very comforting to me to do the same things every year...and I really enjoy them! I believe traditions are important...they bring family together, they create lasting memories, and they give us something to look forward to every year!

some of my favorite holiday traditions are:

going to the Christmas Eve Nativity pageant at our wonderful church...and ever since my little brother played baby Jesus shortly after he was born...no one in my family has a dry eye by the end of it.

listening to the fabulous Mario Lanza (Italian singer...if you're not familiar, you should be)'s Christmas album on repeat while decorating the tree, on Christmas Eve AND Christmas morning!

decorating oranges with cloves and making cool designs in them with my little brother (or whoever I can find to make them do it with me :) they smell delicious!! they never look quite like the ones below, but still fun!





going to see a great heart-warming holiday movie with the entire family!

having the delicious Christmas traditional dinner of standing rib roast, Yorkshire pudding, potatoes au gratin, and biscuits. (yummy!!)

getting our family miniature dog (Zoe) a new "Christmas sweater" every year...she LOVES them :) (NOT!) haha. but it is funny to watch her try to figure out what is going on when we put her in it!

...and of course I also love creating new traditions!!!!



what are some of your holiday traditions?!

Scripture of the day:

'And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you...'

Hebrews 12:5

cute christmas crafts

even though I am the least craftiest person...probably ever...I still think its fun to "craft" sometimes! especially around the holidays!

here are a few fun crafts that I thought were too cute not to share! enjoy!

burlap!! love this.

fabric cards!

wood blocks

extra crafty christmas cards-not sure I could pull these off..but precious!

bottlecap snowman :)

pinecones with mini pom-poms!

advent calender? cute!

paint swatch trees!

reindeer ornaments with thumbprints! how cute!

cork trees

cupcake liner Christmas trees-looks easy enough for me to do! (maybe)



have a wonderful monday!

Scripture of the day:

'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!' 2 Corinthians 5:17

quieting the soul

hi friends! hope everyone had a wonderful week!

just thought I would share something I have been struggling with recently. at the start of this journey, I shared with y'all my goals for my quiet time in order to grow in my faith. well, lately I have been having quiet time...almost every day, BUT it hasn't been what it should be. It has been hurried and quick. and although I actually read the daily devotional and the scripture that goes along with it, it hasn't always sunk in. (because I don't give it time to) ...and I certainly have not been having that time just being "quiet" and "still" and listening to God. most days after quickly reading the devotional I am immediately distracted by my phone/life, (I would add TV here but we don't have cable, ha), etc.

and so, I have been having these "rushed quiet times" for a couple days until I read one particular devotional entitled: "quieting your soul" by Dr. Charles Stanley. (It is excellent and such a great reminder that God ALWAYS knows. ) He knows exactly what our weaknesses are and what we are struggling with day to day. I always find comfort in scripture and devotionals but this one was especially comforting and convicting for me. God wasn't going to let me go too long with these "half-tail" quiet times...it is just too important.

I am sharing the devotional below: ...please take a few minutes to read it! so good! ...and maybe I'm not the only one struggling with this!

http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional

happy weekend!!!