Beautiful desire

You have said, "Seek my face!"

My heart says to you, "Your face, Lord, do I seek."

Psalm 27:8

Just a lovely thought based off of my study of Matthew 6:22-24 today. I cannot serve two master, Christ alone is the fixation of my eyes, the longing of my heart, and the foundation of truth in my mind.

Creative love

Tomorrow night I am hoping to go spend the night with a friend and have "craft night".

I LOVE having craft night with her because she gives me ideas that i can copy :) and watch her do. 

So, tonight I was surfing Google to find some blogs and various crafty ideas hoping to contribute, and know what to buy at the store. 

Then it dawned on me. I really struggle with coming up with creative handmade things, yet i LOVE them so much. My favorite things to have are those that are handmade, such as handmade journals, scrapbooks, and accessories. Seriously, even just thinking that someone would make me something "crafty" and "artsy" gets me excited. 

This year 2 friends made me "artsy" journals and i CHERISHED them. I love them so much. Then, a friend made me a vase that is decorated with tissue paper and art and again i value it so much. Just recently another friend made me a scarf that I adore! 

People have bought me nice things from stores, yet to be honest, what speaks love to me is things that have taken time to make and thought has been put into it! 

God may not have created me to have the ideas and thoughts to create "crafty" and "artsy" things, but he did give me a mind that values it highly & when others let me appreciate that art everyday by giving me something they have put work into, man, I am so encouraged. 

Thank you Lord for gifting people with such talent and ability to see beauty and masterfully create. 

I am encouraged by them and see you through their beautiful work. 

Busted!

Well, week 1 of spring break has come to a close and week 2 seems to be dominated by the idea of HOMEWORK :)! I'm glad I enjoy my classes!

This break has mostly consisted of time in Kansas thus far, with both of my nieces. We made the 14 hour trek home today (longer witha 7month old in the car) and to be honest most of it was quite delightful. I LOVE roadtrips.  It is focused time where I get to 1) spend in prayer (i drove at 3am while the others slept-GREAT God time always) 2) silence 3) listening to music 4) good discussion 5) and processing 6) and i did homework!

Yet on the way home, I was driving and low and behold if I don't see lights on the other side of the expressway.  I slow down, but assume the police is rushing to an accident.  But, as I speed by the lights flick off as I pass, and he immediately plowed through the grass median to a wide open expressway with no other cars but my own.  I knew I was stuck.
   Bad news is I got an 83$ ticket for going 10 over. Good news is he was a Christian guy, listening to K-love and was very pleasant to talk to. I forgot my license (minor detail..another bad news), BUT good news, they were able to find it in the system with no problem. I am thankful i had a NICE cop :)!

After that...Elyse decided she should drive.. :)

>>>THE STORY HAS NOT FINISHED> >>

Pass by multiple hours, multiple stops and dropping off Jamie and Elyse...

AND...

18 over :(... 2 in one day and a not so happy check writing party. 

ENOUGH SAID, LESSON LEARNED

my VERY FIRST ticket :). 

Digiornos Party!

So, I'm in Wichita Kansas this week with my 2 sisters and 2 beautiful little nieces. We've had quite the adventure, heading to the zoo, taking walks in the 80 degree weather, and watching them play. They are 7 months and 11 months.

My sister Julie is quite the party planner. Not only is she the planner, but she is also coupon guru. If you need to save money, she can help! She went online and signed up to host a Digiorno pizza party. They send her a box of a timer, pizza slicer, nametags, a bball hoop mini size (it was a march madness theme), and SO much more along with coupons for FREE pizza and drinks.
Tonight we had the party with 20+ of her friends and their children, with over 10 pizzas, drinks and more.  How much did she spend to pay for all of this... 2$.  A party for 20 on 2$. Astounding!! (This picture PLUS more pizzas, and a box of goodies!)

She checks blogs and finds coupons in every area.  With her eye for saving a penny here and a penny there, she throws parties for less than 5$.

**my lesson of the day: You don't have to have lots of money to host parties! As my mom says, "A penny saved is a penny earned".  I just need to keep my eyes open and hold onto those coupons!

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality

"When we deny our pain, losses, and feelings year after year, we become less and less human.  We transform slowly into empty shells with smiley faces painted on them."

"At the very least, the call of discipleship includes experiencing our feelings, reflecting on our feelings, and then thoughtfully responding to our feelings under the lordship of Jesus."

"Unconsciously we have a 'rule' against feeling, we don't think we should have intense feelings such as anger or sadness"

"The problem is that when we neglect our most intense emotions, we are false to ourselves and close off an open door through which to know God"

"The issue is not, by any means, to blindly follow our feelings, but to acknowledge them as a part of the way God communicates to us."

1 John 4:1 "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God"

"God intends that we mature in learning to recognize how he speaks and guides us through our feelings"

"Emotions are the language of the soul. They are the cry that gives the heart a voice."

CHALLENGE-
"Allow yourself to experience the full weight of your feelings.  Allow them without censoring them.  They you can reflect and thoughtfully decide what to do with them.  Trust God to come to you through them.  This is the first step in the hard work of discipleship"

Quotes from Peter Scazzero's Emotionally Healthy Spirituality