Sunday, February 13, 2011

FEBRUARY: Kind of Like a Marathon?



Oh, February. If you know me, then you know that February is my least favorite month of the year (excluding my parent's anniversary and Dad's birthday, of course). I know, I know....I should be appreciative of every single day I have on this earth. I am very aware of this. But February is what I imagine the last three miles of a marathon must feel like. FOREVER. EXHAUSTING. PERSEVERANCE. EXTREME TEMPERATURES. On top of that, my skin is back to the palest shade possible and my jeans are fitting just a little bit snugger than they were pre-Thanksgiving.

On a different note, this month is also the light at the end of the tunnel. March is only a few weeks away. And with March comes the planning of vacations, online purchasing of bathing suits (let's just be honest: no one wants to try on bathing suits under the fluorescent lights in the department store fitting room with such alabaster skin as mine), and daydreams of what my garden might look like two months from now. As silly as this may sound, it is a big month of hope for me. Without experiencing the most dismal, gray, "bleh" month of the year, I wouldn't be able to appreciate the rainbow of colors amongst the flowers and the smell of honeysuckle in the springtime. Or the sunshine, melting Popsicles, and a slight breeze in the summer. Or the crackling of leaves on the ground, eating al fresco, and warm apple cider in the fall.

So I guess I'm confessing this: Even though I don't like it, I wouldn't want to live without it.

XOXO


Monday, January 10, 2011

The Debutante



Just finished reading my first book for 2011. I loved The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro. It took me a few chapters to really get into, but after that I couldn't put it down. Loved the last lines.







XOXO


Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Fantasy Bachelor

No.....I do not have a fantasy bachelor. HOWEVER: I think that it would be extremely fun to have a Fantasy Bachelor game....like fantasy football, except you play with contestants from the Bachelor. So, The Bachelor Season 15 premiered last night. I think it becomes much more fun to choose and bet who will win. Unfortunately, the person who I am betting against chose all the same people I did :) Haha! So here are my top 5 picks for this seasons Bachelor. Drum roll, please......


MARISSA: I'll be honest....I just needed a fifth person, and it seems that Brad likes tan, dark-haired girls. She fits the bill. So, she is my 5th.



ASHLEY: I love her. But he already threw out that he feels comfortable and "friendly" with her. So, ultimately, he will break it off with her, saying that she is too much like a best friend. Kind of like the Jason/Jillian breakup.



MICHELLE: She's a tricky one. I'd say she gets to number 3ish. I like her but I think she is going to be that kind of crazy mean girl who is rude to everyone else in the house.



SHAWNTEL: She'll come in second. Why? I feel like she's my kindred spirit. She's a little too honest and open. Not mysterious enough...therefore, she's out.



EMILY: Here's the thing...he is intrigued by her. BUT, I can see Emily walking away from him. So, I'm probably wrong here, but I think she'll make the top two or three for sure....


CONFESSIONS:I must admit I took a peak at RealitySteve once I chose my own top five. He is predicting someone that I thought for sure wouldn't be in the running. BUT, it kind of makes sense. After all, she does have tan skin and dark hair and could be confused for either Deanna or Jenny.....

Monday, January 3, 2011

ALL THINGS LOVELY IN A NEW YEAR


NEW YEARS DAY BRUNCH AT BOSCOS


Well, it is that time of year again. A time to once again reflect on accomplishments and decisions made in the past year. And my personal favorite....making a bucket list for the next twelve months! Last year my resolution was to NOT make a resolution that had anything to do with exercise or my weight...and I succeeded by making a list of things that I was excited to do in 2010. My list was quite long and there were many things that were not accomplished, but I was still pretty proud of the things that I did! A few items I can check off my list: TAKE A ROAD TRIP, PLANT A GARDEN, WRITE MORE, SEND MORE CARDS, KEEP AN OPEN HEART, LOVE, BE MORE SPONTANEOUS, GET A RECORD PLAYER, MAKE STRAIGHT A'S (I DID GET ONE B+, BUT I AM GIVING MYSELF A CHECKMARK ANYWAYS), READ "THE WINTER ROSE", PRAY SPECIFICALLY, WATCH SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE AND WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, DRINK MORE WATER.


APRIL & I ON NEW YEARS EVE


I have a plethora of memories associated with all of these things....far too many to write out here. 2010 was full of a lot of laughter and a lot of tears, while being surrounded with the most beautiful hearts I know. I truly am blessed with the most wonderful family and friends. On that note, I rang in the New Year with both new and old friends! One of my best friends from college, April, came to visit Nashville with her husband. I had such a great time reliving old college memories with her and our other friends from school! We topped off the weekend with a girls brunch on New Years Day and a friendly game of Gin Rummy (my FAVORITE card game)and a movie.

So.....on to this year. I decided to keep most of the things that I didn't finish last year on this year's list and to tweak a few things. Additionally, I have a few that are going to stay on the list as I think they are pretty important! I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT if you see something on here that you are wanting to do and we can do it together. That way I can make sure it gets done!























More than anything I am looking forward to new challenges, more smiles and laughter, and special moments with the people that I love. It's going to be a sweet year. Do any of you have some of the same goals??? Maybe we can do some together.....thoughts? LOVE.LOVE.

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things." - Philippians 4:8

XOXO


Monday, December 20, 2010

Love and Silence

The title of this blog may seem a little bit odd. I haven't written in a long time. I have sat in front of my computer screen many times over the past several months and stared at the screen wanting to convey my thoughts, but in the end have closed it down and felt that maybe it would be better to wait for another day. Last night we had our Christmas party for my small group through church and I confessed that I hadn't written in so long- mostly because I didn't want anyone else to see my thoughts or my heart at the moment.

During our get together, my beautiful friend Laura led us in reflection over the last year and what God has taught each of us. I'll be honest...my first reaction was dread and the desire to burst into tears. The last year has really been full of a lot of ups and downs that have all intertwined together to form a whirlwind of emotions within me. I spent the first half of the year trusting God's plan for my life. I had felt God speak to me many times that his promises were true and to trust Him. That was a joyful time. Fast forward to the end of 2010 where I have just felt abandoned by Him and in turn have felt angry. I often wonder if God is mad at me, since I'm calling for him, but he's not coming around. My good friend Jenny told me that she starts her day off by asking God, "Do I trust you?" and answering that question for herself every day. Will I trust God with my life this very day? Even this has fueled my resentment towards Him....I'm trying to trust, but where is He in these moments?

So what has God taught me this year and what can I praise Him for? Although we wrote out lists of praises and answered prayers last night, I've kept thinking about what God could possibly be teaching me or showing me through pain, love, and silence. This is what I've come up with.

1. I AM THANKFUL THAT I AM MISERABLE WHEN GOD IS ABSENT. I was a little bit curious about examples of God's silence and absence in scripture and how I might find some type of comfort or reasoning behind it. I actually found someone else's blog entry discussing two examples of silence in scripture. Psalm 22 begins with the words, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? You are far from my plea and the cry of my distress. O my God, I call by day and you give me no reply; I call by night and I find my peace." I can relate to this. The writer then reminds us to finish the Psalm. It concludes with praise and adoration and a reflection on God's faithfullness throughout the ages. Her blog concludes with these words: "We are now, as always, at the foot of the cross. The cry of the psalmist and of Jesus is now our cry, and the silence of God may lead us to despair. So, hear the words of Psalm 22, and heed the witness of the church. Embrace our silent God with faith, hope, and love." I thought about this for a little bit, and it kind of just hit me. There have been times in my life when I never noticed God's absence. I believed, but it had not resulted in any type of change in my heart. But there has been, and I can see and feel what life without Him is like. It's awful. Maybe this is what God is showing me in this time? I can praise Jesus because I know without a doubt that I don't want to be without him.

2.I AM THANKFUL THAT I UNDERSTAND LOVE. This is a tricky one and maybe I will regret writing it out. After all, loves grows over time and I'm sure my understanding will be different in twenty years than it is right now. On top of that, there are different types of love and ones I haven't experienced. But recently I had someone tell me that they can't love, don't know how to love, are choosing not to love. That type of thing. I am thankful today that this reasoning or mindset is something that I can not understand or fathom. It's easy being a female and watching a multitude of romantic comedies to have visions of fairytale love in your head. I'm not saying that there aren't many days that I think in this manner, but I am thankful I know what true love is: a reflection of Christ's love for us. I know that this is a long passage, but it is one of my favorites. A reminder of what love truly is and that it is a necessity in life. If you truly know and accept Christ's love, you can't help but love others. I may not always be the best reflection of this, but I am thankful that right now I know what it is.

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails." - 1st Corinthians 13: 1-8

3. GOD HAS SHOWN ME THAT THE TIME IS NOW. One lesson I have learned over the year is that there really is no time like the present. My friend from work, Amber, recently committed suicide. While I was not extremely close to her outside of work, I saw and talked to her several times a week. She always had a smile and an encouraging word for me. I have struggled since her death with the fact that I have no idea what type of hope she had. I knew her for a year and a half, and have no idea if she had the same hope that I have had on dark days. Questioning the authenticity of the relationships that are constantly being built in my life is an area that I am still working on....struggling with. I don't really have any type of answer to this. I guess I am just thankful that God is showing me how fleeting this life is and the time we have on earth is precious.

4. FRIENDSHIPS AND FAMILY. I am thankful for the friends and family in my life, who stand by me regardless of all of my faults. And there are many. For forgiving me when I have wronged or hurt them. For loving me when I have not shown them love. For picking me up when I can't get off the ground. For giving me joy and laughter. For being a reflection of God's love for me.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Sangria, Anyone?

It is a beautiful fall day. I guess autumn comes pretty late here in the South. But the leaves are finally changing into pretty reds, yellows, and oranges. I went to church this morning and then enjoyed a nice lunch with two of my favorite people, Matt and Jason. Super excited that The Local Taco is opened in Brentwood, and even more happy that the windows were open. This allowed for open air dining without the wind blowing us over. The most amazing part of lunch? Apple Peach Sangria, of course! Just last night, my roommate and I were talking about making some homemade sangria, so ofcourse I had to try it. DELICIOUS. So, I got to thinking about what kind of sangria Laura and I will make. I found this yummy looking recipe for Strawberry and Peach Sangria. What do you think???? Do you have a recipe that you love, red or white?










1 750-ml bottle dry white wine
1 1/2 cups Essensia (orange Muscat, a sweet dessert wine)
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup peach liqueur
3 peaches, each cut into 12 slices
1 large orange, cut crosswise into 6 slices
1 large lemon, cut crosswise into 6 slices
1/4 cup strawberry syrup (optional)
3 to 4 cups ice cubes




Mix white wine, Essensia, strawberries, peach liqueur, peaches, orange slices, lemon slices, and strawberry syrup in large pitcher, smashing citrus slices slightly. Let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours or chill up to 4 hours. Serve sangria over ice.

XOXO


Thursday, August 19, 2010

Peaches, Menchies, and...that's Bananas!




Ahhhh....it is hot. Very hot. I typically long for a neverending summer, but this year I am very, very ready for fall to come. Seriously. There are many things that I love about summer though. For instance, the smell of suntan lotion and the pool. The feeling of the breeze by the ocean. The taste of peaches. Country music. Ice cold beer. Popcicles. These are just a few of those things. But, there are so many things that I am looking forward to for fall! Jennifer is getting married, my birthday, AND let's not forget....my last semester of classes!!! So excited. Since it's been a while.....I feel like it would be appropriate for a Summer Fancies list instead of August....as I have missed writing for most of the summer.




St. Louis


Sookie Stackhouse.....I am pretty much obsessed. On the third book within about a week and a half...


peaches

The Bachelorette

As always.....Britney...on Glee! AGH!

Weddings


XOXO