It All Started With Green...

So, I'm really excited about this week's Inspiration Workshop with Gussy!

The prompt this time was Green. At first, I thought I would just go on Pinterest and see what I could find that I liked...because nothing in my house is green. And then it dawned on me...

Green means a lot to my hubby and me.

The first time he contacted me (outside of hanging out with a group of friends), I met him and his friend at a Panda Express. We talked on AOL and Myspace a lot the next few days. During that time, he asked me out on a date at the end of that week. When he came over to pick me up for our date, we both kind of laughed. We were both wearing green shirts! So, whether we realized it then or not...we were pretty much made for each other.

(His was a Roper shirt...one of his favorite bands at the time)

(Mine said Everyone Loves An Irish Girl. And yes, we are goofballs)

(This was our first picture taken together. Our good friend had just dyed both of our hair that day and we wanted a picture to remember how it looked)

Since then, there have been three other occasions that we have both worn green. The first was my sister's wedding. I was her maid of honor and my hubby was asked to be an usher. So, we matched that day. We then wore those same green items at two other weddings the following year. We got a lot of use out of them.

(Us at my sister's wedding)

(And, at one of our friends' weddings the next year)

Green makes me think of happy times with my husband...and makes me want to come up with something creative for him that's green!

I hope you are having a very purposeful week!

Beauty

So, first of all, I am blown away by the response I've gotten from my guest post over at Casey's blog.

Seriously, I am so thankful she asked me to do it...and that God was able to use my story to encourage so many people.

(I took this pic fairly soon after getting my iPhone. I love how vibrant the sky is and how puffy the clouds are)

But, I am really excited about something else. And, I think you should be excited as well.

The beautiful Danielle, who blogs over at take heart, came up with a wonderful idea. She made a Beauty Book that is going to travel all over the place. In it will be the stories of many different women...stories of their current or past issues with self esteem...and how they are finding out that true beauty is found in God's eyes.

All you have to do is visit this post and follow the directions to sign up. She is accepting emails until next Friday, so sign up soon if you're interested.

(This pic is from our first trip to CO...with our backs to the entrance to Shove Chapel. I love pics of paths like these)

I am very excited to be able to share my own story and to read the stories of the other women who will be writing in the book before me. I really hope you will consider sharing your story as well. This could possibly be life changing for you...or for someone who may read your story.

For any of you who have been reading my blog for awhile, you'll know that I am all about carrying each other's burdens, as we are instructed to do in Galatians 6:2 -

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Are you willing to carry someone else's burden?

I hope many of you will be willing to participate in this.

Be blessed, friends, and have a wonderful rest of the weekend!

Friendships and Opportunities

I know it's not technically Friday anymore...but I'm going to pretend like it is for this post.

I have a lot on my heart today. I got an email from a beautiful friend today about something hard she is going to have to do next week...but something that God is going to use to truly enrich her life. I am very excited to see what He is going to do in her through this.

My husband and I had a great opportunity come up today for us that would be amazing for our future...but it was quickly squashed by something unforeseeable. Thankfully, I am not disappointed. It was one of those "great if it happens, great if it doesn't" situations.

I was asked to guest post on a blogger friend's blog... I was so flattered and humbled. She is one of my favorite bloggers and a beautiful person that I really do hope to meet in person someday (She also happens to be the one who hosts this lovely link up party each week). If you want to read my post, click on over to Casey's blog.

I also am just feeling very blessed to be where I'm at right now. I love my hubby. I love my family and friends. I love my church family...and the fact that many of them are just as close as family to me.

We aren't made of money.

We don't live in a huge house.

And yet, I feel so very blessed.

What is on your heart this week?

(Linking up with Casey)

Promises

So our weather has been crazy...like it's been everywhere.

We went from thunderstorms and lots of rain this weekend to 80 degree days...which feel really hot compared to what we've been experiencing.

Anyway, the hubby and I were driving to the store on Saturday, while there was a little break in the rain, and noticed a beautiful piece of a rainbow in the sky. It wasn't all the way across, just one little side of it. But, it was beautiful nonetheless.

When we got out of the store, the rainbow was bigger and brighter...and stretched all the way across the sky. It was amazing. My hubby grabbed my phone and took a couple of pics of it while we were driving home.


Beautiful.

As I admired this rainbow, I couldn't help thinking of God's promises. The rainbow is the evidence of His promise to never flood the whole earth again. Yet He promises us so much more.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
(John 10:10)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16)

Show us your unfailing love, O LORD,
and grant us your salvation.
I will listen to what God the LORD will say;
he promises peace to his people, his saints—
but let them not return to folly.
Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
(Psalm 85:7-9)

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
(Psalm 145:13)

If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.
(John 14:15-16)

Without weakening in his faith, he [Abraham] faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
(Romans 4:19-21)

See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—even eternal life.
(1 John 2:24-26)

Of course, there are many other promises in the Bible. Just read through the Old Testament!

I am just so thankful that I serve a God that keeps His promises.

Inspiration Workshop - Kitchens!

I'm linking up again with Gussy of Gussy Sews for her weekly Inspiration Workshop!

The prompt this week was kitchens...either your current kitchen or what you'd like yours to look like. Since I pulled my left calf muscle last night and can't move much today, I wasn't able to take any pics of my own kitchen. So, I went to pinterest and found some that I really love!

(Sorry the pics are so small. They were small on pinterest, too)

This first one I love, because of the red and aqua combo. So cute!!

(pinned by Christine Tan via kitchenisms.com)

This one is so Beauty and the Beast to me...which is why I love it so much! (If you click on the link for the actual website, there are more photos of this kitchen...and you'll see why I think it looks like it could have been in Beauty and the Beast)

(pinned by Ginger Park via kitchen-design-ideas.org)

And, there is something I just love about a chalkboard wall in the kitchen. The kids could create art on the walls...and they wouldn't be ruined! And, you could write down all sorts of useful info. Very practical.

(pinned by Jazzie Fizzle via designsponge.com)

What inspires you kitchen-wise?