Where I Want to Be

So, it's time for Gussy's Inspiration Workshop again...and I'm so excited for this week's prompt:

Spend a day playing.

Since we don't have any kiddos yet, it's always just me and the hubs. And, one of our favorite places to spend the day playing is....

Drum roll, please...



Oh heck, you should know anyway...



DISNEYLAND!


Here are some pics from our anniversary trip earlier this year.



Looking at these pictures makes me wish we were going there in the near future again. I love that place!

How do you spend a day playing?

Motivation

Some days, I have such a hard time getting motivated to do anything.

Today was one such day.

I'm going to blame it on the fact that we just got back from camping yesterday...and that I was still super tired and worn out. But, I'm not sure that's a valid excuse...

One of the things we did on our camping trip was read through the book of Philippians. We were instructed to read each chapter on our own, so we could go over it altogether in the mornings and evenings. Since we arrived on the camping trip a day and a half later than everyone else, we were a little behind on our reading. I got to spend some quality time reading through chapter 3 with some wonderful women on Saturday afternoon while most of the others on the trip went hiking or rock climbing.

I've read Philippians more than once in my life...but every time I read it, I get more out of it (as is the case when I read anything in the Bible more than once). This section really struck me:

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
(Philippians 2:1-4, NIV)

It makes me feel like a failure when I have these days where I'm just not motivated to do anything. I'm supposed to be looking out for others and considering them better than myself. How am I going to do that if I am barely functioning?

I want to figure out a way to recoup from things, while also giving myself the opportunity to be there for someone if they need me. I don't want to be so wiped out from something that I can't even focus on other people.

This is the prayer I want to be praying for those in my life:

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
(Philippians 1:9-11, NIV)

And, how am I going to start thinking like that? By doing this:

Finally, brothers, 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, NIV)

I hope I start having more motivation for doing the things that are right and noble.


(Oh, and I kind of failed in the photo department this weekend. I did not pull out my camera once to take a pic. So, sorry for the lack of pictures. I really do need to get better at this)

Weekend

This post is going to be short and sweet.

I am very excited about my weekend! We are spending some quality time in the great outdoors with some amazing people. It's going to be a.maz.ing.

I hope you are doing something fun this weekend, too!!

Here's to the start of the fun!


What is on your heart today?

(I'm linking up with Casey)

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!