I'm linking up with Jessica today for a fun little post.
Coffee or tea: I'm a tea girl until Pumpkin Spice Latte season (otherwise known as fall)
Book or movie: Book, though I do love a good movie
Flats or heels: Flats
Summer or winter: Winter
Hugs or kisses: Depends on who I'm getting them from, but I love kisses
Lip stick or lip gloss: Lip gloss
DVD or big screen: Big screen
Pancakes or waffles: Waffles (with peanut butter and syrup!)
Morning or night: Night
Jeans or leggings: Leggings
Facebook or Instagram: Instagram
Veggies or fruit: Fruit
Hunger Games or Twilight: Hunger Games (though I do love Twilight...just not as much)
Scream or cry: Cry
Flowers or candy: Candy
Small town or big city: Big city...something about a big city lit up at night just makes me happy
Beach or pool: Beach
Pop or country: Pop
Sweet or sour: Sour
Feel free to link up with Jessica if you want to join in on the fun!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Highlights
Considering we are almost halfway into January (what??), I figured now would be a good time to reflect on 2012.
Even though I took less pictures with my real camera than I have in previous years, I still managed to have lots of pictures of the fun things that happened.
Here are some of my highlights of 2012:
My bestie got married in January (and is expecting a baby in just a few weeks!)
The hubby and I went to Disneyland for our anniversary
We went to three other weddings this year, too...for my sweet friend, J.B. (now J.K.), our friends C & J, and one of the girls that was in our college group.
I went on a youth conference with some amazing women
We went to CO to see our sweet friends there!
Lots of babies to celebrate (including two of my greatest friends and their babies)
My oldest niece turned 5 and the two youngest are 1 now!
Lots of birthday celebrations
My friend E took some amazing pics of my husband and I
We stopped leading the college group and I started singing on the worship team again
We paid off my car!
We had some fun graduation celebrations, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and showers
Lots of fun game nights, movie nights, and hang outs with friends
We had some not so fun stuff happen, too...
Josh's grandpa passed away
My grandma had heart surgery
We had some loved ones move (Josh's brother and his family, and our dear friends D & E who we co-led our college group with)
Overall, 2012 was a great year. I learned a lot, grew in some really great ways, and had to face some things about myself that I wasn't too happy to face. But, this year and the experiences I had shaped me into who I am today...and I am very grateful for that.
(Feel free to click on the links above to see the different posts about each highlight)
Even though I took less pictures with my real camera than I have in previous years, I still managed to have lots of pictures of the fun things that happened.
Here are some of my highlights of 2012:
My bestie got married in January (and is expecting a baby in just a few weeks!)
The hubby and I went to Disneyland for our anniversary
We went to three other weddings this year, too...for my sweet friend, J.B. (now J.K.), our friends C & J, and one of the girls that was in our college group.
I went on a youth conference with some amazing women
We went to CO to see our sweet friends there!
Lots of babies to celebrate (including two of my greatest friends and their babies)
My oldest niece turned 5 and the two youngest are 1 now!
Lots of birthday celebrations
My friend E took some amazing pics of my husband and I
We stopped leading the college group and I started singing on the worship team again
We paid off my car!
We had some fun graduation celebrations, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and showers
Lots of fun game nights, movie nights, and hang outs with friends
We had some not so fun stuff happen, too...
Josh's grandpa passed away
My grandma had heart surgery
We had some loved ones move (Josh's brother and his family, and our dear friends D & E who we co-led our college group with)
Overall, 2012 was a great year. I learned a lot, grew in some really great ways, and had to face some things about myself that I wasn't too happy to face. But, this year and the experiences I had shaped me into who I am today...and I am very grateful for that.
(Feel free to click on the links above to see the different posts about each highlight)
Sunday, January 6, 2013
December Photo a Day
December was a really fun month.
I really enjoyed participating in fatmumslim's Photo a Day challenge, but I have decided that December is my last month doing it for awhile. I love being able to document little pieces of my day in that way, but it definitely felt more like a chore this past month. So, it's time for a break.
Here are the pics I took:
I really enjoyed participating in fatmumslim's Photo a Day challenge, but I have decided that December is my last month doing it for awhile. I love being able to document little pieces of my day in that way, but it definitely felt more like a chore this past month. So, it's time for a break.
Here are the pics I took:
Top row: 1. 8 o'clock - drinking apple cider 2. Peace 3. Something I held - sushi in-between chopsticks! 4. Black and white
Second row: 5. Looking up 6. From where I live/my country - printed in the USA! 7. Stars 8. Someone I love - happy birthday, sweet girl!
Third row: 9. Out and about 10. Under - there's nothing under there yet but I'm working on it! 11. Sweet - eggnog milkshake 12. Hat
Bottom row: 13. Lights 14. Something green - the journal that my hubby writes me notes in before he leaves for work each morning 15. Outdoors 16. Something I made - chalkboard paint ornaments
Top row: 17. On the floor - remnants from more Christmas present wrapping 18. Makes me feel merry - so many Christmas cards on our mantle this year (so many in fact that some of them got cut off in this picture) 19. Something beginning with 'S' - Silvervine plug in! 20. Weather
Second row: 21. Tree 22. Decoration?? 23. Joy is...Jesus - the light of the world 24. Tradition - white elephant gift exchange with the hubby's family
Third row: 25. Lunchtime 26. Mess 27. How I relax - snuggling on the couch with my feet up and watching a little TV 28. Cold
Bottom row: 29. {The opposite of} Hot 30. Something that made me smile this year - so many good memories...too many to put here! 31. Self portrait
I hope your December was a great one, too!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
My Heart
My heart has been a little all over the place this week.
I get sad when Christmas is over and the new year approaches, because my favorite time of the year is over. But, I get excited anticipating the new year and what it could bring.
This week has been no different.
And yet I find myself trying not to dwell on either the past or the future...I'm just trying to enjoy the present.
I have never been one to really make New Year's resolutions. One year, I did make it three months without having an ounce of caffeine...but that is about as long as any resolution has lasted for me. Honestly, I just don't think that the new year should be the start for change. If I feel my life needs to take a different direction, I should start in that moment; not wait until some magical time where it seems more convenient. Besides, knowing myself, waiting for that magical time never works because I will just keep putting it off.
All that being said, I do want to take the time to really reflect on this past year and all the good and bad it brought. Those experiences have shaped me and made me into the person I am today...who is not the same person I was a year ago.
I just don't want to get so stuck on what was or what could be, and miss what is right in front of me.
My husband and I have a lot of fun things planned for this year. I am really excited for what it's going to bring...but I also really want to take life one day at a time and find the beauty in each moment I'm given.
I've been reading a lot of 2012 wrap up blog posts and posts about the writer's word for the year in 2013. While I have never officially picked a word, I definitely had a few things I was striving for this past year: being more purposeful and being more real. I don't think I have even come close to mastering either of those things, but I have definitely made some strides in the right directions.
I have also been thinking a lot about this blog and what its purpose should be. I wrote almost two-thirds less in 2012 than I did in 2011. It was not for lack of things to write about, but because I felt there were other things I needed to give more of my attention to.
Needless to say, my life feels very different going into 2013 than it did going into 2012.
But, my heart for sharing my story and being open about my struggles with infertility has not changed. I know God has called me to be very open about it and I will continue to be. I just don't always know what that looks like.
So, as scrambled and random as my thoughts seem to me, my hope for 2013 is that I will cling to what I know I'm being called to do, and that I will live it out to the best of my ability. And that includes what I share and don't share on this blog. This has been a huge part of my life and I don't see that changing any time soon. I'm actually hoping to devote more time to this space. I just don't want to make any resolutions that I might not be able to keep.
Just know that my heart is still here. And that I am still here for anyone reading this. I am always available by email and would love to talk with you about what is going on with your life. God has not called us to walk this life alone, and I would hate for anyone to feel like they are.
Blessings to you in this new year.
(linking up with Casey)
I get sad when Christmas is over and the new year approaches, because my favorite time of the year is over. But, I get excited anticipating the new year and what it could bring.
This week has been no different.
And yet I find myself trying not to dwell on either the past or the future...I'm just trying to enjoy the present.
I have never been one to really make New Year's resolutions. One year, I did make it three months without having an ounce of caffeine...but that is about as long as any resolution has lasted for me. Honestly, I just don't think that the new year should be the start for change. If I feel my life needs to take a different direction, I should start in that moment; not wait until some magical time where it seems more convenient. Besides, knowing myself, waiting for that magical time never works because I will just keep putting it off.
All that being said, I do want to take the time to really reflect on this past year and all the good and bad it brought. Those experiences have shaped me and made me into the person I am today...who is not the same person I was a year ago.
I just don't want to get so stuck on what was or what could be, and miss what is right in front of me.
My husband and I have a lot of fun things planned for this year. I am really excited for what it's going to bring...but I also really want to take life one day at a time and find the beauty in each moment I'm given.
I've been reading a lot of 2012 wrap up blog posts and posts about the writer's word for the year in 2013. While I have never officially picked a word, I definitely had a few things I was striving for this past year: being more purposeful and being more real. I don't think I have even come close to mastering either of those things, but I have definitely made some strides in the right directions.
I have also been thinking a lot about this blog and what its purpose should be. I wrote almost two-thirds less in 2012 than I did in 2011. It was not for lack of things to write about, but because I felt there were other things I needed to give more of my attention to.
Needless to say, my life feels very different going into 2013 than it did going into 2012.
But, my heart for sharing my story and being open about my struggles with infertility has not changed. I know God has called me to be very open about it and I will continue to be. I just don't always know what that looks like.
So, as scrambled and random as my thoughts seem to me, my hope for 2013 is that I will cling to what I know I'm being called to do, and that I will live it out to the best of my ability. And that includes what I share and don't share on this blog. This has been a huge part of my life and I don't see that changing any time soon. I'm actually hoping to devote more time to this space. I just don't want to make any resolutions that I might not be able to keep.
Just know that my heart is still here. And that I am still here for anyone reading this. I am always available by email and would love to talk with you about what is going on with your life. God has not called us to walk this life alone, and I would hate for anyone to feel like they are.
Blessings to you in this new year.
(linking up with Casey)
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Approval
I was listening to a local radio station in the car on my way home from work today.
The DJ was talking about how social media sites like Facebook and Twitter cause many of us to have this huge desire to be liked or to seek other people's approval. We post statuses, pictures, quotes, and even Scripture verses, hoping to get that notification saying someone liked it or commented on it.
As I sat there listening to him talk, as well as the people who were calling in, I couldn't help but think about how serious of an issue this really can be.
I myself am guilty of this very thing. I used to post status updates all the time or cute pictures I'd taken with my friends. I wanted people to see what I wrote and comment on it. I wanted people to like the pictures I'd taken. I wanted to be liked.
The thing is, this past year, I've really shied away from a lot of that. Not because I don't still have that desire to be liked, but because I've been realizing more and more that not everything I do in life needs to be documented through social media. And, if my only reason for wanting to document it out there is to get someone's approval or make someone to like me better, it's pretty silly in the first place.
I have been learning a lot this year about being true to myself and being real with people. I don't want to pretend to be someone I'm not or be fake with people. I don't feel like being someone I'm not really benefits anyone in the long run. So with this whole social media thing, if my only reasoning for posting a Scripture verse is to see how many people will read it or like it, instead of posting it because I feel it's important and beneficial for other people, then it's pointless.
In John 12, even after Jesus had performed many miracles and wonders, some of the leaders still didn't want to believe in Him, because they were fearful of what the Pharisees would think.
The thing I'm trying to remember in all of this is that it doesn't really matter what people like or don't like about me. Not everyone will enjoy the same things I do or even think the same way I do. That doesn't matter. The only thing that should matter is how God sees me, and if I'm shining the light of Christ to those around me. I don't want to appear perfect or all put together, because I'm not. I don't want people to think that I have all the answers, because I don't. I want people to see that I try my best to follow Christ the best way I know how, but that I do fail and I do fall. I want people to see me for me, and take it or leave it. I don't want to be so consumed with how someone is going to react to something that I say or do. I want to be able to be myself and not worry about what someone's reaction to that may be.
Paul talks in Galatians 1 about his frustrations with how some people were trying to pervert the Gospel and make it something it was never supposed to be. In the midst of this frustration, he literally says that those who preach a gospel other than the Gospel of Christ should be under God's curse. He then says:
My hope and prayer for all of us as we get ready to enter into this new year is that we would stop focusing so much on man's approval and only worry about God's. We shouldn't treat social media like we're trying to win a popularity contest. God's opinion is the only one that should matter.
The DJ was talking about how social media sites like Facebook and Twitter cause many of us to have this huge desire to be liked or to seek other people's approval. We post statuses, pictures, quotes, and even Scripture verses, hoping to get that notification saying someone liked it or commented on it.
As I sat there listening to him talk, as well as the people who were calling in, I couldn't help but think about how serious of an issue this really can be.
I myself am guilty of this very thing. I used to post status updates all the time or cute pictures I'd taken with my friends. I wanted people to see what I wrote and comment on it. I wanted people to like the pictures I'd taken. I wanted to be liked.
The thing is, this past year, I've really shied away from a lot of that. Not because I don't still have that desire to be liked, but because I've been realizing more and more that not everything I do in life needs to be documented through social media. And, if my only reason for wanting to document it out there is to get someone's approval or make someone to like me better, it's pretty silly in the first place.
I have been learning a lot this year about being true to myself and being real with people. I don't want to pretend to be someone I'm not or be fake with people. I don't feel like being someone I'm not really benefits anyone in the long run. So with this whole social media thing, if my only reasoning for posting a Scripture verse is to see how many people will read it or like it, instead of posting it because I feel it's important and beneficial for other people, then it's pointless.
In John 12, even after Jesus had performed many miracles and wonders, some of the leaders still didn't want to believe in Him, because they were fearful of what the Pharisees would think.
They loved human praise more than praise from God
(vs. 43)
The thing I'm trying to remember in all of this is that it doesn't really matter what people like or don't like about me. Not everyone will enjoy the same things I do or even think the same way I do. That doesn't matter. The only thing that should matter is how God sees me, and if I'm shining the light of Christ to those around me. I don't want to appear perfect or all put together, because I'm not. I don't want people to think that I have all the answers, because I don't. I want people to see that I try my best to follow Christ the best way I know how, but that I do fail and I do fall. I want people to see me for me, and take it or leave it. I don't want to be so consumed with how someone is going to react to something that I say or do. I want to be able to be myself and not worry about what someone's reaction to that may be.
Paul talks in Galatians 1 about his frustrations with how some people were trying to pervert the Gospel and make it something it was never supposed to be. In the midst of this frustration, he literally says that those who preach a gospel other than the Gospel of Christ should be under God's curse. He then says:
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ
(vs. 10)
My hope and prayer for all of us as we get ready to enter into this new year is that we would stop focusing so much on man's approval and only worry about God's. We shouldn't treat social media like we're trying to win a popularity contest. God's opinion is the only one that should matter.
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