Freedom

Boy, oh boy have I been blessed in the past 24 hours! Let me tell you the story...

As many of you probably know I have A LOT of clothes-- too many really-- and my closet was really starting to show it. Actually, my whole room was starting to show it! And I certainly couldn't see all I had, which is NO good for sure.

One day I mentioned this dilemma to my bestie and she offered to come over to help me out. I was beyond thrilled!! Not only is she a fashionista but she is also an amazing organizer. And well, we have been friends for over 20 years so she knows me pretty well and to be honest the thought of going through every article of my clothing, deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, then putting it all back into my closet was just more than I could handle...

So last night, after being at work all day, my bestie came over and we conquered my mountain! We started with sweaters and ended with swimsuits... 12 bags were filled to give away... 3 bags of trash were taken to the garage... and now not only can you see the bottom of my closet but the clothes in it as well. It was hard! There were moments I wasn't sure either of us was going to make it out alive. She pushed me to get rid of things I had had in my closet for forever. She helped me see HOW much stuff I really had and how much stuff I really DIDN'T need. No girl needs 12 black sweaters that is for sure!

And if all of this help from my bestie was not blessing enough, this morning my aunt knocked on my bedroom door and offered to take all 12 bags to Goodwill for me! So we loaded up her trunk and backseat and off she went...

Now, there are still little piles of things I need to go through and a few things that need to be organized and straightened in my closet. But overall things are looking great. I can see the floor of my closet and all the things that are in it. It is wonderful!!

After everyone was gone and I was sitting in my room looking at all the work we had accomplished it struck me: Liz and Sharon helped me removed some of my grave clothes just like when Lazarus was raised from the dead and Jesus called the folks around him to take off his grave clothes. All the years of clothes and stuff I had been holding onto were holding me back from really enjoying what I had: lots of nice, new clothes. I wanted to tackle this mountain, I just couldn't do it on my own... I needed the help of others. And I have to admit, it was hard to ask for help and then to receive it. There were plenty of times last night I was ready to give up, but Liz was there pushing me forward, reminding me I didn't need whatever it was I was trying to keep and unwrapping my grave clothes, slowly but surely. And this morning I was dreading piling up all those bags, loading them into my car and taking them away. It wasn't that it was hard, it just was final. But there was Sharon willing to take my load for me. What a blessing!

This morning not only does my room and closet look totally different than they did yesterday morning but I am free from all the stuff I had been storing up. And so sweetly reminded that the only way to fully walk in life is to have others come around and help you take off your grave clothes!

Love in the Morning... Love in the Evening!

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

{Psalm 90:14}

The Fabulous Life... is an Imperfect Life

If I could just settle into this amazing truth, I think I might find that I not only enjoy life more but can actually walk in the fullness of who God is and who I am in Him more fully!

Life in Death

Today I have life and love because He died for me! The cross made a way for me when there was no other way. Jesus gladly bore all my guilt and shame that day! I am His and He is mine both now and forevermore!

"For Christ love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."

2 Corinthians 5: 14-15

JOY + PEACE

Sheer Bliss!!

There are so many cliches I could use right now to express how I am feeling...

Happy as a lark!

Tickled Pink!

Floating on a cloud!

Sometimes happiness sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open...

Luckiest girl in the world!

I hate to be so boring, I am a words girl for goodness sake, but I am also incredibly silly and do love a good cliche. I mean people have been using them forever because they work. Right?

Well faithful readers, this is handsome man is Mr. Aaron Bailey. I am so happy to introduce you to him! I believe there will be many happy stories in store for us and just couldn't wait another day to tell y'all how incredibly happy and blessed I am!!!

This Little Light of Mine!

Plant Joy!

I Get Lost in My Mind

Yesterday morning I opened up Jesus Calling and the opening words just popped off the page:

"You are on the right path. Listen more to Me, and less to your doubts."

I thought for a moment, how in the world did He know this was what I was doing? And as quickly as the thought came in it left and the truth of those two lines sunk into my heart. God is bigger than all my doubts. He has me! He always has my best interest in mind. He is guiding me and He will lead me every step of the way...

But I have to stand against getting lost in my mind. Remembering that I am found in Him and Him alone. I can trust Him to lead me every step of the way. I don't have to worry or doubt, all I have to do is listen and trust Him... every step of the way!

" The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice."

This Valentine's Day...

I am blessed to know the love of an amazing man!

A man who loves me unconditionally. Shows me grace every step of the way. Has taught me how to love others better and even how to receive love more fully. He always takes the lead. He never speaks against me. He fills my heart with so much joy that I feel as if I might burst these days!

Our relationship has certainly been a journey and I imagine it will continue to be... but I know He isn't going to leave me and will always protect me and cherish me and love me every step of the way!

Most days I wonder how am I so lucky to know this man? He is a dream boat for sure! And the truth is I am so BLESSED! He loved me, sought me out, and bought me at a very high price. It is more love than my heart can hold! But I will cling tightly to Him and trust that His love for me will never change.

The best part is He loves you too! And always has. Do you know the depths of the love He has? I hope that you do... it is a sweet, sweet love...

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

1 John 4:7-12

An Avid...

Christian?

I've never thought to put those two words together. I just read through an email where someone called me an avid Christian. At first I thought, I am not an avid Christian. Runners are avid but not Christians, and certainly not me. I am not an avid Christian! I am very serious about my faith and it certainly isn't just a hobby that I am crazy about...

But then I decided to look up the definition of avid and found this: Marked by keen interest and enthusiasm; characterized by enthusiasm and vigorous pursuit.

Enthusiasm and vigorous pursuit?! Well, maybe I do want to be counted as an avid Christian! And I guess if I really think about it, avid runners are probably some of the best and most devoted runners out there. They know the sport, they enjoy it, and they are probably very good at it because they work at it daily and devote their lives to being the best runner they can be. So, to be an avid Christian certainly wouldn't be a bad thing! It would actually be an amazing thing! And that might just be one of the sweetest compliments I have ever received!

New Year... Renewed!

{How is it February already?}

I'm sitting in my room and it is almost 1 AM... a new day has started and here I am to greet it. I've been having trouble going to bed early this year. And even as I sit here now typing I realize the old me has returned. The girl who stays up too late, too often. The girl who loves life and never wants to miss a thing. The girl who smiles and laughs!

She is back and I am rejoicing!!

Mission Failed... But Grace and Joy Prevail!

Well, it has been a very long time since my last posting... a very long time indeed...

I have to tell you the months of November and December were very hard months. I totally failed my thankfulness challenge and to be honest, I was pretty low and struggled to find the energy to express the little gratitude I had in my heart. I kept telling myself [and my mother kept saying to me] try to write something, it will surely help. But my strength was zapped and I just couldn't do it. It wasn't that I couldn't see all that I had to be thankful for, I just couldn't find my voice.

But thankfully the Lord knows my heart! He knew deep in my heart and my soul I was thankful. And His grace covered me and gave me the strength to make it through the last two months of 2011.

So today I would like to finish my challenge with 74 things I am thankful for:

27. A new year

28. A new Mac Book Pro

29. A new job

30. sweet girlfriends I can laugh with and share in the joy of Christ

31. adventures, big and small

32. HOPE

33. Great Expectations

34. The way God works in such mysterious ways in my life

35. My parents

36. Seeing answered prayers in my life

37. A new working schedule that allows me to have a bit of freedom

38. New black pants

39. Riding Boots

40. Getting to study Acts with one of the best Bible teachers and sweetest ladies I know

41. Knowing God is going to show up this year in BIG WAYS

42. Books

43. Getting off at 5PM again

44. Getting my Weekends back

45. Sunday lunch at my grandparents

46. A generous uncle

47. Art

48. New babies

49. Christ is strongest in our weakness

50. Inventions like Skype

51. Random fun

52. Fun memories from 2011

53. Plans to travel more this year

54. Flowers

55. Pedicures

56. New cookbooks

57. Seeing God work in lives around me

{This is hard!}

58. Glimmers of Hope

59. Hot showers

60. Warm Coffee

61. Being a part of a Godly legacy

62. Knowing people are praying for me

63. Friends who push me out of my comfort zone

64. Friends who push me toward Christ

65. Friends who love me even though they know way too much about me

66. God's unconditional love for me

67. Forgiveness

68. Grace

68. Serving a God who still speaks to His children

69. I am counted as a child of God

70. I hear the Lord's voice

71. My new Le Creuset Pan

72. Really good deals on really great things

73. That I have gotten to travel and see so much of the world already

74. I've seen the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean, The Dead Sea and The Red Sea

75. A generous Mom

76. Special Breakfasts with my Dad

77. God's constant provisions in my life

78. Fun

79. Laughter

80. Krispy Kreme Donuts

81. Sunshine

82. The way a full moon lights up the earth beneath it

83. The beauty of creation

84. Old friends

85. Cold Beer

86. A passion for food

87. The unique way God knit me together

88. The way God moves me along

89. The way God is always working on my behalf

90. The days we see snow in GA

91. Time spent away

92. Joy found only in Christ

93. Sweet times with the Lord

94. Freedom

95. The wisdom that comes from Christ alone

96. The Holy Spirit

97. Pictures

98. Big beds and soft sheets

99. this challenge is over

100. My all and all Jesus.

No. 26

A Monday off...

Yesterday I had the day off! Now I groaned and complained that I had to work Friday, Saturday and Sunday this past weekend. It really wasn't that bad, but I managed to bemoan it all weekend long. Even working every day I still got to have breakfast with a friend, get my oil changed, go to another friend's birthday party, see my best friend from growing up and her family, sleep in and have a lazy evening at home. So for all general purposes it was a pretty nice weekend and at the end of it I didn't have to go to work the next day!

Normally, I do get up on Mondays and go to work and they are usually very stressful/full days. But this Monday was a real treat! I woke up, watched a little Regis and Kelly (haven't done that in ages), and then I started on a task I have been trying to start for months now: cleaning out my closet. Boy did it feel good to get started! Then I had a nice little break when my girlfriend and her sweet little almost four month old son came to pick me up and we went out to lunch. Now that was fun and such a blessing to see them! Then it was back to work on my room... and I actually made some really good progress! And the best part about the whole day might have been arriving at Bible Study on time and not exhausted. It was wonderful!!

So, I admit I complained way to much and honestly am so guilty of complaining way too often about stuff that really isn't a big deal. And working on Sunday was really a blessing because Lord knew I needed the extra hours! But I am very thankful for a glorious day off yesterday!

No. 25

[I'm not feeling very chatty today so you'll have to excuse the short post!]

Falling Back, aka the end of Daylight Savings

I am not much of a morning person, so trying to wake up before 8 AM in the pitch black is VERY difficult! So I can't tell you how excited I was for Daylight savings to come to an end this year... VERY excited. Now, I am like everyone else out there who hates for it to get dark so early in the evening, but I can barely keep my eyes open much pass 10:30 PM any more so really I don't think it is going to be so bad this year.

Or maybe I am just choosing to go with it this year. AND maybe I am starting to make that shift in adulthood where you would just rather go to bed early and get up earlier. I don't know yet, this is a first for me! But I do know I am SO thankful when my alarm goes off at 7:15 AM I am happy to see the sunshine!!

A run through of October

No. 20
Got to spend three days at the Cloister with my aunt and one of her best (and most fun) friends! Pure luxury!

No. 21
Followed by five days on St. Simons Island with my parents and best friends and aunt!
October is the best month ever to be down there!!!

No. 22
Standing up with one of my best friends as she married the man of her dreams!
Such an answer to years of prayers!

No. 23
Getting to go away with my mom for a weekend!
A sweet time together!

No. 24
Borrowed dogs!
They might be the best kind... only when you have to return them it is sad.

No. 17, 18 & 19...

My favorite Italian Coffee showing up unexpectedly!

After being away for a week and arriving home very tired from a fun-filled weekend of wedding festivities I found this can of coffee sitting on the kitchen counter!

Now, you may ask yourself, what is so special about this coffee? And I would like to answer you! I have never been able to find this coffee in the US. So, the one and only can I brought home from Rome last year is the only can I have ever had of this delicious, perfectly roasted coffee. I love coffee and for me this is the most perfect cup of coffee in the world!

Now, you may ask yourself how in the world did you get this coffee? Surely if you had gone to Italy you would have listed it as something to be thankful for no matter how big of a pity party you were having!

You are right about that!

This coffee was brought to me by perfect strangers. If I passed them on the street I wouldn't even know to thank them. But my Aunt Sharon would. Her co-worker's parents were going to Italy and when she found out about their trip and asked her co-worker if he would ask his parents to pick me up a can. Crazy and kind, right?!

So, pretty much I can count this one as 17 and 18...and 19! Thankful for the coffee (which sadly is already gone!) and thankful for my aunt's thoughtfulness and the kindness of strangers!

Can I make it to 100 by Thanksgiving?

I haven't been feeling very thankful since my last post. Honestly, I've pretty much been having a pity party. Sorry I forgot to send you an invitation! But I'm making last call and about to lock the door, so it would be sort of a waste to invite you now...

You can be thankful I didn't invite you! [can I count that one toward my 100 days?!]

The stupidest thing about this whole pity party is that I have actually had a lot of cool stuff going on. So... in an attempt to make up for lost days I am going to try and be REALLY, REALLY Thankful today and in the days to come! I will end with a verse that I love:

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of the deer, he enables me to go on the heights."

Habakkuk 3:17-19

No. 16

Glimmers of Hope

[warning: this entry will have full disclosure... may be more than you want to know]

It feels like Fall all the sudden! Which shouldn't really be surprising since it is past Labor Day and all my white pants are put away. But in the south it seems like Labor Day is usually more of a pump fake then a true farewell to Summer. This year it feels totally different. It seems there has been a clear marking in time. One season is over a new season is underway...

[why is it so hard for me to go onto my next thought here?]

I was taking a walk this morning thinking about this summer and how I wanted to be thankful for it even though it didn't end how I had hoped it would. The question in my heart was, How can I be thankful for something that was not the happy ending I thought for sure it would be?

It was a magical summer, that is for sure and there is one aspect that must be shared. It is, of course, the hardest one for me to get out. I went out with a boy. A boy I really, really liked. I met him in the early spring and the night I met him fell hard for. He was like no one I had ever met before! So handsome, tall, brilliant, charming, smart, successful, here in Atlanta and we seemed to just get one another. But it was a very slow going... he wrote to me (oh, how romantic!) then I heard nothing for a month. Then in May things picked up again slowly and by June we were talking and hanging out. It was like a dream come true! We danced the night away on my birthday-- never would I have imagined a more perfect birthday celebration, surrounded by all my friends and dancing with the most handsome man at he party! He took me on some fun dates, it was amazing! But then he dashed off into his exciting life of travel... I got a postcard and missed him a whole lot. We had one last date when he got back and that was the last I heard of him... and the end of the fairy tale.

To be honest my joy was dashed for a bit and my heart, while not broken, was hurting. It is never fun to have something so fun taken away. But I continually think about what a dear friend of mine always says to me, "God gives us glimmers of hope sometimes to remind us He loves us and wants to satisfy the desires of my hearts." So the answer to my question is I can be thankful for much! It was a fun summer. I was reminded how much fun dating can be. I got to go out on fun dates, with a very handsome, sweet guy. My heart was awakened with a little glimmer of hope.

It seems only fitting that this year Labor Day is a fine farewell to Summer. This summer deserved a proper bon vonage. It was a great summer! I think the Lord knew I needed it and I am so thankful for it!

Praise the Lord oh my soul and let all that is within me praise His name!

No. 15

When the Lord lifts your burden!

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon me and learn from me, for I am gentle and huble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light"
Matthew 11:28-30