whatever...

This may be s-t-e-t-c-h-i-n-g it 

for white wednesday but I'm going to anyway.

I want to share a bit of what's been on my heart this week.

Whatever is…

true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy

think about such things.

We're all women here, right?

We know how emotions

can rule

our hearts and our minds.

When I get in that dark place

and

the thoughts are swirling

and 

just getting darker and darker;

this is what I come back to:

What do I know  to be true?

I can always come back to the

promises of God

and HIS character.

God is good.

HE loves me.

And HE's got this(whatever this  is).

And almost  all  of what

I am dwelling on

is NOT truth

but 

rather my emotions.

This week, this became

my meditation once again.

linking to:

White Wednesday @ Faded  Charm
Show off Your Cottage @ The House in the Roses 
Creative Blogger's Party & Hop @ Homemaker on a Dime
Make it Pretty @ The Dedicated House
Tuesday Cowgirl Up @ The Farmhouse Porch 
Your Cozy Home @ Cozy Home Scenes
Knick of Time Tuesday @ Knick of Time
Tuesday's Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
*****************************************
Cottage Garden Party@ Fishtail Cottage
Under $100 @ Beyond the Picket Fence
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants
Time Travel Thursday @ Brambleberry Cottage
Air Your Laundry Friday @ Freckled Laundry
Vintage Inspiration Friday @ Common Ground
Fabulous Creative Friday @ Jennifer Rizzo
Farmhouse Friday @ Laurie Anna's Vintage Home
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
PRIMP Your Stuff @ (PRIMP)
Thriftin' on a Thursday @ Savvy City Farmer
Inspiration Friday @ At The Picket Fence
Potpourri @ 2805

beauty in the rain..

I woke up this morning 

with my heart as  heavy

as the clouds 

that were pouring their tears upon us.

 I see changes coming.

Coming as quickly as the weather  

that changes from 

bright and cheery

to 

dark and dreary.

As any self-respecting, middle-aged ,mid-life crisis hormonal homeschooling mama would do,

I left my girl doing algebra 

and 

 I went outside to play.

I sought to find beauty in the rain.

Out on the porch, down the road, and into the alfalfa field

I went.

And do you know what?

I found it.

I found the beauty.

I just had to look for it.

 Find rest, O my soul, 

in God alone; 

my hope comes from Him.  

He alone is my rock and my salvation; 

He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  

My salvation and my honor depend on God; 

He is my mighty rock, my refuge.  

Trust in Him at all times, 

O people; pour out your hearts to Him,

for God is our refuge.

Psalm 62

Where are you looking for beauty today?

I heard an old, old story, How a Savior came from glory, How He gave His life on Calvary To save a wretch like me; I heard about His groaning, Of His precious blood's atoning, Then I repented of my sins; And won the victory. O victory in Jesus, My Savior, forever. He sought me and bought me With His redeeming blood; He loved me ere I knew Him, And all my love is due Him, He plunged me to victory, Beneath the cleansing flood.

Resurrection Sunday Morning Sunshine

thirty.two

that 's how many years 

we've been man and wife

I love this picture of us.

more than any other ever  taken

I see so much love and joy in my husband's face.

We are truly at peace with each other.

I wish I could say that we have it all figured out

and that everyday is like that moment

but

it is 

not.

There are many days when I see this face

I see a man with sad eyes.

 My heart breaks for him

and misses the man he used to be.

(his story is told here~he lost his twin brother to suicide)

Then there are the days when I am not the wife I should be.


I may be a bit too opinionated.

In fact, we are having a hard time of it right now.

Last year I wrote this post.

I have gone back to read it 1, 2 , many times

over the past year.

to encourage me.

 Love is  always will be a choice.

I love this man

and

I count him as one of my greatest gifts.

I always hesitate to write a post like this. 

 I want to be real. 

I want to share my life with you. 

 my real life.  

I don't want you

 to 

think for one minute

 that it is all white paint and roses over here.  

And that all I  do is  dream up a project 

and that my 

husband does it.  

No, we are real people with real feelings that 

often get hurt, 

real people with tempers that often are set off,

and real people that desperately need a Savior.  

A real Savior to teach us grace, forgiveness and mercy.

And so today, even though we are struggling,


I choose...to give thanks...because...

all is grace.

joy dare...2.12.2012

for you

for me

I've tried to write this post about 3 times now

and

 I can't quite figure out what I'm trying to say

or 

how to say it

so

I will  do the obvious:

quit trying 

and

just 

 let it speak for itself.

continuing to count to 1000 ...see what it's all about here

thankful for these gifts:

  HE is with me

  HE delights in me

  HE rejoices over me 

beauty...

 here are a few shots

of the promised bouquet

of peonies

 you may ask

when do i have time to play with flowers?

 i don't

but 

life is too stinkin' short, dang-it

the peonies will be gone before i know it

 i might have have disaster all around  me

i do

there might not be a clear spot on the counter

there isn't

my hair might be a mess

it is 

but

i have beauty

 this quote has been taped onto our upstairs bathroom mirror 

ever since my oldest daughter 

was still here at home..

in  her handwriting...
~ that is beauty ~