Sunsets & Weekly Recaps

For my entire life, I have lived below the tree tops. No matter how many times I jump up and down on my Pogo stick (hey, remember those?) I have not managed to see a successful sunset from my backyard. Or front yard. I realize it is completely a first world problem to complain about having to drive somewhere to watch the sun dip below the horizon, but I honestly feel like I'm missing out every night! 

So that being said, I feel utterly and completely spoiled during this stay with my family! Can you believe this is the view from their back deck?? There is nothing like watching the sun go down every night that reminds me of the greatness and glory of the Lord. In the midst of trials and challenges, that setting sun is a reminder of His perfect faithfulness and His unending beauty. 

And that brings me to this week's ups and downs!

Ups:

• Being able to witness a perfect sunset every night this week. I'm not kidding, every night!! You'd think it would get old, but it truly just gets more exquisite.
• Dunkin Donuts. There are 5 within a 10 minute radius of my parents' home. It's pretty darn awesome. I'll have to pace myself or I'll be living off a caffeine high for the duration of my stay! Come to think of it, that's not necessarily a bad thing! ;) 
• Being with my family of course! I probably should have ordered this before the DD thing... But in all sincerity, it's such a blessing to be with them while my hubby is off training. They keep my mind off of how much it sucks to be without him! 

Downs:

• The SCOTUS ruling yesterday in favor of upholding Obamacare. It was a devastating blow for America, and all I can do is trust that God has a plan for all of this. To receive it as a challenge for this nation to awaken to the downward spiral we're in and get to the polls this November!! If we want to repeal Obamacare, we have to get rid of its namesake. 
• Missing my hubby. It has been 8 days since we've had any contact whatsoever. Even during his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan we had more opportunity for contact. While I knew this heading into this crazy month, I'm reminded how helplessly married I am and how I definitely feel the distance. But! God is good and He gives grace right when it is needed. 
• Unending headaches. I think there is something in the air here in NY that is seriously messing with my allergies! I've had an ongoing headache since I got here. But I will survive! As long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive...hey hey... ;) (So cheesy, right?) 

Happy Friday to y'all! 

Stay cool and hydrated!

Ups & Downs...& Bounty Paper Towels

Staring at a blank blog post is nearly as daunting as those little blue essay books back in college. Sometimes I swear I can feel the blush rush to my cheeks just staring at all the negative space. (I don't know about you, but I haaated those blue books! I either couldn't fill them up enough, or ran out of space. Never just right!) 


A lot has been going on in this head of mine. In the first few weeks of a new year my mind is filled with goals and dreams and plans of action... It's all a good thing! And this year especially I (we, really, the hubby is always my partner in crime and goodness!) am so motivated and encouraged in multiple areas and directions to make positive changes and improvements.

I have always held the belief that once the devil sees what good you're up to, he sends in his forces to throw you off track. To bring you down, to give you doubt.. it starts with the little foxes (Song of Solomon 2:15) and before you know it, life seems like a mess of ungodly attitudes, emotional imbalance and heaven knows what else. You're staring at a scene called life, and it mirrors those Bounty commercials where milk is dripping off the table, mud prints from the kids has been tracked in through the house (on white carpet of course!) dirty water from the messy dog is all over the walls, and somehow jelly is on your clothing, and you think what on earth just happened? 


That was my week. What happened was for one moment, a little fox made its way into our life and ate away at my peace. But gloriously, God is on the throne. Amen and amen. For the last three days my time with the Lord has now nailed into this stubborn head of mine the exact same message, by three completely different books, from three different eras of history. (I LOVE it when that happens!!) And God is the same God of yesterday and today, and forevermore. Amen and amen.

The Ups for this week:
*Thank God for His faithfulness! My peace is on the mend and I am feeling my spirits lift!
*Getting rid of DirectTV! Loving the fact that we have that out of the house. So much more mental freedom knowing that's gone!
*My hubby is taking me on a date tonight and yes, I'm pretty excited! (Curled my hair and everything!) He's even seeing a movie he has no interest in... for me! :)
*The one good week of angel kitty. Miss Scarlett has been like a dove from heaven since we returned to VA and we have loved it. But Miss Terror returned yesterday...

Downs:
*Spiritual struggles. And Bounty commercials of life. I sure wish there was a quicker picker way to put life back together immediately! Character never happens overnight though...
*Miss Terror. She's back to dumping my water and stealing my straws, kicking off our table place mats and running around like she's in charge. Holy heck, she makes me crazy!
*Newt Gingrich. I'm challenging myself to not speak malice toward others... and this one is going to be a challenge for sure! Let's just say, I don't like the man.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Goals for the New Year

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I have never been one for New Years' Resolutions. I have always felt that they only set you up for failure. One may resolve to lose 20+/-lbs, but there is something about January 1st that triggers cravings for anything and everything under the sun. Suddenly, all the leftover Christmas goodies look good again.... *sigh* 

But goals are an entirely different subject. Goals keep life moving, they give a sense of structure and something to strive for. My list is more like a set of tweaks to my normal lifestyle, but tweaks I am wholeheartedly diving into.

And so, I set forth these goals for the new year: 

1. Less TV. I am not much of a TV watcher, but I admit that we have more than enough shows on our DVR list. We have gone through that list and have each eliminated a few shows and are down to a few favorites. Yes, it is entertaining, but has no real value. Time is precious and I want to use it wisely.

2. More reading. In our "cutting down the TV intake" discussion, we have decided to have "reading nights." Two books and a cozy spot = a wise use of free time. I am pretty excited to expand our horizons in this area.

"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become."
— C. S. Lewis 

3. Pursue my love of photography. I'm excited to see where this takes me. I have my camera picked out, my savings fund ready to go and a whole lot of heart and passion to back it up. I know this is from the Lord and I am willing to give this an honest shot! 

4. Continue to work on balancing my passion for politics and my Walk with Christ . I fully understand that saying that out loud makes me look awful, but I will try to clarify it by saying that my passion for the state of this nation often overwhelms me and/or stresses me out/depresses me (yes, things in the nation are that bad). So rather than focus on how hopeless things are, I will strive to keep my eyes on the Big Picture; on the glory of God and His faithfulness. What is the point of being fired up over this fallen existence if my eyes are not on what is of eternal value? We are to "wake up with our Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other - and read the Bible first."

"What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" - Mark 8:36

5. Experiment more in the kitchen. The last five months have given me a good selection of staple meals, but I really want to shake things up. I'm ready to get back on the raw food diet after this crazy holiday season (though I can't quite accomplish that with the cold weather...) and rev up the healthy lifestyle. I got an incredible vegetarian cookbook for Christmas and I cannot wait to dive into it. (I realize the husband needs his meat, so I'll be sure to keep him fed!)

6. Become more self-sufficient. Let's face it, given the current economic situation of the nation, we could be heading toward a truly difficult time. And unfortunately, we as a people are hardly prepared. When the power goes out we barely know what to do with ourselves (you know I'm right!). While I can't exactly grow a garden and can our food in a rental, there are other ways to be less reliant on Walmart and Kroger. I just need to figure them out. *wink*

And that is all I have for now. It's only January! This is a continual process... Never stop learning. Never stop living. I'm pretty excited to see all that this year will hold! 

So, how about you? What are your goals or resolutions? 

For the Last Minute Shopper

I feel a little bit like Oprah right now if I'm being honest. But I had this idea after weeks of Christmas shopping (and weeks of pulling my hair out, in all seriousness!). Why not do my own "Favorite Things" post? Maybe it will help spark some ideas for all you last minute shoppers with that one person on your list that makes you want to scream! 

There is nothing easier than to wrap a book or movie and put it under the tree. I'm a bit of a book snob, so my list consisted of mostly books this year. These are a few favorites that I have thoroughly enjoyed this year:

1. Want to truly understand our Constitution? 5000 Year Leap

2. Want to understand why our country is the way it is? Broke

3. A wonderful cookbook that I personally love is Mastering Your Metabolism

4. I'm not a Tom Cruise fan, but I *love* this movie: Knight and Day 

5. Another fun movie night with Date Night 

6. If you want to blow your mind with God's amazing greatness, check out Louie Giglio's How Great is Our God

7. One of my all-time favorite novels, Francine River's Redeeming Love

8. The best Yoga workout out there: Jillian Michael's Yoga Meldown

 

9.  The Game of Things, the most fun you'll have playing a game! ~ Walmart, Target, or wherever games are sold

10. The best bridesmaid gift I ever received was my amazingly comfy Victoria's Secret Kimono Wrap

11. Freshen up your living room with an endless assortment of Pillow Covers

12. I cannot imagine living without my Kitchen Aid Mixer!

13. Costume Jewelry! Rings! and more Rings!

14. Lip Stain, the best lip color while not breaking the bank! ~ Anywhere makeup is sold

15. Coffee Syrups ~ Found at your local grocers and coffee shops

16. I've been dying to receive this delicious chocolate covered goodness

17. One of my favorite wedding gifts are our ColorWave Dishes

18. One of my favorite kitchen gadgets is my Ice Cream Maker!

Good luck on your last minute shopping!! Hopefully one of my favorite things was a little inspiration for your friends and family! 

Happy Shopping! 

 

Our Privilege, Our Duty

Today is a pretty big day in America. Correction: Today has the potential to be a documented day in history. A chance for the American people stand up to their government and say "enough is enough" and exercise their right to vote. This is the voice of the American people and it's almost the only thing we have left. I am a bundle of excited nerves awaiting the end result of this day.  

For anyone who knows me will laugh in agreement when I say this: I am a passionate person. Perhaps when we first meet, I may stay quiet and observe, but inside I'm analyzing and configuring, trying to see where I fit in our new-found friendship. This is of course, my way of being respectful. In no way am I judging, it's just the way I roll. But once you have earned my trust, you will learn that I have certain passions in life. Yes, I do like the bed to be made just so, and the living room should be in order before shutting off the lights at night, but these are just quirks. 

One thing that brings out the fiery side is my love for politics and government. I add a disclaimer that I have a difficult time saying "politics," for the word has such negative connotations. Politics is often seen as being shady, corrupt, and in most cases, evil. For what I love is liberty. I revere the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. I believe they are two documents that have set in motion the most incredible nation to ever exist. It is their foundation that contains an infallible truth that we are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I believe in Divine Providence, and that God our Creator, had (and still has) His hand in the workings of this nation. I believe our Founding Fathers were some of the most extraordinary individuals who had the gift of seeing beyond themselves and their generation to unseen future generations; to my generation and beyond. Their writings and works (and not the textbook versions, mind you) give insight into their desire and desperate need for God in their new republic.  As George Washington said, 

“It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”

Unfortunately, we've come a long way since then, and are now under the governing of countless politicians who want nothing more than to do away with the Constitution and all it stands for. God has been removed from our schools, courthouses, and even our public vocabularies. It's a messed up world, and this is just a soapbox post. I'd be more than happy to delve into a serious and in-depth discussion of all things political at your local Starbucks ~ If you're not afraid of the passion of course *wink*. 

For now, I will just excitedly anticipate the hopeful outcome of this Election Day, 2010. I trust America is getting out the vote today. We have it so easy here ~ We need only hop in our car and drive down to our local town office, pick up a pencil or press a few buttons and vote. I find it shameful that we have a mid-term elections turn-out of 38% when it brings us no harm to do so. Remember the Iraqi elections in 2005? They risked their lives to vote for the first time, and even proudly displayed their ink-dipped fingers (a protection against double voting fraud). I found this photo online that should speak volumes:

{"A young Iraqi girl asked for her finger to be inked even though she was too young to vote in this Iraq election. Iraqis voted in Sunday's election as insurgents killed 38 people across the country, unleashing a barrage of mortars intent on disrupting the historic day."}

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Though November 2, 2010 could very well be a day for the history books with a huge House and Senate turnover...November 3, 2010 is when the work starts. I pray we see the change we actually need.