The Small Things Make All The Difference

Good mornin' my fall friends & family!  Wow, it has been a fantastic week.  I seem to finally be in the right time zone & no longer suffering from 6 hour jet lag.  It has sure been a long 2 weeks getting over that, but it is finished :).

Every time I return home I am quickly reminded of how much I enjoy the small things in life... a smile from my niece, a Chai Latte with a shot of espresso, the warmth of a hug from my parents, the cool fresh air [& of course boots]... It's the little things that make up the big picture, don't ya think?  Here are some small, but good memories, from the week so far.

  

 [Pastries filled with Nutella & Marshmallows baked with Cinnamon Sugar & Brown

Sugar on top, drizzled with Sweetened Condensed Milk... Tastier than all get out!]

  

 [My lovely neighbordhood on the fall as I drive home to make grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup!]

 

[Always a funny face being made with the bro]

       

 [Starbucks with Bells & creating a rock wall, teehee]

[Cozy Day]

  

 [Pumpkin Ale with Brown Sugar Rimming &

my beautiful new Steve Madden boots!!! I couldn't be more stoked about them ;) ]

Now if I do say this makes for a pretty good week entering into fall.  Wouldn't you agree?
Proverbs 13:7 reads a pretty great verse about living simply... Here it is in The Message:

A pretentious, showy life is an empty life;
   a plain and simple life is a full life. 

Have a beautiful day & remember to appreciate the small things & to count your blessings :)

Love... 

Happenings [+ an encouraging word for YOU!]

Good Tuesday morning lovebugs.  What consisted of your weekend and Monday?  I had a pretty happenin' one.  Went to a few shows, spent a lot of time with some dear friends & family, sipped on some delicious tea, & enjoyed life... Who doesn't like to do all of that? Oh yes!  And I went job shopping :)  Enjoy a recap of the my weekend and a bit of this week too!

And make sure to make it all the way to the bottom for an encouraging word for your heart!

[Gettin' dolled up to go to Charlotte Saturday night.. Nothing

better than a lace top, highwaisted pencil skirt, key necklace,

and fishnet stockings!]

  

[Seth Snider is an incredible musician, an amazing photographer, & a dear friend.  He is headed

to Australia to connect the church& the community together by coffee.  Genius idea!  He put on a

dinner & benefit concert for his mission and also released a CD which is super good!  You should

also check his stuff out!  Below his CD down there are some links to his work]

 

[http://sethdiggslove.com/ :: http://sethsniderphotography.com/

http://sethsnider.bandcamp.com/album/the-presence-of-freedom]

  

[Have you ever heard of Tyler Ramsey?  Well you need to!  He is a phenomenal musician &will def put 

you in an incredible mood - not to mention he is also a member of Band of Horses.  Check out his stuff!]

  

 [Sunday afternoon with the lovely niece & nephew who always steal my heart!]

[Crazy Love is an incredible book by Franchis Chan about the deep love of the Father for us,

And how a life lived in response of that is suppose to look.  It will make you think & create

a good shifting to happen within side of you.  I would recommend you getting your hands on this!]

 [And of course I ended the day Monday with sharing a goooood cup of tea

with my wonderful momma :: Try it out, 2 bags of green tea, 1 bag of blue-

berry tea, and a dash of honey steeped for 3 minutes.  You won't regret it!]

This week has been good for me, yes it is only the second day, but I can feel the Lord closer & some type of new hope rising up in my heart.  I sometimes think He allows us to experience what it feels like to have Him not fully as close as He really wants to be, this way we hunger for Him, and we thirst for Him even more.  I began reading in Proverbs 10 this morning and stumbled upon a verse that was so comforting to my soul... In the 3rd verse in The Message it reads: "God won't starve an honest soul..."  We get hungry, and we should... If we never got hungry than we would never go back for more.  But the Father gives us just enough each day, that we can survive, that we can thrive, but that we need to come back for more each day.  Because we cannot last on yesterdays bread, He has created a new batch of fresh baked bread every single morning for us to feast on... But it's our choice if we choose to feast!  In Matthew 4:4 Jesus repeats something that was said in Deuteronomy, "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."  I have just had a season of great excitement, and almost ease of spending time with the Lord... but I have been coming to a place where it is again a struggle.  I wonder why this is some times, because I have experience Jesus in so many ways I probably couldn't recount them all, and I know who He is, and I know that He is almighty & I fully believe He is as good as He has proven Himself to be... but there is this struggle I feel that follows me around.  But then I read verses like this, and I am not only encouraged in the midst of it, but I am excited to continue fighting for what I know I want and a big sigh of relief comes to my heart because it is not only what I want, it is what the Father wants, and He fights for me for it.

We need Him daily, no matter how good or bad things are.  And we also desire Him daily, whether it's the actual Word of God that we desire, or His presence, or His touch... Whatever it is, in whatever form it may be, we desire Him even when we don't realize we are.  AND! The good new is this:  He desires us too, has never stopped desiring us, will always desire us... and He will never let our honest souls starve.  He is good!

I hope you are encouraged and this brings a refreshing breeze to your soul.  Grace to you in whatever situation you may be in.  Jesus loves you a whole lot & sees where you are & understands.  Just continue to love on Him, no matter how big or small you may be able to do it today.  He responds to us.

Love...