in love with the shabby chic

For months, I've been building my electronic design portfolio of how I want to decorate my house...it's all dreams on the computer for now beings that we live in a tiny little rented apartment. But one can dream, right? Anyways...I've started doing my craigslist research to start building my collection of rare finds for when we move in July. It's approaching quickly and I want to get rid of the stuff that I know we don't want to bring to our new home. Yesterday, I found the first piece to my future design approach and am so happy about it! You can't beat cheap, used furniture! Here is a pic of our new shabby chic beauty of a table that I'm so excited about!

Welp, and that's about all the excitement in my weekend thus far...back to paper writing :) I'll post about my gratitude for the past week tonight!

Super Cute!

 

 

 

 

 

Forgiving Everything

As you can see, my posting is becoming fewer and far between but that will end soon! I have two more weeks of full time teaching before I am a free woman! April 2nd is the beginning of a week long break because it is spring break for my class...then I go back for two weeks just for observation purposes. That means, no lesson planning, no staying late after school or arriving 2 hours early, and no Sunday grading! I am so excited to be back in my home with time to make dinner and...blog! I know that having a job will bring these time constraints but at least I will be working on lessons for my own classroom in the way that I want to implement my curriculum. I also will not have the pressure of grad school write-ups, thesis papers, and discussion entries. Praise Jesus! Graduation on April 30th cannot come soon enough. Are you tired of me complaining about how busy I am? Probs :)

With that said...I'll stop!

Once again...a week filled with so many things to be grateful for. Today is day 17 of 31 days of gratitude and instead of back filling my week, I want to just blog about today...Forgiving Everything.

"Many people have had a time in their life when the

thought of forgiveness was so overwhelming they couldn't

even consider it. But because God knows how the root of bitterness

can poison and strangle, he sometimes uses an unexpected

episode to teach us how to forgive and then to give thanks.

This process can occur in an instant of realization

or it can evolve over time...

It was suddenly clear to me that as long as I separate myself

from even one person, I separate myself from God. How self-righteous I

had been. How arrogant!...

No one can take my good away. My life is a gift from God,

and every experience, no matter how painful

or confusing or hurtful, can draw me closer

to him if I allow it to. He has taught me to forgive-and then to give

thanks- in everything."

The above words are bits of pieces of Karen's story that she tells of not being able to forgive the woman in which her husband left her for. She explains that she eventually was able to forgive this woman but after many years of hurt, anger, bitterness, and the inability to let go. I cannot imagine being in Karen's situation but I do know that it doesn't always make sense to forgive those who hurt you. Society tells us that if someone hurts you in any way, shape, or form that we should give them what they deserve...take away friendship, hurt them back, and that they do not deserve forgiveness. This is actually the opposite of what Jesus calls us to as Christians. We are to love as He loved and that means practicing forgiveness always in every situation. He forgave us by dying on the cross so why do we feel that it is okay to hold on to every wrong-doing that another has committed against us? It isn't.

Now, I am not saying that this is easy to do. Forgiveness is difficult and oftentimes takes a lot of time to truly forgive someone. And once we eventually forgive them, are we able to love them again? Seems impossible at times I'm sure but it is possible! 

As I reflect on forgiveness and how it impacts my experience and expression of gratitude, I realize that I oftentimes have a lack of forgiveness. I might say with my mouth that I forgive someone but then continue to hold bitterness and hurt in my heart.

Today, I am grateful for the constant forgiveness I receive from my sweet husband. I continue to fail him over and over yet he loves me and forgives me even in times when this is hard to do. We both realize that we are not perfect people and we know that a life without forgiveness for one another would be miserable and full of bitterness...so thank you Matt! 

Today, I want to challenge you to think of one person that you need to forgive...start praying for a changed heart towards that person so that you are able to truly forgive them and love them again.

Grieving with Gratitude & Hidden Blessings

Day 10... grieving with gratitude. Grateful for a loss? Sounds so foreign. That's because it is to our society. This is one of the hardest things for a human to do, to be grateful amongst heartache and loss. We often become mad at God and think that He does not love us because of a hardship that we endure. We think He may be punishing us when in fact, He is not. I recently endured a hard situation in my life surrounding my wedding. I won't go into great detail but at the time, it was really hard on me emotionally. I look back now and realize that I am grateful for the chance to be able to recognize my hard heart and bitterness. Forgiveness and grace does not come easy for anyone and I was really being challenged in these areas at this time. I made a mistake handling a particular situation and dealing with the repercussions of that situation was not easy for me. Admitting my wrongdoing and asking for forgiveness was also not easy. But once again, looking back, it makes me grateful for the opportunity to be able to love as Christ would love regardless of my human instincts and societal pressures. It doesn't always make sense to us to love as Christ does but we do it because we are to obey. And I trust that through prayer and over time, God will continue to heal this situation!

Day 11...embracing hidden blessings.

"Sometimes it takes seeing others suffer to awaken us to how blessed we are. It's as though God catches us by the sleeve and says, "Look across the street, down the road, over the hill. You can learn from those folks: They know what pain is...they know what it means to be disappointed...and yet they praise me."

I'll leave you with that quote. Think about it :)

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Day 12: something you're grateful for that you do not yet see.

Day 13: ways in which God has strengthened you.

Involving Yourself

Day five was Monday...noticing God's presence. I'm going to cheat here and not talk about what I put in my jar on Monday because I want to share what I noticed yesterday. Before I came home for the day, I went to school for an hour for a meeting. It was a meeting regarding one of my students whose parents basically abandoned him and his home life is awful. Each day is a challenge to manage his behavior and he longs for anyone to pay any kind of attention to him. Breaks my heart everyday. I didn't feel well and my heart was hurting. On my drive to a doctor's appointment, it stopped raining long enough for a rainbow to appear. This was my reminder that God is in control of any situation...hard or easy. In His presence, I was able to take refuge and breathe and hopefully this student will find this peace one day too. Waking up to hear about what is going on in Japan this morning makes me realize that my hardships in life seem so small...I feel this way compared to this students' hardships as well. Just so sad.

Because it has been almost an entire week of falling behind in blogging, I'll skip to today's. I have read and added to my jar for days 6-8 which allowed me to focus on giving and receiving gifts of the heart, hoping in Christ, and "being there". Actually, I want to share one quick quote before skipping to today.

Today some people are disinterested in the suffering

and celebrations of neighbors and friends.

To ignore these experiences, however, is to diminish

one of the fundamental needs of society:

to support each other individually and collectively,

in times of victory and in times of defeat.

Is it critical to make time to express gratitude together.

So what if we're tired or busy? 

We have only this moment to act before it slips

away forever. 

Sometimes we have to go out of our way.

These few sentences made me step back and think about how I have responded to others during momentous occasions in their lives. Sure, it is easy to be happy or sad for someone that you are close to but what about a neighbor, co-worker, or acquaintance? Am I so consumed in my own life that I fail to celebrate others' big moments in their lives or grieve with someone who is suffering? Living in Seattle can feel lonely at times. We are surrounded by people all of the time but for the most part, people like to do their own thing and keep to themselves. I want to make it my goal to get to know my neighbors in this next month. Also...it is important to really be there for those we love. Not just by gesture...but by action and emotion.

Now to today...day 9..."Involving Yourself"

1 Peter 4:10: Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

"List three ways people have been kind to you. How has their kindness made you more grateful?"

1. My dear friend Cassidi sent me the sweetest card in the mail today just to say hi. What a thoughtful gesture which reminded me of how grateful I am to have such an amazing woman like her in my life. I truly do have the best friends a girl could ask for. 

2. Matt's Auntie Jantie sent me her favorite lip gloss in the mail today. Such a blessing!

3. My sweet husband has been taking care of me as I've been sick, making dinners while I'm doing homework, and even scrubbing our bathrooms in his free weekend time. He is so supportive of me in my last few weeks of grad school...beyond grateful.

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Day 10: Write down some things you are grateful for as a result of a loss you've suffered.
Day 11: Write down one of the blessings God has revealed to you through a painful trial in your life.

friendship

Woops! Let's just say it's been a loooong week. So many attitudes of gratitude to share with you...

Day four...celebrating friendships. I loved this day. The gift of true friendship from someone is such a blessing. I have the most amazing friends and as I reflected upon who they were, I started to realize what a unique treasure each of them was. When we are in school or still living at home next to those we grew up with, it is easy to stay in contact with those that you love. For Matt and I, it's so hard to keep in touch with everyone as much as we'd like to but when we do talk to our friends, we are constantly being reminded of the blessing that they are.

I am grateful for all of my friends each and every day, but day four was Sunday and I wrote down that day that I was especially grateful for a precious gem named Brianne Haagenson! She is a constant light in my life, speaking words of wisdom to me, making me laugh, and letting me bounce the hard stuff off of her. I told her about a hard situation that had happened in my week and she was immediately there for me to first validate my feelings and then simply to have empathy for me. She does a great job of listening and doesn't necessarily always tell me everything will be ok...she is just honest, truthful, and can always identify. Her and her husband, Erik, are two of the most genuine people I know and a solid rock in our lives!

Today is Day 8 so I'll catch up later hopefully!

Simple Gifts & The Gift of Life

Day 2 & 3...see? I need grace!

Day two was yesterday. The simple gifts of life are abundant yet often overlooked. We get so wrapped up in our daily routine, housework, and trying to accomplish "life" that we miss out on the simple gifts. Have you ever noticed how a tragedy can turn this perspective upside down? One day, we're angry that our significant other was late to dinner...then you hear about a car accident that killed someone's husband...and now you're beyond grateful that your husband is simply alive. It's a shame that we often cannot find this gratitude without something tragic happening to us or another. I encourage you to take a moment to find 5 simple gifts in life that you are grateful for.

5 Simple Reasons for Gratitude:

•  a coffee maker that brews the most delicious coffee which makes most mornings very enjoyable
• a guest bedroom where our friends and family can sleep if they want to come visit us
• a husband that strives to eat healthy (I do not so it is huge encouragement to me!)
• my 2nd graders that continue to give me perspective about my very fortunate life
• a computer that allows me to be able to blog

Day three is today and the chapter couldn't have been read at a better time. The author writes about how she and her husband spent a weekend fixing up a cabin that they own. She was in the shower after a long day of raking leaves and pine needles and was exhausted. While in the shower, her mind was racing as she thought about her long "to do" list to fix the cabin in such a way that it felt "together". At that moment, her husband tapped on the bathroom window and wanted her to come outside to watch the sunset with him. She then realized that the gift of being able to watch the sunset with her husband was enough. The gift of life. To be alive, healthy, and with her husband in the mountains was enough blessing to forget about everything else that mattered just 5 seconds ago.

I woke up this morning feeling the exact same way as she did when she entered the shower. How am I supposed to write two papers, lesson plan for next week, grade papers, clean our house, make dinner, grocery shop...the list goes on and on? And on top of all of that...be a good wife?! It seems impossible. Ya know what? There is a good chance that I won't accomplish everything that I want to before Monday morning but right now, I am grateful for my cup of coffee in my hand and my husband, who is sitting beside me reading his Bible. We are off to Top Pot donuts (the best place ever) and the sun is shining and I am grateful for THAT this morning! Our house may be messy and papers may need to be written but life goes on regardless of whether I accomplish anything today. Thank you Jesus.

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Day 4: Make a list of friends that you are grateful for and why.

Day 5: Consider God's creation and write down a creation that you are grateful for (flowers, trees, water, etc.).

Day 1

"Gratitude is not only the memory, but the homage of the heart-

rendered to God for his goodness"

Yesterday was actually Day 1 but like I said, I need grace because I don't always have the energy or time to sit down and blog. So, I'll blog about yesterday this morning and hopefully blog about Day 2 tonight. Yesterday (and everyday), I was grateful for my sweet husband. Being a teacher means being sick approximately ever other week. It has been exhausting to constantly be getting colds which takes away from the limited amount of energy that I have left at the end of each day/week. As Matt brought me cold medicine and a heated rice bag, I realized what a blessing it is to have someone to take care of you.

I am also thankful for our amazing community group! We meet on Thursdays so although I have a cold, I came home feeling refreshed and grateful for the chance to reflect on what's really important in the midst of a worldly week.

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Day 3: one thing that you are most grateful for regarding the gift of life

 

Jar of Blessings- Intro

Today was a long day. On my drive home, I usually sing to the music, talk to my family & friends on the phone, or just relax for 20 minutes of "me" time. Today was different. I had a headache, my bluetooth was cutting out while talking to my mama so I felt frustrated, my feet hurt, and I was hungry. All I could do was feel sorry for myself because I was so tired and exhausted.

As I approached my door, I saw a package waiting and knew immediately, it was just what I needed...my Basket of Blessings book! Before I even opened to the first chapter, I began thinking about how I was definitely not focusing on what I had to be grateful for today. I started realizing that today was actually a really great day. I woke up feeling rested, my morning at school consisted of Dr. Seuss movies and cookies, the sun was shining throughout the day, and I have no homework tonight. Yes, I was a little tired and hungry but really? This book could not have come at a better time. For the next 4.5 weeks, my days will be crazy. I find myself not having a single day to simply forget about homework. There is always a paper to be written, research articles to read, observation write-ups, papers to grade, lessons to plan, the list goes on and on. April 1st will be the end of most of that but it seems so far away. Despite my workload, I still have so much to be grateful for. In fact, I should be grateful for everything in my life because truly, it's all a blessing!

I read only the introduction to the book to better understand the story behind the author's blessing basket and how she wants her readers to be involved in this project. Just a few favorite parts from what I read...

Most of us go through life so eager to make things happen, to accumulate something for the future, to make our mark on the world that we nearly-and often completely- overlook or underestimate the blessings that are part of our lives.

How different our lives would be if we turned our hearts toward gratitude- not just occasionally, as on Thanksgiving Day or Mother's Day. Not just a greeting card kind of thanks but a genuine gratefulness that expresses itself in a hymn of heartfelt praise to God. What would happen if we cultivated a daily habit of expressing gratitude, one that helped us count all of life good, regardless of the circumstances?

My mason jar is ready... tomorrow, March 3rd, will be the start of my 31 days of thankfulness. Each day, I will take a slip of paper and write down one thing that I have to be grateful for. I will try to do this for 31 days (possibly with a few grace days). At the end of my 31 days of gratitude, I hope that I'll have the motivation to continue to do this as I pray that it will be more natural to have a heart of gratitude. Just as Megan does, I will try to blog each day to share my gratitude and to encourage anyone who may be struggling to find things that they are grateful for in their lives.

If you choose to do this too, please let me know!

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Day One: Reflect on your relationships, and identify one person who has made a significant impact on your life. Express gratitude to him or her, either in person or in a letter. Write down the thing you are most grateful for about that person and drop it in your jar.

Day Two: Write down five simple gifts that you are thankful for.