LLT

This week's round up of internet good-ness.

etsy shop of song lyric posters

martawrites.com has a fun series: fifteen fill-ins where well known blogger guests fill in random Q & A's

a fun, new-to-me blog with just the right mix of design, fashion, & family

a lovely series of non-designer designed homes

ooh that headboard! wall paper? chalkboard?

A pen-pal blog project: someday, I wish I could do this style of blogging with a friend/sister. Sharing inspiration, conversation, and loveliness.

 a computer in disguise

I would just load the video & then click through. It's definitely worth watching to the end!


Inspiration has struck! I want to make one of these quite badly :)

Well, I'm off to collect my sharpies & white T!

See ya latah!

birthday in March?

Yes, please!

only $29.99 on urbanoutfitters.com

please send a size 8.5
or as Sally says, cash.

Tens and twenties would be fine.

Also worthy of note, all shoes from this post are now significantly cheaper.
Just sayin'.

Happy March 30th to you!

Here's a catchy song for you:

Hey teach! It's cal-cu-lus!

Lately I've been learning about many things.
Here's a small list:

-my many insecurities

-my pride is so closely linked to insecurities

-I'm wired for friendship

-how intense I can be. ugh. so frustrating sometimes

-loving without judgement




-setting limits and boundaries


-not holding unrealistic expectations

-how I need to get out of my head & focus on others

-what I'm gifted with versus what drains me

-I sorely miss routine in my life


-God truly does answer prayer, at unexpected times

-I am not in control of my life



-I'm not very good at orchestrating my life

-my life is not about me

-I care too much about what people think (about me, what is said, things that may happen. the list is never-ending.)

-I need to get over a few certain things (friendships & unmet expectations)

-patience.

Ecc. 7:8 "patience is better than pride"

-I do not need to please everyone.

-Words of affirmation are most definitely my love language."I do not need to be praised.....like my need to be liked."  -Michael Scott, anyone?

-how I need to stop building up treasure on earth.
It won't last, I don't want it to, and in the end, it's just stuff.   
more on this later

-God speaks in many forms:
whispers, a smack on the head, too many band-aids on one hand, written words, strangers, pictures, songs, eloquent words, and in times of struggling to understand confusing symbolism


One of the biggest things I need to focus on this week:

__________________________________________________________

"When times are good, be happy;
   but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
    as well as the other. "
__________________ Ecclesiastes 7:14 link  _______

P.S. The title of this post is from a movie I've seen probably 3 times.Not necessarily by choice :)

silly thoughts

I intended to include this with something else but wanted to simplify things, so here it is!

I made four awesome dinners, four nights in a row.

This is definitely progress people!

A few months ago I was thinking about something silly.
About how I didn't cook much at all or pack lunches (for work/school) anymore.

I felt as if I had 'lost my touch,' and I even went so far as to think that I might not be good at it anymore.
Cooking, that is.

I was thinking silly things like:
"If my sister keeps doing all of the cooking until I eventually move out, I won't be very good at it [cooking] anymore. And if I end up moving [away from her] by this summer then that doesn't give me much time to actually start cooking more."

And then I continued with some other outrageously silly thoughts.

I say silly only because looking back now (even just a few months), it seems like a silly thing to worry/stress/even think about. I mean, really?
I wasn't starting to worry or freak out or anything, but I was finally starting to think about how good I had it how I wasn't cooking much at all.

But isn't it funny how God gives us what we ask for?

Because just a short time after I started thinking about my cooking dilemma/problem/uh.... status, God gave me a solution!

Because my sister gets home later from her job, she slowly started asking me to start dinner so we could finish making it earlier.
So, I did.
And then a few times I just made dinner early so we could eat right after she got home. (And then rush, rush, rush off to life group:)
And there were some awesome dinners.
Thank you very much.

And then, since I started going home to Bakersfield, to help out my parents every week,
I slowly started making every meal we ate when I was there. (Except for breakfast- I like to sleep in, or at least later than when my parents get up at 5 :)


And there have also been many awesome dinners there too.
made by me.
Thank you very much.


Honestly, the only reason I am slightly tooting my horn right now is because of my previous concerns.
I truly was wondering how I would start cooking again.
Without a need, reason, or desire to, it seemed like it would be hard to start cooking all the time for myself/others.
Also, I was wondering how I would start planning meals and getting everything done + cooking in one day.

But I did it.
And I found out I could.
Because God gave me just what I needed.
A need, a reason, and a desire to, of all things, cook!

I also discovered that cooking can be a very draining thing for me.
Sometimes, it feels like a chore.
Planning, buying, making, eating, and then washing the dishes just from one meal is very draining for me.
So, with some trial and error, I realized how to:
-plan easier/heavier nights,
-create variety within a week of meals,
-consolidate grocery shopping trips,
-when I needed to start making dinner/do prep work (earlier is better for me, I'm slow & make tons o'mistakes), and 

-when to ask for help.

Getting food from a restaurant is easy, less hassle, faster, and sometimes cheaper.
Thus, this is a huge source of help.
Also, I've tried to incorporate my parents' input into the meal planning which has helped a lot.
Everyone likes what they're eating if it's an old favorite or something they already know how to make.
And then when it's all made, everyone enjoys everything a pinch more because they helped (or were just involved at some point :)

Also, I've got another post coming soon about what God has given me what I've asked for.

Stay tuned.

Or something internet-y like that.
:)

Link love thursday

A little late, but here goes:

I like this new-to-me blog: joannagoddard.blogspot.com

I want to go to San Jose so I could see the film about Bill Cunningham
& to see my lovely friend Audrey, who just had her birthday! Happy Birthday Wilma :)

I find so many inspiring things when clicking through this blog

This post was somehow insanely inspiring. From home decor, to large-scale portraits, & wanting to try out disposable underwater cameras!

Just discovered this etsy store: I would love to have a custom print of a personal picture.
Maybe of my family or something abstract-y.

I like, like, like these oh so much. Can I pretty please have one instead of an Easter bonnet?

I stayed up way too late watching this (Boston Med) last night.

Just requested this from the library: My Life in France by Julia Child. I can't wait.

Also, waiting for me at the library: Hoda Kotb's biography.
Apparently my older sister has me hooked on biographies.

And I canNOT forget this lovely recipe of sorts! 
Want to make it?
I vote yes.

I want to try it soo badly!

Lastly, an extremely fun & inexpensive chandelier!
via:

And this chandelier made me sigh with iron-wrought old-world romanticism.
siiiigh.

Bam!
Linked.

New Tunes

{Manifesto}  -The City Harmonic (with chords)

We believe in the one true God
We believe in Father, Spirit, Son
We believe that good has won

And all of the people of God
Sing along....

Amen!Amen!
Amen!
Amen!

We are free 
He died and lives again
We will be 
a people free from sin
We'll be free

a kingdom with no end

And all of the people of God

Sing along....

Amen!
Amen yeah
Amen!
Amen yeah...yea!

Our Father, who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name
Thy Kingdom come
thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who have 

trespassed against us
Lord lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom

power and the glory forever
We're singing! 

Amen!

Amen yeah
Amen!

Amen yeah...yea!

{Christ Is Risen}  -Matt Maher
Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
But fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely You've bled for us

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bowed to none but heaven's will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold You down
In strength You reign
Forever let Your church proclaim

O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night

O death, where is your sting?

O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light

Our God is not dead

He's alive! He's alive!

Oh, Monday

I decided I wanted a 'day off,' so........

Today was a....

take 15 minutes waking up early,

eat too much breakfast the sister made for you,

check things off the to-do list,

plead with the modem to work,

eat a huge healthy salad for lunch,

watch tv shows online,

laze around on the couch in your pj's all day,

until it's time to go meet friends for dinner at Panera,

kind of day.


And,
It was {lovely} .

: )