Posting Patterns!

Hi all! 

I have been cruising some blogs lately 

and have decided that I want to set up Fridays 

to be a special day in the world of the 

Simply Sweet Wife... 

I am loving the whole patterned posts thing 

where certain days receive the same type of post, 

but with different topics. 

So my super sweet Friday posts are going to be 

Foodie Friday posts!

I will post pictures of the meals I have cooked 

throughout the week as well as two recipes, 

one that's J's favorite from the week, 

and one that's mine! 

I'm going to try and do Sacred Sunday posts 

that have a little revelation of what God is speaking 

into my heart and soul... 

Lately I have been sort of starving for Him, 

but finding it hard to make time for Him. 

What a goober of a child I am to say such a thing 

about an amazing Lord that will 

listen to my smallest of fears and frustrations! 

Please pray that God will bless me with the lessons

and the words that He so desperately wants me

to share with you!

What are some of your favorite patterned posts? 

my pearl necklace

graduating from college and moving home, preparing for a wedding and settling into a house that's soon to be "ours", starting a big girl job... all wonderful steps, but also huge changes that are requiring me to take leaps and bounds of faith, not only in those so close to me, but also in my God. throughout all of the changes i can't help but to think back on a sweet story i remember hearing as a young girl in sunday school. 

i'm sure many of you have read the story below, but reread it and see what God presses on your heart this time.

-----

a cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "oh please, mommy. can i have them? please, mommy, please!"

quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face. "a dollar ninety-five. that's almost $2.00. if you really want them, i'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from grandma."

as soon as jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. after dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. on her birthday, grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

jenny loved her pearls. they made her feel dressed up and grown up. she wore them everywhere

--Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. the only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. one night when he finished the story, he asked jenny, "do you love me?"

"oh yes, daddy. you know that i love you."

"then give me your pearls."

"oh, daddy, not my pearls. but you can have princess-- the white horse from my collection. the one with the pink tail. remember, daddy? the one you gave me. she's my favorite."

"that's okay, honey. daddy loves you. good night." and he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

about a week later, after the story time, jenny's daddy asked again, "do you love me?"

"daddy, you know i love you."

"then give me your pearls."

"oh daddy, not my pearls. but you can have my baby doll. the brand new one i got for my birthday. she is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"that's okay. sleep well. God bless you, little one. daddy loves you." and as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

a few nights later when her daddy came in, jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. as he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "what is it, jenny? what's the matter?"

jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. and, when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. with a little quiver, she finally said, "here, daddy. it's for you."

with tears gathering in his own eyes, jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of beautiful genuine pearls. he had had them all the time. he was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.

-----

i have started yet another book, Having a Mary Spirit (by: Joanna Weaver) and it is just phenomenal already. i’m hoping God will be teaching me amazing things through her writing and that i can attempt to share them with you through less capable words.

in just the few pages i’ve read, God has reached into my chest and molded my heart. He has said to me (a countless number of times in the last week) that i must give something up in order for Him to provide me with something better. i keep looking at everything in my life and reevaluating, but have suddenly come to a realization… i went through an extremely painful (and losing) summer last year between my father’s health scare and breaking my nose but in all of the loss i have gained times a million.

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." -Matthew 13:44-46

in losing the security of my (earthly) father’s mental abilities, my family has grown exponentially and he has just bloomed into a new, fun, more-Christ like man. he longs to make memories with all of us kids, something that had taken a backseat to work. he desires to show us how much he loves us, instead of just telling us. he doesn’t want to miss out on a moment of life, which pushes us to make everything fun and exciting even when it’s not supposed to be.

in breaking my first bone and undergoing my first surgery, i realized i’m not by any means unbreakable. i am a fragile being that is no better, no stronger than the next person. but in the brokenness, God showed me He is restorative. He is here to put us back together and to heal us stronger and more capable than ever before.

in the depths of deteriorating friendships (seems like it's just one after another) i realize that "best friends" doesn't necessarily mean forever. in handing over one broken relationship, another appears to grow me and encourage me despite the pain from the last.

like jenny, i needed to hand over my dime-store strand in order for God to give me the beautiful necklace of genuine pearls. and now, with the real pearls around my neck, i wouldn’t have it any other way; however, it wasn’t easy given up what i felt was a sure thing.

what are you withholding? what dime store pearls is God asking for you to sacrifice in order for Him to bless you with something greater?

and, for some, be patient. you have handed over your dime store pearls and you are in a time of waiting. be patient, our God is a faithful God and He will provide you with the desires of your heart. be still and know He will bless you.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart," -Psalm 37:4

song of the day:
god of this city – chris tomlin

“for greater things have yet to come
and greater things are still to be done in this city”

wherever it is in your life that God is working, remember it is greater than what you are being asked to forgo. hold out for greatness through faith in the King of Kings.

What Do I Have to Offer You?

It's been such a stretch since the last time that I've written... Thank you for the sweet words throughout my silence. I am finally feeling better (who knew that a medicine I've been taking for a long time could make me so sick... Came off it and I'm all good!) and now I'm trying to get back into the routine of things.

My love for social media has sort of faded. I have been so busy with the people that are right here and so tangible that the online community began to fall to the wayside. I have definitely fallen off my blogging horse. Partly because I've moved home in preparation for the wedding (holy smokes only six more weeks!) and it's been busy, busy, busy, but mostly because I've been struggling with thoughts that I don't have anything to offer to you, my faithful readers.

I want to have something special, something sweet, something encouraging and enlightening to share... But I don't feel like it's within me. What's my deal? ...I would yell at myself to "GET OVER IT", but then I realize I'd look like a mad woman and I'm already running around like a hen missing her beloved rooster. (Not so much into the head cut off deal...)

Lately I've been working on being fulfilled by my God instead of by... well, everything else. It's not easy and I get so frustrated because I catch myself thinking "If I had (fill in totally materialistic object here) I would be better" and playing the "what if" game. Ugh, my God is giving me what I need, which is not always what I want, but hey, that's life.

What if I was as skinny as I wanted to be? Well, then I'd kiss goodbye to the occasional cupcake, budlight lime, popcorn, ice cream for dessert... I'd have to part with the little things that make each day special. (I don't eat all of that in a single day... Although now that you've put the idea in my head it sounds tasty...)

What if I had a bunch of close girl friends to be around for all the big memories coming up? Well, then my Mama Bird wouldn't be nearly as precious, as wonderful, as sweet to my soul... Why? Beacuse she wouldn't be the best friend I've ever had. She'd just be Mama Bird... and she's so much more than just a mom, I wouldn't give that up for the world.

So many "What if" questions... But so much more certainties that I know and love. Are you in the "what if" zone too? Give it up... We can do it together!

I'm coming back. I won't be posting as regularly as previously, but I'm going to do this! I'm going to be trying some new things... Cooking, sharing my life and thoughts and such, so please stick with me, I promise to make it worth your while. And please share what you love and what you could do without... I want this blog to be meaningful to you too.

P.S. I'm cooking again... And I have some BOMB recipes on deck to share with all of you!

No answers yet... But more tests!

I finally heard from the doctors today after my

battery of blood tests and my stool test and my ultrasound...



(via)

(isn't this a sneaky ad campaign for United Colors of Benetton?)

My blood came back normal.

My allergies came back clear.

The bacteria they were afraid of is not present.

But there are nodules on my thyroid.

Yep, they are nervous about what the little lumps in my neck mean.

So, I'm preparing for a radioactive uptake scan.

They'll inject me with radioactive fluid, then watch.

I may have to write a post about all the bizarre tests I have had run on me.

It's sort of a comedic tragedy in fact.

I have run a couple of times this week.

Thank my very good God for that chance... My poor legs are restless!

But I'm not all here still.

And even with the changes in my diet I'm just not right in my tummy.

Now my sleeping is starting to get weird too.

I'm moved (sort of)... You know how that goes right?

It's a disaster before anything resembles any sort of organization...

My disaster looks like a nuclear bomb has exploded.

I'm begging J to move closer to me as soon as possible.

He says July. Oh cross your little fingers for me please!

He leaves for Germany tomorrow.
That may mean I'll be a little better at communicating here in hopes he'll read it!

Where I am today... Or going to be tomorrow!

How does time escape me so? 

I can't believe that I've fallen behind so horribly in my blogging... 

But I promise this isn't the only part of my life that's being neglected with me not feeling so well. 

I know that life has got to be crazy for all of you too!

Please update me... Fill me in, what's going on with all of you? 

Other than not feeling well and working I know loves is happening here... 

I'm moving. 

Yep, no more sweet little studio in San Diego... 

I'm headed home to save some money and 

enjoy this last bit of time before the wedding with my family.

This also means not as much cooking because I'm enjoying Mama Bird's. 

I promise the cooking part will return! 

The doctors have no answers yet. 

I had an ultrasound on a lump in my neck. 

They're checking out the state of my thyroid. 

They are running about a dozen blood tests. 

And I had to complete a stool test.

(TMI.. yes... but it's important I survived)

Less than three months until the wedding.

Invites are out. RSVPs are starting to come in.

We have lots of friends and family that are coming to join us in our big day!

Now it's time to start celebrating with my bridesmaids and with bridal showers.

Life is definitely changing... But it's going somewhere great! 

I will be all settled after the move by Sunday and then I'm going to make sure this 

simply sweet space grows like it used to... 

Please bare with me! 

Missing In Action... or Appetite... or an Apology to You From Me.

Wow, I've been gone for far too long... A post on here is much overdue, 

I apologize for my little out-of-the-blue sabbatical 

but those tummy issues I wrote about two weeks ago 

are still wreaking their havoc inside my intestines and it's taken it's toll 

on my energy and creativity. 

With all of the problems of the last few weeks this Simply Sweet space of mine 

has a couple major shifts in focus and food! 

1. All recipes are going gluten free!

Bye, bye to wheat, rye, and barley... Hello to a more wholesome diet. 

I'm still learning, but I want to share some of the gluten knowledge I'm obtaining! 

2. Organic is the new black.

I will share some of the ways I'm shopping organic to try and keep inside me all clean. 

3. More healthy food posts to come. 

All of the healthy food posts I wrote earlier this year were some of my favorite.

These will be coming in a greater dose now... 

4. My little journey is going to be shared with you too! 

Although we don't know what's going on, I know there's something for

everyone to learn from it... So I want to share! 

The story starts tomorrow. Please come back and share! 

Under the Glorious Weather

My, oh my. I have been gone far too long. I have been under the weather and trying to get myself back in action. This weekend finally seems to be better (knock on wood... I don't dare jinx my poor self!). But in it, I have come to a humble realization that my body, as great as a tool it may be, is bound to let me down. For example, I eat anything dairy and BOOM, tummy ache, bloating, cramps... I eat something too much sugar and BOOM, tummy ache, headache... I drink too much caffeine and BOOM, jitters, headache, munchies. (the list just continues to go on and on)

In the weakness of my body, I see a little snapshot of my plight as a human... I too am weak, in fact, so much so, that I'm more prone to ailments than my dear bod; however, these are ailments of the spirit. The symptoms of selfishness, anger, dishonesty, and gluttony (just to name a few) are indicative of an illness so great we cannot comprehend a cure.

As it is explained in Romans 5... 

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned... For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many... For if by one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."

God, in all of His greatness, has cured and conquered the toxic cancer that runs rampant in my sick spirit. Jesus Christ came down and cleaned my soul of all the sickness that could so easily run me down. And the promise of a cure that God gives us holds so much more potential than any pharmacist could possibly give to me... A cure with nothing but positive outcome, no painful side effects or allergic reactions, no adverse interactions... In fact, God promises to grow us, to heal us, to restore us, to make us into a new me who is unrecognizable to the old you. 

What is hurting your sweet soul today? Are you in need of a cure like me? 

P.S. Did you make your simply sweet challenge recipe for tomorrow?? 

My Body as a Temple

So there's a little shift in my life plans after this last weekend... I got a horrible infection in my intestine that left me feeling like I was going to die for... Well, way too many days! I was completely uncomfortable and miserable until last night when the antibiotics really kicked in and my tummy figured itself back out.

J and I in front of a Mayan Temple in Cancun after we got engaged!

This morning my mom and I were talking about the way my body can be so ravaged by the food that I eat... Then I got to thinking about 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, 

whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. 

Therefore honor God with your body." 

I have always chocked this up to sexual purity. But I have come to believe -just in the last couple of days- that God is also referring to the things that we put into our bodies, the way that we use them -whether for work or for recreation, the care we exhibit towards His gift of our physical being.

My temple is anti-dairy. My temple is very, very picky... In fact, my temple is very much a temple, in that you need to put in the purest and most wholesome of foods or it goes haywire. J's body is more like a waste management plant. He puts in what is delivered and it gets taken care of by his titanium tummy. Half of the things J puts into his very tolerant temple I would barely touch with a rubber glove on... Yet, he has no digestive issues. Why my God did I get such a picky body? Why does my temple require such diligence?

I believe it's because God knows I would love to eat and eat and eat with no thought about the calories or the way it makes my body feel or the way if may affect my weight. Thus, I get sick. He has equipped my temple with a very diligent screening system to assist in my lack of self control... And after four years of struggling, I finally got the message this morning!

What are you putting in your temple? 

Or maybe the bigger concern is how much are you putting in your temple at one time? 

(Hopefully your temple isn't nearly as choosy as mine!)

Lord, make me free like a baby birdie

Yesterday morning Baby Bear came running inside and asked Mama Bird and I to check out the baby birds in the nest a bird built in our patio cover. We went outside to see their growth and realized the birds were ready to get spread their wings and fly.

{via}

We were all so excited for them, but with two dogs running amuck in the yard grew nervous. We put Pennie (our bird-obsessed pup) away in the dog run and Calvin (our pain-in-the-neck old man terrier) took off in the house to avoid the pen. We watched as baby birdie one leaped from the nest, flapped his wings clumsily, and then hit the ground. Baby birdie pulled himself up into a pretty little posture and as he did so, Calvin came running out of the house and gobbled the birdie up in one bite.

It was such a sad little moment. We yelled at him no and he finally dropped the baby birdie, but he was already dead. We locked Calvin in the dog run before baby birdie two decided to get his flight on. No movement from the nest left Mama Bird and I bored so we went in to finish getting ready for the day. Suddenly Baby Bear said the other bird came out of the nest and we had to see. Baby birdie two was sort of a hot feathery mess laying face down on the ground. We thought he too had died. Suddenly a little flap of the wing and he was all put back together!

Baby Bear had to leave for school but laid down his compassionate, animal-loving law. No dogs out until baby birdie two was gone. The backyard needed to be searched before the dogs could be free to roam. We all agreed.

Baby birdie two flew the coop yesterday sometime. Thank goodness, all alive and well. But as I think of the excitement of the morning, I can't help but think of God. Of His love and provisions for us.

But He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; and often He restrained His anger, and did not arouse His wrath." -Psalm 78:38

Just like Baby Bear did for the birdie, God provides for us to fly, to soar, and to fall without being gobbled up by a ready-to-pounce enemy (or Jack Russell Terrier!). Much like the dog run, God's grace and mercy keeps us from becoming history before our time. Much like a backyard free of dogs for many hours, God gives us time and space to grow while delivering us from deadly danger.

This Friday afternoon, I pray for the freedom to grow and spread my wings while taking comfort in the grace of the God who provides safety for me. I pray that I can lean into the beautiful heart of God that loves my feathery mess of a self... Even when I'm not quite ready to fly. I pray with much thanksgiving for the sweet baby birds that gave me a lesson while doing precisely what God made them to do, if only I could hold tight to my purpose like them.

My Greatest Demon

I'm not so sure about you, but I know that I can pretend everything's perfect when it's really not. I'm good at telling myself, "No Amber, that's not you" or "It's ok Amber, you don't have a problem." I may not have a problem, but I have a little demon that sits on my shoulder and whispers mean things in my ear. Just like the little guys in cartoon characters.

My greatest demon is body image. I grew up playing soccer and never had to think twice about what I was eating. My freshman year of college was marked with much bad "dorm food" and the eradication of any kind of working out. When I moved home from my freshman year carrying fifteen pounds more than I left with, I realized it was time to take myself more seriously.

I hit the road hard. Running three miles at first, quickly building to five, and then growing higher and higher in number from there. I rushed a sorority and realized that all the really cute girls were skinny. I wasn't super cute, but I ran a lot so I stayed thin.

Two and a half years later and I'm running like mad now... Six miles is a short day and working out at the gym to get the killer arms my wedding dress seems to call for... But I'm not at that skinny sorority girl weight. And every time I look in the mirror I see that extra pudge around my waistline only to be frustrated.

I'm not overweight by anyone else's standards (well maybe some...), but I have no problem looking into the mirror and seeing so many things I wish I could correct. Probably more that I wish I could fix than that with which I am satisfied.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; 

male and female he created them." 

-Genesis 1:27

Growing up in church I have always heard that God made our bodies, thus we should love them as His creation. Well, I love my body because it's a useful tool that God made for me to use... But I don't like that I can't shape and sculpt it to look "perfect" (whatever that means). I have been praying what seems like constantly for God to rip that little demon from my shoulder and place him far, far, far from here, but God is showing me that I can tell that demon "No." It's that simple, just saying no.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden form you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."

-Psalm 139:13-16

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. God knows my frame. He knows those little pockets of fat. He knows the unwanted pimples and follicles that I despise. But the difference between God and I: He loves  dearly my greatest (and tiniest) imperfections. In fact, it's through those most hated parts of me that He acts so greatly through. In fact, the parts of me I love the most, I happen to take for granted... Leading the "loved" to be lessonless.

I'm beautiful because He made me so. Little demon, be gone, I'm a beautiful babe of His.

Practically some tips I have found helpful to dealing with body image issues and frustrations:
1. Listen to your body and eat when it needs fuel.
2. Know that your size is genetic and environmental... Not everyone can be a size 0.
3. Exercise regularly in a way that you love.
4. Know that weight changes in cycles that run weekly and monthly.
5. Work on being gentle mentally... Treat your body right in your mind.
6. Ask for support and encouragement from friends. In return, be honest and vulnerable with them.
7. Decide where your priorities lie. Would you rather spend an hour at the gym getting the "perfect bod" or walk and chat with a close friend?
8. Mental health effects physical well-being... Take time for your mind.

What's your greatest demon? 

What are your practical ways to deal with your demon? 

Let me know, I will pray for your fight... And please, please pray for mine. 

Sharing is Caring

I'm at one of those points in my life when I get it. (It's temporary I promise.) God has been working really diligently to make me understand what it means to share. He has revealed to me that sharing truly is about showing others how much you love and care about them.

Recent events in my life have shown me a little piece of God's great heart... And how He longs for me to act it out. 

In Luke 6:38 God says, 

"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressured down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with measure you use, it will be measured to you." 

Being the fond of cooking gal that I am, this relates so well to me... The more cookies you make, the more you have to share, the more people have the opportunity to enjoy your talent. 

Listening to a trusted, close friend hate on one of my most celebrated efforts truly broke my heart. I was crushed to have someone I love make it obvious she was disinterested in sharing in my accomplishment. I left the conversation frustrated and hurt... But I knew full well God had a hand in this. I reexamined my goals, I rediscovered my passion and started a new project of my very own that went on to win a couple awards. As I thought (many times over and over) on the painful conversation, I first realized the importance of sharing. 

We are taught at a young age that "sharing is caring". With such a trite little phrase, it's easy to take the true implications of sharing for granted. 

In Acts 20:35 Luke writes,

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 

It is the heart of God for us to share in everything we do. Why does it seem competition, getting ahead, and being the best beat out growing, experiencing, sharing together? 

As you grow in your blogging, pay it forward and help someone just starting out... They're blessed to have your help and advice. As you grow in your relationship or marriage, pay it forward and share in your ups and downs with younger relationships... They'll be blessed to have your wisdom. 

As you grow and share... You will be blessed.

Who wants to share with you today? 

Who needs you to care enough to share with them? 

P.S. Are you ready for this week's Simply Sweet Ingredient Challenge? 

Get together your hummus for tomorrow's post!

Why, oh why?

Today is one of those days. Yeah one of those days.

My hair is just not right, not falling right, not straightening right, not going into a cute ponytail even! And I have been on a hunt for shorts for the last couple weeks and have found nothing that fits right... Since when did shorts mean borderline underwear?

Oh me, oh my. Bleh!

But, my little ray of golden sunshine, was the ACM Girls' Night Out on my DVR. I found two songs that I'm legitimately obsessed with and I can't stop watching and listening to them. Please tell me how much you love them!

Pistol Annie is definitely going to be one of my new favorite country groups! I adore Miranda's spunk and attitude... And now it's growing to three... Yes!

Doesn't Carrie just redefine the amazingness of that hymn? I have a whole new appreciation for it. And I love her even more (and trust me I'm a huge fan!)

Happy Friday friends! 

What are your Mother's Day plans? 

What Did Jesus Do?

As a child going to church as a family was an important Sunday morning activity. I would head off to class with one goal in mind: learn what God was teaching so I could share with mom and dad. (Yep, I wasn't so into real live application yet) One Sunday in particular, I remember proudly wearing a woven bracelet home from Sunday School and giving my parents a lesson on what Jesus would do.

For years, or maybe more like decades, I spent so much time thinking about the ways that I was not honoring Jesus. I wasn't doing what he or His Almighty Father would want me to be accomplishing. And that led to lots of frustration. Until this past week, something clicked. I got it. Jesus doesn't want me to dedicate all my time worrying about what he would do, but instead he wants me to lean into what he did do.

In taking on the cross, Jesus overcame the finality, the everlasting damage of death and rendered it harmless. Upon the cross, Jesus cleansed our pained, sinful souls restoring their utmost beauty and splendor. Conquering the cross shifted the world's paradigm: Jesus redefined strength, transformed power, muted death, healed sorrow, and radicalized love.

But did Jesus do all this with a worry about us being more like him? Nope. He did this out of his unending, undeniable, unfathomable love, mercy, grace for us. Jesus didn't take on the cross to weigh us down, to sink our already waterlogged ship, instead he conquered the cross to show us his undying love for us.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 

God didn't sacrifice His only son out of pity for us. He understood the reality of the situation, we were lost, sinful souls who needed a savior, who needed His son. It's not about our works or becoming perfect, it's about leaning into the love, grace, mercy, wonder, righteousness that was granted to us upon the cross. We must stop working so darn hard to get Him to love on us, and take in what is already there for our enjoyment.

The gift God gave us of His beloved son on the cross centuries ago was unprecedented. He unleashed His immeasurable wrath upon His own child to ensure life unlimited to the children who acted in direct defiance of Him. Oh, how He must love us.



As Easter nears this Sunday, remember we are here. We are here for a reason. But we are here only by His unending grace and mercy. Remember what Jesus did for us and enjoy it. Don't worry about all your shortcomings and failures (God knows how many times I've listed every time I've disappointed myself), but instead focus on the wholeness, the forgiveness we have because of His amazing son, Jesus.

Happy Easter Season my dear friends!

I hope you can receive the amazing things Jesus did just for you. 

Enjoy this time with family to realize oh, how He loves you.

Me as a Soaked, Seeping Sponge

[via]

"And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, 

but for him who died for them and was raised again." 

-2 Corinthians 5:15

At church on Sunday the pastor gave an amazing message about the radical love of Christ and the way we, as His children, are called, asked to love as He did, radically. He went on to illustrate the way the character of a Christian is revealed through the toughest of tribulations we face. 

He said, "When life gets tight and we are squeezed, what comes out of us?" 

Being a kitchen loving gal, I could only think of my pretty pink sponges. When I'm done cleaning the kitchen and the sponge is water logged, I am sure to squeeze out the excess water so it doesn't get stinky. Sometimes, I'm surprised at the color of the liquid that spews from it's pores. For example, today I roasted beets. That magenta color they are known for leaked out onto my counter, so I wiped it up thinking nothing of it. After dinner, I squeezed hot pink water from my pink sponge, a pleasant surprise. But sometimes, nasty brown water comes out. And I want to puke knowing that dirtiness came from my seemingly clean counters. 

I found myself wondering, when life squeezes me out to make sure I don't get stinky inside, does something pretty and pink come from inside me as a result of my loving self, or does brown nastiness spew out grossing out others (and myself)? 

With the grace of God, I am working towards the pretty pink liquid, spewing out love and grace, mercy and patience, self-control and gratitude when life calls for anything but such lovely things. It's not easy, in fact, I'm sure if you squeezed me tight enough right now something closer to brown would flow from deep within me, but I'm trying and, for me, that works. God doesn't need my pretty and pink, but He asks me to work towards it in order to glorify the great works He is baking within my little soul. 

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "yes" in Christ. 

And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God."

-2 Corinthians 1:20

What would be squeezed out of your sweet spongey self? 

Is it pretty and pink? Or stinky and dirty like me?

Stylish Sister Over Here!

It never fails, when I get an award I'm so pleasantly surprised... Especially when it's the Stylish Blogger Award because anyone that sees me on a regular basis knows that style isn't really something I can brag about having! Thank you to my dear new friend Mrs. G from My Amazing Life as a Mommy and Wife.

The rules of the awards are as follows: 

1. Link back and thank the person who gave it to you. 

2. Share 7 things about yourself. 

3. Award 5 stylish blogs you read. 

4. Contact them and tell them about their award! 

And my seven facts:

(I'm trying my darndest to make them new and exciting!) 

1. I run like mad in order to keep myself sane. 

2.  Grocery lists and shopping are one of my favorite things to do. I know, insane. 

3. I want to have a house full of chaotic kids. It's been a life long dream!

4. I drive a stick-shift. My dad taught me on a hill and I thought we were going to die. 

5. I truly love a good afternoon nap. 

(although I hardly ever have the chance to take them anymore)

6. I am dying for a puppy. I literally am brooding over a puppy.

(J says I have to wait for us to have a house)

7. I truly believe flats are more becoming than heels. And more comfortable too!

And my blogging friends who I'm honoring with this award: 

1. fairy tales are true.

2. A Sweet Simple Southern Life

3. The Vintage Apple

4. The Twitty Kitchen

5. The Adventures of Josh and Britt

6. Scribble Smudge

Top Ten Tuesday #2: Summer Fun Edition

This week's Top Ten Tuesday asked for your top ten

favorite summer activities.

With all the summer weather in spring, this seemed so appropriate.

1. Watermelon galore.

2. Swimming in the pool to escape the heat.

3. Visiting the water park with my family.

4. The Temecula Fourth of July Parade

(I love everything about July 4th,

but there is something about being in the parade that makes the day magical!)

5. Tan lines.

6. Eating dinner outside on the shaded patio while the sun is still up.

7. Starbucks Venti Passion Teas.

8. Early, early morning runs to beat the heat followed by an afternoon nap.

9. Sandy, salty beach days.

(I love the shower afterwards equally as much!)

10. Hamburgers hot off the grill.

(you're going to be seeing LOTS of hamburger recipes this summer, I just LOVE them!)

What are you Top Ten Summer Favorites?

Holy Smokeout Life's Busy!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday... I was so excited about how many people participated in the Top Ten Tuesdays and yesterday was going to be my chance to catch up with everything, then I forgot my computer cord at work. Yeah which means, my dead computer wasn't going to be putting anything online for me. So, I didn't get to blog. And I really wanted to spend some time writing on my day off from work. Oh well, no blog yesterday, but a new one today! I do hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me!

Well, marriage classes that J and I are taking through church have been fantastic... We are learning a lot and growing, not only together but as individuals too. I'm slowly learning how to communicate with a man without going all emotional on him... and he's getting better at understanding my point despite all the water works that often come with it! (Please tell me other women have this problem, too!) But more importantly, I'm loving J more now than ever and it's growing by the minute (I know this sounds like a ridiculous cliche, but it's the truth).

One of the first pictures we ever took together... Who would have known it was the beginning of forever?

But, moving towards marriage, I have also started training twice a week with a personal trainer... She wants me to drop ten pounds (and I want me to lose it too!), so the next five months are going to be hard working, careful eating months. A single nice arms compliment will make it all worth it in looking at my wedding pictures!  So meals with be more protein packed and I'm going to be working on eating better carbohydrates (you didn't know there were good ones either? I'll post on that too I promise!). I will be sharing all the crazy new things I'm learning in hopes one other person will learn something new too!

And I'm working. Not the hardly working kind of work, but the working hard kind. I've been so busy during the day at work that I'm falling behind on my blogging... Then I get home and I want to relax, spend time with J or my family, and catch up on the little life things that seem to be escaping me. By the time that I realize I meant to blog, it's late and I am exhausted. So there's got to be a new routine set up so my heart doesn't break into little tiny pieces missing you all!

On a light, happy, super exciting note: I have hit and flown by the fifty follower mark... With all the new followers I am itching to do my very first giveaway... I'm not quite ready yet, but stay tuned because I'm just loving all the new people that I'm meeting and would love to be able to share with something I love with one of my lucky readers! (Or at least, I think you're lucky!) I'm thinking of painting something... Check out this and decide what you think... Would you be interested at all??

What's keeping you busy folks? 

It seems like we've all got a GIANT list of things going on right about now... 

Plus the warm weather adds to it! 

P.S. Are you taking part in the simply sweet ingredient challenge? There's still time!

Top Ten Tuesday: My Life Essentials

I know my list of things I couldn't live without is ridiculously longer than ten... But for the sake of Top Ten Tuesday I have to settle! Here goes nothing! Please enjoy!

1. A blanket. 

I sleep with my ears covered at night and without a blanket I wouldn't be able to cover my ears... Plus, I LOVE blankets and seriously have a half a dozen of them in my bed at a time. Yep, it drives J nuts and we aren't even sleeping in the same bed yet!

2. My NIV and Message Bible. 

Both translations are next to each other... It's amazing! If I read the NIV and don't get it (which happens more often than not, the Message is there to make it all clear... But I can still follow along easily at church when the pastor is reading from the NIV version!

3. Mascara. 

Yes, shallow. But of all beauty essentials, this is essential. Even J notices when I don't wear it. In fact, he always says, "Where's that black stuff that makes your eyes all big and pretty?"

4. A good run. 

I run for fun. But not just for fun. I run to clear my head and work out my heart. My best thinking happens along the roads my feet graze as I move through my neighborhood.

5. My family. 

Oh the joy this group of people brings me. If you haven't read enough already, you will soon realize they make my world go round... And for good reason!

6. A good read. 

I have been a bookworm from a very young age... In fact, it all started before I could read! I would go to bed with a pile of books just so I could go through all the pictures... To this day, I sleep with one or two books in my bed nightly. Guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks!

7. My iPhone. 

Not because I think iPhones make the world go round and are the best thing ever, but because I love my phone. I love having a phone that calls and texts and gets voicemails (and Twitter!). I truly love to be able to text my Mama Bird or J whenever I want and as frequently as I want (as much as they might get sick of me!) 

8. My computer. My new MacBook Pro. 

For my 22nd birthday-college graduation celebration, I got a new computer. But not just any new computer, I got my dream computer, a MacBook Pro! It really revolutionizes my blogging, photo editing, writing, cooking, working experience. I love being able to do all of the things that I love on the computer which can easily perform all that I need of it.

9. My blog. 

I write like a mad woman. But this sweet little spot is all mine and allows me to be held accountable for my words, for my thoughts, for my passion. I know people are expecting to see writing and I want to be dependable. Without you, my dear readers, this puppy wouldn't be working out the way it is. So essentially, number 9 is you.

10. Last, but definitely not least, my dear J. 

Literally I don't know what life would be like without him. He has been here through the darkest and brightest times in my long (okay, not so much) 22 years. He puts a smile on my face every morning and every night even when I'm sure it's impossible to get any ounce of joy out of me!

I'm Simply Sweet, but NOT Perfect.

Over the years my life has been far from simple and not so full of sweet... I have suffered from depression, I am an anxious little heart, I cry far too often... But, it's my life. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

In looking at my blog, someone could say that I seem to be too good to be true. I'm too nice, I do too much, the photos are staged, fake, ridiculous. But, they are mine, they are absolutely me. 

This is more like what I look like on a regular basis... No make-up, messy hair, and running clothes!

I'm not always sweet... In fact, I can be so bitter I'd easily out do baking chocolate! Although my house is organized to a tee... I can be a hot mess in my mind! As much as I read my Bible and hear from God... I lose my focus hundreds of times in a day (even on my best days). The pictures on my blog make me look pretty... But they are special occasions, I'm hardly ever put together perfectly like those! 

I don't ever want to misrepresent myself, I promise I'm not perfect, not by any means. In fact, I'm the furthest thing from it. But my God is one of grace and mercy, my J is a man of love and patience, my family is made of teamwork and honesty. Thank goodness for this! 

I love to write. I love to cook. I love to craft. I love it all... And I am blessed to be able to share with all of you, but don't ever think I'm perfect, my flaws are too great to count! 

What a Wise Soul You Are Dr. Seuss!

I am quite possibly the biggest Dr. Seuss fan ever... In fact, so much so, that his books were my favorite growing up and I had to read/have all of them. My poor parents. I may or may not have memorized most of them at a very young age.

I definitely was a proud owner and reader of ALL of these puppies!

Then in high school I had a project where I had to write about the most influential person in American history... Yep, you guessed it, I wrote about Dr. Seuss, but this wasn't just any old powerpoint! I dressed up as the Cat in the Hat complete with a goldfish in a bowl and presented my powerpoint that was completely rhyming just like Dr. Seuss' books! (Just in case you were wondering... I got an A+!)

I know, it looks like a space ship... But it's not, it's the library named after Dr. Seuss and his wife!

After high school I went to college... to the University of California San Diego... where Dr. Seuss and his wife sponsored the building of the library! Yep, every midterms and finals crunch time was filled with the sweet drawings of Dr. Seuss pasted all over the library walls. So cool? Yeah, I just loved it.

But in all of this time the wise words of Dr. Seuss never truly set in... Now thinking about them I realize he got it right. He truly understood what it meant to march to the beat of your own drum. And he turned doing that into his life's goal.

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is Youer than You."

I can't argue that one... Not only can I not argue with him, but he's right, no one is me and no one gets to live the life I'm living, so I need to do it right for me. That means doing what I love with who I love: God, J, Mama Bird and family, running, cooking, loving, learning.

And for those who don't like it... Well, that's fine, but turns out, you don't really matter that much.

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

Yep, those who really mind don't matter... If you can't find it in you to be some kind of supportive, some kind of sweet, well then I really don't seem to matter that much to you and ditto, I feel the same way!

Oh Dr. Seuss, what a wonderful wise soul you are!