Blessings & Snapshots

Friday, January 23, 2015

Snow Globe Fun

A Friday afternoon spent in a snow globe... A million little pieces of snow falling from the sky makes for the perfect weather for an afternoon walk in the woods. From catching snow flakes on your tongue to playing with your German Shepherd, snow seems to make everything a bit more magical...

Loving the beginning of the snow fall...

Dad decided to take a walk in the woods, so I threw on some boots, grabbed my camera and went tromping through the snow with him...

A few picturesque bird houses sprinkled in snow...

A German Shepherd named Kashi...

A man and his dog...

Dad's rock collection - he adds a rock a day to line trails all through the woods.

A house drizzled with snow...

A little sister loving the snow fall...

An afternoon of catching snowflakes...

Slowly but surely turning into a Winter Wonderland...

Monday, January 5, 2015

2015 Siesta Scripture Memory

Beth Moore cheers on this Siesta Scripture Memory Team every other year and encourages women to memorize 24 verses throughout the year. Every two weeks she posts on her Living Proof Minisitries Blog and shares the verse she is going to memorize. You comment on each of the blog posts throughout the year and post which verse you are memorizing depending on your own needs and challenges at that time. There is a fun celebration at the beginning of the new year for the women that stick it out through thick and thin and memorize 24 verses.

Beth Moore puts it like this... "The Word of God alive, active, and abiding in us which speaks to us, shields us, warns us, strengthens us, sanctifies us, equips us in our callings, and directs us in our decision making. It sharpens our insight and improves our discernment. It makes us wiser and, let’s be bold enough to say, even smarter. Our brains were hardwired to flourish across the board when nourished by the Scriptures. Above all else, Scripture abiding and thriving in us builds up our faith, for “faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) And, Girlfriend, we want to be women of faith. That faith erupts into works that were planned for each of us before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 2:10)"

So this year, my little sister and I are hopping on board. Two verses a month, twenty-four this year, a heart waiting to be filled with the active, alive, and abiding Word of God.

My first verse is Galatians 5:25, "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives." I love this verse and since I'm graduating this year, I'm trusting that the Spirit will lead and guide me I every aspect of my life.

This is a picture that I took in the Middle East...love the symbolism of the Jesus walking paths similar to this one. Praying for the Spirit to guide me along this path this year.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Run Tab Run

A goal of 100 miles...to some it would seem an attainable goal in a matter of weeks and others would deem it nearly impossible...for me, it kept me going even when I felt as if I couldn't.
After three months at camp, I was eager to get back into running and exercise. I made a goal to run 100 miles before the end of the year. As much as I regretted making the goal during the many many agonizing runs...and especially at the start of December when I had over 40 miles...I knew I had to finish. So I put on my shoes and found some new trails....and dedicated every other day to running (I gave myself a day off so I could have something to look forward to after my run.)
It helped that I had friends cheering me on and even running with me, Mom making me protein shakes after long runs, Dad actually running 100 miles too, and Audrey to take pictures and comment on all my runs...but I finally finished my goal right in time for the new year.

A few snapshots from the days full of blood, sweat, tears, and lots and lots of stretching...

100% never felt so good	Love runs on beautiful fall days
Just some impromptu stretching	My trusty shoes that got me through
Running on the Louisville Loop	#whatwasithinking #sore

On the Tuesday before Christmas, I knew I only had a few days left to finish, so I decided to run on a cold, wet, muggy, and miserably drizzly morning. Why I did is the question I asked myself the whole time...but I realized that I was out there with the marathon runners and tricked them all into thinking I was one of them...

Although I finished my 100 miles, I still relate to every one of these...

Friday, December 26, 2014

Christmas 2014

"It's the most wonderful time of the year."

Christmas 2014 was a fun day spent at home opening homemade presents, small treasures, and practical things that were bought the weeks before and simply wrapped up to be put under the tree. Although it's a little different than when we were little, I still think it's magical with the Christmas tree lights sparkling like glistening water on all the wrapping and bows.

"Christmas Is" by Francesca Battistelli, one of my favorite Christmas songs this year, sums it up perfectly...."Christmas is music and family in town...Christmas is Snoopy and Charlie Brown...it's anticipating that snow's gonna fall..." "Christmas is paper and ribbons all over the floor..." "Christmas is rooftops covered in lights. It's away in a manger, it's a wonderful life." But most importantly perfect said with..."Christmas is all of these fun things for sure, but Christmas is really oh so much more...It's good news of hope for the whole world beause Christmas is JESUS." Always love spending a day celebrating our Savior and his birth, death, resurrection, and life that has given us hope, grace, mercy, and love.

Christmas Spirit

Nothing like a little Christmas Spirit to get you in the Christmas mood...

The days before...

Picking out the tree and getting all the Christmas decorations up is one of my favorite parts. One day I decided to "put up the tree all by myself" with my little dollar section Target find. Eventually, we got the real tree and decorated it with lights and of course the classic family ornaments and topper.