life's lovlies

february picture of the day

2012-03-08T16:00:00.001-06:00

the february pictures of the day are up. check them out here.

lately.

2012-03-07T19:57:00.000-06:00

Lately, we've been seeing a lot of this at our place. Many of you know, dane tore up his ankle one week ago playing basketball. I'll save you all the gross bruising and swelling pictures (I guess if you really want to see the, message me and i'll email them your way).

with that said...

Lately, I've been dying for some internet at home. Currently we are relying on public spots to supply us with the world wide web. But finally, some exciting news, we may be getting internet at home soon, which means I can update the blog on a daily basis. Blogging has truly become a great creative outlet for me. I love sharing with everyone what is happening in our lives. I hope you all love reading? I would love to know what you all want to know about our time here. Feel free at any point to ask questions and I will try my best to answer them. Want to know about the unique foods, Hillsong church, animal life, coffee drinks, fashion in Aussie, tourist sites, whatever you want, just let me know! I'll try my best to answer and take pictures.

Lately, I've been participating in a photo challenge. It has been a lot of fun taking a word and interpreting it each day. A couple of days ago the word was, neighborhood. Here are a few pictures from my exploration.

Love- The Kids Down Under

filling the air with music

2012-03-05T23:36:00.000-06:00

We had a first live music scene this weekend at Waroeng's Coffee. It was a hit to say the least. David and I got to add a few American drinks to the menu including Italian Sodas, Steamers, and Root Beer Floats. The music was provided by many students from Hillsong, and it was wonderful. Here are a few pics from our day.

just a quick update

2012-03-01T21:55:00.001-06:00

Dane and my lives have been a testament to the statement above. We have seen this in even bigger ways since we moved to Sydney. God has provided us with furniture, bikes, food, a fridge, a job, friends, a wonderful church, energy, refreshment, healing, a washer AND drier (that happened this past week), car rides, protection from storms, safety. Seriously, the list could go on and on. We are so thankful that many of you have become prayer partners with us.

And the number one question we are asked by many of you is, what can we pray for now? It is so awesome to know we have a team of people back at home and here in Australia praying for us, truly believing that God will be faithful in hearing our prayers and answering them. It is such a joy to share answered prayer with you all.

So if you would like to join us in prayer this week, here are some things you can pray for.

Dane tore some things up in his left ankle playing basketball on Thursday. As of this morning it was very swollen. He is keeping ice on it, elevating it, and resting it. We are praying for healing. And that God would provide modes of transportation during this healing process.

We are praying diligently for the place I work, Waroeng's. It is such a wonderful coffee shop which is very new in the area. We pray that, as Monte puts it, we will soon become slammed with customers. Many of you who follow me on twitter know that last weekend I completed coffee school and I'm excited to say, I even make beverages for customers now. Tomorrow is our first live music saturday, and we are praying that people come out in throngs to enjoy the atmosphere, fellowship, coffee, and music.

Please keep our house mate Sarah-Anne's aunt in your prayers. She has cancer and the prognosis hasn't been great. We know God's hand is at wok and we are praying for miracles.

Dane is faithfully searching for an amp here in Australia for his guitar. This is so he can practice the songs he needs to for class each week. We are so thankful for a generous donation so monetarily this is possible, but it seems like every one he checks out gets sold before we have the chance to make the offer. Please pray that the perfect amp falls right into his lap! Ok not literally, because then we would be dealing with a much bigger issue than a tore up ankle.

And finally, we ask for prayers of wisdom. Dane and I have a couple big decisions coming up that we'll keep you posted on in the future. But right now, wisdom is what we ask for.

We love you all! And know that we miss you lots! Hugs all around!

Love, the kids down under

{photo}

{bike lovin}

2012-02-28T17:00:00.000-06:00

look at this excitement!

a couple of our dear friends back at home blessed us with the money for new bikes. we are so thankful. they have saved us so much time and it is wonderful to have a form of transportation!

sushi train

2012-02-27T19:40:00.005-06:00

dane and i recently had a date at sushi train. we had heard of these, but never experienced them ourselves. the way it works is sushi comes around on plates, and you pick up the plates that you want. the plates are different colors, representing the price of each item. it was so fun and we hope to go back again soon!

manly.

2012-02-26T22:59:00.000-06:00

beach trip 2012! how could that phrase not excite you! dane and i joined several of our married couples friends this past weekend for a beach outing. this was the first time for dane and i to dive into the australian waters, and i must admit, i was a bit reluctant, fearing shark attacks (i watched a few too many hours of shark week at the burch house this summer). but eventually, i dove in and just LOVED it. hope you enjoy some snapshots from our day!

we rode a ferry to manly beach. it was dane and my first ferry ride. such a fun way to travel!

the best best best ice cream here comes from a shop called gelatissamo. this "american chocolate" flavor made me so happy. of course i sampled but ended up going with the fresh strawberry. it reminded so much of the strawberry ice cream grandma bebermeyer used to make me. she told me it would make my cheeks rosey, so i ate lots!

hungry jacks aka...burger king.

our good friends from virginia, mark & marcie

good friends from sweeden, jonas & matilda

this picture makes me smile so so much!

this was the site for a couples wedding on that day. all of the guests were lined up in black tie and boarded the boat in sydney harbour.

we hope you will all come visit and join us for an amazing day at manly beach!

{xoxo} the kids down under

window shopping: owl crush

2012-02-18T16:00:00.000-06:00

was doing a little window shopping on one of my favorite online stores, modcloth.com

and fell in love with these lovely winged friends!

window shopping online, always a fun time!

love celebration

2012-02-17T20:48:00.001-06:00

We had a wonderful Valentines Day! The celebration included homemade valentines, candlelight dinner on our balcony, a giant mud cake at waroeng's, and chocolate cupcakes. we hope you had a good time celebrating! xoxo Dane & Christy

Happy Valentines Day!!!

2012-02-14T01:23:00.001-06:00

Dane and I want to wish all of you a Happy Valentines Day! We want you all to know that we love you dearly and are so thankful for your love and support during our journey here in Australia. xoxo

Valentine Cupcake DIY

2012-02-14T01:11:00.002-06:00

Cupcake toppers are nothing new, but when you are living on a budget, sometimes you need to get a little creative in order to make something cute and affordable. So here are my Valentine cupcake toppers that are super cute, super fast, super easy and fun to use on Valentines Day.

What you need: Scissors, Pen, Paint Chips (I don't know what I'll ever do if hardware stores stop giving these away!!!), toothpicks, tape

First, trace a heart pattern on the back of a paint chip.

Now, simply cut them out

Tape a toothpick on the back of each heart

And then enjoy. I put mine in cupcakes I made for my friends here in Australia. You could us them in appetizers, ice cream, or even your valentine steak or sandwich

You could also get the colors used for candy hearts, and write the messages on them in red ink, like "sweet heart" or "hot stuf." Nothing like classic Valentine candy :)

Happy Valentines Day!

my waroeng family

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

meet the amazing family i work with!

June, Chaline, and Monte

Chaline and I have a lot of fun together!

Saturday, we had a Waroeng family outing to enjoy Thai food together. Only it was raining, so we had an umbrella parade!

this was my first time drinking straight from a chilled coconut. it had a pleasant nutty and sweet flavor to it.

and of course delicious pad thai. i know a couple of my readers just LOVE this dish. i must say, i believe this is the best i have ever had.

thanks for reading! love you all!

home.

2012-02-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

Home.

"Home is a guardian ofidentity.

When its owners return fromperiods away,

on looking around them,

they remember who they are."

- Alain d Botton "TheArchitecture of Happiness

This past weekend I took part inHillsong's Visions Sunday. And the whole theme of the weekend was home.

For some of us, the word homestirs negative feelings of pain, aloneness, fear and hurt. Some of us hate home and want nothing to do with it.

But for others, home conjures upwarm feelings of joy. The samefeelings we get when we snuggle into a warm blanket on a chilly night. It’s a place of comfort, where you cansimply be.

And this description of home iswhat Hillsong church desires for every person to feel when they walk throughtheir doors. The head of the household in this place is none other than theLord and Creator of the universe. And all over the church are wonderful gestures to help us recall that Our Heavenly Father wants us to feel at home when we come intoHis home of worship. From awelcome "home" mat at the front door, to toothbrushes in the bathroom; all simple reminders that this is a place of refuge, a place of safety, aplace of protection, a place called home.

And each one of us are animportant part of God’s home. Ephesians 2:19-22 tells us:

You're no longer strangers oroutsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone.God is building a home. He's using us all—irrespective of how we got here—inwhat he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Nowhe's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with ChristJesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it takingshape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, atemple in which God is quite at home.

God has a plan and a purposefor every single one of us, in this world, and in His home. If a brick from a home is missing it isnot as sturdy, not as protected. Each of us needs to listen to God’s call on our lives, and followobediently, thankful and humbled to be welcomed into the home of God, and wantingto be an active member in His home.

And these are thoughts Iponder often. God, while I am herein Sydney, Australia, how would you like me to serve in this world and in Yourhome?

Friend, if you don’t feellike you have a place to call home, a place where you can come as you are, no matter how damaged or broken. A place where you will be loved. A place where you will find peace, and comfort and protection from a violent world, might I encourage you to realize that Godis inviting you in. He wants to welcomeyou, to make you part of His home.

explorer at heart

2012-02-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

we hope you have enjoyed some bits and pieces from our city exploration this weekend. it was so fun to share them with you all! much love. the kids down under

how does your garden grow

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

One just can't deny the cool green grass of the Botanical Gardens on a warm Sydney grass. The Botanical Gardens of Sydney, are absolutely breathtaking. And the best part, they are free. Some of my favorite parts were the water gardens and different animals we saw along the way. A bit of warning: This post does have a spider picture. I only tell you this because I would want you to warn me about a snake picture. It is all because I love you!

Flying foxes make their home in the botanical gardens. More commonly known as "fruit bats." These animals were in the thousands, hanging from the tops of trees. Most of them had their wings closed, but I happened to catch this moment, and was estatic!

This is one of the oldest bridges in Australia. It was built by prisoners so the royal families could travel from their homes to the water near by.

I must say thanks to my house mate Mel for snaggin some of these photo moments for me. Any pictures that have a date on them belong to her! Also, if you haven't met David before, here's your chance. He is a great friend of ours and my boss at Waroeng coffee.

giddy!

2012-02-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

I get giddy every single time we drive across the Syndey Harbour bridge, and I look over the edge and see this magnificient piece of archetecture standing. I truly could have spent hours, staring at it, trying to figure out how it works, but we had a big day of exploring. Don't worry Opera House, I will return to ponder your beauty.

I didn't realize that the Opera House actually consists of three different buildings, but this model helped explain it quite nicely.

The opera house is actually a peninsula, so there are amazing views all the way around.

Thanks for going on the Opera House adventure with us. We hope to see a show in the opera house before we leave Sydney. Prices aren't as bad as we thought they would be. We could have went to a preview of a new romantic comedy music (right up my alley huh?) for $65/ ticket. Of course, they get much more expensive. For those of you Bon Iver fans, he will be gracing the Opera House stage later this year. Sadly, the show sold out in minutes. Even the workers of the Opera House missed out on the chance. Thanks again for reading. Join us tomorrow, when we visit the Botanical Gardens. luv luv! -the kids down under

[snapshots]

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! Welcome to a new feature on our blog called snapshots. So often I try and share the more"exotic" things that go on in Dane and my life, but thought it would be fun to let you see a glimpse into our everyday lives. enjoy!

our clothes drier

a new addiction

we are so happy to have a fridge. but 5 people means a WHOLE lot of of food

this happens in every home right?

how dane will approach life for a while :)

my FAVORITE store in australia. for you office supply addicts, this place would be dangerous for you as well.

some of the cuteness at typo

dane's new addiction.

dane fixing our tv. in aussie, you get tv channel for free via an antenna. a person in the church blessed us with a booster, so dane and i, who haven't had tv for over years, now have free tv, including some shows from the states.

thanks for stopping by and view. we love you all. xoxo the kids down under

we spell harbor "OUR"

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to share an adventure Dane and I took last Saturday with you all. Along with our house mate Mel, and friend David, we took off into the city to explore the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Botanical Gardens, and along the way uncovered even more great secrets of the city. Over the course of the next week, I'll be sharing some photos with you from each adventure. enjoy!

Travler's Tip: See the tiny people hiking up the bridge? It costs $250 to do this. Dane and I would love the opportunity to do this, but that's just not feasible right now. But do not fear, you can still walk across the bridge for free! You get an amazing view and can feel the cool breezes coming off the Harbour.

It is so much fun to share our adventures with you all. We hope you enjoy reading! Come back soon to see more from our day of exploration. Love you all! -the kids down under

"little shop"

2012-02-06T00:04:00.000-06:00

Lift up the celebrations! I got a job! I will be working at my favorite coffeeshop I have found so far in Sydney, Waroeng Coffee, which means "litle shop" in Indonesian. Tomorrow I begin, serving up delicious coffee drinks, teas, sandwhiches, bowls of noodles, and ice cream. I am so excited! Here are a few pictures from the place.

So, you see that yummy chocolatey drink in the image above? Not kidding you, the best iced mocha I have ever drank in my life. It includes chocolatey syrups, coffee, and ice cream. The "juice" box is actually an Indonesian tea which has jasmine flavors enfused in it and the coke...well that is Dane's and yes, just tastes like coke. Maybe I can convince them to start carrying Dr. Pepper? That would bring in the business from the states kids huh?

We truly do love to hang out at the cafe. They offer free wifi, wonderful company, and an amazing atmosphere. If you live in the Glenwood or Hills area, you should come check it out tomorrow. The address is E205/ 24-32 Lexington Drive, Bella Vista (also known as the Fitness First complex). I would love to see you! You can also follow us on Twitter at @waroengcoffee

Thanks to everyone who prayed for a job for me. I am so appreciative and thankful that God has provided, so today, instead of leaving you a list of prayer requests, Dane and I ask that you say thank you for God providing for us. much luv, the kids down under.

thumbs up

2012-02-02T00:47:00.001-06:00

Do your happy dance. Today I went job searching and the first place I stopped at, a small cafe, asked me to come in for a trial run this Saturday at 11:00am. I would spend a couple hours waiting tables and if it goes well, they will hire me. I'm in need of some part time work like this so badly right now! So please pray for me! Just wanted to share with you all! Lots of love! Christy

Sri Lanka

2012-01-31T15:08:00.001-06:00

You have all had the chance to meet our other two housemates on the blog, Sarah-Anne and Mel. I thought this would be the perfect chance to introduce you to Van, our housemate from Sri Lanka.

We came home from church Sunday night and Van had cooked us an amazing Sri Lankan dinner. I had never ate Sri Lankan before, but I think I'll be making a habit of it. Wow. So delicious.

Menu:

sri lankan roast beef

egg plant curry

pappadam

cucumber salad

rice

Just an update on what has been happening with Dane & I. Dane started classes yesterday (that's Tuesday for us, Monday for you in the states). I had the opportunity to attend chapel with him yesterday, and just loved it. I'm excited that chapel is a huge part of the Hillsong Leadership College experience. I also attended a lecture on church and ministry. During the time there we explored what it means to be the body of Christ, what makes church "church" and the Hillsong Mission Statement.

Yesterday I dropped a resume off at a local daycare/preschool and spoke with the director. They run an all day daycare facility, an after school program, and in April, are opening a new organic preschool. They are needing someone with a degree to teach in the new preschool and are going to discuss how they could make this work with my part-time visa. I am going to put my resume in at other places just in case that falls through.

For those of you committing to pray for us. Here are a few requests we have. We are still needing a washing machine, although we have completed three loads of laundry with our hands and the sweat of our brow. A humbling character builder if you ask me...wink wink.

We are also praying diligently for bikes to help us with the journey from home to campus and future jobs.

Please keep the job search in your prayers. I am asking for wisdom and guidance about the preschool job as well as other job opportunities.

And please keep our hearts in your prayers. God has been doing some really big things in our lives and it is so exciting. Sometimes it is so much we can't even digest it all, but it is so amazing to experience the overflow of His goodness and blessing.

Love you all! - the kids down under

DIY Recycled Bunting

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

Moving to Australia meant that only the necessities were coming with us, which meant, not a lot of cute stuff got to make the trip. I knew, in order to make our house feel like our home, I would have to create on basically a $0 budget. So throughout our time here, I hope to share DIY’s that are basically free but can make your space have that little extra.

Today I created recycled bunting to hang in our bedroom above our bed. Here are the items you will need.

Cereal box, Old Magazines or Ads, Scissors, Scotch Tape, String, a Ruler, and a pin.

First, cut out a pattern from the cereal box for your flags. Mine measures 14 cm by 21 cm.

Then find magazine pages that you love. I used a information book that the Hillsong church publishes each season. It had a perfect mix of colors, the paper was a little thicker, and it was free! Trace your flag pattern on the pages.

Then cut the flags out of the pages.

Now, take scotch tape, and simply tape them onto the string.

Now you have a fun piece to hang up in your bedroom, living room or outside. You could also paint letters over the magazine pages to make them say something fun.

I hope you enjoy creating something new for your space! xoxo Christy

Something I'm Looking Forward To

2012-01-29T02:00:00.000-06:00

Coming to Hillsong Church in March is the Colour Conference. Started by Bobbie Houston, Colour conference will have attendees from all over the world. Teachers this year include BETH MOOORE (I’m just a wee bit excited about this) and Priscilla Shirer (whom I have ALWAYS wanted to hear speak). So if you want to visit Sydney, and you are a woman, this is the time!

Ok so I can’t wait to blog to you all after this conference because the Holy Spirit has already been stirring in me, and I know God has something in store for especially me at this event! The conference is quite pricey for Dane and I right now ($169), so if you would like to sponsor my attendance in any way, I would appreciate it so much. If you would like to be one of my sponsors, please send me an email or facebook message.

Thank you all for the support and prayers you have sent our way. It is such a comfort knowing you are all praying for us and it is a joy to have you journeying with us through the blog, facebook and twitter posts. Much luv. Christy

(photos courtesy of hillsong colour brochure)

The first of many: Australia Day

2012-01-28T15:51:00.000-06:00

Dane & I celebrated Australia day January 26 with some of our new friends. Here's a glimpse into our celebration.

donuts

2012-01-24T00:50:00.000-06:00

every shop that sells donuts sells colorful donuts like these. you can't help but want to indulge!

Come to Australia, and have a donut with us!

Reassurance.

2012-01-24T00:43:00.000-06:00

After taking a leap of faith, sometimes, that's what you need. This past weekend at frontline conference Dane and I were reminded over and over and over by God, this is where I want you to be.

Frontline is the group of young adults ages 25-35 who attend Hillsong Church. Throughout the year we will do life together, dinner, Bible studies, worship, laugh, learn, cry, pray. Dane and I were so thankful that God brought us here a week before school started because it gave us the opportunity to attend Frontline's biggest conference of the year, Renaissance.

The speaker, Judah Smith, just brought the Word, time and time again. I would love to share all of my notes with you, but it is simply too much, and my mind was just blown out of the water with how God was moving and working. If you want to know more, Message me!

So I'm going to share a few pictures from the conference.

These are some of our new friends. Jacob from Cali, David from OKC, and Sarah-Anne (housemate and friend).

At the conference, they had the cutest vignettes set up all over. Of course I was obsessed with these, and took lots of pictures. Maybe they will inspire you a bit.

All of us conference pals hanging out. David, Dane, Alex & Jess (they belong together), Sarah-Anne, Jacob, and John.

Dane and David are like best buds. Its so great!

Nobody is surprised by this are they?

Mevan with his professional pool skills.

The biggest jar of nutella ever.

Check out that meringue!

So there are these amazing cookies here called Tim Tams. Gloria Jeans has taken these delectable cookies and put them in iced coffee drinks. Jacob and I enjoyed these drinks greately. Jacob has such a sweet tooth, and this is him being FULLY American.

Our buddy Alex got a long board to get back and forth to school.

JUDAH SMITH...IN THE HOUSE!

Love you all! xoxo the kids down under

Make Note.

2012-01-24T00:05:00.000-06:00

In case you don't follow us on twitter, facebook, or skype....make note. we have a fridge.

A God given fridge. somebody from the church donated it to college housing, and we happened to be next on the list. Thank you Lord for our free fridge.

So thank you for your fridge prayers. Four new prayer requests for you all. #1 Washing Machine. #2 Internet Connection at home. #3 Job. #4 Bikes.

We love you all!
xoxo the kids down under.

a darling exploration

2012-01-17T21:16:00.001-06:00

Dane and I spent Tuesday exploring the city of Sydney. The city is really quite huge so we stuck to an area known as Darling Harbor. We learned quite quickly that this is the wealthy part of the city with shops like Versace. I considered going in just to touch the clothes, but the two people working there were basically guarding the door and glared at me. Probably my odor from the hot Sydney sun. Check out the pictures and enjoy the adventure with us!

sydney town hall

outside china town

our lunch. AUTHENTIC Japanese

Our roommate Melissa. From Australia.

Soon-Lee and Melissa.

Dane and I outside the rain wall.

A kiddo's paradise!

we love you Kansas! Apparently Australia does too!

Darling Harbor

Dear Schwarm family, this picture is for you!

Cotton Candy = Fairy Floss

The delicious hazelnut danish ice cream.

Dear Papa Wutke and Papa Beb. This pic is for you.

Ceiling in the pricey mall

For those of you who have committed to praying for us. We are still in need of a fridge. I cannot WAIT to put a message up on facebook that says "WE HAVE A FRIDGE." Also starting the process of looking for bikes. Dane and I have a 30 minute walk to campus and a bike would be nice. We are in the process of polishing our resumes, so please keep that in your prayers as well. We love you all!

becoming australian.

2012-01-15T23:49:00.001-06:00

sunday night we took our first steps to becoming australian. yes. we ate vegemite. we had a true australian teach us how to eat it: on toast with lots of butter and a little vegemite. tastes like you are chewing on a beef bouillon cube. not the most pleasant taste, but doable. apparently our friend from europe who tried it with us, strongly disagreed!

welcome to church.

2012-01-15T23:44:00.002-06:00

Hillsong Church: “A place where anything can happen and itprobably will.” This weekend Dane& I attended our first two Hillsong services. I was overcome with emotion during Sunday morningservice. I think it finally hit me, we were in Sydney, this was church. Surrounding me were people fromdifferent backgrounds, countries, economic statuses and yet our hearts were alljoined together in one purpose, to worship our King.

Just wanted to give you a glimpse…really just a GLIMPSE ofmy sermon notes: If notinterested, you can skip down past the arrows to enjoy some pictures from thechurch.

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Sunday AM Service: The Journey of 2012- based of Numberschapter 13

- As you begin this year, know that God has something instores specifically for you.

- Mathematical Equation for 2012: God + you = enough

- Stop focusing on the giants that face you this year andrealize God is with us.

- Know that God can help you overcome every obstacle thatcomes along

- Take the journey with a new Spirit- sweet, clean andwholeheartedly

- Travel at God’s speed, not your own

- Your destination is not always what everyone else’s is

- Never stop pursuing what God has for you. Taste & see that the Lord is good.

Sunday PM Service: God’s Favor

“ You water ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows, Youmake it soft with showers, You make it grow.”- Psalm 65:10

In 2012 God wants to abundantly water our hearts that may bedry and needing refreshment.

In 2012 God wants to settle the things that furrow ourbrows. He wants us to live inpeace.

In 2012 God wants to soften our hearts with His showers.

In 2012 God wants to make us grow

Know that the way our Father sees us, is that He wants tobless us, He loves to show us His favor.

Truly understanding favor is not an inward view, but anoutward view. When we are blessedwe in return will desire to bless others.

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i have a feeling we'll become beach junkies.

2012-01-15T23:42:00.000-06:00

This weekend, my senses were surrounded by the most beautiful scenery I have ever experienced in my life. The sights, the smells, the cool breezes, the fresh tasting fish, the sand beneath my toes. Really, I can’t describe it to you, but will let the pictures speak as best they can. Enjoy!

our new friends mavin and eugene

naturally formed. amazing.

home away from home.

2012-01-15T23:29:00.000-06:00

During this journey there have been constant reminders thatGod is with us. My first clueshould have been on day one when I walked up to the house and saw the largesign reading Immanuel hanging next to our front door. Immanuel, meaning God is with us. So often I associate this term withChristmas, reading the text in Matthew about Christ’s birth. It registers in my mind as an ancientterm dating back to 0 A.D. but it has become very apparent to me that God waswith us then, He is with us now, and He will continue to be with us.

When we first walked into our home we had nothing, but Ican’t help but be blown away by how much God has given us. Friday night we went groceryshopping. At the grocery store wetoyed with the idea of buying several household items. We had been drinking out of paperMcDonalds cups and hoarding the plastic silverware the college was using toserve coffee with. We decided thatwe would make food the priority considering we only had so much muscle to carrythe goods on our walk home.

When we opened the front door, we found a couch sitting inthe middle of our living room. Wewere speechless. We startedwalking around the house and discovered a TV, DVD player, a TV stand, kitchentable & chairs, plates, cups, silverware, bowls, cutting board, cookingutensils, a coffee press, microwave, pots and pans, outdoor chairs, and anironing board. We had no cluewhere the stuff came from, or who was able to bring it into our house. No clue! When we asked our neighbor, he told us to enjoy the blessingthat someone kindly gave us.

And again, God was with us on Saturday. When we came home from a day at thebeach, a bag of groceries was sitting on our front porch from a girl namedKirsten. She used to live in ourhome and wanted to stop by to see how we were doing. That night, we were able to use the groceries to makespaghetti.

We continue to live in a state of awe at how Big God is, andhow He meets our needs continually. For those of you who have committed to pray for us, please continue tolift up prayers for a fridge and washer drier for our home. We also need wisdom on the bestinternet option for our home.

And now, some preliminary pictures of our home. As you can tell, we are trying to getsettled in, but wanted you all to see a bit of the place we live. Love you all!

our bedroom

the patio off our bedroom

our closet

one of the first things we had to buy...its a necessity :)

master bathroom

another view of our bedroom

this will become our housemates bathroom

staircase

kitchen area

our pantry. yes that is a giant jar of nutella that looks like a santa...on sale kids!

we hope to fill this space with a washer/drier soon

living room

front porch

back patio

the garden we planted. dads' you'll be proud!

some aloe plants we transplanted. i put these on my aussie sunburn!

Taken Care Of

2012-01-13T01:08:00.000-06:00

In the past 2 days I have been attacked by a flock of wild parrots, crossed the equator, eaten my first "biscuit," ran from one airport terminal to another, seen the mountains of Fiji, crossed the Pacific, been humbled and realized how BIG God is, ridden in a vehicle on the wrong side of the road, drove through the Sydney Harbor bridge, saw the opera house, lost a day of my life crossing the international dateline, and I am ashamed to say, stolen some toilet paper from McDonald's, but ey, a girl's gotta eat.

The biggest lesson we have learned the past two days is, our God is taking care of us.

Let me begin with the San Fransisco airport. Dane and I arrived to learn that our flight from LA to Fiji had been moved back one hour. We had not been notified of this change, and as a result, we could make the flight, but our luggage would not. Our luggage is our home on our backs and the airport agreed that us going and sending it later was not a wise option. Dane got on the phone with Orbitz and after an hour of debating, and running across the San Fransisco airpot, we made it on a Delta flight, flying from San Fran to LA. We literally made the flight by one minute. Louis, the man from the Delta counter followed us all the way through security to make sure we and our bags made it on the flight. Something that seemed virtually impossible, became possible. We knew God's hand was at work, and it was confirmation that He truly wanted us here in Sydney.

The flights all went well with no delays. I took everyone's advice and spent lots of time walking around the airplane. There were several inflight movies to chose from, but both Dane and I often chose to watch Glee in concert. Drew, we know you are LOVING that, and we did too! We were both able to get some sleep on the plane, had an easy time getting through customs, and were ready to go when our feet first hit the dirt from "down under."

Once we arrived at the college we learned about our housing arrangements, enjoyed some biscuits and coffee, and then a student drove us to our home, which is about a 30 minute walk from campus.

I was the first to walk into our house. This place is a MANSION. The living room and kitchen are probably the size of the Presby Senior High Youth Room (just to give you CC people a reference). We have a front porch to sit on, a little patio in the back with a garden, clothes line, and swing set. There are 4 bedrooms upstairs including a master bedroom which is ours. It has a bathroom with a shower, a walk in closet and its own balcony which i ADORE. Here is the down side of the place. There is NOTHING in it. Dane and I have no bed, no fridge, no washer and drier, no couch, no dressers.

So we are sitting up in our room talking about what our needs are in the home. Our number one need was a bed. As we were toying with what our best options would be to fulfill this need there was a knock at our door. It was Greg, our next door neighbor, just wanting to meet the new kids. He asked us if we had anything, and we responded with no. He told us that he would love to loan us an air mattress for the night, and we felt so grateful. The next thing we know, we see him hauling a queen size mattress, and bed frame over to our house. He was giving us a bed as well as a couch and coffee table. Dane and I were blown away. The timing of God couldn't have been more perfect and my heart was humbled. I love how our friend Stephanie put it, "God just showed up on your doorstep." It was so true. Greg also has two children, and his daughter, who will be going into sixth grade, has become a rather fond friend of mine.

So that has been our last couple of days. Today we set up phones, bank accounts, called home to our parents (it was so good to see your faces) and are taking in as much as possible. If you have committed to praying for us we have a couple prayer requests tonight. Please pray that God provides us with a fridge and a washer/drier. We love you all and will share more soon!

Los Angeles

Our plane. The biggest plane I have ever seen in my life.

Fiji Sunrise

Drinking Fiji, in Fiji

Fiji mountains

Coast of Sydney

The world famous Sydney Harbor

there is a lot more water in the city than i expected.

something familiar from home ;)

driving over the Sydney Harbor Bridge

our first sydney meal together. also the home of free wifi

our home. our bedroom is the top left with the balcony!!!! (more house pics coming soon!)

our neighbors. we joked about how we lived next to keith and nicole, but decided that they would have never given us their bed, couch, and table.

dane and i in front of our home. we didn't intend to dress alike.

we love you all!

california sunshine

2012-01-09T23:47:00.000-06:00

Today was such a relaxing day. I feel like I haven’t said those words in a while. Dane & I had the chance to sleep inand we took it. Then Kirk &Marybeth took us down to the beach for the afternoon. The surfers were super intriguing to us, and we couldn’thelp but smile at the new guys (trust me you can tell), because we knew that itwould be us soon. Then we enjoyed dinnerat a restaurant on the wharf overlooking the bay and watched our last NorthAmerican sunset. Tomorrow wedepart from San Francisco at 6:20pm and our next blog post will be coming toyou from Sydney, Australia. Enjoysome pictures from our day! Loveyou all!

a new adventure begins.

2012-01-08T23:16:00.000-06:00

today, dane & i began a new adventure. an adventure that will truly be heart changing. dane and i are moving to sydney, australia so dane can begin attending hillsong international leadership college. we have been preparing for this trip for over and year, and honestly, january eighth, i must be honest, is a date i have been dreading. saying goodbye to those we love was something i didn't know if i could emotionally handle, but we all survived. God gave us strength, courage, and for me peace over the situation. tonight, i write to you from california in the home of the sweetest couple, kirk and maribeth smith. dane and i will actually fly out for sydney on january tenth, so please keep that date in your prayers, but i wanted to share with you all a few pictures from our day. we hope that you will take this journey with us via our blog. please check back often for more updates from the kids down under.

this is it. the items within these bags contain the "stuff" we need to live for the next two years. it has helped me to realize that life is SO much more than the items you own.

our frontier animal was jake the white tailed deer. eric & brock, i couldn't help but smile and think of you both when i saw this.

kansas's own version of the sydney opera house...wink...wink.

our flight had cable tv. ok, i was a little too giddy over this, but i got to watch lampoon christmas vacation.

first stop in cali.

dane & i went for a hike through the red wood forest this evening.

many people have told me, "you are quite brave to be doing this." honestly, i don't feel brave at all, but i cling to the fact that i know God is giving us the courage & strength to begin this journey.

love, christy

a fresh start

2011-06-06T11:27:00.002-05:00

this morning, this thought ran through my mind several times. whatever goals you are working towards- whether you are trying to eat healthy (and just blew it over the weekend), start a new workout routine, getting more organized, trying to stop a bad habit, wanting to take up a daily quiet time, or just overwhelmed with what life has thrown at you the past couple of weeks, remember....

source.

happy anniversary dad + mom

2011-06-04T18:38:00.000-05:00

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just wanted to seize the day and wish dad and mom a happy anniversary! and how are they celebrating? well right now they are outside cleaning air conditioners for a family in our church who lost theirs in the flash flood earlier this week. i love how you both are so willing to give!

love you!

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2011-06-02T18:03:00.000-05:00

Last night was a crazy evening of storms and rain. The result has been craziness in our little town. Keeping all of you who have experienced serious flooding in my prayers.

the backstops at the ball fields.

for those of you who have ever played disc golf with me, this is the place you tee off for hole 4, my favorite hole. this view is much different than it used to be!

my favorite foot bridge has been turned into a raging river!

these two ducks weren't very happy about their home being taken over

does that not look like a parrot in the tree? i didn't realize that until i got home.

the ducks decided if you can't beat em, join em.

my week in color: yellow

2011-03-22T13:57:00.000-05:00

Monday was dedicated to a color that I love dearly. I love it so much, it is the main color at my wedding in October!

some wedding decorations!

currently two of my favorite items in my kitchen.

spring has began to burst forth!

i have always loved this sign. if this sign ever goes up for sale, i hope to own it!

today's focus is springing up all around me, signifying life, growth and lush!

my week in color: honeysuckle

2011-03-21T10:13:00.000-05:00

my week in color began yesterday with none other than shades on honeysuckle. selected because it is pantone's color of the year!

yesterday was like looking at the world through rose colored glasses :) Here are some lovely things I discovered!

vintage wallpaper in opossum lodge. we worked all day on saturday to gut the second story and accomplished it!

my contact case...happiness!

i love these shoes from target, i love the colorful lining even more. yesterday was so beautiful, i couldn't help but let my toes peak out into the world!

the best candy ever is in the shade of pink...STRAWBERRY MENTOS!

this note hangs on my refrigerator and is a reminder every single day to keep my priorities in check.

the entry way to my house :)

in this picture they look red, but i promise you, my toenails are an amazing shade of vibrant pink.

colorful straws make life so much more fun!

and say hello to today's color. cheery and bright....yellow!

would you like to join me in my photography challenge?

starting sunday....

2011-03-17T10:11:00.000-05:00

starting this sunday: one week of color. i hope all of you photographers will join me in capturing the beauty of the world around you. its simple, just snap pictures of the items in your world that match the color for that day :)

ten ways to make it special- march edition

2011-03-03T20:21:00.000-06:00

i'm back to start this month off with 10 ways to make it special the march edition. check it out, and make march 2011 your best month yet!

1. do a wardrobe remix on your closet. look at the clothes you have and try and put together at least one new outfit that you might never have thought about before. try a new color combination, mixing prints or adding unique accessories like a scarf or belt. then, the most important part....wear it confidently :)

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2. write a letter to a friend just because. who doesn't love getting snail mail?

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3. in kansas, during march, the signs of spring begin to show (i just saw some today...eek!!!!) take advantage of those days that warm up to above 50 and go for a walk with your camera or camera phone, and snap pictures of the signs of spring that begin popping up everywhere.

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4. secretly purchase dessert for a table of people you don't know at a restaurant. this idea comes from my fiancée. it will not only make their day, but yours as well.

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5. this one is for you journalers out there. instead of writing all about your day, draw your favorite part of the day or draw something that you are thankful for. it adds interest to your journal pages, and encourages both right and left brain usage (and we all need a little more of that!)

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6. play a board game with someone. i really think we forget how enjoyable board games can be. call some friends up, grab some simple snacks and delicious beverages, and go for it. here are some of my favorites:

the farming game

apples to apples

mall madness

nertz

perfection

catch phrase

7. try nutella. if you have never had this delicious treat then you are missing out. i recommend it on toast with sliced bananas, used as dipping sauce for sliced apples, or straight on with spoon in the jar and lick. by the way, i'm going to make nutella hot chocolate tonight. you can too. check out the recipe here. yummmy!

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8. build a fort. you know you had amazing fort building skills when you were a kid. start to embrace your inner child and try it again. (you'll probably find you're even better at it as an adult). now, what to do with your fort? sleep inside it for a night. have a family dinner inside. get cozy with your friends and watch a movie in it. or just lay there and marvel at the new little happy world you created.

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9. put a little spring in your life. add a pop of pink or green to your home, go outside and cut something natural and bring it in. Change of the scents in your home from winter cozy cinnamons and vanillas to springtime freshness like clean cottons and peony.

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10. join me in my "live in color week," march 20-26th. each day will be assigned a color. then, as a professional or amateur photographer we will snap pictures throughout our day of objects we find in our environments that fit into that color category. throughout the week we'll be sharing these pictures on our blogs, facebook, and flickr pages.

have a wonderful march everyone!

seize the day february 28th

2011-03-03T13:46:00.001-06:00

so my february 28th was not a typical type of day for me, but that is what this project is all about, finding the special in the ordinary. here's my life on february 28th!

6:00am- super early wake up call to take my mama to the dentist

7:00am- a beautiful sunrise

8:00am admiring the necklace my aunt gave me while in the waiting room

9:00am- devotions, journaling, and blog plans

10:00am- ahhh the shamrock shake. this pic is for brady, jaydinn, and sarah

11:00am- the mail, one of my favorite parts of the day

12:00pm-3:00pm because i had been up super late with youth activities the night before and had to wake up way early this morning, i found myself here for several hours. it was much needed!

4:00pm my daily workout

5:00pm new favorite snack humus + pita

6:00pm a gorgeous sunset. cameras never do them justice!

7:00pm homemade pizza

8:00pm ice cream + the time traveler's wife

9:00pm journaling + an early bed time for me!

that's my february 28th. if you participated, i would LOVE to see yours!

seize the day

2011-02-21T20:48:00.000-06:00

(source)

i want to invite each one of you to participate in a fun little project with me on february 28th i'm titling "seize the day."

here's the plan. on february 28th, take one picture every hour, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep. it might be a huge moment of your life or something beautiful you do or see everyday and you pass it by without noticing. now is our chance to love the complex and the simple.

after the day, put your pictures in hourly order on your blog, facebook, or flickr page. then, post a link in the comments section of my "seize the day" post so you can share with other readers in the blogging world.

i hope you'll join me in making february 28th a special day!

ps: don't have a camera, don't worry. use your cellphone :)

february calendars

2011-02-02T17:30:00.003-06:00

day two of a new month. i have this weird obsession over calendars and thought i would share some of my favorite sites to obtain them from. check them out and pick one for your own computer :)

this one is from christiane engel. while you're visiting her site, check out some of her artwork. her aesthetic is so fun!

the calendar of the month club always has a cheery spin on the month. these 3-D calendars are meant to be printed off and built; keeping you happy throughout the entire month.

a wonderful desktop calendar from shanna murray. just a warning, you are going to be craving blueberry donuts ALL month long if you throw this one up on your desktop.

the desktop calendar from free people is the one that adorns my desktop almost every single month. i love how they combine creative elements to make a cohesive artwork.

and finally, this is the calendar i printed off to hang on my studio's wall. thanks to the always inspirational creature comforts blog!

ten ways to make it special- february edition

2011-02-01T20:01:00.001-06:00

i'm going to start a new feature on my blog, called "10 ways to make it special." so many of us have traditions at christmas time, or certain ways we celebrate a holiday, but i think it is important to celebrate the everyday parts of life as well. i will make it a personal goal to accomplish all ten each month. you can join me on this adventure, or make your own list and see what you come up with.

1. leave a love note in an unexpected place for someone near and dear to your heart.

get your own sparkle banner here.

2. it's bound to snow in february where i live and where most of my readers live. when the snow is falling, go to sleep that night with your blinds open and allow the snowflakes and soft glow of the sky float into your dreams. creeped out by this idea, just sit in a dark room with the windows open and watch the snow fall :)

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3. make a list of all that you are thankful for. i realize we just celebrated thanksgiving a couple months ago, but during the coldness of winter (which has many of us holed up inside) it is easy to get down. making a thankful list not only helps you realize how blessed you are, but will also pick up your spirits.

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4. make your own valentines. use items found in your house to save money and keep them uniquely yours. who really enjoys the store bought, cliche, valentines day cards anyways? (i know many of you hate valentines day, but there is always someone in your life you who love or who needs to know they are loved, so suck it up, and make their day!)

this one is made out of brown paper sacks. you could cut images out of magazines to create your own designs. (source)

these are super adorable and made out of matchboxes. (source)

i had to include this one because i remember making these with my mom one year for all of our family members on valentine's day. such a sweet memory. (source)

and finally valentine cupcakes? well you know me and my love for cupcakes! (source)

5. instead of take out, make a homemade pizza. it is healthier, cheaper, and you can be really unique with your toppings. try spreading cream cheese on your crust before adding your sauce (the most delicious secret that my dear friend brady taught me). try different cheeses or adding spinach. plus you can get cute with it, laying your toppings out in the shape of a face or spelling out someone's name. here's a crust recipe if your need one.

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6. cover your bedroom ceiling with glow in the dark stars. it makes going to bed at night magical.

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7. Memorize a Bible verse, poem, quote or saying that enriches your life. I've been working hard learning two Bible verses each month thanks to a challenge from Beth Moore and her blog. The verses I have learned so far this year are 1 Corinthians 2:9 and Psalm 31:14-15. This month I am learning:

Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.

When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up;

the flames will not consume you.

For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Isaiah 43:1-3

8. Make your own hot cocoa. Skip that whole instant packet stuff and try this recipe on for size. "Creamy Hot Chocolate"

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9. go bowling. i know my friends can only think of jim gaffigan jokes right now. (get in on the inside joke here). but seriously, i haven't been bowling in years, and i think it would be a fun alternative to movie night :) plus the shoes are really cool :)

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10. seize the day. i'm going to be doing a blog post about this in the near future, inviting you all to join me for this little adventure. stay tuned....

happy february everyone!

what's for dinner

2011-01-25T19:04:00.001-06:00

menu:
avocado burger & homemade potato wedges

there's one thing i know, i love a good hamburger. if i was on the show survivor standing on a pole in the middle of the ocean trying to win immunity, they would probably be able to bribe me off that pole with a juicy hamburger.

tonight i decided to take a spin on the traditional burgers that i make, and try an avocado burger. avocados are a great source of oleic acid which actually lowers cholesterol and some believe eating it will lower your risk of breast & prostate cancer.

with that said, here is how to add a little avocado into your own diet, via the avocado burger

ingredients for one avocado burger:
1 whole wheat hamburger bun
1/2 small avocado
3 cherry tomatoes diced
1/4 cup sliced onion
1/4 tsp butter
1 turkey burger patty
salt & pepper
ketchup

* Heat a skillet to medium heat. Sprinkle your patty with a little salt & pepper. (i get my turkey patties at aldi. they are very low calorie and inexpensive). Cook the patty until it is done. (you always want to cook turkey completely!)

* While patty is cooking, add a little butter to your bun and place on the skillet to toast.

* Also place sliced onion on skillet until caramelized

* In a bowl, smash 1/2 avocado with the diced cherry tomatoes. sprinkle on a little salt for flavor

* Remove toasted buns and spread avocado mixture on the buns. Then add grilled onions and turkey patty.

* ENJOY! We were in a bit of a rush tonight, so I didn't have time to snap any pictures. It was absolutely delicious, quick and easy. the picture above isn't mine, but can be found here.

advice i will take today

2011-01-25T10:35:00.002-06:00

with winter bringing me down, today i will try and focus on the positive. (source)

candy coated spring

2011-01-16T16:26:00.000-06:00

the spring 2011 j. crew line is out, and makes has me counting down the days til the frost is gone. here are some of my favorites.

i always love a good shade of yellow.

the caramel colored belt with that skirt has so happy.

j. crew has released a line of short & long sequence skirts...you know me and sparkle. i love the styling with the fancy mixed with the casual.

its simple, it has a vintage feel, and i want this girl's hair.

the flirty scalloped edge of these shorts is something i am going to have to try.

get inspired and check out the entire j crew spring line here.

engagement pics ♥

2011-01-13T23:38:00.000-06:00

our dear dear friend stephanie took our winter wonderland engagement pictures this week. i hope you'll hop over to her blog and check them out. they are absolutely gorgeous. i love her work! more>

happy snow day everyone

2011-01-10T20:50:00.000-06:00

snapshots

2011-01-09T21:02:00.002-06:00

here to share some snapshots of my weekend

the amazing marker board dane gave me for christmas. i know it's weird, but my new thing is woodgrain.

homemade bruschetta. it was so delicious. get the recipe here.

had so much fun making this 2011 planner thanks to LA's online class. make your own by watching here.

homemade guacamole and chips. so delicious.

today, just like every other year, the chiefs broke my heart. this is how i deal with the heartbreak.

right now i'm watching season one of hoarders on netflix and waiting for the 8 inches of snow to arrive. i hope you've had a wonderful weekend.

♥♥♥

christy

spring please

2011-01-08T11:42:00.000-06:00

i did some online window shopping this morning. if you can't tell, i'm itching for spring already.

(top 3 items are from j.crew sandals from urban outfitters)

pad thai please

2011-01-03T22:06:00.001-06:00

the past two summers my youth group has went on wonderful mission trips through an organization called Center for Student Missions. As a part of the trip, the organization allows you to experience different ethnic foods from around the world. One of my favorite foods we had while in Houston was Pad Thai, and tonight, I couldn't get the delicious thoughts out of my mind, so I thought I would try my hand at making some. I checked out a recipe at allrecipes.com tweaked it a bit to my own liking and came up with this.

What you'll need:

1 12 ounce bag of rice noodles
1 pound boneless chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
3 green onions
2 eggs
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons lime juice
pinch of cayenne
3 tablespoons soy
3 tablespoons teriyaki
1 cup bean sprouts
3/4 cup crushed peanuts

* Chop up green onions & mince garlic

* Heat olive oil in wok until about to smoke, then add 1/2 of the chopped green onions and the 2 cloves minced garlic

* After a minute, add your pound of thinly sliced boneless chicken breast. cook until chicken is done.

* Add two eggs to chicken mixture and scramble.

* In a sauce pan heat water and add your rice noodles. Don't boil, just allow to set in warm water for 10 minutes.

* Mix together rice vinegar, sugar, lime juice, cayenne soy and teriyaki

* Add noodles to wok and stir until chicken is mixed in.

* Add the liquid mixture to wok as well as 1/2 cup of bean sprouts and 1/2 cup peanuts

* Stir and cook for 3 minutes, making sure the noodles are absorbing the liquid from the sauce.

* Remove from heat and garnish with chopped green onion, more crushed peanuts, and bean sprouts

enjoy!

(note: many pad thai recipes calls for fish oil, and i personally can't stand the stuff, so this recipe is for all you who hate things that are fishy)

coffee at midnight

2011-01-02T14:32:00.000-06:00

Coffee at 12:30am isn't a good choice for me, but I am thankful for the late night quiet time it brought to me on New Years Eve. I guess it was really 4:00am on New Years Day, but after a week of vacation it all runs together, right?

As I lay awake journaling about the upcoming year, I started feeling anxious. In the upcoming year, there is no doubt in my mind that there will be pain, sadness, hurt, disappointment, fights, apologies, and tears. All of the sudden, I didn't want to face what was to come.

I was in need of comfort and opened my Bible to read some words of wisdom, comfort & guidance.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared or those who love Him." - 1 Corinthians 2:9

God has prepared every part of my year. He knows what is going to happen, He knows how much I can handle, He knows what I need in order to know Him better. He knows if I'm going to have a sunny gorgeous wedding day. He knows if my car will make it another year.

As His child, He knows what is best for me, better than I myself know. And in that, I find peace.

So for the first part of my memory work in 2011, I will cling to 1 Corinthians 2:9, and encourage you to do the same.

source

accomplish this

2011-01-01T01:00:00.002-06:00

thought i would start 2011 sharing with you all a few things i hope to accomplish in the upcoming year.

1. learn to embroider.

i love embroidery on tea towels, wall hangings, and pillowcases. i hope in 2011 i can accomplish this and maybe share my talents with you all as well.

here's one of my favorite embroidery patterns i've seen and i hope to make my own soon thanks to this pattern.

2. grow my hair out extra long

i long to be able to do messy buns, cute braids and more.

3. memorize 24 new Bible verses.

i found in 2010 that God's word sustained and spoke to me in ways that it never has before. i would find great comfort and clarity as i would cling to God's word.

after doing the amazing beth moore bible study, esther, in 2010, i'm excited to join her community in memorizing bible verses for 2011. i would love to invite you to join in. check it out here.

4. journal daily

in 2010 i discovered art journaling. i've done hand written journals all throughout my life, but art journaling encourages the creative process, with sketches, clippings from magazines, and basically anything that inspires. elsie is responsible for introducing me to this fun project, and i have had so much fun flipping through the journals i've created in 2010. if you would like official lessons in art journaling, check out elsie's online class

5. teach a crafting class

i would love to find a group of people who want to get together and create, and would love to be the person who helps them do that. i'm hoping in 2011 i will have the opportunity to put my college degree to work for me and lead others in a creative class.

6. take more pictures

photography is one of my favorite hobbies, and i might not have the world's greatest camera but i have this secret wish (ok, i guess its not so secret anymore) to take care of that. until then, my camera will do. i will continue with my picture of day, but want to take more pictures that aren't so "to the point," and allow people to associate their own stories with the pictures.

oh my... dream camera

7. keep rollin' on my workout program.

i've been working super hard since october and seeing results, thanks to turbofire. i want to continue working out, and work on eating better. i hope to cook delicious home cooked meals with lots of yummy fresh veges, fruits, and lean proteins.

8. plan a beautiful, special and memorable outdoor wedding

this one is number 8 because i'm getting married october 8th, to my best friend dane. we are getting married in the lot next to my parents, which will forever be known as "opossum lodge." i hope the evening to be magical and super happy.

9. resurrect an old record album

growing up i spent hours listening to my parent's beach boys albums. i would love to score an old record player and pick up some vinyls from my generation.

10. blog more often.

i hope to visit with you all at least once a week in 2011 if not every single day. my blog is a great creative outlet, and i look forward to sharing my creative projects as well as wedding plans and thoughts place on my heart with you all. happy 2011 everyone. ♥ christy