Put On Your {Easter} Sunday Clothes

First, let's get in the mood:



Sidenote: how fabulous is Barbra Streisand?

Okay. So Easter is on its way! Everyone is different, but I'm old fashioned: I believe in dressing up for church, and especially buying an Easter dress. Last year, Evy was very, very young. I was struggling to find ANYTHING that remotely looked flattering. Thankfully, my mom had bought me a dress at Ann Taylor before I was even pregnant that miraculously worked. It was like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.


Evy and I went to the mall this evening. Kurt was on call and I wanted to kill some time, and we had a return to make. Just for kicks, I browsed for an Easter dress. And guess what? I FOUND ONE! I was still shocked to find something (like last year), because I'm just not where I want to be with my weight. I'm not at the stage where I'm super confident. (I'm not saying this to degrade myself or get affirming comments--it's just honestly where I am right now.) However, as a sidenote, I will say that my BFF (I wish) Beth Moore's book, "So Long, Insecurity" has REALLY helped me in this area. That's a whole separate post. Anyway, I was so happily surprised when I found my dress! Here it is:

I found it at Belk, and the brand is London Times (fitting!). It's a blush color and has a little shimmer to it. Plus, the ruffles are flattering. I was surprised that it has stretch in it, but not to the point where it's a Richard Simmons Spandex moment. Very nice! It's also a dress that I will wear to church on normal Sundays as well, not just Easter. All in all, a great purchase!

Random :

Did anyone else watch the Easter "Davy and Goliath"?

I'm happy that Spring is arriving! Here are some inspiration images and a song from my favorite musical, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (I'm sorry for the Spanish subtitles--it was the only video I could find!):

I would love to host an Easter lunch at my home someday. I love all of these images! However, when I searched, there weren't many beautiful tablescapes that incorporated the cross, which is the REASON for Easter! So I'll have to work on that and post pictures once I host my lovely luncheon party :)

Now I'm ready for Easter!

Letter to My Daughter {Repost}

I've never reposted anything before, but I found this that I wrote around the time of Evy's birth. Since I just posted about raising godly children in an ungodly world, I thought it was fitting. For those who haven't read it, here it is:

Dear Evy,

I can’t believe I’m writing this letter to my first child! It’s such a surreal feeling. When I found out that I was pregnant on June 8, 2008, our world forever changed. Now that you’re almost here (within days), our world is about to be changed again.


I’ve heard that once you become a mother, you better understand the concept of unconditional love. I can’t imagine what that feels like, yet I’ve never been more ready to experience it. I have known from the time I was a little girl that being a mother was my calling in life. However, I’ve never felt more overwhelmed than I do now: Will I teach you all you need to know? What kind of mom will I be? Will I model for you the Biblical legacy that I want to leave? I have so many questions, but all that seems important right now is that you arrive safely.


I want you to understand that you’re about to come into a world that isn’t what God intended, although He’s not surprised by it. Our world is a beautiful place. God has given us nature to enjoy, and family to love, and so much to experience and see. But our world is a very ugly place at the same time. People don’t have the love and reverence for God that they once did, and sin is in the world. You will come in contact with this; it’s only fair to warn you from the start.


However, I am humbled and blessed to say that you are a child who will have the opportunity to grow up in a Christian household. Your dad and I love the Lord and acknowledge Him as the authority and head of this household. Only by His mercy are we saved, and our number one goal from the moment you’re born is to point you to Him. We will have moments of failure. We will not be perfect parents. But Jesus, our Savior, is perfect. We are already praying for the day that you fully come to understand this for yourself and ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life and heart. What a wonderful day that will be!


I want to make some promises to you:
-You dad and I will always be together, and we will always be a family.
-I will be your mother first, then your friend. Sometimes this will make me unpopular, but it’s for our own good (yours and mine).
-We will be proud of you simply because you’re our daughter. Any accomplishments are just icing on the cake.
-As your mom, I will listen to you calmly, even when the conversations are uncomfortable.
-God has a perfect, wonderful plan for your life, and we can’t wait to see that come to fruition.


Some advice for my sweet daughter:
-Play with dolls and make believe for as long as possible.
-Don’t date just to date; it wastes time. Trust me on this.
-Your purity is a precious gift from God. Protect it with everything you have.
-Your dad will take the above statement very seriously. Don’t test him on this.
-Learn what’s in the Bible. Don’t just hear it. Learn it and live it.


I pray you have:
-The courage of the Egyptian midwives (Shiphrah and Puah) who saved so many Hebrew children against their Pharaoh’s wishes.
-The intelligence of Miriam.
-The loyalty of Ruth to family and those you love.
-The perseverance of Hannah in your prayer life.
-The boldness and speaking ability of Esther.
-The obedience of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
-The hospitality of Martha.
-The learning spirit of Mary.
-The bold witness of Corrie Ten Boom.
-The accepting and positive attitude of Helen Keller.
-The adventurous spirit of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
-The creativeness of Joni Eareckson Tada
-The love for God’s Word of Beth Moore.
-The ministry of Elisabeth Elliot.
-The traits that only God can place in your unique personality.
And finally...
-The attitude and attributes of Christ Jesus Himself.


This is a daunting list, I know. But I will be praying these things for you, not so you can try to copy these women, but emulate their positive and godly traits. You can do it!

Evy, I love you. I’m here for you no matter what, anytime, anywhere.

Love, Mommy

Future Generations

I have a sweet, Christian friend, Jenn, who lives in California. We met at Baylor and really clicked. I will definitely be visiting her someday! She wrote a Facebook note recently and tagged me in it. I write so much more easily on my blog than on Facebook (isn't that a weird quirk?), so I thought I would give my thoughts to the questions she posted. Here's the main gist of her note:

I'm worried for future generations and what they will experience. Is there a way to grow up or live in that world where everyone around us worships and fears God without "sheltering" ones self? To live in a world where its not considered cool to be surrounded by the party life style? The idea of living in a "garden of Eden" atmosphere that God had originally planned for us is already out since we are human and sinful, but I really want to know your thoughts!

Since I became pregnant with Evy, this topic has really been on my mind. How do I raise a child that has an effective influence and ministry in the world, but is not "of" the world, as Scripture says? I am aware of how much worse the culture has become, even since I was in school. Culture shifts are subtle, but all of a sudden as a parent I'm noticing the tremendous changes. Please read this: I am NOT AN EXPERT. And my daughter is only one year old. However, this is something I've really prayed about and am trying to learn about each day. Here are some of my thoughts:

-I believe in choosing friends and acquiantances according to your belief system. For instance, your inner circle should be those friends that (for the most part) believe very closely as you do about spiritual, moral, and lifestyle matters. Those are the people that you go to for counsel, wisdom, support, and encouragement (after you've sought the Lord, of course). Acquiantances, on the other hand, are people that you have relationships with but on a lighter level. These are people that you minister to, talk with, and encourage, but you're not spending large amounts of time with them. There is a reason for this: It's easier to be pulled down than to be pulled up. Meaning, there are so many temptations in the world, and if you're trying to live a godly lifestyle, it can be so easy to fall into behavior that isn't honoring to the Lord. That's why it's important to be careful. But we should DEFINITELY have a ministry with people who are unlike us, but there should be boundaries.

-If it's one thing you do, make your home a place that honors the Lord. The world is brutal, and you can't always control what you come in contact with at your workplace, etc. But you CAN do your best to control the environment of your home. This includes what you talk about, what you watch, what you read, and even using Christian symbols in your home. Some Orthodox Jewish families literally post Scriptures on the doorposts of their houses, based on Deuteronomy 6:5-9:

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

I don't believe that it's a law as Christians that we have to bind Scriptures to our foreheads, but it's the concept. There should be reminders around you of Whose you are. I collect crosses and will have a "cross wall" in our next home. I have a framed piece of art with just His name:

Having Christian symbols in your home doesn't make you more spiritual; but I've noticed it's very soothing. Also, I believe in claiming your house for the Lord, because the enemy WILL try to get in; that's a guarantee. Personally, I want people to know we're Believers when they walk into our home. Also, it's uplifting for the people who live there.

-At this point, we feel that homeschooling is the direction we're heading. I've said this before on this blog, and I'll say it again: I do NOT believe that every family should homeschool! Just like the Duggar family doesn't believe everyone should have 19 children. These are personal decisions and conivictions. Homeschooling does not guarantee that your children will turn out better than anyone else's. It doesn't promise that your children won't be exposed to things you're opposed to. The reason we are attracted to homeschooling is because of the flexibility for travel (I believe that the best education happens through seeing the world), and we will be able to tailor the education of each of our children according to their needs. Also, if you've been paying attention, there is a big debate going on right now in Texas about public school textbooks. I'm not jumping the gun and saying that every textbook will be horrifically edited, but honestly, I see that happening down the road. We are not considering homeschooling out of fear! God has not given us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). However, we think it might be a good way to spend time together as a family and teach our children with a Christian foundation. However, we recognize that if we choose to homeschool, we must get out into the world and make relationships with people, minister to others, and not stay too sheltered. What's the point of raising children in the faith if they're not going to share that faith with others? I've been exploring all of this here.

-Whatever method of schooling you choose, you should be schooling to some degree at home. Here's what I mean: even if our kids go to public or private school, we should be talking with them and teaching them at home about the ways of God and how to effectively handle the situations they come in contact with. School may be getting a big chunk of hours in their day, but at least start and finish the day on a spiritual note to equip them. My parents prayed with us in the morning and gave us pep talks on the way to school, and then when we got home we had a devotional time as a family. The last thing we heard at night in bed was a prayer from Mom or Dad over us. Even though we were faced with huge temptations at school at times, and we saw so many heartbreaking situations, we knew we had been prayed over, and coming home was always a relief. It was like re-entering a spiritual haven. As dramatic as that sounds, it's true. My parents weren't waving Christian flags over us or yelling Scripture to us as we walked into school, but we knew that our family belonged to Christ. There was a LOT of security in that. It's possible to instill that in kids even if you don't teach them at home.

-It all boils down to balance. We can't be completely removed from the world. It's impossible, nor is it a good thing, because we are called to be light to a dark world. I still have SO MUCH to learn about walking with the Lord. Sometimes it's embarrassing how much of a "baby Christian" I still am. But I've found that the more you study God's Word and draw closer to Him, the less you desire the world and its lifestyle. It's just off-putting and puts a bad taste in your mouth. I believe in forming relationships with all kinds of people (regardless of their lifestyle choices), but staying firm in your faith and knowing when it's wise to distance yourself. Again, there's not point in following Christ if you're not gently (or sometimes firmly) encouraging others to follow Him too. That's what we're here for!

-RESOURCES:

-Focus on the Family is a wonderful source of information for so many things, including raising children.

-Vicki Courtney is an incredible resource for parents of pre-teens and teenagers. That's the age where it all really starts to get difficult, in my opinion. You can look at her website HERE. Take the time to look at her website and explore the different resources and books that are there. She is so gifted in equipping parents to raise godly kids in a BALANCED way!

-Heart of the Matter is a website I've recently found. It talks a lot about homeschooling, but there are other great resources there too.

I've been convicted even writing this post, because I know what the Bible says and still sometimes fail to do it. It's hard learning to be in the world but not of it. However, if it's one thing I've learned: I'd rather have Jesus!

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I'd rather be led by his nail-pierced hands.

Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name.

Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

Strep 2.0

That's right---I've had a total relapse of strep throat, and it's worse than round 1. However, I'm on antibiotic again. PRAYING this will go away. We had a doozy this morning--showing the house and having a run-in with the people looking. We had a miscommunication on them letting us know they were in the neighborhood--bleh. Anyway. Kurt was home (thankfully) until 3:00 so he was able to help me get the house in order. We've actually done a good job of keeping it showing-ready. So we just had to do last minute things.

While Evy took a nap, I napped. I was starting to feel miserable. Kurt went to the gym and brought home my favorite takeout--steamed gyoza dumplings and sushi! I was skeptical as to how I'd be able to eat, but they were surprisingly soothing. I married such a wonderful man. I can't ever thank God enough for him.

I'm not going to lie, the evening was pretty long taking care of Bitty by myself with full-on strep. She didn't take an afternoon nap, so I was able to put her to bed around 8:00 which helped. I tell you what, you don't appreciate having a normal throat until it feels like you're swallowing nails.

I have things to do for several people (prettying up some blogs) but I just don't have the energy. Hopefully tomorrow!

If you think about it, please pray for my FULL healing. I'm sick of having a sore throat! However, it's NOTHING compared to what some families have suffered recently, including the precious family of little Layla Grayce. I haven't followed their story (honestly, my heart could not take it), but I was praying for that little girl with my whole heart. Praise the Lord she is whole and complete and in heaven with Him! Although it doesn't take away the pain, at least there is the promise of seeing her again someday. I think a sore throat isn't bad. Not at all.

Have a happy night. :)

Our Week : Cape Girardeau!

I have several friends that recap each week on their blogs. I've never done it, because my weeks are never exciting enough! Ha! But I thought I would give it a shot this week since I was visiting my family. I couldn't add pictures because I don't have my cord with me, but I will do a separate post with those later. Here's our week in Cape:

Saturday: My parents picked me and Evy up (they were visiting my sister at college), and we drove to Cape Girardeau. My mom was a total helper and sat in the back with the baby. I was able to sit in the front seat and actually see the scenery through the windows, rather than coming up with millions of random ways to entertain a baby. We made it to Cape safe and sound.

Sunday: Church at Lynwood! My dad's current sermon series is Living With Passion. He's preaching through the book of Malachi. I do all of the graphics for my dad's sermon series, so it's nice to actually see it live and in person on the big screens. We ate at Chan's (a Chinese place) for lunch. Andrea and I went out driving around to see random places in town. It's my tradition: I always drive by my old house, elementary school, 7th grade building, downtown. It's just tradition. We had Sunday night church that evening.

Monday: I got ready that morning and hung out with Mom and Evy. I had lunch with my Dad, which is something I did at least once a week when we lived in the same city. I can't wait to resume that once we move! We ate at Pasta House. They have my favorite ravioli in the world (and I've had a lot of ravioli). I picked Andrea up from school, and she talked me into getting my nails done. It was SO WORTH IT. We had dinner as a family that night.

Tuesday: More driving around and a few errands. I spent a lot of this day at home, I think. We ate together as a family at home for dinner.

Wednesday: I went out and about. I drove around downtown and stopped in at a couple of antique places (we have a LOT here in Cape). I also stopped in Bloom to browse and say hi to my friend Michaelyn, who manages the store. It's adorable! I took Andrea to a hair appointment. While she was there, I went across the street to a shop that is sort of like a craft mall, with different "stalls" of items. It's a lot of refurbished antiques, country-themed decor (it's just heart-warming to look at!), and random goodies that the different vendors decorate their areas with. I really enjoyed myself! Once Andrea was done, we went home and picked up Mom and Evy. We went to the Wednesday night supper at church, where I met a really sweet family who sat at our table. After dinner, Mom, Evy and I went up to the Student Ministry to see my brother and sister lead in worship. It was great! We all spent time together as a family at home later that night.

Thursday: I can't remember much of what I did today. I think I was at home for a good portion of the day, and then I picked Andrea up. We went to the mall and grocery store. My sister started a girl's Bible study in my parents' home on Thursday nights, so we got ready for that. We had a great time of Bible study, and it was so neat to see young girls studying the Word. It was a great evening!

Friday: We had a low-key day. That evening, I went with my parents and brother to see the Moscow Symphony in concert. Andrea kept Evy at home. It was so beautiful! I could write a whole post about it. It reminded me of studying in London--we saw a concert very similar when I was there. It was so beautiful how all of the different instruments worked together to tell a stroy through music. So enchanting!

Saturday: We had a busy day. Mom and I ran some errands, and then dropped by a baby shower for a church member's relative. Then, we picked up Andrea and Evy and went to another baby shower. This one was for a childhood friend of mine. I was able to see so many of my "Cape Girls"! Two of which have blogs: Emily and Kristal! It was so, so fun to catch up with my friends. Not very much has changed (as far as our personalities go) in 10 years! That evening, we tried to go eat at the famous Lambert's Cafe, but it was an hour and a half wait (on a Saturday evening at 5:30 pm!). So, we went to Pasta House (I wanted more ravioli--haha!). It was a great time being together! Andrea and I rented "Dan In Real Life" and we watched that with my parents. It was really cute!

I enjoyed recapping my week! Maybe I'll remember to do these posts once a week. It's fun to see how each day was filled. Pictures to come!

Once Again a Family of Three

Well, it's been a wonderful trip here to Missouri! We've had a ton of time with my family, which has been so nice. But I MISS KURT!!!! It's time to get back together as a family of three. Kurt took a test on Saturday (it's for his department---boards come later) and so it was good that he was able to study while we were gone. I think the house was shown several times. I'm praying I can just maintain the straightness for a little while!

My parents are taking Evy and I to meet Kurt in Memphis (it's the halfway point) tomorrow and then we'll be back in our own house. I still can't believe that our move is fast approaching. Being here in Cape is always a breath of fresh air for me. It's less claustrophobic than where we live and it just feels like home. I have peace and I'm able to just relax. However, I am dreading my last lunch with Carrie and SD, and saying goodbye to my little house. So some mixed feelings are definitely there.

Last night I really felt the need to start praying for some couple friends for Kurt and myself. I've always felt like it's difficult to find a couple to be really close friends with, because you're trying to find four personalities that mesh, with everyone being in a similar stage of life, and that couple would preferably share your convictions on most things. Well, this morning at church, two girls (that I already love) came up to me and told me how excited they are for us to move to Cape. Their husbands are brothers, and they are such great couples. It was like the Lord gave me that little boost and confirmed to me that we will have some dear friends once we make the move here. It was so encouraging!

I'm so excited to see Kurt tomorrow, and I know Evy is too. She has been so cute and fun while we've been here! I'll be sure to post lots of pictures soon. There's a lot to share! I did a photoshoot with my youngest sister for fun. I love practicing with my camera, and photography is something I am really enjoying as a hobby. I was also able to see a couple of blog friends (that I know in real life) at a baby shower on Saturday. It was so fun! So I'll be sharing all of that soon.

By the way, I'm going to try using Disqus for comments, due to several different things. I'm going to see how I like it. I know you have to enter one or two extra little things, but we'll see how it goes. If it's a total bust, I'll change it back! If you have a minute, you can just register for a Disqus profile, and commenting will be easier in the future. Thanks for letting me give this a try--even though I don't get very many comments per post, lately I've just felt the need to have different system in place.

Have a great start to the week!

Simplicity: Reading Nooks

I love it when I'm going through my blog reading and a theme pops up in my head. It's like the Lord kind of aligns a few blogs and it all kind of comes together to inspire me. Yet another reason why I love the blog world!

The theme I have in my head is simplicity. It started with this quote that I saw on Joy's blog, The Stay at Home Missionary:

"Jim Elliot wrote, ' Wherever you are, be all there.' In our microwaveable, fast-paced society, most of us are distracted and preoccupied with a hundred different things at any given time. In order to savor the romance of life, we must learn how to live purposefully--to treat each conversation, experience, and activity as valuable and worthy of our time and focus. It means a shift from a haphazard, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants lifestyle to thoughtful, meaningful living. It means not carelessly spending our time on mindless, meaningless things, but treating each moment of the day as a valuable gift from God, not to be wasted on selfish whims."

-Leslie Ludy, in her book, The Lost Art of True Beauty

I totally relate to wanting to savor life. I want to have the kind of home where people feel comfortable the instant they walk in. It might sound silly, but I want to play music all the time in my house. It's a little thing that I don't always remember to do, but how simple is that to do? It's calming and comforting to have music playing. That's what I'm talking about: simplicity.

Another simple joy in life that I want to savor more is reading. While going through my afore-mentioned blogs, Design Dazzle featured reading nooks for kids. It instantly took me back to early elementary school, where my favorite "station" or "center" was the reading nook. I loved the library at school. Picking out two fresh chapter books every time was THE most exciting thing in the world to me.

So I thought to myself: Simplicity. Reading nooks. Why can't adults have reading nooks to enjoy the simple pleasure of reading, just like kids?

I have my rocking chair in my current house where I read, but I have committed that in my next house I will dedicate an entire little spot to reading. And call it a nook, because I like that word.

Here are some inspirations:

Thank you Lord, for the simple joy of a cozy place to read and relax!

Show Us Your Life--Schedules

I haven't participated in Show Us Your Life for awhile, mostly due to sickness, but I thought this would be a good time to jump back in!

I'm a stay at home mom, and I feel so incredibly blessed to call this my job. I'm a homebody, and we're in a transitional stage of life right now because of an upcoming move, Kurt's job, etc., so we don't have a lot of activities. But that will change very soon once we're in Missouri!

Here are some highlights of our schedule:

8:00-9:00 am : Evy wakes up. She takes a morning bottle (we're almost completely weaned to milk), eats breakfast, and I usually watch a show I've DVR'd from the night before. We play together until morning nap.

11:30 am : Morning nap! This is when I try to get ready for the day and straighten the house. If we're going to be at home all day, I usually just wear comfy, stretchy pants and a long sleeve t-shirt. I always try to do my makeup (unless it's a really lazy day).

12:30/1:00ish : Evy wakes up. Lunch and more playing! If we have errands to run, this is when we do it.

4:00 pm : Evy takes her afternoon nap. Usually she goes down well, but sometimes she just decides not to take that afternoon nap. I always give it a really good try, though--she needs that nap!

5:00ish : Evy wakes up. Kurt is usually home by this time, if it's a regular work day for him. Kurt or I cook dinner (we both cook so that helps a lot to switch off) and we play with Evy, watch shows, talk, etc. This is my favorite time of the day!

8:30ish : Evy goes to sleep. Kurt and I usually do our own thing or talk.

10:30 pm : Kurt goes to bed. His job dictates that he wake up VERY early each morning, so he has to go to bed earlier! We always spend time together talking before he goes to sleep, though. Some of our best conversations happen during this time.

10:30 pm--Until ??? This is when I watch TV, catch up on blogging, have my time with the Lord, do my Bible study, and just enjoy the peace and quiet. I'm a night owl--I always have been! I have found that I have to have this time by myself for my sanity. It's good though, because I'm not sacrificing time with Kurt or Evy; they're already asleep. It's my time to recharge.

-Once a week Evy and I have lunch with our friends Carrie and her little girl Aubrey and Sarah Denley and her little girl Ann Peyton. I cherish these lunches! We have so many good talks, and it's wonderful to have such dear friends. I'm going to miss them so much when we move.

-Sundays are a free-for-all schedule-wise. Church definitely throws a kink in Evy's nap, but that's okay!

-If Kurt is on call during the week, that means he goes in to work at 3:00pm and stays overnight. We usually spend those mornings being lazy at home together or running errands as a family.

-I have realized that I really am a homebody, and my trend is to stay home a lot. Mostly because I don't want to be tempted to spend money if I'm out and about--haha! But sometimes it's really nice to break up the day and just get out. I'm going to start doing that more often because Evy is getting mobile and chasing her around the house all day gets monotonous! :) She is starting to really enjoy being out and about too. So we'll probably be adding more errands into our day.

There's no way I can write an all-encompassing schedule, but that's the general idea. As simple as it seems written out, my days are filled with playing, chasing, straightening and re-straightening, monitoring where Evy is at all times, and making sure something isn't being broken into or spilled! But I love every minute. I wouldn't trade it for the world! I always need to remember that these are the best days of my life.