Lent

Observing joyful silence for lent.

I LOVE....

~fluffy, white towels
~crisp, ironed sheets
~monograms
~shrimp, lobster and crab
~pinot noir
~chocolate cheesecake
~whales
~puppies
~kitties
~newborn babies, fresh out of the womb
~silence
~quilts
~fabric
~linens
~sunshine
~Hawaii
~Sydney
~Cancun
~Durango
~kids
~homeschooling
~Shawshank Redemption
~Signs
~The Notebook
~Pride and Prejudice
~F. Scott Fitzgerald
~Hemingway
~Casting Crowns
~Sarah Mclauglin
~the Olympics
~the Catholic Church
~advent
~Christmas Eve
~Easter
~stations of the cross
~mother teresa
~nice clothes
~waves
~lighthouses
~cape cod
~South Carolina
~Colorado Buffaloes
~scones
~paninis
~good pizza
~cold beer with nachos
~football games
~date night
~sitting on the beach in winter
~reading
~the rosary
~homemade cinnamon rolls
~italian food
~art museums
~the aquarium
~The Red Tent
~The Year of Wonders
~The Poisonwood Bible
~Barnes and Noble
~bakeries
~tea sets
~handmade soap
~candles
~aprons
~sitting by a fire, reading aloud
~really nice hotel rooms
~the bed at the Westin in Seattle
~wood floors
~cooking for guests
~guest rooms
~home decor magazines
~inspirational books
~Russell Crowe
~The Patriot
~Braveheart
~Gladiator
~Matt Damon
~Rachel McAdams
~Amy Adams
~Meryl Streep
~low country
~the Virgin Mary
~nuns in habits
~the ocean
~good conversation
~talking to fascinating people
~front porches
~roses and daisies
~outdoor fireplaces
~stargazing when it is really dark
~the Red Lion in Vail
~the Ore House in Durango
~country dancing
~George Strait
~violins
~bonfires on the beach
~seashells
~dolphins
~popcorn
~fajitas
~baby blankets
~baptism
~baby feet
~clean floors
~Pottery Barn
~dishes
~garlic, olive oil and rosemary
~handpainted anything
~layettes
~beautiful sleepwear
~nice people
~kindness
~manners
~Rendezvous BBQ~Memphis
~warm sand
~coffee with cream in a beautiful mug
~sunrise
~the earth from space
~spring cleaning
~snow falling
~wide, open spaces
~the Rocky Mountains
~Montana
~mothers and babies
~real men
~firewood
~being a stay at home mom
~nice nurses
~my obstetrician
~Southern hospitality
~a stocked pantry
~butterflies
~wrought iron
~lilacs
~sand dunes
~herons
~a stack of unread books
~my family

Marriage Friday

.. for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Ruth 1:16

Choose today to do something for your husband. A good meal, a clean house, a quiet evening, peaceful conversation, respect, happy children. Go out of your way today to ensure that when he walks in the door he knows you appreciate him. Service + self sacrifice = JOY.

I Thirst Thursday

And for my sister....some things I love....
~lighthouses
~foghorns in the night
~cool, ocean breezes
~flowers year round
~the golden gate bridge
~point reyes
~benicia football games
~golden boy pizza
~little italy
~mission san juan bautista
~monterey bay aquarium
~ocean waves pounding
~marin headlands
~stinson beach
~sonoma
~wine country
~bodega bay

Nuns on Oprah

If you missed the Oprah show on the nuns, go to her website and check it out. I was pleasantly surprised that they were shown in a positive light and were treated with respect.

One of the nuns was asked about silence and she said,

"If you never speak to a being greater than yourself, you can never DO anything greater than yourself." WOW.

“Peace is the deliberate adjustment of my life to the will of God.”

Only when we trust ourselves to listen and hear want God wants us to do, will we have peace. I look around and wonder why I am placed in this place that does not hold my heart and long to just go home. I know in my soul that God wants my to find my home...and it is not a place...it is wherever I am with Him, aligned with Him.

That is a hard pill to swallow sometimes. To know that what we want most is not the will of God. That He has something else in mind. Something that will cause us to grow in the way He wants. And it might be painful, or arduous, or not much fun. But, at the end we will see that it was right.

That is my journey in California. I am blessed to have what I love most, my husband, my kids, my lifestyle. I know the things I miss...school, church, kitchen, laundry room, yard, neighbors, food!, are just material things and don't really matter. But, how my fallen self loves material things sometimes..okay, most of the time.

Walking with him today and choosing peace in His will, not longing for mine. Dang, but that is hard!

Multitude Monday

“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.”
-Buddha

thankful for...
~nebulizers
~sunshine
~sweet little people
~a hand to hold
~clean water
~a warm bed
~coffee with cream
~warm bread and honey
~family
~a good sermon
~truth
~my savior


A sermon today that spoke of God calling to Peter and making Him a fisher of men. His disciples were certain they were not worthy. Yet, Jesus equipped them with all they would need for their mission. He will give you everything you need for your journey and your purpose. We must only have faith and receive.

If you have a minute, read this. What a beautiful testament to LIFE.